Showbiz Biz

Guillermo del Toro Quits “The Hobbit”

2010-05-31T20:51:00.001-04:00

Guillermo del Toro announced today on the OneRing.net that he won’t be directing the two film versions of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit, though he will continue to collaborate as a writer. This is yet another (possibly fatal) nail in the coffin of this project. As one who saw first hand the battle between the parties over the profits from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I can say that there is absolutely too much greed on all sides attached to these projects. Whatever the problems, The Hobbit will not happen unless Peter Jackson takes the directing helm (which he claims that he can’t do). Also, Mr. Jackson should put the project first this time instead of his big, fat wallet (which has not lost any weight). Read the Deadline Hollywood story here:

http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/del-toro-leaves-the-hobbit-and-evidently-peter-jackson-wont-be-next/#more-44536

R.I.P. Dennis Hopper

2010-05-31T20:50:00.000-04:00

One of the most versatile actors of all time passed away last week. Dennis Hopper was more that a great actor. He was a visionary. In front of the camera, behind it, as a photographer or painter, Hopper went beyond the boundaries. A few years ago, I attended a talk he gave at the Guggenheim Museum to discuss his painting and photography. It was apparent to me that his objective in life was to elicit a reaction from his audience. It didn’t matter what the reaction was, so long as it was powerful. That was the way he lived until the end. I, for one, will miss him.

Betty White Delivers!

2010-05-09T23:14:00.002-04:00

Well, looking for young, hip hosts may not be where it's at for SNL. Maybe they should rethink their business model. Many articles were written today, but here is a good one...

http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/46685211.html#cutid1

Betty White ratings doubters, look away! Her preliminary 5.1 adults 18-49 rating topped even Sir Charles Barkley’s episode that followed the Dallas/Philadelphia NFL Wildcard Game, which was this season’s top so far.

“Saturday Night Live” has scored its highest metered-market household rating in a year and a half, since the pre-election telecast of November 2008, according to in-home viewing figures from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research.

With a telecast hosted by Betty White and featuring musical guest Jay-Z, last night’s “Saturday Night Live” averaged an 8.8 household rating, 21 share in the metered markets, highest for the series since November 1, 2008 (9.0/20 for a telecast hosted by Ben Affleck with musical guest David Cook and guest appearances by Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain and Tina Fey as Governor Sarah Palin just prior to the 2008 election).

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, the May 8 edition of “Saturday Night Live” averaged a 5.1 rating, 20 share in adults 18-49, also the show’s highest rating since November 1, 2008 (5.2/18).

“Saturday Night Live” was the #1 telecast of the night, topping all primetime programs on all major networks in metered-market results. In households, “SNL” doubled the #1 telecast in primetime, ABC’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs (4.4/8 in the metered markets).

Versus the same night last year, “Saturday Night Live” is up 66 percent in metered-market households (8.8 vs. 5.3).

The May 8 telecast of “Saturday Night Live” featured performances from show alums Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph and Molly Shannon.

National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night’s “Saturday Night Live” are due from Nielsen on Thursday, May 13.

Not So Fast, Comcast!

2010-04-18T19:20:00.003-04:00

DHD is reporting that the FCC is looking more closely into the Comcast takeover of NBCU. A bump for Comcast/GE/NBCU. Link:

http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/finally-big-media-oversight-fcc-stops-clock-on-comcastgenbcu-deal-review/#more-32777

FINALLY, BIG MEDIA OVERSIGHT! FCC Stops Clock On Comcast/GE/NBCU Review
By Nikki Finke Friday April 16, 2010 @ 3:31pm PDT

Forget that May 3rd deadline for comments. The Federal Communications Commission is stopping its 6-month clock to have more time to review the Comcast/GE/NBCU deal. Specifically, the FCC is demanding that Comcast file two economic reports which the FCC's staff says it needs. The FCC filing says one report is on the "claimed benefits of the transaction", while the other addresses "the potential impacts of the transaction on online video distribution."

The FCC also said it is extending the May 3rd deadline for comments on the deal because of the lack of more info. Now all parties pro and con will have more time to state their positions. "The commission has a strong interest in ensuring a full and complete record, and we believe this action will ensure that all parties will have sufficient time to review and comment on the applications, including these supplemental materials, and will ultimately contribute to the efficient and expeditious review of the proposed transaction," the FCC stated.

This delay could possibly wreck Comcast's and GE's hoped-for timetable of getting the federal regulatory review done by end of 2010. But I say, Hurrah! Because, finally, the FCC is now under Democratic control and demonstrating it is intent on truly scrutinizing these Big Media mergers and acquisitions after a decade of Republican leadership which never met a Big Media conglomeration deal it didn't like.

Immediately, Comcast issued this groveling (and meaningless) statement: "We look forward to working with the Commission to submit the additional information they’ve requested. We know they want to conduct a thorough and expeditious review of this transaction and we’ll be submitting these reports as soon as possible. We understand and agree in this case with the Commission’s desire to have a full comment period on key documents submitted by the applicants.”

Of Disney, Miramax and Weinsteins...

2010-04-17T13:50:00.003-04:00

Here's the latest from the LA Times about the Weinsteins trying to buy back control of Miramax from Disney. Disney balked at the idea at first, but then realized that the Weinstein's money is as good as anyone else's. (Now, if only Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne can figure a way to wrestle New Line back from Time Warner. Yeah, right.)

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/04/exclusive-negotiations-between-the-walt-disney-co-and-bob-and-harvey-weinstein-who-are-backed-by-the-supermarket-magnate-ro.html

Miramax talks expected to extend through the weekend [Updated]
April 16, 2010 | 4:50 pm

Exclusive negotiations between the Walt Disney Co. and Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who are backed by supermarket magnate Ron Burkle, over the potential acquisition of Miramax Films are expected to stretch through the weekend, people with knowledge of the discussions said.

Meanwhile, competing bidders Alec and Tom Gores are awaiting the outcome and keeping their bid on the table for the moment, according to a person familiar with the situation. A third bid, from an offshore corporation being advised by beleaguered financier David Bergstein, also remains in the wings.

Disney hopes to wrap up a deal with the Weinsteins by next week, said a person close to the situation. Although the Weinsteins, who founded Miramax in 1979 and sold it to Disney in 1993, remain highly motivated to win back the specialty label, the negotiations still could break down.

Even though there's pressure to sweeten the deal, a person close to Burkle says the investor won't overpay for the asset. Burkle, who brings the money to the contemplated purchase through his investment firm, the Yucaipa Companies, doesn't have the same emotional attachment to Miramax as do the Weinstein brothers, said one person who knows him. To Burkle, it's an investment that is expected to generate a good return, and not, as it is for the Weinsteins, a bid to reclaim the company.

The Burkle-led bid, which was $600 million for the 600-film library, however, is expected to rise to $625 million with the addition of Miramax's remaining unreleased films, which include the animated "Gnomeo and Juliet" and "The Switch," a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston about a 40-year-old woman who uses a turkey baster to become pregnant.

Updated 6 p.m.: A person familiar with the deal said some, but not all, of the unreleased films will be included in the sale.

Under the arrangement being discussed, Miramax's new owners would pay the marketing and distribution costs of releasing the movies and stand to reap most of the box-office revenue -- after paying Disney a 10% distribution fee.

-- Dawn C. Chmielewski and Claudia Eller

Conan Goes to TBS!

2010-04-12T22:55:00.002-04:00

Sure, it's reported everywhere that Conan O'Brien is going to TBS. But DHD has the best info. As for me, I'm quite surprised that FOX didn't get this done. I guess old Ruppert just doesn't appreciate liberal humor. It's a big coup for Time Warner. Here is the link to DHD:

http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/conan-obrien-makes-tbs-deal/

Rainbow Media To Use RSG's Rights-Management System

2010-04-10T15:01:00.003-04:00

Here is an article near and dear to my heart from Multichannel News. It talks about Rainbow Media's deal to use RSG's Rights Management software. Contract accounting takes a big leap forward.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/451251-Rainbow_To_Use_RSG_s_Rights_Management_System.php

Rainbow To Use RSG's Rights-Management System
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, April 9, 2010

Cablevision Systems' Rainbow Media Holdings has signed a multiyear deal to use RSG Media Systems' RightsLogic Program Planning & Scheduling and RightsLogic Acquisitions Finance software applications.

Financial terms weren't disclosed. Under the agreement, RSG is deploying the software for Rainbow Media to search its asset library, create programming grids and scenarios across multiple platforms, and validate rights availability for content it plans to broadcast.

RSG also is implementing its RightsLogic Acquisitions Finance software to help the programmer manage content-licensing deals. That application will allow Rainbow to monitor licensing deals as they are signed or amended, as well as create and adjust amortization and payment schedules, budget forecasting and track backend participation obligations.

"RSG's new RightsLogic apps will eliminate the need for time consuming manual updates and tracking of broadcaster's licensing deals and programming schedules," RSG Media CEO Mukesh Sehgal said in a statement. "With the implementation of these applications, we look forward to supporting Rainbow Media as they as they continue to grow their licensing business."

New York-based RSG Media's other customers include Discovery Communications and Viacom's MTV Networks.

Sapan: Network Fees Should Be Pegged To Exclusivity

2010-04-01T22:56:00.001-04:00

http://www.multichannel.com/article/450939-Sapan_Network_Fees_Should_Be_Pegged_To_Exclusivity.php

From Multichannel News:

Sapan: Network Fees Should Be Pegged To Exclusivity
'Video Value Index' Would Penalize Programmers Making Content Free On The Web
by MCN Staff -- Multichannel News, April 1, 2010

Network license fees should be based partly on how much content a programmer keeps exclusive to multichannel video providers, Rainbow Media Holdings CEO Joshua Sapan contends in an opinion piece in the current Multichannel News.

John Sapan of Rainbow MediaSapan, whose programming company (with networks AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and WE TV) is owned by a big multichannel video provider (Cablevision Systems), proposes a "Video Value Index." A subscriber fee would be adjusted up or down based on how much over-the-top content a network offers, he writes in the piece.

AMC, he notes, does not offer full episodes of popular series Mad Men and Breaking Bad free on the Internet.

Time Runs Out on Jack Bauer and '24'

2010-03-26T20:36:00.000-04:00

From The Wrap:

Time Runs Out on Jack Bauer and '24'

It's really over: "24" will end its eight-season run on Fox this May.

Following weeks of speculation, the network and showrunner Howard Gordon Friday confirmed that time's really up for Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer -- at least on the small screen. The final two-hour episode will air May 24, Gordon said.
"We entertained creatively what a ninth season would look like, and frankly we came to the conclusion that the story had run its course in the 24-hour, real-time framework," Gordon told TheWrap.

