TelevisionWeek back issues from January 2007:
Viral Video Pick of the Week; TVWeek's Pick: Rosie vs. the Donald.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: DAISY WHITNEY TelevisionWeek is trawling video-sharing Web sites to find the hottest clips spreading on the Internet. Visit TVWeek.com to view the latest. The setup: It's the latest celebrity slugfest. The new high-caliber war of words. And if you enjoyed the ...
Diss And Dat Resolution.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Michelle Greppi In the spirit of the season, The Insider has drawn some New Year's resolutions, for You-yeah, You, as in Mr. and Ms. Person of the Year, who are likely still to be too giddy from celebrating your anointment by Time magazine to focus on setting ...
Weekly Prime-Time Ratings; Monday, Dec. 18-Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007 ... TV Season Week No. 14 CBS won the week in adults 18 to 49 with a 2.5/8. CBS won in total viewers with 8.8 million. Top Shows For the Week Adults 18 to 49: "NFL National" (CBS, Sunday) 6.9/29 Total viewers: "NFL National" (CBS, ...
HDTV: Tomorrow Not Quite Here; Transmission Limitations Hamper Potential of 1080p Sets.(High definition television)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Natalie Finn Special to TelevisionWeek Sales of high-definition TV sets increased 52 percent during the first nine months of 2006 compared with the same period in 2005, according to a November survey by the NPD Group. Meanwhile, the average price of an HDTV ...
clearing the air on resolution; `True HD' a Polarizing Factor to TV Buyers.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Natalie Finn Special to TelevisionWeek One would be hard-pressed to find an HDTV expert who doesn't think that 1080p is the future, in both broadcasting and display. It's often referred to-by marketers in particular-as "true HD'' or "full HD.'' What's ...
3-D HDTV The next frontier; Depth Sans Need for Glasses in the Offing.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: NATALIE FINN While the very mention of 3-D conjures up images of 1950s-era sci-fi movies and multicolored glasses, manufacturers are at work trying to usher in new era of three-dimensional entertainment. And this time around it will be minus the specs. When ...
pricey new hi-def sets raise ante; SED Screens Offer Even Sharper Display.(surface-conduction electron-emitter display)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: NATALIE FINN In September 2005 a new flat-panel screen debuted at the Canon Expo that promised a brighter, sharper and clearer display than the average LCD or plasma HDTV could provide. Canon's surface-conduction electron-emitter display technology works like ...
Court TV Taking on More Action; Orders 'Most Dangerous' for 'R.E.D.' Block.(Courtroom Television Network Inc.)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette Marc Juris can't get enough action. Court TV's general manager for programming and marketing has ordered a new show from shock video producer Bruce Nash for the network's red-hot "Real. Exciting. Dramatic.'' programming block. The ...
Holiday Doldrums Sap Syndie Shows; Weekly First-Run Hours Manage to Buck the Trend.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell A traditionally weak week for syndicators maintained a troublesome holiday tradition with few programs showing improvement for the week ending Dec. 17, according to Nielsen Media Research. With most shows in repeats, potential viewers out of ...
Tribune to Handle Telco Distribution; Will Sell Indie's 'Animal Rescue,' 'Missing' and 'Dog Tales'.(Tribune Entertainment )(Telco Productions)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell Tribune Entertainment has inked a deal with independent producer-distributor Telco Productions to distribute Telco's current and future series in syndication. Tribune already handles Telco's barter sales. While the Tribune Co. has ...
Matt Lauer Metrics.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007 ... $607 Million - The estimated advertising revenue "Today'' earned in the first three quarters of 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. 5.8 Million - The average number of viewers who tuned in to "Today'' during 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research. 5.9 ...
'Wheel,' 'Jeopardy!' to Roll Into 2011-12; CBS Renews Its Prime-Access Slot Stalwarts.(Wheel of Fortune)(CBS Corp. CBS Television)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell Two of syndication's veteran staples have solidified their places on station lineups heading into this month's National Association of Television Programming Executives convention. CBS Television Distribution, which distributes stalwart game ...
In Focus: Tom Burgess.(Tom Burgess)(Third Screen Media)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney The player: Tom Burgess, founder and CEO of Boston-based Third Screen Media The play: Third Screen Media provides software that delivers ads to mobile phones and manages the entire ad cycle, from buying to reporting on the effectiveness of ...
Clicks.(Zune.net )(iTunes Web site)(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007 ... 1,030 - The percentage increase in visits to Zune.net, as measured by market share, on Christmas Day compared with the Monday before. 1,222 - The percentage increase in visits to the iTunes ...
