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CYNTHIA TURNER’S
Cynopsis

12/14/05

Good morning.  It’s Wednesday, December 14, 2005, and this is your first early morning briefing.

What’s up with Arrested Development?  While it seems to be on the cancelled list at Fox (tho not officially), there is word other networks may be interested in picking it up.  Among the rumored interested parties are ABC and Showtime.  It should be noted, however, contractually nothing official can happen until the show is truly cancelled by Fox.  Also there are significant financial considerations at hand — including the show’s $1.6 million per episode price tag, and let’s not forget about the millions in deficit financing 20th has already put into the show. One way to offset the financial losses to date is syndication, tho when production this season concludes the show will be 36 episodes shy of a syndication deal which needs a minimum of 88 eps in the can to launch. If either ABC or Showtime are real contenders for this show, this may have to make a very serious commitment for the jump to make sense for 20th, who would continue to produce (and continue with deficit financing).

Tonight’s Premieres:
WE:           Daddy’s Spoiled Little Girl at 10p
Univision:  Alborada at 9p

* MORE GOOD STUFF *20th Television will offer English-language telenovelas next year, available for syndication in 2006. There will be three telenovelas produced with 65 one-hour episodes each, all under the banner title Desire. Included will be the Table for Three series from Colombia Caracol, and Fashion House from Miami’s XYSTUS. Each telenovela is built as a continuous series and running Monday-Friday over a period of 13 weeks. Collectively, the three will span 39 weeks. 20th begins its syndication of the Desire package with a clearance on the Fox O&O station group, which represents 45% of the country. Look for Desire at NATPE 2006 next month.

MTV Networks and Microsoft have the Urge. The duo announced a partnership whereby they will jointly develop a digital music service called Urge, designed to rival Apple iTunes.  Similar to how iTunes works in conjunction with Quicktime, Urge will work within the Windows Media Player arena, offering downloadable music and a subscription service.  The new service will also provide exclusive MTV Networks programming as well as original content designed specifically for the new service.

January 2 will mark the first weekday with WB Network’s new afternoon schedule.  Dropping the kids’ block, WB will add ER and back-to-back episodes of Simple Rules to the schedule Monday-Friday, airing in pattern from 3-5pm.  Both shows start at the beginning with George Clooney and John Ritter featured, respectively.

Travel Channel‘s newest original series Flight Attendant School is scheduled to take off on January 12 at 930p.  The unscripted series is a behind-the-scenes look at 40 trainees as they prepare for their new careers as flight attendants.  Cameras also follow a group of 8 classmates who are all rooming together, and naturally the tension builds as the six-week program intensifies.

* NEW ORDERS / CASTING / DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION *Showtime has ordered up a second season of Weeds with 12 new episodes from Lions Gate Television.  Season #2 is scheduled to launch next summer. This announcement comes on the heels of Weeds being nominated for three Golden Globe Awards yesterday.

A reality show starring a handful of Michael Jackson’s nephews?  Apparently, yes, says Hollywood Reporter.  The project is currently being shopped by music producer Cory Rooney, and focuses on three sons of Tito Jackson who were all involved in a boy band overseas, and are now looking to regenerate their careers. Those trying to help include their father, and a couple of the boys uncles and Aunt LaToya. No word yet if Michael will be involved or make an appearance.

A good idea never dies!  Fox is going back to a good idea presented to it four years ago, which it then passed on.  Becoming Glen is about a 40-something guy who looks back to when he was in his early 30’s and was nothing more than a lazy bum, living with his parents, not working, hanging out all day. This 30m comedy project is from Ricky Blitt and Seth MacFarlane, produced by Twentieth, and this time around Fox has added a penalty to the pilot order, along with a series commitment. 

ABC has ordered a pilot of an untitled comedy from actor/writer Danny Comden. The story focuses on an unlikable real estate agent who decides one day to change his unlikable ways, and will star Comden.  This project is from Warner Bros. TV and Wonderland Sound and Vision.

Two script orders from the WB, both projects from Warner Bros. Television and Alloy Entertainment, and both based on Alloy books (HarperCollins), per Hollywood Reporter:

• Pretty Little Liars is about four teenage girls, whose friend disappeared a year ago and are now haunted by messages seemingly coming from her.  Also producing this project is Tannenbaum Co., and Lizzy Weiss is on board to adapt the book for the small screen.
• Midnighters also revolves around teenagers born at exactly midnight, and as a result have gained exclusive access to a 25th hour in the day. Darren Lemke is adapting the story.

 * EXECUTIVE MOVES *Beck Media & Marketing has hired a pair of executives to join its team, reporting to company founder Todd Beck.  Karen Olin comes to Beck Media & Marketing from Paramount Pictures’ International Marketing and Publicity group. Talia Ron comes to the firm from Variety. Each will play an integral part in all media and marketing campaigns for the company’s diverse client roster.
 
