ABC Family preps calls on aircraft aircraft pilots

Among a reliable-as-she-goes status report within the Television Experts Assn. press tour, ABC Family expects to announce eco-friendly or red-colored-colored lights on four aircraft aircraft pilots in development shortly. Michael Riley, leader in the cabler, suggested the channel's eighth consecutive year of growth and referred to away its one blemish of 2011, the don't-call-it-a-cancelation (though that's what it absolutely was) of "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," just like a reflection from the deep bench. Really, a potential telepic using the departed series remains in development. "We love to our shows, and 'Chloe King' is actually a great example," Riley mentioned within the press session in Pasadena. "For people it absolutely was about producing some options, which we needed to select from that which you thought was resonating more effective with this particular audiences." Two comedies, "Village People" and "Baby Father," are mentioned being searching ideal for series orders soon and possess launched feelers for recruiting staff authors. Also in contention will be the lighter, ballet-set drama "Bunheads" and also the other hourlong, "Intercept." "Millennials (the crowd of ABC Family) aren't genre specific," Riley mentioned, "and we're not genre specific." ABC Family put five shows into production a year ago and opened up up up another evening of original programming. "Switched at Birth," the most effective premiere of 2011, reaches turn used the other day to create "Jane By Design," professional produced by Gavin Palone and April Blair and starring Andie MacDowell, Erica Dasher and Nicholas Roux. Returning series "The Important Thing Existence in the American Teen," starring potential Oscar supporting actress nominee Shailene Woodley of "The Descendants," might have its season premiere March 26, along with " Ensure It Is or Break It." Next season may even offer endeavors by ABC Family into musical telepics, with Elixir (starring Chelsea Kane and Jane Seymour) adopted in December by "Mistletones." "Who wouldn't desire to watch a movie about dueling caroling teams?" Riley mentioned in the latter. "Music is a factor that's interesting to us." Riley addressed the perennial problem of Pat Robertson's "The 700 Club" being contractually required to look (though not beneath the ABC Family branding) around the funnel that has received GLAAD's finest rating. The channel's roots go back with a founding by Robertson for his ministry. "It's clearly a show that's on our air," Riley mentioned. "It is not a show we positioned on there, which we believe our audience knows it. In my opinion most audiences realize that they're open to the network to check out the shows they wish to watch." In other news, ABC Family people have named Jori Petersen communications veep. She's moved over from ABC Daytime as well as the soon-to-be-departed SoapNet, where she's overeseen media relations since 2008. As well as the cabler mentioned it is also exploring starting reality series, even though it had nothing to announce Monday. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com