• by David Goetzl , April 14, 2011

Procter & Gamble and Walmart said they will continue as sponsors of "Family Movie Night" on two networks this year with five original productions. The first comes on Fox later this month, with four more on NBC.  

The initiative by the pair of advertisers that back family-friendly programming debuted last April and four other movies followed. This year's debut will be April 16 on Fox.

One film, "Change of Plans," will be available on DVD later this month at Walmart. The five movies this year will run periodically through December.

"At Walmart, we're committed to delivering more quality family entertainment options to parents across the country, and our 'Family Movie Night' ... is an anchor to our broader program," stated Stephen Quinn, Walmart U.S. chief marketing officer.

Family Movie Night has roots in research conducted by the Association of National Advertisers that showed parents are seeking more programming options to watch with kids.

P&G and Walmart have new research showing 69% of mothers in a survey said they wished there were "more family-friendly TV programs that they can enjoy with their kids" and 75% "admitted to having to change the channel because of inappropriate content in a program they thought was family-friendly."

P&G ran a well-received "Proud Sponsor of Moms" campaign during the last Olympics.