Monday Aug. 18, 2008

Overnights
'Big Brother' holds up against Beijing
CBS reality show averages a 2.3 in 18-49s, its third solid night facing Games and by far the night's top non-Olympics show

Sports TV
NBC sees its best Saturday since 1990
Olympics viewership peaks at nearly 40 million on night Michael Phelps captures his eighth gold medal in swimming at Beijin

Sports TV
Why the Olympics are so hot: Phelps
Media buyers and planners credit the swimmer with driving up the ratings, well ahead of any other factor for these Games

Popcult
A thought whose end is in Piscataway
This year's Bulwer-Lytton award goes to Garrison Spik, along with a $250 cash prize, for cooking up some truly terrible pros

Out of Home
Your client's message aloft on blimps
There's now a full range of options for advertisers, from giant ones with LED panels to small electric models for use indoors

TV This Week
Oh, be still dear heart, it's 'The Hills'
MTV's steamy make-up, break-up reality show is back. Never mind that it seems contrived, ratings for season four should grow.

News shorts
DirecTV's Hartenstein becomes LA Times publisher
Star razing: GM ends Academy Awards sponsorship
Pew: People still get their news from television first
Beijing bounce: Friday ratings rise after recent dips
Coming soon to Canada, a domestic p#%rn channel

Web shorts
NBCOlympics.com outpacing '04 and '06 combined
Blame Bono for the latest U2 tracks leaked on web
With its launch next week, WB.com adding shows
Obama sets hearts a-Twitter as its most-followed man

People
Jennifer Xia becomes finance director at Legend Media
John Patterson becomes SVP and account director at Ketchum
Emily Hebert becomes associate beauty editor at Elle.com
Parenting associate editor Stephanie Galluzzo leaving the magazine
Meg Liberman becomes SVP of casting at CBS Paramount Network TV
Angie O'Keefe becomes VP of business development at Fuse
'The Office's' Craig Phillip Robinson facing felony drug charges
Charles Barkley in talks for new Golf Channel series
Rapper Master P launching Better Black Television network
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi tie the knot
Cristian de la Fuente becomes a regular on USA's 'In Plain Sight'
Alan Taylor directing HBO's 'Bored to Death'
Former 'Nightline' producer Leroy Sievers dies at age 53

Alternative media
Busting out all over, with Wonderbra
Coming soon, ads dispensed by ATMs
A broken toothbrush, a spool of thread
Look into the mirror, then look again


Tuesday, Aug.19, 2008

Overnights
A little bit of Olympics relief for CBS
First hour of comedy block averages a 2.0 in 18-49s, up 18 percent over last week, despite being reruns, as NBC dips

Sports TV
Sunday's Olympics ratings ease back
But NBC still draws 26.8 million total viewers without Phelps competing, 3 percent ahead of Athens Games four years ago

Television
For Fox, a strong fall, challenging ABC
From third last year, it has its sights on No. 1 for fourth quarter, and it's a sure bet it will again take the full season in 18-49s

Sports TV
On the payout for Olympics sponsors
Their investment in the games has turned out well, as has China's for the most part. Talking with Siegel+Gale's Larry Vincent.

New media
Beijing's really a warmup for London
Non-TV viewing of the games has been growing steadily, and it ought to be huge in 2012, when finals will not be in primetime

TV This Week
On Fox News, deeper look into McCain
The special, taking over Bill O'Reilly's timeslot, follows a profile of Obama. Title: '2008 Presidential Character and Conduct.'

