Carl Icahn Now Wants ALL Of Lionsgate 
Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix 
SAG National Board Approves Joint Bargaining … From Deadline|London editor Tim Adler: This is the first time that a UK broadcaster has ever gone into a joint venture with a Chinese counterpart, developing formats first for the Chinese market and then exporting them back to Britain and the world. Because Beijing’s state control of the media has prevented China from fully joining the global TV market. Now ITV Studios, the production arm of the British broadcaster, is developing unscripted entertainment shows with Chinese broadcaster Hunan Television. Hunan TV and ITV Studios will work together to create and co-own these unscripted formats this year. James Ross, ITV Studios’ Hong-Kong-based Global Entertainment regional director, told Deadline|London: “The key thing about this project is that we’re jointly developing new and unique show formats for broadcast first on Hunan Satellite TV, which we will then distribute globally.” ITV wouldn’t say how much it or Hunan TV is investing in the joint venture. All it would say that both sides are dedicating “considerable resources.” Nor would it give any idea of what formats the two broadcasters are developing. These have yet to be decided. But, once aired, they will reach an audience of more than 58 million viewers domestically. ITV Studios already has an office in Hong Kong as well as in America, Australian, Brazil, Germany, Spain and Sweden. U.S. reality shows created by ITV include Hell’s Kitchen and I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
WME Loses London Unscripted/Reality Rep
UPDATE: In England they call it the "format" business, not unscripted or reality like they do in Hollywood. So popular format agent Holly Pye resigned yesterday from WME London. A source told me, "WME says it's business as usual, but she's another who was frustrated by merger." I'm told Isabella Zoltowski will be taking Pye's position. Meanwhile, WME agents from the Beverly Hills headquarters are on retreat in Rancho Mirage. [Commenters, insert your agent joke here].
Fox Reality Channel Calls It Quits March 31
To anyone who thought there's nothing worse than warmed-over Reality TV retread programming, you're right. David Lyle, head of the Fox Reality Channel, broke the news to staffers today that this 4-year-old unwatchable experiment will end operations on March 31st of next year even though it's currently available in nearly 50 million homes as part of the Fox Cable Networks group. Ironically, the news comes a day after its awards bash was taped for an October 17th broadcast. Programming and production chief Bob Boden announced earlier this year he was leaving the channel to join Hasbro.
Endemol Unveils New Global Distribution
On the U.S. networks, primetime reality TV is in trouble. New shows like There Goes The Neighborhood and More To Love tanked for the most part this past summer (even though stale standbys like Big Brother and America's Got Talent grabbed viewers yet again). Nevertheless, huge UK-based Reality TV programmer Endemol will formally launch a new worldwide structure at Mipcom in Cannes next month under the new title Endemol Worldwide Distribution (EWD). It's "part of a major push to radically grow the business", according to BroadcastNow.co.uk. 
The new division integrates Endemol International and Southern Star International, Australia’s largest TV production and distribution company which Endemol acquired 100% last January. The two global distributors have 20,000 hours of content and more than 2,000 formats, such as Big Brother, Deal Or No Deal, and Wipeout. "It also underscores a concerted move into representing third party content, which most recently saw an international distribution and production deal with Jerry Seinfeld for his new comedy-reality format The Marriage Ref and a global distribution deal with Los Angeles-based reality producer LMNO Productions." EWD will be managed by chief executive Cathy Payne, the former boss of Southern Star International, and Matt Creasey, executive sales director for Americas, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, and Veronique Verges, executive sales director Europe. As well as operating out of Endemol’s existing offices in London, Sydney and Hong Kong, EWD is opening new regional offices in Paris and Madrid followed by Rome, Los Angeles, and Miami. EWD will ... Read More »
Paula Twitters Exit From 'American Idol'
UPDATE: Fox and 19 Entertainment confirmed her departure in a statement: "Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons, and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she's a tremendous talent and we wish her the best." Ugh, I refuse to write more about her.
Ohmygawd, however will America survive without this addled and unintelligible vidiot as a judge on AI anymore. 
The real issue, as I see it, is why in hell Fox kept her on the show for so long (and well past her mental prime). Paula Abdul made her swan-song public on her Twitter account, according to celeb-obsessed TV reports like Extra, saying "With sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to Idol. I'll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day1 become an international phenomenon." The veteran of 8 Idol seasons, who's been kvetching for weeks now she hasn't received a new contract for the 9th, added, "What I want to say most is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me." Oh, barf.
Variety Wrongs Fox Reality's David Lyle Who Accuses Trade Of "Making Stories Up"
Variety recently reported that Fox Reality topper David Lyle had quit to return to FremantleMedia (which he left in 2004), running its Australian operation and replacing brothers Mark and Carl Fennessy who quit in April to run Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Australia. Just one problem: it wasn't true. Even though other media outlets picked up the incorrect story, Variety quietly took down the article without correcting it or alerting readers of its inaccuracy. Needless to say, Lyle had some choice words to say about Variety, privately telling journalists who phoned him that the showbiz news outlet was just printing rumors in what he said was a desperate bid to keep up with sites such as DHD. But here's what Lyle did say on the record: that he is committed to the Fox Reality cable network. He told London's C21: "The speculation about my move from Fox to Fremantle is complete fabrication. In the world of increasingly competitive journalism, it seems people have to make stories up to attract readers. It causes problems for those of us who deal in 'reality'."
The affirmation comes as Fox Reality unveils its fall programming slate, featuring a mixture of original and acquired programming. Among the channel's new original series will be Househusbands of Hollywood, premiering August 15th; The 2009 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards, premiering October 17th; and The Academy: Orange County Fire, premiering October 24th. The channel also has secured off-network premiere rights to two reality shows from the Fox ... Read More »
WME Signs Mike Fleiss Away From UTA
That the reality TV czar (The Bachelor, The Bachelorette) would leave his agent of 11 years, Michael Camacho, is a shocker. I understand that Camacho heard the news after he had just touched down in London on vacation with his family. (At least Fleiss had the balls to make the call himself from his Malibu compound since the two men are also close friends.) Camacho had repped Fleiss for 10 years at CAA, regularly describing Fleiss as a genius to one and all. Surprisingly, Fleiss stayed at CAA for 10 months when Camacho moved to UTA. But Fleiss sold nothing during that period and then followed Camacho to UTA where the pair sold 3 primetime network series, and one cable series, and recently made a giant 8-figure, 2-year Warner Bros deal. Fleiss claims he wants to move away from the Reality TV biz to focus on features. So why leave UTA given that the agency is a power in that area? (As one rival agent noted to me, "Fleiss wanted to be delivered a movie. Not develop, be delivered a movie.) Because William Morris/WME agent Graham Taylor had been in hot pursuit of Fleiss in this area for a long time and finally snagged him. Still, Fleiss became a rich man because of Reality TV -- worth $100 million by some accounts -- and all those deals were done by Camacho. Even rival agents are telling me this morning that Camacho had "batted 1,000" for Fleiss. But in ... Read More »
UPDATE: Ryan Seacrest Jumps To CAA After Battling With WME Over 'Idol' Commissions
EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Seacrest may be rapidly becoming one of the richest guys in show business in front of and behind the cameras, but he doesn't like paying commissions. I learned yesterday that Seacrest, who'd been a longtime client of the William Morris Agency pre-merger, informed WME Entertainment post-merger that he didn't want to pay the agency's fee on the differential between his new pact and old pact on American Idol. (Some sources say there was also a dispute over commissions on his radio contract.) I'm told that commissions had been a sore point between Seacrest and the Morris office for years. WME refused to cut him a special deal. "When he pushed back, WME said, 'We can't represent you then. Either stay and pay full commission and together we'll keep growing and expanding and servicing your reality business. Or leave.'" That's when Seacrest took a meeting at CAA. By the end of day yesterday, Seacrest hadn't yet made a decision to leave WME. (Some say he was pleased with the reality TV department there, other tell he wasn't.) Today he left.
What surprised just now is that even rival agencies to WME are describing Seacrest to me as a "grinder" and "scumbag" for trying to negotiate lower commissions. A year ago August, I asked the question whether Seacrest was in play after his longtime William Morris agent Adam Sher left the rep business to run Ryan Seacrest Productions. Though ... Read More »
WGA Protests 'American Idol' Treatment
The WGA will be holding a rally tomorrow during a live broadcast of American Idol at CBS TV City to protest FremantleMedia North America's treatment of its Reality TV writers and other workers. This is one in a series of demonstrations held by the writers guild in its continuing campaign to represent the writers behind unscripted shows. Says the WGA: "While Fremantle profits from Idol and its other shows, its writers, drivers, and other workers who make these shows successful do not. Many Fremantle workers do not receive benefits that are standard in the entertainment industry including minimum compensation, health insurance, and retirement benefits. Fremantle has also chosen to use non-union drivers who work excessive overtime without proper rest periods or drug and alcohol testing." The rally will begin at 3:30 PM PT sharp at CBS TV City’s Genesee Gate. Among those participating will be reality and game show writers, WGAW members, the Teamsters, Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice, Professional Musicians Local 47, and other community supporters.
... Read More »
Why Do They Call It "Reality" On MTV?
It looks like MTV has sold the last of its soul on behalf of The Hills. How can this network keep promoting this show as Reality TV when everything is fictional? (No wonder insiders now call it "soft-scripted".) The AP reports today that the fourth season finale that airs next Monday is a fraud in that Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag appear to have moved on from their fake Mexican wedding ceremony into a legitimate U.S. marriage. The pair are shown walking into a wood-paneled courtroom while a judge with the California state seal hanging on the wall behind him officiates their wedding as the couple-everyone-loves-to-hate exchange vows. But a Los Angeles Superior Court official told The AP today that MTV was recently granted permission to shoot in a Beverly Hills courtroom after hours. And that's not one of the court's judges in The Hills footage. So one faked "elopement" as a publicity stunt for an Us Weekly cover and Hills episode wasn't enough for MTV.
I've already reported what a cesspool of self-promotion and cross-promotion has been going on behind the scenes among the con artists on the series. Let's see... Heidi Montag used the show to score herself a record deal and clothing line, neither of which was ever shown on camera. Pratt in real life is her manager. Meanwhile, Lauren Conrad has scored spokesperson deals, commercial gigs, and her own clothing line which she wears on the series and sells with MTV, none of which are mentioned on the show -- which continues to portray her as just a fashion student. So ... Read More »
Don't Expect Truth About NBC On CNBC
So CNBC's Maria Bartiromo did a quickie interview with Ben Silverman yesterday and shilled shamelessly about the "7 straight weeks" that NBC has beaten the other networks ratings wise. Unfortunately neither she nor Ben bothered to point out that there was no competition to speak of during that time. So NBC can beat dead air. Big fuckin' deal. Nor was there any mention that, on Monday's opening night of the 2008-2009 TV season, both CBS and ABC kicked the primetime crap out of NBC's returning Heroes. Toldja that NBC's schedule this season was going to stink.
Oops... ABC's Fall Network Sked Problem
I forgot to mention this major primetime headache when I posted my roundup, Lotsa Trouble Inside Network Fall Skeds -- the showrunner musical chairs on ABC's unwatchable Dirty Sexy Money. 
First, Josh Reims left last year. Then Dexter's Daniel Cerone sealed an overall deal with ABC Studios last fall and joined Dirty Sexy Money as showrunner right after the end of the writers' strike in February. Then, in June, Cerone's 3 already-shot episodes for the 2008-2009 season are thrown out (talk about an expensive decision), and he's replaced by Jon Harmon Feldman (whose Big Shots didn't last very long on ABC but who worked with Dirty Sexy Money's exec producer Greg Berlanti on Dawson's Creek). As part of the transition, Dirty Sexy Money moves up its hiatus to July for a chance to regroup. So that's three showrunners in the show's short lifetime. I would never have brought back the series in the first place: great cast, horrible storyline. ABC's Anne Sweeney, Steve McPherson, and Mark Pedowitz should have put this dog out of its misery.
Lotsa Trouble Inside Network Fall Skeds
UPDATED THROUGHOUT: First it was turmoil inside NBC's fall scripted shows like Kath & Kim and My Own Worst Enemy. Now there's trouble inside CBS's primetime sked. I'm told that The Ex List's creator/showrunner Diane Ruggiero is exiting: some say she 
quit over creative differences, others say she was pushed to jump. In any case, executive producer Rick Eid will take over running the show. And CBS stock has been tumbling. Les Moonves this week told Wall Street what a lousy year it was for advertising, especially with the problems of U.S. automakers. But don't cry for his beleaguered Big Media company yet: he predicted an ad turnaround in 2009.
Indeed, automotive marketers and movie studios are leading the way to help NBC sell out mid-80% of its 2009 Super Bowl XLIII ad inventory earlier than expected -- including about a dozen or so advertisers who agreed to pay $3 million for a 30-second spot (as opposed to the $2.7 mil that Fox asked in 2008). And NBC claims to Ad Age it'll set prices higher as the Tampa game date draws near. Talk about an obvious attempt to goose early ad buys. But here's what I think is hilarious: NBC is using the Super Bowl to try and sell ad packages across its properties because NBC's primetime is gonna stink up the joint this season.
Here's why I know networks are preparing for the worst: because bosses like Les Moonves and Jeff Zucker keep telling business reporters that their ... Read More »
'American Idol' Adds 4th Judge; Other Changes Planned To Stop Ratings Slide
You can't pay me to watch Fox's American Idol where the singing sounds like strangled cats. But it's been no secret that the network and the show's producers are planning changes to reverse its declining ratings. This morning, Fox officially announced that Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul as a judge. But Fox sources tell me there will be "more significant things happening in the small massaging of the format itself" as the network and producers look for ways to "shore up" the ratings. That doesn't mean the bigwgs intend to present a whole new Idol. For instance, there's no plan to get rid of host Ryan Seacrest (darn the luck...). Instead, I'm told the powers-that-be think the early rounds where viewers watch wannabes fall on their faces have become "too repetitive". Instead, this season will spend more time with the contestants once they arrive in Hollywood. Says my insider: "The strength of the show is that the audience wants to meet those 20 contestants. So we'll spend more time with them." Other changes are a result of Nigel Lythgoe stepping down as executive producer of American Idol and stepping back from the day-to-day producing. That now means the show's music can be more updated. "At one point, we had Neil Diamond on, and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Dolly Parton. Nigel wanted to be old school. But the show needs younger music," a Fox source informs.
DioGuardi's background as ... Read More »
CBS Reality Guru Exiting Executive Ranks
EXCLUSIVE: Reliable sources tell me that one of TV's most high-profile execs Ghen Maynard, EVP for alternative programming and entertainment content for new media at CBS Paramount Network Entertainment Group, is about to undergo a major career change. The CBS reality guru will exit his big deal gig and segue into a production deal. No word on who will replace him. Back when he was the Eye network's head of alternative series, Maynard convinced boss Les Moonves to take a chance on Survivor, which changed the landscape of unscripted content and product placement on TV, and helped CBS achieve its turnaround. He also had a hand in launching other longest-running reality skeins like The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and America's Next Top Model (on UPN). But, more recently, Maynard put on the execrable Search For The Next Pussycat Doll and its Girlicious sequel (both on CW) and the hokey Greatest American Dogs this summer. 
Nowadays CBS reality lacks innovation or creativity, while CW unscripted is just tits and ass. Maynard also gave CBS a black eye when that scandal erupted last fall over the treatment of the children on Kid Nation, the ill-advised series that not only garnered low ratings but which Moonves deeply regretted ever airing because of all the bad publicity. (All Maynard kept saying was that the network hadn't broken any laws...)
Maynard in his career often found himself going back and forth between scripted and unscripted TV fare. ... Read More »
WGAW & Teamsters Begin "Truth Tour" About Reality TV Working Conditions
WHAT: The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW), the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, “Reality” TV workers, and industry supporters will unite in solidarity at a press conference tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16, to kick-off the American Idol Truth Tour to spotlight adverse working conditions in the “Reality” TV industry and call for FremantleMedia to adopt industry standard benefits for its employees.
A major television production company that produces highly rated American Idol, as well as other network primetime programs including America’s Got Talent (NBC), Million Dollar Password (CBS), and Farmer Wants A Wife (CW), FremantleMedia continues to profit from AI and its other hit shows, while writers and other behind-the-scenes workers often face substandard working conditions. FremantleMedia employees have charged the company with multiple labor law violations, including withholding overtime pay and failure to provide state-mandated meal or rest breaks, among other grievances. Currently, FremantleMedia workers do not receive industry-standard benefits guaranteed by a union contract, including pay minimums and health and pension benefits.The American Idol Truth Tour bus will depart from WGAW headquarters for San Francisco immediately following the L.A. press conference.
WHO: Speakers scheduled to appear include: WGAW Vice President David Weiss, Teamsters Local 399 President Tony Cousimano, former American Idol production assistant Justin Buckles, and “Reality” TV stars Dante (Last Comic Standing) and Megan Bobo (American Idol Season 5 contestant), as well as Jay London (Last Comic Standing), Ken Pringle (Yo Mamma), Gary Anthony Williams (Boston Legal), Kieren Van
... Read More »
Next SAG-AMPTP Deadline Is July 26th! SAG Presented Counter-Proposal Today; Will AMPTP Negotiate Or Just Walk Away?
Despite the AMPTP's prickly statement tonight, and SAG's terse one (see both below), I can tell you what really went on in today's very crucial negotiating session... Today, SAG made a full counter-proposal to the Big Media cartel negotiating group's supposed "last best final" offer put on the table June 30th.
... Read More »
Bombshell ABC Studios Memo Is Blatant Blueprint To Rip Off Foreign TV Series
EXCLUSIVE: I've obtained a shocking official ABC Studios memo written by EVP Howard Davine to showrunners and executive producers with deals there. Those who've seen it are shaking their heads in disbelief. "I'm stunned that they would have done this," one insider tells me. "I can't believe they actually put this down on paper." That's because the memo blesses anyone who brings foreign formats to ABC Studios first so that the studio can steal the idea without paying the fat licensing fees that would accompany an up-and-up deal. Obviously, ABC Studios doesn't want to repeat what happened with a show like Ugly Betty, which is the American version of the Latin telenovela. This now proves they would rather just rip it off.
Here's the memo:
SAG vs AMPTP: The Nastiness Ramps Up
Tonight the AMPTP issued this statement on something they call "final offer retroactivity." (But if you ask me, it just sounds like the Hollywood moguls don't want their summer vacations interrupted...):
"The Producers remain committed to making a deal with SAG as soon as possible, which is why the AMPTP's final offer would make the wage and salary increases retroactive to July 1, 2008 if the agreement is ratified by SAG's membership no later than August 15, 2008. Under the final offer, if the new agreement is not ratified by August 15, 2008, all changes in terms and conditions would become effective in the first payroll period after ratification. The Producers have included this traditional incentive in the final offer in order to get everyone back to work and end the de facto strike. The Producers' final offer includes more than $250 million in additional compensation over the course of the three year contract, as well as groundbreaking new media terms. We remain hopeful that SAG will accept our final offer and that its members will ratify the new agreement so that these economic gains can go into effect at the earliest possible period."
And SAG shot back:
"As management knows, and as we have often stated, the Screen Actors Guild national negotiating committee’s goal is to bargain a fair contract for our members. Our committee is at this very moment finalizing its response to the employers’ proposal of June 30. SAG’s national negotiating committee is scheduled to deliver that response at AMPTP
... Read More »
AFTRA Members Ratify AMPTP Contract; SAG Campaign To Deep-Six Pact Fails; Dueling Statements By Actor Presidents
First, here's the AFTRA's press release with that guild's statement by president Roberta Reardon. Then below it is SAG president Alan Rosenberg's statement. At the very bottom is the AMPTP's statement. (I'll have my own analysis later...)
From AFTRA tonight:
LOS ANGELES (July 8, 2008) – The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) announced today that AFTRA members ratified a new three-year primetime television agreement (Exhibit A of the AFTRA Network Television Code) reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) by a 62.4% margin.
AFTRA—the nation’s second largest performers’ union—represents more than 70,000 actors, recording artists, broadcasters, and other talent working in the entertainment and media industries.
AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon made the following statement: “Today’s vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it. Despite an unprecedented disinformation campaign aimed at interfering with our ratification process, a majority of members ultimately focused on what mattered—the obvious merits of a labor agreement that contains substantial gains for every category of performer in both traditional and new media.
“Clearly, this was not a typical ratification process, and it would be disingenuous to pretend otherwise. To those of us for whom labor solidarity is more than just a slogan, the idea that politically-motivated leaders of one union would use their members’ dues to attack another union is unconscionable. Working people do not benefit when their union is under attack.
"For the sake of our members, organized labor must be united, especially in a
... Read More »
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