George Zimmerman sued NBC on Thursday, claiming he was defamed when
the network edited his 911 call to police after the shooting of Trayvon
Martin to make it sound like he was racist.
The former
neighborhood watch volunteer filed the lawsuit seeking an undisclosed
amount of money in Seminole County, outside Orlando. Also named in the
complaint were three reporters covering the story for NBC or an
NBC-owned television station.
The complaint said the airing of
the edited call has inflicted emotional distress on Zimmerman, making
him fear for his life and causing him to suffer nausea, insomnia and
anxiety.
The lawsuit claims NBC edited his phone call to a
dispatcher last February. In the call, Zimmerman describes following
Martin in the gated community where he lived, just moments before he
fatally shot the 17-year-old teen during a confrontation.
The
lawsuit claims NBC saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but
as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create a
myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain.
An NBC spokeswoman said the network strongly disagreed with the accusations made in the complaint.
There
was no intent to portray Mr. Zimmerman unfairly," the network said. NBC
intends to vigorously defend their position in court.
Three employees of the network or its Miami affiliate lost their jobs because of the changes.
Zimmerman
is charged with second-degree murder but has pleaded not guilty,
claiming self-defense under Florida's "stand your ground law."
The
call viewers heard was trimmed to suggest that Zimmerman volunteered to
police, with no prompting, that Martin was black, according to what NBC
broadcast, he said [Martin] looks like he's up to no good. He looks
black.
But the portion of the tape that was deleted had the
911 dispatcher asking Zimmerman if the person who had raised his
suspicion was black, white or Hispanic, to which Zimmerman responded
that he looks black.
Showing posts with label NBC Universal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBC Universal. Show all posts
14 December 2012
19 October 2010
NBC Universal Drops Ad Partnership with Google
LA Times
The media titan stops turning over excess commercial time from some of its cable channels to the Internet giant to sell.
Google Inc.'s ambitions to broaden its advertising reach beyond the Internet have been dealt a blow by the loss of its marquee media partner — NBC Universal.
NBC said Wednesday that it had stopped providing unsold commercial time from several of its cable channels to Google. Two years ago, Google's efforts to ramp up its television ad sales brokerage system received a substantial boost when NBC Universal became the first major TV programmer to sign on. NBC had been contributing time from its Syfy, Oxygen, MSNBC, Sleuth and Chiller channels.
"We're not currently contributing inventory into the Google marketplace, but we continue to work with Google on multiple projects involving advanced advertising," NBC Universal spokeswoman Liz Fischer said in a statement.
A few months ago, NBC determined that, while the Google service helped fill advertising space on small channels that were not included in Nielsen Co. ratings surveys, it was less effective for more established networks, according to a person familiar with the company's decision. NBC Universal never included its most popular channels — the NBC network, USA and Bravo — in the initiative.
Analysts said that the end of the partnership between the media and Internet giants underscores Google's struggles to get a toehold in advertising sales of traditional media.
"Any marginal benefit that NBC might have seen was not sufficient to outweigh the much larger benefit of maintaining a relationship with their advertisers," said Greg Sterling, an Internet analyst and the founder of Sterling Market Intelligence.
Media companies continue to evaluate whether Google is friend or foe.
"Google's point of view is that they bring more to the table than they take way — whether it be more eyeballs or more revenue. But not everybody sees it that way," Sterling said. "Google has become this force sitting between companies like NBC and their customers. These media companies want to have a direct relationship with their readers, TV viewers and advertisers."
In a statement, Mountain View, Calif.-based Google said it was continuing to work with NBC Universal and its properties. It said that financial news channel " CNBC is an important partner in the launch of Google TV and we are working together on research studies."
Google still counts satellite television providers DirecTV and Dish Network among its partners, along with the Bloomberg, Outdoor, CBS College Sports and Hallmark channels and two Santa Monica cable channels: Ovation and the Tennis channel.
"Google has found it much more challenging than anticipated to sell a TV ad opportunity to big marketers, even those they have delighted and formed relationships with online," said Jacquie Corbelli, chief executive of Brightline TV, a competing advertising agency that specializes in on-demand and interactive TV advertising. "TV, unlike the Web, continues to be — and will be for the foreseeable future — a highly fragmented marketplace of many platforms, with little resemblance to the Web from a pure advertising standpoint."
24 September 2010
NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker gets a Cancellation Notice from Comcast
USA Today
NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker said today that he'll end his 24-year career at the television, movie, Internet, and theme park giant when Comcast takes control. That could happen by year end if the deal is cleared by federal officials.
Zucker, 45, told staffers in a memo that "it is clear to me that this is the right decision for me and for the company" because Comcast deserves "the chance to implement their own vision."
But he told The New York Times that his departure was involuntary. In a meeting two weeks ago, he said, Comcast COO Steve Burke "made it clear that they wanted to move on."
Earlier Zucker pooh-poohed persistant speculation that Comcast might put its own team in charge when the deal closes.
Although once considered a wunderkind in his years as a news producer , Zucker's reputation as a corporate executive suffered as NBC's prime time audience fell. The nadir for the highly image-conscious CEO came early this year when he took responsibility for the management debacle from his decision to turn one of NBC's most important franchises, The Tonight Show, over to comedian Conan O'Brien. Audiences didn't warm to the new host, or to a weeknight show featuring the former host Jay Leno. O'Brien left the network when NBC asked Leno to return to The Tonight Show.
But Zucker said that the real focus of the company had shifted to cable where networks including USA, SyFy, CNBC, and MSNBC are thriving. He also hoped to establish a strong foothold in digital media by championing Hulu, which NBC Universal launched in a partnership with News Corp.
Zucker, 45, told staffers in a memo that "it is clear to me that this is the right decision for me and for the company" because Comcast deserves "the chance to implement their own vision."
But he told The New York Times that his departure was involuntary. In a meeting two weeks ago, he said, Comcast COO Steve Burke "made it clear that they wanted to move on."
Earlier Zucker pooh-poohed persistant speculation that Comcast might put its own team in charge when the deal closes.
Although once considered a wunderkind in his years as a news producer , Zucker's reputation as a corporate executive suffered as NBC's prime time audience fell. The nadir for the highly image-conscious CEO came early this year when he took responsibility for the management debacle from his decision to turn one of NBC's most important franchises, The Tonight Show, over to comedian Conan O'Brien. Audiences didn't warm to the new host, or to a weeknight show featuring the former host Jay Leno. O'Brien left the network when NBC asked Leno to return to The Tonight Show.
But Zucker said that the real focus of the company had shifted to cable where networks including USA, SyFy, CNBC, and MSNBC are thriving. He also hoped to establish a strong foothold in digital media by championing Hulu, which NBC Universal launched in a partnership with News Corp.
13 September 2010
NBC All Action, No Talk as Network Tries to Rebound
Bloomberg
A year after its ratings debacle with comedian Jay Leno, NBC has changed course and will air prime-time shows from some of Hollywood’s most expensive producers when the new television season begins this month.
General Electric Co.’s entertainment unit, the least- watched major broadcast network for six straight years, opened its coffers to attract Jerry Bruckheimer and J.J. Abrams, and is introducing seven new shows to recover from last season’s failed experiment with Leno’s talk show in prime time.
“It was time to reinvest,” Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal TV Entertainment, said in an interview. “We had spent the last several years shrinking our business by looking at the economics and maybe we went too far.”
NBC programmers probably had to earmark $125 million to $150 million for new-show development, about double last year’s total, according to researcher Jack Myers of the Jack Myers Media Business Report. Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment, declined to say how much NBC spent for new shows or how much Bruckheimer and Abrams commanded.
The network, which cable-TV company Comcast Corp. agreed to buy in a merger now before U.S. regulators, is replacing almost a third of its weekly prime-time lineup, with 6.5 hours of new shows. The network isn’t aiming to topple first place CBS Corp. or No. 2 Fox, owned by News Corp. Success would mean climbing out of last and dislodging Walt Disney Co.’s ABC from third.
“Our real competition is ABC,” Bromstad said in an interview.
‘Immediate Attention’
To that end, New York-based NBC sought high-powered talent associated with CBS and ABC. “The Chase,” about U.S. Marshals, is from Bruckheimer, producer of CBS’s “CSI” series. The network also paid up for the husband-wife spy thriller “Undercovers” by Abrams, creator of ABC’s “Lost.”
“We really wanted to get into business with outside producers who could give us the kinds of shows that will get immediate attention,” Bromstad said.
In addition, NBC dropped the long-running “Law and Order” and picked up the spinoff “Law & Order: Los Angeles” from franchise producer Dick Wolf. NBC starts the season Sept. 14.
The biggest changes are at 10 p.m., with new programs “Chase,” “Outlaw” and the latest “Law and Order” on three nights as the network tries to win back viewers who left during the Leno run that ended in February. At 9 p.m. Mondays NBC is airing “The Event,” a global conspiracy thriller in the mold of Fox’s “24.”
“NBC has to climb out of a pretty big hole,” said Andy Donchin, director of media investments at Carat North America, a New York-based advertising agency whose clients include Papa John’s International Inc. “Every network would like a hit every year. NBC needs a hit and a half, or two.”
Last-Season Ratings
In the season that ended in May, NBC placed last in total audience with 8.26 million viewers nightly, compared with ABC’s 8.71 million, according to Nielsen Co. data. In the 18-to-49- year-old age group that advertisers target, just 20,000 viewers separated ABC, with 3.58 million viewers, from fourth-place NBC.
Those ratings represent a recovery from NBC’s earlier 2010 lows, before the Vancouver Olympics, when the audience had shrunk 13 percent in total viewers and 17 percent in 18 to 49, based on Nielsen data at the time.
Donchin, who says his agency buys time on almost every prime-time show, is especially high on NBC’s newest “Law and Order” because of its “pedigree.” He is less certain about the rest of the NBC lineup.
ABC Remake
ABC isn’t standing still. After suffering the steepest audience loss of all major networks last season, Burbank, California-based Disney replaced programming chief Steve McPherson in July with Paul Lee, who previously ran the ABC family channel on cable. The network is also adding seven shows.
The programs include “No Ordinary Family,” about a family that develops super powers while on vacation in the Amazon. The show will air before ABC’s most-watched “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday nights. The gritty crime drama “Detroit 1-8- 7” follows “Dancing.”
On Wednesdays, ABC will air the comedy newcomer “Better With You” at 8:30 p.m., ahead of last year’s returning hit “Modern Family.”
“The goal this year is to grow with successes like ‘Modern Family’ or to stay even, and even that is getting harder to do every year in this business,” Jeff Bader, ABC Entertainment’s executive vice president of planning, said in an interview.
While NBC is targeting ABC, Fox may stand in the way.
‘Glee’ Club
Fox, which led in 18 to 49 last season, is moving the musical comedy “Glee” to 8 p.m. Tuesdays in its second season to anchor a comedy night that includes “Raising Hope,” about a single dad who finds he has fathered a child with a woman who is in jail.
They will challenge the returning NBC show “The Biggest Loser.”
“‘Glee’ gives us a chance to create a comedy block on Tuesday night, where there isn’t much comedy now,” Preston Beckman, Fox TV Entertainment’s executive vice-president of strategic programming, said in an interview.
The two networks also will battle on Mondays, when Fox airs “Lone Star,” a soap opera featuring newcomer James Wolk as a charismatic Texas schemer, against “The Event.” “Lone Star” may benefit by following the high-rated medical drama “House,” Beckman said.
New York-based CBS, the leader in total viewers, also may thwart NBC with the action-charged remake of “Hawaii Five-0” on Mondays against “Chase.” The original show with Jack Lord ran from 1968 to 1980.
CBS also moved “The Big Bang Theory,” its top 10-rated Monday night sitcom about geeks, to Thursdays at 8 p.m., before the NBC comedies “30 Rock” and “The Office.”
