CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

07/15/05

Good morning.  It’s Friday, July 15, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing.

A week without a Nielsen story is like a week without …. a Nielsen story.   If the first bill in the Senate last week wasn’t enough, another bill was introduced yesterday, this one by Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Congressman Vito Fossella (R-New York), called the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2005.  Designed to be a companion to the F.A.I.R. Ratings Bill introduced last week in the Senate, this one calls for mandatory accreditation, with direct oversight by the MRC.  Here are the dueling quotes – first from Don’t Count Us Out executive director Cynthia Rotunno:

“…The LPM system has resulted in disproportionately high fault rates among Latino and African American households — and scrutiny of Nielsen’s system has uncovered massive errors and irregularities throughout its ratings system — but Nielsen’s response has been to thumb its nose at its critics and, outrageously, to ignore the lack of accreditation from the MRC, the one congressionally mandated oversight authority governing the television ratings industry. It is time to reinforce the MRC with stronger authority to fulfill its mission of ensuring accurate TV ratings. The stakes are especially high when minority viewers are undercounted in TV ratings.  TV ratings are a form of currency and are at the heart of programming and content decisions made by broadcasters. Inaccurate ratings can mean fewer employment opportunities, lost wages for people of color, less multicultural programming and fewer role models on TV for our young people. TV ratings will never be a perfect system, but with accountability we have a mechanism to address concerns and fix problems.”

And from Jack Loftus, SVP/Communications for Nielsen Media Research:

“Under this bill no competitor of Nielsen could offer a ratings service unless a majority of the MRC membership voted to allow them to do so. So the competitor would probably sue everybody. Second, if Nielsen did not receive full accreditation, say for its national people meter service, then it would have to immediately shut down the service and there would be no ratings. Those who oppose progress turn to the federal government for protection. There is a Chinese proverb about what happened to he who foolishly rode the back of the Tiger.”

ABC apparently let the “f” word slip by its screeners during the Live 8 Concert when The Who took the stage.  While the expletive made it into the east coast feed, it was edited out before the mountain and west coast feeds.  Not good enough says the complainant – the Parents Television Council (PTC). In the east, the word was uttered during the 8pm hour. While the PTC recognizes and apparently appreciates ABC efforts throughout the broadcast, this “slip” they say still warrants an FCC ruling.  Said the PTC: “This kind of language does not belong on network television, particularly when so many children are in the audience.”  Apparently, they didn’t see the ratings. The complaint was files against Allbritton station WJLA, who has an indemnification clause in its network affiliation agreement against any improprieties by the network.

For a full and complete list of the 57th Annual Emmy Award nominees – go to http://www.emmys.tv/downloads/

Effective Monday, July 18, Court TV will divide the network into two distinct dayparts under the banner name Court TV Networks.  Daytime will be known as Court TV News, and evenings and weekends Court TV Seriously Entertaining.   The daytime schedule will consist largely as you would expect – legal news and issues as well as in-depth trial coverage.  Primetime and weekends will include the networks investigation-related programming, original movies and on-fiction series.  New series on tap for Court TV beginning in 1st Qtr 2006 include:

• Las Vegas Law, reality series features Bucky Buchanan, an attorney in Las Vegas helping out those who live by “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
• SWAG, also a reality series based on the UK series, offers opportunity to steal – often with unexpected consequences for those to fail to resist.
• Texas S.W.A.T. focuses on a dozen different Texas city SWAT teams.  Produced by Lion Television.
• LA Forensics goes inside the LAPD Scientific Investigation Division, each ep focusing on a different crime.
• San Diego Beach Patrol focuses on lifeguards and working with the San Diego Police Dept, they rule the beach.

Scripps Network Great American Country (GAC) will be carried on Comcast Washington DC digital lineup.  Comcast already carries the other Scripps Networks.  GAC will be carried on Channel 147.

An open meeting of the FCC yesterday initially had media ownership on the agenda.  That item was removed from the agenda as the Commission is still debating some of the issues.  Apparently the Commission was having some difficulty agreeing on the basics of the issue, including how much time they should take to discuss the issue and take comments. The Commission will consider a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning its 2002 biennial review of its broadcast ownership rules.

