Cynopsis

11/01/07

Good Morning.  It’s Thursday, November 1, 2007 and this is your first early morning briefing. 

Talks between the WGA and AMPTP broke down yesterday and the writers’ contract has now expired.  No bargaining talks are scheduled for today, and the next step seems to be the meeting of the WGA general membership in LA at 7pm tonight at which a decision of if and when to strike will be announced.  At the heart of the discussions between the two sides are several key issues, including raising residual rates for writers based on sales of DVDs, which the WGA would then want applied to internet download sales. Those rates currently are based on an old home video formula developed years ago and before the now extensive use of multiple platforms. On the flip side, producers are unwilling to do anything they consider will hamper their experimentation of the new platforms.  More dueling statements excerpts:

AMPTP:

“We’ve been working hard to come up with a package in response to your last proposal.  But we keep running up against the DVD issue. The companies believe that movement is possible on other issues, but they cannot make any movement when confronted with your continuing efforts to increase the DVD formula, including the formula for electronic sell-through. The magnitude of that proposal alone is blocking us from making any further progress. We cannot move further as long as that issue remains on the table. In short, the DVD issue is a complete roadblock to any further progress.”

WGA:

“Today, just hours before the expiration of our contract, the AMPTP brought negotiations to a halt. The Companies refused to continue to bargain unless we agree that the hated DVD formula be extended to Internet downloads. This morning we presented the AMPTP with a comprehensive package of proposals that included movement on DVDs, new media, and jurisdictional issues. We also took nine proposals off the table. The Companies returned six hours later and said they would not respond to our package until we capitulated to their Internet demand.”

ABC ordered three more scripts of Women’s Murder Club the new drama based on the James Patterson mystery novel series starring Angie Harmon. ABC has now given a green light for more episodes to other freshman series Samantha Who?, Pushing Daisies and Private Practice.
 
Court TV is set to begin a new chapter of Murder By the Book next Monday at 10p. Each of the thirteen new episodes of season two will feature a different author providing insight into true crime stories that have fascinated them. Some of the authors to be featured include Sandra Brown November 5, David Baldacci November 12, followed in subsequent weeks with Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Linda Fairstein, Elizabeth George and Nick Santora among others. The series is produced by Digital Ranch.

A&E Network will debut a new real-life series Paranormal State with double episodes December 10 at 10p. The series will reveal the case files of the Paranormal Research Society (PRS), a group of Penn State University college student researchers. The PRS team since 2001, led by student founder Ryan Buell, travels the country investigating cases involving missing persons, demonic possession, exorcism and more. Paranormal State is produced by Four Seasons Productions International and Go Go Luckey Productions for the network.

Program Note:  NBC has moved The Singing Bee of the primetime schedule for the month of November, replacing it with The Biggest Loser which has been expanded to 2 hours. 

BET’s second season opener of docu-drama Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is on Tuesday (1030p) is the top-rated telecast in the network’s history. The show attracted 1.24 million households and 1.49 million total viewers.

HBO‘s new series In Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne will kick off on Monday, January 28 at 930p.  Now see if you can follow how this will work.  HBO has ordered 45 episodes, all of which will air over the course of 9 consecutive weeks, reports Variety.  In Treatment is about a psychologist (Byrne) and his patients.  Each full episode Monday-Thursday will represent a one-on-one session with each of four patients.  On the fifth day, Fridays, the therapist takes the couch as he sees his analyst played by Dianne Wiest.  So every Monday it’s the same patient for five straight weeks, every tuesday the same patient, and so on.  As a quick refresher, HBO will schedule repeats of the previous week’s “session” at 9p leading into the new episode at 930p. HBO2 will also run repeats nightly and in vertical form on Saturday nights.

New York-based SDR Rockfleet Holdings, LLC completed the sale of television station WFQX/Cadillac-Traverse City (FOX) to Arizona-based Cadillac Telecasting Co.

Cynopsis Weekender College Edition returns on November 15th!  Here’s how it works — if you’re currently a college student here or abroad, submit to Cynopsis your essay of 350 words or less on any topic relating to television.  If your essay is one of four chosen as the most insightful, original, humorous and/or well-written, it will included in a special College Edition of Weekender.  All four winning essay writers are awarded $350. Entries must be emailed no later than Friday, November 9th to me at
, subject Weekender College Edition.  Students – be sure to include your name, age, college, college year, and major (if you know it), and how you can be contacted.   Good luck!

Fox has given a seven episode order to a new Joss Whedon project called Dollhouse.  The scifi project is about a group of men and women used for different assignments and between those assignments their minds and memories are wiped and they live in a dollhouse type environment.  One of the women, Echo played Eliza Dushku, tries to find out who she was before her memory was wiped.

Moved to the back burner is a spinoff series of Heroes at NBC called Heroes – Origins.  NBC had ordered up 6 episodes and had planned to bring out the spinoff midseason.  For now, and perhaps due in part to a pending WGA strike or perhaps because ratings thus far this season are slightly off from last season, the project has been tabled.

