A Washington man convicted of torturing his girlfriend’s son with autisim to death and abusing her younger son was sentenced to 65 years in prison, according to multiple reports.
Matthew Christenson, 45, was convicted in August of both homicide by abuse and second-degree murder for the 2014 death of Otto Smith, an 18-year-old with autism who was the son of his girlfriend, according to the Seattle Pi. Smith’s younger brother, J.C., who was 13 at the time, was also abused by Christenson.
The sentence was handed down Friday, according to the Associated Press. Although the standard range for the crimes is 30 to 41 years in prison,...
Matthew Christenson, 45, was convicted in August of both homicide by abuse and second-degree murder for the 2014 death of Otto Smith, an 18-year-old with autism who was the son of his girlfriend, according to the Seattle Pi. Smith’s younger brother, J.C., who was 13 at the time, was also abused by Christenson.
The sentence was handed down Friday, according to the Associated Press. Although the standard range for the crimes is 30 to 41 years in prison,...
- 10/8/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
Will Smith’s role in “Collateral Beauty” mimicked his real life this year as he echoed the emotions of his character while dealing with the impending death of his father, William Carroll Smith. Related: Will Smith On How ‘Collateral Beauty’ Is Helping Him Cope With The Passing Of His Father: ‘Suffering Is How We Grow’ On “The […]...
- 12/8/2016
- by Sylvia Ogweng
- ET Canada
Sometimes art and real life intersect in ways that are profound and mysterious, which Will Smith says is the case with his latest film, “Collateral Damage”, which wound up resonating more deeply than he anticipated after the death of his father, William Carroll Smith, last month. “This has been one of the greatest confluences of life […]...
- 12/6/2016
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Prince William and Kate won't be the only ones celebrating the royal birth: Celebrity weekly magazines will soon be proud parents of a bouncing baby sales bump with their inevitable royal baby issues. Television news' benefit, however, is less certain. Magazine sales will mean revenue. Televison ratings, on the other hand, may not. "The royal birth will be the lead story on the morning shows and the entertainment magazines," Katz Television Group VP Bill Carroll tells TheWrap. "It is the ultimate celebrity story and will bring viewers to the set looking to...
- 7/23/2013
- by Sara Morrison
- The Wrap
Los Angeles -- The driven matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner clan is taking center stage with her own talk show, and Kris Jenner said she's ready for the spotlight.
"I'm definitely living my dream," Jenner said of Monday's launch of "Kris," a daily talk show getting a summer test run on Fox stations in a handful of major U.S. TV markets.
If Jenner proves her appeal with viewers, she can expect to join the swelling ranks of national daytime hosts that include reigning queen Ellen DeGeneres, newcomers Katie Couric, Steve Harvey and Bethenny Frankel and, on the fall TV horizon, Queen Latifah.
So what does Jenner bring to the talk-show table? As she explains it, a strong sense of what people want from her and "Kris," airing for six weeks in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, N.C.
"It's a day and date show. I think...
"I'm definitely living my dream," Jenner said of Monday's launch of "Kris," a daily talk show getting a summer test run on Fox stations in a handful of major U.S. TV markets.
If Jenner proves her appeal with viewers, she can expect to join the swelling ranks of national daytime hosts that include reigning queen Ellen DeGeneres, newcomers Katie Couric, Steve Harvey and Bethenny Frankel and, on the fall TV horizon, Queen Latifah.
So what does Jenner bring to the talk-show table? As she explains it, a strong sense of what people want from her and "Kris," airing for six weeks in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, N.C.
"It's a day and date show. I think...
- 7/12/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Bet is not alone anymore. For three decades, Black Entertainment Television has been the major provider of programs for and about African-Americans. Now more networks — like WEtv and Own — are trying to reach those viewers, who make up about 13 percent of TV households and watch almost seven hours of programming per day. "This is an audience that's been underserved historically," says analyst Bill Carroll of Katz Media Group. "As the landscape has become much more competitive, it makes sense to...
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- 3/13/2013
- by Ileane Rudolph
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Los Angeles — Ricki Lake was a babe in the talk show woods when her syndicated program launched nearly two decades ago.
Looking back at the 24-year-old actress she was then, Lake pronounces the 1993 career move "a little bit presumptous," although "Ricki Lake" quickly won over a young-adult audience that wanted a peppy take on life and love from someone like them.
"I didn't know what I was signing up for. I didn't know how to host a show. I didn't know who I was or have a point of view. I basically was grateful to have the job," recalls Lake. "I thought, `Great, I can pay my rent for six months.'"
Lake, who turns 44 this month, has been changed by marriage, children, divorce and remarriage. So have her ambitions for her return to the daytime arena with "The Ricki Lake Show," debuting Monday (check local listings).
"I have a...
Looking back at the 24-year-old actress she was then, Lake pronounces the 1993 career move "a little bit presumptous," although "Ricki Lake" quickly won over a young-adult audience that wanted a peppy take on life and love from someone like them.
"I didn't know what I was signing up for. I didn't know how to host a show. I didn't know who I was or have a point of view. I basically was grateful to have the job," recalls Lake. "I thought, `Great, I can pay my rent for six months.'"
Lake, who turns 44 this month, has been changed by marriage, children, divorce and remarriage. So have her ambitions for her return to the daytime arena with "The Ricki Lake Show," debuting Monday (check local listings).
"I have a...
- 9/9/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
New York — Steve Harvey played hard-to-get before deciding to become a daytime television talk-show host.
The veteran comic, whose new show gets a jump on the fall season Tuesday, was first approached about a show three years ago when his first book, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man," was on the best-seller lists. The television production company Endemol thought the idea of Harvey giving women advice from a man's point of view made a perfect theme.
Harvey said no, thanks.
One of the original "Kings of Comedy" thought late-night was a better place for him on TV. Daytime is more sedate. He had a thriving stand-up career he wasn't ready to give up and a popular morning radio show broadcast across the country. Harvey also thought his suitors were trying to limit him.
"They just wanted to make a relationship show and I didn't think that was rich enough,...
The veteran comic, whose new show gets a jump on the fall season Tuesday, was first approached about a show three years ago when his first book, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man," was on the best-seller lists. The television production company Endemol thought the idea of Harvey giving women advice from a man's point of view made a perfect theme.
Harvey said no, thanks.
One of the original "Kings of Comedy" thought late-night was a better place for him on TV. Daytime is more sedate. He had a thriving stand-up career he wasn't ready to give up and a popular morning radio show broadcast across the country. Harvey also thought his suitors were trying to limit him.
"They just wanted to make a relationship show and I didn't think that was rich enough,...
- 9/3/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
New York -- Broadcast television networks are determined to make you laugh.
The resurgence of situation comedies is the clearest trend to emerge from TV's helter-skelter week of fall schedule announcements that just concluded. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC will have 30 half-hour comedies on the air at the beginning of next season – 32 by November – compared to 17 at the opening of a new season five years ago.
Tuesday alone is a comic festival. The top networks will air eight sitcoms that night alone, with ABC promising two more in January.
"The audience is really open to comedy right now," said Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chief. The network made comedy its development priority, and is opening Tuesday and Friday to sitcoms next fall. NBC is also keeping four comedies on Thursday night, despite abysmal ratings.
The explanation is as much financial as cultural, and there's a clear starting point.
Much as "The Cosby Show...
The resurgence of situation comedies is the clearest trend to emerge from TV's helter-skelter week of fall schedule announcements that just concluded. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC will have 30 half-hour comedies on the air at the beginning of next season – 32 by November – compared to 17 at the opening of a new season five years ago.
Tuesday alone is a comic festival. The top networks will air eight sitcoms that night alone, with ABC promising two more in January.
"The audience is really open to comedy right now," said Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chief. The network made comedy its development priority, and is opening Tuesday and Friday to sitcoms next fall. NBC is also keeping four comedies on Thursday night, despite abysmal ratings.
The explanation is as much financial as cultural, and there's a clear starting point.
Much as "The Cosby Show...
- 5/22/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
New York -- Broadcast television networks are determined to make you laugh.
The resurgence of situation comedies is the clearest trend to emerge from TV's helter-skelter week of fall schedule announcements that just concluded. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC will have 30 half-hour comedies on the air at the beginning of next season – 32 by November – compared to 17 at the opening of a new season five years ago.
Tuesday alone is a comic festival. The top networks will air eight sitcoms that night alone, with ABC promising two more in January.
"The audience is really open to comedy right now," said Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chief. The network made comedy its development priority, and is opening Tuesday and Friday to sitcoms next fall. NBC is also keeping four comedies on Thursday night, despite abysmal ratings.
The explanation is as much financial as cultural, and there's a clear starting point.
Much as "The Cosby Show...
The resurgence of situation comedies is the clearest trend to emerge from TV's helter-skelter week of fall schedule announcements that just concluded. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC will have 30 half-hour comedies on the air at the beginning of next season – 32 by November – compared to 17 at the opening of a new season five years ago.
Tuesday alone is a comic festival. The top networks will air eight sitcoms that night alone, with ABC promising two more in January.
"The audience is really open to comedy right now," said Robert Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chief. The network made comedy its development priority, and is opening Tuesday and Friday to sitcoms next fall. NBC is also keeping four comedies on Thursday night, despite abysmal ratings.
The explanation is as much financial as cultural, and there's a clear starting point.
Much as "The Cosby Show...
- 5/22/2012
- by AP
- Aol TV.
Los Angeles -- Oprah Winfrey is used to running the show, whether it was her hit daytime TV program or the fledgling cable channel named for her and which she rules as chairman and chief executive.
But this week's Oprah Winfrey Network shakeup, which included a 20 percent staff layoff, thrusts her into a new dynamic: power-sharing with a top executive from the company that's bankrolled Own with $300 million-plus.
It's a crucial moment for the media queen, who made Own her next big move after "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and for Own itself: Can Winfrey work as an effective corporate teammate with partner Discovery Communications to turn the struggling channel around?
There's another bedrock question: Does a big enough audience exist for the earnest, uplifting fare on Winfrey's Own, so antithetical to the blowsy charms of "Jersey Shore," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and much else that's popular on cable TV?...
But this week's Oprah Winfrey Network shakeup, which included a 20 percent staff layoff, thrusts her into a new dynamic: power-sharing with a top executive from the company that's bankrolled Own with $300 million-plus.
It's a crucial moment for the media queen, who made Own her next big move after "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and for Own itself: Can Winfrey work as an effective corporate teammate with partner Discovery Communications to turn the struggling channel around?
There's another bedrock question: Does a big enough audience exist for the earnest, uplifting fare on Winfrey's Own, so antithetical to the blowsy charms of "Jersey Shore," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and much else that's popular on cable TV?...
- 3/21/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles -- Oprah Winfrey is used to running the show, whether it was her hit daytime TV program or the fledgling cable channel named for her and which she rules as chairman and chief executive.
But this week's Oprah Winfrey Network shakeup, which included a 20 percent staff layoff, thrusts her into a new dynamic: power-sharing with a top executive from the company that's bankrolled Own with $300 million-plus.
It's a crucial moment for the media queen, who made Own her next big move after "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and for Own itself: Can Winfrey work as an effective corporate teammate with partner Discovery Communications to turn the struggling channel around?
There's another bedrock question: Does a big enough audience exist for the earnest, uplifting fare on Winfrey's Own, so antithetical to the blowsy charms of "Jersey Shore," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and much else that's popular on cable TV?...
But this week's Oprah Winfrey Network shakeup, which included a 20 percent staff layoff, thrusts her into a new dynamic: power-sharing with a top executive from the company that's bankrolled Own with $300 million-plus.
It's a crucial moment for the media queen, who made Own her next big move after "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and for Own itself: Can Winfrey work as an effective corporate teammate with partner Discovery Communications to turn the struggling channel around?
There's another bedrock question: Does a big enough audience exist for the earnest, uplifting fare on Winfrey's Own, so antithetical to the blowsy charms of "Jersey Shore," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and much else that's popular on cable TV?...
- 3/21/2012
- by AP
- Aol TV.
Los Angeles -- Oprah Winfrey earned the rare opportunity to convert her media charisma into a monogramed TV channel. Now she's the one tasked with rescuing Own, the Oprah Winfrey Network, after a disappointing first year.
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, `I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, `Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, `I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, `Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
- 12/29/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles (AP) — Oprah Winfrey earned the rare opportunity to convert her media charisma into a monogramed TV channel. Now she's the one tasked with rescuing Own, the Oprah Winfrey Network, after a disappointing first year.
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, 'I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, 'Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, 'I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, 'Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
- 12/29/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Los Angeles -- Oprah Winfrey earned the rare opportunity to convert her media charisma into a monogramed TV channel. Now she's the one tasked with rescuing Own, the Oprah Winfrey Network, after a disappointing first year.
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, `I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, `Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
It's a high-stakes, potentially ego-shattering challenge that could make the strongest woman or man flinch. But win or lose, Winfrey says she relishes the fight to turn Own's fortunes around.
"Yes, some mistakes were made. Who hasn't made mistakes? The real beauty is you can say, `I learned from that,'" Winfrey said. "I don't worry about failure. I worry about, `Did I do all I could do?'"
The cable channel, which marks its first year Jan. 1, is trying for a fresh start after executive turnover and missteps that proved Own lacked a solid foundation on which to build, this despite a Discovery Communications investment of a reported $250 million and counting.
Viewers snubbed...
- 12/29/2011
- by AP
- Aol TV.
