ABC Radio/Radio Disney

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Lindsay Dworman

                        by Lindsay Dworman

HISTORY

In 1943, ABC Radio was born. It all began when RCA, the Radio Corporation of America, sold “The Blue Network” to Edward J. Noble. Noble then changed the name of “The Blue Network” to the “American Broadcast Company”. Ten years later, in 1953, ABC merged with United Paramount Theaters. The merger was brought on in order to build up ABC and create a more powerful company that could become a stronger competitor in the Broadcast market. In 1996, The Walt Disney Company acquired ABC Radio. In 2005, most of ABC Radio was sold to Citadel. Twenty-two stations were sold to Citadel and the only remaining radio broadcast channels under The Walt Disney Company were Radio Disney and ESPN. Everything else the was previously ABC Radio went to Citadel. In 2011, Citadel dissolved as a company due to financial problems and was bought by Cumulus Media Group. Presently, Disney owns Radio Disney and ESPN Radio, and Cumulus Media owns all of ABC Radio’s other holdings. [1]

CUMULUS MEDIA GROUP

Cumulus Media Group owns and operates two different divisions of radio. Their first radio subdivision is Cumulus Radio. Cumulus radio is home to 525 radio stations, making them the second largest local radio company in the United States. Cumulus’ mission is:

“Cumulus Radio strives to create the next generation radio broadcasting enterprise. By leveraging great people and technological excellence, we provide high quality local programming choices for our listeners; targeted audiences with disposable income for our advertisers; and rewarding career environments for our employees. [3]

Cumulus Media Group also has another subdivision, Cumulus Media Networks. Cumulus Media Networks is the network division of Cumulus and it is home to more than 4,500 affiliate radio stations and 31 national networks. Cumulus Media Networks prides itself on “developing and syndicating big brands that connect with listeners”. They host a variety of shows including: CBS Sports Radio, ABC News Radio, The Mike Huckabee Show, The Mark Levin Show, and many more. According to their website, the benefits of network radio are as follows:

“Network radio allows advertisers to combine national coverage with pinpoint targeting of virtually every desirable demographic and lifestyle. From an economic perspective, this channel delivers significant efficiencies to national advertisers – leveraging their budgets with unsurpassed media reach and frequency.” [4]

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

The Walt Disney Company has many divisions and sub-divisions. All of ABC Radio’s assets that were acquired by Disney fall under the Media Network’s division of The Walt Disney Company. Radio Disney Falls under the Disney/ABC Television Group subdivision of Media Networks, ESPN Radio falls under the ESPN subdivision, and ABC News Radio falls under the ABC News subdivision. ABC News Radio is also a station in partnership with Cumulus Media Networks. [5]

HOLDINGS

One of ABC Radio’s holdings that wa acquired by Disney is “Radio Disney”. Radio Disney is the premiere radio station for young children. The station is 24-hours a day and hosts pop/contemporary music. Artists featured on Radio Disney include young pop artists as well as artists that are linked to Disney Channel. Other than purely playing music, Radio Disney also features many other components. An example of this was the talent competition they hosted , Disney’s “Next BIG Thing”. Radio Disney also has a CD selling franchise that is operated through Walt Disney Records. [6][7]

ESPN Radio is the premiere sports news radio station in the United States. Not only does ESPN Radio feature radio but also podcasts, an interactive website, and a spanish version of the station, ESPN Deportes. ESPN features talk shows as well as streaming MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAF, NCAAM, Nascar, Soccer, and many other games live. ESPN “is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities”, according to the bio on Disney’s corporate website. [8]

ABC News Radio is the other major station of ABC Radio. It is currently owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station reports on national news, world news, politics, business, entertainment, and health. ABC News Radio prides itself on providing its listeners with “the latest information and analysis of major events to bring viewers a big picture understanding of the world.” [9]

FINANCIALS

Radio Disney and ESPN, are owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. The following is information from Disney’s latest annual finance report for their shareholders [10]:

Revenue: $40,893,000,000
Net Income: $4,807,000,000
Income from Continuing Operations: $5,258,000,000
Total Assets: $72,124,000,000
Disney Shareholders Equity: $37,385,000,000

In terms of narrowing down how much of this is attributed to ABC Radio, Disney’s Media Networks division’s revenue was $18,714,000,000 alone, and an operating income of $6,146,000,000.

The following is the financial information for Cumulus Media as of December 31, 2012 [11]:

Total Revenue: $1,076,600,000
Gross Profit: $415,100,000
Operating Income: $211,900,000

KEY PEOPLE

Lewis W. Dickey, Jr. – Chairman, President, and CEO of Cumulus Media
Jonathan G. Pinch – EVP and COO of Cumulus Media
John W. Dickey – EVP and Co-COO of Cumulus Media
Anne Sweeney – Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks, President of Disney/ABC Television Group

Ben Sherwood – President, ABC News

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

Many new things are happening in regards to Radio Disney, ABC News Radio, and ESPN Radio.

Recently, ABC News Radio has been updating the content they cover. To start, they have begun updating listeners on the latest in technology and mobile devices. Also, the station has recently begun a segment on “going green”. ABC News Radio now gives environmental news as well as partners with companies that take initiative and promote “going green”. [9]

Radio Disney has been doing many new things in order to be interactive with their audiences. To start, Radio Disney has started a competition called Radio Disney’s Next BIG Thing, also referred to as “N.B.T”. The premise of this programming is a talent competition in which the station’s listeners vote for one artists out of a select few to become the “Next BIG Thing”. Another venture the station hosts is its own music award show. Listeners can go online vote for the artists, albums, and songs they want to win on the Radio Disney website. [12]

Radio-Disney-Next-Big-Thing

WORKS CITED

Universal Pictures

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kayla Bressi

by Kayla Bressi

Universal Pictures

http://www.nbcuni.com
http://www.universalpictures.com

A Brief History:

Universal Studios Inc, or Universal Pictures, is one of 6 major movie studios. It is owned by Comcast and is a division of NBC Universal. Some of their most notable films include E.T: The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Meet the Fockers, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Jaws. [1]

In addition to theatrical film, Universal Pictures has also produced direct to DVD and classic films, as well as the broadway hits Wicked and Billy Elliot: The Musical. [3]

Key Executives

Brian Roberts is the chairman and CEO for Comcast Corporations. His company is the majority owner of NBC Universal. [2]

Eddie Cunningham, president of Universal Pictures International Entertainment, joined the company in 1994. He currently overseas distribution in international countries and looks for opportunities for international business opportunities. [2]

Jimmy Horowitz

Jimmy Horowitz is the president of Universal Pictures. He has worked for the studio for 18 years, and has helped oversea and lead Universal Stage Productions to success.[2]

Cindy Gardner is the Senior Vice President of Internal Communications and NBC Universal & Corporate Affairs. Cindy overseas corporate media relations, philanthropy, and organizes special events. [2]

Recent Releases

Jurassic Park 3D
Release Date- April 5th, 2013
http://www.jurassicpark.com

While the original debut in 1993 saw blockbuster results, there are mixed reviews on whether or not a 3D version of Jurassic Park was necessary.

Since the 3D release was set around the time of the movie’s 20th anniversary, some have said it seems like a celebration. Alicia Loots from Hollywood.com says, “a 3D re-release feels like an interesting way to pay homage to a film that was way ahead of its time technologically.” [4] However, some seem to disagree, calling it a “gimmick.”

Many fans asked a popular youtube channel, “Screen Junkies” to make a spoof regarding the conversion of this classic blockbuster into 3D.

Originally opening with $47 million in 1993, Jurassic Park made $7 million on Friday and is expected to make $18 million over the weekend. These results put it behind Evil Dead, which made close to $11.5 million. According to CinemaBlend.com, “The huge blockbuster opening this weekend was made 20 years ago, and the horror film is a remake of a classic from the 80s, but the box office is humming as if both of them were brand new.” [5] With a production budget of only $10 million, Jurassic Park 3D should prove to be profittable for Universal Pictures. [6]

Identity Thief
Release Date- February 8th, 2013
http://www.identitythiefmovie.com

Identity Thief, featuring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, was the #1 film during its opening weekend, racking in $34.5 million. [7]

As of April 7th, Identity Thief had an estimated domestic total of $131,254,000 and a worldwide total of $157,054,000. It is also currently rotten, with only a 20% approval rating on RottenTomatos.com. It is set to release on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 4th, 2013.

Les Miserables
Release Date: Dec 25, 2012
http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com

Les Miserables all-star cast helped put this movie in the top of Universal Picture’s most recent accomplishments in film. With famous actors and actresses, including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amanda Seyfried, and Helena Bonham Carter, Les Miserables started out strong. On opening day, Les Miserables made $18.1 million, putting it in first place for a musical on opening day. [8]

In an interesting move, the actors of Les Miserables sang live during filming, instead of along to a pre-recorded rendition. Some support this, however according to Sandy Schaeffer on Screenrant.com, theatre die-hards tend to prefer “dedicated singers, rather than performers who are actors first and singers second.” [9]

Les Miserables was nominated for 8 Oscars, and won 3 of them: Actress in a Supporting Role, Makeup and Hairstyling, and for Sound Mixing. [10] It has a domestic total of $148,809,770, and a worldwide total of $435,809,770, meaning this film had more foreign success. [11] It also currently has a fresh rating of 70% on RottenTomatoes.

Despicable Me 2
Release Date: July 3rd, 2013
http://despicableme.com

Fan Art of Despicable Me

Following the success of Despicable Me, which gathered a worldwide total of $543,113,985, ( Putting it at #6 on Universal Picture’s top grossing films), Universal Pictures decided to create a sequel that is set to release this summer.

On the official movie website for Despicable Me 2, you can find a collection of pictures, items, and gifs from loyal fans and other websites, such as Tumblr.

To promote the film, Universal Pictures has launched a large “Despicablimp.” TheDespicablimp will cross over the United States 3 times, set to make its first appearance at the Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards in March. [12]
Fans are able to visit the “Despicablimp Command Center.” They can share sightings on twitter, instagram, and flickr using the hashtag #despicablimp. Fans can also enter a sweepstakes for a trip to the premiere, and a ride in the Despicablimp. There is an interactive map that allows fans to see fan sightings as well as future tour stops. [13]

Important Future Releases:

Jurassic Park 4

Universal Pictures recently named Colin Trevorrow to direct the future Jurassic Park 4. Trevorrow has previously directed “Safety Not Guaranteed” and two other films. [14]

In Other News:

Backed by Universal Pictures, Prima Cinema is offering a box that will allow viewers to watch theatrical releases at home. For a price, ($35,000), you can get a box in your home that allows the newly-released films to play on your television. There is also an additional cost of $500 per movie. So far, Universal Pictures is the only film studio to offer its titles, including Les Miserables, Jurassic Park 3D, and Identity Thief. The worry that this might affect theatre sales is lessened by Prima’s hefty price tag. Prima also insures that the home viewing of these theatrical releases will not be viewed by more than 25 people in a single home theatre. [15]

[1] Top Universal Films- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=universal.htm

[2] NBC Universal Corporate Site- http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/

[3] NBC Universal Pictures History- http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

[4] Jurassic Park Poster Reavealed- http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/43830315/jurassic-park-3d-the-bigger-the-dinosaur-the-better-poster?page=all

[5] Katey Rich on Friday’s Box Office- http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Both-Evil-Dead-Jurassic-Park-3D-Bring-Big-Friday-Box-Office-36808.html

[6] Jurassic Park 3D Financial Figures- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jurassicpark3d.htm

[7] Identity Thief Opening Weekend- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-11/-identity-thief-is-weekend-s-no-1-film-34-5-million.html

[8] Opening Day for Les Mis-http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3593&p=.htm

[9] Live Music Performances in Les Mis- http://screenrant.com/les-miserables-music-songs-featurette/

[10] Oscar Nominees – http://oscar.go.com/nominees

[11] Les Mis Box Office Info- http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lesmiserables2012.htm

[12] The Despicablimp- http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-pictures-and-illumination-entertainments-despicable-me-2-despicablimp-takes-flight-on-march-23-199574591.html

[13] Despicablimp Website- http://www.despicablimp.com

[14] Jurassic Park 4 Director- http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/universal_pictures_names_jurassic_park_4_director/

[15] Prima Cinema- http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2013/04/05/universal-films-available-in-home.html

Comcast/NBCUniversal

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Zachary Eisen

by Zach Eisen

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

212.664.4444

www.nbcuni.com

About the Company [1]:

A snapshot of what NBCU owns

NBCUniversal is a major media company owned by the Comcast Corporation. With headquarters in world-famous Rockefeller Center, NBCU owns and operates a variety of media outlets across many different platforms, including broadcast and cable television, film, and digital media. NBCU’s content is distributed around the world.

Television

NBCUniversal has a variety of holdings in both broadcast and cable television. It owns the NBC broadcast network and the Telemundo network, airing popular programs such as NBC Nightly News, Today, Saturday Night Live, and The Office. NBC also owns and operates TV stations in some of the largest markets in the country, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. NBCU’s cable holdings include the NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, E!, Bravo, and The Weather Channel. NBC also owns the broadcast rights to the Olympics, NHL and NFL games, and many other major sporting events.

Film

NBCU owns Universal Pictures, one of the Big Six major film companies. Universal is famous for movies such as E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Jaws, and the Bourne series [2]. The company also owns Focus Features, which is Universal’s art, foreign, and independent film division. NBCU also owns Universal Parks and Resorts, with full ownership of the parks in Los Angeles and Orlando and part ownership of locations in Japan and Singapore.

Online

NBCUniversal owns multiple digital and online companies, including NBC.com, Fandango, and iVillage. It also is part of a joint-venture in Hulu, the online streaming service.

Key Executives [3]:

Stephen B. Burke – CEO, NBCUniversal

Stephen B. Burke

Stuart J. Epstein – Executive VP and CFO, NBCUniversal

Stuart J. Epstein

Robert Greenblatt – Chairman, NBC Entertainment

Robert Greenblatt

Brian Roberts – Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation

Brian Roberts

For more information on NBCUniversal’s executives, click here.

Competitors:

In the broadcast television market, NBC’s main competitors are the other Big Four major networks, which are ABC, CBS, and FOX. However, cable viewership is quickly growing, which means NBC also competes with basically every television station for viewers and advertising dollars.

Ownership History [4]:

NBCUniversal was officially founded in 2004, when NBC and Universal merged into one company. At the time of the merger, Vivendi and GE shared ownership of the company. In 2009, GE and Comcast announced plans to create a joint venture out of NBCUniversal’s companies and Comcast’s cable holdings. The plan was finalized in early 2011, with Comcast taking a majority stake in the company. In early 2013, Comcast announced it would buy GE’s 49% minority stake, a $16.7 billion deal which allowed them to assume 100% ownership of NBCUniversal [5].

Financial Information [6]:

2012 was a successful year for NBCUniversal across the board. The company earned $23.8 billion in total revenue, an increase of nearly $2.7 billion, or 12.7%, from 2011. NBCU’s revenue in all four of its divisions (Broadcast Networks, Cable Networks, Film, and Theme Parks) saw increases in 2012.

The largest gains were made in the Broadcast Television division, which jumped 27.4% from the previous year. The broadcast numbers were aided by the network’s airing of the 2012 London Olympics and Super Bowl XLVI. Excluding these events from the numbers, the Broadcast division’s revenue still saw a 4.8% increase, driven by political advertisements on its Owned & Operated stations. The increased revenue from the political ads also helps explain the Broadcast division’s 7.9% increase in the fourth quarter of 2012 from the same period in 2011.

NBCU’s Cable Networks division accounted for the company’s smallest increases in 2012 (3.3%), but generated the most revenue for the company ($8.8 billion). The NHL lockout hurt ratings for the NBC Sports Network during that time, which boasts NHL coverage as its key selling point. However, ratings for that network reached all-time highs once hockey returned [15]. Advertising revenue decreased by 1.5% in the fourth quarter for NBC’s cable networks.

News:

• GOODBYE, GE

On March 19, Comcast completed its purchase of GE’s 49% stake in NBCUniversal [7]. The $16.7 billion deal also included the sale of GE’s headquarters at the famous 30 Rockefeller Plaza building to Comcast. The deal brings to an end GE’s involvement with NBC, which began in 1919 when the company helped found the Radio Corporation of America, which started the National Broadcasting Company in 1926 [8]. Since then, NBC has been owned by GE, RCA, Westinghouse, Vivendi and now Comcast. Watch Wall Street Journal Live’s analysis of the deal below (video courtesy of YouTube).

• ADIÓS, NBC

For the first time ever, NBC fell out of the top four networks during a sweeps period conducted by Nielsen [9]. Univision, the Spanish language network, moved ahead of NBC as the fourth most watched network among adults ages 18-49 during the month of February. NBC struggled during that month, as its new show Do No Harm was cancelled after just two episodes, and the new comedy 1600 Penn struggled as well [10].

• THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH…

Jimmy Fallon (right) will take over for Jay Leno (left) as host of “The Tonight Show”.

…Jimmy Fallon? NBC announced in April that the Late Night host will replace Jay Leno on The Tonight Show starting in 2014 [11]. Leno, who has hosted The Tonight Show for 22 years, took over for Johnny Carson in 1992. Leno was replaced by Conan O’Brien in 2009 [12], but returned only seven months later [13] after a feud with the network over a time for his new show. It is being rumored that Saturday Night Live head writer and “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers will replace Fallon as host of Late Night.

• USA! USA!

NBCU’s USA Network earned the best primetime ratings for a cable network in the first quarter of 2013, its eighth year in a row earning that honor [14]. Popular programs such as Suits and WWE Raw helped the network win the quarter, defeating rivals with popular programs such as AMC and its hit The Walking Dead. USA averaged over 3 million viewers during the primetime slots. Another NBCU network, Bravo, also improved, making the top ten networks among viewers ages 25-54.

