Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information - Page 2641

Obiturary
Mort Lindsey, Emmy-Winning Musical Director, Dies at 89
By Erik Pedersen, The Hollywood Reporter - May 8, 2012

Mort Lindsey, an Emmy winner who was musical director for Judy Garland’s legendary Carnegie Hall performance in 1961 and led The Merv Griffin Show’s band for 25 years, died May 4 at his home in Malibu. He was 89.

His son Steve said Lindsey had been in declining health and had recently broken his hip in a fall.

Born on March 21, 1923, in Newark, N.J., Lindsey earned a doctorate in music education from Columbia University. Also a composer and arranger, he was best known as the man who directed the orchestra behind Garland on April 23, 1961, when she recorded the classic double album Live at Carnegie Hall.

Garland performed such classics as “Stormy Weather,” “The Man That Got Away,” “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody” and her signature “Over the Rainbow” during the show.

The critically lauded disc spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, won four Grammys including album of the year and stayed on the chart for nearly two years. The Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry in 2003.

Lindsey paired with Garland often during the early ’60s, including on CBS’ The Judy Garland Show, the film musical I Could Go on Singing and the animated movie Gay Purr-ee. He also worked on Liza With a Z, the 1972 concert film for TV by Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli.

Lindsey composed music for such films as 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962), starring Tony Curtis and Suzanne Pleshette, and The Best Man (1964), starring Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson.

During his quarter-century run on Merv Griffin from 1962-86, he earned consecutive Emmy noms for outstanding achievement in music direction of a variety, musical or dramatic program. He won the Emmy for outstanding individual achievement in music for his work on Barbra Streisand’s 1968 concert documentary A Happening in Central Park. The album recorded during that performance, which drew an audience of more than 130,000, reached the Top 30 and went gold.

In addition to his son Steve, survivors including his wife, Judy; sons David and Trevor; and daughters Bonney, Deborah and Judy. A private service will be held at 11 a.m. May 9 at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, Calif.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...reisand-321666

Comcast is claiming the uncapped Xbox Live streaming is not an 'Internet service', so it does not apply to NBCU merger restrictions. They appear to be skirting around section 94 of the FCC merger order because of this, which says that Comcast cannot favor their Internet services over others. The big loophole here is that even though they are an ISP, if it doesn't leave their network they can favor all kinds of stuff that would cleary violate neutrality rules as long as the FCC looks the other way.

But as you said, the whole thing really throws the cap argument out the window because the justification for it was always about congestion in the local nodes. Now with the Xbox streaming TV from Comcast you can have all you can eat on your node, congestion be damned. I think most folks know by now that caps are mainly about protecting the video biz, and we'll all end up paying more because of it because the feds will continue to allow the HSI monopolies/duopolies without interference.

TV Notes
There's no mystery why 'CSI' chugs along
CBS show still wins its hour, even after two major cast changes
By Louisa Ada Seltzer, Media Life Magazine - May 9, 2012

Adding a new cast member is always risky for an aging procedural. It's often the nudge that prompts marginal viewers to quit watching, as well as those who are committed to the departed cast members.

But CBS's "CSI," which wraps up its 13th season tonight at 10 p.m., has actually held up well through two major casting changes this season.

The drama is down slightly from last season but it's still the second-highest-rated 10 p.m. show on broadcast, behind only CBS's "Hawaii Five-0." The drama is averaging a 2.8 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen, off 7 percent from a 3.0 last season.

Why has it held up so well? It focuses on cases, not characters.

Shows that focus more on the cases than the characters' personal lives often hold up better when those characters change.

The changes on "CSI" actually began several years ago when original cast member William Petersen left and was replaced by Laurence Fishburne.

Over last summer, Fishburne, who was never a really comfortable fit on the show, exited, and he was replaced last fall by Ted Danson.

But the cast turnover wasn't finished. Another original star, Marg Helgenberger, departed in January, and Elisabeth Shue stepped in to join the team.

"CSI's" ratings are certainly nowhere near what they were at their peak, when the show averaged more than 26 million viewers. It's less than half that now, at somewhere north of 11 million. But it remains a reliable timeslot winner, unlike some other dramas that have undergone major cast overhauls this year.

NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has plunged this season, its first without original cast member Christopher Meloni. And Fox's "House" has slid to fourth place in its tough timeslot after the exit of original cast member Lisa Edelstein last summer.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...hugs-along.asp

TV Sports
Stephen A. Smith will be Skip Bayless' foil
By Michael Hiestand, USA Today - May 9, 2012

Stephen A. Smith has a dream job at ESPN: Resurrecting the agitator role Rush Limbaugh held briefly in 2003 on ESPN's NFL pregame show before he was dropped for controversial puffery.

"If ESPN said, 'We want you to play that role, probing and interrogating,' I'd love it," Smith said.

Could happen. Because Smith, announced Tuesday as Skip Bayless' full-time sparring partner on ESPN2's weekday First Take yakfest starting June 4, has shown pretty much anything can happen in his career. After newspapering and on-air stints such as being a judge on ESPN's Dream Job game show, Smith's Quite Frankly show in 2005 stands as proof that ESPN isn't so powerful it can't have an occasional Bay of Pigs or Waterloo. The show was a big flop given the record-setting hype lavished on it by ESPN.

Smith says he left ESPN in 2009 to show something: "I firmly believed, and was hell-bent on showing, that I'm more than a sports guy. I don't like anybody saying that's all I can do."

He says he showed up more than 150 times on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, for things such as Michael Jackson's funeral. (This columnist's favorite Smith non-sports memory: When Smith was on MSNBC discussing credit default swaps.)

Now Smith, who last week signed a new four-year ESPN deal, knows he'll be seen as part of a two-headed monster with Bayless, whose bombastic style gives a show few actually watch it averages 0.3% of cable TV households lots of online attention. "We've butted heads for the 15 years we've known each other. We don't choreograph or fake anything."

But Smith suggests there's no comparing the pair off-air. "Everybody is talking about me on First Take but I'm all over the place. Once the show is over, Skip goes home but I'm on SportsCenter, on my (ESPN New York) radio show, in my espn.com columns. I'm not limited. And I love me some SportsCenter, man."

Derby difference: NBC's Kentucky Derby ratings, since it got the race from ABC in 2001, are consistently higher than ABC's old one. NBC, as with the Olympics, effectively draws female viewers. Saturday's race audience was 51% female as the Derby is the only annual sports event with a majority-female audience. The asterisk: It has just two minutes of sports action.

