TV News Roundup: Week of July 28, 2013

Renewals, upfront sales and TV broadcast wars make up this week's TV Roundup for the week of July 28, 2013.

MONDAY:

• THE SIMPSONS heading to cable:
  Looking to generate over $1 billion dollars, 20th Century Fox will start the process of finding a syndicated cable home to the 25 year old series.
• WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? renewed by The Cw:
  In a no brainer move, The CW renewed the hit improv comedy for 24 more episodes.
• The CW moves season premiere dates:
  The Vampire Diaries and The Originals now premiere October 3. Supernatural premieres Oct. 8. Reign now bows in on Oct. 17.

TUESDAY:

• Amazon to use viewers ti pick their next round of pilots:
  Amazon previously asked viewers to choice which of its pilots should become series. Now, Amazon wants us to pick what projects get a pilot order. 
• New U-Verse subscribers get HBO:
  If you are a new subscriber to AT&T U-Verse, you will get 24 months of HBO free. This includes HBO Go access.
• NBC completes upfront sales:
  The third place network brings in $2.1 billion in ad sales. That is a 15% increase from last year. Sales are include the Super Bowl and The Winter Olympics, set for February 2014.
• More DC Heroes on The CW:
  CW president confirms that the superhero THE FLASH will be introduced on ARROW this coming season.
• Yahoo! and NBC Sports team up:
  Two new series, for TV and Web, will be FANTASY FOOTBALL LIVE-THURSDAY NIGHT! and SPORTS DASH WITH YAHOO SPORTS

WEDNESDAY:

• CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP Gets another season:
  ABC has gien a 3rd season renewal for the reality series CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP. 
• SYFY's Renews CONTINUUM:
  The second year series CONTINUUM will get a thrid season by SYFY cable network.

THURSDAY:

• ABC ends its upfront sales:
  ABC was able to get a rise of 7% to 8% in this year's upfront sales, but it saw a drop in sales volume, compared to last year.  
• Moonves dislikes over-the-air viewers:
  CBS president Les Moonves made a few comments about over-the-air viewers and the AEREO battle. He considers AREO as a thief of its broadcast signal, even though it is one antenna to one household. Are cord cutters also stealing the OTA signals? Also, he considers the 15% of households that get the CBS signal vial antenna "... are not the most advertiser-friendly and the most appealing to our advertisers." [LINK]
• Cable network Fusion will launch in October:
  The new network by ABC News-Univision  is scheduled to launch on October 28, in 20 million homes.

FRIDAY:

• Cable providers may merge:
  Cable companies COX Communications and Charter Communications are in talks to merge the two companies. 
• Bill Bob Thorton heading to FARGO:
  The veteran actor has signed on the FX TV adaptation of the 1996 film, FARGO.