Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE
The NBC late-night talk shows hosted by Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will return with all-new episodes on Jan. 2, according to NBC. The shows have been in reruns for two months because of the Hollywood writers strike. Both Jay and Conan “will continue to support” the striking writers.
(http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/17/writers.strike/index.html 12/17)
The Writers Guild of America, West, will not allow its members to write for the Golden Globes on Jan. 13 nor the Academy Awards on Feb. 24, according to a source close to the guild. Jon Stewart, who is slated to host this year’s Academy Awards, is yet to comment. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_tv/hollywood_labor_awards_shows 12/18)
Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and New Yorker, is signing a first-look deal to bring projects and story ideas to Time Warner’s HBO. Also: Brown says the online world is “becoming so interesting,” while broadcast network news “has become almost irrelevant.” (http://www.nypost.com/seven/12182007/gossip/liz/journo_turns_to_hbo_612682.htm 12/18, http://www.beet.tv/2007/12/tina-brown-netw.html 12/17)
Tina Brown
Who could have imagined that Tila Tequila could make Wall Street so buoyant? The Web pinup girl and star of MTV series “A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila” is part of growing ratings resurgence at Viacom properties, and that has put a number of stock analysts in a bullish mood. (The Hollywood Reporter 12/18)
For full episodes, click the image below:
Female-skewing Lifetime will be the exclusive home of “Wife Swap” reruns through the fall of 2012, thanks to a deal between the cable network and Disney-ABC Domestic TV. Lifetime, beginning next October, will get reruns of the popular reality show’s first four seasons and has clearance to telecast them twice a day. (Variety 12/17)
A second broadcast network is returning money to advertisers in the face of hefty ratings declines this season. Also: The CW is attracting about 860,000 viewers in its target 18-to-34-year-old demo — less than half the combined audiences of the former WB and UPN. (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=72848 12/17, http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/arts/2007/12/17/CBS-Warner-Brothers-Merger 1/08)
Sundance Channel will explore the world of legalized prostitution in its new original six-episode documentary series Pleasure for Sale that debuts February 4 at 11p. The series, directed and executive produced by Joe and Harry Gantz, goes inside The Chicken Ranch, a licensed brothel in Pahrump, NV, 60 miles from Las Vegas.
Rachael Ray has been renewed on Food Network through 2010. The new deal will have her host 60 episodes of 30 Minute Meals per year, twenty less than her previous contract. However, she will debut a new primetime travel series, Rachael’s Vacation opening January 12 which follows her to exotic places along with travel and vacation information.
Kevin Martin, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, says he will temper his planned relaxation of media ownership rules. Also: Some 25 U.S. senators are vowing to block any rule change, accusing Martin of ignoring the public’s right “to play a constructive role.” (http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2007-12-17-fcc-ownership_N.htm 12/18, http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSWAT00859020071218 12/17)
Kevin Martin
Comcast is hiring Boston Consulting Group exec Robert Victor to head up strategic and financial planning, two weeks after cutting its revenue and subscriber growth forecasts. The U.S. cable giant says it is facing a “challenging” economy and increased competition. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=a5SexjGbQTxM 12/17)
The Detroit metropolitan area is becoming ground zero in the national rivalry between cable companies and telecoms. Comcast and AT&T, the two biggest providers of TV, broadband and telephony services in the Motor City, have been running a blitz of advertising lately in hopes of increasing market share. (The Detroit News 12/18)
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