• by Paul Gough , April 15, 2004

Next season will see an increased pace of original programming at Lifetime Television, the channel announced at Thursday morning's upfront presentation.

Lifetime plans a record number of original movies in the new season, from 12 this year to 19 in 2004-2005, including the 2005 premiere of the network's first miniseries. The movies star Lauren Holly, Mary-Louise Parker, Dana Delany, and Debra Winger, among others. The 19 new movies will join a programming slate that includes the channel's four dramas on Saturdays and Sundays, a new reality-programming block on Friday nights, and a trans- Atlantic import, "How Clean Is Your House?" Two other shows, "What Should You Do?" and "Lifetime's Speaking of Women's Health," will also return in the new season.

The upfront presentation was held in the ballroom at the Grand Hyatt hotel in midtown Manhattan, about two blocks from Madison Avenue. It featured appearances by "Missing" star Vivica A. Fox, "Wild Card" actress Joely Fisher, "Merge" host Lisa Rinna, and, as a musical guest to close out the show, Ashanti.

The network is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. It's grown to a network with a distribution of 88 million homes on the basic channel, as well as two newer channels, Lifetime Movie Network and Lifetime Real Women. It also includes LifetimeTV.com, with 3 million unique visitors a month and 20 million page views every month, and the recently launched Lifetime Magazine.

And Lifetime executives unveiled a new brand, Lifetime Radio For Women, at Thursday's event. The 4-hour weekday morning drivetime radio show will be syndicated through Jones Radio Networks.

Ashanti's appearance capped a presentation that drove home the message that Lifetime was deeply involved in the lives of its target demographic, going beyond the usual entertainment and information fare to advocate for improvements in women's lives. Lifetime Entertainment's President/Chief Executive Carole Black pointed to the channel's efforts in halting domestic violence and breast cancer, among other initiatives. Ashanti described her association with Lifetime through the anti-domestic violence efforts the channel had launched.

"Because of that, we've become more than just a network," said Black.