WWE(R) SmackDown(R) Transitions to Six Tribune Stations In Early September

CHICAGO, and STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 16  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tribune television stations in six major markets will start airing ratings champ "WWE Friday Night SmackDown" in early September in advance of the official premiere of "SmackDown" on The CW Network on Friday, Sept. 22, 2006.  The stations include: WPIX in New York, KTLA in Los Angeles, WGN in Chicago, WDCW in Washington, KHCW in Houston and WTXX in Hartford, Conn.

"Tribune stations are working closely with the new CW and the WWE to successfully transition SmackDown in markets where the program will be switching to new stations," said Marc Schacher, Tribune Broadcasting Senior Vice President, Programming.  "We want to make sure that WWE fans in these markets know exactly where and when SmackDown airs so they don't miss a minute of the action."

"We will be keeping our fans informed of these changes on WWE.com as soon as details in each market are finalized," said Kurt Schneider, World Wrestling Entertainment's Executive Vice President, Marketing.  "We're very excited about our move to The CW Network, and appreciate our fans' patience as SmackDown transitions to its new station homes across the United States in September."

The "Friday Night SmackDown" schedule in these six markets for the first three weeks of September is as follows:

  New York/WPIX
  Saturday, September 2 from 2:00-3:00 PM*
  Saturday, September 9 from 8:00-10:00 PM
  Saturday, September 16 from 8:00-10:00 PM

  Los Angeles/KTLA
  Saturday, September 2 from 12:30-1:30 AM*
  Sunday, September 10 from 3:00-5:00 PM
  Sunday, September 17 from 3:00-5:00 PM

  Chicago/WGN
  Saturday, September 2 from 11:30 PM-12:30 AM*
  Saturday, September 9 from 11:30 PM - 1:30 AM
  Saturday, September 16 from 11:30 PM - 1:30 AM

  Washington, DC/WDCW
  Saturday, September 2 at 11:00 PM*
  Saturday, September 9 from 8:00-10:00 PM
  Saturday, September 16 from 8:00-10:00 PM

  Houston/KHCW
  Sunday, September 3 at 11:00 AM
  Saturday, September 9 from 7:00-9:00 PM
  Saturday, September 16 from 7:00-9:00 PM

  Hartford, Conn./WTXX
  Saturday, September 9 from 8:00-10:00 PM
  Saturday, September 16 from 8:00-10:00 PM



* Note that these broadcasts are a one-hour version of the September 1st original episode of "Friday Night SmackDown."

Tribune Broadcasting owns and operates 25 television stations concentrated in major markets and Superstation WGN on national cable. The group's combined reach is more than 80 percent of U.S. television households. Tribune Broadcasting also includes Los Angeles-based Tribune Entertainment, a developer and distributor of first-run television programming for the Tribune station group and for national syndication; Chicago's WGN-AM; and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Investment interests include Comcast SportsNet Chicago (25% owned) and TV Food Network (31%).

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

  Media Contacts:
   For Tribune Broadcasting:    Gary Weitman        312/222-3394
   For WWE:                     Gary Davis          203/353-5066
   WWE Investor Contact:        Michael Weitz       203/352-8642
   For UPN:                     Joanna Massey       323/575-7080
   For The CW:                  Paul Hewitt         818/977-6171
   For WPIX:                    Jessica Bellucci    212/210-2626



Trademarks:  The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

DATASOURCE: Tribune Broadcasting



CONTACT:  Gary Weitman, for Tribune Broadcasting, [phone]; or

Gary Davis, for WWE, [phone]; or Michael Weitz, WWE Investor Contact,

[phone]; or Joanna Massey, for UPN, [phone]; or Paul Hewitt,

for The CW, [phone]; or Jessica Bellucci, for WPIX, [phone]



Web site:  http://www.tribune.com/

http://www.wwe.com/ 

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