MeTV Toons, the latest digital broadcast network from Weigel Broadcasting, will debut June 25, Weigel vice chairman Neal Sabin said at a virtual press conference on Wednesday. The new network is a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery and Weigel that will deliver classic animation to viewers across free over-the-air broadcast channels and on traditional and virtual MVPD platforms as a free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) channel.

“We are honored to work with the amazing team at Warner Bros. Discovery and others on this network to bring together a truly incredible collection of the world’s best-known and most-loved classic cartoons, creating a new destination for everyone to discover or rediscover the sheer joy of watching cartoons on TV,” Sabin said in a statement. 

“Neal and the team at Weigel have been long-standing and innovative licensing partners of Warner Bros. content for decades,” David Decker, president of content sales for Warner Bros. Discovery, said also in a statement. “Having some of the Studio’s most iconic animated characters all available in one place is not only great for fans of classic animation, but also just super fun!”

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Besides Warner Bros. Discovery, Weigel also is aggregating classic animation content from such producers as MGM, Paramount Pictures, Fleischer Studios, Walter Lantz Productions, Terrytoons, Jay Ward Productions, Hanna-Barbera Studios, Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures and others. MeTV Toons will feature classic cartoons like Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Jetsons and many more. 

“There is going to be a tremendous amount of variety on this network and it will all be focused on original versions of classic cartoons,” Sabin said.

MeTV Toons will air in all markets where Weigel owns stations — including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and St. Louis — covering 40% of the country. It also will air on non-Weigel station lineups in other markets, Sabin said.

Animation author, history and executive Jerry Beck and voice actor Bob Bergen are joining the new network at launch. Beck will help produce original content intended to expand and enhance the viewing experience. Bergen — who has voiced such classic animated characters as Porky Pig, Tweety Bird and Marvin the Martian – will serve as the network’s signature voice. 

After the launch on June 25, Weigel will do another promotional push for the new network on Bugs Bunny’s July 27 birthday, Weigel Network Marketing senior VP Will Givens said. Weigel and its partners also plan to present a panel at San Diego Comic-Con later this summer.

MeTV Toons network joins Weigel’s other digital broadcast networks MeTV, Heroes & Icons, Start TV, Catchy Comedy, Movies!, Story Television, Dabl and MeTV Plus. 

Collector’s Call, an original show on MeTV hosted by Lisa Whelchel, will air episodes dedicated to Star Wars and Survivor in May. The show looks at individuals’ massive collections of pop-culture memorabilia, taps experts to appraise their value and sees if the collectors are willing to swap a piece of their collection for a new and different piece. 

It is season five. The show airs Sundays at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT. 

With May 4 serving as Star Wars Day, the show checks in with Gus Lopez, Star Wars collector, in the May 5 episode. “There are Star Wars collections, and then there is Gus Lopez's out-of-this-world Star Wars collection,” says Collector’s Call. “A fan of the space opera since he was a kid, Gus doesn't just collect the obvious — Han Solo’s screen-used jacket, one-of-a-kind prototypes, C-3PO's body parts, but there's also the ultimate weapon — you know the one, THE DEATH STAR!”

Lopez is based in Seattle. 

A week later, the show ventures to Chicago to see the collection belonging to Jamie Knoll O’Neill, who inherited a Survivor collection from her father. 

Whelchel appeared on the show when it was set in the Philippines in 2012, and she invites Ethan Zohn, who has competed on Survivor three times and won season three in 2001. “The pair revisit triumphs and failures from their own 39-day adventures as Jamie shows off her dad’s treasures, including torches from fan-favorite players, a memorable outfit worn by the ‘Queen of Survivor,’ and the original Tribal Council urn from season 1 — with all the final votes still inside.”

Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Probst offers a tribute to Jamie’s father, Dan Knoll, in the episode. 

Whelchel played Blair on The Facts of Life.

Other May episodes feature Mark Short’s props and costumes trove and Robert Baker’s ‘70s and ‘80s toy collection. 

Weigel Broadcasting's Me TV and Catchy Comedy will air a block of episodes from several Norman Lear-produced shows, including All in The Family and Good Times in tribute to the iconic TV writer and producer, who died Tuesday at 101 years old.

Me TV on December 10 will air a four-hour block of Lear-created shows, beginning with the 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, hosted by Lear. In addition, the network will feature holiday-themed episodes of All in the Family and Sanford and Son, according to the network.

Catchy Comedy will also air the 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family on December 8. 

Me TV and Catchy join broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox. and The CW, who will pay tribute to Lear tonight (November 6) with a simulcast on an on-air tribute to the iconic TV producer, according to published reports.

Multichannel News interviewed Lear in 2015 to discuss the state of the television industry at the time and how it has changed over the years since he produced such groundbreaking shows as All In The Family, Maude, The Jeffersons and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.  

In recognition of Veterans Day, MeTV airs the special MeTV Remembers the M*A*S*H Finale Friday, November 10.  The historic episode, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” is on at 7 p.m. ET/PT. 

M*A*S*H star Alan Alda directed the series finale, which initially aired February 28, 1983. More than 105 million viewers tuned in to see how the 4077th wrapped up their final days in the Korean War. 

The special, which runs for three hours, will feature the cast and creators of M*A*S*H, who share their memories of the finale, along with the uncut episode. 

MeTV, part of Weigel Broadcasting, airs M*A*S*H on weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. ET/PT, and on Sundays 7-8 p.m.

M*A*S*H went for 11 seasons on CBS. 

Veterans Day is November 11. MeTV aired the series finale of M*A*S*H on Veterans Day last year. 

Svengoolie, top-hatted horror host on MeTV, has welcomed three new members to what is known as the Sven Squad. Sarah Palmer is Gwengoolie, “an enchanting Hollywood, or Hollyweird, diva from the glamour age of cinema,” according to MeTV, and Scott Gryder is IMP, or Ignatius Malvolio Prankenstein, “the devilishly ingratiating, and slightly grating, sly trickster who keeps claiming Svengoolie is his uncle.”

Casting took place at the 2022 New York Comic Con event, where attendees could audition at the Svengoolie booth.  

Bill Leff also joins the Sven Squad as Nostalgiaferatoo, an 800-year-old vampire. 

Svengoolie airs Saturday nights on MeTV, as Svengoolie, played by Rich Koz, hosts the screening of low-budget horror movies. The Sven Squad will help the host make sense of the movies being featured. 

Palmer is a California native known for “her remarkable ability to embody iconic figures,” said MeTV, including Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball and the Bride of Frankenstein. 

Gryder is a Chicago actor whose credits include the stage shows Buyer & Cellar (Pride Films & Plays) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Lyric Opera of Chicago). He studied theater at Texas Tech. 

Leff studied improvisation with Chicago’s Second City Theater, performed stand-up nationwide and is a Chicago radio personality. He’s also host of MeTV’s weekday morning show Toon In With Me. 

