Direct TV Dish

Outdoor Channel has signed a five-year contract renewal with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) to produce SHOT Show TV, the program that captures all of the excitement at SHOT Show, the world’s largest annual shooting sports show owned by NSSF. The network will kick off production of SHOT Show TV as outdoorsmen from around the world flock to Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 15-18 for SHOT Show 2009.

Chris Dolnack, Senior Vice President of NSSF said “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Outdoor Channel to provide our exhibitors and attendees with the very best coverage of the SHOT Show, with Outdoor Channel’s support, we can also share the excitement of being on the SHOT Show floor with millions of sportsmen across the country and preview the largest showcase of shooting, hunting and outdoor products in the world.”

Lou Wallach, senior vice president, original programming, television & digital development, Comedy Central has announced that bi-weekly showcase event featuring stand-up and sketch acts, screenings and variety show performances and potential TV ideas “COMEDY CENTRAL at Crash Mansion.” Comedy Central had a successful “COMEDY CENTRAL Stage” in Los Angeles, where the original series “Mind of Mencia” and “The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show.”

Wallach also said “Crash Mansion provides the network the opportunity to get performers and concepts on their feet and in a performance space to workshop material and ideas that might otherwise not be given the chance to develop through more traditional avenues.”

MTV has announced that pre-Election Day it will conduct an exclusive interview and air a thirty-minute special with Senator Barack Obama, asking him questions submitted by viewers. This interview opportunity was also extended to Senator McCain, who declined to participate. On Election Day and the day after, MTV will harness multiple platforms to bring Choose or Lose to viewers online, on-air and on mobile, with program elements including an interactive, real-time Choose or Lose “Youth Voice Map” online; news hits airing on MTV, MTV2, mtvU, and MTV Tr3s from New York, Chicago and Phoenix; and Street Team ‘08 news from each state, with live mobile-to-web reports from 15 battleground states.

ABC Family has started producing pilot for drama Perfect 10 and this show follows previous pilot approvals for comedies 10 Things I Hate About You and Ruby and The Rockets. Perfect 10 is created and written by Holly Sorenson, which follows three teen gymnasts, with distinct physical traits and backgrounds, training for a shot at the Olympics. Kate Juergens, executive vice president of original series programming and development of ABC Family said “We loved this millennial drama and its compelling characters right way, We’re excited to be working with both Holly and the SuperDelicious, and adding Perfect 10 to ABC Family’s existing slate of pilots.”

ESPN Deportes will launch the network’s latest news and commentary program Juego Cruzado. This program will feature a core group of panelists from some of the leading Spanish-language newspapers including La Opinion, Milenio, El Nuevo Herald and El Diario La Prensa. Two additional newspapers from Dallas and Puerto Rico will be joining in February 2009.

“Sports news and commentary is truly one of the elements that sets us apart from the pack and adding Juego Cruzado to the mix will further strengthen our leadership position in sports news and information,” said Chris Calcinari, vice president, production and operations, ESPN Deportes and ESPN International. “We are honored to partner with such reputable newspapers and journalists to bring our viewers a show that will be unpredictable, topical and full of hard-hitting opinion and debate.”

Fox Soccer Channel has announced the three-game telecast schedule for the Major League Soccer Playoffs, which will conclude the channel’s 35-match MLS Saturday on FSC package for the 2008 season. Live playoff coverage kicks off with Real Salt Lake hosting Chivas USA in the first leg of their Western Conference Semifinal showdown on Saturday, November 1, beginning with a half-hour pregame show at 5:30 p.m. ET. The second leg of this match-up will also air exclusively during MLS Saturday on FSC, starting at 10:00 p.m. ET on November 8.

Fox Soccer Channel’s MLS Playoff coverage culminates with either the Eastern or Western Conference Championship match on Saturday, November 15; participating teams and start time will be determined at the conclusion of the conference semifinal round. Fox Soccer Channel’s lead commentator, Max Bretos, will handle play-by-play action for all MLS Saturday on FSC playoff telecasts, alongside color analyst and former MLS and U.S. men’s national team standout Christopher Sullivan. Todd Grisham will host the pregame, postgame and halftime shows, while Mark Rogondino and Christian Miles will report from the sidelines in Sandy, Utah and Carson, Calif., respectively. Brian Dunseth will serve as sideline reporter for Conference Championship coverage.

Nickelodeon to premiere mud-soaked adventure overseas “iGo to Japan,” on Saturday, November 8 at 8-9:30 p.m. ET. It’s a wild and rollicking trip for the teen travelers, who must parachute from a possum-filled cargo plane, outwit conniving rivals, jump the language barrier - and race the clock to arrive in time to compete for the ultimate Internet prize: Best Comedy Web Show in the world. Marjorie Cohn, Executive Vice President, Development and Original Programming of Nickelodeon said “iGo to Japan gives fans more of everything they love about iCarly. It’s a big, broad, hilarious romp - loaded with suspense and mess like only Dan Schneider can deliver.”

Elizabeth Porter, senior vice president, specials and talent of Comedy Central has announced that they reached an agreement with comedian Jo Koy to produce a one-hour stand-up special program. Executive produced by Jo Koy and Dakota Pictures Troy Miller and Tracey Baird, the stand-up special will tape on November 6 at the New York Comedy Festival and will air in the first quarter of 2009. Jo Koy’s one-hour Comedy Central Original Stand-up special will be executive produced by Jo Koy and Dakota Pictures’ Miller and Baird.

“We’ve been tracking Jo Koy for a while and we saw him crush on Carlos Mencia’s ‘Punisher’ tour,” said Porter. “He’s a young guy with a really inclusive voice — it’s going to be great to put him out front in such a big way.”

The leading satellite TV provider in the country DIRECTV has launched local high-definition broadcast in the Colorado Springs- Pueblo,
Colorado area. KOAA/NBC, KKTV/CBS and KXRM/FOX are the new local HD broadcast available in these area. DIRECTV now offers local HD in 103 cities, representing nearly 85 percent of U.S. TV households. The satcaster also plans to provide local HD broadcast channels in more than 121 cities, representing approximately 88 percent of U.S. TV households.

ESPN has obtained broadcast rights of Stanford 20/20 cricket matches in USA on November 1st and the 2009 Stanford 20/20 Regional Tournament in April. ESPN reached an agreement to bring live television coverage of the historic 20/20 for $20 Million event in the Caribbean and Pacific Rim, live broadband coverage in the U.S. on ESPN360.com – the signature broadband sports television network, and taped coverage on U.S. television. The Regional tournament will have live television coverage in the Caribbean and live broadband coverage in the U.S. ESPN’s Cricinfo.com will provide ball-by-ball coverage of each match.

“We are very pleased to expand ESPN’s coverage of cricket in the Western Hemisphere with the Super Series 20/20 for $20 Million event and the Stanford Regional Tournament.” said Tim Bunnell, senior vice president, programming, ESPN International. “ESPN is committed to serving global sports fans by delivering the biggest and best events across our media platforms. We want to play a key role in the expansion of the 20/20 format.”