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[AAF]

Re: The Black Donnellys

I watched several of the promos while watching Studio 60's death. Couldn't figure out for the life of me what the show was supposed to be about or why I would want to watch it.

Then again after Heroes, everything pales. If Lost could figure out how to deliver week after week like Heroes has...well it's too late for that isn't it?

[Maestro J]

I agree, jpco.

Although it moved glacially (five questions in 25+ minutes???) it seemd like good family fun -- where kids can giggle at befuddled old folks.

If they would just streamline it so there would be more questions in a show -- giving the kids even more to iggle about -- I think it might do OK for a while.

By the way, let us know how your girls like it after they get a chance to see it, OK?

And anyone else watched it with some kids -- how did they react?

I just watched it (DVR) with my 7 year old. She loved it and I must admit, I liked it too. It did move slowly but it was entertaining. Of course, I'm a sucker for shows with kids in them. The wife and I used to make a weekly appointment to catch Kids Say the Darndest Things way back when.

[fredfa]

Good to hear.

There are no little ones in my house, but if there were, I could imagine they would really like this show.

[fredfa]

Iteki wins the prize for the 23,000th post in the thread.

Which reminds me to thank all of you, posters and lurkers, for continuing to come here for TV news and notes.

If you would share the link with any of your friends who enjoy TV, I'd be happy to welcome them to the group, too. :)

[fredfa]

The Business of Television
5 a.m. Deadline Looming for Comcast, Sinclair
By Linda Moss MultiChannel News 2/28/2007

Sinclair Broadcast Group, which pulled its TV stations from Mediacom Communications in January, is threatening to do the same to Comcast early Thursday morning in yet another retransmission-consent dispute, AP said Wednesday.

If Sinclair does make good on its threat, and it is unable to reach a new deal with the nation’s largest cable operator, it would be yanking signals for more than 30 stations in 23 markets. Some 3 million Comcast subscribers would be affected.

The TV-station owner and Comcast have an extension of their retransmission-consent deal, for analog and digital signals, that is set to expire at 5 a.m. Thursday.

Sinclair officials couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday, but the TV-station owner did talk to AP.

“It’s important for people to know that there’s a chance they could wake up [Thursday] morning and the station might not be there anymore,” Sinclair general counsel Barry Faber told AP.

"Our first goal is to protect our customers from being charged extra for free TV,” Comcast said in a prepared statement. “We continue to talk with Sinclair and will continue to offer Sinclair's broadcast stations unless they demand that those stations be removed."

Sinclair is seeking cash from cable companies in exchange for carriage of its TV stations, and Comcast has said it won’t fork over such payments.

Mediacom reached a new retransmission-consent agreement with Sinclair Feb. 2, in which it will pay cash. The cable operator then regained carriage of nearly two-dozen Sinclair stations.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6420181.html?display=Breaking+News

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“Idol” and “Smarter” finals

A couple of Nielsen finals from yesterday, courtesy of Travis Yunnan at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog.

American Idol
- 30.650 million viewers (+207,000)
- 17.1/26 HH
- 12.2/30 A18-49 (+.1/Even)

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
- 26.477 million viewers (-209,200)
- 11.2/26 A18-49 ( Even /+1)

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/19510563?r=92910663#92910663

[dad1153]

I'm a sucker for shows with kids in them. The wife and I used to make a weekly appointment to catch Kids Say the Darndest Things way back when.

Do you get the Game Show Network Maestro? GSN shows old episodes of Child's Play (the 1983 gameshow with Bill Cullen) weekends at 9:00AM ET/PT. Sounds like its a show that would be right up your alley. :)

[dad1153]

There are little ones in my house, but if there were, I could imagine they would really like this show.

Uhhh??!! :confused:

[fredfa]

Uhhh??!! :confused:

there are NO little ones.....

[shuttermaker]

Iteki

If you would share the kink with any of your friends who enjoy TV, I'd be happy to welcome them to the group, too. :)


Just what kind of thread IS this ;)

[Maestro J]

Do you get the Game Show Network Maestro? GSN shows old episodes of Child's Play (the 1983 gameshow with Bill Cullen) weekends at 9:00AM ET/PT. Sounds like its a show that would be right up your alley. :)

Oh yeah, we catch that one every now and then. (that is, if we are up out of bed)
My 7 year old is addicted to GSN. I have never seen anything like it. Disney Channel? Nah. Nickoloedeon? Sometimes. GSN is her favorite though. We just have to be careful she doesn't run into the Newlywed Game and a question about where a couple is making whoopie. :p

[fredfa]

Just what kind of thread IS this ;)

Just continuing my continuing battle with the keyboard. :)

I must admit that this typo was a bit more amusing than most, however!

[GeorgeLV]

Just wondering, what exactly, to the viewer, is wrong with The CW? I see it as one of the "Big 5", but, clearly, few else do.
Marketing would be my guess.

Alot of their shows (VM, Gilmore, Everybody Hates Chris, Smallville, Supernatural) would probably get huge ratings on other networks, but, on The CW, shows like that get beat down by Univision and "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"

Well, on the positive side, a whole lot less is wrong with the CW than My Network TV or whatever PAX is currently known as (last I saw they started calling themselves "ion".)

[SowegaBowler]

...or whatever PAX is currently known as (last I saw they started calling themselves "ion".)
PAX became i: Independent Television in mid-2005.

[DoubleDAZ]

Very true, George, but it's still frustrating to see so little done to promote and retain shows like VM, though it hasn't actually been cancelled or anything yet.

I don't totally agree with another post that said many of The CW's shows would do well on any other network. I can't imagine VM making it this long on ABC or Smallville/Supernatural lasting on CBS. Sure, they'd be promoted better, but then expectations (and production costs) would be higher and with the schedule games the Big 4 are playing this year, who knows what would make the cut.

[fredfa]

I think Pax progressed to i and now is ion.

[fredfa]

dad, you asked earlier about the 1/4 numbers for "Smarter Than A Fifth Grader".

According to the numbers gurus over at Marc Berman's Programming blog they were:

9:30pm 11.8
9:45pm 10.6

Not much of a dropoff at all -- especially considering the first several minutes were "AI".

We'll see tomorrow how the second episode fared tonight.

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
Fox on Verge of Sweeps Victory
By James Hibberd Television Week February 28, 2007

With one night left in the February sweeps, Fox is on the verge of surpassing current ratings leader CBS thanks to "American Idol" and the surprise break-out performance of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader."

As of Monday, CBS led with a 5.1 average rating to Fox's 4.8 among adults 18 to 49, according to Nielsen.

After Tuesday night's performance of "Idol" and the premiere of "5th Grader," however, Fox jumped to a 5.0 compared to CBS's 5.1.

Tonight Fox has another 90-minute "Idol" and the second airing of "5th Grader." Unless the Fox shows underperform, or CBS suddenly surges, network ratings analysts expect Wednesday night to put Fox over the top by at least a tenth of a point. CBS still will win in total viewers and adults 25 to 54.

The runner-up slots are far less contested.

ABC is currently in third place with 3.9, followed by NBC with 3.0. Univision has 2.2 and The CW has 1.3.

If Fox defeats CBS, it will be only the second time in recent years that the network that aired the Super Bowl has not won sweeps. The last time was in 2002, when NBC won with the Olympics.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11625

[jpco]

I agree, jpco.

Although it moved glacially (five questions in 25+ minutes???) it seemd like good family fun -- where kids can giggle at befuddled old folks.

If they would just streamline it so there would be more questions in a show -- giving the kids even more to iggle about -- I think it might do OK for a while.

By the way, let us know how your girls like it after they get a chance to see it, OK?

And anyone else watched it with some kids -- how did they react?

We watched it. The kids liked it, but they were a little bit bored with the pacing. The oldest (10) volunteered that they should have a timer on the contestant. The time they took for the "Mayflower" question was unbelievably long.

Since we skipped commercials, they were shocked when it was over. It seemed very short. Overall, we enjoyed it as family entertainment, but if it continues to move this slowly, I could see it dropping off our schedule, but we're definitely on for episode 2.

[dad1153]

My 7 year old is addicted to GSN. I have never seen anything like it. Disney Channel? Nah. Nickoloedeon? Sometimes. GSN is her favorite though.

Please write to GSN President Rich Cronin and tell him about your kid. He's convinced the audience watching GSN consists mostly of older and poor female black viewers. Young viewers like your daughter are what GSN needs most to stay in business. What are her favorite shows to watch? Does she watch them live or by DVR (to skip those annoying Medicare and Scooter Store commercials not aimed at anyone younger than 65)? I love Body Language, the Password and Card Sharks shows, Match Game and Lingo whenever they have new episodes. Has she seen the new Chain Reaction show? And what about you Mr. No-Whoopee-Allowed, what do you like to watch on GSN? :p

[fredfa]

We watched it. The kids liked it, but they were a little bit bored with the pacing. The oldest (10) volunteered that they should have a timer on the contestant. The time they took for the "Mayflower" question was unbelievably long.

Since we skipped commercials, they were shocked when it was over. It seemed very short. Overall, we enjoyed it as family entertainment, but if it continues to move this slowly, I could see it dropping off our schedule, but we're definitely on for episode 2.

Thanks, watching last night I was almost wishing there were kids around -- it certainly would have made it more fun. Although those first two contestants probably would have made me cringe when the kids started laughing at them. :)

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
ABC: Heigl's here to stay
By Ann Oldenburg USA TODAY

Just when things seemed to be settling down at Grey's Anatomy after the Isaiah Washington/homophobic slur incidents, there are more rumblings of unhappiness from behind the scenes.

Katherine Heigl caused a stir Wednesday as People magazine reported she had broken off contract talks. The story prompted ABC Television Studio to issue the following statement:

"Katherine is an integral part of Grey's Anatomy and its success. Fortunately, we have a long-term contract to ensure she'll be with the show for several years to come. In recognition of her tremendous talent and value to the show, we recently approached Katherine with an offer to raise her compensation significantly above the terms of her current contract. We were surprised to see this gesture reported negatively in the press, and want to reassure fans that she will continue as Izzie Stevens."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-02-28-heigl-contract_x.htm

[rebkell]

TV Notebook
ABC: Heigl's here to stay
By Ann Oldenburg USA TODAY



I'll always remember her as Isabel, one of several aliens that attended Roswell high school on the WB's Roswell....

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
NBC May Oust Evening News Executive
By Bill Carter and Jacques Steinberg The New York Times March 1, 2007

NBC’s dominance in television’s evening news race is undergoing its most serious challenge in a decade as “World News” on ABC scored its second ratings victory in the last three weeks. The figures highlight the slow but steady ascent of the veteran ABC newsman Charles Gibson toward the top position among news anchors.

