Upfront Central: Complete Coverage From B&C
Turner Entertainment Network's TruTV revealed an upfront slate April 27 that includes renewals for 13 of the network's 20-plus programs and eight new reality projects in development including an Operation Repo spin-off, a Conspiracy Theory-inspired series and programs from Reveille and Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg's Katalyst.
TruTV has seen its ratings and advertising clients grow since its re-branding from Court TV less than three years ago. In 2011, TruTV will share NCAA men's basketball as part of a $10.8 billion, 14-year deal with the NCAA, Turner and CBS Sports. TruTV executive VP and general manager Marc Juris - with a little help from Jesse Ventura - will make that pitch to the advertising community this evening at the network's first stand-alone upfront presentation. (Previously TruTV presented with sister networks TNT and TBS at Turner Entertainment Network's presentation during broadcast week in May.)
Returning series include Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Full Throttle Saloon, Black Gold, Las Vegas Jailhouse, Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock Hotel, Operation Repo and The Smoking Gun Presents.
New series in development include Vegas Repo, an Operation Repo spin-off set in the Glitter Gulch and the Conspiracy Theory-esque Disclosure, which revolves around Bill Ryan and Kerry Cassidy, documentary filmmakers and conspiracy theorists who run the web site Project Camelot. (ProjectCamelot.org features several posts about theories into the recent plane crash in Poland that killed all of the countries government and military leaders.)
Additional series in development include: America's Toughest Boss, about Uncle Jack's Steakhouse owner Willie Degel; The Naked Office an office-set reality show from Reveille; Exposed!, a Punk'd-like program from Katalyst; Limo Bob, about a Chicago livery boss; and Ma's Roadhouse, about the colorful owners of a Texas bar/motorcycle shop/tattoo parlor.
