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CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

09/29/05

Good morning.  It’s Thursday, September 29, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Here we are, nearing the end of Week #2 of the 2005-06 season, and there are already three full-season pick-ups:  Prison Break and American Dad on Fox, and NBC’s The Office.   Both Prison Break and American Dad will have the full complement of 22 episodes for the season. The Office has been expanded by 7 more eps, bringing it up to 13 episodes total.  Prison Break is from 20th and Adelstein/Parouse Prods; American Dad from 20th, and The Office is produced by NBC Universal and Reveille.

Tonight’s Premieres:
ABC:   Alias at 8p, Night Stalker at 9p
CBS:    Without a Trace at 10p
NBC:    Will & Grace Live at 830p
WB:    Smallville at 8p and Everwood at 9p

* MORE GOOD STUFF *

TBS/TNT and UPN have picked up the shared broadcast rights to Paramount’s films The Honeymooners and Four Brothers, for a reported combined fee in the neighborhood of $16 million.  According to Broadcasting & Cable, Four Brothers goes first to Turner in first qtr 2008 for a six month stint, and then will go to UPN for one year.  Thereafter it will travel back and forth between the two. As for The Honeymooners, it kicks off on UPN and then goes to Turner.

MTV Networks and Sprint have inked a deal that will provide the wireless carriers’ customers with exclusive programming from MTVN cable nets including Nickelodeon, The N, Comedy Central, VH1, and CMT.  Beginning next month Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia subs are expected to have access to programming and other short content in addition to premium subscription channels including downloadables like music, news, ringtones, joke of the day and screen savers.

And elsewhere at MTV Networks, nearly five months after it dropped its agreement with Canada’s CHUM Television, MTV has signed a strategic alliance deal with CTV Inc. to bring the network back to our neighbors up north.  The new alliance will include the creation of a new multi-platform MTV brand.  The move includes an MTV-branded analog channel, a result of switching CTV’s talktv channel to a Canadian version of MTV.  Original programming from Canada will be produced for both MTV’s international channels and for CTV’s platforms.  But, wait, that’s not all.  In addition to having access to the MTV brand, library and digital media properties in the country, CTV’s new deal will also cover online, wireless, interactive and VOD services. Canadian viewers will be able to see MTV programming on CTV as well as part of a branded programming block.  Brad Schwartz was named as the SVP/GM of the new Canadian MTV.  He was previously with MTV Networks International as director/international marketing partnerships. 

According to the FCC, the number of indecency complaints it received during the 2nd qtr 2005 dropped by 96% vs. the first quarter of 2005.  In real numbers, that means 157,016 complaints were sent in during first qtr, and only 6,161 complaints in 2nd qtr. Jeez, who dropped the ball?  Come on people, let’s get back to work!  Did you miss Tiger Woods minor expletive during the President’s Cup Golf tournament last weekend? Or Joan Baez’ colorful descriptors of Bob Dylan on PBS’ Bob Dylan: No Direction Home on NYC’s WNET?  My work here is done.  😉

AIM TV‘s English-language American Latino TV (ALTV) and LatiNation shows will debut their new seasons on October 3.  Now entering its fourth season, ALTV picked up additional carriage over last season in 23 Latino markets as well as in traditionally non-Hispanic Southeast, Northeast and Midwest markets.  It will reach more than 85% of U.S. Hispanic TV households and cover 60% of all TV households. LatiNation has cleared in over 70 markets for its second season and will be placed back-to-back with ALTV in more than 60 markets.

AZN Television has gained carriage on the Comcast Cable digital system covering the Washington DC, area as well a suburban Maryland and Virgina.  AZN’s carriage on Comcast digital will be fully in place by the end of this week, adding 400,000 to the AZN sub base.

CSTV: College Sports Television has renewed its deal with INHD, whereby the two will co-produce live collegiate sporting events for high-definition carriage on INHD. Under the agreement, which marks the third year of this relationship, CSTV will simultaneously carry the standard definition broadcast of each event.  Games covered under the deal include five new college football games this fall, as well as regular season basketball, hockey, baseball, and select conference tournaments and NCAA Championships.

