Video Age International articles from May 2003

Video Age International archives from May 2003

Pier Silvio Berlusconi: his plans, strategy.(for Italy's television industry)(Biography)
May 1, 2003... If old timers do not recognize Mediaset's executive lineup any more, it is because Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the 34-year-old second-born son of TV pioneer and Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, decided to put his own stamp on the...

New U.S. TV season rich with pilots, advertising.(several new television pilots are orders, as U.S. networks plan to improve their lineups)
May 1, 2003... By early this month, an astounding 133 pilots had been summoned for the 2003-2004 U.S. domestic season by the six majors (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, UPN, WB):m 58 dramas, 73 sitcoms, two animated programs and one "not-a-reality-format" game show. And...

High-tech Japanese adult fare guiding TV trend.(a discussion of how the Japanese porn inudstry is leading technology)
May 1, 2003... Type a word, any word, into any search engine on the web and you're guaranteed to come up with the thing you were looking for, 50 things you weren't looking for, and at least 50 porn sites. The fact is that the adult entertainment industry...

MPEG's "father" unsure of DTV, Eisner's new stand, Diller pro-regulation.(executives discuss FCC rule changes and the future of digital television at the National Association of Broadcasters meeting)
May 1, 2003... "You gotta go!" urged NAB, and, in an attempt to lure the international audiovisual industry to Las Vegas for the annual National Association of Broadcasters convention held last month, it called more than 50 top-level executives as speakers....

My two cents.(market organizers face challenges in this economic environment)(Editorial)
May 1, 2003... There are as many opinions on how to run a market as there are participants. But, as an observer, what would I consider an ideal market? When the industry was flourishing and flush with disposable cash, anything labeled a "market" was...

Embedded costs of 24/7 war news. (World).(news channels are spending significant amounts to provide round-the-clock news coverage of the war in Iraq)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... More than a dozen news channels around the world are providing 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week coverage of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. American-based networks like CNN and Fox News are up against Europeans like the BBC and Arab stations such as...

It's curtains for Columbia Pictures Germany. (World).(Sony Pictures Entertainment is closing down Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Following an unfortunate series of unsuccessful films, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is choosing to close down Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion, its Berlin, Germany-based production arm. Since 1997, Columbia Pictures Germany...

Canada's ad people shy of DTV. (World).(it will be at least 2005 before new digital TV channel owners have enough subscribers to gain substantial revenue)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... At a media conference held by investment group BMO Nesbitt Burns in Toronto, the owners of an assortment of new digital TV channels announced that it will be at least 2005 before they have enough subscribers to gain substantial revenue. ...

Gulf war affects Japan's HDTV. (World).(Japan's NHK will suspend its live HDTV broadcast of auroras)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Due to the war in Iraq, Japan's NHK has opted to suspend its live HDTV broadcast of the light-emitting phenomenon known as the auroras, which was scheduled to air on April 5. With the cooperation of Fuji Photo Optical Co., NHK has developed...

Tom.com seeks HK's CETV stake. (World).(Tom.com and AOL-Time Warner will buy a stake in Chinese Entertainment Television Broadcasting)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Tom.com, the Hong Kong media company controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing, is in talks with AOL-Time Warner to buy a stake in the U.S. conglomerate's Chinese television channel, Chinese Entertainment Television Broadcasting (CETV). AOL...

Overworked, Overpaid TV Creators: the True Heroes. (Book Review).(Book Review)
May 1, 2003... Though it's the actors who most often get lauded or lambasted when a new series triumphs or flails, it's really the producers who make or break a show; the actors are mere puppets on a string. In TV Creators: Conversations with America's Top...

"Don Jimmy" outlines telenovelas' new reality at "Summit". (Miami Report).
May 1, 2003... Even though never explicitly stated, the implied lure was: "Understand the trends in telenovelas and the role that the U.S. Hispanic market will be playing." And so it was labeled "The First World Summit of the Telenovela Industry," and even...

Assessing the MIP-TV buying and selling attitude. (Cannes Sales).
May 1, 2003... Between the military conflict in Iraq and the outbreak of a deadly new virus in the Far East, not to mention the continuing recession, consolidation and perhaps even the Oscars on March 23, just before MIP-TV started, the number of buyers at...

Former USA exec named NATPE CEO. (USA Affairs).
May 1, 2003... Rick Feldman has been named president and CEO of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). He assumed leadership of NATPE last April 28th. Feldman is responsible for overseeing the day-today operations and strategic...

Indie programming fare. (L.A. Screenings 2003).(television programs)(Directory)
May 1, 2003... ALLIANCE ATLANTIS 121 Bloor Street East Toronto, Ontario M4W 3M5 Tel: (416) 967-1174 The Hitler Miniseries (pictured below) 4 x 60' Dramatic Miniseries The Man Who Saved Christmas 2 x 60' Family Drama The...

L.A. calendar.(Latin American Screenings schedule)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 1, 2003... Studios' Latin American Screenings: May 16 DreamWorks May 17 MGM May 18 Universal May 19 Warner Bros. May 19 Fox (Brazil) May 20 Fox May 21 Sony May 22 Disney May 23 Paramount Parties: May...

Studio's screening schedules. (L.A. Screenings 2003).(Illustration)
May 1, 2003... L.A. SCREENINGS 2003 STUDIOS' SCREENING SCHEDULES Buena Vista International, Inc. Paramount AUSTRALIA MAY 20, 21, 23 MAY 19-23 AUSTRIA TBA MAY...

2003-04 New Season Series. (L.A. Screenings 2003).(Directory)
May 1, 2003... BY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION COMPANY BUENA VISTA INTERNATIONAL TV Hope & Faith (ABC) Production Team: Guymon Casady, Michael Edelstein, Emile Levisetti, Joanna Johnson Format: Half-Hour Comedy Two adult sisters who are...

Who's screening: indies & studios guide. (L.A. Screenings 2003).(Directory)
May 1, 2003... ALFRED HABER DISTRIBUTION Park Hyatt Suite 1014 ALLIANCE ATLANTIS Ted Riley, Maria Sanchez, Irene Read, Rose Marie Vega, Stephanie Rockmann, Philippe Renouard, Vivian Miranda, Doug Smith, Robyn Posner Park Hyatt Suite 1021...

Acquisition execs. (L.A. Screenings 2003).(Directory)
May 1, 2003... ARGENTINA Artear: Julian Rodriguez Montero, Walter Sequeira Cintelba: Marcela Bandiera Premium: Blanca Ponce Telefe: Patricia Daujotas AUSTRALIA Faxtel: Brian Walsh, Ross Crowley, Les Sampson, Kim Vecera Network...

La pirateria audiovisual en los Estados Unidos.
May 1, 2003... La pirateria audiovisual es una rica pero peligrosa industria en los Estados Unidos. En Noviembre pasado, dos individuos armados entraron en una pequena empresa ilegal de CDs y de DVDs en Manhattan y uno de ellos fue abatido. Similarmente, unos...

Insercion de productos: creativamente rico, aun discreto.
May 1, 2003... Hoy en dia, invertir en Argentina no es una cuestion pusilanime. Pero desde la convertibilidad, el pais ofrece un potencial enorme para los inversores, especial mente en la produccion y coproduccion audiovisual. De acuerdo con Ralph Haiek,...

Insercion de productos: creativamente rico, aun discreto.
May 1, 2003... La actriz que juega el papel de madre de Leonardo DiCaprio, sirve torta Sara Lee a detectives en Atrapame Si Puedes de Dream Works. A Sam Rockwell lo golpean en un bar, debajo de un aviso de cerveza Miller en Confesiones de Una Mente Peligrosa...

Los problemas de los copyrights.
May 1, 2003... Es obvio que las leyes Norte Americanas para los derechos literarios no amparan los problemas que pretenden, ni tan siquiera para los consumidores. Se requieren unas nuevas leyes, que satisfagan tanto al publico como a los propietarios de los...

Calendar of events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 1, 2003... Let's Do Lunch L.A. SCREENINGS May 15-29 Los Angeles, California Tel: (212) 288-3933 Fax: (212) 734-9033 www.videoage.org PROMAX June 4-6 Los Angeles, California Tel: (310) 788-7600 Fax: (310)...