Jane Fonda to try sitcom, ‘Flight’ may be grounded by airlines

After the coffee. Before making my World Series pick.

The Skinny: I was at a big event Monday night (see the Daily Dose) and got caught up between two power players talking about their winter homes. I resisted the urge to jump in and say, “Did I tell you my apartment building is being repainted?” Tuesday’s headlines include a scandal at the BBC, Jane Fonda signing up for a sitcom and Walt Disney Co. overhauling its website.

Daily Dose: Even though there was a baseball game, a football game and a presidential debate on TV Monday night, top media executives including Warner Bros. chief Barry Meyer, CBS chief executive Leslie Moonves and Lions Gate chief executive Jon Feltheimer were at the Paley Center’s annual gala which honored AMC Networks chief Josh Sapan and media investor Gordy Crawford. While Crawford may not be a household name even among industry insiders, Peter Chernin noted in his remarks that “Gordy is the guy that makes Rupert Murdoch jump; Gordy is the guy that Steve Jobs listened to; and Gordy is the guy that Bill Gates is scared of.”

Turbulence. Airlines usually don’t think too much about whether the content they offer customers is appropriate except when it comes to any portrayal of their own. With that in mind, don’t look to catch the new Denzel Washington movie “Flight” on your next cross-country trip. The movie, which is about a plane crash and its aftermath, is not exactly the kind of thing an airline wants to put on the big screen just after serving the meal. That also means that one source of revenue won’t be available to Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the movie. More on how “Flight” will likely be grounded by the airlines from the Los Angeles Times.

Savile row. Peter Rippon, one of the top editors at the British Broadcasting Corp., has stepped down in the wake of a scandal about late BBC personality Jimmy Savile, who has been accused of sexually assaulting young girls. The BBC is being heavily criticized for scrapping a “News Night” documentary on the accusations, which eventually emerged on rival broadcaster ITV. Savile, who hosted the BBC’s “Top of the Pops” and “Jim’ll Fix It” for years, died last year. More on the Savile mess from the Wall Street Journal and Guardian.

Fond of Jane. ABC is developing a mother-daughter sitcom starring Jane Fonda. In the show, tentatively titled “Now What,” Fonda would play a mother trying to reconcile with her bitter daughter. Fonda is best known for her big-screen work but she does have a recurring role on HBO’s drama “The Newsroom.” More on the project from Variety.

Try, try again. Walt Disney Co. has built an impressive group of entertainment assets that score big with kids, including its theme parks and cable networks Disney Channel, Disney XD and ABC Family. But Disney has struggled to re-create that success on the Web. Now Disney has once again overhauled Disney.com in hopes of finding magic. The New York Times on Disney’s new look and its Web struggles.

CW sees light. The CW, which is coming off a rough season, is doing better this year with its new shows, and Madison Avenue is taking notice. Advertising Age looks at how some CW shows are getting more for commercials than shows on much bigger NBC.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Activision’s game Skylanders has taken off and a sequel is on the way. Mary McNamara on the third presidential debate.

Follow me on Twitter. There are no substitutes. @JBFlint.