October 18, 1999 iCahners.. Broadcasting www.broadcastingcable.com 'Lifetime bets on Black Carole Black, President and CEO, Lifetime Television Are you ready for NATPE? TV-radio auction nets $57 million New AT&T cable boss makes 59102 o-trt*irar.**w.ce+stt*+tit5-DIGIT 19 C0151 Ci4 AIJGOO REGB- v.JOHN C JOHNSON Flood of off -n KTVQ-TV 26:; WATERTON WAY shows on the rIl_L_INGE. MT 59102-7755 www.americanradiohistory.com ' VV /U M 25-54 +33'/0 70 ' M 25 -54 h49 FRIDAY young women dn't fit on the page. UNITED PARAMOUNT NETWORK www.americanradiohistory.com M 18.34 +17% +28 °l0 M 25-54 M 18-34 MONDAY TUESDAY WED - SEASON Source: Ni=1sen Television Index Pesplemeter average acien estimates, 9/21J9; to 10/13/98 vs. 9/20/9E to 19/12/99. Percent change based P.S. We're also up amo on rating a iiicated. Women and persons growth bawd SL total UPN prime tine ratings. Includes p elinnaries; subject tc gka_ifications furnished apoi request. and total persons, it just wo www.americanradiohistory.com Hey, who needs Viagra... www.americanradiohistory.com BroadcasligiCable October 18,1999 www.broadcastingcabie.cult, Volume 129 Number 43 Are you ready for NATPE? B &C has learned of a host of shows in the works for next fall as syndicators prepare for Janu- ary's convention. / 4 Chris -Craft looks to sell TV group CBS, Tribune and Fox are said to be interested. / 8 Auctions rake in $57 million WinStar and George Flinn are the biggest winners in the FCC's first broadcast license sale. / 9 Radio bemoans 'Net loss Group owners admit they are behind the curve on Internet radio. / 14 FCC says hands off broadband The commission advises local regulators to let marketplace forces shape the still- nascent industry. 20 / Bay area battle NBC President Bob Wright For more late- breaking news, see "In Brief" on wants KRON -TV San Francisco and is `playing hard- pages 60 -61 ball' to make sure he gets it. / 6 COVER STORY New AT &T cable boss makes debut 1,000 Cover Photo: Arnold Adler channels is the goal of AT &T's Dan Somers, Leo Hin- Photography dery's successor. / 37 Teaching old systems new sales tricks Cable operators put a high priority on training their staffs to sell advanced services to consumers. / 40 TECHNOLOGY / 42 CBS is all set with ENPS The network has suc- Lifetime cessfully migrated its newscasts to the Associated Press' Electronic News Production System. / 42 bets on PVI, Sportvision square off The intellectual property race heats up as the two companies battle over a Black virtual insertion technology patent. / 86 Carole Black girds the Lifetime cable Intel set to invade Europe The chip maker, along etwork for its with Nokia, target the continent for Web -enhanced set - chal- tops. / 44 Quarterbacks in Pseudo lineup The NFL Quar- terback Club is getting a Web site to promote its members BROADCASTING 130 and its charitable activities in a deal with Pseudo Pro- grams. 45 Ready, set, they're off (net)! Studios are ready- / ing a raft of sitcoms and dramas for syndication debuts in fall 2000 and beyond. / 30 Changing Hands 55 Editorials 62 Hooked Up 41 Classifieds 46 Fates & Fortunes 58 In Brief 60 UPN battles back The young network's future may Closed Circuit 18 Fifth Estater 57 Nielsen Ratings...33,36,40 be uncertain, but its male- oriented lineup is boosting its Cutting Edge 43 Financial Wrap -up 14 Station Break 32 ratings. / 34 Datebook 56 Get w /the Program 35 Washington Watch 20 OCTOBER 18, 1999 I BROADCASTING & CABLE 3 www.americanradiohistory.com TOP OF THE WEEK miummi Syndie development on roll B &C has learned of a raft of shows for next fall -games, talk and more court offerings By Melissa Grego ing a talk show ries, and bring and Joe Schlosser from Dr. Laura people in and see Schlessinger if it applies," Lyt- Big Ticket Television, producer of (Paramount tle continues. Judge Judy and Judge Joe Domestic Televi- Add three more Brown, has a new daily series in sion); a reality syndicated court the works entitled The How 2 Guide 2 series from Law shows to the Life. The show is the first from Big & Order producer potential docket Ticket since its former parent, Spelling Dick Wolf (Stu- for next season Entertainment, merged with Paramount dios USA); and an Unapix Syndi- Television Group earlier this year. Add Eleanor Mondale action series with Former `Hercules' cation President to that a trio of court shows, a relation- will host a former Hercules star Kevin Sorbo will George Back says ship show hosted by former vice presi- relationship hour star Kevin Sorbo star in a new action his company has dential daughter Eleanor Mondale, a for Columbia Tristar. (Tribune Enter- series for Tribune. already shot a couple of game shows, a talker and tainment). pilot for Singles more, and the first -run development The How 2 Guide 2 Life pilot is Court, and he's currently talking with pipeline appears to be filling quickly as expected to be completed by the end of station executives about a probate court syndicators prepare for the NATPE November and offered for the 2000- show tentatively titled Legacy: Rest in convention in January. 2001 season. It's an hour talk hybrid Peace. Singles Court, which currently In addition to Big Ticket, B &C has hosted by Leila Kenzle (Mad About You) airs on wxAN -Tv Charlotte as a late -night learned that Twentieth Television, that tests the advice given in how -to and weekly series, is hosted and produced by Columbia TriStar Television Distribution, self-help books. The book's authors will Angela Segal. Segal, who formerly ran a Warner Bros. Domestic Television and be invited to be guests on each show. singles dating service and is a regular Unapix Entertainment all are hard at work "It will deal with generic solutions to dating expert on cable's BET, will serve on potential first -run shows for next fall. problems that everybody in their every- as a mediator on the program for unmar- The new batch of series joins a grow- day lives faces," says Big Ticket Presi- ried couples in trouble. Singles Court is ing list of syndicated shows already avail- dent Larry Lyttle. The show will then being sold as a half-hour, daily series. able for the 2000 -2001 season -includ- take those experiences, "advance theo- "Singles Court is about the problems that single people have and all of the permutations that there are in single relationships," Back says. As for the The Doctor (Laura) is in probate court series, Back says Unapix Dr. Laura, the new hour daytime syndicated is about to tape a pilot, and that there strip from Paramount Domestic Television, has will be either a lawyer or judge running been cleared for fall 2000 in 19 of the top 25 that courtroom. The series would also markets, representing more than 30% of the be a half -hour strip for next fall. country. They represent the first major clear- Twentieth Television, which just ances for a fall 2000 first -run show.The program launched Divorce Court this season, is has been sold on a cash -plus- barter basis over also said to have another court -type two years. The deal includes 39 weeks of origi- series in the works. Sources say the nal episodes and 13 weeks of repeats. About Fox syndication unit is developing a 65% of the stations that are on board will air the pilot for a potential series that would show in early fringe, the rest in daytime, accord- feature high -profile lawyers arguing ing to John Nogawski, president of Paramount small -claims cases. The premise, Domestic Television. sources say, is to see if everyday peo- Dr. Laura Schlessinger is the best lawyers, could win ready for TV. The talk show, starring radio personality and ple, given best -selling author Dr. Laura Schlessinger, has cases that don't usually go their way. been sold to KCBS -Tv Los Angeles (CBS), KPIx(TV) San Francisco (CBS), Twentieth executives had no comment. wcvP -Tv Boston (ABC), wxyz -Tv Detroit (ABC), WAGA-TV Atlanta (Fox), Sources say Twentieth is developing KPRC -TV Houston (NBC), KING -TV Seattle (NBC), WKYC -TV Cleveland (NBC), two other potential syndicated series, WFTS -TV Tampa (ABC) and KARE -TV Minneapolis (NBC), among others. including a remake of the series, Paramount is approaching stations on a market -by- market basis in selling Screen Test. Former Hard Copy execu- the show. The next two stops are New York and Chicago, where no pre- tive producer Lisa Gregorisch, who has sentations have yet been made. -Melissa Grego an overall development deal with Fox, is said to be producing an updated ver- 4 BROADCASTING & CABLE / OCTOBER 18, 1999 www.americanradiohistory.com It's gettin, better all the time... Thark you... Adelphia Communications AT &T Broadband & Firer etVrvices Blade Communicatiois Cablevision Century Communications Charter Communications Comcast Cox Communications DIREZTV DISH Network District Cablevision Falcon InterMedia MediaOne Multichannel News Time Warner Cable /Communications To date, VH1 Save The Music and our affiliate partners have reached over 120,000 children by restoring music programs in 350 public schools and generating over $25 million in total suppo-t. ,rir.}yí:. trusíc `ctOn = brain P« www.americanradiohistory.com TOP OF THE WEEK sion of the series formerly hosted by Mondale's daughter Eleanor, as host of utives just finished taping a pilot for a Don Adams (Get Smart). Harvey a syndicated hour based on the popular new game show called Street Smarts.