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www.americanradiohistory.com ßro1casipCaIe August 23.1999 www.broadcaatingcalle.com Volume 129 Number 35

TOP OF THE WEEK / 4

Cable deals on hold FCC not eager to grant ownership- cap relief for AT &T's plann( d MediaOne takeover. / ii Encore's billion -dolly r play Movie deal to link with tech - nology touted as `the future )f pay TV.' /9 Media giants play PI R field Replay's investment round follows stakes taken in rival I'iVo. / 10 FCC proves weak ca ble ally On open access, agency says both sides' arguments r gay rest on faulty premises. / 12 Kweis Mfume Clinton PSA a hit Ant -violence ad gets prime time on 30 NAACP sees boycotts : head networks. / 12 `Whitewash' backlash brings t eats against For more late-bre eking news, see "In Brief" Big Four. advertisers and talen agencies. 4 / on , rages 60-61

On track for first run 15 rew shows are putting OADCASTING / 35 the finishing touches on their pre niere episodes and Nielsen sells f )r $2.7B Dutch publisher is com- joining in the race For viewers th s fall. / 14 mitted to software a Id technology upgrades at the ratings Illustration Clockwise: Richard Simmons, service. / 35 by Tom Richmond ; Dr. J,y Brown, Queen Latifah, `Millionaire' off to a flying start Upstart game Louie Anderson, show attracted 10 n illion viewers and likely to return dur- -r-, Martin Short and Tie ing the upcoming se ason. / 37 Carrere CABLE / 39 Cable jobs goi 7g begging Shortage of qualified people pushes MSC s to up incentive packages to get them aboard. / 39 Fuzz vision doomed channel? NIE ..SEN FINStA Turner 's bid to attract women via new network may h eve been hurt by too many cooks. / 40 Not âlenn's problem Ex -Jones Pat Mitchell was to head Interc tble chairman quietly sells bulk of Turner effort. stock. / 41 ECHNOLOGY / 42 -,:7----COVER STORY Thomson: 8-VSB does work with help from Indianapolis NBC a Ffiliate, set maker defends transmission 4111:1V41,1111114 Z"1 system. / 42 The digital jungle It's CBS' directior : Do-it- yourself Eye net takes survival of the equity stakes in Wry nchead.com, Jobs.com. / 44 fittest for programmers who Changing Hands 55 Editorials 62 Nielsen Ratings 38, 41 venture into the Classifieds 46 Fates & Fortunes 58 Site of the Week 44 land of digital Closed Circuit 11 Fifth Estater 57 Station Break 36 cable. / 22 Cutting Edge 43 In Brief 60 Washington Watch 13

AU UST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 3

www.americanradiohistory.com BroadcasfmgßCable TOP oi NEEK NAACP sees boycott ahead `Whitewash' backlash brings threats against Big Four, advertisers and talent agencies

By Joe Schlosser changed with respect to opportunities as executives and producers and to a In an effort to put more minorities in lesser extent talent. We won't even front and behind the camera, mention the corporate structure, which NAACP President Kweisi Mfume is absolutely abysmal." said he is making preparations for a Executives from all four broadcast net- possible boycott of two of the Big Four works acknowledged meeting with broadcast networks during the upcom- Mfume last week, but each opted not to ing November sweeps period. discuss specifics. Mfume told BROADCASTING & Late last month, the NAACP pur- CABLE that NAACP executives are also chased 100 shares of stock in the parent looking into taking action against companies of all four top broadcast net- major cable networks, Hollywood tal- works and Mfume said he plans on mak- ent agencies and possibly boycotting ing a lot of noise at board meetings until the nation's top national TV advertisers "boards of directors recognize that there in coming months. has to be an imperative for change." Nearly two months after blasting the Mfume said the NAACP is also gath- Big Four broadcast networks for devel- ering data on the top 100 advertisers in oping fall schedules that were "a virtu- the country and that a boycott of the top al whitewash" due to an absence of 25 advertisers may be in the plans, as minorities in major roles, Mfume came well. He said any call for a boycott to Los Angeles last week to meet with Mfume says the NAACP will not act against advertisers would run separate- executives at CBS, NBC and Fox. alone. It's meeting with 'four major' ly from the proposed network boycotts. On Thursday, the NAACP leader met Hispanic groups in Baltimore next week. "We want to bring to light those adver- with CBS Television CEO Leslie networks and putting plans for such a tisers who continue to support such a Moonves, Fox Entertainment President boycott in place. He said that the segregated system," he explained. Doug Herzog and NBC's West Coast NAACP will not drive any such boy- In terms of cable, Mfume said that head Scott Sassa and Entertainment cott alone. Hispanic and other minority industry is not free of the criticism his president Garth Ancier. A week earlier, organizations will also be involved, organization has placed on the broad- Mfume had met with ABC Television Mfume notes, adding that he is meeting cast networks. He singled out Disney - President Pat Fili- Krushel in New York. with "four major" Hispanic organiza- owned ESPN for its lack of diversity "The meetings were good and pro- tions in Baltimore this week to discuss behind the camera. ductive from the standpoint that initial the boycott option. "When you look specifically at the dialogue has taken place," Mfume said. "If we are forced to use that option, it ESPNs of the world and the way the "It remains to be seen however, will take place during the sweeps weeks, structure of an ESPN is, what we see is whether or not this generates real both in the fall and during the spring," an outright denial of opportunity there progress. I'm cautiously optimistic, but Mfume said. and jobs are not available off-camera. I'm a realist at the same time and I Mfume said he told the top network ESPN may be as bad, if not worse, than know that change is not going to hap- executives that the NAACP's empha- some of the networks" pen in and of itself. There has to be a sis is not only aimed at the hiring of ESPN on Friday defended its com- real imperative to bring about that more diverse cast members, but on mitment to diversity, saying in a state- change and so the position of the placing more people of color in top ment that it "is committed to providing NAACP to create that imperative has executive ranks. He said the media has opportunity throughout our organiza- not changed at all." put the emphasis on the acting front, tion. We are proud of our progress in Regarding a possible boycott of two but that is really not where the atten- the area of diversity and we continually of the networks during the important tion should be placed. seek to improve our efforts." November sweeps period, Mfume said "We are gathering data and we cer- Meanwhile, Hollywood talent agen- it remains an option and that "it's fair to tainly welcome [the broadcasters] to cies may also be targeted, Mfume say that it is going to be a reality unless give us the opportunity to understand warned, calling them "an absolute something changes that is significant what they may be doing outside of the throwback to the days of old" on their part." He did not disclose data that we may not be aware of," he "The agencies have been very quiet which two networks would be targeted. said. "We want to try and understand about all of this, but we have not been Mfume said the NAACP is gathering what the dilemma is from their per- overlooking the fact that they are prob- employment, programming and other spective, but we recognize that in 50 ably the worst example of diversity that data on all four of the top broadcast years of television that very little has we have found, he said.

4 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com ur company started in 1909 "In the newspa GG0 when my grandfather was on his honeymoon. He and my like to give our r grandmother were on a train from I t. Worth to Florida. The train stopped in document. In vid Texark ana. They spent the night and decided to stay. T iey bought a newspaper called the Four C-SPAN is States 'ress that later became the Texarkana Gazett

"The ( ompany, WEHCO Video, is named after my fat ter, Walter E. Hussman. He worked for over 5 ) years in the news business and brought us int( radio and television. He started with radio in 1935 and then added television in 1952 in Texark ana. In the early 1960s, he bought a couple of cable systems in Hope and Camden, Arkan as."

"I wer t to Lawrenceville, a prep school in New Jersey, where the greatest lesson I learned was in real -lii : ethics. One of my teachers explained that even it I lied and got away with it, there would always be one person who knew the truth and that w is me."

"I got ny undergraduate degree in journalism from t to University of North Carolina. At times I wasr t a very serious student. My journalism profes .or, Walter Spearman, said, You can always work i or your daddy's newspapers so you won't

have t ) work very hard.' That put a burr under my sat idle and I thought that's not what I wanted; I want :d to accomplish something on my own."

"After earning an MBA from Columbia, I worked

in Ne' 7 York as a reporter for Forbes magazine. In 19i 0, I returned to the family business. After learnit ig the newspaper and cable businesses,

I foun :l that I enjoyed day -to -day operations. I disc( vered that what you did with limited resour :es was just as, if not more, creative than r :porting and editing the news."

"In th newspaper business, we like to give our re tders the source document. In video progn mming, C -SPAN is the source. It lets viewers go to the source, hear it for themselves, unedit ed, and make up their own minds. I think : -SPAN has pioneered a trend where I see j )urnalism going over the next 10 to 20 years- - making the original information, that sours( material, available to a vast audience." Walter E. Hussman, Jr.

i'r2...sicent WEHC V.alco C-SPA,N® Created by C :al)Ie. l'en- er, Offered as a Public Service. C-SPAI` Beard of Direr-ors www.c-span.org

www.americanradiohistory.com TOP OF THE WEEK Putting the lid on cable? FCC not eager to grant ownership -cap relieffor AT &T's MediaOne deal, lobbyists fear By Bill McConnell and TV stations when calculating national recommended changes to the five commis- John M. Higgins and local audience reach caps. sioners before the agency's Sept. 15 meet- To broadcasters, the attribution ing. FCC officials would not comment. While the FCC has blessed changes were secondary to their suc- The current FCC ownership rules broadcasters by suddenly cessful fight to preserve most local prohibit MSOs from controlling more relaxing station ownership marketing agreements -deals often set than 30% of U.S. homes passed by rules, big cable operators cannot count up to circumvent the duopoly ban. But cable. Buying MediaOne would leave on that same generosity next month. in cable, attribution rules are a hot issue AT &T with stakes in systems passing Cable industry lobbyists worry that to the biggest multiple system opera- 61 million homes, about 64 %, and serv- the Commission might balk at their tors, who have established a Byzantine ing 37 million subs, or about 55 %. push for the loosening of similar network of investments in each other's AT &T plans to sell some systems, trim- restrictions on how many subscribers a businesses. ming its ownership to 58% of homes single operator can control. Though only AT &T is currently ham- passed and 52% of all basic subs. That's bad news for AT &T's planned pered from further growth by the current But not all investments count. The takeover of MediaOne Group, which 30% national limit on the number of FCC definitely tallies any system of cannot go through intact without major cable homes passed, the other largest which AT &T owns 50% or more. relief from the FCC. Other big cable MSOs- Comcast, Cablevision, Time AT &T is also penalized for owning operators also can forget about mega- Warner and Cox -would be hamstrung more than 5% of a publicly- traded deals if the agency holds the line. if they wanted to merge or sell out. company, under the contention that Although the commissioners decid- "The fact that they're taking this up so such an investor can wield substantial ed Aug. 5 to end the ban on TV duopo- soon after the broadcast rule changes control over a public company. lies and officially sanctioned radio/TV makes me concerned that they will However, MSOs are not penalized cross -ownership, they also stood firmly apply the same logic verbatim without for owning a large minority stake in a against any serious loosening of the thinking the consequences through," private company in which there is a industry's "attribution" rules. Those says cable attorney Arthur Harding, who single majority shareholder. rules determine how a broadcaster is represents Time Warner Entertainment. So AT &T executives say the FCC penalized for minority investments in FCC staffers are aiming to send their would attribute them with about 47% of homes passed if they buy MediaOne and sell some systems. That's well over AT &T's big reach the cap. Operators are pushing the FCC to Acquisition of MediaOne would give AT &T equity interests in 17 outside make sweeping changes, including rais- cable companies. Interests that AT &T is selling are show n in bold. ing the national ownership limit to 40% or anership Homes passed Basic subs more, plus relaxing the attribution rules. AT &T Broadband 100.0% 19,002,000 11,417,000 That may not be easy. Even though MediaOne 100.0% 8,530,000 4,970,000 broadcasters won permission to own Time Warner Entertainment 25.5% 17,940,000 11,150, 000 two stations per market, the FCC has Cablevision Systems Corporation 33.0% 5,126,000 3,419,000 refused to tinker with attribution rules. Time Warner/Texas 49.5% 2,189,000 1,109,000 Instead, the FCC actually tightened the Falcon Communications 45.9% 1,626,000 955,000 rules, eliminating some attribution Lenfest Communications 50.0% 1,383,000 1,014,000 exemptions for program suppliers that Bresnan Communications 50.0% 949,000 640,000 invest in their customers. InterMedia Capital IV* 44.6% 940,000 595,000 The FCC is expected to grant cable Adelphia Buffalo 33.3% 710,000 475,000 one wish: The Commission has indicated Intermedia Capital Partners 49.0% 653,000 424,000 it will calculate an MSO's ownership Kansas City Cable Partners 46.2% 497,000 307,000 concentration based not on homes passed Insight Communications of Indiana 50.0% 471,000 319,000 but on its percentage of all multichannel TCA Cable Partners II 20.0% 450,000 308,000 subscribers, including DBS customers. US Cable of Coastal - Texas 37.1% 216,000 135,000 That move would increase the number of Peak Cablevision, LLC 180,000 113,000 66.7% households an MSO can reach. Sioux Falls 50.0% 98,000 65,000 After applying the current attribution CAT Partnership 33.3% 57,000 39,000 rules, AT &T would own systems pass- 61,017,000 37,454,000 ing 47% of all cable homes, but serving For Sale 5,243,710 ** 2,474,000** 41% of multichannel subscribers. Still, Holdings after sales 55,773,290 34,980,000 that won't give AT &T all it needs unless *Only part of Intermedia IV is being sold * *Includes sales of certain systems to Cox and Comcast Source: AT &T filing at FCC the FCC also substantially increases the 30% threshold.

6 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com TEIP 01 THE WEEK

To change commissioners' r finds, directly control all of the programming z Went that being bigger makes it a more Harding says the industry must cc evince aired on the handful of broadcast channels i ormidable challenger to Baby Bells in regulators that big cable systems don't in each market. Harding suggested that the I he local phone business. pose the same risk to programming diver- FCC could exempt minority stakes from The tradeoff isn't worth it, says sky as networks and huge broadc: st sta- the ownership cap if the investors certify 'lark Cooper, research director for the tion groups. Cable systems, he say ,, have that they will wield no influence over the Consumer Federation of America. no control over the content aired by the company's programming choices. Cooper is leading a consumer-group scores of channels they offer. Tl e net- Cable critics worry that the commis- Challenge of the MediaOne deal on works and their affiliates, cony ,rsely, sion may be swayed by AT &T's argu- antitrust grounds. CBS, ColTriStar in soap deal Soap City cable channe gets `Young and Restless' in repurpc 'sing pact; affils get share By Joe Schlosser "If they didn't agree to repurposing, they ran the risk of losing the CBS and Columbia TriStar Te e- show," said Paul Karpowicz, execu- vision have reached an agrc e- five vice president, LIN Television ment over the future of I he and chairman of the CBS affiliate Young and The Restless that seems to board of governors. "We're never have both sides smiling and CBS' happy about giving up exclusivity," affiliates at least involved financial y. he said. "But this is a franchise The Eye net has secured brot d- show and, because of its impor- cast rights to the 26- year -old sc ip tance and CBS' willingness to split opera in a new, "long- term" cc n- whatever benefit they derived, we tract with the studio, but it had to agreed with the decision." give up exclusivity to get the &al SoapCity is one of two soap Without a repurposing agreement with CBS, 'The done. Columbia TriStar retains i he opera channels scheduled to launch Young and the Restless,' among network TV's top day- and -date rights to re- broadc ist rated daytime shows, might have gone elsewhere next January. The other is Disney's The Young and the Restless on its All My Soaps, which will be driven planned SoapCity cable channel would not give up exclusivity. But )y ABC's top soap performer, All My In exchange for giving up excl isivity, sources said the network negotiated the children. But industry analysts and ad CBS has received a financial inte rest in current deal when it became clear tgency executives question whether SoapCity and will split its stake N ith its Columbia was prepared to put the show here is a big enough market to support affiliate body. CBS executives wo rid not on another network in order to get :wo soap channels. They believe that disclose the length of the new c intact repurposing rights. iltimately the two channels will merge. nor the network's plan on how it will CBS and its affiliates wanted greatly Indeed, Columbia TriStar and Dis- divide the revenue from SoapCit y with to avoid that scenario. Y &R has been iey had been talking about a joint affiliates. But sources said the r :newal the top -rated network daytime televi- effort earlier in the development deal extends another five years. sion show for 11 years, and a major )rocess, but talks broke off. Another In May, when Columbia anm iunced factor in CBS' 12 -year winning streak attempt at getting those talks back on plans for the new channel, CBS said it in the daypart. rack is likely, sources say. In Chicago, 3 on a DTV stick

After months of negotiation: and delayed DTV plans, until next spring, WL S Engineering Director KE I Hassan three Chicago stations have finally found a home for holds out hope that the station will be able to make its their digital antennas. May 2000 on -air tar( et date. "It's been an expensive and The stations -NBC O &O /MAQ -DT, ABC O &O was -DT frustrating process.. better late than never," he says. and independent station WF NR-DT -have signed con- So far, only Fox C &O WFLD -DT is on the air it Chicago tracts with the Sears Towe to lease space and will with DTV. It has beer broadcasting from its Andrew anten- share space on a stacked D electric antenna. The cost na atop the 1,454 -fc )t Sears Tower. Sears Tower's man -

of the deal was not disclose( . agement company Ti izecHahn says it continues to negoti- The three stations were s ;heduled to be online with ate with other local s ations for space. Steve Bucoridc, the DTV in May. But station exec utives were stalemated by Sears Tower vice pre sident and general manager, says the several factors, including bi ilding owners who, some company is also piar ning to build a shared -panel antenna believed, were seeking exorbitant prices for leased that could accommo late a number of stations for analog space. The delay also force] each station to request, or digital broadcast.) hat antenna probably cculc be ready and obtain, deadline extensions from the FCC. six months after the company receives its first commit - Although the antenna isn' scheduled for installation ment, he says. -Karen Anderson

All GUST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE

www.americanradiohistory.com TOP OF THE WEEK Duopoly: Round two o ito Broadcasters expected to seek further relaxation of New rules spark CBS - Viacom talk local ownership rules While NBC and Paxson continue their mating dance at the duop ball By Bill McConnell (B &C, Aug. 16), the new rules have rekindled talk of a CBS -Viacom merger of some sort. Sources confirm CBS CEO Mel Karmazin has repeated- After wrapping up negotiations for ly told associates he wants very much to acquire Viacom, which the gov- the FCC's sweeping Aug. 5 revi- ernment forced CBS to sell off in the 1970s. sion of broadcast ownership rules, But there's just one problem- Sumner Redstone. The Viacom chieftain Chairman William Kennard was eager also sees himself as a buyer, and has openly talked about the possibility to begin a tour of Africa. But more of acquiring CBS. So, while each has its eye on the other, the issue of con- thorny ownership issues await Kennard trol is a major obstacle to any deal. "It's an absolutely perfect combination," and fellow commissioners when they says a Wall Street source. "The duopoly play is perfect and Viacom has return from working trips and vacations. strengths [production and cable] where CBS has weaknesses and vice versa." CBS' strengths are broadcast distribution, outdoor advertising and For starters, the commission is a budding Internet business. expected to face petitions to reconsider parts of the new rules, which permit Young Broadcasting has confirmed it will consider offers for KcAL(Tv) two TV Los Angeles. It's expected to draw interest from the major networks and one company to own stations in the same market under certain con- Tribune, all with owned stations in the city. But the word last week is that ditions. Young has expressed serious interest in KRON -Tv San Francisco. Young little has serious competition for the NBC affiliate, not the least of which is from Although there seems to be for any major rewriting, NBC itself. Others said to be in the hunt: Fox, Gannett and Raycom. sentiment Spanish -language TV group Telemundo has been targeted by other broadcasters are expected to ask the broadcasters looking for second outlets, said Robert Bennett, president of FCC to reconsider some details. For instance, industry officials seem irked Telemundo partner Liberty Media. "We've been approached by a few people and Telemundo is assessing the alternatives." Bennett dodged a question that the test for "remaining voices" about Univision, the vastly more successful Spanish broadcaster. Liberty, required for permitting TV duopolies only television stations, while which has $4 billion of cash on hand, is unlikely to sell outright, with its track includes record indicating a preference for taking smaller pieces of larger ventures. the voice test for permitting same -market radio/TV combos includes radio, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. intends to turn all the TV duopolies it can into pairs of owned stations, according to Chief Financial Officer David TV, cable and newspapers. "There's an inconsistency Amy. Sinclair will buy 12 of 18 LMA's. That includes wuîv(Tv) Buffalo. there," said one slightly disgruntled lobbyist. According to documents filed with the FCC, WUTV is being sold to The industry also may ask the FCC Joseph Austin Koff by Sullivan Broadcasting Co. But Sinclair is keeping an ease somewhat new LMA for the station as well as an option to buy, and as soon as FCC rules to up on a rule that allow, will purchase wuiv, Amy says. Under the new FCC rules Sinclair counts all debt and equity totaling 33% a cannot buy its LMA stations in five markets: Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore; or more of station's assets toward ownership if the investor holds another Syracuse, N.Y.; Charleston, W. Va., and Charleston, S.C. The company station in the same market or supplies can't own two TVs in those markets because a duopoly would result in programming fewer than eight unique owners per market. The LMA in Dayton, Ohio, isn't to that station. That rule doable due to station -rating issues. could penalize investors who choose to Tribune Broadcasting President Dennis FitzSimons confirmed last invest in stations with low debt levels and thwart from - week the group will convert its Seattle LMA into a duopoly. It owns the Fox could owners self to affiliate there, KCPQ(TV), and has an LMA agreement with WB affiliate financing sales minorities and other KTwB(Tv). Cox Broadcasting President Nick Trigony says the group will new industry entrants. & convert its two LMAs (Reno, Nev. and Orlando, Fla.) and a joint sales The Minority Media Telecommu- nications agreement (Charlotte, N.C.) into duopolies as soon as it can make the Council may ask the FCC to deals. "We'll have some announcements very soon." delay implementation of the new rules until the agency conducts "adequate" Granite Broadcasting does well under the new rules -it gets to keep stations in San Francisco and adjacent San Jose. Still, the buzz on Wall Street studies proving that minority owner- is that Granite will sell. But company head Don Cornwell says that's prema- ship will not be harmed by further con- ture. "I'm not sure we're a seller or a buyer," he says. "But we're sitting with solidation. "The commission is acting pretty valuable real estate in two top 10 markets [San Francisco and Detroit]." prematurely because they don't have 'We're not looking to sell, but we are open to discussing joint ventures" or detailed analysis on how this will other partnerships. -Steve McClellan, John Higgins and Liz Rathbun impact minorities," said MMTC executive director David Honig.

8 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com TIP O f THE WEEK Chip makers aim to cure DTV woes Two chip suppliers are introd icing DTV tuner chips that apply our engineerir g talent to fix the problem.' promise indoor DTV receptl m using a simple bow -tie Motorola VP of N arketing and Sales Jeff Davis says antenna, something Sinclair Broadcast Group found it MCT2100 samples will go out to set manufacturers in couldn't achieve with first -ge ieration DTV sets in Balti- 60 days and mass -I roduct quantities will be available in

more tests conducted last m )nth. first quarter 2000. I )avis expects to see the new chip The new 8 -VSB tuner chips from semiconductor giant make its way into re tail products next year. Motorola and start -up NxtVlave Communications are NxtWave, a spin off of Sarnoff Corp. run by former

designed to combat the dyn tmic multipath interference General Instrumen . VP of Technology Matt Miller, is

that caused DTV receivers tc, fail in Baltimore. And if they introducing a new F -VSB chip that also includes cable work as advertised, they me y quell the ongoing debate QAM demodulation so that it can be used in cable set - over whether the 8 -VSB moc ulation scheme used in the tops and cable -rea( y DTV sets. U.S. will work for indoor rece ption, and if not, whether it While NxtWave auldn't comment last week, industry should be replaced by the E iropean COFDM system. sources say Nxt1 Jave has taken a radically new Motorola's MCT21000 8- JSB tuner chip is the first approach to adapt ve equalization that eliminates 8- Motorola has manufactured but it can be considered a VSB multipath oblems. The company has just second -generation chip, says Frank Eory, principal received its first sill ion, which was fabricated by SGS- engineer for Motorola digite TV operations. Eory says Thomson in France and will be in volume production by Motorola used the informati m from DTV tests in Balti- the end of 1999, th sources say. more, Philadelphia, New Yo k and other locales to cor- Sinclair VP of NE N Technology Nat Ostroff says he is rect the reception problems that plague some first -gen- encouraged by the 'xtWave news, but would like to see eration 8 -VSB tuners. a real -world imple nentation of the technology. "Our

"From the data we've seer , this completely addresses avocation here is n bust reception with a simple anten- the static and dynamic multil ,ath issues," he says. "Being na," says Ostroff. "If a chip has been created that can do

the leading COFDM [chip] n anufacturer, we could have that for 8 -VSB, I SE y, 'Congratulations, and we'll be the joined the bandwagon aga. nst VSB. But we chose to first one to buy sto( k in your company.'" -Glen Dickson Encore's billion-dollar play Movie deal with Disney's Buena Vista focuses on subscript ion video on demand' By Price Colman subscriber wants them. The videos deal with BVT secures Encore suffi- come with VCR -like functions such as cient product to compete in SVOD. In what's being called the pric est pay - pause, rewind and fast forward. "John Sie strikes again," says analyst TV film licensing deal in histi Try, John Where SVOD and VOD differ is in Tom Wolzien of Sanford Bernstein. "He's Sie's Encore Media Group e.lged out the business models. With VOD, a cus- one of the smartest guys around. It's a HBO and Showtime in signing a long- tomer on a two -way digital cable net- really great concept. Was it too expen- term licensing deal with Walt Disney work orders a movie for a set price, say sive? That hasn't been determined yet." Co.'s Buena Vista Television uni :. $4. With SVOD, a customer already The transaction, announced last week, Estimates of the deal's tot il value subscribing to a premium movie pack- covers Encore's existing output deal range from $1 billion to more than $5 age pays a small additional monthly with BVT, which expires Dec. 31, 2002. billion. It's nearly impossibl ) to pin charge to obtain on -demand access to To gain exclusive SVOD rights to the down hard numbers because they're any of the movies available that month. 40 -plus films a year included in the deal, tied to how many films the studios "It's VOD without the angst," says sources said, Encore gave up a third release, how well the films do a the box Encore Chairman -CEO John Sie. pay -TV window and permitted BVT to office and whether BVT opts t ) extend "With VOD, you know you can buy it, deliver the films over the Internet at the the contract for the full 10 yea( s. but it's going to cost you. With SVOD, same time that Encore offers them. The transaction is as much about it's an enhancement of programming Typically, after theatrical release, films emerging technologies and ( volving the customer already subscribes to. I go to video -store release, then to cable or business models as it is abou money. believe SVOD is going to be the future satellite pay -per -view (PPV) and VOD, Megabucks aside, what disti iguishes of pay TV." then to premium movie channel distribu- the deal for both Encore an 1 Buena Sie isn't alone. HBO and Showtime, tion, then to network TV or syndication. Vista is the attention it focus( s on the Encore's key competitors, also are explor- The output deal gives Encore rights to growing pay -TV category ca17 3d "sub- ing SVOD in preparation for launches all theatrical releases from Touchstone, scription video on demand" that could come as soon as next year. Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and SVOD is like video-on- iemand Although Encore, which owns Starz! Dimension for four years, beginning Jan. (VOD) in that it uses a video f le server and 12 other premium movie networks, 1, 2003. Disney has the option to extend to store and deliver commet Sial -free had output deals with three smaller stu- the deal for another six years, which videos, typically movies, wh never a dios encompassing SVOD rights, the would take it through Dec. 31, 2012. IUGUST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 8

www.americanradiohistory.com FINANCIAL BROADCASTING & CABLE / BLOOMBERG STOCK INDEXES BROADCAST TV (8/19/98-8/20/99) CAB E TV 8/19/98 -8/20/99) RADIO (W19/98-8/20199) WRAP -UP 300 350 800 250 300 700 Week of August 16 -20 600 200 250 200 500 WINNERS 150 400 150 8/20 midday % change 100 300 100 200 EchoStar $74.75 13.79 50 50 100 $10.63 Granite 9.42 0 o o ValueVision $26.06 9.13 Week ending 8/20 Week ending 8/20 Week ending 8/20 Citadel $33.00 8.65 Close 266.29 Close 293.76 Close 682.03 Infinity $28.06 8.17 High 266.29 High 299.38 High 683.47 LOSERS Low 262.37 Low 291.32 Low 661.63 8/20 midday % change DOW JONES NASDAQ SAP Big City Radio 500 $4.00 (9.50) Week ending 8/20 Week ending 8/20 Week ending 8/20 Cox Radio $52.19 (8.26) Close 11100.60 Close 2648.33 Close 1336.61 Liberty $33.31 (4.32) High 11117.10 High 2671.22 High 1344.77 Sinclair $17.81 (3.87) Low 10963.80 Low 2621.43 Low 1323.59 TCI Satellite $3.75 (3.47) Media giants play PVR field NBC, Disney, Time Warner lead group that invests $57M in Replay's high -tech VCR

