A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COMCAST SPOTLIGHT
Cynopsis
08/31/06
Good morning. It’s Thursday, August 31, 2006, and this is your first early morning briefing.
General Motors, one of CBS’ first advertising sponsors for Survivor, has decided to yank its advertising for the program’s upcoming new season. A GM spokesperson said this decision was made around three months ago and that it was not based on the format of the new season which determines its four tribes based on racial lines. GM further stated that sponsoring Survivor just doesn’t fit the automaker’s business objectives any longer, as it was hard to market automobiles on an island setting. Recent controversy about the show’s planned segregation has been leveled at CBS and Survivor creator, Mark Burnett, including a protest this week in front of CBS’ headquarters in New York, led by the state’s politicians who threaten to write letters to the show’s advertisers. Sidebar from Cyn: It’s been my observation in the current brou-ha-ha over Survivor that the louder someone has hollered about racial issues in the upcoming season of this series, the less likely they have ever actually seen an episode of Survivor.
Tonight’s Finales:
Sci Fi: Who Wants to be a Superhero? at 9p
NBC: Windfall at 10p
Twentieth Television and SHINE LTD will bring a new live show to all ten Fox O&O MyNetworkTV stations this December called My Games Fever. The program, which is inspired by the participation television format seen in the U.K., will encourage home viewer interactivity through text messages and online, all presented commercial-free. The two-hour show will air live weekdays from 1-3p and is slated for additional distribution by early 2007.
Rescue Me had its season finale this week on FX and drew 3.1 million total viewers. The fourth season of Rescue Me is scheduled to premiere next year.
OLN pays homage to the start of hunting seasons across the nation with an Open Season weekend of programming dedicated to field sports. The special line-up begins September 7 at 7p and includes the premiere of Whitetail Revolution, a preview of the new series set to debut in January, Escape to the Wild, as well as new episodes of Ruger’s Adventures, Benelli’s Dream Hunts, Benelli’s American Safari, World of Beretta, Gore Tex Outdoor Adventures, Fly Fishing Masters and LL Bean’s Guide to the Outdoors. OLN is set to change its name to Versus on September 25.
A&E Network will debut two new series based on its current Dallas SWAT franchise that follows in the professional and personal footsteps of a city’s Police Department Tactical Unit. Detroit SWAT will air its first episode October 5 and Kansas City SWAT will premiere in mid-November. Both versions will air in the Dallas SWAT time period of Thursdays at 10p. Dallas SWAT will return with new episodes on September 14 at 10p. The series is produced by Granada America for A&E Network.
The Anime Network is now available to 40 million homes throughout America and Canada. Recent new carriage deals with Wide Open West, Harron Communications, Service Electric Cablevision and Knology (SVOD) contribute to the all-anime network reaching this distribution level.
The History Channel has skated past the 90 million household mark with its distribution for September 2006.
In an effort to showcase multiple music genres and media platforms, NPR will create a new digital music service which will debut in the first half of 2007. The nucleus of the service will be a “supersite” that culls together NPR’s resources, both national and from local stations, which will enable users to find music content on-demand and in other non-traditional settings and it will lend awareness to emerging and main-stream artists. All music formats will be featured including classical, jazz, folk, opera, AAA, electronica and alternative.
Actor Glenn Ford has died at the age of 90. While the cause is not known, he was suffering for failing health in recent months. His most recent acting job was in 1991 in a made-for-TV movie, Final Verdict starring Treat Williams. Ford appeared in numerous notable films including Superman: The Movie, Midway, Blackboard Jungle, Gilda and in the original The Courtship of Eddie’s Father film. He appeared in numerous western films and was voted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1978, and is credited as with being the fastest “gun” in Hollywood westerns, able to draw and fire in 0.4 seconds, beating both James Arness and John Wayne. Glenn was also the #1 box office attraction in 1958. He is survived by his son, Peter Ford, also an actor.
