sitcom

Now on iTunes, for Free: A Show You Can’t Watch on Fox for a Couple Weeks

Peter Kafka in Media on September 6, 2011 at 4:36 am PT

Fox usually wants you to watch its shows on your TV, not your PC. But for now, it’s happy to let you watch Zooey Deschanel and her pals on “New Girl.”

Big Media Tells Big Media That Hulu Is Hurting Big Media

Peter Kafka in Media on January 5, 2011 at 4:00 pm PT

“Modern Family” is a hit online, but that popularity may hurt its value down the road.

Okay, Okay, It's a Bubble! "The Office" Says So.

Peter Kafka in Media on November 19, 2010 at 5:22 am PT

Now network TV sitcoms are parodying the notion of investing in revenue-free Internet start-ups. That’s a market top, no? (Make sure to read the fine print.)

Hulu's "Modern Family" Problem

Peter Kafka in Media on October 13, 2010 at 12:18 pm PT

“Modern Family” used to be available on Hulu, and then it went away. Now the hit show is back–but not all the way. It’s a digital rights mess that is all too common, and it’s a particular problem for the video site.

The Secret Behind Microsoft’s Mysterious Seinfeld Ads Revealed!

Peter Kafka in Media on March 26, 2010 at 8:08 am PT

The confusing clips with Jerry and Bill Gates were supposed to be confusing. You buying that?

S—mydadsays Lands a TV Deal

Andrew LaVallee, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on November 11, 2009 at 12:30 am PT

How many tweets does it take to create a sit-com? CBS is about to find out. The network has picked up a comedy developed by Justin Halpern, the creator of the breakout Twitter account S—mydadsays, and his writing partner Patrick Schumacker.

Microsoft Bails Out of “Family Guy” Windows 7 Episode After Actually Watching “Family Guy”

Peter Kafka in Media on October 26, 2009 at 3:40 pm PT

Remember Microsoft’s plan to use “Family Guy,” Fox’s ribald, off-color cartoon sitcom, to promote Windows 7? No more, says Microsoft, which is pulling out of plans to sponsor a special episode of the show scheduled to run Nov. 8. What happened? Apparently, Microsoft realized that “Family Guy” is a ribald, off-color sitcom.

David Puddy, Meet the Mac: Here’s the “Seinfeld” Crossover Apple Ad You’ve Been Waiting For

Peter Kafka in Media on August 25, 2009 at 3:00 am PT

In the old days, Apple sometimes used bonafide celebrities to help hawk its products–either willing participants like Jeff Goldblum or, via the miracle of archival footage, icons like Einstein, Dylan and Lennon. But for its long-running “I’m a Mac” campaign, Apple has primarily relied on actors who are most famous for appearing in Apple ads. Here’s a new one that splits the difference: It features Patrick Warburton, best known as “Puddy” on Seinfeld