Cable Show Panel Indicates TV Industry Healthy, Growing
 |
Bodenheimer Discusses
Growth In Cable TV Industry |
ESPN President George Bodenheimer yesterday at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual Cable Show said of the health of the cable TV industry, "I don't think there's ever been a better time to be in a business." Bodenheimer: "The pie is growing every which way you look at it -- Internet, TV, radio. ... You have more opportunities to reach your customer than ever before." The majority of people at the show were "very keen on HD." Time Warner Cable President & CEO Glenn Britt: "We're transitioning to a new standard. When we get there, all TV will be HD. I think we're just partly through that transition. It's good for everyone." Meanwhile, Britt said of programmers putting shows on the Internet for free that operators pay for, "Guess what? We do mind that" (CABLEFAX DAILY, 5/20).
ESPN GROWTH: Nielsen data indicates that ESPN in Q4 "posted strong ratings growth, with prime-time viewership growing 15% and total day ratings climbing 13%." ESPN Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Sean Bratches said of the net's HD offerings, "ESPN's ratings in April were 43% higher in [HD] homes vs. standard-definition homes." Bratches noted Nielsen has "expanded its sample to include out-of-home viewing," including venues such as college dorms and bars. Bratches: "Overall, sports affinity continues to grow. Over 90% of Americans consider themselves sports fans today, and in [Q4 '07], we had a record 209 million different people tune in to one of ESPN's networks." Bratches added that "about 60% of the ad deals ESPN makes include more than one platform." Bratches: "That's not forced, either. We're not saying if you want to buy a spot on 'SportsCenter,' you have to buy this other stuff. People understand that they want to reach fans in a new way." MARKETWATCH's David Wilkerson noted ESPN has developed a "branded media player that can be licensed to third parties on the Web" in an effort to "stay in step with users of social-networking sites." Bratches said that ESPN "plans to be 'very proactive' in reaching out to various social networks that may want to add its embedded player." Bratches: "We recently did a deal with AOL, and the economic exchange there is that all clicks come back to ESPN.com, we monetize those. We're giving AOL a share of the (ad rate) that we're selling" (MARKETWATCH.com, 5/19).
CRUISING FOR CARRIAGE: CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus attended the Cable Show for the first time this year and had round-the-clock meetings with cable operators to try and increase the carriage of CBS News and Sports. McManus and CBS Senior/VP of Programming Mike Aresco brought out former Saints QB Archie Manning for a client dinner at the New Orleans restaurant Commanders Palace (John Ourand, THE DAILY).
ION PROGRAMMING: Digital cable channel ION Life picked up the rights to two sports series that it will begin telecasting in June. The channel picked up an undetermined number of 30-minute episodes called “Stories of the NFL” from NFL Films. It has scheduled the series to run daily in its 8:00pm ET slot starting June 2. It also bought 10 one-hour episodes of “The 50 Greatest Moments at Madison Square Garden” from MSG, which the net will simulcast on the ION Television Network. The series will air Sundays at 6:00pm beginning June 15 (Ourand).
|
