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fredfa

04-18-07, 06:33 PM

The New York Times Obituary
Kitty Carlisle Hart , 96
Actress and Arts Advocate, Dies at 96
By Marilyn Berger The New York Times April 18, 2007

Kitty Carlisle Hart, who began her career in the theater in a 1932 musical comedy revue on Broadway, acted in films and opera and was still singing on the stage, into her 10th decade, as recently as last fall, died Tuesday at her home in Manhattan. She was 96.The cause was heart failure, her daughter, Catherine Hart, said. Outgoing and energetic, Miss Carlisle became in her middle years a visible advocate of the arts, lobbying the New York State Legislature and the United States Congress for funding. For 20 years, first as a member and later as chairman of the New York Council on the Arts, she crisscrossed the state to support rural string quartets, small theater groups and inner-city dance troupes.

At another moment, she could be found performing on a cruise ship plying the Greek islands, as she was during her 90th year. Just last November, she sang George Gershwin’s “The Man I Love” at the annual gala fund-raiser for Jazz at Lincoln Center. That followed a series of engagements in New York and other cities celebrating her 96th birthday. Miss Carlisle, as she was know professionally, also became a favorite of the first television generation as a regular on the game shows “To Tell the Truth” and “What’s My Line?”

As a young girl, she was taken around the capitals of Europe by her mother, whose ambition was to establish her daughter in a “brilliant” marriage, preferably to a prince. There were piano lessons, voice lessons and a grounding in the dramatic arts.

When a royal husband did not materialize, Miss Carlisle remembered, her mother would tell her, “You’re not the prettiest girl I ever saw, and you’re not the best singer I ever heard, and you’re certainly not the best actress I ever hoped to see, but if we put them all together, we’ll find the husband we’re looking for on the stage.”

She found that husband in the dramatist Moss Hart. They were married in 1946. In the years before he died, in 1961, they were at the center of New York’s glittering theatrical life.

The revue in which she broke into show business, “Rio Rita,” played the Capitol Theater on Broadway four or five times a day as the stage show between movies. She also played the “subway circuit” for one-week stands in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The show then went on the road for eight months.

Her next role, as the prince in a musical based on Strauss’s “Fledermaus,” won her a screen test and a Hollywood contract. In 1934, Miss Carlisle made her first movie, “Murder at the Vanities.” That same year she appeared in a movie called “She Loves Me Not,” in which she sang “Love in Bloom” with an up-and-coming crooner, Bing Crosby. She was paired with Crosby again that year in “Here Is My Heart.” In its review, The New York Times called her “a charming and gifted young woman who promises to make her mark in the cinema.”

The same was not said of her opera ambitions. Asked to sing “Alone” in the Marx Brothers spoof of the genre, “A Night at the Opera,” she was horrified to learn that she was expected to move her lips to the sound of someone else’s recording. She refused. For the next three days, her agent argued for her right to perform with her own voice. She won. For years, the song became something of a signature for her.

The collaboration with the Marx Brothers was as close as she came to opera until 31 years later, when, at the age of 56, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Prince Orlofsky in “Die Fledermaus.”

When Paramount found no more roles for her — “I was a meteoric bust,” she wrote in “Kitty: An Autobiography” (Doubleday, 1988) — Miss Carlisle returned to Broadway as the lead in “White Horse Inn” in 1936 and in “Three Waltzes” the next year. Brooks Atkinson, the drama critic for The Times, wrote that the show was “distinguished chiefly for the admirable singing and acting of Kitty Carlisle and Michael Bartlett.”

Miss Carlisle accepted jobs wherever they were offered, often in summer stock. She sang “The Star Spangled Banner” at many World War II bond rallies and appeared in the 1944 film “Hollywood Canteen.” In her later years, Miss Carlisle was seen around town with her latest beau, Roy R. Neuberger, the financier.

Until the end of her life, Miss Carlisle remained a svelte, attractive woman with dark, neatly coiffed hair that she said she colored herself. With a full mouth outlined in bright red lipstick, she burst easily into warm laughter. She was known for her grace and charm, but by her own account she was slightly eccentric, a trait she treasured because she believed it gave her a lot of leeway.

She practiced singing every day, exercised every morning (and was the first to tell anyone that she had beautiful legs, which she did) and believed that discipline was the key to life. In her last decades, she became a popular lecturer. She often told her audiences, “With a soupçon of courage and a dash of self-discipline, one can make a small talent go a long way.” In recent years, Encore Productions re-released her Decca operetta recordings from the 1940s and ’50s.

In her later years she performed occasionally in a one-woman show, “My Life on the Wicked Stage.” It was full of anecdotes about her friends Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Robbins and George and Ira Gershwin. She also appeared on stage in a Broadway revival of “On Your Toes” and made film appearances in “Six Degrees of Separation” and Woody Allen’s “Radio Days.”

“I’m more optimistic, more enthusiastic and I have more energy than ever before,” she said just after her 79th birthday. Energy, she said, came from doing the things she wanted to do.

“You get so tired when you do what other people want you to do,” she said. When she was 90, she started work on a second book.

She was indeed an optimist. As a girl, she once said, she would try to lift her mother out of her frequent dark and angry moods. “Oh, mummy,” she imitated herself saying, “it won’t rain and there will be a picnic and everybody will have a wonderful time.” She wrote in her autobiography that she started each morning by smiling at herself in the mirror.

She also wrote that she had captivated men. The playwright Norman Krasna wanted to marry her, George Gershwin proposed to her, and the financier Bernard Baruch wanted to leave his wife for her, she said.

She refused everyone, however, until she met Mr. Hart, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who, with George S. Kaufman, wrote “The Man Who Came to Dinner” and “You Can’t Take It With You” and who directed “My Fair Lady.”

Mr. Hart, a man of sparkle and wit, largely directed their lives as well, organizing their homes and their dinner parties, even choosing his wife’s wardrobe.

When Mr. Hart died of a heart attack in 1961, Miss Carlisle was devastated, she wrote, but she went on to live by his precept that “you can’t escape from life, you escape into it.” They had two children, Christopher, a producer, who lives in Hollywood, and Catherine Hart , a physician in New York. They and three grandchildren survive her. In her later years, working for the arts council, saw herself as a “Johnny Appleseed for culture,” especially in rural parts of New York State. “Wherever we go, the arts flourish,” she said. “It’s a cliché now that people say they want to make a difference, but I’d like to think that I somehow made a difference.”

In 1998, she was named a ”living landmark” by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. The next year, she was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Miss Carlisle was born Catherine Conn in New Orleans on Sept. 3, 1910. Her father, Joseph Conn, a doctor, died when she was 10 years old. Afterward, her mother, the former Hortense Holtzman, sold their house and took her daughter to New York and then to Europe, where the young Catherine was enrolled in Mont Choisi, a school overlooking Lac Léman in Switzerland. She ended her education at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, where she won a certificate.

She wrote that her mother, as critical as ever, saw her first performance, looked her straight in the eye and said, “My dear, we’ve made a ghastly mistake.”

She delighted in proving her mother wrong. “A career takes more than talent,” Miss Carlisle was fond of saying. “It takes character.” And perhaps stamina. Still working as a nonagenarian, she took her stage show on the road last fall, appearing in Atlanta, St. Louis and other cities.

“I’m 96,” she told The St. Louis Post Dispatch in October, “and I’m loving it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/theater/18cnd-hart.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

VisionOn

04-18-07, 06:33 PM

Considering who the talent is behind it, I'm sure JfC will be very good. At any rate, how well it's received by the viewers will have nothing to do with the 'Deadwood' schedule. Milch said in the article that he's prepared to go back to work on 'Deadwood' as soon as JfC wraps production for this season, which will happen very soon now.

I'd like to believe that but I don't. I think if John becomes a success Deadwood will get pushed to the back again with the excuse that Milch is on an endless PR tour, is too tired and just hasn't got around to it. In the meantime all the actors who make the show what it is, will be on other projects and pulling them all together again will be even more of a challenge.

VisionOn

04-18-07, 06:39 PM

So far I have steered clear of this terrible story. But this development might be of interest:
TV Notebook
Tech killer sent NBC News 'multimedia manifesto'

By Paul J. Gough The Hollywood Reporter April 18, 2007

The news division was quickly running through the material with an eye to broadcast at least some of it at 6:30 p.m. ET on "NBC Nightly News." The conversation included bigwigs at NBC News plus its broadcast standards and practices executives, Williams said.

just for once I'd like to see this sort of thing not make it to air. Let his manifesto die with his name and give the airtime to stories about the people who were killed. So that their names will be remembered instead of giving fame to someone who shouldn't have it.

fredfa

04-18-07, 06:40 PM

The Business of Television
High-profile hire for Discovery
Angela Shapiro-Mathes will lead the TLC cable channel in Los Angeles
By Meg James Los Angeles Times Staff Writer April 18, 2007

Cable programmer Discovery Communications Inc. on Tuesday began its march into Hollywood by plucking a veteran TV executive to run its TLC cable channel, which it hopes to turn into a more popular destination for women.

The hiring of Angela Shapiro-Mathes, president of Fox TV Studios and a former Walt Disney Co. executive, represents a dramatic departure for the Silver Spring, Md.-based company. Discovery to date has largely operated outside the media power centers of L.A. and New York.

Shapiro-Mathes will work in Los Angeles, giving Discovery its first hub in Hollywood.

"This is where much of the programming is produced, and this is where we want to be," David Zaslav, Discovery's new chief executive, said in an interview during a visit to Los Angeles.

Zaslav has been shaking up Discovery since he arrived in January from NBC Universal. He gutted an underperforming educational division, shuffled programming schedules, eliminated employees and attempted to bolster Discovery's executive ranks by luring several executives from NBC Universal.

Shapiro-Mathes represents his highest-profile hire yet. The move signals Zaslav's willingness to spend money to ratchet up nonfiction programming production as part of his aggressive plan to build Discovery into a more significant media company. He also is looking to exploit the weaknesses of other cable channels that cater to women, such as Lifetime and Oxygen.

Currently the 24th most popular ad-supported cable channel, TLC has programs on home buying, decorating and style, including "Trading Spaces" and "What Not to Wear." More than 60% of its audience are women, but the company has not fashioned itself as a channel geared for them.

"We want TLC to be the top cable channel for women," Zaslav said. "It's a very strong channel, but it's going to get stronger. And Angela has all of the right experience, she's got creative instincts and she has successfully run several businesses."

Early in her career, Shapiro-Mathes co-founded the magazine Soap Opera Digest. She gained prominence at the ABC television network, at which she was in charge of the daytime schedule. At Disney, she also was a key architect of the SoapNet cable network and went on to run the ABC Family channel after the company bought it from Fox for $5.2 billion in 2001. She left Disney following philosophical differences with her bosses, including Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger.

At Fox, Shapiro-Mathes has overseen the production of such shows as "The Shield" for the FX cable channel and has established production studios in Britain, France and India. Her knowledge of foreign markets should come in handy at Discovery, which distributes its programming in 170 countries.

Shapiro-Mathes declined to comment. She announced to her staff late Tuesday that she was leaving, and Fox said it soon would announce her replacement.

Richard Greenfield, media analyst with Pali Research, said it was encouraging that Zaslav was making prominent hires so soon after joining Discovery. The Wall Street analyst said the move showed that high-caliber executives were making long-term bets on Zaslav's vision and the company.

"This just shows how quickly he is moving to reorient and redirect the company's strategy," he said, adding that Discovery, a joint venture launched by a group of cable operators, could no longer be considered "sleepy."

Last month, Discovery announced that it would buy the 25% stake in the company owned by Cox Communications for $1.3 billion in cash plus the Travel Channel. The acquisition is expected to close by mid-May.

That move will increase Liberty Media Corp.'s ownership of Discovery to more than 66% from 50%. Advance/Newhouse Communications owns 33% and founder John Hendricks holds 1%.

Greenfield said redefining TLC would be one of Shapiro's biggest challenges. "Hopefully she will be able to redefine its brand and give the channel a theme, a focus and a meaning," he said.

In doing so, Shapiro-Mathes will be going up against her former bosses at Disney, which owns half of Lifetime.

TLC has been growing its audience during the last year with such shows as "Little People, Big World." During the first quarter, TLC drew an average audience of 888,000.

But its programming is in flux. Zaslav recently moved "American Chopper," which was popular with men, to TLC from the Discovery channel. Zaslav said he planned to return Discovery to its original mission of chronicling the exploration of science and the world. The channel recently has scored a ratings hit with its "Planet Earth" series.

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-fi-tlc18apr18,0,3696244,print.story?coll=cl-tv-features

fredfa

04-18-07, 06:41 PM

just for once I'd like to see this sort of thing not make it to air. Let his manifesto die with his name and give the airtime to stories about the people who were killed. So that their names will be remembered instead of giving fame to someone who shouldn't have it.

I couldn't agree more.

The NY Times website is publishing details about the victims, including linking to many of their MySpace websites.

It is very moving stuff.

fredfa

04-18-07, 06:45 PM

The Business of Television
BET to Roll Out 16 Original Series
Including Scripted Shows
By Anthony Crupi MediaWeek April 18, 2007

BET Networks this evening will unveil what it says is its most ambitious programming slate in the 26-year history of the flagship channel, introducing 16 new original series, including its first-ever stab at scripted fare.

The push to program original series first became a priority two years ago, when BET chairman and CEO Debra Lee took the helm. Since then, Viacom has upped BET’s programming budget significantly, freeing the net to minimize its dependence on syndicated and off-net acquisitions.

Of the new projects in the works at BET, perhaps the most interesting concept is Somebodies, the network’s first foray into scripted comedy. The single-camera sitcom about a group of post-collegiate slackers is based on the 2006 theatrical of the same name, which was a special selection at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. Somebodies is set to bow in the fourth quarter of this year.

Although scripted comedy is a long shot, BET president, media sales Louis Carr said that Somebodies was worth the wager. “Scripted comedies are very expensive to make, but with the increase of our programming budget, we were able to make that leap,” Carr said. “And our viewers and advertising partners wanted us to move into this space anyway, so it’s no surprise that we went with Somebodies.”

Also on tap is the scripted drama Wifey, which focuses on a newly-widowed wife of a hip-hop entrepreneur who takes over her late husband’s record label. Sibling net VH1 is partnering with BET on the one-hour series, which will premiere simultaneously on both networks in the third quarter of 2007.

Other series in development include a pair of animated strips, BUFU and Hannibal; the unscripted boys-night-out series Ballers, which re-imagines the sports talk genre in a nightclub setting (April 20); and Baldwin Hills, a docu-drama hybrid about African-American teenagers who live in an upscale Los Angeles community.

While BET saw significant ratings gains in 2006, growing its total prime-time audience 11 percent (692,000), while upping its adults 18-34 viewership 8 percent (226,000) and 18-49s by 11 percent (367,000), the net did experience a bit of a backslide in the first quarter of this year. According to Nielsen Media Research data, BET fell 13 percent in prime, to 637,000 viewers, and lost 18 percent of its 18-34 audience and 13 percent of its 18-49 demo.

According to Carr, some of the ratings dip can be chalked up to the disappointing reception BET saw with its high-profile acquisition of HBO’s The Wire. “We took a chance on that show and it just didn’t deliver like we thought it would,” Carr said, adding that while a decision hasn’t been made as to what BET will do with its unaired cache of episodes, the idea is to perhaps find a spot for The Wire leading out of one of the network’s new series.

While Carr was reluctant to make any bold predictions about the upfront marketplace, he said that as BET ramps up its digital distribution, he expects more ad dollars to follow the net into the nonlinear space. “The clients are still trying to decide on the mix and what percentage of dollars is going where … there are so many things in play,” Carr said.

As for BET’s efforts toward retaining viewers during the commercial pods, preliminary Nielsen minute-by-minute ratings data suggests that the net doesn’t really face too much of a threat on that score, as it loses an average of just 5 percent of its audience during the breaks. That said, BET is experimenting with so-called “pod-buster” executions that merge programming and consumer messaging, an initiative that has been embraced by Viacom sibs VH1, MTV and Spike TV, among others.

Carr said that however the ratings flap pans out, he’s not going to be beholden to ineffective creative. “We’re all in the same boat together, and the agencies are right there with us,” Carr said. “If commercial ratings are the currency [in this year’s upfront] and everyone sees the commercial ratings go down drastically, what does that say about the quality of creative?”

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003573630

LL3HD

04-18-07, 07:02 PM

Passings
Kitty Carlisle Hart, 96
Actress, TV panelist
1932, and her first motion picture was "Murder at the Vanities" in 1934. The following year she appeared with the Marx Bros. in "A Night at the Opera," in which she sang.
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11913Awwwww :(

LL3HD

04-18-07, 07:10 PM

just for once I'd like to see this sort of thing not make it to air. Let his manifesto die with his name and give the airtime to stories about the people who were killed. So that their names will be remembered instead of giving fame to someone who shouldn't have it.I agree too as you and Fred said. The focus should stay on the victims. The last thing the networks should be doing is glamorizing this sick killer. This could just inspire copycats too.

fredfa

04-18-07, 07:16 PM

You want to see stomach-turning, go to the msnbc website to see how they are almost turning this into entertainment. (And they couldn't post it fast enough, it seems.)

Slides shows of the killer, video. It is beyond gross.

(One can only imagine what the acerbic Keith Olbermann would have said if FNC or CNN had done it.)

But this is enough on this sad, sad topic.

I mentioned I hadn't posted on it for many reasons, and the main one has already appeared -- it is hard to stay on our topic -- which is TV programming.

So let's drop this discussion before it gets out of hand. One of my privileges (Iamybe my only one) that I rarely invoke is the right to have the last word.

So for now, please let this be the last word on the Virginia Tech tragedy.

fredfa

04-18-07, 07:18 PM

Awwwww :(

She was quite a lady, Larry.

Ms. Hart certainly led a full life. And I've never heard anyone say a bad word about her as a person.

We should all be so lucky.

fredfa

04-18-07, 07:44 PM

Nielsen Notebook
Some Nielsen Finals From Tuesday, April 18
(As posted by Travis Yanan at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog)

The Shield (FX)
- 1.949 million viewers
- 1.3/2 HH
- 0.9/3 A18-49

Dancing with the Stars (9pm, 62 minutes)
- 16.542 million viewers
- 11.0/16 HH
- 4.2/10 A18-49

American Idol
- 26.548 million viewers
- 15.4/24 HH
- 10.2/28 A18-49

House (9:01)
- 22.411 million viewers
- 13.4/20 HH
- 9.1/22 A18-49

Gilmore Girls
- 3.793 million viewers
- 2.7/4 HH
- 1.7/5 A18-49
- 2.1/6 A18-34

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/82710664/p/10

HDTVFanAtic

04-18-07, 07:58 PM

So far I have steered clear of this terrible story. But this development might be of interest:
TV Notebook
Tech killer sent NBC News 'multimedia manifesto'

By Paul J. Gough The Hollywood Reporter April 18, 2007

NEW YORK -- NBC News received a package Wednesday morning from the 23-year-old man who killed 32 people in a rampage at Virginia Tech, a package including a rambling letter, videos and photographs that was apparently sent in the two hours between the first and second shootings.

The network immediately notified the FBI of the package, which had been addressed to NBC at its headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i24b21916578451e53c6ec1eedad4dd18

NBC can thank Tina Fey for getting this when no one else did.

HDTVFanAtic

04-18-07, 08:06 PM

I've seen every ep of ER but last week was just plain lousy. It was as if they wasted a whole episode to remind the viewers what was happening in the show, they covered ground that was done before the break, what's happening, who's doing what, it was incredibly boring, I remember thinking to my self, "when is this going to be over?".

My CableCo MSO did not record it as I had removed it from the Season Pass when they went to reruns as it conflicted with something new (October Road I believe) and forgot to add it in.

I started to watch the West Coast Feed at 1AM but got distracted by something and figured I would watch it on line the next day in a worst case scenario.

Turned out ER was not available from NBC's website.

Oh well.

fredfa

04-18-07, 08:07 PM

Did you get my reply, HDTVF?

keenan

04-18-07, 08:57 PM

My CableCo MSO did not record it as I had removed it from the Season Pass when they went to reruns as it conflicted with something new (October Road I believe) and forgot to add it in.

I started to watch the West Coast Feed at 1AM but got distracted by something and figured I would watch it on line the next day in a worst case scenario.

Turned out ER was not available from NBC's website.

Oh well.
IMO, you didn't miss anything as all they did was rehash things we already knew. It was like a "we're back, this is what was going on when we left" sort of episode.

harley1

04-18-07, 09:17 PM

fred have you seen any information on a launch date for the NHL Network?

Part of the renewal for Versus was to launch the NHL Network in the USA in April or May of 07 .

fredfa

04-18-07, 09:58 PM

I have not seen a word about it, harley1.

fredfa

04-18-07, 11:46 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Regis takes on "Today," "GMA" for Emmy
By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel Television Critic his TV Guy blog, April 18, 2007

NBC's "Today" and ABC's "Good Morning America" constantly call attention to their news status. But when it comes to the Emmys, they'll be going head to head with ... get this ... "Live With Regis and Kelly."

Nominees for top morning program were announced late Wednesday. Those three programs were the choices. I'm hoping that Philbin and Ripa (pictured) come out on top June 15, when the winners are announced. Philbin and Ripa offer the lighter fare with more ease than the other two shows. They're not doing journalism. And they're not bouncing between the serious and the frivolous.

And that bouncing can cause whiplash when viewing "GMA" and "Today." They're supposed to be more than "morning programs," aren't they?

I think this recognition reflects badly on the news programs. What do you think?

"Live With Regis and Kelly" -- it's the morning show that puts you at ease. There ought to be an award for that, especially these days, don't you think?

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2007/04/regis_philbin_t.html

HDTVFanAtic

04-18-07, 11:48 PM

Did you get my reply, HDTVF?

Yes, thanks for the handy work. While, I was roaming around the NAB today, I was able to plant a bug in a few peoples ears who were pretty shocked at this.

Less than 72 hours after NBC fired IMUS, NBC had no problem with a member of an African American Rapper's Posse calling a white policewoman a Ho on Law and Order Criminal Intent on Saturday night. It was about the 5th time they have aired the episode - and seen by 6.778 million viewers this time alone, compared to the 2 Million that see or hear Imus OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK - and of course there were only a few listening at the time of his comment.

For some reason we don't see NBC cancelling Law and Order and banning Dick Wolf.

And wouldn't you know that Al Sharpton isn't calling for NBC to do so.

Then on Monday night Two and a Half Men, 12.98 Million people saw them go after hispanics with a racial stereotype. Why isn't CBS's Board of Director Bruce Gordon screaming about stereotypes of Hispanics and demanding this show be cancelled?

Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream that all men were created equal.

Somewhere along the way history must have edited his speech where he gave the disclaimers, as its clear not all are created equal in this case.

Of course, Al Sharpton verified that on Oprah Monday when he stated: "The object was not to bring Imus down, it was to lift women up - and if some people have to come down to lift all of us up, then that's just the price we pay"

So Reverend Sharpton believes some people have to be made sacrificial lambs so African American's can feel good about themselves?

Of course, the really sad part of this is that if the VT Shootings had happened 7-10 days earlier, Imus would still have 2 jobs, Of the 50% of the kids that go to Imus's camp that are minorities, the camp would still have funding and no one would remember this event ever happened.

HDTVFanAtic

04-18-07, 11:55 PM

fredfa

04-19-07, 12:21 AM

Hal's usually pretty thorough. It looks like he missed on this one.

ttexas22

04-19-07, 12:21 AM

kizzo

04-19-07, 12:37 AM

Of course, the really sad part of this is that if the VT Shootings had happened 7-10 days earlier, Imus would still have 2 jobs, Of the 50% of the kids that go to Imus's camp that are minorities, the camp would still have funding and no one would remember this event ever happened.

50% of the kids in his camp are minorities?? I didn't know that. IMO, I don't think he was a traditional racist. Not a racist that just hates blacks in general, but I think he still had a "racist" mindset. Because words he stated just don't slip out, unless you truly thought those things in the first place. I never really heard of the guy until this event happened though. Thanks Al Sharpton!!

I also don't think he shouldn't have been fired, but taken off the air for atleast a month, and maybe donated some money to the Rutgers basketball team. Yes, I am black and I don't think he should have been fired.

I think Imus screwed himself though. He should have NEVER went to Al Sharpton and tried to defend himself.. stupid move. He should have apologized immediately after it became a news event, went to the press conference with the girls, and made a public apology infront of them and the press there. And finish with a final meeting in closed doors with the team. TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!

Problem solved :D

fredfa

04-19-07, 01:51 AM

Didn't realize there was a vote on...there's now a hanging chad with your name on it. You (and your other contributors) do a fantastic job of pulling a lot of information together and carrying on a lively discussion. Keep up the great work!

TTx22

Thanks so much for the vote and welcome to the thread, TTx22. :)

(It is kind of sobering, but I am still about 300 behind the leader -- some blog which shows pictures of cute animals. But all your votes have moved the thread up to 13th, so that is a good start.)

Please feel free to post whenever the mood strikes you about any topic related to TV.

fredfa

04-19-07, 01:53 AM

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:01 AM

The 2007-2008 Season
Crime Shows’ Last Verdict?
These Are Their Stories
By Bill Carter The New York Times April 19, 2007

The future of “Law & Order,” one the most enduringly popular shows in television history, will be decided over the next few weeks as its network, NBC, and its creator, Dick Wolf, mull a wrenching decision:

Is it finally time to shut down production of a series that has churned out almost 400 episodes, fueled ratings for several cable channels with its voluminous repeats and spawned two successful spinoffs, all the while generating enormous profits for both NBC and Mr. Wolf?

The answer will come in the negotiations now going on between Mr. Wolf and NBC Universal, the corporate entity that includes the studio that produces the series. The talks involve not just the 17-year-old “Law & Order” but also its most recent offspring, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” now in its sixth season.

At least according to NBC executives, it’s possible that either or both “Law & Order” and “Criminal Intent” will be canceled.

Cancellation of the venerable original would mean the end of a dream that Mr. Wolf has pursued openly for several years: that his series would top the pre-cable “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running entertainment series in prime-time history.

That CBS western ran for 20 seasons; “Law & Order” is now three years short of that mark. At one time it seemed possible that the crime series would finally gun down Marshal Matt Dillon. Now with even one more season in doubt, the dream may be fading.

Not to Mr. Wolf, however, whose success as a producer has always been matched only by his fierce loyalty to his shows. “Of course I want ‘L&O’ to reach 21 years,” Mr. Wolf said in a telephone interview. “How could you get this close and not want that to happen?”

Both sides easily concede the central issue in the negotiations: money. With ratings for both “Law & Order” and “Criminal Intent” having faded (the third of the franchise, “Special Victims Unit,” remains a hit and has already been renewed for another season), NBC argues that the shows are not financially viable anymore, at least at their present costs.

NBC concedes that “Law & Order” still generates more than $40 million in profits every year from sales of its episodes to the cable channel TNT and to international networks, but it argues that those profits are wiped out by the costs of the show.

Mr. Wolf was able to negotiate one of television’s richest producer deals ever in 2004, when NBC completed his contract just before it closed its deal to acquire the Universal studio that produced his shows.

Mr. Wolf does not dispute that the shows are costly. He said he was considering ways to lower costs, especially on the original “Law & Order,” perhaps by replacing some current cast members. “Creative people come up with creative solutions,” he said.

But NBC doesn’t believe any change in weekly production costs alone will resolve the financial dilemma.

Mr. Wolf said the the possible cancellations are both unfair and short-sighted. He said it was unfair because NBC moved the original “Law & Order” out of its longtime home on Wednesday nights at 10 and exiled it to a desert location Fridays at 10. He said he noticed that the shows NBC tried to replace “Law & Order” with on Wednesdays — “Heist” and “Kidnapped” — collapsed quickly.

The cancellation talk is short-sighted, he argued, because the television business is in economic upheaval, with no one understanding how the switch to running shows on multiple platforms on the Internet, instead of saving the reruns for future use — so-called back-end profits — will pay off.

Of the move toward Web-based replays of shows, Mr. Wolf said: “There is absolutely no back end. I don’t know where the money is.” He added, “There are very few ways to open new revenue streams.”

But he pointed to a new revenue stream he himself has opened recently. Mr. Wolf has begun selling the format rights to both “SVU” and “Criminal Intent” to international production companies. In Russia, for example, “SVU” and “Criminal Intent” have become top-rated series, using almost word for word translations of the scripts of the American version. A French version of “Criminal Intent” is about to start in that country.

“The revenue is a trickle right now, but it could become a steady revenue stream,” Mr. Wolf said. He also questioned how NBC was going to get by without his shows given the problems the network has on many of its nights of prime time, not to mention the heavy dependence that NBC Universal continues to have on repeats of Mr. Wolf’s shows. These fill hours of time on both the USA and Bravo cable networks, both owned by NBC Universal, as well as almost every Saturday night on NBC.

But NBC’s concerns about the ratings performance of the shows seem to trump all those considerations. For one thing, the network’s research department notes that “Law & Order” has been losing about the same number of viewers every year over the last four, a drop-off that has not been especially exacerbated by the shift to Fridays.

