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March 31, 2006
Tom Cruise's next mission:
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne March 31 2006
MBN
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Southwest Airlines SEC FILINGS ALERT
SPECIAL REPORT ON LA DESIGN WEEK IN THE NEWS
Entertainment Art, Fashion and Technology News
Warner Bros. Pictures' Superman Returns to Become World's First Live-action Hollywood feature to be Converted into IMAX(R) 3D
CBS and DIC Entertainment Unveil 2006/07 Children's Programming Slate
Looming labor action against General Motors Corp. could disrupt ad spending
The Nielsen Media Research demos aren’t in line with market forces
Commander in Chief coming back on.
The wrong idea about how fast films should go from the theater to DVDs
Tom Cruise's next mission: fending off a lawsuit.
Comcast & NBC reach on-demand agreement
Chinese filmmaker held because he committed a crime
Sports
ESPN leads Sports Emmy nominations with 42
Baseball launched its probe Thursday
Touchdown celebrations to change
Motor Press Guild Luncheon
Kraft Nabisco Championship
DOD News
Two U.S. service members died in Iraq
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to support the Troops
Pay increase coming for DOD employees
Afghan and coalition troops provided medical
National News
World Pizza Championship
Apple to be a mobile virtual network operator with the iPod
Best Buy a changing
Google continues its lead in the search share competition
American Red Cross investigation into food distribution
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc declares dividend
LA DESIGN WEEK
ENTERTAINMENT,ART, FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY
Warner Bros. Pictures' Superman Returns to Become World's First Live-action Hollywood feature to be Converted into IMAX(R) 3D
Bryan Singer Film Makes History with IMAX's Proprietary 2D to 3D Conversion Technology IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, will become the world's first live-action Hollywood feature to be converted from 2D to IMAX(R) 3D. IMAX Corporation will use its proprietary 2D to 3D conversion technology to convert approximately 20 minutes of the film into An IMAX 3D Experience(R), the most immersive cinematic 3D in the world.
"Releasing select sequences of Superman Returns in IMAX 3D marks a groundbreaking moment in movies," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "This film is going to give fans an opportunity to be immersed in a major live-action motion picture like never before."
The epic action-adventure directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects), will be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) through IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-Mastering) technology. The film will be simultaneously released to IMAX(R) and conventional theatres on June 30, 2006. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to the growing IMAX theatre network worldwide.
"The test scenes that have been converted into IMAX 3D look, sound and feel absolutely amazing," added Bryan Singer, Director of Superman Returns. "The magic of IMAX 3D will envelop audiences in this story, enabling them to feel the emotion, drama and suspense in a completely new and unique way."
During select sequences of the film, a visual cue designed by Singer will indicate when audiences should put on and remove their IMAX 3D glasses.
"We are delighted to partner with pioneering visionaries Bryan Singer and Warner Bros. Pictures to transform part of this highly anticipated release into An IMAX 3D Experience," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "Today's announcement is a culmination of a great film, a great filmmaker, a great studio, and great technology - all working together to produce the most powerful and immersive cinematic experience available to moviegoers worldwide."
"Five out of the seven films in our 2006 line up now feature IMAX 3D," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We are thrilled that moviegoers will be able to experience Bryan Singer's unique and exhilarating vision. Through the magic of IMAX 3D, they will feel as if they are actually flying alongside the man of steel, weaving in and out of Metropolis."
Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure Superman Returns, a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved superheroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer and starring Brandon Routh (Clark Kent/Superman), Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Hugh Laurie, Sam Huntington and Eva Marie Saint. Written by Dan Harris and Mike Dougherty. Produced by Gilbert Adler, Jon Peters and Bryan Singer; co-produced by Stephen Jones; and executive produced by Chris Lee. Superman Returns is based on the DC Comic Book Superman.
Founded in 1967, IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies and the newest distribution window for Hollywood films. IMAX delivers the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re- mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences. As of December 31, 2005, there were 266 IMAX theatres operating in 38 countries.
IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R), IMAX MPX(R), and The IMAX Experience(R) are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.
IMAX Corporation's proprietary 2D to 3D technology includes technology licensed from Three-Dimensional Media Group, Ltd. and invented by David M. Geshwind.
This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on management assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Important factors that could affect these statements include the timing of theatre system deliveries, the mix of theatre systems shipped, the timing of the recognition of revenues and expenses on film production and distribution agreements, the performance of films, the viability of new businesses and products, and fluctuations in foreign currency and in the large format and general commercial exhibition market. These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.
Source: IMAX Corporation
CBS and DIC Entertainment Unveil 2006/07 Children's Programming Slate
Series Included 'Madeline,' 'Sabrina: The Animated Series,' 'Littlest Pet Shop,' 'Horseland,' 'Trollz,' 'Kooky Kitchen,' 'CAKE' and 'Dance, Dance, Dance! (Working Title)'
New Schedule Set to Premiere Saturday, Sept. 16 on the CBS Television Network
Branded Block to Feature More Original Episodes, Healthy Lifestyle Interstitials and Programming Exclusive to Broadcast CBS and DIC today announced the programming slate for their new 2006/07 children's programming line-up. The announcement was made by Andy Heyward, Chairman and CEO, DIC Entertainment and Nancy Tellem, President of the CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group.
CBS's "Saturday Morning Secret Slumber Party," a three-hour, E/I-compliant branded programming block exclusive to broadcast television, will premiere Saturday, Sept. 16 with six series comprised of globally recognized animated properties and two new live-action shows. From animated adventures and dance-mania to a pair of do-it-yourself innovators, the slate includes three new series: "Horseland," "Kooky Kitchen" and "Littlest Pet Shop," as well as "Sabrina: The Animated Series," "Trollz" and "Madeline." DIC is also in pre-production on two new, live-action, reality-based series, "CAKE" and "Dance, Dance, Dance!" (working title). The targeted audience for this programming block is children ages 6 through 12. A time-period schedule will be announced at a later date.
Each of the new series will broadcast 26 episodes per year, compared to the previous scheduling pattern which averaged 12 episodes per season, providing viewers with more original programming.
CBS's "Saturday Morning Secret Slumber Party" will also feature unique animated and live-action interstitials threaded throughout the morning block to promote healthy eating and balanced, active lifestyles for kids. The messages, which will promote nutritious eating habits, will be created in consultation with Baylor College of Medicine's Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC), an internationally renowned institute devoted to pediatric nutrition studies. CNRC is one of six federally funded human nutrition research centers in the nation and the largest conducting scientific investigations into the role of maternal, infant and child nutrition in optimal health, development and growth.
"As a children's entertainment producer for over 25 years in the industry, the launch of the CBS's 'Saturday Morning Secret Slumber Party' offers a tremendous opportunity to apply our experience in producing and distributing quality kids' series to programming a rich schedule that we believe offers an unprecedented viewing experience," stated Heyward. "We are also thrilled to be in a unique position to address the national concern for kids' health with an aggressive interstitial campaign, and we will remain committed to addressing these issues by providing a positive environment for kids to be entertained and learn."
"We look forward to bringing DIC's vast array of imaginative programming to CBS affiliates and to our Saturday morning audience," said Tellem. "This is truly a mutually beneficial partnership that will create a branded destination for entertaining and informational children's programming on Saturday morning."
"The television landscape has changed dramatically in the kids' market, and DIC takes very seriously our responsibility to viewers by creating a safe environment for children to be entertained," commented Kaaren Lee Brown, Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs, DIC. "We have created a unique viewing destination to empower our young audience, as well as address social concerns with positive messaging."
To ensure that the programming meets FCC regulations, each of the series is being created under the specific educational supervision of Donald F. Roberts, PhD., lauded Stanford Professor of Communications and children's media expert, and Gordon Berry, EdD., Professor Emeritus in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies at UCLA and chief consultant for the CBS Television Network and its programs created for children.