ESPN's NASCAR Sales Heating Up; Office Depot on Board, Other Key Sponsorships Near.(ESPN Inc.)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc.)(Office Depot Inc.)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette ESPN is revving up its ad sales efforts as it returns to the NASCAR field this year. The cable sports giant has already signed Office Depot to a marketing partnership involving NASCAR and is close to several deals to sell key on-air ...
Foreign Film VOD Net Aims for Niche; Eurocinema Extends Reach, Plans Marketing.(News)
Jan 01, 2007 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Video-on-demand service Eurocinema, which showcases foreign films, plans to start its first consumer marketing campaign this month, betting that niche marketing will work best for a targeted VOD service. The VOD service will spend $100,000 in its ...
Micro-Channels a Macro Idea for DIY; Video Viewing on Web Site Increased 40% in One Month.(DIY Network)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney DIY Network has a new pitch for online advertisers this year. Late last year, the Scripps-owned network's Web site, DIYnetwork.com, learned something interesting about online video-Web users will find and watch video even if the network doesn't ...
Bigger 'Today'? Odds Stack Up; Adding an Hour May Help Stations.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Michele Greppi Logic and economics suggest that a fourth hour will be added to the "Today'' show, NBC's most lucrative brand outside the "Law & Order'' franchise. A decision on whether to add the fourth "Today'' hour to improve NBC's daytime ratings picture ...
Winter Reality Rollouts.(Brief article)
Jan 01, 2007 ... Byline: Chris Pursell In addition to season six of "American Idol,'' which debuts on Fox onJan. 16, several other prime-time reality series are scheduled to get rolling soon. Among the January debuts: "Beauty and the Geek 3'' on Jan. 3 on The CW; "Grease: You're the ...
start-up saw void in syNdie market; Trifecta Out for Weekend Slots.(Trifecta Entertainment and Media)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell As a company looking to make a big splash heading into its first NATPE conference, Trifecta Entertainment and Media is entering January on a roll. The distributor recently announced deals to syndicate weekly series featuring two well-established brands that ...
Editorial: Nets Should Exploit Web for Racier Fare.(Editorial)
Jan 01, 2007 ... The Parents Television Council's protest against NBC's decision to post on the Web an uncut version of the "Dick in a Box'' skit from "Saturday Night Live'' gets curiouser and curiouser the more we think about it. For those who haven't caught the clip, it features pop star ...
dramas still boast widest viewership.(IAG Research)
Jan 01, 2007 ... Byline: From IAG Research A gaze backward reveals this truth about prime-time broadcast program genres: Almost any format can succeed. At different times one genre has been more dominant-comedies about a decade or so ago, dramas circa 1983 and Westerns in the late ...
Quicktakes.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Stephanie Robbins Do you think NBC should have made the uncensored "SNL' sketch available on the Web? "Sure, why not? The best and easiest way to generate buzz about a "censored' clip is to make it available on the Internet. The unexpurgated version is crude ...
New Patterns Call for New Measures; Metrics Should Reflect the Web's Influence on Shopping.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Adam Armbruster Special to TelevisionWeek Our clients report that all of the drastic changes in consumer media usage have caused confusion about how to measure retail multimedia electronic advertising campaigns. If you are the advertiser, you may ...
Blink.(National Association of Television Program Executives)
Jan 01, 2007 ... You Can't Buy a Thrill The hottest ticket heading into the NATPE convention in Las Vegas is turning out once again to be CBS Television Distribution's annual market shindig. This year, Steely Dan is set up as the entertainment for the invitation-only affair, which in other years ...
News Briefs.(merger of BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Inc.)(Monday Night Football)
Jan 01, 2007 ... FCC Approves Merger of BellSouth and AT&T AT&T and BellSouth merged Friday night shortly after the Federal Communications Commission gave its final approval to the $86 billion merger and a day after two Democratic commissioners wielding unusual clout extracted major concessions ...
FCC Telco Vote Out of Bounds.(Federal Communications Commission)(telecommunications)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Marianne Paskowski Just days before Christmas, the Federal Communications Commission in a 3-2 vote removed a barrier for phone companies entering the video business by mandating that municipalities must decide on franchise requests within 90 days, not the usual six-month ...
Television News Loses Another Mighty Oak.(Obituary)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Jeff Gralnick The decade, hell the new century, is barely six years old and it already is in the books as one of profound loss for the broadcast industry and television news in particular. Think about it. For ABC it was Roone Arledge. For NBC it ...