Svengoolie debuted on MeTV in 2011. Rich Koz plays the host, which was spawned on Chicago TV in the ‘70s.  

The second annual Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza, a month-long scary programming stunt, kicked off October 7 and ends on Halloween. Saturdays offer Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza Double Feature, with back-to-back classic and campy horror movies. On October 28, it’s Kolchak: Night Strangler, a 1973 movie starring Darren McGavin, then Trilogy of Terror, a 1975 film starring Karen Black. 

MeTV has scary episodes of vintage TV all day long on Halloween, including “The Haunted House” from Leave it to Beaver, “The Changeling” from The Waltons, “Trick or Treat” from The Beverly Hillbillies and “One Grave Too Many” from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. 

A Very Merry MeTV, the network’s annual holiday programming extravaganza, starts up November 19 and goes through Christmas Day. The MeTV stunt includes holiday-themed episodes of classic shows, incorporating both Thanksgiving and Christmas, along with TV movies and animated specials. 

Things start at noon ET November 19 with The Brady Bunch episode “The Un-Underground Movie”, which sees Greg shoot a movie about the first Thanksgiving. They continue with a couple Beverly Hillbillies Thanksgiving episodes, “Turkey Day” and “The Thanksgiving Spirit.” 

Other series with episodes featured in A Very Merry MeTV include The Love Boat, Gilligan’s Island, All in the Family, The Waltons, M*A*S*H, Happy Days and Gunsmoke. 

Animated specials that will air include A Boy Named Charlie Brown and Snoopy Come Home. 

On Christmas Day, MeTV features Matlock episode “The Scrooge”, Green Acres episode “An Old-Fashioned Christmas” and The Beverly Hillbillies episode “An Old-Fashioned Christmas,” among other holiday chestnuts. 

Weigel Broadcasting owns MeTV. 

Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza happens on MeTV starting October 7 and wrapping up on Halloween. The event features a Saturday night Svengoolie Double Feature, back-to-back horror movies with horrific host Svengoolie tossing in a few quips; mini-marathons of frightful TV westerns on Saturdays, including Gunsmoke, Wagon Train and The Rifleman; and spooky vintage comedies on Sundays, including The Brady Bunch, Leave it to Beaver and Gilligan’s Island. 

“We put the BOO! in BOOnanza with our movie lineup of fearsome Svengoolie features on MeTV Saturday nights,” said Rich Koz, who plays top-hatted Svengoolie. “We have killer clowns, Abbott & Costello and the much-requested original Kolchak movies, plus this year we will treat fans with a double feature of a bonus movie every Saturday night. And be sure to catch Halloween-themed blocks of scary episodes from MeTV's classic TV portfolio all month and all across the schedule, including westerns, comedies and the one where Gilligan turns into a vampire!” 

Halloween BOOnanza takes place on weekends in October, then continues with horror-themed episodes of classic shows on Halloween. 

The fun starts Saturday, October 7, with Bugs Bunny Halloween Hour at 9 a.m. ET/PT, then scary westerns from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

That night, the Svengoolie Double Feature includes movies Killer Klowns From Outer Space from 1988 and The Crawling Eye from 1958. 

A Sventoonie marathon happens 12:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. on October 8. 

On Saturday, October 14, the Svengoolie Double Feature includes Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and Invaders From Mars, with the Svengoolie Uncrypted special airing 12:30-1:30 a.m. October 15. A Twilight Zone marathon follows. 

The stunt continues October 21-22, including movie Kolchak: Night Stalker then a marathon of Kolchak episodes, and October 28-29, and concludes on Halloween, with scary episodes of My Three Sons, The Waltons, Green Acres and Perry Mason, among other vintage shows. 

Weigel Broadcasting owns MeTV. 

MeTV is dabbling in the comic book business with the release of Svengoolie: Lost in Time. MeTV, which airs horror show Svengoolie Classic Horror & Sci-Fi Movie Showcase on Saturdays, has partnered with publisher Frank Miller Presents on the 48-page comic. 

Rich Koz plays Svengoolie on the show. Svengoolie: Lost in Time is written by Koz, Jim Roche and Chris Faulkner. All three work on the show. 

The story features the untold origins of Svengoolie’s cast of characters as an evil Svenbot tries to erase them all from existence. “You can expect bad puns and silly jokes on every page, as Sven must go back in time to save Kerwyn, Tombstone and Boddy Sorrell from a fate worse than old jokes,” teases MeTV. 

Chris Jones, Art Balthazar and Franco Aureliani handle the book’s art, with Jones and Stephane Roux providing the covers.

"I'm very happy that Svengoolie: Lost in Time is now in print and ready for the fans to enjoy. Special thanks to [publisher] Dan DiDio and the Frank Miller Presents brand!” said Koz. “It's really exciting to bring the exploits of Sven and his cast beyond video, working with some truly talented artists, and I think the fans will appreciate that the same fun we have in the show will translate onto the pages of this amazing comic book!"

Koz will sign the book at Graham Crackers Comics in Chicago and Aw Yeah Comics in Skokie, Illinois, on Friday, July 14.

Svengoolie averages 2.5 million viewers on MeTV.

Weigel Broadcasting and DirecTV said they made a deal that will make MeTV available nationally in high definition via the DirecTV satellite service and DirecTV Steam.

MeTV, a digital broadcast network offering classic TV shows, has been available on DirecTV’s Uverse TV platform since 2012.

“MeTV is ‘Memorable Entertainment Television,’ making it a uniquely valuable addition to the DirecTV channel lineup nationwide,” Weigel vice chairman Neal Sabin said. “We couldn’t be happier to seal this deal which allows us to add MeTV beyond the existing markets and deliver some of the most cherished and timeless television ever made to DirecTV subscribers coast-to-coast.”

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DirecTV has been looking to aggregate more sources of TV programming, including streaming services as well as digital broadcast channels.

“This agreement provides Weigel additional reach to grow its viewership and sponsors, while furthering DirecTV national and local programming interests,” Linda Burakoff, senior VP of content and programming at DirecTV, said. “We continue to work creatively, and respectfully, with Weigel and other broadcasters to identify our mutual priorities, and then develop them together to expand our customers, sponsors and future prospects.”

MeTV celebrates M*A*S*H when “M*A*S*H Maydays”, featuring two episodes on weekdays starting at 6 p.m. ET/PT, debuts May 1 and runs throughout the month. Each week, the themed Maydays block will showcase episodes featuring a different character. Hawkeye, played by Alan Alda, gets the spotlight May 1-5. 

“M*A*S*H Maydays” leads into the weeknight MeTV M*A*S*H block from 7-8 p.m. MeTV has aired M*A*S*H since the network launched in 2005. The military comedy aired on CBS from 1972 to 1983. Larry Gelbart developed the TV series, set during the Korean War.  

Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, played by Loretta Swit, gets her turn May 8-12. Radar, portrayed by Gary Burghoff, is on May 15-19. Colonel Potter, played by Harry Morgan, is featured May 22-26. B.J. Hunnicutt, portrayed by Mike Farrell, gets his turn May 29-June 2.

In recent years, when May rolled around, MeTV did “The Month of Mayberry,” featuring The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle and other series with a connection to Mayberry. 

Last year, MeTV celebrated the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H with a marathon of cast member Jamie Farr’s favorite episodes, along with commentary from Farr. He played Corporal Klinger on the show. 

Weigel Broadcasting networks MeTV and Decades celebrate actresses Cindy Williams, who played Shirley on Laverne & Shirley, and Lisa Loring, who played Wednesday Addams on The Addams Family. Both actresses died in recent days. 

Decades will have 36 Laverne & Shirley episodes starting at 12 p.m. ET Saturday, February 4, and MeTV will feature four episodes that Williams previously shared with the network as among her favorites, on Sunday, February 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. 

The four episodes Williams picked are “Excuse Me, May I Cut In?”, “Guinea Pigs”, Supermarket Sweep” and “The Diner.”

Laverne & Shirley ran for eight seasons on ABC, starting in 1976. 

Williams died January 30 in Los Angeles at the age of 75. 

On Sunday, February 5, Decades will have 48 back-to-back episodes of The Addams Family starting at 6 a.m., and concluding at 6 a.m the following day. 

The Addams Family aired for two seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1966. “Loring’s interpretation of the character was sweet but gloomy, a young girl with a penchant for collecting creepy pets and headless dolls,” said Decades.  

Loring passed away January 29 at the age of 64. 

A new generation has found Wednesday Addams thanks to the Netflix series Wednesday, with Jenna Ortega playing the Addams girl. ■

MeTV is hosting a love-themed event Valentine’s Day weekend called “Love Me.” Love-laden episodes of M*A*S*H, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, The Brady Bunch, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Love Boat, Gilligan’s Island, Mama’s Family, Leave It to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show are among those set to air Sunday, February 12 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Episodes include The Brady Bunch’s “Going, Going… Steady”, where Marcia has a crush, and takes up insect collecting in an effort to get to know the boy her heart desires; Gilligan’s Island’s “Lovey’s Secret Admirer”, where Mrs. Howell starts receiving mysterious love notes; The Love Boat’s “Computer Man”, where passenger Lily is haunted by an amnesia victim, and computer-dating service manager Nick woos Julie and offers his matchmaking services for Valentine's Day; and M*A*S*H*’s “Henry in Love”, where Henry returns from a week in Tokyo and announces that he is in love with a young lady named Nancy Sue Parker. She arrives for the weekend, makes a pass at Hawkeye, and Henry realizes it's his wife back home that he loves.

MeTV is part of Weigel Broadcasting. ■

MeTV rings in the new year with The First!, a marathon of pilot episodes from shows that include M*A*S*H, The Honeymooners and The Brady Bunch. The event happens Sunday, January 1 at 12 p.m. ET.

The First! begins with the Honeymooners pilot, "TV or Not TV", at 12 p.m. ET. Pilots from The Andy Griffith Show ("The New Housekeeper"), Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. ("Gomer Overcomes the Obstacle Course"), My Three Sons ("Chip Off the Old Block"), The Dick Van Dyke Show ("The Sick Boy and the Sitter"), Leave it to Beaver ("Beaver Gets Spelled"), Gilligan’s Island ("Two on a Raft"), The Brady Bunch ("The Honeymoon"), Mama’s Family ("Vint and the Kids Move In") and M*A*S*H ("Pilot") follow.

Part of Weigel Broadcasting, vintage-TV network MeTV is available on broadcast TV across 98% of the nation. ■

Svengoolie Classic Horror & Sci-Fi Movie Showcase, a Saturday night program hosted by top-hatted horror honcho Svengoolie (a.k.a. Rich Koz), expands to 2 ½ hours on MeTV January 7. That night, The Raven, with Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and a very young Jack Nicholson, will be shown. The film dates to 1963.

The show, currently two hours long, sees Svengoolie break down vintage or low-budget horror or sci-fi films. The expanded time slot will allow for longer movies or returning favorites with less editing needed, and makes more time for Svengoolie bits, whether it's corny jokes, viewer mail, interviews, guest visits or vintage fare.

Svengoolie is auditioning potential co-hosts in a campaign known as Spawn of Svengoolie. Fans can audition via the Svengoolie app. The search continues into 2023.

Also happening in 2023 is the release of two full-length comic books starring Svengoolie, in development with Frank Miller Presents.

Sventoonie, featuring Toony the Tuna, airs Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Besides The Raven, January will also feature The Invisible Man, Kiss of the Vampire and Godzilla: King of the Monsters on Svengoolie Classic Horror & Sci-Fi Movie Showcase. 

Svengoolie launched on WFLD Chicago in 1970. ■

On Veterans Day, MeTV will air the M*A*S*H series finale. Alan Alda directed the episode, titled Goodbye, Farewell and Amen. It aired in February 1983 and more than 105 million viewers tuned in. 

MeTV Remembers the M*A*S*H Finale is on November 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. ET/PT, with the uncut series finale as its centerpiece. MeTV will feature interviews with the cast and creators, who share their memories of the landmark show and its finale. 

MeTV airs the finale every year on Veterans Day.

A dark comedy, M*A*S*H detailed the exploits of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean War. Loretta Swit, Gary Burghoff, Mike Farrell and Jamie Farr were in the cast with Alda. Larry Gelbart developed the show. 

Vintage-TV network MeTV airs two M*A*S*H episodes starting at 7 p.m., Monday through Friday and again on Sunday. ■

MeTV's "A Very Merry MeTV" programming event starts Sunday, November 20, and continues through Christmas Day. The event has both Thanksgiving- and Christmas-themed episodes of vintage series, including Gilligan's Island, My Three Sons and The Beverly Hillbillies, with the Christmas fare beginning November 27.

Commemorating what would've been Charles Schulz's 100th birthday (November 26), MeTV has movies A Boy Named Charlie Brown on Sunday, November 20 and Snoopy Come Home on Sunday, November 27. A Boy Named Charlie Brown, from 1969, sees Charlie enter a spelling bee, while Snoopy, Come Home!, from 1972, sees Snoopy sneak off to visit a girl in the hospital, only to find dogs are not all that welcome in many public places. MeTV said the two films are the only Peanuts holiday specials on broadcast TV this year.

Part 1 of episode "The Thanksgiving Story," from The Waltons, airs November 23, and Part 2 is on Thanksgiving Day.

On Saturday, December 3, original horror series Svengoolie features movie The Raven, followed by a special one-hour Sventoonie Christmas special, It's a Wonderful Loss of Life featuring the movie The Great Rupert.

