Leaving Las Vegas

NBC's Las Vegas is returning for season 5, but without James Caan who's leaving, and Nikki Cox, who was let go because of budget cuts.

Congratulations, Jennifer!

Congratulations to Jennifer Hudson for her win for Best Supporting Actress in the movie Dreamgirls from everyone here at The T Dog Media Blog. Thanks for making Chicago and the South Side proud! Keep up the great work!

Jennifer Hudson's acting coach

Jennifer Hudson of course, did a lot of things here in Chicago before she hit it big in Hollywood. But what a lot of people do not know that she got her acting start at ETA Creative Arts in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side, coached by a person I got to know while I was taking writing classes there.... (and he is still inspiring young actors today!)

Link: WFLD-TV report from Mark Saxenmeyer

Link: WMAQ-TV report from Art Norman

Univision smacked with $24 million fine

It's not nice to fool with mother nature.. or the FCC - even in Spanish. As a condition of a sale of the company to private investors, Spanish-language Univision is expected to pay a record $24 million dollar fine to the FCC for educational children's shows violations - including passing off an adult telenovela (Complices al Rescate or "Friends to the Rescue") as children's programming.

It's a pothole on a road that's been smooth for the Spanish-language broadcaster this season. The network has outperformed new entities The CW and MyNetworkTV in adults 18-49 and has occasionally beaten one of the big four networks in the demo in head-to-head competition.

It's official: Grey's Anatomy has jumped the shark

After the stunt in which Grey apparently drowned while rescuing people from a ferry boat accident, she "survived" on Thursday Night's episode.

Wow! It's a miracle! It's amazing!

It's a bunch of crock. Thursday's episode was about as predictable as Mayor Daley winning next Tuesday's election. We all knew they weren't going to kill off the lead character of a TV show. They could have come up with something better than this.

And further conformation of this shark jump comes from the guys who invented the phrase. Jon Hein and the boys at Jump The Shark report that the Death stunt got the most votes on the Grey's Anatomy page, "jumping" over the "Never Jumped" category, which now is in second place.

Add to that off-screen controversies involving Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey, and volia! You have the next Designing Women or Laverne & Shirley, two shows notorious for off-screen battles (and as a result, the quality of the programs suffered on-screen.)

And TV critics like Diane Werts of Newsday are getting fed up as well.

But what's that you say? Thursday's episode posted the highest ratings for any scripted show this season. So? People aren't necessarily flocking over to Entertainment Tonight to check out Jann Carl's hot body (ha, ha) these days, are they? (It has something to do with one person named Anna and another named Britney.)

It's like that TV commercial for McDonald's, where people do stupid stuff because they didn't eat that new honey mustard wrap. It seems the Grey's Anatomy writing staff missed snack time.

So start writing the obituaries for Grey's people. It's all downhill from here. It's only a matter of time before the Cook County Board takes over the writing staff, and the show will slide even further. Or has that happened already? I hear that next week's episode of Grey's Anatomy is written by Todd Stroger.

T Dog Media Blog Think Tank: Could XM and Sirius merge mean more consolidation?

On Monday, the nation’s two satellite radio providers announced a merger. XM and its only other competitor, Sirius, will get together in a deal that will mean that will be only one satellite radio provider.

XM was founded in 1988 as American Mobile Satellite Corp. and incorporated in 1992. Sirius was founded in 1990 as CD Radio. Both companies beat out others to get the two satellite licenses the FCC made available in 1997.

When both services launched early this decade, listeners paid money for access to commercial-free music, sports, news, and exclusive talk. Then they started shelling out more money for premium talent, giving them exclusive channels. The companies paid oodles to Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg to create exclusive content; while the companies continued to lose money and subscriber growth has stalled. Both services have yet to show a profit – in fact, their losses have only accelerated.

And now, the companies want to merge – but instead of seeing themselves as competition – they see the bigger picture –the larger scope of all music competition: terrestrial (traditional) radio, iPods, MP3 players, Internet radio, CDs, and music you can listen to through your cell phone.

But is this a good idea? While some consumers believe they might wind up being the biggest losers (especially if prices go up), could there be a possibility that all of broadcasting might lose?

A few months ago, the FCC outright rejected the possibility of any merger between the two satellite radio companies. On Monday, FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin stated that the merger faces a “high hurdle” if it ever was going to go through. The merger also faces scrutiny and approval from other various governmental agencies. Not only that, the merger would also have to face approval from Canada’s CRTC (the country’s version of the FCC) since XM and Sirius also operate in Canada (though the companies are structured differently.)

But let’s visualize for a minute if the merger went through and it creates a satellite radio monopoly. Terrestrial radio companies, like Clear Channel will argue that they want to buy more stations. Since the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which allowed media companies to buy more stations, Clear Channel has merged with several radio companies, creating the nation’s largest radio chain, with more than a 1,000 stations, with the company owning as many as eight stations in a single market.

Then television station owners might seek to have the ownership caps thrown out. They might argue, “If the satellite companies can merge, why can’t we own more stations?” And so on, and so on. Then those companies would like to se the cross-ownership rules end, meaning companies can own a newspaper, radio station and TV station in the same market. The current law prohibits such a combo, unless grandfathered in. And so on. And so on.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this is the National Association of Broadcasters’ position on the XM-Sirius marriage. The powerful lobby group has been against satellite radio from day one, because they feared that that the new technology would erode radios’ audience share. In a press release, they pointed out that the service would be a monopoly and is a reward for making Howard Stern its poster child. The NAB believes that terrestrial radio and satellite radio should be on the same playing field.

So since when the NAB care so much about satellite radio customers? They don’t. All they care about is basically, if they are free to merge, why can’t any of the companies we represent? Since the 1996 act, we have seen decreases in local programming on television and radio, the creation of mega-companies such as Clear Channel and Sinclair, where the bottom line has become more prevalent, and elimination of jobs.

And what about mentioning Howard Stern as the poster child of satellite radio? Please. We’ve seen a rise in tasteless programming on broadcast television, not to mention on radio, even without Stern. We’ve seen news departments eliminated, more tabloid-like newscasts (where a story on Britney’s head shaved is just as important as a county budget battle), more and more commercials, and the proliferation of garbage talk-radio shows, where attacking someone – especially on race and gender - is the norm. The general public sought and found alternatives – causing an erosion of television ratings and radio shares – some of the industry’s own making. And the NAB wants those FCC rules on station ownership to be either loosened more or thrown out altogether. Never mind it was loosing these rules in the first that made the programming less diverse and blander.

In an era where aspiring artists and indie bands are putting their material on YouTube and MySpace, the NAB still thinks the artist community owes them something. One would think it would be a matter of time before these idiots go after them as well. The NAB could care less about the consumer or the local communities. More mergers for media companies = the more profits for them.

The NAB has a lot of nerve saying that the satellite industry is asking for a government bailout when they themselves are looking for one. What a bunch of hypocrites.

So where do we stand on all this? It’s best to say that this is going to be a long, tedious process. The opportunists are already out there pouncing. It’s up to XM and Sirius to prove that this can work. So go for it. Satellite radio is an emerging technology, and should not be held to the same standards as terrestrial radio. After all, a combined XM-Sirius is still better than the slop terrestrial radio continues to serve us every day.

NBC Tower top site for "Crosswords"

The NBC Tower (home to WMAQ-TV here in Chicago) appears to be a leading candidate to land the production facilities for the new game show from Merv Griffin and syndicator Program Partners, Let's Play Crosswords, which made a deal on Tuesday with five NBC O&O's, including WMAQ here. Robert Feder in today's Sun-Times has a little more on the deal, including a possible early-afternoon time slot for the show in Chicago, which could air at 1p.m.

Currently, Jerry Springer's talk show tapes at NBC Tower as well as Judge Mathis, and is the home of Steve Wilkos' new talk show, which will debut this fall. Other syndicated programs that were taped there included former daytime talker Jenny Jones, and a late-night comedy sketch show, Kwik Witz.

The last game show taped in Chicago was one for the Illinois Lottery, which ran on local TV from 1989 to 2000.

CBS, YouTube fail to come to agreement

Another setback for YouTube: CBS and Google-owned YouTube have failed to come to an agreement over an extension of an existing deal that would allow clips of the company's shows to be streamed on the popular video-sharing site.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the disagreement was over how long the deal would be.

This comes as big media companies are increasingly becoming antsy about unauthorized clips appearing on the site. The companies want YouTube to develop software to keep pirated clips off the site, which they have yet to do, which is one of the reasons why Viacom walked out on negotiations with Google and asked them to pull all of its clips off YouTube.

The latest on the case of Mencia v. Rogan

This case has taken an odd turn: Remember the video that was posted on YouTube featuring Carlos Mencia being confronted by Joe Rogan and was taken down by Mencia because he claimed a copyright violation? According to Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star, it turned out that the clip was actually taken down by Viacom - Mencia is under contract to Viacom and appears on Mind of Mencia which airs on Viacom-owned Comedy Central. Viacom ordered YouTube to pull all of its clips two weeks ago. But the video is still available on Rogan's MySpace page (as well as this site.)

In a somewhat related note, Viacom made a deal with upstart clips site Joost, to provide clips of MTV Networks programming, and Paramount Pictures.

Meanwhile, Mencia is being vilified by his fellow comics and internet webheads for stealing other comics' material, and Rogan was dropped by his agent (who also represented Mencia ) and was barred from The Comedy Store, the venue where this incident took place.

Mencia appeared in a BudLight commercial (one of the few well-liked) that aired during the Super Bowl.

I don't know about you, but isn't this feud better (and funnier) than Rosie vs. The Donald?

Let's Play Crosswords

And that's what Program Partners, Merv Griffin, and the William Morris Agency will do this fall as five NBC O&O's have agreed to clear the new game show for next fall.

The stations are: WNBC-TV New York, KNBC-TV Los Angeles, WMAQ-TV Chicago, KNTV San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, and KXAS-TV Dallas.

