Producer Tom Werner and the team behind the hit sitcom 'The Conners' have a lot to celebrate. The independently produced series by Werner Entertainment has just been sold in syndication to TV station groups representing a whopping 85% of U.S. TV households. Starting in the fall, reruns of the show's first five seasons will air in late afternoon and early evening time slots on stations across the country.
This is a significant milestone for 'The Conners' as it is one of the few new comedies in recent years to secure traditional syndication deals with local stations. In an age where streaming options dominate, the popularity of multi-camera sitcoms like 'The Conners' has declined, making these syndication arrangements increasingly rare. Most of the industry has shifted towards single-camera comedies and other formats that are not as syndication-friendly.
The sale of rerun rights to third-party buyers in local TV markets is expected to generate substantial financial gains for Werner Entertainment and the profit participants of 'The Conners.' Unlike the streaming model where rerun rights are kept within the platform for years, traditional syndication allows for cashing in on a successful show through off-network sales. With the scarcity of traditional comedies on the market, it's no surprise that Debmar-Mercury, the distributor responsible for the syndication deal, received considerable interest from buyers in the highest-grossing TV markets.
While a limited number of past episodes of 'The Conners' are currently accessible on the ABC.com app and Hulu, the syndication sales to TV stations will likely make the show's episodes available on a Monday-Friday basis in many markets. This increased exposure has the potential to further cement the show's pop culture status if the reruns garner strong ratings for the stations.
Debmar-Mercury's co-presidents, Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, expressed their confidence in the show's longevity as they stated, 'With Tom Werner providing the highest-rated sitcom to enter off-network syndication in recent memory, 'The Conners' will serve as the cornerstone of many of our great station partners' late afternoon and early evening schedules for many years to come.'
Some of the major buyers for 'The Conners' include stations owned by CBS Television Stations, Gray, Nexstar Media, E.W. Scripps Co., Lockwood, and Weigel. The show features a talented cast including Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Lecy Goranson. Executive producers Tom Werner and Sara Gilbert work alongside Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, Bruce Rasmussen, and Tony Hernandez to bring this beloved sitcom to life.
In conclusion, the syndication deal for 'The Conners' marks a significant achievement in the world of television. It not only secures the show's future reach and financial success but also reaffirms the enduring appeal of traditional multi-camera sitcoms. Fans of the show can look forward to catching their favorite episodes on local TV stations this fall, as 'The Conners' continues to entertain audiences across the nation.
