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Lowest Rated Shows By Network
Week of January 15-21
These are the lowest-rated original run programs by network for last week.
Shows are listed by overall rank and viewers in millions.
ABC
70 America's Funniest Home Videos (Tue.) 5.89
67 "Seabiscuit" 6.00
82 What About Brian 4.74
94 Knights of Prosperity 3.82
101 In Case of Emergency 3.36
CBS
49 Ghost Whisperer 6.91
52 The Class 6.90
65 Crimetime Saturday(8 p.m.) 6.04
68 Crimetime Saturday(9 p.m.) 5.99
71 Armed & Famous 5.79
The CW
119 All of Us 1.76
120 Gilmore Girls 1.66
121 Girlfriends 1.63
122 The Game 1.58
123 Veronica Mars 1.20
Fox
80t American Dad(9:30 p.m.) 5.04
86 Til Death (Sun.) 4.52
89 War at Home (Thu.) 4.32
92 The O.C. 3.96
102 War at Home (Sun.) 3.35
NBC
62 ER 6.14
75t Dateline: NBC (Sat.) 5.26
80t 30 Rock 5.04
87 Friday Night Lights 4.46
98 Crossing Jordan 3.61
• Source: Nielsen Media Research data
fredfa,
I know you don't do casting news normally. So ignoring that rule <VBG> what do you hear about Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton doing a show?
fredfa,
I know you don't do casting news normally. So ignoring that rule <VBG> what do you hear about Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton doing a show? This was from today's NY Post...
January 24, 2007 -- GET ready for the most expensive sitcom ever.
Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton are in talks to team for "Action News" as anchors who reunite for a local newscast, according to the trades.
If the deal goes through, it would team two of the most popular and highly paid TV stars in history - triggering a fierce network bidding war for the show, produced by 20th Century Fox TV.
"Kelsey Grammer has a long shelf life and Patricia Heaton . . . is an incredibly popular star," says Jack Myers, publisher of mediavillage.com.
"I think it's a dream combination."
But also an expensive one. Grammer was earning $1.6 million-per-episode and Heaton $500,000-per-episode when their top-rated shows, "Frasier" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," called it quits.
"I think they can get what they were earning before and probably have gotten it [for this show]," says one high-level talent agent.
"I think they would only make a deal like this if they got what they wanted . . . they're not even close to being desperate."
Added to the mix are "Action News" showrunners Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, proven hitmakers ("Just Shoot Me," "Wings," "Frasier") - which means this show could shatter the financial mold for sitcoms.
"I can't imagine [Grammer or Heaton] will get anywhere near those [salary] levels in the first year, but I expect they'll have points in the show - and profit participation is definitely an upside for them," Myers says.
"And I would think for them to get Grammer to return, they've got to be paying a pretty penny.
"It's not going to be a cheap show."
Myers says "Action News" has two elements in its favor: it's a sitcom, and it's unfolding in a "behind-the-scenes" format.
"Sitcoms are back, big-time, with 'Earl,' 'The Office,' the CBS sitcoms and 'Knights of Prosperity,' " he says. "And I think every network has to get into the game.
"Shows like '30 Rock' and 'The Office' are making it OK to be in the studio and behind-the-scenes.
"Genre-wise, it works."
"We're in talks with both stars," a 20th Century Fox TV spokesman said yesterday.
TV Notebook
Hargitay, Meloni up for more 'SVU'
Deal gives both stars substantial raises
By Josef Adalian Variety January 24, 2007
NBC and Dick Wolf have averted a casting crisis on "Law & Order SVU," inking series stars Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni to rich two-year deals.
Peacock is keeping mum on the financials, but insiders said the new pact gives both stars substantial raises over their existing deals, with annual salaries of more than $6.5 million each. It's believed that with the bump, Hargitay will become one of - if not the --- highest-paid actress in network TV.
That would put her paycheck in the $300,000 to $340,000 per seg range. Given their co-lead status, it seems likely Meloni's paycheck is in the same range as Hargitay's.
Like NBC, Wolf's camp wouldn't discuss money, but Wolf did issue a statement confirming the actors would be back.
Producer said he's happy "that Chris and Mariska have decided to stay with a show that they've made an indelible stamp upon as we move into our 9th season."
Anticipating a deal was close, NBC last week announced that "SVU" would be coming back next fall.
Talks with Hargitay and Meloni have been ongoing for weeks, leading to plenty of tabloid speculation about the fate of "SVU." Unlike the two other flavors in the "L&O" brand, the actors on "SVU" are considered far more central to the show's success.
One NBC insider recently conceded to Daily Variety that it would be hard to imagine the show--the top rated of the three "Law & Order" skeins--- being as successful without Hargitay and Meloni on board. And "SVU" showrunner Neal Baer has often mentioned how crucial the two stars have been to the show.
Even with the raises, "SVU" is in no danger of becoming a money loser for NBC. Skein is produced effeciently as part of the Wolf Films factory in Gotham, and its ratings have remained strong, keeping it in the top tier of network dramas.
Both Hargitay and Meloni have been on "SVU" since it premiered in 1999. Hargitay has won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her work on the show, while Meloni has been nommed for an Emmy.
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117958049&categoryid=14
fredfa,
I know you don't do casting news normally. So ignoring that rule <VBG> what do you hear about Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton doing a show?
Thanks for the quick response LL3HD.
As it often does, the NY Post neglected to credit anyone for the story. In truth, both trade papers ran the item a day earlier.
Since you asked, AAF, here they are:
TV Notebook
20th launching 'Action News'
Grammer, Heaton in talks to star on show
By Josef Adalian Variety January 23, 2007
Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton are in talks with 20th Century Fox TV to topline a half-hour comedy from producers Christopher Lloyd ("Frasier") and Steve Levitan ("Just Shoot Me").
Assuming a final deal can be worked out, 20th will immediately begin pitching the project to nets.
Levitan and Lloyd wrote the laffer on spec. Dubbed "Action News," it revolves around the reteaming of two local news anchors, to be played by Heaton and Grammer.
Not surprisingly, it's expected 20th will be seeking a major financial commitment to the project. Grammer and Heaton commanded seven- and mid-six-figure per-episode fees, respectively, for their work on "Frasier" and "Everybody Loves Raymond."
Levitan and Lloyd don't work cheap, either.
Historically, such star-packed packages have provoked bidding wars among the nets.
About 18 months ago, CBS and NBC nearly came to blows with Warner Bros. TV for the rights to both "The Class" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Neither one of those projects had onscreen talent attached at the script stage.
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117957925&categoryid=14
Grammer, Heaton may take 'Action'
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter January 23, 2007
In what would be a blockbuster pairing of sitcom stars, Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton are in discussions to co-star in a comedy series, "Action News," created by writer-producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd for 20th Century Fox TV.
As of Monday night, there was no deal in place for Grammer or Heaton, and the talks were ongoing, sources said. The project is said to be set at a local TV station and revolve around the reuniting of a male and female anchor team (Grammer, Heaton).
Top showrunners Levitan and Lloyd planted their flag at 20th as writing and producing partners in July (HR 7/13). Sources said the studio intends to nail down deals with Grammer and Heaton before shopping the script to prospective buyers. The onscreen star power of Grammer and Heaton combined with Levitan and Lloyd virtually ensures a bidding skirmish among networks for the project.
Representatives for 20th and the CAA-repped Grammer and Heaton declined comment on the project.
Grammer wrapped his 20-year run as Dr. Frasier Crane of "Cheers" and "Frasier" fame in 2004. He earned four Emmys for his acting work on "Frasier," on which Lloyd served as a showrunner for most of its 1993-2004 run on NBC. Grammer has been active as a producer in recent years with the NBC drama "Medium" and UPN/CW comedy "Girlfriends," hailing from his Grammnet Prods. banner.
Heaton called it a wrap on nine seasons of CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond" in 2005, earning two Emmys for her role as harried wife and mother Debra Barone. She recently was seen on the ABC miniseries "The Path to 9/11" and the TNT remake of "The Goodbye Girl."
Levitan created and executive produced the NBC comedy "Just Shoot Me" and more recently executive produced the Fox/20th Century Fox TV comedies "Stacked," "Oliver Beene" and "Greg the Bunny." Lloyd's credits range from NBC's "Wings" to last season's CBS comedy "Out of Practice."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3iaa988f920334c89c7c7f2b4eafd1d18b
dad1153
01-25-07, 12:09 AM
TV Notebook
Hargitay, Meloni up for more 'SVU'
Deal gives both stars substantial raises
By Josef Adalian Variety January 24, 2007
Talks with Hargitay and Meloni have been ongoing for weeks, leading to plenty of tabloid speculation about the fate of "SVU." Unlike the two other flavors in the "L&O" brand, the actors on "SVU" are considered far more central to the show's success.
One NBC insider recently conceded to Daily Variety that it would be hard to imagine the show--the top rated of the three "Law & Order" skeins--- being as successful without Hargitay and Meloni on board. And "SVU" showrunner Neal Baer has often mentioned how crucial the two stars have been to the show.
Makes you wonder if the original 'L&O' or 'CI' (both of which languish far below Top 20 rankings and skew much older) will be shut down in one of those cost-cutting NBC 2.0 initiatives. The mothership show, in particular, is quite an expensive hour-long drama for the modest ratings it delivers on Friday night. Veteran actors like Waterston and Merkerson (as well as producers, writers and behind-the-scenes personnel) that have been with the show for years get seniority pay that's much higher than that of a rookie show with a cast of unknowns. Conviction, the Wolf 'L&O' spinoff from last year that occupied the Friday time slot for a few weeks (and pretty much did away with any of the 'L&O' basic tenents to concentrate on the private lives of the DA's and court people in-between their cases), cost a lot less than 'L&O' for marginally lower numbers.
dad1153
01-25-07, 12:11 AM
TV Notebook
20th launching 'Action News'
Grammer, Heaton in talks to star on show
By Josef Adalian Variety January 23, 2007
Grammer, Heaton may take 'Action'
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter January 23, 2007
Mmmphh, those look like the types of posts that I would have gotten into trouble when I contributed to the thread. Guess reader requests make all the difference. :rolleyes:
As AAF noted, I don't usually post them until a show is actually picked up by a network.
Otherwise the thread would be (even more!) cluttered, but this time with items which would often eventually be non-stories.
There is, it seems to me, enough TV news of real shows, which are really going to be seen on TV.
