I become a fan of Football AKA Soccer every four years like many Americans. According to Neilson, the 2010 FIFA World Cup ratings are soaring at a 16-year high. Through the first 14 rounds of the World Cup, ESPN and ABC generated an average audience of 3.35 million viewers. Univision has averaged 2.24 million viewers through its first 17 broadcasts. This is all great news for the Soccer aficionado’s.
What I have found disheartening is the lack of enthusiasm of the English speaking commentators on ESPN. Many of them are so dull and boring that I have found myself switching over to the Univision broadcast, even though I do not speak Spanish and there is no SAP equivalent for Univision. I have also tried to listen to the Soccer matches on ESPN radio. This is the station that is supposed to be broadcasting the matches per the FIFA web-site. To my surprise, the local ESPN station felt it was more advantages to air sports chat hour rather than the match. Again I had to switch to a Spanish station. With rating up all over the country, you would think that everyone would want to celebrate FIFA and air it on their stations with energy and style.
Let me know your thoughts on the subject.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
CBS Presentation
After announcing a slew of cancelations this week, CBS revealed its full primetime schedule at its upfront presentation yesterday. The network also ushered in a few surprise changes such as moving the established comedy The Big Bang Theory to a new night thus opening a new comedy block and making changes to Wednesday's schedule.
CBS introduced five new series to its 2010-2011 primetime line-up, including three dramas and two comedies.
CBS' new comedies:
$#*! My Dad Says: Series based on the Twitter feed by Justin Halpern, stars William Shatner as Ed Goodson, an opinionated dad who expresses himself with his unsolicited and politically incorrect observations to anyone who will listen. The plot involves a father/son relationship when Ed's son Henry moves in with him. From Warner Bros. Television.
Mike & Molly: Comedy from Chuck Lorre about a working-class couple who find each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. Produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
New dramas coming to CBS:
Hawaii Five-O: New version of the classic cop series set in Hawaii starring Alex O'Loughlin as Detective Steve McGarrett along with Scott Caan as Danny "Danno" Williams; Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho Kelly; and Grace Park as Kono, Chin's cousin. From CBS Television Studios. And if you're wondering ... same old theme music!
The Defenders: Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell headline this dramedy about two colorful defense attorneys in Las Vegas who do everything possible when it comes to representing their clients. Produced by CBS Television Studios.
Blue Bloods: Tom Selleck returns to CBS as star of this drama about a multi-generational family of cops in New York City. From CBS Television Studios.
CBS has one midseason series:
Criminal Minds Spinoff: Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker stars as unit chief Special Agent Sam Cooper in charge of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. Produced by ABC Studios in association with CBS Television Studios.
CBS Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly, Hawaii Five-O
Tuesday: NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Good Wife
Wednesday: Survivor, Criminal Minds, The Defenders
Thursday: The Big Bang Theory, $#*! My Dad Says, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Mentalist
Friday: Medium, CSI: NY, Blue Bloods
Saturday: Crimetime Saturday, Crimetime Saturday, 48 Hours Mystery
Sunday: 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, Undercover Boss, CSI: Miami
CBS introduced five new series to its 2010-2011 primetime line-up, including three dramas and two comedies.
CBS' new comedies:
$#*! My Dad Says: Series based on the Twitter feed by Justin Halpern, stars William Shatner as Ed Goodson, an opinionated dad who expresses himself with his unsolicited and politically incorrect observations to anyone who will listen. The plot involves a father/son relationship when Ed's son Henry moves in with him. From Warner Bros. Television.
Mike & Molly: Comedy from Chuck Lorre about a working-class couple who find each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. Produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
New dramas coming to CBS:
Hawaii Five-O: New version of the classic cop series set in Hawaii starring Alex O'Loughlin as Detective Steve McGarrett along with Scott Caan as Danny "Danno" Williams; Daniel Dae Kim as Chin Ho Kelly; and Grace Park as Kono, Chin's cousin. From CBS Television Studios. And if you're wondering ... same old theme music!
The Defenders: Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell headline this dramedy about two colorful defense attorneys in Las Vegas who do everything possible when it comes to representing their clients. Produced by CBS Television Studios.
Blue Bloods: Tom Selleck returns to CBS as star of this drama about a multi-generational family of cops in New York City. From CBS Television Studios.
CBS has one midseason series:
Criminal Minds Spinoff: Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker stars as unit chief Special Agent Sam Cooper in charge of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. Produced by ABC Studios in association with CBS Television Studios.
CBS Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, Two and a Half Men, Mike & Molly, Hawaii Five-O
Tuesday: NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Good Wife
Wednesday: Survivor, Criminal Minds, The Defenders
Thursday: The Big Bang Theory, $#*! My Dad Says, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Mentalist
Friday: Medium, CSI: NY, Blue Bloods
Saturday: Crimetime Saturday, Crimetime Saturday, 48 Hours Mystery
Sunday: 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, Undercover Boss, CSI: Miami
CW Upfront Programming
The CW offered up its upfront presentation yesterday at Madison Square Garden, opening the show with singer Katy Perry. Dawn Ostroff, President/Entertainment at the network emphasized this next season is the strongest for The CW since the network debuted four years ago. Ostroff said The CW is scheduling original programs "five nights a week for the first time." Look for many familiar series returning to The CW's schedule though on different nights of the week.
The CW is introducing two new series:
Hellcats: Coming-of-age story about Marti Perkins, a pre-law student at Lancer University in Memphis. After Marti loses her scholarship, she realizes the only way she can stay in school is to join the Lancer's legendary competitive cheerleading team, The Hellcats. Aly Michalka stars as Marti; other cast members include Ashley Tisdale, Heather Hemmens, Robbie Jones, Matt Barr, Sharon Leal and Gail O'Grady. Produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Tom Welling Productions, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios.