Morning show Toon In with Me has a primetime special December 5 when Tiny Toony's Christmas Carol airs, featuring Bill the Cartoon Curator (Bill Leff), Toony the Tuna (Kevin Fleming) and the gang as they present classic holiday shorts.

The Waltons also airs on Christmas Day, including episodes "The Best Christmas," "The Children's Carol" and "Grandma Comes Home," among others. ■

New York Comic Con is under way at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, happening October 6 to October 9. Television has a growing presence at the show, with exhibits set up for Nickelodeon's Spongebob Square Pants and Monster High, Fox’s Animation Domination, Paramount Plus's Teen Wolf–The Movie, MeTV and a few other networks and shows.

Julie Plec, creator of Vampire Academy on Peacock, was interviewed at the event October 6, and the cast and an executive producer of CBS comedy Ghosts held a panel that day too.

Fans of course dressed up in costumes, ranging from Ghostbusters, to Steve and Robin from Stranger Things in Scoops Ahoy attire, to Star Trek, Super Mario, and a vast range of superheroes.

Attendees were invited to audition to be on MeTV’s Svengoolie, and work alongside the horror host in a campaign the network calls Spawn of Svengoolie. “It’s been constant since we got here,” said a worker of the auditions.

Also there to represent MeTV was Marta Kristen, who played Judy Robinson on Lost in Space.

“We want to take a picture with the robot–and with Marta Kristen,” said Gretchen Jellett of Calverton, New York. Her favorite show on MeTV? Hogan’s Heroes.

She comes every year to Comic Con with her husband. “I married a big kid,” she said. “And he married a big kid.”

Things were a little quieter at the SpongeBob booth. “I don’t like SpongeBob either, to be honest with you,” a father said to his son as they passed.

Fox’s Animation Domination booth featured upcoming Dan Harmon show Krapopolis and the Jon Hamm show Grimsburg, along with old standbys like The Simpsons. Asked about their favorite Fox animated shows, a woman said "Bob’s Burgers" and her partner said, "Family Guy…when it was good."

Michelle Ozone of Brooklyn said she was curious about Krapopolis. “I like Dan Harmon specifically,” she said. “I look forward to the Community movie.”

Julie Plec, who co-created Vampire Diaries, and is working on Vampire Academy for Peacock, sat for a session. “Peacock bought the show even though I hadn’t written a word yet,” she shared. “It was a really hard show to prep and a really hard show to cast.”

The book franchise split time between Montana and the Poconos of Pennsylvania. Plec wanted it all in one setting. She needed a castle to shoot in, and found the perfect one in Spain.

Plec said she was drawn to vampires because all of her favorite shows growing up were “character stories and romance stories and friend stories,” and they all got canceled. Character and romance and friend stories with supernatural elements, on the other hand, seem to last.

“This show is about class and intolerance and friendship…and it’s about vampires too,” she said of the new project.

Down on the Main Stage, the cast and a producer from Ghosts sat for a panel after the audience watched a good chunk of the October 6 episode, "Alberta’s Podcast". Asher Grodman, who plays pantless ghost Trevor, had his seat break underneath him. “It’s because I’m wearing pants, man,” he said.

Exec producer Joe Wiseman explained how the writers room likes to put two characters who haven’t interacted much in a scene together, and see what kind of humor pops up. That happens when Flower and Hetty share some scenes in the October 6 episode.

Utkarsh Ambudkar, who plays Jay, said he hopes Jay will eventually get to see and hear and interact with the ghosts. “Hopefully we have many seasons to explore these storylines,” he said. “But for now I get to treat them like my children–and ignore them.”

Back on the floor, Comic Con veteran Hamex Quispe of Queens showed his friends, and Comic Con first-timers, around the floor. He’s there to take in the animation, consume some “exclusive stuff,” and meet people like him.

His friend Kailey Ortiz of the Bronx had a big smile on her face. “I love superheroes and I love comics and I love anime,” she said. “I love to see it all come together.”

On Friday, October 7, Dan Harmon presents Krapopolis, Prime Video presents Good Omens and the cast of USA/Syfy’s Chucky sits for a panel, among other TV stuff. Saturday has a Smallville cast reunion, a peek at Netflix’s Wednesday and a session for AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Sunday features a screening and Q&A for The CW’s The Winchesters, and the SpongeBob crossover event The Tidal Zone, among other TV happenings, before the Javits clears out. ■

Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza event began October 1 on MeTV, and runs throughout the month. Svengoolie is a top hat-clad, coffin-dwelling host, portrayed by Rich Koz, with a taste for horror movies — both campy and classic. BOOnanza features a primetime special, a weekly movie showcase, a new season of spinoff Sventoonie, and Sunday mini-marathons of classic sitcoms’ most frightful episodes. 

Before and after the Saturday movie showcase’s commercial breaks, Svengoolie aims a few quips at the horror flick and shares details about the cast and directors. 

Svengoolie was initially played by Jerry G. Bishop on WFLD Chicago, starting in 1970, with Svengoolie writer Koz debuting as host of spinoff Son of Svengoolie in 1979. It was cancelled in 1986, and came back, as Svengoolie, on Weigel’s WCIU Chicago in 1994. 

Svengoolie went national on Weigel’s MeTV in 2011. The show is now looking for a Svengoolie sidekick with the campaign “Spawn of Svengoolie.””

Koz spoke about BOOnanza, Svengoolie going coast to coast and what he looks for in horror films. An edited transcript follows. 

B+C: You’re in costume and makeup on Svengoolie. How often are you recognized on the street?

Rich Koz: It happens all the time, actually. I’ve done several shows in Chicago as myself and people put together two and two. I get recognized all the time. Most of the time it’s a very positive experience. People come up to me and say how big a fan they are, and they thank me for doing the show. 

B+C: Your Halloween BOOnanza event began on MeTV October 1. How’s it going?

RK: So far, I think it’s done really well. There was a great turnout for [horror cult classic] Trilogy of Terror and [primetime special] Svengoolie Uncrypted and Sventoonie. And people are really into the sitcoms, too. 

B+C: What’s the highlight of BOOnanza for you?

RK: Having the Svengoolie Uncrypted special was a milestone for us. I was flattered that MeTV actually wanted to have a whole hour for me. That was very, very cool.

Trilogy of Terror we’d tried to get for several years. [Weigel vice chairman] Neal Sabin knows it is truly one of most memorable made-for-TV movies. 

B+C: Svengoolie went national with MeTV about a decade ago. Has that changed your life at all?

RK: It has, especially recently — the fact that it has been taken all over the country and our numbers are so high now. We get great feedback all over the country. I liken horror hosts to Doctor Who — the first one you saw is always your favorite, none can compare. And so I worried that people would think, you’re not as good as [a preferred local horror host] is. But I’m very grateful that people have taken to the show and really enjoy it. 

B+C: Who’s been an influence for you?

