Greetings! It's Tuesday, January 1, 2008, and before we begin the New
Year, here's a look back at 2007 ... Happy New Year!
The year began as the last couple of years - more television shows
becoming available in full online, on your cellphone, anywhere but on the
original network airwaves. And by year's end, many networks began pulling
back on the availability of their content, choosing to enhance their own
platforms rather than those of mobile services and mp3 download services.
The year ended with WGA on strike with no end in sight; TLC, BBC, AOL,
MSNBC, NBC News and Oxygen all cut jobs; HD nets are being launched left
and right; Stephen Colbert runs for President; green-ness abounds; how
many shows can Mark Burnett productions come up with in one year?; Carson
Daly returns despite the WGA strike; January's TCA tour is cancelled;
theatre stagehands go on strike, but then return; and Ellen gets in a
messy dog fight.
And what can we to look forward to in 2008? Leno, Conan, Kimmel, Stewart,
Colbert, Feresten and Letterman and Ferguson (the latter two with
writers), more OJ, Kardashians, Blog Cabins, more green, more Rachael
Ray, Ellen, Martha, Cristina, Dr. Phil, Weeds, Jury Duty, Big Love, Top
Model, Gene Simmons, The Riches, Judge Alex, Snapped and a slew of
others. Who won't we see in '08? Emeril Live in primetime.
And a special thanks to all our ad supporters during our 10th Anniversary
year 2007 - CableU, Jury Duty, Hallmark Channel, GSN, WBDCD, NATPE '08.
It's been quite a year ... take a look:
THE
NETWORKS:
Court TV pulled itself off the DISH Network satellite service due to
an issue over rates.
News Corp. plans to proceed with the launch of a new business news
channel ... wait for it ... it launched October 15
Discovery Channel launched an 11-part series called Planet Earth in
hi-def - in a word, stunning.
NBC Universal launched horror cable channel called Chiller, designed
to play across all platforms, including linear, HD, VOD and broadband
The premiere episode of The Sopranos on A&E drew 4.27 million
total viewers
Today show expanded by an hour and in the wake, Passions is
cancelled, moved to DirecTV
FSN andMyNetworkTV have reached a TV/new media programming
alliance with the International Fight League
i becomes ION Television
Cartoon Network caused a lot of commotion in Boston when a series of
lit up electronic devices were discovered - later Turner Broadcasting
pays significant fines; the entire snafu resulted in the resignation of
EVP/GM Jim Samples ... Samples later resurfaces as Pres/HGTV
MyNetwork TV pares down on its telenovela schedule
Grey's Anatomy creators are looking to spin off one of the show's
characters into a second drama project - Private Practice
Rainbow Media expanded its free VOD content and services under the
Skool franchise by introducing Lifeskool
As Moonves promised, CBS finalized comprehensive retransmission
consent pacts with nine individual cable operators
National Spanish-language television network V-me launched in 28
million homes, and 60%+ of US Hispanic households
Court TV become truTV as of... today!
hi-def cable channel INHD changed its name to MOJO
News Corp. and NBC Universal announced a partnership for the digital
age, planning a new jointly-run entertainment portal -as yet unnamed -
that will aggregate the biggest collection of TV content on the web and
create "the largest advertising platform on earth."
Tragedy strikes Virginia Tech - NBC under scrutiny for airing video
provided by the shooter
Black Family Channel (BFC), based in Atlanta, negotiates with Gospel
Music Channel (GMC) to yield its 16 million subscribers, effective April
30
Starz Entertainment launched three new hi-def channels: East Coast
feeds of Starz Comedy, Starz Edge, and Starz Kids & Family
ABC picked up drama series LOST for 48 more episodes
2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York rejected the FCC's ruling
that Fox's airing of "fleeting expletives" uttered by Nicole
Richie and Cher during the 2002 and 2003 Billboard Music Awards, equated
to indecency
40,000 pounds of peanuts persuaded CBS to renew the drama series
Jericho with seven new episodes for a 2007-08 midseason run
Users crashed the HBO website on Sunday night trying to leave their
two bits about the climax series-ender, or as many would say, anti-climax
of The Sopranos
The first big deal of the upfront season, totaling somewhere between
$800 million and $1 billion, was completed between NBC Universal and the
media buying conglomerate Group M that consists of Mindshare,
mediaedge:cia and Mediacom. One facet of the deal that had everyone
talking was the basis of the currency - live plus three-days of
commercial ratings data rather than program ratings
Price is Right folks look at Rosie as possible replacement for Bob
Barker, eventually passing on her and going with Drew Carey
Starcom USA jumps right into the kid's cable TV ad sales upfront
market by signing an agreement with Nickelodeon that valued at upwards of
$100 million
NBC's big Live Earth concert aired 7/7/07, shown around the world in
8 cities on all 7 continents, as well as back home on many of the NBC
owned networks - Bravo, CNBC, Sundance, Telemundo, mun2 and Universal HD
NBC officially rehired The Apprentice for a seventh season
Discovery celebrated it's 20th Shark Week
Leo DiCaprio joins Discovery's Planet Green with a new series about
the rebuilding of a Kansas town into a green model of the future
Rosie gets a change of scenery, Whoopi gets a new View, as does
Sherri Shepherd
Nickelodeon's Noggin and its primetime-only counterpart The N, split
and become two stand-along 24 hour networks
"There she is" on TLC as the Miss America Organization
completed a multi-year pact with the network
High School Musical 2 premiered on Disney Channel on Friday night and
drew in a record breaking audience of 17.2 million viewers
Bionic Woman returned to primetime; as will Knight Rider and American
Gladiators
USA's miniseries The Starter Wife will go to series
MGM launched its first wholly-owned channel in the U.S. as MGM HD
debuts this fall on DIRECTV
EchoStar's DISH Network will be the first provider to offer the
24-hour natural wellness lifestyle channel Veria TV
The CW called it quits for Kids' WB at the end of the 2007-8 season,
but not for kids Saturday morning programming. The CW signed a five-year
deal with 4Kids Entertainment to oversee programming
Regis will host Password for CBS
MSNBC chats with Rosie about a primetime slot ... but plans dissolve
quickly
Quarterlife launches on broadband and in 2008 will migrate to NBC
Discovery Times Channel will take on a new name as of January 27,
2008 and become Investigation Discovery (ID)
Tennis Channel launches hi-def channel on DirecTV 12/31/07
SYNDICATION:
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! have been
renewed through the 2011-2012 season
Acapulco H.E.A.T. returns to syndication with new distribution
agreement with Atlas Worldwide Synd & Dist
Program Partners comes to NATPE market with Let's Play Crosswords,
from Merv Griffin and the William Morris Agency - cash only. After NBC
O&O station deal for top 3 markets, terms change to cash + barter
Warner Bros. introduces TMZ - based on the online site
Bob Vila's show for CBS Television Distribution shut down production
Tyra Banks show moves to NYC for 2007-08 season
NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution - Howie Mandel agrees to host
the daytime syndicated version of Deal or No Deal
The Florida judge who presided over the Anna Nicole Smith case may
have a berth in daytime syndication thanks to CBS Television Distribution
Unsolved Mysteries is getting completely revamped and will be brought
back out into syndication by HBO Television Distribution
"Happy Birthday to Live with Regis and Kelly"!
Bonnie Hunt, Tom Green coming to syndication ... and Donald Trump?
American Chopper, Deadliest Catch, Pimp My Ride, Cribs, Deal or No
Deal wtih Howie, Boston Legal, Storm Stories all coming to syndication
Warner Bros. returns to NATPE exhibition floor (coincidentally, first
year sans Robertson) - Sony and CBS choose to pass on the event entirely
(Sony goes to CES instead)
Tribune Entertainment closed its syndication distribution unit,
though it will continue with its ad sales services
ACQUISITIONS &
MERGERS:
The New York Times Company agrees to sell
its nine station group to Oak Hill Capital Partners for a total of $575
million
Initial bids were submitted for Tribune Co. properties from the
Chandler family, already Tribune's largest shareholders, and the The
Carlyle Group. Later, News Corp. joined the Tribune bidding process,
teaming with Tribune Co. shareholder, the Chandler family. Then Sam Zell
bids to purchase the entire Tribune kit and caboodle for $8 billion,
followed by another suitor - Eli Broad and Ronald Burkle ... at the end
of the day it was Sam Zell and his $34/share deal
CBS Corporation sold seven of its owned television stations to
Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. for $185 million.
Sirius and XM, merged in a $13 billion deal
Discovery Communications bought the 25% ownership stake in Discovery
held by Cox Communications in exchange for $1.275 billion in cash
Comcast agreed to purchase Patriot Media & Communications for
$483 million in cash
News Corp. shareholders voted in favor to trade the company's
ownership in DirecTV Group Inc. with Liberty Media Corp. in exchange for
$550 million in cash and Liberty's approximate $11 billion share in News
Corp.
CP Media, LLC completed its transaction to buy seven TV stations
owned by Pegasus Broadcast Television for $48.5 million
Google won the bidding war for internet ad-serving company
DoubleClick, agreeing to pay private equity firm Hellman & Freidman
$3.1 billion - almost double what Google paid for YouTube last year
Clear Channel Communications sold its 56 television stations and
affiliated web sites to Rhode Island-based Providence Equity Partners
Inc. to the tune of $1.2 billion
Dow Jones & Co. was suddenly put into play with an unsolicited $5
billion buyout bid from News Corp
Cablevision Systems Corp. accepted the Dolan family offer to buy back
shares in Cablevision for $36.26 per share
Cox Communications, Inc. and Discovery Communications have completed
the exchange of Cox's 25% stake in Discovery for Travel Media, Inc., the
entity that owns Travel Channel and TravelChannel.com. Travel Media
retains approximately $1.3 billion in cash.
CBS Corporation bought the five-year old online company TicketReserve
headquartered in Chicago
Red Zone Capital Fund acquired Dick Clark Productions for $175
million
Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. bought out California-based DVD
distributor Trinity Home Entertainment, LLC for $10 million
Banks Broadcasting sold its television station KSCW/Wichita to
Sunflower Broadcasting, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schurz
Communications, Inc.
In the end, money talked. News Corp. earned the votes needed to win
control of Dow Jones & Co. after a key Bancroft trust changed its
mind and decided to accept the company's $60/share offer
Fisher Communications acquired the Westwind Communications stations
in Bakersfield, CA, KBAK, the CBS affiliate; and KBFX, the Fox station in
the market. Reported price tag - $55 million. Fisher owns 19 other
stations, all located in the northwest United States.
ION Media Networks sold independent TV station WPXO-LP/New York to
Caribevision Station Group, LLC for $10 million
The nameless NBC/News Corp. joint online video venture received a
$100 million dollar investment from Providence Equity Partners
The Nielsen Company purchased San Francisco-based Telephia, Inc., a
company that provides syndicated consumer research to the telecom and
mobile media industries
Hearst says it intends to bid nearly $600 million to buy the
remaining stock of Hearst-Argyle Television
NBC Universal agreed to purchase Sparrowhawk Holdings and its
worldwide cache of pay TV channels from Providence Equity Partners, 3i
and management shareholders
Charleston, SC-based Apex Broadcasting, Inc. sold the independent
affiliate KJEF-CA/Jennings, LA to Dallas-based GAP Broadcasting, LLC
Belo separated its TV station group from its newspaper assets,
forming two separate entities - Belo Corp. included the TV stations and
its two cable news networks; and A.H. Belo included the newspapers
World Championship Sports Network (WCSN) completed a financing deal
with private equity firm InterMedia Partners, making them a major
stakeholder in the network
E.W. Scripps announced it would become two publicly traded companies
Raycom Media, Inc. acquired Lincoln Financial Group's television
operations and Lincoln Financial Sports
Gaylord Entertainment Co. bought Westin La Cantera Resort in San
Antonio for $252.5 million
MTV Networks sold Tempo, the 24-hour pan-Caribbean cable television
network, to a group of investors led by Frederick A. Morton, Jr., who
founded the network while employed at MTV Networks
NEW MEDIA BUSINESS
DECISIONS:
MyTVPal.com launched a new VOD service
for TV
The N launched The N Mobile on Sprint
U-Verse cut a carriage deal with the YES Network
Next New Networks launches micro TV networks on the web
Samsung Electronics Co. claims to have the solution for video on the
go: insert chipsets into cellphones so they pick up local TV stations
CBS Research unveiled new data indicating as viewers become more
connected to digital media, they also increase their engagement in
primetime television programming
FremantleMedia streamed the full episodes online at AmericanIdol.com
Disney-ABC Television Group now made available episodes of Ugly Betty
on the iTunes Store
NBC, CBS, Fox and MTV sign up to provide full length programs to
Verizon Wireless
Procter & Gamble launches two social networking websites
ComedyCentral.com launches 11 new series online
Apple introduces the iPhone - due out in stores end of June
Paramount Pictures made its classic movie library available on iTunes
QuickPlayer for BlackBerry provides streaming audiocasts to
BlackBerrys, including Cynopsis!
Sundance Channel offers content on YouTube
The L Word launched on SecondLife.com
Starz Entertainment and Starz Media, supplying content for Vongo
January 29, 2007: "Launching a website these days is rarely
news. What does make news is when a cable network says it will drop out
of the cable linear business, in favor of a broadband business. Cable
network LIME launched its own broadband channel where it features a
variety of original content, phasing out its linear channel."
Cynopsis launches audio podcast on Quickplay Media - downloadable on
your blackberry
Viacom Inc. drew a line in the sand and ordered Google's YouTube to
remove more than 100,000 unauthorized video clips
CBS' daytime drama Guiding Light produced thirty original webisodes
YouTube signed a deal with Digital Music Group to deliver more than
4000 hours of classic TV content to the viral video site
CBS Corporation formed a new cross-platform division, CBS RIOT, which
encompasses its radio, internet, outdoor and television sales operations
SOAPnet ordered 13 one-hour episodes of its first exclusive,
serialized drama called General Hospital: Night Shift
The Weather Channel launched broadband-video site Epic.weather.com
focused on the convergence of extreme sports and weather
Viacom made a deal to provide content on Joost
Fox reached agreement with its affiliate body for the local station
websites to carry streaming video and downloads of select Fox primetime
shows
Next New Networks headed by CEO Herb Scannell, plans to debut 101
micro-networks during the next five years
Bravo acquires televisionwithoutpity.com
VH1 launched the user-generated, interactive comedy series
Acceptable.TV
Fox Interactive Media launched MySpace News
Cynopsis launches new edition - Cynopsis Digital wtih contributing
editor Wayne Karrfalt
NBC Universal did not renew its digital download deal with iTunes
ABC News launched Good Morning America Now, with anchor Chris Cuomo
on its broadband channel
ABC Entertainment and Warner Bros. TV struck a new kind of digital
deal that gives ABC.com the rights to stream four WB-produced shows
airing on ABC for up to four weeks after they air.
ABC signed a revenue-sharing deal with AOL to offer the alphabet's
full length shows
NBC U purchased Oxygen, available in more than 74 million homes, for
$925 million (that's net of financial assets - the actual purchase price
is approximately $875 million), and as might you suspect results in
numerous jobs lost
THE SUBLIME TO THE
RIDICULOUS, AND ALL IN BETWEEN
Mr. Blackwell's 47th Worst dressed list:
Paris Hilton, Britney Spears tied at #1 and were referred to as "two
peas in an overexposed pod" Camilla Parker-Bowles - "The
Duchess of Dowdy" Lindsay Lohan - "adorable to deplorable"
Christina Aguilera - "all crass and no class" Mariah Carey -
"Mariah the fashion pariah" Paula Abdul - "fallen fashion
idol" Sharon Stone - "over the hill Cruella DeVille" Tori
Spelling - "down and out in Beverly Hills" Sandra Oh -
"layered lunacy from head to toe" Meryl Streep - "beast of
a wardrobe" Victor Jung, a former treasurer at NBC Universal,
arrested on fraud charges for allegedly setting up a false company - NBCU
Media Productions LLC - in 2005 as a front to steal more than $800,000
from the company
Dog the Bounty Hunter back in the dog house with the Mexican
authority as a federal court in Guadalajara paved the way for Duane
"Dog" Chapman to be extradited back to Mexico; he later gets
off but has other troubles
Geico Caveman becomes a series for ABC
Maytag has a new Repairman ... Clay Jackson
Don Imus made a serious error on the air recently when he used a
racial slur to describe the Rutgers University women's basketball team,
and is ultimately suspended from MSNBC and CBS Radio ... wait for it, he
returned in December!
Criss Angel executes a Times Square stunt - encased in a 4' square
cube 40' in the air as promotion for the new season of his show on
A&E
Rob Lowe got a birdie at the Principal Charity Classic Pro-Am at the
Glen Oaks Country Club in Des Moines. Only problem, it was a real birdie.
True story! In his approach shot on the 4th hole, in mid-flight his ball
hit a goldfinch. "That's unbelievable. Who comes here and kills the
state bird? Only me."
3.2 million tune in to Larry King on CNN to hear what post-prison
Paris Hilton had to say
In this corner, we have Barry Bonds. In that corner we have Bob
Costas. Bonds refers to Costas as a "little midget man who knows
(nothing) about baseball." And in response, Costas says: "As
anyone can plainly see, I'm 5-6 1/2 and a strapping 150, and unlike some
people, I came by all of it naturally." America's pastime.
Rosie referred to American Idol as being "sexist and
weight-ist" referring to Frenchie Davis being booted off Season #2
About 80 north of New York City is a little farm for sale, a little
over 100 acres, includes a barn, a small 2000 sq. ft house, and a larger
farmhouse. Asking price: $8 million. Oh yeah, this little farm is also
the site of the 1969 Woodstock concert
Duane "Dog" Chapman's reality television series, Dog the
Bounty Hunter was pulled until further notice from A&E Network's
schedule two days after Dog repeatedly used a racial slur during a
private phone conversation
etc ...
Tiki Barber debated what he'll do in his
post-NY Giants days, eventually ending up on Today
Aqua Teen Hunger Force makes it to the big screen in March,
distributed by First Look Pictures
MediaCom being forced to drop 22 Sinclair stations from its cable
system in 12 states over dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group re:
retransmission fees; Sinclair handed out antennas to all homes within a
30-mile radius
Sinclair is in the midst of similar negotiations with Comcast and
said it may pull its 30 stations of that cable system
New corporate names and entities in 2007 included:
Touchstone Television, Disney-ABC Television Group's in-house
production company become ABC Television Studio
Buena Vista Games unit is now known as Disney Interactive Studios
Bravo established Bravo Media, a new worldwide multimedia content
company that provides organic extensions based on the network's linear
programs
Media agency Carat USA and Carat Fusion, specializing in digital
marketing, merged into one company simply called Carat. Leading the newly
integrated company, based in New York, are Sarah Fay as CEO and Scott
Sorokin as President
GSD&M became GSD&M Idea City
Mediaedge:cia merged its MEC Sponsorship, Leverage Group and
Sponsorcom units and staff of each into one specialty division called MEC
Access
Radar Entertainment opened a new division, Radar Distribution, and
hired Ernest Cartwright and Mark Robbins as co-Presidents of that
division
Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun formed a new multimedia production
company, BermanBraun; later NBC Universal Television signed a three-year,
first-look development pact with the production company
Viacom laid off 250 people across the board at MTV Networks,
approximately 6% of the Viacom division's 4500+ workforce
ABC World News with Charles Gibson moves ahead of NBC Nightly News
for the week of February 5 ... tho NBC wins the sweep
And the Oscars go to: Best Picture: The Departed; Best Director:
Martin Scorsese for The Departed ... finally!; Best Actor: Forest
Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland; Best Actress: Helen Mirren in The
Queen.
And the Razzies go to: Worst Pictures: Basic Instinct 2; Worst
Director: M. Night Shyamalan for Lady in the Water; Worst Actor: Marlon
and Shawn Wayans in Little Man; Worst Actress: Sharon Stone in Basic
Instinct 2;
And the Emmy goes to ... Outstanding Drama Series: The Sopranos
(HBO); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama: James Spader as Alan Shore in
Boston Legal (ABC); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Sally Field as
Nora Walker in Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Star Jones Reynolds returned to TV and Court TV
DirecTV made a seven-year $700 million dollar rights deal with Major
League Baseball which gave the satellite operator carriage rights to the
MLB Extra Innings out-of-market subscription game package
Comcast and Sinclair reached a retransmission agreement in a nick of
time on Friday, just a day before its current deal expired
AOL had its first upfront ... called a First Look
Regis steps back for bit as he undergoes triple heart bypass ... he
returns in late April with renewed energy
Viacom filed a lawsuit against YouTube and Google seeking more than
$1 billion in damages. Viacom cited "massive intentional copyright
infringement of Viacom's entertainment properties"
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin submitted a new 30% limit cap that would
prohibit a cable operator from serving more than 30% of pay television
subscribers
Carol Burnett filed a $2 million lawsuit against the 20th Century
Fox's series Family Guy, claiming copyright infringement
Major League Baseball balked at the latest offer from cable MSO joint
venture In Demand for rights to the out-of-market Extra Innings package
of games
Starz Entertainment sued Buena Vista Television for copyright
infringement and breach of contract after Disney began selling movies
online licensed exclusively to Starz
Cablevision Systems Corp. succumbed to losing its legal fight against
many Hollywood studios and television networks on the right to offer a
network-based digital video recorder service to its subscribers -
Cablevision later appeals
Major League Baseball signed an eleventh inning deal keeping its
out-of-market Extra Innings package of games on cable for the next seven
years
Alec Baldwin requested to be let out of his contract with NBC's 30
Rock following some very public private phone messages; NBC declines
A New York Supreme Court ruled Comcast can relegate the NFL Network
to its sports tier, rather than offer it on a basic channel plan - NFL
will appeal
NFL lifted its ban on local stations sideline cameras during games
The NFL issued a new set of rules that severely restricts media sites
usage of video shot from NFL press conferences, interviews or practices
Isaiah Washington, aka Dr. Preston Burke on Grey's Anatomy, didn't
return in the new fall season
NBC Universal changed the name of its former NBC Universal Television
Studio to Universal Media Studios
Mandy Patinkin asked and was granted, out of his Criminal Minds
contract - replaced by Joe Mantegna
From the land of koalas and kangaroos, MTV debuted The Real World:
Sydney
Disney said it first, and then Hallmark Channel followed - no more
smoking in any of its original films
The Simpsons Movie from Fox debuted with for a three-day estimated
total of $71.9 million
GLAAD releases its Network Responsibility Index - ABC is
"good"; Fox is "failing"
Robin Roberts of ABC's Good Morning America returned to the morning
show today, following successful breast cancer surgery
Vin di Bona got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
CableU, the online service that provides competitive analysis of
cable network performance and trends, added overviews of 90 cable
networks to the site
U.S. filmmaker Bradley Cox's latest documentary didn't make him
popular in Cambodia, but not in a good way. The Plastic Killers (
http://plastic-killers.blip.tv/) spotlights a Cambodian murder case
strong with political tie-ins in which two innocent men received life
sentences for murdering popular union leader, Chea Vichea. The government
deemed the film illegal and banned it in Cambodia
LIN TV goes to battle with MetroCast Cablevision in Connecticut over
retransmission fees for three broadcast stations - WTNH/New Haven, WCTX
New Haven and Providence-based WPRI
NCTA returns to New Orleans this year when the confab reconvenes May
18-20
Dan Rather filed a $70 million lawsuit in State Supreme Court in
Manhattan against former employer CBS alleging the network used him as a
"scapegoat" concerning the discredited 2004 story about
President Bush's National Guard service
The Cynopsis Foundation is borne and its first annual gala event at
Chelsea Piers in NYC supporting EarthEcho International and Kids in Need
FCC Chairman Martin relaxed his stand on the cross-ownership rules
FCC chairman Kevin Martin had to indefinitely postpone the
commission's monthly public meeting because he couldn't convince a
majority of his colleagues that cable had reached at least 70% household
penetration
Comcast filed a breach of contract suit against the NFL Network
The FCC voted along party lines to relax media cross-ownership rules
in place for more than 30 years.
Highest grossing film in 2007 - Spider-Man 3 at $336.5 million since
its launch on May 4. Remaining top 10 of 2007 include (in rank order)
Shrek the Third, Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End;
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; The Bourne Ultimatum; 300;
Ratatouille; I Am Legend; and The Simpsons Movie.
Nielsen Media Research was full of surprises in 2007:
it began providing its client base with commercial-minute ratings
VNU changed its name to The Nielsen Company
Nielsen Analytics released a new study: Whatever, Whenever, Wherever:
How Broadband is Redefining the Economics of Television
It now includes the viewing habits of college students living away
from home in its National People Meter
Nielsen introduced a new web-based software tool Place*Values, which
allows clients to measure past and new product placement opportunities
Nielsen estimates the total number of television households in the
U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) moved up to 112.8 million by January
1, 2008
It now produces all national Hispanic ratings through its National
People Meter panel, the same panel used to generate ratings for
non-Hispanic networks
Nielsen began a new web-based commercial tracking service called
KeepingTrac which allows clients to know if their commercial aired the
previous day as planned and give clients the opportunity to modify
schedules in real-time
It issued a timetable to launch electronic Local People Meters (LPMs)
to 38 more markets by 2011, making the total number of markets using LPMs
at 56
Nielsen has a new rule -- if a network airs a show more than once (be
it on broadcast or cable or a combination of both), and all of the
commercials in both broadcasts are identical, then the network can
combine the rating of both airings into one single rating attributed to
the first broadcast. Furthermore, the second airing will not show up as a
stand alone broadcast in the weekly ratings report. This rule is quickly
pulled back by Nielsen to be further defined, but not before NBC's Heroes
was able to take advantage of it with the season premiere episode. Later,
Nielsen says it will report separate ratings for both the original
broadcast and the repeat.
And lastly, Nielsen will now measure programming available through
HBO's subscription video on demand services
EXECUTIVE MOVES:
NEW TOPPERS ONLY (too many exec moves to include all of
you!)
Herb Scannell to CEO at Next New Networks
Robert M. Bakish upped to President, MTV Networks International
Current TV named Joshua Katz as President/Marketing
Games Media Properties named James Green as CEO
Gail Berman ankles President/Paramount Pictures post
Michael Wolf, President/COO, MTV Networks and Nicole Browning,
President/Affiliate Sales and Marketing, step down
Marion Edwards to President/International Television - Twentieth
Century Fox Television Distribution
Greg Meidel named President, MyNetworkTV
Rainbow Media Holdings named Jennifer Caserta as EVP/GM of fuse
Randy Freer appointed President, Fox Regional Cable Sports Networks
Bob Thompson named President, Fox National Cable Sports Networks
BET Networks named Scott Mills as President /Digital Media Group
Starz Media promoted Kent Rice to President/COO, Starz Media
Madison Square Garden named Scott Richman to the new position of
SVP/GM, MSG Interactive
Scripps Networks promoted Doug Hurst to SVP/GM of Non-linear
Distribution
Kevin MacLellan tapped as President of the new unit, Comcast
Entertainment Group, International
William S. Weil named COO of National Geographic Entertainment Group
Major changes at Discovery Networks with the intro of David Zaslav -
Billy Campbell resigned as President of Discovery Networks US; formed
five network brand groups: Discovery Channel and Science Channel headed
by Jane Root, President/GM (Jane resigned at year's end - Discovery later
named John Ford as Pres/GM of Discovery); TLC President/GM position
eventually goes to Angela Shapiro-Mathes; Discovery Travel Media led by
Pat Younge, President/GM; Animal Planet Media and Discovery Kids Media
are now under one umbrella under Marjorie Kaplan following her promotion
to President/GM (the position of GM, Animal Planet is being eliminated
and Maureen Smith left the company); and Discovery Health Media
Enterprises with oversight by Len Tacconi, President; Clark Bunting been
named President of the new Discovery Studios
Jeff Zucker appointed President/CEO of NBC Universal
Viral video website Metacafe named Erick Hachenburg as CEO
World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. appointed current CFO Michael
Sileck as COO
BBC Worldwide Americas named Garth Ancier as President, U.S.
Operations
Marc Goldstein upped to North American CEO at GroupM
Sarah Tomassi Lindman been upped to SVP/GM of The N
The L.A. Studios, Inc. added Aric Ackerman as CEO
Dunia Shive named President/COO of Belo Corp
Kevin Reilly reups with multiyear deal as President of NBC
Entertainment ... and then leaves right after the upfront presentations
... Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff jump in
Mary Murano been elevated to President/Distribution at Oxygen
CBS Outdoor International has elevated Clive Punter to CEO
Dan Fawcett has returned to Fox to serve as President/Digital Media
for Fox Entertainment Group
Tom Karsch, EVP/GM of Turner Classic Movies
Sergei Kuharsky joins the Food Network as GM
Discovery Communications has assigned Bruce Campbell to the post of
President/Digital Media, Emerging Networks and Business Development
Miguel Penella has been advanced to CEO for the global media company
Acorn Media Group
Scripps Networks has tapped Deanna Brown to be President/Interactive
Group
Mediaedge:cia has selected Lee Doyle as CEO/North America and Rino
Scanzoni as Chairman/North America
Lindsay Gardner, President/Affiliate Sales and Marketing at Fox Cable
Networks resigned his position at the end of April
David Haslingden has been named CEO of National Geographic Channel US
Dan Mason has been appointed President/CEO of CBS Radio
Stephen (Steve) Cohen has been made President of Hometeam.com, Inc.
Jason Cesare joins Cynopsis Media as Sales Account Executive
Vince Manze has been moved into the new position of President/NBC
Program Planning, Scheduling and Strategy with NBC Universal
Golf Channel has appointed Page H. Thompson as President
Hunter Nickell has been appointed President of SPEED
Eric Sherman named President at fuse
Ken DuBow became President/Worldwide Distribution at PorchLight
Entertainment
Current TV tapped Liz Janneman as President/Ad Sales
Betty Cohen, President/CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services
submitted her resignation after just two years at the post ... Andrea
Wong later steps up
Michael D. Wortsman, President & COO of Univision Television
Group, left
Emiliano Calemzuk as President/Fox Television Studios
GEM Group has named Deborah Grossman and Jennifer Kauf as
Co-Presidents
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. appointed Stuart Snyder as EVP/COO
of Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media, and the new head of cable
networks Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim
Fox Reality has moved David Lyle to President
On May 9, Time Warner confirmed Chris Albrecht was out as
Chairman/CEO at HBO ... a month later HBO has a new CEO - Bill Nelson. As
for Albrecht - he later landed as Partner at Forstmann Little & Co.
Patricia Wyatt, President of HIT Entertainment's North American
division announced her departure
MGM recruited Gary Marenzi as Co-President/Worldwide Television
President Emiliano Calemzuk let go three top department heads at Fox
Television Studios - Holly Jacobs, EVP/Alternative Development; Regina
DeMartino, EVP/Global Marketing; and Chris Ottinger, EVP/Fox TV Studios
International and Fox World
Joining the Cynopsis: Kids sales staff is Jennifer Franko as Sales
Account Executive
Tim Brooks, EVP/Research at Lifetime Networks retired at year's end
Exiting his position as President/Warner Bros. Animation is Sander
Schwartz
Katherine Pope named President/NBC Universal TV Studio
Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy promoted to District Attorney,
filling the office recently vacated by DA Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson,
now US Presidential hopeful)
Lisa Judson named President, Warner Bros. Animation
Michael Duda promoted to Partner/Chief Corporate Strategy Officer
with the marketing communications agency Deutsch Inc.
Halle Anne Root was born, making me a grandma!
Alex Fragen named President/Domestic Television Distribution for
Summit Entertainment
Laurie Younger, President, Disney-ABC Worldwide Television
Ben Pyne named President/Global Distribution, Disney-ABC Worldwide
Television and Disney Media Networks
Jay Ireland to President/CEO of GE Asset Management
Wenda Harris Millard tapped by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia as
President/Media
Mediaedge:cia hired Mark Sanders to be the new CFO, North America
Lynn Picard, EVP/GM of Lifetime and President of Lifetime
Entertainment Ad Sales, resigned
Jason Kilar to CEO for the new online video site that is a joint
effort between News Corp. and NBC Universal
Steve Burns joined National Geographic Channel as EVP/Content
Kevin Reilly found himself in the position of President/Entertainment
again - this time at News Corp's FOX Broadcasting Company
Michael H. Klein upped to President of LFP, Inc.
Judy Girard retired from HGTV at the end of 2007 - Jim Samples steps
in
NBC Universal appointed John Wallace, effective immediately, as
President of the NBC Owned-and-Operated Television Stations
Angela Bromstad made President/ International Television Production
with NBC Universal International
John Eck upgraded to President of NBC TV Network and Media Works
Jeff Gaspin elevated to President/COO for Universal Television Group
GSN named David Goldhill as President/CEO
Katherine Foster appointed GM of WUVF-WLZE/Ft. Myers-Naples
Veoh Networks named former Yahoo! SVP Steve Mitgang as CEO
Daily Motion appointed Mark Zaleski as Executive Chairman
Napster tapped Christopher Allen to serve as its COO
FOX promoted Mike Darnell to President/Alternative Entertainment
New Line Cinema added Chris Carlisle as President/Domestic Theatrical
Marketing
Chase Carey re-upped with DirecTV for an additional three years,
taking him thru 2010
Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned WABM-WTTO/Birmingham, AL added J.C.
Lowe as VP/GM
The Harlem Globetrotters appointed Kurt Schneider as CEO
Rod Perth resigned as President of ReelzChannel Television
CJ Olivares advanced to GM at FUEL TV
Jim Romanovich named President/Associated Television International
Barry W. Ilovitch advanced to President/Production with Entertainment
Studios, Inc.
ReelTime.com appointed Beverly Zaslow to President/COO, ReelTime
Rentals, Inc.
