Broadcasting & Cable articles from March 2009

Broadcasting & Cable archives from March 2009

Media Lobbying: The New Era.
March 2, 2009... By Claire Atkinson & John Eggerton Shifting rules in Washington alter the way the media get the message out The arrival of the Obama administration was greeted with cautious optimism and relief in many quarters of the media industry....

Back to Work, Peter.(Peter Chernin plans to resign from News Corp)
March 2, 2009... Staff Peter Chernin's decision to step down from News Corp. last week was surprising, not so much for his choice to leave the company as for its timing, coming so far in advance of the expiration of his contract at the end of June. ...

Meter Madness.(Local People Meters)
March 2, 2009... By Michael Malone Twin Cities stations adjust to LPMs The freshman politicians have long since taken their places in Washington, but Minnesota's fevered Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken remains unresolved. The election...

G4 Going 'Underground' For Newsmagazine.
March 2, 2009... By Alex Weprin Pursuing 'digital generation,' Comcast net orders12 episodes of young-male-targeted show Newsmagazines may not draw big numbers on the broadcast networks anymore, but Comcast's young-male-focused cable network, G4, is...

Seeing It All, and Still Casting a Wider Net.(Sony Pictures Television's Steve Mosko )(Interview)
March 2, 2009... By Ben Grossman SPT's Mosko on weathering the economic storm Juggling multiple new projects in broadcast, cable, syndication and online, Sony Pictures Television President Steve Mosko is in a unique position to see how the challenged...

Ratings Slide Continues.(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Broadcast networks down; C3 numbers a bit better Viewers may be consuming more content overall, but live ratings and the commercial ratings that form the currency of the business continue to fall at the broadcast...

Headlines from Multichannel News.
March 2, 2009... Staff Interactive TV in Full Bloom There's no more crying wolf. Cable in 2009 finally has a concretebusiness reason-advertising-to make interactive TV work on awide scale. Funds Buy Sagging Stocks While cable stocks were...

Frot-Coutaz Looks Beyond 'American Idol'.(FremantleMedia North America's Cecile Frot-Coutaz)
March 2, 2009... By Melissa Grego Fremantle CEO to launch scripted division,mine game-show library THE DISH: Barsac Brasserie is louder and more crowded than usual, says Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America, as she sits down to...

Best of the BnC Blogs.
March 2, 2009... By Staff Right Now at BroadcastingCable.com BC BEAT Commentary, analysis and observations on the business of television from the staff of Broadcasting & Cable. Tiger's Return=Wasted Chance Pro golf got its savior back...

Where to be and what to watch...(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 2, 2009... Stephanie Robbins Monday, March 2 Six weeks of constant champagne drinking, no working and being flown to exotic locations for fantasy dates seem to be the recipe for instant, never-lasting love. See which young lady gets the final...

From Big Moments to '60 Minutes'.(Byron Pitts)
March 2, 2009... By Joel Topcik In a career of telling major stories, CBS News' Byron Pitts finds his dream job It's no surprise that Byron Pitts favors sports metaphors when he talks about his 25 years in television news. After all, the CBS News...

Think Global, Act Local.(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Michael Malone Regional weather and sports are among top options for stations' digital channels With more than 400 stations having made the switch to fully digital last month, and the rest scheduled to do so in the coming months,...

The Storm Rages On.(NBC Universal Inc's acquisition of The Weather Channel Inc.)
March 2, 2009... By Michael Malone Weather Plus affiliates keep genre When NBC Universal shut down Weather Plus at the close of 2008, the channel's 90-plus affiliates nationwide had a variety of replacement options for their digital tier. There was...

Olympics Golden for Universal Sports.
March 2, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie Games drive awareness, carriage and ad sales for digital channel The Winter Olympics in Vancouver are shaping up to be a golden opportunity for multicast channel Universal Sports. With sports proving to be one of...

Stations Call March Sweeps 'Useless'.
March 2, 2009... By Paige Albiniak Lack of comparison for results will make numbers less valid If many TV stations had their way, there would have been no winter sweeps at all this year, in February or in March. But a winter sweep is included in TV...

Avid, Sony Create HD News System.(Avid Technology Inc.)(Sony Electronics Inc.)
March 2, 2009... By Glen Dickson Long-awaited integration between XDCAM and Avid editors Avid heads to NAB next month to show off almost two years of development work with Sony. The result: an end-to-end HD news production system that will allow Avid...

