'Unsolved Mysteries' looks to 'Net (article) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJ · 11-04-2001, 09:32 PM

Source: Broadcasting & Cable, March 6, 2000 v130 i10 p54.

Title: 'Unsolved Mysteries' looks to 'Net.(Brief Article)
Author: Joe Schlosser

Subjects: Online services - Management
Television broadcasting - Management
Television broadcasting industry - Management
Locations: United States
SIC code: 4822; 4833

Electronic Collection: A61207601
RN: A61207601

Full Text COPYRIGHT 2000 Cahners Business Information

Unsolved Mysteries is the reality show that won't go away.

The former NBC and CBS series, which airs twice daily on Lifetime, is being
positioned for a fresh return and also as a big internet opportunity.

DreamWorks Television has taken over sales for Unsolved Mysteries from the show's producers and is looking to bring the show back with original episodes, new content and a companion interactive Web site. The series will end its current syndication run on Lifetime in October 2002, but DreamWorks'
television head Bob Jacquemin says he is looking to get the next syndication sale completed within the next few weeks. "The reason we are trying to get it done now is we want to get the Web site up and running within the next six months," he says. "We want to solidify the broadcast partner now because we think the Internet is going to play a big factor in this show going forward."

[Graphic omitted]Jacquemin says he is talking with a handful of cable networks, a broadcast outlet and several Internet portals about the potential TV and Website rights to the series. Sources say Lifetime, A&E, TNN and TNT are all interested. Lifetime executives wouldn't comment but sources claim that Lifetime is the leading contender for the next round of Unsolved Mysteries.

The Robert Stack-hosted series debuted on NBC in September 1988 and remained there through the end of the 1996-1997 season. CBS picked the show up in April 1998 and ran it sporadically through the end of last summer. Lifetime acquired the syndication rights six years ago and has run repeat episodes, many with added content. In all, there are more than 250 hours of Unsolved Mystery
programming and close to 1,500 solved or unsolved stories to tell.

John Cosgrove, one of the show's co-creators, says the 2002 model of Mysteries will probably feature 22 new episodes per season and many follow-up pieces from past shows. And the show is the model for convergence between the Internet and television, he adds: "The Internet will likely ply a big role in
the show. helping us find cases and Solve mysteries."

Kane · 11-05-2001, 03:01 PM

I saw that article myself. Despite the March 2000 date of that article, I didn't even discover it until I happened to be searching through articles at findarticles.com. That was when I first heard about plans for the show's return (after its 1999 cancellation).

11-04-2001, 09:32 PM	#1
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,648	'Unsolved Mysteries' looks to 'Net (article) Source: Broadcasting & Cable, March 6, 2000 v130 i10 p54. Title: 'Unsolved Mysteries' looks to 'Net.(Brief Article) Author: Joe Schlosser Subjects: Online services - Management Television broadcasting - Management Television broadcasting industry - Management Locations: United States SIC code: 4822; 4833 Electronic Collection: A61207601 RN: A61207601 Full Text COPYRIGHT 2000 Cahners Business Information Unsolved Mysteries is the reality show that won't go away. The former NBC and CBS series, which airs twice daily on Lifetime, is being positioned for a fresh return and also as a big internet opportunity. DreamWorks Television has taken over sales for Unsolved Mysteries from the show's producers and is looking to bring the show back with original episodes, new content and a companion interactive Web site. The series will end its current syndication run on Lifetime in October 2002, but DreamWorks' television head Bob Jacquemin says he is looking to get the next syndication sale completed within the next few weeks. "The reason we are trying to get it done now is we want to get the Web site up and running within the next six months," he says. "We want to solidify the broadcast partner now because we think the Internet is going to play a big factor in this show going forward." [Graphic omitted]Jacquemin says he is talking with a handful of cable networks, a broadcast outlet and several Internet portals about the potential TV and Website rights to the series. Sources say Lifetime, A&E, TNN and TNT are all interested. Lifetime executives wouldn't comment but sources claim that Lifetime is the leading contender for the next round of Unsolved Mysteries. The Robert Stack-hosted series debuted on NBC in September 1988 and remained there through the end of the 1996-1997 season. CBS picked the show up in April 1998 and ran it sporadically through the end of last summer. Lifetime acquired the syndication rights six years ago and has run repeat episodes, many with added content. In all, there are more than 250 hours of Unsolved Mystery programming and close to 1,500 solved or unsolved stories to tell. John Cosgrove, one of the show's co-creators, says the 2002 model of Mysteries will probably feature 22 new episodes per season and many follow-up pieces from past shows. And the show is the model for convergence between the Internet and television, he adds: "The Internet will likely ply a big role in the show. helping us find cases and Solve mysteries."

11-05-2001, 03:01 PM	#2
Kane Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 07, 2001 Location: MA, United States Posts: 3,367	I saw that article myself. Despite the March 2000 date of that article, I didn't even discover it until I happened to be searching through articles at findarticles.com. That was when I first heard about plans for the show's return (after its 1999 cancellation).