Cincinnati Sweeps Results

Lots of new TV episodes - thanks to the writers back at work - didn't bring all of us back to TV during May "sweeps" month.
Prime-time viewing was down 6 percent from May a year ago for ABC, CBS and NBC here - after tumbling 20 percent in February due to the 100-day writers' strike.
Local TV station managers worried in February that viewers had found alternative entertainment during the strike, and might not return to network shows.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080525/ENT/805250313/-1/CINCI

WBNS Wins Sweeps

CBS and its Columbus affiliate, WBNS-TV (Channel 10), maintained their ratings dominance in the just-concluded TV season -- as the competition grew fiercer.
The season, capped by the May "sweeps," was affected significantly by the writers strike, leaving reality shows on Fox and ABC to dominate the prime-time ratings.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/05/23/2_MAY_NIELSEN.ART_ART_05-23-08_D7_KNA9D84.html?sid=101

WCMH Lays Off 7

WCMH-TV (Channel 4) has laid off seven people, including midday co-anchor Andy Dominianni, meteorologist Dave Trygar and five off-camera employees.
The layoffs are part of a company-wide move by station owner Media General. The Richmond, Va., company announced today that it is cutting 750 employees, 11 percent of its workforce .
Rick Rogala, vice president and general manager at WCMH-TV, announced the cuts to the staff at the local NBC affiliate after the 6 p.m. newscast Wednesday, the last day of the May ratings “ sweeps.”

http://dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/05/22/wcmh.html?sid=101

Layoffs Start at Media General

Media General is laying off a number of employees at the station level. Reportedly, 10 of Media General’s 22 stations are affected by the cuts, which range from a couple to seven or eight.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/ca6563217.html

AOL, Time Warner and the Great Breakup Caper

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes has met the first hurdle of his tenure as CEO by spinning off the company’s cable business and reaping as much cash from it as humanly possible. What can he do next to keep shareholders happy? Deal Journal takes a look at the future.

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2008/05/22/what-time-warner-can-do-to-make-the-future-better-than-the-past/?mod=WSJBlog

Online Promotions Expected to Triple in 5 Years

A new report was recently released by Borrell Associates which states that the online promotions category is expected to nearly triple over the next five years from $8 billion last year to $22.8 billion, surpassing all other online advertising categories (paid search, banners, e-mail, audio/video advertising). It states that as in offline promotions, most of the value of online promotions is the cash value of incentives that are given to motivate short-term sales. Sounds to me like the basic principals of promotional marketing that we all know and love.

http://www.adotas.com/2008/05/online-promotions-projected-to-triple-you-ready/

Ken Schulz Signs Off

On May 21st at 6, Ken Schulz will do his last weathercast on WHAS-TV and say so long after almost three decades.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/COLUMNISTS15/805200312/1011/SCENE

Sinclair Broadcast Group has joined the swelling ranks of broadcasters offering local HD newscasts with the launch of high-definition news at its Baltimore and Columbus, OH, stations this month.
This week, HD Technology Update speaks with Dan Carpenter, chief engineer at WSYX-TV and WTTE-TV, the Sinclair stations in Columbus, about the transition. While overall things went smoothly, the transition to high-def news has left the station searching for a way to maintain the efficiency it’s realized in the SD production of news in the new world of HD news.

http://broadcastengineering.com/products/maintaining-workflow-efficiency-hd-production-0520/

Broadcast Networks Under Siege

Declining viewers and cable's subscriber-fee revenue advantage are forcing TV executives to consider radical changes in the way they do business.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-channel26-2008may26,0,5458013.story

Co-creator of Laugh-In Dies

Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as ''Sock it to me!'' died Saturday. He was 86.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/25/daily.1/

Cable Rates Keep Rising, Customers Keep Paying

Americans discouraged by higher gas prices and airline fares may decide to spend more vacation time at home, perhaps watching television. But that, too, will cost them more than ever.
Cable prices have risen 77 percent since 1996, roughly double the rate of inflation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this month.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/technology/24cable.html?ex=1369368000&en=39246fe90f8d62df&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

