Cynopsis

10.16.09

Good morning. It’s Friday, October 16, 2009, and 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:
ABC: Ugly Betty at 8p
Discovery Channel: Lobsterman at 10p
Retirement Living TV: The Florence Henderson Show at 10p
Fine Living Network: Bartender Wars at 1030p

Tonight’s Finale:
USA Network: Psych at 10p

Saturday’s Premiere:
Investigation Discovery: Head Games at 9p

Sunday’s Premieres:
IFC: Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut) at 9p nightly (as part of a week-long “Python-a-thon” through Friday)
Discovery Channel: Storm Chasers at 10p
Investigation Discovery: On the Case with Paula Zahn at 10p
Cartoon Network: The Venture Bros. at 12a

News Corp. announced it will close down its Fox Reality Channel, and will be replaced by National Geographic Wild, effective almost immediately.  A full announcement is expected later today. The four-year old network aired original reality programming fare including the recent Househusbands of Hollywood, The Academy and Solitary. At this point, it is unclear what News Corp. will do with the network’s 47 million subscriber base. During third quarter 2009, Fox Reality Channel averaged a 1.0 rating and 71,000 viewers in primetime.

According to numerous reports circulated yesterday, TLC is halting Jon & Kate Plus 8 in mid-November and will not re-launch the series as Kate Plus 8 on November 2. Following Jon Gosselin’s court order preventing his eight children from being filmed, TLC will likely use existing footage to edit together the remaining episodes.

FOX has reduced the episode order for the upcoming midseason crime drama Past Life produced by Warner Bros. Television. The series, slated to follow American Idol on Tuesday nights, will now have seven episodes including the pilot. In a statement, FOX said it “can only accommodate seven episodes of Past Life on our schedule” because it has enough midseason programming with American Idol, 24 and a back order of Glee.

MTV enters the competitive world of styling celebrities in the new reality series Styl’d premiering November 1 at 10p. In Styl’d, cameras follow five junior stylists, Gary, Tara, Janna, Brett and Cody as they work for senior stylists, Jen Rade, Eric Archibald and Julie Weiss at the Margaret Maldonado Agency. The series goes inside the lives of the junior stylists as they try to balance work life and their personal time while taking on challenging weekly tasks where they cross paths with such celebrities as Kim Kardashian, Soulja Boy and Ashley Tisdale. Jonathan Murray and Jeff Jenkins of Bunim-Murray Productions created the series for MTV; Bunim-Murray’s Russell Jay serves as co-executive producer along with Margaret Maldonado for The Margaret Maldonado Agency.

Action sports and lifestyle network FUEL TV is partnering with Rip Curl to offer a hi-def webcast and a live broadcast of the Rip Curl Pro Search. FUEL TV will offer live coverage of the Men’s Round of 16 to the finals via FUEL TV Australia and FUEL TV Portugal and for the US, a taped delay of the finals broadcast on October 29 at 8p. In addition, FUEL TV will air a taped 30m special of the women’s Rip Curl Pro Search on December 3 at 8p and a men’s 60m highlights show early next year. The 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search will be filmed from Peniche, Portugal from October 19 through October 30.

Note from Cyn:  We’ve been hearing the buzz for years on Advanced Advertising & iTV, and we’re wondering if it’s really beginning to happen, and where that will take us in the future.  We’re trying to get to the center of the conversation and hear all sides, and would like your help to do that.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a brand, an agency, television distributor or programmer – if you have a free moment, or need a distraction, we would appreciate your thoughts on this newest ad trend, by going here and anonymously answering the questions on a short survey on the topic.  We’ll share the info with you at our CTAM Luncheon in Denver later on this month.  Thanks for your participation!

