Tribune Broadcasting has nabbed syndicated pop culture game show Celebrity Name Game.
The deal with Debmar-Mercury will bring the Craig Ferguson-hosted half-hour show from FremantleMedia North America to stations covering 40 percent of the U.S., including seven of the top 10 markets. The strip will air on Tribune stations including WPIX New York, KTLA Los Angeles and WGN Chicago.
From executive producers Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Coquette Productions and showrunner Scott St. John, Name Game is a spin on the board game Identity Crisis and will debut in fall 2014. Each episode finds celebrities teaming up with contestants to identify famous names -- including actors, singers, athletes, pop culture figures, politicians and even cartoon characters.
STORY: Craig Ferguson to Host Syndicated Game Show 'Celebrity Name Game'
"Combining Craig Ferguson's sharp wit with Celebrity Name Game's fast-paced format makes this show a great fit to the existing lineup on our broadcast stations," said Sean Compton, president of programming and entertainment at Tribune Broadcasting and Larry Wert, president of broadcast media. "We look forward to partnering with Debmar-Mercury, FremantleMedia and Coquette Productions on this project as Tribune continues to add inventive first-run programming, specifically in access and early fringe."
Added FMNA CEO Thom Beers: "We’re thrilled to see Tribune come in with such a solid commitment to this series, showing how quickly they recognized the true magic of this show and every element within it, from the uber-talented Craig Ferguson to the dynamically funny Courteney Cox and David Arquette. Together with Debmar-Mercury, we’re excited to bring this entertaining series to audiences across the nation.”
The pact marks the second collaboration between FMNA (The Price Is Right, Let's Make a Deal, American Idol, The X Factor and America's Got Talent) and Debmar-Mercury, following Family Feud.
Jennifer Mullin joins St. John, Beers, Cox and Arquette as executive producer.
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