• NHL COVERAGE SCORES FOR NBC SPORTS NETWORK

The NBC Sports Network is posting record numbers this year for its NHL coverage [15]. The network, formerly Comcast’s Versus, is averaging 448,000 viewers per game, up from its previous high of 348,000 viewers. The numbers may have gotten a boost because of the lockout that cut the season down to 48 games. National games airing on NBC’s broadcast network are also doing better, averaging 1.7 million viewers,just ahead of its previous tally of 1.6 million.

• ‘THE VOICE’ NEARS IN ON ‘IDOL’

The popular singing competition show, The Voice, has returned to NBC’s lineup, and has outperformed FOX’s American Idol so far [16]. Although Idol‘s first two episodes earned stronger ratings than The Voice‘s, NBC’s program is gaining momentum, while FOX’s is seeing its lowest ratings in the 12-year history of the show. The show’s performance in the ratings for the remainder of the season may tell whether it will replace Idol as America’s favorite singing show.

• USING THE SECOND SCREEN

In March, USA allowed fans of its series Psych to choose the ending of the show’s 100th episode [17]. The vote was part of a new online and mobile feature called USA Sync, an attempt by the network to use new media to add interactivity to its programming [18]. The program allows fans to post about the shows, connect with each other, and play interactive games. On the mobile platform, the service is available as an app that gives users access to more content through other applications.

• A DELICIOUS PREMIERE

The much anticipated new series Hannibal premiered on NBC on April 4. The series, about fictional evil genius Hannibal Lecter, serves as a prequel to the 1991 classic film The Silence of the Lambs. The show earned praise from Internet critics, with some calling it “riveting” [19], and others saying it was “beautifully shot and…surprisingly thoughtful” [20]. Watch a promo for Hannibal below (video courtesy of YouTube).

• FOR E!, OLDE IS NEW

Jeff Olde

In March, E! named former VH1 executive Jeff Olde head of its programming [21]. Olde will be in charge of the development of E!’s shows, including Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Soup, and Chelsea Lately. Olde will begin his new job this summer.

Sources:

[1]: http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/

[2]: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=universal.htm

[3]: http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/

[4]:http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/history/

[5]: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/comcast-buying-g-e-s-stake-in-nbcuniversal-for-16-7-billion/

[6]: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/comcast-reports-4th-quarter-and-year-end-2012-results-2013-02-12

[7]: http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/comcast-completes-acquisition-nbcuniversal/

[8]: http://www.gereports.com/its-a-wrap/

[9]: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/27/univision-sets-milestone-as-no-4-network-in-february-sweeps-ahead-of-nbc-in-key-demos/171192/

[10]: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/nbc-sweeps-ratings-lastloses-to-univision/

[11]: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/02/source-jimmy-fallon-to-take-reins-of-tonight-show-from-jay-leno.html

[12]: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/arts/television/30leno.html?em&_r=0

[13]: http://www.accesshollywood.com/jay-leno-heading-back-to-late-night-conan-obrien-weighing-options_article_27490

[14]: http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/usa-suits-ratings-amc-walking-dead-1200332772/

[15]: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/19/Media/NHL-Ratings.aspx

[16]: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/in-ratings-race-the-voice-gains-on-idol/

[17]: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/NATL-Viewers-to-Choose-Psych-Ending–200075821.html

[18]: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2013/04/01/usa-network-launches-the-next-phase-of-usa-sync-first-live-second-screen-content-syndication-platform-625513/20130401usa01/

[19]: http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-nbcs-hannibal-a-riveting-silence-of-the-lambs-prequel

[20]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/hannibal-tv-review-433109

[21]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jeff-olde-named-es-head-431347

Cox Media Group/Cox Enterprises

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Autumn Boatner

Autumn Boatner

http://www.coxmediagroup.com/

Headquarters Contact Info: 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30328
(678) 645-0000

Overview [1]

Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publication, direct marketing, and digital media company which is a part of Cox Enterprises that includes Cox Target Media. Cox Target Media operates two leading American companies which are Valpak (direct marketing), and savings.com (online savings). The company’s operations currently include 19 broadcast TV stations, one local cable station, 87 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than 100 digital services. CMG’s reach includes more than 30 media markets and 52 million Americans weekly, which includes 18 million radio listeners, 32 million TV viewers, and more than four million print and online newspaper readers.

2012 Key Metrics [2]

Revenue: 1.9 Billion
TV Stations: 19
Local Cable Channels: 1
Television Markets: 11
TV Viewer Reach: 30+ million
AM Radio Stations: 15
FM Radio Stations: 72
Radio Markets: 20
Combined Weekly Radio Listeners: 18 million

The Business of Communications

A duopoly is a specific type of oligopoly where only two producers exist in one market. In context, Cox Media Group is a duopoly due to the fact that it is one of two firms with dominant control over the communications market. Cox Media Group is in the process of changing its structure as part of a new business strategy to sell off their stations in smaller markets. The broadcast realignment was announced in July 2012 by CMG President Doug Franklin following the purchase of duopolies in larger markets — Jacksonville, Fla., and Tulsa, Okla. — from Newport Television . [3] CMG’s strategy is focused on larger markets, cross-media collaboration, and heightened reach in fewer markets. “This simplified structure will enable CMG to capitalize on continued growth and synergies, while retaining its size financially,” said Franklin.

Simultaneously, CMG is realigning leadership structure to fit the new broadcast portfolio. Leadership changes in 2013 are as followed:

January 11th – Romeo Solomon Named General Sales Manager at KICU-TV
January 14th – Cox Media Group Appoints Matt Dalton as National Sales Manager of Long Island’s 106.1 WBLI-FM and 102.3 WBAB-FM
January 30th – CMG Orlando Tammie McGrath promoted to Director of Sales for six stations [4]
February 7th – CMG Tulsa Radio Promotes Matt Ledbetter to Director of Sales for Its Five Station Cluster [5]
March 1st – Tom Calococci Joins CMG Miami as New Program Director East Coast
March 8th – Cox Media Group Atlanta Names Adam Wolfson New General Sales Manager
March 11th – Greg Bilte named general manager, Suzanne Nadell named News Director for CMG Tulsa
March 13th – CMG Jacksonville Named Eric Lauer GSM, CMG San Antonio Names Jeff Garrison as New Program Director of Y100 [6]
April 1st – Lee Rothenthal named News Director at KUTV in Indianapolis [7]

Consolidation

On February 12th, Cox Media Group announced the sale of radio stations in six markets to SummitMedia – a Birmingham, Ala.-based ownership group which includes David DuBose, Cox Media’s Birmingham Vice President and market manager.

Source: http://www.freepress.net/

Cox Media Group also sold three Southern Connecticut radio stations and contract rights for an additional station to Connoisseur Media based in Conn. Four stations were sold to Connoisseur and 21 stations were sold to Summit. In southern Connecticut, Cox sold WPLR-FM, WEZN-FM, WFOX-FM, and contract rights for WYBC-FM to Connoisseur Media for $40 million. SummitMedia paid $66.25 million for a number of stations in Birmingham, AL, Greenville, SC, Louisville, KY, Richmond, VA, and Hawaii, according to documents filed with the FCC. [8] As part of the broadcast realignment, Cox recently added four TV stations to its broadcast portfolio: WAWS-TV (fox) and WTEV-TV (CBS) in Jacksonville, Fl, and KOKI-TV (fox) and KMYT-TV (MyNetwork) in Tulsa, OK. [9]

Source: www.sbgi.net/

Sinclair Broadcast Group had the opposite strategy, and acquired four COX small television stations for $99 million on February 25^th, 2013; the purchase was part of a string of over thirty acquisitions over the past year and a half. [10] They also purchased 18 stations from Barrington Broadcasting Group for 370 million. [11] Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. is a Hunt Valley, Maryland-based diversified television broadcast company. The four stations Sinclair purchased from Cox were:

KFOX (Fox) El Paso, Texas DMA 91

WJAC (NBC) Johnstown-Altoona, Pa. DMA 102

KRXI (Fox) Reno, Nev. DMA 108

WTOV (NBC) Wheeling, W.Va.-Steubenville, Ohio DMA 158

FCC rules prohibit ownership of two stations in markets as small as Reno, Nev., therefore Sinclair plans on getting past this loophole by operating MNT affiliate KAME Reno under contract with a third-party licensee, Deerfield Media. [12] Sinclair said it expects to finance the deal through a bank loan, the deal will close in the second quarter and is pending FCC approval. Sinclair is arguably taking this strategy because there are less medium-sized stations for sale, but small stations provide large profits through local advertisements. [13] “Over the past 18 months, we have led the industry’s consolidation efforts in the mid-sized markets, purchasing 30 TV stations and creating over $400 million of equity value,” said David Smith, Sinclair President and CEO.

On March 4th, 2013, Broadcast stock analyst Marci Ryvicker and Wells Fargo Securities approved the Sinclair buy. “We like SBGI’s scale, leverage and opportunistic approach to M&A and anticipate there is more to come,” stated in an investor’s note. According to the note, Sinclair is paying a reasonable 4.6 times cash flow for Cox and 5.2 times for Barrington while maintaining a healthy debt profile of 5.1 times projected for the end of 2013. [14]

Other news concerning COX

Source: RadioInk.com

On January 18th, Cox Media Group made radio history with Tampa 97X by giving local listeners total control of the music by utilizing social media. Listeners chose songs they wanted to hear by selecting from over 1,800 songs listed on 97X app and website. The app gave listeners the ability to interact with an ‘Open Mic’ feature which enabled them to record and upload themselves introducing songs. [15]

On March 6th, Cox Media Group was accepted into the Google AdWords (TM) Premier SMB partner program. This partnership allows CMG to be a leading provider in digital marketing solutions for local and regional advertising clients. Premiere SMB partners meet Google’s highest criteria for qualification, transparency and customer service, which include completing extensive Google product and account management training to provide businesses with the most effective AdWords advertising solutions. In addition to in-depth AdWords knowledge, PSP partners provide campaign management, detailed reporting, one-on-one customer support, and broad marketing guidance to help advertisers make the most of their advertising campaigns. [16]

Sources

1 & 2. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/about/
3. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-02-26/business/bs-bz-sinclair-acquires-cox-stations-20130226_1_sinclair-plans-station-owner-stations-in-mid-sized-market
4. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/news/2013/jan/
5. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/news/2013/feb/
6. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/news/2013/apr/
7. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/news/2013/may/
8 & 9. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/193537/cox-sells-25-radio-stations.html#axzz2PoUSjKxl
10. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-02-26/business/bs-bz-sinclair-acquires-cox-stations-20130226_1_sinclair-plans-station-owner-stations-in-mid-sized-markets
11. http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/print-edition/2013/03/08/sinclair-broadcast-group-tuning-into.html?page=all
12.http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65729/sinclair-buys-four-cox-tvs-for-nearly-100m
13. http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/print-edition/2013/03/08/sinclair-broadcast-group-tuning-into.html?page=all
14. http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/65893/ryvicker-gives-thumbs-up-to-sinclair-buys
15. http://www.coxmediagroup.com/news/cmg-press-releases/tampa-bays-97x-does-it-again/nTzz2/
16. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cox-media-group-selected-as-google-adwords-premier-smb-partner-2013-03-06

CBS Films

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Nicholas Ferreiro

by Nicholas Ferreiro

CBS Films logo [1] CBS Films, is a film studio company that handles many areas of development, including film production, distribution, financing and marketing. It is owned by CBS Corp. and was founded by Les Moonves in 2007. Since its creation, CBS Films has released ten films, including “The Woman in Black,” “The Back-Up Plan,” and “The Mechanic” [2][3][4].

Executives

Terry Press, Co-President

Terry Press, Co-President of CBS Films [5]

Terry Press was named Co-President of CBS Films in April 2012. As Co-President, she oversees creative aspects of the company including initial development, marketing, production and distribution. Before joining the company, Press worked at 7570 Marketing Inc. where she worked as a marketing consultant on many CBS Films [5]. She also had success working as a consultant on both “The Social Network” and “The Hunger Games” [6].

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President of CBS Films [7]

Wolfgang Hammer was also named Co-President of CBS Films in April 2012, in conjunction with Terry Press. As Co-President, Hammer uses his “savy” negotiating skills in acquisitions and also oversees the company’s business, finance and legal affairs [6]. Before working at CBS Films, Hammer was Executive Vice President at Lionsgate [7].

Finance

CBS Corp. reported record numbers for the fourth quarter of 2012. Since the fourth quarter of 2011, revenue rose 2% ($3.7 billion), operating income rose 12% ($726 million) and adjusted EPS rose 14% ($0.64). Les Moonves, CEO of CBS Corp., has even higher expectations for next year [8].

Both of CBS Films’ most recent films, “Seven Psychopaths” (October 2012) and “The Last Exorcism Part II” (March 2013), earned back their respective production budgets. “The Last Exorcism Part II” actually brought in over three times its original production budget ($15 million made versus $5 million budget) [9].

New Releases

The Last Exorcism Part II

CBS Films released its horror-film, “The Last Exorcism Part II,” on March 1st, 2013. It took in over $7.7 million on its first weekend (2,700 theaters) and grossed over $15 million in its remaining five weeks [10]. Despite earning back its production budget, the film was poorly received, having just a 13% critic rating and 35% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes [11].

Trailer for “The Last Exorcism Part II”

Awards

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” was nominated for three Golden Globes, including best musical or comedy, best actor in a musical or comedy and best actress in a musical or comedy [12]. However, the film lost in all three categories [13].

On January 9th, 2013, it was announced that Colin Farrell was nominated in the Irish Film & Television Academy Awards for his role in CBS FIlms’ “Seven Psychopaths” [14]. He has since lost to Jack Reynor [15].

Upcoming Releases

The Kings of Summer

Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias in “The Kings of Summer”[16]

On January 22nd, 2013, CBS Films acquired the domestic rights to the coming-of-age comedy “Toy’s House.” The movie premiered at Sundance, where it received great reviews, prompting CBS Films’ move to make a deal. It has since been retitled as “The Kings of Summer,” and is slated for a May 31st release date. The film is directed by Jordan Vogt-Robert, written by Chris Galleta, and stars Nick Robinson, Gabriel Bosso, Moises Arias and Nick Offerman. “The Kings of Summer” focuses on a group of friends who attempt to move into the woods and live off the land, and is being compared to “Stand By Me,” “Superbad,” and “The Goonies” [16][17].

Trailer for “The Kings of Summer”

Last Vegas

Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, Robert DeNiro and Michel Douglas in “Last Vegas” [18]

On February 6th, 2013, CBS Films set a new release date for their new buddy-comedy, “Last Vegas.” The film was originally slated for December 20th, an attempt to play into the Christmas movie market, but has since changed to November 1st. It is directed by Jon Turteltaub, written by Dan Fogelman, and produced by Laurence Mark and former CEO and president of CBS Films, Amy Baer [18]. The film was produced by CBS Films and had been in talks since before September, 2011 [19].”Last Vegas” stars Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Kline and Michael Douglas, and focuses on a group of old friends who throw a bachelor part in Las Vegas [18]. There is no trailer available for this film yet.

The To Do List

Scene from “The To Do List” [20]

“The To Do List,” starring Aubrey Plaza, is set to be released on August 16th, 2013. It had previously been set for February 2013 [20].

Trailer for “The To Do List”

Gambit

Promotional poster for “Gambit” [21]

“Gambit,” a Coen Brothers comedy starring Colin Firth, will be released sometime in late 2013 [22]. The film has already been released in Ireland [23].

Trailer for “Gambit”

7500

Theatrical poster for “7500” [24]

The horror-thriller “7500” is set to be released sometime in 2013. It was originally slated for release in August 2012 [25].

Trailer for “7500”

Acquisitions

Inside Llewyn Davis

Oscar Isaac in “Inside Llewyn Davis” [26]

On February 19th, it was announced that CBS Films had acquired the domestic rights to distribute the new Coen Brothers film, “Inside Llewyn Davis” for around $4 million. Studio Canal financed the movie itself and is holding onto some foreign distribution rights. The film centers around the Greenwich Village music scene in the 1960s and stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman and Justin Timberlake, among others. There has been no release date set for CBS Films’ newest acquisition [26].

Trailer for “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Production

On January 24th, CBS Films announced it will be developing “Olivia Twisted,” a debut screenplay from stuntman Brian Roberts. “Twisted” is a fictional adaptation on the classic novel, “Oliver Twist,” and revolves Olivia, a member of a metropolitan teenage gang at war with a rival gang. Michael De Luca and Alyssa Phillips are set to produce the film [27].

Sources

[1] http://aroundthenetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/CBS-Films-Logo-wide3.jpg

[2] http://www.cbsfilms.com/about_us/

[3] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/wolfgang-hammer-and-terry-press-named-heads-of-cbs-films.html

[4] http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/11/business/la-fi-ct-cbsfilms11-2010jan11

[5] http://www.cbsfilms.com/principals/terry_press

[6] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/wolfgang-hammer-and-terry-press-named-heads-of-cbs-films.html

[7] http://www.cbsfilms.com/principals/wolfgang_hammer

[8] http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1785372&highlight=

[9] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view2=allmovies&view=company&studio=cbsfilms.htm

[10] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lastexorcism2.htm

[11] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_last_exorcism_part_ii_2013/

[12] http://www.cbsfilms.com/news/cbs_films_salmon_fishing_in_the_yemen_scores_three_golden_globe_nominations

[13] http://www.goldenglobes.org/2012/12/nominations-2013/

[14] http://www.cbsfilms.com/news/seven_psychopaths_scores_multiple_irish_film_and_tv_academy_award_nominatio

[15] http://ifta.ie/winners/index.html

[16] http://www-deadline-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/greym__130123024752.jpg

[17] http://www.deadline.com/tag/toy-house/

[18] http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/first-photo-last-vegas-robert-de-niro-michael-douglas-cbs-films/

[19] http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/jon-turteltaub-in-talks-to-direct-last-vegas/

[20] http://collider.com/popeye-hotel-transylvania-2-release-date/211652/

[21] http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/images/2012/10/Gambit-UK-Poster.jpg

[22] http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/cbs-films-move-seven-psychopaths-up-to-october-12th-delay-gambit-to-winter-2013-20120803

[23] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404978/

[24] http://welcomefrnds.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/7500-movie.jpg

[25] http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/cbs-films-shifts-dates-for-gambit-7500/

[26] http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/inside-llewyn-davis-cbs-films-acquisition-coen-brothers/

[27] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/olivia-twisted-picked-up-by-415147

Columbia/TriStar Pictures

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Bailey Garno

Bailey Garno

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/index.html

CONTACT:

10202 West Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90232

The TriStar Building

United States

Phone: 310-280-7700

Originally formed as Columbia Pictures Corporation by Jack Cohn, Harry Cohn, and Joe Brandt, Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures has evolved into one of the most accredited motion picture libraries worldwide. The group is a division within Sony Pictures Entertainment, and encompasses Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, and Screen Gems. [1]

Columbia/TriStar operations are situated in six other countries worldwide: Columbia Pictures Producciones Mexico functions in Mexico City; Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia functions in Hong Kong; Columbia Pictures Producciones Espanolas functions in Madrid; and additional divisions are in the United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan. [2]

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM: [3]

Michael Lynton – CEO, Sony Entertainment, Inc.; Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Amy Pascal – Co Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Chairman, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Entertainment Group

The Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group is a highly valued operation within Sony Corporation of America (SCA). Distributing around 22 films a year in the United States alone, Columbia TriStar includes a production studio, film labels, and global motion picture production operations. The film company is consistently producing the most popular pictures at the box office.

RECENT RELEASES:

The Call (2013): “The Call” stars Halle Berry as a 911 operator destined to meet the killer of her past. Directed by Brad Anderson, this story will have you on the edge of your seat.

Release Date: March 15, 2013

Production Budget: $13 million

Opening Weekend: $17,118,745 [4]

Zero Dark Thirty (2012): Director Kathryn Bigelow’s historical drama/thriller chronicles the hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden in this Oscar-winning film starring Jessica Chastain and Jason Clarke.

Production Budget: $40 million

Release Date: December 19, 2012

Opening Weekend: $417,150 (limited); $24,428,936 (wide)19, 2012 (limited); January 11, 2013 (wide) [5]

Skyfall (2012): Daniel Craig stars once again as 007, otherwise known as James Bond, in this action flick directed by Sam Mendes.

Release Date: November 9, 2012

Production Budget: $200 million

Opening Weekend: $88,364,714 [6]

Evil Dead (2013): Frede Alvarez has, according to critics, directed the scariest movie of all time. A remake of the original 1981 film, “The Evil Dead,” this horror film stars Jane Levy.

Release Date: April 5, 2013

Production Budget: $17 million

Opening Weekend: $26,000,000 [7]

The films mentioned above are Sony/Columbia’s highest grossing films in 2013; however, “The Call” and “Evil Dead” are the only films released by the studio this year to date (April 7). There were seven films (three additional films not seen above) that have grossed from Sony/Columbia this year. A breakdown of the studios’ first quarter grossing this year will reveal that the January-March quarter was at its lowest since 2000, with a -60.2% drop in grossing compared to last years numbers. [8]

For a better look at the studio’s statistics, follow the link here.

Future Releases:

After Earth: Set 1,000 years into the future after the demise of planet Earth, this sci-fi action film starring Jaden Smith and his father Will Smith will take audiences on a journey. After crashing onto the destroyed and unrecognizable planet, the characters must fight to stay alive and recover their rescue beacon. This film was directed by M. Night Shyamalan and has not yet been rated. Scheduled release date: June 7, 2013. Click here for a peek at this exhilarating story of survival. [9]

This is the End: A hilarious depiction of real celebrities reacting to the apocalypse. While attending James Franco’s house party, a group of unlikely celebrities come together–and are torn apart–in the wake of the end of the world. Directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, “This is the End” presents an impressive and hilarious cast for audiences. Schedule release date: June 14, 2013. Click here to find the trailer. [10]

White House Down: Starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx, this action/drama will remind audiences of the recent release, “Olympus Has Fallen.” While touring the White House, Tatum must save his daughter and the President as the capital falls to armed invaders. Director Roland Emmerich and screenwriter James Vanderbilt will have audiences on the edge of their seat. Scheduled release date: June 28, 2013. Click here to see a preview of the trailer. [11] Additional future releases for the year include Grown Ups 2, The Smurfs 2, Elysium, The Moral Instruments: City of Bones, One Direction: This is Us, Battle of the Year, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2, Captain Phillips, Carrie (2013), David O. Russell Untitled, and Monuments Men.

Recent News:

On March 28th this year, Sony Pictures announced on Twitter (@SonyPictures) that the company has launched a new beta site for easy viewing on your desktop, mobile device or tablet. Perusing this new launch, users will visibly see an update compared to the older site, which is still currently functioning. Content is same across both sites; however, the recent revamp was done for accessibility in response to the rapidly growing use of smart phones and other portable devices. Following the trend of this transition, this has certainly been a wise business move for the entertainment company. [12]

Sony Picture’s co-chairman, Amy Pascal, was honored in late March at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian gala event. Pascal received the organization’s Icon Award as an avid advocate for gay and lesbians in Hollywood. Pascal’s speech focused on continuing to include lesbians and gays in Hollywood, but not in the stereotypical roles that the past may have assigned them too. After commenting on how influential Sidney Poitier and Will Smith’s roles as black man have become, Pascal says, “Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to wait another 40 years for a character to save the world who just happens to be gay?” [13]

Sony Pictures Entertainment had a successful 2013 awards season! At the 2013 Oscars, SPE took home 7 awards including: Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Waltz in Django Unchained); Best Foreign Film (Armour); Best Original Screenplay (Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained); Best Original Song (“Skyfall” in Skyfall); Best Documentary (Searching for Sugarman); and Best Sound Editing (a tie!–between Hallberg & Landers for Skyfall, and Ottoson for Zero Dark Thirty). Congratulations to all winners and nominees! [14]

Sony Pictures studio blog released an article on February 26th this year announcing Screen Gems and Rainforest Films were honored with the Cinema Vangaurd Award at the 2013 African American Film Critics Association Special Achievements Awards ceremonies. Screen Gems received recognition for its continued support of positive portrayals of African Americans around the world [15]

Works Cited:

[1] “Sony Pictures Timeline.” Sony Pictures Entertainment Museum. N.p., 2006. Web. 04 Apr. 2013. http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/studio/timeline

[2] “Divisions | Sony Pictures.” Divisions | Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc., 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[3] “Senior Management Team.” Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc., 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[4] “The Call (2013) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. IMDB, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[5] “Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. IMDB, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[6] “Skyfall (2012) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. IMDB, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[7] “Evil Dead (2013) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. IMDB, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[8] “Box Office by Studio | Sony/Columbia.” Box Office Mojo. IMDB, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[9] “After Earth.” IMDb. IMDb.com, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[10] “This Is the End.” IMDb. IMDb.com, 22 July 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[11] “White House Down.” IMDb. IMDb.com, 11 Nov. 2012. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[12] SonyPictures. (2013a, March 28). Visit the new SonyPictures.com and our hottest titles on your desktop, tablet or mobile device! pic.twitter.com/tUfxBa2AHD [Twitter post] Retrieved from https://twitter.com/SonyPictures

[13 ] Brittany. “Amy Pascal Receives Icon Award.” Sony Pictures. Social Central Moderator, 22 Mar. 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[14] “Sony Pictures at the Oscars.” Sony Pictures. Social Central Moderator. N.p., 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

[15] “Screen Gems and Rainforest Films Honored by African American Film Critics Association.” Sony Pictures. Social Central Moderator. N.p., 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 4 Apr. 2013. http://www.specentral.com/2013/02/screen-gems-and-rainforest-films-honored-by-african-american-film-critics-association.php

SiriusXM Radio

Posted on April 7, 2013 by llehman

Address:

1221 Avenue of The Americas

36^th Floor

New York, New York

10020

Telephone:

212-584-5100

Overview:

Sirius XM Radio is a radio broadcasting company that offers two satellite radio services called XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Sirius XM was born after Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio merged in 2007. Sirius has numerous channels that broadcast weather, news, comedy, traffic, talk, sports, music and entertainment. The company has over 23,900,336 subscribers as of December 31, 2012. Liberty Media Corporation owns over 50 percent of the shares of stock in Sirius. As of December 2012 Jim Meyer is the CEO. [2]

History before the merger:

The company was originally incorporated on May 17, 1990 in Delaware. It was called Satellite CD Radio Inc. IT changed its name to CD Radio Inc. on December 7, 1992. The company changed its name again on November 18, 1999 from CD Radio Inc. to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. In July 2008 a subsidiary of Sirius, Vernon Merger Corporation merged with XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. The name Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. was then changed to Sirius XM Radio Inc. on August 5^,2008. In April 2010 XM Satellite Radio Holdings merged with XM Satellite Radio Inc. XM Satellite Radio Inc. merged with Sirius XM Radio Inc. in January 2011. (where it says Sirius radio make it lead to this clip or the company [3]

Key Executives: [5]

James E. Meyer: James E. Meyer, age 58 replaced Mel Karmazin as the CEO of the company in December 2012. Mr. Karmazin had been CEO since 2004. Mr. Meyer’s position was president of sales and operations from May 2004 to December 2012. His previous jobs included being the president of Aegis Ventures Inc. and a special advisor and a senior executive vice president at Thomson S.A. a consumer electronics company. [4]

Scott Greenstein: The president and chief content officer. His previous jobs included being senior vice president at Miramax Films, co president of October Films, chairman of USA Films and chief executive officer of the Greenstein Group.

Dara Altman: The executive vice president and chief administrative officer. Altman was originally an attorney with the law firm Willkie Farr and Gallagher. She later became senior vice president and general council of Reiss media enterprises. From 1997 to 2005 she was the executive vice president of business affairs for Discovery Communications. January 2006 through September 2008 Altman was the executive vice president, business and legal affairs of XM.

Steven Cook: The executive vice president, sales and automotive. Prior to filling this position, Cook was the group vice president and general manager, automotive division from July 2008 through January 2013. He held various positions with XM from February 1999 to July 2006 including executive vice president, automotive, executive vice president, sales and marketing and senior vice president, sales and marketing.

Patrick L. Donnelly: The executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. Donnelly originally began his career as a lawyer for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. He has been in his current position at Sirius since May 1998.

David J. Frear: The executive vice president and chief financial officer. Early in his career, he worked at Bear, Sterns & Co, Inc. and Credit Suisse. Frear has been at Sirius since June 2003 acting as its executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Enrique Rodriguez: The executive vice president, operations and products. Rodrigues worked for Microsoft Corp., Xbox Partnerships for Microsoft as well as Cisco System Inc. prior to joining Sirius in October 2012.

Financials: [6]

Subscription fees are Sirius’ main source of revenue. The company has over 23,900,336 subscribers. Most customers subscribe to Sirius either yearly, semiannually, quarterly or monthly. The company offers discounts if a customer prepays or has a long-term subscription. Sirius generates revenue from the sale of advertising on non music channels, by selling satellite radios, components and accessories as well as from the sale of additional services related to internet radio, backseat TV, traffic and weather. In 2012 Sirius XM and its subsidiaries had total revenue of $3.4 billion. Its total operating expenses are $2.5 billion. The net income for 2012 was $3.4 billion.

Sirius XM Program Offerings: [2] [6]

Star Power: Sirius is well known for using stars to lure its customers to purchase subscriptions. For example Oprah Winfrey, Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Buffet are some of the many stars who are contracted with Sirius.

Music Programs: The company has numerous music channels, which are commercial free. Various genres including classical, country, rock and hip hop are offered. (Link of a music station or music video). Artist Confidential where customers of Sirius can listen to interviews and performances of the biggest names in musical talent is one of many special features offered. Sirius also hosts a Town Hall special feature where listeners can hear live audiences in the area of sports, talk and music.

Sports: Sirius is known for its select sports talk channels such as ESPN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, Sirius XM NFL Radio and MLB Network Radio. The company is known for providing its listeners with live play-by-play sports (SU BASKETBALL GAME BROADCASTER) in the professional and college arena.

Talk and Entertainment Programs: Customers can listen to talk radio programs with hosts including doctors from NYU Langone Medical Center, Howard Stern, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Opie and Anthony and Senator Bill Bradley. Comedy channels featuring Jamie Foxx’s The Foxhole, Blue Collar Comedy and Raw Dog Comedy are also presented. Entertainment channels including playboy radio, road dog trucking, kids place live and radio Disney attract thousands of listeners. Sirius customers can also enjoy religious programs including family talk and the catholic channel.

News: Sirius offers local traffic reports for 22 cities throughout the United States. Information and news programs from around the world can be heard at HLN, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, BBC World Service News and Bloomberg Radio. A variety of political talk shows are offered including Sirius’ POTUS channel.

Access to Sirius: Satellite radios are mainly distributed when a consumer purchases or leases a new vehicle. Every major automaker provides satellite radio in their vehicles as per contracts between Sirius and the automakers. Automakers pay Sirius in advance for the subscription to Sirius included in the sale or lease of the automakers vehicle. Sirius also sells satellite and Internet radios through its website to consumers.

March Madness: [7]

To lure back 50 million ex subscribers, Sirius XM activated satellite receivers from March 19^th through March 24^th for the first six days of NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The company is hoping that the fans who are no longer subscribers will pay to get service through the Final Four which occurs in early April.

Sources:

[1] http://www.siriusxm.com/ – Sirius XM Radio Website

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius_XM_Radio – Sirius XM Radio Wikipedia

[3] http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908937/000090893713000004/siri-20121231x10k.htm – Sirius XM Radio Security Government

[4] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121219/us-sirius-xm-ceo/?utm_hp_ref=sports&ir=sports) (http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908937/000090893713000004/siri-20121231x10k.htm – James E. Meyer Huffington Post

[5] http://www.siriusxm.com/bios -Sirius XM Radio Bios

[6] http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/908937/000090893713000004/siri-20121231x10k.htm#sC183289BF5206A53B1AFDC965946148E – Sirius XM Radio Security Government Financials

[7] http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/03/16/this-week-in-sirius-xm-radio-22.aspx – Sirius XM Radio Fool.com Investing

[8] http://njbrideau.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013MarchMadness.jpg – March Madness 2013 picture

Spyglass Entertainment

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Mack Bleach

by Mack Bleach

Logo

245 N. Beverly Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.443.5800 (Tel)
310.443.5912 (Fax)
http://www.spyglassentertainment.com/

ORIGINS [1][2]
Co-founded by veteran producers and executives Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum in 1998, Spyglass Entertainment Group, LLC, is a small, private American production company that was forged from the joint investments from The Walt Disney Company—a later distributor for them—and several European investors, including Scandinavia’s Svensk Films, Portugal’s Lusomundo, Germany’s Kirch Group, and Italy’s Mediaset. Its current lone European distributor is StudioCanal UK. The Cerberus Capital Group, a private equity firm, acts as its parent holding company.

Birnbaum and Barber

KEY PEOPLE [3]
Gary Barber – Co-founder, Co-chairman, Co-CEO
Roger Birnbaum – Co-founder, Co-chairman, Co-CEO
Jonathan Glickman – President
Jose Gutierrez – CFO, Executive VP
Peter Oillataguerre – Executive VP of Production
Rebekah Rudd – Executive VP of Post-Production

ROLE
As a younger, smaller production house, Spyglass is owned and maintained by other companies and has either co-financed, co-distributed, and most importantly, co-produced, its films alongside other production groups; never has it produced a film on its own. However, Spyglass is known to finance and produce television and films for international distribution purposes, partnering with Canal Plus for television distribution in France, Sweden and Poland, Sogecable S.A. for Spanish television, Pony Canyon Inc. for distribution in Japan, and Forum Film Ltd. for Israeli cinema [2].

CINEMA SUCCESS [4]
Since its inception in 1998, the company has released films with every one of the “Big Six” film studios, garnering over $5 billion in global sales. Spyglass has co-produced a variety of different types of films for over a decade, including, most notably, the $661-million-dollar worldwide launch of The Sixth Sense (1999), followed by Bruce Almighty (2003), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) Star Trek (2009), and Get Him to the Greek (2010). Prior to Spyglass and MGM’s merger in 2010, The Sixth Sense, Bruce Almighty, and Seabiscuit (2003), dominated domestic box offices, helping to bring US totals to nearly $2 billion in revenue before the end of the decade. Spyglass films have collected over 34 Oscar nominations and 3 wins.

Theatrical poster

The Sixth Sense (1999)
Produced for Disney’s Hollywood Pictures affiliate, the M. Night Shyamalan-directed thriller pic starring Bruce Willis earned six Oscar nominations and grossed over $500 million worldwide, ranking it as the ninth highest grossing film in history at the time. Its commercial success confirmed investors’ faith in Barber and Birnbaum and was the company’s first breakthrough [2].

Theatrical poster

Bruce Almighty (2003)
Its most important film of the 2003-2004 releases, the Jim Carrey comedy pulled in nearly $500 million worldwide and its particular international draw heavily bolstered Spyglass’ financial standing through the international rights it acquired with co-financing partners overseas [2].

Theatrical poster

Seabiscuit (2003)
Coming after a split with Disney and a proud new partnership with co-financier DreamWorks, the film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s novel about the famous racehorse, starring Tobey Maguire, proved to be a commercial and critical success that earned seven Oscar nominations. Spyglass put up half the budget with Universal Pictures, agreeing to rights for all international markets while Universal handled domestic markets [2].

Theatrical poster

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Based on the best-selling novel by Arthur Golden, the Rob Marshall-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced and Spyglass-produced drama starring Ken Watanabe and Michelle Yeoh garnered three Oscars out of its six nominations, including Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design in 2006 [5].

By the end of the decade, with analogous companies like Bel-Air, Mutual Film, Alcon, Mandalay, and New Regency facing financial ruin and scaling back activity, Spyglass’ success in the movie business was considered a fluke in the system. Because Spyglass Entertainment Television division’s debut endeavor, Miracles, failed in 2004, followed by the television failures of The Ranch and Out of the Shadows, Spyglass devoted itself to a strictly film content producer, and throughout the 2007-2008 year was especially prolific, producing fifteen films, from The Lookout (2007) to Four Christmases (2008). Today, Spyglass’ competition consists of Beacon Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, and IFC. [2][6]

MERGER [7][8]
Around Christmas 2010, the ailing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (MGM) was ready to declare bankruptcy when Spyglass, one of the studio’s creditors, wrote off nearly $5 billion in debts, accumulated interest and fees in a trade for ownership of MGM, although both Spyglass and MGM would be considered separate entities. Barber and Birnbaum became co-charman and co-CEOs of the studio, despite Spyglass’ stake being reduced from 5% to 1% in a move by business magnate Carl Icahn, who, as a 14% owner, agreed after the plan was re-packaged to exclude titles from the Spyglass archives.

Get Him to the Greek (2010) Trailer [9]
One of Spyglass’ first co-produced films following the merger, and a highly successful comedy.

ACTIVITY [10]
Since the merger, Spyglass has scaled back its operation, and only produces several films a year [2], if that, which includes Dinner for Schmucks (2010), The Tourist (2010), No Strings Attached (2011), and, most recently, The Vow (2012).

Spyglass is currently attached to the action-adventure film adaptation of Radical Comics’ Hercules: The Thracian Wars (2014), which starts pre-production in May, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ian McShane.
Barber, Birnbaum, and Glickman (as Spyglass Entertainment) are signed on as producers for Ironbow: The Legend of William Tell, a version of the Swiss folk hero’s legendary creation of the Swiss Confederation, written by Jay Wolpert and directed by Justin Chadwick.
The trio are also producers, along with Robert De Niro, on The Undomestic Goddess, a film in development based on Sophie Kinsella’s novel of the same name.
Spyglass’ producers have teamed up with writer/director Brian Koppelman and several other producers in the development of The Game, a film adapation of Neil Strauss’ memoir as a pickup artist, starring Josh Gad.
In another adaptation, Spyglass has signed on as co-producer of the 1979 remake of the sci-fi/horror film, The Brood, written by Cory Goodman and directed by Breck Eisner.
Spyglass is behind Spanky Johnson: Monster Hunter (2014), a comedy about a boy who is forced to assume his father’s monster hunting business, starring Dan Fogler, who also appeared in Spyglass’ 2007 comedy success, Balls of Fury.

References

[1] www.spyglassentertainment.com

[2] http://www.answers.com/topic/spyglass-entertainment

[3] http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=1505245

[4] http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/series/SpyglassEntertainment.php

[5] http://motioncolor.blogspot.com/2011/08/memoirs-of-geisha.html

[6] http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spyglass-entertainment-forms-television-division-megan-wolpert-to-head-spyglass-entertainment-television-as-senior-vice-president-76555697.html

[7] http://www.globaltimes.cn/business/world/2010-12/603275.html

[8] http://variety.com/2010/film/news/mgm-restructuring-becomes-official-1118029320/

[9] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ixkr0-qvo

[10] http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0031181/

NewsCorp/Fox

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Adam Kloos Jr

by Adam Kloos

News Corporation

Fox Broadcasting Station

[1][2]

Contact Information [3]:

1211 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY, 10036 United States

(212)-852-7000

http://www.newscorp.com

Key Executives [6]:

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO

[7]

Rupert Murdoch is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of News Corporation. He is very active within the company and continues to expand into new media outlets.

Jose Maria Anzar, President

[9]

Jose Maria Aznar is the president of News Corporation and former Prime Minister of Spain.

HRTS Kicks Off With "A Conversation With.. Chase Carey"

Chase Carey, President and COO

[10]

Chase Carey is the President and Chief Operating Officer of News Corporation.

Natalie Bancroft, Director

[11]

Natalie Bancroft is the Director of Newscorp. She is part of the Bancroft family that used to own the Dow Jones Media [5].

Gaude Lydia Paez, Vice President of Corporate Communications

[12]

Gaude Lydia Paez is the Vice President of Corporate Communications at FOX Broadcasting Company.

Overview:

News Corporation is a corporation made up of a large number of various media businesses. News Corporation has assets in film, magazine, newspapers, direct satellite television, news, cable broadcasting, cable programming, television programming and broadcast, as well as sports teams and social media [4]. The media conglomerate was created and is currently under control of Rupert Murdoch, who according to Forbes is the 26th most powerful person in the world and the 91st richest[5]. News Corporation currently operates on 5 continents that include North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia [8]. Their main competitors include CBS, NBC/Comcast, and Disney. The FOX Broadcasting Company was launched in 1986 as a fourth broadcast station that has been largely successful in competing with the Big Three. It owns 27 different stations in the US and many more internationally. Throughout the early 2000s until 2012 FOX was the number one watched station by young adults, 18-49 [13].

History:

The history of News Corporation stretches back to 1952, when Rupert Murdoch inherited ‘The Adelaide News,’ a newspaper company his father owned. After returning from school to run the company, Murdoch greatly improved its profits. From there he acquired a number of other newspapers throughout Australia and New Zealand before eventually moving to the British market in the mid-60s. In 1973 he turned his attention to the US where he began buying up American newspaper publishers. In 1980 he announced the creation of News Corporation as a global holding company [4].

In 1985, News Corporation acquired 50% of TCF Holdings which was the parent company of 20th Century Fox. In 1986, 20th Century Fox launched FOX, an alternative to the already existing broadcast stations ABC, CBS, and NBC [14]. In the early 90s, FOX signed a contract with the NFL, giving them the rights to broadcast NFL games on Sundays. Today FOX continues to be the preferred station of youner adults with popular shows such as The Simpsons, American Idol, Glee, Family Guy, Bones, and The X Factor [15].

What They Are Doing Presently?

In 2011, News Corporation was caught in a huge phone-hacking scandal that involved the family of a murdered British school girl by News of the World. There were also accusations of phone-hackings of the London subway bombing victims, families of deceased British soldiers, and an FBI investigation of possible phone-hackings of 9/11 victims. As a result of this, Rupert Murdoch shut down publication of the magazine, News of the World in England and 12 people were arrested. This scandal also caused the company to withdraw a $12 billion bid for shares of British Sky Broadcasting [16]. The arrests and investigation continued into late 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZNXZVNk74

Apart from the scandal, News Corporation announced in 2012 that they plan to split into two publicly traded holding companies. One division would take care of all film and television assets including 20th Century Fox film studio, Fox Broadcasting Company, and Fox News. The other would have control over the company’s publishing division that includes The Times of London, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post. Rupert Murdoch would remain chairman of both companies while Chase Carey would remain Chief Operating Officer of the entertainment and media company [17].

What Are Their Plans For The Future?:

Disney and News Corp. are currently in negotiations over the video streaming service Hulu. Jason Kilar, the current CEO of Hulu is planning to leave his postion, and the interim CEO for now is senior vice-president Andy Forssell. Once News Corp. and Disney finalize their negotiations, a permanent CEO will be named to take over Hulu. There has been recent talk of both Disney and News Corp. planning to buy out each others stake in the company. Both companies admitted that Hulu was losing money due to the high costs of liscensing television shows and computer servers [18].

Fox Broadcasting Company is looking forward to “Fox Now,” a collection of apps for mobile devices. These apps allow audiences to view their favorite FOX shows and allow viewers to be more interactive with the content. “T-Commerce” is part of the “Fox Now” app that enables viewers to shop online while watching the show New Girl. The items from the show such as clothing and other paraphenelia would be available to audiences in real time [13].

Programming:

American Idol, 2002-present

[19]

American Idol has been a long running success on the Fox network. It first aired in 2002 and had been the number one watched show for eight consecutive seasons through 2011. The show is very interactive with the audience because the millions of viewers get to decide which contestants get to move on to the next round each week, before eventually choosing the winner [20].

The SImpsons, 1989-present

[21]

The Simpsons is the longest running prime-time animated comedy series in the history of television. Created by Matt Groening in 1989, it is currently in its 24th season. The show focuses on the lives of a dysfunctional lower class family in Springfield. The show is typically family friendly [22].

Family Guy, 1999-present

[23]

Family Guy was created by Seth McFarlanein 1999. Family Guy has remained a hit on Fox since that time and gained an undeniable cult following. Also focusing on the lives of a dysfuncitonal working class family, this show contains content for more mature audiences with it’s slapstick and often raunchy humor. The show is currently in its 11th season [22].

