Broadcasting & Cable back issues from November 2003:
CBS aims for $120M in affil aid for NCAA.(men's basketball tournament coverage payments)
Nov 03, 2003; ... CBS and its affiliate board have reached a critical stage in talks concerning annual payments by the stations to help the network pay for the NCAA men's basketball tournament, one of TV's most watched--and costly--annual events. Talks are ongoing, but it appears that the ...
NBC plans 30-second local-news head start.
Nov 03, 2003; ... Film at 10:59:30" is not very catchy, but, beginning in January, that will be the start time for local newscasts leading out of NBC's prime time schedule. NBC is going to end its programming 30 seconds early to give its affiliates an edge in local news and Jay Leno a head start ...
Where the boys are: cable's 18-34 men are sticking around.
Nov 03, 2003; ... While broadcast networks have seen their young-male viewership numbers tumble this fall, cable is keeping its guys satisfied. The Big Four networks and The WB, UPN and Pax are apoplectic over ratings declines for the hard-to-reach 18-34 demo that advertisers covet. So tar this ...
For California TV stations, a trial by fire.(local news)(wildfire coverage)
Nov 03, 2003; ... On Saturday night, Oct. 25, KNSD(TV) San Diego's newsroom was tracking a fire "out in the middle of nowhere that wasn't much of anything," says Vice President of News Greg Dawson. The assignment desk sent out a crew. A little after 4 a.m. Sunday, Dawson got the call that the fire was ...
Letter to our readers.
Nov 03, 2003; ... Dear Reader This Television on Demand Supplement is a special project focused on the critical issues from management, marketing and technical perspectives. This supplement reflects the Television on Demand Summit held November 4th and 5th in Washington, DC, hosted by ...
Delivering dollars on demand: cable industry weighs different models to build revenue.
Nov 03, 2003 ... Television on Demand (TVOD) means different things to different people. Unlike other industry acronyms like HDTV or DVD, TVOD doesn't refer to one particular service, but is instead an umbrella term for a host of new digital program delivery technologies that is quickly changing the way we ...
Building the perfect on demand beast: television on demand presents a dizzying array of technology options.
Nov 03, 2003 ... Deploying a compelling Television on Demand service poses myriad technical challenges to cable operators, who must decide on the most effective content storage, management and streaming architectures while factoring in expected usage rates and the bandwidth requirements of different types ...
PVRs and VOD: happy together? VOD providers and vendors consider a time-shifted world.(personal video recorders, video-on-demand)
Nov 03, 2003 ... If TiVo had never been invented, deploying VOD would be a much easier proposition today. That may sound like a simplistic statement, but in many ways it is true. When the concept of on demand movies was first introduced, the idea was that cable operators would feed the content ...
Making On Demand a mass medium: VOD providers assess marketing strategies to raise consumer awareness.(video-on-demand)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Now that cable operators and content providers agree that Television On Demand is ready for prime time, how do they raise consumer awareness and combat consumer confusion among myriad digital offerings such as digital tiers, HDTV, PVRs and DVD? The $75 billion investment by ...
Fox makes deal for People Meters.(Fox Television Station Group agreement with Nielsen Media Research )(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... NEW YORK -- Nielsen Media Research Friday announced a multi-year agreement with the Fox Television Station Group covering all 35 Fox-owned TV stations. Fox TV stations in nine of the top 10 markets will sign on for Local People Meter service. The Nielsen People Meter methodology will ...
TV One buys two off-net dramas.
Nov 03, 2003 ... WASHINGTON -- TV One, a new cable network for African-American adults, has picked up off-net dramas City of Angels and Under One Roof from King World Television. TV One, which is basked by heavyweights Comcast and minority-owned radio group Radio One, is ...
Less Joe, Fox decides.(Joe Millionaire )(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Los ANGELES -- With The Next Joe Millionaire failing to perform after three airings, Fox is moving the reality show to Mondays only (it was scheduled for Mondays and Tuesdays). Fox had pinned high hopes on the reality show, but it might have fallen into the Who Wants To Be a Millionaire ...
Court upholds FCC tuner mandate: ruling is seen as implicitly endorsing other digital-TV regulations.
Nov 03, 2003; ... FCC chief Michael Powell's drive to muscle through the digital-TV transition scored a big legal victory last week when federal judges upheld the requirement that TV manufacturers install DTV tuners in most sets. In sustaining the 2002 FCC decision, the judges ruled that ...
Croce will make house calls for Sony: syndicator schedules half-hour strip for fall '04.(Pat Croce)
Nov 03, 2003; ... He's not Dr. Phil, but he just might be driving up in a luxury motorhome, moving into your house and helping you find solutions to problems. Story Pictures Television is rolling out a half-hour syndicated strip rifled Pat Croce: Moving In for fail 2004, featuring the ...