Two new additions to the VH1 Celebreality block – one starring Andrew Dice Clay and the other Tom Sizemore. The untitled Clay project will chronicle the comic as he attempt to re-energize his career, following his day to day life on the road between gigs, cutting a new record, and his home life with his fiance and two teenage kids. In fact, the show itself is all part of a larger publicity campaign. VH1 has ordered 8 episodes, produced by Fox TV Studios. The Tom Sizemore project, also untitled, will have cameras follow as he becomes involved in a new movie as well as video he shot himself when he was in the thick of his battles with drug and alcohol addition. This project has also received an order for 8 episodes.
Craig Bierko has been cast as a regular on ABC’s upcoming season of Boston Legal. He will portray Jeffrey Coho, a criminal defense attorney who makes enemies as easily as he makes friends.
A comedy pilot for Fox called Frangela has cast Michael Boatman, Mo Collins and Garrett Morris, together with the show stars Frances Callier and Angela Shelton.
More casting notes on John from Cincinnati, the HBO drama pilot starring Austin Nichols as John. The story is about young rich and altogether not too bright John who comes to California to live with relatives while he learns how to surf. Ed O’Neill has been cast as a friend of the family where John will be living; and Brian Van Holt has been cast as one of John’s cousins.
Kevin Pollak, Margaret Cho, Dennis Christopher and Ewan Bremner have all been cast in the Sci Fi Channel‘s new limited series, The Lost Room. The show stars Peter Krause as a homicide detective who comes across a key to a motel room, and beyond that door is where the science fiction in this series lies. Pollack’s character is after the key, Cho is looking to sell information about the motel room to the highest bidder, Christopher is a colleague of Krause, and Bremner is a small time thief. The Lost Room is scheduled to debut in December, and is from Lionsgate TV.
Hilary Estey McLoughlin has been made President of Telepictures Productions. Reporting to Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group, Hilary, during her time at Telepictures Productions, has developed and produced such first-run syndication shows as The Rosie O’Donnell Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Cartoon Network has appointed Peter Dougherty as SVP/Branding. In this new position, Peter will manage the creative execution of the network’s brand and its various properties to multiple targets across the U.S. Several department heads will now report to Peter including Gary Albright, SVP/Creative Services; Pola Changnon, VP/On-Air and Executive Producer/Program Production; Sean Akins, Creative Director for Toonami and Miguzi; and Cynthia Rapp, VP/Creative Director, Cartoon Network Enterprises. Peter will be based in Atlanta and will report to Jim Samples, EVP/GM for Cartoon Network U.S.
In a late announcement yesterday, MTV Networks has upped Hank Close to President/Ad Sales. Hank will oversee the full US MTVN sales organization across all the brands. With this announcement, also came the news that EVP/GSM of Ad Sales for Nick, NAN, The N, Spike TV And TV Land, Sue Danaher has decided to leave the company.
Greg Sneddon joins Mason Media Networks, LLC as EVP/COO, in addition to becoming an equity partner in the company.
Mason Media Group has named Ed Brancaccio as its new Chief Technology Officer. Ed will head up the design and integration team for the Washington, D.C. project which will design, build and add high definition production, post production and transmission capabilities to the District of Columbia’s Office of Cable Television and Telecommunications.
Interep has promoted Tom Marsillo to President/Azteca America Spot Television Sales. In addition three have been upped to VP/Regional Managers/Azteca America Spot Television Sales: Brian McCullough/New York; Alex Varel/Dallas; and Tyler Verdery/Los Angeles.
Jonathan Mosier is the new Marketing Manager for Channel M.
Leonard Rivera has been elevated to Director/IT for the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Based in New York and reporting to Adam Farkas, VP/IT, Leonard will develop and maintain IT policies for the networks and manage the IT team, among other key duties involving IT and business applications.
Tuesday – A18-49 Analysis: FOX hit a double high note Tuesday night to win with a 3.0/9 A18-49, according to fast affiliate ratings from Nielsen Media Research. At 8p, CBS’ Big Brother led the pack with a 3.1/10; FOX’s premiere of Celebrity Duets, in its first hour, was second at 2.9/9. A similar scenario at 9p, as CBS with Rock Star: Supernova beat the rest at 3.2/9; however, FOX’s Celebrity Duets was not far behind at 3.1/8. Things changed at 10p, with NBC’s encore of Law & Order: SVU taking the lead at 2.9/8.