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of June 27-July 3, 2005 ranked by HH Rtg
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                  7.4 AA
Jeopardy (King World)                                6.1 AA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)  5.7 AA / 7.2 GAA
Oprah (King World)                                    5.5 AA / 5.6 GAA
Seinfeld (Sony)                                           5.2 AA / 6.5 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                                  4.8 AA / 4.8 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                              4.7 AA / 6.0 GAA
Judge Judy (Paramount)                            4.4 AA / 6.5 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)          4.2 AA / 4.3 GAA
Regis & Kelly (Buena Vista)                       3.3 AA
Judge Joe (Paramount)                              3.0 AA / 4.3 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of June 27-July 3, 2005 ranked by A18-49
Seinfeld (Sony)                                           3.4 AA / 4.2 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (King World)  3.3 AA / 4.1 GAA
Friends (Warner Bros.)                              3.1 AA / 4.0 GAA
That 70’s Show (Carsey-Werner)              2.1 AA / 2.6 GAA
Oprah (King World)                                    2.1 AA / 2.1 GAA
Wheel of Fortune (King World)                  1.9 AA
King of the Hill (20th)                                   1.8 AA / 2.1 GAA
Dr. Phil (King World)                                  1.7 AA / 1.7 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (Paramount)          1.7 AA / 1.7 GAA
Jeopardy (King World)                                1.6 AA
Will & Grace (Warner Bros.)                      1.6 AA / 1.9 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research

Correction :  The Travel Channel will launch its new series about a gourmet adventurer Anthony Bourdain: No Reservation on July 25 at 10p (not the following week).  Another series, called Stranded with Cash Peters also kicks off on July 25 at 9p, and this is the one about a guy stranded in various places with no food, no money, no place to stay.  These two shows were misidentified here yesterday.

NBC:

• Book of Daniel (Sony Pictures Television/NBC Universal) has been picked up as a midseason replacement.  The network has ordered 13 eps of the dark comedy, which stars Aiden Quinn as a minister Daniel Webster who speaks regularly with God (played by Garret Dillahunt), which one may argue is induced as a result of his addition to painkillers.

Fox:

• Loop (20th), a midseason comedy, has cast Amanda Loncar as Piper, and Sarah Mason has Piper’s friend, Lizzy.

UPN:

• Veronica Mars:  Chrisma Carpenter and Steve Guttenberg will join the cast of Veronica Mars next season; Carpenter as the trophy wife and mother to the Casablancas; and Guttenberg as a major league baseball team owner and candidate for Mayor.  Carpenter will appear in 6 eps, Guttenberg in 7.

GSN (formerly Game Show Network) announced their development slate which includes:

• I’ve Got a Secret is based on the original classic game show, the only switch is this one features an all gay panel
• Annie Duke Takes on the World has received a pilot order – in this poker game, four amateurs compete to play one-on-one with Duke.
• Phil Hellmuth Poker is a reality series, teaching the ins and outs of poker
• The James Woods Gang vs. The Unabombers in Poker Royale goes into production this month, slated to appear in GSN’s Casino block starting in late November. This all celebrity No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournament features James Woods and  Phil Laak heading up two teams of players.
• Your Worst Nightmare has nothing to do with poker, unless you find the game particularly frightening.  This show puts its contestants in the US’ scariest places where they try to escape to win prizes.
• Wet is a physical competition game, pitting humans against dolphins in a variety of games and obstacle courses.

New Development Deals:

• Fox Television Studios has entered in a first look development deal with manager/producer Mikkel Bondesen and his shingle Fuse Entertainment, a literary management and production company. Fuse Ent will produce TV projects for Fox TV Studios with its existing clients and other writers.

Rob Moore has been named President/Worldwide Marketing, Distribution and Operations for Paramount Pictures.  The announcement was made yesterday by Brad Grey, Chairman/CEO. Moore will step in where Rob Friedman left off following his resignation earlier this week.  However, the home video and classics division will not come under Moore’s perusal.  Moore will take care of domestic and international marketing and distribution, administration, legal and business affairs, and backlot ops.

Elizabeth Bohannon has been appointed VP/Kids and Family Marketing for Paramount Home Entertainment, it was announced by Michael Arkin, SVP/Marketing for Paramount Home Entertainment.  Elizabeth will be responsible for overseeing the strategic and creative direction of all marketing initiatives on behalf of Paramount Home Entertainment’s children’s properties and will report directly to Michael Arkin.

