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Monthly Archives : December 2008

Time Warner Cable Crosses Border

Time Warner Cable in September will start airing two Mexican television networks in its Texas markets, Multichannel News says. Mexico’s Multimedios Television will have its Multimedios and TeleRitmo networks air in 15 Texas markets, Multichannel News reports. —Danny King

USA Beats Disney in Basic-Cable Race

NBC Universal’s USA Network supplanted the Disney Channel as this year’s most watched basic-cable channel, the Hollywood Reporter says. USA, which regained its 2006 ratings lead with shows such as “Monk,” averaged about 460,000 more primetime viewers than Disney Channel,…

The Year’s Top Media Bloopers

Gawker has put together a list of mistakes in the media over the course of 2008. The list ranges from random curse words let loose by newscasters and talk show hosts to Anderson Cooper blowing an on-air gag about technology…

Ads Getting Bigger on Web Sites

With the advertising market softening, Web site publishers are letting sponsors have bigger, more intrusive ads, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some advertisers are ordering up annoying formats, including video pre-rolls, spyware and pop ups, the paper says. —Jon Lafayette

Media Moguls Worth Less Money

As the stock market has crashed, leading media moguls have seen their net worth drop by billions of dollars, the Business Sheet reports. Charlie Ergen of Echostar tops the list by registering a $6.1 billion loss. Runners up Rupert Murdoch…

Baier to Anchor for Fox News’ ‘Special Report’

Bret Baier will serve as anchor for “Special Report” on Fox News, TVNewser reports. Baier had been filling in for Brit Hume, who just retired, and will take over “Special Report” beginning Jan. 5, the site says. Chris Wallace and…

‘Roots’ Writer Blinn to be Feted by WGA

William Blinn, whose television writing credits include “Roots” and “Rawhide,” will be honored in February by the Writers Guild of America West with its Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television, the Hollywood Reporter says. In addition for writing for such…

Cavanaugh, Sinatra Musician, Dies at 86

Page Cavanaugh, whose trio played on Frank Sinatra’s radio show and later appeared on such television programs as “The Tonight Show” and “The Ed Sullivan Show,” died last week of kidney failure in Granada Hills, Calif., at age 86, Daily…

Veoh Signs Deal With Germany’s Axel Springer

Web video site Veoh Networks has struck a deal with Axel Springer’s digital media unit that will incorporate Veoh programming into Axel Springer’s cross-platform media sales, MediaPost reports. The deal will help Veoh to increase its international presence while the…

Fanscape Sees 15% Revenue Increase in 2009

Fanscape president and co-founder Terry Dry predicts his agency’s digital-media marketing revenue will grow 15% in 2009, MediaPost reports. Although the projection is down compared with the company’s performance history, it remains above the market average projections of no growth,…