ESPN will announce today "the creation of a new programming unit," ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE), which will "aim to develop branded programming outside" the net's traditional sports and news coverage, according to Steven Stark of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. ESPN has "assembled a creative team to seek and develop new ideas under the EOE umbrella." The team includes reps from "various departments and entities," such as programming, marketing, production and ESPN Magazine. EOE will "look to do additional game shows, documentaries, movies, magazine/lifestyle shows and more." EOE will do a weekly 30-minute program, "The Life," based on a department of the same name in ESPN Magazine, which looks into the lives and homes of today's athletes. The show will debut January 13 and will run Wednesdays at 4:00pm ET and on ESPN2 several times a week. ESPN will produce "The Life" with N.Y.-based production company @radical.media. ESPN Senior VP/Programming Development Len DeLuca said that the net has made a 32-week commitment to the show (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 1/3).
CARRIAGE DEALS: In DC, Christopher Stearn reported that Comcast Cable and Disney reached agreement Friday "that ensures that" the cable company's 8.2 million subscribers "will not lose popular" Disney programming, including ESPN (WASHINGTON POST, 12/30). DAILY VARIETY's John Dempsey reported that "after a year of stalemated negotiations and extended deadlines," Comcast agreed to renew its contracts with Disney's ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPN News for "at least" eight years (DAILY VARIETY, 1/2). Meanwhile, in Boston, Tim Kirchofer reports that AT&T Broadband will raise its rates in MA for its standard cable package by an average of 4.9%, or "about" $1.59, starting next month. While programming costs "are up across the board, the biggest increases come from sports channels." AT&T Broadband spokesperson Richard Jenkins: "The cost of programming continues to rise, mostly due to sports programming. ... The (channel) that is probably among the more aggressive ones is ESPN" (BOSTON HERALD, 1/3).
NEW DIGS: Last night's ESPN's "Up Close" debuted a new set and location at the ESPN Zone in Anaheim, CA. ESPN's Gary Miller: "You'll the see the same insightful interviews you've seen in the past, but now you can actually come on by and watch it live for yourself" ("Up Close," 1/2).