Spice rack: ESPN hires Jose Cruz Jr., who played 12 MLB seasons, as a bilingual analyst for ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Cruz' ESPN ties date at least as far back as when his father, a two-time All-Star who retired in 1988, got this nickname from Chris Berman: Jose "Won't You Let Me Take You on a Sea" Cruz. With long series and close games and some big-market teams, NBC Sports Network's NHL playoff viewership so far is up 48% from last year's comparable coverage. Ex-NFL star Terrell Owens on a taped Dr. Phil show Tuesday faced three women with whom he has children who he rarely sees. Dr. Phil, on the show, sounds discouraged about the moms: "None of them are sharing a lot of love." Is there anything the rest of us can do to help?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colum...oil/54844846/1

Business Notes
Disney reports strong second quarter 2012 results
By Dawn Chmielewski, Los Angeles Times' 'Company Town' Blog - May 8, 2012

The Walt Disney Co. reported a 21% jump in net income for the quarter, as the strong performance of the television business and at the theme parks more than offset losses at the film studio.

Revenues rose to $9.6 billion for the three months ending March 31, up 6% from the same time a year ago. Net income exceeded $1.1 billion, compared with $942 million a year earlier. Disney reported earnings per share of 58 cents, excluding one-time items, an increase of 18% from a year ago.

The film studio reported an operating loss of $84 million for the quarter, reflecting the write-down associated with the sci-fi adventure film "John Carter." The big-budget film, released in early March, brought in just $70 million in domestic box-office receipts, well shy of breaking even.

Disney's box-office dud was followed, two months later, by the record-setting performance of "The Avengers." The superhero movie, released by Disney's Marvel Entertainment group, smashed the domestic record for best opening weekend.

"The Avengers," a film packed with action and A-list performers, brought in more than $207 million in its first three days of release in the U.S., and grossed a total of $702 million worldwide in its first two weeks. The results will be reflected in Disney's third quarter.

We're incredibly optimistic about our future, given the strength of our core brands,
Disney, Pixar, Marvel, ESPN and ABC," Disney Chairman and Chief Executive Robert A. Iger said in a statement. "And our extraordinary ability to grow franchises across our businesses, such as 'The Avengers,' which shattered domestic box-office records."

Disney's Media Networks television group remains the company's cash cow, reporting operating income of $1.7 billion for the quarter -- up 13% from a year ago.

Parks and resorts showed the most substantial gains. Operating income rose 53% to $222 million in the quarter, reflecting increased attendance and spending at Disney's domestic parks, and improved results from the Tokyo Disney Resort, which was closed a year ago because of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...2-results.html

Nielsen Notes (Broadcast)
Broadcast TV ratings are down again
Big Five are down 2 percent this year in adults 18-49
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - May 9, 2012

After a promising spike earlier this year, ratings for the Big Five networks have fallen this season among the key adults 18-49 demographic.

The Big Five networks combined are averaging an 11.9 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Fox, off 2 percent from a 12.2 last year.

Two networks, CBS and NBC, which carried this year's Super Bowl, are up compared to last year. The CW has suffered the biggest percentage decline, off 11 percent from last year.

But Fox has sustained the largest overall dip, off 0.3 from a 3.5 to a 3.2. Some of that dip can be explained by the fact that Fox had the Super Bowl last year but not this year, though it's still quite a change from last fall, when the network was pacing well ahead of the previous year.

Still, Fox will finish first this season in the demo and is currently 0.2 ahead of CBS, which is in second place with a 3.0.

NBC is in third with a 2.5, and ABC, the only Big Four network without Super Bowl rights, is in fourth with a 2.4.

It's not surprising that broadcast will finish the season down in the demo. Last fall's ratings gains were actually an anomaly, as the Big Five have seen their ratings fall for years.

As for why ratings were up last fall and have since fallen, there are a number of reasons. First, last fall's new shows, including "2 Broke Girls," "The X Factor," "New Girl" and "Once Upon a Time," performed much better than the new shows in fall 2010, leading to some of the ratings uptick.

But this year's midseason new shows had very low ratings, and a number of old and new shows have seen steep declines since the fall.

Plus the biggest hit of all, Fox's "American Idol," is down double-digit percentages.

* * * *

In broadcast ratings for the week ended May 6:

Among adults 18-49, Fox and CBS tied for first for the week, each with a 2.2 average rating and a 7 share, followed by ABC at 2.0/6, NBC at 1.6/5, Univision at 1.4/4, CW at 0.6/2, Telemundo at 0.5/1, ION and TeleFutura at 0.3/1, and Estrella and Azteca at 0.1/0.

Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): Tie-1. Fox's American Idol-Wednesday" and CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" 4.7; 3. ABC's "Modern Family" 4.1; 4. Fox's American Idol-Thursday" 4.0; 5. CBS's "Two and a Half Men" 3.8.

Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. CBS's "NCIS" 17.58 million; 2. Fox's American Idol-Wednesday" 16.66 million; 3. ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" 16.2 million; 4. Fox's American Idol-Thursday" 15.56 million; 5. CBS's "NCIS: Los Angeles" 15.21 million.

Top five time-shifted English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, by Live+SD versus Live+7 playback, week ended April 22): 1. ABC's "Modern Family" 2.3 increase (up 56.1 percent); 2. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" 1.5 increase (up 45.5 percent); 3. Fox's "Glee" 1.4 increase (up 58.3 percent); 4. Fox's "New Girl" 1.4 increase (up 51.9 percent); 5. NBC's "The Office" 1.3 increase (up 59.1 percent).

Show on the rise: NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Wednesday 10 p.m. The long-running procedural bounced back a touch, rising 12 percent week-to-week among 18-49s from a 1.7 rating to a 1.9.

Show on the decline: NBC's "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," Wednesday 8 p.m. Last week it slipped 24 percent versus the previous week among 18-49s, from a 1.7 rating to a 1.3.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...down-again.asp

Nielsen Notes (Cable)
On cable, it's hoops, hockey and hurlers
NBA, NHL and MLB ratings are particularly hot this spring
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - May 9, 2012

Sports are the hot thing on cable right now, where the NHL playoffs are drawing record numbers and the NBA postseason has boosted TNT to No. 1 in primetime.

It's not just playoff sports that are faring well, either. Ratings for baseball are also up to open the season.

The NHL playoffs continue to set records on NBC Sports Network, formerly Versus. Last week's game three overtime nail-biter between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals became the most-watched conference semifinal ever on the channel, averaging 1.85 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.

It was also the most-watched semifinal game on cable since 2000 and has helped boost viewership for the semis on NBCSN to an average 1.22 million, up 50 percent over last year.

Also last week, NBA TV scored an all-time best, with game two of the Boston Celtics-Atlanta Hawks series averaging a 0.6 household rating, the network's highest-rated telecast ever.

TNT, which set a record for its most-watched NBA regular-season this year, finished as the No. 1 network in primetime last week, the week ended May 6, across virtually every demographic, including total viewers, adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

The network has won seven nights on cable among 18-49s since the playoffs began a week and a half ago.

And ratings for Fox's 10 regional sports networks that carry Major League Baseball are up 20 percent in April, including an 89 percent jump on Fox Sports Southwest, which carries the Texas Rangers.

The gains for hockey and basketball continue a trend seen at the end of the season. Ratings for both sports have been hot for months, following strong postseasons last year as well.

It helps that there are intriguing storylines in both leagues. The eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings have steamed into the Western Conference finals, shocking oddsmakers.

And the Miami Heat, with the star-powered trio of Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, remain popular as they attempt to make the finals again.

For baseball, some of the regional teams seeing bumps, like the Detroit Tigers, had major offseason shakeups such as acquiring new players like Prince Fielder, stoking fan interest.

* * * *

In cable ratings for the week ended May 6:

Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, FX, USA, TBS, History.

Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TNT, USA, Disney Channel, FX, History.

Top five cable news networks in primetime (25-54): Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, HLN.

Top five cable news programs (total viewers): 1 Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Thursday, 8 p.m.); 2. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Monday, 8 p.m.); 3. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Tuesday, 8 p.m.); 4. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Friday, 8 p.m.); 5. Fox News Channel's "The Five" (Tuesday, 5 p.m.)

Top movie (18-49s): FX's "Avatar" (Tuesday, 8 p.m.) 1.39 million.

Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT's "NBA Basketball: Dallas/Oklahoma City" (Monday, 9:47 p.m.) 4.74 million.

Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA's "WWE Entertainment" (Monday, 9 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: Dallas/Oklahoma City" (Monday, 9:47 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: L.A. Lakers/Denver" (Sunday, 9:44 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: Oklahoma City/Dallas" (Thursday, 9:50 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: New York/Miami" (Monday, 7:09 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: Miami/New York" (Thursday, 7:09 p.m.); TNT's "NBA Basketball: Denver/L.A. Lakers" (Tuesday, 10:44 p.m.).

Show on the rise: NBA TV's "NBA Basketball: Boston/Atlanta," Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. The game averaged 796,000 total viewers and a 0.6 household rating, the best in the network's history.

Show on the decline: Nickelodeon's "The Legend of Korra" Saturday, 11 a.m. The "Avatar: The Last Airbender" sequel slipped 12 percent week-to-week among viewers 18-34, from 942,000 to 833,000.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...d-hurlers-.asp

TV Notes
Gay on TV: It’s All in the Family
By Brian Stelter, The New York Times - May 9, 2012

On “Glee” this spring, a transgender character named Unique is competing in a sing-off. On “Grey’s Anatomy,” Arizona and Callie are adjusting to married life, having been pronounced “wife and wife” last year.

On “Modern Family,” the nation’s most popular television show, Cameron and his partner Mitchell are trying to adopt a second child.

What’s missing? The outrage.

The cultural battlefield of television has changed markedly since the 1990s, when conservative groups and religious figures objected to Ellen DeGeneres coming out and “Will & Grace” coming on.

Today, it’s rare to hear a complaint about shows like “Modern Family” or the drama “Smash,” which has five openly gay characters, or the sitcom “Happy Endings,” which, against stereotype, has a husky and lazy gay male character.

To the contrary. Mitt Romney is known to be a fan of “Modern Family,” and a Catholic group gave it a media award this month.

Next week in New York the major networks will announce a slate of new shows, including a sitcom on NBC that features a gay couple and their surrogate. The title: “The New Normal.”

At a time when gay rights are re-emerging as an election year issue — in part because of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s stated support for gay marriage on Sunday — activists and academics say that depictions of gay characters on television play a big role in making viewers more comfortable with their gay, lesbian and transgender neighbors.

“TV and movie representation matters,” said Edward Schiappa, a professor of communication studies at the University of Minnesota. In five separate studies, Mr. Schiappa and his colleagues have found that the presence of gay characters on television programs decreases prejudices among viewers of the programs. “These attitude changes are not huge — they don’t change bigots into saints. But they can snowball,” Mr. Schiappa said.

Mr. Biden apparently agrees. He said on Sunday that “Will & Grace,” which ran from 1998 to 2006, “probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody’s ever done so far.”

When that sitcom began on NBC, it was seen as controversial. Several conservative groups claimed that it and shows like it would make homosexuality seem desirable.

Some groups said the same about “Ellen,” the ABC sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres, who came out as a lesbian on the show and in real life in 1997. Ms. DeGeneres threatened to quit a year later when ABC preceded an “Ellen” episode that showed her jokingly kissing a friend with a message that warned, “Due to adult content, parental discretion is advised.”

That warning would not appear today, as complaints about gay characters on shows like “Modern Family” and “Glee” barely ever bubble to the surface.

When a group called One Million Moms tried to have Ms. DeGeneres fired this year by J.C. Penney, which had hired her to star in TV commercials, the company’s chief executive defended her and the group gave up. When the Fox News host Bill O’Reilly briefly made a fuss about the Unique character on “Glee” last month, criticizing the show for “shock value,” his comments gained little notice. (“Glee” is broadcast on Fox, whose parent company, News Corporation, also owns Fox News).

Mr. O’Reilly and one of his guests also complained last fall when Chaz Bono became the first openly transgender contestant on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” But the “Dancing” producers defended Mr. Bono, who lasted six weeks on the show. Upon being voted off, he said he had participated in part because if there had been “somebody like me on TV when I was growing up, my whole life would have been different.”

Perhaps wary of being perceived as moralizing, producers and writers in Hollywood — a predominately liberal town — say that the viewer support of gay, lesbian and transgender characters is just a happy byproduct of their storytelling.

“I think I would be lying if I said that I didn’t expect, at some point, for some narrow-minded group of people to try to create some publicity” around “Glee” or “Modern Family,” said Dana Walden, the chairwoman of 20th Century Fox Television, which produces both shows. “The bottom line is that people embrace these characters completely.”

Steven Levitan, a co-creator of “Modern Family,” said he thought that when the show started, the inclusion of Cameron and Mitchell would “limit our success a bit, because it will perhaps alienate a certain segment of the population.”

“In fact,” he said, “it’s turned out to be quite the opposite,” a point he reiterated last fall when the series won its second Emmy Award for best comedy.

Media watchdogs like the Parents Television Council, one of the most active conservative media groups, do occasionally speak out against TV programming; but a spokeswoman for the council said it did not distinguish between gay and straight content.

Of the shows with gay plot lines, “Glee” has been the most scrutinized: Dan Gainor, a representative of another prominent group, the Media Research Center, said it “merely pretends to be a show for young people” while actually serving as an “assault on traditional values and morality.” His group, though, focuses more on purported liberal bias in the news media than on prime-time programming.

While campaigns against shows with gay characters are now rare, the pressure on networks to include them has grown. There was a fan outcry, for example, when the gay couple on “Modern Family” did not kiss in the sitcom’s first season. The producers insisted that the wait was intentional, and the second season included a story line about Cameron’s disdain for public displays of affection, as well as many kisses between the characters.

In an interview Mr. Levitan, who used to be an anchorman in Madison, Wis., cited a newsroom saying: “Don’t tell me how this law is affecting two million people, show me one family that it’s affecting and it’ll be more powerful.”

“I have to think that it’s the same case here,” he said.

Some producers say they have marveled at how fast the opinions of television viewers have changed, even as gay rights activists have marveled at how voters across the country have shifted on gay marriage.

“What this is about, really, is how far America has come, not how far television has come,” said Christopher Lloyd, a co-creator of “Modern Family.”

Shonda Rhimes, the “Grey’s Anatomy” producer, recalled having to “go to the mattresses with broadcast standards and practices” at ABC in 2006 to insist on preserving a steamy shower sequence with three female doctors. That sequence was just a fantasy in the mind of one of the male characters — but now six years later, in the show’s version of reality, two female doctors are married. “Nobody even blinked” at the relationship, Ms. Rhimes said.

The only outcry she recalled came when one of the doctors, Arizona, flirted with a man. “It was from lesbians who said, ‘How dare she sleep with a man!’ ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/bu...ref=television

It's hard to imagine saying anything nice about Mr. Smith as a talking head (there's a reason your show flopped.. and it was you)... but compared to Skip Bayless he almost seems lucid. The only problem with Steven A. Smith and his desire to do "everything", is that he doesn't know jack about anything but Basketball. And sometimes, I'm not even sure he gets basketball from a team or organizational aspect. It's beyond embarrassing to listen to him talk about football. His ignorance on that sport is unbelievable. I can't imagine what it's like to hear him talk about finance or politics.

The less said about Skip Bayless the better...... If you've ever seen it once, you will find it hard to believe that First Take even gets a .3 share. It's pointless, self important pontification devoid of any fact or basis other than a general "who can make the silliest statement" contest.

Other than that, I like the show :P

WoW ! I'm Looking forward to this one .
Top Shelf Actors on board Plus David E. Kelly
let's Hope the production Valves , as well the writing , meet the high level of the producers & actors on board .

Yes, definitely has potential. If my past experience with David E Kelly shows holds up, I am sure I will love the show for the first year, and by the third year, I will pretty much hate it as he makes it more and more over-the-top silly.

TV Notes
'Law & Order: SVU' renewed for 14th season
By James Hibberd, EW.com's 'Inside TV' Blog - May 9, 2012

As expected, Law & Order: SVU is getting another round on NBC.

Despite ratings declines this season, NBC is bringing back the Dick Wolf drama, as well as picking up a second series from the veteran producer Chicago Fire.

SVU will return for a 14th season on the network. Chicago Fire is described as an action-driven drama exploring the complex and heroic men and women of the Windy City's Fire Department. OK, so that doesn't tell you very much. It stars Teri Reeves, David Eigenberg, Charlie Barnett, Lauren German, Monica Raymund, Taylor Kinney, Jesse Spencer, Eamonn Walker and Merle Dandridge.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/05/09/law-order-svu/

TUESDAY's fast affiliate overnight prime-time ratings -and what they mean- have been posted on Analyst Marc Berman’s Media INsight's Blog

Nielsen Overnights (18-49)
'Voice' finale hits a six-week high note
NBC reality show averages a 4.3 in 18-49s, up 16 percent
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine - May 9, 2012

The season finale of NBC's hit singing show "The Voice" jumped to a six-week high and improved on the season-one ender on a night when Fox's "New Girl" finale also saw big gains.

"Voice" averaged a 4.3 adults 18-49 rating from 9 to 11 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, its best rating since March 25.

It was up 16 percent over last year's finale, which averaged a 3.7, though that came during the summer, when TV viewership is generally lower.

The finale also averaged 11.6 million total viewers last night.

"Voice" was strong, but it was not as strong as it had been earlier in the season, after airing its debut episode following the Super Bowl. Ratings for the show fell steadily since then, though Monday's penultimate episode was also up slightly over the week before.

Meanwhile, Fox's "Girl," which also suffered a steep midseason ratings decline, perked up to its best rating in weeks for last night's finale.

The show averaged a 2.8 at 9 p.m., up 27 percent over a 2.2 last week.

Several other shows saw week-to-week gains, too, including ABC's "Last Man Standing" (up 13 percent to a 1.7) and "Cougar Town" (up 15 percent to a 1.5). And the finale of CBS's new 10 p.m. drama "Unforgettable," which is fighting for a second season, surged 11 percent to a 2.0.

The strong competition from "Voice" and "Unforgettable" may have hurt ABC's "Private Practice," which had been gaining in its new 10 p.m. timeslot the past two weeks. The veteran drama slid to a series-low 1.5 last night.

Buoyed by "Voice," NBC was first for the night among 18-49s with a 3.3 average overnight rating and a 9 share. CBS was second at 2.7/7, Fox third at 2.4/7, ABC fourth at 1.8/5, Univision fifth at 1.4/4 and CW and Telemundo tied for sixth at 0.4/1.

As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback, which includes shows replayed before 3 a.m. the night before. Seven-day DVR data won't be available for several weeks. Forty-four percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.

CBS started the night in the lead with a 3.0 at 8 p.m. for "NCIS," followed by Fox with a 2.6 for "Glee." ABC was third with a 1.6 for "Last Man Standing" (1.7) and "Cougar Town" (1.5). Univision and NBC tied for fourth at 1.3, Univision for "Una Familia con Suerte" and NBC for "Fashion Star," the CW was sixth with a 0.6 for "90210" and Telemundo was seventh with a 0.5 for "Una Maid en Manhattan."

NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 4.1 for "Voice," while CBS slid to second with a 3.0 for "NCIS: Los Angeles." ABC was third with a 2.3 for "Dancing with the Stars Results," Fox fourth with a 2.2 for "Girl" (2.8) and a repeat episode (1.6), Univision fifth with a 1.4 for "Abismo de Pasion," Telemundo sixth with a 0.4 for "Corazon Valiente" and CW seventh with a 0.3 for "The L.A. Complex."

