Broadcasting & Cable articles from November 2004

Broadcasting & Cable archives from November 2004

Six shows on the ropes: fall season shakes the hits from the misses.(New Season Watch)
November 1, 2004... It is one of TV's annual rites of fall: A handful of new broadcast shows fly high, the rest hold steady or hope for life support. As November sweeps unfold, here are six high-profile shows struggling to find their way. COMPLETE SAVAGES,...

Meredith fires broadcast chief.(Breaking ...)(Kevin 0'Brien)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DES MOINES, IOWA -- Meredith Corp. canned its broadcast group President Kevin 0'Brien for unspecified violations of company Equal Employment Opportunity policies. Meredith would not elaborate but said the dismissal "did not involve financial...

CBS takes Thursday--again.(Breaking ...)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... New York -- COS' forceful Thursday-night lineup powered the broadcaster to a Thursday-night win in the key demos and total viewers. Survivor started things off, with a 7.2 rating/20 share in 18-49s and 18.9 million viewers, easily winning the 8...

Pappas draws fire for free time.(Breaking ...)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Visalia, Calif. -- At press time, Pappas Telecasting was under fire for its in-kind contribution of airtime on its TV and radio stations to state and local candidates. The group offered $325,000 worth to Republicans and $125,000 to Democrats....

Why CNNfn failed: the network's problems lie as much in management as in a falling NASDAQ.(Money Talks)
November 1, 2004... Last Wednesday was a hot news day in the media business. Michael Ovitz testified about his corporate back-stabbing at Disney. DreamWorks' animation unit went public. And Howard Stern had called into nemesis FCC Chairman Michael Powell's AM...

TVB fights drunk driving: more than 100 stations nationwide band together to air holiday PSA.(Top of the Week)(public-service announcements)
November 1, 2004... This holiday season, local broadcasters will do something they've never done before: join forces nationwide to fight drunk driving. Between Christmas and New Year's, more than 100 stations will air public-service announcements (PSAs)...

60 Minutes' troubles II.(Flash)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Deep inside CBS, there have been discussions about canceling the Wednesday edition of 60 Minutes, the newsmagazine where Dan Rather got into big trouble for using dubious documents in a report on George W. Bush's National Guard service. That...

Powell may say FCCee ya.(Flash)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... FCC Chairman Michael Powell is likely to be looking for a job next year, regardless of who wins the presidential election. He'd probably bail out in January if Kerry wins and names a Democrat to run the agency, but he's not expected to stay...

Jeopardy! Sweeping up.(Flash)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The category is "Ken Jennings." Clue: The best thing to happen when a game show has a brainiac contestant on the greatest winning streak in the show's history. Answer: Alex, what is, November sweeps? That apparently is the game show's good...

The B&C Hall of Fame.(Flash)
November 1, 2004... The tuxedos and little black dresses will be out in force Nov. 8 for the 14th annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Our estimable inductees will include Viacom's co-everything Les Moonves,...

Profiting from politics: regional news nets establish themselves with comprehensive coverage.(Election 2004)
November 1, 2004... Regional cable news networks are counting on this year's election suspense to fuel breakout ratings. Regionals, such as Time Warner's NYI in New York City and Comcast's East Coast CN8, are establishing themselves as the comprehensive source for...

Where to be and what to watch.(B&C Week)(Calendar)
November 1, 2004... MONDAY, NOV. 1 Let us pause to consider the soap opera. Passion, fevered conversation, panic attacks, temporary amnesia, obsessive love, cruel indifference--that's just the lives of the network execs behind the soap operas. Daytime dramas...

O'Reilly suit settled.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... BILL O'REILLY and FOX NEWS have settled the caustic sexual-harassment suit filed by ANDREA MACKRIS, former associate producer on The O'Reilly Factor. Terms of the deal were not revealed, but O'Reilly says the settlement states there was no...

Mets say Cablevision is off base.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CABLEVISION filed a temporary injunction last week against the planned 2006 move of the New York Mets games to a new regional sports network backed by TIME WARNER and COMCAST, arguing that it violated Cablevision's existing agreement. A judge...

NFL, TiVo team up.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... The NFL has settled its differences with TiVo over a feature that allows users to remotely access recorded shows. Both sides called the deal "an important milestone" in efforts to ensure that broadband content is protected and preserve...

