Sony Pictures Television Announces Clearances in Seven of The Top 10 Markets for 'Judge Maria Lopez'

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has sold its court series "Judge Maria Lopez" to television stations in seven of the top 10 markets, including stations from the Tribune, Viacom and Weigel station groups, for a September 2006 launch in first-run, national syndication, it was announced today by John Weiser, president, distribution, SPT.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NYM131 )

"Judge Maria Lopez" has been sold in markets representing more than 35% of the country, including New York (WPIX), Chicago (WCIU), Philadelphia (KYW/WPSG), Boston (WBZ/WSBK), San Francisco (KBHK/KPIX), Dallas (KTVT/KTXA) and Atlanta (WUPA). Additionally, the series has been sold to WKBD/WWJ in Detroit, WTOG in Tampa/St. Petersburg, WBFS/WFOR in Miami, KDKA/WNPA in Pittsburgh, WDJT/WMLW in Milwaukee, WTCN/WTVX in West Palm Beach, Florida and WGNT in Norfolk, Virginia. In all markets, the series will be placed in proven court blocks.

"'Judge Maria Lopez's dynamic personality and strong appeal to female and Hispanic viewers will have a big impact in the thriving court genre," said Weiser.

A half-hour daily strip, "Judge Maria Lopez" will be hosted by Lopez, who was the first female Hispanic judge appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court. Known for her outspoken, no-nonsense approach on the bench, she handed down creative, compassionate and controversial sentences, including once requiring that the men's locker room at Boston's Logan Airport be turned over to a female state trooper for an hour a day until equal facilities were built.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Lopez fled to the United States as a child with her parents to escape the Cuban revolution. A graduate of Smith College and Boston University Law School, she practiced law as a civil rights attorney for nearly ten years before becoming a judge. In 1988, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed Lopez to be a District Court Judge, and in February 1993, Governor William F. Weld elevated her to the Massachusetts Superior Court.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off- network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Sony Pictures Television, Advertiser Sales, is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series and for high definition channels INHD and INHD2. Together, the Sony and MGM film and television libraries constitute the largest collection of its kind in the world. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NYM131
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SOURCE: Sony Pictures Television

CONTACT: Bryan Byrd of Sony Pictures Television, +1-310-244-3792,
Bryan_Byrd@spe.sony.com

Web site: http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com/