Daily Variety articles from March 2009

Daily Variety archives from March 2009

Oscar's glow: 'Slumdog's' B.O. gain best since 'Titanic'.(Slumdog Millionaire, Box Office)
March 2, 2009... Fox Searchlight's "Slumdog Millionaire" enjoyed the biggest post-Oscar bounce since "Titanic" at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $12.2 million as it boldly expanded to 2,943 runs in its 16th sesh. "Slumdog" is fast...

H'wood sings union blues.
March 2, 2009... The outlook on Hollywood's labor front is getting murkier. The news that Nick Counter, longtime prexy of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, will retire as of March 31 adds to the uncertainty surrounding relations...

Fun but no extra fizz.(Guys and Dolls)(Theater review)
March 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The opening image in Des McAnuff's strangulated revival of "Guys and Dolls" is of Damon Runyon pounding his typewriter, framing the production unequivocally in a fictional world. But the unintended effect has been to...

Goodbye screens?
March 2, 2009... Sumner Redstone. who has long prided himself on his roots an the exhibition biz. is faced with the prospect of ending that long chapter in his career as he looks to unload hundreds of screens In a buyer's market. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Searchlight's in clone zone.
March 2, 2009... Keira Knightley will star in the sci-fi thriller "Never Let Me Go" for Fox Searchlight. Mark Romanek ("One Hour Photo") will direct the cloning-themed pic, which will also star Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan. Andrew Macdonald and...

Night moves.(VARIETY.COM)
March 2, 2009... Jimmy Fallon's debut tonight marks phase one of NBC's "peaceful" transfer of power in latenight. Go to Variety.com/ontheair. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Peter's principles hold firm.
March 2, 2009... Memo to: Peter Chernin From: Peter Bart CONGRATULATIONS on your liberation, Peter, and welcome back to the real world. Or what passes for it. To be sure, you've long been accustomed to a surreal environment. While your peers have...

'Seraphine' seduces Cesars.( France's 34th Cesar Awards)
March 2, 2009... "Seraphine," a modestly budgeted biopic of Gallic painter Seraphine de Senlis, took top honors Friday at France's 34th Cesar Awards, with seven nods including film, original screenplay and actress for Yolande Moreau. Moreau previously won...

Helmer Lee to lead Venice jury in September.
March 2, 2009... Ang Lee will head the main jury of the 66th Venice Film Festival. A two-time Golden Lion winner--for "Brokeback Mountain" in 2005 and for "Lust, Caution" in 2007--Lee was praised by lest topper Marco Mueller on Friday as "one of the most...

Director in culture mix.(Gurinder Chadha)
March 2, 2009... Tapping into "Slumdog Millionaire's" Indian spice, Brit helmer Gurinder Chadha is putting together a slate of cross-cultural projects fusing Asian and Western sensibilities. First up is "It's a Wonderful Afterlife," which the helmer...

Empire State's fate: Gotham players work to save tax credit.
March 2, 2009... Empire State Development execs are hoping to salvage New York's depleted Empire State Film Production Tax Credit program by floating a number of options, including scaling back the amount of incentives offered to bring film and TV productions...

'Plow' row speeds on.(Speed-the-Plow)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Get ready for the next round in Producers vs. Piven. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The producers of the Broadway revival of "Speed-the-Plow" have opted to pursue independent arbitration in the dispute over Jeremy Piven's abrupt exit from...

D'Works 'Up' for Bateman.
March 2, 2009... Jason Bateman has signed on for "Up in the Air," the adaptation of the Walter Kirn novel that director Jason Reitman is lensing for DreamWorks and the Montecito Picture Co. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] George Clooney stars as a corporate...

Indie 'Rape' recruits trio to topline.(Maria Bello, Abigail Breslin and Samuel L. Jackson in Rape: A Love Story)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Maria Bello, Abigail Breslin and Samuel L. Jackson will star in the indie drama "Rape: A Love Story." Harold Becker ("Domestic Disturbance") will helm. Michael Mendelsohn is producing and financing through his Patriot Pictures banner, with...

