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Volume 22, Issue 81, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Monday Morning April 25th, 2005
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TV News®
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 Paxson: No increase in infomercials
Contrary to what you may have read elsewhere, Paxson Communications is not going to scrap its other programming and go all infomercials. "There's no increase in the amount of hours of infomercials," Paxson Communications President Dean Goodman told TVBR. Our readers already knew that Paxson wasn't going all-infomercials, and couldn't under its cable contracts, as we reported two weeks ago (4/11/05 TVBR #71). Strictly speaking, the angry press release that NBC Universal put out last week, did not claim that Paxson was going to go 100% infomercials, but rather that it "intends to abandon network programming and rely primarily on infomercials, direct response advertising and paid programming as revenues sources." That's not quite correct, since Paxson will continue to run programming that it owns from its library, although it won't be spending money to produce any new programming (translation: only reruns). Goodman says there will be no change in the mix of programming - - "Just the Pax Network is no longer going to exist as we know it." Goodman refused to comment on any of the claims of the NBC Uni release, obviously expecting another round of litigation with Paxson's dissatisfied one-third equity owner, so there was no response to NBC Uni's claims that the programming changes and Paxson's discontinuation of sales agreements with NBC and its O&O stations violate their contract. We did learn that Paxson will still have inventory to sell and will maintain a national sales staff. "We will sell advertising in the non-rated marketplace," Goodman said.
TVBR observation: Let's look at the Nielsen numbers. For the most recent week (4/11-17) the highest rated show on Pax was "Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye," coming in at #121 with a 0.8 rating, compared to a 1.1 for the lowest rated show on any other broadcast network, "Jack & Bobby" on the WB. In other words, Pax's primetime lineup consisted of the 18 lowest rated shows on broadcast television. Rather than continue to spend money on new programming, Paxson is trying to curb its red ink (and hopefully get back to positive cash flow) by airing a combination of brokered, bartered and rerun programming (plus its long-established diet of infomercials in off-peak hours). NBC is right that the "network" will no longer have any value as a network, but does that matter? It's pretty much a given that whoever buys Paxson will be buying the national platform to launch a new niche network, so they won't really be buying "Pax" anyway.
 Convergence is now
The big "take away" from last week's NAB2005 is that convergence isn't coming - - it's already here. Every type of communications company is teaming up and/or competing with every other type of communications company. Hot items on the exhibit floor included digital everything - - from giant TV screens to tiny audio and video units, including equipment to deliver short videos to cell phones and podcasting for iPods. To be sure, both technologies are competing with broadcasters for the consuming public's media time, but both also offer opportunities for broadcast stations, who already produce local content that can be repositioned for these new devices. "We need the content that our customers want and need most. That means we need you," Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon said in his keynote address. It was just a few days later that Verizon announced a long-term programming-distribution agreement with A&E Television Networks to put its content on Verizon's soon-to-launch FiOS TV - - a direct-to-home, high-bandwidth fiber optics network that the telephone giant plans to use to compete with the cable MSOs. Verizon had previously announced a similar agreement with NBC Universal. "You take advantage of every new platform that's coming on stream," NAB President & CEO Eddie Fritts said as he discussed the wide range of technologies on display in Las Vegas. As exclusivity becomes diluted, with consumers picking when, how and to what device they want content delivered (and whether they or advertisers will pay for it), Fritts noted that local content will become even more important. That's where current broadcasters have a leg up as all media goes digital and consumers have more and more ways to access content.
TVBR observation: Will broadcasters take Seidenberg up on his request that they team with him to battle cable? Absolutely, but some will also team up with cable, especially once the MSOs finally admit that they need local content to survive and are willing to pay local broadcast TV stations for it. No one can go it alone. Not even multi-platform giants such as Time Warner, Comcast and Viacom can succeed without other partners distributing their content. Just as the media giants have struck alliances - - sometimes partnering with a company in one arena while competing with them in another - - local broadcasters will have to team up with competitors to maximize profits from the content they create. So while we continue to focus on ratings battles, who will be the next head of the NAB, legislative battles with cable and the CEA, don't lose sight of the ultimate goal - - delivering what the consumer wants, when and how they want it, and in a way that turns a profit. That requires a nimble business plan and the willingness to cut deals with competitors when it makes sense to do so.
