New CBS News Chief Lifts Staff Morale

One year after the CBS News staff was demoralized by news of dozens of additional job cuts and demotions, Jeff Fager, the new chairman of the division, and David Rhodes, its new president, suggested that there may be a change in the wind.

As reported by TVNewser.com, Fager told a “town hall” of news staffers in New York: “We are making an announcement today that should tell you a lot about this new era at CBS News and about our priorities. As of today, Larry Doyle is returning to CBS News fulltime.” Doyle, who was regarded as one of the top producers of war coverage for the network, with a 40-year history with the network — and presumably a salary commensurate with that long service — was among those laid off in the February 2010 bloodletting.

Rhodes indicated that the CBS Evening News would beef up its hard-news coverage. “I know there’s a lot of audience interest in Prince William getting married,” Rhodes said, according to the TVNewser item. “But I’m not convinced that the priorities that were in these [budget] figures are right. So, I’ve asked that we spend less on London and more on stories like Tucson and Cairo.”

from "Studio Briefing"

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CBS and Netflix Announce Two-Year Licensing Agreement for Library Content

CBS Corporation and Netflix, Inc. today announced a two-year, non-exclusive licensing agreement.

It will allow select TV shows from CBS’s library, including episodes of  "Medium" and "Flashpoint" as well as full seasons of classics such as "Frasier," and "Cheers," to be streamed instantly from Netflix.  CBS retains an option to extend the agreement for up to two additional years.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Beginning in early April, dozens of hit shows from CBS will join the extensive library of television shows and movies available to watch instantly from Netflix for only $7.99 a month.

Content covered under the new deal includes the long-running drama, "Medium" and the summer season favorite, "Flashpoint."  Also covered under the agreement are episodes from some of television’s most iconic franchises.  Full seasons of sitcom greats "Frasier," "Family Ties" and "Cheers" will be streaming instantly from Netflix.  Episodes from the original "Hawaii Five-0" are included in the package, as are episodes from all generations of the definitive sci-fi series, "Star Trek," and the cult favorite, "Twin Peaks."  Installments of ’60s classics, "The Twilight Zone" and "The Andy Griffith Show," will be available as well.

"This deal recognizes the increasing value of our content in today’s marketplace," said Scott Koondel, President of Distribution, CBS Television Distribution.  "More and more, people want to be able to access our programming on a wide variety of platforms.  We are very pleased that the titles offered through this deal will now also be made available to a whole new community through the terrific and convenient service that Netflix offers.  We will continue to pursue additional non-exclusive distribution partners that are additive to our overall business."

"We are thrilled to be bringing CBS shows to Netflix and are looking forward to growing our relationship over time," said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer for Netflix.  "Netflix is now the only online premium subscription service with shows featured on all four broadcast networks and dozens of cable TV’s biggest brands."

read the entire article at "CBS Corporation"

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Ratings: CBS Just Crushes Everything in Sight

Tuned In
The Nielsen dominance of CBS cannot be denied. Leaving aside the reality competition of American Idol, the Eye’s lineup of populist fare overwhelmed everything in sight last week, with the network claiming every other spot in the top fifteen. Every. Single. One. NCIS and NCIS: LA were the two most-watched scripted shows of the week, followed by a mix of more crime dramas (The Mentalist, Blue Bloods), comedies (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men), reality (Survivor), critically beloved soap opera (The Good Wife), and news (60 Minutes). CBS is like Bieber, Gaga, Kanye, and Lady Antebellum all wrapped in one generally predictable, incredibly popular package. Sure, Fox is tops with the advertiser-worshiped demo of viewers under 50, thanks almost entirely to the strength of American Idol and Glee. Much media coverage of the ratings race focuses on this fact, and understandably so since many advertisers base their buys on those figures. But performances like last week’s show that in terms of populist appeal, CBS has left its rivals dining on its dust.

Tuned Out
And then there are ABC and NBC. The two networks attracted an average audience of 6.6 million and 5.5 million viewers last week, respectively; add those two numbers together and you barely match the Eye’s average audience of 11.2 million viewers. For the second consecutive week, Harry’s Law was NBC’s most-watched show, and it finished a so-so No. 33 for the week. ABC did better, with Desperate Housewives and Modern Family pretty much tying at No. 19 for the week. Even with adults 18 to 49, these two nets lagged: ABC had only three shows in the top twenty, while NBC had but one (the soon to be Scott-free The Office.) Threat Level Midnight, indeed.

Behind the Numbers
Nielsen doesn’t publish a list combining averages for network and cable shows. But if they did, it’d quickly become clear just how much cable has joined the big leagues in terms of mass-appeal programming, particularly with younger viewers. To wit: Last week’s Jersey Shore averaged a 4.0 rating in adults 18 to 49, making it the No. 6 show in all of TV among that demo — ahead of Grey’s Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, and House. History’s Monday-night smash Pawn Stars averaged a 2.4 in the young demo, outrating Castle, Law & Order: SVU, and CSI: Miami for the week. It also hurts us, deeply, to tell you that more people under 50 watched MTV’s Teen Mom last week than such fine shows as Parenthood and The Good Wife. It’s not all good news for MTV, though: Last week’s Skins drew fewer young eyeballs than repeats of George Lopez on Nick at Nite.

from "NYMAG.COM – Vulture"

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CBS Reports Higher Revenue

The CBS Corporation said Wednesday that its fourth-quarter revenue rose 11 percent over the same period in 2009, helped by growth in local advertising.

Revenue for the full year increased 8 percent, to $14.06 billion, the company reported.

For the fourth quarter, revenue was $3.9 billion, up from $3.5 billion for the year-earlier period. CBS reported that every division recorded earnings growth, but the biggest increase was  21 percent in  local advertising.

The quarter coincided with the 2010 Congressional elections, and CBS said that political advertising helped support that growth. There was a companywide increase of 12 percent in advertising sales.

Among the company’s other divisions, entertainment revenue was up 11 percent, and both cable and outdoor advertising revenue increased 6 percent for the quarter.

CBS also cited a 21 percent increase in licensing and distribution revenue, highlighted by a second round of syndication sales for its hit drama “C.S.I.” and international sales of other shows like “NCIS.”

The company’s adjusted operating income rose to $770.1 million for the quarter, the best results for the year. Reported operating income before depreciation and amortization for the quarter increased 93 percent to $755.5 million from $390.9 million in 2010.

read the entire article at "NYT Media Decoder"

For additional information on this subject follow the links below:

• CBS Reports 4th-Quarter Surge in Profit, Revenue
• CBS Corp. Beats Estimates

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Logan Attack Spotlights Dangers Journalists Face

The attack on a CBS correspondent in Egypt covering the fall of President Hosni Mubarak highlights the dangers that journalists face.

Every day as they cover breaking news stories in foreign countries, especially regions that restrict freedom of the press.

Lara Logan, 39, was beaten and sexually assaulted by a Cairo mob Friday in the frenzied aftermath of Mubarak’s resignation after she was separated from her TV crew. She is among more than 140 journalists who have been attacked while covering Egypt’s political upheaval, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent organization to promote press freedoms worldwide. Logan is an CPJ board member.

Logan was released from a New York Hospital on Tuesday and is recovering at her home in Washington, D.C. She was rescued by a group of women and soldiers.

"What happened to Lara Logan is very serious, but not something that happens very much," said Gilles Lordet, chief editor of Reporters Without Borders, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting journalists from persecution and to improving the safety of journalists. He said situations vary from country to country.

Journalists working in volatile areas need to be aware of safety, said Tina Carr, director of the Rory Peck Trust, a London-based group that helps freelance journalists take part in what is known as hostile-environment training.

read the entire article at "USA Today"

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CBS Reporter Sexually Assaulted in Egypt

CBS News reporter Lara Logan was sexually assaulted after being surrounded by a crazed mob in Tahrir Square on Friday … moments after Hosni Mubarak officially stepped down.

According to CBS, Logan and her crew were covering a story for "60 Minutes" when they were surrounded by a mob of more than 200 people and she was separated from her security team.

CBS says 39-year-old Logan "suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers."

CBS continues, "[Logan] reconnected with the CBS team, returned to her hotel and returned to the United States on the first flight the next morning. She is currently in the hospital recovering."

Logan and her team had been detained by Egyptian police 8 days before the sexual assault — and Logan had reported, "We were accused of being more than journalists, very frightening suggestions were being made. Suggestions that really could be very dangerous for us."

from "TMZ"

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New CBS News Chief Faces Challenge of Spreading ’60 Minutes’ Gospel

So Jeff Fager goes from being responsible for CBS News’ "60 Minutes" each week to being responsible for CBS News 10,080 minutes each week.

The network unexpectedly announced Tuesday that Fager will become chairman of CBS News, beginning Feb. 22. David Rhodes, who has been head of TV operations for Bloomberg News and before that had a long stint at Fox News Channel, will become president.

Sean McManus, who has run CBS Sports since 1996 and added CBS News to his responsibilities in 2005, will just oversee the sports division as its chairman, a new title for him.

One need only look at the growing heft of the newly combined sports operations of NBC Universal and Comcast and the superpower that is Walt Disney’s ESPN empire to know there may be something to the idea that running CBS Sports is a full-time job requiring undivided attention.

McManus got to be like the late ABC legend Roone Arledge and run both the network news and sports divisions for a while. But Arledge, the longtime boss of McManus’ father, the late sportscaster Jim McKay, never had to face anything like the competition, economic pressures and technological changes affecting the business of sports and news today.

The all-too-common phrase in news these days is "doing more with less," and "less" is the dominant factor no matter how much "more" is needed. Accountants, tailors, barbers, butchers, sculptors and surgeons can cut their way to greatness. News people can’t, although budgets often demand it.

It’s never been more necessary to give the audience something unavailable elsewhere, be it facts, greater understanding, a sharper perspective, a unique voice or simply a good yarn.

"60 Minutes," which Fager will continue to run, has almost always delivered and thrived. But "The Early Show," CBS’ recently revamped entry in the morning news race, trails NBC’s "Today," the perennial broadcast network leader, by 47 percent this season. CBS’ nightly newscast, meanwhile, has lost 29 percent of its audience in the past decade, averaging 6.1 million viewers, and continues to lag behind NBC and ABC.

Among the first orders of business for Fager and Rhodes will be to determine whether CBS and lead anchor Katie Couric want to extend their marriage, and, if so, what an agreeable price would be. But that’s a math problem, and there are other subjects, like history, that should be heeded.

from "The Chicago Tribune"

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Earnings Preview: CBS Corporation

CBS Corporation , a diversified media conglomerate, is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter 2010 financial results on February 16, 2011.

The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is 44 cents a share. For the quarter under review, revenue is pegged at $3,857 million, according to the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Third-Quarter 2010, a Synopsis

CBS Corporation continued positive operating and cost-containment efforts to report strong third-quarter 2010 results, beating expectations. The quarterly earnings of 35 cents a share, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 31 cents, and increased 40% year over year.

Revenue declined marginally by 2% to $3,297.5 million compared to the same quarter previous year. The revenue also fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,357 million. The decline in revenue this quarter was mainly attributable to the absence of the benefit of first-cycle domestic syndication sales of five major titles, in the year-ago quarter.

Revenue for the quarter was primarily helped by a 10% growth in advertising to $1991.3 million and 15% growth in affiliate and subscription fees to $408.2 million.

Fourth-Quarter 2010 Zacks Consensus

Analysts considered by Zacks, expect CBS Corporation to post fourth-quarter 2010 earnings of 44 cents a share. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate reflects a growth of 76% from the prior-year quarter earnings. The current Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter ranges between 40 cents and 47 cents.

Zacks Agreement & Magnitude

Of the 21 analysts following the stock, 2 analysts have revised their estimates upwards and 2 analysts have lowered their estimates in the last 30 days, leaving the Zacks Consensus Estimate virtually unchanged. In the last 7 days, none of the analysts have revisited their estimates.

read the entire article at "Wall Street Pit"

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CBS Mars Grammys with Bleeps

Well, CBS exceeded last year’s regrettable performance of censoring artists on its Grammy Awards broadcast.

Earlier in the evening bleeping (dead silencing) phrases from Arcade Fire, Dr. Dre, Eminem,  Cee Lo, and Lady Gaga – five artists in comparison to three (Lil Wayne, Eminem, Drake) bleeped last year.

It’s getting to the point – as I mentioned in one of my Tweets during the Grammys broadcast – that CBS should start calling its show "Holes in the Music".   Afraid to stand up to the FCC and its unconstitutional fines on behalf of the rights of artists and writers to say what they please ("Congress shall make no law … abridging freedom of speech"), CBS also deprives people in America and around the world the right to enjoy performances of their favorite artists.    CBS’ cowardice is especially unfortunate in a world which is daily standing up for its freedom from government repression in memorable ways.

The Grammys need to move to another station, which is willing to let the music and words flow freely.

In the meantime, here are my Tweets pointing out the acts of censorship on CBS earlier this evening, in reverse order.   I look forward to the time that I can just Tweet about how much I’m enjoying the artists and their performances.

read the entire article at "tv.com"

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Player Agents Comment on NFL Labor Dispute

NFL owners have been heard on the labor front. So have the players. What about the agents?

Some say they aren’t expecting very much progress in negotiations between the NFL and the players’ union before the collective bargaining agreement expires March 3.

“The reason for that date is it’s the end of the league year,” said Joe Linta, who represents Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco and three dozen other players. “Sure, an extension could be coming. If I still believe in Santa Claus, I still have hope.”

Linta is among many agents who believe every other issue will get resolved quickly enough once the owners and union agree on how to split nearly $9 billion in revenues.

The owners get $1 billion off the top for operating expenses and are seeking an additional $1 billion. The players note how popular the league is, with record TV ratings, and say they shouldn’t have to take a pay cut.

“It’s all about money, as it always is,” he said Friday, “and everything will flow from there once there’s a macro agreement.”

Ralph Cindrich has been through every labor dispute between players and owners dating back to the 1970s and the union’s infancy. While saying of the state of negotiations “it’s fair to call it a mess,” Cindrich also concludes “it’s too early to panic” and when both parties want to seriously negotiate, they will.

“When they come to the time period when decisions need to be made, that’s when they will get down to something,” said Cindrich, who represents Steelers linebacker James Farrior and Colts center Jeff Saturday among many others.

read the entire article at "CBS News"

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