CINCINNATI, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In just four months since its debut, "Let's Ask America" is gaining attention from new and growing audiences in Scripps markets, and also high praise from the industry's popular news blog site, Buzzerblog. Readers of the blog voted "Let's Ask America" as the top new game show of 2012.
"The show is just fun," wrote blogger Alex Davis. "It's not dark and suspenseful. There's no random outburst of luck. It's just people playing a game, joking around, and guessing answers to funny, provocative and entertaining questions."
The game show debuted as original programming in September 2012 in Scripps markets along with an infotainment program called "The List." The shows replaced longtime syndicated game shows, "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." The new programming is drawing different audiences to Scripps TV stations and demographics that are very attractive to advertisers. They also are competing well in their time periods, regularly matching or outperforming the audiences of established syndicated programs in markets like Tampa and Cleveland.
"Let's Ask America" features contestants playing via Skype from the comfort of their own home while host Kevin Pereira has fun with the questions and players in front of a studio audience. "Let's Ask America" polls people around the country about fun and irreverent topics to get opinions. Players respond to the poll questions and answers to win as much as $50,000.
"The game is fun, challenging, gets you talking, and Kevin is great as host," added Davis. "They also, finally, got the interactive game show correct. The entire Skype element does add a very unique feel to the show not seen anywhere else. With 'Let's Ask America' you get a real cross section of the country – all ages, genders, and types are getting involved."
Scripps worked with a market research firm to conduct the most-comprehensive national consumer study of the access hour in more than 20 years. Surveys and market analysis revealed specific information categories desired by today's access audience. After generating and reviewing dozens of demo reels of shows in those valued categories and testing the most-promising concepts with broad-based focus groups, Scripps moved ahead aggressively with "Let's Ask America" and "The List."
"We are thrilled with the response we are seeing from our audiences," said Brian Lawlor, senior vice president of television for The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP). "Advertisers are equally enticed by the demographics delivered by our new programming. We are getting results in just four months that we hoped to see after an entire year. To see such positive reviews from Buzzerblog, where its readers can identify and appreciate a quality game show product, is very rewarding and reinforces our beliefs that 'Let's Ask America' is a program with staying power."
"Let's Ask America" airs in Detroit, Phoenix, San Diego, Denver, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Tampa, Kansas City, West Palm, Bakersfield and Tulsa. Check local listings for times.
"Let's Ask America" is produced by Telepictures and paraMedia Inc. and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The format will be distributed internationally by Warner Bros. International Television Production. Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution will make the series available outside of the Scripps markets for a fall 2013 national launch or sooner as appropriate time periods become available.
About Scripps
Scripps (www.scripps.com) is a leading media enterprise driven to develop and expand its digital strategies, while embracing its rich history in delivering quality journalism through television stations and newspapers. Creative, talented and energetic employees are leading the way at 19 television stations in major cities such as Denver, San Diego, Detroit, Phoenix, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Tampa. The Scripps digital group is growing and gaining momentum with new product offerings, enhancements, and technology that gives customers more options than ever before to find the information and entertainment they crave.
SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company