Happy New Year! It's Thursday,
January 1, 2009, and before we begin the New Year in earnest, here's a
look back at 2008 ...
This was a year of significant highs and lows. The highs included a
history making election night; some of the funniest SNL sketches seen in
years; Michael Phelps at the Olympics, HBO's John Adams miniseries and
AMC's Mad Men; Billy Crystal on the roster for one day as a Yankee and
the group hosting debacle at the Emmys (so low it became a high!).
Low's include the WGA strike and the pending potential SAG strike; the
fire at Universal Studios; the loss of so many jobs and of course the
loss of so many loved ones.
This year began in the throes of the writers' strike, the effect of which
was felt throughout the year. It was the year of shows jumping networks -
Scrubs to ABC, Beauty and the Geek to MTV, repeats of Jericho filling in
on The CW's Sunday night lineup - cable shows being scheduled on
broadcast networks (filling WGA holes); a wildly entertaining political
and athletic year; a particularly litigious year - Project Runway, FCC
indecency rulings, Dan Rather's fraud suit, and the NFL Network
discrimination complaint. And it was a year that ended really
poorly financially, with numerous staff and expense cuts announced in 4th
quarter.
Here's the run down, and when you get to the bottom, raise your glass to
what we've learned this year, and how we'll use it to make 2009 that much
better.
THE
NETWORKS:
Dick Wolf and NBC Universal in talks with
ITV and Kudos Films to develop a Law & Order: London
Canadian CTV acquired both conventional and specialty channel
broadcast rights to the AMC series Mad Men
With few new shows available as result of the strike, CBS airs
Showtime series Dexter in primetime
ABC brought back The Mole from Stone & Co., not with either
Anderson Cooper or Ahmad Rashad, but with a new host - Jon Kelley
People's Choice Awards were announced in a magazine style format
special on CBS
Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications revealed plans to create a
new multi-platform media venture, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network
Jeff Zucker announced the network would no longer order up pilots as
a matter of course each year leading into the upfront season, thereby
saving the network tens of millions of dollars
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and NASCAR extended
their contract for Turner Sports to continue operating NASCAR.com through
2014
Discovery Times Channel became Investigation Discovery (ID)
FCC fined 52 ABC affiliates $1.4 million for airing a brief nude
scene contained in a 2003 NYPD Blue episode
The Ski Channel made a long-term distribution partnership deal with
Cox Communications. The agreement puts The Ski Channel on all Cox VOD
enabled systems, and the added subscribers will put the network in at
least 13 million cable households. The network launched on Christmas Day
NBC picked up a new CTV original drama, The Listener (wt), the second
time in a week that a CTV-developed Canadian series has been picked up
for broadcast in primetime by a major U.S. network (CBS announced last
week it picked up the CTV series Flashpoint)
Sunday's Super Bowl XLII on FOX was the most-watched Super Bowl game
in 42 years of Super Bowls and also ranks as the second most-watched
program in TV history with 97.5 million viewer .. and the NY Giants win!
NBC's coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics rolls out on 8-08-08 - in
the weeks leading up to the event, tensions ran high between local
organizers of the Beijing Olympics and the broadcasters, with varying
complaints ranging from excessive security imposed by the Chinese
government to potentially limited or no live coverage in Tiananmen Square
... a couple of months later you'll remember that NBC opened its Opening
Night of the Summer Games live from Tiananamen Square
A&E ordered its first original scripted drama series in more than
six years with Cleaner starring Benjamin Bratt
MSG Media will rebrand FSN New York (FSNY) as MSG Plus
In March, NBC was looking at a pilot project starring Christian
Slater in what would be his first television series ... you remember how
that turned out
HBO Films and Playtone's John Adams ... magnificent
CBS told producers on the drama Jericho in mid-March that the next
airing of the show will be it's final episode .... repeats of it show up
on The CW schedule in 4th qtr
NBC announced its upfront slate yesterday with a theme to each hour
of primetime - 8p is the family hour; 9p is the blockbuster hour; and 10p
are adult dramas. Also the amount of reality shows is fairly
limited from the fall thru into spring 2009
MSG Network will introduce MSG at the Movies, adding films to its
programming lineup
Discovery Communications debuts Planet Green, its 24-hour
eco-lifestyle television network on June 4
"Katie Couric may leave her post as CBS Evening News anchor
before her contract is up in 2011" .... Les Moonves shoots down that
rumor pretty quickly
After airing only one episode Tuesday night, CBS cancelled the
reality competition series Secret Talents of the Stars ... apparently
nobody really cared what those secret talents might be
Documentary Channel (DOC) made an exclusive deal with IMAX
Corporation to broadcast 21 films from the IMAX library on DOC
Viacom and three studios, Lionsgate, MGM, and Paramount Pictures, are
joining forces to launch a new pay-TV channel, still unnamed, in the fall
of 2009. The new channel will be steeped with online and VOD elements and
will be headquartered at Viacom's Times Square offices. This gives MGM
and Lionsgate, which are not associated with a TV network, ownership
stake in a TV channel ... it will be called Epix ... scheduled to launch
in 4th Qtr 2009
April 2008 - NBC's drama series pickup The Philanthropist has lost
his two key showrunners - Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson have parted ways
with NBC on this project as a result of creative issues on the direction
of the show. But no worries -- comes December they'll be back.
Following the story that CBS Sports' CSTV will become the CBS College
Sports Network, and CSTV's online properties will be incorporated into
the new network, came the news of as many as 40 job cuts within CSTV
NBC and MTV are partnering on a promotional stunt where both networks
will premiere the original drama series quarterlife from Marshall
Herskovitz and Edward Zwick on the same day ... After a single airing on
NBC, Quarterlife was pulled off the air
Numerous reports peg Jimmy Fallon to take over the NBC Late Night
hosting gig starting 2009, as Conan O'Brien moves to host the Tonight
Show following Jay Leno's retirement from the late night gig ... and then
.... Leno will go to 10p in Fall; Conan steps into Tonight Show and
Fallon does get the NBC Late Night gig
The CW replaces its M-F Kids WB animation block with syndicated fare
from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution ... and The CW will
sublet Sunday nights to Media Rights Council who will program the entire
evening from 5-10p with four new series, at least until that deal is
cancelled in 4th qtr because the programming isn't working
Production of Emeril's show on Food Network is coming to a close,
airing only repeats going forward ... Fine Living Network picks up the
series, airing Emeril live nightly Fox announces
The Simpsons will be back for another season before talent agreements are
in place - cast is looking to be upped from $360k per ep to $500k ...
eventually they settle at $400k
CBS and Turner swapped promo time on each other's schedules as part
of a non-cash marketing arrangement
Samuel L. Jackson made a first-look two-year pact with CBS Paramount
Network TV to develop and executive producer projects for television ...
network signs similar deal with Laurence Fishburne who later turns up
with a regular role on CSI
Broadcast upfront take is $9.23 billion up 1.2% from last year's
total of $9.12 billion
After buying a major chunk of World Champion Sports Network, NBC
Universal will re-launch the network on Thursday with a new name -
Universal Sports
Showtime Networks Inc. and The Weinstein Company (TWC) made a
seven-year exclusive film distribution pact that encompasses up to 95
films which takes effect with TWC's 2009 release schedule
Ryan Seacrest will be the permanent co-host of ABC's Dick Clark's New
Year's Rockin' Eve which will now be called Dick Clark's New Year's
Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
BET debuted its first scripted TV series, Somebodies on September 9
at 1030p with two half-hour episodes
As the CW Network prepares to launch the first of its new fall shows
tonight, Tribune owned CW affiliates in some cities have been busy
stripping "CW" out of its marketing plan
Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews pulled from MSNBC's election
coverage, David Gregory steps in
Faith & Values Media changed its name to Odyssey Networks
Ad-supported MOJO HD shuttered by its distributor, InDemand
In a memo to staff members on Friday, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker
said the company will carve $500 million out of the 2009 budget.
