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At Press Time

Powell, new FCC nominees approved by U.S. SenateWashington-The Senate on Friday unanimously approved the nomination of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell for a new term at the agency. The Senate also confirmed three other Bush administration nominees to the…

A television season about … nothing

Season Zero. Or, more accurately, Season Zero Zero. It ended in 2001, just last week in fact, but it started in 2000 and so Season Zero Zero is as good a thing to call it as any. Maybe even Season…

Codes of conduct to get Senate airing

The entertainment industry could be broadsided in June or July with a Senate hearing aimed at convincing television networks, movie studios, video game manufacturers, music labels and arcades to develop codes of conduct.Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., an outspoken critic of…

WSAZ admits covering over commercials

An NBC affiliate in West Virginia is being accused of a sales practice that potentially misled television advertisers and violated Nielsen guidelines.WSAZ-TV, serving the Huntington-Charleston, W.Va., market, is accused of “covering over” spots that were expected to run throughout its…

EchoStar prepping counteroffer for DirecTV

General Motors’ willingness to hear EchoStar Communications’ counteroffer for GM’s Hughes Electronics’ subsidiary is an act of fiduciary responsibility to shareholders as GM’s “focus and first priority” remains satellite merger negotiations with News Corp.Sources say that despite the latest twist…

Hollywood Notes

Networks’ summer heating upHaving learned lessons about the successful launches of ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and CBS’s original “Survivor” the previous two summers, the captains of network programming are again looking at some moderate doses of original…

NBC wins 18 to 49, but numbers slip

NBC won the battle for the adult 18 to 49 May sweeps crown, but ad buyers may be taking a harder look at other networks before laying down big money this month for fourth quarter 2001. For the first time…

AOL TW’s big `Swordfish’ splash

The world’s largest media company and the nation’s largest advertiser have combined in a multimillion dollar promotion deal to jointly tout a would-be summer theatrical blockbuster.“The marketing partnership between Warner Bros. Studios, General Motors, the Turner networks and Time Inc….

Chris-Craft newscasts rise amid uncertainty

While many newscasts were down or flat in household ratings for the May book due to lower HUT levels, there was good news for the Chris-Craft Industries stations in New York and Los Angeles. The big news in New York…

Briefly Noted

Trio readies relaunchTrio, the “emerging” digital cable arts network owned by USA Networks, is relaunching June 10 with a new look and an ambitious plan for commissioning specials and original series programs, all aimed at cornering the “popular arts” audience….