Inside move: Fox well-'Grounded'
Net negotiated 25% share of future backend profits
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It seems that as part of the original license fee agreement for "Grounded," Fox negotiated a 25% share of any future backend profits in exchange for paying C-W-M a premium license fee. That means that if "Grounded" makes it into syndication, Fox stands to reap millions.
Of course, had "Grounded" died after Fox opted to cancel the show, the network would have made zilch in backend profit. Keeping the show alive at another network turned into a win-win for Fox.
If "Grounded" becomes a hit on the WB, Fox will make a tidy profit when the show hits syndication in 2005. If the show flops, Fox will have cut its losses and rid itself of a program execs there didn't believe in.
Meanwhile, Frog execs apparently weren't as nice to the producers of "Family Affair" and "Do Over" as once believed.
Frog last month had announced that both skeins had been given full-season, 22-episode orders. When the "Grounded" deal was announced, net said it was trimming those orders by three (Daily Variety, Nov. 19.)
In fact, the WB has actually sliced the back-nine orders for "Family" and "Do Over" to just two additional episodes, a Frog croaksman confirmed Tuesday. That means both shows will produce just 15 original episodes this season.
In other pickup news, UPN has ordered three more episodes of laffers "The Parkers" and "Girlfriends" as well as one extra seg of "One on One" and "Half & Half."
