from broadcasting and cable

ION Television Deals for Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer
ION Media Networks Reaches Broadcast-Syndication Rights Deal with CBS
Television Distribution
By B&C Staff

ION Television will begin airing Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer in
primetime in the fall of 2009 following an agreement for the series'
broadcast-syndication rights between parent ION Media Networks and CBS
Television Distribution.

Crime drama Criminal Minds follows a team of profilers from the FBI's
Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico, Va., and stars Mandy Patinkin,
Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson and Shemar Moore.

Drama-fantasy-thriller Ghost Whisperer chronicles the adventures of a
young newlywed who has the ability to communicate with the dead, and
it stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Camryn Manheim, Jay Mohr and Aisha
Tyler.

"These high-caliber TV series strengthen and broaden ION Television
with target audiences and advertisers long-term," ION Media Networks
chairman and CEO Brandon Burgess said in a statement. "Both shows have
compelling first run ratings on CBS and are both showing strength
going into their fourth original season."

Criminal Minds is one of my favorite shows. Too bad reruns are going to a very bad network. Does anyone really think Ion is still interested in show classic TV anymore?

Criminal Minds is one of my favorite shows. Too bad reruns are going to a very bad network. Does anyone really think Ion is still interested in show classic TV anymore?

ION is after one thing--just like any other network--ratings. Why in the world did they buy all that library programming if they have no intention on properly using said library? Hopefully the upfront on May 1st will include announcements on expanding programming hours. This fall they have M*A*S*H* and Boston Legal for prime time, and now next fall they have Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer. They are clearer trying to go for a more youthful demographic or at least one that only wants to view the latest programming to hit reruns.

ION Television Gets in Your Head with “Criminal Minds”
Series Coming to ION Television in 2009, Evolving the Network as Popular Entertainment TV Destination


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- ION Media Networks, Inc. today announced it has entered into a content agreement with CBS Television Distribution for the broadcast syndication rights to the hit television series, “Criminal Minds.” ION Television will debut this popular show in prime time beginning in 2009. The deal continues the network’s positioning momentum as a general entertainment destination.

“This high caliber TV series strengthens and broadens ION Television with target audiences and advertisers long term,” said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. “The series has compelling first run ratings on CBS and is showing strength going into its fourth original season.”

“Criminal Minds” is an exciting crime drama that follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico, Virginia. The series is unique in its focus on the criminal rather than the crime itself. The cast includes Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin (“Evita,” “Chicago Hope,” “The Princess Bride,” “Yentl”) in the first two seasons; Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna (“Glengarry Glen Ross,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “The Simpsons”), who joined the cast in season three; Thomas Gibson (“Dharma & Greg,” “Chicago Hope”) and Daytime Emmy Award-winner Shemar Moore (“The Young and the Restless,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”), among others. All the agents bring their expertise and personalities into play, as they map out predators’ psychology and attempt to prevent the next crime.

“Criminal Minds” joins recent additions, including “Boston Legal,” coming to ION off-network later this year, as well as “The Steve Harvey Show,” “Family Feud” and “Quantum Leap,” currently airing in ION Television’s expanded entertainment schedule. The network is pushing forward with its long-term strategy to meet the entertainment needs of the adult 25-54 demographic with a mix of compelling television series, theatrical and made-for-television movies, specials and sports.

Criminal Minds will also head to cable in September 2009 on A&E. The show will air once a week though starting in May 2008 on A&E. More details soon...

Stay tuned to today's blog for A&E's airtimes for the once a week preview play starting next month.


A&E NETWORK ACQUIRES CBS TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION’S CRIMINAL MINDS FOR SEPTEMBER 2009


DEAL ALSO GIVES A&E A WEEKLY PREVIEW OF EARLY SEASONS BEGINNING IN MAY 2008

NEW YORK, NY, April 24, 2008 – A&E Network will become the official cable home to the hit CBS drama series Criminal Minds, it was announced today by Bob DeBitetto, Executive Vice President and General Manager, A&E Network. The acquisition from CBS Television Distribution gives A&E the exclusive cable rights to the critically acclaimed series beginning September 2009. Additionally, beginning in May 2008, A&E will be airing episodes from the first three seasons of the series once weekly before fully stripping the series in September 2009.

“’Criminal Minds’ is a strategic acquisition which will serve as an excellent promotional platform for A&E’s cable-leading portfolio of justice programming, as well as a perfect complement to the strong stable of high-quality, character-driven off-net dramas, including ‘CSI: Miami’ and ‘The Sopranos’,” said DeBitetto. “The addition of this series comes at the perfect time, as we get ready to reintroduce original drama series to the network, beginning this summer.”

One of the top-rated crime dramas on broadcast television, “Criminal Minds” revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's team includes David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), a founding member of the BAU, who returns to help the team solve new cases, while pursuing some unfinished business of his own; Special Agent Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), a family man who is able to gain people's trust and unlock their secrets; Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), the daughter of high-powered diplomats who recently joined the team and must prove her worth to Hotchner; Special Agent Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), an expert on obsessional crimes; Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), a classically misunderstood genius whose social IQ is as low as his intellectual IQ is high; Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (A.J. Cook), a confident young agent who acts as the unit liaison for the team; and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), a computer wizard who helps research the cases. Each member brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them. For the first two seasons of Criminal Minds,” Mandy Patinkin played the role of Jason Gideon.

Criminal Minds is produced by ABC Studios, in association with CBS Paramount Network Television. Mark Gordon, Ed Bernero and Deborah Spera are the executive producers.

Here are the May details for CM on A&E:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2008/04/criminal-minds-details-for-starting-in.html

I'd rather watch it on A&E...though it probably won't matter either way since they'll be cut up. DVDs!

It won't be edited much, if at all. The shows in syndication are usually 21 minutes for a half hour and 41 minutes for dramas, and that is what Criminal Minds and other dramas average in primetime in their regular runs.

It won't be edited much, if at all. The shows in syndication are usually 21 minutes for a half hour and 41 minutes for dramas, and that is what Criminal Minds and other dramas average in primetime in their regular runs.
Well that's good.

I don't think it will be cut up that much anymore. ION Television seems to be going into a whole different direction recently and are trying to become more mainstream. I have a feeling that once ER and The Dead Zone hit the airwaves their whole formatting will be completely different.