02/02 - Get the feel of what you are scrolling down and reading ...Listen to this morning's AudioCast and the Dean Scream...
Hold On To Your Hair!

Click Here to Listen

with Bob DeCarlo'
"In Da Morning"

TVBR Media Alert
Watch Out any email with a .bat, .cmd, .exe, .pif, or .scr extension
Is likely bad news in a plain brown wrapper. As many in the professional world learned from the Slammer worm, which hit in January last year and infected every single public e-mail address in the world. Known commonly as the MyDoom worm, or the W32.Novarg.A@mm mass-mailing worm. RBR/TVBR Recommendation: Click and Print these security tips:
01/30/04 TVBR #20

Network, group execs were not invited to House session
Three specific entities were mentioned at least once during the session: NBC Television Network, Fox Television Network and Clear Channel. Many members of the House of Representatives took the occasion of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet session on broadcast indecency held 1/28/04 to express their dismay that nobody from the offending broadcast companies was present to explain themselves. There was, of course, a good reason for their absence. None were invited. TVBR observation: The subcommittee should have been reading TVBR - - then they might have gotten the right people into the Rayburn Building's Green Room. Should be yet another standing-room only day in the press gallery. Damn! (Can we say that?) :
01/30/04 TVBR #20

San Antonio hearing wild affair
In a sometimes rowdy four hour hearing that had to be gaveled back into order several times, the five Federal Communications Commissioners got an earful about issues ranging from sex and violence on television to the perils of corporate ownership of radio and television stations. At one point Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein asked Steve Giust, General Manager of the Univision about the portrayal of women in the noxiously risqué "novellas," or Mexican soap operas. "I think we have some very lovely women on our TV station," Boos and catcalls from the crowd. RBR observation: Ole! Maybe some kind of FINE should have been laid down at this meeting. Next time invite Bubba ‘The Love Sponge’. 01/28/04 TVBR #19

Roy Disney takes anti-Eisner fight
to shareholders
Ex-Disney directors Roy E. Disney and Stan Gold are turning up the heat on Disney CEO Michael Eisner. They're asking Disney shareholders to vote "no" on re-electing Eisner and three other directors - - former Sen. George Mitchell, Judith Estrin and John Bryson. TVBR observation: The small guys roll with the punches but the big guys throw them. The real fight bell is set to ring on March 3rd and in the city of 'Rocky Balboa' - Philadelphia. 01/28/04 TVBR #19

Citadel's stock plunges
on Ted Forstmann sale
Less than 6 months after selling its IPO on Wall Street, Citadel is back with an add-on stock offering. The planned Forstmann Little stock sale clearly unnerved investors, who may well be wondering why Ted Forstmann is moving so quickly to cash out a big chunk of his investment in Citadel. The stock was only up 6.8% from last summer's IPO at $19 per share prior to the SEC filing for the 28M-share sale. News of the filing sent the stock price down yesterday, back below the IPO price. With its sale of nearly 20M shares, Forstmann Little will cut its voting stake in Citadel from 78% to around 58%. RBR observation: What's the rush? Does Ted know something we all don’t? Keep one eye on this puppy. 01/28/04 RBR #19

San Francisco KRON-TV
fined for indecency
On the eve of Capitol Hill hearings on broadcast indecency, the FCC has announced a proposed fine of $27,500 for Young Broadcasting's KRON-TV San Francisco. The station aired a fleeting glimpse of male genitalia during a "KRON 4 Morning News" segment with the stars of the traveling stage show "Puppetry of the Penis." Editor's Note: Ok, fine…fine…fine…
01/28/04 TVBR #18

Clear Channel calls for
clear indecency standards
On the same day, see below, it was hit with a $755K fine mainly for broadcasting indecent material, called for the FCC and the industry to come up with reasonable and clear indecency standards. TVBR observation: Amen, brother!
01/28/04 TVBR #18

FCC puts the $755K squeeze on Clear Channel’s Bubba ‘The Love Sponge’
It seems Bubba just chews through any rope leash and for it another blockbuster indecency action, the FCC has levied a total of $755K in fines on Clear Channel Communications for multiple indecency infractions emanating from its Bubba the Love Sponge show. Four Florida stations and 26 counts were cited in an assessment which also included $40K for public file problems. Editor's Note: No wonder Clear Channel and all their resources are crying for some set standard by FCC. Standard is needed but also put a chain leash on him. Or do as Infinity did with O&A! Next! 01/28/04 RBR #18

Happened on Hollander’s Watch
Andy Schuon pushed Out at Infinity
Some would say Schuon was ultimately responsible for the failings of WNEW-FM New York, post-Opie and Anthony. But he can't take all the blame. There were many involved and it seemed like a great idea. We had done a feature on it, in fact. However, WNEW is still a fish flopping out of water, with its latest incarnation being yet another attempt to grab share from WLTW-FM and WPLJ-FM in that market. Editor's Note: We think it should re-launch as an Indie Rock hybrid for "Hip New Yorkers," but that's a different story. Or, go All Christmas.. Now! RBR observation: The Sykes-Hollander relationship bears some resemblance to the Karmazin-Sumner Redstone dynamic. It's not nearly as complicated. 01/28/04 RBR #18

Strife hits NAB board
Chairman Phil Lombardo ruffled some feathers putting him at odds with some Radio Board members and straining relations with NAB President/CEO Eddie Fritts. Lombardo pushed through approval of a special payment of $400,000 to cover legal expenses of the Network Affiliated Stations Alliance in fighting against an increase in the 35% national TV cap. Editor's Note: Good for Lombardo - Next time, and there will be a next time, both boards best get on one Group Fly-In page. Like now! 01/27/04 TVBR #17

Wonder Boy - Bob Pittman
building own media empire
It appears Pittman is out to buy much more and build a sizeable media company, this time with himself at the top. The structure of Pilot is something to behold. Here's the flow chart of ownership interests from the FCC filing to acquire WEYI-TV. Editor's Note: We called and we are waiting for both Bob's to call back. Publisher Jim Carnegie remembers Pittman and once was known not as The Wonder Boy but The Hippie from Mississippi when at WPEZ, Pittsburgh when Carnegie was PD of KQV. 01/27/04 TVBR #17