Broadcasting & Cable articles from June 2009

Broadcasting & Cable archives from June 2009

The 2009 B&C Next Wave of Leaders.(Broadcasting and Cable )(Brief article)
June 8, 2009... Staff The television industry desperately needs new game-changing ideas. Here's an all-star team that we think can deliver in the clutch. Rumors of the television industry's impending demise may be greatly exaggerated, but it's in need...

Eric Berger.(Sony Pictures Television)
June 8, 2009... Alex Weprin Senior VP of Digital Networks, Sony Pictures Television In the burgeoning mobile and digital marketplaces, many large media companies go out of their way to preserve the status quo. But as Sony Pictures Television's Eric...

Vincent Cordero.(Univision Communications Inc.)
June 8, 2009... Michael Malone VP/General Manager, WGBO and WXFT Chicago The Chicago TV market is jammed with experienced station managers, such as WLS' Emily Barr and WMAQ's Larry Wert. But relative newbie Vincent Cordero, 37, more than holds his own...

Bruce Devlin.(AmberFin )
June 8, 2009... Glen Dickson Chief Technology Officer, AmberFin Unlike a lot of television engineers, AmberFin Chief Technology Officer Bruce Devlin didn't have an early interest in the broadcast business. "I didn't know it existed before...

Jon Diament.(Turner Sports Inc.)
June 8, 2009... Claire Atkinson Executive VP of Ad Sales and Marketing, Turner Sports Jon Diament has spent the past 20 years working his way up and around Turner Broadcasting. Diament, a self-confessed sports nut, was senior VP of sales at CNN before...

Joe Earley.(Fox Broadcasting Co.)
June 8, 2009... Marisa Guthrie Executive VP of Marketing, Fox Broadcasting In a YouTube-Twitter-Facebook-post-DVR world, marketing is as crucial as ever for a TV network--but it has to be done with a mix of subtlety and bravado. As the executive VP of...

Craig Hunegs.(Warner Bros.)
June 8, 2009... Paige Albiniak Executive VP, Business Management, Warner Bros. TV Group To the TV viewer, television is all about shows and stars, glitz and glamour, underdog upsets and dramatic cliffhangers. But more than anything, TV is about money,...

Cyndi McClellan.
June 8, 2009... Alex Weprin Executive VP, Program Strategy, Comcast Entertainment Group For TV networks, it is all about the demos. Knowing what your target audience likes and dislikes is pivotal to developing and acquiring series that fit, and making...

Jay McGraw.(CBS Broadcasting Inc.)
June 8, 2009... Paige Albiniak Executive Producer, The Doctors It's true that Jay McGraw got a head start in television because his father is syndication sensation Dr. Phil McGraw. But it's one thing to get a push; it's another to sustain the...

Courteney Monroe.(Home Box Office Inc.)
June 8, 2009... Joel Topcik Executive VP of Consumer Marketing, HBO HBO is back. That's the message Courteney Monroe and her marketing team will be ramping up this month as the pay-cable channel kicks off a string of premieres for new and returning...

Jennifer Nicholson Salke.(20th Century Fox Television)
June 8, 2009... Melissa Grego Executive VP, Creative Affairs, 20th Century Fox Television Jennifer Nicholson Salke's rise to the top creative executive slot under 20th Century Fox Television chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman has been as dramatic as...

Thom Sherman.(The CW Television Network)
June 8, 2009... David Tanklefsky Executive VP of Drama Development, The CW Thom Sherman knows a thing or two about reversing the luck of a flailing network. In 2004, as head of drama development at ABC, he played a key part in developing Lost and...

Jay Wallace.(Fox News Network L.L.C.)
June 8, 2009... Marisa Guthrie VP of News Editorial, Fox News Channel Jay Wallace, Fox News Channel's VP of news editorial, has spent the last year and half living the 2008 presidential campaign. The long, contentious and often surreal race, and its...

Michelle Wilson.
June 8, 2009... David Tanklefsky Executive VP of Marketing, World Wrestling Entertainment The marketing push behind World Wrestling Entertainment's 25th anniversary of WrestleMania was well underway when Michelle Wilson came on board in February as...

Auto-Immunity.(General Motors Corp.)
June 8, 2009... Staff The notion of one of America's ultimate legacy companies lurching toward bankruptcy last week was disturbing. But there was also a sense of relief when General Motors put the speculation to rest and officially declared Chapter 11,...

Emmy Adds Seat at Series Table.
June 8, 2009... By Robert Abele, Variety Sixth nominee in drama, comedy categories may mean hope for snubbed contenders Just as things seem to be tightening everywhere in the world, the Emmys are doing one noteworthy bit of splurging. With the Academy...

What Makes Reality Stand Out.
June 8, 2009... By Karen Idelson, Variety Honest moments yield Emmy gold Reality television shows often draw in audiences with footage designed to captivate, amuse and shock. But according to reality players, the programs that move from the mundane to...

Maine Events.
June 8, 2009... By Michael Malone Portland smiles as weather warms Things are brightening in the Portland-Auburn market. Sailboats and ferries dot Casco Bay, and tourists start filling the sleepy streets and tranquil beaches this time of year....

Hearst-Argyle Wants 'U' to Report.(u local)(Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.)
June 8, 2009... By Michael Malone Stations not so quick to write off user-generated content as a revenue play Hearst-Argyle Television this month is completing the rollout of its user-generated content (UGC) program "u local" at its 25 stations that...

Production Automation Heats Up.(Sony Corp.)(Snell group)
June 8, 2009... By Glen Dickson Snell, Sony latest players in growing market As broadcasters look to streamline operations and cut costs, an intriguing option is production automation systems. They use software to control various functions of a...

Web Clip Campaigns Growing.
June 8, 2009... By Thomas J. McLean, Variety Emmy darlings often shine online Reducing a half-hour or hour-long TV series to a short clip might not offer the best representation of a show's overall quality. But as the number of people watching TV...

Forget the Upfront, Where's My GM Money?(General Motors Corp.)
June 8, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Ad world sorting through wreckage of big automaker's collapse Normally, most media buyers and sellers are hunkered down in upfront-only mode this time of year, but the annual rite of spring is being upstaged by...

DTV Shift: Messy but Manageable.(digital television)
June 8, 2009... By John Eggerton Industry leaders expect success, but acknowledge there will be bumps With only a few days remaining till the much-vaunted, long-awaited, several-months-delayed June 12 hard date for pulling the plug on analog and...

'Rachael' Will Cook Till 2012.(CBS Broadcasting Inc.)
June 8, 2009... By Paige Albiniak New York and Philly ABC stations key for CTD talker CBS Television Distribution's Rachael Ray has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season in 60% of the country, according to Joe DiSalvo, CTD's president of sales....

HBO Not 'Hung' Up on Decision-Making.(Home Box Office Inc.)
June 8, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie Treme looks good, In Treatment on the bubble While HBO rolls out the marketing push for three summer series it hopes will spark some needed momentum, it is also making decisions about future programming. The network...

Emmy Season Kicks Off.(Interview)
June 8, 2009... By Melissa Grego Academy chief Shaffner touts plans for a better telecast As Emmy season begins (the nomination period for the 61st annual Primetime Emmy Awards runs June 5-26), Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chairman John...

Raven to Run AETN/Lifetime Cable Venture.(Disney-ABC TV)(Abbe Raven)
June 8, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Partners still finalizing the deal A&E Television Networks President and CEO Abbe Raven has been named to run a new company being formed by Disney-ABC TV, Hearst Corp. and NBC Universal, though no formal announcement...

Bucking for His Shot.(Home Box Office Inc.)
June 8, 2009... By Ben Grossman The first night of any new talk show tends to stink. From the host's frayed nerves to the show grasping to find its rhythm, opening night is usually not a great indicator of how it will turn out. And that's where Joe...

