Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

CBS Interactive, CBS Television and the Recording Academy credited an ambitious cross-platform marketing campaign for a huge increase in ratings for Sunday night’s Grammy Awards telecast, which experienced a 23% increase among adults 18-34 over last year’s broadcast. (Cynopsis 2/10)

ABC introduces the new cast of thirteen celebrities on Dancing with the Star’s eighth season opening March 9 at 8p: Belinda Carlisle, David Alan Grier, Jewel, Shawn Johnson, Lil’ Kim, Gilles Marini, Ty Murray, Steve-O, Nancy O’Dell, Denise Richards, Lawrence Taylor, Chuck Wicks & Steve Wozniak. (Cynopsis 2/10)

I wonder if Lil’ Kim will revisit this outfit selection from the MTV VMA’s.

ABC’s “Good Morning America” is licensing footage of an interview with octuplet mother Nadya Suleman’s own mother from RadarOnline.com, a Web-only version of the celebrity magazine that folded last fall. ABC describes the payment to Radar as a “nominal fee.” (Iwantmedia 2/10, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/02/as-nbc-airs-fir.html 2/9)

News Corp.’s MyNetworkTV no longer is a broadcast network. The venture is cutting back on original programming and will air syndicated content, such as a two-hour block of NBC’s “Law & Order.” The traditional broadcast model “is not working,” says MyNet president Greg Meidel. (Iwantmedia 2/10, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i423339706237af107467fb75f5076e53 2/9)

Many local TV stations face the prospect of being cut out of the picture as both viewership and advertising continues to decline. Execs at some major networks are beginning to talk about eventually taking shows straight to cable, where networks can take in steady subscriber fees. (Iwantmedia 2/10, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123422910357065971.html 2/10)

n an expected move, ABC Family renewed the series The Secret Life of the American Teenager for a second season. The cable network ordered 24 episodes with plans to launch season two next summer. Season one’s finale is scheduled for March 23. (Cynopsis 2/10)

Walt Disney Studios made a distribution agreement with DreamWorks Studios, cites CNN. The deal allows Disney to market at least six DreamWorks live-action movies per year produced via DreamWork’s deal with India-based Bollywood production company Reliance BIG Entertainment. (Cynopsis 2/10)

Cartoon Network wants to see more of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” the computer-generated series that has become a magnet for boys on Friday nights at 9 p.m. The network has ordered a second season of the series, which is set to kick off this fall. The Hollywood Reporter (2/9)

As large, multiplatform media companies such as News Corp. report their fourth-quarter earnings, it is becoming increasingly apparent that cable television networks, so far, are exhibiting a good amount of resistance against the recession. “People are spending more time at home, watching more TV and enjoying wonderful choice,” observed News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch, adding that “the fragmenting audience is hurting over-the-air.” Broadcasting & Cable (2/9)

DirecTV is reporting a decline in fourth-quarter profit after rivals curbed subscriber growth. The largest U.S. satellite-television provider faces mounting competition from cable and phone companies, which offer Internet service, phone calls and TV programming in one package. (Iwantmedia 2/10, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a94GfcenUtEQ 2/10)

Moody’s Investors Service is considering a credit upgrade for Comcast. According to this report, Moody’s is reviewing Comcast’s standing because of its falling debt/earnings ratio and its competitive strength in the media marketplace. Forbes/The Associated Press (2/9) , The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (subscription required) (2/9)

Citing newspaper-industry woes and the economic downturn, Cablevision says it will erase nearly 70% of the value of Newsday from its books. Cablevision, which bought Newsday last summer for $650 million, will take $375 million to $450 million in pretax “impairment charges.” (Iwantmedia 2/10, http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/business/ny-bzcabl106030548feb10,0,1818611.story 2/10)

Time Warner Cable earlier this month hit an important HD milestone: The cable provider now offers 100 channels in New York’s five boroughs. Time Warner Cable’s high-definition offerings include 65 channels as part of its standard package and an additional 35 in its premium tier. Multichannel News (2/9)