By Richard Tedesco Research. "The whole category is going million to immediately pump up through the roof right now." Replay's prospects. "With that kind of Media powers are ponying up to That was precisely what NBC had in money, you're going to see marketing stake claims in personal video mind in backing both PVR start-ups. like you've never seen before," she said. recording companies, with "We clearly saw the impact of this," A major TV ad campaign is planned Replay Networks reaping $57 million says Peg Murphy, vice president of for the fall, according to Jim Plant, from several major players last week. NBC Interactive Media. "NBC wanted Replay marketing director, who added NBC, Disney and Time Warner lead to have a very loud voice in this." that a "large chunk" of the $57 million the list of Replay investors. Others Disney participated in a $32 million will drive the TV promotion. Replay include Showtime Networks, Liberty round of financing for TiVo late last and TiVo plan to aggressively push their Media and the Matsushita unit that makes month with CBS, Discovery, Comcast boxes during the Christmas season. disk drives for both personal video Communications and Cox Communi- While major media companies are recorder (PVR) startups Replay and TiVo. cations. NBC had previously invested seeking a piece of the action, they're PVRs are quickly being tagged as the in TiVo. also pressing current and future PVR next consumer electronics skyrocket by Speaking at a New York digital participants to license the programming observers who see a large audience for media conference sponsored by Kagan that enables consumers to rewind and live TV with VCR -like functionality. Seminars, Murphy added that NBC and fast forward. Time Warner, CBS and These set-top devices permit viewers to other investors saw barriers to entering Disney are part of the newly formed pause, rewind or fast forward to skip the fledgling PVR business already ris- Advanced Television Copyright Coali- ads while watching TV in real time, or ing quickly. And she expects the $57 tion seeking to establish parameters program the devices to save 24 to 30 around use of their programming. hours of shows on disk drives for "They've all gone on this cam- later viewing. Replay enables paign to cover their bases," says Repla users to search for shows by actor Jim Penhune, analyst for Boston - at 9:00pm 140 minutes; recorded 3/22/1999 or genre; TiVo develops a viewer awry and based Yankee Group. "It's a mixed Apollo 13: A routine space shot goes horribly Pasto profile and records shows based astronauts are stranded in space. Tom Hanks, Bill message. They all want to have a on prior preferences. Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris. place in these ventures, but they Forrester estimates that 14 mil- want to have [copyright] control Mcóeal lion U.S. households will have Ally McBeal Ally as well." the new devices by 2004 -after Tom Hanks Apollo 13 Both Replay and TiVo claim the PVR unit prices drop from the 'Law & Order True North copyright issue isn't a problem present $500 to $700 range to 'Investing. "There are no conflicts between around $200. The Simpsols Replay and members of the coali- "These companies want a front - 49ers tion," says Plant. A row seat on what's happening here , Kubrick and this enables them to stay close Replay lets viewers to this and not get left out," says customize their TV Josh Bernoff, principal time through search, analyst for record and other Cambridge, Mass. -based Forrester modes. to BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com TIPP IF THE WEEK spokeswoman for TiVo says the com- 1=EMM M=IM pany doesn't believe it's infring ng on any copyrights and plans to wor : ami- CLOSED IIRCUIT cably with its partners going card. for BEHIND THE SCENES, BEFORE THE FACT TiVo's investors will becom ; programming partners, the spokesv ornan TR" "=<-,rrTON REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. says. Most of Replay's new in' estors will have places in a "Replay Zo ie, "- Recess doesn't mean relax Nobody's @Home a programming preview area hat is The National Association of Investors are in agony over the 64% being created for networks to show- Broadcasters doesn't want FM plunge in Excite @Home's stock case their programming, Plant s.id. interference protections relaxed in since April, but company insiders Further, the PVR universe is set to order to make room for low -power have tried to shelter themselves expand exponentially, with Mic rosoft radio stations. Apparently the NAB from the storm. A wide range of Corp. the next player pushing in doesn't want relaxed lawmakers, Excite @Home executives have The satellite -delivered vers on of either. Last week the group urged unloaded around $90 million worth Microsoft's WebTV over Echc Star's its members to rally their home of stock since April, when the com- Dish Network now permits vies 'ers to state congressional delegations pany's stock peaked. Data from pause live shows. Later this ear, a against low -power FM during the insider trading analysis firm software upgrade will enable v ewers August recess. The NAB also CDA/Investnet shows that recent to record, rewind and fast fo ward, faxed a sample letter intended as a sellers included Excite @Home according to John Kelley, 'A ebTV guide for lawmakers who might be Chairman Tom Jermoluk (raising product marketing manager, MI o says inclined to tell the FCC to drop the $5.8 million); board member and Microsoft sees this personaliza ion in idea. (Lest the flurry of letters Liberty Media Corp. Chairman the larger context of WebTV's evolu- seem anything other than the John Malone ($2.9 million); CFO tion. "It's part of a broader TV 4.xperi- politicians' own, however, the Ken Goldman ($4,030,050) and ence," Kelley says. NAB noted that the sample should Senior Vice President of Marketing America Online last week ook a not be copied verbatim.) The sam- Dean Gilbert ($3 million). minority stake in TiVo, with p ans to ple also notes that tests by the Excite @Home's shares have been use the technology with AOL TV, a NAB and the Consumer Electronic crunched by the downdraft in Inter- WebTV-like service that will allow Manufacturers Association show net stocks, plus America Online's Web surfing on TV next year. that low -power signals would push to rip away E @H's exclusive Meanwhile, Quantum, the co npany interfere with existing channels. access to affiliates' cable systems. that provides the enabling tech iology for the disk drives in TiVo and I;eplay, A chunk of Nostalgia LOS ANGELES is working with consumer electronics It could be a takeover that's both Cuts at Touchstone companies, preparing r really cheap and really expensive. to delive PVR Sources say those expected job cuts functionality through cable s :t -tops Goodlife TV's sugar daddy, Con- cept Communications, may finally at Touchstone Television will likely and embedded in TVs. come down early this week. "We're working with them on many be getting around to taking the ail- ing network private. Concept, an Employees of the Disney -owned TV different implementations," say ; Bent- studio have been waiting for weeks ley Nelson, Quantum's mangy ger affiliate of the Rev. Sun Myung of to hear who will be kept as a result strategic and technical marketir g. Moon's Unification Church Inter- of the studio's merger with ABC. Meanwhile, r national, owns 70% of Goodlife major consume elec- ABC Television Group Co- chair- tronics entrants could drive the :ost of parent Nostalgia Network Inc. and man Lloyd Braun is expected to PVRs down quickly. TiVo cu gently has been pumping in money since announce as early as today that one- charges $500 for its box and 10 per 1994. In the past, Concept officials third of the studio's work force will month for its service. Replay's is didn't want to allocate the cash to box be laid off or repositioned within the $700; the service itself is free. buy out public shareholders, pre- Disney ranks, sources say. Touch- TV networks face the loss poten- ferring instead to put the cash into of stone and ABC executives were not tially huge ad revenues as PVI. pene- operations. But Concept disclosed commenting on Friday. tration grows because of con:- milers' in a recent securities filing that it ability to skip ads. Analysts s iy that may buy out all public sharehold- NEW YORK could prompt pay -per -view pr )gram - ers. Nostalgia's stock is just 6 cents ming, new forms of sponsorshij s and a a share, so buying up the 6.2 mil- `Passions' can fade scramble for enhancements t ) keep lion publicly held shares could cost Early ratings returns on NBC's new eyeballs on those ad spots. a mere $300,000. The expensive soap Passions aren't so good. As of "But in the end," says For ester's part is that Concept has funneled last Thursday, 18 local Nielsen Bernoff, "there's not a whole tot you $70 million into Goodlife so far. books (covering 15% of the coun- can do to a Tampon commercia 1 to get Goodlife president Squire Rushnell try) for the July sweeps were in and people to watch it." said that going private might make they showed Passions averaging a That could portend a wholes. le shift it easier for the network to execute 1.4 household rating and a 6 share, in TV advertising as PVRs be Tome a a deal with the MSO investors he's compared to a 2.3/11 for the same permanent part of the living roo n land- courting. time periods in July 1998. scape, industry observers note.

AU ;UST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING 8 CABLE it

www.americanradiohistory.com TOP OF THE WEEK FCC proves weak cable ally On open access, agency says both sides' arguments may rest on faulty premises

By Bill McConnell services. Rather than aligning itself with The cable industry had been expecting either the cable industry or the local a much stronger endorsement since FCC Cable operators were expecting franchise authorities, the FCC said both Chairman William Kennard earned a the FCC to take an aggressive sides "may have premised their argu- standing ovation at the National Cable stand against local Internet ments on a faulty legal assumption." Television Association in June by telling access rules, but the agency offered The FCC indicated it might instead industry officials that he would push to only tepid moral support. put all broadband providers, including pre-empt Portland's mles if the industry The FCC last week urged a federal digital subscriber lines offered by tele- would only ask the agency to act. Kennard appeals court to avoid any ruling that phone companies, under a common invigorated industry hopes two weeks ago would have broad implications for the advanced telecommunications frame- when he rejected his local and state advi- rollout of broadband services when work, thus cutting out local franchise sory board's request for a formal inquiry deciding on AT &T's challenge to Port- authorities but also holding out the pos- into the need for open -access rules. But land, Ore.'s open -access rules for cable sibility of its own open access rules. the other commissioners refused to step on Internet providers. But the agency steered That might be the way to go if cable one local regulators' toes before deciding what clear of any specific suggestions and day forges a broadband monopoly, the regulatory scheme the service falls under. would not say that its decision to hold off FCC suggested, noting that it is "the only For its part, the cable industry denies on national broadband rules also obligates agency with jurisdiction over all the cur- disappointment. After all, the FCC did local regulators to demur as well. rent providers of broadband technology." argue that all regulators should keep a "If AT &T was looking for full -bore But the FCC would not even rule out hands -off approach and that broadband support, it didn't get it," says Andrew the possibility that cable broadband could deployment would be needlessly Schwartzman, president of Media be regulated as a telecommunication serv- delayed if thousands of municipal gov- Access Project. ice, which would make it subject to the ernments imposed their own cable "I don't think AT &T and the FCC are full range of interconnection and equip- Internet rules. The agency also noted as like- minded as conventional wisdom ment co- location services phone compa- that it might decide to pre -empt local would have it," says Scott Cleland, ana- nies must provide to their competitors. rules in the future. lyst with Legg Mason's Precursor Group. AT &T and the cable industry are ask- ing the appeals court to strike down the Portland mandate that would force the company to give competing Internet Clinton PSA a hit service providers access to the compa- Anti -violence ad gets prime time on 30 networks ny's broadband network. The rules were imposed as a condition of AT &T's by Paige Albiniak "Many of the networks have already acquisition of the local Tele- Communi- pledged to continue airing these PSAs cations Inc. franchise and upheld in June The top six broadcast networks and during different time slots for the by the federal district court in Portland. 24 cable channels were all on remainder of this year. So let me say AT &T argues that its broadband board last week when the White once again, I am very, very grateful to service is a cable service exempt from House showed off a new public service all the people involved who have ful- telephone -style access rules. But the announcement encouraging kids to talk filled the commitment that they made district court ruled that Portland's to their parents about violence. at our Youth Violence Summit in open- access rules are similar to the The 30 outlets aired the White May to use the power of your medium FCC's must -carry rules for local broad- House -endorsed ad last Wednesday to send out positive messages to our casters and do not turn cable compa- night between the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., a children." nies into telephony -like common carri- broadcast technique the campaign's For their part, network executives ers. sponsors call a "roadblock." and lobbyists said later that they appre- But the FCC also refused to say "This ensures that virtually all people ciated hearing grateful -in lieu of crit- whether cable Internet services should watching television prime time this ical -words from an administration be classified as "cable," or whether they evening will have an opportunity to see the that has made a habit of beating up on should be considered "telecommunica- spot," said Rick Gitter, NBC vice presi- them. tions" or even "advanced services" dent of advertising standards and program Lobbyists typically shy away from "The answer to this question is far compliance, who attended the event. White House events to avoid getting from clear," the FCC said in a brief "This so- called television roadblock caught on one side of a political issue, filed with the federal appeals court in is really unprecedented. The networks such as gun control. Nevertheless, all San Francisco. are donating $1.5 million of free air- four of the top broadcast networks had The answer also is critical in deciding time in one night alone. That's more representatives at the White House how much leeway municipal govern- blanket coverage than I get for the State event, including Gitter and top network ments have to regulate cable broadband of the Union," said President Clinton. lobbyists ABC Senior Vice President

12 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com TOP IF THE WEEK Preston Padden, CBS Senior part of a two -year, $15 million Vice President Marty Franks annual effort to focus on youth and Fox Senior Vice President violence and how to curtail it. Peggy Binzel. National Asso- (Conlon is the former publisher ciation of Broadcasters Presi- of BROADCASTING & CABLE) dent Eddie Fritts and Motion All parties plan to continue air- Picture Association of Ameri- ing the spot for the next few ca President Jack Valenti also months. were on hand for the The National Association of announcement. Broadcasters last Friday The last time the adminis- uplinked the PSA to all its tration announced a PSA members, while Showtime Inc. effort, in conjunction with free made it available via satellite to health care for kids, CBS and local cable operators. Fox chose not to attend, while "Broadcasters are commit- ABC stayed in the back- At a White House ceremony. Clinton expresses grafite le to ted to helping foster a national ground. At the time, all four the television industry for continual airing of the anti- dialogue that helps to prevent networks were unhappy with a violence public service announcements through 1999 violence in our communities," letter from Larry Irving, head said Fritts. "The new PSA is of the National Telecommunications Since then, relations between broad- meant to support parents, who have the and Information Administration, casters and the administration have toughest job of all." encouraging the FCC to keep a tight thawed some. In conjunction with the Ad Council, rein on broadcast ownership rules. The The Ad Council's new president, the NAB plans to announce at its Radio networks felt the administration was Peggy Conlon, says the PSA -which Show in Orlando at the end of this saying one thing in private and another features President Clinton and children month that it also will make radio spots thing publicly. talking about violence -is a continuing available to its radio members.

also raised the possibility that it would strip Turro's licenses for two translators located in an adjacent county that rebroadcast

By Paige Alóiniak and Bill McConnell wJUx programming. Agency staff said he mis- led regulators by assuring Burns to FCC: Let William Kennard. "While Bliley and Burns do not I remain deeply commit- agree on major pros isions them that his outlets only Lockheed/Comsat w.IUx ted a in the legislation, w Lich would retransmit deal proceed to arriving at legisla- is tion solution, further stalling the process. signals when, in fact, they Sen. Conrad Burns (R- delay ...will be damaging did not always receive a Mont.) encouraged regula- to the prospects of provid- Monticello win!. ; clear signal from the sta- tors to consider Lockheed ing information technolo- FCC staffers tion and sometimes Martin a common carrier gies to rural Americans rebroadcast phone trans- so that the overruled aerospace man- via satellite." Congress is missions from the w.IUx ufacturer can purchase Monticello Mountai atop trying to privatize Comsat studio. But Judge Arthur nearly half of U.S. satel- Broadcasting can re ;t easy. so that it runs more effi- Steinberg found that the lite company Comsat for An FCC administra ive and charges lower FCC had not proven about $2.8 billion. With- ciently law judge last week over- prices to companies that Turro's signal reception out the approval ruled agency staffer ; seek- FCC's of problems or any broadcast a new designation for use its transponders to ing to revoke the co npa- of phoned -in program- Lockheed Martin, by law provide international ny's license for w.Iu «FM) ming. For its part, Monti- the company would only broadcast and communi- in Monticello, N.Y. cello be able to buy 10% of cations services. The Sen- Staffers had argued that proved that it was Comsat. "I believe it ate passed such legislation Monticello illegally turned firmly in control of w.lux, would be irresponsible on sponsored by Burns on over control of the - tation Steinberg said, by negoti- my part if I continued to July 1. The House last to Gerard A. Turro, whose ating a lucrative $440,000 request that the Commis- year overwhelmingly Jukebox Radio sum lied all contract from Jukebox sion withhold action on passed similar legislation, programming for w ux Radio and by insisting that the pending Lockheed sponsored by House Com- through a time-brokerage Jukebox Radio provide Martin application for merce Committee Chair- agreement. In 1997 the public service and new authorized carrier status," man Tom Bliley (R -Va.), FCC ordered Monti cello programming aimed Burns wrote in an Aug. 13 but has not reconsidered to show why its licc nse specifically at the station's letter to FCC Chairman the Comsat bill this year. should not be revoked and community.

AU ,UST 23, 1988 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 13

www.americanradiohistory.com COVER STORY Coing into the annual NATPE conference last Janu- ary, 23 original first -mn shows from Hollywood's top syndicators were being sold for the upcoming season. The distributors were pitching six new talk shows (seven if you count Paramount Domes- tic Television's Leeza), eight weekly series, five game shows, two newsmagazines and a pair of court-based programs. Now, almost seven months later and only days away from the start of the 1999 -2000 television season, a total of 15 new first -mn shows are putting the final touches on their premiere episodes. Four new talk shows have made the cut, gaining enough national broadcast station clearances to get the green light from their respective studios. Rap -star -turned -actress Queen Lati- fah, fitness guru and former talk show host Richard Simmons, radio personality Dr. Joy Browne and comedian-actor Martin Short are all fronting new chat shows this fall. Pearson Televi- sion's planned talker Christopher and Camilla and Buena Vista's The Ainsley Harriott Show failed to make the cut. Seven new weekend series are going to make it -only Para - mount's underwater series Avalon failed to get off the ground. Rysher Entertainment is offering Relic Hunter with actress Tia Carrere; New Line is selling Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World; and Tribune Entertainment has BeastMaster: The Legend Continues. Also available for weekend play is Colum- bia TriStar Television Distribution's entertainment -sports series Battle Dome, Eyemark Entertainment's Peter Benchley's Amazon, Buena Vista's Star Search -like program Your Big Break and Hamilton Entertainment's The Dream Team. Of the four game -relationship shows offered for the fall, two have made it all the way to September: Pearson Televi- sion's remake of Family Feud and PolyGram/Universal Tele- vision's relationship show Blind Date. Buena Vista's Let's Make a Deal and Paramount's Who Knew? were put on the back burner. MGM Television's National Enquirer is the only new newsmagazine program, as Studios USA's Free Speech died a quick death after NATPE. Two court shows were on the market and two court shows are coming to a TV station near you this fall, as the hot genre continues to pick up steam. Twentieth Television is remaking Divorce Court, and Warn- er Bros. has another judge to add to its fold in Judge Mathis. Here is a closer look at the new syndicated shows coming this fall:

BATTLE DOME Columbia TriStar Television Distri- bution has combined a profes- . sional wrestling -type program with the format of former syndicated series American Gladi- ators to come up with their new weekly series Battle Dome. Three outside competitors will face off against 10 Battle Dome warriors each 8 week in extreme -sports com- petitions that feature ongoing story lines and an annual 8 championship. "The war -

BY JOE SCHLOSSER Ñ=

14 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com COVER STORY riors are very distinct Ind over the top," says CTTD's Exec- Fifteen original utive Vice President rif Programming Russ Krasnoff. "We want to feature these characters in each episode as much as possible to help bring people back to the show. Viewers will want to tune in each w :ek to watch the characters as much as syndicated shows they are going to war to see the action." The three outside competitors will compete each week for $1,000 on a tough join the race obstacle course and in other athletic events. for BEASTMASTER: THE LEGEND CONTINUES Dar, the BeastMaster, is coming back to television in a new action viewers this fall series from Tribune Entertainment. The one -hour weekly series starring Daniel Goddard (Home and Away) is based on Andre Norton's book The Beast Master and the popular Beastmaster films of the last decade. The show is being shot on location in Queensland, Australia, and debuts on Oct. 4. The series will follow Dar, the last surviving male of the Sula tribe, who can communicate telepathically with the ani- mals of the ancient w

BLIND DATE The phrase "blind date " is going to take on a whole new mean- ing when PolyGram/l lniversal Television's new nightly relationship series of the s.tme name debuts next month. Each half- hour episode of Blintl Date will feature two separate blind dates with strangers '. iho are matched according to hobbies, interests and "compat ble neuroses," according to the show's producers. Roger Lox ge, formerly of E! Entertainment, will host the show and pre vide viewers with background information and comments on the dates. Camera crews will be sent out on each date, and funr y comments and instant analysis will be shown on the screen a ; the date heats up.

DIVORCE COURT Twentieth Television s taking the format of the old Divorce Court series and mm king it a reality series. The original Divorce Court, which aired in the '70s, used actors as litigants. However, the 1999-2( 00 version from Fox's syndication unit will feature actual dig creed couples. Mablean Ephriam, a no- nonsense family law ; ttomey from Los Angeles, is the show's judge and the center of the action -A la Judge Judy. Each episode will feature o to case and most will have footage of the couples before the diN orce. "I was a mediator, not a judge. But the change from the n al courtroom scene to the TV courtroom is not much different,' says Ephriam. Paul Franklin, Twentieth Television's executive vice president and general sales manager, says Divorce Court will be a lively and emotional show. "These are two peopl! who were married and had a relationship. No matter how i :'s decided, there will be a lot of feelings and emotions involve I."

THE DREAM TEAM The BKS Bates/Ham lton Entertainment weekly action series The Dream Team add :d a little fire power last week when former James Bond stai Roger Moore was added to the show's cast. The role Moore will play, the leader of the show's elite group of intelligenc agents, was originally set for Martin Sheen. Sheen, who tarred in The Dream Team's two -hour pilot episode, left the: show to join NBC's upcoming drama

AU8 -08T 28, 1888 / 88OADCASTIIHG & CABLE 15

www.americanradiohistory.com COVER STORY West Wing. "It was originally a `Charlie' editorial strengths of the tabloid, The role with Sheen, where you would have National Enquirer. The half -hour strip just seen a talking head giving out the will be hosted by Mike Walker, the sen- mission orders," says David Tumaroff, ior editor and lead gossip columnist at one of the show's producers. "But Roger the paper. "We're going to be a daily is going to be much more involved and show, but we are not going to be chas- we'll see him a lot out of his base in the ing daily news," says David Wyler, one south of France." The Dream Team is of the show's executive producers. "We primarily taping out of Puerto Rico, with are going to be a lot like the weekly a few episodes in Canada and Europe, paper, taking new angles on second -day Tumaroff says. stories. About 90% of the stories will Mayor Ed Koch as judge, is bringing come out of the paper. And on the THE DR. JOY BROWNE SHOW Detroit's Greg Mathis to syndication. majority of them, we'll take them and Eyemark Entertainment is bringing Mathis, a former gang member who do in -depth features for TV." Walker, licensed clinical psychologist and syndi- spent time in jail in his youth, has an who will oversee all the news- cated radio talk show host Dr. Joy almost storybook tale behind his rise to magazine's stories and editorial con- Browne to television on Sept. 13. the bench. After his incarceration, Math- tent, will open each half-hour show Browne, whose radio program is broad- is promised his dying mother that he with a monologue filled with items cast to over 300 radio stations in the U.S. would turn his life around, and he did. from his weekly column. and Canada, says this talker will He attended college, went to law school be decidedly different from and became the youngest judge in PETER BENCHLEY'S AMAZON the rest. "The idea is that if Michigan's history. "His background is Peter Benchley, the man behind such you have a problem, you are very important to this show," says Warn- films as Jaws and The Creature, is now welcome to come on the er Bros. /Telepictures executive Jim going after the weekend syndication mar- show. And if you don't, Paratore. "For viewers watching the ket. Benchley's then you are not going to program, it will help them relate to the Amazon, which is be on there," says Browne. way he makes his decisions and handles being distributed "We are not going to have his courtroom." by Eyemark Enter- people pushing books or tainment, follows pushing movies or THE MARTIN SNORT SHOW the story of a their latest projects. King World Productions' is bringing group of plane We want people who another big name to syndication, and crash survivors in have problems, and executives at the home of Oprah Win- the South Ameri- I'm going to try and frey and Wheel of Fortune believe they can jungle. C. help them." Each one- have found the next big talk show star in Thomas Howell hour episode will fea- Martin Short. Short has starred on Sat- and Carol Alt star in the weekly series, ture a single topic and urday Night Live, in various films and which was created and will be produced usually one set of guests, on numerous talk shows. The program by Benchley. "It's an hour of action and Browne says. will be taped in Los Angeles and is suspense, but the writing on this show is being produced by Short, Bernie Brill - going to separate this from the others," FAMILY FEUD stein and former Forgive or Forget says Ed Wilson, Eyemark Entertain- Comedian Louie Anderson is taking show -runner Stuart Krasnow. A number ment's president. "Given the fact that over where Richard Dawson and the late of comic actors will be a regular part of Peter Benchley is attached and that every Ray Combes left off as the host of the each show, and celebrity guests will be episode is going to be promoted like an classic game show Family Feud. "I'm incorporated into stunts and short event, we really believe Amazon is going following in some pretty big footsteps," spoofs. Short says he won't have a tra- to be a strong weekend player." Anderson says. "I watched Richard and ditional opening. "If it was a mono- Ray, and they both had their own styles. logue, it would be a monologue that QUEEN LATIFAH I think I've got my own thing as well. makes a left turn that makes a left turn Queen Latifah, who has seemingly You have to play the game, but I'm going into another left turn," Short says. "We done everything in the entertainment to do a lot of comedy with the families. If might open with a song or we might industry-a prolific music career, a net- someone says a dumb answer, I'm usual- open with me sitting down and talking work television sitcom and starring ly ready with something like `You're out with a sidekick about last night's roles in major Hollywood films -is of the family.' " The game itself is almost Oscars. To see me come through a cur- now trying her luck in the talk show entirely the same as it was, two families tain and do a string of jokes about the world. The talker is distributed by dueling it out for $10,000. Michael Can- President would feel like I'm borrowing Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros. ter (Dating Game /Newlywed Game) is from Mr. [Jay] Lenox' Domestic Television, and it debuts the executive producer, and Pearson nationally on Sept. 20. "For the most Television is the distributor. NATIONAL ENQUIRER part, it's going to be a single topic show With Hard Copy, American Journal with a mix sort of like Oprah's," says JUDGE MATHIS and a handful of other newsmagazines Telepictures Productions' President Jim Warner Bros., the producers of the orig- exiting over the last two years, MGM Paratore. "There will be celebrities on inal People's Court and the latest ver- executives decided to test the waters certain shows, newsmakers on others sion that featured former New York City with a new magazine that exploits the and real people with real issues other

18 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

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Fou i kartising Sales For St.aUtn Information: Jere Patterson Phone: -5555 MEDIACAST Phore: 212/529 -3584 212/765 S ENTERTAINMENT, LLC Fax: 212/765 -6840 In association wu ti George Back. FEZ: 212/529 -3126 www.americanradiohistory.com COVER STORY days. But it will all be handled with just give a person a day off to be pam- advantage of that brand," says New Line class and dignity and some reasonable pered." Executive Vice President David Spiegel - approach." Latifah's mother, Rita man. "And John Landis is not just a Owens, will lend her unique perspec- SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S THE name on a slate, he's involved in almost tive on the issues, and up- and -coming LOST WORLD every aspect of this thing" musical talent will often be featured. New Line Television and executive pro- YOUR BIG BREAK ducer John Landis (Animal House, Trad- Buena Vista Television and Dick Clark are ing Places) are teaming up to take the taking a talent show format that has been classic dinosaur tale in a new direction. airing in a number of European nations for "The shows will stick to the premise of sometime and Americanizing it. It's a lot Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original story, like Star Search, but with a funny twist. but will take some pretty radical turns," Your Big Break gives ordinary viewers the says Landis, who also produces Buena chance to sing a song from one of their Vista Television's weekly syndicated favorite musical acts, and the show dress- series Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. "Doyle es the viewer up to look like the star. didn't have aliens and time travel and Christopher Reid, formerly of the rap duo lost civilizations, but we will." The Lost Kid -n -Play, is the show's host. "Every- World is being shot on location in Aus- body thinks they might be a star, but this RELIC HUNTER tralia, and post- production is being han- show really gives them a chance to Actress Tia Carrere is set to play a dled in Montreal. "When people think of become one," says Clark. "It's different female version of Indiana Jones in The Lost World, they think of Jurassic than all the other fare that is out there on Rysher Entertainment's action hour Park [the film], so we are able to take the weekend. It's not an action series." Relic Hunter. Carrere plays a history professor who tracks down lost icons and rare treasures. "It is a modern take on Indiana Jones, but Tia is certainly not Harrison Ford," says Gil Grant, one of the show's producers. "She's a lot prettier than he is." Fifteen episodes are being taped in Toronto and seven more Shrinking the in Paris, Grant says. The story lines will take on a French twist once the show moves its production home to Paris in November.

