Is TV Too Gory?

The Walking Dead Whenever you absolutely, positively need to see whether a spook has devoured military services weapons girl, there's just one factor to complete: Shoot it within the mind and disembowel what remains from the flesh-eater's decaying corpse.Yuck? Possibly, but it is that type of periodic carnage which has fans rabid for AMC's The Walking Dead. The zombie series is constantly on the unearth large rankings because it brings inside a modern of horror and thriller series - and also the associated gore - on television. The popularity started with Showtime's Dexter and also the titular killer's plastic-wrapped human-carving station, in addition to HBO's True Bloodstream and it is flesh-ripping, neck-biting vamps. Then came The Walking Dead, and much more lately, FX's American Horror Story and NBC's Grimm, each of which have scared up substantial audiences.TV's past thrillers, like the Twilight Zone, depended more about mental scares than gore. Horror is really a polarizing genre, and that's why the systems mostly prevented it. But occasions have transformed, content standards have loose, and cable has the capacity to target a distinct segment crowd that likes just a little gristle within their TV diet.The horror genre makes a little of the comeback recently, as audiences increased familiar with more graphic thrills through the recognition of movies like Saw, Paranormal Activity and also the Human Centipede (most of which happen to be named "torture porn" due to their graphic character). Also, dark procedurals like CSI and Criminal Minds managed to get safe to exhibit brutalized corpses in prime time, paving the way in which for a few of the nasty images on TV's horror explosion."CSI required it to a different level when it comes to exploring gore," states AMC programming senior v . p . Joel Stillerman. "Our intent never was to focus on the gore," he adds from the Walking Dead. "We all do it in ways that's organic towards the story. Individuals who love that stuff can geek out, and when you do not, you are able to cover your vision. We all know in which the limits are and that we understand what flies and what does not. As we push it, we operate a disclaimer."But TV producers say they are still interested in frightening audiences than grossing them out. In comparison towards the realism on TV's forensics and autopsy shows, the mobile phone industry's from the Walking Dead and American Horror Story are in least rooted in make-believe.Fans from the Walking Dead know to anticipate the periodic bloodstream and guts - such as the time a spook was sliced in two because it was drawn from a properly - that really help balance quiet, more emotional moments inside a story that fundamentally is all about a household attempting to survive an apocalypse. "You will find certain conventions within the horror genre, and something is the fact that dispatching zombies, or humans being assaulted by zombies, is going to be fairly graphic," states executive producer Gale Anne Hurd. "Should you aren't creating a cheesy show, which we are not, it's something we are likely to deliver. In the end, zombies are no more alive, and the only method to 'kill' them is by using a mind shot."Audiences don't seem to be switched off through the splatter. The Walking Dead's season premiere attracted the very best adult 18-49 rankings ever for any cable drama. At Forex, American Horror Story keeps growing its audience and was lately restored for Season 2. Forex programming executive v . p . Nick Grad states American Horror Story is getting inside a large female audience that's interested in the show's figures and it is underlying theme - in regards to a marriage in danger - than its horror imagery (with a bloodstream-thirsty demon baby). "We don't wish to be gratuitous just with regard to being gratuitous," he states. "If you are going to behave pretty extreme, there needs to be considered a reason you are doing the work.InchDespite the fact that ABC's approaching The River will contain gory elements, the show's producers say a lot of it will likely be blurred out. "We are not necessarily fans of gore," states executive producer Michael Eco-friendly. "There's a noticeable difference between horror and thriller, and we are more within the thriller camping."Which means audiences will not obtain a good peek at a nasty dead body the River's art department ready for one episode - a minimum of not. Just just in case audiences require more gore using their goose bumps, fellow professional producer Zack Estrin states they are mulling an uncensored DVD. In the end, in Hollywood everyone's searching for that other type of gross - profits.Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

