ION Television January 2009 --

Blog Story:
coming soon...http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2008/12/ion-television-january-2009-sees.html


Regular schedule changes listed ONLY:

Weeks of December 29 and January 5 ONLY:
Weekdays
4:00PM & 4:30PM Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (replaces M*A*S*H)

Effective Monday, January 5:
Weekdays
5:00PM & 5:30PM Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (replaces Steve Harvey)

Mon-Thurs
6:00PM & 6:30PM The Steve Harvey Show (replaces Hangin' with Mr. Cooper)

Mondays
8:00PM NCIS (replaces Boston Legal)

Tuesdays
9:00PM Boston Legal (replaces NCIS)


Effective, Monday, January 12:
Weekdays
4:00PM & 4:30PM The Drew Carey Show (replaces Hangin' with Mr. Cooper)

Mon-Wed
5:00PM Quantum Leap (replaces Hangin' with Mr. Cooper)



Here is the FULL regular schedule for January (eventually starting Jan. 12):
Mon-Thurs
3:00PM qubo on ION (Wed-Fri)
4:00PM The Drew Carey Show
4:30PM The Drew Carey Show
5:00PM Quantum Leap (Mon-Wed); Movie Encore (Thurs)
6:00PM The Steve Harvey Show (Mon-Wed); Movie Encore (Thurs)
6:30PM The Steve Harvey Show (Mon-Wed); Movie Encore (Thurs)
7:00PM Family Feud (Mon-Wed); Movie Encore (Thurs)
7:30PM Family Feud (Mon-Wed); Movie Encore (Thurs)
8:00PM NCIS (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Warner Total Theatre Thursday (Thurs)
9:00PM NCIS (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Warner Total Theatre Thursday (Thurs)
10:00PM NCIS (Mon); Boston Legal (Tues-Wed); Warner Total Theatre Thursday (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 Warner Movie encore (Fri)
6:00PM Warner Movie encore cont. (Fri), M*A*S*H (Sat-Sun)
6:30PM Warner Movie encore cont. (Fri), M*A*S*H (Sat-Sun)
7:00PM RHI Entertainment
9:00PM RHI Entertainment




Movies, Stunts, Marathons




- Total Theatre Thursday
Thursdays at 8:00PM

January 1 - 7-9p & 9-11p Double Impact (1991)
January 8 - 8-11p For Your Eyes Only (1981)
January 15 - 8-11p Octopussy (1983)
January 22 - 8-11p A View to Kill (1985)
January 29 - 8-11p Octopussy (1983)

Movies Encores:
Friday, January 2 - 5-7pm Double Impact (1991)
Thursday, January 8 - 5:30p-8pm Matchstick Men (2003)
Friday, January 8 - 4:30-7pm Matchstick Men (2003)
Thursday, January 15 - 5-8pm For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Friday, January 16 - 5-7pm Major League: Back To The Minors (1998)
Thursday, January 22 - 5-8pm Octopussy (1983)
Friday, January 23 - 5-7pm Major League: Back To The Minors (1998)
Thursday, January 29 - 5-8pm A View to Kill (1985)
Friday, January 30 - 4:30-7pm Sphere (1997)



- RHI on ION
January Programming:

Friday, January 2
7:00PM-9:00PM Out of Time (2000)
9:00PM-11:00PM Beyond the Call (1996)

Saturday, January 3
7:00PM-9:00PM To Dance with Olivia (1997)
9:00PM-11:00PM Love's Long Journey (2005)

Sunday, January 4
7:00PM-9:00PM What Kind of Mother Are You? (1996)
9:00PM-11:00PM National Lampoon's Attack Of The 5'2" Women (1994)

Friday, January 9
7:00PM-9:00PM A Girl's Best Friend
9:00PM-11:00PM Fighting For My Daughter (1995)

Saturday, January 10
7:00PM-11:00PM Final Days of Planet Earth (2006)

Sunday, January 11
7:00PM-11:00PM Too Rich: The Secret Life Of Doris Duke (1999)

