Opportunities Abound in Digital Age

The "Countdown to Digital" clock on TVNewsday's home page reminds us on a daily basis that broadcasters are inside the 180-day window for completing their digital conversion.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/22/daily.3/

FCC Grants Small Systems Dual Carriage Exemption

The Federal Communications Commission approved a waiver to its must-carry rules for certain smaller cable operators, under which those operators will not be required to retransmit digital broadcast signals for three years after next February’s transition by full-power TV stations to all-digital broadcasts, according to the American Cable Association.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6589597.html?desc=topstory

SEC and CBS Bundle Rights for Digital Future

CBS and the Southeastern Conference have extended their broadcast contract by 15 years, an unprecedented length for a collegiate deal, but more impressive than the length of the contract is its breadth. Beginning with the 2009-10 season, CBS Sports will continue to be the exclusive network broadcaster of SEC home football and regular-season basketball games, but the contract announced last week also covers digital, Internet, wireless, video-on-demand, data, and highlight rights across all CBS platforms, including the CBS College Sports Network.

http://www.sportsvideo.org/portal/artman/publish/article_12240.shtml

Obama and McCain Agree on Debate Dates, Formats

The campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) agreed to hold three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate, calling it the earliest time “in recent history” that two sides in a presidential campaign have reached agreement.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6589365.html

CBS and Warner Bros. Show Support for the CW

As the CW prepares for next month's launch of its super-hyped drama "90210," the leaders of parent companies CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. are offering an emphatic vote of confidence in the network.

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=130465

Marketers Prepare to Slash Ad Budgets

There's more bad news on the horizon as marketers prepare to slash ad budgets and more closely scrutinize media expenditures, according to a new Association of National Advertisers survey issued today.

Fifty-three of the 100 ANA members polled expect to reduce their media budgets in the next six months as a result of the poor economy. And 87 percent said they've been asked to identify cost savings or reductions in current marketing and advertising efforts.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i6c255e1c4f2d23685714fcbf7b398982

Columbus Adding Mexicanal Network

Columbus Hispanic Media's Azteca America affiliate WCPX-LP Columbus, Ohio will offer Mexicanal Network's programming lineup of Spanish-language news and entertainment on a digital subchannel in the 32nd DMA beginning in February 2009.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/21/daily.1/

Stations Need to Focus on HD Ads

These days, station sales departments are struggling to maintain spending levels with existing clients, and working overtime to generate new business. Yet once they make that sale, a lot of stations are letting some of that hard-won revenue drift away.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/21/daily.2/

Intel and Yahoo Parterning on Internet TV

Hoping to plant their flags on the screens of Internet-connected television sets, Intel Corp. and Yahoo Inc. unveiled a new project Wednesday to populate those screens with tiny programs called widgets.


http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/20/daily.9/

Gray Television CEO Steps Down

Atlanta-based Gray Television announced Wednesday that J. Mack Robinson is stepping down as chairman and CEO of the station group with which he has been associated since 1993.

Mr. Robinson’s son-in-law, Gray board Vice Chairman Hilton H. Howell Jr., will add the duties of CEO.

Mr. Robinson will remain a voting board member and hold the title of chairman emeritus.

“My decision to step down should not come as a surprise to anyone, given that I’m now 85 years old,” Mr. Robinson in the announcement Wednesday.


http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/08/robinson_steps_down_as_gray_tv.php

NBA to Stream Live Games in Local Markets

The NBA is poised to become the first major U.S. sports league to stream live games in local markets, an aggressive offering that will set up a showdown between cable operators and regional sports networks.

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/59753

FCC Commissioners on Road to DTV

If you live in a television market in which more than 100,000 households or at least 15 percent of the households rely solely on over-the-air signals for television, an FCC commissioner may be coming to visit.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/18/daily.7/

2 Coasts 2 Takes on Image Promos

I grew up in Pittsburgh, but needed an asthma inhaler to acclimate to LA's air quality. The state government is dysfunctional. Driving is mandatory, but the traffic is officially the worst in the nation. And owning a home is somehow less fun in a region famous for drought, spontaneous combustion, mudslides and the near certainty of a cataclysmic earthquake. As for the year-round sunshine, Fred Allen put it best: "It's a great place to live if you're an orange."

But, even at my most curmudgeonly, I think Los Angeles deserves better treatment than it receives in KNBC's image campaign, "We're 4 LA."