RICHARD SIMMONS' DREAM MAKER Former Deal -A- playing field Meal pitchman and daytime talk show host Richard Sim - Wave consolidations mons, is looking to of among syn- fulfill viewers dreams in his new dicators makes everyone an insider daily series from Tribune Entertainment. The one -hour here did the syndi- solidations are also said to be on the show premieres on Sept. 20 and will now cation business go? block or looking for strategic alliances originate from Los Angeles, rather than a Since the doors with bigger distribution hubs, includ- Las Vegas hotel as was originally closed at this ing MGM Domestic Television. MGM planned. Tribune executives say that year's NATPE executives say that it is "imperative" logistically Los Angeles makes more conference in Jan- that the studio's syndication division sense. They are expected to announce a uary, syndication align itself with a major player in the $12 million sponsorship deal that will distribution companies have been dis- television business in the coming allow Simmons to make even more appearing faster than the fights on The months. Pearson Television's U.S. divi- dreams come true over the course of the Jerry Springer Show. Worldvision sion, which now distributes Baywatch season. Each show will feature a live stu- Enterprises, Rysher Entertainment, and a number of game shows domesti- dio audience, with a handful of wishes PolyGram Domestic Television and cally, is also rumored to be open to the being fulfilled all over the country dur- even syndication giant King World highest bidder. And changes may be in ing each show. "This show is going to be Productions have all been gobbled up store for a number of established syndi- very uplifting; some dreams are going to by larger entities since spring, and cators, including Disney's Buena Vista be funny, some poignant," Simmons insiders say a few more distributors Television. Sources say because of all says. "Some dreams will give computers may sell out by the end of the year. the reshuffling and cost -cutting taking to schools, some money to people who A small group of syndication com- place at Disney, Buena Vista Television want to go back to school and some will panies not affected by the rash of con- could be hit with major changes before

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Contact: Joe Perkins/ Synidicator 617- 964 -2060 Scott Basilotta/Manager, Affiliate Relations 203- 353 -2871 Source: Nielsen Media Research MO '9,8-May '99 survey combined ratiigi: Shotgun, Shotgun Saturday Night X1999 World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. All right! reseed. www.americanradiohistory.com COVER STORY the new millennium. Rysher's parent company Cox Broadcast- into almost any negotiation." The first -run syndication industry, ing and a handful of successful TV series. As for the lack of creativity and which only a few years ago was a thriv- "It would be foolish to say there will opportunities for outside producers and ing business with over 20 distribution not be anymore mergers, because I syndicators, some distribution execu- outlets selling programming to all 50 think there will be," says Studios USA tives are wondering where the fresh states, is now run by a handful of pow- Domestic Television President Steve ideas will come from in an industry full erful Hollywood studios and distribu- Rosenberg. "There are still a few com- of court-show and talk -show copycats. tors with ties to major television station panies out there hanging on." "What scares me is that we have gone chains. Without a connection to a stu- The changing landscape among the from an industry of 25 to 30 companies to dio or a TV station group, syndication syndication "suppliers" has a number of an industry of about 10. And the question executives say it is nearly impossible to station executives wondering how the I have is, `Will we do as much program clear a show nationally these days. string of mergers and acquisitions will development with the 10 as we did with Those left standing after this year's affect them. Dick Kurlander, vice presi- the 30 ?' " one top syndication executive consolidation run prove just that: Time dent and director of programming at said. "If we are not, then the industry is Warner -owned Warner Bros. Domestic Petry Television, says the major distribu- going to be affected- because who ever Television; Fox -owned Twentieth Televi- tors will now clearly have the upper hand thought that the short Jewish judge would sion; Barry Diller's Studios become a break -out hit." USA; Tribune Co.'s distribu- Matt Cooperstein, senior tion company Tribune Enter- vice president of distribution tainment; Viacom's Para- at PolyGram Television, mount Domestic Television; which was acquired by Uni- Sony's Columbia Tri-Star; versal Television a few and CBS' Eyemark and now months ago, says buyers want King World divisions. diversity in the marketplace "It has always been sur- and they are not going to get vival of the fittest in this as much in this environment. business, and it continues to "I think when you have be that way," says Bill Car- only a few sellers, there will roll, vice president and head be fewer choices;" says Coop - of programming at Katz erstein. "I think there's going Television. "I think what you to be less creativity and less are really looking at, rather risk taking. And I don't think than the small companies Pearson Television's U.S. division, which distributes the popular it's such a great thing. When `Baywatch'series, may be the next syndicator gobbled up in the falling by the way side, are consolidation frenzy. there are more ideas flowing companies that were suc- into the marketplace, there is a cessful, up -and -running operations, look- in negotiations with individual stations. tendency to get fresher, more innovative ing at the playing field and doing what "This is bad for the industry for mul- product on the air." made the most sense. No one would have tiple reasons," says Kurlander. "It's bad Paramount executives, who have seen anticipated King World being absorbed from the stand point of leverage and we their programming output almost double by anybody five years ago." all know the leverage game. This just overnight, say there is no need to worry. For King World, the long -time distrib- accentuates the leverage the distributor "It is going to be the same way as it utor of The Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy has to launch product and renew mar- was," says Joel Berman, co- president and The Oprah Winfrey Show, pairing up ginal product. And now that we are of Paramount Domestic Television. with CBS meant instant station alignment down to about eight major players, I "There is no change in philosophy, and for the company, not to mention $2.5 bil- think its bad in terms of creativity. Now we will still try and produce the best lion in King World's coffers. PolyGram all the creativity and the chances are kind of product possible. I don't think (Motown Live, The Crow, Stairway to being taken on the cable side." there is anything in the structure today, Heaven) went under the Universal Televi- Dick Askin, the president of Tribune despite all of the consolidation, that sion banner, because the company with Entertainment, agrees with Kurlander, would prevent anybody with a good the famous music label needed an infu- even on the issue of leverage. But Askin show that is well executed to be able to sion of money and a future. says the consolidation on the distribution get it on the air and be successful." And Paramount Television Group, side goes hand in hand with the ongoing But is there still a place for the little which recently acquired Worldvision consolidation among station owners. syndicators? Pearson Television's Joe Enterprises (Judge Judy, Judge Joe "It is like the `Battle of the Titans' Scotti says his company is perfectly sit- Brown) and took over the distribution of out there," Askin says. "There is no uated to be the outside distributor sta- all of Rysher Entertainment's product doubt that the situation for the stations tions are looking for. (Judge Mills Lane, Nash Bridges), made is more difficult when you get a mar- "No one wants to be dictated to as to its moves for a whole host of reasons. ketplace that is controlled by six or what program they are getting for what Through its merger with Spelling Enter- seven entities. But the negotiations are time period or day part," says Scotti, tainment, Paramount assumed Worldvi- much more complicated now because Pearson's executive vice president of sion's viable TV library and first -run of the consolidation on the station side domestic distribution and marketing. product. In its deal for Rysher, Paramount as well. It's not your typical buyer -sell- "Stations are going to need good alter- attained full ownership of the news- er transaction anymore. There are a lot native suppliers, and we are going to be magazine Entertainment Tonight from of other ancillary issues that now come there with that product."

20 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

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www.americanradiohistory.com When cable's illuminati fions companies are using in an effort to Time Warner Cable systems. first glimpsed how digi- "own" the electronic action in homes. What led to its demise? In part, a tal compression could "A few years ago, people began to say business plan that largely ignored digi- dramatically expand the it [digital] is just is and Os. Why can't tal and focused on analog. By opting to size of the cable pipe, it we convert voice and other things to 1 s go entirely with original programming, must have seemed like they'd discov- and 0s," said one programming execu- The Women's Network painted itself ered the mother lode. tive, who requested anonymity. "The into a corner from which the only path Suddenly there were 10 or more real estate started to get pricey. Video to viability would have been carriage channels where there'd only been one. shrunk from unlimited to the 100 -200 on 35 million plus cable homes -the The new -found bounty gave rise to megahertz range. Now, I have to have a generally accepted threshold for break- visions of everything from the Left - killer concept, a killer brand or a lot of ing even. With launch fees, The Handed Fly Fishing Channel to the cash to buy myself onto the plant." Women's Network might have been Military Channel to something called able to hit 35 million fairly quickly. the Puppy Channel. Digital's eeek!onomics After all, the estimated $11 per sub- Over the past five years, what seemed Speaking of killers, digital cable is not scriber News Corp. paid to buy distri- like a programmer's promised land has yet three years old and is already pro- bution for Fox News Channel pushed it become a digital jungle. Bandwidth still ducing a body count. Earlier this past 20 million in less than two years. rules, and while there's more of it, month, Time Warner- Advance New- But with analog capacity growing thanks to digital compression technolo- house abruptly shelved plans to launch scarcer by the day, The Women's Net- gy, there's also far more competition for The Women's Network after several work back -up plan largely discounted what's ultimately a limited resource. months of trying to create buzz for the digital. The high cost of original produc- The video programmers that once held embryonic channel. tion made analog carriage a make -or- a hammerlock on cable spectrum now The Women's Network seemed to break proposition. Even if digital had must defend against a growing horde of have everything going for it- attractive been a significant part of the plan, it hungry invaders competing for audience target -group demographics, ample would have been some time before pen- attention. Data, telephony and evolving financing from well -heeled backers etration would be sufficient enough to interactive services have emerged as and the promise of wide distribution on attract big advertising dollars. Even with potent competitors for spectrum. Once bullish estimates, it probably will be at the heart and soul of cable, video has least until the end of 2005 before digital become just another tool telecommunica- By Price Colman penetration reaches 35 million homes.

22 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com SPECIAL REPORT "The old model is difficult to follow and make money with in the current digital environment," says Andy Heller, exec- Digital cab! e networks, utive vice president -CEO of Turner Net- More 50 see k on work sales. "We've taken a little slower than channels carriage digital tiers approach than some of the others. We did- Parent Digits I Network Launch date n't go out and create networks just to have Dec. '98 placeholders in the digital environment." A&E Biogral [hy Channel History Channel International Dec. '98 Turner's wait- and -see approach to digital was BET BET S [undz R &B July '98 emblematic of much of the BET G )spel Nov. '98 programming world until recently. With BET 1A odd Music Beat TBA TCI (now AT &T) the only operator to Rap /Hi ) Hop TBA aggressively pursue digital early on, Discovery CiviliZE Lion Oct. '96 most programmers apparently figured - Home i Leisure Oct. '96 why not see how things shake out. Two Kids Oct. '96 notable exceptions: Discovery Networks Scienc Oct. '97 Wings July '98 Inc. in the ad- supported programming Health July '98 category and HBO in the premium en Esr 3ñol Aug. '98 movie category. People Dec. '98 "What we talked about was claiming E! Entertainment style. May '99 the landscape," says Charley Humbard, Encore Media Group Starz! =amity May '99 vice president and general manager, Starz! cinema May '99 Digital Networks and Advanced Tele- Fanfare Classk Movie Channel Nov. '99 vision at Discovery. Fox Family Channel boyzC cannel Oct. '99 As cable operators have accelerated girizCt annel Oct. '99 digital deployment, other programmers HBO HBO F amily Feb. '99 have climbed on board. Like Discov- HBO C omedy May '99 ery, most are using the retail - stocking HBO 2 one May '99 model. As digital expands the video Multim ax: ActionMAX June '98 Multim ax: ThrilterMAX June '98 "store" size, it's considered crucial to HGTV (Home Garden) Do-It-1 ourself Sept. '99 offer more product simply to maintain & a proportionate amount of shelf space. Inspirational Network Digiple K (6 channels) 2000 A reasonable strategy, but one limited International Channel Network Interna tional Channel Oct. '98 ART (i rabic) Oct. '98 to certain companies. RAI (It than) Oct. '98 "Turner, Viacom, Fox, Discovery, The Fi [pino Channel Oct. '98 Disney, ESPN -the fact that they Zee T' (Indian) Oct. '98 already have broadly distributed analog TV AS A (South Asia) July '98 channels means they already have infra- CCTV (Chinese) April '98 TV5 (F ench) Feb. '98 structure in place," says Robert Ben- nett, president -CEO, Liberty Media. Liberty CANALES ñ Canal 3 Oct. '98 CBS T tleNoticias Oct. '98 "They have people out pounding the Cine L atino Oct. '98 pavement, people creating affiliate sales Fox SI orts Americas Oct. '98 packages, promotional materials, rela- Box E; itos Oct. '98 tionships with advertisers and distribu- Box TE ano Oct. '98 tors. Plus, they already have a program- Lifetime Lifetirr .a Movie Network Sept. '98 ming library, probably more than they Rainbow Media AMC- American Pop 1999 -2000 need for a digital channel. The costs of Bravo- -World Cinema TBA going from there to adding on a digital Showtime Networks Showt -ne Beyond Sept. '99 channel are really quite small." TBD (1 ìen -Y emphasis) June '00 By recycling existing inventory and Viacom's "The Suite MTV: M2 Aug. '98 using the established infrastructure, a from MTV Networks" MTV ";" Aug. '98 MTV "" Aug. '98 programmer could launch an ad -sup- VH1 C puntry Aug. '98 ported digital net for $10 million or VH1 E moth Aug. '98 less and hit break -even at 2 million to 4 VH1 E )ul Aug. '98 million subscribers, programming Nickelodeon: Noggii Feb. '99 Game . experts say. with ana- & Sports (GAS) March '99 Contrast that an Nick T o Jan. '99 log channel, where startup costs begin The Weather Channel Weath arscan April '98 at about $150 million, not counting Weath :rscan Local May '99 launch fees, and break -even is roughly Weath :rscan Radar June '99 35 million subscribers. Weath arscan + Sept. '99 Digital is so new that, so far, no sin- Weath arscan + Traffic TBA gle business model has emerged as the Weath :rscan Español TBA sure -fire formula for success. For ad- Source: Network comments filed with FCC, indust y contacts Note: Some networks are also ars. supported nets, options range from Dis- carried on analog t

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www.americanradiohistory.com SPECIAL REPORT and that's what the game is all about for ad- supported cable networks. Digital cable's tech boosters "The bottom line is if you can hang A couple of technologies may help to drive digital cable: grooming tech- around for the long run and suffer the nology and personal video recorders. start-up losses and generate a 0.2 or 0.3 The grooming boxes give operators a tool for customizing their pro- rating, you're going to have a very gramming lineups, allowing them to mix and match transponder offerings valuable network," says Derek Baine, a from aggregators such as HITS and AthenaTV. The approach is substan- Paul Kagan Associates analyst who has tially cheaper, and more flexible, than taking offerings à la carte from the written a book about the impact of dig- packagers or straight from the programmers. It also facilitates local digital ital. "If you don't have ratings, you're ad insertions, enhancing a local network's value. But for national pro- not going anywhere. You can get sub- grammers, it could make it easier for one of their packaged channels to scribers, but you have to get ratings. get bumped. It's a chicken- and-egg issue." "Grooming is a double -edge sword," says Rich Fickle, senior vice pres- The trick, says Baine, is to keep a ident of HITS and senior vice president/program director of Interactive tight lid on programming costs early on Television at the National Digital Television Center. HITS, he adds, is in a network's life span, thus limiting encouraging the development of the technology. startup losses. The PVRs allow viewers to record and store programs and watch them "E! Entertainment and style. do a lot at their convenience. Great for the viewer maybe, but potentially problem- with a limited programming budget, so atic for advertisers and networks. Those same devices permit viewers to it can be done," Baine says. "But if you zap -out or fast -forward through commercials. look at 200, most are not going to be as Also, because they enable time -shifted viewing of shows, there's some successful as E! style." concern that loyalty toward and identification with a specific show will Just how successful style. will be come at the expense of the network. A number of program and content remains to be seen. The network has providers have already raised questions about copyright issues even as racked up about 6 million analog sub- they are investing millions in TiVo and Replay, the companies developing scribers since its launch in October and selling the combination set -top- storage devices. -Price Colman 1998 and is shooting for about 10 million combined analog -digital subscribers by year-end. Digital carriage covery - spin -offs with re- purposed and MediaOne, rely entirely on premi- commitments from Time Warner Cable product and very low production um and multiplexed movie channels and Adelphia will certainly help, as will costs -at one end, to the hybrid digital - and pay -per -view offerings. the economies of scale that come from analog approach where the proportion "The number-one factor we look at using E! Network's production opera- of original product is higher. is choice and convenience," says Judi - tions. Also, style.'s target audience of "We're at a Allen, MediaOne, senior vice presi- women ages 18- very interesting dent- video. "At some point, we will 49 is extremely point in the penetrate the stream of movie lovers. attractive to industry," says Then we will probably want different advertisers, Lee Masters, positioning, and incremental product, which means ad president -CEO of to gain more incremental subscribers." dollars probably Liberty Digital So how's a programmer to cope? E! will flow in earli- and former presi- Networks' new style. channel exempli- er than if style. dent -CEO of E! fies the hybrid -part digital, part ana- was truly a niche Entertainment. log- approach. network. "Everyone Superficially, style. shares certain The approach E!'s Marta Tracy: used to do the characteristics with The Women's Net- Encore's Mike Hale: style. is taking - 'Right now for same thing. It was work: similar demographic target view- The mantra is hold one foot in ana- style., it's really the easy to project er, heavy reliance on original program- the home; sell the log, the other in eyeballs.' where you were ming and a primary focus on analog phone.' digital -is the going. Now, each company has a differ- carriage. There's one key difference, new model ad- supported nets may have ent attitude about digital." Adding to the however, style. isn't locking itself into to follow to make it in the digital age, challenge, operators themselves differ on the analog approach. Even though style. says Dave Cassaro, style.'s executive vice their approaches to digital deployment. was conceived five years ago as an ana- president of sales and affiliate relations. For instance, AT&T BIS, using its log -only channel (there was no digital "We thought [style.] was a strong Headend In The Sky (HITS) service, at the time), it's accepting digital realis- contender for analog distribution," says offers a mix of advertising- supported tically, if not entirely enthusiastically. Cassaro. "The real world is that there's and subscription- supported networks. "Right now for style., it's really the limited analog space out there and a Time Warner's AthenaTV, a competitor eyeballs and getting as many people to very competitive marketplace" of HITS, delivers a similar mix to Time see and sample [style.] as possible," Warner Cable systems and soon will says Marta Tracy, senior vice president More tools for deals expand to non -affiliated operators. of programming at style. and creative The advent of digital cable may be Nearly all programmers offer à la carte executive at its parent, E! Networks. exerting an even greater Darwinian delivery from satellite transponders Eyeballs translate into ratings, influence over programming, but it's they have leased. Conversely, Comcast which translate into advertising dollars, also giving programmers more tools

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DENVER LOS ANGELES W YORK I sNG KONG www.americanradiohistory.com SPECIAL REPORT HBO. After some notably unspectacu- spokeswoman said. "We scaled it back. lar efforts at deploying digital cable We found out the quality wasn't good Digital outlook service, penetration is picking up speed. enough at 14 -to -one. We also found out Top five MSOs AT &T Broadband and Internet Services part way through that the buttons on the AT &T Broadband reports adding 80,000 to 100,000 new remote control were too small. Older AT &T has gone all out to push digital digital subscribers per month. Time people weren't using pay -per -view as because its systems have been in Warner Cable started 1999 with zero much because they couldn't manipu- such terrible shape. Many systems digital subscribers, and anticipates end- late the controls." with low channel capacity were ing the year with close to 500,000. Cox "We didn't go all out to market being attacked by high- capacity DBS and Comcast have each signed up more [ALL TV]," she said. "The pressure services. Digital has been available than 100,000 digital subscribers over was on to do this right, and there were on 95% of AT &T's systems since the past year, with Comcast expecting no second chances. There was one shot 1997, serving about 11 million sub- to reach 300,000 by the end of 1999. at this. We didn't actively market until scribers. About 1.5 million digital According to Kagan cable industry March 1998, and by the end of 1998, units have been sold at $10 a month. reports, by year's end projected digital we had one million customers." Time Warner homes should total 3.3 million, Another adjustment to AT &T BIS's marketing strategy was shifting the pri- Time Warner has taken a different Off to a rocky route, choosing instead to push start mary emphasis from the digital aspect "advanced analog" converters that Customer demand is undoubtedly part of the service to the products -the offer some additional channels, a of the equation. But demand hasn't channels, multiplexes and music. primitive electronic program guide sparked right away. There were no cus- "There's still an emphasis on digital. and lots of cash flow. Time Warner's tomers chasing TCI trucks when the But too much can be confusing to con- systems have largely been upgraded operator rolled out its 175 -plus channel sumers," Sesserman said. "Digital cable and have lots of channel capacity. ALL TV for $65 per month in test mar- isn't really about technology. Cus- But the company is planning to kets in 1996. It was too all at launch digital in 35 markets serving much tomers don't care about technology. 60% of its subscribers by year -end. once, say some observers. Customers They care about features. In this case, weren't ready to be overrun with chan- it's a lot more channels than the con- Comcast nels, and operators didn't know how to sumer had before. They also like the A relatively early player in digital, the sell them. For example, people had to other innovative features like the on- MSO is taking a different marketing subscribe to premium channels to get screen program guide, DMX, the sound approach. While others used digital the corresponding multiplex channels and picture quality, plus the additional to load up on newer "basic" chan- when they subscribed to digital. How- movie and premium service channels." nels like CNNfn or Speedvision, ever, to customers it seemed as if they Once AT &T BIS determined the most Comcast's digital services have were paying more money for something effective way to included only extra pay multiplex market digital cable, and PPV channels. That means low they already had. Now, AT &T groups they had to get it to the customers. The programming costs for the same the premium services and correspon- issue of converter box availability was $10 fee that AT &T charges. Corn - ding multiplexes in digital tiers, and addressed early on, when, as TCI, the cast has 226,000 subs and has dou- puts one price on the entire package. company paid for a new production line bled its install rate from 4,000 per "Strategies have matured," says at General Instruments, their primary week to 8,000 per week. Doug Sesserman, senior vice president vendor. The issue of installers was a dif- of marketing for AT &T BIS. "What we ferent matter. Orders came in so rapidly found was, we were pretty effective at within the first few months that the Always a leader in selling new prod- selling at a $10 increment. Today, we cable operator had to develop a self - ucts, Cox has gotten fairly aggressive sell price -point packaging." install kit. in its digital rollout. Digital has Self -installs account for 25% launched in 10 markets and lured Price -point packaging is simply an of new digital connections in some of 144,000 customers paying between extension of the graduated pricing AT &T BIS's markets. $8 and $13 per month. The MSO scheme common in the analog tier. For But while the digital rollout is gain- offers several different themed tiers example, the price -points at AT &T's ing momentum, it has not been without including sports and information, plus Dallas affiliate start at $11.09 per problems. Both Comcast and Time movies and general entertainment. month for basic analog service; $20.12 Warner Cable subscribers were report- Charter for expanded basic, with premium serv- edly confused about the cost of addi- ices going for $10 à la carte. The Dallas tional services and equipment. And Before Paul Allen bought Charter, system's digital packages begin at churn to be a the company was a technology lag- continues concern at gard. Charter needed to conserve $41.99 for one box and the requisite AT &T, although turnover rates are cash and preferred letting larger equipment, expanded basic plus the down from around 7% in the early operators pioneer products. Charter STARZ! and Encore! multiplexes. Then months of the service to about 5% now. has just 8,700 digital subscribers in there's a $51.99 tier, a $59.99 tier and, Sesserman gives part of the credit to a 16 systems serving 330,000 cus- finally, a $69.99 tier with all the premi- program launched in April 1998 that tomers out of four million basic sub- um movie multiplexes plus enough rewards customer loyalty. Subscribers scribers. Most take the no -basic equipment to hook up three televisions. amass points based on their level of approach to programming, relying There were other bugs to be worked service that can later be traded for on movie channel multiplexes. But out after the ALL TV trials. exclusive network merchandise. Allen has said he wants digital set - we a 14 -to tops in 100% of his homes by 2002. "Originally, had -one Around 3.3 million households partici- compression ratio," an AT &T BIS pate, including all digital customers.

