CYNTHIA TURNER’S
CYNOPSIS

12/06/04

Good morning. It’s Monday, December 6, 2004, and this is your first early morning briefing.

The sweep is over and the Thursday tide changes at the same time.  Thursday evening was not won by CBS among A18-49, but rather by two tenths of a rating point by NBC (7.1/18 vs. 6.9/18) according to final numbers from Nielsen Media Research.  What hasn’t changed is Thursday night is still all about CBS and NBC.  At 8pm  Survivor reigns with a 7.2/19, while Joey (4.8/13) and Will & Grace (4.5/12) were #2.  A repeat of CSI at 9pm delivered an 8.0/20, a tenth of a rating point behind an original episode of The Apprentice (8.1/20).  ER (orig ep) clearly won the 10p hour with a solid 8.4/22, while Without a Trace [r] followed with a 5.5/15.

NBC led Friday night as well with a 3.0/9 A18-49 rating according to fast affiliate ratings from Nielsen Media Research. CBS’s classic favorites of Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns claimed the #1 spot at 8pm with a 3.0/10, outpacing NBC’s Dateline by 2 share point (2.3/8). NBC was in front at 9pm and kept that position for the remainder of the night.  Third Watch earned a 3.1/10, well ahead of the #2 combo of ABC’s Hope & Faith (2.4/7) and Less than Perfect (2.0/6). The return of Bernie Mac delivered numbers for Fox with a 2.0/6 for the hour. At 10p Medical Investigation on NBC earned a 3.4/10, while 20/20 was nearby with a 2.5/8.  The 2-hour ice skating special on CBS earned a soft 1.6/5.

Fox‘s standard Saturday night schedule won the night with a 2.6/8 A18-49 rating according to fast ratings from Nielsen Media Research.  Fox was followed by CBS 2.3/7, NBC 1.9/6, ABC 1.2/4.  At 8pm Fox dominated with a 4.4/8 for the 8pm airing of Cops, and a 5.0/9 for the second at 830p (a repeat). The finish of the CBS SEC game was #2 with a 4.0/7. CBS led the 9p hour with a repeat of NCIS (2.9/9), while Fox was #2 with a 2.7/8.  At 10p the final of The Perfect Storm led by a nose with a 2.2/7, while 48 Hours earned a 2.1/6.

CBS‘ new reality series Wickedly Perfect will launch on Thursday, January 6 at 8pm. The show is hosted by Joan Lunden and seeks to identify the next domestic goddess by having 12 people compete in a variety of tasks in the home, party planning, cooking, floral arrangement, etc.  The other reality competition series called The Will (Next Ent/Telepictures) will kick off on Saturday January 8 at 8pm. The Will begins with a wealthy guy and his 10 potential heirs, all competing for the loaded guy’s inheritance.

For you Father of the Pride fans, NBC will bring the show back to the primetime scheduling beginning December 21 at 9p.

Coming to syndication next fall is Oxygen’s Girls Behaving Badly, distributed by Sony Pictures Television.  SPT will offer 71 30m episodes on a straight barter deal (3-1/2 and 3-1/2).  Girls Behaving Badly is a hidden camera show wherein a cast of all women set up silly, funny and often edgy situations to see what will happen.  The edginess may cause some concern, so Sony will go through each episode to make sure nothing that would cause any concern will be included, while maintaining the fun, and allowing stations to air the show in any daypart. The show originally debuted on Oxygen in 2002 and was created by Barry Poznick and John Stevens.

The Movie Club with John Ridley is a new series for AMC wherein Ridley and a variety of guest critics, will take a look at the week’s theatrical film and DVD releases, and let viewers know what they think, per Variety.   Joining Ridley for the premiere episode will be Nathan Rabin (The Onion), Anderson Jones (CNN), Josh Kun (professor of Pop Cultural at UC), and Zorianna Kit (KTLA).  The show airs on Fridays at 11p starting December 17, repeating on Sunday mornings.

Expected to come from NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution to syndication next season is the much rumored Martha Stewart Show with producer extraordinaire Mark Burnett at the helm.  Rumors have been circulating anew in recent days that a final agreement will soon be reached. 

The wind up for this pitch came late last week, and now it’s now official – CNBC has cancelled the John McEnroe show, and will step up the number of weekly eps of The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch from 2x/week to 5x/week airing at 10p.  The program change is expected to occur in January.  McEnroe averaged just 75,000 viewers to the show after six months on the air.

