Mediaweek Daily Briefing -- Friday 3/22/02

ABC, Turner May Share 'Beautiful Mind'

As ABC prepares for Sunday's Oscar telecast, the network already is closing in on a deal for broadcast TV rights to one of this year's best picture contenders: Universal/ DreamWorks' "A Beautiful Mind." Sources tell the Hollywood Reporter that ABC is hammering out a deal to share TV rights to the film in a split-window deal with Turner Broadcasting.


Edward R. Murrow Winners Announced

The Radio-Television News Directors Association announced the recipients of this year's regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, which are given out for excellence in electronic journalism, Jeremy Murphy reports. Among the TV stations taking home six awards were KOMO, Fisher Broadcasting's ABC affiliate in Seattle; KCNC, CBS' O&O in Denver; WFAA, Belo's ABC affiliate in Dallas; WCNC, Belo's NBC affiliate in Charlotte, NC; and WTTG, Fox's O&O in Washington, D.C. On the radio side, WATD-FM in Marshfield, Mass., and Cox Radio-owned WSB-AM in Atlanta each won six awards. Bonnville International's KSL-AM in Salt Lake City, won five awards.


Reader's Digest Buys Reiman

Four years after missing its first shot, Reader's Digest Association Inc. has acquired Reiman Publications, a hugely successful publisher of rural cooking and lifestyle magazines, according to the Associated Press. The $760 million price tag makes it the biggest acquisition in the magazine industry in four years.


About.com 'Guides' File Suit

Thirty-four people who have worked as human "guides" for About.com Inc. have sued the Web site and its owner, Primedia Inc., for failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, the Wall Street Journal reports. The plaintiffs, who filed their lawsuit Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, also claim Primedia has improperly recorded About.com's revenue and expenses.