News Shorts

'Spy TV' slides without 'Friends'
Last night’s episode of “Spy TV” dropped over 40 percent in adult 18-49 rating and 30 percent in households from last Thursday’s premiere after “Friends.” But the candid camera show still won its half hour among adults 18-49 and placed second in households for the time period, behind ABC’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” “Spy TV’s” lead-out, “Go Fish” maintained the same rating as it earned last week. At 9 p.m., a “Frasier” repeat and “Kristin” won the hour among adults 18-49. Both shows’ ratings in the demographic were up over 20 percent from last week. The preliminary Nielsen household rating and share and adult 18-49 rating for Tuesday were: ABC 6.7/12 and 2.9, CBS 6.0/11 and 1.9, NBC 5.5/10 and 3.3, and Fox 3.9/7 and 2.6. On Monday, NBC’s “Fear Factor” won the 8 p.m. hour again, even building on its audience from the week before. “Fear Factor’s” household rating was up 7 percent and its adult 18-49 rating up 17 percent from the week before. At 9 p.m., “Weakest Link” also won its time slot, improving last week’s rating by 5 percent in households and 2 percent among adults 18-49. NBC won the evening among adults 18-49, but CBS won households, as repeats of its sitcom lineup and “48 Hours” edged NBC’s mostly new Monday. The preliminary Nielsen household rating and share and adult 18-49 rating for Monday night were: CBS 7.1/12 and 35, NBC 6.7/12 and 4.6, ABC 5.9/10 and 2.8, and Fox 3.4/6 and 2.1.

PCH settles with 26 states for $34 million
Publishers Clearing House has agreed on another big legal payoff, settling claims with 26 states that accused the sweepstakes company of sending out marketing materials that deceive recipients into buying magazine subscriptions and other goods in the hopes of collecting large cash prizes. The settlement calls for Publishers Clearing House to pay $34 million, which will go to cover legal and administrative costs incurred by the states as well as to provide refunds to customers who feel they’ve been bilked. Last year, Publishers Clearing House reached a similar agreement to pay $18 million to the other 24 states, while two years ago it was rival American Family Publishers that settled with a group of state attorneys general for $33 million. As part of the newest deal, Publishers Clearing House will alter its mailing materials to make the rules of the sweepstakes clearer. It will also cease mailings to "high-activity" customers who have purchased $1,000 or more worth of goods in a single year.

Deadline near, actors' talks far from a done deal
A successful outcome to the talks between screen actors' unions and Hollywood producers looked to be in the bag after the writers signed off on a deal last month. But with less than four days to go before the actors' current contract runs out, tensions are again on the rise. At issue are an increase in minimum payments to actors, residual payments from cable and overseas markets and compensation for middle-tier actors. The studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, are reportedly unwilling to concede to the actors any more than they gave the writers in those negotiations. But according to a study released yesterday, if the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists end up striking, it will cost the city of Los Angeles big time: $1.3 billion for a one-month work stoppage, and $3.2 billion and more than 50,000 jobs if the strike lasts three months.

ABC agrees to pull Stossel's kid interviews
Without admitting any misconduct on the part of its reporter, ABC News has announced it will nevertheless pull a short segment that was to feature John Stossel interviewing a group of schoolchildren from a news special slated to air this Friday night. ABC was responding to a letter it received on Monday from seven Los Angeles area parents whose children had been interviewed for the special, which is to be called "Tampering With Nature." In the letter, organized with assistance from the D.C.-based Environmental Working Group, the parents revoked permission they had previously granted ABC to interview their children. The parents were upset over not having been told in advance that John Stossel was going to be involved, and were aggrieved by his confrontational style and his alleged staging of certain answers. While this is not the first time Stossel has drawn fire for his reporting techniques, ABC has focused instead on implied wrongdoing on the part of the parents. The network reiterated that the parents had originally given their consent--something the parents themselves don't deny. But they say they were not fully informed about what they were consenting to. ABC also questions the timing of the parents' complaint, noting that "none voiced any concerns to ABC for more than two months until the week of our broadcast after they had spoken with activists."

'Survivor's' Stacey escapes one countersuit
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has tossed out claims from the makers of "Survivor" that contestant Stacey Stillman violated the confidentiality agreement she signed before joining the show. Judge Ralph Dau ruled that Stillman's contract cannot be used to silence her claims of impropriety, especially since she waited until the first season was over before speaking out. Stillman says she was voted off the show after Burnett convinced two of her fellow contestants to switch their votes just prior to a tribal council. In court, Survivor Entertainment Group attorney Andy White cited a provision within the confidentiality agreement that gave series producer Mark Burnett "complete control and unfettered discretion" over all facets of the show, but Dau rejected this strategem, saying it didn't extend to fixing the outcome. A defamation suit filed by the Survivor Entertainment Group is still in limbo.

CBS loves Raymond, to the tune of $40M
After watching fellow sitcom stars Drew Carey and Kelsey Grammer negotiate fat new paychecks, "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Ray Romano wrangled a nice plump one himself. The yet-to-be-signed deal will reportedly earn Romano between $800,000 and $900,000 per episode for the next two seasons, for a total of over $40 million. The deal could fluctuate in value based on how much Romano will be paid retroactively for his work on the fourth and fifth seasons. This last winter, CBS signed on for much more "Raymond," paying $140 million for episodes through May 2003. "Everybody Loves Raymond" is the second-highest-rated comedy on TV, right behind NBC stalwart "Friends." "Raymond" debuts on syndication this fall. "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer signed a contract extension worth a record $1.6 million per episode last week, while Drew Carey inked a deal to take home almost $750,000 per episode.

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