Thursday, January 31, 2008
"Match Game" may return
It may happen. Hopefully, the revival is more in the spirit of the Gene Rayburn-hosted version, and not the awful Ross Shafer (1990) and Michael Berger (1998-99)-hosted versions of the series.
Time to get "Lost"
Anticipation is building as ABC begins a new, shortened season of Lost tonight on a new night and in a new time slot (8:00 CT), and with a 3.3 ratings in the money demo (adults 18-49) for a repeat of last night's season finale from May, expect a big number for the season premiere tonight.
Click here to read a conversation Chicago Tribune TV Critic Maureen Ryan had recently with the co-creator of Lost, Damon Lindelof. (Maybe The Simpsons writers should take Lindelof 's advice and scale back on the flashback stories.)
Click here to read a conversation Chicago Tribune TV Critic Maureen Ryan had recently with the co-creator of Lost, Damon Lindelof. (Maybe The Simpsons writers should take Lindelof 's advice and scale back on the flashback stories.)
Channel 5 to go all out on election night
NBC-owned WMAQ-TV plans to go all out on Super Tuesday primary night with comprehensive coverage on the station and on its' website.
The multi-platform plan go into action at 7 p.m. with coverage on WMAQ and real-time election updates on the station's website, NBC5.com., with election coverage streamed on the web and on the station's digital weather channel (WMAQ-DT 5.2.), which you can find on Comcast channel 194 and Wide Open West channel 130. The station's 10 p.m. newscast will also be streamed on NBC5.com.
The station (like others that night) will be out in the field, covering big races for the Cook County State's Attorney and various congressional races.
The multi-platform plan go into action at 7 p.m. with coverage on WMAQ and real-time election updates on the station's website, NBC5.com., with election coverage streamed on the web and on the station's digital weather channel (WMAQ-DT 5.2.), which you can find on Comcast channel 194 and Wide Open West channel 130. The station's 10 p.m. newscast will also be streamed on NBC5.com.
The station (like others that night) will be out in the field, covering big races for the Cook County State's Attorney and various congressional races.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
NATPE News
The latest from the convention:
WCIU picks up Judge Penny: Independent WCIU-TV in Chicago picks up its first-ever syndicated program from Program Partners by acquiring the company's new first-run courtroom strip Family Court with Judge Penny. The program has cleared 70 percent of the country, including Fox-owned stations in New York and Los Angeles. Additional clearances include CBS/CW stations in Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta (WUPA), Seattle (KSTW); and Norfolk (WGNT); WMYD-TV in Detroit; WRBU-TV in St. Louis; WDJT/WMLW in Milwaukee; and WIAT in Birmingham.
WGN renews Wilkos for second season: As expected, NBC Universal's The Steve Wilkos Show has been renewed for a second season in 85 percent of the country, with Tribune stations WGN-TV in Chicago, WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles on board, along with Fox's WFTC in Minneapolis and KUTP in Phoenix; plus Sinclair's WNUV-TV in Baltimore, WLFL-TV in Raleigh-Durham, WTTA in Tampa, and WTTE in Columbus, Ohio. WLVI-TV in Boston has also renewed the show.
Canada's Global gets Doctors: Global Television, Canada's "third network", has acquired the rigths to air The Doctors from CBS Paramount International Television. Global plans to slot the Dr. Phil spin-off in a daytime slot. The show is produced by Jay McGraw, who is Dr. Phil McGraw's son.
The Doctors premieres this fall in the U.S. in syndication, and is slotted at 5 p.m. locally over WCIU-TV. The Doctors is not related to the 1963-82 NBC daytime soap opera of the same name.
WCIU picks up Judge Penny: Independent WCIU-TV in Chicago picks up its first-ever syndicated program from Program Partners by acquiring the company's new first-run courtroom strip Family Court with Judge Penny. The program has cleared 70 percent of the country, including Fox-owned stations in New York and Los Angeles. Additional clearances include CBS/CW stations in Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta (WUPA), Seattle (KSTW); and Norfolk (WGNT); WMYD-TV in Detroit; WRBU-TV in St. Louis; WDJT/WMLW in Milwaukee; and WIAT in Birmingham.
