More Platforms at TCA
While not an obsession, the usually old-TV summer TCA tour showed even more interest in new media Wed. Days 1 and 2 featured execs like Deb Lee of BET touting Web, mobile and wireless businesses and The Weather Channel had the temerity to bring its digital chief to the podium. Wed’s extra-TV quotient started serendipitously. Touting "Koppel on Discovery," (Sept) Ted Koppel’s uplink from Guantanamo Bay went down momentarily, leaving Discovery chief Billy Campbell the unenviable task of vamping. Just back from a Mid East trip with Koppel [for Mon’s special "Petra," Discovery Times, 10pm], Campbell touted the former "Nightline" icon’s unparalleled access to world leaders. "Conversations with Ted" [and some of those leaders] will be seen on VOD and broadband, Campbell promised. And Discovery Channel’s mega HD project "Atlas" (Oct 1, 9pm) will include video footage on its Cosmeo learning platform, among others. — Taking The Night Out of Monday Night: ESPN is nothing if not a multi-platform juggernaut. That’s how it plans to attack "Mon Night Football," unveiling tactics for a 24-hr, immersive experience surrounding each game, beginning at 6am on game day with ESPNradio’s "Mike & Mike in the Morning" broadcasting from the game’s city, and including shows on 4 of Bristol’s linear nets, plus ESPN360 broadband service, its mobile phone play and Web sites. The sports leader believes it can top 25mln viewers across all its platforms, beginning with outdrawing the linear ratings it had for "Sun Night Football," svp John Wildhack said. — HBO went new media, too, announcing HBO Mobile subs on Cingular can get full-length season 1 eps of "Entourage," plus eps from "Sex and The City," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Dane Cook’s Tourgasm." And new 3-min Entourage vignettes will be available only to Mobile subs.