GECs
MyNetworkTV’s nine new affiliates help expand coverage to 65 per cent in U.S.
MUMBAI: Fox Television Stations’ new prime-time network MyNetworkTV announced that it has signed on nine more affiliates, expanding its coverage to 65 percent of the U.S.
Four of the additional stations are owned by Pappas Telecasting Companies. They include KDMI-DT in Des Moines, Iowa; KKAZ-KPTM-DT in Omaha, Nebraska; KDBC-DT in El Paso, Texas; and KPTH-DT in Sioux City, Iowa.
The remaining five new affiliates are WZDX in Huntsville-Decatur, Alabama; WFXI in Greenville, North Carolina; KZOU in Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri; KIDZ in Abilene-Sweetwater, Texas; and KGJT in Grand Junction-Montrose, Colorado.
Pappas Telecasting Companies chairman and CEO Harry J. Pappas said of the deal, “17 years ago, we took a gamble on a fledgling enterprise, the FOX Network. We affiliated the three TV stations we then owned with FOX, despite the fact that many pundits said a fourth network couldn’t possibly succeed. Were they ever wrong! Our relationship with FOX has been mutually-beneficial. Now, we are affiliating four of our TV stations with FOX’s newest enterprise, MyNetworkTV. When you consider Rupert Murdoch’s consistent track record of success, it’s easy to understand why we’re betting on News Corp. again with MyNetworkTV-a bet that Pappas Telecasting expects to pay off handsomely for all involved.”
MyNetworkTV launches on 5 September with the new scripted primetime drama strips Desire and Secret Obsessions.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
