Broadcasting & Cable articles from December 2005

Broadcasting & Cable archives from December 2005

'Nightly news' boss sounds off.(National Broadcasting Company Inc.'s Steve Capus)(Interview)
December 5, 2005... After three months as acting president of NBC News, veteran producer Steve Capus got the official nod last week to head up the top-rated network news division and MNSBC. But with speculation that star Katie Couric might jump to the competition,...

NBC takes on weather.com: Nbcweatherplus.com will launch next year.(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)
December 5, 2005... NBC is taking its assault on The Weather Channel to the Internet. A year after launching digital broadcast service Weather Plus, NBC and its affiliated stations are preparing a companion Web site. Nbcweatherplus.com is slated to launch in...

Thursday night gets new laughs.(National Broadcasting Company Inc. reintroduces 'My Name Is Earl')(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... One day after Fox announced it will keep ratings behemoth American Idol on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, NBC responded with a wide-ranging shakeup of its prime time schedule. Beginning the week of Jan. 2, NBC will reintroduce a two-hour,...

Woodruff, Vargas set to anchor 'World News Tonight'.(NEWS & COMMENT)(Bob Woodruff)(Elizabeth Vargas)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ABC is close to a deal with Bob Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas to co-anchor ABC Worm News Tonight, according to network sources. Details of the contracts, which had yet to be signed at press time, were unclear. An ABC News spokesman declined...

Where to be and what to watch ...(CBS Broadcasting Inc. press party)(banking industry media conference)(Charlie Brown will be aired in spanish language)
December 5, 2005... Monday, Dec. 5 Midtown Manhattan is full of Swiss-banker types this week, as both Union Bank of Switzerland Warburg and Credit Suisse First Boston kick off their annual media conferences. (Just what New York needs this time of year: more...

That sinking feeling.(THE ROBINS REPORT)(television programs ratings)
December 5, 2005... If you're toiling away at a broadcast network these days, getting the Nielsen overnights every morning has to be a lousy way to start the day. If your gig is at NBC, it s got to be a daily punch in the gut: The network is off 16% in its target...

CBS and NBC placing bets on Couric question.(Katie Couric of National Broadcasting Company Inc. may join CBS Inc. CBS News)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... The buzz inside the CBS Broadcast Center is that heavy odds favor Katie Couric's making the former dairy barn her home and leaving her posh Rockefeller Center digs once and for all. Also, the promotion of veteran 60 Minutes producer Rome...

Yahoo! Eyes Howard.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Howard Stern is planning a ceremonial walk from terrestrial to satellite radio, and Yahoo! may be there to cover it. When Stern finishes his final show on Dec. 16 for Infinity Broadcasting, he plans to walk out of the building and greet fans...

Reality check.(Reality television programs)(Brief Article)(Column)
December 5, 2005... From time to time, Flash! chronicles the world of reality-TV casting, where hungry producers beckon innocent Craigslist users to participate in "special moments of discovery." Or to "e-mail us two (clothed) pictures" And by the way: "Please be...

Color Dave 'Purple'.(Oprah Winfrey attended premiere of The Color Purple)(Home Box Office Inc. Dare to Dream premiered)(Lou Dobbs received Lifetime Achievement Award at The Business and Financial Emmy Awards )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... 1 OPRAH WINFREY and DAVID LETTERMAN exit en route to the Broadway theater where her production of The Color Purple premiered. Winfrey appeared on Letterman's show Dec. 1 for the first time in 16 years, ending a feud. He walked her to her...

Ratings: 11/14/2005.(SYNDICATION)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... RATINGS 11/14-20/05 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows ADULTS 18-49 PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Friends 4.5 5.9 2 Everybody Loves Raymond 4.1 5.2 3 Seinfeld ...

Everybody Loves 'Ray': Rachael Ray's future looks bright after King World seals two-year deals.(King World Productions Inc. producing The Rachael Ray Show)(Television Food Network G.P.)
December 5, 2005... The Oprah Winfrey stamp of approval has helped King World quickly secure two-year deals for Food Network's Rachael Ray, whose fall 2006 daytime lifestyle show has cleared more than 70% of the country in just one month. After getting all top-25...

Having their 'Phil'.(WBZ Boston to restores 'Dr. Phil' to its orginal timings)
December 5, 2005... In a reversal of recent programming strategy, CBS owned-and-operated WBZ Boston is moving syndicated talk show Dr. Phil back to its original 3 p.m. slot and restoring its 5 p.m. newscast. In June 2004, the station scrapped the 5 p.m. news, a...

