TelevisionWeek back issues from January 2006:
BBC America Boosts Lineup; Shakespeare, School Drama in Queue as Development Team Forms.(TV Currents)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd BBC America has ordered two new BBC co-productions, "Waterloo Road'' and "Shakespeare Retold,'' to bolster its current lineup until it can get a stateside development team in place later this year. "Waterloo'' is described as "the anti-`Boston ...
Sony Signs Davies to Development Deal; Producer, Company Have 3-Year Pact.(Sony Pictures Television, Michael Davies )
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Christopher Lisotta Sony Pictures Television has signed reality series producer Michael Davies and his production company Embassy Row to a three-year overall deal to develop unscripted and scripted series. Mr. Davies is an executive producer on Buena Vista's ...
Press Tours' Benefits Outweigh the Costs.(Press Room)
Jan 02, 2006 ... With many newspaper chains such as Knight Ridder and Tribune under pressure to shave costs, eliminating the expense of sending reporters to cover the Television Critics Association press tours would, at first glance, seem like a no-brainer. We think that would be a short-sighted decision ...
Discovery Devises HD Net Showcase; Previews of Sister Channels' Fare.(Discovery Communications Inc. Discovery Networks U.S.)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Discovery Networks plans to introduce a pioneering new programming strategy in March designed to road-test the potential of its high-definition network Discovery HD Theater as a distribution platform for early premieres of shows on other Discovery-owned ...
Court TV Sets VOD `Justice' Sneak Peek; Net Aims to Drive Linear Viewership.(Courtroom Television Network Inc., video on demand, Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice, television program)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Representing one of the first steps toward offering current prime-time cable content on-demand, Court TV has partnered with Time Warner Cable to sneak-peek a February episode of "Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice'' a week before the series' ...
Broadbanders Head to NATPE; New Players in the Market for Programming See Promise in Venerable Industry Gathering.(National Association of Television Program Executives)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette With the burgeoning popularity of broadband video, the annual National Association of Television Program Executives convention is drawing the attention of the major Internet portal companies seeking content to drive their search engines and fill their Web ...
ESPN-ABC Sports' Parade Float Too Well Defined?(ABC Sports Inc., Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, 117th Tournament of Roses Parade )(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Tom Gilbert One of the more unusual floats scheduled to appear today in the 117th Tournament of Roses Parade will be ESPN and ABC Sports' first-time entry, a rather odd-looking tribute to HDTV sportscasts in general-and to this year's USC vs. Texas Rose Bowl in ...
Deal Puts Ball in Icahn's Court; Industry Awaits Financier's Reaction to AOL-Google Pact.(TV Currents)(Carl Icahn, America Online Inc.)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Jay Sherman Could the deal struck late last month between search-engine company Google and Time Warner's America Online unit help quell some of the shareholder unrest being fueled by financier Carl Icahn? Mr. Icahn had made clear in recent weeks that he was ...
Chung, Povich on the Lighter Side; EP Winstead Plans Irreverent 'Weekends' for MSNBC.(TV Currents)(Connie Chung, Maury Povich, executive producer Lizz Winstead, Weekends With Maury and Connie, television program)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi The last time Connie Chung co-anchored a half-hour national news program with a man, it wasn't much fun. But a decade after the end of her strained on-screen marriage with Dan Rather on the "CBS Evening News,'' Ms. Chung is going to try it ...
VOD Came Alive in 2005; Viewer Acceptance, Milestone Deals Led the Way for Growth in Essential Areas.(Media & Technology)
Jan 02, 2006 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Video-on-demand grew during 2005 in three critical areas-advertising, distribution and programming-despite the fact that just a year ago the lack of a workable viewer measurement system posed a threat to the very future of the VOD business. ...
In Ho-Hum Week 'Ellen' Hits High; Most Strips Down or Flat; 'Judy' Top Court Show.(The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Judge Judy, television programs)
Jan 02, 2006 ... Byline: Christopher Lisotta For the week ended Dec. 18, the majority of top-rated syndicated first-run strips were either down or flat compared with their performance the previous week, with the notable exception of Warner Bros.' "The Ellen DeGeneres Show,'' which scored a ...
Ad Insertion on the Horizon; Anticipated Technology Allows Targeted VOD Spots to Appear on the Fly.(Media & Technology)
Jan 02, 2006 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Cable operators can expect a number of technological innovations to further drive the VOD business forward in 2006. For starters, operators are poised to begin rolling out VOD ad insertion technology from providers such as Tandberg Television, ...
