Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
BROADCAST/CABLE
Initial reactions were lukewarm to the debut of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Business Network on Monday. “They appear to have a rooting interest in prices going up,” observes news analyst Andrew Tyndall. “It’s normally not a good sign of journalism when you’re rooting for an outcome.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN1524789820071015 10/15)
Video on the Launch (Click Below)
Dow Jones, which is yet to be acquired by News Corp., is breaking its advertising contract with CNBC and pulling ads that were to run on one of its Web sites, MarketWatch, on the launch day of rival Fox Business Network. News Corp. says it had nothing to do with Dow Jones’s decision. (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119249267523060024.html?mod=djm_HAWSJSB_Welcome 10/16)
On the verge of being acquired by News Corp., Dow Jones pulled ads from Fox Business Network rival CNBC on MarketWatch.com and wsj.com, reports the New York Times. The sites pulled the ads despite signing a two month long contract with its longtime client CNBC that began with banner ad placements on Oct. 1. (http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-more-on-djs-decision-to-block-cnbc-ads-for-fox-business-network-launch- 10/15)
Disney spent $2.14 million in the first half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form. The company lobbied on issues including digital television, patent reform, copyright protection, online child safety, and government spending on homeland security. (http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071015/disney_lobbying.html 10/15)
The Friday-night premiere of “Twitches Too,” an original sequel on The Disney Channel, attracted 6.96 million total viewers. It was the highest-rated show on basic cable that evening and pulled in more viewers 12 to 34 than any other show in its time slot. (Variety 10/15)
Twitches Too Trailer
Even with privately held Hearst rescinding its offer to buy out Hearst-Argyle shareholders en route to taking the TV-station group private, analysts believe Hearst will eventually mount another bid — perhaps after investors lower their expectations and the stock price drops. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=69254 10/16)
The “big four” broadcast television networks are continuing to lose audience share, according to new figures from Nielsen Media Research. All four networks are losing roughly the same share of viewers — most likely to a variety of entertainment options. (http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/networks-show-five-percent-declines/ 10/16)
Starz Entertainment launched three new hi-def premium movie channels: Starz Comedy HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Kids & Family HD. All three are hi-def East Coast feeds of the Starz Comedy, Starz Edge and Starz Kids & Family channels and join Starz HD (East) and Starz HD (West). The new channels and the original Starz HD channels are available for free to DIRECTV’s Starz Super Pack subscribers that have DIRECTV’s HD set-top boxes and HD DVRs. DIRECTV is the first affiliate to offer the new channels to its customers.
Meanwhile ESPN said ESPNEWS HD will launch on March 30, 2008, complete with new “Sideline” graphics that streams news, stats, scores and headshots below the video. DirecTV, Comcast and Time Warner Cable have agreed to carry the network so far.
Overbuilder RCN is now offering broadband services ESPN360.com and ABC News Now to its high speed internet customers.
Cablevision is worth more than the $22 billion the founding Dolan family is willing to pay to take the company private, according to several shareholders and advisory companies. Major shareholders are likely to oppose the deal when they are scheduled to vote Oct. 24. (http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzcable1016,0,6034847.story 10/15)
AT&T has been told by utility regulators in Connecticut that it must get a cable TV license to continue offering its U-verse IPTV service in the state. AT&T will be allowed to continue offering the service to existing customers until a ruling is made on the TV license. (The Boston Globe/Associated Press 10/15)
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