Broadcasting & Cable articles from March 2004

Broadcasting & Cable archives from March 2004

Can ABC come back?(It'll Take More Than A Super Millionaire)(American Broadcasting Companies Inc.)
March 1, 2004... ABC's problems can fill a book--and will one day. The network can't find a breakout hit. Ratings are at all-time lows. Of its target 18-49-year-old audience, 17% has gone elsewhere. What's at the heart of ABC's tumble? One industry...

The family business: it became a cultural phenomenon, but now The Sopranos is a money-making machine beyond Tony's wildest dreams.(Exclusive)
March 1, 2004... Talk on the street was a mob kidnapping conspiracy, and Tony Soprano was the target. HBO's Courteney Monroe was startled on a Century City sidewalk last month, overhearing three men plotting how to pry open the glass case of a nearby bus...

Danza Show is sure thing.(Breaking ...)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Los ANGELES -- Buena Vista can finally report The Tony Danza Show is a firm go. It will be broadcast live from New York starting next fall. The show was picked up by the ABC Station Group, of course, and by Gannett, Hearst-Argyle,...

McCain tackles kid food ads.(Breaking ...)(John McCain)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain is going after child obesity and ads said to foster it. On Tuesday, Victoria Rideout, head of the Kaiser Family Foundation's media and health programs, will testify at a hearing of McCain's Commerce Committee...

Ricki Lake no more.(Breaking ...)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Sony's Ricki Lake is calling it quits, though Sony Pictures Entertainment hasn't officially said so. The show held a wrap party last week in New York, and Lake moved permanently to Los Angeles, where she plans to pursue an acting...

Assume the position: repentant broadcasters tell House committee they're cleaning up.(Top of the week)
March 1, 2004... These are red-letter days for foes of four-letter words. Three TV network chiefs and Clear Channel's president told Washington more of what it wanted to hear, outlining plans for greater self-regulation and agreeing with proposed new laws...

How indecency became such a F***ing big issue.(Top of the Week)
March 1, 2004... Swearing on TV or radio will get a station hit with an indecency fine. The FCC will undoubtedly make a rule this week. How did this happen? There have been complaints for years about sex and violence that got lots of politicians to make...

Feeling the network's pain.(Top of the Week; ABC Television)
March 1, 2004... Essential to an ABC comeback is mending fences with angry affiliates. But it seems the network is building barriers instead. Affiliate displeasure with ABC goes back to 2001, when the network killed Who Wants To Be a Millionaire by showing...

Hot seat: shareholders will weigh Eisner's future.(Disney Watch; Michael Eisner)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The odd thing about Disney annual meetings is that many shareholders bring their children. And the kiddies beseech Disney executives to autograph their annual reports. General Motors, this isn't. Fast forward to this week's annual meeting...

Paging Lou Grant.(Station Break)(KSTP)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- Hubbard's ABC affiliate KSTP, the No. 3 news station in the market, has asked Minneapolis's most famous news director--Lou Grant--for help. Local ad shop Kruskopf Olson is producing a series of five ads promoting the station's...

WKRN.(People on the Move)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Young Broadcasting's ABC affiliate WKRN has tapped Vicki Montet as news director. She comes from Scripps Broadcasting corporate, where she recently directed coverage of the war in Iraq for Scripps stations and newspapers....

KVVU.(People on the Move)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- Mark Neerman has been named news director for Meredith Broadcasting's Fox affiliate KVVU. He arrives from Raycom Television's CBS affiliate WTVR Richmond, Va.

Mauldin on the mend.(Station Break)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DALLAS -- Steve Mauldin, who oversees Viacom TV stations in Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin, Texas, and Oklahoma City, has been in Little Rock, Ark., receiving treatment for throat cancer. According to a spokeswoman for the stations, he is almost...

Correction.(Station Break)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2004... In the Feb. 23 issue, kids personality Ray Rayner was incorrectly identified as the actor who played Bozo on WGN's long-running kids show Bozo's Circus. Rayner, who died last month, portayed Oliver O. Oliver on the show from 1961 to 1971 and...

We break for shootings.(Station Break; TV news ethics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... This wasn't your average car chase, even by Los Angeles standards. On Feb. 23, police fatally shot an armed-robbery suspect who took them on an erratic, high-speed chase. The suspect was shot after he reversed his car and headed toward the...

Are the Rigases really robbers? As the family's fraud trial begins, Adelphia plans reorganization, recovery.(Top of the Week)
March 1, 2004... If accountants and bankers signed off on everything, how could it be criminal? That will be a central issue as the trial of fallen Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas commences this week. Opening arguments in the criminal trial were...

Fighting words.(In the loop: behind the scenes / before the fact)(Turner Advertising and Marketing)((Levy, David))(CBS Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... "We're not broadcast-bashing," says Turner ad-sales chief David Levy. Don't you believe it. At the upfront, ad agencies got a twist on the usual video pitch, Turner's rewritten version of R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It."...

Trial by boredom.(In the loop: behind the scenes / before the fact)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Lawyers say you win a trial by picking the right jury. Rule No. 1: Keep them awake. Potential jurors hearing the case against Adelphia Communications founder John Rigas (left) were grilled on a 25-page questionnaire they had filled out earlier....

Do the Bart-Man.(In the loop: behind the scenes / before the fact)("Simpsons" live theater)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Can Bart Simpson go on the road? The producers of The Simpsons have been quietly approached by interested parties about live public performances. Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), and friends have done table readings of...

Knee-jerk reaction.(In the loop: behind the scenes / before the fact)(McCain, John)(Superbowl scandal)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Poor Mel Karmazin. The Viacom COO can't put the Super Bowl halftime disaster behind him. He was raked over the coals about the crotch-grabbing and breast exposure at a House indecency hearing. Last week, Sen. John McCain ragged him about it...

On the comeback trail: under Reynolds and Swanson, CBS and UPN turn up the heat on big-market rivals.(Dynamic 12: Viacom station group: a special series on leading cable operators and TV-station groups)(Fred Reynolds, Dennis Swanson)
March 1, 2004... Viacom's CBS O&Os are finally off the couch and back in the game. When you're the back-of-the-pack station group, though, there's tough competition and a long way to go. In fact, the aggregate revenues for Viacom's owned-and-operated CBS...

Big Apple fix: WNBC ex-pats Leone, Doctor try to repair CBS's broken flagship.(Dynamic 12: Viacom station group: a special series on leading cable operators and TV-station groups)(Lew Leone; Dianne Doctor)
March 1, 2004... In the station wars, New York is still the biggest single prize. It was no surprise, then, that Dennis Swanson's first hires at Viacom were a general manager and a news director for WCBS. Both Lew Leone and Dianne Doctor were snatched away...

The Swanson Method: in Chicago, Ahern is turning around WBBM with a new antenna, high-profile hires, and lots of parades.(Dynamic 12: Viacom station group: a special series on leading cable operators and TV-station groups)(Joe Ahern)
March 1, 2004... The No. 3 market may be the No. 1 test of the Swanson Method. Relying on big-name talent, big-time community outreach, and market-savvy executives, General Manager Joe Ahern is following Dennis Swanson's lead in reviving WBBM Chicago. ...

Station lineup.(Dynamic 12: Viacom station group: a special series on leading cable operators and TV-station groups)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... NEW YORK (1) WCBS 2, CBS 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019 212-975-4321 TOP EXECUTIVE: Lew Leone LOS ANGELES (2) KCBS 2, CBS * 6121 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 323-460-3000 TOP...

The sporting life: ESPN keeps shows edgy, learns from Playmakers mistakes.(Programming)(NFL Media)(Entertainment and Sports Programming Network)
March 1, 2004... Who's in charge? ESPN. It may look like the NFL called the shots on Playmakers, but looks are deceiving. "If we were under the thumb of the NFL, we never would have launched Playmakers," says Mark Shapiro, the 34-year-old wunderkind who heads...

Kid friendly: Cartoon, WB launch 9 original animated, live-action shows.(Programming)
March 1, 2004... Calling all robots, superheroes, and imaginary friends. Cartoon Network will introduce six original shows this year. And corporate cousin Kids WB! is adding three, two animated and one live-action. Make room for the zany and the brainy. ...

Ratings: Feb. 9-15.(Syndication Watch)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... RATINGS | Feb. 9-15 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows Households RANK PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Wheel of Fortune 9.6 NA 2 Oprah Winfrey Show 8.0 8.1 3...

Catch a star rising.(talk show)(The Ellen DeGeneres Show)
March 1, 2004... For a quick study of how a syndicated talk strip needs time to find its audience, look at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It's primed to pop in season two with upgrades in two dozen markets. That's an impressive achievement in a genre littered with...

