Media buyer GroupM has agreed to upfront buys with NBC and Disney-affiliated cable channels, ABC Family, Lifetime and A&E, according to Mediaweek. GroupM denied that any deals have been made, as did Lifetime. NBC and A&E had no comment and…
“Ugly Betty” and “Life on Mars” may be the first of many television shows to switch production to New York from Los Angeles because of production tax benefits, the Los Angeles Times reports. New York State tripled the tax credit…
ABC signed Billy Zane to play opposite Teri Polo in the new drama “Finnegan,” the Hollywood Reporter says. The network also brought on Dorian Missick for the comedy pilot “Bad Mother’s Handbook” and Rizwan Manji for an untitled Kohan/Mutchnick comedy…
Tony Hale, who appeared in “Arrested Development” has been hired for recurring roles on both ABC’s “Samantha Who?” and NBC’s “Chuck,” the Hollywood Reporter says. Meanwhile, Mexican actor Demian Bichir will play the mayor of Tijuana on Showtime’s “Weeds,” the…
Sunday morning’s fire at Universal Studios was started by sparks from a blowtorch used to repair a New York street set and was aided by lack of water pressure, Daily Variety reports. The water system on the lot, which suffered…
Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore, former writers of “That ’70s Show,” launched a comedy on Briggs Digital Media’s Cinsay.com Web site, Daily Variety reports. “Dan’s Detour of Life” stars Michael Kostroff, formerly of “The Wire,” as a father who moves…
The big broadcast networks are letting bloggers embed their show on their own sites, reflecting a change in the way network television is being distributed on line, the New York Times says. That means Web surfers can find programming anywhere,…
The FBI is investigating whether Larry Mendte, anchor at KYW-TV in Philadelphia, illegally accessed the Email account of former co-anchor Alycia Lane, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Mr. Mendte’s home was searched and his personal computer was seized, the paper says….
The CW affiliate in Yakima, Wash., KCWK-TV, went off the air last week following a bankruptcy filing, the Yakima Herald-Republic reports. The Pappas Telecasting station informed the FCC it may return on a digital signal next year, probably under new…
Federal Communications Commission member Jonathan Adelstein said the regulator favors more test runs prior to next February’s official switchover date for digital broadcasts such as ones being run in Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, Broadcasting & Cable reports. Mr. Adelstein…