ABC News' Joel Siegel Dies at 63

Joel Siegel, "Good Morning America's" entertainment critic, died today, according to ABC News.

ABC News' Web site reported that Mr. Siegel died in New York, after after a long struggle with cancer, at the age of 63.

Mr. Siegel graduated from UCLA and began his career as a radio disc jockey and newscaster. After moving to New York to become an entertainment critic in the early 1970s, he secured a job with WABC-TV, the ABC flagship local station in New York City, as a film critic.

ABC News Colleagues Remember Joel Siegel

(Editor: Liff)

NFL Punts on European League

By Jon Lafayette

The NFL today said it was closing down NFL Europa, its 16-year-old European league.

All 31 of the league’s games were televised live in overnight time periods last season on NFL Network, where they drew relatively low ratings.

To replace the programming, a spokesman said, the network is likely to expand its use of NFL Classics, which are full broadcasts of old NFL games that haven’t been aired since they were played. The NFL Classics have drawn about 10 times the ratings of the NFL Europa games, the spokesman said.

The NFL, which was losing a reported $30 million a year on NFL Europa, will shift its international strategy to presenting real NFL games globally.

The league is planning to play up to two regular-season games outside the U.S. per season.

On Oct. 28, the Miami Dolphins will play the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London.

For the 2008 season, Germany, Mexico and Canada are being considered to host games.

The league also is making its games more available internationally via digital media.

“We will continue to build our international fan base by taking advantage of technology and customized digital media, that make the NFL more accessible on a global scale than ever before, and through the regular-season game experience,” said Mark Waller, senior VP of NFL International.

“NFL Europa has created thousands of passionate fans who have supported that league and our sport for many years, and we look forward to building on this foundation as we begin this new phase of our international development,” he added.

(Editor: Horowitz)

Boomerang to Air 'Flintstones' Marathon

By Jon Lafayette

Yabba Dabba Do! Boomerang, the commercial free sister network of Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Network,’ is planning a marathon of “The Flintstones” that will show every episode of the first animated primetime series in chronological order.

The three-and-a-half day stunt begins at 6 a.m. on July 4 with the pilot, called “The Flagstones.” The 166th episode will finish at 5 p.m. on July 7.

Some favorite episode of “The Flintstones” will be available on video on demand as a Fourth of July special during the month.

“The Flintstones” premiered on Sept. 30, 1960 and ran for six years.

State Farm Sponsors MLB’s Home Run Derby

By Jon Lafayette

State Farm will be the title sponsor of the Home Run Derby that will air on ESPN as part of Major League’s Baseball’s All-Star Week.

State Farm also agreed to become the official insurance company of Major League Baseball.

Terms were not disclosed, but baseball encourages it official sponsors to buy significant amounts of advertising from its media partners, which include Fox and Turner Broadcasting, as well as ESPN.

“The Home Run Derby is one of the most recognizable and exciting event properties during the Major League Baseball season, and it is fitting that a brand of State Farm’s stature will now become linked with it,” said Tim Brosnan, executive VP, Business of, Major League Baseball.

State Farm also has partnerships with 24 individual MLB teams.

'5th Grader' Pushes Fox to Thursday Win

By James Hibberd

Fox led Thursday with the top two shows as “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” and the “So You Think You Can Dance” results show led the night.

“Grader” scored a 2.9 rating among adults 18 to 49; “Dance” had a 3.4. Both were on the low side, but were well above and beyond competitors.

NBC was second with “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office” repeats, followed by the series finale of “Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip.” The last episode of the Aaron Sorkin drama earned a 2.0, its best Thursday night performance.

CBS was third with “Pirate Master,” bobbing down a bit from last week to a 1.6, and repeats. ABC and The CW were fourth and fifth, respectively, with repeats.

Warner Bros. International Promotes Rothblum

By Chris Pursell

Warner Bros. International Television Distribution has promoted Sylvia Rothblum to senior vice president and managing director of German-speaking territories for the company.

Under her new title, Ms. Rothblum will oversee the company’s operations in German-speaking Europe, overseeing the licensing of Warner Bros. Entertainment content—including television series, theatrical motion pictures, movies for television and animation—to free and pay TV operators over terrestrial, cable, satellite and IPTV platforms, as well as to selected new-media clients such as video-on-demand and subscription video-on-demand.

Ms. Rothblum will be based in Munich, and will report to Robert Blair, senior VP, northern Europe, WBITD, and Willi Geike, president and managing director of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

“Sylvia is an exceptional executive who has made a significant contribution to WBITD’s success in German-speaking Europe, and I couldn’t be happier to reward her efforts with this much-deserved promotion,” said Jeffrey Schlesinger, president, Warner Bros. International Television.

House Proposes Ban on Fairness Doctrine Funding

By Ira Teinowitz

The House of Representatives moved today to ban the Federal Communications Commission from reviving the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to offer competing viewpoints in a balanced manner when presenting controversial issues.

The House inserted a ban on government spending in behalf of the doctrine into an appropriations bill, acting at the urging of GOP conservatives. Democrats charged the move was "a political stunt" aimed at quieting unwarranted conservative talk-show hosts' fears that the doctrine could return. The legislation was awaiting a final vote at press time.

Democrats admitted some concern about the lack of balance on talk radio, but said there was no immediate prospect for the Fairness Doctrine's revival.