WGN renews Wilkos for second season: As expected, NBC Universal's The Steve Wilkos Show has been renewed for a second season in 85 percent of the country, with Tribune stations WGN-TV in Chicago, WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles on board, along with Fox's WFTC in Minneapolis and KUTP in Phoenix; plus Sinclair's WNUV-TV in Baltimore, WLFL-TV in Raleigh-Durham, WTTA in Tampa, and WTTE in Columbus, Ohio. WLVI-TV in Boston has also renewed the show.
Canada's Global gets Doctors: Global Television, Canada's "third network", has acquired the rigths to air The Doctors from CBS Paramount International Television. Global plans to slot the Dr. Phil spin-off in a daytime slot. The show is produced by Jay McGraw, who is Dr. Phil McGraw's son.
The Doctors premieres this fall in the U.S. in syndication, and is slotted at 5 p.m. locally over WCIU-TV. The Doctors is not related to the 1963-82 NBC daytime soap opera of the same name.
"Montel" over and out
As expected, CBS Television Distribution has officially canceled the long-running The Montel Williams Show after a seventeen-season run.
Montel Williams' talk show was dropped by Fox-owned stations in the top three markets (including KCOP-TV in Los Angeles and WPWR-TV in Chicago.)
In fact, KCOP was one of the founding stations of Montel Williams when Viacom and then owner of KCOP (Chris-Craft Television) rolled the program out in select test markets in 1991. The program nationally launched in syndication in 1992, with WPWR picking up the series (WPWR dropped Montel in 1997, but it would later return to the station in 2006, where it now airs at 3 p.m.)
CBS is offering best-of editions of Montel for next season on a straight cash basis (meaning no barter), but that could be a hard sell as most television outlets thumb their noses on those kinds of terms nowadays, especially with repeats of talk shows. The package is being offered to cable outlets as well.
Montel Williams' talk show was dropped by Fox-owned stations in the top three markets (including KCOP-TV in Los Angeles and WPWR-TV in Chicago.)
In fact, KCOP was one of the founding stations of Montel Williams when Viacom and then owner of KCOP (Chris-Craft Television) rolled the program out in select test markets in 1991. The program nationally launched in syndication in 1992, with WPWR picking up the series (WPWR dropped Montel in 1997, but it would later return to the station in 2006, where it now airs at 3 p.m.)
CBS is offering best-of editions of Montel for next season on a straight cash basis (meaning no barter), but that could be a hard sell as most television outlets thumb their noses on those kinds of terms nowadays, especially with repeats of talk shows. The package is being offered to cable outlets as well.
Wilbon, Payne off air
Wishing a speedy recovery to two on-air personalities: WGN's Allison Payne, who has been kept off the air due to a series of "mini-strokes", and to Pardon the Interruption host and Washington Post sportswriter Michael Wilbon, who suffered a mild heart attack over the weekend. To each, get well soon.
Updated at 2:30 p.m. (added link to Wilbon story)
Updated at 2:30 p.m. (added link to Wilbon story)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
NATPE News
The latest from the convention:
- In a coup for small syndie Program Partners, the company signed Marie Osmond to host a one-hour talk show strip for fall 2009. Marie Osmond last co-hosted a talk show with her brother Donny back in the late '90's for Sony.
- MGM has decided to bring back Gladiators 2000, a teen-oriented game show that spun-off of American Gladiators in the mid-1990's and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest (gee, wonder what he's doing now?) The program's 39 episodes (originally produced by Samuel Goldwyn Television), will return to weekly syndication in September 2008, to meet stations' (E/I) requirements (as it did then.)
