MediaMarketalk

The Conversation Circle wishes you and yours and happy and healthy new year. We'll catch up in 2014.

14 Movies to See (or Not See) This Christmas http://t.co/xYOiRaI3w0 @vulture — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 24, 2013

We're hoping old traditions will continue and new customs are created, while wishing that those memories will last a lifetime. The Conversation Circle will return 12/26. 

Sheer marketing, but it is funny nonetheless. Enjoy. Ron Burgundy’s Top 6 Marketing Moments of the ‘Anchorman 2′ Campaign http://t.co/KcN5Bn2fID — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 18, 2013

The Conversation Circle is going to reserve further judgement. Documentaries have always been a favorite of ours. However, we can't say we've been tuning into CNN (for anything) lately. Related: The Zuckering of CNN Jeff Zucker: CNN's "Massive Changes" Begin With New Documentary Film Brand 'CNN Films http://t.co/2LNZoxDWu8 via @deadline — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 17, 2013

Jane Fontaine, who starred in George Cukor and Alfred Hitchcock films among many others and  Peter O'Toole, best known for his role as  Lawrence of Arabia  and perhaps Goodbye Mr. Chips  passed away over the weekend. While we remember watching Fontaine and O'Toole's most famous films on television, we must say, these two actors helped fostered a life long love of cinema in us. R.I.P

This is for all of our friends and viewers who will be celebrating Christmas in 10 days. Carey's version of "All I want For Christmas" is currently the number one Christmas song in America.

It is unfortunate that Executive Producer Lorne Michaels and SNL producers had to be criticized in order to include a black female as a cast member of "Saturday Night Live." There has been no black female cast member since 2007. ‘SNL’ plans to add black female cast member soon http://t.co/MluQt0k55Z via @washingtonpost — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 13, 2013

Lots of surprises in Golden Globe nods | Media Life Magazine

It seems Shonda Rhimes has created another monster hit. The fall finale of "Scandal," which airs on ABC, made notable gains last night beating out its competition on CBS and NBC. “Scandal” hit a two month high with a 3.2 at 10 p.m. Rhimes' veteran drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” another ABC program, easily won its timeslot with a 2.7 and was up 17 percent over last week and hit a seven week high. As we noted in an earlier post Rhimes is writing a memoir. Related : Shonda Rhimes Inks Book Deal

House of Cards recently garnered 4 Golden Globe nominations for Best TV Series, Drama, Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama, Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama and Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie. Most of the Conversation Circle was gripped to the series in season one and actually binge watched! The second season of House of Cards premieres Friday, February 14, 2014, on Netflix.  We can't wait! Related : House of Cards Delivers Netflix's House of Cards a Stellar Move

We're happy for Pink, Alecia Moore, a powerful singer-songwriter and general badass (seen here chatting on the red carpet). A full recap  is available on Billboard.com Related :  Billboard's Woman of the Year is PINK

A + E Networks is rebranding Bio as FYI ,  a lifestyle network, in order to capture an underserved audience that is younger and upscale. The rebranding, which hopes to merge the "best ideas on air and online,"  is also an effort to keep up with the ever-changing media landscape. FYI , known as “for your inspiration or "for your innovation", will launch in the summer 2014. 

With slightly more than a month to go the Screen Actors Guild announced their nominees for the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards .  The award ceremony will air on TNT January 18. In the category of television, Breaking Bad (a Conversation Circle favorite) earned 4 nominations and among the networks HBO earned a well-deserved 13 nominations. A complete list is available at sagawards.org . SAG  PRESS  RELEASE : LOS ANGELES  (Dec. 11, 2013) — Nominees for the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® for outstanding performances in 2013 in five film and eight television categories as well as the SAG Awards honors for outstanding action performances by film and television stunt ensembles were announced this morning in Los Angeles at the Pacific Design Center’s SilverScreen Theater in West Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard introduced Sasha Alexander (TNT’s “Rizzoli & Isles” and the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Social Media Ambassador) a...

"Saving Mr. Banks" will be in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013 for limited release and opens wide on December 20, 2013. It really is the perfect Christmas (rather, binge shopping) movie to catch this holiday season. Related:   Saving Mr. Banks

Phoef Sutton , Emmy Award winning television writer and producer explains,  PITCHING .  We think it's a great piece!

