Canwest nabs new NBCU shows
Broadcaster to air 'Knight Rider,' 'Office' spinoff
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Announcement marks the first time any Canadian buyer has made a deal before the Screenings began.
The reformulated "Knight Rider," "My Own Worst Enemy," "Kath and Kim" and the spinoff of "The Office" will be shown on the Global Television and E! networks, along with Canwest's 21 specialty channels.
At a modified upfront in April, NBC announced its 52-week schedule, hoping to get a jump on its competitors and explain its strategy to advertisers. The net will still hold a session on Monday when the traditional upfront week begins in New York to give a broader perspective of NBCU that will include its cable brethren.
The L.A. Screenings begins the weekend of May 17 when hundreds of global buyers arrive in town and head off to the major studios to view pilots of the just-announced shows.
Both "Knight Rider," which began as a backdoor pilot, and "My Own Worst Enemy," starring Christian Slater, will premiere in the fall. "Kath and Kim," starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair," and the untitled spinoff of "The Office" won't launch until 2009.
Canadians are often the most active buyers dollar-wise at the Screenings as they need to purchase shows fairly quickly. Skeins often launch day and date in Canada and the States.
"Our strategy to get out front with advertisers this year provided us with an opportunity to have meaningful discussions about our new fall programming with broadcast and cable partners earlier than we ever have," said Ron Sutter, senior VP and general manager of NBC U Television Distribution Canada.
Canwest also renewed deals with NBC U on "House," "Heroes," "The Office," "The Biggest Loser," "Life" and "Friday Night Lights."
