Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
‘Hot Bench’ Relocates To Connecticut As LA Production Exodus Continues With No Respite For Unscripted Shows In Sight
EXCLUSIVE: Another longtime Los Angeles-based TV production is leaving California. CBS Media Ventures’ syndicated court show Hot Bench, currently in its 11th season, will move to Connecticut next season.
The Judith Sheindlin-created program, which is in Year 1 of a two-season pickup, recently informed its stars and crew of the pending relocation. It is done for financial reasons, with Hot Bench projected to get a 30% tax credit in Connecticut, which I hear would amount to savings of about $3.5M a year on its $12M budget.
Related Stories
It is unclear whether the show’s current judges, Michael Corriero, Rachel Juarez and Yodit Tewolde, would make the move to the East Coast; one or more departures appear likely.
“Given the industrywide economic challenges, we have made a budgetary decision to shift production of Hot Bench to Connecticut,” a CBS Media Ventures spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline. “Hot Bench is the #1 original court show on television, and this move will ensure the long-term financial success of the show so our loyal viewers can enjoy the show for years to come.”
CBS Media Ventures’ parent Paramount Global has been under particular financial pressure to cut costs, resulting in multiple waves of layoffs this year. Overall, rising production costs and shrinking TV budgets amid an industry contractions have turned TV producers into what one referred to as “production nomads,” scouring the country (and sometimes the globe) for advantageous tax credit offerings to set their TV shows there. An agent described his recent visit to a major LA studio lot to walking through a ghost town.
Amid sobering reports of declining LA production, including FilmLA’s recent estimate of an almost 20% plunge in 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced a significant increase in film and TV tax credits. Still not able to rival other states’ incentives, California’s tax credits will also continue to be out-of-reach for unscripted series (including syndicated shows), which will remain ineligible.
That has led to a slew of departures, including Fox’s MasterChef relocating to Australia after 14 seasons in Los Angeles. The network films several of its reality series in the UK, including Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, which moved from California to Great Britain after Season 1. Unscripted series are eligible for tax credits in both of their new home countries.
Syndicated shows face even more headwinds from the challenging economics of the eroding syndication marketplace. Over the past two years, Fox First Run moved its game shows, including Pictionary hosted by Jerry O’Connell, from California to Georgia. Fremantle’s Family Feud stalwart also moved to Georgia, which offers tax incentives.
With NBCUniversal’s The Kelly Clarkson Show last year moving from Los Angeles to New York for various reasons and CBS’ The Talk coming to an end, Warner Bros.’ syndicated The Jennifer Hudson Show remains the only daytime talk show filming in Los Angeles.
There are a few other daytime shows that still tape in LA, including Sheindlin’s other court shows for Prime Video (and now broadcast syndication), Judy Justice, in which she also stars, as well as Tribunal Justice, whose judge panel includes Hot Bench alums Tanya Acker and Patricia DiMango.