Fox affiliates fined by FCC.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... FOX affiliates think they have grounds to escape their share of a $1.18 million fine the FCC proposed against stations that aired Married by America. The fine came as a shock to Fox's 140 affiliates, which each face a $7,000 levy for airing an...

Gore chooses running mates.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DAVID NEUMAN, most recently chief programming officer for CHIN and former head of programming for CHANNEL ONE, will serve as president of programming for the unnamed youth-oriented cable network backed by former Vice President AL GORE and...

NAB fights for TV joint sales deals.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Small-market and lower-rated TV stations could be forced to cut news or go out of business if the FCC makes it harder for them to hire outside ad brokers, says the NAB. The warning was included in comments on an FCC proposal to consider two...

Correction.(Fast Track)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2004... Lynne Elander is general manager for marketing for Microsoft. Also, Microsoft has a deal with Comcast to deploy its Foundation Edition 1.7 onscreen user interface. (The Next Wave, 10/18, page 24.)

In high spirits: cable is strategically positioned to top broadcast in hard-liquor profits.(Top of the Week)
November 1, 2004... Here's a sobering fact: The amount of broadcast ad dollars devoted to spirits is dwindling, but the amount spent on cable is rising. Ever since the liquor industry's self-regulated moratorium on TV ads began eroding, cable has become the gin to...

Squeeze play: as pro teams launch their own sports networks, some hit it big, but many strike out. One loser: fans.
November 1, 2004... In Denver, pro basketball has hit a new low this season: Cheap shots, trash-talking and nasty public fights over money have become a common spectacle for fans--and the Nuggets have yet to play their first game. The boorish behavior has...

Leading the charge: how Bob Greenblatt plans to turn Showtime into a prime time powerhouse.(Programming)
November 1, 2004... Showtime's Entertainment President Bob Greenblatt is on a mission: to transform the Viacom-owned channel into a prime time player. His blueprint is Huff, a textured new family drama chock full of boldface stars that debuts Nov. 7. Hank Azaria...

Ratings: Oct 11-17.(Syndication Watch)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... RATINGS | Oct. 11-17 Nielsen Media Research Adults 18-49 Top 25 Shows RANK PROGRAM AA GAA 1 ESPN/NFL 3.7 NA 1 Everybody Loves Raymond ...

Back in action: NATPE broadens focus and gets new convention home.(Syndication Watch)(National Association of Television Programming Executives)
November 1, 2004... After being on death watch for the past few years, a leaner, meaner NATPE is ready to take on new markets and business opportunities. By adjusting to industry realities, such as consolidation and fragmentation, and broadening its scope from...

Jennings, Cojocaru score.(Syndie Insider)(Ken Jennings)(Steven Cojocaru)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings crossed the $2 million mark last week, winning an even $30,000 and bringing his total thus far to $2,006,300. He has been playing Jeopardy! since June 2, with breaks in August, September and October. That brings him...

Reeve, O'Reilly drive ratings.(Syndie Insider)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Coverage of Christopher Reeve's death and the sexual-harassment suit filed against Fox News' Bill O'Reilly spiked syndicated magazines in the week ended Oct. 17. Paramount's Entertainment Tonight had the biggest increase of any show in the...

Twentieth ups O'Neill.(Syndie Insider)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Eileen O'Neill has been promoted to vice president of affiliate relations for Twentieth Television. O'Neill, who joined the company in 1998, had been executive director of advertising and promotion. Prior to joining Twentieth, she was a...

The prime time race.(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Oct. 18-24 Total Households (in millions) PROGRAM DATE NET HHS 1. Fairly OddParents 10a 10/24 NICK 3.2 1....

Nielsen ratings: Oct. 18-24.(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... NIELSEN RATING Oct. 18-24 Week abc MONDAY 5.7/9# 8:00 85. The Benefactor 2.8/5 8:30 85. The Benefactor 2.8/5 9:00 ...

At a glance.(Market focus: Orlando)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... AT A GLANCE The Market DMA rank 20 Population 3,167,000 TV homes 1,264,000 Income per capita $18,710 TV Revenue rank 19 TV revenue $304,000,000...

Hanging tough: Orlando sustains hits but delivers record revenue year.(Market focus: Orlando)
November 1, 2004... Orlando, Fla., gets high marks for economic resiliency. Home to some of the world's largest theme parks, the No. 20 TV market survived the collapse of the high-tech economy in 2000, a post-9/11 decline in tourism in 2002 and three devastating...

