Update: DEC 10 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Updates on Me-TV National Network, Plus Local Me-TV/Me-Too; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 13, 2010)
A couple of weeks ago we announced that Me-TV would be going national and now we have an update on that! Me-TV Network was originally slated to launch this past Wednesday (Dec. 8), but now it will launch next week on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
But first we have gotten a lot of questions on what will happen to the local Me-TV in Chicago and the local Me-TV in Milwaukee as a result of this new national network? Chicago will get the national Me-TV Network feed come December 15, therefore Me-TV Chicago feed will no longer be needed. However starting Dec. 15, sister station Me-Too in Chicago will join forces with the local Me-TV Chicago feed and will air the shows that the national Me-TV Network doesn't have national rights to on its schedule (which includes shows even from Sony Pictures Television), on the new Me-Too in Chicago. As we know, the national Me-TV Network will primarily air the CBS Paramount and 20th Century Fox series. Chicago's Me-Too will now air the comedies you loved on Me-TV Chicago as well as the dramas you currently love on Me-Too. View the schedule for the new Me-Too in Chicago starting Dec. 15. So for you in Chicago, it's time to rescan for new channels, so you know where everything is. The national Me-TV Network (no longer local Me-TV) will be on 26.3, the new Me-Too (combines local Me-TV and Me-Too) will be on 26.4, while MGM's THIS tv moves to the new 26.5. Launching Wednesday, January 5 will be The U Too, which we mentioned before, but now it will be on channel 26.2. View their launch schedule.
Milwaukee will also turn its local Me-TV station into the national Me-TV Network feed come Dec. 15. Then in first quarter 2011, they will add a Me-Too in Milwaukee, so all of the current shows you all like in Milwaukee that currently air on Me-TV Milwaukee but won't air on the national network, will return. We will have the schedule for Me-Too Milwaukee closer to launch. Me-TV airs on channel 49 in Milwaukee and looks like will remain that way with the national network.
Finally, for the rest of us, Me-TV Network will launch Dec. 15. Affiliate info is still not known, but we have learned that MGM will be handling distribution for the network, like they do with THIS tv. So stay with us for more! We will bring you the affiliate listings as soon as we know, but they won't be announced soon. They are just getting started and in most markets have a couple of options that have to be explored and negotiated. So they are not in a rush, and hope people understand this takes more than "flipping a switch" for a broadcaster to commit to programming, says Me-TV. So, Chicago, Milwaukee and I think South Bend are among the stations launching the national Me-TV Dec. 15. We'll keep you updated as MGM announces affiliates for Me-TV Network, but you can do you part by calling/emailing your local stations to add Me-TV Network to their digital substations! It will make a difference!
Since we mentioned THIS tv above (another digital substation), I'd like to mention that they recently started an animation block on weekday mornings with Heathcliff, Tex Avery, Inspector Gadget, and Pink Panther among the series they air from 7am-9am. Saturday mornings has an E/I series block which includes shows like The Busy World of Richard Scarry. A Sunday morning block has Sonic Underground, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Evolution, and Stargate Infinity starting at 8am. We already knew they air sitcoms The Patty Duke Show and Mister Ed every weekday mornings in the 6am hour, as we mentioned back in 2008 on their launch story. Among the other series they air are Sea Hunt, Highway Patrol, The Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1, and Bat Masterson. The schedule consist mainly of MGM films.
THIS tv will be airing two Pink Panther animated specials: the 1980 special Olym-pinks on Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 10am followed by the 1978 holiday special A Pink Christmas at 10:30am. The latter also airs on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 7:30pm.
View the THIS tv website for a list of stations airing this network. As we mentioned back in May, Tribune stations picked it up on many of their stations, including NY's WPIX.