Broadcasting & Cable back issues from February 2004:
Pols push raw law for potty mouths.
Feb 02, 2004; ... There were plenty of f-words flying around Washington last week--FCC fines, a task force, and letters to the four major networks--as legislators turned up the heat on the regulators, broadcasters and even cable over indecency. On the eve of last week's House Telecommunications ...
The public is interested: in heart of Texas, FCC panel gets an earful over lack of localism.(vox populi)(Column)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Deep in the heart of Clear Channel country, a rowdy Texas crowd told Michael Powell and his FCC colleagues that the debate over localism in broadcasting is serious business. During the second of six field hearings the commission is holding, more than 500 San Antonians last week crammed ...
At WCBS-TV, news ruse at 11.(Foxtons infomercials)
Feb 02, 2004; ... WCBS-TV New York's 11 p.m. newscast earned a lot of interest last week, but it's not the kind it can take to the bank. In what Lew Leone, the Viacom station's general manager, describes as an experiment he is not going to repeat, the station sold all the spots in its Monday 11 ...
Strategic battle for Ali & Jack time slot.(Top of the Week)
Feb 02, 2004; ... There are literally thousands of time periods on TV stations across the country, but the number of slots that can launch a first-run syndicated show to decent ratings is limited. With vertical integration, the best of those usually go to the syndicator that produces shows for the station ...
Sharp shots.(Breaking ...)(Academy Awards function to be held)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Los ANGELES -- The good news: At this year's Academy Awards show Feb. 29, E! Entertainment viewers will get to see gorgeous celebs like Scarlett Johanson and Nicole Kidman strut down the red carpet in high-definition. The bad news (for the stars at least): You'll also get to see every ...
Dealing for Denver.(Breaking ...)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... DENVER -- Fox Sports Net is making a last-minute play to keep Denver's NHL Avalanche and NBA Nuggets on its Fox Sports Rocky Mountain regional sports net. As the teams' owner, Kronke Sports, was said to be getting serious about launching a net, Fox made a sizeable offer to get the teams to ...
B&C indices: week of Jan. 23-29.(Broadcasting and Cable)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> WEEK OF JAN. 23-29 B&C INDICES THE B&C 10 WEEK -3.5% YTD -0.4% BROADCAST TV GROUPS WEEK -0.2% YTD -2.8% CABLE TV MSO'S WEEK -4.9% YTD4.1% RADIO WEEK -2.5% ...
Different strokes: networks' sweeps quirks.(Top of the Week,competition among service providers)(CBS)(NBC)(Fox)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Like stressed-out people acting out in times of crisis, sweeps show what networks are really made of. CBS mainly sticks to its guns; NBC aggressively rearranges everything, schedule be damned. Fox goes for gimmicks, bringing in everything from "little people" to wild animals to big, fat, ...
Herzog keeps returning to comedy.(Top of the Week)
Feb 02, 2004; ... AS NBC fine-tuned plans for its pending acquisition of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, it was looking to keep USA Network President Doug Herzog in the fold. That's not going to happen: He's likely headed back to Comedy Central to become the cable net's president and chief executive. ...
CBS to move on: get lost.(Fast Track)
Feb 02, 2004 ... CBS defended its refusal of liberal group MOVEON.ORG's anti-Bush Super Bowl spot, arguing that it violates its policy against advocacy advertising. The decades-old policy is meant to keep out "undue influence on 'controversial issues of public importance,'" the net said. The ad, titled ...
Sen. John Breaux is a leading candidate to head the Motion Picture Association of America now that fellow Louisianan Billy Tauzin has turned down the job.(People Meeter)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... SEN. JOHN BREAUX is a leading candidate to head the MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA now that fellow Louisianan BILLY TAUZIN has turned down the job ....
Walters trims her schedule.(downshifting)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Barbara Walters is stepping down as co-anchor and chief correspondent of 20/20 after 25 years, effective in September. She'll cut back to a handful of prime time specials each year, including her widely watched pre-Oscar ...
Discovery health channel senior VP and general manager Bob Reid will exit his post in mid February.(People Meeter)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... DISCOVERY HEALTH CHANNEL Senior VP and General Manager BOB REID will exit his post in ...
