Cynopsis

08.04.09

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, August 4, 2009, and this is this is your first early morning briefing.  And as always, if you prefer to watch this morning’s news instead of reading it, click here.  

Tonight’s Premieres:
Sundance Channel: Big Ideas for a Small Planet at 8p
Discovery en Espanol: Extraordinary Stories at 9p
Oxygen: Addicted to Beauty at 11p

Tonight’s Finales:
MTV: Paris Hilton’s My New BFF at 9p
Oxygen: Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood at 10p

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE IFC

Classic game show Let’s Make A Deal is making a comeback during weekdays on CBS beginning October 5 (check local listings for exact air times). In the updated version, the hour-long daytime game show will be hosted by Wayne Brady and produced by FremantleMedia North America, the company behind FOX’s American Idol and CBS’ The Price is Right. The original Let’s Make A Deal, where audience members dressed in zany costumes and made deals with the host, aired during the 1960s and 1970s with its most memorable host Monty Hall starring from 1963-1977.

E! introduces a new half-hour reality series called Reality Hell that pokes fun at current TV reality show formats. The show uses actors who try to fool unsuspecting people into thinking they are appearing on a real reality show. This eight-episode series opens August 16 following an extended-length episode of Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami which begins at 10p. Reality Hell will normally air on Sundays at 1030p.

USA Network gave a third season renewal for In Plain Sight. The drama starring Mary McCormack as a US marshal for the witness protection program received an order for 16 new episodes.

Music network Fuse is teaming with music brand Billboard on a daily music news segment titled The Daily Noise created for on-air and online. Billboard’s editorial director Bill Werde will host the segments which started yesterday on Fuse as well as via Billboard.com and fuse.tv, providing a quick take on music headlines, new releases and Billboard chart updates in addition to live event schedules.

Last Friday at 9p, HISTORY opened new series Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey, drawing in 589,000 A25-54, 660,000 A18-49 and 1.5 million total viewers.

DIY Network launches this country’s first interactive home renovation series as Run My Renovation opens for voters online starting August 20. Homeowner participants will rely on the American public to vote via DIYNetwork.com on which design components they should use for their home renovations from flooring to fixtures, cabinets to cook stoves and more. The 13-episode series will open on the network in mid-2010.

WE tv announced new original series projects in development in addition to a handful of returning series:

New Series:

• Girl Meets Gown – Original series is set inside Texas bridal salon, Stardust Celebrations as women search for the perfect wedding gown. Six one-hour 60m episodes produced by AMS Pictures and premiering in 2010.
• Jilted? (wt) – Original series where women give their boyfriends the ultimate ultimatum involving marriage. Six 60m episodes produced by The Incubator and premiering in 2010.

WE tv Returning Series:

• The Locator – Troy Dunn and his team are back for a fourth season reuniting people with long-lost loved ones. One 60m episode and seven 30m episodes produced by Asylum Entertainment and opening in 2010.
• Little Miss Perfect – Season two goes behind the scenes of more child beauty pageants. Twelve 60m episodes produced by NorthSouth Productions and premiering in 2010.
• High School Confidential – Original series documents the high school years of the same group of Chicago girls from their frosh year through graduation day. Eight 60m episodes produced by Herizon Productions with production support from Towers Productions.

Primetime Emmy® Awards Note: The next installment of the Cynopsis presents: Emmy® Awards 2009 special edition series will focus on Drama series. Upcoming in this series are … 

• 8/5 Special Edition:    Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Directing of a Drama, Outstanding Writing of a Drama Series
• 8/12 Special Edition:  Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, Outstanding Reality Program; Outstanding Non-Fiction Series; Outstanding Non-Fiction Special
• 8/19 Special Edition:  Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
• 8/24 Special Edition:  Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

If you’re among the nominees … congratulations!!  And if you’d like to send us a description or brief bio of the nominated series/director/actor/writer (maximum of 150 words – emailed 48 hours prior to publication date), we will include it in our special edition.   Please send the description to me at

. 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE THE WEATHER CHANNEL

truTV approved seven episodes of the new series Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura from A. Smith & Co. Productions (Hell’s Kitchen, Crash Course among others). The series will debut on truTV later this year with Ventura attempting to uncover intriguing conspiracy theories. A. Smith & Co. Productions is also behind two other projects for the network slated to premiere next year, the four-part series Full Throttle and the two-part Surprise Inspection. A. Smith & Co. founders Arthur Smith and Kent Weed serve as executive producers for all three projects in addition to A. Smith’s Frank Sinton.