The demos.(Market focus: Orlando)(Illustration)
November 1, 2004... THE DEMOS These well-connected Floridians are far more likely than the average to have high-speed Internet access. They like to pay their bills online, then head out for a round of golf or a brisk bike ride. At night, they lock up...

Getting it right: networks rely on new service for election results.(Election Night 2004)
November 1, 2004... At a time when the nation is nervous about election returns, the networks have taken extra steps to ensure accurate reporting. In 2000, the Florida flip-flop damaged their credibility. That fiasco led to an overhaul in analyzing polling data:...

Cut the clutter: clean, colorful graphics help keep TV viewers in the loop.(Election Night 2004)
November 1, 2004... On Election Night 2000, NBC's Tim Russert's magic markers and wipe board trumped high tech. This year, NBC is again going low tech, with a cloth electoral-vote graph that will climb up the side of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which has been dubbed...

Sound management: Dolby's audio versatility enhances high-def DVD formats.(Tech Q&A)(Interview)
November 1, 2004... The nation's professional audiophiles, those who can detect the slightest change in sound quality, descended on San Francisco last week for the Audio Engineering Society's annual U.S. convention. San Francisco is also home to Dolby...

Changing hands.(Business)
November 1, 2004... TVs KKCO Grand Junction and K5OEZ Montrose, Colo. PRICE: $13.5 million BUYER: Gray Television Inc. (Robert S. Prather Jr., president/ COO/director) SELLER: Eagle III Broadcasting LLC (William Varecha, managing member) ...

The common touch: Washington activist Pingree fights to keep Big Media honest and local voices strong.(The Fifth Estater)
November 1, 2004... Chellie Pingree is a veteran of the media-ownership wars. As majority leader in the Maine Senate, she rallied behind communities that feared several state newspapers would be engulfed by a corporate giant. Now, as president and CEO of venerable...

Mission Broadcasting Inc.(Broadcast TV)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DENNIS P. THATCHER, director, sales, KZTV Corpus Christi/KVTV Laredo, Texas, appointed executive VP/chief operating officer, Mission Broadcasting Inc., Brecksville, Ohio.

KYW/WPSG.(Broadcast TV)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... BOB FEIN, director, sales, KYW Philadelphia, promoted to station manager, KYW/WPSG Philadelphia.

Rainbow Media Enterprises.(Cable TV)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Named co-chief financial officers at Rainbow Media Enterprises, Jericho, N.Y.: JOHN ADAMOVICH JR., chief financial officer and treasurer, Pall Corp., East Hills, N.Y.; JOSEPH J. LHOTA, executive VP, corporate administration/president,...

Comcast Cable.(Cable TV)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CHERYL WILLIAMS, area general manager, Bucks and Montgomery counties, Philadelphia, promoted to regional VP, finance, Pennsylvania and Delaware systems, Comcast Cable, Bensalem, Pa.

Cox Media.(Cable TV)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... GARRETT DIRKS, creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles, joins Cox Media, Orange County, Calif., as production manager.

Fox News Channel.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... PAMELA BROWNE, senior producer, War Stories for Oliver North, Fox News Channel, New York, promoted to executive producer.

KTVB.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... RYAN PANITZ, nightside reporter, KTVB Boise, Idaho, named morning anchor.

Chip Caray.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CHIP CARAY, play-by-play broadcaster, returns to TBS and Turner South as play-by-play announcer, Atlanta Braves baseball, effective in the 2005 season.

Si TV.(Journalism)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Named hosts, The Drop, Si TV, Los Angeles: JONISHA RIOS, actress, Nude in New York, New York; JOSE ANTONIO, actor, Al Filo de la Ley, Univision, Los Angeles.

BBC America.(Programming)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... BILL HILARY, executive VP/general manager, Comedy Central, New York, appointed president and CEO, BBC America, Bethesda, Md.

HGTV.(Programming)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... At HGTV, Knoxville, Tenn.: JUDITH ORLOWSKI, VP, program planning and acquisitions, WE: Women's Entertainment, New York, named VP, program scheduling and acquisitions; CHAD YOUNGBLOOD, director, on-air promotion, appointed VP, on-air promotion;...

NBC.(Programming)(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CAMERON BLANCHARD, senior director, sports communications, NBC, New York promoted to VP, entertainment publicity, East Coast, New York.

Speed Channel.(Programming)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... TODD SIEGEL, executive VP, Screen-vision, New York, named senior VP, ad sales, Speed Channel, Charlotte, N.C.

