Penthouse 10

RIP Heath Ledger

 

It has been announced that Heath Ledger has passed away today.  He was found in his apartment in NYC unconscious.

I honestly haven't been this shocked over a celebrity death since Aaliyah.

Ledger really had a lot of promise as an actor.  Plus, everyone has been anticipating his role as the Joker in this summer's Batman blockbuster.  He also has a daughter with Michelle Williams.  He stayed out of the limelight, and lived a really down-to-earth low key life.

But all we can really do is send prayers and our thoughts to his friends and family.

 

without writers, there's only reality.

sadly, that's true. without writers, there's only reality. and that's not okay.

David Supports Staff Through Holidays

Image courtesy of Deadline Hollywood Daily.

 

Days after many networks have threatened to fire all the staff of talk shows and the firing of 120 members of the non-writing staff at NBC’s The Office, David Letterman has decided to pay all of his Late Show staff’s salaries through the end of the year even though the show isn’t on air during the writers strike.

 

 

[Read full article on Deadline Hollywood Daily here.]

The Strike Pond Continues to Ripple.

Strike rally at Fox Studios today.  Image Courtesy of PerezHilton.com

According to the LA Times, writers have left their caffeinated havens.  But don't worry, Eater LA has found them--in the safe confines of bars abound.

In times of crisis, booze triumphs lattes. [Variety]

Day Four: I fought the law, and the law...

As the strike continues, some people clearly do not understand the severity of the matter.  This is bigger than just missing the next new episode of The Office because production halted.

What comes as a result of this strike will determine their strength as a union.  Also, we're intruding on those behind the camera's right to live.  Did you know writers are only getting paid 4 cents for every DVD sold?  This is based on a pay formula set up in the 1980s when VHS was prevalent.  Quel mal!

Perhaps, when all of this is over, we can all be clear of what new media really means in a person's life. 
Educate yourself.   Support the writers. 

Or else, we'll be watching endless of amounts of Shot of Love with Tila Tequila.

[Educate yourself on Forbes.com here.]

Day Three: Writers' Strike

As the strike progresses, another one bites the dust.

Well, not really, but the movie industry is currently feeling the sting.

How are they affected?  Lost bookings for their promotional campaigns.

[Read more about the course the strike is taking
on the Hollywood Reporter here.]

Michael Scott. World's Best Boss.

 

Production at NBC's The Office has stopped, and actor Steve Carrell has refused to cross the picket line.  Rightfully so, most of the cast are also writers for the show.

As a television watcher, and ultimate Office fan, I'm sad that next week will be the last new episode, but support the writers!

Keep on keepin' on.

Jon Stewart Supports His Writers

Photo: New  York Magazine/Getty Images

The Daily Show's Jon Stewart wants to ensure that his writers endure no financial hardships that he will cover all salaries of his writing staff, as well as the writing staff of The Colbert Report, for the next two weeks with money out of his own pockets.

[To read the full article on Portfolio, click here.]

Fight for you right

Television and movie writers went on strike against producers as of 12:01 am on Monday.

The first to be affected will be late-night comedy shows.

AP Photo: Tina Fey and other Writer's Guild of America
members picket NBC's headquarters in NY.

 

[Click here to read more about it on CNN.]

Do you Hulu?

Hulu.com, the advertising-supported online video site creation of NBC and Fox, began privately testing its services yesterday.

Now, as much as I enjoy my YouTube interaction, I'm looking forward to the 90-some selection of tv shows (past and present) from NBC, Fox, and assortment of smaller broadcasters.  Also, with new partners, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Sony Pictures Television, Hulu skeptics may change their mind.

So, I think it's about time for me to get my "I Dream of Jeannie" fix, and here's to hoping more networks jump on so I can my "Salute Your Shorts" fix, too.

[Read the article on Wired here]

Farewell to an Industry Giant

Our condolences to the family and friends of Merv Griffin, who died early Sunday of prostate cancer in Los Angeles. He was 82.

Read more in The Hollywood Reporter.

