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Television Industry
Hoping for a breakout hit with 'Better Call Saul'
Just over 10 million viewers witnessed the demise of Walter White on the final episode of "Breaking Bad." It was a triumph for creator Vince Gilligan, who was given a free hand by network AMC to tell the Mr. Chips to Scarface story he envisioned. AMC's president and general manger, Charlie Collier, was pleased as well. The patience he showed with the highly praised but slow-starting series paid off. But how do you capitalize on those accolades (and late-to-the-game rabid fans) after you've ended the show and killed off the main character at the height of its popularity? Collier, Gilligan and Peter Gould, the writer-producer who came up with the morally suspect...
Related "Television Industry" Articles
Hoping for a breakout hit with 'Better Call Saul'
Just over 10 million viewers witnessed the demise of Walter White on the final episode of "Breaking Bad." It was a triumph for creator Vince Gilligan, who was given a free hand by network AMC to tell the Mr. Chips to Scarface story he...
Snapchat to debut its own weekly series, partners with Funny or Die
Snapchat isn’t just a Los Angeles technology start-up these days. It’s also a media production company, and one that counts a Spielberg and a Goldwyn on its crew.
On Saturday, Snapchat plans to debut a weekly, five-minute show called “Literally Can’t...
L.A. Opera goes for the epic with 'The Ghosts of Versailles'
In a large workshop at CBS Television City on the edge of Hollywood, the palace of Versailles was slowly taking shape.
A platoon of set builders was hard at work on a December morning creating the imposing columns, ornate tapestries and swooping...
'6 Certified' aims to shift how veterans are pictured on film, TV
A group dedicated to the entertainment industry's realistic representation of veterans is announcing on Friday a new seal of approval for portrayals of military men and women in films and television shows.
Called "6 Certified," after the...
FCC seeks broadband speeds with wow factor; telecom firms say, 'Whoa'
Broadband Internet in this country just got a whole lot faster.
Actually the definition of broadband Internet just got faster — and the cable and phone industries are none too pleased about it.
The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to...
Time Warner Cable misses estimates as programming costs rise
Time Warner Cable Inc., which is awaiting regulatory approval to merge with Comcast Corp., missed analysts' profit estimates as TV programming costs rose and the company offered more promotions to lure subscribers.Fourth-quarter net income rose to $554...
Sumner Redstone isn't heard from during Viacom earnings call
Billionaire Sumner Redstone, in declining health, did not participate in Viacom Inc.'s earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday.
Viacom's quarterly conference calls for years have typically opened with Redstone giving a brief but upbeat...
Datebook: Model U.N., art of the Middle East and vintage erotica
A mock U.N. made up of Angelenos, contemporary art from artists with roots in the Middle East, the early erotic works of Tom of Finland, and Larry Clark’s photos for sale — cheap. Plus: textile-like paintings, a group show about love and war, late night...
'Fortitude' features polar bears and cold-blooded murder
Sometimes a polar bear is just a polar bear, especially when it appears in a nature or reality series. The scripted version, on the other hand, is almost always a metaphor, the symbol of opposing forces (cuddly looks, predatory nature) or mystical...
NBC scores a record haul from Super Bowl ad sales
NBC's Super Bowl ad sales haven't lost any air over "deflategate."
The Comcast Corp.-owned television network said Wednesday that it has sold all the available commercial spots for Sunday's NFL championship, establishing a new revenue record...
Univision CEO Randy Falco's contract extended
Univision Communications has extended Chief Executive Randy Falco's contract, keeping him in charge of the nation's largest Spanish-language media company for another three years.
The New York media company, which operates the nation's-fifth largest...
Sundance 2015: The nervous charms of Ben Mendelsohn
The Australian character actor Ben Mendelsohn was at a slopeside hotel last weekend, lugging a large piece of orange luggage out the front door. His wife, the British-born novelist Emma Forrest, was next to him, as the couple waited for a car to take...
Lionsgate in talks with China's Hunan TV for film and TV pact
Film studio Lionsgate is in advanced talks with China's Hunan TV & Broadcast Intermediary Co. for what could be the latest Hollywood deal by a Chinese company.
An agreement has not been finalized, but the discussions involve film...
Joe Franklin dies at 88; interviewed 'plate twirlers' and stars
Joe Franklin, an institution of New York City broadcasting and self-crowned "king of nostalgia" who bantered on radio and television with celebrity A-listers and D-listers alike, has died. He was 88.
He died Saturday at a hospice in...
SAG Awards 2015: 'Downton Abbey' wins for ensemble in TV drama series
"Downton Abbey" won the Screen Actors Guild Award on Sunday for performance by an ensemble in a television drama series.
The PBS period piece beat "Boardwalk Empire" (HBO), "Homeland" (Showtime), "House of...
Sling TV: High-quality video streams, with some notable trade-offs
Dish Network's new Sling TV service, which starts rolling out this week, is an unapologetically niche product. If you're looking for a streaming video service that's a perfect substitute for cable or satellite TV, Sling TV isn't it. At this point, nothing...
SAG Awards 2015: TV shows off its diversity
The Screen Actors Guild honored the ensembles of two wildly different television programs Sunday night, handing out top honors to the cast of the women's prison comedy "Orange Is the New Black" and the performers of the aristocratic period drama...
SAG Awards 2015: 'Orange Is the New Black' wins for comedy ensemble
"Orange Is the New Black" took the SAG Award for ensemble in a comedy series for the first time on Sunday.
Co-star Uzo Aduba, who won the female actor SAG Award minutes before for her performance as inmate Suzanne "Crazy Eyes"...
Sundance 2015: Lena Dunham, Mindy Kaling talk making it in Hollywood
Before their girl crushes had uttered a word, the cheers started coming.
“I love your pants, Mindy!”
“I love your skirt, Kristen!”
These were the crowd’s thought leaders -- Mindy Kaling, Lena Dunham, Kristen Wiig and Jenji Kohan -- four of...
NBC's Savannah Guthrie has many more tomorrows on 'Today'
During the commercial breaks on NBC's "Today," Savannah Guthrie's eyes are often focused on an iPhone to check live video of her 5-month-old daughter, Vale, back at their Manhattan apartment.
"My husband is really into baby...
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