Recommended cuts: promotional expenses; reduced T&E expenses, and
staff
Days later, ABC News President David Westin made a similar move
announcing there would be a series of financial considerations made,
including cutting back on attendance at conferences, elimination of all
holiday parties, cancelling paper subscriptions, as well as asking high
level execs to fly in cheaper seats, and stay at cheaper hotels
BET Networks and The Weinstein Company are working together for the
first time on a four-movie deal
With the news King of the Hill will not be renewed on Fox for another
season, comes word ABC may be interested in picking up the animated
sitcom
Retirement Living TV (RLTV) and NBC News are co-producing season
three of Daily Cafe, the 60m live news and current affairs program
Whoopi Goldberg's production company Whoop Inc. signed a development
agreement with Discovery Communications' Emerging Networks Group
At the end of this season, FOX is shuttering its Saturday late-night
comedy sketch show Mad TV after 14 seasons
NBC made a commitment with Sony Pictures Television to keep 43-year
old daytime soap Days of Our Lives on the air for another 18 months
ESPN and the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) announced a firm
four-year agreement was settled between the two, allowing ESPN to have
exclusive TV, radio, digital, international and marketing rights for 15
BCS bowl games beginning January 2011
Beauty and the Geek, formerly on The CW, will find a new home on MTV
as the network picked up six episodes and may option for more cycles of
the reality series
The CW announced it is cancelling its Sunday night time-buy agreement
with Media Rights Capital
In a rather strange move, Food Network is bringing back Robert Irvine
former star of Dinner: Impossible to star again in the same show.
You'll recall Irvine was fired once it was discovered he over-spiced his
resume
Fox is ditching its Saturday morning kids block altogether and will
replace it with infomercials come January 2009
NBC will be moving Jay Leno to 10p on weeknights starting Fall 2009
Creator/executive producer Marc Cherry of ABC's Desperate Housewives
is talking with the network about extending the series through a seventh
season
Rainbow Media Holdings decides to shutter the majority of the 15 VOOM
HD networks and lets go numerous
employees
COURT
FILINGS:
ABC filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit against the FCC. The point of contention is a 2003 NYPD Blue
episode that the FCC declared indecent and on Tuesday fined ABC a total
of $1,237,500 for the 45 affiliates that aired the program
FCC threw out an appeal from News Corp.'s Fox Television division to
overturn an indecency rule involving an April 2003 episode of Married by
America which featured male and female strippers
The ongoing feud between InterActiveCorp CEO Barry Diller and John
Malone, controlling shareholder of Liberty Media, may have some
resolution on March 28 as the Delaware Chancery Court Judge Stephen Lamb
will rule if Diller violated his proxy agreement after both sides present
briefs ... in late March the court battle between IAC/InterActiveCorp and
Liberty Media reached a verdict two weeks after the five-day trial
concluded in Wilmington, DE. Judge Stephen Lamb of the Delaware Chancery
Court ruled in favor of IAC's chairman Barry Diller and his plan to
spin-off IAC into five separate entities
FOX refused to pay the FCC's proposed $91,000 fine leveled against 13
FOX owned and affiliated stations that aired an episode of Married by
America in 2003 which contained pixilated nudity. The FCC issued the
forfeiture order on February 22, giving FOX 30 days to pay. FOX instead
filed a petition for reconsideration saying the commission's ruling was
"arbitrary and capricious, inconsistent with precedent and patently
unconstitutional."
New York's Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department
reversed a judgment made in May 2007 which allowed Comcast to position
the NFL Network on a sports tier.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal submitted by FOX and
other networks against the FCC regarding the "fleeting broadcast
profanity" case.
On April 5, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit in the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia against eight FOX-owned or
affiliated stations to collect indecency fines totaling $56,000
associated with a 2003 airing of Married by America. Additionally, the
FCC rejected another appeal from FOX to have the fines revoked saying FOX
failed to file a request to exceed the page limit of the petition at
least 10 days prior to the filing
Fans of the reality competition series Project Runway will turn to
Lifetime Television starting November 2008 as a result of a deal between
Lifetime and The Weinstein Company .... wait for it .... NBC Universal
filed a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court against The Weinstein
Company. NBC contains it had the right to meet or beat any offer by a
competing network; Weinstein Co lawyers deny NBC had that right, and that
NBC had turned down the same deal Weinstein Company ultimately struck
with Lifetime
ABC announced it is appealing the FCC's ruling and fines that center
on a 2003 episode of NYPD Blue that, according to the FCC, violated
indecency policies
The next round of countersuits have been filed in the Project Runway
case. Lifetime has filed naming The Weinstein Company, Bravo and
NBC Universal as Defendants, suing for the exclusive rights to the hit
show, and is asking a federal court to intervene
Many of the claims filed by Dan Rather in a $70 million lawsuit last
September against the CBS Corporation were dismissed by Judge Ira
Gammerman of the New York Supreme Court. The judge rejected Rather's
claim of fraud in addition to his assertion that the network made him the
scapegoat involving the bru-ha-ha surrounding the 60 Minutes II use of
controversial papers in the story about President Bush's National Guard
service in the 1970s
Clear Channel filed a complaint on Friday with the Delaware Chancery
Court against Newport Television, an affiliate of Providence Equity
Partners, to order Newport to complete the $1.2 billion buyout of Clear
Channel's television stations
The NFL Network filed a discrimination complaint to the FCC against
the Comcast Corp alleging Comcast violated federal law pertaining to
equal treatment requirements
VOOM HD has filed an amended complaint against Echostar, amended
since its original complaint filed at the beginning of the calendar
year. The new version includes 100 counts against Dish Network,
claiming the satellite provider wrongly removed the 15-network VOOM HD
suite of channels from its service and claiming Dish has raised numerous
"baseless" reasons how Voom violated their agreement
Thirteen of the direct and indirect affiliates of Pappas Telecasting
Companies filed for Chapter 11 protection in the United States Bankruptcy
Court for the District of Delaware
Apparently confident after its oral arguments in the FOX profanity
appeal case, the FCC, with support from the Department of Justice, filed
a petition for a writ of certiorari last Wednesday, asking the
Supreme Court to overturn the CBS Janet Jackson Super Bowl halftime show
decision
New York Supreme Court Judge Richard Lowe ordered a preliminary
injunction opposing The Weinstein Co. (TWC), blocking them from moving
the reality series Project Runway from Bravo to Lifetime Television, at
least for the time being
The Tribune Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a
federal court in Delaware
WGA
STRIKE:
The Late Show with David Letterman and Late, Late Show with Craig
Ferguson to return on-air despite the ongoing WGA strike at the start of
'08
Jay Leno runs afoul of the WGA as he writes his own monologue
NBC chooses to move forward with the Golden Globes even tho numerous
A List actors say they won't cross the picket line - rethinking that
decision, NBC a couple of days later announces Golden Globe Awards
telecast will be replaced with a one hour news conference
Jan 11 Strike Update: Weinstein & Co. have signed an
interim deal with WGA; The WGA West Awards dinner cancelled; CBS News and
WGA arrived at a tentative agreement
Three days later, ABC Studios became the first television studio to
utilize its force majeure clause and end the contracts of nearly thirty
writers and non-writing producers; the next days several other studios
follow suit: Warner Bros. Television, CBS Paramount Network TV, 20th
Century Fox TV and Universal Media Studios
WGA signs independent deals with MRC, Spyglass Entertainment, United
Artists and Worldwide Pants, Marvel Studios, Lionsgate, Jackson Bites,
Mandate Films, Sydney Kimmel Entertainment, RKO Productions
Citing the on-going writers strike, NBC Universal may decide to
cancel its annual upfront presentation
The Board of Directors of the WGA, West allowed an interim agreement
for this year's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles
Latest update in early February - a proposed deal could be drafted by
week's end
The writer's strike which has shut down the TV and film production
industry for more than three months is expected to officially end
February 12th
Details include the WGA gaining ground with residuals for shows put
online and jurisdiction over content created for online, but did not
include jurisdiction over animation and reality product. As the networks
rush back into production on some shows, it is expected that this current
season will last until June and the Academy Awards show in its full form
can be saved as well as a development season for next fall.
