Ion Media Networks

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Michael DelloStritto

by Mike DelloStritto

Ion Media Networks [14]

601 Clearwater Park Road West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Phone: (561) 659-4122

EXECUTIVES

: Brandon Burgess, Chairman and CEO [15]

: Chris Addeo, Marketing [16]

: Jeff Quinn, Finance [17]

: Douglas Holloway, Distribution [18]

ABOUT ION MEDIA NETWORKS

Ion Media Networks was founded in 1984 under the name “Paxson Communications”. It wasn’t until 2006 that the company rebranded itself into what is now known as Ion Media Networks. The company today focuses their efforts in three areas: general entertainment television, special interest television, and mobile television.

Ion is considered a pioneer when it comes to providing their audiences with special interest television. They are the first to have launched two 24/7 DTV channels: Qubo and Ion Life [1]. Qubo is a safe haven for young kids to access entertainment that is always “good fun”. Qubo claims to be one of the few networks that offer age-appropriate programming to the underserved age group of 5 to 8 year olds. Ion Life is a channel dedicated to those with healthy, active lifestyles. The various programming options on this channel look to inspire, entertain, and encourage people to live their best possible lives.

In addition to special interest television, Ion co-founded the industry movement to bring television to mobile devices. Ion is a founding member of Mobile Content Venture (MCV), along with NBCUniversal, Fox and leading broadcast station groups [2]. Their division of mobile television, Dyle, provides viewers with access to live, local broadcast television through compatible mobile devices in select markets.

General entertainment television is Ion’s most prominent media outlet. They are a leading, high quality U.S. network, constantly providing innovation and growth to the industry. They serve an adult audience ages 25-54, and have recently expanded their reach to 260 million Americans in over 100 million U.S. households [3]. Their viewership has doubled since rebranding to “Ion Television” in 2008, climbing from nowhere to inside the top 15 cable ratings [4]. Their slogan “Positively Entertaining” lives up to the bill with syndicated programming such as: Criminal Minds, Numbers, Cold Case, and their original series Flash Point, in addition to many others. Their programming also includes various movie titles.

THE BEGINNING OF THE CAMPAIGN

Ion Television’s lineup of fully syndicated programming makes it difficult to persuade marketers to advertise on their channel. It is presumably more attractive for marketers to reach out to one of Ion’s competitors such as CBS or Fox, and advertise where programming is more diverse. Ion isn’t holding an upfront in 2013 to gain advertising on their channels like ABC, A&E, truTV, and Bravo (to name a few) are holding [5]. Instead, Ion must develop unique and creative ways to reach their advertisers.

Announced on March 4, 2013, the rebranding of Ion television and their new multi-tiered B2B campaign, introducing the ‘Ionthusiasts’, is exactly the creative buzz the network needs [6]. To go along with the campaign, Ion television will be releasing their new network logo under their already established tagline “Positively Entertaining”.

: OLD [19]

: NEW [20]

INTRODUCING THE IONTHUSIASTS

The bulk of the campaign is centered on the “Ionthusiasts”. According to independent research studies conducted by the network, Ion leads all of cable in adult co-viewing in households watching TV together. The data shows Ion is number 1 in cable for hours watched per viewer, and 69% of these committed viewers are watching marathons on a routine basis. After digesting this data, Barker DZP, the New York-based agency that developed the creative decided, “Ion viewers are highly engaged and unique in their passion for the network’s programming, they make an appointment to watch this content live for several hours at a time, which is why ‘Ionthusiasts’ is such an appropriate descriptor” [7].

Barker DZP Advertising [21]

The campaign will carry media buys across many different platforms including spots in print and out-of-home; however, the most intricate are the online spots. The network chose Barker DZP’s approach because, “their campaign truly reflected the attributes of our viewers…we found the perfect moniker that fully represents the quality of our audience and their enthusiasm for the Ion Television brand” [8].

The Ionthusiasts have a separate website displaying the three fictional couples (the Ionthusiasts) based on Ion’s key demographics: adults 25-34, 35-44, and 45-54. Each couple has a “profile” explaining some key facts about the particular age demo. These facts include: why they watch Ion Television, the percentage of having kids, some hobbies they enjoy, and their personality traits [9].

Ion Demographics [22]

Each couple even has a little video so the advertisers can see each demographic in action.

Dean & Steph [23]

Next, there is a “Learn About Ion” tab that contains a sizzle reel of their top shows [10]. However, the site goes even more in depth with an interactive section, allowing advertisers and marketers to drill down even deeper into the types of people that watch Ion Television. In order to receive a username to partake in the interactive part of the site, you must be an employee of a media planning & buying agency, advertising agency, or an advertiser [11]. Once you receive a username, you can play an interactive game that follows one of the Ionthusiasts families through their day. At each stoppage you make a decision to progress the family further along; this is useful to an advertiser because an “Ionthusiasts Fact”, which gives the player even more intricate details about the exact viewer, supports each decision you end up making. As you can see in the picture, the fact explains, through an MRI Spring 2012 Study, that Ionthusiasts are pet owners, suggesting the answer to the question is to travel to the pet store [12].

Interactive game [24]

These Ionthusiasts Facts clue marketers and advertisers into the minute details of each demographic, creating opportunities for super specified advertising to develop. For example, if Pet Smart knows that Ion has a very dedicated viewing audience, and that same dedicated audience owns pets, purchasing a media buy on this channel would be ideal for both parties. In addition to gaining insight on viewers, the marketers that play the game can earn points that go towards prizes such as iPads, vacations, and gift cards.

THE ION LONGUE

Ion Lounge [25]

Ion Media Networks did not neglect their dedicated fans through their campaign and rebrand. They developed an offshoot from the Ion Television website called the “Ion Lounge” [13]. It is a fun, colorful, and interactive site for fans to get their Ion fix long after their favorite show is over. The Ion Lounge allows you to play games and answer trivia about the shows. Each time you complete a game or answer a question right, you earn points that can later be traded in for prizes. These prizes do not compare to the Ionthusiasts prizes the marketers can win, but rather act as a token of fan-hood for the network with items such as t-shirts, tumblers, and drawstring bags. In addition, fans can create their very own “Ion Lounge” and upload it to the gallery where others can view the creation. It’s simple, but a great way to keep the viewers active with the brand.

: Ion Longue homepage [27]

: Lounge example [26]

It takes a creative genius such as those working at Barker DZP to develop such an ambitious and unique plan for attracting advertisers, but it seems as though Ion certainly has a good thing in the works thus far. It is still early in the campaign, but I’m sure they are going to be very happy with the results when it comes to an end.