NBC Tweaks Fall Lineup

NBC has tweaked its Thursday lineup, adding the new "Kath & Kim" to its comedy block. The network also has opted to stick to a traditional rollout, launching the bulk of its fall lineup during premiere week, and to put on the new reality competition series "America's Toughest Jobs" earlier than planned.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3idd76da9cd5a7a6ac56e1087240760fb3

ABC to Allow Viewers to Embed Shows Online

Come fall, Web users will be able to embed “Lost” or “Desperate Housewives” on blogs and social networking sites.

http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/abc-allows-viewers-to-embed-shows-online/

Time Warner NBC Universal Rumors Resurface

Time Warner will shed Time Warner Cable and, in doing so, will raise a bunch of cash. Then, CEO Jeff Bewkes foreshadowed big changes on the content side of the business.All this, naturally, had media experts reviving some old rumors that TW might want to purchase NBC Universal.Such speculation might be easier to dismiss if one of its sources wasn't a journalist employed by NBC Universal itself.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3id08e9f14f520f15d4aea981dd4bef759

CBS Corp. Chair Says No to Viacom-CBS Reunion

CBS Corp. chairman and controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone said Thursday that the company never will be reunited with sibling Viacom, which he also controls.Redstone said at CBS' annual shareholder meeting in Midtown Manhattan that a renewed combination would "absolutely not happen" despite a recent New York Post report suggesting that Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman was pushing for it sometime in the future.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i6e06ab8971554c644da6b100379ef9ba

Fox Captures May Sweeps for First Time

With a strong finishing kick from American Idol, Fox captured the distinction of America's most popular television network for the first time since it began operation in 1987.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/23/daily.7/

Hyper-Local Partnership Announced with WLWT

MainStreetMonroe.com announced a partnership with Channel 5 WLWT-TV's Sports Producer Andy Pierce. "We are excited to partner with a longtime news provider for our area. WLWT and WLW have always strived to bring news about our town. This is another step in providing better news about Monroe, Ohio." VP Xponex Media, Andy Wendt

http://www.mainstreetmonroe.com/view_news.asp?nId=3395

WKEF Sportscaster Moves to Sales

WKEF/Fox 45 mainstay Ryan Brant moved to the sales side following his final sports broadcast Sunday, May 11.
Brant has been with the stations since 1999 and became sports director two years ago. Recently, though, he was moved back to weekends, and he didn't want to do that.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/2008/05/15/ddn051608spinside.html

WOSU's iMix to Look at the World of Motion Graphics

The next episode of iMix — the interactive mixed-media show produced by WOSU-TV (Channel 34) — will look at the world of motion graphics at Ohio State University’s Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design.
The show will air at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Graduate student Brent Haley will take viewers through the basics of wireless virtual reality. Also featured: an interview with Ohio State alumnus Steve Martino, director of Horton Hears a Who!

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/05/15/broadcast_bits.html?sid=101

CBS Buying CNET Networks

CBS Corp. has agreed to acquire CNet Networks Inc., it was announced today by Leslie Moonves, president-CEO of CBS Corp.

CBS says the purchase will make it a top 10 U.S. Internet firm with approximately 200 million monthly unique users. The CNet sites will be combined with CBS’s national and local interactive businesses.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/15/daily.5/?promo

Alum Bankrolls New Communications Building for OU

Ohio University says it will receive a $7.5 million donation from alumnus Steven Schoonover and his wife, Barbara.
The university in Athens in southeast Ohio says the gift is the largest ever to the university from a living alumnus. It will go toward a planned new building for the Scripps College of Communication, which will house the college's five schools and the WOUB Center for Public Media.
Schoonover graduated from Ohio University in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in organizational communication. The Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.-resident is the founder and former CEO of CellXion, which services the wireless telecommunications industry.

http://www.wdtn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8319634

Get a Sneak Peek at Fall Shows

Get a sneak peek at next season's television shows today with TVWeek.com’s pilot preview video player. ABC, CBS, Fox and the CW are providing early looks at shows including “Fringe,” “Dollhouse,” “ Surviving the Filthy Rich,” “The Goode Family” and “The Worst Week.”