ABC, CBS, CW and FOX, will all present traditional upfront shows. NBC
remains a question mark, having said during the writers strike it may not
go forward with a full blown upfront presentation this year
Girlfriends, a staple on UPN and now on The CW for 8 years, will call
this season its last
On February 26, 2009, members of the WGA West and WGA East voted to
ratify the new three-year contract by 93.6% of the 4,060 votes cast.
For years AFTRA and SAG negotiated in tandem with Hollywood producers
and last weekend decided to sever this arrangement. AFTRA announced
yesterday it will begin contract talks with producers on April 28.
Furthermore, AFTRA will hold off on its negotiations with the AMPTP so
SAG can hammer out its separate deals with the studios, as these talks
are set to begin April 15.
SYNDICATION:
Debmar-Mercury: Fox Television
Stations and distributor Debmar-Mercury are co-producing a six-week
preview of The Wendy Williams Show, set to debut July 14; obtained global
distribution rights outside the U.K. for a game show format called Hot
Seat developed by Standing Stone Productions; Debmar-Mercury obtained the
premiere broadcast syndication rights to E!'s docu-series True Hollywood
Story for a one-hour daily strip beginning fall 2009
WBDTD: Warner Bros. Television Group combined its two domestic
television distribution units, Warner Bros. Domestic Television
Distribution and Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution; Mario Lopez
signed to host the daily syndicated entertainment magazine series Extra,
upping his status from weekend host and correspondent; The Closer to
weekend broadcast syndication for Fall 2010
MGM: Domestic television distribution unit brought Gladiators
2000, the kids competition series in off-network syndication with 39
episodes; MGM has launched THIS TV network, a 24/7 ad supported linear
channel designed for the US broadcast marketplace and available to local
broadcasters as a turn-key solution for generating revenue in the digital
arena
CBS TV Distribution: Judge Judy plans to be around for at
least two more years thru 2012; Will The Oprah Winfrey Show move to OWN
and get out of syndication? still up in the air; In development -
syndicated talk show for fall 2009 hosted by T.D. Jakes, head of the
non-denominational church the Potter's House; Numb3rs and Criminal Minds
offered for off-network weekend broadcast syndication starting fall 2010;
The Doctors are in as and renewed for a sophomore se
Program Partners: Marie Osmond will host a new
entertainment/lifestyle talk show for women; Program Partners will offer
a new daytime syndication programming package called Daytime Plus to
local television stations, giving them a choice of three original
Monday-Friday strip programs: Merv Griffin's Crosswords, Style by Jury
and Inside the Box
NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution: Starting fall
2009, Law & Order: SVU for weekday runs in national syndication; NBC
Local Media Division, NBC's O&O stations group, cancelled the
Chicago-based daytime show In the Loop With iVillage; Martha will return
for a fifth season
Meredith Corporation aired a primetime special Better at Night
based on the daytime show Better in nine Meredith markets
Sony Pictures Television: Harpo Productions is in development
on a new talk show with Dr. Mehmet Oz for a probable fall 2009 debut ...
the distribution deal is eventually awarded to Sony; Marissa Jaret
Winokur has been signed by Sony TV for a daytime TV syndication deal,
possibly for Fall 2009
Disney-ABC Domestic Television: At The Movies will be getting
two new critics/co-hosts when it debuts this fall on September 6, 2008 -
Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz; Series Wizard's First Rule (working title)
has been renamed Legend of the Seeker
FOX's game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? from
Twentieth Television and Mark Burnett Productions, is expected to
launch in national syndication in fall 2009
Tribune Broadcasting President Ed Wilson is reconsidering
decision to get out of the syndication business.
Entertainment Studios is partnering on a global scale with
MySpace to provide content for ten branded original channels that will be
found at MySpaceTV.com
Litton Entertainment is offering stations barter-free
half-hour episodes of Storm Stories this summer; a new one-hour weekly
syndicated variety series for Fall 2009: The Brian McKnight Show
A. Smith & Co. Productions will introduce another
syndicated court show - Tough Justice With Judge Marian Shelton is
expected to be made available later this year to the syndication market
Montel is shopping a new syndicated project called Living Well with
Montel, based on a diet and lifestyle book published by Montel last
January
The Daily Buzz, the three-hour nationally syndicated morning news
program from ACME Communications, Inc., adds local component
Various talents were on the block for consideration of new syndicated
fare ... some of these will happen:
Food Network's Paula Dean with Telepictures
Donald Trump for 20th
Former Senator Al D'Amato getting his own court show?
Janice Dickinson (who also has her own show on Oxygen)
Telepictures is reportedly looking at a daytime show based on the
website MomLogic.com
Leah Remini may do a daytime show with CBS TV Distribution
Jesse Ventura is talking about a daytime court show with 20th TV ...
tho come September he signs with truTV for a new pilot
Acorn Media Group will manage the home video distribution of more
than 30 of classic British mystery and drama titles from FremantleMedia
Enterprises in the U.S. and Canada
FremantleMedia will present Katalyst Media's new competition reality
series True Beauty to international buyers at NATPE 2009
Telco Productions, Inc. will launch two new weekly programs for
national syndication in September 2009: Dragonfly TV and Swap TV
Trifecta Entertainment & Media will bring MTV's Laguna Beach: The
Real Orange County and its spinoff The Hills to syndication
ACQUISITIONS &
MERGERS:
The Weather Channel is seeking a buyer
.... and later gets it from NBC Universal, Bain Capital and The
Blackstone Group who entered into an agreement with Landmark
Communications Young Broadcasting Inc. hired financial advisors Moelis
& Company to help with the sale of television station, KRON/San
Francisco
CBS Corporation completed the sale of television stations in four
markets to Four Points Media Group, LLC for $185 million in cash.
CBS Corporation will purchase CNET Networks, Inc., making a cash
tender offer of $11.50 per share which equates to an equity value of
around $1.8 billion.
LATV Networks, LLC acquired American Latino TV (ALTV)
Prime Visibility Media Group purchased two online companies, AdOn
Network and Prime Visibility and has formed a new division, PV Media
Group as a result. Leading this new division and its senior management
team as CEO will be Steve Rosenberg
Sage Broadcasting will sell its remaining broadcast television
stations to new TV station group owner Bayou City Broadcasting
The Nielsen Company made an investment in NeuroFocus, a Berkeley,
CA-based company that applies brainwave research to advertising,
programming and messaging
The Nielsen Company has acquired the privately-held New York-based
company IAG Research, Inc. for $225 million
Nielsen and WPP formed an agreement to exchange specific assets:
Nielsen gets 50% of AGBNielsen Media Research from WPP; WPP gets SRDS,
PERQ/HCI and an 11% share in IBOPE PDM, IBOPE LA and IMI.com
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. acquires the media and licensed
properties of Emeril Lagasse for $45 million in cash and $5 million in
stock
Reed Elsevier is selling its Reed Business Information magazine unit
that includes media and entertainment industry titles Variety,
Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and Publisher's
Weekly.
Liberty Media gets FCC okay on takeover of DirecTV
NBC Universal's Local Media unit purchased the marketing and
promotional assets of Skycastle Entertainment
NBC Universal is seeking buyers for two of its television affiliates
that comprise the NBC Local Media Division. WTVJ/Miami and WVIT/Hartford
are for sale as the company concentrates on the top 10 markets and its
group of digital properties.
NBC Universal is expected to sell its affiliate, WTVJ/Miami to the
Post-Newsweek Stations group. The deal, with FCC approval pending, would
allow Post-Newsweek Stations to operate the stations as a duopoly.
NBC Universal will purchase U.K. independent production company,
Carnival Film & Television Ltd
Media General announced it is selling its ABC affiliate
WTVQ/Lexington to Morris Network for an undisclosed amount
Media General sold ABC affiliate WMBB/Panama City and
KALB-NALB/Alexandria which is a dual NBC/CBS outlet to Hoak Media
Just four years after the Lord of the Rings film trilogy brought in
over a billion dollars into the coffers of New Line Cinema the forty-year
old independent film company will be taken over by Warner Bros. and
become a much smaller entity.
