Ad Groups form DTV Transition Coalition

Broadcasters and advertisers have joined forces to prepare the advertising community for the Feb. 17, 2009, transition to digital television, forming a coalition and unveiling a new initiative: "The DTV Transition: Keeping the Ad Community in the Loop."

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/28/daily.4/

What Stations Need for Media Content

This week in Los Angeles, NATPE holds its annual LATV Festival, bringing together around a thousand content creators with agents, studio and network executives and new media experts.

Because of its origins as the TV Producers Boot Camp, many of the content creators are relative newcomers — making the LATV Festival a unique opportunity for both seasoned pros and ambitious raw talent to inform and assist one another.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/28/daily.10/

Ion Adds New Affiliate in Dayton

Ion Television today announced a station affiliation agreement with WRCX Dayton, Ohio, the nation's 62nd largest TV market, which represents approximately 511,000 television households.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/24/daily.8/

Scripps Not For Sale

In its first conference call with analysts to discuss quarterly results since separating from former parent E.W. Scripps, Scripps Networks Interactive chairman and CEO Ken Lowe tried to squelch sale rumors while another executive vowed that affiliate fees for its popular Food Network channel would rise.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6581465.html

Court Strikes Down Online Content Law

A federal appeals court Tuesday agreed with a lower court ruling that struck down as unconstitutional a 1998 law intended to protect children from sexual material and other objectionable content on the Internet.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/23/daily.15/

CBS Radio Making an Online Push

CBS Radio, the CBS Corp. division comprising 140 major market radio stations, announced today a strategy designed to augment its current delivery methods providing all of its stations with "the capability to fully develop into a video medium in addition to its audio content side of the business."

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/23/daily.11/

News Emmys to Schieffer, Burns, and Russert

CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer, PBS documentarian Ken Burns and former NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and host of Meet The Press Tim Russert will receive Lifetime Achievement honors at the 29th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, to be held on Sept. 22 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, in New York City.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/22/daily.8/

Estelle Getty Passes at 84

Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 84.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/22/daily.10/

Women and Minorities Making Advancements in Local News

The percentage of journalists of color and women working in local television and radio news rose in 2007, as did the percentage of both groups in newsroom leadership positions, according to a survey released today by the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/21/daily.6/

Is Image Promotion Set for a Comeback?

It's been a decade since we heard "The Address is CBS" and a quarter century since NBC urged all of all to "Be There." Gone are the days of those great network image campaigns that surrounded every recognizable network star eye-popping graphics with lavish sets.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/21/daily.10/

Court Tosses 'Nipplegate' Fine

A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson's breast-baring ''wardrobe malfunction.''

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/21/daily.5/

Media Approval Ratings - Rob Bromley

After a short hiatus, the media approval ratings are back with a vengeance, in the form of Rob Bromley. Oh Rob Bromley….fodder for so many jokes over the years here at Kentucky Sports Radio that it almost seems unfair to bring him up in this setting.

http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=6798

WXIX Celebrates the Big 4-0

We love a good birthday party, and that's what WXIX-TV (Channel 19) has planned for its 40th birthday this month.

Repeats of "Hattie the Witch" and other Larry Smith puppets, the Cool Ghoul, Michael Flannery's "Club Nineteen," the 1984-86 Hudy Gold/WEBN fireworks, and the debut telecasts of the morning, 10 p.m. and midnight news will air late overnights late Saturday/early Sunday in August.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080727/ENT/807270327/1175

WTVQ's Brad James Retires

It's time for Brad James to let go of the forecast.


Where James is headed, there are no monster ice storms to warn about, no flash floods, no shadeless scorching days where the Bluegrass air hangs heavy with humidity.


After 35 years of being a broadcast fixture on Lexington television stations, James, 62, is retiring. He's going to spend more time with his wife, Pat, and adult son, Josh, dabble in amateur radio and work diligently on his napping technique.

http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/472635.html

Shareholders Approve Clear Channel Buyout

As expected, shareholders of Clear Channel Communications approved the buyout of the radio-station and billboard company yesterday in San Antonio.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080725/BUSINESS/807250398/1003

Great Video from Major Brawl at Dayton Dragons Game

A major brawl at Thursday night's Dayton Dragons game sent one fan to the hospital, and a pitcher to jail.

