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The new CW network is struggling temendously as its ratings have decreased in the high double-digits. Through Oct. 29, ratings for 7th Heaven are down 33 percent, Gilmore Girls is down 22 percent, Smallville is down 22 percent and Supernatural is down 32 percent. In the 18-34 demographic, America’s Next Top Model and Veronica Mars are the only shows that are up for the season.
 
Some media buyers have said that the problem is of CWs own makig as it was far too aggressive with the guaranteed ratings they offered; 15 to 25 percent higher than last seasons' on The WB and UPN. The network is in danger of an “out of sale” situation for the fourth quarter.

Dawn Ostroff, CW entertainment president said: “we didn’t want to undersell ourselves, and we thought they were attainable. We really had nothing to compare our projections with.”

One of the great disruptions in business history is happening via the digital marketplace as the Internet is changing the way the public consumes media. We've talked a number of times here about why the media companies are doing a... Continue Reading

In an interesting casting decision, it seems that Robert De Niro is getting together with Rapper "50 Cent" to do a police thriller set in New Orleans. The Hollywood Reporter says: "The film centers on a cop who thinks his... Continue Reading

French view of the world to counteract the "unified, Anglo-Saxon" outlook of the U.S. and Britain. The idea was strengthened during the controversy over the Iraq war, and Chirac is saying that he wants to be the defender of a... Continue Reading

NBC Universal Television Stations has made a two-year licensing deal with a Connected Media Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: CNCM.OB) subsidiary. "We are very pleased to have the NBCU stations as a customer,” said Izzy Gonzalez, President of Connected Media. "Being a... Continue Reading

The MGM Mirage (MGM) reported huge profits of 70% for the third quarter, claiming it was increased gambling and visitation and higher operating margins that made it happen (more on that later). The profits and the Mirage for the quarter... Continue Reading

Tom Cruise, along with partner Paula Wagner, have struck a deal with United Artists to run the studio. This has to be satisfying, especially for Cruise, after his public humiliation at the hands of Sumner Redstone, the 83-year-old chairman of... Continue Reading

In negotiations that have been going on for years, Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable are reportedly coming close to making a multiyear deal with the Walt Disney Co. (DIS) to supply content. As a part of the deal with... Continue Reading

Licking their wounds over advertising agencies saying they wouldn't pay for DVR watching, and with a drop in ad revenue for the quarter, CBS Corp. (CBS-A) CEO Leslie Moonves stated that next year it would be different. What he's referring... Continue Reading

Starting in January, Turner Broadcasting (TWX) will launch a broadband comedy network that will bring together a Comedy Central feel with the social networking aspect of websites like YouTube and MySpace. The new online network will offer comedy material from... Continue Reading

Garth Brooks' relationship with Wal-Mart (WMT) is a winner as he's sold 20 million CDs in the first year of the deal. He has already sold more CDs than any other artist through Wal-Mart. The announcement comes just before is... Continue Reading

Gearing up its marketing campaign for the Holidays, consumer electronics behemoth Canon, will start promoting its PowerShot camera on movie theaters as of Friday, Oct. 27. It's the first time Canon has chosen this medium to advertise on. They will... Continue Reading

A Chicago-based auction house, acting on behalf the estate of former Jimmy Hendrix manager Michael Jeffery, sold the rights to some of his most famous songs; which include Purple Haze and Voodoo Chile, according to the BBC. The family of... Continue Reading

Choosing to offer something different for their TV viewers, NBC has decided to put a whole night of comedy on their Thursday prime-time lineup. "We are excited about the prospect of two-hours of top-notch comedy on Thursday nights, which includes... Continue Reading

The comedy starring, well, Sacha Baron Cohen, otherwise known as "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," has been drastically cut back by Twentieth Century Fox for its opening weekend. In one of the biggest cut... Continue Reading

The embattled TV research company Nielsen Media Research got some good news today as it came to an agreement with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (NWS) to improve its system for measuring viewership. After the decision to no longer use handwritten... Continue Reading

The Daily Mail reported today that British television and radio channels can now have corporate sponsors of their entire channels. For some this may not seem significant, but Britain has had regulations in place for over 50 years which didn't... Continue Reading

Eric Bana, star of "Troy" and "Hustle & Flow" actor Terrence Howard, are getting together to star in the upcoming crime thriller based upon a real serial killer known as BTK. His real name was Dennis Rader, and the initials... Continue Reading

Joining a plethora of media companies selling full-length movies on AOL, Paramount is looking to increase their piece of the online action. Others that have already partnered with AOL are 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and... Continue Reading

With Hollywood far behind the curve in the increasingly important digital age, they are encountering more potential obstacles as writers and actors are demanding bigger pay for online downloads. Alan Rosenberg, president of the Screen Actors Guild said: "We've learned... Continue Reading