August 2005
- August 31, 2005
- 7:00 PM
- Comment
MTV Nets Plan Hurricane Relief
MTV, VH1 and CMT announced a Hurricane Katrina relief campaign to raise money for the American Red Cross and other organizations. A live special will be aired on Sept. 10 across all three networks featuring Ludacris, Green Day, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Alicia Keys, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band and other artists.
"If we can offer a platform to contribute in some meaningful way, all our of our MTV Networks brands will be there," said Judy McGrath, chair and CEO, MTV Networks. "Our goal is to join forces on every medium to get involved, to volunteer, to contribute in any way we can."
The networks will also begin an awareness campaign to provide viewers with details on how to donate to relief efforts. Also on Sept. 10, MTV News will air a special, featuring correspondents filing reports from areas affected by the hurricane.
- August 31, 2005
- 7:00 PM
- Comment
Moonves Tweaks Heyward in Times Magazine Article
CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves has said to colleagues that CBS News President Andrew Heyward may not be able to lead the "revolution" he thinks is essential for CBS News to attract more and younger viewers to the third-place "CBS Evening News," according to an article that will appear in this weekend's New York Times Sunday Magazine.
The article points out that Mr. Moonves "genuinely likes and respects [Mr.] Heyward," but has been frustrated with the news division.
Mr. Moonves told author Lynn Hirschberg that the "Evening News" has to fall somewhere between "two boring people behind a desk" and Britain's racy "The Big Breakfast" and "Naked News."
"We have to break the mold. We don't have a choice," Mr. Moonves is quoted as having said to Ms. Hirschberg, who writes that Mr. Moonves has pushed Mr. Heyward this summer to "be less conservative in his thinking" as he shoots prototypes for a revamped "Evening News."
"The news anchor Andrew wants to use is not surprising," Mr. Moonves told Ms. Hirschberg, referring to White House correspondent John Roberts. "That's bothering me."
According to Ms. Hirschberg, the eventual prototype is likely to include such elements as humorous segments and interactive elements involving viewers.
"It's like pornography: I'll know it when I see it," Mr. Moonves said.
- August 31, 2005
- 6:00 PM
- Comment
NBC to Televise Hurricane Relief Telethon
NBC Universal Television Group announced Tuesday it is scheduling a live benefit special to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"A Concert for Hurricane Relief" will air in high definition Friday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m. (ET) on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC.
The hour-long, music- and celebrity-driven broadcast will air live on the East Coast, tape-delayed on the West Coast. NBC's Matt Lauer will host the telethon, which will be broadcast entirely from NBC's 30 Rock studios in New York. The special will feature performances by artists with ties to the affected areas, including Tim McGraw, Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis, as well as appearances by Leonardo DiCaprio and other celebrities.
Viewers will be encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in support of hurricane relief through its Web site and donation hotline (redcross.org or 1-800-HELP NOW).
- August 31, 2005
- 3:25 PM
- Comment
Free Political Spots in Play in Multicast Wrangling
Legislation requiring cable TV operators to carry all of the free TV signals that broadcasters multicast on their new digital TV channels could clear the way for an agreement under which broadcasters would provide free air time for political candidates.
That is one of the public-interest obligations that broadcasters would consider swapping for a multicast must-carry rule, said Eddie Fritts, National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO, during a press briefing Wednesday.
"We've indicated everything is on the table," Mr. Fritts said. Also during his briefing, Mr. Fritts said that Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, have agreed to lead the charge for a multicast carriage requirement in the Senate. In addition, Mr. Fritts said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, has made clear that while he opposes a carriage requirement, broadcasters should feel free to lobby other representatives for a House amendment that would require multicast carriage. "We're going after them [the House votes]," Mr. Fritts said.
Mr. Fritts said he expects the cable TV industry to try to persuade the courts to kill any multicast must-carry rule. But in the wake of a major NAB lobbying campaign over the past two months, Mr. Fritts predicted that multicast carriage will become law. "In my view, multicasting will be a way of life," he said.
The multicast issue is on NAB's front burner because lawmakers are expected to approve DTV legislation that could determine the legislative fate of multicast carriage, along with such other major issues as the date for the digital transition, shortly after they return from their summer recess next week.
Mr. Fritts originally proposed to swap quantified public-interest obligations for multicast carriage during a Senate hearing in July.
