TVBizwire

Comedy Central Orders Jon Heder Sitcom From Gary Sanchez Productions; Debmar-Mercury to Serve as Distributor

2009-07-09T19:41:27Z

Comedy Central has ordered a new unnamed sitcom from Gary Sanchez Productions and Debmar-Mercury starring Jon Heder.In the show, which was picked up for an initial 10-episode run, will feature Heder as former big-city IT specialist who loses his job and moves back in with his small-town family. Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy will serve as producers for Gary Sanchez Productions.Debmar-Mercury will serve as distributor in a deal similar modeled after deals struck by the company’s co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein for Tyler Perry’s sitcoms.As part of the deal, Comedy Central will have the option to order an additional 90 episode after the initial run while Debmar-Mercury will keep the syndication rights."We immediately jumped at the opportunity to be in business with this elite team of A-list comedy talents, who are among a handful of people in Hollywood capable of pulling off a project of this magnitude," said Marcus in a release."As we expand on a proven business model, we could not be more pleased that Comedy Central chose this concept to serve as its first full-fledged, live-action original sitcom,” added Bernstein.Debmar-Mercury has previously worked to Comedy Central on the broadcast syndication of “South Park.”"Combining the creative genius of the Gary Sanchez gang with the brilliant business model established by Mort and Ira at Debmar-Mercury should ensure many, many great laughs in the years to come on Comedy Central," said the network’s president Michele Ganeless.--Sergio Ibarra

British Police Open Preliminary Investigation Into Report That Murdoch’s U.K. Papers Paid Hacking Victims to Stay Quiet

2009-07-09T12:36:36Z

British police said they will begin a preliminary investigation into a report by The Guardian that alleged that Fox-owner Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper group settled legal cases in which his journalists were accused of working with private investigators to hack into cellphones to get stories, The New York Times says.The Guardian, citing unnamed sources, reported that thousands of public figures including actors, sports stars and cabinet officials had their phones tapped or hacked into. The U.K. paper said Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers paid about $1.6 million to settle the legal cases out of court, in exchange for secrecy.Murdoch denied The Guardian report.--Elizabeth Jensen

Reality Shocker: N.J. 'Real Housewives' Do Series for Free, Pay Bravo 10% of Post-Show Earnings

2009-07-09T12:30:23Z

According to a contract given to participants, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” don’t get paid to appear on the hit Bravo show.Adding insult to injury, according to a contract signed by one cast member, participants have to pay Bravo 10% of “any and all gross income … unrelated to the Series” that they bring in for up to four years after the last episode airs.This is a great deal for Bravo. Last month's season finale of the show drew more than 4.6 million viewers. It aired on a Tuesday night, and the episode was the most-watched show on television that night in the 18-49 adult demographic.Our source for the contract info is Popsquire, the website that bills itself as the place "where pop culture and the law collide." The copy of the contract the site acquired was from February, 2008.--Chuck Ross

HBO's 'Big Love' Series in Trouble With the University of Utah

2009-07-09T11:43:21Z

The University of Utah has sent a cease-and-desist letter to HBO, saying that the HBO series about a polygamist family in the Salt Lake City suburbs can’t use the school’s name or logo without permission, the Associated Press says.University officials said an episode of the show which showed a document using its name and logo made it seem as though it had an affiliation with the program. HBO denied that it violated anyone’s rights and said it will respond in due course.--Elizabeth Jensen

'30 Rock' Headed to Fox, Tribune Stations, as Well as Cable

2009-07-09T11:34:14Z

NBC Universal's sitcom “30 Rock” has been bought up by Fox and Tribune stations in major markets for a fall 2011 syndication debut, Broadcasting & Cable says.In the all-barter deal, Fox and Tribune are splitting the markets among themselves, with Fox getting New York and L.A., among others, and Tribune taking Chicago and Philadelphia.The show was also just sold to Comedy Central and WGN America for a concurrent cable run.--Elizabeth Jensen

Off-Net 'Old Christine' Sold to Lifetime

2009-07-09T11:32:31Z

Lifetime bought the rerun rights to CBS’ “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” to begin airing in Fall 2010, Variety says.The cable network paid about $350,000 per episode for the series, which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a single mom.--Elizabeth Jensen

'CSI' Creator Zuiker Stays at CBS, Will Develop Multimedia Shows

2009-07-09T11:30:11Z

“CSI” creator Anthony Zuiker set up a two-year, first-look production deal for his Dare to Pass company at CBS Television Studios, and will develop both scripted and reality shows, Variety says.With president of production Matthew Weinberg, he’ll be looking for cross-platform projects. “Making a one-off TV show is not going to sustain a real business anymore,” he said. “It starts with a great TV show, but then becomes a 24/7 experience. It's Web, mobile, gaming. From device to device to device.”--Elizabeth Jensen

Robin Williams Returning to HBO in December

2009-07-09T11:25:16Z

Comedian Robin Williams has booked his first solo standup show on HBO since 2002 for December, Variety says.The show will be taped in Washington, D.C. during his upcoming tour, “Robin Williams: Weapons of Self-Destruction.”--Elizabeth Jensen

Syfy's 'Warehouse 13' Opens Strong

2009-07-09T11:23:29Z

Some fans may be unhappy with the name switch from Sci Fi, but the Syfy network still pulled in viewers with the premiere of its “Warehouse 13” on Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter says.The series opener attracted 3.5 million viewers, making it the third-highest-rated premiere for the network, behind “Stargate: Atlantis” and “Eureka.”--Elizabeth Jensen

Mystery Novelist Coben Teams With 'Mother' Producer Malins for One-Hour Comedic Drama

2009-07-09T11:20:08Z

“How I Met Your Mother” executive producer Greg Malins and best-selling mystery novelist Harlan Coben have teamed up for a one-hour comedic drama about an uninhibited private-eye-turned-college-professor, The Hollywood Reporter says.The series has a script commitment at Fox.--Elizabeth Jensen

Terry Kinney Joining Cast of 'The Mentalist'

2009-07-09T11:15:36Z

Terry Kinney (“Oz,” “The Unusuals”) is joining CBS’ “The Mentalist” in a recurring role, The Hollywood Reporter says.He’ll play the head of the California Bureau of Investigation's Serial Crimes Unit, helping track down the serial killer responsible for the deaths of the wife and daughter of CBI consultant Patrick Jane.--Elizabeth Jensen

CW’s ‘Vampire,’ Fox’s ‘Past Life’ Set Up Shop in Atlanta for Tax Incentives

2009-07-08T23:38:01Z

Two new upcoming series have set up production in Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.The CW’s “Vampire Diaries” and Fox’s “Past Life” are taking advantage of the city’s tax incentives and setting up production. The two join Lifetime’s series “Drop Dead Divas,” which already shoots there.--Sergio Ibarra

Numbers In: About Half the U.S. TV Viewing of Tuesday's Michael Jackson Memorial Was on Cable TV Outlets, With CNN Leading the Way

2009-07-08T21:44:56Z

Of the average total size of the audience of 31.1 million people who watched the Michael Jackson Memorial Service yesterday—across 19 networks—about 16 million watched it on cable TV channels, according to Nielsen Media Research. The remaining audience—just over 15 million people, watched the memorial on one of the broadcast outlets, be it ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or one of the Spanish-language broadcasters.The exact broadcast numbers will be released tomorrow.On the cable side, in the battle between the all-news cable networks, CNN had an average audience of 5.3 million viewers, Fox News Channel had 2.2 million viewers, and MSNBC had 1.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.Of the cable entertainment channels, BET and E! were neck and neck with 761,000 average viewers and 757,000 average viewers, repsectively. MTV was next with 685,000 average viewers, followed by VH1, with 446,000 average viewers. Another 180,000 average viewers tuned into the TV Guide Network.In an historical comparison, according to Nielsen, Ronald Reagan’s burial in 2004 drew 35 million viewers, and Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 drew 33 million average viewers. Of course neither of those events drew the millions of live streams on computers that Jackson’s memorial drew.—Chuck Ross

Jackson Memorial Draws 6 Million TV Viewers in U.K., About Half the Number Who Tuned Into Tribute Shows Aired When He Died

2009-07-08T12:25:39Z

About 6 million TV viewers watched the Michael Jackson Memorial over the five channels that carried the event in the United Kingdom last night, the British press is reporting this morning. On average about 6.3 million viewers tuned in. One of those channels, News Corp.'s Sky News, at its peak drew 1.15 million viewers, which was Sky's highest rating since the first day of the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.The ratings paled next to the 11 million TV viewers in the U.K. who tuned into the six channels that aired tribute shows to Jackson on June 26. In the U.S., 31.1 million was the average number of viewers who tuned into the Memorial. Broadcast numbers aren't out yet, but click here for the specific U.S. cable TV viewing numbers for the memorial. After of the viewers in the U.S. watched the Memorial on cable outlets.--Chuck Ross

'30 Rock' Brings In Big Bucks in Off-Network Sales to Comedy Central, WGN America

2009-07-08T11:45:16Z

Despite the economic doldrums, NBC’s “30 Rock” brought in impressive sums in two separate off-network sales, to Comedy Central and WGN America, Variety says.The two outlets will pay a combined total of about $800,000 an episode for the reruns, which will begin airing as a weekday strip in Fall 2011. Others who showed interest were TBS and E!.--Elizabeth Jensen