One Magnificent Morning (OMM) is an American programming block that is programmed by Hearst Media Production Group (formerly Litton Entertainment) and distributed by CBS Media Ventures, and debuted on October 4, 2014, as a replacement for the animation block Vortexx. It airs on Saturday mornings on the owned-and-operated stations and affiliates of The CW, the block features live-action documentary and lifestyle series aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, the same style of programming that Litton provides for competing blocks seen on ABC, CBS, and NBC. All of the programs in the three-hour block are designed to meet federally mandated educational programming guidelines.

One Magnificent Morning
NetworkThe CW
LaunchedOctober 4, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-10-04)[1]
Country of originUnited States
OwnerHearst Media Production Group
FormatSaturday morning E/I block
Running time5 hours (7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) (2014–17)[1]
3 hours (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) (2017–present)[2]
Original language(s)English

History

edit

On June 5, 2014, The CW announced that it would discontinue its existing Saturday morning block Vortexx, which was produced by Saban Brands, in favour of One Magnificent Morning, a new, five-hour block produced by Litton Entertainment and distributed by CBS Television Distribution, that would feature live-action educational programming aimed teenagers and their parents. The move came as part of a growing shift by broadcast television networks towards non-fiction programming to fulfil the FCC-mandated requirement to air a quota of educational programming weekly. The previous year, Litton began producing CBS Dream Team, a similar E/I block for sister network CBS (former corporate parent CBS Corporation was a part-owner of The CW), and the company has also produced Litton's Weekend Adventure for ABC's affiliates since September 3, 2011.[3][4][5][6]

Vortexx aired for the final time on September 27, 2014. It was thought to be the last conclusive Saturday morning block across the major U.S. commercial broadcast networks that primarily featured non-educational children's programming. Such content has gradually fallen out of favour because of the E/I rules, as well as shifts in viewing habits towards cable networks and online video on demand services for cartoons and other youth-oriented content. One Magnificent Morning debuted the following week on October 4, 2014, following the cancellation of Vortexx in its 7:00 a.m. to Noon timeslot.[1][7][8][9] As a consequence of the block launching three weeks after the traditional start of the syndication television season, Litton provided a temporary barter package of Everyday Health and Culture Click (which both formerly aired on Litton's Weekend Adventure) to CW stations, allowing those who depended on the OMM block to fulfill E/I guidelines to have programming before it started.[10] Some initially announced shows that were not produced for the block were: America's Flavors, Social Media Mania, Swag, and Taste of Home.[11]

On January 7, 2016, The CW and Litton announced a five-year renewal for the block, extending it through the 2020–21 broadcast season.[12] On October 7, 2017, the block was reduced to the federally mandated minimum running time of three hours and began airing from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. local time. The CW gave its two hours of reclaimed time to its affiliate stations.[2] The agreement was further extended in 2021.[13]

Programming

edit

Although One Magnificent Morning provides the three-hour minimum requirement of E/I programming each week, which exceeds defined under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Children's Television Act, some of The CW's owned-and-operated stations and affiliates continue to provide E/I-compliant programs acquired from the syndication market, mainly due to existing program distribution contracts. The CW Plus, in particular, continues to supply two hours of E/I-compliant syndicated programs within its national schedule following the block on Saturday afternoons, which further alleviates the service's subscription-subchannel affiliates from the responsibility of purchasing the local rights to such programs (the service's carriage of seven hours of E/I-compliant programming, and the fact that most of its affiliates operate as subchannels, allow The CW Plus's broadcast outlets to carry an additional subchannel without E/I interruptions under the Children's Television Act's programming regulations, as the local CW Plus outlet would have enough E/I content to cover both).

Some stations also added additional E/I programming to their schedules during the run of Save to Win, a game show co-produced by Litton and the American retail chain Family Dollar which was criticized as hidden paid programming advertising the chain. Several stations refused to list Save to Win within their quarterly E/I reports, unsure of its true educational value and wanting to avoid FCC scrutiny over the matter due to past fines involving product placement within a product's own television program which violated the Children's Television Act of 1990.

Current programming

edit
Title Premiere date Replaced Notes References
Jack Hanna's Into the Wild October 5, 2019

Former programming

edit
Title Premiere date End date Replaced Replaced by Notes References
Dog Whisperer: Family Edition October 4, 2014 September 29, 2018 Vortexx programming Ready, Set, Pet!
Welcome Home
The Wildlife Docs
Did I Mention Invention?
The block's flagship series, and the longest running on the block [7][14]
The Brady Barr Experience December 27, 2014
Reluctantly Healthy
Expedition Wild September 26, 2015 Dream Quest
Rock the Park Hatched Later aired as part of Litton's Weekend Adventure until March 27, 2021
Calling Dr. Pol September 30, 2017 [7][14]
Dog Town, USA July 4, 2015 September 24, 2016 Dinner Spinner [15]

[16]

