VIDEOAGE "PAPER CLIPS": A WEEKLY PRESS REVIEW

PROGRAMMING
Some of North America's key media players are joining forces to bring bilingual programming to youngsters. Come this September, ION Media Networks, Scholastic, NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment and Classic Media/Big Idea will combine content and distribution assets to launch "Smart Place for Kids," a multiple distribution platform kids channel. The channel's platforms will include ION's analog terrestrial channel, NBC and Telemundo; as well as a 24/7 digital broadcast network, a branded website and VoD services.
Broadcaster Magazine

Scandinavian children are unlikely to become couch potatoes. According to a new study carried out by kids' TV channel Jetix -- that polled 5,000 European children ages 7-14 -- children in that territory spend less time watching TV than children in other European countries. Compared to 40 percent of children in Spain who say watching TV is their favorite pastime, only 18 percent of Norwegian children gave the same reply.
Norway Post

BUSINESS
After enjoying a monopoly on satellite television in Sub-Saharan Africa, broadcast operator DSTV is getting some competition. A newly established direct-to-home satellite operator, dubbed My TV, has launched multichannel services in Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory. The channel line-up includes BBC World, Eureka!, Baby TV, Trace TV, MCM Top, Adventure1, Fox Sports and Fashion TV.
This Day

This is not your grandfather's syndication. Warner Bros. has announced that in addition to selling its sitcom Two and a Half Men into syndication for television, it will also bundle Internet rights so that stations can stream the show on their websites. Until now, much to the chagrin of many stations, most video-on-demand deals have bypassed stations. Revenue from online ads will be split on a 50-50 barter basis.
Los Angeles Times

ADVERTISING
With the U.S. network upfronts less than a week away, experts are expecting the nets to try and sell a deluge of digital ventures to advertisers. But whether or not these digital platforms will prove attractive to advertisers is anyone's guess. And it's because of all that uncertainty, the ad revenue for the 2006 upfronts is expected to stay flat at $9.1 billion. The net-by-net breakdown is expected to be as follows: ABC and Fox may see increases, CBS will probably follow, with NBC possibly having to reduce rates for the second year in a row. Revenue of new network the CW's upfront is anybody's guess.
Advertising Age

REGULATION
Despite the fact that Canadian specialty television is on an upswing (In 2005, pre-tax profit at specialty channels rose by 50 percent and pay-TV pre-tax profits rose by nearly 18 percent), Canadian telecommunications regulator, CRTC, is weighing in on requests to reduce Canadian content regulations. Alliance Atlantis is one company that wants spending and broadcasting cuts, pointing to low advertiser and subscriber revenue growth for Discovery Health. Industry players maintain that it's becoming increasingly difficult for niche players to find a large enough audience with escalating spending and broadcast requirements for Canadian shows.
National Post

CONTROVERSY
The Indonesian government isn't too happy with Star Group, and as a result, may prevent the international media company from broadcasting in Indonesia. Though the company complied with the demands of the Information and Communications minister, its decision to cancel a contract with Indonesian pay-TV distributor PT Indovision without much notice distressed many of the company's subscribers. Communications minister Djalil has accused the company of creating unfair competition by giving distribution contracts for six popular channels exclusively to PT Direct Vision, another pay-TV operator.
The Jakarta Post

TECHNOLOGY
Because they can't beat 'em, Warner Bros. has opted to join 'em. The Hollywood studio has reached a deal with much-feared Internet company Bit Torrent to sell Warner Bros. movies and TV shows via their peer-to-peer technology. Consumers will be able to buy a film or TV show on the same day it becomes available on DVD. While Warner Bros. is the first studio to make a deal with Bit Torrent, industry insiders expect the other majors to follow suit.
BBC News

MTV devotees will soon get two shows for the price of one. Beginning this summer with the MTV Video Music Awards, MTV will offer different versions of some of its live shows simultaneously on the web and on TV. In the fall, afternoon hit countdown series Total Request Live will be offered on television and online, with the broadband version offering a behind-the-scenes narrative.
International Herald Tribune

FILM
Looks like a talking car will be making its way to a theater near you. After spending years in development purgatory, the Weinstein Company has announced that it's bought the rights to distribute the film version of hit 1980s NBC series Knight Rider. But recent reports say the series, which featured a talking car named KITT and an ostensible crime-fighting hero, may not include the series' star, David Hasselhoff.
E! Online

At first glance, it may seem to be a strange pairing but, according to statistical physicists in the U.S. and Chile, physics and movies have more in common than meets the eye. The physicists have developed a quantitative indicator of a film's quality, which they say could be used by producers and studios to estimate a film's commercial value. One of the main equations constructed in the model is that the probability of someone seeing a film depends on word-of-mouth.
Physics Web

Two movie theaters in Japan are offering a whole new sensory experience for their filmgoers: smells synchronized with the movies. During a recent screening of The New World, seven different aromas wafted through the air, including a floral scent, and a peppermint-rosemary mix.
Associated Press

Invitation for L.A. Screenings Breakfast

Distributors attending the L.A. Screenings are invited to participate at the annual VideoAge L.A. Screenings breakfast. This event is co-sponsored with Neal Lloyd's CEO Meeting and Conference, and the Park Hyatt Hotels. It will take place on Saturday, May 20 at 9:15 AM at the Park Hyatt Hotel -- Mezzanine Level.
The topics of conversation will be:
* How the L.A. Screenings can avoid being squeezed out by other events.
* How to attract buyers. Presentation by buyer Dermot Horan from RTE Ireland.
*DISCOP's new ownership: What does it mean for us?
Please RSVP: Dom Serafini at dsvideoag@aol.com or Neal Lloyd at nlloyd_ceo@yahoo.com.

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.