Daily Variety articles from April 2004

Daily Variety archives from April 2004

Fox hits Virgin territory.
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Fox has a message for Virgin CEO Richard Branson: You're hired! Net has greenlit production for an hourlong reality skein, tentatively titled "Branson's Big Adventure," in which the Branson billionaire will search for "an...

EMI faces the music: label cuts 1,500 jobs, cues leaner artist roster.
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Determined to be the leanest music major on the block, EMI will slash 1,500 jobs in the coming fiscal year as it out-sources manufacturing, cuts artist rosters by about 20% and reorganizes its labels. Head count in the...

Lion canvasses duo for 'Art Con'.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Albert Hughes has signed to direct "Art Con," an MGM film being developed by Michael Douglas' Furthur Films as a potential star vehicle for the actor in which he'd play a charming con man who masterminds ambitious art fraud scandals. ...

B'way star weds NL pic.
April 1, 2004... New Line Cinema has acquired Nina Colman's romantic comedy pitch "Always a Bridesmaid" as a starring and producing vehicle for Marissa Jaret Winokur, who won a Tony for her pert in the Broadway musical "Hairspray." Winokur brought the...

Liberals hit air pocket.(news Analysis)(Air America)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The liberal Air America radio network got off to a somewhat disjointed start on Wednesday, as flag ship host Al Franken--who has made a nice living skewering the titans of conservative broadcasting--discovered it may be easier to...

'Radio' rebel tunes in film deal with trio.
April 1, 2004... Producers Kathleen Kennedy, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen will make a movie about how the power of rock 'n' roll helped oust the repressive regime of Yugoslavian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. The producers have optioned the Matthew Collin book...

Just for Variety.(Column)
April 1, 2004... GOOD MORNING: "Showbiz is showing a new stronger image this campaign"--I wrote on Oct. 22, 1964--as the LBJ-Goldwater race headed for the finish line. And Tuesday evening, that "stronger image" from showbiz-Kerry supporters was evident well in...

Copps in a lather on soap sin.
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- If FCC commissioner and vocal big media foe Michael Copps had his way, Washington's current anti-smut crusade would target soap operas and advertisements as well as more general broadcast programming. Copps said he was...

U 'Sweet' on Schickler book.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Universal Pictures has optioned David Schickler upcoming novel, "Sweet and Vicious," and hired the author to pen the screenplay. Scott Frank, whose scribe credits include "Minority Report," "Get Shorty" and "Charlie and the...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2004... Michelle Branch records for Maverick Records. Her label affiliation was incorrect in Tuesday's paper. Bob Yari will produce "Jumpshot" via his Bob Yari Prods. banner. Information was incorrect in the March 22 paper. Starz owns the pay...

New Martha trial sought over juror's misconduct.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Martha Stewart's lawyer Robert Morvillo filed a motion Wednesday seeking a new trial for the embattled domestic diva, claiming that a juror, Chappell Hartridge, had lied about his criminal record in a jury questionnaire. Shares of Martha...

'Frozen' heating up as B'way contender.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Kennedy Center's loss could turn into Broadway's gain. Brian F. O'Byrne has withdrawn from the upcoming D.C. production Of "A Streetcar Named Desire," which features Patricia Clarkson as Blanche Du Bois. O'Byrne was to have played...

Spike tempts guys with 'Job' satisfaction.(MTV Networks Inc. Spike TV, RDF Media, contracts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Male-oriented cable network Spike wants to help guys get ahead--by offering them the chance to quit their jobs. Spike TV is teaming with U.K. producer RDF Media for the unscripted skein "I Hate My Job," a show the net is Rogers...

Hallmark goes for originals.
April 1, 2004... The Hallmark Channel is stuffing its schedule with original movies. At a breakfast preview Wednesday of Hallmark's upfront presentation, Dave Kenin, executive VP of programming, talked up 12 family movies scheduled for this year plus three...

