NEW YORK (Variety) - Retro cable network TV Land will bolster
its lineup by
adding more than 30 old cop- and crime-related series,
including ``Dragnet,''
``Kojak'' and ``Adam 12,'' beginning Jan. 1.
Among the other shows to air on the 24-hour Nick at Nite
spinoff are
``Baretta,'' ``Ironside,'' ``Get Christie Love,'' ``The Hardy
Boys/Nancy Drew
Mysteries,'' ``Ellery Queen,'' ``It Takes a Thief,''
``Delvecchio,'' ``Alfred
Hitchcock Presents'' and ``Emergency.''
In addition, TV Land will gain a number of older series that
had short network
runs of one to three years. These include ``87th Precinct''
(1961-62),
``Toma'' (1973-74), ``Chase'' (1973-74), ``Checkmate''
(1960-62), ``City of
Angels'' (1976) and ``Name of the Game'' (1968-71).
The deal also features ``Mickey Spillane,'' ``The Eddie Capra
Mysteries,''
``Owen Marshall Counselor at Law,'' ``M Squad,'' ``City
Detective,'' ``Court
Martial,'' ``Crusader,'' ``Follow That Man,'' ``Markham,''
``Ohara'' and ``On
Trial.''
TV Land, which reaches 33.1 million cable subscribers,
acquired the series
from Studios USA in a ``library-dipping deal,'' meaning that
TV Land can
cherry pick the particular episodes it wishes to air.
``Every time I take a run, they bill me,'' explained Diane
Robina, sr. VP and
associate G.M. of TV Land. ``If one of the shows really pops,
we can then take
the whole library.''
She said TV Land will pay Studios USA ``a few million a
year'' for the
exclusive cable rights to the 30 series. Many still run in
syndication on a
limited number of broadcast stations around the
country.
TV Land is counting on ``Dragnet'' and ``Adam 12'' to earn
the highest
ratings. ``Adam 12'' will be screen at 9 p.m. weeknights,
with ``Dragnet''
following at 9:30 p.m.
In a separate deal, Nick at Nite acquired Norman Lear's ``The
Jeffersons''
from Columbia TriStar, said Robina. The series will premiere
in January.
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