Upn Gets A Foothold In Spokane
In local TV, the big news of the fall season is that Spokane has acquired a new network affiliate, UPN-22.
UPN stands for United Paramount Network, and it debuted in Spokane this week on KSKN-22. UPN, in its second season nationwide, hasn’t made much of a splash yet, but then again it took Fox a few years to break into the big time, too.
Will UPN ever grow to adulthood? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Here are the details of this and other changes at Spokane’s TV stations this fall:
KSKN-22
Maybe UPN isn’t a major draw yet, but chances are its new 10 p.m. local newscast will draw lots of early-to-bed news viewers.
KSKN’s 10 p.m. news will actually be the KREM-2 news, with anchors Charles Rowe and Nadine Woodward. This has been described as a “dress rehearsal” for the same newscast that you’ll see at 11 p.m. on KREM. KREM has a local marketing agreement with KSKN, which means that KREM provides programming, marketing and technical expertise for KSKN. KREM won this right following a bidding war with other Spokane stations.
During prime time, KSKN will be running the UPN schedule several nights a week, the highlight of which will be “Star Trek: Voyager” every Wednesday night at 9 p.m.
The rest of the schedule will be syndicated, including talk shows (Sally Jessy at 10 a.m. weekdays, Ricki Lake at 5 p.m. weekdays), repeats of network dramas (“Matlock” at 11 a.m. weekdays and “Dr. Quinn” at noon weekdays). You’ll also see plenty of sitcom reruns, including “Martin” at midnight and “Coach” at 12:30 a.m. on weekdays.
One big switch: Reruns of “The Simpsons” switch from KREM to KSKN at 6 p.m. weekdays.
KSKN was formerly a Home Shopping Network station, and the transition to UPN affiliate will be gradual. Much of its new programming began last week, and the Home Shopping programming will be gradually phased out through September.
KAYU-28
The local Fox affiliate has made a number of changes, including one of intense interest to Trekkies.
KAYU has made the 6 p.m. slot an all-Trek experience. Mondays through Fridays, it will feature re-runs of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Then on Saturdays, it will run the new episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Only on Sundays will the 6 p.m. slot have something different: the cult hit “Xena: Warrior Princess.”
KAYU has also re-tooled its early-evening weekday lineup of sit-coms, moving “Married With Children” to 7 p.m. and “Cheers” to 7:30 p.m. “Cheers” also airs at 10:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
KAYU has also acquired a familiar drama, now in syndicated reruns: “Walker: Texas Ranger” will air Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m.
During the day, KAYU has the new talk-variety show, “The Vicki Lawrence Show,” starring Carol Burnett’s old sidekick, weekdays at 9 a.m. A movie block, “Afternoon Matinee,” will run weekdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
KAYU also continues with its new late-night entry, “Keenen Ivory Wayans,” weeknights at 11.
KXLY-4
Fans of the “X-Files” can now see old episodes in syndication on KXLY every Saturday night at both 7 and 11:30. The syndicated version is called “X2.”
Speaking of re-runs of hit shows, KXLY also has “NYPD Blue” every Sunday at 11:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 28.
In the daytime, KXLY has added “Home Team with Terry Bradshaw” to the weekday schedule at 9 a.m. This new show combines home-style segments with celebrity interviews. “Maury Povich” moves from its morning slot to 3 p.m. weekdays.
One change that ought to make Bill Maher fans happy: “Politically Incorrect” will finally be brought up to its intended time slot at 12:05 a.m., immediately following “Nightline.”
One change is coming up in the station’s news division: The popular Tonia Bendickson, host of KXLY’s “Good Morning Northwest,” will be leaving in October for a new job as a morning anchor in Houston.
KHQ-6
Stability is the word at KHQ-6 this year. Only one change is scheduled, but it’s a big one: Syndicated re-runs of “Frasier” will air weekdays at 6:30 p.m.
This is the first year in syndication for the much-loved gang of Niles, Daphne and Dr. Frasier Crane. It replaces “Mad About You” in syndication, which moves to noon.
KSPS-7
One of the big changes in Spokane’s PBS station is a revamping of the children’s programming. Two big kids’ blocks will air every morning (including “Shining Time Station,” “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “Barney and Friends” and “Sesame Street”) and every afternoon (including “Arthur,” “The Magic School Bus,” “Bill Nye the Science Guy” and a repeat showing of “Barney and Friends”).
The station’s popular public affairs programs will return, with “Spokane This Week,” a show featuring local reporters and newsmakers, airing every Friday at 8:30 p.m. “At Issue,” which tackles a local topic every month, returns one Thursday a month (the next one will be Oct. 9, 7 p.m., on the ballot initiatives).
The station’s popular lineup of British comedies returns at 10 p.m. weeknights, and the “Saturday Cinema,” featuring classic movies, returns at 8 p.m. Saturdays.
KREM-2
This station is breaking up its old “Seinfeld” and “Simpsons” rerun hour in the early evening. “The Simpsons” is moving over to KSKN, and KREM is replacing it with syndicated reruns of “Grace Under Fire” at 7:30 p.m. This is the first year in syndication for “Grace.”
“Seinfeld” will remain at 7 p.m.
In the mornings, “Judge Judy,” a people’s court-type show, will air at 9 a.m. weekdays. “Pictionary,” a new talk show based on the popular home game, airs at 9:30 a.m.
On weekday afternoons, “Gayle King,” an Oprah-type talk show, will take over at 3 p.m. “Martha Stewart,” the do-everything domestic goddess, air at 3:30 p.m.
, DataTimes