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Variety.com - TV News
The premier source of entertainment news. Turn to Variety.com for timely, credible articles, reviews and analysis of film, TV, music, theater, video, gaming and movie and television production -- information vital to your showbiz career.
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U.K. TV exports increase 25%
TV News: Sales to the U.S. total $574 million -- The value of U.K. TV exports increased by 25% last year as strong demand from the U.S. propelled growth, especially in format sales.
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Austrian government bails out ORF
TV News: Strapped pubcaster gets $240 million -- The Austrian government has come to the rescue of financially strapped pubcaster ORF.
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Niche success gives networks boost
TV News: Series that play to narrower demos show value -- Adults 18-49 remain the grand ratings prize for broadcast television. But some primetime shows that don't win their timeslots in that holiest of demos still offer nifty consolation prizes for ...
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CNN aims for the center
TV News: Turner cabler works to make plan viable -- John King's promotion to weekday host comes on the heels of CNN solving what liberal activists had labeled its "Lou Dobbs problem,"
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CNN
Tiger Gate brands to launch on Now
TV News: KIX and Thrill to draw on 12,000 title library -- Lionsgate's Asian subsid Tiger Gate Ent. has announced that it will launch its pay TV channel brands, KIX and Thrill, on PCCW's Now TV platform in Hong Kong.
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Media giant loses appetite for Turkey
TV News: Axel Springer backs out of Dogan Yayin deal -- German publishing giant Axel Springer has backed out of a deal to buy a 29% stake in Turkish group Dogan Yayin due to an ongoing tax dispute between the media company and the Turkish government ...
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Disney sells stake in U.K.'s GMTV
TV News: ITV swallows early morning broadcaster -- Disney has sold its 25% stake in U.K. breakfast broadcaster GMTV.
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ITV
GMTV
Nets flourish with fall crop
TV News: New shows shine as reality, crime series fade -- The broadcast networks were on the ropes this television season even before it began -- months before.
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Granada docks at StarHub
TV News: ITV Studios Global Entertainment bows web in Singapore -- ITV Studios Global Entertainment will launch a general entertainment web in Singapore on Tuesday.
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ITV
Telco nabs pay tv stake
TV News: Spain’s Telefonica takes 21% of Prisa’s Digital Plus -- Telefonica has acquired a 21% stake in Prisa's pay TV platform Digital Plus for $705 million.
Taylor Lautner to host 'SNL'
TV News: NBC sketch series taps 'Twilight' hunk -- "New Moon" star Taylor Lautner will host the Dec. 12 edition of "Saturday Night Live," NBC has announced.
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Sci-Fi
Taylor Lautner
Twilight
Saturday Night Live
'Dancing,' 'NCIS' duo top Tuesday
TV News: ABC victors in 18-49 demo; CBS tops overall viewers -- ABC and CBS were neck and neck in key categories on the final Tuesday of the November sweep, with the former riding the two-hour "Dancing With the Stars" finale and the latter boosted by ...
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Reality
ABC
CBS
Dancing With The Stars
NCIS
BBC may sell stake in Worldwide
TV News: Broadcaster mulls sale of part of commercial arm -- The BBC is understood to have held discussions with financial advisers about the possibility of floating part of BBC Worldwide, its commercial arm.
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BBC
Hungary's T-Home trials Ozone, Life
TV News: Cable channels look at green, health issues -- T-Home, the cable provider for the Magyar Telecom Group, is piloting two pioneering channels in Hungary that tap into growing concern in the country for the environment and healthier living.
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Beck Media taps McAlister
TV News: BNC alum to head corporate tech team -- Tom McAlister has joined Beck Media and Marketing as head of its corporate technology team.
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Glenn Beck
'Burn Notice' gets renewal
TV News: USA Network OK's fourth season -- USA Network has renewed its second show in two days: "Burn Notice" gets a fourth season.
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Drama
USA Network
Burn Notice
ABC, CBS split week
TV News: But Fox poised to win November sweep -- A strong finish thanks to the American Music Awards helped ABC tie CBS for a share of the demo lead last week.
