Court TV will launch its fall primetime lineup with the debut of a new series, Vinnie Politan Investigates.

Vinnie Politan Investigates features Court TV’s lead anchor taking a closer look at the latest high-profile cases. The show will air on weeknights at 9 p.m. ET, following Closing Arguments With Vinnie Politan.

E.W. Scripps-owned Court TV is also bringing back Victim To Verdict With Ted Rowlands for Season 2, beginning September 8 at 8 p.m. ET.

Victim To Verdict will look back at news-making trials including Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard; the prosecution of Alec Baldwin; the Kyle Rittenhouse case in Kenosha, Wisconsin; and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

The primetime lineup will complement the major cases that Court TV plans to cover throughout the fall, including the must-watch Florida trials of both Sarah Boone and Donna Adelson, plus the case against Richard Allen — the alleged Delphi murderer — in Indiana.

“These series deliver the type of deep-dive coverage, storytelling and analysis our viewers expect from Court TV and our trusted talent like Vinnie and Ted,” Court TV head Ethan Nelson said. “Whether it’s covering the biggest cases of the day or breaking down the most historic trials of our time, nobody does it better than our team at Court TV.”

Court TV said it will provide in-depth coverage of the high-profile trial of actor Alec Baldwin on involuntary manslaughter charges, which is set to begin Tuesday.

Baldwin faces charges because of the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Baldwin’s film Rust in 2021. Baldwin was rehearsing with a gun that was not supposed to be loaded with live ammunition when the incident happened. 

Court TV will air the proceedings live with its cameras in the courtroom providing the pool feed for all media outlets covering the case.

On site in New Mexico, where the case is being heard, Court TV will have lead anchor Vinnie Politan, anchor Ted Rowlands, crime and justice correspondent Matt Johnson and legal correspondent Kelly Krapf. 

Johnson and Krapf will take turns covering the trial from inside the courtroom.

Rowlands will anchor the first week of trial live from outside the courthouse. Politan will then join to provide live reports and host his primetime show Closing Arguments on location during the final week of the trial through the verdict. 

Leading up to the trial, Court TV will air an exclusive new documentary, The Case Against Alec Baldwin, that explores the Rust shooting and how the case has evolved.

Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5. 

The series focuses on people–some convicted, some exonerated–attached to some of the most interesting cases ever covered by Court TV. 

“When we launched season one of Accomplice, we talked about how, when it comes to murder cases, we often only pay attention to the main suspect, not the others who still played a critical role in these awful crimes,” said Politan, Court TV’s lead anchor. “We’re proud to bring viewers this new perspective to some of the most high-profile cases out there.” 

Some of the cases that will be examined in Season 2 include:

• Texas v. Lopez, in which the prosecution claims Jamie Faith was executed by war hero Darrin Lopez so he could be with his high school sweetheart Jennifer Faith, with whom he was having an online affair. The defense argues Jennifer exploited Darrin's trust and PTSD, faking abuse to convince him she was in mortal danger.
• Florida v. Chavis & King, which features confessions by teenagers Alex and Derek King that they bludgeoned their father to death. The confession is called into question after the family friend who turned the boys in, Ricky Chavis, is revealed to be a pedophile who wanted Alex to himself.
• Georgia v. Neuman, where Hemy Neuman is on trial for executing Rusty Sneiderman in the parking lot of his son’s daycare, but the prosecution turns on their star witness, Rusty’s wife Andrea, who they suspect to be the real mastermind behind her husband's death.

A lawyer and former prosecutor, Politan has been covering crime and justice for over 20 years, hosting legal and news programs on HLN, Sirius XM, NBC in Atlanta and A&E.

The return of Accomplice to Murder follows the recent announcement of Court TV’s 2024 slate of original programming. Also returning for a second season this fall is Victim to Verdict with Ted Rowlands.

Court TV, owned by the E.W. Scripps Co., also plans to cover the high-profile trials of the moment.

Court TV said it promoted Julia Jenaé to be a part of the network’s on-air anchor team.

Jenaé has been a reporter and correspondent for Court TV since the network was relaunched in 2019 by E. W. Scripps Co.

“Julia is one of the most poised, professional and well-respected reporters in the industry,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV. “She is very often the first on-scene to cover a trial and one of the last to leave after the verdict. She has built a strong bond with our loyal viewers who trust her reporting; a bond that will only grow stronger as she moves to the anchor desk in 2024."

Before joining Court TV, Jenaé held posts at KLTV Tyler, Texas, and WLTV-WJXX Jacksonville, Florida.

As a member of the anchor team, she joins Vinnie Politan, Julie Grant, Ted Rowlands, Michael Ayala and Ashley Willcot.

