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In Depth

‘Queer Eye’ Faces Up to a TV Taboo

The programmers at NBC deserve praise for their decision to feature a downsized 30-minute episode of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” last week on the broadcast network. The offbeat reality show, which focuses on a team of gay men…

HDTV, GET IT TOGETHER!

Can’t we all just get along? High-definition TV sets are in fewer than 7 million homes-and it’s little wonder. Hi-def companies often seem more interested in pushing agendas than promoting sales. In the past year there’s been more infighting than…

AS COMCAST GAINS FINANCIAL STRENGTH, IT WEIGHS OPTIONS

Although Comcast Corp. could still enter the Vivendi Universal Entertainment auction, the leading cable operator is more likely to begin making big content plays with AOL Time Warner, high-level sources said.In a recent meeting with Vivendi Universal Chairman Jean-Rene Fourtou,…

Springer Senate Bid Dims

Although Jerry Springer insisted he has not yet made a final decision whether to run for the U.S. Senate, sources close to the talk show host in both Hollywood and his home state of Ohio said it is highly unlikely…

Nets Wrangle Over Demo Study

Another round in the Battle of the Network Numbers was ignited by the release last week of a CBS media-buying study that concluded the adults 25 to 54 demographic is actually the “leading” buying demo among advertisers and media buyers.CBS…

CORRECTION

In the TCA Notes item “Green Lights” (TelevisionWeek, July 14), the original TV movie “Hidden in the Heartland: The Eric Rudolph Story” is being planned by the USA Network.

Biz Briefs

Viacom last week reported a 21 percent jump in second-quarter profit to a record $660 million, or 37 cents a share, while revenue climbed 10 percent to $6.4 billion, thanks to robust growth at the media giant’s cable and television…

Quick Takes

“We set strict limits on our kids’ media diets, and we believe in making TV and other media a family experience. … TV’s ratings system is incoherent, inconsistent and ignored by most parents, just like the current hodgepodge of various…

Trading Faces

TNT did it. Court TV did it. TNN is finally doing it. And Bravo is doing it-whether it means to or not. Practically every cable channel, it seems, is rebranding. Even The Food Network and The Weather Channel, two stalwarts…

It May Have Been Big News, But It’s Actually a Small Test

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer started a buzz last week when he grandly announced in a CTAM general session that Comcast will do a trial of Microsoft TV’s new interactive programming guide in the software giant’s home turf of Seattle. The…