Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Brian Williams, Meet the Press, NBC News, NBC Nightly News, Nielsen Media Research, Steve Capus, Television, Tim Russert
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams will be the moderator of Meet The Press this Sunday, filling in for the late Tim Russert. Steve Capus, NBC News President said the network will take their time to permanently replace Russert both in the positions of Meet The Press moderator and as NBC Washington Bureau Chief. In the meantime, NBC News talent will fill in each week until a decision on who should take over has been reached. (Cynopsis 6/20)
TruTV may have found something with its newest series, “Black Gold.” According to Nielsen Media Research, the premiere Wednesday night attracted 1.61 million viewers, a record for the network once known as Court TV, averaging 950,000 adults 25 to 54 and 861,000 adults 18 to 49. (Mediaweek 6/19)
HBO and the BBC, which partnered on the made-for-TV movie “Rome,” are at it again. The two networks said they would join forces on two movies based on the works of British playwrights: “My Zinc Bed” by David Hare will star Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce and “A Number” by Caryl Churchill will feature Tom Wilkinson and Rhys Ifans. (Variety 6/19)
Harvey and Bob Weinstein are taking a fresh stab at television, announcing their first-ever development slate. The Weinsteins are developing a “Project Runway” spinoff, “Models of the Runway,” for Lifetime. Also in the works: a new take on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” (Iwantmedia 6/20, http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987783.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 6/19)
Comedians Sarah Silverman and Norm MacDonald have agreed to be panelists on TBS’ updated version of classic TV’s venerable “Match Game.” If the show gets picked up for a full run, it will represent the cable network’s biggest push to date into the game-show arena. (The Hollywood Reporter 6/20)
Charter Communications and Starz Entertainment have begun a test of interactive advertising in about 400,000 cable homes in Charter’s Southern California footprint. As part of the test, which will rely on Navic Networks’ technology in set-top boxes, advertising campaigns for movies to be aired on Starz, such as “Spider-Man 3″ and “Superbad,” will be tailored to the level of cable service available in specific homes. (Multichannel News 6/19)
Comcast and Big Ten Network have announced a carriage deal that will get BTN on Comcast systems in mid-August. The arrangement was a long time in the making, but the two sides have struck a compromise that will put the network on expanded-basic levels of Comcast systems in Big Ten states except Iowa on Aug. 15 and, in the spring of 2009, give the systems the option to move the network to digital tiers. (Chicago Sun-Times 6/20, The Detroit News 6/20)
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