EXCLUSIVE: Rainbow to Launch New WE Spin-Off Wedding Cable Channel

Women's network to air more parenting programming

By Claire Atkinson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/30/2009 12:33:08 PM

Rainbow Media, the programming arm of Cablevision, is set to launch a new wedding-themed cable channel, according to several executives familiar with plans. The company's successful service WE TV channel currently carries a slew of wedding shows including its signature series Bridezillas, which is in its sixth season. Other wedding shows on WE include: Amazing Wedding Cakes, My Fair Wedding and Platinum Weddings.

The plan is to use the popularity of those shows to get the new cable channel off the ground while adding more parenting-oriented programming to WE TV. The channel already carries some parenting shows including The Mom Show, Raising Sextuplets and Adoption Diaries. A Rainbow spokeswoman declined to comment. The channel is set for an August launch on Cablevision Systems, according to sources.

WE TV which airs a Wedding Sunday block is even producing a special wedding-themed episode of the network's game show series Most Popular. Observers suggest that WE TV may team up with a wedding publisher to promote the new service. Wedding magazines have been more recession resilient than other more general titles.

WE TV already has a wide ranging cross-promotional deal with Meredith publications which houses Parents, Ladies Home Journal, Fitness, Family Circle and American Baby.

For WE TV, editorial partnerships are not uncommon. The network has in the past partnered with Conde Nast's Modern Bride on its bridal programming and is currently in talks with various editorial partners for its wedding programming. (Meredith does not have any bridal titles.)

Talkback

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How can this be true if it's already August and Rainbow Media has not issued a statement?

Melanie Thomas - 8/4/2009 1:32:34 PM EDT
Rainbow media holdings is not owned by Comcast. It is a division of Cablevision.

Chris diasparra - 6/30/2009 3:26:05 PM EDT

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