PROGRAMMING
The consensus about ABC’s new series, “Jake in Progress,” is that it is a
work-in-progress (albeit one with lots of potential. While on one hand, it was
last week’s second-most watched scripted comedy, the John Stamos-starrer, which
premiered on Sunday night, lost viewers between its back-to-back episodes.
The series, which moves to Thursday nights at 8 this week, will face competition
from Fox’s “The O.C.” [E! Online]
E! Online

Resembling a sociological experiment rather than a reality TV show, a BBC
series will explore what happens to a British town when all of its women move out
for a week. The female-free series, set in the town of Harby, in
Leicestershire, England, is generating plenty of controversy. [The London Times]
The London Times

Get ready for even more ads declaring this week’s episode “the most powerful
E.R. in history.” NBC is finalizing plans to extend its hospital drama for
another two years, until 2008, with or without its original star, Noah Wyle. [E!
Online]
E! Online

BUSINESS
Canada’s CHUM Limited is giving out station makeovers! The company will
re-brand five local TV stations throughout Ontario and one in British Columbia
this fall. The channels will become A-Channels, meaning that, while their local
mandate will remain the same, they will share a common name and creative
elements, allowing CHUM to take advantage of promotional opportunities. [The Globe
and Mail]
The Globe and Mail

Israel’s Russian-language channel is traveling halfway around the world.
Channel 9 will begin broadcasting to Australia in April, under the brand Israel
Plus. The channel is scheduled to broadcast mostly original entertainment and
current affairs programming for three hours each day, and will later expand to a
full broadcasting schedule. [Globes]
Globes

TiVo seems to be subscribing to the age-old adage “If you can’t beat ‘em,
join ‘em.” The company will adapt its popular DVRs for Comcast cable
subscribers, in the first of many partnerships which the struggling pioneer hopes to
forge with cable operators. Comcast Corp., the U.S.'s largest cable MSO, expects
to begin marketing TiVo-branded DVRs by mid-to-late 2006. [Las Vegas Sun]
Las Vegas Sun

ADVERTISING
The Pepsi-Cola Company, once known for its elaborate and expensive TV
advertisements, is forgoing the entire medium altogether when it comes to their Pepsi
One diet cola. The campaign will rely on advertising outside of television,
with offbeat alternatives, including promotional events, online films, posters
put at construction sites and even trading cards. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

TECHNOLOGY
In a move that is becoming more and more popular, a small TV screen show will
debut on an even smaller screen. The American version of the hit British TV
show "The Office" is getting an advance airing online, courtesy of MySpace.com,
a social networking website. The series, which will debut on NBC on Thursday,
March 24, will be available via the computer on Wednesday night, March 23.
[The New York Times]
The New York Times

CONTROVERSY
In an episode that seems taken straight from a telenovela, the head of
PrideVision TV, Canada’s gay-TV channel, could lose control of his network, as a
result of his own bitter divorce. Though now in a long-term, same-sex
relationship, Bill Craig has an ex-wife who claims she is owed C$1.4 million. An Ontario
Superior Court has ordered a freeze of his income and assets — which consist
mostly of his shares in PrideVision. [The Globe and Mail]
The Globe and Mail

It is a “war of the words” at the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC).
Claude Fournier, a veteran Quebec filmmaker and director of the ill-received “Felix
Leclerc” miniseries, has filed a C$1.9 million defamation lawsuit against
Mario Clément, director-general of TV programming for Radio Canada, after he
publicly called the show-in-question, “one of the worst series I’ve seen on
television.” [The Globe and Mail]
The Globe and Mail

EXECUTIVE SHUFFLE
Fresh off an announcement that Nicolette Sheridan’s NFL cameo earlier this
year was not indecent, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will get a
new chief. President Bush has chosen Kevin Martin, an FCC commissioner since
2001, to succeed the position vacated by Michael Powell. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

In a move which may calm the storm that rages over at the mouse house, Robert
Iger has been chose to replace Michael Eisner as CEO of the Walt Disney
Company. The former weatherman is considered to be a defter politician than his
Mickey Mouse tie-wearing predecessor. [The New York Times]
The New York Times

FILM
It seems as though this weekend, macho man Vin Diesel got his butt kicked…and
by a group of “Robots” no less. The CGI-animated movie beat Diesel’s “The
Pacifier” out of the number one spot at this weekend’s box-office spot, raking
in $36.5 million. [E! Online]
E! Online

PRESS RELEASE CLIPS
After 21 years as head of the company, A&E Television Networks’ president and
CEO, Nickolas Davatzes, will step down. Abbe Raven will succeed him.
AETN

Roméo Dallaire, retired lieutenant-general and author of “Shaking Hands with
the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda,” will explore the far-reaching
scope of news and documentary programming in a keynote speech at the Banff
World Television Festival on Monday, June 13.
Banff

Broadcast Text has been tapped by Cartoon Network U.K. and Warner Bros. to
dub their kids shows. Broadcast Text will dub Cartoon Network U.K.’s “Atomic
Betty” into Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. They will also dub Warner Bros.’
“Codename: Kids Next Door” into German for RTL2.
Broadcast Text

As DIC Entertainment expands its consumer products division, promotions are
underway. Ryan Gagerman has been named vice president, International Consumer
Products. Lorne Bloch has been appointed director of Licensing and Stephanie
Mente has been named manager of International Consumer Products.
DIC

FremantleMedia has announced its first major foray into the global children’s
entertainment market. The company will provide third-party representation for
culinary adventure format “Planet Cook.” In other FremantleMedia news, the
company has acquired majority stake in a Danish production company called Blu.
The company will now serve as FremantleMedia’s production arm in Denmark.
FremantleMedia

On March 14, a new TV Globo primetime telenovela, called “America,”
premiered in Brazil with a 76 percent share. In other Globo news, Globo TV
International has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Brazilian football, starting
in 2006.
Globo TV

Preschool series “Hi-5” has received its first-ever Daytime Emmy Award
nomination for “Outstanding Pre-School TV Series.” The series airs daily on TLC
and Discovery Kids Network.
Hi-5

Mediaset Italy is seeing high ratings and an over 30 percent average for its
new action series, “Crime Evidence.” As a result, production on the second
season has been confirmed and the company has announced acquisition of the
series by TF1 in France.
Mediaset

The Monte Carlo Television Festival has announced its U.S. drama and comedy
series nominees. In the drama category are “Six Feet Under,” “Sopranos” and
“The West Wing.” In the comedy genre are “Arrested Development,” “Scrubs” and
“Will & Grace.”
Monte Carlo TV Festival

At the Promax&BDA 2004 Latin America Awards, MTV Networks Latin America
maintained dominance, taking home 26 awards in a variety of categories. The Walt
Disney Company Latin America won a total of 12 awards; HBO LAG earned nine
awards; Canal 13 Artear Argentina took home nine; and Calle 13 won five.
Promax

Rai Trade’s WWII miniseries, “Kefalonia, 8th September 1943,”will have its
market premier at the Rai Trade Screenings in Taormina, immediately preceding
MIP-TV. Rai Trade’s international TV animation festival, Cartoons on the Bay,
will take place from April 27-May 1 in Positano, Italy.
Rai Trade

On March 9, Tepuy’s telenovela, “Hidden Passion,” attained a 56.8 percent
rating in Spain through Antena 3, to become the most viewed program in its
segment.
Tepuy

Canada’s TVA Group has announced the appointment of Jim Nelles as vice
president and general manager, Toronto 1.
TVA

The Television Syndication Company (TVS) will add additional high definition
series and specials to its catalog during 2005, totaling 14 new titles.
TVS

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