Jenya
11-19-2004, 01:47 PM
Spike TV Closes in on 'CSI-NY' Reruns
By Andrew Wallenstein and Kimberly Speight
Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/)
Friday November 19, 2004
NEW YORK - Spike TV is close to snatching up CBS' first-year drama series "CSI: NY" for a record sum nearing $1.9 million per episode, sources said.
The cable network's deal with the series' distributor, King World, would make "CSI: NY" the most expensive series ever sold into cable syndication.
The previous record holder was "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which Spike TV bought for a reported $1.6 million per episode. Spike TV recently began airing that series weeknights, which has given the network's Nielsen tally a significant boost.
Spike TV and King World declined comment Thursday. Both are owned by Viacom Inc.
It's likely that "CSI: NY" will begin airing once a week on Spike TV in fall 2005 and then get daily in fall 2008. This would follow the same model as "CSI: Miami," which also got sold into cable syndication during its first year. A&E, which bought "CSI: Miami" for $1 million per episode, began airing the series last month. (A&E is owned by Hearst Corp., ABC and NBC.)
"CSI: NY," starring Gary Sinise, is the third installment in the hit "CSI" franchise, which has proved to be a ratings powerhouse in broadcast, cable and syndication. After less than two months on the air, "CSI: NY" is regularly winning its time slot and putting a dent in the ratings of NBC's veteran series "Law & Order."
The record price tag reflects not only the vitality of the franchise but the nature of "CSI" episodes, which feature self-contained story lines that can air out of sequence in syndication. Whodunit-style dramas are a top draw in the syndicated market as evidenced by other high-priced off-network purchases, including "Law & Order: SVU," which went to NBCUniversal's USA for $1.5 million, and "Without a Trace," which Time Warner's TNT acquired for $1.4 million.
SOURCE: Yahoo News (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041119/tv_nm/television_spike_dc)
By Andrew Wallenstein and Kimberly Speight
Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/)
Friday November 19, 2004
NEW YORK - Spike TV is close to snatching up CBS' first-year drama series "CSI: NY" for a record sum nearing $1.9 million per episode, sources said.
The cable network's deal with the series' distributor, King World, would make "CSI: NY" the most expensive series ever sold into cable syndication.
The previous record holder was "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which Spike TV bought for a reported $1.6 million per episode. Spike TV recently began airing that series weeknights, which has given the network's Nielsen tally a significant boost.
Spike TV and King World declined comment Thursday. Both are owned by Viacom Inc.
It's likely that "CSI: NY" will begin airing once a week on Spike TV in fall 2005 and then get daily in fall 2008. This would follow the same model as "CSI: Miami," which also got sold into cable syndication during its first year. A&E, which bought "CSI: Miami" for $1 million per episode, began airing the series last month. (A&E is owned by Hearst Corp., ABC and NBC.)
"CSI: NY," starring Gary Sinise, is the third installment in the hit "CSI" franchise, which has proved to be a ratings powerhouse in broadcast, cable and syndication. After less than two months on the air, "CSI: NY" is regularly winning its time slot and putting a dent in the ratings of NBC's veteran series "Law & Order."
The record price tag reflects not only the vitality of the franchise but the nature of "CSI" episodes, which feature self-contained story lines that can air out of sequence in syndication. Whodunit-style dramas are a top draw in the syndicated market as evidenced by other high-priced off-network purchases, including "Law & Order: SVU," which went to NBCUniversal's USA for $1.5 million, and "Without a Trace," which Time Warner's TNT acquired for $1.4 million.
SOURCE: Yahoo News (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20041119/tv_nm/television_spike_dc)