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Volume 24, Issue 225, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Friday Morning November 16th, 2007
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| WGA Strike Central: Day 12 |
 How much audience, money
might be lost?
A report by Magna Global predicts if the strike continues through the end of May, the primetime audience decline will average 9% per month. Theoretically, a 9% decline in viewership also means a 9% decline in ad revenue. Since broadcast network ad spend totaled 8.8 billion last spring, a 9% loss would be around 800 million. Nonetheless, viewers are already leaving primetime shows for cable, online viewing and other things like gaming. Viewership in spring 2007 averaged 37.6 million a week, down from 40.3 million in spring 2006.
Survey looks at viewers' plans during strike
According to a study, by the market research firm Synovate for Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management, 84% of Americans know TV and film writers are on strike. 42% said they would read more if the networks began airing reruns. A whopping 75% are not very concerned or not concerned at all about the TV-viewing implications of a TV writers' strike. 40% of Americans said that if the broadcast networks substitute reruns for new episodes due to the strike, they would instead spend more time watching reruns. 51% of women said they'd read more; vs. 33% of men People 55+ were about twice as likely to say they'd spend more time reading as 18-to-24-year-olds, while the 18-to-24-year-olds were more likely to say they'd rent more movies or play video games. Uh-oh -only 14% said they'd watch more reality TV programs. 63% said they'd support the writers; 4% would side with the networks and studios. 33% were unsure.
WGA strike may give weaker shows a leg up
A NY Times story pointed out a growing consensus among executives at the television networks--the strike could be good news for struggling, barely surviving prime-time series. "The strike definitely could be a good thing for some marginal shows," Preston Beckman, the executive in charge of scheduling for Fox told the paper. That theory was seconded by execs at the other networks and some studios, off the record. Indeed, soon the networks will begin running low on original scripted episodes. "Any new episode will become an increasingly valuable commodity," said the story. "No network is going to waste bought-and-paid-for episodes. So the marginal shows will stay on until their episodes run out, which, in most cases, will mean sometime between now and the end of January." Specific shows include first-season series like "Journeyman" and "Life" on NBC, "K-ville" and "Back to You" on Fox, "Big Shots" and "Carpoolers" on ABC and "Cane" on CBS. Likely holdover shows specifically include "Friday Night Lights" on NBC, "Men in Trees" on ABC, "'Til Death" on Fox and "Shark" on CBS.
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TV News ®
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Dorgan bill in the Congressional hopper
Byron Dorgan's (D-ND) "Media Ownership Act of 2007" is officially on paper, and it's taken on three more co-sponsors. The first thing the bill would do is take the FCC's 12/18/07 Open Meeting out of play as a possible vote date on Martin's published cross-ownership proposal, moving the first possible date back to mid-May 2008 at the earliest. The FCC must allow 90 days after publication of any proposal, 60 for public comment and 30 for reply comments. Any rule voted on by the commissioners initiated after 10/1/07 and failing to meet this requirement "shall be of no force and effect." That by itself would move the vote to February at the earliest. But the FCC would be required to allow 90 days for comment and reply after it fulfills a requirement to "initiate, conduct, and complete a separate rulemaking proceeding to promote the broadcast of local programming and content by broadcasters, including radio and television broadcast stations, and newspapers," including a specific study of broadcast/print cross-ownership. That gets us to May at the earliest. The bill also calls for the establishment of an independent panel to "make recommendations" to increase broadcast ownership by women and minorities.
Co-sponsors include Joe Biden (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Kerry (D-MA), Trent Lott (R-MS), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Barack Obama (D-IL), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jon Tester (D-MT).
TVBR observation: The stall is on even though Martin maintained status quo on most of the Third Circuit remand and acted in a limited fashion in an area of cross-ownership, where the Court indicated some sympathy for relaxed regulation. We don't know about you, but we'd say there is zero-tolerance for any discussion of updating media ownership rules on Capitol Hill right now. We'll have to see how long it takes to get this bill into a Commerce Committee mark-up, and how long it takes to get a companion bill kicked off in the House.
