TOM JOYNER’S NATIONALLY SYNDICATED TELEVISION SHOW CLEARED FOR
LAUNCH ON ABC OWNED STATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY AND LOS ANGELES
PRODUCTION TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR WEEKLY MUSIC/VARIETY HOUR
Series Now Cleared in More Than 75% of the Country for October 2005 Premiere
(Los Angeles, CA and Dallas, TX ‘ July 26, 2005) ‘The Tom Joyner Show,’ the forthcoming nationally syndicated music/variety television series from the nation’s top syndicated morning entertainment radio personality, has been cleared for October 2005 launch on the ABC television stations in New York City (WABC-TV ) and Los Angeles (KABC-TV), REACH Media Inc. executives announced.
‘We are thrilled to be on ABC in New York and Los Angeles, and we’re delivering a new and exciting show to these top stations,’ said Tom Joyner, whose nationally syndicated radio who airs in 115 markets reaching nearly 8 million listeners every week. ‘I’ve always hoped that REACH Media would create a syndicated TV show, and now not only do we have one, but we’ve really gone far beyond the goals we set out to accomplish and have all the right things in place to make this a success.’
The weekly, one-hour program, produced by REACH and distributed by Litton, is now sold in more than 75% of the country, with nine of the top 10 markets and 38 of the top 40 cleared, including Chicago (WCIU, Ind.-Weigel), Philadelphia (WPHL, WB-Tribune), San Francisco (KBWB, WB-Granite), Dallas-Ft. Worth (KTXA, UPN-Viacom), Washington, D.C. (WBDC, WB-Tribune), Atlanta (WSB, ABC-Cox), Detroit (WDWB, WB-Granite) and Houston (KHWB, WB-Tribune), among others. The series will reach 90% of African American households in the U.S., with all 26 of the top 26 markets in the demo confirmed. Most markets will air the show in late night on Saturdays or in primetime on Sundays.
In addition to lining up significant clearances, ‘The Tom Joyner Show’ has tapped its executive creative team. Ehrich Van Lowe has been named executive producer of the series, with Don Weiner coming aboard as director/producer and Jeffrey Kopp set to serve as supervising producer. The three Hollywood veterans will oversee production on the series, which will feature performances by top names in music and comedy, side-splitting comedy sketches, off-beat local-market vignettes and much more.
“We’re creating a fun, entertaining and fresh show that combines an experienced and creative production team with Tom’s huge, loyal audience and advertising base,” said David Kantor, REACH Media Inc.’s chief executive officer.
Van Lowe’s career experience includes writing for and co-producing the Emmy Award-winning series ‘The Cosby Show’ and serving as executive producer of the popular FOX sitcom ‘Roc,’ as well as ‘Where I Live’ for ABC. Additionally, he had a hand in developing the Disney Channel’s Emmy-nominated comedy series, ‘Even Stevens.’
Weiner has an extensive career in television, including 16 seasons as the producer and director of the popular ‘It’s Showtime at the Apollo.’ He served as the executive producer for UPN’s ‘The Player,’ along with Kopp, who served as the show’s supervising producer. Weiner also executive produced the pageant finale for the FOX network’s ‘The Swan.’ Additionally, he has been executive producer/director for the syndicated ‘Live in Hollywood’ TV show as well as FOX’s ‘Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed.’
Most recently, Kopp has served as supervising producer of CBS’ ‘The Cut,’ UPN’s ‘The Player,’ ‘Live in Hollywood’ and ‘Who Wants to Marry My Dad’’ He also has had his hand in overseeing the production of ‘Richard Simmons’ Dream Maker,’ ‘The Howie Mandel Show’ and ‘The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show,’ as well as the pilot for ‘The John Salley Show.’ Early in his career, Kopp worked for the Dick Clark Company in several roles.
‘The Tom Joyner Show’ is produced by REACH Media, Inc. and distributed by Litton Entertainment.
About REACH Media Inc.
REACH Media, founded by radio personality, philanthropist and entrepreneur Tom Joyner, is a multi-media company formed in January 2003 as the parent company of the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," billed as the No. 1 entertainment/information morning show in America and now, the syndicated TV show, ‘The Tom Joyner Show.’ REACH also has several other businesses that will target African-Americans through radio, television, event production and the internet. Its website, BlackAmericaWeb.com (http://blackamericaweb.com), which has more than 850,000 members, is a virtual town square for visitors to get daily news, play games, search for jobs and listen to the Morning Show online. REACH Media also produces the Tom Joyner Family Reunion @ Walt Disney World Resorts (http://www.blackamericaweb.com/family), a three-day Labor Day Weekend event, featuring top-name performers, comedians, seminars and access to the theme parks.