At 10 p.m. NBC led again with a 4.5 for more "Voice," with CBS second with a 2.0 for "Unforgettable." ABC and Univision tied for third at 1.5, ABC for "Practice" and Univision for "La Que No Podia Amar," and Telemundo was fifth with a 0.3 for "Relaciones Peligrosas."

Among households, CBS was first for the night with a 9.2 average overnight rating and a 15 share. ABC was second at 5.6/9, NBC third at 5.5/9, Fox fourth at 3.4/5, Univision fifth at 1.9/3, and CW and Telemundo tied for sixth at 0.7/1.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...-high-note.asp

There's some good TV on tonight.

Not sure if I should catch the season finale of CSI or another episode of SVU, live that is.

Decisions, decisions

Wonder what the dvr+7 #s are compared to last year.

Good news!! Thanks!

TV Notes
Kevin Smith's 'Comic Book Men,' 'Talking Dead' Renewed by AMC
By Tim Kenneally, TheWrap.com - May 9, 2012

Kevin Smith's reality series "Comic Book Men" and the "Walking Dead" after-show "Talking Dead" have been renewed by AMC, the network said Wednesday. Both series will go into their second seasons with the renewals and will air 16-episode seasons.

"Pinch my fat ass, 'cause I must be dreaming!" Smith said of the renewal. "A thousand thank you's wouldn't cover the gratitude I'm feeling right now. And as you might imagine, everyone at SModcast Pictures is in love with everyone at AMC today!"

"Comic Book Men" follows the fanboy exploits that occur at Smith's New Jersey comic-book shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. The series is executive-produced by Smith, Charlie Corwin's Original Media and Elyse Seiden.

"Talking Dead," meanwhile, follows AMC's zombie hit "The Walking Dead" for a robust discussion of the series hosted by Nerdist and G4's Chris Hardwick.

Talking Dead' has been an amazing experience and I cannot pile enough hugs and thanks onto AMC for renewing it," Hardwick enthused. "I CAN'T WAIT for Season 3 of 'Walking Dead,' so that we can finally talk about Rick meeting [spoiler] and [spoiler]-ing him with a heavy-duty [spoiler] at the [spoiler]. And let's not forget all the rest of the [spoiler]s getting in on the action! [EXPLETIVE] me! It's going to be great..."

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/article/ke...ewed-amc-39146

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TV Notes
A&E Orders 'Southie Rules' Reality Series
By Kimberly Potts, TheWrap.com - May 9, 2012

The network behind "Storage Wars" is bringing another reality show battle to its airwaves, as A&E has ordered "Southie Rules," about members of a South Boston family who stubbornly eschew the Starbucks and sushi restaurants that continue to pop up in their gentrified neighborhood.

"Southie Rules," which will begin production immediately, will revolve around a South Boston family in which multiple generations live in one three-story house. The 3.3-square-mile South Boston neighborhood has been portrayed in movies like "Gone Baby Gone," "Mystic River" and "What Doesn't Kill You" and is the hometown of celebs like Mark and Donnie Wahlberg.

Mom Camille and dad Walter are divorced, but they still live together (and sleep in the same bed) on the top floor of the triple-decker house. Walter is still in love with Camille, but she continues to date other men.

The couple's son Matty lives on the middle floor with Jen, the mother of his nine-month-old child, and drama sparks from the ongoing question of whether or not they'll get married.

Camille and Walter's oldest daughter, Leah, lives with her husband and two-year-old child on the house's ground floor.

"Despite their family differences, they rally together for their daily turf war against the yuppies that are overrunning their territory," a network release describes. "These 'Southies' will stop at nothing to protect their way of life from the occupation, that is, if they don't kill each other first."

"Southie Rules" is produced by Powderhouse Productions and Magilla Entertainment for A&E. Executive producers for Powderhouse Productions are Seanbaker Carter, Joel Olicker and Tug Yourgrau. Executive producers for Magilla Entertainment are Brian Flanagan, Matt Ostrom and Laura Palumbo Johnson. David McKillop, Elaine Frontain Bryant, Drew Tappon and Fred Grinstein serve as executive producers for A&E.

Meanwhile, TLC is producing another South Boston-set reality series -- "Southie Pride" -- that's produced by 495 Productions, the company behind "Jersey Shore."

http://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-pos...y-series-39116

TV Notes
Fox Picks Up Mob Doc Drama, Mindy Kaling, Ben Fox' & Goodwin Games' Comedies
By Nellie Andreeva, Deadline.com - May 9, 2012

Fox just kicked off its new series pickup action with three single-camera comedy orders to the Mindy Kaling project, Ben Fox is My Manny (form. Ned Fox Is My Manny) and The Goodwin Games.

The Mindy Kaling single-camera comedy was created by and staring The Office standout as a Young Bridget-Jones type doctor trying to navigate both her personal and professional lives. Serving as an executive producer on the pilot alongside Kaling was her Office co-star BJ Novak. The pickup continues Universal TV's presence on Fox the studio also produces the network's departing drama House. However, House was sold by Universal before its merger with NBC, so this marks the first series order for the recently-revamped Universal TV at Fox or any non-NBC network.

Dana Fox's Ben Fox Is My Manny, which reverted to its original title, hails from 20th TV and Chernin Entertainment. The pilot, directed by Jake Kasdan, centers on a free spirited guy (Nat Faxon) who, under the guise of being his niece's nanny, moves in with his type A, tightly wound sister (Dakota Johnson) and in the process will help her re-enter the world.

The Goodwin Games, from How I Met Your Mothers Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Chris Harris, is also from 20th TV. It is high-concept family comedy about a father who leaves his fortune to his 3 children only if they agree to his terms. Becki Newton, Scott Foley, Felisha Terrell and Jake Lacey star.

UPDATE 5:15 PM: Fox started its new drama series pickups with the Josh Berman/Robert Wright drama starring Jordana Spiro as a young female thoracic surgeon with Bridgeport roots who juggles two worlds as she juggles her career and her lifelong debt to the South Chicago mob. Still waiting to get the confirmation on the Kevin Williamson powerhouse drama pilot.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/fox-...nny-to-series/

Business Notes
A&E Television Networks Exec Calls Out Turner, Discovery in Upfront Speech
By Marisa Guthrie, The Hollywood Reporter - May 9, 2012

Abbe Raven, president and CEO of A+E Television Networks, lobbed multiple pointed jabs at the ad-supported cable competition in her remarks during the company's upfront presentation Wednesday evening in New York.

Noting that AETN's core channels -- which include A&E, History and Lifetime -- are 100 percent original programming in primetime, Raven said: We are not following the Big Bang strategy where 75 percent of the schedule is off-broadcast programming.

It was a zinger aimed squarely at Turner, where the CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory airs on TBS -- at a cost to Turner of $1.5 million an episode. Of course, multiple cable networks rely on off-network shows to fill their primetime schedule. USA airs reruns of broadcast procedurals Law & Order: SVU and NCIS. Oxygen paid $500,000 an episode for reruns of Fox's Glee. FX has CBS comedies How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men.

We have 19 of the top 50 shows in cable, said Raven. That's 40 percent of the top shows. Each of our networks has their own unique voice that viewers have come to watch and follow on multiple platforms. There is a History voice, a Lifetime voice and an A&E voice. We have three of the most powerful brands on the media landscape that speak to men, women and adults.

But competing unscripted-based networks including TLC and TruTV were on the receiving end of the sharpest criticism. Noting the derivative nature of the reality milieu that has spawned multiple copycats of History's Pawn Stars and A&E's Storage Wars, Raven asserted that AETN creates genres instead of following them.

Our integrity and respect for the creative community does not allow us to even think of copying other networks' shows, she said. We have too much reverence for our brands to become a clone of other networks. We do not want the 25th generation of the pawn and storage shows like TLC, Tru or Discovery. We want to stick to what we do best: creating the original.

A&E and History are top 10 cable networks, and the network group is coming off its most-watched year ever in 2011. Pawn Stars is History's top-rated show averaging 5.7 million viewers this season, and Storage Wars is A&E's most-watched unscripted series with 4.6 million viewers an episode. Both series have spawned spinoffs on their respective networks.

Nancy Dubuc, who heads up both History and Lifetime, is broadening History to include scripted programming with the Memorial Day premiere of the Kevin Costner Western The Hatfields & McCoys. Meanwhile, Lifetime continues to adhere to a three-pronged programming strategy of original scripted series, made-for-TV movies and unscripted. With Dance Moms, the network now has its first bona fide unscripted hit since Project Runway came to Lifetime from Bravo.

Separately, A&E announced Wednesday that is has picked up the South Boston-set Southie Rules from Powderhouse Productions and Magilla Entertainment. Production on the reality series is set to start immediately.

The working-class Boston enclave is about to get a bit crowded. Earlier this year, TLC announced that it has picked up Southie Pride, which follows a group of South Boston women. The unscripted series is from Jersey Shore executive producer SallyAnn Salsano.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...-turner-322591

TV Notes
Cat Cora, Curtis Stone and ambitious contenders go ‘Around the World in 80 Plates’
By Amanda P. Sidman, New York Daily News - May 9, 2012

Twelve chefs. Ten countries. Forty days.

Foodies, get ready for takeoff!

Celebrity chefs Cat Cora and Curtis Stone are about to take you “Around the World in 80 Plates” (Bravo, 10 p.m.)

That’s the name of their new Bravo cooking competition launching Wednesday night, which seems like a cross between ‘Survivor’ and ‘The Amazing Race.’

“We hit the ground running and just didn’t stop,” Curtis said at the series premiere party Monday at The Kitchen NYC. “This isn’t your average cooking show, which Cat and I have both done. We weren’t in a studio. We were out in these cities, approaching the cultures head-on through food.”

The competition kicks off in London and stops in Argentina, China, England, France, Thailand and the U.S. It kicks off Wednesday in London.

Each episode is divided into two parts, beginning with “The Course,” in which chefs race around each city to complete tasks. The winning team will earn an “Exceptional Ingredient” to help for the main challenge.

That event is “The Takeover,” in which each team will run a full-service restaurant for an evening, focusing on the local cuisine of the city they’re visiting. The losing team will vote off one member.

“We were asking a lot of them, but it’s remarkable how well they all handled it,” says “Iron Chef” star Cora. “It was really an honor for us as hosts to see these chefs grow over the time we were filming.”

The contestants include Steve “Nookie” Postal, the chef at Fenway Park; Liz Garrett, the chef de cuisine at Hotel Wilshire in Los Angeles; and Chaz Brown, executive chef of Fatty Crab in New York City.

Renowned food industry folks like Wolfgang Puck, José Andrés, Narda Lepes and Alvin Leung will serve as Food Ambassadors each week, giving the competing chefs an insight into the local food culture at each destination. Nigella Lawson, the British food writer, will be the Ambassador for the opening episode, when the contestants take over a gastropub.

Not surprisingly, filming proved to be an exhausting but rewarding task for the two hosts.

“It’s not easy being a woman on these things,” laughed Cora, who at barely 5 feet needed to wear high heels during filming to stand next to Curtis, of “Top Chef Masters” fame.

“Between the makeup, the wardrobe and keeping up with the varying climates and cultures, there was always a lot going on. But it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said.

Although both have other commitments — Cat is a mom of four with partner Jennifer Cora, and Curtis just welcomed his first son, Hudson, with girlfriend/actress Lindsay Price — they both say they’ll be ready for Season 2 if it happens.

“My bags are packed,” laughed Curtis. “Just let me know when we’re leaving.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.1074660

TV Notes
Kevin Williamson's serial killer thriller gets Fox series order
By James Hibberd, EW.com's 'Inside TV' Blog - May 9, 2012

Vampire Diaries writer-producer Kevin Williamson's dark Fox drama is a Go for next season.

The serial killer thriller once titled Mastermind; now titled The Following has two very strong male lead actors on board with Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy.

The show is described as an edge-of-your-seat thriller about the complex relationship between a diabolical serial killer (Purefoy) and the damaged FBI agent (Bacon) who took him down. After the killer escaped, the agent is reactivated and discovers that he is no longer just hunting one man, but a massive cult of serial killers created and manipulated during his time in prison. Fox has picked up 15 episodes of the show.

Natalie Zea and Maggie Grace also co-star in the project, which could end up vying with NBC's serial killer series Hannibal for viewer attention at some point.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/05/09/kevin-williamson-fox/

Wow, that's a lot of highfalutin talk for a bunch of reality shows.

TV Notes
PBS' POV and Independent Lens Move to Mondays
By Alison Willmore, IndieWire.com - May 9, 2012

Long-running PBS documentary series Independent Lens and POV are moving to Monday nights at 10pm, the network announced today, a timeslot that will start October 29 with the fall return of Independent Lens.

It's a welcome announcement for the nonfiction film community as well as their fans -- Independent Lens suffered a major ratings plunge when it was moved from Tuesdays to Thursdays this season, a night that wasn't just more competitive, it was also one traditionally left for local programming, resulting in many stations either pushing the series out of prime time or to another evening entirely.