Court TV has named Ilene Kennedy as VP/Online Analytics and Development, for Court TV Online.  Ilene will help the online business and editorial teams to formulate product development strategies as well as to identify technology applications that can improve digital product market performance for the network’s new media products. She will also manage the interface with Court TV Online’s technical support and development group. 
 
David Botero has joined D2 | Reinvent Creativity as Business Development Manager, reporting to David Hickethier/CEO, and responsible for growing and managing new business opportunities for national and regional accounts. He’ll be based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The CBS Corporation has appointed three executives to key tax, technology and finance posts at the corporate level. Richard M. Jones has been named SVP/General Tax Counsel. In addition, Amy Berkowitz has been promoted to SVP/Chief Information Officer for the company, while Michele Scaringella has been promoted to VP/Internal Audit.
 
Lifetime Television has named Neil Schubert as its new SVP/Publicity. He will report to Meredith Wagner, EVP/Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, Lifetime Entertainment Services and will be based the company’s Los Angeles office.  In his new role, which takes effect immediately, Neil will oversee all consumer publicity for Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network, basic cable’s two most popular women’s networks, along with Lifetime Real Women.
           
At Fox Broadcasting Company, Susan Wachter has been named EVP/Sales Planning and Administration, and Cliff Pozner has been promoted to SVP/Revenue Analysis.  In her new position, Susan will continue to oversee Revenue Analysis, Sales Administration and Sales Pricing and Planning. She will report to Jon Nesvig, President/Sales. Cliff, who was formerly VP/Revenue Analysis, will continue to oversee revenue forecasting for entertainment and sports programming, evaluate all sports and primetime properties for potential acquisition and renewal, as well as assume additional responsibility for nontraditional sales opportunities in FOX’s recently acquired Bowl Championship Series.  He will report to Susan Wachter and Neil Mulcahy, EVP/Fox Sports Sales.

* RATINGS *Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Network Rankings among Total Viewers for the week of 12/5-11/05:
Primetime      (000)    Total Pgm Day   (000)
USA              2879     NICK              2188
ESPN             2473     NAN*              1549
TNT              2348     USA               1306
SCIFI            2180     TNT               1268
ABC FAMILY      2066     LIFETIME         1122
LIFETIME         2059    TBS               1101
TBS              1909     CARTOON 1069
FOXNEWS 1800     ABC FAMILY      1043
NAN              1679     ADULT SWIM*     1033
CARTOON 1412     FOXNEWS 980
 Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research Data.
All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 109,600,000 homes
* = Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24 hour day. Primetime listing only includes those networks broadcasting more than 51% of the primetime hours (M-Su 8p-11p)

Top Ten Basic Cable Ad Supported Network Rankings among A18-49 for the week of 12/5-11/05:
Primetime     (000)     Total Pgm Day   (000)
USA              1257     NAN*              677
ESPN             1170     TNT               645
TNT              1156     TBS               634
TBS              1123     USA               621
SCIFI            1045     NICK              531
ABC FAMILY      854      ESPN              528
MTV              772      ADULT SWIM*     476
SPIKE TV         697     LIFETIME         466
LIFETIME         688     ABC FAMILY      440
FX               672      MTV               390
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research Data.
All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 109,600,000 homes
* = Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24 hour day. Primetime listing only includes those networks broadcasting more than 51% of the primetime hours (M-Su 8p-11p)

Top 10 Cable Programs among A18-49 (000) for the week of 12/5-11/05:
ESPN     Lions/Packers            4443
MTV     Making the Band 3       3057
USA     WWE Mon 10p              2714
USA     WWE Mon 9p               2606
ESPN    NFL Prime Time           2484
ESPN    Sportscenter              2270
FX      Nip/Tuck                  2196
SciFi   Triangle Part 1          1953
MTV     RW/RR The Gauntlet II   1916
SciFi   Triangle Part 2          1869
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research Data.
All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 109,600,000 homes

Top 10 Broadcast Programs among A18-49 (000) for the week of 12/5-11/05:
CBS:     CSI                                          13,790
CBS:    Survivor: Finale                              10,101
ABC:    Grey’s Anatomy                    9310
CBS:    Survivor                                    9190
NBC:    ER                                  8440
NBC:    My Name is Earl                   7550
NBC:    Law & Order SVU          7600
ABC:    NFL Monday Night Football       7390
CBS     Survivor: Reunion                7370
Source:  Nielsen Media Research, Galaxy Explorer

Monday — A18-49 Analysis:   ABC won the night on Monday, according to fast affiliate numbers from Nielsen Media Research, posting an overall 4.8/12 A18-49.  CBS was #2 with a 3.9/10, followed by NBC 2.7/7, Fox 2.2/6, WB 1.9/5, UPN 1.5/4. At 8p ABC’s Wife Swap led with a 4.3/11, while CBS was #2 with a 3.0/8. NBC and WB tied for 3rd, each earning a 7 share.  At 9p, same story:  ABC in front with a 5.1/13 for the first hour of the game, and CBS #2 with a 4.1/10, and NBC and Fox this time tied for #3 with a 6 share.  At 10p the game on ABC won the hour with a 5.0/13, CBS finished the night at #2 again with a 4.7/12.