TV Notebook
ABC TV Star Is Seeking Counseling After Epithet
By Edward Wyatt The New York Times January 25, 2007
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24 — Isaiah Washington, the “Grey’s Anatomy” star who twice used an anti-homosexual slur against one of that show’s co-stars, is seeking counseling for behavioral issues at the suggestion of his employers, the ABC television network and Touchstone Television, both part of the Walt Disney Company.
Though it appears that Mr. Washington will not be dismissed from the ABC series, his status remains “precarious,” and his continued employment depends on the outcome of the treatment, according to two people close to the situation who would speak only on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to go beyond the official statements.
Mr. Washington, who shot several scenes for the show on Monday, is expected to be absent from the set for the rest of this week, returning on Tuesday.
Mr. Washington issued a statement on Wednesday saying that he considered counseling “a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again.”
“I appreciate the fact that I have been given this opportunity and I remain committed to transforming my negative actions into positive results, personally and professionally,” Mr. Washington said.
Shonda Rhimes, an executive producer and the creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” said in a statement on Wednesday that the show’s producers “applaud and encourage Isaiah’s realization that he needs help and his subsequent choice to seek immediate treatment for his behavioral issues.”
The announcement of Mr. Washington’s treatment plan follows by two days his meeting with leaders of two gay-rights organizations. One, Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said after the meeting that Mr. Washington had acknowledged that his statements had caused harm and that he “understands that he is going to be judged by more than just his apology.”
At the Golden Globes awards ceremony last week and during a scuffle on the set of “Grey’s Anatomy” in October, Mr. Washington used an anti-gay epithet to describe T. R. Knight, a fellow actor on the show. After the first incident, Mr. Knight publicly acknowledged that he was homosexual.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/25/arts/television/25grey.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print
harley1
01-25-07, 09:22 AM
fred
If you find any ratings numbers for the NHL All Star game on VS, could you please post them.
dad1153
01-25-07, 09:26 AM
I don't think there's a magnifying glass potent enough to find such a small number harley! ;)
TV Notebook
Silver Fox:
The Graying Of A Television Network
by Wayne Friedman MediaPost.com Thursday, Jan 25, 2007
Fox’s typical fourth-quarter rating swoon came with some unusual and disconcerting news: The network's median age for viewers is now five years older.
According to new Nielsen data, Fox median age is now 42 years old, moving up from 37 in the fourth-quarter 2005. Networks tend to become slightly older or younger by one year or so. But rarely has a network witnessed a spike like Fox's this past fall.
"What happened was that they dropped their young comedies and went to older-skewing dramas," says Lyle Schwartz, senior vice president and media research director for Mediaedge:cia.
"Five years is significant," adds Schwartz. "I don't recall any jump being that large. Usually, it's a year or two."
Still, analysts don't necessarily think this is all that bad. Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate media director for Horizon Media, says Fox's median age will still be lower than ABC, CBS and NBC.
This revelation probably won't have much effect on Fox's bid for the most valuable 18-49 viewing title. That still depends on how its heavyweight "American Idol" franchise performs--as well as other shows.
"As long as they have "American Idol," "24," "House" and the Sunday night comedies, they'll probably win again," adds Adgate.
"They'll just skew to the older side of the 18-49 demo now," says Schwartz.
While Fox has been in the thick of battle for the 18-49 title for the last several years, it has easily been tops among 18-34 viewers--an area that new network CW says is its target.
The CW was the only network to have a median age under 40 in the fourth quarter, with 32. For the entire season in 2005-2006, its network predecessors--WB and UPN--were 36.6 and 31.1, respectively.
While Fox had a 37 median age in the fourth quarter of 2005, for the season overall, it was 40.4. If the trend continues, Fox's median age of 42 might climb a bit by year's end.
For the fourth quarter, ABC's median age was 47--up one year from the same period a year ago. CBS remained the same at 52. Only NBC improved--dropping two years, from 49 to 47. Much of this has to do with its new show "Heroes," which has a median age of around 40.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=54448
(The TiVo week ends on Saturday, so the AFC Championship ratings will be reflected next week.)
TiVo’s Top 25
(The following numbers include both live and recorded viewing.)
Week of 01/14/2007 - 01/20/2007
Rank Program and Network Tivo Rating
1 American Idol (FOX Tuesday ) 33.22%
2 American Idol (FOX Wednesday ) 32.95%
3 Grey's Anatomy (ABC) 26.47%
4 Desperate Housewives (ABC) 23.09%
5 24 (FOX) 22.40%
6 24 (FOX) 21.49%
7 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS) 17.62%
8 The Golden Globe Awards (NBC) 17.33%
9 The Office (NBC) 14.61%
10 Brothers & Sisters (ABC ) 12.39%
11 60 Minutes (CBS) 12.10%
12 Ugly Betty (ABC) 11.37%
13 NCIS (CBS) 11.33%
14 My Name Is Earl (NBC) 11.22%
15 Boston Legal (ABC ) 11.20%
16 Criminal Minds (CBS) 10.93%
17 CSI: NY (CBS ) 10.48%
18 The Unit (CBS) 10.45%
19 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC ) 10.35%
20 Shark (CBS ) 9.68%
21 Medium (NBC ) 9.56%
22 The Apprentice: Los Angeles (NBC) 9.51%
23 Las Vegas (NBC) 9.45%
24 Without a Trace (CBS ) 9.27%
25 Men in Trees (ABC) 9.00%
• Source: TiVo
The Business of Television
Malone's Plan for DIRECTV?
(from the Morning Bridge from SkyREPORT.com)
Soon John Malone will take the reigns of the country's largest satellite TV company and analysts and investors are still pondering just what the good doctor has up his sleeve. If you ask the Wall Street Journal, Malone may do with DIRECTV exactly what he did with TCI: combine exclusive programming with distribution to create value; tack on debt to keep taxes down; and eventually find a buyer capable of providing a tax-efficient exit.
According to the paper, the first part of this potential plan would be for Malone to bolster his sports programming properties - and along with the three regional sports networks negotiated in the deal with Rupert Murdoch, DIRECTV just re-upped with the NCAA's mens basketball national tournament and is also rumored to be close to locking down MLB's out-of-market package. If that's not enough, WSJ editors said, Cablevision subsidiary Rainbow Media - owner of the New York Knicks, Rangers and Madison Square Garden - could do the trick for about $4 billion.
The second step in Malone's plan could be financial engineering - because DIRECTV already started the ball rolling. The deal with Murdoch saved Malone $2 billion because it was structured as a tax-free asset swap, the paper said, and there could be more to come. DIRECTV has a healthy balance sheet - and analysts at Bank of America have said that it could fund acquisitions or pay a special dividend of up to $9 billion.
The third part of this plan hinges on the idea that Malone, having built a reputation as a trader, already is eying an exit from the company. According to the Journal there are two "natural" buyers: Comcast - the cable op that failed to acquire Disney; and Verizon - the telco expanding its video services. If history can teach us anything, the paper said, then don't be surprised if Malone structures any future deal as another tax-free swap and ends up with a good chunk of Verizon or Comcast shares.
Yesterday’s metered market over-night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted just under the HD Football listings near the top of Ratings News the first post in this thread.
Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
'Idol' gains viewers in its second week
Up 7 percent in 18-49s over same night last year
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Jan 25, 2007
“American Idol” isn’t just beating the competition on Wednesday nights, it’s obliterating it. The Fox reality show once again posted gains over the same night last year in leading the network to its second dominant victory in as many nights.
“Idol” averaged a 13.9 rating in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, up 7 percent over last year’s 13.0 for the show’s fourth episode. In total viewers, “Idol” crept up 4 percent over last year’s 32.4 million total viewers, to 33.6 million.
Of course with “Idol” showing gains over last year’s already-monster performance, that means less eyeballs for the other networks. During the 9 p.m. hour, when “Idol” peaked with a 15.6 in 18-49s, the other four English-language networks combined for just a 7.2, less than half Fox’s tally.
CBS’s “Criminal Minds” was a repeat, which certainly didn’t help – last week that was the only show to top a 3.0 rating opposite “Idol.”
ABC especially struggled against “Idol,” with new sitcoms “Knights of Prosperity” and “In Case of Emergency” combining for just a 1.3 average in the hour. ABC yanked “Help Me Help You,” another new sitcom, after dipping slightly below a 2.0.
Meanwhile, NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” aired its first original episode versus “Idol” (it had a repeat last week) and mustered a mere 1.9 at 8 p.m. ABC’s “According to Jim,” with a 2.1, was the only show to better a 2.0 rating against “Idol” that hour.
“Idol” led Fox to another very comfortable first place finish for the night among 18-49s with a 13.9 average rating and a 34 share. NBC was second at 2.6/7, CBS third at 2.5/6, ABC fourth at 1.8/5, Univision fifth at 1.8/4 and CW sixth at 1.1/3.
At 8 p.m. Fox led with a 12.2 for the first hour of “Idol,” followed by a 2.6 for Univision for “La Fea Mas Bella.” ABC was third with a 2.0 average for the season premiere of “George Lopez” (1.9) and “According to Jim” (2.1), NBC fourth with a 1.9 for “Friday Night Lights,” CBS fifth with a 1.4 for “Armed & Famous” and CW sixth with a 1.3 for “Beauty and the Geek.”
“Idol” grew during the 9 p.m. hour and Fox led again with a 15.6 rating. NBC rose to second with a 2.7 for “Deal or No Deal,” with CBS third with a 2.3 for a repeat of “Criminal Minds” and Univision fourth with a 1.7 for “Mundo de Fieras.” ABC was fifth with a 1.3 average for “Knights of Prosperity” (1.4) and “In Case of Emergency” (1.2), and CW sixth with a 0.9 for “One Tree Hill.”
At 10 p.m., with Fox out of the picture, CBS led with a 3.8 for “CSI: NY.” NBC was second with a 3.1 for “Medium,” ABC third with a 2.1 for “Primetime” and Univision fourth with a 1.3 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
Fox also led the night comfortably among households, averaging an 18.9 rating and a 28 share. CBS was second at 6.2/10, NBC third at 5.3/8, ABC fourth at 3.4/5, Univision fifth at 2.3/4 and CW sixth at 1.8/3.
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_9763.asp
HDTVChallenged
01-25-07, 12:26 PM
(The TiVo week ends on Saturday, so the AFC Championship ratings will be reflected next week.)
TiVo’s Top 25
(The following numbers include both live and recorded viewing.)
[FONT=Arial Black] Week of 01/14/2007 - 01/20/2007 Source: TiVo
You know, it would be nice if *my* viewing data were included in these figures, but thanks to the whole 6.3, 6.3a, 6.3b debacle, my TiVo remains unplugged from the mothership.