'Dragonriders of Pern' Author Anne McCaffrey Dies

Dragonriders of Pern author Anne McCaffrey has died. She was 85 and died at her home in Ireland after a stroke on Nov. 11, according to Del Rey Books and Random House.our editor recommends'X-Men' Writer to Adapt 'Dragonriders of Pern' Book Series for Big Screen Related Topics•Obituaries The science fiction and fantasy writer is best known for her 14 Dragonriders of Pern novels and the two-part The Ship Who Sang. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths Her first novel, Restoree, was published in 1967, and, as her official website relays, was "written as a protest against the absurd and unrealistic portrayals of women in sci-fi novels in the '50s and early '60s." She went on to write nearly 100 books, including Decision at Doona, the Acorna young adult series, Dinosaur Planet, Stitch in Snow and The Year of the Lucy. McCaffrey was the first woman to win Hugo and Nebula awards, notes the Wall St. Journal. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2006. In April, Watchmen and X-Men writer David Hayter inked a deal to pen a big screen adaptation of the Dragonriders book series for Copperheart Entertainment and Entertainment One. PHOTOS: 10 Biggest Book-to-Screen Adaptations of the Last 25 Years Copperheart's Steve Hoban (Splice) and Carver will produce the film, with Susan Montford of Angry Films and Hayter executive producing along with Transformers producer Don Murphy. Production is scheduled to begin early 2012. Dragonflight, the first in the Dragonriders of Pern series, features an elite group of warriors take to the skies on the backs of giant, fire-breathing, telepathic dragons to save the wondrously exotic planet of Pern from a terrifying airborne menace. McCaffrey is survived by two sons and a daughter. Additional reporting by Etan Vlessing. Related Topics Obituaries

'X Factor's' Brit producer restructures

"The X Factor" producer Talkback Thames is headed for extinction as part of a re-organization at the British production arm of FremantleMedia. Beginning Jan. 1 Talkback Thames, formed eight years ago from the merger of its two constituent parts, will cease to exist. Instead an umbrella company will bow, FremantleMedia U.K., overseeing four new production labels: Thames, Talkback, Retort and Boundless. Run by Talkback Thames' incumbent CEO Sara Geater the production entities are to be managed mainly by existing staff. Each will have a managing director, head of production and head of development. A spokeswoman said no job losses would be involved and the move was not driven by financial efficiencies. Geater said the aim was to give talent greater creative freedom and autonomy and win more new biz from broadcasters. She said under the new model senior management would be incentivized, based on their individual profits. Thames will focus on entertainment and be led by the present head of entertainment Richard Holloway. It will be responsible for "The X Factor," among other fare. Talkback is to concentrate on comedy entertainment while Retort will handle scripted comedy. Boundless is to concentrate on nonfiction: factual entertainment, features and specialist fare. "This new label structure allows us to showcase the amazing talent within our business by enabling us to be even more creative and innovative, to better respond to our customers' needs," Geater said. "We're committed to developing inspiring entertainment for broadcasters and audiences and I believe that this structure of labels with big ambitions will ensure we better serve our customers with bespoke propositions that will deliver them the hits of the future." FremantleMedia is owned by pan-European giant, RTL Group. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Stars States Goodbye To Regis Philbin On Twitter

First Released: November 18, 2011 11:21 AM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on set throughout Regis Philbins Final Show of Live! with Regis & Kelly in NY NY on November 18, 2011 NY, N.Y. -- Regis Philbin bid morning television farewell on Friday with last appearance on Live! With Regis and Kelly. The 80-year-old TV icon has co-located the lengthy-running morning chat show for 28 years. Many stars including Katie Couric, Jesse Trump, former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, Tony Danza, Alan Alda and Meredith Vieira were within the studio audience on Friday and much more sent their well-desires to Regis via Twitter. Access Hollywoods Billy Rose bush authored, REGIS!!! The King! The finest chat show host ever. I really like you and also anticipate a lot more moments together! Piers Morgan Tweeted, Congratulations #Regis - great guy, great star, great career. Loved dealing with him on Americas Got Talent. Senator John McCain sent his best, writing, Such a long time Regis - just reminiscences! A few of the Real Average women also chimed in. Former NY City castmember Jill Zarin authored, Watching #regisandkelly last show. Crying. Why?? We r all getting old for this reason, while Nj star Melissa Gorga, Tweeted, Omg, tears are running lower my face for Regis! We like you!! Xo Actress Julie Benz, authored, Cant believe its Regis Philbins last day.. appreciate filling our morning with laughter!! Funnyman Howie Mandel stated the little screen would forever be transformed by Regis exit. The finish of the era. Television should never be exactly the same. Ill miss you Regis, he Tweeted. Rachael Ray agreed, writing, Morning should never be exactly the same. Theres just one REGIS! Regis co-host Kelly Rippa possibly stated it best, simply writing the universal online sign for sadness, " :-( Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'X Factor' expands digital domain

