Broadcasting & Cable articles from July 2006

Broadcasting & Cable archives from July 2006

Perpetual Development.(National Broadcasting Company Inc.'s Kevin Reilly )
July 10, 2006... By Ben Grossman Broadcast networks are breaking with a decades-old system--finally When ad executives at NBC's upfront presentation in New York last May began to fiddle with their Blackberries during previews for new dramas The...

The Fry Guy Dishes.(interview with Morgan Spurlock)(Interview)
July 10, 2006... By Michael Malone Morgan Spurlock burst onto the scene in 2004, feasting on nothing but McDonald's for a month to make his landmark film Super Size Me . He shifted the concept to the small screen last year with reality/documentary series...

Deals.
July 10, 2006... By Staff TVs KFTU(TV) Douglas, KFPH(TV) and KTVW(CA) Flagstaff, K16FB and KDOS(LP) Globe, KUVE(TV) Green Valley, KFPH(CA) and KTVW(TV) Phoenix, K21GC and KZOL(LP) Safford, K48GX, KFTU(CA) and KUVE(CA) Tucson, Ariz.; KABE(LP),...

Rise and Shine.
July 10, 2006... By Allison Romano News at dawn and a new day for fast-growing Nashville With population growth fueling longer commutes, Nashville denizens are up early these days and looking for news. The ABC, NBC and CBS stations in Nielsen's No....

He Changed TV.(Biography)
July 10, 2006... By David Bianculli A look at the incomparable legacy of Aaron Spelling Aaron Spelling produced successful TV series in five different decades, an amazing enough accomplishment in the wildly churning waters of cutthroat network...

Networks Cool on Viewer News Video.(citizen journalists to be important part for television news success)
July 10, 2006... By Anne Becker ABC's Seen & Heard is one of just a few shows built with user content When the London subway was bombed a year ago, the work of "citizen journalists," the often grainy footage shot on personal digital cameras and...

Fast Track.(Twentieth Television's 'Family Guy' acquired by Tribune Broadcasting Co. Tribune Television )(National Broadcasting Company Inc., ABC Inc.'s market)(Univision Communications Inc.'s acquisation of Televisa S.A.)
July 10, 2006... By Staff Indecency Double Take John Eggerton The FCC wants a second look at shows it recently ruled profane. That request has divided the networks and affiliates, which originally teamed to fight the rulings in court. ...

Flash!(Denis Leary's hair pose a problem)(bets placed on Katie Couric)(evaluation of The Apprentice )
July 10, 2006... Edited by Joel Topcik Call 911: Leary's Locks Are a Fire Hazard! Staff The creators of FX 's firefighter drama, Rescue Me , pride themselves on the show's authenticity. New York City Fire Department (FDNY) veteran Terry...

B&C Taps Hall of Famers.(Broadcasting and Cable Inc.)(Brief article)
July 10, 2006... By Staff Broadcasting & Cable will induct nine television giants and a legendary TV show into its Hall of Fame on Oct. 23. "Our honor roll this year salutes some of the brightest and most creative people in the business," said B&C...

The Costs of War.(telecommunications, television broadcasting at each other)
July 10, 2006... By John M. Higgins Despite heavy spending by telcos, cable has the upper hand--for now The best place to get a snapshot of the costs of the cable-TV/telco war is New York. To launch video and fast Internet services on suburban Long...

Spinning History.(A&E Television Networks's 'Ottoman Empire: The War Machine')
July 10, 2006... By Anne Becker Controversy builds over a missing History Channel documentary Did the History Channel pull a documentary because of political pressure? That's what some have suggested since Ottoman Empire: The War Machine mysteriously...

Citizen Journalists Break News.
July 10, 2006... By Allison Romano Pappas' community Websites feed stations Showing just how far the concept of user-generated content has come, viewers recently tipped two Middle America stations off to stories that aired on their news programs. ...

New Emmy Gripes.(Emmy awards nomiantions)
July 10, 2006... By Ben Grossman Revamped process gets poor reviews The 2006 Emmy nominations, shaped by a new voting system, brought some long-desired new names into the mix but did so at the expense of some favorites, leaving many in the industry...

