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May30
Why Disney wants a Record with "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" So Bad

In an interesting public battle over the count of ticket sales internationally, Sony Corp. has challenged Disney's (DIS) assertion that they have broken the six-day record for sales worldwide, bringing in a $404 million total, which they claim beat Sony's "Spider-Man 3," which brought in $382 million over the six-day period they opened with.

According to Sony (SNE), Disney counted seven days for their totals, which if they had done the same, they would have finished at $418.1 million.

"There are some irregularities in their claim regarding record-setting," Sony said in the statement. "There should be a consistent standard in international box-office reporting."

Sony added that Disney included Italy and France in their totals on May 22, which would make it a seven-day period which they counted. Disney countered saying that they only earned $1.4 million in those two countries; meaning they would have still beat Sony. Of course if Sony added an extra day, they would have beat Disney.

When Disney changed their launch at the last moment and allowed showing on  Thursday night, I thought that was a little odd. Then when Disney announced that they were going for a Memorial Day record rather than a three-day record, it started to make sense.

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May30
NBC Dropping 'Super-Sizing'
Jeff Zucker, when he was the president of NBC Entertainment in 2000-2001, started the super-sizing of shows as a tool to keep viewers from going to to the start of strong shows of competitors at the time. Super-sizing of shows... Continue Reading
Viacom Agrees to Sell Famous Music to Sony
Viacom (VIA-B) has come to an agreement with Sony (SNE) to sell it the Famous Music publishing business for a reported $370 million.Sony Corp. of America Chief Financial Officer Rob Wiesenthal said, "Famous Music is one of the world's largest... Continue Reading
Travel Channel Strategy Looking Beyond Linear TV
After acquiring the Travel Channel from Discovery Communications, Cox Communications is looking to move beyond the linear model and expand the brand to the Internet and other platforms.“In the category, we’ve owned the television space, but we’re looking to be... Continue Reading
May29
The Ethics of Photo Editing and the Growing Celebrity Rebellion Against It
It doesn't seem like over a year ago when retouched photographs were considered a big negative, as people would change photos to make their story seem more true.While it isn't as important when talking about celebrities and their photos, many... Continue Reading
Many Parents Ignore Warnings of TV Watching for Young Children
A new study by pediatric researchers at the University of Washington discovered that 90 percent of children by the age of 2 have been watching television for an average of 90 minutes a day. The study also found that 40... Continue Reading
Women’s Groups Will Pressure Viacom to Tackle Negative Imagery and Lyrics
The upcoming shareholder meeting of Viacom at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York promises to be lively as a number of women's groups are coming together to challenge Viacom to remove the indecent lyrics and images from the airways.Among... Continue Reading
Kevin Reilly Officially Relieved of Duties at NBC Entertainment
We've talked a lot on bizofshowbiz about the changes that would have to come to NBC, as corporate parent General Electric (GE) wasn't going to allow things to sit as they were with the company having settled into a perennial... Continue Reading
May28
Riyo Mori, Miss Japan, Crowned Miss Universe 2007
For only the second time in the history of the Miss Universe pageant, a contestant from Japan has won the title. The other Japanese winner was Akiko Kojima in 1959. Riyo Mori, Miss Japan, was filled with emotion on the... Continue Reading
Justin Timberlake Launches Own Label: Tennman Records
Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M, Jimmy Iovine, announced that Justin Timerlake has partnered with him in a joint venture to launch a new record label "Tennman Records.""Whenever you have the opportunity to get into business with someone as gifted as... Continue Reading
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Reaches $156.1 Million for Memorial Day Weekend
The figures we're talking about today are for the entire Memorial Day weekend totals, so they'll be a lot larger than the normal three-day weekend we usually show the figures on.With the four and a half days it was shown,... Continue Reading
Lindsay Lohan, Rosario Dawson, Channing Tatum Added to "Poor Things"
The producers of the comedy "Poor Things," which is based upon true stories about elderly women who have been involved with numerous illegal activities like cons, fraud, drugs and murder, have decided they needed to inject some young blood into... Continue Reading
Kirsten Dunst Directing First Movie
Actress Kirsten Dunst is excited about her first chance to get behind a camera and direct her first movie. In her first time around she'll not only be directing but taking on the writing also, which will be drawn from... Continue Reading
Providence Equity Group Ready to Bid for Virgin Media
Reports in British newspapers are Providence Equity Group, a private equity firm, is getting ready to make a $15 billion bid for Virgin Media.Most of the interest in Virgin Media comes from its battle with BSkyB which has resulted in... Continue Reading
May27
Jackson Family Memorabilia being Auctioned in Las Vegas
