Fox gives kids back

After months of rumors, Fox is putting an end to its two-hour weekday
children's programming block and is giving back the time to affiliates.

While the Fox Kids' weekday lineup will be no longer starting Jan. 1, the
network will continue to produce the four-hour Fox Kids' Saturday morning
lineup.

A Fox statement said the move was 'designed to help its affiliate body at a
time when local stations are facing increasing economic pressures.'

Fox executives say they still retain the right to reclaim the afternoon time
period for network programming.

'The affiliates are thrilled with the decision and we applaud the network for
working with us,' says Cullie Tarleton, chairman of Fox's affiliate board.

Earlier this year, Fox executives had agreed to allow affiliates to shift the
weekday kids block back an hour from 3 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET/PT. - Joe Schlosser