Interest in genre explodes as off-net debut puts up strong numbers When the news was announced Dateline NBC reruns were being sold into broadcast syndication, the idea was…laughable. After all, since Cops broke the mold in 1992 and became the first reality show to be sold into off-network syndication, others came along and weren’t exactly successful (Rescue 911, Top Cops, […]
In fact, it’s already here. Deal with Univision puts Justice Network on digital subchannels; has been on WGBO since August Univision announced Wednesday it has struck a deal to put digital subchannel network The Justice Network on several of its stations in large markets, including WGBO in Chicago. Justice has been on WGBO’s digital 66.4 channel since August 7; Univision’s […]
Plus: North Carolina media news, Glee is renewed, and somehow Jim Laski gets back on the air – Unlike the fate of The Cleveland Show, this cancellation is confirmed: Comedy Central announced the end of Futurama after seven seasons. The animated comedy from Simpsons creator Matt Greoning ran on Fox from 1999-2003 for 72 episodes, and was picked up by […]
After a few lean years, NBC is back in the ratings ballgame, thanks to the success of The Voice, Revolution, Sunday Night Football, and to a lesser extent Go On. With the former two programs out until spring, can NBC keep its momentum going? Can network chief Robert Greenblatt (who I already like more than his predecessors) steer the network […]
NBCUniversal held its TCA presentations for its broadcast and cable platforms on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the highlights: – NBC executive session: On Tuesday, NBC chief Robert Greenblatt addressed the media and touted the upcoming Summer Olympics, which opened in London on Friday – not to mention the brand new series he gets to peddle during the Games. The […]
Here’s a brief synopsis of the cable presentations for NBC Universal’s cable networks: SyFy If you walked down State Street in Chicago’s loop in the last few weeks, then you have noticed ads on bus shelters for SyFy’s new show Being Human, which is a show about a ghost, vampire, and werewolf all living together – and are cute twentysomethings! […]
The cable portion of the TCA Winter Press Tour wrapped up over the weekend, with the rest of the cable networks making their presentations. Remember, even though the cable portion of the tour wrapped up Saturday, cable networks owned by the major broadcast networks are still scheduled to make presentations this week. Rainbow (We, AMC, IFC) -AMC – the home […]
Don’t hit your… out the door… In news that will make TV junkies across the land jubilant, NBC Universal Chairman Jeff Zucker exited the network today after 24 years. But just how he left is a matter of what publication you read: Broadcasting & Cable’s headline was Zucker leaves NBC; but on the Deadline Hollywood site, the headline splashed on […]
In a deal that helps set a precedent, NBC Universal’s cable networks have acquired exclusive cable off-network rights to Twentieth Television’s hour-long drama Glee and half-hour sitcom Modern Family. USA Network- which hasn’t bought a major sitcom for its first cycle since Major Dad and Wings in the early 1990’s, gets Modern Family for a reported $1.4 million per episode […]
Big Media only gets bigger With Comcast’s $13.75 billion dollar deal for NBC Universal practically complete, it looks like big media is only going to get bigger – whether we like it or not. The deal climaxes weeks of speculation, as NBC owner General Electric recently bought out Vivendi’s 20 percent share in NBC Universal, paving the way for Comcast […]
– NBC’s new remake of Knight Rider couldn’t start the car with a lackluster third place finish in adults 18-49. Maybe they should have remade My Mother, the Car instead? (Oh God, no!) – Oxygen has acquired the exclusive cable rights to reruns of America’s Next Top Model, currently on MTV. The move takes place in January, when the show […]
The peacock network is strutting its features for day one of the press tour: NBC -NBC announced it is using the upcoming Olympics to promote its short-term Monday lineup, consisting of the premiere of America’s Toughest Jobs and Deal or No Deal – each will run on Mondays for four weeks beginning August 25. Jobs moves to its regular 7 […]
Probably not, but if The CW doesn’t make it into season four, Tribune is creating a contingency plan – just in case. Tribune owns fifteen CW affiliates, including WGN-TV in Chicago, WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles. However, CW officials deny their network is going out of business anytime soon, pointing to the increased haul they took […]
Cuts at Clear Channel Chicago and 65 layoffs at Oxygen, which was taken over by NBC Universal over the weekend. Among the cuts at CC Chicago: Armando Rivera, a mixer-turned-assistant program director and music director at WVAZ (V103); WGCI’s nighttime jock Victor “The Diz” Blackful; and overnighter Alexx Dupri at Top 40 WKSC-FM. The cuts at Clear Channel mirror those […]
NBC Universal has purchased female-oriented cable network Oxygen for $925 million dollars. To pay for the transaction, NBC Universal will sell two TV stations, one in Los Angeles (KWHY-TV), the other in Puerto Rico. Here is the official press release.