The CW
119 All of Us 1.76
120 Gilmore Girls 1.66
121 Girlfriends 1.63
122 The Game 1.58
123 Veronica Mars 1.20
And at the risk of tilting at the Arrested Development windmills, what the heck is going on here ... something ain't right in in the head in viewer-land. :confused:
RussTC3
01-25-07, 12:39 PM
Quote:
The CW
119 All of Us 1.76
120 Gilmore Girls 1.66
121 Girlfriends 1.63
122 The Game 1.58
123 Veronica Mars 1.20
And at the risk of tilting at the Arrested Development windmills, what the heck is going on here ... something ain't right in in the head in viewer-land. :confused:
Repeats.
HDTVChallenged
01-25-07, 12:49 PM
Repeats.
Ya gotta a point there. It'll be interesting to see how VM faired against "he-who must-not-be named-on-this-forum." ... +1 in this household. :D
Yesterday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted just under the HD Football listings near the top of Ratings News the first post in this thread.
Maybe some day someone will explain to me -- in a way I can understand -- a compelling reason why the CW even exists -- other than to allow a number of stations to have some inexpensive programming (and apparently almost any programming) during prime time.
And then, of course, there is MyNetworkTV.
Perhaps as a cable network the CW might make sense. Perhaps. But even then it often wouldn't finish first in prime time viewers -- even if it kept every OTA viewer it now has.
Last night's ratings show that for every 15 people wqatching Fox, one was watching the CW. On a regular basis, the CW's shows finish behind Univision. It is pathetic.
HDTVChallenged
01-25-07, 01:09 PM
Maybe some day someone will explain to me -- in a way I can understand -- a compelling reason why the CW even exists -- other than to allow a number of stations to have some inexpensive programming (and apparently almost any programming) during prime time. ...
Well ... there are several more than decent shows on CW ... granted they are the type that might have been syndicated or "USA/TNT"ed, in earlier times. So perhaps CW is just syndication on a mild dose of steroids. ;) :D
archiguy
01-25-07, 01:11 PM
Ya gotta a point there. It'll be interesting to see how VM faired against "he-who must-not-be named-on-this-forum." ... +1 in this household. :D
Veronica was by far the better choice. And we had the option of supplying our own applause. ;)
I bet people were wondering why the "Fox" network existed about 10 years ago, too. It was clearly just a cheap knockoff of the dominant ABC, NBC, and CBS trifecta. I enjoy a couple of shows on the CW and am willing to give new shows on the network a try, just like I did with Fox back in the day.
(I have a feeling I posted this "CSI: Miami" montage a while ago. So if you missed it, enjoy. And if you already saw it, it is worth viewing as a repeat.)
Critic’s Notebook
Proof that 'CSI: Miami' is one of TV's funniest comedies
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” January 25, 2007
After a more than a week of controversy over "Grey's" Anatomy," I don't know about you, but I needed a laugh.
Thank you, stewmurray47, for providing it.
I'd heard that there was a funny "CSI: Miami" clip reel floating around on YouTube a while ago. But it wasn't until last night, after plowing through what felt like the millionth "Grey's" comment from a reader (I have to read and approve them all, and no, I don't mind, but everyone sure has a lot to say on the subject), then watching a grim procedural for work purposes, that I felt the need to find something funny to watch.
I could have watched the new season of "Extras" again -- it's bloody fantastic -- but the "CSI: Miami" clip was nearly as giggle-inducing.
Oh, it's funny. And it proves, once and for all, that "CSI: Miami" is really a comedy.
Some people don't get that. They continue to think of the David Caruso Sunglasses of Justice chronicle as a serious procedural drama. Come on. It can't be. I think the cast and writers must be parodying the somber CBS procedural format on purpose.
They have to be, right? That much wooden acting, predictable plotting, glitzy but empty production values and seriously bad punning has to be in service of a wickedly subtle parody. Right?
No, really, they know it's one of the funniest shows on TV, right?
Maybe they don't. In that case, it's a minor tragedy that an actress that I really like, Khandi Alexander, is trapped in this hot mess. Then again, I did have to laugh a while back when CBS sent out a photo of a prone Calleigh to the media with a press release to warn us the character was going to be shot.
Calleigh conscious, Calleigh unconscious -- thanks to Emily Proctor's acting style, it's hard to tell the difference between the two.
Laughs aplenty -- that's what "CSI: Miami" is all about. This hilarious montage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sarYH0z948v, starring Caruso and those charismatic shades, proves it. As the scenery-mauling Caruso's character, H., would say, "CSI: Miami." Is. Guilty. As. Charged.
http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/
I bet people were wondering why the "Fox" network existed about 10 years ago, too. It was clearly just a cheap knockoff of the dominant ABC, NBC, and CBS trifecta. I enjoy a couple of shows on the CW and am willing to give new shows on the network a try, just like I did with Fox back in the day.
True enough, dr_mal. But Fox quickly got rights to the NFC games, persuaded a number of medium-to-large market stations to dump CBS in favor of Fox, and immediately had a platform for promotion.
So male-orietned programming like "The X-Files" and "The Simpsons" fairly quickly found their way into the top 30 lists. Then Fox added "Ally McBeal", and (Lord help us!) "Temptation Island" as ratings winners before "American Idol" burst on the scene in the 2002-2003 season.
The CW has none of that. And from what I have seen and heard of its plans for next season it has no chance of getting any show in the top 50, much less the top 30.
It seems to me Fox had a game plan -- to become a major player. On the other hand, the CW seems to exist just to fill time on its stations.
Laughs aplenty -- that's what "CSI: Miami" is all about. This hilarious montage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sarYH0z948v, starring Caruso and those charismatic shades, proves it. As the scenery-mauling Caruso's character, H., would say, "CSI: Miami." Is. Guilty. As. Charged.
http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/
So Frank...it's a Comedy.........A Comedy of ERRORS....YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
TV Notebook
HBO Launches Boxing Series After “Sopranos” and “Entourage”
By Ben Grossman Broadcasting & Cable 1/25/2007
HBO Sports will run a four-part series counting down to the May 5 Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather boxing match that should be the sport’s biggest event of the year.
And the cable network is giving the series a plush time slot, as it will air the first three installments of De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7 following The Sopranos and Entourage on Sunday nights beginning April 15 at 10 p.m. ET.
The fourth episode will air the Thursday night before the fight, which HBO will offer on its pay-per-view service.
“In 35 years of television boxing this is a first for HBO,” says HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg of the series.
The May 5 event is a crucial asset for HBO, as it may be one of the last fights for De La Hoya, who is as big of a draw as there is in boxing currently. And Mayweather is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing, setting up a showdown that should have a huge buy rate.
And among the storylines is that Floyd Mayweather’s father is De La Hoya’s trainer as in talks to train De La Hoya for the fight.
With the heavyweight division currently unable to generate massive pay-per-view buys and carry the sport as it has in the past, the success of this event becomes even more important to HBO.
The series itself will feature extensive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from both fighters’ training camps. Greenburg and Rick Bernstein are executive producers and Liev Schreiber will narrate.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6409985
(I have a feeling I posted this "CSI: Miami" montage a while ago. So if you missed it, enjoy. And if you already saw it, it is worth viewing as a repeat.)
Critic’s Notebook
Proof that 'CSI: Miami' is one of TV's funniest comedies
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” January 25, 2007
I watch this show for the image value, it's a showcase for HD image quality and the DP definitely seems to have free rein on the different things they do with the images, some are very cool, some just okay.
If I'm not mistaken, CSI: Miami is the most popular show in the world, I seem to remember reading that somewhere, it may have that been David Caruso was the most popular actor, but I'm pretty sure it was the show itself.
To finish a previous thought:
CW Program Rankings/Ratings
(Season-To-Date Averages Through Dec. 31, 2007)
Rank Program Viewers (in millions)
103 AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL 5.36
113 SMALLVILLE 4.42
116 FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN 4.37
116 GILMORE GIRLS 4.30
116 7TH HEAVEN 4.04
124 REBA 3.85
132 ONE TREE HILL 3.48
133 SUPERNATURAL 3.29
137 EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS 2.94
137 REBA SUN 2.86
137 VERONICA MARS 2.99
141 ALL OF US 2.70
141 GIRLFRIENDS 2.77
148 GAME, THE 2.52
153 AMERICA’S TOP MODEL-ENC 2.15
159 TOP MODEL:BRIT INVASION 1.72
161 RUNAWAY 1.92
• Source: Nielsen Media Research data
dad1153
01-25-07, 03:17 PM
Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
'Idol' gains viewers in its second week
Up 7 percent in 18-49s over same night last year
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Jan 25, 2007
At 8 p.m. Fox led with a 12.2 for the first hour of “Idol,” followed by a 2.6 for Univision for “La Fea Mas Bella.” ABC was third with a 2.0 average for the season premiere of “George Lopez” (1.9) and “According to Jim” (2.1), NBC fourth with a 1.9 for “Friday Night Lights,” CBS fifth with a 1.4 for “Armed & Famous” and CW sixth with a 1.3 for “Beauty and the Geek.”
Wow, Univision came in second after 'Idol' in the 18-49 demo? :eek:
That's gotta be some kind of record for a non-sports (i.e. World Cup or Mexican soccer match) Spanish show in American TV.
Further ammo for Fred's questioning of the existence of the CW Network, which comes down to one simple word: narrowcasting. CBS/Viacom has to broadcast to the broadest possible audience while its CW arm can target younger viewers that CBS' mostly-procedural line-up couldn't hope to attract or hold. Can you picture Veronica Mars (which is basically a season-long serial with the vibe of a procedural, but set in a youth-friendly high school/college setting) on CBS working or lasting more than a handful of episodes? Not on broadcast network standards of success, but definitely on a niche'/boutique OTA network like CW which surely belongs on cable more than over analog/digital airwaves. Money can be made by narrowly targeting the 18-49 market in the States with shows that have an afterlife with tech/media savvy viewers that will download the musical album, stream the show on broadband and/or buy the DVD Box Set. Plus there's the TV stations from the rest of the world (mostly third-world or poor countries that can't afford much original programming beyond local news and a few Sabado Gigante-type variety shows) and their round-the-clock need to put something on the air to fill time.
CW programs (i.e. former UPN and WB shows), with their attractive All-American actors and budgets, can sell as well overseas as the network shows. Especially the one's with action or special effects that don't require substantial dubbing (Supernatural, Smallville, etc.). You could argue that the CW shows have essentially replaced the syndicated dramas (Renegade, Highlander, Xena, Baywatch, etc.) and comedies (Mama's Family, etc.) from decades past as the lower-end American supplier of TV product for the rest of the world and lower-tier US TV outlets.