It began in the first inning with an argument between Dragons manager Donnie Scott and acting Peoria manager Carmelo Martinez, who was unhappy with what he considered was a dirty slide by Dragons base runner Angel Cabrera.

http://www.wdtn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8733394&nav=menu590_5

WOUB Produces Documentary on Waterloo Wonders

It was the story that amazed the sports world when it happened. The Waterloo Wonders took the 1934 and 1935 Class B state basketball championships, showing a level of playing not seen in high school players.


http://www.irontontribune.com/articles/2008/07/24/news/local00001.txt

Best DTV Converter Boxes

Many of us are shopping for DTV converter boxes right now ....which you'll need to watch over the air television next year.

And many viewers are asking us which are best....and if you should pay more for a special "dual band" box.

Consumer Reports magazine recently tested 14 digital boxes. The magazine says paying more does not get you a better converter box.

It's two top rated models:

The Tivax, $50, and the Microgem, $65 had the best pictures and features, Consumer Reports says.

As for more expensive "dual band" boxes...you need them only if you plan to watch "Low Power," community TV stations that will continue broadcasting in analog after next February.

If your viewing is primarily WCPO (ABC), along with the local NBC, CBS, PBS, and FOX affiliates...there is no need to pay more for a dual band box.


http://www.wcpo.com/content/news/localshows/dontwasteyourmoney/story.aspx?content_id=913a6367-e019-4e12-9fc3-f14410e25de2

WNKY Competes for Title of Best Local Station

WNKY in Bowling Green competing for best local TV station. This is the link to vote.

http://www.bizvotes.com/ky/bowling-green/local-tv-stations/wnky-13417.html

WUKY Highlights KET's Kentucky-China Program

Kentucky is connected to China across a vast network of citizen-to-citizen interactions, and in turn children in China are “addicted to KFC,” said Buck Ryan, executive producer of an upcoming KET program, in an interview aired this morning on WUKY-FM (91.3).


http://news.uky.edu/news/display_article.php?category=0&artid=3749&type=1

Producer at WKRC Lands New Job

Dan Hurley has been named the director of Leadership Cincinnati at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

In his new role, Hurley will be responsible for the overall direction and management of the program.

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/07/21/daily22.html?jst=b_ln_hl

Central Satellite Services Successfully Tests PAL TV Standard

Central Satellite Service successfully tested the PAL television standard on both KU-Band satellite trucks.
“To uplink using the PAL television standard means we can now provide point to point live television to 75% of the planet. That’s a tremendous opportunity for our clients.” Said Paul Kremer, co-owner of Central Satellite Service.
Approximately 115 countries and territories in Europe, South America, the Middle East, South Pacific, Asia and Africa use the terrestrial PAL system. PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is a color encoding system used in broadcast television systems.
Jim Timmerman, Operations Manager for Central Satellite Services went on to say, “Satellite technology is becoming more convenient and mainstream for companies that want the robust picture and sound quality associated with television broadcasting. As companies add plants and offices in other states and countries it’s important that all the employees feel connected. It’s a great moral booster when management can speak live with all the employees gathered together at each location. Satellite technology sends superior picture quality images suitable for projection on any size screen which makes live company meetings possible.”
Central Satellite uplink trucks allow any company the opportunity to originate their message from just about any location: corporate boardroom, hotel ballroom, factory floor or in the middle of a cornfield. Fiber, telephone or computer lines need not be installed because signals are sent via radio waves anywhere trucks can see the southern sky.
Jim commented “Networks, production companies and all kinds of corporations see the benefits of satellite technology. We move their message, not their people. The world just got a lot closer.”
Central Satellite Services, LLC operates two KU Band Satellite Uplink trucks in Cincinnati, Ohio. Additional services include single or multiple cameras video productions, generators, lighting equipment, cameras for film and video and crews through partnership companies, Midwest Grip and Lighting, Kremer Production Services and The Camera Department.
Central Satellite Services, LLC 6851 Steger Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 513-821-7200 Office 513-821-7900 Fax

Louisville "Idol" Hopefuls Suggest Show Improvements

How can "American Idol" win back its mega-ratings?

Bob Evans, 23, who came all the way from Grand Rapids, Mich., to audition today at Freedom Hall, believes bringing back arguably the most awkward contestant ever would rock the ratings.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/NEWS/807210403

Broadcasters Air Over 1M

According to the Federal Communications Commission, broadcasters collectively aired more than 1 million digital-TV-transition announcements in the most recent quarter.

That broke down to 632,677 public-service announcements and 520,652 crawls, snipes or tickers.

