Fox Looks to 'Party' hearty license fees

HOLLYWOOD Columbia TriStar TV is seeking to double the license fee for the Fox network drama "Party of Five" when the show's four-year contract expires next week, sources said Feb. 12.

The show is no runaway hit like NBC's "ER," but Fox's drama has hit its stride this season, and other networks have expressed interest in snagging the show, sources said.

Right now, Columbia gets about $1 million an episode for the series, and Columbia is asking for nearly $2 million. Columbia TriStar TV declined to comment, and a Fox Broadcasting Co. source assured Variety, "It's going to get done, and relatively quickly."

However, another source close to the negotiation said, "It's getting pretty hairy," and Fox had even threatened "not to do right by" Columbia's mid-season drama "Significant Others," from "Party of Five" creators Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman.

Negotiations heated up last last week, and if "Party of Five" is not renewed by early this week, the other networks are expected to bid the price up even higher - perhaps to as much as $3 million - so that Fox will have to pay more. The series would fit ABC's profile, as well as the WB's, and NBC may want to get back at Fox for helping pump up the price of "ER."

The WB's desires

Sources say the WB netlet is unlikely to make a pricey bid for any series, though, especially at Fox's expense, given that one of its schedule linchpins, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," is produced by 20th Century Fox.

Columbia also has reasons to be kind to Fox. The web has nurtured the show for several seasons and has renewed it each year, despite sketchy ratings. Only in its fourth season has "Party" become a ratings success.

Season-to-date, the drama is averaging an 8.2/13 in homes (up 17% from last year) and a 6.6 in adults 18-49 (up 29%). "Party" is second in its Wednesday 9 p.m. timeslot this season in both categories, trailing only ABC's comedies, "The Drew Carey Show" and "Ellen."

"Party" regularly beats NBC's "3rd Rock From the Sun" and "Working," as well as CBS' Bryant Gumbel newsmag, which is moving out of the way to Tuesday night.

Columbia TriStar TV Distribution recently sold off-net rights to "Party of Five" to the Lifetime Television cabler for $600,000 per episode, and to double the license fee would sweeten that pot even more.