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The Morning Fix: Declining prop values; slow upfront; chick flicks; Larry David doesn’t love publicity

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After the coffee. Before scanning the trades.

Declining prop values Hollywood staple 20th Century Props is closing its doors, a victim of rising out-of-state productions, reality television and a weak economy. ‘I’ve devoted my entire life to something that is over,’ owner Harvey Schwartz told The New York Times. Added set designer Melinda Ritz: “The fabric of Hollywood is fraying so fast that it’s scary.”

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Upfront? What upfront? It’s been a month since the broadcast networks unveiled their fall schedules to advertisers and normally their would be a slew of deals being down but this time around there is a stalemate between Madison Avenue and the industry. Los Angeles Times’ scribe Meg James says advertisers have demanded price cuts of as much as 15% while network executives continue to try to hold the line.

But can it raise the ad rates for Leno?
NBC Universal is implementing Microsoft technology into its ad sales operations that will allow for more demographic information and targeting but is not, the company stressed to The Wall Street Journal, a prelude to auctioning ads online.

Zucker talks digital. NBC Universal CEO tells Paid Content he doesn’t want to stream too much of the Olympics online because it could harm the prime time value of the games. Zucker is also a ‘states rights’ fan when it comes to digital, preferring for individual units to operate on their own rather because that way they pay more attention to the bottom line.

International intrigue. Variety takes a shot at analyzing the international box office and what’s worked and what’s flopped.

A kinder and gentler Perez Hilton?
Blogger Perez Hilton, famous for his snarky one-line take downs of celebrities may be toning it down for his next web venture. Hilton may also be working on ‘sponsored Twittering’ as well. Media Post.

In the Los Angeles Times:
NBC and Warner Bros., which produces the cop drama ‘Southland’ are wondering if the way they bleep swear words could get them in hot water with the FCC. Larry David manages to sit still long enough to talk about being a professional crank and the hassles of publicity. John Horn on chick flicks.

-- Joe Flint

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