For most of us, the idea of spending $3.5 million on 30 seconds for, say, Snickers bars seems like an incomprehensible notion. But for companies willing to shell out the big bucks for a spot in the Super Bowl, it’s perhaps the wisest investment around.
The argument certainly seems supported by a recent AdWeek report, which found that the new record-breaking Super Bowl Xlvi price tag of $3.5 million-per-30-second spot didn’t deter companies from spending that sum of money in a volatile economy. Rather, they were chomping at the bit to spend the cash. NBC, which will broadcast Super Bowl Xlvi on Feb.
The argument certainly seems supported by a recent AdWeek report, which found that the new record-breaking Super Bowl Xlvi price tag of $3.5 million-per-30-second spot didn’t deter companies from spending that sum of money in a volatile economy. Rather, they were chomping at the bit to spend the cash. NBC, which will broadcast Super Bowl Xlvi on Feb.
- 9/7/2011
- by Aly Semigran
- EW - Inside TV
Charlie Sheen in a TV comedy about anger management. How can it miss?That's what the actor and several established companies are betting with "Anger Management," a sitcom announced Monday. What the show needs now is a network or syndication home, along with a more tranquil work history than Sheen left behind at "Two and a Half Men."Sheen, 45, who was fired from the CBS sitcom by studio Warner Bros. Television because of his erratic personal life and public ridicule of the show's producer, will be answering in part to himself on the new series.He will have a significant ownership stake in the series, producer Lionsgate Television said in a statement. He will also gain "a certain amount of creative control," Sheen noted in the release."I chose 'Anger Management' because, while it might be a big stretch for me to play a guy with serious anger management issues,...
- 7/18/2011
- Filmicafe
"With his Bud Cort haircut and morbid sensibility, Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) is too smart for Swansea, Wales, an industrial city mired in some seriously mid-80s Thatcherite doldrums," begins Vadim Rizov at GreenCine Daily. "The trouble with Oliver is that he knows he's clever, which could justify anything: surreptitiously monitoring his parents' sex life, taunting an overweight girl to make local cutie Jordana (Yasmin Paige) notice him as a real livewire, or trying to trash the house of downhill neighbor Graham Purvis (Paddy Considine) who may be having an affair with mom (Sally Hawkins). Fortunately, Submarine, Richard Ayoade's feature debut, is aware of Oliver's self-justifying nature and the ways it could warp him…. Acutely aware of the long tradition of films about disaffected young men coming to terms with themselves, Ayoade doesn't duck the precedent: instead, like Oliver…, he nods to seemingly every single precursor. There's a 400 Blows-quoting dash across the beach,...
- 6/3/2011
- MUBI
What causes young people like that student at Virginia Tech in 2007 to kill 10, 15, 20 or more people he may not even know? Is it possible for you, dear reader, to harbor enough rage to ever kill somebody, since, after all, some psychologists believe that we are all capable of murder? In the low-key, snail-paced film "Beautiful Boy," scripters Michael Armbruster and Shawn Ku never find out why a (fictional) college freshman one day shot and killed twenty-one people before putting a bullet into his own head. But under director Shawn Ku's examination, one that is deliberately claustrophobic as it is laden with close-ups shots by Michael Fimognari's handheld camera and an inclination to leave backgrounds out of the frames, we do learn quite a bit about how the killing changes the lives of the young man's parents. Given that the parents, Bill Carroll and Kate Carroll are played by...
- 5/3/2011
- Arizona Reporter
Wendy Williams' Star Rises Through Renewed Image
The success of her talk show, which was renewed for its third season, has generated other opportunities for Williams. Along with Dancing With The Stars and Drop Dead Diva, she'll appear on the soap opera One Life To Live and host a new dating show Love Triangle on the Game Show Network next month.
Candy Spelling to pen another book, this time about daughter Tori
Spelling is shopping another book, but this one plans to dish about her rocky relationship with her daughter, Tori. The widow of TV producer Aaron Spelling has written "Candy Spelling: Golden Girl, Silver Lining," a synopsis of her life since his death. Page Six obtained a copy of the proposal, including a chapter on her troubled relationship with Tori, which deteriorated after Aaron died. Tori, who reportedly received just $800,000 from Spelling's $500 million estate, claimed Candy never...
The success of her talk show, which was renewed for its third season, has generated other opportunities for Williams. Along with Dancing With The Stars and Drop Dead Diva, she'll appear on the soap opera One Life To Live and host a new dating show Love Triangle on the Game Show Network next month.
Candy Spelling to pen another book, this time about daughter Tori
Spelling is shopping another book, but this one plans to dish about her rocky relationship with her daughter, Tori. The widow of TV producer Aaron Spelling has written "Candy Spelling: Golden Girl, Silver Lining," a synopsis of her life since his death. Page Six obtained a copy of the proposal, including a chapter on her troubled relationship with Tori, which deteriorated after Aaron died. Tori, who reportedly received just $800,000 from Spelling's $500 million estate, claimed Candy never...
- 3/29/2011
- by We Love Soaps TV
- We Love Soaps
Multiple reports say Charlie Sheen is threatening to sue CBS and Warner Bros., TV for halting production on Two and a Half Men and putting him out of work. But does the actor have a case? The devil’s in the details of his multi-million contract that extends through June 2012.
One online report claims Sheen plans to retaliate by filing a $320 million “mental anguish” lawsuit against the media companies. But for someone who spent the last three days melting down over the radio airwaves — which was preceded by tabloid headlines about his antics in Las Vegas and a New York...
One online report claims Sheen plans to retaliate by filing a $320 million “mental anguish” lawsuit against the media companies. But for someone who spent the last three days melting down over the radio airwaves — which was preceded by tabloid headlines about his antics in Las Vegas and a New York...
- 2/28/2011
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside TV
Los Angeles — With just two episodes of "Two and a Half Men" in the can and Charlie Sheen in rehab, what's next for TV's top-rated comedy?
There has been no comment from CBS, series producer Warner Bros. Television or Sheen whether the 45-year-old actor will be back to film the remaining eight episodes.
The Monday night show's finished episodes will air Feb. 7 and Feb. 14. To cover after that, CBS has ordered two extra episodes of "Rules of Engagement" and may increase its order for another sitcom as well as rely on "Two and Half Men" repeats.
No other comedy has the drawing power of "Men," which even in reruns averages bigger audiences (10.6 million, according to the Nielsen Co.) than first-run episodes of other network comedies, except for ABC's "Modern Family" (14.6 million).
Original episodes of "Two and a Half Men" top 15 million viewers and the show has increased its audience by 2 percent over last season,...
There has been no comment from CBS, series producer Warner Bros. Television or Sheen whether the 45-year-old actor will be back to film the remaining eight episodes.
