'America's Next Top Model' will launch the CW, unveiling its seventh season on the net Sept. 20.
Ostroff
"America's Next Top Model" will launch America's next TV network.
The CW hopes to make a premiere-night splash by unwrapping the seventh edition of the Tyra Banks model competish, which bows Wednesday, Sept. 20.
Speaking with critics Monday during the green-hued netlet's first appearance at the TV Critics Assn. press tour, net's entertainment prexy Dawn Ostroff said the midweek launch allows the fledgling CW network a few days to "iron out the kinks."
The CW will actually hit the airwaves on Monday, Sept. 18 -- a few days earlier than the two-hour "Top Model" premiere -- quietly airing a handful of repeats. That will allow stations to keep the lights on after the WB and UPN sign off for the last time.
Ostroff admitted the transition from old to new will be tricky, and may cause confusion as viewers are asked in many cases to flip the dial in order to find their favorite shows.
The exec pointed out that in 60% of the country, current UPN viewers will have to migrate to their market's former WB station to find the CW; the same is true in 28% of the nation for WB auds, who now will have to seek out the former UPN station in their hometown. And in several markets, the CW will air on a station that was neither a WB nor a UPN affil.
"We have to communicate that we're on a new channel -- that's huge," she said. "It's going to be very confusing at first."
That viewer confusion, Ostroff said, is why the CW is sticking mostly to returning shows and launching just two new ones: "Runaway" and "The Game."
"Our strategy all along has depended on existing franchises to bring in viewers," she said.
The CW now has cleared affils in 93% of the country, the most any startup net (Fox, WB, UPN) has had at launch.
Ostroff said she expects the CW to perform better than the networks it's replacing -- but added, "We're a bit realistic with what our expectations are."
Still, she added after her presentation, "By the end of the season, we'll be in the plus column."
Net also discussed some of its branding and marketing plans -- including the heavy use of lime green in its materials.
"Green is such a happy color," Ostroff said. "It really stands for a lot of what the network is about."
Following the "Top Model" premiere, the CW also will launch "Friday Night Smackdown" during its first week, on Sept. 22. But most of the lineup will debut in week two, including its Monday, Tuesday (except "Veronica Mars"), Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday skeds. "Mars" will return last, on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
Net also confirmed that Whoopi Goldberg has signed on to appear in two episodes of "Everybody Hates Chris."
Contact Michael Schneider at
mike.schneider@variety.com