Scott Garner has been upped to SVP/Programming, Disney Channel, where he will continue to oversee the planning and scheduling of all kids TV content on four networks:  Disney Channel, Toon Disney, ABC Family and the ABC Television Network’s Saturday morning daypart, ABC Kids.  The announcement was made by Rich Ross, President/Disney Channel Worldwide, to whom Scott reports.

Wednesday–A18-49 Analysis:   They may be brats, but ABC will keep them around for a while in any case.  ABC out-shined the competition with the premiere of Brat Camp on Wednesday night, posting an overall 3.2/10 A18-49 according to fast affiliate numbers from Nielsen Media Research.  NBC was second with a 2.3/7, followed by CBS and Fox tied at 2.0/6, WB 1.0/3, UPN 0.7/2. ABC’s Brat Camp dominated the 8-10p block with a 3.8/12.  NBC and Fox tied at 8p at a 7 share; CBS’ The Cut was fourth with a 5 share. At 9p, ABC has now built to a 13 share; CBS and NBC followed with a 6 share. Fox’s The Inside dipped to fourth with a 1.8/5.  At 10p CBS and NBC tied at a 2.5/7.

FINAL HOUSEHOLD RATINGS: Wednesday July  13, 2005, for all Networks – program averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

ABC     5.6/10   Brat Camp [2hrs] [p] 6.7/12, Lost [r] 3.3/6

NBC     5.4/10   Outrageous TV Moments [r] 4.4/8, Law & Order [r] 5.6/9, Law & Order [r] 6.2/11

CBS     3.9/7    The Cut 3.0/5, The King of Queens [r] 3.6/6, Rock Star, CSI: NY [r] 5.3/9

FOX    2.8/5    That 70’s Show 3.1/6, Stacked 2.5/5, The Inside 2.8/5

WB    1.5/3     Beauty and the Geek The Aftermath Special 1.9/3, Smallville [r] 1.3/2

UPN     1.2/2   Eve[r] 1.3/2, Eve [r] 1.2/2, Veronica Mars [r]1.2/2

A18-49            ABC 3.2/10, NBC 2.3/7, CBS and Fox 2.0/6, WB 1.0/3, UPN 0.7/2

Friday Fun Fact: In March 2000 during the pre-ceremony Academy Award interviews, Tom Cruise confessed that he had never watched an Oscar telecast until long after he was an adult and was pursuing an acting career.

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1869-The winner of a prize offered by Napoleon III to invent a “product suitable to replace butter for the navy and the less prosperous classes of society,” Hippolyte Mège-Mouries receives a French patent for margarine

Answer to Yesterday’s trivia question: Arthur “the Fonz” Fonzarelli of Happy Days was a mechanic when the series started–what job did he have at the end of the series?   DEAN TO A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL. Kudos to:  Shana Morgan-STARZ; Karen Neal-TNT/Atlanta; Scarlet Lento-Ellison Media Company/Phoenix; David Mehlman-US Initiative/Chicago; Eric Litt-WGN TV/Chicago; Paul Schoen-Kiewart-Univision/Dallas; Michelle Anderson-/LA; David Scott Jones-Marleigh Entertainment/LA; Arthur Axelman-UCLA Entertainment Business & Law/LA; Marty Webb-Rubin Postaer & Ass/Santa Monica.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Today’s Trivia Question courtesy of John P. Turner IV: Here’s the quote – you identify the movie:  “If all the animals on the equator were capable of flattering…..Then Thanksgiving and Halloween would fall on the same day.”  (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.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM HGTV

Later — Cyn
07.15.05  – 4:46am
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  Friday, July 15, 2005

ABC              8 Simple Rules [r], Hope & Faith [r],  Hope & Faith [r], Less Than Perfect [r], 20/20
CBS              60 Minutes, JAG [r], Numb3rs [r]
FOX              Movie: Undercover Brother
NBC              Dateline, L&O: Trial by Jury [r]
PAX              America’s Talented Kids [r], Teachers
UPN              Movie:  Novocaine
WB               What I Like About You [r], Blue Collar TV [r], Reba [r], Living with Fran [r]
TELE             La Mujer en el Espejo, Los Plateados, Decisiones
UNIV             Apuesta por un Amor, La Madrasta, Cristina