Live + Same Day Ratings: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 – time period averages. Source: Nielsen Media Research
FOX 5.3/9 Celebrity Duets [p] 5.3/9
NBC 5.2/8 Fear Factor 3.3/6, Law & Order: CI [r] 5.3/8, Law & Order: SVU [r] 6.9/12
CBS 4.8/8 Big Brother 5.6/9, Rock Star: Supernova 4.4/7, 48 Hours Mystery 4.4/7
ABC 4.3/7 According to Jim [r] 3.7/6, According to Jim [r] 3.9/6, According to Jim [r] 3.7/6, According to Jim [r] 3.5/6, Primetime: The Outsiders 5.4/9
UNIV 2.1/3 La Fea Más Bella 2.4/4, Barrera de Amor 2.3/4, Cristina 1.6/3
WB 1.6/3 Gilmore Girls [r] 1.6/3, Gilmore Girls [r] 1.5/2
UPN 0.9/1 Veronica Mars [r] 0.9/1, Veronica Mars [r] 0.9/1
TELE 0.6/1 Tierra de Pasiones 0.7/1, Amores De Mercado 0.5/1, Decisiones 0.6/1
A18-49: FOX 3.0/9, CBS 2.7/8, NBC 2.2/6, ABC 2.1/6, UNIV 1.7/5, WB 0.9/2, TELE 0.4/1, UPN 0.4/1
The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1997-Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in Paris’ Pitie-Salpetiere Hospital after suffering massive chest injuries in an early morning car accident. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, was killed instantly in the 12:25 a.m. crash, as was driver Henri Paul, who was drunk and lost control of the Mercedes in a highway underpass. He was driving at excessive speeds in a reckless attempt to escape paparazzi photographers. Diana’s bodyguard, Trevor Rees Jones, the only one wearing a seatbelt, escaped with serious but nonfatal injuries. The death of Diana, beloved by millions for her beauty and good nature, plunged the world into mourning.
Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question: Where would you find an ill-tempered housekeeper named Berta? TWO AND A HALF MEN Kudos to: Cheyney Barrieau- Pakmail/West Hartford; Laura Basso-Katz Media/NY; Bob Von Kohorn-MTV Networks/NY; Laurie Sturtz-Empower MediaMarketing/Cincinnati; Tom Chapman-WKRG-TV/Mobile; Ryan Kinahan-Blair Television; Eric Litt-WGN/Chicago; Mandy Liles-KENS-KCWX/San Antonio; Carri Hoopman-KTTC/Rochester MN; Sandra Dibble-Ice Box Advertising/Van Nuys; Alex Petrilli, Jr-KBCW/San Francisco; Richard MacDonald/LA; Bonnie-Lynn Roy-Leslie Lowe & Associate Inc/Beconsfield, Montreal
Today’s Trivia Question: What TV character drove a Red 3 litre V8 308GTSi 250 hp Ferraris with a racing clutch? (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
08.31.06
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Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For more classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here
JOB OPENING: FORMAT PROD/INT’L/AETN/NY(Freelance/PT): Screen, prep and research to take HD materials into edit to format IDM. Exp in HD and/or non-linear formatting a must. For more info and to Apply: www.aetn.com/careers.html (9/8)
JOB OPENING: MGR, AD SALES INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS RESEARCH/TVLAND/NY: Cre8 innov ad sales resrch, resrch tools applic, position ntwrks to incr rev, strng wrtng/cre8tve skls,media resrch exp. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (9/3)
JOB OPENING: CLIENT SUPPORT COORD/NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH/Dallas & LA: Train/install sftwr.Travel req’d. Exc presen/writing skills, some tech req’d.College degree & Media exp A+. Apply [email protected] (9/3)
JOB OPENING: STORY PRODUCER/BETTER HALF/NYC: Post-producing eps. of new competitive reality series to air on Bravo. Post exp. (paper cuts, collaborating w/editors) on unscripted TV a must. Send resume: [email protected] (9/3)
JOB OPENING: CONTENT & SCHEDULING ADMINISTRATOR/ INT’L/AETN/NY:Create/maintain monthly schedules, content catalog,spec proj’ s. Network sched exp, strong comp/database, comm, org, multi-task. Apply: www.aetn.com/careers.html (9/3)
JOB OPENING: SR ACCT MGR/ATL-based Promotions Agency: A+ client mgmt skills & 4-6+ yrs exp.creating promotions for cable nets/MSOs, tech-based programs a plus. FT pos. for detailed All-Star.Email res/cover: [email protected] (9/3)
