Daily Variety articles from June 2004

Daily Variety archives from June 2004

Ogre freezes b.o. rivals: 'Shrek 2' and 'Day After' join to blast record book.(box office news)
June 1, 2004... "The Day After Tomorrow" iced the box office with an $86 million four-day opening. But that record-shattering weekend was good enough only for second place, falling behind "Shrek 2's" monstrous second-week $92.2 million at a record 4,223...

'Day' pours it on o'seas.(World Watch)
June 1, 2004... Folks overseas are relishing the sight of New York being destroyed even more than U.S. auds, judging by the monster opening weekend for "The Day After Tomorrow." Fox's environmental disaster epic rang up a projected $85 million on 9,276...

Moore covets July 4 fireworks.(Hitched)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Michael Moore is close to a deal to secure a mid-summer theatrical distribution for his Palme d'Or-winning documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11." But the deal was still unresolved on Monday, as potential distribs mulled the logistics...

Teuton station cuts U.S. ration.(news Analysis)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Those who thought the powerful German station ProSiebenSat 1 would morph into an American outpost after Haim Saban bought it last year should think again. It's adopting some U.S.-style business practices, but, if any thing, it's...

Peacock hands reality reins to Plestis.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- There's a new reality at NBC: Craig Plestis has been upped to senior VP of alternative programs and development for the Peacock. Promotion makes Plestis NBC's new reality guru, giving him day-to-day oversight of development...

How Ovitz became the nowhere man: the CAA czar vaporized two years ago after his public flameout.(The Back Lot)
June 1, 2004... IT WAS JUST TWO YEARS AGO that Michael Ovitz sat down with a writer from Vanity Fair and proceeded to commit professional suicide. Upon reading the resulting article, many wondered, "What in the world will become of Mike Ovitz?" The...

Aussies honor 'Hicks' helmer.(Docu director-producer Curtis Levy being honored at the annual Australian Screen Directors Awards. )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... SYDNEY -- Docu director-producer Curtis Levy, whose "The President vs. David Hicks" tells of an Australian Taliban fighter who has been in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay for more than two years, was feted Monday night at the annual Australian...

Belber, Foote on Hartford bill.(Theater Projects)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The fifth edition of Hartford Stage's Brand: New Festival of New Works, which runs June 9-13, will feature works by Stephen Belber, Daisy Foote and Craig Wright, among others. Also on the schedule is a panel discussion with participating...

Village Roadshow chief lands humanitarian nod.(27th annual spring luncheon to be held June 14 at the BevHilton)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Bruce Berman, chairman-CEO of Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment, will receive the Help Group's 2004 Help Humanitarian Award al the org's 27th annual spring luncheon, to be held June 14 at the BevHilton. The Help Group...

Karlovy Vary opens with 'Boys' night out.(39th Karlovy Vary Film Festival on July 2)
June 1, 2004... PRAGUE -- John Irvin's "The Boys From County Clare" will open the 39th Karlovy Vary Film Festival on July 2, fest prez Jiri Bartoska and program director Eva Zaoralova announced. Festival will offer a slightly slimmer version this year,...

Eric McCormack has signed for an arc on Showtime's "Dead Like Me.".(Players)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... > Eric McCormack has signed for an arc on Showtime's "Dead Like Me." McCormack will play a reality television show producer who romances the character of series regular Laura Harris. The comedy series, shooting in Vancouver, returns...

Larry Bagby III ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has been offered a role in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line" starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.(Players)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... > Larry Bagby III ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has been offered a role in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line" starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. Pic, which also stars GinniferGoodwin and Robert Patrick, will be helmed by...

Peter and Jerry.(Theater Review)
June 1, 2004... (Hartford Stage, Hartford, Conn.; 489 seats; $60 top) A Hartford Stage presentation of a play in two acts by Edward Albee. Directed by Pam MacKinnon. Sets, Jeff Cowie; costumes, Jess Goldstein; lighting, Howell Binkley; production stage...