Down and Upfront.(financial report of broadcasting industry)(Financial report)
July 10, 2006... By Allison Romano Searching for ways to get more from less Facing a negative upfront market for the second straight year, the broadcast networks must now find ways to eke out more money from a stagnant ad market where ad spending is...

Senate Bill Eases Telco Entry.
July 10, 2006... By John Eggerton Amendments would defang indecency fines, and network neutrality is missing Telecom-reform/video-franchising legislation passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee June 28 with several amendments but without strong...

Where to be and what to watch...(calendar for television programs)(Calendar)
July 10, 2006... By Michael Malone Monday, July 10 The Minority Media & Telecommunications Council descends on D.C. for its Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conference , with CW President Dawn Ostroff and Disney Senior VP Preston Padden...

How To Get to the 10th Season.(sceret of television program success)
July 10, 2006... By Robert Cooper With the influx of new technologies, games, HD DVDs, and tech toys, it's becoming more and more challenging for producers to keep audiences tuned in. There isn't a rule book for making a show successful in this cluttered...

Improving Emmy.
July 10, 2006... By Staff There has to be a better way to decide who will get an Emmy Award, and we have a solution that might do it. Clearly, something should be done. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) set out this year to refresh the...

Fates & Fortunes.
July 10, 2006... By Melanie M. Clarke Broadcast TV Staff DAVID M. FRIEND , senior VP, business news programming, CNBC, named VP/news director, WCBS New York. ANDREA JONES , press secretary for Sen. John McCain, named executive director of...

Staying Up Late.(experiences of Jill Leiderman in Jimmy Kimmel Live)
July 10, 2006... By Ben Grossman Letterman alum brings passion and experience to Jimmy Kimmel Live When Jill Leiderman, a former producer for The Late Show With David Letterman , landed her current job as executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live last...

The Personal Touch.
July 10, 2006... By Stewart Schley Mediacom's sales sizzle while others cool Memo to anyone applying for a job with Mediacom Communications' local-ad-sales division: Don't plan on getting too comfortable at your desk. How Local Is Doing...

When Multicasts Mean Cash.
July 10, 2006... By Stewart Schley Stations add channels and create new competition for local cable In Baltimore, a new TV channel that's being distributed by cable operator Comcast Corp. is providing a welcome boost to local advertising revenues....

Producing for Producers.
July 10, 2006... By Jim Benson TV vet Larsen builds business sealing the deal On the heels of some highly publicized lawsuits over profits, such as with high-grossing comedy Home Improvement , producers are increasingly seeking out experts to help...

Satellite Colossus Emerges From Deal.(Intelsat Ltd. acquires PanAmSat Corp.)
July 10, 2006... By Glen Dickson Intelsat, PanAmSat join forces to create largest satellite operator in U.S. Intelsat's landmark acquisition of PanAmSat positions the company as the world's largest satellite operator. Intelsat paid $3.2 billion in...

TECH TALK.
July 10, 2006... By Glen Dickson CHUM Buys Ikegami Cameras Staff Canadian broadcaster CHUM is moving to nonlinear news acquisition and editing with a major investment in Ikegami Editcam tapeless camcorders. CHUM is deploying 34 Ikegami...

Opting In.
July 17, 2006... By David Goetzl VOD advertising attracts a small but engaged crowd When viewers take the time to hunt a video-on-demand version of the Discovery Channel's popular Deadliest Catch reality series, it's because they really want to see it....

More Viewers, Better Shows, Advertisers.
July 17, 2006... By John M. Higgins How Video-On-Demand can save itself in three simple steps There's one thing virtually every TV executive can agree on: Video-on-demand will permanently change the way people watch and buy television. Here's the...

The More They Know.
July 17, 2006... By Kevin Downey Consumer education is key to VOD use Results of a soon-to-be-released study by Beta Research conclude that 67% of cable subscribers are familiar with VOD. That's the good news. The bad news is that most potential...

In Demand: Hot Movies.
July 17, 2006... By Wayne Friedman VOD looks for big ideas and more hits The video-on-demand (VOD) business could use a good ring of pirates these days. Not a high-tech band of cable thieves, but a bona fide blockbuster like box-office-record-breaking...

