Devoted to show business and the entertainment industry

By George Azar -- Discovery Channel Via Associated Press

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The Discovery Channel is using a new strategy in marketing ad space by allowing only a limited amount of sponsors for Ted Koppels new documentary series.

They are offering during the upfront only "five catagory-exclusive sponsorships for the Koppel programming," according to mediapost.

Included in the programming will be seven documentaries and a few of his "Town Hall" meetings he is known for.

Before there was video-on-demand, I personally yearned for something that I could look at when I wanted, search for what I wanted and watch what I wanted, when I wanted. With that world beginning to take place, the question for... Continue Reading

Ozzie Guillen fields questions at news conference in Pittsburgh. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) a Only a day after the announcement that Fox had reached a new deal to carry the Major League Baseball All-Star game for the next seven years, the... Continue Reading

For the second time within a month, Guba has landed a deal to offer movies for download through the video-sharing site. The relatively little-known company has evidently impressed the studios. CNET reports: "Sony Pictures has agreed to offer a 100... Continue Reading

The History Channel UK and blinkx have formed a partnership which offers users to search History channel UKs historical audio and video content. Suranga Chandratillake, CTO and founder of blinkx said that "blinkx is thrilled to be partnering with The... Continue Reading

Baseballs mid-summer classic hasn't slowed down in the advertising arena as Fox announced that it has sold out all of the space for the MLB All-Star game. Not only are they sold out but they increased from last year between... Continue Reading

Former Adelphia Communications CEO John Rigas Photo: AFP a Comcast and Time Warner (TWX) made a bid on absorbing the customers of bankrupt Adelphia Communications quite a while ago. The FCC may bring a vote on the matter next week... Continue Reading

Thwarted in their bid to take control of Univision (UVN.N), Mexican broadcaster Televisa (TLEVISACPO.MX) has contacted the consortium that bought them, for the purpose of selling their stake in the company. They currently own an 11.4 percent part of the... Continue Reading

With its most important audience congregating on online video sites, Hollywood is starting to take notice and use it as a new marketing opportunity. One strategy being used is to simply put movie trailers up of soon to be released... Continue Reading

After a lot of talk in the last couple of years, digital cinema is starting to take hold as deals are proliferating everywhere. This will not only change the quality of pictures shown, which will really be the least important... Continue Reading

The Quebec film industry has been in turmoil for months as a union conflict has ground the industry to a halt. AQTIS members in a press release stated: "A solution to the union conflict which has plagued the Quebec film... Continue Reading

The Commercial Music Group is the name of a new division created by Sony BMG Music Entertainment. It was started for the purpose of developing new areas of growth for the classical music and catalog recordings in Television, marketing and... Continue Reading

According to a report by Reuters, Donald Trump will be adding a Hollywood production company to his business empire. One surprise is that he is hiring one of his "fired" contestants on the "Apprentice" show to run it: Andy Litinsky.... Continue Reading

According to ABC, it has finished up its upfront sales with $2.3 billion from its prime time slots and increases that average between 3-4 percent in cost-per-thousand. John Consoli writing for mediaweek says: "Between 75-80 percent of prime-time inventory was... Continue Reading

The battle lines are being drawn as Verizon is starting to take on local counties who are regulating the industry to the benefit of existing companies. They have sued a Maryland county last week for setting conditions they are calling... Continue Reading

One little trick and scheme that Hollywood always used to make things look better than they really are is to give out the gross sales of their movies, rather than profits. For example with the "Superman Returns" movie, it has... Continue Reading

CBS Corp. (CBS) has reached a deal with its affiliates concerning a multilevel agreement dealing with cost-sharing with the NFL and digital revenue. The agreement still needs to be approved by the affiliate body. The new deal needed to be... Continue Reading

Former Loews executive Travis Reid has been hired by National CineMedia (NCM), to lead their Digital Cinema Business development. He will work with studios and financial sources to develop the digital cinema business plan. National CineMedia is a joint venture... Continue Reading

(AP) The recent purchase of Univision by a consortium of buyers and investors, has many people guessing what they will now do with it, even though the deal isn't scheduled to close until spring of 2007. They were purchased... Continue Reading

XM Satellite Radio, the largest satellite radio service announced that it landed country star Willie Nelson to launch Willie's Place on XM's traditional country music channel. Nelson will offer creative direction and contribute unique programming, not only to Willie's Place,... Continue Reading