As Herman's head rolls E! may gain Ganeless.(Inside Moves)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Let the buzzing begin. Former USA exec veep-general manager Michele Ganeless has emerged atop the shortlist of possible candidates to replace E! topper Mindy Herman, who announced she was exiting the cabler Thursday amid...

'Reagans' restored on DVD.(Inside Moves)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLEYWOOD -- There's one last chapter left in the saga known as "The Reagans." Lions Gate Home Entertainment has just released the controversial movie on DVD, and among the extras included on the disc are some scenes that didn't even make...

Fox wielding 'Club' spec.(20th Century Fox acquires the thriller movie)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Orrite Bendory and Aaron Feldman have sold their spec "The Holiday Club" to 20th Century Fox, with Luke Greenfield attached to direct and produce. Thriller is set in the world of embassy kids immune to the laws that govern...

Par takes 'Detour': Di Bonaventura shepherds 2nd Siegel thriller.(acquiring of screening rights by Paramount Pictures)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Paramount Pictures has bought screen rights to the James Siegel novel "Detour" for Lorenzo di Bonaventura to produce. Di Bonaventura had the inside track on the material because he is producing the screen version of Siegel's novel...

Bruckheimer puts Metcalf on the case.(people)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Jerry Bruckheimer Television is expanding its exec ranks, tapping Kimberly Metcalf to serve in a newly created VP post. Metcalf is no stranger to the Bruckheimer camp: As VP of current programming for Warner Bros. TV, she...

ABC recruits Gray as 'Empire' builder.(contracts)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Helmer John Gray is reuniting with producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, signing on to direct two episodes of ABC's Roman drama "Empire." Gray, who wrote and directed last month's CBS remake of "Helter Skelte," last worked...

Brady gets 'Running' start.(Wayne Brady scores with his first feature)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Talkshow host Wayne Brady has scored his first feature starring role. He'll play a shady character named Raggedy Man opposite Paul Walker in "Running Scared," an action thriller being directed by Wayne Kramer and financed by Media 8...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2004... Composer James Wesley Stemple was misidentified in a photo in Thursday's paper. MoMA's Premiere Brazil! series will screen "Daughters of the Wind." Title was incorrect in Tuesday's paper. Village Roadshow Pictures will co-finance with...

J.Lo stirs fresh salsa: shingle preps Lavoe biopic with Anthony to star.(showbusiness news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Singer-actor Marc Anthony is set to play the title role in "El Cantante," an independently financed biopic of salsa singer Hector Lavoe. Leon Ichaso ("Pinero') wrote the script and will direct the film in late summer. Nuyorican Prods....

Dimension's 'City' lands new resident.(movie news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Rosario Dawson has joined the ensemble of the Robert Rodriguez/Frank Miller-directed Dimension Films noir drama "Sin City." Dawson will take part in the third and final segment. Rodriguez based the film on Miller's graphic novel series....

'Swan' lands in IATSE pond.(Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has signed a contract with "The Swan" and Swan Prods. for IATSE representation of below-the-line employees. IATSE said the pact covers 30-40 employees and falls under its Video...

'Hellboy' takes quick route to DVD.(movie news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is rushing Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy" to DVD on July 20, less than 16 weeks after it opened in theaters, where it generated $59 million. The two-disc special edition DVD will include...

F/x house puts fresh face on biz.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Thesps may soon take advantage of a process that allows them to undergo a digital makeover when appearing in a film. Hydraulx, the Santa Monica, Calif.-based visual effects shop that did major sequences for Fox's "The Day After...

Bravo taps 'Hidden' talent with Mandel.(Howie Mandel commits to a half-hour laffer)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Bravo has made a six-episode commitment to a half-hour laffer from comedian-thesp Howie Mandel. Mandel created and will exec produce the tentatively titled "Hidden Howie" with manager Michael Rotenberg of 3 Arts Entertainment....