Meeting the Demands of On-Demand.(video on demand and digital video recording demands in future)
July 17, 2006... By Glen Dickson "Network DVR" technology may be the future As viewers increasingly call on video-on-demand to watch their favorite films and programs, VOD vendors are hustling to meet their growing demands. As a result, the technology...

Deals.
July 17, 2006... By BIA Financial Networks TVs WYPN(CA) Gainesville, WGFL(TV High Springs, WMYG(LP) Lake City, W32DI Mayo, W08EA Reddick, Fla.; WTLH(TV) Bainbridge, WBFL(CA) Valdosta, WBVJ(LP) Valdosta, Ga.; WPXT(TV) Portland, Maine; W24DB Clarks...

Fast Track.(Kevin Sullivan becomes White House communications director)(earnings of NBC Universal)(Lionsgate acquires Debmar-Mercury)
July 17, 2006... By Staff Ex-NBC U exec new communications director Bush Picks Another Broadcaster for PR Staff The White House is calling on another broadcaster to help get its message out. Kevin Sullivan , former senior VP of corporate...

Flash!(evaluation of the PROMAX&BDA conference)(EggFusion and CBS sign marketing deal)(National Broadcasting Company Inc. and YouTube come up with partnership)
July 17, 2006... Edited by Joel Topcik Chabin: "The Train Will Keep Moving Along" Staff Promax/BDA , the international television-promotions organization, opened its annual Asia Pacific Conference in Mumbai, India, last Tuesday, July 11--the same...

Hanging Tough in Motown.(evaluation of audience ratings in Detriot)
July 17, 2006... By Allison Romano Detroit weathers auto woes and Nielsen's new system Local broadcasters in Detroit are adjusting to life with Nielsen Media Research's controversial local people meters (LPMs). The electronic-measurement system, which...

Critics Shrug at New Media.
July 17, 2006... By Anne Becker Digital news takes a backseat at Television Critics Association gathering If multiplatform news breaks in a roomful of TV critics, does it make a sound? Only if your network devotes an entire panel to broadband...

Summertime Blues.
July 17, 2006... By J. Max Robins "A New Low Water for Broadcast Television" was the headline from last week's Associated Press story on the dismal network ratings from the July 4th week. Audiences traditionally take a TV holiday around Independence Day,...

Talk Back at 6.(television news)
July 17, 2006... By Rich Mates Scranton, Pa., station plans first interactive local newscast WYOU, whose 6 p.m. newscast has been the longtime cellar-dweller in Scranton, Pa., plans to launch the nation's first interactive newscast this summer,...

Ratings Down When Americans Lose.(ESPN Inc.)(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)
July 17, 2006... By Ben Grossman Poor U.S. performances diminish audiences While ratings for the World Cup and Wimbledon showed some bright spots, the recent run of poor performances by Americans in international sports competition is robbing the...

Dear Diary, Farewell.(Nielsen Media Research launches electronic measurement )
July 17, 2006... By Allison Romano Nielsen scraps paper logs in ambitious system overhaul Nielsen Media Research is preparing to pulp the paper diaries that have long been the basis for local-TV ad sales. It plans to convert all 210 markets to...

Cable's Biggest Fan.(digital television services increasing)
July 17, 2006... By Staff Cable operators have never faced bigger marketing challenges. With new video-on-demand (VOD) and digital telephone services, their array of products is expanding, each requiring a slightly different sell. As if competition from...

At Last, FCC OKs Adelphia Deal.(Federal Communications Commission)(Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corp. acquire Adelphia Communications Corp.)
July 17, 2006... By John Eggerton "Deal" is the operative word in commissioners' last-minute give-and-take With some 11th-hour negotiating by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and the Republican majority to secure a bipartisan vote, the FCC last week approved...

Where to be and what to watch...(Calendar)
July 17, 2006... Michael Malone Monday, July 17 The CTAM Summit opens today. The cable marketing wingding goes down at the Hynes Center in Boston. After a little CTAM golf, Biography Channel 's Kelly Deadmon treads the red carpet for the Mark Awards,...

