King of the world?
'CSI' rerun sale to stations could break record
|
The deal runs for two years, and $75 million would be a record gross for off-network hours in traditional two-year deals with stations, which get two episodes each weekend.
"CSI" previously set industry records in two areas: 1) for sale of an off-network hour in five-a-week play to a cable network ($1.6 million an episode from TNN/Spike) and 2) for repurposing of a series episode once a week on a cable network while the show is still running on broadcast TV ($360,000 an episode, also from TNN/Spike).
Roger King, CEO of King World, said the distributor plans to funnel two different "CSI" episodes each week to the stations in the strict chronological order in which they appeared on CBS, starting with the series' debut in the fall 2001.
Because of the demand for "CSI," King World was able to carve out seven-and-a-half minutes from each run for sale to national advertisers, leaving six-and-a-half to the stations. (The usual split is 7/7.)
The extra 30-second spot, and "CSI" status as the No. 1 rated show on network primetime, makes King World optimistic that the advertising revenues will raise the income bar for weekend reruns.
Since stations don't pay any cash for the weekend plays, King World's sole source of revenue is from advertiser dollars, so a weak economy from 2004 to 2006 could throw cold water on King World's hope for a rerun record.
All of the CBS-owned TV stations have signed up for "CSI." They plan to run it on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 p.m. CBS and King World are sister companies, both divisions of Viacom Inc.
King said that some TV stations affiliated with UPN and WB will schedule the two runs back-to-back in primetime Saturday.
In addition to the CBS O&Os, King World has sold "CSI" on the weekend to WFAA Dallas, WUSA Washington, KHOU Houston and KFMB San Diego.
"CSI" is produced by Bruckheimer Films in association with Alliance Atlantis and CBS Prods.