RK: The original Svengoolie who got me into the business and decided I should be Son of Svengoolie, Jerry G. Bishop. He was a radio and TV personality from the ’60s and ’70s. He would read jokes people sent in to Svengoolie. I sent some jokes in and he had me come in.  

B+C: Did you ever envision that this would be how your career played out?

RK: No, definitely not. I got the Son of Svengoolie gig in 1979. People say, ‘Did you think you still would be doing the show?’ I was not thinking toward the future that much. I had no plan to go this long. 

B+C: How many movies have you featured on Svengoolie? Have you ever counted?

RK: I haven’t. It goes back to when it was on WFLD [Chicago]. It’s gotta be over a thousand at this point.

B+C: Does one stand out?

RK: People ask me all the time what my favorite is. I tell them I like different ones for different reasons. The original Universal Classic Monsters — Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man. And there’s The Creature From the Black Lagoon. 

B+C: Is there a movie and episode that’s coming up that you’re particularly excited about?

RK: I have a couple. People love Vincent Price. We have one he did with [director] William Castle called The Tingler. He discovers, when people are afraid, there’s some sort of creature inside of them, in their backbone. The more afraid they are, the more vicious it becomes. 

The Bride of Frankenstein is coming up and Count Yorga, Vampire. 

B+C: What makes a good movie for Svengoolie?

RK: It depends. We go from the classics to real awful B movies, where it’s always fun to talk about the awful special efforts and the bad acting. But any movie works. We find ways to make any movie fodder for our programs and our segments. 

B+C: What are you watching for fun?

RK: I like the comedy show Ghosts. I recently watched the British version of Ghosts and found it really good and very charming. It’s genuinely funny and it’s a great idea. ■

MeTV hosts its first Svengoolie’s Halloween BOOnanza event, a month-long celebration of the horror host, starting October 1. MeTV promises “spooky, kooky and fiendishly fun movies, programs and specials for the entire family,” along with a one-hour primetime Svengoolie special, a weekly Svengoolie movie showcase, a new season of Sventoonie, Sunday afternoon mini-marathons of spooky episodes of classic TV series, and a new horror-themed episode of original series Collector’s Call. 

Hatched in Chicago in 1979, Svengoolie is a top hat-clad, coffin-dwelling host, portrayed by Rich Koz, with a taste for campy horror movies

Special Svengoolie Uncrypted starts things off October 1. “The master horror host escapes his dungeon to journey far and wide, discovering a world of friends and new adventures,” said MeTV. “The special also shines a spotlight on Svengoolie’s world for 43+ years as he has entertained horror fans with Saturday night showcases of campy and obscure titles, offering insightful horror movie facts, trivia and jokes. Fans across the country will want to tune-in for all this plus the crypt-shaking special reveal.”

Season two of Sventoonie, the companion show to Svengoolie, will also premiere October 1 with a special one-hour episode. It will continue to follow Svengoolie Saturday Nights with 15 new 30-minute episodes. Toony the Tuna, from MeTV morning show Toon In With Me, dons the top hat and tux to host. 

Every Saturday in October, MeTV will present a Svengoolie movie title, starting with Count Yorga, Vampire October 1.

Every Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. in October, MeTV has mini-marathons of classic TV shows’ more frightful episodes, including “a monster mashup” of The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island, Happy Days and Leave It to Beaver, followed by blocks of The Addams Family, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Kolchak: The Night Stalker. MeTV also offers bonus Halloween-themed episodes of vintage series airing in their regular time periods across the schedule throughout October. 

An episode of Collector’s Call featuring a monster toys collection is on October 9. Lisa Whelchel hosts. 

Svengoolie launched on WFLD Chicago in 1970 with Jerry Bishop in the title role. In 1979, Rich Koz, a former writer on the show, debuted as Son of Svengoolie. Fox bought the station in 1986 and scrapped the show. Neal Sabin, then Weigel Broadcasting’s vice chair, brought the program back on WCIU Chicago in 1994.

Weigel owns MeTV. ■

MeTV commemorates the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H with a weeklong run of cast member Jamie Farr’s favorite episodes, along with commentary from Farr. M*A*S*H: The Best by Farr airs September 12-16 from 7 to 8 p.m. on MeTV, with two episodes picked by Farr per night. 

M*A*S*H debuted September 17, 1972. It is part of MeTV’s weeknight lineup, airing in the 7-8 p.m. slot Monday-Friday, and on Sunday nights. 

“M*A*S*H has been a staple of the MeTV weeknight schedule since the network began, and it’s a show with lasting relevancy and audience appeal,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting Co. “We couldn’t be prouder to be the broadcast home for M*A*S*H and to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the help of our dear friend, Jamie Farr.” 

Farr played Corporal Klinger, the character inspired by Lenny Bruce, according to MeTV. Klinger later made it up to sergeant. 

“A veteran of television comedy and American armed services, Farr brought a level of depth and realism to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional in the hands of a lesser talent,” said MeTV, noting that Farr’s dog tags on the show were his own from his time in the army. 

Adapted from a Robert Altman movie, and Richard Hooker novel, M*A*S*H was a dark comedy set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. The show wrapped in 1983, the series finale the most-watched single television episode in history. The Best By Farr starts with the episode Chief Surgeon Who? ■

MeTV series Collector’s Call has been renewed for season four. The 26-episode season will air in 2023. Lisa Whelchel, who played rich girl Blair on The Facts of Life, hosts. 

The show features people with giant collections of pop culture memorabilia. Professional appraisers put a value on the collection, and the owner is tempted with an offer. 

Collector’s Call airs at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT on Weigel’s MeTV. Season three, which began in March, features a Ghostbusters aficionado, a Looney Tunes collector, and another one focused on The Brady Bunch, among other nostalgia enthusiasts. The Ghostbusters episode is on July 10. 

Guest appearances in season three include Gene Simmons from Kiss, Brady Bunch cast member Christopher Knight and Bugs Bunny voice Jeff Bergman. ■

Sventoonie, the companion show to MeTV’s Svengoolie, has been renewed for season two. The new season starts on MeTV October 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. There will be 16 new episodes. 

Sventoonie runs 30 minutes. Also known as Toony the Tuna, from MeTV’s morning show Toon In With Me, Sventoonie, in top hat and tux, has been learning to be a horror host from Svengoolie host Rich Koz. 

Season one of Sventoonie ends July 16, wrapping up 14 episodes. 

Svengoolie is a Saturday night horror movie show, as Koz showcases both classic horror and campier stuff. Attack of the Puppet People, The Deadly Mantis and Brides of Dracula are among the horror films to be featured. Svengoolie airs The Ghost and Mr. Chicken July 16, an annual tradition. Don Knotts stars in the 1966 film. 

Weigel Broadcasting Co. owns MeTV. 

