Oscar fans may lose in Cablevision-ABC fee dispute

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Some New Yorkers hoping to watch the Oscars could see black screens instead of golden statues on Sunday.

This week Disney and Cablevision began warning the cable operator's 3.1 million New York-area subscribers that their ABC station may go dark Sunday, Mar. 6, at 12:01 a.m. because of a fee dispute.
The Academy Awards broadcast, one of television's most-watched live events, is set to air on ABC that night.

Disney (DIS, Fortune 500) wants Cablevision to pay a fee for the right to deliver its ABC broadcast channel to the cable operator's subscribers, which would amount to an additional $40 million a year in new fees, said Cablevision spokesman Charles Schueler in a prepared statement.

Cablevision (CVC, Fortune 500) currently pays Disney more than $200 million a year to carry its cable networks, which include ESPN, the Disney Channel and ABC Family.

A Disney spokesman notes that Cablevision charges customers up to $18 a month to receive just the basic broadcast networks -- ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and PBS -- but that Disney does not share in any of that revenue.

Cablevision contends that Disney's move will "force Cablevision customers to pay a new TV tax for programming [that] ABC Disney gives away free, both over-the-air and on the Internet."

Rebecca Campbell, president and general manager of WABC-TV, shot back in a statement: "We can no longer sit back and allow Cablevision to use our shows for free while they continue to charge their customers for them."

Following the money
The stalemate is similar to a heated battle between News Corp. (NWS, Fortune 500) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) over paying to carry the Fox network. The companies came to an agreement hours after the Dec. 31 deadline, but programming was not disrupted. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The disputes are part of a sea change in the television industry's business model, as programming choices expand and advertising revenues plummet.

Unlike cable networks, which both collect advertising revenues and subscriber fees from pay-TV providers, broadcast networks rely solely on ad revenue. But as that money is drying up, they are in search of new sources of revenue.

For their part, cable providers say they are cash-strapped as a result of costly efforts to upgrade technology in order to fend off satellite and telecom TV providers as well as Web-based programming.

The Disney-Cablevision contract expired more than two years ago, a Disney rep confirmed. The companies have extended the agreement each month as talks continue.

Disney set up a Web site at www.saveabc7.com while Cablevision's site is at http://cablevision.com/abc.

Source:/money.cnn.com/

Screen Shorts (Jan 29, 2010)

Director Tim Burton (right) has been chosen to head the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival, organisers announced.

The 51-year-old Burton said it was an honour to be chosen for the part. "When you think of Cannes you think of world cinema. And as films have always been like dreams to me, this is a dream come true."

Burton has directed 14 feature films, in virtually every genre, and has won critical acclaim for his originality and very personal style. His most successful works include the film biography Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp, the science fiction satire Mars Attacks and the first two films in the Batman series – Batman and Batman Returns.

Burton was awarded a Golden Lion for his career’s work at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.

His next feature, a 3D adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, starring Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, is set to be released in US theatres on March 5.

The 63rd Cannes Festival takes place from May 12 to 23.


Michael Jackson’s This is It released on DVD

The Michael Jackson concert film This is It was released on DVD. The event was greeted by fans dressed as the legendary pop star at midnight release parties in Los Angeles and New York.

This is It (above) became the best-selling concert documentary ever when it was released in cinemas at the end of October, four months after Jackson died.

Jackson is due to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Grammy music awards this Sunday night in a broadcast that will feature a 3D clip produced for the concert, a snippet of which is seen in the film.






Hathaway to announce Oscar nominations

Actress Anne Hathaway (right) has been chosen to announce the Oscar nominations on Feb 2, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said.

Hathaway will join Academy President Tom Sherak at the early morning event, that signals the start of the most important stage in the awards season, culminating in the Oscar ceremony on March 7.

Hathaway, 27, was nominated last year for the best actress Oscar for her role in Rachel Getting Married. – dpa

Source:thesundaily.com/

Mickey Rourke: ‘I wouldn’t trade her in for 20 Academy Awards’

The wrestler star is presently the happiest person on earth. After landing with an Oscar nomination last year, and rekindling his dying acting career, he has got a new girlfriend whom he says “a gift from heaven”.

The 54 year old star Mickey Rourke has revealed that he is completely smitten with his Russian girl friend Anastassija Makarenko and says that she has brought much more happiness his career has ever given him.

“She’s a gift from heaven. Obviously she’s a very beautiful woman,” he said.

“But she’s got the biggest heart, she’s got a great family, she’s really close to her mother and father – they’re great people. I wouldn’t trade her in for 20 Academy Awards.” He added with a grin on his face.

Anastassija who is a famous model, has taken him to Germany to meet her parents, and she revealed that they were very happy after meeting him.

“They loved him. He’s the most beautiful man in the world; he’s a sweetheart, and the best boyfriend.” She said.

Though nothing is official but it is rumored that they are planning to get married in this summer.

“They haven’t booked a venue or made any solid plans. He just knows he wants to do it in April, and he’s been asking what is involved in a traditional Russian wedding ceremony.” Said a source.

Source:entertainmentandshowbiz.com/