Tom Gutteridge is taking over as CEO of Fremantlemedia North America.(People Meeter)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... TOM GUTTERIDGE is taking over as CEO of FREMANTLEMEDIA ...
NBC renewed Las Vegas and American dreams, giving both shows full 22-episode orders.(NBC and Fox order new episodes of hit tv shows)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... NBC renewed Las Vegas and American Dreams, giving both shows full 22-episode orders. But ABC is letting go of Karen Sisco, despite assuring TV critics last ...
On cable, Showtime has picked up new lesbian-themed drama the L World.(Fully Programmable)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... On cable, SHOWTIME has picked up new ...
ESPN and ABC sports and the Atlantic cost conference are said to be close to a new seven-year.(Fully Programmable)
Feb 02, 2004 ... ESPN and ABC SPORTS and the ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE are said to be close to a new ...
Court TV's investigative web site thesmokinggun.com is teaming with NBC news.(Fully Programmable)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... COURT TV's investigative Web site THESMOKINGGUN.COM is teaming with NBC NEWS to provide information and ...
PAX TV plans an hour special about Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion of the Crist.(Fully Programmable)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... PAX TV plans an hour special about MEL GIBSON's controversial film The Passion of the Christ. The ...
Of global interest.(Fast Track)(The Golden Globe Awards)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... The Golden Globe Awards on NBC pulled in an impressive 26.6 million viewers and the pre-awards show 13.1 million viewers, easily winning key demographics. HBO's made-for-TV movie Angels In America was the big TV winner with five statuettes. BBC AMERICA's The Office was the surprise winner ...
Four left in digital doghouse: stations without a DTV signal by April face fines or worse.(Top of the Week)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Three of the seven stations "admonished" by the FCC last October for not having a DTV signal up and running say they are now on-air. The rest have promised to meet or beat the FCC's "April or else" deadline. "Or else" is a fine and, ultimately, license forfeiture. ...
Talk host Jack Paar, 85, passes away.(Top of the Week)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Jack Paar, the mercurial late-night talk host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to '62, will be remembered at least as well for his bouts of tears and network feuds as for anything else. He died after a long illness on Jan. 27 in Greenwich, Conn. He was 85. Paar was a superb ...
Instant makeover.(cable;"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy")(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Afraid of flying in a small jet during a terrible storm? We have a worse specter: getting stuck in an airport with the five Queer Eye guys (above). NBC Cable President David Zaslav had marshaled the makeover queens to fly to Atlanta for a dinner last Tuesday with senior Cox Communications ...
Crushing curses.(Sports)(ball destroy method live shows)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... WMAQ-TV Chicago and co-owned MSNBC will have a front-row seat as Cubs fans attempt to destroy the curse afflicting their team. Harry Caray's, the late Cubs sportscaster's Chicago nightspot, has bought the ball that "fan" Steve Bartman (right) deflected in Game 6 of the NLCS to ...
Sopranos hell.(Behind The Scenes Before The Fact)(advertising campaigns of Home Box Office)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... If mob boss Tony Sopranos was worried about going to hell, he can rest easy. He's already there. HBO's new ad campaign for the drama's upcoming fifth season features a dark, Renaissance-inspired image created by famed photographer Annie Lebowitz featuring the show's stars--some alive, some ...
In 'reset year,' time warner TV fortunes sag.(Top of the Week)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Time Warner's network and cable-system divisions went surprisingly slack during the fourth quarter, with the slide of The WB network proving a big drag. Overall, though, Time Warner Chairman Richard Parsons is fairly happy with how 2003--which he regards as a "reset ...
Changing sides.(Regulation)(ownership restrictions on newspapers)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Richard Wiley presided over the FCC when then agency barred TV and radio stations from owning local newspapers. Next week, he'll tell federal judges it's time to do away with the restriction. Wiley, representing the Newspaper Association of America, has been slotted five ...
Teaming up on news.(Station Break)(newscast services by WXIA-TV)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... ATLANTA -- Gannett NBC affiliate WXIA-TV will begin producing a half-hour l0 p.m. newscast for crosstown UPN affiliate WUPA-TV, ch. 69, which will bump an off-net run of Frasier to make room for the program. Launch is targeted for the first Monday in April, when the newscast will go head ...
