Broadcasting & Cable
CBS Television Distribution (CTD) hopes that CNN’s Nancy Grace will become the next Judge Judy. The syndicator has signed an exclusive development deal with Grace, who appears twice nightly on CNN’s HLN (formerly Headline News), to develop a 30-minute daily strip that will be a new take on the court show. CBS executives are light on the format’s details, but they are excited about Grace as a personality.
CTD shot a pilot with Grace last week and is developing the show, for now titled “Swift Justice With Nancy Grace,” for fall 2010. Grace has no plans to leave her show on HLN.
CTD first started talking to Grace–a lawyer, best-selling author and TV host–last year. A quick study of Grace’s popularity convinced CTD that it might be a good idea to go into business with the former attorney.
“We looked at our research about her, and it didn’t take too long to notice that she’s a superstar on HLN,” says John Nogawski, CTD’s president. “She’s the most female-skewing star that they have on their air, and she’s number-one in every adult and female demo. She’s a huge brand.” More…