Broadcasting & Cable articles from September 2007

Broadcasting & Cable archives from September 2007

Cable Sees Syndication Riches.
September 3, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Strong summer series give confidence for aftermarket sales Basic cable is having its best summer ever with a broad slate of buzz-worthy shows. Now studios want to translate summer's sizzle into syndicated success. ...

Wired Up.
September 3, 2007... By Michael Malone High-tech still rules in Austin market Rich with technology firms, Austin took a hit during the dotcom bust some years ago, but all indications are that the market is healthy once again. Samsung recently opened a $2.5...

BC Beat.
September 3, 2007... Edited by Joel Topcik Is Jamie Kennedy the Father of 'Kid Nation'? Joel Topcik As far as we know, no one's ever called comedian-cum-rapper Jamie Kennedy a visionary. But with the imminent premiere of CBS ' controversial reality...

Commercial Zapping Doesn't Matter.(Report)
September 3, 2007... By Kevin Downey Study says DVR users simply want to be in control Few devices get advertisers' nerves rattling as much as DVRs, and with good reason. One-fourth of all television households now have one and, with a push of a button,...

CNN HD Primed for Launch.(Cable News Network)
September 3, 2007... By Glen Dickson HD simulcast backed by new master control, production gear and cameras Global news giant CNN is ready to launch a full-time high-definition service, CNN HD, that will initially be carried by satellite service DirecTV...

New Fall Season for Regulation, Too.(Report)
September 3, 2007... By John Eggerton Everything from digital conversion to Janet Jackson's breast on the docket September is shaping up to be rush hour on the Beltway for media issues as legislators return from their August break. The Janet Jackson...

No TV for Jackson Case.
September 3, 2007... By John Eggerton It's unlikely any cable viewers will be offended by visual evidence in arguments in Janet Jackson's breast-baring case being heard later this month. The Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia will not...

NBCU Declines to Renew iTunes Contract.(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... By Alex Weprin Apple says NBC demanded double the current price per episode NBC Universal decided not to renew its contract with Apple iTunes for episodes of its shows. The news Aug. 31 came two days after NBCU and News Corp. unveiled...

Fast Track.
September 3, 2007... By Staff Comcast's Roberts to Keynote CES Glen Dickson By Glen Dickson In a sign of the increasing convergence of the broadcast, cable and consumer electronics industries, Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts has agreed to...

Arrested Development.
September 3, 2007... By Ben Grossman New pilot stars real criminals who get reverse 'Punk'd' Fox has just wrapped shooting on Smile, You're Under Arrest , the working title of a pilot for a new alternative series the network hopes could work for...

HBO Brings Iraq Losses Home.
September 3, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie More than 25,000 service men and women have been injured in Iraq, and many have lost arms and legs. HBO surveys the emotional toll that comes with the physical damage in a new documentary airing Sept. 9 called Alive Day...

Where to be and what to watch….(Diary entry)
September 3, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Sept. 3 If the mere flick of Justin Timberlake 's wrist was responsible for causing the Janet Jackson -boob brouhaha on CBS, imagine what havoc the cat can stir up on cable. Timberlake gives the Madison...

Live From Baghdad.
September 3, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie Critics question Couric's Iraq trip The virtues of sending a multi-million dollar anchor into a war zone are again being debated in the wake of CBS News' announcement last week to send Katie Couric to Iraq and Syria....

Conversion Won't Be Easy.
September 3, 2007... Staff No one likes to predict disasters but it will be a minor bureaucratic miracle if the consumer phase of the analog-to-digital conversion occurs without citizens hurling invectives at the federal government. We'll try to be...

Open Mike.(Editorial)(Brief article)
September 3, 2007... Staff Journalism Exposed! Editor: One time I considered a career in journalism. If I believed in a deity, I would get on my hands and knees and give thanks for never entering your field. I've known several professional...

Fates & Fortunes.
September 3, 2007... By Staff What's Your Fate? SEND TO : Fates & Fortunes, Broadcasting & Cable E-MAIL : bcfates@reedbusiness.com FAX : 646-746-7028; MAIL : 360 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010 Broadcast Staff Michael...

In Search of Greener Pastures.
September 3, 2007... By Allison Romano Discovery veteran O'Neill gets ready to create a new environmental channel Seventeen years passed from the time Eileen O'Neill was an intern at Discovery Communications to her latest post as president and general...

Ellen at Eleven.
September 3, 2007... By Paige Albiniak DeGeneres gets new time slots in 20 cities Ellen DeGeneres opens season five with two specials from New York, one of 20 markets where the show is switching time periods. In five cities, stations are moving...

The Anchors Are Laughing; the Network Is Not.(ABC News' Ryan Owens and Taina Hernandez)
September 10, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie News bloopers have long been an online-video staple, with clips of anchors losing their composure almost a genre unto themselves. But lately, it seems an inordinate number of those clips are coming from ABC News Now , the...

Putting the 'My' In MyNetworkTV.(yNetworkTV's KSMO-TV unit focuses on regional market for growth)
September 10, 2007... By Michael Malone After a rough start, network kicks off sophomore year with celebrities and sports-and lots of local fare Kirk Black thought he'd try something different for his struggling MyNetworkTV affiliate KSMO in Kansas City,...

Deals.(broadcasting stations buying and selling)(Statistical data)
September 10, 2007... By BIA Financial Networks TV WBQM-LP (Brooklyn) & WMBQ-CA (Manhattan), N.Y. PRICE: $8 million BUYER: Equity Media Holdings Corp. (Larry Morton, president/CEO) SELLER: Renard Communication Corp. (Craig Fox, president) ...

New Mexico's New Blood.(LIN Television Corp.)
September 10, 2007... By Michael Malone LIN puts stamp on Albuquerque-Santa Fe market Top-20 station group LIN TV added some spice to the Albuquerque-Santa Fe market when it grabbed CBS affiliate KRQE two years ago, then Raycom's Fox affiliate KASA last...

Ion Pursues NYC Signal Alternative.(ION Media Networks' master television antenna)(New York city)
September 10, 2007... By Glen Dickson New York broadcasters may have a solution to near-term coverage problems for their digital television signals-and a long-term alternative to the planned Freedom Tower antenna-from ION Media Networks and tower operator...

Virtual Worlds - Real World Strides.
September 10, 2007... By Jon Hemingway Warner Bros., HBO add cachet and hope to cash in on fast-growing industry A goth-style Bugs Bunny? With a mustache? Starting next year, expect Looney Tunes to get loonier-with Warner Bros. Entertainment's...

MTV Changes Its 'VMA' Style.(Video Music Awards)
September 10, 2007... By Anne Becker This year, MTV's 24th annual Video Music Awards was cut to two hours, shot in Las Vegas and is scheduled to run in its original form for just one night, with remixes running throughout the week. With ratings down for the...

Fast Track.(television broadcasting industry starts public service advertising over digital television switchover)(spot television advertising revenues to go up)(Ski Channel signs deal with Ride Guide TV)
September 10, 2007... By Staff Cable, Broadcast Launching PSAs For DTV Transition John Eggerton By John Eggerton The cable and broadcast industries, in constant battle over regulatory issues, jumped on the same page last week in launching PSA...

Stations Kill 'Live at Five'.(WNBC-TV and WTVJ scrap 5 p.m. news)
September 10, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie News moves to 7 p.m. at two big markets WNBC in New York and WTVJ in Miami-NBC O&Os in the No. 1 and No. 16 markets, respectively-are scrapping their 5 p.m. newscasts in favor of a 7 p.m. half hour. The move, say...

Where to be and what to watch-.(Calendar)
September 10, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Sept. 10 We all know the feeling. You sit through three hours of Today , then pray you had just one more blessed hour with the cheery NBC morning crew. Well, your wish has come true, as Hoda Kotb...

Stations, Cable 'Dual' Over Carriage.
September 10, 2007... By John Eggerton It's 'viewability' versus 'dual carriage' as FCC preps vote Broadcasters and cable operators have been crossing swords at the FCC over the issue of what cable operators' TV signal carriage obligations will be after...