Dolan defends Voom DBS service.(Chuck Dolan of Cablevision Systems)
Nov 03, 2003; ... MOST executives would get fairly agitated in the face of Wail Street's crescendo of yowls over Cablevision Systems' Voom DBS plan. Despite his enthusiasm for the venture, though, Cablevision Chairman Chuck Dolan is anything but defensive, saying he understands investors' frustration. ...
B&C indices: week of Oct. 24-30.(Top of the Week)(stock prices of broadcasting and cable companies)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003 ... <Pre> WEEK OF OCT. 24-30 B&C INDICES THE B&C 10 WEEK3.0% YTD12.9% BROADCAST TV GROUPS WEEK1.6% YTD16.7% CABLE TV MSO'S WEEK3.4% YTD27.3% ...
Damning with faint praise: NAACP sees an increase in minorities on television but not behind the cameras.
Nov 03, 2003; ... The number of minority actors in prime time on the Big Four networks increased 23% in the past year, from 288 in the 2001-02 season to 375 in 2002-03, according to a survey released last week by the NAACP. NAACP President and CEO Kweisi Mfume called the gain "modest," however, ...
To catch a thief.(David Cohen of Comcast)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Lots of people want to gossip with Comcast Executive VP of Government and Other Corporate Affairs David Cohen about the scandal over the FBI's bugging of the Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street for reasons as yet undisclosed. Some have commented that Cohen should be thankful his office ...
Courting disaster.(Divorce Court bailiff fights California fires)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Twentieth Television's Divorce Court postponed its planned tapings last week because Joe Catalano, the show's bailiff, was spending 14-hour days fighting raging fires in Crestline, Calif., near his family's home. Besides the show, Catalano works in law enforcement in San Bernadino County ....
Wandering Wallace.(Chris Wallace named host of Fox News Sunday)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Some eyebrows were raised when ABC s Chris Wallace signed on to become the new host of Fox News Sunday. But Wallace says, the way he sees it, except for Fox, the TV news business seems to be retrenching. A veteran of ABC and NBC News, Wallace says he is a "a straight newsman" ...
E!nough news.( E! News Live reduced to half hour)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... It seems an hour-long helping of entertainment news each night is ton much even for the biggest fans. Beginning Nov. 3, E! Entertainment Television is cutting back E! News Live from an hour to a half-hour Monday-Thursday. The Friday and weekend editions will remain an hour. ...
Earnings: Comcast, Cox strong; Insight not.(Top of the Week)(Cox Communications, Insight Communications)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Approaching the first anniversary of its acquisition of AT&T Broadband's cable systems, Comcast again surprised the market with how quickly it is turning the properties around. Third-quarter operating cash flow jumped 35% to $1.6 billion, largely thanks to the revival of the AT&T systems ....
Cher makes her point.(calls in to C-SPAN show)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... C-SPAN's phones lit up with calls from media outlets last Monday after an unusual little scene took place during Washington Journal, the network's morning issues/call-in show. A woman phoning from Miami Beach, Fla., expressed concern over the large number of wounded U.S. troops coming back ...
A hockey channel, eh? NHL mulls cable net, like the one it has in Canada.(Top of the Week)
Nov 03, 2003; ... The NBA has its own channel, and, starting Tuesday, the NFL will, too. Next in line among the professional sports leagues may be a National Hockey League cable network. The hockey league has had a digital cable channel, the NHL Network, in Canada for two years and plans to ...
Swept away.(Fast Track)(Fox leads sweeps)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... November sweeps kicked off last Thursday, and FOX entered the month in the lead in adults 18-49 with a 4.7 rating/13 share after closing out the top-rated MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL playoffs since 1995. NBC was in second place with a 4.3/12 but was likely to keep its 18-49 crown by ...
Very Smart TV.(sweeps)(Elizabeth Smart coverage)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Elizabeth Smart and her parents appeared on a recent Katie Couric prime time special, and then, a few days later, The Oprah Winfrey Show visited the Smart family home. Last Wednesday, the family guested on CNN's Larry King. The family's first stop was ...
CNBC.(People Meeter)(Dennis Miller to host talk show)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Comedian DENNIS MILLER is joining CNBC to host an hour-long nightly talk show debuting in January, with Miller serving as ...
Eddie Fritts took the stage at Philadelphia's Temple University last week to explain the National Association of Broadcasters' support for--and opposition to industry deregulation.(People Meeter)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... EDDIE FRITTS took the stage at Philadelphia's TEMPLE UNIVERSITY last week to explain the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS' support for--and opposition to industry deregulation. The NAB president insisted that "modest" deregulation, like lifting the ...