Grammy Award winning singer and actress  Bette Midler, known as  The Divine Miss M , (one our favorite singers from so long ago we won't tell you) will play Mae West , the legendary actress, singer writer and sex symbol, in an HBO movie (see below). This should be interesting! Bette Midler To Star As Mae West In HBO Movie http://t.co/AOrohtKzV9 via @deadline — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 10, 2013

 A Peace Well Deserved Related : Nelson Mandela Passes: 10 Musical Tributes to the Iconic Political Figure | Billboard

WGA PRESS RELEASE LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK - The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2013 season. The winners will be honored at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 1, 2014, at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and NewYork. TELEVISION NOMINEES DRAMA SERIES Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC The Good Wife, Written by Meredith Averill, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Jacqueline Hoyt, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, J.C. Nolan, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julie Wolfe; CBS Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, William E. Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Barbara Hall, Pat...

It seems another host bites the dust at MSNBC. Martin Basher, a British journalist and political commentator, who hosted "Martin Bashir" on MSNBC, released a statement   yesterday regarding his resignation. Bashir's resignation comes after he made "ill-judged comments" about Sarah Palin . Bashir was also suspended from ABC for comments he made about Asian-American journalists. It seems Phil Griffin, who is president of MSNBC, hires commentators and personalities with a history of making ill-advised comments, then fires them when they do just that! We know Bashir's public statement says he resigned, however  Alec Baldwin departed MSNBC under what was called a "mutual agreement, " then  Baldwin  later made comments that seemed to indicate he was fired. Soon MSNBC viewers may think rather than leaning forward, it is time to lean back. Martin Bashir Resigns From MSNBC Over Palin Comments http://t.co/id2vsfj0RL — ConversationCircle (@Conve...

We think the old adage "you have to spend money to get money" applies here. Good talent and quality products attract viewers, and advertisers. So why are there so many reruns and retreads on cable, especially when it comes to crime stories? We suppose the revenue generated is too irresistible. Related:   TV Pilot Spending Increasing Among the Big 4 Why TV Programming Costs Are Growing (Analysis) http://t.co/mO1C64lJLU — Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 4, 2013

All we ask is, can anyone ever have too much Chanel? We suppose so, but we can't!

It seems Jeff Zucker , CNN Worldwide Chief, is planning massive changes for the news organization. However critics point to Zucker's tenure at the helm of NBC , which they say resulted in the network dropping from first place, as proof he is not the person to change the news outlet. Zucker's failures at NBC were widely reported on by industry critics and commented on (relentlessly) by Nikki Finke , an industry journalist and blogger. However, should Zucker institute fewer newscasts CNN's brand may never be the same. CNN Chief Jeff Zucker Plans "Massive Change" At The Network http://t.co/vwb2RaqGds via @deadline — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 3, 2013

As you know the Conversation Circle is a huge fan of Shonda Rhimes . We're pleased that  Rhimes and Betsy Beers of ShondaLand will receive the DGA's 2014 Diversity Award.  DGA Press Release: December 3, 2013 Los Angeles – The Directors Guild of America today announced that it will honor Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers of Shondaland with the Guild’s 2014 Diversity Award. The Award is being given for their commitment to diversity hiring, their long record of providing jobs and opportunities to women and minorities in DGA-covered categories, and for the example they set for the rest of the industry. The Award will be presented at the 66th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, January 25, 2014. The Diversity Award has only been given four times in its history: in 1997 to Bruce Paltrow, John Wells and Christopher Chulack; in 1999 to Steven Bochco; in 2000 to HBO; and in 2005 to Stephen McPherson. “The DGA Diversity Award is an exceedingly rare honor, given only when we ...

If as a child you loved "Mary Poppins," a musical film produced by Walt Disney and released in 1964, you'll love "Saving Mr. Banks," in theaters December 20, which illustrates how "Mary Poppins" made it to the silver screen. At the Conversation Circle we find a writer's source of inspiration, in this case Author P. L. Travers ' reflection on her difficult childhood, for storytelling extremely interesting.   Saving Mr. Banks demonstrates the machine-like collaborative nature of filmmaking, which can distort a writer's vision, but also highlights how that creative process can still have the power to make us see and feel hidden truths about ourselves, even if the final product is not what the writer intended.

The real life of   author  PL Travers, creator of "Mary Poppins" was apparently no fairytale. However, difficult and complicated lives seem to be the common thread among so many creative people. Perhaps, it's because, being someone else is so much easier! Saving Mr Banks: The true story of PL Travers | via @Telegraph http://t.co/lkiJkOrszZ — ConversationCircle (@ConversationCir) December 3, 2013