30 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

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www.americanradiohistory.com SPECIAL REPORT Among those enrolled, disconnects are channels at around 75% to 80% of the boyzChannel and girlzChannel. Both down 12% and downgrades were price. Several MSO programming networks are scheduled to launch Oct. reduced by 19 %, said Sesserman. executives have said digital is their 31 with 25% original programming. Other operators, including Time only option to grow the business. Rich Cronin, president and CEO of Warner and MediaCom, report delays "In the digital world, there's a little Fox Family Channel, said the new dig- in getting converter boxes from ven- more flexibility," said Joe Lawson, vice ital channels will have to have license dors. Both of those MSOs launched president of marketing for Bresnan fees greater than those typically paid digital cable earlier this year: Media - Communications, soon to be part of in the analog world. Corn in an 18,000- subscriber market in Charter Communications pending clo- "Cable operators have to understand Florida, and Time Warner in a 50,000 - sure of the deal. "You don't have to that without strong networks, digital subscriber market in Austin, Texas, as artificially constrain the availability of doesn't mean anything," he says. well as other small markets. bandwidth." "They've got to support these networks "So far, we're finding more aggres- Between digital compression and sys- and give us the license fees we need to sive demand than we anticipated," said tem upgrades, MSOs will eventually fill survive." Mike Luftman, spokesman for Time that additional bandwidth with telephony But Matt Bond, executive vice presi- Warner Cable. "We expect to be close and Internet services. For the time being, dent of programming for AT &T says the to a half million digital subscribers by however, they depend on programmers to digital world is growing too fast to pay the end of the year." get the ball rolling. higher license fees for digital carriage. Unlike AT &T, Time Warner took an Lawson, formerly a marketer on the "Our viewpoint is, there should not be a interim step in network side for distinction launching digital Black Entertain- between analog cable. "Time ment Television, and digital rates. Warner Cable points out that We've got a large made a strategic quality program- mass of digital decision not to ming is impera- customers right roll out digital tive to selling now, and digital is until second -gen- digital cable. the future distribu- eration boxes "Most pro- tion model," says came out," said grammers believe Bond. "We've got Luftman, a poli- digital is viable," to be careful not to Bresnan's Joe cy that Cablevi- AT&T's Doug he says, "but they ZDTV 's Mike set up economics Lawson: 'Most sion has also Sesserman: 'Digital don't want to be Mason: `We don't that result in much programmers cable isn't really want to be on believe digital is adopted. "We about technology. on digital. You've digital, but we'll higher costs for viable, but they expected second - Customers don't got a slew of pro- help you roll it out' programming in don't want to be on generation boxes care about grammers chas- by promoting it on the future" digital.' to be real -time, technology.' ing around one or analog channels. Programming two -way boxes two slots on the costs are one of with video -on -demand capacity. In the analog spectrum. The industry has to get the reasons "multiplexers" like HBO meantime, we rolled out addressable behind the marketing of digital prod- are in the catbird seat in the digital analog boxes. It taught us how to roll ucts, both the programmers and the realm. HBO provides five channels in out new technology in a rebuilt system. operators, and we need to put com- addition to its main channel, all at no It allowed us to move the system from pelling products on digital cable. You additional cost to the MSO or the 50 channels to about 75- or 80- plus," he can't grow digital if every great new customer. Encore!, STARZ!, Show - adds, "introducing the interactive pro- product goes on analog." time and The Movie Channel have gram guide - fairly crude by digital similar multiplexes. At least two standards -but the customers loved it." Content, content, content MSOs - Comcast and MediaOne- So far, addressable analog has been Mike Mason is senior vice president of are filling their digital tiers exclu- Time Warner's most successful launch marketing for ZDTV, one of the rela- sively with premium multiplexes and since HBO, says Luftman. "Memphis, tively new channels chasing the elusive pay -per -view channels. for example, is 75% penetrated," he analog space. "It's a terrific strategy when you're says. "This is how Time Warner gener- "I think that's a real dilemma for the trying to get the box in the home," said ated a lot of its revenue growth over the cable industry. They have to have com- one MSO executive. "They're targeting last few years." pelling content, and be willing to pay a higher end market, and for a minimal for it, and give it exposure," Mason fee, they're giving people 20 to 30 The competitive edge said. "We don't want to be on [digital], channels of additional premium and Revenue growth is undoubtedly a driv- but we'll help you roll it out," he says, pay -per- view." ing force in the digital rollout. Growth by barking it on analog. "The number one factor we use is in basic cable subscribers has been less Much of what's available for digital choice and convenience," said Judi than 2% over the past few years, and tiers involves channels built around Allen, senior vice president of video for competitive pressures continue to library product, niche channels like MediaOne. "We think that with a combi- increase. Just as basic cable packages Discovery's Kids, People and Science, nation of premium multiplex screens and and what customers were willing to or MTV's genre music channels. Fox more pay -per-view screens, anytime you pay for them reached critical mass, Family is one of the few programmers sit down, you can have four times the satellite came along with four times the doing a purely digital launch with its choices you had with analog."

32 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

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www.americanradiohistory.com SPECIAL REPORT TV's smart boxes Intelligent digital set -tops yield extra channels and other services

By Craig Kuhl has unlimited expansion capabilities." the past. They want a box with all the Scientific -Atlanta is expanding the components to eliminate wiring issues. That boring and seemingly production and deployment of its digi- "There are super boxes being built," brainless set -top box on your tal set -top box as well. The company says Henderson. "But is there a business television is getting a whole says it has shipped 511,000 Explorer for them? Do consumers want them ?" lot smarter. So smart, in fact, 2000s this fiscal year, with 20,000 set - Those "super boxes" include the it can now manage a family's tops a week being installed in cus- DCT 5000+ and Explorer, along with entire entertainment, information and tomers' homes. S -A also says it will others such as Pace Micro Technology's communications needs from a single, double its production capacity of the Di4100, now rolling out in the UK. streamlined unit the size of a small lap- Explorer from 1 million units annually After a two -year hiatus, Pace is re- enter- top. Not surprisingly, that new box has to 2 million, and add three new Explor- ing the U.S. market with its recent become the source of an ongoing finan- er family members -the Explorer agreement to supply 100,000 digital set- cial frenzy in the cable industry, a frenzy 6000, 3000 and 2000S. top boxes to BellSouth Corp. that has companies gobbling Pace is active in the over- up systems at record prices. seas set -top market with more Digital technology, which than 2 million of its digital allows massive quantities of boxes deployed in Europe. video and data to be sent to and "Speed to market means from a customer's home or price or functionality advan- business, is the link to Internet tages," says Neil Gaydon, access, high -speed data, video - president of the Americas for on- demand, IP telephony, GI's DCT -5000+ digital and cable converter has a Pace Micro Technology PLC. other services yet to be discov- 'triple tuner' architecture Philips Broadband Inc. will ered. A core group of manufac- that will allow customers enter the set-top fray as well, turers has been adding intelli- to watch television, says Paul Pishal, director of gence and speed access the Internet and to its "next talk on the telephone. business development for generation" boxes, while jock- Philips, and next year will eying for position to get them to introduce its high- perform- market -in this case to cable operators - The Explorer 6000 is the company's ance, open -cable set -top box, Philips and eventually on retailers' shelves. most powerful new model, delivering a High End Solution. "We're in discussions Case in point, General Instrument, host of services from video teleconfer- now with MSOs and will keep a close eye which is arguably the leading digital encing to IP telephony. on the move to retail," Pishal says. set -top box manufacturer with 4.5 mil- Because getting digital set -top boxes For cable operators such as Cox lion units shipped to 100 corporate cus- to MSOs quickly is so important to Communications, a leading provider of tomers. This quarter, GI will roll out its maintaining a competitive advantage, advanced services, digital set -top boxes latest box, the DCT 5000 +, which there are some serious challenges to must stay ahead of technology's curve. includes a cable modem, advanced updating set -top technology and keep- "We're customer advocates and provide graphics, greater speed and a "triple ing pace with processor speed and them with a full suite of services. So we tuner" architecture that will allow cus- other digital set -top components. don't want them stuck with obsolete tomers to watch television, access the "Digital is new territory for us, so boxes," says Tom Nagel, vice president Internet and talk on the telephone, all at training cable operators and our own of business development for Cox. the same time. people to get systems operational is a Fear of obsolescence is a powerful "We'll ship about 100,000 DCT real challenge," says Bill Wall, techni- motivator for set -top manufacturers to 5000+ units this quarter to various cal director of subscriber networks for introduce faster, stronger and more MSOs," says Dave Robinson, senior S -A. "The transition from analog to flexible boxes. Yet even with the most vice president and general manager of digital is a big step" open systems, issues such as keeping digital network systems for GI. The Maybe too big, according to Ted software current remain. DCT 5000+ will cost about $500, Henderson, managing director of The next generation of boxes, Hender- Robinson adds, and the company is bet- research for Janco Partners, a Denver- son says, will be the smartest yet, capa- ting that the box will be able to bring based cable and telecommunications ble of IP telephony, cable modems, high - fresh dollars to cable operators' business. research firm. "We're not sure of the capacity processors for interactive TV "With the digital services available true demand for digital boxes. There are and more. But, he cautions, "the business with the DCT 5000 +, operators can wiring issues, and punching holes in must be built on cost, consumer ease of expect $15 to $22 a month in incremen- walls throughout the house. Constant installation and reliability before you ask tal revenues," Robinson says. "And it service calls have upset customers in a customer to switch services:'

34 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com .m ßßOADCASTING Nielsen sells for $2.7B Dutch publisher committed to software, technology upgrades at ratings service

By Steve McClellan strong brand name in a monopoly posi- the business;' said one network research tion, with 15% [annual cash flow] executive. "They seem to be more commit- The gold standard for TV audience growth. It's recession resistant with real- ted lately as a stand -alone to putting the ratings will soon be measured in ly strong recurring revenues. I think it money into the software and technology." Dutch guilders. should sell for more than 13.6 times next As a public company, Nielsen has Nielsen Media Research has entered year's EBITDA [earnings before interest, pledged in SEC filings to spend "an esti- into a definitive agreement to be acquired taxes, depreciation and amortization]:' mated $300 million," over four years to by Dutch publisher VNU NV for $2.7 Officials at VNU and Nielsen respond- upgrade its systems for the digital era. A billion ($37.75 per share), including $2.5 ed that VNU's offer was a "full and fair VNU spokeswoman said the company billion cash and $200 million of assumed price;' as the VNU spokeswoman put it. was "absolutely committed" to making debt. A tender offer for shares became As of last Wednesday, the market seemed sure Nielsen has the money to do that. effective Friday (Aug. 20). "I am hopeful that this won't VNU executives said they hope in any way interfere with the to close the deal, which is sub- John Dimling, president, kind of progress that I believe Nielsen Media Research (, , will ject to antitrust scrutiny by the that we've been making with remain in that position wt ?n the Alan Wurtzel, U.S. Justice Department, by company is merged with I NU. Nielsen," said early October. Other members of Nielser 's president, research and media For VNU, the Nielsen acqui- senior management team will development, NBC. "I think sition would be the crown jewel also keep their positions, that Nielsen has tried very hard including Buzz Moschettc and in a collection of marketing Susan Whiting, who over ?e the to improve its service and I information companies it has national services, and Ba ry think they're trying to improve acquired in the U.S. over the Cook, head of research. G mling the methodology both on the past several years. VNU's Mar- also stands to make more than national and station levels" $5 million in exercisable !ock keting Information Services options. Cook will make Not everyone feels that way. group (with revenues last yew between $1 million and $; In June wsvrr(Tv) Miami, the of $337 million) include Com- million on his stock optio is. Fox affiliate, cancelled its petitive Media Reporting, the Nielsen contract in a dispute ad tracking service, Scarbor- over the number of Spanish - ough Research; the radio audience meas- to agree, with Nielsen trading at 37 3/16, language households in the market's urement company; and Soundssan. unchanged for the two days after the meter sample. According to station gen- The one area of overlap is CMR and acquisition was announced. eral manager Robert Leider, the lack of Nielsen's Monitor Plus, which also But Logani says she has talked to ratings has not hurt the station's sales tracks ads. Officials said it was still an major Nielsen shareholders who were efforts. "It's business as usual," he said, "open question" as to whether those serv- "very disappointed" with the VNU offer. noting that the station still gets measured ices would be integrated in some way or While no one seems to have lost money and agencies know what the ratings are. continue to operate independently. on this transaction, Logani says some Meanwhile, Nielsen said last week VNU also publishes SRDS, the data- shareholders feel they should have done that it was upping its investment in base publisher of advertising service better, given the relative risk they took NetRatings Inc., the Internet measure- information ($32 million in revenue for investing in Nielsen. Whether those ment service, to 13.8%, with options to 1998) and Billboard Publications Inc., shareholders take the step of not tendering increase that stake to 47 %, for a total of a publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, Ad their shares remains to be seen, she says. little more than $80 million. Nielsen also Week and Mediaweek BPI revenues last Network executives contacted last has the right to assume a controlling year totaled $195 million. week said they weren't sure how, or even interest (54 %) in NetRatings if it elects to VNU's proposed purchase price for if, the sale would affect their dealings with go public. NetRatings is a start -up com- Nielsen is more than double the $18 per the ratings service. One concern voiced by pany trying to compete with MediaMa- share that Nielsen was trading for at its several media executives is whether trix, seen as the dominant company in the low point this year on Feb. 17, although Nielsen will be given adequate resources Internet measurement business. at least one analyst and some investors by its new parent to upgrade its systems Nielsen had revenues of $402 million said last week they thought the price was for measuring audiences in the digital age. in 1998, up 12 %, with operating cash too low. Until about 18 months ago Nielsen had flow of $126 million, up 31 %. Revenues "They could have done better on the been a division of larger companies, for the first half of 1999 were $220 mil- price," said Monica Logani, a Lehman including Cognizant Corp., and Dun & lion, up 13 %, with a 19% gain in operat- Bros. analyst who covers Nielsen. "A Bradstreet before that. "The D &B years ing cash flow to $70 million. Estimated mid -40's [per share price] would have were not good years in terms of Nielsen revenue and cash flow for 2000: $515 made more sense. Nielsen is a very servicing its clients and putting money into million and $185 million respectively.

I UGUST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 35

www.americanradiohistory.com BROADCASTING

Matthews moves to Ohio after nine years with WLKY -TV, Hearst's CBS BREAK affiliate in Louisville, where he was most recently president and general By Dan Trigohoil manager. Matthews is a former vice president for Baltimore station City, layoffs were Early newscast en news at Pulitzer Broad- will skip `Breakfast' announced in the news- Espanol for NY casting, which was room. In Baltimore, the Bad news for local pro- WXTV, Univision's New acquired by Hearst, and station plans to reduce its gramming from Baltimore, York station, plans has been a local and net- employees through volun- to as wMAR -Tv cancelled Sun- launch what it says will be work newsman for more tary buyouts. Rodricks, day morning's Rodricks for the city's first Spanish - than two decades. who formerly worked at Breakfast. The show, language early- morning rival station WBAL -TV and which lasted almost four news show this October. Accused killer mails its AM radio station, has years but ends Sept. 5, was The early edition of Noti- to Houston station hosted by Dan Rodricks, a been asked remain with cias 41 will launch Oct. 4, Houston's KTRK-TV longtime columnist for The the station in a different at 6 a.m. as a local lead -in received an unusual corre- Sun in Baltimore and pop- capacity, but no word yet to the Univision network spondence last week from ular figure around the city. on his broadcasting plans. morning show Despierta an unlikely source. The two -hour show fea- America, from 7 -10 a.m. Twin Cities station Reporter Cynthia Hunt was tured local music and per- sonalities, and won numer- wins libel trial Lexington, Ky., the recipient of an 11 -page letter from accused serial ous local honors along After a six -week trial and anchor resigns killer Angel Maturino with a solid core of view- 10 days of deliberation, WLEX-TV Lexington, Ky. Resendiz, in which he dis- ers. Ratings were good, CBS -owned WCCO-TV anchor Tom Kenny cussed his love for his dogs station sources say, adding Minneapolis won a victory resigned after court docu- that Breakfast was a good in a defamation suit and the suffering of the ments showed he was a Kennedy family, and sug- fit for viewers and station brought by the widow of a customer of an area prosti- gested an inner creature that executives alike. Moreover, murder victim who had tute. He had been taken off may have been responsible Scripps Howard Broad- been identified by a the air earlier last week. for his alleged criminal casting has been a champi- policeman as the crime's Kenny had been with the activity. Resendiz crossed on of local programming. sole suspect. "The intent station since 1987, co- the border from Mexico last But local advertisers of this story was to report anchoring in recent years weren't as appreciative. on the status of the murder with his wife, Nancy Cox, month to surrender to U.S. WMAR -TV execs said they investigation and to help a former Miss Kentucky authorities and stand trial appear to be spending trigger the memories of who has been with the sta- for as many as nine killings more on cable these days. our viewers, which in turn tion since 1992. In local in three states. Meanwhile, Scripps' nine might have led to new evi- papers, Kenny apologized The station aired parts stations are operating dence in this case," said and said he has asked for of the letter after confirm- under a belt -tightening wcco -Tv Vice -President forgiveness "from my ing its authenticity with order following months of and General Manager Jan God, my family, my the Harris County Jail, declining revenue (B &C McDaniel. A loss in the church and my friends, for where Resendiz is held. In Aug. 16, p. 16). In Kansas trial, McDaniel said, my moral failure. I take his letter, written in Eng- "would have changed the full responsibility for the lish and including numer- way we all do business." pain and embarrassment ous spelling and grammat- A WCCO-TV Dimension this has caused my family ical errors, Resendiz said report in 1994 on the and WLEX-TV." The station he saw his inner demon unsolved 1993 murder of has not offered comment, when looking at himself Dennis Stokes included an stating that it was a per- under his wife's black flu- on- camera interview of a sonnel matter. orescent light. Resindiz's detective, who stated that attorney told reporters the Teri Stokes was his only Matthews named letter was written against suspect in his five -month GM in Cincinnati his advice. investigation. The report Former newsman A. included interviews with Rabun Matthews has been All news is local. Contact the victim's family, friends named president and gen- Dan Trigoboff at (301) Dan Rodricks will be eating breakfast alone on Sundays. and co-workers. Stokes eral manager of WLWT-TV, 260 -0923, e -mail WMAR -TV cancelled his and her attorney declined Hearst -Argyle's NBC dtrig @erols.com or fax to early- morning show. to be interviewed affiliate in Cincinnati. (202) 463 -3742.

36 BROADCASTING & CABLE I AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com BROADCASTING `Millionaire' off to a flying start By Joe Schlosser could ultimately total $1 million. ABC will air 13 original episodes over a 14-day Apparently a lot of Americans period that started last Monday (Aug. 16) want to be millionaires, too. and ends Sunday (Aug. 29). Potential ABC's special prime time contestants play the first round of the game show, Who Wants to Be a Mil- game by calling in on either an 800 or 900 lionaire?, kicked off a 13 -day run last number set up by ABC. Callers with the week with larger- than -expected sum- highest scores are being flown to New mertime ratings. York over the two -week stretch and put Based on the popular British game on national television. The shows are show that has garnered some eye -pop- taped one day in advance of their airdates. ping ratings across the pond, Who ABC's prime time game show with Regis "I had no doubt Americans would Philbin (r) attracted 10 million viewers. Wants to Be a Millionaire? attracted want to be millionaires, but if you know nearly 10 million viewers per episode in lionaire's ratings is not by nightly increas- anything about this business it is that you the overnight ratings its first couple of es, but rather how it does in its time period. know nothing," Davies says. "I have nights on ABC's prime time lineup. The "I really think it's a mistake to look at always said I totally believed in this for- show, hosted by talk -show icon Regis the story in terms of growth night to mat, but you just never know. I have Philbin, was also building on its lead -in night;" Davies says. "You have to judge it worked on really good shows that have numbers and winning its time periods. against its time period, what was going on failed, and on really bad things that have On Monday, Aug. 16, the trivia show in the time period a week before or two worked. So far so good.' scored an 8.4 rating /14 share in the weeks prior. All networks have nights ABC executives have not yet decided overnight ratings, according to Nielsen when they do really well and nights when what the future of Millionaire will be Media Research. In its second outing, Mil- they don't. I can promise you this show is after the two -week run, but Davies says lionaire grew by 8% to a 9.1/15. not going to grow each night." he is almost 100% sure that it will come But Michael Davies, the show's execu- Millionaire allows 10 contestants each back in some form to the network dur- tive producer, says the way to judge Mil- night to compete for escalating prizes that ing the upcoming season. Oprah on top as Jerry's slide Corn nunications Equity Associates invites you to attend continues The CEA Financial Breakfast It was the same story agair in the at the national weekly ratings amcng the syndicated talk shows, Oprah NAB Radio Show Winfrey was on top and Jerry Orlando, Florida Springer continued to slide. The Oprah Winfrey Show, despite a 2% drop, continued its run as the Special Guest Speakers: highest rated talk show, posting a Gloria Tristani 5.7 national rating during the CD week ending Aug. 8, according to FCC Commissioner Nielsen Media Research. Sally COMMUNICATIONS EQUITY Jessy Raphael placed third with a W. 3% gain to a 3.7; Jenny Jones ASSOCIATES Har old Furchtgott -Roth dropped 3% to a 3.5; and Maury FCC Commissioner slipped 8% to a 3.5. Both Li e with Regis and Kathie Lee and The Montel Williams Show rose 6% to a 3.3, while Ricki Lake dropped 6% to the same 3.3 national rat- We dnesday, September 1, 1999 ing. Rosie slowed 6% O'Donnell 7:30 am - 8:45 am to a 3.2. Forgive or Forget was the highest rated new talker, despite a Or urge County Convention Center 10% dip to a 1.8. The Donny and Room 315 A/B Marie Show gained 7% to a 1. -Joe Schlosser CEA is a member of the National Association Lei Securities Dealers, I :. and its professional associates are registered with Me NASD Memlx

Al GUST 23, 1999 1 BROAOCAS1ING & CABLE 37

www.americanradiohistory.com BROADCASTING PEOPLE'S CHOICE AUGUST 9-15 Rroadcaslnetwork prime time ralings ABC's telecast of the AFC -NFC Hall of Fame Game-heralding the re- according ID Nielsen Media Research turn of the Cleveland Browns to football-took the top slot in Week 47.

Week abc 1k 47 NBC 10.1/18 6.6/11 6.2/11 4.4/8 1.8/3 2.5/4 8:00 28. King of Queens 6.2/11 77. Suddenly Susan 4.1/8 75. That '70s Show 4.2/8 101. Moesha 2.1/4 91. 7th Heaven 2.6/5 8:30 47. Thanks 5.4/9 70. Veronica's Closet 4.4/8 70. That '70s Show 4.4/8 104. Moesha 2.0/4 < 1. AFC -NFC Hall of Fame Z 9:00 Game-Cleveland 8. Ev Lys Raymd 7.8/13 111. Between Brothers 1.6/3 101. Movie Stars 2.1/3 32. Law & Order 6.1/10 70. Ally McBeal 4.4/7 G 9:30 Browns vs. Dallas 16. Becker 7.2/12 115. Malcolm & Eddie 1.4/2 111. Kate Joplin 1.6/3 Cowboys 10.1/18 10:00 21.48 Hours 6.7/11 5. Dateline NBC 8.4/14 10:30 5.4/10 6.8/12 6.5/12 4.0/7 1.7/3 1.7/3 ). 8:00 40. Spin City 5.6/11 44. Just Shoot Me 5.9/11 79. Guinness World 109. Moesha 1.7/3 101. Buffy the Vampire 25. JAG 6.6/12 Q 8:30 65. It's Like, Y Know 4.6/8 39 3rd Rock fr /Sun 5.7/10 Records 3.7/7 114. Clueless 1.5/3 Slayer 2.1/4 1

Ñ 9:00 28. Dharma & Greg 6.2/11 28. Just Shoot Me 6.2/11 111. Malcolm & Eddie 1.6/3 17.60 Minutes II 7.1/12 75. Fox Files 4.2/7 115. Felicity 1.4/2 9:30 54. Sports Night 5.1/9 21. Will & Grace 6.7/11 106. Between Brothers 1.8/3

10:00 40. NYPD Blue 5.6/10 21.48 Hours 6.7/12 11. Dateline NBC 7.4/13 10:30 6.2/11 6.9/12 6.6/12 5.4/10 2.0/4 2.6/5 Q 8:00 43. Two Guys, A Girl 5.5/11 37. Cosby 5.8/11 34. Dateline NBC 6.0/12 106.7 Days 1.8/3 93. Dawson's Creek 2.4/5 CN 8:30 59. Norm 4.9/9 47. Fox Summer Movie

Z 9:00 35. Drew Carey 5.9/10 28. World's Most Amazing Special -Fear 5.4/10 97. Star Trek: Voyager 17. CBS Wednesday 88. Charmed 2.8/5 9:30 51. Two Guys, A Girl 5.2/9 Videos 6.2/11 2.2/4 Movie -Dave 7.1/12 10:00 6.20/20 7.9/14 10. Law & Order 7.6/13 10:30 4.9/9 7.4/14 7.4/14 5.5/10 1.7/3 2.3/4 » 8:00 78. Whose Line Is It 3.8/8 3. Friends 8.5/17 97. Wayans Bros 2.2/4 11. CBS Thursday Movie 109. The Sentinel 1.7/3 Whose Is - 64( 8:30 68. Line It 4.5/8 19. Jesse 6.9/13 43.1999 Teen Choice 93. Jamie Foxx 2.4/5 The Rockford Files 9:00 8. Frasier 7.8/14 Awards 5.5/10 43. David Blaine: Street 7.4/14 93. Steve Harvey 2.4/4 106. The Sentinel 1.8/3 O 9:30 Musician 5.5/10 25 3rd Rock fr /Sun 6.6/12 96. For Your Love 2.3/4

10:00 51. Nightline in Primetime 11.48 Hours 7.4/14 14. ER 7.3/13 10:30 5.2/10 5.8/11 4.9/10 5.1/10 2.9/6 1.3/3 8:00 49. Home Imprvmnt 5.3/11 61. Kids /Darndest 4.7/10 5Q Prnuidanca d 011 n 86. World's 3.3/7 Funniest! 108. UPN Special 8:30 65. The Hughleys 4.6/9 61. Candid Camera 4.7/9 Q Presentation -Killer O 9:00 58. Sabrina/Witch 5.0/10 70. Unsolved Mysteries 91. Mad TV Primetime 20. Dateline NBC 6.8/13 Deal 1.3/3 E 9:30 54. Boy Meets Wrld 5.1/10 4.4/8 2.6/5

10:00 79 Homicide: Life on the 14.20/20 7.3/14 40. Nash Bridges 5.6/11 10:30 Streets 3.7/7 4.6/10 5.8/12 4.3/9 4.9/10 KEY: RANKING /SHOW TITLE /PROGRAM RATING/SHARE 8:00 68. )- 81. America's Funniest Cops 4.5/10 TOP TEN SHOWS OF THE WEEK ARE NUMBERED IN RED 82. The Pretender 3.5/8 8:30 Home Videos 3.6/8 61. Cops 4.7/10 TELEVISION UNIVERSE ESTIMATED AT 99.4 MILLION 37 NFL Pre -Season HOUSEHOLDS; ONE RATINGS POINT IS EQUAL TO 994,000 TV 9:00 Football -New York 51. AMW: America Fights HOMES YELLOW TINT IS WINNER OF TIME SLOT 54. ABC Saturday Night Jets vs. Green Bay 61. NBC Saturday Night Back 5.2/10 9:30 (NR) =NOT RANKED; RATING /SHARE ESTIMATED FOR PERI- Movie-In the Army Packers 5.8/12 Movie- Circle of OD SHOWN *PREMIERE SOURCES: NIELSEN MEDIA U) 10:00 Now 5.1/10 Friends 4.7/9 RESEARCH, CBS RESEARCH GRAPHIC BY KENNETH RAY 10:30 5.2/10 7.5/14 6.0/11 3.9/7 2.4/4 7:00 82. World's Funniest! 3.5/7 74. Wonderful World of 2.60 Minutes 9.1/19 54. Dateline NBC 5.1/11 105. Rescue 77 1.9/4 7:30 Disney -The 82. King of the Hill 3.5/7 Adventures of Q 8:00 6.Touched by an Angel 49. The Simpsons 5.3/10 97. Sister, Sister 2.2/4 Pinocchio 4.3/8 43. You Asked for It 5.5/10 Z 8:30 7.9/14 65. Futurama 4.6/8 90. Smart Guy 2.7/5

D 9:00 87. Movie Stars 3.0/5 N 32. Stephen King's The 21. GuS sunaay Movie - 21. NBC Sunday Night 85. The X -Files 3.4/6 9:30 91. Unhap Ever After 2.6/4 Langoliers, Part 1 Gone in the Night, Movie -The Promise 10:00 6.2/11 Part 1 6.5/11 6.7/12 10:30

WED( AVG 6.0/11 6.6/12 6.0/11 4.4/8 1.7/3 2.3/4 STD AVG 7.5/13 8.4/14 8.3/14 6.3/11 1.9/3 3.0/5

38 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1989

www.americanradiohistory.com hainipark CABLE Cable jobs going begging Shortage of qualified people pushes MSOs to up incentive p wkages to get them aboard

By Deborah D. McAdams "We think offering $1,000 a year isn't savvy people prefer dot -corns, she said. offering anything," Henke said. "We "They think [dot -corns] have the poten- It takes more than just one week of also realize it benefits the company." tial of spinning off and making them vacation and run -of- the -mill wages "We are competing with different millignaires." to get qualified employees into industries," said Beth Arnholt, senior Isabel Arace, vice president, com- cable jobs, human resources experts director of recruitment for the cable pensation, AT &T Broadband & Inter- have found. division at Comcast, which has net Services, estimated her operation Faced with finding workers for their between 700 and 800 positions open. needs at least 100 technicians and cus- emerging broadband businesses amid a "We're up against the AT &T's, the tomer service reps in each of 11 new period of low unemployment, cable regional Bells, Silicon Valley and the markets. It takes longer to explain and operators have resorted to offering Internet" for people with the engineer- install bundled services, she said, more perks to fill their ranks. ing and technical skills necessary to explaining the demand. A video instal- In particular, jobs in huge demand launch cable into the Internet arena. lation may take 10 to 20 minutes com- include cable technicians, customer Employees with such backgrounds are pared to maybe 1.5 hours for a bundled service representatives and installers. accustomed to job perks beyond the services install. To attract them and get them to sign up, usual pay /vacation /sick leave package. At the engineering level, Arace some MSOs have upped their pay and Break rooms in Silicon Valley resemble said severance packages are also in benefits packages nightclubs and pubs. Vending great demand. "We tell people the And apparently even money isn't machines are free to employees. Dress company is stable, but that doesn't enough. codes are relaxed, and people generally matter to them." "All of that old mythology about it get a piece of the company, she said. The job shortages at several MSOs being money, money, money," said "Traditional cable doesn't hold the contacted confirm the findings of two Judy Henke, vice president of human allure or the excitement that the Inter- recent surveys by the Cable and resources for Cox Communications. net is now holding," said Susan Bishop, Telecommunications Human "It's not. People want to know where president of Bishop Partners, a New Resources Association revealing a tight they're going, or where they can go" in York headhunting firm. Technically labor market in the cable industry. The the company. Henke finds vacation time is a high priority among the people she sees. Family matters, I:!'s Shea decides "It's a key motivator for Gen -Xers. When you compete with someone In a sur )rise move, E! Enterta nment Televi- who's giving two weeks and you're sior's tc ) executive, Fran Shea, is exiting the still giving five days, that's not good." network after just nine months in tF a job. Come next January, new entry-level Shea 41, was promoted to -he top slot in Cox employees will get a second week Decemt er to replace outgoing President Lee of vacation their first year. The compa- Masters who left to run Liberty Media's inter- ny is also implementing more flextime active T / portfolio. But she only took the title into employee schedules. "acting" president, citing her recent return Cox employs roughly 15,000 peo- from mE ternity leave after giving birth to her ple. The company has about 500 posi- first chit, I. At the time, she nevertheless insist- tions open around the country, Henke ed that .he was "committed" to the job. said. To fill them, Cox has undertaken a "A lot of people thought she was position- radio ad campaign in some of its larger ing;" sa one Shea associate "That wasn't markets and has targeted career fairs at the cas( a business schools. Current employees Shea will remain as The 1 ull of family won out. Shea said that consultant after her dividing time between her daugh. er and the can make up to $500 by bringing some- replacement is named. one new into the Cox fold. network proved too hard. "E! needs a leader The Atlanta -based MSO also has that can be more committed than I c to be," she said Wednesday. "lt needs turned to Monsterboard.com, a giant more than the 70% I can give." Internet want -ad service, to find techni- Shea will stay until E! partners Cc mcast Corp. and Liberty Media Corp. cal employees. Other recruitment select a replacement. After then, sh will consult for two years enticements include stock options at a Shea said she's happy with El's p ogramming and distribution right now. 15% discount and, come January 2000, "Attention needs to be paid to interna Tonal development and brand building," a tuition benefit of up to $5,000 a year she said. `That's probably where I'll s )end my attention" -John Higgins for qualifying programs.

