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Omega...your message at RB didn't sound like a PR is imminent...did you get the feeling after talking with whomever at TTN it was a while away? thanks
By: knarf25
29 Jul 2003, 12:14 PM EDT Msg. 308 of 308
Jump to msg. #
QBID,
I just spoke to Investor Relations and she said that the date for the press release has not yet been set and that Time warner did not want a joint press release, just told TTN to release it on their own. There most diffinately is a press release just dont have a date of release yet. As far as TTN launch we are looking for a "Fall" launch on an HBO type of platform.
interesting who's who in the gay world list...
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famous_gay_lesbian_or_bisexual_people
Bravo targets 2 demos with gay shows
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/marketing/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1942859
July 28, 2003
Bravo targets 2 demos with gay shows
By Andrew Wallenstein
NEW YORK -- Introducing the new series "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "Boy Meets Boy" at a press conference this month, Bravo president Jeff Gaspin anticipated an obvious question from reporters.
"Does this mean that Bravo is becoming a gay network? Absolutely not," he said. Quoting from a famous "Seinfeld" episode, he added, "Not that there's anything wrong with that."
But there is something wrong with the notion that the cable channel caters exclusively to gay viewers. That demographic actually isn't the primary target for "Queer," a makeover series featuring a squad of gay stylists that began July 15, and "Boy," a gay dating show, which debuts Tuesday in the 8-9 p.m. slot before "Queer."
"On the surface (the program block) might seem designed for gay audiences, but it's really not," Gaspin said. "When we discussed our advertising plans for how we are going to promote it, the first group of people we are going to promote it to are women 18-49."
Call it the "Will & Grace" marketing strategy: Bravo has a dual target in mind for what might seem aimed strictly at a gay niche audience. After some internal debate at the channel, gay viewers were classified as a secondary priority to female viewers, who will command three-quarters of the marketing budget allotted for "Queer" and "Boy," according to Vivi Zigler, senior vp marketing and advertising services at the NBC Agency.
"Gay men are not measured by Nielsen (Media Research)," she said. "Women 18-49 is a more salable demo."
After three episodes -- including two on its premiere night -- "Queer" has emerged as a solid performer for Bravo, averaging more than 1.5 million total viewers, a record for the channel. NBC, which acquired Bravo in December, gave a half-hour version of "Queer" a primetime tryout Thursday, where it retained 86% of its "Grace" lead-in, according to a preliminary Nielsen report.
But the early success of "Queer" didn't come without a substantial marketing effort. Bravo won't disclose its budget, but the cost of promoting the launch of "Queer" rivaled that of some of NBC's primetime series, Zigler said. A healthy number of spots ran on NBC detailing day-and-date information, which isn't traditional practice because it risks irritating affiliates.
With a purchasing power estimated at more than $500 billion, the 26 million-strong gay/lesbian market is on the radar at NBC and any sizable media company. But women 18-49 drew the bulk of marketing dollars for "Queer" and "Boy" primarily for the simple reason that the demographic is far more numerous than gay viewers. In addition, despite the fact that women 18-49 watch more TV than any other demographic, Zigler felt they wouldn't gravitate as naturally to "Queer" or "Boy" as gay viewers would.
"Women, as a broader target, are not as easy to convince to see these programs," she said. "Communication in the gay community is such that they would find their way to these shows quickly."
To lure female viewers to "Queer," Bravo resorted to a mostly traditional media mix of TV, radio, print and outdoor, which included airplane-drawn banners to find those summering at the beaches. Two different types of "Queer" TV spots were cut as well: one that explained the premise of the series and another aimed directly at women, tapping into female frustration with straight men who are stylistically challenged.
"Ladies, is your man an embarrassment?" the voice-over intones. "Is his place a pig sty? Meet five gay men out to make over the world one straight guy at a time."
Because gay viewers are difficult to pinpoint through mainstream media buys, Bravo resorted to unconventional marketing tactics to reach them. Street teams were deployed to recent Gay Pride parades in New York and Los Angeles to distribute materials, including 44,000 whistles with the name of the show printed on one side and "Bad style really blows!" on the other.
Straight and gay viewers don't necessarily require separate marketing messages, either. To promote "Boy" this past weekend, nightclubs in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco catering to both sexual orientations were visited by people dressed up as Cupid in full body paint, where they will hand out scorecards with pictures of each "Boy" candidate for patrons to keep track of the action.
"The truth is marketers are still learning the different ways we can talk to the gay community," Zigler said. "That isn't to say women can't respond to the same language."
However, "Boy" also will be promoted with TV spots that speak directly to women. One commercial highlights the show's handsome bachelor, extolling all his virtues before pulling the rug out from under salivating female viewers.
"Ladies, meet this summer's hottest catch," the voice-over says in introducing the bachelor. "Successful, handsome -- and totally unavailable."