In what is being widely interpreted as fallout from the shifting ratings picture, NBC has made plans to replace the executive producer of the network’s “Nightly News With Brian Williams,” according to several NBC executives.

A successor to the current executive producer, John Reiss, may be announced as early as today, the NBC executives said, emphasizing that a change in the newscast had been in the works for several weeks and was not related to the most recent ratings results. The NBC executives asked not to be identified because the change had not yet been formally announced.

The looming change in the control room at “Nightly News” and the ratings surge by Mr. Gibson are but the latest developments in the most tumultuous two years in the recent history of broadcast news.

Mr. Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw in December 2004. After that, Dan Rather resigned as anchor at CBS in the midst of a reporting scandal, and was soon succeeded by Katie Couric. Peter Jennings died of lung cancer while still the lead anchor at ABC, and one of Mr. Jennings’s designated successors, Bob Woodruff, nearly died in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq, setting off a sequence of events that ultimately led to Mr. Gibson’s move to the anchor desk at “World News.”

Only six months before Mr. Gibson got the evening news job, he was effectively passed over for it, in favor of two much younger journalists, making his current run at Mr. Williams’s broadcast all the more remarkable.

Even as some young viewers forsake television for the Internet, the three network newscasts continue to attract a collective audience of nearly 25 million viewers most nights. The programs are also among the most lucrative for the networks, with advertisers planning to spend nearly half a billion dollars on them this year.

More than a few viewers, and advertisers, choose their broadcast based on the personal strengths of those anchors. That has left some people at the networks wondering whether Mr. Gibson — who, at 63, is the oldest and most established of the three — may be proving more attractive to more viewers than Mr. Williams and Ms. Couric.

One NBC executive who did speak for the record yesterday, Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, would not confirm that any decision had been made about replacing Mr. Reiss. But he dismissed any conclusions being drawn from the recent ratings, saying that NBC had experienced surges by ABC during previous special ratings periods, known as sweep months. He all but guaranteed that NBC’s anchor, Mr. Williams, would regain supremacy in the ratings in a matter of weeks.

But the results for Mr. Gibson and ABC over the last month or so certainly present at least the potential that a tipping point may be coming in the evening news competition. If ABC’s newscast managed to eclipse NBC on Tuesday and last night by the same margins it has achieved in recent weeks, ABC will probably beat NBC for the entire sweep month of February, in both total viewers and in the chief advertising sales category for news, viewers from the ages of 25 to 54. That would be the first time ABC News had managed that double victory since November 1996.

Mr. Gibson’s progress in closing the gap with Mr. Williams had gone largely unnoticed in the initial torrent of attention that accompanied the arrival of the former host of NBC’s “Today” show, Ms. Couric, as the anchor of “CBS Evening News.”

Mr. Williams had led the news ratings virtually every week since taking over for Mr. Brokaw, the longtime leader, in December 2004.

Mr. Williams’s broadcast remains the most-watched among viewers this television season, drawing about 9.3 million each night, compared with 8.8 million for Mr. Gibson and 7.5 million for Ms. Couric, according to Nielsen Media Research.

But for the four-week period that began Jan. 29 and ended last Friday, Mr. Gibson’s broadcast was seen by an average of 9.69 million viewers a night, about 43,000 more than the 9.65 million who watched Mr. Williams’s newscast. (Ms. Couric’s CBS program trailed at 7.6 million.)

More notable has been the erosion in Mr. Williams’s lead over the last year. Erosion is not uncommon for the network newscasts, which have been steadily losing viewers. Still, Mr. Williams has lost an average of a little more than 570,000 viewers over the last year; Mr. Gibson’s audience has grown by just under 60,000 viewers.

Ms. Couric’s CBS newscast, which remains a distant third, has lost about 120,000 viewers from the program that was led last year at this time by Bob Schieffer. Asked yesterday whether any changes were in the offing for the CBS newscast, Sean McManus, the president of CBS News and Sports, said: “As we’ve said all along, this is a very long process that takes many months, if not years. We’re not losing any patience.”

Through a network spokesman, Mr. Gibson declined a request to be interviewed yesterday. What is perhaps most remarkable about his broadcast’s moving within striking distance of Mr. Williams’s — and perhaps causing NBC to react by shaking up its newscast’s management — is that Mr. Gibson is occupying the anchor chair at ABC at all.

At least twice in the last decade, ABC News marginalized Mr. Gibson’s role to the point that he contemplated leaving the network — only to have ABC call upon him to rescue a program.

The first time was in 1998 when, after 11 years as a co-host with Joan Lunden on “Good Morning America,” he left the program under pressure from network executives as its ratings sagged well below those of “Today” on NBC. At the time, he contemplated assuming a part-time role at ABC News, so that he might accept an offer to take a lead role as host of the “Biography” series on the A&E Network.

But less than a year after Mr. Gibson left “Good Morning America,” David Westin, the president of ABC News, urged him to reassume his post as co-host of the program, this time alongside Diane Sawyer, after the program sagged further under the anchor team of two neophytes, Lisa McRee and Kevin Newman.

In April 2005, after Mr. Jennings took leave of “World News Tonight,” as the program was then known, to be treated for lung cancer, Mr. Gibson was one of several anchors (including Ms. Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas) who pinch-hit for him until his death in August 2005, and then continued to rotate in and out of Mr. Jennings’s empty chair for four months.

That December, Mr. Westin announced that he had selected Ms. Vargas and Mr. Woodruff, both in their 40s, as a permanent anchor team to succeed Mr. Jennings. In an interview on Dec. 5, the day of the announcement, Mr. Gibson, then 62, acknowledged that he had, effectively, been passed over for the job. At the time, it was widely believed that Mr. Gibson would leave “Good Morning America,” and probably ABC, when his contract was up in June 2007.

And yet, less than a month after the new anchor team began on “World News,” fate again played a hand in Mr. Gibson’s career. In late January, Mr. Woodruff was wounded and began a long recuperation. The plan for the anchor team was scrapped. Mr. Gibson was once again pressed into duty (as was Ms. Sawyer) to work with Ms. Vargas behind the anchor desk.

As for Ms. Vargas, she announced soon afterward that she was pregnant with her second child. Last May, Mr. Westin announced that the job of anchor of “World News” was now Mr. Gibson’s outright, and that he was leaving “Good Morning America.”

In an interview that day, Mr. Gibson said: “I am to some extent a creature of circumstance to horrendous events, Peter’s illness and Bob’s injury, and to a joyous event, but nonetheless one that affected all of us, which is the pregnancy for Elizabeth.”

On Tuesday night, in a stark reminder of that unsettled period, Mr. Gibson welcomed Mr. Woodruff back to the “World News” set, for an unusually long interview that touched on the details of his recovery .

Jon Banner, the executive producer of “World News” for Mr. Gibson (and Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Jennings before him), said: “To stand there with Charlie and Bob just before the broadcast was a miracle.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/business/media/01nbc.html?pagewanted=print

[fredfa]

Yes, but the numbers count in the season's ratings.

Fox feels that 'Til Death repeats will do better than Happy Hour, I guess.

Once the end of May hits (and the "season" ends) all networks will be free to play whatever they want.

Or maybe Fox will just sacrifice those "Happy Hour" episodes against some other network's hottest show -- figuring it doesn't matter what they thorw up against it, and they might as well save new episodes of something else.

Fox is apparently going to win February in the 18-49 by .1 or .2 over CBS in the 18-49 and every little bit helps.

[dad1153]

Since "Studio 60" is scheduled to go back in production in March and there's one unaired episode (the one pre-empted for "Black Donnellys") in the can, what are the chances Sorkin's show will air in May sweeps (regardless of time slot)? If the show is already condemned as everyone says, would NBC burn it off in April (when "Friday Night Lights" will also exhaust all its new episodes) or in the dog days of summer? And what will NBC air Mondays at 10 if "Donnellys" continues to get same-or-lower ratings than what "Studio 60" was getting in the same time slot? If NBC were a dyke then the Dutch would be all over it plugging the many leaks! :o

[fredfa]

The final "Friday Night Lights" is scheduled to air April 4, with "Thank God You're Here" taking its slot on April 11.

I have no idea what will be done with "Studio 60". I assume NBC has a hefty penalty to pay if all contracted for episodes are not shot.

But that still might make more sense than shooting and showing them -- much as I'd prefer to see them.

[steverobertson]

The final "Friday Night Lights" is scheduled to air April 4, with "Thank God You're Here" taking its slot on April 11.

I have no idea what will be done with "Studio 60". I assume NBC has a hefty penalty to pay if all contracted for episodes are not shot.

But that still might make more sense than shooting and showing them -- much as I'd prefer to see them.

I can see how they are setting up for the end of the show with the coach taking the job on the last episode and riding off into the sunset.

[shawn12341234]

i didn't see any info on the front page about lucky louie or weeds...is there any?

[Marcus Carr]

FCC rule requires all new TVs to be digital

By HIAWATHA BRAY
THE BOSTON GLOBE

Americans who don't know the difference between high-definition television and digital television are about to learn, thanks to a federal mandate.

Starting today, all new television sets designed to receive over-the-air signals must contain a tuner capable of receiving digital broadcasts, not just the old-style analog signals that we have relied on for the past half-century.

Many companies will offer dual-mode sets, capable of handling either analog or digital signals. But in 2009, all U.S. television broadcasts will be exclusively digital, by order of the Federal Communications Commission. This year's digital television mandate is designed to help the public make a painless transition from the old technology to the new.

"For many people, this has already happened, and they didn't realize it," said Megan Pollock, spokeswoman for the Consumer Electronics Association in Washington.

Digital tuners already are mandatory in television sets with screens larger than 25 inches.

Today's mandate covers smaller sets, the last bastion of all-analog technology.

Most Americans have cable or satellite television service. Those video providers handle the digital signal through the adapter boxes they provide to customers.

Those who still watch analog broadcasts have nothing to fear. Even when the television networks go all digital in 2009, companies will offer adapter boxes that will convert the digital signal into analog form, suitable for the older technology.

Getting a digital television doesn't necessarily mean buying a high-definition set. Digital broadcasting refers to the use of a stream of zeroes and ones to send the signal, instead of the wavelike signal of an analog transmitter.



All forms of broadcasting use limited amounts of bandwidth on the radio spectrum. Digital broadcasting uses much less bandwidth, while delivering excellent sound and picture quality. Switching to digital will free up capacity that can be used for additional channels or other communications traffic.

Digital broadcasting is different from HDTV, a technology that increases the sharpness of the video signal. Today's standard television systems display a picture made up of 480 lines drawn on the screen. But this standard image can be delivered by either analog or digital systems. Indeed, many digital sets offer a picture that's no sharper than an analog image.

