Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Arts, Camp Rock, Disney Channel, High School Musical, Jonas Brothers, Movies, Studios, Television
George Carlin, the man behind the Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV comedy routine, died of heart failure yesterday at the age of 71, reports the AP. He went to the hospital yesterday afternoon complaining of chest pains, and passed away later on that evening. (Cynopsis 6/23)
With 8.9 million viewers, Disney Channel’s “Camp Rock” made-for-TV movie was the most-watched program last Friday night. The movie’s premiere, which stars The Jonas Brothers, even outperformed the debut of Disney Channel’s original “High School Musical.” (TVWeek.com 6/21)
You know you’ve made it into the public zeitgeist when you’re the subject of a question on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” as AMC’s series “Mad Men” recently was. But the show, set in a 1960s-era Madison Avenue advertising agency, has done that one better: Running from Tuesday until September, the Science, Industry and Business Library within the New York Public Library will stage an exhibition about the ad men — and women — of that era. (The New York Times 6/23)
HBO will bring “In Treatment” back for a second season. Production of the new season of the series, which stars Gabriel Byrne and Dianne Wiest, is scheduled to begin in New York this fall, and new episodes are scheduled for 2009. (Broadcasting & Cable 6/20)
Former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw is being chosen to temporarily take over the moderator duties on “Meet the Press” left vacant by Tim Russert’s death. The veteran journalist will lead the Sunday morning news program through the U.S. presidential election. (Iwantmedia 6/23, http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b143723_tom_brokaw_named_temporary_press.html 6/22)
Tim Russert (left) and Tom Brokaw (right)
Bravo’s season two premiere of Flipping Out last Tuesday (10p) drew in 511,000 A18-49 viewers and 672,000 total viewers. (Cynopsis 6/23)
The NFL Network, which has been striving to become a cable TV powerhouse, with limited success because of the lack of a major carriage deal, is in talks with ESPN about a joint venture that would give the network distribution on most systems across the country, according to these reports. The talks have gone on for some time now and have reportedly now reached a high level — all the way up to NFL Network boss Steven Bornstein, who once ran ESPN, and Disney chief Bob Iger. (New York Post 6/21, CNNMoney.com/Associated Press 6/20)
Late Friday, ABC announced it is appealing the FCC’s ruling and fines that center on a 2003 episode of NYPD Blue that, according to the FCC, violated indecency policies. (Cynopsis 6/23)
Disney execs including CEO Bob Iger are touting “the Disney Difference” to convince investors that the company’s products and brand make it less of a cyclical media business and more like a consumer goods company, similar to Nike or Coca-Cola. So far, the campaign is proving “a hard sell.” (Iwantmedia 6/23, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN2240180220080623 6/23)
In a high-profile victory for cable companies, the FCC ruled late last week that Verizon Communications could no longer contact customers who were in the process of switching phone service to other providers. Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks filed a complaint with the FCC, arguing that the practice was illegal. (The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires 6/23)
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