WNYW launches HD Chopper.(STATION TO STATION)(high definition helicopter)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... New Yorkers are getting a clearer picture of the news, courtesy of station WNYW. The Fox Television-owned outlet just started flying the market's first high-definition helicopter, providing viewers with crisp, vivid pictures of traffic jams,...

Photo finish to sweeps: CBS ties surging ABC.(American Broadcasting Companies Inc., )
December 5, 2005... A red-nosed reindeer helped pull CBS into a first-place tie in the 18-49 demo with ABC in November sweeps. It illustrated just how close the demo race is between the two networks--and how wide the gap is between the front-runners and the rest...

At a glance.(cable television market)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... The Market DMA Rank 8 Population 5,941,000 TV homes 2.253 million Income Per Capita $24,446 TV Revenue Rank 9 TV Revenue $533,000,000 Commercial...

Capital improvements: local people meters shake up D.C. TV biz.(WASHINGTON)
December 5, 2005... In the nation's capital, local broadcasters are adjusting to a new type of administration: Nielsen Media Research's local-people-meter (LPM) ratings system. Washington converted to the electronic system, which reports daily demographic data, in...

The pod squad.(cable televisiond build on podcasting)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... In an effort to snag viewers who are away from their TVs, D.C. stations are aggressively building out their Web sites and wireless offerings. ABC affiliate WJLA streams its early-evening and 11 p.m. news live online and offers a daily free...

How the fight over indecency threatens to turn the cable industry upside down; Congress and the FCC turn up the heat.(Federal Communications Commission)(Cover Story)
December 5, 2005... In a single stroke, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin may have turned the world of cable operators and programmers on its head. Under the glare of TV lights at a Senate indecency heating last week, Martin reversed course on the agency's pivotal...

TV braces for DVR ratings: new Nielsen service offers buyers, networks choice of formats.(ADVERTISING)(digital video recording devices)
December 5, 2005... The television industry may be talking in different ratings languages in the coming weeks, say TV executives, when Nielsen begins to include programs recorded on digital video recording devices (DVRs) in the viewing it tracks for networks and...

Two of a kind wins in Fargo: a couple of buddies succeed with a poker show that features regular Joes.(NEWS & COMMENT)
December 5, 2005... The news that the televised poker craze is slowdown apparently hasn't reached Fargo, N.D. That is where two friends, Todd Anderson and Greg Lang, decided that, while other televised poker shows try to trump each other with escalating payouts...

CNN opens up pipeline: network unveils broadband pay service for news junkies.(TECHNOLOGY)(Cable News Network)
December 5, 2005... CNN turns the valve this week on a broadband product that sets it apart from the increasingly crowded broadband-news field. Known as Pipeline, the online news channel provides news-hounds with four live streams of content and access to recent...

TiVo saves commercials: DVR giant helps viewers search for ads.(TECHNOLOGY)(Interview)
December 5, 2005... Last week, TiVo unveiled plans for a product that allows subscribers to search for specifically targeted commercials placed on their DVRs. TiVo has offered long-form commercials for years, but the new service will enable viewers to actively...

Norsat hits Alaska.(KTVA Anchorage)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... KTVA Anchorage, a CBS affiliate, has purchased the Norsat NewsLink satellite news gathering system for its news operations. KTVA VP/General Manager Jerry Bever says the system is easy to use and is also well-suited for the Alaska climate...

Harris revamps NetVX.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Harris is rolling out a new version of NetVX, a multi-source networking product that helps television stations and network facilities monitor and make better use of transmission bandwidth. Among the product's key features, according to John...

Nielsen ratings: Nov. 21-27.(Illustration)
December 5, 2005... THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Nov. 21-2T PROGRAM DATE NET HHS Total Households (in millions) 1. NFL: Saints/Jets 11/27 ESPN 5.2 2. WWE Raw 10p ...

Humbard spreads gospel on cable; son of a TV preacherman finds his own path.(FIFTH ESTATER)(Charley Humbard )(Gospel Music Channel )
December 5, 2005... Gospel Music Channel President/CEO Charley Humbard doesn't have to catch the new biopic Walk the Line at the local multiplex to learn about Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. He grew up sleeping in their bed. Humbard is the son of famed...

