Broadcasting & Cable articles from February 2007

Broadcasting & Cable archives from February 2007

The Elusive Ad Target.(African American market)
February 5, 2007... By Wayne Friedman With few primetime series aimed at black audiences, commercials command top dollar Advertisers' demand for time in African-American series is hard to satisfy, chiefly because there are fewer black-themed shows to...

Drama Light.
February 5, 2007... By Ben Grossman Despite hits like 24 and heroes, networks eye funnier fare After years of dramas dominated by dead bodies and angst-ridden detectives, the networks may lighten things up this fall. With light-hearted dramas like...

Deals.(Broadcasting industry)
February 5, 2007... BIA Financial Networks TVs KMTV(TV) Omaha, Neb. Price: See Comment BUYER: Journal Broadcast Group (Douglas Kiel, vice chairman/CEO) SELLER: Emmis Communications (Jeff Smulyan, president/CEO) FACILITIES: Ch. 3, 100 kW,...

Werner Takes Warner Into the Future.(Ken Werner, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution)
February 5, 2007... By Jim Benson Studio chief ushers in a new era for syndicator When Ken Werner was picked last August to succeed the legendary Dick Robertson as president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD), many at the studio...

Fates and Fortunes.
February 5, 2007... By Staff Broadcast TV Staff Bill Greep , assistant chief engineer, WISN Milwaukee, named director of engineering, WMTW Portland, Maine. John Yang , research manager, CBS Television Station Group, joins WCBS New York as...

Flash!(Jim Chabin leaves PROMAX&BDA)(Bryn Mawr students protest against mtvU)(Turner Broadcasting System launches another publicity stunt)
February 5, 2007... Edited By Joel Topcik Promax: Chabin's Departure Doesn't Add Up Joel Topcik Industry watchers were left scratching their heads last week over the abrupt departure of Promax/BDA chief Jim Chabin . The international...

Wired for Growth.
February 5, 2007... By Michael Malone New York tech firms bolster capital-region economy Government jobs in Albany, N.Y., have long been the primary source of employment in the state capital. But thanks to the region's ongoing "Tech Valley" initiative, an...

Where to be and what to watch--.(television programs)
February 5, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Feb. 5 A fearsome band of "callous murderers, infamous gangsters and heartless predators" is about. No, it's not the cable upfronts, but the world premiere of Surviving Alcatraz on National Geographic at 10...

Bumbling in Boston.(Cartoon Network's advertising campaign)
February 5, 2007... By J. Max Robins I'm sure I'd be as aggravated as my pals in Boston were about Cartoon Network's now notorious viral promo campaign. Needless to say, the marketing wizards behind the stunt should have thought it out better. They might have...

Conflict in Plane Sight.
February 5, 2007... By Staff Many journalists face less-exciting ethical crises than the one that confronted Maria Bartiromo. But at the bottom line, the problem is the same: Can reporters accept gifts or special kindnesses from sources and still cover them...

NATPE Succeeds by Any Measure.(National Association of Television Program Executives)
February 5, 2007... By Rick Feldman The 2007 National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) conference is in the books, and our most recent chapter was a major success as viewed by the many companies we have canvassed. Each year, the "show"...

Grass Valley Targets Tight Budgets.(Grass Valley Group Inc.)
February 5, 2007... By Glen Dickson News automation will be the prime pitch for NAB Responding to two big needs facing broadcasters, hardware vendor Grass Valley declared strong sales of high-end HD cameras and switchers, and it pitched automation...

Tech Talk.(WLS-TV Chocago to use JVC America Inc.'s Hi-Def Cameras)(DirecTV signs deal with Neural Technologies to manage fraud exposure)
February 5, 2007... By Staff WLS Uses JVC Hi-Def Cams for ENG Staff ABC owned-and-operated WLS Chicago, which launched high-definition newscasts last month, has purchased two JVC HDV-format cameras to support field production. The two JVC...

'Idol' Website Gets a Makeover.(American Idol)
February 5, 2007... By Anne Becker Other networks aim to boost Web traffic American Idol has seen a surge in its Web traffic with the aid of several new blue-chip advertisers. This month, Americanidol.com plans to launch an unspecified weekly...

Stations Play the Delay Game.
February 5, 2007... By Jim Benson Late rollout of strips at NATPE means fewer clearances Warner Bros., NBC Universal and Twentieth Television all rolled out new first-run weekday strips for fall at the last minute prior to the start of January's National...

YouTube to MTV: We'll Pull Clips.(Viacom)
February 5, 2007... By Anne Becker Viacom says there's no "fair compensation" YouTube agreed to Viacom's demand that it pull more than 100,000 clips of its programming off the popular video-sharing site. Last week, Viacom said that, after months of...

Cable News Warriors.
February 5, 2007... By Anne Becker As January's cable ratings came out, so did the news networks' claws. By week's end, each was running ads taking potshots at one another. With the Democrats in control in Congress and the presidential race gaining...

Jon Klein.(Cable News Network)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... By Anne Becker Why has the competition between cable news networks heated up so much? We're all getting excited about the political season. The presidential campaign season is starting earlier than expected, and I think it gets...

Dan Abrams.(MSNBC Cable Network)(Interview)
February 5, 2007... By Anne Becker Why has the competition between cable news networks heated up so much lately? It's because the ratings are closer than ever. The fact that you've seen us now almost even with CNN, and Fox dipping a bit, has led there to...

Fast Track.(Turner Broadcasting System agrees to pay for trouble caused by its marketing campaign)(DirecTV expansion to go on despite satellite failure)(The Tennis Channel inks deal with ESPN for coverage of Grand Slam)
February 5, 2007... Staff Turner To Pay Boston for Trouble John Eggerton Company apologizes for guerilla campaign The office of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino confirms that Turner Broadcasting has agreed to pay for the costs associated with its...

On the Fence Over More 'Today'.(National Broadcasting Company adds another hour to "Today")
February 5, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Many affiliates face scheduling challenge with fourth hour from NBC For a number of NBC affiliates, the network's plan to add a fourth hour to its morning powerhouse Today this fall isn't exactly a slam dunk. While...

Producers, Comcast Sound Off.(FCC to allow advanced wireless devices to operate on broadband)
February 5, 2007... By John Eggerton Unlicensed wireless devices and set-top boxes stir industry ire It's 2010, and Prince is headlining the half-time show at Super Bowl XLIV when, suddenly, his mike begins to crackle with interference from the unlicensed...

Zucker in Charge.(Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal)(Interview)
February 12, 2007... By Ben Grossman NBCU's new chief on the media giant's future NBC Universal President/CEO Jeff Zucker got the last laugh. As the network's primetime dominance was eroding over the past few seasons, his detractors happily recounted...

Deals.(broadcasting industry acquisitions)
February 12, 2007... By BIA Financial Networks TVs K18HD Bakersfield, Calif. PRICE: $323,000 BUYER: Valley Public TV (Paula Castadio, president/CEO) SELLER: Michael Mintz FACILITIES: Ch. 18, 7kW, ant. -122 ft. KIDQ(LP) Lewiston,...

Big Lead in Littlest State.(WJAR-TV)
February 12, 2007... By Michael Malone NBC affiliate dominates in capital market NBC affiliate WJAR has long been tops in Providence, R.I.-New Bedford, Mass., the nation's 51st-largest market. And General Manager Lisa Churchville says nothing breeds...

Flash!(Carson Daly's show may be shifted to 12:30 a.m. slot on NBC)(Super Bowl commercial costs high for advertisers)(McGraw-Hill 's Media Summit in New York)
February 12, 2007... By Staff Hey, NBC: Carson Daly"s Ready for 12:30 Joel Topcik Edited by Joel Topcik Late-night host Carson Daly is throwing his hat into the ring for the 12:30 a.m. slot on NBC if and when Conan O'Brien jumps to 11:30 p.m. in...

TV Newsrooms Lag on Diversity.(minorities in television newsrooms)
February 12, 2007... By Paige Albiniak The statistics for minority employment may look better than the reality A look at statistics makes it appear that diversity in TV newsrooms is improving, but numbers don't always tell the full story. As the nation...