 * NEW ORDERS / CASTING / DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION *

WE: Women’s Entertainment‘s Bridezillas from September Films will return for a third season in March with a dozen new episodes. Casting for Season #3 begins on Sunday in Dallas (12n-6p CT) looking for any brides in Austin, Houston or Dallas area. If you’re interested, go to www.we.tv and click on Casting Calls for additional information.

Two new series from Jupiter Entertainment, both airing on Oxygen: 

• Snapped returns for a third season with 13 new episodes.  Snapped is about women who kill, stories told via archived footage and first person accounts. The new season will focus in particular on women who have committed murder in an attempt to protect themselves and their children.  The new season kicks off on October 2 at 10p.
• Relentless also features women pushed to extremes, women who have faced injustices and fought back, in true stories of regular yet fearless women. Relentless is presented in first person interviews and re-enactments, and will debut on Oxygen on Sunday, October 9 at 1030p.

Playboy TV will launch a new series this Saturday called Vivid Valley (from World of Wonder), a 13-part documentary series that goes behind the closed doors of the adult film business, more particularly at Vivid Entertainment. The doc looks at the public and private lives of Vivid’s stars and the man behind Vivid Ent, Steven Hirsch. Vivid Alley debuts on October 1st at 930p.

USA Network has ordered a third season of The 4400 with a new order of 13 episodes. Production is set to begin in Vancouver, B.C. this winter, with the show returning to the schedule perhaps in time for next summer.  The 4400 is from Paramount Network Television in association with American Zoetrope and Renegade 83.

NBC has ordered a new sitcom from comedy writer producer Victor Fresco, per Hollywood Reporter.  The untitled project is about a regular guy who realizes his life is being orchestrated by outside forces representing good and evil. 

HBO has ordered a script for a half hour comedy called Bert & Dickie, written and exec produced by Owen Wilson, Larry Charles and Rick Rubin.  Per Variety, the show is about a stand up comedy team, who never quite makes it.  No word yet if Wilson would be acting in the project as well.

* EXECUTIVE MOVES *

Jupiter Entertainment has upped Zak Weisfeld to the newly created position of VP/Development and Co-Executive Producer for the production company. Zak will be expanding the business with an initial focus on creating exciting new shows for Jupiter Entertainment’s existing clients and then looking to create new opportunities for the company both within the cable universe and in new media.

IFC has named Rachel Smith Director/Development & Production of Original Series. Rachel makes the move to IFC from Bravo.  She will be charged with continuing the network’s mission to invest in original programming, working with Debbie DeMontreux, VP/Development and Production, and will spearhead development and production of original series with a particular focus on fiction programming. 

Brett Henne has been elevated to VP/Corporate Communications for VH1, reporting to Laura Nelson, SVP/Communications and Public Affairs.  Brett will continue to oversee all corporate communications for the channel, including promotion of its programming and branding initiatives, as well as launching communications efforts for VH1’s expanding multi-platform brands and digital networks.

* RATINGS *Tuesday — A18-49 Analysis:  Turning out to be one of the more competitive nights of the broadcast week, NBC won Tuesday night in final numbers from Nielsen by a single tenth of a rating point over both Fox and CBS, and by just two share points over ABC.  NBC averaged a 4.2/11 A18-49, followed by Fox and CBS tied at 4.1/11, ABC 3.5/9, WB 2.3/6 and UPN 0.9/2.  At 8p NCIS on CBS led with a 3.4/10, with both Bones (Fox) and The Biggest Loser (NBC) a single share point behind. Here’s the most competitive hour of television for the week – Tuesdays at 9pm.  Even though My Name is Earl dipped from last week’s premiere by three share points, it was still the time period winner with a 5.1/13.  In rank order, House was #2 with a 5.2/12, followed by the premiere of Amazing Race (4.4/11) and the premiere of Commander in Chief (4.3/10).  UPN’s Sex Love & Secrets also premiered at 9p earning a .6/1, behind WB’s Supernatural (2.2/5).  At 10p Law & Order SVU hollered at a 5.2/13 and Boston Legal‘s debut pulled a 3.4/9.

