Dr. Phil's Anti-Woke TV Network Sues Christian Broadcaster After Filing For Bankruptcy

Yahoo

a day ago

Merit Street Media, a cable television network founded by daytime reality star Phil McGraw, aka Dr. Phil, filed for bankruptcy Wednesday and accused its Christian distributor of sabotage almost a year after it launched with a promise of being anti-woke.
McGraw launched Merit Street Media last yearin partnership with distributor Trinity Broadcasting Network and promoted a slew of lineups with popular names such as Nancy Grace, Bear Grylls and Steve Harvey, along with a news team.
The TV psychologist's company had high ambitions of becoming 'one of the most widely distributed startup networks in modern history.'
'Merit Street Media will be a resource of information and strategies to fight for America and its families, which are under a cultural 'woke' assault as never before,' Dr. Phil said at the time. 'I love this country and I believe family is the backbone of our society. Together we are going to stand strong and fight for the very soul and sanity of America and get things that matter back on track.'
McGraw appeared on the platform last year to conduct a softball interview with then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, and in January, he accompanied Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on raids in Chicago and Los Angeles that were featured by the network.
Behind the scenes, Merit Street Media faced hard times that led to the network filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Merely months after its launch, McGraw's company laid off about 40 employees. Last month, approximately 40 more employees were laid off.
'Those left are being told very little. We are understandably nervous and have no idea as to the future of the network,' staffers told Mediaite during the first wave of layoffs.
The Professional Bull Riders pulled its programming off Merit Street Media in November, claiming the network failed to pay rights fees.
In a lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Texas, Merit Street Media attributed its financial woes to Trinity Broadcasting Network, accusing it of 'sabotage' and abusing its power as the controlling shareholder shortly after Merit Street Media formed.
A spokesperson for Merit Street Media told The Hollywood Reporter that Trinity Broadcasting Network failed to 'provide clearly agreed-upon national distribution and other significant foundational commitments critical to the network's continuing success and viability.'
'This fresh voice on the national stage is inexorably going dark, going off the air because TBN has refused to honor its commitment to transfer its must carry rights and thereby provide national distribution for the network—Merit Street,' the lawsuit read.
The lawsuit also alleged Trinity Broadcasting Network had provided Merit Street Media with 'shoddy production services,' citing teleprompter malfunctioning, an incomplete control room and a lack of engineers.
'Simply put, as a result of TBN's conduct, Merit Street has nowhere to send its broadcast signal and nowhere to air its programming no matter how great it may be,' the lawsuit read.
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