FOR THE RECORD

By MCN Staff -- Multichannel News, 9/6/2010 12:01:00 AM

Comcast Takes 100-Meg Internet to Jersey Shore
PHILADELPHIA — Comcast has started to roll out 100-Megabitper- second high-speed Internet service to businesses in its southern New Jersey systems.

The MSO debuted the 100 Mbps “Deluxe 100” business tier — one of the fastest broadband services available in the U.S. — last year in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Since then, it has launched the service in parts of New Jersey; Philadelphia and surrounding counties; northern Delaware; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Harrisburg, Pa., and parts of central Pennsylvania; Augusta, Ga.; and Washington State and Oregon.

The Deluxe 100 service, which provides 10 Mbps upstream, is delivered using cable’s next-generation DOCSIS 3.0 technology. The tier now is available to businesses in parts of Pleasantville, Vineland, Wildwood and Avalon, N.J. Priced at $369.95 per month, the service includes Microsoft SharePoint and Outlook e-mail, as well as Norton Business Suite software for up to 25 PCs, with a range of website hosting and other options available.

Comcast also is preparing to launch a 100- or 105- Mbps residential service.

Other MSOs in the U.S. that offer 100-Mbps or faster service include Cablevision Systems, which offers a 101- Mbps residential service; Mediacom Communications, with 105 Mbps; and Suddenlink Communications, which offers 107 Mbps in select markets.

Bravo Renews ‘Real Housewives’ In N.Y., N.J.
NEW YORK — NBC Universal’s Bravo service will bring back The Real Housewives of New York City for a fourth campaign, while the New Jersey group will return for a third season.

Speaking of the Garden State variety, the first part of the show’s second-season reunion special scored with some 3.9 million total viewers, according to Nielsen live plus same-day data. That marked a 15% jump from the sophomore-season concluder, as the show became Bravo’s highest Monday telecast two weeks running. The Aug. 30 telecast was Bravo’s top telecast of 2010 to date. The first part of the New Jersey reunion show drew 2.7 million 18-to-49-year-old viewers, the show’s best ever with the Madison Avenue-coveted demo.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey helped make Bravo the No. 1 network on television in its time slot among adults 18 to 49.

Joan Cusack Signs On for Showtime’s ‘Shameless’
NEW YORK — Joan Cusack has joined the cast of Showtime’s upcoming drama Shameless.

Cusack, twice nominated for Academy Awards, will appear in all 12 episodes of the new series, portraying Sheila, an agoraphobic Chicago housewife with a sexually active teenage daughter, who strikes up a special friendship with William H. Macy’s character, Frank Gallagher. She replaces Allison Janney, who played the role in the pilot but had pulled out because of her commitment to ABC’s Mr. Sunshine.

Production is set to begin in mid-September. Shameless is scheduled to premiere on Showtime on Sunday, Jan. 9, at 9 p.m.

Icahn Ups Bid for Lions Gate Entertainment
NEW YORK — Carl Icahn increased his hostile takeover bid for Lions Gate Entertainment by 15% on Sept. 24, to $7.50 per share, an offer the studio owner said its board of directors would review.

Lions Gate — which owns TV Guide Channel and produces TV shows such as Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, as well as movies including The Expendables — said its board would promptly make a recommendation to shareholders on the unsolicited tender offer.

Earlier, the Lions Gate board recommended that shareholders reject a $6-per-share offer from Icahn, and he increased the offer to $7 before trying another bid at $6.50 per share.

Shares in Lions Gate (ticker: LGF) rose on the sweetened offer, and closed Thursday at $7.22.

Sportsman Channel, Dish Team To Aid Gulf
DENVER — Looking to bring continuing awareness and monies to the restoration efforts in the Gulf region following the oil-spill disaster, Sportsman Channel and Dish Network are collaborating on a special fund.

The independent hunting, fishing and shooting service, which launched on the No. 2 satellite-TV provider in both the standard and HDTV formats on channel 395 in February, is now available as an a la carte option for $3 per month.

The network and Dish will funnel proceeds from those purchasing the channel through years-end to a special “Sportsman Fund,” created with Coastal Conservation Association, one of the nation’s largest non-profit marine groups, to benefit the Gulf Coast’s habitat and research.