JOB OPENING: ACCT EXEC/NBCU/NY: Digital Media Cable Ent. Own, mng & develop relationships w/clients, agencies, & advertisers. Dvl’p solutions for clients, & ensure clients receive superior cust svc. www.nbcunicareers.com Job#534395 (9/7)
JOB OPENING: DIR SALES MKTG/TELEMUNDO NBCU/NY: Interact w/sales senior management to formulate marketable sales strategies to suit client objectives consistent w/overall Telemundo/NBCU sales goals. www.nbcunicareers.com Job#542739 (9/7)
JOB OPENING: SERVICE MGR/Int’l Dist. Co/Woodland Hills CA: Must have BA & 2 yrs work w/Ent. Co. Comp. skills: Windows/Outlook/Word/Excel, & Act. Bi-lingual a +. Salary subj. to experience. Resume to: [email protected] (9/7)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR CABLE SALES/NBC UNIVERSAL/NYC: Licensing of NBCU library of film, off-network and 1st-run prod to basic cable. 3+ yrs. sales exp. Knowledge of TV & film mrkts. BA/BS req’d. www.nbcunicareers.com job # 543591 (9/7)
JOB OPENING: PROJECT MANAGER ON-AIR (SCI FI)/NBC UNIVERSAL/NYC: Plan & supervise SCI FI Channel marketing projects. 2+ yrs. on-air cable prod exp. Knowledge of post prod. BA/BS req’d. www.nbcunicareers.com job # 543881 (9/7)
JOB OPENING: F/T PRINT SR DESIGNER/LIFETIME NY: Seeking at the Art Director level. MAC proficiency in Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator required, plus photo shoot exp. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (9/7)
JOB OPENING: HR COORDINATOR/LIFETIME TV NY: Motivated, HR Coordinator to join our fast-paced team! BA/BS, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook skills are required. Apply at: http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/jobs.html (9/7)
JOB OPENING: RESEARCH MGR/Tribune Ent/NY: Analyze ratings trends for syn/ntwrk/cble. Strong writing, prstns, comp. analyses. 3-5 yrs exp, Explorer, Mkt Breaks, MRI/Memri a +. mail: [email protected] Job Code: tec/cytcy/9315BR (9/6)
JOB OPENING: MGR SALES CORD/CBS NETWORK NY: Manage all aspects Sports commercial traffic. 5+ yrs brdcst mgt & traffic exp. Agency/sls mgmt/bdcst ops/prgrm exper. Sports a plus. Resume/salary: [email protected] (subject Sales) (9/6)
JOB OPENING: SERIES PRODUCER/NATE THE GREAT/NYC: Supervise animated series production from casting through delivery to PBS.5 yrs sup. producer exp. req. Children’s animation exp. a must. Send resume: [email protected] (9/6)
JOB OPENING: MEDIA MANAGER/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL/Washington, DC: Manage & migrate data into systs, oversee tape library, train on systs, purge data, 3-5 yrs TV exper, data systs, strong comm, apply at www.foxcareers.com (9/6)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS/NBC UNIVERSAL/CA: Negotiate & finalize dev, prod, lic & dist deals for 1st run synd & cable dist. 5+ yrs. TV bus & leg affairs exp. JD & CA bar reqd. www.nbcunicareers.com job # 540372.(9/6)
JOB OPENING: MGR, AFFIL MRKTNG/MTV & MTV2/NY: Implement all MTV/MTV2 strategies dev. to support MTV/MTV2/MTVN, cable, satellite and multi-media goals. Apply: www.mtvncareers.com EOE (9/1)
JOB OPENING: ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS AND PRODUCERS/NYC: Successful, syndicated talk show looking for talk show Producers and APs. Applicants need 2 yrs experience on a national talk show. Send resumes to: [email protected] (9/1)
JOB OPENING: DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR/NYC: Busy prod co seeks coord. to research, develop program pitches/act as primary admin for SVP. 1-3yrs exp tv, graphics, strng research, writing, org. skills req’d. [email protected] (9/1)
JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR OF SALES To oversee KTMF-TV Missoula/Kalispell & KWYB-TV Butte/Bozeman: 3-5 yrs TV sales & management w/OSI, Marketron, & Simmons ideal. Send resume & cover letter by 8/31 to: [email protected]. EOE (9/1)
FALL INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. They are posted for free, and students work for school credit only. For more information on the specs for posting an Internship ad, email Trish at trish@cynopsis. com.