Church Group: FCC Botched God Decision.(United Church of Christ's challenge to television stations for 'silencing the voice of god')
September 10, 2007... By John Eggerton The United Church of Christ says the FCC's Media Bureau got it all wrong when it denied the church's license challenge to two TV stations for silencing the voice of God, or at least TV ads promoting that voice. UCC says...

Where's the Media Scrum?(coverage of Rugby World Cup on Versus)
September 10, 2007... By Staff Those of us tuning in to the Versus channel-the Yukon Territory of our cable continent-September 10 to watch the U.S. Eagles face off against England in the Rugby World Cup will already know who won. With the match having taken...

Don't Bring Back the Fairness Doctrine.(Viewpoint essay)
September 10, 2007... By James H. Quello As a veteran broadcaster in Detroit, I once lived comfortably with the Fairness Doctrine. It made sense to present all viewpoints of a controversial issue of public importance. A rude comeuppance changed my mind....

Kick Start for a New Net.(Big Ten Network's Mark Silverman)(Biography)
September 10, 2007... By Ben Grossman Mark Silverman's latest challenge and passion is selling the Big Ten Network As a lifelong sports fan, Mark Silverman loves seeing two sides duke it out in front of a large audience. But all of a sudden, the president...

'Live' and Still Kicking.("Live with Regis and Kelly" enters 20th year)
September 10, 2007... By Kay McFadden Regis Philbin's morning talk show begins its 20th year this week Talk shows are famous for fizzling. A few last forever. Live with Regis and Kelly this week joins rare company with a celebratory unfurling of its 20th...

Philbin: Still the Excitable Boy.(Regis Philbin)(Interview)
September 10, 2007... By P.J. Bednarski A Q&A with the host and his producer, Michael Gelman Regis Philbin, at 76, still makes doing a live talk show look easy. And as Live begins its 20th season, Philbin and his executive producer, Michael Gelman, chatted...

New, Improved 'Access'.(NBC Universal to redisgn and relaunch accesshollywood.com)
September 10, 2007... By Page Albiniak NBC to relaunch gossip show's Web site Celebrity gossip has never been hotter. Web sites have made the celebrity news game more competitive than ever. Now syndication's entertainment magazines , which originated the...

Fates & Fortunes.(appointments and promotions in the broadcasting industry)
September 10, 2007... By Staff Broadcast Staff Anne Martin , national sales manager, WNBC New York, has been promoted to VP, marketing and digital sales. Also at WNBC, Bob Harnaga , account manager, has been promoted to VP, sales. Doug Kammerer ,...

Breaking Out From the Pack.("emerging" television networks)
September 10, 2007... By Staff Every so often, magic happens. Networks that were languishing suddenly find a spark that lights up other parts of the schedule. Or a brand new channel challenges the notion that all the good ideas have been done. On these pages,...

BC Beat.(American Broadcasting Companies Inc. launches book "Dancing with the Stars: Jive, Salsa and Tango Your Way Into the Best Shape of Your Life")(NY1 News and Dominic Chianese launch music video "15 Years-We're New York One")(ABC.com debuts "Daily Show")
September 17, 2007... Edited by Rob Edelstein ABC Hopes 'Stars' Book Has Write Stuff Rob Edelstein ABC has found a novel way to teach all of us how to channel our inner John Ratzenberger: a Dancing With the Stars workout book. Along with the...

A Decent BET.(Black Entertainment Television Inc.)
September 17, 2007... By David Goetzl New programs, more cash boost channel Not three weeks into his tenure as Viacom's CEO, a year ago Philippe Dauman faced a skeptical Wall Street crowd eager to know if he could handle the mercurial Sumner Redstone and...

Fall Forecast: Unpredictable.(television broadcasting)
September 17, 2007... By Ben Grossman The rules have changed, and network executives are nervous Every year just before the new season begins, network executives embark on the annual ritual of waiting in agony to see if any of their new players can get out...