That's according to Media Bureau chief Monica Desai, who was testifying on the progress of the DTV transition at a Brooklyn field hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on Government Management, which was seeking an update on how the transition.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6579770.html

A Dozen Items Broadcasters Still Need to Worry About

I was asked this week by a rather prominent member of the broadcasting community what I thought were some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing TV broadcasters. Off the top of my head, I said continued national spot revenue erosion, cable's campaign against retrans and affiliates' loss of exclusivity to network programming.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/18/daily.7/

JVC Debuts Calibration Software for D-TV Monitors

JVC's new Monitor Calibration Software provides DT-V professional monitor users with the flexibility to adjust color temperature, gamma curves and luminance levels to accommodate specific application needs. The software is free for users who own JVC's 17-inch, 20-inch and 24-inch DT-V monitors.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/17/daily.7/

Cable Shows Make Emmy Nomination History

''Mad Men,'' AMC's sleek drama set in the advertising world circa 1960, and FX's legal thriller ''Damages'' made Emmy nominations history Thursday as the first basic cable programs to gain best-series nods.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/17/daily.6/

Amy Poehler Bound for "Office" Spinoff

Amy Poehler confirmed to The Associated Press that she'll be joining the planned "Office" spinoff, paving the way for her eventual exit from "Saturday Night Live" and promoting the comedian to primetime.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/17/daily.9/

NBCU Invests Millions in BlogHer

Some new residents are settling down in NBC Universal's iVillage. In a sign of how the General Electric media unit views the property, the company today said its Peacock Equity capital-investment arm helped finance a $5 million investment in BlogHer, an online community for female bloggers.

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=129692

ABC Wants Leno and Kimmel

Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel can peacefully co-exist at ABC.

That's the word from ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson, who Wednesday told reporters there's no reason Mr. Leno and Mr. Kimmel can't share the same network.

NBC has confirmed that Conan O'Brien will take over "The Tonight Show" from Mr. Leno in 2009.

"There's absolutely room for both," Mr. McPherson said during a scrum with journalists following his formal session with reporters at ABC's press tour session.


http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/07/abc_would_be_happy_to_have_len.php

Post-Newsweek to Buy NBC O&O WTVJ

ONCE AGAIN, NOT IN OUR MARKET, BUT STILL AN INTERESTING STORY.

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Major happening on the South Florida television front: The Washington Post's Post-Newsweek Stations, which owns WPLG-ABC 10, is expected to announce the purchase of WTVJ-NBC 6 from corporate parent NBC, industry sources say. The two stations will operate as a duopoly. The deal, of course, is subject to FCC approval.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/605477.html

You Tube, Viacom Mask User Data

In a nod to privacy complaints, Viacom Inc. won't be told the identities of individuals who watch video clips on the popular video-sharing site YouTube.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/15/daily.8/

Billy Packer Out at CBS

Billy Packer didn't sound like a man who found out his 34-year run as part of the Final Four broadcast had ended.

On Monday, CBS announced that Clark Kellogg would replace Packer after 27 years as the network's lead college basketball analyst. Including his earlier years at NBC, Packer had done every Final Four since 1975, an unparalleled run for a national sports championship.


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3485871

Oak Hill to Buy 8 Fox O&O's Including WJW in Cleveland

Having lined up $765 million in financing and an equity partner, Oak Hill Capital Partners announced today that it has completed its acquisition of eight Fox O&Os for approximately $1.1 billion.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/14/daily.9/

FOX Splitting Its Development Season

Fox is adapting to the strike-impacted development business by splitting its own development season into two parts -- commissioning and screening pilots in December, as well as during the traditional spring season.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6578444.html

Sinclair Loses Round 1 in Ownership Challenge

Sinclair Broadcast Group's challenge to the Federal Communications Commission's ownership rules will have to be in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, for now at least.

The Federal Appeals Court for the District of Columbia rejected the broadcast group's request that it immediately step in.

The FCC voted in December to leave rules in place that allow ownership of two TV stations in a market only if at least eight independent voices remain (the so-called eight-voices test).


http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6578466.html

Broadcasting Still the Economy's Top Fuel

In last week's Jessell at Large column, TVNewsday Editor Harry Jessell contends that to survive and thrive, local broadcasters urgently need to bulldoze copyright barriers and start streaming content on the Internet — and to all other platforms.

Can't argue with that. After all, out-of-home viewing will bring stations an extra $1.2 billion in annual ad revenues according to the Open Mobile Video Coalition — and that's a minimum projection. So it's a no-brainer to try to deliver your signal to wherever your viewers happen to be.

