NATAS Boss Steps Down at End of Year

Peter Price’s tumultuous and aggressive reign as president and CEO of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will come to an early conclusion at the end of the year.

He will continue to advise and to head up the NATAS Foundation, which raises money for scholarships, education and other initiatives, he said in an interview with TelevisionWeek. He’ll perform the NATAS Foundation duties without compensation—“church work,” as he called it.

The trustees of NATAS, which runs TV awards programs including the News & Documentary Emmys and the Daytime Creative Arts and Entertainment Emmys, are recommending that Chief Financial Officer Carolyn Grippi become executive VP and function as chief operating officer as well as CFO effective Jan. 1.

Mr. Price, 68, said he told the NATAS trustees last spring that he had made the decision to leave before his contract expires in September 2009 to focus on a number of ventures in which he is an investor, including a healthcare-related business that is aiming to go public.

“I’m going to get very busy around the first of the year,” he said.

He had hit the ground running at NATAS after he was chosen in 2002 to lead the group and mandated to shake up the then-fustier cousin of the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The search committee that hired Mr. Price wanted to make the organization more relevant, robust, diverse and youth-friendly. NATAS had been looking to put on more events and gain new revenue streams.

Dennis Swanson, president of station operations for the Fox Television Stations Group, was part of the search committee that chose Mr. Price, a media executive who never was part of the creative TV community. Mr. Swanson also served four years as NATAS chairman during Mr. Price’s terms.

Herb Granath, the current chairman, was unavailable for comment for this story.

Mr. Swanson gives Mr. Price good marks, saying the CEO has done well with his mandate to improve the academy’s events, participation and standing. Mr. Price has run his office with dignity, Mr. Swanson said.

Mr. Price’s first major initiative was to start a National Student Television Award for Excellence.

But what he will be remembered for are his more dramatic plans to launch a Spanish-language Emmy program and to make broadband content eligible for Emmys in a separate competition.

In the process, he drove a new wedge into the decades-old rift between New York-based NATAS and Los Angeles-based ATAS, which runs the more well-known and lucrative Primetime Emmys.

The two groups, which have a common ancestor, are trapped in a cycle of litigation and arbitration that has cost each nonprofit academy what some people say totals about $1 million each.

When Mr. Price announced the Spanish-language and broadband plans in 2002 and 2007, respectively, he did it without having first gotten agreement from ATAS. That notice was required by the 1977 treaty deeding ATAS control over the Primetime Emmys and giving NATAS the News, Sports and Daytime Emmys. NATAS also got 19 local chapters in the deal.

With regards to the Spanish-language Emmys, Mr. Price said a joint NATAS-ATAS committee “is pretty well along in defining categories and timetables and general structure of the show. We’ve been in touch with Univision and Telemundo as well as the other Spanish-language networks who are, let’s call it, more than enthusiastic to finally realize the result here.”

A decision is expected later this year from a five-judge appeals court panel in New York that may (or may not) finally clear the way for the “Emmys en Espanol,” as he refers to them.

A key issue in the development of the Spanish-language awards is the $900,000 that NATAS has been ordered to pay ATAS toward its legal fees.

“We are willing and able to move forward immediately on a joint Spanish-language Emmy contest and ceremony as soon as the judges rule on the NATAS appeal or they drop their appeal,” ATAS Chief Operating Officer Alan Perris said.

“In spite of all the sturm und drang of, you know, differences and arbitrations and all that, I think the net result of it is we’ve probably come closer together, rather than stay apart as we have in the past and just bicker,” Mr. Price said. “The hope is that collaboration will have been established through all this dialogue and some controversy, but I think the net result will have been positive.”

There are those who think the only way to end the friction between the East Coast and West Coast academies is for them to find a way to merge under one banner. There have been attempts to explore possibilities over the years. However, such talks founder on such issues as the groups’ distinctly different structures (NATAS is a federalist chapter-based group, while ATAS is centralized in Los Angeles), as well as long-standing feelings at NATAS that talks about a merger feel too much like talks about takeover.

“I don’t think it’s anybody’s fault. If you can’t put them together, you should find a way to make it work better,” Mr. Price said. “God knows we’ve tried, and sparring and arbitrating and litigating is not fun—it’s costly and debilitating and it just doesn’t solve any problems.”