Meanwhile, MGM is launching an online site dedicated to the original American Gladiators series, which ran in first-run from 1989 to 1996, and originally syndicated by The Samuel Goldwyn Co., which was purchased by MGM in 1997.
In other MGM news, the company announced it is taking over syndication sales of home-improvement series Ron Hazelton's House Calls from now-defunct Tribune Entertainment. MGM will produce new episodes of the series, and well as nabbing the rights to the series' backlog of past episodes.
- Litton's new Storm Stories has cleared 70 percent of the country, earning it a "firm go" for next season. The program will air locally on WGN-TV, with popular weather personality Tom Skilling the likely host.
- Not related to NATPE, but CBS renewed Survivor for two more editions next season, and NBC has picked up Celebrity Apprentice for next season as well.
- In a coup for small syndie Program Partners, the company signed Marie Osmond to host a one-hour talk show strip for fall 2009. Marie Osmond last co-hosted a talk show with her brother Donny back in the late '90's for Sony.
- MGM has decided to bring back Gladiators 2000, a teen-oriented game show that spun-off of American Gladiators in the mid-1990's and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest (gee, wonder what he's doing now?) The program's 39 episodes (originally produced by Samuel Goldwyn Television), will return to weekly syndication in September 2008, to meet stations' (E/I) requirements (as it did then.)
Meanwhile, MGM is launching an online site dedicated to the original American Gladiators series, which ran in first-run from 1989 to 1996, and originally syndicated by The Samuel Goldwyn Co., which was purchased by MGM in 1997.
In other MGM news, the company announced it is taking over syndication sales of home-improvement series Ron Hazelton's House Calls from now-defunct Tribune Entertainment. MGM will produce new episodes of the series, and well as nabbing the rights to the series' backlog of past episodes.
- Litton's new Storm Stories has cleared 70 percent of the country, earning it a "firm go" for next season. The program will air locally on WGN-TV, with popular weather personality Tom Skilling the likely host.
- Not related to NATPE, but CBS renewed Survivor for two more editions next season, and NBC has picked up Celebrity Apprentice for next season as well.
What's this? A scripted series in first-run syndication?
For the first time in many years, a major syndicator is offering a first-run scripted, original action hour in syndication.
Disney-ABC Domestic Television announced at NATPE today it will launch a new offering in first-run syndication from producer Sam Raimi called Wizard's First Rule. The program has cleared the Tribune station group, covering 35 percent of the country. The deal of course, includes WGN-TV in Chicago.
The one-hour weekly series is based on Terry Goodkind's best-selling epic fantasy series, The Sword of Truth, which contains eleven epic novels, with Wizard's First Rule the first novel released in 1994.
The series is being produced by ABC Studios, marking their first venture in first-run under that name.
First-run, hour long scripted series were long staples in syndication dating back to the 1970's, with U.F.O., Space: 1999, and the mega-bomb Starlost (which was shot on videotape.)
But the bar was raised significantly in the 1980's, with higher-quality programs including Fame (a NBC castoff), the cult hit Friday the 13th: The Series, and the big budget Star Trek: The Next Generation, with the latter two practically making Paramount's syndication division a hot commodity.
In the 1990's, the action hour scene exploded, thanks to international financing, and mega-hits Baywatch, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Relic Hunter. The forerunner to Disney-ABC Television Distribution (Buena Vista Television) itself syndicated two first-run syndicated weeklies in the 1990s with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Land's End.
But since 2001, international financing dried up, and scripted hours in syndication dwindled. The last first-run scripted series sold in first-run syndication was MGM's She Spies in 2002. Today's move by Disney-ABC hopes to rekindle a once hot business.
Disney-ABC Domestic Television announced at NATPE today it will launch a new offering in first-run syndication from producer Sam Raimi called Wizard's First Rule. The program has cleared the Tribune station group, covering 35 percent of the country. The deal of course, includes WGN-TV in Chicago.
The one-hour weekly series is based on Terry Goodkind's best-selling epic fantasy series, The Sword of Truth, which contains eleven epic novels, with Wizard's First Rule the first novel released in 1994.
The series is being produced by ABC Studios, marking their first venture in first-run under that name.
First-run, hour long scripted series were long staples in syndication dating back to the 1970's, with U.F.O., Space: 1999, and the mega-bomb Starlost (which was shot on videotape.)
But the bar was raised significantly in the 1980's, with higher-quality programs including Fame (a NBC castoff), the cult hit Friday the 13th: The Series, and the big budget Star Trek: The Next Generation, with the latter two practically making Paramount's syndication division a hot commodity.
In the 1990's, the action hour scene exploded, thanks to international financing, and mega-hits Baywatch, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Relic Hunter. The forerunner to Disney-ABC Television Distribution (Buena Vista Television) itself syndicated two first-run syndicated weeklies in the 1990s with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Land's End.
But since 2001, international financing dried up, and scripted hours in syndication dwindled. The last first-run scripted series sold in first-run syndication was MGM's She Spies in 2002. Today's move by Disney-ABC hopes to rekindle a once hot business.
Clean sweep?
In all my years of following the syndication business (since 1985, when yours truly at the young age of thirteen read his first NATPE edition of TV/Radio Age), I cannot recall at any time the entire slate of rookie first-run strips that debuted in the fall were renewed for a second season.
In fact, go back to the 1990-91 season, where of the eight first-run strips (not counting kids' shows) that debuted in September 1990, only one was renewed for the 1991-92 season - and that program (Entertainment Daily Journal, which was known as Personalities until July 1991) was canceled shortly into its second season.
With the surprise renewal of Merv Griffin's Crosswords, and the likely return of The Steve Wilkos Show, that only leaves Twentieth Television's Temptation as the only holdout. If Temptation comes back for a second season, it would mark the first time in known memory in which all the rookie first-run strips would return for a second season.
The moves mean that time periods will tighten up even more, and it will be harder than ever for a company to launch a first-run strip.
This comes as ratings for non-prime dayparts are becoming more and more fragmented and HUT levels for daytime television are sinking, making it easier for struggling shows to stay on the air. In San Francisco for example, HUT levels are quite low in daytime - and even a program with a 0.5 rating is considered profitable.
Only three years ago, Sony's female-targeted Life & Style talk show averaged a 0.4 rating and the plug was pulled midseason. Then again, reported discord among the program's co-hosts may have played a factor in its demise.
It just goes to show how much the syndication business has changed in the last few years and the dreaded 0.8 rating (Crosswords' season average) isn't the kiss of death it once was.
In fact, go back to the 1990-91 season, where of the eight first-run strips (not counting kids' shows) that debuted in September 1990, only one was renewed for the 1991-92 season - and that program (Entertainment Daily Journal, which was known as Personalities until July 1991) was canceled shortly into its second season.
With the surprise renewal of Merv Griffin's Crosswords, and the likely return of The Steve Wilkos Show, that only leaves Twentieth Television's Temptation as the only holdout. If Temptation comes back for a second season, it would mark the first time in known memory in which all the rookie first-run strips would return for a second season.
The moves mean that time periods will tighten up even more, and it will be harder than ever for a company to launch a first-run strip.
This comes as ratings for non-prime dayparts are becoming more and more fragmented and HUT levels for daytime television are sinking, making it easier for struggling shows to stay on the air. In San Francisco for example, HUT levels are quite low in daytime - and even a program with a 0.5 rating is considered profitable.
Only three years ago, Sony's female-targeted Life & Style talk show averaged a 0.4 rating and the plug was pulled midseason. Then again, reported discord among the program's co-hosts may have played a factor in its demise.
It just goes to show how much the syndication business has changed in the last few years and the dreaded 0.8 rating (Crosswords' season average) isn't the kiss of death it once was.