Indie Music Becomes TV's Featured Player.(Press Room)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Hayley Taylor Block Actors, move over. More and more, music is being cast in a starring role on television, and in some cases it's independent music that you won't easily find elsewhere. This exposure provides a forum for artists who don't effortlessly find acceptance in ...
Close-up: Kaye Zusmann.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006 ... The Weather Channel has named Kaye Zusmann VP of program strategy and development. In this newly created position she will devise long-term programming strategies for TWC while creating long-form and short-form content for TWC and its sister platforms. For the past two years Ms. Zusmann ...
Newsmakers.(television executives)
Jan 02, 2006 ... BROADCASTING Karen Gilligan to director, sales, KYW-TV, Philadelphia, from general sales manager, Newsradio, KYW-AM. Bruce Erik Brauer to director, creative services, WCBS-TV, New York, from creative director and CEO, Little Siberia, New York. Paul ...
TCA a Case of Access vs. Expense; Beleaguered Print Outlets Beginning to Chafe at High Cost of Semiannual Tours.(TV Currents)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Christopher Lisotta Usually, by the first week of December, television news columnist Gail Shister of the Knight Ridder-owned Philadelphia Inquirer has set up appointments and business dinners for the Television Critics Association's winter press tour scheduled in ...
UNIVISION OUTPACES NETS IN NEW SAMPLE.(Univision Communications Inc.)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi Univision outperformed The WB and UPN in total viewers and 18- to 49-year-old viewers in prime time during the first few days in which the Spanish-language broadcaster was included in Nielsen Media Research's national ratings sample. When the ...
Will English-language telenovelas be successful?(Press Room)(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Naomie Worrell "I think they are already successful; that's what our soap operas are. Major difference is that novelas are like a miniseries, like `The Thorn Birds,' with a limited run span. Also similar to `Desperate Housewives'-it's basically all about love and ...
Storm Brewing for Online Rivals; NBCweatherplus.com Goes Local to Challenge Weather.com.(TV Currents)
Jan 02, 2006 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney NBC's year-old digital weather network Weather Plus will bring its shared national and local weather approach to the Internet today in an effort to take on Web weather incumbent Weather.com. Weather Plus is currently in about 90 local TV markets ...
E! Boards Seacrest Wave; Network to Build Studio for Personality, Add Isaac Mizrahi to Red Carpet Team.(E! Entertainment Television Inc., Ryan Seacrest)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd In the biggest talent deal in E!'s 15-year history, the entertainment network has completed an agreement to sign "American Idol'' host and radio personality Ryan Seacrest to a three-year contract to anchor the daily "E! News,'' host the network's awards ...
The Insider; A Great Lady, A Bon Voyage.(Gretchen Babarovic, Good Morning America, television program)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi Gretchen Babarovic, who was the late Peter Jennings' executive assistant, left ABC News on Dec. 15 after 22 "never boring'' years. The two met through her college roommate, Margaret Osmer, who went on to be among the first news anchors on "Good ...
A LA CARTE WILL GO AWAY-AGAIN.(television subscription)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Marianne Paskowski It was only a year ago that cable programmers and multiple system operators thought they had dodged a nuclear warhead aimed squarely at them from a right-wing Congress that wanted to curb indecency from the airwaves by mandating an a la carte solution ....
Resolve to Grow Smarter This Year; Establish Fundamental Steps Early to Meet New Goals and Don't Be Afraid to Embrace Change by Learning.(Media Planner)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Mark Dominiak Special to TelevisionWeek Given that it is the first week of the year, let's resolve as media people to raise the bar on our media efforts in 2006. And as part of that resolution, let's not pigeon-hole our thinking into only the quantitative ...
News Briefs; 'Nightly News' Tops in Q4 Ratings Battle.(NBC Nightly News)
Jan 02, 2006 ... "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams'' won the flagship newscast ratings competition in all categories for the fourth quarter of 2005, extending "Nightly News''' streak as most-watched network evening newscast to 25 quarters. Data through Christmas weekend from Nielsen Media Research ...
