VIDEOAGE "PAPER CLIPS": A WEEKLY PRESS REVIEW

***Please scroll down to the bottom of this edition of "Paper Clips" for news on DISCOP.

PROGRAMMING
Having mastered the art of product placement, The Apprentice is specializing in politician placement. The Donald Trump-led reality series recently featured New York Senator Chuck Schumer on its program. Schumer is not the first politician to appear on the series, but he is the first Democrat. Previously, former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani, current Mayor Mike Bloomberg and New York Governor George Pataki appeared on the show.
The New York Times

Brit TV viewers with the Freeview digital terrestrial platform may soon have to cough up some more cash to get their TV fixes. Until now, a certain amount of space on the digital terrestrial platform has been guaranteed for free-to-air TV. But, following a change of policy by broadcasting British regulator Ofcom, this rule has been relaxed, and broadcasters are being given the opportunity to launch new paid-for channels.
BBC News

On-demand channels are really catching on in the U.K. MTV will launch an online video-on-demand store in Europe, which will allow viewers to watch music videos, shows and film trailers. The new service, MTV Overdrive, is set to debut Sunday in Britain and Ireland. A similar service launched in the United States last year was followed by a customized service for Latin America viewers -- called MTV Revolution -- in September. British television networks the British Broadcasting Corp., and ITV, are planning on launching their own on-demand television services by the end of the year.
CNN International

While the 2005/2006 U.S. TV season didn't see the blockbuster hits of the previous year (think Lost and Desperate Housewives), each of the networks were able to hold down two or three popular shows. In fact, industry analysts expect the networks to bring a few of the past year's freshman series with them to the upcoming upfronts.
The New York Times

BUSINESS
Orbit, a Middle Eastern satellite television network, is banking on its viewers' interest in Western fare. The company has signed a three-year exclusive screening deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution for around 250 feature films, 3,000 hours of TV series and 2,000 hours of talk shows. The deal grants Orbit rights in the Middle East and North Africa for pay-per-view, 1st Pay and 2nd Pay television.
AME Info

ADVERTISING
Proving its status on the TV landscape, American Idol's season finale's ad prices are almost on par with the Oscars. Fox will charge $1.3 million for 30-second commercials on May's Idol, the highest amount for any season-closing episode this year. While it's still short of the $1.7 million ABC extracted for the 2006 Oscars, the most watched regularly scheduled event of the year, the Idol finale is fast becoming its own tradition.
E! Online

EXECUTIVE SHUFFLE
Former chief executive of the Walt Disney company Michael Eisner isn't afraid to make a hairpin turn in his career. Eisner has created a new investment company called Tornante, meaning "sharp turn" in Italian. While Eisner will not divulge too many secrets about the company, he has openly discussed a recent investment in Veoh Networks, a company based in San Diego that delivers video and television programming over the Internet.
The New York Times

CONTROVERSY
The U.S. TV networks are fighting back. After years of being burdened with increased penalties from the Federal Communications Commmission (FCC), the four broadcast networks, joined by the Hearst-Argyle group of stations, have turned to the federal courts. There, they are hoping to find a solid majority of liberal and libertarian judges who are more sympathetic to their First Amendment arguments, in an effort to loosen the rules with new and risqu=E9 programs.
The New York Times

TECHNOLOGY
While China is often at the forefront of new technologies, analysts predict that Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) will not catch on in the region until 2008. Obstacles including uncertain policies, immature technology and high prices will serve to deter the Telcos from widening their TV audiences in the next year or so.
Shanghai Daily

As a country-wide digital roll-out begins to take off, and after a year-and-a-half-long delay on conditions set for digital terrestrial television (DTT), the Czech Republic's Radio and Television Broadcasting Council (RRTV) has granted digital licenses to six stations - Oko, TV Pohoda, RTA, Febio TV and TV Barrandov. However, the country's leading commercial channels -- TV Nova and Prima TV -- will still have to wait until at least the end of spring for their DTT licenses.
The Prague Post

FILM
After a disappointing few years, it seems as though British films may actually enjoy their days in the sun at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. Two U.K. films -- The Wind that Shakes the Barley and Red Road -- are both in the running for the prestigious Palme d'Or award at the festival.
The Guardian

Disproving the popular theory that sequels are never as good as the originals, the Weinstein Company's Scary Movie 4hopped to number one at the U.S. box office over the Easter weekend. The latest entry of the film-parodying franchise pulled in $40.2 million between Friday and Sunday.
E! Online

NEWS FOR THE DISCOP-BOUND EXECUTIVE:

VideoAge now offers all DISCOP exhibitors two opportunities to generate more traffic at the market:

1) By publicizing your presence at DISCOP in the May 23 issue of VideoAge, Eastern European buyers at the L.A. Screenings will take notice. It could be the best way to establish contact in L.A. and, then, later, continue a dialog in Budapest.

2) With an ad page in the May 23 issue of VideoAge, DISCOP exhibitors will receive the best possible visibility and presence at the market.

Naturally, for those companies that attend both the L.A. Screenings and DISCOP, a page in the May 23 issue of VideoAge is the only logical solution for both effectiveness and efficiency.

This newsletter is also available at www.videoage.org

This free service is directed to international television executives.

To subscribe, please e-mail us at paperclips@videoageinternational.com.

To unsubscribe, please send a reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject line.

Copyright © 2006 Video Age International. All Rights Reserved.