Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
Looking to complete the video component of its triple-play menu of services, AT&T has offered about $25 billion for Echostar, according to a report at TheStreet.com. The news hit the street just days after Echostar said it was considering the spinoff of its Dish Network unit. (Forbes 9/27, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)/The Denver Post 9/28)
Takeover speculation is boosting the trading of options in both EchoStar and the New York Times Co. Analysts say it may be “a matter of when, not if” AT&T acquires satellite-television provider EchoStar. But takeover rumors about newspaper publisher New York Times are “pretty far-fetched.” (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGDSqNYy2nGg 9/27)
NBC’s debut of “Bionic Woman” on Wednesday scored the highest ratings among viewers ages 18 to 49, the network’s best showing in four years. “Bionic” beat out the premieres of ABC’s “Private Practice” and Fox’s “Kitchen Nightmares, as well as CBS’s returning “Criminal Minds.” (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a9IvbPUVQt4o 9/27)
Bionic Woman Intro
Warner Bros. and NBC Universal are finalizing deals, including one that foreshadows the launch of a daytime talk show next year starring comedienne Bonnie Hunt. The show will run on NBC-owned TV stations. Hunt’s “quirky charm” is expected to make her a hit in daytime. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-warner28sep28,1,1889040.story?ctrack=5&cset=true 9/28)
Bravo’s fourth season of Project Runway is back starting November 14 at 10p and returning is host and supermodel Heidi Klum along with judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia and mentor Tim Gunn. Fifteen aspiring fashion designers will compete to be the final winner and take home the prize package which includes $100,000.
Comedy Central has ordered up 10 episodes of the Canadian series Kenny vs. Spenny, and has purchased 10 libraried episodes, per Hollywood Reporter. The show stars its creators Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice, who engage in a variety of battles. Joining Kenny and Spenny in producing the new episodes will be South Park’s own Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Comedy Central will begin airing the show on November 14.
Daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey earned $260 million between June 2006 and June 2007, four times more than other U.S. television stars, according to a new list from Forbes magazine. No. 2 on the list is Jerry Seinfeld, earning $60 million mostly from reruns of “Seinfeld.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2736255120070928 9/27)
Al Jazeera English is stepping up efforts to gain U.S. cable or satellite television distribution, and talks are going well with “one of the majors.” The 10-month-old news spinoff of the Arabic-language channel has had problems securing U.S. carriage from fears of a backlash. (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6484102.html 9/27)
Viacom-owned Spike TV is developing a new slate of unscripted programming that, according to this story, will revolve around factual content while being produced to appeal to the channel’s young male demographic. Two such projects in the works are “Declassified,” which will analyze dangerous U.S. special military operations, and “Deadliest Warrior,” a look at some of the most feared killers in history. Variety (9/27)
Cablevision will begin offering TBS in high-definition early next week, just in time for the start of Major League Baseball post-season games. The deal with TBS extends Cablevision’s HD offerings to 41 networks. (Multichannel News 9/27)