Chicago Defender to be weekly only
It looks like the struggling newspaper industry has claimed another victim: The Chicago Defender, the historic African-American newspaper which has struggled for years, is converting from a daily newspaper to a weekly, a move that has been speculated since last summer.
The Defender, which drastically scaled back its online presence last year, isn't laying off employees (which is good) - but the conversion to a weekly paper tells you how much the newspaper industry is hurting (thanks to readers flocking to the internet and other sources), and it seems to be affecting newspapers big and small.
The Sun-Times recently laid off employees over the last few weeks and reduced the size and pages of its editions; The Daily Southtown and Star newspapers recently merged their editions and cut some jobs; and three community papers owned by the Sun-Times recently ended publication.
The Defender, which drastically scaled back its online presence last year, isn't laying off employees (which is good) - but the conversion to a weekly paper tells you how much the newspaper industry is hurting (thanks to readers flocking to the internet and other sources), and it seems to be affecting newspapers big and small.
The Sun-Times recently laid off employees over the last few weeks and reduced the size and pages of its editions; The Daily Southtown and Star newspapers recently merged their editions and cut some jobs; and three community papers owned by the Sun-Times recently ended publication.
Monday, January 28, 2008
NATPE News
- Syndicated repeats of Fox's hit Bones has been cleared 45 percent of the country, including all of the Fox O&Os, not to mention station groups belonging to CBS, Tribune, and Bahakel. Weekday airings of the program were sold to TNT.
-CBS' Judge Judy has been re-upped until 2012.
- As mentioned earlier, Program Partners has renewed Merv Griffin's Crosswords in 50 percent in the country for Season 2, including the NBC O&Os who carry the show.
- After failing to sell Baywatch in strip syndication last fall, Litton has struck a deal with ION Television to air the show over their network, beginning in March.
-CBS' Judge Judy has been re-upped until 2012.
- As mentioned earlier, Program Partners has renewed Merv Griffin's Crosswords in 50 percent in the country for Season 2, including the NBC O&Os who carry the show.
- After failing to sell Baywatch in strip syndication last fall, Litton has struck a deal with ION Television to air the show over their network, beginning in March.
ACLU lashes out against FCC over decision to fine ABC affils
WARNING: Strong opinions ahead. Reader discretion is advised.
Thank you, ACLU for stating what a lot of Americans already know. And of course, the PTC praises the decision over NYPD Blue, the commie bastards that they are.
Thank you, ACLU for stating what a lot of Americans already know. And of course, the PTC praises the decision over NYPD Blue, the commie bastards that they are.
NATPE is here
The NATPE convention begins today in Las Vegas, and Broadcasting & Cable has a story on what the nation's 25 largest TV station groups are shopping for next season.
One thing is clear: A lot of veteran syndicated programs (Oprah, Wheel, Rachael Ray, People's Court, etc.) are sold well into the future - for the next four or five years, which makes it harder for new shows to get on the air. Meanwhile, the future of Twentieth Television's Temptation and Program Partners' Merv Griffin's Crosswords are in very serious doubt, with the NBC O&Os expected to drop the latter show., while Debmar's new Trivial Pursuit is expected to replace Temptation on many large market Fox-owned My Network TV stations.
The convention is a chance for small syndicators to shine - and sell. Telco Productions for one, returned to handling distribution of its own programs, taking over from now-shuttered Tribune Entertainment, which previously handled the job for them (Tribune will continue with ad sales for the shows.) Telco syndicates weeklies Animal Rescue, Missing, and Dog Tales.
For those of you attending the convention, here is a complete NATPE schedule.
WAIT... HOLD UP: It looks like there is going to be a second season for Crosswords after all. Program Partners says that the program has been renewed by the six NBC O&Os that carry the show, as well as other station groups covering 50 percent of the country.
updated at 11:23 am on 2008-01-28
One thing is clear: A lot of veteran syndicated programs (Oprah, Wheel, Rachael Ray, People's Court, etc.) are sold well into the future - for the next four or five years, which makes it harder for new shows to get on the air. Meanwhile, the future of Twentieth Television's Temptation and Program Partners' Merv Griffin's Crosswords are in very serious doubt, with the NBC O&Os expected to drop the latter show., while Debmar's new Trivial Pursuit is expected to replace Temptation on many large market Fox-owned My Network TV stations.