All HDTV sets use digital technology, but they also use an imaging technique that produces a sharper picture, made up of either 720 or 1080 lines.

The extra lines mean that the picture can show much finer detail than a standard television image.

There's a third type of digital set, the enhanced-definition television, which offers an intermediate level of picture quality, better than standard television, but not as sharp, or as expensive, as HDTV.

According to the FCC, it took 12 years for 10 percent of U.S. households to get color television sets. But since the first digital televisions became available nine years ago, 32 percent of American homes have adopted them.

That is largely due to surging demand for HDTV programming, because 80 percent of the digital sets deliver a high-definition picture.

But beginning today, even television buyers with no interest in HDTV will find themselves going digital.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/305565_digitaltv01.html

[WilliamR]

Fredfa, do you do any kind of post where it lists the scheduled season finale dates for the more popular shows?

[Maestro J]

Please write to GSN President Rich Cronin and tell him about your kid. He's convinced the audience watching GSN consists mostly of older and poor female black viewers. Young viewers like your daughter are what GSN needs most to stay in business. What are her favorite shows to watch? Does she watch them live or by DVR (to skip those annoying Medicare and Scooter Store commercials not aimed at anyone younger than 65)? I love Body Language, the Password and Card Sharks shows, Match Game and Lingo whenever they have new episodes. Has she seen the new Chain Reaction show? And what about you Mr. No-Whoopee-Allowed, what do you like to watch on GSN? :p

I will write to him. I take it his email can be found on the gsn website? If not, where can I find it?
Her favorites are in this order:
1. Lingo (I don't mind watching this with her because of Shandi)
2. Millionaire
3. Chain Reaction
4. Password
5. Weakest Link
The rest sort of all fall after that.
My wife and I can't believe she is addicted to this channel. We both have loved game shows since we were kids so I guess its in the genes???
She comes home from school and she immediately asks to watch gsn. I have to make sure homework is done before she can. It takes an airing of AI or DoND to change the channel to something else. And then she gets to rooting for a contestant and when the get something right or win the game, she hoots and hollars for them. The wife and I just laugh.

[dad1153]

Actually Cronin and the people that run GSN isolate themselves from the public because they make decisions that are pretty unpopular with hardcore gameshow fans (the type like me that want more repeats of older gameshows and less of the new one's), who let them know in no uncertain terms how they feel about him.

The following we got after "What's My Line?" was taken off the air as a 7-day-a-week strip, making a few thousand insomniacs around the country very sad and angry:

TO PHONE GSN:

310-255-6800 (A man named Ryan often answers.)

TO WRITE GSN:

GSN
Attn: Ann Hummel
Manager of Acquistions and Scheduling
2150 Colorado Ave, Suite 100
Santa Monica, CA 90404

No direct web address to reach Cronin & Co. has been found. :(

And isn't Chain Reaction a little too late for a seven year old to watch? It airs at 9PM ET/PT, a time when most seven year olds are already in bed. :confused:

[Maestro J]

Dad - we have a SD Tivo in the master bedroom that she has pretty much taken over. She records shows on that and I frequently see recordings of Chain Reaction, Family Feud, Amazing Race reruns, etc. along with Nick shows like Drake & Josh and Zoey 101.
That's too bad there is no email or web form to send him. I'm not much for snail mail writing anymore but hey, perhaps I can get her to write to him? It would probably grab his attention to see fan mail that is in bright marker on construction paper, right?

[Iteki]

I'll always remember her as Isabel, one of several aliens that attended Roswell high school on the WB's Roswell....

Me too, the one that betrayed them right? (in their previous life)

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
Charlie Gibson, 'ABC World News' wins ratings sweeps
By Gail Shister Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist March 1, 2007

Prepare to crown Prince Charles. At least for February.

Barring a major surprise, Charlie Gibson's ABC World News will win the February ratings sweeps, which concluded last night.

Moreover, it will be a clean sweep for ABC. (Cue clarion call.)

World News will finish No. 1 for the month in both total viewers and in its target audience of 25-to-54-year-olds. The last time ABC turned that particular double play was in November 1996.

The last time NBC's once-untouchable Nightly News ended up No. 2 in a sweeps month (February, May and November) was in November '01, under anchor Tom Brokaw.

Lest we forget, Katie Couric's CBS Evening News will conclude February at No. 3.

Until last week, Brokaw's successor, Brian Williams, had won 21 of 23 weeks this season, including the first 20 in a row. Overall, Nightly had led all comers for 132 of the past 138 weeks, NBC says.

Nobody's talking publicly, but NBC suits are nervous. Buzz at 30 Rock is that Nightly boss John Reiss is toast.

No comment from NBC. Reiss didn't return calls.

With World News on a roll, you might think executive producer Jon Banner would be euphorically projecting a more permanent reversal of fortune.

You would be wrong.

"I'm not ready to go there yet," says the ever-understated Banner. "The sweeps aren't over yet. We have a lot of work left to do. What is a trend is that we've had 10 continuous weeks of solid growth, year to year. That's especially pleasing to us."

World News won last week's race with 9.38 million total viewers, including 3.02 million in the 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. It marked World News' second weekly win in both categories in February.

Nightly News last week averaged 9.07 million total viewers (2.73 million in the demo); CBS Evening News had 6.91 million (2.18 million in the demo.)

Banner attributes World News' resurgence almost entirely to Gibson, who debuted in May.

"It's taken some time for the audience to realize Charlie is on World News and not on Good Morning America anymore. We're a big country."

Also, Gibson is more comfortable with the broadcast and has "taken ownership" of it, in Banner's words. He's involved in every aspect, from choosing stories to writing scripts.

Banner denies that lead-in Oprah Winfrey is a factor. Fewer than 50 percent of ABC affiliates carry the 4 p.m. show, and even so, he says, it's off the air 90 minutes before World News goes on.

Moving right along, former World News coanchor Bob Woodruff last night did his first piece for the broadcast since he was almost killed in a bomb blast in Iraq more than a year ago.

The story was an update on a U.S. soldier who suffered a traumatic brain injury similar to Woodruff's. It had original reporting in addition to footage used in Woodruff's prime-time special Monday.

Banner says he hopes to use Woodruff once a week "for the immediate future."

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16806082.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[rebkell]

Me too, the one that betrayed them right? (in their previous life)

I thought it was Tess, the one that plays Clare(sp?) on LOST, I mainly remember Heigl's role as Max's brother, on the show, not sure how their real alien identities ended up, who was bad and who was good.

[fredfa]

The Business of Television
Comcast, Sinclair Extend Retrans Talks
By Glen Dickson Broadcasting & Cable 3/1/2007

Cable operator Comcast and station group Sinclair Broadcast Group, which have been embroiled in a retransmission-consent battle in 23 markets including Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Tampa, Fla., and Baltimore, have announced that they are extending negotiations through March 10.

That eliminated the possibility of Sinclair immediately pulling its signals from Comcast's systems, which it threatened to do at 2 a.m. Thursday unless Comcast agreed to pay its price .

The two companies issued a joint release this morning saying that they are "continuing to have productive discussions" and have agreed to "extend the retransmission agreement that was set to expire today through March 10."

For now, Comcast customers will continue to receive Sinclair's stations, which include numerous Fox affiliates, while the companies attempt to reach an agreement.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6420560

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
February Sweep Is Over

If you needed any reminder that the Sweep has ended, just note that "American Idol" is back to (just!) an hour tonight.

Oh, and “Grey’s Anatomy” is presenting a repeat.

So we’ll see how a full hour of “Are Your Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” does.

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
For '30 Rock,' decision time is nearing
Struggling NBC comedy is about to go on hiatus
By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Mar 1, 2007
The next two episodes of NBC’s “30 Rock” could help determine whether the critically beloved but low-rated sitcom will return for a second season.

“Rock” will go on a six-week hiatus after next week’s episode, leaving the Thursday 9:30 p.m. timeslot to the new show “Andy Barker, P.I.,” before returning in April. These two weeks are important because “Rock” will air against reruns of powerhouse timeslot competitors “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC and “CSI” on CBS.

Networks are in pilot mode now, beginning to narrow down which new and returning shows will make their fall schedule. NBC is only expected to pick up one of its freshman series for next fall, either “Rock” or “Friday Night Lights.” (A third rookie, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," looks all but dead.) "Rock" and "Lights" have similar season averages, and so NBC will be looking for growth potential when it decides which to bring back.

Airing against original episodes of “Grey’s” and “CSI” the past month, “Rock” actually has been shrinking, not growing. When the show took over the Thursday slot in late November, its first three episodes against minimal competition averaged a 2.9 adults 18-49 rating.

Its three most recent episodes have averaged a 2.5, a decline of 14 percent. If it can grow again over its next two outings, that might help convince NBC the show has potential much like “The Office,” which was renewed two years ago with similarly low ratings.

It doesn’t hurt that recently critics seem to have adopted “Rock” as the new “Arrested Development,” a similarly smart but low-rated show. Publications from TV Guide to Entertainment Weekly to countless blogs are championing its renewal.

The competition isn’t entirely light tonight. “Rock” will face a new challenge in Fox’s smash “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader,” which had the network’s best debut in 18-49s in more than 14 years earlier this week.

In tonight’s “Rock,” guest star LL Cool J plays a hip-hop producer who helps Jack (Alec Baldwin) launch a new line of champagne.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10480.asp

[fredfa]

Yesterday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings have been posted near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“Friday Night Lights” Sweep Ratings

Here are the grim numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 7 (“Bones” on Fox) 6.56 million viewers
Feb 14 (“Bones” on Fox) 7.43 million viewers
Feb 21 (“American Idol” on Fox) 5.37 million viewers
Feb 28 (“American Idol” on Fox) 5.13 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“Lost” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:

Feb. 7 – 14.68 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.63 million viewers)
Feb 14 – 12.77 million viewers (series low) (“CSI: NY” 15.78 million viewers)
Feb 21 – 12.89 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.08 million viewers)
Feb 28 – 12.77 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.04 million viewers)

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

[dad1153]

TV Notebook
For '30 Rock,' decision time is nearing
Struggling NBC comedy is about to go on hiatus
By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Mar 1, 2007

Networks are in pilot mode now, beginning to narrow down which new and returning shows will make their fall schedule. NBC is only expected to pick up one of its freshman series for next fall, either “Rock” or “Friday Night Lights.” (A third rookie, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," looks all but dead.) "Rock" and "Lights" have similar season averages, and so NBC will be looking for growth potential when it decides which to bring back.

