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EXCLUSIVE: In many states, including California, texting or emailing while driving could get you a fine. If you’re a Disney employee, it may also get you fired. That’s according to a companywide memo that went out yesterday. The so-called “distracted driving,” which involves mostly people using their mobile devices while behind the wheel, is a serious problem that caused 5,474 deaths last year. But a private company enforcing the ban on the use of such devices is a little odd even for Disney, considered to be the most buttoned-down and regulated entertainment conglom. According to the memo, Disney “is enhancing its 
vehicle safety policy effective immediately.” That includes prohibiting Disney employees from sending or reading texts or emails while driving company cars or their private cars while performing duties related to their Disney jobs. “Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary actions up to and including termination,” the memo said. While the intention is noble, the bureaucratic way it was handled has raised eyebrows, evoked Big Brother references and has mostly puzzled Disney employees as to how exactly would Disney enforce its new rules. Nevertheless, the new policy may affect business as most people working in the entertainment industry in LA do a lot of work on their blackberrys while driving. With its ban, Disney joins the Obama administration which has prohibited federal employees from texting while driving on government business and banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting behind the wheel. Thirty states and the District of Columbia prohibit drivers from texting behind the wheel; at least eight states have passed laws barring drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
Veteran TV executive/producer Francie Calfo is joining Imagine TV as president after more than 20 years at ABC. Calfo will replace David Nevins who is leaving to 
EXCLUSIVE: Former 20th Century Fox TV SVP drama Patrick Moran has been tapped as new head of drama at ABC Studios. He will replace Josh Barry, who is stepping down from his post after a year. Barry, a 10-year ABC/ABC Studios … 
CULVER CITY, Calif., July 1, 2010 – After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker 
EXCLUSIVE: Now that Spyglass has emerged as the favorite to steer MGM’s future fortunes — although Summit insists it’s not out of the running yet and Lionsgate is in merger talks — more details are emerging about MGM’s possible future. Insiders tell me that the Spyglass plan would transform MGM into a pure production company and close down its marketing and distribution divisions. That would certainly cut costs in the short run. Coupled with the equity that Spyglass would bring to the table, a streamlined MGM would lower its debt and have a shot at raising new funding to finance its own pictures. That would let Spyglass partners Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum do what they do well, which is to lower risk by making domestic and offshore distribution deals.
But I see the downside of this plan. MGM would have to pay others to distribute and market its films — and those fees could be comparable or higher than the monies saved on overhead. I’m told that rival Summit and Lionsgate proposals would maintain MGM as a studio because both companies have distribution divisions. The Spyglass move would mean yet another morphing of MGM over the recent past. Under Harry Sloan, the revived studio started off as a distribution rental system for films by financiers like Sidney Kimmel and The Weinstein Co, a strategy that didn’t work. 
EXCLUSIVE: Reliable sources tells me that Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns flew to NYC on Wednesday night to have dinner with Carl Icahn “to see if they could work together and avert a hostile takeover of the studio”. This is … 
EXCLUSIVE: Imagine Television is staying put at 20th Century Fox TV but its president David Nevins is exiting after 8 years. Nevins’ contract was up and I hear he couldn’t come to an agreement with the studio, which pays for Imagine … 
I’m being told there’s really nothing new with these explanatary conversations. And, anyway, Lionsgate can’t do any kind of deal with MGM unless the studio management brokers some settlement with 32% shareholder Carl Icahn, who has made it clear he won’t … 
Lionsgate has formally announced its acquisition of North American rights to Machine Gun Preacher, the fact-based drama about Sam Childers, a reformed badass who established an orphanage in war torn Africa and then supervised a militia to protect the kids. The … 
Here are some early photos of the 600 fans starting to line up today for Thursday’s Eclipse premiere at the Nokia Theater for a glimpse of the cast of this 3rd pic in the Twilight Saga: Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Robert … 
Warner Bros is giving the Glen David Gold novel Carter Beats the Devil another chance to beat death by development hell. The studio has optioned the novel, and set Michael Gilio to write the script. Jon Shestack will produce, and Ginny … 
A few actor developments that caught my eye this weekend…. Despite her frustration-filled weekend tweeting, I don’t believe Amanda Bynes is done with acting at age 24. Like most parents of now-college age kids, I endured hours of often insufferable Tollin-Robbins-produced … 
Disney has assembled the cast of Prom, its high-school comedy feature revolving around a group of teens and the emotional ups and downs they go through prepping for the big dance. The … 
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