Premium network Showtime gave an approval nod to John Wells Productions for a one-hour pilot based on the British drama series, Shameless headlined by William H. Macy. Wells and the UK series creator Paul Abbot will write the US version as well as executive produce the pilot. Production begins in December and it will be co-produced with Warner Bros. Television. The UK version was based on Abbot’s childhood growing up in a working-class family of eight children headed by an alcoholic father, Frank Gallagher. The US edition, set in working-class Chicago in the present day, will have Macy play the often inebriated single dad and his oldest daughter Fiona must take charge of her five younger brothers and sisters.

The CW announced its development slate containing six new projects:

• Spy School for Girls – From One Tree Hill executive producer Mark Schwahn, the series is based on the book Spy School by Larry Kolb about female spies training at the CIA. CBS TV Studios is producing; Schwahn is writing and executive producing along with Kolb.
• Nashville – Mark Schwahn is also involved with this drama and is working with country music star Brad Paisley and writers Neal Dodson and Matt Bomer about a female singer who is a rising star and a male songwriter whose career is faltering. Plans are to have Paisley write songs for the show and make appearances. CBS TV Studios produces; Schwahn, Paisley, Dodson and Bomer will all executive produce.
• Plymouth Rock – A space-themed soap about young people on a spaceship traveling to another planet to colonize it and save mankind. Rob Thomas will produce with Danielle Stokdyk, Jennifer Gwartz and Dan Etheridge. All four were behind the shows Cupid, Veronica Mars and the Starz series Party Down.
• Confessions of a Backup Dancer – From Alloy Entertainment, this project is about a woman who becomes a backup dancer for a top pop star. Ilene Chaiken (The L Word) will write and executive produce for Warner Bros. Television; Alloy’s Les Morgenstein will also executive produce.
• The March Sisters – Modern-day story based on “Little Women” though more similar to Sex and the City about working-class sisters trying to make it in high-class Park Avenue. Jill Gordon is writing and executive producing; Meryl Poster also executive produces.
• Untitled Drama – From Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Entertainment and writer Julie Martin set in New York’s Early Case Assessment Bureau. Martin and De Niro will executive produce along with Jane Rosenthal for CBS TV Studios. Additionally, Bob Brush and Mel Harris will write and executive produce; Michael Hirschorn and Stella Stolper will also executive produce.

Bravo’s season three of The Real Housewives of New York City features the new “housewives” Sonja Morgan and Jennifer Gilbert, joining Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, Bethenny Frankel, Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Alex McCord, Ramona Singer and Jill Zarin. Former model Morgan is a regular fixture in New York City society circles while Gilbert is a busy career woman who owns and operates the company Save the Date and is a co-owner of Portamee. Production has started on the third season with new episodes set to debut next year; Shed Media U.S. produces.

ABC gave a 13-episode order for a crime drama called The Gates set in a suburban planned gated community. The order is contingent on the production company, Fox TV Studios receiving foreign financing. The plot is about a city cop who becomes the chief of police for a seemingly sedate planned community where crime resides. Richard Hatem and Grant Scharbo are writing the script; Scharbo and Gina Matthews are executive producing through their Little Engine production company along with Hatem. Production on The Gates is expected to begin early or mid-2010 with South America being one of the locations considered.

Four actors were tapped for the new Starz original ensemble dramedy titled Gravity, previously called Failure to Fly. Krysten Ritter, Ivan Sergei, Ving Rhames and Rachel Hunter join the cast about an odd-ball out-patient program for suicide survivors. The show is scheduled to debut exclusively on Starz in spring 2010.

Sissy Spacek will join the cast of HBO’s Big Love as a Washington, D.C. lobbyist and her character will be introduced in the fourth season’s third episode. Currently in production, HBO set Big Love’s premiere date for January 10.

KAOS Entertainment finished filming on the wildlife documentary series called Grizzly Land, chronicling the lives of bears found along the Katmai Coast of Alaska. The series features more than 300 hours of footage led by KAOS partner Rob Englehardt, who is also cinematographer and director. ContentFilm’s Fireworks International is teaming with KAOS on global television distribution and ContentFilm International is involved on a feature film strategy.