 Consumer groups want to
cross out cross-ownership
Free Press representatives testified at the Washington DC localism forum, dropping what Commissioner Michael Copps called a bombshell - saying that the FCC's own research indicated that broadcast/print cross-ownership results in less news in markets in which it is present. It is now pushing its line of reasoning more forcefully, along with Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America. Free Press's Derek Turner does not argue that cross-owned operations put out an inferior news product. The problem is that they tend to be so good that they overwhelm the competition. "The presence of one cross-owned station leads the other stations in the market to collectively curtail their news output by about 25%," it says. They also point out there is no measurable increase in local news either from the cross-owned station or the rest of the market, and that the station tends to follow the editorial slant of the newspaper to which it is attached. Turner said that while most are clamoring for diversity, "What Martin is proposing would have the opposite effect - more consolidation and less local news."
TVBR observation: In large markets, the size of the local advertising pool can sustain most competent standalone full-power broadcast stations or newspapers. Broadcasters and publishers most feel the need for efficiencies of scale in smaller markets where income potential is limited and the possibility of regulatory relief is currently off the table. And so it goes.
Entravision may sell its billboards
Entravision Communications announced late yesterday that it has decided to explore "strategic alternatives" for its outdoor advertising operations and has retained Citi and Moelis Advisors, a division of Mercanti Securities, to act as its financial advisors in the process. Outdoor is the smallest division at Entravision, which would be left with TV and radio stations after such a sale. Entravision's outdoor advertising operations operate under the name Vista Media and consist of approximately 10,400 advertising faces concentrated primarily in New York and Los Angeles. "Following a thorough review of our operations and business plans in consultation with our advisors, our Board has decided to explore strategic alternatives for our outdoor advertising operations in order to unlock the value of these assets to the benefit of our shareholders. We will also continue to build and invest in our TV and radio assets with the goal of further strengthening our position in the nation's highest density Hispanic markets," said CEO Walter Ulloa.
TVBR observation: Wall Street has been waiting for this for years, since Entravision showed no signs of becoming a major player in the billboard business. Outdoor is hot right now, so it appears that Entravision's management and directors have decided that now is the time to cash out of billboards.
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| Wall Street Business Report TM |
Equity reports up quarter
Q3 revenues were up 5% to 7.5 million for Equity Media Holdings, and if you adjust for the sale of its former station in Portland, OR, the gain was 8.2%. The gain was attributed to strength at the company's Spanish-language stations. Local revenues were down 4.5%, primarily at Equity's English-language stations, the company said, while national grew 20.9%. The publicly traded company's net loss per common share was 19 cents for the quarter, an improvement of two cents from a year earlier when it was still privately held and had a lot fewer shares outstanding. In raw terms, the net loss attributable to common shareholders grew by 2.6 million to 7.8 million.
Strong quarter for Liberman
 Radio was the growth center in Q3 for Liberman Broadcasting, and not just because of the stations it acquired in Dallas. The LA stations also posted strong growth. Radio division revenues shot up 20.2% to 16.5 million. TV revenues were down 8.8% to 13.8 million, with the company's Texas stations up and California down. All in all, Liberman's revenues were up 5% to 30.3 million. But operating expenses, including those new stations in Dallas, increased, so adjusted EBITDA for the quarter declined 5.9% to 13.7 million. LBI Media Holdings, the parent company of Liberman Broadcasting, is privately owned but has public bonds.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Reebok/Carat MY Entertainment premiere
"Framed" original TV series
On Monday, 11/19, screen star Emmanuelle Chriqui and basketball icon Baron Davis will host an exclusive screening of "Framed" at Tribeca Cinemas for select media and film students. A first-of-its-kind television series created by Reebok Entertainment, "Framed" provides viewers with an unfiltered, real view of the biggest names in sports and entertainment both on and off the field, court and screen. Reebok Entertainment is a new division of the brand. Marking Reebok Entertainment's first venture into the world of television, "Framed" will air exclusively on The Independent Film Channel (IFC) beginning 12/14 throughout March 2008. The venture was created in partnership with Carat/MY Entertainment and Roadside Entertainment.
DMA issues statement on NY State taxing marketers
Governor Spitzer's New York Department of Taxation and Finance has issued a new regulation that requires out-of-state marketers to begin collecting state sales tax on deliveries made into New York based merely on a link to their website. In response, Direct Marketing Association (DMA) EVP/Government Affairs & Corporate Responsibility Steven Berry issued the following statement:
"It is unfortunate and particularly ill-timed to impose a legally questionable tax collection responsibility just as companies are headed into the all-important holiday season. This is an overreach of authority that will harm consumers and merchants both in New York and nationwide. Businesses depend on a robust fourth quarter to meet payrolls and operating expenses. The last thing businesses or consumers need is uncertainty in the marketplace...This directive goes against the US Supreme Court's landmark Quill decision, and thus would not survive legal scrutiny."