But, as has been reported, Jack may be back -- on the big screen. Gordon confirmed that a feature film -- "a more modest framework," he calls it -- is in development and that Sutherland is on board to star.
Fox's feature arm hasn't made a decision yet on when, or even whether, to proceed, however.

TheWrap and other outlets reported March 9 that "24" had been essentially canceled. There had been some talk about a shift to another network, but that's not happening (at least not now).

Other tidbits from TVMoJoe's chat with Gordon:

-- Bauer won't die in the finale. Probably.

"We really explored the full spectrum (of possible endings), from Jack's demise to a happy ending," he said. "But those seemed reductive. Jack will probably survive."

Probably.

-- Does the finale set up where producers would like to see the movie go? "I don't know that it sets up the movie, but it set up where the movie likely begins," he said.

-- "The movie won't be a prequel," Gordon said.

-- If there is a movie, "I'd hope it would happen sooner rather than later," he said. "And I think that's Keifer's feeling, too." But, he added, "That's so above my pay grade."

-- Producers have been approaching this season as a likely series-ender for months, allowing them the chance to outline story arcs "that are riskier than we've done before. The last quarter of the season goes to places we wouldn't have dared go before."

Like maybe the bathroom? (Sorry, we couldn't resist).

-- The final call to end the show came just days ago, when Sutherland and Gordon, along with Fox Entertainment chiefs Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice met in Sutherland's trailer (along with studio reps) and discussed matters. "Our decision was in synch with what FBC wanted. Everyone has their own agenda, but from our point of view, the story was done," Gordon said.

-- Gordon says his highlight on eight seasons of "24" is happening right now, by shaping the show's finale. "There's always been this incredible, 'I dare you to fail' context to this show, but this is the moment I've been waiting for," he said. "You can't underestimate the sense of completion."

-- Series creators Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran are no long involved in running "24," but Gordon said he has briefed them "on the broad outlines" of how the series will end.

Source URL: http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/times-jack-bauer-and-24-15726

NBC Says "No" to Conan Idol Appearance

2010-03-22T22:20:00.002-04:00

From Broadcasting and Cable:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/450454-NBC_Nixes_Conan_Give_Back_With_Idol_.php

NBC Nixes Conan ‘Give Back’ With ‘Idol’
Peacock refuses to let O'Brien appear on Idol Gives Back as the former Tonight Show host finalizes deal to join Fox
By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, March 22, 2010

Conan O’Brien’s presumed debut on Fox will have to wait until the fall after all, following NBC’s refusal to allow the late-night host to appear on Fox’s Idol Gives Back.

Executives at Idol producer Fremantle Media approached NBC, seeking permission to have O’Brien appear on Idol’s April 21 annual charity broadcast, according to multiple sources. The entreaty was rejected by NBC, which negotiated a $32 million separation agreement with O’Brien that keeps him off television until Sept. 1. NBC would not comment.

And this fall is when O’Brien is expected to join Fox full time, according to sources with knowledge of network and affiliate plans. The network hopes to make the announcement with O’Brien at its May 17 upfront presentation in New York. Fox declined comment.

O’Brien is also prohibited from saying anything that a “reasonable person” would find disparaging of NBC until Sept. 1. But he could appear onstage at the Fox upfront.

On April 12, O’Brien will hit the road for his “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.” There is no tour date on his schedule on May 17, the day of the Fox upfront presentation. He’s scheduled to be in Kansas City on May 16 and Minneapolis on May 18.

O’Brien’s representatives have also been shopping for studio space and are said to be keen on his old Tonight Show studio on the Universal lot, which cost $50 million to build and is only useful for variety programs with a studio audience. But NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker has not yet decided whether he will rent the space to O’Brien, who reveled in sticking it to NBCU executives during his final weeks on The Tonight Show.

Fox has not cleared an O’Brien program with affi liates, and many of them have been lukewarm to the idea since they have lucrative syndicated fare or local news in place in late night. The Fox affiliate board is scheduled to meet on April 13 in Las Vegas.

Some affiliate group heads say they would keep syndicated sitcoms in place at 11 p.m. and push O’Brien to midnight. (Ironically, it was NBC’s proposal to push The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien to 12:05 a.m. that prompted him to bolt the network.)

Numerous affiliates say they have not been approached by Fox about its plans for O’Brien. “We haven’t heard a thing from the network,” says a general manager at a leading Fox affiliate. “All we know is what we read in the trades.”

While O’Brien to Fox was considered inevitable by many, that didn’t stop multiple suitors from making proposals, including syndicators CBS and Debmar-Mercury.

Fox has tried numerous times to mount a late-night franchise, where even moderate success can yield many millions in ad dollars, despite the daypart showing some vulnerability in recent years.

CBS’ Late Show With David Letterman brought in $271 million in ad revenue for 2009, according to data compiled by Advertising Age. The Tonight Show reaped $175.6 million, and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live took in $138.1 million.

For Fox, a successful, long-running late-night franchise would be the final piece in its programming oeuvre, and could raise the top-rated network’s leverage during upcoming retransmission consent negotiations.

R.I.P. Peter Graves (from NYT)

2010-03-14T22:50:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/arts/television/15graves.html

March 15, 2010
Peter Graves, Spymaster and Host, Is Dead at 83
By MICHAEL POLLAK

Peter Graves, the cool spymaster of television’s “Mission Impossible” and the dignified host of the “Biography” series, who successfully spoofed his own gravitas in the “Airplane” movie farces, died Sunday. He was 83.

He died of a heart attack at his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., said Fred Barman, his business manager.

It was a testament to Mr. Graves’s earnest, unhammy ability to make fun of himself that after decades of playing square he-men and straitlaced authority figures, he was perhaps best known to younger audiences for a deadpan line in “Airplane!” (“Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?”) and one from a memorable Geico car insurance commercial (“I was one lucky woman”).

Born Peter Aurness in Minneapolis, the blond, 6-foot-2 Mr. Graves served in the Army Air Force in 1944-45, studied drama at the University of Minnesota under the G.I. Bill and played the clarinet in local bands before following his older brother, James Arness, to Hollywood.

His first film appearance was in “Rogue River” (1950), with Rory Calhoun. Mr. Graves’s getting a Hollywood contract for the picture persuaded his fiancée’s family to let her marry him. He changed his name for that movie to Graves, his maternal grandfather’s name, to avoid confusion with his older brother.

He soon found himself in classics like Billy Wilder’s “Stalag 17” (1953), where he played a security officer with a secret; Charles Laughton’s “Night of the Hunter” (1955); Otto Preminger’s “Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell” (1955); and John Ford’s “Long Gray Line” (1955).

Mr. Graves became known for taking all his roles seriously, injecting a certain believability into even the campiest plot. He appeared in westerns like “The Yellow Tomahawk” (1954) and “Wichita” (1955); a Civil War adventure, “The Raid” (1954); and gangster movies (“Black Tuesday,” 1954, and “The Naked Street,” 1955). He played earnest scientists in science fiction/horror films: “Killers From Space” (1954), “It Conquered the World” (1956) and “Beginning of the End” (1957), the latter movie about giant grasshoppers in Chicago. There was also Cold War science fiction anti-Communism: “Red Planet Mars” (1952).

Other movies included “East of Sumatra” (1953), “Beneath the 12-Mile Reef” (1953), “A Rage to Live” (1965), “Texas Across the River” (1966), “Sergeant Ryker” (1968), “The Ballad of Josie” (1968), “The Five-Man Army” (1969), “The Mysterious Monsters” (1976), “The Clonus Horror” (1979), “The Guns and the Fury” (1981), “Savannah Smiles” (1982), “Number One With a Bullet”(1986), “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” (1988), “Addams Family Values” (1993), “The House on Haunted Hill” (1999) and “Men in Black II” (2002).

In 1955 Mr. Graves began his career as a television series regular as the star of “Fury,” a Western family adventure series about a rancher named Jim Newton, his orphaned ward and the boy’s black stallion. It ran until 1959 on NBC, helped pioneer television adventure series and solidified Mr. Graves’s TV credentials.

Some of his hundreds of television credits include “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Whiplash” (1961), “The Dean Martin Show” (1970), the Herman Wouk miniseries “The Winds of War” (1983) and “War and Remembrance” (1988), “Fantasy Island” (1978-83) and “7th Heaven” (1999-2005). He served as the host or narrator for numerous television specials and performed in television movies of the week like “The President’s Plane Is Missing” (1973), “Where Have All the People Gone” (1974) and “Death Car on the Freeway” (1979).

Mr. Graves played his most famous television character from 1967 to 1973 in “Mission Impossible,” reprising it in 1988-1990. He was Jim Phelps, the leader of the Impossible Missions Force, a super-secret government organization that conducted dangerous undercover assignments (which he always chose to accept). After the tape summarizing the objective self-destructed, the team would use, not violence, but elaborate con games to trap the villains. In his role, Mr. Graves was a model of cool, deadpan efficiency.

But he was appalled when his agent sent him the script for the role of a pedophile pilot in “Airplane” (1980). “I tore my hair and ranted and raved and said, ‘This is insane,’ he recalled on “Biography” in 1997. Some of the role’s lines (“Have you ever been in a Turkish prison?”) looked at first as if they could get him thrown in jail, never mind ruining his career. He told his agent to tell David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, the director-producers, to find themselves a comedian. He relented when the Zucker brothers explained that the secret of their spoof would be the deadpan behavior of the cast; they didn’t want a comedian, they wanted the Peter Graves of “Fury” and “Mission Impossible.”

Mr. Graves used his familiar earnest, all-American demeanor in service of some of the comic movie’s most outrageous moments. He reprised the role of Captain Oveur in “Airplane II” in 1982.

Starting in the mid-1980’s Mr. Graves was the host of a number of television science specials on “Discover.” In 1987, he became the host of the Arts and Entertainment Network’s long-running “Biography” series, narrating the lives of such figures as Prince Andrew, Muhammad Ali, pioneers of the space program, Churchill, Ernie Kovacs, Edward G. Robinson, Sophia Loren, Jackie Robinson, Howard Hughes, Steven Spielberg and Jonathan Winters.

In 1997, Mr. Graves was the subject of his own “Biography” presentation, “Peter Graves: Mission Accomplished.” In 2002, Mr. Graves was interviewed for a special about the documentary series, “Biography: 15 Years and Counting.”

Mr. Graves won a Golden Globe Award in 1971 for his performance in “Mission Impossible,” and in 1997, he and “Biography” won an Emmy Award for outstanding informational series.

