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Apr 23, 2004  •  Post A Comment

ABC Renews ‘The Bachelor’

ABC renewed its reality franchise “The Bachelor,” produced by Mike Fleiss, for two more cycles. Not yet decided is whether the new cycles will consist of two editions of “The Bachelor” or one edition of “The Bachelor” and one edition of “The Bachelorette.” “The Bachelor” is ABC’s top-rated show in adults 18 to 49.

Granite Selling WPTA, Buying WISE: Station group Granite Broadcasting said Friday it is entering into a series of agreements that will result in the company acquiring one station, selling another and forming a pact to manage two stations.

As part of the three-party transaction, Granite said it is selling Fort Wayne, Ind., ABC affiliate WPTA-TV to Malara Broadcast Group for $45.9 million, and is purchasing Fort Wayne NBC affiliate WISE-TV from New Vision Group, the television portfolio company of Washington-based private-equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, for $44.2 million.

In a separate transaction, Malara agreed to pay $10.8 million to New Vision for Duluth, Minn., CBS affiliate KDLH-TV.

All three deals are expected to close in the third quarter. Kalil & Co. acted as the broker on the transactions.

Granite said it is entering into a strategic relationship with Malara once the deals close to provide advertising sales, promotion and administrative services to a number of Malara-owned stations, including the stations in Fort Wayne and Duluth.

Granite, which owns Duluth NBC affiliate KBJR-TV, said the arrangement with Malara will put the company well on its way toward leveraging its presence in certain markets to boost operating efficiencies.

Creative Arts Emmys to Return to Single Ceremony: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences voted Wednesday to return to a single-ceremony format for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Last year, the Academy trimmed the ceremony by 15 categories and presented those awards in a separate ceremony held hours before the main event. The move angered some Academy members, who felt they were being shut out of the more widely covered event.

“We listened to our membership and it was clear that the one-year pilot test of two separate award ceremonies, although well received, didn’t provide enough sense of community for the nominees,” said an Academy spokeswoman. “So we are returning to the previous format for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.”

Alliance Atlantis Announces Streamlining, Names COO: Alliance Atlantis Communications, the company that co-produces the “CSI” franchise, said Friday that it has streamlined its operations as part of broader restructuring and has created the new position of chief operating officer as part of the reorganization.

Phyllis Yaffe, who has been CEO of the Toronto-based company’s broadcast group, will assume the new role of chief operating officer, overseeing the company’s previously separate corporate, broadcast and entertainment group, which have consolidated into a single entity.

Alliance Atlantis in December said it was realigning its businesses while at the same time ending its in-house movie and television production operation in favor of focusing on the company’s broadcast operations.

The highly successful “CSI” franchise is not affected by the changes.

Separately, the company late Thursday said it is once again delaying the release of its 2003 financial results and hopes to announce its earnings by May 17 at the latest. The company cited the complexity of the reorganization as the reason behind the delay. It marks the second time Alliance Atlantis has postponed the release of its earnings. In March, the company announced the first postponement.

Alliance Atlantis Announces Streamlining, Names COO: Alliance Atlantis Communications, the company that co-produces the “CSI” franchise, said Friday that it has streamlined its operations as part of broader restructuring and has created the new position of chief operating officer as part of the reorganization.

Phyllis Yaffe, who has been CEO of the Toronto-based company’s broadcast group, will assume the new role of chief operating officer, overseeing the company’s previously separate corporate, broadcast and entertainment group, which have consolidated into a single entity.

Alliance Atlantis in December said it was realigning its businesses while at the same time ending its in-house movie and television production operation in favor of focusing on the company’s broadcast operations.

The highly successful “CSI” franchise is not affected by the changes.

Separately, the company late Thursday said it is once again delaying the release of its 2003 financial results and hopes to announce its earnings by May 17 at the latest. The company cited the complexity of the reorganization as the reason behind the delay. It marks the second time Alliance Atlantis has postponed the release of its earnings. In March, the company announced the first postponement.