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A new look for Court TV

Beth Gaston Moon — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:38:00 EST

Filed under: Television, Time Warner (TWX), Media World

It's a new name and a new future for Court TV, the Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) unit that surged in popularity during the mid-1990s, as it covered every bit of dripping minutiae in the O.J. Simpson Trial. As of January 1, 2008, the network will emerge with a new name, look, and logo.

Programming will be fresh as well, building more reality series and revamping daytime shows. On the docket for the afternoon hours are two talk shows hosted by the widely abhorred but habitually watched Nancy Grace and ousted View co-host Star Jones. The evening will feature gritty looks into the underbelly of criminal justice, including shows about police interrogations and con artists. The network is also formulating a deal for quarterly specials with TheSmokingGun.com. Already in the works is a special on The Dumbest Criminals in the World.

According to a release from Broadcasting & Cable, "The network's recent research, which in part prompted the upcoming changes, shows the fringe, primetime and late-night audience is male and loves real people, situations and stories, especially action-focused stories."

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

A new look for Court TV originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TWX buys other half of Court TV

Anne Metz — Wed, 17 May 2006 15:52:00 EST

Filed under: Products and Services, Television, Time Warner (TWX)

Last week -- for a mere $735 million --Time Warner bought Liberty Media's 50% stake in Court TV (prior to the buyout, Court TV had been a joint venture for TWX and Liberty Media).

The talking heads are busy pontificating about what this does to the value of Court TV, arguing that this puts the company at about $18 per subscriber.

I, of course, am far more interested in pontificating about what this will do for Court TV. My fears:

Even more Al Roker Investigates
Forensic Files increases its wonkishness tenfold
Court TV's series Parco, P.I. will fight Magnum, P.I. (my all-time second favorite syndicated tv show) to the death

TWX buys other half of Court TV originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 May 2006 15:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Court TV CEO out as Time Warner takes over

Sarah Gilbert — Thu, 04 May 2006 21:05:00 EST

Filed under: After the Bell, Deals, Management, Insiders, Time Warner (TWX)

Henry Schleiff, Court TV CEO, must have a friend on Wall Street.

Late Tuesday, he learned that he was being shown the door as part of Time Warner's acquisition of the 50% of Court TV owned by Liberty Media. According to Multichannel News, Time Warner COO Jeffrey Bewkes gave him the bad news.

Early the next morning, during a Time Warner earnings conference call and before the news was revealed to Court TV staffers, Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif-Coen asked a leading question about Court TV's management and how they would be "integrated into the organization." Jeff Bewkes said that they were going to keep their strengths (which I took to mean: no major talent would be fired) and perhaps make some cuts in the "back office."

Either Jessica is just really prescient, or Schleiff talked. And either I'm impressed with her good timing, or wowed at the coincidence, or both. Interesting.

Court TV CEO out as Time Warner takes over originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 May 2006 21:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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