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/18/daily.12/

Nick Clooney Prepares for Academia

Nick Clooney is as restless as a college freshman leaving home for the first time.
“I’m nervous about this. I’m very nervous,” says Clooney, 74, about starting a new career, teaching journalism at American University in Washington, D.C.


http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/ENT/80822002

WNWO and Buckeye Cable Negotiating New Transmission Deal

NBC24's retransmission agreement with Buckeye Cable, owned by Block Communications Incorporated, is set to expire Sunday, August 24. We are currently in negotiations with Buckeye and we are hopeful that we can reach a new agreement before the deadline.

http://www.wnwo.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=178736

SNP and WCMH Form Partnership

A new collaboration is being launched this week between the award-winning sports staffs of Suburban News Publications and NBC 4, WCMH-TV.


http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/08/21/multiple_papers/sports/allwcmhint_20080821_0355pm_2.txt

Armstrong Cable to Drop WBNS

Armstrong Cable's recent decision to drop Columbus CBS station WBNS Channel 10 represents an effort to catch up with Federal Communications Commission regulations, according to an Armstrong official.

On Aug. 27, Armstrong will drop WBNS Channel 10 and only air the Cleveland CBS affiliate, WOIO Channel 19.

http://www.times-gazette.com/news/article/4249131

WCMH to Host Live Debate

Candidates for 15th District Congressional Seat will square off in a live television debate on NBC 4 (WCMH-TV) and www.nbc4i.com at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, September 16th at the Ohio State University's Fawcett Center. Independent candidate Don Eckhart, Democratic candidate Mary Jo Kilroy and Republican candidate Steve Stivers will participate in the hour long debate. Cabot Rea, NBC 4 Anchor, will moderate.

http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/politics.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-08-20-0017.html

WHO vs WBNS - Who Did the Promo Better?

Did WHO rip off a WBNS promo? You be the judge

http://www.packofseven.tv/tvnt/showthread.php?t=4381

Kentuckiana Digital Readiness Test

On February 17th 2009, TV broadcasters will be turning off their analog transmitters and you may lose TV service unless you or our TV service provider upgrades their equipment to allow the reception of digital television.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas11_topstories_080819_DTV.138b95d8.html

Indie Rock Makes Local News in Columbus 20+ Years Ago

See the video here!!

http://www.columbusalive.com/?sec=blogs&story=sites/alive/php/blog.php&blog=Sensory/2008/08/indie_rock_makes_the_local_new.html

Rupert Murdoch Buys Minority Stake in Columbus' Palestra.com

Heading back to college this fall? Rupert Murdoch will be waiting.

In May, his Fox News subsidiary bought a minority stake in a Web video-based college news network featuring student reporters called Palestra.net. This fall, he'll be ramping up the partnership.

It's the latest--and boldest--move by a major media company to capitalize on America's some 6.1 million undergrads. While outlets such as Viacom's (nyse: VIA - news - people ) MTVU network and privately owned Zilo Networks have gone after university students for years, Palestra's at the front of a new wave led by news outlets desperate to connect with young viewers.

http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/08/15/fox-palestra-news-biz-media-cx_jea_0818fox.html

WKRC Meteorologist Recovering from Prostate Cancer Surgery

Meteorologist Tim Hedrick on Thursday explained his absence this month from WKRC-TV by announcing he's recovering from prostate cancer surgery.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/ENT/808220376

Will Disney Sell ABC O&O's?

Walt Disney Co., the second-largest U.S. media company, may sell its 10 ABC television stations, fetching as much as $4.8 billion, said David Miller, an analyst at Caris & Co. who has covered the company since 2000.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aiKRLfeHBCMQ

4th Quarter Ratings Look to be Dead Heat

Last November, ABC enjoyed a solid lead in primetime, and it went on from there to win the fourth quarter.

Come this November, ABC will again be ahead in 18-49s, but its lead will likely be a lot narrower, and while it will probably win again in fourth quarter, it too will be a far slimmer victory.

