HSN Rock Star Jay King’s Buddy Marty Colbaugh, Owner Of THE Kingman Mine, Doesn’t Play Favorites: He Sells Turquoise To HSN Rival QVC

Kingman Mine owner Marty Colbaugh (on the right, we think)

Marty Colbaugh, the owner of the Kingman Mine in Arizona, doesn’t play favorites in terms of which home shopping network he sells his turquoise to.

QVC’s Today’s Special Value Saturday is a blue Kingman turquoise necklance and enhancer made from Kingman turquoise that was found in a huge vein in the mine last year.
So Colbaugh is appearing in on-air promos on QVC and on videos on the network’s website.

But Colbaugh is also a business associate and friend of Jay King, who does the Mine Finds line for QVC rival HSN.

HSN's Jay King, Marty's friend and business associate

Just over a month ago, Colbaugh appeared live on HSN with King when the Today’s Special was a Kingman turquoise ring.

The blue Kingman turquoise used for both pieces is apparently from the same “find” last year, and there has not been such a turquoise score at the Arizona mine since the late 1960s or early 1970s, Colbaugh said on both HSN and one of his QVC videos.

When QVC host Jill Bauer said that the Today’s Special Valyue was manufactured in Albuquerque, N.M., we almost jumped out of our chair, because that’s where King’s factory is. But of course he is not making the QVC necklace.

Veteran QVC Southwestern jewelry vendor Carolyn Pollack, who like King is based in Albuquerque, is making it.

Will NBCU’s Plans To Keep Its ShopNBC Stake Derail Any Sale Of The Home Shopping Network?

What's Keith Stewart got cooking at ShopNBC?

ShopNBC was put up for sale in 2008, and then was taken off the block a few months later. Well, we heard it’s for sale again.

ShopNBC declined to comment, by the way.

There’s been a lot of talk about possible home-shopping-network sales this week, so we’ll add this to the mix.

The ShopNBC-sale scenario we had heard about would potentially have been made easier because of NBC Universal’s plans, announced in May, to sell its 20 percent stake in the home shopping network. But on Thursday NBCU threw a monkey wrench into that possibility. Citing ShopNBC’s low stock price, NBCU announced that it wasn’t going to unload its share in the network.

Wall Street Journal blogger James Altucher was bullish on ValueVision Media, ShopNBC’s corporate parent, in a blog earlier this week. The home shopping network has 75 million subscribers, and Altucher values it at $270 million to $300 million in his blog.

He bases that price on payment of $3.92 per subscriber, which he says is “the cheapest price paid for any network on a subscriber by subscriber basis” in the past.

Altchuler, who says that Barry Diller unsucessfully bid on ShopNBC twice, has the inside dope on the initial attempt to sell ShopNBC. ValueVision shopped the network to more than 100 companies. It wound up with four serious suitors, two of them strategic buyers and two financial sponsors, according to Altuchuler. But a deal was never struck

“I think the clearing of the NBC Universal stake finally bring buyers into the loop here,” Altchuler wrote.

Well, that’s off the table now.

There’s been a lot of buzz on Wall Street about home shopping networks this week, following news that Liberyr Media Corp. was spinning off two companies to leave Liberty Interactive, which QVC is part of, as essentially a standalone company. That fueled speculation that this move by cable legend-cowboy-God John Malone was a prelude to merging QVC and HSN.

We’ll see about that one.

ShopNBC chief Keith Stewart has said that with NBCU selling its take in the home shopping network, ShopNBC will rebrand itself next year. The network has been working for months on coming up with a new name, according to Stewart.

Would you go through that trouble if you were selling your network? Or is it an attempt to dress up the property to attract suitors?

We haven't seen too much of Suzanne Somers on ShopNBC

Meanwhile, people familiar with the situation say that ShopNBC’s infrastructure, like its call centers, are not big enough to support the network.

As one sign of the times, ShopNBC is ordering a just a fraction of the amount of merchandise a month from vendor Suzanne Somers that HSN used to order, according to sources. In fact, although Somers initially said she would be on ShopNBC once a month, her visits have been much less frequent.

And we’re told some apparel vendors have to carry orders, meaning if their merchandise doesn’t sell ShopNBC can return it to them.

We wonder if they can only return it within 30 days?

Closet QVC Addict Leaves Her Widowed Husband An Unpleasant Surprise: Tons Of Home Shopping Jewelry And Lots Of Unpaid Bills

Hi everyone, my name is The Homeshoppingista, and I’m a shopaholic.

There, we’ve admitted it. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Jewelry is our narcotic of choice — not shoes, or handbags or clothes or illegal drugs or alcohol (although sometimes we’ve imbibed too much on appletinis, margaritas and Bombay Sapphire martinis).

But what we’re about to tell you is a very sad story, all kidding aside, about a closeted QVC shopaholic who hid her addiction from her husband, much to his unfortunate surprise.

It seems that last weekend when we were having our yard sale Paul’s Jewelers in West Allis, Wisconsin, was holding a Jewelry Estate and Rummage Sale to raise money for widower Don. After his wife passed away, he learned that over the years she had spent thousands of dollars ordering jewelry from QVC.

