Left Coast Bias

• 10 Things to Watch About Comcast-NBCU

  By Ben Grossman, December 5, 2009
  First came the deal, now comes the waiting. As the mega-merger between Comcast and NBCU goes through its process, here are 10 things I'm wondering about. 1 Jeff Zucker's fate. Comcast can appreciate a great cable business as much as anyone, and under Zucker, NBC Universal has grown into one. But the broadcast network's fall under his watch has industry insiders buzzing about whether he will mak...  More

• Left Coast Bias: What They Said…and What They Meant

  By Ben Grossman, November 14, 2009
  Given that Thanksgiving is almost upon us, the default mechanism of every columnist is to write a piece about what they are thankful for. Like how I am thankful to the Fox PR people for sending the Glee soundtrack because now my 3-year-old kid is addicted to Journey's “Don't Stop Believin'.” A father is never prouder than when he hears his pre-schooler belting out the words, “...  More

• Left Coast Bias: What Recovery?

  By Ben Grossman, November 7, 2009
  You'd think I'd be in a good place right now. It's 70 and sunny every single day here, my hometown Minnesota Vikings and this hotshot youngster Brett Favre are easing their way to a Super Bowl appearance, and I continue to strategically outwit the wife's misguided notions about having a third child. But unfortunately as I write this, I am getting ready to leave for a long weekend in the place w...  More

• Left Coast Bias: We Are Sinners, All of Us

  By Ben Grossman, October 31, 2009
  Last week, I barely escaped a massive snowstorm in Denver, only to arrive in a torrential windstorm in Los Angeles. Given that the wrath of a higher power was seemingly after me, maybe it should not have been a surprise that on the flight out of the Rockies, I was actually called an “infidel” to my face.  More

• Left Coast Bias: Taking My Crack at a Hall of Fame Question

  By Ben Grossman, October 17, 2009
  In this week's cover story, we asked the 11 media moguls being inducted into the 2009 Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame to tell us what they learned this year that will inform their decision-making in 2010. The answers paint a picture of how these leaders of industry coped with a challenging 2009 and are preparing to face whatever comes next.  More

• Left Coast Bias: Talk-Show Wars Just Keep Delivering

  By Ben Grossman, October 10, 2009
  A high-profile sex act discussed openly on a talk show undoubtedly turned the tables of the late-night wars. But it wasn’t David Letterman’s recent revelation; it was 14 years ago, when Jay Leno asked Hugh Grant, “What the hell were you thinking?” and took off on a long run atop the 11:35 p.  More

• Left Coast Bias: How to Dumb Down America 101

  By Ben Grossman, October 3, 2009
  Usually I'm as big a shill as can be for B&C and all the content our great team of journalists pumps out seven days a week. In fact, the only thing I really don't like about B&C is that all this work is a drag on my golf game—that, and my boss keeps shooting down my “Page 3 Girls” idea.  More

• Left Coast Bias: A Happy New Year for Nina Tassler

  By Ben Grossman, September 26, 2009
  When you are born into a Jewish family of any kind, certain inevitabilities tend to come with the territory. You're probably not going to be the tallest kid at school. A career as a pro athlete? Yeah, that's most likely not in the cards. And chances are, you'll end up being pretty neurotic. That last bit of fate is exactly what plagued current CBS Entertainment President—and future cantor...  More

• Left Coast Bias: Time to Find Out Where We Stand

  By Ben Grossman, September 19, 2009
  What if the viewers just aren't coming back this fall?” That's what a top network TV executive said to me over an adult beverage at a ballgame. Three years ago. And more than one exec has said basically the same thing to me in the last few days.  More

• Left Coast Bias: Take These For What They're Worth

  By Ben Grossman, September 12, 2009
  If you have read this column for a while, you know my pet peeve as a former communications executive is that journalists frequently sit around and pick apart everyone's business or creative ideas, without coming up with any solutions. So every few months, I like to throw out a few random ideas of my own.  More

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