How can the show than ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season (even in the past few weeks before the hiatus) be the one that is 'all but dead'? Fred, do you have 'Studio 60's' grim February numbers to compare it with those of 'FNL' and '30 Rock'? Call me crazy but I still think that, if Sorkin pitches the suits a direction where the show is headed that they like (the reason CBS killed Smith) and Warner does a massive cost-cutting (let go of Paulson and Peet, cut the sets down, shoot with a smaller crew, etc.) to lower NBC's license fee, "Studio 60" might still be potentially salvageable for a second season. In normal times NBC would be right to cancel all three, but I can see the network keeping two of them going and I just don't see growth (creatively or in viewers) as been an advantage of "30 Rock." Call me a dellusional optimist but I think "Studio 60" has a chance (small and closing fast) to turn around if there are enough suits behind-the-scenes at NBC/Warner invested into this show as you and I... all three of us! :(

[fredfa]

I'll pull together the "Studio 60" numbers, dad.

But I am going to have to take your invitation and call you delusional.

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
And we have an (unofficial) winner...
FOX Triumphs in the A18-49 Demo for the February Sweeps
(from Dumont Demo over at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog.)

FOX has emerged as the A18-49 demo champ for the February Sweeps. After 28 days in A18-49 measures, the rankings are:

1. FOX 5.2 (+2% vs 5.1 in 2006)
2. CBS 4.9 (+41% vs 3.5 in 2006)
3. ABC 3.8 (-28% vs 5.3 in 2006)
4. NBC 2.8 (-42% vs 4.9 in 2006)
5. The CW 1.3 (-11% vs 1.4 WB in 2006, +18% vs 1.1 UPN in 2006)

In the end, those American Idol hours helped FOX to triumph in households over the February Sweeps as well, with the ranking as follows:

1. FOX 10.1 (+40% over 7.2 in 2006)
2. CBS 9.6 (+32% vs 7.3 in 2006)
3. ABC 9.0 (+5% vs 8.6 in 2006)
4. NBC 6.5 (-32% vs 9.6 in 2006)
5. The CW 2.1 (-5% vs 2.2 WB in 2006, +17% vs 1.8 UPN in 2006)

After 28 days of the February Sweeps, the best affiliate lead-ins at 10:30/9:30 pm on the Adults 18-49 demographic are:

1. FOX 5.4
2. CBS 4.0
3. ABC 3.8
4. NBC 3.1
5. The CW 1.2

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/50810763/p/2

[maitak]

I'm hoping they keep Friday Night Lights. I thought it was by far the better series of the three. Of course going against American Idol the last couple weeks hasn't helped it...

[fredfa]

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Sockeroo debut for CW's 'Top Model'
Averages a series-best 3.4 in target 18-34 viewers
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 1, 2007

Even Simon Cowell and Jeff Foxworthy can’t slow down Tyra Banks. Her “America’s Next Top Model” had its best-ever premiere in the CW’s target adults 18-34 demographic last night despite airing opposite Fox’s powerhouse “American Idol” and its new hit game show lead-out.

A two-hour “Model” starting at 8 p.m. averaged a 3.4 rating in 18-34s, according to Nielsen overnights, its best-ever premiere in that demographic. It also had series debut bests in women 18-34 (5.4), women 18-49 (3.8) and total viewers (5.4 million).

In 18-49s, it averaged a 2.6, tying last fall’s debut for second-best premiere.

It marked the highest-rated night ever among 18-34s and women 18-34 for the fledgling CW, which launched last September from the merger of the WB and UPN networks.

“Model” now joins the small ranks of shows that have proven capable of standing up to “Idol,” which dominates the ratings among 18-49s.

“Idol” aired from 8 to 9:30 p.m. last night, averaging a 10.5 in 18-34s. Combined with an 8.9 for the new game show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader,” hosted by Foxworthy, Fox averaged a healthy 10.1 among 18-34s to win the night.

The CW was second, and the network also ranked ahead of NBC and ABC in 18-49s from 8 to 10 p.m.

Why did “Model” hold up when few others do? It may simply be that the show draws a different group of 18-34s than “Idol.” It also could not have hurt that Banks has been all over the news lately after admitting to a weight gain since her modeling days.

That’s gotten loads of publicity and some curious folks may have tuned in to see how Banks looks now (for the record, quite good).

Meanwhile, “Smarter” continued to draw huge ratings for Fox a night after it became the network’s top-rated premiere among adults 18-49 since 1994.

It declined just 13 percent from Tuesday’s debut rating in that demo, to a 9.8, and again retained an impressive portion of its “Idol” lead-in, which was down slightly from the night before.

Among 18-49s, Fox was first for the night among 18-49s with an 11.3 average rating and a 28 share. CBS was second at 3.6/9, ABC third at 3.2/8, CW fourth at 2.5/6, NBC fifth at 2.3/6 and Univision sixth at 1.6/4.

At 8 p.m. Fox started the night in the lead with an 11.3 rating for the first hour of its 90-minute “Idol.” CBS was second that hour with a 2.4 for “Jericho,” CW third with a 2.3 for the first half of its “Model” premiere and Univision fourth with a 2.1 for “La Fea Mas Bella.” That left ABC fifth with a 2.0 average for “George Lopez” (2.2) and “Knights of Prosperity” (1.7), and NBC sixth with a 1.8 for “Friday Night Lights.”

Fox lead at 9 p.m. with another 11.3 rating, this time for the last half hour of “Idol” (12.8) and the second episode of “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” (9.8). CBS was second with a 4.0 for “Criminal Minds,” CW third with a 2.8 for the second half of “Top Model” and NBC fourth with a 2.5 for “Deal or No Deal.” ABC was fifth with a 2.1 average for “According to Jim” (2.2) and “In Case of Emergency” (2.0) and Univision sixth with a 1.5 for “Mundo de Fieras.”

ABC moved into the lead at 10 p.m. with a 5.7 for “Lost,” followed by a 4.3 for CBS for “CSI: NY.” NBC was third that hour with a 2.5 for “Medium” and Univision fourth with a 1.3 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

Fox also led the night among households, averaging a 16.5 rating and 25 share. CBS was second at 8.1/13, NBC third at 5.0/8, ABC fourth at 4.7/7, CW fifth at 3.5/5 and Univision sixth at 2.1/3.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10507.asp

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“30 Rock” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 1 – 5.66 million viewers
Feb 8 – 5.09 million viewers
Feb 15 – 4.96 million viewers
Feb 22 – 4.58 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

[fredfa]

Fredfa, do you do any kind of post where it lists the scheduled season finale dates for the more popular shows?

I usually start that post about the end of March, William.

But I will do some digging and add it to post #4 (premieres and returning shows).

So far, here are the ABC finale dates:

Monday:
What About Brian: 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - March 26
Dancing with the Stars: 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 21

Tuesday:
Dancing with the Stars The Results Show: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 22
Boston Legal: 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - May 22

Wednesday:
Lost: 9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - May 23

Thursday:
Ugly Betty: 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 17
Grey’s Anatomy: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 17

Friday:
America’s Funniest Home Videos: 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 18

Sunday:
Extreme Makeover Home Edition: 7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 20
Desperate Housewives: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 20

[steverobertson]

That really sucks about Friday Night Lights I am begining to believe that the end is near.

[fredfa]

HDTV Notebook
MGM Planning HD Movie Channel
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

Venerable movie studio MGM is in conversations with cable and satellite operators to launch its first domestic television channel: MGM HD.

The studio hopes to launch MGM HD by the end of the year as a movie channel drawing from its library of 4,100 theatrical titles-about 1,200 of which currently are available in the high-definition format-and hundreds of hours of television content.

"We have the strongest HD library of any of the studios," said Douglas Lee, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Digital Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. "We've been developing the concept for the past year. We've talked to a lot of cable, satellite and telco companies, and people have been receptive."

DirecTV plans to launch 100 national HD channels by the end of the year; currently there are fewer than half that number available. Recently, several top cable networks including TBS, USA and FX announced they will launch HD simulcasts as part of DirecTV's HD initiative, which is expected to roll out this fall.

Though Mr. Lee declined to single out any video provider as a frontrunner to launch the channel, the DirecTV HD effort has caused an industrywide scramble for more bandwidth and HD content to remain competitive.

"When DirecTV launches their new HD package, that's going to raise the bar for all the other providers," Mr. Lee said.

MGM HD would join HDNet and another studio-based effort, Universal HD, among the few stand-alone, non-premium national HD movie channels. Like HDNet, the MGM plan currently calls for the titles to air uncensored.

Mr. Lee said MGM HD will stand apart from the competition.

"[The other channels have] shown there's an appetite for HD entertainment services," he said. "But clearly one branded MGM is stronger branded."

Some titles available for MGM HD include "The Usual Suspects," "Tank Girl," "Cherry 2000" and "RoboCop."

MGM library has changed hands over the years, most significantly in 1985, when Ted Turner acquired the studio's back catalog of classic titles. Today MGM owns nearly all of its post-1986 library, all of the United Artists library, a majority of the Orion Pictures film and television library and the pre-1996 Samuel Goldwyn library. MGM began converting its library titles to HD years ago as various licensing deals called for HD content.

MGM also owns and operates a standard-definition network, The MGM Channel, which is available in 120 foreign territories.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11628

[RemyM]

How can the show ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season be the one that is 'all but dead'?

$$$$$$$$$
It's all about return on investment.

[fredfa]

per dad's request:

TV Notebook
Last Five Weeks of “Studio 60” Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show for its five airings since the first of the year:
Jan 22 – 7.41million viewers
Jan 29 – 6.95 million viewers
Feb 5 – 7.18 million viewers
Feb 12 – 6.56 million viewers
Feb. 19 – 6.40 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

[fredfa]

Critic’s Notebook
Without Hope, All Is Lost
By Matt Roush TV Guide Critic

Today’s TV sermon, inspired by tonight’s wonderfully entertaining Hurley-centric episode of Lost, is all about hope. About not giving up hope, even when the TV gods seem to be working against our innate optimism that all good things come to those who patiently wait and watch.

I have hope for Lost, always have had. The show may never regain the mass audience of its first season, and that was probably inevitable. As the show got denser and the island more cluttered with new characters and enigmas, not all created equal, the impatient among us gave up, screaming “not another Twin Peaks!” and drifted away to more predictable shores. Their loss. Even at its worst, which arguably came in the ill-conceived six-episode “pod” last fall, Lost is still one of TV’s most ambitious and spectacular productions, blessed with a fascinatingly diverse cast (this year, largely underused until now) that reveals new depths with each flashback into their back stories. For all of the whining about the withholding of answers, some absolutely justified and some just an example of whining for whining’s sake, the level of storytelling on Lost is generally among TV’s most absorbing.

(Wasn’t it interesting that when Heroes employed the Lost approach this week, giving us compelling flashbacks into HRG’s history and revealing unexpected connections with characters like Claude and Hiro’s dad, all of this framing a thrilling real-time adventure, the show delivered its first truly four-star episode.)