Nikita: Maggie Q stars as Nikita, the young woman who underwent training unbeknownst to her to make her into a spy and assassin. Now, after three years in hiding, Nikita re-emerges and is seeking retribution, telling her former bosses she will stop at nothing to expose them and their covert operation. Produced by Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision.
The CW has one new season debuting this summer:
Plain Jane: Reality series will transform one woman inside out during each episode. British fashion guru Louise Roe will lead the head-to-toe transformation and once the makeover is complete, will surprise the participant by setting up a date for her with a man she has a crush on. Eight episodes from Allison Grodner, Rich Meehan and Amy Palmer for Fly on the Wall Entertainment. The series is distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
One midseason series for The CW:
Shedding for the Wedding (wt): Ten overweight engaged couples will live together and battle to achieve the wedding of their dreams during a three-month period. The couples will compete to see who loses the most weight each episode in hopes of staying in the game and winning one element of their wedding such as the invitations or the cake. In the end, the final couple that has lost the most weight will receive a complete fantasy wedding. From Raquel Productions, Inc.
The CW Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: 90210, Gossip Girl
Tuesday: One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected
Wednesday: America's Next Top Model, Hellcats
Thursday: The Vampire Diaries, Nikita
Friday: Smallville, Supernatural
The CW is introducing two new series:
Hellcats: Coming-of-age story about Marti Perkins, a pre-law student at Lancer University in Memphis. After Marti loses her scholarship, she realizes the only way she can stay in school is to join the Lancer's legendary competitive cheerleading team, The Hellcats. Aly Michalka stars as Marti; other cast members include Ashley Tisdale, Heather Hemmens, Robbie Jones, Matt Barr, Sharon Leal and Gail O'Grady. Produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Tom Welling Productions, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios.
Nikita: Maggie Q stars as Nikita, the young woman who underwent training unbeknownst to her to make her into a spy and assassin. Now, after three years in hiding, Nikita re-emerges and is seeking retribution, telling her former bosses she will stop at nothing to expose them and their covert operation. Produced by Warner Bros. Television in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision.
The CW has one new season debuting this summer:
Plain Jane: Reality series will transform one woman inside out during each episode. British fashion guru Louise Roe will lead the head-to-toe transformation and once the makeover is complete, will surprise the participant by setting up a date for her with a man she has a crush on. Eight episodes from Allison Grodner, Rich Meehan and Amy Palmer for Fly on the Wall Entertainment. The series is distributed by Sony Pictures Television.
One midseason series for The CW:
Shedding for the Wedding (wt): Ten overweight engaged couples will live together and battle to achieve the wedding of their dreams during a three-month period. The couples will compete to see who loses the most weight each episode in hopes of staying in the game and winning one element of their wedding such as the invitations or the cake. In the end, the final couple that has lost the most weight will receive a complete fantasy wedding. From Raquel Productions, Inc.
The CW Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: 90210, Gossip Girl
Tuesday: One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected
Wednesday: America's Next Top Model, Hellcats
Thursday: The Vampire Diaries, Nikita
Friday: Smallville, Supernatural
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
ABC Upfront
New ABC dramas:
Body of Proof: Dana Delany headlines as Dr. Megan Hunt, a brilliant neurosurgeon who, after a car accident, becomes a medical examiner determined to solve mysterious deaths of victims. Produced by ABC Studios.
Detroit 1-8-7: Series shot documentary-style offering viewers an inside look into a Homicide Unit in Detroit. Series stars Michael Imperioli as Detective Louis Fitch as well as Jon Michael Hill, James McDaniel, Aisha Hinds, Natalie Martinez, D.J. Cotrona and Shaun Majumder. From ABC Studios.
My Generation: Another series shot documentary-style about a group of high schoolers from Austin, TX as they prepare for graduation. Later, the series joins up with these same graduates ten years later as they return home and revisit their hopes and dreams. From ABC Studios.
No Ordinary Family: The Powells, an ordinary family, take a vacation and their plane crashes into the Amazon River. Afterwards, they discover they all possess unique and distinct superpowers. Michael Chiklis stars as dad, Jim Powell and Julie Benz stars as mom, Stephanie Powell. Other cast members include Tate Donovan, Romany Malco, Autumn Reeser, Christina Chang, Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett. From ABC Studios.
Off the Map: From executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers and creator Jenna Bans, this medical series is about five young doctors who leave behind their own personal demons to work in a tiny town in the South American jungle. Produced by ABC Studios.
The Whole Truth: Legal drama from the perspective of the defense and prosecution and centered on two evenly matched lawyers, Jimmy Brogan (Rob Morrow) who is one of New York's rising criminal attorneys and Kathryn Peale, the Deputy Bureau Chief in the New York State District Attorney's office. Series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television.
New ABC comedies:
Better Together: Relationship comedy that explores three very different relationships at different stages. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Silver and Gold Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Happy Endings: Modern-day comedy about what happens to friendships after a couple breaks up at the altar. Elisha Cuthbert heads the ensemble cast produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.
Mr. Sunshine: Matthew Perry helms this comedy playing Ben Donovan, a self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who starts to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday. Allison Janney also stars as Crystal, the arena's owner. The series is a Matthew Perry Production, Show Money Production, Barnow and Firek Production and FanFare Production, in association with Sony Pictures Television.