Duo turning 'Page': HBO, Killer team on biopic of '50s pinup icon.
April 1, 2004... Killer Films and HBO will team on "The Ballad of Bettie Page," a biopic of the 1950s pinup girl starring Gretchen Mol. Pic marks the second feature collaboration this year for the Gotham indie banner and the cable net. Film starts shooting...

Usher's 'Confessions' tops chart, breaks R&B record.(ratings of movies)
April 1, 2004... Posting the biggest sales week since "The Eminem Show" moved 1.3 million units in June 2002, Usher's "Confessions" (LaFace) sold nearly 1.1 million copies in its debut stanza. The album is the year's biggest one-week seller but also the...

Acad keeps Feb. date.(Academy Awards)(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The accelerated Academy Awards timetable is staying put for another year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced Wednesday. The Acad has locked Sunday, Feb. 27, for the 77th Annual Academy Awards, after the...

IFC doc revisits pioneering Z.
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- IFC has greenlit production on the original doc "Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession," about the groundbreaking cable station of the '70s and '80s and its head programmer Jerry Harvey. Project completes IFC's promise to deliver...

Winning ticket in '04: election ads pose big windfall for Hearst, others.(Business)
April 1, 2004... Hearst-Argyle is turning out to be the dark horse candidate among those standing to profit the most from the fiercely competitive 2004 national election, which has already seen political ad spending reach historic highs, according to investment...

Will Trump fire himself as casino exec?(Business)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Millions of American wait eagerly for Thursday nights when Donald Trump jabs his hand at a crestfallen would-be entrepreneur and says, "You're fired." The new star of the small screen, and NBC's Thursday night savior, may have picked the...

Latin music antipiracy efforts pay off.(Business)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The red-hot Latin music business is still feeling the CD sales squeeze, but antipiracy efforts are starting to pinch, according to figures released Wednesday by the Recording Industry Assn. of America. The body said net U.S. shipments of...

Debt-laden Charter refinancing $8 billion.(Charter Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... St. Louis-based Charter Communications is buying itself some fiscal breathing room, announcing plans Wednesday to consolidate and reschedule some $8 billion in outstanding loans that were coming due prior to 2009. Charter said it intends to...

Showbiz stocks: Wednesday, March 31, 2004.(Business)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Wednesday, March 31, 2004 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AMC AEN ... 15.10 -.05 -.7 AcmeCm ...

TV and cable production chart.(Directory)
April 1, 2004... PRODUCTION CHART KEY Abbreviations: SUPR EXP-Supervising executive producer(s); EXP-Executive producer(s); CO-EXP-Co-executive producer(s); SUPR PROD-Supervising producer(s); PROD-Producer(s); CO-PROD-Co-producer(s); DIR-Director(s);...

Content's still king: top shows still attracting foreign buyers.(Mip TV business)
April 1, 2004... CANNES -- Winding down Wednesday, the 41st Mip TV trade show left signs of further upturns in the international TV biz--at least for select product and select product suppliers. And, though it's as much about advancing as closing deals, Mip...

Patience a must in China.
April 1, 2004... CANNES -- The potential of China, with its 340 million TV households, was the topic du jour at Mip TV Wednesday as the mart celebrated China Day. Speaking at a panel discussion, Li Yifei, managing director of MTV Networks China, said the...

Granda Intl. orders four 'Poirot' pix.(Granada International)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... CANNES -- Granada Intl. has inked a batch of deals on four new TV movies in its "Poirot" collection, based on author Agatha Christie's novels about the fictional Belgian detective, which were launched at the mart in the presence of its star,...

BBC again looking for a new topper.(Richard Ryder, British Broadcasting Corp.)
April 1, 2004... LONDON -- The crisis engulfing the upper echelons of the BBC continued Wednesday as stand-in topper Richard Ryder announced he would leave this summer. The vice chairman has headed the BBC since January when chairman Gavyn Davies and...

Saban runs with pay TV Ball.(Haim Saban, Tony Ball)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... BERLIN -- In a further sign that Haim Saban may be eyeing an expansion into Germany's pay TV market, Munich's newest media mogul has nominated former BSkyB topper Tony Ball to the supervisory board of his broadcasting group ProSiebenSat 1. ...

Viv U probe widens: French police search regulator's offices.(World News)(Vivendi Universal)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... PARIS -- French police searched the offices of the Financial Markets Authority, Gaul's market regulator, Monday night, as the probe into Vivendi Universal's alleged illegal share buyback continued. The search came a day after revelations...

French doc suit tossed.(Etre et Avoir)(Nicolas Philibert, George Lopez, cases)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... PARIS -- A French court of appeals has dismissed the lawsuit that former teacher George Lopez, subject of sleeper hit doc "Etre et Avoir" (To Be and to Have), brought against helmer Nicolas Philibert and his production company, Films du...

ITV ties up latest Apted doc.(Michael Apted, Independent Television)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... LONDON -- In another setback for the BBC, the latest installment of Michael Apted's lifelong television work, "49 Up," will air on ITV next year as part of the network's 50th anniversary. "7 Up," which aired in 1963, was the first in a...

Ariel auds fit to be tied.(Jose Luis Garcia Agraz, Carlos Reygadas)(46th Ariel film awards)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's 46th Ariel film awards confounded tire audience by announcing ties in three categories, while thriller "Nicotina" scored a leading five prizes Tuesday night. The top awards--picture and director--went to Jose Luis...

Antipiracy bill passes committee.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Congress gave showbiz a helping hand in its anti-piracy battle Wednesday. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property passed a broad antipiracy bill that would make it illegal to use...

PBS tops Peabody pack with 9; HBO collects 3.(Public Broadcasting Service)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... PBS topped the list for Peabody Awards, beating all other networks both cable and broadcast to take nine of the 29 nods for excellence in electronic media. PBS winners included "Flag Wars" and "Two Towns of Jasper," both episodes of docu...

Atlantic taps Lava founder Flom chair-CEO.(Jason Flom)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Jason Flom, founder and president of Lava Records, has been named chairman and CEO of the Atlantic Records Group with Atlantic president Craig Kallman being upped to co-chairman and chief operating officer of the Warner Music Group...

Births.
April 1, 2004... Viveca Paulin and Will Ferrell, a boy, Magnus Paulin Ferrell, March 7, Los Angeles. Mother's non-pro; father's an actor-comedian. Shanice and Flex Alexander, a boy. Elijah Alexander, March 5, Burbank, Calif. Mother's R&B recording artist;...

Keri Noble.(performance)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... (Fez: 111 capacity: $8) Presented inhouse. Musicians: Keri Noble, Rob Arthur, Jeff Bailey, Jeff Arundel, Charlie Drayton. Reviewed March 30. 2004. As a keyboard-playing singer-songwriter who values subtlety--and comes bearing the Arif...

Devilishly fun bow.(Hellboy, motion picture)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- "Hellboy" played a helluva lot better than one would expect at Tuesday's Village Theater preem. Asked later if the enthusiastic reaction to the red-home& born-m-hell do-gooder signaled a sequel, producer Larry Gordon gave the...

Rock rolls with big stick.(Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Male youth was served a man-sized portion of chicken wings, classic rock and what MGM hopes will be the next action hero at the "Walking Tall" premiere patty, held in the lot behind the El Capitan Theater amid Monday night's...

Spacey tugs his trigger.(Kevin Spacey)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Kevin Spacey put on his producer's cap for Monday night's bow of "The United States of Leland" at the ArcLight. At the Cinespace after-bash, the thesp enthused about his ability to nurture filmmakers such as writer-director...

Bash bubbles over.(appreciation of american artist)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Leave it In Bill Murray to bring laughs with the loving at Tuesday night's MOMA Work in Progress tribute to Sofia Coppola. Playfully ribbing Coppola for having earned props after helming two features, he joked, "I've been urging MOMA to do...

Equity anni tilts toward left.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Monday was leftie night at the Players' Club on Gramercy Park as union chiefs and members gathered to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Actors' Equity. IATSE's Tom Short and Local 802's David Lennon applauded along with thesps Ron Silver,...

"Normal" helmer Jane Anderson shows off her ring finger during Variety's Gay in Hollywood panel Friday morning at the Pacific Design Center.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... "Normal" helmer Jane Anderson shows off her ring finger during Variety's Gay in Hollywood panel Friday morning at the Pacific Design Center. The helmer told the aud she missed out on San Francisco's gay wedding frenzy but nevertheless considers...

Thursday's launch party for LA.com was at Perino's, the once-legendary restaurant slated for imminent demolition.
April 1, 2004... Thursday's launch party for LA.com was at Perino's, the once-legendary restaurant slated for imminent demolition. "There's something ironic about our premiering in a space that's about to meet the wrecking ball," said Web site prexy Lynda...

Joplin biopic in the Pink.
April 2, 2004... The Janis Joplin biopic rivalry just turned a shade of pink. Alecia Moore, better known as the singer Pink, will make her screen starring debut as Joplin in a Penelope Spheeris-directed indie film that is eyeing a summer start date. ...

Tix on slippery slope: weak dollar leads to decline in foreign box office.
April 2, 2004... Ticket sales for movies sustained a 6% decline abroad in 2003, surpassing the 4% slide in the U.S. However the dollar's weakness last year against a basket of foreign currencies took the sting out of the drop in ticket sales in foreign...

Oh no, here they d'oh!!! again.
April 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The actors behind Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa and the rest of "The Simpsons" characters have gone silent. The hit Fox animated laffer's collective voices have not shown up for two table reads in the past few weeks, holding up...

Gershwin kin ink with WMA.(William Morris Agency)(Ira Gershwin)(George Gershwin)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... The Williams Morris Agency has signed George and Ira Gershwin. "We've been talking to the families for six months," said Jack Tantleff, who closed the deal to rep the estate in all areas including corporate sponsorship. "To my knowledge,...

Regime change for 'Che'.
April 2, 2004... Steven Soderbergh will replace Terrence Malick as the director of "Che," the film about Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara that will star Benicio Del Toro. Bill Pohlad's River Road is the film's principal financier; because of that company's...

MPAA seven mull legal tech tactic.
April 2, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Taking a controversial page from the music industry's playbook, the Motion Picture Assn. of America is seriously considering suing individuals who download unauthorized movies online. The lawsuit strategy was a hot topic of...

Sly Fox.(Theater Review)
April 2, 2004... (Ethel Barrymore Theater; 1,058 seats; $91.25 top) A Julian Schlossberg, Roy Furman, Ben Sprecher, Michael Gardner, Jim Fantaci, Cheryl Lachowitz, Christine Duncan and Nelle Nugent presentation, in association with Andrew Braunsberg, of a...

Home on the Range.(Movie Review)
April 2, 2004... Home on the Range (Animated) A Buena Vista release of a Walt Disney Pictures presentation. Produced by Alice Dewey Goldstone. Directed, written by Will Finn, John Sanford, from story by Finn, Sanford, Michael LaBash, Sam Levine, Mark...

Sci Fi gets new guy: UCE veep jumps to new 'Battlestar Galactica'.(USA Cable Entertainment)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... David Eick has left his post as executive veepee of USA Cable Entertainment (UCE) to become co-executive producer of Sci Fi Channel's new version of "Battlestar Galactica." UCE created the title for Eick last July, making him the company's...

Moverman moving on to 'Concordia'.(Oren Moverman to write for producer Jawal Nga)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Screenwriter Oren Moverman ("Jesus' Son") has been attached to write period drama "Concordia" for producer Jawal Nga's Gotham-based independent banner Tiny Dancer Films. Character-driven story is set in rural Kansas during the final months...

TV Guide goes for the gold.(Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. TV Guide Publishing Group provides services for the summer Olympics at Athens)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... The Summer Olympics from Athens will get an extra promotional push from TV Guide's listing channel, which will help cable and satellite TV subscribers navigate through the 1,200 hours of coverage by NBC and its sister cable networks. The...

Strand lands U.S. rights to 'Proteus'.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Strand Releasing has picked up U.S. fights to maverick Canadian director John Greyson's period drama "Proteus," an interracial gay love story set in early 18th-century South Africa. Premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last fall, the film...

Revolution's Gotham ops add prod'n exec.(Revolution Studios appoints Dara Cohen)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Former independent producer Dara Cohen has joined Revolution Studios' New York office as a development and production executive. In addition, Stephanie Langhoff has been upped to creative exec. Cohen will be responsible...

From politics to Peacock.(Anna Perez hired by National Broadcasting Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Powering up to full throttle in preparation for its merger with Universal, NBC announced Thursday that it has hired former Condoleezza Rice adviser Anna Perez who also has strong Hollywood ties--to be the conglom's top communications...

Tribeca to fete Marshall.(Tribeca Film Festival)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... The Tribeca Film Festival will fete director Garry Marshall, with an onstage interview and a detailed look back over his extensive film and television career. Fest kicks off May 1 with Marshall's new romantic comedy "Raising Helen," starring...

It pays to be boss: TW rewards topper Parsons with $8 mil bonus.(Business)
April 2, 2004... Time Warner paid topper Richard Parsons a cash bonus of $8 million in 2003 compared with zip the year before, part of a rich package the company attributed to its improved performance and the fact that Parsons added the chairman title to that...

Netflix keeps clicking, adding 450,000 subs.(Business)
April 2, 2004... Online rental shop Netflix continues its breakneck pace, announcing Thursday that it had picked up an extra 450,000 subscribers in the first three months of 2004 to end the quarter with some 1.93 million. Company cited low churn, a new TV...

Pinewood's stocking up.(Business)(Pinewood Shepperton Studios Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... LONDON -- U.K. studio Pinewood Shepperton has applied for a stock market listing but has not yet revealed financial details. Company saw an operating profit of 10.9 million [pounds sterling] ($20.05 million) for 2003 on revenues of $69.7...

Circuit City tunes to Web.(Business)(Circuit City Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Retail chain Circuit City is acquiring online music store MusicNow in a bid to build out its own digital music service and fend off competition for its CD-selling business. Financial details were not disclosed. Formerly...

WMG floats $650 mil in bonds.(Business)(Warner Music Group)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Newly independent Warner Music Group is hitting up the bond markets for some $650 million in high-yield debt, having earlier this week reduced the amount of money it had hoped to raise in its two-part, two-currency listing. The bond...

Unclear instructions void IATSE ballot.(Business)
April 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The election committee of the Intl. Cinematographers Guild has decided to void the current ballots for delegates to the IATSE convention, citing possible confusion over the voting instructions. The committee announced this week...

Showbiz stocks: Thursday, April 1, 2004.(Business)(Illustration)
April 2, 2004... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Thursday, April 1, 2004 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AMC AEN 15.53 +.18 +2.1...

Court TV sets syndie subsid.(Courtroom Television Network Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Court TV has created a division called the Legal News Service to syndicate trial analysis and wrap-ups of the day's court coverage to TV stations and cable-news channels. Buyers of the service will pay a subscription fee to get the daily...

Van Morrison.(Concert Review)
April 2, 2004... Van Morrison (Theater at Madison Square Garden: 5,3l7 seats; $108.50 top) Presented by Clear Channel Entertainment. Band: Van Morrison, John Allair, Ned Edwards, Daoude Shaar, Mart Holland, Martin Winning, Bobby Irwin, David Hayes....

Lolafilms receives museum retrospective.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... The American Museum of the Moving Image will present a retrospective of nine films from prolific Spanish production-distribution outfit Lolafilms between April 30 and May 9. The U.S. preem of Penelope Cruz starrer "Girl of Your Dreams"...

Older 'Face' challenges the younger ones.(Face the Nation program)
April 2, 2004... CBS News' "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer delivered its best quarter in the key news demo of adults 25-54 in a decade, debunking the notion that younger viewers won't go for the gray. According to Nielsen Media Research, "Face"...

Mouse catches 'Girls' pitch.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Disney has the comedy pitch "Powderpuff Girls" from first-time scribe Cindy McCreery for Tapestry Films and "Smallville" producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar to produce. Family laffer revolves around an NFL coach who's...

The Big House.
April 2, 2004... The Big House (Series: ABC, Fri. April 2, 8.30p.m.) Filmed in Los Angeles by Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Executive producers, Stephen Engel, Brian Grazer, David Nevins; co-executive producers, Kevin...

Coast to Coast.(Movie Review)
April 2, 2004... Coast to Coast (Movie, Showtime, Sun. April 4, 8 p.m.) Filmed in Toronto by Chautauqua Entertainment/Jerry Leider Co. Executive producers. Jerry Leiden Richard Waltzer; director, Paul Mazursky: writer, Frederic Raphael, based on his novel;...

The Winning Season.(Movie Review)
April 2, 2004... The Winning Season (Movie: TNT; Sun., April 4, 8p.m.) Filmed by Rosemont Prods. in association with Magna Global Entertainment and Viacom Prods. Executive producers, David A. Rosemont, Robert Riesenberg, Tracy Dorsey; producer, Lesley...

Films in the future.(Film Production Chart)
April 2, 2004... AEON FLUX Charlize Theron PROD, Gale Anne Hurd; DIR, Karyn Kusama; SCR, Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi; DISTRIB, Par. Lakeshore Entertainment/Paramount Pictures. 7/04, Berlin. ASK THE DUST Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Donald Sutherland,...

Filming in Gotham.(Film Production Chart)
April 2, 2004... * BALLAD OF BETTIE PAGE Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, David Strathairn EXP, Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, John Wells; PROD, Lori Keith Douglas; DIR, Mary Harron; SCR, Harron, Guinevere Turner; DP, Mott Hupfel; UPM, Lori Douglas; CAST,...

Filming in the U.S.(Film Production Chart)
April 2, 2004... * THE CELESTINE PROPHECY Matthew Settle, Thomas Kretschmann, Sarah Wayne Callies, Annabeth Gish, Hector Elizondo, Joaquim de Almeida, Jurgen Prochnow, Robyn Cohen, Obba Babatunde PROD, Barnet Bain, James Redfield, Beverly Camhe, Terry...

Filming outside the U.S.(Film Production Chart)
April 2, 2004... * ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Maria Bello, John Leguizamo, Drea de Matteo, Gabriel Byrne, Brian Dennehy, Ja Rule EXP, Don Carmody, Sebastian Lemercier, Joseph Kaufman; PROD, Pascal Caucheteux, Stephane Sperry,...

Datebook.(Calendar)
April 2, 2004... APR. 2 "Raising Victor Vargas." MoMA's Friday Night at the Movies program for high school students continues with Peter Sollett recent film about a boy growing up on the Lower East Side. Guided discussion follows screening. Program runs...

Busy Mip mart wraps up.(World News)
April 2, 2004... CANNES -- The Mip TV market wrapped Thursday on an upbeat note, with organizer Reed Midem saying the event had been "extremely busy." with 10,953 individuals from 92 countries attending and buyer numbers up 23% on a year ago. The total...

MTV ends royalty tiff.(World News)(MTV Networks Europe)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... LONDON -- Viacom's MTV Networks Europe has resolved its royalties dispute with Europe's independent record companies, signing new contracts shortly before the midnight Wednesday deadline. The acrimonious yearlong dispute involved...

Henson deal's a hit for HIT.(Jim Henson)(HIT Entertainment PLC)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... LONDON -- Preschool specialist HIT Entertainment has signed a five-year distribution pact with Jim Henson, increasing the prospects of its plan to launch a dedicated digital children's channel in the U.S. The 440-hour catalog includes...

Gaul culture czar booted.(World News)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... PARIS -- Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the Gallic culture minister who cut showbiz workers' employment benefits, was booted from his post Wednesday. The ax fell as President Chirac reshuffled his right-wing government following an overwhelming...