Sony's exec shuffle: Stringer moves up in major revamp.( Howard Stringer)
March 2, 2009... Sony has added prexy to chairman/CEO Howard Stringer's titles in a major operational reorganization and management shake-up that comes just one month after the company disclosed it faces record losses of $2.7 billion this year. Stringer...

CAA enters N.Y. lit biz.
March 2, 2009... CAA has made its first foray into the publishing biz, hiring Simon Green to broker book deals for its celebrity clients from the agency's Gotham office. Green recently worked with CAA to broker a seven-figure deal for a photo book...

Scarlet out at Tribeca Fest.
March 2, 2009... Peter Scarlet is ankling as creative director of the Tribeca Film Festival on the eve of its eighth edition and his seventh. The move, announced in a concise press release Friday morning, is effective immediately. It follows news in...

'Addams' to join Rialto's family in '10.(Legit Bits)( March 2010 start date for Broadway's The Addams Family)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Producers of the tuner version of "The Addams Family" have targeted a March 2010 start date for Broadway, with an opening in April. The website for the developing musical lists March 5 for the first Gotham preview and April 8 for the...

Alice Ripley ("Next to Normal") will topline an industry reading of "Cutman, a Boxing Musical.".(Legit Bits)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Alice Ripley ("Next to Normal") will topline an industry reading of "Cutman, a Boxing Musical." Show about a Jewish boxer has previously been seen in a reading that was part of the 2007 New York Musical Theater Festival. Drew Brody...

Young sticks up for scribes' strike.(David Young supports Screen Actors Guild's strike)
March 2, 2009... WGA West exec director David Young has issued a strong defense of the writers strike and gone on record as supporting SAG's demand that its next contract end in 2011, not 2012. "There is a concerted effort under way by the AMPTP and some...

Warner France chief exits.(Warner Bros. France's Francis Boespflug )(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Francis Boespflug is leaving his post as managing director of production and distribution for Warner Bros. France. Boespflug, who had been with the company for 12 years, cited personal reasons for his ankling. During his tenure, he...

Kaspar Hauser: A Foundling's Opera.(Theater review)
March 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Flea Theater; 74 seats; $25 top) A Flea Theater presentation of a musical in one act by Elizabeth Swados and Erin Courtney, with music and lyrics by Swados. Directed by Swados. Musical direction, Kris Kukul....

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.(Movie review)
March 2, 2009... A 20th Century Fox release of a Hyde Park Entertainment, Capcom presentation, in association with AdLabs Films, of an Ashok Amritraj/Capcom production. Produced by Amritraj, Patrick Aiello. Executive producers, Haruhiro Tsujimoto, Keiji...

Paul Harvey.(Obituaries)
March 2, 2009... Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talkradio pioneer whose staccato style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90. Harvey died at a hospital in Phoenix,...

Ed Cotter.(Obituaries)(Obituary)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Actor, director and TV editor Ed Cotter, who won an Emmy for editing "Happy Days," died Feb. 16 in Torrance, Calif. He was 80. Cotter edited "Happy Days" for more than nine years, winning his Emmy in 1978 for the episode "Richie Almost...

Howard Zieff.(Obituaries)(Obituary)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Howard Zieff, who helmed the features "Private Benjamin" and "Unfaithfully Yours," died Feb. 22 in Los Angeles of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 81. Known for his keen sense of comic timing and eye for detail, Zieff was...

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd.(Theater review)
March 2, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Mint Theater Company; 100 seats; $55 top) A Mint Theater presentation of a play in two acts by D.H. Lawrence. Directed by Stuart Howard. Set, Marion Williams; costumes, Martha Hally; lighting, Jeff Nellis;...

'Push' pulled from new fest.
March 2, 2009... "Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire" has bowed out of its planned closing-night berth at the New Directors/New Films fest in Gotham. Lincoln Center's tony fest, which highlights emerging talent culled from Sundance, Toronto and...

