The Morning Fix: Fewer Emmys on air? Sony posts loss but ‘Angels & Demons’ helps studio numbers; TLC and BET are hot
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After the coffee, before finding a new dentist
Sony sinks but studio sings: Sony Corp. lost $390.5 million in its first quarter, but the movie unit posted a 6.5% gain in revenue thanks largely to the global smash ‘Angels & Demons.’ New York Times. Disney reports its earnings later today.
Cablevision to spin off MSG: Confirming speculation, New York cable giant Cablevision Systems Corp. is spinning off the Madison Square Garden arena and its sports teams, the Knicks and Rangers. The company also posted second-quarter earnings of $87 million, an 8% drop from the same period a year ago. Associated Press
Trading cable for the Web: A new survey from the Pew Research Center shows more frugal people are trading their cable subscriptions for the Internet. Media Week says the survey notes that 22% of adults say they have cut back or canceled cable and 32% of that group are watching TV on the Web. Time Warner and Comcast better get that TV Everywhere thing up and running fast.
‘Funny People’ is serious business for Apatow: Judd Apatow’s latest release, ‘Funny People,’ is a departure for the writer/director and is presenting a lot of challenges for Universal Pictures, reports John Horn in the Los Angeles Times.
Does that come with parking? Thinking of a career change. Deadline Hollywood Daily has the pay scale for assistants at the newly created WME agency.
Silverman looking for his next 15 minutes of fame? The New York Post says Ben Silverman’s new venture with Barry Diller will be a verison of Andy Warhol’s Factory, the difference being Silverman wants to make money. If for no other reason, click the link to see the altered picture of Silverman with Warhol’s hair.
Fewer Emmys? Variety’s Brian Lowry reports that there is a proposal to drop eight awards from the Emmy telecast, including best writing for a drama. The winners would still have their moment in the sun, it would just be prerecorded.
TLC’s up-and-down year: Eileen O’Neill is wrapping up her first year as boss of the cable network TLC with strong ratings and some hot new shows, but will the controversy over ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8’ ultimately tarnish the network’s brand? She tells the Los Angeles Times that the last 12 months has been ‘heaven and hell.’
Viacom’s hot property is BET: With rising ratings and new programming, Viacom’s BET is emerging as one of its more solid performers. CEO Debra Lee tells Broadcasting & Cable that the channel is partnering with NASCAR on new programming.
In the Los Angeles Times: Video kiosk operator Redbox is the hot topic for movie studios. ... TVs are getting thinner, and more importantly, cheaper. ... If you can’t get enough of ‘The Big Lebowski’ we’ve got the movie for you.
-- Joe Flint
