Mogul Barry Diller, who last week at an industry conference warned that the transition from old media to new media will get "bloody," is betting on Ben Silverman to figure it all out.
Cutting through all the industry speak about platforms, silos,integrated content and 360 degrees that fills the press releaseannouncing their new company, what we basically have is an advertisingand marketing agency.
Silverman, who is ending a stormy two-year run as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said in an interview he wants to build "big-time opportunities that transcend any single medium." He added that "More and more of the advertisers need help to get attention"and that he wants to "break down walls" and "connectdots." Silverman has coined his new venture a combination of Warner Bros. and BBDO, the giant ad agency.
In a statement, Diller said the new venture's goal is to "create a truly integrated and truly interactive new media production entity ... that bridges the gap between traditional television and the Internet."
The new entity reunites Silverman with Diller, who was an investor inSilverman's old production company Reveille. His stake was later boughtout by NBC Universal for $8.2 million. The as-yet-unnamed company will be a privately held venture that will count Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp. as an investor. Other investors will be brought in as well, including possibly NBC Universal.
In Silverman, Diller gets a well-connected, globe-trotting entrepreneur with a knack for packaging shows and advertisers, particularly in reality shows such as NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and Bravo's "Blow Out."
He also gets an executive whose personality was never a good fit for corporate life at General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal. Silverman's tenure at the network was more notable for the compelling drama going on in the executive suites than it was for the programming on the air. His brief reign was filled with gossip about missed meetings, a late-night lifestyle and constant fights with agents and producers.
Much of that would have been overlooked if NBC's ratings were better, but the network is still stuck in fourth place in viewers and the key adult demographics that advertisers covet. Silverman wasn't helped by the fact that much of his time as head of NBC Entertainment was marred by labor strife.
"At end of the day, all that matters is results and obviouslyNBC is not where they want to be," said Peter Tortorici, global CEO of GroupM Entertainment, a unit of the large media buying firm GroupM.
Acknowledging that his style didn't mesh at NBC, Silverman said, "being able to create a culture is probably what I'm best suited to do as opposed to trying to change a culture, which is a lot harder than I thought." He added, "In these senior executive jobs you become a manager a lot more than an idea generator."
-- Joe Flint
Photos: Top left: Barry Diller. Credit: Joe Tabacca/Bloomberg. Bottom right: Ben Silverman. Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC
Comic-Con roundup: 'True Blood,' 'Lost,' 'Supernatural' and more
Though running low on power, like a laptop left on too long, I thought I'd share a few last Comic-Con thoughts.
The high points of Comic-Con, for me, were three joyous celebrations: of a show that's ending soon, of a show that was canceled, and of a show that got an unexpected reprieve this spring.
The panel for "Lost," which is over in 2010, was an elaborate homage to the show's fans (there's a minute-by-minute account of it on my Twitter feed and a good summary on Alan Sepinwall's site). There were hilarious clips made just for Comic-Con (check out SL-Lost and Get Lost with JOpinionated for fine collections of "Lost"-at-Comic-Con video and interviews). And actors such as Jorge Garcia, Michael Emerson, Nestor Carbornell and Josh Holloway came out to join in the fun (Dominic Monaghan, who just joined the cast of "FlashForward," even appeared for a minute). But to me, the most emotional moment came as 6,800 fans filed out of Hall H at the San Diego Convention Center. A version of "Over the Rainbow" by Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole played over the sound system, which was an appropriate choice for a show that took us to so many fantastical yet emotionally compelling places. I got emotional; this was the last time I'd see "Lost" at Comic-Con. It hit me: The show is really ending. The world won't be the same when it's gone. "The Middleman," an ABC Family show that was canceled after one too-short season, staged a reading of what would have been the show's finale (it was not aired but turned into a comic book). It was sad to think that the show's stupendously talented cast would never be together again, but what a way to go. Their energetic rendition of "The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse" was deliriously enjoyable. One thing that's hard to explain about Comic-Con is the vibe. It's a celebratory place; it has its myriad irritations, but every single person there wants to be there and is enjoying communing with friends they may not see for the rest of the year. The panels are sometimes just big parties, as the "Chuck" session was. It's hard not to feel uplifted when you're in a room with thousands of other people who are ecstatic about the fact that they brought their favorite show back, against all odds. Twenty-four hours after the panel, I'm finding it a little hard to recall what was said at the panel, but I do remember Jeffster! rocking the house. And I remember how much dang fun it all was.A few bits of news emerged at Comic-Con over the weekend (and some of these things come from my Twitter feed, if you want more on "True Blood," "Middleman," "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan" and "Dollhouse," check that out):
Nestor Carbonell, who plays the never-aging Richard Alpert on "Lost," is now a series regular on that show. Previously he had guest-star status. Fans of the "Lost" character Juliet may be happy to know that she will reappear on the show some time during its last season. Felicia Day, who appeared in the unaired episode of "Dollhouse" titled "Epitaph One," will appear in the new season of the Fox show, as will "Buffy" and "Angel" veteran Alexis Denisof. Summer Glau of "Firefly" may also make an appearance in Season 2. When "24" returns in early 2010, it will be set once again at the Counter Terrorism Unit, but this time, CTU will be set in New York City. Via a clip reel of Seaon 8 scenes, those at the "24" panel at Comic-Con got a glimpse of the new set and it is quite fancy -- a two-story affair full of glass, sleek surfaces and high-tech gizmos. If you like "True Blood," you're in luck. A third-season renewal has not yet been officially announced by HBO yet, but "it will be very soon," executive producer Alan Ball said at a Saturday "True Blood" session. I moderated the "Supernatural" panel on Sunday, and that was very fun. I'll have much more from a post-panel interview with creator Eric Kripke soon, but here are a few bits of news from the panel and from interviews with Kripke and other "Supernatural" folks (check out the SuperWiki for more Comic-Con links, and, by the way, spoilers ahoy): Ellen and Jo Harvelle are back this year as a "hunter duo" (those are executive producer Sera Gamble's words, and I believe the Harvelles are back in Episode 2 of the season). Also back this season are Rufus, Meg, Jessica, Zachariah and Chuck. We'll see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who get around in muscle cars, not on horses. In one episode, Dean takes Castiel to a house of ill repute. The fourth episode, which is being written by executive producer Ben Edlund, will look five years into the future (that story, "our version of '28 Days Later,'" Kripke said, also pays off the "Croatoan" mystery from Season 2). There's an episode that deals with "celebrity ghosts," including, Kripke said, "homicidal ghost Lincoln." Castiel, having been "fired" from heaven, doesn't have the same powers he used to have, and he and the Winchesters are on the run from representatives of both Heaven and Hell. Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) will be in a couple of episodes at the start of the season but then he won't be around much for a while. There's a big change ahead for Bobby Singer, who's more heavily involved in this season. Finally, Kripke promises that the writers are finding much humor in the Winchesters' attempts to deal with the Apocalypse they've unleashed. "It's a fun Apocalypse," Kripke said in an interview. "I have to give credit to the writers. It doesn't feel grim." Oh and there's this: Kripke is open to doing a sixth season of the show. He'll close out the Season 5 arc that he had envisioned -- he won't stretch that story into a two-year odyssey -- but he says that the conclusion of that story doesn't preclude having a new "chapter" to write about in a potential sixth season.source: Michael Jackson doc gave him drug before death
LOS ANGELES — A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation into Michael Jackson's death says the pop star's personal doctor administered the powerful drug that authorities believe killed him.
The Monks: A 'Transatlantic' Gambit Gone Awry
The Translantic Feedback, a documentary about an oddball band of American ex-GIs dressed up like monks and singing bitter songs, is out on DVD at last. Ed Ward explains the appeal of The Monks.
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