Interactive Test for 'Maury'; Strip Plans Viewer Texting, Contests.(MindMatics)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell Syndicated programs, which air largely in different time slots on different stations around the country, have lagged behind the broadcast networks in exploiting the possibilities of airing shows on mobile devices. Now NBC Universal Domestic ...
The Calm Before the Vegas Storm; A high number of renewals and few available slots have made for a slow pre-NATPE season. But things should pick up on the market floor.(National Association of Television Program Executives)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell A quiet off-season for syndicators could make for an interesting week at the National Association of Television Program Executives conference as companies face more question marks this year than answers. For first-run programming, this season has ...
Networks Return to Reality in New Year; Shaq Among Stars of Midseason Shows.(Shaquille O'Neal)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell and James Hibberd Reality is poised to regain its prime-time luster during the second half of the 2006-07 television season. As Fox prepares to unleash a new season of powerhouse reality series "American Idol" Jan. 16, the network and two of its ...
Lauer: 'Today' & Tomorrow.(Matt Lauer)(Interview)
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Michele Greppi On Jan. 6, Matt Lauer will mark his 10-year anniversary as co-anchor of NBC's "Today" morning show. It's a gig he took after several years of doing double-and sometimes triple-duty for WNBC-TV in New York and across the street at "Today," where ...
Skit's Web Popularity: That's Rich; 'SNL's' 'Dick in a Box' Clip Blazes Path to Air Naughtier Content.
Jan 01, 2007; ... Byline: Ira Teinowitz The uncensored "Dick in a Box" video clip that last week generated 7.5 million views for NBC on YouTube did more than give the "Saturday Night Live" skit greater exposure on the Web than it had on television. It may also illuminate a path for ...
News Briefs.(Mediacom Communications Corp. fails to reach agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group)(Twentieth Television cancels 'Geraldo at Large')
Jan 08, 2007 ... MediaCom Poised to Drop 22 Sinclair Stations A potentially precedent-setting battle between MediaCom Communications and Sinclair Broadcast Group over broadcast TV retransmission rights payments escalated Friday when MediaCom said it would drop 22 Sinclair stations from its cable ...
NBC Stations: Daytime a New Deal; `iVillage' Renewed in Move to Balance Risks With Costs.(NBC Universal Television Stations Division to launch 'iVillage Live' a daytime television series)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell Steve Schwaid, senior VP of news and programming for NBC Universal Television Stations Division, is embracing a new philosophy: "There are no rules, it's daytime television,'' he said last week. That may mean NBC-owned stations will start ...
It's Down to the 'Wire'; New Shows Rank High, But Veteran HBO Series Draws the Line Over Higher-Rated Broadcast Network Offerings.(special report: Critics Poll)(rankings of programs Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Office, The Wire, and Ugly Betty)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: James Hibberd Five freshman shows stormed the upper ranks of TelevisionWeek's Winter Critics Poll, while the list was crowned by a veteran program that's the lowest-rated winner in the survey's history. The fourth season of HBO's critical darling "The Wire'' ...
BEST & WORST SERIES.(special peport: Critics Poll)(television programs)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Votes were tabulated using a weighted scale. Critics submitted 10 shows in the best series category, with the top choice receiving 10 points, the second choice 9 points and so on down to the 10th choice, which received 1 point. Critics submitted five shows in the worst series category, ...
Best and Worst Movie, Miniseries or Special.(television movie rankings)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Best Movie, Miniseries or Special 1. Masterpiece Theatre: Prime Suspect: The Final Act 2. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts 3. Sleeper Cell: American Terror 4. The Lost Room 5. Broken Trail Worst Movie, ...
New nets left out in the cold by critics; CW, MyNetwork Not Taken Seriously in Poll.(The CW Television Network)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: James Hibberd With reactions like these, you'd think The CW and MyNetworkTV ran nothing but O.J. Simpson interviews. Though television industry response to the newly formed The CW has been marginally positive, and response to MyNetworkTV merely slightly ...
fox shows at top of the bottom; Critics Glad to See End of `Happy Hour'.(Fox Television's programs rankings)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: James Hibberd Fox shows typically make an appearance on the critics' list of worst series, but this year the network made a particularly strong showing. Topping the chart was its short-lived sitcom "Happy Hour,'' which was billed as an edgier version of ...
So many serials, so little time; Many Viewers Overwhelmed by Genre Glut.(television critics poll)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: James Hibberd Though several shows on their best series lists have serialized elements, critics said networks launched too many new serials this fall. Critics were asked whether networks launched too many quality shows this fall vying for viewers' attention ...
