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Tony Musante, Actor Who Left ‘Toma,’ Dies at 77
41 minutes ago
Tony Musante, who appeared on numerous TV shows, in films and on Broadway, but was best known for starring in 1973 series “Toma,” died Tuesday in Manhattan of a hemorrhage after oral surgery. He was 77.
Musante left the ABC detective show after one season to pursue opportunities onstage such as his first Broadway role, “P.S. Your Cat is Dead!,” and in films. After he left, the show was relaunched a few years later as “Baretta” and became popular with Robert Blake in Musante’s .
He had a recurring role on “Oz” and was nominated for an Emmy for “Medical Story.”
Among his film roles were “The Last Run” opposite George C. Scott in 1971, “The Pope of Greenwich Village” and 1967′s “The Incident” with Martin Sheen. He appeared on Broadway with Meryl Streep in Tennessee Williams’s “27 Wagons Full of Cotton” in 1976.
Although “Toma” was performing fairly well against highly-rated “The »
- Pat Saperstein
Frank Darabont Looks Ahead to ‘Mob City’ After Tense ‘Walking Dead’ Departure
1 hour ago
It’s 10:45 a.m. on a Thursday, and Frank Darabont is groggy. With barely a month left until the premiere of his latest TV series, TNT’s “Mob City,” the workload is weighing on him.
“I don’t escape it in my sleep,” Darabont says between sips of coffee. “I go home, and whatever amount of sleep I do get, I’m dreaming about being on set and all the thorny possible things that could happen, but it’s an abstraction of those problems. … It’s just my subconscious messing with me. It’s always been that way.”
Sitting on the floor of his Spanish-style offices in Los Feliz, Darabont takes drags off an e-cig, vaguely resembling the characters in his period drama that draws on the rich heritage of L.A. noir — except that he’s wearing one of his signature Hawaiian shirts, and his nearby iPhone is »
- AJ Marechal
Xbox One Is Still Stuck in Cable’s Orbit
2 hours ago
The “one” in the name Xbox One is a little misleading when it comes to watching live TV through Microsoft’s new videogame console.
Though the device is being touted as an all-entertainment hub, accessing channels on it still requires a settop box from a pay-tv provider.
The Hdmi cord still required to connect the two boxes is the compromise Microsoft had to make in order to take its baby step toward revolutionizing how consumers interact with content.
Through Microsoft’s OneGuide, the Xbox One cleanly and cleverly organizes series from broadcast and cable networks, as well as the streaming content provided via entertainment apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon and Machinima. Like the new Windows, the OneGuide is a piece of software that lays on top of another — in this case, the often frustratingly slow and confusing onscreen listings of TV shows offered by most pay-tv providers.
OneGuide is smart and it works. »
- Marc Graser
America’s Next Top TV Exec: Come on Down!
2 hours ago
Every Hollywood executive has a similar story. They attend a holiday dinner or party, mention what they do, and get pitched ideas by some idiot nephew, enthusiastic neighbor or irritating friend of a friend.
Some are no doubt more polite than others, but invariably they come back with a similar retort — that while from afar it might seem like anybody can do what they do, the job really isn’t as easy as it looks.
Lately, though, the success of newer players, particularly in the failure-prone world of ordering and acquiring TV shows, has dealt that argument a bit of a blow, demystifying the process of identifying popular programming or the notion that those weaned on development meetings and focus groups can claim such skill or intuition as their exclusive province.
At least when cable networks started becoming aggressive about airing original content, networks could take comfort in the idea »
- Brian Lowry
NBA Inks U.K. Deal with Pay TV Operator BT
2 hours ago
London — U.K. pay TV operator BT has inked a deal with the National Basketball Assn. for exclusive live television coverage of NBA games, as well as other NBA programming.
The NBA coverage, which will air on the BT Sport platform, tips off on Dec. 1 as the Indiana Pacers take on the L.A. Clippers.
Coverage will include weekly games on Sundays. Fans will also be able to access selected games streamed live and for free on the BT Sport website and BT Sport App. Up to 200 games across the season will appear on the BT platforms. There will be up to seven live games per week throughout the regular season, and the first and second rounds of the Playoffs, as well as every game of the Conference Finals, culminating in the NBA Finals in June.
Also included in the partnership will be several magazine shows: “NBA Action,” which combines »
- Leo Barraclough
British singer Cheryl Cole Settles ‘X Factor USA’ Legal Dispute
6 hours ago
London — British singer Cheryl Cole has settled a legal dispute with the producers of “X Factor USA,” according to U.K. press reports.
Cole, who achieved fame with the band Girls Aloud, had inked a deal to appear as a judge in two seasons of Simon Cowell’s talent show, but was dropped after filming just one episode in 2011. Nicole Scherzinger replaced her. According to media reports, there were fears that U.S. viewers could not understand her, because of her strong regional accent — she comes from Newcastle in the North of England.
She sued Blue Orbit for $2.3 million for loss of earnings earlier this year. The dispute has now been settled out-of-court, with Blue Orbit paying her an undisclosed sum, the BBC reported Thursday.
The pay or play deal was for $1.8 million for the first season, and $2 million for the second, according to legal papers filed in L.A. »
- Leo Barraclough
U.K.’s ITV Catches Keshet’s Talent Show ‘Rising Star’
7 hours ago
London — The U.K.’s leading commercial network ITV has acquired talent show “Rising Star,” which was recently picked up by ABC for the U.S.
The show, which is being repped by Keshet Intl., will be co-produced in the U.K. by ITV Studios and Keshet Intl. U.K.
The format, which was unveiled at Mipcom in October, had previously been sold to Hungary (TV2), Italy (Toro), France (M6 Group), Russia (Rossiya1), Germany (Rtl) and the Nordics (Nordisk).
The show will include real-time voting by viewers via a free app, TV App to You, which is integrated into the show. If the performer secures 70% of the viewers’ and the judges’ votes, the screen rises in the studio and the new star is revealed.
The original show, which debuted in Israel in September, was produced by Tedy Productions for Keshet Broadcasting, and nabbed a 51.7% audience share at its peak. More »
- Leo Barraclough
NFL in Ratings League of Its Own As More Games Top 25 Million Viewers
19 hours ago
It’s been another monster ratings fall for the National Football League, as 15 games have already drawn 25 million viewers or more — nearly double the number (eight) for all of last season.
In Nielsen’s ratings that incorpoate live viewing and same-day DVR playback, the NFL has accounted for the top 24 most-watched telecasts since Labor Day. The only non-nfl program in the top 25 is CBS drama vet “NCIS,” whose season premiere in late September drew 20.02 million same-night viewers.
NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” is off to the franchise’s best start in 12 years, and is once again the season’s dominant primetime program. Its two November games featuring the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos (against the Chiefs and Patriots) each topped 26 million to stand as the most popular primetime November NFL games in 17 years.
Espn’s “Monday Night Football” is up year-over-year too and figures to draw two of its biggest »
- Rick Kissell
‘Atlantis’ Renewed by BBC America for Second Season
22 hours ago
BBC America has picked up a second season of fantasy co-production “Atlantis” just days after its series premiere.
Drama centers on Jason, who washes up on the shores of an ancient island populated by gods, goddesses and some of the most famous names in Greek legend.
“‘Atlantis’ is off to a fantastic start and is the centerpiece of our Saturday nights for the next 12 weeks,” said Richard De Croce, senior veep of programming at BBC America. “We’re committed to bringing our viewers even more entertaining episodes inspired by Greek mythology from Howard and the talented team in season two.”
Program, which airs on Saturday nights, opened its 13-seg first season on Nov. 23 and delivered 838,000 total viewers, making for the highest-rated series premiere ever for BBC America’s Supernatural Saturday. In the U.K., “Atlantis” is the biggest Saturday night drama to launch across the BBC cablers since 2006.
“Atlantis” is »
- AJ Marechal
TV Review: ‘Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!’
27 November 2013 10:00 AM, PST
How can you tell when a comedian who tries to be dark and edgy is going crazy? That’s the question posed by “Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!,” an unexpectedly thought-provoking series that Comedy Central is billing as its “first drama.” Not exactly, but the show does a credible job – through video and extensive interviews with the comic and his pals, who include exec producer Zach Galifianakis – of capturing Stevens’ on-the-fringes act and spectacular Twitter meltdown, eventually prompting his concerned friends to intervene. Whatever the future holds for Stevens, this look at his past goes beyond just the tears of a clown.
“I think a lot of comics are wired differently,” Galifianakis suggests in a direct-to-camera interview, capturing some of the difficulties friends and fellow comics faced in recognizing whether Stevens was genuinely in trouble or, as some perceived it, merely engaged in some brilliantly elaborate version of performance art. »
- Brian Lowry
‘Agents of Shield’ Up, But ‘Rudolph’ Shines Brightest on Tuesday
27 November 2013 9:26 AM, PST
Update: In updated Nielsen national estimates released Wednesday afternoon, “Marvel’s Agents of Shield” was one of four programs adjusted up by a tenth. As a result, “Shield” (2.6/8 in 18-49, 9.69 million viewers overall) gained 8% week to week for a five-week demo high while drawing its second largest overall audience to date.
NBC’s “The Voice” (3.0/8 in 18-49, 10.35m) gained a tenth to tie CBS’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” as the night’s No. 1 show in 18-49. CBS’ “Person of Interest” grew too (2.2/6 in 18-49, 11.89m), matching its top 18-49 rating since its season premiere. And at CW, “Supernatural” rose to a 1.1/3 in 18-49.
ABC rookie drama “Marvel’s Agents of Shield” on Tuesday edged up for a second straight week, perhaps benefiting from not having to face CBS monster “NCIS” for the first time. Still, CBS held the upper hand in that hour, and on the night, with holiday perennial »
- Rick Kissell
OneRepublic Founder Joins ‘The Voice’ as In-House Producer, Songwriter
27 November 2013 9:08 AM, PST
“The Voice” is beefing up its professional talent roster, as Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic joins the NBC series as its first-ever in-house producer and songwriter.
Tedder, who served as an adviser this season on “The Voice,” co-founded OneRepublic and supplies the vocals for tracks including “Apologize,” “Stop and Stare” and “Good Life.” As “The Voice’s” in-house producer and songwriter, he will work with the final three artists this season, penning original songs stylized for each contestant.
The finalists will perform the original songs at the conclusion of the season on Dec. 17. (Like all performances on “The Voice,” the tracks will then be available for download immediately following the episode broadcast on iTunes.)
Singing competitions including “American Idol,” “X Factor” and “The Voice” are typically known for having contestants cover songs from major artists, save “Idol’s” coronation songs for finalists, which have, at times, gone on to be chart-topping hits. »
- AJ Marechal
Golden Globes Beats Emmys to the Punch Honoring New TV
27 November 2013 9:00 AM, PST
If the Golden Globes earned their spurs as a bellwether for the Oscars, thanks to the vagaries of the calendar, the relationship between the January ceremony and TV has potentially become equally intriguing.
While the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. hasn’t been quite so reliably on the same page as the Motion Picture Academy in recent years, the ability of Globes voters to weigh in on new programs eight months in advance of the Emmys has allowed them to pounce more quickly — in a “what’s hot?” manner well suited to our caffeinated culture — on series, which are especially eager for such validation.
Granted, part of that has to do with a tendency within the HFPA — despite its reputation for skewing older than just about any group except perhaps the Fox News audience — to be drawn to that which is shiny and new.
In the past 11 years, the Globes have »
- Brian Lowry
‘Glee’ Fans To Vote On Songs To Be Featured In 100th Episode
27 November 2013 8:47 AM, PST
Power to the people!
Or, to the Gleeks, at least.
Fans of Fox’s “Glee” can feast their eyes — and ears — on a newly-launched promo campaign for the hit musical dramedy. Dubbed “Glee 100th Gleeks Choice: You Vote. We Remix.,” the promotion allows fans to help select which songs are performed in “Glee’s” 100th episode, slated to air March 18.
Gleeks can participate by visiting Fox.com/GleeksChoice and along with the Glee Facebook page to vote for their fave musical number from the last five seasons. (30 songs are featured on the voting list.) Songs that fans can cast a ballot for include the Glee Cast Versions of “Bad Romance,” “Forget You,” “Like a Prayer” and “Toxic.”
The Top 10 fan-chosen “Glee” songs will then be remixed and performed by current members of the New Directions in “Glee’s” 100th episode next year.
“Gleeks Choice” kicks off today at 10 a.m. »
- AJ Marechal
Berlusconi Ousted From Italy’s Parliament Following Tax Fraud Conviction
27 November 2013 8:47 AM, PST
Rome - Silvio Berlusconi has been voted out of parliament by the Italian Senate, following his conviction in August for tax fraud in a case pertaining to Hollywood movie deals done by his Mediaset TV empire.
The Senate booted out the media-mogul-turned pol on Wednesday based on a 2012 law that bans anyone sentenced to more than two years in prison from holding or running for public office for six years. It also stripped Berlusconi of his parliamentary immunity from incarceration.
While imprisonment is not likely, he now faces one year of community service due to the softened four-year tax-fraud conviction.
The Senate vote was actually a series of votes against nine amendments presented to try and prevent Berlusconi’s expulsion on procedural grounds. These amendments were struck down by a wide majority.
The watershed expulsion is likely to prevent the three-time premier who, after entering Italian politics in 1994 became the country’s most powerful pol, »
- Nick Vivarelli
Asia TV Success Stories: Korean Dramas, Asian Animation
27 November 2013 8:10 AM, PST
Aside from Hong Kong’s kung fu movies, Korean dramas and Asian animation are the two genres of local content that have the most success crossing borders within Asia.
Long-running Korean series play everywhere from Mongolia to the Middle East, Eastern Europe to Mexico, which otherwise have little connection with Korean culture. Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun recently reported that all four terrestrial and six satellite channels in Japan were airing Korean drama, amounting to more than 93 hours of Korean content per week.
Mbc’s historical medical drama “Jewel in the Palace” this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, a decade in which South Korean TV drama exports have climbed in value from just $8 million in 2001 to $155 million in 2011, the latest data available. Most are sold as completed shows, but others have been sold as formats.
Korean dramas tend to have high-quality production values and often melodramatic plots, but despite romance »
- Patrick Frater
College Athletes: The Key Ingredient in TV’s Bountiful Thanksgiving Food Chain
27 November 2013 8:00 AM, PST
Much has been written this year about low-wage workers being compelled to work on Thanksgiving day, as major retail employers expand Black Friday holiday-selling hours. But this work-on-the-holiday reality has already been true for a while regarding another class of under-compensated laborers: College athletes.
The Thanksgiving weekend brings a dizzying assortment of college basketball tournaments and football games, a prelude to the latter’s bowl season, which now begins in mid-December and extends well into January. How quaint it is to think back on the day when everyone consumed their fill of football on New Year’s Day and then got back to other pastimes.
While the analogy isn’t perfect — and yes, some of these kids will eventually become millionaires — the exploitation of college athletes has become a major topic of conversation, as detailed in the recent documentary “Schooled: The Price of College Sports,” which makes the case that »
- Brian Lowry
TV in Asia: Getting Right Mix for Vast Market a Key Issue for Execs
27 November 2013 8:00 AM, PST
Getting content right for the vast Asia Pacific TV market is one of the key issues for executives at the Asian TV Forum & Market in Singapore and Screen Singapore, which both run Dec. 3-6. That’s because few channels and shows can really work across a region that stretches from India to Japan, and encompasses some of the most developed TV markets to pay TV newcomers, while others, like China, are still subject to significant restrictions.
Along with the more techie questions of delivery, second or third screens and how to engage a generation that has never known cords — forget being cord-cutters — presenting the right content mix has time and again been the difference between ratings success and irrelevance.
For many international channels, localization has been the answer. That has entailed breaking up pan-regional Asian feeds into more segmented, sometimes single-market offerings underneath a regional or multinational brand. And it »
- Patrick Frater
NBC Sports Taps Katy Perry As Sochi Olympics Promotion Intensifies
27 November 2013 3:00 AM, PST
Your Thanksgiving holiday is NBCUniversal’s Olympics call to arms.
The Peacock will use its Turkey Day broadcasts of “Today,” the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (and an afternoon rerun) and The National Dog Show to burnish its coming 2014 broadcasts of the Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia. Viewers of these events are likely to see a promo featuring various Olympic athletes celebrating moments of achievement all with Katy Perry’s “Roar” as a backdrop.
“We will kick off on Thanksgiving our next tier,” said John Miller, chief marketing officer of NBC Sports Group. “At that point, we will have run about 20% of our effort. An additional 80% will happen up to Sochi itself.” In all, said Miller, NBCU will create close to 500 different pieces of on-air promotion, ranging from spots for its top 30 station affiliates that may play up athletes who hail from specific regions, to commercials for cable and satellite »
- Brian Steinberg
ABC to Air ‘The Taste’ Despite Nigella Lawson Drug Use Allegations
27 November 2013 12:43 AM, PST
London — ABC has said it has no plans to cancel cooking show “The Taste,” despite allegations of substantial drug use made against one of the show’s stars, Nigella Lawson, in a London court on Tuesday.
A second season of the U.S. show, in which Lawson acts as a judge alongside chefs Anthony Bourdain and Ludo Lefebvre, is due to air in January. “We have already wrapped production on ‘The Taste’ and it will air as planned beginning January 2nd,” ABC told the Guardian newspaper.
Lawson is due to appear as a witness in the trial of sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo, who are accused of committing fraud while working as personal assistants to Lawson and her former husband Charles Saatchi.
The prosecution claims the sisters fraudulently used company credit cards to spend up to £300,000 ($486,000) on luxury goods and air travel. The sisters’ defense is that they claim to »
- Leo Barraclough
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