This shift to Monday nights follows some significant outcry from the documentary community -- Chicago's Kartemquin Films led the charge with a petition that was signed by everyone from Alex Gibney to Wendy Levy, and a Twitter campaign brought more attention to the issue, prompting PBS to announce they were reconsidering the move.

Monday nights should provide a more stable home for these series, according to John Wilson, PBS' senior VP and chief TV programming executive, "We wanted to have a place where we could have consistent placement in the schedule and hit as good a lead-in as possible that we could offer. Monday nights at 10pm seem to fill the bill. it's proven to be a popular night on PBS's schedule specifically. It's generally one of the highest HUT [households using television] levels of the week, for all of television. And we've got a consistent opportunity there at 10 o'clock."

As to whether the programs would face the same problems of inconsistent scheduling as they're struggling with own, Wilson said, "That's work we're going to turn our attention to now, but the fact of the matter is Monday nights are a night in the schedule where we've enjoyed very strong carriage with nationally scheduled programs in the past. So we feel like we're starting in a stronger place with regard to that."

Monday will move the doc series away from their old Tuesday night lead-in, the popular "Frontline," and place it after a new series called "Market Warriors," a companion to "Antiques Roadshow." The programs have less in common with the films shown on Independent Lens and POV, but Wilson notes "Antiques Roadshow" "has been a very popular series on our schedule for some time and has attracted a broad and diverse audience -- fingers crosses, 'Market Warriors' will too. The hope is that 'Antiques Roadshow' and 'Market Warriors' will provide a very strong first two hours of prime time and hand that audience off to independent film at 10 o'clock."

When the petition and Twitter campaign began, said Wilson, "We were at work as a group -- PBS, Independent Lens and POV -- on plans for what a new schedule might look like, what things could we do."

For him, the efforts "just underscored the passion and dedication of the independent film community -- how much they care, how much they're paying attention, how important this is to them."

Cynthia López, POV's executive VP and co-executive producer, agreed on PBS's importance as a platform for film. "We believe that independent filmmakers see PBS as the place to distribute their films, particularly when they have mission-driven programming that they want to garner specific broad audiences for. Last year alone, PBS distributed over 120 independent productions."

She says that good things have come out of the problems that have accompanied this year's scheduling issues. "We've used this as an opportunity to figure out how best to work together moving forward, so that has been very positive."

In addition to the Monday night broadcasts, PBS is planning a multiplatform film festival for mid-2013, which would showcase programming from both Independent Lens and POV.

"We're going to work together to create a really high-impact line-up of films that we can place in the schedule," said Wilson, "and once the audience is there to create opportunities for local stations to connect their community to this national effort and provide lots of opportunities to drive viewers to and from new media components."

Check out the full press release from PBS [CLICK LINK BELOW]

http://www.indiewire.com/article/tel...unce-new-night

TV Notes
Fox's Touch' Renewed For Second Season
By Nellie Andreeva, Deadline.com - May 9, 2012

Amidst its slew of new series pickups, I've learned that Fox also has renewed midseason drama Touch for a second season. The news comes on the heels of a ratings rebound for Tim Kring's series starring Kiefer Sutherland following a post-premiere slide. 20th TV and Chernin Entertainment are producing.

The jury is still out on fellow freshman drama series The Finder, which had shown some signs of life on Friday, but its chances don't look good. Alcatraz is out of the picture, especially after Fox renewed J.J. Abrams' other bubble drama series, Fringe.

It has been a great afternoon for Chernin Entertainment, whose Fox comedy pilot Ben & Kate (formerly Ben Fox Is My Manny) received a series pickup an hour and a half ago.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/foxs...second-season/

Business Notes
News Corp. reports 47% jump in third-quarter earnings
By Dawn E. Chmielewski, Los Angeles Times' 'Company Town' Blog - May 9, 2012

News Corp. reported a 47% jump in net income in its third quarter, buoyed by strong performances from its cable and film groups.

The media conglomerate reported net income of $937 million for the quarter ended March 31, compared with $639 million from the same time a year ago. Revenue increased to $8.4 billion, up 2% from a year earlier.

Once again, News Corporation showed strong operational momentum in the quarter, driven by significant growth at our Cable Network Programming and Filmed Entertainment segments," Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch said in a statement.

The company's cable networks reported operating income of $846 million, a 15% gain over the prior year -- thanks to double-digit growth at Regional Sports Networks, FX Network and Fox News.

The film studio showed an operating income of $272 million, an improvement of nearly 10% from the same period a year ago. Movie results reflected strong box office and home entertainment performances of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" and "The Descendants."

However, the British phone hacking scandal continues to drag on the company's earnings. News Corp. took a charge of $63 million in costs related to the ongoing investigation of conduct at the now-shuttered News of the World tabloid.

News Corp. has been buffeted by the continuing fall-out from the British phone hacking scandal, which erupted last summer when it was revealed that a detective working for one of News Corp.'s tabloids had hacked into voice mail messages left for a missing schoolgirl who was later found dead.

Earlier this month, a committee of British lawmakers issued a blistering report finding that Murdoch had "exhibited willful blindness" toward the illegal phone hacking at the now-shuttered News of the World and is "not a fit person" to lead a major international company such as News Corp.

News Corp.'s board subsequently issued a unanimous statement affirming the directors' confidence in Murdoch and his ability to run the company he built from a single newspaper in Adelade, Australia.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz, News Corp.'s second largest shareholder, also voiced his continued backing of Murdoch in an interview with the Guardian, but expressed concern that the situation is damaging the reputation of the company beyond its British newspapers.

"I really hope that this is behind us because really it is not helping the name of the company," he told the Guardian. "We hope that this page is folded and put behind us because really it is not something to be proud of."

Murdoch's youngest son, James Murdoch, resigned as chairman of satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting in April, ahead of what was expected to be a critical report from the parliamentary committee on his handling of the ethics scandal.

Media regulators in Britain are evaluating whether BSkyB is a "fit and proper" holder of a broadcast license, because of News Corp.'s nearly 40% stake. Some politicians have used the Culture, Media and Sport committee's critical report to call for swift action -- a call the regulators have resisted.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...-earnings.html

Technology Notes
TV stations explore broadcasting to phone, tablets
By Roger Yu, USA Today - May 9, 2012

Local TV station owners increasingly are working with technology start-ups that want to broadcast their shows to tablets and smartphones.

New ventures Syncbak, Dyle, Mobile500 and Aereo are among those aiming their mobile digital TV technology at consumers who want to eliminate or reduce the cost of their cable or satellite subscriptions.

