Ellen DeGeneres renewed for over 99% of the US

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Stations that don’t already have “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” appear to be out of luck. Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution reports that the hit syndicated talker has been renewed by stations covering over 99% of the country.


The latest tally comes just four months after Warner Bros. announced that the show from Telepictures Productions had been renewed through 2014 on the O&O stations of the NBC Local Media Division.

Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD), said, “We are extremely gratified by the overwhelming response to Ellen and her show that we have received in the marketplace. Stations and viewers alike have identified ‘Ellen’ as a unique and compelling program that is poised to become the dominant early fringe talk franchise for women for years to come.”

Werner noted these highlights:
 
• WBDTD has cleared the series in over 99% of the country for the 2011–2012 season

• Sales to traditional affiliated stations (ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates) represent 95% of the country

• “Ellen” has been cleared in early fringe time periods for 2011–2012 in:
18 of the top 20 markets
45 of the top 50
88 of the top 100

• WBDTD has already renewed “Ellen” in over 85% of the country for the 2012–2013 season and in over 77% of the U.S. for 2013–2014

• In addition to previously renewing “Ellen” with the 10 stations of the NBC Local Media Division, WBDTD has sold the show to stations from the following groups: Hearst Television (on 13 of its stations), Gannett Broadcasting (on 12 of its stations), Scripps Television Station Group, Belo Corp., Local TV, Media General, Raycom Media, Cox Media, Gray Television, Freedom Communications and ComCorp, among many others.

The “Ellen” renewal campaign followed the publication of two separate, independently commissioned and conducted studies by leading industry market research firms SmithGeiger and Frank N. Magid Associates.

“SmithGeiger and Magid released research to their clients that stated that ‘Ellen’ is the single-best choice for stations – in the minds of daytime television viewers – to be their early fringe anchor. As we met with our clients, it became clear that these TV stations had come to the same conclusion, selecting ‘Ellen’ to be their cornerstone program, securing their future for years to come,” said Werner.
 
In the show’s seventh season, “Ellen” ranked as the #2 talk program in all of syndication among the key talk demographic of Women 25–54, following only “Oprah,” which is about to wrap up. The series’ Household rating is up +10%, its Women 25–54 up +14%, its Women 18–49 up +8% and its Women 18–34 up +20%. (Source: Live + SD AA Ratings, Premiere–06/21/09 vs. Premiere–06/20/10)

For the recent May 2010 sweep, “Ellen” also ranked as the #2 talk show in syndication among the key talk demo of Women 25–54, again only behind “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” outperforming its nearest competitor by +27% in rating. (Source: Nielsen WRAP Sweeps May 2010 All Market Weighted Average)

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” recently won the 2010 Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Award for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment, the fifth time that the show has received this honor and the 31st Daytime Emmy in its history. “Ellen” also won the 2010 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Talk Show.