SPT Clears Dr. Oz in 14 Markets
Sony Pictures Television: Initial group includes New York, Los Angeles, Chicago for fall-2009 launch.
By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/18/2008 9:00:00 PM
Sony Pictures Television sold Dr. Oz to the Fox stations in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as to various stations in 11 more of the top 20 markets.
Overall, the show -- a co-production with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions that is distributed by SPT -- is now sold in 40% of the country.
In addition to Fox stations WNYW (New York), KTTV (Los Angeles) and WFLD (Chicago), clearances include stations from Gannett, Post-Newsweek Stations, Belo, Scripps, McGraw Hill, Hearst-Argyle Television and Fisher Communications.
While clearances are primarily for afternoon time slots, nine of the stations committed to double runs when Dr. Oz launches next fall.
"Stations all around the country are responding to Dr. Oz's track record and ratings performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show and aggressively pursuing his new series," SPT president of distribution John Weiser said. "We have aggregated great stations from the top groups that have committed to afternoon time periods that will capitalize on Dr. Oz's tremendous appeal."
The show, featuring regular Oprah guest Mehmet Oz, is Harpo’s latest launch since Rachael Ray.
Oz’s latest appearance on Oprah was Sept. 16 and it gave the show its highest ratings of the young season so far.
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