Court TV on Monday announced new details about its rebranding as truTV, including a new tagline and two new original series.
“Not Reality. Actuality.” will serve as the network’s new tagline when it debuts its new name Jan. 1. The channel, which will focus on real-life programming told from a first-person perspective, said the tagline is designed to “break through the clutter” of reality shows that have “manufactured and manipulated situations.”
“Over time, the meaning of the term ‘reality TV’ has changed and now includes shows that have very little to do with anything real,” Court TV GM Marc Juris said. “TruTV is aiming for an audience that wants real-life excitement and situations.”
The channel, which also will continue to air trial coverage from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET weekdays, said the rebranding campaign will start Thursday.
“We’re preparing to make this already solid network even stronger,” Juris said. “Renaming is just part of the process of building truTV into a powerful brand.”
To that end, the network also announced two new series:
n”Sky Racers” focuses on news helicopter pilots in Los Angeles. It will center on Desiree Horton, one of only a few female news pilots, taking viewers “inside the cockpit” with her.
n”One False Move” follows people whose jobs and adventures take them to the “brink of disaster,” like rescue crews that blast two miles below the earth’s surface or perform daring rope maneuvers hundreds of feet above ground.
The two series join a slate of previously announced projects in various stages of production or development, including “The Real Hustle,” “Neighbors 911” and the tentatively titled “Ski Patrol” and “Black Gold,” along with such returning series as “Forensic Files,” “Haunting Evidence” and “Psychic Detectives.”
TruTV’s daytime trial coverage will not be rated by Nielsen Media Research. When the programming shifts to real-life original series at 3 p.m., starting with “Star Jones,” the programs will be rated.
Court TV is part of Turner Entertainment Networks, led by president Steve Koonin, who was the architect of TNT’s “We Know Drama” branding and led the creation of TBS’ “Very Funny” branding.
“In today’s fractured media world, it is critical to build strong brands,” Koonin said. “We’re preparing for a solid future by rebranding Court TV as truTV.”
The network is in 91 million U.S. households.
