WB 100+ Buys Shield

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) said Tuesday it has sold FX’s The Shield in broadcast syndication to The WB 100+ Station Group, which is looking to expand its male audience, for weekend airings starting in fall 2006.

The sale brings the show’s weekly broadcast clearance to about 60% of the U.S., including the Tribune stations in the top markets (Tribune is a part owner of The WB).

The syndicator earlier sold reruns of The Shield to SpikeTV, where it became the first drama to go from originating on one basic cable network to having off-net reruns appear on another. The Spike episodes will be stripped weekdays.