The convention is a chance for small syndicators to shine - and sell. Telco Productions for one, returned to handling distribution of its own programs, taking over from now-shuttered Tribune Entertainment, which previously handled the job for them (Tribune will continue with ad sales for the shows.) Telco syndicates weeklies Animal Rescue, Missing, and Dog Tales.
For those of you attending the convention, here is a complete NATPE schedule.
WAIT... HOLD UP: It looks like there is going to be a second season for Crosswords after all. Program Partners says that the program has been renewed by the six NBC O&Os that carry the show, as well as other station groups covering 50 percent of the country.
updated at 11:23 am on 2008-01-28
Friday, January 25, 2008
WLS-TV hit with fine from FCC
As well as every other ABC affiliate in the Central and Mountain time zone for airing a episode of NYPD Blue on Feb. 25, 2003 that contained partial nudity. The fine being proposed is $1.4 million.
Only two ABC O&Os (WLS and KTRK-TV in Houston) are named in the action, since the rest of the O&Os fall in the Pacific and Eastern time zones, where Blue aired at 10 p.m., and fall outside the safe-harbor (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) for indecency.
However, ABC affiliates in the Central and Mountain time zones aired the show in the 9 p.m. slot, and that falls inside the safe harbor.
Besides ABC's two O&Os, other station groups hit include Hearst-Argyle, Sinclair, Tribune, McGraw-Hill, Belo, Hubbard, Barrington, Citadel, Gray, Allbritton, Young, and Scripps.
To see a complete list of stations being fined, click here and scroll down.
Thought: ABC got caught with pants down - no pun intended. But really, does the FCC have better things to do than this? The way the agency has bungled this transition from analog to digital broadcasting - of course. Come next year, Chicagoans who don't have cable, satellite, or a digital set are going to be more concerned about getting a picture on their sets than a silly indecent exposure on a TV show that ceased being good years ago.
Updated 11:37 pm on 2008-01-25 (fixed broken link) and 1:48 am on 2008-01-28 (added list)
Only two ABC O&Os (WLS and KTRK-TV in Houston) are named in the action, since the rest of the O&Os fall in the Pacific and Eastern time zones, where Blue aired at 10 p.m., and fall outside the safe-harbor (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) for indecency.
However, ABC affiliates in the Central and Mountain time zones aired the show in the 9 p.m. slot, and that falls inside the safe harbor.
Besides ABC's two O&Os, other station groups hit include Hearst-Argyle, Sinclair, Tribune, McGraw-Hill, Belo, Hubbard, Barrington, Citadel, Gray, Allbritton, Young, and Scripps.
To see a complete list of stations being fined, click here and scroll down.
Thought: ABC got caught with pants down - no pun intended. But really, does the FCC have better things to do than this? The way the agency has bungled this transition from analog to digital broadcasting - of course. Come next year, Chicagoans who don't have cable, satellite, or a digital set are going to be more concerned about getting a picture on their sets than a silly indecent exposure on a TV show that ceased being good years ago.
Updated 11:37 pm on 2008-01-25 (fixed broken link) and 1:48 am on 2008-01-28 (added list)
Randy Salerno dies (Updated)
Sad news to report: Randy Salerno, who co-anchored WBBM-TV's morning newscast, was killed in a snowmobile accident Thursday night in Eagle River, Wisconsin.
Salerno was a Crystal Lake native who worked at TV stations in Albany, N.Y., Peoria, and Rockford before arriving at WGN-TV in 1994, where he was a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter. He also anchored the station midday newscast until 2004, when he joined WBBM as part of their morning newscast. At WBBM, he won his first Emmy that year for his coverage of the Chicago Marathon.
