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Walt Disney’s chief executive Michael Eisner is reportedly considering appointing Disney's ABC Group chairman Robert Iger to the company's No. 2 spot. The company's second ranking position has been vacant since Michael Ovitz left as president in 1996. The appointment would address continued pressure on Eisner to delegate responsibility for the company's day-to-day operations. There has been speculation that if Iger is appointed, he will succeed Eisner. However, Eisner says he will not name a successor until he leaves Disney. Eisner, 57, is under contact with the company until 2006. The Disney board is scheduled to meet on Monday, at which time Iger’s appointment may be discussed.
'Sopranos' sings like a jail bird
"The Sopranos" started its second season on a high note
on Sunday--with record-breaking ratings. HBO’s huge marketing push behind the
critically-acclaimed, mob-family drama seems to have worked. "Sopranos" opened
the season with 7.64 million viewers watching, which is more than twice last season’s
average of 3.43 million. In adults 18-49, the show tied NBC and beat the WB in the 9
o’clock time slot, a difficult feat for a cable program. The premiere was the
most-watched original non-sports production in the history of the network. HBO predicts
11.5 million viewers will tune into the four airings of "Sopranos" this week,
making it the most-watched cable series ever.
A&E's Oprah bio knocks 'em
dead
As if we didn’t know Oprah Winfrey was popular
already? A&E’s special two-hour "Biography" of Oprah Winfrey on Sunday
drew the largest audience of any program in the cable network’s history. "Oprah
Winfrey: Heart of the Matter" drew an audience of 3.6 million on Sunday at 8
o’clock. A&E reports the show actually generated 4.8 million viewers, when
combined with the second airing later that night. "Biography" beat out the 1996
premiere of "Pride and Prejudice."
Wicks closes on titles from Dow
Jones
Wicks Business Information has closed the acquisition of Dow
Jones Financial Publishing Corporation that had been announced in December. Among the
publications Wicks has acquired in the deal are Investment Advisor, Asset Management and
Property. The new name for the business is the Investment Advisor Group; it will function
as an operating unit of the Financial Information Division of Wicks Business Information.
Editorial director and publisher Robert Clark will oversee the day-to-day operations of
the business.