ION Television March 2009 -- Color of Magic Premiere; Batman Forever, Tango & Cash

[Pavan]

ION Television March 2009 --

Blog Story:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2009/02/ion-television-march-2009-highlights.html


Regular schedule changes listed ONLY:

Effective Monday, March 16

Weekdays
6:00PM & 6:30PM M*A*S*H (replaces Steve Harvey/Family Feud)

Mon-Thurs
7:00PM & 7:30PM Family Feud (replaces ER Mon, Boston Legal Tues-Wed, Movie Thurs)



Here is the FULL regular schedule for March:
Mon-Thurs
3:00PM qubo on ION (Wed-Thurs)
4:00PM The Drew Carey Show
4:30PM The Drew Carey Show
5:00PM Quantum Leap
6:00PM The Steve Harvey Show
6:30PM Family Feud
7:00PM ER (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Movie (Thurs)
8:00PM ER (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Movie (Thurs)
9:00PM NCIS (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Movie (Thurs)
10:00PM NCIS (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Movie (Thurs)

Fri-Sun
3:00PM qubo on ION (Fri)
4:00PM The Drew Carey Show (Fri)
4:30PM The Drew Carey Show (Fri)
5:00PM Quantum Leap (Fri)
6:00PM M*A*S*H (Fri-Sun)
6:30PM M*A*S*H (Fri-Sun)
7:00PM-11:00PM Movies (Fri); RHI Entertainment (Sat-Sun)




Movies, Stunts, Marathons




- Total Theatre Thursday
Thursdays in Primetime

March 5 - 5-8pm and 8-11pm The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
March 12 - 7-9pm and 9-11p Tango & Cash (1989)
March 19 - 5-8pm and 8-11p Goodfellas (1990)
March 26 - 6-8:30pm and 8:30-11p Batman Forever (1995)

Other Movies Airings:
Sunday, March 1 - 6-8pm Analyze This (1999) and 8-11pm Casino (1995)
Friday, March 6 - 6-9pm The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Friday, March 13 - 6-8:30pm and 8:30-11pm Three Kings (1999)
Friday, March 20 - 7-9pm and 9-11pm Tango & Cash (1989)
Friday, March 27 - 5:30-8:30pm Goodfellas (1990) and 8:30-11pm Batman Forever (1995)



- RHI on ION
Sun-Fri 7-11pm
MARCH Programming:

Sunday, March 1
preempted

Friday, March 6
7:00PM-9:00PM preempted
9:00PM-11:00PM Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk Part 1 (1996)

Saturday, March 7
7:00PM-11:00PM Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk Parts 2 and 3 (1996)

Sunday, March 8
7:00PM-11:00PM Jim Henson's Jack & the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001)

Friday, March 13
preempted for Three Kings (1999) double feature from 7-11pm

Saturday, March 14
7:00PM-11:00PM Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (1999)

Sunday, March 15
7:00PM-11:00PM Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999)

Friday, March 20
preempted for Tango & Cash (1989) double feature

Saturday, March 21
7:00PM-11:00PM Invasion (1997)

Sunday, March 22
7:00PM-11:00PM Color of Magic (2008)

Friday, March 27
preempted for Goodfellas (1990) and Batman Forever (1995)

Saturday, March 28
7:00PM-11:00PM Human Trafficking (2005)

Sunday, March 29
7:00PM-11:00PM Noah’s Ark (1999)



Read the blog before you post. It will give much more insight than just the schedule, so please link this if you're posting elsewhere:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2009/02/ion-television-march-2009-highlights.html

[Pavan]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2009/02/ion-television-march-2009-highlights.html

[yankeesfan82]

Yeah. Someone needs to tell WHPX-DT in New London, Connecticut (the Hartford ION station) that Drew Carey is on at 4PM. Their schedule lists Infomercials 4PM-5PM and Drew Carey 5PM-6PM.

[Pavan]

ION TELEVISION EXPANDS ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THE BORDER AND THE GUARD

Two New Drama Series To Premiere on ION Television

West Palm Beach, Fla. February 24, 2009 -- ION Television announced today the acquisition of two new one-hour original dramatic series, The Border and The Guard, each making their U.S. debuts on ION later this year.

ION Television has signed a deal with Fireworks International, the television and digital programming distribution arm of ContentFilm, to secure the exclusive U.S. original broadcast rights for The Border, the award-winning procedural crime drama series. The Border follows members of the elite Canadian Immigration and Customs Security Unit working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to secure the border on both sides of the line.

ION Television, in a separate deal with Lionsgate, also secured the exclusive U.S. original broadcast rights for The Guard, an original action-drama series focusing on the members of a Coastguard Search and Rescue team. ION also has all U.S. television, digital media rights, Internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for both shows.

"ION Television's ratings growth is based on broadening its entertainment appeal through a growing mix of strong off-net series, blockbuster theatricals, sitcoms, and original content. The Guard and The Border are two original dramas that will fit nicely with proven hits like NCIS and Criminal Minds on our schedule this fall," said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. "Our new programming chief Leslie Glenn Chesloff will expand on this vision with further syndicated content, originals, and made-for-TV projects."

Melissa Wohl, Senior Vice-President at Fireworks International, added, "We are delighted to have placed The Border with ION in the US. ION is a great home for strong dramas and the show is in excellent hands and company. This significant deal reflects the tremendous global success of this award-winning series."

Rand Stoll, Executive Vice President, Lionsgate Television Sales noted, "We are delighted to enter into this agreement with ION on The Guard, which we feel is one of television's best kept secrets. Given its compelling mix of action and powerful performance, we expect this series will attract a solid audience for ION here in the U.S. as it has done internationally."