American Latino Syndication tapped Daisy Fuentes as host and co-executive producer for the upcoming eighth season of American Latino TV. The 30m weekly magazine-type program premieres the first weekend in October. American Latino Syndication is a wholly-owned unit of LATV headquartered in Los Angeles.

FOX is moving forward with a new live-action, multicamera comedy from co-creator/executive producer Mark Brazill and executive producer Tom Werner, the duo behind FOX’s hit That ’70s Show. FOX handed a cast-contingent pilot order for The Rednecks & Romeos about a group of teen friends living in a suburb near Buffalo, NY. Brazill and Werner will executive producer the pilot along with Mike Clements; Warner Bros. TV and Werner’s Good Humor TV will produce.

Fourth and newest American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi will return for another season announced FOX and the show’s producers, FremantleMedia North America. To date, host Ryan Seacrest and judge Simon Cowell will also return; Randy Jackson has another year to go on his contract, while contract negotiations with Paula Abdul are not yet finished. American Idol’s ninth season opens next January.

Tom Arnold is returning to TV under a blind script agreement he made with Universal Media Studios to write and produce a 30m comedy for NBC, cites Variety. Under the terms, Arnold may star in the project though for now is developing the sitcom via his production company, 2 Dog Limit. Arnold will soon appear in a recurring role on FX’s Sons of Anarchy and in three feature films: Brothers Justice, The Year of Getting to Know Us and Mr. Moose Gets a Gun.

Sundance Channel is moving forward with a fifth season of its original series Iconoclasts, reports Variety. The series pairs two people in opposite professions but who are both at the top their respective industries. Iconoclasts is produced by Radical Media and co-produced by Grey Goose Entertainment.

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY: Amidst a “sleeping with the enemy” FTC investigation into antitrust violations, Google CEO Eric Schmidt announced his resignation from the Apple board of directors. The relationship between the two companies has evolved to one of rivals in recent months with the launch of Google’s Android mobile operating system and Chrome desktop OS, explained Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The announcement comes directly on the heels of an FCC investigation into anticompetitive (and seemingly arbitrary) practices at Apple’s iPhone App Store.    Full edition: CYN DIGITAL.    

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY:  Hasbro appoints Stephen J. Davis to the newly created position of President, Hasbro Studios.  The new LA-based studio will produce TV series based on Hasbro’s brands, new branded content and produce programs from third party content creators.  Davis will take up his new position in September.  Many of the shows will run on the new yet to be named TV network created under a joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications, which is slated to launch in fall 2010, as well as on channels in international markets.  Most recently, Davis was CEO, Family Entertainment Group.  He also managed a development and production venture between Southern Star and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and previously served as President/Mobile and Online Media, InfoSpace, and prior to that he was President, Granada America.  Davis is also a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of NATPE and also serves on other boards.  Additionally, Davis also serves as a producer on Young Buc’s, a teen-centric scripted pirates series in development at ABC Family, among other projects. Full edition: CYN KIDS.    