Virtual media getting tangible bite of the pie
There's nothing intangible about what Internet advertising is doing to traditional media, according to a global study from ZenithOptimedia. Its hungry mouth is leaning over to the competitions' traditional plates and biting off slivers of their traditional pie. ZO says that by the end of 2005, TV will have claimed 37.7% of the advertising pie worldwide, followed by newspaper (29.8%), magazines (13.4%), radio (8.7%), out-of-home (5.3%), and Internet (3.8%). TV is expected to peak in 2006, with a downturn in 2007. Three of the other four categories are expected to erode. Meanwhile, Internet advertising be riding a 16% growth surge to 4.4%.
TVBR observation: With its capability to support video, audio and text/photographic content, and its instant global reach, it's not surprising that Internet is grabbing share somewhat democratically among the media. The key for established media is to not worry about share, but rather to build business - - if revenue continues to rise, then share doesn't matter so much. | View the 2003-2007 chart here |
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 Comcast, Orioles gone a-courting
The courtship between cable giant Comcast and MLB's Baltimore Orioles won't be of the nuptial variety - - Comcast is suing the baseball team to prevent a divorce which would kick in at the end of the 2006 season. Divorces are always messier when their are children involved, and playing the roll of a young hostage: the brand new Washington Nationals. Part of the booty O's owner Peter Angelos received from MLB was the right to a majority stake in a regional sports net which will carry games for both teams. The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) is intended to carry Nats games this year and add the Orioles in 2007. However, Comcast says its current contract stipulates that it has the right to match any offer made for the 2007 season. It also says that fees MASN wants to charge Comcast for carriage rights amount to an "Angelos tax" of 2-3 dollars per cable customer, a charge the Orioles say is baseless. Comcast said it will carry only those Nationals games which are on local broadcast stations or on national channels such as ESPN until the matter is resolved.
TVBR observation: The old Western cliche "This town ain't big enough for the two of us" probably applies here. It's no easy task for a local channel sports net to fill the screen each day, all day - - let alone two competing channels. MASN is crossing through territory which contains the bleached bones of other such channels now dead and gone. It will be very interesting to see how this one gets sorted out.
Conservative/liberal divided over indecency
The debate over broadcast indecency has proven to be one that cuts through traditional political definitions. It has certainly united liberals and conservatives both on Capitol Hill and at the FCC - - indeed, at the FCC, for a long time the anti-indecency torch was carried almost single-handedly by Commissioner Michael Copps, who is certainly in most respects has been on the liberal side of the 8th Floor since he arrived at the Commission. However, the Pew Research Center study on attitudes toward broadcast indecency show a clear pattern among the American public. Stemming indecent broadcasts is much more a concern of conservatives and Republicans - - Democrats and liberals are more concerned with keeping the government out of content regulation, although Pew finds a wide gap between Dems who say they are moderate or conservative and those who claim to be liberal - - the Mods are closer to the Republicans than to the left wing of their own party. However, individuals identifying themselves as independents tend to agree with the liberals. | View the Pew chart here |
 Come together faux pas at NAB
With indecency fines likely to rise to a half-million a pop, how easy is it for a broadcaster to accidentally put something risqué on the air without even noticing? Pretty easy, if the NAB2005 Convention is an example. As he welcomed attendees to a "Broadcaster Town Meeting" on indecency, moderator Jeff Greenfield from CNN chuckled at the title of the session, which began with the words "Come Together, Right Now!" - - presumably chosen by someone who didn't realize that the Beatles tune referred to group orgasm. Oops! As co-chair of the NAB's task force on responsible programming, LIN Television CEO Gary Chapman said the group's report, due out this summer, won't be a list of dos and don't, like the old radio and TV codes. "The only way we can succeed is to have a tent big enough for all broadcasters," he said. Later in the week, NAB President & CEO Eddie Fritts said the goal of the task force is to develop a matrix of "best practices."
TVBR observation: If you've been looking for the task force to come up with a magic potion to make the FCC adopt a coherent and consistent indecency policy, you're going to be disappointed. Policies vary widely among broadcasters on what should and should not air on their stations - - and each can only guess at what the FCC's indecency standard is on any given day. The report coming out this summer will at least show that broadcasters have given the issues a lot more thought than any of the politicians inside the beltway who regularly pontificate on indecency.
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Adbiz©
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 GM uses podcasts to steer car buyers to new Chevy HHR
The Detroit News reports GM is using advertising via podcasts to promote its upcoming 2006 Chevrolet HHR retro wagon/SUV crossover. GM started posting audio files of interviews on its executives' blog, gmblogs.com in February and started the HHR podcast campaign last week. The car itself will feature an audio in jack to allow iPods and other MP3 players to be hooked up directly to the car's stereo. The HHR podcast is a 10-minute interview of HHR product manager Mike Danowski, who discusses everything from exterior colors to what the name means ("heritage high roof"). Danowski also promotes an HHR feature that iPod owners will particularly appreciate -- an audio-in jack on the vehicle's stereo so external music sources can easily be plugged in.
Marketing shift at Coke
Coca-Cola North America has but marketing for all of its Coke brands, both regular and diet, under Katie Bayne, who previously had been in charge of integrated marketing. Her new combined unit is called Coca-Cola Trademark, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gone is Randy Ransom, who had been in charge of the non-diet Coke brands. Dan Dillon, who had been overseeing the diet brands, is now heading the new Portfolio Strategies Group, which will work on such things as Hispanic marketing, packaging, health and wellness issues and revenue management. Not moving in the management shakeup is Alison Lewis, who will continue to handle marketing for the Sprite and flavors unit, although she'll now pick up the diet brands associated with her non-diet brands.
 Army cancels review
The US Army has canceled its long-running review that included six agencies. The Army had originally intended to announce a review winner last December, but decided to delay the award for six months. Last week, the Army today told agencies, "at this time, Government anticipates re-soliciting for the 'U.S. Army Recruiting and Advertising' program." The Army will reportedly start the process again and re-bid it. The jilted agencies included the incumbent, Leo Burnett USA, McCann Erickson Worldwide; Y&R, Ogilvy & Mather, Grey Worldwide and BBDO Worldwide.
Account Action:
A run-down of this weeks' reviews and moves
* The Brand Atlanta Campaign selected Grey Worldwide Atlanta after a review to develop a brand identity and advertising campaign that will promote Atlanta as a business, tourism, and lifestyle destination.
* Connelly Partners has been chosen as AOR by US Mills after a review. The first assignment will be to re-launch Uncle Sam cereal.
* Giant Ideas won a branding and client acquisition project for Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Western PA, and its owner, Advantage Credit Counseling Service.
* VML, (a WPP company) has been named AOR for Mountain Valley Spring Water.
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| Washington Beat |
 MMTC weighs in on multicast must-carry
The Minority Media & Telecommunications Council has what it calls a "modest" proposal for mandated must-carry. MMTC's David Honig starts out by stating that "Nowhere is it written that a 'channel' must be an indivisible whole, a single stream of 24 hours on the air." He suggests that for the purpose of definition, a "primary video stream" be deemed any 12-hour block of programming with significant local content. That would constitute the floor of must-carry - - a minimum that mandates carriage for double-licensed channels operating on a time-share basis. Up to 96 hours, or eight 12-hour blocks, would be eligible for must-carry - - the equivalent of four 24-hour streams, as long as they meet the local content requirements. Further, he notes that since one of the perpetual goals of FCC regulation is to promote localism and diversity, that must-carry status be conferred on low power and Class A television stations - - stations which, he points out, are usually local by definition. He notes that there are over 900 such stations, many of which are minority-owned and/or serve minority segments of the population. Leaving them out, Honig argues, actually threatens their very survival, a result which achieves the opposite of the Commission's stated goals.
AK, HI, this plank's for you
It looks like another relatively quiet month for broadcasters insofar as the FCC's monthly open meeting is concerned. Two of the four planned topics for the Thursday 4/28/05 session are on SHVERA, which is important, but its not indecency, and its not the DTV transition. One of the sessions will concern an NPR on broadcast carriage requirements in the noncontiguous states, better known as Alaska and Hawaii, and the other will establish a notice of inquiry into standards by which viewers in areas without DTV are allowed to receive network programming via satellite.
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| Programming |
 Can anybody make money on football?
ABC affiliates may be worried about their Monday night ratings after long-running "Monday Night Football" moves to ESPN, but they aren't going to miss having to help pay for the costly games. Since Fox and its affiliates made a bold move in 1993 to take one of the NFL contracts away from the then-big three nets and establish itself in TV's big leagues, the industry standard has become networks and their affiliates sharing the ever-increasing costs of winning pro football play-by-play contracts. Fox's move 12 years ago left CBS as the odd network out, a position which has subsequently shifted a couple of times. What's unique this time is that ABC and its affiliates chose to become the network without an NFL contract, although Disney stable mate ESPN ended up with "Monday Night Football" (MNF) for a whopping 1.125 billion a year for eight years.
TVBR observation: MNF had already been a money loser for ABC, although it was a solid ratings generator. The reality, though, was that grabbing those eyeballs on Monday night didn't help the rest of the ABC schedule. After a few years of dismal performance, ABC is on the rebound - - no thanks to MNF, but due to new hit shows on other nights: "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost." With NBC regaining an NFL contract - - "Sunday Night Football" for 600 million a year over six years - - CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and DirecTV are now paying over 3.7 billion a year for NFL broadcast rights, a staggering sum that dwarfs all other sports right payments. To be sure, the NFL is must-have programming for ESPN and DirecTV, although it may produce little or no direct profit for ESPN at the new rate. And if ABC shows that it can continue its ratings rebound without the NFL, we have to wonder whether CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates will be willing to pony up for a loss leader the next time their contracts come up and the NFL owners push for yet another big increase.
 LIN signs Comcast for Puerto Rican channel
LIN Television has struck a deal to greatly expand mainland US distribution of its Puerto Rican programming channel, WAPA-America. The new multi-year agreement with Comcast, the nation's largest cable MSO, will enable WAPA-America to pursue distribution with local Comcast systems across the US. LIN launched its cable network into the US Hispanic media marketplace last August (8/24/04 TVBR #165), based on programming from its owned and operated WAPA-TV San Juan. CEO Gary Chapman recently listed WAPA-America as one of the new initiatives which will drive revenue gains for LIN this year (2/10/05 TVBR #29).
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| TVBR Ratings |
KingWorld entries move up
Both "CSI" and "Dr. Phil" moved up in Nielsen's syndicated TV ratings for the most recent week. Now, only Jerry Seinfeld stands in the way of KingWorld having the top six shows in syndication.
Here are the top 10 syndicated shows for the week of 4/4-10:
1. "Wheel of Fortune," KingWorld, 8.3 rating.
2. "Jeopardy," KingWorld, 7.1.
3. "Oprah Winfrey Show," KingWorld, 6.4.
4. "Everybody Loves Raymond," KingWorld, 5.9.
5. "Seinfeld," Sony Pictures, 5.5.
(tie) "Seinfeld" Weekend, Sony Pictures, 5.7.
7. "CSI," KingWorld, 5.2.
8. "Dr. Phil Show," KingWorld, 5.1.
9. "Friends," Warner Bros., 4.9.
10. "Judge Judy," Paramount, 4.7.