Merv Griffin Entertainment, Inc. is working with medical tourism company, PlanetHospital on a television reality series focused on patients traveling to exotic locales to find medical treatments they can’t afford or find in the US. The series will document the patient’s journey as they research their healthcare options to their arrival in a foreign country and the medical personnel they encounter as well as how their personal relationships evolve during this process.

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL – TODAY’S TOP STORY: Since the day it was released, the iPhone has created a micro-economy by enabling developers large and small to reach consumers directly by selling apps and ads against their offerings. Apple just expanded that economy considerably by allowing developers to add direct in-app purchasing to free apps – enabling them to sell content, subscriptions and digital services directly on the platform. (Until now the option was only available to paid apps, which has hampered the popularity of applications trying to charge for additional content.) The move should be a boon for the purchase of virtual goods such as weapons for gamers or dresses for dress-up apps; games account for more than 20% of the 85,000+ apps available on the platform. “This announcement changes the landscape of the App Store as we know it,” said Colin Smith, co-founder and vice president of Freeverse.   Full edition: CYN DIGITAL.    

CYNOPSIS KIDS – TODAY’S TOP STORY: The Gotham Group partners with Italy-based Atlantyca Entertainment to produce a movie adaptation of author Pierdomenico Baccalario’s young adult Century action/adventure book series.  Published by Italy’s Edizioni Piemme, the book was recently released in the US by Random House.  Century follows the adventures of four teens and their families as they search for four ancient objects of power each connected to one of the four elements.  Baccalario is currently editor-in-chief at Atlantyca Entertainment, overseeing the development of the Code Lyoko book series. His other kid’s books include Ulysses Moore (Scholastic) and Candy Circle.  Atlantyca represents the foreign rights to a number of Edizioni Piemme’s properties.  Full edition: CYN KIDS.    

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM CYNOPSIS MEDIA EVENTS

Wednesday  A18-49 Analysis: CBS and FOX went head-to-head again Wednesday with each network posting a 3.1/9 A18-49, according to final national ratings from Nielsen Media Research. At 8p, FOX glided to #1 with So You Think You Can Dance at 2.8/8 and CBS’ sitcoms Old Christine and Gary Unmarried were #2 with an average of 2.2/7. CBS won at 9p with Criminal Minds at 3.8/10 with ABC’s comedies Modern Family/Cougar Town in second place with an average of 3.5/9 and FOX’s Glee was a note behind in third place at 3.4/9. Then at 10p, CBS’ CSI: NY topped with 3.2/9 and NBC’s The Jay Leno Show followed at 1.8/5 and ABC’s Eastwick was third at 1.7/5.

Live + Same Day Household Ratings: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 time period averages. Source: NTI Galaxy, as dated. Live+SD.

CBS: 7.3/12       Old Christine 4.6/8, Gary Unmarried 4.4/7, Criminal Minds 8.5/13, CSI: NY 8.8/15

NBC: 4.9/8           Mercy 4.7/8, Law & Order: SVU 5.9/9, The Jay Leno Show 4.0/7

FOX: 4.5/7          So You Think You Can Dance 4.4/7, Glee 4.5/7

ABC: 4.4/7          Hank 4.0/7, The Middle 4.3/7, Modern Family 5.8/9, Cougar Town 5.2/8, Eastwick 3.5/6

UNIV: 2.0/3        En Nombre Del Amor 2.1/3, Sortilegio 2.2/3, Don Francisco Presenta 1.6/3

CW: 1.3/2           America’s Next Top Model 2.1/3, Melrose Place [r] 0.6/1

TELE: 1.1/2         Rumbo Al Mundial: Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago 1.2/2, Victorinos 0.5/1

ION: 0.5/1          Ghost Whisperer 0.5/1, Ghost Whisperer 0.5/1, Criminal Minds 0.5/1

A18-49: CBS 3.1/9, FOX 3.1/9, ABC 2.3/7, NBC 2.1/6, UNIV 1.4/4, TELE 1.2/3, CW 0.9/2, ION 0.2/1

Pink Sneakers Productions hired Shari Solomon Cedar as VP/Development where she will manage the development of all new broadcast and media projects.

