Here's another of Diane Haithman's TV showrunner interviews:
MATT NIX is creator and showrunner for USA Network’s hit spy show Burn Notice, which just finished the second half of Season 3 this month. He's got a second action series The Good Guys set for FBS this summer. (It previews on May 19th and then resumes June 7th.) An action comedy set in Dallas about a resentful washed-up cop and an ambitious young detective, it stars Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks. Los Angeles-born and UCLA-educated Nix wrote and directed some forgettable showbiz stuff before he became the "poster boy" for the Writers Guild's Showrunner Training Program. By 2007, he was the quintessential cable guy, happily inhabiting those tighter budgets, narrower target audiences, and lower stakes. Or, to use his word, a more “niche-y” area. Nix's obsession with crime began when he discovered a family friend was a con artist wanted by the FBI ("To me that was awesome") and began reading up on all sorts of swindlers. He has a quirky sense of humor which infuses his work and his characters especially when they are in life-threatening situations. His shows are not so much dramedies as they are non-sequitors. Now, as he moves into network TV at age 38, Nix recommends that the Big Three networks take some tips from cable TV; expresses a surprising respect for the TV executive's role in an increasingly complicated production business; and details his battle with White Collar showrunner Jeff Eastin to attract the most Twitter followers:
DH: I have been charged with reporting to you that Nikki has not missed one of your Burn Notice episodes, ever. She is an obsessed fan, so you should know that.
MN: I love that . . . I would be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed that she has mentioned the show. Read More »
11 AM UPDATE: In Late-Night Fast Nationals Monday Night...
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1.6 rating in adults 18-49) led the time period over CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" (1.1) and ABC's "Nightline (1.3) in fast national "live plus same day" ratings from Nielsen Media Research. The "Tonight" margin over "Late Show" in fast-national adult 18-49 rating is 45 percent.
In total viewers in the fast nationals, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (6.6 million) ranked #1 among the major networks in the time period over "Late Show" (3.8 million) and "Nightline" (4.1 million). The "Tonight" margin over "Late Show" in total viewers in these fast-national results is 73 percent.
At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (0.7 in adults 18-49) out-delivered CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.5) by a margin of 40 percent in these fast nationals. In total viewers, "Late Night" (2.1 million viewers overall) topped "Late Late Show" (1.8 million) by a margin of 16 percent.
That's not exactly unexpected news. Leno is expected to top Letterman all week, fueled by Olympic medal-winners and tonight's Sarah Palin vs Mitt Romney late night booking war. The real competition won't begin until next week.
For the first night of the "Jaysurrection", Leno's Tonight Show did a 5.4 rating/14 share in metered-market households versus CBS Late Showwith David Letterman's 3.0/8 and ABC Nightline's 3.4/8 and Jimmy Kimmel Live's 1.8/6 in Nielsen's 56 metered markets. The Tonight margin over Late Show in metered-market households was 80%.
Here's a shameless plug for primetime TV fan traffic... He's delivering ABC its best Bachelor ratings in recent years. Tonight is the finale, and I've just learned that airline pilot Jake Pavelka is joining the next installment of Dancing Of The Stars later this month. Also joining from the reality world will be Kate Gosselin and, from the Olympics, gold medal winning figure skater Evan Lysacek. (No, he won't be partnered with sore loser Evgeni Plushenko...) Also Cincinnati Bengal Chad Ochocinco, Shannen Doherty, ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews, Pussycat Doll frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger, soap star Aiden Turner, comedian Niecy Nash, Pamela Anderson and Buzz Aldrin. If I wanted to lose brain cells and watch this show, it sounds like a better-than-average line-up.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Cable | Monday March 1, 2010 @ 5:40pm PST
BREAKING NEWS! First it was the Food Network/HGTV. Now WABC-TV, Channel 7 in New York, beginning today is running messaging on-air to alert local Cablevision subscribers in Long Island, Westchester, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and selected suburbs of Connecticut and New Jersey, that as of 12:01 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 7, 2010, they may no longer have access to the station due to another ridiculous impasse in retrans negotiations. WABC-TV will also be running ads in local print, radio and online media on the situation. This mess is going to piss off a lot of Cablevision viewers. And do I need to remind anyone that the Oscars will be broadcast live on Sunday night?
