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CW is set to announce that it is turning over its Sunday-night air to Media Rights Capital, an independent company that finances TV programs and movies, according to people familiar with the situation.
The maneuver illustrates the difficult situation being faced by the fledgling network, which is jointly owned by Time Warner Inc. and CBS Corp. While CW reaches a consumer demographic that is notoriously hard to find — teens and young people — its ratings have been abysmal in its second full season on the air.
A CW spokesman declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Media Rights Capital was not able to offer an immediate comment.
As of May 4, the network’s rating among households have fallen 22%, while its ratings among audiences between the ages of 18 and 49 have tumbled 24%, according to research from Wachovia broadcasting analyst Marci Ryvicker.
While the network’s flagship program, “Gossip Girl,” has generated a lot of buzz, and its ad executives have devised innovative experimental formats for broadcast TV, ratings have remained lackluster.
In a telling move, CW announced it would take the last five episodes of this season’s run of “Gossip Girl” off the web, and not allow consumers to stream it. Instead, it is running promotions designed to entice fans to watch the episodes on TV first and foremost.
CW was already airing repeats on Sunday nights, so turning the time over to an independent firm might generate new viewership. What remains unclear, however, is how Media Rights Capital would present its ideas for Sunday night to advertisers.
With just days left before its upfront presentation next Tuesday evening, the network is expected to pitch itself as a great place to reach younger viewers, particularly female ones. It’s not clear whether MRC would go after the same demographic, or something entirely different — or whether media buyers and advertisers would welcome its programming.

tvweek.com

Tags: 18, episode, girl, gossip

By brUCE SCHREINER – 2 hours ago
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Health insurer Humana Inc. reported a 12.5 percent rise in its first-quarter profit Monday as growth in its Medicare Advantage and commercial businesses more than offset an expected decline in its stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans.
The results beat Wall Street expectations, and the company raised full-year earnings-per-share projections. Its shares rose almost 2 percent in premarket trading.
The Louisville-based company earned $80.17 million, or 47 cents per share, in the three months ended March 31 compared to $71.2 million, or 42 cents a share, in the year-ago period.
Revenue rose 12 percent to $6.96 billion from $6.2 billion.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected profit of 45 cents per share on revenue of $6.94 billion.
Its shares rose 18 cents to $45.11 in morning trading Monday.
“Our Medicare Advantage and commercial progress was particularly strong in the first quarter,” said Michael B. McCallister, Humana’s president and chief executive officer.
The Medicare Advantage plans offer comprehensive health coverage.
As expected, Humana’s government segment took a pretax loss of $3.2 million in the first quarter. The decline primarily reflected about $100 million in incremental expenses associated with the company’s stand-alone Medicare prescription plans. Last month, Humana sharply lowered its first-quarter estimate due to higher-than-expected claims in those prescription plans.
Humana said those expenses were substantially offset by improved performance in its Medicare Advantage and military services business.
Medicare Advantage premiums totaled $3.17 billion in the first quarter, up 15 percent from a year ago. Medicare Advantage membership was up 14 percent from the year-ago period.
Military services premiums and administrative fees increased $89.7 million to $831.2 million for the first quarter.
McCallister forecast solid improvement in all of Humana’s lines of business except its prescription drug plans through 2008 and beyond. He predicted the stand-alone prescription plans would return to profitability in 2009.

ap.google.com

Tags: 18, street