Final Household Ratings:  Tuesday, September 27, 2005, for all Networks –  program averages.  Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

ABC     8.2/13   According to Jim 5.2/8, Commander in Chief [p] 11.0/16, Boston Legal [p] 8.4/13

CBS     7.7/12   NCIS 9.8/15, The Amazing Race: Family Edition [p] 6.6/10

NBC     7.2/11   The Biggest Loser 5.3/8, My Name is Earl 7.2/11, The Office 4.7/7, L&O: SVU  10.5/16

FOX     6.8/10   Bones 5.1/8, House  8.5/12

WB      3.5/5    Gilmore Girls 3.8/6, Supernatural  3.2/5

UPN     1.6/2    America’s Next Top Model Special [r] 2.1/3, Sex, Love & Secrets [p] 1.0/2

A18-49            NBC 4.2/11, Fox 4.1/11, CBS 4.1/11, ABC 3.5/9, WB 2.3/6, UPN .9/2

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1829-London’s Metropolitan Police Service is organized.  The new force’s members were known as the “Bobbies” after Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel.  Their headquarters were at Scotland Yard in Whitehall, a place that lent its name to the police headquarters itself and, informally, to the force as a whole.  The City of London organized its own police force ten years later, and the two remain separate to this day.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question: This real life Hollywood Couple each had very small roles in the 1993 film Loaded Weapon 1, but they actually didn’t share on screen time.  Who are these folks?   CHARLIE SHEEN AND DENISE RICHARDS   Kudos to:  Adam R. Schwartz-GM Mediaworks/NY; Jeff Dommu-Clear Channel Radio/NY; Chris Jansen-TNS Media/NY; Joe C. Farr-Trey Mojo Productions/New Haven CT; Christopher Betts-Echo Star Satellite LLC/Englewood CO; Suzanne Habluetzel-Spot Plus/Dallas; Michael Kondrat-WITI FOX/Milwaukee; Kevin Schmidt-Nat’l Cable Communications/Chicago; Steve Weinshel-Transistor Studios/LA; George La Fountaine/Granada Hills CA; Stan Justice/Hermosa Beach CA; Chris Berkenkamp-Dionysus Company Entertainment/LA; Jake Hanover/LA; Stephen Gallagher-UK.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Many people think that southern California is so hot because it’s the site of the Mojave Desert.
 But there’s a place that’s even hotter.

Hollywood.  
(Host A.J. Hammer is pretty hot, too.)

Advertisers: marketing and product placement opportunities are available with
COURT TV’s HOLLYWOOD HEAT.

Today’s Trivia Question:  In the 1998 movie The Avenger, the silver-screen remake of the popular 1960s TV show, the role of British Agent Emma Peel went to Uma Thurman.  Thurman was the second choice for this role – the original choice turned down the film.  Who was she? (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.)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM OXYGEN

All Eyes on Oh! in Q3

Q3 2005 was Oxygen’s most watched quarter ever among W18-49 for both Total Day and Primetime!

Source: Nielsen Media Research, 3Q05 Total Day (Mon-Sun/8a-3a) Primetime (Mon-Sun/8p-11p) W18-49 Impressions. Subject to qualifications upon request.

Later — Cyn
09.29.05 – 5:23am
Cynopsis Ad Sales – Barbara Shapiro – 203-583-1224 /

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If you’d rather listen than read, you can sign up for the Cynopsis: In Your Ear podcast available for download each morning by 630a at www.cynopsis.com or via iTunes 4.9 listed in the podcast directory under “News.”

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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2005

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT: Thursday, September 29, 2005

ABC              Alias [p], Night Stalker [p], Primetime
CBS              Survivor: Guatemala , CSI , Without a Trace [p]
FOX              The O.C., Reunion
NBC              Joey,  Will & Grace Live [p], The Apprentice, ER
PAX              Doc, Diagnosis Murder, Gaither Homecoming
UPN              Everybody Hates Chris,  Love, Inc.,  Eve, Cuts
WB               Smallville [p], Everwood [p]
TELE             El Cuerpo del Deseo, Los Plateados, Decisiones
UNIV             Contra Viento y Marea, La Esposa Virgen,  Cristina