ENTERTAINMENT TOPIC

• Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings: Dominant NBC Inches Past CBS; The Eye Net Poised for Victory Among Adults 18-49

  Mediaweek.com – Thu Dec 3, 7:07 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer R (CBS), Law & Order: SVU R (NBC), Criminal Minds R (CBS) Full Story »

• Broadcast pioneer NBC prepares for cable takeover

  AP – Sun Nov 15, 1:26 am ET
  AP

  NEW YORK - Eight decades after pioneering the concept of broadcasting, NBC is on the verge of a startling move that illustrates broadcast television's decline. Full Story »

• National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of November 23, 2009

  Mediaweek.com – Thu Dec 3, 7:07 pm ET

  It was yet another week of split leadership between CBS and Fox, with CBS first in households, total viewers and adults 25-54, and Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49 and adults 18-34 for the holiday week of Nov. 23. CBS, which has now ranked first in total viewers for eight of the last nine weeks, was down in the low double-digits demo-wise compared to one year earlier. Fox, in contrast, built by margins of 11 to 19 percent. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Tuesday Ratings: ABC and CBS Tie for Leadership

  Mediaweek.com – Wed Nov 25, 6:03 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: NCIS (CBS), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), The Good Wife (CBS) Full Story »

• National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of November 16, 2009

  Mediaweek.com – Wed Nov 25, 6:03 pm ET

  Excluding adults 18-49 (which was a tie between ABC and Fox), CBS swept the week of Nov. 16, with a first-place finish in households, total viewers, adults 18-49 (tied with ABC) and adults 25-54. Comparably, CBS has now ranked first in total viewers for eight of the last nine weeks. ABC, which like CBS was consistent from the year-ago week, finished one notch below CBS in the aforementioned four categories. Full Story »

• "Blind Side" tackles top spot at movie box offices

  Reuters – Sun Dec 6, 7:46 pm ET
  Reuters

  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Football film "The Blind Side" tackled the top spot at North American box offices with $20.4 million in ticket sales for a rare climb up the charts in its third week, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: ABC Dances to Victory, Leadership Up For Grabs Among Adults 18-49

  Mediaweek.com – Tue Nov 24, 8:12 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), House (Fox), Two and a Half Men (CBS), The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Find My Family (ABC), CSI: Miami (CBS) Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings: CBS Wins, Wednesday 8 p.m. Continues to Limp Along

  Mediaweek.com – Thu Nov 19, 8:11 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS) Full Story »

• News Corp, Time to unveil digital JV: sources

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 7:40 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp, Time Warner Inc and magazine publishers Conde Nast and Hearst Corp will on Tuesday unveil a new digital joint venture aimed at readying their print titles with agreed standards for a range of devices from e-books to tablets. Full Story »

• National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of November 9, 2009

  Mediaweek.com – Thu Nov 19, 8:11 pm ET

  Three networks – ABC, CBS and Fox -- dominated this eighth week of the 2009-10 season. CBS finished first overall in households and total viewers, ABC topped the adult 18-49 and adult 25-54 charts, and Fox was the primary force among adults 18-34. Both ABC and Fox built over the comparable year-ago period, with CBS on the downside, particularly in the demos. Even so, CBS has now ranked first in total viewers for seven of the last eight weeks. Comparably, and excluding Oscar week, ABC rose to its most-watched week since the week of Sept. 22, 2008, with a seven-week high among adults 18-49. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Tuesday Ratings: CBS Wins; Heather Locklear Gives Melrose Place a Minor Boost

  Mediaweek.com – Wed Nov 18, 5:05 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: NCIS (CBS), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS), The Good Wife (CBS) Full Story »

• Film Department files for IPO

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 4:00 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - West Hollywood-based motion picture finance and production company Film Department Holdings Inc hopes to go public in an initial public offering that would raise $85 million to $100 million. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings: CMA Awards Lead ABC to Victory

  Mediaweek.com – Thu Nov 12, 6:56 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: The 43rd Annual CMA Awards (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS) Full Story »

