Syndication

Development is heating up on the action-adventure series front, despite mediocre ratings for the current freshmen and incumbent weekly hours (see story on page 16). The list of projects includes Lost in Oz, a series adaptation of the works of Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Bum, with filmmaker Tim Burton (Batman and Beetlejuice) signing a fall 1999 development deal with Columbia TriStar Television Distribution. The Judger is a sci-fi/action series starring John Corbett (Northern Exposure) that is a co-venture between recently formed Fox TV Studios and sibling Twentieth TV. Also being readied for fall 1999 syndie premieres: The Exorcist from Tribune Entertainment and Morgan Creek Productions and Total Recall 2070 from PolyGram Entertainment. With 20-plus action hours crowding the syndication marketplace and the expansion of the WB and UPN networks to five nights a week, station reps expect average ratings to drop below the 1.5-3.0 currently being scored nationally. Last month's off-network premieres of Warner Bros.' ER (6.2 rating/7 share average for double-runs), Columbia TriStar's Party of Five (2.0/4), Studios USA's New York Undercover (2.8/5) and incumbent hits The X-Files and NYPD Blue from Twentieth Television, and Eyemark Entertainment's Walker, Texas Ranger, are collectively taking time periods away from first-run action hours in the market.
MGM Worldwide Television is pushing forward with two fall 1999 newsmagazines, The National Enquirer and Daily Edition. According to rep sources, MGM is actively pitching major-market WB, UPN and Fox affiliates, including stations owned by Tribune Broadcasting , Chris-Craft/United TV and Fox. MGM syndication president Sid Cohen would not say whether those groups have received formal sales pitches for the hour-long, all-barter block. Cohen said that he is looking to secure daytime or late-fringe time periods. National Enquirer is slated to be anchored by the supermarket tabloid's senior editor, Mike Walker. Daily Edition, which will be hosted by model Kim Alexis, is tied in with magazines including Rolling Stone and Reader's Digest. --Michael Freeman