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/new_tv_shows_watch_the_video_p.php

ABC on a Roll in May Sweeps

With CBS’s “Survivor” already done for the season, ABC lengthened its lead on the final Thursday of sweeps, finishing well ahead of second-place NBC for its fourth straight May sweeps Thursday victory.
Last night ABC averaged a 4.5 adults 18-49 rating and 12 share, according to Nielsen overnights, 29 percent ahead of second-place NBC’s 3.5/9. CBS, which aired a repeat of “CSI” in place of “Survivor” at 8 p.m., finished third for the night at 3.4/9, a week after challenging ABC for the nightly lead.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Overnights_50/ABC_takes_fourth_Thursday_in_sweeps.asp

Dog the Bounty Hunter Returns to A&E

Bounty hunter Duane ''Dog'' Chapman's TV show will return to the air this summer, months after it was pulled when the reality star used a racial slur in a profanity-laced tirade.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/15/daily.1/

SAG Set to Resume Talks

In a move that may slightly ease Hollywood's strike fears, SAG's decided it will be ready to resume bargaining with the majors in two weeks -- or sooner, if possible.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985705.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

ESPN's SportsCenter Live During the Day

After years of televising taped versions of “SportsCenter” in the mornings, ESPN announced Tuesday that the studio show would be live starting in August.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/sports/14espn.html?ex=1368504000&en=d383749e029b50ac&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

PBS Selects thePlatform for Online Programming

PBS has chosen thePlatform, a Comcast unit, to power a new online video initiative that will significantly increase the amount of PBS video available on both pbs.org and local PBS station Web sites, officials said Tuesday.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6559898.html

Senate Votes to Block FCC Ownership Rule

The Senate Thursday night voted to nullify a Federal Communications Commission rule that allows media companies to own a newspaper and a television station in the same market.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/16/daily.2/

CBS Early Show's Hannah Storm Moves to ESPN

ESPN will add Hannah Storm to its ''SportsCenter'' lineup in August when it will supplant nine hours of taped programming in favor of live sports news.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/13/daily.1/

Former WV TV Anchor Wins Secretary of State Nomination

Democrat Natalie Tennant will go on to face Republican Charles Minimah in the race for the Secretary of State post in November after easily taking the nomination over two challengers with roots in the statehouse.
"I thought that I could win it," Tennant said. "I didn't know what the numbers would be."

http://www.dailymail.com/News/election08/200805140007

Columbus Duopoly Deburts HD News

On May 10 during the 6 p.m. newscast, Sinclair ABC affiliate WSYX unveiled a new set the station said is “designed to handle the dissemination of daily news, provide a working environment for their anchors and reporters and showcase the crisp and clean imagery inherent in high-definition television.”

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/13/daily.11/

Is Time Running Out for the CW?

Time may be running out for the CW network.
Two years after CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc. combined their second-tier networks UPN and WB into the youth-oriented CW to pool young viewers prized by advertisers, the network's hopes of surviving are looking increasingly bleak.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121089546043097065.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us&apl=y&r=262726

Broadcast's 2008-2009 Season

Click Here for Network Grid

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=variety_gen_f&internal=chart_nbcsche

FAA Shoots Down WTTE's Tower Plans

After objections by more than 100 local pilots and aeronautical groups, the Federal Aviation Administration has denied WTTE-TV's request to build a state-of-the-art transmission tower near Don Scott Field.
The decision came as a surprise to Channel 28 officials, who last year hired consultants to choose a suitable tower site after having been turned down by the FAA in 1989.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/1996/06/24/story4.html

Radio Personality Becomes TV Reporter

After free-lancing for WLWT-TV (Channel 5) since October, Andrew Setters has made the move permanent. Today is Setters' last day as WLW-AM (700) assignment editor and anchor. The 10-year radio veteran starts Monday at Channel 5 as an evening news general assignment reporter. "The biggest change is that I won't be able to wear jeans to work, like I've been able to get away with at the Big One. But after years of working early mornings, I'll finally get to sleep in some," says Setters, 31."I've had 10 years with 700 WLW and the people here are great, so yeah, it was a tough decision to leave... Over the past six months of working both jobs, everyone with Ch 5 has been really welcoming. I'm eager to get started, and I can't wait to see what comes next."I thought Setters adapted very well to TV, as others have done over the years (John London, Brian Patrick, Tricia Macke, Edie Magnus, Dan Carroll). He should prove to be a valuable, knowledgeable addition to News 5.

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2008/05/setters-leaves-wlw-for-wlwt.asp

Sinclair Turns to Weather Central for HD

The Sinclair Broadcast Group will use Weather Central as its exclusive HD weather system as it rolls out HD local newscasts as well as MyWeather for its online weather needs.
The five-year agreement between Sinclair and Weather Central includes both on-air and online content creation and distribution solutions. For online use, Sinclair stations purchased the LIVE Online desktop component, which includes Web content.

http://broadcastengineering.com/news/sinclair_broadcast_group_weather_0508/

Clear Channel Unsure About Merger

Clear Channel Communications Inc. on Friday released earnings for the media and entertainment company's first quarter at a critical juncture in its history.
The company, which owns eight Cincinnati radio stations, had been set to finalize its merger with an investment group led by Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Bain Capital Partners LLC by the close of the first quarter. That has not happened due to lenders' reluctance to provide financing for the deal.

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/05/05/daily57.html

CBS, EQAL Annouce New Media Partnership

CBS and EQAL announced a partnership Wednesday to create and produce multi-platform television, online and mobile entertainment for existing and future CBS television productions.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/14/daily.7/

Digital Boosts Business at Top Media Co's

Total revenue for the 10 largest stand-alone media, entertainment and communications companies rose to $59.9 billion during the first quarter of 2008, with profit before some costs at $16.7 billion, according to an analysis conducted by independent financial research provider Fresearch.com. A strong demand for digital services, as well as favorable exchange rates and acquisitions, helped to increase revenues by 12% for the companies.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/digital_boosts_business_at_top.php

WTVQ Sale a Done Deal

Media General Inc. said Tuesday that it has completed the sale of WTVQ, the ABC affiliate in Lexington, Ky., to the Morris Network for $16.5 million.
“We are pleased to complete the sale of WTVQ and we will use the proceeds immediately for debt reduction,” said CEO Marshall Morton in a prepared statement. “We thank our former employees for their dedicated service and wish them well.”

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/13/daily.15/

Historic Duopoly for Clarksburg WV

The acquisition of WVFX gives him a Fox affiliate to go along with the CBS affiliate he already owned, WDTV. Withers received a "failing station" waiver from the FCC to create the small-market duop.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/13/daily.9/

HBO to Make Deal to Sell Shows on iTunes

Time Warner Inc.'s HBO network is close to an agreement with Apple Inc. to sell shows such as ``The Sopranos'' and ``The Wire'' on iTunes, a person familiar with the talks said.
HBO will make its programs available on the service at the same time as the network releases the shows on DVD, said the person, who declined to be identified because no deal has been announced. The pricing model will be different from what TV networks have previously negotiated, the person said yesterday.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=akAJ31YZ8lws&refer=us

The Largest Private Broadcast Operator Files Chapter 11

The largest privately-held commercial broadcast operator in the U.S., Pappas Telecasting Inc., filed for Chapter 11 Saturday with plans to sell its 30 TV stations under bankruptcy court protection.
Pappas cited "the extremely difficult business climate for television stations across the country" in papers filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del. The Fresno, Calif.-based company reported in court filings it has more than $536 million in debt and assets of $460 million.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pappas-telecasting-files-bankruptcy-blames/story.aspx?guid=%7BBD3264A3%2D7A33%2D4F4C%2DA513%2DC5E210DC5C28%7D

EW Scripps will Split

Effective July 1, E.W. Scripps Co. will operate the TV stations, syndication business and newspapers, while Scripps Networks Interactive will comprise the five cable networks and various Internet businesses.

The E. W. Scripps Co.'s board of directors today approved management's plan to separate Scripps into two public companies, effective July 1.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/09/daily.12/

New Blogging Society in Columbus

A civic divide is growing in Columbus. For the past decade or so, ordinary people have become less inclined to call their political representatives or drive all the way down to City Hall to personally lobby government officials.
But a community of tech-savvy, affluent white kids say they’re picking up the slack. Columbus’s bloggers believe they’re furthering democracy, improving the economy and advancing humanity—all without missing Grey’s Anatomy.

http://www.theotherpaper.com/top5-8/coverstory.htm

****IMPORTANT DATES FOR MEMBERS****

Hey Everyone!!!

Just wanted to let you know that Emmy Award nominations will be announced on June 2nd at 11am. Please check on www.ovemmy.org for all the nominees.

The Ohio Valley Emmy Awards ceremony will be on August 9th at the Westin Cincinnati.

Keep checking back for more information or email me at nwilliams@ohiovalleyemmy.org

Thanks!

Nicole

No Sports? Not Us! A Survey of GM's and News Directors

I guess we'll never know which TV station was considering dropping sports from local newscasts. None of the local TV stations say they know anything about a telephone survey conducted here last month asking viewers how they would feel if a local TV station dropped sports. Some other stations in other cities have done this over the years, including WSYX-TV (Channel 6) in Columbus in 2005. I've spoken to all the stations, and here’s what they said:Ch. 9 GM Bill Fee: "It's not us."Ch. 5 News Director Brennan Donnellan: "No, we are not considering that and we're not doing a survey."Ch. 12 News Director Elbert Tucker: "It's not us."Ch. 19 GM John Long: "There is no interest in dropping sports here. This is not a new idea. This has been going around for a long time." (Some news consultants recommend it "because of the plethora of sports news" on ESPN, other cable channels and the web.I think dropping sports reports in this city – with high interest in pro, college and high school sports – would be a huge mistake... except maybe in the 5-6:30 weekday p.m. block some days. I think the station which dropped sports would lose more viewers than it would gain by the boast of having "more news." Don’t you?

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2008/05/no-sports-not-us.asp

WTWO's GM Leaving Indiana Station

WTWO television station general manager Duane Lammers is leaving Channel 2 as well as the Terre Haute community after 11 years. Lammers, who made local headlines in early 2006 when he decided against airing the controversial NBC series “The Book of Daniel,” is leaving WTWO voluntarily to pursue other interests, according to officials with Nexstar Broadcasting Group, which owns WTWO and WFXW Channel 38.

http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_128210738.html

WEVV's Analog Signal Back Up

After 24 days of no analog signal from Channel 44, WEVV is finally back on the air. They were off from 2/12 to 3/7. Of course most viewers had no idea since the metro cable penetration is so high. I’m sure the handful of those still watching via over-the-air antenna were pitching a fit… and I’m sure they’ll pitch an even bigger fit when all the analog gets shuttered in less than a year’s time.

http://www.evansvillemedia.com/em/2008/03/12/wevv-finally-back-on-the-air/

DTV Day at Ohio Statehouse

Dressed in an orange T-shirt with the name of her Web site, Patrice Griffin brought her message of coming changes in the broadcast industry to the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday.
Griffin works for DTVAnswers.com, sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters.
She was joined by many of the TV station general managers from around the state.
They were there to update the public and lawmakers on plans for the long awaited switch to digital television.

http://www.whiotv.com/money/16190638/detail.html

Louisville Stations Get Big Ratings During Derby

On Saturday, WAVE-TV dominated the local airwaves most of the afternoon, peaking during the Kentucky Derby with a rating of 39.9. Its one-hour telecast from 5-6 p.m. drew a 35.6, but the peak quarter-hour nearly burst through the 40-mark.

http://thevillevoice.com/2008/05/05/everybody-gets-a-big-ratings-turn/

Louisville Family Focus of Vietnam War Documentary on KET

The debate about pulling out of Iraq has an eerie and haunting echo for Doan Hoang and her family in Louisville.
Thirty-three years ago last week, they were on the last American helicopter out of Vietnam on the final day of the war in that country. They eventually found their way to Louisville.
Tonight Hoang relives that nightmare, reflects on coming to America and takes her family back to Vietnam on a journey full of good and bad memories.
"Oh Saigon" is at 10 on KET2. It is a sensitive, engaging and at times painfully revealing story about what happens to people long after the guns of war go silent.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/FEATURES07/805050332/1011/SCENE

Microsoft Offering TV Downloads

Microsoft is finally going after the TV download market with its Zune device and online network.
Company has added more than 800 episodes from congloms including NBC U, MTV Networks and Turner to its online store as part of a subscription push. Offerings pale next to the selection at the iTunes Store, but Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Zune, said the company wanted to "launch with what we've got" and build from there.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117985138.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Online News Add Ons - Could It Work For You?

