Archives: August 2007

Apple, in response to NBC’s increasingly aggressive negotiating tactics, is not going to offer NBC TV shows for the upcoming Fall TV season on iTunes. This ratcheting of tensions could conceivably evaporate if the two companies come to some sort of agreement. NBC accounts for 40 percent of Apple’s iTunes downloads. From John Shinal of MarketWatch:

”The Apple-NBC story in a nutshell is that NBC Universal executives did a bad impersonation of Marlon Brando and made Jobs an offer that he couldn’t accept.

”According to the release from Apple, NBC’s offer would have forced the Cupertino, Calif.-based company to raise the price of an episode to $4.99 from $1.99. Rather than wait until December, when the current agreement ends, Jobs slammed the door on the relationship.
The question now is who will be more hurt by the split.”

Three of the10 best-selling shows on iTunes last season were NBC properties.

(image via clipart)

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Forbes’ annual list of The World’s Most Powerful Women contains, to be sure, many of the usual suspects. New York Times Chief Executive Janet Robinson makes the list, as do Diane Sawyer, Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira. Martha Stewart and Barbara Walters, however, do not make the list. From Stephanie D. Smith of WWD:

”Other media power hitters include Oprah Winfrey (21st, dropping from 14th last year); Judy McGrath, chief executive, MTV Networks (31st; 52nd last year) Time Inc. chief executive Ann Moore (57th; 53rd in 2006); CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour (74th; 79th in 2006); Playboy chief executive Christie Hefner (85th; 80th in 2006), and Hearst Magazines president Cathie Black (94th; 92nd last year).”

The Queen of England, by means of contrast, is rated the 23rd Most Powerful, according to Forbes. Draw your own inferences.

(image via clipart)

The New York Post’s Media Ink columnist Keith Kelly reports that New York Times business editor Larry Ingrassia is shopping a book proposal to publishers on the $5 billion Murdoch takeover of Dow Jones. Joseph Nocera — a business columnist for The Times — was originally involved, but pulled out, leading Kelly to wonder if the book will ever even get off the ground.

The low six-figure advance figure that was to be divided two ways between Nocera and Ingrassia has been met with a ”cool” response from publishers, according to kelly. Contrast that with Michael Wolff’s significantly larger high six figure deal from Doubleday. Despite the monetary difference, Wolff and Nocera-Ingrassia were both represented by Andrew “The Jackal” Wylie.

The Times newsroom, Kelly also notes, is not happy about an editor negotiating an outside business deal with ”someone who reports directly to him in his day job.” Oy veh. And did we happen to mention Ingrassia’s brother is an executive at Dow Jones about to exit? From The Post:

”’It is fraught with conflicts of interest,’ said one insider. ‘Larry was supervising coverage of the deal and he never told the newsroom he was working on a book. Presumably, he knew who all their confidential sources were.”’

Conflict of interest?

(image via illinimedia)

Folio: Weighing and Weighing In on Fashion Mag Ads

TVNewser: Is Shelly Ross going to CBS?

NYDailyNews: More on the Zahn-Cohen Divorce

NYPost: Business Week Publisher Exits for Software Start-up

NYT: NBC To Not Renew iTunes Contract

Anna Wintour has been in the front row for at least two of Roger Federer’s US Open matches so far. Wintour seems to be interested in shepherding the number-one seeded tennis player into the world of chic, where she reigns supreme. Says the Post:

”Imperious Vogue editrix Anna Wintour is apparently crushing like a Teen Vogue intern over hunky tennis star Roger Federer.

”She’s been dressing him up. She threw a fancy party for him at the Gramercy Park Hotel after she got him on the cover of Men’s Vogue.

”And on Wednesday night, the hardboiled magazine mistress was front and center at his U.S. Open first-round match, flashing a schoolgirl-like smile as he easily beat Chilean Paul Capdeville.”

As power couples go, they do make for compelling copy. He’s going after his 12th Grand Slam title and fourth US Open crown in a row while she’s about to preside over her umpteenth Fashion Week.

(image via style)

William Shawn, who edited The New Yorker from 1952 until 1987, would have been one hundred years old today. According to Lawrence Weschler, the agoraphobic University of Michigan dropout and legendary editor was the most curious man in the world. Weschler also notes that Shawn worried about the effect of television on The New Yorker audience and whether or not the then new medium might destroy people’s attention span. From January Magazine:

”There is no question that the nostalgia surrounding Shawn’s tenure has taken on a fair amount of selective memory. There were, during his days, some pretty boring issues. There’s also no question that the high points were more elevated when ‘Mr. Shawn’ (as he was known) was in charge.

”A notoriously shy man, William Shawn would probably disapprove of any fuss made of his birthday, including this posting. I willingly risk his disapproval by highlighting him here today.”

Cheers.

(image via vedmehta)

Ah, to be young again. Today’s NY Sun runs an article about the new show Gossip Girls, a fictitious depiction of life at an all-girls private high school on the Upper East Side. Created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the masterminds behind The O.C., it’s loosely based on the books of the same name.

The pilot episode depicts girls in short skirts, drinking at bars and doping in Central Park — typical high school stuff. It’s drawn the ire of parents and administrators (kids from some UES schools were reportedly banned from speaking with Schwartz and Savage), but students think the portrayal rings true. According to The Sun, “‘There are parallels,’” a 2007 graduate of the Spence School, Mina Beveney, said after watching the pilot.”

We’re not surprised. It’s only a matter of time before the kids are playing beer pong with the I-banking set at Brother Jimmy’s, assuming, of course, they weren’t already.

Jack Shafer, man, we love you. We’ve always regarded those foreign investment advertising supplements that show up in the NY Times and Washington Posts as quirky little curiosities: Learn about the hidden tourist hotspots of Qatar! Discover Uzbekistan for your company – our authoritarianism means you save money!

But Shafer, you actually went to the trouble of reading Russia’s ad supplement in the Washington Post.

Highlights after the jump.

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Bauer’s ditching their business plan of selling mags cheaply at newsstands /supermarkets / convenience stores / etc. Yes, the days of $1.99 issues of In Touch are over. Here are the specifics, courtesy of Mediaweek:

In Touch and Life & Style weeklies, which sell more than 2 million copies on the newsstand at a price of $1.99, will go up to $2.99. On the women’s service front, First for Women will go to $2.49 from $1.99; and Woman’s World to $1.79 from $1.49. Teen titles J-14 and M will go to $3.99 from $2.99. Soaps in Depth will go to $3.99 from $3.50. The increases will take effect at the end of October and early November.

The move follows pressure from Bauer’s wholesalers, who lose money on mags that cost less than $1.99 apiece. Besides the price hike, Bauer is also trying to curry goodwill with wholesalers by offering them greater mag discounts. Boring news, but it will have ramifications once their next circ figures come out. We’ll be watching.

Hey, it looks like Rupert Murdoch isn’t the only corporate titan Dow Jones is in bed with. DJ is teaming up with Barry Diller‘s IAC to create a personal finance site for twentysomethings. Helmed by former Wall Street Journal columnist Ron Lieber, the site is called “FiLife” and is skedded for a December launch. A blog written by the site’s staff is currently up, and it’s distinctly underwhelming. As for the name FiLife:

Lieber writes that the name of the site is indeed FiLife, which is pronounced FIGH-life. “It’s a semi-mashup of Financial Life and High Life,” he said.

Other staff members include Sam Grobart, Tara Siegel Bernard, Irina Aleksander and Mary Pilon.