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In Depth

Hispanic nets starting to get buyers’ respect

While upfront forecasters have made a rather sluggish assessment of the English-language broadcasting network business this season, America’s Hispanic broadcasters are primed for an adrenaline rush.Some agency buyers and network sellers say they fully expect that when the Hispanic upfront…

Success Stories: Columbus, Ga. – Fireworks, expos get advertisers involved

In Columbus, community events are what’s working for ABC affiliate WTVM-TV and its advertisers.For example, WTVM puts on the city’s Fourth of July event. “When I got here, the city wasn’t doing much on the Fourth of July. We provide…

Hollywood Notes

DiSalvo to direct sales for King WorldJoe DiSalvo has been named president of domestic television sales at King World Productions, where he will oversee day-to-day domestic syndication and cable sales operations of all King World regional offices, including New York,…

A promotional KISS for ‘That ’70s Show’

Last week’s hit retrospective of perennial Fox favorite “That ’70’s Show” could be fitting for distributor Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, which is reverting to the “tried and true” as the studio prepares to launch the series into syndication. CWM will unveil this month…

The Insider

Of Bill Maher, TV critics and a new hotel hauntBill Maher meets the TV critics of America-at least those who will assemble on July 20, in Pasadena, Calif., to honor their favorite television shows-when he opens the 18th annual Television…

Making good via synergy

Welcome to the era of the cross-network make-good.When it comes to good ratings underdeliveries, Viacom is repurposing its VH1 cable-network advertising shortfall on its other networks, including its broadcast properties, CBS and UPN.No buyer or seller could recall any cable…

Comcast betting big on free VOD

Comcast Corp., which is about to morph into the largest domestic cable operator, is pushing the envelope on video-on-demand adoption, with plans to make half of what it carries free of charge in hopes of doubling its digital subscriber base…

Missing the inimitable Johnny

All us poor souls who try to make a living by writing about television might as well admit it: We’re very, very jealous of Bill Zehme, the free-lance writer who landed the first interview with Johnny Carson since Carson’s untimely…

Broadcasters attack cable’s DTV strategy

Broadcast industry representatives last week charged that a cable TV industry plan to spur the digital TV transition appears designed to benefit cable at the expense of broadcasters.“They’re flashing the bird at broadcasters,” said Nat Ostroff, VP of new technology…

Prognosticating the pilot picks

With broadcast network executives in full screening mode last week, early buzz on the fates and fortunes of pilots was starting to leak out.With the upfront prime-time presentations coming next week, ABC and NBC were said to be the furthest…