ABC's biggest challenge will come from Fox, but CBS and NBC will also be close behind.


http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Television_44/This_fall_figure_ABC_leading_by_a_nose.asp

How to Monetize Your Broadcast Tower

Late last year, NBC sold WTVJ Miami's tower to Richland Tower and then leased back space on it so that WTVJ could continue broadcasting from it. In March of this year, NBC and Richland struck a similar deal involving the towers of WRC Washington, KNSD San Diego and KXAS Dallas.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/15/daily.1/

Internet Broadcasting Released Revenue Reports

As a follow up to a company blog post (which we reported here), Internet Broadcasting has sent out a press release comparing the revenue performance of its local sites with the competition using data from Borrell Associates. The key stat: IB-affiliated stations had an average of 61% higher revenue from online advertising last year vs. non-affiliated stations — $871,723 vs. $542,275. More data in the release…

http://www.lostremote.com/2008/08/14/more-revenue-stats-from-ib-sites/

4 Affiliate Groups Endorse "Quiet Time"

The boards of directors of the ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliate organizations have agreed to support a voluntary month-long "quiet period" ensuring no disruption of local television service in the weeks leading up to and following the digital television transition, the National Association of Broadcasters announced today.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/13/daily.5/

MSO's Admit to Tracking Online Activity

Cable One last fall conducted a six-month trial of a network-based technology that tracks consumers' Internet movements in an effort to amass refined data on Web-surfer habits that can be sold to advertisers at premium rates.

The Phoenix, Ariz.-based MSO revealed the trial in an Aug. 8 letter to the bipartisan leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a group of lawmakers who have expressed concern that Internet-access providers are experimenting with technologies that invade consumers' privacy. With about 700,000 cable subscribers, it's the biggest cabler thus far to say it tested the technology, with the aim of providing “more relevant advertising” to online customers.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6588005.html

WTVQ Cancels 5pm Newscast, Considers Brand Change

Lexington ABC affiliate WTVQ-36 is canceling its 5 p.m. newscast and considering changing its “Action News 36” slogan as it continues making broad changes to its news operation.


Station management told the staff at a Thursday meeting that the 5 p.m. news would be replaced by an episode of the syndicated Judge Judy beginning in September. It has no plans to cut other newscasts.


“If you're doing 30 minutes less news programming a day, it means you can put more resources into the time periods when you are doing news,” said General Manager Chris Aldridge.


http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/492590.html

Former KDKA Meteorologist Moves Back to Cincinnati

Fired KDKA meteorologist Valerie Abati has found her way back to Cincinnati. She’s now a freelance meteorologist at WKEF and WRGT, according to Rob Owen at the PG.

The two Bengals Country stations are owned by Sinclair, the same folks who killed WPGH’s newscast.

http://burghboyblogs.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/former-kdka-tv-meteorologist-moves-to-cincy/

WCMH to Broadcast Football Friday Nite Kickoff Special

NBC 4 (WCMH-TV) continues its Football Friday Nite tradition by broadcasting its annual Football Friday Nite Kickoff Special on Thursday, August 21 from 7:30-8:00 p.m., just prior to NBC 4's prime time coverage of the Summer Olympic Games. This live program will be hosted by Sports Director Jerod Smalley with back up from Omar Ruiz and contributing reporters Mindy Drayer and Maurice Hall. It will be re-broadcast on Saturday, August 23 at 7 p.m., also just prior to network coverage of the Olympics.

http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-08-14-0017.html

Raising the Roof for the Ruth Lyons Fund

WLWT-TV and the Clermont Home Builders Association are raising the roof for Ruth Lyons, Cincinnati's most popular TV/radio entertainer in the 1950s and '60s.

Channel 5 officials and the builders break ground about 5 p.m. today in the Reserves of Greycliff development in Clermont County's Miami Township for a $300,000 home to be raffled off for Channel 5's Ruth Lyons' Children's Fund. The two-story home - with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a three-car garage - will be completed in spring.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/ENT/808130306/1175

WOUB's Interactive Web Site Wins Emmy Award

"What's the Problem?," an interactive educational series produced by the WOUB Center for Public Media, was honored on August 9 with an Emmy award at the 44th annual Midwestern Regional Emmy Awards ceremony in Cincinnati. The project's Web site (www.woub.org/wtp) was honored in the Advanced Media: Informational/Instructional category. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Ohio Valley Chapter sponsors the awards.


http://www.woub.org/about/index.php?page=47&item=940

For Columbus Photographer, 13th Time's the Charm

For one Westerville resident, the 13th times the charm.

Videographer Chris Hedrick was awarded two Emmy awards during the 44th Annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy awards on Saturday, Aug. 9. During the last 10 years he had been nominated 13 times for the top prize.

"After all these years, it's a relief more than anything," Hedrick said.


http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2008/08/13/multiple_papers/arts/allweemmy%20_20080813_0245pm_2.txt

NAB: Retransmission Won't Affect DTV Transition

At the prompting of the NAB, leading TV station groups are promising not to deny cable operators the right to carry their stations as a result of failed retransmission consent negotiations in the two weeks before and after the Feb. 17, 2009, analog broadcasting cut-off.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/12/daily.3/

WBNS Leads Columbus Stations in Emmy Wins

WBNS-TV (Channel 10) led the central Ohio winners in the 44th annual Midwestern Regional Emmy Awards, announced during the weekend in Cincinnati.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/08/12/2_BROBITS12.ART_ART_08-12-08_D5_AGB0FO6.html?sid=101

Time Warner Cable Takes WLEX Hi-Def

Time Warner Cable on Friday announced the launch WLEX NBC High Definition to their digital lineups in the following counties: Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fleming, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Mercer, Montgomery, Rowan, Scott and Woodford.

http://www.lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=8811598&nav=menu203_2

KET to Stop Airing College Courses

A program that has helped thousands of Kentuckians get a college education will end due to state budget cuts.


Kentucky Educational Television will stop airing College Courses after the fall 2008 semester, KET spokesman Tim Bischoff told The Kentucky Enquirer. The program offered classes for busy students and those in rural areas for 30 years.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1484854909/Budget-cuts-mean-end-of-Ky-s-TV-college-courses

NBC 4's Ben Gelber Turns Doughboy Duty Into Something Memorable

Given the silly task of being one of two Channel 4 personalities to appear in a bit with the Pillsbury Doughboy last Friday, weatherman Ben Gelber took what should have been a throwaway segment and turned it into something memorable.

http://www.theotherpaper.com/articles/2008/08/08/front/doc489a000e54b12917810025.txt

Lexington Represented in Olympics Broadcast Booth

Lexington-based sportscasters Tom Hammond and Kenny Rice will be covering the Olympic Games in Beijing the next two weeks, but the events they call will hit close to home.


Hammond, who is on his eighth Olympics, will be calling track and field, putting him on the microphone while fellow Lafayette High graduate Tyson Gay is on the track. And Rice will be covering equestrian events, further familiarizing himself with many competitors who will be in Lexington in 2010 for the World Equestrian Games.

http://www.kentucky.com/314/story/482886.html

Another Grim Forecast in Ad Spending

When last month Starbucks announced it was closing stores because of falling sales, it signaled to the greater public what marketers already knew: America was hunkered down for tough times, and had been for a while.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Media_economy_57/Another_grim_forecast_for_ad_spending.asp

The WB.com to Launch August 27th

TheWB.com, now in Beta testing, will launch on August 27, offering classic series that aired on the now defunct WB TV network along with new web series.

Warner Bros. Television Group is promoting the new site as “the next great network that won’t be televised.” But cable operator Comcast, will offer classic WB series via its video-on-demand service.

The WB.com has signed up Johnson & Johnson as a charter sponsor.

The online video network will offer classic WB series Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Veronica Mars, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Everwood, Roswell, The Wayans Bros., Friends and The OC, along with new series from show creators McG and Josh Schwartz. The McG series Sorority Fever will premiere on the site on Sept. 8. Schwartz is producer of the current CW show Gossip Girl.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/digital-downloads/broadband/e3ibbaddb3b39b75b77ddd52b8aa35224bb

NBC's Reverse comp Efforts Start With West Virginia's Top Affiliate

Gray Television plans to resist NBC's push to have affiliates pay to run its programming, Gray President-COO Robert Prather says. Prather acknowledged during the company's second-quarter earnings call that Gray faces the likelihood of tough talks with the network over what's called reverse compensation, beginning with Gray's Charleston, W.Va., NBC affiliate, WSAZ.

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

WXIX Does Viewers a Big Favor

The Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Kiesewetter - who happens to have one of the most interesting blogs in Cincinnati for TV/radio and local TV/radio history junkies - has a nice post about what WXIX-TV (FOX19) is doing this month as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.

http://joewessels.net/2008/08/07/ch-19-does-its-viewers-a-big-favor/

Latin Media in the Picture in Louisville

It's been tried before. But Louisville's bilingual cable program, "Yo Soy Louisville!" (I Am Louisville!), nearly a year old, is determined to avoid the fate of its predecessor, "Amigos en Louisville" (Friends in Louisville).


http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080808/FEATURES07/808080314/1010/FEATURES

Schulz's Departure Has Minimal Effect on WHAS Ratings

When meteorologist Ken Schulz retired from WHAS-TV in May lots of people felt he was forced out. Many that I heard from said they wouldn't watch WHAS again.

