CBS Television Distribution (CTD) reported a few days ago that it had sold the new syndicated strip “Swift Justice With Nancy Grace” in 90% of the country, including all Top 50 markets. That puts the host of HLN’s top-rated show on the launching pad for a big start in broadcast television.
The successful roll-out in this tough economy was so remarkable that it even caught the attention of the New York Times. How did CTD do it in this environment? Turning back to good old barter, rather than demanding cash from stations. The inventory is roughly a 50/50 split between CTD and the local stations.
Stations from these groups are among the latest to sign on for two years: Freedom Communications, Mission Broadcasting, Grant Communications, New Vision Group, Communications Corp. of America, Cordillera Communications and Gray Television.
As back-to-back half-hours, “Swift Justice With Nancy Grace” is targeted for a fall 2010 debut. It will air mostly in afternoon and early-fringe time periods. In the three largest markets New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the strip was previously cleared on the Fox Television stations.
CTD says “Swift Justice With Nancy Grace” will offer a fresh take on the court genre, with Grace’s tell-it-like-it-is form of justice taking center stage.
Grace is a former prosecutor and well-known legal analyst. She currently hosts the legal analysis program, “Nancy Grace,” which is the highest-rated show on HLN. Previously, she worked at Court TV as host of the live daily trial coverage program “Closing Arguments” and co-host of “Cochran and Grace.” She is an outspoken advocate of victims’ rights and known for not holding back her opinion on high profile cases. Grace is also a best-selling author, with her first book “Objection!” published in 2005 and her first fictional novel, “The Eleventh Victim,” published in August 2009.