It is unclear whether the exit of Mr. Price, who has ruffled some pretty big feathers in ATAS, would lead to détente.

“Sharing a brand is not a great idea. It’s not a great idea for Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal to do it. It’s not a great idea for Cheerios and Wheaties to do it. It’s not a great idea for ATAS and NATAS to do it. It complicates life. It complicates getting things done. It creates friction,” Mr. Price said. “Co-owning one brand is confusing to people inside and confusing to people outside.”

Mr. Price is aware that he comes across as “brusque” to many people, but he has a very clear vision of leadership. It involves taking command instead of taking things to committees, and being willing to take risks.

On Sept. 21, he had his first trapeze lesson (a birthday gift from his wife). He talked afterward about his sore muscles and how “it’s fascinating to put yourself at risk like that and discover you can actually defy gravity.”

Mr. Price said his chief frustration was “herding the cats and getting everybody on the same page and agreeing to do that on some timely basis and some sensible way.” Contrasting his acrobatics on the trapeze to the slower pace of some in the business, Mr. Price said he prefers to leap.

Mr. Price said he’s particularly proud of his efforts to bring broadband content into the world of the Emmys and moving his academy “from the old television business to the new television business.”

“While ATAS didn’t agree with our approach, they had their own approach, and the arbitrators gave us a kind of, ‘OK, you guys can move forward on this basis: If it’s not platform-specific, you can engage these new media in your awards.’ So we accommodated the result.”

Mr. Price compared what he’s done at NATAS with what executives like Jeff Zucker, Les Moonves and Bob Iger have done at their media companies.

“You must transform or you wake up dead one morning, not just for commercial companies who are our patrons but we who live by their good graces,” Mr. Price said. “So we must be a mirror of them and we must deal with the future.”

Broadband Video Viewers Double in a Year

The number of people watching Web video has doubled over the past year—growing from 32% of all Internet users a year ago, to 63% today—according to a survey conducted by ABI Research. into online viewing habits.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6599757.html

WEHT Legend Fighting Lou Gehrig's Disease

If, like me, you grew up watching Peggy Mitchell each weekday morning on WEHT, you might have taken note of Shelley Kirk's story yesterday.

Peggy is 72 now, and was diagnosed in February with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

http://jakesdtvblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/sad-note.html

Ohio Political Blogosphere Featured on PBS Show

Hey, Ohio political blogosphere, are your ears burning? Somebody’s been talking about you behind your back. A couple of blogs/bloggers were even singled out by name. Ohio’s PBS stations broadcast a half-hour-long weekend show (schedules vary, so check your local PBS or Ohio Channel listings) called “The State of Ohio,” hosted by Karen Kasler.

http://buckeyerino.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/ohio-political-blogosphere-featured-on-pbs-show/

Best Job Posting Ever...From WHIO

I have a job, I don't need a job, in spite of this tough economy, thankfully. So, why do I religiously read Graeme Newell's Marketing Ideanet Jobs email every week?? .. because it includes postings like this one:

http://aoprep.blogspot.com/2008/09/overnights-delivered-in-song-got-me.html

Stealth Marketing Gone Wild in the Ohio Valley?

One of my favorite critiques of our ad-saturated modern world is in "Infinite Jest," the epic novel by recently-departed author and essayist David Foster Wallace. In the novel's not-too-distant future, time itself has become a corporate marketing opportunity. There's the Year of the Trial-Size Dove Bar and the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment. That's not to mention the Year of the Yushityu 2007 Mimetic-Resolution-Cartridge-View-Motherboard-Easy-To-Install-Upgrade For Infernatron/InterLace TP Systems For Home, Office, Or Mobile, which is often abbreviated.

http://www.prwatch.org/node/7772

ABN and WOSU Announce Partnership

WOSU Public Media has announced a new partnership with ABN Radio, the largest farm radio network in Ohio. ABN will relocate their headquarters to WOSU facilities on the Ohio State campus in Columbus in early 2009.

http://ofbf.org/page/DTOD-7JLH7U/

WLKY Doing the Anchor Shuffle to Showcase Rising Stars

They’re playing some musical chairs at WLKY-TV, shifting anchoring responsibilities around in order to promote a couple of its on-air talents that G.M. Glenn Haygood calls “rising stars.”

http://thevillevoice.com/2008/09/12/wlky-personnel-changes-designed-to-showcase-future-stars/

Where's Abby at WLKY?