Cable TV Notebook
ESPN to Produce Cold Pizza in High Def
By John Consoli MediaWeek January 25, 2007
ESPN today is expected to go public with its decision to move its ESPN2 morning daily sports talk show, Cold Pizza, and the ESPN sports debate show 1st and 10, beginning this June, from New York City to the company’s headquarters studios in Bristol, Conn., where the show will be tweaked and produced in high definition. The move had been rumored for several weeks.
ESPN officials are hoping that being closer to the company’s infrastructure, the shows will be enhanced. While live celebrity guest appearances may be lessened because of the move out of New York City, and there will be an increase in guests via satellite, the move will allow for more appearances on Cold Pizza, in particular, by more of ESPN’s various sports analysts who work out of the Bristol headquarters.
Cold Pizza, which is televised live from 10 a.m. to noon, and repeated from noon to 2 p.m., premiered as an 7 a.m. show in Oct. 2003, and moved to 8 a.m. a year later, but has been slow to capture a broad audience. However, in the past 12 months, it has increased its audience 64 percent to 143,000 households. In 2004, it was being watched by 66,000 households.
1st and 10 is televised from 3-3:30 p.m. daily, and is watched in 335,000 households, up 13 percent from 297,000 in 2005.
Cold Pizza will continue to be hosted by Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson, while Skip Bayless will continue to host 1st and 10, along with additional guest hosts.
The move will add more than 1,000 hours of HD programming to ESPNHD and ESPN2HD.
Cold Pizza went on the air during the tenure of Mark Shapiro as director of production and programming, but who left in October, 2005, to take a position with Six Flags entertainment group. Since his departure, ESPN has cancelled several of the shows Shapiro put on the air as he attempted to broaden the ESPN audience through entertainment rather than live sports programming. Among the most recently cancelled include ESPN Hollywood and Quite Frankly.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003537947
Last week, Dad, The CW only beat Univision in three hours (two Rebas, 7th Heaven and the second hour of Smackdown) in total viewers. Often it didn't even come close to matching the Univision viewership.
Cable TV Notebook
Challenge to FCC Local Video Franchise Process Expected
By John Eggerton Broadcasting & Cable 1/25/2007
Local franchising authorities and community activists groups say they are preparing a court challenge to the FCC's recent order revamping the local video franchise process.
With a national video franchising reform bill scuttled by the network neutrality issue, the FCC last month stepped in to make it easier for cable's competition to get into the local video business.
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the Alliance for Community Media and the Alliance for Communications Democracy say they have retained legal counsel to fight the move.
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association has said if would not rule out suing the commission as well for what some critics of the move called legislating by proxy and exceeding its authority.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6410012.html
SJKurtzke
01-25-07, 03:46 PM
Last week, Dad, The CW only beat Univision in three hours (two Rebas, 7th Heaven and the second hour of Smackdown) in total viewers. Often it didn't even come close to matching the Univision viewership.
I wonder why these shows haven't picked up--is it just the network itself is putting viewers off? I would take Veronica Mars over pretty much any show on FOX any day. The WB had lots of hits (at least critically), like Buffy, Angel, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek, 7th Heaven, etc. Was it really the network that prevented them from being competitive rating-wise? Do you think The CW can do anything to help its shows out?
timick1
01-25-07, 03:49 PM
Last week, Dad, The CW only beat Univision in three hours (two Rebas, 7th Heaven and the second hour of Smackdown) in total viewers. Often it didn't even come close to matching the Univision viewership.
Does this mean Smallville & Supernatural are in trouble? They are 2 of my favorite shows. Smallville would be more of a fav if they kill off Lana!
(I have a feeling I posted this "CSI: Miami" montage a while ago. So if you missed it, enjoy. And if you already saw it, it is worth viewing as a repeat.)
Critic’s Notebook
Proof that 'CSI: Miami' is one of TV's funniest comedies
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” January 25, 2007
After a more than a week of controversy over "Grey's" Anatomy," I don't know about you, but I needed a laugh.
Thank you, stewmurray47, for providing it.
I'd heard that there was a funny "CSI: Miami" clip reel floating around on YouTube a while ago. But it wasn't until last night, after plowing through what felt like the millionth "Grey's" comment from a reader (I have to read and approve them all, and no, I don't mind, but everyone sure has a lot to say on the subject), then watching a grim procedural for work purposes, that I felt the need to find something funny to watch.
I could have watched the new season of "Extras" again -- it's bloody fantastic -- but the "CSI: Miami" clip was nearly as giggle-inducing.
Oh, it's funny. And it proves, once and for all, that "CSI: Miami" is really a comedy.
Some people don't get that. They continue to think of the David Caruso Sunglasses of Justice chronicle as a serious procedural drama. Come on. It can't be. I think the cast and writers must be parodying the somber CBS procedural format on purpose.
They have to be, right? That much wooden acting, predictable plotting, glitzy but empty production values and seriously bad punning has to be in service of a wickedly subtle parody. Right?
No, really, they know it's one of the funniest shows on TV, right?
Laughs aplenty -- that's what "CSI: Miami" is all about. This hilarious montage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sarYH0z948v, starring Caruso and those charismatic shades, proves it. As the scenery-mauling Caruso's character, H., would say, "CSI: Miami." Is. Guilty. As. Charged.
http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/
I'd like to see a grass roots effort to help support propping up David Caruso's head so it's on straight. Someone post an address where we can send neck collars to David.
Does this mean Smallville & Supernatural are in trouble? They are 2 of my favorite shows. Smallville would be more of a fav if they kill off Lana!
I doubt Supernatural will get the axe...it's the a BRUTAL time slot up against Grey's and CSI and they know that. I sincerely doubt they have any new shows that could be dropped in that slot and do any better.
Welcome to the thread, 65T500!
And timick1 (welcome back!) I don't think we'll know for sure about Smallville or Supernatural until the May upfronts. If I had to guess, I'd say Supernatural has a better chance.
I forget if Dawn Ostroff addressed those questions during the TCA last week...as I recall she didn't say many specific things.
Washington Notebook
CBS asks FCC to Stay Out of Retrans Negotations
By John Eggerton Broadcasting & Cable 1/25/2007
CBS executives were visiting the FCC this week trying to persuade the commission not to intervene in the retransmission consent negotiations between Sinclair and Mediacom.
The commission strongly recommended, and Mediacom seconded the idea, that the two parties to submit
to binding arbitration, but Sinclair said no.
Mediacom has asked the commission to force arbitration and is awaiting an answer. It has also asked for a full-commission review of a Media Bureau decision rejecting Mediacom's claim that Sinclair was bargaining in bad faith.
The Media Bureau says that absent a finding of fault, it cannot require arbitration, but Mediacom disagrees, with some backing by Iowa legislators--state and national--hearing it from constituents. some 250,000 Iowans were affected when Sinclair pulled its stations from Mediacom systems Jan. 5.
The message from CBS to the FCC this week was that the retransmission consent process isn't broke and doesn't need fixing. If the FCC steps in, CBS executives argue, it could set a precedent for future, and unwanted, intervention in what broadcasters say is simply a business negotiation.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6410174
VisionOn
01-25-07, 04:48 PM
I doubt Supernatural will get the axe...it's the a BRUTAL time slot up against Grey's and CSI and they know that. I sincerely doubt they have any new shows that could be dropped in that slot and do any better.
I know Supernatural will get crushed by any other network regardless of the timeslot but I would like to see it at 9pm on Wednesday to lead into Lost.
Supernatural has been one of the most consistently good shows I've seen this year. It looks cool, it has some witty dialog and for the most part the plots are nicely sewn together. It's not original in any way, but it is well done.
If I'm not mistaken, CSI: Miami is the most popular show in the world, I seem to remember reading that somewhere, it may have that been David Caruso was the most popular actor, but I'm pretty sure it was the show itself.
...and Baywatch w/ David "don't hassle the Hoff" was once the most popular TV show in the world.
Sadly, I'd put Caruso and Hasselhoff at about the same overacting level. I say sadly because back in his NYPD Blue days I thought he was pretty good.
bphisig
01-25-07, 05:48 PM
Fred
After reading that Cold Pizza article, do you know if ESPN has any plans to show Pardon The Interruption in HD anytime soon?
taz291819
01-25-07, 06:08 PM
As mentioned above, The CW never had the intentions (publicly) to be another CBS, Fox, ABC, NBC. They are after the young demos.
Why do I think more viewers aren't watching? I believe it's how they promote a show. The CW promotes the hell out of Top Model and Everybody Hates Chris. You'll be lucky to see one or two promos within a 24-hour period for Veronica Mars.
Also, to use VM as an example, most of their promos aren't compelling. So far this season, I've seen one compelling promo (Spit and Eggs), and it was :30 long. The CW even ran the promo a little more often than normal. Guess what happened? It got it's highest ratings of the season, and matched an all-time high.
And besides that episode and the premiere, The CW only produces :20 spots for the show. They use to only produce :20 spots for Supernatural, but have stepped it up the past few weeks (that Johnny Cash promo rocked).
I've said it before, drop Gilmore Girls, and put Supernatural in it's spot. But that's never going to happen.
We know this is the final season for 7th Heaven, I'm pretty sure Gilmore will get the axe also. If Hidden Palms does well, it'll take Gilmore's place. The CW will need something more female-skewed to replace 7th Heaven.
URFloorMatt
01-25-07, 06:20 PM
Cable TV Notebook
ESPN to Produce Cold Pizza in High Def
By John Consoli MediaWeek January 25, 2007
ESPN today is expected to go public with its decision to move its ESPN2 morning daily sports talk show, Cold Pizza, and the ESPN sports debate show 1st and 10, beginning this June, from New York City to the company’s headquarters studios in Bristol, Conn., where the show will be tweaked and produced in high definition. The move had been rumored for several weeks.
ESPN officials are hoping that being closer to the company’s infrastructure, the shows will be enhanced. While live celebrity guest appearances may be lessened because of the move out of New York City, and there will be an increase in guests via satellite, the move will allow for more appearances on Cold Pizza, in particular, by more of ESPN’s various sports analysts who work out of the Bristol headquarters.
Cold Pizza, which is televised live from 10 a.m. to noon, and repeated from noon to 2 p.m., premiered as an 7 a.m. show in Oct. 2003, and moved to 8 a.m. a year later, but has been slow to capture a broad audience. However, in the past 12 months, it has increased its audience 64 percent to 143,000 households. In 2004, it was being watched by 66,000 households.