Our friends at KCRW would love to hear from you

With more than 45,000 CDs and 15,000 LPs of current releases and valuable archival, rare and out of print discs representing every era of recorded music and spoken word, the KCRW Music Library is bursting at its seams, but is on its way to modernization with funds raised by The Music Match: A Campaign to Save the Library. Contribute to KCRW today!

Paris to bring her wonk-eye to Larry King

Dealing with jail time for driving offenses was difficult, but now Paris Hilton faces the aftermath.

The 26-year-old heiress is expected to be released from a Los Angeles County women's jail early this week, and will give her first post-jail TV interview to "Larry King Live," Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET (Thursday 0900 GMT, 1700 Hong Kong time).

Hilton has professed in letters and phone interviews to want to change her partying ways. No doubt the trail of photographers who constantly pursue her will show the world if she's serious...

Check out CNN for more on the heiress named Paris

Networks fighting over Paris's Insight...Ratings desperation hits all time low

NBC has agreed to pay as much as $1 million for Paris Hilton's first after-jail interview, which will appear on the "Today" show, The Post has learned.

Sources told The Post the sit-down will be conducted by Meredith Vieira the day after the heir-head is sprung some time next week.

The deal has infuriated ABC executives, the sources said, because they were banking on Hilton's first remarks as a free woman going to Barbara Walters, who has become close with Hilton's mom, Kathy...

Read more on NBC pulling the rug from under ABC, HERE

Keep Your Skin Protected

The Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) has teamed with the Sun Safety Alliance (SSA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to launch a public service announcement (PSA) campaign about skin cancer prevention.  The NAB will be providing the PSAs to its local television stations via satellite in June as the sun begins to scorch outdoor enthusiasts.

The sun safety PSA campaign features a young woman who overexposes herself to the sun and develops skin cancer.  As she speaks to the audience, her face ages dramatically, and it becomes obvious that her skin is sun damaged.  The campaign consists of three separate PSAs: 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and 10 seconds. The spots were piloted in late night timeslots during The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS last fall and now will receive their community-based launch.

EIC, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by leaders of the entertainment industry to bring the power of the industry to bear on health and social issues. Among the issues EIC addresses are: drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and addiction; firearm safety and injury prevention; sun safety; human trafficking; terrorism and homeland security; mental health and bipolar disorder; post traumatic stress disorder; diabetes; and HIV/AIDS prevention. EIC’s website is located at www.eiconline.org.

Grey's Star to do Intolerance PSA

Isaiah Washington, the Grey’s Anatomy star who earlier made some anti-gay remarks toward one of his fellow cast members, will appear in a public service announcement intended to combat intolerance based on sexual orientation…

Read more on MediaWeek.com.

Google Pushes Into TV With Dish Deal

Google has continued its quest to move its automated ad platform into all forms of media through a deal with EchoStar allowing advertisers to buy, sell and measure ads on the latter's Dish Network satellite TV service...

Read more on MediaWeek.com.

Push Comes to Shove for Control of Web Video

For now, the biggest news in the exploding realm of online video is not much more than a news release. Still, the recent announcement from the News Corporation and NBC Universal of a new online video venture shows a big change in how traditional media companies are trying to confront their digital futures without looking like dinosaurs dodging comets.

Read more on NYTimes.com.

Bonnie Hammer of USA & Sci Fi

NATPE's 2007 Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award winner Bonnie Hammer, president of USA and Sci Fi Channel, is in the news today with the unveiling of USA's development slate.

Hammer said: "With The Starter Wife and Burn Notice joining our hits Monk, Psych, The 4400, The Dead Zone and WWE Raw, we're looking at about 100 hours of original content... It clearly positions USA as an industry leader, the go-to place for strong original programming."

Read article on HollywoodReporter.com.

And the Nominees Are...

This morning the Nominees for the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards were announced!
Take a look at the complete list of nominees at Emmy Online

The show will be aired on the CBS network on
June 15, 2007
Kodak Theatre
Los Angeles, California

Good luck to all the Nominees!

Is there anything left on YouTube?

Viacom Inc. filed a 26 page lawsuit against YouTube for copyright infringement. They claim that there are more then 160,000 clips that have been viewed over 1.5 billion times.

Read More from the LA Times

NATPE Blogged

• Well...I had quite the time at the NATPE Educational Foundation workshop today.
• It's finally time for me to push off into the dark waters of...networking. Print up the business cards, dry clean the suit-- I'm goin' to Boston!
• Farmers Almanac TV just returned from the National Association of Television Programming Executives conference (NATPE) in Las Vegas last week where we learned that the strategy of launching a series on public television and a broadband network on the internet is the perfect approach to building a media brand in this day and age of convergence.
• Turns out not even people who have hosted syndicated talk shows and attended annual programming conventions can't get the Name of the National Association of Television Program Executives, or the acronym, straight.
• The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) did not know what they were in for when "Shut Up and Model!" took its 2006 Conference & Exhibition by storm.

Idol Threat

Paula's signed on for three more seasons.

Call for Entries

• The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival accepts any animated short between thirty seconds and ten minutes in length, created in any style, using any type of animation process. Please note comedic material is preferred.
• You must own or hold all distribution rights to your completed short and all the elements within, including music.
• Your short must have been made after January 1, 2002.
• Your short cannot contain any pornography or any sequences unacceptable to a family-oriented audience. Please note that the judges have final determination on this item.
• If your short has won an award at another festival it is eligible for entry. However, you should include a listing of all prizes and awards in your entry form.
• Your short must be received by 5:00 p.m. (PST) on May 31, 2006.
• Your short can not have been selected for a prior Nicktoons Network Animation Festival.

This is a contest of skill and talent. Decisions of the judges are final. Entries will be judged on subjective criteria — including but not limited to — story, animation style, character development, overall appeal and originality. No employees of Frederator or its related companies and members of their immediate families are eligible to enter. Entries will not be returned. This contest is void where prohibited by law. The Grand Prize winner will be required to sign a Certificate of Eligibility as a condition of receiving such prize. All taxes are the sole responsibility of the prize winners.


How to Enter

• Download the PDF Entry Form on this Website (www.nicktoonsnetwork.com/shows/animfest/) and complete.
• Download the PDF Festival Agreement Form on this Website (www.nicktoonsnetwork.com/shows/animfest/) and complete.
• Or, to receive all entry forms, you may send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival
263 West Olive Avenue, #381
Burbank, CA
91502-1805

Greg in Montenegro

If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to read Greg Pitts' blog about his ongoing adventures in Montenegro (as part of a Fulbright fellowship, no less).

Board Guide

Newsstand sales have increased for TV Guide, which was relaunched in October, Gemstar Chief Executive Rich Battista said during a conference call with analysts.

NATPE Alerts

• B&C notes that "NATPE is looking for a few good college professors."
• And C21 foresees: "Natpe looks into future of TV"

Board Games

Lucy Hood on mobile entertainment:

"We believe Mobizzo will prove to be a truly unique proposition for consumers and mobile content providers alike; it's an innovative virtual place for fans to find their favorites and enjoy the benefits of competitive pricing and excellent customer service when shopping for mobile content," Hood said.

And some more, from Forbes:

"What's unique to mobile is all the different content types," said Fox Mobile Entertainment President Lucy Hood. "You can use it to personalize, communicate or entertain."

Notes from Montenegro

Our own Greg Pitts, in Montenegro on a Fulbright Fellowship, shares his observations in a special blog -- check it out!

Congratulations to:

Sandra Oh, Paul Newman, Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Mary-Louise Parker, Steve Carell (and his lovely wife), S. Epatha Merkerson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Empire Falls, Desperate Housewives and Lost!

TRIO goes Broadband

Bravo breaks ground on the broadband front and announces aggressive plans to launch a suite of branded broadband channels in 2006. The two initial broadband channels being announced today are TRIOtv.com, the first-ever TV channel to move to broadband, and BrilliantButCancelled.com. Each broadband channel will be available in the U.S. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be advertiser supported. The announcement was made today by Lauren Zalaznick, President, Bravo, during Bravo's presentation at the Television Critics Association press tour.

