NBC’s new Thursday comedy block lineup generated across-the-board season highs last night, with “My Name is Earl” and “The Office” topping ABC’s freshman hit “Ugly Betty” in the 8 p.m. hour. The Peacock Network recently shuffled its Thursday lineup, returning…
Hollywood unions and civil rights groups are stepping into the fray over the Federal Communications Commission’s attempt to limit the use of dirty words on TV, telling a New York appellate court that the FCC’s action could have dramatic effects…
Google and YouTube are offering settlement figures upwards of nine figures to big media companies in exchange for removing the specter of lawsuits, BusinessWeek reported today. The story said that Google refers to the money offering as “licensing fees,” but…
Keith Turner, president of NBC Universal’s sales and marketing team, is leaving the company, NBCU Chairman Bob Wright said in a memo to staff Friday morning.With NBC falling to fourth place in the ratings, the network’s upfront ad sales dropped…
Mediacom Communications and Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to an extension of their retransmission consent agreements just hours before Sinclair’s stations could have been removed from Mediacom cable systems.The extension keeps the stations on cable until Jan. 5, 2007. This will…
On the next episode of MTV’s “The Real World,” alcohol fuels a misunderstanding between roommates who are just getting to know each other, said Jonathan Murray, the show’s creator.In his first outing on TVWeek.com’s Producer Shop Talk feature, Mr. Murray…
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who sponsored V-chip legislation and has a long history of interest in media issues, has decided to head the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s telecom panel rather than take the chairmanship of a full house…
From “Wheel” to “Access” to “Alex,” an array of series from each of the first-run genres all climbed to new season highs for the second full week of the sweep, even while most of the syndicated strips held even or…
Lifetime Television opted not to renew its first-year series “Angela’s Eyes” and “Lovespring,” a spokesman said.The network is picking up “Army Wives,” a series starring Kim Delaney and Catherine Bell, the spokesman said Thursday. The show is produced by The…
ABC, winner of the November sweeps period, stumbled in the last night of the ratings contest as other networks’ shows set season-to-date records.The CW’s “America’s Next Top Model,” Fox’s “Bones” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” all had their highest ratings…