Sources:

[1] Ion Media Networks Milestones

[2] Mobile Content Venture

[3] Ad Age Branded Content

[4] Ion Media Networks Milestones

[5] 2013 Upfront Season Overview

[6] TV News Check – Ion New Look

[7] TV by the Numbers – Multi-Tiered B2B

[8] Broadcasting Cable – ‘IONTHUSIASTS’ Marketing Campaign

[9] Meet the Ionthusiasts

[10] Ion Television Sizzle Reel

[11] Ionthusiasts – How it Works

[12] Ionthusiasts – Dean & Stephanie

[13] Ion Lounge

[14] Ion Media Networks Logo

[15] Brandon Burgess

[16] Chris Addeo

[17] Jeff Quinn

[18] Douglas Holloway

[19] Old Ion Logo

[20] New Ion Logo

[21] Barker DZP Logo

[22] Ion Demographics

[23] Dean & Steph

[24] Interactive game

[25] Ion Lounge

[26] Lounge example

[27] Lounge homepage

Univision

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Rafe Cohan

source:http://costonscomplaint.blogspot.com/2012/09/univision-doing-job-mainstream-media.html

Headquarters

605 Third Ave. 12th Floor

New York NY 10158

Phone: (212) 455-5200

URL: http://www.univision.com/

Key Executives

Randy Falco– CEO and COO

Before being appointed CEO, Falco was EVP and COO. Before his time with Univisio, he was chairman and CEO of AOL, Inc. Prior to this, he was President and COO of NBC Universal Television Group.

Andrew W. Hobson– Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Andrew Hobson has been EVP of Univision Network since 1994, and his successful work in strategic planning for the network has resulted in a successful climb in rank.

Jonathan Schwartz- General Counsel

Cesar Conde– President of Univision Networks

Roberto Llamas– EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer

Peter H. Lori- EVP, Controller & Chief Accounting Officer

Employees: 4,233

Company Profile

Boasting the Largest Spanish-language audience in the world (Nielsen), Univision is a television network based in America mainly targeted at spanish speaking families. The company’s beginnings date back to 1955, when Raul Cortez started a spanish-language network in San Antonio, Texas. As more hubs were added around the country, The Spanish International Network began to take shape. in 1986, the FCC mandated that the service was sold to a domestic organization. The name was then changed to Univision, and the network started to design their programming around a national audience. Univision acquired the Hispanic Broadcastic Corporation in 2003 and created Univision Radio, the largest spanish radio network in America. More recently, the addition of the Univision Deportes Network, a 24 hour sports channel, Univision tlnovelas, a channel that airs the highest regarded spanish novelas, and Uvideos, a bilingual channel, have all led to a seriously robust array of content. ABC News and Univision News have announced a multiplatform project entitled “Fusion” to empower and inform the Spanish Speaking demographic in America.

Financials

http://corporate.univision.com/corporate/investor-relations/financial-information/#axzz2Pt4vaJ43

Fiscal Year Ends: December

Programming

El Gordo Y La Flaca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrDqPeqVnk

This entertainment-news program means “The Fat Man and the Skinny Lady.” The show features interviews with musical artists and actors, and appears on weekdays on Univision Network.

Nuestra Belleza Latina

A reality/beauty pageant competition show, Nuestra Belleza Latina has 12 hopeful women compete for a title, earning cash prizes and cultivating an image on the Univision Network. Giselle Blondet hosts this show, and coaches the winner a year after the seasons conclusion. Casting occurs in six different cities within the United States, and Puerto Rico, and the selected contestants live together in a mansion in Miami for the length of the show.

Primer Impacto

Meaning “First Impact,” Primer Impacto is a news program that airs on Univision in the United States at 5pm weekdays. One of the longer running shows on the network, it has been running since 1992, when it was broadcast under the name “Noticias y Mas” or, “News and More.” The show has several segments, and these include the news of the United States and the world, República Deportiva (Sports Republic), movies, and weather.

Mira Quien Baila

A Spanish reality show, “Look Who’s Dancing” features a similar premise to Dancing with the Stars. In fact, the show is actually included in the franchise. Professional dancers are paired up with spanish celebrities and actors, and perform latin or ballroom dance numbers before judges to receive a score. The grand prize is a donation of $50,000 to the charity of the winner’s choice.

Sources

http://corporate.univision.com/corporate/executive-leadership/#axzz2PsjkFLcj

http://topics.wsj.com/person/F/randy-falco/505

http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=535466&privcapId=352350&previousCapId=352350&previousTitle=Univision%20Communications%20Inc.

http://s33.photobucket.com/user/thachairman/media/0806/30M/20080630_050.jpg.html

http://www.spanishtown.ca/entertainmentstories/nuestrabellezalatina2009/photos/Greydis_Gil-4.jpg

http://www.formulatv.com/images/fgaleria/16000/16015_concursantes-de-mira-quien-baila-gala-1.jpg

Disney/ABC Television

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Richard Calabro

by Richie Calabro

Courtesy: Disney/ABC

Disney/ABC Television Group

500 South Buena Visita Street

Burbank, California 91521

Anne Sweeney – President
Courtesy: Disney/ABC

If you’re a TV watcher, a fan of sports, entertainment or movies, it is highly likely that at one point you have stumbled upon content that has been produced by Disney/ABC. The Disney/ABC Television group operates all kinds of entertainment platforms such as ESPN, ABC News, Lifetime, The History Channel and Disney’s wide network of films just to name a few. This vast encompassing company employees nearly 150,000 in the United States and around the world, can be seen in 97 million homes and has yearly revenue of in the tens of billions.[1]

Programming

2013 has been a banner year so far for the ABC/Television group. There has been a lot of exciting changes going on within the company in terms of programming, digital innovation and strategic partnership. One of those partnerships, a crossover plan between Marvel Comics and Disney/ABC, looks to be a revolutionary experiment for the TV industry. [2]

Courtesy: Hollywood Reporter

Under the proposed plan announced at the end of March, a wide range of the network’s scheduled television programming would be affected by bringing them into the Marvel world through a series of crossover events with the upcoming Avengers related show S.H.I.E.L.D.

“With each major story line other stories in ongoing books are brought in, featuring characters that might not otherwise be seen in the main event,” said Joss Whedon, director of the movie The Avengers. [3] Other shows that are possibly in the mix are Once Upon A Time, Scandal, Red Widow and Rookie Blue. The plan is sure to be an interesting event to watch and if successful, will look to be duplicated by other networks.

