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Monthly Archives : August 2008

Phelps Dives Into VMAs

Olympic superstar Michel Phelps is continuing his post-Beijing media frenzy by acting as presenter at the MTV Video Music Awards, the Associated Press reports. Earlier this week NBC announced Phelps would host the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.” He…

BBC to Ship Tranter to West Coast

BBC controller Jane Tranter, the person responsible for the company’s drama and comedy commissioning, is said to be in talks to relocate to the U.S. and lead the new BBC Worldwide West Coast drama production group next year, the Hollywood…

Ad Firms Post Gains, Express Caution

Media company Havas SA posted a 40% profit increase in the first half of the year. Last month, its chief executive Fernando Rodes Vila warned that the company was preparing for “more fragile economic times ahead,” the Wall Street Journal…

Pilots, Series Add to Casts

Shawn Hatosy has joined the cast of “LAPD,” a drama pilot for NBC, the Hollywood Reporter says. HBO’s dark comedy pilot “Hung” has added Kristin Bauer to the cast, as well. Other cast additions include David Giutoli in “Privileged,” Greg…

‘Life’ Gets 2nd Chance at First Impression

NBC’s “Life” is facing a unique scenario as a returning sophomore series cut short in its first year due to the Writers Guild of America strike, USA Today reports. “Life,” which come back on Sept. 29, must approach the season…

Animal Planet Prepares for ‘Grizzly’ Debut

Animal Planet’s new mini-series “The Grizzly Man Diaries,” retells the “still unsettling” story of Timothy Treadwell, the self-styled grizzly bear expert featured in the documentary “Grizzly Man,” the New York Times says. Treadwell and a girlfriend were eaten by bears…

Ricky Schroeder to Direct Sci Fi ‘Hellhounds’

Ricky Schroeder has been tapped to direct the upcoming TV film “Hellhounds,” the Hollywood Reporter says. The movie, which begin filming in Romania on Sunday, is a joint production between Romania’s S.C. Studiourile Media Productions and Canada’s Muse Entertainment. The…

Bertelsmann May Sell Broadcast Unit

Bertelsmann AG CEO Hartmut Osrowski suggested that the European media giant may sell a stake in its RTL Group, its publicly traded broadcast segment, the Wall Street Journal reports. The sale could rake in as much as 1.5 billion euros…

Universal TV Expands Business Affairs

Universal TV Group is enlarging its business affairs department through two promotions and two new hires, Daily Variety reports. The company upped Pam Schechter and Crissy Thomas-Taylor to VPs, and Rafael Gomez-Cabrera and Rajal Lele have been hired as directors….

NBC OKs Pickens’ Oil Ad After Pushback

NBC will run an ad from oil magnate T. Boone Pickens on its flagship network after initially objecting to it because the broadcaster said the spot didn’t support its claim that the U.S. wasn’t attempting to cut back on oil…