Being billed as the largest auction of Jackson family memorabilia ever, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino prepared for what they believe will be millions in dollars in bids for the assorted items."This really is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence," said Arlan... Continue Reading
Florida Congressman Joe Scarborough may be Imus Replacement
Saying they haven't reached a final decision yet, MSNBC executives have said that Florida Congressman Joe Scarborough has impressed them on his trial runs in the morning slot to replace Imus in The Morning.At this time Scarborough hosts a newscast... Continue Reading
HallMark Buys Rights to Air "Murder, She Wrote"
With the acquisition of the rights to air "Murder, She Wrote," the Hallmark Channel gets itself over 250 episodes to add to its catalog of shows. They bought the rights from NBC Universal Domestic Televison Distribution.Hallmark will run the series... Continue Reading
Ozzy Osbourne Releasing "Black Rain" to Coincide with Ozzfest
Ozzy Osbourne is releasing his first album with new material since 2001's "Down to Earth," with the introduction of "Black Rain," which will be part of the Ozzfest celebration.While it's probably not much of a surprize to most, this album... Continue Reading
Countdown to Conversion: When Television Goes Dark in 2009
On the Retirement Living TV channel, which targets viewers aged 55 and over, there will be a special called "Countdown to Conversion," which will focus on the upcoming transition to digital television on February 17, 2009. That's the date when... Continue Reading
Paul McCartney: Disappointed Working with Others after John Lennon's Death
Talking about the special magic that he and John Lennon had when working together, Paul McCartney said that working with others is always disappointing in comparison. That's quite a statement when considering some of the former duets he's done in... Continue Reading
May26
Pan's Labyrinth Top Rental for Week
In the first week of its release, "Pan's Labyrinth" took top rental honors with a healthy $6.48 million in rental revenue. Among the top five, "Pan's" was the only new rental release able to crack into it. The rest were... Continue Reading
Fox Wins Key Demo with Return of "So You Think You Can Dance"
Fox won the important 18-49 key demo on Thursday night as they started up their summer season with reality show "So You Think You Can Dance."Nielsen showed the 90-minute premiere winning the 8 to 9:30 time slot with a 3.6/12... Continue Reading
"Bindi: The Jungle Girl" Starting on Discovery Kids Channel June 9
Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin, says that she wants her new TV show "Bindi: The Jungle Girl" to continue the conservation and educational work of her fatherAt the Australian launch of the new show, Bindi said, "I'm... Continue Reading
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Opens with $43 Million
The last-minute decision by Disney (DIS) to show "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" on Thursday obviously took away any chance at the movie competing for the top opening in history; and the numbers showed it.On Friday the movie... Continue Reading
The Struggle to Bring the Nanjing Massacre to the Big Screen
With the conflicting interests of maintaining strong diplomatic relations with Japan and Chinese nationalism concerning the Nanjing massacre, Hong Kong director Yim Ho and his Chinese counterpart Lu Chuan have struggled to get permission to go ahead with the project... Continue Reading
May25
Rome Consumers Run Barbra Streisand Out of Town
Barbra Streisand has liked to push her weight around concerning her own pet causes and ideas, but when others push back, evidently she runs. That's the case in the European tour she was set to launch in Rome, Italy. Consumer... Continue Reading
Disney's Early Showing of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Successful
In a late decision by Disney (DIS) to premiere "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" on Thursday, the company brought in a $17 million windfall from its initial screenings. Included with the $17 million figure was about $3 million... Continue Reading
"Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" on History Channel May 28
The History Channel is going to offer the world premiere of "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" on May 28 at 9pm ET. It will be a two-hour special which explores why the Star Wars series had such a powerful, lasting,... Continue Reading
Hogzilla the Pig is a Wimp: Here comes Monster Pig
I thought I had seen the largest pig I would ever see when I saw a picture of Hogzilla, which is now the basis of a horror film. I was wrong. At a commercial hunting preserve an 11-year-old boy shot... Continue Reading
Mary-Kate Olsen Joins Cast of "Weeds," First Role without Sister Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate Olson will be performing on Showtime's "Weeds," a edgy story about a pot-selling mom played by Mary-Louise Parker. It will be the first time Mary-Kate has played a role without her sister Ashley Olsen.This will be new territory for... Continue Reading
May24
Fans of 4400 Offered Online Video Goldmine
With the promotion the of the new season of The 4400 in mind, the USA Network, through Campfire Media, has created an online, interactive video bonanza that play from 30 seconds all the way up to five minutes, that will... Continue Reading
European Regulators Approve Vivendi Purchase of BMG Publishing Division
With the approval by European regulators of the purchase of BMG Music Publishing by Vivendi, it will make the Universal Music Group both the largest record company and music publisher in the world. The purchase of the company came at... Continue Reading
