Finding a timely home.(For "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and 'Weakest Link")(Brief Article)

Broadcasting & Cable, May, 2001 by Ault, Susanne

The logical syndication spot for ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and NBC's Weakest Link is the attractive 7-8 p.m. access daypart. But that hour might not be easy to obtain: Many outlets, ABC- and NBC-owned stations included, have Long-term contracts on such shows as Wheel of Fortune and Access Hollywood.

"The way to maximize the potential of any show--particularly a game show--is to run it in access," says Katz TV's Bill Carroll "But that's going to be pretty tough." ABC and NBC affiliates aren't the only game in town: Syndicated versions of top-10 network shows could prove hard for any station to pass up. But Art Moore, programming director, WABC-TV New York, says some ABC stations may raise objections if a market rival gets Millionaire....

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.