TVBR observation: We understand times are tough for NY State-the economy there isn't faring any better than the rest of the nation right now. However, that's not a reason to make things worse for already-struggling marketers. An added tax will likely make a difference in many consumers' minds as to purchase or not. NY is one of the most populated states in the nation, and this would be a big hit. Spitzer continues his role as a shakedown artist-this time online, rather than radio.
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| Media Business Report TM |
 CBS Outdoor offers
free WiFi in NYC
CBS Corp. will "light up" midtown Manhattan with the creation of the "CBS Mobile Zone," a wireless high-speed network enabling New Yorkers with Wi-Fi-enabled cell phones, laptops or other devices to access the Internet for free, and make voice over internet (VOI) calls. The Wi-Fi HotZone, already available in certain areas, will be fully operational on by month's end with a footprint of more than 20 city blocks. This initiative is part of a 6-month pilot program with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NYC Transit to test the potential communications capabilities of Wi-Fi technology. New Yorkers who access the "CBS Mobile Zone," will be greeted by an ad-supported homepage that includes hyperlocal content such as breaking local and national news, sports highlights, weather reports, music discovery, wallpapers, ringtones, maps, a social network and the ability to search for nearby restaurants, shops and entertainment complete with geographically- targeted community reviews. Citi and Salesgenie.com have signed on to be early sponsors.
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Multimedia company snares desert Fox
Gulf-California Broadcast Company, part of the St. Joseph MO-based News-Press & Gazette Company, is buying KECY-TV, the Fox affiliate in the Yuma AZ-El Centro CA DMA, along with an associated Class A station, KDFX-CA playing Fox in the next market over to the west, Palm Springs. The 2M cash deal has been percolating for quite awhile -- it's based on a purchase option dated 3/19/97. KECY-TV airs on Channel 9 out of El Centro CA, and KDFX-CA is on Channel 33 in Indio CA. News-Press owns ABC 42 KESQ-TV in Palm Springs and has several other LPTVs and Class As scattered in the two markets.
TVBR observation: Neither of these markets are large enough to support a television duopoly, but LPTVs and Class As have no standing when calculating in-market television presence. News-Press should have no trouble getting this through the FCC Media Bureau.
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| Washington Business Report TM |
 Piracy on the low seas
Jairo Diaz is getting hit with a pair of FCC fines for buccaneer behavior on the low end of the FM dial. Diaz was operating in the New York suburbs, and drew the standard 10K fine for unauthorized operation of a station on 90.5 MHz out of Paterson NJ. The FCC tacked on an extra 7K because Diaz refused to allow an inspection of the unlicensed facility. Diaz has not responded to the FCC's notice of apparent liability and has been ordered to pay up.
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| Cable Business Report TM |
DirectTV says bye-bye to NYSE
Satellite TV company DirecTV announced that it will move its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq, effective December 3rd. Despite the move, DirecTV will keep its three-letter ticker symbol, DTV, rather than switch to the usual four (or more) seen at Nasdaq. "Our switch to Nasdaq was driven by our desire to achieve greater value for our investors. We believe that Nasdaq's vision for leadership coupled with its market structure and vast product offerings will allow for improved service for us and our investors while simultaneously reducing our costs.," said Jon Rubin, senior vice president of Financial Planning and Investor Relations for The DirecTV Group Inc.
TVBR observation: It used to be that an NYSE listing meant that your company had arrived and was playing in the major leagues. No more. Nasdaq has done a very effective job of positioning itself as the stock market of technology and growth companies.
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| Entertainment Business Report TM |
 NBC to launch auction of series props
NBC Universal Video, Music & Product Development and Delivery Agent, in conjunction with the NBC Universal Online Store, is set to launch a live online auction at NBC.com of select items from some of NBC and Universal Media Studio's top shows. The online auction powered by Delivery Agent, runs 11/19-12/3 and will feature props, wardrobe items and other collectibles that were featured on an array of hit NBC shows. A portion of the auction's proceeds will benefit the United Way. Fans can log on to NBC.com/auctions and participate. The auction will feature items from the following NBC/Universal Media Studios shows: "Heroes," "The Office," "30 Rock," "Las Vegas" and "Friday Night Lights." Exclusive items will include three original paintings that were seen on the hit sophomore series "Heroes," Michael Scott's (Steve Carell) Timex watch and Hawaiian "Convention" shirt from "The Office," and a poker set used by the main cast of "30 Rock." Other items up for auction include "Friday Night Lights" Tim Riggins' (Taylor Kitsch) jersey, a football signed by three cast members and a megaphone signed by Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly). Also from the hit show "Las Vegas" fans can bid on Danny's (Josh Duhamel) signed Letterman jacket.
