Finding a new hit first-run strip in syndication is no easy feat, particularly when the better time periods are populated with established programming. But with Oprah Winfrey’s upcoming departure from daytime TV now a reality, the major distributors are jockeying to fill that key hour of early-fringe real estate.

Easily the biggest news this season is Oprah’s announcement that she will officially step down from her syndicated chatfest after what will be 25 years on Sept. 9, 2011 to concentrate on her upcoming cable network OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a joint venture with Discovery Communications. While the “Queen” of daytime’s actual involvement at OWN remains uncertain (Oprah claims she will not do another talker), much clearer is the opportunity created now for all other syndicators. It also was the right time for her to step away.

“Ratings have declined over the years, and the upcoming license fees were likely going to decrease, so the timing makes sense,” explains Brad Adgate, svp of research at Horizon Media. “But Oprah is still in a league of her own, and the pending departure could negatively impact the lead-out local news, which leads into network news and prime time. There is a definite domino effect here.”

“No one should be too surprised,” adds Sharianne Brill, svp, director of Strategic Audience Analysis, at Carat. “When OWN was announced, talk of Oprah’s exit from syndication was spreading like wildfire. It was just a question of when she would leave.”

So who will benefit from her looming absence? Before that’s addressed, let’s look at what else has happened in this 2009-10 TV syndication season. The biggest success is the debut of Sony Pictures Television’s The Dr. Oz Show, the highest-rated new syndicated talker since Dr. Phil seven years earlier. Through Jan. 8, Dr. Oz is averaging a 2.6 rating in households, just two-tenths of a rating point behind deteriorating Dr. Phil, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Both Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil (along with perky Rachael Ray) are spawns of, you guessed it, Oprah, who has yet another spinoff up her sleeve: interior designer Nate Berkus. His show, which is being distributed by Sony, is also expected to benefit from the exposure on Oprah (but has no confirmed clearances at press time, a common trend for most new entrants).

Dr. Oz is most likely to inherit a good percentage of the available time periods given its early buzz and ongoing momentum (which will only grow more in Oprah’s plum spots). Competing distributors will, of course, be actively pitching their product for next fall, particularly The Ellen DeGeneres Show from Warner Bros., who Oprah herself seems to endorse. And some stations are expected to expand their local news up one hour. Katie Couric also is said to be considering a new talk show since her contract as anchor of the CBS Evening News expires in May 2011. Further, there are rumors ABC’s The View may be moving to later in the day.
Even former daytime powerhouse Rosie O’Donnell’s name has come up (she’s currently hosting a daily radio show on Sirius).

O’Donnell doesn’t rule out the possibility. “There’s been a lot of talk lately with Ms. Winfrey going to do her own channel,” she said at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour. “I can’t imagine going back, but stranger things have happened.”

“As great a loss as Oprah’s exit will be, it does open doors,” adds Brill. “And that creates excitement. It is not that often that a prime hour of early fringe real estate opens.”

Oprah’s avails aside, several other first-run options are vying for clearances, alongside more new off-network product than ever before. But only two or three of the proposed new first-run strips are expected to actually make it to air.

“There are two obvious upcoming trends in syndication,” explains Bill Carroll, vp, director of programming, Katz Media. “This is the first year I recall all first-run product being offered on a barter basis, which means distributors are keeping a larger-than-usual chunk of the ad time. That is a sign of the economic times. The second trend is off-network, with a good portion of the new offerings nonscripted and directly from cable.”

“There is also renewed optimism in the world of sitcoms, thanks to the success of ABC’s Modern Family,” adds Adgate. “It won’t launch in off-net for three or four years, but it gives us hope of more mass-appeal sitcoms on the horizon.”



Competing for clearances this fall are American Dad and How I Met Your Mother from Twentieth Television; Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage and The New Adventures of Old Christine from Warner Bros.; and Debmar-Mercury’s Meet the Browns. Not new, but worth noting at Twentieth Television is a second four-year cycle of animated hit Family Guy (taking it through 2014-15), which was sold mostly for cash.

New entrants in the hour-long off-net drama category are Ugly Betty from Disney-ABC; Criminal Minds and Numb3rs from CBS; House from NBC Universal; MGM’s Stargate: Universe; Twentieth Television’s The Unit; Warner Bros.’ The Closer; and Canadian drama Heartland from Genesis International. Additional off-network entries, all nonscripted, include Cash Cab (MGM), Real Housewives (NBC Universal) and True Hollywood Stories (Debmar-Mercury). “The ability to blend elements of several shows into one, I think, sets Cash Cab apart,” says John Bryan, evp, broadcast strategy, MGM. “It’s a game show with comedy and a Candid Camera element.”

“If something like Real Housewives works, which is being sold as a strip, we could be flooded with similar nonscripted docudramas down the road,” adds Katz’s Carroll.

“Something of a competitive nature is more of a long shot because already knowing who the winner is detracts from the entire season. But a scripted docu-drama could have legs.”
In first-run, Swift Justice With Nancy Grace from CBS Television Distribution is considered a “firm go” for fall 2010. At present, Swift Justice is cleared under a two-year deal in approximately 90 percent of the country, including all top 50 markets, and the pitch is for stations to air the show in back-to-back half hours. CBS was also hoping to expand on its successful The Doctors franchise with a new strip tentatively titled The Lawyers from Doctors creator Jay McGraw. But no news at press time could mean it’s on hold until fall 2011.