The Border, which garnered two prestigious Gemini Awards with ten nominations, including Best Dramatic Series, is a hard-driving crime drama featuring strong, topical stories from terrorist threats and drug smuggling, to trafficking in illegal organs and underage brides, to corporate and international espionage -- and brings a cool lens to the grit of urban life. Stars include James McGowan (All the Good Ones Are Married), Sofia Milos (CSI Miami), Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica), Graham Abbey (Till Death Do Us Part), Mark Wilson (Blue Murder), Jim Codrington (Queer As Folk), Jonas Chernick (The Eleventh Hour), Nazneen Contractor (Relic Hunter) and Catherine Disher (X-Men).

A White Pines Pictures Production produced in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, The Border is also under license in the U.K., Italy, Germany, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden, Estonia, Bulgaria, and South Africa.

The Guard, produced by Halifax Film and Brightlight Pictures Inc., is shot in the scenic wilderness of Squamish, British Columbia. A character-driven ensemble series, it focuses on the lives of four imperfect, offbeat and sometimes difficult, but heroic Canadian Coast Guard Rescue specialists who face danger daily out on the Pacific Ocean, saving lives as they search for meaning in their own. This gripping, high-action drama series stars Steve Bacic (21 Jump Street, Tailhook) as Duty Captain Miro Da Silva, Jeremy Guilbaut (Edgemont) as Rescue Specialist Andrew Vanderlee and Sonya Salomaa (Durham County) as First Mate Laura Nelson. David James Elliot (JAG, Closer to Home) also guest stars in the recurring role of David Nelson.

[catsrule]

If they picked up a Canadian series too bad it wasn't Corner Gas. :(

[JulieSomoski]

Yeah, I could care less about these Canadian dramas, and I'm sure most feel the same way.

[bliggenstrauff]

They're really getting desperate now

[Jude The Obscure]

I don't see how they are going to gain additional viewers with these non known (to the US) entities. I can understand established hits like NCIS, Criminal Minds, and Ghost Whisperer reruns, but Canadian imports that no one in the US has heard of?

[JulieSomoski]

Yeah, Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer, I can see, and they'll add some variety to the primetime lineup. But these Canadian dramas? There won't be room for them in primetime. We'll probably see them take over some of the daytime slots, or even in weekend blocks, with RHI expiring.

BTW, I've been enjoying Drew Carey at 4pm! Glad to see ION keeping it - anyone know how its been doing?

[Jude The Obscure]

Those Canadian shows also have limited amount of episodes, so if they were a surprise hit for ION, they wouldn't have much to fall back on. That first one, mentioned in a press release a month or so back, only has 6 episodes and the star has moved on to "Flashpoint" has he not?

[Pavan]

Durham County will be more than 6 episodes. 6 came out in Canada already, so ION will get more since it is in production now for that second season. Not sure how many, but more than 13 is likely. These are not going to air 5 days a week. Likely once a week. They are similar in vein of NCIS and Criminal Minds, so it could work. Flashpoint worked for CBS and Canadian series like DaVinci's Inquest are doing well in first-run syndication. They are cheap to produce. ION is trying for original product.

[mgsports]

Corner Gas is on WGN.
They can be shown at like 11am and 12pm before more Sitcoms like Dave's World,Major Dad and so on.

[catsrule]

Corner Gas is on WGN.at lousy times

[Jude The Obscure]

Pav, I know that ION is going for original product. But Julie and I pointing out that these are unknown stars, so it will take some good promotion to get people to notice. Is the guy who is on Durham County and Flashpoint still doing both series?

And if ION wants cheap filler, there are always those "Crimetime After Primetime" shows CBS imported from Canada in the late '80s such as "Night Heat", "Adderly", "Diamonds", "Fly By Night", "Forever Knight", etc.

[Pavan]

I think you can put anyone in these crime shows and they still do well. Flashpoint is an example. I don't think you need star power. I think these will compliment shows like CM and NCIS well. Not sure if the star is on both. It's possible.

[JulieSomoski]

I think what ION will have a hard time with is selling these shows to the audience. Afterall, I really doubt the people watching Boston Legal 10 times a week on ION will be watching these Canadian dramas.

And I don't get why they're trying to be a mini-CBS. It bothers me - instead of making a name for themselves (which, believe it or not, they used to have), they're trying to replicate CBS and their crime/procedurals.

[bliggenstrauff]

ION is trying for original product.
i don't see how they can still try for original product when i know how that worked out for them before :D

[bliggenstrauff]

It bothers me - instead of making a name for themselves (which, believe it or not, they used to have), they're trying to replicate CBS and their crime/procedurals.
Ah yes, the pax days and early i days, the channel was better then

[JulieSomoski]

Ah yes, the pax days and early i days, the channel was better then

At least they were original. Now, there's absolutely nothing original about ION.

[bliggenstrauff]

At least they were original. Now, there's absolutely nothing original about ION.
Right. They had some junk, some good stuff, but at least it was much more original than now

[Du Mont]

Those Canadian shows also have limited amount of episodes, so if they were a surprise hit for ION, they wouldn't have much to fall back on. That first one, mentioned in a press release a month or so back, only has 6 episodes and the star has moved on to "Flashpoint" has he not?
Both of this series have two seasons of episodes produced already, and I think both have been ordered to third seasons. While 'Durham County' has only 6 episodes, 'The Guard' has 15 episodes already in the can, and 'The Border' has 26 episodes.

I could see ION airing these series in some type of rotation during one hour of their primetime sked, and it will probably get fairly decent numbers. Both series got OK numbers in Canada which explains their multiple seasons.

Also, 'The Guard' has Mr. David James Elliot as a recurring series regular, and I'm sure that will be promoted to attract all his 'Melrose Place', 'J.A.G.' and 'Close to Home' fans.

[Scoobiedoo30]

I was wondering is Ion HD Channel still schedule for March 16, 2009.