This Season's Syndicated Hit - A Psychic Talk Show

The upcoming TV season's breakout syndicated hit is expected to be Crossing Over With John Edward, the daring psychic talk show.

The show, which features Edward trying to talk with dead friends or relatives of members of the studio audience, goes into national syndication the week of Aug. 27. It will run on 180 stations, covering 98% of the U.S. The show will be sold as a half hour strip, although it will run back-to-back half hours in many markets. WCBS in New York, a CBS affiliate, and KCAL in Los Angeles and WPWR in Chicago, which are independents, are the major stations carrying it.

Affiliates of all major networks as well as independents will run Crossing Over on a market by market basis, according to Jim Benson, a senior vice president of communications at Studios USA Domestic Television, the show's distributor.

It will air in the early fringe spots in late afternoons on most stations.

The show debuted on the Sci Fi Channel last July and was so successful it now airs back-to-back five nights a week from 8 to 9 pm. It will continue to run on Sci Fi with a time change to accommodate the dual platform run.

Studios USA Domestic Television and Sci Fi are divisions of USA Networks.

The authenticity of the show has been questioned by those who don't believe in Edward's powers. But John Rash, senior VP of broadcast negotiations for Campbell Mithune Esty in Minneapolis, says, "People who believe in his powers or not, find it compelling TV and advertisers will invest their marketing dollars to reach them. It's akin to professional wrestling. Most viewers know or strongly believe there is a suspension of disbelief but enjoy it for its entertainment value."

Rash says he has bought the show on Sci Fi as part of the multi daypart package.

Surprisingly, the audience for the show is 60% women, prompting Rash to say, "Marketers who have female-based products or services and advertise in the daytime are most likely purchasers of air time. Those categories are led by package goods companies, he says, without mentioning any specific client names.

When asked whether he thought the show would really be a hit, he said it has a chance for success, but then said, "Nothing in syndication is a hit relative to other programs." The show might earn a three share, which would make it a daytime success, he says, but nothing like the top prime-time shows, which can earn 15s.

The show on Sci Fi earned a Nielsen rating of .4 total households and a 1 share.

Next story loading loading..