Debmar-Mercury, Will Packer partner on Central Ave
Details
Michelle Clancy
| 30 April 2019

Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury and producer Will Packer (Night School, Girls Trip) are teaming up for a multicultural entertainment news magazine show for the US market, dubbed Central Ave.

The daily, half-hour series originating live from Atlanta will launch 4 November for a five-week preview on some FOX TV stations. The stations will air the magazine in access and early fringe time periods, following the conclusion of the World Series baseball.

Television personality Julissa Bermudez (106 & Park) will co-host Central Ave with former Olympic track star and five-time gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross – marking the first time two women of colour have been named to co-host an entertainment magazine series in the US.

Central Ave is the second collaboration between Will Packer Media and Debmar-Mercury, which together with Lionsgate Television produce OWN’s upcoming multigenerational family saga, Ambitions.

“We can’t wait to work with someone this successful who, when you ask how many syndicated strips they’ve worked on before, the answer is ‘none,’” said Frank Cicha, EVP of programming for FOX . “I have to believe we’re going to get something fresh here. Will Packer doesn’t know what he can’t do in this space. That, to me, is invigorating.”

Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus said in a joint statement, “Will Packer brings an entirely new and vibrant vision to syndication with Central Ave. We are excited to fill a need in the marketplace for a magazine show like this by partnering once again with our good friends at the FOX stations and a team headed by an A-List film producer of the calibre of Will.”