Cynopsis

06.19.09

Good morning. It’s Friday, June 19, 2009, and this is your first early morning briefing.  And as always, if you prefer to watch this morning’s news instead of reading it, click here.  

Today’s Premiere:
DIY Network: Celebrity Rides: Hollywood’s Speeding Bullitt at 2p

Tonight’s Premiere:
LOGO: Jeffrey & Cole Casserole at 11p

Saturday’s Premieres:
Cartoon Network: Brainrush at 8p; Destroy Build Destroy at 830p

Sunday’s Premieres:
NBC: Merlin at 8p
Science Channel: Exodus Earth at 9p

Sunday’s Finales:
FUEL TV: New Pollution at 830p
HGTV: HGTV’s $250,000 Challenge at 10p

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM TLC

Syfy continues to scare viewers on a global scale as season two of Ghost Hunters International premieres July 8 at 9p. The opening one-hour episode journeys to Wicklow, Ireland to examine an 18th century prison while five other episodes explore haunted places in Chile, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy and Argentina. Ghost Hunters International is produced by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Films and Television.

FOX’s new summer reality dating series More to Love will premiere July 28 at 9p. Produced by the creators of ABC’s The Bachelor, More to Love will follow 20 real women as they hope to find the man of their dreams.

Late Night Ratings results for the week of June 8, 2009, according to Nielsen, listed alphabetically by network:

• ABC’s Nightline: 3.41 million total viewers; 1.45 million A25-54; and 1.27 million A18-49;
• CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman: 3.67 million total viewers; 1.49 million A25-54; and 1.13 million A18-49;
• NBC’s Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien: 3.77 million total viewers; 2.05 million A25-54 and 2.01 million A18-49.

It is probable Katherine Heigl will return to ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy in the role of Izzie for next season, reports THR. Apparently, Heigl’s option was picked up, though ABC will not verify the show’s casting roster for the new season.

Travel Channel is taking to the streets looking for bad drivers in a new reality competition format, The Streets of America: The Search for America’s Worst Driver. The series is based on an international format currently airing in a dozen plus territories from A. Smith and Co. and Mentorn USA, which holds the rights to the format. Travel Channel’s version will roll out during first quarter 2010, set in some of America’s most notorious driving cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. A. Smith and Co.’s Arthur Smith and Kent Weed will executive produce along with Frank Sinton, Rick Tellis, David Leach and Dan Goldsack.

Endemol made an international distribution agreement with executive producers Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Rakieten involving localized versions of their comedy/reality format The Marriage Ref. Endemol became the exclusive distributor of the format for all platforms outside the US and will produce the local versions globally. In the US, The Marriage Ref will air on NBC starting March 2010 and is produced by Shed Media.

E! Entertainment and Moving Pictures DPI, the production arm of Alpha Media Group (publisher of Maxim), established a two-year relationship to create and produce a minimum of six one-hour specials. Last May, E! aired the 60m special Maxim Hot 100. Upcoming specials for this year include Maxim’s Celebrity Beach Watch slated for this fall as well as Maxim’s Hottest Moments 2009, a year-end review special. In addition, E! and Maxim will collaborate on a travel and party series titled Maxim Does … with Maxim Does Mardi Gras set for first quarter 2010.

Veteran actress Linda Hunt joins CBS’ upcoming drama series NCIS: LA as a regular cast member, per THR. Hunt’s character will manage the behind-the-scenes support staff of the Office of Special Projects. The series also stars Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J.

Casting Call: New York-based production company, Savannah Media is seeking experts in the Tri-State area for two future makeover series. The first format needs personal trainers for a new weight loss series, where participants will work to lose weight for a cash prize. The second format is seeking personal stylists for an upcoming series where men and women will be transformed in an unusual way. Send an email to
for more information.

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY:   The cable industry continues to struggle with how to standardize interactive advertising applications across multiple MSOs, systems and set-tops. Cable’s Canoe Ventures group has decided to shutter its initial Community Addressable Messaging ad plan before it launches as CEO David Verklin admits to its technical and business limitations, per Multichannel. One such limitation is that the system required ads to be booked 11 days before there air date, defeating the immediacy of a platform that hopes to serve clients such as movie studios who want to tease their big Friday releases. “CAM 1.0” had undergone extensive trials and was initially expected to launch as early as last month.   Full edition: CYN DIGITAL.

