Media Notes

General Electric Q3 revenue from the NBC Universal unit rose 20% from the year-ago period to $3.6B, though profit fell to $542M from $603M. NBC finished fourth in a four-network ratings race last season, but GE CFO Keith Sherin said, “The NFL is performing for us. It’s about 9% ahead of last year’s [‘MNF’] ratings.” GE Chair & CEO Jeff Immelt added sales around the Olympics and NFL “will deliver more than $1[B] on GE revenue outside of just the NBC relationships” (Paul Bond, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 10/16).

ABOUT TIME: In N.Y., Keith Kelly reports about 70 bidders are interested in the 18 magazines being sold by Time Inc. — which “include mostly male-oriented titles such as Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Ski, Skiing and Transworld Snowboarding” — and “many industry observers feel the auction will be a bellweather for the entire publishing industry.” J.P. Morgan, which is running the auction, is hoping for $300-400M for the magazines (N.Y. POST, 10/14).

BIG TEN DEALS: Fox Cable Networks President of Affiliate Sales & Marketing Lindsay Gardner said that the Big Ten Network “has forged ‘several deals with smaller cable operators’ and up to 5 pacts with national carriers and/or large MSOs” (CABLEFAX DAILY, 10/16).

CALLIN’ CAMPBELL: In Toronto, William Houston reports the CBC’s Cassie Campbell on Saturday’s Flames-Maple Leafs game became “the first woman to work as a game analyst for ‘Hockey Night in Canada’” after analyst Harry Neale was snowed in by a storm in Western New York. Campbell, a rinkside reporter, “did a credible job,” and “HNIC” Exec Producer Joel Darling “plans to put her back in the booth this season” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 10/16). Also in Toronto, Chris Zelkovich writes, “Campbell performed remarkably well. ... She was a bit wordy and managed to state the obvious a couple of times, but she wasn’t the first analyst to commit those sins” (TORONTO STAR, 10/16).