In 1998, he joined his wife, Joan, in an effort to get Los Angeles to ban gasoline-powered leaf blowers from residential areas, testifying before the City Council, ”We’re all victims of these machines.”

Besides his brother, he is survived by his wife, Joan Graves, and three daughters, Amanda Lee Graves, Claudia King Graves and Kelly Jean Graves.

AP: WABC-TV is back on Cablevision

2010-03-07T21:13:00.001-05:00

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jjHS8S3jIndU2oI6WHB_KqB-pvwAD9EA5IK02

US APNewsAlert
(AP) – 15 minutes ago

NEW YORK — Cablevision says WABC-TV has been restored to its 3.1 million customers as the Oscars begin.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

WABC-TV Pulls Signal From Cablevision In Retrans Dispute

2010-03-07T00:42:00.001-05:00

http://www.multichannel.com/article/print/449770-WABC_TV_Pulls_Signal_From_Cablevision_In_Retrans_Dispute.php

WABC-TV Pulls Signal From Cablevision In Retrans Dispute
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, March 7, 2010

It looks like Cablevision video customers are going to have a find a different way to watch the Oscars Sunday night.
WABC-TV, which on March 1 threatened to pull its signal from Cablevision in a retransmission-consent dispute, did send the station to black at 12:01 a.m. on March 7, as the parties apparently could not come to terms. The 82nd annual Academy Awards telecast is scheduled to run on the ABC network at 8:30 p.m.

"It is now painfully clear to millions of New York area households that Disney CEO Bob Iger will hold his own ABC viewers hostage in order to extract $40 million in new fees from Cablevision," said Cablevision executive vice president Charles Schueler in a statment. "We call on Bob Iger to immediately return ABC to Cablevision customers while we continue to work to reach a fair agreement."
For her part, Rebecca Campbell, president and general manager, WABC-TV, issued the following statement, after midnight on Sunday morning.

"Cablevision has once again betrayed its subscribers by losing ABC7, the most popular station in the tri-state area. This follows two years of negotiations, during which we worked diligently, up to the final moments, to reach an agreement," Campbell said. "Cablevision pocketed almost $8 billion last year, and now customers aren't getting what they pay for...again. It's time for Jim Dolan and the Dolan Family Dynasty to finally step up, be fair, and do what's right for our viewers."

WABC-TV said Cablevision customers can call 1-877-990-ABC7 or visit www.saveABC7.com for information on how to switch service providers or receive ABC7's signal free, over-the-air

At the same time, Cablevision said its customers should urge ABC Disney to put the WABC programming back on Cablevision by calling 1-877-NO-TV-TAX, visiting http://www.cablevision.com/abc or joining its Facebook group "Cablevision Viewers Say: No New Fees, ABC!"

Cablevision, the predominant cable operator in metro New York with some 3.1 million video subscribers, claims that WABC-TV has been seeking some $40 million annually for its signal, a monthly license fee of about $1 per subscriber. The cable operator said it already pays WABC-TV parent The Walt Disney Co. some $200 million annually for carriage of such cable networks as ESPN and Disney Channel, and forking over fees for an over-the-air station would constitute a TV tax.

Disney has not disclosed its asking price, but some sources peg in the 50 cents to 60cents range. Whatever the amount, the parties could not bridge their differences and the station is now off Cablevision's air.

WABC-TV said it had been negotiating for retransmission-consent compensation for two years, continually granting contract extensions, with the talks heating up of late.

Cablevision CEO James Dolan, speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom conference in San Francisco on March 2, said Disney had resorted to a "bullying" move and Disney only started negotiating in earnest over the past few weeks, not the longer span the programmer mentioned.

Dolan noted that he and Cablevision COO Tom Rutledge traveled to Los Angeles last week to meet with Disney executives.

The decision follows a week's worth of finger-pointing in print and TV ads, as well as sniping by Cablevision and Disney, littered by comments about greed and ultimately attacks against the leadership of both companies.

Politicians also weighed in on the fracas, with Joe Barton (R-Tex.), the ranking member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, advising the Federal Communications Commission to let the marketplace negotiations were best left to the marketplace.

Conversely, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) advised the FCC that the government needs to step in to protect consumers and fix what he has long characterized as a broken promise.

This is the second high-profile carriage dispute Cablevision has been involved in this year. In January, Scripps Networks Interactive pulled its HGTV and Food Network cable channels from Cablevision for about three weeks.

MTV's Van Toffler Talks Strategy

2010-03-05T14:56:00.003-05:00

http://www.einsiders.com/articles/mtv-president-van-toffler-talks-strategy.html

From The Hollywood Reporter by way of Einsiders:

NEW YORK -- Music videos are still valuable content for MTV, even though viewers' evolving tastes have required an expansion into reality and other shows, Van Toffler, president of Viacom's MTV Networks Music and Logo Group, said here Thursday.

Asked about how good a business his firm's "Beatles: Rock Band" video game is, he said: "I believe it will sell forever, and it will be a good deal." The game has so far sold about a couple of million units, he said.

Toffler made his comments during a keynote interview at the Billboard Music & Money Symposium here Thursday.

Asked whether MTV is still a music network or a general youth channel, Toffler said: "It's really both." In the network's early days, "music videos were the soundtrack of pop culture," but then the audience demanded "more genre shows," and MTV moved into animation, reality TV and social campaigns.

MTV and its sibling networks still play more than 600 music video hours a week, but they increasingly play on platforms outside of the MTV TV network, he said.

Still, MTV integrates music in different ways via big events and by using music within shows, Toffler said.

Plus, MTV invests more than $100 million in music each year in the form of promotions and the like, he added.

"We reinvent ourselves every couple of years" on the TV and film screen, he later said. "That's what we do" to always speak to the young audience of the day.

Toffler was recently cited as saying the channel was pushing out members of Generation X. Asked jokingly by his Billboard interviewer why he hates that audience, Toffler quipped: "Because you're cynical."

On a serious note, he said the 12-29-year-old demographic is in focus for him and his colleagues. Those Millennials, born between 1980 and 2000, are "much more traditional," Toffler explained. For example, many of them watch "Jersey Shore" with their parents, he said. That's why Taylor Swift got such strong support when Kanye West interrupted her on stage at the Video Music Awards last year, he added.

Asked about his movie strategy, Toffler said it is also constantly evolving -- from "Election" to "Jackass" and beyond. "Music has always been integral to our movies," he said. "We always expose new music in our movies."

He added that the upcoming "Jackass 3D" will have music "all over it." He also quipped that the movie will be what "Avatar" director James Cameron envisioned.

Toffler also said Thursday that MTV plans to roll out a cross-platform initiative dubbed PUSH, or "Play Until Someone Hears." Its goal is to build careers for new artists. "We have to invest in future stars, especially online," he said.

On its U.K. Web site, MTV already has a section for PUSH, including information and music along with access to ringtones for up-and-comers. "If you're unsure who should be your new favorite band, MTV can help!" the site says. "Each month PUSH will be telling you about the hottest new acts in the world and, of course, explaining why they're so special."

The Hollywood Reporter

Read full article

"Hurt Locker" Producer Banned from Academy Awards

2010-03-02T21:12:00.003-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/academy-bans-nicolas-chartier-from-attending-oscarcast-for-violating-campaigning-standards/

DHD (link above) is reporting that Hurt Locker producer Nicolas Chartier has been banned from the Academy Awards presentation on Sunday. That means that should Hurt Locker win the Best Picture award, only three of the four producers will be allowed on stage.

Now, Mr. Chartier has not done anything that hasn't been done before by Academy Award campaigners. It's just that he was so blatantly open and shameless about it. Not good. He discredits a great movie by his actions. The worst part is that his Nixonian moves were not needed. Avatar is going to take every technical award and then some. However, the Best Picture is usually reserved for mainstream fare like Hurt Locker. His actions were over the top and unnecessary. The party will go on without Mr. Chartier celebrating his victory on the stage.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

2010-03-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

Here is something weird. Has the “Vampire Genre” reached rock bottom?

http://scifiwire.com/2010/03/watch-the-awesome-trailer.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Cablevision Retransmission Impasse with WABC-TV May Mean No Oscars for Half of NYC!

2010-03-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/no-oscars-cablevision-subscribers-may-lose-wabc-tv-at-1201-am-sunday-due-to-retrans-impasse/

Read the nuts and bolts of this at the DHD link above. My take? The same thing happened between WABC-TV and Time Warner Cable a few years back. And, yes, TWC customers lost WABC for a couple of days before that deal was ironed-out. However, this impasse comes at a very crucial time on Oscar Sunday. This is a night for big ratings. Losing half of the NYC audience would be a big blow to ABC and their sponsors. I predict this deal will get done in time for the broadcast on Sunday night. ABC can't afford to lose half of their viewers on their NYC flagship station for the Oscars.

From Variety: Kardashians Set Record for E!

2010-03-01T12:03:00.001-05:00

'Kardashians' set record for E!
Season finale nabs 4.8 million viewers
By STUART LEVINE

E! continues to relish the drama of the Kardashian clan.
The cabler drew 4.8 million viewers for Sunday night's season-four finale of "Keeping up With the Kardashians," making it the most-watched telecast in the history of the network.

Previous record of 4.3 million was also set by the "Kardashians" for an episode that aired Jan. 3.

The finale, in which Kourtney Kardashian had her baby, set ratings records in several demos. Nielsen will issue final numbers today, but "Kardashians" was expected to top original dramas "Brothers and Sisters" on ABC and "Cold Case" on CBS among adults 18-49.

Second season of spinoff series "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" will launch in June.

One-time special "The Spindustry" -- about a PR firm that specializes in Hollywood parties -- followed "Kardashians" at 10:30 p.m. Sunday and received some traction, drawing 2.5 million viewers. Network may consider turning "Spindustry" into a series.

The second season of "Kendra" and new series "Pretty Wild" debut March 14.

Elsewhere Sunday, CBS reality rookie "Undercover Boss" (prelim 4.8/11 in 18-49, 13.6 million viewers overall) remained strong in its third outing, easily topping ABC's original "Desperate Housewives" (prelim 3.7/8, 10.9 million) in their first encounter.

At the Olympics, NBC averaged a preliminary 22.4 million viewers in primetime to dominate the night, but it was down quite a bit from the previous Sunday. The mothership net was certainly impacted by competing Olympics coverage on MSNBC, as the U.S.-Canada hockey game drew roughly 8.2 million viewers on the cabler, matching the election-night coverage in November 2008 as its most-watched telecast ever.

Also, Lifetime Movie Network scored well with original pic "Sins of the Mother," which was the second highest rated and second most watched original telepic with women in the net's history (2.65 million viewers).