Marc Graboff, president of NBC’s West Coast division, said that while NBC Universal still uses repeats of the shows widely, there is no reason it needs new episodes to continue to do so. “There are enough episodes in the bank” to fulfill the needs of the USA and Bravo channels, he said.

The bottom line for NBC Universal is that it owns the “Law & Order” shows, not Mr. Wolf, and the ultimate decision of what to do with the series rests with the company, not the producer. That does not take into account the long and fruitful relationship between NBC and Mr. Wolf, however, and that will surely come into play.

It already has, with Mr. Wolf saying he continues to talk on friendly terms with the top NBC Universal executives, Mr. Graboff and the company president, Jeff Zucker.

“Jeff and I speak all the time,” Mr. Wolf said. “Marc and I speak all the time. It’s a long-term Catholic marriage. There’s some stuff being thrown around in the kitchen, but everybody’s being rational.”

What Mr. Wolf most wants is a deal that will bring back all three of his series. “Jeff knows my aim is to keep the brand as healthy as it can possibly be,” Mr. Wolf said of Mr. Zucker. “To me the health of the brand is extended when all three shows are on the network.”

How likely is that to happen? Mr. Graboff seemed to indicate that the continuation of the threesome is a long shot, with either “Law & Order” or “Criminal Intent” seemingly headed for closure between now and early next month, before NBC announces its new fall lineup.

With “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” already on that lineup, Mr. Graboff said of the others, “I’m hopeful we’ll be able to make a deal to bring one of the two shows back on the air. ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/arts/television/19law.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:06 AM

Critic’s Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy:
Amid Chaos, One Notably Restrained Voice
By Alessandra Stanley The New York Times April 19, 2007

Brian Williams of “NBC Nightly News” told PBS’s Charlie Rose on Tuesday that the shootings at Virginia Tech proved that viewers still wanted traditional network anchors.

Most don’t need more than one, however.

The excruciatingly close-up and continuous coverage of the massacre helps explain why viewers are increasingly turning to Charles Gibson of ABC. When it comes to an anchor’s presence at a major breaking story, less can be more.

And particularly in the middle of so wrenching a tragedy, tone matters as much as content. Hurricane Katrina, even more than 9/11, emboldened television newscasters to fold themselves and their feelings into the story, and that has led to the Anderson Cooperization of the evening news.

Network anchors often behave as if they are the nation’s grief counselors. One reason that Mr. Gibson has been gaining in the ratings could be that he acts like the nation’s newsman.

Mr. Williams and CBS’s Katie Couric were in Blacksburg, Va., on Monday, the day of the shootings — CBS that night extended the evening newscast to a full hour. Mr. Gibson, who didn’t arrive on the scene until Tuesday and delegated many interviews to ABC colleagues, was better than either of his rivals at keeping an even keel. His interview with a group of survivors on Tuesday night was more bearable to watch, mostly because his questions, posed in a kindly but neutral manner, solicited information, not emotion.

“And how would you describe his facial manner and demeanor?” Mr. Gibson asked, referring to the gunman. “Could you feel him pushing against the door?” Perhaps relieved to be asked for facts and not just their feelings, the students delivered both.

Until recently, NBC could always count on easily outdoing its rivals on a major breaking story. On Monday NBC had slightly more viewers, 10.3 million, than ABC, which was about 270,000 behind, according to preliminary ratings figures. (CBS was a distant third, with two million fewer.) But Mr. Gibson, who took over the ABC anchor desk permanently almost a year ago, has in recent months been steadily gaining on NBC. For the week of April 2, ABC ranked first in total viewers, with its greatest margin over NBC since August 2005.

Bad news always draws large audiences, but in a major tragedy, be it 9/11, Hurricane Katrina or a campus shooting like Columbine and now Virginia Tech, the viewer also looks more closely at the messenger — sometimes punitively. When nerves are raw, even an anchor’s tiniest misstep or phony moment can grate.

Mr. Williams is polished and authoritative when delivering the news, but he turns longwinded and cloyingly personal in one-on-one interviews, perhaps trying to compensate for a stuffy Savile Row style or to relive his more emotive reporting during Katrina.

Ms. Couric, who anchored Monday’s broadcast in white slacks and very little makeup to signal to viewers that she was hard at work in the field (actually, it was a university alumni room), is less wordy, but in interviews she tends to lower her voice to signal compassion and to gaze at the interviewee with gauzy, sorrowful looks.

Mr. Gibson, who comes across on-screen as rumpled, pleasant and serious, doesn’t try as hard to look softhearted.

The networks went all-out on the story, all three extending their evening newscasts to an hour on Tuesday and crashing special editions of their magazine shows onto the air on Monday and Tuesday. Right after delivering Tuesday’s evening news, Ms. Couric was host of a special edition of “48 Hours.”

Anchors are most useful during a prolonged crisis — they marshal the fast-flowing, sometimes contradictory facts and bring an authoritative narrative to an unfinished story. But unlike Katrina or 9/11, this catastrophe was not a continuing disaster: sadly, the worst was over before midday. All the news programs were working with the same distressing material — and even videotape — packaging the story as much as reporting it.

CNN, which dispatched 100 or so people to Blacksburg, often surpassed the networks. CNN was the news organization that first got hold of the disturbing cellphone recording of shots being fired in Norris Hall, which was sent to the CNN Web site, cnn.com, by a student bystander. On Tuesday evening CNN had found two suitemates who recounted some of the most chilling details about the gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, including that he had an imaginary girlfriend named Jelly.

Yesterday MSNBC had the strangest news bulletin of all: that cable news outlet said that NBC had received a package of material from Mr. Cho that was apparently sent between the two shootings.

Coverage on the whole was thorough, dignified and respectful, but the effort to stake a special claim to the story appeared at times strained. All three anchors had brief one-on-one interviews on Tuesday with President Bush and the first lady, who had come to attend the university convocation; CBS and ABC had theirs in the same corner of a room lined with maroon and gold insignias. Introducing her interview, Ms. Couric told viewers, “ I sat down with President and Mrs. Bush.” (Actually, they stood for the entire conversation.)

NBC’s newsmagazine show, “Dateline,” couldn’t quite shake its innate cheesiness. Every news program had the same outdoor interview with John Markell, the owner of the Roanoke gun shop where Mr. Cho bought one of his weapons. Chris Hansen, who is the host of the “To Catch a Predator” features on “Dateline,” sat in a room posing questions via satellite to Mr. Markell, who was outdoors surrounded by leafy trees. It had the look of one of those hokey interview parodies on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.”

Mr. Gibson didn’t look as if he were simulating emotion or fact-finding; he looked professional and self-effacing. And in a calamity, that is actually a comfort.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/arts/television/19watc.html?ref=television&pagewanted=print

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:14 AM

The 2007-08 TV Season
'Law & Order' fate hangs in air
It's looking good for 'Criminal'
By Josef Adalian Variety
With less than a month to go before NBC unveils its new fall sked, the fates of "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" remain up in the air.

For some time now, there’s been increasing buzz surrounding the venerable Dick Wolf skeins, with industry insiders suggesting that cancellation of one or both is on the table (Daily Variety, March 13).

In recent days, the word in the agency community has been that NBC wants to bring back "Criminal Intent" but say farewell to the so-called Mothership. ("SVU" has already been renewed).

But people familiar with the situation insist that no final call has been made and that negotiations between NBC Universal and Wolf Films continue. Money will be the deciding factor, they say.

Wolf has been aggressive in presenting NBC plans to make the original "L&O" as financially attractive as possible. He’s come up with proposed budget cuts that would save $11 million over the course of a season, or about $500,000 per episode. As always, cast changes could be in the works should "L&O" return (including the potential departure of Fred Thompson, said to be seriously mulling a run for president).

Those savings may not be enough for NBC U brass, who may try to get Wolf to make further financial concessions, perhaps by making changes to his deal with the company. That seems unlikely, however, given Wolf’s well-documented statements regarding the sanctity of contracts.

Making matters even more complicated is that, while the "Law" skeins may be slipping in the ratings, they remain a huge source of syndie coin for NBC U. All three have taken in more than $1 billion over their lives.

NBC execs, however, are looking to seed new hits on the net’s schedule. If the Peacock’s new pilots turn out well -- always a big if at any net -- execs could argue that they’d rather use the money spent on "Law" skeins to take a gamble on something new.

Money aside, however, there’s plenty of room on the net’s sked for new fare, even if all three “Law”-branded skeins return. If the pilots don’t turn out well, NBC may end up wanting more proven fare on its bench, even at a lower rating.

Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, both NBC and the Wolf camp remain outwardly optimistic.

"We’re in discussions with Dick to explore ways to bring back one or both shows," an NBC rep said.

And Wolf’s take?

"My sincerest hope is that once again all three shows will be picked up by NBC and one of the most productive business relationships in the history of television will continue unabated," he told Daily Variety.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963370&categoryid=14

kizzo

04-19-07, 02:18 AM

Kizzo, what a reasoned approach to the topic.

(It is no wonder we'll probably never see your calm and sensible point of view on the cable TV news shoutfests.)

Thanks as always for contributing.

Now I think we'd all best leave the Imus situation and move on.

Totally agree.. I wanted to avoid the topic altogether. Until I read the thing about the ranch from HDTVFanatic. Which I thought was very interesting.

Because I knew you mention a few pages back.. you thought it was being covered enough already. Plus, I also like that this thread is somewhat politics free :D

HDTVFanAtic

04-19-07, 02:27 AM

50% of the kids in his camp are minorities?? I didn't know that. IMO, I don't think he was a traditional racist. Not a racist that just hates blacks in general, but I think he still had a "racist" mindset. Because words he stated just don't slip out, unless you truly thought those things in the first place. I never really heard of the guy until this event happened though. Thanks Al Sharpton!!

I am not an Imus fan. But I agree with what an Jason Whitlock said on Oprah Monday - "It's ridiculous that we expect to hold a white man up to higher standards than we hold ourselves up to".

I also don't think he shouldn't have been fired, but taken off the air for atleast a month, and maybe donated some money to the Rutgers basketball team. Yes, I am black and I don't think he should have been fired.

I am not for giving him a free pass either and agree with your penalties. Likewise, upwards of 90% of the polls conducted since last Thursday say that he should not have been fired, so you are nowhere in the minority on this one.

I think Imus screwed himself though. He should have NEVER went to Al Sharpton and tried to defend himself.. stupid move. He should have apologized immediately after it became a news event, went to the press conference with the girls, and made a public apology infront of them and the press there. And finish with a final meeting in closed doors with the team. TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!

Agree 100%

As strange is this sounds and as bad as it sounds, the VT killings were the best thing to happen to African Americans as an outcome of this, because as it was going with 90% in the polls thinking this was wrong, this was about to go down as the straw that broke the camel's back in race relations in this Country if it had kept its place on the networks.

It's now up to the African American Community to begin personal responsibility as well. And the first thing they better look at is their leadership.

As Jason Whitlock (yes, he's an African American as well) has demonstrated by his writings in the Kansas City Paper, there are African Americans who realize that after 40 years since Dr. King's death, the problem starts within and the movement that Dr. King started needs better leadership if anything is to really change.

http://sports.aol.com/whitlock/_a/time-for-jackson-sharpton-to-step-down/20070411111509990001

http://www.kansascity.com/182/story/71084.html

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:29 AM

I try my best to keep politics out of it -- but every once in a while I slip.

Personally, I DO love a good political discussion -- but this is not the place for that. Which is why I tend to not post stories about O'Reilly, Hannity, Olbermann and the like unless there is some major reason for including them.

Nonetheless, your contribution added something to the brief Imus discussion. So thanks for chiming in.

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:33 AM

Obituary
Actress Kitty Carlisle Hart dies at 96
By Tony Gieske The Hollywood Reporter (Duane Byrge and wire services contributed to this report.) April 19, 2007

Kitty Carlisle Hart, the glittering grande dame of show business who had a seven-decade career, has died. She was 96.

Hart, who died Tuesday of cardiac arrest at her home in Manhattan, had been touring in her one-woman show, "Here's to Life," until stricken with pneumonia in December.

Said her longtime musical director David Lewis: "The show was about everyone she had known -- Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and her wonderful relationship with her husband," Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Moss Hart, who directed "My Fair Lady."

Lewis said when he once asked her "why she would attend events every single night of her life and dress up and be the grande dame Kitty Carlisle Hart, she said that the grim reaper was lapping at her feet. She had to outpace him."

Kitty Carlisle Hart was awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Bush in 1991.

She made her theatrical debut in the 1932 musical comedy "Rio Rita" on Broadway, sang "Love in Bloom" in the film "She Loves Me Not" with Bing Crosby and was still singing almost to the day of her death.

She became a favorite of the first television generation as a witty regular on the game shows "To Tell the Truth" and "What's My Line?"

Hart started each morning by smiling at herself in the mirror, she wrote in her autobiography, a practice that she said captivated men.

Playwright Norman Krasna wanted to marry her, Gershwin proposed to her, and financier Bernard Baruch wanted to leave his wife for her, she said.

At a party given by playwright Lillian Hellman, Kitty Carlisle ran into Moss Hart, who had turned her down for a part 10 years earlier when she auditioned for "Jubilee," the musical he wrote with Cole Porter.

He "called me the next morning and said, 'Are you surprised?' " she said later. "And I said, 'No, I knew you would call.' "

The two were married Aug. 10, 1946, shortly before her 36th birthday.

"Moss directed my clothes the way he directed a play," Hart said. "I happily followed every one of his notions." The couple entertained frequently in their 15-room apartment on Park Avenue or at a weekend farm in Pennsylvania.

Well known for her starring role as Rosa Castaldi in the 1935 Marx Brothers movie "A Night at the Opera," her other film credits include "Here Is My Heart," also opposite Crosby; Woody Allen's "Radio Days"; and "Six Degrees of Separation."

She made her operatic debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1967 in "Die Fledermaus" and created the role of Lucretia in the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's "Rape of Lucretia."

When movie roles became scarce -- "I was a meteoric bust," she wrote in "Kitty: An Autobiography" -- Hart returned to Broadway as the lead in "White Horse Inn" in 1936 and in "Three Waltzes" the next year.

Her other Broadway credits include "On Your Toes," "Anniversary Waltz" and "Walk With Music."

Hart accepted jobs wherever they were offered, often in summer stock. She sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at many World War II bond rallies and appeared in the 1944 film "Hollywood Canteen."

In her later years, she was seen around town with her latest beau, financier Roy Neuberger.

The entertainer also was a tireless advocate for the arts, serving 20 years on the New York State Council on the Arts.

"I worked hard. I learned how to be a politician and how to get the money out of Albany," Hart said a couple of years ago. "And I learned how to charm five governors. I started with Nelson Rockefeller. I called all my governors 'darling.' "

Hart was born Catherine Conn on Sept. 3, 1910, in New Orleans to Joseph and Hortense Conn. After her father's death, her mother sold their house and took her daughter to New York and then to Europe, where the young Catherine was enrolled in Mont Choisi, a school overlooking Lac Leman in Switzerland. She ended her education at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, where she won a certificate.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i24b21916578451e5dd4aa0435a9a8c3e

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:52 AM

Critic’s Notebook: The Virginia Tech Tragedy
NBC Broadcasts An Eerie Epilogue
By Tom Shales Washington Post Columnist Thursday, April 19, 2007

As broadcast and cable networks appeared ready to step beyond decent boundaries of saturation and repetition yesterday in their coverage of Monday's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the story suddenly turned shocking new corners -- and took on strange new life.

Most startling, the killer confessed, on videotape, from the grave.

Almost as if orchestrating coverage of his own crimes, 23-year-old student Cho Seung Hui paused between his first and second shooting episodes Monday to mail photos, writings and video of himself to NBC News in New York. The first bits and pieces from among 27 video clips aired on last night's edition of "NBC Nightly News" with Brian Williams.

Earlier, though, NBC released to its affiliates a still photo that could become instantly iconic -- a self-portrait of Cho in which he is dressed in black, brandishing two handguns and wearing a dark baseball cap backward. Those old enough to remember might have been reminded of an eerily similar photo of Lee Harvey Oswald holding a rifle -- an image that was circulated soon after President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

Terrible, tragic news stories often end up being compared with works of fiction, though -- partly because, it would seem, people can distance the stories that way. And the difference between how Cho looked in the photographs he sent to NBC (wearing commando gear and brandishing various weapons) and the only photo previously available via TV and the Internet (him looking meek and anonymous) particularly evokes the drastic change that came over Robert De Niro's character in the 1976 film "Taxi Driver." The character, Travis Bickle, rails against the world's moral corruption the way that Cho did, and radically changes his appearance when he seemingly sets out on a mission to assassinate a political candidate. The mission doesn't go as planned, but Bickle precipitates a bloodbath nevertheless.

Williams told viewers that the package had been sent via overnight mail Monday from a Blacksburg post office and that because Cho had written the wrong Zip code on it, delivery was delayed a day. NBC lawyers, executives and journalists pored over copies of the contents after sending the original materials to the FBI, Williams said.

NBC apparently did not share the contents of the package, including the video, with other networks, but at the end of "Nightly News," Williams -- sounding not unlike a carnival huckster at that moment -- told viewers to be sure to tune in the "Today" show for more excerpts, more ravings from the dead killer. Some of the images also aired immediately following "Nightly News" on "Hardball" with Chris Matthews, a nightly news-talk show on NBC-owned cable network MSNBC.

"I didn't have to do this. I could have fled," Cho says on the videotape, which also includes angry rambling that Williams called "incoherent." Cho accuses unnamed conspirators of persecuting and menacing him and says that because of what others have done, "I die like Jesus Christ."

It isn't clear whether Cho is speaking literally or metaphorically, but in strictly journalistic terms, it was a stunning twist in a story that the networks were coming very close to overplaying -- one that was relying on a limited supply of video images that networks repeated and repeated.

Networks also reported yesterday that a Virginia state judicial official, reviewing Cho's psychological history more than a year ago, signed documents declaring him a danger to himself and to others -- but this was not as visual as the story's other material and didn't get as much play.

The most alarmingly underplayed story in weeks was yesterday's Supreme Court decision banning some forms of abortion. CNN treated it almost as an afterthought, delaying any details while an anchor laboriously interviewed a former FBI agent who had nothing of value to contribute to the Cho story. Because the interview was about the mass shooting, however, the Supreme Court story had to wait in the wings.

Until the package arrived at NBC, the story had almost started following what might be considered a template for national tragedies, a series of stages that has become dismayingly familiar: the initial shock; reaction to the event; essays on historical perspective that keep the story in the forefront of news; and, finally, criticism of the media for how the story has been played -- or, more likely, overplayed.

The Virginia Tech tragedy was clearly about to enter that last phase when the prototype was shattered, and in a uniquely 21st-century way. There was the amateur video, a 22-page typed "manifesto" and 29 artfully arranged photographic illustrations (believed to have been taken by Cho himself) to go with the essay. There were also photos of Cho looking menacingly into the camera. In some pictures, he is armed with a gun; in one, he holds a hammer. In another photo, he aims a gun not at the camera but at his own head.

A New York post office employee, seeing the return address on the Express Mail label, personally carried the package to NBC; it ended up on the desk of NBC News President Steve Capus, who was heard in a telephone interview on "Hardball" last night. Capus told Matthews there was "no indication" why Cho sent the package to NBC instead of the other networks, or to all of them.

It wasn't the first time NBC News has found itself involved in the stories it covers. During the big post-9/11 anthrax scare, then-anchor Tom Brokaw was among those targeted with mail containing the deadly chemical. NBC employees were issued an antibiotic treatment to counteract the anthrax if anyone was exposed to it, leading Brokaw to close one newscast by saying, "In Cipro we trust." Cipro was the brand name of the antibiotic.

Even when coverage of a tragedy lacks new developments, some viewers continue to watch, fascinated and spellbound -- even if they are seeing the same pictures repeated as if on a loop. It's perhaps a way of managing the unmanageable, of dealing with the unbearably sad and horrific, just as when we all sat spellbound before our television sets during the 9/11 tragedy. The attacks lasted one morning, but we stayed with television and its validating images for days -- not so much processing information as absorbing it, translating a seeming nightmare into reality.

Yesterday, CNN was still showing footage that a student took with a cellphone -- a clip CNN first aired Monday. The network then benefited from new footage -- two Swiss students who happened to be visiting Virginia Tech and were strolling on campus with cameras on Monday morning brought CNN their video of police fanning out near one of the campus buildings. The students also videotaped an injured woman whose body was put into the back of an ambulance.

The young men, interviewed by Wolf Blitzer, said they had no idea at first what they were videotaping. They thought maybe it was a practice exercise, they said, and they even made jokes and laughed about it.

No one, of course, is laughing now. And yet it's almost too sad to cry.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/18/AR2007041802745_pf.html

RussB

04-19-07, 03:51 AM

How big does a story have to be to pre-empt network programming?

By PAUL FARHI
Washington Post
April 18, 2007, 9:19AM

On the night after the deadliest shooting spree in American history, the nation's most popular TV networks weren't covering the grim news during their prime-time hours. Instead, it was escapism as usual: ABC had Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor, Fox carried 24, CBS stuck with Two and a Half Men, and NBC showed Deal or No Deal.

Which raises a question: Just how big does a story have to be these days to get the broadcast networks to pay attention during their most-watched hours?

A few news events in recent memory have commanded "wall-to-wall" coverage on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. The Big Four pre-empted their evening entertainment shows in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and after the deaths of Pope John Paul II and former President Ronald Reagan. And, of course, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, merited almost a full week of nonstop network coverage, rivaling any other event in the history of television.

But Monday's virtual noncoverage in prime time — only NBC pre-empted reruns of My Name Is Earl for an hourlong report at 9 p.m. — fits a recent historical pattern. More than a decade ago, faced with declining audiences and the choice of airing more profitable sitcoms and dramas, the networks began to cut back on coverage of political conventions, presidential addresses and election-night results. More often than not, entertainment, not news, rules.

"Everyone can appreciate the business pressure that the networks are under, but when did they (start) ceding their responsibility to cover these stories?" said Tom Kunkel, dean of the University of Maryland's journalism school. "It does kind of make you wonder how big a bloodbath there has to be to warrant their attention in prime time. How bad does it have to be to supplant Dancing With the Stars?"

Fox did make one concession to the unfolding tragedy: It has decided to pull an episode of Bones tonight in which a college basketball star is discovered dead on campus. Fox will rerun an earlier episode.

TV, and the networks themselves, surely did not ignore the unfolding tragedy. CBS, ABC and NBC broke into their regular programming early Monday and began issuing periodic updates.

The all-news cable networks, including the network-owned MSNBC and Fox News, carried nonstop coverage.

Monday, none of the networks' representatives would comment directly on why their news coverage did not extend to prime time.

Tom Rosenstiel, director of Washington, D.C.'s nonprofit Project for Excellence in Journalism, said the traditional broadcast networks, and the prime-time hours (7 to 10 p.m.), have special status. About 45 percent of Americans are watching one of the four networks during those hours, a share that typically dwarfs the next 10 cable or broadcast networks combined.

"They'd rather run reruns than pre-empt their regular programming," Rosenstiel said. "It's not a surprise, but it is unfortunate. If the networks have lost their role as arbiters of what's significant in our culture, then they've been complicit in that loss."

The networks defended their coverage Monday, saying they offered special reports throughout the day, plus more information on their Web sites.

ABC, for example, said it expanded its World News broadcast by five minutes to offer more news about the shootings and expanded Nightline from its usual half-hour to a full hour.

CBS News spokeswoman Sandy Genelius called the shootings "obviously a huge story, and we will be covering it aggressively. CBS viewers will be very well-informed." CBS expanded its evening news to a full hour Monday.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/tv/4723378.html

NOTE: The Larry King Specials (which I posted about earlier in this thread) scheduled so far for this week have been pre-empted. Also, Boston Legal was pre-empted.

kb7oeb

04-19-07, 04:19 AM

What did they have to report? They had already been talking about it all day and so was the local news.

fredfa

04-19-07, 10:40 AM

Washington Notebook
FCC Tees Up Dual-Carriage Plan
TV Stations Could Demand That Operators Carry Both Analog and Digital Signals
By Ted Hearn Multichannel News 4/18/2007

The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote next Wednesday on a proposal that would allow TV stations to demand digital and analog carriage on cable systems until the systems had transitioned subscribers to a digital-only platform, according to FCC officials and cable-industry sources familiar with it.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin is seeking majority support for yet another plan controversial with cable’s largest trade group, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Last summer, Martin failed in his quest to force multicast must-carry on cable -- a mandate that would have required carriage of every free digital-programming service that TV stations can pack into their 6-megahertz allotments, or 4-6 channels based on current technology.

If adopted, the new Martin plan would kick in immediately after Feb. 17, 2009, the date mandated by Congress for all full-power TV stations to rely exclusively on digital transmission.

The five-member FCC, where Republicans hold a one-vote majority, is scheduled to hold its monthly public meeting April 25. According to a meeting agenda released Wednesday night, the agency is slated to adopt a notice of proposed rulemaking that contains Martin’s digital-TV-policy preferences regarding cable carriage. Final rules -- which cable can seek to overturn in court -- probably wouldn’t be announced for another year.

After Feb. 17, 2009, a TV station’s mandatory cable-carriage rights would transfer from the analog to the digital signal. Without a government guarantee of analog-cable carriage, a digital-TV station that elected mandatory carriage would be viewable only in cable homes with digital set-top boxes or cable-ready DTV sets. If the transition happened today, a must-carry station would lose nearly one-half of its cable audience.

Based on his view of federal cable law, Martin believes cable operators have a legal obligation to ensure that must-carry stations are viewable in every cable home. The proposal before the FCC is to allow must-carry stations to insist on digital and cable carriage -- or dual carriage -- until every cable home in a market has digital-reception equipment.

Many cable operators -- which are probably many years from being exclusively digital -- have promised to provide dual carriage for must carry stations on a temporary basis so that subscribers don’t lose access to local TV programming.

But cable operators fear that Martin’s interventionist approach could result in triple carriage -- once in analog and twice in digital (standard and HD), because millions of standard-definition set-top boxes can’t display an HD picture in SD.

“It always surprises me when people take them up on what they say and get upset by it,” said Alan Frank, CEO of Post-Newsweek Stations. “What's the problem? If they’re going to do it anyway, why is that a problem?”

To avoid analog-carriage mandates, cable operators could outfit all subscriber homes with digital set-tops. But that’s a costly option that cable companies, for now, prefer to see their customers embrace on their own timetable.

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6434962

fredfa

04-19-07, 10:49 AM

Yesterday’s metered market over-night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

04-19-07, 10:57 AM

Critic’s Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy:
Has NBC ushered in a new era for multimedia?
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Television Critic Thursday, April 19, 2007

The deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech took a strange twist Wednesday afternoon when law enforcement officials said "a critical component of this investigation" had surfaced -- a package sent by Cho Seung-Hui to NBC News containing videos, still photos and a rambling multipage letter. NBC News turned the contents over to the FBI but aired portions of videos and the letters on "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" Wednesday night.

So now NBC and MSBNC and MSNBC.com find themselves in the middle of one of the hottest stories of the year. And that fact certainly raises a lot of ethical questions. As Tucker Carlson said on MSNBC Wednesday: "It's a little bit like pornography. Should we air it?" Of course, the decision to air it was already made by then, because NBC had been hyping it throughout the afternoon. No doubt NBC and MSNBC will get quite a spike in the ratings.

It is odd that NBC initially decided to sit on what is essentially a breaking news story until Brian Williams and the "Nightly News" could unveil it (at least for the West Coast audience). After the segment aired on the East Coast, it was released by NBC and began showing up on the other cable news channels, but with the boldfaced NBC News stamp on it, of course. And while Bay Area TV viewers had to wait until the 5:30 p.m. "Nightly News" broadcast to see the segment, it was immediately available on the MSNBC Web site an hour and a half earlier.

So, is this news? Is NBC -- and the rest of the TV news outlets -- giving Cho exactly what he wanted? Obviously, newspapers will use this material as well, but there was something disturbing about the saturation effect of watching photo after photo play in a slide show on MSNBC Wednesday night.

A hammer, a knife, a Glock, a picture of Cho holding a gun to his own head -- photo after photo kept coming. I wonder how long before people snapped off the TV -- or were they sitting there immobilized, transfixed by the repeating images? Pretty much every media outlet showed the video as soon as NBC released it, but not with the same kind of in-your-face-ness that MSNBC seems to relish. Is this the ultimate "get" or just the kind of ethical burden MSNBC has now fumbled? A lot of questions at hand.

News outlets called Cho's rambling letter "his manifesto." Williams more accurately called it "a multimedia manifesto." No doubt it will usher in a new era of how psychopaths use technology to get their messages to the media. On "Hardball," after the initial "Nightly News" broadcast, Williams talked about the "1,800-word diatribe" and the 29 photos that were sent to NBC.

To his credit, Williams -- who showed more restraint in one minute than Chris Matthews in two separate "Hardball" shows Wednesday -- said, "We are carefully editing what we say."

He sounded appropriately conflicted about being the one, along with his network, who has these images. "This is the going evidence we have to examine," he said by way of an explanation for why NBC aired the video clips and still photos of Cho.

Williams said that NBC was careful in the editing and that more -- previously unseen -- footage would air Thursday morning on "Today." If that didn't fill you with synergistic dread, then perhaps you're not as jaded as the rest of us.

He was certainly right on one point.

"This was a sick business tonight," Williams said, with a shake of his head. But Matthews quickly added that it will go down as a famous day in NBC's history.

"There are definitely things that shouldn't see the light of day," NBC News President Steve Capus told Keith Olbermann on "Countdown" Wednesday night, as he explained that the network will continue to suppress some of the footage.

But by admitting that -- after having aired some of the footage already -- NBC is putting itself in a tough spot. There will be certain factions who believe all of the tape should be seen and that NBC's role as arbiter of the content is wrong (though that's what news outlets do daily: editing). Who knows what the fallout will be? What is certain is that Wednesday's developments were certainly unexpected -- and uncomfortable.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/04/19/MNGADPBFF41.DTL&type=printable

fredfa

04-19-07, 11:04 AM

TV Notebook
'Grey's' Washington nixes Emmy bid
Co-star withdraws from consideration
By Stuart Levine Variety

Don't expect to see any acceptance speeches from Isaiah Washington at this year's Emmys.

The "Grey's Anatomy" co-star has decided not to submit himself for supporting actor consideration.

It wasn't the best TV season for Washington, who allegedly slurred castmate T.R. Knight on the set last October and got into a fight with Patrick Dempsey over the incident. In January, Washington exacerbated the situation, which had largely blown over, when he told the worldwide media attending the Golden Globes that the slur never occurred but used offensive language to make his point.

Washington probably figured he wouldn't receive much love from Emmy voters anyway, and it's smart to stay away from high-profile events where the media might be looking for additional, and controversial, soundbites.

All the other "Grey's Anatomy" actors besides leads Ellen Pompeo and Dempsey are submitting in the supporting category.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963369&categoryid=14

fredfa

04-19-07, 11:25 AM

TV Notebook
NBC could lay down the 'Law'
By Gary Levin USA TODAY April 19, 2007

Law & Order is trying to avoid becoming a victim.

NBC and producer Dick Wolf are in negotiations to shave costs from the longest-running crime series and one of its spinoffs, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, to justify keeping either on the air. (A third, more successful series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, isn't endangered.)

A final decision won't be made until next month, when NBC sets its fall lineup. But there's a good chance at least one of them won't return. That would mark a stark departure from L&O's heyday a half-dozen years ago, when, as a top-10 series, it spawned spinoffs SVU (1999), Criminal Intent (2001) and the short-lived Trial by Jury (2005).

"I'm surprised it's in this position," Wolf says. He says he has heard no complaints about the show's quality. "It's not a creative discussion; it's obviously a business discussion. We're having very serious talks about how to take a significant amount of money out of the budgets," from cutting cast members to changing film stocks.

Says NBC West Coast chief Marc Graboff: "We're exploring with Dick ways to keep one or both."

USA TODAY's Save Our Shows poll reveals strong support among viewers: 57% want to keep L&O, the highest among 22 series in jeopardy, and 48% want CI back.

Yet thanks to their longevity and star salaries, each now costs a steep $4 million an episode to produce, vs. $2.5 million for similarly rated Las Vegas. That show sealed its renewal by trimming its budget, dropping stars James Caan and Nikki Cox.

But unlike Vegas, L&O has earned billions for NBC Universal, which produces the show, airs its original episodes and sells reruns to TNT and its own USA and Bravo channels. Pick up a remote and you can hardly miss it: Today alone, these cable networks will air 16 episodes of the three series. But all that exposure — coupled with normal declines for aging series — has sent ratings into a tailspin.

L&O, already sagging last season, was moved to low-rated Fridays in the fall, where it has since declined 19%. It now ranks slightly behind Criminal Intent, down 16% in its new Tuesday home. Both average about 9 million viewers, still above NBC's record-low prime-time average the past two weeks.

The fourth-place network, under financial strain, is exploring whether less popular but cheaper series are better.

Fans are split. Some call L&O an institution: "It's the only show I literally drop everything to watch," says Sherrill Craig of Raleigh, N.C. Others say it's time to go, after too-frequent cast changes and too many spinoffs.

Wolf has his own agenda: breaking the record for longest-running drama held by CBS' Gunsmoke, which ran 20 years. L&O is now in its 17th. "I would obviously love the show to go 21 seasons. I still think that has the potential to happen."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/default.htm

fredfa

04-19-07, 11:35 AM

TV Sports
Big Ten Network looking for help
The new cable outlet, due in August, likely will bank on fans to pressure operators
By Ed Sherman Chicago Tribune April 19, 2007

Mark Silverman laid out Wednesday all the goodies the new Big Ten Network has to offer.

The network president talked about a daily news-and-feature studio show—a Big Ten "SportsCenter," if you will—plus live reports from each campus, coach's shows and rebroadcasts of classic games. The centerpiece will be a slew of live games, including 35 in football and 105 in basketball.

If you think the Big Ten Network is going to get stuck with dumpy games, guess again. In football ABC still will get the first pick, but there will be many weeks when the Big Ten Network will have the second or third selection over ESPN and ESPN2.

It will be all Big Ten, all the time. Nirvana, if you can't get enough of the Illini, Wildcats, Buckeyes, Wolverines, etc.

But there's a big question: Who will be able to see the Big Ten Network when it launches in August?

Silverman said the network is in the process of negotiating deals with the various cable and satellite outlets. DirecTV already has agreed to carry the network on its Total Choice package. Some small cable companies also have signed on, he said.

But much work needs to be done in securing the bigger systems, including Comcast, the major cable carrier in the Chicago area.

Silverman said repeatedly he is "very confident all the deals will get done." But it hardly is a slam dunk given the distribution problems NFL Network and the Major League Baseball "Extra Innings" package recently have encountered.

The Big Ten's goal is to be on expanded basic cable on all the systems within the eight states that make up the conference; 18.1 million homes have cable or satellite in the region. It would appear on the digital platform elsewhere.

According to Sports Business Journal, the network is asking cable providers to pay $1.10 per subscriber in the Big Ten area. That price is said to have major cable companies balking.

The cable operators don't want to pass on additional fees to their customers. While ESPN charges $3 per subscriber, NFL Network receives only 70 cents per subscriber. Somebody is going to have pay the $1.10 per subscriber the Big Ten is seeking.

There is another potential stumbling block. Many major cable companies often say they don't have room on their basic tiers to add another channel. NFL Network runs on Comcast's digital tier in the Chicago area, even though it is airing regular-season NFL games.

Silverman wouldn't comment on the specifics of the pending talks.

"We plan on negotiating behind closed doors," Silverman said. "We've had encouraging conversations. We don't plan on having any discontent."

Silverman has reason to be optimistic now because he still is relatively early in the negotiating process. But things could get heated if deals aren't reached before August.

NFL Network went on a campaign last fall to apply pressure on several large holdouts to add the channel to their systems. There were areas in Wisconsin that couldn't get the Packers-Vikings game in December because their cable outlets didn't carry NFL Network.

The Big Ten Network obviously hopes to avoid that situation. But if there is trouble, it holds a fairly strong trump card: the fans. Big Ten fans are passionate and they want it all.

Imagine a cable operator in Columbus not carrying the Big Ten Network on its system, thus forcing local fans to miss an Ohio State-Iowa football game. The reaction wouldn't be pretty.

Public pressure can be a beautiful thing. It recently forced MLB to cut a deal with the cable companies to add the "Extra Innings" package. Initially baseball had wanted to do an exclusive deal with DirecTV.

Unless the Big Ten Network reaches agreements soon with the major cable providers, the negotiations will be a storyline through the summer. Usually these things have a way of getting worked out, but as the NFL Network has shown, there are no guarantees.

If August comes around and you aren't receiving the Big Ten Network on your system, you know what to do. Get on the phone to your cable provider and blast your school's fight song in its ear.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-070418sherman,1,1767525,print.column?coll=cs-home-headlines

VisionOn

04-19-07, 11:36 AM

Critic’s Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy:
Has NBC ushered in a new era for multimedia?
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Television Critic Thursday, April 19, 2007

But by admitting that -- after having aired some of the footage already -- NBC is putting itself in a tough spot. There will be certain factions who believe all of the tape should be seen and that NBC's role as arbiter of the content is wrong (though that's what news outlets do daily: editing). Who knows what the fallout will be? What is certain is that Wednesday's developments were certainly unexpected -- and uncomfortable.

NBC could have done this much better and with more tact while still appeasing both sides. They could have just buried information in a simple text link on the homepage rather than plastering images and video everywhere. It's no surprise that the families were upset. All they had to do was walk past any major news media outlet and the image of the killer was getting more publicity than what he actually did.

With wall to wall imagery NBC created a poster boy for a new generation of sick idiots and then released it to every other news broadcaster who did the same. I wrote to NBC and told them as much.

LL3HD

04-19-07, 12:04 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/arts/television/19watc.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1176998439-UxjWqG4ViHwvj0nDZAZM7g

April 19, 2007
The TV Watch

Amid Chaos, One Notably Restrained Voice

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY

Brian Williams of “NBC Nightly News” told PBS’s Charlie Rose on Tuesday that the shootings at Virginia Tech proved that viewers still wanted traditional network anchors.

Most don’t need more than one, however.

The excruciatingly close-up and continuous coverage of the massacre helps explain why viewers are increasingly turning to Charles Gibson of ABC. When it comes to an anchor’s presence at a major breaking story, less can be more.

And particularly in the middle of so wrenching a tragedy, tone matters as much as content. Hurricane Katrina, even more than 9/11, emboldened television newscasters to fold themselves and their feelings into the story, and that has led to the Anderson Cooperization of the evening news.

Network anchors often behave as if they are the nation’s grief counselors. One reason that Mr. Gibson has been gaining in the ratings could be that he acts like the nation’s newsman.

Mr. Williams and CBS’s Katie Couric were in Blacksburg, Va., on Monday, the day of the shootings — CBS that night extended the evening newscast to a full hour. Mr. Gibson, who didn’t arrive on the scene until Tuesday and delegated many interviews to ABC colleagues, was better than either of his rivals at keeping an even keel. His interview with a group of survivors on Tuesday night was more bearable to watch, mostly because his questions, posed in a kindly but neutral manner, solicited information, not emotion.

“And how would you describe his facial manner and demeanor?” Mr. Gibson asked, referring to the gunman. “Could you feel him pushing against the door?” Perhaps relieved to be asked for facts and not just their feelings, the students delivered both.

Until recently, NBC could always count on easily outdoing its rivals on a major breaking story. On Monday NBC had slightly more viewers, 10.3 million, than ABC, which was about 270,000 behind, according to preliminary ratings figures. (CBS was a distant third, with two million fewer.) But Mr. Gibson, who took over the ABC anchor desk permanently almost a year ago, has in recent months been steadily gaining on NBC. For the week of April 2, ABC ranked first in total viewers, with its greatest margin over NBC since August 2005.

Bad news always draws large audiences, but in a major tragedy, be it 9/11, Hurricane Katrina or a campus shooting like Columbine and now Virginia Tech, the viewer also looks more closely at the messenger — sometimes punitively. When nerves are raw, even an anchor’s tiniest misstep or phony moment can grate.

Mr. Williams is polished and authoritative when delivering the news, but he turns longwinded and cloyingly personal in one-on-one interviews, perhaps trying to compensate for a stuffy Savile Row style or to relive his more emotive reporting during Katrina.

Ms. Couric, who anchored Monday’s broadcast in white slacks and very little makeup to signal to viewers that she was hard at work in the field (actually, it was a university alumni room), is less wordy, but in interviews she tends to lower her voice to signal compassion and to gaze at the interviewee with gauzy, sorrowful looks.

Mr. Gibson, who comes across on-screen as rumpled, pleasant and serious, doesn’t try as hard to look softhearted.

The networks went all-out on the story, all three extending their evening newscasts to an hour on Tuesday and crashing special editions of their magazine shows onto the air on Monday and Tuesday. Right after delivering Tuesday’s evening news, Ms. Couric was host of a special edition of “48 Hours.”

Anchors are most useful during a prolonged crisis — they marshal the fast-flowing, sometimes contradictory facts and bring an authoritative narrative to an unfinished story. But unlike Katrina or 9/11, this catastrophe was not a continuing disaster: sadly, the worst was over before midday. All the news programs were working with the same distressing material — and even videotape — packaging the story as much as reporting it.

CNN, which dispatched 100 or so people to Blacksburg, often surpassed the networks. CNN was the news organization that first got hold of the disturbing cellphone recording of shots being fired in Norris Hall, which was sent to the CNN Web site, cnn.com, by a student bystander. On Tuesday evening CNN had found two suitemates who recounted some of the most chilling details about the gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, including that he had an imaginary girlfriend named Jelly.

Yesterday MSNBC had the strangest news bulletin of all: that cable news outlet said that NBC had received a package of material from Mr. Cho that was apparently sent between the two shootings.

Coverage on the whole was thorough, dignified and respectful, but the effort to stake a special claim to the story appeared at times strained. All three anchors had brief one-on-one interviews on Tuesday with President Bush and the first lady, who had come to attend the university convocation; CBS and ABC had theirs in the same corner of a room lined with maroon and gold insignias. Introducing her interview, Ms. Couric told viewers, “ I sat down with President and Mrs. Bush.” (Actually, they stood for the entire conversation.)

NBC’s newsmagazine show, “Dateline,” couldn’t quite shake its innate cheesiness. Every news program had the same outdoor interview with John Markell, the owner of the Roanoke gun shop where Mr. Cho bought one of his weapons. Chris Hansen, who is the host of the “To Catch a Predator” features on “Dateline,” sat in a room posing questions via satellite to Mr. Markell, who was outdoors surrounded by leafy trees. It had the look of one of those hokey interview parodies on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.”

Mr. Gibson didn’t look as if he were simulating emotion or fact-finding; he looked professional and self-effacing. And in a calamity, that is actually a comfort.

fredfa

04-19-07, 12:08 PM

Yesterday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

DAMAC

04-19-07, 12:17 PM

NBC could have done this much better and with more tact while still appeasing both sides. They could have just buried information in a simple text link on the homepage rather than plastering images and video everywhere. It's no surprise that the families were upset. All they had to do was walk past any major news media outlet and the image of the killer was getting more publicity than what he actually did.

With wall to wall imagery NBC created a poster boy for a new generation of sick idiots and then released it to every other news broadcaster who did the same. I wrote to NBC and told them as much.

Agree 100%. I'm afraid that giving the guy that much attention is going to prompt someone else to do the same thing. This is probably a bad analogy, but you have treat it like someone that runs on the field during a major sporting event. The cameras pan away from that person so they don't get their face on TV. Doing that deters people from those types of actions just to get on TV because the broadcasters don't let it work.

This is a much more serious thing, and what this killer wanted was for NBC and other media outlets to plaster him all over the place. Other sick people will look at all the attention he received and copy his actions. Nothing can be done about it now, but there better be a new precedent set that these kinds of things don't get airtime. Otherwise we are going to see this again.

fredfa

04-19-07, 12:24 PM

Ah, but Nightly News won the ratings last night!

dad1153

04-19-07, 12:27 PM

Ah, but Nightly News won the ratings last night!

I know I was watching ^^^^ last night instead of my usual double-run of "Match Game" repeats just to see the photos/videos of this psycho. Guess I'm part of the problem then! :rolleyes:

fredfa

04-19-07, 12:45 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Second airing slump for ABC's 'Notes'
New sitcom averages 2.4 in 18-49s, off 33 percent
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer April 19, 2007

After a solid debut last week airing behind a “Grey’s Anatomy” clip show, the new ABC sitcom “Notes from the Underbelly” took a tumble in week two, on a new night and with a much weaker lead-in.

“Underbelly” averaged a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating last night, according to Nielsen overnights, down 33 percent from last week’s 3.6 for the two-episode premiere on Thursday night.

That, of course, had a “Grey’s” lead-in that was more than double what it had last night, when it finished tied for fourth in its 8:30 p.m. timeslot.

Still, the news was not all bad for “Underbelly.” Though it lost a lot from its premiere, it did build on its “According to Jim” lead-in by 9 percent.

And considering that several of ABC’s new sitcoms have slipped below a 2.0 this year, “Underbelly” certainly could have performed worse.

Meanwhile, another new show fared better in its new timeslot. Improv comedy “Thank God You’re Here,” which ran for two weeks on Monday, moved into the 8 p.m. spot where NBC has struggled this season.

The show averaged a 2.7 rating, winning the weak timeslot and delivering NBC’s best 18-49 rating there since December. It was still down a tad from its second-episode average of 2.9 on Monday.

The only strong show in the slot last night was the CW’s “America’s Next Top Model,” which nearly tied “Here” for No. 1 in 18-49s and did win among 18-34s with a 3.1.

Meanwhile, “American Idol” once again led Fox to a first-place finish for the night among 18-49s, finishing with a 6.7 average rating and an 18 share. ABC was second at 3.0/8, CBS third at 2.8/8, NBC fourth at 2.3/6, and Univision and CW tied for fifth at 2.0/5.

The 8 p.m. hour was congested, with NBC leading with a 2.7 for “Here” and CW a close second with a 2.6 for “Model.” Fox was third that hour with a 2.5 for a “Bones” repeat, CBS and ABC tied for fourth at 2.3, CBS for “Jericho” and ABC for “Jim” (2.2) and “Underbelly” (2.4), and Univision sixth with a 2.1 for “La Fea Mas Bella.”

Fox took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 10.9 for “Idol,” with CBS second with a 2.9 for a repeat of “Criminal Minds.” Univision and NBC tied for third at 2.1, Univision for “Destilando Amor” and NBC for “Crossing Jordan,” with ABC and CW tied for fifth at 1.5, ABC for a “Lost” rerun and CW for a repeat of “The Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll.”

At 10 p.m. ABC took the lead with a 5.1 for “Lost,” with CBS second with a 3.2 for a repeat of “CSI: NY,” NBC third with a 2.0 for a “Medium” rerun and Univision fourth with a 1.6 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

Fox took the night among households with an 11.1 average rating and an 18 share, with CBS second at 6.4/10, ABC third at 4.8/8, NBC fourth at 4.4/7, CW fifth at 2.9/5 and Univision sixth at 2.3/4.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_11548.asp

steverobertson

04-19-07, 01:27 PM

I know I was watching ^^^^ last night instead of my usual double-run of "Match Game" repeats just to see the photos/videos of this psycho. Guess I'm part of the problem then! :rolleyes:

I am as well. NBC was in a no win situation no matter what they did and believe any news orginazation would have done the same.

fredfa

04-19-07, 01:53 PM

TV Notebook
No decision on 2 'L&O' series
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter April 19, 2007

After more than a month of negotiations, the future of Dick Wolf's crime dramas for NBC, "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," is still uncertain.

This week began with a flurry of rumors Monday about the cancellation of the mothership series. After an in-person meeting between reps for Wolf and NBC later that day, the fate of the show was moved back into the "undecided" column. Talks between the two sides are expected to stretch into early May before a final decision on the two series is made. (The franchise's third series, "L&O: SVU," was picked up for next season in January.)

"Talks have been taking place and continue to take place about the future of both 'Law & Order' and 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent,' " Wolf said Wednesday. "I think the discussions have reached a productive stage, and it's my finest hope that we will find a way to have both shows picked up. I feel that creatively they are remarkably strong.

" 'Criminal Intent' went through a major face-lift this fall, and I think it really worked. I also think that 'Law & Order' is still doing a great job of telling stories that very few other shows can tackle," Wolf said.

He declined further comment on the negotiations.

"We're in discussions with Dick to explore ways to bring back one or both shows, but no final decision has been made," an NBC spokeswoman said.

From the very beginning, it was made clear by both sides that a renewal for the shows would be a business decision; both "L&O," in its 17th season, and "L&O: CI," in its sixth, are expensive to produce, with ensemble casts and New York-based shoots, while their ratings have held steady but not near the levels from several years ago.

But as negotiations have been going on, NBC's fortunes changed. With freshman hit "Heroes" still on the bench, the network posted its lowest weekly ratings among adults 18-49 for the past two weeks, with a number of series softening, including once-red-hot game show "Deal or No Deal."

It is understood that, from a financial standpoint, even with significant cost cuts, "Law & Order" won't be able continue in its current slot on the low-traffic, low-ad-revenue Friday night. Things look brighter if "Law & Order" moves to another night, with the Wednesday 10 p.m. period -- where the veteran drama spent 15 years -- as a potential candidate. All of the drama series NBC has put in the time slot since sending "L&O" to Fridays have fared worse than that long-running crime drama.

It is understood that the "L&O" camp also is hoping for a return of its other series on the bubble, "L&O: CI," to its old Sunday 9 p.m. period after football.

There has been speculation for months about potential casting changes on "L&O," including Fred Thompson and Milena Govich leaving, but sources stressed that no decisions on cast changes and/or reductions will be made until there is a license fee agreement.

While its future on the network is still in doubt, the "L&O" franchise is going strong for producers NBC Universal TV Studio and Wolf Films with international format sales and domestic syndication sales. Russian versions of "L&O: SVU" and "L&O: CI" already are on the air, and France is about to launch a local version of "L&O: CI," and "L&O: SVU" recently was sold in weekend syndication for the fall in the U.S.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i24b21916578451e571c3524290fe1156#

LL3HD

04-19-07, 01:54 PM

I am as well. NBC was in a no win situation no matter what they did and believe any news orginazation would have done the same.Perhaps you are right— that any news organization would have run this.
Maybe their judgment got clouded… but today, they should know better. These images- audio, video, photos-- should be taken off the air. They should correct their mistake (all news outlets) and yank them.

When a fool runs onto the field at a baseball game he doesn't get air time … why? ..because of copycats.

It was a mistake to run his manifesto. It was done for ratings. It is still running. It should all stop.

VisionOn

04-19-07, 02:00 PM

MSNBC issued a statement on the site saying how carefully they considered the images and how they were used and they are very sympathetic to the situation ...

"with extreme sensitivity, underscored by our devoted efforts to remember and honor the victims and heroes of this tragic incident."

and on the SAME PAGE, they have three separate sidebars highlighting all the information!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18200115/

It's one thing to show excerpts briefly on television, but making statements like that and then having the same blanket coverage right next to it kind of undermines their sincerity.

fredfa

04-19-07, 02:10 PM

I agree the shouting of "EXCLUSIVE" all day to me made the sanctimonious statements more than a little hard to accept.

Plus there is a much larger issue lurking: news media zealously protects the "sanctity" of its video, audio and even notes from prying investigators on every level. Reporters go to jail rather than cough up material Yet this time, and very understandably, NBC got all the material to authorities immediately.

So the question is: what happens the next time a police agency at any level asks for NBC's cooperation?

Does NBC (or any news organization) solely decide what and when and how to give up its material?

Or has NBC unwittingly set a precedent which other news organizations will regret in the future?

AAF

04-19-07, 02:10 PM

As Jason Whitlock...

Yet another reason for ESPN to have him on more.

steverobertson

04-19-07, 02:17 PM

Perhaps you are right— that any news organization would have run this.
Maybe their judgment got clouded… but today, they should know better. These images- audio, video, photos-- should be taken off the air. They should correct their mistake (all news outlets) and yank them.

When a fool runs onto the field at a baseball game he doesn't get air time … why? ..because of copycats.

It was a mistake to run his manifesto. It was done for ratings. It is still running. It should all stop.

You are right it is all about the ratings and the benjamins corporate America at its best.

dad1153

04-19-07, 02:41 PM

I agree the shouting of "EXCLUSIVE" all day to me made the sanctimonious statements more than a little hard to accept.

Does NBC (or any news organization) solely decide what and when and how to give up its material? Or has NBC unwittingly set a precedent which other news organizations will regret in the future?

Bill O'Reilly showed on his Fox News program most of the same killer-shot video NBC Nightly News aired. As soon as the video was over Bill said on-camera he was angry, outraged and disgusted by the killer and his criminal intent... but didn't come down hard on NBC News (a frequent target of his criticism) even though that was the next logical step after condemning the footage: condemn the media that made the footage widely available. I smiled because I knew then that O'Reilly couldn't come hard on NBC News because he and everyone in the media knows that if they had received the package from that nut they would have done the exact same thing NBC News did: make it available to authorities, make copies for yourself and when authorities gave the green light run the hell out of it.

Merging the two hottest topics on this thread right now, how soon before its announced either "Law & Order" or "L&O: Criminal Intent" get to do their 'Ripped from the Headlines' episode as the season premiere for the 2007-08 season? Because chances are only one show will get to do it, and not because the other show will have its plate full with other stories to tell.

fredfa

04-19-07, 04:31 PM

TV Notebook
Burns Won't Reedit 'War,' PBS Clarifies
By Paul Farhi Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, April 19, 2007

A PBS official said yesterday that filmmaker Ken Burns will not re-cut his documentary on World War II -- a statement that disappointed and angered minority-group activists who on Tuesday said they believed Burns and PBS had committed to reediting the film to address their concerns about its content.

Programming chief John Wilson, seeking to clarify PBS's earlier statements, said yesterday that Burns's 14 1/2 -hour documentary, "The War," is complete. That statement, however, leaves unresolved the complaints from some Latino and American Indian organizations, which have been pressing Burns and PBS for months to incorporate into the film material about Latino and American Indian service members.

Burns has resisted any suggestion that he is changing "The War," despite his agreement to film additional material to try to address advocates' concerns. A spokesman for Burns insisted yesterday that the filmmaker isn't "reediting" his work, as The Washington Post reported yesterday.

But a PBS spokesman had told The Post on Tuesday that the new footage would be "seamlessly" added to the film, which is scheduled to air in September.

Members of advocacy groups said they left a series of meetings with Burns and PBS officials on Tuesday gratified by apparent assurances that changes to the main documentary were forthcoming. During Tuesday's morning meeting, PBS President Paula Kerger introduced a Texas documentarian, Hector Galan, who has been hired to help Burns produce new material about the estimated 500,000 people of Latino descent who fought in World War II.

Some of the disagreement over Burns's -- and PBS's -- intentions turns on small but critical semantic distinctions, particularly whether the unproduced new material will be a "part" of "The War," or instead air as a supplement.

Latino advocates are wary that the additional content that Burns has promised will appear during breaks in the film, or otherwise outside the main story arc. They insist that the new material should be part of the story itself, which focuses on the wartime experiences of four towns or cities in different regions of the country.

But that will not be the case, according to Burns's representative and Wilson.

"It does not satisfy our concerns to be an amendment or some kind of addendum" to the documentary, said Raul Tapia, a spokesman for the American G.I. Forum, a Latino veterans organization. Latinos "who contributed so much to winning the war deserve better. They are not an addendum. They stood up for their country, and we are standing up for them."

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus also met yesterday about the issue. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), a member of the group, issued a statement last night, saying: "Ken Burns is a well-known filmmaker, and whether it's fair or not, his films are viewed by many as definitive histories. It is socially responsible and historically accurate to include the invaluable contributions of Hispanic Americans not as a footnote, but as part of the actual story of World War II.

"The way PBS has handled this since the issue was raised has left a lot to be desired."

Over the years, Burns has drawn criticism from Latinos for his PBS series "Baseball" and "Jazz." Some critics from advocacy groups also contend that in those documentaries, he downplayed or overlooked the contributions of Latinos.

Burns's spokesman, Joe DePlasco, said that while Burns "will not re-cut his film, which is done, he does believe strongly that these additional stories will be a valuable and important contribution to the broadcast and the national discussion about World War II."

PBS's Wilson, trying to navigate yesterday between the advocacy groups and Burns -- the network's most famous producer -- said that the new footage that Burns produces "will be part of the broadcast" of the film, its DVD and teaching materials that accompany it.

"To the viewer at home, it will be part of the same contiguous experience" as the documentary itself, he said, with "the same tone and tenor and production qualities" of the documentary.

When pressed, however, he acknowledged that Burns's original work won't be recut to incorporate the stories of Latino and American Indian service members or their families -- the key demand of the interest groups.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/18/AR2007041802756_pf.html

fredfa

04-19-07, 05:23 PM

HDTV Notebook
Tech one on one with CBS's Bob Seidel
Says Multi-Casting will hurt PQ
TVNEWSDAY, April 19, 2007

CBS is committed to making HD from the field part of its HD newscasts just as soon as possible, says Bob Seidel, the CBS advanced technology VP. So, he says, introduction of Sony XDCAM HD camcorders has been a first step in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago and other markets.

Since TV engineers in the United States first began thinking about HDTV 25 years ago, CBS has been at the forefront of development and deployment. The CBS O&Os are now joining the vanguard of stations that have begun offering local HD news. KYW Philadelphia made the leap earlier this month and KCBS Los Angeles and WBBM Chicago are next in line.

In this interview with TVNEWSDAY, Bob Seidel, talks about the local HD rollout and how it’s part of other plans for new facilities, microwave upgrades and the new generation of ENG camcorders.

An edited transcript follows:

What about DTV? Does CBS have any plan for using its extra DTV capacity for services other than HD?

