Broadcasting & Cable articles from January 2006

Broadcasting & Cable archives from January 2006

Weiser on NATPE before big show.(interview of John Weiser)(Brief Article)(Interview)
January 2, 2006... After a year of big changes in the way TV is consumed, the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) convenes Jan. 24-26 in Las Vegas to sort them all out. NATPE Co-Chair John Weiser, president of distribution at Sony...

The deal on 'Deal or No Deal': NBC's game show may go into syndication.
January 2, 2006... NBC Universal has discussed the possibility of launching a half-hour strip version of the game show Deal or No Deal in fall 2007, according to knowledgeable station executives. At deadline, a spokesman for the syndicator said he was unaware if...

Oliver rejoins Reed TV Group.(Lawrence Oliver)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Lawrence Oliver has returned to Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News as the VP and general manager of the Reed Television Group. The appointment was announced Dec. 21 by Tad Smith, CEO of Reed Business Information. Oliver will report...

Where to be and what to watch ...(B&C WEEK)
January 2, 2006... Monday, Jan. 2 New Year's Day's bleary-eyed fugue is a distant memory, and everything looks downright rosy upon waking Monday morning. It's the Rose Parade, airing on ABC, NBC, Univision, HGTV, 15ravel Channel and Discovery HD (11 a.m....

Our first priority.
January 2, 2006... Let's make 2006 the year of the First Amendment. It seems only fitting that the suggestion come from us. Broadcasting & Cable in 2006 will celebrate its 75th anniversary, and throughout B&C's proud history, the support of the industry's...

MSNBC quietly marks the end of an error.(FLASH!)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... If you missed the news about NBC Universal buying most of Microsoft's stake in also-ran news network MSNBC (the two entities remain 50/50 partners in the thriving Web site MSNBC.com), that was the whole idea. NBC pulled the oldest bad-news...

Chappelle reveals himself.(FLASH!)(Dave Chappelle)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Dave Chappelle fans who want inside info about why he walked out of his $50 million contract with Comedy Central will find some answers on an upcoming edition of Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio that will air between now and March. He...

AOL logs in, builds up.(FLASH!)(America Online Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Letterman and Regis and Kelly will face some competition for studio audiences starting in second quarter. That's because, without any fanfare, AOL is moving along in construction on a full-scale production and post-production studio at its...

Taking stock of the year ahead: lessons from 2005.(MONEY TALKS)
January 2, 2006... Most media investors and executives are glad that 2005 is finally over. There was little to smile about in '05. B&C's index of TV-station owners dropped 20%, even worse than the 17% slide during 2004. Cable operators slid 18% and radio...

When product placement goes too far: Madison Avenue is discovering the boundaries for branded entertainment.(Advertisement)
January 2, 2006... As the chief media officer of New York-based agency Deutsch, Peter Gardiner is one of Madison Avenue's most influential executives. He is also recognized as a leading developer of the kind of branded entertainment deals that have transfixed the...

Gauging Google.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Having blown up the playing field for online advertising, Google is setting its sights on so-called "offline" media, and that is breeding anxiety among some of Madison Avenue's biggest players. So far, Google has only hinted at its plans,...

Celeb intrigue fuels magazine growth: Insider and Inside Edition rise, others hold steady.
January 2, 2006... Following a year of high-profile celebrity romantic entanglements, enhanced promotion, and program upgrades, magazine shows are the healthiest genre in syndication. So say executives, producers and researchers at studios responsible for...

Ratings 12/5-11/05: Nielsen Media Research.(SYNDICATION)(Illustration)
January 2, 2006... RATINGS 12/5-11/05 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows ADULTS 18-34 PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Friends 3.6 4.9 1 Sienfield 3.6...

Blame it on the weather: why Washington ends the year with unresolved issues.
January 2, 2006... Washington legislators and regulators ended the year with key media issues unresolved. They can blame it on the weather, and that much is partly true. Gulf Coast hurricanes are to blame for pushing back some legislative and regulatory...

Oldies and goodies: evergreen shows can be money trees.
January 2, 2006... In nearly every local market, station managers struggle with counter-programming Oprah Winfrey's juggernaut. Competitors throw court shows or talk shows against her. But in Knoxville, Tenn., WVLT is enjoying success with a down-home approach:...

Racing for ratings: new arrivals streaming into Sunshine State: Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Fla.(MARKET EYE)
January 2, 2006... In the home market of next month's Daytona 500, the race to be news champ is on. CBS affiliate WKMG and ABC outlet WFTV are the top contenders; in the recent November sweeps, both claimed a piece of the checkered flag. On weekdays, WKMG nabbed...