Sony Pictures Television International.(Programming)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... DANNY GOLDMAN, VP, sales, London sales, Sony Pictures Television International, London, promoted to VP/general manager.

Hustler TV.(Programming)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... JIM DETTMAN, VP, affiliate marketing, iN Demand Networks, New York, named VP, sales and affiliate marketing, Eastern region, Hustler TV, New York.

Twentieth Television.(Programming)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... EILEEN O'NEILL, executive director, advertising and promotion, Twentieth Television, Los Angeles, promoted to VP, affiliate relations.

PostWorks.(Programming)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... CAROL JAZWINSKI, executive in charge of post services, Manhattan Transfer (Company 3), New York, named VP, sales, PostWorks, New York.

Discovery Times Channel.(Programming)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... ANNE TARRANT, writer/producer/ director, Powderhouse Productions, Somerville, Mass., named director, development, Discovery Times Channel, Silver Spring, Md.

REACH Media Inc.(Radio)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... MARTY RAAB, executive VP, marketing/ chief strategy officer, Premiere Radio Networks, Sherman Oaks, Calif., named senior VP, marketing, REACH Media Inc., Dallas.

Infinity Broadcasting.(Radio)(Initiative North America)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... TIM SABIEN, VP, programming, WYSP(FM)/WPHT(AM)/WIP(AM)/KYW (AM)/WOGL(FM) Philadelphia/ operations manager, WYSP, adds VP, active rock programming, Infinity Broadcasting, Philadelphia.

Initiative North America.(Advertising/Marketing/PR)(Appointments)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... MARK SANDERS, senior VP/worldwide controller, Cohn & Wolfe/Young & Rubicam, New York, named chief financial officer, Initiative North America, New York.

Time Warner Cable.(Technology)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... ROBERT SHEEHAN, VP/general manager, RCN Corp., Boston, named VP/general manager, digital phone, Time Warner Cable, Southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

News in the spin cycle.(political campaigns)(Editorial)
November 1, 2004... This election, more than any news event in our memory has brought into focus the troubling direction of TV news. Combine the 24-hour news cycle with corporate bosses demanding returns on news investments, with competition from Internet...

The real deal: improve local ad campaigns.(Guest Commentary)
November 1, 2004... Deal-driven sales tactics have been killing local TV and radio sales for years and reflect an extraordinary lack of direction. Consistently high demand and mediocre management have enabled them to flourish. Stations that sell solely on the...

Overlooking Horizon.(Open Mike)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Editor: Over the years. BROADCASTING & CABLE has garnered great interest, admiration and respect among the Horizon Media staff. One reason for that view was the thoroughness and balanced nature of your reporting with regard to the many complex...

Two cents.(Open Mike)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... "Stay clear of the press. No interviews, no panels, no speeches, no comments. Stay out of the spotlight, it fades your suit. Only promote the brands." Rule No. 1, from Univision Chairman A. JERROLD PERENCHIO's "Rules of the Road,"...

The fact is, the joke is the news.
November 1, 2004... I was out and about last week, schmoozing about election coverage, when someone asked if the line had blurred between TV news and entertainment. My reply: What line? It has been a topsy-turvy political universe for years, with...

Earnings: fox hot, charter shot.(Breaking)
November 8, 2004... Charter Communications suffered another terrible quarter, taking a $3.2 billion charge against assets and bleeding more subscribers. For the third quarter ended Sept. 30, the cable operator lost 158,000 basic subscribers, as revenues increased...

A new era.(The Robins Report)
November 8, 2004... Nine months ago, I took the reins of BROADCASTING & CABLE, and with this issue we give birth to a new era. New writers, new departments, a new logo--all to bring you the definitive word on the most dynamic industry in America every week. ...

Pride goeth before fall sweeps.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Two high-profile broadcast shows on the ropes have gotten a standing eight count. NBC's Father of the Pride is taking a seat through sweeps. The winner is weight-loss reality show The Biggest Loser, which will replace it on Tuesday nights. CBS...

Braun Yahoo!'s.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Yahoo! has upped its ex-TV executive contingent, naming former ABC Entertainment TV Group Chairman Lloyd Braun to head its media and entertainment group. Braun, who was ousted from his ABC post in April, will push the migration of streamed...

Promotions for CBS spokesmen.(Fast Track)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Viacom Co-President Les Moonves upped CBS' top spokesmen, giving them new titles and responsibilities. Leading the new group is Gil Schwartz as executive VP of the CBS Communications Group, which will handle the CBS and UPN networks, Viacom...