DIC will seek initial guidance from children's experts from the DIC Educational Advisory Board, a group comprised of leading media experts, educators and pediatricians created to provide information, guidance, advice and general expertise to DIC in the development of multimedia programs and projects for children. They plan to involve additional experts and organizations focusing specifically on children's health.
The DIC series for the 2006-2007 season include:
CAKE, E/I, TVY 7, is a live-action show within a show about a 13-year-old girl (a la Martha Stewart) who hosts a cable access show with her two best friends. The three girls show their audience (and each other) how to take ordinary, everyday items (t-shirts, CD cases, lamp shades) and make them extraordinary with a little imagination (and a hot glue gun!). CAKE's motto: "You can't buy individuality, but you can make it!"
DANCE, DANCE, DANCE! (working title), E/I, TVY 7, is designed to teach contestants a variety of styles of dance, the cultural inspiration for the various dance styles and encourage home viewers to get up out of their seats to dance along. A pop music act will also perform a fresh new song each week.
HORSELAND, E/I, TVY 7, featuring CGI and traditional animation, is set in the greatest stable ever, where kids and their horses compete and have adventures, and the horses and other animals can talk to each other -- about the humans! Each episode features themes that deal with issues such as compassion, honesty and cooperation - both human and equine.
KOOKY KITCHEN, E/I, TVY 7, is an animated comedy action series that brings the ultimate cooking adventure for kids. From a magical secret kitchen hidden beneath a famous restaurant, a chef takes his special guests on culinary trips around the world through the Magic Recipe book to find the necessary ingredients for his masterful creations.
LITTLEST PET SHOP, E/I, TVY 7, revolves around tiny pets that help their adolescent owner explore big issues through their parallel life experiences in the fantasy world of Petopia. Jasmine Valentine is a typical 12-year-old girl dealing with the same kinds of problems that challenge adolescent girls everywhere. Jasmine does have one distinct advantage when it comes to coping with the daily dramas: her extraordinary group of feathered, furry and finned little friends that occupy her bedroom. As the pets work through their relationships and challenges in magical Petopia, Jasmine comes to understand her own situations better.
TROLLZ, E/I, TVY 7, produced in traditional animation, follows the adventures of five best friends who live by the credo B.F.F.L., Best Friends for Life. The storylines reflect the everyday life of today's young teens -- the trials and tribulations of teenage friendships, and dealing with such issues as popularity, love, loyalty, identity and integrity. While they have real teen issues, they are also interested in fashion, hair, malls, "spell phones," magic, parties and all the fun that goes with being a teen.
SABRINA: THE ANIMATED SERIES, E/I, TV Y, a companion to the ever-popular and long-running hit series "Sabrina: The Teenage Witch" (starring Melissa Joan Hart), follows Sabrina Spellman, a cute 12-year-old with a big heart and an even bigger secret: she's half mortal and half witch! While her lessons in how to be a good witch are demanding, they pale in comparison to what she must learn to be a good person and that human attributes such as loyalty, honesty, tolerance and perseverance are the true lessons to learn.
MADELINE, E/I, TVY, based on Ludwig Bemelmans' classic books, stars a clever little red-headed girl whose capricious antics have won the hearts of children, parents and educators everywhere. Narrated in rhyme by Christopher Plummer, MADELINE has been recognized as one of the highest quality animated programs produced for television. The program's many awards include a Cable ACE Award for children's series, "TV Guide's" Top Ten Children's Programs and an Emmy(R).
About DIC Entertainment:
DIC Entertainment, a fully-integrated global brand management company, is dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. DIC has distinguished itself by building one of the largest libraries of western-style animation with approximately 2,800 half-hours of renowned programming, including Ghostbusters(TM), Inspector Gadget(TM), Strawberry Shortcake(TM), Sabrina(TM), Madeline(TM), Liberty's Kids(TM), Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?(TM), Sonic The Hedgehog(TM), Super Mario Bros(TM) Care Bears(TM) and Trollz(TM). In 2003, the company launched the DIC Kid's Network, a unique syndicated programming block designed to meet core FCC requirements and the only network for kids that reaches effectively 98% of U.S. households on over 300 stations. As a pre-eminent supplier of kid's programming worldwide, DIC has developed strategic partnerships with key domestic and international broadcast partners throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. DIC is headquartered in Burbank, California with international offices in Paris, London and Cologne.
About CBS:
CBS Television is comprised of the CBS Television Network -- with more than 200 owned and affiliated stations reaching virtually every television home in the United States; the Network's programming arms include CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports. CBS also manages UPN, which broadcasts primetime programming on five nights with an average of 90 percent total coverage throughout the country.
Source: DIC Entertainment
Looming labor action against General Motors Corp. could disrupt ad spending
A top Wall Street analyst Thursday warned that a looming labor action against General Motors Corp. could disrupt ad spending patterns, accelerating the auto giant's shift from traditional media toward online media. Such a strike, the report said, could further destabilize an already troubled Interpublic Group, but would likely benefit digital shop Digitas. "Looking back historically, GM did cut domestic ad spending during the last strike in 1998, but spending eventually caught up," cautioned Merrill Lynch ad industry analyst Lauren Rich Fine. "Therefore, while we believe there could be risk near term should a strike occur, it would likely prove ephemeral."
Fine nonetheless said Interpublic was at risk, because it handles brand assignments for some key GM brands, and the marketer represents an estimated 8 percent of Interpublic's revenues.
The report did not address the impact on Publicis, whose GM Planworks unit handles media planning and buying for GM, but it did predict that Digitas might actually benefit from the disruption in traditional advertising plans.
"GM accounts for 22 percent of Digitas' revenues," wrote Fine, adding, "We believe the move to more cost-effective advertising essentially means that Digitas will likely benefit since online advertising is deemed a more cost-effective medium than traditional mediums such as TV and print."
As for media outlets, the report predicts a labor action would "clearly be a negative" for TV and print media, noting that GM spent about 55 percent of its budget on TV, 20 percent on newspapers and 17 percent on magazines in 2005.
GM is estimated to have spent only 4 percent of its budget in online media, though Fine termed those estimates "low" and implied online was the least vulnerable medium to strike-related cutbacks.
"Auto as a whole typically represents 25 percent of a TV station's revenues," Fine noted.
The Television Bureau of Advertising is poised to hold its annual marketing conference April 20 in New York during the middle of the New York Auto Show.
The Nielsen Media Research demos aren’t in line with market forces
The Nielsen Media Research demos that media buyers and marketers use to bet billions of TV dollars aren’t in line with market forces, well-known demographer Ken Dychtwald told a roomful of media buyers and marketers at midtown Manhattan’s Cipriani restaurant this morning. Instead of the in demand demo of 18- to 34-year-olds, marketers should target the 40-to-60 set.
“As an outsider, I see a situation where the boundaries and lines of demarcation don’t effectively line up with the new market opportunities and lead people to mistakenly believe it’s a snapshot of the marketplace,” he said.
Instead of buying on 18-to-49s or 25-to-54s, try looking at audiences in segments of 18-to-39, 40-to-59 and 60-plus, he suggested and “you’ll get a look at a landscape that’s breathtaking.”
Mr. Dychtwald touted the power and influence of the 40- to 60-year-old set and admonished marketers who believe boomers are too set in their ways to be influenced by brand advertising.
“Here’s the good news and bad news,” he said. “Lifelong brand loyalty is disappearing.” The presentation was sponsored by Viacom’s TV Land, which is touting its ability to reach boomers while many other cable networks -- Lifetime, TBS, TLC and A&E -- have tried or are trying to age down.
According to network executives, about 70% of its audience is within the boomer demo. “If you did an intersection of boomers, ages 40 to 60, and then 25-54, our sweet spot is the intersection of those groups,” said Karen Bressner, senior VP-ad sales for the cable network.
Mr. Dychtwald said so many media are missing the mark by cultivating an “overwhelmingly strong interest in youth.” Youth, he said, is not where marketers will find the growth, money and consumption. The 40- to 60-year-old age group comprises $2.1 trillion in spending power and they are leading spenders in categories such as movie tickets, computer hardware and software, cellphones and home electronics.
It begs the question, if the 40- to 60-year-old population is indeed so wealthy with so much buying power, why aren’t more non-news networks selling on the 25-to-54 demo and, what’s more, why are so many TV deals built upon the 18-to-49 demo?
“We’ve done focus groups with this demo who say they turn on the TV and there are 500 channels and they can’t find anything to watch,” he said. “They start to feel annoyed, like media has blatantly disregarded them.”
“So much of marketing, media and communication is built around the notion that in the youthful years we’re deciding who we are,” Mr. Dychtwald said. But he noted that boomers are a generation that has changed -- from careers to life partners. “Twenty percent of boomers have changed religions, 50% have changed spouses -- you think they’re not going to change toothpaste?”
Commander in Chief coming back on.
Commander in Chief,” ABC's White House drama that at one point looked like it would be the new season’s breakout hit, will return April 13 after being on hiatus since January.
But by the looks of things it will be returning to almost certain death, airing in the Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot on a night that has killed off many ABC shows over the years. The scheduling can only be read as a final vote of no-confidence from ABC.
Many had wondered if “Commander” was ever coming back after creator Rod Lurie was fired and Steven Bochco, who replaced Lurie as showrunner, was forced out last month. By placing it Thursdays at 10, where the network has struggled for years, ABC seems to be confirming the belief that it saw no way to save the show.
Airing at 10 on Thursdays, “Commander” will face off against CBS’s “Without a Trace,” which has long been on the rise, and NBC’s still-strong “ER.” It's a formidable duo.
Combined, they're averaging an 11.4 rating in adults 18-49 this season. By comparison, “Primetime,” the ABC show now has in the timeslot, has averaged a 2.5.
“Commander” was already in deep trouble when it was taken off the air Jan. 24. After averaging nearly 17 million total viewers for its second episode, the show had dipped 40 percent, to 10.5 million viewers, for that final airing. It’s averaging a 3.7 in 18-49s.
If ABC thought the show could be revived, it would have picked a less-contentious timeslot, perhaps Mondays, Wednesdays or even a special Sunday run.
Or the network could have kept “Commander” on Tuesdays at 9 p.m., where it originated and where viewers would know to look for it. Its chances may have been better on Tuesday, despite increased competition from CBS’s new hit “The Unit” and Fox’s “House,” which now has a powerful “American Idol” lead-in.
By moving the show to Thursday, ABC seems to have admitted that “Commander” is all but finished. Many media people had written the show off before the network announced its return, speculating that the show would not return at all.
“Commander's” one chance would come if it should pull even decent ratings in the new slot, indicating that old viewers had returned and that the show had found new ones even against the tough competition. ABC might then pick it up for a second season.
But that seems unlikely. The first few episodes that will air in its return were overseen by Bochco, who was widely criticized for trying to turn the show into an over-the-top action-adventure series wherein President McKenzie Allen (Geena Davis) saved the world anew each week. Lurie’s vision was much calmer, focusing on the problems faced by the first-ever woman president.
Lurie got booted in October after failing to deliver scripts on time, costing the network money on production delays. ABC brought in “NYPD Blue” creator Bochco to replace him, and Bochco axed most of the writing staff and brought in new cast members.
The new version of the show struggled almost immediately. Viewership declined into December, and ABC unwisely put the show on a long break, waiting until mid-January to debut a new episode.
Dee Johnson, who succeeded Bochco last month, was with Lurie from the beginning as a writer, and that means that the show could return to its original creative promise. Lurie and Bochco remain executive producers.
At the very least, “Commander” will have a stronger lead-in than past Thursday burnoffs. The new reality show “American Inventor,” which airs from 8 to 10 p.m., has averaged a 5.3 adults 18-49 rating, more than double ABC’s average in the timeslot last year. But that hasn't helped "Primetime" much.
“Commander” will bump “Primetime” to Fridays at 9 p.m., replacing freshman series “In Justice.” Also yesterday, ABC said that sitcom “Less Than Perfect” will return Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on April 18.
The wrong idea about how fast films should go from the theater to DVDs
SHARI REDSTONE THINKS HER MEDIA-MOGUL brethren have the wrong idea about how fast films should go from the theater to DVDs. While both Disney's Bob Iger and Time Warner's Richard Parsons have suggested the time gap between theatrical and DVD releases may soon collapse significantly--Iger has even touted a simultaneous release plan--Redstone argued forcibly yesterday for maintaining the current tiered structure of distribution windows.
"Shrinking the windows is bad for business," she said at a Bank of America investor conference in New York. The result, she said, would be reducing four or five revenue streams--from theater to DVD to pay-per-view to television--into one.
Redstone is president of National Amusements, which operates movie theaters and serves as the parent company for both Viacom and CBS Corp.
The case for collapsing the distribution windows has picked up steam as U.S. box-office revenues have been on the decline. Meanwhile, technology is ushering in a new era of possibilities, and consumers are clamoring for more on-demand content consumption.
Redstone's solution to the lagging box office is to reinvigorate the theater-going experience. National Amusements, for example, is trying to turn the old multiplexes into "community entertainment destinations" with vodka bars, gaming lounges, and other amenities.
"We need to protect our windows and bring back the 'wow' of going to the movies," said Redstone, whose family has been in the exhibition business since 1936.
Her argument that the traditional release schedule represents the best economic model is bolstered by a recent Bank of America report. The report suggested that the DVD market--which demonstrated slowing growth in 2005--is fueled by strong theatrical performances. Analyst Michael Savner wrote: "we believe that the declines in the domestic box office only helped to exacerbate DVD's growth slide."
Domestic box office fell 4.8 percent in 2005, while the DVD market cooled to 5 percent growth (it was 37 percent as recently as 2003), according to the report.
One of the arguments for the simultaneous release of films on multiple platforms is that studios could save marketing dollars by mounting one massive blitz upon release, rather than rolling out various campaigns as a film works through its life cycle.
While content creators are intrigued by the possibilities that exist by unleashing a film to as many people--by as many means--as possible all at once, traditional theater owners have railed against the prospect. Add Redstone to the list.
However, unlike Iger and Parsons, Redstone has dogs on both sides of the fight--she's both president of National Amusements, which has 1,500 screens around the world, and vice chairman of Viacom, which includes Paramount Pictures. (She's also vice chairman of CBS, which owns Showtime, a pay-cable network that has a place in the distribution chain.)
Iger caused a stir last summer when he suggested that Disney would pursue a simultaneous theater and DVD release plan. Several months later, Parsons joined the fray by suggesting he'd like to shorten the gap between silver screen and DVD, although he said it was important to work with theater owners in the process.
Several smaller operations (compared to Disney and Warner Bros.) have already experimented with potentially transformative release structures. IFC Entertainment several weeks ago began releasing two independent films a month simultaneously on video-on-demand and in theaters. In January, a Steven Soderbergh film--"Bubble"--debuted in theaters and on the HDNet Movies cable channel on the same night, while the DVD came out four days later.
It's unclear how much "Bubble" garnered in DVD sales or from its run on HDNet, but it didn't set the box-office ablaze. It grossed only $146,000--well below its $1.6 million production budget, according to Box Office Mojo. However, it failed to secure wide distribution, as large theater chains protested the business model it represented by declining to offer it. Five more Soderbergh films are scheduled to be distributed in a same-time-multi-platform fashion.
Tom Cruise's next mission: fending off a lawsuit.
A stuntman who suffered serious burns while working on Mission: Impossible III is suing Cruise's C/W Productions, distributor Paramount Pictures and various crew members for negligence.
In a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, Steven Scott Wheatley claims a pyrotechnic accident on June 6, 2005 left him with burns over 60 percent of his body. He says the stunt coordinator and second unit director breached Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations by failing to take proper safety precautions, including providing fire protection suits and keeping extinguishers nearby.
The incident, filmed on the Agua Dulce Movie Ranch in Los Angeles, involved the controlled detonation of a Chevy Suburban. But the stunt "malfunctioned," sparking a "gasoline bomb" that engulfed Wheatley without warning in a "ball of fire." (The court documents can be found online at TMZ.com.)
Wheatley, a native of Ventura, California, was assisting with the pyrotechnics and was standing a few feet from the vehicle at the time of explosion. He ended up hospitalized with severe third-degree burns, debilitating injuries that rendered him "sick" and "disabled" and caused him "pain, suffering and anxiety" about his future. The accident, he says, also resulted in a loss of "marital relations" between him and his wife, Mary.
The suit claims that each of the defendants "knew the pyrotechnic device was defective" but went ahead with the detonation anyway.
Wheatley is seeking damages for medical expenses associated with the burns and future care, in addition to loss of earnings, pain and suffering, legal costs and other unspecified damages.
Reps for Paramount and C/W Productions declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.
The studio's most hotly anticipated summer blockbuster, Mission: Impossible III has a troubled production history. The film endured numerous delays due to the departure of directors David Fincher and Joe Carnahan, and Cruise's subsequent decision to make Steven Spielberg's remake War of the Worlds his first priority before reprising his role as Ethan Hunt.
The spy sequel finally got rolling after Cruise and producing partner Paula Wagner recruited Alias and Lost mastermind J.J. Abrams to take the helm, making his feature film debut.
Costarring Keri Russell, Ving Rhames and newly minted Oscar winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Mission: Impossible 3 hits theaters on May 5.
Comcast & NBC reach on-demand agreement
For those who enjoy Jay Leno but can’t stay up past 11 p.m., Comcast has a solution. The cable carrier said today it has teamed with NBC to offer the network’s most popular shows, including “The Tonight Show” and “Law & Order,” on its video-on-demand service. The new service will begin in May, and it follows a similar deal reached earlier this year with CBS. The deal also includes content from NBC Universal cable networks USA, Bravo and Sci-Fi. Each primetime show will cost viewers $0.99 with late-night, daytime and cable shows available for free. They will be viewable as early as midnight on the same day they aired. On-demand programming is the hot thing among networks, cable carriers and web sites these days. Comcast claims to offer upward of 7,000 on-demand programs each month, and NBC series are also available for download on iTunes.
This is a classic Cream case study of a media owner pooling its intellectual resources to address a client’s marketing problem -- rather like an agency. And, in the process, the idea employs a unique aspect of the medium itself. In this case, it is the newspaper production process -- strategically appropriated for the purposes of a relevant brand communication. The result may be an “ad on a page” but the insight and work behind it makes it one of the best examples of newspaper creativity this year.
Metro’s simple insight for Nokia was that consumers are still unaware of the practical benefits of 3G technology. The outcome of the work was Nokia ads placed in key sections of the paper. The difference was that the phones had on their screens the exact editorial copy on the live newspaper pages. Thus the ad in the news section showed the same headlines as the page it was on and likewise for the finance, entertainment and sport sections. Nokia even provided the paper’s contents page. The message acted as an elegant mirror -- the phone can be your daily paper.
But how could Nokia’s copywriters have possibly predicted the Metro editorial? Of course, the Metro International team developed the ads once the proofs had been signed-off by the editor. This involved some incredibly quick work -- as the commercial team was sandwiched between editorial concerns and inflexible print deadlines. This is all the more impressive given that Metro managed this feat across seven local issues. This has achieved impressive recall scores and is a fine example of how newspapers can provide creative and relevant brand solutions.
Chinese filmmaker held because he committed a crime
Authorities say they are holding a Chinese filmmaker because he committed a crime, but they refuse to give any details or allow visitors, his sister said Thursday.
Wu Hao, a Beijing-based documentary filmmaker, has been in police custody in the capital since Feb. 22.
His sister, Wu Na, has demanded his release and an explanation for his detention, but police have said his case is "secret."
She said she went to Beijing's Public Security Bureau on Wednesday and was told he had "committed a crime" but officers refused to say anything more.
"They told me there was no way I can see him," Wu said in a telephone interview. "I'm really shocked at this development. This is a place that's administered by law and yet they can't tell me anything."
Wu Hao lived in Boston, New York and California for 12 years before returning to China in 2004 to make documentaries. He had been working on a film about unregistered Christian churches in China before he went missing.
Several human rights groups, including media watchdogs the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, also called for Wu Hao's immediate release.
CPJ said that editing equipment and several videotapes were removed from his apartment two days after he disappeared.
Wu also met twice with outspoken Beijing lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who last month launched a symbolic, rolling hunger strike campaign to protest violence against dissidents.
Several thousand participants have fasted for 24 to 48 hours since the protest began Feb. 6 and at least 10 have been detained by police or disappeared after their involvement, Gao says.
Prominent AIDS activist Hu Jia was missing for 41 days following his one-day hunger strike but returned Tuesday, his wife said. She claimed he was in Beijing police custody the whole time. No charges were filed against Hu and police have not confirmed that they detained him.
SPORTS
ESPN leads Sports Emmy nominations with 42
ESPN broadcasts nothing but sports, so it seems fitting that it would lead in nominations for Sports Emmys. Yesterday the trio of ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Classic garnered 42 nominations for this year’s awards, to be handed out on May 1 at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. ESPN had the most with 26 nominations, while HBO was second with 17. Fox led all broadcast networks with 16. NBC received the fewest nods of the Big Four networks with just four. Four of the six nominees in the Outstanding Studio Show Daily were from ESPN, including “Sportscenter” and “Baseball Tonight,” with ESPN’s Harold Reynolds, Steve Young and Michael Irvin all nominated for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio Analyst. ESPN had no nominations in the Outstanding Sports Journalism category though, as HBO’s “Real Sports” took home all three nods, including a story on greyhounds being put to death at the end of their racing careers.
Baseball launched its probe Thursday
Baseball launched its probe Thursday into steroids use by Barry Bonds and others, and right away the head of the investigation came under attack.
Commissioner Bud Selig said former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell -- and a director of the Boston Red Sox -- will lead the inquiry. Mitchell said he will not resign his position.
The probe will be limited to events since September 2002, when the sport banned performance-enhancing drugs. No timetable for the investigation was announced.
"Nothing is more important to me than the integrity of the game of baseball," Selig said.
Mitchell also is chairman of The Walt Disney Co., the parent of ESPN, which is a national broadcast partner of baseball. ESPN is airing a weekly behind-the-scenes look at Bonds -- with the San Francisco star's cooperation -- starting next week.
John Dowd, the Washington lawyer who headed baseball's investigation of Pete Rose's gambling in 1989, did not like the choice.
"Mitchell doesn't have a great track record with me. It doesn't look like he's independent," Dowd said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Mitchell said his role with the Red Sox will not create a conflict.
"If, in any way, anyone associated with the Red Sox is implicated, they will be treated just like everyone else," he said.
As he left the news conference at baseball's headquarters, Mitchell did not respond to a question about his role with Disney and the possible perception of a conflict of interest.
"While George Mitchell is certainly a man of great integrity, I believe that baseball would have been wiser to pick someone who is not as close to the game and may be able to take a more objective look into the facts," said Sen. Jim Bunning, a Kentucky Republican and baseball Hall of Famer.
Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican, praised the probe.
"This investigation should have started years ago; I am deeply concerned with the appearance that Major League Baseball resists taking action to cleanup the sport until it is overwhelmed with demands for action," he said.
Selig's decision to launch the probe came in the wake of "Game of Shadows," a book by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters detailing alleged extensive steroid use by Bonds and other baseball stars.
"I believe the timing on this proper given the charges, given the specificity of the charges for the first time," Selig said.
No matter what the findings of an investigation, it would be difficult for baseball to penalize anyone for steroids used before Sept. 30, 2002, when a joint drug agreement between management and the players' association took effect.
Baseball began drug testing in 2003 and started testing with penalties the following year.
"Should Sen. Mitchell uncover material suggesting that the scope of the investigation needs to be broader, he has my permission to expand the investigation and to follow the evidence wherever it may lead," Selig said.
Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said baseball considered Mitchell's potential conflicts of interest.
"Given Sen. Mitchell's integrity, given his background, he was absolutely considered to be the perfect choice for this job," he said.
DuPuy said baseball had the power to force players to cooperate.
"We're assuming that when Sen. Mitchell asks to speak to players, the players will respond," he said.
Selig would not address possible discipline that could result from the investigation,
"When this investigation is over ... that will be the time for me to make those kind of judgments," he said.
Bonds enters the season with 708 homers, trailing only Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) on the career list.
"I assume physical constraints notwithstanding, Bonds will play the whole year," DuPuy said.
Earlier Thursday, Victor Conte -- founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative -- was released from a California prison. He spent four months there after pleading guilty to orchestrating an illegal steroids distribution scheme that allegedly involved many high-profile athletes.
Asked whether he gave Bonds steroids, Conte said: "No, I did not." . "I plan to provide evidence in the near future to prove that much of what is written in the book is untrue," Conte told the AP. He declined to list specific inaccuracies or what evidence he would provide, but said, "it's about the character assassination of Barry Bonds and myself."
Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association, declined comment Wednesday.
Touchdown celebrations to change
Touchdown celebrations have gotten more and more original lately, from Chad Johnson's putting the football to Steve Smith changing a diaper to Terrell Owens using the ball as a waiter's tray. Those players will need to go back to work on new ideas within stricter parameters after NFL owners voted 29-3 Wednesday to limit such histrionics.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what Chad will come to celebrate with now," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said after the vote. "He's pretty original and I'm sure he'll come up with something. It's a challenge to Chad in the offseason."
The genesis of the rule change adopted as the NFL meetings wrapped up came from the players' union itself. Last month at the NFL combine, a group of players told competition committee chairmen Rich McKay, general manager of Atlanta, and Jeff Fisher, coach of the Tennessee Titans, they believed the celebrations were getting too elaborate.
#"The players wanted defined limits of celebrations," Dungy said. "They really pushed for that."
The owners obliged, with Dallas, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay voting no.
"We want to eliminate where one man celebrating becomes more than a spontaneous action," said director of officiating Mike Pereira, whose crews will hand out 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to offenders -- although the official has to warn a player before throwing the flag.
That includes anyone going to the ground to do their thing, or group celebrations. So no sit-ups by T.O. No grabbing the pylons as if they are putters. No multiple chest bumps.
Pereira noted an increase in such shenanigans in youth and high school football who regularly emulate the pros.
The owners were busy passing other rules and adjustments:
-- Allowing down by contact calls to be reviewed by replay to determine if the ball came out before the ballcarrier was down, and who recovered it. In the past, those plays weren't reviewable when officials ruled the whistle had ended the play.
-- Prohibiting pass rushers from hitting a passer in the knee or below unless they are blocked into him. The officiating department showed replays of low hits that caused serious injuries to Cincinnati's Palmer, Pittsburgh's Big Ben and Tampa Bay's Brian Griese, although in all cases, those wouldn't draw penalties because the rushers were blocked in such a way that they couldn't avoid the hits.
Toughening the horse-collar rule enacted last season. It now bans tacklers from taking down ballcarriers from the rear by tugging inside their jerseys. Last year's rule required that the tackler's hand got inside the runner's shoulder pads. Only two horse-collars were called in 2005 and the Pereira said one was an incorrect call.
Prohibiting defensive players from lining up directly over center on field-goal and extra-point attempts to avoid injuries to long snappers.
Rejected was a proposal aimed at cutting down illegal procedure penalties by eliminating such calls on players flanked outside the line of scrimmage who flinch without the defense reacting. A flinch will remain a 5-yard penalty.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said he still thinks his successor will be in place by his target date of July, even though no action was taken here to begin a search. He'll appoint a committee next week of six to eight owners, and they'll hire a search firm that will interview all 32 owners on what they want in a new commissioner.
"I think it's great," New England owner Robert Kraft said of the search process this time. "How else can you have 32 people feel part of the process?"
Tagliabue said he thought a 2007 preseason game in Beijing is a strong possibility. He also added five owners -- Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, Paul Allen of the Seahawks, Pat Bowlen of the Broncos, Jeffrey Lurie of the Eagles, and Steve Tisch of the Giants -- to the six-man committee that is looking into stadium proposals for a team in Los Angeles. Those proposals, from Anaheim and the current Los Angeles Coliseum area, will be examined and discussed in the next few weeks, and Tagliabue expects it to be a main subject of the spring meetings May 22-24 in Denver.
Motor Press Guild Luncheon
At the April 4 Motor Press Guild luncheon, Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, and Les Unger, national motorsports manager for Toyota, will discuss the past, present and future of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, now in its 32nd year.
Michaelian has been involved with the event since the very start, and he'll recount some of the financial and environmental pressures the event has had to overcome. Unger will explain how the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, now in its 30th year, has worked for the
Toyota brand and why the company is switching to a Scion-based racer.
For more information about MPG news, upcoming events, and directions to the Proud Bird, please visit http://www.motorpressguild.org/news.
About Motor Press Guild
The Los Angeles-based Motor Press Guild (MPG) is a non-profit professional association dedicated to promoting education and information exchange within the motoring press. MPG has more than 750 global members, including staff and freelance journalists, photographers, broadcasters, public-relations representatives from vehicle manufacturers, industry suppliers, aftermarket companies, consumer groups, governmental bodies and other motoring-related firms and organizations.
Source: Motor Press Guild
Web site: http://www.motorpressguild.org/news
Kraft Nabisco Championship
Michelle Wie got all the attention Thursday in the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Lorena Ochoa gladly settled for the lead and a spot in the record books.
Ochoa birdied her final hole to tie an LPGA major championship record at 10-under 62, giving her a four-shot lead over Wie among early starters in the first major of the year.
Ochoa, a 24-year-old Mexican who has struggled lately to close victories, broke the tournament record set by Mary Beth Zimmerman at Mission Hills in 1997. The 62 tied the record in a major set by Minea Blomqvist in the 2004 Women's British Open at Sunningdale.
She went about her business quietly, with most of the gallery following Wie, the 16-year-old from Hawaii who was playing on the LPGA Tour for the first time in five weeks.
It looked as though Wie didn't miss a beat.
She closed with a 66 at the Fields Open in Hawaii to miss a playoff by one shot. She matched her best score on the LPGA Tour with a bogey-free 66 in which she hit all 18 greens in regulation and twice escaped trouble from the trees with shots she pictured in her mind and pulled off to near perfection.
"I usually have trouble starting out," Wie said. "My game was solid today."
Angela Park, a 17-year-old amateur who plans to turn pro Monday, was at 68. Among early starters, the only other players to break 70 were Seon Hwa Lee and 45-year-old Juli Inkster, a Hall of Famer who won in Phoenix two weeks ago for her first victory in three years.
DOD
Two U.S. service members died in Iraq
Two U.S. service members died in Iraq today, and defense officials have identified a soldier killed earlier in the week. - A U.S. soldier died today from wounds suffered due to enemy action in Iraq's Anbar province March 28. - A U.S. airman assigned to 447th Air Expeditionary Group was killed and another was injured today by an improvised explosive device near Baghdad. The deceased servicemembers' names are being withheld pending next-of-kin notification. The Defense Department has announced that Army Sgt. Michael D. Rowe, 23, New Port Richey, Fla., died in Rutbah, Iraq, March 28, when a roadside bomb detonated near his Humvee. Rowe was assigned to the 46th Engineer Battalion, Warrior Brigade, Fort Polk, La.
Circus to support the Troops
Corporate support for the nation's troops means a lot, especially to their families, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here last night as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus began its annual series of performances in the nation's capital. Retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers was guest of honor at the circus, along with 15 children of troops deployed overseas and six wounded veterans from the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md. Myers spoke during the kickoff ceremony announcing Ringling Bros.' membership in "America Supports You," a Defense Department program highlighting grassroots and corporate support for the nation's troops and their families. "We know this is a big commitment, and it can't come at a better time, when we have so many folks deployed around the world, trying to keep us free and safe and secure," he said, before motioning toward the children standing around him. "The families of our military members also serve, and these folks represent those who are serving." Myers invited the crowd of thousands attending the circus at Verizon Center to visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil and find out more about how they could help support America's troops.
Nicole Feld, the show's co-producer, welcomed Myers and other distinguished guests. She said the circus is proud to join many volunteer groups, charitable organizations, local governments, and other corporations in communicating their support for the nation's men and women in uniform. Feld gave Myers a scroll and specially designed ringmaster top hat and turned the crowd's attention to an elephant wearing a specially designed extra-large dog tag, which she said symbolized the circus' corporate commitment to the ASY program. "Please accept these items on behalf of the men and women in service and know that all of you are always welcome at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey," Feld said. Cpl. Estevan Diaz, a wounded Marine waiting for surgery at Bethesda, said he was proud to come and be part of the event.
"It means a lot to us," he said. "It's just the act of them helping us out like that. It shows a lot of support." The first act of the show included elephants, horses, zebras, acrobats and clowns, as well as Brian and Tina Miser, a married couple of human cannonballs who blasted out of a specially designed cannon simultaneously.
Both have been shot more than 5,000 times. Brian said the couple's fathers retired after long Air Force careers -- Brian's father as a crew chief, and Tina's as a colonel. Tina was an Air Force reservist, keeping flight records for pilots, before resigning to travel professionally with Ringling Bros. Luke Brechtelsbauer, now in his second season traveling with the group, plays a Scottish clown. He said he was happy the circus has decided to support the troops, and he personally is prepared to do more. "If you want me to support the troops, send me over to Iraq to put on a show," he said. "Now that would be support for the troops, there."
Pay increase coming for DOD employees
Most of the first 11,000 Defense Department civilian employees to convert to the new civilian personnel system in April will receive a pay increase, an official said today. About 85 percent of people will see an initial bump in pay when they are enrolled in the new National Security Personnel System, Joyce Frank, spokeswoman for the system, told American Forces Press Service.
The first employees to make the switch in "Spiral 1.1" of the phase-in process will automatically convert to the new system April 30, she said. "No one loses pay" as they convert from the old Civil Service System to the new pay-for-performance NSPS, Frank said. Most, in fact, will qualify for a one-time, prorated within-grade increase buy-in. Employees in Step 9 or lower of their current GS grade and with acceptable performance will receive credit toward their next scheduled within-grade step increase, Frank explained.
The so-called WGI buy-in will be based on the number of days accumulated toward the increase and will be factored in for eligible employees before their positions are converted to pay bands. The NSPS Web site will offer a conversion tool within the next few days so employees can determine where they will fall in the pay band system when their positions convert to NSPS, Frank said. Another new feature on the Web site will be a Web-based training program for employees to learn about NSPS, she said. A new publication on the Web site, to be issued in hard copy to Spiral 1.1 employees, explains details of the new system, which ultimately will affect more than 650,000 DoD civilian employees. "HR Elements for Managers, Supervisors and Employees: A Guide to NSPS," gives employees an overview of the critical elements they need to understand as they convert to NSPS, Frank said.
It covers pay increases and bonuses, pay bands and job objectives, among other topics. On the guide's opening page, Mary E. Lacey, program executive officer for the NSPS, encourages employees to work with their supervisors to establish job objectives and discuss evaluation criteria and how to improve their on-the-job performance. "NSPS is a system that is good for the department and it is good for you," Lacey wrote. "It will strengthen our ability to accomplish our national security mission and provide opportunities to enhance your personal growth and development." Implementation of the new system represents "the beginning of a long journey for all of us, and we will learn from one another," she wrote
Afghan and coalition troops provided medical
Afghan and coalition troops provided medical care to 1,500 people in Laghman and Nuristan provinces in recent operations. At seven remote villages, men, women and children received treatment for ailments ranging from headaches to heartburn March 19-24. Children were dewormed; villagers also received vitamins and instruction in sanitation. Marines assigned to the Mehtar Lam Provincial Reconstruction Team escorted 18 medical professionals, including Afghan and coalition doctors, to the villages. The medical professionals set up in clinics, schools and fields -- whatever sites were available in each village.
Men, women and children were separated and evaluated by a triage team of Army and Air Force medical technicians. Appropriate medications were distributed. If further evaluation was needed, patients were sent to the team's physicians. "In most cases, the Afghan physician observed the patient and then discussed treatment and medication with the American doctors," said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Drew J. Kosmowski, the surgeon for the coalition's Combined Joint Task Force 76. "Sometimes we had to prescribe different medications based on what we brought with us."
The Afghan physicians gave villagers the medications. "We want the villagers to have faith in their own doctors," said Army Staff Sgt. Brian L. Holly, noncommissioned officer in charge of the mission.
The physicians did what they could for more serious ailments, referring some patients to medical facilities as required. All children, 6 months to 12 years, were dewormed and given vitamins. "Deworming is very important, because worms are common among children here," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kimberly M. Kauffman, another member of the medical civic assistance program team. "If worms get into their (gastrointestinal) tract, they will take nutrients from the children, which can cause malnourishment." After treatment, the patients attended sanitation class. Led by local teachers, health professionals or interpreters, the class included information on diarrhea, malaria and personal hygiene.
As a result, even patients with no medical problems gained something from the medical assistance program, Kosmowski said. Coalition forces had not organized medical assistance visits to these seven villages before. More visits are planned in other villages, including continued participation by Afghan doctors. "We're trying to give people faith and confidence in their national and local governments," Kosmowski said. "We want the Afghan people to know that their government is going to take care of their health."
NEWS
World Pizza Championship
Salsomaggiore, Italy April 3-6, 2006 Fourteen World & National Pizza Champions, known as the World Pizza Champions, will be competing at the World Pizza Championship in Salsomaggiore, Italy on April 3- 5, 2006.
Last year the team brought home two Silver medals and one Bronze medal. The Team won Silver for Squadra Acrobatic (featuring the Matrix Routine), Michael Shepherd took the Silver for Fastest, and Tony Gemignani brought back the Bronze for Individual Acrobatic
Core Members
The founding and managing members of the team. These Seasoned Veterans are going back to Italy once again to show the USA is a force to be reckoned with.
Honorary Members, Selected Members and Special Forces
A hand-picked group of the best of the best. These guys have proven that they have the desire and ability to represent the United States of America at the World Pizza Championship in Italy.
International Liaisons
A special thanks to our friends Andy and Nick who help make each trip successful.
Nick Angileri
About the World Pizza Champions
Professionals of the Pizza Industry
The World Pizza Champions are made up of members Michael Shepherd of Michael Angelo's Pizza in Kenton & Rushsylvania, Ohio; Tony Gemignani & Ken Bryant of Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley, CA; Joe Carlucci of Famous Joe's in Danbury,CT; Siler Chapman of Pizza Works in Fort Mills, SC and Sean Brauser of Romeo's Pizza in Medina, OH.
Each member has earned the highest awards in several different categories in the pizza industry. They are considered by many pizza operators worldwide as professionals and pioneers.
Team members have appeared on the Today Show, Tony Danza Show, The Tonight Show, The Ellen Show, ESPN, the Food Network, Good Morning America, BBC Radio, and numerous industry magazine covers.
They have come together to form an affiliation to promote their restaurants and their skills. Individually each of them have performed on shows across the nation, but now they plan to tour the world as a team. The World Pizza Champions perform and/or compete at numerous festivals, fairs, sporting events, and food shows all year long.
America's #1 Pizza Team, The World Pizza Champions, will be in a town or on a TV near you.
Website: http://www.worldpizzachampions.com
Apple to be a mobile virtual network operator with the iPod
By William Hoehne
The iPod and computer maker is in talks to buy excess network capacity from one of the big wireless phone service providers, says one person familiar with the talks.
Apple would resell minutes to its customers. That would make Apple a mobile virtual network operator. MVNOs don't own cellular networks, but buy capacity and resell service. MVNOs include Walt Disney's (NYSE:DIS - News) ESPN and Virgin Mobile.
Apple does not plan to make to make money on the cellular service. It plans to profit on iPhones, much like it makes money on the iPod but more or less breaks even on its iTune service. (Newstip Virgin which also had big plans is being sold.)
The iPhones would include the music-storing abilities of the popular iPod and sell for a several hundred dollars, Wall Street analysts say. Throw in a built-in camera and other features, and the iPhone could fit into Apple's iLife digital lifestyle strategy, the thinking goes. Much like the aplle computer which could do it all but soon lost out to PC'S.
"An iPhone would be huge for the company," said Gene Munster, a Piper Jaffray analyst. "There's a market for high-end phones. People like iPods as iPods. But there's also a group who would like an iPod married to a cell phone." The problem with this is just how big a market. After attending CES conferences the market will be there but when and how big will it be.
The iPod's success has given Apple a brand it could use to launch an iPhone and service, analysts say.
Munster says an iPhone might sell for $300 to $400, much like high-end cell phones and smart phones.
A 75% Chance Of this Happening.
Munster says there's a 75% chance that Apple will roll out a wireless service by year's end.
He's not alone. UBS and Morgan Stanley recently issued research notes speculating Apple would move soon on iPhone.
The technical challenge is to make the phone easy to use with Apple's iTunes music service.
In September, Motorola (NYSE:MOT - News) unveiled the first phone designed to work with iTunes. But that phone, the Rokr, has been called clunky. And it was sold by mobile carrier Cingular. It hasn't been a big hit.
"Building on success with iTunes, Apple can create a phone that allows for the easy loading of content -- music, video, photos and more -- by docking to a PC or Mac," said UBS analyst Benjamin Reitzes in a note to clients. "Consumers clearly want content, but lack true 'plug and play' phones."
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple already has a busy year ahead. Its upcoming new products are expected to include video iPods and iBook laptops. On Wednesday, it released free software that can be used to set volume limits on the iPod. Some users and their parents fear that excessive iPod volumes could harm hearing.
At JPMorgan Chase, Hong Kong-based analyst Johnny Chan says Apple has already picked a Taiwanese company that will make the iPhone -- Hon Hai Precision. It already makes some Apple products.
But leasing capacity from a U.S. wireless carrier could be a problem for Apple, some observers say. The three biggest carriers already lease capacity to other third-party operators. No other operator has the nationwide reach Apple will require.
'Should Happen This Year'
Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S - News) has been the most willing of the big wireless firms to sell excess network capacity. But it already sells wholesale capacity to Disney, Virgin Mobile and others.
Cingular sells airtime to America Movil's (NYSE:AMX - News) TracFone, a prepaid service. AT&T (NYSE:T - News) and BellSouth (NYSE:BLS - News) own Cingular.
Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ - News) sells airtime to Amp'd Mobile, a new startup.
T-Mobile USA, owned by Deutsche Telekom (NYSE:DT - News), also is interested in selling extra capacity and as been mentioned here in a earlier story the entire company if the price is right.. But it doesn't have the network reach of Cingular, Verizon or Sprint.
Some observers, though, see few roadblocks which in my opinion is a major mistake. They felt the same way about the apple computer and we know the market for it today.
"All carriers have been interested in a deal with Apple," said one person close to the talks. "Something should happen this year."
Apple, as per its custom, won't talk about any unreleased products.
At one point, Apple worked with Nokia (NYSE:NOK - News) to develop a traditional cell phone, analysts say. These analysts say Apple's best strategy now would be to piggyback on the success of the iPod.
Best Buy a changing
The $30-billion-a-year company has ruled consumer electronics retailing for ten years by popularizing the superstore. Today its yellow-tag logo adorns more than 930 spacious, shrewdly located stores amply stocked with the latest flat-panel TVs, game consoles and discs, home-computing gear, and appliances.
Best Buy accounted for fully 17 percent of the consumer electronics market in the U.S. and Canada last year. For investors the payoff has been big: Throughout the 1990s Best Buy's earnings per share grew faster than Microsoft's, and its shareholder returns bested Intel's.
But the mock hospital is a reminder that in the volatile, low-margin retailing realm, complacency brings doom. Because of that awareness, Anderson has been willing to roll the dice again and again throughout a legendary retailing career, junking perfectly good business models in favor of high-risk innovations.
"When most of us say, 'Well, I'm more comfortable where I'm at,' " says CFO Darren Jackson, "Brad pushes us around the next corner."
Changing the business formula -- again
Anderson now is out to blow up Best Buy's entire success formula -- by shifting the company's focus from pushing gadgets to catering to customers. Known internally as customer-centricity, the plan is so far-reaching and risky that last year, when Best Buy announced that clumsy execution had hurt third-quarter results and that same-store sales growth had been sluggish, its stock price plunged 12 percent, to $44, in a single day.
Analysts also fretted that the company might be juggling too much -- Best Buy is preparing to open its first stores in China, seeding U.S. cities with technology boutiques, and recruiting techies by the thousands to expand its Geek Squad service business.
Though a post-holiday surge has brought the share price above $57 -- most analysts now recommend the stock -- Anderson's great transformation has only begun.
"Whether we're doing it in the right way is a highly challengeable premise," he says. And he knows the risks: If the strategy fails, Best Buy could end up a consumer electronics also-ran, like those retailers in the mock hospital.
Google continues its lead in the search share competition
Nielsen//NetRatings, a global leader in Internet media and market research, today reported that Google continues its lead in the search share competition, garnering 48.5 percent of all searches conducted in February 2006 (see Table 1). Yahoo! drew 22.5 percent of online searches, while MSN accounted for 10.7 percent of the search market. AOL and My Way Search rounded out the top five search providers with 6.6 and 2.7 percent of searches, respectively.
Search share among these five providers has remained relatively flat since January of this year, with all providers gaining or losing less than one percentage point.
Overall the total number of searches increased 38 percent, from 3.8 billion in February 2005 to 5.3 billion in February 2006. This growth in the total number of searches is due in large part to an increased number of searches per person, particularly in the image search and shopping search categories. In February 2005, the average Web user conducted 33.2 searches; by this February, that number had climbed to 43.1 searches, increasing 30 percent year over year (see Table 2). In contrast, the number of unique searchers increased year over year by a modest six percent.
"While the number of unique searchers in the U.S. over the past year has remained relatively stable, we see search usage intensity increasing, not only in the number of searches done per person for general Web content, but also for searches initiated specifically for photos and graphics, as well as for comparison shopping information," said Michael Lanz, vice president, search industry solutions, Nielsen//NetRatings.
"Hoping to get more relevant results, many consumers are going to search engines and clicking on the specific category of search they are interested in, such as 'image' or 'shopping,' instead of just making a search immediately in the default 'Web' search bar," he continued.
Among search verticals, image search enjoyed the strongest year over year growth in February, increasing 91 percent. Google enjoyed the lion's share of image search, with 71.9 percent, followed by Yahoo! with 19.1 percent and Ask.com with 3.5 percent (see Table 3). MSN and AOL rounded out the top five image search providers.
"Increasing broadband penetration, which allows users to download large image files easily and efficiently, and the rising popularity of social networking sites have contributed to the increase in image searches. In the upcoming year, we can expect to see an increase in video searches as video clips become as commonplace on the Internet as still images," said Lanz.
American Red Cross investigation into food distribution
The FBI in New Orleans has just agreed to take the referral of allegations of fraud and other wrongdoing in connection with an American Red Cross investigation into food distribution and warehousing activities in the New Orleans area. This is an ongoing investigation and the American Red Cross and the FBI will not be able to comment further on the matters of this case. The Red Cross Office of General Counsel and Office of Investigation Compliance and Ethics will continue to work closely with the FBI on this matter.
"The Red Cross takes these allegations very seriously and is committed to being the best stewards of the donated dollar," said interim Red Cross President and CEO, Jack McGuire. "We actively seek out and prosecute wrongdoing to the fullest extent of the law. We are grateful to the volunteers who have brought these matters to our attention and encourage others who may have information to let us know."
The American Red Cross has been part of the Department of Justice Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force since hurricane Katrina first made landfall. As part of the taskforce, the American Red Cross works closely with the Secret Service, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Service, the Secret Service and other law enforcement groups to seek out and prosecute fraud, waste and abuse to the fullest extend law -- and seeks court ordered restitution for repayment of fraudulently obtained money.
Through the Investigations, Compliance and Ethics Office, the Red Cross has the systems and processes in place to aggressively investigate every allegation of fraud, waste, abuse and other wrongdoing. If criminal misconduct is suspected, the matter is turned over to law enforcement authorities. To date about $2 million dollars of Hurricane Katrina emergency financial assistance obtained fraudulently or mistakenly has been returned to the American Red Cross.
For more than three years the Red Cross has maintained a toll-free, confidential and anonymous, whistleblower hotline called the Concern Connection Line (888-309-9679) to collect allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and other wrongdoing.
Source: American Red Cross
Web site: http://www.redcross.org/
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc declares dividend
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share on its Series A and Series B Common Stock. The dividend is payable on April 15, 2006 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 5, 2006.
Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. owns 25 television stations, and manages an additional three television and two radio stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The Company's television stations reach approximately 18% of U.S. TV households, making it one of the largest U.S. television station groups. The Company owns 10 NBC affiliates, and is the second-largest NBC affiliate owner. Hearst-Argyle also owns 12 ABC affiliated stations, and manages an additional ABC station owned by the Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group. The Company also owns two CBS affiliates. Hearst- Argyle also is a leader in the convergence of local broadcast television and the Internet through its partnership with Internet Broadcasting. Hearst-Argyle is majority owned by the Hearst Corporation. Hearst-Argyle Series A Common Stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HTV." HTV debt is rated investment grade by Moody's (Baa3), Standard & Poor's (BBB-) and Fitch (BBB-), each with a stable outlook.
Source: Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc.
Web site: http://www.hearstargyle.com/
Is LA’s Design Week a microcosm of the economy?
Los Angeles may have been a step child to New York in fashion and to Chicago in contract furniture, but was this week’s Design Week more an indicator of what’s happening in the general economy?
Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting much with the showrooms being spread out geographically through Los Angeles and the lack of enthusiasm when speaking with friends in the industry. Wizardworld itself, while in the collectibles arena, showed the decline in disposable income, and thus the economy. Missing most of all from all of the showrooms were people – designers, architects, clients, and personnel. The most lively of all were the residential showrooms, but even those, were a mere shadow of activity of what they should be.
Design Week was divided into comprised of two different trade shows, NeoCon West and West Week. NeoCon West began as the west coast version of NeoCon when West Week began declining. NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, celebrating its 38th year, has become the most important industry event for commercial interiors where manufacturers introduce new products and the latest knowledge and trends are shared. NeoCon will be occurring in Chicago June 12-14, 2006. West Week was the west coast version and introductions had started in Los Angeles in addition to Chicago, when the major contract manufacturers were all located at the Pacific Design Center. NeoCon West, occurred Monday and Tuesday at the LA Mart and downtown Los Angeles. West Week was at the PDC in West Hollywood and the Santa Monica Design District on Wednesday and Thursday.
Kimball’s presence at the Biltmore’s penthouse floor, gave a bird’s eye view of the world while exploring their well earned reputation of fine wood casegoods, systems furniture and health care. Kimball’s President series is a U.S. military standard while they are the only manufacturer with an OSHPD, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, rating for horizontal railing, with Traxx.
Allsteel’s presence in the Citicorp building, was retro, but other than having people for their promoted event, had no one available in their showroom at 11 am to discuss product at a two day trade show. Allsteel may have captured 2 Best of Neocon awards in 2005 and be featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but what are they doing in the LA market?
Herman Miller, was now, noticeably absent from the downtown jaunt of showrooms. While they were not intentionally left out, they were not included in the L.A. Designweek materials, and thus overlooked. Herman Miller, favored by the design community with Knoll, was recently rated by Fortune magazine in their annual survey, published earlier this month as the “Most Admired” firm in the furniture industry for the 18th time in the last 20 years.
Haworth’s vision to lead the world in creating beautiful, effective and adaptable workplaces was evident in their Santa Monica showroom. Haworth’s Los Angeles showroom features underfloor air, moveable walls and natural daylighting while being LEED-CI certified LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council to recognize leadership in environmental design. Their award winning Zody chair, where form follows science, is 98% recyclable. The Zody’s patent pending asymmetrical lumbar adjustment allows users to modify support on either side of their back and may have been key to their endorsement by the American Physical Therapy Association. Haworth’s Chicago showroom was chosen as "Project of the Year" for the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) 32nd Annual Interior Design Competition.
Knoll’s showroom beautifully displayed their products, allowing one to interact with their furniture and textiles. Knoll is known for its alliance with students in exhibitions is also favored by the design community. Knoll was awarded their third consecutive year with the Dealers’ Choice Circle of Excellence award in the category of Product Lines, presented by the Office Furniture Dealers' Alliance (OFDA).
Steelcase’s relatively new Santa Monica showroom, resembling a retro lounge area, makes one ask, where is all the commercial furniture? Yes, they’re located in Santa Monica’s Design District, being one of 13 design stores for both commercial and residential applications, and some of the furniture displayed crosses both applications, but why would I need to travel to the third floor to see who they are. Perhaps they don’t feel the need to show. After all, they were ranked 1st in 7 different categories in 2006 Contract Magazine’s reader survey of 904 randomly sampled design industry respondents when asked what companies they preferred when purchasing or recommended products.
Teknion, the upstart of the major contract furniture companies, was happy and ready to assist. Of all the major manufacturers, their faces told their story… a 32% gain in the U.S. market as compared to 12.4% in industry shipments for the industry according to BIFMA, The Business and Institutional Manufacturers Association. Recovering from the dot com crash, they’ve recovered with the government, health and education sectors. Teknion strives to be the single source with their product line. Their Trojan horse lines, the Modular Cabinets and Altos architectural walls, allow them early entrance in the project cycle.
Is the lack of interest this year due mainly to a geographical fragmentation? Will the manufacturers learn their lessons and create a unified event for next year that their industry will want to attend?
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