THE NOBLE CALLING OF TV CRITICISM.(End Page)(Column)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Tom Shales Awake and sing!-or better yet, arise and write, all ye noble television critics of the United States, soon to gather in Los Angeles for the annual midseason press tour. I wish I could join you, dear suffering colleagues, but it's such a long flight and ...
`Rita Cosby Live & Direct' Marketing.(Blink)(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi The raspy voice answering the phone at the Pikesville, Md., home of Ralph and Tia Davis these days might sound a tad familiar. That's because it belongs to MSNBC's Rita Cosby, who for about a month has been delivering a personalized outgoing message-and a ...
Roving Eye.(News)
Jan 02, 2006 ... 1. Disney's Bob Iger, left, and Anne Sweeney get together with ABC Primetime Entertainment President Stephen McPherson at the Disney-ABC Television Group's year-end meeting and holiday party Dec. 15 in Hollywood. 2. Dame Judi Dench, center, visits with KCET-TV's Mare Mazur and ...
Weather Web Site Features.(TV Currents)(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006 ... NBCweatherplus.com * Local station Doppler radar * Local meteorologists, message and input on local format * Live, local video with on-air talent from local station * Live stream of TV network * Five-day forecast on homepage ...
Cable news slapdown.(Blink)(Brief Article)
Jan 02, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi The end of one year and the beginning of another is a time for taking stock, especially in the cable news arena, where the spin cycles are once again in such high gear that noncombatants' eyes are crossing. While Blink is fully aware that many readers' ...
What are your picks for the best shows this current TV season?(Press Room)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Naomie Worrell "My picks are [Fox's] `Family Guy,' Bravo's `Project Runway,' `McNeil-Lehrer' on PBS, Nickelodeon's `Avatar,' HBO's `Entourage' and `Real Time With Bill Maher.''' Jeff Boortz, president, Concrete Pictures ...
The Rise of the Antihero; Flawed Characters Exhibit Pundit Appeal; ABC's `Lost' Retains Top Ranking While Sister Show `Housewives' Loses Its Luster.(Special Report: Critics Poll)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd A scoundrel seeking karmic redemption, a hostile physician, an amoral fireman and ruthless Roman soldiers have invaded the upper echelons of TelevisionWeek's Winter Critics Poll. Forty-eight critics participated in the semiannual survey, in which ...
Does Television Risk Being Napsterized?(Press Room)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Pat Dunbar TV content today is in large part supported and paid for indirectly by $60 billion-plus in advertising. However, it is delivered in a way that consumers increasingly find incompatible with their lives. Consumers are rapidly embracing new ...
MPEG-4 Changing Outlook for Telcos; Bandwidth Bonanza to Transform Offerings.(Special Report: Emerging Technologies)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Telco TV has gained momentum in the past year and is poised to become a competitive, mainstream product within five years, according to experts. That growth will likely come with a more widespread use of advanced video encoding that promises to radically ...
MOBILE TV HUGE BY 'O9, REPORT SAYS; Seen as $800 Mil Business.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Jay Sherman Media companies stand to gain a lot more by partnering with cellular providers than they fear losing, a growing body of research shows. The business of mobile phone television is poised to grow sharply in the United States in the coming years as ...
Previews; Award for McPherson.(Stephen McPherson)(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006 ... ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson will receive the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers and Directors' Executive of the Year Award at the organization's 23rd annual black tie gala Sunday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Winners in the categories of producer, writer, director and ...
Society Unified on Central Issue; Conference Agenda Reflects Engineers' Resolve to Improve User Navigation of Content.(Special Report: Emerging Technologies)(Emerging Technologies Conference)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney One of the top priorities for TV technologists in the next few years will be to lay the foundation for a better user experience. That goal will be a central theme at this week's Emerging Technologies Conference, put on by the Society of Cable ...
GROUP IMAGINES FUTURE OF MEDIUM; Meeting Focuses on Cable's Capabilities.(Special Report: Emerging Technologies)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Billed as the "emerging technologies'' conference, this week's Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers gathering in Tampa, Fla., will target that sweet spot between near-term business plans and the futuristic visions of what TV will look like a decade ...
Broadband Gold Rush Is On; Economic Feasibility Opens the Floodgates at Electronics Show.(Consumer Electronics Show)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette The biggest revelation at this year's Consumer Electronics Show was not so much about what is technologically possible, but rather what's economically possible. Announcements tied to last week's gathering in Las Vegas made it clearer than ever ...