TV Ad Spending Down 5.3 Percent in First Quarter
The ad revenue for broadcast TV was down by 5.3 percent in the first quarter, finishing up at a total of $11.8 billion. Network television revenue fell by 6.5 percent during the quarter to end up with $6.7 billion. Syndication... Continue Reading
TV Upfront Real Slow again this Year
The TV upfront looks like it will be real slow this year, with some predicting that it will not move in the next few days, and some thinking it won't start moving until the middle of June or later.This year... Continue Reading
Former CBS News President Thinks Couric will Stay
Commenting on the plight and expectations concerning Katie Couric and her inability at this time to build a large audience, former CBS (CBS-A) News president Andrew Heyward said that he doesn't believe she will be going anywhere soon.In Heyward's estimation,... Continue Reading
May23
Jordin Sparks Takes the 2007 "American Idol" Crown
In what wasn't a surprise to most people, Jordin Sparks walked away with the 2007 "American Idol" title, beating Blake Lewis in the finals. Sparks is the youngest to ever win the coveted crown.When host Ryan Seacrest revealed the winner,... Continue Reading
Viacom Looking to India for Growth, Launches Hindi TV Channel
Viacom (VIA-B) is looking to the international market for growth, and is specifically targeting the Indian television market for a big move in that direction.On its slate is a proposal to launch a Hindi-language channel sometime in the next 12... Continue Reading
Apolo Anton Ohno, Julianne Hough win "Dancing with the Stars"
In a close match, Apolo Anton Ohno and dance partner Julianne Hough took the trophy home for winning the "Dancing with the Stars" contest.Ohno, who is an Olympic speed skater said, "I feel amazing. If you put your mind to... Continue Reading
Fox Leads in Key Demo, CBS ahead in Total Viewers
We're coming to that time of the year when all the major networks will start taking selective data and spinning it to their advantage. CBS (CBS-A) has taken the first shot, saying they've finished the season as the most-watched network... Continue Reading
Johnny Depp Hopes to Portray Captain Jack Sparrow One More Time
The original plan for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series was to end after the third installment. Johnny Depp, for one, hopes there's more "Pirates" down the road.At the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" in Tokyo,... Continue Reading
May22
Mama Mia! Italian Consumer Groups Outraged by Barbra Streisand Ticket Prices
In a country that loves opera as much as anything else, Italian consumer groups were outraged over the price of Barbra Streisand tickets which were going for as high as $1,210. The lowest ticket price was $295.4. Calling the prices... Continue Reading
Stone Philips Dropped Like a Rock on "Dateline NBC"
At the end of June when the contract of Stone Philips expires, he will no longer be with "Dateline NBC," as in a move to cut costs the network says they won't renew his contract."It's been a wonderful 15 years,"... Continue Reading
Private Equity Group Considering $15 Billion Bid for Virgin Media
The battle between Virgin Media and Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB has weakened "Virgin" in the eyes of some people, and has renewed interest in making a bid for the company.Last year a consortium led by US group Providence Equity Partners, talked... Continue Reading
Bollywood Actor John Abraham Starring with Rachel Weisz in "Luna"
John Abraham, a Bollywood actor, has been picked to star alongside Rachel Weisz in the story of Julia Hill who lived in a 1000-year-old tree for a couple of years so loggers wouldn't cut it down.Hill's character will be played... Continue Reading
May21
Clear Channel Board Accepts Offer From Private Equity Buyers
A group led by Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Bain Capital Partners LLC have made an offer to the Clear Channel Communications (CCU) board that looks like it will finally be accepted by shareholders.The offer of $39.20 per share... Continue Reading
Toshiba Partners with Tech Companies, Studios, in Big HD DVD Promotion
Toshiba is partnering with movie studios and technology companies to promote their line of high-definition DVD players.Last year the partnership, called HD DVD Promo Group, was put together to let people know about the advantages of the technology behind HD... Continue Reading
May20
Time Warner Shareholders Getting Restless, Want More Input
Shareholders of Time Warner (TWX) are starting to get restless as the stock has been languishing since 2003 ... although there has been a 25 percent move up since the last shareholder meeting.At the recent annual meeting shareholders took steps... Continue Reading
Javier Bardem Getting Attention in Cannes
While the European audience has been aware of Javier Bardem for some time, as he's one of their more popular actors, the english-speaking public hasn't heard about him as much. That's about to change.In Cannes, Bardem has been surprisingly recognized... Continue Reading
"Shrek the Third" No. 1 for Weekend with Big Start
The top film for the weekend, to no ones surprise, was Shrek the Third. It's strong Friday opening of $39 million helped to launch it off to an estimated weekend take of $133 million, better than most projected. That was... Continue Reading
May19
Mary-Kate, Ashley Olsen Rumor About Being Next Bond Girls False