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE DEBMAR-MERCURY

Friday A18-49 Analysis: Closing out July on a high note, UNIV won Friday night at 1.3/5 among A18-49, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. Three networks jostled for #1 during 8p as CBS’ Ghost Whisperer rerun, MNT’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown and UNIV’s En Nombre Del Amor tied at 1.1/5 each while FOX’s encore of More to Love came next at 0.8/4. At 9p, UNIV put more distance between the competition with Manana Es Para Siempre in first place at 1.8/7 and MNT’s WWE Smackdown and NBC’s Dateline sharing #2 at 1.2/5 apiece. NBC’s Dateline was the solo leader through 10p at 1.6/6 while CBS’ Numb3rs repeat followed at 1.0/4.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Friday, July 31, 2009 time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

NBC: 3.3/7         Southland [r] 2.2/5, Dateline 3.9/8

CBS: 3.1/6          Ghost Whisperer [r] 3.0/6, Flashpoint [r] 3.1/6, Numb3rs [r] 3.3/6

MNT: 2.0/4          WWE Friday Night Smackdown 2.0/4

ABC: 1.8/4          Surviving Suburbia 1.8/4, The Goode Family 1.2/2, According to Jim [r] 1.3/3, According to Jim [r] 1.4/3, 20/20 2.7/5

FOX: 1.8/4          More to Love [r] 1.6/3, Mental 1.9/4

UNIV: 1.6/3         En Nombre Del Amor 1.5/3, Manana Es Para Siempre 2.2/4, La Rosa Guadalupe 1.3/2

CW: 0.7/1           Smallville [r] 0.7/1, Everybody Hates Chris [r] 0.6/1, The Game [r] 0.7/1

TELE: 0.5/1         Mas Sabe El Diablo 0.5/1, Ninos Ricos 0.4/1, Victorinos 0.5/1

ION: 0.3/1           Reba [r] 0.3/1, Friday 9PM Movie: Training Day [r] 0.3/1

A18-49: UNIV 1.3/5, MNT 1.1/4, NBC 1.1/4, CBS 1.0/4, FOX 0.8/3, ABC 0.7/3, CW 0.4/2, TELE 0.4/2, ION 0.2/1

Former President of MyNetworkTV, Greg Meidel was appointed President of Twentieth Television, effective immediately. Greg will provide oversight of all first-run, network and off-network programming and distribution for the syndication company and the new MyNetworkTV programming service. Prior to his MyNetworkTV position, Greg served as President/Programming for CBS Paramount Domestic Television in charge of such first-run syndicated programming as Entertainment Tonight and Dr. Phil among others.

Boy Wonder Productions hired Michael Winter as VP/TV Production Development, starting immediately. Michael will be in charge of and manage the company’s slate of TV projects and productions, including the DIY Network program 10 Grand in Your Hand and the upcoming pilot Daycare Diaries for TLC. In addition, Michael will work in tandem with Michael Morrissey, President/Owner of the New York-based company to oversee and develop new projects.

Brittany Hodak joins Omnicom’s Fathom Communications as Account Supervisor for the firm’s Entertainment Marketing unit. Brittany will report to Marcus Peterzell, Managing Director/Engagement and Entertainment and she will work closely with Marcus to strengthen the company’s entertainment and digital marketing division.

Laura Danford Mandel advanced to SVP/Publicity with Telepictures Productions. Laura’s roster of duties will still include providing daily publicity efforts on behalf of such Telepictures Productions’ shows as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, TMZ, The Tyra Banks Show among others as well as companion online sites. Laura will also help launch Lopez Tonight, the new late-night talk show on TBS launching this November and starring George Lopez.

Horizon Media recruited retail expert Richard Simms as SVP/Managing Director to oversee the company’s list of retail clients and to develop a retail practice, reporting to Oliver Maletz, EVP/Managing Partner. Richard joins from BOHAN Advertising where he was Brand Engagement Officer.

