HOSTILITIES CEASE AT TIME WARNER AND CBS
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
By: G.H. Harding
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Leslie Moonves
HOSTILITIES CEASE --- It appears time was not on Time Warner Cable's side with the NFL season looming. It appears likely that CBS got the big increase that it wanted but TWC was able to retain most if not all of the digital rights it was offered. At about 2:40 PM EST on Monday, the CBS signal (and shows) finally re-appeared ... with a whisper.
Said FCC Acting Chairwoman Mignon L. Clyburn “I am pleased CBS and Time Warner Cable have resolved their retransmission consent negotiations, which for too long have deprived millions of consumers of access to CBS programming. At the end of the day, media companies should accept shared responsibility for putting their audience’s interests above other interests and do all they can to avoid these kinds of disputes in the future.”
As Q104.3’s Ken Dashow said on Tuesday, “This was the first instance of something like this happening between Time Warner and the networks; they'll be more to follow I'm certain and it'll be interesting to see what safeguards the FCC puts in.” I certainly concur – this was a warning shot and per usual, only the consumers will suffer.
TWC gallantly said there will be refunds for all, but face it, it'll be a credit on your bill … we'll never actually see it. You can't blame CBS for trying to up their ante, but the fact that it took almost six weeks, was just astounding. A travesty in fact.
Roy Trakin, from Hits Magazine, perhaps said it best about this dispute: “This CBS-TWC dispute is driving me absolutely bonkers. And you just know they'll wait until the eve of the NFL season before settling. Both sides should beware, though. It’s amazing how little you really miss stuff like David Letterman and golf when they're not around.’ So true, so true.
SASHA A GO-GO --- In The Juliette Society, former adult-actress Sasha Grey (she retired in 2011) takes you inside a private, high-profile sex society where anything and everything can happen.
Catherine, a film student whose sexuality has been recently stirred, finds herself drawn into a secret club where the world's most powerful people meet to explore their deepest, often darkest sexual fantasies.
Grey is an actress, model, musician, and former adult actress. Her film and television work includes Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience and HBO's Entourage. She was called “the smartest person I've ever met in that [porn] industry” by Rolling Stone’s Vanessa Grigoriadis.
In an interview yesterday, on XM’s Brett Winterble, she seemed excited by this new endeavor, but somewhat detached. She said she had always written, but when she showed some chapters to some literary glitterati, they were instantly smitten.” I’ll just bet they were!
She’s an interesting personality for sure; her adult-videos still (or, so they tell me!) flood the Internet and her worked on Soderbergh’s film intriguing indeed. She still seems to be playing a parody of herself. Face it; on Entourage (which I loved and still miss) she was playing herself.
Certainly with 50 Shades of Grey coming out and creating such a national media event, a book from Grey was destined to happen.
CLOSING NOTES: Lon Van Eaton, who with his brother Derek, put out a great, great album for The Beatles’ Apple Records in 1972, called Brother, has relocated to the East Coast, New Hope, Pennsylvania, in particular. Nestled along the banks of the Delaware River, Lon is involved in a series of new projects, which we'll discuss in the coming weeks. Welcome Lon! …HBO’s The Newsroom was officially renewed for a third season this week. Their two-part season finale begins this Sunday … We bumped into writer/producer Ron Rogers, who put together so well “Deputy of Love,” from Dr. Armando And The Second Avenue Rhumba Band so many years ago. Writing, producing, creating, Rogers was also involved in other projects including Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Gichy Dan’s Beechwood # 9, The Aural Exciters' "Spooks In Space," Savannah Band-vocalist Cory Daye, and, his own solo EP Don't Play With My Emotions. Always a formidable talent; was terrific to touch base with him again … Micky Dolenz Live At B.B. King’s (the CD) is a stone-cold smash. We were at the show, and while we had reported at the time that it built slowly but surely, it is just a stunning representation of his currents solo show. His band, led by guitarist Wayne Avers, is awesomely good, with Avers himself shining on guitar. When Dolenz and band launch into Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” Avers’ guitar work is almost Clapton-esque. All the songs shine, but we especially loved “Listen To The Band,” “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone,” “Oh Darling,” “D.W. Washburn,” (from Smokey Joe’s Café); and, of course, “Last Train To Clarksville.” Having just completed the second summer Monkee-tour, Dolenz is now with David Cassidy and Peter Noone in the showTeen idols III. If you're a fan ... this is a definite must-have!
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