Anyway, back to Hurley (the invaluable Jorge Garcia), who in this week’s episode decides to snap himself, and by extension Lost itself, out of the funk everyone has been in since the Others took Kate, Sawyer and Jack captive, altering the show’s focus in a way very few found satisfying.

“We could all use some fun,” Hurley declares after discovering the ruins of a car in the jungle. Said car triggers (what else) flashbacks to Hurley’s pre-island life, including his abandonment by his father (Cheech Marin) and more fallout from the “curse” of those blasted lottery numbers.

Is Hurley’s curse related to the woes of Charlie, who’s still haunted by Desmond’s premonitions of his impending doom? Don’t look for answers. Instead, roll with Hurley’s life-affirming watchcry: “Let’s make our own luck!” The end result is an uplifting joyride that reminds us that, as with most classic TV shows, Lost’s greatest asset is its indelible characters.

As someone says tonight, it’s never too late for a fresh start. In the case of Lost, it’s absolutely not too late. In fact, it’s just in time. If you’re so inclined, enjoy.

And while we’re on the subject of hope, here’s what else I hope:

That NBC will do the right thing and renew Friday Night Lights for a second season. As people slowly discover it, and realize that it’s about so much more than football, I believe its audience will grow. Not into a blockbuster, but into the sort of prestige item that NBC can not only be proud of but make money from. (The recent episodes, dealing with racial tensions on the team and parental tensions as the coach’s daughter considered losing her virginity, have been the best yet.)

That Veronica Mars, when it returns from hiatus in (presumably) late April, will go out on a high with self-contained episodes that illuminate character over convoluted mystery. The who-killed-the-Dean denouement this Tuesday wasn’t as ludicrous as last season’s rooftop climax, but it felt rushed and ultimately a bit ridiculous. Forget Veronica being a modern Nancy Drew. This time she was acting more like Perry Mason. (Have I given up hope, refuting today’s gospel, for a fourth season? A bit. I still enjoy the characters, but feel it has kind of played itself out. I’d be happy to be proved wrong, especially if it means we get to see Veronica get the FBI internship poor Professor Landry helped set up for her.)

That Heroes can sustain its momentum from this week’s best-ever episode.

That Supernatural fans will forgive me for my churlish response in Monday’s Ask Matt column to the e-mail blitz from those desperate to keep the show alive. I was overwhelmed, to be sure, but I hear your pain and am glad to share your concern. I also hope the network gives me a third season to finally get with the program.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800010001

[fredfa]

How can the show than ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season (even in the past few weeks before the hiatus) be the one that is 'all but dead'?

Critical acclaim might just help save "30 Rock" and even "Friday Night Lights". Actually, acclaim is far to weak a word. Adoration might be closer to the truth.

Then factor in this: NBC is in such a hole that trying to fill two more slots probably won't be easy -- the prime-time ship is leaking in so many areas. And keeping those two shows would at least keep the critics happy and writing nice things about the network -- and despite what you might think, that does have some value.

But as for "Studio 60", it just isn't getting any critical love, certainly nothing like the adoring comments the other two endangered shows receive. I wouldn't be surprised if NBC, thinking of the early problems of "The Office", gives "30 Rock" a pickup.

And, of course, I even dare to dream of a pickup for "Friday Night Lights". But I think that is far less likely.

As for "Studio 60", I can't imagine any scenario (barring an unprecedented ratings turnaround) where it isn't toast.

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“NBC Nightly News” producer to step down
By Matea Gold Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 1, 2007

NEW YORK — NBC officials are poised to announce that the executive producer of "NBC Nightly News" is leaving his post, according to network sources, a move that comes as the top-rated evening newscast faces a strong challenge from ABC's "World News."

John Reiss, who has run the NBC program since June 2005, when he was promoted from the No. 2 slot, is expected to take another position within the news division. The announcement of his departure, which was first reported by Radar magazine, could come as early as this week, sources said.

Reiss did not return a phone call, and a network spokeswoman declined to comment.

NBC's evening newscast had long enjoyed a wide margin over ABC and CBS. But with anchor Charles Gibson at the helm, "World News" recently closed the gap with the first-place newscast. Last week, ABC bested NBC by 310,000 viewers, its second such win in three weeks. Meanwhile, ratings for "CBS Evening News," anchored by Katie Couric, have lagged.

NBC sources said that Reiss' exit is not tied directly to the ratings, but rather friction with anchor Brian Williams.

The executive producer approached NBC News President Steve Capus several months ago about leaving the program because he and Williams were not meshing, according to employees familiar with internal discussions. While both men are well-liked internally, they have different working styles and are not personally close.

"He and Brian have never really been copacetic, and I think Reiss realized that quite some time ago," said one "Nightly" staffer.

Before joining the NBC newscast, Reiss worked at "Dateline" and ABC's "Good Morning America." Sources said he might take a new role in the network's political coverage. Reiss' replacement has yet to be chosen and executives are said to be considering internal candidates.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nbc1mar01,1,7087167,print.story?coll=la-headlines-business

[dad1153]

As for "Studio 60", I can't imagine any scenario (barring an unprecedented ratings turnaround) where it isn't toast.

So a graceful exit (assuming the remaining episodes in the contract are actually shot and aired) is the best we can hope for... sob, sob...? :(

[fredfa]

I would hope I am wrong -- but I think that is accurate.

[FSugino]

TV Notebook
“30 Rock” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 7 – 5.66 million viewers
Feb 14 – 5.09 million viewers
Feb 21 – 4.96 million viewers
Feb 28 – 4.58 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data
Fred - is this right? 30 Rock is on Thursdays, and the dates listed are Wednesdays.

[fredfa]

I pasted the wrong dates. I've corrected, thanks!

[michaelk]

HDTV Notebook
MGM Planning HD Movie Channel
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

Venerable movie studio MGM is in conversations with cable and satellite operators to launch its first domestic television channel: MGM HD.

The studio hopes to launch MGM HD by the end of the year as a movie channel drawing from its library of 4,100 theatrical titles-about 1,200 of which currently are available in the high-definition format-and hundreds of hours of television content.

"We have the strongest HD library of any of the studios," said Douglas Lee, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Digital Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. "We've been developing the concept for the past year. We've talked to a lot of cable, satellite and telco companies, and people have been receptive."

DirecTV plans to launch 100 national HD channels by the end of the year; currently there are fewer than half that number available. Recently, several top cable networks including TBS, USA and FX announced they will launch HD simulcasts as part of DirecTV's HD initiative, which is expected to roll out this fall.

Though Mr. Lee declined to single out any video provider as a frontrunner to launch the channel, the DirecTV HD effort has caused an industrywide scramble for more bandwidth and HD content to remain competitive.

"When DirecTV launches their new HD package, that's going to raise the bar for all the other providers," Mr. Lee said.

MGM HD would join HDNet and another studio-based effort, Universal HD, among the few stand-alone, non-premium national HD movie channels. Like HDNet, the MGM plan currently calls for the titles to air uncensored.

Mr. Lee said MGM HD will stand apart from the competition.

"[The other channels have] shown there's an appetite for HD entertainment services," he said. "But clearly one branded MGM is stronger branded."

Some titles available for MGM HD include "The Usual Suspects," "Tank Girl," "Cherry 2000" and "RoboCop."

MGM library has changed hands over the years, most significantly in 1985, when Ted Turner acquired the studio's back catalog of classic titles. Today MGM owns nearly all of its post-1986 library, all of the United Artists library, a majority of the Orion Pictures film and television library and the pre-1996 Samuel Goldwyn library. MGM began converting its library titles to HD years ago as various licensing deals called for HD content.

MGM also owns and operates a standard-definition network, The MGM Channel, which is available in 120 foreign territories.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11628

Curious- what’s the current status of the Disney + MGM relationship? I know at one point they were all buddy buddy (“Disney’s MGM Studios”) and there was even some talk of a merger or something . But I think they had a falling out and went their separate way’s?

Curious if there is a relationship- if the Disney Library might be part of that? Give Disney another way to make cash off it’s stuff besides broadcast ABC and SD Disney Channel

[biggiE48]

Please write to GSN President Rich Cronin and tell him about your kid. He's convinced the audience watching GSN consists mostly of older and poor female black viewers. Young viewers like your daughter are what GSN needs most to stay in business. What are her favorite shows to watch? Does she watch them live or by DVR (to skip those annoying Medicare and Scooter Store commercials not aimed at anyone younger than 65)? I love Body Language, the Password and Card Sharks shows, Match Game and Lingo whenever they have new episodes. Has she seen the new Chain Reaction show? And what about you Mr. No-Whoopee-Allowed, what do you like to watch on GSN? :p



:eek: Why does he think his demo are only old and black? Is this anecdotal or hard Nielsen number. I may be missing the point but what is the driving reason you want 2-11 age viewer. Is it the buying power or influence that is leverage by mom and dad?

[Maestro J]

:eek: Why does he think his demo are only old and black? Is this anecdotal or hard Nielsen number. I may be missing the point but what is the driving reason you want 2-11 age viewer. Is it the buying power or influence that is leverage by mom and dad?

Dad, of course, can answer himself but I think he's talking in general terms. Anyone under the age of 49 is an attractive audience. gsn's prez seems to think they don't get many under that age. My household says otherwise.

[AFH]

Well, on the positive side, a whole lot less is wrong with the CW than My Network TV or whatever PAX is currently known as (last I saw they started calling themselves "ion".)

Ain't that the truth. At least the CW has Gilmore Girls, Girlfriends and America's Next Top Model. I don't even know or care to know what station the MY Network TV occupies in the area I live in and I would imagine it's that way for many other Americans.

[michaelk]

Ain't that the truth. At least the CW has Gilmore Girls, Girlfriends and America's Next Top Model. I don't even know or care to know what station the MY Network TV occupies in the area I live in and I would imagine it's that way for many other Americans.

I believe the my network exists so local sports have an OTA outlet that doesn’t need to preempt watchable primetime programming- LOL

[AFH]

TV Notebook
“Lost” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:

Feb. 7 – 14.68 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.63 million viewers)
Feb 14 – 12.77 million viewers (series low) (“CSI: NY” 15.78 million viewers)
Feb 21 – 12.89 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.08 million viewers)
Feb 28 – 12.77 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.04 million viewers)

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

I wonder why the Feb 14 numbers for CSI Ny shotup a million people versus the previous week and then dropped another 1.7 the following two weeks.