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE HISTORY

This day in History:  1987 – The Fairness Doctrine was rescinded by the Federal Communications Commission. The doctrine had required that radio and TV stations present controversial issues in a balanced fashion.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  This team made their initial public debut around 1900, and became widely recognized in the early days of post-Prohibition.  Each year since they travel the country and make live appearances at numerous large events including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade, county fairs, major concerts, and even the Super Bowl.   Arguably, they are collectively one of the best known teams ever.  Who are they?  THE BUDWEISER CLYDESDALE HORSES (“widely recognized in the early days of post-Prohibition” when they delivered Budweiser beer to great fanfare)  Kudos to: Kerry Veale-TNS Marketing Manager/Atlanta; Ben Newman-WBZ/Boston; Tyler Rutt-Comedy Central/NY; Bernie Simmons-Janell Productions/Charlotte; Jim Hall-truemedia/Columbia MO; Brian Fleming-WGNO/New Orleans; Judy Margolis-The Ad Place/Dallas; Beth Stockton-Meredith Broadcasting/Kansas City, MO; Michael Rosenzweig-Primestor Development/Los Angeles; Sandra Mueller-KTLA/Los Angeles; Barry M. Greenberg/LA; Alex Petrilli, Jr.-Tivo/LA

Today’s Trivia Question:   Ross Geller’s son Ben believes Santa Claus doesn’t show up for Hanukkah because Santa’s mad at him.  So Ross, Chandler and Joey end up getting character customs to cheer up Ben for the holidays. What was Joey’s costume?   (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 INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

Later — Cyn
08.04.09

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A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM THE LUSTGARTEN FOUNDATION

Cyn opsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here    .

JOB OPENING: FRLNC CELEBRITY STYLE BLOGGER: For major network. Exp in celeb & fashion. Must have HTML & Photoshop & active blog w/avid audience. Apply: at http://www.mylifetime.com/about-us/welcome include writing sample (8/11)

JOB OPENING: LOCAL SALES MGR/KGTV/McGraw-Hill/San Diego: Lead/motivate Local Sales Team. Mng Team for both ABC and 10News.com. Exc analytical & comm skills & proven negotiating skills. www.mcgraw-hill.com/careers (8/11)

JOB OPENING: ANALYST, AFF MKTG/FOX CABLE/LA financial tracking, forecasts, analyze various mktg campaigns, calculate ROI, make strategic recommendations on findings. BA, finance skills 3+ yrs cable exp. Apply http://tiny.cc/NUUl4 (8/7)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT ANALYST/iN DEMAND/NYC: Develop/Implement procedures to collect revenue and report data from affiliates. Bachelor’s degree (Accounting preferred) and cable/collections exp req. Apply:
(8/7)

JOB OPENING: TRAFFIC & SERVICING MGR: Beverly Hills Int’l TV distribution co. seeks traffic & servicing manager with min. 2 years experience ordering &delivering video elements.  Email resume to
(8/6)

JOB OPENING: PR MGR/ SR.MGR /Classic Media/NYC: 5-7 yrs exp in PR, esp. ent/media w/consumer focus; Develop publicity strategies, Generate positive brand visibility, Execute PR plans, Liase w/creators; apply to:
(8/5)

JOB OPENING: SR RESEARCH ANALYST NICK KIDS & FAMILY/NYC: 2 yrs natl resch exp.Strong analytical/detail/organiz sk.Expert w/Nielsen, Npower. Strong written/oral comm. sk.Prof in MS Office. EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvncareers.com (8/5)

JOB OPENING: SR MANAGER, CONTENT PARTNERSHIPS/ PRN (the in-store TV media leader)/LA: 8+ yrs exp in developing content provider relationships, must be well connected to networks, cable, studios, etc. http://tinyurl.com/prnjobs (8/5)

JOB OPENING: ART DIRECTOR/Nicktoons/Freelance/NY:Mng schedule/workflow & art dir. for in-house design grp. Oversee art direction for all onair/offair projects by freelancers/design firms. EOE/M/F/D/AAP apply:
(8/5)

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM IFC

INTERNSHIPS – These positions are for credit only – nobody gets paid here. These ads are always posted for free , and students work for school credit only. For more information on the specs for posting an Internship ad, email Trish at
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FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Alexandria VA Tourism Assoc has an opening for a MEDIA RELATIONS INTERN this fall. School credit only. Go to http://visitalexandriava.com/media-pr/media-contact/job-opportunities for details. (8/11)

FALL INTERNSHIP CREDITS ONLY: Live daily talk show seeking fall 09 interns. Positions available and wanted for ALL DEPARTMENTS. Script, control room, audience, talent, production mgmt. & more.
(8/11)