Friday Fun Fact:  A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbook can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court.

This day in History:  1701 – The Collegiate School was founded in Killingworth, CT. The school moved to New Haven in 1745 and changed its name to Yale College.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  Earl the Angel is featured on what primetime series? SAVING GRACE on TNT  Kudos to: Paul Kelly-truTV/NY; Sharon Taylor Talbot/NY; Andrew Pappalardo-Mediaedge:cia/NY; Marta J. Davies-Smarta Media/Coconut Creek FL; Judy Margolis-The Ad Place/Dallas; Susan Stamm/Austin; Carol Crawford-GAC/Nashville; Amy Sobczak-Charter Media/St. Louis; Dan Meyer-iMedia Connection/LA; Norma Jean Belenky/LA; Cary Miller/LA; David Olsen/GSN/Santa Monica; Keith MacKechnie-The Actors’ Network/Vancouver

Today’s Trivia Question:  What show’s tagline was “Ride along with the boys in blue?”   (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 SUMMIT

Later — Cyn
10.16.09

Cynopsis Media Facebook Page here – all of our Job Listings and Top Stories reported here first!

Cynopsis Ad Sales:
Chuck Bolkcom, Pres/COO – 646-468-6180 /

Classifieds – Trish Pihonak- 203-926-9878 /

Member of Interactive Advertising Bureau (iab)

To subscribe to any Cynopsis edition(s) click here . 
To unsubscribe , click here or click the button at the end of this email.

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

JOB OPENING: SR PRODUCER/National Geographic Television/NYC: This is a regular, full-time staff position with benefits, limited to a 12-month contract. To apply: www.nationalgeographic.com click on job ID 3863. EEO (10/23)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR INTEGRATED MARKETING/Nickelodeon/NYC: 8+yrs Integ Mrktg/Sales exp @ a TV Network, Strng Packaged Goods exp, Strng Ideation/ exp, Stng Projct Mgmt skills EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply  www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (10/23)

JOB OPENING: VP DVLPMNT/TWO CATS PRODS/NY: Oversee reality/non-fiction dev for small prod-co moving from PBS docs to break into cable. Solid rolodex, ideas, exprnce selling to cable nets a must. Res/Cvr Ltr:
(10/23)

JOB OPENING: RSRCH ASST/WGBH/BOSTON: Resp. for assisting in variety of rsrch proj’s w/ a focus on Nat’l Corp Sponsorship. BA Deg & 1 to 2 yr of media rsrch background. Cvr ltr/resume: http://careers.wgbh.org Research Assistant (10/20)

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
.

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: MEDIA/MARKETING MANAGER/LA: 5+ years experience in media planning/buying, account management, online marketing. Familiar with brdcst & interactive media markets. 
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: CONTRACT MANAGER/ADMINISTRATOR: 10 yrs exp.in Contract/Sales Admin: avails, reporting, etc., looking to work out of home office, or locally in Rochester, NY. Contact e-mail:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: 5 PRIME TIME EMMYS/ DOC. PROD, DIR., WRITER in L.A. Credits: National Geo, PBS, Discovery, History CH, TLC and MSNBC. Contact email:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: ASST PROD/COORD/MGR/PA (NY)Exp: ABC, NBC, CBS, BBC, Nickelodeon, MTV, Food Network, CNN, Lifetime, History Channel, Sesame Street, NY1. Resume: Charles.Goon.googlepages.com Email:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: 20+ yrs. experience in TV Broadcasting & Cable ACCOUNTING/FINANCE. Seeking FT/PT or Temp-to-Perm position:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: NYC. Recent college grad looking for flexible hrs where can contribute to media/entmnt company in entry level capacity. Hardworking, quick learner, and interested in learning fundamentals.
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCHER/AP/PA/COORDINATOR ASSISTANT/ASSISTANT (NYC) 2 yrs Experience at Food Network & NBC seeking positions in news/entertainment! Self-starter/team-player/multi-tasker extraordinaire! Contact:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: VIDEO PRODUCER MULTIMEDIA CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Seeking FT staff or Freelance projects, 10+ yrs exp, Broadcast, Corp, Multimedia, Web. Fast turnaround, save $$$. Email:
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: ASST POSITION WANTED/LA: Veteran with 3+ yrs admin exp at top companies in tv and film depts. 10+ years exp in functional & creative writing in TV & radio broadcast, mrktg, and pr mediums. 
(10/23)