• We kind of think, in many cases, we don’t have the extra capacity if we are going to preserve image quality. In fact, if you look at some of the recent AVS Forum comments, you’ll see that people are beginning to perceive that stations that are doing multicasting are causing the quality of their HD to suffer.

Two things have been happening here. Consumers receivers are getting a lot better in terms of quality. You see receivers now coming out that can display the full two million picture elements. Before, a lot of the receivers like DLP were only half of that.

As a result, people are becoming a lot more critical in their viewing. Any imperfections become really obvious. If you were at the Consumer Electronics show, you saw 1080P was all the rage. That means that all those sets are going to have the full 1920 by 1080 resolution.

The other thing that a lot of stations have been confronted with is the fact that must carry only applies to primary video and that the secondary services may not being carried by cable or satellite.

Give us the overview of your local HD plans.

• We’ve been taking a little different approach than most station groups in that we’ve decided that it’s going to be more beneficial to convert the field news gathering operation before we actually convert the studio.

We’re doing this for a few reasons. First, when you think about a newscast, a lot of the news that you see on the air comes from the field. There’s usually an introduction in the studio and then you switch to the field.

The other reason is our DVC Pro [field] gear is now seven, eight, nine years old and is beginning to show wear and tear from being thrown in trunks and used pretty heavily. So we’ve been converting the stations to [Sony] XDCAM HD, which is the optical disc format. We’ve been rolling that out in all of the markets.

We wanted that to coincide with the Nextel conversion process. As you know, Nextel is buying all broadcasters new [microwave] radios in exchange for two channels of our ENG spectrum. By getting all new digital radios on somebody else’s nickel makes it possible for us to convert the field fairly economically.

At the same time we’re doing that, we’re also trying to convert the studio operations in Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

• The philosophy that we’re taking in those locations is that we’re building only high-definition facilities. These are totally new plants and new locations. There’s no standard-definition control room or separate HD control room. There’s just one master control and one studio control room—all HD from input to output.

So you are doing HD from the field in Philadelphia?

• What has happened is Nextel has been slower than we would have liked in purchasing the radios. In fact, Nextel has applied to the FCC for an extension [of the September deadline] just because it’s taking them longer to process all the paperwork.

So what’s that mean? You can’t do HD from the field at startup?

• That’s right. But we’re still using the XDCAM HD gear because you can record in high definition and archive in high definition and then play back and get two different outputs. You can either get a standard-definition output or an HD output. This way, all of your archival material is in HD so if you record a story in the field and bring it back by hand, by shoe leather rather than microwaving it, then you can get the story on the air in HD.

So we might see a mix there? Stuff that has to be fed back by microwave will be 16-by-9 SD, but stuff that is carried back may be HD?

• Yes. If Nextel had been on target with its exchange program, the plan would have worked very nicely.

When do the new facilities come on line in Los Angeles and Chicago?

• L.A. is testing out its systems right now. As soon as they’re happy with all the tests, they’ll make the transition.

How about Chicago, where are they?

• Chicago’s in the construction phase. They’re a little farther behind, but they’re actively building and installing racks.

What’s happening elsewhere?

• We’ve also started rolling out XDCAM in small numbers in Baltimore, Miami and Denver. New York has had one or two units as well. They’ve been testing and shooting some material because there’s a whole aspect here of training crews and getting them comfortable.

Now, the thing to remember in Denver is that Denver was delayed quite a bit because of the building and zoning controversy. It took literally an act of Congress and the President signing a bill to get the right to put up a tower, not just for us, but for all the broadcasters in Denver. They’ll probably wait until they have the tower fully operational and at full power.

They haven’t been broadcasting in HD out there?

• They have, but, because of the building and zoning restrictions that had prohibited us from putting an additional tower on the mountain, they have been operating off a lower power transmitter in downtown Denver which doesn’t have near the coverage of the mountaintop transmitter.

So you seem to be suggesting that Baltimore, Miami and Denver are next in line with HD news?

• They are in various stages of planning or construction so they have not started some of the major studio renovations. The nice thing about [Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chicago] is they’re totally new facilities so you can start with a clean piece of paper. Some of the other locations are having to build in place. With the newsroom being on the air morning, noon and night, it’s a little more difficult. It’s a little more time consuming to build a new control room in parallel.

So you have active projects in those places as you begin introducing XDCAM?

• I wouldn’t say they’re active projects. In some places, they’re still planning. They’re not at the point where they’re buying equipment and installing. They’re still figuring out how to do this parallel operation.

They might have to build a separate control room off to the side. In New York’s case, they will have to actually build in the same control room just because there’s limited space. That means a very delicate balancing act between not disrupting the on-air operation and getting the new equipment in.

So it’s a lot more difficult to give hard dates when you’re building a parallel facility. It’s like changing a jet engine in midair. You’ve got to keep the plane on the air for four newscasts a day and update it in the process.

Would you say you could get all these stations online within the next 12 months? Is there any urgency at CBS to do that?

• Oh, there is. It’s just, again, we have to be cognizant that we can’t disrupt the on-air operations.

Why did CBS choose to go with XDCAM rather than the Panasonic solid-state P2 or Grass Valley’s Infinity?

• With the Panasonic approach, the cost of the media, the physical memory cards, is very substantial. If you happen to lose one of those or if you forget to take it out of your shirt pocket and put it through the washer, that’s a pretty expensive mistake.

Plus, you’re fighting human nature in the sense that reporters love to hold on to their stories. They tend to hoard a lot of the raw material from stories that they’ve done in the field. You go into any reporter’s office and there are just tons of tapes sitting around.

And in the end you have to archive this material in some form and a lot of people have said that optical storage is one of the cheapest ways to archive and so it will be going to optical disc storage anyway.

It may also help during this transitional period when you have to run material back to the station.

• Right. It’s also Blue-ray based. We felt we would also benefit from the consumer mass market, which will ultimately drive the cost of the media down as Blue-ray begins to accelerate its penetration.

According to the latest sales figures, it’s already outselling its competition, HD DVD, like two or three to one, so we’re essentially leveraging the consumer cost efficiencies in the broadcast side. The cost of media, we expect, will drop faster for the optical disks than it will for memory.

So the idea is to archive material on optical disks.

• There are a number of jukeboxes coming out now that rather than using magnetic tape are using optical storage and that’s very efficient. You can fit five or six optical disks in the same place that you can fit a digital tape.

http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/04/19/daily.4/

dad1153

04-19-07, 05:55 PM

AVS Forum gets another mention in the news (and yes, I was part of the group of fellow AVS'ers mentioned in this story :)).

HDTV Notebook
HD DVD Fans Stage Buy-In
Format Titles Surpassed Blu-ray-for a Day
James Hibberd, TVWeek.com - April 19, 2007

Owners of Toshiba HD DVD players staged a group buy of popular home video titles this week in an effort to show support for the format.

A group of AVS Forum members banded together to purchase a large number of HD DVD titles from Amazon.com on April 15-the one-year anniversary of the release of the first Toshiba HD DVD player.

The group claims to have purchased nearly 1,000 HD DVD titles from Amazon.com and, temporarily at least, catapulted HD DVD sales past the rival Sony Blu-ray format. At least one title, the BBC version of "Planet Earth," went into the Amazon.com Top 5, a first for any high-def title.

"The idea is to show support for HD DVD by buying movies on a specific day," explained one AVS poster. "There is no better way to show support for HD DVD than by backing it financially. If there is a strong demand for HD DVD software, then hopefully Blu-ray-only studios will at least go neutral."

In recent months, Blu-ray titles have been outselling HD DVDs by a significant margin, partly thanks to having a few exclusive titles including "Casino Royale." Although Toshiba has sold more stand-alone players, Sony gave its players a marketplace boost by bundling them with the PlayStation 3 game system.

The rising tide of Blu-ray sales has caused Toshiba owners to worry that their recently purchased players may become obsolete. Toshiba owners are hopeful that an upcoming wave of new releases, such as the "Matrix" trilogy, will help boost sales. Also, Toshiba continues to undercut Sony's player prices.

http://www.tvweek.com/page.cms?pageId=691

fredfa

04-19-07, 06:15 PM

Daily Nielsen Notebook
Selected Wednesday final national ratings
(From Travis Yanan) at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog:
http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/32010964/p/10

South Park (mid-11th season finale)
- 3.112 million viewers
- 2.0/3 HH
- 1.7/4 A18-49

Notes From the Underbelly (TP premiere)
- 6.257 million viewers
- 4.3/7 HH
- 2.4/7 A18-49

Lost (10pm)
- 12.075 million viewers
- 7.4/12 HH
- 5.3/14 A18-49

Jericho
- 7.663 million viewers
- 5.1/8 HH
- 2.3/7 A18-49

Thank God You're Here (TP Premiere)
- 7.041 million viewers
- 4.5/7 HH
- 2.7/8 A18-49

Crossing Jordan
- 6.799 million viewers
- 4.5/7 HH
- 2.0/5 A18-49

American Idol
- 28.929 million viewers
- 17.2/26 HH
- 11.2/28 A18-49

Top Model
- 5.199 million viewers
- 3.6/6 HH
- 2.6/8 A18-49
- 3.2/10 A18-34

Pussycat Dolls Present (R)
- 2.964 million viewers
- 2.0/3 HH
- 1.4/4 A18-49
- 1.9/5 A18-34

ctmooregottapee

04-19-07, 06:20 PM

saw a great comment i had to pass on that cracked me up, referring to Fox's clunker 'Drive':

"you mean, 'Windfall' on wheels", only they are chasing the money

fredfa

04-19-07, 06:23 PM

I've got the first three hours of "Drive" on my DVR. I am getting the feeling it will be a real waste to watch them.

fredfa

04-19-07, 06:29 PM

Critic’s Notebook
'Heroes' returns:
Get a video (and prose) preview here
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher” April 19, 2007

This quote, from the closing minutes of Monday’s “Heroes” (9 PM ET/PT, Monday, NBC), doesn’t require any spoiler alerts.

“I’m confused,” Ando (James Kyson Lee) says to his pal Hiro (Masi Oka).

I can relate. I sometimes feel a bit flummoxed when trying to figure out the relationships and connections between the various “Heroes” characters. But in the end, it’s not as though a Ph.D. in “Heroes” minutiae is necessary to enjoy the show.

Far from it. Monday’s episode is, like most of the outings from the second half of the season, is an enjoyable, fast-paced adventure ride. It is, as its creators intended it to be, a graphic novel come to life. And at this stage of the game, “Heroes” has really learned that, just as it is on the page, when it comes to an adventure tale, it’s all in the pacing. That aspect of the show was atrocious when "Heroes" began, but now the superhero-flavored stories unfold with tick-tock efficiency.

Sure, there’s sub-par acting to be found (Must. Resist. Urge. To fast forward. All. Nikki/Jessica. Scenes). And the dialogue can be a bit on the obvious and/or clunky side. But there’s also a fair amount of wit on “Heroes”: The writers of this show don’t take themselves or the universe they’ve created terribly seriously (unlike a certain ABC show I could mention).

For more (including some mild spoilers and links to videos, check out Maureen Ryan’s “The Watcher” blog here:

http://tempo.typepad.com/entertainment_tv/

(Repeating Maureen Ryan’s heads up: This preview contains several clips from Monday's new episode of "Heroes," as well as video interviews with cast members. Don't play the videos if you don't want to see (mild) spoilers. )

fredfa

04-19-07, 07:15 PM

(I apologize. This is so well written and thought out that I coukldn’t resist posting it.)
Critic’s Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy:
NBC News Can't Easily Wash This Blood From Its Hands

By Ray Richmond The Hollywood Reporter in his blog “Past Deadline”

I've taken a little bit of time trying to find just the right words to describe my feelings about NBC News' decision on Wednesday to air the sick video diatribe from Virginia Tech mass murderer Cho Seung-Hui and then make it available for its network competition. Here are the words I've come up with: irresponsible, unenlightening, self-serving, immoral, vainglorious, unprofessional.

I quite frankly cannot believe that NBC News president Steve Capus thinks anyone is going to buy his disingenuous justification that the network felt it had "an obligation to give people a glimpse inside the mind of this killer." Um, actually, no, it didn't. In fact, it had precisely the opposite obligation: to refrain from doing anything that might inspire future homicidal whack jobs from thinking they could go out in a blaze of publicity-rich glory. By choosing to satisfy its own ego and ratings needs over public safety, the network shamefully compromised its journalistic integrity and callously fumbled its responsibility to viewers. Period.

Now let's just think about this for a second. What did we actually learn from the hateful spew that ran from this twisted dirtbag's lips and the photographs of him narcissistically posing with his pistols? Not a whole helluva lot. Yeah, he proved to be manic, angry, ranting, crazed, paranoid. I'm guessing most people weren't too surprised to discover this. We weren't much expecting soft spoken, sweet, gentle.

Seeing and hearing a crazy man in the throes of homicidal meltdown is at all educational? Valuable? Instructive? No. It was simply what it was: brazen sensationalism ludicrously couched as insight, which is quite the load of crap. I watched this stuff and felt I didn't know this lunatic any better than I did before, but I did feel significantly dirtier for the experience. It didn't do anything to answer the question of "Why?".

This, however, didn't stop NBC News from issuing a statement today in which it claimed to have aired the Cho story and the accompanying materials that arrived via overnight mail "with extreme sensitivity." Oh really? Sensitivity to Cho's distribution needs? On that score, mission accomplished.

I can also bash the other networks for picking up the ball that NBC inflated and running portions of the video themselves. But it's NBC News that decided to copy the stuff before turning it over to the FBI out of some wholly misguided need to toss itself into the middle of a story it had no business being in. And in that way, this episode very much represents a tipping point in TV news crime coverage.

The only people who learned anything from NBC's screening of the video and posting of the pix are the the mentally ill and homicidal in our midst. They found that going out hunting humans for sport and crafting videos and a sicko manifesto in support can turn you into a media superstar. This is not a wise message for television to be transmitting, however unintentional. It positively lays the groundwork for emulation, and for the network to claim otherwise is simply insincere.

NBC was wholly complicit in the promotion of serial murderer's agenda to the point that it essentially turned his nutzo materials into a virtual co-production. All that Cho lacked was the funding and distribution deal for his rambling blather, and NBC was kind enough to supply it free of charge.

It even made sure the peacock logo was on the video for view when it was broadcast by others. Yes -- NBC News branded the equivalent of a snuff video! Wow. I mean, let's contrast this with the network coverage of 9/11 and the decision not to show those jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center. Here, it copies off Cho's unfiltered outrage before passing the stuff along to the FBI...and then runs the stuff that very evening on the nightly news without so much as a disclaimer.

The backlash against the running of the video already has begun. As it should. NBC News screwed the pooch big time on this one, and the organization will be very fortunate if a copycat killer doesn't come along to rub its collective noses in this debacle. This wasn't even a tough call but a no-brainer. Now we know what the mind of a reckless and self-involved news organization looks like.

http://www.pastdeadline.com/2007/04/nbc_news_cant_e.html#comments

Davinleeds

04-19-07, 07:41 PM

I've got the first three hours of "Drive" on my DVR. I am getting the feeling it will be a real waste to watch them.

It has potential, but I must say I sighed when Family Guy wasn't on.

DoubleDAZ

04-19-07, 08:45 PM

It has potential, but I must say I sighed when Family Guy wasn't on.I agree that it has potential. For some reason I dislike reality shows intensely, but for some other reason I liked Drive, though I wouldn't get upset if it got cancelled. I watched for the cars, thrills and racing, but there was enough character interest to keep me watching as long as it doesn't conflict with other programs. I will say that if you watch the first 30 mintues and can't get into it, then you should just give up, there is nothing more, though a couple of cooler cars do come along and there is a somewhat interesting twist with the Mustang. :)

rustycruiser

04-19-07, 08:52 PM

I've got the first three hours of "Drive" on my DVR. I am getting the feeling it will be a real waste to watch them.

I had the same feeling last night, Fred. Plus, they were in HD, so I was tying up a lot of hard drive space. Was being the operative word. I pulled the delete trigger.

LL3HD

04-19-07, 09:30 PM

(I apologize.)
...trying to find just the right words to describe my feelings about NBC News' decision on Wednesday to air the sick video....irresponsible, unenlightening, self-serving, immoral, vainglorious, unprofessional...
....By choosing to satisfy its own ego and ratings needs over public safety....
....NBC News that decided to copy the stuff before turning it over to the FBI out of some wholly misguided need to toss itself into the middle of a story it had no business being in. And in that way, this episode very much represents a tipping point in TV news crime coverage....
....The only people who learned anything... are the the mentally ill and homicidal...
....lays the groundwork for emulation...
....NBC was wholly complicit in the promotion of serial murderer's agenda...
...It even made sure the peacock logo was on the video....
....Now we know what the mind of a reckless and self-involved news organization looks like.
No apology needed. Thanks for sharing a great read.

Davinleeds

04-19-07, 09:32 PM

It needs???. What some have lost and some have but it's not quite there. We know what it is but , just....
That's my feeling.

choskyigragspa

04-19-07, 10:00 PM

Let's see...
FOX: While I don't watch Bones, I heard that they decided to show a rerun last night because the originally scheduled episode had content that they deemed inappropriate given recent events.

CBS: I now read today that next Wednesday's scheduled episode of Criminal Minds has been shelved because its content (viz., college murders) was deemed inappropriate given recent events.

NBC: Hmm...

I prefer the moves made by FOX and CBS.

Incidentally, I tried to watch Notes from the Underbelly last night, thinking that the show might appeal to me. Nope. I wasn't impressed. Anyone watch (and enjoy) it? Do you think it will last Fred?

dad1153

04-19-07, 10:03 PM

fredfa

04-19-07, 10:15 PM

Wait until one of them gets renewed, dad!

As for the cutback in usage, this time credit goes to Fox News, whose Sr. VP John Moody was the first to announce a pullback.

"We see no reason to continue assaulting the public with these disturbing and demented images," Moody said.

LL3HD

04-19-07, 10:18 PM

ks, etc.).I ask again though: when will either of the Law & Order shows be the first to announce they're doing their own version of the VTech massacre in time for the Fall 2007 season premiere? :rolleyes:Neither. Not going to happen. They won’t touch it, too big, too national.
Maybe NBC will produce a TV movie. :rolleyes: They can even claim exclusives.

DoubleDAZ

04-19-07, 11:00 PM

Incidentally, I tried to watch Notes from the Underbelly last night, thinking that the show might appeal to me. Nope. I wasn't impressed. Anyone watch (and enjoy) it? Do you think it will last Fred?I rarely watch sitcoms, but I tried it, laughed a few times, then deleted it from future recording. :)

DoubleDAZ

04-19-07, 11:11 PM

FWIW, I have a different take on NBC - I DON'T CARE! I haven't watched any coverage because no matter how much or how little, it's still too much. IMHO, it's ALL sensationalism and commercialism, including decisions to not air episodes of certain programs. I am way beyond believing any of these decisions are made without considering what's in it for them. FOX and CBS come off as making the right decisions, but that's precisely why they made them. No one knows what FOX or CBS would have done had they been the ones to receive the package. We'll see who's first to market with a docudrama. But, in today's world of life-like TV, I'm not sure any coverage would be any different than watching any number of serialized dramas other than knowing it was "real". Today's video games and internet blogging sites are much more disturbing to me than anything the nets could air on their news programs. We continue to send kids off to war (Vietnam, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan), yet we shield them from real life at home.

fredfa

04-19-07, 11:16 PM

... I tried to watch Notes from the Underbelly last night, thinking that the show might appeal to me. Nope. I wasn't impressed. Anyone watch (and enjoy) it? Do you think it will last Fred?

I have no idea. I watched the first two episodes. The ratings have not been great, but other ABC sitcoms seem to have a worse ratings track.

It depends on what ABC thinks it needs. Frankly, I can't see the show being terribly interesting over an extended period. But I wouldn't -- yet -- count it out.

kizzo

04-19-07, 11:28 PM

I hate doing these political type topics, but IMO if FOX, or CNN had the package sent to them. They would have done the exact same thing NBC has done. No one can even deny that... I find it hypocritical that these news organizations are jumping on NBC when they showed the EXACT same videos/photos on their shows as well. No one forced them to help show the footage, they chose to do it. Because they all wanted the ratings.

I noticed that there has been a pullback. Which is good, but they are still showing this crap.. of course limited and in primetime.

So what's done is done.. we can't change it. All news organizations are responsible, I don't care who the package was sent too. They all had a choice, but decided to show it.

fredfa

04-19-07, 11:51 PM

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:01 AM

TV Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy
Amid controversy, NBC ratings rise by showing Virginia Tech gunman images
By Scott Collins Los Angeles Times Staff Writer April 20, 2007

While many viewers were repulsed by NBC's decision to broadcast videos and photos from Virginia Tech gunman Seung-hui Cho, the scoop translated into a ratings bonanza for the network.

"NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams," which led its Wednesday broadcast with rambling diatribes the killer recorded and mailed to the network, averaged a 7.5 rating/15 share in the top 55 television markets, according to early data from Nielsen Media Research. That easily bested the competing newscasts on ABC (6.1/12) and CBS (4.2/8).

The numbers are particularly significant because ABC's "World News With Charles Gibson" has lately gained a slight edge in its tight race for the top spot with "Nightly News." (Complete numbers will not be released by Nielsen until next week.)

Some viewers expressed outrage that NBC decided to run the material, arguing that the videos could inspire copycat killings. Competing networks, meanwhile, initially followed NBC's scoop but soon seized on the media controversy. ABC News ran an online story questioning whether it was appropriate to run Cho's photos and videos. And a Fox News executive pulled the plug on repeated telecasts of the material, writing to staffers in a memo early Thursday, "We see no reason to continue assaulting the public with these disturbing and demented images."

NBC News said in a statement issued early Thursday that it gave "careful consideration" to distributing the material and that it would limit the usage of the videos to no more than 10% of its airtime.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-nbcratings20apr20,1,4605100.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:12 AM

The 2007-2008 Season
NBC rides new project cycle
Year-round development the mandate
By Josef Adalian Variety

Hoping to avoid another spring slump -- and perhaps purchase a bit of strike insurance -- NBC is once again getting serious about year-round development.

That push comes with some added behind-the-scenes urgency this time given the potential for a strike later this year or next.

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly told Daily Variety that he plans to greenlight at least two, and as many as four, pilots by the end of summer, with the first pilot pickup coming as early as June. The goal is to emerge with one series that could hit the air by next March.

Peacock already has about a half dozen projects in active development, including a drama from feature producer Armyan Bernstein ("Children of Men") dubbed "Dirty Little Secrets" to which Christian Slater is attached to star.

Other big names taking part in what NBC calls its "fast track development" include Frank Darabont, Doug Liman and Peter Berg.

While a strike may loom in the not-so-distant future, Peacock execs insist the early development has more to do with changing the decades-old development cycle than with stockpiling product in advance of a strike.

"It isn't about that," said NBC development chief Katherine Pope. "This is about making sure we refresh our schedule and have some real product available in March. We'd be doing this anyway."

Indeed, TV insiders believe the slew of reality projects in the works at all the nets is the biggest sign webheads are starting to ponder contingencies. Some also expect nets to shrink hiatuses in order to gear up production as early as possible on existing skeins.

As for NBC's fast-track plan, Reilly and Pope don't profess that they're about to change the face of television. Pope, in fact, points out that Fox has been aggressive in developing outside of the traditional TV cycles.

What's more, NBC tried a similar fast-track concept two summers ago, giving early orders to "Heist" and "Conviction," both of which ended up as series.

Peacock is getting back on the early track this season in part because the net has seen what happens when it doesn't have enough fresh product available to air in the first quarter, particularly now that "Sunday Night Football" forces it to radically revamp its sked in January.

"We've got to be able to restock the shelves, especially when we go into repeats," Reilly said.

Pope added that NBC is looking for a particular type of project to launch next spring.

"What we've found is that for things to break through in March, they have to be bigger ideas," she said.

Or, perhaps, have name talent attached.

Slater is set to make what would be his series bow in "Dirty Little Secrets," which Bernstein's Beacon is producing in association with ABC Television Studio. Bernstein and Laurie Zaks are set to produce, with the Cullen brothers now on board to help write.

Thesp would play John Manners, a character Slater describes on his Web site as "a journalistic investigator who pushes the envelope.

"It's all about America and the things that get swept under the carpet," Slater writes.

Meanwhile, Pope said NBC also is redeveloping the project "Trap Team" from Berg's NBC Universal-based Film 44. Berg and Sarah Aubrey will exec produce, with John McLaughlin and Dario Scardapane set to write, according to insiders. Joe Carnahan is negotiating a deal to direct.

Pope also hopes to get going on "The Watch," the Ed Decter-John Strauss-penned drama from Sony that will go forward if NBC finds the right helmer.

As for Darabont ("The Green Mile"), his NBC U TV Studio-produced project is described as a high-concept drama. Liman and partner Dave Bartis ("Mr. & Mrs. Smith"), meanwhile, are working on a reverse "Nine to Five" -- with a male-dominated workplace shaken by the introduction of an alpha female boss -- that was rolled from this season.

With most fall 2007 pilots now filming or in post-production, this is usually a relatively slow time for TV execs. Sped-up development, however, means Pope and other webheads no longer have any down time.

"Every year, the cycle gets more and more compressed," she said. "We're literally getting our rough cuts and taking a pitch at the same time."

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963480&categoryid=14

kizzo

04-20-07, 12:41 AM

I don't doubt that you are right, kizzo.

But perhaps had NBC been a little less sanctimonous, had it not made sure its bug was on every clip the other networks used and had it not been rushing to get as much as possible on MSNBC and MSNBC.com, some of this criticism would have been muted.

True, fredfa.. And that did raise my eyebrow, because that bug is HIGHLY visible, even if you tired to miss it.. you couldn't.

I see your point fredfa :D

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:29 AM

TV Notebook
NBC's going to the movies on Sun. nights
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter April 20, 2007

In a surprising move, NBC's new scheduling topper Vince Manze is bringing back theatrical movies -- a genre that largely has been written off by the broadcast nets and relegated to graveyard Saturdays -- to three high-profile Sunday nights during the May sweep.

The move is part of the strategy of veteran NBC promotion executive Manze, who said this month when he was named president of program planning, scheduling and strategy that he would focus on building event programming.

Looking to do that, he saw that the network had runs on romantic comedy "Along Came Polly," action-adventure "National Treasure" (both broadcast TV premieres) and a final run of "Shrek" and decided to put them on.

"Sunday seemed like the best place -- the place where we used to do events and miniseries," Manze said. "It seemed like a great thing to do and it accomplishes two things: building events and serving as counterprogramming to what the others are doing (on the night)."

In picking the movies, Manze said he put on his marketing hat, going for titles he can easily promote. For instance, he selected "Polly" because of its cast -- bankable feature comedy star Ben Stiller and such familiar faces to the NBC audience as "Friends" alum Jennifer Aniston, "Will & Grace's" Debra Messing and "Mad About You's" Hank Azaria.

Manze said the ratings expectations for the movies are not huge, but he wants to try new things with an eye for next season. Just like ABC struggled for years to jump-start its Monday lineup after "Monday Night Football" ended, NBC had difficulty getting traction on post-football Sunday night this season, and Manze hopes that using event programming instead of trying to launch series in January and February might work better.

Sunday used to be a movie night for the Big Three networks, until, during the past five years, one by one they switched to series programming after ratings for films -- theatrical and original -- began to plunge. With the proliferation of DVDs, VOD and multiple runs on pay and basic cable, theatrical movies as ratings weapons were abandoned first. So far this season, broadcast networks have aired feature films on Sunday only as counterprogramming to the Super Bowl and around Christmas.

During the May sweep, NBC also is trimming the "Deal or No Deal" editions down from two to one a week. Aside from the 100th episode of "Deal" on May 6, leading into a two-hour "Saturday Night Live" special, the game show won't air Sundays. Manze said he wants to save fresh episodes of the show, which has begun to soften lately, to air possibly during the summer.

Being in his new job as head of programming is "both exciting and overwhelming at the same time," Manze said. For his overall strategy for next season, he said his goal is to "bring people back to broadcast television" to make them again feel "part on an event, part of the gathering."

He is looking to air as much original programming as he can, stretching first-run episodes over the season in the best way possible.

"We can plan a little better," he said. "And we could use another couple of (hit) shows."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i594095f6e6009d788206570167c5dc48

fredfa

04-20-07, 03:46 AM

Passings
Ed Croft, 68
NBC Nightly News producer, joined network in 1964
By Alyce Marshall Variety

Ed Croft, who joined NBC in 1964 and rose to be become a field producer for NBC Nightly News covering world events from the War in the Balkans to the O.J. Simpson trial, died April 13 of complications from prostate cancer. He was 68.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1020 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale.

The Glendale resident graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern U. in Evanston, Ill., in 1961, and received a master's degree from Medill the following year.

After breaking into journalism at a weekly newspaper in Libertyville, Ill., Croft nabbed a part-time job at NBC in Chicago in 1964 and became full-time in 1965, transferring to the NBC bureau in Burbank. Before retiring from the network, Croft worked as an assignment editor and an in-house and field producer covering major events including President Jimmy Carter's visit to India and the Native American protest at Wounded Knee in South Dakota.