Kushner's 'Guide' draws trio.(Legit Bits)(Tony Kushner's The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures)(Brief article)
March 2, 2009... Two alums of "Angels in America" and one from "Homebody/Kabul" will star in the world preem of "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures" a new play by "Angels" and "Homebody" scribe Tony...

Media migraine: biz socked in stock drops.
March 3, 2009... As a fresh setback Monday sent major indices plunging to mid-1990s levels, media companies generally kept pace with the market. As the Dow fell another 4%--the lowest it's been since 1997 and less than half its all-time high above 14,000...

'Sleepless' aims to wake up B'way.
March 3, 2009... Those behind a developing tuner version of "Sleepless in Seattle" hope to wake up Broadway in 2010. Composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse ("Stop the World--I Want to Get Off") and book writer Jeff Arch, who penned the story and co-wrote the...

N.Y. biz rallies for tax credits.
March 3, 2009... Thesps, crew members, studio facility owners and other Gotham showbiz players braved the snowstorm that blanketed the city on Monday to publicly urge Gov. David Paterson to save the state's production tax incentive program. Bizzers held...

Helmer's 'Sea' worthy.
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Director Edward Zwick has hooked a whale of a tale for his likely next film. New Regency has set the helmer to direct "In the Heart of the Sea," the fact-based tale of Nantucket whaling ship the Essex, which was...

Stars stir small talk.
March 3, 2009... Alexander Payne is putting the finishing touches on the social satire Downsizing," a script about miniature people, and has put to, a big, name cast. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Paul Giamatti, Sacha Baron Cohen and Reese Witherspoon have...

Heiress buys into H'wood.
March 3, 2009... Wal-Mart heiress Christy Walton will finance and exec produce her first feature film, an adaptation of the Rudolfo Anaya novel "Bless Me, Ultima." Carl Franklin is set to write and direct the pic, and Monkey Hill Films' Sarah DiLeo will...

Hollywood heads to Tehran.(VARIETY.COM)
March 3, 2009... Iranian media are making a big deal out of a cultural exchange visit by AMPAS prexy Sid Ganis and an entertainment biz delegation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

'Brothers' smothers: skein tops on its own.('Brothers and Sisters')
March 3, 2009... In the shadow of "Desperate Housewives" for its entire run, ABC sudser "Brothers and Sisters" proved it could stand on its own Sunday, locking up winning numbers with a special two-hour installment. Sunday also showed there's still plenty...

Lionsgate nabs TV Guide.(Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and TV Guide Network Inc.)
March 3, 2009... Lionsgate has been handed the keys and the deed to cabler TV Guide Network and the TV Guide Online biz after closing its $255 million purchase from Macrovision. Lionsgate pounced on the cabler in December, cutting a stealth deal with...

Doc to turn lens on Kramer.(Stanley Kramer)(Brief article)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shoreline Entertainment will produce a feature-length documentary about producer-director Stanley Kramer in collaboration with his widow, Karen Sharpe Kramer, who's exec producing. Kramer's films, which received...

Woody works with Tribeca.
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The eighth Tribeca Film Festival will open April 22 with Woody Allen's "Whatever Works." The pic reps a return to Gotham for Allen, who'd shot and set his last four films in Spain and the U.K. That makes it a...

Don't talk about yourself; it will be done when you leave," said Wilson Mizner.(Brief article)
March 3, 2009... DON'T TALK ABOUT YOURSELF; IT WILL BE DONE when you leave," said Wilson Mizner. Well, I'm not "leaving" my spot here writing this column, so maybe it's all right if I say a few words about what happened in the past few days. I have decided it...

I have had many emails from people expressing love, concern and thoughts about the future of news--TV, print and Web journalism.
March 3, 2009... I HAVE HAD MANY EMAILS FROM people expressing love, concern and thoughts about the future of news--TV, print and Web journalism. One phone call I had the other day was from Carol Burnett who said, "Liz, I think you have fallen a step up in...

