PROGRAMMING
Craig Ferguson has high hopes as he takes over as host "The Late Late Show"
on Monday. One of the Scottish comedian's first goals will be to broaden the
audience for the show, which, when hosted by predecessor Craig Kilborn was
comprised of predominately male "frat-boy" types. [USA TODAY]
USA TODAY

Finally some good news for the BBC: TV Ratings for Christmas day agreed with
the broadcaster with "Eastenders" and "The Vicar of Dibley" winning the
battle for audiences. An hour-long special of the BBC soap was watched by an
average of 12.3 million viewers with 11.8 million tuning in for the comedy and 11.3
million watching ITV's "Coronation Street." The number of viewers for the
Queen's annual speech continues to decline with one million fewer viewers this
year compared to last. [The Independent]
The Independent

Apparently not all Brits are fans of Harry Potter. Religious figures have
condemned the BBC for airing "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" on
Christmas Day. Church of England leaders criticized J.K. Rowling's wizardry tale
for its witchcraft and black magic and accused it of "capitalizing on the
supernatural." [Google News]
Google News

In perhaps the most talked about Anglo-U.S. alliance since Tony Blair and
George W. Bush, "The Office" creator Ricky Gervais has struck a deal with "The
Simpsons" creator Matt Groening to pen an episode of the series. Gervais said,
"this is the most intimidating project of my career." According to him, "The
Simpsons is the greatest TV show of all time." [BBC News]
BBC News

BUSINESS
A Daejeon District Court judge yesterday ruled in favor of the sale of
Jinro-Cable Industries Co. to LG Cable Ltd. Taihan Electric Wire Co., which is
Jinro-Cable's largest creditor, lost out to LG Cable. The company had contested the
sale at a creditors' meeting last week arguing that a takeover by the
nation's largest cable maker could disrupt "fair competition." LG Cable Ltd and its
affiliates now claim more than 60 percent of the market share. [The Korea
Herald]
The Korea Herald

No more Mr. Nice Guy. Amid a decline in revenue, Blockbuster, the largest
U.S. movie-rental chain, has said that it will make a hostile bid for Hollywood
Entertainment next month if the company's directors do not negotiate a deal.
[International Herald Tribune]
International Herald Tribune

ADVERTISING
Beer companies are searching for truth in advertising. Anheuser-Busch has
shown an interest in ad accuracy lately, challenging commercials from two of its
competitors. The complaints prompted Coors Brewing to pull certain spots
promoting Aspen Edge and persuaded ABC, CBS and NBC to stop running some TV
commercials for Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

CONTROVERSY
Has a television-free life become virtually unfathomable? Unable to imagine
that Brits could exist without the boob-tube, the TV Licensing agency, designed
to monitor payment of the annual BBC TV license fee, has been known to send
periodic warnings and even check supposed non-TV households to make sure that
they are not skirting the required fee. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

TECHNOLOGY
As the Christmas sales figures begin to roll in, it seems like high-tech
electronics are no longer reserved just for "techies." Flat-panel TVs and digital
cameras have passed the "tipping point" and become mainstream consumer
products. Compared to last year, revenues for factory shipments of plasma TV's to
dealers were up 60 percent. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

OBITUARY
Jerry Orbach, most famous for his portrayal of police detective Lenny Briscoe
on "Law & Order," has died at 69. Orbach, was also well known for his role as
the strict but loving father in 1980's cult classic "Dirty Dancing." [CNN
News]
CNN

AWARDS SHOWS
Cult TV hit "Little Britain" triumphed over "The Office" at the 15th annual
British Comedy Awards held last week. The BBC show beat out "The Office
Christmas Special" to win the award for Best TV Comedy. The show also took home the
People's Choice Award. [BBC News]
BBC News

FILM
Call it the home court DISadvantage. The Australian Screen Directors
Association and some local producers are calling on the country's main funding body,
the Film Finance Corporation, to set limits on Aussie stars' salaries when they
shoot films Down Under.
[The Australian]
The Australian

In Bollywood, the last Friday of the year is traditionally a successful
release date, and this year, "Dil Maange More" hopes to draw in audiences for the
last weekend of 2004. The film, starring Shahid Kapur, is about a man in love
with three different women. [Google News]
Google News

In an effort to forego some family-bonding time this past Christmas weekend,
movie-goers chose to "Meet the Fockers." Universal's sequel to the 2000 smash
hit "Meet the Parents" came in number one at the box office despite
resoundingly negative reviews. [E! Online News]
E! Online

PRESS RELEASE CLIPS
Lifetime TV movie "Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story," which aired on the
U.S. network for women three years ago, has caught the attention of lawmakers
in Washington, D.C. On December 23, President Bush signed a law enforcing
strict penalties for those found guilty of video voyeurism, an issue made public
by the movie.
Lifetime

Outdoorsmen and women who tune into The Outdoor Channel's "The Shooting
Gallery" this season will get a real treat. The entire third season of the
gun-centered show was shot in high definition. Even with the standard definition
version, viewers will still see the action in wide-screen format.
Outdoor Channel.

In honor of Warner Bros. Television's 50th anniversary in 2005, Warner Home
Video is launching a year-long promotion featuring DVD releases of many of its
popular series. The first wave of DVD releases will be released on February 8
and will include the complete first seasons of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,"
"Full House," "The Jamie Foxx Show," "Murphy Brown," "Night Court," and "The
Wayans Bros."
Warner Home Video

HOLIDAY MESSAGE: We here at VideoAge would like to wish you and your families
a happy, joyous and peaceful 2005.

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