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MGM Sells ‘Reno,’ ‘Chappelle’ in Top U.S. Markets

Jan 31, 2007  •  Post A Comment

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios has pinned down the country’s three top markets for the upcoming syndication launch of comedies “RENO 911!” and “Chappelle’s Show.”

“RENO 911!” will enter off-cable syndication as a Monday-through-Friday show this fall, while “Chappelle’s Show” will debut as a weekly. In New York, considered the nation’s toughest market to sell a show, MGM cleared the pair of programs at Tribune-owned WPIX-TV. In Los Angeles, MGM sold “RENO 911!” to CBS-owned KCAL-TV and “Chappelle’s Show” to the Fox-owned KTTV-TV/KCOP-TV duopoly. In Chicago, MGM sold both shows to Fox-owned WFLD-TV/WPWR-TV. Both programs have also cleared 15 additional markets.

“It’s exciting to see the station response to ‘RENO 911!’ and ‘Chappelle’s Show,'” said Jim Packer, president, Worldwide Television Distribution, MGM. “Our sales campaign started right before NATPE and to come out of the convention with a launch on both shows is a testament to the strength of the programs and our distribution operation.”

The two series represent some Comedy Central’s most popular shows and MGM’s strategy of syndicating them off cable reflects an increasingly common gambit for cable networks.

(Editor: Baumann)