Good morning. It’s Friday, January 23, 2004, and this is your first early morning briefing. 

Fox did it again.  On Wednesday night Fox‘s American Idol, together with The O.C., out-weighed the Big 3 by doubling the #2 ranked network share for the night.  Fox’s 9.2/22 A18-49, according to fast affiliate ratings from Nielsen Media Research, whomped NBC’s 4.3/11, ABC 3.9/10, CBS 2.5/6, WB 1.9/5, and UPN 1.5/4.  At 8pm American Idol’s 29.3 million viewers translated to a 12.7/32 demo rating, easily topping NBC’s The Apprentice (4.9/12).  American Idol excelled among females 12-34 (16.8/42), while The Apprentice founds its largest sector among the slightly older W18-49 (6.1/14) and W25-54 (7.0/15).  At 9pm, The O.C. delivered a time period winning 5.7/14 over ABC’s The Bachelorette (5.2/12).  As with Idol, The O.C. appeals to a slightly younger female audience, W18-34 delivering a 7.719; while The Bachelorette skewed a tad older W18-49 (7.5/17) and W25-54 (8.3/17).  Meanwhile, UPN’s repeat of America’s Next Top Model (the original aired Tuesday night and was preempted in some markets for the State of Union Address) earned a 1.7/4 A18-49, and found a larger audience among W18-34 (2.5/6) and W18-49 (2.3/5).  At 10p NBC’s L&O led with a 5.2/14, followed by ABC’s Celebrity Mole: Yucatan (4.0/11).

Following the whomping on Wednesday night, NBC has made another schedule change – The Apprentice will go back to Thursdays nights at 9pm.  Starting January 29, next week, Thursday nights on NBC begin as always with Friends, followed by Will & Grace, The Apprentice and ER.  A couple of other scheduling moves – Tracy Morgan has been relegated to Saturday nights at 8pm, which means Tuesday nights will change thusly:  Beginning at 8pm, Whoopi, Happy Family, Frasier, Scrubs (from Thursdays) and L&O: SVU.

And there’s a new Bachelor in town — NY Giants Quarterback Jesse Palmer will be the object of women’s affections in the newest installment of The Bachelor on ABC.  Kick off is scheduled in April.

Last Tuesday night marked the premiere of a handful of cable programs: the second season of MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica, Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen & Dave, Comedy Central’s Chappelle’s Show, and FX‘s debut of Todd TV at 10p.  Nick & Jessica delivered up 4.7 million total viewers, and which helped propel Carmen & Dave resulting in their 3.3 million viewers.  Meanwhile, across the street, Chappelle’s Show at 10p found 3 million viewers, up 33% from last year’s premiere.  That left FX’ Todd TV sort of out in the cold with just 803,000 HH viewing. Hoping to give the premiere a solid lead in with the film Dude, Where’s My Car?, the movie delivered a 1.5 HH rtg, Todd TV an 0.7 HH rtg.

Development and Casting News:

• NBC‘s drama pilot Pearl City has tapped Ivan Sergei to star opposite Sharif Atkins, as a detective on the Hawaiian police force.
• Fox has ordered up a pilot of Quints (Imagine TV/20th), a comedy about teenage quintuplets, written by Mark Reisman (Frasier, Wings).

FX has ordered up 13 eps of a drama series starring Denis Leary titled Rescue Me about NY Firefighters.  The show focuses on Leary’s character, Tommy Gavin, who has become fearful in his job since 9/11.  Production begins in April.

Perhaps you remember the bru-ha-ha about sending out screener tapes to Academy members, and how eventually the Academy’s worst fear was realized when one of those screener tapes did in fact show up on the internet.  As it turns out, the tapes were coded with a digital watermark so the FBI was eventually able to determine where the tape came from, and indeed they did.  The tape was tracked to an Academy member, Carmine Caridi, who in turn was giving the tapes to Russell Sprague in Illinois.  The actor had been sending Sprague tapes over the last three years, believing him to be a film buff (that is a film buff who supplied her with Fed Ex boxes to send the tapes).  Sprague would then transfer the tapes to a digital format and put them on the internet. Sprague’s home had over 100 tapes, some not yet released in video or DVD, was arrested and charged with copyright infringement, as well as illegal duplication among other things, appearing in a Chicago court today. Caridi has not been charged with any wrongdoing, though the investigation continues.

Post-NATPE Updates:

• Universal Television‘s Home Delivery, launched just days before the NATPE convention convened with the Tribune station group, managed to clear the show in a total of 70% of the country (including Tribune), including the top 30 markets.
• October Moon‘s That’s Funny 30m strip series has been sold in 52 markets, giving it a ‘firm go’ for the fall premiere.

The deal is done – the Senate approved the bill which restricts station ownerships caps to 39% of the country, effectively overturning the FCC’s 45% cap last June, and up from the cap’s original 35% cut off. The bill now does to the President where it is expected to be signed.

