• Original 'Voice' Judges Return by David Goetzl

    The original quartet of coaches for "The Voice" will return for the fifth season this fall. Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will be back as the show continues to draw strong ratings and serve as a cornerstone for NBC. ...Read the whole story

  • Van Wagner Partners With CineSport For Online Video by Erik Sass

    Van Wagner Communications' Sports and Entertainment division is joining forces with CineSport, partly owned by Van Wagner, to create and distribute original sports video content. Over 100 digital publishers lined up for the syndicated service, including newspaper Web sites from the New York Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ...Read the whole story

  • 'Idol' Falls, 'Bang' Leads Thursdays by Wayne Friedman

    TV broadcast networks environment is definitely shifting -- as evidence of last major night of the broadcast season, Thursday, where number of high profile season and series finales aired. Fox's "American Idol" final episode of the season expectedly took a steep dive -- down 44% to a Nielsen preliminary 3.6 rating/11 share. ...Read the whole story

  • Sapient Revs Up 12%, Optimistic About 2013 by Steve McClellan

    Marketing services company Sapient reported first-quarter revenues of $292.6 million, up 12% from the same period a year ago, with net income of $6.6 million, down 26%. ...Read the whole story

  • KSE Finalizes Outdoor Channel Buy by David Goetzl

    An entity controlled by sports entrepreneur Stan Kroenke has finalized its acquisition of the Outdoor Channel after a lengthy bidding war. The group also owns 50% of the World Fishing Network, offering some potential synergies. ...Read the whole story

  • 'Tonight' Still King Of Late-Night TV by Wayne Friedman

    While NBC proceeds to sets up its late-night changes for next year, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" continues to grab steady top results -- just ahead of the competition. ...Read the whole story

  • Choosing Sides: VivaKi Backs comScore; ABC Throws In With Nielsen by Joe Mandese

    In a battle to control the future of the ad industry's currency, Nielsen and comScore each added to their sides this week, with comScore tilting more in Madison Avenue's favor -- at least a big chunk of it. On Thursday, one of its biggest buyers of media, Publicis' VivaKi, threw its hand in with comScore, giving it a multibillion-dollar vote of media-buying confidence. On Nielsen's balance sheet, it got deeper into bed with ABC, which announced a deal to back the development of a new service that would extend Nielsen's dominance into the mobile video ad business. ...Read the whole story

  • U.S. Open Going Cable-Only, Moves To ESPN by David Goetzl

    After decades on the network that saw stars from Ashe to Navratilova to Federer win, the U.S. Open is leaving CBS. As part of an 11-year deal effective in 2015, ESPN will become the exclusive TV outlet for the tournament. ...Read the whole story

  • USA Looks To Make Comedy King In The New Season by Steve McClellan

    While USA has been the top-rated cable network for seven straight years, "we're not standing still," says Linda Yaccarino, NBCU president of ad sales. "We're looking for new ways to engage audiences." A major development this year is the network's focus on building comedy shows, anchored by the acquisition of syndication rights to the ABC hit sitcom "Modern Family," which will air this fall. And USA has picked up its first two original comedies," Sirens" and "Playing House," which it intends to create a multi-show comedy franchise with. ...Read the whole story

  • Comedy Central Goes Dark To Simulcast New Radio Channel by David Goetzl

    For the first time since its tribute to Johnny Carson 20 years ago, Comedy Central will go dark Sunday, although not quiet. The network will simulcast its new SiriusXM channel on-air at midnight. Virgin Mobile and Monster DNA, the headphone marketer, will sponsor the initial minute of "Comedy Central Radio on Comedy Central." ...Read the whole story

  • MGM Doubles Revs, 'Hobbit' Helps by Wayne Friedman

    A big positive swing for MGM Holdings was seen in its first-quarter earning results, thanks to James Bond and Bilbo Baggins. Revenues more than doubled to $481.7 million from $179.5 million due to theatrical and home entertainment business from "Skyfall" and "The Hobbit." Net income also doubled -- to $57.4 million from $23.3 million a year earlier. ...Read the whole story

  • Activists Crowdsource Tribune Bid To Prevent Koch, Murdoch Buy by Erik Sass

    The Tribune Co. auction took an interesting turn with a liberal activist group's initiative to crowdsource a bid for the newspaper publisher in order to keep it out of the hands of people it describes as untrustworthy plutocrats. The Other 98% has launched a crowdsourced fundraising effort on Indiegogo.com, which aims to raise $660 million to buy Tribune and convert it into a publicly owned nonprofit organization. ...Read the whole story

  • Mag Bag: Atlantic To Launch 'Defense One,' 'National Journal' Redesigns Hotline Site by Erik Sass

    The pace of new product launches and re-launches at Atlantic Media is verging on frenetic. Atlantic will launch Defense One, a new media brand serving the defense and national security community, while Atlantic property 'National Journal' revealed a redesigned Hotline.com. ...Read the whole story

  • CW's Strategy: Year-Round Originals, Digital Reach by Steve McClellan

    CW President Mark Pedowitz outlined the TV network's strategy for the coming season. The strategy boils down to a few components, Pedowitz said, including more year-round original programming. Taking a cue from popular young adult fiction, the network will continue to utilize as much "high concept" programming with as much broad appeal as possible. ...Read the whole story

  • USA Network Embraces Multiplatform, 2-Screen Engagement by Gavin O'Malley

    Showing just how far Web streaming and mobile technology have evolved, USA Network has declared itself officially platform-agnostic. Each digital touchpoint will now offer TV Everywhere, "gamification," and real-time social TV -- all in an effort to improve viewer experiences and expand the reach of brand partners. ...Read the whole story

  • Ethnic Viewers Vary On TV, Music Usage by Wayne Friedman

    When it comes to buying entertainment for ethnic viewers, there is no-one-size-fits-all concept. Still, Nielsen's U.S. Consumer Entertainment Report notes that Asian-Americans are big buyers when it comes to specific movie and TV content. ...Read the whole story

  • CW Adds 5 Dramas To Fall Schedule, New Clear Channel Deal by Steve McClellan

    The CW is adding five new dramas to its 2013-14 prime-time schedule, before presenting the new season shows to advertisers at its upfront. Scare-themed Tuesdays will lead off with a new show, "The Originals," about a family of vampires, followed by the returning "Supernatural." ...Read the whole story

Cross-Eyed On Social Media by George Simpson

Am I alone in thinking social media is more interruptive than additive to the entertainment experience? ...More

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