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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."

“Ghost Whisperer” Brings Supernatural Energy to ION Television

Slated for 2009 Primetime, the Series Further Expands ION’s Widely Appealing and Contemporary Programming Offerings

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Tuesday, April 29, 2008 -- 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, “Ghost Whisperer.” ION Television will debut this popular show in primetime, beginning in 2009. The deal continues the network’s positioning momentum as a general entertainment destination.

“Heading into its fourth season on CBS, this award-winning supernatural series has the great stories and loyal audience we’re seeking in order to grow ION Television into a popular, entertainment network,” said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. “Together with recent acquisitions like ‘Boston Legal’ and ‘Criminal Minds,’ ‘Ghost Whisperer’ extends our reach to a broad upscale adult 25-54 demographic.”

A drama-fantasy-thriller, “Ghost Whisperer” presents the adventures of a young newlywed, Melinda Gordon, who has the ability to communicate with the dead. Played by Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Party of Five,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer”), Melinda helps restless spirits relay messages and deal with unresolved issues that are keeping them earth-bound. Created by John Gray, the show also stars David Conrad (“Miss Match,” “Relativity”), Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winner Camryn Manheim (“The Practice,” “Dark Water”) and Jay Mohr (“Saturday Night Live,” “Jerry Maguire”). Aisha Tyler (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Friends”) was part of the first season cast.

“Ghost Whisperer” joins “Criminal Minds” and other 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 continues to push 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.

I'd rather watch the infomercials than that

The series has also been bought for cable in fall 2009. Sci Fi Channel and WE: Women's Entertainment will share the show starting also in Fall 2009.

Sci Fi will run the show in once or twice a week marathons, while WE will air the show daily. More details forthcoming on the blog.

Sci-Fi's press release:

SCI FI CHANNEL ACQUIRES OFF-NET CABLE RIGHTS TO CBS TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION’S
GHOST WHISPERER

Acquisition Part of a Larger Deal That Includes Rights to
Star Trek: The Next Generation Premiering June 2, 2008,
Plus Charmed, Early Edition, Mork & Mindy and More…


New York, NY – May 5, 2008 – SCI FI Channel has secured off-network cable rights to CBS’s Emmy-nominated series, Ghost Whisperer, from CBS Television Distribution, it was announced today by Thomas Vitale, SCI FI's Senior Vice President of Programming and Original Movies. SCI FI will launch the series in the fall of 2009.

In addition, SCI FI will have access to shows in the CBS library, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, which will premiere Monday June 2, 2008 on SCI FI, Charmed, Early Edition, Highlander, Friday the Thirteenth: The Series and the classic sitcom Mork & Mindy, among others.

“’Ghost Whisperer’ is an incredible addition to SCI FI’s programming inventory,” said Thomas Vitale. “The paranormal is very popular with our audience, as evidenced by the huge success of our original series ‘Ghost Hunters’ and ‘Ghost Hunters International,’ television’s most popular paranormal franchise. As part of SCI FI’s primetime lineup, ‘Ghost Whisperer’ will appeal to our existing audience, while bringing in new viewers, including more women.”

SCI FI will air Ghost Whisperer in a weekly 4-hour primetime stack beginning in the fall of 2009. SCI FI will be the only place on television to see weekly mini-marathons of the show. The Channel will also schedule programming stunts with full-day marathons. SCI FI will simulcast Ghost Whisperer in HD.

In Ghost Whisperer, Jennifer Love Hewitt stars as Melinda Gordon. Melinda communicates with earthbound spirits, ghosts who cling to the living because they have unfinished business that prevents them from moving beyond the familiar earthy plane of existence. The series is inspired in part by the work of famed mediums James Van Praagh and Mary Ann Winkowski. It explores the spiritual side of life and death as Melinda navigates among the living and the dead in her chilling sometimes heart-rending and sometimes amusing attempts to act as an intermediary between the ghosts and those they haunt.

Ghost Whisperer is produced by Sanders/Moses Productions in association with ABC Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television. It premiered September 23, 2005 on CBS.

Well I for one would prefer watching this program over any infomercial. ION is stepping up their game. We need to embrace change and not focus on the past. They are now a general entertainment network, not PAX.

Details on Syfy and WE tv:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2009/08/ion-television-removes-weekday-boston.html