News Corp. second-quarter net income jumps 65% to $1.06 billion

Strong performances from the film and cable television business helped propel a 65% jump in News Corp.'s net income for its second quarter from a year earlier, the company said Wednesday.

The media conglomerate reported revenue of $8.98 billion for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, up 2% from the same time a year earlier.  Net income rose to $1.06 billion, compared with $642 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose to 42 cents.

"The significant growth we reported in the second quarter in the cable network programming, television and filmed entertainment segments clearly validates our strategy to develop and distribute superior wide-ranging content," Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch said in a statement.

Cable television remains the engine that drives News Corp. Operating income rose 20% to $882 million for the second quarter, reflecting improved results at Fox's Regional Sports networks, reduced rights costs associated with the NBA lockout, and the continued performance of Fox News. 

The film group saw its operating income more than double, to $393 million, from $189 million in the same period in 2010.  The strong results were driven by home entertainment sales of the animated film "Rio" and summer releases "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "X-Men: First Class," as well as the strong second- quarter box office performance of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," which generated more than $300 million in worldwide ticket sales. The company also released the multiple Academy Award nominee "The Descendants."

The television group, which includes the Fox broadcasting network and a local television station group, reported a 25% increase in operating income from a year earlier, to $189 million for the second quarter. The growth reflects increased ad revenue from the network's stronger fall schedule, led by "X-Factor" and "The New Girl," as well as a 100% increase in fees paid to distribute network programming.

Publishing took a hit in the second quarter, with operating income falling 43% to $218 million, partly because of the lack of contributions from the now-defunct News of the World tabloid -- closed after revelations of phone hacking and bribes -- and weak advertising revenue from the company's Australian newspapers.

News Corp. took an $87-million charge related to the costs and ongoing investigations connected with the London phone-hacking scandal.

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-- Dawn C. Chmielewski

Photo: Caesar the ape is portrayed by Andy Serkis in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Credit: 20th Century Fox

The Morning Fix. Senior TV. 'Underworld' untouchable! Fox goes Spanish.

After the coffee. Before prepping for two weeks of non-stop Super Bowl hype.

The Skinny: Monday's headlines include News Corp.'s plans to launch a Spanish network in the U.S., a look at the weekend box office, a story about RLTV, a cable channel aimed at people over the age of 50 and a piece from Advertising Age about how ABC's "Modern Family" balances content vs. commerce when it comes to product placement. 

 

The Daily Dose: With the New York Giants set to battle the New England Patriots in almost two weeks, NBC couldn't have asked for an easier Super Bowl to promote. Not only did the contenders play in a nail-biter during the regular season, they squared off in perhaps the most memorable Super Bowl ever four years ago when the Giants topped the then undefeated Patriots in a stunning upset. Last year's Super Bowl drew a record 111 million viewers: Don't be surprised if this year's tops that mark. 

 

Senior moment. RLTV, a cable channel founded by John Erickson, who made his fortune building retirement communities, hopes to convince Hollywood and Madison Avenue that the over-50 audience is worth reaching. The network, currently in 15 million homes, hopes to double its reach in the next 12 months and has attracted some familiar faces to go in front of the camera including Joan Lunden, Deborah Norville and Florence Henderson. But persuading big cable operators and advertisers to support the channel is no easy sell. A look at RLTV from the Los Angeles Times.

Caliente! News Corp. announced early Monday that it is teaming up with Colombian broadcaster RCN to launch Mundo Fox, a Spanish broadcast network in the U.S. that will compete against Univision and Telemundo. The announcement, made at the National Assn. of Television Program Executives conference in Miami, said the channel should debut this fall. Details on the new channel from the News Corp.-owned Wall Street Journal, which broke the story.

Unbeatable. Sony's "Underworld: Awakening," the fourth installment of a franchise I was unaware of until three days ago, finished at the top of the box office with $25.4 million. "Red Tails," a historical film about the Tuskeegee Airmen, delivered a stronger-than-expected $19.1 million. "Haywire," which I thought would do better, took in only $9 million. Coverage from the Los Angeles Times and Movie City News.