ABC has new one alternative series:
Secret Millionaire: One-hour series follows some of America's richest people for one week as they leave behind their posh lifestyles and mansions and live and volunteer incognito in some of the nation's most impoverished and unsafe communities. The millionaires meet people who are battling a myriad of obstacles and at the end of their experience, they reveal their true identities and each gives away at least $100,000 of their own money. Produced by RDF USA Production.
Returning ABC series include: America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Cougar Town, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey's Anatomy, The Middle, Modern Family, Private Practice, Supernanny, V, 20/20 as well as Saturday Night College Football.
ABC Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: Dancing with the Stars, Castle
Tuesday: No Ordinary Family, Dancing with the Stars the Results Show, Detroit 1-8-7
Wednesday: The Middle, Better Together, Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Whole Truth
Thursday: My Generation, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Friday: Secret Millionaire, Body of Proof, 20/20
Saturday: Saturday Night College Football
Sunday: America's Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters
Body of Proof: Dana Delany headlines as Dr. Megan Hunt, a brilliant neurosurgeon who, after a car accident, becomes a medical examiner determined to solve mysterious deaths of victims. Produced by ABC Studios.
Detroit 1-8-7: Series shot documentary-style offering viewers an inside look into a Homicide Unit in Detroit. Series stars Michael Imperioli as Detective Louis Fitch as well as Jon Michael Hill, James McDaniel, Aisha Hinds, Natalie Martinez, D.J. Cotrona and Shaun Majumder. From ABC Studios.
My Generation: Another series shot documentary-style about a group of high schoolers from Austin, TX as they prepare for graduation. Later, the series joins up with these same graduates ten years later as they return home and revisit their hopes and dreams. From ABC Studios.
No Ordinary Family: The Powells, an ordinary family, take a vacation and their plane crashes into the Amazon River. Afterwards, they discover they all possess unique and distinct superpowers. Michael Chiklis stars as dad, Jim Powell and Julie Benz stars as mom, Stephanie Powell. Other cast members include Tate Donovan, Romany Malco, Autumn Reeser, Christina Chang, Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett. From ABC Studios.
Off the Map: From executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers and creator Jenna Bans, this medical series is about five young doctors who leave behind their own personal demons to work in a tiny town in the South American jungle. Produced by ABC Studios.
The Whole Truth: Legal drama from the perspective of the defense and prosecution and centered on two evenly matched lawyers, Jimmy Brogan (Rob Morrow) who is one of New York's rising criminal attorneys and Kathryn Peale, the Deputy Bureau Chief in the New York State District Attorney's office. Series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television.
New ABC comedies:
Better Together: Relationship comedy that explores three very different relationships at different stages. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Silver and Gold Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Happy Endings: Modern-day comedy about what happens to friendships after a couple breaks up at the altar. Elisha Cuthbert heads the ensemble cast produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios.
Mr. Sunshine: Matthew Perry helms this comedy playing Ben Donovan, a self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who starts to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday. Allison Janney also stars as Crystal, the arena's owner. The series is a Matthew Perry Production, Show Money Production, Barnow and Firek Production and FanFare Production, in association with Sony Pictures Television.
ABC has new one alternative series:
Secret Millionaire: One-hour series follows some of America's richest people for one week as they leave behind their posh lifestyles and mansions and live and volunteer incognito in some of the nation's most impoverished and unsafe communities. The millionaires meet people who are battling a myriad of obstacles and at the end of their experience, they reveal their true identities and each gives away at least $100,000 of their own money. Produced by RDF USA Production.
Returning ABC series include: America's Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Cougar Town, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey's Anatomy, The Middle, Modern Family, Private Practice, Supernanny, V, 20/20 as well as Saturday Night College Football.
ABC Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: Dancing with the Stars, Castle
Tuesday: No Ordinary Family, Dancing with the Stars the Results Show, Detroit 1-8-7
Wednesday: The Middle, Better Together, Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Whole Truth
Thursday: My Generation, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Friday: Secret Millionaire, Body of Proof, 20/20
Saturday: Saturday Night College Football
Sunday: America's Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
FOX has two new comedies premiering this fall:
Raising Hope: Single-camera family comedy from Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) about the Chance family and Jimmy Chance (Lucas Neff), who has a romantic encounter with a girl named Lucy who is also a wanted felon. Lucy becomes pregnant in jail and Jimmy is charged with raising their baby daughter while he still lives at home with his parents, played by Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt. Produced by Amigos de Garcia Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.
Running Wilde: Romantic comedy starring Will Arnett as Steve Wilde, a rich, immature playboy who is trying to win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell) who is also a liberal humanitarian. Produced by Tantamount Studios, Five Hole Pictures, Principato-Young Management and Lionsgate Television.
And one comedy joins FOX's schedule midseason:
Bob's Burgers: Animated series about a man, his family and a burger place as Bob Belcher runs a third-generation restaurant with the help of his wife and three kids. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television.
FOX has one drama debuting this fall:
Lonestar: Primetime soap set in the world of the Texas oil industry. The plot surrounds Robert/Bob Allen (James Wolk) who is a charismatic scheming con man living two different lives with two different women. As "Bob" he lives in Houston and is married to Cat (Adrianne Palicki) who is the daughter of Clint (Jon Voight) the patriarch of a mega-wealthy oil family. Then in Midland, he is "Robert" living a second life with his sweet, innocent girlfriend Lindsay (Eloise Mumford). David Keith also stars as John, Robert/Bob's father and mentor. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Depth of Field Productions and Keyser/Lippman Productions.