Dennis Miller has been signed to host the new Mark Burnett gamer on NBC, Amnesia.  No firm date on the launch of this project, tho it is expected to be brought out this season.

Former USA Network executive, Deena Stern comes to Comedy Central in the role as VP/Brand Marketing. Deena will manage all brand marketing efforts for the network including consumer and trade advertising, digital marketing, additional business marketing and network events. She will also work with the Content Distribution and Partner Marketing Group to support their efforts and to make sure Comedy Central’s programming goals are prominent across all distribution platforms. Deena will report to Peter Risafi, SVP/Brand Marketing and Executive Creative Director.

OurChart, the online social space designed for the lesbian community, hired Freda London as Director/Advertising to supervise the company’s advertising and marketing efforts and Megan Keegan as AE.

Anthony White advances to SVP/Marketing for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. He will continue to be located in the Los Angeles office and report to Laura Masse, EVP/Marketing. In his expanded role, Anthony will develop strategic marketing partnerships, cause-based marketing efforts and marketing analytics.

WE tv expanded its marketing team and named Jennifer Kranz as VP/Advertising and Branding and Jennifer McGuigan as VP/Trade Marketing with both reporting to Kenetta Bailey, SVP/Marketing. In addition, Keren Unrad will be Director/Advertising and Branding, reporting to Jennifer Kranz. The group will work together to brand the network to trade and consumer outlets through the implementation of marketing strategies across all platforms and audiences.

National Geographic Global Media established National Geographic Entertainment, a new division that combines National Geographic’s Cinema Ventures, Feature Films, Kids Entertainment, Home Entertainment and Music and Radio units. To head this division the company has appointed David Beal as President/National Geographic Entertainment. Tim Kelly, who was named President/National Geographic Global Media last week will supervise books and magazine publishing in addition to the National Geographic Ventures, the Society’s wholly-owned taxable subsidiary.

Entertainment Rights’ Classic Media named Karyn Schneider as VP/Licensing, North America, effective immediately, and she’ll be based at Classic Media’s New York headquarters and report to Nicole Blake, SVP/Marketing.  Karyn will manage consumer products for the combined Classic Media/Entertainment Rights portfolio of family entertainment brands.

Today in Cynopsis Kids

• Nickelodeon International takes Frankenstein’s Cat for six territories
• Captain Planet, and his green mullet, revived

Today in Cynopsis International

• All3Media International sells Daniel Libeskind documentary around the globe
• NBDtv’s post-MIPCOM deals include Rave HD and The Sundance Channel

Today in Cynopsis Digital, listen to the audio version here or subscribe to the iTunes Cyn Digital podcast 

• Google takes openness to a new level with OpenSocial interfaces
• Dylan plugs into the digital world
• Truveo expands its video search capabilities internationally

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 10/15-10/21/07 ranked by HH Rtg
Wheel of Fortune (CTD)                                    7.7 AA
Jeopardy (CTD)                                                6.2 AA
Oprah Winfrey Show (CTD)                               5.7 AA / 5.8 GAA
Judge Judy (CTD)                                            4.9 AA / 7.6 GAA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD)                            4.8 AA / 5.0 GAA
Dr. Phil Show (CTD)                                         4.5 AA / 4.6 GAA
Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD)                      4.2 AA / 5.1 GAA
Family Guy (2/T)                                             3.9 AA / 4.6 GAA – New
Two and a Half Men (WB)                                 3.8 AA / 4.8 GAA  New
Inside Edition (CTD)                                         3.4 AA / 3.5 GAA
Seinfeld (SPT)                                                 3.4 AA / 3.9 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research – Live + SD Data

New M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 10/15-10/21/07  HH Rtg
George Lopez (WB)                                          2.6 AA / 3.4 GAA
TMZ (WB)                                                       1.6 AA / 1.7 GAA
Law & Order: CI (NBU)                                     1.5 AA / 1.5 GAA
Crosswords (NBU)                                            0.9 AA / 1.0 GAA
Judge David Young (SPT)                                  0.9 AA / 1.3 GAA
Morning Show (2/T)                                         0.9 AA / 0.9 GAA
Steve Wilkos Show (NBU)                                 0.9 AA / 0.9 GAA
Half & Half (CTD)                                             0.7 AA / 0.8 GAA
Reno 911 (MGY)                                              0.6 AA / 0.7 GAA
Temptation (2/T)                                             0.5 AA / 0.7 GAA
Degrassi: Next Generation (SPT)                       0.3 AA / 0.3 GAA
Jury Duty (TEE)                                               0.2 AA / 0.2 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research – Live + SD Data