Man behind the moustache. With the last name Murdoch a little bit tarnished, News Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey, known for his handlebar moustache and his no-nonsense approach to deals, has risen even higher in stature at the Rupert Murdoch-controlled media empire. The New York Times looks at Carey. The Los Angeles Times last year profiled Carey and his "everyone pays" revenue strategy.

A fine line between clever and silly. ABC's "Modern Family" is on the top of every advertiser's list when it comes to product placement. But the show's producers are very selective about the companies they do business with and how products are incorporated into the show. The fear is being seen as a shill, a perception currently plaguing CBS's "Hawaii Five-O," which took heat last week for an over-the-top placement for the Subway sandwich chain. Advertising Age examines what it takes to make the cut and get your product in the hands of the cast of "Modern Family."

Report card. Steve Burke is wrapping up his first year as chief executive of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The New York Post gives him a report card that pretty much reads incomplete and questions whether Universal Studios stays in the portfolio. My question: Where would it go?

Inside the Los Angeles Times: A look at the unappreciated work of Hollywood makeup artists.

-- Joe Flint

Follow me on Twitter. You'll join an elite club. Twitter.com/JBFlint

Photo: The Giants and Patriots battling in the 2008 Super Bowl. Credit: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Petition demands probe into comments by MPAA chief Chris Dodd

As if former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd needed another headache. Last week the Internet lobby defeated anti-piracy bills in Congress heavily backed by the entertainment industry. Now, the Motion Picture Assn. of America's chairman is under fire for remarks he made on a news program.

On Sunday, an online petition claiming more than 10,000 signatures demanded that the White House investigate comments made by the Dodd last week in an interview on Fox News. During the interview, Dodd suggested that lawmakers who don't support tougher anti-piracy laws could lose financial contributions from Hollywood.

"Those who count on quote 'Hollywood' for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who's going to stand up for them when their job is at stake," said Dodd. "Don't ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don't pay any attention to me when my job is at stake."

Those comments, the petition stated, represent "an open admission of bribery and a threat designed to provoke a specific policy goal. This is a brazen flouting of the 'above the law' status people of Dodd's position and wealth enjoy."

MPAA spokesman Howard Gantman responded: "Senator Dodd was merely making the obvious point that people support politicians whose views coincide with their own. When politicians take positions that people disagree with, those people tend not to support those politicians."

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-- Richard Verrier

Photo: Motion Picture Assn. of America Chief Executive Chris Dodd. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

 

News Corp. to add content to Microsoft's Xbox Live

Microsoft Corp. plans to bring Homer Simpson, Bill O'Reilly and Zooey Deschanel to its Xbox Live service.

Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, in what could mark his final keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, announced Monday that media conglomerate News Corp. will be offering a series of apps featuring content from Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, the Wall Street Journal and IGN Entertainment.

News Corp. said the content would be made available this year to Xbox Live Gold members who also are paying subscribers of as-yet-unidentified cable and satellite TV services.

The company said the Fox Broadcasting app would allow Xbox users to watch episodes of "Fringe," "The Simpsons," "New Girl" and "Family Guy." The Fox News app is to offer on-demand videos from such well-known personalities as Megyn Kelly and Bill O'Reilly.

The Wall Street Journal and WSJ Live are set to provide four hours of live video each business day, drawn from the Journal, Dow Jones News Wires, Barron's, Market Watch, Smart Money and AllThingsD.com.

Game site IGN Entertainment is to offer previews, game reviews, game-play videos and instant access to game help. 

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-- Dawn C. Chmielewski

Photo: Zooey Deschanel stars in "New Girl." Credit: Greg Gayne / Fox

Rupert Murdoch's compensation swells to $33.3 million in 2011

News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch continues to be one of the most richly compensated executives in America -- collecting $33.3 million for fiscal year 2011.

The 80-year-old media mogul's salary and stock package soared 46% over 2010 because of the addition of a $12.5-million bonus.  

The company's top executives have been struggling to contain widespread damage from the British phone hacking scandal. The crisis exploded in July with revelations that reporters for Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid in London eavesdropped on cellphone messages of royal family members, celebrities, sports figures, crime victims and fallen soldiers. 

Rupert Murdoch and his son James Murdoch, who runs the company's European operations, are expected to be called before a high court later this year to account for the scandal.

