Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

ESPN’s eight telecasts of Winter X Games 12 from Aspen last weekend averaged 863,000 homes which was a 17% increase from the previous year, making it the most-watched in the network’s history.

News Corp., Disney and Time Warner are expected to announce higher December-quarter profits when they report financial results next week. Still, the conglomerates, which are seeking ways to cope with the sluggish economy, are expected to discuss their cost-control plans. (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/higher-profits-anticipated-media-conglomerates/story.aspx?guid=%7B5C08044B%2DA45E%2D4223%2DAD68%2D38FAB5D1E183%7D  1/31)

The prolonged Hollywood writers strike is triggering a serious look by U.S. broadcasters into local series produced in the top English-language markets, especially Canada. Canadian series are seen as accessible to U.S. audiences. Canada is said to be “the next big thing.” (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i2b58004ff7cfb26218aaa25e1a0ba3ab  2/1)

More than 1,000 MTV Networks contractors reportedly are being converted to staff from their previous freelance status, in a move to appease workers upset over recent benefit reductions. MTV employees held a protest about the cuts outside MTV’s Times Square offices in December. (http://gawker.com/5002747/1000-mtvn-permalancers-to-earn-staff-positions 1/31)

“Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider,” the entertainment news programs syndicated by CBS, say they won’t air a video they acquired that shows the late actor Heath Ledger allegedly under the influence. The Hollywood community pressured the programs not to air the “exploitive” clip. (http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/entertainment-1.html  1/30)

Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101″ was the top-rated cable show for the week of Jan. 21 to 27, according to Nielsen Media Reszearch. The Jamie Lynn Spears-starring episode that ran Sunday, Jan. 27, at 8:30 p.m. was viewed in 4.13 million homes, narrowly edging out Disney Channel’s “Minutemen” telepic, which scored in 4.07 million homes. (International Herald Tribune/Associated Press 2/1)

TiVo won a decisive court battle Thursday against Dish Network, which sent the DVR maker’s stock price on a 29% upswing. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a lower court’s ruling that Dish Network infringed on some of TiVo’s software patents. (The Hollywood Reporter 2/1)