Friday, January 16
7:00PM-9:00PM Love's Long Journey (2005)
9:00PM-11:00PM Thicker Than Water (2005)

Saturday, January 17
7:00PM-11:00PM Supernova (2005)

Sunday, January 18
7:00PM-11:00PM Human Trafficking (2005)

Friday, January 23
7:00PM-9:00PM To Dance with Olivia (1997)
9:00PM-11:00PM Stranger's Heart, A (2007)

Saturday, January 24
7:00PM-11:00PM Diplomat, The (2009)

Sunday, January 25
7:00PM-11:00PM Final Approach (2008)

Friday, January 30
7:00PM-11:00PM Diplomat, The (2009)

Saturday, January 31
7:00PM-9:00PM LaVyrle Spencer’s Home Song (1996)
9:00PM-11:00PM The Reading Room (2005)


- James Bond Week
Tuesday, Jan. 27 through Thursday, Jan. 29
After airing Thursdays at 8PM for three weeks starting Jan. 8, catch three Bond classics again!
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 8-11pm: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 8-11pm: A Viewto Kill (1985)
Thursday, Jan. 29, 8-11pm: Octopussy (1983)



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/2008/12/ion-television-january-2009-sees.html

I find it hard to believe that Drew Carey will do better than M*A*S*H. Oh well, it's not going anywhere on Hallmark. And way too many movies, this isn't TCM :crazy:

will M*A*S*H still air on Saturday's at 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm CT Time.

I listed MASH as airing on Sat-Sun above, didn't I? The blog story is coming in an hour. Please read it.

Do you think we could see other Sitrcoms like Growing Pains Mama's Family Alice Returning anytime Soon.

No, they are too old for ION now.

do you think we will ever see Alice and Mama's Family Again

The main page of SO doesn't have the last month's blogs right now. It says news service expired.

Can you view them on the blog archives on the blog itself?

Here is today's blog: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2008/12/ion-television-january-2009-sees.html

I got the blog story

Dang. Of all shows to add, Drew Carey? Wish it was one that hasn't aired in the last year.

Maybe I'm not getting it, but how can Mama, Growing Pains, etc be too old but not M*A*S*H, which is even older?

Well, M*A*S*H has been downgraded.

Was it because of Ratings M*A*S*H Got Down Graded

I'm glad quatam leap is coming back it my all time favorite show. it sham that hanging with mr cooper is gone. i'm glade i taped them on dvd when i did. i never watched drew carry show. so i might check it out.

So hmmmmmm......I guess this means M*A*S*H sorta bombed for ION Daytime--really this show is overexposed. Surprising to see Quantum Leap rejoin the lineup--thought ION was not going to bring that back. They still need to expand their daytime hours. January should have brought yet another hour to add....I can't believe they are still depending on informercials this long.

I Think They should put Perfect Strangers on Abcfamily or ion or Nick&Nite

When was The last time Perfect Strangers aired on Ion.

Is it true that ION Television will air six "James Bond" movies of the 1980s? The ones I am referring to are as follows:

For Your Eyes Only (1981) - w/Roger Moore
Octopussy (1983) - w/Roger Moore
Never Say Never Again (1983) - w/Sean Connery
A View to a Kill (1985) - w/Roger Moore
The Living Daylights (1987) - w/Timothy Dalton
Licence to Kill (1989) - w/Timothy Dalton

Three of those are in January. Anything beyond that, I don't know. Where did you read it?

^Pav, whoever at Wikipedia is quoting Sitcoms Online as the source for those six movies--just want you to be aware at the inaccuracy in the Ion article there.

Hmm interesting, but the link goes to our story and we only mention the three anyway.

I'm shocked - ION actually putting Drew Carey and Quantum Leap back on the air, and in place of MASH? Acutally, I couldn't be happier right now - Drew Carey is one of my favorite shows, so seeing it return over other shows is great to me.

