Variety to Provide On-Camera Talent for Reelz Channel

Variety, the show-biz bible, has struck a deal with Reelz Channel–writers appear as correspondents and analysts on the Dailies show and Reelz puts a camera in the newsroom.

Rod Perth, head of the cable channel, said

The goal for this network is to become for movie fans what the Food Network is for foodies or ESPN is for sports fans.

Editor Peter Bart is slated to be a regular on-camera presence, but many of Variety’s writers are notoriously shy about appearing on TV, probably because no reporter in show biz can be as glamorous as the stars they cover. Trust us, after a while, they won’t even notice the camera–or so all reality cast members claim.

Reelz, currently in 28 million homes, is predicted to clear 45 million subscribers by the end of this year.