SITUATION WANTED: NEED POST AUDIO? 1000+ of hrs of Doc/Reality mixed for NBC, FOX, A&E, History, Discovery, TLC, Science, Travel, HGTV, Food, and many more! Flawless QC Record! Available worldwide via FTP!
(10/21)

SITUATION WANTED: DIRECTOR/MANAGER FINANCIAL ANALYSIS/ NYC (15+ years experience) -Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis – Developing and presenting executive level financial packages. Email:
(10/21)

SITUATION WANTED: RESEARCH DIR/STRATEGIST Make your numbers work for you. 20+ yrs media, Nielsen, Hisp, research, sales, presentation experience. Email:
(10/21)

SITUATION WANTED: PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR/NY: Ultra-creative, award winning, all formats, all genres, all major networks and major cable. Fast, frugal and fun!
(10/21)

SITUATION WANTED: CELEBRITY BOOKER WILL BOOK TOP CELEBRITIES, EXPERTS & BEST SELLING AUTHORS FOR YOUR SHOW 10 years exp. Booked talent for NBC, CBS, Fox, A&E, PBS, etc. Contact:
(10/20)

SITUATION WANTED: DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION & ART DIRECTION (NYC) 20 years experience working concept through completion. Portfolio: www.baerdavis.com Email:
(10/20)

SITUATION WANTED: College graduate with Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Media and Film. Efficient in audio and video productions.
908-268-2078 (10/20)

SITUATION WANTED: SALES TRAINER/EXECUTIVE COACH:  NY, NJ, Boston, Fortune 100 exp., Avail FT or PT consultant, 90 days or less to better personal and professional results guaranteed or 1 month free. Email:
(10/17)

SITUATION WANTED: CAMERA OPERATOR/LA Based … MTV, TRUTV, ABC, Watch my reel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxsrcWAvvKw . Contact email:
  (10/17)

E-mail
or call Trish Pihonak at 203.926.9878 for rates and specs for Job Openings.

Are you looking for a job? Post your Situation Wanted Ad here — Email
for specs.

WHAT’S ON TONIGHT –  FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009

ABC:  Ugly Betty [p ], 20/20
AZTECA: Laura de Todos, Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres Edicion Especial, Al Extremo
CBS: Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Numb3rs
CW:  Smallville, America’s Next Top Model [r]
FOX:  MLB Playoffs: Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees – Game #1 (730-10p)
ION: Movie: Hard to Kill (7-9p), Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds
NBC:  Law & Order, Secrets of the Lost Symbol, Jay Leno Show
PBS: Washington Week, Now on PBS, Bill Moyers Journal, Unnatural Causes
TELE: Mas Sabe el Diablo, Ninos Ricos Padres Pobres, Victorinos
UNIV:  El Nombre del Amor, Sortilegio, Rosa de Guadalupe

Cynopsis Media LLC
One Corporate Drive, Suite 724
Shelton, CT 06484
203.926.9878

All outgoing e-mails are scanned and sent out virus free. Copyright Cynopsis 2009