Often in Market Share we bring you success stories about stand-alone local sales promotions—special events or program segments that deliver a nice chunk of change.
Ideally, these promotions bring incremental revenue from new advertisers who stick around and become long-term clients. But while bonus ad dollars are nice, but they ignore the larger challenge, namely how broadcasters can grow their core business in the face of ever-increasing competition and audience fragmentation.
Gannett’s KARE Minneapolis thinks it's found one way—by regularly expanding news coverage onto the station’s Web site. “We no longer call ourselves a television station,” says Cindy Chapman, KARE’s executive producer of integrated media. “We’re an ‘information center’—on air, online and on mobile.”

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/05/daily.6/

WSAZ Launches Local Olympic Zone Web Channel

Gray Television NBC affiliate WSAZ Charleston, W.Va., has launched a and WSAZ Olympic Zone Web channel.
"NBCOlympics.com is the official home for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The WSAZ Olympic Zone is WSAZ's local section within NBCOlympics.com offering daily video reports from a celebrity Olympian, news headlines, TV listings, slideshows, polls, blogs and much more," said Don Ray, WSAZ general manage.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/05/daily.10/

WLEX Pulls Out All Stops on Derby Day

The first Saturday in May is always a special day in Bluegrass country and Cordillera Communications’ Lexington, Ky., NBC affiliate WLEX annually pulls out all the stops for its special coverage of Kentucky Derby Day.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/07/daily.4/

Can Online Video Cure DVR Ad Skipping?

NEW YORK Web video might get more DVR owners to see commercials, although viewers say they don't pay much attention to those ads. A new study conducted by Google's DoubleClick Performics division confirmed that DVR owners watch more television but fewer commercials. However, the survey also found that many DVR owners are watching TV programs online -- but aren't paying much attention to ads in that venue, either.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/media/e3ifb6fce0a2cc79c40334fbe5f203956fb

The First Station to Switch Completely to Digital Is...

Representatives of Wilmington, N.C. broadcasters joined FCC Chairman Kevin Martin Thursday at the FCC for the official announcement, widely anticipated, that the 135th DMA would serve as the test of the upcoming analog-to-digital television transition.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/08/daily.14/

FOX Boosts Sweeps Lead

Last night wasn’t Fox’s strongest Wednesday outing, but it was more than enough for the network to stomp the competition and pad its May sweeps lead.
Fox averaged a 5.0 adults 18-49 rating and a 14 share last night, according to Nielsen overnights, 85 percent ahead of second-place CBS’s 2.7/7.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Overnights_50/Fox_boosts_its_sweeps_lead_with_Idol.asp

First the Writers Now the Actors - Are More Strikes Looming?

A last-ditch effort by SAG to keep negotiations alive with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers was shuttered Wednesday by sister union AFTRA, which refused to postpone for a third time its scheduled talks with the producers.SAG and the AMPTP broke off talks Tuesday after 18 days of negotiations that resulted in no deal.Meanwhile, AFTRA and the AMPTP sat down Wednesday at 2 p.m. for the first time to negotiate its primetime TV contract, which includes primetime dramas and sitcoms. Talks concluded at 5 p.m. The two sides will resume talks today.In a joint statement, AFTRA and the AMPTP said, "At the start of the talks, both parties expressed their desire to engage in open, productive discussions that will hopefully lead to a resolution that makes sense for both AFTRA and the industry."This is the second time AFTRA and the AMPTP have sat down at the bargaining table. In March, the two groups negotiated a new Network TV Code for its daytime and other members after less than a month of negotiations. AFTRA members ratified the new three-year contract, which begins in November, by a 93% approval.The network code covers various programs, including "American Idol," "Days of Our Lives" and "Oprah."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i17366dec337edfd572a5329f9998b39d