'Beowulf' trolling for int'l appeal as Butler boards pic.(movie news)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... TORONTO -- Scottish thesp Gerard Butler has signed to play the lead in the Canada/U.K./Iceland co-production "Beowulf & Grendel." Butler ("Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life," "Timeline") has just returned from Cannes, where he was...

WIF taps Hunt to host kudos.(show business news)(Women in Film)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Bonnie Hunt has been tapped to host this year's Crystal and Lucy Awards, presented by Women in Film on June 18. Honorees Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow will be receive kudos for excellence in film and television and for...

'Book' helmer aims 'Low'.(Nick Hurran to direct a movie for New Line Cinema.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- "Little Black Book" helmer Nick Hurran will direct "Low Life" for New Line Cinema. Hurran is in advanced negotiations to direct the pic, in which a posh housewife has to raise a quarter-million dollars in order to cover for...

Big wave buoys subs: large cablers, satcos ride 3% annual growth.(Business)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The largest cable and satellite operators posted their strongest total growth in more than two years during the first quarter, adding 790,000 subscribers and posting an annual growth rate of nearly 3%. New research from...

Pic biz takes aim at Mexican piracy.(Business)
June 1, 2004... MEXICO CITY -- Members of Mexico's largest film industry group are holding a special meeting this week to discuss a wide variety of challenges, chief among them, piracy. Among those attending the meeting are reps of exhibs Cinemex and...

Magic act protects Sony tunes.(Business)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Sony Music has signed a deal with antipiracy tech company Audible Magic to register its entire catalog so that it may be blocked for trading on peer-to-peer networks. Deal potentially benefits both sides and thus no money was...

BVHE ups sales exec.(Business)(Buena Vista Home Entertainment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Patrick Fitzgerald has been promoted to exec VP of sales, distribution and trade marketing at Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Fitzgerald will continue to oversee all U.S. sales functions while driving and strengthening new...

DirecTV birds circle broadband, high-def.(Business)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- DirecTV on Friday affirmed it plans to launch two satellites in 2005 capable of broadcasting video and supporting broadband Internet access as part of its Spaceway service. Despite media reports indicating that the broadband...

Showbiz stocks.(Business)(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Friday, May 28, 2004 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AMC AEN ... 15.10 -.14 -.7 AcmeCm ACME ... 7.74 ...

Right Now.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (A TOUTE DE SUITE) (France) A Pyramide Distribution release of a Natan Prods., Arte France Cinema production with participation of CineCinema, CNC. (International sales: Flach Pyramide Intl., Paris.) Produced by Georges Benayoun, Raoul...

Five.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (France-Japan) An MK2 Diffusion release of an MK2/NHK co-production. (International sales: MK2, Paris.) Produced by Marin Karmitz. Directed, written by Abbas Kiarostami. Reviewed at the Cannes Film Festival (noncompeting), May 13,...

What Remains of Us.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (CE QU'IL RESTE DE NOUS) (Docu--Canada) A Nomadik Films, National Film Board of Canada production. (International sales: National Film Board of Canada, Quebec.) Produced by Francois Prevost, Yves Bisaillon. Directed by Francois...

Richard Biggs.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
June 1, 2004... Richard Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin on the TV sci-fi series "Babylon 5," died after collapsing in his Los Angeles home of a tear in his aorta on May 22. He was 44. Biggs, a graduate of the USC theater program, also appeared as...

Elvin Jones.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
June 1, 2004... Elvin Jones, the intense powerhouse drummer in John Coltrane's famed quartet of the 1960s and a leader in his own right, died May 18 in Englewood, N.J. He was 76. Jones was the first drummer to emerge after the bebop revolution of the...

Susan Gail Silkiss.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
June 1, 2004... TV producer Susan Gail Silkiss died May 15 of breast cancer in Los Angeles. She was 48. A native of New York, she graduated from the U. of Michigan and received her MBA from USC. During her 25-year career in the entertainment industry, she...

