News Flashes (April 20, 2002)

Nando Entertainment
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The Osbournes are MTV's biggest series hit ever. The Future for Futurama Remains Uncertain. Read about it at nandotimes!

Fall 2002 Programming Snapshot: What to Expect at ABC

-Already Renewed:
Monday Night Football, My Wife and Kids, According to Jim, Drew Carey, NYPD Blue, Whose Line is it Anyway?, Wonderful World of Disney, Alias, The Practice, America's Funniest Home Videos

-Also Expected Back:
The Bachelor, George Lopez and, of course, 20/20 and Primetime Thursday (with the number of individual 20/20 hours a question mark).

-On the Fence:
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Philly, The Job

-Waiting for the Axe to Swing:
Dharma & Greg, Spin City

-Canceled (or on Hiatus):
Once and Again, The Court, Bob Patterson, What About Joan, Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central), The Chair, The Mole: The Next Betrayal, Thieves

-Total Number of Hours in Need of Fixing: 9-12

Time Periods in Need of Potential Repair:
-Monday 8-9 p.m.
-Tuesday 8-9 p.m.
-Wednesday 9-10 p.m. or 9-11 p.m.
-Thursday: 8-10 p.m.
-Friday: 9-10 p.m. or 8-10 p.m.
-Saturday: Unless the low-rated movie returns a total revamp of the night could be in the works.

-What to Expect:
Yes, we all know what a mess ABC is in. Drew Carey is down, Millionaire may be out, Dharma & Greg and Spin City are waiting for the axe to swing --you know the drill. But instead of immediately focusing on the negative, let's take a look at what's working.

Monday Night Football is a given, NYPD Blue is holding up better than anyone probably expected, My Wife and Kids is promising and Sunday is -- thankfully -- not in disarray.

Add time period Band-Aid America's Funniest Home Videos, marginal According to Jim and potential keeper Philly to the mix and that's the good - err, pretty good -- on ABC.

Now it's time to face reality. Even if Millionaire returns after a summer hiatus the once killer game show is all but over. Although Monday Night Football has the male audience locked up in fourth quarter, 8 p.m. Monday is weak and the network will need to think about what to do in first quarter after football ends. The lead-off Tuesday hour must be fixed, Drew Carey is killing Wednesday from 9-10 p.m., 20/20 is off across-the-board, Friday is a veritable ghost town and the Saturday Movie is time period filler.

What to do? Well, as hard as it will be for ABC to pick up steam, patience and promotion -- lots of series promotion -- are the tools the network needs to get back on the map. Instead of scheduling shows and immediately pulling them (think The Chair, The Mole, What About Joan), ABC must choose the new series they believe in and let the audience eventually find them. And while you can't fault the network for giving a show like Once and Again three seasons to attract an audience, constantly moving it put the final nail in its coffin. If ABC can look past the erosion and find the right vehicles, patience and promotion might get them out of this hole. Of course, that's a big if.

News Bytes (April 19, 2002)

K-Earth Day... Earth Day is this weekend and OLDIES RADIO K-EARTH 101 has a great event planned! Join us this Saturday and Sunday, April 20th and 21st at the Los Angeles Zoo for the 6th Annual Earth Day Expo. Enjoy live music and entertainment, visit informational booths and meet Rascal the Recycling Racoon! Mention K-EARTH 101 at the gate and receive $2.00 off adult admission or $1.00 off children's admission (limit 2 adults and 2 children). Celebrate Earth Day in a great location thats fun for the whole family!

K-EARTH 101 brings you two full hours of The Beatles every Sunday with "Back To The Beatles" and "The Beatle Years". Hosted by a different K-EARTH 101 Air Personality each week, "Back To The Beatles" and "The Beatle Years" offer insightful looks into different periods in the band members' lives and their music! *This Sunday, April 21st, for one week only, "Back To The Beatles" and "The Beatle Years" are on from 6 PM to 8 PM.*

If you are a student in Kindergarten through 8th Grade, K-EARTH 101 wants you to send us your nomination for "The 2002 McDonald's Teacher of the Month". Tell us what you like about your teacher and include your grade and your school's name. If we select your entry you could win a McDonald's Lunch Party for your class! Logon to the K-EARTH 101.com homepage for details on how to enter.

Are you looking to meet new people or trying to find that special someone? If you believe finding someone that you can't imagine wanting to be without is worth a little effort...or at the very least one simple phone call...give the K-EARTH 101 Dateline a try! The enrollment call is free - 1 (877) 906 - 1010! That's right - one phone call is all it takes to get started. The database of great singles will be searched and only match you up with people who fit what you're looking for. You hear their personal phone message, then you decide whether to call them back or not. No stress, no games and no obligation. Call the K-EARTH 101 Dateline now at 1 (877) 906 - 1010. Part of the Match-Link System, the better way to meet your match.

Thanks for listening to OLDIES RADIO K-EARTH 101!

Wang-Net
GO>>>
What's the news on KFWB?... Big rumor in town ... is KFWB (980 AM) on the block? Seems that owner Infinity is one over the limit when it comes to radio and television station ownership in Los Angeles, due to the recent merger with Viacom. Viacom's Channel 13 is what placed it over. So Infinity has a tough choice to make: Lobby the government for a waiver to allow it to stay over the limit until said government buckles under the pressure of lobbyists from the broadcast industry and permanently raises (or abolishes) the ownership cap, or sell off one of its stations ... perhaps the one it has run into the ground. Most observers feel that the latter will happen and KFWB will be sold to a Spanish broadcaster using the mega-corp logic that you must always sell your stations to companies that won't compete with you. I, on the other hand, feel that a waiver is in the works, as all indications are that the FCC and other involved agencies are about to buckle on the ownership issue and let three companies own everything.

Cheap Channel Living Up To Its Name... Standard and Poor's has given Clear Channel Communications a "BBB-" credit rating, due to the advertising recession, CCU's capital spending needs and debt related to acquisitions and mergers. You can bet that cost-cutting moves such as voice-tracked personalities will continue unabated; the world's largest radio company has about $9.5 billion in outstanding debt.

KHJ: Inside Boss Radio by OG Boss programmer Ron Jacobs is now shipping. Check out www.zapoleon.com/khj for more information, if you just can't wait for my review (coming soon).

News Flashes (April 19, 2002)

News Flashes (April 18, 2002)

TV Insite:
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It's over for Ally...Variety reported late Wednesday that Ally McBeal will wrap production... Shake-up at Squares continues...With the exit of Whoopi Goldberg and the firing of two executive producers, Hollywood Squares will have an image and staff makeover next season... Osbournes again top cable Nielsens...The Osbournes attracted a spectacular audience once again Tuesday night on MTV, harvesting a 5.2 rating and 6.2 million viewers.

News Flashes (April 18, 2002)

News Flashes (April 18, 2002)

The San Diego Union TV/Radio
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KFMB gets O'Reilly Bill O'Reilly takes his act to radio with a two-hour weekday show to be launched May 8 by Westwood One and Fox News. "The Radio Factor With Bill O'Reilly" will add the element of nationwide call-ins to his formula of advocacy and comment on hot topics of the day and guests who dare to spar with him. It will originate from Westwood One studios at Fox News Channel headquarters in New York. O'Reilly's San Diego radio outlet will be KFMB/AM 760. With O'Reilly taking AM 760's 10 a.m. to noon slot, Bill Holland's financial advice will move to 5 to 6 a.m. weekdays.

The San Diego Reader Blurt - Various journalists
"An Osbourne (the one who was heard on 92/1 last Monday) gives an interview"

Radio Wires (April 18, 2002)

FullAudio Corporation Launches MusicNow on Clear Channel Phoenix Cluster... FullAudio Corporation today announced the launch of MusicNow, an on-demand online music subscription service in Phoenix, Arizona. The service is available through Clear Channel Radio's (NYSE: CCU) five Phoenix stations' websites.

Listen.com: It's OK to burn some CDs (ZDNet) Listen.com said Monday that it plans to let some songs on its digital music service be copied onto CDs, a step toward allowing its subscribers to play music when they want, where they want.

Read about them at the radiohorizon website!

Nando Entertainment
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Destiny's Child defends song 'Nasty Girl'... Destiny's Child's new single "Nasty Girl" scolds scantily clad women and tells them to "put some clothes on," a message that may seem contradictory coming from a trio known as much for their bare midriffs as their soulful sound.

News Flashes (April 17, 2002)

Nostalgia is clearly in the air at ABC (Gilda Radner, Laverne & Shirley, That's Incredible, American Bandstand, Bloopers, Favorite Stars, Best Shows, etc.) and what follows is upcoming May programming highlights:

Movies:
-The Sixth Sense (Sunday, April 28, 8 p.m. ET)
-Gilda Radner: It's Always Something (Monday, April 29, 9 p.m. ET)
-Stuart Little (Sunday, May 5, 7 p.m. ET)
-Notting Hill (Monday, May 6, 8 p.m. ET)
-Enemy of the State (Monday, May 20, 8 p.m. ET)

Miniseries:
-Dinotopia (Sunday, May 12, 7 p.m. ET; Monday, May 13 and Tuesday, May 14, 8 p.m. ET)

Specials:
-The Bachelor: The Women Tell All (Thursday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET)
-The Best Commercials You've Never Seen (And Some You Have): (Friday, April 26, 9 p.m. ET)
-Before They Were Stars 2002 (Sunday, April 28, 7 p.m. ET)
-Gilda Radner's Greatest Moments (Monday, April 29, 8 p.m. ET)
-American Bandstand's 50th.A Celebration (Friday, May 2, 8-10 p.m. ET)
-Entertainment Tonight Presents: Laverne & Shirley Together Again (Tuesday, May 7, 8 p.m. ET)
-Favorite Stars: Then & Now.An E! Entertainment Special (Tuesday, May 7, 9 p.m. ET)
-Instant Classic Bloopers (Friday, May 10, 9 p.m. ET)
-TV Guide's 50 Best Shows of All Time (Monday, May 13, 10 p.m. ET)
-That's Incredible: The Reunion (Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. ET)
-David Blaine's Vertigo (Wednesday, May 22, 10 p.m. ET)

Guest Star Alert:
-Dan Aykroyd on According to Jim (Wednesday, May 1, 8:30 p.m. ET)
-June Lockhart on The Drew Carey Show (Wednesday, April 1, 9 p.m. ET)
-Amy Irving on Alias (Sunday, May 5 and 12, 9 p.m. ET)
-Marion Ross, Adrienne Barbeau, June Lockhart, Phyllis Diller and Richard Chamberlain on The
 Drew Carey Show (Wednesday, May 8, 9 p.m. ET)
-Kathy Griffin on The Drew Carey Show (Wednesday, May 15, 9 p.m. ET)

Season Finales:
-The Bachelor (Thursday, April 25, 9 p.m. ET)
-Dharma & Greg (Tuesday, April 30, 8 p.m. ET): one-hour, potential series finale
-Spin City (Tuesday, April 30, 9 p.m. ET): one-hour, potential series finale
-Alias (Sunday, May 12, 9 p.m. ET)
-According to Jim (Wednesday, May 15, 8:30 p.m. ET)
-America's Funniest Home Videos (Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. ET)
-The Practice (Sunday, May 19, 9 p.m. ET): two-hours
-NYPD Blue (Tuesday, May 21, 9 p.m. ET): two-hours
-My Wife and Kids (Wednesday, May 22, 8 p.m. ET): one-hour
-The Drew Carey Show (Wednesday, May 22, 9 p.m. ET)
_____________________________________________________________________

Radio Wires (April 17, 2002)

Radio Business Report:
GO>>>
RIAA backs off on record keeping regulations (4/16)... According to a statement on the RIAA's website, it has simplified its proposal to the webcasting industry by dropping the listener log, which "resulted in considerable confusion and criticism." Says Steven Marks, RIAA SVP/Business and Legal Affairs: "The RIAA has heard the complaints raised by webcasters and has responded by proposing recordkeeping regulations that take into account many of the webcasters' concerns...We look forward to working with webcasters on having these reasonable regulations adopted so that record labels and artists can begin receiving royalties." Among a host of other information, the RIAA originally wanted to be supplied information on those who listen to webcasts containing copyrighted material.

News Flashes (April 16, 2002)

News Bytes (April 16, 2002)

Radio Wires (April 16, 2002)

New Radio Star:
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TOP TWO RADIO STATIONS ON THE INTERNET DON'T HAVE TO PAY RIAA FEES!... Measurecast is in with the latest radio listening on the Net. The number one station, by far, is Virgin Radio out of London. And the number two station is JazzFM, also out of London. Virgin doubles the listenership of the number one U.S. station with its 261,166 hours and 46,634 cume persons for the week, as compared to classical WQXR-FM out of New York, the number three station over all and the number one station in the list out of the U.S.. WQXR webcast 130,821 hours to 23, 079 listeners. At .0007 cents per record played, per listener, you can bet WQXR would be paying a good deal of money to the RIAA. But, Virgin and JazzFM already pay for "performance" of music for broadcast and webcasting adds nothing to their costs. Rather than the very complicated logging rules proposed by the RIAA/Copyright office, which in itself is a costly procuedure for U.S. webcasters, British radio pays a percentage of income...so if they made nothing they would pay nothing. The question now becomes, "if a server sending out a U.S. station is located outside the U.S. would it still pay the proposed "per record/per listener" fee?

Radio Ink:
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Public Radio International Eclipses 700-Affiliate Mark... Minneapolis-based PRI today announced that it now serves 708 affiliate stations in the U.S. and Guam. PRI prepares to celebrate 20th anniversary in 2003.

Radio Horizon:
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Recording industry slams Gateway's digital music campaign... (AP) The recording industry is having a cow over an ad campaign that features a Holstein singing along to a hip-hop cover of a Gordon Lightfoot tune.

News Flashes (April 16, 2002)

Fox Sweeps Preview Schedule (April 16, 2002)

Upcoming on Fox: Programming Highlights

What follows are programming highlights for Fox in late April and May:

Movies:
-Star Wars Episode V -- the Empire Strikes Back (Thursday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET)
-Star Wars Episode VI -- Return of the Jedi (Thursday, May 2, 8 p.m. ET)
-Star Wars Episode Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace (Thursday, May 9, 8 p.m. ET)
-The Nutty Professor (Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m. ET)

Specials:
-When Animals Invade Your Home (Friday, April 26, 8 p.m. ET)
-Girl Next Door: The Search for a Playboy Centerfold (Friday, May 10, 8 p.m. ET)
-Celebrity Boxing 2 (Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. ET)

Guest Star Alert:
-Dennis Weaver on The Simpsons (Sunday, April 28, 7 p.m. ET)
-Former Ally McBeal co-stars Courtney Thorne-Smith and Lisa Nicole Carson on the
 show's season (or series) finale on May 20.

Season Finales:
-Dark Angel (Friday, May 3, 8:30 p.m. ET): potential series finale
-Grounded for Life (Wednesday, May 8, 8:30 p.m. ET)
-Greg the Bunny (Wednesday, May 8, 9:30 p.m. ET): potential series finale
-King of the Hill (Sunday, May 12, 7 p.m. ET)
-The Bernie Mac Show (Wednesday, May 15, 9 p.m.): one-hour
-The Simpsons (Sunday, May 19, 7 p.m. ET)
-Malcolm in the Middle (Sunday, May 19, 7:30 p.m. ET)
-Boston Public (Monday, May 20, 8 p.m. ET)
-Ally McBeal (Monday, May 20, 9 p.m.): potential series finale
-That'70s Show (Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. ET)
-Andy Richter Controls the Universe (Tuesday, May 21,  8:30 p.m. ET): potential series finale
-24 (Tuesday, May 21, 9 p.m. ET)

Series Finales:
-The X-Files (Sunday, May 19, 8 p.m. ET): 200th episode as well

Of Note:
-Cops (Saturday, April 27): 500th episode on a special Cops-a-thon (four episode) night.
-That'70s Show (Tuesday, April 30, 8 p.m. ET): 100th episode
-America's Most Wanted: 700th Capture Special (Saturday,  May 4, 9 p.m. ET)

News Flashes (April 13, 2002)

The Telemundo network serves 86 markets, reaching 90 percent of total Hispanic TV households.

Telemundo was owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Liberty Media Corp. and other investors.

The transaction called for $1.98 billion and the assumption of debt estimated at $700 million.

Jim McNamara will continue as CEO of Telemundo, NBC said, reporting to NBC president Andrew Lack.

Alan Sokol continues as chief operating officer, NBC said.

"This transaction represents NBC's strong commitment to growing our network business and serving the needs of the booming Hispanic market," said Bob Wright, vice chairman of GE and chairman and CEO of NBC. "We expect great things from this partnership," Lack added.

NBC to sell KWHY, not KVEA... NBC plans to sell KWHY-TV Los Angeles, not KVEA(TV) Corona, Calif., as the Federal Communications Commission reported Wednesday.

The FCC made the correction in an erratum issued late Wednesday.

As a result of its $2 billion acquisition of Telemundo Communications Group Inc., NBC has a triopoly in Los Angeles.

The FCC gave NBC one year to divest the third station.

NBC plans to operate KWHY-TV independently from its duopoly of KNBC-TV and KVEA (TV) in the meantime.

Electronic Media:
GO>>
'Wild Kingdom' joins Animal Planet:... "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom," a precursor of today's reality and nature programming, will return to television in six one-hour specials, debuting in September on Animal Planet. The original "Wild Kingdom" debuted in 1963 and ran on network and in syndication through the mid-1980s.

Hollywood Reporter:
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'Bernie Mac Show' first renewal for Fox... In its first series renewal for the 2002-03 season, Fox has given a full sophomore-season order to its Peabody-winning comedy "The Bernie Mac Show" from Regency TV and 20th Century Fox TV. The edgy family comedy from creator/executive producer Larry Wilmore has been both a commercial and critical success for Fox. "It is clear that America is listening to Bernie's singular take on family," Fox entertainment president Gail Berman said. The early pickup was a boon to Regency TV, which is also home to Fox's "Malcolm in the Middle." "I think it's a great endorsement all the hard work Larry Wilmore has done," Regency TV president Peter Aronson said. "We look forward to taking it to the next level and making it even more popular."

News Bytes (April 16, 2002)

Radio Ink:
GO>>>
KNX Names Ed Pyle As News Director.... KNX Newsradio has promoted Ed Pyle to news director from executive news producer. He replaces Bob Sims, who had been in the position since 1982 and who retired. Pyle joined KNX as a reporter in 1985 after 10 years with KFWB in Los Angeles. He has won several top awards for jounalism excellence, including a Gold Medallion from the State Bar of California, a Best Reporting Award from the Los Angeles Press Club, and several Golden Mikes. Ronnie Bradford was appointed to the position of executive news producer. Since 1982, he has been news producer, responsible for day-to-day planning and assignments. He joined KNX in 1968 as a news writer.