Video Age International articles from June 2008

Video Age International archives from June 2008

L.A. Screenings: present uncertain, future unsure.
June 1, 2008... This year, the U.S. TV network upfronts--the New York events that precede the U.S. studios Screenings in Los Angeles--began on Monday, May 12 in the midst of a rainstorm. Whether it s a sign of things to come remains to be seen. The fact is,...

Telenovelas continue reign at DISCOP.
June 1, 2008... The enduring popularity of telenovelas in Central and Eastern Europe will ensure that Latin soaps will again be a hot commodity at this year's DISCOP market, which has added the "East" moniker, considering that the DISCOP brand has now expanded...

Is there a future for program syndication?
June 1, 2008... Is there a future for international program syndication in view of VoD and other digital marvels? That might seem like a peculiar question, but it is not as outlandish as it might first appear. Increasingly, major content producers are...

What stops formats from being made: money, tech.
June 1, 2008... Formats, it seems are everywhere. But are there some that cannot be done? And have there been any great ideas that were too difficult or just too much before their time? If it is true that money makes the world go round, then, for quite...

Canada airs TV fees to PM ear.(World)
June 1, 2008... A fight between Canada's cable industry and two of its national TV networks has landed at the country's Prime Ministers office, with both sides pleading their cases directly to Stephen Harper. Canadian TV networks CTV and Global want to...

CNN sued for criticizing China.(World)
June 1, 2008... Time Warner Inc.'s CNN and one of its commentators, Jack Cafferty, have been sued for $1.3 billion by a Chinese citizen and a U.S. citizen who claim they were defamed by remarks that the TV net said were aimed at Chinas government. The...

Power PR firm launches Web TV.(World)
June 1, 2008... Up-and-coming media talents now have a chance to win major contracts, thanks to Edelman Studios, a new program created by powerful New York-based public relations firm, Edelman. On April 28, the company launched a branch that connects talented...

Sarkozy-ing French TV.(World)(president Nicolas Sarkozy)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... In January, French president Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans for what some are now calling a "French BBC" by banning advertising on public television. In fact, last summer, Sarkozy's advisor even visited the U.K. to study the BBC. Media...

German B'caster loses revenue.(World)
June 1, 2008... Germany's largest private broadcaster, ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, which runs the Sat 1 and Pro7 channels, reported the biggest decline in revenue in company history. In the first quarter of 2008, the value of the company's stock plummeted 28...

Singapore TV fined for gay show.(World)
June 1, 2008... In April, Singapore's Media Corp TV Channel 5 was fined for airing a show that featured a gay couple and their baby in a way that "promotes a gay lifestyle," according to the city-state's media regulator. The Media Development Authority...

Spike Lee, Nokia in mobile movie.(World)
June 1, 2008... Nokia is teaming up with U.S. director Spike Lee to create a short film made up of videos shot on mobile phones. The film will be a collage of three five-minute videos, all pertaining to the theme "humanity." Lee, who recently directed Inside...

L.A. welcome U.K.'s colonialists.(World)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Tinseltown honored its British population during the last week of April, with its annual Brit Week celebration. For the second year in a row, the festival paid tribute to the contributions of Hollywood transplants from the U.K. Sponsored mainly...

Regulators to bow to Murdoch?(World)
June 1, 2008... As he nears the completion of a deal to acquire Newsday from the Tribune Company, Rupert Murdoch seems poised to pose the first challenge to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) recently adopted media ownership rule. Even...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I enjoyed your article "Arrested Development" at MIP-TV. Excellent reading! Andrew Berman TMS Entertainment, Encino, CA I've been hoping to run into something similar to your magazine for years; detailed and professionally written...

Famous quotes.
June 1, 2008... "The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." Vidal Sassoon "TV has brought murder back into the home where it belongs." Alfred Hitchcock

Hollywood drama behind the 1930s production code.
June 1, 2008... HOLLYWOOD'S CENSOR Joseph I. Breen & The Production Code Administration [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Today, the Production Code that policed morality in motion pictures from 1930 to 1968 looks like plain old censorship. By modern...

Key acquisition executives.(L.A. SCREENINGS 2008)
June 1, 2008... ARGENTINA Artear: Walter Sequeira, Bernardette Del Mas Playboy: Ariel Taboada Telefe: Claudio Villaruel, Bernarda Llorente, Julian Rodriguez Montero AUSTRALIA Foxteh Stephen Baldwin, Jamie Campbell, Deb Darby, Duane...

Who's screening.(L.A. SCREENINGS 2008)
June 1, 2008... 20th Century Fox TV Distribution Fox Studios 10201 W. Pico Blvd., Beverly Hills Tel: (310) 369-8870 Adness Entertainment Intercontinental Hotel, Ste 914 Alebrije Entertainment Century Plaza Hotel, Ste 1711 ...

2008-09 season's new series.(L.A. SCREENINGS 2008)
June 1, 2008... By International Distribution Company CBS PARAMOUNT INT'L TV 90210 (CW) Production Team: Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah, Mark Piznarski Format: One-hour drama Contemporary spinoff of the Aaron Spelling classic. Harper's...

L.A. Screenings PhotoPlay.(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fireworks' Diana Zakis and Saralo MacGregor screening at their Santa Monica, CA office. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CCI Entertainment's Federico Vargas [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DIC Entertainment's Dan...

Craig Cegielski reveals the secrets of Lionsgate's success.(Questions & Answers)(Interview)(Company overview)
June 1, 2008... A library of approximately 12,000 motion picture titles and television episodes in just four years. This could be sufficient to introduce Lionsgate, an independent producer and distributor of quality filmed entertainment. But VideoAge wanted to...

Promax and licensing: so unhappy together.(New York, N.Y)
June 1, 2008... As for the past several years, this June, two New York television-related events will, once again, capture the attention of executives in the licensing, programming, marketing and promotions worlds. First comes the 28th annual Licensing...

Conferences & events news.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... HOTEL CANCELLATION PENALTIES In the convention trade, hotel cancellation penalties are dumped into an entry called "ancillary spending." But, in companies' wallets, they're known as "ouch!" In order to monetize everything that moves or...

My two cents.(on marketing trade shows)
June 1, 2008... Let's review the prerogatives of today's marketing executive: Go to work for the post office. volunteer for active duty in Iraq, or stay put with the same company with the task of managing more trade shows with less money. There's no doubt that...