Oprah Winfreys OWN to Air Two Tyler Perry Comedies in 2013
By Michael White and Andy Fixmer - 2012-10-01T18:17:44Z
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, moving into original scripted programming, will air two new series from writer-director Tyler Perry in 2013 under an exclusive, multiyear partnership.
Perry, known for his Madea comedies in theaters, will serve as executive producer, write and direct both series, OWN said today in a statement. The shows will premiere in mid-2013.
The deal with Perry bolsters the lineup at OWN, Winfreys joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc. (DISCA), which has improved ratings this year after a disappointing start in 2011. In addition to movies, Perry produces cables Tyler Perrys House of Payne and Meet the Browns. The TV shows, distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (LGF)s Debmar-Mercury, run on Time Warner Inc. (TWX)s TBS.
I have been looking forward to the day when we would be in the position to enter the world of scripted television, Winfrey, OWNs chief executive officer, said in the statement. That day has come.
In its most recent quarter, OWNs prime-time ratings rose 63 percent among the target audience of women ages 24-54, the company said. The network cited Oprahs Next Chapter, the talk-show hosts interview program, and the life-coaching reality show Iyanla: Fix My Life.
With this deal, OWN becomes the exclusive destination for Perrys new television series and projects, accord! ing to the statement. He will continue to distribute his movies and existing cable shows, including For Better or Worse, with Lions Gate. That program also runs on TBS.
Discovery, based in Silver Spring, Maryland, rose 0.8 percent to $60.09 at 1:52 p.m. in New York trading. The shares had gained 45 percent this year. Lions Gate, the independent studio based in Vancouver and run from Santa Monica, California, dropped 1.8 percent to $14.99 and had climbed 84 percent so far in 2012.
To contact the reporters on this story: Michael White in Los Angeles at mwhite8@bloomberg.net; Andy Fixmer in Los Angeles at afixmer@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net
Oprah's OWN to Air Two Tyler Perry Comedies in 2013
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, right, attend the 82nd Annual Academy Awards Governor's Ball in Hollywood.
Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, right, attend the 82nd Annual Academy Awards Governor's Ball i! n Hollywo! od. Photographer: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images