CYNTHIA TURNER’S
CYNOPSIS

12/03/04

Good morning. It’s Friday, December 3, 2004, and this is your first early morning briefing.

A wildly competitive final night of sweeps found CBS in front by a single tenth of a rating point, tho tied in share, posting an overall 5.1/13 A18-49 rating according to Final Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.  ABC was #2 with a 5.0/13, followed by NBC 3.9/10, Fox 2.9/7, UPN 1.8/5, WB 1.7/4.  At 8pm ABC was well in front with Lost earning a 5.9/14, though Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer did pose some threat with a 5.2/14.  The OTO airing of The Apprentice at 8pm on NBC failed to stir much interesting with a mild 2.8/7.  ABC’s Nick &Jessica’s Family Christmas dealt the network a 5.1/12. CBS’ King of Queens actually beat ABC with a 5.1/13, but at 930p Center of the Universe dipped to a 3.8/9. NBC’s West Wing earned a 4.0/10. The 10p hour was just as competitive as the first two hours of primetime:  CSI: NY 5.5/14, Law & Order 4.8/13, Wife Swap 4.1/11. Heck of a finish.  Aside from That 70’s Show which beat the hourly average on NBC at 8pm with a 2.9/8, Fox, WB and UPN were not playing in the same game as ABC, NBC and CBS on Wednesday night.

FINAL November Sweep numbers from Nielsen Media Research – and the Hat Trick officially goes to CBS.
A18-49:  CBS 4.5/12, ABC 4.0/11, NBC 4.0/10, Fox 3.0/8, WB 1.6/4, UPN 1.5/4
A25-54: CBS 5.5/13, ABC and NBC 4.6/11, Fox 2.9/7, WB and UPN 1.5/4
Total Viewers: CBS 14.3 million, NBC 10.74 million, ABC 10.71 million, Fox 7.0 million, WB 3.9 million, UPN 3.7 million

Casting / Development / Production

• Mimi Rogers has been cast in Fox pilot project, as yet untitled, from exec prod Will Gluck and Pam Brady about a group of just graduated college friends. The story picks up in the group’s lives just as the first of the group lands his first real job.  Rogers plans a VP at a corporation where he works.
• MTV has picked up an additional season of both Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (surely they can’t still be newlyweds) as well as The Ashley Simpson Show for next season, both returning in January 2005.  MTV has also ordered up two new series, The Nick Lachey Project (working title) follows Nick around as he works on launching his single career; and Meet the Barkers, the day-in-and-day-out series about the lives of Travis Barker (Blink 182) and his wife Shanna Moaklar (former Miss USA).
• 20th and Imagine TV are currently recasting the pilot project The Inside about a woman undercover agent.  In the original pilot, the woman is played by Rachel Nichols, who will stick around for the remake.  The role of her boss, originally played by Peter Facinelli, will be recast after he opted out of the project.
• ABC is considering a dramedy project titled Mr. and Mrs. Doe (Touchstone), a married couple who work undercover for the FBI from writers Ron Hanning and Amy Welsh.
• Take Lost and put it on the moon and you get Darkside (20th).  In this tale currently in development at Fox, a group of astronauts who are missing after looking into a mayday signal from the darkside of the moon.  The story also follows the Earthbound POV as the government tries to hush up the loss.

NBC Universal owned USA and Bravo cable networks have jointly purchased the off-net syndication rights to NBC’s Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Wolf Films/NBC) for the record amount of approx $2m per ep, 89 eps plus additional seasons as produced.  Starting in 4th qtr 2005, L&O: CI will air on both nets, with Bravo limited to weekend only plays (effectively knocking out a bcst syndication deal).  USA currently has the repurposing rights to L&O: CI.

According to the Wall Street Journal, McEnroe may soon be out at CNBC and Madison Avenue magnet Donny Deutsch may be in.  Deutsch has a show on CNBC called The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, currently airing twice a week in primetime – Sundays and Wednesdays.  That commitment may be extended to five nights.