(tie) "Entertainment Tonight," Paramount, 4.7.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 3/14/05-3/18/05
50M isn't bad for a week in which there were only 11 deals involving stations mostly outside of Arbitron/Eastlan territory and with another hiatus from the TV side. Two multi-station deals provided most of that total - - Maverick's Illinois foray noted below and Cincinnati Classical Public Radio's 15M FM duop/repeater deal.
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Total
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Total Deals
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11
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AMs
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8
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FMs
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16
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TVs
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0
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| Value |
50.3M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
IL deal has everything but James Garner
| More... |
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TV Transactions of the Week
Another week off for the TV gang |
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| Stock Talk |
Stocks give back a bit
After Thursday's big run-up, stock prices retreated a bit on Friday as rising oil prices and rumors about a North Korean nuclear test gave investors cause for worry. Still, prices were higher on Wall Street for the week. On Friday, the Dow Industrials fell 61 points, or 0.6%, to close at 10,158.
TV stocks followed suit. As usual, the penny stocks were the big movers - - and they moved down. Paxson plunged 9.7% (but was still above a buck) and Granite fell 6.7%. Other big movers - - also all down - - were Sinclair, off 5.3%, Saga, down 3.6%, and Belo, which fell 3.5% a day after reporting its quarterly earnings.
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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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4.20
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-0.07
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McGraw-Hill
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MHP
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82.48
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-0.84
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Belo
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BLC
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22.53
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-0.81
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Media General
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MEG
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61.20
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-1.77
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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32.53
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-0.30
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Meredith
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MDP
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44.98
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-0.63
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Disney
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DIS
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27.30
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-0.37
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News Corp.
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NWS
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16.58 |
-0.29
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Emmis
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EMMS
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16.45
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-0.28
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Nexstar
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NXST
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5.87
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-0.02
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Entravision
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EVC
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7.95
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+0.11
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NY Times
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NYT
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32.72
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-0.41
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Fisher
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FSCI
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48.58
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-1.39
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Paxson
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PAX
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1.02
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-0.11
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Gannett
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GCI
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75.71
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-1.34
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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14.60
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-0.55
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Gen. Electric
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GE
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36.10
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-0.02
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Scripps
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SSP
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50.47
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-0.63
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Granite
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GBTVK
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0.28
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-0.02
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Sinclair
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SBGI
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7.52
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-0.42
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Gray
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GTN
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13.10
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-0.19
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Time Warner
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TWX
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17.36
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-0.17
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Gray, C1. A
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GTNa
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12.25
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-0.24
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Tribune
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TRB
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37.26
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-0.88
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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24.73
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-0.37
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Univision
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UVN
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25.99
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-0.21
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
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48.07
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+0.25
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Viacom, Cl. A
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VIA
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35.31
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-0.48
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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16.30
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-0.18
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Viacom, Cl. B
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VIAb
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35.10
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-0.53
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Liberty Corp
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LC
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37.64
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-0.85
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Wash. Post
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WPO
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844.00
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-12.75
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LIN TV
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TVL
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16.02
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-0.26
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Young
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YBTVA
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7.57
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+0.03 |
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__UNSUB__ to this email service.
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments to tvnews@rbr.com
More readers commented on our story questioning a double standard in CC Radio's "Responsible Broadcasting Initiative" re: Rush Limbaugh. More to come tomorrow, as well. (4/21 TVBR #79).
You want comments on the Rush / CC issue? Here's one: To repackage one of your headlines - - sounds like RBR is a little indecisive on indecency, too. First you say the companies are being too harsh and the government shouldn't be deciding what we see and hear, then you say Stern and Bubba were treated unfairly and Rush got away with it...
Dan DeBruler, Fayetteville, NC
[Editor's note: We still believe indecency enforcement should be light-handed, with the margin of error on the side of the First Amendment. However, what's good for Howard Stern should be good for Rush Limbaugh. If they are going to enforce indecency regulations, they should enforce them consistently. Not that we think such a thing is possible.]
It's a little deeper than THAT...
