Cable

How Much Do You Think the Broadcast and Cable Upfronts Will Increase This Year? Here’s The Number Barclays Capital is Predicting

Barclays Capital is projecting a surge in upfront ad spending, B&C reports. The big four broadcasters may see a 20% jump in ad spending compared to last year’s upfront. Thus, for the broadcasters, a total of $8.26 billion is what Barclays is prognosticating,…

Nielsen: Spring Flowers Bring Ratings Showers. Will This be a Year When Overall TV Viewing Actually Goes Down?

Is nice weather to blame for the current TV ratings slump? Since the Olympics, prime-time ratings for cable and broadcasters have slipped, prompting Nielsen to blame the decline on factors including nice spring weather, USA Today reports. Overall television usage…

Network Comedy Pilots Are on the Rise, While Reality Slows Down

There are just five unscripted programs in development at ABC, CBS and NBC combined, the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town blog reports. That compares with last year’s 13 unscripted programs in development. The genre that’s apparently filling the space previously…

What, Me Worry? Fox, CBS Unconcerned by Comcast-NBCU Merger

Fox and CBS aren’t apparently much concerned by the pending Comcast-NBCU merger, the Hollywood Reporter reports. During a discussion panel at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Wednesday, News Corp. President Chase Carey and CBS President Leslie Moonves both said…

ABC Greenlights U.S. Version of Popular Russian TV Show

ABC has ordered a U.S. version of a popular Russian TV show that’s been on TV in Russia for the past 35 years. It’s a game show featuring teams working together to solve puzzles, the Hollywood Reporter reports. "The Six" follows…

Report: Courtenay Semel Being Courted for Upcoming ‘High Society’

Courtenay Semel, the daughter of former Yahoo Chief Executive Terry Semel and former lover of deceased heiress Casey Johnson, is talking to producers of The CW’s "High Society," the New York Post’s Page Six reports. Producers are wooing her to…

CBS Taps Lurie in Strategic Development Role

CBS Corp. has named Zander Lurie as senior vice president of strategic development, B&C reports. Lurie, who previously was executive vice president and chief financial officer for CBS Interactive, will be responsible for planning CBS’ strategy for content delivery. Before…

Thomas Hayden Church Depart Showtime’s ‘Episodes,’ as Does ‘CSI:NY’ Actress

Thomas Haden Church has exited Showtime’s "Episodes," a comedy project starring Matt LeBlanc, reports deadline.com. Church departed because of a scheduling conflict with the production of a movie. Claire Forlani, who plays medical examinier Dr. Peyton Driscoll on "CSI:NY," has also left, and was…

Lagging CNN Sells on Its Credibility

By Jon Lafayette With cable news channels turning increasingly argumentative, part of CNN’s pitch to ad buyers is that its style of old-fashioned journalism is a better environment for advertisers. While much attention has been paid to the decline in…

ESPN’s Erin Andrews Reaches for the Stars

She’s achieved notoriety far beyond the sidelines of any sporting event. At press time, ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews was one of the finalists on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” After graduating in 2000 from the University of Florida with a…