SITUATION WANTED ADS, POSTED BY THOSE LOOKING TO BE HIRED …  There is no charge for placing your Situation Wanted ad … for more information contact Trish Pihonak at

SITUATION WANTED:  DIGITAL MEDIA/CABLE/BUSINESS AFFAIRS ATTORNEY Broad in-house exp in content prod & distribution, new media, operations, cable affiliate & ad sales. Avail for project/consultant/FT. Contact
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SITUATION WANTED:  WEB DESIGNER (LA): Designer/Entrepreneur seeks partner to take social network web site to next level. WWW.Tagmyspace.tv . Contact  Randy –
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SITUATION WANTED:  DOCUMENTARY. PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER A.C.E. in L.A. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email:
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SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/WRITER: Over seven yrs experience in TV & digital media. Highly creative, tackles everything from conception to completion; comedy, sports, news and entertainment background; NYC.
(8/7)

SITUATION WANTED: COPYWRITER / CRTV DIR – FREELANCE ONLY(LA): 19+ Yrs Experience (Promos, Home Ent., VOD, Theatrical). My campaigns have generated Billions in sales and some of the highest rated fare on TV ever.
(8/7)

SITUATION WANTED: BROADCAST TRAFFIC MGR/NY: Many years of experience, Legal Clearance, Material Distribution, Scheduling, Ad-ID. Full Time, Freelance or Project work, available immediately.
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SITUATION WANTED: EXPERIENCED PERSONAL ASSISTANT/LA: in the industry 10 years, available fulltime, good w/kids and dogs, has SUV, laptop and BB. Professional and discreet.
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SITUATION WANTED: EIC/LINE PRODUCER with 10+ yrs exp. Variety, Docu-Reality, Game Show, Scripted, Competition/Elimination- Mngd biz of Prod. Co’s. for major TV & cable nets. Looking for next project.
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SITUATION WANTED: EXEC ASST(New York): 7 years experience: Interned for a President, Exec Asst to SVP, VP, and personal asst to film dir & celebrity. Looking for Exec Asst Position in film/TV (NY).
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SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIR/STRATEGIST See what 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hisp, research, sales, presentation experience can do for you. Email:
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SITUATION WANTED: FIELD/STORY PRODUCER/LA: 6+ years exp. producing reality, doc, clip, celeb int. for A&E, VH1, MTV, FOX production thru post. Email:
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SITUATION WANTED: ASSOCIATE PRODUCER/Reality/Ent/Docs. NBC; CBS; Spike; Dis; TLC; E!; VH1; MTV Travel Channel;runs on Batteries. (LA based)
(8/7)

SITUATION WANTED: DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT/NY: Idealist looking for home in dvlpmnt as an assistant. Currently seeking opportunities with growth potential. Eager and driven to learn as I work.
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SITUATION WANTED: Recent Harvard grad with experience in production, editing (FCP), and development looking for entry-level job in NY area in television/video/media. Strong writer, creative, people person.
(8/6)

SITUATION WANTED: LICENSING PRO with 15 yrs of industry experience and an expertise in music /footage + all IP permissions. Clients include studios, networks & advert’g agencies.
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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009

ABC: The Superstars; Scrubs, PrimeTime: Family Secrets
AZTECA: Los Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Los 25 Mas, Al Extremo
CBS: NCIS [r], Big Brother, Medium [r]
CW: 90210 [r], Hitched or Ditched [r]
FOX: Hell’s Kitchen, More to Love
ION: Boston Legal, Boston Legal, Boston Legal
MNT: Street Patrol [r], Street Patrol [r], Jail [r], Jail [r]
NBC: America’s Got Talent [r], America’s Got Talent
PBS: Nova, Nova: scienceNow, P.O.V.
TELE: Mas Sabe el Diablo;Ninos Ricos, Padres Pobres; Victorinos
UNIV: En Nombre del Amor, Manana es para Siempre, Aqui y Ahora

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