Pavan
06-03-2004, 11:11 AM
NEW YORK -- ABC Family will pony up about $175,000 an episode for an exclusive four-year license term to the WB Network comedy "Grounded for Life."
Tom Zappala, VP of scheduling and acquisitions for ABC Family, declined to comment on terms of the deal but said "Grounded," which begins on the network in January, could serve as a companion piece to an original half-hour series. Carsey-Werner-Mandabach distributes "Grounded."
ABC Family has become one of the most aggressive cable buyers of off-network series, recently shelling out $750,000 an episode to Warner Bros. for "Gilmore Girls," $400,000 per to Warner Bros. for "Smallville" and $315,000 per to Buena Vista TV for "My Wife & Kids."
ABC Family will start stripping both "Gilmore Girls" (5pm)and "Smallville" (7pm) this fall along with "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (10:30pm), and they will join such shows as "7th Heaven" (6pm) and "Full House" (4-5pm) on the network's five-a-week schedule.
The creators/executive producers of "Grounded," which the WB has renewed for a fifth season, are Bill Martin and Mike Schiff. Also exec producing are Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach. It stars Donal Logue and Megyn Price.
Zappala negotiated the deal for ABC Family with Jim Kraus, executive VP of domestic TV for Carsey-Werner Mandabach.
Tom Zappala, VP of scheduling and acquisitions for ABC Family, declined to comment on terms of the deal but said "Grounded," which begins on the network in January, could serve as a companion piece to an original half-hour series. Carsey-Werner-Mandabach distributes "Grounded."
ABC Family has become one of the most aggressive cable buyers of off-network series, recently shelling out $750,000 an episode to Warner Bros. for "Gilmore Girls," $400,000 per to Warner Bros. for "Smallville" and $315,000 per to Buena Vista TV for "My Wife & Kids."
ABC Family will start stripping both "Gilmore Girls" (5pm)and "Smallville" (7pm) this fall along with "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (10:30pm), and they will join such shows as "7th Heaven" (6pm) and "Full House" (4-5pm) on the network's five-a-week schedule.
The creators/executive producers of "Grounded," which the WB has renewed for a fifth season, are Bill Martin and Mike Schiff. Also exec producing are Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach. It stars Donal Logue and Megyn Price.
Zappala negotiated the deal for ABC Family with Jim Kraus, executive VP of domestic TV for Carsey-Werner Mandabach.