Paul’s Jewelers ran an ad promoting the sale.

Here’s part of the ad, which was headlined “One Man’s Treasure”:

Our friend, Don, recently lost his greatest treasure, his wife of 40 years. She spent most of her last years collecting jewelry from the QVC Channel which, unbeknownst to her adoring husband, added up to thousands of dollars. Now she is gone but all of her earthly treasures have remained along with many unpaid bills.

All of the proceeds from the sale of our friend’s jewelry will go directly to offset some of his expenses incurred through these purchases!!!

We look forward to seeing you get some great buys! (Pennies on the dollar!!!!)

The jewelry store said that it had “exceptional pieces” from QVC “from fine to fashion to everything in between,” set with gems such as topaz, tanzanite, turquoise and garnet.

Paul’s Jewelers said that Don was “a good friend and customer of ours who we are trying to help.”

We made about $260 at our yard sale. We hope poor Don did better.

Perish The Thought: Is Cable King John Malone Looking To Merge QVC And HSN?

Mr. Malone, your highness, please don't merge QVC and HSN

Well kiddies, is QVC really looking to buy HSN? Que horror! That’s the New York Post’s take on Liberty Media’s announcement Monday that it plans to spin off two of its companies, Liberty Capital and Liberty Starz. That leaves Liberty Media with its Liberty Interactive unit, which includes QVC, as “an asset-based stock,” Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said in a prepared statement.

You can read the boring details of the news here. Thank God we’re not at a trade paper anymore where we have to write that boring financial crap.

Because cable cowboy and legend John Malone is chairman of Liberty Media, anytime the company burps the press is on it like flies on dog doo. So Monday’s announcement got lots of ink. And the cable industry fawns over Malone and thinks he walks on water.

The interesting angle here is whether this complex financial transaction and spin-off is a prelude to Liberty Media, which already owns 35 percent of HSN, trying to acquire the rest of the Southern Channel. Or maybe Liberty Media will go after struggling ShopNBC, which is rumored to be up for sale. After all, NBC Universal is dumping its stake in the ShopNBC, No. 3 home shopping net.

We know one thing, which is that home shopping aficionados wouldn’t welcome a merger of QVC and HSN. Many fans buy from both networks, and like having selections from two channels. People who don’t watch QVC or HSN may think they are the same, but the networks have distinct visions and are quite different.

Since we are jewelry addicts, we love HSN and its willingness to mark down items. We also like what HSN CEO Mindy Grossman is doing to the network, bringing in top name designers such as Badgley Mischka.

As for QVC, we enjoy (or used to, before layoff) its Affinity Diamonds and Artisan Crafted jewelry.

And we want our Colleen Lopez on HSN and our Rick Domeier on QVC, please.

The Post’s Claire Atkinson, a vet of our former sister publication, B&C, plays up the QVC-HSN merger angle in her story. The New York Times even picked up her article.

The Post story in the newspaper has one of those great Post photoshop graphics: Malone’s head superimposed on the body of a guy wearing a Liberty sweat shirt, standing in front of the company’s headquarters in Colorado carrying two shopping bags: One says QVC and the other says HSN.

Atkinson writes that “speculation” is that Liberty is seriously going after HSN. That’s a much sexier story than writing what Maffei actually said on a conference call yesterday, which is that Liberty is not pursuing HSN.

“The market doesn’t believe us; watch August come and go,” Maffei said. “There’s no plan or intention to do anything other than to keep our options open.”

Our former colleague at Multichannel News, Mike Farrell, wrote about Maffei’s denial of the HSN rumors. According to Mike, while the new Liberty Interactive structure makes it easier for the company to go on a buying binge, Maffei said HSN is not a target right now.

“We’re certainly not going to chase HSN stock,” Mike quoted Maffei as saying.

Malone tried, and failed, to merge QVC and HSN back in 2007.

If he’s got any sneaky plans to go after HSN again, we hope he fails this time, too.

And liar, liar pants on fire if Maffei’s denials turn out not to be true.

QVC Parent Liberty Media To Hold Annual Shareholder Meeting Next Thursday

QVC’s parent company, Liberty Media Corp., will be holding its annual shareholder meeting next Thursday, officials said.

It is set for 9 a.m. Mountain Time at the Marriot Denver South at Park Meadows, 10345 Park Meadows Drive, Littleton, Colo., At the meeting, Liberty Media may make observations regarding the company’s financial performance and outlook.

The presentation will be broadcast live via the Internet. All interested persons should visit the Liberty Media website at http://www.libertymedia.com/events to register for the webcast.

An archive of the webcast will also be available on the website for 30 days.

IndieShop Lands A Wall Street Journal Puff Piece, Written By Christie Brinkley (Not), Who Is Coming To QVC

Christie Brinkley isn't writing for The Journal, but she is coming to QVC

IndieShop, the new home shopping network that will feature independent designers, got a big plug in The Wall Street Journal Thursday. Kudos to Trylon Communications, IndieShop’s PR firm.

