WGN America Pins New WWE Series
Superstations Lines Up 'WWE Superstars' For April Debut
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 1/5/2009 2:00:00 PM
WGN America and World Wrestling Entertainment will enter the ring with a new original grappling series in April.
Under a two-year pact, WWE Superstars, a first run, original program, will air exclusively on WGN America, Tribune Broadcasting's national superstation.
Produced by WWE and will feature the group’s superstars and divas from the entire WWE roster. The hour-long weekly program is scheduled to premiere on Thursdays at 8 p.m. (ET), with encores following at 11 p.m. those nights and on Saturday.
The new original series will join USA Network’s Monday Night Raw franchise, historically one of cable’ top-rated shows, and MyNetwork TV with Smackdown on Fridays, in the hunt for pinning WWE viewers in primetime.
"WWE is one of the great American brands on television and we are thrilled to announce our partnership,” said Ed Wilson, Tribune Co.’s chief revenue officer and Tribune Broadcasting President, in a station. “The addition of WWE Superstars to WGN America's lineup signals our intention to add more tent-pole programs to our network brand strategy. Going forward, we will play to win.”
Tribune, buried under a massive debt load, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Dec. 8.
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