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VIDEOAGE "PAPER CLIPS": A WEEKLY PRESS REVIEW
PROGRAMMING
The Fox network has come to the rescue of those who can't wait until
the upfronts to find out the new fall season series. The net has
announced two new series -- missing persons drama Vanished
and married couple comedy Til Death -- will join Fox's primetime
lineup in the fall.
E!
Online
Talk about
an elaborate sales pitch. On May 8, Queen Rania of Jordan will host
a black-tie dinner at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, for
diplomats and kids' TV buyers alike, with the chief purpose of introducing
a Jordanian-produced animated television series called Ben and
Izzy. The series, about the sometimes-rocky relationship between
an America boy and an Arab boy, cost $6 million to make and is being
shopped to networks in the United States and abroad. Though the
show is meant, first and foremost, to be entertaining, each character
serves partly as a symbol of Middle East anxieties.
The
New York Times
BUSINESS
Just two months after announcing the creation of the CW network,
executives from CBS and Warner Brothers came together to discuss
their business and marketing strategies. While they said the prime
purpose for establishing the network is to ensure each company's
production studios have a long-term distribution outlet for their
programs (what helped seal the deal was an agreement that each studio
will gain a 50 percent share in the others' programs if they are
picked up by the net), in an effort to make the network credible,
the CW will program series from other studios as well.
The
New York Times
ADVERTISING
The broadband video advertising market, which was nascent just three
years ago (accounting for $30 million), has really matured in the
last few months. The market is expected to grow to an estimated
$500 million over the next 12 months, putting it on par with early
morning and early evening news and late night dayparts. The growth
marks a major shift in the way advertisers are learning to allocate
their money.
Media
Daily News
EXECUTIVE
SHUFFLE
Mark Gill, founder of Warner Bros.' specialty film unit, Warner
Independent Pictures, has resigned after repeatedly clashing with
Warner Bros. production president Jeff Robinov over a number of
issues, including the company's direction. Under his tutelage, the
indie film unit distributed movies such as March of the Penguins
and Good Night, and Good Luck. Gill has signed a two-year
production deal with the film unit's parent company Warner Bros.
Los
Angeles Times
CONTROVERSY
According to a new 10-country survey conducted by BBC, Reuters and
Media Center Poll, Indians trust television news even more than
newspapers (though the numbers were almost head-to-head). When asked
which sources they trust the most, Indians ranked national television
highest. As was true with all other respondents except Americans,
Indian residents reported that they trust the media more than their
governments.
Indian
Television's The News Room
According to
the aforementioned survey, the British media has improved its image
among residents, but still has a long way to go. Nearly two-thirds
(64 percent) of those surveyed believe the media does not report
all sides of the story. Overall trust in the media in Britain bounced
back over the past four years, from a low of 2002 low of 29 percent
trusting to 47 percent today. But this is still below the 10-country
average of 63 percent. U.S. consumers were most distrusting of the
media, with a 69 percent disapproval rate.
Reuters
U.K.
Tough debate
is in store for a newly proposed U.S. legislation that would make
it easier for phone companies to offer video programming. The nation's
largest telephone companies have been pressing lawmakers to streamline
the laborious process of getting local franchises from thousands
of municipalities to offer video over new, high-speed networks.
If passed, the bill would still require phone companies to seek
approvals from local authorities, but require municipalities to
act on requests within 30 days. If they fail to act, a franchise
is automatically granted with strict guidelines on the fees and
other terms.
The
Washington Post
TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft is attempting a foray into the entertainment business
once again. The first deal for its MSN Originals initiative is an
alliance with Ben Silverman, producer of shows like The Office
and The Biggest Loser on NBC. The one-year, multimillion-dollar
deal calls for the creation of 10 web pilots for MSN. Four shows
have already been given the go-ahead. To harness the web's strengths,
the shows will include community offshoots, commerce opportunities
and the ability to dig deeper for related segments or information.
Product placement will also be an integral part of the programs.
The
New York Times
AWARDS SHOWS
Two of Australia's ABC TV programs were granted Rose d'Or international
television awards on April 30 in Switzerland. It marks the first
time Australian television programs have won the prestigious awards.
A documentary about photographer Carol Jerrems, entitled Girl
in a Mirror, took the Arts and Specials award. Chris Lilley,
writer and performer of We Can Be Heroes was awarded the
Rose d'Or for Best Male Comedy Performance.
ABC
News, Australia
FILM FESTIVALS
Australian films are making a comeback on the French Riviera. Eight
Aussie flicks will be shown at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, which
is the highest number of Australian films screened at the international
festival since 1986. Five feature films -- Jindabyne, Ten
Canoes, Suburban Mayhem, Look Both Ways and 2:37
-- and three shorts -- Sexy Thing, Snow and Water
Diary -- have been chosen.
ABC
News, Australia
FILM
Anyone who thinks film piracy can't hurt the mammoth U.S. studios
should think again. According to a Motion Picture Assn. of America
(MPAA) study, Hollywood's major studios lost $6.1 billion to film
theft in 2005. The global survey of piracy found that the bulk of
theft -- about $4.8 billion -- occurred internationally, with China,
Russia and Mexico being the worst offenders. Of the total amount,
$3.8 billion was lost to bootlegging and illegal copying, while
Internet piracy cost the industry $2.3 billion.
Los
Angeles Times
Who says sequels
are never as good as the originals? Seems Irish and U.K. moviegoers
would strongly disagree with that statement, seeing as, this past
weekend, animated movie Ice Age 2: The Meltdown continued
its month-long reign as the most popular film in the U.K. and Ireland.
The film has taken in a total of £326.25 million at the box office.
BBC
News
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