Broadcasting & Cable articles from February 2005

Broadcasting & Cable archives from February 2005

B&C week: where to be and what to watch ...(Calendar)
February 7, 2005... Monday, Feb. 7 The terrible eruption of a volcano pulled in 4.6 million viewers for Discovery Channel on Jan. 30, but Pompeii: The Last Day's top-five cable finish for the week couldn't salvage the month for Discovery. The channel's...

Remember our first priority.(The Robins Report)
February 7, 2005... A Knight Foundation report issued last week found that nearly three-quarters of American high school students are clueless about the First Amendment and that more than a third of them thought it would be a good idea if journalists received...

Schieffer replaces rather--for now.(Fast Track)(Dan Rather)(Bob Schieffer)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... When Dan Rather steps down March 9 after 24 years, Face the Nation anchor Bob Schieffer, the network's top Washington presence, will step in for a "short transition period," until a new format hits the air, CBS News says. That's expected to be...

Lombardo blasts FCC, cable.(Fast Track)(Phil Lombardo)(Federal Communications Commission)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... National Association of Broadcasters Joint Board Chairman Phil Lombardo last week lambasted the Federal Communications Commission for its unequal treatment of broadcast stations versus cable and satellite when it came to indecency standards,...

TiVo president resigns.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Marty Yudkovitz, president of TiVo Inc., resigned Jan. 31 but will consult with the company for the near future. President since May 2003, he is the second top exec of the company to announce his resignation in less than a month. Mike...

Comcast, TW lead bidders for Adelphia.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Time Warner and Comcast have the inside track in the auction of Adelphia's cable systems, but creditors could take days to evaluate all the offers. Time Warner and Comcast put a $17 billion value on their offer, which would fold Adelphia's...

Nextel agrees to half-billion-dollar payout.(Flash!)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... A mystery that's been lingering since December is over. Today (Feb. 7), Nextel CEO Tim Donahue will approve a deal proposed by the FCC that gives TV stations up to $500 million for special channels the cellphone giant wants to use. Nextel,...

Spinning 'Idol'.(Flash!)(American Idol , television program)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Before American Idol's season premiere last month, Fox entertainment president, Gail Berman, said that ratings could be down 10% to 15% this year. Then the show opened huge, and you've heard nothing but giddy reports on the show's staggering...

Wet T-shirt tell-all.(Flash!)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... You've got to give it to the news outfit at WOIO Cleveland: They actually dreamed up a sweeps-month stunt that managed to be inspirational and yet still conjure images of women without their clothes on. During the November sweeps, as you...

Schieffer the chairwarmer.(Flash!)(Bob Schieffer )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... From B&C, when Bob Schieffer (soon to be Dan Rather's CBS Evening News temporary replacement) was inducted into the magazine's Hall of Fame in 2002: Fame has found him. It wasn't always like that, he said, picking up his Hall of Fame...

Life during wartime: NBC News' Richard Engel on reporting under fire.(Iraq Journal)
February 7, 2005... This is the first in an occasional series of reports from journalists in hot spots around the world. The day before the election in Iraq, I didn't even know if I would be able to cover it properly. I had gone out to report on a...

Ratings: 1/17-23/05.(Syndication)(Illustration)
February 7, 2005... RATING 1/17-23/05 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows ADULTS 18-34 PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Everybody Loves Raymond 4.3 5.4 2 Seinfeld (wknd) 4.2 5.1 3...

Cleavers' recipe book: offbeat duo cooks on stations, cable.(Syndication)
February 7, 2005... The Food Network isn't the only place a chef can carve a TV name. In 22 markets, the Clever Cleaver Brothers are building a mini-empire. Their two-minute football-themed cooking segments, Tailgatin' With the Clever Cleaver Brothers, air during...

Holiday, inaugural boost ratings.(In Focus)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the presidential inauguration boosted ratings for syndie daytime shows in the week ended Jan. 23. The number of TV watchers rose by nearly 2 million from the previous week, a 5% increase. The all-network coverage...

Jane enlists Paul Newman.(In Focus)(Jane Pauley )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NBC Universal is looking to text messages to boost ratings of some of its syndicated shows during the February sweeps. Viewers of Blind Date, Maury and Jerry Springer can win trips to Miami, New York and Los Angeles by watching the shows...

