Updated: Thursday, January 30, 2014, 6:30 p.m. ET
Starting this fall, CBS Television Distribution’s Rachael Ray will air on seven of the eight ABC Owned Stations, making moves in four markets.
“We’ve had a successful relationship with ABC stations since Rachael Raylaunched eight years ago,” said Joe DiSalvo, CTD's president of sales, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to expand that relationship and add Rachael to their strong daytime lineups in more markets.”
Since its 2006 debut, Rachael Ray has aired on three ABC-owned stations — WABC New York, WPVI Philadelphia and WTVD Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Last fall, with the premiere of Sony Pictures Television’s Queen Latifah, Rachael Ray was moved to CBS’ duopoly stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco: KCAL and KBCW.
Starting this September, the show will air on KABC Los Angeles and KGO San Francisco, which are more-watched stations. In addition, in Chicago the show moves to ABC’s WLS from Tribune's WGN, and in Houston it moves to ABC’s KTRK from NRJ’s independent, KUBE, marking a huge upgrade in that market.
The ABC owned stations have a hole to fill at 3 p.m. with next year’s departure of Disney/ABC’s Katie. Rachel Ray is likely a candidate for that slot, but it could also air earlier in the day with something else — such as General Hospital, which has been on a ratings upswing this year — moving to the afternoon.
