by Weiyuan Ding, Simranjit Hothi, Kristina Mazzarelli, Hamardo Sinclair
September 7, 2011
LG releases the worlds first passive 3D TV. Passive glasses are very similar to ones given at movie theaters and much more comfortable. The TV also allows you to browse the web wireless without needing a PC
November 2, 2011
Cable’s two largest operators posted their third quarter earnings today.
Comcast had a mixed third quarter. The company reported a 51% increase in revenue over last year, net income also rose, the number of customers that dropped services has decreased since last year, and the merger between Comcast and NBC Universal was great for the company’s cable channels (USA, Syfy, CNBC, Bravo) which saw a 4.6% increase in revenue and a 9.5% increase in ad revenue.
However NBC is still struggling having spent a lot of money on failed shows like The Playboy Club. Universal Studios, Comcast’s film unit, also did bad in the third quarter due to weak box-office sales.
Time Warner did better with their film unit. The final Harry Potter film helped boost the companies quarterly earnings. Time Warner’s net income rose 57% over the same quarter from last year. The total revenue also rose 11%, the company’s highest growth in four years. All this is said to be because of Harry Potter. Warner Brothers film and TV units reported a 19% rise in revenue. The CBS show and Warner Brothers produced The Big Band Theory is the “profit center” since it went into syndication in September.
The TV networks unit was mixed with a 7% increase in revenue but a 4% dip in operating income, also attributed to the company spending more on new shows, sports rights, and marketing. Time Warner’s print publishing unit had a 1% decline but it appears stable.
November 3, 2011
DirecTV’s profit rose nearly 8% and added a record number of subscribers in the third quarter. Revenue increased to 14% while DirecTV US subscribers increased by 4%. Net additions doubled due to NFL Sunday Ticket Promotion. Average revenue per user rose to $92.21. DirecTV Latin America had the best quarter. The total net additions increased to 1.14 million. Finally the operating margin decreased to 23%.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045519
November 14, 2011
NBC unveiled it’s mid-season schedule today and much to the anger and concern of many Community fans (as evidenced by social media sites like Twitter and Facebook shortly after the lineup hit the web), the Thursday night, low-rated show is not on the schedule. Prime Suspect, NBC’s Thursday night drama, also didn’t make the schedule.
The network has shuffled some shows around to make way for a number of new and returning shows. The new lineup is in the link below:
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/11/14/nbc-announces-miseason-schedule/
December 4, 2011
Verizon FiOS is introducing an on-demand form of advertising. Customers who watch the History Channel (owned by A&E Networks) on FiOS will soon be able to buy products they see on some shows, like American Pickers and Pawn Stars.
A small icon will appear in the upper right corner of the screen when a certain item is available. Using the remote, the subscriber can click the button and the screen will split in two with the items that can be purchased on the right. Using an account on TVWallet.com, viewers can buy straight from the TV by entering their phone number and a four-digit pin number.
The start of this new form of click-and-buy advertising will initially be aimed at men aged 25-54, the History Channels usual demographic. Eventually, A&E would like to bring this to Lifetime.
It is estimated that these impulse purchases could mean $285 million in revenue in the first year alone.
More information in the link below:
December 6, 2011
The significant ratings force known as the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise has done it again, delivering 6.9 million Total Viewers with Friday’s (8:00 p.m.) premiere of “Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas,” inspired by the hit sitcom “Good Luck Charlie.” The premiere also delivered 3.3 million Kids 6-11, 2.4 million Tweens and 1.4 million Adults 18-49. The premiere was sponsored by Nintendo Mario Cart 7. The movie led into the very strong debut of the music-centered sitcom, “Austin & Ally” (9:30 p.m.), which delivered 5.7 million Total Viewers, 2.7 million Kids 6-11 and 2.1 million Tweens. It premieres in its regular timeslot Sunday, December 4 (8:00 p.m.).
More information found in the link below:
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/12/06/“ good-luck-charlie-it’s-christmas”-ranks-as-2011’s -no-1-live-action-cable-tv-movie-in-total-viewers/112871/
December 7, 2011
NBC’s first African American Vice President, Stanley Robinson, died November 16, 2011 of what is reported to be a heart attack. This is significant news because Mr. Robinson was working for NBC during the 1960s and1970s, at a time when racial tensions were at a all time high in the United States. Before becoming a Vice President at NBC, Stanley Robinson was NBC’s manager of film operations on the west coast overseeing prime-time TV series “Star Trek”, “The Bill Cosby Show” and “The Name of the Game”.
Bill Cosby, star of The Bill Cosby Show, and Stanley Robinson worked on the film “Men of Honor” and “Ghost Dad” which starred Cosby. Mr. Robinson not only had to over come the racism that he experience being a minority in the television industry at the time but while holding a position of authority he also dealt with the fact that he was partially blind. This article is relevant because the article talks about his accomplishments while working in television as an executive, which is still an uncommon thing in current times.
More information in the link below:
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-stanley-robertson-20111207,0,2794049.story
December 7, 2011
NBCU has decided to work with WHYY, a local TV station in that covers East Pennsylvania, South New Jersey and Delaware, to help increase local coverage. WHYY is one of four non profits that Comcast promised to help strengthen their media coverage because of the effects on media consolidation on the stations. This is good for the TV station because the money that they receive from NBCU will allow them to upgrade their equipment and hire more individuals to have a more productive station. This is a move from a major corporation that is not a pattern that is being followed by their competitors so we will all see how this works out for everyone involved.
More information can be found at the link below:
http://articles.philly.com/2011-12-07/business/30486187_1_whyy-nbc-universal-propublica
December 7, 2011
The SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) is launching a Trainee for culturally and linguistically under represented backgrounds. This article goes on to talk about two past program participants who went through a similar program and have received invaluable experience. This is a step in a positive direction when speaking on working in television as a minority and things being down to increase the number of minorities working in TV.
More information found in the link below:
http://mumbrella.com.au/sbs-launches-television-production-trainee-scheme-65883
December 7, 2011
Brand new streaming services and channel packages from cable and satellite providers have brought an entirely new library of shows and movies to thousands of people in recent years, meaning that the range of popular shows available to you has never been greater. All you need to do is look up something like “direct tv new hampshire” and you will encounter a huge range of options specific to providers in your area, where it is fairly likely that, if you have been looking for a new show to enjoy, you will find what you’re looking for and then some. For example, over the course of the last year or so many television fans have become huge fans of the smash hit post-apocalyptic zombie drama The Walking Dead. The show essentially follows sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes as he wakes from a coma to find the world overrun by zombie “walkers.” Grimes journeys to find his family and, along with any other survivors they pick up along the way, begin the quest for survival.
Following the wildly successful first season of this show, season 2 has earned a lot of attention among television fans. The suspense has been compounded by the fact that this show, like plenty of other ones, has temporarily dropped off after 7 episodes, and will be resuming in February with the conclusion of season 2.
More information found in the link below:
http://walkingdead-tv.info/News/
December 8, 2011
Alexander Skarsgård is back at work filming True Blood Season 5, but news of his movie Battleship(plus new stills) surfaced today thanks to Collider.com. They break down 18 things they learned about the movie while visiting the editing bay. My personal favorite:
The film has a very strange sense of humor. During the meetcute between the romantic leads, a down on his luck Taylor Kitsch breaks into a convenience store and steals a frozen burrito in an effort to wooBrooklyn Decker. The burglary goes horribly awry and ends with repeated tasing. The scene is bizarre indeed, but it’s also fairly charming, at times even recalling the tone of Raising Arizona
The movie is set to release May 18, 2012
More information found in the link below:
http://www.trueblood-news.com/
