Broadcasting & Cable back issues from November 2000:
Web in a box.(TeleCruz to introduce Web-enabled TVs.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Microsoft's Web TV (above) and AOL's AOL TV will soon get some competition in the TV-based Web surfing market. At CES in January, TeleCruz, which develops integrated circuits and related software for interactive television, and two major TV set manufacturers will introduce TVs that include ...
Timeless pyramid.(The Million Dollar Pyramid game show is launched.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... The old $25,000 Pyramid is getting a facelift, a lot more loot and possibly a daytime and prime time platform for the 2001-2002 TV season--not to mention a pair of new big-name hosts. Columbia TriStar Television Distribution is developing remakes of the old Dick Clark-hosted game show ...
GETTING READY TO DEAL.(Viacom hires Morgan Stanley.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Viacom has hired Morgan Stanley to help it figure out which TV stations to divest to get back under the 35% ownership cap. With the acquisition of CBS, Viacom's local-TV-station coverage climbed to 41%. Viacom wants to swap stations (creating additional duopolies where it can) ...
TOO HOT TO HANDLE.(Major party candidates not using government noncommercial stations rules.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Major party candidates, apparently fearing a backlash from public broadcasting devotees and key lawmakers, have made virtually no use of government rules requiring noncommercial stations to give free airtime to candidates since the opportunity gained ...
TAUZIN'S D.C. CAMPAIGN.(Billy Tauzin )(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) has a re-election race on his hands for the first time in years. But only in a very Literal sense. The Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman faces three opponents. None is going to win, but it's a change for Tauzin who usually wraps up his race in September ...
20,000 strong.(NATPE conference in Las Vegas.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... As usual, NATPE organizers Last week were placing their bets that the Jan. 22-25 conference in Las Vegas will be its strangest ever. They say the show has 25% more exhibitors signed on than at this time last year, and attendance should be right around 20,000. New media ...
BET now in Viacom's 'hood.(Black Entertainment Television to operate independently.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... $2.9B takeover expands Sumner Redstone's cable empire; Johnson retains control Tiptoeing carefully around the potential racial land mines that accompany their $2.9 billion takeover, Viacom executives insisted last week that Black Entertainment Television will remain a separate ...
Congress seeks to gag classified-info leakers.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Media execs urge president to veto bill that would criminalize talkers Some of journalism's hardest-hitting stories were written when reporters obtained classified information from secret government sources. But such stories may never have come to light if a law had ...
THE BUSH SCOOP.(WPXT(TV) Portland, Maine, reports on Gov. George W. Bush scoop)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Erin Fehlau, reporter for the Fox affiliate WPXT(TV) Portland, Maine, was tipped to the 24-year-old drunk-driving arrest of Gov. George W. Bush by a policeman who had overheard a judge and a lawyer talking at a local courthouse. The lawyer later told her the ...
BIG THREE'S REVENUES INCREASE 42%.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Net revenues at the Big Three networks jumped 42.5%, to @2.6 billion, in the third quarter, thanks largely to the Olympics on NBC, according to Ernst & Young figures released by the Broadcast Financial Management ...
CANDIDATE CAN USE C-SPAN FOOTAGE.(Bill Federer )(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late last week allowed a political campaign to use in its ads C-SPAN footage, but Missouri Republican Bill Federer will have to remove the C-SPAN logo and other identifications. C-SPAN had won an ...
STRONG THURSDAY FOR NBC IN NOV. SWEEPS.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... NBC attracted its second-best nightly ratings of the season on Thursday. The lineup averaged a network-best 12.1 rating/30 share in ...
GROWTH IN HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIONS.(High-speed lines increase 57% during first half 2000.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... High-speed lines, including cable and telephone, connecting homes and small businesses to the Internet increased 57% during first half 2000, according to an FCC report. High-speed telephone digital subscriber ...
TRUONG LEAVES FCC.(To-Quyen Truong joins Dow, Lohnes and Albertson.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... To-Quyen Truong, associate chief of the FCC's Cable Services, this week joins the telecommunications practice of Dow, Lohnes & ...
CORRECTIONS.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... In the Oct. 30 article titled "Raw Nitro Smackdown," Eric Bischoff was incorrectly identified. He is a former executive producer for WCW who was later rehired. ...
Local TV gets shield from DBS.(FCC rules go into effect.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Satellite TV must black out some superstation and network programming EchoStar and DirecTV over the next four months must begin cutting off many subscribers from some network, syndicated and sports programming broadcast by TV superstations. The FCC last week put in ...
Classic continuation.(Cleveland's WCL V-FM swaps music with Salem Communications.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Cleveland's WCL V-FM creates classical music safe harbor via complicated radio swaps with Salem Communications Roil over, Beethoven: Cleveland's Radio Seaway celebrated the 38th birthday of classical WCLV-FM on Nov. 1 with an unusual deal to give its classical-music format safe ...