WBZ Boston.(Jennifer Street appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... JENNIFER STREET, acting news director, WBZ Boston, named news director.

Comcast.(Sonya Nelson, Bill Ferry, Joe Cona, Patti Carpentar promoted)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... Promoted to regional VP at Comcast: in the Coastal Region, Jacksonville, Fla.: SONYA NELSON, regional director, human resources; BILL FERRY, senior director, government affairs; JOE CONA, senior director, business operations; in the Gulf Coast...

SOAPnet.(Jori Petersen appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... JORI PETERSEN, executive director, media relations, SOAPnet, Burbank, Calif., promoted to VP.

Scripps Networks.(Robin Garfield appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ROBIN GARFIELD, VP, strategic operations and research/VP, research, MSNBC, Secaucus, N.J., and acting VP/director, research, NBC Cable Networks, New York, named to the newly created position of VP, sales research and strategy, Scripps Networks...

Discovery U.S.(Allan Navarrete appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ALLAN NAVARRETE, executive director, affiliate sales and relations, Discovery Networks Latin America/Iberia, promoted to VP, distribution, affiliate sales and marketing, U.S. Hispanic networks, Discovery U.S., Silver Spring, Md.

Tempo.(Frederick Morton appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... FREDERICK MORTON, senior VP/deputy general counsel, business and legal affairs, MTV Net works, New York, named senior VP/general manager, Tempo, New York.

KCNC.(Alan Gionet appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ALAN GIONET, managing editor, First Coast News, WJXX/WTLV Jacksonville, Fla., named weekend anchor, KCNC Denver.

WBZ.(Ken Barlow appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... KEN BARLOW, chief meteorologist, 5, 6, and 10 p.m. news, KARE Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., tapped as chief meteorologist, WBZ Boston.

KOKI.(Melanie Henry appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... MELANIE HENRY, assistant news director, KOKI Tulsa, Okla., named news director.

KSTC.(Ed Molloy appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... ED MOLLOY, senior account executive/new media sales specialist, WSTM/WSTO Syracuse, N.Y., named local sales manager, KSTC Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minn.

At Exavio, Santa Clara, Calif.: Brad Winett, VP, business development and marketing.(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... At Exavio, Santa Clara, Calif.: BRAD WINETT, VP, business development and marketing, Chatworth, Calif., to VP, business development; JIM FARNEY, senior market manager, Silicon Graphics Inc., Mountain View, Calif., to director, market...

National Association of Minority Media Executives.(Sherman Kizart appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... SHERMAN KIZART, senior VP/ director, urban radio, Interep, joins the board of the National Association of Minority Media Executives.

TVs.(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WNDU(TV) SOUTH BEND, IND. PRICE: $85 million BUYER: Gray Television Inc. (Robert S. Prather Jr., president/COO/director) SELLER: Michiana Telecasting (James Behling, president) FACILITIES: Ch. 16, 5,000 kW, ant. 1,070 ft. ...

Combos.(DEALS)
December 5, 2005... WMLP(AM) AND WVLY(FM) MILTON (SUNBURY-SELINSGROVE-LEWISBURG), PA. PRICE: $3 million BUYER: Sunbury Broadcasting Corp. (Roger S. Haddon Jr., president/CEO); owns three other stations: WKOK(AM), WEGH(FM) and WQKX(FM)...

FMs.(College Creek Broad casting Inc., Independence Media Holdings LLC )(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... NEW (FM) MESQUITE (LAS VEGAS), NEV.; NEW (FM)(CP) HURRICANE, UTAH PRICE: $11.5 million BUYER: Simmons Media Group Inc. (G. Craig Hanson, president); owns 24 other stations, including KADD(FM) Las Vegas SELLER: College Creek Broad...

AMs.(broadcasting acquisations)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... WEFL(AM) TEQUESTA (WEST PALM BEACH-BOCA RATON), FLA. PRICE: $2.8 million BUYER: Good Karma Broadcasting (Craig Karmazin, president); owns seven other stations, none in this market SELLER: Star Development Group Inc. (Carl Tutera,...

Trump to fire on west coast.(Donald Trump returns to National Broadcasting Company Inc. while planning on 'The Apprentice')(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... NBC is picking up The Apprentice--and moving it to Southern California. The show has been picked up for a sixth cycle, which will be based outside of New York City for the first time. Donald Trump will return to the boardroom and...