Dave Bisceglia joined Katz Media Group Inc. as VP/GM for the American
and National Divisions of Millennium Sales & Marketing's Chicago
office
Tony Snow stepped down as White House Press Secretary as of September
14th
Univision Communications Inc. added David Lawenda to the new position
of President/Advertising Sales
John Ford rejoined Discovery Communications as President/GM of
Military Channel and Discovery Times Channel
Comedy Central advanced EVP/GM Michele Ganeless to President
Discovery Networks International recruited former MTV EVP Sahar
Elhabashi as COO
Jack Romanos, President/CEO of Simon & Schuster, Inc. retired -
Carolyn K. Reidy stepped in
Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. named Jeffrey Sagansky as
Co-Chairman of the Board
Acorn Media Group appointed Thomas Sidar as President/Acorn Direct
The Nielsen Company recruited Bruce Dennler as President/Nielsen
Entertainment
NBC Universal Sales and Marketing has restructured and as a result
Marianne Gambelli has been upped to President, NBC Network Ad Sales,
Steve Bartels advanced to President/COO with Island Def Jam Music
Group
Nick Orfanopoulos ankles NATPE - joins CES
Amy Baer was named President for CBS Films
John Cuddihy moved up to President/Managing Director of Lightworks
Program Distribution (LPD)
World Wrestling Entertainment named Michael Lake as President/WWE
Films
Dea Perez promoted to acting GM, Discovery Kids Media
Spike TV appointed Kevin Kay to the position of President
The Knot, Inc. hired Janet Scardino as President/CMO
Mitch Praver hired at NPR as EVP/COO
Cable Center's Board of Directors named Michael Willner, Vice
Chairman/CEO of Insight Communications as its new Chairman and Bob Miron,
CEO of Advanced/Newhouse Communications, Inc. as Vice Chairman
Steven Yee, former Reuters Media SVP/Heal of Global Marketing named
President of Scientific American
Equity Media Holdings Corporation selected Bill Maples to the
position of GM for the company's Little Rock, Arkansas stations:
KWBF/MyNetwork TV affiliate, KKYK/RTN affiliate and KLRA/Univision
affiliate
Rebecca S. Campbell, to President/GM of WABC/New York
Heading Global Media as President is Tim Kelly, President/CEO of
National Geographic Ventures
Syndication One Radio Network, a joint relationship between Radio One
and REACH Media named Gary Bernstein as President/Programming
Equity Media Holdings Corporation appointed Jim MacDonald as GM for
its stations in Amarillo: KEYU the Univision affiliate and KAMT the
TeleFutura affiliate
Jonathan Block-Verk is the new President for the non-profit
Promax/BDA
Don Parsons joined CaribeVision as President/Sales
Kent Haehl returned to Channel One Network and Channel One News,
owned and operated by Alloy Media + Marketing Company, as CEO
Tom Ascheim, who had been with Nickelodeon for the last 17 years and
most recently as GM, left to become CEO of Newsweek magazine
Deborah Blackwell, GM at SOAPnet, announced she will leave the
company in early 2008
Telescope named Jason George as Chairman
David Beal as President/National Geographic Entertainment.
Richard Parsons, Chairman/CEO at Time Warner will retire as CEO of
the company effective today, January 1; Jeff Bewkes current President/COO
moves up
Bernie Prazenica advanced to President/GM of WPVI/Philadelphia
Lion Television named Tony Tackaberry as CEO of Lion Inc
Jana Cosgrove progressed to the position of President for CBS Radio
Sales
Entertainment Studios Inc. upped Andrew Temple to President/Domestic
Television Distribution
Kieran G. Clarke added EVP/GM of Meredith Video Solutions
Lauren Corrao moved up to President/Original Programming and
Development with Comedy Central
Greg Farrar advanced to President/Nielsen Business Media with The
Nielsen Company
Entertainment Media Works (EMW) appointed Steven Rosenberg as CEO
Patrick Gates was elevated to President/GM, Discovery Commerce at
Discovery Communications
Animation Collective has identified a new COO in Doug MacLennan
President/Publisher of Variety, Charlie Koones will depart the
Reed Business Entertainment Group March 1
Jonathan Spaet joined Time Warner Cable Media Sales New York City as
VP/GM
The Nielsen Company appointed Mitch Barns as President/Nielsen
Greater China
Marc Juris advanced to EVP/GM at Court TV
Granite Broadcasting Corporation hired Craig Coane as President/GM
for the independent television station, KBWB/San Francisco
MindShare Entertainment announced David Lang would be its new
President
ABC Owned Television Stations Group elevated John H. Idler to
President/GM of WTVD/Raleigh-Durham
Telemundo named Manuel Martinez to the position of VP/GM of
WSCV/Miami and Jose Valle as VP/GM of KVEA/Los Angeles.
IN MEMORIUM:
Yvonne DeCarlo ... Ron Carey ...
Bob Carroll Jr. ... Sidney Sheldon ... Anna Nicole Smith ... Veronika
Lineberry ... Richard Jeni ... Elliot Peikoff ... Calvert DeForest, aka
Larry "Bud" Melman ... Art Stolnitz ... Michael David Fox ...
Edward Mallory ... Roscoe Lee Browne ... Leavitt Joseph "Lev"
Pope ... Kitty Carlisle Hart ... Jack Valenti ... Harvey Reinstein ...
Milton Grant ... Tom Poston ... Dabbs Greer ... Jimmy Hall ... Charles
Nelson Reilly ... Chris Benoit ... Charles Lane ... Joel Siegel ... Kelly
Polk ... William Patrick Meyl ... Tammy Faye ... Pete Wilson ... Don
Herbert aka "Mr. Wizard" ... Tom Snyder ... Merv Griffin ...
Mark Offitzer ... Luciano Pavarotti ... Jane Wyman ... Saul I.
Fruchthendler ... Alice Ghostley ... Jim Robbins ... Joey Bishop ...
Deborah Kerr ... Robert Goulet ... Evel Knievel ... Don Ho ... Art
Buchwald ... Marcel Marceau ... Dick Wilson aka Mr. Whipple ... Jennifer
Davidson ... Roger King ... Fred Dressler ... Stu Nahan
Did I forget anything or anyone? Of course I did, tho not intentionally. Here's to a happy and prosperous New Year!
Later -- Cyn
1.1.08
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