A GUST 23, 1999 / BROIIDCASiING & CABLE 39

www.americanradiohistory.com CABLE findings contradict the expectation of involved will likely be moved to differ- sales, marketing and customer service fewer jobs in the wake of recent indus- ent areas of their companies. for Comcast's cable division. try consolidation. Dave Watson, for example, ran "In a clustered world...the skill sets As far as any future layoffs are con- Comcast's cellular phone division. The are different. In some cases, you have cerned, a few administrative positions division was spun off. Watson was not. to find people outside the cable busi- may be eliminated where responsibili- He had previous sales experience, and ness. I guess I was an example of that," ties are duplicated, but the people now he's executive vice president of Watson said. Fuzzy vision doomed channel? Turner's bid to attract women via new network may have been hurt by too many cooks

By Price Colman ing Vogue, Mademoiselle, Self and Vanity Fair, is a division of Advance. The Women's Network may have Further, Advance and Time Inc. been as much a victim of internal were enthusiastic about the opportuni- conflicts and unclear direction as ties for leveraging women -oriented it was the high cost of original pro- magazine content and their brands on a gramming, industry sources say. video platform as well as on the World Although economics and the requi- Wide Web. site time to break even were clearly Without a mutually acceptable busi- factors in Ted Turner's decision to pull ness plan, it was impossible to justify the plug on the unlaunched net, an ill - the hefty costs for the original pro- defined vision for the net and lack of gramming that was to be the lifeblood consensus on a business plan were of the network. PaineWebber media other deal killers. analyst Chris Dixon estimated that the "There were different views on partners would need $300 million to everybody's part about who was driv- launch the network in the analog realm ing the business and debate about [eco- and that it could take up to six years for nomic] participation levels," says one it to break even. source familiar with the situation. From Ted Turner down, executives Also, some cable operators, while involved with The Women's Network initially supportive, were leery of the Mitchell was slated to lead The Women's were convinced they had identified an impact of a planned Web component on Network, with original programming culled from Time Warner and Conde Nast economically powerful and under - their core video operations, one source publications. However. sources said the served demographic niche: women says. A key issue: Would a Web pres- companies' corporate cultures worked ages 18 -59. ence enhance or detract from the video against the effort. But they weren't alone. As The channel? Women's Network was developing "The cable guys were concerned TBS's formal unveiling of the new programming and business plans, about being left out of the [Web] rev- network at the National Cable Televi- Lifetime Television was growing its enue stream," the source says. "It was sion Association show in June. Within audience. Oxygen, another women's less about viewership than revenue...It the financial community, some cable network still in the conceptual had to be a collaboration with cable observers reacted with considerable stage, was grabbing attention --and operators. They couldn't set [the Web skepticism, saying that Time Warner investments -with Geraldine Lay - business] up and cut [cable] out. But and magazine publisher Advance Pub- bourne, Marcy Carsey and Oprah they couldn't figure out how to cut lications were simply test marketing Winfrey at the helm. And E! Enter- [cable] in." the concept by holding a formal press tainment's spin -off, style., was build- That absence of a unifying vision for conference. ing a following. the network beyond just being a mag- Not so, counter sources familiar Corporate conservatism may also net for advertisers seeking women with the companies involved. The have played a role in killing The viewers prevented the network from seminal idea arose when Pat Mitchell, Women's Network, industry execu- gaining credibility. who would have headed the new net- tives say. With the merger of Turner "I was never sure what The Women's work, joined Turner Broadcasting in and Time Warner, gone were the days Network was going to be," adds a the early '90s. The concept, with when Ted Turner might have blazed source in the financial community. strong backing from Ted Turner, ahead. Fiduciary responsibility to A spokesman for Turner Broadcast- hinged on spinning content gleaned Time Warner shareholders prevailed. ing System, which was leading devel- from the pages of Time Inc. and Turner, as one of the largest sharehold- opment of the network, declined to Condè Nast Inc. magazines into origi- ers, made what some insiders consider comment. nal, and expensive, half-hour and hour an obvious call before the effort Not surprising, industry sources TV shows. Condè Nast, which pub- siphoned more time, creative energy say, was the quick denouement after lishes 17 consumer magazines includ- and money.

40 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1888

www.americanradiohistory.com CABLE Not Glenn's problem Ex -Jones Intercable chairman quietly sells bulk of stock By Price Colman Jones Intercable's systems to carry networks that he personally owned and ones Intercable Inc. investors may selling huge options on his personal be wrestling over Comcast Corp.'s holding to suitors. He's raised $350 JJ offer to increase its stake in the million over the years including: MSO, but the much -criticized deal is $58 million from Bell Canada, or less of a dilemma for Glenn Jones. The $20 per share for merely an option to buy former Jones Intercable chairman has his 2.9 million supervoting (10 votes per quietly sold off most of his remaining share) common shares. At the time Jones Jones and his holding company sold 1 holdings in the company. Intercable shares traded at around $10. million shares last month i!o Comcast. A Securities and Exchange Commis- $200 million from Comcast, or just sion filing shows that Glenn Jones and under $69 per share, for those same $8 million from Comcast to pur- his personal holding company, Jones supervoting shares when they were chase Glenn Jones employment con- International, sold a total of 1 million trading at roughly $28. tract. shares to Comcast Corp. July 2 for $50 $25 million from Comcast that $50 million from Comcast to pur- per share in cash, the market price on went to Jones International for guaran- chase the 1 million Glenn Jones /Jones the day the sale closed. Jones Interna- teed channel slots it held on Jones International class A shares. Comcast tional sold 997,373 shares for $49.9 Intercable systems. acquired the shares at market price. million while Glenn Jones personally sold Comcast 2,627 shares of class A common stock for $131,350. CA HE'S TOP 25 Having sold a substantial amount of his holdings at various times, Glenn Jones now has about 721,000 of Jones Intercable shares worth $36 million. Some financial executives said they The TE S political thriller `First Daughter' feel Glenn Jones has left them high -and- wresti .d the top spot away from the WWF last dry as they try to squeeze a better deal week. he original movie starring Warfel Heroin Tway earned a 6.9 rating/12 .ifhare. out of Comcast, which is launching a tender offer to buy enough stock from Following are the top 25 basic cable programs fi r the week of August 9 -15, ranked by rating. Cable the public to increase its Jones Intercable rating is coverage area rating within each basic ( able network's universe; U.S. rating is of 98 million TV households. Sources: Nielsen Media Researc 1, Turner Entertainment. ownership from 37% to 79 %. Some ana- Rating HHs Cable lysts and money managers oppose the Rank Program Networ Day Time Duration Cable U.S. (000) Share deal because Comcast's offer of $50.31 1 Movie: 'First Daughter' TBS Sun 8:00P 122 6.9 5.3 5309 12.0 per share values Jones Intercable's sys- 2 WWF Sports Entertainment USA Mon 10:00P 69 6.5 5.0 4933 10.7 tems at an estimated $3,100- $3,500 per 3 WWF Sports Entertainment USA Mon 9:00P 60 6.2 4.7 4720 9.7 subscriber. Other MSOs are selling for 4 Movie: If Someone Had...' LIF Sun 4:00P 120 4.7 3.5 3490 10.8 5 WWF Sunday Night Heat USA Sun 7:00P 60 4.4 3.4 3379 8.6 $4,000 -$5,400 per subscriber. 6 NASCAR/Frontier At The... ESPN Sun 12:30P 180 4.1 32 3145 10.8 Comcast has countered that buyers pay 7 Movie: 'First Daughter' TBS Sun 10:02P 121 3.8 3.0 2945 7.0 up for control of a company, and it has 8 WCW Monday Night Live! TNT Mon 8:00P 60 3.7 2.8 2788 6.2 already paid that premium when it bought 9 NFLX/GiantsNikings ESPN Fri 8:15P 205 3.4 2.6 2599 6.6 out the interests of Bell Canada interest 9 Movie: 'Legionnaire' USA Tue 9:OOP 120 3.4 2.6 2560 5.6 2424 7.9 and, subsequently, Glenn Jones. That gave 11 Movie: 'Shattered Trust' LIF Sun 2:00P 120 3.3 2.4 12 WCW Thunder TBS Thu 9:02P 63 3.2 2.5 2487 5.7 Comcast supervoting stock, 47% of the 13 Rugrats NICK Mon 4:30P 30 3.1 2.4 2346 8.5 company's shareholder votes and control 13 Franklin NICK Tue 10:30A 30 3.0 2.3 2294 11.2 of Jones Intercable's board. 13 Movie: 'Menendez, Pt. l' LIF Sun 6:00P 120 3.0 2.3 2283 6.2 "With the stock having gone from 16 Movie: 'Menendez, Pt. II' LIF Sun 8:00P 120 3.0 23 2254 5.0 $12 to $50, no one should be surprised 16 Rugrats NICK Mon 4:00P 30 2.9 2.3 2237 8.8 4.9 that Glenn is cashing in his chips," says 16 Real World VIII MTV Tue 10:00P 30 2.9 2.2 2162 19 WCW Monday Night Live! TNT Mon 10:00P 66 2.9 22 2198 4.8 one financier. "Did they think he'd 19 Rugrats NICK Sat 9:30A 30 2.9 2.2 2196 10.1 stick around to help out the little share- 19 Rugrats NICK Mon 7:30P 30 2.8 2.2 2146 5.3 holders when he has no history of 19 M. Sendaks Little Bear NICK Tue 10:OOA 30 2.8 2.2 2145 10.6 doing that ?" 23 Rugrats NICK Sun 9:30A 30 2.8 2.1 2132 9.4 Asked earlier about his stock hold- 23 WCW Monday Night Live! TNT Mon 9:00P 60 2.8 2.1 2132 4.4 ing, Jones wouldn't comment and he 23 Hey Arnold NICK Mon 8:00P 30 2.8 2.1 2122 4.9 23 Spongebob NICK Sun 10:OOA 30 2.8 2.1 2082 8.8 couldn't be reached last week. 23 Franklin NICK Wed 10:30A 30 2.8 2.1 2069 10.1 But he has long gotten a different 23 Scooby Doo TOM Wed 10:00P 30 2.8 1.6 1602 4.4 deal than his public shareholders, using

A JI UST 23, 1999 I BROADCASTING & CABLE 41

www.americanradiohistory.com BroadcasfmgaCaúle a TECnuLdGY Thomson: 8 -VSB does work With help from Indianapolis NBC affiliate, set maker defends transmission system

By Karen Anderson ance of 8 -VSB, National Association of Broadcasters President Eddie Fritts Thomson Consumer Electronics is has called on consumer electronics working to prove the merits of its manufacturers to improve receiver DTV receivers -and the 8 -VSB technology. However, unlike Sinclair, transmission system. Fritts and the NAB do not advocate a The set manufacturers last week pro- switch to COFDM. duced the weeklong Indianapolis RCA Arland criticizes the Sinclair tests. He Tennis Tournament in 1080i HDTV for says anywhere viewers can get a good broadcast by wri R(Tv) broadcast on its NTSC signal, they will be able to pick up digital channel 46. an 8 -VSB signal with the latest generation The high -def event could be watched of receivers. Consumer electronics manu- Curious viewers stop by WTHR's HDTV on Thomson sets at several electronics exhibit at the Indiana State Fair. facturers have stepped up to the challenge retail outlets and at special venues. and are now offering 8 -VSB receivers WTHR sponsored an exhibition at the spokesman David Arland. capable of receiving clear, strong signals. Indiana State Fair, and Thomson Based on tests it conducted in Balti- In fact, Arland says, last week in Indi- demonstrated an RCA 61 -inch rear - more, Sinclair has launched a campaign anapolis he watched the high -def broad- projection set at the tournament's to reconsider the 8 -VSB transmission cast from the 18th floor of a downtown entertainment pavilion. system, which is at the heart of the U.S. apartment building using Thomson's new "We wanted to show throughout the digital broadcast television standard. DTV set -top box with improved adaptive week that it is possible and doable to Sinclair prefers the European COFDM equalizers and a pair of indoor rabbit ears. receive digital television throughout an system, arguing that it is more robust. The picture, downconverted for display on urban area, which has been called into Unlike 8 -VSB, Sinclair says, COFDM an NTSC set, was "brilliantly clear." question by Sinclair [Broadcast Group] can deliver signals to sets with indoor WTHR displayed several sets in an and other interests who have axes of antennas and mobile devices. exhibition hall at the state fair and their own to grind," says Thomson Also concerned about the perform- received signals with varying degrees of success. A set with an outdoor antenna received a "perfect" signal, while one Thomson spurns two -in -one DTV with indoor rabbit ears had slight inter- Out of its concern that 8 -VSB digital receivers don't work well with indoor ference when people touched or got very antennas, Sinclair Broadcast Group is now suggesting that receiver manu- close to the antenna, says WTHR Director facturers make dual -mode DTV sets that would receive 8 -VSB and COFDM of Engineering Al Grossniklaus. signals. Broadcasters could then use whichever transmission system they He says that while COFDM does want, the station group says. Sinclair, which believes COFDM is superior, offer better reception, it is bandwidth plans to present the idea in a petition to the FCC [B &C, Aug. 16, 1999]. and power- hungry, making it economi- "It doesn't seem to be a great burden on the receiver manufacturers to do it;' cally undesirable for broadcasters. says Sinclair VP of New Technology Nat Ostroff, noting that manufacturers are "COFDM does, at this point in the already building digital TVs and set-tops that can also receive satellite TV signals. development of the technology, do a But the first manufacturer to bring a combination DTV/satellite product to better job of overcoming multipath market, Thomson Consumer Electronics, says incorporating COFDM would inside of buildings. But as the adaptive be a deathblow to DTV. 'That would have one effect -to stop digital TV in its equalizers are improved in 8 -VSB tracks," says spokesman David Arland. "It would mean at least a two -year delay receivers, that gap will be significantly in digital TV receivers, and would do nothing to advance digital TV in the U.S" narrowed," he says. Arland's prediction of a two -year delay is based on the 2.5 years it took To carry out the production, Thom- Thomson to bring salable DTV receivers to market after the FCC approved son hired Cincinnati -based independ- the DTV standard in December 1996. While Arland says it would be techri- ent producer and HDTV veteran Ken cally possible for Thomson to incorporate COFDM functionality into DTV Fouts to direct the three -camera pro- receivers, doing so would require Thomson to go back to the drawing board. duction with HDTV production gear "It is a sizable change to the product that would require a complete re- from Sony and Panasonic. Chyron and engineering effort," says Arland. "It's not just like plugging in a circuit board, Evertz provided character generation as Sinclair suggests." and logo insertion, respectively. Time Thomson would have to design a new chip set and conduct lengthy Warner Telecom provided a local 24- testing in a variety of reception environments. "It would be a great expense mile fiber link for backhaul from the to us, and it would add cost to, not reduce the cost of, DTV receivers," he tennis center to the wTHR transmission adds. -Glen Dickson site. Telecast Fiber and Force Inc. also provided fiber transmission.

42 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1989

www.americanradiohistory.com TECHNOLOGY

Unlimited software for its Open Render Engine. Quantel's editing systems will be able to send live clips to Maya, enabling a 3D artist to more accurate- ly visualize models and images in context. The 3D GlobeCast N.A. -MTV HGTV picks services. Thomcast also model can then be sent to Latin -America deal Crawford will provide What-' v with the Quantel where camera an HDTV encoding sys- angles, geometry, motion, GlobeCast North America Home and Garden Televi- tem to be used for ( antri- lights, shadows, color and has entered into a three - sion is using Crawford bution feeds. textures can be modified. month deal to provide Communications to pro- MTV Latin America a vide network origination Fletcher install s Discreet offers HD full- service production and transmission services, hi -def sports c ims package and occasional while HGTV's Knoxville, Fire and Inferno transmission services for Tenn. -based facility is Chicago -based spo is and Graphic equipment manu- four new shows. The pro- under construction. HGTV video systems rent 1 firm facturer Discreet, a division duction package includes has used Crawford as its Fletcher Inc. has in ;tailed of Autodesk, announced studio space, control room disaster recovery site for five Sony high -defi iition the availability of Fire and operations and a crew. three years. Crawford is cameras in New Yc -k's Inferno v3.5, which enables providing full -time master baseball stadiums -three real-time HDTV integra- BT and VSC unite control, tape playback, in Shea Stadium ar d two tion with the SGI HD UO Video Services Corp. and and uplink services. in Yankee Stadium Cable - board. The system allows BT North America Broad- HGTV's new facility is vision's Madison S ivare users to master in HD and cast Services have agreed scheduled for completion Garden Network (I 1SG) is then format- convert to to jointly develop, market in November. using the cameras or NTSC, PAL, and other and sell each other's video HDTV production )fYan- DTV formats. services in the U.S., it was Capitol selects kees games; Fox S ports announced last week. Thomcast Net is using them i )r the WB adds Video Services, through Mets at Shea. Axiom console its two transmission sub- Capitol Broadcasting's The WB Television Net- sidiaries, Atlantic Satellite WRAL -TV Raleigh and KUAT TV's excl ilent work has installed a sec- Communications and wRAZ -Tv Durham, N.C., HD adventure ond 64 -input Solid State Waterfront Communica- which Capitol operates Plus 8 video, a But bank, Logic Axiom digital audio tions, will provide an under a local marketing Calif. -based produ :tion console in its Burbank, expanded domestic fiber agreement, have purchased equipment rental f nn, Calif. post -production optic network, additional Thomcast/DiviCom provided a Sony H 3TV facility. The WB uses the teleport facilities in the HDTV and SDTV trans- camera package to Tucson consoles for post-produc- New York area and an mission systems. Thom - PBS affiliate KUAT- ry for tion promotional spots extensive switching net- cast will supply DiviCom of its production of R ver of work. BT North America HDTV and SDTV encod- for The WB prime time Iron: Dreams of a 3rand and Kids WB. will provide a global net- ing systems, the Pearl Canyon Railroad, tart of a work of satellite services, PSIP Manager and Opal series called The L esert Miranda um fells compression and other Data Broadcasting Gate- Speaks. The produ ,tion broadcast services. way, as well as integration DV converter team used the equi )ment, Miranda Technologies last which also include i a week announced the avail- Fujinon lens and a Ikega- ability of DV- Bridge, a bi- mi HD monitor, of a 10- directional DV-today trip down the ( irand SDI/AES converter. The Canyon to docume nt the DV -Bridge converts com- work of river exph rer pressed DV video and Robert Brewster S anton. audio to and from SDI Quantel finds (4:2:2) digital video and AES audio and is graphics part,. er designed to work with DV Quantel is joining .'orces Camcorders, DV-VCRs or with Ali.as/Wavefr, mt. DV-based storage and Under their agreer tent, editing systems equipped A production crew from Tucson, Ariz., PBS affiliate KUAT -Tv- enjoys a high -def river adverture. Sony HD cameras were Quantel will use with the IEEE -1394 provided by Phis 8 Video. Alias/Wavefront's Vtaya FireWire interface.

AI 6U8T 28, 1899 / BROADCAS ING & CABLE 43

www.americanradiohistory.com BroadcashogaCable

SITE OF THE WEEK WWWWB2O.com CBS' direction: Do- it- yourself Eye net takes equity stakes in Wrenchead.com, Jobs.com

By Richard Tedesco "Over the past several months, e- commerce has been a strong component Continuing to tool up its Internet in each Internet niche that CBS has connections, CBS struck two bought into. "Making investments in deals worth $95 million last these companies makes more sense week to buy into cars and careers. than a portal play," said Charlene Li, an The network gets a 38% stake in analyst with Cambridge, Mass. -based Jobs.com, an online job search site, for Forrester Research, adding that the por- KBWB -TV $62 million in promotion and advertis- tal space is already overcrowded with ing over five years. CBS takes a 22% Disney's Go Network and NBC's Snap San Francisco stake in the Wrenchead.com automo- not performing to expectations. WB, ch. 20 tive site in exchange for $33 million in CBS will probably eventually need a plugs over the next four years. portal, according to Reynolds, but he Wrenchead.com offers links to auto- said the priority was still to aggregate Site features: Live streaming of motive parts sites and will soon offer sites with an emphasis on e- commerce. nightly 10 p.m. newscast and Tech car and truck parts for sale, along with "Just because everyone else is rush- Now, half -hour show on high -tech how -to information. CBS will also ing off a cliff doesn't mean CBS should developments airing at 6:30 p.m. seek to develop a how -to show with follow," Li said. on Saturdays and Sundays; news- Wrenchead.com for TNN. Emily Meehan, an analyst with the casts archived for one week; infor- Both CBS and TNN run a heavy Boston -based Yankee Group, said CBS mation on WB shows, including Charmed, Felicity, Buffy the Vam- rotation of NASCAR racing in their is "trying to make e- commerce plays respective schedules. "CBS and that make sense with its audience." pire Slayer and Dawson's Creek; news, weather, sports highlights; Nashville Network have a large pres- So far, those investments have included ence in motor sports," said Fred SportsLine.com, Marketwatch.com, links to local movie guide and entertainment guides, free e -mail Reynolds, CBS chief financial officer. StoreRunner.com, Office.com, Switch - and local online marketplace Jobs.com is a good fit with the net- board.com, Medscape.com and work's local and national reach, accord- ThirdAge.com. Each has been consum- Site launched: February 1999 ing to Reynolds: "We've always covet- mated in the same way: equity stakes Site director: Matt Edens, online ed the classifieds the newspapers have." swapped for promotional time on CBS producer CBS is finalizing terms of an invest- properties. Last month's $150 million Number 2 ment in a women's site, according to Medscape deal was the largest one to date. of employees: Reynolds, who said CBs is also consid- Deals in principle are also set with Site design: In -house ering weather sites. Rx.com and hollywood.com. Streaming technology: RealVideo Traffic generated: Averaging Going against the grain 12,000 page views monthly for Webcasts Eschewing a portal play, CBS has been picking its spots with targeted Web investments totaling $722 million. Advertising: Banner ads; video ads for local car dealers Date OA Revenue: N/A 1997 MarketWatch Financial news $50 million 1997 SportsLine.com Sports news $62 million Highlights: Kids Club and online April 1999 Hollywood.com Movie information $100 million Tech Report are most popular fea- April 1999 Storerunner.com Shopping mall $100 million tures June 1999 Switchboard.com Phone directory $135 million Coming soon: All news stories to ThirdAge.com Baby boomers $30 million June 1999 be archived on FasTV.com starting July 1999 Medscape.com Medical information $150 million in mid- September for KBWB and sis- August 1999 Wrenchead.com Auto information $33 million ter station KNTV in San Jose, Calif. August 1999 Jobs.com Job search information $62 million

Source . CBS -Richard Tedesco

44 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com Broadcasting & Cable SPECIAL REPORT

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www.americanradiohistory.com BroaticaslmgeCahle CLASSIFIEDS

