Fox putting 'Batman' in Sunday slot
In conjunction with the move, which is effective Dec. 13, Fox will shift skitcom "The Ben Stiller Show" into the "Woops!" slot at 10:30 p.m. and schedule the new Lorimar TV sitcom "Shaky Ground," starring Matt Frewer, in its vacated 7 :30 slot.
"Great Scott," from Castle Rock Entertainment, and "Woops!" from Touchstone TV, have been canceled, though unused episodes could be burned off at a later date.
The former has averaged a not-so-great 4.4 rating, 7 share in Nielsen (the same as "Stiller"), while "Woops!"-- a last-minute pickup from Witt-Thomas Prods. originally developed for NBC -- has averaged a 4.6/8.
By using "Batman" in prime time, Fox hopes the show will provide a fertile cross-promotional opportunity for the Fox Children's Network, where "Batman" (produced by Warner Bros. Animation) will continue to air Monday through Friday in the afternoon.
Fox has made a major investment in the children's programming arena, with 19 hours a week--four on Saturday morning, an hour weekday mornings and a two-hour block weekday afternoons, more than the weblet's current load of 12 hours in prime time.
Cross-generational hit
Fox believes "Batman" can attract young adults in addition to children and teens, reporting that 40% of its weekday audience is 18 or older, an unusual split for an animated series.
In its one previous prime time airing (to pump up its daytime premiere), "Batman" captured a 4.6/11, better than any share for "Great Scott" in that timeslot.
While making the schedule changes, Fox also sought to give a vote of confidence to "Ben Stiller," from HBO Independent Prods., which has garnered some critical acclaim but scant audience at 7:30.
"Great Scott" and "Woops!" mark Fox's first cancellations of the nine series it's introduced, although the drama "The Heights" has been put on hiatus.