(Rick Kissell contributed to this report.)

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118015585.html

Wait a Minute! NBC Interrupts Olympic Closing Ceremonies for "The Marriage Ref"?

2010-02-28T22:34:00.004-05:00

C'mon...NBC couldn't fit in the Olympic closing ceremonies BEFORE The Marriage Ref? They are betting folks aren't changing the channel or going to bed. Will this move backfire and result in bad ratings for both The Marriage Ref and The 2010 Winter Olympic Closing Ceremonies? We'll see. If only I had the CBC to watch!

Sony Pix to Distribute Weinstein Company DVD's

2010-02-28T18:59:00.002-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/2010/02/weinsteins-seal-sony-worldwide-dvd-deal/

Nikke Finke reported that Sony will distribute The Weinstein Company films on DVD. This is a nice move for Sony who will get a sizable chunk of TWC home video net profits. Disney did well with Miramax and Dimension. Time Warner did well with New Line, Fine Line and Picturehouse. To read about the deal, check out DHD at the link above.

THR: Shatner in new CBS sitcom "Sh*t My Dad Says"

2010-02-19T21:39:00.001-05:00

I sh*t you not. This is from The Hollywood Reporter. The link is below. Do you think CBS has the balls to keep this title? The Shat is the sh*t!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 3e0936ab6a

William Shatner in Sh*t My Dad Says
Twitter sensation turned into TV pilot for CBS
By Nellie Andreeva

Feb 19, 2010, 12:03 PM ET

Twitter sensation Sh*t My Dad Says is becoming a TV pilot with William Shatner set to play the larger-than-life dad at the center of it.

The casting of Shatner lifts the contingency on CBS' multicamera family comedy project based on the Twitter account, which has enlisted more than 1.16 million followers since launching in August and has made its creator, Justin Halpern, an Internet star.

The pilot, executive produced by "Will & Grace" creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, was originally set up at CBS with a script commitment in November. Now, with Shatner on board, it has been greenlighted to pilot.

Halpern co-penned the script with Patrick Schumacker. Halpern and Schumacker co-exec produce the Warner Bros. TV-produced project whose title is expected to change if it goes to series.

Halpern, 29, had moved back in with his parents in San Diego, and on Aug. 3 he launched Shit My Dad Says, a Twitter feed featuring colorful -- often profane -- comments made by his 73-year-old father during their daily conversations.

Shatner was an early favorite for the role because of his comedic acting chops as well as his successful spoken word renditions that fit the style of the Sh*t My Dad Says zingers. Last year, he did spoken word interpretations of Sarah Palin's farewell address and her best-selling book on "The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien."

Shatner most recently starred on ABC's legal dramedy "Boston Legal," winning an Emmy for playing another larger-than-life character, self-proclaimed legendary litigator Denny Crane.

He also won an Emmy for playing the character in a guest tint to "Boston Legal's" predecessor, "The Practice."

Extra: Kevin Eubanks Leaving Leno

2010-02-16T20:17:00.001-05:00

"Extra" has confirmed that Jay Leno's longtime bandleader and sidekick, Kevin Eubanks, is leaving "The Tonight Show," as first reported by Lisa Stanley on K-EARTH 101.

A source tells "Extra" Eubanks "wanted a change" and decided to leave the show, adding that Eubanks wanted to pursue other opportunities. Another source says he will appear on the debut of the revamped "Tonight Show" when it returns on March 1.

In 1992, Eubanks joined "The Tonight Show" band, becoming bandleader two years later. Before he joined the show, Eubanks released numerous albums.

Eubanks was also bandleader on "The Jay Leno Show."

Read more: http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2010/02/kevin_eubanks_quits_the_tonigh.php?adid=021610_right_now_on_extra_extras_kevin_eubanks_quits_the_tonigh#ixzz0fkfN2rJc

NBC Olympics Day 1: Some Sports With Your Commercials?

2010-02-13T17:10:00.003-05:00

OK, I know the economics of the situation. However, do any of you folks find the NBC coverage on Day 1 just a bit annoying? Every time I switch between NBC, CNBC or Universal Sports (Sat. afternoon coverage), I tune in on a commercial, a promo or a fluff piece. NBC is squeezing some speed skating in with the commercials on the big network. I still have not caught one minute of women's hockey on CNBC. Every time I switch...commercials. Perhaps it's just my remote. Maybe it's cursed. I'm surprised I haven't seen the GEICO gecko speed skating. The moment the movement stops in the competition...commercials. The second a race ends...commercials. BTW, do Olympic athletes really eat McDonald's? Do they slosh down Coke? I guess with endorsement money they do. Health food authors take note: more burgers...more fries...more soft drinks!!! But really, the fluff and commercials are killing the broadcasts. Perhaps better commercial placement might help. There has got to be a better way.

Super Bowl Bets -- On Halftime Show!!!

2010-02-06T15:35:00.002-05:00

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/02/05/super-bowl-bets-count-townshends-windmills-time-underwoods-anthem/

Here is a nice article in Rolling Stone about the alternative things to be on other than the game:

Super Bowl Bets: Count Townshend’s Windmills, Time Underwood’s Anthem
2/5/10, 2:18 pm EST

When Pete Townshend revealed the Who’s mashup set list for this Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show, we figured there wouldn’t be a repeat of the gambling havoc that followed Bruce Springsteen’s set list leak a few days before the Super Bowl last year. However, some gambling Websites are still offering up some pretty insane prop bets going into this weekend. Over at Bodog Sportsbook, there’s a trio of Who-related bets, from whether a guitar will be smashed — if you think yes, a $100 bet will win $170 — to what other object the guitar being smashed will hit first (”Floor” is the big 1-to-6 favorite).

However, our favorite Who prop bet: How many times will Pete Townshend do his legendary windmill move? The over-under is 5 1/2, with the Under paying $180 on a $100 bet, meaning that whoever makes odds for these things thinks that Townshend is favored to windmill six times minimum. The prop bet comes with the disclaimer “Windmill move must be a full 360 degree revolution and be shown on TV to be counted for this wager.” Also, with Carrie Underwood set to sing the National Anthem, you can also bet over or under on whether her rendition will last longer than a minute and 42 seconds. (Tip: If you really feel the need to bet on this, you might want to check out the many videos on YouTube of Underwood performing the National Anthem at other sporting events — or, take the over.)

As Rolling Stone reported last year, we single-handedly ruined all prop betting on Springsteen’s Super Bowl performance after alerting our readers which set list option to bet on a gambling Website after the set list leaked during sound checks. Other more incredulous Springsteen prop bets included whether he would pull actress Courteney Cox out of the crowd during “Dancing in the Dark.”

Don't Mess With the Boss

2010-02-06T15:29:00.002-05:00

Hey, I know people who know Bruce Springsteen. That makes me...nuthin'. OK, but when ASCAP throws Bruce's name around in a lawsuit, they had better check with him first! Here's the deal:

Bruce Springsteen Wants Name Removed From Copyright Lawsuit
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 02:17 PM

On Thursday, the famed rocker Bruce Springsteen demanded that a court remove his name from a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against a bar in Midtown Manhattan.

Filed on Wednesday in Manhattan Federal Court, the suit alleged that Connolly's Pub and Restaurant on W 45 Street cashed in on cover charges from customers who came to hear a Bruce Springsteen cover band, the New York Daily News reports.

The plaintiffs, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, demanded that the bar pay a licensing fee for playing the copyrighted songs, and reportedly named Springsteen as a claimant without his permission.

"Bruce Springsteen had no knowledge of this lawsuit, was not asked if he would participate as a named plaintiff and would not have agreed to do so if he had been asked," the singer's publicity firm, Shore Fire Media, said in a statement.

The ASCAP requires that an annual $2,700 fee be paid by bands or venues that wish to play songs for which it owns the rights.

According to MyFox New York, the ASCAP alleged that Connolly's had been playing copyrighted music without permission for more than two years and had ignored about 20 warnings of alleged misconduct.

Grammy Winners

2010-02-01T00:22:00.003-05:00

Best performance of the night for me was Pink. That took guts. Beyonce was a show-stopper, as well. The MJ tribute in 3D hurt my eyes. Lady GaGa tries too hard to be outrageous. You had to know that Taylor Swift would win Album of the Year. Your mom like her. Here are your major category winners:

Best Female Country Vocal Performance: Taylor Swift, “White Horse”

Best Male Country Performance: Keith Urban, “Sweet Thing”

Best Country Performance By Duo or Group With Vocals: Lady Antebellum, “I Run To You”

Best Country Song: Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, “White Horse”

Best Rap Solo Performance: Jay-Z, “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”

Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, “Crack A Bottle”

Best Rap Song: Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, “Run This Town”

Best Rap Album: Eminem, “Relapse”

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Beyonce, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Maxwell, “Pretty Wings”

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: Jamie Foxx & T-Pain, “Blame It”

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: Beyonce, “At Last”

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, “Lucky"

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: Jason Mraz, "Make it Mine"

Best Song Of The Year: Beyonce, “Single Ladies”

Best Country Album: Taylor Swift, "Fearless"

Best New Artist: Zac Brown Band

Best Record of The Year: Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody"

Best Dance Recording: Lady Gaga

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Beyonce, “Halo”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West, “Run This Town”

Album Of The Year: Taylor Swift, "Fearless"

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”

Best Rap Solo Performance: Jay-Z, “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”

Best Rock Album: Green Day, 21st Century Breakdown”

Best Pop Vocal Album: Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.

Best Dance Recording: Lady Gaga, “Poker Face””

MIRAMAX No More

2010-01-28T20:05:00.002-05:00

Source: http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/rip-miramax-13606?page=1

Sorry, folks at Miramax. I've been there. I know. Once the big media giants swallow-up those mini-major studios, it's only a matter of time. Now we can add Miramax to the list. It is sad because with a little support and marketing, some of these films would find a wide audience. Maybe it's the theatrical system that's the problem. Is it really necessary these days? Except for movies like Avatar, the theatrical costs are just too overbearing for independent films and studios. Time to look at the alternatives. In the meantime, good luck Miramax employees!

Miramax Dies: Rest in Peace

It’s been a slow death, but Miramax dies on Thursday.