RADIO HELP WANTED SHOWS HELP WANTED SALES Your show In Long Island, New York. Big Local Sales Manager: WLAX Fox 25 is seeking HELP WANTED MANAGEMENT Market. Radio station with excellent signal. Cost - a Local Sales Manager that possesses teaching Effective. Generate Qualified Leads. Call Stefan and coaching skills to lead our sales staff into the Rybak at 516 -845 -5400. new Millennium. New business development Help Wanted: Ohio AM /FM station looking for a skills are a must. If managing a sales staff that sales oriented General Manager with a proven sells the markets best syndicated shows, Fox's track record. Reply to Box 01590. EOE. HELP WANTED ON-AIR ANNOUNCER unique network programs and Packer football interest you, please send or fax your resume to: 100KW Progressive Catholic noncom in Cen- Station Manager, WLAX TV -25, 1305 In- HELP WANTED SALES tral Florida needs experienced announcer. Must terchange Place, La Crosse, WI 54603, Or fax to: have keen knowledge of contemporary Christian 608 -783 -2520. WLAX/WEUX are equal opportuni- music, Catholic doctrine and ability to talk Catho- ty employers and encourage women Mid Atlantic Broadcast group seeks excep- and lic faith on air. Great benefits, decent pay. Send minorities to apply for this and other positions tional General Sales Manager to provide sales tape, resume and salary to Station Manager PO available. leadership, training and vision for 5- station Box 18081, Tampa, FL 33679. EOE market cluster. Better than average pay and op- General Sales Manager WFLA -TV: Florida's portunity to share in the ownership to the person SITUATIONS WANTED ANNOUNCER Number 1 Television -TV who can join this team and demonstrate the Station, WFLA in Tampa, is seeking qualities needed for the position. Send letter first, an experienced and creative Part-time Jock, Prod., News. sales professional to fill the position of detailing your background and salary needs to (Oldies -Classic General Rock -Jammin Oldies) (30 yrs. exp.) NYC, Li., Sales Manager. Candidate must have 7 -10 years start the process. Send to: Maria Schroeder Hudson Valley, NJ, experience as a proven Sales Manager, P.O. Box 3788, Radford, VA 24141 Phila. J. Carr (212) 677- pre- 8531. ferably as a GSM, and be able to lead and motivate our sales team in the achievement of re- HELP WANTED NEWS SUBCARRIER LEASE venue goals, sales development, selling goals and professional development. Must demonstrate proven ability to cultivate new business and have Subcarrier Available. WNYE -FM, New York. Executive Producer, Talk of the Nation. Re- extensive 91.5 Mhz. 20 KW. Data/paging Services only. knowledge of inventory and traffic func- sponsible for editorial planning and oversight of tions, well Contact: Frank Sobrino (718)250 -5829. as as research and sales promotion. the show; tracks ongoing flow of news; maintains Successful candidate will be the individual who contacts with news sources and internal desk LEASED PROGRAMMING can also lead our Sales Department into the excit- editors; assures that the show stays on top of ing world of media convergence and provide an- news and events that merit live coverage; cillary revenue opportunities. Resumes should be Produce, host your own radio show, and gen- supervises show staff and live events coverage. sent to the attention of HR Dept., WFLA -TV, 905 erate hundreds of qualified Leads Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience re- 50,000 watt E. Jackson St., Tampa, FL 33602. Media Gener- NYC radio station. Call Ken Sperber quired. Seven years news broadcast experience; 212 -760- al Broadcast Group, www.mgbg.com. M/F EOE supervisory experience: demonstrated understan- 1050. Drug Screen. ding of sound management and supervisory principles; radio production skills; ability to effectively TELEVISION schedule, monitor, and manage remotes and live General Sales Manager: New FOX start-up in Wisconsin offers an outstanding opportunity to events coverage; and ability to effectively work HELP WANTED SALES with a diverse group of individuals under deadline build your own sales team. Prior management pressure required. Job Code #B &C542. Send or experience and ability to assemble and lead an Need an account executive or sales man- fax cover letter and resume identifying position aggressive sales team. If you are a dynamic, ager? Over 1,000 candidates with an average of by number and title. National Public Radio, Hu- goal oriented leader, rush resume, salary history 4+ years of media sales experience available. man Resources Department, 635 Massachusetts to WFXS, P.O. Box 6190, Wausau, WI 54402. Over 80% of our candidates are currently Ave. NW, Washington DC 20001 -3753, Fax 202- EOE. employed. Candidates in all 50 states. Total cost 414 -3047, EOE /AA/M /F /D /V. Also visit our $250. Contact birschbach media sales recruit- Director of Sales: Need creative leader to direct website at: www.npr.org. ment at 303 -368 -5900. Check out our website at and build our sales organization. Candidate will www.birschbachmedia.com. oversee the local and national revenue of two major affiliates as well as develop revenue for the NYC TV Sales to 45K. Tired Of the Rep Grind? Executive Producer for Weekend Shows, NTR and Internet initiatives. We are a large com- Transition to NYC Local TV Sales. Take the talents News Administration Note: The incumbent pany located in a mid -size market with excellent you have learned in selling WB and UPN Stations. works Wednesday through Sunday. Supervises benefits. Must possess GSM experience with ex- You will call on the same NYC Agencies selling a weekend programs and newscasts; tracks flow of amples of successful inventory utilization. We New York area commercial TV Station. If you are news and events; performs weekly evaluation of have the tools we need the leader. Reply to Box going to move into Local TV Sales this is the time. shows; sets -up coverage for developing news 01588. EOE. over the weekend; edits reporter pieces over the Direct response exp. a must. Contact: Lee Rudnick, weekend, as needed; in conjunction with desk President, DBI Media Executive Search; Fax: 212- General Sales Manager: KTVA -TV, CBS for editors, makes weekend reporter assignments to 338 -0632; Phone: 212- 338 -0808 Ext 5; Anchorage, Alaska is looking for a creative leader cover breaking news; and assists in the planning E-mail:[email protected]. for its sales team. Responsibilities include and execution of weekend shows. Bachelor's de- overseeing all sales efforts, hiring, training and gree or equivalent experience required. Seven Account Executive WPVI -TV: the ABC /Disney maximizing revenue from inventory. Must have years broadcast news experience, which in- excellent communication and presentation skills, owned station in Philadelphia, is seeking an AE cludes news gathering and editing; demonstrated along withtheabilityto motivate others. resume to specialize in business development and Send excellent production skills; demonstrated un- to: Station Manager, KTVA-TV, marketing sales. The successful candidate will be 1007 W. 32nd Ave., derstanding of sound management and Anchorage, AK 99503. aggressive, smart, motivated and eager to join a supervisory principles; and ability to effectively dynamic sales environment. A college degree is work with a diverse group individuals under preferred; marketing and/or sales experience is deadline pressure required; daily news and desired. Media sales/marketing experience is a Send Blind Box responses to: supervisory experience preferred. Job Code plus. Basic computer skills are required, and pre- #B &C973. Send or fax cover letter and resume Box ference may be given to candidate with identifying position by number and title. National advanced skills and knowledge of the Internet. BROADCASTING & CABLE Public Radio, Human Resources Department, Mail, fax or e -mail resume (no calls) to Lisa 1 635 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 245 W. 7th St. Hines, Sales Manager, WPVI -TV, Suite 400, 20001 -3753, Fax 202 -414 -3047, EOE/AA/M /F/D/ 4100 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131 Fax 7th Fl. V. Also visit our web site at: www.npr.org 215- 581 -4515; email (lisa.hines @abc.com) EOE New York, NY 10011 46 BROADCASTING & CABLE /AUGUST 23,1999

www.americanradiohistory.com C'.ASSIFIEDS

HELP WANTED SALES HELP WANTED TECHNICAL HELP WANTED NEWS

Local Sales Manager: FOX23 WXXA -TV, a Major westside production/distribution com- Veekend Sports/Weather Anchor/Reporter: Clear Channel Television Station in beautiful Up- pany seeks a Network Affiliate Engineer. Re- BC 5 and 28 Calumet, MI, Marquette DMA 175 state NY, is looking for a highly motivated sales sponsibilities include working directly with affiliate s seeking a real go -getter to fill Weekend Sports pro to lead our talented local staff. Qualified can- pertaining to resolution of problems both site re- ind Weather Anchor /Reporter position. If you like didates will possess a minimum of 3 years televi- lated and transmission related, develop opera- :hallenges including the four season's of sion sales experience, plus the ability to lead, tional procedures as required, and implement Aichigan's Beautiful Upper Peninsula and are train and motivate daily. We are focused on new changes in technology as required. Must be ex- poking for the chance to grow your skills we business development, NTR and synergy with perienced in operation and installation of lave the right opportunity for you. Selected appli- our 7 local radio stations. FOX background a VideoCipher II +IRDs and stand alone descram- :ant would be responsible for News and Sports plus. If you have what it takes to grow with us, blers, Affiliate Management System and Channel eporting duties 3 days a week plus Anchor and send resume and cover letter to: GSM, WXXA- Control Computers for the VideoCipher II+ Sather Sports and Weather for Action 5 News TV FOX23, 28 Corporate Circle, Albany, NY encryption system, PowerVu and PowerVu Au- Neekend Editions. If you have the skills we're 12203. EOE. thorization Computer system. Must have knowl- ooking for send your Resume and Tape to Ac- edge of RF transmission systems and application ion 5 News Go-Getter, 1122 Calumet, MI 49913. of satellite link budgets in analog and digital do- o phone calls please. EOE mains. Candidate must have an intermediate HELP WANTED MARKETING level of experience regarding baseband analog video and audio signals, as well as, operations in Marketing Writer /Producer: WCBD -TV Media both analog and digital playout facilities. Must Weekend Sports Anchor /Reporter /Photog: also have knowledge of operational reference a Weekend Sports Anchor/ General Broadcast Group WCBD -TV NBC 2 in CBS affiliate seeks levels subcarrier deviation. Please fax re- to gather, shoot, Charleston South Carolina is looking for a market- and Reporter/Photog. Must be able handle live ing writer /producer with a strong creative sense sumes to 310 -235 -5898. and edit sports for broadcast and a working and good writing skills. We are looking for a shots at sporting events. Requires with the ability to knowledge of Texas High School, College, and highly motivated team player Computer Systems/TV Broadcast Engineer: handle multiple tasks. Non -linear editing skills are Professional Sports. Play -by -play experience WESH -TV Orlando's NBC affiliate and a Hearst- and prior experience preferred. a plus. Please include a demo tape. Send re- helpful. Degree Argyle television station, is seeking a Computer tape to Personnel Director, sume to Human Resources Dept. 210 West Col- Send resume and Systems/TV Broadcast Engineer. Duties include in- Angelo, TX eman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 EOE M/F KLST-TV, 2800 Armstrong, San stall and track computer hardware and software, 76903. EOE Drug screening. maintain administer NT computer networks and broadcast equipment maintenance assignments. the Two years experience in a similar position and Weekend Meteorologist: WJXX ABC25, NBC O &O WRC-TV seeking experienced, highly in NT certification preferred. Knowledge of studio Allbritton communicates new affiliate motivated Marketing Manager to generate new re- for weekend systems and FCC rules helpful. Send resume to Jacksonville, Florida, is searching venue. Excellent research, writing, presentation, Richard Monn, Chief Engineer, WESH -TV, P.O. meteorologist to anchor the 6 & "1 pm weekend and negotiation skills required. Fax resumes to Box 547697, Orlando, FL 32854. No phone calls. news casts. Will also proide weekday 202 -885 -4913. EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer. assistance to Chief Meteorologist. AMS seal preferred. To apply, send non -returnable VHS-tape, Chief Engineer: Needed for Telemundo Affil., cover letter and resume to Human Resources HELP WANTED TECHNICAL RF Exp. essential, Townsend Xmtr. Must be pre- Director, ABC25 WJXX, 7025 A.C. Skinner pared to lead station through digital transition. Parkway, Jackson, FL 32256. EOE Send Resume to Gen. Manager, KFWD -TV, (WAMI -TV) is seeking Miami USA Broadcasting 3000 W. Story RD., Irving, TX 75038. An EEOE. Weekend Anchor/Reporter: KCRA -TV, the an experienced Technical Director. Qualified Hearst -Argyle owned NBC affiliate in Sacra- candidates should understand concepts of in- mento, is looking for a bright and dynamic person Director of Engineering: Engineering studio technical equipment, including switcher, Assistant who can anchor our weekend morning professional - major market television group chyron, video ENG., tape playback, camera, newscasts. We're looking for that unique individ- broadcaster, "Univision ", seeks a "hands -on" audio and teleprompter. Must have knowledge of ual who has the confidence and poise to step Assistant Director of Engineering for the group. Phillips Switcher, Abekas Dveous or comparable, right into the anchor chair, but also has the poten- You will be based in Los Angeles but will work two years experience as Technical Director, ex- tial to grow within KCRA. Strong reporting, writing with and travel to all our major market "O &O's ". perience on a news show and one year experi- and story telling skills are important for the report- The ideal candidate will have 5 -10 years experience as Chyron Operator. Resumes and cover ing side of this job. We're looking for someone ence as Chief or Assistant Chief Engineer work- letters may be faxed to (305) 604 -0406 Attn: who comes to work with energy and ideas every ing in UHF stations. Superior salary and benefits. Human Resources. WAMI -TV is an Equal Op- day. Send resume, non -returnable VHS tape, Fax resume to (310) 348 -3659. EEO. portunity Employer. and references to: Ed Chapuis, News Director, KCRA -TV, 3 Television Circle, Sacramento, CA 95814. No phone calls. HELP WANTED PRODUCER Chief Engineer (Job #99 -502): WTHR, A Dis- Unlvision 41 New York is Growing: New York's patch Broadcast Group Station has an immediate #1 Spanish language station seeks the following opening for a chief engineer. Responsibilities will Special Projects Producer: Need an energetic persons as we begin our daily 6 a.m. newscast: include technical plant installation and main- producer who has an eye for production, creates anchors (2), reporter, photographer /editor (3), tenance, supervision of the maintenance and op- great elements, a la Dateline, writes clear producer, videotape editor, newswriter (part- erations staff, management and execution of cap- focused scripts, and understands the importance time), production assistant, production technician ital and other projects, FCC compliance and of finding highly promotable, hard -hitting stories (2), and newsroom secretary. Experience and bil- assisting Director of Engineering and Operations for series. Additional responsibilities include field ingual English- Spanish required. Tape, resume with operating and capital planning budgets. The producing and planning for coverage of major to WXTV, 500 Frank W. Burr Blvd., Sixth Floor, successful candidate will be an energetic and news events. Candidate should have strong in- Teaneck, NJ 07666. EOE. dynamic leader with a solid engineering, IT and terpersonal, written and oral communication technical management background in a fast - skills. Prior producing experience in investigative paced, news -heavy environment. Requirements in- reports and series preferred. Please send re- Television, CBS Newspath, Live News Center: clude a BSEE or related degree, SBE or other pro- sume and non -returnable VHS tape to NBC 5, CBS Newspath has two openings (one freelance, fessional certification and minimum of five years' PO Box 1780, Fort Worth, TX 76101 Attn: one staff) in our Live News Center in New York. experience as a medium to large market Chief Employee Relations. (No phone calls please) The selected candidate will have at least two Engineer or Assistant Chief. Applicants possess- EOE. years' TV news experience, preferably on an ing these skills should send cover letter indicating assignment desk. You must know how to pro- referral source and resume to the Department of duce a liveshot and taped package, work well un- Human Resources, Attn: Job No. 99 -502, P.O. der pressure and understand the concepts of Please send Box 1313, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Replies held in TAKE A LOOK: satellites, circuits and signal routing. confidence. Qualified minorities and women are your confidential resume to: Recruitment De- encouraged to apply. We are a drug -free and www.broadcastingcable.com partment LK, CBS Corporation, 524 West 57th smoke -free environment. Equal Opportunity Street, New York, NY 10019. Equal Opportunity Employer. Employer. AUI UST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 47

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HELP WANTED NEWS

Producer: WYFF -TV, the Hearst NBC station in Greenville, SC is searching for an aggressive, F O X 5 0 high-energy newscast producer who is an excellent writer. One year of experience in a commercial television newsroom and a college de- THERE'S MORE THAN ONE REASON gree required. Send to WYFF -TV, Human Re- TO JOIN US. sources Manager, 505 Rutherford Street, Greenville, SC 29609. EOE WE CAN THINK Of 5O.. Planning Editor: ABC -7, WJLA-TV has immediate opening for a qualified experienced news assignment/planning editor with a least 3 Commercial Producer-Promotion and Marketing years experience in the Wash DC Metropolitan Job #99 area market. Must know the needs of all various -138 jurisdictions throughout the Washington area. Only experienced candidates need apply. Fax re- Be a part of the hottest FOX affiliate in the Southeast. Our award sumes to: (202) 364-1943 or mail to: Human Re- winning creative department is looking for a person who can write, sources, WLJA -TV, 3007 Tilden Street NW, shoot and produce television spots for FOX 50 commercial clients. Washington, DC 20008. EOE. Individual must have excellent writing and production skills and Photographer/Reporter: WHAS11 complete knowledge of current television production techniques. is looking for an individual with 3 years experience as a bureau Also, individual must possess positive presentation and client rela- photographer /reporter. Candidate should be able tion skills, and be a quick, creative thinker. Television writing and to shoot on Beta, edit your own stories (non- production experience required. AVID experience a plus. linear editing experience is a plus), be enterpris- ing, work independently, have a good live presence, be a solid story teller, and possess knowledge of live trucks. We ask for your Here, you'll receive an excellent compensa- cooperation and assistance in our efforts to re- tion package as well as professional develop- cruit, hire, and promote women and minorities. If ment. Please send resume indicating job you know of a qualified and interested individual, number and VHS tape of production samples we encourage you to refer them to us. Interested to: Corporate Human Resources, FOX50, candidates forward resume, tape and cover letter to: Cindy Vaughan, Human Resources Director, P.O. Box 12800, Raleigh, NC 27605; Fax HR #932, WHAS11, 520 West Chestnut Street, (919) 890 -6011. EOE Louisville, KY 40202.

Division of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. News Staff Wanted: FOX 47 in Rochester MN will be hiring a news staff to launch an exciting WWW.FOX50.COM start-up. Come join a great team in a great place to grow your skills working for a terrific company, Shockley Communications. Interviewing for: Anchors (2), Producer, Assignment Editor, Meteorologist, Sports Director, Videojournalist/ TV News Reporter: Eastern Iowa's 24 Hour Special Projects Photographer: WTVD -TV, an Reporters (3). Don't miss this great opportunity! News Source is looking for a reporter who can ABC owned station is looking for a creative, ex- Send resume's and tapes to: News shoot. We have all the toys (four live trucks, live perienced photographer for our special projects Director FOX 47 KXLT, 6301 Banda] Road NW, Rochester MN news helicopter and satellite truck) we need so- unit. The ideal candidate is a visual storyteller 55901 No phone calls please. meone to play with them. One year experience re- with strong editing skills. This position works with quired. Send Tape and resume to Personnel our consumer, health, and features reporters as Coordinator, KCRG, P.O. Box 816, Cedar well as covering general assignment stories. Live News Photographers: Looking forward to an- Rapids, IA 52406. EOE. truck experience a plus. Rush tape /resume: Ted other winter shooting in the snow or would you Holtzclaw, News Operations Manager, WTVD- like to work in Florida? Contact State Capitol Reporter: Need experienced TV, 411 Liberty Street, Durham, NC 27701. EOE. andy @flanews.com for details. broadcast journalist to live in Richmond and run full -time bureau covering state government & politics. No beginners. Prior experience covering KAN, Little Rock, Arkansas' top -rated sta- General Assembly preferred. Assistant News KLAS has immediate openings for: AM Exec- tion is searching for an Assignment Editor. Must Director/Assignment Manager: Need seasoned utive Producer: This position directly supervises be highly organized, flexible, display outstanding newsroom leader with strong writing and man- the morning, noon and weekend newscasts. Ex- news judgement and work well with an energized agement skills to guide young reporters in ag- tensive line producing experience required. Pre- newsroom staff. Responsible for daily news cov- gressive weekday coverage from story selection vious management experience preferred. Online erage and crew assignments. Person should through final product oversight. Substantial news Producer: This position produces local content possess three to five years television news expe- experience required. No phone calls, faxes or e- for our internet site. Strong writing skills rience and outstanding computer skills. BS De- mail. Send a letter explaining why you are the necessary. Knowledge of internet technology pre- gree in Journalism or related field required. Good best candidate along with a resume and a non- ferred. Photojournalist: Minimum of two years ex- salary and benefits. Send resume to Sharon returnable VHS videotape to: News Director, perience required. Strong editing and Live shot Lewis, HR Director, KAN, PO Box 77, Little WVIR -TV, 503 E. Market Street, Charlottesville, skills necessary. Apply to KLAS, 3228 Channel 8 Rock, AR 72203. No Phone Calls. KAN is an VA 22902 EOE. Drive, Las Vegas, NY 89109 EOE Allbritton station. EOE

ATTENTION READERS: Looking for a job? Why not place a "Situations Wanted" ad? aigl Brent 212-337-6962 for details

48 BROADCASTING & CABLE /AUGUST 23, 1999

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News Position: Expanding business news orga- Anchor /Reporter: WETM -TV, Elmira, NY is look- Director of Enhanced Programming nization is looking for television anchor, reporter, ing for an Anchor /Reporter for dominant NBC af- PBS Online is seeking a Director of Enhanced assignment editor, producer, writer and financial filiate in the Souther Tier of NY. This is a main analyst from top 30 markets. Send resume, anchor position. Candidates will also report in the Programming. Responsibilities include leading salary history, non -returnable tape and writing afternoon and be trained as a backup producer. the broadband cross -platform programming samples to Box 01589. EOE. Requirements include solid writing, anchoring, efforts by PBS and Itel including establishing and reporting skills. Send tapes and resumes to: production models and setting guidelines. Paul Donohue, News Director, WETM -TV, 101 E. oversee the day -to -day Water St., Elmira, NY 14901. Smith Television of Director will Managing Editor: Gannett owned NBC affiliate NY is an EEO Employer. operations of 24x7 digital data distribution in Buffalo, N.Y. is looking for an aggressive, peo- from PBS to consumer households via digital ple oriented managing editor. Job requires a 4 terrestrial, broadband cable, DSL, etc. year degree, preferably in journalism and at least HELP WANTED PROMOTION Candidates must have at least four years 5 years experience in television news. Must and be able managerial experience at a high volume, possess strong orgarizational skills Promotion Director: New FOX start-up in Wis- re- interactive, TV /multi -media company. Must to calmly juggle many different projects. Send consin offers the chance of a lifetime. Launch a Director, WGRZ- sume to Randal Stanley, News new major affiliate. Must be a strong writer, have strong understanding of the Internet, TV, 259 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14202. No creative thinker and well organized. DVC Pro and online programming applications (HTML, Java Phone Calls. EOE. Avid. Send resume, clips and 1/2" reel to WFXS, script, etc.), and first generation Web /TV P.O. Box 6190, Wausau, WI 54402. EOE. hybrid devices (Intercast, WebTV, WaveTop, etc). Knowledge of television broadcasting, Executive Producer: Rochester's News Leader especially DTV possibilities, is important. is looking for an Executive Producer with great HELP WANTED ADMINISTRATION Should have experience supervising teams of journalistic skills and a flair for production. Candi- and dates must have the ability to lead a veteran creative and technical people tactfully KFWD- TV/Dallas Needs Traffic asst, Exp. A+. award -winning staff. Minimum 3 -5 years critiquing digital productions (content, Comp. skills needed. Fax Resume to Gloria newscast producing or equivalent required. Send interface, design, etc). Startup experience is a Castro At (972)258 -1855. An EEOE. resume and VHS tape to Human Resources, big plus.lf you are interested in applying for PO Box 20555, Rochester, NY WOKR -TV, the above position, please check out 14602 -0555. EEO. HELP WANTED RESEARCH http://www.pbs.org/insidpbs/jobs/direnhanced. html and submit letter of interest, resume, and salary requirements to: PBS, 1320 Executive Producer: WGRZ -TV, Gannett owned Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 223 I 4, NBC affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y. is seeking an executive producer. Candidate must have a minimum RESEARCH MANAGER Or email to: jobs @pbs.org 5 -7 years producing experience. Must be a New York City creative thinker with strong writing and man- Tribune Entertainment Company, the syndica- team leader, motivator and peo- agerial skills, a tion division of one of the country's most successful ple person. Send resume to Randal Stanley, media companies, is looking for a Manager to loin its News Director, WGRZ-TV, 259 Delaware Ave., research team In NewYork City. Buffalo, NY 14202. No Phone Calls. EOE. )PBS This multifaceted position is heavily involved in sup- porting both programming and national advertising sales. Duties include presentation writing, trending reports, ratings estimates, competitive analyses and HELP WANTED CREATIVE SERVICES Associate Producer: WYFF -TV, the Hearst- training.The ideal candidate must possess 4+ years Argyle NBC station in Greenville, SC is searching of research experience at a syndication company or for an associate producer to support our at other media research departments. Knowledge Writer /Producer: KUTV, Salit Lake City -a CBS newscasts. If you are a recent college graduate of Nielsen data (local and national) and software,as O &O, is searching for an experienced writer/ writing, who wants to produce newscasts, this is the well as Microsoft Office are desired. Strong producer to join it's award -winni ig Creative Ser- analytical and interpersonal skills are essential. entry-level job that will take you there. Send your vices team. If you like variety and want to work resume to WYFF -TV, Human Resources Man- We offer a competitive compensation and benefits and play in the beautiful Mountain West, join ager, 505 Rutherford Street, Greenville SC package. For immediate consideration, send your Utah's fastest growing news operation. Write/ 29609. EOE resume and salary history to: Tribune produce News Promotion, Program Promotion, -HR, C. Entertainment Company Attn: Commercials, PSA's, Programming, you name it. Roberson, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 1st floor, writing and personal communication Chicago, IL 60611. Fax: (312) 222.5031 .We are Excellent Anchor Needed In Augusta. WAGT, the NBC af- an equal opportunity employer. skills required. AVID or other non -linear editing filiate in Augusta, GA. has an opening for anchor. experience strongly preferred, shooting skills a If you're looking for the opportunity to move from plus. If you want a chance to shine in a positive, your current anchor role to a higher profile posi- casual environment committed to quality, send a tion, or if you're a reporter with studio and live Research Director: One of the top award win- resume and non -returnable videotape to: John experience ready to move to the anchor desk, ning WB affiliates in the country is looking for an Greene, Creative Services Director, KUTV, 2185 this is for you. Candidates should possess strong experienced Research Director. If you're com- So. 3600 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84119. EOE. reporting skills combined with experience and/or fortable with qualitative and quantitative research presence on the anchor desk. There will also be including TV Scan, Scarsborough, CMR, live field anchoring opportunities. We move fast, Qualitap and Microsoft Office, Nielsen, Galaxy, so you need the energy to stay with us. Send a Navigator, etc., this could be right for you! Please Graphic Designer: KUTV, Sait Lake City, a is searching for an experience graph- non -returnable VHS tape with a cover letter to send resume to: WKCF -TV, 31 Skyline Drive, CBS O &O, If want to work and Ed Kral, News Director, WAGT, 905 Broad St. Lake Mary, FL 32746, Attn: HR/RD, Fax: 407- ic artist. you like variety and Augusta, GA. 30901. 647 -4163, No phone calls please. EOE play in the beautiful Mountain West, join Utah's fastest growing news operation. Design /produce daily news graphics, Show Opens and Elements, IN OUR SPECIAL ISSUE! ADVERTISE RTNDA Commercial Graphics, Set Elements, Print - you name it. Photoshop and Illustrator knowledge * Bonus Distribution * preferred. Paintbox and After Affects experience a plus, as is editing experience. If you want a Classifieds Deadline: chance to shine in a positive, casual environment RTNDA issue: 9/27 Space closes: 9/20 committed to quality, send a resume and non- returnable videotape to John Greene, Creative Call Brent 212- 337 -6962 Services Director, KUTV, 2185 So. 3600 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84119. EOE.