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of Jan 5-11, 2003 ranked by HH Rtg
Wheel of Fortune (King World)           10.1 AA  
Jeopardy (King World)                   8.0 AA
Seinfeld (Sony)                         6.7 AA / 8.3 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                  6.7 AA / 8.1 GAA
Oprah (King World)                      6.6 AA / 6.7 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)       6.3 AA / 6.5 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)    5.9 AA / 6.8 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                   5.3 AA / 5.4 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)          5.3 AA / 7.5 GAA
Live with Regis/Kelly (BVT)                        4.0 AA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of Jan 5-11, 2003 ranked by A18-49
Friends (Warner Bros.)                  4.7 AA / 5.5 GAA
Seinfeld (Sony)                         4.5 AA / 5.5 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)    3.3 AA / 3.8 GAA
Wheel of Fortune (King World)           3.1 AA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)       3.0 AA / 3.1 GAA
Oprah (King World)                      2.7 AA / 2.8 GAA
That 70’s Show (Carsey-Werner)  2.6 AA / 3.3 GAA
Jeopardy (King World)                   2.3 AA
Will & Grace (Warner Bros.)             2.3 AA / 2.6 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)          2.2 AA / 3.0 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Newly launched TV One cable network has signed a carriage deal in Cleveland with Adelphia Communications, bringing the African-American and urban audience targeted network into more than 250,000 cable homes. TV One will be part of the system’s new expanded basic package.  TV One investors include Comcast Corp., and the network is carried in several Comcast markets. When it launched on Monday, January 19, TV One was in 2.2 million homes.

Telemundo has seen enormous growth thru the first three weeks in January 2004 vs. September 2003 (+50% in total viewers), as well as in year to year comparisons, according to data supplied by Telemundo based on NHTI data.  In the same comparative frame (Jan 04 vs. Sept 03), the network’s primetime M-F ratings are up 38% in A18-49 and +35% among A18-34.  In year to year comparisons, the primetime A18-49 averages for Monday through Friday are up an extraordinary 83%, and A18-34 are up 106% year to year. Telemundo points to its increases this year as a result of increased original programming that has been well received.  Two novellas premiered in January: Pasión de Gavilanes and Amor Descarado, airing at 7p and 8p respectively.  El Alma Herida, which airs at 9pm, continues to rank as Telemundo’s highest rated novela in the network’s history.

Top 5 Broadcast Spanish Language Primetime Programs for the week of Jan 12-18, 2003
UNIV    Cristina (Mon 10p)                      23.8 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Velo De Novia   (Mon 8p)           22.5 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Velo De Novia    (Tue 8p)           22.0 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Velo De Novia    (Thu 8p)           21.6 NHTI HH Rtg
UNIV    Amar Otra Vez (Mon 7p)            21.0 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 12,870,000 households.  Here are the rankings for the week of  Jan 12-18, 2003 – highest rated primetime network programs in African American TV homes according to Nielsen Media Research
FOX     NFC Championship (Sun 651p)       26.2 HH Rtg / 5.2m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     Girlfriends (Mon 9p)                          20.0 HH Rtg / 3.4m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     Eve (Mon 830p)                                19.2 HH Rtg / 3.1m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     Half and Half (Mon 930p)                  18.7 HH Rtg / 3.2m Total Viewers 2+
FOX     NFC Championship Post (954p)      15.9 HH Rtg / 2.97m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     All of Us (Tue 830p)                          15.8 HH Rtg / 2.75m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     The Parkers (Mon 8p)                       15.1 HH Rtg / 2.59m Total Viewers 2+
ABC     My Wife and Kids (Wed 8p)              15.1 HH Rtg / 2.4m Total Viewers 2+
CBS     CSI (Thu 9p)                                      14.0 HH Rtg / 2.48m Total Viewers 2+
UPN     One on One (Tue 8p)                        12.7 HH Rtg / 2.2m Total Viewers 2+
Source Nielsen Media Research

Ann Miller, dancer, singer, actress, died at the age of 81.  If you’re too young to know the name, you knew the face, the black hair done just so, and the tap dancing feet that never quit, or perhaps as the landlady Coco Lenoix in the film Mulholland Dr. If you’re old enough to remember her fondly, you’ll recall her performances in Easter Parade, Kiss Me Kate, On the Town and Stage Door, having danced with all the greats – Astaire, Kelly, Fosse.

If you grew up in Chicago area, or close enough to receive WGN (Channel 9), long before it was a superstation, between 1960-81 the name Ray Rayner will make you smile and likely make you long for at least a few moments of your childhood.  Ray Rayner who was the face of children’s television in Chicago, died on Wednesday at the age of 84.  Rayner’s career launched in 1953 at WBBM-TV where he hosted a series of children’s programs: Rayner Shine, Popeye’s Firehouse and a teen dance hour.  In 1961 Rayner moved over the WGN, and where he found fame as the host of UPA’s The Dick Tracy Show, for playing the role of the clown Oliver O. Oliver on Bozo Circus and as the host of his own daily early morning kids show, Ray Rayner and Friends, not to mention filling in as a weather man on the local news when needed, and other programs. 

