Source:The Nielsen Company.Live Cvrg AA%. NKTN’s original series premieres, M-SU 6A-6A,9/27/04-04/24/09.NKTN, TOON, DXD7:30P-8:00P, 4/24/09. NKTN, M-SU 6A-6A,Q1 comparison04-09. M6-11 & P6-11.Subject to qualifications.

Cynopsis

05.01.09

Good morning. It’s Friday, May 1, 2009, and this is your first early morning briefing.  

Tonight’s Premieres:
Sundance Channel: Ladette to Lady at 8p
Planet Green: Renovation Nation at 9p

Tonight’s Finales:
ABC: Wife Swap at 8p; Supernanny at 9p
NBC: Howie Do It at 8p

Saturday’s Premiere:
Planet Green: Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff at 6p

Sunday’s Premiere:
Planet Green: Greensburg at 9p

Sunday’s Finales:
FUEL TV: Thrillbillies at 8p
VH1: Tough Love at 10p

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM DEBMAR-MERCURY

In the midst of a competitive May Sweep, President Obama’s third press conference drew the least amount of total viewers Wednesday night at 8p. The live event on ten networks posted an 18.8 HH rating and was viewed by 28.8 million people in the US, cites Nielsen. President Obama’s first press conference on February 9 tallied 49.5 million viewers on eight networks and the second one on March 24 drew in 40.4 million viewers via 11 networks. Networks carrying Wednesday’s press conference include ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC and mun2. Telemundo also aired the press conference on a tape delay at 1135p.

Show business is booming business in Connecticut, as another television series moves its production operations to the state. NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution announced it renewed the syndicated version of Deal or No Deal for a second season which is sold in more than 85% of the US for next fall. To keep costs down, Endemol USA and production partner NBC Universal Domestic TV Distribution will begin shooting the new season of Deal or No Deal this summer at the Sonalysts Studio in Waterford. Host Howie Mandel will also make the move to Connecticut from Culver Studios in Culver City. NBCU previously announced three other of its shows, Maury, Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos will be moving production to Stamford, Connecticut from New York and Chicago respectively. Connecticut offers a 30% production tax credit established in 2006 by the state’s General Assembly.

NFL Network will stay put on the Comcast cable systems for now as both the NFL and Comcast are discussing a new carriage deal. Both the NFL and Comcast are awaiting the outcome of a hearing involving the NFL’s carriage complaint against Comcast. The NFL Network issued this statement yesterday: “Comcast and the NFL are engaged in productive discussions toward a new agreement for NFL Network carriage on Comcast.  NFL Network will continue to be carried on Comcast systems past tonight’s scheduled expiration of the current contract while both sides continue these productive discussions.  We are both working to find a solution that works for NFL fans and Comcast’s customers.”

Yesterday, Disney confirmed it will become a joint venture partner and equity owner of Hulu along with NBC Universal, News Corp. and Providence Equity Partners. The deal, pending regulatory approval, will allow Disney to put full-lengths episodes from its various properties on Hulu and will give the company three seats on the Hulu board held by Bob Iger, Disney President/CEO; Anne Sweeney, Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC Television Group; and Kevin Mayer, EVP/Corporate Strategy, Business Development and Technology. Disney’s offering on Hulu will include: episodes from ABC primetime series such as Lost and Grey’s Anatomy; full-length episodes of ABC Family series including The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Greek; series from ABC Daytime and SOAPnet like General Hospital and The View; classic series from ABC’s library including Hope & Faith and Less Than Perfect; select Disney Channel programming such as Wizards of Waverly Place; library titles from the Walt Disney Studios; and other shortform content like webisodes, previews and more from ABC Entertainment, ABC Family and SOAPnet.

