• When TV Shows Attack Each Other -- And Get Better Ratings
    It's a TV programming trend that begs development: When TV shows attack TV shows. Comedy Central's Jon Stewart and CNBC's Jim Cramer proved once again there's no bad press in TV land -- only big opportunities for TV program promotion.
  • Younger TV Networks On The Move
    Television's two best-known younger-targeted networks are looking to shake things up. The top-rated broadcast network, Fox, has jettisoned a top-level entertainment executive, Peter Liguori -- despite continued ratings success. Meanwhile, ratings-challenged MTV is now considering doing more scripted comedies -- a seemingly forgotten TV genre of late -- looking for new programming/marketing spin.It's just like some TV networks to zig when we all thought they were going to zag.
  • Stimulate My TV Business
    Stimulus package for the TV industry: In the last few days, how many times have you heard that phrase -- with a squint around your eyes? Think about all the layoffs NBC Universal, Viacom, Walt Disney and others have made. Think about all the local TV stations that might go out of business.
  • Branded TV In Europe: Going In Different Directions
    In Europe, branded entertainment is considered both a good and bad thing. On the same day that the Italian government agreed to allow product placement on local TV shows, the British government gave a thumbs-down to branded integrations for its commercial TV network, ITV.
  • Mobile TV: Consumers Shaking Heads Over Monthly Fees
    The eternal optimism of execs in the mobile TV category continues -- even when consumers are drawing a different picture. Mobile carriers have been making their retail consumer plans simpler for some time. Now comes a moment when this activity should be carrying over to that promising new area of mobile TV. But paying $10, $14, or $20 a month for the likes of a MediaFlo or MobiTV won't cut it in the near term -- not with this economy still in the claws of a recession.
  • Should DVR Playback Be Viewed As Less-Urgent TV?
    Two of the lowest-rated TV networks -- NBC and CW -- have the highest levels of DVR playback. What does that tell you? That people like these networks, but don't necessarily rush to view their programs? To me, DVR playback is like putting a magazine on the seat next to where you are sitting, thinking "I'll get to this later."
  • ROI TV Currency? Too Many Variables For One Legal Tender
    One TV currency size mostly fits all -- right now, anyway. That's what C3 ratings have brought us for the last couple of years. Page Thompson, CEO of Omnicom Media Group North America, says it's time to shake things up again and move to what media agencies and their advertisers have long been asking for: a true return on investment TV currency.
  • Higher Prices, Less Inventory: Surprises At The Upfront?
    With the recession in full swing, the early 2009-2010 upfront betting line will see total dollar volume down 4% to 6% from previous levels of $9 billion or so, some executives say. And with broadcast ratings probably down 13% for the year, pricing will go in a head-shaking direction: "Up," says one daring, look-me-in-the-eye media executive. Excuse me. But aren't we in a recession?
  • Will TV's Valuable After-Markets Turn Into Afterthoughts?
    Keepers of the TV and media math are running into hard-to-solve financial equations: What happens when a broadcast TV show costs $3 million to $3.5 million an episode to produce -- but the studio only get $1.3 million to $1.8 million episode in a license fee from the network?
  • TV Sets Running Scared From Irate Viewers
    Hard times and some hard drinking can do a television set no good. A couple of weeks ago, one Missouri man got a little frustrated over losing his cable signal, and being unable to get his new digital TV converter box to work, according to KARE-TV Minneapolis - St. Paul. So he shot his TV.
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