CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

08/22/05

Good morning.  It’s Monday August 22, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Writer Anthony Spinner has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against ABC and Touchstone Television for breach of contract and fraud. The suit alleges ABC and Touchstone used his idea for the show Lost.  In court papers Spinner says he was hired by Sid and Marty Krofft Prods in 1977 to write a script for ABC about a group of survivors from a plane crash, living on an island that inhabited all manner of strange creatures. Spinner says as a result of that job, he should now have a “created by” and “written by” credit on the hit series. No comment from ABC.

While most industry observers were looking at post-Thanksgiving football as the next strike and/or acquisition for OLN in its bid to become a major competitor to ESPN, MediaWeek reports the Comcast-owned cable net is going after baseball.  More specifically, MLB’s Sunday-Wednesday package, currently airing on ESPN (whose rights expire at the end of the current season). ESPN is currently paying $141.5 million in rights fees for that package. In the mix is MLB’s desire to launch the Baseball Channel, which Comcast can surely add to sweeten its offer (as it did in the NHL hockey deal).  ESPN says it plans to renew its baseball deal for Sun-Wed, keeping it along with its Tues-Thurs package (which expires at the end of 2006 season).

Rainbow Media LLC has announced it will officially launch VOOM HD Networks as a stand alone service.  The networks will focus on producing HD original programming and maintaining a library of HD content, as well as investing in HD acquisitions and creating a diverse collection of niche brands.

Buena Vista Television has added Salt Lake City to its clearance list for the second season of The Tony Danza Show on KSL, airing at 11am starting September 12.  This will be the show’s first season in the Salt Lake City market.  Also, BVT has secured time period upgrades on KCPQ/Seattle at 11a, KMSP/Minneapolis at 9am and KPTV/Portland at 9a.

20th Television has plans to develop a new syndicated talk show with hosts Randy Jackson (American Idol) and Lauren Sanchez (So You Think You Can Dance). 20th is looking at a potential Fall 2006 launch, says Broadcasting & Cable.

B&C also reports MTV may have a new project in the works – this time targeting viewers slightly older than the standard MTV viewer, A25-54, in a group of lifestyle networks and programming while maintaining the MTV thought process. Reportedly, MTV is talking with cable MSO Comcast to partner.  No official word from either side, tho an announcement may come as early as September.

Weekend Box Office Estimates: August 19-21, 2005
40-Year Old Virgin (Universal)           $20.5 million – opening weekend
Red Eye (DreamWorks)                      $16.5 million – opening weekend
Four Brothers (Paramount)                        $13.0 million – 2 wk total $43.6m
Wedding Crashers (New Line)                   $8.3 million – 6 wk total $177.9m
The Skeleton Key (Universal)                     $7.4 million – 2 wk total $30.1m
March of the Penguins (Warner Ind.)         $6.7 million – 9 wk total $48.6m
Valiant (Buena Vista)                     $6.1 million – opening weekend
Dukes of Hazzard (Warner Bros.)             $5.7 million – 3 wk total $68.8m
Charlie & the Choc Factory (Warner Bros.)  $4.5 million – 6 wk total $192.7m
Sky High (Buena Vista)                               $4.0 million – 4 wk total $50.8m
Source: Box Office Mojo

News among the iTunes Top 100 Subscribed Podcasts (as of 5am this morning):
#6    Newsweek On Air
#10  ESPN Radio
#20  ABC News Nightline
#27  Wall Street Journal Tech News Briefing
#34  CNN News Update
#39  CNN Complete Update
#46  NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
#55  ABC News Shuffle
#61  NBC News – Meet the Press
Source:  iTunes Top 100 Subscribed Podcasts (fill in the blank numbers with podcasts from a variety of categories, other than mainstream news.)

ABC:

• Commander in Chief has added Matt Barr in a recurring role as the President’s daughter’s love interest.  Commander in Chief will air on Tuesdays at 9p beginning September 27.

TLC:

• A US version of the UK’s The Monastery series has been ordered from Tiger Aspect.  The show previously aired on Britain’s BBC Two.  The US redo will change the format slightly from the BBC Two’s 3 episode show to 6×60 episodes.  The Monastery follows several men as they the attempt monastic lifestyle for 40 days and 40 nights with actual monks.  The monastery filming location has not yet been announced.

MTV2: One renewal, two new orders and two pilot orders –

• Wonder Shozen:  A second season has been ordered of this 30m live action and animated series.  The new season is scheduled for a 1st qtr 2006 launch, airing within the Friday night Sic ‘Em block.
• Final Fu: A martial arts competition series has been ordered by the network,from exec prods Amanda DeSeta and Becky Smith.
• Rhythm and Reggaeton:  A music/video series, airing weekly, has also been greenlit.
• Are Your Game?: A pilot wherein contestants play live-action versions of video games, from exec prods. Matt Ringel and David Goetsch.
• Stupid Ways to Die: A pilot has been ordered for this series which recreates stupid ways people died.  Think MTV’s Jack-Ass.  This pilot is from exec prods Jim Caser and Joseph Carolei.

Fox Broadcasting has signed director Tim Story to a development deal whereby he will direct one 30m project and one 60m project for the network. The agreement does not specify a studio.  Story will work with writer Dan Fogelman on the 30m project.

Paramount Network Television has signed a two year development deal with Kelly Edwards and Jonathan Axelrod, the same folks behind the UPN series debuting this fall called Sex, Love and Secrets.

iN DEMAND Networks announced that Stacie Gray has been promoted to SVP/President, Marketing and Executive Creative Director. In her new role, she will manage all marketing initiatives for iN DEMAND Networks products and services.  Trish Johns Scanlon has been promoted to Executive Director/On Air & Off Air to oversee production of TV, radio, print and Web marketing materials. The promotions were announced by Sergei Kuharsky, EVP/Sales and Marketing for iN DEMAND.

Setanta Sports has named Michael Richter as VP/Marketing and Sales and Marcia Canady as Director/Sponsorship and Sales.  Michael will oversee the network’s marketing, advertising sales, customer care, public relations, and research and brand management in North America.  Marcia is responsible for developing marketing sponsorships and partnerships for the network.  Setanta Sports is a 24-hour digital network dedicated to European and international football (soccer) and world-class rugby.  It launched in the United States on April 26 of this year, and is available on DIRECTV and Globecast World TV.

Si TV named Michael Schwimmer as CEO.  Starting September 6, the former DISH Network EVP of programming and marketing will begin heading up the English-language Latino network in this newly created position.  Michael has been a Si TV board member since the network’s launch in 2004.

Thursday — A18-49 Analysis: CBS won the night on Thursday, according to final numbers from Nielsen Media Research, posting an overall 3.8/11 A18-49.  Fox was #2 with a 2.6/8, followed by  ABC 2.1/6, NBC 2.0/6, UPN 1.7/5, WB .7/2. At 8p Big Brother on CBS earned a 3.3/11 and then followed at 9p with the win for a repeat of CSI (4.1/12) and again at 10p with a repeat of Without a Trace delivering a 4.0/12.  Fox Sports presentation of preseason football ended at 11:07p and delivered a 2.6/8 in the adult demo.

FINAL HOUSEHOLD RATING: Thursday, August 18,  2005, for all Networks – program averages. Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

CBS     7.8/13   Big Brother 5.4/10, CSI [r] 8.9/15, Without A Trace [r] 9.1/16

FOX     4.6/8    FOX: Sports Special NFL Preseason  4.6/8 (ending at 11:07p)

ABC     4.2/7    Movie:  The Tuxedo 3.9/7, Primetime Live 4.7/8

NBC     3.4/6    Joey [r] 3.8/7, Will & Grace [r] 3.6/6,  Scrubs [r] 3.3/6, Scrubs [r] 3.3/5,  ER [r] 3.3/6

UPN     2.9/5    WWE Smackdown 2.9/5

WB      1.2/2    Smallville [r] 1.4/2, Everwood [r] 1.0/2

A18-49            CBS 3.8/11, Fox 2.6/8, ABC 2.1/6, NBC 2.0/6, UPN 1.7/5, WB .7/2

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1902-Exactly one year to the day after the Cadillac Company, named after Detroit’s founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, was founded, President Teddy Roosevelt became the first president to travel in an automobile.

Answer to Friday’s Trivia Question:    Who lives at 3344 Oak Hills Drive, Fairfield CT?   The Gang from WHO’S THE BOSS?  Kudos to:  Syndi Shumer-Sesame Workshop/Brooklyn NY; Katie Calautti-Goodman Media Int’l/NY; Erin Johnson-RIVR Media/Knoxville; Alison Poluga-Deutsch Inc/NY; Suzanne Holzwanger-Red Deluxe Brand Desire/Memphis TN; Jacqui Kruppe-STRATA Marketing Inc/Chicago; Kerri Huyck-KIDK TV/Idaho Falls ID; Rob Siegel-Sabre/Dallas; Corey Wilson-Fox Cable Sports/LA; Stephen Rodgers-Pro Films/Hollywood CA; Debi Giorchino-On Target Media/Sacramento; Brook Peters/Toronto CA; Andrew Lane-Marblemedia/Toronto

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Today’s Trivia Question:  On Friends, Joey had a pet chicken named after someone. What was its name?  (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.)

Later — Cyn
08.22.05  –  5:09am
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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2005

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  Monday, August 22, 2005

ABC              NFL Monday Football Preseason Special Hall of Fame
CBS              King of Queens [r], Raymond [r], 2-1/2 Men [r], 2-1/2Men [r], CSI: Miami [r]
FOX              Nanny 911, House
NBC              Fear Factor [r], Las Vegas [r], Medium [r]
PAX              Doc, Diagnosis Murder, Early Edition
UPN              One on One [r], All of Us [r], Girlfriends [r], Half & Half [r]
WB               7th Heaven [r], Summerland [r]
TELE             El Cuerpo del Deseo, Los Plateados, El Principe Azul
UNIV             Apuesta por un Amor, La Madrasta, Cristina