Sea change.(Syndie Insider)(On Air With Ryan Seacrest)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Twentieth's On Air With Ryan Seacrest (above) is changing digs in New York and Chicago. In both markets, the show is cleared on the Fox duopoly. In New York, the show is going from UPN station WWOR at 5 p.m. to Fox station WNYW at 3 p.m. On Air...

Family affair.(Syndie Insider)(Tribune Broadcasting Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Tribune's Family Feud has scored two major upgrades in New York and Phoenix, and the game show is cleared in 87% of the country for its sixth season. In New York, an hour block of Feud, syndication's No. 4-rated game show, is moving to 4 p.m....

Home front.(Syndie Insider)(Universal Domestic Television)(Tribune Entertainment Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Universal's Home Delivery has been cleared in 80% of the country for next fall, including 45 of the top 50 markets, Universal reports. The company also recently added Post-Newsweek's WKMG Orlando, Fla., a CBS affiliate, to its list. Universal...

The prime time race.(Programming)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Feb. 16-22 Total Households (in millions) PROGRAM DATE NET HHS 1. Fairly OddParents 8p 2/16 NICK 3.7 1. Fairly OddParents 10a 2/22...

Nielsen ratings: Feb. 16-22.(Programming)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... NIELSEN | Feb. 16-22 | RATINGS Week 22 abc MONDAY 6.9/10 8:00 73. ABC Movie of the 8:30 Week--Jurassic 9:00 Park III 9:30 10:00 13. Primetime ...

At a glance.(Market focus: Des Moines)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... AT A GLANCE The Market DMA rank 73 Population 1,022,000 TV homes 405,000 Income per capita $17,342 TV revenue rank 68 TV revenue $58,400,000 ...

Corn-fed no more.(Market focus)(Des Moines, Iowa)
March 1, 2004... Every four years, Des Moines, Iowa, is guaranteed a place in the national sun. The state's political caucuses attract the keen eye of publicity to this bucolic area--and dump a ton of ad money into the market. "We have had some very good...

The demos.(Market focus: Des Moines)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... THE DEMOS Not a lot of ethnic diversity here. The population is 95% white. Iowans like their outdoor activities, particularly fishing and camping. Surfing, the Internet kind, hasn't caught on: Only 10% of households have a broadband...

By design: ABC bets on extreme home show in prime time.(Lifestyle programming: special report)(American Broadcasting Companies)
March 1, 2004... Set out the good china. When ABC puts a home-redecorating show in prime time, it's clear lifestyle programming--a thriving genre on cable--has earned a seat at the table. ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition follows the success of TLC's Trading...

Power play: Turner says what it has to sell deserves top dollar.(TV Buyer)(Turner Broadcasting Europe)(TNT)(TBS)
March 1, 2004... Going into the upfront season, Turner Broadcasting is preaching a new message: The industry is now a "one-television world," and viewers don't see a difference between cable and broadcast. Turner ad-sales execs hope the advertising community...

Cable inches up.(TV Buyer)(TBS)(TNT)
March 1, 2004... The tide is turning, albeit slowly. In the 2003 upfront, TBS and TNT brought in an estimated $760 million to $800 million in revenue. Ad-supported cable networks commanded a 50.3 share of prime time viewing, leaving the seven broadcast networks...

Spring spark likely in spot.(EBB & Flow)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Super Tuesday still looms, but results are in on local political spending. So far, it's a loser. There could be a spring spending surge, though. As the Democratic race heats up, the Republicans are kicking off an early effort to prop up...

What if Kerry wins? A Democratic victory could jeopardize Comcast's Disney bid.(Washington)((Bush, George W.))((Kerry, John F.))
March 1, 2004... George W. Bush shouldn't be the only one concerned about John Kerry's White House run. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts should be worried, too. A Democratic takeover of the White House up his $66 billion bid to buy Disney. If Disney shareholders...

Spreading the money.(Washington)(Comcast Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... For years, Comcast's Roberts clan supported the Democrats. As the company has grown and faced increasing scrutiny, it has been careful to give to Republicans as well. According to the Center for Public Integrity, 75% of Comcast's $147,000...

Winner take all.(Capital Watch)((Eid, Susan))((Jackson, Paul))(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch has hired two former FCC aides only months after their former boss did the company a big favor. Susan Eid, ex-media adviser to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, was picked to run the government-affairs shop for...

