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Variety.com - TV News
The premier source of entertainment news. Turn to Variety.com for timely, credible articles, reviews and analysis of film, TV, music, theater, video, gaming and movie and television production -- information vital to your showbiz career.
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GE agrees to annual NBC U advertising
TV News: $59 million per year for five years part of merger deal -- No matter what happens to the Peacock in the Comcast era, General Electric is sure to be a paying customer on NBC Universal's air for years to come.
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Other
Comcast Network
NBC Universal
German pubcaster ignites controversy
TV News: ZDF's board ousts jouno in press row -- A move by Germany's ruling conservatives to oust a top news exec at pubcaster ZDF has sparked a fierce debate over press freedom and the independence of publicly funded television.
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News/Talk
ZDF
Controversy
Sky Deutcshland topper may exit
TV News: Murdoch pay TV fails to meet subscriber goals -- Speculation continues to surround Sky Deutschland and the future of topper Mark Williams as News Corp.'s money-losing German satcaster struggles to woo subscribers.
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Mark Williams
Music biz strikes a chord with TV placement
TV News: From ‘Glee’ to the Black Eyed Peas, the tube grooves with licensing -- For years, labels and publishers avoided too-complicated TV pacts. But at a time when both sectors are looking for new sources of profits -- and with radio on the wane and ...
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MTV
VH1
Networks holding steady
TV News: Sports, new hits could spur rare growth -- Ten weeks into the new season, the networks are holding their own -- and with some help from sports, could be headed for their first year-over-gains in some time.
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TV musicals sing to young women
TV News: Raised on Disney, today's girls are drawn to tuners -- When ABC introduced "COP ROCK" IN 1990, ONE network executive traced the musical police drama's failure to myopia in Manhattan and Hollywood. While privileged big-city execs might go see ...
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ABC
Keeping 'Glee' in tune
TV News: Music supervisor Bloom plays key role for hit series -- Music supervisor PJ Bloom had worked with writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy on the series "Popular" and "Nip/Tuck" and the film "Running With Scissors." But Bloom was bemused when ...
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Comedy
Ryan Murphy
Nip/Tuck
Glee
One Club to hold awards ceremony Feb. 17
TV News: Advertising, design event to be held at the Egyptian -- The One Club has set its awards ceremony for Feb. 17 at the Egyptian Theatre to honor excellence in advertising and design.
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Can Norman conquer ITV?
TV News: Supermarket king charged with rescuing web -- He is hailed as the "turnaround king" of British business, but what are the chances a man without media experience, who built his reputation running a supermarket, can rescue ITV, the wounded ...
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ITV
'The Office' tops Thursday ratings
TV News: 'Grey's' absence bodes well for NBC comedy -- NBC's "The Office" took advantage of a night off for ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" to reign as the most-watched primetime program in the 18-49 demo Thursday.
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Comedy
The Office
NBC Universal
ABC
Grey's Anatomy
Ratings
Masquelier promoted at IMG
TV News: Exec to be president of IMG Media -- IMG Worldwide, the global sports giant, has tapped company veteran Michel Masquelier as its prexy of IMG Media.
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Germany's Vox acquires 'X Factor'
TV News: Fremantle's UFA to produce local version -- "The X Factor" is coming to Germany. RTL-owned web Vox has picked up rights to the format, which is produced by Talkback Thames, a subsidiary of FremantleMedia, itself a division of pan-European ...
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Reality
Vox
The X Factor
YouTube to carry Five shows
TV News: Deal covers 3,000 hours of content in U.K. -- Five, the U.K.'s smallest private terrestrial web, has signed a deal with YouTube that will see more than 3,000 hours of its content available free on the Google-owned website.
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Deal
Lambert gets creative
TV News: Jamie Isaacs to post at alternative production shingle -- New alternative production shingle Studio Lambert has tapped Jamie Isaacs to serve as its creative director.
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Reality
Adam Lambert
Fox hunting werewolves
TV News: Net is developing 'Howl' for DreamWorks TV -- Nevermind vampires, Fox is looking to get back into the werewolf business.
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Other
Twentieth Century Fox
Some burning questions
TV News: Comcast-NBC U hookup raises issues -- Does Comcast have a plan for NBC? Will the merged company have to dump some properties to satisfy regulators? Where do Brian Roberts and Steve Burke stand on "The Jay Leno Show"?
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Comcast Network
NBC Universal
Jay Leno
'Flash Forward' sets winter hiatus
TV News: Series to return with new episodes March 4 -- ABC will flash forward longer than expected, as "Flash Forward" takes a three-month hiatus this winter.
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Sci-Fi
Flash Forward
ABC
Seagal's 'Lawman' sets record for A&E
TV News: Good start for reality show at cable network -- Once a box office draw but long out the limelight, Steven Seagal is still making an impression with television auds.
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Steven Seagal
Variety sets Impact breakfast
TV News: Top execs to discuss creativity, dealmaking -- Variety has firmed four panelists for the Dec. 10 Dealmakers Impact Breakfast.
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News/Talk
Breakfast
High praise for Burke
TV News: Colleagues say exec is right for Comcast's top spot -- Steve Burke has the temperament and training for the times. That's what friends and colleagues are saying about Comcast's longtime No. 2 exec who will take the reins of NBC Universal once ...
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NBC Universal
Comcast deal faces D.C. hearings
TV News: Lawmakers to dissect NBC Universal buyout -- If there were any doubt as to the level of federal scrutiny that GE and Comcast face in their deal for NBC Universal, the signal came quickly from Capitol Hill, where lawmakers rushed Thursday ...
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NBC Universal
Deal
Burnett signs onto new 'Design Star'
TV News: 'Survivor' vet to produce HGTV series' 5th season -- Mark Burnett, the veteran "Survivor," "The Apprentice" and "Shark Tank" producer, has signed on to produce the fifth season of "HGTV Design Star."
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Reality
Survivor
The Apprentice
Shark Tank
DGA members ratify bargaining agreement
TV News: Deal includes salary increases, creative rights -- Members of the Directors Guild of America have ratified a new two-year collective bargaining agreement with Assn. of Independent Commercial Producers.
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Deal
Sundance, WEtv to launch on Mio
TV News: Singapore broadcasting to begin Monday -- Sundance Channel and WE tv will launch on SingTel's feevee service Mio after Rainbow Media completed a carriage deal in Singapore.
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Sundance Channel
'Waverly Place' pair pick up pace
TV News: Young actors show maturity, ambition beyond their years -- Top-rated "Wizards of Waverly Place" may be a starring vehicle for Disney "It" girl Selena Gomez, but its appeal also rests on the shoulders of actors David Henrie (20) and Jake T. ...
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Selena Gomez
Jake Thomas
Woodley's family-friendly approach
TV News: 'Secret Life' star opens up conversation -- It's one thing to be popular with her peers but Shailene Woodley, the 18-year-old star of ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," has received some of her most surprising feedback ...
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Drama
ABC Family
Secret Life Of The American Teenager
Ryan Murphy full of 'Glee'
TV News: Series creator has the youth audience by the throat -- Thanks to his breakout Fox hit "Glee," Ryan Murphy not only has his finger on the pulse of the youth market -- he has it firmly by the throat, so to speak. The exuberant song-and-dance ...
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Comedy
Glee
Ryan Murphy
Twentieth Century Fox
Showbiz in the palm of her hand
TV News: Keke Palmer has kicked up a storm in film, TV and music -- The sky is the limit," Keke Palmer says of her career, "but I'm not up to the sky yet."
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Bill Hayes: Reality TV family man
TV News: Figure 8 Prods. president behind 'Jon and Kate Plus 8' -- Bill Hayes thinks of himself as "the anti-producer producer." The Figure 8 Prods. prexy doesn't believe in meddling with his subjects. His m.o.: "Let the subjects speak for themselves ...
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Reality
Jon and Kate Plus 8
Screenwriter taps into kid's pool
TV News: Dan Berendsen behind 'Hannah,' 'Waverly,' 'Cheetah Girls' -- "Hannah Montana: The Movie," "Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie," "The Cheetah Girls: One World," "Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time." With a resume featuring dozens of such credits, ...
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Comedy
Hannah Montana
Dan Povenmire and Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh
TV News: 'Phineas and Ferb' creators keep it real -- The Disney Channel/Disney XD animated series "Phineas and Ferb" clicks with kids because there's a boyish believability to the antics of its titular not-quite-tween stepbrothers -- an authenticity ...
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Other
Disney Channel
Vincent Martella
Thomas Sangster
Teen is Disney's latest success story
TV News: Demi Lovato got early start in entertainment -- Once the Disney Channel gets behind a young multitalent, chart-topping success seldom comes as a surprise. But in the case of Demi Lovato, the music and acting career she's enjoying was hardly ...
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Demi Lovato
Disney Channel
Jordin Sparks lights career
TV News: 'Idol' lessons serve songstress well -- Winning a music pageant may be a great way to launch your singing career, but as Jordin Sparks understands, the hard part begins once you leave the "American Idol" set.
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Reality
American Idol
Shane Sparks
Duo works with youngsters
TV News: Agents Daly, Hirschenson help transition to adult actors -- Matching the energy and enthusiasm of their young clients, Innovative Artists duo Ryan Daly and Melissa Hirschenson work as a team to break out teen and early-20s talent, whether as ...
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Drama
AnnaLynne McCord
90210
Desperate Housewives
Teen thesps hit it big with 'Rush'
TV News: Nickelodeon taps talented wannabe pop stars -- Assembling a hit boy band is tough enough. Small wonder that it took 18 months and a nationwide search to find four teen guys who could not only sing but also act for Nickelodeon's new comedy ...
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Nickelodeon
Winter relies on imagination
TV News: 'Modern Family' actress got her start in commercials -- When Ariel Winter was 4, her parents found her hitting her head against the TV. "I was watching 'Dora the Explorer,' and I kept saying, 'Come on, let me in! I want to explore with ...
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Comedy
Modern Family
Dora the Explorer
ABC
Actors recall challenges
TV News: Young players talk about auditions and more that went poorly -- Auditioning is hard enough for adults. For teens it can be downright nerve-racking.
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Lawrence shines in tough roles
TV News: Actress won kudos in Venice, L.A. film festivals -- Jennifer Lawrence always wanted to be a doctor. Luckily for Hollywood -- "and maybe also the medical profession," she jokes -- the Louisville, Ky., native quickly abandoned that notion ...
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Growing up in character
TV News: Young actors carrying franchises can build long careers -- From "The Chronicles of Narnia" to "Twilight" and "Hannah Montana" to "Drake & Josh," youth entertainment seems to depend less on one-offs than massive multiyear properties.
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Sci-Fi
Twilight
Hannah Montana
'90210' actress has vision
TV News: AnnaLynne McCord, Blind Project offer help -- AnnaLynne McCord offers help to Blind Project, which is edicated to raising awareness and improving the quality of life for sex-trafficking victims.
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Drama
AnnaLynne McCord
90210
Chloe Grace Moretz part of acting family
TV News: Helping brother, helped 'Summer' star break out -- Chloe Grace Moretz wasn't the first in her family to pursue acting, following older brother Trevor.
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Summer Glau
Grace Park
Lee, Juergens put ABC Family first
TV News: Execs earn audience trust yet take risks -- Paul Lee and Kate Juergens have managed to keep ABC Family teen-friendly while confronting major issues.
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ABC Family
Young actress's intuitive approach
TV News: Joey King leans on instinct for 'Ramona and Beezus' -- For actress Joey King, age 10, playing beloved kidlit character Ramona Quimby opposite Selena Gomez in "Ramona and Beezus" had less to do with acting than simply feeling the role.
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Selena Gomez
Sammi Hanratty had focus, drive at age 2
TV News: Young thesp to star in upcoming 'Whitney Brown' -- Out of the blue, 2-year-old Sammi Hanratty told her mother she wanted to be on TV. A year went by and she wouldn't let up, so her mother got the name of an agent and set up a meeting. She ...
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Other
'Rudolph' shines brightest in ratings
TV News: Fox's 'Glee' hits high note -- Holiday perennial "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" lit up the ratings scoreboard on Wednesday, standing as the night's top program. It was also a good night for Fox's "Glee," which hit series highs.
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Comedy
Twentieth Century Fox
Glee
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
Ratings
Sullivan to lead Sky Germany
TV News: Exec moves over from sister company BSkyB -- Amid continuing difficulties in attracting subscribers and mounting losses, Sky Germany topper Mark Williams is stepping down next year, to be replaced by Brian Sullivan, customer group managing ...
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Mark Williams
Disney beefs up U.K. TV production
TV News: London team to make up to seven series a year -- Disney is planning to up the number of long-form toon skeins produced from its London production base from two to seven a year.
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Kevin Pollak to host 'Little Genius'
TV News: Fox's kid-centric gamer to launch Jan. 13 -- Thesp Kevin Pollak has signed on to host Fox's upcoming kid-centric gamer "Our Little Genius."
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Twentieth Century Fox
Kevin Pollak
Comcast, GE unveil NBC U deal
TV News: Cabler pays $13.75 billion for majority stake -- Comcast Corp. announced Thursday it plans to buy a majority stake in NBC Universal for $13.75 billion (euro9.11 billion), giving the nation's largest cable TV operator control of the Peacock ...
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Other
NBC Universal
Deal
MTV campaign targets digital abuse
TV News: Public service initiative to be multiplatform, multiyear effort -- MTV is partnering with Facebook, MySpace and others on a multiyear, multiplatform initiative combating so-called digital abuse of children and young adults.
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