Fox, on behalf of itself and its station affiliates, doesn’t agree with the FCC‘s assessment and subsequent fine for indecency for it’s short lived series Married by America.  Nor would anyone expect it to; after all who in their right mind would sit back and agree to a $1.2 million fine.  Fox’s defense is the FCC indecency rules are ‘obsolete’ as a result of current day technology, including the V-Chip.  Fox is also challenging the FCC’s investigative process in that it allegedly ‘coerced’ one station to effectively tattle on another, and requiring stations to defend themselves against charges that are vague at best.

Brian Williams hasn’t missed a beat, and apparently viewers are happy with him. In his first night at the anchor desk on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, he pulled in 11.7 million viewers, basically on par with the November sweep average (11.1 million).

Sony Pictures Television has launched a new plan which it calls Sony Pictures Television Advertiser Solutions, headed up by Bo Argentino, SVP. The plan calls for advertisers/clients to be able to speak with Sony as a total unit, rather than talk with and/or negotiate with its various parts individually. All of the Sony cross-platform possibilities can be presented at once, thereby allowing the advertiser to mold its buy effectively to reach its target audience.

Weekend Box Office Estimates: December 3-5, 2004
National Treasure (Buena Vista)         $17.1 million – 3 wk total $110.0m
Christmas w/the Kranks (Sony/Revolution) $11.7 million – 2 wk total $45.4m
The Polar Express (WB)          $11.0 million – 4 wk total $96.4m
The Incredibles (Buena Vista)           $9.2 million – 5 wk total $226.0m
SpongeBob SquarePants (Paramount)       $7.8 million – 3 wk total $68.4m
Closer (Sony)                           $7.7 million – opening weekend
Alexander (Warner Bros.)                $4.7 million – 2 wk total $29.7m
Finding Neverland (Miramax)             $2.9 million – 4 wk total $11.7m
Bridget Jones:Edge of Reason (Universal) $2.8 million – 4 wk total $36.3m
Ray (Universal)                         $1.9 million – 6 wk total $67.8m
Source: Box Office Mojo

Horizon Media has named Jayne McMahon SVP/Director of Local Broadcast, New York.  Jayne will oversee the New York local buying staff, will look to ‘raise the bar’ and continue to ensure Horizon’s position as one of the best local buying groups, while keeping Horizon in-tune with the new and ever-evolving media technology. 

Tanya Ybarra has joined MMT Sales as Branch Manager in the Detroit office.  Tanya joins MMT from Millennium Sales and Marketing where she was Assistant Manager and a top sales executive since 1998. 

Thursday, December 2, 2004. FINAL Ratings for all Networks – program averages.  Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

CBS     13.0/20 Survivor 11.7/18, CSI [r] 15.5/23, Without a Trace [r] 11.7/19

NBC     10.0/16 Joey 7.4/12, Will & Grace [r] 7.0/11, The Apprentice 10.8/16, ER 12.0/20

ABC     4.0/6   Extreme Makeover 4.8/7, life as we know it 2.4/4, Primetime Live 4.7/8

FOX     3.5/5   The O.C. 4.3/7, North Shore 2.7/4

UPN     3.4/5   WWE Smackdown 3.4/5

WB      1.5/2   Movie:  40 Days and 40 Nights 1.5/2

A18-49  NBC 7.1/18, CBS 6.9/18, Fox 2.3/6, ABC 2.0/5, UPN 1.9/5, WB .8/2

Friday, December 3, 2004. Fast Ratings for all Networks – time period averages.  Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

NBC     7.0/12  Dateline 6.7/12, Third Watch 7.1/12, Medical Investigation 7.1/12

CBS     4.9/9   Frosty the Snowman 5.4/10, Frosty Returns 5.5/10, Olay Presents Ice Wars 2004 4.7/8

ABC     4.8/8   8 Simple Rules 4.7/8, Complete Savages 4.3/8, Hope & Faith 4.7/8, Less than Perfect 4.0/7, 20/20 5.7/10

FOX     2.5/4   That 70’s Show 2.6/5, Quintuplets 2.0/4, Bernie Mac Show 2.6/5, Bernie Mac Show 2.7/5

WB      2.1/4   What I Like About You [r] 1.6/3, Grounded for Life [r] 1.7/3, Reba [r] 2.7/5, Blue Collar TV [r] 2.3/4