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of November 15-21, 2004 ranked by HH Rtg
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                 9.1 AA  
Oprah (King World)                      8.1 AA / 8.3 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)    7.6 AA / 9.7 GAA
Jeopardy (King World)                         7.5 AA
Seinfeld (Sony)                         6.2 AA / 7.7 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                  6.1 AA / 7.8 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)       5.5 AA / 5.7 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                   5.5 AA / 5.5 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)          5.1 AA / 7.7 GAA
Inside Edition (King World)             3.7 AA / 3.7 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of November 15-21, 2004 ranked by A18-49
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)    4.6 AA / 5.8 GAA
Seinfeld (Sony)                         4.2 AA / 5.1 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                  4.2 AA / 5.3 GAA
Oprah (King World)                      3.3 AA / 3.4 GAA
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                 2.6 AA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)       2.5 AA / 2.5 GAA
That 70’s Show (Carsey-Werner)  2.3 AA / 2.9 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                   2.2 AA / 2.2 GAA
Will & Grace (Warner Bros.)             2.2 AA / 2.7 GAA
Jeopardy (King World)                         2.1 AA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Viacom will purchase the CBS affiliate in Sacramento KOVR from the Sinclair Broadcast Group for a sum of $285 million.  The acquisition, as all station acquisitions, is subject to FCC approval.  The station will give Viacom its ninth duopoly – it already owns KMAX, the UPN station in the market.  Other Viacom duopoly markets include LA, San Francisco, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston and San Francisco.
 
Top 5 Broadcast Spanish Language Primetime Programs for the week of November 22-28, 2004 **
UNIV Amor Real (M-F 9p)                                          24.8 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Rubi (M-F 8p)                                                 23.8 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Cristina (Mon 10p)                                         19.4 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Mujer de Madera (M-F 7p)                             18.3 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Veremos Todo Miurka Bobby (Tue 10p)       17.4 NHTI HH Rtg
Source: Nielsen Media Research
Note: NHTI Ratings are based on 10.57 million Hispanic TV Homes
** Please note that Nielsen Media’s rating parameters are listed for some shows that air Monday-Friday to include the 5 day average instead of listing each individual weekday.

Top 10 Broadcast English Language Primetime Programs in Hispanic TV Homes for the week of November 22-28, 2004
ABC     Desperate Housewives (Sun 9p)                     8.5 NHTI HH Rtg
FOX     Fox Movie Special (Sun 7p)                             6.3 NHTI HH Rtg
CBS     CSI: Miami (Mon 930p)                                    6.1 NHTI HH Rtg
ABC     George Lopez (Tue 830p)                               5.9 NHTI HH Rtg
ABC     Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Sun 8p)    5.7 NHTI HH Rtg
NBC     Law & Order: SVU (Tue 10p)                          5.6 NHTI HH Rtg
FOX     Simpsons (Sun 8p)                                          5.1 NHTI HH Rtg
ABC     According to Jim (Tue 9p)                               5.0 NHTI HH Rtg
ABC     NFL Monday Night Football (Mon 9p)             5.0 NHTI HH Rtg
CBS     Two and a Half Men (Tue 8p)                         4.8 NHTI HH Rtg
NBC     Biggest Loser (Tue 8p)                                   4.7 NHTI HH Rtg
Source Nielsen Media Research
Note NHTI Ratings are based on 10.57 million Hispanic TV Homes

African American television homes in the US represent 13,170,000 households. Here are the rankings for the week of November 22-28, 2004 – highest rated primetime network programs in African American TV homes according to Nielsen Media Research
UPN     Girlfriends (Mon 9p)                                   17.1 HH Rtg
UPN     Half & Half (Mon 830p)                              15.9 HH Rtg
UPN     Second Time Around (Mon 930p)              15.7 HH Rtg
UPN     One on One (Mon 8p)                                13.8 HH Rtg
ABC     Desperate Housewives (Sun 9p)                12.9 HH Rtg
UPN     Eve (Tue 830p)                                           12.8 HH Rtg
ABC     NFL Monday Night Football (Mon 907p)     12.7 HH Rtg
UPN     All of Us (Tue 8p)                                        12.1 HH Rtg
UPN     America’s Next Top Model 3 (Wed 8p)       12.1 HH Rtg
CBS     CSI: Miami (Mon 10p)                                 12.0 HH Rtg
Source Nielsen Media Research

Judson Beck has been named VP/GSM of WFLD and WPWR in Chicago.  Jud was upped from VP/Regional manager at Fox Station Sales, a position he has been in since he opened the Chicago office in June 2001.

CABLEready has named John Casey as its new Director/Finance and Planning.  John makes the move to CABLEready from Outdoor Life Network and Speedvision.

Sandra McKee has been named VP/Sales Planning and Product Management, NBC Universal Television Distribution. Additionally, Sandy Perkins has been named VP/Sales Administration.  The announcement were made by Bill Vrbanic, SVP/Global Distribution Services, NBC Universal Television Distribution, to whom both report.  McKee will oversee a worldwide product management initiative, acting as principle liaison with content producers to provide sales executives with updated production and development plans to further increase sales opportunities.

Kevin Berg has been upped to EVP/Production, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group.  He reports to Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. Kevin will oversee production of dramas, comedies, specials, longform and reality series produced by CBS, Paramount Network Television and UPN. 

