Cable TV Deals

Netflix is broadening viewing horizons with its first original series. This series will premier February 6, 2012, and will star Steve Van, from “The Soprano’s”, among others. This original series will herald the kick-off of Netflix’s online video on demand subscription plan.

This original series will be named “Lilyhammer. Currently, it is to be followed by “House of Cards”, and the original episodes of “Arrested Development” (Twentieth Century Fox). “The House of Cards” will star Robin Wright Penn and Kevin Spacey. Both the “House of Cards” and “Arrested Development” are not scheduled for release until 2013.

It is reported that Netflix launched its own original programming to supplement the programming it could no longer get from STARZ, Showtime and HBO. The contract Netflix did hold with STARZ ended in September 2011. With a loss of content to rely on, and in an effort to stay competitive, Netflix decided to film its own content to make available through its own service.

“Lilyhammer” and other original content will be available on the Netflix site, as they become available.

Netflix is known for carrying episodes from current shows, as well as movies and other content, made available on a subscription basis. This content is available online, but Netflix also provides a movie in the mail service, in which the subscribers can get movies delivered to their mailboxes.

Loyal Netflix fans are anticipating the release of an original series from this content provider. With February right around the corner, they don’t have much longer to wait.

Ten years and it’s 16th season brings 25 new bachelorettes “looking for love” to the mansion. Ben F. won a piece of the viewers hearts when he went to his knee and proposed marriage to the bachelorette, Ashley, only to be to be turned down and left with a broken heart. With his heart mended, he’s back, looking to find his true once in a lifetime love… wish him luck!

We all know that you can’t have more than 2 girls together without having drama and the first episode has proven those words to be true. Jenna’s crying is the main focus of one of the previews, not to mention, the episode leaves viewers wondering what is really wrong with her?

From the first rose ceremony, the first impression rose given to Lindzi, the 18 remaining bachelorettes travel to Ben’s hometown of Sonoma to “get a sense of what it’s really like”, according to our bachelor.

Kacie B. is granted the first private date that includes a trip to the theatre for a private showing of childhood memories with their fathers. For Ben, having lost his father several years ago, this is a very poignant and emotional moment. And for the first date, it may have been a little too much to share.

The group date is quite amusing.  he play at the community theatre was quite charming and the audience seemed entertained. As it turns out, the girls like seeing Ben with the kids and interpret it as “he’ll make a wonderful daddy to our children”.

Meanwhile there are girls on this date who are vying for his kiss and attention.  Who really wants a group date? Nobody! Of course, it’s fun, but get serious ladies! Do you really want to be the second, third, or fourth girl in the kiss line-up? Wait, never mind, don’t answer that!

Back at the Mansion,a new date card arrives. Kacie B. announces the contents of the next date card, evil Courtney asks, “How’d that taste coming out of your mouth?”  Really?  What a nasty, nasty attitude! Doesn’t she make you want to slap her?  Girls can be vicious.  And guys, you need to watch the “behind the scenes” so you know exactly how bad they can be.

Blakeley reminds me of Miss Money from a previous season, but she’s using her wiles she’s learned as a VIP Bartender to keep her in the running.

Ben’s line “I had no idea that things had gotten this bad this early” was amusing. Did you expect anything less, Ben?  All those women, it’s going to get worse!

In the same time slot Monday night was the BCS Bowl.  They have a couple of things in common.  Football is a dirty sport at times, but then, so is trying to catch a husband. The football game wasn’t much better.

Jenna’s gone. Thank goodness. Could you stand any more of her pyscho emotions? She was in shock when she didn’t get a rose, but who could blame Ben for that one! Shawn left gracefully, leaving her dignity intact.

Tune in next week to keep up with the antics of the evil Courtney, the wiles of Blakeley, and the down home freshness of Kacie B.  Grab your bikinis girls and good luck. It’s time to snow ski on the street in downtown San Francisco.