Rupert Murdoch qualified for the full amount of his target bonus in 2011 because of his leadership "through the recent economic downturn, positioning the company for long-term growth and ongoing strategic development," according to the News Corp. proxy which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday morning.  The company's fiscal year ended June 30.

In 2010, Murdoch collected $22.7 million.  Each year he receives an $8.1-million base salary, an amount which has long raised the eyebrows of corporate governance experts because it is not linked to the company's financial performance.  Murdoch also was paid $8.5 million in stock awards.

His second-in-command, Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey, received $30.2 million in fiscal 2011.  Carey's compensation included a $4-million base salary, a $10-million bonus and $15.2 million in stock awards.

James Murdoch, 38, who has been under increasing pressure for his handling of the British phone hacking crisis, was paid $17.9 million.  He received $3 million in salary, $8.3 million in stock awards and a $6-million bonus.

James Murdoch's compensation soared 74% over 2010 when he received $10.3 million.  He was elevated to the No. 3 position in the company in late March -- three months before the phone hacking scandal exploded into front page news in Europe, Australia and the U.S.

James Murdoch is expected to be called back before a committee of the British Parliament to further explain his role in the scandal.  After he answered questions this summer, two former associates challenged his account of when he first learned of the widespread nature of the illegal activities at the News of the World. 

James Murdoch "played an important role during fiscal 2011 in developing the company's key businesses and investments in Europe, Asia and the Middle East," the filing said. He also "successfully transitioned into his new role as deputy chief operating officer ... expanding his responsibilities."  

Roger Ailes, chairman of the popular Fox News Channel, received $15.6 million in compensation.  That included a $5-million base salary, a $1.5-million bonus, $8 million in non-equity incentive compensation and nearly $282,000 for corporate jet privileges, a car and driver, and personal security.

Chief Financial Officer David F. DeVoe's compensation package topped $18.2 million -- more than double the $7.1 million he received in 2010.  DeVoe's compensation jumped because of the addition of a $5-million bonus and $9.5 million in stock awards.

News Corp. separately said that it was nominating James W. Breyer, a venture capitalist, to serve on the company's board of directors.  Two directors are stepping down -- Kenneth E. Cowley and Thomas J. Perkins.  Five years ago, Perkins resigned from the Hewlett Packard Co. board after that company had hired an investigator to obtain his phone records.

News Corp. did not say why Perkins or Cowley, both longtime directors, were exiting after the company's annual meeting in October. 

News Corp. had planned to nominate Murdoch's 43-year-old daughter, Elisabeth Murdoch, to the board. However, in August she delayed her nomination in the wake of the company's various controversies, including shareholder lawsuits filed after News Corp. paid $675 million to buy her London-based TV production company Shine Group. Of that amount, Elisabeth Murdoch received $214 million.

In a departure, News Corp. said it would hold its annual meeting with shareholders Oct. 21 at the Fox lot in Los Angeles.  News Corp. typically holds its annual meeting in October near the company's headquarters in New York.

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-- Meg James

Photo: Rupert Murdoch. Credit:  Ben Gurr / Reuters

Fox News show has interesting take on News of World hacking scandal

Pretty much since the beginning of the News of the World phone hacking scandal, Fox News has covered it with less teeth than some of its rivals. But a segment on Fox & Friends on Friday morning may have been one of the most creative spins on the scandal -- or, to hear two personalities on the network describe it, even a tempest in a teapot.

Early on in the segment, tucked bizarrely into a story about an unrelated hacking incident at the Pentagon, show host Steve Doocy expressed wonderment at the "piling on" that was happening in the media. "The company has come forward and said it happened a long time ago, at a tabloid in London, somebody did something really bad," he said.

Doocy's guest, media consultant Robert Dilenschneider, nodded and wondered why people couldn't "get beyond" the scandal.

"Murdoch has apologized but for some reason the public, the media, keeps going over it, again and again" -- eliding completely, of course, the fact that the British government and the FBI were going over it too, which may be one reason not to get beyond it. (Not long after, embattled News International executive Rebekah Brooks and Dow Jones CEO Les Hinton resigned, suggesting that News Corp. itself hasn't come close to getting beyond it either.)

The Fox & Friends pair then went on to make a comparison between a number of banks that had been hacked into, head-scratchingly confusing those being hacked and the ones doing the alleged hacking. "Citigroup, great bank. Bank of America, great bank. Are they getting the same kind of attention for hacking that happened less than a year ago that News Corp. is getting today?" Dilenschneider said.

