Broadcasting & Cable
CBS Television Distribution is the latest player to try its hand at spinning viral videos into TV gold with its new weekly hour, “Smash Cuts.” Tribune, the CBS TV stations and The CW 100+ are the first groups to acquire the show. It’s cleared in the top 30 markets–including WPIX New York, KTLA Los Angeles and WGN Chicago–and in 95% of the country, says John Nogawski, president of CTD.
The show is due to premiere the week of Sept. 27 and is expected to air on CW affiliates in early primetime on Sunday nights, in the block of time that The CW Network gave back to affiliates last spring.
Hollywood’s other attempts at turning the Internet-video phenomenon into successful TV include Warner Bros.’ recently canceled test of a similarly themed show, “Beyond Twisted.” The program, from the team behind TMZ, aired on Fox stations in six markets. When The CW initially launched, it experimented with viral video show “Online Nation,” which was quickly canceled. More…