Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Business, NBC, News Corporation, Philippe Dauman, Sumner Redstone, Time Warner Cable, Viacom, Weather Channel
TV viewers will see more of Al Roker on weekday mornings as he signed on to host a new program for The Weather Channel called Wake Up With Al. The 60m program, with TWC’s Stephanie Abrams as co-host, will begin each weekday at 6a starting this summer. Wake Up With Al will offer an in-depth look at the day’s weather and Roker will appear in the studio, chatting with guests and viewers as well as in the field, reporting on weather where it happens. (Cynopsis 4/30)
NBC picked up another season of The Celebrity Apprentice slated for Spring 2010 from Mark Burnett Productions in association with Trump Productions LLC. Currently, this season The Celebrity Apprentice is averaging a 3.5/9 among A18-49 with 8.6 million overall viewers. (Cynopsis 4/30)
Viacom says its first-quarter profit fell 34%, hurt by falling advertising and entertainment revenue. But CEO Philippe Dauman is pointing to signs of an ad turnaround, a critical factor for the company’s cable assets. “Over the past few weeks we have seen the ad market stabilize.” (Iwantmedia 4/30, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090430/ap_on_bi_ge/us_earns_viacom 4/30)
Sumner Redstone says he has no plans to step down anytime soon or give up his controlling positions in CBS or Viacom. “I have no intention of dying.” Also, newspapers are one business “I’d never be in.” (Iwantmedia 4/30, http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSTRE53S9C520090429 4/29)
Peter Chernin is keeping his cards close to his vest about his post-News Corp. plans, but dismisses talk that he is being wooed by Viacom. “Nothing, no conversations,” says News Corp.’s president and COO. (Iwantmedia 4/30, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/04/panel.html 4/29)
Time Warner Cable during the first quarter beat analysts’ expectations by adding 36,000 basic-video subscribers, 121,000 digital-video customers, 225,000 high-speed Internet subscribers and 166,000 phone lines. The country’s second-largest cable provider reported that revenue was up 5%, to $4.4 billion, but net profit fell to $164 million. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (4/30) , OneTRAK (4/29) , Reuters (4/29)
Powered by its “Waking the Baby Mammoth” special, National Geographic Channel recorded its best April performance during prime time. From March 30 to April 26, the network averaged 445,000 total viewers as well as a 0.28 rating in the 25-to-54 demographic group, the latter of which was a 17% gain. Multichannel News (4/29)
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Filed under: GAMING | Tags: Bankruptcy, Business, Games, Midway Games, Mortal Kombat, Sumner Redstone, Time Warner, Video game
Time Warner is said to be preparing a bid for Midway Games, the creator of the “Mortal Kombat” video games. Midway filed for bankruptcy in February, two months after Sumner Redstone sold his 87% stake. “Mortal Kombat” has inspired two movies, both from Time Warner. (Iwantmedia 4/27, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=al5HLmOhfWOQ 4/24)
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Filed under: MISC | Tags: CBS, CBS Corporation, National Amusements, Sumner Redstone, Viacom, Walt Disney, Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort
Sumner Redstone’s family holding company, National Amusements, is said to be kicking off an auction to sell parts of its movie-theater chain. The move aims to pay down debt and help Redstone avoid having to sell some or all of his controlling stakes in Viacom and CBS. (Iwantmedia 3/27, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123808650011149523.html 3/27)
Nearly 800 jobs are being eliminated at Disney’s Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, sources say. Disney, which employs about 62,000 “cast members” in Central Florida, is making cuts as the company reorganizes its domestic operations. More layoffs are expected. (Iwantmedia 3/27, http://www.clickorlando.com/money/19026688/detail.html 3/27)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: ABC Studios, CBS, Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, National Amusement, NBC, Sumner Redstone, Viacom, Warner Bros.