UPN     1.7/3   Star Trek, Top Model [r] 1.7/3

A18-49  NBC 3.0/9, ABC 2.2/7, CBS 2.0/6, Fox 1.9/6, WB 1.2/4, UPN 1.0/3

Saturday, December 4, 2004. Fast Ratings for all Networks – time period averages.  Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

FOX     4.7/9   Cops 4.4/8, Cops [r] 5.0/9, America Fights Back 5.0/9

CBS     4.7/9   SEC Championship Game 4.0/7, Navy NCIS [r] 5.6/10, 48 Hours 4.5/9

NBC     4.0/7   NBC Movie:  The Perfect Storm 4.0/7

ABC     2.9/5   ABC College Football 2.9/5

A18-49  Fox 2.6/8, CBS 2.3/7, NBC 1.9/6, ABC 1.2/4

A MESSAGE FROM WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC CABLE DISTRIBUTION

Source: NTI Explorer, Premiere-to-date 9/20-11/30/04 & 9/22-11/30/03.  % US Rtg Gain.  Primetime=broadcast prime.  Comedy=CS typecode.

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1922:  In a step toward independence from its neighbor and longtime colonial master, the majority of Ireland declares itself the Irish Free State, part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain.  English colonization in Ireland dates to the 12th Century, but under Elizabeth I and Oliver Cromwell violent suppression of Irish rebels and large-scale English settlement at the expense of the Irish became official policy.  Centuries of resistance culminated in the struggle for Home Rule, punctuated by the Easter Rising of 1916 and the proclamation of the Irish Free State in 1922.  In 1937, the Free State was renamed Eire and declared sovereign and independent; it is now commonly known as the Republic of Ireland.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   What career commonality do Clark Gable, Mel Gibson, Errol Flynn and Marlon Brando share? THEY ALL PLAYED FLETCHER CHRISTIAN IN MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY.  Kudos to:  Derek Cason-Onyx Media/NY; Benj Whitehouse-Axium Ent/NY; Nicole Naimo-mtvU/NY; David Pisani-NCC/NY; Brett Calvert-KSAT/San Antonio; Eric Merrill-GSD&M/Austin; Linda Bartels-bartelsassociates/San Antonio; Larry Chase/Boise; George LaFountaine/Granada Hills; Phil Kellard-Drallek/Pacific Palisades; Russ Talley-Turner Bcsting/LA; Michael Morris-Brad Lachman Prods/Burbank;

Today’s Trivia Question: If you work for the General Insurance  Company, who are you probably working along side?   (click here with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone with your answer.  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 MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Later — Cyn
12.06.04  5:27am

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CYNOPSIS CLASSIFIEDS

JOB OPENING:  SR.ANALYST, Nielsen Media Rsch-NY/Assist w/client custom analysis/sales pitches of new studies, NPOWER client servicing.Analyze DVR data. Excel, PwrPnt,writing. NPower a+.Apply www.nielsenmedia.com ref:200402338-JL  (12/11)

JOB OPENING:  VOD COORD-iN DEMAND/NY. Provide support to overall Free On Demand process from start to finish; schedule FOD prior to air. Bachelors degree, 1 year exp. Email:
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JOB OPENING:  PUBLICIST/OLN, Stamford, CT. Exceptional verbal and written skills, 2-3 yrs PR exp req’d; cable or sports industry a +. See www.olntv.com for more info. Resume/salary:
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JOB OPENING:  ABC, INC./NY – TEMP/ON-LINE AD SALES RESEARCH DIRECTOR. Proficient in NetRatings, Media Metrix systems, analysis. 3-6 yrs On-line rtgs/analysis exp. Resume:
, Subj: Ref #1201AA    (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  AFFILIATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE – Court TV, LA., Local Ad Sales, MSO, interconnect or system experience; Proven results as member of sales team. For more info go to: http://www.courttv.com/about/careers/#aeaaswr (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  PROMOTIONS MARKETING MANAGER, Nickelodeon, NY. Manage partner relationships/execution/fulfillment stages for off-channel promo programs. 4+ yrs Promo Mktg. exp. pref. working w/ad sales. Apply www.mtvncareers.com EOE   (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, AFFILIATE MARKETING, OLN- Stamford, CT – Develop/execute affiliate and LAS promos for anchor programming. 5+ yrs affiliate mktg exp at cable network. See www.olntv.com Resume/salary:
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JOB OPENING:  MEDIA RESEARCH PRO, LA. Develop research plans, write reports, present findings. Top res. & consult. firm w/clients in TV, film, web, gaming, tech. Min 3 yrs market research exp. Masters, PhD.
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JOB OPENING:  SR. RESEARCH ANALYST, MTVN-LA. Self-starter w/2+ yrs media research exp or related field to support Ad Sales using trad’l research & innovative category/consumer resources. www.mtvncareers.com. EOE/AAP  (12/10)

