Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Arts, CBS Evening News, CBS News, CNN, Daily Show, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Television
President Obama’s second primetime press conference Tuesday night culminated a week-long whirlwind of media appearances. The one-hour event at 8p aired live on 11 networks including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, CNBC, CNN, FOX News Channel, MSNBC and mun2 with a combined audience of 40.4 million viewers and a combined HH rating of 25.9. (Cynopsis 3/26)
Nearly a third of young Americans believe Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert are taking the place of traditional news sources like CNN, according to a new Rasmussen poll. The “CBS Evening News” is being “replaced” by “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show.” (Iwantmedia 3/26, http://www.popeater.com/television/article/stewart-colbert-replacing-old-news-guys/397294 3/25)
Discovery CEO David Zaslav is seen as cable television’s “fastest rising star,” with a media empire across 173 countries. Zaslav’s boldest move may be the new Oprah Winfrey Network, a channel he will launch by early next year. Oprah is expected to be Discovery’s “biggest brand.” (Iwantmedia 3/26, http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/23/david-zaslav-discovery-communications-business-media-zaslav.html 3/24)
Fox Broadcasting’s move to offer the new drama “Fringe” with limited commercial interruption is finding success, with audiences showing better-than-average ad recall, according to Magna Global. Viewer ad recall is “enhanced” by fewer, shorter breaks. (Iwantmedia 3/26, http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Fringe-limited-ad-experiment-shows/story.aspx?guid=%7B7560BA2F%2DE1E8%2D40F6%2D9E2D%2DAA9A2553410A%7D 3/25)
Tuesday night’s season finale of Bad Girls Club on Oxygen was the top telecast for the day with W18-34 among all cable networks and became the series’ most watched telecast among total viewers. Bad Girls Club’s final episode also generated a lot of online activity as it was one of the top ten topics on Twitter. (Cynopsis 3/26)
Cable and telephone providers are thinking local, with programming under way or in the works that spotlights community news, traffic updates and weather reports. “Hyperlocal content is a big draw because people really care about what happens right around them,” said Neal Polachek, chief executive of research firm Kelsey Group. The Wall Street Journal (3/25)
Turner Networks’ research indicates that the top 35 ad-supported cable networks gained 7% in total viewers in prime time during the first quarter. According to Turner, which based its findings on Nielsen data, cable networks such as Fox News, MSNBC, ESPN, Cartoon Network and Food Network showed some of the biggest gains. Variety (3/25)
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is hiring Time Warner exec Kelli Turner as CFO. She succeeds Howard Hochhauser, who left at year’s end for the parent firm of Ancestry.com. At Time Warner, Turner held the position of senior VP of operations in the office of the chairman and CEO. (Iwantmedia 3/26, http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Martha-Stewart-Living-names-apf-14752821.html 3/26)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Barack Obama, CBS Evening News, CBS News, Federal Communications Commission, General Electric, NBC Universal, New Adventures of Old Christine, Television
Oxygen on Sunday attracted 145,000 18- to 34-year-old women, its largest audience ever in that demographic, with a marathon showing of “America’s Next Top Model Obsessed.” Total viewers watching the 12 episodes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. gave the network a 25% gain compared with the average in the same time period for the previous four weeks. Broadcasting & Cable (1/22)
On Wednesday at 8 p.m., CBS will pre-empt “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” to air a special edition of “The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric.” The move is not intended as a tryout for a new show, CBS says. The broadcast aims to attract new viewers to the evening news. (Iwantmedia 1/23, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/arts/television/23cour.html?_r=1 1/23)
Smells like desperation to me… I think the controversy surrounding Katie’s new haircut is more interesting than her news program.
General Electric is reporting that its fourth-quarter net income fell 44%. “We expect 2009 to be extremely difficult,” says CEO Jeff Immelt. At GE’s NBC Universal, earnings fell 6.3% while revenue slid 2.7% as strong cable earnings were offset by declines at local stations. (Iwantmedia 1/23, http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090123-710183.html 1/23)
The Disney-ABC Television Group plans to merge its ABC Entertainment and ABC Studios units to streamline the creative process and “address the changing realities” of entertainment. The new unit, the ABC Entertainment Group, will be led by longtime ABC exec Steve McPherson. (Iwantmedia 1/23, http://www.smartmoney.com/news/ON/?story=ON-20090122-001044-1837&hpadref=1 1/22)
President Barack Obama has named Michael Copps as acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Copps, a member of the commission, is expected to run the agency until Obama’s technology adviser, Julius Genachowski, is appointed. Mediaweek (1/22)
The Screen Actors Guild is losing the support of a majority of its board to vote on a strike after a faction within the union backed a plan to suspend the vote. The update follows months of preparations for a strike vote that would have shut down production of studio movies and television shows. (Iwantmedia 1/23, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/ap_en_bu/hollywood_labor 1/23)
Lifetime has ordered 20 half-hour episodes of a new cooking series, “Cook Yourself Thin,” to start in the spring. Author Harry Eastwood, who penned a book that led to a British TV show, will join experts Allison Fishman and Candice Kumai in demonstrating how to make meals healthier by reducing calories and fat. Variety (1/22)