Big Brother casting begins this weekend
With no way to know when the writers strike may end, the networks are moving full steam ahead with reality programming. CBS announced that casting will begin tomorrow for "Big Brother 9," which will air sometime in 2008. The casting call is set for locations all across the country, beginning in Los Angeles and Columbia, SC. In addition, applications are now being accepted online at CBS.com for the ninth installment of the reality series. Julie Chen will return as host for Big Brother 9 and the series will once again be executive produced by Emmy Award winner Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan, in association with Endemol USA. As you know from the first eight go-rounds, "Big Brother 9" will follow a group of strangers living together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One by one, the houseguests will vote each other out of the house until at the end of three months, the last remaining houseguest will win the grand prize.
| See the casting call locations and dates |
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| Internet Business Report TM |
 Dialogue with your audience
By Robert C. Raciti, Ph.D., SVP/GE Commercial Finance - Media, Communications & Entertainment
As opposed to the traditional monologues that have captivated traditional media over the last few decades, the next wave of media will dialogue with individual audience members. New digital technologies are expanding the options of both traditional and new media outlets and enabling two-way interactive experiences with individuals. I am not saying that traditional media is going away! What I am saying is that there are many distribution channels for media and content creators need to understand the benefits and limitations of each in order to leverage their content across as many channels as economical. Since people consume from a variety of technologies, it makes sense that content is distributed through the channel that the users want in the form that the users want.
| Read More |
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| Ratings & Research |
"Wheel" keeps "Judy" at bay
The battle for syndicated TV supremacy continues to be a two horse race, with "Wheel of Fortune" staying out ahead of "Judge Judy" for yet another week. The weekly list of the top 10 comes to us from the Syndicated Network Television Association (SNTA), based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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Syndication: 10/29/07-11/04/07
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# Live
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PROGRAMS
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ORIG
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HHLD Rtg. Live + SD
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1
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WHEEL OF FORTUNE
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CTD
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7.9
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2
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JUDGE JUDY
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CTD
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7.2
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3
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JEOPARDY
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CTD
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6.6
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4
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OPRAH WINFREY SHOW
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CTD
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5.9
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5
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EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
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CTD
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5.4
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6
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TWO AND A HALF MEN
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WB
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5.3
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7
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ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
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CTD
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5.1
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8
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CSI MIAMI
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CTD
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5.0
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9
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DR. PHIL SHOW
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CTD
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4.9
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10
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FAMILY GUY-M-F
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2/T
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4.5
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Source: SNTA; Nielsen Media Research data
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| RBR Radio News |
 Arbitron stung by big groups;
Agencies also want high standard
A hard-hitting letter from four of its large radio subscribers, demanding that it increase PPM sample sizes to resolve problems with demo in-tab underperformance, no doubt caused quite a stir yesterday at Arbitron yesterday. Clear Channel, Cumulus, Cox Radio and Radio One have demanded an "action plan" from Arbitron within 30 days. Cox Radio CEO Bob Neil reiterated the demand in a statement to RBR yesterday: ""Arbitron needs to understand that both radio broadcasters and agencies are united in demanding reliable audience estimates. Low in-tabs are not acceptable, and no Programmer or Media Buyer can make good decisions if the data is bad. We've seen enough in Houston and Philadelphia, along with the pre-currency reports in Long Island and New York, to see that Arbitron hasn't been taking these sampling issues seriously. Instead of their usual spin, we want action. Not months from now - but right now," Neil said. But as this issue was put to bed, Arbitron was still considering its public response to the criticism.
The four companies, all of which had been critical of PPM but eventually signed contracts for the new methodology, are livid over the consistent problems Arbitron has had with hitting in-tab targets for 18-34 demos and for African-American and Hispanic listeners. Arbitron has insisted that its audience estimates are valid, even with the in-tab shortfalls, but it has agreed to guarantee hitting 6+ in-tab targets and says it will have an 18-54 proposal in a few months. That is not enough to satisfy the four client groups."Under any circumstance, we expect guaranteed in-tab delivery in the 18-54 age group for all age cells and across all ethnic groups, including Hispanics and African Americans," they said in the letter demanding action by Arbitron. While agencies seem to have warmed to PPM more quickly than many broadcasters, they are also supportive of holding Arbiron's feet to the fire on sample delivery.
 "I applaud the broadcasters who have taken the lead in holding Arbitron to a higher standard. Up until now - the discussion has been PPM vs diary - with all of the dialogue centered around the weakness of the diary - and little attention paid to getting the electronic service right. The broadcasters have much to lose - with AQHs down some 30% or more with the conversion to PPM. It's certainly easier for the Agencies -who will pay for performance either way - but for the broadcaster - there is much to be concerned about," said Natalie Swed Stone, OMD U.S. Director, National Radio Investment. "For anyone who had questioned the PPM - they were dismissed as either concerned about price-or not committed to change or the future. Now, it is evident that any concerns should have been and should still be taken seriously - Arbitron needs to be held to a much higher standard than the diary," she added. More from the agencies in today's Ad Business Report
| Read the letter from the 4 groups |
RBR observation: Adding PPM panelists may improve 18-34 in-tab and increase confidence in PPM ratings, but it may not change the general audience trends which have been consistent across all three PPM markets, as far as which formats go up and which go down. So, either the PPM methodology itself is fatally flawed, or it is indeed more accurate and radio is just going to have to learn to live with the new reality. For one thing, PPM has effectively redefined what constitutes radio listening. A 19-year-old with a PPM can log a lot of hours "listening" to the Oldies station that his boss has on at work, while he would not have reported that in a diary, since he didn't consider it radio listening, just background noise.
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| Stock Talk |
Traders fear consumers
Disappointing guidance from JC Penney made Wall Street traders worry about consumer spending. The Dow Industrials fell 121 points, or 0.9%, to 13,110.
TV stocks had another down day. Lincoln Financial Group, which is primarily an insurance company, fell 4%. McGraw-Hill was down 3.2%. Equity Media Holdings rose 3.8% after reporting its Q3 results.
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| Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Thursday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Acme
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ACME
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3.45
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+0.04
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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 |
59.64
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-2.46
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Belo
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BLC
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16.40
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+0.03
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LIN TV
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TVL
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11.40
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-0.16
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
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27.22
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-0.08
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McGraw-Hill
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MHP
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46.07
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-1.50
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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27.22
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-0.07
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Media General
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MEG
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27.81
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+0.33
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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35.25
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+0.05
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Meredith
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MDP
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57.58
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-0.06
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Disney
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DIS
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32.40
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+0.54
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News Corp.
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NWS
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21.71
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-0.36
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Emmis
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EMMS
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4.23
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+0.06
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Nexstar
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NXST
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9.70
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unch
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Entravision
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EVC
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6.77
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-0.06
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Ion Media
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ION
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1.36
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+0.01
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| Equity Media |
EMDA |
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2.18 |
+0.08 |
Saga Commun.
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SGA
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7.35
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unch
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Fisher
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FSCI
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42.56
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-0.60
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SBS
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SBSA
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2.05
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-0.07
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Gannett
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GCI
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39.73
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-0.62
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Scripps
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SSP
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44.19
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+0.01
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Gen. Electric
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GE
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38.31
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-0.70
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Sinclair
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SBGI
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11.30
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unch
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| Google |
GOOG |
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629.65
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-12.03
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SWMX
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SWMX
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0.02
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unch
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Gray
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GTN
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8.26
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+0.02
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Time Warner
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TWX
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17.01
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-0.06
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Gray, C1. A
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GTNa
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8.21
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unch
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Tribune
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TRB
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29.79
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+0.54
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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20.92
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-0.39
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Wash. Post
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WPO
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797.95
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-0.86
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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8.98
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-0.23
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Young
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YBTVA
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1.20
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+0.09
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to tvnews@rbr.com
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Below the Fold
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Cable Business Report
DirectTV says bye-bye to NYSE
Will move its stock listing from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq
Ad Business Report
DMA issues statement
On NY State taxing marketers a new reg that requires out-of-state marketers to begin collecting state sales tax...
Media, Markets & Money
Multimedia company snares
Desert Fox, KECY-TV, Fox affiliate cash deal has been percolating...
Ratings & Research
Wheel keeps Judy at bay
Battle for syndicated supremacy continues...