Abby Miller, the ex-anchor of the WLKY-TV morning show, has yet to return to work after being demoted to weekend duties. According to our sources, Miller was scheduled to work this week but hasn’t been seen on Mellwood Avenue.

http://thevillevoice.com/2008/09/24/wheres-abby-at-wlky/

WOUB.org Woes

Do public broadcasters need to invest in their websites?

That is the question. At the moment many of them use Public Interactive, which provides a template allowing NPR affiliates to easily update content from the mothership in D.C. But why would I go to my local station's website for news from NPR when I could to npr.org? It's great for NPR to have it's site linked to an affiliate but what good does it do the affiliate?


http://radioanngal.blogspot.com/2008/09/wouborg-woes.html

New WHAS-TV Strategy on Streaming

After we pointed out the copyright violation earlier this week, when WHAS-TV was streaming its entire programming schedule online, the station has wisely come up with a new strategy.


http://thevillevoice.com/2008/09/19/new-whas-tv-strategy-on-streaming/

Sean McDowell- Bright House Sports Network Anchor

“What I enjoy most is telling great stories,” says Central Florida News 13 Sports Director Sean McDowell, “Anyone can give you highlights from a ballgame. I can certainly do that, but I also enjoy the challenge of doing something more memorable.” Sean comes to Central Florida News 13 from the Sports Anchor desk at WOWK TV, the CBS affiliate, in Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia where he also produced award-winning sports features and sports specials for a statewide news network.


http://www.baynews9.com/content/66/2008/9/19/383833.html

Guardian sells station, loses cable coverage

The Guardian Television Network, a Christian broadcaster based in Columbus, might soon find itself without a cable home.


http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/09/19/2_WSFJ_GTN.ART_ART_09-19-08_D7_GOBC786.html?sid=101

TV crew topples power line

Police dispatchers in Butler County reported this morning that a WKRC-TV van knocked over a power line in Ross Township.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080918/NEWS01/309180068

UE, WNIN partnering for cinema series

The University of Evansville and WNIN are launching a new Community Cinema Series.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/sep/18/ue-wnin-partnering-cinema-series/

WDTN-TV, owner pressing Time Warner Cable for deal

DAYTON — WDTN-TV, Channel 2, is urging its viewers to call Time Warner Cable and press the company to reach a deal to keep WDTN's signal on the Time Warner network after Oct. 2, when the current agreement expires.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/b/content/oh/story/business/2008/09/17/ddn091708ch2web.html

Think/TV to air documentary on Dayton flood

A new production exploring the 1913 Dayton flood will premiere as a simulcast at 8 p.m. Thursday on Think/TV WPTD-TV (Channel 16) and WPTO/TV (Channel 14).

Goodbye, the Levee Has Broken, the Story of the Great Dayton Flood tells about one of the most important events in the city's history. It was produced by ThinkTV in partnership with the Montgomery County Historical Society.


http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-11936695.html

WDPR loses power, postpones fund drive

DAYTON — There's never a good time for a radio station to be knocked off the air, but it's especially bad during the annual fund-raising campaign.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/09/16/ddn091608radioweb.html

Crisis? Radio not much help

When deadly hurricane-force winds blew through the region Sunday, most radio stations relied on their listeners to provide news reports.



Why? Because most stations don’t have reporters to cover events.'



http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/NEWS01/309160097

ABN Radio To Relocate to WOSU Facility

It seemed like the ABN Show midday here at the Farm Science Review. The BARN has a nice barn. Here’s Andy and Lindsay just before their big announcement today.


http://agwired.com/2008/09/16/abn-radio-to-relocate-to-wosu-facility/

Time Warner, owner of WWHO not talking

LIN TV, owner of WWHO-TV (Channel 53), said early yesterday that the signal for that station and several others it owns might go dark on Time Warner Cable systems when a retransmission-consent deal expires Oct. 2, Broadcasting & Cable reported.


