Hollywood Reporter: The CW Is Adding Jesus and Sports. But Its Top Programmer Says It’s Still the Same Network

Story from Hollywood Reporter:

Brad Schwartz, who joined The CW as its entertainment president six months ago, hasn’t won over many diehard fans of the network after he canceled nearly all of its beloved scripted shows as part of a push by its new ownership, station group Nexstar, to make it profitable by 2025.

But what Schwartz has done, in a relatively short time, has been to position The CW in a place where the network can age up its audience, reduce overhead and secure the key rights needed to make it profitable for the first time ever.

To be clear, The CW was never designed to make money as a network. It was launched as a joint venture between CBS Studios and Warner Bros. TV in a bid to generate revenue for both studios through selling its programs internationally and to streamers. And with shows like The Flash, Riverdale, Nancy Drew and Dynasty, The CW delivered millions in profits to its ownership while creating a loyal audience of adults 18-34.

As the streaming wars intensified, The CW’s business model no longer made sense as CBS and Warners now needed to hold on to those same domestic streaming and international rights for Paramount+ and Max.

CBS and Warners sold a controlling 75 percent stake in The CW to Nexstar last year, prompting longtime network CEO Mark Pedowitz — who famously read every script for every one of the network’s shows that crossed his desk — to exit as part of a wholesale change in leadership. Nexstar turned instead to Brad Schwartz, the former Pop TV executive who acquired U.S. rights to Schitt’s Creek and who ultimately sold the show to Netflix, which helped it become both a critical and commercial success.

Now, Schwartz hopes to find fellow diamonds in the rough with similarly acquired foreign originals like Sullivan’s Crossing and The Spencer Sisters by using broad-skewing fare like Jesus drama The Chosen and a roster of sports including LIV Golf, NASCAR and more to bring in new and older audiences who may not have tuned in to DC Comics dramas and other genre fare.

In this week’s TV’s Top 5 podcast (episode 225 overall), Schwartz joins hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) to discuss the evolution of The CW. Other topics discussed in this week’s podcast include the latest on the Writers Strike, an August TV preview and Dan’s Critic’s Corner, in which he reviews The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Strange Planet and season three of Only Murders in the Building.

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