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.(fall television programs)
September 17, 2007... By Ben Grossman Critics speak out on the new fall broadcast shows With 26 new shows set to launch this fall, the broadcast networks are once again slugging it out to get their rookies noticed. The networks throw big marketing...

Deals.(broadcasting stations buying and selling)(Statistical data)
September 17, 2007... By BIA Financial Networks TV KFTY (TV)/Santa Rosa, Calif.; KVOS-TV/Bellingham, Wash. PRICE: $26.6 million BUYER: LK Station Group LLC (Barbara Laurence, mng member/parent) SELLER: Newport Television LLC (Sandy DiPasquale,...

Diversity for the Fun of It.(NBC Universal Inc.)
September 17, 2007... By Paige Albiniak NBC looks for minority talent to help create sitcoms NBC Universal's hunt for diverse new talent is meant to get a broad range of people in front of and behind the camera, but it's a key way for NBC to discover...

Fates & Fortunes.(Darren Sharper joins KMSP-TV)(John Honeycutt and Myrna Renaud promoted at Discovery Communications)(Rachel Falleroni joins Starz Entertainment)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Broadcast Staff Darren Sharper , safety, Minnesota Vikings, has joined KMSP Minneapolis as co-anchor, Fox 9 Sports Primetime. Jonathan Katz , VP of program planning and acquisition, Turner Broadcasting System, has...

The Agent Provocateur Is Also the Boss.(A&E Television Networks' Bob DeBitetto)
September 17, 2007... By Allison Romano A&E's DeBitetto made the network expand its vision When Bob DeBitetto arrived at A&E in early 2003 as head of programming, he faced a daunting challenge to help revive the network. A&E, once a cable power, had lost...

Razor-Thin Lead.(KATV-TV and KTHV-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas)
September 17, 2007... By Michael Malone KATV, KTHV fight for 'hip' Arkansas viewers Few will mistake Little Rock for London, but station executives in the Arkansas capital market say the place is getting hipper. Home of the William J. Clinton Presidential...

Follow Diversity's Best Ideas.(workplace diversity in cable television industry)
September 17, 2007... By Decker Anstrom Every September, the cable industry comes together to celebrate and discuss diversity. During this year's Diversity Week, let's honor our industry's achievements, but also look outward for inspiration, ideas and insight...

The Deciders.(cable television's digital transition)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Cable operators have agreed to make sure that when the time comes to pull the plug on analog broadcasting, none of its analog cable subscribers will lose access to any of their TV signals. It was valorous for cable to offer such a...

Color Bind.(National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications' annual conference)
September 17, 2007... By Paige Albiniak NAMIC explores the difficulty of reporting multicultural issues The U.S. media are still stumbling in coverage of race and ethnicity, according to the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications...

Ready, Set, Syndicate.(Warner Bros.' "TMZ" show opens for high ratings)
September 17, 2007... By Paige Albiniak TMZ has a steady first week Warner Bros.' much-anticipated gossip magazine, TMZ , is the top-rated first-run rookie strip after nearly every show in syndication premiered last Monday. TMZ started its off-Web life with...

IBC2007: Notes From the Show Floor.(Conference news)
September 17, 2007... By Glen Dickson High definition drives product innovation The IBC show celebrated its 40th anniversary in Amsterdam last week with its biggest event ever, drawing a record 46,964 visitors and some 1,300 exhibits from more than 120...

Fleeing Subs Worry TiVo.(subscribers)
September 17, 2007... By Jonathan Hemingway Sees 247,000 fall-off in first half After a painful second quarter, TiVo is hoping to staunch the hemorrhaging of subscribers by finally kick-starting deals with cable operators. When TiVo announced its...

CNBC To Throw HD Switch.(high definition television service)
September 17, 2007... By Glen Dickson Instead of prettier pictures, service offers more graphics, video Financial news network CNBC will launch a high-definition service this fall in an innovative fashion: by grabbing its existing 4:3 picture, shifting it...

Fox Biz Unveils Logo, Talent.(Fox Business Network)(Brief article)
September 17, 2007... By Michael Malone and Marisa Guthrie Less than a month before Fox Business Network (FBN) launches on cable, Fox has settled on a logo for the channel. Featuring bold gold letters against a black background, the logo sports Fox's trademark...

