Disney’s Lesson in Making (Many) Millions

By RiSHAWN BIDDLE

Staff Reporter

During its three-year run, “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” managed to go from primetime phenomenon to overexposed dud for Walt Disney Co.’s ABC network.

But the game show, which the network canceled in May 2002, has achieved an afterlife of sorts in the second year of a syndicated version starring Meredith Vieira as well as with other brand extensions.

Nationally, the syndicated “Millionaire” garnered a Nielsen rating of 3.9 last month, about 4.1 million homes far from the heyday of the original U.S. show, which starred Regis Philbin, but well ahead of other syndicated offerings, such as “Family Feud” and “Hollywood Square.”

In L.A., where it airs on KCBS (Channel 2), it’s the No. 4 show in the 7:30 p.m. time spot Monday through Friday, after “The Simpsons,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” according to Lloyd Komesar, an executive vice president with Disney’s Buena Vista syndication division.

Reruns of the prime time show still air on Sony Corp.’s Game Show Network. Some 315,000 viewers tune in daily to watch Philbin ask contestants, “Is that your final answer?” Other “Millionaire”-related items include theme park attractions, a board game and wireless videogames.

“I think people are surprised we’re still around,” said the executive producer, Michael Davies, who brought the show to the United States after watching the original British version, which is still in its first run. “The obituaries for ‘Millionaire’ were written way too early.”

Media giants have long aimed to turn their hit shows into branding opportunities that can reap revenues across their sprawling divisions. Disney managed that trick with the now-cancelled “Lizzie McGuire,” which spawned a clothing line and a hit film, as well as a platinum-selling album.

But it’s not easy to maintain branding momentum after the original primetime show has been cancelled.

One thing helping the marketing is a revamped version for daytime viewers. To make game move along more quickly, the “fastest finger” round first used to choose contestants was eliminated. Producers also have increased the difficulty of play by expanding the range of questions.

Disney’s deal with Celador, the British producer of the original game, also mandated licensing choices to preserve the integrity of the game. Among the rejects: A “Millionaire” slot machine and Regis Philbin bobblehead dolls.

But does the syndicated version of “Millionaire” have the legs to drive the greenlighted products? Just 300,000 units of the board game have been sold so far this year at discounts of nearly 60 percent, according to Jim Pressman, president of Pressman Toy Co. That’s a drop-off from the 4 million sold two years ago.

“The (syndicated show) is nice, but it’s not a big factor in sales,” Pressman said.