Despite the hope that "Boy" will have crossover appeal, Bravo has met some resistance placing the spots. Although the program itself has no graphic depiction of homosexual intimacy, several stations refused to run "Boy" spots during syndicated airings of "Will & Grace," while others included them only in markets where the sitcom runs in late-night.
"Queer" hasn't escaped controversy, either. The NBC affiliate in Augusta, Ga., postponed the broadcast debut of the program until later that evening due to content concerns. The peacock is less likely to try repurposing "Boy."
"This is us pushing the envelope on a small cable network," Gaspin said. "There is no intention of putting 'Boy' on (NBC) right now. Ultimately, maybe."
But the summer experiment could portend more permanent program-sharing for Bravo and NBC, where ratings-starved Saturday night could use fresh blood, for instance.
"It will test the possibility that a show really designed for cable can work on the network," Gaspin said. "I can't promise 'Queer' is the show that will give us that information, but we have to give it a shot."
Thought maybe the lack of update on the website was because they were going to announce a new one with the PR...guess not...it was updated today.
Dallas....don't up the max! This board works very well IMO. You are correct. Once they get more expensive there are fewer opportunities because you are always waiting for the stock to move to free up your $$$.
omnitrader...ok I'll never put the picture of my desk up after seeing how neat yours is LOL! Gees don't you ever need to write anything?
pennybuster...check out madfox board...he has a couple of posts referring to selling qbid @ .0002
One thing that's great is when facts are veified before posted! LOL
pennybuster...I'm hoping if the long rumored PR comes out that TTN is launching on TWC the spread will be covered. There's been significant interest in QBID stock over the past 4 weeks...the rumored PR becoming an actuality hopefully will take this stock where we need it to go...rumor is it's very close.
just my opinion
QBID vol building....185mil almost all at .0002...and most in last hour
cintrix....KKRW .0024/.0028 1 x 1
THTHF .0045/.005
THTHF .0042/.0044
THTHF .004/.0042
THTHF .0036 x .004
THTHF .0036/.0037
cintrix...I use Alphatrade. eom
cintrix....KKRW .002/.0021 4 x 1. eom
Parsons said he was no longer counting on the sale of stock in Time Warner Cable to generate cash for debt reduction this
In a conference call with analysts, Parsons said he was no longer counting on the sale of stock in Time Warner Cable to generate cash for debt reduction this year. Instead, he said, the handling of any cable spinoff will be determined by broader issues, including the best way to help that subsidiary grow.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32817-2003Jul23.html?nav=hptoc_tn
By David A. Vise
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 23, 2003; Page E01
America Online's subscriber base plunged by 846,000 over the past three months, as hundreds of thousands left for cheaper or faster Internet connections, and a similar number were pruned from the roster because they had been mistakenly counted in the past, AOL Time Warner Inc. disclosed yesterday.
In addition, new disclosures about a massive federal probe into improper accounting at Northern Virginia-based America Online showed that the division's legal problems are hurting other parts of the AOL Time Warner media empire.
AOL Time Warner said yesterday that the Securities and Exchange Commission will not allow it to spin off a portion of its cable television unit until it resolves a dispute over how to account for hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable revenue from a complex deal with German media firm Bertelsmann AG.
AOL Time Warner also said it may restate previously reported profits and sales linked to the Bertelsmann transaction. And the company indicated that it could not determine how long the SEC and Justice Department investigations into its bookkeeping practices will last.
The company said its net income increased to $1.1 billion (23 cents per share) in the second quarter, from $396 million (9 cents) in the same period last year. Revenue grew about 6 percent, to $10.8 billion. The profit figure included a number of substantial one-time grains form the settlement of a lawsuit with Microsoft Corp. and the sale of various businesses.
Despite solid results in divisions other than America Online, AOL Time Warner shares fell yesterday by $1.14, or 6.8 percent, to $15.71, as analysts and major investors reacted to the continuing uncertainty caused by the SEC investigation, the threat of increasingly costly shareholder lawsuits, the deterioration in America Online's performance, and disappointment that the strength of AOL Time Warner's film, publishing and cable television operations did not prompt the company to increase its financial projections.
"Our goal for the remainder of this year is to keep laying the foundation that will enable us to exit 2003 with more momentum than we had when we entered it, with an eye toward achieving, strong sustainable growth next year and beyond," said Richard D. Parsons, chairman and chief executive of AOL Time Warner.
AOL, the nation's biggest Internet service provider, has shed a total of 1.2 million subscribers over the past year and now has 25.3 million subscribers in the United States.
The company said the total includes 2.2 million high-speed subscribers, an increase of 300,000 over the past three months. During that period, AOL launched an enhanced high-speed offering and promoted it with an advertising campaign titled, "AOL for Broadband: Welcome to the World Wide Wow."
In addition to losing dial-up subscribers faster than expected, AOL is predicting that its online advertising revenue will drop about 40 percent in 2003. The decline is occurring even though the total dollars spent on advertising online is growing nationally, a trend that can be seen in the financial results of some of America Online's competitors, including search engines Yahoo and Google and many specialized Web sites.
