Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

Gemstar-TV Guide International’s shareholders approved the sale of the company to DRM provider Macrovision for $2.8 billion. The company says it wants to peel off TV Guide Network, TV Guide Magazine and horse racing channel TVG. (Cynopsis 4/30, http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080429/macrovision_gemstar_tv_guide.html 4/29)

Not surprisingly, Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes has decided to sell off the conglomerate’s stake in Time Warner Cable. “A complete structural separation of Time Warner Cable, under the right circumstances, is in the best interests of both companies’ shareholders,” he said. (Bloomberg 4/30)

Some on Wall Street and in Hollywood are asking: Can Sumner Redstone afford not to reunite Viacom and CBS? Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner says it is “suicidal” for the two companies to remain separate. Together, Viacom and CBS are “more like Disney or GE.” (http://blogs.mediapost.com/on_media/?p=159 4/30)

News service Reuters is reporting that CBS and NBC Universal will come together in the second round of bidding for The Weather Channel with a consolidated bid. Second-round bids are due May 8, and the joint offer from CBS and NBCU is expected to be in the range of $3.5 billion to $4 billion. (Reuters 4/29)

Hollywood studios and the Screen Actors Guild appear to have made little headway toward a new contract after more than two weeks of negotiations. The talks are said to have bogged down over how much actors should be paid across both new- and old-media platforms. (Iwantmedia 4/30, http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sag30apr30,1,5608404.story 4/30)

Most of the major broadcast networks are dramatically scaling back the number of Los Angeles staffers they plan to send to New York for their upfront presentation to advertisers in May. CBS is said to be slashing its contingent by more than 50%. This year’s event seems “less relevant.” (Iwantmedia 4/30, http://www.variety.com/VR1117984827.html 4/29)

Household ratings are up 20%, to 2.1, for TNT’s coverage of the NBA playoffs so far this year. Through the first 17 games, TNT also is surging in key demos: up 32% among adults 18 to 34 and men 25 to 54. (Mediaweek 4/29)

HBO received eight Sports Emmy Awards, the most of any TV network, including the prize for outstanding sports journalism for a report on football-related concussions by “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel.” ESPN won four Sports Emmys and TNT and ESPN.com each took home three. (Mediaweek 4/29)

FX is developing a motorcycle drama titled “Sons of Anarchy,” which will premiere in September and star Charlie Hunnam and Katey Sagal. The series will go spoke-to-spoke with HBO’s “1%,” another drama revolving around motorcycle culture. (Variety 4/29)

Fox News Channel will begin simulcasting in high definition Thursday with distribution from Time Warner Cable in parts of New York City and in San Antonio, Texas. Fox News HD will operate in the 720-line progressive format. (Broadcasting & Cable 4/29)

Verizon has received a cable TV franchise agreement from the city of New York. The agreement, which still must be approved by the city’s Franchise and Concession Review Committee, would pit Verizon against Time Warner Cable and Cablevision. (The Boston Globe/Associated Press 4/29)