Cheryl Hines
Kismet happens when you least expect it. Take the case of Cheryl Hines. Ms. Hines was one of several actors asked to come in and audition with Larry David for a one-hour special the comedian was doing for HBO. But…
In Depth
Promax: Eye on Value
“Return On Investment” is the theme of the 48th annual Promax & BDA conference starting this week in Los Angeles, a promise of practical seminars emphasizing bottom-line results. It’s a topic that’s certainly of interest to stations that have faced…
Ted Hangs by a Thread; Kevin Movin’ on Up?
Whether NBC Studios President Ted Harbert was still at NBC was the subject of much debate last week after word leaked that FX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly met with top NBC execs in New York as part of what insiders…
MTV Reorganizes After Folding in Comedy Central
With Comedy Central now officially under the Viacom tent, the MTV Networks group has reorganized, expanding the roles of both Judy McGrath and Herb Scannell and changing the reporting structure so that Larry Divney, president of the all-laughs cable network,…
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Hunt just wants “a show that will last more than one season,” she said. This year she got her wish. During a year in which ABC struggled, Life With Bonnie shined, and right after the February sweeps, it earned…
The Sopranos
Sixteen months after the conclusion of The Sopranos’ third season, the drama’s fourth go-round delivered 13 bang-’em-up episodes that critics say could finally earn the oft-nominated show Emmy gold. David Bianculli, television critic for The New York Daily News, said,…
News Briefs
ABC Family has set a launch date for its summer revival of the series Dance Fever and signed former Real World cast member Eric Nies to host. Actress-singer Carmen Electra, musical artist MC Hammer and director-choreographer Jamie King have been…
Bryce Zabel: Agent of change
Top executives of the four major broadcast networks are expected to attend a meeting with key officials at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences sometime this month in North Hollywood, Calif., to discuss the entire Emmy process and show,…
Murdoch Targeted
News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch found himself in a new role last week: Involuntary star of an activist-group-sponsored advertising campaign warning about the alleged perils of deregulation for media ownership. A TV ad for the campaign shows a consumer flipping…
Previews
Top dogs open NCTA The June 9 Opening General Session of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s 52nd annual National Show will be headlined by Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect, Microsoft Corp.; Mel Karmazin, president and chief operating…