Eligible receivers.(Capital Watch)(digital channel coverage)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... EchoStar just got a boost in its fight to carry more digital channels from network superstations and exclude local affiliates. Last week, the feds' top copyright official said the government's measuring stick for deciding when viewers get a...

Mixed messages.(Capital Watch)((Powell, Michael))(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FCC Chairman Michael Powell is pulling a fast one to help Fox, CBS, Paxson, and Sinclair keep giant station groups intact, charge FCC Democrats. Commissioners Michael Copps (above, left) and Jonathan Adelstein (right) derided Powell's plan to...

Fuzzy math.(Capital Watch)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The White House budget isn't clear on the issue, but Bush telecom policy chief Michael Gallagher confirms that a little noticed provision would hit broadcasters with a new tax. Sorry, we mean fee. The White House is proposing a user fee on...

Flash to the future: Panasonic says camcorder line pays for itself.(Technology)
March 1, 2004... If you don't want moving parts in your electronic-newsgathering gear, you'll need big bucks in your ENG media budget. At least for now. When Panasonic introduces its DVCPRO P2 lineup in May, the recording media will cost roughly 10% of the...

Animated spirit: Schwartz mixes business savvy with intuition.(The Fifth Estater)(Sander Schwartz)(Biography)
March 1, 2004... He keeps singular company. While most entertainment presidents in Hollywood spend their days negotiating with agents, Warner Bros. Animation President Sander Schwartz hangs with Batman, Pokemon, the Justice League, and the Japanese heroes from...

WDWB.(Broadcast TV)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... KEN MURPHY, director, sales, WXXA Albany, N.Y., appointed station manager/VP, sales, WDWB Detroit.

Time Warner Cable.(Cable TV)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... At Time Warner Cable, New York: JOHN BROWN III, manager, engineering, Hudson Valley region, promoted to director; RUTH ANN WYNTER, manager, human resources, promoted to director. KEN MILLER, director, accounting, Time Warner Cable, Denver,...

TV Land and Nick at Nite.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LARRY W. JONES, executive VP, TV Land and Nick at Nite, New York, promoted to president.

TVG Network.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... RYAN O'HARA, senior VP, business development and strategic planning, upped to chief operating officer, TVG Network, Los Angeles.

Comcast SportsNet.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BOB AYARS, VP, operations, Comcast SportsNet, Philadelphia, named VP, technical operations.

Sony Pictures Television International.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... JAMIE WEISSENBORN, consultant, sales, marketing and revenue, International Networks group, Sony Pictures Television International, Culver City, Calif., named VP, global advertising sales.

TV One.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... At TV One, Lanham, Md.: MICHELLE RICE, northeast regional VP, affiliate relations and national accounts, InDemand, New York, named VP, distribution strategy and operations; JOHN FANT, director, operations, Speed Channel, Charlotte, N.C., named...

National Geographic Channel.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... At National Geographic Channel, Washington: LAURA GALIETTA, VP, strategic partnerships and promotions, Turner Broadcasting/Turner Classic Movies, New York, joins as VP, consumer marketing; BRIDGET WHALEN, director, development, Michael Hoff...

TV Guide.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... RICHARD CUSICK, VP, business development and strategic planning, TV Guide, Los Angeles, upped to senior VP.

New England Sports Network.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BILL BORSON, senior VP, production, Fox Sports Net, Los Angeles, appointed VP, programming and production, New England Sports Network, Boston.

Fox Sports Net South.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... At Fox Sports Net South, Atlanta: JON COHEN, local sales manager, named national sales manager; BRANDON HOWELL, account executive, named local sales manager.

NY1 News.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... GUNN ISARANKURA, chief engineer, technical design, NY1 News, New York, promoted to director.

ABC News Digital Media Group.(Programming)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BERNARD GERSHON, VP/general manager, ABCNews.com, New York, named senior VP/general manager, ABC News Digital Media Group, New York.

CBS News/CBS Newspath.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... KELLY COBIELLA, freelance reporter, CBS News/CBS Newspath, named CBS News correspondent, CBS News/CBS Newspath, New York.

Southern Sports Report.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LAURA OKMIN, sideline announcer, college football and the Atlanta Hawks, part-time anchor, Southern Sports Report, Fox Sports Net South, Atlanta, named fulltime anchor/reporter, Southern Sports Report.

KSTP.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ANNE HUTCHINSON, sports reporter/anchor, WFTS Tampa, Fla., named weekend sports anchor, KSTP St. Paul, Minn.

