After the coffee. Before catching up on "
The Skinny: I had trouble concentrating on "Mad Men" last night so rather than miss a detail, I turned off the TV. Now I just have to avoid all social media until I finish the episode. We have a pretty eclectic mix of stories today. Not only is there the box-office recap, but also profiles of
Daily Dose:
Still fighting. "Captain America: The Winter Solider" has plenty of stamina. The Marvel movie finished first at the box office for the third week in a row, with a take of $26.6 million. Finishing second were the birds of "Rio 2," which flew in with $22.5 million. But the big news was that coming in third place was the family film "Heaven is For Real" with a box office of $21.5 million. It's the latest in a string of faith-based hits. Opening to disappointing numbers was
A full plate. New Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler is doing a lot of juggling. He's trying to get more spectrum for wireless operators. He needs to oversee the agency's review of Comcast's proposed deal to buy Time Warner Cable. And he's also rewritten some rules he thought were giving broadcasters unfair advantages. The Los Angeles Times looks at Wheeler's agenda.
Mr. Inside. The man charged with getting Comcast's big deal through lawmakers and regulators is David Cohen. While not as well known as Comcast head
Meet the shrink.
A decline in ratings for
's Sunday morning news show "Meet the Press," anchored by David Gregory has the network suits concerned. How concerned? So concerned that NBC hired a "psychological consultant" to chat with Gregory's wife and friends, according to the
. NBC is also tinkering with the inside-the-beltway show to try to broaden its appeal. If I may, if you don't like the host, get a new one but don't try to make a specialty show into a meal for everyone.
Climbing down. After last week's avalanche at Mt. Everest, which took 13 lives, the Discovery Channel is pulling the plug on plans to have Joby Ogwyn climb the mountain and then jump off in a wing suit. The show had been scheduled for May 11 and was being produced by NBC's Peacock Productions. Details from USA Today.
Plot twist. Director
Outfoxed. A Fox Cable executive's effort to raise money for Sarah Bajc, whose boyfriend Philip Wood was on the lost Malaysian flight, blew up over the weekend after Bajc thought something seemed fishy and contracted Fox. The executive, Darlene Tipton, used her company email in reaching out to Bajc. Tipton and her husband reportedly set up a page for Bajc on Go Fund Me, a website people use to raise money. Yes, this is an unusual tale, and if you want a thorough read on this bizarre story, check out Flying Lessons, which broke the news.
This may hurt the Christmas bonus.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: Betsy Sharkey on director Quentin Tarantino's live reading of his script "The Hateful Eight."
Follow me on Twitter. I'll be here all week. @JBFlint.