But that merely addresses the physical world. The real challenge is to keep those eyeballs from straying elsewhere in the media universe. For years, stations have suffered audience fragmentation due to competition from cable, satellite, the Internet, video games, DVDs ... ad depressium.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/14/daily.1/

WHIZ Top Stories of 2007

WHIZ TOP STORIES OF 2007



http://youtube.com/watch?v=ioNW_OK7Pkk

Radio Host Under Fire for Anti-Gay Remarks

NOT IN OUR MARKET, BUT STILL A GREAT TALKER!!!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

A Minneapolis radio talk show host is under fire for comments about the WNBA.

Chris Baker of 100.3 KTLK was criticizing the women's pro basketball league yesterday when he stepped way over the line, saying: "You know what (the WBNA) is? That's a place for lesbians to make out when they score."

ABC's Channel 5 in Minneapolis said KTLK didn't respond to questions about Baker, and the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA extended an invitation to Baker to attend a game.


http://blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/2008/07/radio-host-unde.html

WBKI - Hi Def Video Glitches?

I'm hoping someone else here watches WBKI in Louisville, KY. Particularly their HD programing. If you do, have you seen this glitch? For months I have noticed a stutter or slight pause in video.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=399819

China - Kentucky Connections Examined by KET

Kim Patton, principal and director of business development for GBBN Architects Inc. of Cincinnati, will be featured in "Citizen Kentucky/Citizen China: Hope for a New Century," a half-hour program that will air at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27, on Kentucky Educational Television.

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/07/14/daily40.html

Ohio Nurse Sues Perez Hilton

A nurse in Ohio has sued celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, saying she was fired from her job at a senior living center after the gossip maven posted an e-mail she sent him that contained gay slurs.

http://first4sites.com/?p=4243

Does More Telecom Choices Mean Better Prices?

AT&T's entry this week as a major competitor for Time Warner is just the beginning of the growing telecommunication choices for consumers in Ohio and the Dayton area. More than 30 franchises have been approved by the Ohio Department of Commerce to offer video services in the state since the Video Competition Act was signed into law last June.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1480016/does_more_telecommunication_choices_coming_mean_better_prices/

KET Bourbon Tour - An Intoxicating History

It's not likely you'll see a bottle of bourbon pictured on a Kentucky license plate anytime soon, but the stuff is almost as famous around the world as horses from the Bluegrass.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080716/COLUMNISTS15/807160811/1011/SCENE

AT&T Reveals New Cable Service

AT&T has unveiled a cable TV service called U-Verse that can be bundled with your telephone and Internet services.

Many people are lining up at AT&T stores to check out the digital TV run on an IP line, like your computer, and full of features.

The city of Springboro is worried about where the cabinets will end up and what they will look like. They passed an ordinance regulating size and color and AT&T needs to provide landscaping to hide any potential eyesores.

AT&T said they are working with local communities to make sure the cabinets fit their needs.

Other local governments, like Franklin, are considering similar ordinances.

http://www.whiotv.com/news/16892747/detail.html?rss=day&psp=news

WFIE Analyst Dies at 82

There was a sad note in local sports as one of the most colorful and successful high school basketball coaches to ever come out of southern Indiana, Gunner Wyman, has died at 82.

http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=8681570&nav=3w6q

Bad Blood Brewing Between Microsoft and Yahoo!

Yahoo has rejected another offer from Microsoft to buy its online search operations as ludicrous.

Yahoo said it received the offer Friday and was given less than 24 hours to respond. The company said the "take or leave it" proposal would have dismantled its Internet franchise.

http://www.wlky.com/money/16867999/detail.html?rss=lou&psp=money

Viewers Acting to be DTV Ready

Many U.S. households have begun exploring concrete steps to help them make the switch to digital television that will take place in February.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/10/daily.6/

Broadcast Ad Rates Fall 11% in 2Q

An analysis by independent media agency TargetCast shows the average cost per unit for a prime-time commercial on the broadcast television networks in the second quarter declined by 11.1 percent to $139,728.

Fox averaged the highest 30-second commercial unit cost at $254,852, clearly bolstered by American Idol, and also declined by only 2.7 percent from its second quarter average last year.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/media-agencies-research/e3i33fe2c109f8912f64adb904f73399748

Price is Right Producer Steps Down After 36 Years

Roger Dobkowitz, producer of the gameshow "The Price Is Right" for 36 seasons, is stepping down.
It wasn't clear whether Dobkowitz was retiring or whether he was asked to depart the post by "The Price Is Right" producer FremantleMedia. The show is currently on hiatus and will begin its 37th season in two weeks.