Croft was a founding member of the Medill Alumni Assn. of Southern California, where he headed the scholarship program. He also volunteered for the Habitat for Humanity, St. Mark's Church in Glendale and the Glendale schools.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; two daughters; a son; a brother; two sisters and two grandchildren.

HDTVFanAtic

04-20-07, 04:45 AM

HDTVFanAtic

04-20-07, 04:54 AM

HDTV Notebook
Tech one on one with CBS's Bob Seidel
Says Multi-Casting will hurt PQ
TVNEWSDAY, April 19, 2007

• What has happened is Nextel has been slower than we would have liked in purchasing the radios. In fact, Nextel has applied to the FCC for an extension [of the September deadline] just because it’s taking them longer to process all the paperwork.

Someone posted that a week to 10 days ago on avsforum.....hmmmm....who was that :rolleyes:

HDTVFanAtic

04-20-07, 04:58 AM

Comcial that anyone thinks any other news organization would not have aired the VT Manifesto - in fact, as noted when word came out during the press conference, all other networks started checking their mailrooms.

Anyone who doesn't think it should be aired should read the letter in the Rocky Mountain News from a parent of Columbine victim on WHY it should be shown.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5492624,00.html

foxeng

04-20-07, 07:55 AM

Someone posted that a week to 10 days ago on avsforum.....hmmmm....who was that :rolleyes:

Nextel talked the FCC into reallocating some of the broadcast ENG 2 GHz band to them so they could vacate the 800 MHz band. The FCC agreed on the condition that Nextel had to REPLACE EVERY PIECE of 2GHz analog equipment with 2 GHz digital equipment. Over 6 billion dollars worth nationwide. The change out was to have started last summer, we were to have been in one of the first markets to convert, but as these things go, it has droned on. The conversion was to have been completed in June of this year, but Nextel has just asked for an extension of the deadline since there is no way they will make it. As a matter of fact only a few markets have converted and those are small markets, none of the medium or majors have converted yet.

That is why many stations (like the CBS O & O's) are now looking at HD news because one of the most expensive parts of the conversion to HD news is the microwave gear from the trucks to the station. With Nextel paying for it, stations can seriously look at it for the first time. My guess is you will not see many of the HD news stations doing field HD until after they get their new Nextel bought gear (like CBS is doing).

Maestro J

04-20-07, 08:31 AM

I have no idea. I watched the first two episodes. The ratings have not been great, but other ABC sitcoms seem to have a worse ratings track.

It depends on what ABC thinks it needs. Frankly, I can't see the show being terribly interesting over an extended period. But I wouldn't -- yet -- count it out.

I actually enjoyed the first 3 episdoes of this new "laugh track less" sitcom. I just found I could relate to many of the humorous situations the characters have found themselves in. I have been laughing throughout and hope that ABC sticks with it for a while. It's not for everyone by the nature of its themes but it could certainly find a cult audience.
Anyone who has kids or is going through the process now should check it out. The first 2 eps were very good I thought.

pwrmetal

04-20-07, 09:26 AM

Yet another reason for ESPN to have him on more.

ESPN doesn't have him on at all. They fired him.

steverobertson

04-20-07, 09:38 AM

ESPN doesn't have him on at all. They fired him.

I didn't know that how come?

dad1153

04-20-07, 09:43 AM

As for the cutback in usage, this time credit goes to Fox News, whose Sr. VP John Moody was the first to announce a pullback.

"We see no reason to continue assaulting the public with these disturbing and demented images," Moody said.

Was he talking about Cho or the NBC NEWS logo on his screen :rolleyes:

LOL! :p

AndyHDTV

04-20-07, 10:34 AM

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6435037.html

AT&T Debuts Wireless DVR Scheduling for U-Verse TV

Telco’s Wireless-Phone Subscribers Can Manage Recording
-- Multichannel News, 4/19/2007 1:22:00 PM
AT&T U-verse TV subscribers can now control their digital-video recorders through their AT&T wireless phones and devices, the telco announced Thursday.

U-verse TV and Internet customers can use any compatible AT&T wireless phone or handset to search program listings, schedule program or series recordings and manage or delete stored DVR content, AT&T said.

Late last year, the telco introduced Web-based access to subscribers’ DVRs via its AT&T Yahoo! broadband portal.

fredfa

04-20-07, 11:31 AM

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:02 PM

humdinger70

04-20-07, 12:12 PM

Looks like CBS got their infrastructure updated to get 5 to 6 games a week in HD for the upcoming 2007 NFL season... The info is contained here (source is San Diego Union-Tribune for Friday April 20, 2007 - Jay Posner's Sports Media column, scroll down to 'Flipping Channels' heading):

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070420-9999-1s20media.html

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:22 PM

I certainly hope that Jay is correct, but that is the first hint we have heard of an expansion by CBS to five or six games weekly.

The last we heard -- from CBS -- is that while it is rebuilding its tech structure in NY to handle more HD switching capacity, the most we could hope for this year would be four games each Sunday.

Maybe some of the CBS honchos who regularly peruse AVS could let us know if there is any truth to Jay Posner's report.

jim tressler

04-20-07, 12:35 PM

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:42 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
ABC's 'October Road' looks to the fall
Ratings holding for the new homecoming drama
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer April 20, 2007

On a night where a number of shows hit season or series lows, ABC’s “October Road” showed some stability in making a case for a second season.

“Road” averaged a 4.2 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights, on par with its previous average. Though that may not sound like a huge accomplishment, it came on a night when its lead-ins, “Ugly Betty” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” both hit season lows.

“Road” won the 10 p.m. timeslot against original episodes of “Shark,” which lacked an original “CSI” lead-in, and “ER,” which matched a series low.

And while it did lose half its “Grey’s” lead-in, no show has been able to keep the hit medical drama’s audience around this season.

Heading into next week’s season finale, “Road” still has a chance at a second season, though quite likely in another timeslot. If the network cancels “What About Brian,” “Road” could be a good fit for the Monday 10 p.m. slot, on a night that ABC has focused on women.

The show follows a novelist who returns home after years away, only to find that things have really changed. It received lousy reviews but has been ABC's most successful show in the timeslot this season.

Other shows had far tougher outings last night. In addition to “Betty,” “Grey’s” and “ER,” “My Name is Earl,” “Shark” and “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” dipped to or matched season lows.

ABC was first for the night among 18-49s with a 5.2 average rating and a 15 share, with CBS second at 3.6/10, NBC third at 3.1/9, Fox fourth at 2.5/7, Univision fifth at 1.8/5 and CW sixth at 1.6/4.

CBS started the night in the lead with a 4.4 overnight rating at 8 p.m. for “Survivor,” with Fox second with a 3.2 for “Grader.” ABC and NBC tied for third at 3.0, ABC for “Betty” and NBC for “Earl” (3.0) and a repeat of “The Office,” with Univision fifth with a 1.9 for “La Fea Mas Bella” and CW sixth with a 1.7 for “Smallville.”

At 9 p.m. ABC took the lead with an 8.5 for “Grey’s,” easily the night’s top-rated show among 18-49s. CBS was second with a 3.3 for a repeat of “CSI,” NBC third with a 2.6 average for “30 Rock” (2.4) and “Scrubs” (2.9), and Univision fourth with a 1.9 for “Destilando Amor.” Fox fell to fifth that hour with a 1.7 for a repeat of “Trading Spouses” and CW was sixth with a 1.4 for “Supernatural.”

ABC led again at 10 p.m. with a 4.2 for “Road,” with NBC second with a 3.7 for “ER,” CBS third with a 3.0 for “Shark” and Univision fourth with a 1.7 for “Aqui y Ahora.”

Among households, ABC was first for the night with a 9.0 average rating and a 15 share, with CBS second at 8.2/13, NBC third at 4.6/8, Fox fourth at 4.5/7, and Univision and CW tied for fifth at 2.3/4.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_11577.asp

fredfa

04-20-07, 12:44 PM

cbs is in a tough boat.. they jumped on HD pretty much before everyone.. and at a much higher cost... so while they deserve praises.. they get slammed for not upgrading quickly.. cbs is dammed if they do, damned if they dont.. but I hope that this is true.. maybe now I can finally see more than 2 browns games in a year in hd :)

jim

I hope it is true, too, Jim. But Jay's record as as leader in covering HD matters is not exactly replete with breaking stories.

I also understood that the NFL has decreed all games must be in HD for the 2009 season, while Posner reports it as 2008.

(Maybe TV Week's James Hibberd will see this and make a call to his sources at CBS.)

HDTVFanAtic

04-20-07, 12:44 PM

Nextel talked the FCC into reallocating some of the broadcast ENG 2 GHz band to them so they could vacate the 800 MHz band. The FCC agreed on the condition that Nextel had to REPLACE EVERY PIECE of 2GHz analog equipment with 2 GHz digital equipment. Over 6 billion dollars worth nationwide. The change out was to have started last summer, we were to have been in one of the first markets to convert, but as these things go, it has droned on. The conversion was to have been completed in June of this year, but Nextel has just asked for an extension of the deadline since there is no way they will make it. As a matter of fact only a few markets have converted and those are small markets, none of the medium or majors have converted yet.

That is why many stations (like the CBS O & O's) are now looking at HD news because one of the most expensive parts of the conversion to HD news is the microwave gear from the trucks to the station. With Nextel paying for it, stations can seriously look at it for the first time. My guess is you will not see many of the HD news stations doing field HD until after they get their new Nextel bought gear (like CBS is doing).

As was stated 2 weeks ago in a post on NBC Nightly News in HD, I stated that this was gung ho when it was Nextel and it had come to a grinding halt since Sprint took it over - which is exactly what was said by Seidel in the quoted story posted yesterday.

4-08-2007

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10243917&&#post10243917

In the USA, Nextel (now Sprint) is paying to move TV ENG from 800mhz to new spectrum (2G and digital, so more efficient) with the new equipment....although Nextel was gung ho....since merged with Sprint they are dragging their feet. No one really cares to buy new equipment for the 800mhz band for HD as Sprint is only paying for SD equipment @ 2Ghz. Many stations are paying the difference to upgrade the 2G equipment to HD - but virtually no one would buy new 800mhz HD equipment that will be worthless in 12 months - especially as Sprint will only pay for SD replacement.

Most info can be answered from some of these stories:

http://www.tvtechnology.com/features/news/2006.01.25-n_signasys.shtml

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6332386.html?display=Technology

http://www.benton.org/index.php?q=node/3420

As for the P2, many stations have gone the other way with Sony - including the Networks, as it emulates the old thinking of bringing the tape in and editting it at the studio. Considering the advances in technology, at some point you must think out of the box to the way its obviously going - and considering what can be accomplished now with editting in the field (and what will be available over the next several years) there is no reason no to do so.

All I am pointing out is that while you and other engineers know that the process has almost come to a halt, it has not been expressed as to how that is delaying the HD Field units - until now - as people want Sprint to pay instead of buying the core units themselves.

HDTVFanAtic

04-20-07, 12:57 PM

I didn't know that how come?

Sounds like ESPN didn't want to show an intellegent person of color?

dad1153

04-20-07, 01:07 PM

Just a friendly reminder that this Saturday night NBC is running the last three episodes of Heroes before it went on hiatus, just in time for next Monday's return of the series for its final five episodes of the season. This will be the first time I've seen "Heroes" in HD (bought the new HDTV in March, remember) and I couldn't be more psyched. Letterboxed SD repeats on Sci-Fi just don't cut it no more! One of the "Heroes" episodes shown in the NBC marathon this Saturday is "Chapter 17: Company Man." Anyone that saw this episode (and please, no spoilers so Fred can enjoy the show on HD-DVD in peace come August) knows its one of the best hours of network TV in ages, almost rivaling an X-Men movie in depth and pathos. Can't wait to see the Sylar and Cheerleader carnage in glorious HD! :D

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:09 PM

TV Notebook
The Virginia Tech Tragedy:
NBC bashed for airing Virginia Tech killer's rants
By Matea Gold Los Angeles Times Staff Writer April 20, 2007

NEW YORK — NBC's decision to broadcast portions of Seung-hui Cho's angry rants triggered a storm of condemnation Thursday from viewers and victims' relatives, illuminating the treacherous middle ground between exposure and exploitation in a fast-moving news cycle.

A day after receiving a package containing the Virginia Tech gunman's profanity-laced writings and videos, mailed shortly before his second round of shootings, NBC drastically curtailed its use of the images, as did most of its television brethren.

But the rapid dissemination of the materials and subsequent backlash triggered a debate about where the line gets drawn — what constitutes news, and what goes too far.

Though media ethicists generally approved of NBC's handling of the tapes, Tony Burman, editor in chief of Canada's CBC News, called NBC's airing of the footage a "mistake," warning it could lead to copycat massacres.

For others closer to Monday's killings, the broadcast of Cho's diatribes felt like a new wound. After initially praising NBC for cooperating with investigators when it received the package, Col. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, said he was "disappointed" by the network's decision to use some of the material.

The parents of two slain students canceled an appearance on the "Today" show in protest, and MSNBC.com's message boards were swamped with more than 3,000 messages on the topic — the majority criticizing the network.

"What is the standard?" asked one writer from Maryland. "Will we next be seeing beheadings and full-length terrorist propaganda films? There is a fine line between news and exploitation, between the public's need to know and tastelessness. NBC crossed it."

NBC anchor Brian Williams, who participated in the internal discussions about how to handle the material, acknowledged that initially the images inadvertently took the form of "video wallpaper," until executives set restrictions on their use. (Late Wednesday night, NBC officials limited the broadcast of the video to 10% of airtime on the network and its cable channel, MSNBC.)

But Williams defended the network's dissemination of the footage, in which Cho rages against the wealthy and says he was pushed to violence.

"I don't know of a reputable news organization in this country that, upon receipt of that package, would have … slipped it in a drawer and not shared its contents," the anchor said on his video blog. "It is beyond disturbing. It is beyond horrifying. It is also news, and news is our role, however unpleasant the stories are at times."

Not everyone at NBC apparently agreed. "Today" anchor Matt Lauer told viewers Thursday morning that "there are some big differences of opinion right within this news division as to whether we should be airing this stuff at all."

NBC News President Steve Capus said that though there were extensive deliberations about how to deal with the materials, he was not aware of anyone urging that they be kept completely out of public view.

Capus said he believed the network exercised sensitivity and restraint in its handling of the images, noting that NBC waited more than seven hours after receiving the package before reporting on it, out of deference to investigators. Only after discussions with NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker and other top executives did the news division air a limited sampling of the materials, he said.

"I knew there was an awful lot of pain … and we knew there would be people who disagreed with this decision," Capus said. "I did not want to do anything to cause greater pain. We worked as journalists to present the matter in the proper light, and I think we did."

The network first broadcast excerpts of Cho's 28 QuickTime video files during Wednesday's "NBC Nightly News," along with images of the 23-year-old thrusting handguns at the camera. The material — along with an 1,800-word rambling invective — had arrived in the mail that morning, addressed simply to "NBC."

The unexpected scoop handed NBC a major ratings victory. According to early data from Nielsen Media Research, the NBC newscast easily bested ABC's and CBS'.

For the most part, rival news executives refrained from criticizing NBC's decision, saying that holding back the material would have been impossible because of its potential to leak online, where anything goes.

And long gone are the days when news outlets believed they could approach such decisions with leisure: The explosion of news and information sources has made the competition to stay ahead that much more intense, and created an atmosphere in which getting an exclusive scoop is a rarity.

"Information these days is like steam," said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. "It escapes through the tiniest cracks. The notion that any piece of information ever can be sealed away, I think, is a relic of the past."

Other media outlets also seized on the dissemination of the video, with TV networks quickly grabbing NBC's footage Wednesday evening and putting it on their own airwaves. Newspapers across the country ran images of the gun-toting college senior on their front pages, with the network's logo in the corner of the photos.

But by midday Thursday, both broadcast and cable news networks had pulled back their use of the video, saying they feared the coverage was becoming gratuitous.

"Beyond the first news cycle, it becomes little more than pornography," said ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider.

CBS News instituted a policy requiring an executive producer to sign off on any use of the footage.

"The most obvious danger is that it is offensive to relatives, to friends and to millions of Americans who have been emotionally affected by this," said Paul Friedman, vice president of CBS News. "There is also a complicated argument about whether this somehow inures people to violence. Common sense tells me that it's not worth taking the risk."

Officials at Fox News went further and midmorning Thursday stopped airing the images completely both on-air and online, barring further news developments. "I thought that we had sort of reached a saturation point," said John Moody, executive vice president of news editorial.

This is not the first time media organizations have had to balance the news value of publishing a killer's words against the potential harm in airing them.

After the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, law enforcement officials discovered videos of the teenage killers firing the guns they would later use to kill their classmates. In that case, police did not release the footage for more than four years — and even then withheld other, more graphic videos for fear of inspiring copycats.

Cho's decision to pause after his first shooting Monday and send what Williams dubbed a "multimedia manifesto" forced NBC to assess its journalistic value while emotions were still raw.

While scores of viewers heatedly criticized NBC — with many vowing they would never watch its programs again — media ethicists said the network showed judiciousness by withholding news of the package until investigators announced its existence and then by limiting use of the video after reporting the initial story.

Al Tompkins, who teaches broadcast and online ethics at the Poynter Institute, said not airing the material at all "would have been an easy thing to do."

"People would have said, 'Good for you,' " he added. "But that doesn't illuminate us. That doesn't enlighten us. That only protects us. And the job of the journalist is not to protect us from the truth; it's to tell us the truth, no matter how repugnant it is."

On his blog, Williams wrote that deciding what to do with Cho's final words was "a role we did not seek and did not want."

"We are aware that this puts words in the mouth of a murderer," the anchor added. "We are also aware that this danger, represented by this sick young man, lives among us … and to see it and hear it is to understand the consequences."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-tapes20apr20,0,3809558,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines

foxeng

04-20-07, 01:11 PM

As was stated 2 weeks ago in a post on NBC Nightly News in HD, I stated that this was gung ho when it was Nextel and it had come to a grinding halt since Sprint took it over - which is exactly what was said by Seidel in the quoted story posted yesterday.

All I am pointing out is that while you and other engineers know that the process has almost come to a halt, it has not been expressed as to how that is delaying the HD Field units - until now - as people want Sprint to pay instead of buying the core units themselves.

It hasn't come to a halt, but it is moving much more slowly than anyone thought, I will give you that. I did read an update a month or so ago and said that most stations had moved from Phase 4 to Phase 5 (purchasing). All I can say is that it isn't all Nextel's fault. Some of it has been with the way Nextel wanted things done to qualify certain gear for replacment and then stations as well dragging their feet trying to wrangling more equipment out of Nextel. It has been a classic Nextel trying not spend more than they have too and some stations trying to get more than they are entitled too and it screws the rest of us in the process trying to do the right thing. As usual, it takes all kinds.

keenan

04-20-07, 01:15 PM

Hey!!

Have you voted in the Blogger's Choice Awards for your favorite entertainment blog??

You know, the one you're reading right now, the AVS Forum Hot Off The Press Thread.

It currently has only 34 votes!?!?

That's pathetic folks, how about showing some love? :)

The current leader has 270 votes and I know we can top that easily.

I know there's more folks than that who like reading this thread so take 5 mins and go to the site, get a login, and VOTE!!

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/categories/23?page=2
Blogger's Choice Awards | Best Entertainment Blog

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:17 PM

And, let's be honest here, a lot of station groups haven't been looking to spend the extra money for the HD switch until there are enough HD sets to receive the signal.

Many, like the Fox stations, understandably have scheduled their upgrades to about the time they would be upgrading equipment normally.

What was a trickle of conversions has turned into a steady stream and that will turn into a torrent the closer we get to February 2009.

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:28 PM

Since the topic has been referred to a few times, here is some background on Jason Whitlock, Kansas City Star columnist (and former ESPN Page 2 columnist) from wikipedia:

"...Whitlock previously worked for the Bloomington Herald Times, The Charlotte Observer and the Ann Arbor News. He has also been published in Vibe Magazine and The Sporting News. He posts regularly on Sportsjournalists.com where, unusually for that message board, he posts under his real name. Whitlock is the celebrity spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. Whitlock had guest-hosted several ESPN shows, including Jim Rome Is Burning, and Pardon the Interruption. He also appeared regularly on ESPN's The Sports Reporters until he was fired from ESPN in September 2006.

Whitlock announced the departure of his on-line column from ESPN.com's Page 2 in favor of AOL Sports, but initially expected to continue his television work for ESPN. However, after the announcement, Whitlock was interviewed by sports blog The Big Lead, and in that interview, he disparaged two of his ESPN colleagues. Whitlock labeled Mike Lupica "an insecure, mean-spirited busybody", and referred to Robert "Scoop" Jackson as a "clown", saying that "the publishing of [Jackson's] fake ghetto posturing is an insult to black intelligence." Jackson, like Whitlock, is African-American.

After those comments were made public, Whitlock went noticeably absent from any ESPN television work. He soon announced to The Kansas City Star readers in September 2006 that he was fired altogether from ESPN as a result of his remarks; he wrote that the company doesn't tolerate criticism and acted as they saw fit .

Whitlock's first AOL Sports column was published September 29, 2006...."

foxeng

04-20-07, 01:31 PM

And, let's be honest here, a lot of station groups haven't been looking to spend the extra money for the HD switch until there are enough HD sets to receive the signal.

Yes, that still holds true for many owners and will for a while at least.

Many, like the Fox stations, understandably have scheduled their upgrades to about the time they would be upgrading equipment normally.

Most of the industry is. The mavericks have already done it a while ago.

What was a trickle of conversions has turned into a steady stream and that will turn into a torrent the closer we get to February 2009.

The timing seems to be working out that way.

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:51 PM

The Business of Television
This year’s Upfront dates

There is just a little over three weeks to go until we learn which shows will be back next year and what new programs are being scheduled by the networks.

Here is the “upfront” schedule of when networks make their 2007-2008 season presentations to the nation’s advertisers (and TV critics) in New York City:

NBC Monday May 14
ABC Tuesday May 15
MyNetworkTV Tuesday May 15
CBS Wednesday May 16
FOX Thursday May 17
CW Thursday May 17

So make sure you check in to the “Hot Off The Press” thread those days for complete coverage of what we’ll be seeing starting in September.

AAF

04-20-07, 01:58 PM

ESPN doesn't have him on at all. They fired him.

Yeah, sorry was trying to be sarcastic in a hurry which never works.

Whitlock's full article about the ESPN deal if anybody wants to read it:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8518460&highlight=whitlock#post8518460

fredfa

04-20-07, 01:59 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt
(from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com)
“Friday Night Lights,” “Drive,” “Lost,” “CSI” and More
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Friday, April 20, 2007

Question: I just read in Ask Ausiello that if renewed, Friday Night Lights might make a move to Friday night. Without overlooking the obvious link of the name of the show, I don't know how I feel about this possibility. Seems like it might be a good way to burn off episodes without having to commit to a full season because the show will inevitably do worse on that night. It showed such promise Wednesdays at 8 pm, gaining viewers almost every week since its move from Tuesday, as well as showing an outstanding increase in numbers for the finale, up over 900k from the previous week and posting its best numbers since an episode in February. While I will be overjoyed to see the show return on any night and, like countless other fans, would watch the show on Sunday at 9 am if that's where they chose to run it, it seems to me that NBC has a better chance of building an audience on Wednesdays, where new viewers have obviously already found the show. Why would NBC make this change?— Jennifer A.

Matt Roush: First off, bear with me as we do a fair amount of postseason analysis of Friday Night Lights this week. The finale prompted quite a bit of interesting mail, after which I promise to move on. (At least until the official renewal! Fingers crossed.) About a move to Fridays: Let's see what happens before we get too worked up. One argument against airing a show like this on Fridays has been the precedent of Against the Grain, a well-reviewed high-school football/family drama from 1993-94 (starring a young Ben Affleck), also on NBC, that aired on Fridays, which suffered from the target audience being out that night at actual high-school football games. NBC has been pretty clear lately in saying that the biggest hurdle in bringing Friday Night Lights back is figuring out where to put it. It's true that the season finale produced a bump in numbers; finales often do that. This is still a pretty iffy show to kick off a night with, especially a night as pivotal and crowded as Wednesdays. And NBC has also gone on record saying that its priority at 8 pm/ET most nights is on cost-effective "alternative" shows modeled after Deal or No Deal. The upside to a Friday move is that the expectations would be a lot lower. The downside is that the night is already regarded as something of an elephants' graveyard (see Fox and ABC), and it's very likely that if it returned with a whimper on Fridays, the show might not make it as far as it did this season, which would be just awful. I wish there were a viable weeknight and a protected time period when NBC could nurture the show. But renewal is the first step, promotion the next. Scheduling is a crucial element in the show's future, and right now, given NBC's overall fortunes, there's just not an easy answer.

Question: I'm hoping you can help me understand something, because right now I'm baffled. Why did so many people want to see the Panthers lose in the Friday Night Lights finale? I mean, what real dramatic effect would a loss have served? As far as I can see, loss only serves a purpose if it's unexpected and leads the audience to feel the same disappointment that the characters feel. If the audience is expecting a loss, it serves no purpose at all. Even if it did serve a purpose, why is it a prerequisite? When did it become wrong to have the hero triumph? Or to try to inspire your audience rather than disappoint them? Worse, have we become so cynical that we'll actually complain about not being disappointed? I'm grateful to anyone who watches the show, because it needs all the fans it can get, but if you don't care enough about these characters to root for them, I can't help but think you're probably missing the point.— Tom C.

Matt Roush: Maybe because I don't visit message boards, this is the first I heard that anyone was rooting against the Panthers in the finale. Who are these nasty people? There may be an argument that because the show often presents life as a struggle with few easy happy endings (Jason in his wheelchair), that having the Panthers win is too tidy a Cinderella ending. But I don't buy it. (Although I will admit that the Hail Mary pass in the pilot episode was probably the main reason I didn't list the show as my favorite drama pilot last fall.) In my mind, the season needed to end with a victory parade, with one last glimpse of the people in this town who we've come to love. Besides, it was good drama to have the team's triumph add even more ambivalence to the coach's decision about his future. And not to be condescending, but Friday Night Lights is a TV show, after all, one that many fans have devoted a great deal of time, passion and energy to supporting. To have what could possibly have been the only season end in defeat would have been awfully deflating, although no doubt dramatically viable, since (Spoiler alert) the movie version ended with the team losing. Maybe the purists wanted a repeat. Not me.

But here's another reaction, from Andrew L.: "I gotta tell you, and it breaks my heart to say it, but I was significantly underwhelmed by the Friday Night Lights season finale. It was the most contrived and predictable episode. The fact that its main focus was the game really illustrates the show's one flaw: It doesn't stage football very well. It's hard to cheer for a defenseman causing a fumble and returning it for a touchdown when the show doesn't have a single defensive character — it's not easy to cheer for extras. I have no real problem with them winning the big game, but I was very annoyed that they won it by making a miracle second-half comeback punctuated by a game-winning trick play. I know the show isn't "about" football, but still. However, I would've been able to let that stuff go had the writers not chosen to end the episode with a freakin' slow clap. There is absolutely no excuse for using such a tired, worn cliché on a show that is usually so free of them. Let's say the show doesn't get renewed: Are you really fine with the final scene of the show's history being a slow clap? The thought of that makes me nauseous."

After the finale aired, an established movie and TV producer who's a huge Friday Night Lights fan sent me an e-mail also bemoaning the slow clap. But he also loved the episode in general, and who wouldn't? To let this one sentimental lapse (and remember, the clap was started by Matt Saracen, who is arguably the show's most sentimental character) mar your appreciation for the episode is way too harsh in my book. But it does lead nicely to this next question....

Question: I'm a huge fan of Friday Night Lights. It is easily one of my favorite shows, and I'd be ecstatic if it came back for another season. But did you see what the show's executive producer, Peter Berg, had to say about what's to come? He said that it will focus more on relationships and less on football. That worries me. If one of the problems ratings-wise is that there isn't enough football, wouldn't cutting down the playing time be even worse for the show?— Kent

Matt Roush: I did read Berg's comments, and again, I wouldn't get overly concerned before we see what actually happens. The show's freshman season was plagued by an identity and perception problem — specifically, that it was a "football show." I'm not familiar with the argument that the show was hurt by having too little football. The sport provides the framework for the show and the characters — it's a constant, and provides common ground for people in a town like Dillon — but it only makes sense to me that if the show continues, it would move further away from the gridiron in order to explore everyone's life off the field.

Question: Prior to its initial airing, I sent two "e-mauls" to the official Drive site predicting the show would fail and ultimately be canceled. I can sum up the reason in two words: Kristin Lehman. I have absolutely nothing against this woman, but facts speak for themselves. Check her history: Each and every show she has joined has tanked, and I suspect that, sad to say, it has something to do with the way she looks. While not a terribly ugly woman, she does have this look about her that says, "Do not leave this woman in your place alone, 'cause she'll steal all the change out of your dish and let your cat run off out of sheer meanness." Perhaps it's her beady eyes, who knows? Whatever the case, there is nothing either warm or inviting about this woman. Aside from The Office, there isn't one program that I have been wrong about being canceled in the past 15 years. Let's wait and see if I'm right this time also.— Jack W.

