UPN Surges During Sweeps
NBC may be winning adults 18 to 49 and CBS may be first in total viewers, but three weeks into sweeps UPN is the network with the most to crow about. A record-breaking performance by “America’s Next Top Model” last…
In Depth
Broadcast Groups Say Gotta Danza!
Tony Danza will keep his New York roots.Buena Vista Television has confirmed that the upcoming daytime series will be broadcast live from New York for its fall launch and has given “The Tony Danza Show” a firm go for the…
Editorial: Television Fuzzy on Appropriate Content
As Washington scrambles to redefine what’s acceptable on broadcast television following Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl stunt, broadcasters are scrambling to play it safe even before new rules are in place. The problem is no one is quite clear on what…
Observers Rock Research
A study utilizing a rarely conducted but highly regarded form of research-direct observation of media consumers-is raising some big issues for media planners and buyers. The study, released last week by Ball State University’s Center For Media Design, had academic…
Copping a plea
Michael Copps, one of two Democrats very much in the minority on the Federal Communications Commission, is clearly frustrated by the way the GOP majority steamrolls through key issues such as media consolidation, so he has taken his act on…
Quick Takes
“The purpose of the on-screen parents’ advisory is to help the viewer make informed decisions about programming content. We should be encouraging viewers to make decisions based on their interests and personal standards.”Neal Baer, executive producer, “Law & Order: SVU”“No,…
ESPNews Sets Two Weekday Shows
ESPN’s 24-hour all-news spinoff, ESPNews, is set to announce two new weekday programs, “The Hot List” and “4 Qtrs,” which are slated to premiere later this month.“The Hot List” will present sports news in a hierarchical sequence, counting down the…
Fox Maps Web Strategy
Fox News Channel may be the dominant all-news cable channel in the ratings, but its Web site attracts only a quarter of the number of visitors that rival CNN.com draws.To close that gap, Foxnews.com has been steadily introducing new content…
Stuck in Eisner’s Shadow
With the pressure mounting on Walt Disney Co. Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner to step down, the question of succession looms larger than ever. Disney President and Chief Operating Officer Robert Iger would seem to be a logical candidate to…
FX Readying Series on Border Officials
Bertram van Munster, the Emmy Award-winning producer of “The Amazing Race,” is developing a new reality series for FX based on the work of customs and border officials. The half-hour series, which has been ordered as a pilot presentation, has…