A Smörgåsbord of Information!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 | posted by Mike
Admittedly, that title might be a bit much, but I really wanted to use the ö and å. It also reminds me that I need to make a trip to IKEA.
Don't know about you, but we're just about ready to begin the post-JAG era. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that it appears as though JAG didn't take the honorable way out after all. According to the Military Times, who was the driving force in investigating the situation:
In a bid to preserve his shot at a six-episode Food Network series deal, Garcia revealed in those interviews that he was one of the final two contestants. Military Times did not include this claim in previous stories because it was not clear whether this was another lie, and to protect the integrity of the show. Garcia even offered to trade the name of the other finalist — a big reality television no-no — in exchange for keeping his background a secret.
“I’ll tell you if you help me out with this,” he said in June.
Also in that article...if you look right below the paragraph we just quoted...we found out that TVFF is a "popular" blog. Who knew!?! Seriously, though, the mention is greatly appreciated!
The folks at Food Network sent around a note saying that last Sunday's episode was the highest-rated and most watched show in network history. Congrats for that.
Anyway, Broadcasting & Cable (whose blog has excellent taste...OK, enough with the self-promotion) has a cover story profile of the Food Network and its plans for future growth and profitability. This is an interesting point as they now have near ubiquitous presence on cable systems around the country. So, if you can't add that many new viewers, you have to figure out new ways to be profitable. The profile points out how they're doing that by pursuing other marketing and branding options, and the article spends a lot of time talking about the Kohl's product line. The author seems to like the looks of the products.
If you're in to the dollars and cents, check it out.
The article also had a couple of bits of programming info that we hadn't heard before, including:
...De Laurentiis is looking far beyond Food to expand the reach of her name. Come September, she says, she will co-host the new fourth hour of NBC's Today show for one week each month under a one-year contract. Already a contributing correspondent for the show, De Laurentiis will become one of a rotating roster of co-hosts for all of the hour's segments.
We knew that Giada was doing the Today thing and that they were looking to make it a more "permanent" gig, but I guess you can now count on her to be there for a week at a time.
The story also features a sidebar stating that there are plans for 13 new shows next year, and it appears that The Next Iron Chef is going to be one of the tent poles. It also mentions one show that was unfamiliar to us, Zane's World:
While trying to expand its brand, the Food Network hasn't lessened its focus on broadening its television programming, continuing its successful strategy of instructional fare during the day and entertainment-based shows at night. The network plans at least 13 new series this year, including The Next Iron Chef, a reality competition to find a new regular pressure cooker for its highly successful Iron Chef America showdown.
...
Other shows in the works include Cater Dudes (working title), debuting Aug. 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET, which profiles two young, L.A.-based caterers; Zane's World, Sept. 3 at 10:30 p.m., covering the weekly travels to food destinations around the world by comic Zane Lamprey; and America's Best Recipe, wherein everyday cooks will compete to have their concoction crowned the best in a variety of categories.
Labels: Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis
