| WGA Strike Central: Day 92 |
 NY Times: new agreement
may come this week
Informal talks between WGA and AMPTP have eliminated the major roadblocks to a new contract, which could lead to a tentative agreement as early as this week, according to NY Times sources. The agreement may come without renewed formal negotiations, though both sides still need to agree on specific language of key provisions. If that process goes smoothly, an agreement may be presented to the governing boards of the WGA by the end of this week, the story said. The breakthrough occurred Friday after two weeks of closed-door discussions confronted the difficult questions related to pay for digital distribution of shows and movies and paved the way for Friday's movement toward a deal. If approved, a deal would require ratification by a majority of the more than 10,000 active WGA members. The informal sessions involved Robert Iger, Disney CEO; Peter Chernin, News Corp. President; and Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. CEO. Negotiations got a kick-start Friday when Peter Chernin returned from London and rejoined the talks in person. He also cancelled his Super Bowl tickets in order to stay in town for talks over the weekend. Writers were represented by Patric Verrone, the president of the West Coast guild; David Young, its executive director; and John Bowman, who headed the guilds' negotiating committee. Alan Wertheimer, a prominent entertainment attorney, also worked with the writers.
WGA strikes interim deals with
The Film Department, Intermedia
The WGA has reached interim agreements with The Film Department and Intermedia. Intermedia Film is a global, independent media enterprise with affiliates in London and LA. The Film Department is an indie movie finance, production and international sales company founded by former Warner Independent Pictures and Miramax Films president Mark Gill and former Miramax Films EVP and Yari Film Group COO Neil Sacker. "Companies like Intermedia and The Film Department recognize the importance of signing a deal that compensates writers fairly for the work they do," said Patric Verrone, President of the WGA West, and Michael Winship, president of WGA East, in a joint statement. "In turn, we've designed an agreement for the entertainment industry that takes into account the economic realities that it faces." The deal with both companies is similar to agreements the WGA recently reached with Lionsgate, RKO Productions, Marvel Studios, The Weinstein Company, United Artists, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, Mandate Films, and Worldwide Pants.
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TV News ®
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 Former Peacock boss
lands at private equity
Former NBC Universal CEO Bob Wright has taken a new job as a Senior Advisor to Lee Equity Partners. The private equity firm was launched in 2006 by Thomas H. Lee after he left the company which still bears his name. While Thomas H. Lee Partners has been active in broadcasting buyouts, including its pending deal to take Clear Channel private in partnership with Bain Capital, RBR/TVBR was unable to find any evidence that Lee Equity Partners has been involved in any broadcasting deals to date. That could well change with Wright on board. "Bob is a visionary in both the financial services and media and broadcasting sectors and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Lee Equity Partners. I am so pleased that he is joining us," said Thomas H. Lee, President and CEO of Lee Equity Partners.
"I am grateful for the opportunities that General Electric Company has afforded me and am proud of my years of service and leadership there. I look forward to achieving equally great things with Tom Lee and his talented group of partners at Lee Equity," said Wright of his new job, following his long career with GE in its financial services and NBC operations. GE, meanwhile, said in an SEC filing that Wright will retire from his remaining post of Vice Chairman on May 1st. Lee Equity Partners says its target market for private equity investments includes companies with enterprise values of between 500 million and three billion. Lee Equity calls itself "a generalist firm whose professionals have significant expertise in a number of industries, including Financial, Healthcare and Business Services, Retail and Consumer Products and Media."
Gannett prepares for big TV year
Q4 broadcasting revenues were down 18% (down 22% without adjusting for one less week) and Q1 is pacing down low single digits for Gannett's broadcasting division, but executives told analysts to expect big things later in 2008 as Olympics and political advertising kick in. Meanwhile, Gannett CEO Craig Dubow dismissed any notion of selling or spinning off the company's TV stations. Rather, he sees a strong year for broadcasting this year. "We're moving forward. We're really excited about what the group has already produced and we're looking forward." Pressed further by an analyst about any change post-election, Dubow said "we will always continue to assess everything, as we have in the past. But at this time, from what we can see right now, we see good upside opportunity with the group as we go forward." While Q1 pacings are down in the low single digits, CFO Gracia Martore cautioned analysts and investors that TV revenues will not come in evenly this year. She noted that the company's CBS stations do not have the Super Bowl this year as they did last year. (Gannett has no Fox affiliates.) "We fully expect stronger results in broadcasting this year because we are well positioned in our markets for the much-anticipated political spending, as well as Olympics," she said.