• McGraw-Hill optimistic on chances for better 2010

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 12:42 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - McGraw-Hill Cos Inc expects a better year for all its businesses in 2010, helped by higher school enrollment, increased spending on textbooks and a recovery in its credit rating business, Chief Executive Harold "Terry" McGraw said on Monday. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: ABC Wins; Dominance Up For Grabs Among Adults 18-49

  Mediaweek.com – Tue Nov 10, 7:42 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: Dancing With the Stars (ABC), Two and a Half Men (CBS), The Big Bang Theory (CBS), House (Fox), CSI: Miami (CBS) Full Story »

• "Monk" finale sets cable ratings record

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 2:55 am ET
  Reuters

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Monk" ended its eight-season run with a bang, becoming the most-watched hourlong series on basic cable. Full Story »

• Discovery names former Fox executive as COO

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 4:14 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Discovery Communications Inc appointed former Fox executive Peter Liguori as chief operating officer and said he will represent the company in its joint ventures with Oprah Winfrey and Hasbro Inc. Full Story »

• World's press urges action on climate change

  Reuters – Sun Dec 6, 9:00 pm ET

  LONDON (Reuters) - Humanity faces a profound emergency and unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet, a joint editorial published in newspapers in 45 countries said on Monday.

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TOP ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

• Music labels bet Vevo.com is next MTV

  Reuters – 1 hr 20 mins ago

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - In a grainy black and white Web video, similar to footage from an in-store security camera, you can make out the muscular frame of rapper 50 Cent, smashing dozens of TV sets with a baseball bat. Full Story »

• CBS says sold 90 percent of Super Bowl ad spots

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 2:40 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - CBS has sold about 90 percent of the available commercial time for the upcoming Super Bowl, with prices for a 30-second spot running close to $3 million, CBS Corp Chief Executive Les Moonves said on Tuesday. Full Story »

• IMAX bets on China growth

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 12:44 pm ET

  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Giant-screen movie operator IMAX Corp said on Tuesday that it was in talks with at least five film companies in China as the company moves to cement its presence in Asia. Full Story »

• Liberty Media says will look at MGM assets

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 11:59 am ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Liberty Media Corp Chief Executive Officer Greg Maffei said on Tuesday that his company will look at the Hollywood studio and library assets of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which is considering selling itself to the highest bidder. Full Story »

• New York Times sees print ad sales down 25 percent

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 11:58 am ET
  Reuters

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Times Co forecast print advertising revenue would drop 25 percent in the fourth quarter, but pulled one of its struggling newspapers, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, off the auction block. Full Story »

• News Corp, Time, others detail e-standard venture

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 11:51 am ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp, Time Warner Inc's Time Inc and three other publishers detailed their long-expected plans to develop open standards for a new digital storefront and technology to help prepare their print titles for devices ranging from e-books to tablet computers. Full Story »

• Suburban spooks top British box office

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 6:59 am ET

  LONDON (Reuters) - Horror thriller "Paranormal Activity" reached the top of the British box office on its second weekend of release, according to Screen International on Tuesday. Full Story »

• Oscar insiders take their movie chat online

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 3:08 am ET
  Reuters

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Adam Shankman has a Twitter habit, and it's making Academy officials nervous. Full Story »

• Disney Channel, ABC join portable TV service

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 2:30 am ET

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Disney Channel and ABC have embraced FLO TV, the nation's primary provider of hand-held, portable television. Full Story »

• NBC's "Today" show going to Afghanistan

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 10:09 pm ET

  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - NBC's "Today" show will broadcast from Afghanistan this week, in the wake of President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 more troops to that country, the network said on Monday. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Ratings: Weekend Highlights

  Mediaweek.com – Mon Dec 7, 5:32 pm ET

  -Friday's Losers (excluding repeats): Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation (ABC), Dollhouse (Fox), Ugly Betty (ABC), The Jay Leno Show (NBC) Full Story »

• George Washington, Poe auction records set in NYC

  AP – Fri Dec 4, 11:51 pm ET
  AP

  NEW YORK - A letter by George Washington has sold for $3,218,500 at auction in New York City, setting a world record for a letter by America's first president, according to Christie's. Full Story »