Serendipity vs. À La Carte.(broadcasting regulations)
July 17, 2006... By Larry Aidem The United States is multicultural, multilingual and multifaceted, a vibrant and robust nation of ideas. These diverse voices are in evidence in the wide variety of programming available on cable and satellite TV. Scores...

Couric Listens to America.(Katie Couric)
July 17, 2006... By Staff Katie Couric raised the hackles of a few journalists last week when she embarked on a six-city "Eye on America Tour," meeting in private town-hall sessions with "regular" folks, assorted mayors and others to learn what they'd like...

Fates & Fortunes.(appointments of Michael Gargiulo Dan Shelley and Christianne Klein in Television Broadcasting industry)(appointment of Sandy Wilson in Newspaper Publishing industry)(appointment of Dave Collins in Electronics industry)
July 17, 2006... By Melanie M. Clarke BROADCASTING TV Staff Michael Gargiulo , weekday morning news anchor, WTTG Washington, named general assignment reporter, WNBC New York. Dan Shelley , news director/assistant program director, WTMJ(AM)...

The Alt Programmer.(Tom Calderone)(Biography)
July 17, 2006... By Anne Becker Alternative-rock-radio pioneer Calderone mixes it up at VH1 When Tom Calderone returned to Buffalo State a couple of years back to speak at his alma mater's graduation, he advised the young graduates not to limit...

OBITUARIES.(Obituary)
July 17, 2006... By Staff Barrie D. Richardson , 82, who had a long and varied career in the TV, radio and film industries and retired as CBS VP of press information in 1987, died July 2 at his home following a brief illness. A memorial mass will be...

Laughs for Daytime.(Greg Behrendt)(The Greg Behrendt Show )
July 17, 2006... By Ben Grossman Audience gets starring role in Behrendt chatfest Greg Behrendt has sold more than 2.5 million books about breaking up, but Sony Pictures Television (SPT) hopes he can forge a lasting relationship with viewers. The Greg...

Television Everywhere.
July 24, 2006... By Allison Romano How networks and advertisers are reaching viewers in stores, at gas pumps and in elevators Before CBS debuts the highly anticipated James Woods legal drama, Shark, a select group of viewers will get a sneak peek at...

Deals.(sales )
July 24, 2006... By BIA Financial Networks TVs KFYR(TV) Bismarck, KQCD(TV) Dickinson, KVLY(TV) Fargo, KMOT(TV) Minot, KUMV(TV) Williston, N.D.; KABY(TV) Aberdeen, KPRY(TV) Pierre, KSFY(TV) Sioux Falls, S.D. PRICE: Undisclosed BUYER: Hoak...

Poll Position.(political campaigns)
July 24, 2006... By Allison Romano Cincinnati cashes in on political ads Doing business in a swing state has its privileges. Stations in Nielsen's otherwise slow-growing No. 34 market expect to take in upwards of $15 million from political candidates...

Fast Track.(American Broadcasting Companies Inc plans television program)(National Broadcasting Company Inc. looks to launch television shows)(June Blocklin speaks during Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing)
July 24, 2006... By Staff 'Kimmel' Goes Prime By Ben Grossman ABC plans September special ABC is planning a Jimmy Kimmel Live primetime special in September and may take the late-night program on the road during November sweeps as it...

Flash!(promo graphics of The CW Television Network)
July 24, 2006... Edited by P.J. Bednarski From TCA: The CW Is Seeing Green P.J. Bednarski It's not easy being green. Just ask execs at The CW . At the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour last week, some scribes publicly cringed when...

Lessons From USDTV"s Demise.(analysis of using digital broadcasting)
July 24, 2006... By John M. Higgins Broadcasters still struggle to find gold--or even nickels--in digital stations The recent bankruptcy filing by USDTV, the broadcast startup that hoped to sell a package of cable channels, hurts just a handful of...

Point Blank.(management of Showtime Networks Inc.)
July 24, 2006... By J. Max Robins In June, I was at the Peabody Awards luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria when I spotted Showtime Networks Chairman Matt Blank. I had wanted to congratulate him on Edge of America , a fine film about an African-American coach...