 CCU takes "body blows,"
still standing
Bear Stearns analyst Vic Miller says Clear Channel has taken some "body blows," such as the leaked cost cutting memo posted on TVBR.com and troubles with station sale deals, but he thinks the company can withstand some body blows because 2007 BFC could come in ahead of expectations. That's largely due to stronger-than-expected performance at Clear Channel Outdoor, owned 89% by CCU, which fellow Bear Stearns analyst Chris Ensley has upgraded to "Outperform." Miller believes the buyout by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital at 39.20 per share will likely go to closing. If it doesn't, he sees CCU shares falling to a range of 25-26, but if his financial estimates are on target, he sees the real value around 34, which is still above where they have been trading lately. We've posted more of the thinking from these two analysts for you at TVBR.com.
TVBR observation: For a perspective in time TVBR recommends you take a few minutes to scan and digest the Archives on RBR.com. Example: 5 years ago 2003 issue 24 - Clear Channel stock fared at 40.08 and by Friday that week issue #27 down to 37.70. Review CCU this week 2007, RBR issue # 24 - 36.43 and by Friday issue #28 - 36.65. After hard body blow last week, CCU closed Friday at 31.77. Patterns paint a picture and for complete analysis see TVBR.com
| the HOT LIST report #1 |
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Iger gets new five year deal
The Walt Disney Company Board has signed President and CEO Robert Iger to a new five year contract. His previous contract would have expired on 9/30/10. The new contract will end on 1/31/13. "Bob is a talented and visionary leader, under whom Disney has posted increases in growth and profitability that have consistently exceeded expectations," said John Pepper Jr., Disney Chairman. "We are confident he will continue to lead this extraordinary company and talented management team to new levels of creative and business success." Indeed, in the two fiscal years since he assumed his role, the company has posted record revenues, net income and earnings per share. In fiscal 2007, the company's revenue rose 5% to 35.3 billion. Net income per share for the year excluding certain items was up 24% to 1.92. Iger became Disney's CEO on 9/30/05.
 Republicans closed the
gap in Q4 2007
At the end of Q3 2007, Republican presidential candidates were 65.9M behind their Democratic counterparts in the total fund-raising race, with a total take of 175.1M compared to 241.0M on the other side. By the end of Q4, there was still a significant gap between the two parties, but the Republicans managed to close the difference to within 52.6M, according to data just released by the Federal Election Commission. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) remained at the front of the pack with 115.6M, ahead of Barack Obama (D-IL), who had bankrolled 102.2M so far. John Edwards (D-NC), who joined the majority of one-time candidates on the sidelines last week, was a distant third with 43.9M. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney (R-MA) has amassed 88.5M thus far (much of it -- we hear well over 30M -- on loan from himself), besting the recently departed Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) with 60.9M and third place John McCain (R-AZ) with 41.1M. Despite his lower ranking on the fund-raising chart, most observers are awarding the former Commerce Committee Chairman the front-runner label these days after back-to-back victories in South Carolina and Florida. The heat-seeker remains Ron Paul (R-TX), who more than tripled his income during Q4, although to no apparent avail in terms of votes cast nor poll preferences cited.