Bob Smith passed away on Oct. 28 at the age of 59 after a battle with cancer.(People Meeter)(head of Smith Broadcasting Group)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Nov 03, 2003 ... BOB SMITH passed away on Oct. 28 at the age of 59 after a battle with cancer. He was head of SMITH ...
Correction.(Fast Track)(Correction Notice)
Nov 03, 2003 ... KSTP-TV is the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis. The Oct 27 Market Focus misidentified its network affiliation. Also, the article suggested KSTP-TV had not replaced Ed Pierre as its general manager. In fact, the station says Rob Hubbard, president of ...
Hubbard cooks up HD channel.(Station Break)(Hubbard Broadcasting's KSTC-TV Minneapolis launches the market's first 'all-HDTV, all-the-time' channel)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Hubbard Broadcasting's KSTC-TV Minneapolis has launched what it bills as the market's first "all-HDTV, all-the-time channel" using a slice of its digital channel. KSTC-HD (dubbed 45.2) features programming from Mark Cuban's Dallas-based HDNet, including lots of sports--from boxing and ...
Sinclair has tapped Marshall Porter, senior VP, general manager and corporate director of sales, for Citadel and its WOI-TV Des Moines, Iowa, to head up WMSN-TV Madison, Wis.(On the move)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Sinclair has tapped Marshall Porter, senior VP, general manager and corporate director of sales, for Citadel and its WOI-TV Des Moines, Iowa, to head up WMSN-TV Madison, Wis., as general manager. Porter is no stranger to the state, having once worked in sales at WAOW-TV Wausau, Wis. Also, ...
WGNO-TV.(Susan Roesgen joins staff as 10 p.m. anchor)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Susan Roesgen, veteran news anchor and a reporter for National Public Radio, has joined WGNO-TV New Orleans as 10 p.m. anchor. She will take over for Liz Reyes, who continues to anchor at 5 and 6 p.m. and will do more investigative and enterprise ...
KNBC-TV editor dies.(On the Move)(Daniel Rabinovich)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Daniel Rabinovich, an editor with KNBC-TV Los Angeles for the past six years, was killed in a single-car accident Oct. 20 in Los Angeles. Formerly a news editor, he had most recently been in the creative services department. VP of Creative Services Ginger Zumaeta called Rabinovich's death ...
Hechos in Los Angeles.(On the Move)(Azteca America launches Hechos 54, a local-news program)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Hispanic network Azteca America has launched its first local-news program. Hechos ("what has happened") 54 debuted Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. on KAZA-TV Los Angeles (ch. 54), the network's flagship station. Azteca currently airs news on its ...
Road trip.(Chi-town)(WMAQ-TV's Dick Johnson and Ellee Pai Hong tape promos with Today show co-hosts Katie Couric and Matt Lauer)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Dick Johnson and Ellee Pai Hong (left), co-anchors of NBC-owned WMAQ-TV Chicago's morning newscast, visited New York last week to tape some promos with Today show co-hosts Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. According to the station, the Today crew is ...
Media general supports 'infopayment' practice: Tampa station's show sells segments to advertisers.(Top of the week)(a discussion of WFLA-TV's daytime show)
Nov 03, 2003; ... A Tampa, Fla., television station's pay-for-play morning show is causing controversy--or at least debate--about blurring the line between information and infomercials. Earlier this month, Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz noted in a story that WFLA-TV's Daytime show, ...
CBS eyes a $170 million Sunday: that's not counting Viacom cable-net tie-in programs.(Super Bowl XXXVIII)
Nov 03, 2003; ... The hoopla surrounding the Super Bowl is going to get even bigger, if you can believe it. CBS and its co-owned Viacom networks are planning more game-related coverage then ever before. Just for starters, Jim Nantz, host of CBS's NFL Today, has come up with an idea to stage a big ...
CBS sticks with its new shows.(Programming)(CBS gives full-season orders to five new shows)
Nov 03, 2003; ... CBS moved David E. Kelley's Brotherhood of Poland, NH, off the schedule but last week gave full-season orders to its remaining five new shows: Two and a Half Men, Cold Case, Navy NCIS, Joan of Arcadia and The Handler. Two and a Half Men--in the protected slot between Everybody ...
Ratings: Oct. 13-19.(Syndication Watch)(top television shows)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003 ... <Pre> RATINGS | Oct. 13-19 Nielsen Media Reseach Top 25 Shows Households RANK PROGRAM AA GAA 1Wheel of Fortune 8.4 NA 2Oprah Winfrey Show 6.7 6.8 3Jeopardy 6.6 NA 4...
The judges rule.(court shows)(a discussion of the ratings for television court shows)
Nov 03, 2003; ... While the broadcast networks struggle with declining viewership in prime time, some syndicated shows are seeing viewership gains. Among them, court shows have shown particular strength. "Court shows have become what talk shows used to be: a place where average people talk about problems," ...
Access looks for tweens.(Syndie Insider)(NBC Enterprises' 'Access Hollywood' is launching 'Real Access')(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... NBC Enterprises' Access Hollywood is extending its brand by launching Real Access, an interactive newsmagazine for teens that will air on tween-focused cable network The N, a Viacom-owned channel that goes by Noggin in the daytime hours. The show kicks off with a one-hour debut ...
Feud beats squares for a change.(Syndie Insider)(Tribune's 'Family Feud' gains stronger ratings than King World's 'Hollywood Squares')(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Tribune's Family Feud moved past King World's Hollywood Squares for the first time since 2001-02, taking fourth place among syndicated game shows in the week ended Oct. 19. Feud was up 5% to 2.1 for the week and 24% from last year, while Hollywood Squares remained unchanged at ...
The prime time race.(Programming)(cable television ratings information)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003 ... <Pre> THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Oct. 20-26 Total Households (in millions) PROGRAM DATE NET HHS 1. NFL: Bills vs. Chiefs 10/26 ESPN 6.9 2. NFL Prime Time 10/26 ESPN 3.3 2. WWE 10p 10/20 SPIK 3.3 4 ....
Nielsen ratings: Oct. 20-26.(Programming)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003 ... <Pre> NIELSEN RATINGS Oct. 20-26 abcCBS MONDAY Week 5 9.6/15@ 10.0/16@ 8:00#79. Threat Matrix 4.7/8 36. Yes, Dear 7.4/12 8:30# ...
Sports rules cable Nielsens.(Programming)(for basic cable networks, sports coverage gained the strongest ratings)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... October delivered mostly ratings treats for basic-cable networks, although news viewing slowed compared with a year ago, when the D.C. sniper story captivated viewers. On the strength of its football and baseball coverage, ESPN powered to the top of the cable pile with a 2.4 ...
Slugging it out.(Market focus: Tucson)(a look at the Tucson, Arizona, television market)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003 ... American Indian and Hispanic roots run deep in a Tucson, Ariz., a stone's throw from the Mexican border and nestled among reservation lands. Tucson claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America, having been home to native peoples for more than 3,000 years. ...
CAB plans big research push: CEO Cunningham seeks to prove cable strength, cancels February confab.(TV Buyer)(the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau)
Nov 03, 2003; ... The cable industry's new top pitchman, Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau President and CEO Scan Cunningham, says advertisers and agencies are nearing the "breaking point" for paying a premium for broadcast television. What they will make a break for, he thinks, is cable. He ...
Spot suffers off-year blues.(EBB & Flow)(fourth-quarter national spot advertising is expected to be down 15% compared to last year)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Fourth-quarter national spot will be down an estimated 15% from last year, sellers say, thanks to the absence of the national political advertising that was in the market a year ago. A rule change in wireless and some auto debuts might lift spending, but individual markets remains fluid ...
Study: young kids 'immersed' in TV: heaviest viewers have reading problems later.(Washington)(Illustration)
Nov 03, 2003; ... For a quarter of America's toddlers, televisions are as likely as toy boxes to be in their bedrooms. That's no surprise. Programmers are targeting tykes still in diapers just as they would any other part of their audience. America's youngest children are "immersed" in TV and ...
Thumbs down on media ratings.(Capital Watch)(Common Sense Media wants the U.S. to pressure media industries to drop their various self-ratings systems in place of a uniform system)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Uncle Sam should pressure media industries to ditch their various self-rating systems and place TV, movies and other electronic media on a uniform system, according to Common Sense Media. The watchdog group called for a single rating system consistent across all media products ....
Hispanic broadcasters link up.(Capital Watch)(the Independent Spanish Broadcasters Association wants to expand media employment and management opportunities for Latinos)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Independent Spanish-language broadcasters and networks, and their financiers, have formed a trade group to help them pursue ownership opportunities and capital sources amidst industry consolidation. The Independent Spanish Broadcasters Association (ISBA) also wants to expand ...
Bad data: backhaul brawl continues.(Capital Watch)(broadcasters plead with the FCC to rethink its decision to move forward with reallocation of some backhaul spectrum)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Broadcasters are pleading with the FCC to rethink its decision to move forward with reallocation of some backhaul spectrum. The process took effect Oct. 16 and is aimed at giving new technologies some of the newsgathering spectrum that stations rely on to beam footage from remote locations ...
