Fox Television Stations (FTS) announced Thursday that three new TV shows would get trial runs this summer.
The broadcasting group, a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, is premiering the hour-long daytime strip “Hollywood Today Live” along with “The Daily Help Line” on July 14. “Laughs,” a half-hour weekly, will premiere on Aug. 2.
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“These three programs are all very distinct,” Stephen Brown, FTS executive vice president of programming and development said. “‘Hollywood Today Live’ is like a ‘Sharknado’ version of ‘The View.’ ‘Help Line’ answers the question — will people be as honest with our therapists as they are with their own? And ‘Laughs’ will determine if one talented guy, Steve Hofstetter, can aggregate and curate the funniest show on TV.”
“Hollywood Today Live” will have four hosts, Kristen Brockman, AJ Gibson, Tanner Thomason and Porscha Coleman. “The Daily Help Line,” meanwhile will feature a revolving panel of celebrity guests like Marie Osmond and Tom Green. FTS describes “Laughs,” hosted by YouTube comedian Steve Hofstetter, as a “weekly roundup of the best comedy in America.”
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Though FTS executives are rooting for these shows to find success, Frank Cicha, Senior Vice President of Programming, doesn’t sound terribly concerned. “It’s all about increasing our chances of finding fresh, economically viable building blocks for our lineups,” he said. “And if they all fail, see you next summer!”
The Fox Television Stations group has 28 local stations in 18 markets, including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.