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Conflict Talk Show to Launch Syndication Test Run

Aug 29, 2013  •  Post A Comment

A new conflict-oriented talk show is moving toward its trial run in syndication, with a wide debut set for early next month. TVNewsCheck reports that "The Test," hosted by comedian Kirk Fox, will roll out Sept. 9 on stations reaching more than 90% of U.S. television homes.

The show "takes its inspiration from shows like NBCUniversal’s ‘Maury’ where DNA and lie-detector results have propped up ratings the past few years," the story reports. "But the look and feel of ‘The Test,’ from CBS Television Distribution and Tribune Broadcasting, have been freshened up with a brighter set and a comedian, Kirk Fox, who mostly plays it straight, as host."

Said executive producer Jay McGraw: “This show will fit right in with shows people are accustomed to watching on Tribune stations. It’s fun, entertaining and it has a lot of conflict. But it looks like a conflict-talk show that doesn’t come from a company that only does conflict. We have brought to this some of the storytelling and set design that we are used to.”

The program is produced by McGraw’s Stage 29 Productions, which also produces CBS Television Distribution’s "The Doctors."

"Longtime ‘Dr. Phil’ producer Carla Pennington is an executive producer on the show," the piece reports. "And earlier this year, Patricia Ciano was brought on as an executive producer. She previously held the same position on Debmar-Mercury’s ‘Jeremy Kyle’ and Warner Bros.’ ‘Judge Jeanine Pirro.’"

Said McGraw: “She is the showrunner. She has done a lot of this genre and has done a lot of television, in general. She has been great at giving Kirk direction without being intrusive. And, now that we’re further along, I can see she’s great in the edit bay. She puts together a great story.”

kirk-fox.JPGKirk Fox

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