“We are so excited for the MeTV audience to see more of Sventoonie and friends hanging out in Svengoolie’s dungeon bringing mayhem, their favorite classic horror movies and one or two jokes your 14-year-old may have to explain,” said Donna D’Alessandro, executive VP, content for Weigel. “In the words of Sventoonie’s sidekick Blob E. Blob (horn blast sound effect), Yeah! We’ll be back!” ■

MeTV kicks off its Summer of Me programming event May 29, as The A-Team joins the vintage-shows network. Following an A-Team marathon that day, the drama slides into its weeknights 6 p.m. spot May 30.

On June 5, MeTV debuts a weekly Sunday five-hour comedy block known as The Summer of Me Sunday Block Party. A different series will marathon every Sunday in the five-hour slot, starting with The Beverly Hillbillies. Shows include Leave It to Beaver, I Love Lucy, Gidget, The Flying Nun and The Monkees. The Sunday Block Party goes 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET/PT, leading into Full House. The stunt concludes September 4. 

New episodes of original series Collector’s Call, hosted by Lisa Whelchel, air Sundays at 6:30 p.m. 

MeTV also celebrates Bugs Bunny July 25-29 on its morning show, Toon In with Me. ■

Frndly TV, the low-priced, family-friendly streaming service, made a deal with Weigel Broadcasting to stream MeTV and Weigel’s other digital broadcast networks to Frndly’s subscribers.

Frndly TV is the first live streaming service to carry all five of the Weigel channels. 

Under the terms of the deal Frndly subscribers will get added programming, including MeTV, one of the oldest and most popular of the digital broadcast networks, without seeing a price increase from the current basic rate of $6.99 a month.

The addition will give Frndly subscribers a lineup of more than 35 channels. 

Weigel’s channels get additional distribution to Frndly’s subscribers, many of whom live in rural areas where broadcast signals are weak.

Also: Frndly TV Adds A+E Channels to Streaming Video Service

“The five Weigel national networks are a fantastic addition to our Frndly TV lineup,” said Michael McKenna, chief programming officer of Frndly TV. “Our customers will no doubt enjoy the variety these networks bring, including the country’s number-one rated classic TV network, MeTV. And importantly, we are honoring our promise to our subscribers by keeping our prices very friendly -- and the lowest in the industry -- while adding even more great programming.”

MeTV will premiere on the Frndly TV lineup starting Monday, March 28. Frndly TV subscribers will also be able to watch Story TV, a new channel being launched Monday.

On April 19, Weigel’s Heroes Icons and Decades channels will be added to Frndly and Start TV will be added shortly afterward.

“We welcome the subscribers of Frndly TV into the family friendly world of MeTV and our full array of entertaining and engaging networks,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel. “The warmth of Andy Griffith, the thrill of all five original Star Trek series, newer and classic crime and court dramas are just a part of what our networks are bringing to Frndly and we are thrilled to be with this well positioned service.”■

MeTV will air what it calls “special Danny Tanner” Full House episodes Sunday, January 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. ET/PT. Bob Saget, who died January 9, played Tanner. 

Full House will begin airing on its regular day and time slot on MeTV Sunday, January 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. 

“MeTV was planning to introduce Full House to our schedule in February, pairing it with another timeless family, the Brady's and their bunch,” said Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting Co. “Now our plans are to introduce Full House this weekend as a tribute to the beloved Bob Saget, AKA ‘America's Dad.’ Watching the series takes on new meaning for fans of the program, with viewers from all generations able to come together and celebrate Bob in his most memorable TV series.”

MeTV has a Valentine’s Day-themed Full House marathon Sunday, February 13 from 12 to 6 p.m. ET/PT. 

Created by Jeff Franklin, Full House aired on ABC from 1987-1995. Danny Tanner was a talk show host and widower. John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen were also in the cast. ■

MeTV is celebrating Betty White’s 100th birthday with a batch of Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes featuring White. On the show, White played perky Sue Ann Nivens, star of The Happy Homemaker on WJM Minneapolis. 

The fun happens January 16, a day before White’s birthday. 

“Meeting Betty White in person was a bit like chatting with Sue Ann Nivens, the Party Aunt, and what Bette Midler will be like when she is 100,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting Co. “Betty is totally charming, very funny, a bit naughty and 100% delightful and original. We hope the MeTV viewers enjoy celebrating her birthday with these very special episodes just for Betty.” 

White earned two best supporting actress Emmys for her work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in 1975 and 1976. 

White was on that series 1973 to 1977. Her subsequent roles include Rose on The Golden Girls and Elka on Hot in Cleveland.

A classic TV network, MeTV’s celebration offers special Mary Tyler Moore episodes featuring White January 16 from 2-4 p.m. ET/PT. ■

MeTV’s Super Colossal Cartoon Christmas is on Monday, Dec. 13 from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT. MeTV’s first-ever Toon In With Me prime special, Super Colossal Cartoon Christmas features Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tom & Jerry and Popeye, among other animated superstars, in a series of shorts. 

Bill Leff, host of MeTV original Toon In With Me, hosts Super Colossal Cartoon Christmas, with assists from Goldie Fisher, Toony the Talking Tuna, Mr. Quizzer, Svengoolie and Kerwyn.

The shorts include “The Fright Before Christmas” with Bugs Bunny and Tasmanian Devil, “Gift Wrapped” with Sylvester & Tweety, “Seasin’s Greetinks!” with Popeye, and “The Night Before Christmas” with Tom & Jerry, among others.

Toon In With Me premiered in January 2021 and there are over 200 original one-hour episodes. Leff is known as “cartoon curator.”

Over the air network MeTV’s “A Very Merry MeTV” lineup features Happy Days, Mama’s Family, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Monk, The Flintstones, The Addams Family and M*A*S*H, among other vintage series. That stunt began in mid November. 

Weigel Broadcasting owns MeTV, along with other multicast nets including Decades, H&I Network and Start TV. MeTV original shows include Toon In With Me, Svengoolie, and Collector’s Call. ■

MeTV premieres drama Monk Sunday, July 18. Monk was on USA Network from 2002 to 2009. Tony Shalhoub played Adrian Monk, a grieving husband and private detective consultant for the San Francisco Police Department. His obsessive-compulsive disorder and various phobias often disrupt the lives of his colleagues, but Monk’s heightened attention to detail and sharp mind help him solve crimes. 

MeTV will feature Columbo at 6 and 7 p.m. ET/PT Sundays starting July 18, then Monk at 8 and 9 p.m. 

Monk “offers a modern take on the classic TV detectives of the 1970s, drawing many comparisons to Columbo, the iconic series starring Peter Falk,” said MeTV, which noted that many Monk episodes follow the “Columbo model,” where the audience and characters know who committed the murder and why, but it’s up to the quirky detective to prove it. “Monk builds on the timeless formula of offbeat and determined crime mystery ‘whodunnits’,” the network added.  

Columbo was on NBC from 1968 to 1978.  

