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Monthly Archives : December 2008

Signs of Ratings Life for Couric

While still in third place, Katie Couric’s “CBS Evening News” last week racked up its highest ratings since February 2007, the Associated Press reports. The numbers suggest that viewers initially turned off by the changes at “Evening News” are giving…

Joost Gets New Juice from iPhone

Joost is getting a boost from a new application that allows iPhone users to see the web video service’s content via Wi-Fi, USA Today reports. “Ten million people have iPhones,” Joost CEO Mike Volpi tells the paper. “We want to…

CBS Shows Viewer Growth This Season

CBS has been able to buck the big broadcasters’ trend of lower viewership levels so far this season, TelevisionWeek reports. The Eye network was tops for the 12th straight week in total viewers and had nine of the top 10…

NBC Nixes Fractional Super Bowl Ad Stunt

NBC won’t allow multiple companies to share a single Super Bowl ad, refuting an earlier report that the network agreed to do so, Adweek says. NBC denied that it was in the process of giving permission to Los Angeles advertising…

Comcast, NFL Make Deal to Show Gophers

Comcast and the NFL Network buried the hatchet for the holidays in Minnesota, where all Comcast digital subscribers will be able to see the Minnesota Gophers play Kansas in the Insight Bowl New Year’s eve, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports….

CNN Cuts Protested by Science Groups

Four top science and environmental journalism groups issued an unprecedented joint statement criticizing CNN for shutting down its science reporting team, the Columbia Journalism Review says. The statement calls the cuts a “shortsighted” move made “at a time when science…

TV’s Year of Ups and Downs

The San Francisco Chronicle chronicles key events that played out on TV and behind the scenes during 2008. The list includes the Writers Guild of America strike, the end of “The Shield” and the announcement that Jay Leno will move…

Debt May Keep Dolans in Line

A heavy load of short-term debt coming due at Cablevision Systems may force the Dolan family that controls the cable operator to focus on its core business rather than dabble in acquisitions, the Wall Street Journal says. Shutting down the…

Velez From ‘Dexter’ to Get ‘Ugly’

Lauren Velez, who plays Lt. Maria Laguerta on “Dexter,” will appear in multiple episodes on ABC’s “Ugly Betty,” the Hollywood Reporter says. Velez will play a nurse involved in a plot twist that may lead to the death of one…

FCC to Meet Next Week

The Federal Communications Commission, which cancelled a Dec. 18 meeting because Chairman Kevin Martin couldn’t get enough votes for certain agenda items, will meet Dec. 30, Broadcasting & Cable reports. The regulator is required to meet once a month, B&C…