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The CW
The CW is a Nexstar-owned broadcast network pivoting from young-adult drama to broad-audience comedy, live sports, and low-cost international acquisitions.
Current mandate
Since Nexstar Media Group took majority ownership, The CW has been executing one of the more visible strategic pivots in broadcast television. The network's prior identity, built around young-adult genre dramas, has given way to a deliberate push for broader demographic reach and lower programming costs. The acquisition of five existing seasons of ABC's top-rated scripted comedy The Conners, under a deal with Lionsgate, is the clearest signal of that repositioning: a blue-collar sitcom with demonstrated appeal well beyond the coasts is now anchoring The CW's Thursday comedy night alongside Canadian imports Son of a Critch and Children Ruin Everything.
On the scripted side, The CW's acquisition pattern over the past several years has leaned heavily on international content, primarily from Canada but also from the UK and Australia, as a cost-efficient way to fill the schedule. Titles such as Sullivan's Crossing, The Spencer Sisters, Run the Burbs, and Son of a Critch reflect that pipeline. The network has also moved into unscripted and live sports, securing broadcast rights to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and PBA professional bowling, and picking up the canceled Hallmark ranch drama Ride. The Chosen (Seasons 1-3) added faith-adjacent programming to the mix, broadening the tent further. The stated mandate from executives is premium entertainment and live sports content that can reach audiences across broadcast and streaming platforms simultaneously.
Material reaches The CW primarily through established distribution relationships and sales agents representing international productions, as evidenced by the Lionsgate pact for The Conners and the pattern of Canadian co-productions and acquisitions. The network is co-producing Season 3 of Son of a Critch, suggesting that co-production partnerships with Canadian broadcasters represent one documented route into the slate. No open submission portal or named fellowship program is documented in tracked deal activity.
Signature peaks
- Canada, UK, Australia International Scripted Pipeline — The CW relies primarily on international acquisitions to fill its scripted slate at lower cost.
- NASCAR Xfinity + PBA Live Sports Expansion — The network secured broadcast rights to NASCAR Xfinity Series racing and PBA professional bowling.
- The Conners (5 seasons) Comedy Night Anchor — A Lionsgate deal brought ABC's top-rated scripted comedy to shore up The CW's Thursday comedy block.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- Not disclosed
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Tracked deals show material reaching The CW primarily through studio distribution agreements (such as the Lionsgate pact for The Conners) and sales agents representing Canadian, UK, and Australian productions. The network is also documented as a co-production partner on Canadian series, with Season 3 of Son of a Critch representing a confirmed co-production arrangement; no unsolicited submission pathway is documented.
- Deal structure
- The CW acquires U.S. broadcast and streaming rights to completed or in-production series, typically through distribution deals with studios or sales agents, and in some cases enters co-production arrangements with international broadcasters to secure first U.S. runs on foreign-originated content.
Recent acquisitions
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Children Ruin Everything (Canadian comedy)
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FBoy Island Season 2 (broadcast rights)
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Ownership by Nexstar Media Group (majority)
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PBA professional bowling
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Run the Burbs (Canadian comedy)
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Son of a Critch (Canadian comedy)
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Sullivan’s Crossing (Canadian drama)
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The Chosen (Seasons 1–3) – U.S. broadcast rights
Market context
Under Nexstar's ownership, The CW is betting on blue-collar sitcoms, Canadian imports, and live sports to reach audiences beyond the coasts and finally turn a profit.
Since Nexstar Media Group took majority ownership, The CW has been executing one of the more visible strategic pivots in broadcast television. The network's prior identity, built around young-adult genre dramas, has given way to a deliberate push for broader demographic reach and lower programming costs. The acquisition of five existing seasons of ABC's top-rated scripted comedy The Conners, under a deal with Lionsgate, is the clearest signal of that repositioning: a blue-collar sitcom with demonstrated appeal well beyond the coasts is now anchoring The CW's Thursday comedy night alongside Canadian imports Son of a Critch and Children Ruin Everything.
Common questions about The CW
Does The CW accept unsolicited scripts?
No unsolicited submission pathway is documented in tracked deal activity for The CW. Every acquisition on record arrived through established distribution relationships, sales agents, or co-production partnerships, such as the Lionsgate deal for The Conners and the Canadian broadcaster co-productions. Writers seeking to place material with The CW are best served by securing representation or attaching a producer with an existing network relationship.
What budgets does The CW typically work with?
The CW's current ownership strategy explicitly prioritizes keeping programming costs low. In practice, this means the network favors already-produced international content (primarily Canadian, but also UK and Australian) and library acquisitions over expensive original productions. No specific per-episode budget figures are disclosed in tracked deals, but the pattern strongly favors cost-efficient acquisitions over high-budget originals.
What festivals does The CW source content from?
Festival-driven acquisition is not a documented pattern for The CW. The network's tracked deals flow through distribution agreements with studios like Lionsgate, international sales agents representing Canadian and other foreign productions, and co-production arrangements with broadcasters such as CBC. Writers and producers looking to attract The CW's attention are more likely to find traction through those industry channels than through festival premieres.
How do I get my script in front of The CW?
Based on observed deal flow, the most documented routes to The CW are through sales agents representing international productions, studio distribution deals (as with the Lionsgate-brokered Conners acquisition), and co-production partnerships with Canadian broadcasters. The network is co-producing Season 3 of Son of a Critch, indicating that co-production arrangements represent a real, if competitive, pathway. No open call or writer's portal is documented.
What genres is The CW currently acquiring?
The CW's current acquisition slate spans blue-collar and family comedy (The Conners, Son of a Critch, Children Ruin Everything, Run the Burbs), drama (Sullivan's Crossing, The Spencer Sisters, Ride), faith-adjacent content (The Chosen), and live sports (NASCAR Xfinity Series, PBA bowling). The network has moved decisively away from its former young-adult genre drama identity toward broader-demographic, cost-efficient programming.
Is The CW currently active in the market?
The CW remains active, with 79 total records tracked over the past 12 months and a latest signal as recent as June 2026. Deal velocity in the most recent 30-to-90-day window is low, which is consistent with a network that has largely filled its near-term schedule through a wave of international acquisitions and library deals. The strategic pivot under Nexstar ownership is ongoing, and the network continues to add live sports rights alongside scripted content.
Adjacent buyers in this lane
- Beta Cinema — Beta Cinema is a Munich-based international sales agent specializing in arthouse and literary-adapta
- Starz — Starz is a premium cable and streaming network doubling down on wholly owned scripted drama and inte
- Cineflix Rights — Cineflix Rights is a genre-focused international distributor and co-production financier specializin
- Filmax — Filmax is a Spanish distributor and co-producer with a long track record in genre cinema, currently
Related reading
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