Television
January 24, 2002
“Celebrity Justice” Bought By Stations In More Than 70% Of The Country For Fall 2002
(January 24, 2002 – Las Vegas, NV) – Telepictures Distribution has sold “Celebrity Justice,” a half-hour newsmagazine strip that covers the trials and legal tribulations of the rich and famous, to stations in more than 70% of the country, including 18 of the top 20 markets and 45 of the top 50, for fall 2002, it was announced today by Dick Robertson, who serves as President of both Telepictures Distribution and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, and Jim Paratore, President, Telepictures Productions.
Stations in the top three markets clearing the series are WNBC-TV (New York), KCAL-TV (Los Angeles) and WMAQ-TV (Chicago).
On “Celebrity Justice,” viewers will witness the real-life dramas of movie and TV stars, music and sports personalities, as well as our nation’s leading political officials, as the rich and famous cope with many of the same legal issues that ordinary people struggle with every day.
While traditional news and entertainment magazines report just the headlines, “Celebrity Justice” will focus in-depth on legal battles and conflicts involving the rich and the powerful. The series will give a balanced and fair report of both sides of the story, examining the rights of these high-profile defendants and plaintiffs as they work their way through the legal system, from court filing to resolution.
“‘Celebrity Justice’ is a unique, distinctive, breakout premise for a series and is unlike anything on television,” said Robertson. “This hybrid series will tap into the incredible popularity of court shows, while giving viewers the glitz and glamour of Hollywood celebrities embroiled in legal conflicts, presented in an entertaining newsmagazine format that is sure to provide the advertiser-friendly, high CPMs that stations need.”
“This show combines people’s fascination with celebrities and the legal system,” said Paratore. “As a result, ‘Celebrity Justice’ will attract the younger viewers that watch entertainment magazines and the older audience that watches court shows, creating a franchise that can play in any daypart.”
Besides breaking news and comprehensive legal analysis, “Celebrity Justice” will involve viewers in every aspect of the legal process, allowing them to see actual court documents, review insider files and watch court conflicts play out on-screen. The series will feature recurring segments, such as “You Be the Judge,” where viewers will hear legal arguments in a mock trial, then vote online as an interactive jury panel to decide the case. In “Equal Justice” the show will explore whether or not the celebrity was treated more or less fairly than an ordinary citizen faced with the same situation. “Celebrity Justice” will also offer a lighter look at courtroom drama, as it cross-examines and, sometimes, overrules the fashion sense of many of America’s most attractive people in “Court Appearances.”
Serving as the series’ senior executive producer is highly respected reality television producer Lisa Gregorisch-Dempsey, and the series’ executive producer is prominent legal analyst Harvey Levin. Gregorisch-Dempsey currently serves as Senior Executive Producer, Reality Programming for Telepictures Productions, where she oversees the daily newsmagazine “Extra.” She was also the in-house news consultant for the Fox Television Stations Group and has run news operations in major markets all around the country, including New York, Dallas, Salt Lake City and Denver. Levin, an attorney and published author, has enjoyed a two-decade broadcasting career, serving as a behind-the-scenes consultant for 12 years on the original “The People’s Court” and as an on-air legal correspondent for the past five seasons on the series’ new incarnation. He has earned nine Emmy Awards for local news investigative reporting in New York and Los Angeles.
“Celebrity Justice” is produced by Time Telepictures Television West Coast Productions in association with Harvey Levin Productions, Inc. and is distributed by Telepictures Distribution. # # #