Candidates as commodities.(political game, shares marketing on presibential candidates)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Noncommercial KCET-TV Los Angeles has teamed with PBS's Frontline and Minnesota Public Radio's Marketplace to create an online futures market in presidential candidates. The game, which can be found at www.presidentialmarket.org, simulates a futures market, with online players ...
New topper in Tampa.(Station Break)(appointment of general managers)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... TAMPA-ST, PETERSBURG, FLA. -- Viacom has tapped Frank Detillio to succeed Mike Conway as VP and general manager of its UPN affiliate WTOG-TV. Conway is retiring this month. Viacom TV Stations Executive Vice President Dennis Swanson has been luring some experienced general ...
Next for Nexstar.(Station Break)(Nexstar buys two stations from JDG Television)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... FORT SMITH, ARK. -- Nexstar Broadcasting Group is buying NBC affiliate KPOM-TV Fort Smith and KFAA-TV Rogers, both Arkansas, from JDG Television of Muskogee, Okla. It has been running the station under a time-brokerage agreement, which will continue, pending FCC approval of the deal, which ...
Jenkins has left the building.(Station Break)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Los ANGELES -- KABC-TV reporter Bryan Jenkins has apparently left file station. ABC would not comment on the departure, calling it a "personnel matter." According to Glendale, Calif., police Sergeant Kirk Palmer, Jenkins was stopped Jan. 12 on a 4462.5 of the vehicle code, a fraudulent or ...
Magna global pro touts a multicasting future.(digital)
Feb 02, 2004; ... When Brian Wieser talks TV, ad agencies representing $30 billion-plus in media billings listen. What he said last month in a research report is that, armed with multicasting must-carry, local broadcasters could be the multichannel force to be reckoned with. Given the amount of ...
Syndication: old or new, talk shows make change carefully.(Special Report)
Feb 02, 2004; ... The key to keeping daytime shows fresh and new--whether they've been on the air for 16 years like Buena Vista's Live With Regis and Kelly, 13 years like Paramount's The Montel Williams Show or less than one year like Warner Bros.' The Ellen DeGeneres Show--is to make changes a little bit ...
This year, Emmy jurors can vote at home.(Surprisingly Hot)
Feb 02, 2004; ... In an attempt to get more members to vote on the Daytime Emmys, for the first time ever, the National Television Academy of Arts and Sciences is sending registered voters bundles of tapes to watch at home. In the past, NATAS has held two days of screenings for Academy voters in ...
Network TV: little change, more dollars.(Special report: daytime programming surprisingly hot)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Network daytime TV is undergoing a recovery on several fronts. After six straight years of viewer erosion, the daypart has essentially held its audience across the key ratings measures so far this season. Advertisers seem to have rediscovered the daypart as well. In the late ...
Cable: TNT's daytime looks a lot like nighttime: lineup of off-net dramas is a big attraction.(Special report: daytime programming surprisingly hot)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Imagine an off-net lineup that includes proven broadcast dramas like ER, NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Law & Order. It reads like a prime time schedule for a big general-entertainment cable network. In fact, these shows are among TNT's roster of daytime dramas, aptly labeled ...
Faves of 18-34s.(Special Report: Daytime Programming Surprisingly Hot)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> Faves of 18-34s 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PROGRAM NETWORK VIEWERS ER TNT 394,000 CharmedTNT 364,000 Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica MTV 343,000 Punk'd MTV ...
Youth movement: stalking the younger viewer: cable nets turn to originals to attract the 12-34 demographic.(Special Report: Daytime Programming Surprisingly Hot)
Feb 02, 2004; ... TLC had no prime time ambitions for Trading Spaces when it launched the redecorating show in 2000. What the network needed was a 4 p.m. show as a bridge between feel-good, female daytime shows like Wedding Story and Baby Story and more-general prime time fare. Trading Spaces, with both ...
PBS slates slavery series for fall.(Programming)
Feb 02, 2004; ... The most prominent programming about African-Americans this year won't show up during Black History Month but will debut this fall instead on PBS. Slavery and the Making of America, a four-part documentary produced by WNET(TV) New York and underwritten almost entirely by ...