Divorced! You and I have both been divorced!" Said the widow, Patricia Schoenfeld, to me this week.
March 3, 2009... DIVORCED! YOU AND I HAVE BOTH BEEN DIVORCED!" said the widow, Patricia Schoenfeld, to me this week. Only days ago I was describing Mrs. Schoenfeld as looking smart and snappy when she came onstage at the Majestic Theater at the end of her...

Henry V.(Theater review)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (New Victory Theater; 499 seats; $35 top) A New Victory presentation of an Acting Company/Guthrie Theater production of a play in two acts by William Shakespeare. Directed by Davis McCallum. Set, Neil Patel;...

Lookingglass spies trio.(Legit Bits)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Three world premieres will comprise the upcoming season for Chicago's Lookingglass Theater. Two of the plays are based on ancient myths and one--co-written and directed by David Schwimmer--takes on the potential...

'West Side' whammo: boffo previews for tuner.
March 3, 2009... Well, hello, "West Side Story." The revival of the beloved 1957 tuner exploded onto Broadway last week, grossing a boffo $1,042,713 for its first seven preview perfs. Box office for the enduring title, which played to 96% capacity...

Dangerous.(Theater review)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Caldwell Theater, Boca Raton, Fla.; 333 seats; $42 top) A Caldwell presentation of a play in two acts by Michael McKeever. Directed by Clive Cholerton. Sets/technical direction, Tim Bennett; costumes, Alberto...

Broadway top 10: Feb. 23-March 1.
March 3, 2009... Broadway Top 10: Feb. 23-March 1 Week's Show Net Receipts (Theater)(Prod. Category) Potential Prev Week's $Change (Seats) Net Receipts Net Receipts...

Film box office wrap: for the weekend of Feb. 27 - March 1.
March 3, 2009... Weekend at the B.O. $111.7 million Feb. 28 - March 1, 2009 +15% -22% vs. last year vs. last weekend Screen scene The weekend's top 10 engagements: Theater, city (circuit) ...

Stephen Daldry will helm a reading of a solo show written and performed by David Hare at London's Royal Court Theater this month.(Legit Bits)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stephen Daldry will helm a reading of a solo show written and performed by David Hare at London's Royal Court Theater this month. The 40-minute "Wall" examines the 486-mile barrier that will be erected between...

The stage version of "High School Musical 2" gets a term abroad later this year, with the legit adaptation of the Disney Channel telepic opening in London in the summer and going on to a U.K. tour.(Legit Bits)
March 3, 2009... The stage version of "High School Musical 2" gets a term abroad later this year, with the legit adaptation of the Disney Channel telepic opening in London in the summer and going on to a U.K. tour. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeff Calhoun,...

Robin Williams will play three more perfs on Broadway this spring, with additional nights of his solo act "Weapons of Self-Destruction," announced to accommodate strong demand.(Legit Bits)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Robin Williams will play three more perfs on Broadway this spring, with additional nights of his solo act, "Weapons of Self-Destruction," announced to accommodate strong demand. The originally announced perfs,...

Star sightings: H'w'd steps out for bows, benefits and Broadway.(V)
March 3, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas are ready for action as they arrive at the Disney premiere of "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gwyneth...

Emmy gets an i-Full: showtime screeners go to iPhone, iPod.
March 4, 2009... After leading the charge to put Emmy screeners online, Showtime will show off its wares to TV Academy voters this year on both the iPhone and the iPodTouch. Emmy voters with the Apple mobile devices will be able to screen full episodes of...

Lorre laffers locked up long term.
March 4, 2009... CBS is about to lock up its Monday-night comedy tentpoles for several more years. An excited Chuck Lorre let it slip a bit prematurely, informing his staff Monday that "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory" were about to get...

TW push for on-demand.
March 4, 2009... The cable biz is starting to feel the heat from viewers who want free online access to top shows. Time Warner chief exec Jeffrey Bewkes is talking up an ambitious plan, dubbed TV Everywhere, that would give viewers that free on-demand...

Ignition on DeLorean bio.
March 4, 2009... David Permut is getting into gear on a biopic of maverick auto exec John Z. DeLorean, with Steve Lee Jones also producing through his Bee Holder Prods. Jones has secured life rights from the late DeLorean's longtime attorney, Mayer...

Plexes get kid faves.
March 4, 2009... Hit Entertainment, the kidvid mainstay known for Tomas the Tank Engine," "Barney and Friends" and "Bob the Builder," has launched a movie division. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hit Movies is starting with adaptations of the company's TV...

Cabler back to 'School'.
March 4, 2009... The fourth installment of "High School Musical" will return the franchise back to where it started: the Disney Channel. Featuring a new cast, the "High School Musical 4" telepic is skedded to begin production later this year and premiere on...

Hoops on demand.(VARIETY.COM)
March 4, 2009... CBS is making its NCAA basketball tourney coverage widely available on the Web. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Variety.com/technotainment

Sports woes provide insight for showbiz.
March 4, 2009... SETTING ASIDE THE SCREEN Actors Guild negotiations, those wanting to preview the near future that awaits Hollywood talent should probably begin reading the sports section. Analogies between the sports leagues and showbiz aren't always...

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.(Television program review)
March 4, 2009... (Series; NBC, Tue. March 3, 12:37 a.m.) Produced by Broadway Video Entertainment in association with Universal Media Studios. Executive producer, Lorne Michaels; producer, Michael Shoemaker; co-producer, Gavin Purcell; director, Dave...

New kid draws crowd.
March 4, 2009... Talkshow host Jimmy Fallon is off to a solid start. "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" won its 12:37 a.m. timeslot with a 2.3 rating/8 share among metered-market households, giving the Peacock its best Monday rating in the hour since 2006. ...

The Savannah Disputation.(Theater review)
March 4, 2009... (Playwrights Horizons; 199 seats; $65 top) A Playwrights Horizons presentation of a play in one act by Evan Smith. Directed by Walter Bobbie. Set, John Lee Beatty; costumes, David C. Woolard; lighting, Kenneth Posner; sound, Tony Meola;...

Tales of an Urban Indian.(Theater review)
March 4, 2009... (Public Theater/Shiva; 99 seats; $10 top) A Public Theater presentation, in association with Native Voices at the Autry, of a solo show in one act written and performed by Darrell Dennis. Directed by Herbie Barnes. Set, Beowulf Borritt;...

Center set for 'Golden' preem.(LEGIT)(John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts)('Golden Age')(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... Three plays by Terrence McNally, including one world preem, and Cate Blanchett as Blanche DuBois are among the offerings of the 2009-10 season at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The three McNally outings--including his latest play,...

Shiner at work for Cirque.(Legit Bits)(David Shiner )(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] David Shiner ("Fool Moon") is at work on a new Cirque du Soleil show, rumored to be trying out in Chicago later this year before it heads to Gotham for a multiple-mouth run at the Beacon Theater. New stage...

After putting a fresh directorial stamp on two American classics this season with lauded productions of "The Glass Menagerie" and "Our Town".(theatrical director David Cromer)(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... After putting a fresh directorial stamp on two American classics this season with lauded productions of "The Glass Menagerie" and "Our Town," fast-rising Chicago helmer David Cromer will return to the Tennessee Williams canon next season with a...

Fox fillets its foes: eclectic boosts demo dominance.
March 4, 2009... Fox made it look easy in primetime last week, routing its rivals in key demos behind "American Idol," "House" and another Sunday surge from NASCAR. As "American Idol" entered the elimination rounds, the show crushed everything in its path....

Obama set FCC nom.
March 4, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's finally official: President Obama has nommed Julius Genachowski to serve as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (Daily Variety, Jan. 14). In formally confirming Genachowski's nom, which was...

'Lymelife' lights Gen Art fest.(GOTHAM FILM CLIPS)
March 4, 2009... The Gen Art Film Festival has announced the slate for its 14th annual edition. Running April 1-7, the fest will feature new movies starring Paul Dano, Alec Baldwin and Cynthia Nixon, among others. The fest's feature lineup includes: ...

Cast clocks '11 Minutes' for indie pic.
March 4, 2009... Alice Braga, Mickey Rourke and Vincent Cassel are set to star in "11 Minutes," an adaptation of the steamy Paulo Coehlo novel that will be directed by Hany Abu-Assad. Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari is producing, with Craig J. Flores and...

MPAA to cut budget, staff.
March 4, 2009... The dire economy has hit even the industry's chief lobbying arm, the Motion Picture Assn. of America, which has been forced to scale back in budget and employees. MPAA chairman Dan Glickman said the org faced cuts of 15% to 20% of its...

Third 'Narnia' in winter slot.('The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader')(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media will release "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" on Dec. 10, 2010. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Move means "Narnia" will once again be a winter franchise. Fox recently partnered...

'Medieval' to New Regency.
March 4, 2009... New Regency has purchased Alex Litvak and Michael Finch's high-concept spec "Medieval." Sources peg the sale at $800,000 against $1.6 million. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but project is described as a hyper-realistic action...

Ashes to Ashes.(Television program review)
March 4, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Series; BBC America, Saturday, March 7, 9 p.m.) Filmed in the U.K. by Kudos Film and Television in association with Monastic Prods. Executive producers, Jane Featherstone, Simon Crawford Collins, Matthew Graham;...

La Sonnambula.(Theater review)
March 4, 2009... (Metropolitan Opera, 3,800 seats, $320 top) A Metropolitan Opera presentation of an opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini and Felice Romani. Directed by Mary Zimmerman. Conductor, Evelino Pido. Sets, Daniel Ostling; costumes, Mara...

Nielsen primetime ratings report.(television programs)(Statistical table)
March 4, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TOP SHOWS IN 18-49 1. American Idol-Wed. (Fox) 9.1/23 2. American Idol-Thu. (Fox) 7.1/19 3. House (Fox) 5.5/15 4. Lost (ABC) 4.4/11 5....

BBC defends 'EastEnders'.(World News)(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The BBC has received 239 complaints about the Feb. 24 episode of flagship soap "EastEnders" on BBC1 that starred an all-black cast for the first time. In it Patrick Trueman (played by Rudolph Walker) recalled his...

Spain loves 'Life': U series draws big aud for Telecinco.(World News)(Universal Media Studios )(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... Universal Media Studios cop drama "Life" is off to a better start in Spain than any Hollywood television series this season. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Airing Mondays on broadcaster Telecinco since mid-February, "Life" has consistently won...

Pricey soccer deals bite ITV, Setanta.(World News)
March 4, 2009... Commercial broadcaster ITV and Irish-based sports channel operator Setanta are attempting to renegotiate the terms of sports contracts worth 425 million [pounds sterling] ($597 million). Both cash-strapped companies are seeking to...

Mediaset in telco pact for Alice TV.(World News)
March 4, 2009... Italo Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset is entering the IPTV arena by patting with Telecom Italia to launch premium content on the telco's Alice Home TV. Two Mediaset packages will debut today on Alice. One comprises Hollywood...

Beeb's drama chief heads to L.A.(World News)(Julie Gardner)(Brief article)
March 4, 2009... LONDON -- The U.K. drama topper behind the successful revival of "Doctor Who" will move to Los Angeles to work alongside Jane Tranter. BBC Worldwide America exec VP of programming and production. Julie Gardner, formerly head of drama at BBC...

Showbiz stocks: Tuesday, March 3, 2009.
March 4, 2009... Showbiz Stock Tuesday, March 3, 2009 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AccessIT CIDM ... .47 -.02 28.1...