"5th Grader" gears up for syndication (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Fox quiz show "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" is moving into syndication.

Twentieth Television is expected to announce shortly that it will debut a syndicated version in fall 2009. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy, who hosts the primetime version, is expected to take the reins.

A representative for Twentieth, the Fox corporate sibling that handles syndication, declined comment. But the distributor was known to have been developing a syndicated version of the show for several months.

Should a Foxworthy-hosted "5th Grader" get cleared for a next year, it would be the second game show in as many years to leap from primetime to syndication and with the same host: NBC Universal is launching a syndicated version of NBCs "Deal or No Deal," both hosted by Howie Mandel, in September.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter