'Martha Stewart Show' Renewed In 60% Of Country

The Martha Stewart Show has been renewed in over 60% of the country for 2009, according to distributor NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution.

That signals that the syndicated series, produced by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, will be returning for a fifth season.

The daily strip has been cleared by NBC, Fox, Hearst, Scripps, and LIN stations, among others. Top-market renewals include WNBC New York, KNBC Los Angeles, WMAQ Chicago, WJBK Detroit, WTVT Tampa, WBAL Baltimore, and WISN Milwaukee.

The series averaged a .7 in the November sweep, down from the previous November, but showing year-to-growth in most of the top 30 markets and on par with previous-week performances.

"Martha and the team behind her show continue to produce an entertaining daily program that resonates with our viewers," says John Wallace, President, NBC Local Media, which oversees NBC's TV stations.

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.