The New York and Los Angeles offices of the arthouse movie studio owned by Disney will close.
Eighty people will lose their jobs. The six movies waiting distribution -- "Last Night," "The Debt," "The Tempest” among them -- will be shelved, to gather dust, or win a tepid release.
It’s not clear that anyone at the studio will care.
But a lot of other people around the movie business mourned the impending loss of a label that once set the bar for taste and artistry. (Update Thursday: A Disney spokeswoman called to protest that Miramax is not 'dead.' "Miramax will consoldiate its operations within Walt Disney Studios, and will be releasing a smaller number of films than in previous years. But it will continue to operate within the Walt Disney Studios," she said.)
Over 31 years, the movie company that for most of its existence was led by founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein brought the public enduring stories that plumbed the depths of human emotion (“My Left Foot”) and pushed the boundaries of cultural barriers (“Reservoir Dogs”).
When we think of the movies that defined the latter part of the 20th century -- the movies that mattered, that stories that hit pop culture like a hammer and left a dent -- more often than not they came from Miramax.“The Piano.” “Pulp Fiction.” “Sex, Lies and Videotape.” “Clerks.” “The English Patient.” (See slideshow.)
All too often, we may find ourselves saying: Why doesn’t Hollywood make those movies anymore?
Maybe the movie industry doesn’t know how to. Miramax, for well over a decade, was something special.
“Miramax wasn't just a bad-boy clubhouse, it was a 20th century Olympus,” filmmaker Kevin Smith wrote to TheWrap. “Throw a can of Diet Coke and you hit a modern-day deity. And for one brief, shining moment, it was an age of magic and wonders.” (Read Kevin Smith's full Hollyblog.)
With these in the vault: “Shakespeare in Love” (Oscar: Gwyneth Paltrow). “The Crying Game” (Oscar, Neil Jordan). “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (5 noms). “Chicago” (6 Oscar wins).
“If there was any company that contributed more to the shaping of a generation and a sensibility -- I don’t know it,” said veteran publicist Fredell Pogodin, lamenting the closure.
There were lots of overambitious flops, or movies that tried too hard -- “The Aviator.” “The Shipping News.” “The Four Feathers.” “Cold Mountain.”
But there was also lots of plain audacious filmmaking, movies that nobody else would dare make, much less ride to awards glory: “Kill Bill I and II.” “The Ciderhouse Rules.” “Good Will Hunting.” “Swingers.”
The story of Miramax has been told and retold: Scrappy New York brothers name the studio after their parents, wheel and deal to hold their movie company together, bully business partners, seduce filmmakers and spend loads of money on Oscar campaigns.
Then came the sale to Disney. The success, the hubris, the Oscars, the overspending. The loss of identity, the desperate attempts to reconcile with Michael Eisner followed by the bitter divorce, and the quiet takeover by Daniel Battsek.
The final chapter has been short and bitter.

Battsek was squeezed to a smaller and smaller size by Disney, despite releasing some respectable movies including “The Queen,” “Tsotsi” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.”

The studio endured endless rumors of its impending closure. On Oct. 2, Disney announced that “Miramax Films will reduce the number of films it releases annually while consolidating certain of its operations.”

Dick Cook, the former chairman of the studio, told me last summer that while reduced in size, the studio would continue.

But by year-end , Dick Cook was gone, and Rich Ross had taken over. Soon after, Daniel Battsek was gone, too.

Remained the final sweep-up -- the firing of the remnant staff as part of the Ross reboot of the larger Disney studio, focused on a digital future with great, big, global brands.

I asked Harvey Weinstein how he felt on Wednesday. He wrote:

"I'm feeling very nostalgic right now. I know the movies made on my and my brother Bob's watch will live on as well as the fantastic films made under the direction of Daniel Battsek. Miramax has some brilliant people working within the organization and I know they will go on to do great things in the industry."
The Weinsteins have tried to buy the name of their former company back. Disney has not responded. But Bob Iger has made it known that he would be willing to sell Miramax outright -- for about $1.5 billion.

Too rich for the Weinsteins, and probably anybody else.

So on Thursday, one more arthouse film outlet goes away.
Some in this business just can’t believe it.
“I refuse to believe it will go away forever,” said Amanda Lundberg of 42West, who spent eight years of her life at the company.
“I think Miramax is too strong a brand to not exist in some incarnation. Maybe not this year or in five years, but the library is huge and the brand is big. I can’t imagine it will disappear.”
Source URL: http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/rip-miramax-13606

An Excellent Analysis of Live Nation Entertainment

2010-01-27T23:16:00.002-05:00

An excellent analysis of the Live Nation-TicketMaster merger by the folks at Backstreets. the original story can be found here:

http://www.backstreets.com/news.html

THINGS WILL GET WORSE, THEY GOT TO GET BETTER…
Talk about your Blue Mondays. On January 25, the U.S. Justice Department’s Anti-Trust Division officially approved a “watered-down” version of the merger between ticket-sales agency Ticketmaster and concert-promoter/venue-owner Live Nation, creating a new company called Live Nation Entertainment. (One of the better initial reports/analyses of the deal can be found here.) In reality, there’s very little “watered down” from the original proposal first made a year ago, which essentially will solidify and strengthen what many considered to be a live-entertainment monopoly already since Pearl Jam et. al. unsuccessfully sought restrictions on Ticketmaster from the Anti-Trust Division back in the ’90s, during the Clinton presidency. Springsteen fans in particular should be appalled that not a single item in the “significant changes” ordered by the Justice Department even pretends to address the blatant conflict of interest that is Ticketmaster’s wholly-owned “secondary ticket market” (legal scalping) subsidiary TicketsNow, the source of so many problems for fans who attempted to buy tickets during the Working on a Dream tour last year.

Speaking of conflicts of interest, one of the other "concessions" that the new company surprisingly did not have to make allows it to keep its artist-management wing, headed by Irving Azoff, to boot. To understand just how anti-artist and anti-fan this move is, just remember that when Springsteen was forced to mount his famous lawsuit against former manager Mike Appel, Bruce's major source of revenue to sustain him and his band through that period came from their live performances. Any artist managed by Ticketmaster could be restrained from repeating such a strategy now, with the new company's increased power to control access to venues, ticket sales, etc. Even if you're an artist who's not directly managed by Azoff, if you don't like any aspect of how you or your audience get treated by Live Nation Entertainment, it now will be even more difficult, if not impossible, to oppose the company's policies and continue to make a living as a professional musician.

This latest action (or, more accurately, inaction) from the Anti-Trust Division comes in spite of the public opposition of many, including Bruce Springsteen, his management and touring organizations, and many of his fans who wrote letters, sent e-mails and/or made phone calls urging the Anti-Trust Division to stop this merger. As Springsteen's official website previously noted, "[T]he one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing." Barring any significant actions from Congress or the President (who still could actively oppose the Anti-Trust Division's ruling if they chose to do so), it looks pretty certain now that we're headed further down that road.

Despite the discouraging news, however, the battle isn't over just yet. Click here for more information.
- January 27, 2010

Live Nation and TicketMaster - Perfect Together?

2010-01-26T21:36:00.003-05:00

LOS ANGELES and WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Jan 25, 2010 -- Live Nation, Inc. and Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. today announced that they have reached agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and with the Canadian Commissioner of Competition, clearing the way for the merger of the companies. Upon closing, the company will be renamed Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. to reflect the combination of Live Nation's concert promotions expertise with Ticketmaster's world-class ticketing solutions and artist relationships.

Let's face it. For live music they are the only game in town. You know that ticket prices will soar. Oh, not at once...why risk public outcry and government intervention? A gradual increase will do. The Diller machine will make money on both ends of the business. After all of the investigations (like the the NJ State Attorney General's office) they still received approval for the merger. The higher prices will drive away fans of all but the top tier acts. The music business is in for more hard times.

Some Thoughts About the Haiti Telethon

2010-01-23T23:12:00.000-05:00

I was quite surprised and impressed with some of the performers last night. Shakira did a great job with I'll Stand By You. She really has a great voice and talent but she overdoes the sexy dancing in her videos. Christina Aguilera delivered a powerful performance. Justin Timberlake singing Leonard Cohen? I was floored! He nailed it! I never expected something like Hallelujah from him. Excellent rendition. Motherless Child by John Legend was another beautiful performance. How about Mary J. Blige's gospel rendition of Hard Times? Great job! Jennifer Hudson's soulful Let It Be was remarkable. Those were the performances I was most impressed with last night.

SAG Award Winners

2010-01-23T23:06:00.000-05:00

Read more: http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/

Tonight's winners for the 16th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (The Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures)
DANIEL BRÜHL / Fredrick Zoller
AUGUST DIEHL / Major Hellstrom
JULIE DREYFUS / Francesca Mondino
MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Lt. Archie Hicox
SYLVESTER GROTH / Joseph Goebbels
JACKY IDO / Marcel
DIANE KRUGER / Bridget Von Hammersmark
MÉLANIE LAURENT / Shosanna
DENIS MENOCHET / Perrier LaPedite
MIKE MYERS / General Ed French
BRAD PITT / Lt. Aldo Raine
ELI ROTH / Sgt. Donny Donowitz
TIL SCHWEIGER / Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz
ROD TAYLOR / Winston Churchill
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa
MARTIN WUTTKE / Hitler

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
SANDRA BULLOCK / Leigh Anne Tuohy - THE BLIND SIDE (Warner Bros)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture
JEFF BRIDGES / Bad Blake - CRAZY HEART (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
MO'NIQUE / Mary - PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE (Lionsgate)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
CHRISTOPH WALTZ / Col. Hans Landa - INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Weinstein/Universal)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for Television
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - DEXTER (Showtime)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for Television
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick - THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Television
MAD MEN (AMC)
ALEXA ALEMANNI / Allison
BRYAN BATT / Salvatore Romano
JARED S. GILMORE / Bobby Draper
MICHAEL GLADIS / Paul Linsey
JON HAMM / Don Draper
JARED HARRIS / Lane Pryce
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS / Joan Holloway (Harris)
JANUARY JONES / Betty Draper
VINCENT KARTHEISER / Peter Campbell
ROBERT MORSE / Bertram Cooper
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson
KIERNAN SHIPKA / Sally Draper
JOHN SLATTERY / Roger Sterling
RICH SOMMER / Harry Crane
CHRISTOPHER STANLEY / Henry Francis
AARON STATON / Ken Cosgrove

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for Television
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - 30 ROCK (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for Television
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - 30 ROCK (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Television
GLEE (FOX)
DIANA AGRON / Quinn Fabray
CHRIS COLFER / Kurt Hummel
PATRICK GALLAGHER / Ken Tanaka
JESSALYN GILSIG / Terri Schuester
JANE LYNCH / Sue Sylvester
JAYMA MAYS / Emma Pillsbury
KEVIN McHALE / Arty Abrams
LEA MICHELE / Rachel Berry
CORY MONTEITH / Finn Hudson
HEATHER MORRIS / Brittany
MATTHEW MORRISON / Will Schuester
AMBER RILEY / Mercedes
NAYA RIVERA / Santana Lopez
MARK SALLING / Puck
HARRY SHUM JR. / Mike Chang
JOSH SUSSMAN / Jacob Ben Israel
DIJON TALTON / Matt Rutherford
IQBAL THEBA / Principal Figgins
JENNA USHKOWITZ / Tina

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
KEVIN BACON / Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl - TAKING CHANCE (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
DREW BARRYMORE / Little Edie - GREY GARDENS (HBO)

Light of Day Asbury Park, NJ

2010-01-16T12:18:00.003-05:00

NY/NJ/PA music fans. Tonight at The Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ: The 10th Annual Light of Day Concert to fight Parkinson's Disease. A great show and a few surprises! Expect the unexpected!

