• Upfront: CBS Goes 'Mentalist,' Spins Off 'NCIS' by Wayne Friedman

    With CBS crowing that it is the only network to be up in all demographics this current season, the network didn't need to tinker much with next season's schedule. It is energizing Thursdays with "The Mentalist." ...Read the whole story

  • Nielsen Back-Pedals On Validation Study, Now Calls 8% Under-Reporting 'Relative,' Not 'Absolute' by Joe Mandese

    In an apparent effort to appease client anxiety sparked by controversial research it released last month showing flaws in its national people meter ratings system currently underestimate television viewing by about 8%, Nielsen Wednesday issued a revised interpretation saying that actually is not the case, even though two senior Nielsen executives went out of their way to highlight the "underreporting" in an interview with MediaDailyNews. In fact, they said the finding was consistent with a series of "validation" studies Nielsen has been conducting periodically ever since it introduced the people meter ratings system in 1987. ...Read the whole story

  • Nielsen: TV Viewership Rises, Medium Still Dominant by Wayne Friedman

    Television viewing numbers continue to rise -- albeit slowly -- gaining over 1% in new viewers and 2% in overall usage in the first quarter of this year. ...Read the whole story

  • Turner Upfront: TNT Pitches 'Wedding Day,' TBS Talks Lopez by David Goetzl

    Turner ad exec David Levy says advertisers are paying too much for too little on broadcast, insisting that cable offers a better return. Turner also announced that TNT would offer three nights with original dramas this summer, along with a new reality show from Mark Burnett: "Wedding Day." ...Read the whole story

  • Sound Enterprise: Cox Radio Goes Private by Erik Sass

    Cox Media Group has completed a transaction to take Cox Radio private, making it one of the few sizable deals to go forward in the radio industry this year. The buyout should relieve Cox of pressure from shareholders seeking immediate, short-term gains, allowing it to pursue more long-term growth strategies. ...Read the whole story

  • AP Offers Buyouts To 363 Staffers by Erik Sass

    During the last few weeks, the Associated Press has been offering buyouts to up to 363 longtime employees, according to the News Media Guild, which represents many AP workers. The buyout offers are the latest in a series of cutbacks at the news service, squeezed by the sharp decline in the fortunes of newspapers, its main customers. ...Read the whole story

  • 'Glee' Gets Mixed Results, 'Idol' Has Feet Of Clay by Wayne Friedman

    Competing network executives might seem somewhat glee-ful. Fox's musical/drama preview of "Glee," following the "American Idol" finale, hit a high note in its first half-hour, but dropped in its second. ...Read the whole story

  • advice Upfront Critique: Turner by Don Seaman

    Turner joined the melee of Upfront Week Wednesday morning with a message of we're funny, we're heavy, and we're real. TBS ("Very Funny"), TNT ("We ... ...More

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