Court TV said it will debut a new documentary special, The Case Against Bryan Kohberger, that looks at the evidence against the individual charged in the murder of four University of Idaho students.

The one-hour special airs on November 12 at 8 p.m. ET.

“From the beginning, this has been a compelling case to watch unfold. As the investigation continued, we have only seen new layers of complexity emerge. With our viewers closely tracking every development as the case moves closer to trial, this special is aimed at providing them the deeper dive we know they are looking for,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV.

Court TV, part of the E.W. Scripps Co.,  has been running a number of specials and adding to its programming lineup with Victim to Verdict with Ted Rowlands and Opening Statements with Julie Grant. 

It also launched a free ad-supported streaming channel called Court TV Legendary Trials.

Court TV said it will launch a new true-crime series Victim to Verdict with Ted Rowlands on October 15.

Rowlands, a Court TV anchor, hosts and executive produces the series, which follows cases from the crime scene to the courtroom. 

Episodes use Court TV’s real-time coverage of cases to provide testimony, context and post-trial interviews.

“A trademark of Court TV has always been its extensive archive of the biggest trials spanning three decades. But there are also recent cases that have resonated with our audience. Victim to Verdict will condense these newer, fascinating trials into riveting true-crime hours,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV.

The series starts with four episodes. The cases cover are the Murdaugh family murders, the Hawaii doomsday cult mom murder, the movie popcorn muder from Florida and the Wisconsin Christmas parade rampage.

“I’ve had the privilege of covering some of the highest profile trials of our time, including those involving O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, Jodi Arias and countless others. It’s important to revisit some of the more recent cases that have come to define our criminal justice system over the past few years,” said Rowlands. “I believe Court TV viewers will find this hourlong format truly gripping, and at the same time, be as impressed as I am with our talented team of reporters and producers who have entrenched themselves in the proceedings in order to provide their audiences with insights.”

E.W. Scripps’ Court TV said it is launching a morning show–Opening Statements with Julie Grant–on Sept. 11.

The show will give viewers a preview of the trials that will be shown or discussed on the network every weekday.

Grant, a Court TV anchor, will be joined by a team of trial attorneys, investigators and forensic efforts on the show, which replaces an hour of taped trial coverage.

“Our viewers already recognize Julie as a leading voice on the most important and complex legal news of the day, making her the perfect person to kick off our daily trial coverage,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV. 

“With Opening Statements, Court TV viewers have yet another reliable source of information on trials that are often anything but straightforward. The show joins Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan in the evening as perfect bookends to our peerless trial and true crime coverage," Nelson said.

Grant, a former prosecutor, joined Court TV when it was relaunched by Scripps in 2019. Her colleagues call her The Professor.

“My goal is to give our loyal viewers something special as soon as they wake up,” said Grant. “I want them to have a cup of coffee with me, as we sit together and dive into all the fascinating cases in trial and true crime. Just as actual opening statements get the jury ready for the case evidence, this show will prep our audience for the action ahead on Court TV Live.”

Court TV said it will be launching a new original 10-episode documentary series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan on May 7.

The series will look at how everyday people can get caught up in a world of deception and manipulation to become accomplices to murder. 

Politan, Court TV’s lead anchor, travels across the country to talk to accomplices, some convicted, some exonerated. 

“So often when we look at murder cases, they are shown through the lens of only the main suspect or mastermind,” Politan said. “But what about the other people who played a role in helping to commit these horrible crimes? That is exactly the reason behind Accomplice to Murder.”

The series was drawn from Court TV’s massive library of hundreds of trials spanning three decades. Veteran Court TV producers help guide viewers through the dramatic twists and turns as each trial unfolds.

The new series comes as Court TV has seen all-time high ratings for coverage of the high profile trials of Alex Murdaugh and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Another high-profile trial yielded big viewership numbers for Court TV.

During the six-week Alex Murdaugh murder trial, the E.W. Scripps-owned network said its viewership nearly tripled, compared to the network’s pre-trial average.

When the guilty verdict was rendered, viewership soared 600%. 

The viewership was the highest since the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial last year.

On the digital front, the Murdaugh trial set a Court TV record with 4.8 million hours of viewing. Streaming of the trial increased 349%, nearly double that of the Depp-Heard trial. 

Murdaugh was found guilty in the 2021 death of his wife and son. ■

Court TV said that its true-crime series Someone They Knew With Tamron Hall is set to start its second season on February 19.

Season two will have 24 new episodes airing on Sunday nights.

“Season one of Someone They Knew quickly became a staple among Court TV’s unparalleled coverage of the hottest, most compelling and complex court cases of our time,” said Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV, part of Scripps Networks. “For season two, viewers can expect more of these fascinating cases with 24 new and intriguing true crime stories.” 