http://dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/09/16/2_CABLE__DARK.ART_ART_09-16-08_D5_RVBB7E9.html?sid=101

'Woodsongs' Celebrates 500th Show

Every Monday night, hundreds of people in Lexington flock to the historic Kentucky Theatre to catch the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, a tradition that celebrated it's 500th broadcast September 15th.

http://www.wtvq.com/news/1-latest/1752-woodsongs-celebrates-500th-show.html

Time Warner Cable, WTHI working to reach contract deal

TERRE HAUTE — The parent company of WTHI-TV announced Monday that issues with Time Warner Cable Inc. over a retransmission contract are unresolved, which could lead to the television station pulling its signal from the cable company’s lineup.



http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_story_259231811.html

Mills James Post Production Department Grows Again

Mills James adds 2 new editors to their expanding post production department.


http://millsjames.com/news.php?articleID=109

Mills James Receives Business Magazine Top Honor

Business First Columbus has once again named Mills James as the top ranked company on the weekly business newspaper's annual Greater Columbus AudioVisual Production Companies List

http://millsjames.com/news.php?articleID=104

Brainstorm Media Hires New GM/VP

We are proud to announce today that Bret Icenhower has joined Brainstorm Media in the newly created role of vice president and general manager!

Icenhower brings more than 20 years of creative media marketing experience in the Columbus market. He will oversee the day-to-day operations of Brainstorm Media’s new 15,000-square-foot studios that will open soon in Grandview Heights.

“Bret’s leadership skills and innovative ideas will be invaluable as our operations expand,” said Ron Thielman, Brainstorm Media president. “I’ve known him for years and have seen first-hand, his ability to generate creative, award winning media solutions.”

Icenhower is a resident of Worthington and a 1986 graduate of The Ohio State University. During the past two decades, he has received Emmy Awards and Addy Awards at both the local and district levels. In 2002, he was recognized with the Kress Award, named after the first President of the Advertising Federation of Columbus. He has held numerous positions on the Ad Fed Board and served as president of the organization from 2002-2004.

Icenhower’s previous work experience includes WOSU, WCMH, WTVN, WSYX, The Media Group and most recently, Lyon Video.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with many of the Brainstorm Media staff in the past. I know Ron is building an “All-Star” team to go with the brand new, state-of the-art, facility. I’m excited and honored to be a part of Brainstorm’s future,” said Icenhower.

For more information, visit www.brainstormmediainc.com, call 614.299.5611, or email us at ront@brainstormmediainc.com.

Ike Comes to Columbus - How Did Local Stations Do?

Even the most casual TV news observer would think the state’s first sustained hurricane-force winds would be the local broadcast journalist’s—if not wet, then at least gusty dream—but Ike’s remnants had the audacity to blow into town on Sunday, the newsman’s Sabbath Day.

http://www.theotherpaper.com/articles/2008/09/18/front/doc48d1770c0499b872758838.txt

Ohio Valley Blogs Spotlighted in TVSpy.com

It's all about blogs in TVSpy.com on Tuesday, September 16th. The Ville Voice covering Louisville gets a nod as "one of the best". Also check out blogs from WCMH's Ellie Merrit and former WCPO reporter Laure Quinlivan.

http://www.tvspy.com/shoptalk.cfm?page=1#editor

WBNS Superbowl Promo Getting Copied Across the Nation

Check out the link to see what other markets are doing


http://utube.smashits.com/video/rsV-IvOxAbI/WBNS-TV-WHO-TV-Alamoth-Lane-Carousels-Promo-Dreaming-of-Tomorrow-.html

HDTV Switch Limits New Shows

The more things change, the more they stay the same - particularly in broadcasting this season.

Viewers will see the most radical change in the 60-year history of TV - the switch to digital broadcasting Feb. 17 - during a TV season with the fewest new fall shows (17) in two decades.

The major TV networks, still recovering from the crippling writers' strike last winter, trimmed their new series offerings to give another chance to promising shows cut short last season.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080914/ENT/809140343/1175

Dayton's Own Cox Enterprises Celebrates 110th Anniversary

Cox Communications celebrates the 110th anniversary of its parent company, Cox Enterprises, founded Aug. 15, 1898 in Dayton.