Oxygen’s The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency season four finale averaged 234,000 A18-49 viewers, 168,000 W18-49 viewers and 342,000 total viewers. (Cynopsis 10/23)
NBC‘s ER may continue with more episodes even though the veteran medical drama is 14 years old and (supposedly) in its final season, according to THR and Live Feed. ER has been winning its Thursday 10p time period, besting frosh dramas ABC’s Life on Mars and CBS’ Eleventh Hour, prompting NBC to discuss with Warner Bros. the potential of adding more episodes. These are preliminary talks; a decision is probable by the end of the month. (Cynopsis 10/23)
ABC ordered nine more episodes of Private Practice from ABC Studios, taking the drama to a full season order, per THR. (Cynopsis 10/23)
Sumner Redstone, who earlier this month sold $233 million in Viacom and CBS stock, said Wednesday that enough was enough. “I will not sell Viacom and I will not sell CBS,” said Redstone, who controls both companies through his stock holding company, National Amusements. “They’re two great companies. We have no intention to sell any more stock, and I’m decisive about that.” The Wall Street Journal (10/23) , Reuters (10/22)
Alec Baldwin will join Turner Classic Movies‘ Robert Osborne as co-host of The Essentials, the network’s weekly movie showcase beginning next March. TCM’s The Essentials, beginning its ninth year in 2009, airs Saturdays at 8p. (Cynopsis 10/23)
Bill O’Reilly host of Fox News Channel’s The O’Reilly Factor made a new four-year pact with the network for an estimated $10-12 million per year. With a commitment to staying on television, O’Reilly says he wants to lessen his work load and will halt his nationally syndicated radio show, The Radio Factor through Westwood One and Fox News Talk, perhaps even early next year. (Cynopsis 10/23)
Major League Baseball Network (MLBN) is discussing with Bob Costas of NBC Sports the possibility of Costas joining the network beginning next season, per Variety and Sports Business Daily. Nothing has been settled yet, though the talks include adding Costas as a play-by-play or color announcer for a minimum of one game per week as well as participating in nightly in-studio updates. Costas has been with NBC Sports for more than 20 years and currently anchors NBC’s Sunday Night Football franchise in addition to other sports events and NBC’s Olympics coverage. He also hosts HBO’s Costas NOW. (Cynopsis 10/23)
Two cable networks — BET and Hallmark — announced separate deals for first dibs on theatrical releases. BET’s deal with The Weinstein Co. includes upcoming films such as “Soul Men” and “Hurricane Season,” while Hallmark’s agreement with Fox’s Twentieth Television includes classics such as “Big,” “Home Alone” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Variety (10/22)
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Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: CBS, Knight Rider, NBC Universal, Sumner Redstone, Television, Television program, USA Network, Viacom
Serialized drama series “House” is averaging 2.9 million viewers for USA Network, which last month began running the show Monday to Friday and, in some cases, three episodes consecutively on Sunday nights. USA acquired the off-network show in 2005 for $1.4 million per episode. TVWeek.com (10/12)
The legal dispute between cable nets Bravo and Lifetime over “Project Runway” could set up some interesting programming challenges for Lifetime if the show does not join its slate next January as expected, according to this analysis. If a judge cannot resolve the matter in time, the show, which ends its fifth season on Bravo on Wednesday, may not be able to go to Lifetime until summer 2009. Mediaweek (10/13)
Over on NBC, Universal Media Studio’s Knight Rider received a go-ahead for four more scripts. Thus far the remake of the 1980s hit show has not performed well overall yet it is considered a vehicle to attract young male viewers. The series airs on Wednesdays at 8p. (Cynopsis 10/13)
Sumner Redstone is selling about one-fifth of his controlling stake in Viacom and CBS to pay down debt. The sale plan is announced as both Viacom and CBS warn that deteriorating advertising sales will slash their profits, prompting their shares to drop and bring down other media stocks. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a247VDPj5Vh0 10/10)
ABC is resurrecting the sci-fi thriller V, the 1980s miniseries about alien lizards on Earth, writes Variety. Scott Peters (The 4400) is writing the new adaptation which ABC picked up as a spec script and Warner Bros. TV is producing. (Cynopsis 10/13)
The CW has a spinoff in the works based on its reality series America’s Next Top Model. A pilot was ordered for Operation Fabulous, starring ANTM regulars Jay Manuel and J. Alexander, who will travel cross-country giving average women full makeovers. (Cynopsis 10/13)