"Broadband gives Bravo the opportunity to move beyond the constraints of a linear analog service and deliver content 24 hours a day to our devoted viewer base in the areas they are most passionate about," said Zalaznick.

The roll-out begins in January with the launch of TRIOtv.com as a stand alone broadband service and additional broadband channels will continue to roll-out throughout 2006. BravoTV.com, the overall hub under which the suite of broadband channels will live, will feature exclusive original content produced for the site including rich broadband-focused microsites from Bravo's shows ranging from Project Runway to Top Chef. Not limited to what is on-air, the site will also feature exclusive video, pop culture blogs, never-before-seen interviews and footage, as well as viewer generated interactive components.

Countdown: 35

NATPE Birthday to Jim Simpson, John Hillerman, Michael Badalucco, Dick Wolf, Jenny Agutter and Blanche Baker.

Today in 1938, Vladimir Kosma Zworykin patented the iconoscope television system. In 1954, Buick Motor Company signed Jackie Gleason to produce 78 half-hour shows over a two-year period for $6,142,500. In 1980, NBC covered the Jets/Dolphins game with no commentators in the booth -- the only sounds were field and crowd noises. In 1996, Cosmos's Carl Sagan died at age 62.

New releases on DVD in this light week include The Amazing Race 7; Battlestar Galactica (Season 2.0); ER (Season 4); and Party of Five (Season 2).

There are 35 days until NATPE 2006.

Operation Holiday Relief *Worthy Cause Alert*

OPERATION HOLIDAY RELIEF is bringing supplies and gifts to Louisiana residents hit by Katrina and Rita.

Who: Animation World Network (AWN.com), VFXWORLD.com, The Lot, Louisiana State University (LSU) and Plycon Van Lines

What: While the media reports on Louisiana residents affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita may have lulled, there is still a need for:

• WARM CLOTHES
• TOYS and GIFTS
• CANNED GOODS
• SCHOOL and ART SUPPLIES

LSU students and faculty will be bringing these supplies directly to area shelters before Christmas.

PLEASE BRING THESE GIFTS AND SUPPLIES ON FRIDAY TO THE LOCATION LISTED BELOW.

THAT'S THIS FRIDAY!!!

Where: "OPERATION HOLIDAY RELIEF" The Lot's parking lot at the corner of Romaine & Formosa 950 N. Formosa Avenue LA, CA 90046

When: Friday, December 16th 8:00 am - 8:00 pm

Contact: Nicole Feenstra - Nicole@awn.com (323) 606-4213

Bravo, Joe

From the wires:

JOE BROWN JOINS BRAVO AS DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM RESEARCH

Bravo has appointed Joe Brown to the position of Director, Program Research. The announcement was made today by Tony Cardinale, Vice President, Program Research, Bravo.

In his new role, Joe will be responsible for monitoring, analyzing and communicating the performance of Bravo and its competition to management and programming departments through Nielsen ratings analysis. Additionally, his analysis and evaluation of Bravo viewers will be used to guide the network's program development, planning and acquisition processes. He will report to Cardinale.

"Joe has been a major contributor within the NBC Universal organization, and we're excited to have him join the Bravo program research group," said Cardinale. "His experience and skill will help us keep Bravo closely connected to our viewers, and continue to move the business forward."

Brown joins Bravo from CNBC, where he served as Director, Programming Research. In this role, he was responsible for developing and executing CNBC programming research initiatives for both the business news and primetime production units. Prior to that, Brown had moved up the ranks in the research department and held a number of positions including Research Manager and Reseach Analyst.

Brown holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from Fordham University.

Bravo is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBC Universal one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been a NBC Cable Network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980.For more information visit www.bravotv.com.

The Tomorrow People, Today

NATPE Birthday to Garry Shandling, Howie Mandel, Kim Delaney, Don Cheadle and Gena Lee Nolin!

Today in 1948,  Verdi's Othello became the first televised opera, on WJZ-TV in New York. In 1959, the Grammy Awards were shown on network television for the first time.

New releases on DVD this week include C.S.I. (Season 5); Crank Yankers (Season 2, Vol. 2); Criss Angel Mindfreak (Season 1); Empire (mini-series); Family Guy (Vol. 3); Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi (Vols. 1 & 2); Project Runway (Season 1); Timeslip (complete series); and The Tomorrow People (Set 2).

There are 56 days until NATPE 2006.

Off the Wires

NEW YORK WOMEN IN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
ANNOUNCES 2006 MATRIX AWARDS HOSTED BY THE OXYGEN NETWORK
CEREMONY TO BE EMCEED BY ELLEN DEGENERES
-----
Matrix honorees include Geena Davis, Joan Hamburg, Jill Abramson, Renetta McCann, Beth Comstock,
Cynthia Leive, Candace Bushnell and Katherine Oliver.
Ellen DeGeneres to receive special Humanitarian Award
---
        NEW YORK, NY, November 28, 2005 -- New York Women in Communications, Inc. (NYWICI) will honor Geena Davis, and Candace Bushnell among others for its 2006 Matrix Awards, it was announced today. The ceremony, sponsored by the Oxygen Network, will be emceed by Ellen DeGeneres, star of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” a talk show that airs in syndication and on Oxygen. The 2006 Matrix Awards event will take place at a luncheon in the Waldorf-Astoria on “Matrix” Monday, April 3, 2006.

        The 2006 awards acknowledge outstanding women who have distinguished themselves in the communications fields of advertising, arts & entertainment, books, film, magazines, marketing, newspapers and radio. In addition to these eight honorees, NYWICI will be presenting a special Humanitarian Award to this year’s Master of Ceremonies, Ellen DeGeneres, for her work in the gulf coast following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

This year’s Matrix honorees are as follows:
· Jill Abramson, Managing Editor, The New York Times
· Candace Bushnell, Author
· Beth Comstock, Chief Marketing Officer, GE
· Geena Davis, Actor
· Joan Hamburg, Radio Personality, WOR Radio
· Renetta McCann, Chief Executive Officer, Starcom Mediavest Group
· Cynthia Leive, Editor-in-Chief, Glamour Magazine
· Katherine Oliver, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting
        Betsy Morgan, Senior Vice President, CBS Digital Media/General Manager, CBSNews.com and NYWICI’s President, commented “Matrix reflects NYWICI’s mission of promoting professional growth and inspiring women to achieve. We are honored to have such a distinguished group of women accepting Matrix Awards this year.”

        “We love hosting the Matrix Awards because they're the most powerful awards for women and we're honored that Ellen DeGeneres, one our favorite Oxygen personalities, has agreed to emcee,” said Geraldine Laybourne, Oxygen Chairman and CEO and 1996 Matrix Award Winner. “We congratulate Ellen and this year's exceptional group of winners. We're inspired by their endless accomplishments.”

        To register for the event or to find out more information about the organization, please go to www.nywici.org or call (212) 297-2133.

New York Women in Communications, Inc.
New York Women in Communications, Inc., founded in 1929, is a not-for-profit organization of more than 1,000 communications professionals dedicated to promoting the highest standards throughout the industry and to providing education and leadership for the next generation. The membership encompasses senior executives and other experienced communicators from a wide range of enterprises, as well as young professionals and students. NYWICI empowers women in all communications disciplines to reach their full potential by promoting their professional growth and inspiring them to achieve and share their successes.

About Oxygen Media
Oxygen, the only cable network owned and operated by women, is currently available in 56 million homes. The network was launched in 2000 to fill a void in the television landscape -- creating a network targeted to younger women. Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's television, with the most original programming of all the women's networks including Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance, Talk Sex with Sue Johanson and Oprah After the Show. Geraldine Laybourne, the network's founder, Chairman and CEO, has led the company to be a strong advocate for women. Through programs like The Mentor's Walk, Oxygen's national program for bringing along the next generation, and "Who Cares About Girls," Oxygen's new documentary series -- Oxygen is creating The New Girls Network.

Rick/Reuters

"There is no doubt people are going to access content in more flexible ways going forward," said Rick Feldman, who heads the National Association of Television Program Executives.

"What we don't know, for independent producers, is what kind of content is going to be wanted and needed, what it will cost and what it can be made for," he added.

-Reuters quotes The Man, in "Apple faces hard time wooing Hollywood to new iPod"

Really?

Bob Iger has saved Network TV.

How ?

By completely changing the economic model.

-says Mark Cuban, who knows a thing or two about a thing or two.

TIC tock

Tracy Swedlow's InteractiveTV Today is reporting that Board member Robert Chua is scoring a bit of a coup:

While a number of international media companies have in recent months had problems gaining regulatory approval to expand their operations into the emerging Chinese television market (note: News Corp. chief, Rupert Murdoch, last month stated publicly that the Chinese television authorities are "quite paranoid about what gets through" and have caused his business to "hit a brick wall" in China),  Robert Chua's The Interactive Channel (TIC) appears to be having an easier time of things.

Online on my Mind

Mr. Allaire intends to shake up an industry - this time, the world of television - by allowing all types of video producers, from media giants to anyone who has a camcorder, put their work on the Internet and make money if anyone watches it.

-The NY Times in one story...

Video delivered over the Internet, which has been embraced by media and Internet giants like Viacom and Yahoo, is quickly shaping up as a way for smaller producers to reach an audience without having to cut deals with movie studios and the big networks that are the traditional gatekeepers of television.

...and in another.  Trend?

Good Evening...

NATPE Birthday to Jan Murray, Jackie Collins, Lori Saunders, Clifton Davis and Alan Rosenberg!

I Led Three Lives was first seen in syndication (it was never on a TV network) on this day in 1951. In 1954, comedienne Spring Byington began the successful network TV series December Bride on CBS. In 1957, the first earth satellite was launched into space by the Soviet Union. Also in 1957, Leave It to Beaver premiered on ABC. In 1976, Barbara Walters joined Harry Reasoner at the anchor desk of the ABC Evening News, becoming the first woman to anchor a network evening newscast. In 1981, Olympic star Bruce Jenner joined singer Harry Belafonte - in their first dramatic roles - on NBC’s Grambling’s White Tiger.

New releases on DVD this week include Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Season 1); America's Funniest Home Videos (Home for the Holidays); The Bob Newhart Show (Season 2); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Spike - Love is Hell); Count Duckula (Season 1); Drawn Together (Season 1); Farscape (Starburst Edition - Vol. 6); Into the West (miniseries); Kolchak: The Night Stalker; SCTV Network 90 (Christmas with SCTV); Stargate SG-1 (Season 8); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Vol. 19); William Shatner's A Twist in the Tale; and Wild Palms (miniseries).

There are 112 days until NATPE 2006.

Brits on Branded Entertainment

The American Idol judges sit with Coca-Cola cups on the table in front of them. The contestants on the new series of The Apprentice hang out in a Poggenpohl kitchen. The good guys in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation zap around in GMC Yukon vehicles.

These are the latest and most visible signs of advertisers' fight against the growing power of the television viewer: the ability to edit out the commercials. TiVo, Sky+ and other digital recorders allow viewers to watch programmes without having to endure the advertisement breaks that are rife in US television.

-UK's The Guardian looks at branded entertainment in the U.S.

Make Your Help Go Further

NATPE has donated $25,000 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which is helping to reunite families who have been torn apart by Katrina.

We'll also match contributions from our members, up to an additional $25,000. Double the impact of your generosity by donating today.

Everybody Views Chris

For the next four days, the premier of comedian Chris Rock’s new show, Everybody Hates Chris, is available for viewing in its entirety on Google Video.

The episode first ran last Thursday on UPN, and it’s an entertaining look at Rock’s teenage experiences growing up in Brooklyn in the early 80’s. There’s no viewer to download, no commercials included, and Google Video’s screen will size to fit your screen.

-via Lifehacker