Deals.(PTP Holdings LLC acquiers North Georgia Television)(Bank of Little Rock acquires Equity Media Holdings Corp.)(Royce International Broadcasting Co. acquires Beasley Broadcast Group )
June 15, 2009... BIA Financial Networks TV KKYK (DT)/Camden, KTVV-LP/Hot Springs, KHTE-LP, KHUG-LP & KKYK-CA/Little Rock and KWBK-LP/Pine Bluff, Ark. PRICE : $1.150 million BUYER : Bank of Little Rock SELLER : Equity Media Holdings Corp....

The Next Hard Date.
June 15, 2009... Staff The FCC continued to push toward last week's DTV finish line--make that starting line--but it will have no time to catch its breath before it shifts its focus to another digital transition and another Feb. 17 hard date. The...

Discovery-ing One of Ad Sales' Deadliest Catches.(Joe Abruzzese of Discovery Communications Inc. recieves standing ovation)(Occupation overview)
June 15, 2009... By Claire Atkinson It's Shark Week every week for cable's quiet competitor Abruzzese At the last Discovery Communications board meeting, ad sales president Joe Abruzzese received a standing ovation. As the rest of the industry...

Cashed Out.(WKEF)(WDTN)
June 15, 2009... By Michael Malone Dayton mourns loss of NCR HQ Sometimes referred to as "Little Detroit," Dayton, Ohio, has suffered its share of economic ills. The market heard endless Scrooge jokes when General Motors closed its plant in Moraine on...

2009 Brand Builders.
June 15, 2009... By Staff Each year, Promax/BDA, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News honor executives who have been integral to the positioning and growth of their companies. These honorees represent some of the industry's leading brands, and their...

Jordan Hoffner.
June 15, 2009... By Alex Weprin Director of Content Partnerships, YouTube The expectation that you can "find it on YouTube"--no matter what video you're looking for--is about as widespread as the practice of "Googling," or using YouTube's search-engine...

Sam Howe.(chief marketing officer at Time Warner Cable )(Occupation overview)
June 15, 2009... By K.C. Neel, Multichannel News Chief Marketing Officer, Time Warner Cable For more than a quarter-century, Sam Howe has taken calculated risks to create brand recognition and loyalty among cable consumers. As the chief marketing...

Susan Kantor.(vice president of marketing at Warner Bros.)(Occupation overview)
June 15, 2009... By Paige Albiniak Executive VP of Marketing, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution It took Susan Kantor years of experience to become an expert at distilling complex ideas into just a few perfect words. It's a skill that has...

Dana White.(Ultimate Fighting Championship)
June 15, 2009... By R. Thomas Umstead, Multichannel News President, Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White doesn't fight in the ring, but no one is more at home there. As president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts sports...

Broadcasters Hit Hill to Fight Bill.(Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act)
June 15, 2009... By Michael Malone Station execs fear Ross legislation and SHVERA will drain local revenue A traveling party of about a dozen Fox affiliate leaders will descend on Washington this week to voice its concern for a bill co-sponsored by...

Syndicators Hoping to Cash In at 10.
June 15, 2009... By Paige Albiniak SNTA chasing ad dollars when Leno moves to primetime CBS and ABC have made it clear that they think competing against Jay Leno at 10 p.m. will work to their advantage. Turns out syndicators think so, too. With...

Priming the VOD Pipe.(video on demand)
June 15, 2009... By Glen Dickson Cable eyes technical tweaks to on-demand service New delivery architectures, better navigation software and more powerful set-tops will combine to improve the breadth and quality of video-on-demand programming offered...

A Real Live Roll of the Dice.
June 15, 2009... By Alex Weprin Cartoon Network's non-animated push comes with risks Aghost-hunting show following a team of paranormal investigators, a reality series about outdoor novices exploring the jungle and a game show set aboard a fast-moving...

Partnerships All the Rage.
June 15, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Fiscal caution is breeding strange bedfellows Hollywood studios have long understood the value of partnering to share the pain and gain of big, expensive releases. Now, thanks to the recession, media companies are...