The Monday night show's finished episodes will air Feb. 7 and Feb. 14. To cover after that, CBS has ordered two extra episodes of "Rules of Engagement" and may increase its order for another sitcom as well as rely on "Two and Half Men" repeats.
No other comedy has the drawing power of "Men," which even in reruns averages bigger audiences (10.6 million, according to the Nielsen Co.) than first-run episodes of other network comedies, except for ABC's "Modern Family" (14.6 million).
Original episodes of "Two and a Half Men" top 15 million viewers and the show has increased its audience by 2 percent over last season,...
- 2/2/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
There's five million reasons "Entertainment Tonight" was willing to part with Mary Hart.
Five million dollars is the astronomical sum the iconic anchor was making in the 29th year at the entertainment news show. Hart accepted a pay cut -- which one informed source says amounted to 50% -- in May for one final season. She last struck a multiyear contract renewal with "Et" in 2006.
CBS Television Distribution declined comment.
It's a reflection of the declining fortunes of TV's syndication business, where reductions in advertising revenue, ratings and license fees obtained from station groups are bound to make superstar salaries a rarity.
"It would be naive to believe that even the most marquee shows aren't experiencing some retrenchment or at best maintaining status quo," said Bill Carroll, a syndication market expert with Katz Media Group.
The departure of Hart, who announced Thursday that the coming season would be her last on "Et,...
Five million dollars is the astronomical sum the iconic anchor was making in the 29th year at the entertainment news show. Hart accepted a pay cut -- which one informed source says amounted to 50% -- in May for one final season. She last struck a multiyear contract renewal with "Et" in 2006.
CBS Television Distribution declined comment.
It's a reflection of the declining fortunes of TV's syndication business, where reductions in advertising revenue, ratings and license fees obtained from station groups are bound to make superstar salaries a rarity.
"It would be naive to believe that even the most marquee shows aren't experiencing some retrenchment or at best maintaining status quo," said Bill Carroll, a syndication market expert with Katz Media Group.
The departure of Hart, who announced Thursday that the coming season would be her last on "Et,...
- 8/5/2010
- by By Andrew Wallenstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ABC has told the cast of "The View" that they will not be replacing Oprah after next year. The decision to keep "The View" at 11 a.m. will cost Barbara Walters more than just daytime's most desirable timeslot. Walters, who co-created and co-owns "The View" -- in addition to starring on the show -- stood to earn tens of million of dollars in the years ahead had the show been sold into syndication -- like Oprah's daytime...
- 6/4/2010
- by By MICHAEL STARR
- NYPost.com
Between them, Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres have won 11 Daytime Emmy awards as best talk show host. They won't add to that total this year, by their own choice.DeGeneres took herself out of consideration for the award for the first time since starting her show."I feel my steroid use gives me an unfair advantage," DeGeneres joked in a statement on her website on Wednesday.Winfrey hasn't submitted her work since winning her seventh Emmy and a lifetime achievement award in 1999.There may be generosity behind the gestures, to give fellow entertainers the chance to stand on stage holding an award. It could also water down the award's meaning, with the knowledge that National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members are not truly evaluating the best in the field.Think of the American League starting a season with the knowledge that the New York Yankees and...
- 5/12/2010
- Filmicafe
This time last year, Hollywood hitmakers weren’t exactly lining up to make shows for NBC. With Jay Leno’s talk show preparing to suck up five hours of prime-time real estate, some producers wrote off the network because it was airing so few scripted shows. But after a terrible year -- bad press over the Leno-Conan debacle, slumping ratings, poorly received new shows like Trauma -- the No. 4 network appears to be back in the creative community’s good graces. NBC has 20 new dramas and comedies in the pipeline from some of the industry’s most successful writer-producers: With...
- 5/6/2010
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside Movies
NBC Universal Domestic TV announced today that it is rolling out a new, hour-long live daily version of Access Hollywood on six NBC stations this fall. Dubbed Access Hollywood Live, the show will feature in-studio guests and fashion segments, and will likely air in the time slots previously occupied by The Martha Stewart Show, which is set to move to Hallmark. The company will slowly roll out Live on Wnbc-tv in New York, Knbc-tv in Los Angeles, Wmaq-tv in Chicago, Kntv-tv in San Francisco, Knsd-tv in San Diego, and Wvit-tv in Hartford. It's unknown whether Access Hollywood host Billy Bush...
- 3/2/2010
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside Movies
Los Angeles - Get ready for the Peacock to change its plumage again.On Monday, NBC will launch its latest programing revolution (NBC 3.5? 4.0?), a back-to-basics model that attempts to return to a status quo that executives moved mountains to change last year.Jay Leno is moving back to 11:35 p.m. hosting "The Tonight Show." Scripted programing is returning to 10 p.m. New shows like Jerry Seinfeld's "The Marriage Ref" and "Parenthood" represent the first of many new efforts coming down the network's suddenly stuffed development pipeline. But can the broadcast Humpty Dumpty put all its pieces back together?The first key is late-night. NBC used to own the space in what seemed to be effortless weekly victories under the older-younger tag-team of Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Now with Leno returning to "Tonight" after a slew of disparaging press and a still-green Jimmy Fallon taking over "Late Night,...
- 3/1/2010
- backstage.com
Get ready for the Peacock to change its plumage again.
On Monday, the broadcast network will launch its latest programming revolution (NBC 3.5? 4.0?), a back-to-basics model that attempts to return to a status quo that executives moved mountains to change last year.
Jay Leno is moving back to 11:35 p.m. hosting "The Tonight Show." Scripted programming is returning to 10 p.m. New shows like "The Marriage Ref" and "Parenthood" represent the first of many new efforts coming down the network's suddenly stuffed development pipeline.
But can the broadcast Humpty Dumpty put all its pieces back together?
The first key is late-night. NBC used to own the space in what seemed to be effortless weekly victories under the older-younger tag-team of Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Now with Leno returning to "Tonight" after a slew of disparaging press and a still-green Jimmy Fallon taking over "Late Night," it's not clear if...
On Monday, the broadcast network will launch its latest programming revolution (NBC 3.5? 4.0?), a back-to-basics model that attempts to return to a status quo that executives moved mountains to change last year.
Jay Leno is moving back to 11:35 p.m. hosting "The Tonight Show." Scripted programming is returning to 10 p.m. New shows like "The Marriage Ref" and "Parenthood" represent the first of many new efforts coming down the network's suddenly stuffed development pipeline.
But can the broadcast Humpty Dumpty put all its pieces back together?
The first key is late-night. NBC used to own the space in what seemed to be effortless weekly victories under the older-younger tag-team of Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien. Now with Leno returning to "Tonight" after a slew of disparaging press and a still-green Jimmy Fallon taking over "Late Night," it's not clear if...
- 2/28/2010
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sunday's showing of "Super Bowl Xliv" became the most-watched TV program in Us history. The game drew 106.5 million viewers, destroying all previous Super Bowl records and overthrowing the 27-year-old record held by the final episode of "M*A*S*H," which garnered 105.97 million viewers. "Super Bowl Xliv" is the first sports program to ever domestically crack 100 million viewers. Granted, the population has grown from when the "M*A*S*H" finale aired, with the TV audience having climbed from 218 million viewers to 292 million. Yet that audience is also much more specialized and segmented in terms of viewing habits. Most broadcast shows struggle to pull ratings that were commonplace just a few years ago. "It is not surprising that the Super Bowl broke viewing records," said Bill Carroll, vp director of programming at Katz TV Group. "When you have a once-a-year event, particularly suited to HD, with little to no competition on broadcast or cable,...
- 2/9/2010
- WorstPreviews.com
In a stunning victory for the NFL and broadcast television, Super Bowl Xliv has become the most-watched TV program in U.S. history.
The New Orleans Saints' 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday drew 106.5 million viewers on CBS, smashing Super Bowl records and edging out 1983's "M*A*S*H" finale, which garnered 105.97 million viewers.
Viewership was up 8% from last year's Super Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers-Arizona Cardinals nail-biter that was seen by 98.7 million viewers, the game's previous record.
"With all the memorable story lines going into Super Bowl Xliv combined with the awesome power of the NFL, we are thrilled with this rating, and I am extremely proud of the way the entire CBS Television Network produced, sold and promoted the most-watched television show in history," CBS News and Sports president Sean McManus said.
Granted, the population has grown plenty from when the "M*A*S*H" finale aired,...
The New Orleans Saints' 31-17 upset of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday drew 106.5 million viewers on CBS, smashing Super Bowl records and edging out 1983's "M*A*S*H" finale, which garnered 105.97 million viewers.
Viewership was up 8% from last year's Super Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers-Arizona Cardinals nail-biter that was seen by 98.7 million viewers, the game's previous record.
"With all the memorable story lines going into Super Bowl Xliv combined with the awesome power of the NFL, we are thrilled with this rating, and I am extremely proud of the way the entire CBS Television Network produced, sold and promoted the most-watched television show in history," CBS News and Sports president Sean McManus said.
Granted, the population has grown plenty from when the "M*A*S*H" finale aired,...
- 2/8/2010
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Many big TV producers are back with new projects this pilot season, and most of them are sticking to the genre that made them successful.
After venturing into the world of TV reporters last pilot season with "Inside the Box," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" creator Shonda Rhimes is staying in the medical soap field this year with the ABC pilot "Off the Map."
John Wells, the producer behind another top medical drama, the recently departed "ER," returns to the genre after dabbling with cop shows ("Southland"), thrillers ("Smith") and crime procedurals ("Evidence") during the past three years. He is behind an untitled medical drama pilot at CBS.
"The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan also is back on the cop-drama beat with Fox's pilot "Ridealong," which, like "Shield," has a tough cop at the center.
Similarly, "The Practice," "Boston Legal" and "Ally McBeal" creator David E. Kelley is returning to the legal genre with "Kindred,...
After venturing into the world of TV reporters last pilot season with "Inside the Box," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" creator Shonda Rhimes is staying in the medical soap field this year with the ABC pilot "Off the Map."
John Wells, the producer behind another top medical drama, the recently departed "ER," returns to the genre after dabbling with cop shows ("Southland"), thrillers ("Smith") and crime procedurals ("Evidence") during the past three years. He is behind an untitled medical drama pilot at CBS.
"The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan also is back on the cop-drama beat with Fox's pilot "Ridealong," which, like "Shield," has a tough cop at the center.
Similarly, "The Practice," "Boston Legal" and "Ally McBeal" creator David E. Kelley is returning to the legal genre with "Kindred,...
- 2/7/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Las Vegas -- Nancy Grace, Nate Berkus and a cluster of court shows will drive, or hover over, the action on the floor of the Natpe confab this week.
Grace, the cable personality and former prosecutor, will front a syndie strip for CBS called "Swift Justice," which is already cleared on 90% of stations across the country; Berkus, an interior decorator and Oprah Winfrey favorite, is just now being revved up for clearances by Sony; and several outside contenders in the third category are being pitched by such boutique players as Litton, Trifecta and the irrepressible comic-cum-distributor Byron Allen.
The coterie of court shows is a sign of the times: They're the most cost-effective form of syndie product, and they can easily piggyback onto existing legal-oriented strips. "Judge Judy," for example, has been such a powerhouse for so many years that the gaveler herself, Judy Sheindlin, will be one of the...
Grace, the cable personality and former prosecutor, will front a syndie strip for CBS called "Swift Justice," which is already cleared on 90% of stations across the country; Berkus, an interior decorator and Oprah Winfrey favorite, is just now being revved up for clearances by Sony; and several outside contenders in the third category are being pitched by such boutique players as Litton, Trifecta and the irrepressible comic-cum-distributor Byron Allen.
The coterie of court shows is a sign of the times: They're the most cost-effective form of syndie product, and they can easily piggyback onto existing legal-oriented strips. "Judge Judy," for example, has been such a powerhouse for so many years that the gaveler herself, Judy Sheindlin, will be one of the...
- 1/24/2010
- by By Elizabeth Guider
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Conan O'Brien is a free agent after his $33 million settlement with NBC was finally completed early Thursday morning -- but his hiatus probably won't last long.As part of the overall payout from the Peacock, worth about $52.6 million with staff severance and shutdown costs, O'Brien will be allowed to join another network Sept. 1. With his demo ratings on "The Tonight Show" and his online popularity soaring during the final two weeks of his seven-month tenure, the comedian already is being courted by a number of networks. Because O'Brien was formally under contract with NBC until Thursday morning, no formal talks have been initiated, but there have been a lot of informal inquiries.Fox is the most logical option as that network has been trying to get into the late-night fray for decades and its brass repeatedly have stated their interest in O'Brien, whose core younger audience is a perfect fit for Fox's target demo.
- 1/22/2010
- backstage.com
Conan O'Brien is a free agent after his $33 million settlement with NBC was finally completed early Thursday morning -- but his hiatus probably won't last long.
As part of the overall payout from the Peacock, worth about $52.6 million with staff severance and shutdown costs, O'Brien will be allowed to join another network Sept. 1. With his demo ratings on "The Tonight Show" and his online popularity soaring during the final two weeks of his seven-month tenure, the comedian already is being courted by a number of networks.
Because O'Brien was formally under contract with NBC until Thursday morning, no formal talks have been initiated, but there have been a lot of informal inquiries.
Fox is the most logical option as that network has been trying to get into the late-night fray for decades and its brass repeatedly have stated their interest in O'Brien, whose core younger audience is a perfect fit for Fox's target demo.
