CBS Television Distribution confirmed plans for a spin-off from the successful "Dr. Phil" show and announced that it has already been sold in syndication to stations covering 50% of US TV households, including all of the top 10 markets. The working title for the new show is "The Doctors," with Jay McGraw, the son of Dr. Phil McGraw, as executive producer. He’d previously been co-executive producer or executive producer on seven Dr. Phil primetime specials.
"This is one of the most exciting launches we’ve had since ‘Dr. Phil.’ Every major broadcast group in the country has been talking about it. It’s really fun to introduce a whole new genre to first-run syndication, and it’ll take CBS Television Distribution to even greater heights," declared Roger King, CEO of CBS Television Distribution.
Hosted by ER doctor, Dr. Travis Stork (yes, he was "The Bachelor" on ABC), other experts making the rounds include Dr. Lisa Masterson, an obstetrician/gynecologist; Dr. Andrew Ordon, a leading plastic surgeon; Dr. Tara Fields, a licensed marriage and family therapist; and Dr. Jim Sears, a renowned pediatrician. These doctors will make appearances on "Dr. Phil" throughout the 2007-08 season. At the same time, "The Doctors" producers will shadow the "Dr. Phil" production team to prepare for the new show’s fall 2008 debut. "The Doctors" will be produced by Stage 29 Productions in association with CBS Television Distribution.
Stations already signed up include major market properties owned by such groups as CBS, Gannett, Cox, Scripps, Belo, Post-Newsweek, LIN and others.
The list.
"The Doctors" syndication lineup
Rank Market Station
1 New York WCBS (CBS)
2 Los Angeles KCBS/KCAL (CBS)
3 Chicago WCIU (Ind.)
4 Philadelphia KYW (CBS)
5 Dallas KTVT/KTXA (CBS)
6 San Francisco KTVU (FOX)
7 Boston WHDH (NBC)
8 Atlanta WSB (ABC)
9 Washington, D.C. WUSA (CBS)
10 Houston KHOU (CBS)
11 Detroit WXYZ (ABC)
12 Phoenix KTVK (Ind.)
14 Seattle KOMO (ABC)
15 Minneapolis KARE (NBC)
16 Miami WFOR (CBS)
17 Cleveland WKYC (NBC)
18 Denver KUSA (NBC)
19 Orlando WKMG (CBS)
22 Pittsburgh WPXI (NBC)
24 Baltimore WMAR (ABC)
26 Indianapolis WISH (CBS)
27 San Diego KUSI (Ind.)
31 Kansas City KSHB (NBC)
33 Cincinnati WKRC (CBS)
39 Grand Rapids, Mich. WOOD (NBC)
42 Norfolk WAVY (NBC)
49 Jacksonville WJXT (Ind.)
60 Tulsa, Okla. KOKI (Fox)
62 Dayton, Ohio WDTN (NBC)
151 Terre Haute, Ind. WTHI (CBS)
Source: CBS Television Distribution
