Bewkes is heir apparent at Time Warner
As Time Warner battles Carl Icahn and teams AOL with Google, Jeff Bewkes has been promoted to President & CEO, making him the likely heir to CEO Dick Parsons. Meanwhile, Don Logan is retiring the end of this month as Chairman of TW's Media & Communications Group. Bewkes had been Chairman of TW's Entertainment & Networks Group since 2002, overseeing the company film studios, cable networks and the WB Television Network. "Since I asked Don and Jeff to help me run the company in the summer of 2002, we have overcome a long list of challenges and put this company back on track. We've worked hard to make Time Warner the best managed and most valuable portfolio of world-class media and entertainment assets by: strengthening our balance sheet, meeting our financial objectives, investing in our businesses, streamlining our structure, making smart strategic acquisitions, launching new products, capitalizing on the adjacencies among our businesses, returning value more directly to our stockholders and putting nearly all of our legal and regulatory issues behind us. By running our businesses better than ever, we continued to build sustainable long-term value, gained tremendous financial flexibility and positioned ourselves to take full advantage of the digital world's emerging opportunities. Now, after having accomplished all that together, we're smoothly transitioning our senior management team with Don's well-earned retirement and Jeff's well-deserved promotion," said Parsons as he explained the company's reconfiguration at the top. The executive announcement came as TW confirmed that it had a deal to sell a 5% stake in AOL to Google for one billion bucks. That move is opposed by dissident shareholder Carl Icahn, who is trying to force management to break up the company and sell assets.
Martin Levy dead at 85
Long-time FCC official Martin Levy has died of a heart attack at age 85, according to the Washington Post. In his 40 years plus at the FCC, Levy rose to be Deputy Chief of the Broadcast Bureau, retiring in 1979. He then went into law practice with Cohn & Marks, before retiring completely in 1988.
Letterman fighting court order
Proving that you can get a court order for about anything if you try, attorneys for David Letterman are now asking a judge in Santa Fe, NM to rescind a restraining order against the TV host. The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper reports that judge Daniel Sanchez granted the order sought by Colleen Nestler to make Letterman stay at least three yards away from her and not "think of me, and release me from his mental harassment and hammering." Nestler claims that Letterman used code words on his CBS show to indicate that he wanted to marry her and train her as his co-host. Letterman's lawyers say the order is "obviously absurd and frivolous."
RBR observation: Couldn't she just watch Leno instead?
Pirate station returns in San Diego
Free Radio 96.9, the San Diego-area pirate station that was shut down by the FCC in July, is back on the air with a signal that sounds stronger than the last one, says KNSD-TV. The station broadcasts from a small, rented shack in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego. The operators have returned to the same location even after federal marshals raided the building and tore down the antenna last summer. The new antenna appears to be taller than the first, KNSD reported.
"They can send as many goombas out as they want," a 96.9 deejay told the station. "But, free speech is what we are all about, so we'll set up again."
Devoted Free Radio fans said the anti-corporate message is refreshing.
"I don't know what the latest statistics are, what, that six companies own the media?" asked Free Radio listener Justin Bergmann. "I mean, it's ridiculous."
"I don't think it's so much a violation of the law as it is making a statement about our values and the values of the media," said Free Radio listener Eneri Rodriguez. "It's a decision they've made and it's empowering."
"To my knowledge, I'm not doing anything illegal by renting to them," said South Park resident Dan Salter. "Do I go check their license and make sure they have one? No, it's not my job."
Free Radio plays eclectic music ranging from gospel on Sundays to heavy metal, classical, Indie and local, KNSD reported. The station also features regular air talent who host their own shows.
Good Morning - Gain a personal edge on today's business day. Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