As part of the overall payout from the Peacock, worth about $52.6 million with staff severance and shutdown costs, O'Brien will be allowed to join another network Sept. 1. With his demo ratings on "The Tonight Show" and his online popularity soaring during the final two weeks of his seven-month tenure, the comedian already is being courted by a number of networks.
Because O'Brien was formally under contract with NBC until Thursday morning, no formal talks have been initiated, but there have been a lot of informal inquiries.
Fox is the most logical option as that network has been trying to get into the late-night fray for decades and its brass repeatedly have stated their interest in O'Brien, whose core younger audience is a perfect fit for Fox's target demo.
- 1/21/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Conan O'Brien might find a welcome mat waiting for him at Fox if he decides to bolt NBC over its proposed late-night lineup revamp that would relegate "Tonight" to a post-midnight slot after Jay Leno's show.Fox respects O'Brien's talent and sees him as a good fit, a person at the network said Friday. The person, who lacked authority to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Fox was watching to see how the situation played out but that O'Brien remained under contract with NBC.O'Brien, who left jokes about the situation to Leno on Thursday, didn't hold back Friday on "Tonight.""We've got a great show for you tonight. I have no idea what time it will air . but it's going to be a great show," O'Brien said in his monologue.O'Brien added later that he wanted to address rumors...
- 1/8/2010
- Filmicafe
It looks like the skittish television networks that quickly pulled ads featuring Tiger Woods will suffer along with the embattled golfer when they start airing tournament coverage nearly every weekend next month. Woods announced on Friday that he will be taking an indefinite break from the sport. Bill Carroll, VP and Director of Programming at Katz TV Group equated his absence to a movie without a box office superstar: "Without Woods, televised tournaments are like a major motion picture without a star's name above the title -- rarely do people go to see the flick." Proving just that, last weekend's Tiger-less Chevron World Challenge lost over half of its viewers from 2007. Maybe it's time for golf to consider adding a vocal talent element to its tournament, at least for the televised broadcast. [THR]
Sarah Palin takes on William Shatner, Bill O'Reilly feuds with Law & Order, and more TV Bites after the jump.
Sarah Palin takes on William Shatner, Bill O'Reilly feuds with Law & Order, and more TV Bites after the jump.
- 12/14/2009
- Movieline
With Tiger Woods announcing he's putting his golf career on hold, networks face a potentially crippling blow to the sport's ratings.
Last weekend, Woods skipped the Chevron World Challenge, a tournament he founded. NBC's telecast drew a modest 1.2 million viewers, down 54% compared with last year, when Woods competed in the event.
"Without Woods, televised tournaments are like a major motion picture without a star's name above the title -- rarely do people go to see the flick," said Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz TV Group. "Now only die-hard golf fans will watch the tournaments."
Golf's best player posted a statement Friday on his Web site admitting to "infidelity," apologizing to his fans and saying he was taking a break from the sport.
"It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try," Woods wrote.
NBC's viewership...
Last weekend, Woods skipped the Chevron World Challenge, a tournament he founded. NBC's telecast drew a modest 1.2 million viewers, down 54% compared with last year, when Woods competed in the event.
"Without Woods, televised tournaments are like a major motion picture without a star's name above the title -- rarely do people go to see the flick," said Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz TV Group. "Now only die-hard golf fans will watch the tournaments."
Golf's best player posted a statement Friday on his Web site admitting to "infidelity," apologizing to his fans and saying he was taking a break from the sport.
"It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try," Woods wrote.
NBC's viewership...
- 12/13/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Now that Oprah Winfrey has made it official that she's ending her talk show in September 2011, the focus now turns to those 215 stations that aired the Queen of Daytime and how they'll attempt to retain the 7 million-plus viewers who tune into Winfrey every day. Speculation is already rampant that Winfrey could groom a successor on her show (she's already responsible for the launches of Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil) but it seems more likely that she'll make a quick getaway from CBS Television, which syndicated her show, and the ABC- and Hearst-owned stations that aired her and leave the companies to fend for themselves.
- 11/20/2009
- by Lynette Rice
- EW - Inside Movies
Several weeks after David Letterman was shaken by an image-rocking scandal, CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" has shown little sign of weakening audience support.
Far from hurting the host's popularity, the sex-and-extortion headlines seemingly have had little impact on his late-night show and possibly even helped the series grow its viewership compared with last year.
"It doesn't appear to have hurt him and likely got him more sampling," said Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz Television Group.
Letterman enjoyed an unusually strong premiere week, bolstered by appearances by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, before he revealed during the Oct. 1 episode that he has had sexual relationships with female staffers and that he was a victim of an alleged blackmail plot to keep those affairs secret.
Since then, "Late Show's" weekly average rating in the adults 18-49 demographic has been a consistent 1.0 or 1.1 until it went into repeats last week.
Far from hurting the host's popularity, the sex-and-extortion headlines seemingly have had little impact on his late-night show and possibly even helped the series grow its viewership compared with last year.
"It doesn't appear to have hurt him and likely got him more sampling," said Bill Carroll, vp and director of programming at Katz Television Group.
Letterman enjoyed an unusually strong premiere week, bolstered by appearances by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, before he revealed during the Oct. 1 episode that he has had sexual relationships with female staffers and that he was a victim of an alleged blackmail plot to keep those affairs secret.
Since then, "Late Show's" weekly average rating in the adults 18-49 demographic has been a consistent 1.0 or 1.1 until it went into repeats last week.
- 11/1/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Premiere week wasn't a fluke.
Five weeks into the fall season, broadcasters have managed to maintain strong ratings for an eclectic collection of new shows that drew large debut audiences. Fox's "Glee," ABC's "Modern Family," the CW's "The Vampire Diaries" and CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles" have continued to impress, and that's but a partial list of promising newcomers.
With these freshman success stories, one might think broadcasters would see boosted ratings. But three networks are down compared with last year -- partly because of the effect of DVRs, partly because of top-rated veteran shows losing traction and, in the case of NBC, partly because of the loss of dramas at 10 p.m. and no new breakout hits.
The report card for the fall season so far:
CBS
The pieces of its schedule have snapped into place with precision: Putting "NCIS: La" after "NCIS" -- click. "The Big Bang Theory" with...
Five weeks into the fall season, broadcasters have managed to maintain strong ratings for an eclectic collection of new shows that drew large debut audiences. Fox's "Glee," ABC's "Modern Family," the CW's "The Vampire Diaries" and CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles" have continued to impress, and that's but a partial list of promising newcomers.
With these freshman success stories, one might think broadcasters would see boosted ratings. But three networks are down compared with last year -- partly because of the effect of DVRs, partly because of top-rated veteran shows losing traction and, in the case of NBC, partly because of the loss of dramas at 10 p.m. and no new breakout hits.