The Devil and Pat Robertson

2010-01-15T22:49:00.001-05:00

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/the_devil_writes_pat_robertson.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

Go to the link above for a great read. It's amazing what a creep with a television camera can do.

NINE Lives at the Weinstein Company? Not!

2010-01-13T21:49:00.002-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/weinstein-co-suffers-more-exits-the-411-on-why-nine-was-financial-disaster/#more-22333

According to Nikki Finke above, Nine is going to lose far more than just money. It appears that the Weinsteins have taken over the the job of picking high-priced disaters from the former New Line. The thing about Nine is that it was too expensive for it's niche audience. And even they didn't like it. now the employees will take the hit. Isn't that how it always goes? Read about it at the link above.

Conan Leaves With His Dignity

2010-01-13T21:40:00.002-05:00

For those of you who may not have read Conan O'Brien's statement regarding The Tonight Show mess, here it is:

Conan KOs 'Tonight'mare
By CONAN O' BRIEN

Last Updated: 6:52 PM, January 13, 2010

Posted: 4:03 AM, January 13, 2010

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over “The Tonight Show” in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night, and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004, I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my “Tonight Show” in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime time by making a change in their long-established late-night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move “The Tonight Show” to 12:05 to accommodate “The Jay Leno Show” at 11:35. For 60 years, “The Tonight Show” has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying “The Tonight Show” into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. “The Tonight Show” at 12:05 simply isn’t “The Tonight Show.” Also, if I accept this move, I will be knocking the “Late Night” show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of “The Tonight Show.” But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet, a time slot doesn’t matter. But with “The Tonight Show,” I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network, but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

Yours,

Conan

A Solution for NBC's Late Night Dilemas!

2010-01-11T21:33:00.002-05:00

I had a thought. Why not dig up Johnny and Ed, prop them up in their familar positions and play the audio of old Tonight Shows. It would be ratings dynamite! Of course, when it's time for the interviews, they'd have to exhume Buddy Hackett, Tottie Fields, Jan Murray, Mel Tormé, Dean Martin, Rodney Dangerfield, Groucho, John Wayne, etc. Now NBC would probably go for it, but the costs would run almost as high as what they'll have to pay-off Conan to walk away.

NBC Confirms Leno Cancellation

2010-01-10T14:46:00.002-05:00

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni1394613/

Well, the confirmation didn't take long. I guess NBC would prefer to take the one-time contractual expense hits it will cost to make these moves than continue to lose revenue for their affiliates. Click the link above. Oh, and Jeff Z., try The Five O'Clock Club first.

FOX Waves Carrot at Conan

2010-01-10T00:37:00.002-05:00

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fox-Conan-Obrien-1013547.aspx

Looks like FOX is already making overtures to Conan O'Brien. They know where this thing is going. The thing is, most of us saw this coming last May. Read about it at TV Guide. Go to the link above.

Leno Back to Late-Night?

2010-01-07T21:48:00.003-05:00

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/01/07/lenos-future-air-rumors-swirl-hes-moving-late-night/

Fox News (for what it's worth) is reporting that Jay Leno could move back to the 11:30 p.m. slot sooner rather than later. Didn't Leno have a two-year "no cancellation" clause in his contract? Of course, anything is negotiable. It seems that while the network was content to lose the 10 p.m. ratings war, the affiliates were not. Max is better with Bruce, anyway. Go to the link above to read more.

FOX, TWC Make Nice

2010-01-02T15:18:00.002-05:00

Well, what a surprise. Time Warner Cable and FOX agreed to extend the contract deadline and hammered out a solution that both sides could live with. Terms were not disclosed, but here's the statement:

The Fox Networks Group and Time Warner Cable announced today that they have agreed in principle to a comprehensive distribution agreement to provide more than 13 million households with programming from Fox Television Stations, Fox Broadcasting (FOX), Fox Cable Networks and Fox’s Regional Sports Networks. The deal also includes carriage agreements for Bright House Networks’ 2 million additional subscribers.

"We're pleased that, after months of negotiations, we were able to reach a fair agreement with Time Warner Cable -- one that recognizes the value of our programming,” said Chase Carey, Deputy Chairman, President and COO, News Corporation.

“We’re happy to have reached a reasonable deal with no disruption in programming for our customers,” said Glenn Britt, Chairman, President and CEO, Time Warner Cable.

Ruppert jumps for joy!

Time Warner Cable vs. FOX

2009-12-28T23:42:00.002-05:00

In NYC, FOX is conducting a non-stop PR campaign to force Time Warner Cable to accept their higher retransmission costs. By telling the public that they'll miss their favorite FOX programs and sports, they hope public outcry will force TWC to accept their terms. We've seen this before here with WABC-TV. It's stupid. Both companies rely on each other. And we know they'll get a deal done. This posturing is annoying. Now, if only we can see the NFL Network...

Tiger vs. Sheen

2009-12-27T23:26:00.001-05:00

I'll bet Tiger Woods is really grateful for Charlie Sheen right about now.

$278 Million Weekend at the Movies!

2009-12-27T23:19:00.003-05:00

Avatar brought in another $75 Million for Fox this past weekend with Sherlock Holmes and Alvin & The Chipmonks #2 & #3 respectively. Nine disappointed with a $5.5 Million weekend to rise to a 5.9 Million cumulatice B.O. That ain't gonna cover the T&E expenses! To read more:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-look-alvin-2-beats-avatar/

NBC Wants Jets-Bengals on Jan. 3rd!

2009-12-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

After last week’s NY Jets' loss to Atlanta (in which they blew the game in the final minute), everyone in the media reported that the Jets had been eliminated from the playoffs. However, everything broke just right with other teams losing (particularly the Ravens) in the AFC. Just before their game against Indianapolis, the Jets learned that they were not only still alive, but controlled their destiny with wins over the Colts and Bengals. When they pulled Manning, the Jets went to work on the Colts. Even with Manning, the Jets always play the Colts tough whenever they meet. Now the Jets by some fluke are the #5 seed in the AFC behind the division leaders for the playoffs. I still don’t know how that happened, but they are playing for a playoff spot next week against the Bengals. Since the Bengals will play mostly scrubs, the Jets chances have just become very good.

It’s also the last scheduled event at Giants Stadium before they bring on the wrecking ball (as Bruce Springsteen sings). I want to sit in my seats one last time. So, I’m watching the Cowboys-Redskins on Sunday Night Football and I see that the Jets game has been moved to Sunday Night because NBC wants to show the game. I’ll probably go, but I’ll set a time to leave. Those games end too late.

Do the Steelers still have a chance to get in? (I’ll bet the Jets have to lose.)

It’s going to be an interesting final week of the season. I had written the Jets off. Hey, they didn’t even send out post-season tickets.

Albrecht to Shine at Starz

2009-12-22T23:11:00.000-05:00

Englewood, Colo, Dec. 22 - Liberty Media Corporation announced today that Chris Albrecht, former Chairman and CEO of HBO, will join Starz, LLC as its President and CEO. He will oversee all of the Starz entities, including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman and will assume his new role beginning January 1, 2010.

“We are excited to have an industry leader with an exceptional track record join the Starz team,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Media President and CEO. “With his extensive experience and success in creating compelling original content and building a premium pay channel, Chris is a recognized visionary in the creative community and uniquely qualified to lead Starz into the future.”

"I am thrilled and honored to be asked to join a great company like Starz and to help take advantage of the challenges and opportunities emerging in media and entertainment," said Albrecht. "I have always seen Starz as a bold, entrepreneurial and growth-oriented brand - one that I believe will be a great home for me. I look forward to putting my experiences and interests to work with the talented management team at Liberty and Starz to create valued products for consumers and our affiliate partners."

Avatar: Go Big Blue!

2009-12-21T22:18:00.004-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-word-avatar-midnights-only-3-million-even-with-higher-3d-ticket-prices-hollywood-now-predicting-85m-weekend/

$242.5 Million WW BO gross is sure nice, but what's going to happen when all those blue aliens start calling Murdock about their back-end cuts? Oh wait, they're not face recognizable? Tell that to the Hobbits!

Too Many Obits

2009-12-21T22:06:00.002-05:00

http://www.einsiders.com/hollywood-obituaries.html

R.I.P. Brittany Murphy, Dan O'Bannon and Roy E. Disney. Brittney Murphy was mot an A-list actress, yet she was quite popular with audiences. I won't go into the story of her career and death here. I'll just say that I'll remember her most from Sin City. There was something about her in that movie. Dan O'Bannon created some of the best action and sci-fi properties of all time. Alien, of course, is a cinema classic. Total Recall was amazing. Personally, I loved Blue Thunder and the TV series the movie spawned. Roy E. Disney kept the family flame alive at Disney, although Mr. Eisner smelled more of a rat than a mouse. No deep freeze for Roy, I hope.

Merry Ex-mas

2009-12-21T21:58:00.002-05:00

The New York Alumni of the late New Line Cinema held their second annual company holiday party despite the fact that New Line Cinema was killed-off by Time Warner more than one year ago. There was a huge turnout for the party. That kind of camaraderie is rare in the business world. Jeff, you'll never find a better, more dedicated group of employees. You should have reconsidered your decision. You'll never understand what you lost.

New Line Cinema's Nutcracker

2009-12-09T00:33:00.002-05:00

http://geeksofdoom.com/2009/12/07/new-line-to-re-imagine-the-nutcracker-and-the-mouse-king/

New Line is making The Nutcracker? Just in time for Christmas 2010? We should be having the third annual NLC Alumni Party right about then. Not bad for an extinct movie company. And I should know...

Read the story at Geeks of Doom!

Tickets! Who Needs A Ticket?

2009-12-04T22:26:00.002-05:00

The merger between TicketMaster and Live Nation is picking up steam. Consumer groups oppose the deal saying it will create a monopoly in the sale and content of live music. Check out this story on Ticket News:

http://www.ticketnews.com/Ticketmaster-Live-Nation-merger-consumer-groups-continue-their-opposition-to-the-deal12092910

NBC Ya Later!