Cox Communications' parent company was founded in Ohio by former schoolteacher and reporter James M. Cox, whose ambition was to own a newspaper. To realize his dream, he borrowed $26,000 from friends and family and purchased the Dayton Evening News, which is now the Dayton Daily News.

http://blog.cleveland.com/suncourier/2008/09/cox_communications_celebrates.html

See The Kentucky Senate Debate Live on WCPO.com

You can see Republican incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford square off in Saturday morning's debate right here online.

http://www.kypost.com/content/wcposhared/story.aspx?content_id=d9d58954-b656-40a4-8f4e-b90e289a261d

WDRB Anchor Throws Tantrum on High School Football Sideline

Last week, the Pleasure Ridge Park High School football team played its first game since the unfortunate and untimely death of one of its players. The game was played at Ballard. JCPS and school officials asked media to steer clear of the PRP bench during the game out of respect for the PRP situation.

http://thevillevoice.com/2008/09/12/sideline-storm-with-tams-temper/

Tom Hammond Named Thoroughbred Club Of America's Honor Guest

Sportscaster Tom Hammond, who has hosted Thoroughbred racing telecasts for a quarter century, has been named honor guest of the Thoroughbred Club of America’s 77th Annual Testimonial Dinner, club president Mike Barnett announced Sept. 11. The dinner will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington Nov. 16.


http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/47022.htm?id=47022

Tim Sturgess Named GM at WTWO

Timothy Sturgess was named vice president and general manager at Nexstar Broadcasting Group ’s WTWO Terre Haute, Ind.


He’ll report to Nexstar co-chief operating officer and executive VP Timothy Busch.

http://www.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=514706&afterinter=true

WCPO Doing 1 Hour Special on "Extreme Makeover" Family

The "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" episode featuring the Akers family will air at 8 p.m. Oct. 5 on the ABC television network, Ginger Akers announced today.

"WCPO is doing a one-hour special before the premiere and possibly after the premiere," Akers said in a release.

http://www.oxfordpress.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/09/10/pjw091108akers.html

Documentary on Dayton Native Erma Bombeck to Run Nationally

At the height of her popularity, her syndicated column appeared in 900 newspapers, reaching 30 million readers.

http://www.thinktv.org/bombeck.html

Fox 41 Anchor Inspiration for Tide Commercial

Saqib Siddik can thank his wife, WDRB Fox-41 anchor Julie Tam, for inspiring his 30-second Tide commercial that will air on NBC during "America's Got Talent."

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080910/COLUMNISTS18/809100676

NPR Coming to COSI

National Public Radio’s syndicated midday program Talk of the Nation will broadcast live from WOSU's COSI headquarters for an election-themed program on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

http://blog.columbusalive.com/City_Limits/2008/09/npr_coming_to_cosi.shtml

High Q FAQ

More than 36 schools wanted to play. Why can’t they all play?

http://osir.org.in/data/science-current-events/2008/09/09/high-q-faq-whio-tv-wwwosirorgin-80/

New Technology Show Starts in Evansville

One of the projects that has been taking up a bit of my time over the summer was going down to the WNIN studios and fleshing out a new radio show. After several test shows, I’m pleased to announce that my new technoloy radio, Plugged In, will debut this Thursday at noon (replay Sunday at 6PM) on 88.3 FM WNIN. That would be your local public radio and NPR affiliate.


http://www.itsevansville.com/2008/09/08/plugged-in-my-radio-show-starts-this-thursday-at-noon-on-883-wnin/

WXIX's Horstmeyer Talks About Covering Gustav

TV meteorologist Steve Horstmeyer wasn't blown away by his first time covering a hurricane last week for WXIX-TV (Channel 19) and sister Raycom station KPLC-TV in Lake Charles, La., west of New Orleans.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080907/ENT/809070312/1175/ENT

Bad Weather Brings Out the Best in Local TV

Early last weekend, the national media zeroed in on New Orleans as powerful Hurricane Gustav churned through the Gulf of Mexico on a course toward the beleaguered city.

But the storm veered west, making landfall on Monday morning 70 miles southwest of the city and sparing it any significant damage.

