Josef Adalian

  • Can the ‘Real Housewives’ Save Daytime Soaps?

    Now that they’ve conquered primetime, Bravo’s "Real Housewives" may be poised to save daytime soaps.   NBC Universal’s syndication unit has struck a deal with NBC and Hearst-owned TVstations to syndicate "Housewives" as a one-hour, five-days-a-week strip starting in 2010. That’s according to Broadcasting & Cable syndie ace Paige Albiniak, who broke the news this morning…

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  • Primetime for Teddy at ABC, CBS

    Michael Jackson isn’t the only public figure worthy of multiple primetime specials this summer.   ABC and CBS said Wednesday they would air hourlong specials this evening paying tribute to Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died late Tuesday. The network specials will supplement the saturation coverage of Kennedy’s passing currently dominating cable news.   NBC has…

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  • Ted Kennedy on ‘Chicago Hope’: A Role with a Cause

    The late Sen. Ted Kennedy didn’t make many appearances in scripted TV programming during his life. But it’s only fitting that one of his few cameos revolved around an issue dear to his heart, and still very much in the news: health care.   Kennedy agreed to play himself in a 1997 episode of producer…

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  • Exclusive: NBC’s New Wave of Leno Promos

    After months of teaser spots, NBC is finally ready to show us the funny in its campaign for Jay Leno’s new 10 p.m. show.   The network Tuesday night unleashed a new wave of promos touting Leno’s upcoming weeknight strip. Most previous ads have focused on the fact that Leno is moving to primetime (Jay…

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  • Hugh’ll Love It: Fox’s New ‘House’ Campaign

    It turns out Dr. House may have minored in marketing.   Fox tonight is officially taking the wraps off details behind its months-long viral marketing campaign for the new season of "House."   The network officially confirming that those Snakes on a Cane messages that have been popping up all over the Internet and in…

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  • Neil Patrick Harris, ‘American Idol’

    Apparently, there’s nothing Neil Patrick Harris can’t do.   Fox has confirmed that Harris, the star of CBS’s "How I Met Your Mother," will be a guest judge on an episode of "American Idol" next season. Harris was in Dallas today for auditions and passed judgement on potential Idols all day long, a Fox spokeswoman…

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  • HBO’s Naegle Gets a New Exec Entourage

    HBO Entertainment president Sue Naegle is bulking up her development team, bringing in a new VP of drama and promoting a key comedy exec.   Jocelyn Diaz, most recently at ABC, has been named VP of drama series for the premium cable network. And Casey Bloys, a five-year HBO vet, has been promoted to senior…

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  • A&E Officially in Jackson Family Business

     Now it’s really, truly, 100 percent official: A&E has greenlit production on a documentary style reality series starring several members of the Jackson family.   A network spokesman confirmed the decision to TheWrap Tuesday morning. The show will be produced by Point Seven Entertainment. Further details weren’t available at this time, he said.   The…

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  • ‘Blood’-y Hell: Vamp Drama Keeps Rising

     In terms of ratings, HBO’s "True Blood" is starting to look like the "ER" of premium cable.   Alan Ball’s vampire soap notched another series record Sunday night, attracting 5.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. It’s the fifth consecutive week "Blood" has delivered a record performance for HBO.   More impressively, "Blood" saw its…

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  • VH1 Snags Abdul for ‘Divas’ Host

    Paula Abdul is no longer unemployed.   The former "American Idol" job has signed on to host "VH1 Divas," the cable network’s upcoming female-driven concert special. The event will air live from New York on Thursday, Sept. 17.   Abdul’s deal with VH1 marks her first announced project since the singer/dancer/TV personality said she would…

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  • ‘Mad Men’ Holds Up in Week Two

    "Mad Men" continues to show some Nielsen muscle.   Week two of the AMC drama’s third season drew 1.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen. That’s down about 30 percent from last week’s record premiere, which saw "Mad Men" attract 2.8 million viewers.   But it’s doubtful anybody at AMC is frowning over the week two…

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  • VH1 Killer Strikes Again: Two Shows Canceled

    The VH1 killer has claimed two more victims: "Megan Wants a Millionaire" and "I Love Money 3."   "We’re sad to announce that the fate of both ‘Megan Wants a Millionaire’ and ‘I Love Money 3’ (has) been determined," the network said in a brief posting to its official blog Monday. "Both have been canceled…

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  • ‘Family Guy’ on ‘Weeds’: Stoner Spoof

     The "Family Guy" producers have finally finished spoofing all of their Emmy comedy competion.   Over the last week or so, 20th Century Fox TV has been posting videos on YouTube in which Stewie is seen violently persuading Brian the dog to vote for "Family Guy." Each video has the same basic plot, along with…

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  • Sony Pictures TV Taking Reality Slow-but-Steady

    Sony Pictures Television alternative TV chief Holly Jacobs says the studio will take it slow-but-steady in building its primetime reality business — despite the addition of top talent such as Mark Burnett, Michael Davies and Allison Grodner. "There’s a strategy and a method to our madness," Jacobs told TheWrap. "It’s a cluttered marketplace right now,…

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  • Sony Beefs Up Reality Roster with “Big Bro” Producers

    Sony Pictures Television continues to bulk up its unscripted business, signing "Big Brother" executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan to an overall deal.   The two-year agreement calls on Grodner and Meehan to develop and produce programming for broadcast and cable television, along with Sony’s Internet properties. Grodner and Meehan will work together under…

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