The Morning Fix: Broadcasters pass on Google TV, Paramount will own the box office this weekend, Mel Gibson’s new hangover

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After the coffee. Before figuring out what all these anxiety dreams are about.

The Skinny: Is it time to move the clocks back an hour yet? Tired of getting up when it is still dark out. Anyway, the broadcast networks are not down with Google TV. Cablevision isn’t the only one fighting with Fox, there’s also Dish. Paramount will rule the box office this weekend and Mel Gibson will have to find another raunchy comedy to use for the start of his comeback.

Saying no to Google. Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC are blocking their programming from being accessible to Google TV, the search engine giant’s new device to watch content via the Web on television. Issues keeping the networks and Google apart include money and piracy. News Corp.’s Fox is not blocking its fare from Google, but the network could change its mind. Coverage from the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times.

‘Jackass 3D’ or ‘Paranormal 2’? It makes no difference to Paramount. The studio is behind both of the big movies this weekend. If ‘Paranormal 2’ doesn’t take the top spot, odds are ‘Jackass’ -- in its second week of redefining art and culture -- likely will. Also opening this weekend is the Clint Eastwood-directed ‘Hereafter,’ but that movie is aimed at people who don’t actually feel a need to rush out to the movies on Friday and are willing to just mosey on down to the multiplex. Previews from the Los Angeles Times and Variety.

Putting his money where his mouth is. Investor Carl Icahn is offering to buy $400 million of MGM’s debt, which would give him even more juice to block the foundering studio’s current plans to rebuild itself and instead set the stage for a potential merger with Lions Gate, in which Icahn owns a big stake. The latest in this soap opera from the Los Angeles Times.

A fall to forget. While CBS is happy with all its new shows, ABC, NBC and Fox have all had disappointments creatively and commercially. The Daily Beast looks at the few ups and many downs of the 2010-11 television season and gives odds on what shows will make to next year. As for me, I’m enjoying NBC’s ‘The Event,’ although next week will be a pivotal episode for me and; on a side note, I’m not a zombie guy but AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ looks pretty cool.

A door closes, a window opens. On Wednesday, National Public Radio fired its analyst Juan Williams for remarks he made on Fox News Channels about Muslims that the nonprofit media outfit deemed unacceptable. Fox News then hired Williams full time for its network while NPR took heat from some for its decision to get rid of Williams. The New York Times on the Williams-NPR-Fox fiasco.

Stand by your man. Despite many wondering what Starz chief Chris Albrecht was thinking when he agreed to show his dirty laundry to GQ Magazine, Greg Maffei, chief executive of Starz parent Liberty Media, said the company is standing Albrecht. More on the continued aftershocks of the article from the New York Post.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Hulu is cutting its subscription price. Mel Gibson won’t be doing a cameo in ‘Hangover 2.’ Forget Cablevision - Fox, there is a big feud going on between Fox and Dish Network too.

-- Joe Flint

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