Court TV Changing Name and Content in 2008

Court TV will be changing its name and its style on January 1st, 2008. The station has seen its demographics change over the years and will focus on shows that will capture more real crime drama over the courtroom analysis that it started with. The channel will focus on real life looks on crime fighting techniques by first responders.

“We have identified a very strong audience segment driving our prime-time success, an audience we call Real Engagers,” said Marc Juris, Court TV general manager. “These viewers watch a tremendous amount of television and love real-life action programming, real-life emotion and access to places they can’t normally go. Now that we have identified our target audience, we can evolve our programming to serve those viewers, while also capturing the unrealized potential of our new consumer brand.”

Turner Entertainment Networks President Steve Koonin said Court TV’s rebranding goes hand in hand with Turner’s TBS network and its “very funny brand” and TNT’s reputation for drama programs.

After examining Court TV’s viewers and their programming desires, the network found its line-up attracts a dual audience that skews slightly male and enjoys programming with real people, real-life situations and true stories. And while they tend to favor action-oriented programming, they are also interested in compelling stories and characters, the network said.

Upcoming and in-development projects include series and specials such as: “The Room,” a real-life look at police interrogations; “The Real Hustle,” featuring a trio of con artists targeting unsuspecting marks; “Tiger Team,” featuring a team of security experts hired to test high-end security systems; “Most Daring,” a series that focuses on life-or-death rescues; “Beach Patrol: Hawaii,” a series that follows lifeguards from the Honolulu Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services unit; “Bounty Girls,” which focuses on Sunshine State Bail Bonds in Florida and its female bounty hunters.  via Atlanta Business Chronicle