The syndicated entertainment newsmag “Dish Nation” has been renewed for two more seasons by Fox Television Stations. The deal likely ensures that the show will run at least through the 2016-17 season as Fox-owned stations provide its key clearances.
The half-hour show has been a slow-build success story for Fox’s Twentieth Television syndication arm. The show features host Rickey Smiley and radio drive-time personalities in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas dishing on the daily’s celebrity gossip and pop culture headlines.
“We see it as a show with big upside, and audiences in our key time periods and upgrades have backed us up,” said Frank Cicha, senior VP of programming for Fox Television Stations.
According to Fox, viewership of “Dish Nation” is up 10% during the past year to a daily average of 1.4 million viewers as Fox has put more muscle into promoting the show and overhauled its digital extensions. “Dish Nation” airs mostly in early evening and latenight timeslots.
The show was tested on a regional basis on Fox O&Os in 2011 before expanding nationally in 2012. Michael Bachmann is exec producer.