Robert L. Smith.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
June 1, 2004... Robert L. Smith, scenic, lighting and production designer, died April 21 in Los Angeles of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He was 40. Smith won the 2003 L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award in lighting design for the Road Theater Co.'s production of...

June Taylor.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... June Taylor, the Emmy-winning choreographer for Jackie Gleason's television variety show and later the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, died of natural causes May 17 in Miami. She was 86. She founded the June Taylor Dancers in 1942 and made her...

Thirst.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (ATASH) (Israel) An Atash Partnership production in association with Tel Aviv Cinema Foundation, Hot Vision. (International sales: Momento! Pierre Menahem, Paris.) Produced by Avi Kleinberger. Directed, written by Tawfiq Abu Wael....

Scandi fare for Dubai TV.(Dubai Television picks formats from Scandinavian distributor MTV Mastiff International)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... AMSTERDAM -- United Arab Emirates state broadcaster Dubai Television has picked up four formats from Scandinavian format distrib MTV Mastiff Intl., the commercial arm of the MTV Mastiff Group. Deal for the formats "Friends Forever,"...

CanWest bulks up with U.S. TV buys.(LA Screenings)
June 1, 2004... MONTREAL -- CanWest Global, the biggest Canadian buyer at the L.A. Screenings, was on even more of a spending spree than usual this year. That's because the Winnipeg-based broadcaster now has two full-fledged networks to feed, Global and...

Earth and Ashes.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (KHAKESTAR-O-KHAK) (France-Afghanistan) A Les Films du Lendemain, Afghan Film production, in association with France 3 Cinema, with participation of Canal Plus, CNC, Fonds Sud of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (International sales:...

Welcome to Switzerland.(Movie Review)
June 1, 2004... (France-Switzerland) A Pathe release (in France) of an Arena Films presentation of an Arena Films, Aecade, Vega Film, Television Suisee Romande co-production with Canal Plus and Cinecinema. (International sales: Pathe Intl., Paris)...

The Great High Mountain Tour.(Concert Review)
June 1, 2004... (Beacon Theater; 3,087 seats; $75 top) Presented by Outback Concerts. Performers: Alison Krauss and Union Station, Ralph Stanley, the Whites, the Cox Family, Dirk Powell, Riley Baugus, Tim Erickson, Reeltime Travelers, Nashville Bluegrass...

Network and studio now dancing in step.(network news)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Leslie Moonves' ascension to co-prexy and co-chief operating officer of Viacom accomplishes what many have been predicting for years: CBS' assumption of Paramount TV. With Pat's small-screen execs now reporting to Moonves, most...

Sumner's bell tolls for Mel: now it's the Tom & Les show at Viacom.(television news)
June 2, 2004... The power-sharing arrangement of Tom Freston and Leslie Moonves promises to catapult Viacom into a succession of policy and personnel changes that will reshape the company. The resignation Monday of Mel Karmazin as chief operating officer...

B'way savors season in the sun but tix lag.
June 2, 2004... Broadway's box office receipts set a record in the season that ended Sunday. Total gross for the 2003-04 frame was $771,012,298, up 6.9% from the previous year. That increase represents an average annual bump in biz for the theater. In the...

'9/11': the Moore the merrier.(Fellowship Adventure Group)
June 2, 2004... Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" has landed a domestic distribution deal in time to spark plenty of July 4 and pre-election fireworks. Palme D'Or winner will be released June 25, on at least 500 U.S. screens through a joint venture between...

Kelley's getting real.(Renegade 83 Productions)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- David E. Kelley is getting into the reality biz, teaming with David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe's Renegade 83 Prods. ("Blind Date") for a unscripted legal drama set up at NBC. Peacock has greenlit eight episodes of the...

Royal decree: 'Shrek 3' a go.(movie news)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- As "Shrek 2" continues to reap box office green, raking in $92 million over the holiday weekend, DreamWorks is scrambling to get "Shrek 3" on a taster track. Studio has hired Peter Seaman and Jeffrey Price to pen the pic's next...

