Univision bets big on news

Univision is boosting its news coverage, built around 'Aqui y hora,' co-hosted by Maria Elena Salinas, above, and a top team of journos including Brit Karl Penhaul, below. While U.S. auds have been gradually slipping away from news and current affairs shows, Univision's U.S. Spanish-speaking viewers are embracing the format.Over the last 10 years, Univision's primetime news magazine "Aqui y ahora" (Here and Now), co-hosted by Maria Elena Salinas and Teresa Rodriguez, has upped its audience, while its English-language counterparts -- ABC's "20/20," CBS' "60 Minutes" and NBC's "Dateline" -- have lost nearly 50% of their viewers.Now the Spanish-language TV giant intends to feed the demand for such shows even further, enlisting Univision News prexy Isaac Lee to increase the scope of its inhouse coverage.The moves dovetail with the company's plan to launch cable news channel Univision 24/7 in fall 2012, in time for the U.S. presidential elections.The network is making a big push into news, hiring high-profile heavy-hitters with a slew of awards.Journos Karl Penhaul and Carlos Villalon have been recruited as special foreign correspondents in conflict zones around the world.British-born Penhaul hails from CNN and has been based in Latin America since 1995. He has won a clutch of awards for his work, including the 2010 Cine Golden Eagle for "La bestia," his docu charting illegal immigration from Central America to the U.S.He was also part of a CNN team that won the 2006 Peabody award for is reporting of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, as well as the team that won the 2007 Edward R. Murrow award for coverage of the Lebanon war. Chilean photojournalist Villalon, who has worked for Redux Pictures and Getty Images, won second place in the 2010 World Press Photo contest's general news category for his work on cocaine gangs in Colombia.Mexican-born Maria Antonieta Collins -- a TV journalist, radio personality, columnist, author and winner of two Emmys and an Edgar Murrow award -- is joining as a senior special correspondent.Univision also has launched documentary and investigative units and expanded local newscasts in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Raleigh.Univision's documentary unit, headed by scribe-producer Juan Rendon, plans to produce three docus a year.The first out the gate is "Infiltrados" (Infiltrated), set to air in September. It centers on intelligence agents whose infiltration of Colombian left-wing guerrilla org FARC led to the capture of its leaders.Lee, who joined Univision in January, exec-produced NatGeo's 2008 docu "FARC Hostage Rescue," which Rendon penned.Another docu in the works explores the growing influence of Iran across Latin America, and will be a collaboration between the investigative and documentary units, says Lee. Gerardo Reyes, a Pulitzer prize-winning journo previously at the Miami Herald, heads the investigative unit.Univision 24/7 will most likely carry the net's weekly mainstays. These are led by public affairs program "Al punto" (To the Point), which delivers an average 900,000 viewers on Sunday mornings and is anchored by Univision's most influential newscaster, Jorge Ramos; and "Primer impacto" (First Impact), co-anchored by Peru-born, six-time Emmy-winning journo Pamela Silva Conde and Puerto Rican journo Barbara Bermudo."Primer impacto" is the highest-rated Spanish-language daily afternoon news program in the U.S., outperforming syndicated English-language counterparts "Inside Edition," "Extra" and "Insider" in the 18-34 demo.While reluctant to reveal more details about Univision 24/7, Lee stresses that the new hires and other efforts to produce more in-depth news coverage aim to provide U.S. Hispanic auds with compelling news reports."All this reaffirms Univision's commitment to invest in its inhouse news operations and expand its news franchise," says Lee. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

BBC Director General: 'Why James Murdoch Is Wrong Concerning the BBC'

