ABC Entertainment announced today early pick-ups of alternative series for next season, including “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Supernanny” and “Wife Swap.” Here’s a rundown of the shows provided by the network:
America’s Funniest Home Videos
Currently in its 18th season, and the longest-running primetime show in ABC history, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” features adults, children, pets and even inanimate objects at their spontaneous best. Tom Bergeron is the host. In its 18 seasons to date, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has given away over $10 million in prize money and evaluated more than half a million videotapes from home viewers.
Against regular programming on Sunday from 7:00-8:00 p.m., “America’s Funniest Home Videos” ranks second among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, while delivering the No. 1 position in Women 18-49, Women 18-34 and Kids 2-11. In fact, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has placed either first or second in its respective time periods (Friday 8:00-9:00 p.m. & Sunday 7:00-8:00 p.m.) in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic for 6 of the past 7 seasons.
Vin Di Bona is executive producer, with Todd Thicke and Michele Nasraway serving as co-executive producers. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” which premiered on January 14, 1990, is from Vin Di Bona Productions.
Dancing with the Stars
Hosted by Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”) and Samantha Harris (“E! Entertainment”), the celebrities will perform choreographed dance routines which will be judged by renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.
During its fall 2007 run, ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” led its time period in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, qualifying as Monday’s most-watched TV program and as the No. 1 show of the night on each of its telecasts. Season to date, “DWTS” is the third most-watched show on television, behind only Fox’s two editions of “American Idol” and also ranks as a Top 10 show among Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC unscripted series attracts a highly-desirable, upscale young adult audience, ranking among the Top 10 series on TV this season among Adults 18-49 in homes with $100K+ annual income.
“Dancing with the Stars” is the U.S. version of the international smash hit series, “Strictly Come Dancing.” ABC’s version is produced in America by BBC Productions. Conrad Green serves as executive producer and Rob Wade and Matilda Zoltowski are co-executive producers. “Dancing with the Stars” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound and Spanish audio via SAP.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Put together one very run-down house, a deserving family, several opinionated designers, seven days and what do you get? The answer is “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The show has won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Program, as well as the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Reality Show/Makeover and the Family Television Award for Best Alternative/Reality Program.
For the fifth straight season, ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” ranks No. 1 in its Sunday 8 o’clock time period in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic. During the 2007-08 TV Season, “Home Edition” beat its nearest competition in the time period by 6% in Total Viewers and by 10% in Adults 18-49 . The broad appealing ABC unscripted series also leads its time slot among Adults 25-54 and across all key women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).
Beginning this season, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” began featuring green elements on every episode with eco-friendly, low energy and recyclable sources being incorporated into the builds. Concluding the show’s two-year, 50-state tour, will be a two-hour Season Finale on May 18 featuring three homes for a family (all on the same lot) and a church in Louisiana. In a first-ever effort to put together a coalition of past builders from all over the country, the show has called on the Building Industry to join forces and help with what might be the toughest challenge yet.
The design team includes team leader Ty Pennington, with designers Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis, Michael Moloney, Ed Sanders, Tracy Hutson, Tanya McQueen, Eduardo Xol and John Littlefield. New designers this season are Rib Hillis and Didiayer. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is President of Endemol USA. The series is executive-produced by Denise Cramsey and premiered December 3, 2003, on the ABC Television Network.
Supernanny
Jo Frost criss-crosses America taking on some of its toughest parenting challenges. Hailed by the New York Times as “fascinating” and “required viewing,” praised by Oprah Winfrey, David Letterman and Kelly Ripa, acclaimed by such publications as Newsweek, Hollywood Reporter and The New Yorker, and lauded by parents and nannies across America, “Supernanny” is a hit. Jo Frost, as Supernanny, can tame the wildest toddler, soothe the most savage 6-year-old and get even the most difficult child to overcome problems with behavior, sleep, mealtime, potty training and other challenges that have vexed parents around the world for centuries. After just three episodes of the show aired in the U.K. in summer 2004, Jo Frost became Britain’s hottest new TV star and a godsend to desperate parents who were dazzled by her amazing results with unruly children. She debuted in America in early 2005 and captivated Americans as well with her practical, no-nonsense style, honed over 20 years of nannying. “Supernanny” is now an international phenomenon; it airs in 58 territories, almost all of them with Frost as Supernanny. The series was nominated for a People’s Choice Award, and fans loved her first two books, Supernanny: How to Get the Best from Your Children a national bestseller and Ask Supernanny. Her new book, Jo Frost’s Confident Baby Care: What You Need to Know for the First Year from America’s Most Trusted Nanny, will be published in early May 2008.
Opposite Fox’s “Idol”-fueled “Moment of Truth” in Wednesday’s 9 o’clock hour this season, ABC’s “Supernanny” ranks No. 2 in Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34. Compared to ABC’s performance in the time period on the same nights last year, “Supernanny” has boosted the Network’s results by 3.2 million viewers and by 60% in Adults 18-49.
Nick Powell is the creator and executive producer of both the American and British versions of the show. Nick Emmerson and Holly Wofford are executive producers of the American version. “Supernanny” is produced by Ricochet, Ltd.
Wife Swap
“Wife Swap,” the critically-acclaimed unscripted reality show that takes us into the intimate heart of the American family home, revealing the extraordinarily different ways families live their lives, is currently airing their fourth season.
Airing against Fox’s Wednesday edition of “American Idol,” “Wife Swap” holds second-place in its time period with Adults 18-34, Women 18-34 and Teens 12-17. Despite the stiff demographic competition, “Wife Swap” is improving ABC’s delivery in Wednesday’s 8 o’clock hour by 4% in Adults 18-49 and by 31% in Adults 18-34, over the corresponding nights last year.
Each week from across the country, two families with very different values are chosen to take part in a two-week long challenge. The wives from these two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover just what it’s like to live another woman’s life. It’s a mind-blowing experiment that often ends up changing their lives forever.
In the first week of the swap, the wives move in with their new family and adopt their very different lifestyle. They agree to follow a manual written by the departing wife that sets out the rules of their new household — how they parent, shop, do the housework, manage their budgets and their social life. But then, in the second week, everything changes. The new wives take charge. They introduce their own set of rules and get to run the new household their way. It’s a radical shock to both families. The results are explosive, enlightening and often very funny. This is a show about the things that really matter to families across America.
