NBC cancels 'Enemy' and 'Lipstick'

NBC has pulled the plug on freshman tentpole drama "My Own Worst Enemy" and returning sophomore series "Lipstick Jungle," reports The Live Feed.

I don't know about "Enemy" because I haven't seen it, but "Lipstick Jungle" is one of my favorite shows, what a disappointment. The three main women characters have the most elegant wardrobe ever seen on TV, with none of the fashion-victim touch that afflicted at times "Sex and the City". On the show's website, you could purchase the clothes by episode or by character - but in truth, what was offered was not what they really wore. That is the only disappointment of this show. Something the networks could have capitalized on... And the story line is great.

Virgin Mobile USA Debuts Homeless Youth TV

"Youth homelessness is not something that runs for a season and then goes off the air. Virgin Mobile USA is committed to getting people to pay attention to this important issue."

Viewers can go to www.homelessyouthTV.com and "sponsor" their favorite program on the network for $1, the proceeds of which will be donated to various Virgin Mobile USA charity partners supporting homeless youth, such as Green Chimneys and StandUp For Kids. Viewers who sponsor a show will have their names listed in the show's "credits" and have the opportunity to promote the program to friends. Virgin Mobile USA will match the first $10,000 in total donations.

... The video project, examining the world of homeless youth, will debut at www.VirginMobileUSA.com/regeneration in 2009.

Full press release.

Jay-Z and Tony Williams tribute to Obama:"We Make History"

In honor of President Elect Barack Obama, Jay-Z has leaked a track called "History" from his upcoming album "The Blueprint 3."

[via eurWeb and shown this evening on French TV Canal+]

Howstuffworks.com Heading To TV Screens

Discovery is taking its Howstuffworks.com property to television, creating a new show based on the site. [Broadcasting & Cable]

The new series, Howstuffworks, will follow the lengths people go through to extract ingredients from the earth, such as corn, salt, iron and water, and then the process of turning those raw materials into objects we see and use every day.

Along the way, the show will present fun facts associated with the items, much as it does on the site.

mobuzz Saved

After making an appeal to viewers on show last week to raise money before the weekend, it looks like their viewers came through because they're back and running.

BitTorrent Sacks Half Its Staff

Friday BitTorrent informed about half its employees, or 18 people, that they were being let go, according to a person familiar with events inside the company. That is in addition to a 20 percent staff reduction in August.

[via Bits]

Save Mobuzz

Spanish video blogging outfit Mobuzz is appealing to its audience for cash to stay afloat.

Mobuzz launched 4 years ago, and offers daily shows around tech and related content in three languages. The site has survived so far on a mix of advertising revenue and angel funding, but an expected round due in September didn’t happen due to the financial crisis.

Watch video message

Mobuzz is looking to raise €120,000 ($155,000 USD) by the weekend to keep on going. At the time of writing, Mobuzz had only managed to raise 14% of the total.

If everyone sends just euros 5, they will be OK.

If they don't reach their goal, you will be reimbursed.

Help them out! They're so good. We need them to stick around.

[via the Inquisitr]

Online Videos -- And Our Attention Spans -- Get Longer

The conventional wisdom is that people on computers have the attention span to watch only very short video clips, writes Bits Blog. But it’s clear that getting network programming on their own schedule makes it increasingly worthwhile for some viewers to watch full episodes on their computers.

... All things being equal, it is easier to relax and watch video for a long time sitting on your couch than at your desk. And bringing Internet video to living room televisions, as Blip and some other sites are doing, sharply increases how much people watch.

“... Viewing time triples, quadruples, quintuples, when people are watching in a lean-back environment with a remote control and an HDTV,” Mike Hudack of Blip-tv said.

This may be true for US viewers, but in Europe we spend hours in front of online video (US TV series) because we don't have the option to watch them on TV. And I apologize for sounding like a broken record.

Full article in Bits Blog.

Netflix and TiVo to Partner on Movies

Two of the scrappiest bantamweights in Silicon Valley, Netflix and TiVo, are expected to announce a long-awaited partnership on Thursday, reports The New York Times.

Netflix will place its Watch Instantly streaming-movie service on TiVo’s HD-compatible set-top boxes, furthering the technology industry’s goal of sending television shows and movies over the Internet — instead of over traditional cable and satellite networks — to ordinary TVs.

... Netflix and TiVo said they would begin testing the service on Thursday and expected to make it available to all owners of TiVo set-top boxes in December. There will be no extra charge for TiVo subscribers who also have one of Netflix’s unlimited subscription plans

The Hollywood Reporter Box Office Numbers Via SMS

THR is launching a mobile box office product this week that will send weekend box office estimates via text message. [via mocoNews.net]

Pulling from Nielsen data, the publication will push official studio box office tallies to users that sign up for the mobile alerts with a short code. The top five movies from each week will be sent on Sunday morning while more detailed data will also be sent to newsletter subscribers.

"Mad Men" creator plans to be "part of this show forever"

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief, Matthew Weiner will not be leaving the show. He told Alan Sepinwall as much:

"There's no crisis," Matthew Weiner says of the contract talks, in this really long interview that delves into Season 2 and last night's season finale.

"I have every intention of being part of this show forever. I love doing it and I love the experience and I love working with everybody I work with. But I feel like I just ran a marathon and I need to have some Gatorade. Obviously, I know Don and I know where the pieces are, but -- it's a horrible thing to admit -- I will have to go from the high I have of just completing this to going, 'Oh my god I'm going to fail.'

In terms of the content of what's there, I have a lot to lean on. I have my genre, I have the history, and I have the ages of these people. I know now that I can tell a completely new story than last year. The central conflict of this year was Don and Betty's marriage. Hopefully, if I can figure it out, there will be something new."

[via TV Tattle]

Related: - 'Mad Men' Stars Have No Contracts

Another "Mad Men" sketch on SNL

Saturday Night Live has just posted another "Mad Men" sketch online: "Tow A-Holes at An Ad Agency in The 1960s".

£1,000 fines for TV licence dodgers who watch online

The TV Licensing Authority today launched a crackdown on people watching programmes on mobile phones and computers at the same time as they are broadcast.

It said many people wrongly believe they did not need a TV licence if they did not own a television. The TVLA pledged to track down offenders and warned they face a £1,000 fine.

"There is a clear rise in the number of people watching TV channels via other means, and we need to make them aware of the rules," said a TVLA spokesman. "Many TV channels are now broadcast live over the internet. If you're watching programmes on a computer or laptop as they are broadcast, then you need a TV licence. ...You will need a licence to watch any channel live online".

TV consumption hit by credit crunch

The credit crunch is likely to see people switching off premium television and tuning into free television, according to research published Tuesday, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

An online survey of more than 1,000 people conducted by Continental Research indicates that 18% "plan to reduce their spending on TV channels" in the next 12 months.

And 6% have now decided not to sign up to additional services as a direct result of concerns about the economic slowdown.

The results, published in a report entitled "TV 3.0: The Digital and Internet TV Report" are bad news for subscription-based TV channels, which are already taking a financial hit from declining advertising revenues.

Mad Men' Stars Have No Contracts

According to Fox News, there may not be any more "Mad Men" if deals aren't cut soon.

The popular cult series on AMC about the world of advertising in the early 60s is at a crossroads. Producer Lionsgate and network AMC not only have no contract with series creator Matthew Weiner, they don't have deals with the cast as well.

The network has no agreements with stars Jon Hamm and John Slattery, or any of the other cast members.

Hamm in particular poses a problem since he's turned into a huge break-out star. If "Mad Men" ended right now, the 36-year-old actor could go to movies and easily become the next George Clooney. This puts AMC and Lionsgate in a strange position to renegotiate Hamm's contract. It's going to cost them more than they've probably ever paid for anything.

As for Weiner and the show itself, if Lionsgate and AMC don't come up with the right deal, there's always the chance that "Mad Men" could wind up on another network. HBO would pay just about anything to take it given their disappointing schedule right now.

Rocketboom. Firing off the next stage

Rocketboom was thrown out of orbit but now its founder reaches for the stars, writes Brad Howarth in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Andrew Baron founded Rocketboom in 2004, a quirky three-minute news bulletin delivered on the internet every weekday.

Today he claims average daily audience figures of about 200,000 viewers and the show has even appeared in a 2006 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

What he wasn't counting on was the departure of his founding host, Amanda Congdon, two years ago and an ensuing bitter legal battle over the program and its brand.

... The battle was settled to Baron's satisfaction but it cost him two years during which he was prevented from pursuing his vision of turning Rocketboom into a media company.

Now he has signed with one of Hollywood's largest talent management agencies, Creative Artists Agency, which is helping him to explore and negotiate business opportunities for Rocketboom.

Two months ago he signed a distribution and advertising deal with Sony Pictures Television for a seven-figure guarantee plus a share in future revenues generated by the show. In return, Sony is making Rocketboom available on media platforms including the PlayStation3, the PlayStation Portable and its own Crackle online TV network.

Read full article.

Fixing DMCA takedown problems through shaming, legal reform

In the wake of the McCain campaign's letter protesting DMCA takedowns of its YouTube material, the "open letters" have come fast and furious. First came YouTube's responses to the suggestion that it investigate all takedowns directed against US presidential campaign accounts (and only US presidential campaign accounts) before taking action: no.

Today brings two more letters, one each from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Citizen, both offering solutions of their own. DMCA reform is the name of the game, but, in the interim, shaming the broadcasters into not issuing the takedowns works as an alternative.

[via ars technica]

Apple Ups Number Of Prime-Time HD TV Shows On iTunes

Apple on Thursday said all four of the major networks are offering prime-time television shows on iTunes in high definition. In addition, the company said more than 1 million HD episodes have been sold since the format launch last month.

Prime-time shows recently added in HD include Grey's Anatomy and Lost from ABC, CSI and CSI: Miami from CBS, Bones and Prison Break airing on Fox, and Heroes and The Office from NBC Universal.

Apple has a total of 70 prime-time comedies and dramas available on iTunes.

With over 200 million episodes sold, iTunes customers have proven they love watching television on their computer, iPod, iPhone, and TV with Apple TV," Eddy Cue, Apple VP of Internet services, said in a statement.

[via Information Week]

Playboy shedding DVDs in favor of online

Playboy Enterprises Inc, which publishes the world's most widely read adult entertainment magazine, will stop making DVDs to save about $12 million a year, and focus on distributing its content online, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Shutting its DVD operations will cost 80 jobs and $2 million in restructuring charges, according to the filing on Wednesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

[via Reuters]

When will it end? Wall Street's Worse Week Ever

As world markets tumble, CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo and Dylan Ratigan weigh in on the future of this economic crisis.

Video-rich Music Site LP33.tv Unearths Today's Best Tunes and Talent

LP33.tv, a music venture founded by industry insiders and supported by rock legends, tomorrow will launch a unique music and video platform that allows consumers to discover, experience and enjoy music and music-themed video content, while helping new and emerging musical artists promote their careers and sell their music.

"The music industry has changed astonishingly in recent years, and in this age of the Web, major labels simply no longer dictate what music is available to be discovered and consumed," says LP33.tv CEO and founder Andrew Bentley "Our aim is to offer clarity in this newly democratized state. Choice has mushroomed, but discovering true talent has become even harder for the average consumer.

LP33.tv is the place where underexposed hit music can be discovered, shared and enjoyed by everyone. Empowering consumers to discover the best new music, and giving artists a direct way to reach them, is essential for the music industry's future direction."

[via e-mail press release]

i. TV brings schedules, trailers to your iPhone

TUAW writes up i.TV which is a free TV and movie guide for the iPhone and iPod touch. The application can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store.

i.TV enables users to customize the type of information they receive through i.TV. Users can sort and filter information by location, media type, genre, TV provider, channel, ratings, reviews and friend recommendations.

According to TUAW, the best is yet to come:

"As cool as the initial version of i.TV appears to be, the development directions are exponentially cooler. Future versions of the app are planned that will include remote DVR programming, IR blaster integration, DVD rentals movie ticket purchases and even the ability to watch full TV shows streamed from the programming source.

Hulu to Live-Stream Obama-McCain Debate

Hulu will stream NBC’s coverage of Tuesday’s debate. This will be the first time that Hulu is live-streaming content

Hulu told paidContent that live-streaming is something the site is “experimenting with initially as the presidential debates are highly relevant now.”

[via NewTeeVee]

CBS Testing Social Viewing Room

CBS Labs, which has been testing new HD streaming products, has also rolled out a labs version of a new product called Social Viewing Room. The idea is that you show up to the site, pick a show that’s on right now, and watch it with your friends or whoever is there. You can comment, LOL or take quizzes for points.

[via TechCrunch]

TV Squad Bloggers Open Competitng Blog

Favorite TV Squad has been hit by AOL's pay cut and a team of their bloggers have launched a directly competing blog called Cliqueclack TV. Bookmark!

According to TechCrunch, there’s nothing AOL can do to stop their bloggers from competing, but what will be interesting is if they keep the team on as well.

Matthew Weiner, 'Mad Men' cast really mad at the Emmys

"Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner (at microphone in photo) caused gasps back in the press room when he answered a journalist's question about what it felt like being the first basic cable show ever to win best series. The Los Angeles Times reports.

"I'm surprised that there is such segregation and caste system at the Emmys," he said. "I have this amazing cast, and none of them was asked to present awards tonight."

It's pure peer jealousy. "Mad Men" is just too good.

'Mad Men,' '30 Rock' Take Top Emmy Awards

The complete list of who won.

BBC Soap abuse plot sparks complaints

An EastEnders storyline about a paedophile's relationship with his 15-year-old stepdaughter has prompted more than 150 complaints, reports the BBC.

"The BBC said the plot had been created "in association with Child Protectionist NSPCC" and in accordance with its editorial policy.

"EastEnders has a rich heritage of tackling difficult social issues such as domestic violence and mental health. "Our current storyline about child abuse is another such issue which had been created in association with the NSPCC and in accordance with BBC editorial policy."

At the end of August, the BBC received 156 complaints over scenes showing character Jase Dyer being attacked by a criminal gang and then lying dead in hospital. "

Back online Sunday

Thursday is a Geneva holiday. Off for a few days. Back on Sunday.

NBC shows return to iTunes after yearlong feud

Apple Inc. and NBC Universal have ended a yearlong disagreement over pricing that had been keeping NBC TV shows off the iTunes Store. [via The Hollywood Reporter]

"Beginning immediately, NBC shows including "Heroes" and "The Office" are available via iTunes for $1.99 per episode or $2.99 for high-definition (HD) versions.

Library titles will sell for 99 cents, and NBC will have the ability to group shows -- like Tina Fey's six favorite episodes of "30 Rock," for example -- at prices yet to be determined.""

Sarah Palin: An Introduction

John talks about Sarah Palin on nerdfighters.

AT&T offers tech support for home theater, PC, TV

AT&T on Thursday announced the launch of ConnecTech, a tech support program that attempts to cover a broader base of in-home needs.

Services such as home theater or TV equipment installation, PC or home network set-up, and a broad range of repair services are now offered, even for non-AT&T customers. Support can be obtained over the phone or in home, AT&T claims next day installation seven days a week.

[via electronista]

On vacation until August 19

Off to Indonesia. Back August 19.

Talking 'Mad Men' - past and future - with the show's creator and cast

The Chicago Tribune has posted a transcript of an interview with creator Matthew Weiner, an interview with star Jon Hamm (Don Draper), a talk with John Slattery (who plays Roger Sterling and an interview with supporting cast members Rich Sommer, Michael Gladis and Aaron Staton.

Dexter Season 3 preview

The new communist propaganda-like visual for Dexter season 3 is up on Showtime's website, as well as a video preview. While you watch you can chat with other fans. What are they saying? See for yourself!

And a good read, from favorite TV Squad, highlights from the Dexter panel held at Comic-Con with the cast.

Also, 'Dexter' will be getting an iPhone game

Professor whose 'last lecture' touched hearts dies

Randy Pausch, renowned computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, died July 25 of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47.

With equal parts humor and heart, Randy Pausch delivered a one-of-a-kind inspirational "Last Lecture", that moved an overflow crowd at the university — and went on to move audiences around the globe.

Catch latest shows on mio TV within 24 hours of their US premiere

All fans of US TV shows who live outside of the US are frustrated by the fact that these shows come to their countries months after their broadcast in the US, if at all.

It seems like Singapore's mio TV, a 24-hours pay-TV service, introduced by SingTel, has come up with a solution.

Acccording to Asia One, as of September, mio TV, is introducing a Season Pass, which allows viewers to watch episodes of more than 50 prime-time hits within 24 hours after they first air in the US.

The line-up includes titles such as Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Prison Break...

Hopefull this model will spread to other countries.

TiVo and Amazon Team Up

The two companies want to turn the television remote control into a tool for buying the products being advertised and promoted on commercials and talk shows. The New York Times reports.

"Tivo will introduce a “product purchase” feature on Tuesday in partnership with the Internet retailer Amazon.com.

Owners of TiVo video recorders will see, in TiVo’s various onscreen menus, links to buy products like CDs, DVDs and books that guests are promoting on talk shows like “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Late Show With David Letterman” and “The Daily Show.”

200,000 TV licence evaders caught

A total of 209,000 people have been prosecuted during the past six months for watching television without a licence in the UK, reports the
BBC.

"... A fine of up to £1,000 ($2,000) can be given to anyone found to have broken the law by failing to buy a £139.50 ($278) licence.

TV Licensing officials can detect which of the UK's homes do not have a licence through a database holding details of more than 29 million addresses. "

Amazon Plans an Online Store to Stream Movies and TV Shows

Amazon Plans an Online Store for Movies and TV ShowsAmazon.com will introduce a new online store of TV shows and movies on Thursday, called Amazon Video on Demand. The New York Times reports.

"Customers of Amazon’s new store will be able to start watching any of 40,000 movies and television programs immediately after ordering them because they stream, just like programs on a cable video-on-demand service.

That is different from most Internet video stores, like Apple iTunes and the original incarnation of Amazon’s video store, which require users to endure lengthy waits as video files are downloaded to their hard drives.

Amazon struck a deal with Sony Electronics to place its Internet video store on the Sony Bravia line of high-definition TVs."

Download Movies and TV Shows to Your PlayStation 3

It looks like video game consoles are increasingly becoming excellent devices on which to get movie and TV show downloads.

"On Monday, Microsoft announced the immediate availability of more movies and TV shows from partners such as Universal and NBC and now Sony has followed suit, as it just announced that as of last night, its movie and TV download service for the PlayStation 3 will be up and running."

[via Switched]

China's Video Site Back Online After More Than a Month

According to PCWorld, 56.com, one of China's top three online video sites, resumed service Friday, after an unexplained interruption of over a month.

A message to users attributed the stoppage to technical expansion. Though it was never specified, it was rumored that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) which regulates broadcast and online content providers, had either banned or suspended, the site. "

Whatever, good news, it's back.56.com streams many of the latest US TV series.

TV Squad offers video glimpse of Mad Men season 2

The second season of Mad Men premieres on Sunday, July 27 (after a July 20 marathon to get non-fans caught up), and thanks to TV Squad, here are some videos to give you a taste for what the show is like and what might be in store for the guys and girls at Sterling Cooper.

China Grants License To Would-Be YouTube, Youku

Investors that have poured $80 million into Chinese video site Youku can breathe a sigh of relief. The video sharing site, one of three vying to become the "Chinese YouTube," was granted a video license from the Chinese government this week, according to CEO Victor Koo.

This is a big deal: China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television granted 247 video licenses this spring to the likes of Sina.com and SCCTV.com, but hadn't yet granted licenses to any of the top-three video sharing sites: Tudou, Youku, or 56.com.

[via Silicon Alley Insider]

Related: - A Chinese YouTube Disappears, Along With Millions Of Western Dollars. Next?

China Halts Illegal Olympic Videos On More Than 20 Websites

File under somewhat extreme with more to come. The National Copyright Administration of China says it sent orders to more than 20 video websites to stop their illegal broadcasting of the unauthorized Olympic torch relay videos. China Tech News reports.

"In a press conference, Xu Chao, vice director of the Copyright Division of NCAC, said that China will impose strict punishments on Internet and mobile platforms that broadcast events and activities related to the Olympic Games without authorization.

If any website is found roadcasting Olympic events and activities without authorization, the website will receive a maximum fine of CNY100,000 ($14,500) in administrative penalties. If the circumstance is serious, it will be investigated for criminal liability.

... In addition, the departments in charge will establish a joint law-enforcement office during the Olympic Games to implement a 24-hour supervision over the broadcast activities of the media."