Nora O’Brien, a drama executive with NBC Universal died suddenly Wednesday night of a brain aneurysm while on the Berkeley set of the NBC pilot Parenthood. She was just 42 years old. Because of her passing, NBC canceled production on the pilot, starring Peter Krause, Maura Tierney and Erika Christensen for two days and canceled its pilot screenings yesterday. Nora, a six-year veteran of NBCU, joined in January 2008 when she was appointed VP/Drama Programming at Universal Media Studios and prior to this worked at sister cable network SCI FI Channel where she served as VP/Original Programming. Friends and colleagues of Nora described her as “smart and insightful” and “one of the loveliest, kindest people on this earth.” No memorial plans have been announced.

ABC Family will not re-up its comedy series Roommates for a second season, reports THR. The series premiered March 23 and the four last episodes will air back-to-back on Monday.

Senator John McCain will get more television face time as he hosts a six-pack of classic war films during the Memorial Day movie marathon, War Heroes on AMC. The movies begin May 25 at 8a and during the marathon Sen. McCain will speak about his personal combat experiences and the significance of Memorial Day. Movies in the lineup include Midway (1976), Patton (1970), The Longest Day (1962), Hamburger Hill (1987), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) and Battle of the Bulge (1965).

Discovery Channel presents Nature’s Most Amazing Events, a six-hour hi-def series on May 29, 30 and 31 beginning at 8p each night. The series, a co-production of the BBC and Discovery Channel, witnesses the power of nature, seasonal changes and the effects of climate change on the planet. Filmed over two years, the series travels to the icy Arctic, to Canada for the annual salmon run, to the huge migration in East Africa’s Serengeti plain and more.

Horizon Media received new business from Seattle-based Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co., effective immediately.  The assignment includes national media planning, buying, digital services and marketing counsel.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE from THE WEATHER CHANNEL

Forbes and E! Entertainment are continuing their working relationship the originated in 2004 and will now team to produce a series of eight 60m celebrity specials and two 30m celebrity lifestyle pilots through 2010. All shows will be broadcast in hi-def and will spotlight editorial content from Forbes in a list format as well as going inside the lifestyles of celebrities. Forbes editors and writers will be featured throughout the specials, offering expert commentary.

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  You know the old adage – if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Disney signed on the dotted line to become the 4th equity partner of Hulu, providing cash and its valuable content to the portal that has become the go to destination for premium content on the web. Assuming regulatory approval, users will soon find full episodes of ABC primetime hits like Lost, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy; ABC Family shows; ABC Daytime and SOAPnet serials; classic series like Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, select hits from the Disney Channel; as well as short form content and library titles from The Walt Disney Studios vault. Disney will also be granted 3 seats on the Hulu board, to be held by Disney President and CEO Robert Iger; Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC Television Group; and Kevin Mayer, EVP, Corporate Strategy, Business Development & Technology.   Full edition: CYN DIGITAL. 

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  Hasbro, Inc. and Discovery Communications are partnering in a new 50/50 joint venture that includes the creation of a new kid-targeted TV channel, which will take the place of the current Discovery Kids Network, and a corresponding website.  Set to launch in late 2010, the re-branded network will be targeted to kids 14 and under and will feature original programming based on Hasbro properties, Discovery Kids existing programming as well as third-part content.  The 13-year-old Discovery Kids Network will continue to operate until the debut of the new network (name TBA).  Discovery Communications will retain the Discovery Kids brand for, among other things, its international networks and its licensing and merchandising business.  Under the terms of the deal, Hasbro will purchase a 50% stake in the venture, which will hold the assets related to Discovery Kids Network in the US, for which Discovery Communications will receive $300 million.  The search for a President and GM for the network has begun. Discovery will handle ad sales, distribution, origination and other operational requirements for the venture, while Hasbro will provide studio-produced programming.  New programming will include shows (animated, live-action, game etc.) based on Hasbro’s Romper Room, Tonka, G.I. Joe, Transformers, My Little Pony as well as Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, and Cranium among others.  Full edition: CYN KIDS. 

