PROGRAMMING
They may have been tormented in high school, but now the geeks are having the
last laugh. The WB has announced plans to renew reality show/“social
experiment” “Beauty and the Geek” for a second season. The show, which teams
“socially-challenged” guys with “academically-challenged” girls, has been described
as a clever alternative to the usual mind-numbing reality fare. [E! Online]
E! Online

What is a country to do if it desperately wants to improve its standing
overseas? Why, start a global TV channel, of course. Later this year, Russia will
launch a 24-hour English-language satellite channel called Russia Today, which
will be broadcast in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The net will feature Russian
and world news and will seek to communicate Russian opinion to the entire
world. [The Moscow Times]
The Moscow Times

BUSINESS
The Movie Distribution Income Fund, the movie distribution arm of Alliance
Atlantis, may be interested in buying the 35 movie theaters that Cineplex Galaxy
will be forced to sell once its huge acquisition of Famous Players is
completed. But, Alliance Atlantis may face some competition…. Les Cinemas Cine
Enterprise, an eight-theater Quebec movie chain, has also showed interest in buying
the theaters. Okay guys, now play nice. [The Globe and Mail]
The Globe and Mail

And in the U.S., movie theater chains seem to be taking a cue from their
neighbors to the North. AMC Entertainment, the number two theater chain in the
world, announced that it would merge with the Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Corporation, its next-largest competitor. Together, AMC and Loews would boast 5,900
screens across 30 states and 13 countries. [The New York Times]
The New York Times.

ADVERTISING
There’s no doubt about it… product placement is here to stay, and it seems
as though the media research companies are beginning to catch on. In the latest
effort to establish an accurate method for measuring the impact of product
placements in TV and film, TNS Media Intelligence has launched the Branded
Entertainment Reporting Service. Nielsen Media Research, a rival of TNS, monitors
product placements with the Nielsen Product Placement Service. [Advertising
Age]
Advertising Age

TECHNOLOGY
O2.pl, a Polish Internet portal, has launched online television channel Lemon
TV. During its first week, 90-minutes of video materials will be shown every
day, but later this year, the station is expected to produce its own talk
shows, news and political commentary. [Warsaw Business Journal]
Warsaw Business Journal

In an attempt to make long-haul flights a bit more pleasant, Qatar Airways
will become the first international airline to carry live onboard television.
The airline plans to introduce the new feature on its Airbus A330s by the end of
the year. [Indian Television]
Indian Television

CONTROVERSY
Applying the old adage “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” BSkyB has
announced a new broadband TV service that will offer on-demand movie and sports
program downloads to its subscribers. The move is seen as the U.K. satellite
broadcaster’s attempt to keep viewers from switching to upstart broadband TV
providers. [The Daily Telegraph]
The Daily Telegraph

Democratic lawmakers are fighting hard for publicly-funded radio and
television. On Tuesday, June 21, they joined other supporters of public broadcasting
—including children and characters from PBS children's programs — to protest
House Republicans' proposed cuts in financing for the corporation. Sixteen
Democratic senators also called on President Bush to remove Kenneth Y. Tomlinson as
head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, because of concerns that he
is injecting partisan politics into public radio and television. [The New York
Times]
The New York Times

In the words of Rodney Dangerfield, reality TV writers “get no respect.” The
Writers Guild of America, West has launched a campaign to organize writers,
editors and producers of reality television shows, who often lack health and
pension plans. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

TV FESTIVALS
China is desperate for some good content. According to foreign producers
attending the Shanghai International Film Festival (which is actually a TV and
Film market), China’s television channels are almost a bottomless market for new
high-quality dramas. Execs are looking for good product from neighboring
countries to fill up thousands of hours of broadcasting time. [Indian Television]
Indian Television

FILM
“Family Guy” creator Seth McFarlane is giving a thank you gift to DVD fans
who helped resucitate the dead series. The gift comes in the form of a
direct-to-DVD unrated film called “Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold
Story.” [E! Online]
E! Online

Despite great reviews and a highly publicized cast, “Batman Begins” was
unable to escape the curse of the 2005 box office. The film, which opened with big
bucks, rang up about 1 percent less business than last year, with a
less-than-stellar second week at the B.O. [E! Online]
E! Online

PRESS RELEASE CLIPS
England’s pay-TV satellite kids’ channel, Cartoon Network U.K., will air the
eighth season of 4Kids Entertainment’s Pokemon TV franchise — “Pokemon:
Advanced Challenge.” 4Kids has also licensed a 22-episode package of specials —
called “Pokemon Chronicles” — to the net.
4Kids

“CSI: Miami” is heating up France’s primetime TV schedule. The Alliance
Atlantis-distributed procedural crime show received the week’s highest ratings
when it debuted on TF1 on Sunday, May 29th.
Alliance Atlantis

BBC Worldwide has promoted two executives within its Children’s division.
Helen McAleer is the new deputy managing director of Children’s BBC Worldwide;
Susanna Pollack is now vice president of Children’s Business Development.
BBC Worldwide

CBC Television and Muse Entertainment have announced that Quebec actress
Isabelle Blais and Australian actor David Wenham will star in a four-hour
miniseries called “Answered by Fire,” which will focus on the 1999 referendum in East
Timor.
CBC

DIC Entertainment has been named the worldwide licensing agent for McDonald’s
new McKids brand, which is committed to promoting active lifestyles for kids.
In addition to introducing toys, skateboards, scooters, and other outdoor
play equipment, DIC will launch a brand new line of vintage McDonald’s apparel
into specialty stores.
DIC

Disney-ABC Television Group has appointed Siobhan Kenny to the role of vice
president, Communications, Walt Disney Television in the European, Middle
Eastern and African territories (EMEA).
Disney-ABC Television

On Monday, June 20th, Distraction Formats re-launched its catalog back into
the French marketplace after their three-year exclusivity deal with Endemol
ended in May. In other Distraction Format news, the company’s “Strip Search. . .
the Real Full Monty” format has been sold to TNT in Russia. The series is
currently airing on VH1 in the U.S.
Distraction

Fremantle International Distribution has picked up the international
television rights to Canadian dramedy “Godiva’s.” The series, which debuted on Bravo!
Canada, is set in a funky bistro in Vancouver’s über-trendy Yaletown
neighborhood.
Fremantle

The last episode of TV Globo’s “Walking the Clouds” — which aired on
Sunday, June 12 — was the number one show on pay-TV in Portugal.
Globo

Granada International has inked deals to distribute two U.K. independent
documentaries: “She Stole My Foetus” by October Films and “In Cold Blood: The
Murder of PC Ian Broadhurst” by True North.
Granada

Jarl Mohn, known as Lee Masters, has joined the board of directors of Idetic,
the company that created MobiTV, the leading global television network for
mobile phones. Mohn has made a financial investment in the company and will
become a senior advisor to the company’s management team.
MobiTV

At the Licensing Show, Nelvana unveiled a long-term direct-to-DVD strategy,
which will encompass titles based on library, original and acquired content. In
other Nelvana news, the company announced the launch of its strategic mobile
content initiative, and the first in a series of distribution and
representation deals. The company also announced a partnership with the Royal
Horticultural Society in Surrey. Preschoolers who visit the garden will receive a “Miss
Spider” activity program designed to introduce them to the series’ characters.
Nelvana

OUTtv, Canada’s only gay and lesbian digital television network, will debut
two new Canadian series. The net’s flagship reality show will be Toronto-shot
“COVERguy,” a modeling contest; Vancouver-shot “The House of Venus,” will be
a 30-minute variety show.
OUTtv

At the L.A. Screenings, SmartJog, the leader in secure digital delivery of
entertainment media throughout the world, enabled five studios to deliver more
than 3,000 screeners. This number represented a six-fold increase over last
year.
SmartJog/

Sony Pictures TV International will invest in U.K. independent production
company Shine Limited. SPTI has also secured international distribution rights
for Shine’s full slate of TV production.
Sony Pictures TV

Canada’s TLN Telelatino has announced the launch of its premium digital TV
package, called Super Trio Italiano. The package features Video Italia Canada,
an all-music channel, Leonard World Canada, a lifestyle channel dedicated to
Italian culture and arts, and SKY TG 24 Canada, an all-news network.
TLN Telelatino

Kentucky-based TV One has established an office in China, with Shanghai
serving as a host city for Sales and Marketing operations. Ryan Gong was named
sales manager in the region.
TV One

John Cuddihy, a veteran TV executive, has joined the retainer-based executive
search firm of WTW Associates as senior vice president.
WTW Associates

The pre-MIPCOM issue of VideoAge is coming out in September, with a focus on:

* Children's TV at MIPCOM Jr.
* Reality TV
* Cinema in Italy (Venice Film Festival)
* Cinema in Canada (Montreal and Toronto Film Festivals)
* TV in Greece

For more information on deadlines and special advertising packages, contact
Dom Serafini at dsvideoag@aol.com

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www.videoage.org

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