Program Partners, which was unable to bankroll Marie Osmond’s proposed talk show for this season, has found a more cost-effective project called Steven and Chris, a Canadian hour of lifestyle-related topics blending original and already produced segments. “The success we have had in the past with Canadian programming made us want to go back to the well and find something unique in daytime,” explains Josh Raphaelson, principal of Program Partners. “And what was already produced in Canada is still new to TV audiences here.”

One show that didn’t make it is Mom Logic, a View-like project from Warner Bros. based on the Web site of the same name. But the distributor is hoping to keep time periods for The Tyra Banks Show occupied with repeats of the last five seasons under a “Best Of” banner.

Banks recently announced she was ending the show after five seasons, but it was minimal interest on The CW in daytime this season that sealed its fate. Also not returning from Warner Bros. is sophomore talker The Bonnie Hunt Show, and the future of NBC Universal’s freshman Deal or No Deal also looks grim. On a smaller level, Trifecta Entertainment magazine Tooned In, which was hoping to generate interest by incorporating animation into the concept, also has been scrubbed.

The court category remains as crowded as ever. Potential projects include America’s Court With Judge Ross from Entertainment Studios, Judge Heck from Trifecta Entertainment, Judge Brian Superior Court from All Media Partners and, in an unprecedented move, a revival of Judge Karen’s Court from Litton Entertainment. Revivals, of course, are nothing new (People’s Court and Divorce Court, to name a few), but the return of Judge Karen is unique because the Sinclair Broadcast Group asked for the show back after Sony canceled its version in 2008-09. “We saw an opportunity and ran with it,” says Dave Morgan, president, CEO of Litton Entertainment, who’s optimistic about Karen’s built-in familiarity.

“Karen’s initial demise didn’t stem from low ratings. When Sony acquired Dr. Oz, it decided to get out of the court show business, and Karen was an unfortunate casualty. Their loss is our gain.”

After clearing on WPIX in New York, Judge Karen’s Court will now be officially moving forward next season.

With no confirmed clearances at press time, all the new court contenders will face a tough market. With all eight incumbent court strips expected to return, plus Swift Justice With Nancy Grace and Karen, there is only so much room left in daytime—that is, until Oprah leaves.
Most major distributors aren’t even bringing anything new to NATPE this year, including NBC Universal, Twentieth Television, Warner Bros. and Disney-ABC, whose last new first-run strip was failed talker The Tony Danza Show in fall ’05.

“The ongoing success of the long-term first-run franchises in syndication limits time period availabilities,” says Mitch Burg, president of the Syndicated Network Television Association.

“So if the need is low, the product tends to be limited.”

 Twentieth, however, has been known to test shows on the Fox O&Os in the summer (including the recent reality-driven Wedlock or Deadlock) and is unlikely to abandon that strategy. “This is a great platform for us, and we have several projects in development,” notes Greg Meidel, president of Twentieth Television. “I’m optimistic we will be testing something new next summer.”

As the industry gathers at NATPE for what could be the final conference in Las Vegas (Miami is the confirmed destination next year, with an option in 2012), the lack of confirmed clearances for the majority of new first-run stripped wannabes means the established mainstays will continue to rule the roost. But Oprah’s departure in 2011 will create time period opportunities in early fringe—and a heck of a scrum over the next year among syndicators to fill the slot. With a rare opportunity like this, the battle is on to see who, if anyone, can fill her shoes.



NATPE 2010

Daytime Talk (Key Target Demographics: Women 18-49, 25-54)

*Steven and Chris (one hour)
Program Partners / Barter (6 minutes national/8 minutes local)
Hosted by Canada’s “designer guys,” Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman, the focus is on approachable, practical and fun ways to improve lifestyle, home and diet. Content will include a combination of old episodes from the Canadian series and new installments.

*Nate Berkus (one hour)
Sony Pictures Television / Barter (3.5 minutes national/10.5 minutes local)
Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz may have another corporate sibling sprung out of Oprah with this new lifestyle-driven hour hosted by interior designer Nate Berkus, a frequent Oprah guest.
 
Daytime Court (Women 18-49, 25-54; Adults 18-49, 25-54)

*America's Court With Judge Ross (half hour)
Entertainment Studios, Inc. / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Presided over by former radio show host Judge Kevin A. Ross, the emphasis is on forcing wrongdoers to reflect on the consequences of their actions.

*Judge Brian Superior Court (half hour)
All Media Partners / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Bigger-than-life Texas litigator Brian Loncar presides over this half hour of court that promises to crackle with humor and decisive fairness.
 
*Judge Heck (half hour)
Trifecta Entertainment / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
With more than 26 years of legal experience (17 of them on the bench), no-nonsense Judge Anthony Heckemeyer will avoid any spins and get right to the truth in this straight-up court strip.