Courtesy: Politico

Disney/ABC and Univision

Strategic partnership has been a theme so far this spring for Disney/ABC. In early February, ABC and Univision announced a fresh and exciting news and lifestyle network for U.S. Hispanics. The new network, called Fusion, is set to launch in the fall of 2013. [4] The new network will bring together the powerful journalistic and reporting assets of ABC News and Univision, creating a unified place for U.S. Hispanics to go for news surrounding their world and culture. “Our collaboration will bring unmatched reporting capabilities and understanding of issues and entertainment that resonate with the Hispanic community,”says Anne Sweeney, President of Disney/ABC. [5]

Courtesy: Mediabistro

Fusion will be able to reach millions of Hispanic and American viewers, already having 5 of the nations largest cable distributors on board to broadcast the content. The network will focus mainly on issues relevant to U.S. Hispanics like the economy, health, entertainment and immigration. [6]

Good Morning America At The Top

For years NBC’s “The Today Show” had been at the top of the morning show network ratings. However, this past February, ABC’s Good Morning America won the first quarter ratings for the first time since the mid-1990s. [7] GMA’s rise in popularity is due in part to the heart wrenching story of anchor Robin Roberts’ battle with a rare blood disease and the public relations nightmare that was Matt Lauer and Anne Curry.

Courtesy: TV Listings

GMA topped the morning show wars for the first quarter of 2013 in total viewers. They won the critical 25-54 demographic over the Today show, averaging an audience of 5.389 million. It was the first time the top-rated morning show has won the quarter in total viewers since 1994. GMA also won for the second quarter in a row in the 25-54 demo, first time since the second and third quarters of 1994. [8] It is thought that Robin Roberts’ illness has helped GMA jump NBC. The disease, myelodysplastic syndrome, causes the body to produce fewer red blood cells and forced Roberts to have a bone marrow transplant that came from her sister. Below is a clip of Robin Roberts’ journey.

Digital Innovation

Along with the many programming feats Disney/ABC has achieved this spring, there has been a new wave of digital innovation that has swept across the company. Disney/ABC announced in the middle of March plans to develop a live streaming TV app that can be groundbreaking in an industry where smart phones and tablets are becoming more prevalent and a danger to TV audiences. [9] The company has plans to continue work on a new live streaming television app for its broadcast network ABC that will make the platform’s content available to cable and satellite subscribers.

Courtesy: Disney/ABC

Although ABC is a free over-the-air public network, the streaming capabilities would only be available to cable and satellite subscribers so that Disney would not upset providers. [10]

Disney/ABC is no stranger to making groundbreaking digital application moves. The launch of the “Watch ESPN” app has been a phenomenal success for the company. It has expanded viewership on all platforms making content more accessible on the go.

This comes at a monumental time for digital innovation at Disney/ABC. Recently it was announced that the Disney/ABC app released several years ago ahead of the first iPad, has reached 10 million downloads. [11] With the reaching of this mark, the app has become one of the most successfully downloaded applications of all time.

ABC.com Comedy Shorts

With the success of recent comedy shorts in the past and the desire to boost exposure online, Disney/ABC has recently announced plans to add more digital elements to its network. [12]

Courtesy: Disney/ABC

In an effort to expand offerings online, the network will debut pop culture and show related videos under its ABC.comedy platform. The first will be Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop and Dancing With the Stars Judge Bruno Tonioli’s Writer’s Room.

“Humor is a hallmark of the ABC Network, so it makes sense that we infuse our digital video content with as much comedy as possible,” said Chris Thomes, Vice President of Disney/ABC Television Group’s Digital Media Studio. [13]

The ABC comedy series began in fall 2011 with video recaps for the network’s Wednesday comedies and grew the following year to include comedic rundowns of the network’s dramas. The success of Modern Family’s Halloween short has inspired the push for new content on this platform.

Sources

[1] LA Times: Disney/ABC Television Group Workforce

[2] Geek Exchange: Disney/ABC Crossover Plan

[3] Geek Exchange: Disney/ABC Crossover Plan

[4] ABC News: Network Gets New Name

[5] Mediabistro: Univision Channel to be Called Fusion

[6] ABC News: Network Gets New Name

[7] Deadline: GMA Wins First Quarter

[8] ABC News: GMA Beats NBC’s Win Streak

[9] Apple Insider: Disney’s ABC Working on New Live App

[10] Apple Insider: Disney’s ABC Working on New Live App

[11] Media Daily News: App Reaches 10 Million Downloads

[12] Hollywood Reporter: ABC to Debut Comedy Shorts

[13] TV Broadway: Taye Diggs Partners For New Comedy Shorts

Meredith Corporation

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Mary Papoutsis

Source: http://www.meredith.com/home.html

Headquarters

1716 Locust Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

Phone: (515) 284-3000

Website: www.meredith.com

Key Executives

Stephen M. Lacy – Chairman, President and CEO

Joseph H. Ceryanec – Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

John S. Zieser – Chief Development Officer, General Counsel

Tom Harty – President, Meredith National Media Group

Paul Karpowicz – President, Meredith Local Media Group

Steven M. Cappaert – Corporate Controller

Total employees: 3,410 persons

Stockholders: 1,310 persons

Company Profile

Founded in 1902 Meredith Corporation is a media and marketing conglomerate that specializes in content for American female audiences. Meredith oversees the publication of 18 magazine brands including Better Homes and Gardens, More, Fitness, and Family Circle that boast a combined circulation of 30 million [1]. Meredith’s local media division is comprised of 13 broadcast television stations, including network affiliates of CBS, FOX, MyNetworkTV, and NBC, which reach more than 10 million U.S. households [2]. Meredith Video Studios, a television production and distribution company, currently produces The Better Show, an information-talk show that airs in more than 160 markets nationwide [3].

Company Financials

Fiscal Year Ends: June 29

Most Recent Quarter: December 31, 2012

In its most recent financial statement, Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) reported strong second quarter earnings as well as positive first half performance for the 2013 fiscal year. In the second quarter (October-December 2012) Meredith reaped $361 million in total company revenues, representing a 10-percent increase. Advertising revenues, climbed 18-percent to $217 million. Earnings per share increased 27-percent to a record high of $0.89, excluding a previously announced special charge of $0.10 per share.

Second quarter gains capped an overall successful first half of the 2013 fiscal year. In the first six months Meredith grossed $715 million in total company revenues, representing a 9-percent increase. Advertising revenues also climbed 15-percent. Earnings per share were $1.44, up 22-percent from fiscal 2012, excluding the special charge. [4]

Local Media Group Financials

Meredith’s Local Media Group, comprised of 13 television broadcast stations as well as Meredith Video Studios, accounted largely for the company’s financial gains in fiscal 2013. The second quarter of fiscal 2013 marked the most successful financial period ever for Local Media Group. The Group grossed $45 million in operating profits, representing a 65-percent increase compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2012. The Group’s revenues rose 32-percent to $111 million. [11]

In the first half of fiscal 2013 Local Media Group set a record high of $198 million in revenues, representing a 30-percent increase. The Group earned $72 million in operating profits, marking an astounding 90-percent increase from the 2012 fiscal year. Local Media Group’s digital advertising revenues increased 15-percent. Net political advertising revenues, boasting a record $38 million, bolstered overall advertising revenue increases because of November elections. [4]

Projections for Second Half of Fiscal 2013

Analysts expect Meredith Corporation’s earnings per share to decrease somewhat in the third quarter falling to $0.78 but predict they will rebound in the fourth quarter to $0.84 [5]. Analysts predict Local Media will better than Meredith’s other divisions, indicating that the Group’s operating profits thus far for fiscal 2013 are poised to nearly return to pre-financial crisis levels from fiscal 2007. [6]

Meredith Video Studios

Phone: (212) 499-2212

Current and Upcoming Productions

In January Meredith Video Studios announced The Better Show will be renewed for its seventh season, scheduled to begin airing September 9, 2013. The Better Show is a national syndicated info-talk program that focuses on topics similar to those featured in Meredith’s magazine publications including cooking, health and wellness, decorating, beauty and style, family and relationships, and more. The show aired its 1200^th episode at the end of 2012 and continues to attract growing audiences and achieve strong ratings in all of its markets. In December 2012, The Better Show added an additional CBS Television Station, WWJ-TV in Detroit, to its vast array of more than 160 markets nationwide. [7]

Source: http://www.better.tv/

In March 2013, Meredith announced a partnership with the Hallmark Channel, which will begin airing The Better Show on its daytime-programming block in October 2013. The deal marks the culmination of years of partnership efforts between the two companies, which both specialize in content production for female audiences. The two-year licensing deal with Hallmark will also leverage Meredith’s gains in advertising, marketing and digital revenues. These gains represent Meredith’s efforts to extend its reach in TV and digital platforms as print ad revenue sources decelerate. [8]

Source: http://www.cozitv.com/shows/weekend-originals/Next-Great-Family-Band-198809121.html

In February 2013 Meredith Video Studios premiered a 30-minute reality television series Next Great Family Band on NBCUniversal’s COZI TV, a digital multicast TV network that is available in 38 million homes. The show concept revolves around 15 family music groups in their journeys to become the next Jackson 5, Jonas Brothers, or The Osmonds. [9]

Meredith Video Studios is also working on a show called The Aloha Project for a prime-time slot but has not yet released details on the project. [8]

Local Broadcast TV Stations

Meredith owns 12 local broadcast stations that reach more than 10 million households nationwide. The stations’ websites boast 58 million page views and 5 million unique visitors every month. [10]

CBS Atlanta WGCL 46 (Atlanta, GA)

Peachtree TV WPCH (Atlanta, GA) – owned by Turner Broadcasting, operated by Meredith

FOX 12 Oregon KPTV (Portland, OR)

WFSB Channel 3 (Hartford/New Haven, CT)

KCTV Channel 5 (Kansas City, MO)

FOX Carolina WHNS 21 (Greenville, SC – Asheville, NC)

WNEM Channel 5 (Flint/Saginaw, MI)

CBS 5 KPHO (Phoenix, AZ)

PDX TV KPDX (Portland, OR)

WSMV Channel 4 (Nashville, TN)

My KSMO TV (Kansas City, MO)

FOX 5 Vegas KVVU (Las Vegas, NV)

CBS 3 Springfield WSHM (Springfield/Holyoke, MA)

Inside CBS Atlanta

Source: http://www.cbsatlanta.com/

Recent changes in management at CBS Atlanta (WGCL 46), the control hub for eight of Meredith’s broadcast stations, may suggest upcoming transitions at the news outlet in Atlanta. Lane Michaelson, former news director at WCPO Cincinnati, was named WGCL’s news director in March 2013, replacing Eric Ludgood, who was let go after two years [12]. Trey Fabacher, former general manager at CBS-owned WWJ-WKBD Detroit, was appointed vice president and general manager in September 2012, succeeding Kirk Black, who resigned earlier that year in May [13]. Two members of the news team, anchor Guy Rawlings and meteorologist Justin Lock, left WGCL Atlanta last fall after working at the station for two years [14] [15]. Noting the station’s strong financial gains for the first half of fiscal year 2013, WGCL has demonstrated considerable growth; however, it still ranks around third or fourth in the ratings for the Atlanta market [16].

Sources:

CBS Corp.

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Marcia Gillespie

Marcia Gillespie

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/CBS_Television_Studios

CBS Headquarters
51 W. 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
1-212-975-4321

http://www.cbscorporation.com/

Key Executives: [1]

Sumner M. Redstone: Executive Chairman

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

Redstone currently serves as the chairman of both CBS Corporation and Viacom. He became the chairman of Viacom in June of 1987 and became the executive chairman of Viacom in January of 1996. In January of 2006 Viacom separated into tow publicly traded companies. After this split Redstone became the executive chairman in both companies and currently is the controlling shareholder of both companies.

Leslie Moonves: President, Cheif Executive Officer

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

After serving as the president of Warner Bros. Television, Moonves made the transition to CBS in 1995. After starting shows like “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” Moonves and his team brought CBS out of the bottom of the ratings and was promoted to president and CEO of CBS Television in 1998. Currently Moonves oversees all of the aspects of the company including all of the television networks in affiliation with CBS.

Anthony G. Ambrosio: Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Administraion

Picture Courtesy of CBS Corporation Webstie

Ambrosio joined the CBS team in March of 1985 and got promoted to his current position in May of 2000. He is in charge of all Human Resources functions for the company.

Picture Courtesy of CBS Corporation Webstie

Joseph Ianniello: Executive Vice President and Chief financial Officer

Getting promoted from Deputy Chief Financial Officer in 2008 Ianniello oversees all of the financial operations that happen with the CBS Corporation.

The CBS Company

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

CBS Television Network: [2]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

Established in 1928, CBS television network has over 200 tv stations and affiliates. Their programming includes CBS entertainment, CBS news and CBS sports. They started when founder william Paley bought 16 independent radio stations. Paley called this new company the Columbia Broadcast System. The CBS Television Netwok ranges from entertainment to news to sports. Today the CBS Television Network has the #1 scripted drama (NCIS), the #1 sitcom (Two and a Half Men), the #1 newsmagazine (60 Minutes), and the #1 daytime drama (The Young and the Restless).

CBS Television Stations: [3]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

With 29 owned-and-operated stations, CBS Television Stations reach all over the United States. 16 of these stations are part of the CBS Television Network, eight of the stations are affiliates of The CW Network, three are independent stations, and the remaining two stations are MyNetwork TV affiliates.

