IN BRIEF
Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/14/2001
CBS re-ups JAG
CBS is keeping military drama JAG around for two more years. The network has renewed the series from fellow Viacom entity Paramount Network TV for close to $2 million per episode, sources say.
JAG is currently in its fifth season, and CBS has been paying Paramount just over $1 million per episode, sources say. The show has been averaging 13 million viewers and a 9.2 rating/14 share in households this season, according to Nielsen Media Research.
WGA board oks pact
The Writers Guild of America's board of directors voted unanimously in favor of last week's tentative agreement with Hollywood producers, leaving only one more hurdle. The guild's 11,000 members have to ratify the agreement through a mail-in vote that has a return deadline of June 4.
The WGA and AMPTP on May 4 reached a tentative agreement, a three-year pact that brings TV and film writers a number of financial gains. The Screen Actors Guild and AMPTP will start official negotiations on their new contract on May 15 in Los Angeles. SAG's current agreement expires June 30.
Real World, Windy City
The 11th installment of MTV's The Real World will land in Chicago, with production beginning this summer for air in January 2002. After 10 seasons, The Real World has kept its status as one of MTV's highest-rated shows. Co-creator Jon Murray cites "beautiful backdrops, diversity, culture" as some of his reasons for going with Chicago.
New Orleans was a recent site.
