The week that was
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/6/2002 7:00:00 PM
AT DEADLINE: NAB AIMS AT ECHOSTAR
The National Association of Broadcasters has complained to the FCC that EchoStar is requiring some subscribers to get a second dish if they want to see local TV signals via satellite.But the DBS provider says the two-dish arrangement is just an interim fix until it can launch its two spot-beam satellites.
CHUTES AND LADDERS
Eddie Edwards, former president and CEO of Glencairn Ltd. and WCWB Television in Pittsburgh, is expected to announce this week formation of his new media acquisition company, Edwards Broadcasting, and will introduce Bill Campbell, former mayor of Atlanta, as part of his management team. Former FCC Chairman WilliamKennard charged that Glencairn served as a minority front for Sinclair Broadcasting, which sued the FCC in federal court. The FCC ultimately ruled that Sinclair did exercise illegal control over Glencairn and fined each company $40,000. The agency did not block any of the acquisitions or revoke any of Sinclair's licenses. ...
Charter Communications named John Tory, president and CEO of Canadian cable firm Rogers Cable Inc., to its board of directors. Tory, who has served in his current position since April 1999, oversees a system with 2.3 million broadband-cable subscribers and 250 Rogers Video outlets. ...
U.S. Telcom Association's new President and CEO Walter McCormick gave expanded roles to three VPs : Micahel Rubin, David Cohen and Larry Sargeant. ...
CBS News veteran correspondent Eric Engberg retired Friday, after 25 years at the network.
WATCH IT
CBS finished No. 1 in total viewers, and NBC was again dominant in adults 18-49 for the final week of 2001. NBC averaged a network-best 3.1 rating/10 share in adults 18-49 for the week of Dec. 24-30, according to Nielsen Media Research. It was NBC's 11th victory in the demo in the past 14 weeks. As for CBS, it won the week in total viewers with a 10 million-viewer average and finished just behind NBC in adults 18-49 with a 3.0/9 average in adults 18-49. ABC finished the week in third place in both categories, averaging 8 million viewers and a 2.9/9 in adults 18-49. ...
The Food Network says it added over 17 million subs in 2001 to top 71 million subs. Its biggest gains came in August and September, when it added 4.1 million. ... Dan Aykroyd is getting his own show on Sci Fi later this year. Dan Aykroyd's Out There will be a nightly half-hour series about the paranormal and will be used as a companion to Crossing Over With John Edward in late night. ...
An upcoming Weakest Link episode will pit the acerbic host Anne Robinson against a number of former Seinfeld ensemble players. The game show's episode on Sunday, Jan. 13, on NBC will include The Soup Nazi (LarryThomas), Mickey (Danny Woodburn) and Babu Bhatt (Brian George). Not that there's anything wrong with that. ...
After a four-month delay, Bravo unveils its new reality series on the lives of 12 struggling New York actors Jan. 6. The IT Factor will air Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET. The debut of the 13-part series was originally slated for Sept. 30 but was pushed back after Sept. 11. ... The BBC has upconverted its series The Blue Planet from standard definition to HDTV using the Snell & Wilcox Alchemist Platinum motion-compensated converter. The program will air on Discovery later this month.
RADIO, RADIO
Sports commentator Keith Olbermann will anchor Speaking of Sports and Speaking of Everything beginning Jan. 22. He takes the helm of two ABC Radio Networks daily programs launched more than 40 years ago by Howard Cosell . ... Sirius Satellite Radio says it will raise at least $158 million in a stock offering of 16 million shares, priced at $9.85 per share. It will announce its launch plans this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
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