Cablevision unit IFC Entertainment acquired the North American rights for Madonna’s directorial debut, “Filth and Wisdom,” Daily Variety reports. The movie, which Madonna co-wrote and co-produced, will appear simultaneously on video-on-demand and in theaters this fall, the newspaper says. —…
Ex-“JAG” star David James Elliott will appear in the four-hour disaster miniseries “Impact,” the Hollywood Reporter reports. The $13 million series about the earth’s effects from the moon being knocked off its orbit will start shooting in Canada this month,…
NBC signed “Battlestar Galactica” executive producer David Eick to a two-year, seven-figure agreement, Daily Variety reports. Eick says he plans to develop or write as many as three television projects a year, the newspaper says. — Danny King
CBS is opening a Silicon Valley office for its interactive division, Daily Variety reports. CBS Interactive Chief Operating Officer Steve Snyder and former Yahoo executive Michael Marquez will be based out of the new office in Menlo Park, Calif., the…
ABC News generated the biggest presidential debate audience of the year along with swirls of controversy with its two-hour faceoff between Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama Wednesday night in Philadelphia. Some 10.7 million total viewers tuned in during…
NFL Network said it plans to file a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission about what it claims is discriminatory and anticompetitive treatment by Comcast. The cable operator was served with a 10-day notice of intent, NFL Network said….
The CW’s Web site, CWTV.com, will not stream the newest “Gossip Girl” episodes in an effort to increase the show’s broadcast TV ratings, which have been low despite its high Internet buzz. “For these next five weeks the epicenter of…
Defying Wall Street concerns that it might be vulnerable to a slowdown in Internet ad sales, Google today reported a 30% increase in profits for the first quarter. The online search giant reported first-quarter net income of $1.31 billion, compared…
SAG has signed an interim pact to allow its members to work on independent films in the case of a strike against the major studios, the AP reports. The agreement also allows for completion of nine studio movies currently in…
Smithsonian Networks hired Trifecta Entertainment & Media to act as its representative for ad sales for its cable channel. Smithsonian Channel is available on DirecTV, Charter Communications, Verizon and RCN. “Advertising sales is an integral part of our business strategy,”…