Monk earned eight Primetime Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. 

Weigel owns MeTV, a classic TV network. 

MeTV presents “The Month of Mayberry,” a month-long celebration of The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Mayberry R.F.D. and anything else with a connection to Mayberry, in May. It begins May 2 with the Andy Griffith Show pilot and the backdoor pilot of Gomer Pyle, followed by an episode of The Love Boat with Griffith on it. 

Mayberry was the setting for The Andy Griffith Show. 

Starting May 3, MeTV will present four weeks of back-to-back episodes celebrating the characters of The Andy Griffith Show at 8 and 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, with themed weeks including “All About Andy”, “The Fife is Right”, “Opie Dokie” and “The Best of the Rest” featuring Aunt Bee and other sidekicks. 

Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. will follow at 9 p.m., with a collection of “best of” episodes featuring classic song renditions, favorite characters and guest stars. 

Weekday mornings in May at 10 a.m. ET/PT, MeTV will have select episodes of Matlock, which starred Griffith and had Don Knotts as a guest star. At 6:30 p.m. weekdays, Happy Days gets a “Mayberry makeover,” said MeTV, with episodes featuring actors from the Mayberry world, including Rance Howard and Jack Dodson. That is called “From Mayberry to Milwaukee.”

At 11 p.m. weekdays in May, The Carol Burnett Show welcomes Mayberry guest stars Griffith, Jim Nabors, Ken Berry and Ronnie Schell. 

Every Sunday in May, at 5 p.m., MeTV will present special episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., including guest appearances by Jack Nicholson. Sundays at 6 p.m., ET/PT, MeTV airs The Love Boat starring Mayberry guest stars Griffith, Knotts, Nabors and Schell.

On May 28th, “The Month of Mayberry” concludes with the movie Return to Mayberry at 8 p.m. ET/PT. 

Weigel owns MeTV, a classic TV network. 

MeTV will salute Dustin Diamond, who played Screech on Saved by the Bell, with select episodes of the late ‘80s series showcasing Screech airing Feb. 7 from 7 to 10 a.m. ET/PT. Diamond died from lung cancer Feb. 1. He was 44. 

Saved by the Bell aired from 1989 to 1993, and a reboot premiered on Peacock in November. Diamond does not appear in the reboot. 

Besides playing nerdy Screech, Diamond was on season five of Celebrity Fit Club and season 12 of Celebrity Big Brother, as well as The Weakest Link and Celebrity Boxing 2. 

Vintage hits network MeTV will air the Saved by the Bell episodes “Screech’s Woman”, “The Gift”, “Beauty and the Screech”, “Screech’s Birthday”, “House Party” and “Check Your Mate”, the latter featuring Screen in the all-city chess finals. 

The original Saved by the Bell is on MeTV Sundays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET/PT. 

MeTV recently turned 10. 

Just after marking its tenth anniversary, MeTV is looking ahead to what’s next in the vintage TV space. It’s been a busy 2021 thus far for the classic hits network, which premiered three-hour animated block Saturday Morning Cartoons Jan. 2, and morning show Toon In With Me Jan, 4. Both sit on the schedule alongside MeTV staples such as Adam-12, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan’s Island, The Flintstones and Happy Days. 

“We’re continuing to build our network,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman at MeTV parent Weigel. “We acquire programming that we think makes a difference.”

MeTV got its start on a low-power Chicago station, and went into network mode Dec. 15, 2010. In 2015, MeTV had its largest audience ever when over 1.3 million total viewers watched MeTV Remembers the M*A*S*H Finale. 

More recently, in May of 2020, horror spoof Svengoolie delivered his largest audience ever, with over 1.2 million total viewers. “He had his best year ever,” said Sabin of host Rich Koz. 

The late Dawn Wells of Gilligan’s Island hosted the network’s “The Summer of Me” in 2015 and Barry Williams of The Brady Bunch did so in 2017. 

In 2019, MeTV debuted the original series Collector’s Call, which has Lisa Welchel of The Facts of Life hosting a program about memorabilia collectors. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons is a three-hour animated block reminiscent of the Saturday morning TV many of us grew up with. Programs include Tom & Jerry, Popeye and Friends, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. 

Toon in With Me is hosted by comedian/actor/radio host Bill Leff. Warner Bros. cartoons, such as Road Runner and Porky Pig, are featured along with MGM stuff such as Tom & Jerry and Droopy Dog. 

Kevin Fleming and Leila Gorstein are on the show too, Kevin handling puppet mascot Toony the Tuna. For now, Fleming and Gorstein can’t be in the studio alongside Leff. Sabin looks forward to the day when COVID is less of a factor in production. 

“Producing things during a pandemic is really, really hard,” he said. 

The 7 a.m. program averaged around 500,000 total viewers its first week, according to Sabin. 

He is keen to do more Collector’s Call, but will wait until the pandemic dies down before producing more episodes. “It’s been a good franchise for us,” he said. 

MeTV would consider other originals, Sabin added, but for the moment is focused on the recently launched programs. 

To be sure, viewers tune in for the vintage stuff. Key shows for MeTV including The Andy Griffith Show, Perry Mason, M*A*S*H and Hogan’s Heroes. With 200 affiliates, the network is available in 99% of the country. 

COVID, not to mention the divisive culture wars playing out on cable news, has been good for MeTV viewership. Sabin said the network consistently comes in at No. 4 in daytime among cable networks, behind the news nets. 

“People come to us to escape,” he said. “To see shows they remember when times were easier.”

MeTV will celebrate Gilligan’s Island star Dawn Wells, who died Dec. 30. The multicast net’s “Best of Mary Ann” event happens Jan. 10 from 2 to 5 p.m. ET/PT, showing “a collection of her most memorable performances from the series,” MeTV said, including episodes “How to be a Hero”, “Don’t Bug the Mosquitoes”, “The Second Ginger Grant”, “The Matchmaker”, “The Postman Cometh” and “Beauty is as Beauty Does.”

“Dawn Wells was truly America’s sweetheart, beloved by fans of all ages for her role as the wholesome and charming Mary Ann,” said Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of Weigel Broadcasting Co. “Dawn was a talented actress who was gracious and kind to everyone she met. She was a very special friend to the MeTV Network as our first official celebrity marketing ambassador. We will miss her, but her work on Gilligan’s Island will live forever.”

Created by Sherwood Schwartz, Gilligan’s Island premiered in 1964. Wells played girl-next-door Mary Ann Summers. Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr. and Tina Louise were also in the cast. Gilligan’s Island lasted three seasons. 

Wells became a marketing ambassador for MeTV in 2015 and hosted its “Summer of Me” event. 

A “three-hour tour” of Gilligan’s Island airs Sundays 2-5 p.m. ET/PT on MeTV. 

Wells died at the age of 82. 