• Ratings Box: What's Hot/What's Not

  Mediaweek.com – Mon Dec 7, 5:32 pm ET

  Based on the final national ratings in November, CBS' The Late Show With David Letterman scored its first November sweeps victory in households, total viewers and adults 25-54, and best competitive position among adults 18-49 (tied with Conan O'Brien) in 15 years. The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, in contrast (and without Jay Leno), dipped by 50 percent in households, 52 percent in total viewers and as much as 38 percent among adults 25-54. Here are the results (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago period in parentheses): Full Story »

• Jackson film not part of Sony's new 3-D vision

  AP – Thu Dec 3, 4:46 am ET
  AP

  TOKYO - Michael Jackson videos or the next Spider-Man movie won't be among the titles that Sony Corp. releases in 3-D as it gears up to boost TV sales with that technology, Chief Executive Howard Stringer said Thursday. Full Story »

• TV Tidbits: Notes of Interest

  Mediaweek.com – Mon Dec 7, 5:32 pm ET

  Nielsen Media Research has announced it will begin measuring television viewing in Puerto Rico beginning in first quarter 2010. The initial clients who have signed up are WKAQ-TV, the owned and operated Telemundo station; WLII-TV, the Univision affiliate; and independent WAPA-TV. The TV ratings will be determined from a sample of 500 homes equipped with electronic push-button meters called People Meters installed on each television set in their homes. Full Story »

• Rare Charles Darwin book found on toilet bookshelf

  AP – Sun Nov 22, 7:42 am ET

  LONDON - An auction house says it is selling a rare first edition of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" found in a family's guest lavatory in southern England. Full Story »

• Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings: CBS Wins; ABC the Network to Beat Among Adults 18-49

  Mediaweek.com – Fri Dec 4, 7:31 pm ET

  -Yesterday's Winners: Survivor: Samoa (CBS), Bones (Fox), CSI R (CBS), The Mentalist R (CBS) Full Story »

• 2 sites selling Beatles songs to remain shut down

  AP – Thu Nov 19, 12:51 am ET

  LOS ANGELES - Two Web sites that sold songs by The Beatles for 25 cents apiece should remain shut down indefinitely, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS CONT (1)

• Weezer cancels tour after bus crash in upstate NY

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 3:06 pm ET
  AP

  ALBANY, N.Y. - Weezer has canceled the rest of its December tour after the lead singer was injured in a bus crash in New York. Full Story »

• Kylie Minogue to release New York live set

  Reuters – Fri Dec 4, 6:33 pm ET

  LONDON (Billboard) - Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue is to release a download-only concert album, "Kylie Live in New York." Full Story »

• Billboard CD reviews: Shakira, Rakim, Leona Lewis

  Reuters – Fri Dec 4, 6:28 pm ET
  Reuters

  ARTIST: SHAKIRA

  ALBUM: SHE WOLF

  NEW YORK (Billboard) - With plenty of moans, guitars, doumbek, disco, clarinet and synth, Shakira's newest album, "She Wolf," is a grab bag of influences, ranging from pop rock to world music to '80s R&B. Full Story »

• Review: Solid Brown CD still can't escape cloud

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 2:19 pm ET
  AP

  Chris Brown, "Graffiti" (Jive) Full Story »

• All-star cast promotes premiere of musical `Nine'

  AP – Fri Dec 4, 9:34 am ET
  AP

  LONDON - Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis have appeared in London at the world premiere of the Hollywood movie "Nine." Full Story »

• 'Lost,' 'Idol' and Ozzy among decade's TV Top 10

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 1:47 pm ET
  AP

  Mostly excellent, all of them memorable, here are the decade's Top 10 television achievements as tapped by the TV writers of The Associated Press. Full Story »

• Affleck, Holmes, Stewart, Fanning join Sundance

  AP – Fri Dec 4, 7:00 am ET
  AP

  LOS ANGELES - Ben Affleck, Katie Holmes, rapper 50 Cent and "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" co-stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning are taking their acts to the Sundance Film Festival. Full Story »

