MTV Networks is expected to close its upfront sales on Friday, with 75% of sales completed already, according to Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, Media Daily News reports. Dauman did not offer specific upfront figures, but said the movie studio, wireless,…
Dish Network will offer ESPN’s coverage of the U.S. Open through its Interactive TV (iTV) mosaic, which is available to more than 12 million iTV-enabled homes. The multiple-screen showcase presents six different programs from ESPN’s U.S. Open golf coverage, including…
Steven Weber has been cast as Shawn’s uncle on USA’s “Psych,” TV Guide reports. His episode will air in mid-August, the magazine says. Weber joins Cybill Shepherd on the roster of guest stars for the upcoming season of the dramedy,…
George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and co-chairman of Walt Disney Co.’s Media Networks, said ESPN has 80% of its subscriber base under contract through 2012, Reuters reports. Bodenheimer announced the news to analysts at the Deutsche Bank Securities Media and…
Nick Jr. has picked up its animated preschool series “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” for a second season. Twenty new episodes have been ordered of the half hour program, which premiered in February. The show follows a 5-year-old bilingual Chinese-American girl named…
The newly-formed Italian American Network (IA Net) has named James K. Picinich as its inaugural vice president of programming and development. Mr. Picinich comes to IA Net from WCBS-TV in New York, where he was the director of broadcast administration….
VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” will return for a second season in October, featuring celebrity patients Jeff Conaway, Sean Stewart, Amber Smith, Rodney King, Nikki McKibbon, Steven Adler and Tawny Kitaen as they undergo detoxification and treatment at a…
Time Warner Inc. cable networks’ upfront advertising sales are “at the high end” of cable networks, Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bewkes said at a telecommunications conference yesterday. Bewkes declined to be more specific about the performance of Time Warner’s networks,…
A cable-television advertising coalition that includes Comcast and Time Warner Cable today will name former Aegis Group head David Verklin chief executive of the group, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Canoe Ventures coalition has received $150 million in funding…
“L.A. Ink” and “Miami Ink” producer Original Media agreed to create a reality show featuring pro-wrestling personality “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Daily Variety reports. Original will soon pitch networks on the show, which has no involvement from WWE and won’t…