Coming off its highest-rated and most viewed year ever, TV One has announced plans for new and returning series through fourth quarter 2011. The real-life and entertainment network for African American adults has introduced a high energy, new talk/variety series for Black History Month, Way Black When, and will bring back new seasons of its most popular series throughout the year, including a reality series, a reality competition series and its two beloved bio-pic series.
The programming includes:
Way Black When – Airing each weeknight at 10 PM (repeating at 1 AM) over four weeks in February, Way Black When is a high-energy, one-hour talk show designed to reflect back on the golden age of black culture that emerged during the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. The talk show will showcase Black pop culture icons across three decades – the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s — including actors, comedians, athletes, musicians and many more–from Black Power through Hip Hop. Each week a host who embodies the decade’s essence guides a live studio audience and television viewers on their trip back through ‘blackness,’ including Sinbad for the ‘70s; Niecy Nash for the ‘80s and Chris “Kid” Reid for the ‘90s. Each night, celebrity guests who characterize the specific week’s decade will be showcased, along with a musical act and a comedian who provide the tunes and the tone of the time. Providing the music for TV One’s Way Black When: Prime Time odyssey will be the house band, Mint Condition, known for its diverse musical style and captivating live performances. The series will include nightly comedic sketches spoofing memorable hairstyles, fashion trends, and cultural fads from each decade. Each week, TV One will feature a Heroes, Newsmakers, Icons and Celebs (HNIC) segment in which Washington Watch host Roland Martin will provide a look back at the major news events of the day. Way Black When is produced for TV One by Kusza Productions and Rush Hour Productions.
LisaRaye: The Real McCoy – TV One’s top-rated series returns for a new season, and the former First Lady of the Turks and Caicos, who returned to Los Angeles last season to get back to business, has taken control of her career and is open for business! Filmed in Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas, LisaRaye continues working to fully re-establish her critically acclaimed acting career, while balancing a far-flung and complex personal life. This season the beautiful, outspoken star of film and television is kicking her own acting career back into high gear with a new scripted series; burnishing her brand with a new line of jeans; raising money for charity to help friends; helping to get her daughter’s career off the ground, and looking for love – and spirituality. In addition to the lady in white, her daughter Kai, her assistant Quincy, and her business manager Tom, add to the eclectic array of interesting characters, not to mention celebrity appearances, including Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tatyana Ali, Bobby Brown, Elise Neal, Nelly, Twista, Rev. T.D. Jakes, and Chef G. Garvin. LisaRaye: The Real McCoy is produced for TV One by Evolution Media. (premieres spring 2011).
Donald J. Trump Presents The Ultimate Merger – Toccara, the vivacious and voluptuous fashion model and television personality, will set out in search for her perfect mate in season two of Donald J. Trump Presents the Ultimate Merger.. After a highly successful first season in 2010, Real Estate Billionaire and Entertainment Mogul Donald J. Trump is joining forces again with TV One on the groundbreaking and popular reality series, which in its premiere outing featured America’s #1 reality TV villain Omarosa as the bachelorette. In season two of Donald J. Trump Presents the Ultimate Merger, Toccara, the super model, Celebrity Fit Club and America’s Top Model contender, and ESSENCE Magazine Contributing Style Editor, will put a cadre of 12 hot, successful bachelors through a gauntlet of tests in her search for Mr. Right. These challenges are designed to play upon their weaknesses, test their business acumen, measure their seductive strengths, and draw out their true intentions. Donald J. Trump and Trump Productions President Andy Litinsky created the eight episode reality series that is produced by Trump Productions LLC and Juma Entertainment. (premieres summer 2011)
Unsung – TV One returns with 12 new episodes of its widely acclaimed and NAACP Image Award-nominated bio series Unsung in 2011. This series of one-hour biography specials celebrates the lives and careers of successful artists or groups who, despite great talent, over the years have been under-recognized or under-appreciated. Unsung reveals the multiple factors that have kept these artists from achieving the iconic commercial status they deserved. And, in the process, these specials “sing” the praises and celebrate the artistry that has kept fellow artists and fans talking about them for years. Among those artists being featured in 2011 on Unsung will be The Spinners, Alexander O’Neal and Cherrelle, Deniece Williams, Big Daddy Kane, The Ohio Players with Sugarfoot, and Evelyn “Champagne” King. Unsung is produced for TV One by A. Smith & Co. (New episodes premiere spring and fall 2011).
Life After – TV One returns with 10 new episodes of its buzzed about series Life After, the real, behind-the-scenes story of how some of America’s favorite celebrities have dealt with major turning points in their lives, be those moments public or private, triumphant or tragic. Part biography, part confessional and all celebration of the human spirit, each episode of Life After focuses on a well-known person or group and tells the story of a transformative event in their lives and its effects upon them ever afterward. Among those whose stories will be told by Life After in 2011 are groundbreaking model, actress and sportscaster Jayne Kennedy, legendary record industry executive André Harrell, talented R&B artist and actor Christopher Williams, and R&B artist Ginuwine. The series is produced for TV One by K2 Pictures. (summer 2011)
Trumpet Awards – TV One again in 2011 serves as the television home for the Trumpet Awards, which were created in 1993 to honor African-American achievement in diverse fields such as law, religion, politics, public service, sports and entertainment. This star-studded event will be hosted by Boris Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker and Niecy Nash, and among the honorees are The O’Jays, actor Richard Roundtree, Judge Greg Mathis, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Radio One President and CEO Alfred Liggins (spring 2011)
In 2010, TV One delivered its highest-rated year in the network’s history, experiencing double digit growth in primetime among households, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. Season to date (2010-2011), the trend is continuing, with ratings up by double digits over the same period last year among households (13 percent), and among adults 25-54 (16 percent) and 18-49 (18 percent).
“Our real-life and entertainment programming strategy has been a big success, and SVP of Original Programming Toni Judkins and her team have developed a strong slate of original series that is resonating with viewers,” said TV One President and CEO Johnathan Rodgers. “She and SVP of Program Strategy and Acquisitions Maureen Guthman have worked together to build a successful roadmap for the network’s continued success, and we look forward to an even better year in 2011, based on compelling entertainment programming coupled with intimate glimpses into the real lives of the entertainers who have touched our lives.”
Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvoneonline.com ) serves more than 51.5 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies, and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult African American viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves nearly 10 million households. TV One’s investors include Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK; www.radio-one.com ], the largest radio company that primarily targets African American and urban listeners; Comcast Corporation [NASDAQ: CMCSA and CMCSK; www.comcast.com], the leading cable television company in the country; The DirecTV Group; Constellation Ventures; Syndicated Communications; and Opportunity Capital Partners.
(Source: TV One)