Classic television network MeTV marks Veterans’ Day Nov. 11 with MeTV Remembers the M*A*S*H Finale. The special, looking at the landmark 1983 TV event, airs at 7 p.m. ET that day. M*A*S*H was on CBS 1972 to 1983. Cast members, including Alan Alda, Loretta Swit and Jamie Farr, sit for interviews. 

Sister network Start TV, which showcases strong female characters in procedural dramas, will salute women in the military with original vignettes Nov. 9-13 as part of My Start Story Salutes Women of the Military. Five shorts, at 30 and 60 seconds, profile women from each of the five military branches. Deputy Sector Commander Zeita Merchant of the Coast Guard aired Nov. 9. 

Weigel Broadcasting owns diginets MeTV and Start TV. 

MeTV is partnering with Post Consumer Brands to have MeTV and Flintstones branding on Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles cereal. More than 21 million boxes have an interactive Flintstones “spot the difference” search game on the back panel. The boxes will also remind consumers to watch The Flintstones on MeTV. 

The Flintstones airs on multicast MeTV 6 p.m. ET/PT weeknights and Sundays 10 a.m. to noon. Pebbles Flintstone is the daughter of Fred and Wilma Flintstone. 

“The Flintstones on MeTV is one of the most memorable and iconic series in TV history,” said Will Givens, VP of network marketing for MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting Co. “The popularity of  Pebbles cereal is further testament to the appeal of The Flintstones brand. Partnering with Post Cereals to bring home these special MeTV custom cereal boxes is a fun promotion centered on fans of all ages. Or in this case, fans of the Stone Age.” 

Launched in 1971, Pebbles cereal was inspired by the Flintstones character. The Flintstones aired in primetime from 1960 to 1966, and was television’s first animated primetime show when it premiered. 

The Flintstones debuted on MeTV on Sept. 30, 2019

“Eating cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons is a time-honored tradition, and Pebbles cereal is a classic that kids and kids at heart have enjoyed for nearly 50 years,” said Amy Brothers, brand manager for Pebbles cereal. “As a brand whose name was inspired by The Flintstones’ character Pebbles, we’re thrilled to be partnering with MeTV to celebrate this iconic cartoon and add some fun to the day.”

Hearst-owned 16 WAPT in Jackson, Miss., announced that it will be adding a 9 p.m. newscast on subchannel MeTV Jackson. The newscast launches Monday, Aug. 31 and will air seven days a week for a half hour.

The 16 WAPT evening team, which includes Megan West, Keegan Foxx, Troy Johnson, Joe Cook and chief meteorologist David Hartman, will anchor the newscast during the week. The weekend edition will be anchored by Scott Simmons, Nick Niehaus and meteorologist Christina Kay. 

“16 WAPT is constantly working to find new ways to serve our community,” said president and general manager Mike Neelly. “We’re thrilled to add this new newscast, seven days a week, making it even more convenient for viewers trying to keep up with constantly changing news, sports, and weather. In a year branded by chaos and uncertainty, providing a convenient local source of verified information is more important than ever.” 

TV networks will honor Burt Reynolds with special programming marathons featuring the legendary actor, who passed away on Thursday (Sept. 6.)

CMT on Friday (Sept. 7) will air The Bandit, a 2016 documentary about Reynolds’ popular movie franchise Smokey & The Bandit. The network will also air the 2004 Reynolds film, Without A Paddle, immediately after the documentary, according to network officials.

Digital multicast TV network getTV will air episodes from Reynolds’ classic TV series Dan August and Hawk. Four episodes of the 1971 police drama Dan August, in which Reynolds starred as a suave police detective -- as well as four episodes of the 1960’s cop series Hawk starring Reynolds as a Native American police detective in New York City -- will air on Sept. 15 and Sept. 22, said network officials.

MeTV will showcase Reynolds’ appearances in the classic Western series Gunsmoke beginning Sept. 10. The digital multicast network will air six episodes featuring Reynolds’ character Quint Asper in the long-running 1960’s series. Overall, Reynolds appeared in 50 Gunsmoke episodes, according to the network.

Perhaps viewing MeTV as overly “me-too,” Cox Communications confirmed that it has put the launch of the emerging OTT service on the backburner.

“[W]e’ve decided not to launch MeTV as originally intended and we’ll continue to explore the digital entertainment space,” a Cox official said in a statement, confirming a report by Light Reading.

Word of Cox’s OTT offering, originally called Flare MeTV and initially targeted to iPads, emerged late last year. Designed to appeal to millennial audiences, MeTV was an aggregated, ad-free service with personalized playlists that also cross-searched sources such as HBO, Showtime and Hulu. It was also coming on the heels of new ad-supported OTT offerings from Verizon (go90) and Comcast (Watchable).  

Notably, Cox is gearing up for the national launch of a next-gen platform that’s based on Comcast’s X1 platform, which provides access to Watchable content at the set-top, complementing distribution on mobile apps and Web browsers.

Cox continues to run other Flare-branded streaming services, including FlareKids, an ad-free OTT app for the iPad, and flarePlay, an OTT subscription gaming service. Cox also marketsmyflare, a personal media management service that lets customers store digital pictures, video, music and documents in the cloud

Coxshut down its short-lived flareWatch IPTV trial in 2013.

Ratings measurement company Rentrak said it has expanded its agreement to provide local market TV ratings data to Weigel Broadcasting, adding stations in Chicago and Milwaukee. According to Rentrak, the company will provide local TV ratings for stations WCIU (IND), WWME (MeTV) and WMEU (IND) in Chicago, and WDJT (CBS), WMLW (IND), WBME (MeTV) and WYTU (TEL) in Milwaukee. Rentrak already provides ratings and Automotive Advanced Demographic information to Weigel’s stations in South Bend—WBND (ABC), WMYS (MyNet) and WCWW (CW)—and renews them as a part of this expansion agreement. “We started our partnership with Rentrak three years ago in South Bend and use them as our sales, programming and marketing currency every day,” said Weigel executive vice president of sales John Hendricks in a statement. “Their massive measurement footprint, with hundreds or even thousands of reporting homes in every ZIP code, provides us with the reliability and stability that we and our advertisers need to provide schedules that deliver the audience levels that we sell. Rentrak’s automotive demographics are exactly what clients want to see to better understand the value of our audiences and to reach actual auto customers.” The deal extends the Rentrak ratings relationship to all Weige owned stations. In addition, Weigel includes Memorable Entertainment Television (MeTV), a digital broadcaster that offers classic TV shows over the air and via cable and satellite, the Movies! Network in partnership with Fox Television stations, Heroes & Icons and the new DECADES Network in partnership with the CBS Television Station Group. “Weigel’s South Bend stations have really hit it out of the park using Rentrak as a selling currency over the last three years, and we are excited to now have the opportunity to bring similar success to their stations in Chicago and Milwaukee,” said Rentrak’s executive vice president of local market television Steve Walsh in a statement.