While Access Hollywood's Tony Potts confirmed on cable news shows that rival tabloid tv shows are willing to, and have, paid for first right to air 'exclusive' news, Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines hit the cable news circuit in an effort to debunk the rumors.
Steines, accompanied by ET's Senior Supervising Producer Bonnie Tiegel, was first up on tonight's Larry King show and proclaimed "we've had a relationship with Howard K. Stern and Anna Nicole Smith" and "I found myself in a position to be on that (private) plane and asked Stern if I could do the interview." Steines and Tiegel insisted they did not and do not pay for interviews. Instead, "they hustled and got the exclusives."
So as far as ET is concerned, it just pays to be in the right place at the right time.
By the way, while we don't always know who is being paid what by whom for personal interviews, it is common for agencies to pay for photos or video that might accompany an interview. That payment, or licensing fee, usually goes to the owner or copyright holder of the images, i.e. the photographer or videographer, or in the case of, say, family photos, to the bank account of the person offering up the image for sale.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Tony Potts Blasts Paid Interviews
Access Hollywood correspondent Tony Potts really laid into "those other news programs" during interviews he was giving from the Bahamas today. Potts confirmed the rumor that Entertainment Tonight paid $1 million for the "world exclusive" interviews given to ET's Mark Steines by Anna Nicole's associate Howard J. Stern. The interviews began on Stern's private plane ride from Florida back to the Bahamas, continued as he "discovered" Anna Nicole's estate had been ransacked, included his "emotional reunion" with baby DannieLynn Hope, and tried to portray Stern as the grieving widower (and it's only Tuesday).
Potts told Showbiz Tonight's AJ Hammer that the news shows have to compete to get the latest scoop first and that Access Hollywood has been offered "the scoop" ... for prices starting at $50,000, but that AH has refused to pay for such "news."
Potts went on to question Stern's motives and behavior while still in Florida. "Isn't this the time for mourning?," said Potts of Stern, "he was not mourning in his room, he was negotating" shortly after learning of Anna Nicole's passing.
Tony Potts closed the segment with AJ Hammer by reporting "there is a lot of bad mojo in the Bahamas. It's all about the money." He also asserted that Prince Van Anhalt's assertion of Anna Nicole having 20 - 30 lovers may not have been far off, that these possible lovers were rich men - "millionaires, billionaires" - and questioned why Howard K. Stern would allow her these trysts. Wow!!
By the way, Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines denied that ET or the Insider gave any money to Howard K. Stern "for interviews." That statement doesn't include the sale of pictures or videos, and implies that Stern may not have been directly paid - the money could change hands through a booking agent!
Potts told Showbiz Tonight's AJ Hammer that the news shows have to compete to get the latest scoop first and that Access Hollywood has been offered "the scoop" ... for prices starting at $50,000, but that AH has refused to pay for such "news."
Potts went on to question Stern's motives and behavior while still in Florida. "Isn't this the time for mourning?," said Potts of Stern, "he was not mourning in his room, he was negotating" shortly after learning of Anna Nicole's passing.
Tony Potts closed the segment with AJ Hammer by reporting "there is a lot of bad mojo in the Bahamas. It's all about the money." He also asserted that Prince Van Anhalt's assertion of Anna Nicole having 20 - 30 lovers may not have been far off, that these possible lovers were rich men - "millionaires, billionaires" - and questioned why Howard K. Stern would allow her these trysts. Wow!!
By the way, Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines denied that ET or the Insider gave any money to Howard K. Stern "for interviews." That statement doesn't include the sale of pictures or videos, and implies that Stern may not have been directly paid - the money could change hands through a booking agent!
Did Stern Plan Break In at Anna Nicoles House?
In Howard K. Stern's 'exclusive' $1 million interview with Entertainment Tonight's Mark Steines, Stern announced on camera that every single important document and every single legal paper of importance was stolen from Anna Nicole's house in the Bahamas last weekend. With ET cameras in tow, Stern took Steines and crew through Anna Nicole's mansion, known as Horizons House, recording his report of what was taken.
At one point inside Anna's bedroom, Stern reaches up to the top SHELF in her closet and points out that THIS was where he kept all of those IMPORTANT LEGAL DOCUMENTS. On the TOP SHELF. Not in a safety deposit box, not even in a locked, personal safe.
Come on, was Stern really that careless and irresponsible with his only client's most important papers?
At one point inside Anna's bedroom, Stern reaches up to the top SHELF in her closet and points out that THIS was where he kept all of those IMPORTANT LEGAL DOCUMENTS. On the TOP SHELF. Not in a safety deposit box, not even in a locked, personal safe.
Come on, was Stern really that careless and irresponsible with his only client's most important papers?
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