‘Real Housewives’ Cleared In 85% of U.S.

Show will premiere as daytime strip this fall

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/15/2009 1:46:58 PM

NBC Universal has cleared its off-Bravo Real Housewives franchise in more than 85% of the U.S. for a fall 2010 debut.

The show has been sold to stations in the NBC Local Media, Hearst Television, CBS, LIN, Media General, Post-Newsweek, Raycom and Sinclair broadcast groups in all-barter, one-year deals. Stations and NBCU each will have 7 1/2 minutes of ad time in the to sell in the one-hour strip.

Since its spring 2006 debut on Bravo, The Real Housewives of Orange County, now in its fifth season on the network, has grown more than 200% among women 18-49. The recently completed second season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta won its Thursday 10 p.m. time period against all cable programs in adults and women 18-49.

Next up in the franchise is the controversial Real Housewives of D.C., which may or may not feature White House party crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi, and the second season of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, which ended its first season with a dramatic table-turning scene.