Oxygen Tv Schedule

The star-laden Oxygen Media network will make its long anticipated cable debut Feb. 2 replete with so much original, long-form, programming that some cable operators question whether that strategy will De overkill.

Whereas new networks typically tout familiar faces and programming as gambits to lift their profile and inspire tune-in, the women's targeted Oxygen plans for 90% of its schedule, or 55 hours of original programming per week, to be original product.

Some MSO executives think that's too much original product, especially considering that Oxygen partners include Oprah Winfrey and Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner, whose library and credits include such notable network fare as The Cosby Show, Roseanne, 3rd Rock from the Sun and That '70s Show.

"I appreciate the effort that is being made by Gerry and her team to present something that is very different, a fresh and more informational approach to television for women," said a major MSO programming executive, who declined to be identified. "But you have to wonder if Oxygen wouldn't benefit from a few Carsey-Werner shows as anchors."

Added a cable network programmer, "Will viewers get enough information or be inspired to tune in from the TV listings for Pure Oxygen (a live show offering opinions/ insights on parenting, business and health) and As She Sees If (documentaries by, about and for women). It may be a little off-putting."

Other MSO executives have confidence that Oxygen will score well with women. "Gerry has historically been able to deliver programming that resonates with the appropriate audience. We're very encouraged by what we have seen and our confidence is underlined by our fairly wide deployment of Oxygen," said MediaOne Group VP of programming Carolyn Crawford. MediaOne will offer Oxygen to over 1 million subs at launch, including such markets as Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta. "We sec Oxygen .as being very complementary to Lifetime, which is more of a general entertainment network."

"From the presentations I've seen, the programming looks good," said Frank Hughes, VP-programming at the National Cable Television Cooperative, whose distribution negotiations with Oxygen are stalled. "While it might be beneficial to have some familiar names that viewers can gravitate toward, channels like the Food Network have attracted an audience with mostly originals."

Oxygen has no qualms about the original tack it is pursuing. "It is out strategy and mission to serve women with a different kind of programming," said Oxygen COO Lisa Hall. "It's TV with a different look that is converging with our Web assets. From every indicator we have, the programming will be well received." By Feb. 2, Oxygen will operate 13 Web sites and the company is confident viewers and users will more back and forth between the media.

Asked whether it might be advantageous to include re-runs of Winfrey's talk show or some of the Carsey-Werner library to draw viewers, Hall said: "Sure everybody would like to see the old talk shows, but it is more significant that we have Oprah doing a new show (Oprah Goes Online at 8 p.m. on Sundays) and Candice (Bergen) doing a new show (Exhale, a Mon.-Thurs. interview show at 10 p.m.)."

Hall also pointed out that Winfrey's syndicated show is not available to Oxygen until September 2000. Conversely, some Carsey-Werner fare is available (Hall declined to specify), but won't be part of the initial schedule.

"We've decided that there won't be any library product during the first year. The cost of acquisition is also high, so ifs something that may not make sense until we're more fully distributed," Hall said. "We don't know where or if the library product fits on Oxygen in the future; it could go on another network down the road."

Oxygen, which is spending $400 million on TV programming its first four years, hopes to have analog carriage in 50 million homes within rive years. At press time, Oxygen had distribution deals with AT&T BIS, Insight Communications, Charter and other small operators.

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