A daytime staple for CBS for decades, "Price" has been a primetime player this past season for the Eye as well. It fared well on Friday nights, winning its time period, but was moved to Wednesday for May sweeps and had a tougher time drawing viewers in the new slot.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988591.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

How Will New Shows Do This Fall?

Fox's J.J. Abrams thriller "Fringe" and CBS' Jerry Bruckheimer procedural drama "Eleventh Hour" will be the highest-rated new shows, while NBC's "Kath & Kim" and CBS' "Worst Week" will prove to be weak links in their respective comedy blocks.

That's according to an annual television report by Horizon Media that includes speculative estimates of how every broadcast show will fare in the fall.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i6e371b8ae16a0b5b7fcc14e8771430e7

Breaking Bad to Start Shooting Season 2

The AMC original series “Breaking Bad” will begin production on its second season July 15 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Series star Bryan Cranston will direct the second-season premiere, his first time directing for the series. Cranston directed several episodes of “Malcolm in the Middle.”

“Breaking Bad’s” 13-episode second season will premiere on AMC in early 2009.

“As we ramp up production for the next season of AMC’s original drama series ‘Breaking Bad,’ we look forward to returning to the endless visual settings of Albuquerque to not only work with the talented artists and crew base that the city offers, but also it serves as such a perfect backdrop for the evolution of Walt White's character,” Vlad Wolynetz, VP of production, series and movies at AMC, said in a statement.

“Breaking Bad” comes from writer-producer-director Vince Gilligan (“The X-Files), fellow High Bridge Productions executive producer Mark Johnson, Gran Via Productions and Sony Pictures Television.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/07/breaking_bad_starts_shooting_s.php

Cable Association to FCC - Put Retrans on Hold Till 09

In a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin today, the American Cable Association registered its "strong support" of a petition to impose a quiet period between broadcasters and cable operators during the coming round of retransmission consent negotiations to prevent public confusion surrounding the coming digital TV transition in February 2009. The filing is available here.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/08/daily.9/

Magna's Coen Downgrades 2008 Sales Forecasts

Bob Coen, vp and director of forecasting for Magna, has downgraded his 2008 ad spending projections by 2.7 percent for national advertising and 4 percent for local spending, saying that the economy right now is worse than it appeared it would be back in December 2007 when he made his original 2008 projections.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/media-agencies-research/e3i3443c86fa467149ea78ef267ae9caabb

DTV Switch to Boost Cable Subs

Most cable operators have been struggling with basic-subscriber declines in recent quarters, but the digital TV transition early next year could provide a once-in-a-lifetime boost for some.

Observers say that overall, cable companies -- rather than their satellite TV and telecom rivals breathing down their necks -- look best positioned to sign up a portion of the estimated 14 million U.S. homes who still only get free over-the-air television rather than paying monthly fees to multichannel providers.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i28e0d4f79910107218dbd34b9356867f

Ted Koppel to the BBC

Veteran TV journo Ted Koppel has been named a contributing analyst for the BBC.
Koppel, who's been making in-depth documentaries for Discovery Channel since he left ABC News in 2005, will appear on both BBC America and BBC World News, "offering his expertise on major international and national news stories, including the 2008 presidential election race," the broadcaster announced Tuesday.


http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988618.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Broadcasters Free to Go Live from Beijing During Olympics

Broadcasters will be able to transmit live by satellite from around Beijing and Tiananmen Square during next month's Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSPEK10686920080709

Lisa Ling to Report for 'Nightline'

ABC News' Nightline announced today that journalist Lisa Ling will contribute a series of reports to air on the late-night news program.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/09/daily.9/

Google/You Tube Ad Sales Push Hits a Snag

Web users watch video clips more than 1 billion times a day on YouTube, but the site hasn't been popular with big corporate advertisers, according to a page one story in the Wall Street Journal.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/09/daily.3/

ABC Offers Free Retransmission to Smaller Cable

Disney announced today that its ABC TV stations will forgo retransmission payments from small cable operators in upcoming negotiations as part of a deal with the American Cable Association, a trade group that represents small operators.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/08/daily.10/

Gap Widens in Morning News Race

At this point no one could blame ABC’s “Good Morning America” for developing a Wile E. Coyote complex: Every time it gets so close to NBC’s “Today” that it can all but taste victory, its nemesis bolts off, leaving only the taste of dust.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/arts/television/07nbc.html?ex=1373169600&en=e5e7ce2835756662&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Osbournes Head to FOX

Sonny and Cher. Donny and Marie. Ozzy and Sharon?
Fox has given a six-episode order to an hourlong variety show hosted by Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and their kids, Jack and Kelly. Untitled skein from FremantleMedia North America will be exec produced by James Sunderland, an exec producer on Fremantle's NBC series "America's Got Talent," on which Sharon serves as a judge.

http://www.variety.com/VR1117988518.html

NBCU Buys The Weather Channel for Billions

NBC Universal and two partners said Sunday they have reached a deal to buy The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications Inc., ending a drawn-out process that had attracted interest from several major media companies.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/07/daily.1/

Showtime's 'Inside the NFL' Names Hosts

Showtime named Cris Collinsworth, James Brown and Phil Simms as the hosts of Inside the NFL, which will debut on the network Sept. 10.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6575683.html

Online Best Practices to Debut Tomorrow

American University's Center for Social Media came up with a code of best practices for fair use of online video that it is unveiling Monday.

There continues to be tension between studios and fair-use advocates over what constitutes fair use of copyrighted works -- an issue that has grown with the explosion of places to post video online and the ease with which that video can be produced or copied.


http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6575682.html

Ad Forecast Grows Cloudy

An analyst who has long followed trends in advertising spending is slicing his estimates for growth and predicting that a significant recovery is “unlikely” before 2010.
In a report issued on Monday, Leland Westerfield of BMO Capital Markets cut in half his estimate for ad spending growth in 2008. Instead of a gain of 3.6 percent compared with last year, as he forecast earlier, he is now predicting a gain of 1.8 percent.


http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/ad-forecast-grows-increasingly-cloudy/

CBS Sets Director, Digital News Gathering

Brian Kennedy, a veteran network news producer, has been named director, digital news gathering, CBS News, it was announced by Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/07/daily.7/

Tony Snow Dead at 53

Tony Snow, a conservative writer and commentator who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White House briefing room during a stint as President George W. Bush's press secretary, died Saturday of colon cancer. He was 53.

http://www.wlky.com/politics/16862027/detail.html?rss=lou&psp=mostpopularstories

CityVoter Social Platform Comes to Louisville Next Month

Already working with KCRA Sacramento, WPBF West Palm Beach, WESH Orlando, WISN Milwaukee, and WAPT Jackson, CityVoter.com will provide KETV Omaha, KMBC Kansas City, and WLKY Louisville with the CityVoter social platform, allowing people who know a city best to share their insight with information, ratings, and reviews on the everyday decisions that affect people's daily lives. Omaha launched June 16. Kansas City and Louisville will launch in August 2008.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1754242/

ABC for the Ohio Valley

The Wheeling/Steubenville market is about to get what it has never, ever had - a full-time, in-market ABC affiliate station.

The folks at TVNewsday report that West Virginia Media CBS affiliate WTRF/7 Wheeling will launch a new ABC affiliate for the Ohio Valley on August 1, with a digital subchannel on WTRF-DT. That'd have to be, as the story indicates, WTRF-DT 7.3, as 7.2 is already taken by "FOX Ohio Valley".

http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com/2008/07/on-fringes.html

SAG Given deadline to Accept Offer

The major Hollywood studios have told the Screen Actors Guild that if the union does not accept its final contract offer by Aug. 15 any proposed wage increases would not be retroactive, the studios said Wednesday.


http://www.wlwt.com/entertainment/16842047/detail.html?rss=cin&psp=entertainment

WHIO to Air Cleveland Browns Preseason Games

WHIO-TV announced Tuesday that the station will air two preseason Cleveland Browns games in August. The telecasts mark the first time in decades that a Dayton television station will carry the Cleveland Browns.

http://www.whiotv.com/sports/16819292/detail.html

Personnel Changes in Evansville

Let’s get caught up on a couple of recent personnel changes:

Investigative reporter Stefanie Silvey has exited WFIE to pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales. While at WFIE Stefanie earned an Emmy and a handful of Indiana AP awards for reporting. Her last day was June 27th.

http://www.evansvillemedia.com/em/2008/07/07/recent-comings-and-goings/

WHAS Jumping on the Blog Train

Maybe the “management” at WHAS wasn’t asking for this much honesty when it began encouraging its anchors to start blogging more. Andy Treinen’s latest entry on the station’s main news blog site is kind of funny — he answers plenty of questions about Rachel Platt — but admits he’s writing in part to “kiss up” to management. He then mentions looking forward to blogging again - at Christmastime.


