VIDEOAGE "PAPER CLIPS" — A WEEKLY PRESS REVIEW

PROGRAMMING
Muslim Conservatives, who last week forced Arab television to cease
broadcasting the reality hit "Big Brother," have now turned their attention to other
reality hits, this time the "American Idol" musical competition shows,
"Superstar" and "Star Academy." [Middle East Times]
Middle East Times

Both CBS and UPN removed Martha Stewart's programs from their rosters after
the domestic goddess was found guilty in her stock trading case on Friday.
[Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

Nine British police officers, forced to resign after making racist comments
in a BBC documentary that aired in October, will not face prosecution. [The
Independent]
The Independent

Though the TV season isn't nearly over yet, networks are already casting for
the 2004-2005 season. "Fastlane's" Peter Facinelli is set to star in an
untitled Fox high school drama pilot and "Ed's" Julie Bowen has been tapped for
NBC's comedy "The Friendlys." [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

"Forrest Gump's" Gary Sinise is reportedly in talks with the producers of the
CBS hits "CSI" and "CSI: Miami" to star in their next planned incarnation of
the show: "CSI: New York." [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

In the wake of the success of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," ABC
is airing "Judas," a made-for-TV movie starring Johnathon Schaech, though it
shelved the flick shortly after it was made in 2001. [USA Today]
USA Today

NBC's "The Charlie's Angels Story," is a look back at the '70s series that
helped get jiggle TV on the map. [Toronto Star]
Toronto Star

CABLE
Despite speculation for wishful-thinking fans of the HBO series, "Sex and the
City" executive producer Michael Patrick King said that a movie featuring the
fab foursome probably won't happen. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

BUSINESS
General Electric announced that it intends to offer 118 million shares of its
stock to raise funds to finance its deal with Vivendi Universal to merge
Vivendi's Hollywood studio, cable TV networks and theme parks with GE's NBC.
[Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

It seems that Hollywood's new favorite pastime is watching Michael Eisner's
long, slow fall from grace. [New York Times]
New York Times

FILM
"Seabiscuit" director Gary Ross has signed on to develop an animated feature
based on Kate DiCamillo's Newberry Medal-winning novel "The Tale of
Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread"
Yahoo! News

Mel Gibson's controversial film, "The Passion of the Christ," has thus far
raked in an astonishing $212 million domestically and is expected to reach the
$300 million mark. [Toronto Star]
Toronto Star

Robert De Niro is getting ready for his third annual Tribeca Film Festival.
This year's movie topics will include South African democracy, misery in a
Brazilian prison and U.S. rebirth after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" will hit video stores on May
25, a full three months quicker than the previous "LOTR" installments, each of
which were released in late summer. [Yahoo! News]
Yahoo! News

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