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BROADCAST/CABLE

The WGA countered the AMPTP’s offer with a tiered streaming proposal that will cost the studios $151 million over the next three years, according to stated residual assumptions. It adds residuals for streaming media that ramp up as a show gets more online views with the overall value increasing gradually from $33 million the first year to $68 million during the final year of the contract. (Go to wgaeast.org for a breakdown of what each studio will pay.) The olive leaf of the offer drops the WGA’s demand to improve the current DVD rate of return, which the group estimates will save $57 million over three years. However, the guild’s analysis of AMPTP’s Nov. 29 proposal touted as a $130 million over 3 years offer by the studios, estimates the actual increase to be only $32 million over three years – suggesting the two sides are further apart than just $21 million.

Speaking of the strike, CBS President/CEO Leslie Moonves confirmed yesterday at the 35th Annual UBS Global Media and Communications conference in New York that CBS has plans to integrate some Showtime series into the primetime schedule this midseason if the strike continues.  Show under consideration include Dexter, Weed and Brotherhood, all of which would be edited for broadcast TV. (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i3429e07b4feb0c53955d7e995ea3a29c 12/5)

Dexter

HBO is preparing a series of short films based on the back stories of characters in its popular series “The Wire,” which enters its fifth season Jan. 6. The prequels will be available Jan. 15 via HBO On Demand, HBO.com, podcasts and affiliated sites. (The Hollywood Reporter 12/5)

Bunk/McNulty 2000

Young Omar 1985

Proposition Joe 1962

HBO’s filmed-entertainment division has secured the distribution rights to “Sugar.” It’s unclear whether the film, which will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month, will make its HBO debut on the cable channel or in theaters under HBO’s Picturehouse label. (The New York Times/Reuters/The Hollywood Reporter 12/5)

If you’re planning on attending TCA this January, the Association has told its members that for planning purposes, if the strike is still ongoing by December 14, the January TCA Tour will be cancelled. Meanwhile the two sides are scheduled to continue their negotiations today, which is always encouraging. 

JPMorgan is throwing $200 million of its own into the ring targeting film and television financings, content acquisitions, new industry ventures, and traditional and digital media start-ups. (http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-21380374.htm  12/3)

A Nielsen survey of 1,500 young adults found that 56% of 18-34 year olds utilize DVRs, the internet, VOD or MP3 players to catch TV episodes they may have missed. The single largest factor that drove awareness of internet-based streaming was not high-speed access at home, but whether the respondents had loaded iTunes on their home PCs. 

The Discovery Channel is U.S. cable subscribers’ favorite channel, according to a beta Research study. ESPN came in a close second, followed by History Channel, Food Network and Fox News Channel, rounding out the top 5. CNN came in eighth place on the list. (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6509604.html12/4)

“NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams” is narrowly overtaking ABC’s “World News With Charles Gibson” to become the most-watched of the network evening newscasts. Notably, the audience for “CBS Evening News With Katie Couric” is down by more than 1 million viewers. (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/arts/television/05tube.html?_r=1&oref=slogin12/5)

Brian Roberts

Comcast says it expects to lose more basic video customers in 2008. The cable giant is being hurt by competition from new video services from phone companies like Verizon and AT&T. “We will fight in the streets and do everything we can for retention,” says CFO Michael Angelakis. (http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSN056008002007120512/5)

Cox will participate in the 700-MHz spectrum auction in January without its joint-venture partners, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, Cox director of media relations David Grabert said. Other bidders expected to participate are Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Google. (The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires 12/d, Multichannel News 12/4) 

Charter is testing a triple-play offering that features TV, Internet and phone service for less than $70 a month. The package, about $30 less than the company’s traditional triple-play service, comes with “limited basic” TV service. (Broadcasting & Cable 12/4)

Shares of Echostar dropped 4.8% Tuesday on reports that the company may participate in the FCC’s Jan. 24 wireless-spectrum auction. The auction deadline was Monday, and bidding is expected to begin at $4.6 billion. (Forbes 12/4)

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