Salerno is survived by his wife, Irene, and three children. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.
Statement from CBS 2 President and General Manager Joe Ahern
CBS 2 Chicago.com: CBS 2's Randy Salerno Dies in Automobile Accident
UPDATE: A person who was driving the snowmobile Salerno was in has been charged. Scott Hirschey, a longtime friend of Salerno's, was charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in the accident.
Meanwhile, a tribute page for Salerno is up and running and you can view it by clicking here.
Updated at 12:41 am on 2008-01-26
Salerno was a Crystal Lake native who worked at TV stations in Albany, N.Y., Peoria, and Rockford before arriving at WGN-TV in 1994, where he was a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter. He also anchored the station midday newscast until 2004, when he joined WBBM as part of their morning newscast. At WBBM, he won his first Emmy that year for his coverage of the Chicago Marathon.
Salerno is survived by his wife, Irene, and three children. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.
Statement from CBS 2 President and General Manager Joe Ahern
CBS 2 Chicago.com: CBS 2's Randy Salerno Dies in Automobile Accident
UPDATE: A person who was driving the snowmobile Salerno was in has been charged. Scott Hirschey, a longtime friend of Salerno's, was charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in the accident.
Meanwhile, a tribute page for Salerno is up and running and you can view it by clicking here.
Updated at 12:41 am on 2008-01-26
Lionsgate, Marvel sign interim deals with WGA
Independents Lionsgate and Marvel Productions have signed interim deals with the Writer's Guild, meaning those entities are no longer struck companies.
Lionsgate produces Mad Men for AMC and Weeds for Showtime, while Marvel Productions' current projects the company is working on include Captain America and Thor. Marvel, of course, produced animated programs based on characters from Marvel Comics, including Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and X-Men.
Lionsgate produces Mad Men for AMC and Weeds for Showtime, while Marvel Productions' current projects the company is working on include Captain America and Thor. Marvel, of course, produced animated programs based on characters from Marvel Comics, including Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and X-Men.
Doug Elfman out as Sun-Times' TV critic
TV critic Doug Elfman was among one of the seventeen staffers laid off at the Sun-Times on Wednesday, but Jay Mariotti stays, further cementing this paper as a third-rate joke.
More NATPE News
- Twentieth Television has renewed The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet for a second season the Fox O&O's, including WFLD-TV in Chicago. The program has done on many stations, especially in southern markets such as Birmingham (WBRC) and Greensboro, N.C. (WGHP). Other pickups include San Francisco (KTVU), Seattle (KCPQ-TV), and Portland, Ore. (KPTV).
- Mighty Oak's Whacked Out Sports sports blooper show is back for a second season in 85 percent of the country, including WFLD-TV in Chicago, KSDK-TV in St. Louis, and WTHR in Indianapolis. The program was renewed by WNBC-TV in New York and KTTV in Los Angeles.
- Martha from NBC Universal has been renewed in 85 percent of the country for a fourth season, including several NBC O&Os.
- Meredith's Better TV franchise has been sold in 12 additional markets, including seven LIN-owned TV stations, bringing the total clearances of the daytime hour to 25, including WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
- Nextstar-owned NBC affiliate WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. is shifting its midday newscast to 11 a.m. from noon, being replaced by Martha, which moves from 3 p.m. What's taking her' place in the early-fringe time slot, you ask? 55 year-old repeats of I Love Lucy. Even Martha Stewart is no match for the zany antics of Lucille Ball.
- Mighty Oak's Whacked Out Sports sports blooper show is back for a second season in 85 percent of the country, including WFLD-TV in Chicago, KSDK-TV in St. Louis, and WTHR in Indianapolis. The program was renewed by WNBC-TV in New York and KTTV in Los Angeles.
- Martha from NBC Universal has been renewed in 85 percent of the country for a fourth season, including several NBC O&Os.