Each episode of the show traces a crime, following the path from victim to verdict, showing how it is rare for there to be no connection between the killer and the deceased.

“I have always been pulled into the ‘why’ — why crimes like this happen, and the distressing impact they bring to family, friends and loved ones,” Hall said. “It’s because of this that returning for season two is so personally important to me. I know I speak for the entire Someone They Knew team when I say that we can’t wait to bring more of these stories to Court TV viewers.” 

Hall is also the host and executive producer of Tamron Hall, which is produced and distributed in national syndication by Walt Disney. She won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host. In October 2021, Hall released her first novel, As The Wicked Watch, the first in a new crime series. ■

Court TV said it renewed its original true-crime series Someone They Knew With Tamron Hall for season two.

The show, hosted by Tamron Hall, tells the story of a crime from victim to verdict from the points of view of the people impacted by the case, including lawyers, jurors, law enforcement and the victim’s family and friends.

Also: ‘Tamron Hall’ Renewed for Two More Seasons on ABC Stations

“Court TV is on pace for its most-watched year yet,” said Ethan Nelson, acting head of Court TV. “Viewers tuned in for every second of our insightful coverage and expert analysis of the Depp-Heard trial and they have also embraced Someone They Knew with Tamron Hall. We are looking forward to having Tamron in primetime as well as the compelling cases we’re planning to air in the months ahead.”

Court TV got a big viewership boost from the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial. More than 500,000 viewers tuned into watch the verdict on June 1. ■

The verdict in the sensational Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial drew more than 500,000 viewers to Court TV, the largest audience since the network was relaunched by the E.W. Scripps Co. in 2019.

Viewers peaked last Wednesday around 3:27 p.m. ET, when the jury’s decision was rendered, with 558,000 people watching. 

The big cable news channels also carried the verdict, but between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m., Court TV topped popular channels including ESPN, TBS, TNT, FX, ID and Discovery.

Court TV’s coverage of Depp v. Heard quadrupled the audience for the network’s previous live trial coverage.

Viewing of Court TV via streaming also jumped, with daily streaming hours up 415%.

Dan Abrams’s Law&Crime network has also gotten a big boost from the trial. 

Court TV has some other cases on the docket it expects to draw above-average viewership.

Those include Florida v. Danielle Redlick, in which Redlick is charged with the murder of her husband, a former NBA executive; Florida v. Nikolas Cruz, the 20-year-old who will be sentenced for 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting; and Nevada v. Kelsey Nichole Turner and Jon Logan Kennison, in which a former Playboy and Maxim model and her boyfriend are charged with the murder of a psychiatrist. ■

Johnny Depp wasn’t the only winner in the sensational defamation trial between the actor and his ex-wife Amber Heard. The case drew viewers to emerging legal networks Law&Crime and Court TV with the verdict providing an exclamation point.

Dan Abrams’ Law&Crime network set its YouTube viewership record with more than 3.5 million live concurrent viewers during its coverage of the verdict Wednesday.

Daily viewership was 50 times higher while the case was being heard, compared to before the trial began. Since the trial began, Law&Crime’s YouTube page has seen nearly a billion views on content related to the case and welcomed 2.3 million new subscribers, and saw growth on its TikTok and Twitch profiles.

Law&Crime’s traditional cable platforms also saw a significant increase in viewership as well, but linear ratings will take a while to become available.

“We want to thank the millions of viewers who tuned in and trusted us as their source for the most thorough and smart coverage of this high-profile trial,” said Rachel Stockman, president of Law&Crime. “We look forward to introducing this new audience to our additional live trials, VOD offerings and podcasts.”

E.W. Scripps’ Court TV said it won’t have linear viewing numbers until next week. 

During its coverage of Depp v Heard Court TV nearly quadrupled its audience live trial coverage, up 278% compared to the pre-trial period. Daily streaming hours were up 415% during this same period.

Court TV provided the pool feed from the courtroom.

“Viewers tuned in for every second of our insightful coverage of the Depp-Heard trial evidenced by the record-setting ratings across our myriad platforms,” said Ethan Nelson, acting head of Court TV. “Court TV worked closely with Fairfax County courthouse officials to ensure that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom. It was our people and our cameras that provided the feed so this riveting trial could be seen around the world. Court TV will continue to lead the charge for media access in our country’s courtrooms.”

The jury found that both Depp and Heard were liable for defamation. Depp was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages.

The big cable news networks also carried the verdict live. ■

Court TV and Dan Abrams’ Law&Crime network said they plan to stream the verdict in the sensational Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation case live Wednesday afternoon.

The case has boosted viewership for Law&Crime, which has had gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial and for E.W. Scripps’ Court TV, which has been providing the pool feed from the courtroom,

Law&Crime’s live network numbers were up six-fold during the trial, Abrams said, and it was drawing nearly 1 million concurrent viewers on You Tube.