AOL Time Warner had sought to persuade SEC investigators that they were mistakenly challenging the accounting for the two-part Bertelsmann deal. But the company said yesterday that the commission has refused to back down.
"The company and its auditors continue to believe the accounting for those transactions is appropriate, but it is possible that the company may learn additional information as a result of its own review, discussions with the SEC and/or the SEC's ongoing investigation that would lead [AOL Time Warner] to reconsider its views," the firm disclosed.
The Bertelsmann deal involved AOL's sale of roughly $400 million in advertising to Bertelsmann in connection with the purchase of Bertelsmann's stake in AOL Europe.
AOL Time Warner released its second-quarter results prior to the opening of stock trading yesterday morning. Although it cut its projections for America Online, the company beat Wall Street estimates as its cable television, motion picture and publishing businesses thrived.
"Our solid results in this quarter and the first half of the year give us confidence that we can deliver on all of our 2003 financial objectives," Parsons said. He added that the company is continuing to reduce its hefty debt through the sale of businesses and the spending of billions of dollars of excess cash generated by operations.
The Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema movie units generated $572 million and $239 million, respectively, at the box office in the United States. "The Matrix Reloaded" led the way among new releases, while "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" boosted DVD and CD sales.
"On balance," said Deutsche Bank, "we think this report is good news."
In a conference call with analysts, Parsons said he was no longer counting on the sale of stock in Time Warner Cable to generate cash for debt reduction this year. Instead, he said, the handling of any cable spinoff will be determined by broader issues, including the best way to help that subsidiary grow.
"The specific timetable for executing an IPO will depend on strategic considerations, not balance sheet imperatives, as well as the status of our SEC investigations," Parsons said.
The Commercial Closet Orbitz Travels to Cable TV to Reach Gays
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/article-34955.html
The Commercial Closet
Orbitz Travels to Cable TV to Reach Gays
By Michael Wilke
(7/23/2003)
In a unique effort to reach gays on TV, Orbitz has customized its mainstream commercial to add a gay twist that will air on cable TV networks with gay-themed shows.
The ad features marionettes as characters, with a man and woman enjoying a South Beach hotel terrace overlooking the pool. In the mainstream version, the guy comments on the great view from their room and the woman agrees—while she admires the pool boy with binoculars.
In the gay twist, the man also eyes a stud through the binoculars. Roman Coppola, son of Francis Ford Coppola, directed the spot from Young & Rubicam, Chicago.
It is the first-ever customized commercial meant to speak directly to a gay audience alone, and it will air on gay-themed programs on Bravo Network and BBC America this month through the summer. It will appear on BBC’s So Graham Norton, a racy talk show with a gay host, and Absolutely Fabulous, as well as two new Bravo shows, dating program Boy Meets Boy and fashion makeover show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (debuted July 15).
“I’m trying to show Orbitz is a gay-friendly company, not just bring traffic to our site,” says Jeff Marsh, the Chicago-based travel company’s openly gay director of marketing strategy and promotions. “The genesis of this ad idea came when I read the storyboards—it was immediately apparent I could put a gay twist on it and make a gay ad.”
Orbitz—a joint effort by American, Continental, Delta, Northwest and United —created a dedicated gay travelers section a year ago that is now big business. “We always suspected they were our best customers, now we have proof,” says Marsh, who cites numerous impressive statistics, including: 100,000 visits monthly to the section and more purchases than general travelers overall. During the U.S.-Iraq war, gay travelers were up to 50% more likely to travel than general travelers, and are 20%-30% more likely in non-war times.
Because of its popularity, the Gay Travel section (known as a microsite) landed a link on the home page, along with high volume links including Disney, Las Vegas, Europe, and others.
“Because the microsite is so successful, the commercial was a no-brainer,” explains Marsh, who spent six years in marketing at Quaker Oats Co. “When Bravo was launching those two programs, it made the media plan possible.”
The gay-targeted ads make up a small part of Orbitz $25 million annual ad budget, but Marsh laments the lack of places to take his gay commercial. He says Will & Grace is too expensive because it’s broad-based network TV, but he adds that Lifetime—long jokingly known as “The Network for Women … and gay men”—may be next. (The much-anticipated Viacom gay cable network, Outlet, still has no launch date.)
Bravo received much attention for its shows debuting in July. Boy Meets Boy features a 32-year-old from Southern California looking for love among 15 potential male mates, some of whom are just pretending to be gay. The six-episode program was shot in Palm Springs and only kissing was allowed. On Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, a team of gay males guide fashion-challenged straight men.
The NBC-owned Bravo network featured Gay Weddings in 2002, in 2001 Gay Riviera and Fire Island in 2000, all reality series, as well as Out of the Closet, gay program festivals annually in June. Gay Weddings did particularly well, bringing the network its highest ratings ever when aired against the Super Bowl—obviously reaching a different audience.