Seeing the reactions to the Limbaugh story in this column underscore just how naive the average American is about who really runs things in this country. Do you really think there's any difference between the money behind Liberal causes ad Conservative causes? Yes, Limbaugh should be held to the same standard as everyone else, and the jury's still out. It only just happened a couple of weeks ago. Martha Stewart was railroaded; the Federal government shouldn't be allowed to intrude in people's personal financial affairs to the extent that they do...they had no right under the Constitution to ask what the asked of her in the first place, so who was really breaking the law? War is peace, good is bad, as George Orwell once said. Pointing fingers of blame at Democrats or Republicans just shows that you've been duped by those who have the real power...the money people behind both parties who buy off the government, and who finance our largest corporations. And, hmmm, since 1996, who has controlled our media as well? Can you say "Telecom"? The independent voices of media are being bought off one by one and replaced with mouthpieces of the rich who are beholden only to "shareholder value". Until we as Americans figure out a way to take back our political system (and our airwaves) from these power hungry people, we deserve what we get.
Cary Pall
Gahanna, Ohio
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Upped & Tapped
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Ron Furman named MTV ad sales chief
Univision Television Network EVP/Sales and Marketing Ron Furmanhas been named SVP/Ad sales for MTV, MTV2, mtvU and MTV.com, overseeing ad sales for all MTV brands across all platforms. He reports to Hank Close, EVP/Ad sales, MTV Networks Music and Comedy Group.
Pappas ups
four engineers
Pappas Telecasting announced the promotion of several of the company's veteran engineers. Receiving new assignments immediately are the following:
* Richard Graham, from Chief Engineer of KPTM-TV, KXVO-TV, and KAZO-LP in Omaha, Nebraska, to Corporate Safety Director of Pappas Telecasting Companies
* Dan Sommers, from Chief Engineer of KPWB-TV in Des Moines, Iowa, to Chief Engineer of KPTM-TV, KXVO-TV, and KAZO-LP
* Gina Dierks, from Chief Engineer of KPTH-TV in Sioux City, Iowa, to Midwest Transmitter Engineer of Pappas Telecasting Companies
* Marc Roost, from Transmitter Supervisor of KPTH-TV to Chief Engineer of KPTH
Each will report directly to Dale Scherbring, VP/Director of Engineering of Pappas Telecasting Companies.
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Radio & Television
Business Report
The First Real Monthly
Business Media Magazine
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Upfront looms on
the horizon
Advertising space in May is
Sold Out. Reserve your Marketing space for the June issue...
'05 Clock is Ticking -
Heading for Closure
Reserve your Ad Marketing
Space today Advertising space
is limited, contact:
June Barnes jbarnes@rbr.com
Jim Carnegie jcarnegie@rbr.com
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TVBR Radar 2005
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Television News you won't read any where else. TVBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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D&T to networks: "Change or Die"
Says that the clock is ticking on the battered business model long used by the big television networks. It said that "...the model of a few dominant network channels - - funded by advertising - - has long been disappearing and may soon be gone for good. Predicts the nets will: "Offer content and programming across a variety of media channels and formats; re-package and market content - - not just as products but also services; and significantly extend the content's lifespan, by offering more digital content that can be quickly and easily packaged, and sold or rented across a wide range of media. It is also expecting big things from on-demand content, interactive content and event tie-ins.
TVBR observation: Hold the phone, Chicken Little reporting, we just learned something new that network television as we know it is doomed. Not totally but the process of operating them will have to improve as well as the content with presentation because now TV operators it is your turn in the churn of clutter beat up. 04/22/05 TVBR #80
News Corp made us do it
After a year of denial and "so what?" statements, now the Glover Park web site openly admits and even promotes how it was approached by Fox parent News Corp, and how it initiated a campaign of dirty tricks against Nielsen. The website says it all - an extraordinary admission and something you have to see to believe so read for yourself then email it to Sen. Burns. 04/22/05 TVBR #80
A vulture's-eye view of Coxquehanna
If RBR speculation is correct and Cox Radio successfully goes after Pfaltzgraff/Susquehanna's communications assets, it will add a good bit of beachfront property to the CXR portfolio. But it would not be a seamless acquisition - - there is overlap in three markets, and in at least one of them, the overlap is significant. TVBR observation: We doubt they'll have to toss the San Francisco or the Houston radio stations with the bouquet in the event of a Susquehanna/Cox wedding. So, in the final analysis, we'd guess that only the two Atlanta FMs will be subject to a forced sale. 04/22/05 TVBR #80
So where is CC Radio's "Zero Tolerance" policy on Limbaugh?
