That no good deed goes unpunished is a truism. It’s also getting to look-in the omnivorous and insatiable 500-channel universe we live in-as if no bad idea goes unproduced. It’s wonderfully ironic, in a dismal sort of way, that HDTV…
It sounds like a network programmer’s dream come true-a legal restriction that prevents rejected projects from being produced by competitors.Variously called a “turnaround rights restriction,” an “exclusivity clause” or a “turnaround provision,” the restriction is becoming more integral to development…
The Fox Entertainment Group is in preliminary talks with the National Football League and some cable operators about creating and launching a national sports television service, said Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corp., which holds a controlling interest…
When it comes to targeting African American media buys, the process on Madison Avenue isn’t always, well, black and white. While African Americans are one of the largest ethnic groups, it’s not always clear exactly what “African American media” is….
NBC knocked out the competition to buy the rights to “The Contender,” the latest project from reality guru Mark Burnett. “The Contender” will follow a nationwide search for the next real-life Rocky. Mr. Burnett, DreamWorks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg and actor Sylvester…
As mega-mergers go, Comcast’s proposed takeover of Disney is less frightening than most. Disney has been one of the more dysfunctional media giants in recent years and may well benefit from the new, more focused priorities the Comcast management team…
Among the syndicated masses, newsmagazines, “Dr. Phil,” and weekly hours benefited from the February sweeps kickoff, according to Nielsen Media Research for the week ending Feb. 8.The Janet Jackson Super Bowl controversy on Feb. 1 propelled three newsmagazines to season…
Pam Veasey worked her way from office assistant on “Gimme a Break” to executive producer on one of the Fox Network’s hottest series of its time, “In Living Color.” But when it came time to move on, the only offer…
For “Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital,” ABC’s upcoming 13-week limited series, the network will structure a massive multimillion-dollar marketing campaign that includes “Blair Witch”-like marketing techniques mixing fiction with what appear to be real events.“We are treating this like a movie…
Watchdog groups that oppose big media mergers are trying to enlist Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the leading Democratic presidential candidate, in their efforts to stall or stop Comcast’s proposed acquisition of The Walt Disney Co. However, sources said that as…