Cynopsis

03.02.09

Good morning. It’s Monday, March 2, 2009, and this is your first early morning briefing. 

Tonight’s Premieres:
BET:  Harlem Heights at 10p
CBS:  Rules of Engagement at 930p
Golf Channel:  The Haney Project at 9p
History Channel: AX MEN at 10p
NBC:  Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:35a
TNT:  Saving Grace at 10p

Tonight’s Finale:
ABC:  The Bachelor at 8p

As Connecticut’s Governor Jodi Rell offers tax credits for in-state productions, rumors are a-flyin’ the NBC Universal syndicated series may be moving production to Stamford.  Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos and Maury Povich’s daily series are reportedly making the move from Chicago, and New York, respectively, to Connecticut for production of the upcoming fall season. Nothing official yet from NBC Universal or Connecticut based GE.

Univision has undergone layoffs of 6% of its staff base, resulting in the loss of approximately 300 staff positions.  While Univision is not reporting the specific of those cuts, they have said it reaches across all areas including the television network, affiliated stations, radio and in the company’s corporate offices. 

Season #4 of Spike TV‘s Pros vs. Joes is schedule to return to the lineup on April 27, for an All-Star season. The series features pro football and basketball players, competing against regular “Joes” in a variety of skill and scrimmage competitions.  Returning to host again this season are Michael Strahan and Jay Glazer. The series is produced by A. Smith & Company Productions and MY Entertainment.

MIP TV Program Call: If your company will be attending and showcasing programming at MIP TV 2009 in Cannes, France, at the end of next month, Cynopsis will send out a special MIP TV Shopping Guide edition the Wednesday before the conference. To have your programming included, please send only the following info for your top 5 shows: title, availability date, number of episodes, length, type (i.e., movie, series, special, etc.), genre, your terms (barter, cash, etc.) and names and contact info of those attending from your company. If your company is interested in being included in this free guide, please send the details to
by Friday, March 20, 2009.

Top 10 Weekend Box Office Estimates: February 27-March 1, 2009
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail (Lionsgate)    $16.5 million – 2 wk total $64.8m
Jonas Brothers: 3D Concert Experience (Disney) $12.7 million – opening weekend
Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)             $12.2 million – 16 wk total $115.1m
Taken (20th Century Fox)                            $9.9 million – 5 wk total $107.9m
He’s Just Not That Into You (Warner Bros.)    $5.9 million – 4 wk total $78.5m
Street Fighter (20th Century Fox)                 $5.7 million – opening weekend
Paul Blart Mall Cop (Sony)                            $5.6 million – 7 wk total $128.1m
Coraline (Focus Features)                            $5.3 million – 4 wk total $61.1m
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Disney)             $4.5 million – 3 wk total $33.7m
Fired Up (Sony)                                          $3.8 million – 2 wk total $10.1m
Source: Rentrak

IFC signed Julian Sands and Neha Dhupia (former Miss India) to star in the network’s original three-part comedy mini-series Bollywood Hero starring Chris Kattan. The network also announced that Tabrez Noorani (Slumdog Millionaire) has joined the series as line producer, and that singer-songwriter and composer Michael Penn will write and produce three original songs for the series.  The series is scheduled to debut on IFC August 6, 7 and 8. Production is scheduled to begin February 28, on location in Mumbai, India.  The story line revolves around Kattan’s character, who tries his acting career in India where he has been promised a starring role in a Bollywood film.  Bollywood Hero is executive produced by Chris Kattan and Snackaholic’s Ted Skillman and Belisa Balaban.

The CW has added Katie Cassidy, daughter of ’70s heartthrob David Cassidy, to the cast of the remake of Melrose Place.  Cassidy will play a young and stylish Ella Flynn, publicist.  Playing opposite Cassidy is Michael Rady, in the role of a filmmaker.  Melrose Place is from CBS Paramount Television.

Elsewhere at The CW, Vampire Diaries has added to its cast list, signing Steven R. McQueen.  if that name sounds a little familiar, he is the grandson of the coolest guy ever to grace the silver screen, Steve McQueen.  Grandson Steven will play the lead role in the pilot project for CW, which is from Kevin Williamson and based on a series of books from Alloy Entertainment.  The project is from Alloy and Warner Bros. Television. The story is about a young woman who is firm in the sights of two vampire brothers – one good and one not so good. Steven plays her younger brother.

Former HBO head Chris Albrecht has brought in Tom Fontana to write a 12-episode historical drama – The Borgias – for the US audience and abroad, reports Variety.  Based on the notorious Borgia clan, known for numerous dastardly deeds and terror across Europe, dating back to the 15th century, the production of The Borgias will be shot in Europe beginning this fall.  Albrecht has teamed up with another former HBO exec, Anne Thomopoulos who will serve as Exec Producer on the project.  Albrecht and Thomopoulos were brought into the project by Helion topper Steven Bawol and Atlantique CEO Takis Candilis.

Casting Call – Calling all Platinum Babes!  The producers of Platinum Wedding are looking for pregnant moms due by mid-June who plan on sparing no expense in preparation for the arrival of their new babies.  If this is you, email
. Include names, numbers, email addresses, due date, picture of parent(s), and a brief description of a few high-end elements that make your experience uniquely PLATINUM!

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  In an effort to stave off the demise of some of its oldest print newspapers, Hearst Corp. will begin charging for at least some of its online content according to a memo obtained by the WSJ (which itself operates using a hybrid free/pay model on the web.) Hearst’s “100 Days” digital strategy is still in the planning stages but ideas include reaching out to citizen journalists for submissions, offering self-service advertising for smaller businesses, delivering ads using third-party printers, charging for digital subscriptions and content delivered to mobile devices such as the iPhone and even developing its own e-reader to publish its newspapers and magazines electronically. Hearst, which has already announced it may close the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and San Francisco Chronicle if it cannot find buyers, is seen as a company in a do-or-die situation as it seeks to transition to a new business model before it’s too late.  Full edition: CYN DIGITAL.

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  Alloy Media + Marketing launches Teen.com TV, a new digital entertainment network offering original, short-form video programming targeted specifically to teens.  Teen.com TV will feature new original series and exclusive content: debuting this May 2009 is the fashion-focused Haute and Bothered, a series developed under a content partnership with United Talent Agency (UTA); later this year will see the premiere of Private, based on a book series and created/produced by Alloy Entertainment; as well as exclusive content such as behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from Alloy’s Gossip Girl, Samurai Girl, and The Clique, and red carpet events.  Teen.com TV builds on Alloy’s TEEN.com Network, a youth-focused media content and advertising network, which ComScore ranks as the number one online community for teens.  LG Mobile Phones is a premiere network sponsor, and its product will be integrated into first-run webisodes on the service.  Full edition: CYN KIDS.

 
Thursday – A18-49 Analysis:  Fox led the charge on Thursday night with a decisive win among A18-49, posting a 5.7/15 rating, according to final national ratings from Nielsen. Idol handily won the 8p hour with a 7.1/19 in the demo, followed by CBS’ Survivor with a 3.9/11.  At 9p Fox and CBS again were doing battle, this time tying with Hell’s Kitchen and CSI, each earning a 4.3/11 for the hour.  NBC won the 10p hour with ER’s 3.4/9, overpowering CBS’ 2.8/8 for Eleventh Hour.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Thursday, February 26, 2009 time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

FOX:   8.8/14   American Idol 11.9/19, Hell’s Kitchen 5.6/9

CBS:   8.6/14    Survivor 6/.9/11, CSI 11./1/17, Eleventh Hour 7.6/13

ABC:   4.2/7      Ugly Betty 4.5/7, Grey’s Anatomy [r] 4.7/7 Private Practice [r] 3.3/6

NBC:   3.9/6      Secrets of the Curious Five 2.5/4, Kath & Kim 2.1/3, The Office [r] 3.2/5, 30 Rock 3.9/6, ER 5.8/10

UNIV:  2.1/3      Cuidado con el Angel 2.3/4, Manana es para Siempre 2.3/4, La Rosa de Guadalupe 1.6/3

CW:    1.3/2      Smallville [r] 1.4/2, Supernatural [r] 1.3/2

MNT:   0.7/1      My Thursday Night Movie: Street King 0.7/1

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

A18-49:   FOX 5.7/15, CBS 3.7/10, NBC 2.5/7, ABC 1.9/5, UNIV 1.7/5, CW 0.7/2, TELE 0.6/2, MNT 0.3/1

Larry Klein has been named Showrunner for Litton Entertainment’s The Brian McKnight Show, set to debut this fall.  Larry has 30+ years of experience in music TV and live event production, including producing such high profile events as American Music Awards, the MTV Awards and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM TV GUIDE NETWORK^™

This day in History:  1933 – The motion picture King Kong had its world premiere in New York.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:   In the world of TV Sitcoms, who is Marcel?  ROSS GELLER’S PET MONKEY ON FRIENDS Kudos to most of the free world, including: Marissa Altan-Zenith Media/New York; Matt Orenstein-University of Georgia/Athens, GA; Kristine King-After Five Productions/NYC; Brian Teta-Late Show with David Letterman/NY; Veronica Ynclan-KVDA/San Antonio; Suzanne Robertson/Huntsville, AL; Jay Goslee-WTVF/Nashville; Brett Calvert-ECCA/San Antonio; Tara Sandler-PIE TOWN PRODUCTIONS, INC./North Hollywood; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Michael Madnick-Fox L&M/LA; Evan Weinstein-Hippodrome Entertainment/LA; Arthur Reinstein-Canwest Broadcasting/Toronto; Nancy Adams-theHCAgroup/Windsor, Ontario; Stephanie Watsa-Canwest Broadcasting/Toronto

Today’s Trivia Question: Who am I?  I am an aspiring writer and love first edition books.  I also love poetry.  I was raised in a wealthy family, and perhaps put on airs occasionaly.  I did eventually become a writer – tho long after I left my job (and the TV series I was on).  Who am I? (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.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM CTAM

Later — Cyn
03.02.09

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JOB OPENING: ONLINE MKTG MGR/MusicChoice/NY: Resp for mgmt of content/mktg assets on website. Create/execute online mktg plans. 5+ yrs online exp required. Prefer exp w/12-24 demo. 
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JOB OPENING: CFO /Silver Spring, MD: Fin strategy & ldrshp, hand-on mgmt for B2B/B2C media business; Exclt comm. skills, high emotional intell, low ego, collaborative all req’d. Resume, ltr, to
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SITUATION WANTED: OFFICE OR SET PA/PERSONAL ASSNT/LA:3 yrs. exp, creative, well organized, pays attention, catches on quick. Will travel + can start asap. email:
323.605.2086 (3/6)

SITUATION WANTED: PROD. (TV, Print, Multimedia): Live/taped/field, booking, writing, editing, casting, on-camera, PR. News, biz, finance, entertainment, health, beauty, fashion & lifestyle.
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SITUATION WANTED: CASTING PRODUCER/AP For Reality/Docs. Worked for NBC, CBS, ABC, TLC, E!, Reelz, and MTV. From Big personalities to experts/professors. Research galore. (In LA)
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SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR (NY) Ultra-creative, award winning, all formats, all genres, all major networks and major cable. Fast, frugal and fun!
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SITUATION WANTED: OFFICE OR SET PA/PERSONAL ASSNT/LA:3 yrs. exp, creative, well organized, pays attention, catches on quick. will travel + can start asap. email:
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SITUATION WANTED: CASTING PRODUCER/AP For Reality/Docs. Worked for NBC, CBS, ABC, TLC, E!, Reelz, and MTV. From Big personalities to experts/professors. Research galore. (In LA)
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SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIRECTOR: 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hispanic, & sales experience. Contract basis. Save money over a FT director. Let’s talk.Email:
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2009

ABC: The Bachelor [f ], The Bachelor: After the Final Rose
AZTECA: Los Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Historia Detras del Mito, Al Extremo
CBS: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement [p ], CSI: Miami
CW: Gossip Girl [r], One Tree Hill [r]
FOX: 24
ION: ER, NCIS, NCIS
MNT: Masters of Illusion, Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed [r]
NBC: Chuck, Heroes, Medium
PBS: Antiques Roadshow, Pledge Programming
TELE: Dona Barbara, El Rostro de Analia, Sin Senos No Hay Paraiso
UNIV: Cuidado con el Angel, Fuego on la Sangre, Cristina

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