Buzzr

While diginets still have some hurdles to face — such as rising program license fees — they have captured the attention of general-market advertisers and they are looking forward to the rollout of the upcoming ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard with its expanded capacity. What’s more, the multicast networks are relieved that the FCC’s incentive auction and ongoing repack of the TV band isn’t affecting their station carriage deals to any significant extent.

A New York Internet media company is crying foul over FremantleMedia North America’s use of the name Buzzr for its TV and digital game-show network. Codename Enterprises, which operates Tumblr-like website Buzzr.com, filed a lawsuit against FremantleMedia alleging trademark infringement, false advertising, trademark dilution and unfair competition.

Now cleared in all top 10 markets, FremantleMedia North America’s retro game show network is available to 60% of U.S. households.

Multicast network Buzzr is giving failed game show pilots a second chance with six-day “Lost & Found” programming block beginning Sept. 7.

As the market for subchannel options matures, there’s a new wave of multicast networks with significant distribution, tightly focused brands and programming and, in some cases, a smattering of distinguishing original programming. This is Part Two of a four-part special report on multicasting running this week. Read the other stories here.

FremantleMedia North America, the production company best known for keeping American Idol and The Price is Right on the airwaves, commissioned its digital content studio Tiny Riot! last year to begin revamping classic game shows from its library of more than 150 series, such as Password and Body Language, for its ad-supported Buzzr channel on YouTube.

New game show diginet Buzzr from FremantleMedia North America is adding to its executive team with Mark Deetjen named VP of programming and operations, Jaime Klein VP of creative services, Kiesha McCorry VP of marketing and Marissa Mongiello VP of traffic. Deetjen was previously VP of programming at Sony Pictures Television. Klein was VP of […]

With multiple introductions of new multicast networks at this week’s NATPE, and no shortage of existing ones, it gets one to wondering how they can all survive. The added capabilities of the upcoming next-gen broadcast standard will mean more space for them. And with smart, gradual investments in originals, some diginets could become great businesses and real contributors to the top lines of TV stations.