News Releases
DES MOINES, IA (January 23, 2008) – Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP) announced today that it will license Better, its daily lifestyle television show, to LIN TV Corp., Northwest Broadcasting and Fisher Communications stations. The deals will launch the show in 12 additional markets across the country. Fisher will join the line-up in March, while LIN and Northwest will air the show starting in the fall.
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, Parents, Family Circle, More, and Fitness magazines. Currently, the show airs on 10 Meredith stations and three Journal stations.
LIN will air Better in seven markets: Indianapolis, IN; Norfolk, VA; Albuquerque, NM; Buffalo, NY; Toledo, OH; Providence, NY; and Grand Rapids, MI. Northwest Broadcasting will broadcast the show in four markets: Spokane, WA; Yakima, WA; Medford, OR; and Binghamton, NY. Fisher Communications will air Better in Bakersfield, CA.
The Better model allows stations to localize up to eight minutes of the syndicated national show. This could include the sale of local product integration, news, and entertainment features.
“What began as a local show on KPTV in Portland has grown into a strong generator of local advertising revenue in our markets,” said Paul Karpowicz, President of the Meredith Broadcasting Group. “Better provides recognizable branded content from more than 2,500 Meredith editorial contributors, offers a platform for local branding opportunities, and gives local advertisers quality product placement.”
Better launched in March 2007 and immediately pulled stronger ratings than most daytime syndicated shows that air in Meredith markets. The show outperforms Today, Regis and Kelly, and Rachael Ray in several markets. In Portland and Hartford, the show consistently rates No. 1 in its time period.
“We are very happy to start broadcasting Better in seven of our markets this fall,” said Scott Blumenthal, Executive VP of Television at LIN TV Corp. “Adding the show to our lineup will offer our viewers fresh, entertaining daytime programming and our advertisers new venues to sell their products and services.”
“The Better model is a great fit for us because we can use all national content or add our own local spin,” said Brian Brady, President and CEO of Northwest Broadcasting. “It’s a station friendly model that allows us to sell local advertising while giving our viewers local news and entertainment.”
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.
Media Contact: Jen Harken, 515.284.3125 or jen.harken@meredith.com