Travel marketing continues to grow in the gay market. Reservations company Worldspan has recently begun a relationship with gay.com and Planet Out to offer up a “private label” search engine for airfares on those sites, part of the company’s new strategy for affiliate programs.
Orbitz has advertised in gay media since last year, with the launch of its microsite, featuring a rainbow of giraffes, and its competitor Travelocity has carried an image of a beach with a rainbow. Online banner ads have run on gay.com and Planet Out as well, featuring musclemen and campy, mustachioed cheerleaders.
Across the Atlantic, Travelocity broke a campaign in the UK from St. Luke’s featuring interviews with stereotyped male flight attendants delivering sexual innuendos— but not intended to appeal to gay viewers. The clip is presently being furiously passed around the Internet.
While Bravo has not officially tried to pitch its new programs to companies seeking the gay market, it’s in a unique position to solicit them—though it will take some work.
Advertisers have little experience in seeking gay TV viewers, with hurdles including a lack of research on gay viewing habits, greater cost of TV production and media, and small gay marketing ad budgets. But the benefits include reaching a larger, more diverse audience than existing media. Sharp-eyed executives can achieve affordable, gay-targeted TV efforts with minor changes in creative execution and smart media plans.
www.commercialcloset.org
from Business Wire yesterday...
Posted by: skunksyard
In reply to: None Date:7/22/2003 3:38:22 PM
Post #of 596
from Business Wire....
July 22, 2003 03:05 PM US Eastern Timezone
Princess Details Dramatic Caribbean Growth in 2004-05; Line's Caribbean Capacity Jumps 75 Percent with Six-Ship Fleet; Sixteen Different Itineraries Offered
SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2003--Backing up its commitment to become a major cruise operator in the Caribbean, Princess will launch its most extensive season there ever in fall 2004, with six of its largest and newest vessels sailing throughout the region. The new 2004-05 schedule represents a dramatic 75 percent increase in Caribbean capacity from the season before, and features the youngest fleet sailing in the region.
Featuring 152 departures on 16 unique itineraries with 26 different ports of call, Princess will offer four seven-day and two 10-day ships sailing the Caribbean between October 2, 2004 and April 24, 2005. Highlights of the season include the new Caribbean Princess, a host of new itineraries, a new port of call in Belize, and a new home port of Galveston.
"This is an unprecedented expansion in the Caribbean for us," said Dean Brown, Princess' executive vice president of customer service and sales. "We will offer a unique Caribbean experience, with our emphasis on 'big ship choice with small ship feel,' the highest percentage of balcony staterooms and the youngest fleet in the destination. We like to call it the only truly royal experience in the Caribbean."
Four ships -- Caribbean Princess, Grand Princess, Golden Princess and Star Princess -- will offer seven-day itineraries, including two different routes in each of the Caribbean's main regions -- Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Plus, the popularity of Princess' 10-day itineraries has prompted the company to nearly double the number of departures on these extended vacations, and offer two new itineraries. Both Dawn Princess and Sun Princess will sail on alternating 10-day cruises.
Princess' 2004-05 Caribbean season includes:
Caribbean Princess -- This new 3,100-passenger ship, built specifically for the Caribbean trade, continues its 2004 inaugural season with Princess' Classic Eastern Caribbean itinerary roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale. The line's largest vessel at 116,000 tons will offer Saturday departures on an itinerary that travels to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Princess Cays. In addition, the ship will offer a special eight-day holiday sailing on December 18, 2004.
Grand Princess -- Sailing on a new seven-day Western Caribbean itinerary from Princess' new Galveston homeport, the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess departs on Saturdays for a new stop in Belize, plus Costa Maya, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The ship's schedule also includes a special nine-day holiday cruise on December 24, which includes celebrations for both Christmas and New Year's, as well as two six-day pre- and post-holiday sailings, and two repositioning cruises between Galveston and San Juan. The ship also offers two sailings between New York and San Juan.
Star Princess -- Star Princess begins its first season in the Caribbean with alternating seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, departing from Ft. Lauderdale on Sundays. The brand-new Eastern Caribbean itinerary features calls at San Juan, St. Thomas, Tortola and Princess Cays. The Western Caribbean itinerary includes stops at Princess Cays, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Cozumel.
Golden Princess -- Based in San Juan, Golden Princess offers alternating seven-day Southern Caribbean itineraries, departing on Sundays. The Classic Southern Caribbean itinerary includes calls at Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Antigua. The alternate Southern Caribbean Explorer itinerary features the ports of St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Caracas and Aruba.
Dawn Princess -- Dawn Princess will offer alternating 10-day cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, featuring a new Western Adventurer route with stops at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The Southern Caribbean Medley itinerary includes calls at Curacao, Isla Margarita, Barbados, Dominica, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. In addition, the ship will offer a special seven-day Western Caribbean sailing for the holidays on December 23.
