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In Depth

Globes enthusiastic for ‘Simpsons,’ HBO’s ‘Curb’

HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” created by and starring Larry David, got a big promotional boost with nods for best comedy series and best actor when nominations were announced for the 60th annual Golden Globe awards.Tony Shalhoub also received a best…

WB, Nick lead kids TV

A sea creature named SpongeBob and a card-playing boy named Yu-Gi-Oh have helped kids TV market champs Nickelodeon and WB turn in strong ratings performances during the fourth quarter. Overall, the kids TV market saw a nice bump in ad…

Give people what they want

It never hurts to give the people what they want.Lobbyists in Washington are gearing up to try to push cable operators into offering subscriber-selected custom channel packages, a move that they hope would do away with the decades-old tier system…

The Insider

The Insider for years has tried to tell anyone who would listen-and more than a few who would not-that if they are not watching TV with the closed captioning on, they are not getting all the entertainment or “say what?!!?”…

Big changes on the horizon for media industry in 2003

The new year for media and entertainment companies could be more about making up for past excesses than about building for the future.“We’re still in the hangover stage,” conceded a leading Wall Street deal-maker. “But everyone will be ready for…

Fear Frist will tank beer ads

While Sen. Bill Frist may be the toast of Washington with his recent confirmation as Senate majority leader, the TV industry is holding off raising its glass just yet. Industry sources are concerned that Sen. Frist, a surgeon by trade,…

‘Plug-and-play’ DTV deal hammered out

Representatives of the cable TV and consumer electronics industries have announced an agreement that they say will clear the way for the manufacture of TV sets capable of receiving digital TV signals from cable systems without the need for a…

Gannett plans America Today cable channel

“USA Today on TV” was a legendary bomb in syndication.But USA Today parent Gannett Co. is hoping to successfully adapt the brand to cable by creating a network comprising specially produced USA Today material used to frame repackaged local news…

From hackneyed to horrifying: Holiday TV 2002

What goes around doesn’t just come around. It comes around and slaps you in the kisser. Or conks you right on the head. For years, TV critics and other pseudo-sophisticates complained about all the gooey, saccharine, schmaltzy mush that networks…

Alcohol ads under pressure

Watchdog groups say children are awash in advertising for beer and other alcoholic beverages-and the groups are demanding a crackdown from the television industry and federal government.“No one is protecting our youth,” said David Kessler, a physician and former Food…