Fast Affiliate Ratings: Monday, December 12, 2005, for all Networks – time period averages. Source: Nielsen Media Research. 

ABC     8.4/13   Wife Swap 7.1/11,  ABC MNF:  New Orleans Saints v. Atlanta Falcons 9.1/14 (9-11p avg)

CBS     7.912    King of Queens [r] 6.4/10, How I Met Your Mother [r] 5.9/9, 2-1/2 Men [r] 9.4/14, Out of Practice [r] 7.4/11, CSI: Miami [r]  9.2/15

NBC     5.7/9    NBC Special: Elton John: The Red Piano 5.6/9,  Las Vegas [r] 5.5/8, Medium [r] 6.2/10

WB      3.2/5    7th Heaven 4.2/6, Related  2.3/3

Fox     3.1/5    Arrested Development 2.5/4, Arrested Development [r] 2.1/3, Nanny 911 3.8/6

UPN     2.4/4   One on One 2.2/3, All of Us 2.5/4, Girlfriends 2.7/4, Half & Half  2.5/4

A18-49:  ABC 4.8/12, CBS 3.9/10, NBC 2.7/7, Fox 2.2/6, WB 1.9/5, UPN 1.5/4

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1799: George Washington, the American revolutionary leader and first president of the United States, dies of acute laryngitis at his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He was 67 years old.

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question: This ’80s spoof film of hospital soap operas starred many actors and included cameo appearances by soap opera actors and actresses.  What movie was this? YOUNG DOCTORS IN LOVE Kudos to:  Alec Newi-NBC Universal/NY; Jon Borowski-NCC/Atlanta; Deborah Duncan-WIVT/Binghamton NY; Marc Miller-NBC/NY; Tom Chapman-WKRG/Mobile AL; Brett Calvert-KSAT/San Antonio; Adam Leston-WDJT/Milwaukee; Bob Dickinson-KDAF/Dallas; Len Klatt-Premiere Radio Networks/LA; David Roehrig-10 x 10 Entertainment/LA; Tony Dimond-Producer/Santa Monica; Mario Turchiarolo-Kids WB/Burbank; Jeri Sacks-Granada International/LA

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Even if you missed out on the party of the year you can still win the incredible Sony PSP!
Send us a caption for the selected party picture from the November 17 Court TV ^® Providence Party
and you might be the one fortunate enough to win a Sony PSP.
See the photo and enter at http://www.courttvmediakit.com/party/contest.html

Today’s Trivia Question:  Telly Savalas was known as the lollipop cop on Kojak. His real-life goddaughter is a popular actress.  Who is she? (
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
12.14.05 – 5:06a
Ad Sales – Barbara Shapiro – 203-583-1224 /

Classifieds – Trish Pihonak – 203.381-9096 /

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”  as well as under Yahoo Podcast http://podcasts.yahoo.com/.

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Copyright Cynthia Turner 2005

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JOB OPENING:  ISO enthusiastic, motivated, and detailed-oriented candidate for ASSISTANT POSITION at top Beverly Hills entertainment pr firm in the corp. dept. Two-years PR exp req. Please email resumes to
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JOB OPENING: CORP COMM MGR/NY: BA in PR/Comm. pref’d w/5 yrs prof. exp. Dev. presentations. Strong org, oral/written skills. Knwlg of pitch proc & Cable/Media a +  Prof. in MS PP, Excel & Access. Res:
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JOB OPENING: SR SALES ANALYST/NYC: Accountable for ESPN/ABC Sports Advertising Sales Rate cards for various ESPN/ABC Sports networks. Learn more & apply online: http://jobsearch.espncareersearch.com/getjob.asp?JobID=36331236 ESPN (12/16)

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  Wednesday, December 14, 2005

ABC              George Lopez, Freddie, Lost [r], Alias
CBS              Still Standing, Yes, Dear, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY
FOX              That 70’s Show, Stacked, Trading Spouses
NBC              E-Ring [r], The Apprentice Martha Stewart, Law & Order [r]
i                      Sue Thomas F.B. Eye, Early Edition, Doc
UPN              America’s Next Top Model Special Reunion, Veronica Mars
WB                    Holiday Special: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Twins [r], Related [r]
TELE             El Cuerpo del Deseo,  Corazon Partido, Decisiones-Casos Extraordinarios, Decisiones
UNIV             Contra Viento y Marea, Alborada (debut), Cristina