Sun Princess -- Sun Princess also joins the 10-day line-up with alternating Eastern Caribbean sailings. The new Eastern Caribbean Voyager itinerary offers calls at St. Vincent, Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. The Eastern Caribbean Islander route features stops at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados and Antigua. Sun Princess will celebrate the holidays with a seven-day Eastern Caribbean sailing on December 22.
Regardless of which itinerary passengers choose, they will enjoy some of the most amenity-filled vessels in the Princess fleet, with such distinctive features as the line's signature Personal Choice Dining(SM). Only Princess offers passengers the opportunity to choose either the traditional, same time/same table option; or Anytime Dining, which gives passengers the flexibility to choose when, where and with whom they dine throughout the cruise. Other amenities include the Lotus Spa, extensive children and teen centers, wedding chapels, internet centers, and an extensive array of entertainment options and venues.
The newest vessel in the fleet, Caribbean Princess, sports such features as a poolside movie screen, a new Caribbean-themed alternative restaurant, and nearly 900 cabins with balconies -- more than on any other cruise ship sailing year-round in the Caribbean.
Early booking fares for Princess' 2004-05 Caribbean season begin at $549 for seven-day sailings and $899 for 10-day cruises.
One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:CCL) and (NYSE:CUK), its current fleet of 11 ships sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe, calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. By 2006 a further four ships will be introduced. Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting www.princess.com.
Note to Editors: An electronic copy of this release, and access to Princess' on-line newsroom containing past news releases, background information and photography, is available at www.princess.com/news.
Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
Contacts
Princess Cruises
Julie Benson, 661-753-1530
jbenson@princesscruises.com
or
Tori Benson, 661-753-1540
tbenson@princesscruises.com
Company Information Center
sorry about #486....that was suppose to be on .02 board...I'm looking for the Caribbean post I put on yesterday about it being the hottest area in 2004 and 2005....did it reach this board...or did I put it on wrong board?
Dallas...congratulations! eom
out of WLDI for small loss....still in THTHF.
pippins level II shrn..
.011/.012 3 x 2
damx! they didn't take my sell order on WLDI...I'm stuck with that piece of CRXP!!!! Is there anything good about that stock that will make me feel better?
dwiz5...thanks! eom
can someone put up a link to Niz board? I can't find it...thanks
from Business Wire....
July 22, 2003 03:05 PM US Eastern Timezone
Princess Details Dramatic Caribbean Growth in 2004-05; Line's Caribbean Capacity Jumps 75 Percent with Six-Ship Fleet; Sixteen Different Itineraries Offered
SANTA CLARITA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 22, 2003--Backing up its commitment to become a major cruise operator in the Caribbean, Princess will launch its most extensive season there ever in fall 2004, with six of its largest and newest vessels sailing throughout the region. The new 2004-05 schedule represents a dramatic 75 percent increase in Caribbean capacity from the season before, and features the youngest fleet sailing in the region.
Featuring 152 departures on 16 unique itineraries with 26 different ports of call, Princess will offer four seven-day and two 10-day ships sailing the Caribbean between October 2, 2004 and April 24, 2005. Highlights of the season include the new Caribbean Princess, a host of new itineraries, a new port of call in Belize, and a new home port of Galveston.
"This is an unprecedented expansion in the Caribbean for us," said Dean Brown, Princess' executive vice president of customer service and sales. "We will offer a unique Caribbean experience, with our emphasis on 'big ship choice with small ship feel,' the highest percentage of balcony staterooms and the youngest fleet in the destination. We like to call it the only truly royal experience in the Caribbean."
Four ships -- Caribbean Princess, Grand Princess, Golden Princess and Star Princess -- will offer seven-day itineraries, including two different routes in each of the Caribbean's main regions -- Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Plus, the popularity of Princess' 10-day itineraries has prompted the company to nearly double the number of departures on these extended vacations, and offer two new itineraries. Both Dawn Princess and Sun Princess will sail on alternating 10-day cruises.
Princess' 2004-05 Caribbean season includes:
Caribbean Princess -- This new 3,100-passenger ship, built specifically for the Caribbean trade, continues its 2004 inaugural season with Princess' Classic Eastern Caribbean itinerary roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale. The line's largest vessel at 116,000 tons will offer Saturday departures on an itinerary that travels to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Princess Cays. In addition, the ship will offer a special eight-day holiday sailing on December 18, 2004.
Grand Princess -- Sailing on a new seven-day Western Caribbean itinerary from Princess' new Galveston homeport, the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess departs on Saturdays for a new stop in Belize, plus Costa Maya, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The ship's schedule also includes a special nine-day holiday cruise on December 24, which includes celebrations for both Christmas and New Year's, as well as two six-day pre- and post-holiday sailings, and two repositioning cruises between Galveston and San Juan. The ship also offers two sailings between New York and San Juan.