Producer-director Marc Scarpa oversees the team dedicated to creating an array of online content for Foxs The X Factor. Foxs The X Factor offers viewers live access to backstage cameras via a Verizon-sponsored app, part of an elaborate digital strategy. The production truck parked just outside where "The X Factor" shoots on Stage 36 in the CBS Television City complex is filled with 20 people hunkered over monitors. But they've got nothing to do with the live telecast.That's because the unscripted Fox series has a huge separate staff that works alongside the broadcast crew on TV's biggest digital extension to a primetime series since NBC set the new standard with "The Voice" earlier this year."X Factor" has successfully cultivated a fervent following on Twitter and Facebook since its September launch, and the show has since added a Verizon-sponsored Xtra Factor app that synchronizes an elaborate content companion to both Wednesday and Thursday telecasts. While the app's available on iOs-powered devices like the iPad, the Android version is particularly robust, giving viewers the ability to vote five different ways and to access backstage cameras.Viewers can also watch behind-the-scenes footage via a live one-hour Pepsi-sponsored pre-show that precedes every Wednesday broadcast; it's available at TheXFactorUSA.com. In addition to talking heads gabbing about the upcoming episode and interaction with fans via Skype, the pre-show takes advantage of cameras so close to the action that one is even planted behind a mirror in case you want to see your favorite contestants fixing their lipstick or adjusting their collars.This three-ring circus of social media, second-screen app and online pre-show is made possible for several reasons. For one, blue-chip brands like Pepsi and Verizon are footing the bill for the "X Factor" bells and whistles."Sponsorship dollars enable this grand experiment," said Don Wilcox, VP and g.m. of branded entertainment at Fox.com. "This show in particular was an inflection point for digital coming to the forefront for a lot of clients."Sponsored sparkThere are even more sponsored digital elements surrounding "X Factor," from a standalone social network at PepsiSoundOff.com currently devoted to discussing the series to Pepsi Choice Performance, which will let viewers design an upcoming on-air performance by polling their preferences for dance style, special effects, wardrobe and props. Sony Electronics is behind a "Factor" online-video series, "All Access Pass."The "X Factor" digital extravaganza is an outgrowth of the super-sized vibe that Fox, FremantleMedia and Syco wanted to bring to every element of the show. Star and exec producer Simon Cowell made it known from the planning stages of "X Factor" that the series needed a robust online presence.Cowell is said to be particularly avid tracker of "X Factor" Internet activity, so much so that there's been plenty of speculation that his reconsideration of Lauren Amaro, a contestant who was voted out only to be reinstated by him, was prompted by the video streams she racked up on the series' YouTube channel."Simon is attuned to real-time data," said Owen Leimbach, an exec producer of "X Factor's" digital efforts. "If he could have everyone in America walking around with those dials from focus groups, he would."Leimbach is with Sony Music Entertainment, which is partnered with Cowell in his Syco shingle. Cowell brought them in to handle digital operations in tandem with Fox.Cowell's embrace of the digital extensions has been instrumental in knocking down the traditional barriers that exist between a production's TV and digital units. The integration between the digital and telecast production teams is evident both onscreen, where Cowell himself has made multiple plugs for the Xtra Factor app, and behind the scenes, where the TV crew give their digital counterparts the lyrics for each song performed to be uploaded in the app just hours before the show begins.Most of the staff inside the truck are focused on the pre-show, but in an adjoining section sits a five-member team from TV Plus, the third-party developer powering the app. They upload to the app over 100 factoids, videos, polls, photo galleries, tweet excerpts, fashion analysis per episode as it plays. As a song performs, the Xtra Factor app allows you to purchase it or rate the performance across various metrics from song choice to style."There's something about live in terms of engagement with the app that you just don't get with a website," said Marc Scarpa, the producer-director overseeing the pre-show and the app for Sony Music.But the website is lively in its own right, particularly before the latest "X Factor" episode begins. The pre-show crew has access backstage to the point where on this reporter's visit, one pre-show correspondent stood waiting to ambush Antonio "L.A." Reid with a vinyl copy of a forgotten album he produced as a member of forgotten '80s R&B group the Deele, when the now-smooth-domed judge had a bouffant hairdo.The pre-show is hosted by Taryn Southern together with Philip Lomax, a former "X Factor" contestant eliminated from the series. To say they work off the cuff is putting it mildly.Thirty minutes before their show last week, one of their guests that day is a friend of Southern's, YouTube sensation Olga Kay. Kay happens to mention that she knows how to juggle, which prompts a producer to interject. "Can you do that on the show?" he asks.About an hour later, she is expertly tossing several apples in the air for the online audience.Fox pleasedFox isn't releasing traffic numbers for the pre-show but is pleased with the results, according to a spokeswoman.Twitter is also deeply integrated into the telecast, with frequent teases to the accounts of the judges and contestants. But Facebook also plays a key role online; logging into the "X Factor" website is done via Facebook, which grants points for every interaction a user has with "X Factor" content. The site will soon introduce a rewards catalog where points can be traded in for "X Factor"-branded merchandise."X Factor" employs four staffers whose sole job is working social media, distributing dozens of content extras throughout the week and responding to every viewer inquiry regarding the series."X Factor" has been a power player in social media since its inception. In October, social-media tracker Trendrr found it was the most buzzed-about series in the broadcast category across a combination of Facebook, Twitter and check-in services like GetGlue. Another tracking service, Bluefin Labs, found that measured across all TV series airing firstrun episodes season to date, "X Factor" is second only to another Fox series, "Glee."For all the energy expended online, it's questionable whether all those tweets have redounded to the telecast. While "X Factor's" performance has been solid enough to have already earned the series a second season, it fell short of sky-high expectations. "The jury is out on the ratings piece of it" as far as whether the digital activity boosts overall viewership, Wilcox conceded.Whether "Factor" will match the scale of its current digital efforts next season has yet to be determined. But taken together with what "The Voice" has done and the unprecedented digital depth Bravo is supplying to the current season of "Top Chef," the DNA of reality-TV franchises is being altered more and more with digital part and parcel of the overall experience. Time will tell whether they remain a fixture for primetime skeins or fade as quickly as the latest Internet fad. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