Solid performances by cable nets USA, Bravo, Sci Fi, Oxygen and CNBC — along with a major boost from the Beijing Olympics — helped NBC Universal generate $5.1 billion in revenue in its third quarter, a 35% spike from the comparable period a year earlier, and operating profit of $729 million, up 10%. Even without the Olympics, NBCU’s revenue would have increased 8%, thanks to the cable channels. OneTRAK (10/10) , TVWeek.com (10/10)
Turner Broadcasting and MGM Worldwide TV are working together to develop a new half-hour animated show for Cartoon Network titled “Pink Panther & Pals.” Turner and MGM are preparing 26 episodes of the show, which is expected to debut in the fall of 2009. Variety (10/12)
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Filed under: GAMING | Tags: MTV, MTV Networks, Neopets, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group, Nicktropolis, Rock Band, Sumner Redstone, Viacom
The Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group, part of Viacom’s MTV Networks, has created new divisions for gaming and for virtual worlds. The gaming group will develop content for a variety of platforms, including CD-ROM, online, handheld and consoles, while the virtual-worlds unit will focus on online experiences, such as Neopets and Nicktropolis. Variety (6/17) , The Hollywood Reporter (6/17)
Filed under: BROADCAST/CABLE | Tags: Andrew Heyward, CBS Corporation, CBS News, Dan Rather, Ira Gammerman, Leslie Moonves, National Guard, Sumner Redstone
Yesterday, many of the claims filed by Dan Rather in a $70 million lawsuit last September against the CBS Corporation were dismissed by Judge Ira Gammerman of the New York Supreme Court. The judge rejected Rather’s claim of fraud against CEO, Leslie Moonves, Viacom-CBS Chairman, Sumner Redstone and former CBS News president, Andrew Heyward in addition to his assertion that the network made him the scapegoat involving the bru-ha-ha surrounding the 60 Minutes II use of controversial papers in the story about President Bush’s National Guard service in the 1970s. The lawsuit further accused CBS of not giving him worthy assignments on CBS News programs following his resignation as anchor in March 2005. (Cynopsis 4/11, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/10/national/main4006080.shtml 4/10)
Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather and CBS President Leslie Moonves. (CBS/AP)
General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt is resisting calls to sell off NBC Universal. Investors’ cries could grow louder if GE disappoints when it reports first-quarter earnings. Still, in the current financial environment, a sale of GE’s media holdings is seen as unlikely. (http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/10/news/companies/simons_nbcu.fortune/index.htm 4/10)
General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt has so far resisted calls to sell NBC Universal.
A handful of media companies are gearing up to submit second round bids for the Weather Channel. Fewer than five companies are putting together the second-round bids. A source briefed on the matter says Time Warner is in talks to buy the channel from Landmark Communications. (http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN1040547020080410 4/10)
After airing only one episode Tuesday night, CBS cancelled the reality competition series Secret Talents of the Stars. The premiere/finale episode posted a 1.5/4 among A18-49. Starting next Tuesday, CBS will air 48 Hours Mystery in the 10p slot for two weeks then Shark returns with new episodes post-strike as of April 29. (Cynopsis 4/11)
Apparently, CBS’ secret talent is cancelling shows.
Wednesday night’s finale of High School Reunion (10p) on TV Land delivered a 0.5 rating and 560,000 viewers among A25-54. The program also averaged more than a million total viewers. (Cynopsis 4/11)
Click the image below to watch the final episode.
Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” will tape from Philadelphia next week, the show’s first road trip, to cover Pennsylvania’s pivotal Democratic primary on April 22. The shows will feature guests such as Gov. Ed Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders. (Multichannel News 4/10)
Donal Logue was added to the HBO biker gang pilot, 1% playing a character called Misfit along with Timm Sharp, Lucy Punch and Sonny Barger. Donal was also just added to the cast of NBC’s Life for its second season next fall. (Cynopsis 4/11)
High-definition airings of Major League Baseball games by Comcast SportsNet will increase by more than 60% this season, particularly in the New York and Chicago markets. All Mets, White Sox and Cubs games will be in HD, company spokesman Tim Fitzpatrick said. (TVWeek.com 4/10)
A new study from market research firm Centris says more than 9 million U.S. households are in “challenging reception areas” and could experience some reception problems after the February 2009 switch to all-digital TV. The report said about 17 million homes currently rely on analog signals and 54% of those — 9.2 million — will have problems because of land topography, tower distance and antenna quality. (Broadcasting & Cable 4/10)
