NBC’s upcoming Martha Stewart series gets enthusiastic response

MUMBAI: Just how strong a draw Martha Stewart is on American television can be gauged by this piece of news.

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution claims to have sold its upcoming daily series with Martha Stewart in more than 60 per cent of the US television market as a part of its national syndication drive. The series goes on air later this year.

As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Stewart has teamed up with the reality TV guru Mark Burnett for a new daily series.

The hour-long show will be taped live with a studio audience. Its USP is a new programming format that allows audience members and special guests to participate and interact with Martha.

Viewers will learn new ways to enhance their lives as audience members and even celebrity guests help Martha unveil great ideas and new projects — right from cooking and entertaining to decorating and home renovating, and much more. The segments will be engaging, illuminating and fun, appealing to a broad audience of viewers.

The series has been sold on stations from a number of US broadcast station groups, including Hearst-Argyle, Gannett, Scripps Howard, Belo, Freedom, CBS, Young, Clear Channel, Meredith and Milwaukee Journal.

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution president Barry Wallach said, “The station community is very excited about Martha’s return to daytime television in the fall of 2005. With the first half of the US sales now completed, Martha’s return has been enthusiastically endorsed by top stations all across the country, ensuring an unsurpassed launching pad.”