Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Comedy Central, FamilyGuy, FOX, Fox Broadcasting Company, Hollywood Reporter, Microsoft, Viacom, Windows 7
The premiere Oct. 22 of Comedy Central‘s “The Jeff Dunham Show” attracted 5.3 million viewers, the most ever for a series debut on the Viacom-owned network. After factoring in showings later in the night, the series amassed an opening-day audience of 7.9 million viewers. The Hollywood Reporter (10/23)
CNN, which invented the cable news network more than two decades ago, will hit a new competitive low with its prime-time programs in October, finishing fourth – and last – among the cable news networks with the audience that all the networks rely on for their advertising. (NY Times 10/26)
Microsoft is backing out of its sponsorship off Fox‘s upcoming “Family Guy” comedy/variety special. The software giant planned to sponsor the show to tout its new Windows 7 operating system. The special’s content, Microsoft says, “was not a fit with the Windows brand.” (Iwantmedia 10/27, Variety10/26)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Arts, Comcast, Fox Broadcasting Company, Hollywood Los Angeles California, JayLeno, NbcUniversal, Television, Television program
The deal between Comcast and NBC Universal is moving toward a likely official conclusion as media honchos gathered this week at 30 Rockefeller Plaza to kick tires, scrutinize balance sheets and perform due diligence. (The Wrap 10/22)
Jeff Gaspin, NBC Universal’s top television exec, claims that NBC will no longer program to profit margins — meaning no more “Jay Leno”-like programming that is profitable merely because it is cheaply produced. The announcement is said to be “stunning” Hollywood. (The Washington Post 10/23)
Stunning yes, if you consider that Marc Graboff (Co-Chairman/NBC) mentioned mere days ago at Digital Hollywood LA how profitable Leno was for the advertisers and how he considered that things were going “well.”
To satisfy the “Gleeks,” aka fans of new frosh series Glee, FOX said it will release the first 13 episodes of its music-filled drama on DVD at the end of this year, per Variety. ‘Glee’ Season One: Road to Sectionals will be available in stores by December 29. The 13-episode set will also contain a director’s cut of the pilot episode as well as behind-the-scenes features, cast audition clips and music performances from the show. Later in mid-2010 the full first season of Glee will be released on DVD, picking up the new original episodes slated to air on FOX next spring. The 13-episode set, coming out this December will also include a voucher toward the purchase of the full season box set. (Cynopsis 10/23)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Arts, CBS, cesarmillan, Fox Broadcasting Company, National Geographic Channel, Peter Chernin, Samuel L. Jackson, Television
FOX is working on a 30m comedy based on the popular National Geographic Channel series Dog Whisperer with Wilmer Valderramai n the title role, cites Variety. Full details on the project are not clear, though the character played by Valderrama will be inspired by Cesar Millan about a professional dog trainer who has built a wealthy business. (Cynopsis 10/20)
FOX also approved a comedy spec called Rehabfrom Sam Laybourne, a writer/producer on ABC‘s Cougar Town, per THR. The project will be produced by Peter Chernin with Will Gluck, who may direct. Rehab is about a man who pretends he needs rehab to connect with a former high school sweetheart who is now a rock star. (Cynopsis10/20)
Samuel L. Jackson and his company UppiTVhave two new projects on the docket for CBS produced by CBS TV Studios, cites THR. The first project is a multi-camera comedy from Bob Kushell about the wife of a US Congressman who inherits her husband’s seat after he dies suddenly. The second project is a medical drama penned by Andrea Newman about an emergency room doctor who uses unusual treatments on his patients. (Cynopsis 10/20)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: American Idol, AT&T, Fox Broadcasting Company, iPhone, Kris Allen, New York, Satellite radio, Sirius XM Radio
Fox, “American Idol” producers and AT&T are defending themselves against charges of voting irregularities during the finale of the singing competition. Fox and “Idol” producers say in a statement that they are “absolutely certain” that Kris Allen is, “without a doubt, the American Idol.” (Iwantmedia 5/28, http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/05/fox-idol-att-voting-controversy.html 5/27)
Sirius XM is developing an application for the iPhone that will allow users to stream music from the satellite radio service directly to their handset, according to this report. The app will require listeners to sign up for a subscription to Sirius XM at a cost of $12.95 a month. The New York Times/VentureBeat (5/27)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: ESPN, Federal Communications Commission, Fox Broadcasting Company, National Football League, NFL Network, Simpsons, Supreme Court of the United States, United States
