Source: NTI, Galaxy Explorer, Cov Rtg. 9/27/04-4/3/05. Gilmore = M-F 5p. Tie #1 Teens w/ Full House M-F 6:30p.  Tie #1 W18-34 w/Whose Line M-F 9p & 9:30p.  Rank excludes Movies, 5+ T/C.

CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

04/08/05

Good morning.  It’s Friday, April 8, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing.

A deal has been struck with Comcast Corp. and Time Warner reaching an agreement in principle to purchase Adelphia Communications in a cash and stock deal valued at $17.6 billion.  The agreement will have Comcast and Time Warner putting up $12 billion in cash, and another $5.6 billion in stock.  The final i-dotting and t-crossing has not happened yet, and even then is subject to approval by Adelphia’s Board of Directors, a committee representing Adelphia’s unsecured creditors, and the bankruptcy judge. 

Another renewal for ABC:  Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  Figured on that one, eh?  With that said, coming to the network as an OTO special on May 9 is Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition (Stoney Brook Prods) at 10p, with hopes of becoming a series of specials or even a series of its own.  This show endeavors to help those who may have grand wedding dreams but also have empty pockets.

Tonight’s Premiere:
WB:     Living with Fran at 830p; second new ep airing at 930p

The BBC has signed US comedy producer Caryn Mandabach to an extensive development deal to create five comedy scripts.  Mandabach and her newly formed company, Caryn Mandabach Prods., will retain complete ownership of all projects as well as their respective formats.  You’ll recall Mandabach left her position at Carsey-Werner back in August.

VH1 has ordered six episodes of Rock School (RDF Media), per Variety.  If you remember the film School of Rock starring Jack Black as a wannabe rock star stepping in as a high school substitute teacher and teaching the kids about the world of Rock and Roll, then you’re already familiar with Rock School.  This series will be taught by Gene Simmons, bass player for the US mega-star group Kiss, who incidentally was a school teacher before he joined Kiss and became a rock star.  The show has already been produced for a UK audience, and will be reformatted for the US sensibilities, with a dash more Kiss music tossed in.  Rock School is looking at a VH1 premiere in the next couple of months.

ABC:

• Love Life (Touchstone TV/Untitled) has added Henry Simmons to play opposite Julie Bowen.  The show is set in Philadelphia and follows the lives of two groups of friends, all in their 30’s, who become friends.  Filling out the cast are Julie Bowen, Tom Everett Scott, Michael Landes, Alan Tudyk, Lucy Davis, and Sophina Brown.

CBS:

• American Crime (Warner Bros. TV/Jerry Bruckheimer TV) has signed Kimberly Elise to join Jennifer Finnigan in this drama about a prosecutor (Finnigan) who is also a new mom.  Other cast members include John Carroll Lynch, David Starzyk, and Christian Kane.
• The Untitled Lloyd-Keenan Project has added Paula Marshall as one of the doctors in this comedy focusing on a family of doctors. The cast is lead by Christopher Gorham, Stockard Channing and Henry Winkler.

NBC:

• Filmore Middle (NBC Universal) has added Phil Hendrie to the cast, which already includes Justin Bartha and Sarah Alexander.  The comedy is about disillusioned teachers at a rundown public junior high school.

WB:

• The Untitled Camryn Manheim Project (Warner Bros. TV/Tannenbaum Co.) has signed Lauren Holly as one of the suburban soccer moms in this neighborhood crawling with trendy soccer moms.  Manheim’s character, an eccentric hippie style single mother of 3, has recently moved to the area and is trying to keep up with the lifestyle. Filling out the cast are Heather Paige Kent, Evan Ellingson and Spencer Locke.