The report card for the fall season so far:
CBS
The pieces of its schedule have snapped into place with precision: Putting "NCIS: La" after "NCIS" -- click. "The Big Bang Theory" with...
- 10/22/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
They say in show business there is no bad publicity, but how will David Letterman's revelations of sexual relations with female employees and of a foiled extortion plot over them affect his "Late Show"?
The still-evolving saga comes at a crucial time for the veteran late-night host, who recently signed a new deal with CBS to stay with the show through the 2011-12 season.
He has been on a roll the past two weeks, celebrating his largest ratings victory over NBC's "The Tonight Show" in 15 years and boasting such A-list guests as Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Then came the bombshell admission on Thursday. The news was so unexpected, the audience at "Late Show" kept laughing through most of Letterman's 10-minute confession, waiting for a punchline to a joke that never came.
But beyond the initial shock, media pundits and ad buyers don't see any long-term effect on...
The still-evolving saga comes at a crucial time for the veteran late-night host, who recently signed a new deal with CBS to stay with the show through the 2011-12 season.
He has been on a roll the past two weeks, celebrating his largest ratings victory over NBC's "The Tonight Show" in 15 years and boasting such A-list guests as Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Then came the bombshell admission on Thursday. The news was so unexpected, the audience at "Late Show" kept laughing through most of Letterman's 10-minute confession, waiting for a punchline to a joke that never came.
But beyond the initial shock, media pundits and ad buyers don't see any long-term effect on...
- 10/2/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After two years of new shows opening to middling numbers, broadcast is showing renewed signs of life this fall.
Many veteran series continue to decline, but audiences are checking out new programs in higher-than-expected numbers.
"Viewers have shown an encouraging willingness to sample new shows," said John Rash, senior vp-director of media negotiations at Campbell-Mithun. "It's proving that the death of the scripted series, let along network TV, is greatly exaggerated."
After only a few weeks, broadcasters have rolled out six new shows that generated at least a 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 in their series premiere: NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" (5.3); Fox's "The Cleveland Show" (4.9); CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles (4.4); and ABC's "Cougar Town" (4.4), "Modern Family" (4.2) and "FlashForward" (4.0).
By comparison, at the same point last year, the highest-rated new show was "Worst Week" (3.8), which benefited from the biggest comedy lead-in on TV in CBS' Monday night block.
"It was really terrific week for network TV,...
Many veteran series continue to decline, but audiences are checking out new programs in higher-than-expected numbers.
"Viewers have shown an encouraging willingness to sample new shows," said John Rash, senior vp-director of media negotiations at Campbell-Mithun. "It's proving that the death of the scripted series, let along network TV, is greatly exaggerated."
After only a few weeks, broadcasters have rolled out six new shows that generated at least a 4.0 rating among adults 18-49 in their series premiere: NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" (5.3); Fox's "The Cleveland Show" (4.9); CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles (4.4); and ABC's "Cougar Town" (4.4), "Modern Family" (4.2) and "FlashForward" (4.0).
By comparison, at the same point last year, the highest-rated new show was "Worst Week" (3.8), which benefited from the biggest comedy lead-in on TV in CBS' Monday night block.
"It was really terrific week for network TV,...
- 9/28/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Andrea Wong brought us The Bachelor! Now she's trying to reinvigorate Lifetime with positivity and fun.
If Project Runway had a needlepoint challenge, the show might find itself with an unlikely contestant. "About a year ago, I started needlepointing," confesses Andrea Wong, CEO of Lifetime Networks. She is perched on a chair in her Los Angeles office, wearing a black Yves Saint Laurent pantsuit. "It completely relaxes me." Well, usually. There was that time she was stitching a cushion for her boyfriend. "I was needlepointing while doing conference calls. It practically killed me."
Wong's coexisting affection for high fashion and homey crafts are the perfect metaphor for her plan to reinvigorate the dowdy, if successful, cable channel. Lifetime has been the top ad-backed female-focused network for years but, before Wong's 2007 arrival, was plagued with a reputation for lowbrow movies like My Stepson, My Lover. Its ratings were falling or flat for five straight years.
If Project Runway had a needlepoint challenge, the show might find itself with an unlikely contestant. "About a year ago, I started needlepointing," confesses Andrea Wong, CEO of Lifetime Networks. She is perched on a chair in her Los Angeles office, wearing a black Yves Saint Laurent pantsuit. "It completely relaxes me." Well, usually. There was that time she was stitching a cushion for her boyfriend. "I was needlepointing while doing conference calls. It practically killed me."
Wong's coexisting affection for high fashion and homey crafts are the perfect metaphor for her plan to reinvigorate the dowdy, if successful, cable channel. Lifetime has been the top ad-backed female-focused network for years but, before Wong's 2007 arrival, was plagued with a reputation for lowbrow movies like My Stepson, My Lover. Its ratings were falling or flat for five straight years.
- 9/3/2009
- by Danielle Sacks
- Fast Company
Fox is going for a more seamless scheduling transition from fall to midseason with the addition of an in-season edition of the summer reality hit "So You Think You Can Dance" and is making a big play on Thursdays, moving J.J. Abrams' "Fringe" to challenge some of TV's biggest shows.
"Dance" will air as a two-hour performance show on Tuesdays and as a results show on Wednesdays, just as "American Idol" does in the spring, preventing the mass displacement of series in January to make room for "Idol."
"This is an aggressive move to add women and bring stability," Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said during the network's hourlong Monday presentation at New York City Center, where advertisers were reminded often that broadcast TV continues to be a great place for them.
With "Dance" going to fall, its cycle for the first time will coincide with ABC's top hoofing competition "Dancing With the Stars.
"Dance" will air as a two-hour performance show on Tuesdays and as a results show on Wednesdays, just as "American Idol" does in the spring, preventing the mass displacement of series in January to make room for "Idol."
"This is an aggressive move to add women and bring stability," Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said during the network's hourlong Monday presentation at New York City Center, where advertisers were reminded often that broadcast TV continues to be a great place for them.
With "Dance" going to fall, its cycle for the first time will coincide with ABC's top hoofing competition "Dancing With the Stars.
- 5/18/2009
- by By James Hibberd and Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los Angeles -- Exactly six months ago, NBC Universal president Jeff Zucker stood in front of an audience of investors at the Ubs Global Media and Communications Conference and posed two questions.
"Can we continue to broadcast 22 hours in primetime? Three of our competitors don't," he said, referring to Fox, CW and MyNetwork TV. "Can we continue to broadcast seven days a week? One of our competitors doesn't." (CW and MyNet program six nights a week.)
Shortly after Zucker's speech, NBC announced that starting next fall, it will de facto program 17 hours a week by stripping a Jay Leno-hosted talk show at 10 p.m.
In February, MyNet announced that it was leaving the league of broadcast networks to become a "hybrid national program distribution service," switching to syndicated content and giving a second night, Saturday, back to the affiliates, in addition to Sunday.