Court TV’s viewership was up 239% through May 19 on TV and its streaming usage jumped 300%.

The larger general cable news networks--CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, also carried the verdict live.

The Jury awarded Depp $15 million in damages while Heard was given $2 million.

Depp sued his ex-wife actress Amber Heard over allegations of domestic violence that appeared in a 2018 Op-Ed in The Washington Post and the  alleged damage done to his career. Heard could be held responsible for up to $50 million if found guilty of defamation. ■

The celebrity trial pitting actor Johnny Depp against his former wife actress Amber Heard is bringing in big audiences for legal channels Court TV and Law&Crime.

Law&Crime’s coverage has drawn more than 564 million views on YouTube from April 12 when the trial began through May 19. It has seen nearly 1 million concurrent viewers on YouTube, founder Dan Abrams told Broadcasting+Cable.

Numbers for Law&Crime’s live network numbers are up by about six fold, Abrams said, noting that it takes longer to gather those numbers.

At E.W Scripps-owned Court TV, viewership was up 239% through May 19 and up nearly 300% in streaming.

Court TV is providing pool coverage of the trial. 

Sensational cases involving celebrities bring viewers to networks that cover court proceedings.

“With each high-profile trial, our audience is not only returning but growing exponentially,” said Rachel Stockman, president of Law&Crime. “People are turning to Law&Crime across our platforms for the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage on this case.”

Live coverage of the trial began with opening statements on April 12th and gained significant traction over the course of Depp’s testimony that detailed his tumultuous relationship with Heard and his decision to sue her for defamation over a story that implied he had abused her. ■

Court TV said its camera will be in the courtroom as the pool food provider for the trial in the case of actor Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Depp is suing Heard for libel because she implied he abused her when they were married.

The case is scheduled to start April 11 in Virginia.

“Court cases that are as high-profile as this one often create a lot of noise, and it can be difficult for viewers to break through these distractions to have a clear picture of the facts, but that’s where we come in,” said Ethan Nelson, acting head of Court TV. “Between the camera feed directly from the courtroom and our first-class lineup of talent, Court TV will be the true source of an unbiased, down-the-middle perspective of the trial as it unfolds.” 

Court TV’s team covering the trial will include anchors Vinnie Politan, Julie Grant, Michael Ayala, Ted Rowlands and Ashley Willcott and  correspondents Julia Jenaé, Chanley Painter and Joy Lim Nakrin.   ■

Tamron Hall will host a new weekly true-crime series for Court TV starting in January, the network said.

Someone They Knew . . .  With Tamron Hall will track murder cases and explore how frequently the victims knew the killer. The stories are told using interview, archival footage and re-creations of the crime.

The series will appear Sundays at 9 pm. ET.

"We're thrilled to have Tamron host Someone They Knew," said David Hudson, head of original programming at Scripps, Court TV’s parent company. “With her many years of experience in journalism, TV hosting, and personal connection to unsolved cases, we know she will hook the audience in with her captivating storytelling during each episode."

The show will supplement Court TV’s programming covering and analyzing trials.

Also: New Court TV Sets First Live Trial Coverage

Hall hosts the syndicated daytime TV show Tamron Hall. She previously hosted Deadline: Crime With Tamron Hall on Investigation Discovery and was a co-host of the third hour of Today and an anchor for MSNBC.

She recently released her first crime novel, "The Wicked Watch," which follows a reporter who unravels the mystery surrounding the death of two Black girls in Chicago.

“When the idea of a series focused on crimes committed by intimate partners was presented to me, I felt a deep connection to these victims,” said Hall. “I have always been pulled into the ‘why’ – why crimes like this happen – and the heartbreaking impact they have on family and friends. Court TV represents an additional, trusted partner to support the important work that I do.”

Court TV was restarted in 2019 by E.W. Scripps and is part of the company's national networks division. The channel is available on cable, over-the-air and over-the-top.

Court TV said it has hired Ashley Willcott as an anchor.

The move comes as the E.W. Scripps-owned network plans to cover the upcoming trials of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged with killing two people in Wisconsin following the police shooting of Jacob Blake; and Georgia v. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryan, three white men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man jogging through a Georgia neighborhood.

Willcott, a former judge, lawyer, mediator and consultant, will host Court TV’s live 3 to 6 p.m. ET block starting this week. She has been a fill-in anchor for Court TV since last year and previously appeared on HLN and CNN. 

Court TV has been covering trials that highlight racial issues, including the case of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis policeman convicted of murdering George Floyd.

Also Read: Scripps Networks See 20% Volume Increase in First Upfront

The Chauvin trial gave Court TV a 17% ratings boost during the second quarter, with viewership peaking at 400,000 viewers, the highest since the network relaunched in 2019.

