ITV's AMERICA NOW to Expand With New Distribution

AMERICA NOW, the hit daily newsmagazine show co-hosted by Leeza Gibbons and Bill Rancic from ITV Studios America and Raycom Media, is expanding with a new distribution team, it was announced today by Paul McTear, President and CEO of Raycom Media and Paul Buccieri, Managing Director of ITV Studios International and President and CEO of ITV Studios America. Mary Carole McDonnell's Bellum Entertainment has taken over the distribution for the series. Boots Walker has joined Bellum as Vice President of Sales. She and Boyd McDonnell, Vice President of Programming, will lead the team of five experienced sales representatives to expand its outreach. Starting this month, the show has a new primetime clearance on WADL in Detroit.

"We have been so gratified by the positive response to America Now, and we feel extremely fortunate to begin 2012 with such great news to announce," said McTear. "We're excited about what adding Detroit to our markets signals, and confident that adding Bellum to our team will succeed in bringing the show to even more viewers."

"We look forward to introducing more markets to 'America Now,' which has become a go-to source for interesting, relevant stories and useful advice," Buccieri said.

"It is clear that audiences have embraced the refreshing format of 'America Now' and we are thrilled to be able to expand the show's national outreach," Walker commented.

Airing weekdays in 45 markets, America Now ranks among the top first-run syndicated shows premiering this past fall, second only to Anderson Cooper and often beating some of the other top-run syndicated programs that are well-known and seen throughout the country.

During Fall 2011, America Now consistently drew strong viewership in many of its markets. Seven weeks after its launch, the show found terrific success in cities including Birmingham, Ala., Richmond, Va., Charlotte, N.C. and Memphis.

· In Birmingham (WBRC), the show earned a bigger rating than network daytime shows including The Talk and The Chew, as well as talk show veterans such as The Rachael Ray Show, Ellen and The Doctors.

· In Richmond (WWBT), America Now outranked talk veterans like Jerry Springer and The Doctors, as well as Anderson.

· In Charlotte (WBTV), America Now drew more viewers than the second and third hours of the Today Show and The Talk.

· In Memphis (WMC), America Now out-delivered daytime talk veterans including Live! with Regis and Kelly and The Doctors.

America Now airs across the country. To find the program in your area, please visit www.americanownews.com.

About Raycom Media:?Raycom, an employee-owned company, is one of the nation's largest broadcasters and owns and/or operates 47 television stations in 36 markets and 18 states. Raycom stations cover 12.6 percent of U.S. television households and employ nearly 3,500 individuals in full and part-time positions. In addition to television stations, Raycom owns Raycom Sports (a marketing, production and events management and distribution company in Charlotte); Raycom Post (a post production facility in Burbank, California) and Broadview Media (a post production facility based in Montgomery).Further information about Raycom can be found at the corporate website,http://www.raycommedia.com.

About ITV Studios America

ITV Studios America, the US based production entity of ITV Studios in the UK, is one of the largest international producers for the US market and a major force in acquiring, developing and producing reality and scripted programming for US networks. ITV Studios America has a slate of formats in production with major networks and syndicators, including Prime Suspect, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, First 48, After the First 48, Steven Seagal -Lawman, Four Weddings, My Ride Rules, The Bill Cunningham Show, America Now and The Jeremy Kyle Show.

ITV Studios is a world leader in television production and distribution. It has international production centers in the UK, Germany, France, Scandinavia and Australia as well as America. It is a distributor of programs to over 155 territories worldwide.

About Bellum Entertainment

Bellum Entertainment is the parent company of Longneedle Entertainment and 1525 Entertainment. Bellum specializes in development, production and distribution of television projects for broadcast, cable, digital and ancillary markets. In addition to distributing America Now for Raycom Media and ITV Studios America, Bellum is producing and distributing a new weekend hour block, Unsealed: The Alien Files & The Conspiracy Files, and three E/I shows for Fall 2012.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!