The new deal: how TV executives will find digital dollars in the coming year.
January 2, 2006... Last year, the TV industry discovered a variety of new ways to deliver their shows-on iPods, on video phones, even online. This year, they vow to figure out how to make money off of them. It was almost unthinkable only a year ago. Consumers can...

In Vegas, all things great and small: mobile tech will rule at giant electronics show.(CES SPECIAL REPORT: CONTENT MEETS TECH)
January 2, 2006... With major networks making content deals with telcos almost every day, mobile devices will dominate the buzz at the huge Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas Jan. 5-8. But cellphone video is only one segment of a mobile video market...

HDTV stars finally aligned: as prices decline, networks expand their programming.(high definition television)
January 2, 2006... With 12 million HDTVs now in U.S. homes. and bullish predictions for the future as prices fall, it looks like HDTV has finally arrived. Indeed, ABC's presentation of the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4 will probably set an HDTV viewership record. That's a...

Technology puts the consumer in the driver's seat.(Advertisement)
January 2, 2006... There was a time, not too long ago, when technology was an enabler for the video industry. People decided what they wanted to do, technology was developed and off they went. Well, it's 2006 and this is not your father's technology anymore......

Innovation never stops.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 2, 2006... In 1975, Scientific-Atlanta distributed the first satellite-delivered cable program service ever, the Ali-Frazier "Thrilla in Manila" championship fight, a content distribution event that revolutionized the delivery of programming to cable...

Making a one-wire world: industry group works to radically expand the power of the remote control.
January 2, 2006... Since the launch of high-definition television in the late 1990s, consumer electronics manufacturers, cable and DBS operators, and content providers have wrestled with ways to connect HD television sets to set-top receivers and other devices...

'24' mastermind turns rejection into progression: series misses lead to new opportunities for Howard Gordon.(Interview)
January 2, 2006... Even a writer and producer with the track record of Howard Gordon can admit to some professional dissatisfaction. With credits on such hits as The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and now the showrunner for 24, Gordon has worked on some of...

WFLD Chicago.(appointment of Andrew Finalayson)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... ANDREW FINLAYSON, news director, WSMV Nashville, Tenn., named VP. news, WFLD Chicago.

Time Warner Inc.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... SUSAN WAXENBERG, assistant general counsel/assistant secretary, Time Warner Inc., New York, appointed VP/assistant chief counsel, corporate, Time Warner Cable, Stamford, Conn.

Time Warner Cable.(appointments )(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... At Time Warner Cable: MATT STANEK, VR engineering, Austin, Texas division to regional VR engineering, Texas region; JEFF HENRY, VR marketing, San Antonio, Texas division, named regional VP, marketing, Texas region.

Lifetime.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... At Lifetime: LYNN PICARD, executive VR sales, Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network and Lifetime Real Women/general manager, Lifetime Television, named president, ad sales, Lifetime Entertainment Services and tapped for the newly created...

Endemol USA.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... At Endemol USA, Beverly Hills: CAROLINE BAUMGARD, director, development, promoted to VP; ROB SMITH, director, programming, named VP; JON VLASSOPULOS, president, Kargo Global, New York, named VP, new media, business development and strategic...

TV Land/Nick at Nite.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... JACLYN RAINN COHEN, VP, programming and acquisition, TV Land/Nick at Nite, New York, promoted to senior VP.

ABC News.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... DAVID KERLEY, anchor/ reporter, World News Now, World News This Morning and ABC News Now, Washington, tapped as general assignment correspondent, ABC News.

ESPN Inc.(appointment of Rob Simmelkjaer at ABC News )(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... ROB SIMMELKJAER, VP/ assistant to the president, ESPN Inc., Bristol, Conn., named correspondent, ABC News Now, New York.

EchoStar Communications Corporation.(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... MICHAEL DUGAN, senior technical advisor to the executive management team, EchoStar Communications Corporation, Englewood, Colo., named to the newly created position of chief technical officer.

Obituaries.(Schwartz, Walter A)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 2, 2006... WALTER A. SCHWARTZ, former president of ABC TV and radio and of the rep firm Blair Television, died Dec. 14 in Boynton Beach, Fla. He was 82. When he was president of ABC TV in 1972, he fought Congressional efforts to regulate TV violence...

The prime time race: top 10 basic cable shows.(Illustration)
January 2, 2006... THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows PROGRAM DATE NET HHS Total Households (in millions) 1. NFL: Vikings/Chargers 12/25 ESPN 6.0 2. Nip/Tuck ...