While the idea that the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen being the next Bond girl(s), may be either a fantasy or a nightmare depending on your thoughts on the ladies, the rumor seems to have been shot down from their publicist.The... Continue Reading
Norah Jones, "My Blueberry Nights" Debut at Cannes
Norah Jones and Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's "My Blueberry Nights" made their debut at Cannes and Jones was concerned about how she looked as she walked down the red carpet."Did I look terrified? ... I'm still processing it," Jones... Continue Reading
Shrek the Third Opens Big on Friday
Shrek the Third is already outperforming all expectations as Dreamworks/Paramount had been downplaying the animated sequel for some time. The Friday opener took in a huge $38.1 million, already surpassing Shrek 2.With the expected disconnect of critics, who said the movie... Continue Reading
May18
Donald Trump Quits the "Apprentice" Citing Major New TV Venture
While there was no surety that Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" was going to return this year, the real estate titan made the decision himself, telling NBC (GE) that he wouldn't be coming back for another season if the show was... Continue Reading
Al Pacino, Robert De Niro Together in Thriller "Righteous Kill"
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino have been waiting a long time to work on a film together where they would share significant time onscreen together. They now have the deal in place to do it as the two will... Continue Reading
Discovery Divesting of Retail Stores, Preparing to go Public
In the past Discovery has been a company with several owners and its hands in too many cookie jars. With the goal of becoming a publicly traded company, they bought out one of their owners, Cox Communications recently, and now... Continue Reading
Jeff Bridges Playing Graydon Carter in "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People"
Jeff Bridges has been chosen to play the part of Graydon Carter in the film adaptation of Toby Young's book, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People." Young based the book about the time he worked for Vanity Fair while... Continue Reading
Starbucks Debuting New Paul McCartney Album "Memory Almost Full" at its Stores Worldwide
To coincide with the release of the latest album of Paul McCartney, "Memory Almost Full," Starbucks (SBUX) has planned a debut at over 10,000 of its stores globally where visitors will be able to listen to the album while they... Continue Reading
May17
Massachusetts Latest State to Increase Incentives to Draw Filmmakers
With their state neighbors Rhode Island and Contecticut, along with all but about 10 states, offering film incentive packages to Hollywood producers, the Massachusetts Governor and lawmakers are looking at increasing their incentives to attempt to draw the industry to... Continue Reading
Shrek the Third Advance Ticket Sales Exceeding Shrek 2
According to online ticket sites, the advance sales of "Shrek the Third" are equal to or exceeding "Shrek 2." For movietickets.com, they reported that Internet sales are about the same for "Shrek the Third" as they were for "Shrek 2."... Continue Reading
Maria Bello Replacing Rachel Weisz in Mummy 3
Good news for "The Mummy" franchise fans as it will definitely be continued for its third installment.Called The Mummy 3: Curse of the Dragon, it will see Brendan Fraser return as Rick O’Connell. Unfortunately, Rachel Weisz won't be returning to play... Continue Reading
May16
Will New Disney Video-on-demand Service Impact the Internet?
Disney (DIS) is about to go interactive with their new video-on-demand service which they will debut toward the end of the month. They will be offering "Disney's Travel on Demand" service to about 9 million subscribers through Cablevision (CVC) and... Continue Reading
Christina Aguilera Given Approval for Concert in China
In a dance that is familiar when considering China's response to entertainers performing in the country, Christina Aguilera wasn't going to be allowed to perform in the country. The reason given was her performance was "too sexy."Now in another turnaround,... Continue Reading
Michael Myers, Imaginary Friends, "Shrek the Third"
Talking about the long spells of being alone in a sound booth while recording for the animated hits series "Shrek," Michael Myers says he has ended up creating imaginary friends so he doesn't feel by himself."It does at times feel... Continue Reading
Lifetime Launching "Army Wives" on Memorial Day Weekend
Lifetime is serving up a bunch of movies and miniseries with military themes over the memorial day weekend, along with a special salute to the men and women of the armed forces.All of this will lead up to the introduction... Continue Reading
Kenny Chesney Wins Entertainer of Year Award
In an annual ritual for the last three years, Kenny Chesney was again awarded with the entertainer of the year honors at the Academy of Country Music.When Chesney accepted the award, he paid tribute to George Strait and the late... Continue Reading
Fox's "24" Renewed for Two More Years
While most of us knew that Fox (NWS-A) would renew "24," the question was for how long, as Kiefer Sutherland had already been signed on through May of 2009.The rumblings out of the network are that the series will go... Continue Reading
May15
DirecTV May Test High-speed Internet Service
DirecTV (DTV) is looking at experimenting with a high-speed Internet service delivered through power lines in a top 50 U.S. city sometime in 2008, said CEO Chase Carey.Carey added that they aren't the only company seeking out this possibility, "We're... Continue Reading
Don Imus, Opie and Anthony, Donnell "Ashy" Rawlings, JV and Elvis: Is Shock Radio Dead?
With the firings of Don Imus, Donnell "Ashy" Rawlings and JV and Elvis, and now the 30-day suspension of Opie and Anthony, many are wondering if the shock jock days are coming to an end.Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio,... Continue Reading
Salma Hayek Rewarded Two-Year Deal with ABC
ABC (DIS) has rewarded Salma Hayek with a two-year deal based upon her success with excutive producing "Ugly Betty."The two-year deal will be with Hayek and her production partner Jose Tamez to develop new series' for the studio via their... Continue Reading
ABC Offering Seven New Dramas in Upcoming Season
Acknowledging that last year's schedule demanded too much of viewers with the serials they offered up, ABC (DIS) has changed their strategy this year with more self-contained fare on their schedule.The network will have seven new dramas this year with... Continue Reading
May14
NBC Strengthening Monday Nights with "Heroes" Spinoff
With the announcement of their upcoming fall TV schedule, NBC (GE) surprised a lot of people by revealing they're going to spinoff their only new hit of the season "Heroes," with a new series called "Heroes: Origins."The new series will... Continue Reading
Shilpa Shetty Requests Transfer of Richard Gere "Kissing" Case
The saga of the Richard Gere kiss and hug of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty continues as Shetty requested that the Indian Supreme Court change the obscenity case to to a closer court so she can battle the allegations, said her... Continue Reading
Mark Philippoussis in NBC's "Age of Love"
Australian tennis player Mark Philippoussis will be the center of the new reality series "Age of Love" from NBC (GE). The show is scheduled to premiere on June 18 at 10 p.m. ET.This show will be similar to Average Joe... Continue Reading
May13
Battlestar Gallactica Producer Counters Rumors of Show Ending
When the Sci Fi channel announced that it would be offering 22 episodes of "Battlestar Gallactica" next season, instade of 13, the rumors almost immediately started that it would be the last season for the Cylon, Human Race battle.Then when... Continue Reading
"Law & Order," Spinoffs Back for Another Year
"Law & Order" will return to NBC (GE) for its 18th season, putting in second-place all time for the longevity of a series on TV. The number one series of all time is "Gunsmoke," which ran from 1955 to 1975.For... Continue Reading
Agencies, Networks Set to Battle over DVR in Upfront
The DVR has been lingering in the background of the upfront this year as agencies and networks jockey for their respective positions concerning the impact of the device on advertising sales.Last year the inclusion of counting DVR viewing was rejected... Continue Reading
Kate Walsh, Grey's Anatomy Spin-off Confirmed
There has been a lot of buzz concerning whether Kate Walsh and her character, Addison Shepherd would get their own series next season. ABC (DIS) has confirmed that there will be a new series next season spinning off from "Grey's... Continue Reading
Spider-Man 3 Plunges, Rest of Box Office Does Nothing
There was no doubt that Spider-Man 3 would finish No. 1 for the weekend, the question was how much it would drop over its first frame. Among the top openers of all time, it has dropped higher than most. X-Men:... Continue Reading
May12
Hallmark Should Have Strong Upfront
First quarter results for the Hallmark Channel show the company has strengthened itself over the last year, with sales for the quarter increasing by 20 percent to reach $46 million. The channel is now available in 82 million homes.Since Hallmark... Continue Reading
Prince Concerts in London Sold Out in 20 Minutes
When the tickets for rock musician Prince went on sale for his London performance, the demand was so great that an online booking site went down under the traffic. He sold the 140,000 available tickets in 20 minutes.At the beginning... Continue Reading
Fox Reportedly Picks up Six New Series
The Fox (NWS-A) network picked up a batch of new offerings for next season said The Hollywood Reporter.Those slated for the upcoming season will be "K-Ville," a New Orleans based police drama and "New Amsterdam," a detective type show.Patricia Heaton... Continue Reading
Indianapolis 500 and Danica Patrick will be in High-Def this Year
Fans of the Indianapolis 500 will be able to watch the race in high-definition for the first time on May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 91st Indy 500 race.The ESPN production will be aired on ABC (DIS) at... Continue Reading
May11
American Idol Spinning Off New Series
Fox's "American Idol" is still the biggest thing by far on network television, with nobody coming even close to competing with them. Even so, the numbers have been dipping a little this year, and raises the question of how long... Continue Reading
World Wrestling Entertainment Announces Quarterly Dividend, Promotions
The World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.24 per share on all its Class A and Class B common stock. The record date will be on June 15, 2007, while the payment date will be... Continue Reading
Disney/Pixar's "Big Cheese Tour" Promoting Ratatouille
To promote their upcoming animated film Ratatouille, Walt Disney Pictures (DIS) and Pixar Animation Studios are launching their "Big Cheese Tour" at Walt Disney World Resort i Orlando, FL. It will go on throughout the summer stopping at numerous events... Continue Reading
Fidelity Investments Largest Shareholder in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.
In a regulatory filing, Fidelity Investments revealed that it now owns 3.4 million shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (MSO), making it the largest shareholder of the company, surpassing Mazama Capital Management. It now owns 13 percent of the company. As... Continue Reading
Studios, Networks Gearing up in Case of Writers Strike
The contention between Hollywood studios, TV networks and writers been growing as studios and networks have been accelerating production on movies and shows in preparation for a possible strike.One of the strategies being used by the networks is to create... Continue Reading
May10
DirecTV Profits Rise by 43 Percent
The top satellite TV operator in the U.S., DirecTV (DTV) disclosed that its profits in the first-quarter increased by 43 percent over a year ago.The rise in profits came from existing customers signing up for its high-definition service, along with... Continue Reading
Fox Still on "Idol," Demolishes Wednesday's Competition
Fox (NWS-A) continues to own Wednesday night as it clobbered everything in sight to take another Wednesday primetime ratings victory. "American Idol" finished with 27.4 million viewers and a 10.5 rating/27 share for the key 18-49 demo.For ABC (DIS) and... Continue Reading
Viacom's Profits Plunge 36 Percent for the Quarter
Citing huge marketing expenses and the restructuing of its MTV group, Viacom's (VIA-B) quarterly earnings dived by a large 36 percent, according to an AP report. Even with the poor showing the company beat analysts' projections.This quarter earnings came in... Continue Reading
Disney Profits Grow by 27 Percent for the Quarter
Profits for the Walt Disney Co. (DIS) were up a healthy 27 percent for the quarter ending on March 31, exeeding all expectations. The major profit drivers were its international TV syndication, the film studio and ESPN's strong advertising draw.On... Continue Reading
National Amusements Inc. Bringing Live Video Gaming Tournament to Los Angeles Theater
With video games one of the key competitors to movie theaters, as they cater to the same demographic of teens and young males, National Amusements is looking to draw them back to theaters by focusing on their gaming behaviors.The theater... Continue Reading
Chris Albrecht Forced to Step Down from HBO
Chris Albrecht chairman and chief executive of Home Box Office had originally announced that he would be taking a leave of absence from the company after being arrested for assaulting his girlfriend in Las Vegas. Just a few hours later... Continue Reading
May 9
Sci Fi Channel Partners with Manga for Ani-Monday
The Sci Fi network has been growing older in its demographic as it now currently stands at an average of around 45 years of age.In response to lower that total, Sci Fi is getting together with Manga to launch what... Continue Reading
Report Says Music Industry Beginning to Grow Again Through New Revenue Streams
One of the misconception in the health of the music industry has been the attention on the difference between dropping CD   versus growing digital sales.Most that follow the industry know that digital sales won't compensate for the loss of CD... Continue Reading
News Corp. Profits up 6.2 Percent for 3rd Quarter
With the movie studio and cable networks making strong gains, News Corp. (NWS-A) reported a strong 6.2 percent increase in profit for the quarter ending March 31. Profits for the quarter came in at $871 million, a $51 million increase... Continue Reading
The Slow Response of NetWork TV will Cost Them in the Upfront
The upfront is a week away and with statistics showing that viewership for the year is down by 2.5 million for ABC (DIS), CBS (CBS-A), NBC (GE) and Fox (NWS-A) from last year.While there has been numerous reasons thrown around... Continue Reading
Tom Selleck Joining the `Las Vegas' Cast Next Season
Tom Selleck, whose best known for his role of Thomas Magnum in "Magnum, P.I." will join the cast of "Las Vegas" on NBC (GE) next year.According to the network, Selleck will play the new billionaire owner of the Montecito Resort... Continue Reading
Nancy Grace Leaving Court TV After 10 Years
After a long 10-year stint at CourtTV, Nancy Grace is calling it quits for her justice-themed talk show "Nancy Grace: Closing Arguments.""Court TV will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will always look back at my... Continue Reading
May 8
Comcast Talking With Hollywood Studios to Show Same-day Movies
America's largest cable operator Comcast (CMCSA) has been in negotiations with Hollywood studios to offer movies the same day as their releases in theaters. If a deal is ever made, Comcast says they will charge between $30 to $50 to... Continue Reading
Disney Video-on-Demand Deal with Cox Communications Won't Allow Fast-forwarding
The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) through ABC and ESPN have made a deal with Cox Communications to offer their sports and broadcast hits on demand. What's different about the deal is there's a condition included that forbids the cable operator... Continue Reading
ESPN to Give You Your Fill of Sports at the Pump
ESPN (DIS) has partnered with Gas Station TV to give you another place where you can get your sports information. If you can't wait to get to where you're going, now you'll be able to get your sports news while... Continue Reading
May 7
Time Warner's Dick Parsons Says More Cable Consolidation Coming
Time Warner (TWX) CEO Dick Parsons says in the next five years there will probably be only two or three big cable system operators remaining, as the industry braces for fierce competition from the Telcos.At the National Cable & Telecommunications... Continue Reading
Kelly Clarkson's Third Album "My December" Releasing on July 24
Kelly Clarkson is set to release her third album "My December" on July 24, which follows her highly successful "Breakaway," which sold 10 million around the world and 6 million in the U.S. She aleady has her first single from... Continue Reading
Grey's Anatomy Wins Second May Sweeps with 2-Hour Special
Having hinted and marketed last Thursday's Grey's Anatomy as a potential spin-off for Kate Walsh's Dr. Addison character, ABC (DIS) was able to draw a large crowd with the two-hour special to lead it to its second win in the... Continue Reading
ABC Says Only 48 More Episodes of "Lost"
While ABC's "Lost" has still managed to remain in the top 15 shows on television, there has been an increasing rumbling from fans and critics concerning the seemingly aimless direction and just producing shows to end up putting on DVDs,... Continue Reading
May 6
Lifetime Orders Nine More Episodes of 'Blood Ties'
Happy with the performance of "Blood Ties," Lifetime made the decision to order up another nine episodes. The network has decided to put the series on hold until October, when it will run the nine episodes over 5 back-to-back weeks. They... Continue Reading
Peter Jackson, DreamWorks Teaming for "The Lovely Bones"
The popular novel by Susie Sebold, "The Lovely Bones" has found a film home as DreamWorks will be teaming up with Peter Jackson to bring it to the big screen.The novel, which was published in 2002, and has sold over... Continue Reading
Spider-Man 3 Tops Weekend, Breaks All-Time Record
Spider-Man 3 became the 7th movie all-time to reach the $100 million mark on its opening weekend. Better than that though, it beat all comers in that category as it became the largest-grossing opening weekend in film history, bringing in... Continue Reading
May 5
Michael Douglas Returning in 'Wall Street' Sequel
Fox has decided to bring back Gordon Gekko, a part played by Michael Douglas in the movie that the financial community loved: "Wall Street." Douglas won an Oscar for the role.The end of the first movie came with his young... Continue Reading
Two-day Program for Media and Entertainment Professionals
The Institute for Media and Entertainment has put together a two-day class for media and entertainment professionals who want to increase their leadership strengths and their performance results. The purpose of the program will be to "help you maximize your... Continue Reading
EMI Continues to be Courted
While EMI continues to give profit warnings, potential suitors continue to hover around the company making offers to take it over.EMI gave its second profit warning of the year in February and suspended its dividend payment last month. They've also... Continue Reading
Spider-Man 3 Breaks Opening Day Box Office Record
With the huge buildup and pent up demand for the 3rd installment of Spider-Man 3, all the efforts paid off big time as the Webslinger was able to beat Pirates of the Caribbean 2 to become the biggest opening day... Continue Reading
May 4
Turner Broadcasting System Names Stuart Snyder COO of Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media
Turner Broadcasting System Inc. president Mark Lazarus reported that they've named Stuart Snyder as head of their portfolio of properties for children and young adultsIn a press release they said that "As executive vice president and chief operating officer of... Continue Reading
The American Idol Tour Dates for Sanjaya Malakar, 9 Other Finalists
While the American Idol has been narrowed down to its last four contestants, plans have already been made for The American Idols Live 2007 Tour, as they've released the schedule for the upcoming tour.The top ten finalists will depart on... Continue Reading
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Revenue and Losses Increase
The good news for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) is that their revenue for the first quarter increased by 7.4 percent over last year's first quarter. The bad news is that they also posted larger losses of $11.87 million, close... Continue Reading
May 3
Echostar Offer Rejected by ION