News shorts
Magna: Commercial clutter is down during Olympics
Great cone controversy: McCainites call NBC biased
Alphabet swoop: ABC as TV Guide's sole sponsor
Programming notes: Fox gives Williams a full order
'9021-uh-oh:' CW nixes spinoff advance screeners

Web shorts
Report: NBA is shooting for live local internet feeds
EMarketer: Boom in B2B social network ad spending
Emmy to viewers: Pick the all-time best TV moments
YouTube adding display ads on its mobile video site

People
Vanessa Holden becomes VP and editor in chief of Martha Stewart Weddings
Howard Strudler among eight promoted at Petry Media Corp.
Lawrence Fishburne officially joins CBS's 'CSI'
Darren Melameth rises to VP of program planning at Hallmark Channel
Ellen Stone rises to SVP of marketing at Bravo Media
Nina Myers becomes fashion editor at Niche Media
Simon Brereton becomes director of On Deck products at Dada Entertainment
Laurie Hertzel rises to books editor at Minneapolis Star Tribune
Dennis O'Brien becomes VP of marketing at New Track Media
Aparna Pande becomes GM of U.S. consumer magazines at Disney Publishing
Noah Kotch joins NBC's 'Today' as a senior producer
South Florida Sun-Sentinel travel editor Thomas Swick leaving the paper
Jesse Ventura in talks for syndicated court show

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008

Overnights
Games continue to sap other networks
ABC, CBS and Fox average a combined 4.3 in 18-49s, with top show 'Big Brother' averaging 2.1, even as NBC's Olympics ebb

Television
Call your typical Olympics fan ma'am
More likely than not it's a woman who's tuning in, and she's in her late 40s. But it's men who are driving ratings up over Athens.

Cable
Olympics boost spreads to NBC cable
Combined the networks are up 30 percent in cume viewers over Athens 2004, with USA, the largest of the group, up 39 percent

Research
Newest threat: Promiscuous friending
Got loads of online pals you've never met? Put lots of personal stuff online? Watch a lot of reality TV? You may be a sufferer.

TV This Week
Usain Bolt: The other Michael Phelps
Jamaican sprinter competes for his second gold, the 200 dash, having already won the 100, challenging Carl Lewis's record

News shorts
FTC presses stop button on prerecorded sales calls
Rupert M. got a pay raise to $27.1 million last year
ESPN's Bodenheimer: We're eyeing Games rights
Italians protest poor medical advice on doctor shows
Programming notes: MSNBC boots Abrams' 'Verdict'

Web shorts
'Republicrats,' MSN's new satirical presidential series
Hitwise: Yahoo's Olympics site tops NBC's in share
Feeling hot, hot, hot! IPods catching fire in Japan.
Portrait of a young job seeker: Educated and black

People
Andrew Swinand becomes president of global operations at Starcom MediaVest Group
David Morales joins LATV Networks as vice president of business development
Ken Detlet becomes VP of digital sales at PCMag Network
Frank Minishak becomes VP of Eastern region sales at About.com
Janice Myers becomes EVP of sales at i-am TV
Christina Pisano joins WE tv as vice president of research
Sarah Burns becomes features editor at Good Housekeeping
Jonathan Dube becomes president of ABCNews.com
Carla Levy becomes executive editor at Self
Steven Lerner becomes director of programming at DIY Network
El Paso Times editor Dionicio 'Don' Flores steps down
Radio's Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo gets new show on Sirius XM
Warren Sapp joins the cast of Showtime's 'Inside the NFL'


Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008

Overnights
Another lame night against the Games
ABC, CBS and Fox deliver a combined 3.9 rating in 18-49s, less than half the 8.1 that NBC pulls with its coverage of the Olympics

Sports TV
Beijing Games are closing in on No. 1
They're about to become the most viewed event ever, at 203.3 million total U.S. viewers through Tuesday, approaching Atlanta

Magazines
More hurt: Hachette shuttering Home
Latest fatality in the shakeout of shelter titles. Ad pages tumble
as advertisers pull back in the face of the housing mess.

Dayparts update
Olympics glow spreads to NBC news
'Today' and 'NBC Nightly News' are clocking big gains airing from Beijing, and so too are late news shows on affiliate stations

Research
Olympics ads that have a story to tell
The stand-out campaigns create a personal connection between the brand and the consumer. Talking with TNS's DeWitt Mallary.

