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Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Austin’s WB to become new CW Network
Austin’s KNVA, currently home to the WB network, will switch to the new CW on Sept. 5 when the WB and UPN merge. The oddly named CW stands for corporate partners CBS and Warner Bros.
The fledgling network is expected to include successful programs, geared to young viewers ages 18 to 34, from both disappearing networks, including “Smackdown,” “Veronica Mars,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Smallville,” “Gilmore Girls” and “America’s Next Top Model.”
“We are very happy to have finalized an agreement for KNVA with the CW network,” general manager Carlos Fernandez said in an e-mail. “We’re looking forward to providing Austin and Central Texas the unique programming that will be the signature of this new, exciting network. Our partnership with the WB has been a solid one, and we expect even bigger things with The CW.”
There was speculation last month that KNVA, which is managed by LIN Television’s KXAN, might sign on with new Fox weblet My Network TV. That rumor swirled after KBEJ, a Fredericksburg station that serves San Antonio and Austin with UPN programming, signed up with CW. It was assumed that KBEJ would be Austin’s CW, too.
But after months of negotiations, LIN struck agreements with CW for four of its TV stations, including Austin. KBEJ, whose call letters will change to KCWX, will be exclusive to San Antonio.
KNVA, which launched in 1994 as an independent, became a WB affiliate the following year. It is owned by a company called 54 Broadcasters, of which KEYE anchor Ron Oliveira is a partner.
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Will ‘Idol’ wake up tonight?
I’ve got my digits crossed that this week’s “American Idol” will rebound from last week’s excruciating performances.
Songs of Queen? I don’t think so. None of the contestants was able to shine (or even weakly glow), and Bucky, in a long overdue decision, was voted off the “Idol” island.
Tonight the Final 7 will be warbling with advice and assistance from pop-rock superstar Rod Stewart. At least his songs are singable and not written for a rock group to perform.
And maybe this week the judges will wake up. Last week Simon was yawning through several performances, Randy occasionally gazed out into the audience as if he were searching for dolphins on the horizon, and Paula actually put her head down on the desk a couple of times.
It was not a good week for “Idol.” But I’m hopeful about tonight’s show.
Is this some kind of joke?
Cartoon Network has added “Saved by the Bell” to its hip late-night anthology “Adult Swim.” Are they kidding? The icky teen show, which ran from 1989 to ‘93 on NBC, has long been part of cable reruns, but is it edgy or cool, like the animated shows on “Swim”? Do bears run sprints around Town Lake?
Fans, popping off on the Adult Swim Web site, have not been particularly pleased. Some version of “What the heck?” has been the most common (and most favorable) response.
The network insists “Bell” is only on a two-week experimental tour, so it’s entirely possible it’ll be gone soon… . Possibly replaced by “Gimme a Break.” Or not.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
