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Signs of the Apocalypse Roundup – October 2009 – Week 2

TLC splits with Jon, retitles show ‘Kate Plus Eight’
TLC’s “Jon & Kate Plus Eight” will relaunch in November as “Kate Plus Eight” — with Jon Gosselin no longer a regular part of the show. The show will now “include a deeper focus on Kate’s role in the family and her journey as a single mother building the next chapter in her life. TLC will continue its exclusive relationship with Jon Gosselin and he will continue to appear on the show, but on a less regular basis.”

NBC turns chores into game show
Network hopes to encourage at-home participation
NBC has ordered a new game show from Universal Media Studios in association with Friday TV that creates high-stakes competition based on deceptively simple household challenges. In “Perfect 10,” contestants will be faced with 10 tasks they must complete in 60 seconds. By choosing easily replicated challenges, NBC hopes to increase the level of at-home participation and the potential to expand the game to other platforms.

Flavor Flav heads back to high school
Series would chronicle journey to receive his diploma
The original basic-cable ladies man is teaming with producer Eric Ortner to shop a new series to networks in which he returns to high school to receive his diploma. Flav (or as he was known in school, William Drayton) says he dropped out in the 10th grade.

Filming halted for ‘Plus 8′ kids
Jon Gosselin files cease-and-desist order
TLC network has shut down filming of the children on “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ after receiving a cease-and-desist order from their father, Jon Gosselin. In a statement, the network said production would remain suspended “pending further conversations” between both Gosselins, who are parents of young twins and sextuplets. Filming not directly involving the kids continues, TLC said Thursday.

Sony unveils ‘Fantasy Island’ reality show
Mark Burnett producing series
“Fantasy Island” is being reimagined as an hourlong competition-elimination reality show courtesy of Sony Pictures TV and producer Mark Burnett. Located in a resort hotel on an exotic island, the revamped “Fantasy Island” will follow 12 contestants as they vie to become the next real-life Mr. (or Ms.) Roarke and win a dream job at the hotel. One contestant will be chosen as the star performer for the week and will be safe from elimination. All of the contestants will then vote on who should be expelled from paradise and have their quest for a dream job come to an end.

More Horsemen:

Business of the Business

Prime Focus rebranding globally
2D-to-3D conversion firm also launching new initiatives
Visual entertainment services group Prime Focus is rebranding its outposts, prepping a proprietary 2D-to-3D conversion process and pushing a Web-based media asset management service to help film studios, broadcasters and advertisers more efficiently manage their content and workflows.

YouTube, WMG agree on new licensing deal
Content returning to video site after nine-month absence
YouTube and Warner Music Group made it official today, announcing a new content licensing deal that will bring the label’s content back to the popular video streaming service after a nine-month absence. The main difference of the new deal is that Warner will now be the one selling advertising around its videos rather than YouTube. This will allow the label to set its own prices for those advertisements as well as keep the majority of the ad revenues that result. YouTube will receive an undefined cut of all revenue under the terms of the agreement.

Consumers warm to interactive television
76% of consumers say TV set widgets would be useful
A new report suggests consumers are looking forward to more interactivity with their TV screens courtesy of “widgets.” Widgets are mini-applications docked on the bottom or side of a TV screen. With one click, a viewer can access local weather, stock quotes, breaking news, movie trailers, VOD and other content. A new Ernst & Young report says consumers like the concept, and the Web-enabled TVs that make it possible already are on sale. This year, about 400,000 will be sold in the U.S., and by 2013 about 13.8 million of them will be in American homes, according to the report, which cites Park Associates for the data.

Paramount, Universal pics go mobile
Films to be offered via mSpot streaming service
Paramount Pictures and NBC Universal will begin offering their movies on iPhones, Blackberries and other mobile phones through a new streaming service launched Wednesday by mSpot. MSpot Mobile Movies will be available through the four major U.S. cell phone carriers for owners of 30 different mobile phone models. Full-length new release and catalog films from Par and U will be available for instant streaming. MSpot will offer the films on a pay-per-view rental basis, charging $4.99 per film. Users can also sign up for the Movie Club, a subscription service that offers four movies for $9.99 a month, six for $12.99 or eight for $15.99.

Yahoo ups originals
Website is increasing original content
Yahoo Media Group, a division of the Netco racked by exec turnover since the late 2006 exit of topper Lloyd Braun, has ramped up its original programming under CEO Carol Bartz. Yahoo has launched a series of programs during the past six months — OMG’s “The 411″ and “This Week in Music” debuted late last month — and has many more in development. Website is also beefing up its editorial content, hiring a number of displaced journos much as AOL has in recent months.

Minutae:

Planet of the Odd

DJ AM’s death ruled an accidental overdose
Eight different drugs found in Adam Goldstein’s system
The toxicology report showed the 36-year-old had in his system cocaine, OxyContin, Hydrocodone or Vicodin, antianxiety drugs Xanax and Ativan, Klonopin which also controls anger, Benadryl, and Levamisole, a drug apparently used to cut cocaine. The cause of death was acute intoxication due to the combined effects the drugs, the medical examiner’s office said. The dosage of each drug was not released.

Oscar-winning ‘Pulp Fiction’ co-writer gets year in jail for fatal car crash
Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary has been sentenced to a year in jail for causing a car crash that killed a passenger and injured his wife in Ojai. The co-author of such hits as “Pulp Fiction” and “Beowulf” last year pleaded not guilty in a Ventura County courthouse to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and other charges in the Jan. 13, 2008, collision. But in August, he changed his plea to guilty on all counts. In addition to 365 days in jail, Avary received five years’ probation.

Letterman reveals extortion attempt
‘Late Show’ host also admits sex with staffers
According to a press release sent by Letterman’s PR reps, the host first received a package three weeks ago from someone who claimed to have information about alleged sexual relations he has had with female employees of the “Late Show.” The individual threatened to go public with the allegations unless Letterman paid the person $2 million.

Bergman property brings top coin
Wastebasket, camera among items sold at auction
When late helmer Ingmar Bergman’s personal property was auctioned off on Sept. 28, the result was a new high for Swedish celeb auctions. The 337 items, ranging from a wastebasket (!) to an antique camera obscura, collected a total of $2.5 million (17.7 million Swedish kroner). The most expensive item was a small model of the Royal Dramatic Theater, which went for $146,000.

‘Ponyo’ effect is easy to sea
Toon helps win case for Japanese port
A Hiroshima court ruled in favor of local citizens opposed to a landfill and bridge project that would substantially alter a local scenic fishermen’s port — with the megahit Hayao Miyazaki toon “Ponyo” helping to sway the decision. Miyazaki conceived the idea for “Ponyo,” which earned $170 million at the Japanese B.O. last year, in a two-month stay at Tomonoura port and his animators used it as a setting for the toon. It has since become a mecca for “Ponyo” fans, boosting revenues of local businesses.

Bits and Pieces

The Fine Print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

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About The Author

Scott From LA

Scott is an art director, writer and comics creator living in Los Angeles. He has been a pop culture maven from a very young age. His very first job was as a manager of a comic book store. He spent several years working in a video store, and yes, we are talking VHS tapes. A student of literature and Writing, he brings his obsessive love of comic book trivia, movie history and science fiction/fantasy writing to bear on the work he does for CoolShite.

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