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Tom Gilbert 4,032 Entries
Tom Gilbert

Ted Koppel Headed Back to ABC News?

Former “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel may be headed back to ABC News, where he worked for 42 years before leaving in 2005, Politico reports. The network is negotiating with Koppel to become the anchor of the Sunday morning “This Week”…

Charlie Sheen Loses Commercial Gig

Charlie Sheen will no longer be appearing in underwear ads for Hanesbrands, after being accused of domestic violence over the holidays, the Associated Press reports. A company spokesman said the charges against Sheen were serious enough that the company felt…

FX Close to Acquiring Expensive ‘Avatar’ TV Rights

News Corp.’s 20th Century Fox is near a deal to sell the TV rights to the hit movie “Avatar” to cable network FX, a sister company, sources told the Los Angeles Times. The price, when finalized, could be more than…

Scripps, Cablevision Truce at Hand?

A deal may be in the making in the nasty spat between Cablevision and Scripps Networks Interactive, reports Multichannel News. Scripps Networks spokeswoman Cindy McConkey said the two sides “made some limited progress” in a meeting Wednesday at Cablevision headquarters….

Cablevision CEO Says Programmers May Be Pricing Selves Out of Business

Cablevision Systems CEO James Dolan, whose company is locked in a bitter battle with Scripps Networks Interactive over carriage of two channels, said programmers that insist on large affiliate fee increases may be pricing themselves out of business, Multichannel News…

Broadcast Valuations Bouncing Back

Six pure-play publicly owned broadcasters were valued by investment bank M.C. Alcamo & Co. at an average multiple of 10.7 X EBITDA at the end of 2009, a sign that the business is bouncing back, B&C reports. The numbers indicate…

CW to Put Extended Preview of New ‘Life Unexpected’ Online

The CW will put the first 10 minutes of "Life Unexpected," its new drama about a 15-year-old foster child who moves back in with her biological parents, online a week before its TV debut, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The preview…

DOJ to Review Comcast-NBC Universal Deal

The Justice Department, in addition to the Federal Communications Commission, will review Comcast’s takeover of NBC Universal, sources told the Los Angeles Times. The review process could have gone to the Federal Trade Commission. Christine Varney, head of the antitrust…

John Shaffner Re-Elected ATAS Chair

Production designer John Shaffner was re-elected to a second two-year term as chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, in Wednesday’s runoff election, reports The Hollywood Reporter. He had faced second vice chair Brian Seth Hurst…

Scripps Finds Way Around Cablevision Blackout in N.Y.

New York metropolitan-area viewers who missed Food Network’s telecast of "Super Chef Battle: An Iron Chef America Event" Sunday night due to the ongoing dispute between parent Scripps Networks Interactive and Cablevision will have another chance to see the highly-rated program. Scripps…