Alex gets day in court.(In Focus)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Judge Alex has a promising future with Twentieth Television, having been cleared to debut this fall in more than 65% of the country. Alex's rise comes at the expense of another Twentieth Television court show: Texas Justice, with Larry Joe...

#1 (without breaking a nail).(Syndication)
February 7, 2005... #1 (WITHOUT BREAKING A NAIL) HIGHEST RATED PREMIERE! HH W18-34 W18-49 W25-54 FOX SIMPLE LIFE: INTERNS (P) 8.2 8.4 7.4 6.4 ABC ALIAS (0) 7.3 4.8 5.8 6.0...

Local Newsmags gain traction.(Station By Station)
February 7, 2005... When WISN Milwaukee dispatched a news crew to Germany to report on local military personnel, the mission was twofold: report for newscasts and for local prime time newsmagazine On Assignment. In March, the Hearst-Argyle-owned ABC affiliate will...

Cable's spring line: new fare ranges from Power Girls to a Kojak revival.(News & Comment)
February 7, 2005... Cable networks are prepping for March with an ambitous new slate of shows. "When there isn't a lot of noise from broadcasters, March is a good window for us," says Tim Brooks, SVP of research for Lifetime. Next month, look for reality to pop....

At a glance.(Market Eye)
February 7, 2005... AT A GLANCE The Market DMA Rank 22 Population 2.883 million TV homes 1.186 million Income Per Capita $17,528 TV Revenue Rank 25 TV Revenue ...

Steel city success: Pittsburgh loves news; KDKA dominates.(Market Eye)(television stations)
February 7, 2005... With its trademark steel mills long gone, Pittsburgh has reinvented itself. Industrial sites have been replaced with high-tech office parks. Local universities, led by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, provide a...

The demos.(Market Eye)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Pro sports are huge draws. More than half of residents are NFL fans, rooting for the Steelers; 24% are avid NHL and Penguin supporters. Forty-two percent attended a sporting event in the past year, and plenty watch on cable: Cable penetration...

Critics: ad bans curry White House favor.(Washington Watch)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... An activist group that claims the TV networks arbitrarily choose what ads to reject is now asking the FCC to investigate each network's policy on advocacy advertising. Networks claim the right to reject issue ads on controversial topics,...

Nets revolt over kids' Web rules.(Washington Watch)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... What's the hottest TV issue in Washington? Judging by the protests from major TV networks, new FCC rules restricting the display of Web-site addresses during children's programming rank fight up with fights over cable carriage, media ownership...

Stop us before we sell again.(Washington Watch)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Apparently unable to police its members, the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) says broadcasters must pitch in to keep bogus infomercials oft" the air. At an ERA seminar in New York this week, the group is giving cable and broadcast...

FTC boss presses industry to self-police: bogus diet-drug ads are a main target.(News & Comment)(Federal Trade Commission)
February 7, 2005... The federal government is putting a squeeze on TV advertising. Turning the vise is Deborah Majoras, who took the post of Federal Trade Commission chairman in August. The FTC, charged with protecting the American public from deceitful sales...

Broadband advertising takes flight: the online medium is redefining ad agencies and media buys.(Ad Infinitum)
February 7, 2005... Madison Avenue's dalliance with broadband commercials may soon blossom into a full-scale romance. While the broadband video ad marketplace pales in comparison with the $60 billion TV ad market--broadband brought in just $121 million in 2004...

No cash, no carry: digital broadcasting reignites fight over whether cable operators should pay to carry TV stations.(Stand-Off)(Cover Story)
February 7, 2005... The hot consumer-electronics product in Abilene, Texas, is not a TiVo, a Blackberry or even an iPod. It's a set of "rabbit ears," the old-fashioned TV antennas that most viewers haven't used in years. But suddenly they're essential for Cox...

The picture isn't perfect, but it is better.(Special report: African-Americans on TV the image & the reality)
February 7, 2005... When Vic Bulluck, executive director of the NAACP's Image Awards, looks at diversity hiring trends, he compares show business with sports: "There are a lot of minority players. Not as many coaches. Even fewer owners." Things aren't...

UPN's year-round appeal: February is not the only month for black-themed programs.(Special report: African-Americans on TV the image & the reality)
February 7, 2005... Considering that UPN accounts for the vast majority of the highest-rated shows among African-Americans--and nearly two-thirds of its prime time programs are led by black performers--it would seem logical that the network would go all out for...

The awful past: PBS documentary series examines the roots of slavery.(Special report: African-Americans on TV the image & the reality)
February 7, 2005... PBS cuts right to the core of American black history with its documentary Slavery and the Making of America; it is likely there has never been a more serious assemblage of material ever presented on television during Black History Month than...

Two giants launch video service: Verizon teams with Microsoft to enter TV business midyear.(Technology)
February 7, 2005... As the line between phone companies and cable companies blurs, Verizon is the latest telco to get into the TV game. Teaming up with Microsoft, the world's largest software company, Verizon is transforming itself into a TV-delivery...

Iraq elections in high-def.(Tech Q&A)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 7, 2005... When Iraqi citizens headed to the polls, HDNet saw a chance to show the world what its portable HD transmission unit could do. It wasn't easy, but the network devoted 16 hours to live coverage from Baghdad the weekend of Jan. 29-30. HDNet...

Thomson's 2005 toolbox.(Technology)
February 7, 2005... The xDAM initiative is only one part of Thomson Grass Valley's new-product portfolio to be introduced at NAB in April. Here is a quick look at other products, the first in our series of pre-NAB reports. CAMERAS Most broadcast stations...

Thomson to debut dMax: new digital-asset-management products smooth workflow.(Technology)
February 7, 2005... Stations have struggled to make large-scale digital-asset-management, or DAM, work. DAM systems promised an easy way to find and share video and audio content. Instead, they were derided as over-hyped expensive failures. Now Thomson...

Top 10 basic cable shows.(The Prime Time Race)(Illustration)
February 7, 2005... THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Jan. 24-30 Total Households (in millions) PROGRAM DATE NET HHS 1. Law & Order 9p 1/25 TNT 3.6 2. Mv: Widow on the...

Broadcast networks: Jan. 24-30.(The Prime Time Race)
February 7, 2005... Broadcast Networks Jan. 24-30 Total Households (in millions) WEEK STD 1. CBS 9.2 9.3 2. NBC 7.8 7.3 3. FOX 6.8 6.1 4. ABC 6.7 7.4 5. WB 2.7 2.5 6. UPN 2.2 2.5...

Top 10 broadcast shows.(The Prime Time Race)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Top 10 Broadcast Shows Total Households (in millions) WEEK 1. American Idol The FOX 17.4 2. American Idol Wed FOX 16.6 3. CSI ...

Nielsen ratings Jan. 24-30.(Illustration)
February 7, 2005... NIELSEN RATINGS JAN. 24-30 MONDAY Week 19 abc 6.1/9# 8:00 49. Extr Makeover Home Edition: How'd They Do That? 5.9/9 8:30 49. Extr...

Clemente shapes future of 'now': ABC News vet takes on 24/7 news channel.(Fifth Estater)
February 7, 2005... ABC News Now Executive Producer Michael Clemente faces a formidable challenge. He is charged with transforming ABC News Now from a 24/7 news channel delivered to broadband and wireless devices to one ready for broadcast, cable and satellite...

KCET.(Broadcast TV)(Marcia Carter Darden)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... MARCIA CARTER DARDEN, principal, MCD Consulting, Los Angeles, appointed VP, finance, KCET Los Angeles.

Univision.(Broadcast TV)(Univision Television Group)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Promoted at Univision: GEORGE RAY, senior account executive, national sales, Univision Television Group, Los Angeles, promoted to VP, marketing and business development, Western region, Los Angeles; ADAM WOLF, senior account executive, national...

ABC Radio Networks.(Broadcast TV)(Carlos A. San Jose)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CARLOS A. SAN JOSE, consultant/ general manager, Azteca America Television Network, WOCK Chicago, named director, Hispanic sales, ABC Radio Networks, Chicago.

KRIV.(Broadcast TV)(Carolyn Mungo)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CAROLYN MUNGO, senior reporter, KHOU Houston, named managing editor, news, KRIV Houston.

WOAI.(Broadcast TV)(Bill Dante)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BILL DANTE, meteorologist, 4 Warn Storm Team and local sales manager, WOAI San Antonio, Texas, named general sales manager at the station.

Comcast Southern Division.(Cable TV)(Mark Bricknell)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... MARK BRICKNELL, director, information technology, Comcast Southern Division, Atlanta, promoted to VP.

Cox Communications.(Cable TV)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Promoted at Cox Communications, Atlanta: BELINDA TURNER PATTERSON, executive director, people services, upped to VP; ERIN HAND, executive director, talent and development, promoted to VP; SIOBHAN TINSLEY, corporate counsel, upped to senior...