Comcast Site Teams With Facebook.
February 12, 2007... By Garth Johnston Social network is expected to give a boost to broadband provider's VOD offerings Last week's announcement of a partnership between Comcast Interactive Media's Internet video site Ziddio and social-networking site...

Fast Track.(Jim Samples resigns from Cartoon Network)(trade associations join to educate consumers on digital television transition)(News Corp.'s digital businesses to grow by 10%)
February 12, 2007... By Staff Cartoon Network Chief Resigns Anne Becker Jim Samples is casualty of marketing campaign fallout By Anne Becker Cartoon Network chief Jim Samples has resigned on the heels of a major marketing blunder at his...

Zaslav"s Vision For Growth.(David Zaslav, Discovery Communications Inc.)
February 12, 2007... By Anne Becker New Discovery chief looks to bolster brands, cut costs In laying out his plans to revitalize Discovery Communications Inc., new President/CEO David Zaslav last week asserted a vision that rolled right over his...

The Wright Perspective.(Bob Wright, NBC Universal )(Interview)
February 12, 2007... By Ben Grossman Outgoing NBC Universal CEO Bob Wright feels good about the company's condition as he hands the reins over to his replacement, Jeff Zucker. Over a 21-year career at NBCU, Wright built up a diverse array of entertainment...

Media in the Campaign Crosshairs.
February 12, 2007... By John Eggerton Presidential contenders will likely target industry issues With two dozen candidates either off and running or still kicking the tires on presidential campaigns, it won't be long before they begin boiling down their...

Where to be and what to watch--.
February 12, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Feb. 12 Every dog has its day, but only the really special ones get Best in Show. That's right, the annual showcase of funny-looking dogs and funnier-looking owners known as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog...

Zucker"s First 100 Days.(Jeffrey Zucker, new CEO of NBC Universal)
February 12, 2007... By J. Max Robins As Jeffrey Zucker was anointed the new CEO of NBC Universal at a town-hall meeting last week, his minions were no doubt listening carefully, noting each and every time Zucker and his boss, General Electric Chairman Jeffrey...

Broadcast Diversity: It"s Good Business.
February 12, 2007... By David Honig There is a saying that gauges how well our nation is providing equal rights and opportunities to all citizens: You can't just talk the talk; you must walk the walk. Often, the "walks" that make major improvements happen...

Rush to Bad Judgment.(news coverage on Anna Nicole Smith's death)
February 12, 2007... By Staff Shame on them or shame on us? That may be the question after witnessing the news networks go wall-to-wall in their coverage of the death last week of Anna Nicole Smith, a C-level celebrity most famous for a bountiful body, a hazy...

Working for the Weekend.(John Green, American Broadcasting Companies Inc.)
February 12, 2007... By Anne Becker ABC's Green guides Good Morning America on the sixth and seventh days It's 9:00 on a recent Sunday morning, and John Green has already been up since 2:30 a.m. and at work since 4. While much of New York City hasn't even...

Fates & Fortunes.(new appointments in media companies)
February 12, 2007... By Staff Broadcast TV Staff Ray Depa , VP/general manager, KGUN Tucson, Ariz., appointed VP/general manager, WAAY, Huntsville, Ala. Cable TV Staff Jen Goldman , director of marketing, Comcast Southern Division,...

EmmyDreams.
February 12, 2007... By P.J. Bednarski and Anne Becker The awards will celebrate the best in a year filled with intriguing daytime drama If you were looking for real daytime drama in 2006, you'd be hard pressed to find a more expansive landscape than the...

He Gives Answers for a Change.(Alex Trebek)(Interview)
February 12, 2007... By Staff Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek talks about TV's brainiest show Currently in his 23rd year as host of television's classiest--and certainly smartest--game show, Jeopardy! , Alex Trebek has established himself as both a consummate...

Soap Mag Confidential.
February 12, 2007... By Stuart Miller Their coverage might influence the vote, but they aren't so hot at predicting winners The storyline seems like, well, something out of a soap opera: A family member gets killed off, leaving everyone feeling gloomy, but...