CBS Television Studios: [4]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

As one of the leading suppliers of primetime network programming in the television industry, CBS Television Studios produces the #1 and #2 scripted series, as well as six of the top ten most watched scripted series. The shows have earned them many Emmys over the years.

CBS Entertainment: [5]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

CBS Entertainment acquires and develops entertainment programming. This includes primetime comedy and dramas, television movies and miniseries, reality shows, theatrical films, children’s programs, games shows, daytime dramas, and late-night programs.

CBS News: [6]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

This devision if focused on news and information. CBS News is a 24 hours a day, seven days a week programming. They have interviews, reporting, investigations, analysis and breaking news to keep their viewer up to date on things happening in their communities and in the world.

CBS Sports: [7]

Picture courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

Covering sports year round, CBS sports attracts all sports fans. They broadcast the NFL, college basketball (including the highly watched NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship , golf (including The Masters and PGA Championship), college football, tennis, track and field, auto racing and gymnastics. On the CBS Sports Network has 24 hour sports programing.

Finances [8]

2012 Full year Results: Revenue: $14.09 Billion Adjusted OIBDA: $3.49 Billion Operating Income: $2.98 Billion Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations: $2.55 Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations: $2.48

CBS revenues increased 3% from $13.64 billion in 2011 to $14.09 billion 2012.

Courtesy of the CBS 2012 Earnings Release

CBS Stock Information:

Courtesy of CBS Corporation Website

What is Happening Now?

TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com: [9]

It was announced on March 26, 2013 that CBS purchased 50% stake in TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com. The other 50% is owned by Lionsgate. The TV Guide Network is a netwok focused on entertainment that reaches over 80 million homes. Leslie Moonves, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the CBS Corporation is excited for the deal, “Lionsgate, led by my friend Jon Feltheimer, is a forward-thinking content company and a great partner for us here. We’re excited to bring CBS’s programming and production assets to the venture, and work with Lionsgate to rebrand and grow a channel that will be increasingly valuable to our carriage partners.” CBS plans to capitalize on this purchase by using its content brands and to gain access to the highly distributed basic cable network of the TV Guide Network.

Amazon Prime and CBS Expansion: [10]

It was announced on February 13, 2013 that Amazon.com and CBS Corporation were to expand their content licensing agreement. This new agreement allows Amazon Prime members to watch more CBS and SHOWTIME programming online at no extra charge. This agreement allows series to be streamed on Amazon Prime for the first time. Some shows that are now available to stream through this agreement are America’s Next Top Model, Jericho, Everybody Loves Raymond, Undercover Boss, Medium, Star Trek, and I Love Lucy.

CBS and Grey Television [11]

On March 19, 2013 CBS announced that they had signed an affiliation agreement with Gray Television. Their hope for this new affiliation agreement is to increase CBS’s servies to their viewers in central Nebraska. They will be adding an over-the-air, on cable and satellite television station, KNPL. They hope to launch the station on Sunday, September 1, 2013.

Sources:

[1]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/ourcompany-executives.php?id=67&exec=156

[2]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=93

[3]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=96

[4]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=98

[5]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=94

[6]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=256

[7]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/portfolio.php?division=106

[8]: http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=quarterlyearnings

[9]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/news-article.php?id=947

[10]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/news-article.php?id=935

[11]: http://www.cbscorporation.com/news-article.php?id=946

Hearst Television, Inc.

Posted on April 8, 2013 by vtwasser

By Val Wasserstein

[12] Hearst Television, Inc. logo on their homepage

Hearst Television, Inc.
300 West 57^th Street
New York, NY 10019-3789
Tel: (212) 887-6800/Fax: (212) 887-6855
www.hearsttelevision.com

Hearst Corporation: Overview

[13] Hearst Corporation official logo

Hearst Corporation dates all the way back to 1887 when William Randolph Hearst founded the company as an owner of newspapers. Today, the company’s holdings include a wide variety of media such as newspapers, magazines, television stations, cable networks, business publishing, Internet businesses, and real estate. Hearst prides itself on becoming one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. [1]

Hearst Television: Company Overview

Hearst Television, Inc., wholly owned by Hearst Corporation, holds 29 television stations and 2 radio stations across the United States. This broadcasting company was formerly known as Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. and later changed its name to Hearst Television, Inc. in June 2009. The company was founded in 1994. The television stations are viewed in approxiately 18% of US homes making Hearst Television, Inc. one of the largest US television station groups. Hearst Television Inc. owns 13 ABC affiliated channels, 10 NBC affiliated channels, and 2 CBS affiliated channels. The company is also known for its integration of local broadcast television and the Internet through its partnership with Internet Broadcasting. Hearst Television Inc. is also a leader in the “application of digital broadcast spectrum for new local informational services.” [2]

[14] Affiliates of Hearst Television, Inc.

Hearst Television Inc. employs approximately 3,000 full-time employees and their major competitors include Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., Raycom Media Inc., and Local TV, LLC. [3]

Hearst Television station group has won a multitude of awards. The company has been given six consecutive Walter Cronkite Awards (presented by University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication) for their excellence in television political journalism. The stations also have receeived awards for excellence in journalism, programming, and community service (e.g. the Peabody, the duPont-Columbia University Journalism Award, the Sigma Delta Chi Award, the Garbiel, the Ad Council Silver Bell, the National Headliner Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Emmy). [4]

Executives

David J. Barrett-- Chairman & CEO, Hearst Television Inc.

[15] Chairman & CEO, Hearst Television Inc. — David J. Barrett

“The advent of new media platforms is an exciting opportunity for Hearst Television to further advance engagement with local communities. Technology is providing us with new opportunities to reach our viewers, enhance our news-gathering efforts,and provide a broad range of advertising and marketing solutions for our customers.” [5]

–David J. Barrett, Chairman & CEO, Hearst Television Inc.

Broadcasting Office
David J. Barrett, Chairman & CEO of Hearst Television, Inc.
Jordan Wertlieb, President of Hearst Television, Inc.
Frank Biancuzzo, Senior Vice President of Hearst Television, Inc.
John J. Drain, Senior Vice President, Finance of Hearst Television, Inc.
Roger Keating, Senior Vice President of Hearst Television, Inc.

Assets

TV Stations
WCVB – Boston, MA – ABC affiliate
WMUR – Manchester, NH – ABC affiliate
WMOR – Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL – NC affiliate
WESH – Orlando, FL – NBC affiliate
WKCF – Orlando, FL – CW affiliate
WTAE – Pittsburgh, PA – ABC affiliate
WBAL – Baltimore, MD – NBC affiliate
WYFF – Greenville-Spartanburg, SC – NBC affiliate
WPBF – West Palm Beach, FL – ABC affiliate
WGAL – Lancaster, PA – NBC affiliate
WXII – Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC – NBC affiliate
WLKY – Louisville, KY – CBS affiliate
WMTW – Portland-Auburn, ME – ABC affiliate
WPTZ – Burlington, VT – NBC affiliate
WNNE – Plattsburgh, NY – NBC affiliate
KMBC – Kansas City, MO – ABC affiliate
KCWE – Kansas City, MO – CW affiliate
WISN – Milwaukee, WI – ABC affiliate
WLWT – Cincinnati, OH – NBC affiliate
KOCO – Oklahoma City, OK – ABC affiliate
WDSU – New Orleans, LA – NBC affiliate
KCCI – Des Moines, IA – CBS affiliate
KETV – Omaha, NE – ABC affiliate
WAPT – Jackson, MS – ABC affiliate
KHBS – Fort Smith, AR – ABC affiliate
KHOG – Fayettville, AR – ABC affiliate
KCRA – Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA – NBC affiliate
KQCA – Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA – MNT affiliate
KOAT – Albuquerque, NM – ABC affiliate
KITV – Honolulu, HI – ABC affiliate
KSBW – Monterey-Salinas, CA – NBC affiliate

RADIO STATIONS
WBAL 1090 – Baltimore, MD
WIYY 97.9 – Baltimore MD [6]

Finances

On June 3, 2009 the Hearst Corporation acquired outstanding shares of Series A Common Stock of Hearst-Argyle that it did not already own. Since August 5, 2009, Hearst Television Inc., once the company merged to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hearst, stopped filing and sharing periodic and annual reports to the public making it no longer a SEC reporting company. [7]

In Recent News

On December 6, 2012 Hearst Corporation announced new executive leadership positions. David J. Barrett would be the new chairman and CEO of Hearst Television and Jordan Wertlieb would become president. All changes were effective immediately. [8]

In Hearst Corporation CEO Frank A. Bennack Jr.’s 2012 Annual Review letter, he emphasized how much the year brought on “tremendous growth for Hearst Television’s on-air and digital revenues.” It was reported that eighty percent of Hearst Television Inc.’s newscasts hold first or second place rankings. [9]

[16] Hearst Television Inc.’s 2012 Annual Review Letter

The election year of 2012 also helped the company with stations in key primary and swing states, redesigned websites and the new Election 2012 app. The app allowed for consumers to access “up-to-the-minute and in-depth election-related national content as well as content from the company’s news stations in 25 markets stretching from Portland, Maine to Honolulu.” [10]

[17] Election 2012 app for iPhones & smartphones

On April 3, 2013 Hearst Television Inc. announced the renewal of its alliance with PolitiFact, the fact checking website of the Tampa Bay Times. “In one recurring feature of the exclusive partnership, Hearst Television’s Washington, D.C., Bureau produced segments on PolitiFact’s fact-checking about the presidential campaign using the website’s much-discussed ‘Truth-O-Meter‘.” [11]

[18] PolitiFact logo

Sources

[1] Hearst Corporation

[2] Hearst Television: About Our Company

[3] Hoovers Company Profile: Hearst Television Inc.

[4] Hearst Television: About Our Company

[5] Hearst Corporation: Hearst Television, Inc.

[6] Hearst Television Inc.: Our Stations

[7] Hearst Television: Annual Reports

[8] Hearst Television, Inc. – Press Release

[9] Hearst 2012 Annual Review

[10] Hearst Television, Inc. – Press Release

[11] Hearst TV and PolitiFact Renew Alliance

[12] Hearst Television Image

[13] Hearst Corporation Image

[14] Hearst Television: About Our Company Image

[15] David J. Barrett Image

[16] Hearst Corporation 2012 Annual Review Image

[17] Election 2012 App Image

[18] PolitiFact Image

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Taylor Kowalski

Taylor Kowalski

Courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment [1]

Company Contact Information

Los Angeles Address:

Lionsgate Corporate

2700 Colorado Ave.

Santa Monica, CA 90404

(310)-449-9200

[1]

Executives

Jon Feltheimer, CEO since March 2000.

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman since March 2000.

Steve Beeks, President since February 2004

Joe Drake, Preisdent of the Motion Picture Group since August 2007

Jim Keegan, Chief Financial Officer since April 2002

[1]

Company Overview

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation is a leading multimedia entertainment company that maintains a presence in film and television production and distribution, home and family entertainment, digital distribution, as well as international distribution and new channel platforms. Committed to low overhead, entrepreneurial business models, cost discipline, and niche focus, Lionsgate has recently seen the success of their 12-year growth strategy, which led to Lionsgate becoming a major name in the world marketplace. [6]

Lionsgate Film’s list of successful films includes The Hunger Games, The Saw Saga, and a long list of Tyler Perry’s films. In addition, Lionsgate Television’s current programming includes successes such as FX’s Anger Management, AMC’s Mad Men, ABC’s Nashville, and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

Other Lionsgate holdings and subsidiaries include Lionsgate Music and Publishing, Tigergate, Mandate Pictures, Maple Pictures, Kix, Epix, Thrill, TVGuide.com, FEARnet.com, Debmar-Mercury, Elevation Sales, and Break.com.

Brief History

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation was founded by Frank Giustra in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia. A majority of the funding for its founding was put forth by Yorktown Securities, a bank with stake in Frank Giustra’s mining assets. [2]

To further itself in the industry, Lionsgate acquired other small production houses, purchasing Cinepix Film Properties, which was then dubbed Lionsgate Films, as well as North Shore Studios, then renamed to be Lionsgate Studios. After more purchases, the Lionsgate Media subsidiary was founded to produce content for television. [2]

After Feltheimer became CEO, Lionsgate Entertainment acquired Trimark Pictures for approximately $50 million in June of 2000. Lionsgate also purchased Artisan Entertainment in 2003. They went on to purchase Rebus Film Distribution of the United Kingdom in October 2005, which became Lionsgate UK on February 23^rd, 2006. Also in 2006, Lionsgate sold Lionsgate Studios to Bosa Development Corporation. In June of 2007, Lionsgate Music and Publishing was founded. [2]

In 2009, Lionsgate acquired the TV Guide Network. [3]

In January of 2012, Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment, the producers of The Twilight Saga, which helped Lionsgate cross the $1 billion dollar threshold for the first time. This success is also attributed to the release of The Hunger Games. [1]

Courtesy of The Hunger Games [16]

Competitors

DreamWorks Studios

Imagine Entertainment

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Incorporated

[18]

Finances

As the fiscal year ended March 31^st, 2013, the annual financial reports for Lionsgate have not been released yet.

Their first-quarter financial report for 2013 reported revenue of $471.8 million, with a price of $.33 per share with the first quarter of fiscal 2013 ending June 30, 2012. [4]

The second-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $707.0 million with a price of $.56 per share with the second quarter of fiscal 2013 ending September 30, 2012. [4]

The third-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $743.6 million with a price of $.28 per share with the third quarter of fiscal 2013 ending December 31, 2012. [4]

View Available Financial Reports

Courtesy of Yahoo Finance [5]

At the closing of April 5^th, Lionsgate’s stock had gone up .74 of a point, a 3.29% increase.

With blockbuster films such as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire being released in 2013, Lionsgate is likely to have a comparable year to that of 2012, during which the release of franchised movies, including The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games, led to more than $2.5 billion being made at the worldwide box office in 2012. [6]

Recent News

Courtesy of IMDB [14]

January 22, 2013– Lionsgate’s comic-based film DREDD achieved a DVD and Blu-Ray release that made it the best-selling new release title of the year. DREDD also became the top film download of the week, beating out all other films in digital sales as well. This feat adds to Lionsgate’s list of films that have made up for a lacking box office performance through DVD and Blu-Ray sales, helping Lionsgate be the industry leader in DVD-to-box office conversion. [7]

Official DREDD Trailer

February 12 and 13, 2013– Media Investor Gordon Crawford joined Lionsgate’s board of directors, increasing the size of the board to 13 members. In addition, Wayne Levin signed a long-term agreement to act as Lionsgate’s General Counsel and Chief Strategic Officer. [8] [9]

March 5, 2013– Andrew Kramer was named Chief Operating Officer of International Distribution. [10]

BD-2-wallpapers-breaking-dawn-part-2-32962100-1680-1050

Courtesy of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 [15]

March 5, 2013– Lionsgate reported that Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 sold 3.85 million DVD’s and Blu-Rays in its first weekend of release. This news is more significant due to the fact that 27% of the sales were Blu-Ray copies, up from the 22% seen for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, which further indicates the growing acceptance of the Blu-Ray format. Similarly, 20% more transactions were electronic, such as Video On Demand, for this film. [11]

Official Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Trailer

March 21^,2013– Lionsgate and the new digital entertainment service M-GO announced that they are partnering to bring Lionsgate’s library of films and television programs, such as The Hunger Games, Twilight, Madea, and Mad Men, to the digital service for customers to purchase or rent. [12]

Courtesy of TV Guide [15]

March 26, 2013– CBS Corporation and Lionsgate officially partner in a 50/50 ownership of the TV Guide Network as well as TVGuide.com, a cable channel that reaches 80 million households. [3]

Future

Though Lionsgate may not have as profitable of a fiscal year in 2013 and 2014 due to The Twilight Saga wrapping up and no longer overlapping The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as well as the rest of the trilogy are sure to be box office successes for Lionsgate.

Other upcoming films for Lionsgate include The Big Wedding, We the Peeples, You’re Next, I, Frankenstein, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas. Lionsgate is also planning to add to the Texas Chainsaw 3D franchise. [13]

Official We The Peeples Trailer

Official You’re Next Trailer

Official Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas Trailer

In addition, Summit Entertainment’s upcoming 2013 slate includes Now You See Me, Red 2, The Tomb, and Ender’s Game.

Sources

1. Lionsgate Official Website http://www.lionsgate.com

2. Lionsgate History http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/lions-gate-entertainment-corporation-history/

3. Lionsgate and CBS for TV Guide Network http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-eyes-sale-tv-guide-282649

4. Lionsgate Quarterly Earnings http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=quarterlyEarnings

5. Yahoo Finance Report http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=LGF

6. Lionsgate Company Overview http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-homeprofile

7. DREDD Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1776610&highlight=

8. Gordon Crawford Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784145&highlight=

9. Wayne Levin Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784588&highlight=

10. Andrew Kramer Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792410&highlight=

11. Twilight Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792214&highlight=

12. M-GO Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1798829&highlight=

13. Lionsgate Films http://www.lionsgate.com/?section=film

14. DREDD on IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343727/

15. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Photo Page http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com

16. The Hunger Games Official Website http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/index.html

17. TV Guide Network http://www.tvguide.com

18. Yahoo Finance, Lionsgate Competitors http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=LGF+Competitors

Hearst Television Inc.

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Amanda Moser

By Amanda Moser

Hearst Television Inc.

Courtesy of Hearst Television INC

300 West 57th Street
New York, New York
10019-3789
United States
Phone Number: 212-887-6800
Fax Number: 212-887-6855
Company Website: www.hearsttelevision.com [1]

Company Overview:

Hearst Television Inc., formerly known as Hearst-Argyle Television, is a subsidiary of Hearst Corporation and compromises of twenty-nine television stations and two radio stations. This department reaches 18% of United State’s households making it one of America’s largest television station groups. It was founded in 1997 from a merger between Heart Broadcasting and Argyle Television Holdings II. In 2009, became wholly-owned by Hearst Corporation. Today the company owns thirteen ABC affiliated stations, two CBS affiliates, and ten NBC affiliated stations.Heart Television Inc. partnered with Internet Broadcasting, which congregated local broadcast television and Internet. The company has stations in the Boston, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Orlando, and Baltimore markets. Today, Hearst is the largest group owner of ABC-affiliated stations, and the second-largest group owner of NBC affiliates. Additionally they own 20% of ESPN. Heart Television Inc. is a leader among independent broadcasting companies. [2]

Their television programs focus on news leaders and they have been awarded six consecutive Walter Cronkite Awards, the Peabody award, the duPont-Columbia University Journalism Award, the Sigma Delta Chi Award, the Gabriel, the Ad Council Silver Bell, the National Headliner Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Emmy. [2]

Executives:

CEO and Chairman, David J. Barrnett. Photo courtesy of www.hearsttelevision.com

CEO and Chairman, David J. Barrnett. Photo courtesy of Heart Television INC.

In 1984, David Barrnett became the General Manager of the company’s Baltimore radio stations. By 1991, he was the Vice President of Heart Corporation and Deputy General Manager of Broadcasting. When Hearst merged with Argyle Television in 1997, he became Chairman and CEO of the subsidiary. In addition to his success within the company, he is also on the boards of Federal Communications Commission’s Media Security and Reliability Council, the International Radio and Television Society Foundation, and the Advertising Council. He has won numerous awards; his most prestigious being named Broadcasting and Cable magazine’s “Broadcaster or the Year” and being inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Management Hall of Fame in 2005. [3]

President, Jordan Wetlieb. Photo courtesy of Hearst Television INC.