2009-12-04T22:19:00.002-05:00

Well, the papers are signed and the ink is drying. Now that Comcast owns 51% of the Peacock, what will the impact be on the operations of their network and cable concerns. How much consolidation will occur? Jeff? Here is the announcement:

PHILADELPHIA, PA and FAIRFIELD, CT – Dec. 3, 2009 – Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK) and General Electric (NYSE: GE) announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture that will be 51 percent owned by Comcast, 49 percent owned by GE and managed by Comcast. The joint venture, which will consist of the NBC Universal (NBCU) businesses and Comcast’s cable networks, regional sports networks and certain digital properties and certain unconsolidated investments, will be well positioned to compete in an increasingly dynamic and competitive media and digital environment.

The combination of assets creates a leading media and entertainment company with the proven capability to provide some of the world’s most popular entertainment, news and sports content, movies and film libraries to consumers anytime, anywhere. The joint venture will provide consumers the broadest possible access to content, and support high-quality, award-winning content development across all platforms including film, television, and online. It will be anchored by an outstanding portfolio of cable networks and regional sports networks that will account for about 80 percent of its cash flow, including USA, Bravo, Syfy, E!, Versus, CNBC and MSNBC. The joint venture will be financially strong with a robust cash-flow-generation capability.
Under the terms of the transaction, GE will contribute to the joint venture NBCU’s businesses valued at $30 billion, including its cable networks, filmed entertainment, televised entertainment, theme parks, and unconsolidated investments, subject to $9.1 billion in debt to third party lenders. Comcast will contribute its cable networks including E!, Versus and the Golf Channel, its ten regional sports networks, and certain digital media properties, collectively valued at $7.25 billion, and make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion of cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts said, “This deal is a perfect fit for Comcast and will allow us to become a leader in the development and distribution of multiplatform ‘anytime, anywhere’ media that American consumers are demanding. In particular, NBCU’s fast-growing, highly profitable cable networks are a great complement to our industry-leading distribution business. Today’s announced transaction will increase our capabilities in content and cable networks. At the same time, it will enhance consumer choice and accelerate the development of new digital products and services. GE has provided NBCU with a great home and has dramatically and positively transformed the business. We are honored that under this agreement Comcast would take over the stewardship of this important collection of assets and are absolutely committed to investing in NBCU and ensuring that it is a vibrant, financially strong company able to thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace by delivering innovative programming. We are particularly pleased to be creating this new joint venture with GE and Jeff Immelt and to have their continued involvement.

“For Comcast, this transaction is strategically compelling and will generate attractive financial returns and build shareholder value,” continued Roberts. “It is also expected to be immediately accretive and will also allow us to maintain our strong commitment to returning capital to shareholders– all while increasing the scale, capabilities and value of our cable distribution, content and digital assets. Significantly, it is entirely consistent with our intense focus on value creation and our disciplined strategy of pursuing profitable growth in areas complementary to our distribution business.”

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said, “The combination of Comcast’s cable and regional sports networks and digital media properties and NBCU will deliver strong returns for GE shareholders and business partners. NBCU has been a great business for GE over the past two decades. We have generated an average annual return of 11 percent, while expanding into cable, movies, parks and international media. We are reducing our ownership stake from 80 percent to 49 percent of a more valuable entity. By doing so, GE gets a good value for NBCU. This transaction will generate approximately $8 billion of cash at closing with an expected small after-tax gain. We have many opportunities to invest in our high-technology infrastructure businesses at attractive returns. I believe that the new NBCU will deliver value for both Comcast and GE in the future. We will give consumers and advertisers more choice and our cable and digital assets will be second to none. I am confident Brian Roberts and his team at Comcast will be great partners.”

Comcast also announced the creation of Comcast Entertainment Group (CEG), which will house Comcast’s interest in the joint venture and will stand alongside Comcast Cable, which operates the company’s traditional cable business.

Comcast Chief Operating Officer Steve Burke said, "Both Comcast and NBCU have excellent track records of integrating and growing multi-billion dollar businesses, including significant content acquisitions. In addition, we have both developed some of the country’s most popular programming and built many of the most watched and valued networks in the industry. We are confident that we’ll be even stronger together, and look forward to working with Jeff Zucker and the NBCU team to deliver the best consumer experience.”
Jeff Zucker, current president and CEO of NBCU, will be CEO of the new joint venture and will report to Burke. Zucker said, “Combining the assets of NBCU, ranging from our suite of cable properties and two broadcast networks to a legendary film studio and global theme park business, with the content assets and resources of Comcast, will enable us to continue to thrive in an ever-changing media landscape. Consumers of all of our products – on screens large and small – will have the benefit of enhanced content and experiences, delivered to them in new and better ways as a result of this transaction. This marks the start of a new era for NBCU, and I'm genuinely excited that I will be leading this wonderful organization, along with the Comcast team, at this important time in our history.”

Headquarters for the business will remain in New York. The joint venture board will have three directors nominated by Comcast and two nominated by GE.

Key Elements Of The Transaction:

· NBCU will borrow approximately $9.1 billion from third-party lenders and distribute the cash to GE.

· NBCU, valued at $30 billion, will be contributed to the newly formed joint venture. Comcast will contribute its programming businesses and certain other properties valued at $7.25 billion.

· GE will acquire Vivendi's 20% interest in NBCU for $5.8 billion. GE will purchase approximately 38% of Vivendi’s interest (or approximately 7.66% of all outstanding NBCU shares) from Vivendi for $2 billion in September 2010, if the Comcast transaction is not closed by then. GE will acquire the remaining 62% of Vivendi’s interest (or approximately 12.34% of all outstanding NBCU shares) for $3.8 billion when the transaction closes.

· Comcast will make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion in cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

· The new venture will be 51% owned by Comcast and 49% owned by GE.

· GE expects to realize $9.8 billion pre-tax in cash before debt reduction and transaction fees and after buyout of the Vivendi stake. GE expects to realize approximately $8 billion in cash after paying down the existing NBCU debt and transaction fees.

· GE will be entitled to elect to cause the joint venture to redeem one-half of its interest at year 3 ½ and its remaining interest at year 7. The joint venture’s obligations to complete those purchases will be subject to the venture’s leverage ratio not exceeding 2.75X EBITDA and the venture continuing to hold investment-grade ratings. Comcast also has certain rights to purchase GE’s interest in the venture at specified times. All such transactions would be done at a 20% premium to public market value with 50% sharing of upside above the closing valuation.

· To the extent the joint venture is not required to meet GE’s redemption requests, Comcast will provide a backstop up to a maximum of $2.875 billion for the first redemption and a total backstop of $5.750 billion.

The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of GE and Comcast. It is subject to receipt of various regulatory approvals, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, and approvals of the Federal Communications Commission and certain international agencies. The transaction is also subject to other customary closing conditions. NBCU has obtained $9.85 billion of committed financing through a consortium of banks led by J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch and Citi. This financing is expected to receive solid investment-grade ratings from S&P and Moody’s.
Comcast and GE intend to submit regulatory applications supporting the pro-competitive and strong public interest benefits of the transaction, including how the joint venture will better meet the entertainment, communications and information needs of the American public.

“We are prepared to make affirmative commitments to ensure that the pro-consumer and public interest benefits of the transaction are realized,” Roberts said. “Today, we have announced a number of initial commitments that expand on the capabilities that Comcast and NBCU have built over the years, and the new opportunities that this combination makes possible. These commitments address the needs of various audiences and stakeholders, and we will provide additional details on these and other commitments in our public interest filing with the Federal Communications Commission.”

Advisors Morgan Stanley is lead financial advisor to Comcast with UBS and BofA Merrill Lynch acting as co-advisors. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is Comcast’s legal advisor. J.P. Morgan is lead financial advisor to GE with Goldman Sachs and Citi acting as co-advisors. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is GE’s and NBCU’s legal advisor.

DHD: First Casualty of NBCuni-GE-Comcast Deal

2009-12-03T00:13:00.004-05:00

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-casualty-of-comcastgenbcu-deal/

Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that the first casualty of the sale is Rick Olshansky, head of all business affairs for the NBCU TV studio and network. Ah, the magic is only beginning. Follow the link for the whole story.

Want Real Security at The White House?

2009-11-27T22:11:00.003-05:00

My wife had a great idea. After seeing the story about The White House Party Crashers, she remarked that it's easier to get into White House parties than it is to get into clubs on Manhattan's west side. Ever try to get into a Manhattan club if you're not on the guest list? The velvet rope is thicker than the Iron Curtain was! You want real security at The White House? Dump the Secret Service and hire Manhattan bouncers. Nobody, but nobody, gets in!

What's Up With FOX?

2009-11-25T22:48:00.003-05:00

I used to think the programmers at FOX were brilliant. After all, some of the most ground breaking series of all time has run on that network (I know, technically it's not). Maybe it's all been dumb luck. FOX recently cancelled Josh Whedon's Dollhouse. Dollhouse is an incredible series on so many levels. I won't go into all of that here. It was difficult to understand and get into at first, but once I did, I became hooked. The problem is that FOX wanted this show to succeed in a time slot where it never had a shot at finding its audience. FOX never counter-programmed this series, they non-programmed this series. Its audience wasn't watching the competition. They were out on Friday nights.

Now, FOX is playing games with Fringe or as I call it "X-Files: The Next Generation". Fringe is on the ratings bubble and FOX is not giving the J.J. Abrams series a chance to find its audience. Yes, these shows are sometimes difficult to follow and require a little more brain-power than CSI or Law and Order. The FOX network used to give shows like these a chance to find their audiences. Now, they just disappoint.

Blood-Sucking Teens

2009-11-22T22:52:00.003-05:00

What's up with all this geek-girl frenzy about blood-sucking teen vampires anyway? Don't they know most vampires look like Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee? The Calvin Klein model types are only found in the movies. I dunno...I dated a few blood-suckers when I was a teen...my wallet never recovered! Read more over at IMDB...

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni1219824/

Why?

2009-11-22T22:43:00.003-05:00

Why am I a New York Jets fan? Why? 4-6 with no hope of making the playoffs. Same Old Jets!

