COMET, CHARGE! and TBD Multicast Networks Secure Nationwide Affiliate Growth and Add New Series to Primetime and Late Night Schedules, Driving Strong Increases in Viewership
June 15 2022 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
Adding Over 13 Million New Households
Through Upgrades and New Affiliations in the Top 50 DMAs, Including
New York, Atlanta, Boston, Portland OR, Indianapolis, and Las
Vegas
543,000 total viewers watch the premier of
Buffy The Vampire Slayer on COMET TV improving the time period by
108%
348,000 total viewers watch the premier of
CSI: NY on CHARGE! increasing the time period by 38%
Sinclair Broadcast Group’s free over-the-air, national,
multicast television networks, COMET, CHARGE! and TBD today announced a wide range of network
affiliate upgrades and new TV series additions, strengthening the
networks heading into the 2022/23 television season.
By September, the networks will add over 13 million new TV
households to their existing footprints. Upgrades include moving to
stronger broadcast affiliates, several of which include DMA-wide
MVPD carriage, through new agreements with CBS Stations, COX Media
Group, Nexstar Media Group, and Optimum, as well as adding
nationwide carriage on Dish Network and Sling TV.
Highlights include:
- CHARGE!, a network
for fans of action programming, will have completed the following
distribution upgrades by September:
- New York (Market 1) – Launches across the DMA on Optimum
channel 148
- Portland, OR (Market 21) and Providence (Market
52) – Moves to Sinclair Broadcast Group owned stations on ABC
affiliate KATU channel 2.2 and on NBC affiliate WJAR channel
10.2
- Nationwide - Launches on Dish Network’s
internet-connected set top boxes on channel 290-36 as well as on
Sling TV.
- COMET, the only
broadcast network in the US for fans of sci-fi, will have completed
the following distribution upgrades by September:
- Atlanta (Market 7) and Boston (Market 10) – Moves
to COX Media Group owned ABC affiliate WSB channel 2.4 and FOX
affiliate WFXT channel 25.2 (which includes DMA-wide MVPD
carriage)
- Las Vegas (Market 40) – Moves to Sinclair Broadcast
Group owned NBC affiliate KSNV channel 2.3
- TBD, a network for
fans of internet content and one of the youngest skewing broadcast
networks in the US, will have completed the following distribution
upgrades by September:
- Atlanta (Market 7) and Boston (Market 10) - Moves
to CBS Stations owned CW affiliate WUPA channel 69.3 and WSBK
channel 38.3
- Indianapolis (Market 25) - Launches on Nexstar Media
Group owned CBS affiliate WTTV channel 4.4
With the new series additions made this month, the networks
experienced across the board growth, delivering some of the
strongest primetime and late-night schedules in the multicast
space. Series launches include:
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer joined COMET’s primetime lineup
effective June 6th, airing weeknights from 7pm-9pm ET, paired with
The X-Files from 9pm–1am ET
- 543,000 total viewers watched during the show’s two-hour
premiere, improving the time period by 108%
- Highest series premiere since 2020 and the second highest in
the history of the network
- CSI: NY joined CHARGE!’s primetime lineup effective June
6th, airing weeknights from 6pm-9pm ET, paired with CSI:
Miami from 9pm-1am ET
- The show’s premiere averaged 68,000 viewers, improving the time
period by 33%
- World’s Dumbest joined TBD’s late-night lineup effective
May 30th, airing Monday - Sunday from 11pm-1am ET following
Wipeout from 7pm -9pm ET and Fear Factor from 9pm –
11pm ET
- The show averaged 28,000 viewers improving the time period by
4%
Source: Nielsen Live+SD P2+ Impressions, COMET: 7-9pm and
CHARGE! 6-9pm, 6/6/22 vs. April- May 22 TBD: 11pm-1am, week of
5/30/22 vs. April- May 22
“CHARGE!, COMET and TBD are some of the fastest growing
networks, becoming more popular on paid and free platforms, as we
strengthen our affiliate partnerships across the country and
continue to invest in fan favorite and familiar TV series and
movies,” said Adam Ware SVP, Growth Networks Group.
About Sinclair Broadcast Group,
Inc.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified
media company and a leading provider of local sports and news. The
Company owns and/or operates 21 regional sports network brands;
owns, operates and/or provides services to 185 television stations
in 86 markets; owns multiple national networks including Tennis
Channel and Stadium; and has TV stations affiliated with all the
major broadcast networks. Sinclair’s content is delivered via
multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video
program distributors, and digital and streaming platforms NewsOn
and STIRR. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source
of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220615005860/en/
Media Contact: Jessica Bellucci
Jbellucci-c@sbgtv.com
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