Content makeover in works for CMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Outside the CMT building, Nashville is booming: Cranes dot the skyline downtown, and tourists flood the neon-lighted clutch of clubs on Lower Broadway.

In recent years, Music City has gained “It City” status with new arrivals, prompting a surge in everything from retail and real-estate ventures to food culture.

Fortunately for CMT (aka Country Music Television), “Nashville” is booming, too.

When ABC canceled the soapy, countrycentric drama in 2016, the cable network saw an opportunity to breathe new life into the series and expand its umbrella with moreinclusive programming.

“We knew we were inviting a lot of new people to go out on a date with us,” said Anthony Barton, CMT’s senior vice president of consumer marketing and brand creative. “And we wanted to make sure our house was ready when they got there.”

The date went well: The fifth-season premiere in January notched the highest rating for an original program in CMT history — nearly 2 million viewers across CMT and Nick at Nite.

Although ratings for the first half of the season are a fraction of what they were when “Nashville” was on ABC, the results are still good news for a niche network, especially because that rising tide has lifted the boat for “Sun Records.”

Inspired by the stage musical “Million Dollar Quartet,” the new CMT series tells the rock ‘n’ roll origin story of the famed label that launched the careers of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. It drew 2 million viewers when it ran after the recent “Nashville” episode featuring the farewell of Connie Britton’s character, Rayna Jaymes.

There’s a symmetry to putting a fresh coat of paint on a familiar show and relaunching the network in a place where growth has been a hot topic.

Amid the freshening, one tradition won’t be altered: CMT’s dedication to country music.