Wednesday, December 1, 2004. FINAL Ratings for all Networks – program averages.  Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

ABC     8.4/13  Lost 10.8/17, Nick & Jessica’s Family Christmas 7.8/12, Wife Swap 6.5/10

NBC     8.1/13  The Apprentice 5.2/8, West Wing 8.9/13, Law & Order 10.2/16

CBS     8.0/13  Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 8.1/12, King of Queens 7.9/12, Center of the Universe 6.5/10, CSI: NY 9.8/16

FOX     4.3/7   That 70’s Show 4.0/6, Quintuplets 3.1/5, Nanny 911  5.1/8

UPN     2.7/4   Top Model 3.4/5, Kevin Hill 2.1/3

WB      2.4/4   Smallville 3.2/5, Jack and Bobby 1.6/2

A18-49  CBS 5.1/13, ABC 5.0/13, NBC 3.9/10, Fox 2.9/7, UPN 1.8/5, WB 1.7/4

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Source: NTI Explorer, Premiere-to-date 9/20-11/30/04 & 9/22-11/30/03.  % US Rtg Gain.  Primetime=broadcast prime.  WB Rank-ties 7^th Heaven with F12-34/F18-34, ties Smallville with P12-34.

Friday Fun Fact:   Frankly, I’m question this one – In 1995, a NASA employee bought six plastic owls at Wal-Mart to protect the space shuttle from woodpeckers.

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1968:  Pitcher Bob Gibson’s dominance leads to a rare adjustment of baseball rules: the height of the pitcher’s mound is lowered from 15 inches to 10 inches, and the strike zone is reduced in size.  Before this date, the strike zone extended from shoulders to knees; afterwards, from armpits to the top of the knee.  Famously traditional baseball tinkered again with its rules by allowing the American League to “experiment” with the designated hitter in 1973, an experiment that its supporters view as a necessary evil and its detractors view as an abomination.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   Sam Waterston starred in the 1982 drama series Q.E.D., as a London scientist and amateur sleuth.  Q.E.D. were Waterston’s character’s initials – what was his name? QUENTIN E. DEVERILL. Kudos to: Marge Pistulka-Empower MediaMarketing/Coral Springs; Chip Green-Mediaedge:cia/NY; Kevin Day-Mindshare/NY; Susan Grondin-Nelvana LTD; Sara Sacks-Empower MediaMarketing/Oro Valley AZ; Dan Whitford-RPA/Chicago; Cary Minor-Showcase Cable Sales/Houston; Dan Birman-Dan Birman Prods/Glendale; Phil Kellard-Drallek/Pacific Palisades; Veronica Zelle-Rightous & Blonde Prods; Wendy Tateishi-PHD/LA; Gregory Lovett-Yarosa Ent/The Netherlands; David Stern-Bard Ent/Cairo Egypt; Julie King-McIlroy & King Comm/Toronto.

Today’s Trivia Question:  What career commonality do Clark Gable, Mel Gibson, Errol Flynn and Marlon Brando share?  (click here with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone with your answer.  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.)

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Later — Cyn
12.03.04  5:06am

