Montel Williams calls it quits, ends talk show after 17 years

Just in from Variety:

Montel Williams is calling it a wrap after 17 years in daytime.

CBS TV Distribution confirmed Wednesday it will end production on the syndicated yakker at the end of this season. CBS plans to offer stations a “Best of Montel” package for the fall that will feature segs from throughout the show’s run.

Fate of “The Montel Williams Show” was sealed when key Fox-owned stations opted not to renew it for the 2008-09 season. But a number of other stations had cleared the show for next season, prompting CBS to offer the “Best of” package. The rerun package is sold on an all-cash basis, which is a boon to stations that had been handing over 3½ minutes of barter ad time per seg to CBS for the firstrun episodes.

“Stations continue to embrace Montel and the message of social responsibility that has been the cornerstone of his show,” said CBS TV Distribution prexy and chief operating officer John Nogawski.

Williams, a former military officer, launched his yakker in New York and a handful of other markets in 1991. Show was picked up for national distribution by Viacom the following year.