The aim is to generate viewers for "$#*! My Dad Says,” featuring former “Star Trek” captain William Shatner as a politically incorrect dad, said Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of prime time at CBS.
“We can schedule most of our shows behind proven successes,” Kahl said in an interview. “We don’t really have to cross our fingers.”
General Electric Co.’s entertainment unit, the least- watched major broadcast network for six straight years, opened its coffers to attract Jerry Bruckheimer and J.J. Abrams, and is introducing seven new shows to recover from last season’s failed experiment with Leno’s talk show in prime time.
“It was time to reinvest,” Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal TV Entertainment, said in an interview. “We had spent the last several years shrinking our business by looking at the economics and maybe we went too far.”
NBC programmers probably had to earmark $125 million to $150 million for new-show development, about double last year’s total, according to researcher Jack Myers of the Jack Myers Media Business Report. Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment, declined to say how much NBC spent for new shows or how much Bruckheimer and Abrams commanded.
The network, which cable-TV company Comcast Corp. agreed to buy in a merger now before U.S. regulators, is replacing almost a third of its weekly prime-time lineup, with 6.5 hours of new shows. The network isn’t aiming to topple first place CBS Corp. or No. 2 Fox, owned by News Corp. Success would mean climbing out of last and dislodging Walt Disney Co.’s ABC from third.
“Our real competition is ABC,” Bromstad said in an interview.
‘Immediate Attention’
To that end, New York-based NBC sought high-powered talent associated with CBS and ABC. “The Chase,” about U.S. Marshals, is from Bruckheimer, producer of CBS’s “CSI” series. The network also paid up for the husband-wife spy thriller “Undercovers” by Abrams, creator of ABC’s “Lost.”
“We really wanted to get into business with outside producers who could give us the kinds of shows that will get immediate attention,” Bromstad said.
In addition, NBC dropped the long-running “Law and Order” and picked up the spinoff “Law & Order: Los Angeles” from franchise producer Dick Wolf. NBC starts the season Sept. 14.
The biggest changes are at 10 p.m., with new programs “Chase,” “Outlaw” and the latest “Law and Order” on three nights as the network tries to win back viewers who left during the Leno run that ended in February. At 9 p.m. Mondays NBC is airing “The Event,” a global conspiracy thriller in the mold of Fox’s “24.”
“NBC has to climb out of a pretty big hole,” said Andy Donchin, director of media investments at Carat North America, a New York-based advertising agency whose clients include Papa John’s International Inc. “Every network would like a hit every year. NBC needs a hit and a half, or two.”
Last-Season Ratings
In the season that ended in May, NBC placed last in total audience with 8.26 million viewers nightly, compared with ABC’s 8.71 million, according to Nielsen Co. data. In the 18-to-49- year-old age group that advertisers target, just 20,000 viewers separated ABC, with 3.58 million viewers, from fourth-place NBC.
Those ratings represent a recovery from NBC’s earlier 2010 lows, before the Vancouver Olympics, when the audience had shrunk 13 percent in total viewers and 17 percent in 18 to 49, based on Nielsen data at the time.
Donchin, who says his agency buys time on almost every prime-time show, is especially high on NBC’s newest “Law and Order” because of its “pedigree.” He is less certain about the rest of the NBC lineup.
ABC Remake
ABC isn’t standing still. After suffering the steepest audience loss of all major networks last season, Burbank, California-based Disney replaced programming chief Steve McPherson in July with Paul Lee, who previously ran the ABC family channel on cable. The network is also adding seven shows.
The programs include “No Ordinary Family,” about a family that develops super powers while on vacation in the Amazon. The show will air before ABC’s most-watched “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday nights. The gritty crime drama “Detroit 1-8- 7” follows “Dancing.”
On Wednesdays, ABC will air the comedy newcomer “Better With You” at 8:30 p.m., ahead of last year’s returning hit “Modern Family.”
“The goal this year is to grow with successes like ‘Modern Family’ or to stay even, and even that is getting harder to do every year in this business,” Jeff Bader, ABC Entertainment’s executive vice president of planning, said in an interview.
While NBC is targeting ABC, Fox may stand in the way.
‘Glee’ Club
Fox, which led in 18 to 49 last season, is moving the musical comedy “Glee” to 8 p.m. Tuesdays in its second season to anchor a comedy night that includes “Raising Hope,” about a single dad who finds he has fathered a child with a woman who is in jail.
They will challenge the returning NBC show “The Biggest Loser.”
“‘Glee’ gives us a chance to create a comedy block on Tuesday night, where there isn’t much comedy now,” Preston Beckman, Fox TV Entertainment’s executive vice-president of strategic programming, said in an interview.
The two networks also will battle on Mondays, when Fox airs “Lone Star,” a soap opera featuring newcomer James Wolk as a charismatic Texas schemer, against “The Event.” “Lone Star” may benefit by following the high-rated medical drama “House,” Beckman said.
New York-based CBS, the leader in total viewers, also may thwart NBC with the action-charged remake of “Hawaii Five-0” on Mondays against “Chase.” The original show with Jack Lord ran from 1968 to 1980.
CBS also moved “The Big Bang Theory,” its top 10-rated Monday night sitcom about geeks, to Thursdays at 8 p.m., before the NBC comedies “30 Rock” and “The Office.”
The aim is to generate viewers for "$#*! My Dad Says,” featuring former “Star Trek” captain William Shatner as a politically incorrect dad, said Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of prime time at CBS.
“We can schedule most of our shows behind proven successes,” Kahl said in an interview. “We don’t really have to cross our fingers.”
24 May 2010
Broadcast Networks in Good Time Slot for Sale
NY Post
The upfront presentations may have wrapped up last week, but the broadcast networks' sales pitches may be just beginning.
With General Electric in the process of selling NBC Universal to cable giant Comcast, some Wall Street dealmakers predict Sumner Redstone and Disney will begin debating whether to put CBS and ABC, respectively, on the block.
Among bankers, CBS appears to be garnering the most attention amid signs Redstone these days isn't dismissing out of hand the notion of selling CBS.
"This is a good time to sell a network," said one Wall Street exec. "Retransmission makes it look more interesting. [CBS] has assets in radio but no long-term strategy in cable." Retransmission refers to fees for "retransmission consent," in which cable and satellite operators pay a network a monthly per-subscriber fee to carry the channel on their systems.
Reps for CBS and for Redstone, who is CBS' majority owner, declined to comment.
Meanwhile, ABC's future in the Mouse House is also not guaranteed, with Disney chief Bob Iger said to be taking a hard look at the network.
"There are no guarantees," he said recently about ABC's future at Disney. A source said the issue is what to do with the accompanying stations.
Sources said this year may be broadcast TV's best hope for finding buyers. While the audience tuning in to broadcast TV continues to erode, the Big Four networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC -- collectively are expected to pull in as much as 20 percent more in ad dollars at this year's upfront than in last year's dismal showing. (News Corp. owns both Fox and The Post.)
Further, the networks are gaining ground in their years-long fight with cable and satellite operators to get paid for their broadcast signal the way ESPN and MTV do.
Analyst Larry Gerbrandt forecasts that networks could each reap up to $400 million in the coming years, thanks to retransmission fees. He predicted that by 2016, the networks' take from retransmission consent could hit $5 billion.
That's good news because these days broadcast networks make little, if any, profit just by airing sitcoms and dramas.
While audiences will still show up in droves for tentpole events like the Super Bowl or an awards show, the increased popularity of cable is eating into broadcast networks' bottom line, which is further hampered by the high costs associated with producing series, steep sports-rights fees and expenses tied to owning a news operation. Also weighing on broadcasters is their ownership of local TV stations, which have been hit hard by the ad slowdown.
Experts said the networks' real money-making opportunities lie in ancillary businesses, such as international syndication, DVDs and other merchandise, and ownership of a network isn't necessary to reap those benefits.
With General Electric in the process of selling NBC Universal to cable giant Comcast, some Wall Street dealmakers predict Sumner Redstone and Disney will begin debating whether to put CBS and ABC, respectively, on the block.
Among bankers, CBS appears to be garnering the most attention amid signs Redstone these days isn't dismissing out of hand the notion of selling CBS.
"This is a good time to sell a network," said one Wall Street exec. "Retransmission makes it look more interesting. [CBS] has assets in radio but no long-term strategy in cable." Retransmission refers to fees for "retransmission consent," in which cable and satellite operators pay a network a monthly per-subscriber fee to carry the channel on their systems.
Reps for CBS and for Redstone, who is CBS' majority owner, declined to comment.
Meanwhile, ABC's future in the Mouse House is also not guaranteed, with Disney chief Bob Iger said to be taking a hard look at the network.
"There are no guarantees," he said recently about ABC's future at Disney. A source said the issue is what to do with the accompanying stations.
Sources said this year may be broadcast TV's best hope for finding buyers. While the audience tuning in to broadcast TV continues to erode, the Big Four networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC -- collectively are expected to pull in as much as 20 percent more in ad dollars at this year's upfront than in last year's dismal showing. (News Corp. owns both Fox and The Post.)
Further, the networks are gaining ground in their years-long fight with cable and satellite operators to get paid for their broadcast signal the way ESPN and MTV do.
Analyst Larry Gerbrandt forecasts that networks could each reap up to $400 million in the coming years, thanks to retransmission fees. He predicted that by 2016, the networks' take from retransmission consent could hit $5 billion.
That's good news because these days broadcast networks make little, if any, profit just by airing sitcoms and dramas.
While audiences will still show up in droves for tentpole events like the Super Bowl or an awards show, the increased popularity of cable is eating into broadcast networks' bottom line, which is further hampered by the high costs associated with producing series, steep sports-rights fees and expenses tied to owning a news operation. Also weighing on broadcasters is their ownership of local TV stations, which have been hit hard by the ad slowdown.
Experts said the networks' real money-making opportunities lie in ancillary businesses, such as international syndication, DVDs and other merchandise, and ownership of a network isn't necessary to reap those benefits.
12 May 2010
Betty White Shows She's Ready for 'Not Prime Time'
NY Daily News
Betty White, the oddest comet in our crowded celebrity sky, did nothing to diminish her stature last night as she hosted "Saturday Night Live."
In fact, there was probably more at stake for the show, which has suffered this season from postelection ratings and creative depression.
That may help explain why it put the 88-1/2-year-old White into every skit, whether there was a joke waiting there for her or not.
The return of former "SNL" stars like Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Tina Fey gave White a posse that formed the core of several sketches, including one in which White played the blunt-talking Grandma in a 1904 family parlor scene.
All the sisters are dressed in prim white dresses except Poehler, who enters with overalls and a basket out of which she pulls a fish.
As the others try to make Poehler more of a proper girl, White declares, "She's a lesbian." She declares this again, with slight variations, another dozen times.
She got to stretch more in a spoof on a National Public Radio talk show, where she played a guest invited to talk about her muffins for National Dietary Fiber Day.
"A baker of your age might tend to have a drier, more crusty muffin," said one of the hosts, setting the stage for an exchange of double entendres that, like most "SNL" sketches, lasted a little longer than the humor.
The show made a running gag out of White playing the grandmother of spoof movie hero "MacGruber," engaging him in absurd discussions that distracted him long enough that the explosives he was trying to diffuse all went off.
The writers seemed to make their own running gag out of finding a way to insert White's age in virtually every skit. They did upsize her from 88-1/2 to 90 for her "Weekend Update" commentary sketch.
The audience generally seemed to applaud as much for White's presence as for her jokes and seemed less surprised by the ongoing old-lady-talks-salty gags than her monologue, whose funniest lines had her trashing the Facebook culture that propelled her into the host gig in the first place.
She admitted she had never heard of Facebook before the campaign to put her on the show.
"And now that I know what it is," she said, "it seems like a huge waste of time. ... At my age, if I want to connect with my old friends, I need a Ouija board."