Macrovision Solutions Corporation is selling the TV Guide Network and
TV Guide Online to Allen Shapiro and One Equity Partners for
approximately $255 million in consideration, subject to a working capital
adjustment at closing
Crown Media Holdings, Inc., owner and operator of Hallmark Channel,
says it's no longer on the auction block
Clear Channel Communications finalized the sale of its television
group of 56 TV stations, to Newport Television, a holding company for
Providence Equity Partners. The $1.1 billion transaction is approximately
$200 million less than the terms of the original deal negotiated a year
ago
The Justice Department okayed the merger of XM Satellite Radio and
Sirius Satellite Radio
Meredith Corporation completed the sale of WFLI/Chattanooga to MPS
Media. Terms were not disclosed
Endemol USA has purchased 51 Minds Entertainment
Equity Media Holdings Corporation's subsidiary, EBC Southwest
Florida, Inc. will sell five Southwest Florida low power and Class A
televisions stations to Luken Communications, LLC. The $8 million
transaction includes stations WUVF-CA, WLZE-LP, WBSP-CA, WEVU-CA and
WTLE-LP.
Little Rock-based Equity Media Holdings, which revealed its financial
difficulties in April, sold Retro Television Network to Luken
Communications for $18.5 million
Wisconsin-based TV-49, Inc. just completed the sale of
WJJA/Milwaukee, an independent station to Illinois-based The Weigel
Broadcasting Corporation
Selling the last of its 16 television stations, Emmis Communications
Corp. announced WVUE/New Orleans, the FOX affiliate, was sold to
Louisiana Media Co. for $41 million
Sundance Channel will join IFC, AMC, WE tv and the VOOM HD networks,
as one of the Rainbow Media networks under Cablevision Systems
Corp. The acquisition will cost Cablevision $496 million in stock
and cash; Larry Aidem to Pres/CEO of Sundance, as President of Rainbow
Ventures, reporting to Joshua Sapan, Pres/CEO of Rainbow Media
Newport Television, LLC based in Kansas sold four television stations
to Washington-based Cowles Company
Cablevision officially swooped in to acquire 97% of Newsday from
Tribune in a deal valued at $650 million
Davis Television finalized the sale of its television station
WVFX/Clarksburg to Withers Broadcasting Companies of Illinois.
Time Warner will go ahead and sell its remaining 85% ownership stake
in Time Warner Cable, a transaction equaling approximately $9 billion
that is expected to be complete fourth quarter 2008
Cyrte Investments acquired Spitfire Pictures which will merge with
U.K. studio Hammer to form the new worldwide entertainment group called
HS Media.
ESPN will acquire Torrance, CA-based Student Sports, Inc., a high
school-targeted digital media and event production company
Don Cornelius sold the Soul Train franchise to MadVision
Entertainment, Inc., a multimedia company that concentrates on urban
content and production founded by Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith and
Anthony Maddox and supported by private equity firm InterMedia Partners,
L.P
Raycom Media Inc. finalized the purchase of three television stations
from Lincoln Financial Group: NBC affiliate WWBT/Richmond and the CBS
affiliates WBTV/Charlotte and WCSC/Charleston.
Raycom Media is selling WTVR/Richmond to Sinclair Broadcast Group for
$85 million
Journal Communications, Inc., parent company to Journal Broadcast
Group, Inc and Journal Broadcast Corporation signed an asset purchase
deal to buy KNIN/Boise from Banks-Boise for $8 million
An application has been filed with the FCC for the sale of KVNV-TV of
Ely, NV from Valley Broadcasting Company a subsidiary of Sunbelt
Communications Company to Concord, NH-based PMCM TV, LLC
Cookie Jar Entertainment has officially closed on its merger
transaction with DIC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.
The FCC has approved the buyout by Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. of XM
Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., for $3.5 billion
Weigel Broadcast Co. is selling its three low-power television
stations in the South Bend, Indiana market to WSBT, Inc., an operating
unit of Schurz Communications, Inc., also based in South Bend.
NEW MEDIA BUSINESS
DECISIONS:
The Alliance of Motion Picture and
Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Directors Guild of America (DGA)
forged an agreement which allows industry creative talent to participate
financially in all areas of new media
ABC New Media Sales signed a deal with PumpTop TV, a digital media
network with screens at gas pumps currently in several West Coast markets
To promote the network's newest primetime series, for the first time
HBO will stream the first 15 episodes of In Treatment on its website,
HBO.com as well as on HBO On Demand
CBS Interactive is dusting off some classic TV shows from the CBS
Library and initially offering full-length episodes of Star Trek, The
Twilight Zone, MacGyver, Hawaii Five-O and Melrose Place. Distribution
will occur across the CBS Audience Network which is comprised of more
than 300 websites and partners
MySpace TV has ordered up a hidden camera series called Special
Delivery where special delivery folks get the candid camera routine.
TLC and Real Simple are teaming to develop multi-media lifestyle
content for various platforms including television, print, radio, online
and in-store events
Citing affiliate and viewer demand, Scripps Networks will simulcast
the standard-definition and hi-def feeds of HGTV and Food Network to
cable and satellite affiliates starting March 31
NBC Universal and LimeLife, Inc. are bringing fans of the
long-running NBC series Law & Order a new mobile game version called
Law & Order: Celebrity Betrayal
NBC will debut the anthology series Fear Itself on May 29 at 10p,
produced by Lionsgate. The show will also debut on the
FEARnet website and VOD on
September 1st, Labor Day, with a new episode available for viewing each
week. The episodes will also contain extra footage including chats with
directors and scenes not shown on the NBC series
ESPN and AOL are teaming to offer ESPN.com video content through AOL
Video and AOL Sports
A new interactive project for the digital age that knows from
internet dating sites. The project is from FremantleMedia's new-media
division FMX and Heavy.com, called LoveRace
Multi-platform media company The Italian American Network debuted
several on-demand webisode series shot in hi-def at
www.ItalianAmericanNetwork.com
CBS made a pact with Google-owned YouTube to have many of its TV
programs available on the video-sharing site in full-length form
Fox Reality Channel introduces the first Apple iPhone mobile service
offering reality-only content
LIN TV is rolling out an interactive TV test involving a few hundred
viewers next month which will possibly offer a bridge between television
and the web. LIN TV is teaming with Boston-based Backchannelmedia and
launching the test on its WTNH-WCTX/Hartford-New Haven duopoly and
potentially later on its 29-station group if the trial does well
DISH Network Corporation and Rentrack Corporation formed a
relationship where Rentrack will report the measurement from millions of
DISH Network set-top boxes offering click-stream television data
THE SUBLIME TO THE
RIDICULOUS, AND ALL IN BETWEEN:
The Golf Channel suspended its first
female anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks after she made an
inappropriate comment that put Tiger Woods and the word "lynch"
in the same sentence.
Viewers of WHNT in Huntsville, Alabama who were watching the first
segment of 60 Minutes may have initially thought something funny was
going on, but it turns out it truly was a technical glitch with the
satellite receiver. The opening story was about former Democratic
Governor of Alabama, Don Siegelman and his conviction on bribery charges,
and the potential involvement of a former Bush administrative
official. The segment lasted 13 minutes, and the station outage
lasted 12.
After learning that one of its chefs had garnished his resume as
nicely as some of his dinner plates, the Food Network made the quick
decision to not renew chef Robert Irvine's show at the end of the current
season.
A-Team ... the movie? Yep -- set to be released on June 12,
2009
If you heard rumors that NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice is
considering bringing in OJ Simpson as one of the players, you heard
wrong. NBC says it has never considered OJ ... and just a few months
after this news, OJ was sentenced to several years in jail.
Probably just as well NBC didn't sign him for Celebrity Apprentice.
Have you heard of the "new TV series" from director David
Nutter called Scarlet? Have you tried to figure out who is carrying
the new series and when? And all you've been able to find out is
the website ScarletSeries.tv,
right? Well, the secret behind Scarlet has been revealed.
It's not a "new TV series" the way you think - it's a new model
series of super-slim flat screen TVs from LG Electronics.
Twenty-five outfits worn by James Gandolfini in HBO's The Sopranos
were sold at a Christie's charity auction yesterday which raised $187,750
for Wounded Warrior Project
Jerry Seinfeld is returning to television! Okay, not in a
series or even a special, but as a spokesman for Microsoft ... for a very
short period of time.
SCI FI Channel auctions off costumes, pieces of the set and props of
Battlestar Galactica
Guess who's hawking Mastercard now? Oooooohhhhh nooooo ... Mr.
Bill!
etc
...
The WWE released a statement late
yesterday that WWE Smackdown will continue on The CW until the end of the
current broadcast season, but after that, the show is up for grabs again
... later it goes to MyNetwork
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Marion Cotillard in La Vie en
Rose
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood
Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Barden in No Country for Old Men
Citing a lack of "sufficient client commitments," The
Nielsen Company and Arbitron Inc. have ended the development of
"Project Apollo," the proposed single-source national research
service.
Generate, a production and management studio, has secured its first
round of funding in the amount of $6 million, from Velocity Interactive
Group, and from MK Capital. Generate also named former WB CEO
Jordan Levin as its new CEO.
IFC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC made a
two-year pact with Blockbuster Inc., giving Blockbuster the exclusive
U.S. rental rights for IFC movie titles
AARP has launched AARP TV, a franchise to create original lifestyle
and news programming for boomers and persons 50+
Billy Crystal was on the roster for the New York Yankees for
Thursday's preseason telecast of the Yankees versus Pittsburgh Pirates
game on the YES Network
Creative Television Marketing launched a national television
syndication ad sales service and its first client is representing Telco
Productions' syndicated barter inventory
The FCC's 700-Megahertz wireless spectrum auction closed Tuesday and
accumulated nearly $19.6 billion in total bids for 754 total spectrum
licenses
Tribune-owned KSWB, the long-standing WB and now The CW affiliate,
will switch its affiliation at the end of August 2008 to Fox
After being held hostage for two months in Iraq, a British freelance
journalist, Richard Butler, was rescued yesterday (April 14, 2008) and
appeared in good condition. Richard was working for CBS' 60 Minutes and
was grabbed with a translator in Basra on February 10. CBS News did not
release any further information.
GroupM Entertainment and Ogilvy North America are teaming on a new
venture which will create and distribute branded entertainment content
for the mutual clients shared by both entities which include American
Express, IBM and particular brands under Unilever
Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy on FOX, sealed an overall deal
with 20th Century Fox TV that could be worth more than $100 million
making him the highest paid TV writer/producer
Ever wonder why William Tell had to shoot an arrow through an apple
on his son's head? A new epic film, The Adventures of William Tell,
produced Tell Productions, Ltd. with Fred Caruso and D. Constantine Conte
as producers, will finally tell the full story of the Swiss hero
FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) made a pact with BermanBraun and
Thom Beers' Original Productions to purchase several international
television, home entertainment and format rights to four new shows on
NBC's 2008-2009 lineup: America's Toughest Jobs, Swords and Shark Taggers
plus a fourth series to be named later
Tribune Co. relaunched and renamed Superstation WGN ... it's now
known as WGN America
Broadcast Cable Financial Management Association will change its name
to Media Financial Management Association.
As of April 30, 2008, Nielsen reports that on a national level 9.4%
of U.S. households are completely unready for the DTV transition … by
year’s end the number of households no ready are estimated at 7 million
A massive fire at the Universal Studios lot destroyed thousands of
film reels and videos television shows, as well as the streetscape set
from the clock tower square set from Back to the Future, the King Kong
exhibit, two other streetscapes - one from NYC and the other from
"New England" - were also destroyed
Integrated media and marketing services agency Carat will extend its
Carat Exchange, a forum that was initially designed to cover topics only
related to digital television
After withdrawing its support in 2004, ExxonMobil will resume as
sponsor for specific PBS national programs
After 22 years with Twentieth Century Fox TV, David E. Kelley made a
three-year exclusive development and production pact with Warner Bros.
Television. The agreement will have Kelley develop new television
programming produced in association under the banners of Warner Bros.
Television or Warner Horizon Television
All of the four daily editions of Cynopsis are now available as RSS
feeds
Microsoft and independent production company BermanBraun are
partnering to co-develop new entertainment content and integrated
advertising and marketing opportunities for MSN
Tensions are running high between local organizers of the Beijing
Olympics and the broadcasters, with varying complaints ranging excessive
security imposed by the Chinese government to potentially limited or no
live coverage in Tiananmen Square ... a couple of months later you'll
remember that NBC opened its Opening Night of the Summer Games live from
Tiananamen Square
Once the President of the United States gig didn't work out, Mike
Huckabee signed on to Fox News Channel's America's Election HQ program as
a regular contributor
Nielsen reported through its Nielsen Monitor-Plus service that
advertising spending in the first quarter of this year is virtually flat
compared to first quarter 2007
Little Rock-based Equity Media Holdings Corp. announced it would stop
producing local newscasts in six of its markets. The Spanish language
newscasts were produced from Little Rock and aired on Univision
affiliates in Fayetteville-Ft. Smith, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Oklahoma
City, Amarillo and Fort Myers
Old TV shows reportedly making a come back: The Gong Show (Comedy
Central), Newlywed Game and The Dating Game (again) to GSN, and the Match
Game (GSN), The Prisoner (AMC), Hawaii 5-O (CBS), This is Your Life, V
(ABC)
Discovery Communications and Blockbuster Inc. formed a partnership
where nonfiction series and programs from Discovery Channel, Animal
Planet, TLC, Discovery Kids and The Military Channel will be sold in more
than 2,500 participating Blockbuster stores nationwide
MTV changed its mind and will now accept political ads for
this year's presidential elections
Alan Rosenberg, President of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) maintains
SAG is willing to negotiate a new deal with Hollywood producers, even
though the clock is ticking quickly on the current SAG contract, set to
expire at midnight on June 30th
After ten years, Regency Television, a joint venture of New Regency
and Fox TV Studios, is closing shop
Breakthrough Films & Television will expand its television movies
division to include original development and production. The
company named Marina Cordoni as Head of Sales and Business Development,
Theatrical & TV movies to oversee the division's growing slate of
in-house productions
Just as Tiger Woods is good for golf ratings, Michael Phelps is great
for Olympic ratings. As Phelps went for his historical 8th Gold
Medal at the Beijing Olympics and his 14th Gold in his swimming career,
NBC enjoyed its most viewed Saturday night in 18 years with 31.1 million
tuning in, and jumping to 40 million during the half hour Phelps swam
Comcast Entertainment Group and Ryan Seacrest have expanded their
working partnership with a new multi-year deal that allows Ryan Seacrest
Productions to provide programming for Comcast's stable of networks
beyond E! and The Style Network including G4, Versus, Golf Channel,
Exercise TV, FEARnet, Comcast Sportsnet and PBS Kids Sprout
According to Nielsen Media Research, the 16-day coverage (through
August 23) of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by NBC Universal reached 214
million viewers and has become the most viewed event in U.S. television
history
The Cynopsis Foundation Inc. held its second annual Charity Dinner
and Auction fundraiser and thanks to its Presenting Sponsor qubo, and
Participating Sponsors A&E Television Network and Retirement Living
TV, and guests from more than 40 industry organizations, the Foundation
was able to raise more than $85,000, to be donated to this year's
recipient charities - Kids In Need and EarthEcho International.
The fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention,
featuring Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's acceptance speech,
drew in a combined total of 38.4 million total viewers from ten networks
Night three of the 2008 Republican National Convention per Nielsen
featuring the acceptance speech of Vice Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah
Palin, include a combined total viewer number of 37.2 million over six
networks; and the fourth and final night of the Republican National
Convention last Thursday, which featured Presidential nominee Sen. John
McCain's acceptance speech, drew in a combined total of 38.9 million
total viewers from eight networks
And the Emmy goes to ...
Outstanding Drama: Mad Men (AMC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama: Bryan Cranston - Breaking
Bad (AMC)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Glenn Close - Damages (FX)
Outstanding Comedy: 30 Rock (NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy: Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
(NBC)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy: Tina Fey - 30 Rock (NBC)
Outstanding Miniseries: John Adams (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries: Paul Giamatti - John
Adams (HBO)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries: Laura Linney for John
Adams (HBO)
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain squared off in the first
Presidential debate and drew in 52.4 million viewers across 11 networks.
The live Vice Presidential Debate between candidates Gov. Sarah Palin and
Sen. Joseph Biden drew in 69.9 million total viewers across 11 networks;
The second Presidential Debate between Obama and McCain pulls in 63.2
million total viewers; and the final Debate has 56.5 million total
viewers, per Nielsen. Others basking in the Prez Debate glow is SNL
(thanks largely to Tina Fey), and the late night talkers and the Sunday
morning news shows
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and
Sciences voted to lift the ban on movie commercials during the Oscar
telecast
GM revamped its $2 billion account with Publicis' Starcom MediaVest
Group, citing a need to manage costs and decrease expenses. GM also took
away planning/buying functions for local dealers, giving them to Martin
Retail Group, a division of Publicis and Velocity, part of Campbell-Ewald
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign bought a commercial-free
half-hour on CBS, NBC, Fox, MSNBC, BET, TV One and Univision in primetime
for a special on October 29 at 8p - the collective viewing audience was
33.5 million viewers
Granite Broadcasting Corporation is switching the call letters of
KBWB/San Francisco to its original call letters, KOFY. No dogs
though.
FCC chairman Kevin Martin's plan to force cable operators to carry
more than 500 low-power TV stations on their systems was thwarted
In early October, Nielsen reports 9+ million households are still not
prepared for the upcoming all-digital transition happening on February
17, 2009. By year's end, this number is 7 million.
A combined total of 70.6 million viewers tuned in to watch extended
election night coverage across 14 networks, according to Nielsen
Research. History is made and Barack Obama is elected President of
the United States.
TVB revised its TV station revenue calculation for 2009, projecting
the total spot sales being down between -7% and -11%
Members of the Screen Actors Guild may bring Hollywood to its knees a
second time this year, as strike talks are looming
Cincinnati's low power TV station WBQC-TV has petitioned for new call
letters -- fittingly, WKRP in Cincinnati
Leaders from the Screen Actors Guild informed its members they would
receive strike authorization ballots mailed to them on January 2 ...
after many letters written by notables and a well-signatured petition was
delivered to the SAG offices asking for the cancellation of the strike
vote
Cynopsis shutters the International edition
Liberty Media Corp. announced yesterday it will likely go ahead with
stated plans to separate out its Liberty Entertainment tracking stock
encompassing
A sign of the times, BBDO Detroit cut 145 staffers, representing
22.1% of its workforce. The layoffs were based on the drastic sales
decline from BBDO's largest client, Chrysler
Cynopsis announces it will provide free Situation Wanted ads for the
foreseeable future to all of those out of work
Meredith Corporation cut 60 employees and 60 other jobs
Viacom announced it is eliminating 850 employees or 7% of its
workforce and initiating a salary freeze for senior staff
In a similar move, NBC Universal may cut up to 500 jobs across all
company divisions, equivalent to approximately 3% of its total workforce
CBS Corporation follows suit, eliminating staff of CBS Entertainment
and CBS Paramount Network Television
EXECUTIVE MOVES:
NEW TOPPERS ONLY (too many exec moves to include all of you!)
Donald D. Perry will step down as
President/CEO of Clear Channel Television
Discovery Communications named longtime company veteran Mark
Hollinger to the new position of COO
Thomson-owned Premier Retail Networks (PRN) tapped Richard Fisher as
President worldwide
Warner Bros. Television Group combined Warner Bros. Domestic
Television Distribution and Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution,
into Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution with Ken Werner as
President
Jason Klarman was appointed GM of Oxygen Media
Effective Media Services promoted Brendan Kehoe to President/COO
Regent Worldwide Sales, the sales arm of Regent Entertainment,
promoted Meggan Kimberley and hired Adam Wright as Co-Presidents
Frances Berwick advanced to the new position of GM with Bravo Media
Neal Shapiro takes over the position of CEO at the Educational
Broadcasting Corporation
Walt Disney Company board of directors on Friday signed President/CEO
Robert A. Iger to a new five-year contract through January 31, 2013
Ed Wilson was appointed President of Tribune Broadcasting
Logo elevated Lisa Sherman to EVP/GM
Carl Vogel will step down as President of Echostar's DISH Network for
personal reasons, and stepping up will be Chairman/CEO of DISH and
Echostar Corp, Charlie Ergen
Terry Mackin joins Univision Communications Inc. beginning March 1 as
President/Television Station Group
After 17 years with MTV and most recently as its President, Christina
Norman will leave the network to pursue something new professionally
Discovery Communications appointed Clark Bunting as
President/Emerging Networks group; Carole Tomko will take over as
President/Discovery Studios
Publicis USA and Optimedia US together launched Optimedia Inside, a
joint venture which develops media neutral strategic solutions for
clients.
Diana Wilkin assumes the post as President/Affiliate Relations for
the CBS Television Network
Exiting Tribune Broadcasting owned KTLA/Los Angeles is VP/GM Vinnie
Malcolm, and stepping in as interim GM is John Vitanovec until a
permanent replacement has been named
York Entertainment named Steven Bulzoni as President/Domestic
Entertainment
Young Broadcasting Inc. elevated Jay Huizenga to President/GM of
KELOLAND (KELO-TV) in Sioux Falls
Eric Levitan advanced to COO with Argo Systems, Inc.
Vince Manze moved to a new creative position as President/NBC
Universal Television Creative Services
GroupM appointed John Montgomery to the new post of COO at GroupM
Interaction North America
Bruce Steinberg, CEO of Hit Entertainment Limited announced his
resignation and the appointment of his successor, Jeffrey D. Dunn
Leaving the CBS Early Show is executive producer Shelley Ross, in
that position for a little less than six months
John Sykes, President/Network Development with MTV Networks announced
his decision to leave the company
Ken Taylor was named President/GM of Starcom MediaVest Group's
restructured GM Planworks
Fox Entertainment Group recruited Beth-Ann Eason as GM/COO of
Beliefnet.com
Mandalay Media, Inc. appointed Bruce Stein to the position of CEO,
coming most recently from The Hatchery, LLC where he served as
Founder/Co-CEO
MGM tapped Mary Parent, Vice Chairman/Worldwide Production at
Universal Pictures for the new position as Chairperson/Worldwide Motion
Picture Group
Radio Disney appointed Michael G. Riley as SVP/GM succeeding Disney
veteran Jill Casagrande who departed the company in February
Carolyn Strauss has stepped down as HBO Entertainment President, tho
it is expected she will continue at HBO for some time
Gary Jones advanced to President of PorchLight Home Entertainment
David F. Caruso comes to ACME Brand Content Company as President.
Spot Runner announced two executive changes: John Gentry was promoted
to President up from Chief Revenue Officer and the company added Samuel
Paisley as CFO
New Line Cinema names Toby Emmerich as its new President & COO
Bonnie Hammer signed a multiyear agreement with NBC Universal to
become President/Cable Entertainment and Cable Studio in addition to her
duties as President of USA Network and SCI FI Channel
CBS Mobile upgraded Jeff Sellinger to EVP/GM where he will manage the
division
Tribune Company appointed Chandler Bigelow as CFO to supervise all
corporate financial activities starting immediately
Bounce tapped Carleen Cappelletti as President
CBS Television Distribution (CTD) upped John Nogawski to President of
the division
SJL Broadcast Management Corp. advanced Brian M. Lilly to
President/CEO and Wade O''Hagan to VP/CFO
Raycom Media upped Nick Simonette to VP/GM of WBTV/Charlotte where he
succeeds Mary MacMillan who served in this position since 1998
Rick Sands, COO announced his departure from MGM
Hyperion upgraded Ellen Archer to President
Tribune Broadcasting appointed Bob Ramsey as VP/GM of Fox affiliate
KTXL/Sacramento.