EDINBURGH - They are saying that revenge is really a dish best offered cold. BBC director general Mark Thompsonhas anxiously waited two painful years to provide a high profile smackdown to James Murdoch, whose 2009 attack on the BBC he stated was "chilling in scale" and throttling commercial ambition made head lines around world.our editor suggests Rupert Murdoch 'Very Humbled' because he Apologizes Personally towards the Group of Killed Schoolgirl Milly Dowler'Countdown With Keith Olbermann' to pay for Rupert Murdoch Testimony in U.K. Parliament Tuesday Within an article marking the outlet of the year's MediaGuardian Edinburgh Worldwide Television Festival, Thompson has rounded in the news Corp deputy COO's now-famous MacTaggart lecture, saying the toxic fallout in the News around the globe hacking scandal now gave it "an unpredicted and almost tragic irony." Rupert Murdoch's youngest boy had used it to fight the BBC and media government bodies. He ignored the ambitions of license-fee funded BBC television and told an ashen-faced audience that News Corp's view was that "the only real reliable, durable and perpetual guarantee of independence is profit." At that time, Murdoch was responsible for this news Worldwide newspaper group which has belong to severe political and police scrutiny for alleged criminal behavior that might have been common. Murdoch's concentrate on profit marked exactly what the BBC boss stated was "our prime water mark not only of 1 strain of economic and moral purism about media, but additionally from the singular deference that that purism was recognized for such a long time by a lot of.Inch "It's an expression which covers his [James Murdoch's] entire situation that types of public intervention in and unsafe effects of media are generally morally reprehensible and practically useless," Thompson authored within the Protector newspaper, the Edinburgh TV Festival's primary sponsor. "Yet it had been under just these conditions - the least heavy of sunshine touch regulation, minimal oversight and accountability, commercial factors towards the forefront - the catastrophe in the News around the globe unfolded," Thompson stated. Within the 2 yrs which have passed since 2009. Mark Thompson has needed to accept a number of painful cuts to both BBC's budgets and it is ambition, diminishing the $6 billion-a-year broadcaster up to 20%. Simultaneously it's retreated from numerous industries including on the internet and magazines, following critique within the speech. Alhough he stated he agreed with James Murdoch's need to safeguard newspapers from just as much scrutiny as tv stations face within the United kingdom, the BBC director general saved his sternest rebuke for that News Corp deputy COO and BSkyB chairman for last, within an essay which will have cheered many within the BBC. "The only real reliable, durable and perpetual guarantor of independence isn't profit. Nor whom you know. Nor what corners you are able to cut. It's integrity." The telephone-hacking facts have forced News Corp to abandon its takeover of BSkyB, close lower the 163-years old News around the globe and concentrate management time on a number of criminal research which have seen 12 former staff arrested, including Rebekah Brooksand L'ensemble des Hinton, a couple of Rupert Murdoch's nearest confidantes. The tectonic changes wrought through the hacking scandal is going to be much talked about within the next 72 hours within the bars and corridors from the Edinburgh TV Festival, although their discussion doesn't form area of the merry-go-round of sections, speeches and tests, possibly showing too questionable for conference coordinators. Elsewhere in the Festival, Google Boss Eric Schmidtwill deliver this season's MacTaggart on Friday, telling associates the internet giant needs creativeness and content. Other highlights incorporate a masterclass with Ough Gervais, an analysis of Downton Abbey, a screening from the 9/11 Decadeand interviews with the primary funnel heads. The festival begins Friday 26 through Sunday 26. Related Subjects James Murdoch Phone Hacking Scandal

Is Ben Flajnik Basic steps New Bachelor?

La, Calif. -- Ben Flajniks rose might have wilted as a result of Bachelorette Ashley Hebert on the newest season from the ABC reality show, however it appears like it'll soon be Ben providing the roses themself. The 28-years old wine maker from Sonoma, Calif., continues to be drawn on because the next Bachelor, based on various reviews on Wednesday. In the morning on Wednesday, Existence & Style reported the casting news, adopted later within the day with sources verifying to both Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly. When approached to have an official comment in the news, a representative for ABC would only tell Access Hollywood that, We now have absolutely nothing to announce at this time. About the Bachelorette season finale, Ashley chose JP Rosenbaum over Ben however, romance gossips rapidly swirled for that declined suitor with another notable title: Jennifer Love Hewitt. The actress triggered a significant stir on Twitter in This summer when she authored, Watching The Bachelorette! I really like u Ben!! Take this rose I've for u! Choose me!!!!:). However, the first kind Ghost Whisperer star rapidly shot lower any whispers of the flourishing romance. I had been searching for something popular culture to kind of tweet about Im a new comer to the Twitter situation. I needed to enjoy the tweeters available on the planet, Jennifer told Ryan Seacrest within an interview a week ago, when requested if she and Ben were dating. So, I sent funny tweets about Ben F., after which it got all kind of like, blown from proportion or whatever, and today its like the rumor mill is crazy. Despite her denial, Jennifer and Ben were spotted in Bay Area at the begining of August a conference which Jennifer stated was totally by coincidence. Coincidence or otherwise, it seems his encounter using the actress might have sealed the offer on his newly found Bachelor status. They believe hell be rankings gold, a resource told Us Weekly of why ABC chose Ben. His date with Jennifer Love Hewitt was icing about the cake! Not sure on when ABC can make the state announcement from the new Bachelor. AH Nation Poll: Would Ben be the ideal choice because the new Bachelor? Click The Link to cast your election! Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Stephen Lang on Conan the Barbarian and Character Roles: 'I Don't Mind Being Typed Right Now'

