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Signs of the Apocalypse Roundup – November 2009 – Week 3

‘Shark Tank’ contestants making millions
“Survivor” touts a $1 million grand prize and the winner of a season of “American Idol” winner can potential rake in millions, yet it’s ABC’s underdog reality show “Shark Tank” that arguably offers the most lucrative prizes for a typical contestant. Below is list of entrepreneurs’ products pitched during the first eight televised episodes of the Mark Burnett series and how they are faring with (and in some cases, without) the sharks’ help. Here’s the report:

Jon Gosselin countersues TLC
‘Plus 8′ star claims producers violated child labor laws
on Gosselin has filed a counter lawsuit against the TLC network, claiming television producers violated Pennsylvania’s child labor laws in filming the hit reality show “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ and are preventing him from working. The suit seeking more than $5 million in damages was filed Thursday in Maryland’s Montgomery County Circuit Court in response to a network lawsuit alleging Gosselin failed to meet his obligations as an employee.

Heidi and Spencer plotting own reality show
Duo would plan to remain on MTV’s ‘The Hills’
They said that while “The Hills” — which doesn’t acknowledge its cast members’ fame — only focuses on a small part of their lives, their own show would reveal everything that happens to them. They also said they’d be even be willing to include live segments.

Channel 4 nixes ‘Swap,’ ‘House’
Reality shows fall in U.K. ratings
U.K. hybrid pubcaster Channel 4 is axing flagship reality show “Wife Swap” as part of a creative overhaul at the web. Also canceled is “How Clean Is Your House?,” which like “Wife Swap” has helped redefine reality TV in Blighty and overseas. Move follows the decision, announced in August, to jettison “Big Brother,” the reality skein that’s dominated the summer schedules of both Channel 4 and its digital weblet E4 for the past decade.

Fox orders child genius game show from Mark Burnett
Fox has ordered a new game show from Mark Burnett that puts child geniuses to the test. In “Our Little Genius,” ultra-smart kids aged 6-12 get a chance to prove their expertise for a shot at winning hundreds of thousands of dollars.

More Horsemen

Business of the Business

Hollywood’s Next Production: Gagging Social Media
There’s a reason why publicists exist and why studios have held a tight grip on publicity over the decades. Sometimes, it’s in the best interest of the actors and the studios if the process is actively governed. Perhaps, if anything, these are the times when studios should consider empowering their advocates. And, publicists and managers should also proactively advise their clients how to leverage Twitter to fortify their brand personality and the mystique that surrounds it.

Japanese test piracy protection
TV Asahi assessing new Flash Video technology
The current Flash Video streaming used by TV Asahi, as well as other Japanese broadcasters, provides a high level of security, but the new encryption technology incorporates digital rights management (DRM) data into the Flash Video file itself, so that if the file is used illegally, it will be impossible to play back the video. In this way, the technology strengthens content rights protection.

Clicker.com eyes Thursday launch
Website offers TV skeds, DVR recording options
Internet startup Clicker.com goes live Thursday with a service that aims to serve as a kind of TV Guide for the Internet. Website allows users to search for all manner of titles and topics available from more than 1,200 online video sources, including the ability to search for subjects within programs. Website offers DVR-like functions that allow users to track the availability of online programs and a season pass feature to monitor favorite programs. It also allows users to integrate the site with Facebook pages and other user-generated and social networking functions.

MGM headed for sale
Studio library, logo may be auctioned off soon
Several sources say they expect that MGM will essentially be auctioned off within the next few weeks. This would mean that a major, such as Time Warner, could buy the MGM-UA library while another entity might acquire the logo, and yet another deal could be made for United Artists. Sources speculated that Kirk Kerkorian, who has already bought and sold MGM twice, might buy the logo once again.

BSkyB dials up iPhone deal
Live sport, news available to subscribers
U.K. paybox BSkyB has joined forces with Apple to launch a new service that from Tuesday enables iPhone users to watch live sports and news via Sky Mobile TV. A new application at the Apple App Store enables iPhone and iPod Touch owners to stream live TV — via WiFi — from a range of channels including Sky Sports, ESPN and Sky News.

Minutae

Planet of the Odd

Writer David Lloyd dies at 75
Scribe penned TV comedies ‘Cheers,’ ‘Frasier’
David Lloyd, a writer for classic TV comedies ranging from “The Tonight Show” in the Jack Paar years to “Cheers” and “Frasier,” died Tuesday of prostate cancer at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 75.

Cindy Crawford, husband are allegedly targets of extortion attempt
Federal authorities accuse Edis ‘Eddie’ Kayalar, a German national, of demanding $100,000 from the couple in exchange for a photo of their young daughter gagged and tied to a chair.

Actor Edward Woodward dies at 79
Veteran actor Edward Woodward has died aged 79, his agent has confirmed. The Croydon-born star had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia, and died in hospital, said Janet Glass. Woodward is most famous for his roles in the cult 1973 horror film The Wicker Man, alongside Sir Christopher Lee, and TV series The Equalizer and Callan.

‘Remote Control’ Host Ken Ober Dead At 52
Cause of comedian’s death was not clear at press time.
Longtime MTV “Remote Control” host Ken Ober has passed away at the age of 52, the comedian’s representative confirmed to MTV News. The cause of his death was not available at press time. Ober’s career began in the mid-1980s with a turn on the talent competition “Star Search” and in more recent years segued into behind-the-scenes production positions on comedy shows like “Mind of Mencia” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine.”

TV Hall of Fame to induct Roddenberry
Late “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, comedy duo Tom and Dick Smothers and actress Candice Bergen will be among those inducted into the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame in January. “This year’s inductees have challenged and shaped popular culture and entertained us royally while doing so,” said Television Academy chairman John Shaffner.

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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