1st and 10 is televised from 3-3:30 p.m. daily, and is watched in 335,000 households, up 13 percent from 297,000 in 2005.
Cold Pizza will continue to be hosted by Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson, while Skip Bayless will continue to host 1st and 10, along with additional guest hosts.
The move will add more than 1,000 hours of HD programming to ESPNHD and ESPN2HD.
Cold Pizza went on the air during the tenure of Mark Shapiro as director of production and programming, but who left in October, 2005, to take a position with Six Flags entertainment group. Since his departure, ESPN has cancelled several of the shows Shapiro put on the air as he attempted to broaden the ESPN audience through entertainment rather than live sports programming. Among the most recently cancelled include ESPN Hollywood and Quite Frankly.
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003537947
Excellent news, except it doesn't bode well for any other non-Bristol shows going HD anytime soon, since they're just moving the show to Bristol.
On an unrelated note, I can't stand Skip Bayless.
VisionOn
01-25-07, 06:56 PM
I've said it before, drop Gilmore Girls, and put Supernatural in it's spot. But that's never going to happen.
it would make a good 8pm lead-in and companion to Heroes as well. Playing sitcoms against sitcoms doesn't really give you an alternative reason to go to CW.
Fred
After reading that Cold Pizza article, do you know if ESPN has any plans to show Pardon The Interruption in HD anytime soon?
I have heard nothing about PTI going HD. I am sure it will eventually, but I have not heard anything about it yet.
TV Notebook
FX Sets A Date for "The Riches"
By Anne Becker Broadcasting & Cable 1/25/2007
FX has set March 12 as the premiere date for its new Eddie Izzard/Minnie Driver drama The Riches. The show will run at 10 p.m. with limited commercials through a sponsorship deal with The Weinstein Company/Dimension Films' upcoming movie Grindhouse. 13 episodes of The Riches will run Mondays at 10 p.m. through June 4.
The show stars Izzard and Driver as gypsies from rural Louisiana who go on the run with their three children after stealing money from extended family. The duo steal the identities of an average couple to try live a "normal" life in suburbia.
Weinstein and Dimension will run commercials for double-feature film "Grindhouse" during three breaks in the Riches premiere. The first break is slated to be two and a half minutes and the last two will be two minutes each. FX has used the single-sponsor, limited commercial strategy with its originals before, in September premiering Nip/Tuck with limited ads by exclusive sponsor Sony.
March 12 is something of a momentous date for FX; the network premiered its hit original The Shield on that date in 2002.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6410201.html
I think Dawn Ostroff would find the time well spent if she called you in for a chat, taz! :)
As mentioned above, The CW never had the intentions (publicly) to be another CBS, Fox, ABC, NBC. They are after the young demos.
Why do I think more viewers aren't watching? I believe it's how they promote a show. The CW promotes the hell out of Top Model and Everybody Hates Chris. You'll be lucky to see one or two promos within a 24-hour period for Veronica Mars.
Also, to use VM as an example, most of their promos aren't compelling. So far this season, I've seen one compelling promo (Spit and Eggs), and it was :30 long. The CW even ran the promo a little more often than normal. Guess what happened? It got it's highest ratings of the season, and matched an all-time high.
And besides that episode and the premiere, The CW only produces :20 spots for the show. They use to only produce :20 spots for Supernatural, but have stepped it up the past few weeks (that Johnny Cash promo rocked).
I've said it before, drop Gilmore Girls, and put Supernatural in it's spot. But that's never going to happen.
We know this is the final season for 7th Heaven, I'm pretty sure Gilmore will get the axe also. If Hidden Palms does well, it'll take Gilmore's place. The CW will need something more female-skewed to replace 7th Heaven.
tfelker
01-25-07, 07:43 PM
Isaiah going to rehab for calling someone a f*gg*t during a heated argument? That's just ridiculous - what exactly is the treatment, shock therapy? :rolleyes:
Castration and a mandatory date with Rosie O.
Critics Notebook
Cancellation Playhouse:
Sneak Preview
By David Kronke Los Angeles Daily News Television Critic in his “The Mayor Of Television” blog January 25, 2007
In the 1996 French documentary (don’t give up on this entry yet, it gets better) “Microcosmos,” we behold a dung beetle (see? better already!) in a Sisyphean struggle to roll his prized ball of dung up a hill. He repeatedly loses ground, the dung keeps rolling back; it gets stuck on a stick, which refuses it further passage. Eventually, however, at protracted length, our hero succeeds.
It’s a peculiarly exhilarating moment that reminds me of ABC’s equally touching efforts in recent years to launch a successful sitcom (except, of course, for that whole “succeeding” part).
“We have to stick with it,” ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson said earlier this month, sounding very much like that dung beetle (if said dung beetle could talk). “I don’t think the sitcom is dead. … It’s frustrating. It’s challenging. We definitely want bigger audiences for them. I believe that comedy is due to kind of explode.”
And so, ABC keeps nudging sitcoms up the hill of viewer indifference. “Help Me Help You” and “Big Day:” already history. “In Case of Emergency:” joining them imminently. “The Knights of Prosperity:” viewers far more apathetic than critics. “George Lopez and According to Jim:” playing out the string. “Notes from the Underbelly:” might not ever make the schedule.
(“Ugly Betty,” technically billed as a comedy, is an hourlong series with dramatic elements, and its success would compromise our theme, so we’re ignoring it here.)
And yet, that hasn’t dissuaded ABC from pushing harder. Here’s a list of ABC sitcoms in development that you won’t be watching in the 2007-08 season:
“Carpoolers:” Four guys carpool to work; discuss contemporary foibles of manhood.
Because nothing screams comedy like sitting in traffic with three other disparate individuals and making awkward conversation. You can pretty much guess the characters: Young, hip, sexually active guy; downtrodden married guy, intelligent yet comedy-deficient ethnic minority guy, crazy, eccentric guy who in the real world would not be able to hold down a job (and whose day to drive the others all dread).
“Family of the Year:” A perennially satisfied New Mexico family meets new competition for the title of “Family of the Year.”
Because nothing screams comedy like an insane drive to keep up appearances no matter what the sordid behind-the-scenes reality might be, all for the sake of a silly contest.
“Sam I Am:” A woman who awakens from a coma with amnesia tries to rebuild her life.
Because nothing screams comedy like a coma.
“The Middle:” Life in a “Roseanne”-style lower-middle-class family, only presumably without Roseanne.
Because nothing screams comedy like a superficial sociological profile of the Americans struggling most in the current economy. Even the title is condescending to its characters and its target audience.
“The Call:” L.A. paramedics rescue everyone but their own tortured souls.
Because nothing screams comedy like cribbing shamelessly from the movies “Bringing Out the Dead” and “Broken Vessels,” not to mention TNT’s drama “Saved” and even FX’s “Rescue Me.”
What would you do in the comedy arena if you were running ABC right now? Punt? Keep pushing? Develop more hourlong comedies?
http://www.insidesocal.com/tv/
michaelk
01-25-07, 07:51 PM
Washington Notebook
CBS asks FCC to Stay Out of Retrans Negotations
By John Eggerton Broadcasting & Cable 1/25/2007
CBS executives were visiting the FCC this week trying to persuade the commission not to intervene in the retransmission consent negotiations between Sinclair and Mediacom.
The commission strongly recommended, and Mediacom seconded the idea, that the two parties to submit
to binding arbitration, but Sinclair said no.
Mediacom has asked the commission to force arbitration and is awaiting an answer. It has also asked for a full-commission review of a Media Bureau decision rejecting Mediacom's claim that Sinclair was bargaining in bad faith.
The Media Bureau says that absent a finding of fault, it cannot require arbitration, but Mediacom disagrees, with some backing by Iowa legislators--state and national--hearing it from constituents. some 250,000 Iowans were affected when Sinclair pulled its stations from Mediacom systems Jan. 5.
The message from CBS to the FCC this week was that the retransmission consent process isn't broke and doesn't need fixing. If the FCC steps in, CBS executives argue, it could set a precedent for future, and unwanted, intervention in what broadcasters say is simply a business negotiation.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6410174
in other words now that they are split from viacomm CBS's O&O's really plan to put the screws to cable and DBS to get "there fair share" of what used to be the communal viacom payment. And they dont want any governemnet agency getting in their way.
Critics Notebook
Love, 'Office' style,
and thoughts on the scheming Andy
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” January 25, 2007
The lead cast of “The Office” - especially Jenna Fischer as Pam, John Krasinski as Jim, Rainn Wilson as Dwight and Steve Carell as the blundering manager Michael - have been justly praised for their nuanced and subtly hilarious portrayals of workers at the Dunder Mifflin paper company.
But one of the true joys of the NBC show (which airs three repeats Thursday) is in the depth of its supporting cast. Stanley (Leslie David Baker) can speak comedic volumes with one baleful glance, and often a single scolding stare from Angela (Angela Kinsey) is all it takes to set off the giggles.
Two supporting actors, Melora Hardin as corporate boss Jan and Ed Helms as the scheming Andy, have really stood out on the NBC comedy of late.
Jan and Michael have been dating each other in secret - well, Jan thinks the relationship is secret. Michael’s accidental e-mail to an indiscreet pal of a picture of Michael and Jan at a Jamaican resort let the cat out of the bag (though Jan, of all people, hasn’t seen the photo).
Though Jan is Michael’s boss and their relationship is probably doomed for a variety of reasons, it’s easy to see why Jan is attracted to Michael’s innocence and enthusiasm.
When told that in a recent interview, Hardin replied, “Thank you for saying that. Because so many people have said, `Why, Why?’ and they try to talk me out of it. I’m like, look. … Jan has been really good at being a man in a man’s world. She is an intelligent, driven, ambitious, smart, political woman who has climbed to the top without sleeping her way to the top.
“She knows very much about herself as a professional person, but she doesn’t know herself as a woman,” Hardin said. “I think that’s the perfect reason to try to figure out what to do with Michael. Because here is somebody that desires her, that adores her, that wants her, and he sees past her hard exterior.”
The perfect date for Jan and Michael? “I could see them cuddling in bed eating popcorn watching an old movie together and thinking that that’s heaven,” Hardin said.
Despite Michael’s penchant for awkward remarks and bone-headed decisions, the man has some attractive qualities for Jan, Hardin says.
“He’s actually a good salesman. He comes through,” Hardin said. “He always kind of wins the day somehow, even though he’s an idiot.”
As for Jan finding out about that incriminating photo that Michael sent out - well, Hardin thinks Michael’s secret is safe for now.