The Mayans Were Wrong: The World Ends When ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ Ends In 2011

2009-11-22T22:43:00.002-05:00

I love this article over at Geeks of Doom...

http://geeksofdoom.com/2009/11/20/the-mayans-were-wrong-the-world-ends-when-the-oprah-winfrey-show-ends-in-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+geeksofdoom+%28Geeks+of+Doom%29

Fox Puts Watts Alone at the Top

2009-11-14T12:03:00.000-05:00

20th Century Fox has firmed a new deal with Emma Watts that makes her sole president of production, in a multi-year pact that sources said covers the next three years. The appointment by Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos keeps Fox as a bastion of stability at a time when studios are rife with executive shakeups. Watts is a highly-regarded 11-year Fox veteran who is currently overseeing some of the studio’s biggest movies.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118011289.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Looouuuuuu!!!!!

2009-11-12T21:35:00.002-05:00

So Lou Dobbs suddenly left CNN. Who didn't see this coming? I'll bet anything that Fox News will soon rearrange it's schedule to accomodate Mr. Dobbs. Who's gonna move...Gretta or Beck-boy?

Mark Zoradi is out as Walt Disney Moton Pictures Group President

2009-11-09T22:41:00.002-05:00

Nikke Fink at Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Mark Zoradi is out as Walt Disney Moton Pictures Group President. The mouse has no mercy! Here is the link:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/walt-disney-studios-mark-zoradi-exits/

Job Layoffs at A&E, Lifetime

2009-11-08T20:24:00.002-05:00

Variety and other sources are reporting that over 100 jobs have been cut at A&E and Lifetime. With all of this industry dowsizing, I'm surprised that there are any jobs left to cut. Please follow the link to read the story in Variety.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010974.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Reuters: Comcast Close to Gaining Control of NBCUNI

2009-11-02T23:59:00.002-05:00

Comcast close to gaining control of NBC universal: report
Mon Nov 2, 2009 2:18am EST

Reuters reports that Comcast Corp and General Electric Co are closer to a deal to give Comcast a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal and a formal announcement may be made in the coming week.

They just want that 10 pm time slot!

Leno Talks to Affiliates

2009-11-02T23:50:00.002-05:00

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/366971-Jay_Leno_Talks_Back_An_Exclusive_Interview_With_B_C.php?nid=4844&source=title&rid=

How's that 10 pm late night thing going? Broadcasting and Cable reported that Jay Leno addressed sagging ratings with concerned affiliates. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with B&C’s Ben Grossman, Jay Leno addresses the maelstrom of bad press, his former rival David Letterman’s situation and his feelings about leaving—and returning—to 11:35.

So the whole idea of this 10 pm move is that the network wasn't counting on ratings, just profit, um right? Well, the NBC affiliates are concerned about ratings because their late night news broadcasts are suffering. What to do, what to do?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary Show Night 1

2009-10-30T20:52:00.003-04:00

Last night, I attended the first of two amazing concerts held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The concert celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The show, which will be broadcast on HBO in November (and certainly to be released on DVD), did not disappoint. Some of the greatest legends of Rock and Roll performed in a tour de force event that began at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and ended at 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning. The evening was kicked-off with remarks from Tom Hanks. The great Jerry Lee Lewis was the first performer. Afterward, the show structure consisted of four central legendary performers accompanied by other legendary performers. The first pillar was Crosby, Stills & Nash, the second was Paul Simon, the third was Stevie Wonder and the fourth was Bruce Springsteen. Although the concert was long, it was full of energy and special moments. Below is the setlist as reported by The New York Times.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-concert-set-list/

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert: Set List
By Jon Pareles
Chad Batka for the New York Times Jerry Lee Lewis performing.On Thursday night artists like Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and B.B. King played the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden (there’s another show on Friday). Here’s the set list:

Jerry Lee Lewis :
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On”

Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Woodstock”
“Marrakech Express”
“Almost Cut My Hair”

Bonnie Raitt with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Love Has No Pride”

Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Midnight Rider”

Jackson Browne with Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“The Pretender”

James Taylor with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Mexico”

Crosby, Stills and Nash with James Taylor:
“Love the One You’re With”

Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Rock and Roll Woman”

Crosby, Stills and Nash with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor:
“Teach Your Children”

Paul Simon:
“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”
“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
“You Can Call Me Al”

Dion DiMucci with Paul Simon:
“The Wanderer”

Paul Simon with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Here Comes the Sun”

Paul Simon:
“Late in the Evening”

Little Anthony and the Imperials:
“Two People in the World”

Simon and Garfunkel: “The Sounds of Silence”
“Mrs. Robinson”/”Not Fade Away”
“The Boxer”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
“Cecilia”

Stevie Wonder: “Blowin’ in the Wind”
“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”
“I Was Made To Love You”
“For Once in My Life”
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”
“Boogie On Reggae Woman”

Smokey Robinson with Stevie Wonder:
“The Tracks of My Tears”

John Legend with Stevie Wonder:
“Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)”

Stevie Wonder with John Legend:
“The Way You Make Me Feel”

B.B. King with Stevie Wonder:
“The Thrill Is Gone”

Stevie Wonder:
“Living for the City”

Stevie Wonder and Sting:
“Higher Ground”/”Roxanne”

Stevie Wonder with Jeff Beck:
“Superstition”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“10th Avenue Freeze-Out”

Sam Moore with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Hold On I’m Comin’”
“Soul Man”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“The Ghost of Tom Joad”

John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Fortunate Son”
“Proud Mary”
“Oh. Pretty Woman”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Jungleland”

Darlene Love with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“A Fine, Fine Boy”
“Da Doo Ron Ron”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“London Calling”
“Badlands”

Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“You May Be Right”
“Only the Good Die Young”
“New York State of Mind”
“Born To Run”

Darlene Love, John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Billy Joel, Jackson Browne, Peter Wolf and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”

Disney Offers Refunds to Baby Einstein Customers

2009-10-27T23:41:00.002-04:00

The New York Times reports the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for all those “Baby Einstein” videos that did not make children into geniuses.
They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.
“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.

Anyone who thought that sitting their kid in front of the TV and popping in a Baby Einstein DVD was going to make them smarter than the next kid was just, um, kidding themselves. From my own personal experience, the Baby Einstein videos calmed my daughter down at night. They are very pleasantly engaging for toddlers. Make them smarter? Come on. You know what's wrong in my opinion? Too many parents looking to get their toddlers on the rat race treadmill too soon. Let kids be kids.

Who? Lou! Hoo! Lu?

2009-10-27T16:44:00.005-04:00

At an industry summit in NYC on Oct. 21, News Corp Deputy Chairman Chase Carey revealed that online video hub Hulu will begin charging users for content as soon as 2010, according to Broadcasting and Cable. Carey told reporters that a subscription system is likely, although some content will probably continue to be offered free of charge. “I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value,” he said.

If Hulu wants to charge for their service, they are certainly entitled to do so. I question the wisdom of this decision in this economy. There are so many alternatives that users have to record television episodes. TiVo, DVR, iTunes, DVD and even old school VHS tape are just some common alternatives. Of course, if one forgets to set the device, there are always reruns and box set DVD's. There are varying costs associated with each method. The difference is that none of these began as a free service. Hulu currently limits commercial breaks. Perhaps more commercials on the Hulu website and within the programs is the way to go. Hulu is a web convenience, but it's not a service that users can't live without. I may be wrong, but I see fees driving Hulu users away. I don't understand their business model going forward. Looks like a bait and switch.

The Disputes on the Edge of Forever

2009-10-27T15:28:00.006-04:00

Let’s begin with something near and dear to my heart: a contract dispute. Even better, let’s add in my favorite television series ever, Star Trek. And let’s toss in one of the most talented and gifted writers ever, Mr. Harlan Ellison. Ever since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry rewrote major parts of Mr. Ellison’s original script of the original series episode The City on the Edge of Forever some forty-four years ago, the creative and monetary disputes over that one episode have continued to the present day. If you want to read about these disputes, Mr. Ellison himself chronicled the history of events as well as the treatments and scripts in The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay that Became the Classic Star Trek Episode (available from Amazon.com and other book retailers).

Back in March, 2009 the website TrekMovie.com http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/23/harlan-ellison-settles-lawsuit-with-cbs-paramount/ reported the Mr. Ellison was suing CBS/Paramount for merchandising royalties related to the classic episode. Last week, TrekMovie.com reported that the suit was over and that Mr. Ellison was “pleased with the outcome”.

Mr. Ellison is a man of great passion and a master of his craft. He also understands the entertainment business and the need to protect his rights and be compensated for his work. In the entertainment business, there is an ongoing chess game (or is it more like football?) between media corporations and participants. Corporations want to retain as much of their earnings as they can. Participants want to maximize what they are owed under terms of their agreements. I have always maintained that participants should get the most that they can negotiate in the advance because collecting on the backend can be problematic. Standard terms and defined net proceeds should be reviewed as carefully as the main contract before signing.

I would suggest that the struggle between corporations and third-party participants is a natural occurrence. This has always happened and it will continue to happen. I don’t consider one side or another to be good or evil. At times, the inability to reach a settlement consumes too much time and energy on both sides. Of course, when money is involved, the disputes will continue to happen.

Congratulations to Mr. Ellison. May his fighting spirit live forever! For more about Harlan Ellison, pick-up Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth (available from Amazon.com).

Welcome!

2009-10-27T15:15:00.002-04:00

Hi, world! I’m Tony and I’m writing a blog called Showbiz Biz. Why Showbiz Biz and why does the world need yet another entertainment blog? Well, the emphasis here is on BIZ. Specifically the businesses behind the things that I’m most passionate about: film, television, music, sports, theatre, publishing and just about anything else that supplements everyday real life. You won’t find breaking celebrity gossip news here, although they will be mentioned. You won’t find breaking corporate media news here, either. That is the domain of the queen of entertainment bloggers, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily (http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/), who knows the inside details of the entertainment business better than anyone on earth. This blog intends to summarize entertainment, sports and media business stories of interest to the blogger (that’s me).

And just who am I? I’m someone who has worked behind the scenes in film and television. You know, a number cruncher, a bean counter, a suit, a financial analyst, a royalty accountant, a participations manager, one of the little people who can see the big picture. I’ve seen the underside of the entertainment world. I’ve see some great accomplishments, too. I’ve seen the triumphs of the industry and the often mundane unpublicized details that drive this business. That gives me a unique perspective. Through it all, I’ve never lost interest in “the business”. In fact, my passion for the entertainment business has continued to grow. I hope to share some of my passion and enthusiasm for the entertainment business with you.

I intend to report and reference my sources, but I’ll also offer commentary. I’ll talk some sports, too. It’s all entertainment. Above all, let’s have some fun. I know this is a serious business, but I don’t want to get too serious here. I can be down right silly at times! It’s a crazy business, too. Let’s keep it light and have fun observing show biz in all of its many incarnations!