We all heard it in front of the Senate Commerce Committee, as CC Radio CEO John Hogan stated that any talent on his 1,200 stations that uttered another indecency will be terminated or pulled from the air permanently. All part of the company's "Responsible Broadcasting Initiative." Howard Stern was pulled, Bubba The Love Sponge was fired at 98 Rock in Tampa, along with "The Regula! r Guys" (Larry Wachs and Eric Von Haessler) on WKLS-FM Atlanta. In fact, CC Radio made talent sign pledges to the effect they understand they'll be fired if they utter an indecent phrase or perform an indecent act on-air. We gave it a week Rush Limbaugh uttered the words "blow job" a few times on his 4/12 show . And you guessed it-not a word from Clear Channel-no suspension, no pulling from stations, no nothing. Guess there's a double standard emanating from San Antonio. The rules apply when they're convenient, but not when they could do some real harm to the bottom line. 04/21/05 TVBR #79
Fritts looks into his crystal ball
Expecting multicast to be part of a broader DTV bill that will come out of Congress in the next six months. He also expects Congress to pass new broadcast indecency legislation, regardless of the guidelines developed by the NAB task force on responsible programming.
04/21/05 TVBR #79
Susquehanna Media
officially on the Block
Pfaltzgraff Co. Chairman Louis J.Appell, Jr. made it official - The For Sale sign is posted. Being private and family owned played a part in the Appell's decision. RBR/TVBR suspected and analyzed the sell-off is being driven by the estate settlement needs of the founding family. The company has retained UBS Investment Bank to manage the sale of 33 radio stations, cable television systems in six states, an Internet service provider and an e-business provider. TVBR observation: Guess what - we were correct in our analysis of why and will stick with our original observation of Public stock, radio group, cable MSO - - can you name one company that fits the bill? Yep, that makes Cox Enterprises the most likely buyer. 04/21/05 TVBR #79
Viacom split may get May OK
A board of directors vote to consider the rending of Viacom into two companies may come as early as 5/3/05, and if not then, during another meeting later in the same month. If approved, the split would then be put on track for completion in early 2006. One would be based around MTV, other cable properties and new ventures, and would aim for rapid growth. The other, based on mature Viacom businesses such as TV networks, broadcast stations, outdoor and other assets, would be a stable, steady earner appealing to long-term investors.
04/21/05 TVBR #79
State Broadcaster Association News
RBR & TVBR kicks off a joint effort with many that are on the front line working and informing of the issues facing radio and television broadcasters at the state and local level. Oregon, Bill Johnstone "Our legislature is in session, and the Legislators really don't want to be bothered with facing the issue of balancing budget." - Washington Mark Allen, "After defeating bills in several recent legislative sessions." - Maine Suzanne Goucher "We're in the late stages of a fiscal crisis that's been going on for several years now." 04/19/05 TVBR #78
Broadcasters grapple with indecency
LIN Television CEO Gary Chapman "Our objective is to have self-regulation." But even so, no one is predicting that NAB Task Force guidelines on responsible broadcasting, expected to be published this summer, will derail efforts on Capitol Hill to increase indecency fines and perhaps threaten the licenses of repeat offenders.
TVBR observation: The guidelines due out this summer will be interesting to see, but neither that nor approval of higher fines by Congress will help with the basic problem - - the FCC has been all over the board on what is and is not indecent broadcasting. 04/19/05 TVBR #78
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