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BROADCAST/CABLE by Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

The Jonas Brothers are tearing up the tween scene and are poised to become a nine-figure franchise for Disney. The boy band could become “the next billion-dollar brand,” say industry marketers. The Jonsas are the subject of Disney movies, albums, books and TV shows. (Iwantmedia 8/15, http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/2008/08/14/The-Jonas-Brothers-Phenomenon 8/14)

With just a month before new television shows begin airing for the fall season, pilots are taking file-sharing networks by storm. More than 10 episodes of highly anticipated shows, including J.J. Abrams’ Fox sci-fi drama “Fringe,” have leaked online before their debut air dates. (Iwantmedia 8/15, http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/08/leaked-tv-pilot.html 8/14)

Fringe

NBC Universal, taking advantage of its ability to attract 168 million viewers to its Olympics coverage, sold an additional $10 million in advertising space between Monday and Wednesday of this week, according to this report. NBC has scheduled six to seven commercial pods per hour during the games, compared with an average of five for prime time. Advertising Age (8/14)

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution has made 85 movies available to the video-on-demand platforms of cable providers such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Charter and Rogers Cable. The offering — which involves classic titles such as “Casablanca,” “Blade Runner” and “Rebel Without a Cause” — is in honor of the 85th anniversary of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Broadcasting & Cable (8/14)

Percy Miller, also known as rapper Master P, has announced plans to launch a new cable network in 2009 called Better Black Television that will target blacks and Hispanics. “I believe that there is a market in our community for a new diverse network that provides a new brand of superior programming that caters to all aspects of television, from reality to original programming,” Miller said. Yahoo!/Reuters/The Hollywood Reporter (8/15)

Harbinger Capital Management informed the government Thursday that it had acquired 11.45 million of Cablevision’s Class A shares, a 4.9% stake that makes it the company’s fifth-largest stockholder, according to this report. The article goes on to say that it is unclear exactly what Harbinger plans to do with its newfound power, but one observer with knowledge of the situation believes it’s unlikely the company would launch a proxy fight. In reaction to the investment, Cablevision said: “We welcome all investors and are focused on enhancing value for all shareholders.” The Wall Street Journal (free content) (8/15)

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