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Stations for Sale
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 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
June Barnes
jbarnes@rbr.com
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TV Media Moves
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Davis returns
Responding to what it says was "overwhelming viewer demand," TLC announced that they completed a deal to bring Paige Davis back to Trading Spaces. During her previous run, TLC says "Trading Spaces" grew to be the #1 show on cable on Saturday nights. Now, more than two years after parting ways, Davis comes back to TLC to host the new 2008 season,, launching in January. "Trading Spaces was at its very best when Paige Davis was at the helm and the fans still miss her... we're thrilled to welcome her home" said Angela Shapiro-Mathes, president and general manager, TLC.
Thompson joins MSG
Courtney Thompson has joined the media brokerage firm Media Services Group as a Director. "Courtney has had an illustrious 30 plus year career straddling virtually every facet of the broadcast industry. We are especially excited about him joining our firm. Courtney started in radio at the age of 15 and has held positions in station ownership, consulting, management, sales, marketing, operations and engineering in both Radio & TV. Courtney also created one of the industry's most remarkable marketing, management, research & consulting organizations in Broadcast Direct Marketing and OpTiMum Broadcast Research & Consulting," noted MSG President George Reed.
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More News Headlines
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Fool on the shill?
Street-watcher Motley Fool has likened satellite audio services to Romeo and Juliet, saying that just like the doomed Shakespearian duo, the wedding is in for a tough time getting past the parents, or in this case, the regulators. But the Fool has apparently already rented a tux, and wants the wedding to proceed. In fact, the Fool laments the fact that the star-crossed duo can't simply elope and get the nuptials done beyond the reach of those who would force it to be called off. It notes that the pair have tried to head off regulatory objections at the pass by offering concessions before they're asked for, such as tiers priced lower than either service on its own, and guarantees that old radios will still be useful going forward. And of course, the merger is justified because the audio landscape has changed in ten years. It doesn't handicap the decisions coming from the FTC or FCC, but it does tell the latter, "The next hoop you put XM and Sirius through better be a wedding ring."
TVBR observation: We're tired of hearing the argument "fill-in-the-blank didn't even exist in 1997." But other things did - we had our very own boom box that we could carry around wherever we wanted, and many of our friends used Walkman-type tape and CD players while they were out exercising or commuting. We guess they were part of the audio landscape at the time DARS was wisely chartered with a built-in competitive component - shouldn't the regulators have allowed a monopoly to compete with these ubiquitous audio devices? No, of course not, and the argument makes no more sense now. Anyway, the last time the Fool weighed in on this, it seemed to think the merger was going to get all necessary regulatory blessings. It seems less sure of that now. One thing is for sure: We should hear something relatively soon.
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TVBR Radar 2007
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Television News you won't read any where else. TVBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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Local TV likely to snare Fox spins
It's hardly surprising that Local TV LLC was a bidder for the nine Fox stations that News Corporation put up for sale in June (6/14/07 TVBR #116). What is surprising is that, due to the current tight credit market, Local may have been the only bidder. When News Corp. announced that it wanted to divest these nine stations there was lots of interest from private equity firms wanting to get into television. But that was before the credit markets took a big hit from the subprime debacle. When it came time to bid this week, Local, backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, was the only firm to submit a bid, reportedly in the 1.1-1.2 billion range. If Local, run by Randy Michaels, is the buyer, it would greatly expand the group begun by acquiring the former New York Times stations and move it up considerably in market size.
TVBR observation: Back when these stations were put on the market we had envisioned a higher price tag. But we have since learned that these stations do not have the same sort of high margins that Fox is known for in its largest markets. That could well explain why News Corporation decided to put them up for sale. (TVBR has the line of stations)
11/15/07 TVBR #224
Indie producers craft letter:
"We aren't the ones"
A group of 85 independent producers, many of them with credits on studio and independent films, signed a joint statement that ran in The LA Times asking the print and broadcast media to quit referring to the strike between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as between "writers and producers." "Actually, the Writers Guild is negotiating against an entity that represents studios, networks and multinational conglomerates." More in TVBR - WGA Strike Central, Day 11, WGA, AMPTP trade barbs over scabs - TV Guide cancels Online Video Awards - WGA strike jeopardizes Television Critics Association's winter press tour - Ellen won't tape next week.
11/15/07 TVBR #224
How might the strike affect
the next Television upfront?
For the ad buying community, the strike is only in the second week and most say things are still business as usual. Right now if they bought in the last upfront, they are still guaranteed and protected. Most are saying the industry won't feel the real brunt of an ongoing strike until Q1. The worst case scenario, of course, is the strike dragging out into the spring, when the industry prepares for upfront--9 billion in primetime deals are up for grabs. The networks might have to present their schedules without pilots, and much of which would include reality programming. Some think there's a good chance the upfronts would be canceled-at least in the fashion the industry is used to. Brad Adgate SVP/Research, Horizon Media, tells TVBR there are two things to be thinking about: With less compelling viewing out there (i.e. repeats), people will migrate to other things besides watching network television. Some of them will not come back.
TVBR observation: The dollars could go into radio, gaming, mobile video, online video, cable, syndication, newspaper-you name it. Television has too many competitors these days to be comfortable with a prolonged strike. The producers and writers both stand to suffer more than they imagined. This is not 1988. Complete details on WGA Strike Central - Day 10 in TVBR.
11/14/07 TVBR #223
News Corp. ready to
set WSJ.com free
Rupert Murdoch told reporters back in his native Australia that News Corporation is already pacing ahead of its guidance for its fiscal Q2 and he seems anxious to take control of Dow Jones & Co. Murdoch confirmed that he plans to make the Wall Street Journal website, generally regarded as the most successful subscription site on the Internet, free
TVBR observation: Murdoch sees a bigger ROI reaching 15 million and going paid advertising model than scratching out a paid subscription model. This is good business reasoning. FYI: which is the same business model TVBR will be instituting and nice to know we are in good company.
11/14/07 TVBR #223
Dereg, Martin style: Just a nibble
Watchdogs have been howling at the moon for about a month now, in preparation for the nefarious plans of FCC Chairman Kevin (R) to gift-wrap what's left of the broadcast spectrum and hand it over to the nation's biggest communications companies. It turns out, however, that his one modest proposal is to allow newspapers to have a limited broadcast presence, and that only in the nation's top 20 media markets.
TVBR observation: This really, truly is a very modest piece of deregulation. It's so small you'd think the watchdog community would accept it as a major victory and move on to help craft the localism and minority ownership proceedings to their liking. It will come as bad news to small market television operators hoping to get a chance to build duopolies, (Also in this mess Copps, Adelstein push back and in return Dorgan pushes back more in TVBR).
11/14/07 TVBR #223
WGA Strike Central: Day 9
Fox suspends producer-writers
At first it was a threat, now it's real: News Corp.'s Fox Studio has suspended producer-writers who refused to cross strikers' picket lines to perform non-writing work on television dramas and comedies. The company sent suspension notices, advising them they would no longer be paid.
TVBR observation: Veteran producer and director Jon Avnet said the strike was more inspiring than the one 20 years ago. "This is very different, a very real unity." Well guess those that walk together get fired together. This is no longer touch football this strike has now turned into the real deal of crunch and hit hard business. Those pinked slipped are lucky that Fox is paying their health benefits until the end of the year.
11/13/07 TVBR #222
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New Listing
President & GM
WHNT-TV, Channel 19 (CBS) in Huntsville, AL has immediate opening for the right person to lead this Southern DMA. Opportunity for a take-charge programming, news and sales oriented manager who thrives on competition and is motivated by results. Requirements: Demonstrated and documented success in broadcast management. Details for this rare opening and to apply
See TV Careers
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Ideal candidate will work with our News Team developing / delivering quality web & e-paper content on a daily basis requiring a tremendous amount of creativity, flexibility and an ability to work on a deadline. Skills: Intermediate understanding of how websites, web pages are constructed and ability to write "News" ready copy. Plus, important, must be a strong communicator both Verbal / Written and able to manage multiple tasks. See TV Careers
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Imagine Media Ad Sales Without - Long Commutes, 8:30 Sales Meetings, Bonus Spots, or selling Print in an Electronic medium. More Reasons to consider Selling Advertising with TVBR. Honestly, we are so busy we can not service all the accounts. Can you help us? Our Budgets Are Realistic. Compensation plan is good. If you are good, our Compensation plan is Great. If you are Great, our Compensation plan is Unbelievable! In confidence, contact Publisher Jim Carnegie at publisher@rbr.com.
General Sales Manager
KSBI-TV, Oklahoma statewide independent network, is seeking an experienced GSM. Candidate with proven track record. Key is to have knowledge is sales strategy with contacts in national and regional business. Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Management or Business preferred. Enjoy making a great income. Opportunities are tremendous. See TV Careers
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Hard finding that key person
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