- Meredith's Better TV franchise has been sold in 12 additional markets, including seven LIN-owned TV stations, bringing the total clearances of the daytime hour to 25, including WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
- Nextstar-owned NBC affiliate WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. is shifting its midday newscast to 11 a.m. from noon, being replaced by Martha, which moves from 3 p.m. What's taking her' place in the early-fringe time slot, you ask? 55 year-old repeats of I Love Lucy. Even Martha Stewart is no match for the zany antics of Lucille Ball.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sports Box
Giants win net Giant ratings
Wow! The NFC Championship Game pitting the New York Giants at the Green Bay Packers notched a whopping 54 million viewers, making it the highest-rated non-Super Bowl program since the 1998 Seinfeld finale, which drew 76.3 million viewers.
In Milwaukee, the game notched a 58.5 household rating and a 78 share for Fox-owned (and soon to be sold) WITI-TV.
The Giants' victory over the Packers now means they get to face the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz. on Fox on Feb. 3. The Patriots beat the Giants on Dec. 29 to set the historic 16-0 mark and may make history against them again.
NHL gets good news, too
The New York-Boston rivalry mania even spread to the NHL, where two Original Six teams and longtime hated arch-rivals - The Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers - took to the ice last Sunday to kick off NBC's regular-season NHL coverage. The game notched a 1.1 household rating, holding even from last year's start and last year's overall average.
On a personal note... A request to TNT and ESPN... Can you please stop showing Miami Heat games? With a writer's strike going on and viewers looking for alternative programming, people do not want to see a basketball team that is also on strike. Thank you.
Wow! The NFC Championship Game pitting the New York Giants at the Green Bay Packers notched a whopping 54 million viewers, making it the highest-rated non-Super Bowl program since the 1998 Seinfeld finale, which drew 76.3 million viewers.
In Milwaukee, the game notched a 58.5 household rating and a 78 share for Fox-owned (and soon to be sold) WITI-TV.
The Giants' victory over the Packers now means they get to face the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz. on Fox on Feb. 3. The Patriots beat the Giants on Dec. 29 to set the historic 16-0 mark and may make history against them again.
NHL gets good news, too
The New York-Boston rivalry mania even spread to the NHL, where two Original Six teams and longtime hated arch-rivals - The Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers - took to the ice last Sunday to kick off NBC's regular-season NHL coverage. The game notched a 1.1 household rating, holding even from last year's start and last year's overall average.
On a personal note... A request to TNT and ESPN... Can you please stop showing Miami Heat games? With a writer's strike going on and viewers looking for alternative programming, people do not want to see a basketball team that is also on strike. Thank you.
Management shake-ups at Chicago Citadel, Emmis stations
- At WKQX-FM (Q101):
Marc Young has been named Program Director at the Alternative station, from Associate Program and Music Director at Emmis' KMVA-FM (Movin' 97.5).
- At WLUP-FM (The Loop):
Emmis' classic rocker also made a move by promoting Bill Klaproth from Associate Program Director to Program Director.
- At WZZN-FM:
The Oldies/Classic Hits outlet named Mike Fowler as president and general manager. He replaces John Gallagher, who now concentrates only on sister station WLS-AM. He previously ran both stations sale Citadel purchased the station.
Fowler was once general manager at WRCX-FM (now WKSC-FM, Kiss FM.)
Marc Young has been named Program Director at the Alternative station, from Associate Program and Music Director at Emmis' KMVA-FM (Movin' 97.5).
- At WLUP-FM (The Loop):
Emmis' classic rocker also made a move by promoting Bill Klaproth from Associate Program Director to Program Director.
- At WZZN-FM:
The Oldies/Classic Hits outlet named Mike Fowler as president and general manager. He replaces John Gallagher, who now concentrates only on sister station WLS-AM. He previously ran both stations sale Citadel purchased the station.
Fowler was once general manager at WRCX-FM (now WKSC-FM, Kiss FM.)
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