“Who Do You Think You Are?” was a very popular genealogy television show, right up until it was cancelled. Genealogists lamented the lost of this unique program that got so many people excited about genealogy. There is a possibility that the show may return on a new network.
The show “Who Do You Think You Are?” was once on NBC. Two entire seasons were aired, and the third was in progress, when NBC chose to cancel the show. Technically, NBC chose not to renew the show for a fourth season. I’ve no idea why.
The show was sponsored by Ancestry.com, an incredibly popular genealogy website. Many people associated the genealogy television show with the genealogy website. Perhaps that is why Ancestry.com’s stock dropped nearly 14% when it was announced that NBC had cancelled the series.
At the time that the announcement about NBC canceling “Who Do You Think You Are?” was made, Tim Sullivan, the CEO of Ancestry.com said that they had formed a “great partnership” with Is or Isn’t Entertainment and Shed Media, (the producers of the show). He also said that he was looking forward to exploring other distribution options.
One of those “other distribution options” could be through Discovery Communications, Inc., and, more specifically, with TLC. There are talks between TLC and Ancestry.com that could result in TLC picking up “Who Do You Think You Are?”. According to Bloomberg, the producers of the television show are also in talks with “other networks” who have not been publicly identified.
What will ultimately happen remains to be seen. Right now, it certainly appears that there is a possibility that you could be watching “Who Do You Think You Are?” season four at some point in the future. It won’t be on NBC anymore, but it could be getting ready to appear on another network. What celebrities would you like to see appear on the show?
One of the most interesting things about the “Who Do You Think You Are?” show is that it sparked an interest in genealogy in a whole lot of people who would not have otherwise considered taking up the hobby. The show successfully combined the attraction of including a popular celebrity into each episode of the program with the mystery of learning about that person’s ancestry. It is a unique combination that no other show can offer. The show will be popular, no matter what network it ends up on.
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