Tribune Stations Get ‘Friends’ Through 2017

Friends has been renewed by the Tribune Station Group to air on their major market stations, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, through 2017. The off-net third cycle of the series will begin December 2013 and will be available for the first time in TrueHD.

The 15 Tribune stations included in this cash-plus-barter deal are WPIX New York; KTLA Los Angeles; WGN Chicago; WPHL Philadelphia; KDAF Dallas; WDCW Washington; KIAH Houston; KCPQ Seattle; WSFL Miami; KRCW Portland, Ore.; KWGN-WXIN Indianapolis; WTIC Hartford, Conn.; WXMI Grand Rapids, Mich.; WGNO New Orleans; WPMT Harrisburg, Pa.

“In every market there are two broadcast stations that are destinations for sitcom viewers,” said Ken Werner, president, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. “Having iconic, reliable and proven sitcom performers that viewers and advertisers know and love is part of their DNA. Friends is one of those rare sitcoms that delivers the goods year in and year out.”

“When people think of the Tribune stations they think of comedy and Friends, said Sean Compton, president, programming and entertainment, Tribune Broadcasting. “We have been the local destination for the series for 13 years and are thrilled to continue to have it in our sitcom family for our viewers and advertisers to enjoy.”

Friends is a Bright/Kauffman/Crane Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.