| View the Chart |
Republicans 28, Democrats 5
No, the Red party didn't score four touchdowns while surrendering a field goal and a safety to the Blues. And this is not the score from a slow pitch softball game. The numbers refer to how many members of Congress are declining to run for re-election in 2008, and can be interpreted as another hurdle for the Republicans. One of the reasons for the exodus is the loss of control of the House to Democrats in 2006. Along with the Republican's new 232-199 minority status came loss of committee chairmanships and loss of the ability to set the agenda, all on top of the new likelihood of being on the losing end of floor votes. Many political armchair quarterbacks have noted that the party making big inroads in a given year, as the Democrats did in 2006, often cedes back some territory during the next cycle, as the opposition party makes a special effort to target House freshmen who are trying to graduate to sophomore status. However, this time it appears that much of the Republican exodus is taking place in districts where the Republican incumbent barely hung onto the seat in 2006. The lack of an incumbent in these battlegrounds put them at risk of going from red to blue. The retirements generally create a need for an influx of national cash to try to defend the seat, and that is another problem for the Republicans. According to the New York Times, the Democrats' Capitol Hill campaign committee is sitting on 35M cash, with only 1.3M in debt, compared to the Republicans' 5M cash on hand and 2M debt.
TVBR observation: If you are in the district of a retiring representative, your district has almost been automatically elevated to cash-magnet battleground status. And since the House is the most local of all federal election categories, local stations figure to reap the lion's share of the benefits.
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| Wall Street Business Report TM |
 Gannett by the numbers
Gannett reported that total operating revenues from continuing operation in Q4 were 1.9 billion, down 11.9% from 2.2 billion in Q4 of 2006, which had one more week. Earnings per share from continuing operation were a buck-six, down from 1.47. Broadcasting revenues for the quarter fell 21.7% to 212 million - an 18% decline when adjusted for the quarter having one less week than a year earlier. Newspaper ad revenues declined 12.2% to 1.25 billion, an adjusted decline of 7.7%. Both national and classified were down double digits, while local was off only 3%. Gannett reports monthly ad sales figures. For December, broadcast revenues were down 21.7% to 58.4 million. Adjusted for the month having an extra week as measured the previous year, broadcast revenues were down 6.5%. Newspaper ad revenues were down 26.4%, or 14.5% adjusted for the lack of the 5th week.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Hillary buys an hour on Hallmark Channel today
The Clinton campaign is buying an hour on the Hallmark Channel today, on the eve of tomorrow's Super Tuesday presidential primaries to air part of a 90-minute national town hall meeting. Dubbed "Voices Across America," it will take place in New York and will air Feb. 4 at 9 p.m. ET, reported AdAge. The extra 30 minutes will also be available on the internet and at 21 live events across the country.
Caroline Kennedy ad compares Barack Obama to JFK
Comparing Barack Obama to John F. Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy says that people always tell her how her father inspired them. She feels the same excitement now that Barack Obama is running for president.
| See the ad here |
Chrysler lowers prices in campaign
Chrysler launched a new campaign that includes lower prices on 12 of its Cars and trucks. The effort began regionally with yesterday's Super Bowl and includes the Super Tuesday primaries, the Daytona 500 and the Academy Awards. The automaker lowered prices of features on 12 vehicles as well. For example, the Chrysler 300 will now offer its Signature Series package which includes 18-inch all-season tires, heated seats and side curtain air bags for 2,580 instead of 4,330 and will throw in navigation, a MyGig multimedia center and two-tone trim seats for free, reported The AP. "With all of the changes, we have the opportunity to really get back in step with the American public," Chrysler VP/CMO Deborah Meyer said in a statement. "Our task is to challenge old perceptions and build a new image that is strong and relevant to today's consumers."
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| Media Business Report TM |
 Lexus partners with Alicia Keys
Lexus has partnered with multi-platinum recording artist Alicia Keys, supporting the 32-city, U.S. Lexus Presents the Alicia Keys "As I Am" Tour, kicking off in Hampton, VA on 4/18 and concluding at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 6/18. Through this partnership, Lexus and Alicia Keys have joined together in a dedicated philanthropic effort to benefit children across the country. Both Lexus and Keys have played a major role in improving children's lives, and as the Tour launches they will work to raise awareness for youth-driven charitable initiatives with an emphasis on reaching local communities nationwide. This sponsorship represents an opportunity for Lexus to support the arts while introducing Keys' fans to Lexus vehicles. The relationship between Lexus and Alicia Keys was driven by Walton | Isaacson, the AOR for Lexus' African American advertising.