Fast track.(government industry task force submits report on food industry's advertising to children)(Verizon Communications sues Federal Communications Commission)(LIN TV and MetroCast Cablevision clash over retransmission consent)
September 17, 2007... By Staff Junk Food Report Due in Congress John Eggerton By John Eggerton A government industry task force on food marketing to children is likely to tell Congress that the nation's largest food companies have started to...

Last Year's Hero Pushes 'Daisies'.(Bryan Fuller's "Pushing Daisies")(Interview)
September 17, 2007... By Ben Grossman Bryan Fuller, who was part of the creative team behind last season's breakout NBC hit Heroes , is hoping he has another winner in ABC's Pushing Daisies . Critics are lining up to name the rookie drama-about a man who...

It's FCC vs. CBS in Bowl Battle.(lawsuit against CBS Broadcasting over television indecency)
September 17, 2007... By John Eggerton Janet Jackson indecency debate rages on in federal appeals court Just how far the FCC can crack down on nudity on TV came a tiny step closer to resolution last week in court. After 21/2 years of dominating the debate...

Where to be and what to watch-.(Calendar)
September 17, 2007... By Michael Malone Monday, Sept. 17 With fall around the corner and the humidity in New York dipping below 100%, the good folks of the National Association For Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) are pulling into Gotham for their...

Being Cool Is Hard Work at the C-Dub.(CW Television Network)
September 17, 2007... By Ben Grossman CW challenged to go 'off the hook' Since the upfronts in May, advertisers have told us with their wallets that there are more than nine billion reasons network television is still the biggest game in town. But that...

Martin's Date.(interview Federal Communications Commission's Chairman Kevin Martin)(Interview)
September 24, 2007... By John Eggerton The FCC boss pushes cable and broadcast industries to take charge-and responsibility-in the DTV transition FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who is rumored to have political aspirations in his home state of North Carolina and...

Deals.(Brief article)
September 24, 2007... By BIA Financial Networks TV K25DM/Phoenix; K30DN/Freeport, Texas PRICE: $1.2 million BUYER: Mako Communications LLC (Sean Mintz, president) SELLER: Latin America Broadcasting Inc. (Wallace Springstead, president/CEO) ...

Unbridled Enthusiasm.(WLKY-TV(Louisville,Kentucky), WHAS-TV (Louisville,Kentucky) T )
September 24, 2007... By Michael Malone Impassioned WLKY newsroom paces station to Louisville lead Like 50-1 underdog Giacomo winning the 2005 Kentucky Derby, WLKY has come from back in the pack to grab the revenue lead in Louisville. WHAS and WAVE jockeyed...

BC Beat.(happennings at broadcasting industry )
September 24, 2007... By Staff HDNet's Mark Cuban Stands by His Dan Staff Dan Rather still has Mark Cuban in his corner. Back in June 2006, when the former anchor's 41-year career at CBS News imploded over his flawed 2004 report on President Bush...

Where to be and what to watch-.(Calendar)
September 24, 2007... By Michael Malone MONDAY, SEPT. 24 Advertising Week is here, which means Madison Avenue-types are traipsing through Gotham all week. The event kicks off with a leadership breakfast and cook-off, GroupM's Irwin Gotlieb wielding the...

Green With Ben-vy.
September 24, 2007... Ben Grossman By Ben Grossman B&C has just learned that NBC Universal co-chief Ben Silverman wears boxer shorts. I will pause now to let everyone first grasp the magnitude of this exclusive, and then race to tip off your favorite...

KMBC's Big-Picture Makeover.
September 24, 2007... By Glen Dickson One of more than 50 stations offering HD news Hearst-Argyle station KMBC last month became the first Kansas City station to provide high-definition news, on the same day it took the wraps off a new, 53,000-square-foot...

Briefs.(Tandberg Television., JVC America Inc.)(Brief article)
September 24, 2007... By Staff Tandberg Shows HD SNG Solution Staff Tandberg Television is now ready to ship a new combination MPEG-4 encoder/modulator that is capable of handling high-definition signals for satellite newsgathering (SNG) links. ...

Viacom's Aggressive Online Plan.(Viacom Inc.)
September 24, 2007... By Jonathan Hemingway Strategy is departure from traditional content consolidation In an attempt to be all things to all Internet users, Viacom will launch a horde of brand-specific Websites in the hopes of building revenue. Unlike...

Spreading News Quickly on the Web.(Critical Media launches new service)
September 24, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie New tool puts video just a click away for stations Critical Media, a New York-based search and information service, is launching a new syndication platform for local news content on the Web to complement its...

FNC's 'Fox Report' Makeover.(FNC Inc.)(Brief article)
September 24, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie FNC's Fox Report -the top-rated cable news show in the 7 p.m. time slot-has been given a high-tech makeover. The FNC newscast, anchored by Shepard Smith, launches in its new plasma screen-festooned studio on Sept. 24. The...

Smithsonian Signs First Carriage Deal.(Brief article)
September 24, 2007... By Anne Becker After a rocky path of fits and starts, Showtime's high-definition Smithsonian Channel has signed its first carriage agreement, gaining distribution on satellite carrier DirecTV beginning September 26. The product of...

ABC's Sweeney on Digital Plans.
September 24, 2007... By Anne Becker As broadcast TV's fall season kicks off, the networks last week unveiled plans to expand the distribution of their content online, with ABC, NBC and Fox announcing divergent strategies. NBC, which this summer cut ties...

Viewers File Suit Over Bundling.(Brief article)
September 24, 2007... By John Eggerton Some cable subscribers are suing major cable programmers and operators to get their programming a la carte, as well as for millions of dollars in damages. The multimillion-dollar class-action suit, filed by veteran...

News Networks Worth Celebrating.
September 24, 2007... By Michael Malone Anniversaries for two 24/7 cable channels who've hustled their way into viewers' hearts Local Florida stations Bay News 9 of Tampa and Orlando's Central Florida News 13 have long celebrated their reputations for being...

Rather Sad.(Dan Rather's obituary )(Obituary)
September 24, 2007... By Staff One wonders how Dan Rather's obituary would read had it not been for the disastrous 60 Minutes II report in 2004 that became such a blot on CBS News that it hastened his retirement as anchor of the CBS Evening News . But given...

Open Mike.(Letter to the editor)
September 24, 2007... Staff Not Easy, Indeed Editor: Your editorial about conversion from analog to digital (Conversion Won't Be Easy, Sept. 3) was right on target. You have, however, neglected to mention one other fact that will further hinder this badly...

Fates & Fortunes.(appointments in the broadcasting industry )
September 24, 2007... By Staff Broadcast Staff DeAnne Hamilton , GM of WKAR East Lansing, has been named a board member for PBS. John King , president and CEO of Vermont Public Television, has been named a board member for PBS. Also at PBS, Allen...

An Eye for News, and a Laser Focus.(professional life of news director,David Rhodes )(Occupation overview)
September 24, 2007... By Marisa Guthrie Under Rhodes' watch, Fox News has moved far forward Like most people in the news business, David Rhodes recalls the days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as a blur. As director of newsgathering for Fox...

God Is in the Details.(opportunities and challenges for religious broadcasters )
September 24, 2007... By Tim Kridel The move to HD TV creates opportunities-and challenges-for religious broadcasters Like many station owners, Paul Crouch Jr. is in the final stages of migrating to digital. His Trinity Broadcasting Network has converted...

Rethinking Religious Radio.
September 24, 2007... By Tim Kridel Multicasting, podcasting and younger audiences shake things up Religious programmers are exploring new ways of spreading the word and reaching audiences. And although they are not about to abandon traditional radio, many...

Emmy Has Short Coattails.(changing taste of television audiences)
September 24, 2007... By Paige Albiniak Low-rated gala hurts magazine shows. The entertainment newsmagazines approach the Emmys the same way CBS handles the Masters or ABC covers the NBA Finals: They go all out. 'People who watch Access Hollywood care...