Yahoo Extends Service to TV.(Yahoo Go TV )(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Yahoo is getting into the portability act with the new Yahoo Go TV service for the PC, mobile phone and television that it introduced last Friday during the Consumer Electronics Show. The service connects users to Yahoo's Web services whether ...
PARTICIPATING CRITICS.(Special Report: Critics Poll)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Rodi Alexander, Bergen News Group (Palisades Park, N.J.), The Elizabeth (N.J.) Reporter; Marc Allan, Nuvo Newsweekly; Michael Ausiello, TV Guide/TVGuide.com; Victor Balta, The (Everett, Wash.) Herald; Chuck Barney, Contra Costa (Calif.) Times; Walt Belcher, Tampa (Fla.) Tribune; Robert ...
NETWORKS' JANUARY MOVES.(television networks)(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Includes series premieres (in bold), returning series debuts and major rescheduling Monday "Emily's Reason's Why Not'' (ABC), Jan. 9 at 9 p.m. (ET) "Jake in Progress'' (ABC), Jan. 9 at 9:30 p.m. "The Bachelor'' (ABC), Jan. 9 at 10 p.m. ...
Pundits Split on HD; Only 17 Percent Have Hi-Def, but Users Say It Changed Their Viewing Habits.(Special Report: Critics Poll)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd Critics are supposed to be unswayed by picture quality. They watch programs at home, with friends, at work, at screenings, on displays large and small, on VHS, on DVD and via live TV. The presentation is unimportant; the play is the thing. But ...
Worst of the Worst; Sitcoms Stage Comeback as Genre Claims Majority of Stinkers.(Special Report: Critics Poll)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd Tacky sitcoms easily dominated the list of worst series in TelevisionWeek's semiannual Critics Poll. But sitcom lovers have reason to feel encouraged: Worst lists in recent years have been commandeered by reality series. It's arguably a sign of ...
Critics: ABC Improves Over Rivals, Shows It's No Fluke.(Special Report: Critics Poll)(ABC Inc. (Burbank, California))
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd For the third Critics Poll in a row, ABC was voted the most improved network while NBC-despite praise for "My Name Is Earl''-was deemed the least improved. Critics cited the higher quality of this season's "Grey's Anatomy'' and "Boston Legal,'' ...
Networks' Jumping January; Olympics Pressure, Scheduling Opportunities Make for an Active Midseason.(Winter Olympics)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Christopher Lisotta With broadcasters at least partly concerned that February will draw the eyes of many to Turin, Italy, for NBC's telecast of the Winter Olympics, January is being front-loaded with numerous high-profile series debuts and comprehensive schedule changes, ...
Nat Geo Spices Up Sked With Specials; Topical Event Programs Have Performed for Network.(National Geographic Channel)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd Since its debut five years ago, National Geographic Channel has been gaining ratings ground due to topical specials such as "Inside 9/11,'' "Unlocking Da Vinci's Code'' and "Inside Hurricane Katrina.'' During fourth quarter 2005 the network was ...
CBS Corp. in the Fish Bowl; Industry Watching for How Net Evolves.
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Jay Sherman Now that the breakup of Sumner Redstone's Viacom has been completed, Wall Street and the entertainment industry are for the first time in more than five years about to get an up-close look at the inner workings of a broadcast network. CBS began ...
DTV Transition Deadline Redux; Senate Changes to Budget Bill Mean House Must Vote Again.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Doug Halonen Due to some last-minute legislative wrangling late last year, the final deadline date for the broadcast industry's transition to digital television won't be finalized before the House of Representatives returns to work later this month, sources said last ...
VIACOM INSPIRES CONFIDENCE.(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Jay Sherman Wall Street is betting that the new Viacom, fueled by the performance of its cable networks, will live up to its label as a growth company. That's thanks to revenue growth of 22 percent through the 2005 third quarter and a belief that Viacom's ...
A&E's 'Sopranos' on Ice Until 2007; Joint Marketing Pact With HBO Possible, Executives Say.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette Though its high-priced rights to rerun episodes of "The Sopranos'' begin in the fall, A&E plans to wait until January 2007 to launch the HBO hit. The basic cable channel's off-network launch of "The Sopranos'' will coincide with HBO's televising ...
Content Goes Beyond Mobile; New Distribution Tactics Revealed at Show.(Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas )
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Move over, mobile phones, iPods and the Internet: At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, a number of broadband entertainment companies announced partnerships with consumer electronics manufacturers to distribute content on additional ...
