McDowell: The Color Green By Broadcasting & Cable FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell told a RainbowPUSH audience in Washington Friday that the key to minority ownership is, well, ownership. Addressing the group's Media & Telecommunications Symposium, McDowell said that he wanted to foster minority ownership that can be legally sustained--like a minority tax certificate program--and that will "first do no harm," but he als..... ...Read More »

Starz Rises During NASDAQ Debut By Multichannel News Liberty Starz, the publicly traded entity that includes Starz Entertainment and other former Liberty Media businesses, made its debut on the Nasdaq Global Market System Friday under the symbol "LSTZA," finishing the day at $50.25 per share, up 5% ($2.41 per share) from its when-issued close of $47.84 on Nov, 19. Liberty Starz was created after the spin-off of Liberty Entert..... ...Read More »

???Oprah??? Departure Shouldn???t Be Financial Hit For CBS, Stations By Broadcasting & Cable When The Oprah Winfrey Show goes off TV stations’ air on Sept. 9, 2011, the entity that stands to lose the most money is: Oprah. Winfrey and her Harpo Productions take home by far the most profit from Oprah. CBS Television Distribution (CTD), which distributes the show, earns well south of $50 million annually in distribution fees on the show, estimates ..... ...Read More »

OWN Sets Sights on Cable's Own Oprah Demo By Broadcasting & Cable Oprah Winfrey’s announcement Nov. 20 that she will end her syndicated talk show in 2011 gave a much-needed shot in the arm for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. Now that Winfrey’s plans are coming into focus, the joint venture between Discovery Communications and Harpo Productions is expected to unveil a slate of new programming in the coming weeks. But when the ..... ...Read More »

Liberty Sports Rebrands As DirecTV Sports Networks By Multichannel News With the completion of the split-off transaction from Liberty Media Corp. combining DirecTV Group and Liberty Entertainment, Inc., Liberty Sports has been rebranded as DirecTV Sports Networks.The subsidiary of DirecTV comprises a trio of regional sports networks: FSN Northwest, FSN Pittsburgh and FSN Rocky Mountain (and sub-region FSN Utah). Together, the three RSNS have a..... ...Read More »

Remillard Named Exec Producer 'C-SPAN's Washington Journal' By Broadcasting & Cable TV producer Michele Remillard has been named executive producer of C-SPAN's Washington Journal daily interview program. Remillard is a veteran of Washington public affairs and political shows. She is a former producer at Fox News, where she produced Special Report with Bret Baier and launched Beltway Boys, and before that was with CNBC's Hardball With Chris Matthew..... ...Read More »

Boucher, Pence Back Senate version Of Shield Bill By Multichannel News  House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.) Friday praised the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving a compromise version of the shield law bill. The two are long-time backers of the legislation, which provides a qualified protection for journalists and their sources from being compelled to give up information to the governmen..... ...Read More »

Lifetime, '20/20' To Present Half-Hour Rihanna Special By Broadcasting & Cable Music sensation Rihanna is the subject of an upcoming special from Lifetime Television and ABC News that will detail the singer's life and her relationship with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown. Rihanna Speaks Out: A Lifetime and 20/20 Special will air on Lifetime Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. It will feature segments of the singer's interview with Diane Sawyer which aired Nov. 6 on t..... ...Read More »

Primetime Ratings: CBS Ends ABC's Thursday Winning Streak By Broadcasting & Cable CBS ended ABC’s Thursday primetime winning streak in the 18-49 demo, posting a narrow victory on a sluggish night for the Alphabet net. Though it was the top-rated program for the evening in 18-49, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (5.0 rating/13 share, 14 million viewers overall) hit an all-time low in audience for a first-run episode, according to preliminary nation..... ...Read More »

Shepard Will Star In Epix's First Pilot  By Multichannel News San Shepard will star in the first original series pilot for movie service Epix.The actor (The Right Stuff) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Buried Child) will appear in Tough Trade, portraying the patriarch of the Tucker family, a three-generation musical dynasty in Nashville, which is on the verge of bankruptcy given its members' tastes for drink, debauchery..... ...Read More »

Stations Plot Life After Oprah By Broadcasting & Cable Stations that have benefited handsomely—while paying handsomely—from airing Oprah Winfrey are ramping up the brainstorming on what to do with the vital time slot when the talk titan departs local television in September 2011. Local TV execs’ first reactions are to salute the end of an era that television may never see again. “It’s be..... ...Read More »

Oprah's Exit: Complete Coverage By Broadcasting & Cable    ...Read More »

Pacquiao/Cotto Fight Brings In $70 Million By Broadcasting & Cable Last Saturday's welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto garnered 1.25 million pay-per-view buys for HBO, making it the highest performing boxing pay-per-view event of the year and pulling in $70 million in revenue. Out of the 1.25 million buys, 650,000 came from cable homes while 600,000 came from satellite and telco homes, according to HBO. A..... ...Read More »

Oprah Winfrey Announces the End of Her Syndicated Show By Broadcasting & Cable As expected, Oprah Winfrey announced Nov. 20 that The Oprah Winfrey Show will sign off in Sept. 2011, after 25 years. Below is the complete announcement, made at the end of this morning's broadcast, courtesy of her hometown ABC station, WLS-TV Chicago: "After much prayer and months of careful thought, I've decided the next season, season 25, will be the las..... ...Read More »

Verizon Chief: Hulu Will Be Over In Two Years By Broadcasting & Cable Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg said Hulu is a six month wonder and that technology will ultimately bypass the current fascination with the online video service. "When you think of the change, look at Hulu and the dialogue and debate, and you say, O.K. this is in for the next eight to twelve months and in two years it won't matter because the world will have moved on."..... ...Read More »

Detroit Tigers CF Granderson Will Guide Viewers On 'Authentic' Stadium Tour By Multichannel News Detroit Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson will take viewers behind the scenes in a number of America's famous stadiums. Granderson, who has signed an exclusive agreement to develop and host video content for TV, the Internet and mobile devices with Authentic Entertainment Inc. (Food Network's Ace of Cakes, Bravo's Flipping Out). ...Read More »

Starz Has Strong Debut By Multichannel News Liberty Starz, the publicly traded entity that includes Starz Entertainment and other former Liberty Media businesses, made its debut on the Nasdaq Global Market System Friday under the symbol "LSTZA," opening at $49.50 per share, or $1.66 more than its when-issued closing price of $47.84 on Nov. 19. Liberty Starz was created after the spin-off of Liberty Entertainment on T..... ...Read More »

Detroit Tigers CF Granderson Will To Viewers On Authentic Stadium Tour By Multichannel News Detroit Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson will take viewers behind the scenes in a number of America's famous stadiums. Granderson, who has signed an exclusive agreement to develop and host video content for TV, the Internet and mobile devices with Authentic Entertainment Inc. (Food Network's Ace of Cakes, Bravo's Flipping Out). ...Read More »

New York Considers Resolution Backing Net Neutrality By Broadcasting & Cable The New York City Council was scheduled to hold a meeting Friday morning on a resolution backing strong network neutrality principles. The resolution, which says the Internet is "in jeoprady" until such rules are approved, was co-sponsored by seven council members. "The Council of the City of New York calls upon the Federal Communications Commission to codify strong network ..... ...Read More »

OWN To Launch In January 2011: Sources By Multichannel News Oprah Winfrey is expected to announce today on her show that she will shutter her syndicated talker after its 25th season winds down in 2011. That will pave the way for Discovery-back OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network to launch in January 2011, according to executives familiar with the talks. Winfrey is expected to take an active role with the rollout. While the decisio..... ...Read More »