A class act on-screen and off.(Steve Allen is mourned.)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Steve Allen's is mourned and remembered by friends, colleagues and the entertainment world Steve Allen's talent could not be contained, even in the box he helped shape. First earning celebrity in a radio booth more than half a century ago, Allen recorded albums, ...
Studios keep hope alive.(Hollywood studios and television program syndication)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Cost-conscious syndicators are readying new shows for NATPE, knowing full well that many will not last a season This isn't your grandmother's syndication business. Over the next several weeks, Hollywood studios are expected to unveil some 20 to 30 new syndicated programs that ...
Trying to find what works.(National Association of Television Program Executives 2001)(television program syndication)
Nov 06, 2000; ... In syndication, failure begets opportunity. So by that calculation, there should be nothing but upside at the NATPE 2001 convention. Much of what's new in syndication isn't working well, so there are plenty of holes to fill, and it's harder than ever to do it. "Syndicators used ...
Commercial overload.(Kids need a place that's safe from TV spots)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Kids need a place that's safe from TV spots When my older daughter was 6, she didn't want much for Christmas. At the top of her short wish list: "marshmallows, the big kind." From 7 on, the list has been much longer, brand specific and, needless to say, more expensive to ...
Cable climb continues.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Broadcast season premieres don't hold on to those fickle summer viewers of 'Survivor,' 'Millionaire' Not everybody loves Raymond, or the Yankees, or Geena, or Will & Grace, or even The West Wing. In fact, a growing number of people prefer Jackass, Dragon Ball Z and Biography ....
FOX WINS WEEK 4.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000 ... With the World Series and debuts of Boston Public and Ally McBeal, Fox won week four of the new season in total viewers, households, adults 18-34 and all key male demos, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBC squeaked out a victory in adults 18-49, averaging a 5.4 rating/14 share to ...
FULL-ORDER REPORT.(television broadcasting series)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... CBS last week gave full-season orders to five of its seven new series, including Bette Midler's sitcom Bette; Yes, Dear; The District; C.S.I.; and The Fugitive, all of which have helped CBS improve its 18-49 demographic performance this season. NBC gave a full-year order for ...
Weblets now neck and neck.(WB Television Network)(United Paramount Network)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... The WB and UPN on the rise and drawing both sexes The WB and UPN went in opposite directions during the 1999-2000 season, but so far this fall, it's a different story as both 6-year-old networks appear to be on the rise. A combination of new and veteran shows has the ...
AND DOOMSDAY.(NBC pulls plug on Deadline)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... After only five editions, NBC pulled the plug on freshman drama Deadline. The Monday-night series from Law & Order producer Dick Wolf struggled and was the unfortunate victim of two sub-par ...
FNC CHASES CNN.(Fox News Channels)(Cable News Network)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Fox News Channels tied CNN for the month of October, each with 0.9 for prime time and 0.4 for the total day in its Nielsen universe, although CNN has far more viewers ...
UPN'S GOOD FRIDAY.(United Paramount Network)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
Nov 06, 2000 ... UPN's new Friday-night lineup brought the network its best-ever adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and overall male demo numbers with regular programming. The premieres of ...
CABLE NOTES.(Comedy Central orders new comedy; Lifetime renews game show)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker said they'll produce Family First, a live-action comedy that they promise will blaspheme whoever is the new ...
KABC-TV FINED FOR ALPERT ACCIDENT.(accident in which reporter Adrienne Alpert was injured)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... KABC-TV was hit with $30,000 in fines as a result of the May accident that critically injured reporter Adrienne Alpert, when the mast on the ENG truck in which was riding struck electrical wires. The station said it is reviewing the California Occupational Safety and Health ...
ND MADISON SWITCHES COASTS.(News Director Paula Madison moves from New York to be president of KNBC-TV in Los Angeles)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... WNBC-TV New York News Director Paula Madison is the new president and general manager of KNBC-TV, NBC's Los Angeles station, effective immediately, the station said. She will report to NBC Television Stations President Jay Ireland. Madison joined the New York station as ...
WBBM drops Marin newscast.(Chicago loses Emmy-award-winning newscast featuring Carol Marin)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Two days after anchor wins Emmy, much admired experiment gets axed because of ratings The 10 O'Clock News: Reported by Carol Mann was at once a low-rated Chicago newscast and the most closely watched newscast in the country. Launched in February to promising ratings ...
Full court press by new entries.(ratings for court TV shows)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Court-related series currently rule the roost among first-run rookies--Power of Attorney, Arrest & Trial and Judge Hatchett are usually the top-three ratings grabbers--and the new guys are apparently putting some strain on the genre's veterans. Just one returning court strip, ...
Hispanic business lures Anglo media.(Univision may be target for Clear Channel; Pappas Broadcasting and TV Azteca plan Hispanic TV network in US)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Clear Channel, among others, is said to be eyeing Univision Is Clear Channel preparing to buy Univision? Sources say Clear Channel would love to add the nation's No. 1 Spanish-language network to its portfolio of media assets. But last week, despite speculation to the contrary, ...
CBS seeing $150M.(in ad revenues for Super Bowl Sunday, including Survivor II)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Super Bowl Sunday and 'Survivor II' have top brass dreaming of golden ratings and revenue CBS is expecting a big Super Bowl Sunday, to the tune of more than $150 million in ad sales, as it also reels in sponsors for Survivor II. The inventory for both the Super Bowl ...
Strong 3Q for cable.(results for Cox Communications, Charter Communications, RCN)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Cox, Charter post big cash-flow and revenue gains Avoiding a rerun of last summer's earnings-induced stock shock, Cox Communications delivered the double-digit cash-flow growth its executives have been promising. For the third quarter ended September, Cox's total revenues ...
Changing Hands.(radio station acquisitions)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000 ... COMBOS Swap of WEEX(AM)-WODE-FM Easton/Allentown, Pa., for WHCY(FM) Blairstown/Sussex, WSUS(FM) Franklin/Sussex and WNNJ-AM-FM Newton/Sussex, N.J., and LMA/option to acquire WDLC(AM)-WTSX(FM) Port Jervis, N.Y. Value: $32 million (includes $12 million cash being paid ...
Consolidation hits ad reps, too.(Petry Media merges its Petry and Blair operations)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Clients show little alarm as Petry Media completely merges Petry and Blair Ten years ago, when the advertising rep-firm business began to consolidate, there was a lot of concern among TV stations about possible conflicts arising when two co-owned reps served multiple stations in ...
I want my VH1 (honors) online.(online voting for VH1 Music Awards)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Music network will encourage viewers to use Internet to pick categories, nominees, winners for 'My VH1 Awards' show This time, it's personal" is a great tag line for an action sequel, but, on Nov. 30, it will also be fitting for VHl, which will broadcast the My VH1 Music Awards, ...
ASK JEEVES FOR STREAMSEARCH.(StreamSearch online guide to be available therough Ask Jeeves or Ask.com)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000 ... StreamSearch, an online guide to streaming media, will now be available through Ask Jeeves and the Ask.com Web site. StreamSearch currently boasts a multimedia database of more than ...
SPICE GIRLS GET STREAMY.(use streaming video software on latest compact disc)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... RealNetworks is helping Virgin Records and the Spice Girls bring streaming videos to their latest album, Forever. The enhanced CD will feature two streaming videos, viewable exclusively ...
CLEANING UP STREAMS.(Media 100 introduces encoding and design software)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Media 100 has Launched Cleaner 5: RealSystem Edition, encoding and design software developed to support RealNetworks' RealAudio 8 and RealVideo 8. The customized version of Cleaner 5 is a ...
Is the Web losing its leisure-time appeal?(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... PricewaterhouseCoopers report says consumers are spending less time on the Internet, more time with the family If a PricewaterhouseCoopers Consumer Technology study is to be believed, Web suffers are spending less time surfing and more time watching the waves, spending time with ...
The ballots please.(television news makes use of internet for election coverage)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
Nov 06, 2000; ... TV-news sites place in race for online-journalism awards True, this election-coverage week has cast television network and local-station Web sites as superb conveyors of news and voter results too localized for broader-interest, on-air coverage. Yet, as the ...
Granite considers mobile DTV thrust.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... KNTV may test COFDM in Bay Area, targets 'captive viewers' Granite Broadcasting wants to see if it can offer American consumers the same type of mobile digital television services that are being developed in Europe and Asia. KNTV, the Granite station in San Jose, ...
Do not bypass go.(Copyright applied to Internet)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Critics, including academics and library personnel, fear Copyright Office ruling will impede 'fair-use' access to content The U.S. Copyright Office has narrowly defined when online users can legally circumvent copyright protecdon, and critics complain that it went too far in ...
Target marketing with DTV.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... New feature will let stations automatically switch viewers to special programming, ads Viewers will be able to "opt out" of a new DTV feature that allows stations to automatically switch them to specially targeted programming and advertisements, industry executives said last ...
SONY SWITCHES SUBWAY SERIES.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Fox Sports used Sony's new DVS-7350 digital video switcher for production of Major League Baseball's 2000 World Series last month. The DVS-7350 has three banks of Mix/Effects (ME), each with two key buses and two ...
SKYSTREAM, MICROSOFT TEAM ON CABLE DATA.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Microsoft will use SkyStream Network's zBand Internet content-distribution software as part of its Microsoft TV Platform for digital set-top boxes. According to SkyStream Vice President of Marketing Clint Chao, the deal is aimed primarily at "in-band data broadcasting," which uses unused ...
KJTV-TV GETS VIBRINT.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... KJTV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Lubbock, Texas, has begun a news operation using a digital-production system supplied by Grass Valley Group, including GVG's Vibrant Digital News Production Workgroup and Kalypso production switcher. The Ramar Communications station uses three Vibrint NewsEdit ...
CABLEVISION PICKS SEACHANGE FOR VOD.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Cablevision Systems is going to use video servers and software from SeaChange International to deliver video-on-demand programming to the 3 million Sony digital set-tops it plans to roll out over the next few years. Cablevision says ...
WRAL-DT GOES REMOTE WITH YEM.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... For its first live all-HDTV broadcast last month, WRAL-DT Raleigh used YEM Inc.'s high-definition encoder and decoder to aid in the transmission. For the Oct. 13 broadcast from the North Carolina state fair, the Capitol Broadcasting station used the HE-1000 encoder to compress the ...
GRAY TAPS HARRIS FOR DTV CONVERSION.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Gray Communications Systems has selected Harris Corp. to support the digital conversion of its 13 television stations. Valued at more than $19 million, the deal between the Atlanta-based station group and Harris covers Harris' DTV transmitters, encoders and master-control and monitoring ...
GETTING YOUR ASSETS IN GEAR.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Media management is the new watchword in the television industry Shelve data broadcasting. Forget HDTV. The hottest ticket for broadcast suppliers is asset management. In addition to software companies that are asset-management specialists, storage, server and automation vendors ...
ABC: ENG format comes first.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... The network is taking a wait-and-see approach to asset management The implementation of asset management at ABC television network involves a broad strategy, the outcome of which is by no means certain, according to Preston Davis, ABC's president of broadcast and engineering ...
BBC's Jupiter Project.(Asset management)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... The UK-based network is using the technology to improve work flow Mark Jones, project director of the Jupiter Project at BBC News, counts at least five major asset-management projects that are under way at the BBC. "In my terms, the rapid repurposing of news content ...
Managing assets across platforms.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... An end-to-end solution is not the answer for Discovey Three primary asset-management initiatives are under way at Bethesda, Md.-based Discovery Communications, according to Peter McKelvy, Discovery's vice president of content management. Earlier this year, a Discovery RFP for a ...
Asset management from the inside out.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... C-SPAN's solution will have to support its current operations and new media C-SPAN, the Washington-based cable channel that covers Congress, is currently reviewing proposals submitted in response to its asset-management REP. The goal is to initiate a phased-in implementation of ...
Tracking digital content.(Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers's tracking devices for digital content across all media)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000; ... At SMPTE, efforts are under way to develop industrywide standards The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) is actively exploring different aspects of asset management in an effort to standardize some aspects of content management. Led by the ...
FATES & FORTUNES.(personnel changes)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... Broadcasting Appointments at Pearson Televison North America, Santa Monica, Calif.: William Lincoln, executive VP, production management and finance, named COO; Matt Loze, executive VP, Pearson Television International, named president, production, drama and longform; Sara ...
Frankie Crocker dead at 59.(on-air personality for WBLS(FM))(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Frankie Crocker, radio program director and on-air personality, died Oct. 22, in Miami, after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 59. His career began in the early 1970s when he joined WBLS(FM) in New York. Coining the phrase "urban contemporary" to describe his unique playlist ...
Dreaming of reality TV.(Bruce Nash, Hollywood's most prolific reality-television producer)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000; ... Author, criminologist Nash is father of 'Scariest Police Shootouts' Bruce Nash should be collecting his first Pulitzer Prize about now--or maybe running the North Carolina prison system. He shouldn't be Hollywood's most prolific reality-television producer. Nash, ...
EXCERPT.(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... The late Steve Allen was a prolific author, who in 1987 wrote, How To Be Funny with Jane Wollman (McGraw-Hill). In this excerpt, Allen explains how young comics should learn to guard against annoying speech patterns, such as saying "you know?": "These and similar ...
Cashing in on a BET.(Viacom Inc.)(Black Entertainment Television Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Nov 06, 2000 ... The consolidation of TV networks continued at its brisk pace last week with the news that Viacom would be absorbing BET and its related cable-programming holdings for $2.9 billion. Both sides to the deal say that Bob Johnson and his management team will remain in place to run the operation ...
The idea is still alive.(Carol Marin and WBBM-TV's experiment in late news)(Brief Article)
Nov 06, 2000 ... We join the mourners for Carol Marin and WBBM-TV's experiment in late news, which, in the words of the station, "disbanded" this week. We give credit and, when we can, encouragement to any effort that ranks quality as the highest priority. Ironically, only two days before the final ...