no hang-ups for hung
UC Berkeley student William Hung’s startlingly popular performance of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” on “American Idol” Jan. 27 did not help him on the show – he didn’t win the contest – but it landed him a record deal, a…
In Depth
GAMES ON CABLE A CAN’T-MISS OPPORTUNITY
The airing of Olympics coverage on CNBC and MSNBC in the year 2000 seemed like a huge opportunity for local cable operators but ended up being a slow race for the gold, at least in the New York market.Will things…
News Briefs
Writers, Producers Schedule TalksThe Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced last week that negotiations for a new contract will begin April 5. “We are prepared to meet with the companies and bargain…
Proliferating Nets Chase Big Market
Spanish-language television in the United States today looks a lot like the English-language TV landscape in the 1980s, a time when over-the-air broadcasters still dominated television viewing while cable programmers launched new niche services at a dizzying pace.In the 2004…
Getting a Handle on Hispanic Households
Given their penchant for industry jargon, media planners have long been accused of speaking another language. But lately, they actually have been speaking another language: Spanish. With the rapid rise of Hispanics in the U.S. population, and the corresponding shift…
Public Stations Offer DTV Plan
Public television stations are floating a proposal that would allow them to more quickly make the switch to digital broadcasting and would relieve some of the pressing financial concerns related to the changeover. They may be willing to switch to…
Show Shines Light on Abducted Kids
Mark Burnett, the producer behind the CBS hit “Survivor” and NBC’s “The Apprentice,” is developing a very different kind of reality show that will chronicle the heart-wrenching searches for kidnapped children. CBS confirmed that it has ordered the pilot but…
Scripps Tweaking Its VOD Strategy
In an effort to increase the value of the on-demand platform, Scripps Networks intends to refine the direction of its video-on-demand strategy by increasing the amount of its original content. The shift will be shepherded by new on-demand hire Kent…
Court TV Takes ‘ROI’ for a Spin
Court TV is taking media buyers for a ride.Instead of the usual PowerPoint presentation followed by cocktails, Court TV is revving up what it’s touting as the industry’s first mobile upfront presentation.Last week, the Court TV bus, covered in a…
STAR OF ‘SABADO’ REIGNS ON UNIVISION
How is it that a man of German-Jewish extraction wound up being just about the biggest star on Spanish-language television? Mario Kreutzberger-better known to millions of fans as Don Francisco-has for 42 years hosted “Sabado Gigante” (“Giant Saturday”), a three-hour…