ION Television Announces Plans to Produce 12 Original Movies a Year as Expansion of Primetime Line-Up Continues

Original Films to Offer Integrated Marketing Ops For Advertisers


West Palm Beach - March 25, 2009 - Underscoring its commitment to build its primetime programming schedule, ION Television announced plans to develop and produce 12 original films a year, with the first film set to premiere in fourth quarter 2009. The announcement was made today by Leslie Chesloff, Executive Vice President Programming, ION Media Networks.

ION Television plans to commission originally produced films and offer integrated marketing opportunities to advertisers who seek an alternative and expanded way to reach the consumer. Genres being explored include drama, romance, thriller, action and holiday -- all of which will be created to appeal to the broad based general entertainment audience that ION Television continues to attract. These films will complement the Network's growing library of blockbuster and critically acclaimed films from the major movie studios.

The announcement reinforces ION Television's strategy of expanding its programming mix through a strong combination of quality major network TV series, as well as signature originals produced specifically for ION Television. These films will join a line-up that includes the previously announced off network series "Ghost Whisperer" and "Criminal Minds" and the new original acquired series "Durham County," "The Guard" and "The Border". New programming will begin roll out on ION Television starting this fall.

"ION is committed to a programming strategy that operates simultaneously on two tracks," said Chesloff. "First, as is indicated by the development of these films, we are fast-tracking the production of our own original content. Second, as our success with Boston Legal and NCIS proves, there is an audience for top rated off-network series. We are in the market for hit comedies and dramas and we will continue to add to our schedule as they become available. The announcement of these 12 movies is only the first step as we continue to expand our original production schedule."

ION Television Scores Viewership and Advertiser Growth Following Recent Re-Branding

Primetime Viewership Jumps 30% Among Adults 25-54


West Palm Beach - March 25, 2009 - ION Television has garnered major increases in primetime viewership among adults 25-54 since the launch of its re-branding campaign last fall. The Network also saw significant growth across its advertiser base and expansion across new categories with the addition of 21 new blue chip advertisers. The announcement was made today by Stephen Appel, President, Sales and Marketing, ION Media Networks, Inc.

The dramatic growth in ratings includes a 30% increase among adults 25-54 in primetime (2008-09 season to date vs. 2007-08 season to date). Primetime household viewership for the same period was up 16%.*

"With new, originally produced movies, new first-run series and new off-network series set to join the ION line-up later this year, we are well poised for continued growth across the desirable adults 25-54 demo that we are steadily attracting in primetime."

*Source: Nielsen Galaxy Explorer 2008/09 std (9/29/08-3/1/09) vs 2007/08 std (10/1/07-3/2/08)

But they still need to get rid of all that paid programming and expand their hours. why have all this programming available with such limited timeslots?

They will be removing more paid programming. Stay tuned.

I will be glad when The Paid Programming is over on Ion I wonder what the schedule will be like when Paid Programming Leave's Ion Network.

I didn't say it was leaving. I said more will be removed.

I meant when The Contract Expires

Blog story with a bit more details:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2009/03/according-to-jim-return-delayed-to.html

My Nielsen tracking indicates that ION has been having great success this summer season on Monday nights, and has now moved into 6th place amongst the English language broadcasters, ahead of The CW.

The Monday night line-up, which is powered by encores of 'Ghost Whisperer' at 8 pm, 'NCIS' at 9 pm and 'NCIS' at 10 pm has seen its numbers move upwards in the summer season from the regular season past -- a 10 pm 'NCIS' on June 15th garnered a network-record-breaking 1.3HH/2% rating.

IONs Monday success, coupled with weaker-than-last-summer numbers from 'Gossip Girl' and 'One Tree Hill', now sees ION running sixth amongst the English-language mini-nets on Monday night, and just a little behind MyNetworkTV's magic show doubleheader. I believe this is the first time ever that ION or its predecessor i or PAX has ever been able to claim a night ahead of The WB, UPN, The CW or MyNetworkTV.

English-language Broadcasters Ranked by A18-49 Demographic
2008-09 Summer Season Mondays (Weeks 36-40):

5th MyNetworkTV 0.8HH/1%, 0.40 A18-49, 1,267,000 P2+ viewers
6th ION 0.8HH/1%, 0.34 A18-49, 1,239,000 P2+ viewers
7th The CW 0.6HH/1%, 0.32 A18-49, 830,000 P2+ viewers

The other night where ION is within range of The CW is Sunday nights, where their Sunday night 'M*A*S*H' marathons are pulling up rather close to The CWs burnoffs/encores plus a movie line-up.

Pavanbadal, I remember reading a while back about the upcoming ION original series (all acquisitions from Canada) that are debuting this fall:

'The Border'
'Durham County'
'The Guard'

Has ION released a schedule indicating where these new programs are going to run? I seem to remember reading somewhere that they were going to be 10 pm series.

I'd also be interested in seeing if there is any re-scheduling contemplated for ION's other encore and movie night series.

Just a question....does Ion have access to the WB, Sony, and Universal TV libraries anymore?

i can't stand Ion any more. i uses to like it for amen, thE wonder years and mamma's FAMILY. I JUST CAN'T SEEM TPO GET INTO BOSTON LEAGEL OR GHOST WISPER. I WISH THEY WOULD GO BACK ARIING THE OLD CLASSICS. I ALWAYS THINK FAMILY TIES WOULD BE GOOD FOR THEM TO SHOW.