Here's the statement from Rebecca S. Campbell, President & General Manager, WABC-TV:
“With the help of our viewers, we’ve built ABC7 into the most watched station in the country, and have been trying for two years to get Cablevision to acknowledge the station’s value to their business. Despite our best efforts, it has now become clear that Cablevision has no intention of coming to a fair agreement. We can no longer sit back and allow Cablevision to use our shows for free while they continue to charge their customers for them. We’ve worked too hard
By TIM ADLER | Category: Actors, Foreign | Friday February 26, 2010 @ 12:53pm PST
From Deadline|London editor Tim Adler: You wait ages for one cozy class-bound drama to come along again, and then two come along at the same time. Bit like London buses really. The BBC this week announced it has signed a deal with PBS to remake that classic ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs, which told the story of the aristocratic Bellamy family and their staff and stayed a huge Sunday night hit for ITV in the 1970s. PBS' Masterpiece Theater had a good run with it in the U.S., too. This new Upstairs, Downstairs for the Beeb will be a 3-part series set just before World War II in the same London house as the original. WGBH Boston and BBC Worldwide will co-produce the show to air next year.
However, next month ITV starts filming what seems like a remarkably similar series. Downton Abbey is for all intents and purposes a weekly TV version of Robert Altman's hit film Gosford Park. Carnival Films/NBCU has even hired Julian Fellowes, Gosford Park’s Oscar-winning screenwriter, to pen most of the 7 episodes. Downton Abbey will star Dame Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Duchess of Grantham, with Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. There’s even a butler called Carson and a cook called Mrs Hughes similar to Upstairs, Downstairs' butler Hudson and cook Mrs Bridges.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Finance | Wednesday February 24, 2010 @ 12:38pm PST
So The $32 Million Man has signed a new employment agreement that will keep him in place as president and CEO of CBS Corp through Feb. 22, 2015. His previous contract was set to expire in 2011. Under the terms of the agreement, Moonves' salary remains at its current level, and he will continue to be eligible for an annual performance-based bonus and get equity-based compensation that ties his payout to the company's stock performance. There hasn't been an SEC proxy report filed yet containing Moonves' 2009 compensation, but he was paid overall, including stock and option awards, about $32 million for 2008, down from $36.8 million in 2007. Moonves has indicated he would not take a pay raise in 2009, so we'll see. CBS in today's announcement also said the contract provides "incentives for Moonves to continue his relationship with the company at the end of the employment term" which sounds like a sweet deal.
"This is, above all, great news for every shareholder of CBS," said controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone. "Leslie is a superb executive who has led CBS to a position of unparalleled leadership in the industry." Moonves gushed, "I am very gratified that my relationship with the company will continue as we build on the strong foundation we have laid for ongoing growth and success."
By Nikki Finke | Category: Actors | Tuesday February 23, 2010 @ 3:30pm PST
2ND UPDATE 3:30 PM: Here is the CBS/Warner Bros/Chuck Lorre statement.
(February 23, 2010) -- Joint statement from Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment; Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television; Chuck Lorre, Creator/Executive Producer of Two And A Half Men:
“CBS, Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre support Charlie Sheen in his decision today to begin voluntary in-patient care at a treatment center. We wish him nothing but the best as he deals with this personal matter. Production on ‘Two and a Half Men’ will be temporarily suspended.”
2:10 PM:I understand that CBS learned about Charlie Sheen's rehab break only about an hour ago. So everything's in flux. But I can confirm that Two And A Half Menhas already shot 18 episodes of its 24 order this season.