Engagement Good as Gold; No Extra Make-Goods So Far From Upfront Guarantees.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Jon Lafayette The networks that guaranteed commercials on their channels would not only reach viewers but also engage them have so far been as good as their word. Engagement became a mantra in the ad business last year as marketers sought to know that the ...
Univision Effect Under Debate; Industry Split on Meaning of Performance in National Sample.
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi The jury is split. Television professionals who work in Spanish-language broadcasting say the effect of Nielsen Media Research's inclusion of Univision in the national ratings sample puts the Spanish-language network in the prime-time ...
CES Briefs; EchoStar, Sony Expand Hi-Def Programming.(Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas, )(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney The prospect of pervasive high definition got a big boost at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with several announcements about expansions of availability of HD programming. For starters, EchoStar plans to expand its high-definition ...
Google Video Store Set to Open.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Attention all virtual clerks: Google's Video Store is opening for business. It's a completely open marketplace, meaning the largest entertainment companies-or an individual-can upload video to the service for free. Here's how the ...
Bowl Games Skew 'World News' Start; ABC News Omits Two Nights' Ratings.(World News Tonight, television news program)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi ABC News went to a lot of expense and trouble to add, among other things, an extra live broadcast of "World News Tonight'' every night in the Pacific time zone. Then the news division asked ABC-owned KABC-TV in Los Angeles and KGO-TV in San ...
The Insider; 'Late Late's' Live Live Wire.(The Late Late Show)(Interview)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Michele Greppi When The Insider wished "TV's Craig Ferguson''-as he introduces himself to the viewers he calls his "cheeky wee monkeys'' every weeknight-a happy new year last week, she was well aware that he had an extremely felicitous year-his first as host of "The ...
News Briefs; ABC's Super Bowl 90% Sold.(ABC Sports Inc.)
Jan 09, 2006 ... ABC Sports looks to unload about eight more Super Bowl spots before the big game at Detroit's Ford Field on Feb. 5. And if the price other fourth-quarter advertisers have paid is any indication, the remaining commercials should go for a bargain price at around $2 million, the current issue ...
In Haste for Story, Don't Forget Basics.(West Virginia mine accident, media spread wrong news)
Jan 09, 2006 ... The news of the rescue of 12 miners trapped by an explosion in a mine in West Virginia came like "a screaming comes across the sky,'' to borrow Thomas Pynchon's famous line. It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now. That news was wrong, we now know, and ...
Google Video Store.(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Source: Google Address: Video.google.com Launch: Imminent Content: 40 providers, including CBS and the National Basketball Association; content available on a download-to-own or rental basis for 24 hours Pricing: Content providers ...
Viewers more receptive to Ads in Spanish.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Byline: Michele Greppi Hispanic viewers are more engaged by Spanish-language commercials and more receptive to the commercials' messages than are non-Hispanic viewers of English-language commercials, according to Nielsen Media Research data touted by Univision. 36% ...
New TLC Series Are Child's Play.(Learning Channel Inc.)(Brief Article)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: James Hibberd At the Television Critics Association's semiannual press tour, TLC plans to announce a pair of reality shows set to debut later this year: "Honey, We're Killing the Kids'' and "LA Riding Club.'' "Honey'' (BBC Productions, 12 episodes) uses computer imaging ...
'Control Freak' Consumers Reinventing Media Usage; Demographics Plays Key Role in Companies' Race to Supply Content, Attract Viewers.(Media Planner)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Greg Lindsay Advertising Age Wayne and Tyna Donelson, 56 and 54, don't have much time for most mass media. A married pair of small-business owners who work from home in rural Massachusetts, they subscribe to the local paper and a few magazines, rent DVDs voraciously ...
Conference on Emerging Technologies.(Special Report: Emerging Technologies)
Jan 09, 2006 ... Sponsor: Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers What: Discussions of technical issues and technologies that may transform the cable telecommunications industry in ...
Women in the TV Industry Take the Interactive Reins.(TV Currents)
Jan 09, 2006; ... Byline: Marianne Paskowski Two prominent women in television, Comcast Corp.'s Amy Banse and Lifetime Entertainment Services' Lynn Picard, ushered in the new year with new gigs, both having been promoted to head their companies' respective interactive programming divisions. ...