"It's long since gone by the board because of court decisions and various FCC decisions," said House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey, D-Wis., who readily accepted the GOP amendment, then saw conservatives spend half an hour rising to praise it. He called the move "another political exercise" intended to fix fears coming from "talk radio and yap-yap TV."

"I want to see the real Rush [Limbaugh]. I want folks like him to be exposed to American audiences in all his bloviated glory. Let right-wing radio go on just as they do now. ... Rush and Sean [Hannity] are just as important as ... Paris Hilton. I would hate to see government moderate it to give them an ounce of credibility," Rep. Obey said.

The amendment was proposed by U.S. Reps. Mike Pence, R-Ind.; Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; and Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. They acted after Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., endorsed the doctrine's revival and Matt Drudge's Drudge Report Web site featured a clip of what turned out to be a months-old interview in which Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry also endorsed it.

Aides to Sen. Kerry and Sen. Durbin said neither senator is sponsoring legislation. An aide to Sen. Feinstein said she has directed staff to look at the possible changes to the communications law "to ensure there is a degree of fairness," but that she has no active proposal.

House Energy & Commerce Committee chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, chairman of one of its panels, also have talked of holding hearings.

Conservatives today called the Fairness Doctrine outmoded.

"As kids say, this doctrine is so 20th-century," said Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

"If the Fairness Doctrine is put back in place, you will silence the public," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., who owns a radio station.

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., called any plan to reintroduce it "a bald-faced attack on free speech. Proponents don't like what they hear on the radio. The content of radio and television shows should be directed by station managers, not the government."

Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., said Republican conservatives on the air acknowledge what they stand for.

"The difference is that Rush Limbaugh knows and admits he is a conservative. Dan Rather and Katie Couric don't admit they are liberals," he said.

Rep. Pence said today's amendment will send "a deafening message" that Congress doesn't want the doctrine reinstated.

(Editor: Horowitz)

ABC Gives Malhotra Weekend News Oversight

By Andrew Krukowski

Vinnie Malhotra has been named executive producer of ABC News’ weekend news content, ABC News announced today.

Mr. Malhotra will oversee editorial content and production of ABC’s two weekend evening news broadcasts, “World News Saturday” and “World News Sunday.” He also will be a senior producer of “World News With Charles Gibson.”

He’ll be in charge of ABC News’ digital media weekend editorial content and production, including material for ABCNews.com and ABC News Now.

Mr. Malhotra previously had been a senior producer for ABC’s “Nightline” since June 2006, managing production staff and editorial content for the live show.

Mr. Malhotra has been with ABC News since 1997.

(Editor: Horowitz)

ABC, ESPN Shake Up College Football Announcers

By Andrew Krukowski

A new lineup of voices will be heard during a majority of ESPN and ABC college football broadcasts this season.

“Saturday Night Football” on ABC will bring in Kirk Herbstreit as an analyst for all games this season, along with the familiar voices of commentator Brent Musburger and reporter Lisa Salters.

Herbstreit was an analyst for some “Saturday Night Football” games last season, and will continue to work on ESPN’s Saturday morning “College GameDay.”

ESPN’s Thursday night games will feature Doug Flutie and Craig James as analysts, with returning commentator Chris Fowler and reporter Erin Andrews.

A new lineup featuring Mark Jones, Bob Davie and Stacey Dales is coming together for ESPN2’s Saturday primetime series.

Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham and Jack Arute, originally in the ESPN2 primetime spot, will move to ABC to call games.

There’s more wholesale movement in the broadcast chairs, as Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman and Rob Stone, who previously called ESPN’s Saturday afternoon telecasts, will move to ESPN’s enhanced Friday primetime series.

Replacing ESPN’s afternoon trio are Dave Pasch, Andre Ware and Erin Andrews.

ESPNU is getting a new voice in the form of former Miami Hurricanes head coach Larry Coker, making his TV debut as an analyst working select games.

Also, ESPN analyst Mike Gottfried will work ESPNU primetime telecasts with Dave Armstrong.

But there will be some familiar voices as well.

Brad Nessler, analysts Bob Griese and Paul Maguire and reporter Bonnie Bernstein return for the top ABC Saturday broadcast.

ESPN’s Saturday primetime game will see Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe return to the booth for a second year.

Dan Fouts will call play-by-play for the second straight year on ABC with analyst Tim Brant and reporter Todd Harris.

And ESPNU will continue its Thursday night games featuring historically black colleges and universities with Charlie Neal and analyst Jay Walker calling the action for a third consecutive year.

(Editor: Horowitz)

Spencer to Run Development for Janollari

By James Hibberd

Former WB executive Clay Spencer has been named head of development at producer David Janollari’s newly formed production company.

Mr. Spencer will develop comedy and drama series for Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Television, where Mr. Janollari’s as-yet-unnamed company is based.

Previously Mr. Spencer worked under Mr. Janollari at now-defunct network The WB, as VP of drama development from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Spencer is credited with developing “Supernatural,” “Pepper Dennis,” “Related,” “Just Legal” and “The Bedford Diaries.”

“Clay has great taste in material and terrific relationships with the creative community and artist representatives throughout the industry,” Mr. Janollari said. “We have worked closely together for the last four years, and I couldn’t be happier to have Clay back with me in this new venture as we hit the ground running with development.”

(Editor: Horowitz)