Mirren continues rule in long-form; PBS's `Prime Suspect 7' Garners Praise.(special report: critics poll)(Helen Mirren's miniseries ranked first; Public Broadcasting Service)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: JAMES HIBBERD Helen Mirren was once again queen of the best long-form category, with the latest installment of her British series "Prime Suspect 7'' voted the best movie, miniseries or special following last summer's win with HBO's "Elizabeth I.'' "Helen ...
It would've been bad, had it aired; Yanked O.J. Special Rankles the Critics.(special report: critics poll)(ranking of worst television movies, and miniseries)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007 ... The very idea of Fox's scheduled-then-yanked O.J. Simpson confessional so repulsed critics that it topped their list of worst movies, miniseries and specials-even though it never aired. Fox's planned sweeps stunt, "If I Did It, Here's How It Happened,'' had unpopular publisher ...
On the Web.
Jan 08, 2007 ... * Producer Shop Talk Jon Murray, creator of MTV's "The Real World: Denver" Gives TVWeek Managing Editor Melissa Grego the downlow on ...
This Year's Panelists.(TelevisionWeek selects panel of experts to help in its '10 Most Bankable Stars for 2007')
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: CHRIS PURSELL Six insiders representing various segments of the industry put their heads together to help TelevisionWeek select the 10 Most Bankable Stars for 2007. Here's a look at this year's panel of syndication experts. Bill Carroll Bill ...
Content Joins Tech Centerstage at CES; Big Presence of CBS, Disney a Sign of Event's Growing Value to TV Industry.(special report: Consumer Electronics Show)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Byline: Daisy Whitney One sign that the annual Consumer Electronics Show has morphed into a conference for content providers as well as gadget hounds is that CBS CEO Les Moonves and Disney CEO Robert Iger will deliver two of only five keynote addresses slated for the event. This ...
Who Really Has Leverage?(Courtroom Television Network Inc. pulled off from EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish network)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Marianne Paskowski Let's just say the holidays were interrupted for Turner Broadcasting System President of Domestic Distribution Andy Heller, who yanked Court TV off EchoStar Communications' Dish Network on New Year's Eve. "I'm still stunned,'' he said last ...
U.S. TV Industry Should Look Offshore for Ideas.(television broadcasting)(Column)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Scott Sternberg With more than 76 countries represented at this year's NATPE conference, the internationalization of the U.S. TV industry is more apparent than ever; just check your screens. This can only be a good thing. American buyers and producers should be ...
Blink.(MSNBC Cable Network attracts younger viewers)(belching sound in NFL Network's broadcasts)(Warner Bros. Television's Dick Robertson to be honored National Association of Television Program Executives conference)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Buckle Up, Dick, Here Comes Saget We'll soon find how well Warner Bros. syndication legend Dick Robertson can take a joke. It turns out that Mr. Robertson, who is the guest of honor at a roast at the National Association of Television Program Executives conference this month, ...
Next From Apple: Video Cellphone? Jobs Expected to Unveil Details at This Week's MacWorld.(Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. to launch a mobile device to play videos and television)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney The man whose iPod dragged the television industry onto the Web may be spoiling to ignite the U.S. cellphone-TV market. Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs is expected to unveil details on a new device that melds video and mobile phones on Tuesday at ...
Microsoft Girds for Vista Debut; Convergence System for PC, TV Signs Content Partners.(Microsoft Corp. demonstrates the software at Consumer Electronics Show)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney In the quest for the holy grail of gadgets that finally integrates the computer and the living room flat screen, Microsoft plans to unveil new entertainment partners for its upcoming Vista operating system launch. Microsoft, the world's biggest ...
Viral Video Pick of the Week; TVWeek's Pick: hussein execution.(TV Week Network shows the execution video of Saddam Hussein on its web site)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney TelevisionWeek is trawling video-sharing Web sites to find the hottest clips spreading on the Internet. Visit TVWeek.com to view the latest. Warning: This video contains explicit images that may be disturbing to some. The setup: It ...
Katz: New Sources Best for Syndie.(Katz Television Group's expectations with syndication television programs)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell As stations plan for another season in which they have to face changing business models and an apparent dearth of new offerings from syndicators, Katz Television Group focused its programming recommendations for the 2007-08 season on the most innovative ...