“It has never been more important for the court system to have full transparency with the American public. These unfolding stories are documenting important pieces of our country’s history, and the impact will be felt for generations,” said Scott Tufts, head of Court TV. “Building on our success working with Hennepin County in Minnesota for the Chauvin trial, we are honored to collaborate with officials in Georgia and Wisconsin to provide our experience in broadcasting these important cases. We value this partnership with the court while providing our viewers with unobstructed and unbiased views of the proceedings.” 

Court TV said it plans to provide live coverage of all of Robert Durst’s testimony in his high-profile murder trial.

Durst, a real estate heir, is accused of murdering his friend Susan Berman in her Beverly Hills home in 2000 to keep her from talking to police investigating the 1982 disappearance of Durst’s wife Kathleen.

During the trial on Wednesday, a defense expert will be testifying. Durst is expected to be the next witness and could be on the stand for several days.

He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Durst was featured in the HBO documentary The Jinx: The Life and Death of Robert Durst, in which he confessed into a microphone he didn’t realize was still on.

Court TV is part of the E.W. Scripps. Co. and is available on cable, over-the-air and over the top.

Court TV said that it had the most viewers since its relaunch when it aired the verdict being announced at the trial of former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin.

According to Nielsen, 402,000 people tuned in between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday when Chauvin was found guilty of killing George Floyd.

Also Read: CNN Tops Cable, Broadcast Networks for Derek Chauvin Verdict Coverage

April 20 was the most watched day since Court TV was rebooted by E.W. Scripps Co. in May 2019. Ratings for coverage of the trial were up 300% over the norms for that time period.

Streaming viewing was 20 times higher for the trial and 40 times hire for the verdict.

Court TV worked with Hennepin County court officials in Minnesota for months to ensure that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom and that all viewers would have full access to the proceedings.

Three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder and will be tried later this year. Court TV will air the trial.

Court TV said it will set the stage for its coverage of the trials of the Minneapolis police charged with killing George Floyd with a one-hour special that will air Jan. 17.

“I Can’t Breathe”--A Court TV Special, will take viewers through Floyd’s life, his death and the movement it sparked. 

Hosted by Court TV anchor Michael Ayala, the special will feature interviews with Floyd’s friends Herbert Mouton, Travis Cains and Vaughn Dickerson. It will also talk with Jim Lane, the brother of Officer Thomas Lane, one of the officers charged in the case, Houston Forward Times associate editor Jeff Boney, Houston community activist Carl Davis and Minneapolis community activist Michelle Gross.

Court TV plans to present extensive, live and gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Floyd trials, the first of which is set to begin in March. 

Court TV is part of the E.W. Scripps Co.’s national networks unit. It is available on cable, over-the-air broadcast and over the top. 

Court TV said it has expanded its distribution in the United Kingdom through a deal through a deal with Freesat, a free-to-air satellite platform.

The network, part of the E.W. Scripps Co.’s Katz Networks unit, launched in England on Sky Television in September.

The new deal with Freesat adds 2 million homes to Court TV’s potential audience.

Court TV brings to U.K. live coverage of the most explosive trials in the U.S., as well as in depth legal reporting and expert analysis. 

Court TV is taking its brand of real-life trial drama to the United Kingdom with a new channel carried by Sky Television.

The channel will carry the gavel-to-gavel courtroom coverage Court TV televises during the day time in the U.S. will air in prime time in the U.K. 

Court TV is planning content to explain the differences between the U.S. and the U.K. for U.K. audiences. One key difference: cameras are allowed in many U.S. courtrooms, but they aren’t allowed in the U.K.

“There’s been nothing like Court TV in the United Kingdom until now,” said Jonathan Katz, CEO of Katz Networks, part of The E.W. Scripps Co, which owns Court TV. 

“American crime dramas have long been a staple on television worldwide, including the U.K., while global consumer interest in the real-life drama of true-crime programming has skyrocketed, with American reality crime content as the most-watched,” Katz said. “Court TV is the only network covering these cases and these events live, as they happen, from start to finish. We anticipate viewers in the U.K. will embrace having a front-row seat to American criminal justice.”

Katz said it expects more U.K. distribution agreements to be announced in the near future.

Among the trials Court TV plans to cover and air in both the U.S. and the U.K., include the case of the four Minneapolis police officers accused in the death of George Floyd and the  three white men accused of murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.

In addition to its trial coverage,Court TV also features exclusive original programming, including documentaries and docu-series built around the nearly 100,000 hours of trial footage from the original Court TV library, which Scripps acquired.

Scripps and Katz launched a new version of Court TV in May 2019. The original Court TV closed in 2008.