It's possible that putting White in every sketch was a subtle commentary on the bizarre way in which she seems to have saturated popular culture over the last few months.
As she suggested in her monologue, however, overexposure isn't a bad problem to have at the age of 88 - and a half.
In fact, there was probably more at stake for the show, which has suffered this season from postelection ratings and creative depression.
That may help explain why it put the 88-1/2-year-old White into every skit, whether there was a joke waiting there for her or not.
The return of former "SNL" stars like Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch and Tina Fey gave White a posse that formed the core of several sketches, including one in which White played the blunt-talking Grandma in a 1904 family parlor scene.
All the sisters are dressed in prim white dresses except Poehler, who enters with overalls and a basket out of which she pulls a fish.
As the others try to make Poehler more of a proper girl, White declares, "She's a lesbian." She declares this again, with slight variations, another dozen times.
She got to stretch more in a spoof on a National Public Radio talk show, where she played a guest invited to talk about her muffins for National Dietary Fiber Day.
"A baker of your age might tend to have a drier, more crusty muffin," said one of the hosts, setting the stage for an exchange of double entendres that, like most "SNL" sketches, lasted a little longer than the humor.
The show made a running gag out of White playing the grandmother of spoof movie hero "MacGruber," engaging him in absurd discussions that distracted him long enough that the explosives he was trying to diffuse all went off.
The writers seemed to make their own running gag out of finding a way to insert White's age in virtually every skit. They did upsize her from 88-1/2 to 90 for her "Weekend Update" commentary sketch.
The audience generally seemed to applaud as much for White's presence as for her jokes and seemed less surprised by the ongoing old-lady-talks-salty gags than her monologue, whose funniest lines had her trashing the Facebook culture that propelled her into the host gig in the first place.
She admitted she had never heard of Facebook before the campaign to put her on the show.
"And now that I know what it is," she said, "it seems like a huge waste of time. ... At my age, if I want to connect with my old friends, I need a Ouija board."
It's possible that putting White in every sketch was a subtle commentary on the bizarre way in which she seems to have saturated popular culture over the last few months.
As she suggested in her monologue, however, overexposure isn't a bad problem to have at the age of 88 - and a half.
06 May 2010
NBC: Conan Lied on '60 Minutes'
NY Daily News
Conan O'Brien's appearance on "60 Minutes" Sunday has NBC seeing red.
The network is accusing CoCo of lying when he claimed NBC bought him out because Leno's severance package would have cost more, TMZ reports.
According to sources at NBC, Leno's severance package would have been equivalent to what O'Brien walked home with -- $32.5 million.
The network also took issue with Big Red's response to Steve Kroft's statement that "The Tonight Show" was losing money.
"I don't see how that's, I honestly don't see how that's possible," O'Brien told the “60 Minutes” interviewer. "It's really not possible. It isn't possible."
NBC’s sources claim they had a discussion with O’Brien in which they told him the show would lose $5 million a year if he stayed on.
The network is accusing CoCo of lying when he claimed NBC bought him out because Leno's severance package would have cost more, TMZ reports.
According to sources at NBC, Leno's severance package would have been equivalent to what O'Brien walked home with -- $32.5 million.
The network also took issue with Big Red's response to Steve Kroft's statement that "The Tonight Show" was losing money.
"I don't see how that's, I honestly don't see how that's possible," O'Brien told the “60 Minutes” interviewer. "It's really not possible. It isn't possible."
NBC’s sources claim they had a discussion with O’Brien in which they told him the show would lose $5 million a year if he stayed on.
03 May 2010
Conan Opens up about his 'Toxic' Relationship
Salon
On "60 Minutes," the former "Tonight Show" host spoke about Leno and NBC like a man rebounding from a divorce
"This year is still incomprehensible," Conan O'Brien said. "The amount of stuff that's happened is going to take me along time to process."
Conan, you're not the only one.
There's not a soul on earth who's a stranger to failure. But few have the talent to turn their biggest defeat into a moment of triumph. But for a few weeks in January, that's what O'Brien did, transforming his kiss-off from NBC into the most rousing and hilarious thing to hit the nicey nice world of late night since, well, NBC pulled a similar stunt on David Letterman 18 years ago. Now, three months and change after bidding a cowbelled adieu to "The Tonight Show" -- and in the midst of his "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour -- O'Brien opened up on "60 Minutes" about the behind-the-scenes drama that precipitated his exit. Well, sort of.
O'Brien, who is still bound by what must be the mother of all non-disparagement clauses, was circumspect in the Sunday segment with Steve Kroft (he'd also been restrained from giving any television interviews until May 1). Gone was the Conan of winter, a man who seemed gloriously ablaze with rage toward his network. Instead he compared his split with NBC to the end of a marriage. He talked about grieving his relationship -- "toxic," he called it, classic breakup speak -- who pulled dude-in-pain moves like tweeting through his tears and the classic, growing a beard.
"So I lost 'The Tonight Show,'" he cracked to Kroft . "I'll show them. I'll stop shaving!"
Throughout the segment, Kroft lobbed questions to a clearly well-prepared, deeply cautious O'Brien. Had Jeff Zucker called him since he'd left? Had Leno? Nooooo.
"I do not think I will hearing from him," he said. And when asked if he believed Leno had acted "honorably," he replied like a lover trying to stay classy. "What I know is what happened, which is he went and took that show back." He added, "Had I surrendered 'The Tonight Show,' I would not have come back six months later. But that's me." Subtext: Because I'm not a jerk.
Then, in the interview's most revealing moment, he responded to Kroft's question about whether Leno had also been "screwed" by NBC with laughter, a dramatic, amused eye roll, and a polite, "It's harder for me to get inside his head and argue his side. I'm happy with my decision. I sleep well at night. I hope he's happy with his decision."
Very "(500) Days of Summer."
In fact, the closest O'Brien got to flashing any temper was when he admitted, "I don't know how thought out it this whole thing was. But if they wanted me to leave … they got their wish." And when asked about NBC's assertion that the show was losing money, he shook his head and replied, "For anyone to say the results were in after six months doesn't ring true to me ... I don't see how that's possible. Everybody knows they did what they had to do, and the only thing I take exception to is people saying, 'Conan was losing money.'"
Like any man coming out of the fog of heartbreak, O'Brien hasn't exactly returned as the lighthearted cut-up we knew during all those years of his previous relationship. In September, he'll re-emerge at TBS (which he pointedly referred to as "young") , and chances are, in much the manner of everyone who's been through a breakup, he'll be bringing his baggage with him. Maybe by then he won't have to reassure his fans that "I'm fine. I don't regret anything," and can go back to being "comedically absurd and ridiculous." But this time, the man who's still doing the heartbreak anthem "I Will Survive" every night on his tour will be sporting a little more bittersweet perspective -- and a lot more facial hair. And if Letterman's anything to go on, years and years of sly digs at NBC's expense.
07 April 2010
What Your TV is Telling You to Do
The Wall Street Journal
NBC Shows Send Eco-Friendly Cues
NBC Shows Send Eco-Friendly Cues
NBC Universal's Shows Are Sending Viewers Signals to Recycle, Exercise and Eat Right. Why?
In just one week on NBC, the detectives on "Law and Order" investigated a cash-for-clunkers scam, a nurse on "Mercy" organized a group bike ride, Al Gore made a guest appearance on "30 Rock," and "The Office" turned Dwight Schrute into a cape-wearing superhero obsessed with recycling.
Coincidence? Hardly. NBC Universal planted these eco-friendly elements into scripted television shows to influence viewers and help sell ads.
The tactic—General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal calls it "behavior placement"—is designed to sway viewers to adopt actions they see modeled in their favorite shows. And it helps sell ads to marketers who want to associate their brands with a feel-good, socially aware show.
Unlike with product placement, which can seem jarring to savvy viewers, the goal is that viewers won't really notice that Tina Fey is tossing a plastic bottle into the recycle bin, or that a minor character on "Law and Order: SVU" has switched to energy-saving light bulbs. "People don't want to be hit over the head with it," says NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker. "Putting it in programing is what makes it resonate with viewers."
TV has always had the ability to get millions of people to mimic a beloved character. Ever since Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City" stopped in at the Magnolia Bakery, fans of the show wait in long lines for the once-quiet shop's $2.75 cupcakes. When Jennifer Aniston as Rachel on "Friends" cut her hair, salons across the country reported requests for the shaggy, highlighted, layered look known as "the Rachel."
This is the power of persuasion that NBCU hopes to tap. "Subtle messaging woven into shows mainstreams it, and mainstreaming is an effective way to get a message across," says Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBCU Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks, which oversees the effort.
Since fall 2007, network executives have been asking producers of almost every prime-time and daytime show to incorporate a green storyline at least once a year. The effort now takes place for a week in April and November. Starting April 19 this year, 40 NBC Universal outlets will feature some 100 hours of green-themed programming, including an episode of the Bravo reality series "Millionaire Matchmaker" in which a 39-year-old tycoon with an eco-friendly clothing line goes into a rage after his blind date orders red meat.
In June, NBCU plans a week in which programming will emphasize healthy eating and exercise: The idea is that viewers will watch the shows and then spring into action. "It's about incorporating a marketer's message into a thematic environment," says Mike Pilot, president of sales and marketing at NBC Universal.
While the network says it tries to incorporate green programming throughout the year, the special emphasis twice a year creates an "event" that provides opportunities to advertisers, an NBC spokeswoman says. For instance, a Wal-Mart ad focusing on locally grown produce ran this past November after an episode of the medical drama "Trauma" in which emergency medic Rabbit rescues a window washer dangling precariously from a building; medics are alerted to the situation by a man sitting in his hybrid vehicle.
Behavior placement gives marketers extra incentive to advertise at a time when digital video recorders equip viewers with an unprecedented ability to skip commercials, says Jason Kanefsky, a media buyer at Havas's MPG. "You're not forcing your way into a program in any shape or form," he says. "You're just nodding your head at a program." ABC, CBS and FOX have plenty of product placement but haven't taken the step into behavior placement, network spokesmen say.
TV writers and producers are less enamored with behavior placement. Already on the hook to create holiday-themed episodes and accommodate marketers in other ways, some producers and writers grumble about additional demands. Requests for green-themed storylines come at the start of the year when programming executives sit down with producers and lay out which company-wide themes and holidays they will be working into shows.
Producers do have some leeway. "The Office," for example, embraces Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas but refuses to incorporate Easter since it isn't part of office culture.
Angela Bromstad, president of primetime entertainment at NBC, says her only specific request is that writers incorporate something related to the environment into a storyline and not make it a throwaway line of dialogue. "We haven't had any pushback," she says.
Paul Lieberstein, an executive producer on "The Office" who also plays the character Toby Flenderson, says he was thinking about making Dwight a superhero called "Recyclops" before network executives ordered up an environmental storyline.
"In this case it fell right into the realm of what we do," Mr. Lieberstein says. "We'd have to say no if it hurt the integrity of the show."
"Heroes" creator Tim Kring says behavior placement is easier than incorporating a specific brand, which is what the science-fiction series about ordinary people with superhuman abilities, recently did for sponsor Sprint Nextel Corp. This past fall, members of a carnival loaded a pickup truck with recyclables as Masi Oka, in the role of Hiro Nakamura, talks about giving back to the Earth. "Someone has to pay for our big, expensive television shows," Mr. Kring says.
Armed with its own data showing consumers are wiling to spend more if a brand seems eco-friendly, NBC in 2007 launched "Green Week," the programming component of a larger "Green is Universal" corporate campaign. That effort brought in an estimated $20 million in advertising revenue from 20 sponsors, according to industry estimates. Many new clients, including the nutrition bar Soy Joy, came on board, NBC says. In April 2008, the network added another week of green-themed programming, when network logos go green and on-air promos tout NBC's support for the environment. But there are no obvious cues to alert viewers to the green emphasis in programming.
To court advertisers targeting specific demographics, NBC researchers conduct regular focus groups. Viewers are broken into categories based on their favorite shows and their level of concern about the environment. "Alpha ecos" are mostly women who drive hybrids, eat organic and watch the Bravo channel. "Eco-logicals" are older viewers who have "traditional Midwestern values," drink Diet Coke, drive domestic cars and love basic-cable channel USA. When PepsiCo Inc.'s Sun Chips brand launched a compostable chip bag, executives wanted to reach young, edgy consumers who watch "30 Rock." Pepsi purchased a skit starring Kenneth, the show's lovable page. It will run during a commercial break of an eco-friendly episode this fall. "This audience has a tendency to be a little more cynical about blatant product placement," says Gannon Jones, vice president of marketing for PepsiCo's Frito-Lay unit.
Product placement on TV dates back to early soap operas sponsored by Procter & Gamble Co. Programming has been trying to get across messages, like Don't Smoke or Say No to Drugs, for almost as long. In the 1970s, libraries nationwide saw a spike in interest after the "Happy Days" character Fonzie got a library card. Last year, a character in the top-rated telenovela on NBC Universal's Telemundo, "Mas Sabe el Diablo" ("The Devil Knows Best"), had a job recruiting Latinos in New York City to participate in the 2010 Census. (Telemundo voluntarily took on the message for a group that is historically undercounted. It ran its efforts by Census authorities to make sure it had the details right.)
The messages NBC gravitates toward tend to be fairly innocuous. For instance, climate change may be controversial, but people can agree that taking care of the environment is a good thing. Same with diet and exercise: It may be controversial to ask people to quit smoking but people don't argue with taking better care of your body.
Still, do viewers really want their TV sets reminding them to recycle and go to the gym? Executives say the more seamlessly integrated the behavior is, the less it feels like the show is trying to manipulate. "The last thing you want to do is not reach the audience in the right way and make them mad at you," says NBCU's Ms. Zalaznick. Viewers don't mind if "you do a little good in the world, and you're still making your show."
For its first televised ad campaign, Vermont-based cleaning product manufacturer Seventh Generation Inc. paid NBCU to use Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, stars of Oxygen's reality series "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," in a vignette about organic gardening that will run later this month during a commercial break. The corresponding episode will feature the couple gardening and composting. Dave Kimbell, Seventh Generation's chief marketing officer, says the company doesn't use product placement but sees behavior placement as a more effective way to express the brand's values and "create a dialogue" with consumers.
The trick is to not turn off viewers by being lectury or too obvious, producers say. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" had a segment that urged viewers to turn off their lights for five seconds to conserve energy. But each time the lights went out in the studio, a Latina janitor screamed "Ay dios mio!" and a gunshot went off killing a member of the Fallon cast. "At that hour people just want to laugh and have fun. They don't want to be preached at," the host says.
In just one week on NBC, the detectives on "Law and Order" investigated a cash-for-clunkers scam, a nurse on "Mercy" organized a group bike ride, Al Gore made a guest appearance on "30 Rock," and "The Office" turned Dwight Schrute into a cape-wearing superhero obsessed with recycling.
Coincidence? Hardly. NBC Universal planted these eco-friendly elements into scripted television shows to influence viewers and help sell ads.
The tactic—General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal calls it "behavior placement"—is designed to sway viewers to adopt actions they see modeled in their favorite shows. And it helps sell ads to marketers who want to associate their brands with a feel-good, socially aware show.
Unlike with product placement, which can seem jarring to savvy viewers, the goal is that viewers won't really notice that Tina Fey is tossing a plastic bottle into the recycle bin, or that a minor character on "Law and Order: SVU" has switched to energy-saving light bulbs. "People don't want to be hit over the head with it," says NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker. "Putting it in programing is what makes it resonate with viewers."
TV has always had the ability to get millions of people to mimic a beloved character. Ever since Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City" stopped in at the Magnolia Bakery, fans of the show wait in long lines for the once-quiet shop's $2.75 cupcakes. When Jennifer Aniston as Rachel on "Friends" cut her hair, salons across the country reported requests for the shaggy, highlighted, layered look known as "the Rachel."
This is the power of persuasion that NBCU hopes to tap. "Subtle messaging woven into shows mainstreams it, and mainstreaming is an effective way to get a message across," says Lauren Zalaznick, president of NBCU Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks, which oversees the effort.
Since fall 2007, network executives have been asking producers of almost every prime-time and daytime show to incorporate a green storyline at least once a year. The effort now takes place for a week in April and November. Starting April 19 this year, 40 NBC Universal outlets will feature some 100 hours of green-themed programming, including an episode of the Bravo reality series "Millionaire Matchmaker" in which a 39-year-old tycoon with an eco-friendly clothing line goes into a rage after his blind date orders red meat.
In June, NBCU plans a week in which programming will emphasize healthy eating and exercise: The idea is that viewers will watch the shows and then spring into action. "It's about incorporating a marketer's message into a thematic environment," says Mike Pilot, president of sales and marketing at NBC Universal.
While the network says it tries to incorporate green programming throughout the year, the special emphasis twice a year creates an "event" that provides opportunities to advertisers, an NBC spokeswoman says. For instance, a Wal-Mart ad focusing on locally grown produce ran this past November after an episode of the medical drama "Trauma" in which emergency medic Rabbit rescues a window washer dangling precariously from a building; medics are alerted to the situation by a man sitting in his hybrid vehicle.
Behavior placement gives marketers extra incentive to advertise at a time when digital video recorders equip viewers with an unprecedented ability to skip commercials, says Jason Kanefsky, a media buyer at Havas's MPG. "You're not forcing your way into a program in any shape or form," he says. "You're just nodding your head at a program." ABC, CBS and FOX have plenty of product placement but haven't taken the step into behavior placement, network spokesmen say.
TV writers and producers are less enamored with behavior placement. Already on the hook to create holiday-themed episodes and accommodate marketers in other ways, some producers and writers grumble about additional demands. Requests for green-themed storylines come at the start of the year when programming executives sit down with producers and lay out which company-wide themes and holidays they will be working into shows.
Producers do have some leeway. "The Office," for example, embraces Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas but refuses to incorporate Easter since it isn't part of office culture.
Angela Bromstad, president of primetime entertainment at NBC, says her only specific request is that writers incorporate something related to the environment into a storyline and not make it a throwaway line of dialogue. "We haven't had any pushback," she says.
Paul Lieberstein, an executive producer on "The Office" who also plays the character Toby Flenderson, says he was thinking about making Dwight a superhero called "Recyclops" before network executives ordered up an environmental storyline.
"In this case it fell right into the realm of what we do," Mr. Lieberstein says. "We'd have to say no if it hurt the integrity of the show."
"Heroes" creator Tim Kring says behavior placement is easier than incorporating a specific brand, which is what the science-fiction series about ordinary people with superhuman abilities, recently did for sponsor Sprint Nextel Corp. This past fall, members of a carnival loaded a pickup truck with recyclables as Masi Oka, in the role of Hiro Nakamura, talks about giving back to the Earth. "Someone has to pay for our big, expensive television shows," Mr. Kring says.
Armed with its own data showing consumers are wiling to spend more if a brand seems eco-friendly, NBC in 2007 launched "Green Week," the programming component of a larger "Green is Universal" corporate campaign. That effort brought in an estimated $20 million in advertising revenue from 20 sponsors, according to industry estimates. Many new clients, including the nutrition bar Soy Joy, came on board, NBC says. In April 2008, the network added another week of green-themed programming, when network logos go green and on-air promos tout NBC's support for the environment. But there are no obvious cues to alert viewers to the green emphasis in programming.
To court advertisers targeting specific demographics, NBC researchers conduct regular focus groups. Viewers are broken into categories based on their favorite shows and their level of concern about the environment. "Alpha ecos" are mostly women who drive hybrids, eat organic and watch the Bravo channel. "Eco-logicals" are older viewers who have "traditional Midwestern values," drink Diet Coke, drive domestic cars and love basic-cable channel USA. When PepsiCo Inc.'s Sun Chips brand launched a compostable chip bag, executives wanted to reach young, edgy consumers who watch "30 Rock." Pepsi purchased a skit starring Kenneth, the show's lovable page. It will run during a commercial break of an eco-friendly episode this fall. "This audience has a tendency to be a little more cynical about blatant product placement," says Gannon Jones, vice president of marketing for PepsiCo's Frito-Lay unit.
Product placement on TV dates back to early soap operas sponsored by Procter & Gamble Co. Programming has been trying to get across messages, like Don't Smoke or Say No to Drugs, for almost as long. In the 1970s, libraries nationwide saw a spike in interest after the "Happy Days" character Fonzie got a library card. Last year, a character in the top-rated telenovela on NBC Universal's Telemundo, "Mas Sabe el Diablo" ("The Devil Knows Best"), had a job recruiting Latinos in New York City to participate in the 2010 Census. (Telemundo voluntarily took on the message for a group that is historically undercounted. It ran its efforts by Census authorities to make sure it had the details right.)
The messages NBC gravitates toward tend to be fairly innocuous. For instance, climate change may be controversial, but people can agree that taking care of the environment is a good thing. Same with diet and exercise: It may be controversial to ask people to quit smoking but people don't argue with taking better care of your body.
Still, do viewers really want their TV sets reminding them to recycle and go to the gym? Executives say the more seamlessly integrated the behavior is, the less it feels like the show is trying to manipulate. "The last thing you want to do is not reach the audience in the right way and make them mad at you," says NBCU's Ms. Zalaznick. Viewers don't mind if "you do a little good in the world, and you're still making your show."
For its first televised ad campaign, Vermont-based cleaning product manufacturer Seventh Generation Inc. paid NBCU to use Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, stars of Oxygen's reality series "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," in a vignette about organic gardening that will run later this month during a commercial break. The corresponding episode will feature the couple gardening and composting. Dave Kimbell, Seventh Generation's chief marketing officer, says the company doesn't use product placement but sees behavior placement as a more effective way to express the brand's values and "create a dialogue" with consumers.
The trick is to not turn off viewers by being lectury or too obvious, producers say. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" had a segment that urged viewers to turn off their lights for five seconds to conserve energy. But each time the lights went out in the studio, a Latina janitor screamed "Ay dios mio!" and a gunshot went off killing a member of the Fallon cast. "At that hour people just want to laugh and have fun. They don't want to be preached at," the host says.
13 March 2010
Feds Pledge Tough Review of Comcast-NBC Deal
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulators are pledging rigorous reviews of Comcast Corp.'s proposed purchase of NBC Universal to ensure that it would not stifle competition or harm consumers.
Christine Varney, the Justice Department's antitrust chief, and Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, offered no indication at a hearing Thursday of what the outcome of those reviews could be.
But many lawmakers and industry analysts expect regulators to approve the deal with conditions to prevent a combined company from abusing its market power.
At Thursday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, lawmakers expressed concern about the dangers of allowing the nation's biggest cable TV and broadband company to take control of NBC's vast media empire.
"When consolidation occurs in these markets, we need to pay attention," said Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller, D-W.Va. "When companies swell to include both content and distribution, we need to pay attention. Because it is vitally important that when we have mergers in these markets, consumers cannot be left with lesser programming and higher rates."
Comcast is seeking government approval to acquire a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. Comcast already owns some cable TV channels, including E! Entertainment and the Golf Channel. NBC Universal owns the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, along with popular cable channels such as CNBC, Bravo and Oxygen and the Universal Pictures movie studio.
The Justice Department will focus its review on the antitrust implications of the deal, while the FCC will look at whether the transaction is in the public interest. The FCC will soon begin accepting public comments to help guide its analysis. Both reviews are expected to last all year or longer.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., called on Varney and Genachowski to ensure that Comcast won't be able to extract higher prices from rival cable TV, satellite, phone and Internet companies for access to its popular video programming - in turn driving up prices for consumers.
That issue is drawing attention in Washington this week after a dispute over fees that Cablevision Systems Corp. pays to carry the ABC station in New York caused Cablevision subscribers to miss the first 15 minutes of the Oscars on Sunday.
A number of cable TV and satellite companies have seized on the incident to ask the FCC to prohibit broadcasters from pulling signals during negotiations and to mandate binding arbitration. Genachowski told senators on Thursday that the FCC would review whether existing federal regulations still make sense.
Kerry also urged regulators to ensure that Comcast won't lock up video programming on the Internet by making it available only to cable TV subscribers.
Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts told the committee that the combination would benefit consumers and drive innovation by accelerating "the delivery of the 'anytime, anywhere,' multi-platform video experience Americans want."
He added that the transaction would not reduce competition because "there is no significant overlap between the assets of the two companies."
20 February 2010
NBC: Hit the Road; Conan: Maybe I Will
NY Daily News
Conan O'Brien, former NBC 'Tonight Show' host, may take show on the road for live tour
Conan O'Brien was told to hit the road by NBC and he might just do that.
The former "Tonight" host, whose exit deal barred him from TV appearances for several months, is weighing a tour that would take him directly to his fans, according to a person familiar with the proposal.
Details are unsettled, the person said, but O'Brien may perform live at U.S. venues, including college campuses, or head to Europe.
An O'Brien spokesman declined comment.
The tour could be a prelude to a new talk show for the comedian, who left "Tonight" last month when NBC tried to bump him to a midnight slot.
Possibilities include Fox, which expressed interest.
Jay Leno reclaims "Tonight" next month.
Conan O'Brien was told to hit the road by NBC and he might just do that.
The former "Tonight" host, whose exit deal barred him from TV appearances for several months, is weighing a tour that would take him directly to his fans, according to a person familiar with the proposal.
Details are unsettled, the person said, but O'Brien may perform live at U.S. venues, including college campuses, or head to Europe.
An O'Brien spokesman declined comment.
The tour could be a prelude to a new talk show for the comedian, who left "Tonight" last month when NBC tried to bump him to a midnight slot.
Possibilities include Fox, which expressed interest.
Jay Leno reclaims "Tonight" next month.
19 February 2010
A Restrained Relaunch for Jay Leno on NBC
USA Today
NBC considered depicting the failed Jay Leno Show as a mere dream: Promo spots would feature Leno and Victoria Principal in the shower, an homage to the classic Dallas scene in which Principal dreamed the death of her onscreen husband.
Instead, the network is opting for a low-key echo of the commercials that launched Leno: Last fall, he was shown driving a race car emblazoned with a 10, a reminder of his new slot.
In spots that began airing during the Olympics Wednesday night, he's driving the same car, only the 10 is replaced by 11:35 (or 10:35, depending on your time zone), as the Beatles song urges him to "Get back to where you once belonged."
The approach is in marked contrast to the hype — painted buildings, grocery-aisle ads — that greeted his move to prime time last fall. Back then he was heralded on the cover of Time as the "future of television"; on March 1, NBC tries to relaunch Leno in his late-night perch and repopulates its 10 ET/PT schedule with dramas and reality shows.
The consensus from experts is that, promos aside, the new/old Tonight Show will do better than Conan O'Brien's short-lived version but not as well as it did before Leno left. "The damage to the Leno brand is real," says Sam Armando of ad firm SMGx. Leno sought to repair the brand in a lengthy interview with Oprah Winfrey and a Super Bowl ad for rival David Letterman that was designed to mock Leno.
"Whether true or not, Jay was perceived as doing something that was kind of hurtful to Conan O'Brien," says Brent Poer of Mediavest, though "memory and sympathy can wane very quickly."
Says John Rash of Campbell Mithun: "He was the reigning king of late night. But the negative news on his show, his performance, his guests and his hold on pop culture were questioned loudly and repeatedly for months, which makes it more of a challenge."
Leno will reclaim the desk he abandoned during his five-month prime-time stint, along with most elements of the old Tonight. But longtime bandleader Kevin Eubanks is expected to leave eventually to "pursue touring and recording opportunities," NBC says.
Meanwhile, Letterman's Late Show, which has been the No. 1 late-night talk show since summer, is preparing to defend its newfound success.
Late Show had planned to take off in early March but will go dark next week instead, an unusual move during a ratings sweeps. It has booked A-list guests including Jerry Seinfeld (Leno's first prime-time guest), Tom Hanks and Matt Damon for its first two weeks against Tonight.
Instead, the network is opting for a low-key echo of the commercials that launched Leno: Last fall, he was shown driving a race car emblazoned with a 10, a reminder of his new slot.
In spots that began airing during the Olympics Wednesday night, he's driving the same car, only the 10 is replaced by 11:35 (or 10:35, depending on your time zone), as the Beatles song urges him to "Get back to where you once belonged."
The approach is in marked contrast to the hype — painted buildings, grocery-aisle ads — that greeted his move to prime time last fall. Back then he was heralded on the cover of Time as the "future of television"; on March 1, NBC tries to relaunch Leno in his late-night perch and repopulates its 10 ET/PT schedule with dramas and reality shows.
The consensus from experts is that, promos aside, the new/old Tonight Show will do better than Conan O'Brien's short-lived version but not as well as it did before Leno left. "The damage to the Leno brand is real," says Sam Armando of ad firm SMGx. Leno sought to repair the brand in a lengthy interview with Oprah Winfrey and a Super Bowl ad for rival David Letterman that was designed to mock Leno.
"Whether true or not, Jay was perceived as doing something that was kind of hurtful to Conan O'Brien," says Brent Poer of Mediavest, though "memory and sympathy can wane very quickly."
Says John Rash of Campbell Mithun: "He was the reigning king of late night. But the negative news on his show, his performance, his guests and his hold on pop culture were questioned loudly and repeatedly for months, which makes it more of a challenge."
Leno will reclaim the desk he abandoned during his five-month prime-time stint, along with most elements of the old Tonight. But longtime bandleader Kevin Eubanks is expected to leave eventually to "pursue touring and recording opportunities," NBC says.
Meanwhile, Letterman's Late Show, which has been the No. 1 late-night talk show since summer, is preparing to defend its newfound success.
Late Show had planned to take off in early March but will go dark next week instead, an unusual move during a ratings sweeps. It has booked A-list guests including Jerry Seinfeld (Leno's first prime-time guest), Tom Hanks and Matt Damon for its first two weeks against Tonight.
18 February 2010
News & Views: NBC Takes the Gold in Advertising Overkill
USA Today
We interrupt this commercial announcement for an Olympic broadcast.
Granted, that's probably an exaggeration. But you can't blame NBC's prime-time viewers for thinking they're spending more time on breaks than they are on skis, skates and snowboards combined.
Yet what can a cash-strapped NBC do? In hindsight, the network clearly bid too much to broadcast these Winter Games, a money-losing mistake for which it, and viewers, are now paying. Still, as long as America puts its Olympic broadcasts in the hands of free enterprise, and as long as the International Olympic Committee insists on getting roughly half its broadcast money from the American bid alone, we're going to find ourselves in this ad-crazed fix — particularly when a bad economy reduces the amount NBC can charge for what it gets.
Granted, that's probably an exaggeration. But you can't blame NBC's prime-time viewers for thinking they're spending more time on breaks than they are on skis, skates and snowboards combined.
Yet what can a cash-strapped NBC do? In hindsight, the network clearly bid too much to broadcast these Winter Games, a money-losing mistake for which it, and viewers, are now paying. Still, as long as America puts its Olympic broadcasts in the hands of free enterprise, and as long as the International Olympic Committee insists on getting roughly half its broadcast money from the American bid alone, we're going to find ourselves in this ad-crazed fix — particularly when a bad economy reduces the amount NBC can charge for what it gets.
Economics are also why the major events you do see — like Lindsey Vonn's gold-medal ski run Wednesday — are confined to prime time, even if that requires ditching "live" for tape (as it always does on the West Coast). Ad rates are highest in prime time, which means the network needs as many viewers there as it can possibly gather. It can't afford to diminish that audience by letting you watch, or worse, record, big events in the afternoon.
Breaks and tape, that's the game NBC is stuck playing; no sense trying to change the rules in the middle. But we can ask for a few tweaks:
•Divorce the Ref. Considering that NBC has already said it's going to lose money on these games, we can't begrudge the network any ads it can sell. What grates are those incessant in-house promos for The Marriage Ref, Parenthood and The Celebrity Apprentice, among others. NBC has run so many of them so often, it's beginning to feel like we've already seen the shows and we're just waiting for the cancellation notices.
•Drop the Dragon. Never mind that those animated Viking-Olympic spots aren't funny, or that poor Bob Costas seems to cringe every time he has to introduce one. They're ads. Air them as ads, or don't air them at all.
•A little less Triumph of the Human Spirit. When we're back from a break, how about taking us to an event and skipping some of the profiles, particularly as NBC has returned to the sob-sister attitude it had ditched after Sydney. There's no doubt that many of the athletes have had to overcome adversity, but every setback isn't a tragedy — and tragedies are hardly the sole province of star athletes. If we can appreciate the Super Bowl without knowing every problem endured by every player, odds are we can do the same at the Olympics.
Breaks and tape, that's the game NBC is stuck playing; no sense trying to change the rules in the middle. But we can ask for a few tweaks:
•Divorce the Ref. Considering that NBC has already said it's going to lose money on these games, we can't begrudge the network any ads it can sell. What grates are those incessant in-house promos for The Marriage Ref, Parenthood and The Celebrity Apprentice, among others. NBC has run so many of them so often, it's beginning to feel like we've already seen the shows and we're just waiting for the cancellation notices.
•Drop the Dragon. Never mind that those animated Viking-Olympic spots aren't funny, or that poor Bob Costas seems to cringe every time he has to introduce one. They're ads. Air them as ads, or don't air them at all.
•A little less Triumph of the Human Spirit. When we're back from a break, how about taking us to an event and skipping some of the profiles, particularly as NBC has returned to the sob-sister attitude it had ditched after Sydney. There's no doubt that many of the athletes have had to overcome adversity, but every setback isn't a tragedy — and tragedies are hardly the sole province of star athletes. If we can appreciate the Super Bowl without knowing every problem endured by every player, odds are we can do the same at the Olympics.
15 February 2010
NBC Commits to DeGeneres
LA Times
Warner Bros. has signed a new deal with NBC to keep Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show on 10 of the network's television stations, including WNBC-TV Channel 4 in New York and KNBC-TV Channel 4 in Los Angeles.
Holding on to DeGeneres' show is big for NBC's television stations. Walt Disney Co.'s ABC stations have a big hole to fill when Oprah Winfrey quits her syndicated daytime talk show in September 2011, and ABC was expected to make a hard push for DeGeneres to fill that void. The new contract with NBC will run through the 2013-14 television season.
ABC was not the only one interested in DeGeneres. OWN, Winfrey's new cable network in partnership with Discovery Communications also made a play for her, people familiar with the situation said. The Fox TV stations may also have been curious about DeGeneres, particularly since she is now a judge on "American Idol."
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution sells "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on a cash-plus-barter basis. In other words, TV stations pay cash and also give up a portion of commercial time in return for the show. Warner Bros. declined to comment on terms of the deal. One industry insider with knowledge of the daytime talk business said NBC paid between $250,000 and $300,000 per-week for the show in its current deal. NBC's price tag was a little less than what other stations in big cities paid.
For NBC, the renewal of DeGeneres is the second big deal it's made in the last few weeks. It recently reached an agreement with Sony for its new daytime talk show featuring Nate Berkus that will start this fall. Berkus is an interior designer who has been a regular on Winfrey's show. NBC's television stations have holes to fill because Martha Stewart quit her daytime show.
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" does not generally compete head to head with Winfrey. When Winfrey leaves next year, don't be surprised if NBC's television stations move DeGeneres to whatever time slots were occupied by the reigning queen of talk. Her show averages over 3 million viewers, putting it second behind Winfrey's show, which averages just under 7 million viewers.
ABC now has one less option to consider when it decides how to replace Winfrey on its big-city television stations, including WABC-TV Channel 7 in New York and KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles. There has been some talk that ABC might look to move its morning chat show "The View" to the afternoons to fill Winfrey's slots.
ABC was not the only one interested in DeGeneres. OWN, Winfrey's new cable network in partnership with Discovery Communications also made a play for her, people familiar with the situation said. The Fox TV stations may also have been curious about DeGeneres, particularly since she is now a judge on "American Idol."
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution sells "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on a cash-plus-barter basis. In other words, TV stations pay cash and also give up a portion of commercial time in return for the show. Warner Bros. declined to comment on terms of the deal. One industry insider with knowledge of the daytime talk business said NBC paid between $250,000 and $300,000 per-week for the show in its current deal. NBC's price tag was a little less than what other stations in big cities paid.
For NBC, the renewal of DeGeneres is the second big deal it's made in the last few weeks. It recently reached an agreement with Sony for its new daytime talk show featuring Nate Berkus that will start this fall. Berkus is an interior designer who has been a regular on Winfrey's show. NBC's television stations have holes to fill because Martha Stewart quit her daytime show.
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" does not generally compete head to head with Winfrey. When Winfrey leaves next year, don't be surprised if NBC's television stations move DeGeneres to whatever time slots were occupied by the reigning queen of talk. Her show averages over 3 million viewers, putting it second behind Winfrey's show, which averages just under 7 million viewers.
ABC now has one less option to consider when it decides how to replace Winfrey on its big-city television stations, including WABC-TV Channel 7 in New York and KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles. There has been some talk that ABC might look to move its morning chat show "The View" to the afternoons to fill Winfrey's slots.
29 January 2010
NBC's Dick Ebersol Frustrated With Immelt Olympic Remarks
Media Daily News
The Olympics are less than a month away -- and NBC Universal sports chief Dick Ebersol has been speaking about more than the majesty of figure skating or intensity of hockey. There was the much-publicized rebuke of NBC late-night host Conan O'Brien. And now, he's expressed frustration with his ultimate boss, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt.
In comments published Wednesday in The New York Times, Ebersol suggested Immelt's statements last month that GE would lose $200 million on the Vancouver Olympics has affected the sales process.
Immelt, who runs a company with $17 billion in profits, was somewhat casual in his December prediction, referring to a probable loss of "a couple hundred million bucks."
But Ebersol told the Times: "When you say something like that, advertisers think they'll get a bargain, and we've told them there aren't any." Ebersol added that he wished Immelt had made the revelation at the end of January, "so it didn't cause any disruption of sales." Immelt had said NBCU's sales team would do a good job, "but it's just a more difficult sales environment for a big event."
On Ebersol's end, he is likely to have a new top boss in Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, once the cable operator takes over NBCU in about a year. GE controls NBCU, but will be a minority owner then.
Ebersol's commentary comes from someone known, in part, for diplomacy. His relationships with the oft-recalcitrant International Olympic Committee have led to lengthy rights deals and last summer in Beijing, swimming events being held at times preferable for NBCU.
Ebersol's frustration with Immelt came days after he told the newspaper that O'Brien has been an "astounding failure" as host of "The Tonight Show." Ebersol has experience in late night at NBC, having worked on "Saturday Night Live." He apparently is an advisor in running the daypart.
He added that a reason for O'Brien's lackluster ratings and firing from the 11:30 time slot and "Tonight Show" was a failure to "broaden the appeal of his show." Ebersol said he had advised O'Brien to remember there are viewers in places like Chicago and Des Moines, and not just on the coasts. He was "stubborn," Ebersol added.
The Times noted Ebersol's comments about NBC's late-night imbroglio were intended as a defense against criticism leveled at NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker and O'Brien's replacement, Jay Leno.
In comments published Wednesday in The New York Times, Ebersol suggested Immelt's statements last month that GE would lose $200 million on the Vancouver Olympics has affected the sales process.
Immelt, who runs a company with $17 billion in profits, was somewhat casual in his December prediction, referring to a probable loss of "a couple hundred million bucks."
But Ebersol told the Times: "When you say something like that, advertisers think they'll get a bargain, and we've told them there aren't any." Ebersol added that he wished Immelt had made the revelation at the end of January, "so it didn't cause any disruption of sales." Immelt had said NBCU's sales team would do a good job, "but it's just a more difficult sales environment for a big event."
On Ebersol's end, he is likely to have a new top boss in Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, once the cable operator takes over NBCU in about a year. GE controls NBCU, but will be a minority owner then.
Ebersol's commentary comes from someone known, in part, for diplomacy. His relationships with the oft-recalcitrant International Olympic Committee have led to lengthy rights deals and last summer in Beijing, swimming events being held at times preferable for NBCU.
Ebersol's frustration with Immelt came days after he told the newspaper that O'Brien has been an "astounding failure" as host of "The Tonight Show." Ebersol has experience in late night at NBC, having worked on "Saturday Night Live." He apparently is an advisor in running the daypart.
He added that a reason for O'Brien's lackluster ratings and firing from the 11:30 time slot and "Tonight Show" was a failure to "broaden the appeal of his show." Ebersol said he had advised O'Brien to remember there are viewers in places like Chicago and Des Moines, and not just on the coasts. He was "stubborn," Ebersol added.
The Times noted Ebersol's comments about NBC's late-night imbroglio were intended as a defense against criticism leveled at NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker and O'Brien's replacement, Jay Leno.
28 January 2010
Comcast CEO Says Law Protects Rivals in NBC Deal
AP
Existing law would prevent Comcast Corp. from denying satellite TV providers and other rivals access to NBC Universal programming on reasonable terms once the cable TV operator takes control of the media company, Comcast's chief executive said Wednesday.
Satellite companies such as DirecTV Inc. and smaller cable companies fear that if regulators approve Comcast's plan to acquire a majority stake in NBC Universal, Comcast would be able to drive up prices for - or even withhold - popular national and local programming, including NBC television broadcasts.
At a conference Wednesday on Internet and telecommunications policy, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said program access rules established by a 1992 cable law would prohibit the company from abusing its control over NBC Universal to discriminate against competing subscription TV services.
Roberts also said the combination does not raise traditional media consolidation fears because NBC Universal is a media company while Comcast is primarily a content distributor.
Comcast has already offered a handful of pledges in hopes of convincing regulators that the deal wouldn't hurt rivals and consumers. Those include a promise to extend existing program access rules to the local NBC and Telemundo stations it would acquire in the deal.
Those rules, which are enforced by the Federal Communications Commission, require cable companies to make their channels available to rivals on equal terms. But Comcast said they do not automatically apply to local broadcast programming, making its offer to extend the rules significant.
Many rivals, however, say that bringing a complaint to the FCC is slow and costly and that the commission doesn't enforce the rules aggressively.
Comcast is currently seeking regulatory approval to acquire a 51 percent interest in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. The deal must be approved by the Justice Department and the FCC.
Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV operator, has nearly 24 million cable customers and nearly 16 million broadband subscribers. It also owns some cable channels, including E! Entertainment and the Golf Channel.
NBC Universal would give Comcast the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; 26 local TV stations; popular cable channels such as CNBC, Bravo and Oxygen; the Universal Pictures movie studio and theme parks; and a stake in Hulu, which distributes TV programming online.
On Monday, Comcast filed paperwork with the Justice Department to comply with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, an antitrust law governing mergers and alliances. And on Thursday, it will file a public interest statement with the FCC, which must approve the transfer of NBC's broadcast licenses.
Those filings are intended to give regulators a detailed understanding of the proposed transaction, including a full picture of the assets to be combined and the markets in which the companies operate. The paperwork will also offer a proposed framework for reviewing the merger, including an analysis of similar merger reviews in the past.
Satellite companies such as DirecTV Inc. and smaller cable companies fear that if regulators approve Comcast's plan to acquire a majority stake in NBC Universal, Comcast would be able to drive up prices for - or even withhold - popular national and local programming, including NBC television broadcasts.
At a conference Wednesday on Internet and telecommunications policy, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said program access rules established by a 1992 cable law would prohibit the company from abusing its control over NBC Universal to discriminate against competing subscription TV services.
Roberts also said the combination does not raise traditional media consolidation fears because NBC Universal is a media company while Comcast is primarily a content distributor.
Comcast has already offered a handful of pledges in hopes of convincing regulators that the deal wouldn't hurt rivals and consumers. Those include a promise to extend existing program access rules to the local NBC and Telemundo stations it would acquire in the deal.
Those rules, which are enforced by the Federal Communications Commission, require cable companies to make their channels available to rivals on equal terms. But Comcast said they do not automatically apply to local broadcast programming, making its offer to extend the rules significant.
Many rivals, however, say that bringing a complaint to the FCC is slow and costly and that the commission doesn't enforce the rules aggressively.
Comcast is currently seeking regulatory approval to acquire a 51 percent interest in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. The deal must be approved by the Justice Department and the FCC.
Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV operator, has nearly 24 million cable customers and nearly 16 million broadband subscribers. It also owns some cable channels, including E! Entertainment and the Golf Channel.
NBC Universal would give Comcast the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; 26 local TV stations; popular cable channels such as CNBC, Bravo and Oxygen; the Universal Pictures movie studio and theme parks; and a stake in Hulu, which distributes TV programming online.
On Monday, Comcast filed paperwork with the Justice Department to comply with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, an antitrust law governing mergers and alliances. And on Thursday, it will file a public interest statement with the FCC, which must approve the transfer of NBC's broadcast licenses.
Those filings are intended to give regulators a detailed understanding of the proposed transaction, including a full picture of the assets to be combined and the markets in which the companies operate. The paperwork will also offer a proposed framework for reviewing the merger, including an analysis of similar merger reviews in the past.
26 January 2010
NBC Will Lose $250 Million on Winter Games
Media Week
Despite increasing demand from advertisers, NBC expects to lose a quarter of a billion dollars with its presentation of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
General Electric vice chairman and chief financial officer Keith Sherin on Friday told investors that NBC anticipates “a loss of somewhere around $250 million on the Olympics,” revising downward the $200 million hit GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt predicted in mid-December.
General Electric vice chairman and chief financial officer Keith Sherin on Friday told investors that NBC anticipates “a loss of somewhere around $250 million on the Olympics,” revising downward the $200 million hit GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt predicted in mid-December.
Ad dollars have begun pouring in over the last few weeks, Sherin said. “We are seeing pretty good demand for the Olympics. The advertising market is picking up,” Sherin said. While a late flurry of activity has NBC anticipating national ad sales to add up to between $650 million and $700 million, Sherin cautioned that the recent boost in sponsor commitments will not be enough to offset the $820 million rights fee and the costs associated with producing the two-week event.
While NBC acknowledged that it will take a loss on the Games, the network believes that ratings will have nothing to do with the shortfall. Media buyers said the network has set a 14.0 prime-time ratings guarantee for Vancouver, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 12. The Peacock averaged a 12.2 rating during the 2006 Torino Games, per Nielsen.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, GE’s NBC Universal unit posted a profit of $602 million, down 30 percent from the year-ago period ($865 million). Revenue slipped 3.7 percent to $4.27 billion.
Sherin said the declines could be attributed to the higher rights fees NBC paid for its Sunday Night Football package, as well as disappointing DVD sales at Universal Pictures.
NBCU’s cable TV portfolio continued to shine in Q4 09, as the unit boosted revenue by 8 percent to $1.3 billion, thanks to a strong showing by general-entertainment nets USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. The latter three channels individually lifted profit 20 percent in the quarter, per Sherin.
Ratings momentum and a stronger scatter market helped drive the cable nets. Sherin said Q4 CPMs were “up over 30 percent [from upfront pricing],” adding that the networks continue to command similar premiums in the current quarter.