Jacqueline Hernandez will be the new COO for Telemundo Communications
Group
Sue Naegle landed the position of President at HBO Entertainment
Jamie Davis to VERSUS as President
Spot Runner hired former Interpublic Media CEO and MTV President Mark
Rosenthal as President of the newly formed Media Platforms division and
Vice Chairman
Rosalyn Durant moves into the position of VP/GM of ESPNU from
VP/Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN
Matthew A. Rosenfeld was named President/GM of WTVH/Syracuse-Utica;
WBNG/Binghamton-Elmira; and WBXI/Binghamton-Elmira
Eric Rollman moves up to President/Marvel Animation with Marvel
Entertainment
Cloud Ten Pictures upped Andre van Heerden to CEO. In addition,
Katherine Kunberger was hired as President
Aegis Media announced an internal organizational structure, breaking
its Aegis Media Americas into two units focused on geographic and
specialist divisions. In making these changes, David Verklin, CEO, Aegis
Media Americas will depart the company later this year yet will remain
available to Aegis Media for several months. In addition, Sarah Fey was
named CEO of Aegis Media North America
Larry King will continue with CNN at least until 2011 according to
his new contract extension with the network
After just 10 months in her new post, Lisa Judson is leaving as head
of Warner Bros. Animation in LA with plans to move back to NYC
Trailer Park appointed Rick Eiserman as CEO to lead the company with
efficiency and synergy across its multiple divisions
Documentary Channel tapped James J. Ackerman as Chairman of the Board
Katz Media Group elevated Christine Travaglini to the position of
President/Christal Radio, a unit of Katz Radio Group
Lauren Zalaznick assumes the new role of President/NBC Universal
Women and Lifestyle Entertainment Networks
CaribeVision appointed Emilio Nicholas, Jr. as President/CEO of
Advertising
Just in time for the ABC upfront presentation, Steve McPherson,
President/ABC Entertainment signed a new multiyear agreement to remain
with ABC
Alexander Schmidt-Vogel, founding Manager and present CEO of GroupM's
MediaCom Worldwide was made Global CEO of GroupM Trading.
MGM named Bedi A. Singh as President/Finance and Administration and
CFO
John Landgraf, President/GM of FX Networks re-upped for an additional
three years
Mark Greenberg named President/CEO of the premium pay TV venture
between Viacom, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate and MGM
Londen Media Group named Jeff Burnton as GM of KAZT/Phoenix
Hutch Parker will be Chairman of New Regency along with Robert
Harper.
Ibra Morales, President of the Telemundo Station Group will leave the
company this Friday after not reaching a contract renewal agreement with
the network
Titan Worldwide recruited Ellen Schovanec as VP/GM in the Southern
California region
Kansas City-based Newport Television LLC hired Bill Sally as GM at
WXXA-TV/Albany
Adam Ware was appointed President of IA Media which includes
oversight of ImaginAsian TV.
After working in the media industry for more than 30 years, Kathy
Crawford will retire as of June 30. Since 2003, Kathy served as
President/Local Broadcast for MindShare North America.
CBS College Sports Network hired Steve Herbst as EVP/GM
Dennis Adamovich moved to TBS in the new position of SVP/GM of Comedy
Festivals
With a contract expiring this month, Susan Lyne will leave her
position as President/CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) and
the responsibilities will be jointly met by Wenda Harris Millard,
President/Media and Robin Marino, President/Merchandising, who were both
just advanced to Co-CEOs
David Verklin will spearhead Canoe Ventures, LLC as CEO, a new joint
company based in New York City and owned by a coalition of MSOs
Jay DiGiovanni advanced to SVP/GM of PVI Virtual Media Services,
Rainbow Media
Judith Zaylor whose career totals nearly 30 years, will retire July 3
from her position as EVP/Production with Warner Bros. Television
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) upgraded Robert Oswaks to
President/Marketing, reporting to Steve Mosko, President, SPT
Madeline Di Nonno will become the new President/CEO of On The Scene
Productions (OTSP), succeeding Co-Founders Sally Jewett and Stacie Hunt
Susanne Daniels has resigned as President/Entertainment of Lifetime
Networks
Robin Schwartz was appointed President for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey
Network
Rainbow Media upped Evan Shapiro to President of both IFC and
Sundance Channel, reporting to Ed Carroll, President/Rainbow Media
Laura Michalchyshyn is made EVP/GM of Sundance; and over at IFC,
Jennifer Caserta named EVP/GM
John Weiser reupped as President/Distribution at Sony Pictures
Television
Sandy Breland moves to WAFB/Baton Rouge, the CBS affiliate owned by
Raycom Media, Inc. in the position of VP/GM
A&E Television Networks (AETN) advanced Robert DeBitetto to
President/GM of A&E Network and Bio Channel
Relativity Media tapped Tom Forman as CEO for Relativity Real
NBC Universal elevated Vivi Zigler to President/NBC Universal Digital
Entertainment where she will offer support and counsel to all NBCU
entertainment websites
Michele Band is the new Partner/Co-Owner of Ignition Films and will
continue supervising East Coast operations based in New York
Carolyn McIntyre was appointed President of the California Cable
& Telecommunications Association (CCTA)
Air America Media tapped Bennett Zier as CEO
Lyle Schulze was upped to VP/GM of KMIR-KPSE/Palm Desert
Bryan Perez was appointed as SVP/GM for NBA Digital, an entity
jointly managed through the partnership between Turner Broadcasting
System, Inc. and the NBA
Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. tapped Gerry Noble as CEO
Mark Lazarus joined Atlanta-based Career Sports & Entertainment
as President/Media and Marketing. Atlanta-based Career Sports &
Entertainment (CS&E) is a full-service sports and entertainment
agency
Fox Cable Networks upped Michael Hopkins to President/Affiliate Sales
and Marketing
Jim Thompson will become President of the Broadcaster's Foundation of
America, replacing current President, Gordon H. Hastings
25-year NBC News veteran, Phil Griffin advanced to the position of
President of MSNBC where he will report to Steve Capus, NBC News
President
Angela Shapiro-Mathes will leave her position as President/GM of TLC,
to be replaced immediately by Eileen O'Neill
Thomas Ehlmann, VP/GM of WGN-TV in Chicago, has moved to Pres/GM of
KXAS/Dallas
Steve Mosko has re-upped with Sony Pictures TV through 2012
Great Works America, a full-service creative marketing and
communications agency, named Fredrik Carlstrom CEO/Executive Creative
Director
Terry Mackin, Station Group President, has left the company
Harry E. Sloan has signed a new three year agreement to continue as
the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Inc.
Acorn Media Group named Peter Clinch as President of Acorn Direct.
Kevin Beggs, President/Television Programming and Production with
Lionsgate, was elected as the new President of the Hollywood Radio and
Television Society's Board of Directors for the 2008-2010 term
Univision Communications Inc. elevated Joanne Lynch to
President/Television Station Group
Stuart Diamond is the new CFO of GroupM, North America
Chris Albrecht has left the IMG building. Albrecht joined IMG
just less than a year ago, and is headed back to Foresee Entertainment,
an indy development and production company he formed before joining IMG
John A. Riggle will retire as GM of WPMT/Harrisburg, owned by the
Tribune Company, effective September 1. Larry Delia, current VP/GM of
WGNO-WNOL/New Orleans, also owned by Tribune, will succeed John
Stephen Allan advanced to Chairman/CEO of MediaCom Worldwide.