Actor Stephen Lang, award-winning veteran of stage, film, and television, earned his biggest success to date playing the hardened Colonel Miles Quaritch in James Cameron’s Avatar. But in the wake of Avatar, the character actor was looking for a departure of sorts, and he found it in the mythic fantasy landscape conceived by Robert E. Howard playing a bloodthirsty warlord in Marcus Nispel’s Conan the Barbarian. Lang, who’s built a film career out of playing various sorts of cowboys, villains, lawmen, and strong-jawed types, seems to seek variation within the mantle of character actor while simultaneously straining against it. “I think if I’d been offered sort of a paler version of Col. Quaritch from Avatar, it wouldn’t have interested me,” he told Movieline during a conversation at Comic-Con last month, where Avatar cos-players have been known to walk the halls in full Na’vi gear. And yet, if filmmakers come calling with him in mind for another authority figure type of role, that’s still fine. “In a way, I don’t mind being typed right now.” Movieline caught up with Lang to chat about his work in Conan the Barbarian, his possible return to the Avatar franchise, his philosophy when it comes to choosing projects, and the uncanny resemblance his Conan character Khalar Zym bears to the warlord race of another iconic genre property. Conan the Barbarian seems so different a role for you, even considering that you’ve been acting for so long and have played so many varied characters. Were you looking to branch out with this particular role? Well, when they sent me the script I thought the role was terrific. I thought it was an opportunity to really do a transformation. Right away I knew I wanted to do something in which I’d be unrecognizable, where the role would really take over. And I love action films, particularly something that takes place in such an exotic [setting], and the weaponry would be strange and different and it would be really demanding. So I was really looking forward to it. About your character’s look — you wanted to be “unrecognizable” and Khalar Zym is certainly a transformative role for you. He looks almost Klingon-like, even. You know, I’ve heard that once or twice actually and I’m not actually a devotee of that franchise at all, so that’s an unintended parallel, for sure. [Laughs] All of the villains in Conan have striking, interesting looks - Rose McGowan’s character Marique as well. You two make quite the pair. Yes, she’s wonderful. She plays my daughter. But I thought the departments did a superb job in bringing it to life. You know, that land that Robert Howard describes — it’s unlike any other, so you have to bring something hopefully unique and very vivid to it, and everybody did. Speaking of unique takes on the material, Jason Momoa’s Conan is such a departure from the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayal. How did you two get along and strike your chemistry on set? Well, I didn’t know him when I showed up but I liked him from the first day we started working together. He’s very powerful. I thought we were a good match-up together, we were strength to strength, I thought. He’s just an all-around hard worker, he’s a lot of fun to act with and very improvisational. We had a good time together! To me, he is Conan. No question of it, to me. He looks it and he really breathes it. When I spoke with him he described the feeling of having to prove himself after doing Baywatch. Have you felt anything similar in your career, wanting to show audiences or the industry that you could do something wildly different than they might expect? I guess so, I’m sure it’s crossed my mind at times. I think when you look at roles, even looking at Khalar Zym, the idea of doing another… what I don’t want to do is repeat myself. And I think if I’d been offered sort of a paler version of Col. Quaritch from Avatar, it wouldn’t have interested me. But part of what is interesting to me about doing a part like this is you really get a chance to spread your wings, to really show other colors that you’ve got. So I always look for that. I don’t know if it’s a question of proving myself, I don’t worry about that too much anymore, but I suppose in some sense you have to prove yourself every time you go out there. Avatar was among your many character roles, but your portrayal of Quaritch was instantly iconic to audiences. Did you find you were getting a lot of similar offers after that? Yeah, but I think the first thing I did after, and even while I was working on Avatar, was Public Enemies, which was very, very different of course. But also kind of an iconic kind of a role. Over the years I’ve played everything from cowards to heroes and if at this stage of my career people think of me to play authority figures, whether they be in the future or whether they be in the mythic past, whatever — that’s cool. [Laughs] in a way I don’t mind being typed right now. That said, how do you think you’ll be involved in the future of Avatar? Well, I can’t comment or speculate on that now. I think everything in that is something that is for another Comic-Con, down the line. How much do you enjoy coming to gatherings like these, interacting directly with fans of your films? Oh, Comic-Con is a phenomenon unlike anything else. I think it’s great to be with all the fans, I mean they really are the reason that we do it in the first place. And to see the passion and affection they have for certain characters, for certain franchises… it’s fascinating, for one thing, and it’s nice to be on the receiving end of it. It’s like rooting for a team you love; people get very passionate and they really throw their hearts into it. Conan the Barbarian is in theaters now.

Lovejoy And Redknapps Better Of Football

Tim Lovejoy and, former England worldwide, Jamie Redknapp fall into line within this specifically shot DVD that does what is states about the sleeve the very best of Football brings you the most effective in football action. Tim and Jamie provide you with the low-lower about the best ever goals, misses and free kicks. Additionally they provide you with rare clips of TV commentators for action, managers who really performed the overall game as well as provide the definitive explanation of the half-volley kind of. Lovejoy & Redknapps Better Of Football comes complete using the best footage, top gamers, sensational showboating and unbelievable moments from the field of football.

Historical Epic is Hope of Taiwan Film Industry

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwanese director Wei Te-sheng's "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seedig Bale" is stirring hopes that the island's film industry is set to stage a comeback after two decades of doldrums.His four-hour epic will be premiered at next month's Venice Film Festival. It is about a 1930 aboriginal uprising against Taiwan's Japanese rulers.It was 10 years in preparation and has a $24 million budget, which is huge for a Taiwanese film.Wei paid special tribute Monday to Seedig Bale's aboriginal actors as few of whom had any professional acting experience.Taiwanese pop star Vivian Hsu who stars in the film said the aboriginals had natural acting ability.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. PHOTO CREDIT AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwanese director Wei Te-sheng's "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seedig Bale" is stirring hopes that the island's film industry is set to stage a comeback after two decades of doldrums.His four-hour epic will be premiered at next month's Venice Film Festival. It is about a 1930 aboriginal uprising against Taiwan's Japanese rulers.It was 10 years in preparation and has a $24 million budget, which is huge for a Taiwanese film.Wei paid special tribute Monday to Seedig Bale's aboriginal actors as few of whom had any professional acting experience.Taiwanese pop star Vivian Hsu who stars in the film said the aboriginals had natural acting ability.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

REVIEW: One Day? Feels More Like 20 Years

Great romances don’t always happen overnight. But we need to wait nearly 20 years for the romance in Lone Scherfig’s One Day to get cooking, and for long stretches it seems as if we’re watching this particular pair of nonstarters hem and haw in real time. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play Em and Dexter, who meet not-so-cute one night in 1988, just after they’ve both graduated from some unnamed English university. She’s gawky and wears glasses; he’s upper-crusty, as we can tell from his forelock. After a mild drunken flirtation, the two toddle back to her flat with the intent of having casual sex. The first thing Em does upon entering her cramped digs it put on a Tracy Chapman record. Back in the day, we used to call that a wienie shrinker, and Dex would be inclined to agree. Still, the two become friends and keep in touch over the years. The story is constructed so that we drop in on them every year on the same day — July 15, which, Dex informs Em (and us) at the beginning, is St. Swithin’s Day, though what that has to do with anything is barely explained. The weather on St. Swithin’s Day, according to lore in the British Isles, determines what the weather will be like for the next 40 days. But apparently, it has no effect whatsoever on determining the fate of couples, and you have to sit through the interminable whole of One Day to find out what happens to this one. And so we follow Dex and Em through the late ’80s, as Dex traipses from one exotic or interesting locale to the next, bedding a new girl whenever he pleases, and Em continues to wear her glasses and many baggy outfits, silently carrying a torch for her wayward pal as she toils at a lousy London restaurant job. In the ’90s, Dex becomes an obnoxious TV host and Em becomes a grade-school teacher, which only intensifies the state of her horrific sartorial choices, which at this point include droopy calico dresses, ankle socks and Doc Martens. Through it all, Dex and Em become involved with other people — Dex snares frosty Romola Garai; Em settles for hapless comic Rafe Spall — but still occasionally sniff around one another, just in case. They sniff and sniff until finally — well, never mind. If you’ve already read the David Nicholls novel on which One Day is based, you pretty much know the drill, and if you haven’t, you have some 15 July 15ths to sit through before you find out if these two will finally get their act together. (Nicholls also adapted the screenplay.) The core conceit is adorable enough, and here and there One Day is stupidly enjoyable. Patricia Clarkson shows up for a few sparkling scenes, until she’s forced into the role of (spoiler alert!) cancer mom. And then there’s always the nostalgia quotient: As Dex and Em lounge on a European beach, circa the late ’80s, he reads a copy of The Face, she’s got Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being. It’s a great little detail. But we never really know what these two see in each other. They keep claiming to be the best of friends, but there’s no visible, or invisible, connection between them. We see Dex needily ringing up Em, only to get her answering machine; Em moons over Dex before becoming completely exasperated with him, although of course she still loves them. We intuit that there’s some potential there only from the context, not from anything going on between the two actors, and Scherfig — the Danish-born director who made waves with the 2009 An Education — allows them to go through the motions rather than pushing them to dig for more. Sturgess is reasonably believable here: Dex is, to put it simply, kind of a shit, and Sturgess is much more bearable when he’s playing a self-centered jerk rather than, say, an MIT poker naif, as he did in Robert Luketic’s 21. Hathaway is cast with the bum role here, and it crushes her: She spends too much of the movie blinking unconvincingly through those wire-rimmed owl glasses. Midway through the story, she discovers contact lenses and buys a new outfit, finally shedding that godforsaken Laura Ashley garb. But even that significant transformation isn’t enough. One Day still means nearly two hours of watching a doe-eyed doormat pine for the man who loves her but doesn’t know it yet. Long before he wakes up and smells the Earl Grey — just in time for a jarring tearjerker of a climax — the tea-cozy romanticism of One Day has turned into a kind of slow suffocation.

VIDEO: Christine O'Donnell Walks Off Piers Morgan Tonight; Calls Host "Rude"

Piers Morgan Delaware Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell walked off Piers Morgan Tonight in the middle of her interview Wednesday, becoming Morgan's first walkout in his 25-year career. Things first turned sour when Morgan asked O'Donnell about her opinion on gay marriage. O'Donnell, who was on the show to promote her new book Troublemaker: Let's Do What It Takes to Make America Great Again, argued that the topic was irrelevant since there is no new legislation and told the host he was "being a little bit rude." Morgan, however, pointed out he was merely staying on topic since O'Donnell discusses her religious beliefs in the book, but she instead pressed him to ask those who are running for office what they think. What's on your Watchlist? Create one and add your favorites, like Piers Morgan Tonight Morgan then asked O'Donnell why she was being "weird" about the topic. "I'm not being weird about this, Piers. I'm not running for office. I'm not promoting a legislative agenda. I'm promoting the policies that I lay out in the book," she said. "That's why I agreed to come on your show. ... Don't you think as a host, if I say this is what I want to talk about, that's what we should address?" Morgan politely disagreed with her, before O'Donnell suddenly said she was being pulled away. "We turned down another interview for this," she said. "I was supposed to be speaking at the Republican Women's Club at 6 o'clock and I chose to be a little late for that. ... Not to endure rude talk show hosts, but to talk to you about my book." Watch videos from Piers Morgan Tonight O'Donnell then asked if Morgan had even read Troublemaker before she exited the studio. Morgan took to Twitter soon afterward about the incident, asking viewers to decide whether he was in the right. "My first ever walkout in 25 years of interviews," he tweeted. "I guess viewers can decide if I was 'rude' or not tonight." Morgan also appeared on Anderson Cooper's CNN show less than an hour before the O'Donnell interview aired to talk about the "strange moment." The host defended himself, saying he thought was he was "a little bit cheeky maybe," but not rude to O'Donnell and that, judging from her reaction the topic, "it looks like she has something to hide." Watch the full video here: Piers Morgan Tonight airs at 9/8c on CNN. Whose side are you on?

Gracey to helm Jackman's Barnum pic

Exclusive: Just weeks after signing on to direct Disney's revisionist Snow White pic "The Order of the Seven," commercials helmer and VFX veteran Michael Gracey has become attached to direct Hugh Jackman in 20th Century Fox's P.T. Barnum pic "The Greatest Showman on Earth."Jenny Bicks ("Sex and the City") wrote the original contemporary musical, which Jackman is producing with his former producing partner John Palermo and Laurence Mark ("Dreamgirls"). Project came about after Jackman, Mark and Bicks worked together on the 81st Academy Awards, which Jackman hosted, Mark exec produced and Bicks helped write.Jackman will play Barnum, a showman with a penchant for hoaxing a gullible public who becomes famous for creating the three-ring circus. Musical also focuses on his infatuation with Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, a role that has not yet been cast.Project was announced in Aug. 2009 and will likely remain in development a while longer, as Jackman is committed to filming James Mangold's "The Wolverine" for Fox, and is expected to topline Tom Hooper's adaptation of "Les Miserables" for Universal.Gracey will soon begin storyboarding Disney's live-action, China-set Snow White epic, which aims to start production next year. Helmer was an animator at Animal Logic ("Happy Feet") before he embarked on a commercials career that has seen him directing award-winning spots for Lipton and T-Mobile.Gracey is repped by CAA, Partizan and Hirsch Wallerstein. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Dragon Tattoo Character Shots Online

And hear a score snippet!The trouble with adapting a much-loved - and very complicated - crime novel like The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is that no matter how many people have read the books, most of your audience won't have, and it can all get a bit confusing for the uninitiated. So you can see why the marketing department behind Fincher's version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo have taken it upon themselves to release a whole host of character images with a chunk of explanatory text alongside them. Head to The Daily Blam to see them all. As you might have guessed, they're all pretty, um, self-explanatory, but it's fascinating to put a name to a face for each of the characters / actors aside from Rooney Mara's Lisbeth and Daniel Craig's Mikael Blomkvist. So check them out, and let us know what you think. Well-written snippets of truth or somewhat unnecessary bilge? Or something in-between? Let us know in the comment box below. Meanwhile, there's also the chance to hear some of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor's moody score for the moody. Check it out.... The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will be in your local cinema picture house come December 26.

Healthy Hollywood: Wellness Wednesday Chill Just Like A Rock Star!

By Terri MacLeodNEW You are able to., N.Y. -- Ever envious from the rock star existence? The vibrant lights! The fame! The Very important personel Treatment! Sounds, fashion! Yet, existence within the fast lane could be completely tiring even which are more hardcore rocker. Music symbols U2, Coldplay, & Mick Jagger all share exactly the same go-to trick to p-stress and relax on the highway t spheres massage balls. These golf-size question balls are implanted with aromatherapy oils and help relieve discomfort and muscle aches anywhere, anytime. The truth is an individual like Dork Gahan or Chris Martin really stretches the power of the marathon each evening they perform, so refueling and taking good proper care of themselves is essential, discloses celebrity masseuse and creator from the t spheres, Stephanie Whittier. The easy manner of placing the balls on the ground (or against a wall) and taking advantage of the body weight release a trigger points to alleviate discomfort and muscle tenderness, discloses Stephanie. T spheres come two balls inside a pouch, and you will find six different sets from Pep-Up-Mint, to Perk-Up (grapefruit/peppermint) to Inner Beauty (rose geranium). Each aroma has medicinal characteristics (ex. grapefruit/beneficial and cleansing lavender/soothing peppermint/encourages mental performance) we make certain the total amount in each t spheres ball is ideal for nerve effects that occur with the olfactory nerves link with the nervous system, recommends Stephanie. The very best news: This can be a do-it-yourself massage no partner or visit to the health spa needed. It is the perfect travel companion or perhaps an at the office pick-me-up. I personally use them 2 minutes every hour to alleviate eyestrain, discloses Stephanie, who also adds, Some days I simply perform a 20 minute feet session which appears to consider proper care of my back from sitting [in the computer]. Prepared to roll? Listed here are two methods to find relief and experience sphere pleasure. Soothe Tired Ft:Begin with one t sphere placed directly under the ball of the feet in the actual middle in the knuckle from the toes. Breathe deeply and put pressure in to the sphere- have the connection out of your stylish (place their hands on the back and front of the stylish) open and shut your toes after which release pressure. Do that again and give a sideways movement came from here you can include moving backwards and forwards underneath the feet (little pressure in the beginning). Then, put the t sphere beneath your arch (might want to sit) and press your torso weight to your leg (by leaning onto it together with your over arms) putting pressure in to the ankle and feet to obtain a much deeper release. Decrease Stress: Brew herbal tea (perfect compliment to t spheres). Then, roll the t spheres across chest and temple release a facial tension between sips of tea. Ahhhh! For additional info on t spheres, mind to world wide web.tspheres.com. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Franklin branded for 'Avatar' gig