Star Princess -- Star Princess begins its first season in the Caribbean with alternating seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, departing from Ft. Lauderdale on Sundays. The brand-new Eastern Caribbean itinerary features calls at San Juan, St. Thomas, Tortola and Princess Cays. The Western Caribbean itinerary includes stops at Princess Cays, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios and Cozumel.
Golden Princess -- Based in San Juan, Golden Princess offers alternating seven-day Southern Caribbean itineraries, departing on Sundays. The Classic Southern Caribbean itinerary includes calls at Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Antigua. The alternate Southern Caribbean Explorer itinerary features the ports of St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Caracas and Aruba.
Dawn Princess -- Dawn Princess will offer alternating 10-day cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, featuring a new Western Adventurer route with stops at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The Southern Caribbean Medley itinerary includes calls at Curacao, Isla Margarita, Barbados, Dominica, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. In addition, the ship will offer a special seven-day Western Caribbean sailing for the holidays on December 23.
Sun Princess -- Sun Princess also joins the 10-day line-up with alternating Eastern Caribbean sailings. The new Eastern Caribbean Voyager itinerary offers calls at St. Vincent, Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. The Eastern Caribbean Islander route features stops at Princess Cays, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados and Antigua. Sun Princess will celebrate the holidays with a seven-day Eastern Caribbean sailing on December 22.
Regardless of which itinerary passengers choose, they will enjoy some of the most amenity-filled vessels in the Princess fleet, with such distinctive features as the line's signature Personal Choice Dining(SM). Only Princess offers passengers the opportunity to choose either the traditional, same time/same table option; or Anytime Dining, which gives passengers the flexibility to choose when, where and with whom they dine throughout the cruise. Other amenities include the Lotus Spa, extensive children and teen centers, wedding chapels, internet centers, and an extensive array of entertainment options and venues.
The newest vessel in the fleet, Caribbean Princess, sports such features as a poolside movie screen, a new Caribbean-themed alternative restaurant, and nearly 900 cabins with balconies -- more than on any other cruise ship sailing year-round in the Caribbean.
Early booking fares for Princess' 2004-05 Caribbean season begin at $549 for seven-day sailings and $899 for 10-day cruises.
One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:CCL) and (NYSE:CUK), its current fleet of 11 ships sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe, calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. By 2006 a further four ships will be introduced. Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting www.princess.com.
Note to Editors: An electronic copy of this release, and access to Princess' on-line newsroom containing past news releases, background information and photography, is available at www.princess.com/news.
Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
Contacts
Princess Cruises
Julie Benson, 661-753-1530
jbenson@princesscruises.com
or
Tori Benson, 661-753-1540
tbenson@princesscruises.com
Company Information Center
welcome back Dallas...nice to see you! eom
LittleStocks...thanks! I'll take the fluff news if it moves me up and out! LOL!
ok out of adot .0054 in at .0042. Now I have to I need to get rid of LOL! wldi and ththf
i_like_bb_stock..is that because you aren't in it? LOL!
Another TWC program offering in Desert area...
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories2003/local/20030722032631.shtml
Local briefs for Tuesday, July 22, 2003
More local briefs, community briefs and school notes
Post or read comments in our online forums
The Desert Sun
July 22, 2003
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Development plans announced for lot
PALM DESERT -- The Sanderson J. RayCorp. plans to develop a restaurant and retail center in an empty lot across from Desert Springs Marriott Resort and Spa.
Michael Ray , president of Sanderson J. Ray, said that the Irvine-based developer bought the land and an adjoining shopping center, which includes a Ralph’sgrocery store, Del Rio’srestaurant and other businesses, for between $20 million and $30 million.
Marriott and Palm Desert currently use the lot for parking, but they only need it for 75 days out of the year, according to Ray.
The company has plans to add an outdoor venue, possibly for arts and crafts use, in addition to new retail space.
"The idea is just to add to the cultural and fun things you can do in the city of Palm Desert," said Ray.
The property was previously owned by the Bishop Estate,a nonproft educational trust in Hawaii.
Phase I begins on residential housing
COACHELLA -- La Jolla-based Scripps Investments & Loans Inc. has arranged $4.4 million in financing for Rancho Las Flores, a 136-acre residential community located south of Interstate 10 and Dillon Road in Coachella.
Phase I has been graded and construction of foundations and framing has begun.
The Rancho Las Flores community will feature 552 homes and community recreation areas when built.
Medical center offers new endoscopy group
RANCHO MIRAGE -- Eisenhower Medical Center has opened the Mirage Endoscopy Center dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases at 39-935 Vista Del Sol Rd., Suite 101.
The center is a partnership between Eisenhower and five board-certified gastroenterologists.
Time Warner increases valley cable offerings
PALM DESERT -- Time Warner Cable-Desert Cities updated its service July 1 to offer the 24-hour Discovery channel free to its high definition, or HD, customers.
The company already offers HD programming from CBS, HBO and Showtime on a cost-free basis and plans to provide HD regional coverage of baseball, basketball and hockey games from Fox Sports Net beginning in the fall.