Bounce is ramping up the star power with the new original series coming to the network.

At its summer press tour session Tuesday, Bounce, part of the E.W. Scripps Co.’s Katz Networks unit, said Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Vivica A. Fox, Mark Curry and Kim Coles will be a part of original Bounce programming.

Cedric the Entertainer will be a producer on the new series called Johnson, which looks at a group of life-long best friends who are all named Johnson. Comedian D.L. Hughley will be part of an ensemble cast in the series, which looks at the world from the perspective of being Black men.

Vivica A. Fox headlines Secrets of the Salon, a show that looks at the lives, loves and gossip emanating from an Atlanta hair salon. The series comes from Swirl Films, which also makes Bounce’s Saints and Sinners.

Dying to Be Famous: The Ryan Singleton Mystery is Bounce’s first true-crime docuseries and looks at the death of a 24-year-old aspiring model and film producer whose body was dumped in the Mojave Desert after being mutilated and having its organs removed.

Bounce also said it acquired the special Killing Michael Jackson, which will air Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. The special features the detectives involved in the investigation that led to the arrest of Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray.

Returning Bounce programming includes barbershop comedy In The Cut. Mark Curry and Kim Coles are joining the cast this season. 

Also coming back to Bounce are Saints & Sinners, with a first ever S&S movie scheduled for first quarter of 2021, Family Time, and the Trumpet Awards, recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of African Americans.

Katz Networks said that Court TV will be launching a new original series Judgment with Ashleigh Banfield on Sept. 13. The hour-long show will take viewers on a deep dive into provocative cases such as Casey Anthony and O.J. Simpson.

“It is wonderful being back on Court TV and I’m very excited about Judgment,” said Banfield. “We have the luxury of having access to the vast Court TV library of more than a thousand trials, which allows us to share and re-visit the most intriguing and legally fascinating cases in modern-day history. There are literally hundreds of compelling stories to tell - and we plan on telling them.”

Court TV will also be covering the trials of the Minnesota police officers accused of killing George Floyd. Other cases on Court TV include Georgia v. Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Bryan, the men accused of killing jogger Ahmaud Arbery, the case of the Doomsday Cult Mom, The Jinx murder trial of Robert Durst and The R. Kelly Sex Abuse Case.

"Given the current news climate in our country at the moment, there are trials ahead that represent some of the biggest, most critical and relevant cases we've seen in modern history," said Court TV senior VP Scott Tufts. "Court TV will be there, bringing viewers unrivaled access and insight into those cases as well as all the other compelling trials on the docket."

The National Cable Television Cooperative reached a multiyear affiliation deal with Katz Networks.

The agreement makes Katz’s networks: Bounce, Court TV, Court TV Mystery, Grit, Laff and streaming service Brown Sugar available to the 750 broadband and cable operators who are part of the NCTC.

“We’re thrilled to strike this agreement with NCTC and we look forward to building strong partnerships with their members,” said Jeffrey Wolf, Chief Distribution Officer, Katz Networks.

Katz. a division of the E.W. Scripps Co., operate mulit-platform networks that target specific demographics. Many of the networks were launched by TV stations as digital broadcast services, but more recently have been available via cable and streaming.

Court TV today launched its first serialized podcast series Murder and the Menendez Brothers: A Court TV Mystery.

Vinnie Politan, the lead anchor at Court TV, will narrate the series, which starts Tuesday and will have new episodes every Tuesday for six weeks. 

The podcast was created in association with Neon Hum Media. It is available via Stitcher, which, like Court TV, is owned by The E.W. Scripps Co. It is also available on other major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, TuneIn and Public Radio.

Future series and their subjects will be announced, Court TV said.

“The Menendez case was one of the original Court TV’s most-watched trials and helped put the network into the mainstream; it was a natural choice to launch our new serialized podcast series,” said Scott Tufts, Court TV senior VP. 

The Menendez Brothers were accused of killing their parents in a case that has captivated people for two years. The case featured two hung juries and mistrials, surprises witnesses and other twists and turns.

“This was a sensationalist crime in every sense of the word,” said Politan, who also hosts Court TV’s weekly podcast. “What these brothers stood accused of and ultimately were convicted for, was a shock to the system for many people. From the little things that help the brothers initially avoid suspicion, to how they’ve become well-known figures – for better or worse – we’ll go through it all, including what the results may have been like if they faced a jury of their peers today.” 

The podcast can be streamed from CourtTV.com, which also has coverage of the first Menendez brothers trial from the Court TV archives.

Court TV is planning an original news special looking at the criminal justice system’s relationship with black Americans.

Black and Blue--A Court TV Special will debut June 22 and will be simulcast on all of the Katz Networks channels: Bounce, Court TV Mystery, Laff and Grit. Katz is a division of the E.W. Scripps Co. 

