“Reality shows are giving us a candid look at the kind of foolish, fame-crazed people who live among us. Too far? Maybe. Scary and disgusting? Definitely.”Ruth Butler, columnist, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press“Fox’s `Joe Millionaire’ is deceptive. NBC’s `Fear Factor’…
Summer’s getting a face lift.Broadcast networks are attacking the season best known for repeats and extended vacations.While reality shows such as “Survivor” and “American Idol” have attracted hordes of summer viewers and spawned numerous copycasts, the broadcast networks have never…
“Who Will Father My Baby?” For that matter, “Who Will Fight Mike Tyson?”Those are just two of the reality show concepts now being pitched around Hollywood.But perhaps the real question ought to be, Who will advertise on “Who Will Father…
As chairman of the National Association of Television Program Executives, Tony Vinciquerra urged networks to use last week’s conference in New Orleans as an occasion to meet with their affiliates.As president and CEO of Fox Networks Group, Mr. Vinciquerra staged…
ABC planned to use Chyron’s graphics equipment for its broadcast of the Super Bowl in high-definition. ABC has used Chyron’s Duet system for its previous HD broadcast of the Super Bowl and will also use it for NBA games and…
‘Alias’ gets big boost The post-Super Bowl episode of ABC’s “Alias” scored an 8.3 rating among adults 18 to 49 and 17.4 million viewers. That’s more than double its 4.0 rating average in the demo this season and is up…
Some UPN affiliates, who have not gathered en masse since the pre-CBS regime offered them tickets to the netlet’s May 2001 upfront in New York, are thinking that it’s time to get the whole gang together again. The Insider hears…
Vincent Castelli wants to give independent television stations a voice they have heretofore lacked. His American News Network, launched earlier this month intends to deliver a one-hour national newscast to independent stations twice each day, along with brief one-minute updates….
BroadcastingJustin Delvecchio to account executive, WTIC-TV, Hartford, Conn., from sales representative, New Haven, Conn., SBC/SNET.Stephanie Holloway to national sales manager, KDFW-TV, Dallas-Forth Worth, from local sales manager, KWTV, Oklahoma City.Barbara Banda to group manager, Cleveland, Eagle Television Sales, from account…
In a strange and unexpected way, Charlie Ergen’s EchoStar Communications is winning the domestic satellite derby, at least perceptually, for now.After losing his bid to take over dominant rival DirecTV late last year, it seemed as though Mr. Ergen had…