360AM: Martin Blasts Ownership Vote Delay
Cable360AM — News briefing for Friday, Dec. 14 » The Cable 360 newsroom is divided: some are shocked by the revelation over Roger Clemens, others are warmed by the fact that 90-year-old Ernest Borgnine received a Golden Globe nomination for Hallmark’s A Grandpa for Christmas. Good morning.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin rejected Sen John Kerry’s (D-MA) request to delay a vote on a proposed change in media ownership rules scheduled for Tuesday, a Bloomberg report says. Kerry wanted the vote pushed to next year. The rule would allow newspaper publishers in the country’s 20 largest cities own either a TV or a radio station. [The NY Times] [The Wall St Journal]
Late night hosts might be back on screen January 7, despite the Writers Strike, Variety says. Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien could be the first to return, although nobody wants to seem like a strike breaker, The NY Post says. [Variety] [The NY Post]
You gotta love the way rival newspapers write about each other. Today’s Times provides a blow-by-blow account of Rupert Murdoch’s visit to The Wall Street Journal’s newsroom yesterday as Dow Jones shareholders approved News Corps’ takeover. News Corp bought a huge, 3-page ad in today’s Times announcing the completion of the takeover. The Journal’s account of Murdoch’s victory lap was more benign.
[The NY Times] [The Wall Street Journal]
Briefly Noted
A study released today shows younger people are about twice as likely as older viewers to use technological devices to watch TV series they’ve missed. 56% of 18-34 year olds use DVRs, the Internet, VOD and MP2 players to follow their favorite shows, vs 21% for viewers 55+, the Nielsen study says.
Addressable advertising pioneer Invidi Technologies secured $25 million in Series “C” financing from GroupM, a unit of holding company WPP, Menlo Ventures, InterWest Partners and EnerTech Capital. GroupM CEO Irwin Gotlieb has joined Invidi’s board.
HBO came in at number 6 (1.3), Cinemax 12 (1.0), Starz 18 (0.9) and Showtime 25 (0.8) in prime time ranking for November, according to Nielsen data.
A bit of piling on. Opera Software of Norway charged Microsoft in an antitrust case just months after Microsoft lost a major antitrust case in Europe. Opera says bundling Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser with Windows isn’t fair.
[The NY Times]
Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of The Wall Street Journal might save the newspaper industry, Diane Mermigas writes. [MediaPost]
Saved By The Bell
Bravo’s dance contest reality series Step It Up & Dance named Elizabeth Berkley its host with a deftly worded press release noting Berkley’s extensive dance background, besides Showgirls.
Today in CableFAX Daily: Senators want to remake the FCC, with an emphasis on transparency; and Discovery goes public Yesterday’s 360
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