Doocy didn't challenge his guest's comparison. But later that day, the pundits did, with Mediaite among the sites to jump on the conflation.

"So, let me get this straight," wrote the site's Jon Bershad. "A News Corp. outlet has admitted to hacking into citizen’s phones and has been accused of bribing politicians and police and this is the same thing as other companies being the victims of computer hackers?! How on earth did you get there?"

Of course, for those who want an, ahem, more aggressive take on the scandal, there's this: Current's Keith Olbermann, known for going hard after Fox News  and News Corp., has just announced that on Tuesday he will offer several hours of live "coverage and analysis" of Rupert and James Murdoch's testimony in front of the British Parliament.

-- Steven Zeitchik

twitter.com/ZeitchikLA 

Cable television gaining in advertising revenue, but not political dollars

Boasting popular sporting events and original entertainment shows, cable programmers long ago surpassed the broadcast networks in viewers.

Now they are beginning to close the advertising-revenue divide.

"For the first time, the cable upfront take will be greater than the broadcast upfront," Bill Koenigsberg, chief executive of Horizon Media, said this week at the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. convention in Chicago. 

This year, many top cable channels, including Time Warner's Turner networks, have been able to raise their ad rates by more than 10% in the so-called upfront market, the period when advertisers place their orders for the bulk of the commercial time for the upcoming TV season.

Of course, it is slightly unfair to compare the ad revenue of scores of cable channels with that of the five major broadcast networks, but cable being poised to take in more ad revenue is nevertheless a symbolic moment for the industry.

Broadcast networks still fetch a premium for their 30-second spots because most of their programs are watched by much larger audiences than those for most cable shows. 

With cable, however, advertisers can focus more on select audiences. For example, home-improvement stores buy time on home and garden shows, while movie studios can zero in on the younger audiences drawn by MTV or ABC Family.  

Demand for national cable TV advertising is up about 8% compared with last year, Tim Spengler, president of Initiative North America, said at the convention. Cars, banks and other financial services, national retail stores, pharmaceutical firms, technology companies and Hollywood movie studios have been among the strongest advertising categories, he said.

"We are also seeing more spent on online video," Koenigsberg said.

However, he cautioned that the strong upfront market doesn't necessarily mean that economy is bouncing back. "I don't think the barometer of this upfront is a predictor for the future," he said. “The jury's still out on whether or not the money is going to continue to flow in."

Advertisers were encouraged to buy time during this spring's upfront market, because those who sat on the sidelines last year were punished. Prices for commercials spiked by 30% or more later in the year. So this year, advertisers placed their orders early.

One area where cable is not making gains is political advertising. Cable networks hoping for a bigger slice of the 2012 campaign-spending pie might be disappointed, particularly when it comes to the presidential race, warned to two top political advisors -- David Axelrod, senior advisor to President Obama, and Ed Gillespie, former counsel to President George W. Bush.

Cable news networks CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC will attract plenty of political dollars -- but presidential candidates most likely will continue to steer the bulk of their dollars to local TV stations, Axelrod said.
 
"We spent the vast majority of our money last time on broadcast television," Axelrod told attendees at the cable convention. Only 12% of the money went to cable television, he said, adding that about 68% of the dollars went to TV stations in battleground states.

"It's still the nuclear weapon," Axelrod said of TV stations. "We will probably spend a little more on cable this time, but there still are barriers in cable television that we need to overcome."

He explained that more commercial spots are up for grabs on local broadcast stations, and that candidates have a greater level of assurance that their messages hit the right geographic targets. "It is a national campaign, but it is delivered locally," he said.

Decisions also come down to how much money the various candidates raise.

"If the president has a billion dollars to spend in the election, you know they will be buying time on "American Idol" and "NCIS" and our nominee will be buying the Cooking Channel in Butler County, Ohio," Gillespie, the Republican said.

-- Meg James

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The pros and cons of sending big-name anchors to Egypt

 

That wasn't exactly a welcome wagon that rolled out in Egypt these last few days for U.S. journalists who rushed there to cover the civil strife. CNN's Anderson Cooper and his crew were shoved around, a Fox News team ended up in the hospital and CBS "Evening News" anchor Katie Couric also ran into unruly crowds.

While the happenings in Egypt are an incredible story and worthy of lots of coverage by the broadcast and cable networks, a debate could be had about how much is gained by dispatching high-profile reporters who usually spend the bulk of their time behind a desk to hot zones. No one questions their courage, of course, but is this the best way for TV news divisions to utilize their resources?

By sending Couric and Brian Williams, the anchor of NBC's "Nightly News" who is also in the region, the networks are sending a signal to their viewers that what's happening in Egypt is important. It is their belief that unless a star anchor is there a story won't be noticed. There may be some truth to that, but perhaps the answer is to do more foreign reporting and less fluff rather than shipping a big name overseas every time a major story surfaces.

The costs that go into sending an anchor to a trouble spot are not to be taken lightly. While the networks will say that the security of all their staffers is paramount, rest assured a lot more precautions are taken when a $15-million-a-year anchor is there as opposed to a freelance producer or part-time correspondent. Those are resources that might be better spent on beefing up coverage in general with more people with roots in the region or at least a lot of time on the ground there. 

Indeed, Couric already hopped a plane back to New York while Williams anchored Thursday's news from Amman. Did sending Couric there for such a short stay really advance the story? They were not even there long enough to try to leverage their clout to get big interviews.

In fact, it was Christiane Amanpour of ABC News who snagged the first interview with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. While Amanpour is a big name in her own right, that came from years of reporting from trouble spots around the globe, not from sitting behind a desk. ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer stayed in New York.

The arrival of big names can also detract from the story itself. Not only do they become potential targets by protesters, their mere presence can shift the tone of coverage from what the events in Egypt mean to Egyptians and the rest of the world to how is the media responding to the violence or how is the unrest impacting the coverage.

Every reporter knows the feeling that when a story is breaking they should be there. Sometimes, though, that urge to rush in needs to be balanced with what is best for the story.

If one thing should be clear to the reporters there, it's that being a journalist is not some badge of immunity. As consultant Andrew Tyndall, who tracks and analyzes news coverage, notes, "Journalists are more often targets of violence, less often respected as neutrals."

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Christiane Amanpour interviews Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

For the record: This post was updated to note that Katie Couric had already returned to New York to anchor the Thursday newscast while Brian Williams anchored from Amman.

 

 

Lou Dobbs joining Fox Business Network

Just about a year to the day that he left CNN, Lou Dobbs is returning to cable news, this time as host of his own show on News Corp.'s Fox Business Network.

Fox Business Network is expected to announce that it has signed Dobbs as early as Wednesday afternoon. It's the latest high-profile hire for the cable network, which launched a little over three years ago and is in 57 million homes. Although that is far fewer homes than its chief rival, CNBC, Fox Business last week managed to beat CNBC on election night, both in viewers and the key adults 25-54 demographic.

Dobbs' show will premiere in early 2011. He will also appear on other Fox Business programming.

When Dobbs left CNN last November after clashing with management there, he said some leaders had been urging him to "go beyond the role at CNN and to engage in constructive problem-solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day."

At that time, there was speculation that Dobbs would seek some sort of political office. He had become something of a lightening rod on several issues, most prominently illegal immigration. It was his commentary on that topic that often led to fights with CNN brass, including Jon Klein, who was then president of CNN's domestic operations.

Although Dobbs played up the idea that he would enter politics, many within the media industry anticipated that he would find a new home at Fox, either with Fox News Channel or Fox Business.

Dobbs has not been off the radar for the last year. He continued his nationally syndicated radio show after he left CNN and is expected to keep that gig with Fox Business as well.

Dobbs will instantly become one of the biggest names on Fox Business. Neil Cavuto is its most prominent on-air personality. Other high-profile anchors and reporters include Charlie Gasparino and Dennis Kneale, both former CNBC staffers, and Gerri Willis, an ex-CNN correspondent who hosts a show for Fox Business.

-- Joe Flint

For the record: This post was updated to include details on Dobbs show would premiere.

Photo: Lou Dobbs. Credit: Karen Bleier / Getty Images

Morning Fix: 'Social Network' scores. Rupert Murdoch tilts right again. Sanchez adds to CNN's woes. Quick hook in new TV season. CAA gets an infusion.