SHOWTIME:

• Weeds (Lions Gate Television), a 10-ep comedy project ordered, has cast Jason Kirk to join star Mary Louis Parker, Elizabeth Perkins and Kevin Nealon. Weeds exposes the dirty little secrets that lie behind the pristine lawns and shiny closed doors of homes in the fictional town of Agrestic, California.  Parker stars as a suburban mom who resorts to selling marijuana in order to support her family after her husband unexpectedly dies.  Perkins stars as the uptight and dysfunctional head of the PTA and Nealon plays a pot-smoking city councilman. Kirk will play the younger brother. The show is set to debut this summer.

Two premieres this weekend on OLN (Outdoor Life Network):

• E-FORCE (TWI):  The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission spends their days protecting the people, the animals and the waters of the Florida Keys.  OLN follows a team of officers as they survey the waters, running into a number of characters along the way.  OLN has ordered 5 eps. Premiere on April 10 at 10p.
• AVALANCHE DOGS (Gigantic Productions): Avalanche Dogs follows canine rescue teams at two premier North American resorts, fulfilling critical rescue missions.  Ten eps ordered; premiere on April 10 at 1030p.

Correction :  Project Greenlight (not Runway) will have its season finale on May 12 at 10p on Bravo.  Also, Sports Kids Moms and Dads will premiere on June 1 at 10p (not May 31 at 11p).

And attention all you Krusty Krab fans – the fourth season of SpongeBob SquarePants kicks off on May 6 at 830p on Nickelodeon with the first of 20 new 30m eps scheduled to air every Friday.

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of March 21-27, 2005 ranked by HH Rtg
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                  8.7 AA
Jeopardy (King World)                                7.3 AA
Oprah (King World)                                    6.6 AA / 6.7 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)  6.4 AA / 8.3 GAA
Seinfeld (Sony)                                           5.9 AA / 7.3 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                                  5.3 AA / 5.4 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                              5.3 AA / 7.0 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)                            5.2 AA / 8.0 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)          4.6 AA / 4.7 GAA
Judge Joe (20th)                                        3.5 AA / 4.9 AA
Regis & Kelly (Buena Vista)                      3.4 AA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of March 21-27, 2005 ranked by A18-49
Seinfeld (Sony)                                           3.8 AA / 4.7 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)  3.7 AA / 4.7 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                              3.6 AA / 4.8 GAA
Oprah (King World)                                    2.6 AA / 2.6 GAA
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                  2.4 AA
That 70’s Show (Carsey-Werner)              2.1 AA / 2.7 GAA
Jeopardy (King World)                                2.0 AA
Dr. Phil (King World)                                  2.0 AA / 2.0 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)          1.9 AA / 2.0 GAA
Malcolm/Middle (20th)                                 1.9 AA / 2.3 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)                            1.8 AA / 2.8 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Barrington Broadcasting has picked up two new ABC stations – KVII/Amarillo and KVIH/Clovis, New Mexico, both New Vision Group stations.  Reports peg the purchase price at $22.5 million.  Barrington Bcsting already owns one other ABC station, one NBC affiliate, two CBS stations and a WB.

Beth Feldman has been upped to VP/CBS Communications Group, reporting to Chris Ender, SVP/CBS Communications Group.  Beth will spearhead publicity campaigns connected to programming-related initiatives for the CBS Marketing Group, cbs.com and upn.com, and CBS Consumer Products. She will also oversee UPN’s publicity activities in New York, and work on special projects for CBS. She will also work closely with Dana McClintock, SVP/CBS Communications Group, on broad based corporate communications and media relations strategies supporting CBS Digital Media and CBS Marketing.

Jerry Daniello has been appointed VP/Integrated Marketing and Promotion, ABC Television Network, effective immediately. Jerry reports to Dan Longest, SVP/Integrated Marketing and Promotion. In his new position, he’ll assume increased responsibilities for the management and development of enhanced sponsorship opportunities that bring ABC Daytime, ABC News and SOAPnet advertisers added marketing and promotional value.
 
Peter Tarshis has been upped to VP/Programming for The Biography Channel.  Peter will lead programming strategy for channel, overseeing all acquisitions, development, production and scheduling. The announcement was made by Tom Heymann, SVP/GM of the network.