Kid-Friendly PBS Leads Emmy Children"s-Show Competition.(Brief article)
February 12, 2007... By Staff New award for broadband children's programs PBS copped more Emmy nominations for outstanding children's programs (18) than any competitor, when the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced the...

God Comes to the Internet.
February 12, 2007... By George Winslow Religious programmers are looking toward their broadband future, too Broadcasters and programmers congregating in Dallas this week for the National Religious Broadcasters Association (NRB) convention are working...

NBCU Hunts for Daytime Success.
February 12, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Station group mulls programming strategy Afternoons are tough for almost every TV station, but NBC Universal's have had a particularly hard time."We need to give our viewers a different set of things to react to,"...

NBA Adds a New Dimension.(National Basketball Association to showcase 3D high definition imaging system)
February 12, 2007... By Glen Dickson League to showcase 3D HD system at All-Star Game The National Basketball Association (NBA) wants to give every fan a courtside seat. To that end, the league is experimenting with a 3D, high-definition imaging...

Comedy at Work.(workplace sitcom trends)
February 19, 2007... By Jim Benson With The Office a bona fide hit, workplace sitcoms abound NBC's translation of Britain's The Office may rank only third among broadcast-network sitcoms this season, but its impact on the television business extends far...

Long Live the KING.
February 19, 2007... By Michael Malone NBC affiliate still reigns in Seattle In Seattle, rain still falls and KING still reigns. As it has done for more than 10 years, Belo Corp.'s NBC affiliate leads the Seattle-Tacoma market, grabbing the total-day crown...

Flash!(paternity dispute)
February 19, 2007... Edited by Joel Topcik CNN"s Grace on Dannielynn: *I"m the Dad!* Joel Topcik There's a new claimant in the Anna Nicole Smith paternity dispute: Nancy Grace . In the wake of Smith's Feb. 8 death, the CNN Headline News /Court TV...

Magid Creates Digital Division.(Frank N. Magid Associates' Magid Media Labs)(Brief article)
February 19, 2007... By Michael Malone Focus is on new-media offerings Media-research firm Frank N. Magid Associates this week launches a division focused on expanding and improving broadcasters' digital offerings. Magid Media Labs taps the firm's...

Fast Track.(American Broadcasting Companies Inc. makes deal with Jimmy Kimmel)(MTV Networks Inc. cuts jobs)(Federal Communications Commission's television violence report)
February 19, 2007... By Staff ABC Commits To Kimmel Ben Grossman New multi-year deal is near ABC and Jimmy Kimmel are close to a multi-year extension that would keep ABC's late-night franchise in place beyond the 2009 season. Significantly,...

Kids-Upfront Market Looks Strong.(child-targeted advertising)
February 19, 2007... By Anne Becker Early indicators point to more revenue Although negotiations won't start for weeks, several signs point to a robust kids-upfront market this year. The kids market dragged into the summer last year, and network...

Ted Harbert on Celebrity News.(Comcast Entertainment Group's chief executive officer )(Interview)
February 19, 2007... By Anne Becker Ted Harbert, president/CEO of Comcast Entertainment Group, oversees cable channels E! Entertainment Television, Style Network and G4, each coming off its best ratings year ever. On the eve of flagship network E!'s biggest...

When It Snows, Weather Teams Shine.(tough job for television meteorologists )
February 19, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Huge storms in Upstate New York and Denver pose major tests The 12 feet of snow that shellacked Oswego County, N.Y., this month and the historic blanketing that covered Denver in December were blinding reminders of a...

Where to be and what to watch….
February 19, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Feb. 19 For "an unrivaled opportunity to collaborate, learn and network within the satellite community"--and to make lots of funny jokes about the Mile-High Club--check out the Satellite 2007 Conference and...

NBCU Lite.(NBC Universal)
February 19, 2007... By J. Max Robins As expected, it didn't take long for the other shoe to drop at NBC Universal. A week after succeeding Bob Wright as CEO, Jeff Zucker tapped a trio of key lieutenants last Thursday and offered the first glimpse of what NBCU...

Tortured Finger-Pointing.
February 19, 2007... By Staff We know that some viewers mimic things they see on television, and not always things we wish they would repeat, either. Television has the ability to instruct, for good or bad. Television is also blamed for everything. ...

Open Mike.(Letter to the editor)
February 19, 2007... By Staff Scared Programmers J. Max Robins' Jan. 29 column "Harsh Reality" was not quite harsh enough. I attended NATPE attempting to bring fresh new reality programs to the eyes and ears of the Andrea Wongs [executive VP, alternative...

The Queen of Comedy.(Michele Ganeless)(Biography)
February 19, 2007... By Michael Malone Comedy Central's Ganeless knows funny when she sees it All kidding aside, Michele Ganeless is not a funny person. At least, that's what the executive VP/general manager of Comedy Central would have you believe. "When...

Fates & Fortunes.(Jan Wade joins WISN Milwaukee)(Melissa Baker joins KSTW Seattle)(WCBS New York's Vanessa Kenon-Hunt promoted)
February 19, 2007... By Staff Broadcast TV Staff Jan Wade , president/general manager, WATE Knoxville, Tenn., joins WISN Milwaukee as president/general manager. Melissa Baker , account executive, Comcast Spotlight, Seattle, joins KSTW Seattle as...

Celebrity Death Match.(ratings of TV shows)
February 19, 2007... By Ben Grossman Anna Nicole tragedy boosts magazine ratings The death of 39-year-old model/actress Anna Nicole Smith Feb. 8 helped boost ratings for syndicated magazine shows. All five nationally syndicated magazines had double-digit...

Harris Aims To Become *One*.
February 19, 2007... By Glen Dickson Product and brand integration are the pitch for NAB Echoing a popular U2 refrain, Harris Corp. says it will market itself as "One" in the new year, part of an effort to show that it touches virtually every part of the...

The Temperature"s Rising.
February 19, 2007... By Glen Dickson Vendors see stations embrace HD weather graphics The past year has seen wild fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, but one weather gauge appears to be moving steadily in the same direction. Increasingly, the...

Weather Channel Takes Hi-Def Plunge.(High Definition)
February 19, 2007... By Glen Dickson Both studio and headend gear need a makeover Although hurricane season is several months away, The Weather Channel is already forecasting dramatic weather for the second half of 2007. The 24-hour weather-focused...

Cold, Hard Facts Straight From the Cellphone.
February 19, 2007... By Mark Rockwell Consumers begin turning to wireless devices for forecasts As snow, ice storms and bitter cold raged across the West and Plains states and then the East Coast last week, a flurry of cellphone users tapped into online...

Old Media, New Media.
February 26, 2007... By Anne Becker With the biggest personnel cuts since the dotcom bubble burst, media companies retrench Last year, almost 18,000 media employees lost their jobs--the biggest group of layoffs since the dotcom bubble burst in 2001. ...

Deals.
February 26, 2007... By BIA Financial Networks TVs WTVX(TV) Fort Pierce, WWHB(CA) Stuart, WTCN(CA) Palm Beach, Fla.; WLWC(TV) New Bedford, Mass.; KEYE(TV) Austin, Texas; KUTV(TV) Salt Lake City, KUSG(TV) St. George, Utah Price: $185 million ...

Plain Dominant.
February 26, 2007... By Michael Malone KWCH stays ahead in rebounding market If broadcasters in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kan., market hoped the sale of KWCH might cause the longtime market leader to stumble, the CBS affiliate quickly dashed that dream....

Trying YouTube's Hottest Trick.
February 26, 2007... By Garth Johnston "Embeddable video" allows media companies to control their content and keep ad revenue After months of watching Google's YouTube air video clips from networks' hottest shows, an increasing number of media outlets,...

Primary Cash Up for Grabs.
February 26, 2007... By Michael Malone Big-market stations stand to gain at the expense of Iowa and New Hampshire Last week, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney became the first major presidential candidate for the 2008 election to air a campaign ad....

CBS To Sell Showtime Shows.(CBS Inc. CBS News)
February 26, 2007... By Jim Benson Distribution arm also takes on CBS News product Reruns of Showtime's The L Word , 48 Hours Mystery and a score of other shows are on their way to basic cable and, for some, possibly broadcast. That occurs after CBS...

Idolizing the Emmy Awards.(Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick )(Interview)
February 26, 2007... By Ben Grossman American Idol may never have been awarded a Primetime Emmy, but Executive Producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick will try to help the awards show bounce back from its dismal ratings performance last year. The Academy of...

Smoking Under Fire.(smoking bans on television)
February 26, 2007... By John Eggerton Activists aim to tar cigarette-friendly films with an R rating Armed with a half-million-dollar grant and a new political party in power on Capitol Hill, anti-smoking activists are unleashing a major grass-roots...

Where to be and what to watch--.(upcoming television programs)
February 26, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Feb. 26 Back on the job after his near-fatal injury near Baghdad, ABC Newsman Bob Woodruff hosts a press screening of To Iraq and Back at ABC headquarters at 9:30 a.m. ET. He discusses his documentary,...

Fast Track.
February 26, 2007... By Staff 'TMZ' Show Cleared In 80% of the U.S. Jim Benson By Jim Benson Clearance levels for a daily series named TMZ , after the popular Time Warner-owned celebrity-gossip Website, have jumped from 45% to more than 80% of...

Start Talking Cents.(Television stations negotiate for retransmission compensations)
February 26, 2007... By Staff As CBS proved last week, TV stations are also valuable cable channels. And now, with new retransmission-consent agreements that the CBS, Sinclair and Nexstar broadcast groups have wrangled out of cable operators, it's a sure...

A New Equilibrium for Station Sales.
February 26, 2007... By Erwin Krasnow What will be the cash-flow multiples for buying media properties in 2007? The answers will start coming when we see prices paid for the purchase of Clear Channel's 448 smaller-market radio stations and its entire...

Newman's 'Family' Values.(Gary Newman to bring back Family Guy)
February 26, 2007... By Jim Benson 20th Century Fox Television chief finds time for families at home, at work and on TV After giving a speech at Yale a few years back, 20th Century Fox Television Co-President Gary Newman expected the students at his alma...

Fates & Fortunes.(appointments and promotions in the broadcasting business)
February 26, 2007... By Staff Broadcast TV Staff Tiffany C. Goddard , director of strategic sales, business development, CBS Television Stations Group, New York, named director, marketing and strategic sales, WCBS New York. Sarah Smith ,...

Ken Lowe: Designed To Succeed.(Broadcasters Foundation of America)
February 26, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Scripps chief has taken the venerable broadcasting company in a new direction It's thanks to the fact that Ken Lowe is a self-proclaimed "frustrated architect" that the E.W. Scripps company has been so successful....

Court Shows Go to Court.(Vincent Dymon vs. Warner Bros.)
February 26, 2007... By Jim Benson Celebrity-jury programs in fight over ownership David-and-Goliath confrontations between Hollywood novices and powerful studios rarely favor the little guy, who usually ends up exhausted by a years-long...

Flash!(Lost show fans claim false advertising)(American Idol looks to garner fans)
February 26, 2007... Edited by Joel Topcik Angry 'Lost' Fans Claim False Advertising Joel Topcik It's no secret that fans of ABC's Lost have grown increasingly impatient with the show's creators for ladling mystery upon mystery while tossing...

OBITUARY.(Dr. Robert Adler)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 26, 2007... By Staff Dr. Robert Adler , co-inventor of the TV remote control, died Feb. 15 in Boise, Idaho. He was 93. Along with Gene Polley, Adler was honored with a Broadcasting & Cable Technology Leadership Award in 2006 (see "Palm Pilots,"...

What Networks Want To Buy.
February 26, 2007... By Staff Future-minded executives will place their digital bets in Vegas The industry converges at the National Association of Broadcasters Show April 14-19 in Las Vegas. A massive technology bazaar, the NAB Show is where more than...