When something happens on a TV show viewers often announce: "That's it! We'll will never let that show into our living rooms again." But they often relent and revert to old habits that are sometimes as hard to break as other addictions.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080807/COLUMNISTS15/808070335/1010/FEATURES

FCC OK's Sale of Columbus' WSFJ

The FCC yesterday approved the sale of WSFJ Columbus, Ohio, from Guardian Enterprise Group to Trinity Broadcasting for $16 million.

Guardian owns no other TV stations, but it is the owner of the .2 Network, a broadcast network featuring movies intended for digital subchannels.

When the deal was first reported in June, Guardian CEO Richard Schilg said that proceeds from the sale of WSFJ would be used to finance the network.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/08/06/daily.2/#top

Don Hudson Leaving WTVQ

ABC affiliate WTVQ has told anchor Don Hudson that it won't renew his contract later this year, leaving the third-place station with the task of replacing both its evening anchors.


“I'm not part of the future plans,” Hudson confirmed Wednesday night. His five-year contract is up at the end of October.

http://www.kentucky.com/702/story/482288.html

WDKY Signs New Cable Agreement with Insight

The parent company of Lexington's Fox affiliate has reached an agreement with local cable provider Insight Communications to continue broadcasting the channel on cable.


Sinclair Broadcast Group struck the three-year deal for WDKY and three more of its stations — WSYX and WTTE in Columbus, Ohio, and WSTR in Cincinnati — according to WDKY General Manager Michael Brickey.

http://www.kentucky.com/103/story/481883.html

Nexstar Revenue Up

Nexstar Broadcasting Group (parent company of Evansville’s WTVW Fox7) reported record financial results for the second quarter ended June 30 and its net revenue grew 2.9% to http://www.evansvillemedia.com/em/2008/08/05/nexstar-revenue-up-3/$70.7 million compared to $68.7 million in the second quarter of 2007.

http://www.evansvillemedia.com/em/2008/08/05/nexstar-revenue-up-3/

Meet WTVQ's New News Director

The ABC affiliate in Lexington has a new news director. It's former Fletcher administration spokesman Doug Hogan.

Hogan was Governor Fletcher's press secretary before being transferred to the Transportation Cabinet, where he served under Secretary Bill Nighbert. Hogan has also worked for Senate President David Williams. Hogan came to state government with a background in TV. He was once a reporter for WBKO in Bowling Green and an executive producer at a couple of other stations. For those of you who frequently travel to Frankfort, the move means Doug Hogan will be Greg Stotelmyer's boss, which might be a good thing since Hogan presumably will want more hard core political coverage from his veteran reporter.

http://www.beloblog.com/WHAS_Blogs/PoliticalBlogger/2008/08/doug-hogan-is-new-wtvqtv-news.html

WOSU to Hold "Basics of Blogging" Event

When: Saturday, August 16 - 10am to 4pm
Where: WOSU@COSI
Cost: Free
Attendance: estimated 250-1000

An area in the WOSU@COSI exhibit area will be dedicated to informal training on the “Basics of Blogging.” Contact Carl Higginbotham if you’re interested in participating.

http://socialmediacafe.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/wosu-digital-days-ask-questions-get-answers-have-fun/

WTVQ Anchor to Leave, News Director Fired

Struggling ABC affiliate WTVQ-36 is searching for a new evening anchor after its top executive said Monday it couldn't reach a new contract with Megan Newquist. Also, the station fired its news director on Monday, naming a former official with Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration as his replacement.

http://www.kentucky.com/702/story/480193.html

Compilation of the Best Blogging Tips

http://www.wpthemedesigner.com/2008/08/04/compilation-of-the-best-blogging-tips-part-2/

WTVQ Anchor on Indefinite Medical Leave

WTVQ-36 morning anchor Tom Kenny is on indefinite medical leave from the ABC affiliate following complications from what was to have been a routine knee surgery.

http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/479460.html

WKYT Takes News Ratings Lead

WKYT-27 has wrestled away the local news viewership lead from WLEX-18, according to the most closely watched measure of television viewing.

http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/479459.html

NOTE FROM ADMINISTRATOR

As you probably have noticed, it's been over a week since I've updated the blog. Haven't forgotten about it, but, as the Emmy ceremony is this weekend, I've been a little busy :) I will begin updating again on August 11th. Thanks so much for your patience!

Nicole Williams
Chapter Administrator
Ohio Valley Chapter - NATAS