AUI UST 23, 1999 / BROADCASTING & CABLE 49

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HELP WANTED CREATIVE SERVICES HELP WANTED CREATIVE SERVICES HELP WANTED TECHNICAL

Graphic Designer - WAVY -TV and Fox43 (LMA) Creative Services Director: You: A talented, live- The Disney Channel is seeking a Maintenance in Norfolk VA is seeking an creative designer. ly individual looking to showcase your talents in Engineer to maintain, install, calibrate and repair to Must have design background, strong work ethic on -air and sales promotion. We: A flourishing WB a component level all broadcast equipment in our and be a team player. Liberty and Mac a plus. affiliate in one of America's most livable cities, led multi -network origination facility. This individual Send your resume and VHS tape now to Judy by the nation's most dynamic and innovative sta- should be experienced in the operation and Triska, Promotion Manager, WAVY Broadcasting tion groups, ACME Television. We want to be maintenance of the following equipment: Digital Inc., 300 Wavy St., Portsmouth, VA 23704. No part of a highly creative, fun and energetic Betacam, D2, 1 ", 3/4" & 1/2" VTRs, BRS routing, phone calls. Equal Opportunity Employer. workplace, where good ideas flourish and creativi- production, on -air switchers, robotic playback ty is king! We want someone to take our creative systems and disk -based video servers. Experience efforts to the next level at our Salt Lake City af- with serial digital video Art Director - WAVY Broadcasting, Norfolk VA and AES/EBU digital audio filiate, KUWB -TV. Hands -on experience is vital to is preferred. Must is seeking an Art Director. The position is re- be DOS and Windows literate and lead this growing Creative Department. sponsible for all on -air and print for WAVY -TV If you have the ability to work evening, night and weekend have the talent to create and execute unique, shifts. (NBC) and its LMA WVBT -TV (FOX) and will at- To apply for this position, please fax resumes tention- getting and revenue -generating promo- to: manage 2 designers. We are moving quickly into (818) 846 -8281, Attn: J. Evans. EOE. tions and have a fresh, new approach the future and looking for the right person to take to on -air promotion, we want to hear from you! You'll handle us there. Hands on Liberty and Mac required. If promotions for sales and the station, HELP WANTED SALES you have the creative and leadership skills and showcase your talents in a Top -40 market, and build drive to direct an NBC and FOX affiliate under strong management skills that will take you and your the same roof send your resume and VHS tape career to the next level! Previous TV promotion now to Judy Triska, Promotion Manager, WAVY experience is vital. A good attitude, high- Broadcasting Inc., 300 Wavy St., Portsmouth, VA energy Help Wanted Sales and willingness to take charge 23704. No phone calls. Equal Opportunity a must! Rush your resume Employer. and examples of your best stuff to: Account Executive: National Cable ACME Television, Attention: Director of Promo- Network looking for seasoned Account tion, 10255 SW Arctic Drive, Beaverton, OR 97005. Exec. to complete Ad Sales team and who HELP WANTED OPERATION ACME Television is an Equal Opportunity Employer. can close business, make client calls, give solid presentations and who would enjoy The National Digital Television Center-LA has the entrepreneurial sell. Must be several openings for the following positions: CABLE motivated, persistent and have excellent Master Control-Tape Operator: Duties include communication skills with a creative maintaining daily program logs, assures proper outlook on selling. Preferably 3 yrs. of on -air look for selected prgm channels. Monitors HELP WANTED CONTENT MANAGEMENT successful experience in Cable Sales. & adjusts quality of tape machines during Compensation plan very competitive playback & recording. to Quality checks assigned the industry. air tapes for technical acceptability, segment tim- ing, & prgming format. Record satellite prgm The Business Affairs Department of feeds, dubs prgms for station library, and edits com- BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION, Ad Sales Coordinator: National Cable mercial break reels. Min. Qualifications: High a leader in music entertainment and a cable Network looking for Sales Coordinator school diploma or equivalent, 2 yr exp in TV/ industry pioneer is looking for a with good communication skills, broadcast operations or production. Operational experience dealing with commercial knowledge of videotape, video switchers & auto- DIRECTOR, traffic department and strong with detail mation equipment a plus. Master Control and accounting. Develop and maintain Operator: Duties include live on -air switching of CONTENT MANAGEMENT relationships with agencies and have all prgming for channel playback operations, the - Washington, D( based - ability video tape editing of professional formats, main- to creatively plan and organize Candidate will oversee tain daily prgm logs, dubs prgms for station li- the daily operations of BET's tape tasks under pressure. library: evaluate existing media assets; brary, edits commercial break reels. Min. evaluate content management systems to develop an archiving system; Qualifications: High school diploma or its direct the centralization and reorganization of BET's Sales Planner: National Cable equivalent. 2 yrs on -air master control operations program content and raw footage inventory; oversee the Network looking for Sales Planner who including videotape & video switcher exp. Duties transformation of BET's media assets into digital format; has a minimum of 3 years media require a person to be self- motivated, able to develop and interdepartmental flow system for delivery experience. Strong writing and work under strict deadlines, & work with minimal and digital conversion of BETs media assets; supervise staff in logging, tracking, presentation skills and familiar in Cable supervision. For all Master Control Operator/ cataloguing and managing BET's media assets and clearance information; and Research. Must have ability to creatively Tape Operator positions, shift work to include perform other related duties as needed. plan and organize morning, evenings, & overnights required; work schedules under MLS days can be any day of the week including holi- required. Entertainment/Television industry pressure and handle network inventory experience required with days. Traffic six or more years film archiving intelligently and effectively. Proficient in Assistant: Needed to compile daily and/or tape librarian supervisory experience with film Excel, broadcast log, input contract related data, route production background. Experience in establishing Word and Powerpoint. dubs and give clerical support as needed. Pro- operating policies, organizational structure and duction, traffic, radio or tv experience, HS overseeing daily operations. Excellent oral and written Fax resumes diploma or equiv., working knowledge of Win- communication skills a must. (indicating position of interest) dows and MS Office, and ability to operate 3/4" Att: Human Resources -Dept. GB Nancy Cohen - Sales and 1/2" VCR reqd. 2 yrs in TV broadcast traffic BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION VP at Odyssey, department, working knowledge of traffic soft- One BET Plaza/ A Hallmark & Hanson Network 1900 ware (s.a. VCI) and fluency in more than one W Place, NE Fx. (2I 2) 489 Washington, -2238 language prefd. DC An interview, drug test & back- 20018 -1211 ground check req'd for successful candidate. ISM No phone calls. please Please fax resume to 310 -207 -4128, attn: HR. Equal Opponuniir Employer - M/F HELP WANTED PRODUCTION Please no phone calls.

Senior Producer /Production Supervisor: Atlas HELP WANTED NEWS Media, the fast -growing NY -based tv production company, seeks jack -of -all- trades Senior Pro- ducer to oversee a portfolio of national cable FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS Looking for freelance General Assignment Re- network productions. Must be hands -on with porter for local cable station. Must be able to Budget tracking, Re-writing, Scheduling, Off & Call - 800 -554 -5729 shoot, edit, write and report. Experience On -Line editing. 7+ years experience in produc- necessary. Send 1/2 inch demo tape and resume tion and supervision of national cable pro- to: Bridget Kelly, Century Communications, 3041 gramming a must. Must thrive in controlled East Miraloma Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92806. chaos. Fax resume to Executive Producer 212- EEO. 661 -0153.

50 BROADCASTING & CABLE /AUGUST 28, 1888

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HELP WANTED HELP WANTED ADMINISTRATION HELP WANTED TECHNICAL TIONS COORDINATOR Director: Walter Cronkite School of Journalism r eleport Operator - Loral Skynet, a leading and Telecommunication, Arizona State Univer- Irovider of satellite communications services, is Duplications sity, Tempe, AZ. The Walter Cronkite School of reeking a Teleport Operator to work in our San Coordinator Journalism and Telecommunication at Arizona rrancisco International Gateway facility located n will have an Associates Home & Garden Television seeks a self- State University seeks candidates for director of Richmond, CA. You in 1 year motivated individual to monitor all this top -ranked school. The School offers instruc- iegree or equivalent Electronics and tion in journalism, broadcasting and mass com- iperations experience in a satellite teleport or technical aspects of the duplications munication to more than 1,200 undergraduates xoadcast facility. Broadcast TV or military process and insure high quality control and 80 graduate students. The director is re- elecommunications experience will be con - standards. Must have experience in sponsible for planning, budgeting, fund-raising, tidered. Experience includes performing C and multiple formats and video/audio routing. mentoring, quality of teaching, research/creative

AUG IST 23, 1989 / BROADCASTIr' C & CABLE 51

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When sending your ad -sales collection claims to CCR, Name on Card: please include your rate card and a list of avails. Because after we "sell" your over -due clients on the Exp. Date: Phone: wisdom of paying the balance, well include a new order in the deal (if you like). Call/Write: Clip and Fax or Mail this form to: CCR George Stella B &C 1025 Old Country Road Suite 303S 245 W. 17 Street NYC 10011 Attention: Yuki Atsumi or Brent Newmoyer Westbury, NY 11590 FAX NUMBER: 212-206-8327 Tel: 516- 997 -2000.212- 766 -0851 Fax: 516-997-2071 yatsumi @cahners.com bnewmoyer @cahners.com E -Mail: CCRCollect @AOL.com

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Aug. 31 -Sept. 3- National Association of Broadcasters Association. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Radio Show. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact: Patti Hall (404) 255 -1608. Contact: (202) 429 -5419. Nov. 8 -9th annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame Reception Sept. 9- Television Bureau of Advertising 1999 Annual Fore- and Program. New York Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York. Contact: casting Conference. Time Life Building, New York. Contact: (212) Steve Labunski (212) 337-7158. 486 -1111. Dec. 14.17-The Western Show Conference and Exhibition present- Sept. 27-Interface XIII. Ronald Reagan International Trade ed by the California Cable Television Association. Los Angeles Con- Center, Washington. Contact: Steve Labunski (212) 337 -7158. vention Center. Contact: (510) 428 -2225. Sept. 29-Oct. 2- Radio -Television News Directors Associa- Jan. 24.29, 2000 -36th annual National Association of Televi- tion Conference and Exhibition. Charlotte Convention Center, sion Programming Executives Conference and Exhibition. Ernest Charlotte, N. C. Contact: Rick Osmanski (202) 467 -5200. N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. Contact: (310) 453 -4440. Oct. 12.14 -Mid-America Cable Telecommunications April 10 -13, 2000 -National Association of Broadcasters Association Mid -America Show. Overland Park International Annual Convention. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas. Con- Trade Center, Overland Park, Kan. Contact: Patty O'Connor tact: (202) 429 -5300. (785) 841 -9241. May 7 -10, 2000-Cable 2000, 49th annual National Cable Televi- Oct. 26.28-1999 Eastern Show, Cable Conference and Exhi- sion Association Convention and Exhibition. Ernest N. Morial Con- 1 bition presented by the Southern Cable Telecommunications vention Center, New Orleans. Contact: Bobbie Boyd (202) 775 -3669. THIS WEEK Sept. 20-Oct.2-Radlo-Televlsion News Direc- Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colo. Contact: Gary Curtis tors Association International Conference and (818) 779 -8400. Aug. 25-27-Nat/one/Association of Broad- Exhibition. Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, Oct. 3.6 Transport casters/ Latin America Annual Conference. Loews -Video Services Annual N. C. Contact: Carolyn Wilkins (202) 429 -5366. Conference. Hilton Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Fla. Contact: Mark Universal City and Towers, Los Sept. 22- Parker Ethics in Telecommunica- Rebholz (202) 429 -3191. Angeles. Contact: Sunny Despain (212) 465-6780. tions 17th Annual Lecture and Awards Luncheon. Oct. 4.6- Southern Cable Telecommunications National AUGUST City Christian Church, Washington. Con- Association Eastern Show. Orange County Con- tact: William Winslow (212) 870 -2137. Aug. 30 -Sept. 1 -ICM Conferences The Future vention Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact: Patti Hall Sept. 22-HRTS Newsmaker Luncheon of Cable. Omni Interlocken Resort, Denver. Contact: Net- (404) 255-1608. work Entertainment Presidents. Century Plaza Paul Ferreria (416) 955 -0375. Oct. 4-7-National Association of Broadcast- Hotel, Los Angeles. Contact: (818) 789 -1182. Aug. 31- National Association of Broadcasters ers Satellite Uplink Operators Training Seminar. Institute Radio Show Career Fair. Orange County Convention Sept. 22.24- of Electrical and Elec- NAB Executive Conference Center, Washington. Engineers 49th Annual Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact: Karen Hunter (202) tronics Broadcast Sympo- Contact: Courtenay Brown (202) 429 -5341. sium. The Hilton Washington Embassy Row Hotel, 429 -5498. Oct. 5-13-Telecom '99 8th world telecommuni- Washington. Contact: David Layer (202) 429 -5339. Aug. 31 -Sept. 3- National Association of cations exposition and forum. PALEXPO, Geneva, Sept. Television News Broadcasters Radio Show. Orange County Conven- 25- Center Reporter Switzerland. Contact: +41 22 730 5111. Training. Ventana Productions, Washington. Con- tion Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact: (202) 429 -5419. Oct. 8 -10- Colorado Broadcasters Association tact: Herb Brubaker (301) 340 -6160. 50th Anniversary Convention. Omni Interlocken Sept. 25-27-National Association Broadcast- SEPTEMBER of Resort, Broomfield, Colo. Contact: (303) 892 -0500. ers TV Hundred Plus Conference. Marriott Hotel, Sept. 8.10-Women in Cable and Telecommu- Oct. 12.14- Atlantic Cable Show East Coast nications Executive Development Hilton Nashville. Contact: Carolyn Wilkins (202) 429 -3191. Seminar. Cable '99. Waterfront Convention Center, Baltimore. Hotel, Lovelan, Colo. Contact: Pamela Williams Sept. 26-28-National Religious Broadcasters Contact: (609) 848 -1000. (312) 634 -2330. Eastern Regional Conference. Sandy Cove Bible Oct. 13- Advertising Club of New York Lun- Sept. Television Bureau of Advertising 1999 Conference Center, Baltimore. Contact: Bill Blount 9- cheon for Leo Hindery. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Annual Forecasting Conference. Time Life Building, (401) 737 -0700. New York. Contact: Anne Slepecky (212) 533 -8080. New York. Contact: (212) 486 -1111. Sept. 28 -The Carmel Group Convergence '99: Oct. 14.16- National Religious Broadcasters Sept. 9.12- Michigan Association of Broadcasters The Five Burning Questions. The Westin Hotel, Midwestern Regional Lied Annual Conference. Mackinac Island Hotel, Mackinac Santa Clara, Calif. Contact: (831) 645 -1055. Conference. Conference Center, Nebraska Island, Mich. Contact: Mike Steger (517) 484-7444. Sept. 29-Oct. 2- Radio- Television News City, Neb. Contact: Martin Jones (402) 464 -6440. Sept. 10 -14- International Broadcasting Con- Directors Association International Conference vention Annual Conference. Savoy House, Amster- and Exhibition. Charlotte Convention Center, Char- Oct. 18- Broadcasters' Foundation Fall Classic dam, Netherlands. Contact: Hilary Robinson 44- lotte, N.C. Contact: Rick Osmanski (202) 467 -5200. Golf Tournament. Manhattan Woods Golf Club, 171-240 -3839. Sept. 30- PricewaterhouseCoopers 1999 Glob- West Nyack, N.Y. Contact: Gordon Hastings (203) Sept. 13- National Lesbian and Gay Journalists al Convergence Summit. The Marriott Marquis 862 -8577. Association Student Scholarship Reception. ABC Hotel, New York. Contact: Deborah Scruby (212) Oct. 19.20- Society of Broadcast Engineers Main Building, New York. Contact: Michael Collins 259 -4250. National Meeting and Broadcasters Clinic. Marriott (203) 281 -8984. Sept. 30-Oct. 1 -Iowa Public Television Iowa West, Madison, Wisc. Contact: John Poray (317) Sept. 13.14- National Association of Minorities DTV Symposium 1999. West Des Moines Marriott, 253 -1640. in Communications 13th Annual Urban Markets West Des Moines, Iowa. Contact: Marcia Wych Oct. 20- 23- National Broadcast Association Conference. The Millennium Broadway, New York. (515) 242 -4139. for Community Affairs 25th Annual Convention. Contact: Michael Stiver (212) 838 -2660, ext. 21. Sept. 30-Oct. 2- National Religious Broad- Minneapolis Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis. Contact: Sept. 14.17- National Association of Black casters Southeastern Regional Convention. Stone (407) 653 -8709. Owned Broadcasters 23rd Annual Fall Broadcast Mountain Inn, Stone Mountain, Ga. Contact: Regina Oct. 24.26- National Association of Broad- Management Conference. Loews L'Enfant Plaza McGraw (404) 728 -6727. casters European Radio Conference. Sheraton Hotel, Washington. Contact: (202) 463 -8970. Hotel, Brussels, Belgium. Contact: Mark Rebholz Sept. 16- SkyFORUMXII, direct-to -home satellite OCTOBER (202) 429-3191. TV business symposium presented the Oct. 2 -AP TV-Radio Association Seminar on by Satellite Oct. 26.28 -1999 Eastern Show, Cable Confer- Broadcasting and Communications Association Industry Issues and Tape Critiques. San Jose ence and Exhibition presented by the Southern The Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York. Contact: Car- Wyndham Hotel, San Jose, Calif. Contact: Rachel Cable Telecommunications Association. Orange rie Cole, (703) 549 -6990. Ambrose (213) 626 -1200. County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact: Sept. National Lesbian and Gay Jour- Oct. 2-4-Radio and Television News Directors 16.19- Patti Hall (404) 255 -1608. nalists Association 8th Annual Convention. Shera- Foundation News Management Training Seminar 28 ton Hotel, Atlanta. Contact: (202) 588 -9888. for Women and Minority News Professionals. Char- Oct. -HRTS Newsmaker Luncheon Jupiter Communications. Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Sept. 16.18- Tennessee Association of Broad- lotte Convention Center, Charlotte, N. C. Contact: Hills, Calif. Contact: (818) 789 -1182. casters 52nd Annual Convention. Holiday Inn Michelle Loesch (202) 467 -5206. Choo -Choo, Chattanooga, Tenn. Contact: Jill Green Oct. 3-5-National Religious Broadcasters -Compiled by Nolan Marchand (615) 399 -3791. Western Regional Convention. Antlers Adam's Mark (nmarchand @cah ners.com)

54 BROADCASTING & CABLE I AUGUST 28, 1888

www.americanradiohistory.com iradadigide CHANGING HANDS mminnme- The week's tabulation of station sales

VS I roker: Media Services Group Inc. PROPOSED STATION TRADES

I íCRV(AM)- KLOW(FM) Carut:hersville, WAWD(TV) Fort Walton Beach/Pen- By dollar volume and number of sales; sacola, Fla./Mobile, Ala. does not include mergers or acquisitions I 4o. involving substantial non -station assets Price: $175,000 'rice: $500,000 Buyer: Beach TV Properties, Panama I buyer: Pollack Broadcasting Co., City, Fla. (Byron J. Colley, president); ;ordova, Tenn. (Sydney Pollack, TVs $175,000 1 owns wPcT(Tv) Panama (resident); no other broadcast inter - Beach /Panama City Combos $5,100,000 3 ists Seller: H. James Sharp, Ocala, Fla.; FMs $5,500,000 3 teller: Pyramid Media & no other broadcast interests AMs $10,025,500 10 Entertainment Inc., Cape Girardeau, Facilities: Ch. 58, 490 kw, ant. 161 ft. Total $20,800,500 17 ¿lo. (Jerald Jones, president); no Affiliation: Independent )they broadcast interests 'acilities: AM: 1370 khz, 1 kw day, 63 CO BOS TVs $2,490,369,005 52 y night; FM: 105.1 mhz, 3 kw, ant. KWOS(AMI Jefferson City- KJMO(FM) Combos $1,810,262,386 119 ?00 ft. Jefferson City/Columbia and construc- FMs $1,020,728,189 182 'ormats: AM: country; FM: AC tion permit for FM, Jefferson City, Mo. AMs $144,006,189 136 FMS Price: $2.5 million ($2.3 million for Total $5,465,365,769 489 NAVF(FM) Hanahan/Charleston, S.C. KWOS(AM)- KJMO(FM); $200,000 for CP) Buyer: Premier Radio Group, 'rice: $3 million (for stock) McMinnville Durham, presi- Columbia, Mo. (Alan Germond, (Aaron 3uyer: Emerald City Radio Partners, chairman); owns one other AM and dent); no other broadcast interests Nashington (Paul Robinson, presi- WBMC: w three other FMs Facilities: 960 khz, 500 day; lent); owns one AM and two other WTRZ -FM: 103.9 mhz, 5.3 kw, ant. 130 =Ms Sellers: uwos-wMo: Zimmer Radio of Mid - ft.; WAKI: 1230 khz, 1 kw; WWEE: 107.3 Missouri Inc., Cape Girardeau, Mo. Seller: Cordes Street mhz, 2 kw, ant. 508 ft. (Jerome Zimmer, president); owns communications Inc., Savannah, Formats: WBMC: country; WTRZ-FM: top eight AMs and 10 FMs. Zimmer owns 3a. (Haywood B. Bartlett Jr., presi- 40; WAKI: full service; WWEE: AC no interests WOOZ -FM Harrisburg, Ill., and 20% of lent); other broadcast one AM and five FMs; is president of Lyle Broadcasting Corp., which owns WCIL -AM -FM Carbondale, Ill., and Big Mack Broadcasting Inc., which owns 'REM EMIEN"' four FMs. CP: Bittersweet Broadcast- ing Inc., Cape Girardeau, Mo. (David Zimmer, principal). David Zimmer owns 51% KATI(FM) California/Jefferson 1999 NAB RADIO SHOW City and 20% of KEZS -FM CAPE Girardeau, both Mo. Note: David and THE PEA] ODY HOTEL Jerome Zimmer are brothers SUI' I 609 Facilities: Kwos: 1240 khz, 1 kw; KJMO: 100.1 mhz, 33 kw, ant. 600 ft.; Call Today to Di. ;cuss Your Station's FM: 104.1 mhz, 6 kw, ant. 285 ft. Formats: Kwos: news /talk; KJMO: Brokerage and Financing Needs oldies WBMC(AM)- WTRZ -FM and WAKI(AM) McMinnville -WWEE(FM) Spencer/McMinnville, Tenn. Larry Patrick Terry Greenwood Price: $2.1 million ($1.3 million for President Vice President WBMC- WTRZ -FM and $900,000 for WAKI -WWEE) Susan Patrick Gregory Guy Buyer. Clear Channel Communcations Executive Vice President Director of Marketing Inc., San Antonio, Texas (L. Lowry Mays, chairman); owns/is buying 19 TVs, 166 AMs and 323 FMs, including wHCD(FM) Auburn, N.Y. (see item, below). Note: McMinnville is between PATRICK C DMMUNICATIONS Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn. Sellers: WBMC- WTRZ -FM: Cumberland Valley Broadcasting Co., McMinnville (Thorold Ramsey, president); no other broadcast interests WAKI-WWEE: (410) 40 -0250 Durham Broadcasting Corp.,

AUG 1ST 23, 1888 I BROADCASTING 8 CABLE 55

www.americanradiohistory.com CHANCING HANGS Facilities: 96.1 mhz, 100 kw, ant. 538 ft. Washington; no other broadcast Format: Modern rock BY THE NUMBERS interests Broker: Sailors & Associates BROADCAST STATIONS Seller: Christian Purities Fellowship Inc., Dunn, N.C. (O. Talmadge WHCD(FM) Auburn/Syracuse, N.Y. Service Total Spence, president); no other Price: $2.5 million Commercial AM 4,784 broadcast interests Buyer: Clear Channel Communications Facilities: 1370 khz, 5 kw day, 49 w (see first Combo item, above) Commercial FM 5,720 night Seller: Salt City Communications Inc., Educational FM 2,040 Format: Sacred traditional Christian Syracuse (Merrill B. Charles, Total Radio 12,544 president); no other broadcast interests WION(AM) lona, Mich. Facilities: 106.9 mhz, 14 kw, ant. 941 ft. VHF LPTV 563 Price: $111,000 Format: Smooth jazz UHF LPTV 1,594 Buyer: Agricultural Resource Group Inc., Milan, Mich. (Robert T. Driscoll, Total LPTV 2,157 Construction permit for KNBB(FM) president/president of seller); no Ruston, La. FM translators & boosters 3,190 other broadcast interests Price: $270,000 VHF translators 2,162 Seller: Agricultural Resource Group Buyer: Ruston Broadcasting Co. Inc., Inc. (court- appointed receiver) UHF translators 2,739 Ruston (Dan Hollingsworth, Facilities: 1430 khz, 5 kw day, 330 w president); owns KRus(AM)- KxKz(FM) Total Translators 8,091 night Ruston Commercial VHF TV Format: Country Seller: BFH Inc., Ruston (Beverly 561 Faye Hollingsworth, Commercial UHF TV 661 KKAYIAM) White Castle/Donald- president/spouse of president of Educational VHF TV 125 sonville, La. Price: $25,000 buyer); no other broadcast interests Educational UHF TV 245 Facilities: 99.3 mhz, 15.5 kw, ant. 300 ft. Buyer. Cactus Communications LLC, Total TV 1,592 Metairie, La. (Jeannie M. Johnston, AMS president); no other broadcast interests CABLE WNIV(AM) Atlanta and WLTAIAM) Seller: Lafourche Valley Enterprises Total systems 11,600 Inc., Alpharetta, Ga. Donaldsonville (Kay LeBlanc, pres- Price: $8 million Basic subscribers 64,800,000 ident); owns KKAY-FM Donaldsonville Facilities: 1590 khz, 1 kw Buyer: Salem Communications Corp. Homes passed 93,790,000 Format: Gospel Camarillo, Calif. (Edward G. Atsinger Basic penetration* 66.1% Ill, president); also owns 36 AMs and KEWIIAM) Benton, Ark. 'Based on TV household universe of 98 million 66.66% of 16 FMs Sources: FCC. Nielsen. Paul Kagan Associates Price: $20,000 Seller: Genesis Communicationms, GRAPHIC BY BeoeocoBiNG ú GARY Buyer: Jim Landers, Benton; no other (Bruce Maduri, president); owns broadcast interests wwBA(AM) Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla. night Sellers: Steve and Lance Landers, and is buying wFlv(AM) Orlando, Fla. Format: News /talk Benton; no other broadcast interests Facilities: wryly: 970 khz, 5 kw day, 39 Facilities: 690 khz, 250 w day, 73 w WTMC(AM) Ocala, Fla. w night; WLTA: 1400 khz, 1 kw night Formats: religious Price: $250,000 Format: News Broker: Jorgenson Broadcast Broker- Buyer: Vector Communications Inc., Broker: Hadden & Associates age Montgomery, N.Y. (Robert Maines, president); no other broadcast inter- 50% of WNEB(AM) Worcester, Mass. WPWC(AM) Washington ests Price: $12,000 Price: $900,000 Seller: News and Travel Network Inc., Buyer: Windsor Financial Corp., Fort Buyer: JMK Communications Inc., Orlando, Fla. (Ken Jones, president); Lauderdale, Fla. (spouses Kim and Los Angeles (Jae Min Chang, presi- no other broadcast interests James Penta, principals); no other dent); no other broadcast interests broadcast interests Facilities: 1290 khz, 5 kw day, 1 kw Seller: Happy Broadcasting Co. Inc., night Seller: Great Commission Broadcasting Inc., Framingham, Mass. Dumfries, Va. (Ray Woolfenden, pres- Format: News ident); no (Timothy Horton, president); is buying other broadcast interests Broker: Hadden & Associates Facilities: 1480 khz, 1 kw w,1LT(AM) Natick/Framingham, Mass. Formats: Country /bluegrass KRJTIAM) Bowie, Texas Facilities: 1230 khz, 1 kw Broker: Blackburn & Co. Inc. Price: $150,000 Format: Contemporary Christian Buyer: Robert Garcia -Buckalew, -Compiled by Alisa Holmes WQBQ(AM) Leesburg, Fla. Austin, Texas; no other broadcast Price: $412,500 interests Buyer: Gateway Broadcasting /Inter- Seller: Billy J. Etter, Bowie; no other &Cable net Inc., Longwood, Fla. (Bruce L. broadcast interests Broadcasting Cox, president); owns wKIo(AM) _, ONLINE Facilities: 1410 khz, 500 w day Eustis /Leesburg, Fla.; and wHDM(AM) Format: Country Keeping up with all the industry events McKenzie /part of Jackson, Tenn. Broker: Media Services Group Inc. can be a major event in and of itself. Let Seller: WQBQ Radio Corp., Apopka, us help. At www.broadcastingcable.com Fla. (Hugh G. McComas, principal); WLLN(AM) Lillington, N.C. we post all the events (with contact no other broadcast interests Price: $145,000 numbers) you want to know about Facilities: 1410 khz, 5 kw day, 90 w Buyer: Estuardo Valdemar Rodriguez,