TV This Week
And now Margaret Cho as she really is
The iconic Korean comic's 'The Cho Show' debuts on VH1 as an exploration of all things Cho. Not your all-American girl.

News shorts
Nielsen IAG: Viewers more likely to recall Games ads
Alpha's Brownridge switches from CEO to chairman
Gaga over googoo: French ban TV aimed at babies
Study: Workers surfing Olympics site during lunch
Media prematurely reports Congresswoman's death

Web shorts
Comcast: We're slowing down some internet users
Crow offering album download for voting registration
High wi-fi: American adds internet to domestic flights
Hot or not? Voters say Phelps and Liukin are hotties.

People
Stephen Allan becomes chairman and CEO of MediaCom Worldwide
Andy Day joining Draftfcb London as design director
Bob Lukasik becomes VP and group creative director at imc²
Adam Glick, Dan Limerick and Crystal Morales rise at WBTV
Nancy McGee rises to EVP of marketing at Starz Entertainment
Ivan Perez becomes VP of network ad sales at GolTV
Anthony Batson becomes senior producer for CBS's 'The Early Show'
Chris Worden becomes editor of Motocross.com
Adam Sher becomes CEO of Ryan Seacrest Productions
Martin Savidge anchoring American Public Television's 'Worldfocus'
Sophina Brown joins the cast of CBS's 'Numb3rs'
'Bachelorette' loser Jason Mesnick becomes the new 'Bachelor'
Reporters' rights activist Jack C. Landau dies at age 74

Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

Overnights
Beijing relief: CBS's 'Flashpoint' rises
Canadian copper averages a 1.9 in 18-49s, up 19 percent over last week, one of the rare shows to see gains against Games

Sports TV
Beijing betters Lillehammer in viewers
Now the No. 2 most-watched event ever, topping 1994 Winter Games with 206 million cumulative viewers through Wednesday

Younger viewers
But one group's not into it: Teen girls
Females 12-17 is the only major demo to see declines in ratings in the first week of the Summer Olympics versus Athens in 2004

Television
For NBC, a shot at No. 3 this season
The fall will be strong with 'Sunday Night Football,' and it will get another kick from Super Bowl. But then the problems begin.

Rachel speaks!
Rachel, I want a job with flexible hours
The writer says his agency is an 8 to 5 shop and wonders where he can find a job where management is more accommodating

TV This Week
Best tube bets this weekend
Friday: Disney's 'Cheetah Girls' movie; Saturday: ABC's Little League World Series; Sunday: the Olympic closing ceremonies

News shorts
ANA: More than half of marketers plan to cut budgets
At least among late-night hosts, Clinton won the race
Phelps-ian feat: NBC broadcasting 2009 swim finals
The word: Oprah wants off the cover of O magazine
Radio revenue reeling again during second quarter

Web shorts
Family fun: Disney launches parents social network
Sour Apple: Did China bump off iTunes downloads?
YouTube for photographers: Microsoft's Photosynth
Bad connection: Hacker breaches DHS long distance

People
Yaakov Kimelfeld and Jennifer Stebner rise to SVPs at MediaVest
Alain Groenendaal becomes president and CEO of Winglatino
Rob Baird becomes creative director at TBWA/Chiat/Day New York
Erik Thrane joins Critical Mass as group account director
Jane Hirt becomes managing editor of the Chicago Tribune
Todd Teresi becomes chief revenue officer at Quantcast
Kelly Brett becomes head of original productions at Bebo
Sally Daws rises to SVP of marketing at FX
Bruce Wallace and William Heisel get new roles at the LA Times
Marna Spizz becomes VP of strategic development at CBS Radio Sales
Gideon Dean becomes EVP of travel media group at Questex
Dave McIntyre joining the Washington Post as wine columnist
Josh Ozersky becomes New York senior editor at CitySearch.com