Lies and the lying liars who tell them: as recent events prove, the truth is harder than ever to come by in showbiz.(Tuning In)
June 2, 2004... IN HOLLYWOOD, lying is often treated like a big joke. Oft-quoted producer Lynda Obst famously titled her showbiz memoir "Hello, He Lied," and now entire reality shows--"Joe Schmo," "Joe Millionaire," heck, about anything with "Joe" or...

WGA, producers back at it.(Writers Guild of America)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Contract talks for showbiz writers have relaunched amid pessimism that the month-long stalemate between scribes and companies will be resolved any time soon. Following a three-week break, negotiations for a new Writers Guild...

Rather books Clinton sesh.(news)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... Dan's the man--at least for Bill Clinton the author. Doling out one of the "get" interviews of the summer, Clinton has agreed to sit down with CBS News anchor Dan Rather to discuss for the first time his new book, "My Life." Interview...

Mets bench MSG to mull other TV team-ups.(media news)
June 2, 2004... The owners of the New York Mets company have exercised a $54 million buyout clause in their contract with Chuck Dolan's MSG Networks to end their current deal, which expires after the 2005 season. But that doesn't appear nearly as bad as it...

Broadway's holiday weekend sets record.
June 2, 2004... Memorial Day traditionally turns the holiday weekend into a flatliner at the box office: Neither big boom nor major bust, biz goes up a little or down a little. This time around, great weather on Saturday and Sunday led New Yorkers to...

New Line decides Picoult family novel's a 'Keeper'.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- New Line Cinema has optioned Jodi Picoult's novel "My Sister's Keeper." Published in April by Simon & Schuster imprint Atria Books, "My Sister's Keeper" is about a family in which a daughter has leukemia and her younger sister...

Syndie talk, courts gain.(television programming)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... Highlighting a strong May sweep, heavyweight syndicated talk and court shows like "Dr. Phil" and "Judge Judy" were up significantly from both their year-ago time periods and their average lead-ins. Preliminary weighted metered-market...

Potter's pot o' gold: 'Azkaban' bow is Blight's biggest opener.
June 2, 2004... The Hogwarts kids are back--and the young wizards are weaving their usual magic. In its world proem, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" conjured up 5.03 million [pounds sterling] ($9.2 million) from 535 locations in the U.K. on...

Scoping 'Potter' pirates.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- In the digital age, the launch of the summer movie season also means the launch of a new wave of antipiracy tactics by the studios. While efforts continue to limit peer-to-peer and physical piracy, studios aim to fight piracy...

Deal keeps Smith anchored at Fox News.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith, whose evening newscast is the No. 3 show in all of cable news, has reupped with the 24/7 newsie for four more years. Smith also hosts Fox News' "Studio B," an afternoon interview and news program. ...

Stony Brook goes 'Swimming'.(Stony Brook Film Festival, Swimming Upstream)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... United Artists' Australian drama "Swimming Upstream," starring Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis, will have its U.S. premiere as the opening film of the ninth Stony Brook Film Festival, running July 21-31 in Long Island. Other highlights of the...

Spidey cents tingling: Marvel takes lead on licensing, rev reporting.(Business)
June 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Spidey licensing is now all Marvel. Sony Pictures and Marvel Enterprises Tuesday released details of the settlement of their court disputes related to licensing of Marvel's "Spider-Man" character resulting from pics starring...

Viv U earns investment-grade boost.(Business)(Vivendi Universal S.A.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... PARIS -- It has taken nearly two years and the sale of billions of dollars in assets to get there. But Vivendi Universal on Tuesday finally achieved what chairman Jean-Rene Fourtou has been hankering for throughout the Gallic conglom's...