http://thevillevoice.com/2008/07/07/whas-jumping-on-blog-train/

WHAS Jumping on the Blog Train

Maybe the “management” at WHAS wasn’t asking for this much honesty when it began encouraging its anchors to start blogging more. Andy Treinen’s latest entry on the station’s main news blog site is kind of funny — he answers plenty of questions about Rachel Platt — but admits he’s writing in part to “kiss up” to management. He then mentions looking forward to blogging again - at Christmastime.


http://thevillevoice.com/2008/07/07/whas-jumping-on-blog-train/

Cardinal Sports Network Adding to Team

WHAS-TV's Cardinal Sports Network has added Paul Rogers and Kyle Draper to its broadcast team.
Rogers is the new host of "Kick Off with Coach K," the show of University of Louisville football coach Steve Kragthorpe.
http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/07/07/daily4.html

WKYT Chief Meteorologist's Final Weather Blog

Chris' Final Weather Blog from WKYT

http://wkyt.mis.net/weatherblog/?p=2680

Traffic Guy Dance Off - Vote for Bob Herzog!!

http://www.nbc5.com/news/16527108/detail.html

A Traffic Jam Means Something Different for Bob Herzog

At 5:45 a.m. Fridays, Channel 12's traffic reporter busts a few dance moves to music during his "Dance Party Friday" traffic segment on "Good Morning Cincinnati."
What started as a kind of fluke a year ago has grown into one of the newscasts' most popular features. CNN's Anderson Cooper, Fox News and USA Today have noticed. Dance fever has spread to TV stations in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080703/ENT/807030326

Bengals on HDTV

The Bengals will kick off the preseason in HDTV. For the first time, Bengals exhibition games will be broadcast in the wide-screen high-definition format.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080705/SPT02/807050375

Columbus Metropolitan Club to Hold Social Networking Forum

Two fellow social media geeks (and good friends) are on the docket for next week's Columbus Metropolitan Club lunch forum. Both Tim J Eby, WOSU Station Manager & founding member of the Columbus Social Media Cafe, and Walker Evans, owner and founder of the Columbus Underground, will be serving as panelists for the Social Networking themed forum on Wednesday July 9th at the Athletic Club in downtown Columbus.
Registration information can be found by visiting the CMC website. Cost is $17 for members, $27 for guests of members and $35 for the general public. (I am a member so if you want to attend feel free to register as my guest!)

http://routson.typepad.com/hazystars/2008/07/cmc-social-networking-forum.html

WOUB Newswatch Video Compilation

http://www.truveo.com/show/WOUB%20Newswatch

The Chimes are Back on NBC

The chimes are back at NBC. Ben Silverman’s fondness for the network’s glory days is popping up again in the form of a new “Chime In” campaign that will now be tagged to all on-air promotions.The G-E-C notes that have been a signature of the Peacock network since it was only a radio signal are returning to the broadcast network after years on ice in the General Electric profile.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6575597.html?desc=topstory

Fiber Internet Growth Overtakes Cable

For the first time, more people around the world are signing up for fiber-optic broadband service than for cable Internet service, according to a British research firm.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/03/daily.2/

Spinoff in the Works for CBS' Criminal Minds?

With CSI spun out to within an inch of its life, what's CBS to do? Find another established hit to exploit, natch! Yes, Criminal Minds, I'm talking about you.

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2008/07/criminal-minds.html

TV Ties Boost Online Content

Online content tied to television viewing is rising in value as a means to reach potential buyers of new vehicles, according to a J.D. Power and Associates study released today. Fully 68 percent of verified new-vehicle buyers went online to find information on television shows, the Power Auto Online Media Study found, an increase of 22 percent since the 2007 study. That places TV show content as third-most relevant to new-car buyers, behind only travel-related information and news.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/client/e3i5d0ba91ef6cd18f2120d2e19777c018f

In Depth Look at FCC Chair Kevin J. Martin

They hail him as a hero.
He is Kevin J. Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and, for proponents of family values, the man who can shield America's living rooms from the coarse and offensive offerings of the cable television industry.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20080703_FCC_chief_Martin__The_nation_s_indecency_czar.html

Weather Channel Sale Could be Coming Soon

Landmark Communications could announce the sale of the Weather Channel to a group made up of NBC Universal, Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Bain Capital in the next day or two, sources briefed on the matter said.
The final price on the cable network, which produces national, regional and local weather-related programs, is expected to be between $3 billion and $3.5 billion, and likely at the higher end of that range, the sources said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN0244232820080703

