That's So Hollywood Launches in L.A.

Fox's KTTV Los Angeles is launching an hour locally produced weekly entertainment news magazine, That's So Hollywood.

The weekend show, which launches Nov. 18, will air at 6 p.m. On Saturday, with a repeat Sunday at 11 p.m. It will be hosted by Mark Thompson and Jillian Reynolds of KTTV, and Lauren Sanchez of co-owned KCOP. Sanchez's resume includes syndicated news magazine, Extra.

The station is looking to take on the syndicated entertainment mag competition. “This programs mix of industry and celebrity news, along with the vivacious and animated personalities of Mark, Jillian and Lauren is a winning combination," said VP of News Jose Rios. "It will have an energy unmatched by other entertainment shows.”

The second half of That's So Hollywood will be going up against Insider Weekend at 6:30 on KCBS, which leads into the weekend edition of top entertainment mag ET at 7 on the CBS station.

Hollywood replaces library product I Love Lucy on Saturday and Married With Children on Sunday, which will remain utility players.

Although Fox has used its stations to launch successful syndicated shows before--A Current Affair jumps to mind--Director of Programming John Frenzel says this is a local, locally produced L.A. show, launched because "we're in the entertainment capital of the world and there is so much going on in the entertainment business."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.