Another night of
programming for Bravo
Other shorts: Programming notes: CW eyes reality shows
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Mar 11, 2010
Upfront update: Another night of programming for Bravo
Bravo already offers original programming four nights a week, Monday through Thursday, more than nearly every other cable network. Now the NBC Universal channel is adding a fifth, Sunday night, after a year in which its audience grew 8 percent among its target adults 18-49 despite losing signature show "Project Runway." Bravo is further branching out by eyeing a scripted show to join its stable of reality programs. At its upfront, the network said it's working on a scripted show with "Sex and the City's" Darren Star about a straight, married New Yorker who's a drag queen at night, as well as another about male escorts. The network confirmed that another "Real Housewives" series, this one about Beverly Hills, will join the lineup, as will the new reality series "Pregnant in Heels," "Million Dollar Decorators" and "Miami Social Club." Other reality series in development include "Around the World in 80 Plates," "Mia Michaels" and "Hitmakers." Bravo has renewed four shows: "The Fashion Show," "Million Dollar Listing," "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and "Tabatha's Salon Makeover."
Programming notes: CW eyes reality shows
With two unscripted series joining the schedule this month, CW is further stepping up its reality programming. The network is developing two new series, “One Mass Dance” and “Shed to Wed,” that could air this summer. “Dance” will have choreographers put together large dance teams who will then perform in unusual places flash-mob style. “Wed,” meanwhile, is a weight-loss competition between couples as they prepare to marry. CW last night premiered another new reality series, “High Society,” and later this month will roll out “Fly Girls.” It’s also developing a reality show with celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson. Meanwhile, in other programming, Planet Green will launch a primetime programming block called Verge on March 29, which will feature programs about people who affect the world in a positive way. On April 4 Animal Planet will premiere the eighth season of “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” with the first episode looking at black bears. And SPEED has ordered 13 episodes of a new series titled “Intersections,” in which two drivers will be given separate missions and different vehicles with which to accomplish the missions.
Study: 97 percent use web for shopping
People use the internet for many different reasons, but just about everybody uses it when making shopping decisions. Some 97 percent of consumers now use online media when researching local products or services, according to the most recent consumer tracking study from BIA/Kelsey, with 90 percent using search engines. Not only that, but consumers are now doing more in-depth research before making their purchasing decisions. The BIA/Kelsey survey found that consumers use an average of 7.9 different media sources when shopping for local products or services, up from 6.5 in 2009 and 5.8 in 2008. Besides the aforementioned search engines, 48 percent said they use internet Yellow Pages, 42 percent use comparison shopping sited and 24 percent use vertical sites. More than half of consumers are also taking advantage of online discounts—58 percent reported using an online coupon when shopping for products or services in the past year. And 19 percent said they’ve made an appointment online in the past six months for a service other than a restaurant reservation, including healthcare appointments or auto or personal service appointments.
Iger: I'm open to spinning off ABC some day
Will Walt Disney be taking a page from Time Warner? During a shareholder meeting yesterday Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the company was not ruling out a spinoff of ABC, whose ABC News recently cut more than 300 jobs and has struggled along with the other networks' news divisions as viewers change the way they consume news. Though no spinoff is imminent, Iger insisted, he also said, "There are no guarantees in terms of what will remain part of our company and what will not." Internet buzz immediately started upon his proclamation, but most analysts cautioned that Iger was probably simply watching his back, leaving a future spinoff open so as not to go back on his word. Iger's words were highly scrutinized in part because the company is coming off a contentious retrans fee dispute with Cablevision over carriage of WABC, with more retrans battles in the offing for the broadcast networks. Time Warner, of course, recently spun off both its cable and AOL units.
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