Marketing association schedules speakers
RANCHO MIRAGE -- Cynthia Torres, director of the Cabazon/Indio Export Assistance Center and Eduard Roytberg, international trade specialist from the Ontario Export Center, will address the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International Wednesday at the Westin Mission Hills Resort.
For information, call 771-3391.
Evaluation meeting for official canceled
DESERT HOT SPRINGS -- A special Monday night closed session council meeting in which City Manager Jerry Hanson’s performance evaluation was set to be discussed was canceled in light of the death of Hanson’s mother.
Hanson will be out of the office the entire week on bereavement leave, his assistant said Monday.
The council scheduled the special meeting last Friday.
Hanson is being investigated on possible conflict-of-interest charges surrounding the hiring of his son’s employer for a city contract.
The City Council has formed a committee to investigate the allegation that Hanson violated the city’s code of ethics. A report is due on Aug. 5.
According to the city clerk, the special closed session meeting will be rescheduled at an undetermined date.
Jose Paul Corona
Fire spreads from palm trees to roof
PALM SPRINGS -- A wind-driven fire of undetermined origin caused about $500 damage to the roof of a residence Sunday night.
Firefighters removed burning shingles from the roof of the house in the 300 block of Mel Avenue to control the blaze at about 10:15 p.m., according to a press release issued by Palm Springs Fire Marshal Carl Thibeault.
The shingles were ignited by burning embers blown from several nearby palm trees that were on fire, the release said.
One firefighter suffered a burn near his right eye from a flying ember and was treated at Desert Regional Medical Center then released.
Rick Davis
City may create new part-time position
PALM SPRINGS -- The city is considering hiring the former president of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership for a part-time, temporary position, said Assistant City Manager Troy Butzlaff.
Michael Bracken would help manage the city’s volume of developments in progress, acting as a go-between for the city and developers.
Butzlaff said the position, business development coordinator, is essentially new, although its basic functions are not. The job, as it stands now, would be 24 hours a week at $50 an hour for a 90-day period. After those 90 days, the city could consider making it a permanent position, Butzlaff said.
Brian Joseph
Salton Sea restoration plan approved by House
Efforts to clean and study the waters of the Salton Sea would get $6.5 million under a plan approved by the U.S. House of Representatives late last week.
The Energy and Water Development Act of 2004 includes $1 million each for cleanup of the New and Alamo rivers and the Lawrence Livermore Labs to conduct sustainable research.
The spending bill also includes $3.5 million for the Bureau of Reclamation for Salton Sea restoration projects.
"It is imperative for the health of those living in the surrounding area that we develop an environmental solution for the sea," said Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs, after the bill passed the House.
The broader bill would cost $27.1 billion and still needs approval from the Senate and the president.
Benjamin Spillman
Spending plan for forest fire prevention approved
The federal government would spend $10 million quelling fire danger in and around the San Bernardino National Forest under a spending plan approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The money is part of the 2004 appropriation for the Department of Interior. Overall, Interior funding in the bill is $19.6 billion. The broader bill includes $700 million for fire preparedness, suppression, science and research.
Locally, $5 million would be spent reducing the amount of dead and dying trees on Forest Service land in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains. Another $5 million would be used to help private landowners near the forest remove dead trees.
"We must continue to find ways to finance the fire prevention efforts before the problem turns to disaster," said Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Springs.
Ongoing drought and bark beetle infestation have resulted in a fuel buildup fire officials say threatens mountain communities such as Idyllwild and Lake Arrowhead.
Local government officials say they’ve tapped most of their resources for tree removal.
The federal bill still needs approval from the Senate and the president.
Benjamin Spillman
yowser to WLDI...should have sold and stopped yesterday! eom
Avocado...I mentioned to a friend of mine, a gay male, about Triangle having the agreement with TWC. The look on his face gave me the evidence that I needed to reaffirm that this station is a *wanted* station in the gay community. I think a mix of movies, talk shows, political talk shows, gay specialty coverage (gay pride parades), etc will be appealing to the gay community. It IMO has to be a mix of programming to attract the viewer. There is much potential to air about gay events/programming to have value enough IMO to spend the $$$ to get a channel that provides this.
We'll have to wait and see....but I am not at all underestimating the value of TTN right now.
Gay TV Ad Shows Tide Turns for Marketers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23970-2003Jul21.html
Reuters
Monday, July 21, 2003; 3:05 PM
By Michele Gershberg
NEW YORK (Reuters) - "You can cruise for women; we'll cruise for men," quips Carson Kressley, the flamboyant fashion consultant on cable television channel Bravo's new smash hit, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," to his straight companion.
It is a message not lost on advertisers, who are taking a closer look at reaching the gay and lesbian market with a batch of summer programs highlighting gay-versus-straight themes.