It seems like a new deal is revealed every day as the media industry continues to consolidate, be bought out or taken private. Today it happened again as EchoStar Communications Inc. (DISH) reportedly made a $2.13 billion buyout offer to... Continue Reading
Prosecutors Recommend 45 Days in Their Hilton for Paris
In response to Paris Hilton violating her probation, prosecutors in Los Angeles have recommended that Hilton be jailed for 45 days in a county jail.When Hilton was arrested last September, she was ordered to enroll in an alcohol education class... Continue Reading
CBS Revenue Increases but Profits Fall
While CBS (CBS-A) was able to increase its revenue by 2 percent to bring it to $3.66 billion for the quarter, they weren't able to grow their profits as they fell to $213 million, to 28 cents a share. That... Continue Reading
Bette Midler Replacing Celine Dion at Caesars Palace
Celine Dion's five-year run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas is coming to an end in December, and the hotel-casino has chosen to replace her with the "Divine Miss M," Bette Midler.Midler will have big shoes to fill as Dion... Continue Reading
May 2
American Idol: Down to the Final Four
With the focus on giving last week, "American Idol" didn't toss any of the remaining contestants. That changed as Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson said goodbye to their fellow contestants.While no one was tossed last week, they did include the... Continue Reading
Consumers Spending Their Own "Night at the Museum" in Droves
The "Night at the Museum" DVD sold 6 million units in its first week to give the business a huge boost and finish in the number one position, knocking out "Smoking Aces," which finished at No. 4.Not only did it... Continue Reading
Warner Music Group Offering Music on MySpace with DRM
Early in the year SnoCap, the digital music store partner of MySpace (NWS-A) let the music industry know that it was interested in selling their music in whatever format their customer (the label) chose.Warner Music Group (WMG) has taken them... Continue Reading
'Spider-Man 3' Beats First Two Installments in Overseas Openers
"Spider-Man 3" put smiles on the face of Sony (SNE) executives as it beat Spider-Man 1 + 2 openers with a take of $29.15 million to start its run.In a number of countries it took in record opening amounts, like... Continue Reading
Cablevision Finally Being Taken Private by Dolan Family
After two tries the Dolan family has made an offer that was finally acceptable to shareholders of Cablevision (CVC). In October of 2006, the family made an offer of $27 per share that was rejected, then upped it to $30... Continue Reading
Imus Hires Leading First Amendment Lawyer
When Don Imus was fired from his CBS (CBS-A) Radio job, most people probably felt that it was over. Evidently it's not. A clause in his contract may come back to bite CBS for $40 million, or maybe even more.One... Continue Reading
May 1
Britney Spears Rumored to be Appearing in Three California Concerts
In a concert by a band that no one seems to know a thing about, rumors are flying all over Southern California that the pop diva will be making surprise performances at the concerts of The M+Ms. In response to... Continue Reading
DreamWorks Animation Shows Small Profit Increase for First Quarter 2007
In the quarter which ended on March 31, 2007, Dreamworks Animation, Inc (DWA) has reported their financials in a press release.The company said that their total revenue increased to $93.7 million net income for the quarter, which compares favorably with... Continue Reading
J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Children of Hurin" Sales Explode
While true fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy probably wouldn't care about what reviewers of the newly released "The Children of Hurin" would say, nonetheless, so far reviews have been good for the book; a prequel to... Continue Reading
ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Leads to Sunday Win
The decreasing viewership of major broadcast shows has been a concern for the networks as they've been dropping considerably for weeks.On Sunday one of the usual big shows, "Desperate Housewives," finally broke out some as it increased its viewership by... Continue Reading
Early Reactions to Spider-Man 3
With some of the comments being thrown around by those that have seen Spider-Man 3, it seems that the film has fallen short of its predecessors. Here are what some people are saying:Philipines Cinemas Sold Out"The third and latest installment... Continue Reading
Monkey Jockeys Race Their Canine Steeds at the Banana Derby
Sponsored ReviewThe Kentucky Derby isn't the only "Derby" around, as the Banana Derby has become an increasingly powerful attraction and draw to numerous fairs and festivals around the country. What exactly is the Banana Derby? This new fair attraction is a... Continue Reading

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