ABC makes a date with 'Bachelorette'
July 17
By Doug Young
PASADENA, CA (Reuters)-- Television network ABC, in a bid to retake its title as queen of the prime time dance, will make over its schedule next season with a female version of its breakout hit "reality" series "The Bachelor," network officials said on Wednesday.
In an unusual move for reality television, ABC said it will recycle the runner-up from the original hit series, bachelorette Trista Rehn, who was passed over by bachelor Alex Michel for the younger and bustier Amanda Marsh.
The new show -- aptly titled "The Bachelorette" -- will run in early 2003 in between two separate renditions of "The Bachelor," which is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesdays, according to Lloyd Braun, chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group.
The network hopes the show, where a person chooses his or her ideal mate from 25 candidates, will help reinvigorate a moribund schedule that landed ABC in third place this season among the major networks.
ABC's decline was that much more pronounced because it finished at No. 1 just two years ago when its "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" franchise was all the rage. The network's weak performance has also put a major damper on recent earnings from ABC parent The Walt Disney Co. <DIS.N>.
At a meeting with reporters where ABC announced the new show, several question were raised about double standards and whether Trista might be perceived as promiscuous.
"One of the things that will be interesting about doing 'The Bachelorette' is precisely that," said Susan Lyne, President of ABC Entertainment. "It will force all of us to look at what those double standards are."
Lyne said the selection of Trista, a known character, was a natural choice.
"There was very little debate once it became clear Trista wanted to do this," she said. "There will be more interest in 'The Bachelorette' because we know this girl, we like her."
In keeping with its new image, ABC also announced it would scale back its in-your-face yellow-colored promotions, featuring black and white pictures on a bold, yellow background.
The original yellow will be replaced by by a range of colors in new promotional material, said Mike Benson, senior vice president of marketing, advertising and promotion for the ABC Television Network.
He said ABC wanted to create a new look and feel to go with its new on-air persona, which -- aside from kiss-and-tell shows like "The Bachelorette" -- will be built around a return to programs with broad family appeal.
ABC will introduce four new comedies and three new dramas this fall, as part of a strategy to overhaul its lineup by creating a nightly "happy hour" from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. suitable for viewers of all ages.
07/17/02 19:25 ET
July 17
By Doug Young
PASADENA, CA (Reuters)-- Television network ABC, in a bid to retake its title as queen of the prime time dance, will make over its schedule next season with a female version of its breakout hit "reality" series "The Bachelor," network officials said on Wednesday.
In an unusual move for reality television, ABC said it will recycle the runner-up from the original hit series, bachelorette Trista Rehn, who was passed over by bachelor Alex Michel for the younger and bustier Amanda Marsh.
The new show -- aptly titled "The Bachelorette" -- will run in early 2003 in between two separate renditions of "The Bachelor," which is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesdays, according to Lloyd Braun, chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group.
The network hopes the show, where a person chooses his or her ideal mate from 25 candidates, will help reinvigorate a moribund schedule that landed ABC in third place this season among the major networks.
ABC's decline was that much more pronounced because it finished at No. 1 just two years ago when its "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" franchise was all the rage. The network's weak performance has also put a major damper on recent earnings from ABC parent The Walt Disney Co. <DIS.N>.
At a meeting with reporters where ABC announced the new show, several question were raised about double standards and whether Trista might be perceived as promiscuous.
"One of the things that will be interesting about doing 'The Bachelorette' is precisely that," said Susan Lyne, President of ABC Entertainment. "It will force all of us to look at what those double standards are."
Lyne said the selection of Trista, a known character, was a natural choice.
"There was very little debate once it became clear Trista wanted to do this," she said. "There will be more interest in 'The Bachelorette' because we know this girl, we like her."
In keeping with its new image, ABC also announced it would scale back its in-your-face yellow-colored promotions, featuring black and white pictures on a bold, yellow background.
The original yellow will be replaced by by a range of colors in new promotional material, said Mike Benson, senior vice president of marketing, advertising and promotion for the ABC Television Network.
He said ABC wanted to create a new look and feel to go with its new on-air persona, which -- aside from kiss-and-tell shows like "The Bachelorette" -- will be built around a return to programs with broad family appeal.
ABC will introduce four new comedies and three new dramas this fall, as part of a strategy to overhaul its lineup by creating a nightly "happy hour" from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. suitable for viewers of all ages.
07/17/02 19:25 ET