New diversity museum also focuses on TV.(Programming)
Feb 02, 2004; ... The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, a facility opening this summer in Cincinnati to recognize the efforts of whites and blacks who freed slaves in the 19th century, is looking to get its message to people far beyond the Ohio River, using television and other media outlets, ...
Ratings Jan. 12-18.(Syndication Watch)(Neilsen reports top 25 television shows )
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> RATINGS Jan. 12-18 Nielsen Media Research Top 25 Shows Adults 18-34 RANK PROGRAM AA GAA 1 Friends 5.16.1 2 Seinfeld 4.55.7 3 Seinfeld (wknd) ...
A long divorce.(court shows)(TV's Divorce Court airs 1,000 episode)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... She was doing it before Dr. Phil hit the airwaves, and Divorce Court's Judge Mablean Ephriam is approaching her 1,000th episode with the same no-nonsense approach to life, marriage and advice that she started out with in 1999. "I say things to people that their mother needed to ...
Golden all over.(Syndie Insider)(television news and entertainment programs see boost in market share after Golden Globes)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Entertainment magazines got a bump from the Jan 25 Golden Globes Coverage of the awards extravaganza on Monday, Jan. 26 boosted Paramount's Entertainment Tonight by 4% year-to-year, with a 7.6 rating/11 share, according to Nielsen's primary-run weighted ...
Bitter temps, grumpy viewers?(Syndie Insider)(market share of major television comedies for week ending January 18, 2004)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Record low temperatures in the Northeast kept people indoors during the week ended Jan. 18, but only two of the top 10 off-net sitcoms benefited from the captive TV audiences. Carsey-Werner-Mandabach's That '70s Show, in its second off-net season, rose 10% to a series-high 4.3 ...
Trib's Mulderrig gets bump up.(Syndie Insider)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Steve Mulderrig has been promoted to executive vice president of domestic and cable sales at Tribune Entertainment. Mulderrig will manage all program-distribution rights that Tribune Entertainment acquired last year from Hearst ...
The prime time race.(Programming)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> THE PRIME TIME RACE Top 10 Basic Cable Shows Jan. 19-25 Total Households (in millions) PROGRAM DATENET HHS 1. SpongeBob SqrPnts 8p 1/19NICK4.1 2. Monk 1/23USA 3.9 3. SpongeBob ...
Nielsen ratings Jan. 19-25.(Programming)(cable television programs evaluation)(Calendar)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> NIELSEN RATINGS Jan. 19-25 Rank Program Total household rating/ ...
At a glance.(Market focus: Portland, Ore.)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> AT A GLANCE The Market DMA rank24 Population 2,823,000 TV homes 1,073,000 Income per capita $18,077 TV revenue rank 31 TV revenue$170,000,000...
Seeking lost luster.(Market focus: Portland, Ore.)(cable television market analysis)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Portland, Ore., has a lot going for it. It has consistently ranked by various publications over the years as one of the best places to live in the U.S. Even so, this Northwestern jewel has had to contend recently with high unemployment, worsened by its dependence on the technology ...
The demos.(Market focus: Portland, Ore.)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> THE DEMOS Portland residents use their sunshine wisely. In spite of a rainy climate, they hike, camp and hunt at a rate far above the national average. They are likely to own a foreign car and show a high propensity for making online purchases....
Changing hands.(Business)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... TVs WBIF(TV) Marianna, Fla. PRICE: $1.2 million BUYER: Equity Broadcasting Corp. (Greg W. Fess, executive VP) SELLER: Tiger Eye Broadcasting Corp. (John N Kyle II, president/CEO) FACILITIES: Ch. 51, 1,970 kW, ant. 833 ft. W17CI ...
Clarification.(Business)(Correction Notice)
Feb 02, 2004 ... In the Jan. 19 Changing Hands, Eddie Esserman and George R. Reed of Media Services Group should have been listed as representing Convergent Broadcasting LLC in its sale of WBBK(AM) and ...
Avid acquires German firm NXN software.(asset management)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Digital asset management continues to be an area of growing importance in an industry moving to digital technology, and Avid took steps to address its own needs with the acquisition of Munich, Germany-based NXN Software AG for $44 million cash. According to Avid President and ...