Court TV crime and justice reporter Julia Jenae will host the special, which will discuss high profile cases including Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Drejka, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25 sparked nationwide protests.

Black and Blue will feature a discussion with David Otunga, Marissa Alexander, David Paul Butler, L Song Richardson and Tim Wise. 

E.W Scripps’ Court TV said it is launching a channel on SiriusXM satellite radio on May 15.

The radio adds to Court TV’s distribution, which already includes digital broadcast, cable and over-the-top.

Related: Court TV Gets Carriage Deal with YouTube TV

“Court TV is committed to providing outstanding legal coverage and journalism across a variety of platforms and we’re thrilled that Court TV will now bring SiriusXM listeners into the courtrooms of the most-riveting trials in the country,” said Jonathan Katz, president and CEO of Scripps’ Katz Networks unit.

Katz rebooted Court TV last May. Time Warner, now part of AT&T, rebranded the original CourTV as truTV in 2008.

Court TV’s live gavel-to-gavel courtroom coverage and analysis of compelling trials will be available on channel 793 through the SiriusXM app on connected and mobile devices, and online.

Anchors from Court TV will also be making guest appearances on SiriusXM news and entertainment shows.

E.W. Scripps’ Court TV said it is now available on Google’s YouTube TV streaming pay-TV service.

The deal expands the distribution of Court TV, which was rebooted by Scripps’ Katz Broadcasting unit last year. 

Financial terms were not disclosed.

“We’re thrilled to have Court TV added to YouTube TV at a time when consumer appetite for the real-life drama of true-crime and courtroom trials has never been greater,” said Jonathan Katz, president and CEO of Katz Networks. 

Court TV is among those currently covering the Supreme Court as it handles cases whether President Trump has to honor requests for his financial records and other documents.

The network  is available to be seen on cable, over-the-air and over-the-top. Court TV is also live streamed on CourtTV.com and YouTube TV as well as the Court TV app for Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android and Apple devices. 

YouTube TV is a subscription streaming service offering live and on-demand TV from 70+ top network. Membership comes with free unlimited cloud DVR storage space, personalized watch recommendations, and a family plan with six accounts per household.

Court TV in November will air two primetime specials surrounding the upcoming Harvey Weinstein criminal trial, the network said Thursday.

The special pre-trial coverage will air as part of the network’s Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan series on Nov. 4-5, and will feature Court TV anchor Seema Iyer’s exclusive interviews with Weinstein’s accusers and defense team during the primetime event, said the network. 

Dan rather interviews key entertainment figures on The Big Interview on AXS TV, and the season’s lineup may surprise some. Rather, former anchor of the CBS Evening News, sits with Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Alice Cooper and Cheap Trick, among others.

“It’s a real education for me, and a great pleasure,” Rather said. “I find myself really interested in sitting down with them.”

Rather turns 88 this month. He called Alice Cooper “really intelligent,” and was pumped to meet Ringo Starr for the first time.

And then there’s Bret Michaels, who sang power ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” with Poison back in 1988. Rather went to Michaels’ home in Arizona. He may not be a giant Poison fan, but a couple of Rather’s staffers are, and briefed him on everything he should know en route to Arizona.

“Bret was so friendly and so hospitable,” Rather said. “He couldn’t have been more down to earth.”

That runs Oct. 23. Then it’s Cooper, Little Big Town, Bob Costas, David Byrne, the band America, Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, Yes frontman Jon Anderson and Alabama.

“I love doing this,” Rather said.

Speaking of rocking and rolling, Katz Networks’s Court TV is humming along five months after rebooting. On Oct. 28, Court TV debuts in several giant markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philly and Dallas.

“It’s a huge deal,” Vinnie Politan, lead anchor on Court TV, said. “It means a large number of folks are able to get back to watching Court TV.”

The network goes “gavel to gavel,” it says, on the giant court stories of the day. Politan was on the initial Court TV until it shifted to truTV in 2008. He co-hosted Bloom & Politan with Lisa Bloom.

“I’m kind of like a legacy anchor,” he said.

These days, Politan hosts Closing Arguments with Vinnie Politan. “Looking into the lens,” he said, “is like looking into the jury box.”

Which court cases have his attention? Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer who went home to the wrong apartment, and killed the man, Botham Jean, inside. The clip of Jean’s brother Brandt asking Guyger for a hug went viral.

“I’ve been covering this stuff for decades,” said Politan. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Harvey Weinstein’s case next year will make a few headlines too.

Much has changed since Court TV went off the air. Social media allows viewers to weigh in on cases in real time. The cable news networks, Politan said, mostly avoid court to focus on politics.

“We are filling this huge void,” he said. “True crime has never been as popular as it is right now.”