56 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1 BBB

www.americanradiohistory.com fIFTN ESTATER A mogul with cup dreams Ted Leonsis is a new media mover ing a great- grandchild and doing a stand- who moonlights as a sports owner. up , :omedy routine in a comedy club. Leonsis, president of America I ven before the list, those who know Online's Interactive Properties Group, is hin say Leonsis was a stand -up guy with a also majority owner of the National Hock- de. r sense of the future. ey League's Washington Capitals. l lis main focus has been computers These days, Leonsis has a multifaceted sin :e his days at Washington's George - role in an AOL that redefines itself with tov n University, where he researched a each new digital alliance. His interactive the ;is contending that Ernest Hemingway properties group manages AOL's Digital wry'te The Old Man and The Sea in the City local guide brand; AOL MovieFone, 19, Os, rather than during the1950s, as the leading movie listings service; and the wic ely believed. new digital music alliance between AOL `Vhile at Georgetown, Leonsis worked and Spinner Networks and Nullsoft. The his way through school as an assistant in Spinner -Nullsoft link connects AOL with the office of Rep. Paul Tsongas (D- a digital music programmer and a technol- Ivk ss.), and as a shoe salesman. He gradu- ogy player. "We have an opportunity to ate 1 from Georgetown in 1977. put a stamp on this new medium," said "It's the big lis first job after school was in public Leonsis, who considers himself the "resi- not rel .tions at Wang Labs. In 1981, he started dent entrepreneur of the family" at AOL. stage. It's that our his own publishing firm, Redgate Commu- He lays claim to first applying the con- done. nic stions, morphing it into a company that cept of "channels" to cyberspace -and work's not tur led catalogs into CD -ROMs. helping push AOL into e- commerce. That There are a lot of Jincent Pica, group president of Pru- was when, as president of AOL Services de tial Securities, approved the $1 million Company, Leonsis oversaw sales, market- people who don't lo< n for Leonsis to buy Redgate when ing and product development. "It's great have the Internet." Pic a worked at E.F. Hutton. Pica says of to see ideas that you've had turn into big Le )nsis: "He has the ability to sort out businesses and industries," he says. wt at's noise and what's not" Turning ideas into reality is something -le nearly lost Redgate in 1988, saving Leonsis has developed a facility for it vith an 11th -hour bridge loan. "After doing -both inside and outside AOL. locking into the maw of defeat on several Buying the Washington Capitals is just the oc asions, you develop a resiliency," most recent case in point. Le )psis said. "It's an attitude of, `Don't Owning a major-league sports franchise qu t, don't give up; by perseverance and may seem a bit of a stretch for a guy who ha d work, you can get at it.'" grew up as a New York Rangers fan playing ive years later, he sold Redgate to street hockey and basketball in a working - AOL over breakfast with AOL honcho class Brooklyn neighborhood. "I intend to Sty ve Case, and Leonsis has been making do this as a labor of love," says Leonsis of hi: mark across various lines of AOL's his purchase of the sports franchise. bu ;iness since. It grew out of a life- changing list of Theodore `It's not the money. It's not the big "101 Things To Do," Leonis says. He sty ge," he says. "It's that our work's not started writing the list in 1983. He was a John Leonsis dc ie. There are a lot of people who don't passenger aboard an Eastern Airlines ha re the Internet. There are a lot of people President, AOL Interactive flight that was about 30 minutes from wl o want it to be better." Properties Group, Dulles, Va.; making an emergency landing. The list Leonsis's list also included some selfless b. Jan. 8, 1956, Brooklyn, N.Y.; winning a Stanley Cup and an gc ils. The "have an impact on a charity" included B.A., American Studies, it( n translated into fund- raising for Best NBA championship (Leonsis holds a Georgetown University, minority stake in the National Basketball Washington; public relations Bi ddies, an organization that helps people Association's Washington Wizards and an director, Wang Labs, 1977- wi :h mental retardation. "Change someone's option to buy the team). After a safe land- 1981; CEO, Redgate lif :" became work for Habitat for Humanity, ing, he has since been able to check off Communications, 1981.93; wl ich builds houses for the homeless. two- thirds of that daunting list. president, AOL Services, 1994- "I feel fortunate that I've been a sur- A few of the items are a bit less 97; current position since vi ror," says Leonsis. "I'm trying to grandiose, like "catch a foul ball." He did 1997; m. Lynn Peterson, Aug. be c.ome self-actualized personally. I really that, off the bat of Mookie Wilson of the 15, 1987; children: one son, w )uld like to have balance in my family New York Mets during a spring training one daughter lit ; and the business and the sports teams." game. Among items still to be done: hav- -Richard Tedesco

AUI UST 23, 1999 / BROAOCASTI'9G & CABLE 57

www.americanradiohistory.com FATES WIRTUNES

Appointments, Granada Entertainment operating officer, BROADCAST N USA, Los Angeles: Matt Goldammer, Superstar/Netlink, Appointments, Fox, Los Angeles: assistant, business and legal affairs, Tulsa, joins in Michael Michell, director, station named director; Rebecca Hedrick, same capacity. He research and sales marketing, wsc -Tv assistant, TV movies and miniseries will continue his New York, joins as director, affiliate department, named story editor; EJ. current duties. Rob research and marketing; Quan Phung, Lee, assistant and office manager, Morris, senior VP, director, Saturday morning programs named manager, creative affairs. finance and busi- and prime time series, NBC, Burbank, ness operations, Calif., joins as director, comedy devel- JOURNALISM Superstar/Netlink, opment; Paul Lewis, manager, current Tulsa, joins as Amie Baker, program consultant, ABC, McKee programming, named director; Samie senior VP, general Los Angeles, joins Paramount Domes- Kim, development coordinator, Fox manager. He will continue his current tic Television's The Montel Williams Television Studios, named manager, duties. Show, Hollywood, Calif., as supervis- current programming. ing producer. Stephan Shelanski, VP, program acqui- Phillip D. Cox, VP /station manager, sitions, Encore Media Group, Engle- Appointments, Channel One News, WBMA -TV Birmingham, Ala., joins wood, Colo., named senior VP, program Los Angeles: Kris Sanchez, weekend WNCF -TV, Montgomery, Ala., in same acquisitions, planning and scheduling. anchor and weekday education capacity. affiliate staff, Bravo Net- reporter, KVIA -TV El Paso, Texas, joins Appointments, Roger Fishman, senior VP, marketing, as anchor/reporter; Derrick Shore, co- works, Bethpage, N.Y.: Krissie Verbic, regional director, region, named News Corp., Los Angeles, named host, SPIN, KuTV-TV Salt Lake City, Central executive VP. joins as anchor/reporter. director, national accounts and affiliate marketing; Laura Toney, territory man- Susie Arnett, developer and executive Stephen Hyder, talk show host, ager, named regional sales manager. producer, Telepictures and Juntos Pic- wHnw(AM) Syracuse, N.Y., joins One -on- She is based in Santa Monica, Calif. tures, Los Angeles, joins USA Broad- One Sports, Chicago, as weekend host. Jennifer Hepler, affiliate marketing man- casting there as VP, development. Appointments, WDAF -TV Kansas City, ager, Eastern region, named regional Rick Mills, senior VP and general man- Mo.: Caroline Rooney, assignment edi- sales manager; Kim Francis, marketing ager, KTXA -TV Dallas/Fort Worth, joins tor, named reporter; Dan Vogt, special coordinator, Southern region, named USAB Dallas, an upcoming USA tele- projects reporter, KTKA-TV Topeka, marketing coordinator. vision station as general manager. Kan., joins as reporter. Appointments, Fox Sports Net, New Bob Meyer, manager, press and public- Mary Saladna, wGAL -TV Lancaster, York: Jon Heidlke, corporate VP/general ity and electronic publicity operations, Pa., joins wcvs -Tv Boston as midday manager, Fox NBC Entertainment Publicity, Bur- anchor and general assignment Sports Net South- bank, Calif., named director, movies, reporter, NewsCenter S. west, named senior miniseries and specials. VP, regional net- Mike Corbin, weekend anchor, wTVR- Vince Nelson, VP, general manager, work operations; TV Richmond, Va., joins WGRZ -TV Buf- WTAP -TV Parkersburg, W.V., joins Hunter Nickell, falo, N.Y., as weekend and weekday corporate VP/gen- wYTv(Tv) Youngstown, Ohio, in same anchor. capacity. eral manager, Fox Jimmy Shapiro, executive producer, Sports Net South, Kathleen Pavelko, president and CEO, KJR(AM) Seattle, joins KGME(AM) named senior VP, Prairie Public Broadcasting, Fargo, Phoenix in same capacity. regional network Heidtke N.D., joins WITF Inc., Harrisburg, operations. Pa.. in same capacity. Appointments, wxix -Tv Cincinnati: Sheila Gray, anchor, wsAz -Tv Barbara Hayes, director, affiliate mar- PROGRAMMING Charleston, W.V., joins in same capac- keting, ESPN Classic Sports Network, ity; Betsy McArthur, anchor and New York, joins The Golf Channel, Sarah Timberman, senior VP, drama reporter, KvIA -Tv El Paso, Texas, joins Orlando, Fla., in same capacity. development, Columbia TriStar Tele- as anchor. Appointments, Cablevision, Bethpage, vision, Culver City, Calif., named Carol Scheer, assistant news director, N.Y.: Michael Smith, director, video executive VP, series development. KDNL -TV St. Louis, joins KSTP -TV Min - financial planning, Long Island, Linda Desiante, VP, contract adminis- neapolis/St. Paul as executive produc- Westchester county and Massachusetts tration, Carsey -Werner Distribution, er, Eyewitness News. regions, named director, corporate Studio City, Calif., named senior VP. finance; Andre Oliver, consultant, CABLE Rockefeller Foundation, New York, Cathy Laughton, director, international joins as VP, community affairs. television distribution, Jim Henson Appointments, UVTV, a TV Guide Co., Los Angeles, joins NELVANA company that distributes Superstations Leon Morales, senior manager, Enterprises Ltd., London as managing to cable and satellite markets, Tulsa, accounting, Cox Communications, director. Okla.: Mike McKee, president and chief Atlanta, named director, accounting.

58 BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com FATES l FORTUNES Lawrence Eleftheri, regional VP, served as VP of documentaries for 11 as a first lieutenant. Following the Insight Communications, New York, HBO, where he helped produce such war, he returned to his native California joins Bresnan programs as the Oscar -nominated Lenny where he was affiliated with radio and Communications, Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth. He is television stations in Oakland, Vallejo White Plains, survived by his mother; wife, Carole and San Francisco. From 1957 -1973, N.Y., as VP, Anne DiFalco; sister, Anna Christina he served as a Northern California Cor- advertising sales. Radziwill; and stepfather, Herb Ross. respondent for the United States Infor- mation Agency, where his reports were r , Juli Biondi, direc- A. Arthur Aymen, 70, former radio heard the world on the tor, facilities, The sales manager, died July 17. Aymen throughout Voice America. He is survived by WB 100+ Station was involved in radio broadcasting for of a a sister. Group, Burbank, 44 years. He was sales manager of three children: brother and Calif., named VP, wims(AM) Port Huron, Mich.; manager Richard Watson, 70, camera operator, KTLA -TV Los Angeles, died 12. Biondi technical opera- of WBSE -AM Hillsdale, Mich.; sales August tions. manager for WLAV -FM Grand Rapids, Watson helped establish several technical Mich.; and owner of wLEw(AM) and firsts during his 46 -year career at KTr.A. ADVERTISING/MARKETING / WLEW -FM in Bad Axe, Mich. He is sur- In 1955, he provided the first color-cam- PUBLIC RELATIONS vived by his wife, Nancy; three chil- era coverage of KTLA's Rose Parade tele- dren and five grandchildren. casts. He was also the camera operator Todd Arnson, staff Bill Hillman, 76, a news broadcaster and for The Wrangler-the only Western ever producer, Pittard former national president of the Ameri- shot on videotape -and operated the first Sullivan, Culver can Federation of Television and Radio ENG microwave unit in Los Angeles in Last Watson was City, Calif., Artists, died Aug. 3 of congestive heart the late 1950s. October, named account failure. A member of AFTRA since on the team that launched KTLA -DT, Los manager. 1948, Hillman served as president of Angeles' first high- definition broadcast that featured John Glenn's historic shut- David B. Young, the 80,000 -member union of perform- ers and broadcasters from 1979 -1984. tle launch. He is survived by his wife closed caption Judy and two children. coordinator, ABC, Hillman began his broadcasting career New York, joins at KDIo -Tv in Boise, Idaho, in 1942. He -Compiled by Mi ra Reinstein Arnson The Sloan Group left his position to serve in World War mreinsl:eiri @l :ahners.com there as associate account executive. OPEN MINE TECHNOLOGY Problems persist within in-kind donations and supplier dis- Robyn Lipari, VP, affiliate sales and educational TV mergers counts, and to use philanthropic marketing, Eastern region, The Box money to pay for capital investments Music Network, New York, joins EDITOR: Hybrid ventures between and cover start-up costs can put them DMX Music, Los Angeles, as VP, resi- for -profits and nonprofits like Nog- at a very competitive advantage in dential affiliate sales. gin, which is half-owned by for -prof- the commercial marketplace. Add the it Viacom and half by nonprofit Chil- money and business savvy of a for - DEATHS dren's Television Workshop, are not profit like Viacom to the nonprofit nearly as innocent and simplistic as advantages of the Children's Televi- Anthony Radziwill, 40, Emmy- award- your editorial ( "Open the Flood- sion Workshop and other for-profit winning producer, died Aug. 10 of can- gates," July 12) implied. "So there "educational" channels such as the cer. Radziwill, the only son of Lee Bou- would be a flood of partnerships in Discovery Channel, Knowledge TV vier Radziwill Ross (Jacqueline which for-profit's money and distri- and the Learning Channel hardly Kennedy's sister) and Prince Stanislas bution savvy would be combined have a chance. Albert Radziwill -and a first cousin of with nonprofits' educational expert- The hybrid relationship also creates Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and the ise.... Where is the `lose' in that sce- problems for pure nonprofit education- late JFK Jr. -chose to live his life on the nario," you asked? Every other non- al services-like PBS-they can't other side of the camera. After receiving profit educational entity and for-prof- compete, stay true to the mission and a degree from Boston University in it that is not part of the exclusive, have difficulty attracting the benefits 1987, Radziwill began his career as an hybrid partnership loses-that's who. mentioned above if they are perceived associate producer for NBC Sports. In Commercial television already as competitive. 1989, he joined ABC's PrimeTime Live complains when their nonprofit The consequences of the Viacom as a producer. At ABC, he was named in brethren become more businesslike. and Children's Television Workshop court decision that gave reporters wide Nonprofits are perceived to have venture can be complex and far - leverage to secretly tape- record reluctant unfair advantages of tax breaks and reaching. Stealing a line from the sources. Radziwill also won a 1990 lower costs for labor and capital. A teenage vernacular, "I don't think Peabody Award for reporting on the neo- nonprofit's ability to capitalize on you want to go there." Nazi movement in the United States and their volunteer base which drives -Trina Cutter, president/general an Emmy for work on the Menendez expenses down, the ability to attract manager, wrvrr(TV) Elkhart, Ind. double -homicide case. He most recently

AU UST 23, 1999 / BROA)CPSTING & CABLE 59

www.americanradiohistory.com halusiga IN BRIEF

Big cable players want and 23 ghz bands, create full -power TV stations priori- of the brightest minds in FCC the to keep a tight no interference with ty if a LPTV signal were to technology, I hope to change rein on private cable incumbents, and meet a interfere with a full -power many peoples' way of think- companies if the set deadline for putting signal during the transition ing." Summit speakers will agency lets them use the spectrum into use. to digital television. include FCC Chairman microwave relay William The House of Rep. Billy Tauzin (R -La.) Kennard, FTC services to serve Chairman Representatives is is hosting a high Robert Pitofsky, apartment and condo - expected to vote after technology summit in his Corporation for Public residents. Regulators Labor Day on legislation home state in October. Broadcasting CEO Robert are considering letting pri- Coonrod, USA Networks that would grant low - Tauzin was inspired to hold vate cable operators, who CEO Barry Diller, power TV stations per- the forum, which will be led EchoStar generally are not CEO Charlie Ergen, subject manent licenses, says by several government and to local franchise Microsoft senior VP rules, John Stone, spokesman for business leaders, after the Craig Mundie use the 12 mhz band to Rep. Charlie Norwood (R- Progressive Policy Institute and former White House press secretary reach multiple dwellings. Ga.), the primary sponsor of released a study noting that Mike McCurry. Currently, incumbent fran- the bill. The bill, which is technologically, Louisiana use the chises band to opposed by the National lags far behind most states. David Honea, a beam signals across Association of Broadcast- "I am deeply troubled by the graduate student from rivers, mountains and ers, would give low -power fact that only one in five Raleigh, N.C., will get other terrain when string- TV stations Class A perma- adults in our state have another shot at winning ing cable isn't feasible. nent licenses as long as access to the Internet in $1 million after ABC's The National Cable Televi- they air 18 hours of pro- their homes, and most busi- new TV show, `Who sion Association last week gramming a day seven days nesses do not have com- Wants to be a said it would not oppose a week and run three hours mercial Web sites," Tauzin Millionaire,' erred last the idea if private outfits per week of local affairs pro- said. "One of the big reasons Wednesday in calling his first exhaust other options gramming. The bill includes is a lack of knowledge. By right answer wrong, the AP including using the 18 ghz provisions that would give bringing to Louisiana some reported last week. Honea answered correctly a $64,000 question: Which of Sources: Bohrman exits after CNN's the four Great Lakes (not including Lake Superior) stock market debut has the largest area? CNN's plan to originate news from the floor of the New York Honea responded: "Lake Stock Exchange may have played into David Bohrman's depar- Huron," but the show said ture from CNNfn, sources close to the situation said. the answer was Lake Bohrman, the recently exiled executive vice president of Michigan. Honea ques- CNNfn, came up with the idea of doing a show from the tioned the decision after exchange before Lou Dobbs's departure from the financial the program. Upon check- news network. After Dobbs, president of CNNfn and the anchor ing the facts, the show's of CNN's Moneyline, left the Turner fold in June, all CNNfn pro- executive producer, gramming decisions became subject to approval by CNN exec- Michael Davies, utives, including CNN /U.S. President Rick Kaplan. A month announced Honea was, in later, and just days before Kaplan revealed CNN's new fall pro- Bohrman's idea fact, correct. The program, gramming schedule at the Television Critics Association tour in to originate the show which is airing for 13 nights Pasadena, Calif., sources say Bohrman was informed CNNfn from the exchange before the new season would be sharing three -and -a -half hours of programming with came before Dobb's starts, will bring Honea CNN, including something called Street Sweep, a half -hour departure. back on Aug. 29, when he show originating from the NYSE. will get his second chance Street Sweep was set to debut in September. Sources say Bohrman considered to win $1 million. the encroachment a breach of contract and took Time Warner into arbitration in early August. Meanwhile, CNBC swooped into the exchange last Monday with Business The NAB last week Center, its hour -long evening business news program, beating CNN to the punch. promoted Sharon Kins- That same day, Bohrman was asked to leave CNNfn's New York offices. Reached at man and Jennifer Liven - his home in Connecticut, Bohrman declined to comment. Steve Korn, vice chariman good. Kinsman, an and chief operating officer of CNN News Group said Bohrman was offered a "signif- employee of the NAB for 20 icant" role in developing new programs, but that he and CNN officials were unable to years, becomes senior vice reach agreement on what that would be. As for the CNBC coup, Korn did not president for administration. address Bohrman's role, saying only that CNN was the first to approach and get a She has been NAB's vice commitment to do a show from the stock exchange. "This is not an area where we president for administrative are concerned about the competition," he said. -Deborah McAdams services since 1995. Liven - good was named vice pres- gQ BROADCASTING & CABLE / AUGUST 23, 1999

www.americanradiohistory.com ident of national campaigns. She has been at Petitti named VP and GM of WCBS-TV the NAB since 1995, man- CBS named Tony Petitti vice president and gene al manager of aging campaigns focusing wcBS -Tv New York. Petitti had been senior vice vesident, busi- on alcohol abuse, anti -vio- ness affairs and programming for CBS, and we: i credited with lence and disaster pre- helping bring back the National Football League to CBS last paredness as well as show- year. Petitti's new job will be to make the networ c's flagship TV casing broadcasters' com- station more competitive in the No. 1 market, w sere in May, it munity service efforts. was fourth in audience share from sign -on to sigi i -off. Petitti will The NCTA's Pam Turner report to John Severino, who was appointed just last month as and Dan Brenner each president of the CBS Television Stations. Severino replaced have been promoted to Jonathan Klein, who also served as general manager of wCBS- Tv. Petitti, who will continue to serve as special E dviser to CBS senior vice president by Petirti helped bring in he stints at both new NCTA President Sports, joined CBS 1997. Before that, served NFL tetecz sts back Robert Sachs. Turner and NBC Sports and ABC Sports. Earlier, he worked at the law firm to CBS Brenner each held the title of Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft. -Steve Mt Clellan of vice president; Turner for government relations and (Remember CTAM: the Law & Order and Lai v & ton -Erigl La f alle -$27 Brenner for law and regula- Marketing Society for the Order: Special Victirr s Unit million to star on 'ER'- tory policy. "Pam and Dan Cable and Telecommunica- for the Peacock Net# ork, is for the next three have been invaluable tions Industries ?) All the close to signing anot fer deal years. La Salle is now one assets to NCTA -and to the vagueness came to a halt with NBC for a dram;1 for the of the highest paid stars on entire cable industry - when, at the CTAM Summit 2000 -2001 season.: sources network television, but not especially during and since in San Francisco last say NBC and Studio, USA quite as highly paid as co- passage of the Telecommu- month, Rich Cronin, presi- execs are close to fir alizing star Anthony Edwards, who 1996 :' nications Act of dent of Fox Family Channel, a deal for 13 episodE s of a received a $35 million, Sachs said. Turner has asked a panel of cable yet -to -be -named ser es star- three -year contract earlier been at NCTA since 1989, industry luminaries what ring Oliver Platt (Lak from Warner Bros. NBC when she came to the CTAM stood for. When none Placid). Platt will play a New Entertainment President association from the White of the panelists knew the York journalist who c Dyers Garth Ancier said, "Eriq is House, where she had answer, CTAM execs knew the crime beat. Studies USA one of the key reasons why worked as Deputy Assistant it was time to put some and NBC executives had no ER has been the highest to the President for Legisla- words behind the letters. comment. rated and most honored tive Affairs since 1982. Former ABC Studios USA is bri nging drama series on television CTAM is launching a Entertainment Chairman a donkey, some during its first five years on media campaign to Ted Harbert is reported- animation and a g ame NBC. We're thrilled that he inform people what ly in talks with NBC show to the syndi ration is going to remain a part of CTAM really stands for, about running the net- marketplace. Stuc cos USA the show" not "Constantly and it's work's in -house produc- executives are developing Talking About Money." Correction: A chart in the tion studio. Harbert, who an untitled game sill )w for The acronym CTAM now Aug. 16 cover story misre- was recently considered for next season with for Tier officially stands for the ported NBC's projected the Columbia TriStar Televi- Studs host Mark de arlo Cable & Telecommunica- share of household audi- sion president's position, that will feature an a iimated tions Association for Mar- ence for the 1999 -2000 would help boost NBC Stu- donkey as the game's mas- keting. Once upon a time, season. The correct figure dios' presence in Hollywood, ter of ceremonies. T le don- the initials represented a is 14.3. Separately, the WB insiders say. NBC and Har- key is known as Jac c Cass, variety of things, including program Downtowners bert had no comment. and through real -tim e ani- the Cable Television Admin- now goes by the title Mis- mation technology, I le'll be istration and Marketing Dick Wolf is apparently sion Hill and the new UPN hosting the five-day- a-week Society, the Cable Televi- on his way to getting show Secret Agent Man, quiz show. sion Advertising and Mar- another drama on NBC. which was to have started keting Society and most Wolf, who already produces Warner Bros. TV is the new season, has been recently, nothing at all. the Studios USA dramas going to pay Dr. 3en- replaced by The Strip.

Printed in the U.S.A. Founded in 1931 as Broadcasting, the News Magazine of the Fifth Estate. Broadcasting- Telecasting* introduced in 1945. Tele 'ision' acquired in 1961. Cablecasfing- introduced in 1972. Broadcast- ing/Cable introduced in 1989. Broadcasting & Cable introduced in 1993. Broadcasting & Cable® is a registered trademark of Reed Publishing (Nede land) B.V., used under license. Telemedia Week®® is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Inc. 'Reg. U.S. Patent Office. Cahners. Incorporating Tb ?,FitthFstate TELEVISION Broadcasting G Broadcasting & Cable (ISSN 0007 -2028) (GST #123397457) is published weekly, except at year's end when two issues are combined, by Cahners Busine s Information, 245 West 17th St., New York, NY tOC11. Cahners Business Information is a division of Reed Elsevier Inc., 275 Washington St., Newton. MA 02158 -1630; Bruce A. Barnet, President and Chief Executive Officer; iackie A. Daya, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Glen Rogers, Executive Vice President. Broadcasting& Cable copyright 1999 by Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Broadcasting & Cable is a registered trademark of feed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canada Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 0607533 Postmaster, please send address changes to: Broadcasting 8 Cable, PO Box 6399, Torrance, CA 90504 -0399. Rates for non -qualified subscriptions, Including all issues: USA, $129; Canada, $169 (includes GST); Foreign Air, $35. i; Foreign Surface, $199. A reasonable fee shall be assessed to cover han- dling costs in cancellation of a subscription. Back issues: except for special issues where price changes are indicated, single copies are $7.95 US., $10 fore gn. Please address all subscription mail to: Broadcasting & Cable, PO Box 6399, Torrance, CA 90504 -0399. Microfilm of Broadcasting & Cable is available from University Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (1. 100 -521- 0600). Cahners Business Information does not assume and here - by disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such nors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.

AUI UST 23, 1999 I BROADCASTING & CABLE 61

www.americanradiohistory.com Broadcastotable EDITORIALS COMMITTED TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE FIFTH ESTATE

groups to coverage of no more than 35% of the 100 million Fast forward TV homes. The agency can use the same rationale for relaxing the national cap as it used for the local one. The import of the FCC's decision to broaden the ability of If the First Amendment were setting telecommunications local broadcasters to compete in the new millennium con- ownership policy, all the media would be free. At the tinues to sink in. Considering that the actions on LMAs and moment, we'd settle for reliance on the antitrust laws. duopolies reversed policies that had stood for decades, something historic is going on. For the sake of the Ameri- can system of broadcasting, we hope it doesn't stop there. Going too far It was ever thus: Rules that were put in place to put brakes on a new medium are left in a locked position long Our enthusiasm for wcco -îv's victory in a defamation suit after new competition has entered the marketplace and all last week is tempered only by our dismay that the courts the parameters have changed. It took years for radio dereg- allowed the case to reach a jury. After the station reported a ulation to catch on, long after over- the -air television had police detective's comment that widow Terri Stokes was the become dominant. Cable had wired most of the country sole suspect in her husband's killing, she contended that by with multiple channel offerings before the possibility of running the detective's comment, the CBS -owned Min- broadcast TV deregulation was given credence within the neapolis station showed reckless disregard for the truth, FCC and Congress. Now the telephone and satellite compa- even though the station also reported the paucity of evi- nies are competing with cable, and the Internet is every- dence against her. where. If we are to maximize the potential of each of these The idea that news organizations could be held responsi- media contenders and the service to the American public, ble for statements made by appropriate public officials only a level playing field will do. would be ridiculous if not for the fact that this turned into a As we report this week, broadcasters are pushing the FCC six -week trial and 10 days of jury deliberation. Fortunately, for further relaxation of the local TV ownership rule. The new even though the jury in this case believed Mrs. Stokes inno- rules permit ownership of two TV stations in markets with cent of her husband's killing, it could find no malice on the eight other separately owned TV stations -that is, eight other part of the station. "voices." The broadcasters want the agency to liberalize its If she had won her case, it likely would have been over- definition of "voices" to include other media-radio, cable turned on appeal, as so many defamation cases are. But and newspapers. The effect would be to significantly expand media's deep pockets make them a target for disgruntled the number of markets in which one company could own two people who are brought -often unwillingly -under public TV stations. We second the broadcasters' petition. Not to scrutiny. And we wonder if all broadcasters have the tenaci- count the other media as "voices" is to deny the obvious. Not ty to sit through difficult trials and deliberations, or whether only do they represent other points of view, but also competi- they'd knuckle under and settle or apologize. Stations tion for each market's finite pool of advertising dollars. should not be forced to make such a choice. Cases like this We also encourage the agency to get on with the raising should never come to trial. That's a job for the judges. of the national ownership cap, which limits TV station Thankfully, here. the jury did their job for them.

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