"It's watching TV in your car or on the train," says Colleen Brown, CEO of TV station owner Fisher Communications. "There will be a time when consumers don't care how they get TV."

Syncbak, a Marion, Iowa-based company, has partnered with 60 stations nationwide to pilot its technology that streams via a free app to iPhone, iPad and Android devices. "The only thing missing after Netflix and Hulu was live broadcast TV," Syncbak CEO Jack Perry says.

Dyle, a joint venture of 12 TV station owners, plans to launch a service later this year that will broadcast local TV content over the air for free. Gannett, parent of USA TODAY, is a partner in the venture. Dyle's service for tablets will be available to iPad and Android users willing to pay for a small antenna that connects to the tablet. The broadcast service will be available on cellphones only to the customers of wireless carrier MetroPCS who own a Samsung 4G phone. Salil Dalvi, co-general manager of the Dyle venture and senior vice president of NBC Universal Digital Distribution, says Dyle may become a subscription service in the future.

Mobile500 Alliance, a joint venture of 50 TV station companies, plans to release an antenna and an iOS app (MyDTV) in the summer that will allow iPhone and iPad users to receive local TV station broadcast signals. At launch, it'll have about 40 stations nationwide that will broadcast through the MyDTV app, says Brown, who also chairs the alliance. Content will be free, but the antenna will cost $50 to $100, she says.

While broadcast TV content is free for users, copyright issues linger. Several broadcasters have sued Aereo, a start-up backed by IAC/Interactive Corp., citing copyright infringement related to its trial subscription service in the New York area.

Aereo runs "a remote antenna farm" that receives local station broadcast and leases each antenna about the size of a dime to subscribers for $12 a month. Aereo customers can access it by going to Aereo.com on their iPhone or iPad to access the TV content.

Chet Kanojia, Aereo's CEO, denies copyright violation and says he simply leases antennas.

But other companies that have sought to deliver TV via Internet Filmon, Ivi.tv, iCravetv have been blocked by lawsuits from content owners, says Dennis Wharton, executive vice president of communications for the National Association of Broadcasters.

The lack of program options remains an issue. Only a small number of stations nationwide have signed on, meaning many consumers, particularly in small to midsize markets, will not be able to view network stations. Dalvi says the channel lineup will grow. Dyle has signed 91 stations in 35 markets.

Future adoption also depends on viewing quality and consumers' willingness to watch TV on smaller screens, says Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics. "There might be a market for tablets, but people don't want to pay for it," he says.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/product...ups/54862394/1

Oh this stinks . I liked Alcatraz.

Me too. And I can't stand Touch

TV Sports/Critic's Notes
Should the NFL Be Under Further Review?
By Eric Gould, TVWorthWatching.com - May 8, 2012

You could say football is a sport built on violence. But the recent suicide of 20-year NFL veteran Junior Seau brings up even more disturbing questions about the brutal nature America's favorite sport.

Seau was found dead last week at his California home, killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The death was ruled a suicide. Seau was believed to have been suffering from depression, a condition some believe resulted from the multiple concussions he received as a pro player.

There are a number of ex-players suffering from debilitating neuro-muscular diseases and chronic depression, and there is some research pointing to multiple head traumas as the cause. A definitive link has yet to be proven. Whether Seau's condition was the result of repeated concussions may never be known.

Seau's death comes on the heels of the shocking New Orleans Saints "bounty scandal" that exposed the ugly underside of NFL culture, and gives us yet one more reason to look at the top-grossing sports entertainment business that, in many ways, rules network television.

Last December, The Wall Street Journal called the NFL "The League That Runs TV." The NFL had just inked multiple extension deals with Fox, CBS and NBC that will pay the league $27.9 billion dollars over the next nine years. That's billion, with a B, just for broadcasting rights.

That's an awful lot of advertisers and investors lining up to pay a lot of money, simply because a lot of people are watching. But at what price? Should the NFL and the viewing public accept these sorts of injuries and tragedies as a regular cost of doing business?

As disturbing as the fates of ex-players who suffer from a host of serious medical conditions - conditions that many attribute to concussions and other game-related injuries - was the troubling news that broke at the end of last season that the New Orleans Saints had established a cash pool in 2009 that rewarded players for targeting opposing players with the intent to injure them or hit them so hard they couldn't finish the game.

And wouldn't you know, in 2009 the Saints went on to win the Super Bowl, a game that is usually television's top-rated show of the year.

It was an ugly story. Quarterbacks, including now-retired quarterback Brett Favre, were prime targets. Favre memorably received numerous hits during the 2009 NFC Championship Game. The photos of the bruises on Farve's ankle and thigh - the result of his injuries from that game against the Saints - were sickening.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has rightly come down hard on the Saints organization. Four players were suspended last week for their leadership roles in the pay-for-injury program. Head Coach Sean Payton had already been suspended from the team for an unprecedented full year, and former assistant defensive coach Gregg Williams, who organized the scheme, was suspended indefinitely from the league.

Hopefully, it will turn out to be life-time ban. Williams should never see a field on Sunday afternoon again, except from the stands.

Football isn't a game for sissies. It never was - and shouldn't be. By nature it's organized mayhem with guys hitting each other as hard as they can. But it's also a thinker's game, a strategic match-up between 22 men all going at max speed.

No matter how you feel about the physicality of football, the league has to establish a credible level of sportsmanship - if not for themselves, then for the kids. Young fans ought to believe they're watching the smartest, the strongest and the fastest - not the biggest thugs and cheaters.

In the wake of the bounty scandal, the NFL and television network executives ought to be very concerned with the legitimacy of the game. Fans need to know that what they're seeing is the fairest competition possible. Otherwise, it's just hit squads running amok. Not sports.

It's not inconceivable that football, without cleaning house, could at the least go the way of hockey - a sport that celebrates sucker-punches and bare-fisted knuckle matches. At worst, it can follow pro wrestling - an oiled-up, beefcake soap opera. I doubt people will be lining up to pay $27.9 billion for either.

Considering the the bounty scandal and now the Seau news, it might be advisable for Goodell and the league to start looking at the game differently. Maybe football doesn't need to be monetized to the max. Maybe securing the most expensive air-time, selling the most merchandise and delivering the most bone-jarring, fan-pleasing hits shouldn't be top priorities.

Perhaps they should reign in the coaches and players, change the public culture and figure out a way to ratchet down the brute ferocity. Why not focus on preserving the amazing athleticism that makes the game shine as it does? And while they're at it, perhaps they should focus on protecting players a little more, to make sure they have a life worth living after they leave the game.

http://www.tvworthwatching.com/BlogP...px?postId=1864