[AFH]

I believe the my network exists so local sports have an OTA outlet that doesn’t need to preempt watchable primetime programming- LOL

Sounds plausible to me. Just tell that to WRAL (CBS Affil) here in Raliegh-Durham b/c they have the Raycom ACC college basketball package and some nights the game preempts the primetime shows and you have to record them or stay up until 3:07am to watch The Unit. ;) Maybe they can take a hint and pass that package off to the My Network affil here in town. Every over city seems to be able to grasp the concept of sports that are shown during the week belong on non-major network stations, i.e. the CW or My Network TV. Oh, and I know ACC basketball is huge down here, but there are other OTA outlets for it that don't have a major affil attached to them. Sorry I had to rant. :)

[michaelk]

Sounds plausible to me. Just tell that to WRAL (CBS Affil) here in Raliegh-Durham b/c they have the Raycom ACC college basketball package and some nights the game preempts the primetime shows and you have to record them or stay up until 3:07am to watch The Unit. ;) Maybe they can take a hint and pass that package off to the My Network affil here in town. Every over city seems to be able to grasp the concept of sports that are shown during the week belong on non-major network stations, i.e. the CW or My Network TV. Sorry I had to rant. :)

in NYC both the Mets and Yankees have always been on the my/cw/upn/wb also ran channels. (in the early years fox also carried some when it was still the BIG 3 plus fox). But really weird was a couple years back WCBS- the CBS flagship decided to carry the Yankees OTA broadcasts. It was really odd. That lasted all of a year and then the also ran my/cw/upn/wb channels took back over. I'd say that OTA baseball games account for well over 90% of my my.cw.upn.wb veiwing (could be as high as 100%- i cant recall the last time i checked one of those 2 channels otherwise- hmm I got a tivo series 3 after baseball season was over last year- now that reminds me I better check the tuner to see if it can get those crappy channels for this baseball season- doubt I've tuned their since I got the Tivo in October.

[VisionOn]

I wonder why the Feb 14 numbers for CSI Ny shotup a million people versus the previous week and then dropped another 1.7 the following two weeks.

Date night! :)

[AFH]

Date night! :)

What is this date night that you speak of! ;)

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
“5th Grader” Gets More Homework
By Jim Benson Broadcasting & Cable 3/1/2007

Producer Mark Burnett’s two strongest shows will run head-to-head for more than a month now that Fox has announced that it is extending the Thursday night run of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Fox has added four more episodes to air 8-9 p.m. ET Thursdays on top of two previously announced airings March 15 and 22. The game show is slated to air after American Idol 9-10 p.m. Thursday and March 8.

That puts the Jeff Foxworthy-hosted game show head-to-head with Burnett’s Survivor on CBS for a total of six weeks. When NBC aired Burnett’s The Apprentice on Thursdays, it had an agreement with Burnett to air the show out of the path of Survivor at 9 p.m. (excluding “super-sized” episodes that started 15 minutes early).

But Survivor, while still a top-10 show, has slipped some since then and The Apprentice has been relegated to a new night following a ratings decline. This time around, it appears that Burnett did not have that same leverage with Fox.

To accommodate the move, Fox is benching Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy and Nanny 911 until a later date. It will double-run Family Guy 9-10 p.m. March 15 and install a second weekly airing of the hit animated comedy at 9 p.m. on Thursdays. On March 22, American Dad will make its debut at 9:30 p.m., also giving it two weekly airings.

The new 5th Grader game show has received high marks in the ratings, with the premiere Tuesday becoming Fox’s highest-rated series debut in 13 years; best-rated series premiere on any network in more than five years among adults 18-49 (11.2 rating/26 share) and in eight years in viewers (26.6 million).

The series debut also made the honor roll by retaining the largest audience ever out of an American Idol lead-in among adults 18-49 (93%) and viewers (88%), and it beat Idol with teens (8.7/28 vs. 8.3/26) and men 12-34 (7.7/24 vs. 7.0/23).

Wednesday’s edition retained 83% of adults 18-49 and 79% of viewers from Idol.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6420875

[fredfa]

TV Notebook
Reilly reups at NBC
Pact had been anticipated since January
By Josef Adalian Variety March 1, 2007

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly has inked a new multiyear deal with the Peacock.

Pact had been anticipated since January, when NBC U supremo Jeff Zucker publicly stated his desire to have Reilly stay on (Daily Variety, Jan. 18). Contract negotiations began in earnest a few weeks later (Daily Variety, Feb. 5), but some major deal points prevented a pact from wrapping up until this week.

Reilly's re-upping reps a victory for the former FX exec, who's been plagued by rumors about his long-term future at the network almost from the moment he ascended to his current post in May 2004.

Negative buzz was sparked mostly by NBC's poor primetime performance in the post-"Friends" era.

Peacock still has a long way to go until it's healthy, but the net finally seems to have gained some momentum.

Comeback started last fall with the success of "My Name is Earl" and the slow emergence of "The Office" as a legitimate hit. Both shows were heavily championed by Reilly, whose pre-NBC track record counts successes such as "The Shield" and the pilot for "The Sopranos."

The early victories at NBC were followed by the breakout success of quizzer "Deal or No Deal" last winter and this fall's bow of the big hit drama "Heroes." Reilly has also won plaudits from the creative community for sticking by low-rated but well-reviewed newcomers "Friday Night Lights" and "30 Rock."

Still, NBC's sked has numerous trouble spots.

The once-mighty "Law & Order" franchise has faded, in no small part due to years of overexposure by a long line of NBC execs looking to plug holes. A big, expensive bet on Aaron Sorkin didn't pay off, with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" barely clinging to life. And NBC has inherited ABC's annual headache of programming a night part-time following the end of the Sunday Night Football season.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117960370&categoryid=14

[fredfa]

This has been posted in its own thread….but if you misse it…..
TV Notebook
MyNetwork TV: No More Scripted
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

MyNetworkTV is getting out of scripted programming.

The network has dropped plans to produce seventh and eighth cycles of telenovelas, and has decided to cease pursuing scripted content of any kind.

"We're not developing anything scripted at this time," said MyNetwork President Greg Meidel. "We don't have one scripted project, other than telenovelas that have already been produced."

Instead, Mr. Meidel said the News Corp.-owned network, which has struggled to draw audiences with its telenovela content since launching last fall, is in discussions with top reality producers to acquire new shows.

Mr. Meidel was blunt about his reasons for dropping scripted content.

"The five major networks spend enormous amounts on development and I don't think we can outdo what they do in [comedies] 'Family Guy' or 'Two and a Half Men,' or [dramas] 'House' or 'Grey's Anatomy,'" he said. "But I think there's some great reality projects out there that are available."

After running telenovelas since September that have averaged about 800,000 viewers, MyNetworkTV is on the verge of a major schedule shakeup.

Next month the network runs its final two telenovelas-"American Heiress" and "Saints & Sinners"-on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with mixed martial-arts fighting Mondays and movie nights Thursdays and Fridays.

The network also recently announced upcoming specials on Anna Nicole Smith ("Anna Nicole Smith: A Centerfold Exposed," produced by the team behind "Access Hollywood"), an Elton John concert special ("Happy Birthday Elton") and a fight night preview special ("Countdown to Battleground").

Mr. Meidel said his current strategy isn't to focus on a particular brand, but to "make some noise" and bring in new sampling.

"I want people to know MyNet is out there, and there's a huge percentage that do not know we exist," he said.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637

[fredfa]

Curious- what’s the current status of the Disney + MGM relationship? I know at one point they were all buddy buddy (“Disney’s MGM Studios”) and there was even some talk of a merger or something . But I think they had a falling out and went their separate way’s?

Curious if there is a relationship- if the Disney Library might be part of that? Give Disney another way to make cash off it’s stuff besides broadcast ABC and SD Disney Channel


I have no knowledge of any MGM-Disney synergy.

But maybe James Hibberd knows the answer to your question. He's obviously been pretty busy today with his weekly HD Newsletter and some other stories you have seen here (and hopefully on the Television Week site -- which you should visit at least daily).

James takes a peek at this thread on occasion, hopefully he can answer your question, Michael.

[fredfa]

The Business of Television
EchoStar Reports Fourth Quarter 2006 Financial Results
Up for Year, 4Q in Subs and income
(EchoStar news release March 1, 2007)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --EchoStar Communications Corporation reported total revenue of $2.58 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, a 17 percent increase compared with $2.20 billion for the corresponding period in 2005.

Net income totaled $153 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, compared with $133 million during the corresponding period in 2005. Basic earnings per share were $.35 for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, compared with basic earnings per share of $.30 during the corresponding period in 2005.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, EchoStar reported total revenue of $9.82 billion compared with $8.45 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, an increase of 16.2 percent. EchoStar's net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, totaled $608 million, compared with $1.51 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005. Net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, includes a non-recurring, non-cash benefit of approximately $593 million to recognize the tax benefits of previously reported tax losses and a $134 million gain related to the settlement of EchoStar IV satellite insurance and related claims.

DISH Network(TM) added approximately 350,000 net new subscribers during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, giving the company approximately 13.105 million subscribers as of that date, an increase of 1.065 million subscribers compared to the number of subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2005.

[Davinleeds]

Ist qtr for 07 should be better. I received my notice of increased subscription rate.

[fredfa]

Cable Notebook
Nielsen Ratings
And Many Cable Network Notes
By Marc Berman MediaWeek’s Mr. Television at his Programming Insider blog March 1, 2007

Ratings: Top 15 Cable Series by Total Households*

Week of 02/12/07-02/18/07
(Rank; Program Name; Network; Day; Time; Household Rating; Household Audience; Total Viewers)

1 2007 NBA ALLSTAR GAME(S)-02/18/2007 (EAST VS WEST) TNT SUN 8:47 PM 4.2 4,729,000 6,843,000
2 NBA ALLSTAR TIP OFF(S)-02/18/2007 TNT SUN 8:00 PM 3.3 3,647,000 5,108,000
3 NBA ALLSTAR SAT NIGHT(S)-02/17/2007 TNT SAT 8:24 PM 3.1 3,464,000 4,845,000
4 SPONGEBOB NICK SAT 9:30 AM 3.1 3,405,000 4,602,000
5 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SAT 10:30 AM 2.8 3,110,000 4,117,000
6 SPONGEBOB NICK SAT 9:00 AM 2.7 3,048,000 4,124,000
7 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SAT 10:00 AM 2.7 3,038,000 4,053,000
8 WWE ENTERTAINMENT THU(S)-02/15/2007 (WWE RAW) USA THU 9:00 PM 2.7 2,991,000 4,513,000
9 NED DECLASSIFIED NICK SAT 8:00 PM 2.6 2,841,000 4,173,000
10 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SUN 10:00 AM 2.5 2,825,000 3,813,000
11 AVATAR: SIEGE OF THE NORT NICK SAT 11:00 AM 2.5 2,767,000 3,802,000
12 NAKED BROTHERS BAND NICK SAT 8:30 PM 2.5 2,759,000 3,960,000
13 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SUN 10:30 AM 2.4 2,716,000 3,704,000
14 S CORY IN THE HOUSE(S)-02/14/2007 DSNY WED 7:30 PM 2.4 2,659,000 3,559,000
15 SPONGEBOB NICK SUN 9:30 AM 2.4 2,621,000 3,568,000

Some helpful terms:

Household: An occupied housing unit. An individual or group of individuals occupying a house, apartment, group of rooms, or single room.

