Showtime Renews Queer as Folk

Early in the series' fourth season, Showtime has renewed edgy drama Queer as Folk for a fifth season. The series will return in spring 2005.

"Since its premiere in 2000, Queer as Folk has distinguished itself not only as a valuable signature series for Showtime, but has significantly helped change the television landscape by portraying gay men and women as fully dimensional characters," said Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's entertainment president.  Queer as Folk's fourth season launched April 18.

The show is executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas. Cowen and Lipman developed the series for American television based on the British series created by Russell Davies. Sheila Hockin serves as producer. Queer as Folk is from Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions and Temple Street Productions.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.