Chuck Ross

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Chuck Ross is the managing director of TVWeek.com. He's been involved in the TV business ever since he sold cable TV subscriptions in Santa Monica, Calif., door-to-door in the mid-to-late 1970s. He's had regular gigs reporting and/or editing about TV and advertising for Cablevision magazine,The Hollywood Reporter, the San Francisco Chronicle, Inside Media and Advertising Age. He first joined the predecessor to TVWeek, Electronic Media, in 2000.

Blockbuster Prepares to File for September Bankruptcy

After struggling against newer competitors such as Netflix and Redbox, Blockbuster is preparing to enter a "pre-planned" bankruptcy next month, the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town blog reports. The goal would be for Blockbuster to restructure its almost $1 billion…

Viacom and NBC Veteran Simon Takes New Job With BBC America

Perry Simon, a former senior executive with NBC and Viacom, has been appointed general manager of channels for BBC Worldwide America, Deadline.com reports. Simon will oversee BBC America, BBC America HD, Video on Demand, BBCAmerica.com and future platforms for the…

Google Rolls Out Free Phone Service

After shaking things up over the years in areas such as Web searching, Internet advertising and e-mail, Google is at it again, unveiling a new service that will let users make free phone calls from their computers, The New York…

FCC Appeals Court Decision in Effort to Restore Enforcement Power Over Broadcast Indecency

With the backing of the Justice Department, the Federal Communications Commission has filed an appeal of a Second Circuit Court of Appeals decision that effectively gutted the panel’s indecency enforcement policy, reports B&C. The FCC contends that the ruling was…

NBC Shuffles Fall Schedule, Delays New Reality Show’s Debut

The debut of a new NBC reality series has been pushed back to Oct. 15, according to The Hollywood Reporter, taking the show out of the lineup during the crowded fall premiere period. The show is "School Pride," a makeover…

We Detect the Hand of Providence (in Rhode Island): Video of Something You Don’t Usually See in a Political Debate

Ad Prices for Conan’s TBS Show Approaching Leno and Letterman Prices

Conan O’Brien’s new late-night cable show is getting ad prices that approach those of broadcast counterparts Jay Leno and David Letterman, Advertising Age reports. Ad buyers say Time Warner’s Turner cable unit is getting $30,000 to $40,000 for 30-second spots…

Conan’s TBS Show Nears Leno and Letterman Pricing–A Conan O’Brien Spot Costs $30,000 to $40,000, but Package Deals Complicate Comparisons

By Brian Steinberg Advertising Age Do advertisers consider Conan O’Brien’s upcoming cable show equivalent to Jay Leno and David Letterman’s programs on broadcast networks? Time Warner’s Turner cable unit is securing $30,000 to $40,000 for 30-second berths in Mr. O’Brien’s…

Bristol Palin to Appear on TV Competition Show

The 19-year-old daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin, has been picked to appear as a contestant during the upcoming season of ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars," reports E! Online. Other celebrities believed to be in the cast…

Cable Takes a Hard Hit as Subscription TV Sees First Quarterly Decline in History

A new SNL Kagan analysis released this week shows that cable, satellite and telco video combined lost 216,000 customers in the second quarter, the first such decline in history, Mediaweek reports. The loss brings total subscribers down to 100.1 million…