MASH must have been a disappointment - I'll bet that it did okay in total viewers, but had a very low 18-49 rating. I think Drew Carey did well in the demo when it was previously airing. I don't get why ION chose to air Steve Harvey over Mr. Cooper at 6pm, though. And I wish Family Feud would leave already.

And, the Boston Legal/NCIS switch was a good idea - MUCH less confusing. Overall, seems like ION is starting to listen to their viewers. This is definitely a step in the right direction.

Julie ,are you watching the reruns of Drew on the CW?

Julie ,are you watching the reruns of Drew on the CW?

You bet I am - I'd love ION to start Drew Carey back up with season 5 or 6 episodes. That's where they left off before they yanked it off before. Plus, the CW is airing season 2, and there's really no point in going all the way back to season 1.

Last week I caught an episode with the "Moon Over Parma" opening--was that a season 2 episode?

Last week I caught an episode with the "Moon Over Parma" opening--was that a season 2 episode?

Yeah - they used that opening for season 1, and the first half of season 2 I believe, before switching to "5 O'Clock World" for the rest of the season.

Dave's World,Once and Again,Clarissa Explains it all,Major Dad,Picket Fences,Life goes on,Supermarket Sweep and so on would be good.
Movies are okay if they are like Comedy,Sports,Weather ones,with Dogs and Family.

ION is starting with the Pilot for Drew Carey, followed by "Miss Right." Quantum Leap will start with "Genesis, Pt 1 - September 13, 1956."

ION is starting with the Pilot for Drew Carey, followed by "Miss Right." Quantum Leap will start with "Genesis, Pt 1 - September 13, 1956."

Oh, looks like they're starting from the beginning then. I was hoping they'd start back up where they left off, but I guess not.

I'm very glad to see Drew Carey coming back, but to me this is sign that Ion execs are becoming desperate now that their hopes for higher ratings with the new lineup and image didn't materialize. I mean, Drew Carey and Quantum leap are very much a part of thier OLD image.

I just read a story about how My Network TV's ratings are way up due to WWE and all of their unscripted shows. I think in the not to distant future Ion is going to take a cue from this and start airing original reality shows and dumping it's current lineup once again.

I agree with VisualSensation...does anyone else think Wonder Years, Mama, and Who's the Boss? when they think Quantum Leap and to a lesser extent, Carey?

I do. Quantum Leap seems lost.

As PAX, it tried reality shows such as Cold Turkey and stuff like Miracle Pets and It's a Miracle were long running fixtures, but obviously older skewing demos.
MNT is having success with WWE and to some extent, The Tony Rock Project. The movie nights are also probably a draw.
Bringing back Mama would also bring back lost viewers as well.

I'm very glad to see Drew Carey coming back, but to me this is sign that Ion execs are becoming desperate now that their hopes for higher ratings with the new lineup and image didn't materialize. I mean, Drew Carey and Quantum leap are very much a part of thier OLD image.

I just read a story about how My Network TV's ratings are way up due to WWE and all of their unscripted shows. I think in the not to distant future Ion is going to take a cue from this and start airing original reality shows and dumping it's current lineup once again.

At the moment, I think it's a good sign that we're seeing some of their old programming make a return, even if it is in daytime only. They tried to go with MASH, which has always done well, but it must not have for ION. And it looks like people tired of Mr. Cooper fast. I also think that Drew Carey and Quantum Leap may have brought a younger audience and a better demo to the network while they were airing, which may be another reason why they returned.

Nonetheless, I'm glad to see both shows back on the schedule for now.

i wish they would get rid of familyfude maybe start airing old reuions of price is right. i would watch it then. i was hoping they might show family ties or put the wonder years back on. i wouldn't mind batman with adam west or get smart.

ION Television has just announced that it has acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, “Durham County.” The network has secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program. ION Television will debut the procedural crime one-hour series to its audience in 2009.

