CBS seems to be doing all the right things online. New Internet Czar Quincy Smith is creating a distributed strategy that seems to have press and wall street abuzz. If it works, his star will continue to rise at the aging broadcaster. With trouble throughout — Network is off, Radio is a disaster (see Don Imus) and Showtime has struggled, Internet may well be the saving grace for the Tiffany Network.
NBC on the other hand is having it’s share of issues. The Network is in the dumps for the third consecutive year. Movies and Theme Parks are struggling and their internet doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Yet GE honcho Jeff Immelt has given former Wonder-boy Jeff Zucker yet another vote of confidence. But has he? GE stalwarts are now in place in key slots at NBC, including Beth Comstock. While no one outside the GE bubble can understand how this one time pr gal keeps ascending, it’s clear to the Media Insider — her loyalty to Immelt, quiet confidence and good looks have helped her star rise. She has managed to become such a threat to Zucker that he has his pr stormtroopers planting negative stories about her in such trashy tabloids as the NY Post. Clearly the work of an “insider”, Zucker continues to be a master politician creating intrigue and doubt throughout.
Over at FOX, word is that a major shakeup may be afoot. Perhaps “politics” is the key at this intensely competitive media death-star. Know for his overwrought politics, Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has never been a safe place for anyone. Longtime aid and insider Chase Carey was cast aside (some say thrown) by Murdoch with the sale of Directv to John Malone. Now insiders are telling me that long-time publishing queen Jane Freidman barely escaped with her life last fall, only to be saved by COO Peter Chernin after a Murdoch tirade. Heir James Murdoch is said to be headed stateside to continue his ascendency to the top of the charts. Unlike his brother Lachlan, who was masterfully cast aside by Chernin and politico Roger Ailes, James will not be a pushover, and insiders say he is already making his plans to dispatch long-time ruler Chernin, whose golden touch has ruled for nearly 2 decades. The biggest threat to Chernin may be the combo of James and Myspace CEO Chris DeWolfe whose star has risen considerably and is said to be on the verge of signing a 5 year, $50million dollar contract and reporting directly to Rupert himself, eclipsing Chernin. Dewolfe has recently done deals bypassing tv executives with his deal with Mark Burnett; movie execs and created a music label. Now clearly in control on the internet (since the departure of internet exec Ross Levinson last winter), Dewolfe is said to have his eyes on an even bigger prize. Word is he is spending considerable time with Rupert and his wife Wendi, who apparently has taken an office directly next to DeWolfe.
Finally, at ABC the rise and now fall of Andrea Wong is the behind the scenes story for many. While on the surface, Wong’s appointment as CEO of Lifetime seems to be a success story. Behind the Scenes, the Media Insider says this is the dirty work of none other than masterfully politician Anne Sweeney. Rising star Wong was widely credited with such hits as Dancing with the Stars, and Sweeney, long the favorited fair haired gal of Bob Iger was threatened. She has done a fantastic job of eliminating all threats (much like Chernin over the past 20 years — oddly, she used to work for him) including Steve Bornstein, Alex Wallau and Lloyd Braun, and now Wong, the latest threat was “promoted” to Lifetime, eliminating another threat to the empire.
And you though Washington had politics and dirt.
