Seven Fox Stations to Test 'Dish Nation' This Summer

Show, featuring top radio deejays, to premiere July 25

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/9/2011 6:43:05 PM

Television meets radio in Dish Nation, a new take on the entertainment magazine format that select Fox TV stations will air this summer, according to Stephen Brown, Twentieth's senior vice president of development and Frank Cicha, senior vice president of programming for the Fox TV Stations.

The show, which will premiere July 25 for an initial six-week test run, features four top drive-time radio teams from all over the country chatting about what's happening each day in pop culture.  Radio personalities will appear from WPLJ New York's The Big Show with Scott & Todd; WHTA Atlanta's Rick Smiley Morning Show; WDVD Detroit's Blaine & Allyson; and Power 106 Los Angeles' DJ Felli Fel, who also will soon host MTV's retooled version of Pimp My Ride.

"One of the biggest challenges in syndication is promotion and breaking out in an increasingly cluttered television marketplace. Dish Nation offers a unique ability to cross promote on some of the most popular morning drive-time shows," said Brown in a statement. "Every few years the entertainment news genre reinvents itself. The last time was TMZ. Dish Nation is the next step in the evolution of programs that offer funny, fresh commentary on pop culture."

Cicha added: "The Dish Nation test continues our strategy of developing as much quality first-run, day/date programming as possible. On paper, this program has the potential to be a strong companion to local news, TMZ, or comedies. We are really looking forward to seeing it."

Dish Nation will be presented on the Fox television stations in the following markets (all times local): WWOR New York at 6 p.m.; KTTV Los Angeles at 6:30 p.m.; WTTG Washington DC at 7 p.m.; WAGA Atlanta at 12 a.m.; KSAZ Phoenix at 10:30 p.m.; WJBK Detroit at 12 a.m.; and WUTB Baltimore at 6:30 PM.

Dish Nation, distributed by Twentieth Television, will be produced by Bartholomew Productions, an Emmy-Award winning producer of on-air promotions.