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All this week Showtime unveils new shows and fresh episodes of returning series. At 10 tonight it's "Beggars and Choosers," the comedy TV critics are supposed to care about because it was created by the late, great NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff and brought to fruition by his widow Lilly.

Not coincidentally, some of the highlights of tonight's second-season premiere revolve around the marriage of TV executive Brian Kerwin and supportive wife Isabella Hoffmann.

Those moments, however, don't salvage the strained office comedy that takes place behind the scenes at a failing third-place TV network. In one scene, Kerwin's vapid lieutenants argue about which one passed on "The Sopranos" — a show that just happens to be on Showtime's rival, HBO. While I appreciate little insider jokes like this, I thought the ones on "The Larry Sanders Show" were a lot sharper, crueller and funnier. Alas for Showtime, that too was an HBO series.

Sci-fi Web content: Consider the source, follow the money

by John Zipperer

Scifi.com, the online arm of USA Networks' Sci-Fi Channel, recently announced its merger with Mothership.com, the science fiction Web site of film and television producer Centropolis. This brings together two powerful destination sites into a powerful network that Sci-Fi says it is building. It also represents a high-profile marriage of two "kept" kids, and therein lies a little warning to SF news consumers.

"We very much believe in original, clearly directed content for the Internet," Barry Diller, USA Networks' chair and CEO, said in a company statement. Dean Devlin of Centropolis echoed Diller's statement with his own: "We are thrilled to be working with people who understand and are as passionate about the genre as we are," said Devlin, who will serve on Scifi.com's advisory board. "Together we will have the opportunity to blow the roof off science fiction entertainment as we know it."

Perhaps, though other producers may have raised the roof by the time the new Scifi.com reaches those heights. One competitor with arguably the most brainpower behind its Internet site is Galaxy Online, headed by former Analog and Omni editor Ben Bova. Galaxy includes such luminary-contributors as Harlan Ellison, Orson Scott Card, Spider Robinson, David Gerrold (whose long-awaited "Star Wolf" series is going to be produced by Galaxy), and many others. But there will be still more competition in the future; I've spoken to one producer who hopes to build a suite of SF entertainment services off of a Web base.

What's driving this is the increased availability of broadband, high-speed Internet service to homes. That's making streaming content more popular among consumers, an ideal way to reach the sizable niche market of SF fans.

The problem occurs when these entertainers try to be news providers, as well. Both Scifi.com and Mothership.com publish news about the SF industry (or "community," if you prefer). Now, do you believe Scifi.com's reporting is free of influence from Sci-Fi, which has a significant investment in image and content to protect and promote? Do you have complete trust in Mothership and believe that its reporters are independent of influence from Centropolis, the makers of the American "Godzilla," "Independence Day," and "The Visitor"? Here's a reality check: When CBS' morning news program interviews people from "Survivor," do you think they're going to get to the bottom of that horrid show, or do you think that the interviewer and the interviewee know full well that they are participating not in news but in publicity? The latter, of course. 

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On this date...

in 1984, haven't you always wanted to watch an entire half hour hosted by Mike Levy demonstrating a product you never before knew that you wanted or needed? Well, now you can! The Federal Communications Commission has liberated commercial broadcasters by lifting most programming requirements and ending daypart restrictions on advertising. But only if they act within the next 10 minutes! Operators are standing by! -- Tom Heald

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