Only recently in December of 2012 was Jordan Wertlieb named President of Hearst Television INC. Wetlieb’s job consists of the management oversight responsibility for a portion of the 29 Hearst teleivison stations as well as collaborating with David Barrett on corporate matters. He is currently the President-Chairman of the NBC Affiliate Board. Prior to this position, Wetlieb deputy general manager of Hearst Broadcasting for six years and executive VP and CEO of Hearst-Argyle Television for four years. [4]

Senior Vice President, Frank Biancuzzo. Photo courtesy of Hearst Television Inc.

Frank Biancuzzo was elected Senior Vice President in 2007, a position he used to share with Senior Vice President Phillip Stolz. Mr. Stolz is in the process of retiring and Mr. Biancuzzo is currently taking over his responsibilities. His role in the company is to share management oversight of the company’s stations. Mr. Biancuzzo has developed a large international clientele for the company and personally consulted to television stations and networks in six different countries. [5]

Senior Vice President, Phillip M. Stolz. Photo courtesy of Hearst Television Inc.

Phillip M. Stolz’s, who is in the process of retiring, role in the company is to assist in the general management of the Company’s station groups and directs a portion of the Company’s 29 television stations. Stolz is a former member of the NBC Affiliate Board, and served as chairman of its News Committee. He then served on the CBS affiliate board. He announced in May, 2012 that he would retired in February of 2013. He is still working and delegating his roles to other members in the company. [6] [7]

Finances:

Heart Television Inc. had a revenue of $785.4 million with an operation income of $228.8 million and a net income of $98.7 million in 2009. As of August 5th, 2009, Heart Television Inc. no longer files and shares periodic and annual reports to the public. Additionally they employ approximately 3,000 full-time employees. Their major competitors are Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., Raycom Media Inc., and Local TV LLC. [8] [9] [10]

Recent News:

In December of 2012, Hearst Corporation made a deal to buy 50% of NorthSouth Productions, which will affect their television subsidiary. Hearst Corporation Chairman, Frank Bennack, said, “This partnership gives us a significantly stronger presence in cable network production, which is experiencing a steady growth in overall demand.” Hearst Television INC. will now own the rights to TLC’s “Say Yes To The Dress” and other shows on A&E, History, LifeTime, and ESPN; all of which they have ownership in. [11]

In February of 2013, Vice President Phillip Stolz officially retired, yet he is still working with Hearst Television Inc. to delegate his roles throughout the company. He announced his retirement in May 2012. He is now making the transition to an advisory role in advance of his retirement from the company. During this period, Stolz will assist Jordan Wertlieb and Frank Biancuzzo as tale Stolz’s position of management oversight of the ten stations currently in his supervisory portfolio. CEO David Barrnett said, “Phil has had an outstanding 25-year career with Hearst Television and he’s been a key senior executive through our period of significant expansion from a seven-station television group to our current 29-station group covering 18% of U.S. TV households. We are indebted to Phil for his superb contributions.” [12]

On March 12th of 2013, NBC announced they would renew “The Ellen Degeneres Show” until 2017. Since Hearst Television Inc. is affiliated with NBC, the show will run on their stations as well. This increases Hearst Televison Inc.s’ revenue and the show’s ratings and popularity continue to grow. [13]

Photo courtesy of The Los Angeles Times

On April 2nd of 2013, Heart Teleivison INC. announced they would renew their “PolitiFact” Partnernship with the Tampa Bay Times. PolitiFact is a fact-checking website of the Tampa Bay Times and they have an exclusive partnership with Hearst. [14]

Stations:

Television Stations
WCVB – Boston, MA – ABC affiliate
WMUR – Manchester, NH – ABC affiliate
WMOR – Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL – NC affiliate
WESH – Orlando, FL – NBC affiliate
WKCF – Orlando, FL – CW affiliate
WTAE – Pittsburgh, PA – ABC affiliate
WBAL – Baltimore, MD – NBC affiliate
WYFF – Greenville-Spartanburg, SC – NBC affiliate
WPBF – West Palm Beach, FL – ABC affiliate
WGAL – Lancaster, PA – NBC affiliate
WXII – Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC – NBC affiliate
WLKY – Louisville, KY – CBS affiliate
WMTW – Portland-Auburn, ME – ABC affiliate
WPTZ – Burlington, VT – NBC affiliate
WNNE – Plattsburgh, NY – NBC affiliate
KMBC – Kansas City, MO – ABC affiliate
KCWE – Kansas City, MO – CW affiliate
WISN – Milwaukee, WI – ABC affiliate
WLWT – Cincinnati, OH – NBC affiliate
KOCO – Oklahoma City, OK – ABC affiliate
WDSU – New Orleans, LA – NBC affiliate
KCCI – Des Moines, IA – CBS affiliate
KETV – Omaha, NE – ABC affiliate
WAPT – Jackson, MS – ABC affiliate
KHBS – Fort Smith, AR – ABC affiliate
KHOG – Fayettville, AR – ABC affiliate
KCRA – Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA – NBC affiliate
KQCA – Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA – MNT affiliate
KOAT – Albuquerque, NM – ABC affiliate
KITV – Honolulu, HI – ABC affiliate
KSBW – Monterey-Salinas, CA – NBC affiliate

RADIO STATIONS
WBAL 1090 – Baltimore, MD
WIYY 97.9 – Baltimore MD
[15]

Sources:

[1] Hearst Television Inc.’s contact information
www.hearsttelevision.com

[2] Company background information
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/our_company/about_Our_Company/index.html

[3] Information on CEO and Chairman, David J. Barrnett
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/david-barret/

[4] Information on President Jordan Wetlieb
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/jordan-wertlieb/

[5] Information on Senior Vice President Frank Biancuzzo
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/frank-biancuzzo/

[6] Information on Senior Vice President Phillip M. Stolz
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/philip-stolz/

[7] Information on the retirement of Phillip M. Stolz
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/in-the-news/newsarticle38.html

[8] Financial Information of Hearst Television Inc.
http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/revenue-financial.Hearst_Television_Inc.cf2c24532230fba9.html

[9] Hearst Television Inc.’s Competitiors
http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Hearst_Television_Inc.cf2c24532230fba9.html

[10] Hearst Television Company Financial Records/ Annual Reports
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/annual-reports/

[11] Hearst Corporation’s deal with NorthShore Productions
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-hearst-northsouth-20121206,0,573723.story

[12] Information on Phillip M. Stolz’s retirement
http://www.hearsttelevision.com/in-the-news/newsarticle38.html

[13] Information on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” being renewed
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-nbc-stations-renew-ellen-20130312,0,6555751.story

[14] Information on Hearst Television Inc.’s deal with The Tampa Bay Times
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=25044

[15] Station list

http://www.hearsttelevision.com/our_company/our_stations/index.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

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