Wednesday – A18-49 Analysis:  Fox led the game on Wednesday night posting an overall 5.0/14 A18-49 rating, according to fast affiliate ratings from Nielsen Media Research.  ABC was #2 with a 4.2/11, followed by NBC 3.3/9, CBS 3.0/8, UPN 1.3/4, WB 1.1/3.  At 8p ABC’s Lost delivered a time period winning 5.7/17, well ahead of NBC and Fox who each posted an 8 share.  Top Model on UPN delivered a 3.2/10 among the younger W18-34 set, second only to ABC.  At 9p Fox was in front with American Idol’s 9.9/25, followed by Life on a Stick with a 4.7/12.  ABC, CBS and NBC all posted a 9 share for the 9p hour.  At 10p CBS and NBC were in a dead tie, each delivering a 3/6/10 for CSI: NY and Law & Order, while ABC’s Eyes was on their heels with a 3.2/9.

FINAL HOUSEHOLD RATINGS:   Wednesday, April 6, 2005, for all Networks – program averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

ABC     7.4/12   Lost 10.3/17, Alias, 6.2/9, Eyes 5.6/9

NBC     7.4/12   Dateline 6.8/11, West Wing 7.6/11, Law & Order 7.9/13

FOX     7.0/11   That 70’s Show 3.7/6, Simple Life 4.0/6, American Idol 14.0/21, Life on a Stick 6.4/10

CBS     5.3/9    Amazing Race 5.8/9, King of Queens 5.2/8, Yes Dear 6.4/10, CSI NY 6.6/11        

UPN     2.2/3    Top Model 3.0/5, Kevin Hill [r] 1.5/2

WB      1.8/3    Smallville [r] 1.9/3, Smallville [r] 1.8/3

A18-49                Fox 5.0/14, ABC 4.2/11, NBC 3.3/9, CBS 3.0/8, UPN 1.3/4, WB 1.1/3

Friday Fun Fact:  A whip makes a cracking sound because its tip moves faster than the speed of sound.

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1971 – Off-Track Betting, or OTB, opens in New York City. The first bet is placed by a retired postal worker from Brooklyn, who places two dollars on Adora’s Nicki in the first at Roosevelt Raceway. .

Answer to yesterday’s Trivia Question: This substance is considered to be “highly addictive.”  In fact, they said, “5 milligrams today, 5 milligrams tomorrow, and a person would give their first born for just 1 milligram more.”  What is this stuff? On Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, the substance is called FLASH.  Kudos to: Dave Ware-WKMG/Orlando; Ed Fields/NY; Dana Onel/LA; Robert Black-Lemming Drops Studio/Glendale; Alan Berger-PHD/LA; Eric Montoya-KTLA/LA;

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Today’s Trivia Question:  This syndicated sitcom version of the old film Topper was available for local stations in 1994.  What was the name of this syndicated series?  (click here with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: Only the second four correct answers from each time zone will be mentioned; and once you’ve been mentioned in any of the Cynopsis editions, you can’t be mentioned again that calendar week.)

Later — Cyn
04.08.05   5:13am

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  APRIL 8, 2005:

ABC              8 Simple Rules, 8 Simple Rules, Hope & Faith, Less than Perfect, 20/20
CBS              Joan of Arcadia, JAG, NUMB3RS
FOX              Bernie Mac, Malcolm, 24
NBC              Dateline, Third Watch, L&O: Trial by Jury
PAX              America’s Talented, MGM Movie: Man in the Moon
UPN              Star Trek Enterprise, Top Model [r]
WB               What I Like About You, Living with Fran [p], Reba, Living with Fran
TELE             La Mujer en el Espejo, Los Platedos, La Ley del Silencio
UNIV             Apuesta por un Amor, La Madrastra, Hospital el Paisa, La Escuelita