Dream Quest October 3, 2015 Unlikely Animal Friends [14][16]
Hatched Rescue Me
Dinner Spinner
[16]
Save Our Shelter September 30, 2017 [15][14]
Rescue Me with Dr. Lisa October 1, 2016 December 31, 2016 Hatched [17]
Dinner Spinner March 25, 2017 Unlikely Animal Friends [18]
Unlikely Animal Friends October 29, 2016 Dream Quest Save to Win [16][18]
April 1, 2017 September 30, 2017 Dinner Spinner Brain Games
Vacation Creation October 1, 2016 This Old House [16]
Save to Win November 5, 2016 September 30, 2017 Unlikely Animal Friends Brain Games [16]
Brain Games: Family Edition October 7, 2017 December 30, 2017 Save to Win
Unlikely Animal Friends
Hidden Heroes [2]
This Old House: Trade School September 25, 2021 Vacation Creation Into the Wild Hosted by Kevin O'Connor [2]
Chicken Soup for the Soul's Hidden Heroes January 6, 2018 December 29, 2018 Brain Games Animal Tales [19][20]
Welcome Home October 6, 2018 September 28, 2019 Dog Whisperer Into the Wild co-produced with BYU TV [21]
The Wildlife Docs Into the Wild From Litton's Weekend Adventure [21]
Did I Mention Invention? September 26, 2020 Tails of Valor [21]
Chicken Soup for the Soul's Animal Tales January 5, 2019 June 27, 2020 Hidden Heroes Jewels of the Natural World
Jewels of the Natural World July 4, 2020 December 26, 2020 Animal Tales Best Friends Furever Hosted by Nicole Gibbons [22]
Best Friends Furever with Kel Mitchell January 2, 2021 September 25, 2021 Jewels of the Natural World Ready, Set, Pet!
The Open Road with Dr. Chris October 2, 2021 December 30, 2023 Tails of Valor Into The Wild
Ready, Set, Pet October 6, 2018 September 24, 2022 Dog Whisperer
Best Friends Furever
Pet Vet Dream Team Removed for the 2019-2020 season for 2 years
Tails of Valor October 3, 2020 September 30, 2023 The Open Road with Dr. Chris

Did I Mention Invention?
Ready, Set, Pet

The Open Road with Dr. Chris

Into The Wild

Removed for the 2021-2022 season for 2 years
Pet Vet Dream Team October 1, 2022 December 30, 2023 Into The Wild

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Downey, Kevin (June 5, 2014). "CW Joins with Litton for Sat. Morning E/I Block". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "The CW Announces Fall 2017 'One Magnificent Morning' Saturday Morning Line-Up". BroadwayWorld.com. September 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
  3. ^ "CBS Slates Teen-Centric Programming Block For Saturdays". Deadline Hollywood. July 24, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  4. ^ James, Meg (July 24, 2013). "CBS partners with Litton Entertainment for Saturday teen block". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  5. ^ Albiniak, Paige (June 5, 2014). "Litton Teams with The CW on New E/I Block". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  6. ^ Ostrow, Joanne (June 5, 2014). "CW adds Saturday morning teen block". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "The CW Sets 5-Hour Saturday Morning Block". Deadline Hollywood. June 6, 2014. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "CW to close Vortexx". C21 Media. June 3, 2014. Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  9. ^ Johns, Nikara (June 5, 2014). "The CW to Debut New Saturday Morning Educational Block". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  10. ^ "CW Announces New Saturday Morning Line-Up". KBTX-TV. Gray Television. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on July 17, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  11. ^ Bibel, Sara (May 31, 2014). "The CW Replacing "Vortexx" Saturday Morning Programming With Live Action "One Magnificent Morning"". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 3, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (2016-01-07). "The CW's Saturday Morning Block Set For Five More Years". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  13. ^ Erik Pedersen (July 1, 2021). "One Magnificent Morning: The CW & Litton Entertainment Extend Deal For Saturday Morning Block". Deadline Hollywood.
  14. ^ a b c d "Saturday Lineup Change: New "One Magnificent Morning" Fall Lineup". CW44 Tampa. CBS Local Media. September 16, 2015. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  15. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (June 10, 2015). ""Dog Town, USA" and "Save Our Shelter" Join the CW's Saturday Morning Block "One Magnificent Morning"". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d e f "Vanilla Ice, Marcia Brady and a former presidential candidate put on their Dancing shoes; Viacom rebrands MTV Hits; Jessica Alba boards Planet of the Apps". Cynopsis. Access Intelligence. August 31, 2016. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  17. ^ "Scoop: ONE MAGNIFICENT MORNING on THE CW - Today, January 7, 2017". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Scoop: ONE MAGNIFICENT MORNING on THE CW - Today, April 1, 2017". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  19. ^ ""Chicken Soup for the Soul's Animal Tales," Hosted by Eva LaRue, Joins The CW's "One Magnificent Morning" Saturday Morning Line-Up". Litton Entertainment. December 21, 2018.
  20. ^ "Scoop: Upcoming Storylines for ONE MAGNIFICENT MORNING on THE CW - Saturday, June 27, 2020". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  21. ^ a b c "The CW Announces New Fall 2018 'One Magnificent Morning' Line-Up". Litton Entertainment. September 12, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  22. ^ "Scoop: Upcoming Storylines for ONE MAGNIFICENT MORNING on THE CW - Saturday, July 4, 2020". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2021.