Mary Clare Baquet has been named VP/Marketing for the Discovery Channel. In her new position, Mary Clare will serve as Creative Director for the Discovery Channel, overseeing all on-air, off-air and guerilla marketing efforts for key programming and network initiatives as well as the overall graphic look of the network.  An 11-year veteran of the network, she assumes her new role after serving as executive editor for on-air marketing.

Discovery Networks Latin America/Iberia announced the upping of Michela Giorelli to Director/Production and Development. Michela will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of production, including supervising and developing regional productions as well as international co-productions.  She will also oversee the development of contracts with regional producers to assure local content in Discovery Networks’ programming. 

Janice Arouh has been named SVP/Network Distribution & Service for Hallmark Channel.  The announcement was made by Paul FitzPatrick, EVP/COO of Crown Media Holdings, Inc. and Hallmark Channel, to whom Janice will report. She will be based in Hallmark Channel’s Los Angeles headquarters, where she will have oversight responsibilities for all areas of the channel’s distribution and affiliates sales efforts.

Christina Norman has been named President/VH1. The announcement was made by Judy McGrath, President/MTV Networks  Group President, MTV, VH1, CMT and Comedy Central.  Christina will be based in New York and report to McGrath.  She will continue to partner with Entertainment President, Brian Graden, in overseeing the content and business of VH1 and its digital services including VH1 Classic, Megahits, VHUno, VH1 Country and VH1 Soul.

Wednesday, January 21, 2004. Fast Affiliate Ratings for all Networks. Fast affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

FOX     12.018  American Idol 16.2/24, The O.C. 7.8/12

CBS     6.7/10  60 Minutes 6.0/9, King of Queens [r] 7.7/12, Becker 7.7/12, 48 Hours  6.5/11

NBC     7.8/12  The Apprentice 7.9/12, West Wing [r] 5.4/8, Law & Order [r]  10.0/16

ABC     5.9/9   My Wife & Kids 5.3/8, It’s All Relative 4.2/6, The Bachelorette 7.6/11, Celebrity Mole: Yucatan 5.9/9

UPN     2.4/4   Star Trek Enterprise 2.2/3, Top Model [r]  2.6/4

WB      2.7/4   Smallville 3.1/5, Angel  2.3/3

A18-49  Fox 9.2/22, NBC 4.3/11, ABC 3.9/10, CBS 2.5/6, WB 1.9/5, UPN 1.5/4

A MESSAGE FROM WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC CABLE DISTRIBUTION

Source: NTI 1/18/04. US Rating.  TP=Sun 8-9P. Excluding sports.

Friday Fun Fact:   Rudyard Kipling would only write when he had black ink in his pen.

The History Channel presents This Day in History: 
1978 – Sweden banned aerosol sprays because of damage to environment. They were the first country to do so.

Answer to yesterday’s Trivia Question:   This administrative assistant had a penchant for bird watching.  Who was she? MISS JANE HATHAWAY / BEVERLY HILLBILLIES.  Kudos to:  Stacy Hernandez-HGTV; Gerald Belton-WRAZ/Raleigh Durham; Caryn Gray-LCI/Detroit; Richard Walsh-OMD/NY; Bob Thibault-KSNT/Topeka; Barb Throm-Smart Media/St. Louis; Jill Fredericks-WFAA/Dallas; Shannon Crouch-The Richards Group/Dallas; Tara Sandler-Pie Town Prods/LA; Joannie Stern-Charles H. Stern Agency/LA; Bob Ramsey-KSWB/San Diego; George Riddell-Riddell Creative Marketing/Seattle.

Today’s Trivia Question:  What is ‘something special in the air’?  (
to respond to the trivia question and please be sure to include with your answer your name, company, city and time zone. Only the second four correct responses from each time zone will be listed in tomorrow’s kudo list.)

Later — Cyn

Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis
01/23/04  5:27am
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2004

INVESTIGATE WITH COURT TV

COURT TV:       Forensic Fridays
ABC             George Lopez, Married to the Kelly, Hope & Faith, Life with Bonnie, 20/20
CBS             Joan of Arcadia [r], JAG [r], The Handler [r]
FOX             Totally Outrageous Behavior, World’s Craziest Videos, Boston Public
NBC             Dateline, Ed, Third Watch [r]
PAX             MGM Friday Movie: Black Stallion Returns, Diagnosis Murder
UPN             UPN Friday Movie: Species II
WB              Reba, What I Like About You, Grounded for Life, Like Family
TELE            Amor Descardo, El Alma Herida, Laura: Casos Resueltos
UNIV            Velo de Novia, Te Amaré en Silencio, Casos de la Vida Real