B&C week.(Calendar)
November 8, 2004... Nov. 8-12 MONDAY Sweeps Week Two begins tonight. Take your pick: fright night or bling-bling. NBC's Fear Factor goes to New York City for its 100th episode. One challenge: performing an aerial stunt while suspended between two...

Spinning the Youthquake.(Flash)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... MTV pumped more money into the "Choose or Lose: 20 Million Loud" campaign to mobilize 18-to 30-year-olds to vote than in any other election year. The network produced more original PSAs and documentaries for this election than ever before. MTV...

Sweating Bush II at CBS.(Flash)(George W. Bush)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Players involved in the notorious 60 Minutes-on-Wednesday segment, reported by Dan Rather, that employed dubious documents regarding President Bush's National Guard service may have been rooting for a John Kerry victory. No, it wasn't that...

Sinclair moves on from Stolen spat.(The Beat)(Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... In the end, did Sinclair stations' feature about an anti-John Kerry documentary have any impact on the presidential election? Sinclair CEO David Smith doesn't know and doesn't care. "What was its effect? I haven't got a clue," he says....

Dateline Ohio: in the eye of the election storm.(Station To Station)
November 8, 2004... Local broadcasters in Ohio can breathe a little easier: The Buckeye State wasn't Florida redux. As Election Night unfolded, Ohio became the electoral wild card, setting the stage for a potential showdown. Once Sen. John Kerry conceded, most of...

Partnership gone sour: the Paxson-NBC deal didn't turn out the way either side expected.(Money Talks)
November 8, 2004... The one Pax TV show with any buzz these days is Cold Turkey. Chain smokers are tricked into agreeing to live in a house together and quit smoking. Edgy and confined, the smokers begin to turn on each other. This sounds a lot like Pax TV...

Lesson from our election night notebook: backstage and on the air during the marathon coverage.
November 8, 2004... Americans voted twice on Nov. 2: at the polls and with their TV sets. It was a banner night for NBC, with Tom Brokaw bringing home top ratings honors (see below). Among cable news organizations, Fox News Channel continued to show off its...

Fat cats get fatter: and four more changes in the next four years under George W. Bush.(Cover Story)
November 8, 2004... The more things stay the same, the more they change. While the reelection of President Bush implies that policy won't shift in the second term, media companies can still expect a torrent of changes. As the technology, programming and...

Kerry finally wins one: Democrat scored record time on network news.(John Kerry)
November 8, 2004... As Democrats cast around for targets to blame for John Kerry's defeat in the presidential election, they'd be well advised not to fall back on the familiar political lament about a lack of exposure on network news. The evening broadcasts on...

Ratings: 10/18-24/04.(Syndication)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 8, 2004... RATINGS 10/18-24/04 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows ADULTS 18-34 PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Friends 4.0 5.0 2 Seinfeld 3.3 4.0 2...

License to thrill: CSI is solid gold performer in late-night and weekends.(Syndication)(Crime Scene Investigation)
November 8, 2004... CSI is a gold mine. Everywhere CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and its spin-offs play--network prime time or cable--the show boosts the fortunes of its distributor. And when CSI premiered in weekend broadcast syndication on Sept. 13, its...

Home alone.(Syndie Insider)(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... After only seven weeks on the air, NBC Universal has given Home Delivery the axe. Original episodes of the show will run during November and February sweeps, and a mix of repeats and originals will air through the rest of the season. "Everyone...

Elder's ratings dive.(Syndie Insider)(The Larry Elder Show )(Brief Article)
November 8, 2004... Warner Bros' The Larry Elder Show has been downgraded on Viacom's WBBM Chicago, which is moving it from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. In its place will air two more runs of Paramount's Judge Judy. WBBM already airs Judge Judy from 2 to 3 p.m. and will be...

Scenes from a marriage: MTV weds reality to drama, and the union pays off.
November 8, 2004... With tween queen Hilary Duff crooning the theme song in the background, sweeping shots of California's crystal-blue waters cut to sun-drenched, bikini-clad babes and boy toys. The imagery is so perfect, it's hard to believe it's real. But,...

At a glance.(Market Eye)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 8, 2004... AT A GLANCE The Market DMA rank 10 Population 5,534,000 TV homes 1,940,000 Income per capita $21,217 TV revenue rank 13 TV revenue $387,300,000 ...