After the coffee.  Before seeing if I had the Kansas City Chiefs going undefeated this season.

The Skinny. In Monday's roundup: Sony's "The Social Network" takes the top spot at the box office, but don't look for Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg to buy the DVD. CAA has landed a big investment from TPG, a private equity firm, that the talent agency hopes will position it for a bright future in an uncertain world. No new hits so far in the TV season. Legendary producer Stephen Cannell, who died late last week, not only created great TV, he stood up for independent producers against the networks.

Sony likes this! "The Social Network," Sony Pictures' attempt to tell the behind-the-scenes story of the creation of Facebook and the legal battles that followed its co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, finished first at the box office, taking in $23 million. That is just a little off from what industry analysts had projected, and the movie easily beat the other two major releases that opened -- "Case 39" and "Let Me In." The real challenge for "The Social Network" will be to avoid being the MySpace or Friendster of movies, starting out hot and then vanishing from the zeitgeist. Box-office analysis from the Los Angeles Times and Movie City News. 

Zuckerberg's thumb is down. Although the box office was good, Facebook and Zuckerberg are not fans of "The Social Network," which people close the company claim is a very distorted look at the history of the social-networking site. Hollywood take creative liberties? Shocking. David Kirkpatrick, who wrote a book on Facebook with the cooperation of Zuckerberg, talks about what he thinks the movie got wrong in the Daily Beast. After reading his article and seeing the movie, I was more surprised by how much Kirkpatrick said the movie got right versus what he said the movie got wrong. OK, so Zuckberberg didn't have sex in a bathroom as implied with the movie; I think he can survive that hit to his reputation.  In the meantime, Zuckerberg is trying to improve his own profile, making a big donation to public schools in Newark, N.J., and appearing on both Oprah Winfrey's show and Sunday's episode of "The Simpsons."

Disney's new new media duo. Walt Disney Co.'s digital aspirations are so big that it takes two executives to run its interactive unit. Over the weekend, the company announced that John Pleasants, chief executive of Playdom, a social gaming site that Disney bought earlier this year, and James Pitaro, who oversees Yahoo Inc.'s media operations, will be co-presidents of Disney Interactive. They replace Steve Wadsworth, who left a few weeks ago. Details from Bloomberg.

CAA's new look. On Friday, Creative Artists Agency announced TPG Group, a firm whose investments include Burger King and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, bought a 35% stake in the talent agency whose clients include Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey. The deal will also see CAA and TPG create a $500-million fund for future investments. The move comes as the movie and television industries struggle to adjust to the shifting digital landscape. Analysis from the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and Deadline Hollywood.

CNN's struggles. It is a cash cow with a brand known the world over, but Time Warner Inc.'s CNN has seen its ratings plummet in the U.S. over the last decade as Fox News has raced to the top and MSNBC has made big inroads. New York magazine looks at the unsuccessful efforts of recently ousted CNN U.S. President Jon Klein to shakeup the network and turn it around, and how its competitors have managed to steal the spotlight. CNN's headaches only got worse on Friday when one of its hosts, Rick Sanchez, was canned for calling Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" a bigot and for taking some shots at CNN management as well. The Washington Post on how Sanchez imploded.

Rupert leans right. Once again, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch has made a big donation that has people talking about the influence of his media company -- whose holdings include Fox News -- on the country's political climate. Murdoch wrote a $1-million check to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is working primarily on behalf of Republican candidates. The New York Times takes a look at Murdoch's spending and what it has people saying about his company.

Quick trigger. The TV season is only a couple of weeks old and already two shows -- Fox's "Lone Star" and ABC's "My Generation" -- have been canceled. So much for having patience when, with so many shows launching at the same time, it's hard to get the attention of viewers. Of course, some shows just are not good, and all the marketing in the world won't make a difference. Variety has a look at the quick hook of the networks.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Scott Collins looks at the lack of success for most of the TV season's new shows. Legendary producer Stephen Cannell, who died on Friday, not only made a lot of great shows ("The Rockford Files," "Wise Guy"), he was a strong voice for independent producers.

-- Joe Flint

Follow me on Twitter because it will make Monday go by faster. Twitter.com/JBFlint