Why ‘American Idol’ Is in Trouble
This week we’re down to the final 24 "American Idol" wannabes, and TVWeek Open Mic blogger Chuck Ross sees trouble on the horizon. Click here to read why. –Tom Gilbert
Advertising
Cable Execs Say Ad Market Rebounding (and What That May Mean for the Upfront)
Cable executives speaking before the Hollywood Radio & Television Society said Tuesday that the ad market is starting to rebound, reports The Hollywood Reporter. MTV Networks president Van Toffler put it in blunt terms, noting that “The economy has kind…
Lifetime Cable Shakeup Coming in Wake of Ratings Woes
Lifetime, the cable network aimed at women, is headed for a management shakeup as it tries to regain its ratings momentum, the Los Angeles Times reports. The network’s recent efforts to add more sizzle to its programming failed to catch…
Indecency Alert: Janet Jackson Super Bowl Case Appeal to be Heard (Though Not Seen) on C-SPAN
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals will let C-SPAN broadcast the audio from today’s oral argument in the re-hearing of the case of CBS versus the FCC over the fine for Janet Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, B&C reports….
Guess Which Networks Were Winners and Losers in TV Ad Sales in 2009
Examining new full-year data from Kantar Media (formerly TNS), Brian Steinberg of Advertising Age reports on 2009’s winners and losers as far as national ad sales is concerned. On the broadcast side, ad revenues were down at ABC, CBS, CW, NBC and…
Olympic Gold Medalist Lets It Rip: A Very Un-PC Lindsey Vonn Jokes About Tiger Woods’ Situation and Apology
The winner of the Olympics gold medal for the women’s downhill last Wednesday, American Lindsey Vonn, was reportedly very eager to hear Tiger Woods’ televised confessional statement last Friday, but she missed it. Then, according to an article by Sean…
NBC Sets Yet Another Time Buy For a Friday Night Movie with P&G and Walmart
NBC has set yet a second back-door pilot with two of TV’s biggest advertisers, both of whom are trying to encourage more family-friendly viewing, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This second project is called "The Jensen Project," and, like the…
Potential Game Changer: Test Finds Addressable Ads Cut Ad Skipping by a Third
The results have been nothig short of phenomenal in a test of addressable ads in Baltimore, Adweek reports. Veteran reporter Steve McMClellan reports that the test showed ad skipping was reduced by 32%. The test was done by Comcast Spotlght…
National Survey Says 60% of Those Who Saw a Portion of Tiger Woods’ Statement Thought He was Sincere; 31% Said Perception of Him Now More Positive, 17% Said Perception of Him Now More Negative
In a quick national survey today, 60% of viewers surveyed said Woods’ apology was sincere, reports HCD Reseach. In a press release about the survey–which was taken by 1,090 people who were shown a video clip of the statement–HCD said,…
Why this Week’s Ratings for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Were the Lowest Ever For the Medical Series
NBC’s coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics continue to dominate the Nielsen ratings on Thursday, besting an all-new night of ABC dramas, according to TVbytheNumbers.com. At 8 p.m., the Olympics netted a 6.2 in the 18-49 demographic, outdistancing CBS’s "Survivor"…