PROGRAMMING
A host of new reality shows will be hitting the airwaves soon. From Bravo's
"Blow Out" to A&E's "Family Plots," viewers are in for
another round of
real-life shenanigans caught on tape. [USA Today]
USA Today
"The Casino," the newest series from producer extraordinaire Mark
Burnett, is
expected to be less like his Donald Trump-helmed hit "The Apprentice,"
and
more like his ratings miss, "The Restaurant." [Dallas Morning News]
Dallas
Morning News
"North Shore," the new Fox series premiering this week, is set in
Hawaii and
centers on a luxury hotel and its absurdly beautiful staff. [USA Today]
USA Today
ADVERTISING
ABC has raised its prices five to six percent for commercial time, but many
advertisers are complaining that the network's performance doesn't justify the
increase. [Los Angeles Times]
Los
Angeles Times
According to the Cinema Advertising Council, a group founded last year to
promote movie theater ads, an estimated $356 million was spent on ads that
precede films last year. This year, even more ads are expected. [Los Angeles
Times]
Los
Angeles Times
BIRTHS
Former "Friends" star Courteney Cox Arquette and her husband, actor
David
Arquette, welcomed a baby girl on Sunday morning. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo!
News
TELEVISION SETS
Sharp unveiled a 45-inch flat screen television set--the largest produced by
the company--in anticipation of a surge in sales before the Olympic games
begin. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo!
News
CONTROVERSY
"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin is in hot water again after allegedly
getting
too close to two whales in the ocean off Antarctica, breaching regulations as
to how close people can get to the wildlife on that continent. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo!
News
Korea's Grand National Party (GNP) called for media reform this weekend and
accused the nation's three main TV broadcasters, Korea Broadcasting System,
Munhwa Broadcasting Company and Seoul Broadcasting System, of unfair political
reporting. [Korea Herald]
The
Korea Herald
FILM
Eighteen months after announcing plans for it, RealNetworks and Starz Encore
Group are finally launching a movie subscription service this week, which will
allow people to download movies on high-speed Internet connections. [Yahoo!
News]
Yahoo!
News
The controversial new film "Saved!" which tells the satirical story
of a
popular student at a Christian high school who gets pregnant, finally reached
the
top ten this weekend, taking in $2.6 million. [USA Today]
USA Today
The American Film Institute has chosen what it feels are the 100 greatest
movie songs of all time. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "The Way
We Were,"
"Stayin' Alive," and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" all
made the cut. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo!
News
FESTIVALS
Don't miss the Monte Carlo TV Festival's "Focus on Latin America"
session on
July 1.
TVFestival.com
NATPE's "TV Producers Boot Camp," which will test your strength as
a
showrunner and arm you with the knowledge you need to move up in the ranks,
will be
held July 29-30 at the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood, California.
NATPE.org
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