- August 31, 2005
- 3:24 PM
- Comment
Rumsfeld to Appear on 'Letterman'
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has been booked to make his maiden appearance Tuesday, Sept. 6, on CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman."
more »
- August 31, 2005
- 3:24 PM
- Comment
Goldman Named CNBC's Public Relations VP
Kevin Goldman, a longtime media reporter before he joined the corporate communications world, has been named CNBC's public relations VP, effective Sept. 6.
He succeeds Amy Zelvin, who has been named NBC Universal Digital Media communications VP.
Mr. Goldman covered the media, especially TV, for Variety and Newsday and The Wall Street Journal, where he became an advertising columnist. He is the author of "Conflicting Accounts: The Creation and Crash of the Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Empire."
Most recently he was VP of corporate communications for Bookspan.
- August 31, 2005
- 3:23 PM
- Comment
Big 3 Slate Katrina Specials
Coverage of the effects of Hurricane Katrina will move into prime time on the Big 3 broadcast networks tonight.
CBS News' "48 Hours" will produce a special set to air from 8-8:30 p.m. (ET) and anchored from New Orleans by John Roberts, who has been co-anchoring "CBS Evening News" from the flooded city this week.
"Dateline NBC" will present an hour-long special at 9 p.m. anchored by "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams from New Orleans.
Elizabeth Vargas, in Gulfport, Miss., will anchor an hour-long ABC News special scheduled for 10 p.m.
Also scheduled tonight are a 7-8 p.m. CNBC Business special, "Hurricane Katrina: Road to Recovery," and a three-hour special "Evening Edition" starting at 9 p.m. on The Weather Channel.
- August 31, 2005
- 2:30 PM
- Comment
Cartoon Net Announces Andre 3000 Show
Cartoon Network has started production on an as-yet-untitled prime-time series created by Andre Benjamin, aka Andre 3000 of OutKast, and Tom Lynch.
Twelve half-hour episodes have been ordered for the series, about a group of musically gifted kids. Mr. Benjamin will provide voices and musical direction.
The show is slated for a fall 2006 debut and is produced by Cartoon Network in conjunction with the Tom Lynch Co. and Andre Benjamin's production company, Moxie Turtle.
- August 31, 2005
- 1:43 PM
- Comment
CBS Wins Week in Total Viewers, Ties Fox in Adults 18-49
CBS and Fox tied for the top spot for the week ended Aug. 28 in the adults 18 to 49 demographic, but CBS took the No. 1 title in total viewers.
Helping to lead CBS was a Thursday repeat of "CSI," which tied for No. 1 in adults 18 to 49 with a 3.7 rating and won total viewers with 12.2 million, according to Nielsen Media Research. CBS's Monday comedy "Two and a Half Men" tied "CSI" in the demo with a 3.7, while Fox's summer reality series "So You Think You Can Dance" and ABC's Monday night preseason NFL football telecast tied for third place at 3.4.
In total viewers, CBS's "60 Minutes" was second with 10.9 million viewers, followed by "Men" with 10.8 million.
In adults 18 to 49, CBS and Fox tied for the week at 2.4, followed by ABC (2.0), NBC (1.9), UPN (1.1) and The WB (0.8). In total viewers CBS was tops with 7.7 million, followed by Fox (6.0 million), NBC (5.8 million), ABC (5.7 million), UPN (2.7 million) and The WB (1.9 million).
- August 31, 2005
- 1:32 PM
- Comment
Icahn May Be Eyeing Time Warner Stock Purchase
In a move that could help force change at media giant Time Warner, billionaire investor Carl Icahn may be preparing to make a tender offer to buy up to 10 percent of Time Warner's outstanding shares.
According to several reports, Mr. Icahn has been holding talks with a number of unidentified investors about joining a shareholder team formed earlier this month by Mr. Icahn to push the company to take several steps he thinks would boost shareholder value, including offering to the public more than Time Warner's current plan of 15 percent of Time Warner Cable.
The unnamed shareholders could help finance a transaction said to be valued at around $8 billion for a 10 percent slice of the media giant. Mr. Icahn's current investment group--which includes two of Mr. Icahn's own funds along with Jana Partners, SAC Capital Advisors and Franklin Mutual Advisors--now owns slightly less than 3 percent of Time Warner's outstanding shares, valued at $2.2 billion.
Mr. Icahn met in recent weeks with Time Warner Chairman and CEO Richard Parsons to discuss steps the company could take to jump-start its languishing stock price. While Mr. Icahn described the conversation as "productive," little has emerged from those talks.
