Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

The production partners that bring us March Madness – CBS Sports, CBS College Sports Network and the NCAA – have lined up over 20 distribution partners this year to pipe HD game highlights out to cable homes on demand in a variety of packages. TVN Entertainment will be distributing the NCAA March Madness Highlights, bundled with classic buzzer beaters from years past, within hours of each game’s original airing using its TVNow fast turnaround service. (Cynopsis 3/10)

The second-season debut of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” attracted 42% more total viewers than the first season’s average and 36% more people in the important 18-to-49 demographic than the first-season premiere. In “Breaking Bad,” star Bryan Cranston plays a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who makes methamphetamine to secure his family’s financial future. Variety (3/9)

British comedy The Mighty Boosh heads across the pond to debut on the Cartoon Network‘s Adult Swim block, March 29 at 1am.  Cartoon has acquired all three seasons of the series, and will begin with the first episode of Season #3 later this month.  The series was written by Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding, who also both star in the program, as a glam rocker wannabe (Fielding) and his friend the jazz aficionado and self-proclaimed genius, and together they are working in a band and looking for that “new sound.” (Cynopsis 3/10)

Joining the cast of Melrose Place on The CW, is Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.  She will play the role of Violet Foster, a small town girl who recently moves to LA, and of course brings a secret with her. (Cynopsis 3/10)

NBC is launching its long-awaited 24-hour news and lifestyle television channel, dubbed New York Nonstop. In addition to up-to-the-minute business, politics and current events, Nonstop will “explore the trendsetters and emerging voices at the heart of New York City.” (Iwantmedia 3/10, http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NBC-Unveils-24-Hour-News-Lifestyle-Channel-for-NY.html 3/10)

Hey NBC…here’s a little piece of advice.  If you want your promo video to evoke edgy NYC for ‘trendsetters’, don’t put THIS guy (see below) in it.  I feel like I’m watching the SNL bit Stashin’.

Sundance Channel will introduce six new series on April 21, Earth Day, during its Tuesday-night block of environmental programming called The Green. Sarah Barnett, the network’s senior vice president of marketing, said Sundance would employ the most extensive marketing campaign in the three-year history of The Green to promote the new shows and five companion shows at Sundancechannel.com. Multichannel News (3/9)

U.S. media revenue from advertising declined 4.2% last year and will decline another 12% this year, then as much as 7% in 2010, according to the Jack Myers Media Business Report. As ads for several “old media” categories decline, digital and online are showing growth. (Iwantmedia 3/10, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ia82652ffac56b32e5eaffcc6db6d3050 3/9)

A group of Disney shareholders wants a say on the wages and benefits paid to the company’s top execs, including CEO Bob Iger. Disney has said it is opposed to giving investors a nonbinding advisory vote. The measure reflects growing investor ire over exec compensation. (Iwantmedia 3/10, http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cotown-disney10-2009mar10,0,804928.story 3/10)

Time Warner Cable has debuted its Primetime On Demand offering. The feature marshals together the prime-time slates of cable and broadcast networks — including USA, FX, CBS and NBC — and presents them in a convenient menu for VOD viewing. TVWeek.com (3/9)

The FCC has sided with Cox Communications in a case in which AT&T was trying to get the cable provider to share television rights to San Diego Padres games in San Diego. Cox carries the games exclusively on its regional sports network in California, and the FCC said there was “no basis” to force Cox to allow AT&T to show the games on its U-verse TV service. Bloomberg (3/9)

Dish Network is giving history buffs a more hands on approach. History Channel has launched History Interactive powered by Ensequence to take advantage of the platform’s iTV capabilities. The service, accessible via remote by subscribers with an OpenTV-enabled receiver, features factoids, interactive quizzes and extra information based on History’s current programming. The network’s Battles BC series, which premiered yesterday, will showcase the tool with bios of the on-camera experts, stills from the production and an interactive game. (Cynopsis 3/10)