On the broadcast side of the ledger, which includes the NBC flagship network, local television stations and Spanish-language channel Telemundo, Q4 revenue came in at $1.6 billion, down 2 percent from the year-ago period.
As with cable, scatter was a boon to the broadcast business in the last three months of 2009. “Pricing on scatter for the broadcast network was up low double digits in the fourth quarter, and the outlook for the first quarter is up over 20 percent,” Sherin said.
GE has little to say about its deal to sell a controlling stake of NBCU to cable giant Comcast, a transaction that is expected to face intense scrutiny from federal regulators. “We are working jointly on preparing our regulatory filing and our other notices with the Department of Justice and the FDC to get that under way,” Sherin said.
Sherin also glossed over last week’s resolution of the Jay Leno-Conan O’Brien late-night soap opera. “Everyone is aware of our decision to move Leno back to the Tonight Show and to reset the 10 p.m. lineup after the Olympics.” Sherin said. “I am not sure I could report more than has been written on this subject.”
Despite increasing demand from advertisers, NBC expects to lose a quarter of a billion dollars with its presentation of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
General Electric vice chairman and chief financial officer Keith Sherin on Friday told investors that NBC anticipates “a loss of somewhere around $250 million on the Olympics,” revising downward the $200 million hit GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt predicted in mid-December.
Ad dollars have begun pouring in over the last few weeks, Sherin said. “We are seeing pretty good demand for the Olympics. The advertising market is picking up,” Sherin said. While a late flurry of activity has NBC anticipating national ad sales to add up to between $650 million and $700 million, Sherin cautioned that the recent boost in sponsor commitments will not be enough to offset the $820 million rights fee and the costs associated with producing the two-week event.
While NBC acknowledged that it will take a loss on the Games, the network believes that ratings will have nothing to do with the shortfall. Media buyers said the network has set a 14.0 prime-time ratings guarantee for Vancouver, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 12. The Peacock averaged a 12.2 rating during the 2006 Torino Games, per Nielsen.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, GE’s NBC Universal unit posted a profit of $602 million, down 30 percent from the year-ago period ($865 million). Revenue slipped 3.7 percent to $4.27 billion.
Sherin said the declines could be attributed to the higher rights fees NBC paid for its Sunday Night Football package, as well as disappointing DVD sales at Universal Pictures.
NBCU’s cable TV portfolio continued to shine in Q4 09, as the unit boosted revenue by 8 percent to $1.3 billion, thanks to a strong showing by general-entertainment nets USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. The latter three channels individually lifted profit 20 percent in the quarter, per Sherin.
Ratings momentum and a stronger scatter market helped drive the cable nets. Sherin said Q4 CPMs were “up over 30 percent [from upfront pricing],” adding that the networks continue to command similar premiums in the current quarter.
On the broadcast side of the ledger, which includes the NBC flagship network, local television stations and Spanish-language channel Telemundo, Q4 revenue came in at $1.6 billion, down 2 percent from the year-ago period.
As with cable, scatter was a boon to the broadcast business in the last three months of 2009. “Pricing on scatter for the broadcast network was up low double digits in the fourth quarter, and the outlook for the first quarter is up over 20 percent,” Sherin said.
GE has little to say about its deal to sell a controlling stake of NBCU to cable giant Comcast, a transaction that is expected to face intense scrutiny from federal regulators. “We are working jointly on preparing our regulatory filing and our other notices with the Department of Justice and the FDC to get that under way,” Sherin said.
Sherin also glossed over last week’s resolution of the Jay Leno-Conan O’Brien late-night soap opera. “Everyone is aware of our decision to move Leno back to the Tonight Show and to reset the 10 p.m. lineup after the Olympics.” Sherin said. “I am not sure I could report more than has been written on this subject.”
While NBC acknowledged that it will take a loss on the Games, the network believes that ratings will have nothing to do with the shortfall. Media buyers said the network has set a 14.0 prime-time ratings guarantee for Vancouver, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 12. The Peacock averaged a 12.2 rating during the 2006 Torino Games, per Nielsen.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, GE’s NBC Universal unit posted a profit of $602 million, down 30 percent from the year-ago period ($865 million). Revenue slipped 3.7 percent to $4.27 billion.
Sherin said the declines could be attributed to the higher rights fees NBC paid for its Sunday Night Football package, as well as disappointing DVD sales at Universal Pictures.
NBCU’s cable TV portfolio continued to shine in Q4 09, as the unit boosted revenue by 8 percent to $1.3 billion, thanks to a strong showing by general-entertainment nets USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. The latter three channels individually lifted profit 20 percent in the quarter, per Sherin.
Ratings momentum and a stronger scatter market helped drive the cable nets. Sherin said Q4 CPMs were “up over 30 percent [from upfront pricing],” adding that the networks continue to command similar premiums in the current quarter.
On the broadcast side of the ledger, which includes the NBC flagship network, local television stations and Spanish-language channel Telemundo, Q4 revenue came in at $1.6 billion, down 2 percent from the year-ago period.
As with cable, scatter was a boon to the broadcast business in the last three months of 2009. “Pricing on scatter for the broadcast network was up low double digits in the fourth quarter, and the outlook for the first quarter is up over 20 percent,” Sherin said.
GE has little to say about its deal to sell a controlling stake of NBCU to cable giant Comcast, a transaction that is expected to face intense scrutiny from federal regulators. “We are working jointly on preparing our regulatory filing and our other notices with the Department of Justice and the FDC to get that under way,” Sherin said.
Sherin also glossed over last week’s resolution of the Jay Leno-Conan O’Brien late-night soap opera. “Everyone is aware of our decision to move Leno back to the Tonight Show and to reset the 10 p.m. lineup after the Olympics.” Sherin said. “I am not sure I could report more than has been written on this subject.”
Despite increasing demand from advertisers, NBC expects to lose a quarter of a billion dollars with its presentation of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
General Electric vice chairman and chief financial officer Keith Sherin on Friday told investors that NBC anticipates “a loss of somewhere around $250 million on the Olympics,” revising downward the $200 million hit GE chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt predicted in mid-December.
Ad dollars have begun pouring in over the last few weeks, Sherin said. “We are seeing pretty good demand for the Olympics. The advertising market is picking up,” Sherin said. While a late flurry of activity has NBC anticipating national ad sales to add up to between $650 million and $700 million, Sherin cautioned that the recent boost in sponsor commitments will not be enough to offset the $820 million rights fee and the costs associated with producing the two-week event.
While NBC acknowledged that it will take a loss on the Games, the network believes that ratings will have nothing to do with the shortfall. Media buyers said the network has set a 14.0 prime-time ratings guarantee for Vancouver, which kicks off on Friday, Feb. 12. The Peacock averaged a 12.2 rating during the 2006 Torino Games, per Nielsen.
In the fourth quarter of 2009, GE’s NBC Universal unit posted a profit of $602 million, down 30 percent from the year-ago period ($865 million). Revenue slipped 3.7 percent to $4.27 billion.
Sherin said the declines could be attributed to the higher rights fees NBC paid for its Sunday Night Football package, as well as disappointing DVD sales at Universal Pictures.
NBCU’s cable TV portfolio continued to shine in Q4 09, as the unit boosted revenue by 8 percent to $1.3 billion, thanks to a strong showing by general-entertainment nets USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. The latter three channels individually lifted profit 20 percent in the quarter, per Sherin.
Ratings momentum and a stronger scatter market helped drive the cable nets. Sherin said Q4 CPMs were “up over 30 percent [from upfront pricing],” adding that the networks continue to command similar premiums in the current quarter.
On the broadcast side of the ledger, which includes the NBC flagship network, local television stations and Spanish-language channel Telemundo, Q4 revenue came in at $1.6 billion, down 2 percent from the year-ago period.
As with cable, scatter was a boon to the broadcast business in the last three months of 2009. “Pricing on scatter for the broadcast network was up low double digits in the fourth quarter, and the outlook for the first quarter is up over 20 percent,” Sherin said.
GE has little to say about its deal to sell a controlling stake of NBCU to cable giant Comcast, a transaction that is expected to face intense scrutiny from federal regulators. “We are working jointly on preparing our regulatory filing and our other notices with the Department of Justice and the FDC to get that under way,” Sherin said.
Sherin also glossed over last week’s resolution of the Jay Leno-Conan O’Brien late-night soap opera. “Everyone is aware of our decision to move Leno back to the Tonight Show and to reset the 10 p.m. lineup after the Olympics.” Sherin said. “I am not sure I could report more than has been written on this subject.”
25 January 2010
NBC Said to Tell Comcast of Leno Troubles Before Deal
Bloomberg
NBC told Comcast Corp. in November that Jay Leno’s ratings had hurt local stations, one of the factors that weighed on the value of the entertainment company, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
The discussion was part of a broad review of NBC Universal by executives of both companies as Comcast negotiated for General Electric Co.’s entertainment unit. NBC also projected a $200 million loss on the Olympics, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private.
The review gave Comcast a heads-up that NBC was considering its options at 10 p.m., two months before the New York-based network announced the decision to move Leno out of prime time, the people said. David Bank, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in New York, estimates NBC will spend $200 million rebuilding its schedule in that time slot.
Allison Gollust, a spokeswoman for NBC Universal, said the company doesn’t comment on closed-door meetings. John Demming, a spokesman for Philadelphia-based Comcast, the largest U.S. cable television service, also declined to comment.
Comcast agreed to acquire control of NBC Universal through a venture with current majority owner GE in a deal announced on Dec. 3. The cable operator will pay $6.5 billion and contribute cable assets worth $7.25 billion, including the Golf Channel.
Those at the briefings included Comcast Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Burke, as well as NBC Universal CEO Jeffrey Zucker, Jeff Gaspin, head of entertainment for the network, and sports chief Dick Ebersol.
Falling Ratings
Faced with falling prime-time and late-night ratings, along with viewer losses for local news on affiliate stations, NBC said this month it would move Leno back to late night at 11:35 p.m. Gaspin told TV critics this month he made the decision to end the 10 p.m. show in December amid growing protests from the stations, and that Comcast wasn’t involved.
“They have nothing to do with the business decisions we make, and they won’t until there’s regulatory approval,” Gaspin said at the time.
Conan O’Brien, 46, succeeded Leno on “The Tonight Show” in June and refused to host a later program at 12:05 a.m. NBC has negotiated a severance package for him, NBC’s Gollust said today. The exit deal will be announced today, she said.
The agreement may include a payout of about $32 million for O’Brien and about $12 million for his employees, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The newspaper said it didn’t have full details on the final arrangement.
Less Than 10%
The NBC network and its owned stations accounted for less than 10 percent of the $30 billion valuation for NBC Universal when the deal was announced, the people said. The company also owns a film studio, theme parks and cable channels.
GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, fell 48 cents to $16.02 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares declined 6.6 percent last year. Comcast, which was little changed in 2009, lost 52 cents to $16 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
The day after the purchase by Comcast was announced, Zucker said in an interview with CNBC that Leno’s 10 p.m. show was performing as the network expected. Lower 10 p.m. ratings were hurting NBC’s local TV stations and the decision to air a talk show in prime time was being assessed, he said.
The sale of NBC Universal is awaiting regulatory approval that may take as many as nine months. Vivendi SA, which will sell its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal as part of the deal, fell 54 cents to 19.89 euros yesterday in Paris.
Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Universal Sports, said on Jan. 10 the network would lose money broadcasting the Winter Olympics in Vancouver because of rising costs for TV rights. He said it was the first such loss on the Olympics since he joined NBC.
NBC, last among the big four broadcast networks in prime- time audience ratings, will produce the most pilots since 2003 to win back viewers, Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment, said in a Dec. 21 interview.
The discussion was part of a broad review of NBC Universal by executives of both companies as Comcast negotiated for General Electric Co.’s entertainment unit. NBC also projected a $200 million loss on the Olympics, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private.
The review gave Comcast a heads-up that NBC was considering its options at 10 p.m., two months before the New York-based network announced the decision to move Leno out of prime time, the people said. David Bank, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets in New York, estimates NBC will spend $200 million rebuilding its schedule in that time slot.
Allison Gollust, a spokeswoman for NBC Universal, said the company doesn’t comment on closed-door meetings. John Demming, a spokesman for Philadelphia-based Comcast, the largest U.S. cable television service, also declined to comment.
Comcast agreed to acquire control of NBC Universal through a venture with current majority owner GE in a deal announced on Dec. 3. The cable operator will pay $6.5 billion and contribute cable assets worth $7.25 billion, including the Golf Channel.
Those at the briefings included Comcast Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Burke, as well as NBC Universal CEO Jeffrey Zucker, Jeff Gaspin, head of entertainment for the network, and sports chief Dick Ebersol.
Falling Ratings
Faced with falling prime-time and late-night ratings, along with viewer losses for local news on affiliate stations, NBC said this month it would move Leno back to late night at 11:35 p.m. Gaspin told TV critics this month he made the decision to end the 10 p.m. show in December amid growing protests from the stations, and that Comcast wasn’t involved.
“They have nothing to do with the business decisions we make, and they won’t until there’s regulatory approval,” Gaspin said at the time.
Conan O’Brien, 46, succeeded Leno on “The Tonight Show” in June and refused to host a later program at 12:05 a.m. NBC has negotiated a severance package for him, NBC’s Gollust said today. The exit deal will be announced today, she said.
The agreement may include a payout of about $32 million for O’Brien and about $12 million for his employees, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The newspaper said it didn’t have full details on the final arrangement.
Less Than 10%
The NBC network and its owned stations accounted for less than 10 percent of the $30 billion valuation for NBC Universal when the deal was announced, the people said. The company also owns a film studio, theme parks and cable channels.
GE, based in Fairfield, Connecticut, fell 48 cents to $16.02 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares declined 6.6 percent last year. Comcast, which was little changed in 2009, lost 52 cents to $16 on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
The day after the purchase by Comcast was announced, Zucker said in an interview with CNBC that Leno’s 10 p.m. show was performing as the network expected. Lower 10 p.m. ratings were hurting NBC’s local TV stations and the decision to air a talk show in prime time was being assessed, he said.
The sale of NBC Universal is awaiting regulatory approval that may take as many as nine months. Vivendi SA, which will sell its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal as part of the deal, fell 54 cents to 19.89 euros yesterday in Paris.
Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Universal Sports, said on Jan. 10 the network would lose money broadcasting the Winter Olympics in Vancouver because of rising costs for TV rights. He said it was the first such loss on the Olympics since he joined NBC.
NBC, last among the big four broadcast networks in prime- time audience ratings, will produce the most pilots since 2003 to win back viewers, Angela Bromstad, president of prime-time entertainment, said in a Dec. 21 interview.
20 January 2010
Fans Support Conan in Droves
CBS News
"The Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien led hundreds of his fans down a street to the NBC Building in Los Angeles. O'Brien has been in a much-publicized dispute with the Peacock Network.
19 January 2010
Conan Reaps $40M In NBC Exit
NY Post
Conan O'Brien is close to signing a nearly $40 million deal to walk away from his job hosting NBC's "The Tonight Show," in a new move that will also award severance pay to his employees, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The deal, which has been fiercely negotiated for the last week, will give O'Brien $32.5 million to go on garden leave until September. This would prevent him from hosting any other TV shows if he pockets the cash, but gives him an option to sign other deals.
The remaining $7.5 million will go in severance pay to about 200 of Conan's "Tonight Show" employees after they expressed outrage about the prospect of going penniless, reports said.
O'Brien decided to leave NBC after executives said they would push his show to a slot after midnight (EST) in favor of the Jay Leno Show.
The exit agreement, which could be completed as early as Tuesday, bars O'Brien from bad-mouthing his former NBC bosses.
News of the deal comes hours after Leno tried to explain his side of the dispute with NBC during the monologue of his soon-to-be cancelled 10 p.m. show.
He said his expected return to 11:35 p.m. could become official today -- and called frenemy Conan O'Brien a "great guy."
His remarks (text below) came on the heels of reports O'Brien was close to signing a $40 million exit deal with NBC after refusing to move his "Tonight Show" to 12:05 a.m.
Jay's remarks
' I thought maybe I should address this. At least give you my view of what has been going on here at NBC.
Oh, let’s start in 2004 — 2004, I’m sitting in my office, an NBC executive comes in and says to me, “Listen, Conan O’Brien has gotten offers from other networks. We don’t want him to go, so we’re going to give him ‘The Tonight Show.’ “ I said, “Well, I’ve been number one for 12 years.” They said, “We know that, but we don’t think you can sustain that.” I said, “OK. How about until I fall to number two, then you fire me?” “No, we made this decision.” I said, “That’s fine.”
Don’t blame Conan O’Brien. Nice guy, good family guy, great guy. He and I have talked and not a problem since then. That’s what managers and people do, they try to get something for their clients. I said, “I’ll retire just to avoid what happened the last time.” OK.
So time goes by, and we stay number one up until the day we leave. We hand — [applause] — no, no. OK, but I’m leaving before my contract is out. About six to eight months early. So before I could go anywhere else, it would be at least a year or 18 months before I could go and do a show somewhere else.
I said to NBC, “Would you release me from my contract?” They said, “We want to keep you here.” OK.
“What are your ideas?” They said, “How about prime time?” I said, “That will never work.” “No, no, we want to put you on at 10. We have done focus groups. People will love you at 10.” . . . Four months go by, we don’t make it. Meanwhile, Conan’s show during the summer — we’re not on — was not doing well. The great hope was that we would help him. Well, we didn’t help him any. OK.
They come and go, “This show isn’t working. We want to let you go.” “Can you let me out of my contract?” “No, you’re still a valuable asset to this company.” How valuable can I be? You fired me twice. How valuable can I be? OK.
So then, the affiliates are not happy. The affiliates are the ones that own the TV stations. They’re the ones that sort of make the decisions. “They’re not happy with your performance, and Conan is not doing well at 11:30.” I said, “What’s your idea?” They said, “Well, look, how about you do a half-hour show at 11:30?” Now, where I come from, when your boss gives you a job and you don’t do it well — I think we did a good job here, but we didn’t get the ratings, so you get humbled. I said, “OK, I’m not crazy about doing a half-hour, but OK. What do you want to do with Conan?” “We’ll put him on at midnight, or 12:05, keeps ‘The Tonight Show’ does all that, he gets the whole hour.” I said, “OK. You think Conan will go for that?” “Yes, yes. [Laughter.] Almost guarantee you.” I said OK. Shake hands, that’s it. I don’t have a manager, I don’t have an agent, that’s my handshake deal.
Next thing, I see Conan . . . saying he doesn’t want to do that. They come back to me and they say, “If he decides to walk and doesn’t want to do it, do you want the show back?” I go, “Yeah, I’ll take the show back. If that’s what he wants to do. This way, we keep our people working, fine.”
So that’s pretty much where we are. It looks like we might be back at 11:30, I’m not sure. I don’t know. [Applause.] I don’t know. But through all of this — through all of this, Conan O’Brien has been a gentleman. He’s a good guy. I have no animosity towards him.
This is all business. If you don’t get the ratings, they take you off the air . . . You can do almost anything. You get ratings, they keep you. I don’t get ratings he wants. That was NBC’s solution. It didn’t work, so we might have an answer for you tomorrow.
So, we’ll see. That’s basically where it is.'
The deal, which has been fiercely negotiated for the last week, will give O'Brien $32.5 million to go on garden leave until September. This would prevent him from hosting any other TV shows if he pockets the cash, but gives him an option to sign other deals.
The remaining $7.5 million will go in severance pay to about 200 of Conan's "Tonight Show" employees after they expressed outrage about the prospect of going penniless, reports said.
O'Brien decided to leave NBC after executives said they would push his show to a slot after midnight (EST) in favor of the Jay Leno Show.
The exit agreement, which could be completed as early as Tuesday, bars O'Brien from bad-mouthing his former NBC bosses.
News of the deal comes hours after Leno tried to explain his side of the dispute with NBC during the monologue of his soon-to-be cancelled 10 p.m. show.
He said his expected return to 11:35 p.m. could become official today -- and called frenemy Conan O'Brien a "great guy."
His remarks (text below) came on the heels of reports O'Brien was close to signing a $40 million exit deal with NBC after refusing to move his "Tonight Show" to 12:05 a.m.
Jay's remarks
' I thought maybe I should address this. At least give you my view of what has been going on here at NBC.
Oh, let’s start in 2004 — 2004, I’m sitting in my office, an NBC executive comes in and says to me, “Listen, Conan O’Brien has gotten offers from other networks. We don’t want him to go, so we’re going to give him ‘The Tonight Show.’ “ I said, “Well, I’ve been number one for 12 years.” They said, “We know that, but we don’t think you can sustain that.” I said, “OK. How about until I fall to number two, then you fire me?” “No, we made this decision.” I said, “That’s fine.”
Don’t blame Conan O’Brien. Nice guy, good family guy, great guy. He and I have talked and not a problem since then. That’s what managers and people do, they try to get something for their clients. I said, “I’ll retire just to avoid what happened the last time.” OK.
So time goes by, and we stay number one up until the day we leave. We hand — [applause] — no, no. OK, but I’m leaving before my contract is out. About six to eight months early. So before I could go anywhere else, it would be at least a year or 18 months before I could go and do a show somewhere else.
I said to NBC, “Would you release me from my contract?” They said, “We want to keep you here.” OK.
“What are your ideas?” They said, “How about prime time?” I said, “That will never work.” “No, no, we want to put you on at 10. We have done focus groups. People will love you at 10.” . . . Four months go by, we don’t make it. Meanwhile, Conan’s show during the summer — we’re not on — was not doing well. The great hope was that we would help him. Well, we didn’t help him any. OK.
They come and go, “This show isn’t working. We want to let you go.” “Can you let me out of my contract?” “No, you’re still a valuable asset to this company.” How valuable can I be? You fired me twice. How valuable can I be? OK.
So then, the affiliates are not happy. The affiliates are the ones that own the TV stations. They’re the ones that sort of make the decisions. “They’re not happy with your performance, and Conan is not doing well at 11:30.” I said, “What’s your idea?” They said, “Well, look, how about you do a half-hour show at 11:30?” Now, where I come from, when your boss gives you a job and you don’t do it well — I think we did a good job here, but we didn’t get the ratings, so you get humbled. I said, “OK, I’m not crazy about doing a half-hour, but OK. What do you want to do with Conan?” “We’ll put him on at midnight, or 12:05, keeps ‘The Tonight Show’ does all that, he gets the whole hour.” I said, “OK. You think Conan will go for that?” “Yes, yes. [Laughter.] Almost guarantee you.” I said OK. Shake hands, that’s it. I don’t have a manager, I don’t have an agent, that’s my handshake deal.
Next thing, I see Conan . . . saying he doesn’t want to do that. They come back to me and they say, “If he decides to walk and doesn’t want to do it, do you want the show back?” I go, “Yeah, I’ll take the show back. If that’s what he wants to do. This way, we keep our people working, fine.”
So that’s pretty much where we are. It looks like we might be back at 11:30, I’m not sure. I don’t know. [Applause.] I don’t know. But through all of this — through all of this, Conan O’Brien has been a gentleman. He’s a good guy. I have no animosity towards him.
This is all business. If you don’t get the ratings, they take you off the air . . . You can do almost anything. You get ratings, they keep you. I don’t get ratings he wants. That was NBC’s solution. It didn’t work, so we might have an answer for you tomorrow.
So, we’ll see. That’s basically where it is.'
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