“I don’t think anyone sent it to Jan,” Hardin says. “I think they’re scared of her, they’re intimidated by her, and probably deep down, nobody wants to hurt her. And that would probably put her over the top. Maybe she’ll never find out. I think if she finds out, it’ll be way down the road when it doesn’t mean anything any more.”
The next two episodes of the show involve Phyllis’ wedding shower and nuptials, but in an unspecified upcoming outing on the show, Jan and Michael will officially come clean about their relationship to avoid running afoul of personnel rules, Hardin said.
“He’s like, I know you’re above me, but I want you anyway. He doesn’t care.”
Speaking of getting into trouble, Andy had a major meltdown in the Jan. 18 episode of “The Office,” after being pranked by Jim and Pam. So, will the office schemer be back?
Helms, who’s in the process of moving to Los Angeles, said in an interview, “I’m coming back,” but he didn’t give any clues about when.
An NBC rep says Andy’s not in any February episodes, but the character, who persisted in calling an annoyed Jim “Big Tuna,” certainly made an impression on the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin.
“He’s kind of like everything I’d imagine hating in an office,” Helms said. “I think he’s a fusion of different things - hot-tempered [guy], frat boy, nerd. He’s kind of overcompensating for being an a cappella singer.
“I like to think he was in a fraternity, but not in the cool fraternity, he was in kind of a loser fraternity. But he’s incapable of acknowledging that it was anything but awesome,” Helms continued. “He probably goes home every night and gets really upset when he’s alone with his thoughts and reads self-help-y kind of stuff.”
Helms, a “Daily Show” correspondent who returned from his “Office” stint for one appearance on the Comedy Central show in December, said he hasn’t ruled out returning to that program again.
But given his move to L.A., we probably won’t see him quite as much on Jon Stewart’s show.
“I’m very proud of my time at `The Daily Show’ and it’s a relationship that I want to foster as long as that show is around and I’m in showbiz,” said Helms, who’s also in a bluegrass group called the Lonesome Trio. “I’d love to just sort of keep doing [occasional] segments and they seem open to it.”
http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/
DoubleDAZ
01-25-07, 08:01 PM
in other words now that they are split from viacomm CBS's O&O's really plan to put the screws to cable and DBS to get "there fair share" of what used to be the communal viacom payment. And they dont want any governemnet agency getting in their way.Ding! Ding! Ding! :)
in other words now that they are split from viacomm CBS's O&O's really plan to put the screws to cable and DBS to get "there fair share" of what used to be the communal viacom payment. And they dont want any governemnet agency getting in their way.
Absolutely.
Les Moonves has been saying publicly and forcefully for the past year that he will get compensation for the CBS O&Os when their retransmission agreements are renegotiated. The commonly assumed figures range from 50 cents to just under a dollar a month per subscriber.
NewsCorp has also made it clear it will get cash for its retransmission rights as well.
Since both networks carry the NFL, and Fox will (probably) again win the 18-49 demo race this year, and CBS is a runaway total viewers winner, it will be hard for cable companies NOT to pay. The agreements typically expire at the end of a year -- so can you hear the hue and cry if folks were about the miss the NFL playoffs, possibly the Super Bowl and the start of "American Idol"?
By the way, this is just a looming fight with cable. Dish and DirecTV have been paying for carriage all along, as have -- more recently, of course -- the telcos.
If you think times are tough for the CW.....
The Business of Television
My Network TV scrambles to draw viewers
Phil Rosenthal The Chicago Tribune
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is aglow with the success that comes with "American Idol" returning to Fox.
But while Fox is on fire, the company's other network just burns.
My Network TV--born out of desperation when CBS and Warner Bros. shuttered UPN and the WB in favor of launching the CW from the remains of those two also-ran networks--has been a success only in that it is on the air.
Its stopgap schedule of serials that News Corp. originally intended to sell into syndication has attracted a mere 1 percent share of the viewing audience. That's roughly the same number of households as ABC Family and Spike TV on cable.
"You play the hand that's dealt you in life," said Dennis Swanson, president of station operations for News Corp.'s Fox Television Stations Group. "We were faced with being either independent or trying to put together a network, and our choice was to put together a network.
"We didn't have the luxury of established programs or even having a lot of programs in development. So we took the short series dramas that we had and got a network together in five months. I'm not sure anyone's ever done that before."
My Network TV was a necessity for stations around the country orphaned by the demise of the WB and UPN and spurned by the CW, including Chicago's News Corp.-owned WPWR-Ch. 50, which had been with UPN. So the attitude is, it's better than nothing.
The current cycle of My Network serials runs into March. After that, don't be surprised to see some changes.
"We want to gut it out on My Network TV because you've got to have a prime-time base," Swanson said. "People will see a better product hopefully before too long."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-0701240067jan24,0,7312639,print.column
michaelk
01-25-07, 08:14 PM
As mentioned above, The CW never had the intentions (publicly) to be another CBS, Fox, ABC, NBC. They are after the young demos.
Why do I think more viewers aren't watching? I believe it's how they promote a show. The CW promotes the hell out of Top Model and Everybody Hates Chris. You'll be lucky to see one or two promos within a 24-hour period for Veronica Mars.
Also, to use VM as an example, most of their promos aren't compelling. So far this season, I've seen one compelling promo (Spit and Eggs), and it was :30 long. The CW even ran the promo a little more often than normal. Guess what happened? It got it's highest ratings of the season, and matched an all-time high.
And besides that episode and the premiere, The CW only produces :20 spots for the show. They use to only produce :20 spots for Supernatural, but have stepped it up the past few weeks (that Johnny Cash promo rocked).
....
promo quality means nothing if no one is looking at the netwrok to begin with. I would venture to guess that I haven't seen a single CW or MY promo. I watched a bit of everyone hates Chris a while back when it was on UPN or WB but that's the last time I've watched anything except local sports on either one. If one of them doesn't pick up the ota broadcast of my baseball team i wont be turning them on for another year likely.
My basic opinion is those 2 networks themselves stink so everything on them must suck too. If the shows were a success then one of the big 4 wold have picked it up. I paid a bit of attention to them when they changed from wb/upn to my/cw - i thought maybe they would try to get real programming, but then i read one was basically the novella channel and the other seemed to just pick up all the kids shows (I'm in my 30's- so I'm not an old man but my perception is it's all for teens). I could be completely off base- and sometimes I hear people )or read posts here) talking about how good veronica mars or smallville might be great and i just cant get over my basic feeling that they networks such so I assume those shows must have a very small niche that a certain segment of the population likes and i must not be in that segment.
Again I could be completley off base about the quality of the programming but untill my opinion of the networks themselves changes I'm not likley to bother giving anything they have a chance. And if i never see a good show (becasue i dont trust the network enough to even spend 30 minutes of my time to try anything) on them then i will never change my opinion. Thet are in a catch 22 and blew their rebranding.
If I owned a CW or MY station in a major market, I'd probably ditch the "network" and buy up all the broadcast sports packages and make the station into a broadcast rsn type thing. I think the WB/UPN/MY/CW brands stink and I dont know why an affiliate would want to be bothered with those names. one or 2 baseball games a week for 6 months plus a few preseason football games plus some college football plus a couple nights of basketball and hockey during the winter would probably yeild more eyes then a whole year of their current content.
I think you are verbalizing a widespread belief, michaelk.
It seems to me to be very difficult for either nhetwork to get people unaccustomed to viewing them to give anything they carry a chance.
Plus I think the unspoken problem the CW faces is that there really is so much good TV available.
We can disagree what specific programs they might be, but I find it hard to wade through everything my DVRs record during a week. It took me most of December to catch up with programs I had recorded (mostly during the November sweep) but since the start of the season.
dad1153
01-25-07, 08:56 PM
My basic opinion is those 2 networks themselves stink so everything on them must suck too. If the shows were a success then one of the big 4 wold have picked it up.
The first sentence obviously isn't true. There are lots of intelligent and well-rounded people in this forum (as well as respectable TV critics) that aren't or weren't shy to proclaim their love for Buffy, Angel, Felicity (J.J. Abrams' breakthrough show before Alias), 7th Heaven, Dawson's Creek, Veronica Mars, Smallville, Veronica Mars and other WB/UPN/CW shows over the years. Yes, the ratio of stinkers to watchable fare is skewed to the former (Homeboys from Outer Space and Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer anyone?) and many of these networks' shows that survive long enough to be syndicated are inconsequential and pretty forgettable stuff (Unhappily Ever After, The Parkers, etc.). I've never seen a single show on either WB, UPN and CW (including all of the one's listed above) but I know not everything on them is garbage that sucks because enough people I know whose opinion I respect like(d) some of those networks' shows. Being on a low-rated, youth-skewing network doesn't automatically equate critical/quality failure, although even CW has to cancel low-rated shows that don't pull their weight live every other TV outlet.
That second sentence is true michaelk, but in the same way we as TV viewers tend to automatically dismiss TV commercials for beauty products claiming to erase wrinkles (or weight loss drugs that don't demand hardship from viewers). Why? Because we live in the real world and know from experience that if such miracle product actually existed corporate America would be all over it selling it in stores for premium prices, not cheap on direct response TV commercials. I believe the primary reason Battlestar Galactica is struggling for recognition beyond the critics and committed fans is that it resides on the Sci-Fi Channel, home of the cheesy Stargate twins, tons of edited-for-TV movies and quality niche' science fiction shows like Dr. Who. If 'BG' is that good, using michaelk's argument, NBC would pick it up and expose it to a wider audience to capitalize on its quality and critical acclaim. The fact is some TV shows are good but quirky-enough to be hits on cable or a smaller OTA network, and they belong there and not getting cancelled on ABC for coming behind a Univision soap opera in the key demo (or some nonsense like that which gets TV shows booted early). Otherwise Psych and Monk would have already moved to NBC and USA Network would be showing Failure to Launch for the umpteenth time on Friday night.
The commonly assumed figures range from 50 cents to just under a dollar a month per subscriber.
Does this figure account for having local news as well network programming? Is there any word on how much a CBS station is worth without any local programming? Am sure it will be part of a group deal but I'm just wondering how much value they think they can get for CBS Detroit. They are the only CBS O & O without local news.
michaelk
01-25-07, 09:37 PM
The first sentence obviously isn't true. There are lots of intelligent and well-rounded people in this forum (as well as respectable TV critics) that aren't or weren't shy to proclaim their love for Buffy, Angel, Felicity (J.J. Abrams' breakthrough show before Alias), 7th Heaven, Dawson's Creek, Veronica Mars, Smallville, Veronica Mars and other WB/UPN/CW shows over the years. Yes, the ratio of stinkers to watchable fare is skewed to the former (Homeboys from Outer Space and Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer anyone?) and many of these networks' shows that survive long enough to be syndicated are inconsequential and pretty forgettable stuff (Unhappily Ever After, The Parkers, etc.). I've never seen a single show on either WB, UPN and CW (including all of the one's listed above) but I know not everything on them is garbage that sucks because enough people I know whose opinion I respect like(d) some of those networks' shows. Being on a low-rated, youth-skewing network doesn't automatically equate critical/quality failure, although even CW has to cancel low-rated shows that don't pull their weight live every other TV outlet.
That second sentence is true michaelk, but in the same way we as TV viewers tend to automatically dismiss TV commercials for beauty products claiming to erase wrinkles (or weight loss drugs that don't demand hardship from viewers). Why? Because we live in the real world and know from experience that if such miracle product actually existed corporate America would be all over it selling it in stores for premium prices, not cheap on direct response TV commercials. I believe the primary reason Battlestar Galactica is struggling for recognition beyond the critics and committed fans is that it resides on the Sci-Fi Channel, home of the cheesy Stargate twins, tons of edited-for-TV movies and quality niche' science fiction shows like Dr. Who. If 'BG' is that good, using michaelk's argument, NBC would pick it up and expose it to a wider audience to capitalize on its quality and critical acclaim. The fact is some TV shows are good but quirky-enough to be hits on cable or a smaller OTA network, and they belong there and not getting cancelled on ABC for coming behind a Univision soap opera in the key demo (or some nonsense like that which gets TV shows booted early). Otherwise Psych and Monk would have already moved to NBC and USA Network would be showing Failure to Launch for the umpteenth time on Friday night.
just to be clear- in no way shape of form did i intend to imply that the people here wern't intelligent or well rounded(the demographics of an HDTV forum would tend to sqew to more income and therfore more college- so in theory were more educated and more rounded).
Not an english major myself-lol- i was trying to say that the posts here from people's who opinions I generally respect and think to be similar to mine even hold little favor compared to my admitted bias of so many years of suck. I see the posts from some folks about smallville or veronica mars and I think maybe those shows are good- they even sound like stuff I would like- but then I go back to my thought that the wb/upn/cw/my mess sucks so i'm not going to take 30-60 minutes of my time to investigate.
TO be honest I even assume that the Big 3 are higher quality. But FOX kind of catches me with baseball and so I see their promos and give them a shot. Every now and again i find one I like and so I'm on their network more and more all the time. The CW and MY I'm never near so aside from when they promote on the radio I dont know they exist and I bought sat radio last year so I dont even really get commericals there anymore.
I even assume my opinion is incorrect to a degree but it's still an opinion i have. I spent a lot of time attempting not to be biased about important things that I let my self be prejudicial about tv networks.
they are in a big hole.
michaelk
01-25-07, 09:44 PM
Absolutely.
...
By the way, this is just a looming fight with cable. Dish and DirecTV have been paying for carriage all along, as have -- more recently, of course -- the telcos.
curious- the O&O's got paid before by DBS? I just assumed that viacom would say "OK you get he 10ish O&O's thrown in with the $3 you pay for mtv and all out cable crap"
Or do you mean DBS is used to paying for locals from everyone but the O&O's so the shock of paying for O&O's wont occur?
michaelk
01-25-07, 09:47 PM
Does this figure account for having local news as well network programming? Is there any word on how much a CBS station is worth without any local programming? Am sure it will be part of a group deal but I'm just wondering how much value they think they can get for CBS Detroit. They are the only CBS O & O without local news.
the pro's here can probably answer better, but I suspect that local news doesn't exactly bring in a hige number of eyeballs so the value is probably based mostly on primetime and sports ratings. I know the national nightly news gets less and less eyes all the time.
Curious- what do you get from during the news hours? Syndicated sitcoms and the like?
DoubleDAZ
01-25-07, 09:57 PM
Curious- what do you get from during the news hours? Syndicated sitcoms and the like?Google CBS Detroit and you'll see he gets things like Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, Insider, and Dr Phil. :)
Does this figure account for having local news as well network programming? Is there any word on how much a CBS station is worth without any local programming? Am sure it will be part of a group deal but I'm just wondering how much value they think they can get for CBS Detroit. They are the only CBS O & O without local news.
As I uinderstand it, the DBS and telcos have been paying every local station for carriage, not just the O&Os.
Of course, in some cases, when they can't reach an agreement, the stations aren't carried.
Critics Notebook
Sundance fest on TV;
wrong about "The Shield," right about "The Wire" censorship
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle in his TV blog “The Bastard Machine” January 25, 2007
OK, so our patented 2007 resolution (less blogging) gave way to our new bogging mantra (Bigger, Better, Faster, Less), which yesterday fell victim to sloth and time management issues (which are sooooo 2006). Apologies all around.
(Check back soon for a killer TV Show Face-Off! and the resumption of "TiVoiding," which unexpectedly led to some rather entertaining confessions from everyone about what they're watching - mostly sad crap - instead of watching what they've TiNo'd, if that makes sense - and it does.)
In the meantime, three quick things:
1. It seems obvious, but if you love film but you can't get to the Sundance Film Festival, you can always watch it on TV. The Sundance Channel is running lots of lovely little bits from the films, filmmakers and scene-setters at Sundance. There's a handy guide to when everything airs at the Web site linked above. Please note: If you don't get the Sundance Channel, please don't whine to the Machine about it. There's a whole different place for whining here at the Chronicle, if you can believe that. (Don't forget to whine about me not getting paid to blog.)
2. I was wrong about the upcoming resumption of "The Shield" being its last season. Sorry. Creator Shawn Ryan apparently realized he couldn't finish out the story that quickly, so there will be another 13 episodes after the 10 coming up shortly. (I'll review it prior.) Anytime we get more of Michael Chiklis/Vic Mackey, I'm all for it.
3. Well, it was bound to happen. But this was like a message from the censorship gods. The other night, with the snappers in bed and Mrs. Cranky Pants sound asleep, I went downstairs to - hey, I'm getting paid for this - watch some TV. I scanned the DirecTV guide, saw "The Wire" on BET and thought, "OK, let's see how it looks all cleaned up, with soap in its mouth." Soon as the channel rolls over, it's McNulty and Bunk, in THAT famous scene from Season 1 that all "Wire" fans figured would be the hardest and most egregiously pointless to censor: the two detectives barely speaking, using only F-bombs periodically as their measured and exact po-lice work leads them to figure out the odd angle of a bullet that killed a woman. Originally, it was a beautiful and hilarious scene of sparse wonder. Edited, well, it was even more hilarious. Censors let the actors says "Mother" but that's it and they had Bunk grunting a lot. But mostly there was tape hiss where the words were edited. Anyone stumbling on it would have thought "The Wire" was a silent movie. Funny, but also just as sad as everyone predicted.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/indexn?blogid=24
the pro's here can probably answer better, but I suspect that local news doesn't exactly bring in a hige number of eyeballs so the value is probably based mostly on primetime and sports ratings. I know the national nightly news gets less and less eyes all the time.
Curious- what do you get from during the news hours? Syndicated sitcoms and the like?
Local news is of huge value to local stations, it is all local ad time and it provides the identity of the station. The major networks have always pushed for local stations to have a strong news department as it provides a great lead in to primetime and late night programming. Local news usually does pretty descent in the ratings.
DoubleDAZ
01-25-07, 10:20 PM
Of course, in some cases, when they can't reach an agreement, the stations aren't carried.I'm sorry, but the economics of this statement continue to defy my understanding. As was pointed out in the Sinclair thread, some markets have 10, 20, or more locals, yet DirecTV used to charge only $5/mo across the board and now wraps that cost into their basic package (@ $44.99 I guess), and now includes digital/HD locals. I'm not saying anyone if wrong, you all are probably right, but paying cash, especially anywhere near $.50/sub, just doesn't compute for me.
I'm sorry, but the economics of this statement continue to defy my understanding. As was pointed out in the Sinclair thread, some markets have 10, 20, or more locals, yet DirecTV used to charge only $5/mo across the board and now wraps that cost into their basic package (@ $44.99 I guess), and now includes digital/HD locals. I'm not saying anyone if wrong, you all are probably right, but paying cash, especially anywhere near $.50/sub, just doesn't compute for me.
The figure of ~$.50 only applies to the major network stations. It would less for the lower tier networks, to the point where some stations do not justify any payment. Not all 10-20 stations per market are getting $.50 per sub.
I'd like to see a grass roots effort to help support propping up David Caruso's head so it's on straight. Someone post an address where we can send neck collars to David.
Maybe we could call Nancy Grace -- her head tips the other way and she never says anything worth repeating.
I'm sorry, but the economics of this statement continue to defy my understanding. As was pointed out in the Sinclair thread, some markets have 10, 20, or more locals, yet DirecTV used to charge only $5/mo across the board and now wraps that cost into their basic package (@ $44.99 I guess), and now includes digital/HD locals. I'm not saying anyone if wrong, you all are probably right, but paying cash, especially anywhere near $.50/sub, just doesn't compute for me.
Try this, Dave:
The premium channels get $6-$12 a month, ESPN gets about $3, most RSNs something over $2, TNT $.83, Disney $.79, Fox News $.75, USA Network $.60, CNN $.44, etc.
It seems to me on that scale the four major networks are certainly worth $.50-$1 a month each, considering that in prime time they get about 45% of all viewing, and for major events (The Super Bowl, Academy Awards, the Olympics, World Series, NFL Playoffs, NCAA Tournament, etc.), they are the carriers, $1 or so a month for each ain't bad.
You already are being charged about $60 a year, or more, just for ESPN and your RSN, so $48 a year for all four major networks doesn't seem out of line to me.
And the DBS companies somehow still generally have lower rates than the cable companies -- even though DBS pays the stations for carriage.
(And I don't know of many markets with 20 locals. Here in LA we have seven VHS and, I believe 13 or 14 UHF stations, many in surrounding communities with duplicate PBS feeds.)
But aside from NYC and LA, I think most markets would end up with a maximum of 10 stations. The major nets get $1 apiece, say, and the other six split another $2-3 bucks. Some of the independents and outlying PBS stations might just agree to carriage for little or no fee because of the extra advertising revenue or donations they could get.
And local stations can always, in the case of cable, insist on their must-carry status -- though without any fee.
Maybe we could call Nancy Grace -- her head tips the other way and she never says anything worth repeating.
As opposed to Mr. Caruso, whose head cocks the other way as he continually says things that crack us up. :)
Local news is of huge value to local stations, it is all local ad time and it provides the identity of the station. The major networks have always pushed for local stations to have a strong news department as it provides a great lead in to primetime and late night programming. Local news usually does pretty descent in the ratings.
And local news, where ratings tend to be slowly slipping, is a tremendous concern to the stations. It has been their financial rock for genberatioins -- some stations make well over half their profits from news broadcasts.
But with the proliferation of the internet along with cable/satellite (and DVD) entertainment options during local news, that viewership is declining, especially among the coveted younger demographics. Some stations have eliminated news altogether in recent years.
I believe, (and I could be wrong), that the Detroit CBS O&O does little or no news.
And local news, where ratings tend to be slowly slipping, is a tremendous concern to the stations. It has been their financial rock for genberatioins -- some stations make well over half their profits from news broadcasts.
But with the proliferation of the internet along with cable/satellite (and DVD) entertainment options during local news, that viewership is declining, especially among the coveted younger demographics. Some stations have eliminated news altogether in recent years.
I believe, (and I could be wrong), that the Detroit CBS O&O does little or no news.
No news on CBS Detroit, except for a weekly current affairs program on Sunday and I would hardly call that program news. Their current marketing for the 11PM timeslot is something like, "No News, is Good News". All the promos for that timeslot take the look of a news promo for, "Tonight at 11". It is kinda funny seeing them hype Everybody Loves Raymond and Letterman as part of a fake news promo.
DoubleDAZ
01-25-07, 11:29 PM
The figure of ~$.50 only applies to the major network stations. It would less for the lower tier networks, to the point where some stations do not justify any payment. Not all 10-20 stations per market are getting $.50 per sub.I understand all that, but the economics still don't compute (for me) and I think DBS will be impacted at some point by all this too. They may pay for some locals now, but I suspect it's not as much as theyll be paying in the future, assuming the locals demand the same from DBS as they demand from cable.
Also, the $.50/sub figure was the low end of the scale with estimates approaching $1.00/sub. That tells me that CBS in LA or NY might demand closer to $1.00/sub whereas CBS elsewhere might demand only $.50/sub. I wonder if DBS pays more for CBS in NY or LA than it does for CBS elsewhere? IMHO, the problem with these discussions is that very few are privy to "hard" data, the rest of us just have opinions. :)
And, this really isn't the thread for a long discussion. Back to Hot Off The Presses!
No news on CBS Detroit, except for a weekly current affairs program on Sunday and I would hardly call that program news. Their current marketing for the 11PM timeslot is something like, "No News, is Good News". All the promos for that timeslot take the look of a news promo for, "Tonight at 11". It is kinda funny seeing them hype Everybody Loves Raymond and Letterman as part of a fake news promo.
Wherever he is, Mr. Paley is not looking down at that sad situation with a smile.
DoubleDAZ
01-25-07, 11:47 PM
Try this, Dave:
The premium channels get $6-$12 a month, ESPN gets about $3, most RSNs something over $2, TNT $.83, Disney $.79, Fox News $.75, USA Network $.60, CNN $.44, etc.......... Fred,
I'm not talking about that part of the economic equasion. While I don't agree with either DBS or cable paying for locals, I understand that is the way it's going to be and I don't have a problem with the price when compared to other channels, even though I have no way to verify all the individual costs. On that point I'll just say that when I retire in 2 years, TV is going to have a lot of competition for my time and I can see myself going the OTA-only route. Then these greedy b*st*rds can see how much they make off me. I've already thrown sports out the window because of the high salaries paid to under-achieving bums. I can't even afford to take my family to a ballgame and that's obscene.
Anyway, the part that I don't get is how DBS can pay cash for all these locals, especially in the amounts we seem to be talking about, and not have it impact their price more. They started with a $5 charge and now it's wrapped in the basic package, though they did raise that by $5 for new subs (and everyone else eventually to be sure).
I certainly get more than $.50 worth of enjoyment out of CBS, so that is not the issue. But, I could get the same enjoyment OTA for free. Cable/DBS is just more convenient.
Plus, no matter what some folks say, cable is required to do things that DBS is not and that is still unfair in my mind. Maybe I'm just tired of government interference and he who has the biggest lobby today (telco) gets their way. I have no problem with government regulating the stations (I guess), but OTA, cable, DBS, and telco's ought to be able to package and sell us what we want, not some bureaucrat's idea of what we should want. I really should be able to order HBO from HBO and my cableco or DBS provides the transport, nothing more. Likewise, I should be able to order the NFL Network from the NFL and not have to worry about exclusivity with a single provider. IMHO BUD had the right idea, the dishes were just too darned big and ugly. :)
randosel
01-26-07, 12:29 AM
Wow, the quality of writing on Letterman has plummeted!
Maybe because they went of to do the show Ed on NBC and currently ABC's Knights of Prosperity :)
Agreed, ran.
(And welcome back to the thread.)
HDTVChallenged
01-26-07, 12:46 AM
... You could argue that the CW shows have essentially replaced the syndicated dramas (Renegade, Highlander, Xena, Baywatch, etc.) and comedies (Mama's Family, etc.) from decades past as the lower-end American supplier of TV product for the rest of the world and lower-tier US TV outlets.
Exactly my thoughts ... Although, I think traditional syndication had a small advantage in that stations didn't have to face the primetime buzzsaw. Gain some marketing power, loose some scheduling flexibility.
I rarely post these kinds of behind-the-scenes stories, but since we were amusing ourselves earlier in the day at the expense of David Caruso of "CSI: Miami", it seemed timely……
TV Notebook
CBS Paramount reups 'CSI' czars
Mendelsohn, Donahue to stay until 2010
By Josef Adalian Variety January 25, 2007
In separate eight-figure deals that will keep them in the ranks of TV's highest-paid showrunners, "CSI" exec producers Carol Mendelsohn and Ann Donahue have signed on to stay at CBS Paramount Network Television through spring 2010.
Pacts will give the scribe-producers a bump from their previous deals, which paid them north of $12 million over the course of four years. Mendelsohn remains showrunner on the original "CSI," while Donahue continues in charge of "CSI: Miami."
Deal also covers future development by Donahue or Mendelsohn, as well as their roles as exec producers on all three CBS Par/Jerry Bruckheimer Television-produced skeins, which collectively rate as TV's No. 1 drama franchise.
"CSI" creator Anthony Zuiker, who's showrunner on "CSI: NY," reupped with CBS Par at the end of 2005.
CBS Par Network TV prexy David Stapf said Donahue and Mendelsohn have been key to the success of the Eye's most important entertainment franchise.
"They're both fantastic writers and great showrunners, which is a rare combination to get," Stapf told Daily Variety, noting the ability to write well and to run a multimillion-dollar production don't always go hand-in-hand.
"They have different styles, but both of them engender a lot of loyalty from their crew and cast," he added.
Stapf also said "CSI" and "CSI: Miami" have remained strong creatively despite being in their seventh and fifth seasons, respectively. "They're as good or better now than they've ever been before," he said.
While Mendelsohn and Donahue would both fetch top dollar from other studios if they ever considered leaving, neither woman seemed inclined to make a change when it came time to hammer out a new deal with CBS Par.
"The beauty of 'CSI' is that it's feature television every week," Mendelsohn said of the skein. "We try to evolve the look of the show and the storytelling, so my creative juices are always flowing. I'm not lacking for challenges."
She also cited the family atmosphere surrounding the show and its production auspices as a reason to stay put, noting all parties "share this same passion for television and making shows." That sentiment was echoed by Donahue, who's been running "Miami" since the show began.
"I'm from a time when ballplayers stayed with a team their whole lives," Donahue said. "This is my home team. I'm happy here."
Donahue said her decision to stay in the Eye fold was cemented after a family member fell gravely ill last year and the conglom's exec team rallied around her.
"They were instrumental in cutting through a lot of red tape and making sure the family member came through," she said.
Donahue and Mendelsohn also praised Zuiker as well as Jerry Bruckheimer's company, citing both as factors in their decisions to reup.
Neither Donahue nor Mendelsohn have any current plans to develop programming, though both said they're open to the notion if the right idea comes along.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117958117.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
dad1153
01-26-07, 12:55 AM
I rarely post these kinds of behind-the-scenes stories, but since we were amusing ourselves earlier in the day at the expense of David Caruso of "CSI: Miami", it seemed timely……
TV Notebook
CBS Paramount reups 'CSI' czars
Mendelsohn, Donahue to stay until 2010
By Josef Adalian Variety January 25, 2007
In separate eight-figure deals that will keep them in the ranks of TV's highest-paid showrunners, "CSI" exec producers Carol Mendelsohn and Ann Donahue have signed on to stay at CBS Paramount Network Television through spring 2010.
Neither Donahue nor Mendelsohn have any current plans to develop programming, though both said they're open to the notion if the right idea comes along.
CSI: Boise? CSI: San Diego? CSI: Detroit? OMG, the possibilities are endless! :D
HDTVChallenged
01-26-07, 12:58 AM
Since both networks carry the NFL, and Fox will (probably) again win the 18-49 demo race this year, and CBS is a runaway total viewers winner, it will be hard for cable companies NOT to pay. The agreements typically expire at the end of a year -- so can you hear the hue and cry if folks were about the miss the NFL playoffs, possibly the Super Bowl and the start of "American Idol"?
Of course there's little chance of viewers actually translating their "anger" into action ... like buying an antenna and dumping their offending cable co.
Honestly, I've reached the conclusion that all this arguing over retransmission is 100% vaporous show for the FCC, congress and a gullible public. It's like the trolls from "The Hobbit" arguing over how best to cook and eat 12 dwarves and a "burra-hobbit." ... Guess who the dwarves and burra-hobbits are. :D
dad1153
01-26-07, 01:21 AM
No news on CBS Detroit, except for a weekly current affairs program on Sunday and I would hardly call that program news. Their current marketing for the 11PM timeslot is something like, "No News, is Good News". All the promos for that timeslot take the look of a news promo for, "Tonight at 11". It is kinda funny seeing them hype Everybody Loves Raymond and Letterman as part of a fake news promo.
Wherever he is, Mr. Paley is not looking down at that sad situation with a smile.
Mr. Paley could be looking UP from where he is as far as we know. 50/50 shot. :p
I realize it was a flip, wise-guy comment, but I think you might want to do a little study of Mr. Paley and his rather incredible lifetime of contributions to broadcasting, dad.
If he has just a 50-50 shot, the vast majority of us better just forget it.