The CW Expands to 7 Nights; Will Air Original Series on Saturdays for First Time

If you’ve been wondering how The CW will schedule the lengthy amount of shows it has renewed for the 2021-22 TV season, we have an answer.

The network has announced plans to become a seven-nights-a-week outlet, confirming it will air content on Saturdays for the first time ever.

The news means the network will be increasing its output from 12 hours a week to 14, and in turn, having a wider array of content on the air at one time.

CW has long been a network that looked at the bigger picture when it comes to ratings, with many of its shows getting more traffic on DVR and on-demand than the linear network.

But the network also has many lucrative streaming deals for its roster of shows.

“Becoming a seven-night-a-week network has been a long-standing goal for everyone here at The CW,” Rob Tuck, EVP of National Sales, said in a statement.

“And in an extremely tight broadcast environment, the ability to expand our primetime by two more hours each week is a dynamic shift that will be gladly welcomed by our clients and the agencies.”

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“Following the recent industry trend which has seen considerable contraction on a linear basis, The CW will buck that trend this season by adding a new night of original programming, creating new opportunities for us going forward.”

While the network has not announced which shows will be sent to Saturdays, the network has many unscripted offerings on deck next season, including a Legends of the Hidden Temple revival and a U.S. iteration of last season’s UK import Killer Camp.

Going unscripted on the night would be a good move, but with the bulk of the network’s audience not watching live, it will be fun to see what the network plans to do.

We have no idea what The CW has planned for the fall, but we’re expecting a stable schedule with fewer shows on the move than before.