Hartman takes over 'CBS Evening News'.(Rome Hartman appointed)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... New CBS News President Sean McManus is making another change in the top executive ranks at the news division, tapping veteran 60 Minutes producer Rome Hartman to replace Jim Murphy as executive producer of CBS Evening News. Murphy, a...

Affiliates plan local Olympics show.(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 5, 2005... NBC and many of its affiliates are teaming up to produce a 30-minute nightly local pre-show during the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, in February. The show, titled Olympic Zone, will be co-produced by NBC and each local affiliate that...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 5, 2005... Voom is a suite of high-definition channels offered by EchoStar's DBS Dish network. The Nov. 28 Airtime column incorrectly described the service.

'Journal Editorial Report' jumps to FNC.(NEWS & COMMENT)(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... Public-affairs program The Journal Editorial Report is ending its controversial run on public television and moving to Fox News Channel in January. Bill Shine, senior VP of Fox News, announced the show's move last week. "We're pleased to...

Simple cure for indecency fracas.(prohibiting indecent television commercials)(Editorial)
December 5, 2005... Jack Valenti, the 85-year-old wizard who presided over the Motion Picture Association of America for 38 years, has one of the best solutions for television s alleged "indecency" problem: Advertise. Namely, let the public know that their...

Convergence makes a comeback.(Deloitte Consulting L.L.P.)
December 5, 2005... Convergence was buried under the rubble of the dotcom crash, or so several people thought. But what really disappeared was the premature obsession with the spectacular. Convergence is finally taking center stage with a trillion dollars...

Zucker on anchors and iPods.(Jeff Zucker of NBC Universal Inc.)(Interview)
December 12, 2005... NBC Universal last week became next in line to make its TV content available via Apple's iTunes, which follows an earlier deal it had made with DirecTV to supply programming for video-on-demand. And while NBC U Television Group President Jeff...

'Night Stalker' just won't die: Sci Fi gives cancelled series a home.(Sci-Fi Channel Inc. acquired the rights of Night Stalker from Touchstone Television)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... After ABC pulled the plug last month on Night Stalker, the update of the 1970s series about a ghoul-hunting reporter, it looked like danger-seeking journalist Carl Kolchak had met his demise--done in by six low-rated episodes. But NBC...

On Cablevision, it's a two-way 'Sesame Street'.(Cablevision Systems Corp. under a deal with Sesame Workshop introducing television game)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... Children whose parents are Cablevision Systems Corp. digital subscribers will be able to play games starring their favorite Sesame Street characters through their television sets, under a new deal between the cable company and the non-profit...

Martha weak nights, but gets day break.(NBC Universal Inc. signed Martha Stewart for the new version of The Apprentice)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... While Martha Stewart's version of The Apprentice in prime time got canned by NBC after its first batch of episodes, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution plans a second season for her daytime talker and has Martha signed up in more...

E! has a plan to replace Stern's gross revenue.(E! Entertainment Television Inc.)(The Howard Stern Show)(Saturday Night Live)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... E! will replace late-night episodes of The Howard Stern Show with reruns of the 2004 and 2005 seasons of Saturday Night Live, when the shock jock ends his 12-year stint on the network later this month. Stern has moved his TV work to...

Where to be and what to watch ...(B&C WEEK)(2005 Muse Awards organized by New York Women in Film & Television)(Museum of Television and Radio forum)(Katrina Weddings program on WE is hosted by Sandy Ferreira)(Calendar)
December 12, 2005... Monday, Dec. 12 The International Radio & Television Society is holding its holiday casino benefit today at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Madison Avenue mavens like Initiative Media CEO Alec Gerster, Horizon Media CEO Bill Koenigsberg...

The economics of indecency: Comcast and Time Warner could find that family-tier plans will hammer some networks.(MONEY TALKS)
December 12, 2005... The cable industry is blinking. Just days after FCC Chairman Kevin Martin launched an attack on indecent programming on basic cable, major operators seem to be coming to heel, hurriedly drafting plans for special tiers of family-friendly...

Charlie Hustle and the $60 million poker game.(by FOX Sports Net)(Pete Rose is playing)(Mansionpoker.net Pokerdome Series)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... When Fox Sports Net holds a charity poker event on Monday night in Hollywood, scheduled to play is none other than former baseball great Pete Rose--who literally gambled himself out of the Hall of Fame. While Rose's decision to gamble in...

