Exclusive: Fox Renews Debmar-Mercury's 'Wendy Williams' Through 2017

Deal takes show through eight seasons

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/4/2013 4:39:14 PM

Debmar-Mercury's The Wendy Williams Show has been renewed on Fox Television Stations through the 2016-17 season, said Debmar-Mercury copresidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus on Tuesday.

"The Wendy Williams Show has as much momentum as any show on our air right now, both qualitatively and quantitatively," said Frank Cicha, senior VP of programming for Fox Television Stations, in a statement. "Over the last few years, it's evolved into the ideal lead-out to our morning news blocks. Like our news, the show delivers a day/date immediacy that serves as a blueprint for where we want to be the rest of the day."

The multi-season Fox commitment, which comes on the heels of a previous two-year deal, follows a strong May metered-market sweeps performance for Wendy. Airing at 10 a.m. on Fox's WNYW New York, Wendy doubled in rating year-to-year in the key daytime demo of women 25-54 on the station, jumping to a 1.2 rating/9 share to a 2.4/16, according to Nielsen Media Research. Additionally, it rose 58% on Fox's KTTV Los Angeles at 11 a.m. and 139% on Fox's WFLD Chicago at 10 a.m.

"Fox's long-term renewal is a testament to the incredible growth the show has experienced this season and the amazing talent of Wendy. Our broadcast partners across the country have taken notice, demonstrating their faith in the staying power of this rapidly growing talk franchise with upgrades. We are particularly gratified that many of those are among the news leaders in their markets and see Wendy as the ideal lead out for their morning newscasts," Bernstein and Marcus said.

Wendy Williams also recently has been acquired by Local TV's WJW Cleveland; Meredith's KPTV Portland, Ore.; Cox's WSOC Charlotte; McKinnon's KUSI San Diego; Media General's WCMH Columbus; Media General's WSPA Greenville-Spartanburg; Scripps' WPTV West Palm Beach; LIN's WALA Mobile; and LIN's WLUK Green Bay.

Wendy Williams will remain in original episodes this summer through July. The show performs noticeably better when it's not in repeats.

On May 7, Williams published her sixth book, Ask Wendy, based on the show's popular advice segment of the same name. She also recently formed Wendy Williams Productions, which will produce reality, game and talk shows.