Stations Make Room for ‘Improvement’ : Television: The series appears to be a syndication hit.
It’s the Tool Time girl meets T-Rex.
Disney began selling reruns of the hit ABC sitcom “Home Improvement†to local stations two weeks ago, and already the show has become the “Jurassic Park†of syndication.
Although sold to only 10 TV stations so far, “Home Improvement†is shaping up as one of the biggest successes in syndication. Based on initial sales, Disney executives expect that “Home Improvement†could gross well over $2.5 million per episode.
If “Home Improvement†stays on ABC for at least eight years--which is likely given its current ratings--then it will eventually generate more than $600 million in rerun revenue.
That would rank second only to “The Cosby Show,†which earned nearly $900 million when its reruns were sold into syndication in 1987. And it would surpass the approximately $450 million racked up by “Who’s the Boss?†in 1988.
For Disney, this is welcome news. Since the late 1980s, few network series sold into syndication have broken the $1-million-per-episode benchmark.
“A lot of broadcasters see this as the last train out in terms of high-performing, universal sitcoms,†says Dick Kurlander, vice president at Petry Inc., a New York-based TV consultant, as to why broadcasters are willing to pay so much for the reruns.
“Home Improvement†creator Matt Williams will become one of the wealthiest TV producers in history if the show reaches the expected syndication levels. If “Home Improvement†hits the $600-million mark, for instance, he would personally reap more than $100 million.
But it is hard to gauge exactly how much money “Home Improvement†will generate after the marketing of the show is completed later this summer. In the top three markets of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, “Home Improvement†collectively earned about $615,000 per episode, according to industry sources.
Disney executives contend that “Home Improvement†is “tracking†at about 70% of the prices paid for “Cosby†back in the late 1980s. Some competitors question those tallies, but agree that it will be one of the top syndicated shows of all time.
“Supply and demand is really driving the pricing on this show,†says Robert Jacquemin, president of Buena Vista Television. “And it has very salable demos.â€
By “salable demos†Jacquemin means that advertisers are willing to pay a premium to reach the show’s 18- to 49-year old target audience. Unlike other popular adult series, “Home Improvement†also draws a large number of kids and teens.
The syndication of “Home Improvement†represents something of a vindication for Jacquemin, who, after several false starts developing first-run game shows for syndication, now has the kind of mega-hit that every syndicator dreams of.
Disney over the last several years has spent a fortune to build up its writing and producing staffs for its Touchstone TV division.
One of its keystone deals is a long-term deal with Williams’ Wind Dancer Productions. In addition to “Home Improvement,†Williams helped create and produce “Roseanne.â€
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