The Zone

A Swanberry production. Produced, directed, written, edited by Joe Swanberg. Camera (color, DV), Swanberg, Adam Winguard; sound, John Bosch. Reviewed at AFI Film Festival (Spotlight), Nov. 8, 2011. Running time: 70 MIN.With: Sophia Takal, Lawrence Michael Levine, Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, Joe Swanberg, Adam Winguard, Kris Swanberg, Dustin Guy Defa.The latest in a blitz of 2011 releases from mumblecore auteur Joe Swanberg, "The Zone" contains little to entice neophytes into his fold. If anything, it'll actually be a harder sell than the rest of Swanberg's oeuvre, as it serves as little more than an autocritique of his own filmmaking (or rather, the third entry in an auto-critique trilogy, after "Silver Bullets" and "Art History"). But though this film mostly finds the helmer exploring ever-deeper recesses of his own navel, its moments of genuine insight and knack for pulling out the rug upend some of its faults. The prolific Swanberg has made something of a mini-empire unto himself with his series of highly amateurish pics containing ample self-referentiality and even more ample superfluously naked young actors. Though his films are frequently ugly, there's something to be said for the filmmaker's steadfast attempts to be absolutely modern, to the degree that his points of aesthetic reference hew far closer to the fringes of YouTube (or rather, YouPorn) than even the most low-budget indies. In a typically Swanbergian touch, the most cogent criticism that can be laid upon "The Zone" comes from the film itself. "You're complaining about making movies about complaining about making movies," says the helmer's real-life wife, Kris, in the most dramatic of several fourth-wall ruptures, before comparing the pic (unfavorably) to "Art History." Even the director himself finds it hard to argue with her. "The Zone" is divided into three parts, with only the first being obviously fictional. In this first, weakest segment, Swanberg spotlights three hipster roommates (Sophia Takal, Lawrence Michael Levine and Swanberg regular Kate Lyn Sheil), as each is seduced in turn by a cameraphone-wielding houseguest (Kentucker Audley), in a sort of no-budget re-creation of "Teorema." After the last seduction, the narrative abruptly halts, and we see all three of Kentucker's paramours (all actors playing themselves, though not the same selves they were playing previously) watching the preceding footage with the director (Swanberg). They critique his editing choices and point out his heteronormative bias, then lengthily prepare to shoot an emotionally draining menage a trois scene. As the filmmaking process appears to be reaching the point of complete meltdown, the pic again shifts perspective, and the two Swanbergs (along with a gurgling infant) discuss the faux behind-the-scenes footage that has just played. Even while lamenting his narcissism (does mumblecore really need its "8 1/2" already?), one must applaud Swanberg's bravery in providing a glimpse at some of the damage that his style of intrusively intimate filmmaking can wreak on the relationships between his subjects, and between his subjects and himself. The central problem here is that Swanberg remains the focus of the piece even when he tries to allow for dissenting voices, and his own troubles with completing the film, and with justifying it to his audience, eventually shoehorn out the more provocative external questions. It would also help if the film-within-a-film at "The Zone's" center weren't such a transparently offhand canvas for Swanberg to play out his particular insecurities -- at leastFellini's spaceship had a beach to sit on. As usual for the director, the film contains a number of inventively staged, shakily shot extended nude scenes, including one focusing on a very ugly quilt, and another involving a spray-paint sunburn. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Sacha Baron Cohen Will Be A Gambler