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American Music Awards
ABC
CBS
Fox unveils its midseason lineup
TV News: Network sets dates for '24,' 'Human Target,' 'Idol' -- Fox unveiled its midseason lineup Tuesday, giving homes to new entries "Our Little Genius," "Human Target," "Past Life" and "Sons of Tucson."
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Drama
Human Target
24
Past Life
Sons of Tucson
CBC auds up in fall season
TV News: On-ice action heats up pubcaster ratings -- Ratings are up big-time for Canuck pubcaster CBC, which is having its best fall season in five years.
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Ratings
Study: BBC needs to target sales
TV News: Report says to avoid mergers, acquistions -- BBC Worldwide must concentrate on selling programs and avoid mergers and acquisitions unless there are exceptional circumstances.
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BBC
Football has long fed Hollywood
TV News: Less successful athletes find glory in showbiz -- CBS' Leslie Moonves is a big sports fan, but he's doubtless happy that his pal Mark Harmon -- the star of what's now the network's most-watched show, "NCIS" -- wasn't a more gifted quarterback.
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Drama
CBS
Mark Harmon
NCIS
'Curb' finale draws in 1.3 million
TV News: HBO comedy posts best ratings in five seasons -- Sunday's finale of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" drew 1.3 million viewers, the most-watched season-ender of "Curb" in five seasons.
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Comedy
HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm
CBS wins highly competitive ratings race
TV News: 'Mother,' 'Big Bang' win over Fox, ABC -- CBS won a very competitive Monday night behind the best 18-49 demo of the season for "How I Met Your Mother" and another strong showing of "The Big Bang Theory." Close behind was Fox, with new ...
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Comedy
ABC
CBS
How I Met Your Mother
The Big Bang Theory
House
Dancing With The Stars
Lightcap replaces Ross at Disney
TV News: Executive to top Disney Channels Worldwide -- Disney Channel Latin America exec Carolina Lightcap has been named prexy of Disney Channels Worldwide.
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Disney Channel
Jonathan Ross
BBC Trust reins in Worldwide
TV News: Commercial arm must restrict takeovers -- The world just got smaller for the BBC's mighty commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.
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BBC
Vivendi tightens hold on Canal Plus
TV News: Conglom buys TF1's stake in pay TV operator -- Media conglom Vivendi has tightened its grip on Gallic feevee operator Canal Plus.
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TF1
CBS Films, TMG sign output deal
TV News: Pact covers German-speaking territories -- CBS Films and Tele Muenchen Group have inked an output deal for German-speaking territories that includes up to seven pics a year, including the upcoming Harrison Ford starrer "Extraordinary Measures."
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CBS
Harrison Ford
Deal
TiVo, Google pact in data deal
TV News: Ad community to get more info on viewers -- TiVo has pacted with Google to provide analytical information to advertisers about viewers who watch TV via the DVR service.
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TiVo
Deal
BMW pulls back into Hollywood
TV News: Automaker looks to polish its image in showbiz alliance -- BMW stunned Hollywood six years ago when it left the entertainment biz in its rearview mirror.
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Fox stations renew 'Pirro'
TV News: Courtroom series from WBTVD, Telepictures charged with third season -- "Judge Jeanine Pirro," the syndie courtroom strip from Warner Bros. Domestic TV Distribution and Telepictures, has been renewed for a third season by Fox Television Stations.
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Warner Bros.
Herman heads up Fox human resources
TV News: Will oversee issues for Fox, FX and sports cablers -- Ruth Anne Herman has been upped to senior veep of human resources for Fox Networks Group.
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FX
Heads Up
CBS strategizes Harrison hire
TV News: Former NBCU exec takes on newly created post -- CBS Corp. has named former NBC Universal Cable exec Dan Harrison.
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CBS
NBC Universal
TLC adds 'Craving Comfort' to mix
TV News: Food series examines favorite dishes -- TLC is returning to the kitchen with foodie series "Craving Comfort."
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TLC
Whishaw, Walters take Int’l Emmys
TV News: Danish show 'Protectors' voted top drama series -- Ben Whishaw, Julie Walters won the top honors at Monday's International Emmy Awards.
USA renews 'Psych'
TV News: Fifth season will greet drama in 2010 -- USA has renewed "Psych" for a 16-episode fifth season in 2010-11, setting the stage for the skein to become the cabler's longest-running original scripted series in production.
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Comedy
Psych
Vivendi talks hold up Comcast takeover of NBC U
TV News: French corp, GE at impasse over valuation -- Vivendi has officially become a thorn in the side of Comcast Corp.'s takeover bid for NBC Universal.
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NBC Universal
Golden Globes adding extra pizzazz
TV News: HFPA shakes up kudofest with a live show and host -- What's a venerable awards ceremony to do when ratings are down?
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News/Talk
Extra
Golden Globes
Four Seasons' Watkins rules junket jungle
TV News: She helps Beverly Hills hotel hold No. 1 ranking -- Who you gonna call when you need to organize a press junket?
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Reality
The Hills
Globe TV newcomers try to break in
TV News: Veteran shows have advantage of familiarity -- Suburban sex. Political sex. Screwed up families. Paranormal freak-outs. And bunch of high schoolers that seem to always burst into song.
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Nielsen near deal to sell print, online properties
TV News: Hollywood Reporter, Billboard among brands for sale -- According to a Paid Content report, Nielsen Business Media is about two weeks from selling its print and online properties to a consortium led by James Finkelstein's News Communications.
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Deal
'Project Runway' closes with season high
TV News: Ratings down, however, compared to last season -- Although the season-six finale of Lifetime's "Project Runway" was the highest-rated episode of the season, numbers were significantly down from the season-five finale on Bravo.
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Reality
Project Runway
Ratings
Lifetime
Bravo
Univision goes online
TV News: Spanish-language channel to stream shows on YouTube -- A deal struck last week between U.S. Hispanic media giant Univision's Interactive Media unit and YouTube will unleash a flood of Univision's inhouse Spanish-language programming onto the ...
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Univision
'Heroes' a respite for CNN
TV News: Ordinary folks do extraordinary things -- Covering global wars, the antagonistic Washington political fray and the ongoing health-care crisis can wear on a cabler's soul.
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Sci-Fi
Heroes
Spanish TV transition
TV News: Chief’s exit raises questions on RTVE’s independance -- Public sector TV took a step backward in Spain this month when Luis Fernandez resigned as president of giant pubcaster Radio Television Espanola.
Pamm Fair resigns from SAG post
TV News: Exec exits as deputy national executive director -- Pamm Fair, one of the top execs at the Screen Actors Guild, is resigning from her post as deputy national executive director.
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Screen Actors Guild
'Phineas' star Perry makes mark on auds
TV News: Platypus is the breakout star of kids show -- Why a platypus?
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Katy Perry
Disney toon a big draw
TV News: 'Phineas and Ferb' attracts older kids. parents -- Disney Channel has an unusual hit on its hands, an animated show that is scoring big with the tween auds that flock to the channel's live-action fare.
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Disney Channel
Feud fuels ‘ShowMatch’ ratings
TV News: Brothel skit, look-alike stunt boost Argentine show -- After suffering its worst season ever, Argentine variety program "ShowMatch" is enjoying a ratings high thanks to political figure Luis D'Elia.
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Ratings
Feud fuels 'ShowMatch' ratings
TV News: Brothel skit, look-alike stunt boost Argentine show -- After suffering its worst season ever, Argentine variety program "ShowMatch" is enjoying a ratings high thanks to political figure Luis D'Elia.
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Ratings
Channel 4 dials up YouTube deal
TV News: U.K. broadcaster signs longform content pact -- Can YouTube be the stopper in the profit drain that is bedeviling the broadcasting biz? Troubled U.K. network Channel 4 is betting on it.
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