Much of the national media quickly turned its attention to the Republican convention almost as if the hurricane had disappeared from the weather maps.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/05/daily.5/

Auto Advertising Falls 12% in First Half

The decline in auto advertising is just as bad as the television networks and stations think it is, according to a TVB analysis of TNS Media data.

Auto spending dropped 11.8 percent in the first half of 2008, compared to same period in 2007, with the big 3 domestic automakers leading the pullback.

The big 3 — Chrysler-Cerberus, Ford and GM — cut spending 17.6 percent, while 10 foreign companies pared 5.8 percent from their budgets.

The spending decline was even worse for TV stations. Total auto spending at stations was off 14 percent in the first half, dropping from $1.9 billion to $1.6 billion. Most of that loss can be traced to GM, which reduced its spot spending by 32.6 percent in the first half — from $339.9 million to $229.2 million.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.5/

TV Advertising Surviving Web Challenges

The top 10 TV advertisers over the last 20 years may have changed, as the technology companies that currently hold the top three spots have eclipsed the fast food and beer companies that were there in the '90s.

But television itself has maintained itself as a top advertising medium.

Or so said a panel of industry execs at Thursday's Television Bureau of Advertising in Manhattan.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.9/

Political Spending to Hit $3B

Total spending on political advertising is expected to climb to $3 billion this year with about 70 percent of those dollars still to be spent over the next 60 days, Evan Tracey, COO of TNS Media Intelligence, said Thursday at the Television Bureau of Advertising's annual Forecast Conference in Manhattan.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.10/

Online Ads Coming to Stations' Rescue

After a very gloomy early morning ecomonic report, TVB Forecast Conference attendees came back from a coffee break needing some good news.

While spot and local dollars may be dropping, Burrell offered several slides documenting that many more local dollars are moving online, even as banner advertising sales are dropping.

According to Burrell, total interactive spending hit $14.1 billion in 2008 but looks to grow to $23 billion by 2013. For local broadcasters, however, hefty increases in spending are already here.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.13/

Nexstar Signs 2 More Retransmission Deals

Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced today that it has entered into multi-year retransmission consent agreements with DirecTV and AT&T.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.4/

Ads Down in 09, Back Up in 2010

TVB is forecasting that total spot revenue in 2009 will decline between 2 and 5 percent from 2008.

The actual percentage decrease "will depend on when the economic recovery begins and how strong it is," said TVB CEO Chris Rohrs at the TVB Forecast Conference in New York this morning.

That 2009 total comprises national spot, which the trade group says will be down 7 to 10 percent and local spot, which will range from down 1 percent to up 2 percent.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/09/04/daily.6/

SAG Polls Membership on New Contract Negotiations

The leadership of the Screen Actors Guild is polling the union's 120,000 members, asking actors whether the union should continue to fight for contract terms better than those already accepted by directors, writers and the other actors’ union or fight on for a stronger contract.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6591988.html?desc=topstory

NBC Gives Hulu a Sneak Peak at Fall Shows

NBC is giving users of Hulu, the video-streaming site it cofounded with News Corp., a sneak peek at some of its fall shows, streaming them before they debut on the network.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6591795.html

Louisville's First Local Game Show Now Taping

The Alley Theater Improv Challenge is Louisville’s first locally produced Game Show and it is currently being taped in front of a live audience every Thursday evening at 7 PM. The show will air on both the CW (WBKI) and YCS beginning in October. Admission to the taping is only $5.00 with proceeds being applied to the chosen charity of the team that is playing that week.

http://www.louisville.com/content/louisvilles-first-local-gameshow-now-taping

Former WKYT Shares Cancer Survival Story

This Friday night, the major television networks, including CBS, will join forces.

"Stand Up To Cancer" is a one-hour, star-studded, public service fundraiser aimed at defeating a killer disease.

Many of us are touched in some way by cancer, including former WKYT anchor/reporter DeAnn Stephens.

Behind her bright smile, DeAnn has a serious, potentially life-saving message for anyone willing to listen.

Her nightmare began five years ago with one mole on her back.

