Multichannel News articles from January 2011

Multichannel News archives from January 2011

Up next: Comcast-NBCU synergies: with deal done, promotional effort takes shape.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(NBC Universal Inc.)
January 31, 2011... AS COMCAST OFFICIALLY takes control of NBC Universal from General Electric, plenty of synergies lie ahead on the programming, operational and technological fronts for the joint venture. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The first for the new entity,...

Roberts, Burke hold 'town meeting'.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brian Roberts)(Steve Burke)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and incoming NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke moved to reassure NBCU staffers that they want the company to be the kind of company where they'll want to work. In a town-hall meeting Thursday, Roberts told NBCU staffers,...

TWC delivers strong Q4: cable MSO increases dividend by 20%.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Time Warner Cable Inc. revenue report)(multiple system operator)(Financial report)
January 31, 2011... TIME WARNER CABLE'S VOW TO RETURN profits to shareholders got another boost last week, after the nation's second-largest MSO said it would increase its quarterly dividend by 20%. The move comes after the cable operator said it had committed more...

Networks waiting in Canoe's queue.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Canoe Ventures)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... CANOE VENTURES HAS YET TO FULLY enable Discovery Channel and NBC Universal's Bravo and USA Network to execute interactive request for information ads--but the networks will be going live with the RFI capability within the next 90 days, along...

Were House leaders mining 'Gold' with ads on hearing Webcast? (No.).(THROUGH The Wire)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... IT SURE SEEMED LIKE THE HOUSE Energy & Commerce Committee was putting some "commerce" into a hearing Webcast last week. After the oversight investigations subcommittee hearing last Wednesday (Jan. 26), the stream switched to Discovery...

Syfy pops buttons for Tiffany, Debbie at movie premiere.(THROUGH The Wire)(Debbie Gibson)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... In the '80s, teen pop-music stars Tiffany and Debbie Gibson competed for spots on the Billboard charts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last Monday (Jan. 24), they vied for the affections of guests at Syfy's New York City premiere of Saturday-night...

Michael Trucco, in 'Fairly Legal,' is fully human.(THROUGH The Wire)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... "I liked the idea of playing a human being, for one." That was actor Michael Trucco, who played "Cylon" robot Samuel Anders in Syfy drama Battlestar Galactica. He was explaining why he signed on to play Justin Patrick, the love interest for...

FCC tweaks CableCard rules: IP interfaces now allowed in low-cost boxes.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Federal Communications Commission)(internet protocol)
January 31, 2011... Washington--If at first you don't quite succeed... The Federal Communications Commission last week issued a boatload of corrections and clarifications to its CableCard order from last October, including allowing operator-supplied, low-cost,...

Senate bill is Title II redux.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... WASHINGTON --Think of it as Title II, Capitol Hill style. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) last week was pushing a bill, the Internet Freedom, Broadband Promotion and Consumer Protection Act of 2011, that would create a...

MSNBC juggles post-Olbermann lineup.(BEST OF MULTICHANNEL.COM)(MSNBC Cable Network)(Keith Olbermann)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... New York -- Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's best-known anchor and lightning rod, telecast his final show on the network on Jan. 21, moving other anchors he helped groom into more prominent primetime roles. Last Monday (Jan. 24), The Last Word With...

FCC: throw out Verizon, MetroPCS suits.(BEST OF MULTICHANNEL.COM)(Federal Communications Commission)(Verizon Communications Inc.)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Washington -- The Federal Communications Commission has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject the challenges to its network-neutrality rules by Verizon Communications and MetroPCS, saying both were premature. Wireless...

Records fall for History's reality duo.(BEST OF MULTICHANNEL.COM)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
January 31, 2011... New York -- Pawn Stars and American Pickers found audience treasure on History Monday night (Jan. 24), with each reality show securing audience records and leading the network to cable's best ratings performance for the evening. Pawn Stars,...

Starz brings 2.8m to 'Spartacus' prequel.(BEST OF MULTICHANNEL.COM)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
January 31, 2011... Englewood, Colo. -- Almost 3 million entered the arena for Starz's prequel to its Spartacus franchise. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena collected some 2.8 million viewers over airings from Jan. 21-23, according to Nielsen data. The Jan. 21...

C-SPAN's Mike Michaelson dies at 86.(BEST OF MULTICHANNEL.COM)(Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Washington -- Mike Michaelson, an early leader at C-SPAN, died at age 86, the public-affairs network said. Michaelson was C-SPAN's first executive vice president, from 1981 to 1993. He had spent three decades in Congress, eventually as...

The Netflix niche: despite subscriber explosion, upstart can't quite conquer cable.(Cover story)
January 31, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Netflix helped drive Blockbuster to its doom. Is the pay television industry next? The short answer is "probably not." The rapid rise of Netflix is undeniably astounding. The company added 3.1 million subscribers...

Speed veers into reality: primetime slate designed to appeal to casual car fan.(CONTENT)(Speed Channel Inc.)
January 31, 2011... Speed will celebrate its 15th anniversary by revving up its weekly primetime lineup in February with motor sports-themed reality series programming. While the Fox Sports Media Group-owned network will keep live coverage of NASCAR, Formula...

Showtime wants a Pacquiao knockout.(CONTENT)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Boxing promoter Top Rank hopes a one-two marketing and distribution punch for Showtime and broadcast-network sibling CBS will help generate close to 2 million pay-per-view buys for the May 7 Manny Pacquiao-"Sugar" Shane Mosley match, Top Rank...

Summer bummer on neutrality: FCC's net regs coming no sooner than June.(RULES)(Federal Communications Commission)
January 31, 2011... Washington -- Cable operators and telephone and satellite companies have fretted about the Federal Communications Commission's network-neutrality rules getting caught up in the courts, due to lawsuits filed by telco Verizon Communications and...

Cablers push FCC for broadband roaming.(RULES)(Federal Communications Commission)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Washington -- Looking to boost the mobile-phone service portion of their quadruple-play offerings, a pair of cable operators is pushing the Federal Communications Commission to extend its voice-roaming obligations to mobile broadband. ...

Free frame.
January 31, 2011... Charlie Sheen (r.) made an impromptu appearance with Drew Carey at a taping of the new GSN series Drew Carey's Improv-a-ganza. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At Sundance Channel's "Big Decision Maker" screening of Brick City in Park City, Utah (l....

BBC News.(PEOPLE)(British Broadcasting Corp. BBC News appoints Brian Gottlieb )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Brian Gottlieb was named senior White House producer for BBC News, based in Washington. He had been a producer on BBC America's BBC World News America.

Cox.(PEOPLE)(Cox Communications Inc. appoints Jonathan Freeland )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Cox Communications has named Jonathan Freeland its new vice president, marketing, for Cox Virginia, based in Hampton Roads, Va. He had been VP, marketing, at Cox Kansas/Arkansas. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Current.(PEOPLE)(Current Media Inc. appoints Jeanne Meyer )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Current Media has named Jeanne Meyer executive vice president, corporate communications. She comes from EMI, where she was senior VP, corporate communications, Americas. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Documentary Channnel.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Robert Edney and Jay Kelley )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Robert Edney has joined Nashville, Tenn.-based Documentary Channel as vice president, advertising sales. He comes from WNET in New York, where he was the public broadcaster's director, national corporate sponsorships. Also, Jay Kelley was...

Gravity.(PEOPLE)(Gravity's Commercials Group appoints Bob Samuel )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Bob Samuel was named chief marketing officer and executive producer of New York-based Gravity's Commercials Group. He comes from Core LLC, where he was managing director.

The Hub.(PEOPLE)(appointment of J.P. Shields)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... J.P. Shields has joined The Hub as director, communications and publicity. He comes from Bender/Helper Impact, where he was an account manager in the public-relations firm's New York office.

Fox Networks.(PEOPLE)(Fox Entertainment Group Inc. Fox Networks Group)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Fox Networks has advanced Jamia Bigalow to senior vice president, affiliate marketing. She had formerly worked as VP, affiliate marketing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

SPT.(PEOPLE)(Sony Pictures Television appoints Mark Rodriguez )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mark Rodriguez was promoted to vice president, U.S. cable sales at Sony Pictures Television. He was an account executive, cable sales.

TBS/TNT.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Ron Binkowski )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Ron Binkowski has joined TBS and TNT as vice president, post-production, based in Los Angeles. He had been a producer on the CBS series The Good Wife.

TV Land.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Kim Rosenblum and Jaclyn Rann Cohen )(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... TV Land has elevated Kim Rosenblum to executive vice president, marketing and creative. She had been senior VP, marketing and creative. Also, Jaclyn Rann Cohen was promoted to executive vice president, program strategy and acquisitions, from...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 31, 2011... For more listings, visit, multichannel.com/event. FEB. 7-9 Arizona-New Mexico Cable Communications Association, 2011 Annual Meeting, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact: Susan Bitter Smith, (602) 9554122 or info@azcable.org. ...

Dauman, Dooley strike it rich at Viacom: pay doubled in 2010 in salary options, awards.(FINANCE)(Philippe Dauman)(Tom Dooley)
January 31, 2011... Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and chief operating officer Tom Dooley struck pay dirt in 2010, more than doubling their compensation in the first nine months of the year, on the heels of a ratings resurgence at the cable networks and a big bump in...

Clement joins AutoTrader.(FOR THE RECORD)(Dallas Clement)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Atlanta -- Former Cox Communications executive vice president and chief strategy officer Dallas Clement has joined AutoTrader.com, an online and software company majority owned by Cox Enterprises. Clement, who had been with the Atlanta-based...

Malone to buy Maine acreage.(FOR THE RECORD)(John Malone)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Bangor, Maine -- Media mogul John Malone is set to purchase more than 900,000 acres of Maine forest land, according to published reports. The deal, with BBC Land LLC, involves forest lands in eastern and western Maine owned by GMO Renewable...

Charter does TiVo box trot: operator picks DVR firm to bring internet service to the TV.(PLATFORMS)(Charter Communications)
January 31, 2011... Charter Communications --snubbing cable's traditional tech vendors--will rely on TiVo to help it move into a future that merges traditional cable TV with Internet-delivered content and apps. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Under the multiyear deal,...

Cablevision rolls RS-DVR in Bronx.(PLATFORMS)(Cablevision Systems Corp.)(dgital video recorders)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Cablevision Systems is no longer offering conventional digital recorder set-tops to Bronx, N.Y., subscribers, following the Jan. 18 launch of the network-based Remote Storage DVR in the service area. The service--DVR Plus--is priced at $10.95...

Telcos take TV share: AT&T, Verizon also notch broadband gains.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Verizon Communications Inc.)(Financial report)
January 31, 2011... Cord-cutting clearly is not a huge concern for the two biggest U.S. telcos --which continue to lure away thousands of cable-TV customers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AT&T and Verizon Communications netted a combined 428,000 video...

History worth celebrating.(PICTURE THIS)
January 31, 2011... As the country takes time in February to recognize and celebrate Black History Month, several scripted series featuring predominantly African-American casts are creating their own history within the cable industry. BET this month successfully...

Tuned in.(VIEWPOINT)(Cartoon)
January 31, 2011... THERE'S NO NEWS, SPORTS, WEATHER, LOCAL TV OR HBO... OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S JUST LIKE CABLE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A broadband 'Sputnik moment'.(ACCESS)
January 31, 2011... President Obama has said our generation's Sputnik moment is upon us. He likened our recent economic setbacks to a key moment in October 1957, when Americans saw our scientific leadership in the world fall from first to second as a small beeping...

Less in 'Skins' Jan. 26.(REYNOLDS' RAP)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... For all those who thought Tim Winter's antics would serve as a better lead-in than Snooki for MTV's original series Skins, you should have taken the Jersey Shore girl and the under. The way under. Winters, the Parents Television Council...

Women and TV weather jobs: the big freeze-out.(THIS WEEK ON: broadcastingcable.com)
January 31, 2011... Decades after the heyday of the "weather bunny," local TV weather is still a man's world.

Fox keeps its winning super bowl game plan.(THIS WEEK ON: broadcastingcable.com)(Fox Broadcasting Co.)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... Network adding slo-mo cameras and pregame coverage, but production to change little from '08.

Numbers.(COMMUNITY)(Brief article)
January 31, 2011... 50% Number of U.S. homes with a digital video recorder by 2016, up from 32% at the end of Q3 2010. SOURCE: Magna Global projections, Jan. 27

ESPN hooks Texas Longhorns Network: Big 12 rival Oklahoma might be next to test the waters.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
January 24, 2011... SOON THE EYES OF TEXAS WILL BE UPON ESPN's affiliate team. There will also be other interested observers throughout the media and distribution communities, as the sports giant announced last week that it will kick off a network dedicated to...

Verizon tests the FCC on network neutrality: Telco is first ISP to challenge agency's web-traffic regime.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Verizon Communications Inc.)(Federal Communications Commission)
January 24, 2011... Washington -- It was legal deja vu all over again on the network-neutrality front last week as a major Internet-service provider challenged the Federal Communications Commission's authority to regulate how network operators manage the flow of...

House hearings to probe FCC 'abuse of authority'.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Federal Communications Commission)
January 24, 2011... Washington -- Nullifying the Federal Communications Commission's network-neutrality rules is high on the communications and technology agenda of the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee, according to...

Comcast needs an ombudsman: the wire has some suggestions.(THROUGH The Wire)(NBC Universal Inc.)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... COMCAST AND NBC UNIVERSAL'S MERGER APPLICATIONS contained more pledges and promises than a Boy Scout induction ceremony. (See Cover Story, page 6.) A late-breaking Comcast commitment was to name an ombudsman within 30 days to oversee...

DIY's Tony Siragusa gets wax 'Man Cave' at Madame Tussauds.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
January 24, 2011... Andy Singer, the general manager at Scripps Networks-owned DIY, considers his network "the ESPN of home improvement." Case in point: One of its more popular shows, Man Caves, co-stars former National Football League lineman and Fox NFL...

IFC's Evan Shapiro: our 'Onion' show is built to last.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Independent Film Channel and The Onion News Network )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Evan Shapiro, president of Rainbow Media's IFC tv and Sundance Channel, said it took 18 months to persuade The Onion CEO Steve Hannah to transform The Onion News Network from an online hit to the IFC half-hour comedy that debuted Jan. 21. The...

Matt Blank bridges Boxing's big divide, uniting King, Arum.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... New York -- Showtime Networks chairman and CEO Matt Blank and veteran boxing promoters Don King and Bob Arum went back to the future, appearing together on Jan. 19 to promote the March 12 pay-per-view fight between super-welterweights Miguel...

What next? How the Comcast-NBCU deal will shape cable TV.(Cover story)
January 24, 2011... Washington -- The Peacock has landed. After nearly a year of vetting by the Federal Communications Commission, the Justice Department and Congress, the deal to put Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator and broadband provider, in...

Cox's new game plan: MSO realigns management ranks as it pushes strategic initiatives.(OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT: COX COMMUNICATIONS)
January 24, 2011... IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF 2011, COX Communications made two key changes at the top of its org chart--and more changes are in store for the operator's senior-management lineup this year. Cox announced it would consolidate from 11 operating...

Instant 'Karma' for Comcast subs: current TV series gives MSO's viewers script control.(CONTENT)
January 24, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CURRENT TV WILL GIVE COMCAST SUBSCRIBERS an early look at its first long-form scripted series, Bar Karma, as part of a marketing partnership with the MSO. The unique interactive series, in which viewers will have the...

DIY gets busy with how-to series.(CONTENT)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... DIY NETWORK HOPES TO BUILD ON ITS POSITIVE 2010 primetime ratings performance with a series of new reality how-to shows set to launch this year. The Scripps Networks-owned outlet in February will bow Family Under Construction, which follows...

TV One takes a longer look back.(CONTENT)
January 24, 2011... TV ONE WILL REVIVE ITS "WAY BLACK WHEN" franchise with the Jan. 31 debut of a three-week special on African-American culture, with an eye toward creating late-night programming. The Way Black When Primetime special will showcase black pop...

The Eight Annual Brand Tartikoff Legacy Awards.(National Association of Television Program Executives)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Honorees to be feted at NATPE 2011 Market & Conference Jan. 25 in Miami In honor of the late programming executive Brandon Tartikoff, NATPE recognizes four figures in television each year with the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award....

Dick Ebersol: a special award for a good sport: NBC Universal Sports chief remains grounded despite Olympian achievements.
January 24, 2011... Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Univeral Sports & Olympics, has won innumerable awards during a 44-year career in which he helped bring the Olympics to new heights, created a dominant primetime franchise in Sunday Night Football and launched...

Mary Hart: a stellar career as television's consummate host: remaining enthused and grateful through 30 seasons of entertainment tonight.
January 24, 2011... As she wraps up nearly 30 years as host of the iconic entertainment news program Entertainment Tonight, Mary Hart continues to make news herself as she accepts a most deserving Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award at this year's annual NATPE...

Regis Philbin: going out on top: as the host with a talent for storytelling prepares to step away, his 'everyman' persona remains.
January 24, 2011... Regis Philbin never had the pleasure of knowing the late Brandon Tartikoff personally, but like so many in the television business, marvels at his reputation. "He was one of our guys who was a legend while he was still alive," Philbin says. ...

Gerhard Zeiler: passionate about programming: unmatched enthusiasm fuels the first-ever Tartikoff Awards honoree from outside the U.S.(RTL Group S.A.)
January 24, 2011... Ask longtime friends and associates about RTL Group CEO Gerhard Zeiler and they invariably mention his success running Europe's largest broadcaster, a massive regional operation that includes 40 TV channels and 32 radio stations in 10 countries....

Freeze frame.
January 24, 2011... At IFC's TCA Tour presentation in Pasadena, Calif. (l. to r.): SVP, original programming Debbie DeMontreux; Jonathan Krisel, director, Portlandia; EVP and GM Jennifer Caserta Priore; IFC/Sundance Channel president Evan Shapiro; Portlandia's...

The Cable Center.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Lela Cocoros )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Lela Cocoros has been named vice president, corporate and constituent relations, at The Cable Center in Denver. She had been a consultant to the facility. Also, Jennifer Stamm was upped to marketing director from marketing manager.

CommScope.(PEOPLE)(promotion of Marvin S. Edwards )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... CommScope has elevated Marvin S. "Eddie" Edwards to president and CEO. He had been president and chief operating officer. Former CEO and CommScope founder Frank M. Drendel will remain with the firm as chairman of the board. [ILLUSTRATION...

CSN Mid-Atlantic.(PEOPLE)(Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic appoints Jennifer X. Williams )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Jennifer X. Williams has joined Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic as a digital media producer for CSN-Washington.com and CSNBaltimore.com. She comes from ESPN, where she was an associate producer for ESPN.com.

Disney Junior.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Joe D'Ambrosia )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Joe D'Ambrosia was named vice president, programming at Disney Junior. A veteran children's TV producer, he has worked at Murray Hill 5 Productions, Nickelodeon and Sony Pictures Family Entertainment. DID YOU KNOW? Joe D'Ambrosia launched...

Grass Valley.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Alain Andreoli)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Alain Andreoli was named president and CEO of Grass Valley. He had been an operating partner at Francisco Partners, which recently acquired Grass Valley. Also, Jeff Rosica has joined the company as executive vice president, chief sales and...

Harmonic.(PEOPLE)(promotion of Mark Carrington )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... San Jose, Calif.-based technology vendor Harmonic has upped Mark Carrington to vice president, worldwide sales. He had been VP, sales, for the Harmonic-branded products.

Haivision.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Richard Brice )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... End-to-end IP video and digital-signage solutions provider Haivision has named Richard Brice as vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa. He comes from Miranda Technologies, where he was senior VP, U.S. sales.

