Cable360AM: Marching Writers and Alicia Keys; Dr Jan Adams Bolts; Battlestar Galactica On The Edge
Cable360AM — News briefing for Wednesday, Nov. 21 »
It’s Employee Appreciation Day in the Cable360 newsroom. Reporting to work tomorrow and Friday is optional. Good morning.
Keys Strikes
Forget The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, thousands of striking writers marched along Hollywood Boulevard yesterday after singer Alicia Keys serenaded them. The writers were joined by members of the Screen Actors Guild like actress Sandra Oh and the Teamsters. Talks are set for Monday.
[L.A. Times]
[The NY Times]
Plastic Surgeon Cuts Interview
Plastic surgeon Dr. Jan Adams abruptly walked off the set of CNN’s Larry King Live last evening claiming he was honoring the request of Kanye West’s family. Adams performed plastic surgery on West’s mother. Donda West died the next day.
[Larry King Live video]
Battlestar’s Razor At The Cutting Edge
The NY Times says Saturday’s Sci Fi Channel premiere of Battlestar Galactica’s standalone episode Razor “marks yet another step in the complex, fast-changing relationship between DVD sales and cable broadcast.”
Universal Studios Home Entertainment, NBC-Universal’s DVD sales group urged Sci Fi to create the ep, and offered to pay some costs. The DVD goes on sale Dec. 4.
[The NY Times]
Math Problems, But Not At The FCC
It was supposed to be 24 House Republicans signing a letter yesterday blasting FCC chief Kevin Martin’s plan to load down cable with regulations. In fact, it was 23 lawmakers.
[Reuters]
MTV’s Band Rocks
Initial reviews were mostly positive yesterday as MTV’s Rock Band video game was unveiled at retail outlets (some opened their doors at midnight to allow enthusiasts to plunk down $170 for related Rock Band accoutrements). MTV plans to spend some $500 million on games during the next two years to diversify beyond television, Reuters says.
[Reuters]
Star Search
Hey, we’re unabashed cheerleaders for cable, but even we’ll admit Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has fallen on hard times when the 81st running of the floats tomorrow touts cable “stars” like Animal Planet’s Bindi Irwin, scion of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin (Ms Irwin will be joined by something called The Crocmen), along with Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu of Disney Channel’s High School Musical franchise. Well, at least there’s Dolly Parton and Willard Scott.
[Macy’s Parade]
Briefly Noted
Several outlets picked up an AP story about Comcast sending NFL Network a cease-and-desist letter. The MSO is protesting NFL Nets’ encouraging fans to leave Comcast.
[Associated Press]
Following up on our vacationing managing editor Steve Goldstein’s favorite story, there’s still no word on AT&T’s supposed bid for EchoStar.
[FT]
Sports talk radio in NY today was dominated by fans calling for the heads of NY Knicks’ owner James Dolan and coach Isiah Thomas after the hapless team lost its 7th consecutive game last night. A Newsday.com column presaged the gallows’ talk.
[Newsday.com]
In Today’s CableFAX Daily
They’ll talk Turkey on Tuesday in DC as the FCC votes on 70-70, leased access and must-carry. Also, cable and NFL Network will continue their Thanksgiving squabbling until at least ’09. Yesterday’s 360AM
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