Bravo's "Queer Eye," in which five gay experts on style come to the rescue of a hapless straight slob, is a prime example. In addition to ads by major brands such as L'Oreal and Whirlpool, the show became a venue for the first TV spot directly targeting gay consumers by Internet travel reservation site Orbitz.
Advertisers have spent years, and millions, cultivating diversity in their campaigns to sell products across a spectrum of American society, but mostly stopped short of including openly gay representations in mainstream pitches.
Industry watchers say they are surprised it has taken the advertising sector so long to invest in a community whose estimated spending power amounts to $500 billion.
Major companies "probably spend more on paper clips than they do on the gay market," said Michael Wilke, executive director of the Commercial Closet Association, which tracks representations of the gay community in advertising.
"Typically a company may come into the market, but in a very inexpensive way. ... Now that television is starting to become an option, this requires a rethinking of their budgets," he said. "There's still a lingering concern about the past taboo of what the gay community means to people, combined with a lack of information about the market."
ADVERTISERS SEE SHIFT IN ATTITUDE
But the tides are shifting, as gay characters or themed programming become entrenched for broadcast and cable networks, built on the success of shows such as NBC's "Will & Grace."
Interest is also buoyed by political developments, such as Canada's move toward legalizing gay marriages and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn sodomy laws.
"There has been tremendous growth and interest in reaching lesbians and gay men on the part of advertisers," said Howard Buford, chief executive of ad agency Prime Access, which has created gay-targeted print campaigns for major companies.
"When one company goes in there, then there's pressure on its competitor (to do the same)," he said. He noted a "dramatic" increase of gay-specific ads in niche publications and expects more gay portrayals in mainstream spots.
Buford said the shift also gets a push from the cultural buzz around "metrosexuals" -- a new definition for young, urban straight men "who are looking to the gay community to be arbiters of good taste."
In addition to "Queer Eye," Bravo will premiere next week "Boy Meets Boy," a reality dating show in which a gay man searches for love among male contestants. Bravo, owned by the NBC unit of General Electric, has long put a special emphasis on programs for the gay community.
Satellite provider DirecTV will debut in August a new pay-per-view service for gay and lesbian viewers offering movies and special programming.
MTV Networks and Showtime, owned by Viacom Inc.,have also mulled building a network dedicated to gay viewers, but no plans have been finalized, an MTV spokeswoman said.
NO MORE WINKS AT THE AUDIENCE
Many advertisers took their first stab at marketing in the gay community by placing their mainstream ads in publications such "Out" and "The Advocate" or online. The main industries involved include automakers, financial services, travel and more recently, skin and beauty care.
"What the recent change for us is saying now that we've got a little more resources, a little more refinement, we'd like to do tailored ads in targeted publications," said John Maloney, vice president of communications for Volvo cars North America.
Volvo has a customized campaign inviting gay and lesbian families to tell their stories and compete for a weekend vacation under the slogan "Safety. Security. Family."
On television, some advertisers sought to pique interest with spots underpinned by more or less sexually ambiguous subtexts between two male or female characters.
"It's kind of fun for gay people, because we figure them out and a lot of straight people probably don't," said Ted Allen, a contributing editor to Esquire magazine and a member of the "Queer Eye" team advising on food and wine.
The Orbitz ad, however, pulls no punches. Using marionettes, it shows a travel agent booking reservations for a Miami hotel.
The scene switches to a couple standing on the balcony of their hotel room, where the woman comments on the beautiful view. The man, spying a muscular male sunbather at the pool with his binoculars, heartily agrees.
"By having gay content and not being afraid to do so...the gay community honestly will reward you with their business," said Jeffrey Marsh, director of marketing strategy at Orbitz.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to appear on NBC.....
http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=9335&sd=07/22/03
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy to appear on NBC
After the show's smash-hit debut on sister network Bravo, NBC said on Friday it will show a special episode of the makeover program Queer Eye for the Straight Guy this week. Queer Eye, in which five gay men with expertise in fashion, grooming, culture, food, and interior design team up to make over a straight man, broke ratings records for Bravo in its hour-long premiere. NBC said it would show a condensed 30-minute version on Thursday, July 24, at 9:30 p.m.
"After so much media attention and a breakout premiere on Bravo, we want to offer this unusual series a bigger platform," NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker said in a statement. The show was one of many with gay themes that Bravo has shown in the recent past or plans to debut soon.
Broadcast networks are increasingly looking to cable as a source of programming alternatives, particularly during slow periods like the summer. Last summer NBC re-aired episodes of the Court TV show Forensic Files, and ABC rebroadcast episodes of Monk, the USA show about a neurotic detective, played by Tony Shalhoub, just nominated for a 2003 Emmy award for Lead Actor in a Comedy for Monk. Bravo and NBC are units of General Electric, while ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Co.
WLDI tanking... .0077. Done? eom
i_like_bb_stock...ditto to boring day. eom
charltuna....you posted about the PR once today...any chance we could limit the request for TTN to put out a PR to once a day? LOL!