1:45 PM: Normally, Deadline Hollywood doesn't cover the personal lives of Hollywood unless it has a direct impact on business. But now Charlie Sheen's publicist has released a statement" "As a preventative measure, Charlie Sheen has entered a rehabilitation facility. He will take some time off his series Two And A Half Men. He has asked that his privacy be honored. No further statements are planned." All I can say is that it's been a miracle that Sheen and the CBS sitcom have lasted seven seasons considering what a train wreck he is.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Tuesday February 23, 2010 @ 1:18pm PST
From: Westin, David L.
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 3:40 PM
To: #ABCTV News ALL
Cc: Sweeney, Anne X.
Subject: ABC News Transformation
Over the past several years, we’ve seen a lot of changes -- changes at ABC News and in the news industry overall. I’m proud of the way we’ve responded both to unexpected transitions in our programs and to the economic realities of our business. We’ve adapted quickly and effectively and – above all – put our audiences first. Our programs are stronger today than they were ten years ago. This is a credit first and foremost to the men and women at ABC News.
But all of us are good reporters. We can see that our entire society is in the middle of a revolution -- a revolution in the ways that people get their news and information. The digital age makes our business more competitive than ever before. It also presents us with opportunities we couldn’t have imagined to gather, produce, and distribute the news. We can have great success in the new world – but only if we embrace what is new, rather than being overwhelmed by it.
The time has come to anticipate change, rather than respond to it. We have a rare opportunity to get in front of what’s coming, to ensure that ABC News has a sound journalistic and financial footing for many years to come, and to serve our audiences even better. But we must move boldly and promptly. In the past, we’ve sought out less expensive
By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Friday February 19, 2010 @ 12:43pm PST
Look, I'm loving the Vancouver Olympics and learning more about Shaun White than any human should need to know. (How does that guy pass the drug tests?) It's relaxing and exciting and the Americans are not doing nearly as lousy as they usually do on ice and in the snow. As of yet, other than the tragic death of the Georgian luge sledder, there are no more controversies which call into question the whole integrity of the Olympics, world peace, and figure skating fashions for men. (Sorry, but having loser Evgeni Plushenko diss winner Evan Lysacek isn't news unless they plan to cage fight.) So half of all Americans, 152 million, watched the first 7 days of the Vancouver Olympics, according to Neilsen. That's now 26.6 million average audiences, nearly 6 million more and 27% higher than in 2006. NBCU’s Thursday broadcasts were seen by 77 million total viewers even with original programming from Survivor on CBS and Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice on ABC.
Note the use of the Beatles lyrics: "Get back to where you once belonged..." The spot might have been more effective had Jeff Zucker done a mea culpa since he's the one who fucked it all up in the first place.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Thursday February 18, 2010 @ 9:15am PST
In head to head competition during the 9 PM hour, NBC's Vancouver Olympics attracted 30.1 million viewers compared to Fox's American Idol audience of 18.4 Million. In fact, the usually last place place network crowed that 29.4 million people watched NBC last night, which was nearly 12 million more than the first Wednesday of 2006 Winter Games. NBC's broadcasts broke American Idol’s six-year unbeaten streak. The Olympics also out-rated Idol by 63% (17.0 vs. 10.4) among households and 30% among adults 18-49 (9.0 vs. 6.9) based on data provided today by Nielsen Media Research. Of course, helping the ratings was the greatest single day in Winter Olympics history as Team USA captured 6 medals.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Wednesday February 17, 2010 @ 10:42am PST
This is news only because it's so rare. Make that more like 2010's version of Miracle On Ice. The Vancouver Olympics have made NBC #1 for the week of February 8th to 14th. During normal primetime programming, Fox, CBS, and even ABC would be kicking the perennial last place network's ass. But obviously Americans are so bored or ill (I've been sick and watching hours of curling...) or else the Canadian screw-ups are so entertaining (unwittingly reinforcing every McKenzie Brothers stereotype) that we can't get enough of the Winter Games. (Wasn't Johnny Weir's costume last night a hoot and a half? I love how he shatters the skating federation's uptight image that male figure skaters must be hetero.) Anyway, NBC won the week in adults 18-to-49 as well as total viewers and all other key measures. The Titanic of networks hasn't done that since its last big event program: when NBC aired the Super Bowl the week of January 26-February 1, 2009. You should read NBC's hysterically hyped up press releases. So pathetic. UPDATE: NBC now claims 138 million watched the opening 5 days of its Winter Olympics coverage, an average 26.4 million, 5 million more and 22% higher than 2006.
Does it seem to you like there are less commercial breaks and attention deficit disorder-style editing during this Olympics coverage, especially during primetime? Thank god. Maybe that's why the ratings are so good. But why can't I find 24/7 Olympics coverage on all NBCU stations, broadcast and cable? Because execs like Jeff Zucker, Dick Ebersol, are pinheads. And that's why NBCU will still be in the ratings crapper for 50 primetime weeks out of the year once the Olympics are over. Of course, GE chairman/CEO Jeff Immelt has already warned that NBCU is likely to lose “a couple hundred million bucks" on these Winter Games, thanks to overbidding by Ebersol, NBCU Sports and Olympics czar. (This is the same asshole who criticized Conan O'Brien as an "astounding failure".)
It turns out 97 million watched NBCU's Vancouver Winter Games during the first 2 days of coverage, or 9M more than watched the Torino Games and the most since the tabloid-fueled 1994 Lillehammer Games (because of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal). So says today's Nielsen Media Research. This comes after NBC's coverage of the Opening Ceremony was the most watched ever for a non-U.S. Winter Olympics in 16 years with 67.5 million total viewers. The 32.6 million average viewers is the most for a non-U.S. Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in 16 years - just below the 33.8 million for the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games in 1994. The 17.3/30 national household rating is also ... Read More »
By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Wednesday February 10, 2010 @ 5:13pm PST
This news that The Ellen DeGeneres Show has been renewed through 2014 comes just as ratings showed her debut as the newest American Idol judge improved a whopping 10% over last week's show. And last night's show was taped -- not live. She helped give the series its biggest audience since the season premiere as well as win the 8 PM-10PM primetime night in eyeballs and 18-to-49, according to preliminary nationals from Nielsen:
BURBANK, Calif. (February 10, 2010) – Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD) has renewed Telepictures Productions’ Emmy® Award–winning talk program “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for three additional seasons on the owned-and-operated television stations of the NBC Local Media Division. The joint announcement was made today by Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, and John Wallace, President, NBC Local Media Division.
“Ellen is one of those unique personalities that comes along once in a generation,” said Werner. “Her program has been embraced by viewers as their generation’s talk franchise, and we couldn’t be happier that the NBC stations will continue to have ‘Ellen’ as the cornerstone of their syndicated lineup for years to come.”
Ellen DeGeneres said, “I’m so excited to sign on for three more years at NBC. They were the ones that believed in my show from day one. So, I’m thrilled to know I’ll be here ’til at least 2014. Things will be a lot different by then. I won’t be dancing over my coffee table anymore. Through the magic of 3-D, I’ll be dancing
Continuing its uninterrupted streak of uncreativity, all The Jay Leno Show could come up with for its final taping tonight was this hackneyed bit of NBC cross-promotion: to have Donald Trump tell the host via satellite, "You're fired!" Oh barf.
By Nikki Finke | Category: Actors | Tuesday February 9, 2010 @ 4:59am PST
EXCLUSIVE: The last time Paul Reiser created a sitcom that was picked up by NBC, it was the major hit Mad About You and ran from 1992 all the way to 1999 on the network. So it's understandable if NBC is feeling somewhat nostalgic for Reiser's product. Now I've learned that last night the network picked up a Warner Bros pilot that was written by and stars Paul Reiser who also will executive produce. There's no official announcement about this yet. But the deal for this single-camera filmed series is said to be "big".
It came in with promotions on the cat food aisle at Vons supermarkets, and it goes out with its tail between its legs. The Jay Leno Show finale is tonight with guests Ashton Kutcher (Valentine's Day) and Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and "10 at 10" with NBC Winter Olympcs host Bob Costas via satellite from Vancouver. The fact is Jay can't get out of 10 PM primetime fast enough to satisfy the beleaguered NBC affiliates who threatened to mutiny and preempt his show. That's what started NBC's late night re-shuffle in the first place.
NBC will use the Olympics starting Friday to heavily promote Jay's March 1st return to The Tonight Show . In the meantime, the Leno Show set will get a makeover, and I've heard that a desk was picked for the host's return before the ink was even dry on his latest contract. There's also a mean-spirited rumor being emailed that NBC has packed the first week Leno is back with an audience consisting mainly of paid extras from Central Casting who will cheer and laugh extra wildly. Ouch!
No doubt the network is anxious to get its disastrous primetime season over and done with. Anyway, here are NBC's season finale dates:
“Trauma” (Monday, May 10
“Mercy” (Wednesday, May 12
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” May 19
“Community” May 20
“Parks and Recreation” May 20
“The Office” May 20
“30 Rock” May 20
“The Celebrity Apprentice” May 23
“Chuck” (two hours) May 24
“Law & Order” May 24
“The Biggest Loser” (two hours) May 25
11:45 AM UPDATE: CBS just announced its Super Bowl XLIV coverage was the most-watched program in TV history. (Assuming this is U.S. history, since the World Cup for soccer is seen by more people around the world.) An average of 106.5 million viewers watched New Orleans beat the Indianapolis Colts. The game even topped the 1983 M*A*S*H* finale seen by 106 million. The network's fast national household rating/share was 45.0/68, the highest in 14 years. Last night's Super Bowl rating/share peaked at a 48.5/70 from 9:00PM-9:30PM ET with an average of 114.1 million viewers. Which just goes to show that, even though everyone says there's no such thing as double-digit ratings in entertainment TV anymore, some event programming transcend normal viewing habits and bring eyeballs nationwide back to the networks.
Because of the game, the CBS premiere of its heavily hyped new reality show Undercover Boss benefited greatly, averaging a 19.0/32 with an average of 38.61 million viewers -- 16.6 million in adults 25-54, 16.2 million in adults 18-49, and 15.1 million in adults 18-34. CBS said it was the largest audience ever for a new series following the Super Bowl since the advent of people meters in 1987. Also, the largest audience ever to watch the premiere episode of a reality series. And the most watched new series premiere overall on television since "The Dolly Show" on September 27, 1987 (seen by 39.47 million). The 3rd largest post-Super Bowl audience behind the "Friends Special" on January 28, 1996 and CBS's Survivor: ... Read More »
Carl Icahn Now Wants ALL Of Lionsgate 
Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix 
SAG National Board Approves Joint Bargaining … 
MATT NIX is creator and showrunner for USA Network’s hit spy show Burn Notice, which just finished the second half of Season 3 this month. He's got a second action series The Good Guys set for FBS this summer. (It previews on May 19th and then resumes June 7th.) An action comedy set in Dallas about a resentful washed-up cop and an ambitious young detective, it stars Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks. Los Angeles-born and UCLA-educated Nix wrote and directed some forgettable showbiz stuff before he became the "poster boy" for the Writers Guild's Showrunner Training Program. By 2007, he was the quintessential cable guy, happily inhabiting those tighter budgets, narrower target audiences, and lower stakes. Or, to use his word, a more “niche-y” area. Nix's obsession with crime began when he discovered a family friend was a con artist wanted by the FBI ("To me that was awesome") and began reading up on all sorts of swindlers. He has a quirky sense of humor which infuses his work and his characters especially when they are in life-threatening situations. His shows are not so much dramedies as they are non-sequitors. Now, as he moves into network TV at age 38, Nix recommends that the Big Three networks take some tips from cable TV; expresses a surprising respect for the TV executive's role in an increasingly complicated production business; and details his battle with White Collar showrunner Jeff Eastin to attract the most Twitter followers:
Here's a shameless plug for primetime TV fan traffic... He's delivering ABC its best Bachelor ratings in recent years. Tonight is the finale, and I've just learned that airline pilot Jake Pavelka is joining the next installment of Dancing Of The Stars later this month. Also joining from the reality world will be Kate Gosselin and, from the Olympics, gold medal winning figure skater Evan Lysacek. (No, he won't be partnered with sore loser Evgeni Plushenko...) Also Cincinnati Bengal Chad Ochocinco, Shannen Doherty, ESPN sportscaster Erin Andrews, Pussycat Doll frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger, soap star Aiden Turner, comedian Niecy Nash, Pamela Anderson and Buzz Aldrin. If I wanted to lose brain cells and watch this show, it sounds like a better-than-average line-up. 
BREAKING NEWS!
So The $32 Million Man has signed a new employment agreement that will keep him in place as president and CEO of CBS Corp through Feb. 22, 2015. His previous contract was set to expire in 2011. Under the terms of the agreement, Moonves' salary remains at its current level, and he will continue to be eligible for an annual performance-based bonus and get equity-based compensation that ties his payout to the company's stock performance. There hasn't been an SEC proxy report filed yet containing Moonves' 2009 compensation, but he was paid overall, including stock and option awards, about $32 million for 2008, down from $36.8 million in 2007. Moonves has indicated he would not take a pay raise in 2009, so we'll see. CBS in today's announcement also said the contract provides "incentives for Moonves to continue his relationship with the company at the end of the employment term" which sounds like a sweet deal.
Look, I'm loving the Vancouver Olympics and learning more about Shaun White than any human should need to know. (How does that guy pass the drug tests?) It's relaxing and exciting and the Americans are not doing nearly as lousy as they usually do on ice and in the snow. As of yet, other than the tragic death of the Georgian luge sledder, there are no more controversies which call into question the whole integrity of the Olympics, world peace, and figure skating fashions for men. (Sorry, but having loser Evgeni Plushenko diss winner Evan Lysacek isn't news unless they plan to cage fight.) So half of all Americans, 152 million, watched the first 7 days of the Vancouver Olympics, according to Neilsen. That's now 26.6 million average audiences, nearly 6 million more and 27% higher than in 2006. NBCU’s Thursday broadcasts were seen by 77 million total viewers even with original programming from Survivor on CBS and Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice on ABC. 
It turns out 97 million watched NBCU's Vancouver Winter Games during the first 2 days of coverage, or 9M more than watched the Torino Games and the most since the tabloid-fueled 1994 Lillehammer Games (because of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding scandal). So says today's Nielsen Media Research. This comes after NBC's coverage of the Opening Ceremony was the most watched ever for a non-U.S. Winter Olympics in 16 years with 67.5 million total viewers. The 32.6 million average viewers is the most for a non-U.S. Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in 16 years - just below the 33.8 million for the tabloid-fueled Lillehammer Games in 1994. The 17.3/30 national household rating is also ... 
It came in with promotions on the cat food aisle at Vons supermarkets, and it goes out with its tail between its legs. The Jay Leno Show finale is tonight with guests Ashton Kutcher (Valentine's Day) and Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and "10 at 10" with NBC Winter Olympcs host Bob Costas via satellite from Vancouver. The fact is Jay can't get out of 10 PM primetime fast enough to satisfy the beleaguered NBC affiliates who threatened to mutiny and preempt his show. That's what started NBC's late night re-shuffle in the first place.
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