TCA Notes

Not a word about Trio during NBC Cable’s 2-hr presentation Fri, so we asked Lauren Zalaznick. "Trio’s in the midst of amazing, amazing corporate patience, that’s the big story." It’s coming up on 1 year of NBC ownership, she says, and Trio "is alive and vital inside the company. Clearly there’s going to be a path that we have to cross, and it’s not that we’re not ready to share it, we’re not there yet." — The fascination with ancient Rome continues as Nat Geo unveiled plans for a special "Hannibal vs Rome." Also on the slate are special "Inside Grand Central" and new series "Inside the Bible" (using forensics at biblical sites). — CTAM might want to bring managers from the Beverly Hilton to Summit to talk about the art of branding. The TCA hotel rivaled NASCAR drivers’ coveralls in terms of brands. A sample: in the elevators critics watched electronic messages from Nat Geo; key cardholders were emblazoned with the ABC Family logo, as was a wall that served as the backdrop for the lobby’s continuous waterfall; and barkeeps cushioned drinks with coasters bearing Hallmark Channel’s signage.