McDowell: The Color Green

11/20/09 FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell told a RainbowPUSH audience in Washington Friday that the key to minority ownership is, well, ownership. Addressing the group's Media & Telecommunications Symposium, McDowell said that he wanted to foster minority ownership that can be legally sustained--like a minority tax certificate program--and that will "first do no harm," but he als..... ...Read More »

???Oprah??? Departure Shouldn???t Be Financial Hit For CBS, Stations

11/20/09 When The Oprah Winfrey Show goes off TV stations’ air on Sept. 9, 2011, the entity that stands to lose the most money is: Oprah. Winfrey and her Harpo Productions take home by far the most profit from Oprah. CBS Television Distribution (CTD), which distributes the show, earns well south of $50 million annually in distribution fees on the show, estimates ..... ...Read More »

OWN Sets Sights on Cable's Own Oprah Demo

11/20/09 Oprah Winfrey’s announcement Nov. 20 that she will end her syndicated talk show in 2011 gave a much-needed shot in the arm for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. Now that Winfrey’s plans are coming into focus, the joint venture between Discovery Communications and Harpo Productions is expected to unveil a slate of new programming in the coming weeks. But when the ..... ...Read More »

Remillard Named Exec Producer 'C-SPAN's Washington Journal'

11/20/09 TV producer Michele Remillard has been named executive producer of C-SPAN's Washington Journal daily interview program. Remillard is a veteran of Washington public affairs and political shows. She is a former producer at Fox News, where she produced Special Report with Bret Baier and launched Beltway Boys, and before that was with CNBC's Hardball With Chris Matthew..... ...Read More »

Lifetime, '20/20' To Present Half-Hour Rihanna Special

11/20/09 Music sensation Rihanna is the subject of an upcoming special from Lifetime Television and ABC News that will detail the singer's life and her relationship with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown. Rihanna Speaks Out: A Lifetime and 20/20 Special will air on Lifetime Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. It will feature segments of the singer's interview with Diane Sawyer which aired Nov. 6 on t..... ...Read More »

Primetime Ratings: CBS Ends ABC's Thursday Winning Streak

11/20/09 CBS ended ABC’s Thursday primetime winning streak in the 18-49 demo, posting a narrow victory on a sluggish night for the Alphabet net. Though it was the top-rated program for the evening in 18-49, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (5.0 rating/13 share, 14 million viewers overall) hit an all-time low in audience for a first-run episode, according to preliminary nation..... ...Read More »

Stations Plot Life After Oprah

11/20/09 Stations that have benefited handsomely—while paying handsomely—from airing Oprah Winfrey are ramping up the brainstorming on what to do with the vital time slot when the talk titan departs local television in September 2011. Local TV execs’ first reactions are to salute the end of an era that television may never see again. “It’s be..... ...Read More »

Oprah's Exit: Complete Coverage

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Pacquiao/Cotto Fight Brings In $70 Million

11/20/09 Last Saturday's welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto garnered 1.25 million pay-per-view buys for HBO, making it the highest performing boxing pay-per-view event of the year and pulling in $70 million in revenue. Out of the 1.25 million buys, 650,000 came from cable homes while 600,000 came from satellite and telco homes, according to HBO. A..... ...Read More »

Oprah Winfrey Announces the End of Her Syndicated Show

11/20/09 As expected, Oprah Winfrey announced Nov. 20 that The Oprah Winfrey Show will sign off in Sept. 2011, after 25 years. Below is the complete announcement, made at the end of this morning's broadcast, courtesy of her hometown ABC station, WLS-TV Chicago: "After much prayer and months of careful thought, I've decided the next season, season 25, will be the las..... ...Read More »

Verizon Chief: Hulu Will Be Over In Two Years

11/20/09 Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg said Hulu is a six month wonder and that technology will ultimately bypass the current fascination with the online video service. "When you think of the change, look at Hulu and the dialogue and debate, and you say, O.K. this is in for the next eight to twelve months and in two years it won't matter because the world will have moved on."..... ...Read More »