Daily Marauder

BROADCAST/CABLE

Hoping for input into Jay Leno‘s fall primetime program, the NBC affiliates board is conducting a study to keep local newscasts from suffering due to the network’s decision to move “Leno” to 10 p.m. The study will help reveal, for example, the ideal length of Leno’s monologue. (Iwantmedia 3/24, http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/190391-NBC_Affils_Launch_Study_to_Shape_Leno_.php 3/23)

In a sign that media rights for major sports may defy the recession, the National Football League is entering a four-year extension with DirecTV valued at $4 billion — a 43% increase over the current deal. The league will soon seek new deals with broadcasters. (Iwantmedia 3/24, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123786503490122053.html 3/24)

Lifetime’s latest adaptation of a Nora Roberts novel, “Northern Lights,” attracted 4.5 million viewers in its premiere on Saturday night. The movie scored 1 million women between the ages of 18 and 49 and 1.2 million in the 25-to-54 group. Variety (3/23)

Hmmm…could their affair have anything to do with it?  Don’t know what I’m talking about.  Grab an Us Weekly or check out your favorite gossip blog.

Fox has ordered up a second season of Kitchen Nightmares feature Gordon Ramsay‘s visits and fixes of restaurants in dire need of help. (Cynopsis 3/24)

Turner is expanding its 25-year relationship with the National Basketball Association with a number of projects in development for the television, online and mobile platforms. First up is a short-form TV series about the kids of NBA players titled “My Dad’s a Pro,” which is slated to debut on Turner’s Cartoon Network this fall. The Hollywood Reporter (3/23)

A year ago, the smart money was on GE dropping NBC Universal, but the media company has shed its “black sheep” image and is a cash-contributing asset, according to this report. GE’s overall profits were down 22% in 2008, but NBC Universal, with cable assets such as USA and Bravo, saw profits increase 1%. The New York Times (3/23)

AT&T’s U-verse IPTV service is expanding its ethnic programming line-up adding international  channels to serve Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese and Korean viewers in the U.S. New offerings include Mandarin-language based ET News and ET Global; Hindi-based STAR India PLUS, added to the South Asian package for no extra charge; Korean drama and variety channel MBC America; and the Vietnamese-dubbed TVBV drama channel. (Cynopsis 3/24)