For Tarantino's Django UnchainedMost of Sacha Baron Cohen's career has been a gamble, usually because it involves making fun of people to their faces and risking lawsuits everywhere he turns. But for Quentin Tarantino, it seems he's ready to play a gambler on screen and is set to join the ever-expanding cast of Django Unchained.As we mentioned recently, QT is now filling the many smaller roles for the Spaghetti Western-influenced bounty hunter thriller, which follows the titular freed slave (Jamie Foxx) on a mission to rescue his wife from the clutches of a very bad man (Leonardo DiCaprio).Along the way, Django will tangle with Scotty, a hustler who buys the aforementioned wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), as a companion. We doubt he'll come to a good end. But even though he's only a relatively minor part, he's an important one according to Variety, and Tarantino specifically sought Cohen for the role.He'll appear in the movie with Christoph Waltz, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, James Remar, Tom Savini, Anthony LaPaglia, Don Johnson and many more. Django Unchained starts shooting in January.

Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Boogie Nights' and 14 Other Roles Stars Switched Lower

Stars spread roles constantly -- it's area of the movie business. Take Leonardo DiCaprio. His enormous box-office potential makes him probably the most searched for-after stars on the planet. As a result, he's been offered the chance to experience numerous large-time figures, a couple of which he's needed to turn lower. (Not infamous FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in Clint Eastwood's 'J. Edgar,' which opened up now.) In recognition of DiCaprio and the Hollywood brethren, let us have a look back at a few of the greatest roles stars have ever switched lower. 15 Roles Stars Switched Lower Leonardo DiCaprio in 'Boogie Nights'Will Cruz in 'The Matrix'John Travolta in 'Forrest Gump'Mel Gibson in 'Gladiator'Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Promote in 'Thelma & Louise'Tom Cruise in 'Footloose'Matt Damon in 'Avatar'Madonna in 'Casino'Freddie Prinze Junior. in 'Spider-Guy'Jack Nicholson in 'The Godfather'Tom Selleck in 'Raiders from the Lost Ark'Alec Baldwin in 'The Fugitive'Molly Ringwald in 'Pretty Lady'Steve McQueen in 'Dirty Harry'Leonardo DiCaprio in 'American Psycho' See All Moviefone Art galleries » [Photo: FilmMagic / Everett Collection] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Jessica Chastain Will Probably Be Princess Diana