"Durham County” stars Hugh Dillon, star of the CBS police action series “Flashpoint.” In “Durham County”, Dillon plays Detective Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective who moves his family to suburban Durham County to start over after his partner is killed and his wife Audrey (Hélène Joy) is diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbor and childhood nemesis Ray Prager (Justin Louis) may be a serial killer, setting off an intense showdown between the two complex men and their families.


Press Release:



ION Television Acquires the Award-Winning
Original TV Series “ Durham County ”

Network to Launch Its First Original Series to U.S. Audiences in 2009


(West Palm Beach, Fla. – January 06, 2008) – ION Television has signed a deal with ITV Global Entertainment to acquire the exclusive U.S. rights to the critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, “Durham County.” The network has secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program. ION Television will debut the procedural crime one-hour series to U.S. audiences in 2009.

Produced by Back Alley Films and Muse Entertainment, “ Durham County ” stars Hugh Dillon, star of the CBS police action series “Flashpoint”. In “ Durham County ”, Dillon plays Detective Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective who moves his family to suburban Durham County to start over after his partner is killed and his wife Audrey (Hélène Joy) is diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbor and childhood nemesis Ray Prager (Justin Louis) may be a serial killer, setting off an intense showdown between the two complex men and their families.

“ Durham County ” brings award-winning suspense, storytelling, and casting to ION’s first foray into 2009 original programming,“ said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. “With eerie crime storylines, Durham County, along with the CBS hit show Criminal Minds, will offer ‘Positively Thrilling’ primetime appointment viewing on ION Television.”

“ Durham County ” has received rave reviews and is continuing to garner accolades. Critical acclaim from major press outlets include:


“Dillon and Louis, in particular, give performances that crackle with treacherous intensity, one that obliterates the line between good and evil and coats everything with an opaque ambiguity.” – Toronto Star

“ Durham County ” is written by Laurie Finstad-Knizhinik (“Bliss”) and helmed by award-winning directors Holly Dale (“Cold Case,” “Absolution”) and Adrienne Mitchell (“Bliss,” “Drop the Beat”). Michael Prupas (“This is Wonderland”) of Muse Entertainment and Janis Lundman and Adrienne Mitchell (“Bliss”) of Back Alley Films serve as executive producers. The series has received 11 Gemini Award nominations, including three wins: Best Actor for Justin Louis, Best Actress for Helene Joy and Best Direction for Holly Dale. In addition, the show was nominated for four Director’s Guild of Canada Awards, winning two and taking home the CFTPA’s Indie Award for “Best Dramatic Series.” The program was also recognized with nominations from the Writer’s Guild of Canada, ACTRA Montreal and the Leo Awards.

They're finally airing original program - the sad moment we've all been waiting for. And of all types of dramas, its a crime procedural. Do we really need another one of these on the air?

It'll probably premiere in the fall with Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer. I think with original programming starting to materialize on ION, things are looking even worse for the classics. Just think - come this fall, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, and now this show will take over primetime, and NCIS and Boston Legal will probably head to an earlier timeslot.

oh well.......if only ION would expand its daytime hours so that the classics would be able to be played, primetime wouldn't bother me.....

I looked through my John Larroquette wishlist on TiVO. ION is showing Season 4 episodes of Boston Legal already?
Give me time to heal and forget the show existed, guys. Geez.

Sweet:)

I LOVE Quantum Leap. One of my all time favs. I was sad when they took it out of their rotation a few months ago.

Thanks for the heads up.

HAve a good one.:)

ION Television has just announced that it has acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, “Durham County.” The network has secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program. ION Television will debut the procedural crime one-hour series to its audience in 2009.
This scripted series pick-up is a good one for ION.

Those who live in border communities may have already seen this series broadcast on Global TV in Canada (it was an original production of Canada's The Movie Network, an HBO-like pay cabler). Those who haven't are in for a real treat. The series seemed to be a fusion of 'Twin Peaks' and 'Cracker (UK)'...a very dark and gloomily-shot crime procedural.

The first series amounted to only 6 one-hour episodes, and I haven't heard anything about a second season pick-up. The ION acquisition just might be enough to get another season produced, in which case, ION might eventually have anywhere from 12-19 episodes to sked.

ION Television ended 2008 with significant growth in primetime viewership, including marked growth in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos. ION TV’s primetime household viewership has grown 67%, jumping from a 0.3 to 0.5 household rating, since the introduction of the network’s new, robust slate of critically acclaimed off-net series in September. This viewership growth has well positioned ION TV as one of the fastest growing entertainment networks, up 26% among adults 18-49, ranking second, and up 25% among adults 25-54, ranking third, of all major broadcast and cable networks, in a year over year growth comparison.





ION TELEVISION CLOSES OUT 2008 WITH A 67% INCREASE IN PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP



Network Becomes One of the Top Ten Fastest Growing Entertainment Networks





(West Palm Beach, Fla. – January 26, 2009) – ION Television, the “Positively Entertaining” network, ends the year on top with significant growth in primetime viewership since the launch of the network’s fall rebranding campaign, with marked growth in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos.



ION TV’s primetime household viewership has grown 67 percent, jumping from a 0.3 to 0.5 household rating*, since the introduction of the network’s new, robust slate of critically acclaimed off-net series in September.



This viewership growth has well positioned ION TV as one of the fastest growing entertainment networks, up 26 percent among adults 18-49, ranking second, and up 25 percent among adults 25-54, ranking third, of all major broadcast and cable networks, in a year over year growth comparison.**



“Our strategy to acquire contemporary mainstream off-net series to attract an expanded audience is beginning to deliver,” said Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO, ION Media Networks. “We’re looking forward to 2009 when we begin to introduce originals and hit series like the ‘Ghost Whisperer’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ to our programming line-up.”



Eleo Hensleigh, Chief Marketing Officer, ION Media Networks adds: “The success of our rebranding effort last fall is evidenced by the significant growth in viewership and our shift to a more robust demo. With the aggressive programming plans we have for 2009, we believe ION’s brand awareness will continue to grow exponentially.”



*NMRGalaxy Explorer: Monday-Sunday 8-11pm, 9/8/08-930/08 vs. 12/1/08 - 12/31/08

**NMRGalaxy Explorer: 9/29/08-1/15/09 vs. 10/1/07-1/17/08 among entertainment networks that are distributed to at least 80 million households (excludes cable news networks and Noggin)

ION Television ended 2008 with significant growth in primetime viewership, including marked growth in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos. ION TV’s primetime household viewership has grown 67%, jumping from a 0.3 to 0.5 household rating, since the introduction of the network’s new, robust slate of critically acclaimed off-net series in September. This viewership growth has well positioned ION TV as one of the fastest growing entertainment networks, up 26% among adults 18-49, ranking second, and up 25% among adults 25-54, ranking third, of all major broadcast and cable networks, in a year over year growth comparison.
It's odd that ION would focus their press release on their calendar 2007 vs 2008 household numbers instead of comparing seasons, i.e. 2008-9 season vs. 2007-8.

Viewing ION through the season vs season prism, there is small growth in households (households up only +9.5%, but very few ad people care about households anyways), whereas their growth in A18-49s is more impressive .

2007-08 season 17 weeks: 0.4HH/1%, 0.10 A18-49 (161,000), 553,000 P2+ viewers
2008-09 season 17 weeks: 0.4HH/1%, 0.14 A18-49 (195,000), 606,000 P2+ viewers
Year-Over-Year Growth/(Decline): HH = +9.5%, A18-49 +35.3% (+21.2%), P2+ viewers = +9.7%

It's just their spin on the numbers...Considering their numbers were barely registering before, and the fact they have a gazillion affiliates, anything below a 200% increase isn't anything to really boast about. They've invested so much money into the new lineup that they need to say something positive even though the reaction to their new lineup must be extremely disappointing.

I still believe they will go under within the next couple of years.