Cablevision taps exex as spinoff looms.(Business)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... In a move to beef up its financial team in preparation for a planned spinoff of its Rainbow DBS division, Cablevision has installed senior VP John Bier as treasurer, while promoting Elizabeth Dolce to assistant treasurer, effective immediately....

In Demand speeds VOD expansion.(Business)(Video On Demand )
June 2, 2004... In Demand, the largest distributor of pay-per-view movies and events in the U.S., has pushed its video-on-demand service into a record 12 million homes. The company attributes the speed-up of VOD delivery to convenience. Subscribers get...

Showbiz stocks: Tuesday, June 1, 2004.(Business)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Tuesday, June 1, 2004 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AMC AEN ... 15.26 +.16 +.3 AcmeCm ACME ...

Weekend stats.(Box Office earnings of the weekend)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
June 2, 2004... WEEKEND STATS Domestic Box Office $247.7 million May 28-31 vs. last year * +22% Daily Breakdown (in millions of $) vs. last year's comparable weekend * FRI. SAT. SUN. MON. $59.1 ...

For the weekend of May 28-31.(Illustration)
June 2, 2004... FOR THE WEEKEND OF MAY 28-31 Ranking This Last Week Week Title (Distributor) 1 1 Shrek 2 (DreamWorks) 2 -- The Day After Tomorrow (20th) 3 2 Troy (WB) 4 -- Raising...

Small shows reap big rewards: awards give cablers breakthrough lift.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... Hollywood loves to congratulate itself. Thus the town's ever-flowing font of awards, everything from the Golden Trailers to the Genesis Awards for the positive depiction of pets. In television, however, the fragmented viewing age has...

Cable plays originality card: but long-running favorites are still hard to unseat.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... With broadcast nets busy expanding their reality, "L&O" and "CSI" franchises, cable nets have been able to get into the race by taking chances with original ideas. That's helped earn attention for shows like "The Shield," "Monk" and just about...

Spinoff spinout: Emmy voters prefer the original recipe of franchise.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... What do television executives and producers want? In the opinion of Phil Rosenthal, TV critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, the answer is simple. "At the end of the clay," he says, "people in TV probably would rather be popular than honored....

Voters get comfy with the sofa: cinematographers take judging home with them.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... Screeners caused the big hullaballoo of Oscar season. But at the Emmys the use of screeners has quickly become business as usual, albeit with a few significant speed bumps. In the coming weeks, ATAS members will be inundated with...

Askin tunes in big picture: chairman wants to restore prestige to awards show.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... Six months into his term as chairman of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Dick Askin has already helped mend a 30-year feud between the organization and New York-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Yet his biggest...

New rules: Acad adjusts the fine print in process.(road to the Emmys preview)(Academy of Television Arts and Sciences)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' board of governors approved 18 new rule and procedure changes for the 56th annual Emmy Awards. While most fall into general housekeeping, a few are designed to open up the voting process. * This...

First impressions count with voters: most successful shows make a splash early.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... Buzz certainly helps in luring audiences to new shows, but it also helps attract the attention of Emmy voters. While not a hard and fast rule, it is definitely more common for shows to find Emmys success in their first or second seasons....

Digital gets test vote: if tech category tryout works, more online balloting is likely.(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... While a lot has changed in the TV biz the past 20 years, the behind-the-scenes workings of the Emmy Awards have remained fairly constant. Producers still fill out reams of paperwork to submit entries and voters are faced with a printed...

Emmy's datebook.(road to the Emmys preview)(Calendar)
June 2, 2004... June 7 Nominating ballots begin to be mailed out to members and are posted on the Academy's Web site. June 23 Postmark deadline for returning the nominating ballots to Ernst & Young. July 15 Nominations are announced...

On our last episode ...(road to the Emmys preview)
June 2, 2004... Smiles were the one thing both winners and guests wore at last year's Emmy Awards. At left, "Will & Grace's" Debra Messing sports her trophy for actress in a comedy series, lop row from left, are "Monk's" Tony Shalhoub, "Door to Door's"...