Weekend Idol Clears 55% of Country

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We wonder if Kelly Clarkson will win this time around, too.

Fox's American Idol, TV's top series, which is headed to syndication through a deal among Tribune, Fremantlemedia North America, and 19 Entertainment, has cleared 55% of the country for fall.

The show has been cleared on Tribune and Sinclair stations in nine of the top 10 markets for fall 2006, according to Dick Askin, president/CEO, Tribune Entertainment

Double weekend runs are being sold on a barter basis, with Tribune handling ad sales and Fremantlemedia and 19 Entertainment producing.

Starting with season one, Idol will be repackaged as a weekend hour, American Idol Rewind, with an "enhanced program offering never-before-seen footage, fascinating behind-the-scenes facts and details, a distinctive look, and a fast-paced, highly entertaining hour of television," according to the companies.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.