• World Cup draw is 'magical moment' for Theron

  AFP – Fri Dec 4, 6:08 am ET
  AFP/Getty Images/File

  CAPE TOWN (AFP) - Academy-award winning actress Charlize Theron has said that Friday's World Cup draw will be a "magical moment" for her country. Full Story »

• Alexa Ray Joel staying with dad after pill scare

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 12:15 pm ET
  AP

  NEW YORK - A publicist says the daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley is staying with her father two days after being treated in New York for a possible overdose of pills. Full Story »

• 'Bruno' pastor runs for mayor of Birmingham, Ala.

  AP – Fri Dec 4, 5:51 am ET
  AP

  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Moviegoers know Jody Trautwein as the smiling Alabama pastor who tries to talk Sacha Baron Cohen's character out of being gay in the hit movie "Bruno." Trautwein is now auditioning for another role: Mayor of Birmingham. Full Story »

• "Moon," "Blind" face off again at box office

  Reuters – Thu Dec 3, 8:09 pm ET
  Reuters

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fanged phenomenon "New Moon" and the leggy Sandra Bullock drama "The Blind Side" -- which finished No. 1 and 2, respectively, at the box office this past weekend -- again will battle for the top spot in domestic rankings. Full Story »

• Obama salutes jazz great Brubeck at Kennedy Center

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 11:58 am ET
  AFP

  WASHINGTON - Nearly 40 years ago, a Kenyan father was visiting his son in Hawaii and took him to his first jazz concert. The boy was Barack Obama and the performer was jazz great Dave Brubeck. Full Story »

• Jay-Z's "Empire" reigns again on singles chart

  Reuters – Thu Dec 3, 7:47 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Billboard) - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" held at No. 1 for a third week on the Billboard Hot 100, increasing its lead over Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which remained in the No. 2 spot. Full Story »

• Quaid announces system to prevent medicine errors

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 11:16 am ET

  LAS VEGAS - Actor Dennis Quaid is helping launch a national program to help prevent medication errors like the one that hurt his newborn twins in 2007. Full Story »

• Cruz, Kidman, Dench hit red carpet in London

  AFP – Thu Dec 3, 6:27 pm ET
  AFP

  LONDON (AFP) - Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Daniel Day-Lewis were among Hollywood stars who braved London's bitter cold on Thursday for the world premiere of their new movie "Nine". Full Story »

• Paul McCartney has a beef with world climate talks

  AFP – Thu Dec 3, 3:10 pm ET
  AFP

  BRUSSELS (AFP) - Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has a beef with world leaders' efforts to battle global warming, but the vegetarian's solution -- eat less meat -- was not to everyone's taste as he joined a debate at the European Parliament on Thursday. Full Story »

• Tobey Maguire matures, goes to war for "Brothers"

  Reuters – Thu Dec 3, 2:13 pm ET

  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hollywood has finally realized that Tobey Maguire has grown up. The actor who gained fame as a teenager in the "Spider-Man" movies has embraced fatherhood and a new role as a soldier whose family is torn apart by war. Full Story »

• Diane Sawyer says this is her last week on 'GMA'

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 9:45 am ET
  AP

  NEW YORK - Diane Sawyer says this week is her last as co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America" as she prepares to replace Charles Gibson on the network's "World News."

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS CONT (5)

• 5Silver screen beckons for Daly

  Reuters – Tue Dec 8, 12:24 am ET

  SYDNEY (Reuters) - His turbulent life has already been played out in newspapers, magazines and television networks around the world but American golfer John Daly now wants to be the subject of a Hollywood movie. Full Story »

• British TV channel apologises over rat eating row

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 10:14 am ET
  Ken McKay/ITV

  LONDON (AFP) - The British TV channel behind hit show "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!" apologised Monday for the death of a rat during filming in Australia, as the stars who killed it faced police charges. Full Story »

• Federer, Brad Pitt named in new edition of Who's Who

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 10:10 am ET
  AFP/Getty Images/File