Fox"s Full-Court Press.(broadcasting and internet services of Fox Stations Group)
July 24, 2006... By Allison Romano Morning show, revamped Websites are part of master plan Fox is revamping programming at its 25 owned-and-operated stations--both on-air and online. The stations will debut a national morning show in January, and...

Amanpour on the Front Lines.(interview of Christiane Amanpour)(Interview)
July 24, 2006... By Anne Becker CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has reported from most of the world's hot spots. An Emmy-winning reporter who started at CNN in 1983, she has witnessed war in the Middle East, the Balkans,...

WFTV"s HD Homework.(high definition )
July 24, 2006... By Glen Dickson Station goes undercover before launching news in high-def When the ABC affiliate in Orlando, Fla., decided to launch high-definition news, it did a little recon first. Cox station WFTV sent News Operations Manager...

H--l to the Chief.(telecommunications regulations)
July 24, 2006... By John Eggerton Bush is bleeped; advertisers fret about telecom reform Broadcast networks last week insisted their decision to bleep President Bush's profanity was an appropriate response and not because of the FCC's crackdown on...

Where to be and what to watch...(television programs)
July 24, 2006... By Michael Malone Monday, July 24 How long can man survive on hot hotel grub and lukewarm TV pilots? We'll soon find out, as the Television Critics Association 's yearly shindig hits week three at the Pasadena Ritz-Carlton. Fox...

Direct Response: Wait, There's More.(trends in advertising)
July 24, 2006... By Gaye Sussman Advertisers who may have neglected direct-response TV (DRTV) are now using it to not only generate interest in their products and services but also to promote viewer engagement--all at a fraction of the cost of...

The President's Bad Word.
July 24, 2006... By Staff We'd swear we heard President Bush swear last week--except that the commander-in-chief's salty language was never heard on many broadcast television outlets. When Bush uttered the word "sh-t," and it was picked up by live...

Fates & Fortunes.(appointments of Don Pratt Deborah O Brown and Amy Villarreal in television broadcasting industry)(appointment of Lucia Rodriguez in cable televison)(appointments of Tony Dunaif Michael Sparkman and Arnold Scher in cable television broadcasting industry)
July 24, 2006... By Staff Broadcast TV Staff DON PRATT , assistant news director, WHDH Boston, named news director, KATU Portland, Ore. DEBORAH O. BROWN , morning news segment producer, WGN Chicago, named community services director, WMAQ...

Berg Brings His *A* Game.(Peter Berg)(Biography)
July 24, 2006... By Michael Malone Versatile actor/director hopes for very good things with Friday Night Lights If Peter Berg were a football player, he'd play running back. And linebacker. And quarterback. And maybe punt, too. The executive producer...

Indies Back in Vogue.(trends in the television broadcasting industry)
July 24, 2006... By Jim Benson Stand-alones do biggest business in decades Independent program distributors, left for dead when Multimedia Entertainment and Group W Productions were bought out and subsequently disappeared years back, are suddenly in...

An Rx for MTV.
July 31, 2006... By John M. Higgins A six-step plan to recharge the programming empire A funny thing happened after this year's breakup of entertainment giant Viacom Inc. The CBS half, which housed the broadcast-network and film divisions, was seen as...

Deals.
July 31, 2006... By BIA Financial Networks TVs KXJB(TV) Valley City, N.D. PRICE: Undisclosed BUYER: Parker Broadcasting Inc. (Barry Parker, president) SELLER: Catamount Holdings (Ralph Becker, president) FACILITIES: Ch. 4, 100,000 kW,...

Durham Bulls Go Digital.(services of broadcasting industry)(Brief article)
July 31, 2006... By Allison Romano Capitol Broadcasting is an industry leader in embracing new technology, and its CBS affiliate WRAL and Fox affiliate WRAZ lead stations in the Raleigh-Durham-Fayettevile market in developing digital offerings. WRAL...

The News Triangle.
July 31, 2006... By Allison Romano N.C. stations offer an educated audience a clearer picture With its top-tier universities and tech companies, North Carolina's Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville market has an exceptionally well-educated and tech-savvy...

9/11 Five Years Later.(television broadcasting)(Brief article)
July 31, 2006... By Gordie Steiner TV specials give perspective on the tragic day As the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, approach their fifth anniversary, several programs focusing on various aspects of the dreadful day will air in the coming weeks. They...

Fast Track.(Cable News Network launches web site)(CBS Broadcasting Inc. vs. Federal Communications Commission)(America Online Inc. offers web portal)
July 31, 2006... By Anne Becker, Ben Grossman, John Eggerton, and Jim Benson Viewer videos, blogs will run on new site CNN Enlists Citizen Journalists for Web Anne Becker CNN is launching a user-submitted-content Website called CNN Exchange on...

Flash!(American Broadcasting Companies Inc. plans television program)(Forbes Inc looks to launch television program)(broadcasting regulations)
July 31, 2006... Reported by Ben Grossman and John Eggerton ABC Contemplates "Life" Without Regis Ben Grossman, John Eggerton It appears that ABC 's planned revival of This Is Your Life with Regis Philbin as host is not to be. The update of...

Morning Snooze.(television news programs)
July 31, 2006... By J. Max Robins Never before has there been such upheaval in morning television. With two of the three players in the throes of major change, the high-stakes game of network morning shows is as close to a free-for-all as it has ever been....

Local News at War.
July 31, 2006... By Allison Romano With budgets slashed, fewer station reporters cover world events As a missile shot across the sky in Israel last week, N.J. Burkett did what any war reporter would do. He strapped on his body armor and rushed to get...

The Man Behind "Entourage".(Doug Ellin )(Interview)
July 31, 2006... By Michael Malone The creator of HBO hit Entourage , Doug Ellin has a few things in common with the characters he has shaped. The show is about four friends from New York who live the high life in Hollywood after one becomes a movie idol....

NFL Tackles Cable.(advertising campaigns of NFL Network)
July 31, 2006... By Ben Grossman Network's campaign aims for better carriage The NFL Network is going on the offensive against cable operators with an acid-tongued consumer-marketing push. It aims to parlay its new package of NFL regular-season games...

Parental Control.
July 31, 2006... By John Eggerton TV's new campaign is big but doesn't quiet calls for a la carte The TV industry unveiled its $300 million content- control campaign last week in the hope of educating parents and getting critics and regulators off...

Where to be and what to watch...(television programs)
July 31, 2006... By Michael Malone Monday, July 31 A big ol' happy birthday to MSNBC.com , which celebrates its 10th anniversary with a bash at Top of the Rock in Manhattan. Look for NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams and MSNBC GM Dan Abrams , and...

Free Lunch for Advertisers.
July 31, 2006... By Rudy Gaskins I call it the "fever pitch." It's what happens when white-hot panic leads a creative-services agency with limited financial resources to believe that its only chance in hell of snagging a client's project is to advance the...

PBS Purge.(PBS Kids Sprout)
July 31, 2006... By Staff Praise the leadership at PBS. Whether because of a new respect for the government's indecency crackdown or just good housecleaning, the network has made the airwaves safer for children. In a very public way, PBS Kids...

Fates & Fortunes.
July 31, 2006... By Melanie M. Clarke Broadcast TV Melanie M. Clarke Ed Conrad , CFO, Bahakel Communications, Charlotte, N.C., named executive VP/CFO, Main Line Broadcasting, Philadelphia. Pam McKeta , director, online services, learning media...

Hartman at the Helm.
July 31, 2006... By Joel Topcik CBS News vet prepares for The Evening News with Katie Couric The CBS Evening News is under construction. The vaulting studio set at the network's Manhattan headquarters is strewn with naked plywood. Sitting in his office...

Spotlight.(Jim Murphy and Tom Cibrowski)(Good Morning America )(Brief article)
July 31, 2006... By Staff ABC News has named two executive producers to lead Good Morning America in its bid to unseat NBC's Today show in the network morning wars. As previously reported in B&C , former CBS Evening News executive producer Jim Murphy...

Opening a New Channel to God.
July 31, 2006... By George Winslow National Religious Broadcasters adds a platform for Christian programming National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) has been a powerful force in the conservative evangelical community. Representing hundreds of...