Mullally's comic strip.(FLASH!)(Megan Mullally's My Name Is Earl on National Broadcasting Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... While all the attention around NBC's Thursday shakeup centered on My Name Is Earl's coming and Joey's going, the move also injects a level of salacious humor at 8 p.m. when Will & Grace kicks off the night. The show's co-star, Megan...

Cleaning up soaps.("A Christian's Look at Daytime Soap Operas" written by Tyrone Short)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... God knows how many people wrestle with balancing their Christian principles and their love of steamy daytime soaps. Toward that end, a Christian rapper/reggae singer/preacher has authored A Christian's Look at Daytime Soap Operas. Tyrone...

The B&C.(Television broadcasting industry stocks)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 12, 2005... THE B&C WEEK OF DECEMBER 2-8 THE B&C 10 WEEK YTD 0.2% -7.6% BROADCAST TV GROUPS WEEK YTD -1.3% -19.0% CABLE OPERATORS WEEK YTD 0.3% -16.6% RADIO WEEK YTD ...

Apple polished.(Apple Computer Inc. shares)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... +48% Despite cutting deals to sell TV episodes on iTunes, Apple Computer is far from becoming a TV company. That's good, because, unlike most TV stocks, its shares are roaring. The success of the iPod and Apple's niche PCs has doubled the...

Study: kids food ads must change.(WASHINGTON WATCH)(Institute of Medicine of the National Academies evaluation of television advertisements regarding food for kids)
December 12, 2005... The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, commissioned by Congress to study kids food marketing, made it clear last week that it considers childhood obesity a serious enough health risk for the government to require advertisers to...

Bring it on-line: TV stations take on newspapers, Yahoo! and all challengers on the Internet to claim new viewers and boost profits.(local news coverage)(Cover Story)
December 12, 2005... When students from an Oklahoma elementary school decorated a state capitol Christmas tree with old lotto tickets, it sparked a political firestorm. Coming so close on the heels of a hotly contested state lottery, the tree was deemed in poor...

Services try to track "Buzz": Brandimensions, TV*BuzzMetrics and others monitor viewer chatter on the Internet.(market research of television programs)
December 12, 2005... Nielsen may say that CSI was the most-viewed show during sweeps, but My Name Is Earl can claim the most Internet "buzz." According to a midseason report by Canada-based Brandimensions, which bills itself as "a market-intelligence and...

Sweeping changes in several markets.(STATION TO STATION)(market research of television stations)
December 12, 2005... With early results from the November sweeps tallied, some new kings of the hill have emerged. Capping off a five-year climb, CBS-owned WCCO in Minneapolis-St. Paul nabbed No. 1 rankings in early-evening and late news, edging out perennial...

Ratings 11/21-27/05.(top television programs)(Nielsen Media Research)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 12, 2005... RATINGS 11/21-27/05 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows ADULT 18-34 PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Friends 3.6 4.5 2 Seinfeld 3.5 4.2 3 That '70s Show...

New doctor in the house: Ablow seen as young Dr. Phil.(SYNDICATION)(Dr. Keith Ablow)(Warner Bros. television program)
December 12, 2005... Warner Bros. is pitching its project with Dr. Keith Ablow as a younger-skewing answer to Dr. Phil, saying there is room for two doctors in daytime. According to a hard-copy presentation acquired by B&C, Warner Bros. is pitching Ablow's show as...

Thanks to 'Oprah'.(The Oprah Winfrey Show acored high ratings)(Nielsen national syndication rankings)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... Talk was no turkey in the week ended Nov. 27-encompassing Thanksgiving and the third full week of sweeps-in the Nielsen national syndication rankings. With most barter shows relying only on Monday-Wednesday ratings averages, King World's Oprah...

From the set to the 'Net: online advertising was Topic A at the UBS conference.(AD INFINITUM)(Martin Sorrell of WPP Group PLC.)
December 12, 2005... Some of the ad industry's top executives recently offered rare public glimpses into how America's shift toward digital media is affecting Madison Avenue. Their view: Agencies are being radically transformed by the changes in the media...

Power shift.(WPP Group PLC. acquired Grey Global Group Inc.)(advertising agencies market share)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... What a difference a year makes in the media-buying world. A year after acquiring New York-based Grey Global Group, UK-based WPP Group has emerged as the world's largest buyer of media time and space by a significant margin. Combined, WPP's...

