AFTER 9-MONTH PROBE, LEVESON ISSUES MILD REPORT ON UK MEDIA

For an investigation that was triggered by the alleged misdeeds of News Corp’s British subsidiary, News International, whose tabloids, the now-defunct News of the World and The Sun, were accused of hacking the voicemail of thousands of citizens and paying bribes to police and other officials for information, there was surprisingly scant criticism of Rupert […]

STEPHEN KING SERIES TO BOW ON CBS NEXT SUMMER

A Stephen King series that was originally set to air on the Showtime pay-TV channel will instead air on CBS’s free broadcast network. Moreover, the 13-episode series, Under the Dome, will skip the pilot stage and go directly into production, the network said on Thursday. Even more curiously, CBS announced plans to air it next […]

CNN’S ZUCKER: WE NEED TO BROADEN THE DEFINITION OF NEWS

Newly named CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker said during a conference call with reporters on Thursday that he aims to make the cable news channel “relevant, vibrant and exciting.” He did not offer details on how he planned to do that, but he did indicate that he would not follow the example of Fox News […]

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: IT’LL BE THE PITTS

More and more, it seems, ticket sales at this time of year would appear to hinge on activity at shopping malls, where many theaters are located as “anchor” tenants. Black Friday brings out the big crowds, many of whom head to the cineplex at the end of their shopping day; ergo record sales in the […]

MOVIE REVIEWS: KILLING THEM SOFTLY

Brad Pitt and his acting colleagues in Killing Them Softly are receiving much applause from critics even as the movie they’re appearing in is not. “It can be a pleasure to watch them all work, even in what turns out to be a disappointing job,” writes A.O. Scott in the New York Times. The movie, […]

IRANIAN FILMMAKERS BARRED FROM ATTENDING CAIRO FILM FEST

Two Iranian films are scheduled to be screened at the 35th Cairo International film Festival during the coming week, but neither director of the two films or anyone else associated with them will be on hand to discuss them or to receive awards if they should win. Iranian news media reported on Thursday that Egypt’s […]

MARK HAMILL UNSURE ABOUT STAR WARS RETURN

While it had appeared from earlier statements that all of the original Star Wars members had been lined up by George Lucas to return to their roles for Episode 7, Mark Hamill has told E! News that he is undecided about doing so. Apparently speaking for the other costars of the original trilogy (or perhaps […]

IT’S OFFICIAL: ZUCKER WILL HEAD CNN

CNN has confirmed numerous reports that former NBC chief Jeff Zucker will take over as president of CNN Worldwide He will succeed Jim Walton who announced in July that he will step down at the end of the year. CNN said that Zucker will take over in January. Several analysts expressed doubt that Zucker was […]

FOX CHIEF CHALLENGES TV EXECS TO RETHINK THEIR BUSINESS

Fox Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly accused his fellow TV execs on Wednesday of having “our head up our ass” He apparently included himself in that judgment, noting that none of the networks is taking into account the changing behavior of television viewers. To assess the change, he suggested, the execs only have to look at […]

WILL NEXT SEASON’S SERIES BE CALLED “TWO MEN?”

Thus far all of the public flack that Angus T. Jones has had to endure in the wake of the comments that Two and a Half Men is filth and should not be watched has come from people not associated with the show. Those connected with it have been conspicuously silent — or sympathetic with […]

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