On the heels of its successful Live PD crime docuseries collaboration, A+E Networks is again teaming with legal TV commentator Dan Abrams to launch a new true-crime network built around live court coverage.

The Law & Crime network taps into the former Court TV programming model of featuring predominately live coverage of ongoing criminal court cases from around the country during the daytime hours, along with original analysis and talk/documentary programming in the evening, Abrams said.

‘Thirst for Real Content’
“It’s a 24/7 live trial network,” said Abrams, who worked at Court TV during the 1990s and currently serves as a legal analyst for ABC’s Good Morning America. “I see that there is a real hole in the marketplace — there’s a thirst for live content and for real content.”

The network features a team of lawyer anchors who will cover and analyze the daily court proceedings, as well as other original programming to balance out the schedule, Abrams said.

A+E Networks owns an unspecified minority interest in the network, and Abrams said the network will tap into the company’s resources to build awareness and distribution for the channel, though he would not provide specific details.

“They’ve been a great partner so far in helping with everything from distribution to possible acquisitions and growth,” he said. “That investment has allowed us to take it from proof of concept to becoming a full fledged network.”

The network is in discussions with MVPDs but has yet to reach any distribution deals.

Law & Crime is launching into a very crowded television marketplace that features a number of cable networks dedicated to the true-crime category, including Investigation Discovery and Oxygen.

Related: Oxygen to Rebrand as a True Crime Channel

Abrams said Law & Crime’s plan for live programming would separate it from other networks trying to launch and build an audience.

“I think we’ll have a lot easier time than the others because we’re the only game in town when it comes to live trials,” he said. “Every other network I’ve seen pitched is offering some version of either talking-head TV or repurposing content that’s already available elsewhere. We’re offering nine to 12 hours of live programming a day, so we’re immediately distinguished from the rest of the pack because we’ve got so much original, live programming.”

Abrams, who said he will appear on the network on occasion, said his work on A&E’s Live PDunscripted series served as a partial inspiration for Law & Crime. The series, which Abrams co-hosts each week as it follows several police departments around the country in real time as they respond to incidents, is the network’s most watched unscripted documentary series.

Related: ‘Live PD’ Draws Viewers, and Not All Watch Live

“Seeing people wanting to watch the story unfold as it does on Live PD showed me that people are interested in the programming,” he said. “What people want is more of the actual documentary-style programming, news programming, or in this case, live trial programming.”

Showing Live Court Video Now
The network also hopes to offer a streamed over-the-top version within the next month, and network officials are currently talking to various streaming platforms to gain distribution. Abrams said there are no distribution deals to announce yet. The network’s lawandcrime.com website currently offers live court video of high-profile criminal trials along with legal analysis.

“With the ability to have OTT channels, we’re seeing a lot more on-demand viewing, and that comes from an audience that’s passionate about the programming,” he said. “We expect to tap into that passion with Law & Crime.”

Cable veteran Doug Jacobs has joined the law firm of Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP.

 Most recently executive vice president and senior counsel of A+E Television Networks, Jacobs is now apartner in ithe firm's New York office, where he principally  focuses on matters involving the cable television industry and the evolving digital media universe.

Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard provides transactional services for clients in connection with feature film, documentaries, cable, broadcast television, theatre, music, publishing, dance, photography, visual arts, fashion, software, advertising, licensing and online technologies. It also offers acumen in copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights, as well as manages clients’ trademark portfolios..

“We are delighted to welcome Doug to the firm,” said partner Stephen Sheppard. “Doug’s vast experience with the legal issues affecting the cable industry is hard to match. Having participated in the extraordinary growth of cable over the past two decades, Doug is ideally positioned to counsel clients on the major issues now roiling the industry – including over-the-top content distribution, system consolidation, and international expansion. Given Doug’s broad range of experience, bringing him on board is a unique opportunity for the firm. And given the high regard in which he’s held in our profession and our industry, we are proud and excited to be announcing his arrival.” 

Noted Jacobs: “I’m very excited to be joining Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard. The firm already possesses an impressive list of lawyers deeply versed in most every aspect of the entertainment practice – in fact, several of my new partners have themselves been general counsel of substantial media companies. As General Counsel at Court TV and A+E, I had the pleasure of working with Cowan DeBaets as outside counsel on an ongoing basis, and have consistently been impressed by the high level of the firm’s expertise across a range of issues.”

During his seven years as general counsel, Jacobs managed AETN’s legal and business affairs team, and among other matters, oversaw the acquisition of the Lifetime branded channels.

His career has also included stints as executive vice president and general counsel at Court TV, vice president and deputy general counsel at CBS and vice president of CBS Sports.

In addition to his legal practice,  Jacobs is an adjunct professor at Rutgers University School of Law.