Financials:

By the end of 2012, News Corporation had assets that equaled out to $63 billion and saw a revenue of $34 billion, the highest it had ever been. This was up from 2011 by about $500 million. The increase in revenue can be attributed to its deals with Netflix and Amazon.com for its sitcoms and films [6]. Currently a share of News Corporation is $30.68 [24]. This is improved from exactly one year ago when a share was going for $23.18. Stockholders have been pleased with the strong growth over the past few years, especially the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

Works Cited

1. http://www.logok.org

2. http://www.zenithotimedia.blogspot.com

3. http://www.hoover.com

4. http://www.corporatewatch.org

5. http://www.forbes.com

6. http://www.newscorp.com

7. http://www.guardian.co.uk

8. http://www.nndb.com

9. http://www.en.mediamass.net

10. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

11. http://www.nymag.com

12. http://www.foxflash.com

13. http://www.thefutoncritic.com

14. http://www.thehistoryofcorporate.com

15. http://www.fox.com

16. http://www.poynter.org

17. http://www.money.cnn.com

18. http://www.news.yahoo.com

19. http://www.roniloren.com

20. http://www.tvguide.com

21. http://www.collegiatetimes.com

22. http://www.imdb.com

23. http://www.tv.com

24. http://www.wsj.com

AMC Networks

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Elliott Brannon

by Elliott Brannon

amc_network_logo_render

11 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 324-8500
Website: http://www.amcnetworks.com

About the Company: [3] [4]

AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX) is an American entertainment company founded in 1980 whose brands include the cable networks AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE tv. The company also controls IFC Films, a United States distributor of indie film.

In 2012, the company’s revenues increased from $1.188 billion in 2011 to $1.353 billion, a growth of 13.9%. AMC Network’s overall income also increased 11.1%, maturing from $327 million in 2011 to nearly $463 million in 2012. Company stock prices have also increased about 18% since January (as of April 3, 2013).

Brands: [5]

AMC was first launched in 1984. Since then, the network has gone on to become the only cable network in history to receive the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row and the only cable network to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama for three years in a row. AMC’s popular original series include Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead.

IFC is the Independent Film Channel and was initially launched in 1994. The channel airs original series such as Onion News Network and Portlandia as well as numerous indie films and other syndicated television shows.

Sundance Channel was founded by Robert Redford in 1996. Its original series include Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and All On The Line.

WE tv is a network targeted at women and was first launched in 1997. Popular original series include Braxton Family Values and Bridezillas.

IFC Films distributes independent films throughout the U.S. This division also controls the feature film production company, IFC Productions.

Key Executives: [1]

Josh Sapan, President & Chief Executive Officer of AMC Networks

Charles Dolan Executive Chairman
Josh Sapan President & Chief Executive Officer
Charlie CollierPresident & General Manager, AMC
Jennifer Caserta Priore President & General Manager, IFC
Sarah Barnett Executive Vice President & General Manager, Sundance Channel
Kim Martin President & General Manager, WE tv

Recent News (January-April 2013):

April 1: The season three finale of AMC‘s The Walking Dead on March 31st delivered 12.4 million viewers total and 8.1 million viewers age 18 to 49 with a 7.4 HH rating, making it the #1 TV program for the week and #1 television show for the overall season amongst adults age 18-49 [6].

AMC’s new logo and tagline

During the airing of the finale, AMC debuted its brand new logo and tagline, replacing its old tagline, “Story Matters Here,” with “Something More.” Linda Schupack, AMC’s executive vice president of marketing explained that, “AMC: Something More further refines our focus on- and off-air and speaks to our promise to viewers to provide an experience that is unexpected, unconventional and uncompromising” [7].

March 21: AMC released a trailer for its newest original series, Low Winter Sun, a police drama set in Detroit based on a 2006 British miniseries.

The show is being co-produced by AMC Studios and Endemol Studios. Its credits include executive producer Chris Mundy, who has previously worked on CBS’s Criminal Minds [8].

March 13: James Maiella was appointed as the new senior vice president of corporate communications at AMC Networks. Maiella will overlook business and trade relations for all of the companies cable networks as well as IFC Films. He will work alongside the company’s other current senior vice president of corporate communications, Georgia Juvelis [9].

March 12: AMC Networks launched YEAH!, a movie streaming service. Movies are currently available on www.YEAHTV.com, which carries classic films with added bonus features, such as interviews with filmmakers and story notes, only available exclusively through the service. Users must pay $5 to watch a movie and its additional bonus features or can pay $2 to watch a movie without the added content. The service is only available online through a computer for now, but an iPad app is set for release this summer [10].

March 5: Anchor Bay Entertainment and AMC Networks completed a home entertainment distribution deal, giving Anchor Bay the rights to distribute DVD and Blu-ray releases of AMC, IFC, and Sundance original series throughout the United States and Canada. Some specific digital distribution deals are also included in the agreement.

Sundance’s Rectify and AMC’s Low Winter Sun, which have both not debuted yet, will be the first series distributed under the new deal. Anchor Bay has worked closely with AMC Networks in the past, serving as the home entertainment distributor for AMC’s The Walking Dead [11].

February 25: Sundance Channel and AMC reached an agreement giving Sundance Channel syndication rights to the off network premiere of AMC’s Breaking Bad.

Breaking Bad’s Walter White

This agreement comes in lieu of the upcoming premiere of Sundance Channel’s first ever scripted series, Rectify, which is produced by the same group behind Breaking Bad [12].

Rectify is set to premiere on April 22, 2013 at 10:100pm et/pt [13].

February 21: WE tv greenlighted a new unscripted reality series, Glam & Gold, starring olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross and two-time Super Bowl champion Aaron Ross. Filming is already underway in Austin and Jacksonville. Glam & Gold joins a host of other WE tv shows starring African-Americans including Mary Tary and Braxton Family Values [17].

February 15: IFC Films secured North American rights to the indie neo-noir thriller, The Canyons, starring Lindsay Lohan and James Deen and directed by Paul Schrader. The film will premiere in early summer at a Special Presentation at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in conjunction with a day-and-date release. Schrader’s film will also be simultaneously released on a variety of other digital platforms [18].

February 11: The Walking Dead’s February 10th airing of its season 3B premiere on AMC delivered 12.3 million viewers. With 7.7 million viewers age 18-49, the episode delivered the highest rating for a television series in basic cable history for that demographic.

The series’ average viewership in season 3 for adults 18-49 was 6.8 million, making it the #1 program of the season amongst that age range [14].

February 5: Joel Stillerman, executive vice president of programming, production, and digital content for AMC, announced a two-year first look deal with Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg of Double Feature Films. Shamberg and Sher are both two-time Academy Award nominees and have worked on a variety of films together including Django Unchained, Erin Brokovich, and Garden State [15].

January 15: AMC and Fox Television Studios announced a new agreement that will bring AMC’s The Killing back to the network for a third season. The agreement brings Veena Sud back as the series’ executive producer and showrunner and also brings back lead actors Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman. Production of the show’s new season began on February 25 in Vancouver [16].

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

212.664.4444

Television

Online

News:

• GOODBYE, GE

• ADIÓS, NBC

• THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH…

• USA! USA!

• NHL COVERAGE SCORES FOR NBC SPORTS NETWORK

• ‘THE VOICE’ NEARS IN ON ‘IDOL’

• USING THE SECOND SCREEN

• A DELICIOUS PREMIERE

• FOR E!, OLDE IS NEW

Overview [1]

2012 Key Metrics [2]

The Business of Communications

January 11th – Romeo Solomon Named General Sales Manager at KICU-TV

January 14th – Cox Media Group Appoints Matt Dalton as National Sales Manager of Long Island’s 106.1 WBLI-FM and 102.3 WBAB-FM

January 30th – CMG Orlando Tammie McGrath promoted to Director of Sales for six stations [4]

February 7th – CMG Tulsa Radio Promotes Matt Ledbetter to Director of Sales for Its Five Station Cluster [5]

March 1st – Tom Calococci Joins CMG Miami as New Program Director East Coast

March 8th – Cox Media Group Atlanta Names Adam Wolfson New General Sales Manager

March 11th – Greg Bilte named general manager, Suzanne Nadell named News Director for CMG Tulsa

March 13th – CMG Jacksonville Named Eric Lauer GSM, CMG San Antonio Names Jeff Garrison as New Program Director of Y100 [6]

April 1st – Lee Rothenthal named News Director at KUTV in Indianapolis [7]

Consolidation

KFOX (Fox) El Paso, Texas DMA 91

WJAC (NBC) Johnstown-Altoona, Pa. DMA 102

KRXI (Fox) Reno, Nev. DMA 108

WTOV (NBC) Wheeling, W.Va.-Steubenville, Ohio DMA 158

Other news concerning COX

Sources

Executives

Terry Press, Co-President

Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President

Finance

New Releases

The Last Exorcism Part II

Awards

Upcoming Releases

The Kings of Summer

Last Vegas

The To Do List

Gambit

Acquisitions

Inside Llewyn Davis

Production

Sources

About the Company: [3] [4]

Brands: [5]

Key Executives: [1]

Recent News (January-April 2013):

References: