Oprah Winfrey’s OWN has snagged the first non-pay TV window for Lionsgate’s "Precious."
Winfrey, of course, is an executive producer of the movie and helped promote its launch. The network will begin airing the movie in 2012; OWN launches in January.
The deal also includes several other Lionsgate titles. No word yet on whether OWN must always use the full, "based on the novel by" title in its promotions for the picture.
Edited version of the release follows:
Los Angeles, CA– OWN: THE OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK has acquired television rights to the critically acclaimed, box office hit PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE from Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF). OWN Chief Executive Officer Christina Norman and Lionsgate Television President of Programming & Production Kevin Beggs made the announcement today. OWN has licensed the first broadcast window behind pay television beginning Summer 2012.
PRECIOUS has garnered more than $45 million at the North American box office, expanded to more than 650 theatres nationwide, and earned six Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo’Nique), Best Director (Lee Daniels), Best Adapted Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher) and Best Editing (Joe Klotz).
“PRECIOUS is the perfect film for OWN," said Norman. “It’s a powerful film of self-discovery and empowerment, and I know it will resonate deeply with our audience.”
The deal includes several films from Lionsgate’s vast library of more than 12,000 motion picture and television titles.
