Fine Living Lands ‘Loser,’ ‘Queer Eye’ Syndication Pacts
Network Gains Cable Exclusivity For Series Repurposing, Library Rights
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 9/17/2008 10:03:00 AM
Fine Living has added a pair of reality series to its lineup via syndicated pacts with NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution.
The upscale lifestyle network will become the cable home for NBC’s The Biggest Loser and Bravo’s former cynosure Queer Eye. Deal terms were not disclosed.
With the weight-loss competition show, Fine Living will repurpose the current episode airing on NBC the following week. NBC starts the show’s new season Sept. 16, with Fine Living encoring the installment on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning Sept. 20.
The Scripps network, which premiered Whatever, Martha, with domestic diva Martha Stewart Sept. 16 at 9 p.m., also has secured the reality series' fourth through seventh seasons and exclusive cable rights to The Biggest Loser: Couples, when it bows in 2009.
Meanwhile, male makeover series Qu
eer Eye will join Fine Living’s lineup Monday nights at 9 p.m..The acquisition gives the service access to all 99 of the Emmy Award-winning show’s installments, including the rarely played pilot that features talent that appeared on the show before the Fab 5 -- grooming gure Kyan Douglas, fashion maven Carson Kressley, food/wine expert Ted Allen, culturist Jai Rodriguez and interior designer Thom Filicia -- were ultimately cast.
“By bringing these two significant franchises to FLN, we continue our quest to move our channel into the top tier of all lifestyle television networks,” said Fine Living general manager Chad Youngblood in a statement. “The Biggest Loser is one of TV's most popular series, a juggernaut in the world of reality television. And in its four-year run, Queer Eye was a ratings superstar, dominating American pop culture.”
