Good morning. It's
Monday, February 23, 2004,
and this is your first early morning
briefing.
Thursday nights are getting tougher and tougher as the competition
for eyeballs heats up. NBC again took this past Thursday
with an average a 10.4/25 A18-49 according to Nielsen Media
Research, with CBS pulling an 8.6/21 (a share point closer than last
week), followed distantly by ABC 2.8/7, UPN 2.0/5, Fox 1.6/4, WB
1.1/3. At 8pm NBC's Friends (10.9/29) and Will & Grace
(9.0/22) combined for the hour (10.4/25) to beat CBS' 8.6/21 for the
hour. With that said, CBS' Survivor did win the 830-9p half hour in
the same demo (9.3/23 vs. 9.0/22). At 9p CBS' CSI led the hour with
a 10.7/25 over NBC's The Apprentice (10.0/23). At 10p ER dominated the
hour with an 11.1/28 over Without a Trace on CBS (6.4/16). Among A25-54
the gap narrows: NBC 11.5/26 vs. CBS 8.0/18.
NBC takes the prize on Friday night with an overall
3.7/12 A18-49 demo rating according to Nielsen Media
Research. ABC was second for the night with a 2.8/9, followed
in quick succession by CBS 2.6/8, Fox 1.7/5, WB 1.3/4, UPN .9/3. At
8pm NBC and CBS tied, each averaging a 3.1/10, with ABC delivering a
lesser 2.6/9. At 9p NBC stood out on its own with the second hour
of its Dateline programming (3.9/12), with ABC's sitcoms Hope & Faith
and Life With Bonnie ranking #2 with a 2.8/9 and 2.4/7, respectively. At
10p NBC's Third Watch led with a 4.0/13, out delivering ABC's 20/20
(3.1/10) and CBS' repeat of Without a Trace (2.5/8).
What has now become a tradition, Fox again won the night on
Saturday among A18-49 according to fast affiliate ratings
from Nielsen Media Research. Posting an overall 3.1/11 for
the night, Fox beat out NBC 2.7/9, ABC 2.6/9, and CBS 2.0/7
handily. At 8pm Fox's Cops/Cops [r] delivered a 2.9/11, ahead of
the first hour of NBC's movie Shrek (2.2/8) and CBS and ABC which tied at
1.7/6. At 9p America's Most Wanted again won the hour wtih a
3.2/10, with Shrek just one share point behind (2.8/9). At 10p the
finale of Castaway on ABC led the group with a 3.5/11, its highest rated
hour of the 3-hour movie. NBC's repeat of Law & Order SVU earned a
2.9/9, and CBS' The District 1.9/6.
Premiering Tonight:
Comedy Central: Straight Plan for the Gay Man (10p)
As of a week ago, this was still an network-unaffiliated program; now The
Contender has become a contender for NBC, which has given the project a
16-episode order. This unscripted project from Mark Burnett, Jeffrey
Katzenberg and Sylvester Stallone on behalf of Dreamworks TV, dives
into the world of boxing and boxer wannabes, beginning with a nationwide
search for the next superstar boxer, and ending with a match between two
amateur boxers looking for the big title. NBC is considering a 1st
qtr 2005 start. The per ep license fee, depending on sources, is
pegged between $1.5 million and north of $2 million. Additionally, NBC
will sell back to the producers of the show six 30' units at the then
going rate, which the producers will resell to advertisers. While
on the face of it you may wonder why would anyone buy the units from
Dreamworks/Burnett Prods at an elevated price instead of going straight
to NBC, perhaps this is where the product placement ads will show
up.
A similarly themed project is also being shopped around the nets by the
William Morris Agency on behalf of Jim Lampley's Crystal Spring Prods -
this one puts a group of heavyweight contenders in a house with
ex-heavyweight champ/show host George Foreman. Cameras will
be omnipresent as this group trains and one by one eliminates via
in-house bouts, until there's just one standing.
According to Broadcasting & Cable, ABC's Thursday night
newsmagazine series Primetime will be reworked, using more
of the ABC news talent pool, though Diane Sawyer will likely remain as
the central figure. The new 'cast' will include Cynthia McFadden,
John Quinones and Chris Cuomo. Remember with this show originally
launched with Sawyer and Sam Donaldson? Remember when Donaldson
would say, "welcome to Primetime Liiiiiiive."
It's finally happened. The Academy of Television Arts &
Sciences (the Emmy folks) has created a new reality category:
Outstanding Reality/Competition Program.
In Development and Casting News:
CBS drama project Numbers (Scott Free Prods/Paramount Network
TV) has tapped David Krumholtz as the lead, in this reminiscent of
Beautiful Mind idea - brainiac numbers guy is hired by FBI to solve
crimes. The CBS drama project The Webster Report (25C/Warner Bros. TV)
has added Bobby Cannavale to the cast in the role of Leo Webster.
UPN has cast Enrico Colantoni as the male lead for its drama
pilot Veronica Mars (Silver Pictures/Warner Bros TV), joining Kristen
Bell as the private detective/father to Bell's character. And in
Nikki & Nora, the Warner Bros. TV project about two gay private
detectives, Christina Cox and Liz Vassey have been cast in those lead
roles.
ABC has given a pilot presentation order to a comedy project
from Victor Fresco (Paramount Network TV). Comedian Lewis Black has a
principle role ... literally, as principal of the high school where the
action takes place. ABC's drama project Eyes (McNamara Paper
Products/Warner Bros TV), starring Tim Daly, has added A.J. Langer to the
cast. This project is set in a large risk management corporation.
NBC's comedy pilot from Marsh/McCall (Warner Bros. TV) has
founds its male lead - Tom Conti who plays the recently divorced
father/university professor. NBC's comedy project The Friendlys (NBC
Studios) has added Dave Foley to the cast.
Fox's thus far untitled pilot project from Katherine
Bigelow/Kessler brothers (Imagine TV/20th), has cast Rachel Nichols in
the lead role as undercover detective in a high school setting. Elsewhere
Jennifer Morrison has been signed to the cast of Fox's Paul
Attanasio/David shore pilot (Heel & Toe Prods/Universal) about a
group of doctors who work only on those cases everyone else has walked
away from.
Sources: BaselineFT.com, Hollywood Reporter, Variety
Weekend Box Office Estimates -
Feb 20-22, 2004 50 First Dates
(Sony)
$21.0 million - 2 wk total $73.3m
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (Disney) $9.2 million - opening
weekend
Miracle
(Disney)
$8.0 million - 3 wk total $50.5m
Welcome to Mooseport
(Fox)
$7.0 million - opening weekend
Eurotrip
(Dreamworks)
$6.6 million - opening weekend
Barbershop 2
(MGM)
$6.3 million - 3 wk total $53.2m
Mystic River (Warner
Bros.)
$3.1 million - 20 wk total $79.2m
Against the Ropes
(Paramount)
$3.0 million - opening weekend
Butterfly Effect (New
Line)
$2.9 million - 5 wk total $53.1m
LOTR: Return of the King (New
Line) $2.8 million - 10
wk total $361.1m Source: Box Office Mojo
Coming to Outdoor Life Network in April are new series leading
up to the network's coverage of the 2004 Tour de Force. The
Lance Armstrong Chronicles is a 13 part reality/doc series, shot in
HiDef, following Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Service Team as
they make their preparations for the annual race. The show debuts on
Thursday, April 29 at 8p. The Road to the Tour, premiering on the
first of April, follows Armstrong as well as many of the other
competitors, as well as provide news updates from embedded
correspondents.
Correction: UPN's pilot orders count three -- that is one
untitled starring the Latino singing group Soluna (HBO Prods/dePasse
Ent); Me Me Me (Cosmic Ent/20th); and the third is based in part on the
book I Do, I Did, Now What? by Jenny Lee, and is about two NYC friends
whose lives revolve entirely around themselves.
Thursday, February 19, 2004. Fast
Affiliate Ratings for all Networks. Fast
affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and
can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE
programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research.
Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] =
Repeat CBS
14.7/22Survivor
All Stars12.9/20, CSI 18.4/27, Without a Trace 12.8/20
NBC 13.4/20 Friends
15.2/24, Will & Grace 12.1/18, The Apprentice 12.1/18, ER
14.4/23 ABC 5.2/8 The
Bachelorette: Men Tell All(OTO) 4.2/6, Extreme Makeover 5.7/8,
Primetime Thursday 5.6/9
UPN 3.4/5 WWE
Smackdown 3.4/5
FOX 2.8/4 Movie:
Planet of the Apes 2.8/4
WB 2.0/3 Steve
Harvey 2.4/4, All About the Andersons 2.1/3, The Surreal Life 1.8/3 A18-49
NBC 10.4/25, CBS 8.6/21, ABC 2.8/7, UPN 2.0/5, Fox
1.6/4, WB 1.1/3
Friday, February 20, 2004. Fast
Affiliate Ratings for all Networks. Fast
affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and
can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE
programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research.
Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] =
Repeat NBC 8.2/14Dateline
8.4/15, Third Watch 7.8/14 CBS
7.3/13 Joan
of Arcadia 7.7/14, JAG 7.5/13,Without a Trace (OTO)[r]
6.7/12
ABC 5.2/9 George
Lopez 5.0/9, Married to the Kellys 4.2/7, Hope & Faith 5.1/9, Life
with Bonnie 4.3/7, 20/20 6.2/11
FOX 2.6/4 The
Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee (pt 2) 2.6/5; Man vs. Beast #2
(OTO) 2.5/4
WB 2.3/4 Reba
3.1/6, What I Like About You 2.2/4, Grounded for Life 1.9/3
UPN 1.5/3 Movie:
Chill Factor 1.5/3 A18-49
NBC 3.7/12, ABC 2.8/9, CBS 2.6/8, Fox 1.7/5, WB
1.3/4, UPN .9/3 Saturday, February 21, 2004. Fast
Affiliate Ratings for all Networks. Fast
affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and
can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE
programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research.
Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] =
Repeat CBS
5.7/11 Star
Search 4.8/9, Hack 5.9/11, The District 6.4/12 FOX 5.0/9 Cops
4.5/9, Cops [r] 5.2/10, AMW 5.1/9
NBC 4.8/9 Movie:
Shrek 4.6/8, Law & Order: SVU 5.4/10
ABC 4.6/8 Movie:
Castaway 4.6/8 A18-49
Fox 3.1/11, NBC 2.7/9, ABC 2.6/9, CBS 2.0/7 A MESSAGE FROM
WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC CABLE DISTRIBUTION
MOVIES
WORK ON CABLE!
WARNER BROS. FEATURES SCORE TOP RANKS FOR THE WEEK!
UNDER SIEGE 2 #1 Movie on FX (#1 Program)
THE GLIMMER MAN #2 Movie on FX (#2 Program)
LOVE AFFAIR #1 Movie on TURNER SOUTH (#1
Program)
TWO IF BY SEA #2 Movie on WGNC (#3 Program)
Available exclusively
from
Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution
Source: NHI Explorer, 2/9/04-2/15/04. HH
Cvg Rtg. Love Affair ties Terms-Endearment. Glimmer ties
Under Siege 2 (Tue 8p). Two-By Sea ties Spaceballs, Will & Grace,
Home Impvmt.
The
History ChannelpresentsThis Day in History: 1917 - The Russian Revolution begins
Answer to yesterday's Trivia
Question:What well known primetime
television star said the best way to a successful television show was:
"Open big, have a good comedy set, put in something for children and
keep the show clean."? ED SULLIVAN. Kudos to:
David Larson-CBS/NY; Richard Walsh-OMD/NY; Michael Grueter-Empower
MediaMarketing/Cincinnati; Patrick Bladon-Blair/Atlanta; Robb Gray-Apex
Media/Tucson; John Kukla-KDFW/Dallas; Dan Whitford-RPA/Chicago; Dale
Warshaw-KWBA/Tucson; John Amato-20th Television/LA; Alan Berger-PHD/LA;
Dirk van de Bunt-Carsey Werner Mandabach/LA; Alan Perris-Perris/Hubert
Prods/LA; Bill Irwin-CILK FM/Kelowna BC; and Caroline Godin-Ellis
Ent/Toronto.
A MESSAGE FROM THE NEW YORK
TIMES
Keep Their Eyes On
You
Television Upfront
2004
A Special Advertising Section in The New York Times
Tuesday, May 11
Extend the reach of your ad sales
efforts by promoting your broadcast,
cable and syndicated programs in Television Upfront, a stand-alone
advertising section, co-written by Cynthia Turner.
To advertise or for more information, contact Brad Kolodny at
or visit
nytadvertising.com
Today's Trivia Question: On
what series will you find on the wall of its main and arguably most often
used set, a framed piece of sheet music titled The Diarymaids?
(
to respond to the trivia question and please be sure to
include with your answer your name, company, city and time zone.
Only the second four correct responses from each time zone will be listed
in tomorrow's kudo list.)
Later -- Cyn
Cynthia Turner's Cynopsis
02/23/04 5:27am
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toCynopsisKids! and
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Press Release Fax: 203-381-9318
Copyright Cynthia Turner 2004
CYNOPSIS CLASSIFIEDS JOB
OPENING:AD SALES
ASST, Galavision cable net/NY.
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(2/28)
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yrs ad sales rsch exp needed; develop presentations & special
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req # 19832BR (2/28)
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SWIM, New York Ad Sales. Strong analytical/writing skills. Nielsen
software experience. 2 yrs exp as rsch analyst req'd. Apply to:
www.turnerjobs.com
req #20288 BR (2/27)
JOB
OPENING:NYAsian TV Network seeking articulate,
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PROFESSIONAL with exp. working
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Please send resume to
(2/26)
JOB
OPENING:AD SLS RESEARCH MGR/Discovery
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analyst/ Galavision/ NY: 2-3 yrs
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~ specify research (3/3)
INTERNSHIPS -
SCHOOL CREDIT
ONLY:Evolution Film & Tape/LA.
PRODUCTION
INTERN and
CASTING INTERN
needed. Hard worker, punctual,
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resume to:
(2/28)
SITUATION WANTED
ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE
HIRED --
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WANTED:NY/LA,
TV DEVELOPMENT/CASTING
DIR., Kid & Tweens TV.
Have 15 yrs exp. Excellent organizational, interpersonal and
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SITUATION
WANTED:ENTRY-LEVEL/PA
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(2/27)
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Desire work promoting Family oriented ; Christian friendly
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(2/24)
SITUATION
WANTED: NY-based
PRODUCER/NEWS WRITER
seeks opportunities in news or
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for rates and specs for Job
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Are you looking for a job? Post your
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WHAT'S ON
TONIGHT: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2004
INVESTIGATE
COURT TV'S ADVERTISING ENVIRONMENT
COURT TV'S A25-54
LENGTH OF TUNE IS 20.2 MINS
RANK #3 AMONG CABLE
NETWORKS
Court TV The
Investigation Channel Source: Nielsen NPower. Nov
’03. M-Su 8-11p. Networks with 50+MM subs included. Qualifications
available upon request.
COURT
TV:The
I-Zone, Forensic Files, The Investigators
ABC ABC
Movie: The Fast and the Furious; Super Millionaire CBS Yes
Dear, Still Standing, Raymond, Two and a Half Men, CSI Miami
FOX The
Littlest Groom (part 2 of 2), Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance [finale] NBC Fear
Factor [90m], Average Joe: Hawaii [90m]
PAX AFV,
Early Edition, Diagnosis Murder
UPN The
Parkers, Eve, Girlfriends, Half and Half
WB 7th
Heaven, Everwood
TELE Amor
Descardo,El Alma Herida, Mujeres Apasionadas
UNIV Velo
de Novia, Bajo la Misma Piel, Cristina