And late Monday, CW too confirmed...
"Can we continue to broadcast 22 hours in primetime? Three of our competitors don't," he said, referring to Fox, CW and MyNetwork TV. "Can we continue to broadcast seven days a week? One of our competitors doesn't." (CW and MyNet program six nights a week.)
Shortly after Zucker's speech, NBC announced that starting next fall, it will de facto program 17 hours a week by stripping a Jay Leno-hosted talk show at 10 p.m.
In February, MyNet announced that it was leaving the league of broadcast networks to become a "hybrid national program distribution service," switching to syndicated content and giving a second night, Saturday, back to the affiliates, in addition to Sunday.
And late Monday, CW too confirmed...
- 5/5/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Leno tussle isn't the first for Whdh owner
NBC is adamant that it will be victorious in the surprise standoff with a rebelling Boston station that is refusing to air Jay Leno's primetime talk show in the fall.
"Jay Leno fans will not be disappointed," NBC TV Network president John Eck said. "Make no mistake. The new Leno show will air at 10 p.m. weeknights in the Boston market on NBC."
Whdh's Thursday announcement that it plans to replace Leno's 10 p.m. show with a local newscast raised the question over how much control affiliate stations have over primetime.
Whdh owner Ed Ansin was quoted as saying his station can opt not to air NBC's new show because it "will be very adverse to our finances." But Jack Goodman, former general counsel for the National Association of Broadcasters, sided with NBC, which says a station can't permanently drop network programming.
NBC is adamant that it will be victorious in the surprise standoff with a rebelling Boston station that is refusing to air Jay Leno's primetime talk show in the fall.
"Jay Leno fans will not be disappointed," NBC TV Network president John Eck said. "Make no mistake. The new Leno show will air at 10 p.m. weeknights in the Boston market on NBC."
Whdh's Thursday announcement that it plans to replace Leno's 10 p.m. show with a local newscast raised the question over how much control affiliate stations have over primetime.
Whdh owner Ed Ansin was quoted as saying his station can opt not to air NBC's new show because it "will be very adverse to our finances." But Jack Goodman, former general counsel for the National Association of Broadcasters, sided with NBC, which says a station can't permanently drop network programming.
- 4/3/2009
- by By James Hibberd and Matthew Belloni
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Could the big winner on Election Day be "Knight Rider"?
With the race for the Oval Office considered the most exciting and dramatic narrative this fall, struggling broadcast TV shows might get some ratings relief once election fever subsides.
Cable news networks have seen their ratings soar in recent months -- for October, CNN was up 241% compared with last year in its key demo. Meanwhile, political Web sites are reporting record traffic, up triple digits from last year.
For viewers avidly tracking the latest poll results from North Carolina on RealClearPolitics.com or the newest stump speech on CNN, they will have to find something new to occupy their time.
Katz Television Group's Bill Carroll noted that when such disasters as Hurricane Katrina or Sept. 11 spike the cable news networks for days on end, once audience interest passes, the overall ratings distribution tends to return to normal.
"If we look at this current climate,...
With the race for the Oval Office considered the most exciting and dramatic narrative this fall, struggling broadcast TV shows might get some ratings relief once election fever subsides.
Cable news networks have seen their ratings soar in recent months -- for October, CNN was up 241% compared with last year in its key demo. Meanwhile, political Web sites are reporting record traffic, up triple digits from last year.
For viewers avidly tracking the latest poll results from North Carolina on RealClearPolitics.com or the newest stump speech on CNN, they will have to find something new to occupy their time.
Katz Television Group's Bill Carroll noted that when such disasters as Hurricane Katrina or Sept. 11 spike the cable news networks for days on end, once audience interest passes, the overall ratings distribution tends to return to normal.
"If we look at this current climate,...
- 11/3/2008
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Legend of the Seeker" is hoping to conjure up some ratings magic and revive a dormant genre when it debuts in syndication this weekend.
The weekly scripted epic fantasy, about a woodsman (Craig Horner) who discovers he has magical powers and sets out to stop a sinister tyrant, will become the first major action hour to bow in syndication in recent years with its two-hour premiere. The most recent effort, NBC/MGM's "She Spies," failed to generate much interest, lasting only two seasons (2002-04).
Many had left the genre for dead, as such big-budget first-run dramas as "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess" were considered to be part of another era. But "Seeker" distributor Disney-abc Domestic Television and producer ABC Studios believe the time is right for the weekly action hour to make a comeback.
"Entertainment and fantasy and escapism are very important in the world right now,...
The weekly scripted epic fantasy, about a woodsman (Craig Horner) who discovers he has magical powers and sets out to stop a sinister tyrant, will become the first major action hour to bow in syndication in recent years with its two-hour premiere. The most recent effort, NBC/MGM's "She Spies," failed to generate much interest, lasting only two seasons (2002-04).
Many had left the genre for dead, as such big-budget first-run dramas as "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess" were considered to be part of another era. But "Seeker" distributor Disney-abc Domestic Television and producer ABC Studios believe the time is right for the weekly action hour to make a comeback.
"Entertainment and fantasy and escapism are very important in the world right now,...
- 10/30/2008
- by By Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wall Street in chaos. A historic presidential election. And in the background, some TV shows premiered.
After a long, sleepy summer, the broadcast networks returned to full primetime strength just in time to be overshadowed by real-world events that seemed like something out of a Hollywood script.
"There was so much news last week you kind of forgot it was premiere week," said Brad Adgate, vp research at Horizon Media.
Networks sure didn't forget. ABC (a preliminary 12.2 million viewers, 3.8/10 in the 18-49 demo) took its fourth consecutive premiere week, stopping NBC's recent post-Olympics winning streak. Yet neither ABC nor its major competitors felt entirely comfortable with its standing. All had key shows that were down compared with last year, and three out of five posted lower overall ratings.
With the possible exception of Fox's "Fringe" and CW's "90210," no new shows have clearly broken out. With DVR market penetration climbing from 20% last year to 28% last week,...
After a long, sleepy summer, the broadcast networks returned to full primetime strength just in time to be overshadowed by real-world events that seemed like something out of a Hollywood script.
"There was so much news last week you kind of forgot it was premiere week," said Brad Adgate, vp research at Horizon Media.
Networks sure didn't forget. ABC (a preliminary 12.2 million viewers, 3.8/10 in the 18-49 demo) took its fourth consecutive premiere week, stopping NBC's recent post-Olympics winning streak. Yet neither ABC nor its major competitors felt entirely comfortable with its standing. All had key shows that were down compared with last year, and three out of five posted lower overall ratings.
With the possible exception of Fox's "Fringe" and CW's "90210," no new shows have clearly broken out. With DVR market penetration climbing from 20% last year to 28% last week,...
- 9/30/2008
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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