NBC Universal will sell the barter time within the program. (That's the spots to sell to national advertisers.) No word on how many that will be, but it is expected to be a minute-and-a-half a day. The program is sold on a cash-barter basis. No word on what time periods the show will air.

The parties will also jointly develop a broadband offering for the station's websites.

Merv Griffin created many shows throughout his career including Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, two of the most successful game shows on the air. Griffin also created Dance Fever (The Dancing With the Stars of its day), Headline Chasers (a 1985 game show), and hosted his own long-running talk show.

There was a similar crosswords game show called Cross-Wits that aired in syndication during the 1986-87 season, ironically on those same NBC-owned stations in the top three markets (albeit after 1a.m.)

ABC in trouble?

While nobody would notice here in Chicago since everybody (except when American Idol is on) watches ABC 24/7, TV Week is reporting that ABC's ratings nationally have dropped from first to third in thirty-five days. The network is now tied with NBC in the money demo (adults 18-49).

While ABC's core shows are still strong (though Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty are starting to creatively spring some leaks - they are starting to Jet the Blue), ABC has struggled with new shows this season by canceling five of them, the most of any network.

(By the way, Jet the Blue means Jump the Shark... Just ask anyone who had to deal with JetBlue lately...)

It's official: XM and Sirius to merge

If this comes to pass, they'd better hope the Republicans are in control of Congress and the White House in 2008.

XM Press Release

There will be a joint conference call and press conference to announce the deal at 7:30 am (CT) Tuesday. You can listen to it on Sirius Channel 122 and XM Channel 200, and available on each satcaster's website.

He Gone! (and don't hit your butt out the door)

Another one of Mark Shapiro's prodigies goes bust: Michael Irvin is out as analyst on ESPN.

XM, Sirius to merge?

That's what this New York Post article says.

Old rivals square off again

Before there was Fox vs. CNN, there was Fox vs. Tribune - a rivalry on the same level with the Bears vs. Packers, with both entities owning television stations in the top three markets. (Bill O'Reilly is no fan of the Tribune Co., occasionally blasting the company's newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune - I wonder why he doesn't blast its rival, the Chicago Sun-Times. Hmmm....)

Anyway, the Tribune Co. has filed a lawsuit against News Corp. , owner of the Fox News Channel, telling them to stop using the name Red Eye as the title of its new late-night television show, because the Chicago Tribune claims copyright over the name because it uses it for its daily free paper distributed here in the Chicago area.

Marv Dyson's Legacy

Former WGCI mogul Marv Dyson was profiled by WBBM-Ch.2 on their newscast Saturday Night, detailing his 40-year career in the business - which included his start at WJPC-AM and moving on to WVON and later FM market leader WGCI. During his time at those stations, he helped groom personalities who later became urban radio's biggest stars -a list that includes Tom Joyner, Doug Banks, and Howard McGee. Dyson now is director of operations at WKKC-FM, Kennedy-King College's urban radio station on Chicago's South Side, where he's grooming radio's next generation of stars.

To read the article and to watch video of the report, click here.

Celebrity Comedian Smackdown

No punches were drawn (rats), but comedians Carlos Mencia (Mind of Mencia) and Joe Rogan (Fear Factor, The Man Show) square off at The Comedy Store in L.A. over Mencia stealing Rogan's jokes...





And Rogan's agent dumped him because of it... (not to mention he is now banned from The Comedy Store)

But wait... This gets better. Video of this event was posted on YouTube.....

Only to be taken down because Mencia claimed a copyright on the video....

On a video that clearly shows him stealing other people's material.

In other words, Mencia pulled a V of Doom.

L O mother f'n L. Can't wait to see how this one turns out....

Ouch!

Photo courtesy of WMVP

Chet gets cocked! Local sportscaster Chet Coppock was attacked outside the Allstate Arena Wednesday night after the DePaul-Marquette basketball game. An arrest has been made in the case.

NBC moves Jordan

She thinks can fly.... to another day and time. NBC is moving Crossing Jordan from Sundays to Wednesday where it will air at 8pm (CT). The late winter moves also affect the second airing of Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice. To see NBC's press release on the changes, click here.

Idiot fest 2007

Or, more likely put it, Donald Trump appearing on WWE Raw with the head of the WWE, the only other billionaire just as clueless as Bill Wirtz - especially after that stupid wrestling match he put on between "Donald Trump" and "Rosie O'Donnell" a few weeks ago, not to mention letting Kevin Federline -yes, that Kevin Federline - pin WWE champ John Cena. (I'm sure glad I bailed on the WWE years ago like I did on the Hawks - both are worthless pieces of shit, run by pieces of shit...)

And to the guy who wrote this review of Raw... I think it would be a good show too, if I only spent all my free time masturbating while looking at photos of Paris Hilton or Bea Arthur....

(To all you remaining WWE fans, I know the show didn't air yet, so don't click on the link if you haven't... Wait a minute. What the hell do I care if you do or not?)