Nevion.(PEOPLE)(appointment of Leonardo Emilio Ganan )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Video-transport solutions provider Nevion has named Leonardo Emilio Ganan as sales manager, Latin America and the Caribbean. He had been regional sales director for Thomson Grass Valley.

Sundance.(PEOPLE)(Sundance Channel L.L.C. appoints Marco Bresaz )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marco Bresaz was tapped as vice president, original programming and development at Sundance Channel. He comes from TV Land, where he was VP, original programming and development.

T-VIPS America.(PEOPLE)(appointment of John McCluskey)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John McCluskey has joined T-VIPS America as director, Western regional sales. He comes from Miranda Technologies, where he was director, Western regional sales.

WE TV.(Deirdre O'Hearn appointed WE TV as vice president)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Deirdre O'Hearn has joined WE TV and Wedding Central as vice president, development and talent. She comes from Darlow Smithshon Productions, where she was VP in charge of the New York office.

Weather.(Indira R. Venkat appointed The Weather Channel Cos. as senior vice president)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... Indira R. Venkat has joined The Weather Channel Cos. as senior vice president, research. She comes from Discovery Communications, where she was VP, research and planning.

USA Network.(PEOPLE)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Los Angeles-based Andrea Epstein and New York-based Kristin Schulman were promoted to vice president, publicity at USA Network. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DID YOU...

Calendar.(PEOPLE)(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
January 24, 2011... JAN. 24-26 National Association of Television Program Executives, 2011 NATPE Market & Conference, Fountainbleau Resort, Miami Beach, Fla. Visit: www.natpemarket.com. FEB. 7-9 Arizona-New Mexico Cable Communications Association, 2011...

Allen steps back from charter control: ex-chair converts his voting shares; bondholders gain two board seats.(FINANCE)
January 24, 2011... FORMER CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS CHAIRMAN Paul Allen has taken a further step back, reducing his voting stake in the St. Louis-based cable company to more closely align it with his economic interests. Allen, a Microsoft co-founder whose billions...

RBC Capital Markets tops M&A list.(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... DENVER -- RBC Capital Markets' Communications, Media and Entertainment Group, which includes cable and telecommunications investment banker RBC Daniels, said Wednesday that it completed nearly $48 billion in North American mergers, acquisitions...

Viacom names Bakish To International post.(Robert Bakish )(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... NEW YORK -- Viacom said last week that it has named former MTV Networks International president Robert Bakish to the newly created position of president and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks. In his new role, Bakish will oversee...

Ascent Media to hold special meeting on acquisition.(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... ENGLEWOOD, COLO. -- Ascent Media will hold a special meeting of shareholders on Feb. 24 in Santa Monica, Calif., to vote on the proposed sale of its Content Distribution Business to Encompass Digital Media for about $120 million. Ascent, a...

Will LTE fuzz up cable? British agency warns wireless tech can disrupt signals.(PLATFORMS)
January 24, 2011... THE NEXT-GENERATION WIRELESS-BROADBAND technology being widely deployed in the U.S. could be a headache for cable operators--even if a relatively small one. Testing performed in conjunction with Virgin Media, Britain's largest cable operator,...

BBC's iPlayer exec crosses pond to Intel.(Erik Huggers)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Intel has hired Erik Huggers, director of the BBC's Future Media & Technology division, as general manager of its Digital Home Group, which sells microprocessors for cable set-top boxes and consumer-electronics devices...

Arris test guns DOCSIS to 800 Mbps.(QUICK HITS)(Brief article)
January 24, 2011... SUWANEE, GA. -- Arris successfully tested a cable modem that delivers data at up to 800 Megabits per second--more than five times as fast as the speediest U.S. residential broadband available today--with South Korean telecom operator SK...

A reader's guide to 'the cable app'.(TRANSLATION PLEASE)
January 24, 2011... BY NOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY HEARD ENOUGH gadget giddiness from this year's International Consumer Electronics Show. We'll spare you a roundup and instead focus on perhaps the most promising thing to happen to cable at a CES, ever: the rebirth of the...