Patrick McClenahan was elevated to President/GM of KCBS-TV and
KCAL-TV, the CBS O&Os in Los Angeles
James Sullivan was officially named the President/Sales for CBS
Television Stations
Meteor Worldwide recruited Syd Smith for the new position of Group
CEO where he will supervise the company and its associated businesses
including the production company White Flower Entertainment and the
mobile marketing company Pliq
London-based independent distribution company Digital Rights Group
(DRG) opened Digital Rights Group America with Lee deBoer as Chairman to
head the new venture
MAGNA tapped Elizabeth Herbst-Brady as President
Retirement Living TV (RLTV) named Patrick Baldwin as GM to oversee
all business divisions, strategic direction and overall daily operations
of the network
Susan Lyne, formerly of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and ABC
Entertainment, is now CEO of Gilt Groupe an e-commerce company that sells
upscale products online at a discount
Tribune Company appointed Phil Waterman as VP/GM of WGNO-WNOL/New
Orleans
Imagi Studios elevated Erin Corbett to President of the U.S.
operation, reporting to Douglas Glen, CEO
TNS North America hired David Kieselstein as CEO located in New York
Hearst-Argyle Television appointed Frank A. Bennack, Jr. as Chairman
Fox National Cable Networks rehired Rich Battista as President in
charge of the company's national programming areas
Tribune Company named Marty Wilke as VP/GM of WGN-TV in Chicago
Chuck Bolkcom named President and Chief Operating Officer of Cynopsis
Media LLC
Rainbow Media elevated Kim Martin to President/GM of WE tv up from
EVP/GM of the network
CBS Television Distribution promoted Scott Koondel as
President/Distribution to head the company's sales of off-network
programming to cable and digital media outlets.
Linda Sullivan, President/GM of KNBC/Los Angeles is leaving her
position by year's end
Simon Philips advanced to President/Worldwide Consumer Products with
Marvel Entertainment, Inc. in addition to continuing in his position as
Marvel's Head/Worldwide Animation
Meredith Corporation upped Darrin McDonald to VP/GM of KVVU/Las Vegas
and Patrick McCreery to VP/GM at KPTV-KPDX/Portland, OR
TNS named Sam Thayer as President/Client Services of TNS US Custom
Rick Feldman, reupped as President/CEO of National Association of
Television Program Executives (NATPE) for three more years
FOX News Channel re-upped with Sean Hannity to keep the co-host of
Hannity & Colmes with the network through 2012 ... in late November
it was announced Alan Colmes has opted out of Hannity & Colmes;
Hannity will continue to do the show by himself
Not to be outdone, Bill O'Reilly host of Fox News Channel's The
O'Reilly Factor made a new four-year pact with the network for an
estimated $10-12 million per year
DuBose Entertainment hired Robyn Lattaker-Johnson as President
Brand Performance, LLC recruited Rick Simpson as COO
Colin Callender, President of HBO Films will leave his position; Kary
Antholis will gain the post as President, HBO Miniseries and Len Amato
will become President, HBO Films
Andrew Lack was appointed as CEO at Bloomberg
Univision Communications Inc. and Katz Radio Group tapped Chris Munoz
as EVP/GM of Univision Radio National Sales (URNS)
Tom Calderone advanced to President of VH1
Stephen E. Recht joins Glam Media, Inc. as CFO
GroupM appointed Kelly Clark to the new position as Worldwide CEO of
the MAXUS agency network
OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network tapped Robert Tercek as
President/Digital Media
John Caldwell was named President of National Geographic Digital
Media (NGDM)
KTBC/Austin, part of the Fox Television Stations group, appointed
Mark Rodman as VP/GM.
Alan Ett Creative Group named Peter Isacksen as President
Nick Buzzell is heading up a new full service production company
called NBTV Studios as President/EP. Additionally, Brant Kantor,
co-founder will be the company's GM/EP
Gordon H. Hastings will head the new ghhMANAGEMENT based in
Greenwich, CT
Kevin Walsh was appointed VP/GM of KOVR-TV (CBS) and KMAX-TV (CW)
Andy Fisher is retiring as President of Cox Television at the end of
the year; stepping up into the Presidential seat will be Vice President
Bruce Baker
Alison Kenney Paul was elected President of the Network of Executive
Women, Consumer Products and Retail Industry
Trailer Park Television upped Mike Leathers to President/Co-Creative
Director and recruited Sarah Pierce as SVP/Co-Creative Director
Stephen K. Friedman was appointed GM of MTV
Young Broadcasting Inc. upgraded Brian Greif to President/GM of
KRON/San Francisco
Keith Olbermann, host of Countdown on MSNBC will remain as a fixture
on the network for four more years until 2012
Rainbow Media elevated Charlie Collier to President/AMC up from
EVP/GM of the network
Susan D. Whiting advanced to Vice Chairperson with The Nielsen
Company
Worldwide Biggies, Inc. hired Steve Tucker as Chief Revenue Officer
Vivian Schiller was appointed as President/CEO of National Public
Radio
Craig Robinson was upped to President/GM of KNBC/Los Angeles
Tribune Company expanded the duties of Pam Person, VP/GM of KCPQ and
KMYQ/Seattle to include supervision of KRCW/Portland
BET Networks appointed Loretha Jones and upgraded Stephen Hill as
Presidents/Programming
Jay Fukuto advanced to Head/Studio up from Head/Production with Film
Roman, a division of Starz Media
Barbara Cochran, President of RTNDA for the last 12 years will retire
from her position in June 2009
Breakthrough Entertainment promoted Nat Abraham to Head/Distribution
Michele Noll advances to VP/GM of Millenia 3 Television
Roger Ailes, Chairman/CEO of Fox News Channel signed a new deal that
keeps him at the network for another five years
Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman/NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal
Television Studio joined the Board of Directors of the Peacock Equity
Fund
MGM upgraded Bruce Tuchman to the newly created position as
President, MGM Networks
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. elevated Bernie Young to
EVP/GM, Broadcasting
Keith Le Goy advances to President/Distribution with Sony Pictures
Television International
Elyse Lawson joins New York production company Curious Pictures as
Head/Development
Joanna Drake Earl advances to COO with Current Media
Scott M. Sassa was appointed President/Hearst Entertainment &
Syndication in addition to taking on duties as SVP, Hearst Corporation
NBCU announced Katherine Pope, head of Universal Media Studios is
leaving the company
David Gregory named as the new permanent host/moderator of NBC's
Sunday morning's Meet the Press
CNN officially renewed its head political anchor Wolf Blitzer through
2012
Entertainment Rights appoints Deborah Dugan as its new CEO
Angela Bromstad to President/Primetime Entertainment, NBC and
Universal Media Studios
Shannon O'Neill advanced to GM/New Media Group with the Golf Channel
Patrick McClenahan advanced to President/GM of KCBS-KCAL/Los Angeles
NBC Universal President/CEO Jeff Zucker confirmed Ben Silverman,
Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and NBC Universal Television Studio will
soon sign a new contract
Tribune Company named Ed Wilson as Chief Revenue Officer
Greg Moyer is leaving Rainbow Media Holdings where he is GM of Voom
HD Networks, to take on the new role as President of Scripps Networks
International
44 Blue Productions hired Lisa Knapp as Head/Development
CBBC named Steven Andrew to the position of Head/Drama and
Acquisitions
Thomas A. Oakley is stepping down as president-chief executive
officer of Quincy Newspapers Inc.
IN MEMORIUM:
Ron Bergamo ... Leland A.
Jackoway ... Suzanne Pleshette ... Allan Melvin ... Shell Keplar ... John
McWethy ... Roy Scheider ... Steve Levin ... Richard Widmark ... Charlton
Heston ... Sydney Pollack ... Dick Martin ... Harvey Korman ... Jim McKay
... Tim Russert ... George Carlin ... Dody Goodman ... Fred Powers ...
Tony Snow ... Bernie Mac ... Bernie Brillstein ... Isaac
Hayes ... Donna Arnold (Cerio) ... Don LaFontaine ... Bill
Melendez ... Paul Newman ... Anne Pressly ... Lou
Dorfsman ... Mario Accardo ... Michael Crichton ... Matthew Rodriguez ...
Edward Samuel "Ted" Rogers ... Paul Benedict ... Beverly
Garland ... Van Johnson ... Frank A. O'Neil ...
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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