Donald Trump’s Miss USA Pageant Finds New Home On Reelz
Dumped by NBC and Univision over Donald Trump’s remarks about “rapists” immigrants, the beauty pageant will still be televised out of Baton Rouge on July 12 after all thanks to some new friends in cable. In a deal with the Trump co-owned Miss Universe Organization, Reelz have picked up the exclusive rights to this year’s Miss USA pageant.
“The decision on the part of Reelz to acquire the rights to the Miss USA Pageant was based on our belief that this special event, and the women who compete in it, are an integral part of American tradition,” said CEO Stan E. Hubbard today in a statement. “As one of only a few independent networks, we decided to exercise our own voice and committed ourselves to bringing this pageant to American viewers everywhere.” No details of the agreement to air the pageant at 8 PM on the summer Sunday were revealed but with the ex-Celebrity Apprentice’s former network partners jettisoning him, the sat/cabler probably purchased the show up at a fire sale price. “The Miss USA Pageant is a perfect fit on Reelz where movies, entertainment and celebrity come together every day of the year,” added Hubbard.
Unlike the wide reaching Comcast owned network that has been airing Miss USA since 2002, the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based satellite and cable channel is seen in about 60% of American households with one or more TVs. That means that Miss USA is very unlikely to see viewership of 5.5 million like what its 2014 NBC airing pulled in. Up until June 25, Univision was set to air a Spanish-language simulcast of the show.
RelatedDonald Trump Hits Univision With $500M Miss USA Lawsuit, Network Calls It “Ridiculous” – Update
Then again, having aired the inaugural Critics’ Choice Television Awards in 2011 and followed up with the likes of the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, The American Veterans Center Honors awards last November, the faith-based MovieGuide Awards and AARP’s 14th Annual “Movies For Grownups Gala” on Oscar weekend this year, Reelz is burgeoning in such ceremonies. Though obviously none has quite fallen in their lap the way this year’s Miss USA did with networks, hosts and judges jumping ship in quick order. And this isn’t the first time Reelz has caught programming that was deemed too hot to handle by the big boys. In a somewhat similar situation, Reelz did grab the controversial The Kennedys mini-series in 2011 after History decided not to air the Katie Holmes and Greg Kinnear starrer amidst claims of inaccuracies and unflattering portrayals. The 8-episode drama debuted on April 3 that year to around 1.3 million viewers and won Reelz its first Emmy Awards.
Related stories
Macy's Joins The Dump Trump Movement, Won't Sell His China-Made Ties
Donald Trump To Bill O'Reilly: Reason NBC Dumped His Beauty Pageants Will Come Out In Litigation
Donald Trump Hits Univision With $500M Miss USA Lawsuit, Network Calls It "Ridiculous" - Update
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