Wednesday – A18-49 Analysis:  Not surprisingly, FOX stayed on top Wednesday night with A18-49 viewers at 5.0/14, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. During 8p, most broadcast networks aired the live President Obama press conference. That being said, FOX, opting to not air the press conference won the 8p hour with Lie To Me at 2.3/7 followed by The CW’s America’s Next Top Model at 1.8/6. Normal programming resumed at 9p with FOX’s American Idol winning hugely with 7.7/19 with ABC’s Lost next at 4.1/10. CBS kept its #1 status at 10p with CSI: NY and a 3.2/9 with NBC’s Law & Order in second at 2.2/6 and ABC’s The Unusuals at 1.5/4.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 (May Sweep Day 7) time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

FOX: 9.0/14       Lie To Me 4.7/8, American Idol 13.2/20

CBS: 8.3/13         President Obama Press Conference [no ratings data available], Criminal Minds 8.5/13, CSI: NY 8.1/14

ABC: 4.5/7           President Obama Press Conference [no ratings data available], Lost 5.6/8, The Unusuals 3.3/6

NBC: 4.2/7           President Obama Press Conference [no ratings data available], Law & Order: SVU [r] 3.2/5, Law & Order 5.2/9

UNIV: 2.1/3         President Obama Press Conference [no ratings data available], Manana para Siempre 2.5/4, Don Francisco Presenta 1.6/3

CW: 1.7/3           America’s Next Top Model 2.6/4, 90210 [r] 0.8/1

TELE: 0.8/1         Dona Barbara 0.8/1, El Rostro de Analia 0.8/1, Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso 0.8/1, El Cartel 0.7/1

MNT: 0.7/1          World’s Funniest Moments 0.8/1, World’s Funniest Moments [r] 0.6/1

ION: 0.5/1          Reba 0.4/1, Wednesday PM Movie: The American President 0.5/1

A18-49: FOX 5.0/14, CBS 3.3/8, ABC 2.8/7, NBC 1.7/4, UNIV 1.7/4, CW 1.2/3, TELE 0.7/2, MNT 0.4/1, ION 0.2/1

Peer39 tapped Chrisanne McCoy as Director/Business Development based at company headquarters in New York City. Previously, Chrisanne was the Business Development Manager at Revenue Science.

Cookie Jar Entertainment recruited Tom Mazza as EVP and Head/Worldwide TV to manage the company’s primetime label, The Jar. Moreover, Tom will supervise Cookie Jar’s development and production units along with sales and distribution, program acquisition and international co-productions. Tom most recently was President of Columbia Tristar Network Television.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM GSN

Friday Fun Fact:  In the film JAWS, when the diver is in the shark cage and the shark is attacking, they used a little person to make the shark appear larger.

This day in History:  1950 – Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for her book of poetry called Annie Allen.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:    What did AJ stand for in Simon & Simon’s AJ Simon?  ANDREW JACKSON  Kudos to: Paula Roachford-The Hotel Networks/NY; Andrew Goldman-HBO/New York; Chris Crowley-Televersemedia/Stamford; Bob Cook-B.C. Entertainment Group, Inc./Orlando; Kathy Yarbrough-Touchpoints Marketing/Gretna, LA; Paul Blutter-
General American Group, Inc./Northridge; Alan Perris-The Television Academy/North Hollywood; Steve Howard-Audience Warm-up/Burbank; Gina Carey/Westwood

Today’s Trivia Question:  If you’re allergic to Carob, Cumin, Nutmeg, Scallops, Wheat Germ, among other stuff, what TV character are you?  (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
05.01.09

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009

ABC: Wife Swap [f ], Supernanny [f ], 20/20
AZTECA: Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Extranormal de Impacto, Al Extremo
CBS: Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, Numb3rs
CW:  Everybody Hates Chris [r], The Game [r], America’s Next Top Model [r]
FOX: Prison Break, Dollhouse
ION:  Reba, Reba, Movie: Rocky IV
MNT: WWE Friday Night Smackdown
NBC: Howie Do It [f ], Howie Do It [r], Dateline
PBS: Washington Week, Now on PBS, Bill Moyers’ Journal
TELE: Dona Barbara, El Rostro de Analia, Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso, El Cartel
UNIV: Cuidado con el Angel, Manana es para Siempre, Rosa de Guadalupe   

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