Nielsen Dec. 19-25 ratings.(Illustration)
January 2, 2006... NIELSEN DEC. 19-23 RATINGS abc Week 14 MONDAY 1.7/13 8:00 29. Wife Swap 5.1/9 8:30 9:00 9. NFL Monday Night 9:30 ...

Nielsen releases first DVR ratings.(FAST TRACK)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Nielsen Media Research will release its first national ratings that include viewing data from digital video recorders (DVRs) right after New Year's, but the ratings giant does not expect to see significant impact on ratings for at least several...

Sony signs Michael Davies.(FAST TRACK)
January 2, 2006... Sony Pictures Television has signed Michael Davies and his production company, Embassy Row, to a three-year deal to develop unscripted and scripted programming. Under the deal, Davies remains executive producer of ABC's Wife Swap and keeps...

Fox re-enters late-night arena.(FAST TRACK)
January 2, 2006... Fox is preparing for a fourth foray into the late-night wars after a 12-year absence. The network has named Todd Yasui, former executive producer of CBS' Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn, as senior VP, late night programming. Yasui...

TNT No 1., again.(FAST TRACK)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... Through Dec. 25, TNT ranked as the most-viewed ad-supported cable network for the year, with an average 2.57 million total viewers in prime, up 5% from last year, according to Nielsen Media Research. This is the third consecutive year that...

Distributors race to close station deals Pre-NATPE.(NEWS & COMMENT)
January 2, 2006... The first-run syndication landscape for fall is coming into clearer view as distributors rush to close programming deals leading up to this month's NATPE conference. It now looks like Warner Bros.' Tyra Banks Show will join this tail's...

The beginning, not the end.(EDITORIAL)
January 2, 2006... The television industry laces an uncertain future, which to many means a frightening one. Executives are hearing some bad news. Every industry prophet we read is sure that, this year, advertisers are going to accelerate their migration to the...

NATPE cuts through the confusion.(AIRTIME)
January 2, 2006... Who can keep up? I hear that all the time. So much to read, sift through, distill and analyze. So many decisions to make and bets to take on so little empirical data. That's the TV business today. It wasn't too long ago that the Big...

Koppel on his jump to discovery.(TAKE FIVE)(Ted Koppel )(interview)(Interview)
January 9, 2006... Preeminent newsman Ted Koppel startled industry executives last week by jumping to a network not known for news: Discovery Channel. The venerated ABC Nightline ex-anchor, his producer/sidekick Tom Bettag and eight former ABC producers will...

TV turns on CES: programmers cut gadget deals.(FAST TRACK)(Consumer Electronics Show)
January 9, 2006... Last week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas featured a smorgasbord of content-delivery deals that promise to give viewers the video content they want when they want it. Internet portal Yahoo! unveiled plans for Yahoo! Go TV, a...

Sony clears Behrendt Show.(FAST TRACK)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Sony Pictures Television says its new relationship/talk series for fall, The Grog Behrendt Show, has been cleared in 23 of the top 25 markets and 80% of the U.S. In addition to all 26 Tribune stations, which are partners on the show,...

Disney gives more to iTunes.(FAST TRACK)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Football fans can now watch their games on the go. Disney will boost its iPod offerings, available on Web site iTunes, to include programming from ESPN and ABC Sports, along with more content from ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television,...

Where to be and what to watch ...(B&C WEEK)(Calendar)
January 9, 2006... Monday, Jan. 9 It's the debut of Emily's Reasons Why Not on ABC (9 p.m. ET), starring the ever-fetching Heather Graham, and the season premiere of Jake in Progress (9:30 p.m. ET), starring John Stamos. Forever Rollergirl in our hearts,...

Tougher tour: TCA will cover more than programming.(NEWS & COMMENT)
January 9, 2006... Executives used to have an easier time at the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour, which begins its 13-day winter confab Jan. 10 in Pasadena, Calif. "Over the past 10 years, TCA has evolved," CBS and UPN Senior VP of Communications...

Helping viewers play catch-up: clip shows are key to building audience for ABC hits.(NEWS & COMMENT)
January 9, 2006... Keeping up with the endless intricacies of ABC's smash hit Lost is a tall order, even for the most devoted fans. But while the heavily serialized plotline has made the mysterious island a destination for viewers, it also has marooned newcomers...

Feeling Minnesota.(PROMO PAIR)
January 9, 2006... Met/Hodder began 18 years ago when Kent Hodder and partner Nancy Bordson, who began their careers in promotion at Minneapolis stations, linked up to produce TV for cable. Their ambitions were in for a dose of reality. "We were way too early for...