Genachowski Plays FCC Waiting Game.(Julius Genachowski)(Federal Communications Commission)
March 2, 2009... By John Eggerton Sources say Obama may wish to package commission picks The search for Julius Genachowski's official nod from the White House is beginning to resemble the Where's Waldo? picture book. While it often takes months for a...

Feds Mix Signals on DTV Converter Box.(degital television)
March 9, 2009... By John Eggerton If you think the federal government's got it all backward when it comes to the digital-TV transition, you're not entirely wrong. That's not to say the FCC and Congress have botched the federally mandated switch from...

The Channel That Never Sleeps.
March 9, 2009... By Michael Malone WNBC's 24/7 'Nonstop' is the next phase of the Peacock's bold new local strategy In New York, cool is king, and word of mouth can trump the mightiest marketing machine. Even in a dismal economy, flashy restaurants...

Playing It Safe Again.(Column)
March 9, 2009... Staff The first episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon went as well as could be expected for a brand-new talk show host. It may have had its predictable rough spots that critics could easily tear apart, but there was nothing catastrophic...

From the NBA to March Madness.(National Basketball Association)
March 9, 2009... By Alex Weprin CBS College Sports' Herbst expands network's distribution, HD plans Steve Herbst, the executive VP and general manager of CBS College Sports Network, barely had time to take off his cap and gown before entering the...

Comedy Central Got-R-Done.(Comedy Central Inc.)(Personal account)
March 9, 2009... By Ben Grossman I've learned a lot from my redneck brother-in-law. My wife's brother taught me how to blow a bird out of the sky with a shotgun, and haul a 100-pound halibut into a boat and finish it off like a 'roided-up Yankees third...

Where to be and what to watch...(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 9, 2009... Stephanie Robbins Monday, March 9 Put on your dancing shoes for the return of Dancing With the Stars . See if Go-Go Belinda Carlisle still has the beat as she competes against 12 other "stars" in the premiere at 8 p.m. on ABC. ...

Eyes on Orlando.
March 9, 2009... By Michael Malone Tourism down, but competition is up Tourists may not be flocking to Orlando's famous theme parks as much as they have in recent years, but the city is still top of mind for many around the country. Matt Kenseth took...

Cablers Bullish As Upfront Talk Heats Up.
March 9, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie But questions abound regarding economy's impact on selling season With the upfront selling season quickly approaching and the economy showing no signs of a turnaround, tension is beginning to mount. While it's too...

M&A Could Pick Up in Second Half of 2009.(mergers and acquisitions)
March 9, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Potential buyers like Time Warner, Discovery biding their time for now The mergers and acquisitions market may have ground almost to a halt due to the economy, but there are indicators that activity could pick up in...

VIDEO: Q&A With Disney Channels Worldwide President Rich Ross.(Interview)
March 9, 2009... By Staff Last week, the Disney Channel decided to debut the next installment of its hit franchise High School Musical on the network. Rich Ross, Disney Channels Worldwide president, talks HSM, new series stars the Jonas Brothers--whose 3D...

Headlines from Multichannel News.(briefs)(Brief article)
March 9, 2009... Staff Is Dish Broken? Dish Network chairman, president and CEO Charlie Ergen faces what could be his greatest challenge--how to dig his company out of a black hole. Wild for the Web Adult fare on the Internet is creating new...

HBO Opens Syndie Sales.(Home Box Office Inc)(syndication)
March 9, 2009... By Melissa Grego Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm for 2010 HBO has a question for cable networks and stations about three comedies, including Entourage : Is that something you might be interested in? By the end of March, the pay-TV...

Urban TV's Must-Carry Fight.(dialogue with Bob Johnson of Black Entertainment Television Inc.)(ION Media Networks Inc.)(Interview)
March 9, 2009... By John Eggerton Johnson waits for the FCC while TV One opposes startup Bob Johnson, founder of BET and current chairman of RLJ Companies, is trying to team with Ion Media on a new African-American-targeted network employing some of...

Hi-Def Takes the Field.(definition)
March 9, 2009... By Glen Dickson More stations adopt HD electronic newsgathering operations Roughly a third of U.S. broadcasters have installed new digital microwave gear and switched their electronic newsgathering (ENG) operations to a new frequency...

HD's Reality Check.(high definition television)
March 16, 2009... By Allison Romano Broadcast's scripted shows may look picture-perfect in HD, but most unscripted series remain stuck in standard Like many reality TV producers, when Bob Horowitz, president of Juma Entertainment, prepares to pitch an...

