Litton Brings Multi-Platinum McKnight to Syndication

Litton Entertainment is offering The Brian McKnight Show, a one-hour weekly variety series, to TV stations for fall 2009.

“Brian McKnight’s vision for this show fits the tone of a nation that wants to be entertained and uplifted,” said Dave Morgan, the series’ executive producer and president/CEO of Litton Entertainment, in a statement.  “He’s a magnet for huge stars, his natural television personality is combined with the skill to shoulder a hit show, and he’s got talent to spare.  We think television needs a fresh, hip face predisposed to succeed with millions and millions and millions of built-in fans. . . that’s Brian McKnight.”

Largely known for his music – McKnight has released 11 albums to date with seven going platinum – he’s expanded into radio, broadcast and cable. He currently hosts Soul Session Countdown with Brian McKnight on digital cable network BETJ. He also hosts The Brian McKnight Morning Show on radio station KTWV, the Wave Smooth Jazz.

Next year, besides launching his own weekly syndicated variety show, McKnight also will launch a nationally syndicated radio show.

Prior to that, McKnight has served as a red-carpet host on Warner Bros.’ Extra. In 2007, he appeared as Billy Flynn in Broadway’s Chicago. In 2006, he scored the film Daddy’s Little Girls for producer Tyler Perry.

He has two albums coming out. In November, he released a Christmas album called “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” In February, he’s releasing “Brian McKnight Live from Fifteen.”

Along with several Grammy nominations, McKnight has been the recipient of American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, NAACP Image and Blockbuster Awards, and Billboard Songwriter of the Year. He also plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, trombone, tuba, French horn and trumpet.

Litton Entertainment is an independent content producer and distributor. Its shows include Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, Storm Stories, Cribs, Pimp My Ride, NASCAR Angels, Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller, Street Court and BusinessWeek Television. Litton also produces and distributes information-based shows to TV stations, including BusinessWeek Reports from Wall Street, Good Housekeeping Reports and Consumer Reports.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.