MTV Networks-owned TV Land is looking to carve out a niche for itself as a network for younger boomers in their mid-40s with a new programming block, dubbed TV Land Prime.
The block will be used to showcase the network’s original programming, including High School Reunion, She’s Got the Look and upcoming dating show The Cougar, as well as acquired series such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Scrubs, That 70s Show and films such as Independence Day, Titanic and Analyze This.
"MTV Networks has always connected deeply through original content for a wide range of audiences, so the new step for TV Land to embrace adults in their 40s and 50s is a smart and dynamic move," MTVN chairman and CEO Judy McGrath said in a statement. "TV Land is a priority and a vital part of the MTV Networks roster."
Accompanied by a new logo, color slate and graphics, TV Land Prime will air from 9 p.m.-midnight Monday-Friday beginning Oct. 6.
The network also has an extensive pilot slate in development as part of a plan to dramatically boost its original-programming output.
The shows in development include:
• First Love/Second Chance, which gives old sweethearts a chance to rekindle their romance years later;
• What’s in the Box?,a game show in the same vein as “20 Questions” wherein contestants have to guess what is in a box;
• Make My Day, which will surprise one unsuspecting person with the weirdest day of their life, although in a more lighthearted fashion than other hidden-camera fare;
• I’ve Got Your Number, based on a British format from FremantleMedia, plays off a study that suggests that there is a 75% chance that the person you will marry is already in your cell-phone contact list;
• How Rich Are You?, from Mark Burnett, which will look at wealthy people and show how they got to where they are;
• Now or Never, giving empty-nesters a chance to try careers or experiences they thought they wouldn’t have time to do; and
• Boomerangers, exploring the life of young adults who return home to live with their parents post-college.