NASCAR revs up HD: NBC Daytona 500 production brings new vividness to racing fans.(Technology)(High definition television)
Feb 02, 2004; ... When NBC tackles HD coverage of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, at least one person involved with the production will wish he could be in two places at once. Mike Wells, director of NASCAR on NBC & TNT, is an HDTV owner who won't be able to enjoy his production in his own home because he'll be ...
Broadcast TV hangs tough: Cox station group shines in difficult times.(Dynamic 12 Cox: Cox Communications Cox Television)
Feb 02, 2004; ... In their many fights with local broadcasters over rights to retransmit stations, cable operators have hoped they could get a little break from Cox Television. After all, the TV-station group shares a corporate bloodline with MSO Cox Communications, a significant leader and ally among the ...
A family-run business.(Dynamic 12 Cox: Cox Communications Cox Television)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004 ... The Cox TV station group and MSO have a common denominator, it is Cox Enterprises, a 106-year-old family business now run by Jim Kennedy, grandson of founder James Cox. CEI has stakes in four major media: CABLE; CEI owns about 65% of publicly traded Cox Communications, the No. 4 cable ...
TV stations, by the numbers.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)(surveys and revenues of television stations)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> TV STATIONS, BY THE NUMBERS CHANNEL AFFIL. MARKET KTVU(TV) 2 Fox San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose KICU-TV 36 Ind San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose WSB-TV2 ABC Atlanta KIRO-TV 7 CBS Seattle-Tacoma ...
Top television executive.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)(appointment of employee)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Few news people make it to the top management ranks of the TV-station business. Andy Fisher, 55, is an exception. The president of Cox Enterprises' Cox Television station group began his media career as a reporter for UPI in Providence, R.I., but soon jumped to TV. As a ...
Station lineup.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Ranked by size of the local market (in parentheses after market), Cox Television stations have a mix of network affiliations. Altogether, the 15 stations cover 10% of the nation's 108.4 million TV homes, making it the 13th-largest TV-station group. KTVU(TV) 2, Fox ...
Cable, by the numbers.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)(subscribers and revenues by numbers)(Illustration)
Feb 02, 2004 ... <Pre> Many Channels, Many Revenue Streams 2003 estimates SERVICE SUBS GROWTH * PENETRATION REV.GROWTH * Basic 6,331,096 0.8% NA$3,771M 5.1% Digital 2,099,27216.8%33.2%$374M19.9% HSD 196,583...
Cox Cable plays defense and offense: while holding off satellite TV, Cox communications has taken the lead in telephony and high-speed data.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Satellite TV has been feasting on cable. Across the country, it has grabbed 25% of the multichannel-TV business. In some markets, notably Atlanta and Dallas, its share is climbing toward 50%. But not in San Diego. Cox Communications' system there has long been one of the MSO's ...
Top cable executive.(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)(appointment of cable executive)(Brief Article)
Feb 02, 2004; ... Like his counterpart at Cox's TV-station group, Cox Communications cable chief Jim Robbins started out in W news. He just didn't do it very long. Robbins got his first job in television while still at Harvard Business School: assistant producer of New England Today on NBC ...
Cable lineup: Cox Communications' system serve 6.3 million subscribers, making it the nation's fourth-largest operator. Here are its 15 systems with more than 100,000 basic subscribers. (NA = Not available).(Dynamic 12 Cox Communications and Cox Television)(Directory)
Feb 02, 2004 ... Middle America Cox 3015 SSE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701 903-595-3701 BASIC SUBS: 805,000 (primarily in Arkansas, including Fayetteville and Fort Smith; Louisiana, including Alexandria, Lafayette and Lake ...
For kids or adults--it's still programming: Ross has helped turn Disney Channel into a powerhouse.(The Fifth Estater)
Feb 02, 2004; ... You could call Disney Channel President of Entertainment Rich Ross a television matchmaker. From Nickelodeon's classic dude-ranch comedy Hey Dude to Disney Channel tween sensation Lizzie McGuire, he has proved skillful at marrying sharp talent with a good project and turning out a hit. ...