PROGRAMMING
NBC has ordered 16 episodes of "The Contender," a new boxing-themed reality
series, which will feature Sylvester Stallone as an on-air commentator. [Yahoo!
News]
Yahoo! News

Sick of being ridiculed for the way his comb-over appears on the NBC reality
hit, "The Apprentice," Donald Trump told Newsweek that his hair "isn't that
bad." [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

Larissa Meek, the gorgeous gal who's been saddled with some
less-than-strapping hunks of manhood on NBC's "Average Joe: Hawaii," wants people to know she's
a nice person. [Toronto Star]
Toronto Star

Britain's "Jerry Springer--The Opera," based on the trashy TV talk show, won
four prizes at the 28th annual Laurence Olivier awards this weekend. [Yahoo!
News]
Yahoo! News

Though it would seem that a country whose prime minister recently got a face
lift would embrace an "Extreme Makeover"-esque series called "Scalpel: No One
is Perfect," it appears that Italy, just isn't having it. [Los Angeles Times]
Los Angeles Times

"Straight Plan for the Gay Man," the homosexual's answer to Bravo's "Queer
Eye for the Straight Guy," promises to help hapless homos find their inner boors.
New York Times

Home fix-up shows are the new wave of reality TV hits, and The Learning
Channel's "Trading Spaces" and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," are two of
the most popular. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

CABLE
CNN Chicago bureau chief, Jeff Flock, stepped down from his position this
weekend, after 24 years with the network. [Chicago Tribune]
Chicago Tribune

New Yorkers celebrated the end of "Sex and the City's" six-seasons last night
with Cosmopolitan-swigging parties all over New York. [USA Today]
USA Today

ADVERTISING
The "Can you hear me now?" guy in Verizon commercials, otherwise known as New
Yorker Paul Marcarelli, has helped the phone company gain market share. [USA
Today]
USA Today

BUSINESS
Former Walt Disney board members Roy Disney and Stanley Gold are planning an
anti-Michael Eisner rally before the company's annual board meeting in early
March. [USA Today]
USA Today

AWARDS
Charlize Theron won Best Actress honors for her portrayal of a murderous
prostitute in "Monster," and Johnny Depp won Best Actor for his work in "Pirates
of the Caribbean" at last night's Screen Actors Guild awards. [Daily Telegraph]
The Daily Telegraph

Tim Robbins, who took home the Best Supporting Actor statue for his role in
"Mystic River," at the SAG awards, also took the time out to chide Australia
for not paying its actors overtime. [Sydney Morning Herald]
Sydney Morning Herald

FILM
Jewish leaders are debating whether Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ,"
which has its premiere this Wednesday, is truly anti-Semitic, and whether
Gibson would have been wise to keep that under his hat. [Los Angeles Times]
Los Angeles Times

At MIP-TV, March 31 will be VIDEOAGE's Latin American Programming Day. The
whole March 31 Daily, including the photo page, will be devoted to Latin
American companies, programming stories and market news. www.videoage.org

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