A Health Dept.’s Quandary: Warn The Public Or Supervise The Doctor? The slow response by New York health officials to a case where patients were at risk for hepatitis opens a window into a debate over how to regulate doctors who endanger public health.... Read Full Article Nevada Learns To Cash In On Sales Of Federal Land Nevada is reaping the rewards from the sale of almost $3 billion of federal lands near Las Vegas.... Read Full Article Japanese Trade Surplus Narrowed In July The trade surplus narrowed more than economists had forecast as automobile exports cooled, heightening concern that growth in Japan might slow.... Read Full Article U.S. Universities Join Saudis In Partnerships Three prominent U.S. universities are starting five-year partnerships, worth $25 million or more, with a graduate-level research university being built in Saudi Arabia.... Read Full Article Talking Business: A System Overdue For Reform A growing and diverse number of experts agree that the financial system needs an overhaul.... Read Full Article |
Court TV Tilts To Tabloid Side In Ratings QuestFounded in 1991 by the lawyer and journalist Steven Brill, Courtroom Television Network introduced the genre of gavel-to-gavel coverage of live courtroom trials, punctuated by sober legal analysis of the proceedings. It caught its wave in 1995 during the O. J. Simpson murder trial. Today, Court TV still broadcasts trials, but tilts more toward juicy tabloid fare. A new show, Video Justice, had a segment last week about a fight in a Nevada casino between Hells Angels and Mongols. Knives flash. Gunshots ring out, a voice-over said, breathlessly describing the footage caught by security cameras in the casino. Two minutes of bloody mayhem, and then, its over. Reflecting its new emphasis on reality shows, the cable network is taking on a new name as of Jan. 1: truTV. It is not just a marketing makeover, but an overhaul of the networks programming, with the aim of drawing in younger male viewers, said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, a division of Time Warner. Media is a business of demographics, Mr. Koonin said. With cable television, you have to have a brand. The new brand, truTV, came about from reversing the last three letters in the word court, Mr. Koonin said. He added that the network did extensive research and found that first-person accounts, one-on-one interviews and lots of action would help attract the desired audience. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the network will broadcast its staple offerings of live court cases (now playing: the trial of the record producer Phil Spector, accused of murdering the actress Lana Clarkson). Gone is Catherine Crier Live, a daily news show that focused on legal issues. During prime time, the lineup will feature new programs whose working titles include Ski Patrol (about people whose job includes busting unruly snowboarders looking to party on the slopes) and Bounty Girls (about female bounty hunters in Miami). The company has even invented a brand name for its target audience: a highly coveted psychographic known as Real Engagers, according to its press release. Clay Calvert, author of the book Voyeur Nation and a professor at Pennsylvania State University, said that based on the new lineup, the network should attract the intended audience.We really learn precious little, however, from these shows about the law that we didnt already know going in, he said.PRADNYA JOSHI Tag CloudExternal InformationAdditional InformationCredit crunch contagion has bonds cover at record high...Planning: The ?Kiddie Tax? Will Soon Have a Wider Reach... Oil hits $100, Gold hits new record$... Time to change sectors? Not quite yet, figures show... Where Am I?News Main Page - Business - Court TV Tilts To Tabloid Side In Ratings Quest |
i8news.com |