Matt Roush: Generally speaking, if you predict a TV show will fail, you'll be right more often than you're wrong. I'm not sure that's a statistic to be proud of. Still, yikes! While I agree that Kristin Lehman is one of the weakest of the show's many weak links, and I might agree that she's a bit icy (or is it bland?) for what is meant to be such a hot-blooded show, I'd never get so personal about it. Beady eyes? What you're really referring to here is the "show-killer" syndrome (see: Paula Marshall), someone whose casting in a show, for whatever reason, sends up a red flag that it's in trouble and probably doomed. Lehman has appeared in some successful series, but the list of shows she has been involved in from the launch include quite a few fast flops: Killer Instinct, Tilt, Strange World, Century City. I'm not sure I'd blame her for all of them, but it is cause for concern. Though, as a fellow critic put it to me: "Drive stars Nathan Fillion. Who noticed her?"

Question: So far I have really enjoyed Drive. It's well paced, and the characters are interesting. I'm concerned about the long-term prospects, however. I would hate to see this turn into another Prison Break situation. I always felt 24 should have wiped the slate clean every season. Do you think Drive could take this direction in order to keep it fresh?— Brian K.

Matt Roush: Unless the ratings rev up soon, this is going to be a moot point. Once again, we have a situation where a high concept better suited to a miniseries (or "limited series") is being asked to do the impossible. Should Drive last long enough to get to this season's finish line (which I hope for the fans' sake it does), I can't imagine what circumstances would keep these contestants on board as regulars, unless it all [Shudder] becomes about the conspiracy. I'm not as keen on the show as many of those who wrote in, some of whom praised Drive for "not taking itself seriously." The way I look at it is, there's such a thing as "not taking itself seriously" and then there's being just plain silly. Which is where this show falls for me. It's junk-food TV, kind of like Stephen King writing (slumming?) as Richard Bachman. I wasn't sure if there'd be an audience for something like this outside maybe Spike TV. It seems my suspicions may have been right.

Question: Last Friday you responded to a comment from Cole about the direction that Lost is heading in and your feelings on a post-island Lost. I think the show needs to look at what happens to the characters after they are rescued and return to their normal (or as much as they can be) lives. Will Kate be arrested? Will Desmond be reunited with Penny? We were led to believe that she's looking for him. And remember that Claire was flying to L.A. to give up her baby? I assume that after what has happened her intentions have changed. I want to know the answers to these questions more than, "What is the black-smoke monster?" I may be in the minority, but to me this show has always been about humanity: the characters' flaws, their failures, the hope and strength that people can find in one another. I will admit that a post-island Lost shouldn't last long, for fear of stretching the show beyond its natural endpoint. However, how would you feel about the last season (or even half of the last season) using flash-forwards? Kind of the opposite of their current format. One episode per character would flash-forward to his or her life post-island, and the "real-time" story would be the events on the island (or during the rescue) that led to the character's life after the rescue. I can understand why some people wouldn't like to see this, but in my opinion, these are the most interesting answers I could ever get from the show.— Ashley

Matt Roush: What a well-reasoned, eloquent argument. It brought to mind the final season of the classic China Beach, which played out like a time-tripping mosaic jigsaw of memory in which episodes played out in present time, in Vietnam War time, and sometimes a mix, revealing the fates of many of the characters while also advancing their stories in the waning days of the conflict. It was brilliant — though hardly a ratings success. I should know better than to shrug off any question about Lost (mea culpa for my After-M*A*S*H crack), given how deep the feelings about this show lie. I couldn't agree more that for me, Lost is all about the characters, with the island mysteries a secondary concern. Which is why I liked Ashley's idea that any flash-forwards would be informed by the climactic events on the island, the way that what's happening now on the island is always illuminated by the theme of that week's flashbacks. I still think that if we were to get a look at the castaways' lives post-island, it could be achieved with artful economy in a single episode, the way Season 2's "The Other 48 Days" episode condensed the adventures of the tailies with such impact.

Question: I have a general question about your opinion of CSI. Although like you, I really enjoyed parts of the "Lab Rats" episode (Wallace Langham as David Hodges is brilliant), I was stunned to realize it was, after all, a clips episode. Just weeks before, I pointed out to my husband that CSI would never do that. Had to eat those words! CSI has long prided itself on not being one of the pack and not following formulaic TV devices, but Season 7 has proved surprising: the special musical guest star (John Mayer), the ratings-grabbing "celebrity" guest stars (Kevin Federline, Danny Bonaduce, etc). Now it sounds like they will be going with the "killing off the lead character's love interest" story line, and as if that weren't bad enough, they're going to end the season with a cliff-hanger (according to Michael Ausiello). Could all this be in response to the perceived Grey's Anatomy threat? Or is it the inevitable decline of a great show that has become tired after seven seasons on the air? Julie A.

Matt Roush: A show like this gets knocked from all sides. If it hewed purely to formula every week, it would get accused of growing stale. When it does succumb to the occasional gimmick, in casting or otherwise, it's "selling out." With the possible exception of the K-Fed casting, and depending on how the Sara-in-distress cliff-hanger turns out (not to mention Jorja Fox's negotiations), none of this has diminished my enjoyment of the show this season. I even thought the "special guest star takes over for lead during his hiatus" story arc mostly worked. Is CSI getting tired, or is it the audience that is growing tired, as nature tends to demand? Probably a little of both. It's still my favorite CSI, and most weeks my favorite of all the procedurals I watch. If the writers have sought more promotional hooks to counter the competition from Grey's, I can hardly blame them. I will disagree with you that "Lab Rats" was ultimately a clip show — it was much more clever than that. It let us see the lab from a new angle, and it actually advanced the miniature killer story a bit.

Question: Jane Krakowski has been absent for the past two 30 Rock episodes, and I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Hooray!" Her character does not work on that show. She's more conventional sitcom-ish, and this show is anything but conventional. Do you think Tina Fey and Co. have caught on to that and are phasing her out? I'd love to see a story line on the show in which they fire Jenna and do auditions for a new actress.— Lisa M.

Matt Roush: Wow, it's official: You guys are meaner than I am this week. I'm a fan of Jane Krakowski, both on TV and on stage (especially on stage), but I have to admit that on 30 Rock, she is neither well used nor particularly effective. In fact, I'd like to see an entire overhaul of the "TGS" aspect of 30 Rock in the second season. It doesn't look like the sort of show you'd ever want to watch, and it would be nice to think that Liz (Fey) is actually producing something worth rooting for. I haven't a clue if Jenna is on her way out, but given that we don't really miss her when we don't see her, I wouldn't be surprised. And finding a replacement would make a good story line.

Question: The April 11 episode of Lost was so good it actually made me upset because Elizabeth Mitchell's phenomenal performance might just take the Emmy away from Connie Britton of Friday Night Lights. Connie would be lead actress, of course, so wouldn't it be perfect if Mitchell were nominated for supporting actress so both these outstanding ladies could get the awards they deserve? Who actually makes the decision about which category an actor is eligible in? Is it the producers of the show, the networks, the agents? And do you think they take into consideration the possible competition when they make that decision?— Sarah E.

Matt Roush: My understanding is that it's the actor's call to submit their own name, in consultation with the studio, the network and no doubt their management. It's not uncommon for strategy to play a part: How else to explain how Jon Cryer finds himself nominated in a supporting category for Two and a Half Men when Charlie Sheen, the other "man" in the title, is nominated for lead actor? You're right that Mitchell's role in Lost would almost certainly be deemed "supporting," unlike Britton as Friday Night Lights' co-adult lead. As much as I admire what Mitchell is doing on Lost, I still think it's going to be a long shot for that show to get its due this season, given the perception (much of it shortsighted) of its fall from grace.

Question: What was the thinking behind putting all six episodes of Andy Barker, P.I. online before the series debuted? I watched all of them before the first episode aired and then found that I didn't need to see them again. How many others did this? I am sure many Andy Richter and Conan O'Brien fans didn't wait for them to air. It almost seems like someone at NBC purposely set this show up to fail. Why didn't they just do like 24 did, and put one or two episodes online to whet the appetite and then post the shows after they aired? NBC is looking more and more like the Dumont network for this millennium, with a few quality shows and a lot of cheap, filler programming all scheduled at random. Finally, when will someone release the DVD set of Andy Richter Controls the Universe? Maybe as part of a set of DVDs called the Best TV You Never Saw?— Will H.

Matt Roush: As usual, no clue on the DVD front, although that's a good idea. About Andy's online gamble: the jury's still out, from what I can tell, on the impact of having episodes available online before and/or after a show's initial airdate. I'm betting the percentage of people who choose to watch TV on their computer screens is still pretty puny in the big scheme of things. In the case of a cultish show like Andy Barker thrown into the chaos of a busy mid-season, I'm sure the idea was to give the show extra exposure in hopes of generating some sort of buzz. Like you, I'm surprised they gave it all away for free on the front end. That does sound counterproductive when the goal should be to whet a potential fan's appetite to watch it on air. But I'm not sure it mattered much in the overall ratings. This was a long shot from the start.

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Ask-Matt/Default.aspx#01fnl

fredfa

04-20-07, 02:38 PM

TV Sports
NBA, Networks Talk Contract Renewal
Digital Rights Key to Negotiations with ESPN, TNT
By R. Thomas Umstead Multichannel News 4/20/2007

The opening round of the National Basketball Association playoffs is set to tip off, but the league is hoping to secure more than just viewers from ESPN and TNT during its two-month postseason run.

The NBA is currently in discussions with both networks to extend their current six-year rights deals, which expire after the 2007-08 season. Executives close to all three parties confirmed that the league wants to complete negotiations by the end of June.

But while network executives want to continue distributing NBA content, their sights are not only set on a package of live games for their linear networks, but also digital-content rights for their respective multiplatform holdings.

ESPN’s and ABC's current $2.5 billion deal and TNT’s $2.2 million agreement with the pro-hoops league do not afford the rights-holders the ability to show game highlights or other NBA-based video content on their respective broadband or mobile platforms. Instead, such content -- as well as the league's 800-game out-of-market live package -- is offered through NBA.com.

Both ESPN and TNT have made significant investments in the online and mobile-video arenas and have aggressively sought out and secured digital rights with their recent sports pacts.

ESPN currently presents live college-basketball and college-football games through its ESPN360 broadband-video service, which is sold directly to cable operators. The network will also offer Summer X Games, National Invitational Tournament college-basketball games, Arena Football League contests, IndyCar racing and NCAA baseball, softball and lacrosse events on mobile phones as part of its recent deal with Verizon Wireless' VCAST service.

“The key in more than one-half of what we discuss with the NBA in our current deal and our future deal is digital rights,” ESPN senior vice president of programming and acquisitions Len DeLuca said. “Basically the NBA consumer is a younger, male consumer who really likes new media and new technology. Our challenge -- and one that we are aggressively anxious to meet -- is to deliver NBA content on ESPN and ABC wherever the NBA consumer consumes.”

Digital rights are also a major part of TNT’s renewal discussions with the league. Its Turner Sports New Media division has produced broadband-video content for sports circuit Web sites it operates, such as PGA.com and NASCAR.com. In addition, the company proffers TNT Overtime, a broadband-video offering that runs on NBA.com and is based on the network’s NBA pregame and postgame shows.

While stopping short of calling digital rights a deal breaker, Turner Sports president David Levy said they are vitally important to the network as it courts an extension.

“What consumers are looking for today is mobility; they want to access programming when and where they want it,” he said. “TNT is one of the brands that they like and enjoy and, if I don't have NBA content on wireless, VOD [video-on-demand] and broadband, then we’re not living up to the brand. It has to be involved.”

NBA executives would only say that the league is talking with ESPN and TNT about contract extensions, declining to comment about the digital-rights issue.

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6435290

fredfa

04-20-07, 03:08 PM

fredfa

04-20-07, 03:52 PM

Critic’s Notebook: The Virginia Tech Tragedy
CNN bans campus killer's video
Network management must approve use
By Michael Learmonth Variety April 20, 2007

NEW YORK -- CNN issued a blanket ban against the use of campus killer Cho Seung-hui's video except with approval from the network's Standards and Practices unit.

Several news networks including CNN told Variety on Thursday that they had begun severely limiting the use of the video after a public outcry over their violent content.

On Friday, CNN U.S. prexy Jon Klein to took the additional step of banning the video and any still images with Cho Seung holding guns, unless approved by management.

An internal memo, posted on Gawker.com, said several future pieces on Cho Seung, including John King's package "First Killing Why?" and Sean Callebs' "Cho the Early Years" will have the video scrubbed out.

Going forward, sources said the CNN Special Investigations Unit has tentative permission to use the video for Soledad O'Brien's special "Massacre at Virginia Tech," which is scheduled to air Saturday and Sunday night, 8pm eastern.

But the editing on that piece hasn't been completed and sources said it was unclear if it would use the video.

The CNN policy comes amid a widespread backlash from the public against the use of the photos and video, which were mailed by Cho Seung to NBC between shootings on Monday morning.

The photos and video arrived at NBC on Wednesday and since then networks hungry to have some new information on the reclusive killer, have made liberal use of the images.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963498&categoryid=14

WilliamR

04-20-07, 04:05 PM

Fredfa, do you ever have time to do anything else other then post in here? :D

keenan

04-20-07, 04:06 PM

He's successfully cloned himself, 4 times in fact, so while there's 3 posting here one is kicking back enjoying some HDTV programming. ;-)

AAF

04-20-07, 04:17 PM

It's interesting to watch the breaking news at JSC, gunman in a building, in HD on the local CBS (KHOU in studio and helo) and ABC (KTRK - helo only) stations. And contrast that when I flip over to CNN/MSNBC/Fox and see the really crappy SD picture.

And while NBC is the only HD national news, the local NBC station and MSNBC are still SD.

We live in odd times (TV wise at least)

fredfa

04-20-07, 05:07 PM

And it is even stranger how they are changing so fast!

fredfa

04-20-07, 05:37 PM

The 2007-2008 Season
Primetime Pilot Panic:
The Rumors Begin
By Nikki Finke LA Weekly in her deadlinehollywooddaily blog April 20, 2007

Making the rounds of the agencies and managers is an email that's got the first real pilot gossip. But a trusted source who passed it along cautions me: "I think this email is a crock. I am hearing that some of these haven’t even been screened yet. Thought you might be interested none the less."

Here it is, but you've been warned:

"FBC:

New Amsterdam is "slow" (assuming that's a negative). Nurses looks good.
NBC:

Lipstick Jungle, Fort Pit and Journeyman look good. Chuck isn't getting much heat. Bionic Woman not so good.

ABC:
Dirty Sexy Money looks amazing. Jon Feldman, Pushing Daisies and Suspects all look good.

CBS:
Babylon Fields and Viva Laughlin look good. Demons doesn't look so good.

CW:
Gossip Girl, Reaper and Wild At Heart will all probably go."

When I have time later, I'll post info about each of these pilots.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

fredfa

04-20-07, 05:37 PM

The 2007-2008 Season
Primetime Pilot Panic:
The Early Renewals
By Nikki Finke LA Weekly in her deadlinehollywooddaily blog April 20, 2007

My 2nd annual reporting on the new network schedule for the 2007/2008 Fall TV Season starts now. Let's see where we are. Here's the list of early series' renewals:

ABC:
Boston Legal, Brothers and Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Men in Trees, Ugly Betty. Also, Reality TV's Dancing With the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, America's Funniest Home Videos, Supernanny, Wife Swap and The Bachelor.

NBC:
30 Rock, My Name Is Earl, The Office, Heroes, Las Vegas, Law and Order: SVU

FOX:
King of the Hill, The Simpsons, Bones, House, Prison Break

The CW:
Everybody Hates Chris

CBS:
CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Criminal Minds, Numb3rs, and Reality TV's Survivor
(still checking on rest)

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/primetime-pilot-panic-early-pick-ups/

fredfa

04-20-07, 05:40 PM

The 2007-2008 Season

Of course, you can always find an updated list of renewed shows for the next TV season in the third post of this thread, here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4267598&&#post4267598

fredfa

04-20-07, 06:06 PM

Daily Nielsen Notebook
Thursday’s final national ratings
(From Travis Yanan) at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog:
http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/91410174/p/15

Thursday Finals

Ugly Betty
- 9.456 million viewers
- 6.6/11 HH
- 3.0/9 A18-49

Grey's Anatomy
- 21.125 million viewers
- 13.7/21 HH
- 8.7/23 A18-49

October Road
- 9.603 million viewers
- 6.5/11 HH
- 4.1/12 A18-49

Survivor
- 13.331 million viewers
- 8.1/14 HH
- 4.5/13 A18-49

Shark
- 12.544 million viewers
- 8.5/14 HH
- 3.0/9 A18-49

My Name is Earl
- 7.155 million viewers
- 4.6/8 HH
- 3.0/10 A18-49

30 Rock
- 5.158 million viewers
- 3.3/5 HH
- 2.5/7 A18-49

Scrubs
- 5.615 million viewers
- 3.6/6 HH
- 2.9/7 A18-49

ER
- 9.313 million viewers
- 6.2/11 HH
- 3.8/11 A18-49

5th Grader
- 10.104 million viewers
- 6.0/10 HH
- 3.3/10 A18-49

Smallville
- 3.976 million viewers
- 2.4/4 HH
- 1.7/5 A18-49
- 1.9/7 A18-34

Supernatural
- 3.251 million viewers
- 1.9/3 HH
- 1.3/3 A18-49
- 1.4/4 A18-34

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

dad1153

04-20-07, 06:31 PM

Set your VCR's/DVR's for a late night gameshow tribute (Sunday night/early Monday morning) to the late Kitty Carlisle Hart. :( :( :(

In Memorian
GSN HONORS THE GRAND DAME OF GAME SHOWS KITTY CARLISLE HART
GSN HONORS THE GRAND DAME OF GAME SHOWS KITTY CARLISLE HART IN A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG ‘TO TELL THE TRUTH’ TRIBUTE SUNDAY NIGHT, APRIL 22
GSN Press Release

(Santa Monica, CA) – Wednesday, April 18, 2007 – GSN is honoring the life of Kitty Carlisle Hart, the beloved stage and film actress who appeared on TV game shows in six decades, in a special tribute late Sunday night April 22. Carlisle Hart, who died today at the age of 96 from pneumonia, was a frequent guest on “To Tell The Truth” beginning in the 50’s and GSN is showcasing two landmark episodes of her work on that show. She was the only guest who appeared in every version of “To Tell The Truth” from its original format to its last in 2001.

At 3:00 AM ET (Monday morning), GSN is airing Carlisle’s first appearance on “To Tell The Truth.” This classic black-and-white episode premiered March 5, 1957 and featured Bud Collyer as host. Other panelists joining Carlisle included Polly Bergen, Ralph Bellamy and Hy Gardner. Guests on this particular episode featured the personal barber to the president, a female blackjack dealer/mineral prospector and disc jockey Alan Freed, who is often credited as the radio father of rock ‘n’ roll.

At 3:30 AM ET, GSN is airing a very special “To Tell The Truth” which featured Carlisle’s son as one of the guest imposters. This color episode originally aired in 1973 and featured host Garry Moore. Panelists included Bill Cullen, Joe Garagiola and Peggy Cass. Guests were a New York City police detective who uses disguises and an executive who studies the impact of viewing television in addition to Carlisle’s own son in disguise.

http://www.gsn.com/corporate/press.php?release_id=276

foxeng

04-20-07, 06:59 PM

TV Technology Email Newsletters
Third Periodic Review of DTV Rules on FCC Meeting Agenda
Doug Lung's RF Report
April 20, 2007

Next week at its open meeting, the FCC will consider some of the regulatory issues threatening a successful DTV transition. The agenda item states, "The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing procedures and rule changes necessary to complete the transition to digital television."

The NPRM should provide details on what procedures stations will have to follow when moving and how much latitude they will have when making the transition to their final DTV allotment. It should also provide guidelines on interference levels the FCC will consider acceptable when stations seek to maximize DTV power after analog TV is shut off in February 2009. I hope it will propose rules for distributed transmission systems and low-power, gap filler, on-channel boosters.

Other topics on the agenda include a review of television labeling requirements in connection with the transition from analog to digital television and a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to mandatory cable carriage of digital broadcast TV signals after the conclusion of the DTV transition.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/pages/s.0115/t.5311.html

fredfa

04-20-07, 07:03 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Blogs with character
From Dwight Schrute to Hiro, characters from some of TV's most popular series get a life as they become their own bloggers
By Diane Werts Newsday April 22, 2007

I've got a blog, you've got a blog, everybody's got a blog.

Even TV characters.

Dwight from "The Office" explains how he envisions his funeral. Hiro from "Heroes" shares his fresh-from-Japan view of America ("So many Denny's"). Margene from "Big Love" confides what it's like being polygamy wife No. 3. And Joe the bartender from "Grey's Anatomy" passes on gossip regarding those randy Seattle surgeons.

Yes, bloggery is big even among fictional persons.

And their real-life counterparts? TV stars, writers, producers and even their office assistants and other minions - they're all loquacious at the keyboard these days. Network TV cast and crew members are writing online in dozens of ongoing official Web logs, providing their shows' fans with all the latest details of on-set happenings, offstage parties and other personal/professional secrets.

What's a TV series these days without a blog? It's a show without a direct line to keeping its viewers connected, excited and personally involved, to keep them watching and awaiting what's coming up next. "It helps the fans get into the show and connect with the themes and the characters," says Chris Van Dusen, who does triple duty on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy." He's series creator Shonda Rhimes' assistant. He also writes ABC.com's Emerald City Bar blog, in the voice of the hospital staffers' bartender confidant (played on-air by actor Steven W. Bailey). And when Van Dusen penned his own first script, for the recent "Grey's" episode where characters George and Izzie controversially hit the hay, he composed that week's installment of the series' writers' blog, Grey Matter, at ABC.com.

"His explanation triggered a flood of reader comments currently approaching the 1,500 mark. Sound like a lot? When "Grey's" guiding light Rhimes takes a turn on the writers' blog, her personal tone can elicit up to 4,400 response posts.

"Are you yelling and screaming at your TV sets and cursing my name for throwing Meredith into the water and then rolling the credits on you?" That's what Rhimes blogged about the February sweeps episode "Walk on Water." After follow-up hour, "Drowning on Dry Land," brought back (the spectres of) killed-off characters Denny and Dylan, Rhimes wrote, "You all have some pretty strong feelings about this. I've been reading your comments. STRONG feelings. Which I respect."

That kind of give-and-take intimacy clearly thrills the fans - and intimidates the show's writers. "There's a joke around here that writing the blog every week is more difficult than writing the actual episode," Van Dusen says in a phone interview. "Because it's your voice and your opinions. You can't hide behind the characters."

Other blogs by series characters are written by the actors who play them, as a sort of extracurricular play-along.

"It was my idea in the very beginning that Dwight should have a blog," actor Rainn Wilson of "The Office" told Variety about his uptight character Dwight Schrute, whose NBC.com journal is called Schrute-Space. "I think that a blog is a perfect way for Dwight to express himself," the actor said. "Most people's blogs are like boring, pontificating rants, and that is right up Dwight's alley."

Wilson blogs as Dwight whenever he feels like it.

"Heroes" star Masi Oka, on the other hand, has been scrupulous all season about maintaining NBC.com's Hiro's Blog. With help from series producers, he offers puzzles and e-mail address links, mixing plot clues with diary ramblings by the wide-eyed geek traveling from Japan to Las Vegas to New York.

The new NBC.com blog Frank Talk, written by "30 Rock" actor Judah Friedlander in the voice of his eccentric writer character, also goes multimedia. This one includes backstage photos from the TV-show-within-a-TV-show, plus video windows running clips of hallway soccer games.

Behind-the-scenes staffers tend to be more forthcoming and interactive, often trying to take viewers inside the production process. "Heroes" producer-director Greg Beeman goes in depth on plotting and production, detailing how the show's flying scenes are shot and which cameras and editing systems they use.

Beeman even answered dozens of reader questions in the blog while "Heroes" was running repeats last month. Many TV blogs go dormant when new episodes aren't being aired, especially those that address each week's on-air events. Blogs also tend to take breaks when the show is on production hiatus.

Blogs gone live

NBC.com has extended its blog efforts into "live blogs," where cast and crew interact in real time with viewers online immediately after on-air special events. This week live blogs are scheduled at NBC.com right after Monday's 10 p.m. premiere of the reality show "The Real Wedding Crashers" (with executive producer Jason Goldberg) and Thursday's 9 p.m. "30 Rock" finale (with creator-star Tina Fey).

"It's a wonderful resource for fans that come into the show all along the season," because the live chats are archived online, says Vivi Zigler, executive vice president of NBC Digital Entertainment and New Media. And they whet the appetites of fans to keep visiting and show staffers to continue the process. Zigler says, "Some of our smarter executive producers have even teased certain storylines there."

Savvy bloggers can also find another outlet for creativity. "Heroes" star Oka - so tech-trained that he previously worked doing computer effects for Industrial Light & Magic - sat down with NBC.com staff before the season started, Zigler says. He "asked about Japanese characters and whether the blog could technically support them. He put a lot of thought into how he wanted to look at it."

Video blogs are another variation to boost viewer connection. Fey answers fan questions on-camera at the Ask Tina link on NBC.com's "30 Rock" page. "Battlestar Galactica" executive producer David Eick directs backstage footage showing fans how the Sci Fi drama is produced. Both he and show runner Ron Moore, who writes a text blog and does audio podcasts, are eager participants in keeping viewers connected.

Where "Ron's approach to a written blog was a very informative treat for fans who wanted to know about the creation process," Eick says, "I try to cut the other way as an irreverent, off-color, subversive exposé on what it's really like making a TV show."

Eick sometimes delivers inside peeks at directing, makeup and special effects. But he also does put-ons about backstage affairs and missing staffers, using "Galactica" actors as playful co-conspirators.

For better or nurse

That enthusiasm is spreading. Blogging is so quickly becoming everyday in American life that "now it's almost de rigueur" for TV series creators, says ABC.com's associate creative director Larry Terenzi. "In the two years since we first approached 'Grey's' with it, it's become more and more a desirable thing from the show's perspective. It's no longer me pitching them on the merits of doing a blog, it's them saying 'When can you have it up [online]?'"

"Now the producers see it not only as an extension of what they can do on the air, but in some cases, they've incorporated it into the show," says Terenzi, a Deer Park native.

The producers of "Grey's Anatomy" created the Nurse's Station blog so a fictional hospital staffer named Debbie could gossip online about the show's characters from an insider's perspective. "When they first invented that blog," Terenzi says, "she didn't exist in the world of 'Grey's.' But once the blog took off, then she made appearances on the show," in the person of actress Cathy Lind Hayes.

Now we're starting to see the occasional TV blog having an impact on life in the real world. NBC's "Today" Family Blog (allday.msnbc.msn .com) hit the headlines a week ago when Al Roker weighed in there on Don Imus' "nappy-headed" remarks, in measured but personal comments that drew hundreds of response posts. The good-natured weatherman's take, swiftly reported in the media, was credited by some observers as a tipping point in the controversy that eventually saw Imus' show dropped by MSNBC television and CBS Radio.

Roker's power came from his personal relationship with on-air viewers and online readers. And that connection is precisely what blogs are used by the networks to reinforce and intensify.

They said WHAT?

Here are excerpts from some TV characters' blogs:

'The man I saved was tall and black. He seemed very serious. He didn't even smile. His son seemed nice but he didn't smile either. Being a hero is a very thankless job but at least they could smile."

• Hiro's Blog ("Heroes," blog .nbc.com/hiro_blog)

"When I die, here's how I want my funeral. I would like Michael Scott to fashion my coffin from Dunder Mifflin paper boxes and duct tape. My pillow will be the cushion from my chair (product #497- 8)."

• Shrute-Space ("The Office," blog.nbc .com/DwightsBlog)

"I can't satisfy Bill on my nights with him. Not lately, at least. Not last night. God, please let the pressure from the store be the reason. Please, please, please. And please let this be happening on Barb and Nicki's nights, too. Wait, I don't really mean that. (Yes, I do.)"

• Margene's Blog ["Big Love," hbo.com/biglove (click on Margene)]

"Let's state the obvious about last week's show: I made a misstep. ... While I take 'Dancing With the Stars' insanely seriously - I'm in this competition to win - I didn't feel that the misstep took away from the overall dance performance. (I mean, my buns haven't moved like that ... ever!)"

• Ian Ziering, "Dancing With the Stars" [community .tvguide.com (click Celebrity Blogs)]

"You just can't get a good suit of armor these days. The first suit I tried on didn't fit. Not even close. It was like trying to wear a Red Bull. The second one worked, but how people ever fought in those things is beyond me. They're loud, slow, awkward and, who am I kidding, cool as -- !"

• Christopher Gorham, Henry on "Ugly Betty" (community .tvguide.com; click Celebrity Blogs)

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-fftv5177084apr22,0,4367036,print.story?coll=ny-television-headlines

cherry ghost

04-20-07, 07:26 PM

fredfa

04-20-07, 07:52 PM

Thanks so much, cherry ghost.

123HDTV

04-20-07, 08:43 PM

(And thanks for all who have voted, too!)

I tried but their validation system doesn't seem to be working quite up to par. I'm still waiting for the validation email.

fredfa

04-20-07, 09:17 PM

I appreciate the effort, 123HDTV.

fredfa

04-20-07, 09:21 PM

TV Notebook
MSNBC Tests Imus Replacements
First Up: Philadelphia Radio Host Michael Smerconish
By Steve Donohue Multichannel News 4/20/2007

MSNBC plans to test out replacements for its Imus in the Morning program beginning Monday with Philadelphia radio host Michael Smerconish.

Smerconish, a former attorney, currently broadcasts The Michael Smerconish Morning Show on WPHT-AM in Philadelphia.

MSNBC vice president of media relations Jeremy Gaines said Friday that Smerconish will broadcast his morning program April 23-25 from MSNBC’s Secaucus, N.J., headquarters, the previous broadcast home of Imus in the Morning.

CBS Radio and MSNBC cancelled Imus’ long-running program earlier this month after he directed a racial insult at the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, sparking a backlash from listeners, community leaders and advertisers.

Gaines said MSNBC -- which has relied heavily on NBC News chief White House correspondent David Gregory to fill in during the weekday-morning slot that Imus occupied -- expects to test a number of replacements for Imus.

Those may include additional radio hosts and NBC talent.

http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6435440

fredfa

04-20-07, 09:36 PM

The 2007-2008 Season
ABC finds base in fall schedule race
Groundwork laid, network eyes midweek fix
By Michael Schneider Variety April 20, 2007

Steve McPherson already knows he'll sleep better next fall.

ABC could very well make some risky scheduling moves or pick up shows that are tough audience sells, but its entertainment topper says one thing's for certain: No heart-pounding, sweat-inducing gambits like "Grey's Anatomy's" shift to Thursdays are in the cards.

The "Grey's" move last fall was just part of a massive overhaul in which ABC added at least one new hour to every night of the week except Monday.

"I think it's a very different year than last year," McPherson says. "Last year we knew going in that the big talking point would be the 'Grey's Anatomy' movement."

Also unlike last year, ABC heads into the May upfronts with several new players under its belt. Network has already given an early pickup to most of them, including "Ugly Betty," "Brothers & Sisters" and "Men in Trees."

Other newbies, including "October Road," also have a shot at coming back.

That's a big change from last May, when the net brought back just one scripted entry, "What About Brian."

Without pro football this year and with top-10 shows "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" on the decline, ABC has seen double-digit dips in the adults 18-49 demo. But with more players now in its arsenal, the Alphabet web could in some ways be in better shape this year than last, when it came close to winning the season.

THE STRATEGY

With Sunday and Thursday humming along nicely -- and stakes much lower on Friday and Saturday -- McPherson says ABC needs to concentrate on beefing up Tuesday and Wednesday.

"There's some opportunity for comedy, both half-hour and hourlong, in the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. slots," he says.

McPherson also sees an opening in the 10 p.m. hour on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"There's room there for everybody, and some opportunity in the fall for people to take a whack at them."

ABC will have to fill a Wednesday hole left by "Lost," which the net plans to keep on ice until January (in order to run all 22 or 23 hours without interruption). "Tuesday and Wednesday becomes a different discussion without 'Lost' there in the fall," McPherson notes.

A lot will depend on whether ABC decides to move "Dancing With the Stars" back to Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the fall. But McPherson is so far pleased with how "Dancing" has been faring on Mondays, where the net has been besting the competish.

"I'm happy with the way we performed on Monday throughout the year," he says. "Given the absence of 'Monday Night Football,' people thought that would be a crushing blow. But with female-friendly alternative programming going in there, that's become a good success story for us."

THE PLAYERS

Not too long ago, critics and rivals questioned whether ABC had a brand. But shows like "Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Ugly Betty" and "Brothers & Sisters" all rep a sudsy, humor-tinged character-driven bent that leans toward femme auds.

Nonetheless, the Alphabet is still anxious to expand its aud next season. "We'd like to continue to broaden out our female demos and bring in men," McPherson says.

The exec adds that the "bar will be high" for dramas next season. "We've got a lot already working."

Of course, all eyes will be on the "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff, which he calls "a big tool for us."

Beyond that, "Cashmere Mafia," from Darren Star, follows four female execs (including Lucy Liu and Frances O'Connor) as they juggle their lives. "Football Wives" stars Gabrielle Union and Lucy Lawless as the wives of pro football players. "Judy's Got a Gun" centers on a single mother who moonlights as a detective. "Women's Murder Club" follows four pals as they solve crimes.

ABC has several fantasy-oriented projects in the works, such as "Pushing Daisies," about a man who can bring the dead back to life, and "Eli Stone," about an attorney who has visions.

Net also has a TV take on the movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," and will take another stab at procedurals with "Suspect."

On the comedy front, with few players left in ABC's arsenal, McPherson is focusing more on genre this year.

"We've got a lot of R&D going into them," he says. "It's early, but we have some good contenders. I'm anxious to see how they turn out."

Most of the recent talk has been on "Cavemen," the project based on the Geico commercials. Beyond that, the net is looking to add a few female-led laffers, such as the Heather Locklear starrer "See Jayne Run" and the corporate world-centered "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office."

Ricki Lake stars in "The Middle," while Christina Applegate plays a woman with amnesia in "Sam I Am."

Several comedies also feature large ensembles, such as "The Call," "Carpoolers" and "The Hill."

Although the net hasn't had much luck with its single-camera laffers, the form dominates -- making up 12 of ABC's 16 comedy pilots.

THE QUESTION MARKS

With most of ABC's returning shows already picked up for next season, there will be few Alphabet producers gnawing on fingernails in the days leading up to its upfront presentation.

Nonetheless, ABC hasn't announced which comedies, if any, will return next year -- keeping vets "George Lopez" and "According to Jim" on the fence yet again.

It's too soon to tell whether "Notes from the Underbelly" will be back for a second trimester. Meanwhile, there's a long-shot chance that critical fave "Knights of Prosperity" could return.

ABC's comedy strategy will depend on whether the net feels it has the goods with its new crop of pilots. Strategy is also dependent on whether NBC decides to drop "Scrubs," in which case ABC would pick up the Disney-produced show for its final season.

As for "October Road," its future probably hinges on how it fares in its final two airings.

THE BOTTOM LINE

It's been a bit of a roller coaster for ABC, which started the year strong, then took some lumps at midseason -- without football or "Dancing With the Stars" in the winter.

But McPherson believes the tide has turned again in spring, with some new promising entries (specifically, "October Road") and a strong Monday night perf.

"We had some really strong ups and downs in between, but we're now finishing strong heading into May," McPherson says.

As for the state of ABC, McPherson notes that the network still has needs -- but is steadily filling those holes.

"We still have to get a lot more programming on the air," he says. "But we've made some strides."

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963530&categoryid=14

Iteki

04-20-07, 10:02 PM

I tried but their validation system doesn't seem to be working quite up to par. I'm still waiting for the validation email.

I never received mine, but if you email their info address:

info@bloggerschoiceawards.com

with the following subject:

Email Confirmation Not Received

They will go ahead and validate it manually.

flint350

04-20-07, 10:50 PM

Rather than chance fredfa coming to my house with a cauldron of oil, I finally voted as well. It brought it up to 41 as of my vote.

fredfa

04-20-07, 11:37 PM

Drats, now I can douse the fire heating that cauldron of oil. :)

Thanks, iteki and flint350.

fredfa

04-21-07, 01:36 AM

Passings
Jim Thurman, 72,
TV writer; Emmy winner wrote for 'Sesame Street'
By Variety Staff

Jim Thurman, Emmy-award winning children's television writer, died in Sheffield, MA, April 14 after a short illness. He was 72.

One of the early team of writers for Children's Television Workshop, creators of Sesame Street, Thurman wrote for "Sesame Street," "The Electric Company," for which he was part of the Emmy-award winning writing team and "321 Contact." He also wrote sketches for Jim Henson's "The Muppet Show," and performed voices such as "Sesame Street's" Teeny Little Super Guy.

Thurman helped kids have fun with math as co-creator, with the late David D. Connell, of "Square One TV." As senior producer and head writer, he helped create the Mathnet segments, a parody of "Dragnet" featuring calculator-toting detectives.

Joan Ganz Cooney, founder and former president of Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) said, "Jim was a stalwart spirit within the Workshop. He was important not only for what he produced but for the positive spirit he had as he did it. He was an utter joy to work with, and was truly funny."

Thurman began his career in advertising in Los Angeles where he and writing partner, the late Gene Moss, formed a boutique ad agency, Creative Advertising Stuff. His comedy writing ability soon led him to television comedy, where he wrote for Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby and Bob Newhart.

With Moss he also wrote and provided voices for "Shrimpenstein," a satirical children's television program that aired in Los Angeles during the late 1960s. The two also wrote all 156 episodes and provided voices for the syndicated cartoon, "Roger Ramjet."

Born in Dallas, he grew up in Vicksburg, Miss. and graduated the U. of Michigan.

In recent years Jim continued to write, do voice work and wrote a weekly column for his local paper.

Jim is survived by his wife, Patricia; two sons; a daughter; four grandchildren; and a sister.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117963501&categoryid=14

vonzoog

04-21-07, 07:14 AM

Whitlock labeled Mike Lupica "an insecure, mean-spirited busybody"

That statement alone makes him my kind of guy. ;)

fredfa

04-21-07, 10:42 AM

TV Sports
Viewers fight for sports they want to see
Fans are often left out when sports channels fall victim to cable or satellite TV disputes
By Greg Johnson Los Angeles Times Staff Writer April 21, 2007

Helen Freeman is a second-generation New York Yankees fan whose mother was buried under a tombstone engraved with a baseball bat and the team's stylized "NY" logo. So the Anaheim resident was understandably upset when opening day came without an agreement between MLB and cable TV companies so that rabid fans could watch out-of-town games.

Baseball and the cable companies did come to terms a day into the season, but Freeman is still steaming: "I'm tired of these big corporations playing chess with each other to see who can get exclusive checkmate and be the top dog. Nobody is looking out for the consumer."

Freeman, though, had a friend in high places. U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who convened a congressional hearing and prodded MLB and cable company executives to reach a cable TV deal similar to what it previously had announced with DirecTV.

"I'm happy because it's good to see fans win one," Kerry said after the deal was reached. "Baseball is so much a part of the national fabric that making it exclusive [to one company or another] winds up denying the fan base something that consumers merit legitimate access to."

Most fans, though, largely are on their own when a sports channel falls victim to a cable or satellite TV rights dispute.

Dan Stuttgen, a self-described golf addict in Minneapolis, recently made nearly two dozen telephone calls to keep the Golf Channel from disappearing from his cable TV lineup during the week leading up to the Masters tournament. "I felt as if I was being held hostage," he said. "They can't do this to me, not during the week of the Masters."

Stuttgen, like Freeman, had the option of switching to a satellite TV provider that had access to Golf Channel and Extra Innings programming. A last-minute agreement kept Golf Channel programming flowing, but Stuttgen and Freeman both complained about their inability to get straight information about why their favorite channels were being threatened.

"It's like they don't know there's a consumer out there. It's all about the power grab — who can own the most exclusives of all," Freeman said.

Cable television operators maintain that they're usually not to blame when programming disappears and point to skyrocketing rights fees that leagues, sports networks and other programming sources demand. "Bringing programming, whether it's golf or football, is something that we want to do. But you don't want to forget the cost issue," said Anita Lamont, spokeswoman for cable firm Charter Communications.

Leagues and sports channels counter that TV cable operators often heed their own financial interests rather than doing what's best for fans.

What's not open for debate is the crowded nature of the channel lineup.

In 2002, for example, Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner ended a nasty spat with the cable company making space for four ESPN channels; a new agreement signed last month made room for nine ESPN channels.

Such a diverse sporting interest as the U.S. Olympic Committee is talking about starting a channel, the Big Ten Conference is scheduled to launch its network in August, and regional sports networks abound. And there isn't room for all of the contenders in the most widely available cable packages.

Who pays for the glut of sports programming also is being debated.

The licensing fees collected last year by ESPN and the Fox Sports Network accounted for about a quarter of a cable operator's basic and digital tier programming costs, according to Jupiter Research. As rights fees rise, Jupiter Research added, pressure is on cable and satellite TV operators to charge different prices for "light" and "premium" sports packages.

Cable companies have spent nearly $1 billion in the past decade to build out their elaborate digital tiers. But programmers want to stay in the widely distributed packages because more eyeballs equate to more advertising.

Consumers, meanwhile, continue to get lost in the shuffle.

NFL Network now is available on many cable systems and in 41 million households, largely on the strength of strong consumer demand for all things football. But the impressive growth curve hasn't helped Charles Modica. Last summer, the 24-year-old Los Angeles resident hooked his new HD TV set into his cable box and settled in to watch some football.

Three weeks later, the NFL Network unexpectedly was replaced when Time Warner acquired Modica's cable provider. The NFL Network was dropped because Time Warner didn't have an agreement to carry NFL Network programming.

Modica frantically worked the phones to keep NFL Network's signal, but Time Warner was his only cable alternative and his downtown apartment won't accommodate a satellite dish.

Time Warner customers still don't have access to the extra NFL games, much to Modica's dismay.

"You don't really have much of an option," said Modica. "Particularly if you can't switch to another service."

Though Kerry is credited with using his position and power to nudge MLB and cable operators toward an agreement, he cautioned fans not to expect congressional intervention when the next, inevitable dispute occurs.

"We want to be sure that Congress is not inadvertently creating winners and losers," Kerry said. "You want a sort of neutrality in the marketplace where these decisions are made by fans, investors and the law of supply and demand."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-sp-sporttv21apr21,0,5657984,print.story?coll=cl-tvent

fredfa

04-21-07, 12:59 PM

rebkell

04-21-07, 01:27 PM

Fred, in your upcoming premieres post, the two new TNT series are missing, according to the TNT website:
Heartland starts June 18th
and
Saving Grace starts in July

fredfa

04-21-07, 01:39 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Lucille Ball, "Roots," "Heroes" receive TV Land Awards
By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel Television Critic his TV Guy blog April 21, 2007

Do you love Lucy? You can share the affection as "I Love Lucy" star Lucille Ball is honored at the TV Land Awards. The program premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday on TV Land. (If you're busy with "The Sopranos" or "Desperate Housewives," Nick at Nite will repeat the program at 11 p.m. Sunday.)

Ball earned the Legacy of Laughter Award at the event, which taped April 14 in Santa Monica, Calif. Carol Burnett and Kirstie Alley presented the prize to Ball's children, Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. (They are pictured.) Ball died in 1989.

"Roots" received the Anniversary Award 30 years after absorbing the public with a searing look at slavery. Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman presented the prize to the miniseries' cast.

And what a cast: LeVar Burton, Leslie Uggams, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Georg Stanford Brown, Olivia Cole, Cicely Tyson, Louis Gossett Jr. and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs.

Other big winners:

"Heroes" took the Future Classic Award. Masi Oka and Jack Coleman were among the cast members attending.

"Hee Haw" received Entertainer Award. Willie Nelson performed "On the Road Again" and "City of New Orleans" to honor the variety show. Roy Clark and other cast members accepted the prize.

"Taxi" earned the Medallion Award. The ceremony reunited cast members Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Carol Kane, Jeff Conaway and Randall Carver.

"The Brady Bunch" won the Pop Culture Award. Accepting the prize were Ann B. Davis, Florence Henderson, Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick, Mike Lookinland and Susan Olsen. James Lipton also interviewed the cast. In another segment, McCormick and Williams sang along with the ceremony's host, Kelly Ripa.

Ripa also re-enacted the openings of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "That Girl" and "The Flying Nun."

This is the fifth annual TV Land Awards. There's a sweetness about this telecast that you won't find in other awards shows. If you love vintage television, give the show a look, if just to catch up with old favorites.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2007/04/lucille_ball_ro.html

fredfa

04-21-07, 01:44 PM

Fred, in your upcoming premieres post, the two new TNT series are missing, according to the TNT website:
Heartland starts June 18th
and
Saving Grace starts in July

Thanks for noticing the omissions, rebkell.

The corrections have been made.

DoubleDAZ

04-21-07, 02:07 PM

Fred,

Do you know that your Vote link takes you to the second post in this thread instead of the voting site?

fredfa

04-21-07, 02:23 PM

Fred,

Do you know that your Vote link takes you to the second post in this thread instead of the voting site?

Thanks, Dave.

Of course in attempting to fix the sig I screwed everything up -- so no signature for a while.

DoubleDAZ

04-21-07, 03:38 PM

Thanks, Dave.

Of course in attempting to fix the sig I screwed everything up -- so no signature for a while.Yeah, it looks to me like you left the old URL in. Too bad sigs are limited to 200 characters. :)

If this helps:

Vote For Hot Off The Press (http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/7206)

or

Vore For Hot Off The Press (http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/categories/23)

The first one takes you to the Voting site, the second to the Entertainment Category.

fredfa

04-21-07, 06:38 PM

TV Notebook
Entourage: Carla Gugino
She Crashes the Boys’ Club, Leaving Her Mark
By Edward Wyatt The New York Times

LOS ANGELES, April 20 — When Doug Ellin was considering whom to cast in the role of Vince’s new agent on the HBO hit “Entourage,” he realized that he had several tall orders to fill.

The actor would have to portray a strong woman, one who could have a sharp business edge yet who, with her sexy demeanor, could still turn the adolescent-at-heart Vince and his hangers-on childhood buddies into so many wet noodles.

The actor would also have to be able to hold her own against Jeremy Piven, who won an Emmy last year for his scenery-shredding portrayal of Ari Gold, the talent agent whose hubris both lifts Vincent Chase to stardom and causes Ari to fumble away his best client.

And though Mr. Ellin plays down the consideration, he must have known that the presence of a powerful new female character would highlight the relative lack of strong female roles on the show, which has five male leads.

“We needed someone who could be a strong, smart, powerful woman, sometimes sexy, and someone who made the guys feel like little boys,” said Mr. Ellin, an executive producer and the creator of “Entourage.”

“We didn’t know who that was when we were writing the script,” he added, but it has quickly become clear that Carla Gugino is all those things, and more.

Ms. Gugino, whose turn as Amanda, the new agent to Adrian Grenier’s Vince, continues tomorrow, is not an actress whose experience would seem to have pointed toward her current role.

She has starred on television, most famously as the lead in “Karen Sisco,” an ABC drama about a federal marshal that didn’t last through its first season. Eleven years ago, one of her first big roles was as the girlfriend to Michael J. Fox’s character in “Spin City.” To audiences of a certain, much younger, age, she is best known as the mother in the “Spy Kids” movie trilogy.

All of which barely scratched the surface of her acting talent. She has impressed audiences and critics on Broadway with her performances in 2004 as Maggie in Arthur Miller’s “After the Fall” and in 2006 as Catharine Holly in Tennessee Williams’s “Suddenly Last Summer.” Ben Brantley, chief theater critic for The New York Times, said her performance as Catharine evoked “memories of a young Elizabeth Taylor in the film version.”

Ms. Gugino, 35, said in an interview this week: “I kind of knew it wasn’t going to be until my 30s that I really hit my stride as an actor. I kind of always looked like an ingénue, but I never acted like one because as soon as I opened my mouth in those movies,” and out came her husky, self-assured voice, “it was, ooh, she’s a little too much perhaps.”

If her voice gives her older tint, it also lends her a smoldering quality that is in tune with the sex-charged atmosphere that is characteristic of “Entourage.”

“I’m not interested in playing a sexy character just for that reason, or playing a provocative character for that reason,” she said. “But if that’s an aspect of a more interesting character, that’s an aspect I want to explore.”

She credits much of her self-assurance to a childhood that carried a certain variety of experience: she alternated between a so-called normal environment with her father, an orthodontist in Sarasota, Fla., and stints living with her bohemian mother in a tepee in Northern California. There was also a touch of Hollywood; she was steered toward her first acting class by her aunt, Carol Merrill, the hostess on “Let’s Make a Deal.”

Ms. Gugino was aware of the dangers of trying to compete with Mr. Piven, whose theatrics as Ari can sometimes threaten to crowd out everyone else on screen.

“My tendency as an actor is, when there’s a certain energy, I feel a challenge to match it, to come up to that plate and play on the same level,” she said. “What I realized with this is that this role wasn’t about that; it was actually the opposite. I, as Amanda, had to watch Ari do all of his cartwheels and all of his everything, and then say, ‘You’re full of it.’ ”

Ms. Gugino is careful to state that she believes that there are plenty of strong female actors on the show, including Beverly D’Angelo, who plays Ari’s business partner, and Debi Mazar, Vince’s publicist, who has been absent from the show recently but will return later this year. And, she noted, even the show’s plentiful eye candy, the women who pop in and have affairs with the boys, are often played by funny and respected actors as well.

But Amanda brings something different to the show. “I do think it was a conscious choice of Doug to make a character who was a woman and who was strong and can go toe to toe with Ari,” she said. “She is commanding in her profession and she also has a sexual dynamic with the characters, and that I think is not that common on this show.”

She said that she believed that the character of Amanda was very present in real-life Hollywood. “Right now I think there is a new breed of women agents, and it probably carries over to other areas of business as well, where they are fully women: they’re stylish, they’re pretty, but they are incredibly good at what they do and incredibly well respected,” she said. “I think that there’s a tendency for actors who play strong women to have them take on all the worst characteristics of men, to become cold and detached and hardened.”

As will become evident beginning on tomorrow’s show, Amanda is not afraid of addressing the sexual tension that hangs over her relationship with Vince. When we last saw her on screen, Amanda was being pushed around: Vince would not commit to a new movie, and his manager, Eric, would not return her phone calls.

But this week, she pushes back.

“I never heard Ari talk to Vince like that,” says Turtle, one of the entourage, as the boys leave Amanda’s office.

Drama, Vince’s brother and an actor wannabe, says: “We could hear the screaming right through the door. Kinda hot.”

When Mr. Ellin and his writing staff decided how to address that heat, he said, there was considerable anxiety at how everyone would respond — Ms. Gugino, HBO and the audience, particularly the female members.

“We were beyond nervous,” Mr. Ellin said. “There were big fights at this office over how we did it.” The dialogue includes a line that is certain to make viewers sit up straight. “That line was written by a young female writer here,” Mr. Ellin said, but it produced a level of angst “more than any scene in the history of the show.”

Ms. Gugino said that when she got the script, “I thought it was fantastic.”

“This is a woman who thinks like an agent,” she continued. “There’s a problem of chemistry that’s going on here; Amanda is fine, she can work perfectly well under those circumstances, but Vince can’t. So she realizes that this is not going to be good for a long-term relations, and she has a solution.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/21/arts/television/21carl.html?pagewanted=print

fredfa

04-21-07, 07:19 PM

TV Review
"Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness"
How a Widower's Quest for Vengeance Yielded to Compassion
By Kathy Blumenstock Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 22, 2007
(CBS Sun. April 22, 9 PM ET/PT)

"The real Bruce Murakami said that being able to forgive saved his own life." -- Brad Moore, president, Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

Dean Cain's character turned a quest for retribution into a personal journey toward forgiveness.

"He was so angry, of course he was bent on vengeance. I would be, too," Cain said of his role in "Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness" as Bruce Murakami. "Where else are you going to put all that emotion?"

The film was inspired by the true story of Murakami, a Tampa man whose wife, Cindy, and daughter, Chelsea, were killed in 1998 when their car was hit by a street-racing teenager.

Eventually, the real-life Murakami did put aside his rage. Instead of seeking prison for Justin Gutierrez, the driver responsible for the crash, Murakami requested that the boy speak to other high school students about driving responsibly -- and about how the lives of two families had changed tragically because of careless behavior behind the wheel.

The movie dramatizes events surrounding the incident, including the day Cindy (Chelah Horsdal) and Chelsea (Katie Pezarro) died and the joint appearances by Murakami and Gutierrez (Shiloh Fernandez) to draw attention to dangerous teen driving.

Hallmark Hall of Fame, which produced "Crossroads," has a record of making films based on the theme of forgiveness.

"If you went back in our history -- which is 56 years -- and asked what is most often the topic of our movies, you'd see that it's forgiveness," said Brad Moore, president of Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions. "We may not promote or name them that way, but it's about people who forgive others and, thus, forgive themselves as well. The real Bruce Murakami said that being able to forgive saved his own life."

Cain said he was most worried about filming the scene depicting Murakami arriving at the accident. Unsure of what has happened, Murakami instinctively fears his wife and daughter are involved in the crash, which is marked by plumes of smoke from a burning car.

"I dreaded it from day one, and it was my least favorite," said Cain, who was relieved the scene was accomplished in only two or three takes.

"The subject matter was so heart-wrenching," said Cain, who has a 6-year-old son, Christopher. "And being a father, you have to play those emotions through your heart and your head."

Cain hopes parents will watch the film with their children.

"That's a big part of the message, and everybody can learn from it," he said. "People don't realize how many children are killed in automobile accidents. It's the leading cause of death in kids under 18."

The film also stars Peri Gilpin as Murakami's lawyer, Erin Teller. She works with him, first to prove the accident was not the fault of Cindy Murakami, who had reportedly pulled out into traffic without looking, and then to bring the at-fault driver to justice.

Teller initially is surprised by Murakami's choice to forgive the teen driver after her efforts to build a legal case against him, but she supports Murakami's decision, as do his sons (Landon Liboiron and Ryan Kennedy).

"Making that decision to forgive and heal is an incredible journey, and it's one I am not sure I could take," said Cain, who said he felt a responsibility in the role not to trivialize Murakami's real life.

"It was a bad trip for me to have to live it for six weeks -- but for Bruce, this is every day."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701428_pf.html

RussTC3

04-21-07, 07:25 PM

Voted for the site, Fred.

Now, on to your signature. What do you want it to have exactly? Here is a possibility:

Hot off the Press! The Latest Television News and Info.
Prime Time Nielsen TV Ratings (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4265568&&#post4265568)
Vote for Hot Off The Press! (http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/7206)
It'll look like the following when not wrapped in code:
Hot off the Press! The Latest Television News and Info.
Prime Time Nielsen TV Ratings (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4265568&&#post4265568)
Vote for Hot Off The Press! (http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/7206)

Oh, if you're still able to, you need to take the (.) out of the entries for AVSForum.

kjpjr

04-21-07, 07:40 PM

Another side to this issue is the Mom and Pop mentality of cable co. Let me make the decision as to what I want, just give me the choice.

I buy ESPN GP, Centre Ice, and MLB EI. That runs me about $400 a year which I see as no problem. I want that I'll pay for it. I also get to pay another $85 a year for ESPNHD and ESPN2HD plus some other channels that I don't care about. I also buy the sports tier which is another $50 a year.

With the chances of seeing the Big Ten Network here in SC somewhere between slim and none and the fact that GP won't carry any Big Ten, PAC 10 or Big 12 games I will make the choice this fall to not buy GP buy that is my choice.

I know a lot of talk has been about the NFL network, I, personally, would not buy that for more than a buck or two a month but I should get the choice.

It is the same thing with the MLB channel in 2009 -- don't want it won't pay for it but I do watch a lot of games

The issue to me is about choice -- let me make the choice not Mom and Pop TW.

DoubleDAZ

04-21-07, 07:51 PM

kjpjr,

As has been pointed out in various ala carte discussions, this is not the fault of the cableco or any mom/pop mentality. Many of the services you mention are only provided to cable/sat as a bundle with specific carriage requirements, at least in the US. For example, NFL Networks demands to be carried on the lowest tier so they get revenue from all subs, not just sports subs. The same thing is true for ESPN and the bundle of ABC/Disney channels, etc. There is no doubt cable tends to fight ala carte, but exactly why is another discussion. Currently their hands are tied by bundled services and carriage contracts. Cox and other cableco's fought against the NFL's demands. Cox ended up with a temporary carriage arrangement, but I believe the jury is still out on just what is going to happen this summer.

fredfa

04-21-07, 07:54 PM

Thanks Russ!

And everyone should make the (slight) effort to vote for Russ's thought-provoking ratings site. Go here:

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/8145

To check out the info he provides on his site, check it out here:

http://wordpress.com/tag/broadcast-tv-ratings/

keenan

04-21-07, 08:25 PM

This is ridiculous, 8 votes in a 24hr period??

This thread has had over 2500 views in the last 24 plus hrs, there simply has to more than the same 42 people viewing it...

...so...

...once again...

Hey!!

Have you voted in the Blogger's Choice Awards for your favorite entertainment blog??

You know, the one you're reading right now, the AVS Forum Hot Off The Press Thread.

It currently has only 42 votes!?!?

That's pathetic folks, how about showing some love? :)

The current leader has 278 votes and I know we can top that easily.

I know there's more folks than that who like reading this thread so take 5 mins and go to the site, get a login, and VOTE!!

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/7206
Blogger's Choice Awards | Blog Detail

...and give RussTC3's a vote as well.

http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/8145
Blogger's Choice Awards | Blog Detail

VisionOn

04-21-07, 08:38 PM

This is ridiculous, 8 votes in a 24hr period??