Sun Burn in Phoenix.(KPNX Broadcasting Co.)
March 16, 2009... By Michael Malone Once hot, market fights economic woes Phoenix, one of the great boom towns not long ago, has hit hard times. The market has one of the nation's highest foreclosure rates, hammering advertising categories like...

Recession Reporting Hits Home.(KCNC-TV (Denver, Colorado))
March 16, 2009... By Michael Malone Stations offer job fairs, budget tips and a pat on the back for cash-strapped viewers KCNC Denver gathered 200 viewers at a local high school March 16 for its first-ever "Beating the Recession" town-hall meeting....

Broadcast Networks Eyeing Reality Rut.
March 16, 2009... By Melissa Grego Veteran shows are hot, but dearth of reinforcements looms Virtually all of the broadcast networks' most veteran reality shows are having the time of their lives, but given the lack of new powerhouses in the genre, the...

Sales Stall Could Shake Up Syndication Biz.
March 16, 2009... By Paige Albiniak Studios may target cable nets for first-run, stations for off-net drama With TV stations facing perhaps the toughest year in their history, sales of syndicated programs have come to a screeching halt. And that could...

DIY Cashes In on Recession.(Scripps Networks Inc. Do It Yourself Network)
March 16, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie New slate focuses on bargains for homeowners Just because the economy is in a tailspin does not mean homeowners aren't in the mood to update their bathrooms or turn the backyard into an oasis of serenity. At least...

Headlines from Multichannel News.(briefs)(Brief article)
March 16, 2009... Staff A Fine Madness CBS is bringing NCAA "March Madness" tournament action to an array of advanced platforms, including on-demand, live streaming on the Internet and mobile. Broadband Hits the Brakes After years of...

9 Bil Reasons To Watch TW.(Time Warner Inc. divests from Time Warner Cable Inc.)
March 16, 2009... By Claire Atkinson CFO weighs Time Warner options after split with cabler Time Warner will separate from its Time Warner Cable unit at the end of March, and all eyes are on what it does with the $9.25 billion from that deal, whether...

Major FCC Structural Reforms Unlikely.(Federal Communications Commission)
March 16, 2009... By John Eggerton Copps makes some shifts, cautions against total reorganization There was much talk about reforming the FCC in the waning days of the Kevin Martin-led commission. The talk continues now as the Democratic majority...

Where to be and what to watch...(Calendar)
March 16, 2009... Stephanie Robbins Monday, March 16 The city that never sleeps is being put to rest--at least until next season. See "average" twentysomethings survive the realities of New York City life with their large apartments, designer outfits...

New Faces at Fox Network.
March 16, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Liguori out as Chernin exits; new duties for Vinciquerra, Rice News Corp. Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch didn't waste a minute restructuring his company in the wake of Peter Chernin's resignation less than a month...

Risky Business.
March 16, 2009... Staff "In local television, news staffs, already too small to adequately cover their communities, are being cut at unprecedented rates....In network news, even the rare programs increasing their ratings are seeing revenues fall....Only...

Wiser Plan for Local Cable News.(Elliott Wiser)
March 16, 2009... By Michael Malone Bright House veep takes the fight to broadcast Elliott Wiser is, to borrow a sports analogy, a student of the local cable news game. Last spring, the Bright House Networks VP completed an arduous online master's...

Technology Consolidation Continues.(Pro-Bel Ltd. merged with Snell and Wilcox)
March 16, 2009... By Glen Dickson Pro-Bel, Snell & Wilcox merger further shrinks broadcast market The merger of router, infrastructure and automation supplier Pro-Bel with video processing specialist Snell & Wilcox earlier this month continued the...

Why You'd Better Get to Know Tony V.(Interview)
March 23, 2009... By Melissa Grego Many insiders will tell you that Tony Vinciquerra has long pulled the strings at Fox. Now it's been formalized. In his first extensive interview since Rupert Murdoch's shakeup moved him up the Fox food chain, Vinciquerra...

A Regal Attempt.
March 23, 2009... Staff At the risk of being made fun of by the cool kids, we are going to do something that is decidedly un-hip these days: We are going to praise the primetime efforts of General Electric's NBC television network. Well, one of its efforts,...

NBCU's Mandala Running With the Bulls.
March 23, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Cable sales exec who saw the Latin market grow is upbeat about the upfront As head of cable sales, Steve Mandala, 45, is among NBC Universal's most important advertising executives. The company's cable...

King Coal.(WSAZ )
March 23, 2009... By Michael Malone WSAZ ahead 'by a mile' in West Virginia Amidst all the economic turmoil around the country, business in the Charleston-Huntington market is actually holding up. The market has a rich history in coal and steel...