Turner Broadcasting System Inc.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... BARBARA GRIFFIN, VP, image management group, Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Atlanta, promoted to senior VP.

CNN.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Cable News Network)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... MAREA BATTLE, publicist, CNN, Atlanta, promoted to senior publicist.

PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, PricewaterhouseCoopers.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... LAURA SCHOOLER, public relations consultant, national sales and marketing division, Clear Channel Entertainment, New York, named associate director, marketing, entertainment and media practice/managing editor, PwC Global Entertainment & Media...

Network Electronics.(Technology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... At Network Electronics, Salt Lake City: MITCHELL T. HAYDEN, senior product manager for Thomson/Grass Valley Group, Salt Lake City, named VP, technical sales and services; RUSS ENCE, human resources manager, Thomson Inc., Salt Lake City, named...

The Museum of Television & Radio.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... STUART N. BROTMAN, president, Stuart N. Brotman Communications, Lexington, Mass., appointed president, The Museum of Television & Radio, New York.

BET Foundation.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... DARLENE NIPPER, chief operating officer, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Arlington, Va., named executive director, BET Foundation, Washington.

National Association of Black Journalists.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... VICKIE NEWTON, anchor/reporter, KMOV St. Louis, appointed regional director, National Association of Black Journalists, St. Louis.

TVN Entertainment.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... JACKIE FORREST, Midstream Technologies, director, national sales, Los Angeles, appointed director, strategic sales development, TVN Entertainment, Los Angeles.

Jupiter Research.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... TODD CHANKO, director, CNBC Enterprises, CNBC, New York, named media analyst, Jupiter Research, New York.

Jagger International.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... RAYMOND J. BRUNE, VP/executive producer, news, E! Networks, Los Angeles, launches Jagger International, Los Angeles.

NBA.(Allied Fields)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... ED DESSER, director of broadcasting, executive producer/VP/GM, NBA entertainment, NBA, New York, named executive VP, strategic planning and business development.

Date book.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... This Week March 1 Young Audiences New York 2004 Children's Arts Medal Benefit. Marriott Marquis, New York. Contact: Lauren Fishman, 212-355-5702 or www.yany.org March 1-2 Practising Law Institute Cable Television Law 2004. PLI New...

Major meetings.(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... April 15 Television Bureau of Advertising 2004 Annual Marketing Conference, New York. Contact: Janice Garjian, 212-891-2246 or janice@tvb.org. April 17-22 National Association of Broadcasters NAB 2004. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las...

PBS loves its HDTV: stations get 24/7 service, widescreen content.(Top of the Week)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... After dumping its HD programming loop in December, PBS is taking the plunge this week with PBS HD, a new service transmitted digitally by 50 PBS stations. That number is expected to grow steadily this year as the remaining 196 PBS stations that...

Sexy sendoff.(Fast Track)(Sex and the City)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... HBO kissed Sex and the City goodbye last Sunday night to the show's biggest audience of the season. The series finale attracted 10.6 million viewers with a 6.5 national household rating and a 10 share, according to NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH,...

They came to sing her praise.(hooray!)(Frances W. Preston)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Broadcasters' Foundation, which gives away $250,000 a year to help indigent or in broadcast veterans get by, honored BMI President and CEO (and foundation) board member Frances W. Preston at its black tie dinner last week in New York. Here,...

The squared circle.(Fast Track)(boxing shows)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Last week featured pugs aplenty starting with NBC, which landed a knockout punch by beating ABC, CBS, and FOX to MARK BURNETT's new pugilistic reality show, The Contender. NBC will pay around $2 million per episode, enough to scare off the...

Programming notes.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Premium channel SHOWTIME will delve into the Catholic Church's child-abuse scandal and cover-up in upcoming original movie Our Fathers. It's based on a book by Newsweek editor DAVID FRANCE.... ABC newcomer The D.A. will take over 20/20's...

Get some guts.(broadcasters fail to stand up to political pressure)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Think California wildfires. Then imagine residents dousing their own homes with gasoline. That is the threat to the media landscape as the heat on indecency continues to rise from Washington and media companies respond by filling their gas...

Two cents.(Editorials)
March 1, 2004... "It was one in a long list of people who thought I had no talent. They're not unique in that observation." Today host KATIE COURIC, recalling how a news director in Chicago in the 1980s rejected her job application, as reported in the...