The network, which will be cobbled together with paid programming purchased on cable networks across the country, was featured in the lead story of The Journal’s “Style” section, in a feature headlined “Crafts, Clothes and Clout.”

We misread the byline when we first read it, and thought times were so tough for model/divorcee Christie Brinkley that she was now freelancing for The Journal. But the writer was actually Christina Binkley. We need our contact lens cleaned.

Brinkley, however, does have a home shopping connection: She is bringing her jewelry line, already sold on Ross-Simons, to QVC.

Anyway, The Journal credits Melissa Perrucci, 42, a former Time Warner executive, with being the founder of IndieShop.

Former ShopNBC host Charla Rines said on Facebook that she’s about to land a job on a start-up network that sells luxury items. If it’s not EmVee TV, as we believe it is, maybe it’s IndieShop.

‘So You Think You Can Sell’ Cat Deeley Bring Vintage Jewelry Line To QVC

So this is what Cat Deeley looks like

Cat Deeley, the host of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” is the latest celebrity heading to home shopping heaven.

She will debut her Cat Deeley Modern Vintage collection this Friday at 4 p.m.

Here’s the spin from QVC:

Inspired by her own vintage jewelry collection, Deeley’s exquisite new line features classic designs that have been updated with bold modern accents that are indicative of the star’s unique style. Signature pieces, including the Tear Drop Chandelier Earrings and Marquise Link Bracelet, embody a more playful look while more understated items, including the Multi-Strand Antique Gold Necklace and Heart Earrings, offer a more sophisticated style.

“The collection really has something for everyone,” Deeley said in a canned statement. “I created each piece to reflect the different sides of a woman’s personality. From fun and flirty earrings to more subdued, classic pendants and necklaces, my new collection is the perfect solution for anyone looking to diversify her look.”

We don’t watch “So You Think You Can Dance,” so we wouldn’t know Deeley if we fell over her.

But QVC tells us that she’s a self-proclaimed “fashionista” (hey, that our handle), and a former model who “is often asked to provide style advice for other young starlets. Hailed as one of the best dressed celebrities in the industry today, Deeley’s decision to create her own collection seems like a natural fit.”

Cat Deeley Modern Vintage Fashion Jewelry will range in price from $39 to $200.

“Cat is the perfect addition to our list of A-list designers,” Debra Puzio, QVC director of merchandising, said in a canned statement. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with her on her exciting new venture.”

Ex-QVC ‘In The Kitchen With Bob’ Bowersox Boards That Plane to Minnesota To Work For ShopNBC

Bob is back

Another QVC alum has found his way to ShopNBC.

Former QVC host Bob Bowersox, who used to date ex-QVC host Kathy Levine, will be on ShopNBC Thursday at midnight, 4 a.m., 12 p.m. and 4 p.m, in the “Around the Kitchen” show series.

He will be appearing as a “guest expert,” according to the No. 3 home shopping network. He will offer his cooking and kitchen appliance expertise.

ShopNBC describes Bowersox, who abruptly disappeared from QVC some time ago, as as “actor, voiceover artist, screenwriter, playwright, novelist, poet, singer, songwriter, and national television network personality.”

What ShopNBC fails to mention is that Bowrsix “was a national television network personality” via his tenure at QVC. But ShopNBC does call Bowersox “a home shopping favorite.”

Former QVC host Dave King is also now over at ShopNBC, as a host.

Bowersox will be hawking a Sharper Image Super Wave Oven. “Designed to cook your food up to three times faster than a conventional oven, with up to 80% less energy, customers will learn how this unique product will transform their time in the kitchen,” we’re told.

QVC Jewelry Diva Joan Rivers Dishes On Her Favorite New York Hot Spots

If you’re looking to find out what QVC vendor Joan Riviers’ favorite haunts are in the Big Apple, check out this “My New York” feature from the New York Post Sunday.

Rivers, the subject of the frank documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” is a fan of the Viand Coffee Shop on Madison Avenue near 61st Street. We used to grab coffee there when we had the money to get our hair done at the OC 61 salon around the corner. Rivers says the folks at Viand know her, and she gets dark turkey meat for her dog there.

FYI, QVC vendor Judith Ripka has a retail store right there, on the corner of 61st and Madison.

In terms of fancier eateries, Rivers is a fan of the media mecca Michael’s on 55th Street, where entertainment types go to be seen. We’ve been to press conferences there. The scene is better than the food.

Rivers also lauds Joe Allen, the Theater District restaurant. She says “real theater people” chow down there.

The comedian’s other New York favorites include Times Square at night, Central Park and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.

QVC CEO Mike George To Do Presentation At Goldman Sachs Conference June 22

Mike George

QVC president and CEO Mike George will be presenting at the inaugural Goldman Sachs dotCommerce day next Tuesday, according to officials.

George will appear at 11:25 a.m. at the Goldman Sachs Conference Center in Manhattan.

The presentation will be broadcast live via the Internet. All interested persons should visit the Liberty Media Corp. at http://www.libertymedia.com/events to register for the webcast. An archive of the webcast will also be available on the website for 30 days.