Enjoying Their Privacy.(private broadcasting)
March 23, 2009... By Michael Malone Independent station execs find certain advantages over counterparts at public companies While no one in the broadcasting business is turning cartwheels over the state of the industry, some private-station group execs...

Off-Net Exclusivity May Be Dead.
March 23, 2009... By Paige Albiniak Stations don't have the cash to deal the way they used to Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men may be the last off-net program to be sold exclusively to TV stations, say syndication executives and analysts. In 2006,...

What Networks Want.(Brief article)
March 23, 2009... By Glen Dickson Engineers outline their 2009 technology plans heading into NAB While networks are sending far fewer people to the National Association of Broadcasters' convention next month--and some, like ABC, aren't sending any--the...

ABC's New Delivery.
March 23, 2009... By Glen Dickson ABC is doing its NAB shopping remotely this year; the network isn't formally sending any members of its Broadcast Operations and Engineering staff to the show in Las Vegas due to budget constraints. While a few ABC...

Scripps: Archiving Assets.(Scripps Networks Inc.)
March 23, 2009... By Glen Dickson After spending the last couple of years upgrading the production and transmission facilities for HGTV and Food Network to launch high-definition simulcasts of those channels, Scripps Networks is now shifting its attention...

ESPN: An Engineering Exploration.(Brief article)
March 23, 2009... By Glen Dickson With its engineering team already busy readying a new high-definition production facility in Los Angeles that will launch next month, cable sports giant ESPN is heading to NAB on less of a shopping mission and in more of an...

NBC Affils Launch Study to Shape 'Leno'.
March 23, 2009... By Michael Malone Concerns remain about 10 p.m. talk show as late news lead-in Hoping for unprecedented input into Jay Leno's fall primetime program, the NBC affiliates board has launched an exhaustive research study designed to keep...

Spike Swings for Laughs With Golf Comedy.
March 23, 2009... By Alex Weprin Back Nine could join new slate of sports-related series Spike TV is making a bigger play for its target 18-49 male audience with an increased output of original scripted comedies, focusing on shows with sports themes....

Upfront All Quiet-So Far.
March 23, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Economy leaving both sides patient and reserved for now TV advertising executives used to complain that the May upfront inched earlier every year. This go-round, however, everyone--from the analysts who try to...

NDS Preps Cox for Tru2way.
March 23, 2009... By Glen Dickson Develops guide, applications for new spec Interactive software and conditional access supplier NDS, which closed a deal last May to provide Cox Communications with its program-guide technology, is now working with the...

Cameron Kerry Nomination: Good for Cable?
March 23, 2009... By John Eggerton Posting would install veteran industry attorney at Commerce Dept. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association could be seeing a familiar face at the Commerce Department as it makes its case for getting access...

Fox Business Network Needs to Answer the Bell.
March 23, 2009... By Ben Grossman Okay, it's pop quiz time. Let's say there are two networks. One of them, which has bombastic personalities firing out declarations that draw heaps of headlines and buzz, has seen its credibility come under fire recently....

Copps Gets Props for Handling DTV.(digital television)(Michael Copps)
March 23, 2009... By John Eggerton Taking charge and hammering out plans helps transition, industry leaders say The DTV transition began its second phase last week, with most stations taking their cue from the FCC and agreeing to remain on the air in...

Cable Positive Honors Smit, Sapan.(Neil Smit of Charter Communications Inc.)(Joshua Sapan of Rainbow Media Holdings Inc.)
March 30, 2009... By Kent Gibbons Power Awards recognize work to fight HIV/AIDS Cable Positive's Power Awards will be given out at the Cable Positive booth at The Cable Show on April 2 in Washington, D.C., at an open event from 2-3 p.m. hosted byMSNBC...

What's Keeping Cable Network Execs Up at Night.
March 30, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie Sunny dispositions are in the forecast for D.C. this week, but storm clouds could brew if cable chiefs aren't careful As cable executives congregate in our nation's capital this week for The Cable Show, they do so...

Deals.(List)
March 30, 2009... By BIA Financial Networks TV K52IS & KUIL-LP/Beaumont, KVHP-LP/Jasper, Texas PRICE : $1 million BUYER : Blue Bonnet Communications (Syd Dyer Jr., president) SELLER : Blue Bonnet Communications (Syd Dyer Jr., president) ...

Good News Issues.
March 30, 2009... Staff At a lunch last week with one of our staffers, a major media company president asked whether B&C tries to weigh the good news in our magazine with the bad so everything in our coverage is not too dire these days. The answer is, we...