For Caught In FlightThose who put a strop when Meryl Streep dared to seize the meaty role of Margaret Thatcher at the disposal of British stars will most likely start foaming once more convinced that the American will tackle Princess Diana in the questionable new biopic. But it's true: Jessica Chastain is becoming installed on play her in Caught Flying.Oliver Hirschbiegel, the director who hit the film levels with Downfall then came lower to Earth getting a bump round the Invasion, may also be attached, and Ecosse Films is becoming attempting to lock lower distribution deals within the American Film Market.According to Thompson on Hollywood, Caught Flying follows the romance between Diana and Hasnat Khan, another two-year relationship. Kahn rejected to go over the affair for any very long time after Diana died, finally spilling the beans in 2008.The script with the Libertine's Steven Jeffreys is mentioned to portray Diana inside an unflattering light, and Hirschbiegel expects to shoot the film in many locations, including Paris, where the Princess died in the vehicle crash in 1997. Prolific actress Chastain, who came out this year inside the Tree Of Existence, Your Financial Troubles as well as the Help, will next come in Take Shelter then Coriolanus.

James Bond's 'Skyfall' In Talk Nerdy To Me!

FROM MTV MOVIES: With "The Dark Knight Rises" soaring over NY, James Bond officially back in action in "Skyfall" and a new episode of "The Walking Dead" on the horizon, it's a great week to be a geek. It's also the perfect week to kick off "Talk Nerdy to Me," a brand-new weekly online talk show right here on MTV News where we'll bring you up to speed on all of the latest movie, TV and comic book news that's fit to print. Watch Talk Nerdy To Me! Want to know what Joseph Gordon-Levitt was doing on the "Dark Knight" set this week? Look no further. Are you worrying over some of the new details about Bond's big-screen comeback? We are, too. We'll give you all that and more in the inaugural edition of "Talk Nerdy." » Read the full story at MTV Movies! » Get more details about Talk Nerdy to Me!

Exclusive: Ian Buchanan Joins Days of Our Lives

Ian Buchanan One of our all-time favorite soap hoppers is making his way to Salem! Daytime Emmy Award winner Ian Buchanan - a veteran of All My Children, The Bold and the Beautiful, Port Charles and General Hospital - is joining the cast of NBC's Days of Our Lives. A Days rep tells TV Guide Magazine that the popular Scotsman will play a character named Ian McAllister, a mega-rich businessman with a powerful and dangerous hold over cosmetics mogul Madison James (Sarah Brown). This isn't Buchanan's first time at Days, by the way. In 2001, he was among several hotshot daytime players who were recruited to play European royals at the coronation of Princess Greta. But, basically, he was a glorified extra. In addition to his vast suds experience, Buchanan was also a cult fave on Twin Peaks, It's Garry Shandling's Show and the Cartoon Network series Justice League, where he voiced the role of Superman's arch foe Ultra-Humanite. Buchanan starts shooting Days on November 14 and is expected to hit the air February 9. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Rachelle Lefervre Optioned a completely new Yorker Story Whose Adaptation Gus Van Sant Will Direct

“The new project would most likely take Lautner’s career in the new direction. He's mentioned being likely to work simply with top company company directors and authors any further while he aims to define themselves becoming an actor.” Annnnnd that’s almost all I’ve got on that certain. [THR]

