Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings identified his streaming-video company’s chief rival and explained why, Bloomberg reports. Hastings pointed to HBO, noting that he most fears HBO Go, the pay-TV service’s that allows viewers to watch content from a variety…
Verizon is planning a stand-alone service for streaming television shows and movies that will challenge Netflix, reports Reuters. According to sources who were briefed on the plan, Verizon is talking with programming partners about the service, which it aims to…
The “quadrennial effect,” which happens only every four years, is due in 2012 and it is expected to encourage more ad spending next year, boosting the television business and other media industries, reports The New York Times. The effect describes…
Even with Fox’s “American Country Awards” scoring a huge increase in viewership over last year, CBS notched a dominant ratings win according to Nielsen overnights, TVbytheNumbers.com reports. CBS averaged a 4.0 rating in adults 18-49 for the night, pounding Fox…
Nielsen, which has been embroiled in a dispute with Nickelodeon over children’s ratings, has admitted it made a mistake. The company says it erred when it said children’s ratings are up this season, although it stands by its decreasing numbers…
Fox, NBC and CBS are close to reaching eight-year extensions of deals with the National Football League, which could earn about $3.2 billion a year from the broadcast partners, reports The Wall Street Journal. (Please note The WSJ is behind…
Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps, who announced earlier this year that he would be exiting his position with the panel, has submitted his resignation date, Multichannel News reports. Copps submitted the date, Jan. 1, to the White House, the…
As they deal with a variety of economic and technological challenges, some of the country’s top cable companies are exploring a new business line, reports the Los Angeles Times. They’re looking into home security: protecting giant HD flat-screen televisions as…
A freshman Showtime series will be back for a second season after the pay-cable network revealed it is renewing the show, Deadline.com reports. The show is Lisa Kudrow’s "Web Therapy," in which Kudrow plays an unctuous, self-involved psychotherapist named Fiona…
Viacom’s chief executive said today that the company expects growth in ad sales to be stronger in early 2012, The Wall Street Journal reports. Said Philippe Dauman: "As we look to the next quarter, we expect to see stronger ad-sales…