At a glance.(MARKET EYE)(television broadcasting industry)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 12, 2005... AT A GLANCE The Market DMA rank 40 Population 1,791,000 TV homes 717,000 Income per capita $17,137 TV revenue rank 46 TV revenue $111,000,000 ...

The battle of Birmingham: big news appetite in sweet home Alabama.(BIRMINGHAM, ALA.)(commercial television stations rankings)
December 12, 2005... The Birmingham news wars resemble the "Iron Bowl" rivalry between college football powers Alabama and Auburn: two hard-nosed competitors vying for 'Bama bragging rights. Fox-owned WBRC is the longtime news leader in the market. But, in the last...

Syndicated scramble.(commercial television stations programs)(television talk shows)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... Birmingham, Ala., stations have been tweaking their syndicated lineups, and more changes are coming. CBS affiliate WIAT, for one, picked up Dr. Phil last fall from NBC affiliate WVTM to anchor its afternoon block. Next fall, the station will...

On the air, but bad off: stations battered by Katrina improvise and wonder about the future.(THE WEATHER REPORT: CHALLENGES & RESPONSIBILITIES)(Hurricane Katrina, 2005 damaged television stations)
December 12, 2005... On a typical night, the anchors for WGNO, the Tribune-owned ABC affiliate in New Orleans, might be delivering the news from the devastated Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood or the French Quarter. That doesn't seem extraordinary. Stations always...

Blown away by Katrina: the scope of the disaster haunts Weather Channel's Jim Cantore.(THE WEATHER REPORT: CHALLENGES & RESPONSIBILITIES)(Jim Cantore of Weather Channel)(Hurricane Katrina, 2005 devastation)
December 12, 2005... As Hurricane Katrina's storm surge hurtled toward land, Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore was reporting from an American Legion retirement home in Gulfport, Miss. The rushing water--at more than 25 feet, the highest storm surge...

The earth may be warming, but it's not hot news: lots of disaster coverage, but environmental causes get networks' cold shoulder.(television news)(media coverage of natural disasters)
December 12, 2005... When the United Nations met in Montreal late last month to set up rules for the Kyoto Treaty on global wanning, the conference received zero minutes--not even a passing mention--on the broadcast networks' weekday nightly newscasts. When...

The tools of the trade.(GET THE PICTURE: DIGITAL PRODUCTION)(Television broadcasting industry )(using workflow software)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... The word "workflow" has made the transition from cliche to mantra. During the past five years, stations and facilities have focused on improving workflow so that they can better respond to staffing cuts, and vendors have built products that...

New shooters in town: capturing content on files, not tape.(GET THE PICTURE: DIGITAL PRODUCTION)(tapeless cameras usage in television production)
December 12, 2005... The first nonlinear editing systems allowed an editor to jump instantly from one video segment to the next, and it didn't take long for both editors and vendors to envision the next step: tapeless acquisition. In fact, it was 10 years ago...

Do-it-yourself graphics: new editing gear helps journalists build quality images.(GET THE PICTURE: DIGITAL PRODUCTION)(trends in graphics processing)
December 12, 2005... Station personnel may appreciate the efficiencies gained by going tapeless, but it's the on-air look that viewers notice. So today's graphics devices rely increasingly on templates and real-time processing. Both allow newsroom personnel who...

Deals.(Public Notice)
December 12, 2005... TVs WCGT(LP) COLUMBUS, GA. PRICE: $300,000 BUYER: Christian Television Network Inc. (Robert D'Andrea, president) SELLeR: Columbus Television Inc. (Virgil Thompson, president/secretary) FACILITIES: Ch. 16, 8.2 kW, ant....

Granada's Jackson making hits stateside: it's fun and game shows for former Beeb bigwig.(FIFTH ESTATER)(Game Show Marathon from CBS Inc.)(Granada America CEO Paul Jackson)
December 12, 2005... Nothing from Granada America CEO Paul Jackson's wide range of projects takes him back to his roots quite like his latest, which focuses on classic American game shows. CBS' upcoming Game Show Marathon is a fitting hybrid for Jackson-marrying...

WCBS.(appoints Alan S. Clack )(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... ALAN S. CLACK, director, sales, WCBS New York, upped to VP.

WNOL.(appoints Larry Nuss)(Brief Article)
December 12, 2005... LARRY NUSS promoted from account executive to local sales manager, WNOL New Orleans.