MSG Networks.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... MICHAEL BAIR, senior VR marketing and business operations, New York Rangers, New York, named president, MSG Networks, New York.

BBC America.(Programming)(Kathryn Mitchell)(Jo Petherbridge)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... At BBC America, Bethesda, Md.: KATHRYN MITCHELL, senior VP, programming, Comedy Central, New York, named general manager; JO PETHERBRIDGE, senior VR communications and strategy, promoted to senior VR corporate communications, online and...

Turner Broadcasting System.(Programming)(Christopher Prakal)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CHRISTOPHER RRAKAL, director, image management group, TBS, Atlanta, promoted to VP, Turner Broadcasting System, Atlanta.

YES Network.(Programming)(Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network L.L.C.)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... At YES Network, New York: STEVE BERMAN, senior VP/general manager, Time Warner City Cable, New York, named senior VP, advertising sales; MARK TOFFOLO, account executive, Madison Square Garden, New York, named VP/local sales manager; ROB...

NY1 News.(Programming)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... At NY1 News: BERNADINE HAN, director, news, promoted to VP; JOE TRUNCALE, director, operations and engineering, promoted to VP.

National Geographic Channel.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... MICHAEL BELLER, VP, business and legal affairs, National Geographic Channel, Washington, appointed senior VP.

Showtime Networks.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... FAYE KATZ, director, consumer public relations, Showtime Networks, New York, to VP, entertainment public relations.

The TV Guide Television Group.(Programming)(Koegel, Kathryn)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... KATHRYN KOEGEL, director, research and industry development, DoubleClick, New York, named VP, marketing, network advertising sales division, The TV Guide Television Group, New York.

Sony Pictures Television International.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... SUPERNA KALLE, VP, corporate development, named VP, Sony Pictures Television International, international networks, Culver City, Calif.

MTV Networks International.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... GIDEON BIERER, senior VP, strategy, business development and research, MTV Networks International, New York, appointed senior VP, digital media, MTV Networks International.

Clear Channel Entertainment Television.(Programming)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... DENNIS SPENCER, VP/managing director, international and programming, Clear Channel Entertainment Television, New York, named senior VP/managing director, international distribution and programming.

KTLA Morning News: First/Early Edition.(Journalism)
February 7, 2005... CHER CALVIN, co-anchor, FOX5 News This Morning, KVVU Las Vegas, named co-anchor, KTLA Morning News: First/Early Edition, KTLA Los Angeles.

Eyewitness News.(Journalism)
February 7, 2005... JULIETTE GOODRICH, weekend anchor/night reporter, Eyewitness News, KPIX San Francisco, to weekday 5 p.m. anchor/late night reporter.

WCPO.(Journalism)
February 7, 2005... TANYA O'ROURKE, weekend morning news anchor, 9 News, WCPO Cincinnati, to weekday co-anchor, 9 News at 5: 30 p.m.

NewsChannel 6 This Morning.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... HELENA MORENO, reporter/ fill-in anchor, NewsChannel 6. WDSU New Orleans, named co-anchor, NewsChannel 6 This Morning.

KXTA.(Radio)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... DON MARTIN, program director, KXTA Los Angeles, named station manager.

KNX(AM).(Radio)
February 7, 2005... JIM THORNTON, on-air, traffic, KNX(AM) Los Angeles, becomes host, afternoon drive newscast.

Joining WWJ and WKBD Detroit as retail sales account executives.(Radio)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Joining WWJ and WKBD Detroit as retail sales account executives: KATE PERKINS, account executive, WXYT, WVMV and WDVD Detroit; STEPHANIE LARSOSA, operations coordinator for learning, marketing, Detroit Opera House.

KSTJ-FM.(Radio)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LEAH ROOHEY, midday on-air personality, KMXB-FM Las Vegas, named midday on-air personality, KSTJ-FM Las Vegas.

Frank N. Magid Associates.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Jill Rosengard)(Yarin Rob)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... At Frank N. Magid Associates: JILL ROSENGARD, managing director, promoted to VP/ managing director, New York; ROB YARIN promoted from senior consultant to VP, programming, Los Angeles.

MediaCom.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Pam Gobbins)(Todd Gordon)(Michele Krumper)
February 7, 2005... At MediaCom U.S., national television group, New York: PAM GIBBONS, senior VP/national television manager, to national television managing partner; TODD GORDON, senior VP/national television manager, to national television managing partner;...

Turner Broadcasting.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Shook, Lindsay)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LINDSAY SHOOK, manager, audience research, MTV Networks, Birmingham, Ala., rejoins Turner Broadcasting, Detroit, as account executive.

OmniBus Systems.(Technology)(John Cunningham)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... JOHN CUNNINGHAM, director, Computer Associates, research and development division, UK and Ireland Development Centre, named executive VP, development, OmniBus Systems, Denver.

Arbitron Inc.(Allied Fields)(Vaughan Scott Henry)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... VAUGHAN SCOTT HENRY, regional VP, E5 Systems, Waltham, Mass., appointed executive VP/chief information officer, Arbitron Inc., Columbia, Md.

Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age, FCC.(Allied Fields)
February 7, 2005... FRANCISCO R. "FRANK" MONTERO, founder, Independent Spanish Broadcasters Association, becomes member, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth PLC, Arlington, Va., and is appointed member, Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the...

Big Apple media chief promoted.(Arick Wierson )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the merger of WNYE(TV) and WNYE(FM) with NYC TV on Jan. 30, he made Arick Wierson one of the most important people in New York media. As general manager of NYC TV and New York Media Group,...

'Buster' producer is "reinvited" to DoE panel.(Fast Track)(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The Department of Education has reinvited Postcards From Buster executive producer Carol Greenwald to speak at a joint PBS/DOE kids'-TV conference in Baltimore. DoE Press Secretary Susan Aspey says the "uninviting" was a mistake and the...

FCC to Sinclair: no! Again!(Fast Track)(Federal Communications Commission )(Sinclair Broadcast Group)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... For the fourth time, the FCC this week will give the thumbs down to Sinclair Broadcast Group's bid to buy five stations from Cunningham Broadcasting. Sinclair already owns stations in the affected markets, which are too small to permit...

Herzog to drive spike.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... It's official: Comedy Central President Doug Herzog will also head co-owned Spike TV as president of the network, reporting to MTV Networks Group President Herb Scannell while wearing his Spike hat and to MTV Networks Chairman Judy McGrath for...

'Enterprise' ends its Trek.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... UPN and co-owned Paramount have decided to pull the plug on new episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise after this season. May 13 will be the end date of its four-season mission. The prequel to the original Star Trek, the series has been sold in...

State of the Union: down.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... President Bush's State of the Union address drew around 39 million viewers, down substantially from previous addresses, in which terrorism attacks and U.S. wars were more central. NBC drew the biggest audience for the speech, around 8...

Cablevision's John Tatta dies.(Fast Track)(Obituary)
February 7, 2005... A longtime Cablevision Systems executive who helped Chairman Chuck Dolan create the company, John Tatta, 84, died last week of bone cancer. Tatta joined Dolan's Sterling Cable, which created Manhattan Cable, in 1996. He was in charge of laying...

BVT's Steven Cohen dies.(Fast Track)(Obituary)
February 7, 2005... Steven Cohen, 33, VP of business and legal affairs for Buena Vista Television, died suddenly in his sleep Jan. 31. A cause of death is still to be determined. Cohen joined BVT in January 2000 as director of business affairs and was named to his...

'Apprentice', Stewart-style.(Fast Track)(television programs)
February 7, 2005... Once Martha Stewart is out of jail, NBC will launch The Apprentice: Martha Stewart in prime time in the same format it uses for the Donald Trump version of the NBC hit. NBC Universal TV Group President Jeff Zucker, executive producer Mark...

Corrections.(Fast Track)(Correction Notice)
February 7, 2005... "Ad Sales Made Easy" (1/31, page 28) contained several misstatements. The Strata Marketing software allows orders, not contracts, to be sent to rep firms, not television stations. The assertion that 70%-80% of all TV-spot invoices are...

PTC doesn't want its MTV.(Fast Track)(Parents Television Council )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Forget MTV: Music Television's halftime: It's the rest of the time that the Parents Television Council is worried about. On the one-year anniversary of MTV's Janet Jackson Super Bowl reveal, the group released an analysis of 171 hours of...

Right idea, wrong message.(Editorial)
February 7, 2005... We were pleased last week when the National Association of Broadcasters, the sleeping giant on indecency, finally awakened. But we wish its anger had been directed more at the FCC and less at cable. Phil Lombardo, chairman of the NAB joint...