Neal Sabin: Celebs Rumors

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeWeigel Broadcasting Co., the company behind the classic television outlet Me TV, is launching its first unscripted network. The company will launch Story Television Network, an over-the-air national broadcast channel devoted to history-based fare, on March 28.Story TV’s programming will include off-net series that originally aired on networks like A&E and History Channel, including “Biography,” “The Men Who Built America,” “World War II in HD,” “Modern Marvels,” “Mankind: The Story of All of Us” and more. Each day will center programming around a unique theme or genre, such as military, technology and innovation, world events, American history, modern achievement, unexplained phenomena, and biographical tributes.

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Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Classic TV network MeTV is turning its cartoon block into a new network. Owner Weigel Broadcasting Co. announced Wednesday that it will launch MeTV Toons as a new national TV network focused on classic animation, “from Hollywood-era shorts to made-for-television favorites.” MeTV Toons, which launches June 25, is a collab between Weigel and Warner Bros.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Weigel Broadcasting Co. is flipping its digital broadcast network Decades into the sitcom-centric Catchy Comedy on March 27, Variety has learned exclusively. The over-the-air network will focus on a library of classic comedies, with an emphasis on key female stars including the signature shows from Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Burnett. But also central to the Catchy Comedy lineup are key series from Norman Lear, as well as some of the most lauded sitcoms of all time – including the original “Night Court,” which is back in the spotlight thanks to the success of the revival series on NBC. Unlike Decades, which wasn’t measured by ratings, Catchy Comedy will be Nielsen-rated. “That takes it into a different sphere, in terms of advertiser availability and access,” said Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of Weigel Broadcasting Co. “There are many advertisers that won’t look at these networks unless they’re rated and we’re pretty confident that we have something here that will rate well.”