Cable carriers
to FCC: Block black outs
Other shorts: Tempest rages over Post's gay kiss photo
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Mar 10, 2010
Cable carriers to FCC: Block the black outs
If a group of cable carriers have their way, there won't be any more Academy Awards black outs, or black outs of any kind, looming over them in the future. Time Warner Cable, Dish Network, Verizon and other cable operators filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission yesterday requesting a rule change that would require arbitration when a cable company and a broadcaster come to an impasse over carriage and, further, would block the networks from pulling their signals when negotiations fail. Not surprisingly, the National Association of Broadcasters immediately balked at the plan, releasing a statement saying, "To see billion-dollar pay TV companies asking for government intervention to protect their exorbitant profits is just plain wrong." The petition was sparked by the recent standoff over retransmission fees between Cablevision and Walt Disney, owner of ABC, which resulted in WABC going black just hours before Sunday's Oscars. The signal was restored 15 minutes into the broadcast, but not before a number of politicians, whose constituents were caught in the middle of the dispute, had weighed in on the situation and the FCC urged the two sides to come to an agreement. Both sides anticipate more retrans fights in the near future, as broadcasters seek money for their previously free-to-air networks.
Tempest rages over Post's gay kiss photo
Washington, D.C., is ready for gay marriage, but many of the Washington Post's readers apparently are not. The paper spurred an uproar last week when it printed a picture of two men kissing on the front page along with a story about the D.C. Superior Court accepting applications for gay marriage licenses. The Post was inundated with calls and emails protesting the image, and more than two dozen people have canceled their subscriptions, citing their disappointment or disgust with the picture. As one angry reader emailed: "People have kids who are being exposed to this crap. I will be glad when your rag goes out of business. Real men marry women." Others said the picture should have been printed inside the paper, not on the front. But ombudsman Andrew Alexander disagreed, saying on his blog yesterday, "The photo deserved to be in newspaper and on its Web site, and it warranted front-page display." The blog has received dozens of comments, many of them supporting the Post's decision, including this sage observation: "That picture is far less disgusting and exhibitionist than a typical episode of Jersey Shore or the Bachelor."
Programming notes: CBS renews 'Boss'
CBS is going “Undercover” again next season. The network has ordered a second season of “Undercover Boss,” the reality series in which executives go undercover as blue-collar workers at their own companies. “Boss” has averaged 18.7 million total viewers and a 7.1 rating among 18-49s, according to Nielsen, although that was of course inflated by the post-Super Bowl series premiere. While renewing "Boss" seems like a no-brainer, it's not clear how CBS will be able to keep filming of the second season under wraps now that the show has become so popular and people are familiar with the concept. That same problem felled a second season of "Joe Millionaire" seven years ago. Meanwhile, in other programming, Fox has set dates for a handful of premieres and finales. On May 19 the network will preview action-comedy “The Good Guys” at 8 p.m. as a lead-in for “American Idol,” before officially rolling it out June 7 at 9 p.m. following the summer premiere of “Lie to Me.” On May 27 Fox will premiere the latest season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” with the summer premiere of the now-canceled “Past Life” airing the next day. Fox will air the season finale of “Glee” on June 8 at 9 p.m., and two days later, on June 10, it will roll out the latest season of “Hell’s Kitchen.” On cable, Syfy will premiere the spring season of “Stargate Universe” on April 2 at 9 p.m., followed by the second-season premiere of failed former NBC series “Merlin” at 10. And on April 5 A&E will launch the series “Runaway Squad,” about New York police officers who try to track down runaway teens.
'Mafia II' folds Playboy bunnies into videogame
Who says Playboy is a relic from another era? Hugh Hefner's magazine is entering the world of videogames. Videogame maker 2K Games has signed a licensing deal with Playboy magazine to use 50 of its vintage covers and centerfolds throughout its upcoming mobster game “Mafia II.” The game, which will be released in the second half of the year on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, takes place in the fictional U.S. city Empire Bay in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Playboy was founded in December 1953. “Mafia II” will focus on mob-style action, but players will be able to collect virtual copies of early issues of Playboy as they make their way through the story. For Playboy, it’s an obvious opportunity to get its brand in front of the game-playing young males who have abandoned girlie magazines for graphic web sites. 2K says the Playboy appearances will help make the game appear more realistic.
Lindsay sues over namecheck in E*Trade ad
A lot of people know her simply as Lindsay, but how many is a lot? And is a lot enough to win her a $100 million legal judgment? Those are the questions a Long Island court will be faced with deciding, should the case ever go to trial, which would seem unlikely. The case, brought by actress Lindsay Lohan, contends an ad for E*Trade that first aired during last month's Super Bowl made use of her name and persona without her permission. The ad, built around E*Trade’s signature talking babies, has one baby referring to another baby as Lindsay and describing that baby as a “milkaholic.” Though Lindsay is given no last name, Lohan contends in her suit that the mere mention of her first name is enough that people will know it’s her. Presumably, the reference to “milkaholic” would set off bells as well, since Lohan has been a frequent visitor to rehab centers.
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