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Small Texas TV group sold
The Texas television assets of Sage Broadcasting are blowing over to the portfolio of a new station group called Bayou City Broadcasting. Included in the sale are a pair of small market Fox affiliates and an associated group of lower power facilities. Kalil & Co. handled brokerage chores for the deal that includes KIDY-TV San Angelo and KXVA-TV Abilene. One of the Abilene LPTVs, KIDZ-TV, carries Fox junior network MNTV. There are additional LPTVs and Class As in Brownwood, Sweetwater, Albany and Stamford. Bayou is headed by DuJuan McCoy. Kalil notes that McCoy will become the nation's first African-American Fox affiliate owner, as reported by the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council. McCoy says this is only the beginning -- he'll be looking to take advantage of pending FCC rule changes encouraging minority ownership in order to grow the group.
Sinclair to buy KFXA-TV Cedar Rapids
Sinclair Broadcast Group purchased the non-licensed assets of KFXA-TV (FOX) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for 17.1 million in cash from Second Generation of Iowa, Ltd and obtained the right to purchase the licensed assets, pending FCC approval, for 1.9 million. Sinclair also owns KGAN-TV (CBS) in Cedar Rapids. KFXA has been providing sales and other non-programming related services to KGAN since 2002 under an outsourcing agreement. As part of the sale, KGAN will no longer get those services from KFXA, but will instead provide them to KFXA. Second Generation will continue to program KFXA and perform other functions as the licensee of the station.
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| Washington Business Report TM |
 Legal eagle eye view
of localism proceeding
The FCC voted 12/18/07 to initiate a wide-ranging notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) looking to increase the localism plank of its oft-cited mandate to assure localism, competition and diversity on the nation's airwaves. The particulars of this NPR were recently released by the Commission and await publication in the Federal Register before the public comment clock kicks in. Peter Gutmann of law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC has taken it apart piece by piece. He said in essence the measures, if adopted, would overturn decisions made in the early 80s that "...left to marketplace forces a determination of how, in conjunction with all other area stations, a broadcaster would meet an abstract public service obligation." Gutmann said that while the planks in the NPR are certainly not taking effect any time soon, "Yet, they do reflect the current thinking of the commissioners. The ultimate resolution of these matters may depend upon future changes in the membership and leadership of the Commission as a result of this year's elections." Gutmann notes that Democrats Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein assented to the NPR, but think it's coming too late and are skeptical that the FCC will actually implement many of the proposals. On the other hand, Republican Robert McDowell feels the desired localism results are generated by robust competition, not FCC regulation, and suggests on top of that that some of the proposals offered may have constitutional problems. For Gutmann's report see TVBR.com
| the HOT LIST report #2 |
Wicker added to Commerce Committee
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) temporarily filled the vacancy left in the Senate by the retirement of Trent Lott (R-MS) with a member of the state's House delegation, Roger Wicker (R-MS). The appointment will be effective until an election can be held to fill the seat for the duration of Lott's term -- it will be up for a full-term vote in 2012. Wicker has already been given Lott's seat on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, although it will not be nearly as close to Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-AK) as long-time senator Lott was entitled to sit.
TVBR observation: And Wicker is far less likely to sign on to the anti-broadcast consolidation measures put forth on a regular basis from across the committee's aisle by Byron Dorgan (D-ND). Lott was perhaps the most conservative ally of Dorgan's, in part, he has said, because of a part time radio gig Lott enjoyed holding during his high school years.
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| Programming Business Report |
NBC picks up one from Canada, too
Adding to CBS picking up 13 episodes of "Flashpoint" last week from CTV, NBC has picked up "The Listener" (working title), a new CTV original drama from Shaftesbury Films. "The Listener" tells the story of a young man who can read people's thoughts, and act on them. NBC has ordered 13 episodes of the one-hour drama series, which was green-lit by CTV, Canada's largest private broadcaster, last December. Set in Toronto, "The Listener" is currently in pre-production with shooting scheduled to begin this spring.