NBC ordered a 60m pilot titled Mercy from writer Liz Heldens (Friday Night Lights), reports THR. The dramedy centers on three nurses who are friends and intertwined in each other’s professional and personal lives. Universal Media Studios will produce. (Cynopsis 1/23)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: CBS, CBS Evening News, CBS News, Katie Couric, NBC, Philippe Dauman, Simon Fuller, Television
Manhattan-based CKX, led by CEO Robert Sillerman and “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller, is agreeing to a management-led buyout for $1.2 billion, 13% less than a previous agreement. The lower price means that Sillerman and Fuller will pay $150 million less for the company. (Iwantmedia 5/29, http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/FREE/332689091/1084 5/29)
Ever since word of Katie Couric’s supposed lame-duck status at CBS News spread far and wide across the Internet last month, the ratings at her evening news show have continued to drop. CBS “Evening News with Katie Couric” is said to have hit a new low last week. (Iwantmedia 5/29, http://www.observer.com/2008/deja-vous-cbs-evening-news-hits-another-record-low 5/29)
Viacom expects a slower rate of U.S. advertising growth in the second quarter than in the first quarter, according to CEO Philippe Dauman. The company’s second-quarter domestic ad revenue is expected to grow 3% to 4%. “Right now, we’re in an economically uncertain environment.” (Iwantmedia 5/29, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSWEN594720080528 5/29)
A consortium led by NBC Universal is putting the final touches on a financing package that could turn its proposed acquisition of The Weather Channel into a reality. According to this report, NBCU, along with private-equity firms Bain Capital and Blackstone, would put up between $3 billion and $4 billion, with more than half — $1.8 billion — in equity. Financial Times (5/29)
Disney President and CEO Bob Iger, during an investor conference, said he would consider upping the company’s stake in Lifetime and A&E, but likely would not be interested in acquiring any more broadcast-TV stations. Disney currently controls 50% of Lifetime and 37.5% of A&E. Broadcasting & Cable (5/29)
MTV Networks and NBC Sports are teaming up to expand the Action Sports Tour, a global, youth-focused, action-sports business. The franchise includes the Dew Tour, which was created by NBC in 2005 and encompasses action sports like skateboarding and freestyle motocross. (Iwantmedia 5/29, http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php?filename=mtv052808.htm 5/29)
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: CBS, CBS Evening News, CBS News, CNN, Katie Couric, Miley Cyrus, NBC, Wall Street Journal
Katie Couric may leave her post as CBS Evening News anchor before her contract is up in 2011, per a report in the Wall Street Journal. The report indicated she might depart as early as January 2009, following the presidential inauguration. Katie has been anchor with CBS News since 2006 and despite the media flurry over her leaving NBC‘s Today to be solo anchor at CBS, the CBS Evening News continues to rank third with total viewers and among the news sweet spot demo of A25-54. (Cynopsis 4/10, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120778369100203247.html 4/10)
“Hannah Montana,” the Disney show that has spawned a 3-D movie, a sellout concert tour and a clothing line, has been renewed for a third season. The series starring Miley Cyrus is the highest-rated show on television among viewers ages 6-14. (Yahoo!/E! Online 4/9)
Singer/songwriter Jewel was added to NBC’s Nashville Star as a mentor and judge to the contestants along with country music star John Rich. The competition series debuts on NBC June 9 at 930p. (Cynopsis 4/10)
After airing ego trip’s The (White) Rapper Show last year, VH1 will now explore the future of female rap artists as ego trip’s Miss Rap Supreme eight-episode competition series debuts next Monday at 10p. Ten female MCs will be tested with various challenges such as stage presence, creativity and mental astuteness with one swaggering over the others to win $100,000 and the title of Miss Rap Supreme. Returning as host for this new version produced by 10X10 Productions is Michael “MC Serch” Berrin and joining him is female rap artist Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker. (Cynopsis 4/10)
Despite political pressure from lawmakers arguing that forcing a la carte programming on cable companies would raise rates and lower channel options, FCC chairman Kevin Martin told members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government that he would not change his mind on the topic. “Absolutely, I am still enthusiastic about it,” Martin said Wednesday. “I absolutely think it’s the right thing.” (Multichannel News 4/9)
Hackers hired by News Corp. unit NDS Group stole and posted data that allowed free access to Dish Network’s satellite television service, the company says, in a corporate spying trial against its rival that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. NDS denies the spying charge. (Iwantmedia 4/10, http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN0947553720080410 4/9)
Verizon is suing Time Warner Cable for false advertising, alleging that the country’s second-largest cable firm makes a number of inaccurate claims about the telecom’s FiOS TV service in its ads. But Time Warner Cable spokesman Alex Dudley said the federal lawsuit, which was filed in the Southern District of New York, was “without merit,” adding that “we look forward to defending against it in the appropriate venue.” (InformationWeek/Reuters 4/9)
Following in Cablevision’s footsteps, Time Warner Cable has started offering caller ID on TV for 50,000 customers in the New York area. The service has been a big hit for Cablevision, which recently announced it delivered more than 1 billion caller ID on TV messages since debuting the service systemwide in November. (New York Post 4/10)
Cablevision is said to be uninterested in buying Newsday from Tribune, contrary to press reports. Separately, New York Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman has made a bid for the Long Island daily. Newsday also is in talks with Rupert Murdoch for a sale or a joint venture. (Iwantmedia 4/10, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0940597520080409 4/9)
