Fox Reality Renews ‘Academy’
Fox Reality Channel has ordered a third season of the “The Academy,” the Hollywood Reporter says. The show will switch to tracking firefighter recruits from police cadets, the trade paper says. —Aimee Picchi
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Carl Icahn Boosts Lionsgate Stake
Carl Icahn disclosed in a filing he has increased his stake in Lionsgate to more than 14% and might become a more active shareholder, the Hollywood Reporter says. His investment of 16.5 million shares at about $6.80 a piece means…
Ohio Cabler Delays DTV Switch
Ohio-based cable company Massillon Cable delayed its switchover to all-digital broadcasts beyond its Feb. 17 deadline because of difficulties with its equipment, Multichannel News reports. The company, which services 45,000 households, has asked the Federal Communications Commission for an extension…
Canada’s Rogers Gets Leno Rights
Rogers Communications, Canada’s largest cable company, acquired the rights to air Jay Leno’s new NBC primetime talk show on Citytv over-the-air television stations starting later this year, the Hollywood Reporter says. The show will fill a 10 p.m. timeslot previously…
MLB Network Gears Up for Classic
MLB Network tomorrow will begin airing programming focusing on the 2009 World Baseball Classic tournament, which is scheduled to start March 5, Multichannel News reports. The Boston Red Sox’ David Ortiz and the New York Mets’ David Wright are among…
‘Mad Men’s’ Weiner Honored
“Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner, along with singer Barry Manilow, will be honored by the Clio Awards in May for his contributions to the advertising industry, Advertising Week reports. Weiner’s show, which airs on AMC, revolves around the lives of…
Chernin to Exit News Corp., Leaving Murdoch in Charge
Peter Chernin will be stepping down as president and chief operating officer of News Corp. when his contract expires on June 30, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch announced this afternoon. The company said that News Corp.’s Los Angeles-based Fox businesses…
Canoe Has Little Profit Impact
Comcast’s investment in interactive advertising cooperative Canoe will have little effect on the U.S. cable leader’s earnings this year, Multichannel News says, citing Comcast Chief Operating Officer Steve Burke. Still, Comcast has maintained its pace of advertising in the venture,…
‘City Drive Live’ Proves Hypnotizing
NYC Media’s “City Drive Live” channel is a hypnotizing block of live coverage from New York’s traffic cameras, the New York Daily News says. The show, on Time Warner Cable’s channel 93, is a calming alternative to the bad news…
VH1 Working on Ski Bunny Show
VH1 is working on an idea for a reality show that would feature Aspen, Co.’s ski bunnies, Broadcasting & Cable reports. A crew visited the wealthy town last month to shoot a casting reel at Sky Bar, the publication says….