Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

Time Warner Inc., pressured by investors to break up a media conglomerate built over 20 years, will spin off its cable-television unit and receive a $9.25 billion one-time cash dividend in the transaction. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aRc29yQ2aubI&refer=home 5/21)

TNT’s coverage of the NBA playoffs so far is posting double-digit increases in household ratings and overall viewerships, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, TNT has averaged a 2.4 rating and 2.4 million viewers, increases of 14% and 15%, respectively. (Mediaweek 5/20)

While the 2007-08 television season officially ends tonight, Fox is looking like the season winner among A18-49, according to Nielsen ratings:  Fox 4.2/11; ABC and CBS 3.0/8; NBC 2.8/8; Univision 1.5/4; CW 1.1/3; MNT 0.4.  The broadcast networks are expected to finish down from last year in this key demo by about 10% among English language networks, while the cable networks as a whole will finish up approx 9% and ahead of the five broadcast networks. (Cynopsis 5/20, http://www.variety.com/VR1117986172.html 5/20)

USA Network, which has enjoyed consistently good ratings for its continuing shows, has announced its first pilot orders in two years. The network made cast-contingent deals for two pilots: “White Collar,” about an FBI agent and a con artist, and “Royal Pains,” which focuses on a doctor who provides on-call services to wealthy and pampered patients in the Hamptons. (The Hollywood Reporter 5/20)

Disney Channel has approved a live-action comedy series that will star teen Demi Lovato, the actress who was featured on the channel in a series of shorts titled “As the Bell Rings.” The new project, to be titled “Welcome to Mollywood,” begins production in September and is expected to premiere during the 2008-09 TV season. (Variety 5/20)

Comcast is building a massive call center in Newark, Del., that will house up to 700 customer-service agents, 200 of whom will be tasked with retaining customers “no matter what it takes,” according to Mike Doyle, president of the company’s eastern division. Doyle, participating in a panel discussion at The Cable Show earlier this week, predicted that these call-center agents will be able to not only retain customers but upgrade them to bundled services as well. (CED Magazine 5/20)

Herndon, Va.-based cable firm RCN Corp. is looking to capitalize on the fiber-optic network of its recently acquired NEON Communications in Massachusetts to make Beantown its next expansion market. “Ground zero for us is downtown Boston,” said Peter Aquino, RCN’s chief executive officer. “With all the fiber that I have, it’s just a matter of harvesting that.” (RedOrbit 5/20)