Less Than 20 Questions ... ... some of which are rhetorical, some of which have no answer and some of which would be no fun if we went in search of an answer.(the insider)
Jan 08, 2007 ... ]] If Oprah Winfrey-gawd bless her beneficent bent-had asked your advice about what to pack for her trip to South Africa to cut the ribbon on the girls' leadership academy she built, mightn't you have advised her to take shorter drop diamond earrings and to shorten the floor-length pink ...
QuickTakes.(Eric Kittleson and Peter Dunn's opinions on syndication)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Stephanie Robbins Who do you think is the most powerful star in syndication right now? "I am a huge fan of `Dr. Phil' and `Judge Judy.' Judy joined our lineup in September (following Phil) and has given us a very favorable Nielsen ratings verdict. Judy has ...
PARTICIPATING CRITICS.(Special Report: Critics Poll)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Marc Allan, Nuvo Newsweekly; Michael Ausiello, TV Guide and TV Guide.com; Chuck Barney, Contra Costa (Calif.) Times; Robert Bianco, USA Today; Hal Boedeker, Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel; Larry Bonko, The Virginian-Pilot; Bill Brioux, Toronto Sun; Roger Catlin, The Hartford (Conn.) Courant; Gael ...
Desire for American Fare Never Greater Overseas.(television distribution, trends and forecast)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Michael Murphy Here we are on the cusp of another NATPE conference and it has got me thinking about those distributors last year who were predicting a banner year ahead for U.S. program suppliers. Well, they were right: American programming has enjoyed a surge in ...
Include Your Job in Your Resolutions; Tips to Help Media People Perform Their Key Roles More Productively.(Media Planner)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Mark Dominiak Special to TelevisionWeek It is the time of year for resolutions again. But how many of we media people are considering any resolutions beyond the seldom-kept standards like losing weight or kicking the cigarette habit? Why not seriously ...
Newscast Time-Slot Shifts Aid Stations; Experiments Pay Off for Local TV Outlets.(WPLG-TV shifts television news programming)
Jan 08, 2007 ... Byline: Michele Greppi Some TV stations are finding that the way to improve local news ratings is to move their afternoon newscasts. WPLG-TV, the Post-Newsweek ABC affiliate in Miami, is the latest station to opt out of crowded local news races in the afternoon in ...
Networks, Automakers Intersect; Common Interests Spur Influx of Innovative Sponsorship, VOD and Digital Deals.(sponsorships)(General Motors Corp. signs contract with ESPN)(Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus Division sponsors 'Prison Break' and 'Monday Night Football')
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette In the premiere of FX's new series "Dirt,'' tabloid editor Lucy Spiller, played by Courteney Cox, leaves a Hollywood party and while she's waiting for her car, she has a conversation with a man. "Keep up with me if you can,'' she says. Then the ...
'ALADDIN' BUZZING OVER TO SATURDAYS; Toon Disney Out for Afternoon Audience.(Toon Disney reschedules animated programs)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette Buzz Lightyear and Aladdin are moving to the weekend on Disney-owned preschooler net Toon Disney. Coming off Toon Disney's most-watched year, executives at the network noticed that the classic cartoons based on theatrical film characters were ...
Turner Pulls Court TV Off of Dish Service; Time Warner Says EchoStar Won't Pay Standard Rate.(Courtroom Television Network Inc., EchoStar Communications Corp., Turner Broadcasting System Inc. )(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Jon Lafayette Turner Broadcasting blocked EchoStar Communications' Dish service from carrying the Court TV network in a dispute over carriage fees, prompting the satellite-television company to call Turner's rate demands unreasonable. Turner, the Time Warner ...
Showtime Plans Video Game Service.(Showtime Networks Inc.)(Brief article)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Daisy Whitney Showtime Networks plans to launch a new broadband gaming business in the second quarter that it will market to cable operators, joining Turner Broadcasting as an entertainment company branching out into video games. Showtime's service, called On ...
Show biz served ford well.(media coverage of memorial service and funeral of Gerald R. Ford)
Jan 08, 2007 ... A surprising amount of show biz crept into the funeral of Gerald R. Ford, as seen on all the major networks and a few minor ones. It was evident even in the musical arrangements of hymns and sacred works played by the assembled Armed Forces musicians; they were beautiful, yes, but also ...
Holidays a Mixed Bag for Talk Genre; `Maury' Hits Season High While `Oprah' Dips to Season Low.(television audience ratings of talk shows)
Jan 08, 2007; ... Byline: Chris Pursell Talk shows experienced both the good and the bad of the holiday season for the week ending Dec. 24. NBC Universal's "Maury'' hit a new ratings high while King World's "The Oprah Winfrey Show'' hit a season low for the second week in a row, ...