"Frasier" Premieres Friday, April 8 at 8 pm
"Roseanne" Debuts in 2012
"Will & Grace" Joins WE tv in 2013
NEW YORK, NY, April 6, 2011 – WE tv (www.wetv.com) announced today that it has acquired the non-exclusive cable rights to the complete libraries of three popular sitcoms: Frasier from CBS Television Distribution, Roseanne from Carsey-Werner Television Distribution and Will & Grace from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The shows will roll out on WE tv over the next two years. Frasier will premiere this Friday, April 8 at 8 pm, et/pt, with back-to-back episodes airing every Friday night from 8 pm to 1 am during a special "Frasier Fridays" line-up. WE tv will debut Roseanne in 2012 followed in 2013 by Will & Grace.
"At the heart of each of these shows are the special relationships the characters share, a bond WE tv celebrates in its original series, from Joan & Melissa to the upcoming Braxton Family Values and Sinbad It’s Just Family," said Elizabeth Doree, senior vice president, programming, WE tv and Wedding Central. "The strategy of acquiring these shows was borne out of the success WE tv has achieved with Golden Girls. This new crop of series gives WE tv yet another opportunity to present viewers with strong female characters, set against the backdrop of humorous, real-life situations."
Frasier aired on NBC from 1993-2004. The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series features 264 30-minute episodes and stars Kelsey Grammar in the title role, joined by David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Jane Leeves and Peri Gilpin. The series was created by David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee and produced by Grub Street Productions and Paramount Network Television Productions.
Roseanne aired on ABC from 1988-1997. The Emmy, Peabody, Golden Globe, People’s Choice and American Comedy Award-winning sitcom features 222 30-minute episodes starring Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Alicia Goranson and Michael Fishman. The series was created by Matt Williams based on a character created by Roseanne Barr and produced by Carsey-Werner Television.
Will & Grace aired on NBC from 1998-2006. The Emmy Award-winning series features 194 30-minute episodes and stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally. The series was created by Kavid Kohan and Max Mutchnick and produced by KoMut Entertainment.
About WE tv
WE tv (www.wetv.com) is the women’s network devoted to the wild ride of relationships during life’s defining moments. The original series, including Downsized, Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? and hit wedding shows – Bridezillas and My Fair Wedding with David Tutera, among others – underscore the network’s brand position and tagline, Life As WE Know It, which signifies the connection that women share based on similar life experiences. Whether it’s the thrill of getting married, the drama of family chaos or the excitement of a second chance, the stories on WE tv allow women to see themselves, someone they know or someone they’d love to know. Owned and operated by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, WE tv is available in over 76 million homes and is available in HD and on demand.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters, IFC Midnight and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.