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Fuse TV (NYC)/ Production/Development: Seeks fall intern. Must be motivated,and willing to work 2-3 full days per week! Submit resumes to [email protected] (9/8)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Interested in children’s books? Scholastic Inc./NYC: Is looking for fall 2006 and/or spring 2007 PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT INTERNS.Please email your resume and cover letter to [email protected] (9/8)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: RADIO DISNEY NY needs internship applicants in all departments. If you have an interest in working with the most recognized name in family entertainment email: [email protected] or fax 212-615-3268 (9/8)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Love indie film? Sundance Channel/NYC seeks fall semester interns in our PRGRMNG, PRODUCTION & PR DEPTS. Must be current student & available a min of 2 days/wk. Submit cover letter & res. to [email protected] (9/2)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: NYC based production company is looking for interns to assist with FORMATIVE RESEARCH for the educational preschool show Little Einsteins. Please email your resume and cover letter to [email protected] (9/2)
FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Hands on PR/MKTG INTERN for NYC boutique communications agency. Work w/
clients in Children¹s TV, Licensing, & Consumer Products. Email resume to [email protected] for consideration (9/2)
SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED —
SITUATION WANTED: MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT: College grad seeking F/T pos. Exp. in sports. Graduated w/B.S. in Mass Comm. and Bus. Admin. Cum Laude. Looking for NYC area. (9/8) [email protected] (9/8)
SITUATION WANTED: MEDIA EXEC, 20 yrs. exp in production, post, exec mgmt, sales, marketing, biz dev, strategic planning. Atlanta, DC, SE area. Seeking cable network, original content media co., broadcasting co. [email protected] (9/7)
SITUATION WANTED: AWARD-WINNING ON-AIR PROMOTION WRITER/PRODUCER seeks freelance or staff position in NY metro area. Experience in field producing/directing and working with talent. [email protected] (9/7)
SITUATION WANTED: ASST. TO TV DIRECTOR/LA. Meticulously organized, bright, educated, hard-working multi-tasker to assist DGA-affiliated drama TV director. [email protected] (9/7)
SITUATION WANTED: College graduate seeking full time position in the MEDIA INDUSTRY. Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication: Radio & TV. Prefer an opportunity in NYC. [email protected] (9/2)
E-mail Trish Pihonak for rates and specs for Job Openings.
Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email Trish Pihonak for specs.
WHAT’S ON TONIGHT: Thursday, August 31, 2006
ABC Grey’s Anatomy [r], Grey’s Anatomy [r], Primetime
CBS Big Brothers: All Stars, CSI [r], Without a Trace [r]
FOX Celebrity Duets [r]
NBC My Name is Earl [r], The Office [r], The Office [r], The Office [r], Windfall [f]
i Mama’s Family, Mama’s Family, Doc, Diagnosis Murder
UPN Everybody Hates Chris [r], Love, Inc. [r], Eve [r], Cuts [r]
WB Smallville [r], Supernatural [r]
TELE Tierra de Pasiones, Amores De Mercado, Decisiones
UNIV La Fea Mas Bella, Barrera de Amor, Aqui y Ahora