DeAnn had spent her life enjoying the water and outdoors of Lake Cumberland, admittedly not always taking precautions with her skin in the sun.

http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/27851549.html

Schroeder Retired from WDRB

Don Schroeder, who’s been an anchor at WDRB-TV for 16 years, is retiring today and preparing to move to southern Alabama.

http://thevillevoice.com/2008/09/02/schroeder-retires-from-wdrb-tv/

Ironman Beats John Boel

We report the stories all the time: The death of a local high school football player, the collapse of a local marching band member. Sunday, I got my own up close and personal look at the dangers of heat and dehydration.

http://www.wlky.com/sports/17370753/detail.html

WNKY's New Master Control

After I arrived at WNKY, I was requested to design a new Master Control facility that would increase the number of broadcast channels from the current two (NBC-SD and NBC-HD) , to be able to handle five, with the addition of CBS-SD, CBS-HD and a future addition of a local news & weather channel.

http://www.wnky.net/blogs/6946777.html

WBNS and ONN to Host Attorney General Debate

WBNS-10TV, ONN and The Columbus Dispatch will host a debate on Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. in an effort to provide Ohioans with an opportunity to learn more about the candidates for Attorney General.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/08/29/ag_debate.html?sid=102

TV Needs to Join the Net Neutrality Fight

Most TV stations have lively local Web sites, offering a continuous flow of headlines, stories, video clips and weather reports.

You have to look no further than Gordon Borrell's last study on local online advertising to understand why.

The study forecasts that total local online ad spending will jump from $8.7 billion last year to $13.1 billion this year.

It's been a sometimes painful process, but broadcasters are beginning to see themselves as more than just broadcasters.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/29/daily.2/

Lightwave 9.5 Aims for More Realistic 3-D

NewTek’s LightWave v9.5 3D software will make graphics on stadium scoreboards and in live Webcasts more realistic then ever. It features an all-new hair and fur solution, a new lighting system, and improvements to animation, rendering, and workflow.



“One of our goals with LightWave is to allow you to be more of a creator and less of a technician,” says Philip Nelson, Newtek senior VP, strategic development.

http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/artman/publish/article_12316.shtml

TV's Future Looks Like Web's Present

TV advertising is poised to change dramatically over the next decade, embracing the kind of targeting and user control already common on the Web, according to a new report by Forrester Research.

Forrester lays out a decade-long evolution that will ultimately result in most programming delivered on-demand with targeted ad messages based on location and behavior, along with community functions.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3i066557ae265766af6d018af88dc750a7

Alycia Lane to Testify at Larry Mendte's Sentencing

Not our market, but EVERYONE's heard about this story -


EXPECT high drama at the sentencing of Larry Mendte, former co-anchor of Philly TV newswoman Alycia Lane. Her lawyer, Paul Rosen, tells Page Six she'll be in Philadelphia federal court Nov. 24 to tell how her life was damaged by Mendte's hacking her e-mail and leaking details of her private life. What she says could sway whether Mendte walks or gets up to five years in jail. He shouldn't expect sympathy. Lane is reeling from his recent claim they had an "inappropriate" relationship at KYW-TV. Rosen, who's hotly denied any affair, said Lane will "address his smear of her to deflect his guilt."


http://www.nypost.com/seven/08272008/gossip/pagesix/done_her_wrong_126241.htm

Broadcast TV Anxious Over Upfronts

With their extraordinary TV ratings, the Beijing Olympics have captured the gaze of nearly everyone in the media and ad business. Back on these shores, however, there's another contest that has begun to absorb attention: whether broadcast TV can rebound from an awful season and keep ad dollars flowing into its coffers.

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=130585

ESPN launches HS Sports Site

ESPNrise.com has launched, joining the fray of high school sports sites battling for attention. Unlike many local high school sports efforts, ESPNrise.com takes a broader approach, focusing on states and regions instead of drilling down on individual high schools and all the rich data that comes with it. But it comes with all the usual community functionality, from discussion to user blogs, and soon you’ll be able to upload video, too.

http://www.lostremote.com/2008/08/27/espn-launches-high-school-sports-site/

Most Stations Ready For DTV

Nearly 97 percent (all but 60) of the 1,789 full-power TV stations will be ready to make the switch from analog to digital broadcasting as required by law on Feb. 17, 2009, the FCC said Wednesday.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/27/daily.10/

Nielsen TV Homes Rise

The Nielsen Co. today announced that the total number of television households within the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) for the 2008-09 season will be 114.5 million, an increase of 1.5% from last year. Nielsen also estimates that the number of persons age 2-plus in U.S. TV households will increase by 1.3% to a total of nearly 290 million.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/28/daily.9/

Local News Viewer Count Falls in July for Lexington

Recently released ratings for Lexington's television stations in July showed continued viewership declines in local news.


