The mogul is said to be in talks with Lionsgate.
There were small whispers a year ago that Tyler Perry was entertaining the thought of launching his own cable network. Now such talks are growing increasingly loud with word that the filmmaker's cable channel aspirations may soon become reality. The New York Times reports that Lionsgate, which distributes Perry’s films, is working with the Atlanta-based mogul to form his very own network tentatively called "Tyler TV." The CEO of the movie studio, Jon Feltheimer, confirmed the story. “Tyler is one of those rare resources that one could launch a channel with," he said. "We have a lot of options if we choose to go down that path.”
The first option consists of Tyler rebranding an existing network like the TV Guide Network, which is already available in nearly 80 million homes. Lionsgate already owns 50 percent of the channel. Tyler could also consider purchasing a smaller channel like the Gospel Broadcasting Network to rebrand and expand it. The other option is said to involve Comcast. During its meetings with government regulators for its takeover of NBC Universal, the cable company said it would provide more minority-run programming on its roster.
(Photo: Daniel Boczarski/GettyImages)
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