  LONDON (AFP) - Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and Brazilian author Paulo Coelho are among new entries in "Who's Who", the British guide to society's most influential people published Monday. Full Story »

• Reality series `Basketball Wives' set for VH1

  AP – Mon Dec 7, 9:21 pm ET

  LOS ANGELES - A VH1 reality series that promises an inside look at the lives of NBA players' wives and girlfriends is set to air early next year. Full Story »

• S.African actors 'want Hudson out of Mandela film'

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 4:51 am ET
  AFP/Getty Images/File

  JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - South African actors want to stop Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson from playing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in a new film on the ex-wife of the nation's first black president, reports said Monday. Full Story »

• Seinfeld delivers masterful riffs on what bugs him

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 2:53 am ET

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - There's one major difference between "Seinfeld" and its star's stand-up act. The TV show ostensibly was about nothing, but it thrived on the comedy of coincidence; onstage, Jerry Seinfeld mines the comedy of annoyance. Full Story »

• Jack Black gets animated with movie project

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 2:11 am ET

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jack Black, who provided the lead voice in DreamWorks Animation's' "Kung Fu Panda," is once again heading into the land of animation. Full Story »

• 'I'm A Celebrity' TV stars charged over rat risotto

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 12:45 am ET
  AFP/File

  SYDNEY (AFP) - Two stars of hit British TV show "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!" are facing animal cruelty charges for killing and eating a rat during filming in Australia, activists said Monday. Full Story »

• Bennett Miller in talks to direct "Moneyball'

  Reuters – Sun Dec 6, 7:45 pm ET

  LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Capote" filmmaker Bennett Miller is in negotiations to direct "Moneyball," a baseball drama starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's who rewrote the unwritten rulebook of baseball. Full Story »

• Mexican governor: Gibson to make film in Veracruz

  AP – Sun Dec 6, 4:12 pm ET
  AP

  VERACRUZ, Mexico - A Mexican governor says Mel Gibson will make a movie at a prison in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz next year. Full Story »

• Fear of regime inspired Romanian Nobel winner

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 4:40 pm ET
  AFP/SCANPIX

  STOCKHOLM (AFP) - The winner of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature told Monday of how her fear of the communist regime in her native Romania inspired her to write. Full Story »

• Rat cooking lands TV show in hot water

  AP – Sun Dec 6, 12:37 pm ET
  Ken McKay/ITV

  SYDNEY - Two stars of the reality TV show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" have been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly killing and cooking a rat to eat during filming. Full Story »

• African-American princess joins Disney royals

  AFP – Sun Dec 6, 12:00 pm ET
  AFP/Getty Images/File

  LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Seventy-two years after Snow White first emerged on the silver screen, Disney's exclusive pantheon of fairytale royals is about to get another member to delight little girls around the world. Full Story »

• Billy Joel's daughter out of hospital

  Reuters – Mon Dec 7, 3:30 pm ET
  Reuters

  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Billy Joel and his daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, are staying together at an undisclosed location following her release from a New York hospital over the weekend, a spokeswoman said on Monday. Full Story »

• Gainsbourg, Beck bring out joint album

  AFP – Sun Dec 6, 6:23 am ET
  AFP/File

  PARIS (AFP) - An album of psychedelic and folk-tinged pop songs jointly created by the celebrity French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg and the cult US musician Beck goes on sale here Monday. Full Story »

• Obama to accept peace prize as war president

  AFP – Mon Dec 7, 3:23 pm ET
  AFP

  WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama will accept his Nobel peace prize this week as a war president, and will address the awkward timing of his Afghan troop surge announcement head on, the White House said Monday. Full Story »

• Adam Lambert to appear, sing on ABC's 'The View'

  AP – Sat Dec 5, 7:20 pm ET
  AP

  NEW YORK - ABC says glam-rocker Adam Lambert will appear and perform on its daytime talk show "The View" on Thursday. Full Story »

• Underwood aims for family fun with variety show

  AP – Sat Dec 5, 2:43 pm ET
  AP

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The variety show was once a television staple, and Carrie Underwood thinks it might be time for a resurgence.

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