Stations saw a similar drop in May.


Theories for the drop include that mild weather in July meant more people than usual were outside instead of watching TV. Also, there were few instances of severe weather, which tends to spike viewership, or compelling local news events.

http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/509484.html

BLOG - WLWT's John Bateman Reports from New Orleans

Good morning, I got some much needed sleep and while I did, Gustav fortunately weakened a bit. By the way, I was a little off from my evacuation etimates from yesterday. Officially 1.9 million people were evacuated from Louisiana - the largest evacuation on record for the state. It's estimated that by last night, 95% of the city was gone. Here in Jackson, we're rainy and windy as you'd expect. Gust estimates have come down a bit , but we are still expected to see gusts range from 40-50mph.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/17346475/detail.html

Monitoring Social Media - Unravel the Web Chatter

People are talking about your brand online, but what are they saying and how do you find them, asks Robert Gray.

According to a report released by E-consultancy this month, the UK market for online reputation and buzz monitoring will grow by around 30 per cent in 2008, to an estimated value of pounds 60m. That this bullish outlook comes at a time of broader economic uncertainty illustrates the growing importance that brands and organisations are attaching to blogs, forums and other social media.

Over the past couple of years a new wave of online reputation monitoring tools have been established in response to increasing media fragmentation, changing consumer behaviour and the increasing breadth of different consumer channels. E-consultancy's Online Reputation and Buzz Monitoring Buyer's Guide 2008 concludes that it is no longer feasible just to monitor online reputation manually. Moreover, as technology improves, organisations are getting more value from their monitoring services.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1538254/monitoring_social_media_unravel_the_web_chatter/

Buckeyes in Broadcasting

When filling the airwaves with former college-football talent, few other cities in America can compete with Columbus, O-H I-O.

At least 21 former Ohio State football players and coaches -- some with decades-old ties to the university and others still sore from bowl games -- appear regularly on TV and radio sports programs, most of them local.

http://dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/08/30/1_BUCKEYE_BROADCAST.ART_ART_08-30-08_D1_31B5H0C.html?sid=101

SNP and WCMH Tackle Top Football Games

Suburban News Publications and NBC 4, WCMH-TV, introduce the key games for Week 2 of the Central Ohio high school football season.

http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/08/29/multiple_papers/news/week2allwc_20080828_1141am_8.txt

Keenland Yearling Sale to be Broadcast on KY Cable

The first two days of the Keeneland September yearling sale will be broadcast on the Lexington race track’s Web site, www.keeneland.com, and HRTV, a cable television channel that simulcasts horse races across the United States.

Coverage on Sept. 8 and 9 is being provided through a partnership between Keeneland Productions, Roberts Communications LLC and HRTV.

Sessions begin each day at 10 a.m.

Former WHAS-TV 11 reporter Jeff Lifson will serve as the broadcast host.

Keeneland Association Inc., which runs the sale, said in a news release that it has cataloged a record 5,555 yearlings for the sale.

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/08/25/daily45.html

Bobcat Blitz Airs First Episode

No start to an Ohio Bobcat football season is complete without a full breakdown of the `Cats on WOUB's Bobcat Blitz. The show that is part review, part preview is back to give an inside the huddle look at the Ohio Bobcats.

http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/082808aeg.html

Kentucky Reporter Hits Big Time on Fox News Channel

Owensboro TV viewers are probably used to seeing hometown girl Caroline Shively reporting from global hotspots like Iraq and covering the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/FEATURES07/808290314/1011/SCENE

Cincinnati's Channel 5 to Bradcast Labor Day Fireworks in HD

Sandra Ali and Sheree Paolello will co-anchor WLWT-TV's live broadcast of the Cincinnati Bell/WEBN-FM Fireworks beginning 8 p.m. Sunday on Channel 5. The 30-minute commercial-free fireworks start at 9:05 p.m.



http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/ENT/808290301