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CYNOPSIS CLASSIFIEDS

JOB OPENING:  ABC, INC./NY – TEMP/ON-LINE AD SALES RESEARCH DIRECTOR. Proficient in NetRatings, Media Metrix systems, analysis. 3-6 yrs On-line rtgs/analysis exp. Resume:
, Subj: Ref #1201AA    (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  AFFILIATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE – Court TV, LA., Local Ad Sales, MSO, interconnect or system experience; Proven results as member of sales team. For more info go to: http://www.courttv.com/about/careers/#aeaaswr (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  PROMOTIONS MARKETING MANAGER, Nickelodeon, NY. Manage partner relationships/execution/fulfillment stages for off-channel promo programs. 4+ yrs Promo Mktg. exp. pref. working w/ad sales. Apply www.mtvncareers.com EOE   (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, AFFILIATE MARKETING, OLN- Stamford, CT – Develop/execute affiliate and LAS promos for anchor programming. 5+ yrs affiliate mktg exp at cable network. See www.olntv.com Resume/salary:
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JOB OPENING:  MEDIA RESEARCH PRO, LA. Develop research plans, write reports, present findings. Top res. & consult. firm w/clients in TV, film, web, gaming, tech. Min 3 yrs market research exp. Masters, PhD.
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JOB OPENING:  SR. RESEARCH ANALYST, MTVN-LA. Self-starter w/2+ yrs media research exp or related field to support Ad Sales using trad’l research & innovative category/consumer resources. www.mtvncareers.com. EOE/AAP  (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  SALES ASST/MTV Networks, NYC. Dynamic, self-starter, to support Sales Exec and Sales Manager who travel frequently. Excel proficient, highly organized, efficient. Resume: fridayabernethy
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JOB OPENING:  SALES REVENUE ANALYST, NY. Forecast/analyze revenues for FBC, prepare budgets, create sales reports. BA Finance/acct’g/business. Broadcast, cable, ad agency exp., Apply at www.foxcareers.com (12/9)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, AD SALES MARKETING/Oxygen, NYC: Develop ad sales materials and trade marketing initiatives that break-through; 3 yrs experience in media, marketing or advertising fields. Resumes to
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JOB OPENING:  MKTG DIRECTOR-Lifetime/NY. Dev. plan for Nat’l Ad Sales promotions, added value. Est. trade adv strategy, media plan dev/implementation. Cable ad sales mktg exp req. Resume:
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JOB OPENING:  ADMIN. ASST., NBC Universal TV Distribution (Dallas): Provides support to two VPs that frequently travel to license shows & TV stations in SW Region.  Apply online: www.universalstudios.com/jobs (keyword: 388753) (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, AD SALES, TV One/ NY office. Please see our web site for a detailed job description and other exciting career opportunities. www.tv-one.tv (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  SALES ASST/Cartoon Network, L.A. Min. 1 yr. ofc exp/intern in related field. Outgoing self-starter, support Acct Exec and Planner. Computer proficient, highly organized, efficient.  Resume:
yamada
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JOB OPENING:  RESEARCH MGR: Analyze viewer habits, secondary data analysis, 3-4 yrs exper. College degree. Exper. TV research/syndicated data analysis preferred. StarTrak/Galaxy Explorer, NPower, MRI). DC-based.
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JOB OPENING:  PR ACCT. EXEC./Sí TV – L.A. Strong media contacts, 2-4 years TV exp, & college degree req. Pitch trade/regional/national media, write press releases, assist in all media relations. Cover & resume:
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JOB OPENING:  MEDIA BUYERS & PLANNERS  Starcom LA fast paced & exciting team! Nat’l & local buying & planning; prev exp required, home ent or studio exp pref. Strong analytical & comm skills. http://www.smvgroup.com/careers.asp
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JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, CONSUMER RESEARCH-iN DEMAND/NY. Manage all phases of primary research,  incl. surveys & focus grps. Bachelor’s degree; 3-5 yrs . TV mrkt. research exp. Email:
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JOB OPENING:  ACCOUNT EXEC-Galavision, NY. Exp media sales pro w/proven track record, extensive agency/client relationships.Solid presentation/comm. skills.Spanish-speaking strongly pref/not req. Resume:
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SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED —

SITUATION WANTED:  TV/FILM WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER with over twenty years of credits looking for work in LA or New York City.  Check out my multi-paged resume. Contact David at

or 914 674-9559  (12/8)

SITUATION WANTED:  Award-winning WRITER/PRODUCER w/6 yrs experience. On-air promotion, animation, live-action, development, print. Located in NYC but willing to relocate, I’m spunky. Email reel requests:
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SITUATION WANTED:  OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE: 15 years experience running support areas and day to day operations for cable channel. Email:
BillyTompkins
excellent references available   (12/8)

SITUATION WANTED:  Motivated & hard-working employee who just finished a tour traveling the country for the NBA. Looking to get into working in television and sports. Willing to travel and relocate. References.
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SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER & WRITER. 10+ yrs in TV. Ran a hidden-camera prank show that aired on TBS and a reality pilot for A&E. Former “Beavis” staff writer. A+++ references. Available in NYC or LA. E-mail:

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SITUATION WANTED:  Experienced PRODUCTION ASSISTANT seeking a cable or television network position. Programming, script editing and production experience at networks including Turner and the Biography Channel. Email:
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  DECEMBER 2, 2004:

ABC             8 Simple Rules, Complete Savages, Hope & Faith, Less than Perfect, 20/20
CBS             Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, Olay Presents Ice Wars 2004
FOX             That 70’s Show, Quintuplets, Bernie Mac Show, Bernie Mac Show
NBC             Dateline, Third Watch, Medical Investigation
PAX             Talented Kids, MGM Movie: A Fish Called Wanda
UPN             Star Trek, Top Model [r]
WB              What I Like About You [r], Grounded for Life [r], Reba [r], Blue Collar TV [r]
TELE            Prisionera, Gitanas, Te Voy a Ensenar a Querer
UNIV            Rubi, Amor Real, La Escuelita, La Casa de la Risa

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