Fates & Fortunes.(A&E Television Networks appoints David Marans)(Comcast Entertainment Group appoints Cyndi McClellan)(Ion Media Networks appoints Leslie Chesloff)
March 30, 2009... Staff PROGRAMMING DAVID MARANS , executive VP of media, Nielsen IAG, is now senior VP of research and insights, A&E Television Network. CYNDI MCCLELLAN , senior VP of research and programming strategy, Comcast Entertainment Group,...

Ford Discovering a Model for Success.(Discovery Communications Inc. Discovery Channel)(Occupation overview)
March 30, 2009... By Alex Weprin Background in public television and other cable nets prepped Discovery president When Discovery Channel President and General Manager John Ford was writing his 1980 master's thesis at the University of Texas, cable...

Reality TV Weighs In Big-Time.(Fox Broadcasting Co.)
March 30, 2009... By Melissa Grego Fox eyes XL trend with More to Love Reality television is starting to reflect one of the, er, biggest truths about America: We have a weight problem. Fox is eyeing a dating show from The Bachelor executive producer...

Study Supports TV Ad Spending.(Report)
March 30, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Research: Online video lags TV for young demo Media buyers say while online video is growing, television is still the place to be for now. This on the heels of a new Nielsen Media Research study on media usage...

DVD Backend Is Dwindling.(Report)
March 30, 2009... By Claire Atkinson Recession hitting already soft marketplace Expected ancillary revenue from DVDs plays a significant part in modeling many television program budgets. Well, at least it used to. DVD sales were falling even before...

Lopez Show Won't Be Par for the Course.(Turner Broadcasting System Inc.)(Viewpoint essay)
March 30, 2009... By Ben Grossman George Lopez is responsible for one of the best moments in my life, not including my marriage, kids' births and especially the Minnesota Twins' World Series titles. So I probably shouldn't be writing about his upcoming TBS...

Not As Hot-Lanta.(WSB-TV (Atlanta, Georgia))
March 30, 2009... By Michael Malone Slump in housing, auto ads cools region Local newsrooms were put to the test when a snowstorm blanketed Atlanta on March 1. Schools closed the next day as the city got around four inches, with significantly more in...

New News Could Play Big in Little Rock.
March 30, 2009... By Michael Malone KTHV launches market's only local news at 6:30 p.m. Starting next week, viewers in Little Rock will see something different: a local news option at 6:30 p.m. On April 6, Gannett's CBS affiliate KTHV launches Today's...

Sinclair: Looking for Upgrades.
March 30, 2009... Glen Dickson By Glen Dickson Sinclair Broadcast Group isn't heading to NAB this year with a big shopping list of new products, says VP of Engineering and Operations Del Parks. Instead, Sinclair engineers will be searching for upgrades...

Raycom: Plenty of HD Work to Do.
March 30, 2009... Glen Dickson By Glen Dickson Like many station groups, Raycom Media isn't going to be doing a lot of shopping at NAB. According to CTO Dave Folsom, the company will concentrate on "selective buying" to support stations Raycom has...

Meredith: Readying Its Hubs.(Meredith Corp. Meredith Broadcasting Group)
March 30, 2009... Glen Dickson By Glen Dickson Meredith Broadcasting Group, which owns 12 stations, is currently shopping for the necessary pieces of two new technical hubs that the station group aims to create in Atlanta and Phoenix. The hubbing...

Stations Embrace Direct-Response, Paid Programs.
March 30, 2009... By Paige Albiniak Shows take up real estate previously available to syndicators When Cash4Gold bought a 60-second direct response ad in this year's Super Bowl at the last minute, it became a symbol of how deep the advertising recession...

O'Reilly: We Want Obama to Succeed.(Interview)
March 30, 2009... By Marisa Guthrie Fox News Channel star likes the man but takes issue with his policies March 2009 marks The O'Reilly Factor 's 100th consecutive month as the top-rated cable news program. Bill O'Reilly, the show's bombastic star,...

ESPN Readies West Coast Wing.
March 30, 2009... By Glen Dickson New L.A. facility will have full connectivity with Bristol More than 30 ESPN engineers are busy this week putting the finishing touches on a new Los Angeles production center that will give the cable sports giant a West...

Content Not King for Boucher.(Interview)
March 30, 2009... By John Eggerton House Communications, Technology & Internet Subcommittee chair outlines his agenda Virginia Democrat Rick Boucher, the recently appointed chairman of the powerful House Communications, Technology & Internet...