VIDEOAGE"PAPER CLIPS": A WEEKLY PRESS REVIEW

PROGRAMMING
Fox's MyNetworkTV, which replaces UPN in many markets across the country, got off to a soapy start this week with the English-language telenovela, Desire. The show will air Monday through Friday for 13 weeks.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Katie Couric has finally made television history -- becoming the first female to anchor the CBS Evening News. Her debut on Tuesday night began with a segment on the Taliban and included a shot of media shy Suri Cruise. The show was simulcasted online and is available for on-demand viewing at CBSNews.com. Insiders expect the perky journalist to draw in viewers in record numbers to the show.
E! Online

The Sci Fi Channel, which broadcasts space series Battlestar Galactica, has created online mini-episodes, which are posted to the channel's website. These webisodes, each just 10 minutes long and viewable on iPods, computers and full-size television sets, feature characters from the show. They will air every Tuesday and Thursday nights until Battlestar's season premiere on October 6.
The New York Times

Rosie O'Donnell returned to television this week debuting as the newest co-host on ABC's The View. O'Donnell, replaces Meredith Vieira, who moved on to host NBC's Today, spent her first day on the job interviewing songstress Jessica Simpson and giving out two-day cruises to lucky audience members.
E! Online

TECHNOLOGY
Following the Ministry of Information and Communication's agreement last week with the Korean Broadcasting Commission, South Koreans will be able to get their first glimpses of IPTV by October of this year. IPTV, which refers to packet-based real-time broadcasting on the Internet, has no channel limitations and enjoys global coverage. Korea's high-speed Internet carriers, like KT and Hanaro Telecom have pulled out all the stops to launch the Web TV service.
The Korea Times

BUSINESS
Nairobi's Nation Media Group is seeking additional frequencies to enable its TV and radio stations throughout the area. The frequencies for NTV and Easy FM would allow the company to penetrate regions not currently covered due to their locations.
All Africa

In response to an invitation by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Telkom will soon be joining the subscription channel market. Currently, the South African pay channel market is the domain of Multi-Choice services Mnet, which has operated since 1986, and newer satellite division DSTV. Initial offerings in Telkom's satellite service will provide subscribers with access to seven local TV channels.
All Africa

PIRACY
Toronto police have busted a counterfeit DVD lab run by a man who last year was also accused of operating a similar facility out of his home. Cops seized almost 20,000 pirated flicks from two separate retail units--one that sold mainstream hits like "Miami Vice" and one that sold pornography. This is the largest piracy ring ever seen in Canada.
City News

CONTROVERSY
She does exist! After weeks of speculation that Scientology spawn Suri Cruise was either deformed or had never been born, a picture of the baby girl has been featured on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. Flanked by proud papa Tom Cruise and mystified mama Katie Holmes, Suri appears to have two eyes, a nose and a full head of bushy brown hair. Here's hoping there's a body attached to that head.
E! Online

OBIT
Crocodile Hunter Steven Irwin died Monday after a freak encounter with a stingray while filming an underwater documentary titled Ocean's Deadliest on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Irwin is survived by his American-born wife, Terri, and their two children, eight-year-old Bindi and two-year-old Bob. He was 44.
E! Online

FILM FESTIVALS
Danish blockbuster After the Wedding, will close the 26th annual Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, held September 14-23. The movie, from Danish director Susanne Bier, tells the tale of a man who travels from India to Denmark after receiving an unusual business offer from someone willing to save his orphanage. Other entries in the festival include A Stone's Throw, the first feature from Camelia Frieberg, who has produced for Atom Egoyan.
The Globe & Mail

Added DVD, Online Value For VideoAge Advertisers

Starting with VideoAge's MIPCOM publications, advertisers who place ad(s) in either VideoAge Monthly or VideoAge Daily will have the opportunity to an up-to-3-minute audiovisual promo, which will be placed on a DVD and distributed with every copy of VideoAge Monthly at marginal cost

In addition, the same 3-minute promo will be made available for free, through streaming media, on VideoAge's web site for the duration of one month.

Specifications:
· The self-contained promo must be sent to VideoAge's NY* offices on a stand-alone DVD (preferably on a Region 0 - Region Free standard) 30 days prior to the issue's publication date.

· Cost to VideoAge advertisers is an additional $1,000 net per issue. For non-advertisers, cost per issue is $4,500.

· The DVDs inserted in VideoAge will use the Region 0 NTSC format during North and Central American and Asian trade shows, and Region 0 PAL during European and South American markets.

A limited number of DVDs will be sent (upon request) to those program buyers whose players are not compatible with the format of the DVD provided.

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