FranklinLightstorm Entertainment has named former Disney Consumer Products exec Kathy Franklin as president of franchise development, where she will spearhead the company's efforts to build the "Avatar" brand with 20th Century Fox."Anticipating the exponential growth of the Avatar universe, we looked for someone who could lead a team that will cement 'Avatar' as a world class brand across all platforms and markets," said Lightstorm Chairman and CEO James Cameron. "Kathy's experience, coupled with her drive and vision for what 'Avatar' can be, made her the right choice."20th already has two "Avatar" sequels in the works. Studio has slated the first for 2014 and the second for the year thereafter.With Disney, Franklin most recently served as VP of global studio franchise development. There, Franklin led the strategies that drove the Disney Princess, Fairies, "Cars" and "Toy Story" franchises while building partnerships with film, television, and online divisions of the Disney company.Prior to her VP role, Franklin worked as VP of Disney Worldwide Outreach and began at the Walt Disney Company as director of philanthropy Disney Learning Partnership.Franklin will work out of Lightstorm's Santa Monica headquarters. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Live Nation Credits Growing Concert Ticket And Ad Sales For 2Q Results Above Anticipation

Live Nation's rise in ticket prices did not deter lots of people from likely to see concerts in 2Q. The organization reported internet earnings of $13.3M, up from the $32.8M reduction in exactly the same period this past year, on revenues of $1.56B, up 23.1%. Profits at 7 cents a share beat the two cents expected by experts who follow the organization. The Road also fell short in predicting just $1.32B in revenues. The organization states that 13.1M people attended 5,834 occasions backed by Live Nation this past year it had 12.3M people at 5,558 occasions. Although concert revenues were up, the 2010 occasions were less lucrative: Live Nation composed for your with large increases in earnings from the Artist Nation talent management unit and tour sponsorships. Meanwhile, Ticketmaster offered $2.1B price of tickets, up 15.7%. "We're seeing the worldwide ticketing business stabilize and concert business grow year-over-year, and that we remain positive about continue growth possibilities in the market long-term," states Boss Michael Rapino. Live Nation shares are up 5.4% in after hrs buying and selling after falling 6.4% throughout your day.

Russell Crowe joins 'Broken' cop drama

CroweRussell Crowe has come on board indie cop drama "Broken" opposite Mark Wahlberg with Allen Hughes directing.Production's set to start in November. Crowe's deal closed Monday. He's on board one board to play the mayor who hires a detective to investigate whether his wife is cheating, leading to a murder of her partner and the uncovering a real estate scandal. Brian Tucker penned the script, which was on the- 2008 Black List script "City" is financed by Emmett/Furla Films at a $60 million budget. Producers are Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Randall Emmett, George Furla and Allen Hughes Emmett/Furla Films just financed with Wild Bunch's "Lay The Favorite" and is in production on "Fire With Fire." It's financing and producing with Amber Entertainment thriller "The Frozen Ground," centered on the investigation of notorious serial killer Robert Hansen, with John Cusack and Nicolas Cage attached. It's also shooting "End of Watch" with Jake Gyllahaal and co- fincanced with Exclusive," and "Alex Cross," co-financed with QED. Crowe has been tapped for the part of Superman's father in "Man of Steel." He's repped by WME. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com