Steve Harvey Joins Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media
By Movieguide® Contributor
Steve Harvey is joining Dr. Phil McGraw’s new network, Merit Street Media.
“Steve and I have been personal friends for over a decade, and it’s always the best experience when we work together,” McGraw said. “It’s easy to say that he’s the funniest human I’ve ever met…But his kindness and his passion to help others are really unmatched.”
TV Insider reported that Harvey joined Merit Street as an equity partner.
He “is expected to co-executive produce a special that focuses on a mentoring program for young men that he runs in Georgia. The project will feature both Harvey and McGraw and is going to focus on inspiring young viewers,” TV Insider added.
All 300 episodes of Harvey’s daytime talk show, STEVE, have also been acquired by McGraw’s network.
Dr. Phil first announced Merit Street Media last November.
He said, “Hey. Remember me? You know, when it got to the end of last season, I said, ‘I’m coming back.’ Well, I indicated there was some news coming, and here it is. I’m coming back in primetime on a whole new network that’s called Merit Street Media. It’s my new network, but I got some news that I want to share with you about that.”
“This is actually not my network. This is our network,” he disclosed. “This is something that’s going to be focused entirely on what’s important to you. What you want to talk about, what you want to do, and DR. PHIL is going to be on in primetime. Every night in primetime talking about the things that you tell me you want to focus on, things that you want to hear about.”
Established in partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network, Merit Street Media is “committed to moving America forward by honoring our country’s rich heritage as a place of hope, joy, and opportunity.”
“Tune in daily to find family entertainment and unbiased news coverage that respects your intelligence. Together, we celebrate human accomplishments, strive for justice, cherish family, and aim to begin and end your days feeling inspired, enlightened, informed, and connected,” the network’s website explains.
Merit’s partnership with TBN “is merely a business one as Merit’s TV content is being produced independently and will consist of original and acquired programming not seen on TBN,” TV Insider wrote.
The network will begin airing on April 1 and already has a full slate of shows lined up. Movieguide® reported:
The network already has three original shows lined up.
MORNING ON MERIT STREET will air weekdays and will be the network’s version of a daily morning news show. Led by Dominique Sachse and Fanchon Stinger, it will combine “information, enlightenment, entertainment, and inspiration.”
THE NEWS ON MERIT STREET will air at 7 p.m. ET on weeknights. This evening news program will cover stories from the day, hosted by senior anchor Kris Gutierrez and co-hosts Lyndsey Keith and Loni Coombs.
McGraw’s DR. PHIL PRIMETIME will air at 8 p.m. ET every weeknight. It “begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results,” McGraw says.
Other shows for the network are in the works, including a partnership with Nancy Grace who is known for hosting true crime content.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
