| Why this show has sizzle
The last audition episode, on February 10, drew 1.6 million viewers nationally, peaking at 2.2 million. To put it in perspective, last year's star-studded Australian Idol finale at the Sydney Opera House, with thousands of screaming fans and a surprise appearance by Lionel Ritchie, had 1.4 million viewers. Last year's Big Brother finale had 2.3 million, and Seven's Dancing with the Stars had a disappointing 1.6 million viewers for its 2007 finale, the lowest in its seven-season history. The first-performance episode of SYTYCDA, on Sunday, lured 1.5 million. "We loved the show and we had hoped that it would be very successful and once we started seeing some pictures coming back from the auditions we were quietly confident that it would be OK, but you can never tell," says Ten's head of programming, Beverley McGarvey.
Archives for: July 2007
Brayton Point (on right) is one of the biggest electricity producers in Massachusetts. But each year, its smokestacks release several million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — inefficient generators and high-carbon coal fuel make it one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases in the Northeast... Even among politicians who are endorsing action to combat global warming, there are varying degrees of commitment, notes Sue Reid, a staff attorney at the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation. She pointed to Sen. Edward Kennedy and Congressman William Delahunt's opposition to the proposed Cape Wind project off Cape Cod as an example of how political positions on climate change can be fickle... Read the rest of this Standard-Times article here. .
StudioCanal completes acquisition of Germany's Kinowelt
StudioCanal has announced the completion of its 100% acquisition of German distributor Kinowelt. Speculation on the move had reached fever pitch last week when a Leipzig-based daily reported that the long-rumoured deal was imminent. StudioCanal signed the acquisition contract on Wednesday with Michael and Rainer Kolmel, owners of Kinowelt. In a press release, StudioCanal said the deal "marks another significant step in the growth of StudioCanal's European distribution network." The company acquired UK distributor Optimum Releasing in May 2006. Although the Leipzig paper cited a sale price of $102m (Euros 70m), StudioCanal chairman Olivier Courson told ScreenDaily.com that because the actual fee is based in part on future performance, he could not specify what StudioCanal is paying.
Willows schools face gloomy budget forecast
WILLOWS — As the state budget crisis gathers over Glenn County, officials at Willows Unified School District are preparing for the worst. "The worse-case scenario is that we are going to have to cut $1 million from the budget," said Steve Olmos, WUSD superintendent, at a meeting this week of the board of trustees. At a meeting Thursday night, the board of trustees learned proposed state budget cuts could cost the district hundreds of thousands. New business director Steve Rudy presented the gloomy outlook from the state, saying the district could lose up to $650,000 in Cost of Living Adjustment reductions. But it isn't just state cuts that will affect the district. Rudy said federal revenue of $200,000 may also be eliminated. How much of a cut Willows Unified will have to make will depend on what happens in Sacramento.
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