http://www.mediapost.com/publications/ Full frontal television from esteemed couch pundit Wayne Friedman. en-us Copyright 2009 MediaPost Communications http://www.mediapost.com/rss Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:12:21 EST NBC Universal President/CEO Jeff Zucker expects a Comcast-NBC Universal-General Electric deal by Thanksgiving. That's the day someone usually delivers a turkey. But NBC's local affiliates are also part of the deal. This will mean Comcast will now have a closer association with TV stations, and not just in business partnerships like retransmission deals. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117810Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:15:48 ESTIf Comcast is really serious about avoiding future derogatory adjectives -- like "dumber" pipe -- it should take a page out of a business it has long been associated with: Build NBC up as a cable network. Forget about all the digital/online distribution of content for the moment -- and even the issue about whether Jeff Zucker should hang around after the deal is completed. Holding onto the NBC network and giving it a new financial model is the real key. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117687Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:15:19 ESTFractionalized TV -- some may call it polarizing TV -- makes sense for everyone. Some say the aim of the Obama administration is to transform those in the minority (in this case those who voted for McCain, the losing Republican candidate) into a fringe-like group. If some seem like they are on the periphery, that's good for the White House. For Fox, it's also a benefit. "Fringe" status also means more engaged viewers. That means they'll have higher recall when it comes to advertisers' ads. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117598Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:30:58 ESTYou may believe that poor people are the thinnest people around, especially when little money equals less food. For the really indigent -- especially in non-developed countries -- this can still be the case. But for those richer countries (especially the U.S.), the modern developed world yields heavier humans. That's what 21h century food manufacturing can do for you: fast-food is cash-easy. The downside is always about health -- especially among our younger citizens. In this regard, a couple of Congressional representatives want to start up more legislation to curtail food marketing to kids on TV shows. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117512Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:10 ESTThe parents of "balloon boy" have pleaded guilty to a massive hoax costing Colorado-area state and federal officials some $70,000 -- and huge embarrassment for all. There could be fines and jail time -- but it won't end there. Now we know that Richard Heene, who led his family into a couple of appearances in "Wife Swap" and was the mastermind behind the hoax featuring his son and a balloon, is looking for an "employment opportunity" in New York or California. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117438Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:47:34 ESTMany stand-up comedians have a "blue" act -- profane-laced bits, targeted for adult humor -- to go along with their clean TV acts. Now comes the popular "Shit My Dad Says" Twitter page - in which the title, as well as virtually all posts, contain hefty amounts of profanity. CBS is looking to make a TV show from this blue Internet content. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117373Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:45:11 ESTThe Internet is too "open" for its own good sometimes. Now some video content providers want to give users the option of skipping TV-like commercial messages. Actually, that's one big video content provider: YouTube. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117286Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:45:35 ESTTime Warner's Jeff Bewkes can feel pretty good about not buying a big broadcast network like NBC. But there's more to this big broadcast TV story. "The broadcast networks have fewer people watching, for shorter times of day, lower and declining ratings... So therefore their business model is becoming increasingly not viable," he says. "If you look at broadcast networks, which are the only ones in TV that have 'free' aspect, if they don't get some form of carriage fee, they may not survive." http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117103Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:15:56 ESTAn expanding array of media and entertainment choices should mean lower prices for consumers, though some TV networks and cable operators might have you think otherwise. But if you are the DVD market, the laws of supply and demand still workhttp://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117151Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:30:58 ESTOprah Winfrey leaving her roots among TV stations could be the last move in a quick triple play gone wrong for the industry. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116930Wayne Friedman <wayne@mediapost.com>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:26 EST