Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television Partner With NBC Local Media to Launch 'The Nate Berkus Show' (WT)

CHICAGO and CULVER CITY, Calif. and NEW YORK, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- "The Nate Berkus Show," hosted by the popular design expert and New York Times best-selling author who appears regularly on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," will debut in first-run syndication in the Fall on the ten NBC Local Media television stations with a series co-produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and distributed by SPT.  The announcement was made jointly today by Sheri Salata and Erik Logan, presidents, Harpo Productions; John Weiser, president, US Distribution, Sony Pictures Television; and John Wallace, president, NBC Local Media.

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"The Nate Berkus Show" (working title) is a daily syndicated multi-topic and multi-segment series that will present a broad range of subjects and guests based on lifestyle, entertainment and personal transformation.  

"We are pleased to partner with NBC stations to launch 'The Nate Berkus Show,'" said Erik Logan, president, Harpo Productions.  "Combined with Harpo's legacy of success in daytime, and our strong partnership with Sony, NBC's commitment and support offers the perfect platform to launch syndication's next breakout series."  

"Partnering with the NBC stations on quality, branded programming like 'The Nate Berkus Show' maximizes our potential to build a successful franchise," said John Weiser, president, US Distribution, Sony Pictures Television.  "Similar to stations who invested in 'The Dr. Oz Show' last year and are now seeing audience growth, access to blue chip advertisers and revenue growth, we're confident NBC will enjoy a tremendous return on their investment. "

"We're excited to add a great talent like Nate Berkus to our programming lineup," said John Wallace, president, NBC Local Media.  "We believe the show, with its broad appeal and themes of lifestyle and inspiration, will be a strong fit for the NBC Local brand and resonate with our audience.  We look forward to working with our partners at Harpo, with their proven track record of success in daytime programming, and Sony, to help make the show a success in each of our ten markets."

"The Nate Berkus Show" is the second series partnership between Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television.  Their first, "The Dr. Oz Show," launched in September 2009 as the highest-rated first-run syndication premiere in the last seven years.

Nate Berkus began his career with Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and also interned with Dominique Aurientis in Paris, France.  At the age of 24, he formed his own company, Nate Berkus Associates, where he took on projects for Wolfgang Puck's Spago, Barney's New York, W hotels, as well as a prestigious list of private homes and clients. In 2001, after making over a small space for "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Berkus became a featured design expert for the show and continued to garner national press attention.  Berkus is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, "Home Rules: Transform the Place You Live into a Place You'll Love," (Hyperion).  Additionally, he has his own home line available through Home Shopping Network (HSN).

SPT will handle worldwide distribution efforts for the show, advertiser sales and marketing, and co-produce the series with Harpo Productions.

Harpo Productions, Inc. is the most successful production company in daytime talk, producing the number one, award-winning "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and syndication's latest success, "The Dr. Oz Show," as well as having developed "Dr. Phil" and "Rachael Ray."  Harpo Productions creates and develops original TV programming for primetime, syndication and cable television and operates Oprah.com (www.oprah.com), a premier lifestyle website. ZoCo Productions, LLC, an affiliate of Harpo Productions, Inc., and Sony Pictures Television co-produce "The Dr. Oz Show."  Harpo Print, LLC and Hearst Magazines publish the monthly O, The Oprah Magazine publication.  Harpo Films produces feature films and, through an exclusive deal with HBO, scripted television programming.  Harpo Radio, Inc. produces Oprah Radio (XM channel 156, Sirius channel 195 as part of its "Best of XM" package) on Sirius XM Radio.  A joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a multi-platform company, will debut in January 2011 in approximately 80 million homes, on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers.  It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution.  In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms.  Internationally, SPT is a leading producer of local language scripted and non-scripted programming.  SPT also sells SPE-owned formats in approximately 70 countries.  To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio, which includes branded networks AXN, Sony Entertainment Television, and Animax, is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 119 channel feeds available in more than 130 countries, reaching almost 400 million households worldwide.  SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle.  Additionally, SPT is a part owner of cable channel GSN, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc.  SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States, and for Sony Music Entertainment.  SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

NBC Local Media is comprised of ten NBC owned-and-operated television stations reaching 27% of US TV households; the NBC Everywhere operation focusing on the growing Out of Home digital market; LX.TV, a content production company that produces lifestyle and cultural programming; and Skycastle Entertainment, an award-winning entertainment marketing and promotion company.  Together, the NBC Local Media properties distribute NBC Universal content and produce local content for broadcast television, broadband networks, digital channels and numerous media outlets outside of the home.  NBC Local Media is a division of NBC Universal.

SOURCE Sony Pictures Television