television

Sony's incoming chief executive, Kazuo Hirai, has been hard at work behind the scenes preparing his company for his arrival.

The consumer electronics giant today announced its "One Sony" business structure, which it says is designed to "establish rapid and optimized decision-making processes." Part of the plan involves installing executives to lead certain divisions, while another will shift the company's focus to "three core pillars" -- digital imaging, gaming, and the mobile market.

That might not come as a surprise to many investors and those who have followed Sony. The company recently … Read more

For years, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman were known for one thing: being the "MythBusters."

But now, the two have launched a new show, Discovery Channel's "Unchained Reaction," "a new six-part series that pits two teams of varying backgrounds against each other to build an elaborate chain-reaction contraption."

Think giant Rube Goldberg machines--balls falling and knocking things into other things. Seesaws going up and throwing things into the air, each step in the process impacting the next, with each team vying to build the most impressive contraption in five tension-packed days. The … Read more

Here is one of my favorite vintage ads from our collection on TheCBSAttic.com. Created under the direction of the legendary CBS Creative Director Lou Dorfsman, it ran as a trade ad in 1963.

The ad married words and imagery with wit and simplicity. What makes this so special and meaningful is that the elements of the Eye's success are as true today as they were then.

While there are many more ways to win the nation's applause today using technology to gather and amplify attention, it all still begins with developing the best shows.

This piece serves … Read more

One of the most important platforms for marketing new television programs is a successful schedule with established audiences. We show previews of new programs to fans of our established ones as a means to gain awareness and get people excited.

The more successful a broadcast schedule, the fewer programming holes it has to fill when the new season comes around. And the ones that get picked benefit from strong leads-in--they get to stand on the shoulders of giants.

As we get deeper into development season--the time each year when TV networks select scripts, cast, produce, and pick new pilots that … Read more

Intel is reportedly approaching media companies with plans to create a virtual cable network that would bundle television programs and deliver them via an Internet-connected set-top box.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Intel's plan and said it represents a shift in the chip giant's strategy. Intel via acquisitions like that of McAfee clearly wants to be more than just a processor company. Indeed, Intel is already the biggest baddest ingredient brand on the planet.

Surely, Intel's virtual cable TV idea boils down to the usual line: sell more chips. Cloud computing, data centers, ultrabooks, and any … Read more

As we well know from that recent video of a surly Scot trying to get Siri to fetch him a jammy dodger, misunderstandings can fast spell disaster during conversations between people and voice recognition software.

Check out this amusing parody by comedic duo Tripp and Tyler that envisions a future with "SuriTV." With rumors circulating regularly about the possible emergence of a real Apple TV, it seems like an appropriate time to imagine the positive and negative aspects of having Siri baked into the boob tube. … Read more

As we round out the first part of 2012 on the heels of three big television events--Super Bowl, Grammys, and Oscars--a lot has been said and written about the power of social media as an extension of the TV experience.

It's easy to see why: triple and quadruple digit increases in user adoption.

According to some accounts, social media comments for the Oscar awards this year were up more than 250 percent over 2011 levels. Meanwhile, social comments about the 2012 Grammys were up an astounding 2,300 percent and those for the Super Bowl were up 580 percent. … Read more

With the passage last week of legislation authorizing the FCC to conduct new spectrum auctions, you might think that the looming spectrum crisis has been averted.

Nothing could be farther from the truth--or more dangerous to the continued health of the mobile ecosystem.

To avoid severe service interruptions or outright collapse of mobile networks, the FCC's 2010 National Broadband Plan estimated that mobile users will need an additional 300MHz of spectrum by 2015 and an additional 500 MHz by 2020. Many industry insiders believe these estimates are actually low.

The FCC now has the authority to conduct auctions to … Read more

Led by coordinating producer, Lance Barrow and commentators Jim Nantz and Sir Nick Faldo, the CBS Golf team is a tight-knit family. They travel the PGA Tour together for weeks just as the players do, hopscotching from course to course across America. Recently I caught up with them at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera in Pacific Palisades, north of Los Angeles. Production Manager Bob Thiele, another all-star in our business, gave me an update on how the team works, as well as the latest in tech innovations.

Among the most interesting recent advances is the use of fiber cable … Read more