Betsy Frank to follow Scannell's Viacom exit.(FLASH)(Herb Scannell and Betsy Frank to resign)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... It didn't take long for things to get interesting at Tom Freston's "new" Viacom. Just a day after the company--composed largely of MTV Networks (MTVN) and Paramount--was separated from CBS Corp., word came that Nickelodeon Networks President...

No TiVolution at Nielsen.(FLASH)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... After years of griping that Nielsen was not measuring viewing on TiVo-like digital video recorders (DVRs), TV-network and ad execs finally got their wish. Nielsen's new ratings including DVR data popped out last week, and the results were,...

Repeats we really watch.(FLASH)
January 9, 2006... While we're on the subject of repeat viewing, there's some new data from Magna Global's data-cruncher Steve Sternberg that could serve as guidance for station managers pondering which off-net series to acquire in syndication. Sternberg...

WBFS goes with the flow.(STATION TO STATION)
January 9, 2006... Miami hip-hop star Garcia cut an unusual track last month: a rap promoting local UPN affiliate WBFS. "I've got my remote in hand, chillin', watchin' TV," Garcia raps. "Drinkin', flippin' channels, but there's nothin' to see. Hold up, now...

NBC selling four stations: network is seeking $600 million for smaller-market outlets.(NEWS & COMMENT)
January 9, 2006... Following the lead of other broadcasters pruning away their smaller stations, NBC is putting four of its owned-and-operated stations on the auction block, hoping to raise more than $600 million, according to people familiar with the deal. ...

Olympic action in the 'Zone'.(STATION TO STATION)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... When the first skier flies down the Italian Alps in the Winter Olympics next month, NBC's WESH Orlando, Fla., will take in the action from a balmier locale at Universal Studio's City Walk in Orlando. Hearst-Argyle-owned WESH is one of...

Back in the game? Execs consider the game-show genre--again.(SYNDICATION)
January 9, 2006... While there are once again no new game shows on the syndication slate for fall, the recent success of NBC's brief run of Deal or No Deal, hosted by Howie Mandel, has prompted syndicators to wonder if the genre has new life. But one...

Not so merry.(IN FOCUS)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... It was a chilly pre-Christmas week for syndicated shows, according to national household ratings for the week ended Dec. 25. Especially hard-hit were the court shows, all of which fell week-to-week. Judge Judy topped the genre as usual, but...

Ratings 12/19-25/05.(SYNDICATION)(Television audience ratings)(Illustration)
January 9, 2006... RATINGS 12/19-25/05 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows HOUSEHOLDS PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Wheel of Fortune 8.2 NA 2 Jeopardy! 6.7 ...

How to sell an anchor: CNN plugs Anderson Cooper 360 to younger demo via blogs, billboards and its own network.(NEWS & COMMENT)
January 9, 2006... For a network that once prided itself on having no big stars, CNN now finds itself striving to create one. The network has blitzed the media with ads promoting Anderson Cooper 360, plastering the anchor on blogs, billboards and print media...

CBS: in the money: NBC falls, ABC rises in B&C's annual ranking of broadcast and cable networks.(Cover Story)
January 9, 2006... Ten years ago, CBS had a black eye. The network had just lost the NFL, watched 20% of its stations switch affiliation and was solidly fourth among the Big Four. What a difference a decade makes. Now CBS is finally No. 1 where it really...

At a glance.(MARKET EYE)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 9, 2006... The Market DMA rank 14 Population 4,376,000 TV homes 1,660,000 Income per capita $18,585 TV revenue rank 12 TV revenue $398,500,000 Commercial...

Storming the Desert: new arrivals make Phoenix ultra-competitive.(PHOENIX)(Industry Overview)
January 9, 2006... Competition is heating up in the desert. All Big Four affiliates in Phoenix are players in news and entertainment, and an independent station, Belo's KTVK, is a force, too. The tight race befits Nielsen's No. 14 market. Of the 25 largest...

Spanish lessons.(MARKET EYE)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Phoenix stations are racing to serve one of the country s fastest-growing Hispanic populations. This week, NBC affiliate KPNX begins translating its 6 p.m. news into Spanish with in-studio translators. Like most area Hispanics, the translators...

They're speaking our language: U.S. producers and networks eye the telenovela--but in English.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE NEW POWER OF TELENOVELAS)
January 9, 2006... Despite the rocketing success of telenovelas (Spanish-language soap operas) around the world, and the U.S. Hispanic TV ad market's reaching $6 billion, Hollywood has only recently "discovered" the format. Syndicator Twentieth Television...