Emmis Corp. Divests Last of its TV Stations

Emmis Communications Corp. announced this morning that it has agreed to sell the last of its TV stations—WVUE, the Fox affiliate in New Orleans (DMA 53)—to Louisiana Media Co., which is principally owned by Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/05/05/daily.3/?promo

Longtime WDTN Sportscaster Dead

MARCO ISLAND, Florida -- Longtime WDTN Sports Direcotr Omar Williams passed away Sunday morning at his home in Marco Island, Florida. Williams was 83 years old and known as "The Dean of Dayton Sportscasters."He started his Dayton broadcasting career in 1951, eventually becoming sports director for WDTN. Williams retired in 1996 and was inducted into The Dayton Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2003.

http://1290whio.com/includes/news/indepth/5279860_Sportscaster_Omar_Williams_Dies_at_83_155515.html

The Road to Hi Def News

When assessing U.S. broadcasters’ transition to local news in high definition, the picture is dominated by size—not screen, but market. While many of the news leaders in the top markets have transitioned to HD local news, most small to mid-market stations have not. And most of the action is confined to HD studio production since HD microwave and HD field editing still pose technical and financial challenges.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/pages/s.0082/t.13239.html

TIme Warner Cable to Possibly Spin Off From Parent Company

Readers have reminded us, and we already knew, that Time Warner Cable is destined to be spun off of its parent company. (Here's a good article about it from the newspaper Newsday in the New York City area, with a base in a Los Angeles Times story.)Since we're not business analysts, we can't really say "what it'll all mean" for local TWC customers...

http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2008/05/loose-ends-for-friday.html

Primary Brings Unexpected Amount of Money to Indiana Media

The unexpected presidential race in the Indiana primary election has brought unexpected money to Indiana media.
Gary Belis, spokesman for the Television Bureau of Advertising, a trade group for broadcasters, said political campaigns have spent $9.1 million at television stations in Evansville and four other cities in Indiana since the beginning of the year. And about $2.3 million of that came in the past week, which is not surprising, he said.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/may/02/02web-Primary/?ebj=1/

WAVE Puts Patrick Henry Hughes in Derby Coverage

Patrick Henry Hughes' music video might just steal a lot of the Derby Day thunder from favorites Colonel John or Big Brown with the viewers on WAVE-TV tomorrow.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/COLUMNISTS15/805020329

Viacom to Invest $100M in New Pay Channel

Viacom plans to invest up to $100 million in the premium channel it’s launching with two other movie studios, and the venture is talking to other potential partners about the new pay-TV network, officials said Friday.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6556905.html?desc=topstory

ABC Holds Onto Sweeps Lead

ABC held its Thursday lead for the second straight week, though it was down from last week, when it debuted a new-look lineup with “Lost” taking over the 10 p.m. slot.
The network finished first last night with an average 4.4 adults 18-49 rating and 12 share, according to Nielsen overnights, just ahead of No. 2 CBS’s 4.1/11.
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Overnights_50/ABC_holds_its_Thursday_sweeps_lead.asp

ABC.com Mulls Over Adding Ads

ABC.com is about to find out whether one good ad deserves another.Disney-ABC Television Group will begin conducting research next week on inserting multiple commercials into ad breaks for primetime series on its broadband player.The industry standard for streaming full-length episodes restricts commercial pods to a single marketer. "Limited commercials" has been a selling point for all platforms that provide longform programming, including ABC's rival networks and platforms like Hulu.com.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i9fd76a66aebe6d4cc28117dda301355d

KET and PRP Students Produce Award Winning Video

Jaberta Roper knew two things when she decided to enter a Metro United Way video contest for high school students -- the video had to be about the California neighborhood, and best friend Courtney Coleman would help.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/ZONE07/804300799/1008/NEWS01

Former TV Host Shows How to Throw A Great Derby Party

On Saturday, when some 20 3-year-old horses run for a wreath of roses and $2 million, everyone's a Kentuckian.
The festivity with which the commonwealth welcomes the annual Kentucky Derby has spread across the country, with Derby parties coast-to-coast. According to Sue Wylie of Lexington, who's written a book called "How to Throw a Great Derby Party" (Eclipse Press, $14.95), it's the third-most popular day for a party at home, after the Super Bowl and New Year's Eve.
"I love it that people around the country who've never been to a Derby or even to Kentucky are eating traditional foods and watching the race," she says. "And it's a great occasion to give a party. The race is a wonderful icebreaker, so people really have fun. Also, it starts in the afternoon, and it's over by sundown."

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/LIFE01/804300301/1079

Sinclair Stations Adopt Kahuna for HD Switch

Snell & Wilcox today announced that Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBG) is standardizing on the Snell & Wilcox Kahuna SD/HD multiformat production switcher across its news-producing stations as they transition to HD news production.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/04/29/daily.8/

Ohio Broadcast Group Outspoken Against FCC Localism Proposals

Comments continued to be filed in advance of the Federal Communications Commission's midnight Monday deadline for weighing in on its raft of new localism proposals, which most broadcasters argued are unnecessary and burdensome.
Those proposals include requiring broadcasters to list what types of programming they air in a variety of new categories -- they must already tell the FCC about kids’ programs and programs of local community interest; consulting with community advisory boards on what shows serve their communities; locating the main study in the station’s city of license; having someone physically present at a station at all times; and set guidelines on hours or local programming per week, or percentage of local programming, that would be taken into account at license-renewal time.
Not surprisingly, broadcasters were not happy with the prospects of a raft of additional government obligations, citing logistics, as well as First Amendment concerns about the government telling them what to program.
For example, in a joint filing, Post-Newsweek Stations, Raycom Media, Barrington Broadcasting, Bonten Media Group, Dispatch Broadcast Group and Paxton Media Group said the proposals, while well-intentioned, were "blunt and burdensome instruments" that would not lead to the localism goals that both the FCC and the broadcasters shared. They argued that there is little to suggest that any action is needed, but if there is, it needs to be more flexible and less intrusive.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6555597.html

WCMH Launching 4pm News

Media General NBC affiliate WCMH Columbus, Ohio, will begin broadcasting in high definition from its new downtown studio, NBC 4 on the Square, on Tuesday, May 27.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/04/28/daily.9/

The WB is Back!

The WB is back.

Only this time, it's not a broadcast network; it's a Web site.In New York today, Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) officially announced what had been earlier reported by Mediaweek: that it was launching two ad-supported Web sites—TheWB.com for general audience and KidsWB.com for children. A beta version of TheWB.com should be available early next month.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/04/28/daily.10/

WTHI Honored by SPJ

From Susan Dinkel, WTHI

NEWS 10 HONORED FOR ITS EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM. ON FRIDAY NIGHT (April 25th), THE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS HELD ITS 29TH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET IN INDIANAPOLIS AND NEWS 10 WALKED AWAY WITH SIX PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS. W-T-H-I WAS RECOGNIZED IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: "BEST TELEVISION SPOT NEWS" 1st Place - WTHI-TV Staff, "BEST GENERAL NEWS" 1st Place - Reporter Liz Nichols & Photographer John Timm,
"BEST SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORTING" 1st Place - Reporter Susan Dinkel & Photographer Chris Essex, "BEST ELECTION COVERAGE" 1st Place - WTHI-TV Staff,
"BEST TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY" 2nd Place - Reporter Susan Dinkel & Photographer Mike Latta... and "BEST TELEVISION FEATURE" 3rd Place - Reporter Mark Allen & Photographer Mike Latta. THE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS RECOGNIZES THE BEST OF THE BEST IN INDIANA TELEVISION.

Testing Antennas for WNKY

This entry I will review two antennas I have tested, so you may receive WNKY's (and other) digital transmissions. I know this has been a problem for some of you. Both antennas are relatively inexpensive and provide excellent reception. Both antennas were tested indoors at my first floor apartment near Greenwood Mall, mounted to a floor lamp (my apartment complex does not permit me to mount an outdoor antenna.) I have not found a set top antenna that will work well as of this writing.

http://www.wnky.net/blogs/brucks/6938137.html