USA Network’s “White Collar” got off to a strong start this season. The cable TV show weighed in at 3.2 million viewers on its midseason premier. That means it takes the lead over other network dramas like “Justified” and “Southland“.

Although TNT’s “Southland” has received good reviews, it only attracted 1.8 million viewers, 14 percent below the drama’s opening show. It’s in its third season.

“Justified” on FX did a little better, with an audience of 3.1 million. This number is down from the show’s season two starting program, but still higher than average numbers.

These numbers were still higher than other dramas that got canned at the beginning of the season due to low ratings, like “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”, “Rescue Me” and “Men of a Certain Age”. “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” was carried by USA. “Rescue Me” was on FX, and “Men of a Certain Age” showed on TNT.

There is exciting news for the bilingual and Hispanic households within the Time Warner Cable service area. This provider is giving their customers more access to more channels with the use of the Apple iPad. The Time Warner Cable iPad app already provides content for streaming directly to the device.

These channels are being offered free of charge to existing and new Time Warner Cable customers due to a growing demand for Spanish programming for tablets. Time Warner Cable is providing as many as 37 new Spanish language channels to their lineup. This generous move is also due, in part, to help supply the demand for more personalized viewing choices. With the appearance of viewing capabilities on tablets and SmartPhones, more customers have more of a need for online content. These 37 channels will help supply for that need.

Spanish and bilingual subscribers can now enjoy Caracol, Discovery Espanol, Disney XD Espanol, CNN Espanol and Boomerang Espanol, among others. These channels will be included in the existing lineup with History email notifications Espanol, La Familia, Gol TV, Mun2 and Cosmovision.

These channels will help keep Time Warner Cable competitive in offering the latest digital features in cable TV programming. With such a large demand, newer technology, and

Due to the complaint lodged by an individual in 1978, the FCC was allowed to sanction broadcasters on what was deemed as indecent material. After listening to a radio broadcast with his young son, in the middle of the day, the man placed what proved to be a valid complaint. The broadcast was 12 minutes long and contained seven expletives- language the man found to be offensive and rude while he listened with his son. The sanction was allowed due to the court’s opinion that broadcast media was widely accessible and available in children’s lives. More than 30 years later, broadcasters are still held to that standard.

Parents have relied on these standards since then, trusting in the laws that are placed there to help shield young children from language and images that may be unsuitable, graphic or sexual in nature. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to say that parents agree with the ruling and sanction.

This sanction also has the present-day support of the Parents Television Council and other family-oriented non-profit groups. Started in 1995, the Parents Television Council, or PTC, has actively sought to inform parents on television content and ratings, allowing parents to decide what is acceptable viewing material for their children. It has been stated by this organization that parents have grown weary of sitting with their children to stand guard over all of the programming, or having to be tech-savvy to use available technology for Parental Controls.

However, since the sanction did not cover what the FCC considers to be occasional use of an expletive, networks and other groups are challenging the ruling. They state there is no proof that hearing expletives are harmful or damaging to a child. Furthermore, they state that it is unconstitutional to put more sanctions on broadcast content than cable TV material. Also, that the rules are vague because they allow profanity in certain content like Saving Private Ryan, but not in others. These networks, FOX in particular, feels that it violates the first amendment and freedoms of speech not to allow profanity in other areas, as well. The challenge includes, but is not limited to, allowing previously sanctioned profanity and brief nudity before 10:00 pm. These networks want more freedom for expletives and nudity during the hours that are accepted as child viewing hours.

This challenge comes with a new ruling from the FCC that would ban any expletive that deals directly with sexual or excretory activities. This also includes mention of organs that would be used in or during these activities.

The new ruling came in response to several different incidents committed by several different well-known stars on network television. Bono, the lead singer for U2 stated an expletive during his acceptance of a Golden Globe award in 2003. Cher used profanity in her personal opinion of the people that were derogatory towards her career at the Billboard Awards in 2002. Nicole Richie was mentioned as repeatedly speaking profanely during her description of removing cow manure for an expensive purse at the 2003 Billboard Awards.