Tribune has come on board at This TV, the
entertainment digi-net launched in 2008 by MGM Television and Weigel
Broadcasting. Tribune is an equal partner on programming and operations, while Weigel is departing the partnership to focus on its own digital
channels, Me-TV and Movies!
Starting in the fall, Tribune will oversee all programming
options for This TV, which is carried in more than 85% of the country. This TV
will be based out of WGN Chicago's facility. MGM and Tribune's existing
affiliation agreement for This TV will remain in place, with clearances on
stations in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, among others.
Terms of Tribune's partnership in This TV were not revealed.
Also in the fall, This TV moves from the Weigel station WCIU
Chicago to Tribune flagship WGN. Tribune, which emerged from bankruptcy on the
final day of 2012, has its own digi-net entrant in Antenna TV. WGN will air
both on its multicast tier in the fall.
"MGM has partnered with Tribune on This TV because they
are the best organization to optimize the network's growth through new content
development and distribution opportunities," said John Bryan, president,
domestic television distribution, MGM Television. "We look forward to a
long business relationship and expanding This TV to audiences across the
country."
Besides Me-TV and Movies!, the latter a partnership with
Fox, Weigel is creating a news-focused multiplatform product.
"MGM has built This TV into a valuable
programming network, and we believe this expanded partnership will further
solidify This TV as a leader in the digital network space," said Sean Compton,
president of programming for Tribune Broadcasting. "This TV's solid lineup
of movie offerings is a perfect complement to the television series lineup on
Antenna TV, Tribune's existing digital network."
