Facing a prolonged recession and a contracting advertising market, online television studio ManiaTV has put itself up for sale and expects to find a buyer by the end of this month, TelevisionWeek has learned. The Web studio that landed advertisers…
Ion Media Networks appointed Leslie Glenn Chesloff to the newly created position of executive VP of programming, TVNewsday reports. Ms. Chesloff will work out of Ion’s New York offices, TVNewsday says. —Danny King
Children’s cable networks such as the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon will be less hurt by the overall decline in advertising sales than other channels because of steadier viewing habits, Advertising Age reports. Ad sales for kids’ networks this…
Disney XD, the network that’s replacing animated channel Toon Disney, launched last week in 73 million homes, Advertising Age reports. Live-action series “Aaron Stone” debuted on the network last weekend, while animated show “Phineas & Ferb” will start airing exclusively…
Investigation Discovery and author-journalist Aphrodite Jones have signed a two-part exclusive talent agreement. Ms. Jones will join the network, hosting nonfiction programming as well as developing content such as new series “Aphrodite Jones Files.” The show will be produced by…
Comcast Entertainment Group has promoted Cyndi McClellan to executive vice president of program strategy and research. Ms. McClellan will oversee research and strategic planning for E! Entertainment, Style Network, G4, FearNet and their digital properties, in addition to managing acquisitions…
Jeffrey Immelt, chief executive officer of NBC Universal parent General Electric, will forgo 2008 bonuses worth $11.7 million because of the company’s lower-then-expected earnings, the Associated Press reports. Immelt, who received a $5.8 million bonus for 2008, was paid a…
Ben Blank, who in the 1950s introduced the idea of using on-screen graphics behind television broadcasters to liven up newscasts, died of complications from a stroke at his Teaneck, N.J., home at age 87, the New York Times reports. Blank,…
Cable TV trade groups told the Federal Communications Commission that the regulator’s data-collection efforts would be useless because the industry doesn’t serve enough customers to warrant new laws, Multichannel News reports. While former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin estimated that cable…
CBS Corp.’s profit fell 52 percent in the fourth quarter as business deteriorated at its television operations. The company cut its quarterly dividend to 5 cents a share, down from 27 cents in an effort to maintain financial flexibility in…