And two new dramas are set to premiere midseason:
Terra Nova: From executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury, this live action epic family adventure is about an ordinary family living in the year 2149 when the Earth is running out of life-sustaining resources. The only thing mankind can do is send back in time people to prehistoric Earth where they will live with other settlers on the Terra Nova colony, and try to build a humanity that avoids the same pitfalls and troubles as the first time around. The Shannon family discovers Terra Nova is surrounded by dangerous dinosaurs, giant insects and other prehistoric threats. Described by Spielberg as a "conceptual delicious banquet for audiences", this series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, DreamWorks Television, Kapital Entertainment and Chernin Entertainment.
Ride-Along: New drama from Shawn Ryan where the audience rides along with cops through the streets of Chicago. The ensemble cast includes Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals, Matt Lauria, Devin Kelley, Todd Williams, Billy Lush and Delroy Lindo. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and MiddKid Productions.
One other new comedy will debut in the spring 2011:
Mixed Signals: In this comedy, three longtime friends attempt to reconcile their differences to balance their relationships with their individual need for freedom. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Keshet Broadcasting Ltd.
FOX Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: House, Lonestar
Tuesday: Glee, Raising Hope, Running Wilde
Wednesday: Lie To Me, Hell's Kitchen
Thursday: Bones, Fringe
Friday: Human Target, The Good Guys (premieres this spring 2010)
Saturday: Cops, Cops, America's Most Wanted
Sunday: The OT (NFL post-game), The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad
FOX Midseason 2011 Primetime Schedule
Monday: House, Lonestar/Ride-Along
Tuesday: American Idol Performance Show, Running Wilde/Mixed Signals (spring)
Wednesday: Raising Hope, American Idol Results Show, Glee
Thursday: Bones, Fringe
Friday: Human Target, Kitchen Nightmares
Saturday: Cops, Cops, America's Most Wanted
Sunday: The Simpsons (encores), American Dad, The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, The Cleveland Show
Raising Hope: Single-camera family comedy from Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) about the Chance family and Jimmy Chance (Lucas Neff), who has a romantic encounter with a girl named Lucy who is also a wanted felon. Lucy becomes pregnant in jail and Jimmy is charged with raising their baby daughter while he still lives at home with his parents, played by Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt. Produced by Amigos de Garcia Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.
Running Wilde: Romantic comedy starring Will Arnett as Steve Wilde, a rich, immature playboy who is trying to win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell) who is also a liberal humanitarian. Produced by Tantamount Studios, Five Hole Pictures, Principato-Young Management and Lionsgate Television.
And one comedy joins FOX's schedule midseason:
Bob's Burgers: Animated series about a man, his family and a burger place as Bob Belcher runs a third-generation restaurant with the help of his wife and three kids. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television.
FOX has one drama debuting this fall:
Lonestar: Primetime soap set in the world of the Texas oil industry. The plot surrounds Robert/Bob Allen (James Wolk) who is a charismatic scheming con man living two different lives with two different women. As "Bob" he lives in Houston and is married to Cat (Adrianne Palicki) who is the daughter of Clint (Jon Voight) the patriarch of a mega-wealthy oil family. Then in Midland, he is "Robert" living a second life with his sweet, innocent girlfriend Lindsay (Eloise Mumford). David Keith also stars as John, Robert/Bob's father and mentor. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Depth of Field Productions and Keyser/Lippman Productions.
And two new dramas are set to premiere midseason:
Terra Nova: From executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury, this live action epic family adventure is about an ordinary family living in the year 2149 when the Earth is running out of life-sustaining resources. The only thing mankind can do is send back in time people to prehistoric Earth where they will live with other settlers on the Terra Nova colony, and try to build a humanity that avoids the same pitfalls and troubles as the first time around. The Shannon family discovers Terra Nova is surrounded by dangerous dinosaurs, giant insects and other prehistoric threats. Described by Spielberg as a "conceptual delicious banquet for audiences", this series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, DreamWorks Television, Kapital Entertainment and Chernin Entertainment.
Ride-Along: New drama from Shawn Ryan where the audience rides along with cops through the streets of Chicago. The ensemble cast includes Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals, Matt Lauria, Devin Kelley, Todd Williams, Billy Lush and Delroy Lindo. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and MiddKid Productions.
One other new comedy will debut in the spring 2011:
Mixed Signals: In this comedy, three longtime friends attempt to reconcile their differences to balance their relationships with their individual need for freedom. Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Keshet Broadcasting Ltd.
FOX Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: House, Lonestar
Tuesday: Glee, Raising Hope, Running Wilde
Wednesday: Lie To Me, Hell's Kitchen
Thursday: Bones, Fringe
Friday: Human Target, The Good Guys (premieres this spring 2010)
Saturday: Cops, Cops, America's Most Wanted
Sunday: The OT (NFL post-game), The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad
FOX Midseason 2011 Primetime Schedule
Monday: House, Lonestar/Ride-Along
Tuesday: American Idol Performance Show, Running Wilde/Mixed Signals (spring)
Wednesday: Raising Hope, American Idol Results Show, Glee
Thursday: Bones, Fringe
Friday: Human Target, Kitchen Nightmares
Saturday: Cops, Cops, America's Most Wanted
Sunday: The Simpsons (encores), American Dad, The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, The Cleveland Show
Monday, May 17, 2010
Broadcast Upfront Week: NBC
2010 NBC Upfront:
NBC's 2010-2011 primetime line-up includes five new comedies, seven new dramas and one alternative series along with several returning shows. NBC is also scheduling its primetime shows thematically, earmarking Mondays as an all-dramas night; Wednesdays filled with crime dramas; Thursdays packed with comedies; and unscripted programming combined with scripted shows on Tuesdays and Fridays. NBC's official upfront presentation is scheduled for this afternoon.
New NBC dramas include:
The Event: cospiracy thriller follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) an ordinary guy investigating the disappearance of his fiance, Leila (Sarah Roemer) thereby exposing the biggest cover-up in US history. The series also stars Blair Underwood as the newly-elected US President Martinez; Laura Innes as Sophia, the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Scott Patterson as Sean's shadowy father-in-law. From Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions.
Undercovers: Action spy drama about a married couple who formerly were CIA spies as they come out of retirement. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims wrote the pilot while Abrams is also directing and serving as executive producer along with Reims and Bryan Burk.
The Cape - One-hour series headlined by David Lyons who plays Vince Faraday, an honest cop working on a corrupt police force who is framed for a series of murders and is presumed dead. Vince goes into hiding, leaving his wife and son behind. Produced by Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun.
Chase: -and-mouse hunt as a team of US marshals track down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish stars as US Marshal Annie Frost, a deputy from Texas who heads the team in search of the violent criminals. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television.
Outlaw - Jimmy Smits plays Cyrus Garza, a US Supreme Court justice who suddenly quits his position to return to private practice in defense of the "little guy." From Universal Media Studios along with Conaco productions.
Law & Order: Los Angeles: New procedural crime drama similar to the original Law and Order series though set in the streets of Los Angeles. Produced by Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios.
NBC's new comedies:
Perfect Couples: Half-hour comedy about three couples looking for the ideal relationship. Produced by Universal Media Studios.
Outsourced: Culture clash comedy about an American company who outsources its call center to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) is the company's manager who is transferred to India to run the operation. From Universal Media Studios.
The Paul Reiser Show: Single-camera comedy that stars Paul Reiser as himself. The plot is about Paul's quiet life with his wife and kids after his hit TV series went off the air and how he feels it's time to try something new and meaningful. Bonanza Productions Inc. produces in association with Nuance Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Friends With Benefits: Half-hour comedy about a group of 20-something singles as they navigate the difficult task of dating. The story centers on Ben and Sara who turn to each other for moral and physical support while they each wait for their perfect mates. From 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Big Kid Pictures.
Love Bites: Hour-long romantic comedy anthology series relating three loosely connected modern-day stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. This series is the first US commission from Working Title Television.
New NBC alternative series:
School Pride: From Cheryl Hines and Denise Cramsey, serving as executive producers, this series documents stories of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. Produced by Horizon Alternative Television.
NBC Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: Chuck, The Event, Chase
Tuesday: The Biggest Loser, Parenthood
Wednesday: Undercovers, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Los Angeles
Thursday: Community, 30 Rock, The Office, Outsourced, Love Bites
Friday: School Pride, Who Do You Think You Are?, Dateline NBC, Outlaw
Saturday: Undercovers (encore), Chase (encore), Law & Order: SVU (encore)
Sunday: Football Night In America, NBC Sunday Night Football
Sunday (starting March 2011): Dateline NBC, Minute To Win It, The Celebrity Apprentice
New NBC shows debuting midseason are: The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry's Law, The Paul Reiser Show and America's Next Great Restaurant (with Bobby Flay).
Returning midseason shows include Parks & Rec, a new version of The Apprentice and The Marriage Ref.
What's not included on NBC's schedule besides Law & Order? Medical dramas Mercy and Trauma and the serialized program Heroes.
NBC's 2010-2011 primetime line-up includes five new comedies, seven new dramas and one alternative series along with several returning shows. NBC is also scheduling its primetime shows thematically, earmarking Mondays as an all-dramas night; Wednesdays filled with crime dramas; Thursdays packed with comedies; and unscripted programming combined with scripted shows on Tuesdays and Fridays. NBC's official upfront presentation is scheduled for this afternoon.
New NBC dramas include:
The Event: cospiracy thriller follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) an ordinary guy investigating the disappearance of his fiance, Leila (Sarah Roemer) thereby exposing the biggest cover-up in US history. The series also stars Blair Underwood as the newly-elected US President Martinez; Laura Innes as Sophia, the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Scott Patterson as Sean's shadowy father-in-law. From Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions.
Undercovers: Action spy drama about a married couple who formerly were CIA spies as they come out of retirement. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims wrote the pilot while Abrams is also directing and serving as executive producer along with Reims and Bryan Burk.
The Cape - One-hour series headlined by David Lyons who plays Vince Faraday, an honest cop working on a corrupt police force who is framed for a series of murders and is presumed dead. Vince goes into hiding, leaving his wife and son behind. Produced by Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun.
Chase: -and-mouse hunt as a team of US marshals track down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish stars as US Marshal Annie Frost, a deputy from Texas who heads the team in search of the violent criminals. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television.
Outlaw - Jimmy Smits plays Cyrus Garza, a US Supreme Court justice who suddenly quits his position to return to private practice in defense of the "little guy." From Universal Media Studios along with Conaco productions.
Law & Order: Los Angeles: New procedural crime drama similar to the original Law and Order series though set in the streets of Los Angeles. Produced by Wolf Films in association with Universal Media Studios.
NBC's new comedies:
Perfect Couples: Half-hour comedy about three couples looking for the ideal relationship. Produced by Universal Media Studios.
Outsourced: Culture clash comedy about an American company who outsources its call center to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) is the company's manager who is transferred to India to run the operation. From Universal Media Studios.
The Paul Reiser Show: Single-camera comedy that stars Paul Reiser as himself. The plot is about Paul's quiet life with his wife and kids after his hit TV series went off the air and how he feels it's time to try something new and meaningful. Bonanza Productions Inc. produces in association with Nuance Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Friends With Benefits: Half-hour comedy about a group of 20-something singles as they navigate the difficult task of dating. The story centers on Ben and Sara who turn to each other for moral and physical support while they each wait for their perfect mates. From 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Big Kid Pictures.
Love Bites: Hour-long romantic comedy anthology series relating three loosely connected modern-day stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. This series is the first US commission from Working Title Television.
New NBC alternative series:
School Pride: From Cheryl Hines and Denise Cramsey, serving as executive producers, this series documents stories of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. Produced by Horizon Alternative Television.
NBC Fall 2010 Primetime Schedule
Monday: Chuck, The Event, Chase
Tuesday: The Biggest Loser, Parenthood
Wednesday: Undercovers, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Los Angeles
Thursday: Community, 30 Rock, The Office, Outsourced, Love Bites
Friday: School Pride, Who Do You Think You Are?, Dateline NBC, Outlaw
Saturday: Undercovers (encore), Chase (encore), Law & Order: SVU (encore)
Sunday: Football Night In America, NBC Sunday Night Football
Sunday (starting March 2011): Dateline NBC, Minute To Win It, The Celebrity Apprentice
New NBC shows debuting midseason are: The Cape, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, Harry's Law, The Paul Reiser Show and America's Next Great Restaurant (with Bobby Flay).
Returning midseason shows include Parks & Rec, a new version of The Apprentice and The Marriage Ref.
What's not included on NBC's schedule besides Law & Order? Medical dramas Mercy and Trauma and the serialized program Heroes.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Broadcast Television Up-Front Week
It is the much anticipated time of year again when all the Network Broadcast Channels head to New York, bring out all their top television stars and parade them across the stage in front of their major network advertisers. Each network touts how they are #1 in something and how they stand out above the rest. What will NBC say this year? Have they found a way to rebound from dismal numbers or will they remain a two trick pony with more Law & Order and CSI programs. Will they gloss over the whole Leno/Co Co debacle. What new breakout hits will there be? Will ABC provide another song and dance number at their presentation and what will Jimmy Kimmel do for his portion of the ceremony. What shows will not make it to the '10-'11 season? Will they discuss more year round programing as more of the top markets become LPM markets rather than sweep period rated markets? All this will be reveled this week. So sit back, relax and enjoy.
Upcoming Upfront Presentation Schedule
Telemundo - May 13, NYC
Fox Sports en Español - May 13, Miami
NBC - May 17, NYC
Fox - May 17, NYC
ABC - May 18, NYC
CBS - May 19, NYC
Turner Entertainment - May 19, NYC
MTV Tr3s - May 19, NYC
Univision- May 20, NYC
CW - May 20, NYC
Upcoming Upfront Presentation Schedule
Telemundo - May 13, NYC
Fox Sports en Español - May 13, Miami
NBC - May 17, NYC
Fox - May 17, NYC
ABC - May 18, NYC
CBS - May 19, NYC
Turner Entertainment - May 19, NYC
MTV Tr3s - May 19, NYC
Univision- May 20, NYC
CW - May 20, NYC
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Product loyalty transference from moms to kids
So while I was enjoying my 100th plus hour of Curling on CNBC I started be become more and more aware of the multi facets of Procter and Gamble Olympic advertising campaign, and how they decided to utilize their power over decision makers the world over. It is a proven fact that the majority of products one buys are the brands that our parents purchased when we were growing up. So it is BRILLIANT that Procter and Gamble created and Olympic campaign that was directed towards moms and thus indirectly aimed towards their children.
The television spots created for the Olympics were an ode to moms everywhere and what they do for us. “The Never Walk Alone” spot showed moms singing never walk alone while they went through all stages of our lives. From the day they were born to our school age years to the countless hours of support while they watched their kids train to become great athletes. Finally it showed their kids competing in the Olympics. The commercial is very powerful and moving and set the ground work for the rest of the advertising campaign.
The “To their moms they will always be kids” television spot showed kids about 7-10 years old in their full on Olympic competition attire. The spots starts with them heading to Vancouver, and then going to the opening ceremonies. It moves on to show the kids getting ready for their event and at the starting position for various Olympic events from figure skating, to speed skating to bobsled. As anyone who has a mom knows, no matter how old we are, our parents have a hard time seeing us as adults and they fall back into the mode of parenting us when we were kids. This commercial is a perfect representation of this.
What makes the whole campaign so BRILLIANT is not only did they do the typical Olympic advertising; they also had on-site support for the Olympic athletes families. P&G created a village where families could spend time with their Olympic athletes’. Within the village were rooms that were decorated for each family so they could feel at home and comfortable while they were in Vancouver. Case in point, P&G had a room for Evan Lysacek’s mother stayed during his performance, since she has never been in the skating rink during his competitions. She was able to sit in a private room and watch his performance on the TV in the room. Then when he had finished she was rushed to the venue to celebrate with him. Brilliant!!!
The way that P&G created and executed the campaign so flawlessly I am sure will defiantly ensure product loyalty for years and years to come. I cannot wait to see what they do in two years for the Summer Olympics in London.
As always let me know your thoughts.
Kathy
The television spots created for the Olympics were an ode to moms everywhere and what they do for us. “The Never Walk Alone” spot showed moms singing never walk alone while they went through all stages of our lives. From the day they were born to our school age years to the countless hours of support while they watched their kids train to become great athletes. Finally it showed their kids competing in the Olympics. The commercial is very powerful and moving and set the ground work for the rest of the advertising campaign.
The “To their moms they will always be kids” television spot showed kids about 7-10 years old in their full on Olympic competition attire. The spots starts with them heading to Vancouver, and then going to the opening ceremonies. It moves on to show the kids getting ready for their event and at the starting position for various Olympic events from figure skating, to speed skating to bobsled. As anyone who has a mom knows, no matter how old we are, our parents have a hard time seeing us as adults and they fall back into the mode of parenting us when we were kids. This commercial is a perfect representation of this.
What makes the whole campaign so BRILLIANT is not only did they do the typical Olympic advertising; they also had on-site support for the Olympic athletes families. P&G created a village where families could spend time with their Olympic athletes’. Within the village were rooms that were decorated for each family so they could feel at home and comfortable while they were in Vancouver. Case in point, P&G had a room for Evan Lysacek’s mother stayed during his performance, since she has never been in the skating rink during his competitions. She was able to sit in a private room and watch his performance on the TV in the room. Then when he had finished she was rushed to the venue to celebrate with him. Brilliant!!!
The way that P&G created and executed the campaign so flawlessly I am sure will defiantly ensure product loyalty for years and years to come. I cannot wait to see what they do in two years for the Summer Olympics in London.
As always let me know your thoughts.
Kathy
Monday, February 15, 2010
Three rights does make a wrong
There are many things that I enjoy in life. For instance I love the Olympics, I love DreamWorks animated films and I love Advertising. Putting all of these things together into one item does not make a win win.
To shed more light on what I am talking about, let’s discuss the Olympics DreamWorks product placement deal. As you know we are now in day four of the Olympics and Bob Costas is our host every night and guides us through the Olympics that air in prime time. As you may have noticed each night as a lead in to the commercial pod (break), Bob tells us about DreamWorks new movie ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and talks about how there are similarities between the Olympics and the movie, then NBC cuts to the specially created Olympics/’How to Train Your Dragon Trailer’. The shift from the Live Olympic coverage is meant have a smooth transition for all of us to stay glued to our TV and watch the trailer. For me personally, it is a bad transition that just annoys me. I would enjoy it more if they did not do the NBC lead in with bob and just ran the commercial.
I totally understand the ultimate goal of what they are trying to do and how difficult it is for product placement to work into live programming. I also know it is not just DreamWorks that NBC is doing this type of promotion with, but no matter what advertiser it is, this is not an effective way to incorporate your commercials into the Olympics.
Take for instance Coke and Gatorade and how well they have done with their product placement. On American Idol, the judges drink out of a large Coke Glass. The glass just sits there and at no point do the judges say “I am going to take a drink of coke now”. You get the full affect of the placement of coke without a hard sell. Gatorade also does a great job of product placement. I mean how many Athletes you see drinking a Gatorade after an endurance event. When you sit back and watch TV, take a look at all of the product placement in live and pre-recorded television programs and decide for yourself what works and what does not work.
To shed more light on what I am talking about, let’s discuss the Olympics DreamWorks product placement deal. As you know we are now in day four of the Olympics and Bob Costas is our host every night and guides us through the Olympics that air in prime time. As you may have noticed each night as a lead in to the commercial pod (break), Bob tells us about DreamWorks new movie ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and talks about how there are similarities between the Olympics and the movie, then NBC cuts to the specially created Olympics/’How to Train Your Dragon Trailer’. The shift from the Live Olympic coverage is meant have a smooth transition for all of us to stay glued to our TV and watch the trailer. For me personally, it is a bad transition that just annoys me. I would enjoy it more if they did not do the NBC lead in with bob and just ran the commercial.
I totally understand the ultimate goal of what they are trying to do and how difficult it is for product placement to work into live programming. I also know it is not just DreamWorks that NBC is doing this type of promotion with, but no matter what advertiser it is, this is not an effective way to incorporate your commercials into the Olympics.
Take for instance Coke and Gatorade and how well they have done with their product placement. On American Idol, the judges drink out of a large Coke Glass. The glass just sits there and at no point do the judges say “I am going to take a drink of coke now”. You get the full affect of the placement of coke without a hard sell. Gatorade also does a great job of product placement. I mean how many Athletes you see drinking a Gatorade after an endurance event. When you sit back and watch TV, take a look at all of the product placement in live and pre-recorded television programs and decide for yourself what works and what does not work.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Day After
The Super Bowl has ended. The Saints have put the cherry on top of New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations. Now it is time for everyone to sit back and cast their opinions as to which commercials were good and which ones were not.
It is my humble opinion that this year’s Super Bowl spots fell sadly flat compared to years past. This might be because I am not a part of most of the advertisers target market. Yes I am a soon to be middle aged woman and the Super Bowl is aimed towards middle aged men. But I don’t care. I am still going to verbalize my opinion on the advertisements that aired.
My Favorite advertisements:
1) Google : It was a very simple advertisement that took you on one man’s journey through his school travels to falling in love to becoming a family man. The spot was very direct and to the point. They used simple heartfelt music which pulled out the sentimental soft side of people. The commercial conveyed something that everyone one who is a part of the digital age can relate to. It reiterated the simplicity of the site which also sets itself apart from its competitors such as Bing or Ask. I think it goes a long way to remind people how simple Google is to use and how we can use it every day to make our lives easier.
2) Volkswagen: Deutsch hit a home run with this spot. Everyone can remember playing slug bug or Cadillac whack when we were in the car. This nostalgic commercial goes a long way to re-branding Volkswagen. It is also nice to know that you can slug bug someone whenever you see a Volkswagen driving down the road and you do not have to wait for a VW bug. Watch out family and friends. I hope future spots from Deutsch will build upon this and remove the bad vibe that the previous ads left me with.
3) Denny’s: The three Denny’s spots created by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners were another hit with me. A far cry from their disappointing Diamond Foods spot that also aired in the Super Bowl. It was kind of Denny’s to warn their chickens that this week would be a tough week, since everyone who goes to a Denny’s restaurant on February 9th will get a free Original Grand Slam Breakfast. I think the chickens had better keep taking their grain steroids because if you go in to Denny's on your birthday you also get a free Original Grand Slam. The commercials were creative, comical and had just the right amount of screaming animals in them. They reminded me of the Bridgestone commercials that The Richards Group had in the SB last year with the screaming squirrels. I hope that Denny’s gets enough business out of the spots to cover the costs of the commercials. Only time will tell…
Please leave your thoughts and comments on my blog and stay tuned a recap of my least favorite Super Bowl Commercials.
Kathy
* Commercial links provided by Adweek Super Bowl site.
It is my humble opinion that this year’s Super Bowl spots fell sadly flat compared to years past. This might be because I am not a part of most of the advertisers target market. Yes I am a soon to be middle aged woman and the Super Bowl is aimed towards middle aged men. But I don’t care. I am still going to verbalize my opinion on the advertisements that aired.
My Favorite advertisements:
1) Google : It was a very simple advertisement that took you on one man’s journey through his school travels to falling in love to becoming a family man. The spot was very direct and to the point. They used simple heartfelt music which pulled out the sentimental soft side of people. The commercial conveyed something that everyone one who is a part of the digital age can relate to. It reiterated the simplicity of the site which also sets itself apart from its competitors such as Bing or Ask. I think it goes a long way to remind people how simple Google is to use and how we can use it every day to make our lives easier.
2) Volkswagen: Deutsch hit a home run with this spot. Everyone can remember playing slug bug or Cadillac whack when we were in the car. This nostalgic commercial goes a long way to re-branding Volkswagen. It is also nice to know that you can slug bug someone whenever you see a Volkswagen driving down the road and you do not have to wait for a VW bug. Watch out family and friends. I hope future spots from Deutsch will build upon this and remove the bad vibe that the previous ads left me with.
3) Denny’s: The three Denny’s spots created by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners were another hit with me. A far cry from their disappointing Diamond Foods spot that also aired in the Super Bowl. It was kind of Denny’s to warn their chickens that this week would be a tough week, since everyone who goes to a Denny’s restaurant on February 9th will get a free Original Grand Slam Breakfast. I think the chickens had better keep taking their grain steroids because if you go in to Denny's on your birthday you also get a free Original Grand Slam. The commercials were creative, comical and had just the right amount of screaming animals in them. They reminded me of the Bridgestone commercials that The Richards Group had in the SB last year with the screaming squirrels. I hope that Denny’s gets enough business out of the spots to cover the costs of the commercials. Only time will tell…
Please leave your thoughts and comments on my blog and stay tuned a recap of my least favorite Super Bowl Commercials.
Kathy
* Commercial links provided by Adweek Super Bowl site.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Continued convergence of broadcast and on-line
It is the time of year when companies and advertising agencies pull out all of the stops to get their best creative on the broadcast airwaves during the Super Bowl. This is when all media buyers stress out the most, negotiating the optimal location within a commercial pod for their clients spot. They watch the Super Bowl commercial breaks with eagle eyes, making sure that everything ran correctly. This year it will be a little different as we see the continued merging of broadcast media with the on-line media. Previously it was GoDaddy.com that drove viewers to their web-site to see the remainder of the commercial. This year the up and coming Austin company HomeAway will be airing a spot created by Publicis in the West. The spot will feature the National Lampoon’s Griswald family. While they have not stated which quarter the spot will air in, it is widely publicized that the spot will direct you to their web-site to watch a 5 minute National Lampoon/HomeAway video. The ultimate goal for the company’s spot is to increase company recognition and put them in a good spot for when they go IPO in the next couple of years. I think between word of mouth by such famous people as Lance Armstrong, who has tweeted about Home Away on numerous occasions, and the spot, that the company should see continued growth and recognition.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Welcome to my Blog
Polka dot elephants, what are they and why is my blog named that. They are the symbol of our creative mind. We each strive to be our unique self in a world that tries to tell us what we should be. So put on your childhood thinking cap, grab a box of crayons and draw and color in your own elephant as creatively as you can. Then post that up in your office at work and when you are overstressed and freaking out, look up at your elephant and remember what it was like to be a child again. Remember the fun times you had playing the back yard making mud cakes on bricks or putting a towel around your neck and pretending you are a superhero. Those were the carefree days that we used to have and need to remember to include in our daily life. Wither you are working or looking for a job, this exercise should bring a smile to your face and peace in your heart.
So now that we know what a polka dot elephant is, why is my blog named that. Well why not name it that. It got your intention and intrigued you and made you smile. Which is what all great advertising campaigns do. So this is in fact my platform to accentuate my advertising campaign for myself. My goal is to use this format to share my passions and insight with anyone and everyone. Over the next few days, I will be sharing my thoughts on the Super Bowl advertising season.
Thank you for stopping buy and I hope to see you again soon,
Kat
So now that we know what a polka dot elephant is, why is my blog named that. Well why not name it that. It got your intention and intrigued you and made you smile. Which is what all great advertising campaigns do. So this is in fact my platform to accentuate my advertising campaign for myself. My goal is to use this format to share my passions and insight with anyone and everyone. Over the next few days, I will be sharing my thoughts on the Super Bowl advertising season.
Thank you for stopping buy and I hope to see you again soon,
Kat
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