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 12/17/07-12/21/07
The value didn't go much of anywhere special during December Week #3, but the volume increased, at least, and television was added back into the mix (although the lone station is still only a CP). In all, 15 contracts were filed at the FCC, all for single stations except one five-station cluster in Marion-Carbondale that went from Clear Channel to Withers for 4M.
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Total
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Total Deals
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15
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AMs
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8
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FMs
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10
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TVs
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1
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| Value |
30.87M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
EMF score KC FM
| More... |
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TV Transactions of the Week
High Maintenance buyer in Corpus Christi
| More... |
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| Transactions |
N/A WLMT-TV Memphis TN from Clear Channel Broadcasting Inc. (Mark Mays) to Aloha Station Trust LLC (Jeanette Tully). Placed in trust pending sale. [File date 1/7/08.]
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| Stock Talk |
Wall Street ends week with gains
Traders shouted yahoo as Microsoft made an unexpected bid to buy Yahoo! for 44.6 billion bucks. But the euphoria was held in check by a Labor Department report showing a loss in US jobs for January. In the end, the Dow Industrials rose 93 points, or 0.7%, to 12,743.
TV stocks also rose. The TVBR Television Index gained 0.206, or 0.2%, to 96.223. Hearst-Argyle led the way, up 4.3%. Clear Channel gained 3.5%.
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| Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Friday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Acme*
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ACME
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2.81
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-0.17
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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 |
8.26
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+0.02
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Belo*
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BLC
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16.80
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+0.21
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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56.09
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+1.90
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| CBS CI. B* |
CBS |
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25.51
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+0.31
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LIN TV*
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TVL
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12.61
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-0.44
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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25.52
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+0.30
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McGraw-Hill
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MHP
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44.06
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+1.30
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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31.77
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+1.07
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Media General
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MEG
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19.05
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-0.07
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Disney
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DIS
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30.66
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+0.82
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Meredith
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MDP
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47.17
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+0.18
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Emmis
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EMMS
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2.84
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+0.05
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News Corp.
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NWS
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20.01
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+0.62
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Entravision*
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EVC
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6.99
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-0.03
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Nexstar*
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NXST
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7.77
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+0.17
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| Equity Media* |
EMDA |
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3.17 |
-0.02 |
Ion Media
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ION
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1.34
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-0.09
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Fisher*
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FSCI
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33.02
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+0.17
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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5.75
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-0.08
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Gannett
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GCI
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37.47
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+0.54
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SBS
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SBSA
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1.74
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-0.07
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Gen. Electric
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GE
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36.16
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+0.80
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Scripps
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SSP
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41.59
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+0.87
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| Google |
GOOG |
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515.90
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-48.40
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Sinclair*
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SBGI
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9.07
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+0.07
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Gray*
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GTN
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7.64
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+0.09
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Time Warner
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TWX
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16.07
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+0.38
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Gray, C1. A
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GTNa
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7.99
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-0.61
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Wash. Post
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WPO
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758.58
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+14.58
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Hearst-Argyle*
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HTV
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22.36
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+0.92
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Young*
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YBTVA
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0.85
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+0.01
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*Component of the TVBR Television Index
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Bounceback
|
 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to tvnews@rbr.com
The fact that central markets were nailed on a indecency hit while their brethren on the coasts were protected by safe harbor leads one TVBR reader thinks it's time to standardize prime time.
 I think perhaps the time has come for the broadcast networks to start prime time at 8PM across all four time zones. This move would be welcomed by everyone affected by issues like this, plus what a bonus to the bottom line of all those CT/MT zone stations with an extra hour of syndicated programming to sell from 7 to 8. With today's broadcast technology this should be a rather simple solution (technically, anyway) for the networks without burdening the affiliates in the affected time zones having to delay the networks locally. They already do it for some of the morning shows (NBC's Today Show for example), so why not prime time as well?
M. Kaufman
Duluth MN
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Below the Fold
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Ad Business Report
Hillary C
Buys hour on Hallmark Channel...
Caroline Kennedy
Ad compares Barack Obama to JFK...
Media Markets & Money
Small Texas TV group sold
Assets of Sage Broadcasting are blowing over to the portfolio...
Sinclair
To buy KFXA-TV Cedar Rapids...
Programming Business Report
NBC picks up
One from Canada, too adding to CBS picking up 13...
Shakers & Makers
Transactions:
Radio: EMF score KC FM
Television High Maintenance buyer in Corpus Christi...
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Stations for Sale
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 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
Jim Carnegie
jcarnegie@rbr.com
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TV Media Moves
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Telemundo names GMs
NBC Universal's Telemundo announced a series of new General Manager appointments: Carlos Sanchez to VP/GM of WNJU in New York; Manuel Abud to VP/GM of KXTX in Dallas; Celia Chavez to VP/GM of KDEN in Denver and KBLR in Las Vegas; and Roel Medina adds VP/GM of KVDA in San Antonio to his current responsibilities at KTMD in Houston, where he has been VP/GM since 2004. Sanchez previously had the Denver/Las Vegas assignment. Abud had held a number of key executive posts with the company, including VP/GM of KVEA LA. Chavez was previously VP/GM in San Antonio.
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More News Headlines
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HITS to rep Mega TV
Interep's Hispanic Independent Television Sales (HITS) announced that it has signed a representation agreement with Spanish Broadcasting System's WSBS-TV "Mega TV" Miami. HITS was formed recently as a national rep for independent Hispanic television stations.
Big networks united in indecency case
Fox Television Network defeated the FCC at the Second Circuit in a case concerning the FCC's ability to issue fines for fleeting moments of broadcast indecency. The FCC has asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal, and CBS and NBC have joined with Fox in asking the Supreme Court to let the lower court ruling stand. Now, according to reports, ABC is backing the other three nets +in their effort to keep the case from being heard at the top court in the wake of the 1.43M finding against it and its affiliates over an epidose of "NYPD Blue." Stay tuned.
A&E Networks launches mobile websites
A&E Television Networks is partnering with Crisp Wireless to produce and manage mobile websites for three of AETN's channel brands, including A&E Network (http://mobile.aetv.com/), The History Channel (http://mobile.history.com) and BIO (http://mobile.biography.com/). Through the mobile websites, viewers have a wide range of information about each of the channels at their fingertips. Features include: What's on Tonight - an overview of that evening's primetime line-up; Program Descriptions and Photos; Fan Polls and Trivia Games; Downloadable Wallpapers and Ring Tones. The History mobile site offers This Day in History, a popular feature from The History Channel that highlights events in a variety of categories.
Craig Ferguson celebrates becoming a U.S. citizen
Following being sworn in as a United States citizen last week, Craig Ferguson celebrates with a citizenship-themed night, on CBS's The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson today (12:37-1:37 AM, ET/PT). The night's festivities commence with behind-the-scenes footage of Ferguson accepting the oath and officially becoming a citizen. Throughout the evening, the show will showcase congratulatory messages for the host from important political figures. Ferguson will also share footage from a recent trip to the nation's capital during which he toured the sites of Washington, D.C, and met with politicians on the Hill, including Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representative Tom Lantos (D-CA).
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RBR - Radio News
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Pushing radio's PPM CUME story
Fans of Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) have said the most important thing coming out of the new ratings system is that radio should adjust the way it sells advertising to promote the much larger CUME audiences reported under PPM. In Friday's monthly PPM update for reporters, Arbitron brought out figures from New York, where PPM is still in test phase, showing that radio stations in the market collectively have a daily CUME of 11.9 million, more than double the circulation of 5.6 million for all daily newspapers in the market combined. The data run had been suggested by Citadel CEO Farid Suleman. Indeed, although Citadel has only two stations in New York, they still out-CUMEd the New York Times and every other daily except the Wall Street Journal. The larger clusters of Clear Channel, CBS Radio and Emmis even topped the WSJ, with Clear Channel all by itself beating all of the dailies combined.
| The slides provided by
Arbitron are worth a look. |
In Friday's monthly PPM update, Arbitron officials noted that they are hitting panel sample size benchmarks in all of the PPM markets currently in currency or pre-currency mode and are well within the 80% guarantee to broadcasters for persons 18-54. The 18-34 demo continues to be vexing in the two embedded markets within the New York Metro. All six demos broken out within the 18-34 age group are below the 70% benchmark in the Nassau-Suffolk market and five of the six in Middlesex-Somerset-Union (although the Arbitron folks note that two more are close). For the core New York market, the 18-34 numbers are below the 70% benchmark only for women and blacks. Having recently released the first ever Holiday ratings book under PPM, since that is a down time for diary measurement, Arbitron President, Sales and Marketing, Pierre Bouvard noted that ratings doubled and more for AC stations that programmed wall-to-wall Christmas music. "If I am a sales manager sitting here looking at these numbers, I'm thinking about my rates and what they should be next December. Certainly I have a very strong and persuasive story to have seismic rate increases for my radio station for next year," he suggested.
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TVBR Radar 2008
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Television News you won't read any where else. TVBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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WGA Strike Central, Day 89
WGA gives CBS a break
More good news for ongoing WGA-AMPTP negotiations: The WGA scrapped a controversial event it had planned in New York next week targeting CBS Corp. investors. The guild had invited dozens of Wall Street analysts to a one-hour presentation set for 2/5 on how the strike has negatively affected the television networks and their ratings--CBS in particular.
02/01/08 TVBR #22
Media General wants
hedge fund to back off
Media General CEO Marshall Morton repeated yesterday in his conference call with Wall Street analysts that he has repeatedly tried to speak with representatives of Harbinger Capital since last summer, when the hedge fund first disclosed that it had acquired a stake in the company, but that only this week, after saying it would nominate three candidates to the Media General board (1/28/08 TVBR #18), did Harbinger indicate any willingness to have a meeting.
02/01/08 TVBR #22
Highfields boosts CCU stake
Wall Street traders may be betting against Clear Channel completing its 26.7 billion buyout by Thomas H. Lee Partners, Bain Capital and the Mays Family, but Highfields Capital is showing confidence. The investment fund led the shareholder movement that got the price boosted to 39.20 per share and has indicated that it wants to convert as much of its stake as possible to shares of the new private company, while taking cash for the rest. In its latest SEC filing, Highfields says it has boosted its stake in Clear Channel to 38,133,415 shares, or 7.7%, with recent purchases at prices ranging from 29.11 to 31.04.
02/01/08 RBR #22
Legal eagle view
of enhanced disclosure
One of the many actions taken at the FCC's exceptional 12/18/07 Open Meeting was the ratification of a new questionnaire which will require television operators to keep track of many categories of local programming in detail. These details were finally revealed just recently (1/24/08). Attorney Michael Shacter of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC has taken the questionnaire completely apart and described in step-by-step detail what needs to be reported. See RBR.com for more from WCSR's Shacter
02/01/08 TVBR #22
WGA Strike Central, Day 88
NBC's programming
slate for February
As the WGA strike continues, NBC has put together its original programming slate for February, with a sweep-month lineup that includes the series premieres, see TVBR.
01/31/08 TVBR #21
Legal eagle eye view
of NYPD Blue case
The topic is broadcast indecency. Attorney Peter Gutmann of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC has taken a look at the FCC's 1.43M fine aimed at 52 ABC affiliates and O&Os. The stations can take heart that the FCC's ruling was exceptionally slow:
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TVBR Classifieds
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Sales & Special Events Coordinator
Bow Tie Cinemas, a fast-growing, family owned cinema chain seeks energetic, detail oriented and organized individual to manage group sales, special events, house rentals. Must have excellent communication, multi-tasking and follow-up skills. Base salary, attractive commissions and benefits. To send resume and salary requirements via email see -
TV Careers
Hard finding that key person
to fill the important position at your organization? TVBR Classifieds, Results with Service. Contact April McLynn at classifieds@rbr.com
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