Merit Street Media
DALLAS, TX (November 4, 2023) – Dr. Phil McGraw, the Emmy award-winning executive producer and host of the hit talk show, "Dr. Phil," announced today the launch of MERIT STREET MEDIA™, a new cable TV network dedicated to bringing viewers essential news and entertainment. MERIT STREET MEDIA will be anchored by "Dr. Phil Primetime," coming soon and will air nightly at 8 pm ET.
"I absolutely love talking to real people about real problems. People who aren't just complaining but are actively looking for real solutions to better their lives," said McGraw. "American families and our core values are under attack. 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 continues to receive thousands of requests from viewers seeking advice. "As always, the audience will dictate our content because they are our content, and I want my viewer's help in building MERIT STREET. I continue my pledge to help individuals, couples, and families have the tough conversations, face the hard realities, and get real answers for the most positive and effective outcome."
MERIT STREET MEDIA, named for Dr. Phil's respect for the meritocracy on which this country was built, will be based in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where a new state-of-the-art broadcast center, spanning over 5 acres, is completing construction. Dozens of longtime "Dr. Phil" staffers have made the transition and relocated their families to Texas to continue working alongside McGraw. MERIT STREET will announce its full primetime lineup in the coming months and is expected to initially offer multiple hours of original daily programming, including live news broadcasts that will bring fact-based truth and transparency.
"Dr. Phil Primetime" will follow the well-known format, with McGraw continuing to offer his no-nonsense advice to guests and viewers, tackling the tough issues facing real people in the real world today. From raising a family in a world that at times seems to have gone mad, to children being corrupted by toxic social media platforms, to an epidemic of prescription drug addiction and out-of-control immigration, to dealing with an education curriculum that for too many is failing and for some feels more like indoctrination, McGraw plans to tackle the challenges for which his viewers are seeking help and advice. Important conversations, such as social issues affecting both sides of the country, will be heard. "It all begins and ends with real people dealing with these issues for real, using common sense, fact-based information, and action plans to create results," states McGraw, who will also continue to conduct hard-hitting interviews with headline newsmakers.
Veteran news and programming executive, Joel Cheatwood, known for his work at WCBS, CNN, and Fox News, will serve as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Merit Street Media. Announcements on network executives, show producers, cable providers, and additional programming are to follow over the next few months.
For more information, visit www.meritstreetmedia.com and follow Dr. Phil's social media accounts @DrPhil on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.
ABOUT DR. PHIL MCGRAW
In March 2023, after 21 seasons of dominating the genre, McGraw announced the end of his daytime platform "Dr. Phil." Before blazing his unprecedented career in television, McGraw founded Courtroom Sciences, Inc. (CSI), a groundbreaking trial science firm bringing his psychological expertise, including both forensic and clinical specialties, to the high-octane litigation arena. His work at CSI was so unique it inspired the hit CBS primetime series, "Bull," which ran for 6 seasons with McGraw as Executive Producer, co-creator, and writer. The mother-son legal drama, "So Help Me Todd," with McGraw as EP, debuted on CBS in fall 2022 to stellar ratings and critics' raves. He additionally hosts two chart-topping podcasts, "Phil In The Blanks" and "Mystery & Murder: Analysis by Dr. Phil," and has penned 10 New York Times best-selling books.
A frequent testifying expert on Capitol Hill, McGraw is also a two-time Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer, and in 2015 was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. In February 2020, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. McGraw was honored with the coveted Presidential Citation in 2006 by the American Psychological Association for his significant contributions to the field of psychology. The citation read in part, "your work has touched more Americans than any other living psychologist."
