The networks of Kim and Kimora are now home to Carrie and Samantha.
Comcast Entertainment Group has snagged the basic cable rights to all 94 episodes of HBO’s "Sex and the City" and will begin airing the show on its E! and Style networks in January. Turner’s TBS has been home to the repeats for the past few years.
It’s an obvious play for CEG’s female-friendly networks, which have thrived via programming geared toward presenting larger-than-life female personalities in glamorous reality shows (such as "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane"). "SATC" now gives E! and Style the scripted, comedic version of the fantasy world seen in its reality shows.
Plus, we’re pretty sure Chelsea Handler would be best buds with Samantha. And Ryan Seacrest is totally a Carrie.
While Comcast rudely didn’t send us over the full contract for its acquisition, we’re betting there’s a good chance its deal with HBO’s syndication unit will allow CEG to air "SATC" on channels it might acquire in the future. You know, like, NBC U’s Oxygen or Bravo.
The deal does include video-on-demand and online rights to "Sex," CEG said.
The company also noted it had previously bought a window for the "Sex and the City" movie, which won’t premiere on E! until July 2012.
"SATC" has "remained a pop culture phenomenon for over 10 years and still attracts new fans,” said CEG’s Cyndi McClellan, who heads program strategy and research, Comcast Entertainment Group.
