PROGRAMMING
Fox is really sticking it to all of you naysayers who thought the world had
enough of the most, er, overexposed pseudo-celeb in history. Paris Hilton
continues to pull in viewers, with the third-season premiere of The Simple Life
off
to its strongest start ever — 13.3 million viewers. [E! Online]
E!
In South Africa, however, a reality TV show is actually doing some good. TV
Angola program “Meeting Point” reunites Angollan families who have
been
separated from one another due to the country’s 30-year civil war. [BBC
News]
BBC
“Academie D’Etoiles”? “Les Etoiles De Pop?” French
TV hits “Star Academy”
and “Popstars” may soon be changing their names in order to appease
France’s
broadcasting authority (CSA). The CSA has called on execs to avoid Anglicizing
their programs and to
give French programs French titles. [BBC News]
BBC
On Monday night’s episode of the “Late Show with David Letterman,”
the host
paid a very special tribute to the late Johnny Carson. Letterman opened his
show with a monologue that consisted entirely of jokes penned by Carson. It
wasn’t until he sat down at his desk, that the gap-toothed host revealed
the
identity of the jokester. [E! Online]
E!
Tony Soprano better watch his mouth and strippers at the Bada Bing club
better don some t-shirts because sexually explicit and expletive-laden mob-hit
“The
Sopranos” is coming to ad-supported cable. In a record-setting deal, the
series has sold syndication rights to the A&E Network for a reported $200
million.
[The Guardian]
The Guardian
BUSINESS
Move over Rupert Murdoch, Simon Cowell is ready to become the king of all
media. The English talent judge, nicknamed Judge Dread for his
less-than-courteous commentary on the U.K.’s “Pop Idol” and “American
Idol, ” plans to sell
five new television shows across the U.K. and the U.S. [The Guardian]
The
Guardian
The sky’s the limit for BskyB. The U.K.’s satellite TV firm has reported
higher-than-expected subscriber numbers for the fourth quarter of 2004. A major
marketing campaign helped BSkyB add 192,000, against a rise of 62,000 in the
previous quarter. BskyB’s digital subscriber base has now reached 7.6 million.
[BBC News]
BBC
The mouse house is hopping this week. On Monday, the Walt Disney Company
announced better-than-expected first-quarter earnings, resulting from turnarounds
in its television business. The Disney-owned ABC network boasts hits
"Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" and ESPN continues to
report high affiliate revenues.
[The New York Times]
The
New York Times
ADVERTISING
Whoever said the English were prudish better eat their words. Britain's
advertising regulators have come to the defense of TV advertisements that feature
an animated frog’s genitalia. The Crazy Frog commercials prompted some
complaints but ultimately, due to the regulators’ ruling, the exposed amphibian
will
remain on the air. [The New York Times]
The New York Times
TECHNOLOGY
In addition to increased competition brought on by cable TV providers’
digital video recorders, TiVo must now face its newest challenge: fleeing employees.
President Marty Yudkovitz has resigned just weeks after chairman Michael
Ramsay announced his plans to step down as CEO. [The New York Times]
The
New York Times
CONTROVERSY
The tiny country of Qatar, an important American ally in the Middle East, is
caught between a rock and a hard place. Its relationship with the U.S. has
become strained as a result of Qatar’s sponsorship of Al Jazeera, the
provocative Arab TV news station, with which the Bush Administration hopes it
will cut
ties. The Bush administration has put so much pressure on the country to cut
ties with Al Jazeera that, according to a Qatari official, the government is
accelerating plans to put the station on the market. [International Herald
Tribune]
IHT
A U.S. watchdog group called The Parents Television Council (PTC) does NOT
want their MTV. The group, which is committed to cleansing TV of sex and
violence, has criticized MTV for the “incessant sleaze” it serves
to young people.
[BBC News]
BBC
FILM
Sex as science is expected to be a major theme at next week’s Berlin Film
Festival. Participants of the February 10-21 festival, known as the Berlinale,
can screen over 350 film, including 21 productions, which will compete for the
prestigious Golden Bear award for best film. [Google News]
Google
News
The 1960s French-U.K. cult kids’ series, “The Magic Roundabout,”
will make
the transition from small screen to big screen later this month. Stars voicing
the characters include Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue, U.K. heartthrob
Robbie Williams and “Lord of the Rings” Star Ian McKellen. [Sky News]
Sky
News
PRESS RELEASE CLIPS
BVITV-Latin America and Rede Globo have signed a deal granting Rede Globo
exclusive broadcast TV transmission rights in Brazil for the next three years
to
a wide variety of Disney programming.
BVITV
200 buyers have already confirmed attendance at Discop, the Content and
Formats Market for Central and Eastern Europe, which will be held June 23-25
at the
Sofitel Atrium Hotel in Budapest.
Discop
Discovery Channel has created a new position and chosen BBC executive Peter
Lovering to fill it. Lovering will be vice president, production and
development, Discovery Networks U.S.
Discovery
FremantleMedia has launched its own drama scholarship to encourage new
creative talent. The application process is already underway in Germany.
FremantleMedia
MGM Domestic Television Distribution, Brooksfilms and BFC Berliner Companie
have partnered and will create an animated television series based on the
classic Mel Brooks laffer, “Spaceballs.”
MGM
MTV Networks International has chosen Gideon Bierer to fill the newly-created
position of senior vice president, Digital Media, MTVNI.
MTVN
NBC Universal and ITV have extended their exclusive multi-year licensing
agreement for terrestrial-TV rights to NBC Uni feature films and television
series
in the U.K.
NBC Universal
Genichi Hashimoto was approved the new president of Japan’s NHK by the
Board
of Governors. Hashimoto will remain in the position for three years. Taeko
Nagai was chosen as vice president. She is the first woman to assume the post.
NHK
From February 4th, TV Globo Internacional will broadcast Carnival 2005, with
live transmissions of the parades and festivities taking place throughout Rio
de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Bahia and Pernambuco.
TV Globo
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