Time Warner Cable vs. FOX

In NYC, FOX is conducting a non-stop PR campaign to force Time Warner Cable to accept their higher retransmission costs. By telling the public that they'll miss their favorite FOX programs and sports, they hope public outcry will force TWC to accept their terms. We've seen this before here with WABC-TV. It's stupid. Both companies rely on each other. And we know they'll get a deal done. This posturing is annoying. Now, if only we can see the NFL Network...

Tiger vs. Sheen

I'll bet Tiger Woods is really grateful for Charlie Sheen right about now.

$278 Million Weekend at the Movies!

Avatar brought in another $75 Million for Fox this past weekend with Sherlock Holmes and Alvin & The Chipmonks #2 & #3 respectively. Nine disappointed with a $5.5 Million weekend to rise to a 5.9 Million cumulatice B.O. That ain't gonna cover the T&E expenses! To read more:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-look-alvin-2-beats-avatar/

NBC Wants Jets-Bengals on Jan. 3rd!

After last week’s NY Jets' loss to Atlanta (in which they blew the game in the final minute), everyone in the media reported that the Jets had been eliminated from the playoffs. However, everything broke just right with other teams losing (particularly the Ravens) in the AFC. Just before their game against Indianapolis, the Jets learned that they were not only still alive, but controlled their destiny with wins over the Colts and Bengals. When they pulled Manning, the Jets went to work on the Colts. Even with Manning, the Jets always play the Colts tough whenever they meet. Now the Jets by some fluke are the #5 seed in the AFC behind the division leaders for the playoffs. I still don’t know how that happened, but they are playing for a playoff spot next week against the Bengals. Since the Bengals will play mostly scrubs, the Jets chances have just become very good.

It’s also the last scheduled event at Giants Stadium before they bring on the wrecking ball (as Bruce Springsteen sings). I want to sit in my seats one last time. So, I’m watching the Cowboys-Redskins on Sunday Night Football and I see that the Jets game has been moved to Sunday Night because NBC wants to show the game. I’ll probably go, but I’ll set a time to leave. Those games end too late.

Do the Steelers still have a chance to get in? (I’ll bet the Jets have to lose.)

It’s going to be an interesting final week of the season. I had written the Jets off. Hey, they didn’t even send out post-season tickets.

Albrecht to Shine at Starz

Englewood, Colo, Dec. 22 - Liberty Media Corporation announced today that Chris Albrecht, former Chairman and CEO of HBO, will join Starz, LLC as its President and CEO. He will oversee all of the Starz entities, including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman and will assume his new role beginning January 1, 2010.

“We are excited to have an industry leader with an exceptional track record join the Starz team,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Media President and CEO. “With his extensive experience and success in creating compelling original content and building a premium pay channel, Chris is a recognized visionary in the creative community and uniquely qualified to lead Starz into the future.”

"I am thrilled and honored to be asked to join a great company like Starz and to help take advantage of the challenges and opportunities emerging in media and entertainment," said Albrecht. "I have always seen Starz as a bold, entrepreneurial and growth-oriented brand - one that I believe will be a great home for me. I look forward to putting my experiences and interests to work with the talented management team at Liberty and Starz to create valued products for consumers and our affiliate partners."

Avatar: Go Big Blue!

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-word-avatar-midnights-only-3-million-even-with-higher-3d-ticket-prices-hollywood-now-predicting-85m-weekend/

$242.5 Million WW BO gross is sure nice, but what's going to happen when all those blue aliens start calling Murdock about their back-end cuts? Oh wait, they're not face recognizable? Tell that to the Hobbits!

Too Many Obits

http://www.einsiders.com/hollywood-obituaries.html

R.I.P. Brittany Murphy, Dan O'Bannon and Roy E. Disney. Brittney Murphy was mot an A-list actress, yet she was quite popular with audiences. I won't go into the story of her career and death here. I'll just say that I'll remember her most from Sin City. There was something about her in that movie. Dan O'Bannon created some of the best action and sci-fi properties of all time. Alien, of course, is a cinema classic. Total Recall was amazing. Personally, I loved Blue Thunder and the TV series the movie spawned. Roy E. Disney kept the family flame alive at Disney, although Mr. Eisner smelled more of a rat than a mouse. No deep freeze for Roy, I hope.

Merry Ex-mas

The New York Alumni of the late New Line Cinema held their second annual company holiday party despite the fact that New Line Cinema was killed-off by Time Warner more than one year ago. There was a huge turnout for the party. That kind of camaraderie is rare in the business world. Jeff, you'll never find a better, more dedicated group of employees. You should have reconsidered your decision. You'll never understand what you lost.

New Line Cinema's Nutcracker

http://geeksofdoom.com/2009/12/07/new-line-to-re-imagine-the-nutcracker-and-the-mouse-king/

New Line is making The Nutcracker? Just in time for Christmas 2010? We should be having the third annual NLC Alumni Party right about then. Not bad for an extinct movie company. And I should know...

Read the story at Geeks of Doom!

Tickets! Who Needs A Ticket?

The merger between TicketMaster and Live Nation is picking up steam. Consumer groups oppose the deal saying it will create a monopoly in the sale and content of live music. Check out this story on Ticket News:

http://www.ticketnews.com/Ticketmaster-Live-Nation-merger-consumer-groups-continue-their-opposition-to-the-deal12092910

NBC Ya Later!

Well, the papers are signed and the ink is drying. Now that Comcast owns 51% of the Peacock, what will the impact be on the operations of their network and cable concerns. How much consolidation will occur? Jeff? Here is the announcement:

PHILADELPHIA, PA and FAIRFIELD, CT – Dec. 3, 2009 – Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK) and General Electric (NYSE: GE) announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture that will be 51 percent owned by Comcast, 49 percent owned by GE and managed by Comcast. The joint venture, which will consist of the NBC Universal (NBCU) businesses and Comcast’s cable networks, regional sports networks and certain digital properties and certain unconsolidated investments, will be well positioned to compete in an increasingly dynamic and competitive media and digital environment.

The combination of assets creates a leading media and entertainment company with the proven capability to provide some of the world’s most popular entertainment, news and sports content, movies and film libraries to consumers anytime, anywhere. The joint venture will provide consumers the broadest possible access to content, and support high-quality, award-winning content development across all platforms including film, television, and online. It will be anchored by an outstanding portfolio of cable networks and regional sports networks that will account for about 80 percent of its cash flow, including USA, Bravo, Syfy, E!, Versus, CNBC and MSNBC. The joint venture will be financially strong with a robust cash-flow-generation capability.
Under the terms of the transaction, GE will contribute to the joint venture NBCU’s businesses valued at $30 billion, including its cable networks, filmed entertainment, televised entertainment, theme parks, and unconsolidated investments, subject to $9.1 billion in debt to third party lenders. Comcast will contribute its cable networks including E!, Versus and the Golf Channel, its ten regional sports networks, and certain digital media properties, collectively valued at $7.25 billion, and make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion of cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts said, “This deal is a perfect fit for Comcast and will allow us to become a leader in the development and distribution of multiplatform ‘anytime, anywhere’ media that American consumers are demanding. In particular, NBCU’s fast-growing, highly profitable cable networks are a great complement to our industry-leading distribution business. Today’s announced transaction will increase our capabilities in content and cable networks. At the same time, it will enhance consumer choice and accelerate the development of new digital products and services. GE has provided NBCU with a great home and has dramatically and positively transformed the business. We are honored that under this agreement Comcast would take over the stewardship of this important collection of assets and are absolutely committed to investing in NBCU and ensuring that it is a vibrant, financially strong company able to thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace by delivering innovative programming. We are particularly pleased to be creating this new joint venture with GE and Jeff Immelt and to have their continued involvement.

“For Comcast, this transaction is strategically compelling and will generate attractive financial returns and build shareholder value,” continued Roberts. “It is also expected to be immediately accretive and will also allow us to maintain our strong commitment to returning capital to shareholders– all while increasing the scale, capabilities and value of our cable distribution, content and digital assets. Significantly, it is entirely consistent with our intense focus on value creation and our disciplined strategy of pursuing profitable growth in areas complementary to our distribution business.”

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said, “The combination of Comcast’s cable and regional sports networks and digital media properties and NBCU will deliver strong returns for GE shareholders and business partners. NBCU has been a great business for GE over the past two decades. We have generated an average annual return of 11 percent, while expanding into cable, movies, parks and international media. We are reducing our ownership stake from 80 percent to 49 percent of a more valuable entity. By doing so, GE gets a good value for NBCU. This transaction will generate approximately $8 billion of cash at closing with an expected small after-tax gain. We have many opportunities to invest in our high-technology infrastructure businesses at attractive returns. I believe that the new NBCU will deliver value for both Comcast and GE in the future. We will give consumers and advertisers more choice and our cable and digital assets will be second to none. I am confident Brian Roberts and his team at Comcast will be great partners.”

Comcast also announced the creation of Comcast Entertainment Group (CEG), which will house Comcast’s interest in the joint venture and will stand alongside Comcast Cable, which operates the company’s traditional cable business.

Comcast Chief Operating Officer Steve Burke said, "Both Comcast and NBCU have excellent track records of integrating and growing multi-billion dollar businesses, including significant content acquisitions. In addition, we have both developed some of the country’s most popular programming and built many of the most watched and valued networks in the industry. We are confident that we’ll be even stronger together, and look forward to working with Jeff Zucker and the NBCU team to deliver the best consumer experience.”
Jeff Zucker, current president and CEO of NBCU, will be CEO of the new joint venture and will report to Burke. Zucker said, “Combining the assets of NBCU, ranging from our suite of cable properties and two broadcast networks to a legendary film studio and global theme park business, with the content assets and resources of Comcast, will enable us to continue to thrive in an ever-changing media landscape. Consumers of all of our products – on screens large and small – will have the benefit of enhanced content and experiences, delivered to them in new and better ways as a result of this transaction. This marks the start of a new era for NBCU, and I'm genuinely excited that I will be leading this wonderful organization, along with the Comcast team, at this important time in our history.”

Headquarters for the business will remain in New York. The joint venture board will have three directors nominated by Comcast and two nominated by GE.

Key Elements Of The Transaction:

· NBCU will borrow approximately $9.1 billion from third-party lenders and distribute the cash to GE.

· NBCU, valued at $30 billion, will be contributed to the newly formed joint venture. Comcast will contribute its programming businesses and certain other properties valued at $7.25 billion.

· GE will acquire Vivendi's 20% interest in NBCU for $5.8 billion. GE will purchase approximately 38% of Vivendi’s interest (or approximately 7.66% of all outstanding NBCU shares) from Vivendi for $2 billion in September 2010, if the Comcast transaction is not closed by then. GE will acquire the remaining 62% of Vivendi’s interest (or approximately 12.34% of all outstanding NBCU shares) for $3.8 billion when the transaction closes.

· Comcast will make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion in cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

· The new venture will be 51% owned by Comcast and 49% owned by GE.

· GE expects to realize $9.8 billion pre-tax in cash before debt reduction and transaction fees and after buyout of the Vivendi stake. GE expects to realize approximately $8 billion in cash after paying down the existing NBCU debt and transaction fees.

· GE will be entitled to elect to cause the joint venture to redeem one-half of its interest at year 3 ½ and its remaining interest at year 7. The joint venture’s obligations to complete those purchases will be subject to the venture’s leverage ratio not exceeding 2.75X EBITDA and the venture continuing to hold investment-grade ratings. Comcast also has certain rights to purchase GE’s interest in the venture at specified times. All such transactions would be done at a 20% premium to public market value with 50% sharing of upside above the closing valuation.

· To the extent the joint venture is not required to meet GE’s redemption requests, Comcast will provide a backstop up to a maximum of $2.875 billion for the first redemption and a total backstop of $5.750 billion.

The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of GE and Comcast. It is subject to receipt of various regulatory approvals, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, and approvals of the Federal Communications Commission and certain international agencies. The transaction is also subject to other customary closing conditions. NBCU has obtained $9.85 billion of committed financing through a consortium of banks led by J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch and Citi. This financing is expected to receive solid investment-grade ratings from S&P and Moody’s.
Comcast and GE intend to submit regulatory applications supporting the pro-competitive and strong public interest benefits of the transaction, including how the joint venture will better meet the entertainment, communications and information needs of the American public.

“We are prepared to make affirmative commitments to ensure that the pro-consumer and public interest benefits of the transaction are realized,” Roberts said. “Today, we have announced a number of initial commitments that expand on the capabilities that Comcast and NBCU have built over the years, and the new opportunities that this combination makes possible. These commitments address the needs of various audiences and stakeholders, and we will provide additional details on these and other commitments in our public interest filing with the Federal Communications Commission.”

Advisors Morgan Stanley is lead financial advisor to Comcast with UBS and BofA Merrill Lynch acting as co-advisors. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is Comcast’s legal advisor. J.P. Morgan is lead financial advisor to GE with Goldman Sachs and Citi acting as co-advisors. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP is GE’s and NBCU’s legal advisor.

DHD: First Casualty of NBCuni-GE-Comcast Deal

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-casualty-of-comcastgenbcu-deal/

Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that the first casualty of the sale is Rick Olshansky, head of all business affairs for the NBCU TV studio and network. Ah, the magic is only beginning. Follow the link for the whole story.

Want Real Security at The White House?

My wife had a great idea. After seeing the story about The White House Party Crashers, she remarked that it's easier to get into White House parties than it is to get into clubs on Manhattan's west side. Ever try to get into a Manhattan club if you're not on the guest list? The velvet rope is thicker than the Iron Curtain was! You want real security at The White House? Dump the Secret Service and hire Manhattan bouncers. Nobody, but nobody, gets in!

What's Up With FOX?

I used to think the programmers at FOX were brilliant. After all, some of the most ground breaking series of all time has run on that network (I know, technically it's not). Maybe it's all been dumb luck. FOX recently cancelled Josh Whedon's Dollhouse. Dollhouse is an incredible series on so many levels. I won't go into all of that here. It was difficult to understand and get into at first, but once I did, I became hooked. The problem is that FOX wanted this show to succeed in a time slot where it never had a shot at finding its audience. FOX never counter-programmed this series, they non-programmed this series. Its audience wasn't watching the competition. They were out on Friday nights.

Now, FOX is playing games with Fringe or as I call it "X-Files: The Next Generation". Fringe is on the ratings bubble and FOX is not giving the J.J. Abrams series a chance to find its audience. Yes, these shows are sometimes difficult to follow and require a little more brain-power than CSI or Law and Order. The FOX network used to give shows like these a chance to find their audiences. Now, they just disappoint.

Blood-Sucking Teens

What's up with all this geek-girl frenzy about blood-sucking teen vampires anyway? Don't they know most vampires look like Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee? The Calvin Klein model types are only found in the movies. I dunno...I dated a few blood-suckers when I was a teen...my wallet never recovered! Read more over at IMDB...

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni1219824/

Why?

Why am I a New York Jets fan? Why? 4-6 with no hope of making the playoffs. Same Old Jets!

The Mayans Were Wrong: The World Ends When ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ Ends In 2011

I love this article over at Geeks of Doom...

http://geeksofdoom.com/2009/11/20/the-mayans-were-wrong-the-world-ends-when-the-oprah-winfrey-show-ends-in-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+geeksofdoom+%28Geeks+of+Doom%29

Fox Puts Watts Alone at the Top

20th Century Fox has firmed a new deal with Emma Watts that makes her sole president of production, in a multi-year pact that sources said covers the next three years. The appointment by Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos keeps Fox as a bastion of stability at a time when studios are rife with executive shakeups. Watts is a highly-regarded 11-year Fox veteran who is currently overseeing some of the studio’s biggest movies.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118011289.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Looouuuuuu!!!!!

So Lou Dobbs suddenly left CNN. Who didn't see this coming? I'll bet anything that Fox News will soon rearrange it's schedule to accomodate Mr. Dobbs. Who's gonna move...Gretta or Beck-boy?

Mark Zoradi is out as Walt Disney Moton Pictures Group President

Nikke Fink at Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Mark Zoradi is out as Walt Disney Moton Pictures Group President. The mouse has no mercy! Here is the link:

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/walt-disney-studios-mark-zoradi-exits/

Job Layoffs at A&E, Lifetime

Variety and other sources are reporting that over 100 jobs have been cut at A&E and Lifetime. With all of this industry dowsizing, I'm surprised that there are any jobs left to cut. Please follow the link to read the story in Variety.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010974.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Reuters: Comcast Close to Gaining Control of NBCUNI

Comcast close to gaining control of NBC universal: report
Mon Nov 2, 2009 2:18am EST

Reuters reports that Comcast Corp and General Electric Co are closer to a deal to give Comcast a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal and a formal announcement may be made in the coming week.

They just want that 10 pm time slot!

Leno Talks to Affiliates

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/366971-Jay_Leno_Talks_Back_An_Exclusive_Interview_With_B_C.php?nid=4844&source=title&rid=

How's that 10 pm late night thing going? Broadcasting and Cable reported that Jay Leno addressed sagging ratings with concerned affiliates. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with B&C’s Ben Grossman, Jay Leno addresses the maelstrom of bad press, his former rival David Letterman’s situation and his feelings about leaving—and returning—to 11:35.

So the whole idea of this 10 pm move is that the network wasn't counting on ratings, just profit, um right? Well, the NBC affiliates are concerned about ratings because their late night news broadcasts are suffering. What to do, what to do?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary Show Night 1

Last night, I attended the first of two amazing concerts held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The concert celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The show, which will be broadcast on HBO in November (and certainly to be released on DVD), did not disappoint. Some of the greatest legends of Rock and Roll performed in a tour de force event that began at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and ended at 1:30 a.m. on Friday morning. The evening was kicked-off with remarks from Tom Hanks. The great Jerry Lee Lewis was the first performer. Afterward, the show structure consisted of four central legendary performers accompanied by other legendary performers. The first pillar was Crosby, Stills & Nash, the second was Paul Simon, the third was Stevie Wonder and the fourth was Bruce Springsteen. Although the concert was long, it was full of energy and special moments. Below is the setlist as reported by The New York Times.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-concert-set-list/

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert: Set List
By Jon Pareles
Chad Batka for the New York Times Jerry Lee Lewis performing.On Thursday night artists like Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and B.B. King played the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Benefit Concert at Madison Square Garden (there’s another show on Friday). Here’s the set list:

Jerry Lee Lewis :
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On”

Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Woodstock”
“Marrakech Express”
“Almost Cut My Hair”

Bonnie Raitt with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Love Has No Pride”

Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Midnight Rider”

Jackson Browne with Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“The Pretender”

James Taylor with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Mexico”


Crosby, Stills and Nash with James Taylor:
“Love the One You’re With”

Crosby, Stills and Nash:
“Rock and Roll Woman”

Crosby, Stills and Nash with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor:
“Teach Your Children”

Paul Simon:
“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”
“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
“You Can Call Me Al”

Dion DiMucci with Paul Simon:
“The Wanderer”

Paul Simon with David Crosby and Graham Nash:
“Here Comes the Sun”

Paul Simon:
“Late in the Evening”

Little Anthony and the Imperials:
“Two People in the World”

Simon and Garfunkel: “The Sounds of Silence”
“Mrs. Robinson”/”Not Fade Away”
“The Boxer”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water”
“Cecilia”

Stevie Wonder: “Blowin’ in the Wind”
“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”
“I Was Made To Love You”
“For Once in My Life”
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”
“Boogie On Reggae Woman”

Smokey Robinson with Stevie Wonder:
“The Tracks of My Tears”

John Legend with Stevie Wonder:
“Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)”

Stevie Wonder with John Legend:
“The Way You Make Me Feel”

B.B. King with Stevie Wonder:
“The Thrill Is Gone”

Stevie Wonder:
“Living for the City”

Stevie Wonder and Sting:
“Higher Ground”/”Roxanne”

Stevie Wonder with Jeff Beck:
“Superstition”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“10th Avenue Freeze-Out”

Sam Moore with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Hold On I’m Comin’”
“Soul Man”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“The Ghost of Tom Joad”

John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Fortunate Son”
“Proud Mary”
“Oh. Pretty Woman”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“Jungleland”

Darlene Love with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“A Fine, Fine Boy”
“Da Doo Ron Ron”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello:
“London Calling”
“Badlands”

Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“You May Be Right”
“Only the Good Die Young”
“New York State of Mind”
“Born To Run”

Darlene Love, John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Billy Joel, Jackson Browne, Peter Wolf and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
“(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”

Disney Offers Refunds to Baby Einstein Customers

The New York Times reports the Walt Disney Company is now offering refunds for all those “Baby Einstein” videos that did not make children into geniuses.
They may have been a great electronic baby sitter, but the unusual refunds appear to be a tacit admission that they did not increase infant intellect.
“We see it as an acknowledgment by the leading baby video company that baby videos are not educational, and we hope other baby media companies will follow suit by offering refunds,” said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which has been pushing the issue for years.

Anyone who thought that sitting their kid in front of the TV and popping in a Baby Einstein DVD was going to make them smarter than the next kid was just, um, kidding themselves. From my own personal experience, the Baby Einstein videos calmed my daughter down at night. They are very pleasantly engaging for toddlers. Make them smarter? Come on. You know what's wrong in my opinion? Too many parents looking to get their toddlers on the rat race treadmill too soon. Let kids be kids.

Who? Lou! Hoo! Lu?

At an industry summit in NYC on Oct. 21, News Corp Deputy Chairman Chase Carey revealed that online video hub Hulu will begin charging users for content as soon as 2010, according to Broadcasting and Cable. Carey told reporters that a subscription system is likely, although some content will probably continue to be offered free of charge. “I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value,” he said.

If Hulu wants to charge for their service, they are certainly entitled to do so. I question the wisdom of this decision in this economy. There are so many alternatives that users have to record television episodes. TiVo, DVR, iTunes, DVD and even old school VHS tape are just some common alternatives. Of course, if one forgets to set the device, there are always reruns and box set DVD's. There are varying costs associated with each method. The difference is that none of these began as a free service. Hulu currently limits commercial breaks. Perhaps more commercials on the Hulu website and within the programs is the way to go. Hulu is a web convenience, but it's not a service that users can't live without. I may be wrong, but I see fees driving Hulu users away. I don't understand their business model going forward. Looks like a bait and switch.

The Disputes on the Edge of Forever

Let’s begin with something near and dear to my heart: a contract dispute. Even better, let’s add in my favorite television series ever, Star Trek. And let’s toss in one of the most talented and gifted writers ever, Mr. Harlan Ellison. Ever since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry rewrote major parts of Mr. Ellison’s original script of the original series episode The City on the Edge of Forever some forty-four years ago, the creative and monetary disputes over that one episode have continued to the present day. If you want to read about these disputes, Mr. Ellison himself chronicled the history of events as well as the treatments and scripts in The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay that Became the Classic Star Trek Episode (available from Amazon.com and other book retailers).

Back in March, 2009 the website TrekMovie.com http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/23/harlan-ellison-settles-lawsuit-with-cbs-paramount/ reported the Mr. Ellison was suing CBS/Paramount for merchandising royalties related to the classic episode. Last week, TrekMovie.com reported that the suit was over and that Mr. Ellison was “pleased with the outcome”.

Mr. Ellison is a man of great passion and a master of his craft. He also understands the entertainment business and the need to protect his rights and be compensated for his work. In the entertainment business, there is an ongoing chess game (or is it more like football?) between media corporations and participants. Corporations want to retain as much of their earnings as they can. Participants want to maximize what they are owed under terms of their agreements. I have always maintained that participants should get the most that they can negotiate in the advance because collecting on the backend can be problematic. Standard terms and defined net proceeds should be reviewed as carefully as the main contract before signing.

I would suggest that the struggle between corporations and third-party participants is a natural occurrence. This has always happened and it will continue to happen. I don’t consider one side or another to be good or evil. At times, the inability to reach a settlement consumes too much time and energy on both sides. Of course, when money is involved, the disputes will continue to happen.

Congratulations to Mr. Ellison. May his fighting spirit live forever! For more about Harlan Ellison, pick-up Harlan Ellison: Dreams With Sharp Teeth (available from Amazon.com).

Welcome!

Hi, world! I’m Tony and I’m writing a blog called Showbiz Biz. Why Showbiz Biz and why does the world need yet another entertainment blog? Well, the emphasis here is on BIZ. Specifically the businesses behind the things that I’m most passionate about: film, television, music, sports, theatre, publishing and just about anything else that supplements everyday real life. You won’t find breaking celebrity gossip news here, although they will be mentioned. You won’t find breaking corporate media news here, either. That is the domain of the queen of entertainment bloggers, Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood Daily (http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/), who knows the inside details of the entertainment business better than anyone on earth. This blog intends to summarize entertainment, sports and media business stories of interest to the blogger (that’s me).

And just who am I? I’m someone who has worked behind the scenes in film and television. You know, a number cruncher, a bean counter, a suit, a financial analyst, a royalty accountant, a participations manager, one of the little people who can see the big picture. I’ve seen the underside of the entertainment world. I’ve see some great accomplishments, too. I’ve seen the triumphs of the industry and the often mundane unpublicized details that drive this business. That gives me a unique perspective. Through it all, I’ve never lost interest in “the business”. In fact, my passion for the entertainment business has continued to grow. I hope to share some of my passion and enthusiasm for the entertainment business with you.

I intend to report and reference my sources, but I’ll also offer commentary. I’ll talk some sports, too. It’s all entertainment. Above all, let’s have some fun. I know this is a serious business, but I don’t want to get too serious here. I can be down right silly at times! It’s a crazy business, too. Let’s keep it light and have fun observing show biz in all of its many incarnations!