EXCLUSIVE:
Katz Networks
, a unit of the
E.W. Scripps
Co., has expanded the reach of the upcoming May 8 launch of the new
Court TV
with additional distribution pacts across multiple platforms.
Court TV has added more than a dozen mid-sized cable providers, including GCI Cable; Massillon Cable TV; Buckeye Cable; Skitter TV; CDE Lightband and Hotwire Communications, with more MSO agreements expected shortly. These are in addition to local cable distribution the network has through its broadcast station affiliates.
Court TV also has added 48 markets with new over-the-air agreements. Meredith Broadcasting will carry the network in Atlanta and Nashville, Tennessee. TEGNA will launch Court TV in Minneapolis; Charlotte, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky and Spokane, Washington. Nexstar Media Group, Inc. will add the network in nine markets, including San Francisco; Salt Lake City; Birmingham, Alabama and Buffalo, New York. Fourteen Quincy Media markets primarily across the north and Midwest will air Court TV including Madison, Wisconsin; Rochester and Duluth, Minnesota; Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Sioux City, Iowa and Binghamton, New York. Court TV will be seen in Knoxville, Tennessee; Augusta, Georgia, Panama City, Florida and Dothan, Alabama on Lockwood Broadcast Group stations. American Spirit will air Court TV in Toledo, Ohio.
These are in addition to previously announced Tribune Broadcasting, which will carry Court TV in 22 markets, bringing the network’s over-the-air penetration to over 80 percent of the country and 25 percent on cable. Scripps, Univision and Entravision are also among the station groups carrying Court TV via broadcast.
The Court TV app, featuring a live feed of the network, will be available on May 8 for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android and Apple devices. Court TV will also be live streamed on CourtTV.com.
“The response to the new Court TV from distributors, as well as advertisers and consumers alike, has been overwhelmingly positive. We are in active conversations with many more cable and satellite providers and we fully expect Court TV’s availability to expand even further across all platforms in the months ahead,” said Jonathan Katz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Katz Networks.
The Court TV weekday schedule will kick-off daily at 9 AM ET with live gavel-to-gavel coverage. The first trial to be covered will be announced shortly. Primetime coverage begins at 6 PM with
Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan.