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| << October11, 2007 - Reel 2 Reel #168 ~ Read this issue on our blog! |
November02, 2007 - Reel 2 Reel #171 ~ Happy Birthday Mom! >> |
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Howdy Adventureland Friends: Did you find the newsletter on the blog last week? I made that decision at the very last minute. So, that is way I didn't mention it in the newsletter. You'll find this entire issue on the blog to. Happy Birthday to our friend Amber @ Free N Clear Stuff. She shares October 20th. with Bela Lugosi (1882), Jerry Orbach (1935), Earl Hindman (1942) and Snoop Dogg (1971). http://www.freenclearstuff.com Would you like to see your name in the newsletter? I will use your first name only. Your age is optional. Click here to add your name to the list. http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?36409 October is more than breast cancer awareness month. It is also Halloween and Heartland Film Festival. Go here to learn more about their Truly Moving Pictures. http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/ Have you joined Blingo? http://www.blingo.com/friends?ref=LJt9EIXsXBaBuP-fW5DaMrkkYSk +===================================+ Find your showtimes @ Adventureland http://advland.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> BOX OFFICE <> <> <> +===================================+ PERRY EASILY TAKES BOX OFFICE Heavyweights such as George Clooney and Cate Blanchett were no match for another of Tyler Perry's tales. Lionsgate release "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?", a yarn whose ensemble cast includes Janet Jackson, Malik Yoba, Jill Scott and Perry, debuted as the No. 1 weekend movie with $21.5 million. Perry's flick came in well ahead of Clooney's "Michael Clayton," Blanchett's "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," and Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg's "We Own the Night," which all pulled in modest crowds. "The Game Plan," which had been No. 1 the previous 2 weekends, was neck-and-neck with "Michael Clayton" and "We Own the Night" for second-place. Disney reported an $11.5 million haul for "Game Plan," Warner Bros. reported $11.01 million for "Michael Clayton" and Sony reported $11 million for "We Own the Night." Universal's "The Golden Age," a followup to 1998's "Elizabeth," was No. 6 with $6.2 million. Despite the movies featuring top stars, business continued to slide. Revenues were down for the fourth-straight weekend, with the top-12 films taking in $85.5 million, off 14% from last year, when "The Grudge 2" and "The Departed" led the box office. Though "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" had a so-so opening this year, "Why Did I Get Married?" joined his hits "Madea's Family Reunion" and "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," which also opened at No. 1. "Why Did I Get Married?" follows the domestic trials of couples re-evaluating their relationships during an annual reunion. "Tyler Perry is a mogul," said Paul Dergarabedian of Media By Numbers. "There is a built-in audience base for Tyler Perry's movies, no matter what time of year, no matter what the subject matter." "Michael Clayton," which went nationwide after opening in a handful of theaters a week earlier, stars Clooney as an attorney in moral crisis. "We Own the Night" features Phoenix and Wahlberg in the story of a black-sheep brother who makes amends with his family of cops to take on drug dealers. In "The Golden Age," Blanchett reprises her role as Britain's Queen Elizabeth I as she faces a holy war with Spain. The studios are counting on Oscar buzz for Blanchett and Clooney to keep "The Golden Age" and "Michael Clayton." "We think we really have a solid Oscar contender here, and we're in for the long run," said Dan Fellman, Warner's head of distribution. Such films tend to have more staying power, since they appeal to older moviegoers who do not necessarily rush out to see films over opening weekend. "This is a very specific kind of film that isn't going to launch in the marketplace the same as some of the other broad-based movies do," said Nikki Rocco of Universal. "This is a very discerning audience. There are a lot of films vying for that same adult audience, so we were pleased to get it launched." In limited release, "Lars and the Real Girl," starring Ryan Gosling, took in a $85,000 in 7 theaters; "Sleuth," with Michael Caine and Jude Law, opened with $50,090 in 9 theaters; and "Control" - a drama about Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, debuted with $26,500 in 1 theater. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters: 01) "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" @ $21.5M. 02) "The Game Plan" @ $11.5M. 03) "Michael Clayton" @ $11.01M. 04) "We Own the Night" @ $11M. 05) "The Heartbreak Kid" @ $7.4M. 06) "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" @ $6.2M. 07) "The Kingdom" @ $4.6M. 08) "Across the Universe" @ $4M. 09) "Resident Evil: Extinction" @ $2.65M. 10) "The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising" @ $2.15M. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/ +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ TYLER PERRY'S WHY DID I GET MARRIED? During a trip to the mountains of Colorado, eight married college friends have gathered for their annual reunion. As secrets are revealed, each couple begins to question their marriage. Over the course of the weekend, husbands and wives take a hard look at their lives, wrestling with issues of commitment, betrayal and forgiveness as they seek a way forward. http://www.whydidigetmarriedthemovie.com/ +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ October 26, 2007 JIMMY CARTER MAN FROM PLAINS Documentary following former President Jimmy Carter on a book tour of his non-fiction book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid." http://www.sonyclassics.com/jimmycartermanfromplains/ November 2, 2007 DARFUR NOW Documentary following the struggles and achievements of six individuals making a difference in Darfur and around the world. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809843307/info +===================================+ <> <> <> SHINING STAR <> <> <> +===================================+ BELA LUGOSI DOB: October 20,1882 Lugos, Austria-Hungary. [now Lugoj, Romania] DOD: August 16,1956 (Heart Attack) Los Angeles, California, USA. Born Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko, Bela Lugosi ran away from home at age 12. He supported himself through a succession of menial jobs. Early on he developed a taste for the theatre, and his ambition and natural talent made him popular in his native country. Lugosi was in his 30s when he volunteered to serve his country during World War I. After his tenure in the service, he appeared in several Hungarian silent films, often billed as "Arisztid Olt." By 1920 he landed in Germany, where he acted in several films. His residence in Germany was brief, in late 1921 or early 1922 Lugosi had arrived in the U.S. to stay. His talent and skill got him cast in the Broadway production of The Red Poppy just a year or so after he came to America. TRIVIA: At the time of his death, Lugosi was in such poor financial straits that Frank Sinatra paid for his funeral. His Los Angeles home was purchased by Johnny Depp, the actor who portrayed his friend Edward D. Wood Jr. in the film Ed Wood (1994). http://www.belalugosi.com/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000509/ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=652 +===================================+ <> <> <> SNACK BAR <> <> <> +===================================+ HALLOWEEN MINI POPCORN BALLS 10 cups popped popcorn 1 (1-lb.) pkg. miniature marshmallows 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine 1 cup diced dried fruit (papaya, mango or peaches) 1 cup butterscotch chips Orange food coloring (optional) Mix popcorn, fruit and butterscotch chips in large bowl; set aside. In large saucepan, heat marshmallows and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in several drops of food coloring if desired. Pour over popcorn and candy, tossing to coat evenly. Cool to allow handling (5 min.). Butter hands well and form into 3-inch balls. Yield: About 16 balls +===================================+ <> <> <> GAME TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ EA 2 BUY 2 GAME MAKERS Electronic Arts said Thursday it will acquire two software studios from Elevation Partners in a deal worth $860 million, the largest in its history. The studios, BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios, are known for action, adventure and role-playing games. Elevation owns their parent, VG Holding Corp. "These guys are powerhouses there, and this acquisition puts us in a strong competitive position now," Frank Gibeau, president of EA Games said. Under the terms of the deal, EA will pay VG stockholders $620 million in cash and issue $155 million in equity to the company's employees. The shares will be subject to vesting criteria. Redwood City-based EA will also assume $50 million in outstanding VG stock options and has agreed to lend VG $35 million until the deal closes. Company officials declined to elaborate on the terms. Prior to this deal, EA's largest acquisition was its $680 million purchase of mobile game publisher Jamdat Mobile Inc. in 2006. BioWare and Pandemic have a total of 10 games under development. Together, they employ 800 people in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, as well as in Canada and Australia. Microsoft is planning to publish BioWare's Mass Effect game next month, and the studio is in the early stages of developing a multiplayer online game. Pandemic is planning to release "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames" and "Saboteur." "We did this deal because we think it's going to accelerate our growth dramatically," Gibeau said. The acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval, is expected to close in January. EA expects the deal to lower its 2008 earnings by 30 to 40 cents per share. EA shares fell $1.22, or 2%, to close at $58.69 Thursday but regained $1.26 in extended trading. +===================================+ <> <> <> INTERMISSION <> <> <> +===================================+ GORE SHARES NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Al Gore and the U.N.'s climate change panel won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for spreading awareness of man-made climate change and laying the foundations for counteracting it. Gore plans to donate his prize money to the Alliance for Climate Protection. http://www.nobelpeaceprize.org CRYSTAL HONORED WITH TWAIN AWARD Carl Reiner, Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg have all won it. Now, to borrow a famous movie line he wrote, Billy Crystal is having what they're having. The comedian, actor, Broadway star and Yankees fan's many talents and passions were celebrated Thursday night at the Kennedy Center as he accepted the 10th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. DEGENERES' DOGGIE DRAMA Ellen DeGeneres' doggy drama intensified Tuesday after her tearful plea on her talk show. Ellen explained that the dog didn't get along with her cats, so she gave it to her hairstylist. DeGeneres had said her hairdresser's daughters had bonded with Iggy and were heartbroken when the dog was taken away. http://advland.bravejournal.com +===================================+ <> <> <> DVD SHOWCASE <> <> <> +===================================+ Buy your favorite DVDs @ Adventureland http://psgoods.bravehost.com +===================================+ <> <> <> NOW SHOWING <> <> <> +===================================+ TRANSFORMERS From Michael Bay & Steven Spielberg comes a thrilling battle between heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons. When their epic struggle comes to Earth, all that stands between the Decepticons and ultimate power is young Sam Witwicky. Unaware that he is mankind’s last chance, Sam and Bumblebee, his robot disguised as a car, are in a heart-pounding race against an enemy unlike anything anyone has seen before. http://www.transformersmovie.com/ http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/ "Great special effects + Shia LaBeouf - flimsy story = lotsa fun." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bob Longino "...a movie of epically assaultive noise and nonsense." -- New York Times, Manohla Dargis +===================================+ <> <> <> COMING SOON <> <> <> +===================================+ October 23, 2007 HOME OF THE BRAVE In Iraq, a war-wearied National Guard unit has just received the exhilarating news that they are about to be "demobilized" - finally sent back home to the safety of Spokane. But when they head out on one final mission, things go terribly wrong. http://www.mgm.com/sites/homeofthebrave/ "...the fuse that should spark an emotional explosion fizzles after some sporadic hisses and sputters." -- New York Times, Stephen Holden "...features some of the worst dialogue to be found in any non-horror film this year." -- ReelViews, James Berardinelli +===================================+ <> <> <> AUCTION WATCH <> <> <> +===================================+ Munchkin is once again reminding women... "DON'T DUCK A BREAST EXAM" They have enlisted celebrities to sign and decorate limited edition pink bath ducks. All proceeds benefitthe Susan G. Komen Foundation. In 2006, Project Pinkraised over $30,000. See their eBay Auctions here. http://www.munchkin.com/projectpink +===================================+ <> <> <> JUST 4 FUN <> <> <> +===================================+ THINGS YOU'LL NEVER HEAR IN A WESTERN MOVIE: "I reckon I'll have me a half-caf double latte with a twist. IN A DIRTY MUG!" "Gentlemen, rather than get caught up in mindless reaction, let's draw upon our feminine selves for a more intuitive solution." "Can we postpone this duel till 12:05? I gotta use the little boys room." "Injuns! Quick, pull the wagons into an irregular dodecagon!" "Y'know, Badlands Pete... a roaring campfire, good coffee, nice prairie breeze, just you 'n' me... what say we put on the rhinestone gowns and dance a jig or two?" "Let's see... hardtack and pemmican... that's three grams of fat, seven grams of protein, and two starches." "You 'n' Slim round up them strays, and I'll tell Cookie to get started on the gazpacho and the fondue." "That's him! That's the yella-bellied varmint who shot my therapist!" "He was a strong man, a good marshal, and I reckon he had a keen eye for interior decoration." "Hey, Buck, do these chaps make my butt look big?" "It's like I keep tellin' ya, Earl: men is from Tombstone, women is from Dodge." "HANG HIM HIGH, BOYS!! ...Okay, now a little to the left... .Oooh! Stop right there. Perfect!" +===================================+ <> <> STEALS & DEALS <> <> +===================================+ TAKE A BITE OUT OF STEEP DVD PRICES! Buy one DVD get one free! Save on Top A&E Titles. With television series and documentaries for history buffs and sports fans all on sale, there's something for everyone. Enter code BUYONEGETONEANE at checkout to save! Offer ends 10/16. Discount applies to the lower priced items. http://www.deepdiscount.com/DVD---A-E-Buy-One-Get-One-Free_stcVVcatId479941VVviewcat.htm?promoCode=BUYONEGETONEANE A UNIQUE GIFT IDEA 4 MOVIE BUFFS MovieTexts are a totally new way to send greetings or just keep in touch. Tap in your message and we turn your words into their own little movie. Each has been crafted by an experienced filmmaker. We'll deliver it for you by e-mail or mobile phone. We can send it at any time - up to one year in the future. http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75497 HOME THEATER, GAME ROOM & SNACK BAR Shop our Pre Holiday Sale and Save Big! We carry products for your bar, kitchen, rec room, patio and more. Save 5%-10% on your order by entering the corresponding code during checkout. On orders up to $99.99; save 5% with code A5 $100-499.99; save 7.5% with code A75 $500+; save 10% with code A10. http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?75500 +===================================+ <> <> <> NEWS REELS <> <> <> +===================================+ SEARCHES IN ANNA NICOLE DEATH California Department of Justice investigators began serving search warrants Friday in connection with the death of Anna Nicole Smith. The Playboy Playmate died of an accidental drug overdose in February. Several people close to the model have fallen under suspicion since her death, including psychiatrist Dr. Khristine Eroshevich. California's medical board also opened an inquiry to determine if there was any misconduct by Dr. Sandeep Kapoor. MOORE HONORED ON WALK OF FAME Best known for playing James Bond, Roger Moore now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Moore (79) received his spot on Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday. The actor made 7 Bond films, starting with "Live and Let Die" and ending with "A View to a Kill." "Sadly, I had to retire from the Bond films," Moore said. "The girls were getting younger or I was just getting too old." His star sits in front of 7007 Hollywood Blvd., an ice cream parlor that claims to be the birthplace of the hot fudge sundae. http://www.roger-moore.com/ CAREY FINALLY FOUND MS. RIGHT Drew Carey, the new host of "The Price Is Right," is engaged to Nicole Jaracz, a graduate of culinary school, said his spokeswoman, Christina Papadopoulos. "It will be the first marriage for both. No date for a wedding has been set yet," said Papadopoulos, adding that Carey and his bride-to-be are "very happy and excited about their future together." Carey (49) starred in his own ABC sitcom and also hosted the game shows "Power of 10" and "Whose Line is It Anyway?" 'SHOP OF HORRORS' SCREENWRITER DIES Charles Griffith (77), who wrote the screenplay for the original "Little Shop of Horrors" and co-wrote the update. Griffith died of a heart attack Sept. 28. He was known for his work on low-budget horror-comedy films in the 1960s and 1970s and often collaborated with director Roger Corman. Griffith, born Sept. 23, 1930, in Chicago, was introduced to Corman in 1954. They worked on more than a dozen films. Survivors include his wife, daughter and 4 grandchildren. JUDGE DELAYS SNIPES' TAX TRIAL U.S. Judge William Terrell postponed Wesley Snipes' tax evasion trial until next year after the actor fired his legal team. The judge called it a "ploy" to delay trial, but said the motion was in the public interest. Snipes expressed a "complete lack of trust and confidence" in attorney William R. Martin, who also represented Michael Vick. Snipes said Martin ignored his case while working for Vick, hadn't reviewed documents and lost information. Snipes' new lawyer, Robert G. Bernhoft, previously represented him in a paternity case. LINCOLN CENTER 2 HONOR STREEP Meryl Streep is about to collect yet another honor, this one from the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The Film Society announced this at the closing of the 45th New York Film Festival. The 58-year-old will be honored April 14 for the Film Society's 35th Gala Tribute. The Film Society of Lincoln Center has paid tribute to film figures since 1972, when it honored Charlie Chaplin. Other honorees have included Fred Astaire, Alfred Hitchcock, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Jane Fonda and, most recently, Diane Keaton. http://www.filmlinc.com CARTER & KIDS WELCOME 'THOMAS' Former President Jimmy Carter and a group of young children welcomed Thomas the Tank Engine to Georgia. The Thomas replica pulled a 9-car train from Georgia Veterans State Park. Crossing Lake Blackshear before returning to the park. After the ride, Carter read a story to the children. Thomas was first popularized in books and later on television. The event marked the fifth anniversary of the SAM Shortline Excursion Train. It also highlighted a "Day Out With Thomas," which features 25-minute train rides, storytelling and other children's activities. AIR FORCE HONORS 'BRADY' BOY If Barry Williams had not become Greg Brady, he might have joined the military like his father. The 53-year-old gained fame on "The Brady Bunch." Now he's an honorary member of the Air Force's 4th Fighter Wing's 335th Fighter Squadron. Capt. Don Haley said Williams has been an avid supporter and USO entertainer. They surprised Williams on Friday with the recognition, which included riding an F-15E Strike Eagle. "It was the most exciting experience of my life. It was a great honor," Williams said. He posed with airmen, spouses and children, shaking hands and thanking them. THE FORCE COMING 2 TV NEAR YOU George Lucas said Tuesday he is planning a live-action TV series spinoff of the "Star Wars" film franchise. Lucas told The Los Angeles Times he has "just begun work" on the series. "The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters," Lucas told the Times. Lucas wouldn't reveal details, but joked that the series would be about "the life of robots." Lucas already has another TV series in the works. Lucas Animation has been working for months on the computer-animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." 'KITE RUNNER' AUTHOR SPEAKS OUT "The Kite Runner" author Khaled Hosseini commends the delayed release of the film adaptation of his novel. Paramount delayed the debut until Dec. 14, after its adolescent male stars said they could be targeted for their participation in a rape scene. Paramount is moving the boys and their families from Afghanistan, possibly until next spring. "Afghanistan has become a pretty violent place within the last year," said the Kabul native. "If the boys and their families think there is a reasonable risk of threat to them, then you have to take all of the steps that you can to make sure they are OK." Hosseini defended keeping the scene in the film. "Without that moment, the tower of cards really falls apart," he said. WELLES' 'KANE' OSCAR AUCTION Orson Welles' 1941 Oscar for "Citizen Kane" will be auctioned in December. Sotheby's estimated that the Academy Award will sell for $800,000 - $1.2 million. The statuette, believed to have been once lost by Welles, resurfaced in 1994, and returned to his estate. In 2003, it was acquired by Dax Foundation. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said it has no plans to block the sale. "We're never happy to see Academy Awards go on sale," said Bruce Davis, executive director of the academy. +===================================+ <> <> <> TECH TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ COMCAST TIVO BOX ROLLOUT Comcast Corp. has finally begun rolling out its first set-top boxes that run TiVo's digital video recording technology. New England is the first market to get Comcast-TiVo. The rollout started with test customers only, TiVo spokesman Whit Clay said. The boxes will be commercially available "in coming weeks," a Comcast spokeswoman said. Pricing has not yet been disclosed. Comcast-TiVo was announced in 2005 and considered a key to TiVo's future as it works to be profitable. TiVo pioneered DVR but struggles amid cheaper rivals, including Comcast. Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV provider, has said it will continue to offer its basic DVR service; the TiVo-based offering will be a premium service. +===================================+ <> <> <> TRADE TALK <> <> <> +===================================+ NBC LEAVES BURBANK 4 UNIVERSAL NBC Universal plans to sell its 34-acre site in "beautiful downtown Burbank," the longtime home of "The Tonight Show," and move operations to Universal City. The move may consign to trivia books the jest that gave the suburb national identity among generations of TV viewers who otherwise might never have heard of the city of postwar tract homes and working studios. The Burbank studio, purchased in 1951, was made famous by the late "Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson's frequent reference to "beautiful downtown Burbank." The phrase was coined in 1961 by broadcast personality Gary Owens, who used it when announcing Los Angeles-area weather on radio station KFWB. Owens (70) popularized the phrase in 1968 as host of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," which broadcast from the NBC lot. Carson adopted it when "Tonight Show" moved to Burbank from New York in 1972. The move will be short, just a couple miles to the other side of the Los Angeles River, but will trade the atmosphere of business for the flair of Universal City. NBC plans to move "The Tonight Show" to the Stage One at Universal Studios when Conan O'Brien takes over hosting duties upon Jay Leno's retirement in 2009. It plans to take West Coast network and local news operations and other facilities such as the "Access Hollywood" set to a new broadcast facility across the street from Universal Studios in 2011. The facilities will be adjacent to a subway line connecting Universal City to downtown Los Angeles. They will be across the street from the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and CityWalk. "When looking at our long-term business operations, we realized there are very real strategic and synergistic opportunities in bringing our production facilities and talent together to grow in Los Angeles," Tom Smith, senior VP of West Coast real estate for NBC Universal. NBC also announced that starting Oct. 22, MSNBC will begin originating from its new home at Manhattan's 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The switchover from MSNBC's old Secaucus, N.J., home base will solidify an effort to combine operations of NBC and MSNBC under one roof. MSNBC will air from an 8,500-square-foot studio equipped with a motorized platform for the anchors that travels 50-foot. Also on Oct. 22, "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" will christen its refurbished Studio 3C. Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos said she was sad to learn "The Tonight Show" is leaving the city. "'The Tonight Show' put us on the map," she told the Los Angeles Times. "Without that line from Johnny Carson about beautiful downtown Burbank, most people wouldn't even know that we exist." NBC officials say the new center will include virtual studios, interactive graphic capabilities, a glass-walled newsroom and other modern features. Its news set will be modeled after the "Today" show set in New York and will host the "Today" show and NBC's "Nightly News" whenever those programs broadcast from Los Angeles. NBC UNIVERSAL BUYING OXYGEN NBC Universal said Tuesday it will buy Oxygen Media, a cable TV network for women, for $925 million in a move to attract advertisers targeting female viewers. The acquisition is in line with previous deals by NBC Universal to build female audiences. Last year, it bought the iVillage women-oriented Internet sites for $600 million. The acquisition of Oxygen "increases our foothold in the advertiser-coveted young, upscale, female demographic," NBC Universal President and Chief Executive Jeff Zucker said. Oxygen was founded in 2000 by Chairman and CEO Geraldine Laybourne, Oprah Winfrey and producers Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach. It broadcasts syndicated sitcoms such as "Mad About You" and "Roseanne," as well as reality shows and movies geared to women. It's now available in 74 million homes and drew a record number of viewers in its most recent quarter, NBC Universal said. Oxygen will be folded into NBC Universal's cable division, which includes USA Network, Bravo, SciFi, CNBC and MSNBC. Excluding financial assets, the deal is worth about $875 million, NBC Universal said. The company expects the acquisition to add to earnings after the first full year and produce savings of about $35 million next year. It estimates the deal will cost less than $12 per subscriber. NBC Universal plans to put resources into making Oxygen more widely known, including cross-promoting the network on iVillage and other NBC Universal properties, Zucker said. "We've learned that the ability to cross-promote and to use each of those properties together will make us very strong," he said. "We will look to create a virtual women's network so that when we go to market we're selling young women, and affluent women in a way that virtually no one else can." NBC Universal plans to fund the transaction through the sale of noncore assets, including 2 independent Telemundo TV stations - KWHY in Los Angeles and WKAQ in Puerto Rico. Zucker said the company did not yet have a buyer for the stations. He stressed that the sale should not be seen as a move by NBC Universal to pull back from its Telemundo TV network. "We are as committed as we have been," Zucker said, noting the company has been adding Spanish-language TV stations during the past 15 months. Under media ownership rules, NBC Universal was required to divest itself from the Los Angeles station, one of 3 NBC Universal TV stations in the Los Angeles market. Laybourne declined to say how much the original Oxygen investors stood to profit from the deal. The independent network has managed to become available in a large number of homes but needs to increase exposure even more, she said. "What is apparent now is that we need cross-promotion and that really is the biggest issue for Oxygen," Laybourne said. Laybourne agreed to stay on with Oxygen until the end of the year. She did not disclose what she plans to do afterward. The acquisition was expected to close in November, subject to customary regulatory approvals. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric. http://www.oxygen.com/ http://www.nbcuni.com/ +===================================+ <> <> TIME CAPSULE <> <> +===================================+ October 8, 2003 - Vivendi Universal and General Electric had reached an agreement to merge. The name for the combined company was NBC Universal. October 9, 2003 - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II knighted Roger Moore and made Sting a CBE (Commander of the British Empire). October 10, 1965 - The Red Baron made his first appearance in the "Peanuts" comic strip. October 11, 1975 - "Saturday Night Live" was broadcast for the first time. George Carlin was the guest host. October 12, 1999 - Rob Reiner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 13, 1957 - Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra introduced the Ford Edsel on an hour long special. October 14, 1954 - C.B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments", starring Charlton Heston, began filming in Egypt. The epic had a cast of 25,000. +===================================+ Our newest questions only got 2 responses. So the same questions are being held over. Please, spare a few minutes and share your thoughts. http://pub39.bravenet.com/vote/vote.php?usernum=3302539054&cpv=2 I have not found the time to get back to the web pagers. Perhaps I can get back there in November. Atleast to go live with my current changes. See you next week! Rewind, Paul @ Reel 2 Reel mailto:advland@iwon.com?=Reel_2_Reel Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com \ Make tonight a movie or game night! http://adventureland.moviefever.com |
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| << October11, 2007 - Reel 2 Reel #168 ~ Read this issue on our blog! |
November02, 2007 - Reel 2 Reel #171 ~ Happy Birthday Mom! >> |
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