The Federal Communications Commission is bringing in the big names to tout the digital TV transition: The FCC commissioners themselves. Amid criticism that the government and the FCC is relying too much on private industry to get out the word…
CBS and its new series “Swingtown” are coming face to face with the effects of the aging average viewer for broadcast television, AdAge reports. After receiving five consumer complaints, advertiser Philips North America did not schedule any more commercials to…
“Heroes” and “Lost” co-producer Jesse Alexander is working on a 13-part TV series about piracy, Wired reports. Alexander sees downloading of shows via BitTorrent as “the present world reality” and urges networks to “recognize this, give their viewers more ways…
The minds behind VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” are pitching a spinoff that would bring together “Celebrity Rehab” alumni in a Beverly Hills mansion for 30 days as they try to rebuild their careers, the New York Post reports. The spinoff, which…
“Hanging With Mr. Cooper” will join Ion Television’s lineup this summer, TVNewsday reports. The network will air back-to-back episodes of the ABC sitcom on weeknights from 5 to 6 p.m., the Web site says. —Vlada Gelman
Barack Obama’s decision to move to a larger venue to deliver his speech accepting his party’s nomination on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, has TV news organizations back at the drawing board to figure out…
Sources estimate the cable upfront market wrapped up with dollar-volume gains in the 8% to 10% range and nearly $8 billion in sales, Multichannel News reports. The cable upfront came in healthier than expected thanks to advertisers switching their buys…
MTV Networks, Dish Network and Cadbury are partnering for an interactive ad campaign presented by Cadbury’s Sour Patch Kids, Multichannel News reports. The campaign will present interactive TV voting and polling during The N’s new reality series “Queen Bees,” in…
Spike TV has enlisted Wizzard Media’s LibsynPRO 2.0 service to host a podcast of bonus footage from its new original series “Factory,” Online Media Daily reports. Spike TV will run an ad campaign on Wizzard Media Network as a part…
Kevin McKidd, star of last season’s NBC drama “Journeyman,” is in talks to join the cast of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” Entertainment Weekly reports. McKidd would play a doctor who comes to the hospital after serving in Iraq, the magazine says….