Fuse lines up new shows, renewals

Complex x Fuse is set for a fifth run

Jennifer Lopez-backed Fuse Media has announced a raft of new shows and renewals for its US-based Fuse channel, targeting millennial and Gen Z audiences.

Complex x Fuse (10×60’) has been renewed for a fifth season, while digital documentary series Soundcheck to Stage has been expanded to linear.

Fuse will also premiere The Candidates, a new documentary about a long-running election simulation at New York high school.

Other new shows debuting this fall include Made From Scratch (8×30’), The Read with Kid Fury & Crissle West (10×30’) and Don’t Be Nice.

Fuse said the new programming shows how it can create and adapt content from digital platforms for linear TV. Made From Scratch originated as a format on YouTube, where it averaged 2.7 million views per episode.

“By migrating non-traditional programming to Fuse’s linear channel, we have blurred the line between ‘digital’ and ‘TV’ programming to create a diverse fall line-up,” said J-T Ladt, Fuse Media’s chief content officer.

The show announcements come after a dicey few months for the broadcaster. In April, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after its CEO resigned and US cable giants Comcast and Verizon dropped it in December 2018.

It had US$242m in debts but emerged from Chapter 11 in June.

Soundcheck to Stage With Rich The Kid premieres on September 21 and Complex x Fuse debuts on October 2, while both The Read with Kid Fury & Crissle West and Don’t Be Nice air from October 11. Made From Scratch bows on October 15 and The Candidates’ world TV premiere will be on November 5.