Trends and Hurdles at VOD Summit.(video on demand)(Conference news)
June 15, 2009... By Staff Keynoters, panelists and industry leaders discuss future and limits of OnDemand Content providers, sales and marketing leaders and cable operators were among the more than 400 industry executives attending the June 10...

Life After Analog TV.(television)(Brief article)
June 15, 2009... By Joel Topcik Call centers buzzing, but broadcasters say switch looks smooth The dawning of the new fully digital era began June 12 with little indication that the end of analog broadcasts would cause mass disruption for the nation's...

Oh, Calm Down: Late Night Is a Marathon.(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)
June 15, 2009... By Ben Grossman It's amazing what happened last week in Universal City when David Letterman's ratings eclipsed those of Conan O'Brien for the first time on the night of June 9. According to my well-placed late-night moles, to say NBC went...

FCC Clear as Mud on DTV Chart Mistake.(Federal Communications Commission)(digital television)
June 15, 2009... By John Eggerton Failing to properly correct an important station list causes confusion and concern The FCC under acting Chairman Michael Copps has launched an effort to boost minority station ownership. The same commission has also...

Swim at your Own Risk.
June 22, 2009... By Michael Malone Stations involved in content pools may save money. But they could also jeopardize ratings--and revenue Local television is increasingly looking like an episode of Survivor . In the six months since NBC and Fox...

Deals.
June 22, 2009... BIA Financial Networks TV KSQA/Topeka, Kan. PRICE : $12,000 BUYER : KSQA LLC (Barbara Wade,member) SELLER : Cooper Fowler Media (Sheila Talley Robertson, general partner) FACILITIES : Ch. 22, 5,000 kW, ant. 738 ft....

We'll Be Watching.
June 22, 2009... Staff At his nomination hearing last week, Julius Genachowski said nothing that could have impaired his chances to be named to head the FCC. He got rave reviews--and a yes vote--from Democrats and Republicans alike. "If you aren't...

A Love Affair With TV That Lasts for Lifetime.(Lifetime Networks)
June 22, 2009... By Stephanie Robbins 30 Rock producer Alfano taps experience as programming chief for women's net When JoAnn Alfano joined Lifetime Networks in September 2008, she wasn't looking for a new job, but could not have landed in a more...

Ruling Hampton Roads.
June 22, 2009... By Michael Malone WAVY tops Virginia's biggest DMA The Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News market, collectively known as Hampton Roads, is comprised of distinctive cities, each with a unique history. It also has an extraordinarily large...

Digi-Channels Enjoy Brave New Post-DTV World.
June 22, 2009... By Michael Malone Multicast nets get noisy response from new viewers For stations, getting calls from hundreds of viewers on and around June 12 spelled a nightmare. For digital channels such as Retro Television and This TV, hearing...

Getting Tough: Sign of Things to Come?(CBS Broadcasting Inc.)
June 22, 2009... By Paige Albiniak CBS lawsuit over failure to pay bills may be precursor as stations struggle In what could be the first of more such lawsuits to come in the syndication world, CBS Television Distribution last week filed suit against...

Syfy's Two-Pronged Rebrand Strategy.(NBC Universal Inc.)
June 22, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie Plans big marketing push; buys up negative domain names NBC Universal's Sci Fi is giving away the Internet to promote its July 7 rebrand to Syfy, but is also taking away a few choice domain names in the process. The...

DTV: A Few Tweaks Left.(Digital television)
June 22, 2009... By Glen Dickson Stations, FCC working to solve VHF receptionsnafus WHDH Boston didn't expect to still be paying the electrical bills for two transmitters come late June 2009. Like many U.S. broadcasters, the Sunbeam Television station...

Hallmark: Change Is in the Cards.
June 22, 2009... By Claire Atkinson After network didn't sell, new chief wants to retool brand Now that Crown Media Holdings has taken Hallmark off the block, its new management is going to try to make the cable network lighter and younger. Bill...