Network Announces New Original Series Twister Sisters and Season 2 Renewals of John Edward Cross Country and American Princess
Record Ratings Released for Premiere of Original Series Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter
New York, NY – April 24, 2007 – WE tv, the content destination for fun, entertaining programming focused on pop culture, personal style and relationships, announced today that it is continuing its original programming momentum with the addition of a new series, Twister Sisters as well as the season 2 renewal of its hit series, John Edward Cross Country and American Princess. Twister Sisters, which will premiere in December, is a six-part, one-hour weekly series that follows two women as they travel across the Great Plains in search of the biggest and baddest tornadoes. Premiering in September, John Edward Cross Country 2 will continue with twelve new, one-hour episodes following John Edward as he travels cross country for more detailed and intimate individual readings with those seeking comfort and answers about their departed friends or relatives. American Princess Season 2, scheduled to premiere in August, is an eight-episode, one-hour weekly series that features twelve young women with contrasting styles, tastes and backgrounds as they compete to become the next American Princess. Today's programming announcement comes in conjunction with the latest ratings success for WE tv, with the original series premiere of Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter, on Friday, April 20 (9p-10p), ranking as the strongest WE tv original premiere in W25-54 delivery (173K) and the second highest rated (*0.5 HH RTG) original series premiere ever in WE tv's history.
"WE tv is committed to increasing our original programming slate with compelling and entertaining television that speaks to our core audience," stated Kim Martin, WE tv's Executive Vice President and General Manager. "Twister Sisters is a unique true-life story that we are excited to add to our lineup and both John Edward Cross Country and American Princess are great series that our audience loves; bringing them back makes perfect sense for the network. These shows join WE's dynamic programming lineup for 2007 and will continue to position WE tv as a premiere destination for relevant, fun, and engaging television."
Twister Sisters
Tornadoes are nature's most violent and destructive atmospheric phenomenon. With wind speeds of up to 300 miles per hour, these rotating columns of air can embed fence posts into trees, throw railroad cars like toys and turn entire towns into rubble in under a minute. About a thousand of them touch down in the United States each year, a huge percentage of them in a region extending from Texas up to South Dakota that is known as "Tornado Alley." Peggy Willenberg and Melanie Metz are partners in the "Twister Sisters" Tornado Tour Company. Every May the two women kiss their husbands and families goodbye and head out on the road for their annual pilgrimage across the Great Plains, in search of the biggest and baddest twisters around, and this year WE tv is along for the ride. The series follows The Twister Sisters as they travel throughout the Plains States in pursuit of nature's spectacular fury, all while juggling their storm addiction with the demands of their families and regular jobs. We'll get an up close and personal look into the unique world of storm chasers, as well as a front row seat for one of nature's greatest shows. The six episode, one-hour weekly series is produced by Original Productions and is scheduled to premiere on WE tv in December 2007
John Edward Cross Country 2
John Edward Cross Country scored record breaking ratings, becoming the highest rated original series premiere in WE tv's history. For the second season, Join world-famous psychic John Edward as he returns for more dramatic readings and personal revelations. Based in a custom-built New York studio setting for his highly visual and powerful group readings, John will continue to travel cross country for more detailed and intimate individual readings with those seeking comfort and answers about their departed friends or relatives. Produced by JECO Productions, this twelve episode, one hour weekly series is set to premiere on WE tv in September 2007.
American Princess Season 2
The premiere of the first season of American Princess is ranked as one of the highest original series premiere to-date on the network. For the second season, WE tv takes twelve young women with contrasting styles, tastes and backgrounds to compete against one another in a chance to become the next American Princess. We've all grown up on the Cinderella fairy tale; transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary, winning a handsome prince and a royal crown along the way. American Princess Season 2 will take 12 diamonds in the rough, transport them to England, train them in etiquette, grooming, presentation and aristocratic style, with the winner claiming a dance with a real European prince, a 50k cash prize, and an English title. Produced by Granada, this eight-episode, one-hour weekly series is set to premiere in August 2007.
The series announced today will join WE's growing list of original programming including Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter, a series that follows the true-life adventures of Sandra Scott, a married mother of two daughters who leads her professional career as a tough-skinned, cuff-bearing bounty hunter;
Original programming has garnered record ratings success for WE tv in 2006. 2006 is the best year in the history of the network Prime M-Su 8p-11p delivery of HH, W18-34, W18-49, W25-49 and W25-54. In addition, WE tv had +212% more hours of original programming during Prime M-Su 8p-11p than in 2005. The success continues for the network in 2007, with March scoring the strongest March in the network's history for HH, W18-34, W18-49, W25-49 & W25-54 deliveries for the Prime M-Su 8p-11p daypart. WE tv's original special Women on Death Row 2 premiered this month as the strongest WE original special premiere for W18-49 (166K) and W25-54 (160K) deliveries. **
*Source: Nielsen Media Research, Live Data, Premiere of Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter (Friday 4/20/07 9p-10p) W25-54 delivery ranked among all WE tv original series & specials premieres & HH RTG ranked among all original series premieres since beginning of measurement (12/31/01-4/20/07), (*) tied with the premiere of Secret Lives of Women (12/13/05 10p); subject to qualifications upon request.
**Source: Nielsen Media Research, WE tv Prime M-Su 8p-11p 2006 (12/26/05-12/31/06) vs. 2005 (12/27/04-12/25/05) vs. 2004 (12/29/03-12/26/04) vs. 2003 (12/30/02-12/28/03) vs. 2002 (12/31/01-12/29/02); WE tv Prime M-Su 8p-11p Mar07 (02/26/07-04/01/07) vs. Mar06 (02/27/06-03/26/06) vs. Mar05 (02/28/05-03/27/05) vs. Mar04 (03/01/04-03/28/04) vs. Mar03 (02/24/03-03/30/03) vs. Mar02 (02/25/02-03/31/02), premiere telecast of "Women on Death Row 2" Monday 2/26/07 9p-11p compared to all WE tv original special premiere telecasts to-date (12/31/01-4/1/07); subject to qualifications upon request.
About WE tv
WE tv is the only cable network dedicated to helping women connect to one another and the world around them. With quality original programming including the hit series "Bridezillas," unique movie packages like "Cinematherapy," topical specials and its public affairs initiative WE Empowers Women, the network supports women and appeals to their interests in pop culture, relationships and personal style. WE tv is a subsidiary of Rainbow Entertainment Services and is currently seen in 63 million homes.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform programming for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, fuse, IFC, WE tv, Rainbow Sports Networks managed FSN Bay Area and FSN New England, LIFESKOOL, SPORTSKOOL, and VOOM HD Networks. The company also manages Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division, and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.