Top 10 M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 10/15-10/21/07 ranked by A18-49 Rtg
Family Guy (2/T)                                            2.7 AA / 3.1 GAA – New
Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD)                    2.3 AA / 2.8 GAA
Two and a Half Men (WB)                                2.2 AA / 2.7 GAA  New
Oprah Winfrey Show (CTD)                             2.0 AA / 2.0 GAA
Seinfeld (SPT)                                                2.0 AA / 2.2 GAA
Wheel of Fortune (CTD)                                  1.9 AA
Entertainment Tonight (CTD)                          1.9 AA / 1.9 GAA
Friends (WB)                                                 1.8 AA / 2.1 GAA
King of Queens (SPT)                                     1.7 AA / 2.3 GAA
Dr. Phil Show (CTD)                                       1.6 AA / 1.6 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research – Live + SD Data

New M-F Syndicated Strip Series for the week of 10/15-10/21/07  A18-49 Rtg
George Lopez (WB)                                          1.3 AA / 1.6 GAA
TMZ (WB)                                                        0.9 AA / 0.9 GAA
Law & Order: CI (NBU)                                     0.7 AA / 0.7 GAA
Crosswords (NBU)                                            0.4 AA / 0.4 GAA
Morning Show (2/T)                                          0.4 AA / 0.4 GAA
Steve Wilkos Show (NBU)                                 0.4 AA / 0.4 GAA
Reno 911 (MGY)                                              0.4 AA / 0.4 GAA
Judge David Young (SPT)                                 0.4 AA / 0.5 GAA
Half & Half (CTD)                                             0.4 AA / 0.5 GAA
Degrassi: Next Generation (SPT)                       0.2 AA / 0.2 GAA
Temptation (2/T)                                             0.2 AA / 0.3 GAA
Jury Duty (TEE)                                               0.1 AA / 0.1 GAA
Source Nielsen Media Research – Live + SD Data

Tuesday – A18-49 Analysis:  FOX was the leader Tuesday night at 5.2/14 A18-49, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. At 8p the long-time favorite It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown special on ABC won at 3.8/11, ahead of a tie between CBS’ NCIS and FOX’s Bones at 3.3/9 each. House on FOX was the winner at 9p with a 7.0/17. ABC captured a second win at 10p as Boston Legal was first at 3.0/8, just a tenth of a rating point ahead of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU at 2.9/8. Also this hour the premiere of Como Ama una Mujer on UNIV did a 1.2/3, ranking fourth overall. 

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 National Final ratings.  Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

ABC: 8.9/14         It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown [r] 6.6/10, Dancing with the Stars Results 12.3/18, Boston Legal 7.7/13

FOX: 8.0/12         Bones 5.7/9, House 10.3/15

CBS: 7.6/12          NCIS 10.4/16, The Unit 6.8/10, Cane 5.5/9

NBC: 4.6/7           Singing Bee 3.7/6, The Biggest Loser 4 4.1/6, Law & Order: SVU 5.8/10

UNIV: 2.1/3          Amar sin Limites 1.6/3, Destilando Amor 3.1/5, Como Ama una Mujer [p] 1.5/3

CW: 1.6/3            Beauty and the Geek 1.6/2, Reaper 1.7/3

MNT: 1.2/2          Breaking the Magician’s Code: Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed [r] 1.6/2, Iron Mask Special 0.8/1

TELE: 0.5/1          Madre Luna 0.6/1, Esclava Isaura 0.7/1, Pecados Ajenos 0.4/1

A18-49: FOX 5.2/14, ABC 3.7/10, CBS 2.7/7, NBC 2.6/7, UNIV 1.7/5, CW 1.1/3, MNT 0.8/2, TELE 0.4/1

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM CABLEU

This Day in History: 1512 – Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were first exhibited to the public.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question: In the first Halloween movie (1978), what song is playing on the radio when Annie and Laurie drive to their babysitting jobs? ?  DON’T FEAR THE REAPER   Kudos to:  Dale Rago-fuse TV/NY; Patrick McOwen-Comcast Spotlight/North Wales, PA; Colin M. MacCourtney-Fox Stations/NY; Mason Scherer/NY; Kyle Brawner-KDAF/Dallas; Kyle Krebs-KLTY/Dallas; Erin Green-Charter Media/St. Louis, MO; Will Spjut-Hoosick Falls Productions/Santa Monica, CA; Chuck Yates/PTZ; Lou Fazio-GSN/Santa Monica; Mark Gabriel-Disney Consumer Products/Glendale, CA; Michelle Katz/ London

Today’s Trivia Question:   On what TV series would you find a group called The Worthless Peons?   (
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
11.01.07

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT – Thursday, November 1, 2007

ABC: Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, Big Shots
CBS: Survivor: China, CSI, Without a Trace
CW: Smallville, Supernatural
FOX: Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
ION: Mama’s Family, Mama’s Family, Who’s the Boss?, Who’s the Boss?, 48 Hours on ION TV
MNT: My Thursday Night Movie: Hot Shots: Part Deux     
NBC: My Name is Earl, The Office, Scrubs, ER
PBS: This Old House Hour, Antiques Roadshow, Way of the Warrior
TELE: Madre Luna, La Esclava Isaura, Pecados Ajenos
UNIV: Amar sin Limites, Destilando Amor, Aqui y Ahora

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