Total Audience Rating: Percent of households tuning to all or to any portion of a program for at least 6 minutes. Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program at once. Ratings are expressed as a percent.

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

ABC Family:

ABC Family has renewed "Lincoln Heights" for a second season for 10 episodes.

Also, the network has ordered nine episodes of the new series GREEK, which follows a college freshmen trying to find his place in the social hierarchy on campus. He was engrossed in his studies in high school but decides to ditch the books to have some fun now that he's in college, so he decides to join a fraternity. Patrick Sean Smith is the creator.

Animal Planet:

Animal Planet has announced three new series for April. SPRING WATCH USA premieres on Saturday, April 21 from 8-9 PM (ET/PT). A multi-part, as-it-happens nationwide event, SPRING WATCH USA celebrates the arrival and beauty of spring from coast to coast. Hosted by Jeff Corwin and Vanessa Garnick, viewers learn about the amazing animals, birds and insects that herald the arrival of spring. DIVINE CANINE: With the Monks of New Skete premieres on Monday, April 16 at 8 PM (ET/PT). Devotion. Obedience. Fulfillment. These are some of the things that the Monks of New Skete, an order of Eastern Orthodox monks, strive to achieve. But one of the ways they do so is unique: by raising and training dogs. Each week, this program follows Brother Christopher and the other monks as they train “problem” dogs a at their picturesque 500-acre monastery in the rolling hills of Cambridge, New York. IT'S ME OR THE DOG premieres on Monday, April 16 from 8:30-9 PM (ET/PT). Dogs: they should be man's best friend, but instead, the United Kingdom is overrun by can! ine biting, barking, pooping and stealing. When they're not hounding their owners, destroying relationships and creating havoc in their own homes they're out on the street terrorizing the rest of us. And it's got to stop! This six-part series follows dog training expert Victoria Stilwell arrives to restore order in homes where the pet is running riot and the family is in the dog house.

BET:

Television's best dressed hour returns to show what's "in" during BET's annual fashion and music fete, RIP THE RUNWAY at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, March 6, 2007. Hosted by R&B singers Chris Brown and Ciara, RIP THE RUNWAY will a mix and match urban, high-end, and swimwear against a backdrop of electrifying musical performances. Fresh off Project Runway and primed for the BET catwalk, MYCHAEL KNIGHT is one of the most popular designers to recently emerge on the scene and has quickly become a household name. Other fashion lines burning up the runway this year are: the ultimate in urban sportswear, BRAND JORDAN; the fashion- forward women's wear line, APPLE BOTTOM; high end swim couture AMAYA SWIMWEAR; merging hip-hop and high class fashion, BABY PHAT; representing the "style of the streets," G-UNIT CLOTHING; clothing for elite individuals who like to stand out from the crowd, THE STEVE HARVEY COLLECTION; bringing a "Casual Sense Of! Couture" to the plus-size market, MONIF C.; and "it's all fun and games until someone gets fly," LRG. In addition to the latest in fashion, explosive musical performances will add fire to the catwalk. Soul singer Musiq Soulchild who's latest single, "Buddy" is burning up the charts; newcomer Mims whose blazing debut, "This is Why I'm Hot," has become the latest rap anthem; Alabama rapper Rich Boy, known for the hot club banger, "Throw Some D's"; and R&B singer Lloyd, who is dominating the charts with the hit single, "You," are guaranteed heat up the runway. Viewers can also look forward to appearances by Nelly, Steve Harvey and 50 Cent as their clothing lines blaze the runway. See what happens when street meets chic in this year's sizzling premiere of RIP THE RUNWAY airing Wednesday, March 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET.

Bravo:

Bravo announced a special hour-long documentary on pop cultural fixation Anna Nicole Smith, premiering Friday, March 2, from 10-11 p.m. ET/PT. The exclusive in-depth interview with Larry Birkhead, photographer and former boyfriend of Smith, features never-before-seen archival footage and photos of Smith with her late husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall. The first half hour, "Larry Birkhead: Good Night My Sweet Anna Baby” – Birkhead's nightly phrase he used to say to Anna – features Access Hollywood's Tony Potts' exclusive sit-down interview with Birkhead. The special reveals surprising insights about Birkhead's unconventional, sometimes volatile and always passionate relationship with Smith, as he speaks candidly about living with her. During the emotional interview, Birkhead also talks about the continued paternity battle over Smith's five-month-old daughter Dannielynn, the ongoing struggle to have Smith laid to rest and the glare of the media spo! tlight. The second half hour, "Anna Nicole Smith: A Life Through A Lense,” includes footage of Smith with her late husband, Marshall, as he reads his will aloud, and recent revelations about her lesbian relationships. The special also provides an intimate look at Smith's life, from her humble beginnings in Texas to her controversial rise to fame, to her tragic and untimely death. "Larry Birkhead: Good Night My Sweet Anna Baby” is produced by Bravo. "Anna Nicole Smith: A Life Through A Lense” is produced by Endemol for Bravo.

Chiller:

When NBC Universal Cable launches the new horror/thriller cable network Chiller on DirectTV on March 1st, the date also marks the debut of its new companion website -- chillertv.com. While the 24-hour digital cable channel will be dedicated to the horror/thriller genre, Chillertv.com will become the designated online destination for horror fans. The site will launch in partnership with Lionsgate Home Entertainment's "After Dark Horrorfest" and Interactive Initiative. Horror fans will be able to visit www.horrorfest.chillertv.com and sample exclusive scenes and clips from all seven DVDs before they go on sale March 27th. Chiller, an NBC Universal Cable channel launching on March 1, 2007, is a new entertainment cable channel dedicated to the popular horror genre, around the clock. Chiller features exclusive horror and thriller programming from "Twin Peaks," "Tales From the Crypt" and "Hitchcock Presents" to "The Shining," "! ;Psycho" and "The Haunting." To learn more, visit: www.chillertv.com. Chiller will offer a digital triple-pack service, which features a standard definition digital channel (SD), hi-definition simulcast channel (HD), and a video-on-demand (VOD) channel offered as a digital bundle. The SD digital channel will be available March 1, 2007, with the VOD and HD offerings available later in 2007.

CMT:

Country superstars Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood lead the final nominees for the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, it was announced today at a CMT press conference hosted by nominated duo, Sugarland. Also announced was the addition of triple nominated Rascal Flatts to the performance line-up for the show, putting a new twist on their performance by letting CMT viewers choose their "Flatt Out Fan Favorite," the song that will open the sixth annual awards show. The 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS will air live from Nashville's Curb Event Center at Belmont University on Monday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m., ET.* For the first time since 2003, the Dixie Chicks make the final nominees list, garnering two nominations, along with Sugarland and newcomers Jason Aldean and The Wreckers. Toby Keith also snags two nominations, hoping to hold on to his designation as the most-awarded CMT MUSIC AWARDS artist. Other notable nominees include Josh Turner who picks up his first nomination i! n the MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR category, among established country favorites Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith. Sting picks up his first CMT MUSIC AWARD nomination along with Sheryl Crow for their duet, "Always On Your Side," in the newly-created WIDE OPEN COUNTRY VIDEO OF THE YEAR category. Fans can vote online at CMT.com through Friday, April 13 to determine the night's winners of the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, airing live on Monday, April 16 at 8 p.m., ET*. Fans can also vote online for the "Flatt Out Fan Favorite," from the following Rascal Flatts hits: "Life Is A Highway"; "Me and My Gang"; or "Fast Cars and Freedom."

Comedy Central:

Coming up in the 11th season, viewers can expect a parody of the popular FOX hit series, "24," and Hilary Clinton pays a visit to "South Park." There will be plenty of shocking surprises from the legendary fourth-graders with seven all-new episodes beginning on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:00 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL. As a bonus, fans will be able to download the uncensored version of each new episode from the 11th season on iTunes the Tuesday after it premieres beginning on Tuesday, March 13. Launched in 1997, "South Park," now in its 11th season, remains the highest-rated series on COMEDY CENTRAL. "South Park" repeats Wednesdays at 12:00 a.m., Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., Fridays at 12:00 a.m. and Sundays at 11:00 p.m.

Also, COMEDY CENTRAL continues to blaze trails in the digital content arena with the launch of "Web Shows," a new on-air half-hour late-night series featuring all original broadband programming from comedycentral.com and AtomFilms. "Web Shows" will premiere the first of six episodes on COMEDY CENTRAL on Monday night, March 5 at 2:00 a.m. ET/PT. This is COMEDY CENTRAL's first on-air collaboration with AtomFilms -- both are divisions of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom. "Web Shows" is an on-air, late-night jukebox format for COMEDY CENTRAL's original digital shorts, which the network started producing for comedycentral.com in November 2005. Each episode of "Web Shows" will feature a line-up of original programming including animation, live-action narratives, topical stand-up performances and sketch comedies. Among the series that will be aired are "Baxter & McGuire," from "King of Queens" creator Michael J. Weithorn and Nick Bakay, "Golden Age," which was an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, the Telly-Award-winning "I Love The 30's," "The Watch List," the first-ever stand-up show to feature an all Middle-Eastern line-up and many others.

Further, Sarah Silverman has taken viewers on several memorable journeys throughout her inaugural season of “The Sarah Silverman Program,” providing her unique point-of-view on substance abuse, AIDS and abortion, among other subjects. For the first season finale, airing on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m., Silverman is set to take on telethons, marathons and God.
In the season finale, featuring cameos by “Heroes” star Masi Oka and Larry Hankin, Silverman sets off to buy replacement batteries for her television's remote control in order to change the channel from a 36-hour telethon to help sick and dying children. During the course of her day, she manages to wreak havoc upon a wheelchair marathon, set off a flashback in the mind of a homeless Vietnam Vet, hold a personal audience with God and break into a musical number detailing her wishes to make the world a better place.

Finally, get out of jail free card? Not on COMEDY CENTRAL! First stop is "Halfway Home," an improvised half-hour show featuring the daily exploits of five ex-cons living together in a residential rehab facility. The series premieres on Wednesday, March 14 at 10:30 p.m. "Halfway Home" welcomes viewers to Crenshaw House, where the L.A. Bureau of Prisons houses some of its most notorious semi-hardened parolees. As an equal opportunity offender, COMEDY CENTRAL is the only place that could assemble such an unpredictable mix of criminals and comedy. Living together under one roof, "Halfway Home's" residents must learn to come to terms with each other and live on the straight-and-narrow under the semi-watchful eye of their county-approved supervisor.

Discovery Channel:

Scientific analysis of limestone ossuaries (bone boxes) and physical evidence found in a 2,000-year-old tomb in Talpiot, Jerusalem, provide credible new information that the tomb once may have held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth and his family. A new Discovery Channel documentary THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, from executive producer James Cameron and director Simcha Jacobovici, exclusively reveals what might be the greatest archaeological find in history. The film presents the latest evidence from world-renowned experts in Aramaic script, ancient DNA analysis, forensics, archaeology and statistics. Among the major discoveries chronicled in the program is new evidence that Jesus and Mary Magdalene, also known as “Mariamene e Mara,” may have had a son named Judah. THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, which premieres Sunday, March 4, at 9 PM ET/PT, follows an investigative journey into the identities of and relationships among 10 ossuaries, which originally were discovered more than! 25 years ago but never were connected conclusively. In conjunction with the film, HarperSanFrancisco is publishing a companion book, The Jesus Family Tomb, co-authored by Jacobovici and Dr. Charles Pellegrino, with a foreword by Cameron.


Disney Channel:

Disney Channel stood as February 07’s No. 1 basic cable network in Primetime, extending its dominance to 24 consecutive months in Kids 6-11 (1.0 million/4.2 rating) and to 23 months in Tweens 9-14 (916,000/3.7 rating). Disney Channel scored the No. 2 spot in Prime this month in Total Viewers (2.4 million), beating third-place finisher TNT (2.1 million) by a healthy 14%. February 07 qualified as Disney Channel’s most-watched February ever in Prime in Total Viewers (2.4 million), Kids 6-11 (1.0 million/4.2 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (916,000/3.7 rating).

Also, Disney Channel has renewed the preschool series "Johnny and the Sprites for a second season. The series premiered on January 13th. Tony Award nominee John Tartaglia ("Avenue Q") is the star and executive producer.

GSN:

Fifty high school students, ranging in age from 14-to-18 years of age, will be traveling to New York City to compete in GSN's first-ever National Vocabulary Championship (NVC) on Monday, March 5. The winner of the NVC will receive $40,000 toward college tuition, a trophy, and bragging rights as the first-ever National Vocabulary Champion. The National Vocabulary Championship is a new event on the scholastic landscape for high school-aged students. In that regard, it is complementary to Scripps National Spelling Bee and the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge, in which contestants are limited to competitors aged 15 years and younger. GSN will broadcast all the action as a one-hour special premiering at 8 PM ET/PT Sunday, April 15. Dylan Lane, host of GSN's original game show "Chain Reaction" will moderate the competition and host the televised special.

Lifetime:

Treat Williams ("Brothers & Sisters," "Everwood"), Samaire Armstrong ("Entourage," "The O.C.") and Kevin Pollak ("The Usual Suspects") star in the Lifetime Original Movie, "The Staircase Murders," a provocative drama based on the actual events of the famed murder case involving Michael Peterson, the novelist accused of killing his socialite wife in their North Carolina home. Production is underway in Louisiana. Produced by Lionsgate, "The Staircase Murders" premieres Sunday, April 15, at 8PM ET/PT, with a special encore airing on Monday, April 16, at 9PM ET/PT, on Lifetime Television. In "The Staircase Murders," loving father, aspiring politician and successful New York Times best-selling novelist Michael Peterson (Williams) was the picture perfect husband to his wife Kathleen. But when a panic- stricken Michael frantically calls 911 to report Kathleen has accidentally fallen down the stairs,! investigators arrive at their home to discover several suspicious findings at the crime scene and soon begin to question the truth about Kathleen's death.

MTV Networks:

MTV Networks announced its new presentation model for the Upfront and the 2007 selling season, a series of interactive ad sales events held throughout the year that reflect the marketplace's continued evolution to a year-round selling model. Rolling out in four phases across the calendar year, the events will offer marketers news on programming initiatives, targeted forums for consumer research, creative solutions and strategic ideas on changes in consumer trends and behavior. The event series will feature: MTVN roadshows and individual client meetings in the spring, previewing new programming content and initiatives across all platforms from the company's leading brands; MTVN "Digi-Tour" events also in the spring, offering clients total immersion in the multiplatform experiences the company creates across its brands; three demo-specific summits in the early fall, each focusing on consumer research and trends; and a strategy summit in the fall held exclusively for ! chief marketing officers.

Nickelodeon:

Mall of America and Nickelodeon announced a partnership combining the country's largest shopping and entertainment destination with the number-one entertainment brand for kids. Under the new agreement, various Nickelodeon properties and characters will come to life in the first-ever Nickelodeon themed park, part of a re-branding of the Mall's seven-acre amusement park. Fresh designs and exciting new rides and attractions, inspired by Nickelodeon's popular shows and characters, are just a few of the anticipated changes. Construction will begin after the architectural plans are complete, with the grand opening of the newly re-themed anticipated in spring 2008. As part of the partnership, Nickelodeon will bring an assortment of its top characters, interactivity, and its signature iconic green slime to Mall of America. The newly revamped park, and the first ever Nickelodeon theme park, will feature new rides, live shows, attractions, retail, games and entertainment, and food ser! vice establishments themed with top ranking network properties including: SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Danny Phantom, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The Backyardigans and many more. Costumed characters and live interactive entertainment from these Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows will also find a home at the Mall. Nickelodeon will also establish its largest retail presence in the world at Mall of America, with a brand new Nick store occupying more than 4,000 square foot space, offering consumers items such as branded tee-shirts, souvenirs, novelties and more. And the network will introduce healthy dining options throughout the parks' eateries, in line with its four year old health and wellness pro-social initiative for kids and families, Let's Just Play.

Sci Fi Channel:

SCI FI Channel, the television network dedicated to fueling the imagination, is teaming up with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Comics to create a forward-thinking, co-branded multimedia partnership called SCI FI/Virgin Comics. With five new comic book titles serving as a jumping off point, SCI FI/Virgin Comics will develop fresh properties that integrate the unique spirit and vitality of both brands. Delivering innovative, multi-platform projects, original concepts will be considered across all mediums from publishing, film and television to digital and gaming. Utilizing the global creative and synergistic resources that exist both at SCI FI Channel, part of NBC Universal, and Virgin Comics, the partnership will aim to attract some of the biggest names and talent from the worlds of comic books, television and movies. SCI FI and Virgin Comics will bring together a multimedia, creative editorial board with members representing comic books, television, movies, digital, gaming, li! censing and merchandising. The first SCI FI/Virgin titles, distributed by Diamond Comics, can be expected to hit shelves later this year.

Also, The Stargate legacy continues to burn bright on SCI FI. As the countdown to the final ten episodes of Stargate SG-1 commences, the Channel prepares for the launch of an all-new fourth season of Stargate Atlantis this fall. SG-1's Amanda Tapping will travel to the Pegasus galaxy to join the Atlantis cast and reprise her role as television's favorite astrophysicist, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. Taking the torch from SG-1 as television's most thrilling adventure series, Atlantis, slated to begin production in Vancouver next month, promises to up the ante this season by introducing a powerful new race, welcoming new cast members and mourning the loss of some beloved friends. For ten seasons, Tapping starred on Stargate SG-1 as the intelligent and beautiful Samantha Carter. Her combination of Gate expertise, in-depth scientific knowledge and military training made her a critical member of SG-1. She will need to draw upon all these resources as she assumes her new role on At! lantis. Tapping will appear in 14 of the season's 20 episodes.

SOAPnet:

Powered by popular storylines for its day/date soap operas, February 07 finished as SOAPnet’s most-watched month on record in Primetime (M - S, 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) in the network’s history in Total Viewers (377,000) and Women 25-54 (178,000). Year to year, SOAPnet generated strong gains, up by 28% in Total Viewers (377,000 vs. 294,000), by 15% in Women 18-49 (141,000 vs. 123,000) and by 27% in Women 25-54 (178,000 vs. 140,000).

Spike TV:

Spike TV will telecast its first MLE(TM) (Major League Eating) event, the "MLE: ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) on St. Patrick's Day emanating from Savannah, Georgia and involves the consumption of corned beef and cabbage, jalapenos, and green donuts. The event will air same day tape on Spike TV Saturday, March 17 (7:00-8:00pm ET/PT). The first annual "ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) will occur in historic Savannah, Georgia on the banks of the Savannah River during one of the country's largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The preliminary rounds will involve such delicious gastronomical delights as jalapenos and the famed Irish dish of corned beef and cabbage. The final event, a green donut-eating contest, will include the two top eaters from the prelims. Top MLE eaters will participate in the "ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) including the legendary Takeru Kobayashi, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, &qu! ot;Humble" Bob Shoudt, Patrick Bertoletti, Timothy "Eater X" Janus, Richard LeFevre and ChipBurger Simpson. George Shea, MLE's Chairman, will join Richard Shea to host the Spike TV telecast.

TLC:

TLC will premiere two new specials this month. SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA
premieres Wednesday March 7 at 9 PM (ET/PT). Sleepless in America takes us into the lives of 3 of America’s worst sleepers as they try to find a cure. We’ll see how these individuals struggle to get sleep as we follow them on their journey to find a comfortable night’s rest. WE HAVE 15 CHILDREN premieres Sunday March 11 at 9 PM (ET/PT). Meet Ian and Sue Povey, 45 and 43 respectively, married for 25 years, living in a quiet cul-de-sac in Swindon. Ian is a systems analyst and Sue is a Mom… to Isabelle, Emily, Ellie, Abbie, Jessica, Katie, Thomas, Callum, Matthew, Michael, Christopher, Alex, Charlotte, Hannah and Becki - their fifteen children. From lines for the bathroom, breakfast, packed lunches, getting them all to the right classrooms of the right schools… through eight loads of washing a day, $400 supermarket trips, homework, various sittings for tea… until bath time and bed.

VH1:

The self-titled "Rocky of Comedy,” Andrew Dice Clay, is coming out of retirement and he’s pulling out all stops to do it with a multi-media blitz –- writing a book, cutting a record, producing his own Sirius radio show and playing to the types of crowds that made him a legend. In the VH1 series “Dice Undisputed” viewers will get an intimate and often hilarious look into the highs and lows of this heavyweight king of laugh’s personal and professional life as he fights to get back on top. “Dice Undisputed” premieres with back-to-back episodes Sunday, March 4 at 10:00 PM*. VH1 has picked up 7 episodes of this half-hour series. Dice’s controversial macho image often collides with his real family life as the man behind all the limericks and leather tries to find a balance between being