News Releases
DES MOINES, IA (July 16, 2007) – Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP) announced today they will license Better, its daily lifestyle television show, to Journal Broadcast Group starting fall 2007. The Meredith Broadcasting Group and the Journal Broadcast Group agreed to a multi-year deal to air the program at Journal stations in the Milwaukee, Green Bay and Ft. Myers markets. Journal Broadcast Group is a Journal Communications’ company (NYSE:JRN).
Better is an hour-long daily show that leverages Meredith’s home, shelter, and parenting expertise. The show is based on content from Meredith’s expansive brand portfolio including Better Homes and Gardens, More, Family Circle and Parents magazines. Currently, the show airs 9 a.m. on two Meredith FOX affiliates – KPTV in Portland, OR, and KVVU in Las Vegas. Meredith Broadcasting will roll out the show to eight additional stations in the fall, as well as the three Journal stations.
The Better model allows stations to localize eight minutes of the syndicated national show. This could include news, entertainment features and the sale of local product integration.
“Better is a station friendly model that allows broadcasters to sell local advertising and product placement while giving their viewers local news and entertainment,” said Paul Karpowicz, President of the Meredith Broadcasting Group. “It has generated a great deal of buzz in the industry, and we are currently in licensing discussions with additional station groups.”
Better launched in March, and after only a few months on the air, is pulling stronger ratings than most daytime syndicated shows that air in Meredith markets. In Portland, Better rates consistently No. 1 or No. 2 in its time period.
“We are thrilled to work with Meredith on this project,” said Doug Kiel, Vice Chairman and CEO for the Journal Broadcast Group. “Their deeply-rooted content expertise, combined with our local efforts, will offer our viewers fresh, entertaining daytime programming and our advertisers new venues to sell their products and services.”
About Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation (www.meredith.com) is one of the nation’s leading media and marketing companies with businesses centering on magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive media. Meredith owns or operates 13 television stations that reach nearly 10 percent of television households across the country and one radio station: WGCL-TV (CBS), Atlanta; KPHO-TV (CBS), Phoenix; KPDX-TV (UPN), Portland, OR; KPTV (FOX), Portland, OR; WFSB-TV (CBS), Hartford-New Haven, CT; WSMV-TV (NBC) Nashville, TN; KCTV (CBS), Kansas City, MO; KSMO (WB), Kansas City, MO; WHNS-TV (FOX), Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC-Asheville, NC; WNEM-TV (CBS), Flint-Saginaw, MI; KVVU-TV (FOX), Las Vegas, NV; WFLI-TV (WB) Chattanooga, TN; and WSHM, (CBS), Springfield, MA and radio station WNEM-AM in Saginaw-Bay City, MI.
About Journal Broadcast Group
Journal Broadcast Group owns and operates 35 radio stations and ten television stations in 12 states and operates one television station under a local marketing agreement. The broadcast business of Journal Communications Inc., Journal Broadcast Group is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Journal Communications is a diversified media company with operations in publishing, radio and television broadcasting, interactive media and printing services.
Media Contact: Jen Harken, 515.284.3125 or jen.harken@meredith.com