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Monthly Archives : October 2008

Cable Commercial Ratings Better Than Last Year

A new report from Magna, Interpublic Group of Companies’ consulting group, shows cable commercial ratings are up 10% from where they were last year, MediaPost reports. Magna also found ad-supported cable networks grew 9% among viewers 18-49 and 13% among…

C-SPAN Wants High Court Oral Argument Tapes

C-SPAN has requested access to expedited audiotapes of the Supreme Court’s upcoming oral argument in the case of the Federal Communications Commission vs. Fox over profanity used in a “Billboard Music Awards Show” broadcast, Broadcasting & Cable says. If the…

Break Media Announces Job Cuts

Online video network Break Media said it let go of 11 employees and emphasized that the cutbacks are not due to the economic downturn but are part of the ordinary course of business. CEO Keith Richman said he plans to…

FBN’s Lee Not Just Another Pretty Face

Fox Business Network’s Jenna Lee gets the hometown paper treatment, with the Contra Costa Times profiling the San Francisco native today. The co-anchor of “Fox Business Morning,” whom many have dubbed an “anchor babe,” wants her viewers and fans to…

Powell Boosts ‘Meet the Press’ Ratings

NBC’s “Meet the Press” was the most-watched Sunday morning public affairs program for the week ending Oct. 19, according to Nielsen Media Research. The program, which featured an interview with former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell on Oct. 19,…

Online Viewings of ‘SNL’ Palin Visit Surpassing TV

Viewership of online clips of Sarah Palin’s performance on last weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” is rapidly closing in on the number of viewers who watched it live, Advertising Age reports. Fifteen million people tuned in on Saturday to watch the…

MSNBC Planning 2Q 2009 HD Launch

MSNBC will make its high-definition debut next spring, Multichannel News reports. It will be the last of the 24-hour cable news networks to make the switch to HD. CNN debuted its high-definition simulcast in September 2007 while Fox News Channel’s…

‘Death’ Nabs Nathan Lane

Emmy- and Tony-winning actor Nathan Lane has been cast to play opposite Brad Garrett as his recently dumped gay brother on Fox’s “’Til Death,” Entertainment Weekly reports. The episode will air Nov. 18, in time for the sweeps ratings period….

‘Gary’ Gets Time Slot Upgrade for a Week

“Gary Unmarried” will get a shot at the big time next week. CBS has decided to serve up a repeat of the “Gary” pilot in the network’s best comedy time slot: Monday at 9:30 p.m., immediately following top-rated “Two and…

Byrd, Ivanek Land Recurring Roles on ‘Heroes’

Dan Byrd has been cast in the recurring role of the twisted and pathologically lying David on “Heroes,” Entertainment Weekly reports. Byrd will appear in the last three episodes of the season during the show’s “Volume 4: Fugitives” arc, with…