Sony Pictures Television's 'Judge Maria Lopez' Now Sold in 90% of the Country

Sony Pictures Television's (SPT) highly anticipated new court series "Judge Maria Lopez" has been sold to television stations in 45 of the top 50 markets and is now cleared in 90% of the country for a fall 2006 launch in first-run, national syndication, it was announced today by John Weiser, president, distribution, SPT. The series, which will be placed in proven court blocks in most markets, has now been sold to stations from the following groups: Tribune, Viacom, Sinclair, Raycom, Clear Channel, Acme, Scripps Howard, Capitol, Belo, Weigel and the WB 100+ Station Group.

"We've had a tremendous response to 'Judge Maria Lopez" in the marketplace," said Weiser. "We're in business with Judge Lopez because she is a compelling and distinctive personality who will appeal to viewers and advertisers."

"Judge Maria Lopez" has been sold to several new markets including Los Angeles (KTLA), Washington, DC (WBDC), Seattle (KCPQ/KTWB), Phoenix (KASW/KTVK), Minneapolis (KMWB), Cleveland (WOIO/WUAB), Sacramento (KTXL), Baltimore (WBFF/WNUV), Indianapolis (WTTV/WXIN), San Diego (KSWB), Charlotte (WJZY/WWWB) and Raleigh-Durham (WRAZ). Additionally, the series has been sold to KMCI/KSHB in Kansas City, WXIX in Cincinnati, WABM/WDBB/WTTO in Birmingham, Alabama, WHP/WLYH in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, WGNO/WNOL in New Orleans, KASY/KWBQ in Albuquerque-Santa Fe, WUPN/WXLV in Greensboro, North Carolina, KFBT/KVWB in Las Vegas, WEWB in Albany, New York, KASN/KLRT in Little Rock, WBXX in Knoxville, Tennessee and WBDT in Dayton, Ohio, among others.

Previously, the series had been sold in New York (WPIX), Chicago (WCIU), Philadelphia (KYW/WPSG), Boston (WBZ/WSBK), San Francisco (KBHK/KPIX), Dallas (KTVT/KTXA), Atlanta (WUPA), Detroit (WKBD/WWJ), Tampa/St. Petersburg (WTOG), Miami (WBFS/WFOR), Pittsburgh (KDKA/WNPA), Milwaukee (WDJT/WMLW), West Palm Beach, Florida (WTCN/WTVX) and Norfolk, Virginia (WGNT).

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 dynamic persona and her outspoken, no-nonsense approach on the bench, she handed down creative, compassionate and controversial sentences.

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.

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/