NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Miss USA sees lowest ratings ever amid Trump controversy

NEW YORK

Donald Trump found a new home for Miss USA on the little-known Reelz Channel after NBC dumped the pageant because of his comments on Mexican immigrants, but fewer than a million television viewers watched.

That’s down sharply from the 5.6 million people who watched Miss USA on NBC the year before, evidence of the still-potent advantage broadcast television has in showing an event that appears to have more default viewers than people actively seeking it out.

Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma was crowned Miss USA Sunday in Baton Rouge, La.

Trump, co-owner of the pageant and a Republican presidential candidate, found himself on the outs with NBC after many Latinos were angered by his assertion that some Mexican immigrants to the U.S. bring drugs and crime, and some are rapists.

NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” was in its customary summer spot atop the prime-time ratings last week. Two other hot summer shows are ABC’s version of “Celebrity Family Feud” and the CBS drama, “Zoo.”

CBS won the week in prime time, averaging 5 million viewers. NBC had 4.6 million, and won in the youthful demographic that many advertisers seek. ABC had 4.2 million, Univision had 2.49 million, Fox had 2.48 million, Telemundo had 1.4 million and the CW and ION Television tied with 1.04 million.

Shark-obsessed Discovery was the week’s most popular cable network, averaging 2.35 million viewers in prime time.

GM to keep sponsoring Kid Rock concerts, discuss flag issue

DETROIT

General Motors said Tuesday it’ll continue its sponsorship of Kid Rock’s summer concert tour, despite a request by a Detroit activist group that the automaker cut financial ties with the musician if he displays the Confederate flag onstage.

Members of the National Action Network and Detroit chapter president, the Rev. Charles Williams II, will meet Thursday with representatives from GM’s Chevrolet brand.

Judge trims ‘Blurred Lines’ song dispute verdict to $5.3M

LOS ANGELES

A judge has trimmed more than $2 million from a verdict against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over their hit “Blurred Lines,” but is also giving Marvin Gaye’s family a share of future earnings from the 2013 hit song.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt ruled Tuesday that the copyright infringement verdict a jury reached in March should be cut from nearly $7.4 million to $5.3 million. The judge’s ruling, however, gives Gaye’s family a 50 percent share of the song’s future royalties.

Associated Press