NEWS: ABC Chief Wants More GREY'S ANATOMY, Defends NASHVILLE; Why Telenovelas Cost Less Than Daytime Dramas; Queen Elizabeth Loves Soaps

ABC Entertainment Chief Wants More GREY'S ANATOMY, Defends NASHVILLE
ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee spoke about GREY'S, NASHVILLE and more during his executive session at the Television Critics Association on Sunday.

"I think they really started to find their feet toward the end of the season," Lee said of NASHVILLE. "When you watch that finale it has a completely different mood. There is a sort of impending doom that leads you through to the car crash. I think [creator Callie Khouri and her writers] certainly said to themselves, let's start to turn over the cards more aggressively. But they've built a particularly interesting musical voice to that show that I think is extremely distinctive." Lee added that Britton's character will "really drive the plot" in season two. "That particular rivalry that goes on between her and Hayden is really coming to a head. We're very excited about next season."

"Shonda [Rhimes] is an extraordinary creative force," Lee said of the GREY'S ANATOMY creator. "If I commented on who was coming in and out, I think Shonda would yell at me. The reality is, she certainly is planning a number of series outs. She will, like she always does, bring changes that are extraordinary. We would certainly like to see it on the network for many years to come."

CBS Will Lose $400K Per Day From Time Warner Cable Black Out
UBS Investment Research’s John Janedis says the $400,000 a day cost from lost ads and retransmission consent fees is “minimal” for CBS, leading him to reiterate his “buy” recommendation for the stock.

10 years later: Josh Schwartz looks back
"I didn't really watch soaps. For me, I love shows like FREAKS AND GEEKS and Stephanie [Savage] was obsessed with MY SO-CALLED LIFE. By the way, it's no accident that what are considered the two best teen dramas of all times only had a run for one season. But that being said, those kind of shows were one season and out, as good as they were."

THE O.C. turns 10: Ten ways the show helped shape TV today
Four years later it was gone, the victim of declining ratings and a network that no longer seemed to want the show. But it burned very, very brightly over its four seasons and 92 episodes -- and it's had a lasting impact on the TV landscape.

How to Build a Better Telenovela
Novelas run about 120-160 episodes, at an average cost of about $70,000 per hour, up to about $150,000. That compares with $150,000 to $300,000 per hour for an English-lingo network sudser. One big difference is that the Telemundo serials are nonunion productions, unlike English-language network soaps. The WGA East, for one, is keeping a close eye on the growth of scripted production at the Florida studio, and is considering its options for mounting an organizing push.

NBCUniversal International Television to launch Telemundo in Africa this August
Launching on the DStv platform on channel 118 in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa on Monday, August 12, Telemundo will exclusively air telenovelas with the tag line: “Telemundo – Feel the Passion.”

Disney teen telenovela premieres in South Africa
VIOLETTA, the most-watched television series premiere in the history of Disney Channel Italy, screens in South Africa from Monday 26 August at 16h10 on DStv Channel 303.

Rami Chuene is relishing her role as Khomotjo Mojalefa in SABC2 s MUVHANGO
Summing up her character, Rami Chuene says, "When she is fabulous, she wants everyone to applaud her. When she isn’t, she wants them to ignore that fact. She does things so sweetly. She is like a cunning Joan Collins (Alexis in DYNASTY), but turns into Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester in THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL when it comes to her family."

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is obsessed with soap operas
The 87-year-old monarch has ensured she never misses an episode of CORONATION STREET or EASTENDERS by having a digital recording service installed at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle so she can catch up on her TV favourites on-demand.

Channel 4 documentary to be broadcast despite ITV's legal threat
CORONATION STREET actors Brooke Vincent and Catherine Tyldesley are shown in the DISPATCHES program allegedly promoting bogus products.