JOB OPENING:  SALES ASST/MTV Networks, NYC. Dynamic, self-starter, to support Sales Exec and Sales Manager who travel frequently. Excel proficient, highly organized, efficient. Resume: fridayabernethy
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JOB OPENING:  SALES REVENUE ANALYST, NY. Forecast/analyze revenues for FBC, prepare budgets, create sales reports. BA Finance/acct’g/business. Broadcast, cable, ad agency exp., Apply at www.foxcareers.com (12/9)

JOB OPENING:  MANAGER, AD SALES MARKETING/Oxygen, NYC: Develop ad sales materials and trade marketing initiatives that break-through; 3 yrs experience in media, marketing or advertising fields. Resumes to
. EOE  (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  MKTG DIRECTOR-Lifetime/NY. Dev. plan for Nat’l Ad Sales promotions, added value. Est. trade adv strategy, media plan dev/implementation. Cable ad sales mktg exp req. Resume:
, subj: MKTG DIR  (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  ADMIN. ASST., NBC Universal TV Distribution (Dallas): Provides support to two VPs that frequently travel to license shows & TV stations in SW Region.  Apply online: www.universalstudios.com/jobs (keyword: 388753) (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, AD SALES, TV One/ NY office. Please see our web site for a detailed job description and other exciting career opportunities. www.tv-one.tv (12/8)

JOB OPENING:  SALES ASST/Cartoon Network, L.A. Min. 1 yr. ofc exp/intern in related field. Outgoing self-starter, support Acct Exec and Planner. Computer proficient, highly organized, efficient.  Resume:
yamada
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JOB OPENING:  RESEARCH MGR: Analyze viewer habits, secondary data analysis, 3-4 yrs exper. College degree. Exper. TV research/syndicated data analysis preferred. StarTrak/Galaxy Explorer, NPower, MRI). DC-based.
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JOB OPENING:  ACCOUNT EXEC-Galavision, NY. Exp media sales pro w/proven track record, extensive agency/client relationships.Solid presentation/comm. skills.Spanish-speaking strongly pref/not req. Resume:
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SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED —

SITUATION WANTED: SR. MEDIA BUYER – Available for telecommuting, job-sharing, freelancing or fulltime (Orange Cnty or Riverside Cnty areas, CA only for fulltime). Bought LA& most wstrn mrkts. Contact Erin geshevette
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SITUATION WANTED:  TV/FILM WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER with over twenty years of credits looking for work in LA or New York City.  Check out my multi-paged resume. Contact David at

or 914 674-9559  (12/8)

SITUATION WANTED:  Award-winning WRITER/PRODUCER w/6 yrs experience. On-air promotion, animation, live-action, development, print. Located in NYC but willing to relocate, I’m spunky. Email reel requests:
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SITUATION WANTED:  OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE: 15 years experience running support areas and day to day operations for cable channel. Email:
BillyTompkins
excellent references available   (12/8)

SITUATION WANTED:  Motivated & hard-working employee who just finished a tour traveling the country for the NBA. Looking to get into working in television and sports. Willing to travel and relocate. References.
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SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER & WRITER. 10+ yrs in TV. Ran a hidden-camera prank show that aired on TBS and a reality pilot for A&E. Former “Beavis” staff writer. A+++ references. Available in NYC or LA. E-mail:

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  DECEMBER 6, 2004:

ABC             Life of Luxury, Monday Night Football
CBS             Still Standing, Listen Up, Raymond, 2-1/2 Men, CSI Miami
FOX             Trading Spouses, The Swan
NBC             Fear Factor, Las Vegas, Dateline
PAX             Model Citizens, World Cup Comedy, Second Verdict
UPN             One on One, Half and Half, Girlfriends, Second Time Around
WB              7th Heaven [r], Everwood [r]
TELE            Prisionera, Gitanas, Te Voy a Ensenar a Querer
UNIV            Rubi, Amor Real, Cristina