*Judge Karen’s Court (half hour)
Litton Entertainment / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
At the urging of the Sinclair station group, Litton has resurrected this half hour presided over by Judge Karen Mills-Francis (after Sony Pictures Television canceled it following a single season last spring).

*Swift Justice With Nancy Grace (half hour)
CBS Television Distribution / Barter (4 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Airing in back-to-back half hours and sold in an initial two-year window, HLN host Nancy Grace will trade the gavel and robe for an arena where legal and medical experts will be used in an ongoing basis.

First-Run Weeklies (Adults 18-34, 18-49, 25-54, Teens, Kids)

*The Crook and Chase Hour (one hour)
All Media Partners / Barter (7.5 minutes national/7.5 minutes local)
The “Regis and Kelly of country music,” Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase host this weekly hour of celebrity-driven country music.

*Curiosity Quest Goes Green (half hour)
Telco Productions / Cash plus barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Targeted to kids 12 and under, this series aims to inform and educate about saving energy, recycling and protecting the environment.

*The Kids Block (half hour)
Showplace Television Syndication / Barter (2.5 minutes national/2.5 minutes local)
Targeted to 3-5-year-olds, the focus here is on singing and dancing with a culturally diverse cast of kids and puppets who hang out in the courtyard on their block.

*My Parents, My Sister & Me (half hour)
Showplace Television Syndication / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Former A Different World star Jasmine Guy headlines this teen-targeted sitcom about the humorous side of mixed blended family life. Debbie Allen is executive producer.

*Treasure Hunters Road Show (half hour)
Entertainment Concepts International / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
The coolest, most unusual collections around the world are uncovered by host Elliot Bambrough who shares the joy with sellers as they part with their “treasures.”

*Wild Limited (half hour)
Litton Entertainment / Barter (3.5 minutes national/3.5 minutes local)
Pitched as the female version of Steve Irwin, zoologist and botanist Dr. Linda Conner will take viewers through the wilds of the African jungle exploring all manner of wildlife.

*World’s Funniest Moments (one hour)
MGM / Barter (7.5 minutes national/7.5 minutes local)
The funniest video shorts—silly accidents, parodies, hidden-camera stunts, etc.—are highlighted in this comical hour hosted by Erik Estrada.



GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

The dominant force in syndication, CBS Television Distribution, has another potential long-term player up its sleeve: Swift Justice With Nancy Grace, a new half-hour court strip presided over by the always outspoken Nancy Grace. Sold in a two-year window, it’s a “firm go” in first-run for fall 2010. Marc Berman had the opportunity to speak with Grace, who sought a career in law after her fiancé was murdered when she was only 19.

Marc Berman: You host a nightly show on HLN, recently released another book and are the mother of 2-year-old twins. How will you even have the time to do this?

Nancy Grace: I feel so incredibly lucky that CBS and their producers approached me with their idea for a court-related show. It was so out of the blue, it’s so fortuitous and the connection with the people at CBS was so great, I just immediately said yes.

MB: Will you continue to do your HLN show?

NG: Oh yes, because as a crime victim, I feel I have really been blessed with my law degree, with my work as a prosecutor and as a victims’ rights advocator. I feel like I’ve been given a platform to help solve homicides, missing persons’ cases and, most importantly, advocacy for children. I have that platform and really feel it’s my duty to continue to utilize it as best as I can. We will shoot Swift Justice during the day, and I will be doing my Headline News show Monday through Friday. No rest for the weary!

MB: Talk about the show. There are a lot of court shows on the air, and the genre overall is doing very well by following a familiar format. What exactly do you want to do?

NG: This show is going to give me the opportunity to meet with who I refer to as litigants…people who need a dispute resolved. To meet with them one-on-one and really get into it, and work with cases and issues that hit everybody, every day, all across the country.

MB: Will it be a traditional courtroom setting? NG: No, no, no…there is no robe, I won’t have a gavel and this will be more like the next generation of court shows. It’s all about resolving conflict in a different way. It will not always be just two parties in dispute. Sometimes I will go one-on-one with an individual who wants my opinion.

We are also bringing in experts. I want real lawyers who have been in court that day to come to the set—lawyers who are trial lawyers, experts who are real medical examiners…not someone who has been paid to be on a TV show. We will also let viewers be part of the show by answering calls, reading e-mails, using social networks and Skype…the whole shebang. This will be an interactive court show.

MB: Are you a fan of the court show genre? Do you watch anything regularly?

NG: Regularly, no…There’s not enough time in the day. But I just love Judge Judy because of her take-control attitude and quest to always find the truth. The distinction this show has is my involvement, of course. But I will use Judge Judy as a true role model because of the enormous impact she has made.

MB: One thing missing in court is the lack of follow-ups. Would you consider revisiting some of the people who appear on your show so we can find out what became of them after the verdict?

NG: You know what? I haven’t considered that. And I think we should because it is the stories of these people—good, bad and indifferent—that are the true backbone of this show.

MB: On a lighter note, what does it feel like being parodied on Saturday Night Live?

NG: Well, the first time I saw it live I was falling asleep, and I somehow thought I was really defending Scooby Doo! If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then I’m grateful. But, come on, do I really act like that?