Tribune Nabs Sex ’s Syndie Rights
By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/11/2003 7:09:00 AM
Tribune Broadcasting has purchased syndication rights to Home Box Office hit Sex and the City from the pay service and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
The half-hour comedy will begin airing on Tribune's 26 stations and WGN cable network as a six-day strip in fall 2005.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the deal includes cash and an advertising barter component.
HBO and Warner Bros. are also said to be very close to making a deal with sister AOL Time Warner Inc. unit TBS Superstation for a cable syndication run.
The TBS deal, insiders said, has been slowed by Tribune’s insistence that its WGN Superstation cable network be included in its deal.
At one time, HBO was pitching the show to broadcast networks and reportedly seeking up to $3 million per episode. In the end, Tribune is likely paying a considerably more reasonable price.
Most likely, Tribune stations will add Sex and the City to their prime access and late-night fringe lineups, which already include hits like Friends and Will & Grace.
The show has been cleaned up for its broadcast run, either with editing or, in some cases, by shooting alternate scenes.
Tribune VP of programming and development Marc Schacher said the company is "entirely comfortable with the content."
Tribune owns and operates 26 stations and also owns 25% of The WB Television Network with partner AOL Time Warner, parent of HBO and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
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