Rebuffing McCain.(Capital Watch)(Northpoint's Sophia Collier says few investors will benefit if the company wins free spectrum)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... Northpoint Chair Sophia Collier says few investors stand to benefit if the company wins free spectrum. Collier revealed last week that contracts with individuals planning to construct Northpoint systems expired March 31. That leaves Collier, principal Katherine ...
TVs.(Changing Hands)(television station acquisitions)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... PRICE: $23 million BUYER: Bela LLC (Matthew Leibowitz, VP/secretary/member) SELLER: Biltmore Broadcasting LLC (Brian E. Cobb, controlling owner/CEO) FACILITIES: Ch. 63, 5,000 kW, ant. 1,808 ft. AFFILIATION: Ind. KLSB-TV Nacogdoches, ...
Combos.(Changing Hands)(radio station acquisitions)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... KTLQ(AM) and KEOK-FM Tahlequah, Okla. PRICE: $1.15 million BUYER: K95.5 Inc. (William H. Payne, owner); owns four other stations, none in this market SELLER: Johnson Communications Inc. (Dewey Johnson, president) FACILITIES: KTLQ(AM): 1350 kHz, ...
FMs.(Changing Hands)(radio station acquisitions)
Nov 03, 2003 ... WSKX-FM Hinesville, Ga. PRICE: $2.79 million BUYER: Glenn W. Cherry; owns three other stations, none in this market SELLER: Communications Capital Managers LLC (Michael Oesterle, manager) FACILITIES: 92.3 MHz, 50 kW, ant. 446 ft. ...
Station sales scorecard.(Changing Hands)
Nov 03, 2003 ... <Pre>2003 YTD * 2000 TOTAL NUMBER VALUE NUMBER VALUE (000) ...
AMs.(Changing Hands)(acquisitions of AM radio stations)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... WJOB(AM) Hammond (Chicago) and WIMS(AM) Michigan City, Ind. PRICE: $1.2 million BUYER: Vazquez Development (Alexis Vazquez-Dedelow, managing member); no other broadcast interests SELLER: St. George Broadcasting (Robert J. Macinni, receiver) ...
MNF calls an audible: fires in San Diego force crews to act fast when the Dolphins-Chargers game is moved to Phoenix.(production)('Monday Night Football' makes a quick move from San Diego to Phoenix due to the Southern California wildfires)
Nov 03, 2003; ... In many respects, it was business as usual on Sunday, Oct. 26 for the production team of ABC's Monday Night Football, it was set-up day for the Miami Dolphins-San Diego Chargers game at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. But, with the game more than 24 hours away, the first real hint that there ...
Sony bags integration biz.(Technology)(Sony Electronics is selling its Systems Integration Divsion to A.F. Associates)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Sony Electronics is getting out of the system-integration business, agreeing to sell its Systems Integration Division to A.F. Associates, an East Coast-based integrator that is a subsidiary of Ascent Media Group. Terms of the deal, expected to be completed by the end of the year, were not ...
Andrew exits broadcast: Electronics Research Inc, buys antenna division.(Technology)(Andrew Corp. is selling its broadcast products division to Electronics Research Inc.)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Andrew Corp.'s long history in the broadcast-product market, which began in 1937 with Dr. Victor Andrews and antenna-tuning and transmission-line equipment, is ending. The company has agreed to sell its broadcast products division to Electronics Research Inc. (ERI). The two have signed a ...
A new weapon for grabbing viewers' attention.(Focus)(Equity Broadcasting and Spinner Network Systems are launching a new system)
Nov 03, 2003; ... Equity Broadcasting and Spinner Network Systems are launching a system that they believe provides advertisers with a new way to enhance their message and stations with a new way to enhance revenues. The system creates a one-sixth strip below a commercial where the advertiser can ...
At the helm of a programming pacesetter: Lee encouraged BBC America to doff its stodgy image.(The fifth Estater)(a discussion of BBC America's Paul Lee)(Biography)
Nov 03, 2003; ... At first, the British Broadcasting Co. thought BBC America should be programmed like an American broadcast network, loaded up with odd-skewing comedies and mysteries. But the channel's chief, Paul Lee, sensed that American viewers wanted something different. "You can always ...
Insight Communications.(Cable TV)(announces appointments of Gregg Graff and Doug Giesen)(Brief Article)
Nov 03, 2003 ... At Insight Communications, Louisville, Ky.: GREGG GRAFF, senior VP, operations, southern region, appointed senior VP, video services; ...