Football fans flocked to watch the 2009 NFL Draft, with the NFL Network, ESPN and ESPN2 gauging a record 39 million viewers, based on data from Nielsen. This year’s viewership number equates to approximately 2.5 million more tuning in from the previous year and also breaks the 2007 record of 38 million viewers. (Cynopsis 4/28)
Beginning next week, FOX is moving its newer animated comedy Sit Down, Shut Up out from under The Simpsons‘ shadow on Sundays to 7p followed by reruns of American Dad at 730p. The final episodes of King of the Hill’s last season will fill the 830p time period following The Simpsons. (Cynopsis 4/28)
(Below) It’s official. I’m outside the target demo age range. Now, I officially feel bad for watching The Hills…
MTV serves up a variety pack of new programming covering different genres such as reality, fashion, sports, comedy, animation as well as a live afternoon show. MTV continues to aim its programming to the millennial generation, those born between 1980-2000, with shows that are “aspirational, escapist and optimistic.” Nine new series join MTV’s lineup. (Cynopsis 4/28)
Despite a strong push by TNT with its coverage of the NBA playoffs, USA Network maintained its dominance in the weekly ratings race among ad-supported cable nets. For the week that ended April 26, USA averaged 3.18 million total viewers; TNT finished with 2.93 million viewers and finished No. 1 in the 18-to-34, 18-to-49 and 25-to-54 demographic groups. Mediaweek (4/28)
The U.S. Supreme Court says that the Federal Communications Commission may penalize even the occasional use of certain expletives on the air. The court’s ruling says the FCC — prompted by Cher’s use of the F-word during a 2002 live broadcast — is justified in fining broadcasters. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/04/28/ST2009042801819.html 4/29)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: American Broadcasting Company, Arts, CBS, Fox Broadcasting Company, NBC, Stations, Television, United States
Millions of consumers by year’s end should be able to watch free, over-the-air television on cellphones and other mobile devices as the result of a new initiative by U.S. electronics manufacturers and the local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and others. The move is seen as “quite significant.” (Iwantmedia 1/9, http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2009-01-07-portable-tv-cellphones_N.htm 1/8)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: CBS Sports, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Business Network, NBC, New York Times, Nielsen Media Research, Ryan Seacrest, Television
Fringe is in the mainstream as FOX picked up nine additional episodes of the thriller, taking the series to a full season order. Thus far, Fringe has won in its weekly Tuesday 9p time slot as evidenced by results on September 30 among A18-49 viewers at 4.3/11 and drawing in 10.0 million total viewers. (Cynopsis 10/3)
Showtime’s Dexter nailed 1.2 million viewers for its third season debut last Sunday at 9p. Following on Showtime the comedy Californication at 10p averaged 522,000 total viewers for its season premiere. (Cynopsis 10/3)
The network, which is in its first year, passed a major milestone Monday afternoon when it logged 81,000 viewers. It was the first time Fox Business had attracted a large enough audience to garner analysis from Nielsen Media Research. The New York Times (10/2)
NBC will open its new reality dating show Momma’s Boys on October 29 at 9p. Over six weeks, the series from Ryan Seacrest Productions and Glassman Media will watch as three overbearing mothers help their sons sift through 32 single women, finding one for each that makes the mommas and the sons happy. (Cynopsis 10/3)
The MLB Network will debut Jan. 1 with programming dedicated to the sport. The network will be headed by Tony Petitti, a veteran of CBS Sports. The New York Times (10/2)
The network is working on a series based on “Red Mars,” Kim Stanley Robinson’s fictional account of the planet’s first pioneers. Jonathan Hensleigh, whose credits include “Armageddon,” will write and co-produce the series. The Hollywood Reporter (10/3)
ESPN, which bought North American Sports Network last year, will debut a makeover in February that will align the NASN with its parent brand. The network telecasts a variety of sports programming to Mexico, Europe and the Middle East. MediaPost Communications (10/2)
Now that they both are owned by Cablevision Systems, IFC and Sundance are coordinating their content in hopes of expanding their reach. IFC is tailoring its programming for young men, while Sundance is focusing on older “thought leaders.” The Wall Street Journal (10/3)
Although viewers who watch NBC’s “Heroes” on a DVR didn’t have as high an ad recall as those who watched the show live, they remembered the commercials and identified brands at twice the expected level, even though they fast-forwarded through the spots without sound, according to a neuromarketing study for the network by Innerscope Research. “Our conclusion was that people don’t skip ads,” said Carl Marci, co-founder and CEO of Innerscope Research. “They’re just processing them differently.” LiveScience.com (10/2)
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