DTV Transition Causing Confusion

Eighty-eight percent of Americans have heard of the DTV transition, but significant numbers don’t understand what they must do to prepare, nor do they know why the transition is occurring, according to the findings of a poll from consumer electronics retailer Best Buy.

http://broadcastengineering.com/news/consumer-confusion-transition-continues-0703/

SAG Reviewing Studio Offer

With actors working under a contract that expired a day earlier, SAG officials met Wednesday with studio reps for roughly four hours, discussing details of what the studios called their "final offer."SAG insiders say the guild told the AMPTP that they needed more time to study the offer and that another similar session would be set next week.The break for the Fourth of July holiday means that before they meet again, both sides likely will know the results of AFTRA's contract-ratification vote, the results of which are to be released Tuesday. The final offer that SAG has received mirrors the tentative pact that AFTRA members are voting on. SAG is urging its members who are also AFTRA members to vote down the deal.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i1ede78880f52700767d993f0daf1047f

Time Warner to Consider Buyback After Spin-off

Time Warner Cable Inc., poised to split from Time Warner Inc., may consider a stock buyback or dividend after reducing debt taken on with the spinoff from its parent, Chief Financial Officer Robert Marcus said.
The second-largest U.S. cable-television company will focus on expanding its main business and reaching a debt target by the end of 2009, Marcus said in an interview yesterday. He plans to reduce leverage, the ratio of debt to earnings before interest, tax and non-cash costs, to about 3.25 from as much as 3.8 after the split. A payout to shareholders may come later.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a8kPw6Pm_1F0&refer=home

'America's Next Top Model' Stops in Louisville

The CW Network station in Louisville, KY (WBKI-TV) has announced an open casting call for "America's Next Top Model" to be held July 12, 2008 from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time at the French Lick Resort and Casino.

http://springsvalley.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=662

CBS Evening News with Katie Couric Wins Murrow

The Radio-Television News Directors Association today announced the 2008 winners of its annual Edward R. Murrow Awards, honoring excellence in electronic journalism.
In the network television category, ABC News has been awarded a total of six Murrows, including one for overall excellence. CBS News wins four awards, including one for best newscast for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. NBC and ESPN are also winners.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/07/01/daily.6/

WKYT's Chris Bailey Changes Mind-Back on TV

Good afternoon everyone. As many of you know I announced more than a month ago that I would be leaving WKYT. I was intent on getting out of the tv business and go a different route with life. Upon letting my intentions be known… I started getting interest from other tv stations from across the region. Much of that interest was for positions with hours more suitable for family life.

http://wkyt.mis.net/weatherblog/?p=2674

Local News Unseats Oprah For #1 Slot at 4pm in Columbus

Have to gloat just a little....cause it might not stay this way for very long!For Immediate ReleaseJune 30, 2008LOCAL NEWS UNSEATS OPRAH AS RATINGS LEADER IN COLUMBUSNBC 4 (WCMH-TV) 4:00 P.M. Newscast #1 Program in Columbus the Week of June 23rd(Columbus, Ohio) After three weeks on the air, First at 4, airing on NBC 4 (WCMH-TV), 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., has climbed into the #1 position in the time period!W/O 6/23 AverageFirst at 4 4.0/11Oprah 3.6/9Mathis 2.9/8Maury 1.9/5

http://allison-marriedandlovingit.blogspot.com/2008/06/down-with-evil-empire-one-day-at-time.html

KET Airs Program on Kentucky-China Connections

Citizen Kentucky/Citizen China: Hope for a New Century," a half-hour television program on Kentucky's connections to China, will air at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27, on KET, Kentucky Educational Television.Executive Producer Buck Ryan, director of the Citizen Kentucky Project of the University of Kentucky's Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, said the program was a two-year exploration of how Kentucky is connected to China through commerce, education and the arts, religion, adoptions, health care, and news and sports, particularly the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

http://news.uky.edu/news/display_article.php?category=0&artid=3676&type=1

Digital Age Requires Adjustment

As I stretched the rabbit ears away from the TV set and slowly twisted them toward a window to get a good digital TV picture, the thought occurred to me:

People won't do this to watch TV.
I was testing the new digital TV converter boxes, which people without cable or satellite will need to see TV after the Feb. 17 conversion from analog to digital broadcasting.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/ENT/806290302