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  CBeebies has commissioned Initial, an Endemol Company, to produce a new cooking show, I Can Cook.  With the goal of getting preschoolers interested in food and cooking, I Can Cook offers a hands-on approach to cooking and investigates where the food in the kitchen and table comes from.  Set in a kid-friendly kitchen, each episode will feature host Katy Ashworth and five kids in making simple recipes while investigating the ingredients and taking part in games/activities.  I Can Cook is slated to debut in fall 2009 and will also feature an accompanying website at www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies . Full edition: CYN KIDS. 

Wednesday – A18-49 Analysis:  FOX shimmied and jived to #1 Wednesday night winning the A18-49 demo with a 3.1/10 A18-49, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance beat out the competition at 8p with a 2.9/10 followed by ABC’s Wipeout at 2.7/9. FOX and So You Think You Can Dance remained in control through 9p with a 3.3/10 while ABC’s other reality show, I Survived A Japanese Game Show placed second at 2.1/6. CBS had a turn in first place at 10p with an encore of CSI: NY at 1.6/5 with NBC’s repeat Law & Order came next at 1.4/4.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

FOX: 5.3/9          So You Think You Can Dance 5.3/9

CBS: 4.5/8           Old Christine [r] 2.9/5, Gary Unmarried [r] 2.9/5, Criminal Minds [r] 5.3/9, CSI: NY [r] 5.2/9

ABC: 3.3/6           Wipeout 4.5/8, I Survived A Japanese Game Show 3.0/5, The Unusuals 2.5/4

NBC: 2.9/5           I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! 2.6/5, Law & Order [r] 2.6/4, Law & Order [r] 3.4/6

UNIV: 2.0/4         Cuidado con el Angel 2.1/4, Manana para Siempre 2.4/4, Don Francisco Presenta 1.6/3

CW: 0.7/1           America’s Next Top Model [r] 0.7/1, Hitched or Ditched [r] 0.6/1

MNT: 0.6/1          World’s Funniest Moments [r] 0.6/1, Twilight Zone 0.5/1, Twilight Zone 2 [r] 0.6/1

TELE: 0.6/1         Mas Sabe el Diablo 0.6/1, El Rostro de Analia 0.7/1, Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso 0.6/1

ION: 0.3/1          Wednesday 7PM Movie: Sudden Impact [r] 0.3/0, Wednesday PM Movie: Sudden Impact [r] 0.3/1

A18-49: FOX 3.1/10, ABC 2.0/6, UNIV 1.6/5, CBS 1.5/5, NBC 1.3/4, TELE 0.6/2, CW 0.4/1, MNT 0.2/1, ION 0.1/0

ABC Entertainment Group completed its overall organizational structure, a process that began last January. Starting immediately, the Business Affairs, Business Development, Casting, Program Planning, Scheduling and Distribution units will be supervised as integrated areas and ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios will keep separate creative teams, though each will combine development and current programming positions. ABC Entertainment Group President Stephen McPherson announced the following appointments:

• Jeff Bader as EVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Planning, Scheduling and Distribution will continue to oversee primetime and late-night program planning and scheduling. He will also be in charge of worldwide programming, distribution and windowing strategies for all ABC Entertainment Group programs for all platforms both domestically and internationally. Reporting to Jeff will be Steve Kern, VP/Broadcast Program Planning and Scheduling; Wendell Foster, VP/Multiplatform Programming and Scheduling; and Catherine Korda, Executive Director/Program Planning and Scheduling.
• Barry Jossen as EVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Studio Creative and Production will manage the creative and production at ABC Studios. Reporting to Barry will be Josh Barry, SVP/Drama Series (who also functions in this role at the network); Kevin Plunkett, SVP/Comedy Series; Gary French, SVP/Production; Paula Warner, SVP/Post-Production; and Dawn Soler, VP/Music.
• Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs as EVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Network Scripted Creative will oversee the company’s primetime scripted creative group encompassing the development and current programming in the areas of drama, comedy and made-for-television movies and miniseries. Reporting to Suzanne will be Channing Dungey, SVP/Drama (who also functions in this role at the studio); Samie Falvey, SVP/Comedy; and Quinn Taylor, SVP/Movies, Miniseries and Acquisitions.
• Mia Rondinella as VP/ABC Entertainment Group, Business Planning and Development will be responsible for targeting growth areas and business strategies and will manage the efforts of the business licensing and merchandising team. Reporting to Mia will be Rosalie Villapando, VP/Business and Franchise Development and John Hanna, Executive Director/Merchandising.
• Jana Winograde as EVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Business Affairs and Administration will supervise agreements pertaining to the development and acquisition of all primetime and late-night programming, marketing and ABC.com among other duties. Reporting to Jana will be Howard Davine, EVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Studio Business Affairs; Jennifer Mayo, SVP/ABC Entertainment Group, Network Scripted Business Affairs; Kerry Kennedy, VP/ABC Entertainment Group, Alternative Series Business Affairs; and Peter DiCecco, SVP/Disney/ABC Television Group, Music-Business and Legal Affairs.
• Several continue in their current roles: Vicki Dummer and John Saade, as co-heads and SVPs/Alternative Series, Specials and Late-Night; Keli Lee as EVP/Casting; and Mike Benson and Marla Provencio as co-heads and  EVPs/Marketing. All report to Stephen McPherson.

The New York Times Company promoted Richard Samson to Senior Counsel. Richard joined the company two years ago, in charge of the company’s trademarks and a member of the intellectual property and contracts group.

Jeff Pryor, former EVP/Corporate Communications with MGM resigned his position in April to lead Priority PR, a full-service film and television marketing and publicity agency he founded in 1990. Since leaving his MGM position, Jeff brought on MGM as a client for Priority PR focused on the areas of  television and digital media. Jeff is also concentrating on growing Priority PR’s Asia business.

Here Networks LLC has combined with its publishing unit, PlanetOut Inc., publisher of The Advocate and Out. The new entity will be named Here Media Inc. and Stephen P. Jarchow was named Chairman and Paul Colichman as CEO. Stephen, Paul and PlanetOut Inc. Chairman Phil Kleweno will be part of the initial board of directors of Here Media.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE

Friday Fun Fact:   The average American easts 23 quarts of ice cream a year … and I for one and doing my part to maintain that average.

This day in History:  1934 – The U.S. Congress established the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   This “gang” was known as the Renegades … five guys and one girl. One of them was known as Bandit. Who played him?   PATRICK SWAYZE Kudos to:  Anne Kissel Elliot/Palm City, FL; Ethan J. Tyer-TV Guide Network/NY; Joyce Pizzo-Deutsche Bank/NY; Matt Fishman-CBS Television Stations/New York; Larry Glazer-WTTW/Chicago; John Ricci, Jr.-JRJ Games/North Hollywood; Paul Blutter-General American Group, Inc./Northridge; Matthew C. Bergeron-Disney ABC Cable Networks Group/Burbank; Laura Pauli-CucinaTestaRossa.tv/San Francisco

Today’s Trivia Question:  Who owns Bridal Veil Mountain?   (Email
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
06.19.09

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JOB OPENING: CABLE AFFILIATE SALES EXECUTIVE/Los Angeles: Media Company seeking Top-Tier Cable Affiliate Sales Exec. Min 10 years experience; excellent compensation package with Benefits.Please Email Resume to:
EOE (6/26)

JOB OPENING: SR DIGITAL AE/Sony Pictures Ent/LA: Generate leads, sell invntry, maintain deals & manage invntry rel. to online initiatives.Reports to NY. Apply: www.sonypicturesjobs.com (6/26)

JOB OPENING: CASTING PRODUCERS for a cable reality series in NYC. Must have excellent screening & pre-interviewing skills & be able to shoot casting videos. Apply:
(6/26)

JOB OPENING: SR DIRECTOR/ESPN/NYC: ESPN seeks Sr Director – Direct Response Ad Sales leader for NYC office. Must have strong mgt and DR skills. Contact
(6/26)

JOB OPENING: PT FREELANCE AP, ONLINE/Sesame Workshop/NYC: 2+yrs web exp.; Support producers on content dev& production; CMS, basic HTML, digital platforms;log +track assets. EOE/M/F/D/AAP Apply
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JOB OPENING: ONLINE MEDIA BUYER/ADVERTISING/Serino Coyne/NYC: 3+ yrs exp in buying with some planning. Develop & execute online media campaigns. Strong negotiation skills. Inc. Sal. Req. Apply:
(6/26)

JOB OPENING: TRAFFIC COORDINATOR/The Hotel Networks/NYC: 1-2yrs exp broadcast contracts, copy & logs. Must be detailed/self-starter. Resumes to:
(6/26)

JOB OPENING: FORECASTING ANALYST/MTVN/NYC: 1-2yrs exp budget models & finance or ad sales pricing/inventory. Must have advanced Excel and strong analytical skills. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (6/25)

JOB OPENING: FORECASTING MGR/MTVN/NYC: 3+yrs exp preparing revenue forecast reports and budget models. Must have advanced Excel, analytical and quantitative skills. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (6/25)

JOB OPENING: CNS-PROJ COORD/Comcast/NY: Supp Sales & Traffic sys by identifying, resrchng/resolving tech/bus issues. Help w/Quality Assurance, app train’g/implementation. Apply: http://www.ecentralmetrics.com/url/?u=2151145880|166 EOE (6/24)

JOB OPENING: LICENSING COORDINATOR/MTV Networks/NYC: 2+yrs oversee Nickelodeon accessories product dev/ensure development is within contractual rights. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (6/23)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE RESEARCHER – AUDIENCE RESEARCH/Latitude/BOS: Join innovative research team – design/program/analyze/report audience rsrch, 5+ yrs research exp & 4 yr degree. See: www.latd.com/freelance Apply:
(6/20)

JOB OPENING: SR ONLINE ADVRTSNG ANALYST/ABC.com/Disney Interactive Media Group/NY: Exp. Forecast/mng online inv./ ad hoc reporting/comm of inventory landscape. www.disneycareers.com , Req ID# 188518 or
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SUMMER/FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: PROGRAMMING/B’CAST OPS INTERNS: V-me (Nat’l Spanish-language ntwrk): Students send letters of interest/resumes or inquiries to:
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SUMMER/FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: AD SALES, MKTG & BUS./FINANCE INTERNS/V-me (Nat’l Spanish-language ntwrk): Send letters of interest/res:
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SITUATION WANTED: 5 PRIME TIME EMMYS/ DOC. PROD, DIR., WRITER in L.A. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email:
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SITUATION WANTED: CREATIVE SCRIPT DOCTOR with 16 yrs as Broadcast Exec/Network Story Editor can consult/edit/polish your TV or film pitch/bible/screenplay. Credits include DeGrassi, DaVinci & Dragon Boys.
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SITUATION WANTED: COUNSEL/STDS & PRACTICES/DEV (NY/LA: IP atty w/ 15 yrs in Events, B’way, TV (CBS, MTV, Nick, Golf) looking to fuse legal knowledge w/ love of entertainment. Open to all opportunities. Email
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009

ABC:  Surviving Suburbia, The Goode Family, Samantha Who? [r], Samantha Who? [r], 20/20
AZTECA: Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Extranormal de Impacto, Al Extremo
CBS: Ghost Whisperer [r], Flashpoint [r], Numb3rs [r]
CW:  Privileged [r], Everybody Hates Chris [r], The Game [r]
FOX: Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Mental [r]
ION:  Movie: Young Guns II (7-9p), Movie: Young Guns II (9-11p)
MNT: WWE Friday Night Smackdown
NBC: Chopping Block, Dateline
PBS: Washington Week, Now on PBS, Bill Moyers’ Journal, Inside
TELE: Mas Sabe el Diablo, El Rostro de Analia, Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso
UNIV: Cuidado con el Angel, Manana es para Siempre, Rosa de Guadalupe   

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