Discovery confronts need to hone OWN

Yakker "The Rosie Show" on OWN has seen a slide in aud amounts, specially the 25-54 femme demo, since its premiere. "Oprah's Lifeclass" started off progressively on week day primetime. Discovery Communications shipped a effective third quarter earnings report Tuesday, but a increase in its revenue and profit predictions for your twelve month wasn't enough to divert Wall Street's attention within the problems at OWN.Discovery's partnership using the famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey reaches an adverse balance for your year, with negative earnings for the tune of $55.6 000 0000, according to amounts provided by SNL Kagan. The client costs that satellite and cable operators pay to keep the funnel have dropped to 5 a sub monthly, from 7 a year ago when the funnel used to be Discovery Health, according to Kagan.Deficits for just about any startup operation are not any surprise, but OWN's growth curve remains steep since the cabler has fought mightily to attain viewer traction having its original programming. Its latest large bets, the Rosie O'Donnell yakker as well as the Winfrey fronted "Oprah's Lifeclass," have observed a pokey come from their Monday-Friday primetime runs. Discovery Boss David Zaslav preached persistence through the quarterly earnings make contact with which experts grilled him about OWN's finances. Discovery brass wouldn't disclose many particulars in regards to the partnership, but chief financial officer Kaira Singer acknowledged it had invested $12 million more inside the cabler through the quarter.For 2011, SNL Kagan thought operating expenses of nearly $160 million at OWN, and revenue of $104 million. If this involves distribution, the web is at more houses than Discovery Health, therefore it transformed, no more than 5.8 million more.Zaslav mentioned he's sure that OWN's fortunes will improve since Winfrey has become full-time Boss."We are investing a lot time to develop content that will attract the marriage visitors,Inch Zaslav mentioned. "We are building some significant audience growth and flow. Viewership expires from previous levels (and) there's some nice momentum beginning 2012. We are starting to swing within an positive direction in term of getting people to spend time around.InchFor your year so far, OWN is essentially flat in primetime as compared to the Discovery Health predecessor. After 72 hours round the air, "Rosie" and "Oprah's Lifeclass" have not yet really make a difference inside the amounts."Rosie," airing at 8 p.m., started by helping cover their typically 321,000 audiences within the first week, lowering to 229,000 in week two and 223,000 in week three. There's the same slide inside the all-important women 25-54 demo, where "Rosie" started by helping cover their typically 140,000 audiences but slid the other day to 106,000."Lifeclass," trumpeted as Winfrey's return to the airwaves, bowed to typically 310,000 total audiences in week one, lowering to 297,000 the other day. In women 25-54, the show has inched up from typically 118,000 in week anyone to 122,000 the other day.OWN's finest original success story so far might be the weekly docu-series "Our America With Lisa Ling," which started progressively taken but has proven steady progress. In October the show averaged an effective 542,000 audiences, and 230,000 in women 25-54. Reality skein "Thank you for going to Sweetie Pie's" has furthermore become some traction, yanking in 421,000 total audiences in October, including 144,000 in women 25-54. Zaslav pointed for the performance of "Our America" and "Sweetie Pie's" in safeguarding the net's performance to experts."It's like we mentioned in the beginning, it's gonna require sometime.InchDonald Leavy, Discovery's corporate communications topper, increased their mantra that new cablers take three to five years to really find their footing with audiences -- regardless of the famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey's title round the door. "Yes, it is the famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey, and so the expectation can be a litte greater, but we are happy,Inch Leavy told Variety. "We probably was without sufficient original programming once we launched. It's the right trajectory -- no an individual's stating victory, but we're seeing eco-friendly shoots."Beyond OWN, Discovery's third-quarter outcome was strong, buoyed by rise in worldwide areas. Internet gain rose to $238 million from $189 million the last year. Revenue hopped 18% to nearly $1.1 billion with 19% growth at both domestic and worldwide systems.For your twelve month, the business mentioned elevated its predictions, pegging revenue later on among $4.17 billion and $4.25 billion, and internet profit around $1 billion. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Mega Buzz: Bones' New Baddie, a Revenge Death and Miami Romance

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher Fifty pounds lighter, Carrie Fisher isn't afraid to criticize her former self. "I looked awful," the actress, author and Jenny Craig spokeswoman told Extra. "I'd like to say it was my health, and be like somebody who's a good role model, [but] that was a byproduct." Did Fisher make the list? See our gallery of the most dramatic celebrity weight loss Fisher, who jokingly referred to her larger self as a "whale," admitted she has always had insecurities about her looks. "I never was a fan of my appearance," she says. "I looked at my mother as a little kid and thought, 'Well I look like a thumb compared to that.' I better develop something else." In addition to her new slimmer figure, Fisher opened up about her friendship with Michael Jackson. She recalls spending a "sweet" Christmas with the late pop singer, whom she called "the sweetest man." Although Jackson's doctor at the time of his death, Dr. Conrad Murray, is still on trial on charges that he killed the singer by administering a fatal dose of medication, Fisher says she is convinced Murray killed her friend. "[Dr. Murray] put these drugs into him. [Dr. Murray] knew the dangers of it." Fisher's latest book, Shockaholic, is out now.