A love affair for Latino viewers: worldwide, telenovelas have timeless appeal and impressive revenues.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE NEW POWER OF TELENOVELAS)
January 9, 2006... Patricio Wills, Telemundo's head of production, once described the telenovela as the story of "a couple who want to kiss and a writer who doesn't allow them to for 200 episodes." It's true, telenovelas aren't exactly high art. Why then...

Nielsen ratings prove telenovelas can deliver.(SPECIAL REPORT: THE NEW POWER OF TELENOVELAS)
January 9, 2006... For years, telenovelas flourished in obscurity--below the radar of most non-Hispanic viewers and one big TV-ratings firm. That began to change in a big way last week. Nielsen Media Research issued its first national television ratings to...

Seeing Starz on the Internet: Vongo subscription service is one of several TV announcements at CES.(TECHNOLOGY)(Starz Entertainment Group)
January 9, 2006... Premium movie service Starz Entertainment Group jumped on the mobile-video bandwagon last week with the launch of Vongo, a subscription service that will deliver both live streaming video and on-demand downloads through the Internet. The...

Comcast buys new boxes.(Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, Samsung Group)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Comcast announced deals with Samsung and Panasonic to provide digital set-tops that meet the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) standard. The boxes allow for interactive communications and downloadable security on a common platform and...

USDTV heads East.(United States Digital Television)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... U.S. Digital Television (USDTV) announced that Norfolk, Va., will be the fifth market and first East Coast location to receive the USDTV service, which offers 30 all-digital channels for a monthly subscription fee of $19.95. USDN, which...

Nielsen ratings: Dec. 26-Jan. 1.(television audience ratings)(Illustration)
January 9, 2006... abc Week 15 MONDAY 7.9/14 8:00 59. Wife Swap 4.0/7 8:30 9:00 2. NFL Monday Night 9:30 Football--New England 10:00 ...

SNTA chairman Teicher an ace in the hole: Warner Bros. exec learned a few tricks from poker.(FIFTH ESTATER)
January 9, 2006... As a college student working in a Borscht Belt poker room, Michael Teicher, executive VP of media sales at Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD), learned to keep his cards close to the vest. His experiences at New York's Concord...

KGPE Fresno.(BROADCAST TV)(Tom Long appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... TOM LONG, general sales manager, WXIX Cincinnati, joins KGPE Fresno, Calif., as director of sales.

WPLG Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.(BROADCAST TV)(Paul Wasserman appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... PAUL WASSERMAN, account executive, WBZL Miami, is named local sales manager, WPLG Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.

WUTB Baltimore.(BROADCAST TV)(Alan J. Sawyer appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... ALAN J, SAWYER is named VP/general manager, WUTB Baltimore. He had been in sales management at WOFL/WRBW Orlando, Fla.

Belo Corp.(BROADCAST TV)(Wesley A. Jackson appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... At Belo Corp., Dallas: WESLEY A. JACKSON, VP/general manager, Interactive Media, is promoted to senior VP/general manager; ALISON K. ENGEL, corporate controller, is promoted to VP/corporate controller.

WGNT Portsmouth, Va.(BROADCAST TV)(Chris Wolf appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... CHRIS WOLF, VP, programming and creative services, WTXF Philadelphia, has been named director of programming and promotion for WGNT Portsmouth, Va.

KYW(TV).(BROADCAST TV)(Karen Gilligan appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... KAREN GILLIGAN, general sales manager, KYW(AM) Philadelphia, joins KYW(TV) as director of sales.

KPIX San Francisco.(BROADCAST TV)(Erik Wong appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... ERIK WONG, Web producer, KRON San Francisco, joins KPIX San Francisco in the same capacity.

Cox Communications Inc.(Carolyn Rak appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... CAROLYN RAK, managing director of online sales and service, Delta Airlines, is named director of customer self-service and sales support for Cox Communications Inc., Atlanta.

Comcast.(CABLE TV)(Melissa Turner appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... MELISSA TURNER, high speed/digital marketing manager for Time Warner Cable, Kansas City, Mo., joins Comcast as marketing manager for Southern New Mexico Las Cruces.

Setanta Sports North America.(Simon Green appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... SIMON GREEN, general manager of Sky Sports Pay-Per-View, BSkyB, London, is named chief executive, North America, for Setanta Sports North America.

WMAQ Chicago.(JOURNALISM)(Bob Sibott appointed)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... BOB SIBOTT, host/managing editor, Chicago Tonight, WTTW, joins WMAQ Chicago as weekend news anchor/supervising producer, program development.

WREG Memphis Tenn.(Bruce Moore joined)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... BRUCE MOORE, assistant news director, WVEC Norfolk, Va., joins as news director, WREG Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 30.