This thread has had over 2500 views in the last 24 plus hrs, there simply has to more than the same 42 people viewing it...

well, I check in about 5 or 6 times a day during the week so ...

keenan

04-21-07, 08:43 PM

well, I check in about 5 or 6 times a day during the week so ...
Yes, me too, but I suspect that 2500 views is probably at the low end for this thread normally, it is Fri/Sat.

I'm guessing that the create an account aspect is probably turning people off as well.

trbarry

04-21-07, 09:05 PM

fredfa

04-21-07, 09:12 PM

Really? Yikes.

It surely didn't do that to me -- I would never ask people to visit a site that asked for that kind of info.

My apologies Tom.

Has anyone else encountered that?

keenan

04-21-07, 09:12 PM

Boy, you got me, I don't know what one with have to do with the other.

fredfa

04-21-07, 09:17 PM

As far as page views, the thread averages about 2,400 each week day, 1,600 or so on weekends.

(That is up from about 1,500 and 800 in the corresponding periods last year.)

rcman2

04-21-07, 09:27 PM

No problem signing up or voting here.

fredfa

04-21-07, 09:45 PM

TV Sports
NBC OKs 3-year skate deal
By Philip Hersh Chicago Tribune Olympics sports reporter April 21, 2007

The United States Figure Skating Association will announce Monday it has signed a three-year deal with NBC to broadcast the national championships and Skate America, the Tribune has learned.

Significant parts of both events will be televised live in prime time.

The USFSA's 12-year contract with ABC, which paid $12 million annually over the last few years, expired this April. ABC/ESPN had right of first refusal, which it declined to exercise.

No financial details of the new deal were available.

Even if the USFSA were buying the time rather than getting a rights fee, having continued exposure on over-the-air television is a significant coup for the organization.

There were fears that declining ratings could have turned skating into a Webcast sport.

NBC has the rights to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and undoubtedly wanted the U.S. championships in 2010 to help build interest in its Olympic telecasts.

ESPN has international figure skating rights -- world championships and Grand Prix events other than Skate America -- through 2008.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-0704200615apr21,1,756235.story?coll=chi-sportsnew-hed&ctrack=2&cset=true

choskyigragspa

04-21-07, 09:48 PM

Really? Yikes.

It surely didn't do that to me -- I would never ask people to visit a site that asked for that kind of info.

My apologies Tom.

Has anyone else encountered that?
Yup. I've had this same problem. The submit button simply doesn't appear unless I check off the "Sign me up for PayPerPost.com too!" box...which requires a PayPal email address.

fredfa

04-21-07, 09:51 PM

TV Sports
Will Button make the move to NBC?
Now that NBC has landed a three-year deal to show Skate America and U.S. championships, the face of the sport is likely to join the broadcast team.
By Philip Hersh, Special to The Los Angeles Times April 21, 2007

In ABC's 43-year association with U.S. figure skating, commentator Dick Button became the face of the sport.

Now that NBC has become the broadcast network of the major U.S. skating events, beginning with Skate America next fall, Button's future on those telecasts is uncertain, but it would not be a surprise for NBC to keep him in a prominent role.

"No one (from NBC) has talked with me yet,'' Button, 77, said Saturday, "but I would love to keep doing the national championships and Skate America. I am delighted to see this new deal, and I think it augurs well for the future of skating in this country.''

NBC used Button as part of a studio show, Olympic Ice, which aired on USA network during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

An NBC spokesman did not return calls for comment Saturday.

The Chicago Tribune has learned some other details of the new three-year deal, first reported on Tribune websites Friday, that the U.S. Figure Skating Association struck with NBC:

• The USFSA got a $12 million-a-year rights fee in the final eight years of the ABC/ESPN contract that ended in April. Given both a 60 percent drop in ratings over the past decade for the women's final at the U.S. Championships and changes in the TV marketplace, the USFSA did well to get what is a revenue-sharing deal with NBC. Both parties will profit once advertising revenue reaches a predetermined level.

• There will be format changes at the nationals so all finals can be televised live, and the finals likely will take place Saturday night (a three-hour, prime-time telecast) and Sunday afternoon.

The changes likely will include having two disciplines -- dance and women, for example -- on the same program. That would mean only the top eight going into the free skate of each discipline would skate during the live telecasts, with the others relegated to an earlier session. That would create a better program not only for TV but the stadium audience at the finals.

• The deal gives NBC rights to show the skating events not only on TV but on a variety of digital media.

(Philip Hersh covers the Olympics for The Times and Chicago Tribune).

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-skating22apr22,1,1664853.story?track=rss

fredfa

04-21-07, 10:09 PM

TV Review
"Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness"
By Laura Fries Variety (CBS Sun. April 22, 9 PM ET/PT)

A Hallmark Hall of Fame telepic with a maudlin tag like "Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness" seems like the usual pre-sweeps primer. In fact, "Crossroads" starts off in sensational, TV-movie fashion and looks as if it's all just an elaborate cautionary tale about the dangers of teen speeding. But the pic delves a little deeper than that and offers a few surprises, not the least of which is its star, Dean Cain.

The former Man of Steel demonstrates here that he can do some serious emotional lifting, too, giving a very affecting performance as Bruce Murakami, a man who loses his wife and daughter in a fiery car accident. Based on the real-life account of one man's tragic loss and subsequent landmark court case, pic is helped greatly by a supporting cast of up-and-coming young actors who deliver take-notice performances.

The ideal life for the Murakami family is suddenly shattered one day when mom, Cindy, and their 11-year-old adopted daughter, Chelsea, are killed in a particularly horrific traffic accident. As if their sudden deaths weren't crushing enough, the initial police report lists Cindy, a very cautious driver, at fault. What seems like a small bureaucratic detail becomes a point of contention for Bruce, who is desperate to make some kind of sense of the tragedy. He's not alone in his grief -- his two sons are also suffering, but none of them seem able to help one another. The eldest, Josh (Ryan Kennedy) retreats back into his familiar college routine, while Brody (Landon Liboiron), a happy and creative 15-year-old, becomes withdrawn.

Bruce can't see the dysfunction in his own family for all of his anger, despite the help and guidance of family friend Melissa (Julie Warner). When he learns of witnesses who report seeing street racing at the time of the crash, Bruce enlists the help of feisty prosecutor Erin Teller (Peri Gilpin). Bruce's crusade for justice takes over his life, and his relationship with Brody becomes even more strained. As the case against 17-year-old speeder Justin Gutierrez (Shiloh Fernandez) goes to trial, Bruce is stunned to discover that the focal point of all of his anger and resentment is a young, upstanding teen not at all unlike his own son, whose life also has been destroyed by the accident. Instead of retribution against Gutierrez, Bruce now wants find a way for everyone to heal.

Cain's Bruce doesn't have any one moment of realization; he's a guy stumbling his way through tragedy, grabbing what consolation he can. His journey is messy and at times aggravating, which, for a director, can be particularly challenging.

John Kent Harrison, who has a lot of experience with the Hallmark Hall of Fame franchise, offers straightforward storytelling and camerawork. Just when it feels like Gutierrez's public confessions could quickly turn into the traveling redemption tour or some twisted form of revenge, Harrison returns the focus to the process of grieving. Grief, it seems, doesn't really end so much as it evolves.

Fernandez, who bears a strong resemblance, acting chops and all, to Joaquin Phoenix, is a crucial part of the story's success. Without his believability, the pic wouldn't work. Although Liboiron and Kennedy have smaller parts, their performances are equally affecting.

One beef, and a big one at that, is that the movie gives the impression that Bruce's ultimate forgiveness and Gutierrez's redemption happens in a rather short amount of time. In real life, the case and its ensuing ramifications took three years to unfold.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117933387.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

dad1153

04-21-07, 10:23 PM

As far as page views, the thread averages about 2,400 each week day, 1,600 or so on weekends.

(That is up from about 1,500 and 800 in the corresponding periods last year.)

The growth in views mirrors the growth in AVS Forum registered members over the past few years.

TV Sports
Will Button make the move to NBC?
Now that NBC has landed a three-year deal to show Skate America and U.S. championships, the face of the sport is likely to join the broadcast team.
By Philip Hersh, Special to The Los Angeles Times April 21, 2007

No offense to Buttons and tradition, but if I were NBC I'd start from scratch and build an all-new broadcast team. New network, new times, new economic realities of the business (ratings for figure skating are much, much lower than in Dick's prime days of Wide World of Sports) and a host of other issues makes it best for all parties involved to start fresh. I have nothing but respect for Dick and broadcast network tradition, but this is an instance in which I think NBC should start fresh and with all-new (or its own) Olympic talent in the broadcast booth.

fredfa

04-21-07, 11:21 PM

I disagree.

New blood would be welcome, but I think NBC would do well to find a spot for Dick Button in its team.

His knowledge of the sport and its history is unsurpassed.

pwrmetal

04-21-07, 11:48 PM

With the chances of seeing the Big Ten Network here in SC somewhere between slim and none and the fact that GP won't carry any Big Ten, PAC 10 or Big 12 games I will make the choice this fall to not buy GP buy that is my choice.

Is this for real? Is ESPN Gameplan truly going to offer NOTHING from these 3 conferences every week?! Is their any place to verify this info?

jandron

04-22-07, 12:23 AM

You got my vote, Fred!

fredfa

04-22-07, 12:38 AM

Is this for real? Is ESPN Gameplan truly going to offer NOTHING from these 3 conferences every week?! Is their any place to verify this info?

Well, the Big Ten extra games will go to the Big Ten Network and FSN has the rights to the Pac-10 and Big XII.

The only games appearing on Game Plan should be regiuonal ABC games which don't appear in your region.

fredfa

04-22-07, 12:39 AM

You got my vote, Fred!

Thanks, jandron!

Davinleeds

04-22-07, 12:49 AM

Crossroads is on record for Mom and Blogger did hijack my homepage once.

foxeng

04-22-07, 08:10 AM

I have tried 6 times to register to vote and 6 times it hasn't accepted it. Just keep getting the register page and when I try to log in, it tells me I need to register. These people need to get their stuff together. I give up.

trbarry

04-22-07, 08:27 AM

I have above mentioned problems above trying to register and am using the Opera browser. I haven't yet tried anything else. Are others with problems also using a non-Microsoft browser? (Or high security settings?) Just a guess but some sites use M$ extensiions and don't test for anything else.

- Tom

keenan

04-22-07, 09:54 AM

Worked fine for me using Firefox 2.0.0.3

fredfa

04-22-07, 10:39 AM

I use Firefox, too, Tom.

trbarry

04-22-07, 10:42 AM

I just tried it using IE and it still won't let me continue unless I sign up for PayForPost, whatever that is. If I clear the PayForPost box then the submit buttion also goes away. So it's not just the browser.

- Tom

fredfa

04-22-07, 10:53 AM

Sorry Tom.

But I appreciate your effort.

foxeng

04-22-07, 10:57 AM

I am using IE as well. Maybe need to bring up the Linux machine to register. That would be a first. It is usually the non-IE software that gives all of the problems.

taz291819

04-22-07, 11:14 AM

Just voted.

fredfa

04-22-07, 11:23 AM

no problems, taz?

MrMars

04-22-07, 11:29 AM

choskyigragspa

04-22-07, 11:30 AM

I had problems using IE, but seeing that some others had no problems voting, I switched to another browser (netscape) and had no problems voting.

foxeng

04-22-07, 11:33 AM

OK fred, I finally got registered and voted after I brought up the Linux machine. That is different. Go OFF of MS to get something done. Hope that is a trend!!

Kracko

04-22-07, 12:03 PM

Voted for fredfa. :) After voting it said he had 50 votes.

kjpjr

04-22-07, 12:05 PM

Well, the Big Ten extra games will go to the Big Ten Network and FSN has the rights to the PAC-10 and Big XII.

The only games appearing on Game Plan should be regional ABC games which don't appear in your region.

I was told by the Big Ten Network office that there would be no Big Ten games on GP this fall. I have tried to verify that with ESPN but only get a boilerplate answer.

BTN will be in the mix with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 for picking games. ABC always has first pick and the other 3 switch around for 2, 3, and 4. There will be multiple games on BTN each football week,

So those of us that want Big Ten football but don't live in the BT footprint most likely will be out of luck. I have missed one UM game on TV in the 9 years I have lived in SC -- a night game on CBS -- that is all about to change but not for the better.

This goes back to my original point -- give me a chance to buy it. I would buy the BTN regardless of the cost. Others would not want it at all but I do so why can't I have the choice?

The 3 links below will give you more information if you want it.

http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/general/index.php?ntid=130486&ntpid=0

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/football/cs-0704181218apr19,1,2267310.story?coll=cs-college-print

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/gs/headlines/story.html?sportid=200&storyid=10871

foxeng

04-22-07, 12:07 PM

TVWeek.com's High Definition newsletter
Syndication Ready for HD Boost
Pathfire System Capable of HD Delivery
By Senior Reporter James Hibberd MediaWeek April 19, 2007

Warner Bros. and syndication distribution network Pathfire are gearing up to distribute more HD content than ever this fall.

The companies this week announced the creation of the first file-based HD syndication delivery service, capable of delivering HD content to more than 1,400 broadcast facilities.

"We now have the ability to send HD shows to any Pathfire station," said Joe Fabiano, Pathfire's chief technology officer. "We can encode a show, compress it, send it over satellite and have it play out successfully."

Pathfire is the primary distribution method for the majority of shows in syndication, including CBS Television Distribution's "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "Jeopardy" and Warner Bros.' "Friends."

Thus far, only CBS's "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" have been syndicated in the format. Due to technical limitations, the game shows have been distributed in a cumbersome linear format that requires a certain degree of manpower. The new Pathfire system will automate the process and allow syndication of HD material as easily as standard-definition material.

Limitations still exist, however, on either side of the delivery system. Studios have been sluggish converting syndicated shows to HD, while stations have been slow to upgrade their HD broadcasting capabilities. At last count, "Wheel" and "Jeopardy" were going out in HD to only about a third of households.

Mr. Fabiano said to expect "a lot" of new HD content when the Pathfire HD system launches this fall.

http://www.tvweek.com/page.cms?pageId=692

Gary*w*

04-22-07, 12:43 PM

Voted! I had to use Firefox browser but once i did it worked fine.

shuttermaker

04-22-07, 12:53 PM

I regged and voted in less than 3 minutes. I was vote # 52 or 53 for this very fine thread.

Go Fred Go.

btw...if you can find some results...id like to know how Spike TV did Saturday night with the UFC 70 event from Manchester England.

Thanks

fredfa

04-22-07, 01:32 PM

Saturday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings – and Media Week Analyst Marc Berman’s view of what they mean -- have been posted at the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

• If you'd like to thank Marc for his seven-day-a-week rastings effort, you can vote for his blog here:
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/7937

fredfa

04-22-07, 02:43 PM

I realize that the three "Heroes" episodes last night were all repeats on NBC, but is anyone else troubled by the miniscule, CW-esque ratings? An average of just 2.33 million viewers, and an 0.8 rating and three share in the 18-49?

I am stunned that the well-promoted repeats did that poorly.

Anyone else have thoughts?

cherry ghost

04-22-07, 02:51 PM

shuttermaker

04-22-07, 02:56 PM

Speaking only for myself, the family went to the movies last night and once we got home we watched the NASCAR race.

The NBA playoffs started last night. I suppose that could have had something to do with a small percentage of the low numbers. Repeats just dont get any slack when there is something else to watch.

I was curious about the UFC numbers on Spike last night. I recorded it so we could watch the race.

fredfa

04-22-07, 02:59 PM

It will be at least until tomorrow until I can get any Spike numbers, shuttermaker.
Perhaps it will be Tuesday.
I'll post them if and when I get them for you.

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:00 PM

How well promoted? I didn't know they were on. I was watching the UFC on Spike.

Given NBC's recent numbers, I guess it is a little over-the-top to call anything on the peacock network well promoted these days.

dad1153

04-22-07, 03:14 PM

If "Heroes" ratings tank when the new episodes start airing this Monday all serial shows that went on a months-old winter hiatus (Lost and Jericho) will have lost a huge chunk of their viewership due to a forced hiatus to save repeats for Sweeps months. If there isn't a clearer sign of how the need to save new episodes for Sweeps months is ruining the TV business I don't know what is.

BTW, NBC knows its own network isn't a good platform to promote the return of "Heroes." I've seen ads plastered over telephone booths in NYC touting the return of the show April 22, something usually saved for the debut of a new show or a special event. I expect "Heroes" to do only a little worse than it did in previous weeks. Unlike "Jericho" or "Lost" the fans of "Heroes" can count on having at least one or two key questions answered by the writers in each episode. And the cliffhanger before the Spring hiatus is boss, so tune-in tomorrow should be huge (at least during the first half hour).

rebkell

04-22-07, 03:19 PM

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:24 PM

Clearly a new paradigm is needed for serials.

Either play them (more or less) straight through, or find a way to make them work financially with more episodes. The latter doesn't really seem feasible, since the serials generally repeat very poorly.

Maybe NBC next season will bring Heroes back after Sunday Night Football and run the series straight through both the February and May sweep. It is obvious NBC needs something after football.

But we are almost at the end of the sweep era. It really only has significance for markets which are not metered, and those compromise only about a third of the nation's TV homes, although they total about 140 markets.

trbarry

04-22-07, 03:26 PM

Tried again to vote. I had to use Firefox and also not follow the deeper link posted above.

Then I couldn't figure out how to find the avsforum vote, though search had found it earlier there.

Then finally I got the message:
Error messages

Filed at 4:20 pm under Main by Shylah Erskin

It appears that there are issues with some voters getting error messages when attempting to cast votes. This error appears to be on the part of our polling program, and I have put in a support ticket with them.

Please note: ALL VOTES cast in ALL CATEGORIES today will be subtracted from the totals, and the polls will be extended by one day in order to make up for the lost votes. This is to make sure that we keep it fair for all the finalists.

That must be one of the most frustrating sites I have ever visited. It seems determined I will not be allowed to vote there. ;)

- Tom

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:27 PM

TV Notebook
Couric feeling more at ease
By Phil Rosenthal Chicago Tribune Media Columnist April 22, 2007

NEW YORK -- There were times, toward the end, when Katie Couric said she felt she had "outgrown" NBC's "Today" show, its lighter segments on occasion making her feel "more like a game-show host than a journalist."

"I wanted to get out of my comfort zone," Couric said in an interview, more than seven months into her run as anchor of "The CBS Evening News."

People always say it's good to get outside one's comfort zone, that it helps one grow. What's rarely mentioned is that, by definition, this tends to be uncomfortable.

Couric quickly discovered as much in leaving "Today" last year, after more than a decade at No. 1, for the prestige and precedent of solo anchoring a nightly network newscast, albeit one that puts her in the unfamiliar position of third place out of three.

Only in the last couple months, she says, has she begun to "feel more in command" and at ease.

"Evening News," in turn, has become quicker, sharper and punchier, though that also can be attributed to last month's arrival of seasoned veteran Rick Kaplan as executive producer in place of Rome Hartman, who had been encouraged to try a few new ideas but found viewers weren't ready for reform.

In fact, all the heady talk of reinventing the nightly news from CBS boss Leslie Moonves that was a prelude to his hiring Couric away from NBC at a reported $15 million per year has subsided. That's because even subtle changes can rattle the network news audience, which has been getting accustomed to Couric while she gets used to it.

"I don't think I ever felt so uncomfortable to the point it made viewers uncomfortable. I just know internally I feel more relaxed," said Couric, who is bringing her newscast to Chicago on Friday and serving as guest of honor at Saturday's American Cancer Society Discovery Ball. "I know it sounds so self-helpy, but you do grow when you're facing challenges, and when people are taking shots at you right and left.

"Someone told me recently that someone criticized the way I held my hands when I stood. I mean it's just ridiculous. ... But I've gotten a ton of support, too, and sometimes I think it's important to not be too consumed by this small community of TV writers and people in the business, which doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the public at large."

The public, which swarmed to her debut last September, initially fueling unrealistic expectations about her prospects of quickly lifting CBS out of the cellar, is still eyeing her warily, if Nielsen ratings are to be believed.

"These things build slowly," Couric said, noting she's "kind of circumspect and sanguine about the whole thing."

Season to date, Couric's "Evening News" has averaged 7.4 million viewers, down 4 percent from a year ago, when Bob Schieffer was in the anchor chair. One ray of light for CBS is that her newscast viewership is up 6 percent among women age 18 to 49.

First-place "NBC Nightly News" with Brian Williams is down 6 percent overall, with an average of 9 million viewers. Only ABC's "World News" with Charlie Gibson has added total viewers, up 2 percent, to 8.7 million.

"Nobody is more competitive than I am, and if I thought that at this point in time, the ratings were a reflection of the show we were putting on the air, I would be despondent," CBS News boss Sean McManus said. "I'm not.

"I'm really not focused on the numbers right now. I fixated over them for a while. They are what they are. I do believe that over a period of years they will get better, and I remind myself, and I remind people when they ask me, that it was in Tom Brokaw's 14th season that he became No. 1."

The Brokaw stat comes up in a lot of conversations with folks at CBS News. McManus, Kaplan and Couric all mentioned it in separate interviews, and yet none of them seems prepared to wait that long.

"I'm not impatient [but] I will also say I despise being in third place," McManus said. "But right now it's a fact of life. Part of it is the lead-in [from CBS affiliates]. If you look at the numbers, there's an enormous advantage both [NBC and ABC] have. But that's OK. It's been like that for 15 years. That's not an excuse, but it's a factor."

The thinking at CBS is that recent coverage from North Carolina when the Duke rape case was dismissed and last week from the campus of Virginia Tech will go a long way toward boosting "Evening News."

"Is it going to have an immediate effect? Absolutely not," McManus said. "But people need to be reassured that the person in the chair is qualified and deserves to be there. Every time she does something like this, she reinforces the fact that, yeah, she does belong there. But it's not going to happen overnight. It's going to take probably longer than any of us would have hoped."

Couric was the first network anchor to arrive on the Virginia Tech campus Monday, enabling her to attend some of the press briefings while others were still en route. Already in the air, returning from some weekend reporting in Texas, her jet was rerouted toward Blacksburg, Va., while some of her crew didn't arrive in town until 20 minutes into her expanded one-hour newscast.

"The beauty of news viewers is once you get their trust, and once they count on you, if you don't let them down, they're really loath to turn on you," Kaplan said.

Part of Kaplan's marching orders has been to tighten up "Evening News." There simply isn't the time on a half-hour nightly newscast to do many of the things at which Couric excelled in the multihour format of "Today."

"It's been sort of a group consensus that we can't necessarily reinvent the wheel, that there are certain things this audience wants to hear and needs to hear every night, and that we have to really focus on the news of the day," Couric said.

That said, she and Kaplan bristle at the claims of some critics that Couric's "Evening News" is feature-heavy. With news and information available from so many sources throughout the day, they point out that by dinnertime it's incumbent on them to advance daily news with what once might have been considered follow-up stories.

"All these terms have to be re-examined and redefined, especially in the changing media landscape," Couric said.

Meanwhile, Couric also has withstood criticism -- some of it sexist, in McManus' view -- and the attentions of the gossip columns and supermarket tabloids, whose scrutiny reaches beyond the newscast to her personal life.

Couric knows she has a relationship with viewers others in her position traditionally have not shared. She was their breakfast companion for years. They have watched her have two children and lose a husband and a sister.

"People not only felt they got to know me, but did in fact get to know me and so, as a result, they got more invested in my life than they might be someone who just delivers the news," she said, uncertain whether it helps or hurts her overall in this new, more challenging role.

"If she wanted to glide, she could have stayed at the 'Today' show and been No. 1, no big deal," Kaplan said.

"She took the courageous route to see what she could do to make life a little more interesting. So maybe life is a little more interesting than she wanted it to be, but you stay young and grow through challenges like this."

She may never feel like a game-show host again.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-0704210020apr22,0,3773692,print.column

shuttermaker

04-22-07, 03:36 PM

It will be at least until tomorrow until I can get any Spike numbers, shuttermaker.
Perhaps it will be Tuesday.
I'll post them if and when I get them for you.

No rush. I knew from past experience that some of the weekend numbers arrive Monday or Tuesday, just wanted to try and get a request in :)

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:44 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Please save NBC's finest
By Doug Elfman Chicago Sun-Times Television Critic April 22, 2007

You travel to another country and feel disoriented. But then you see something you recognize. A McDonald's. A Burger King. Suddenly, you get your bearings again.

"Law and Order" is like that on TV. It's comfort food, but 1,000 times better than a Big Mac.

It's rare when TV surprises me. Yet I'm taken aback by reports that NBC might cancel "Law & Order," especially now that it is solely responsible for launching the potential presidential campaign of Republican actor Fred Dalton Thompson.

I doubt I'd vote for Thompson -- too closed-minded, big frowns, plus he's an actor -- but how many shows have the power to make a thespian a possible future president? He's polling better than John McCain.

Every year, we TV critics write about "bubble shows" -- shows that are struggling in the ratings and may or may not be canceled in the next few weeks. "Law & Order" is the most accomplished series on the bubble.

Other critics are rallying around younger shows that appeal to younger audiences, like NBC's teen-footballers-in-Texas "Friday Night Lights" and one of my very favorites, the CW's "Veronica Mars." At influential E!, Kristin Veitch took an online vote among readers, who want to save the CW's "Gilmore Girls."

Those are fine choices for "save our show" campaigns. Few other shows deserve another chance. Do we really need another season of "The Nine"? No.

Above all else, I want "Law & Order" saved because it's still one of the best dramas on TV, and I don't know how I'd travel the channels without having the original "Law & Order" to rest on.

"The mothership is a real discussion," NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly told Variety last week. "Nothing goes on forever."

Industry insiders use the term "mothership" when distinguishing "L&O" from the other "L&O" shows, but it's more than that. It's the detective show that prepped TV viewers to get sucked into all other existing detective shows.

Creator Dick Wolf agrees there's a glut of copycats. "Between the 'Law & Orders' and the 'CSIs,' that's six hours right there, not to mention 'Without a Trace' and 'Cold Case,' " he once said. "There [are] a lot of procedurals. But the good ones are still here."

The best one is "Law & Order." It and "Veronica Mars" are the only shows that nail gritty elements of neo-noir: the murky conversations between detectives and cons; the moral grayness of good guys; the attempt to do good despite a cynical viewpoint on life.

Ratings are down for "L&O," but that's partly due to NBC shoving it onto must-miss Friday nights, and partly because the drama lost an anchor when Jerry Orbach left the show and died. Usually, "L&O" has changed one cop and one prosecutor slowly. It's been too much of a revolving door for a few years, commercially speaking (creatively, the cast has been solid).

But each half-hour remains steadied by Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green, S. Epatha Merkerson as Lt. Anita Van Buren, and Sam Waterston as prosecutor Jack McCoy. Martin is one of the most underrated actors on TV. Merkerson and Waterston earn icon status.

Yes, the show has aired for 17 years. But it isn't running out of steam. It's just been eclipsed in pop-culture chatter by rising stars.

NBC's problem is it's got the best lineup of quality shows this season, but it's getting whipped in the ratings. NBC has become a counter-programmed network, having to figure out what to run against "American Idol," "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy," etc.

And what's it gonna do, run "Law & Order" after sci-fi youth show "Heroes" on Mondays? Against "Lost" on Wednesdays? You could look all over for a perfect time slot and find no perfect counter-programming opening for "Law & Order."

But that's true of most things on NBC, and that won't change until the pendulum swings back and viewers take to comedies again (NBC will be sitting pretty then with "30 Rock") and again prefer tightly written detective shows to cheesy but good-looking "CSI" shows.

Network executives must think only a new fall drama has the chance of becoming a lightning-strike hit against rival shows. But if "Law and Order" goes away, what comfort-food show will keep devoted, longtime NBC fans tuning in? "ER"? I don't think so.

WORTH SAVING
"Law & Order" (NBC): Old but great.
"The Loop" (Fox): The best comedy you don't watch. It gets one last chance with new episodes in June.
"Veronica Mars" (CW): The third season wasn't its best, but it's still a fun mystery.

DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY DONE
"20 Good Years" (NBC)
"Andy Barker, P.I." (NBC)
"Armed & Famous" (CBS)
"Big Day" (ABC)
"The Black Donnellys" (NBC)
"Deadwood" (HBO; two finale episodes planned)
"Extras" (HBO, finale special planned)
"Help Me Help You" (NBC)
"In Case of Emergency" (ABC)
"The King of Queens" (CBS; finale on May 14)
"The Knights of Prosperity" (ABC)
"The Loop" (Fox)
"The O.C." (Fox) »
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" (Bravo; ends this summer)
"Rome" (HBO)
"7th Heaven" (CW; finale on May 13)
"Six Degrees" (ABC)
"Sleeper Cell" (Showtime)
"The Sopranos" (HBO; finale on June 10)
"Standoff" (Fox)
"Stargate: SG-1" (Sci-Fi; finale planned for June)
"The Wedding Bells" (Fox)
"The War at Home" (Fox)

RENEWED OR PRESUMED SAFE

"30 Rock" (NBC)
"60 Minutes" (CBS)
"Amazing Race" (CBS)
"American Dad" (Fox)
"American Idol" (Fox)
"America's Funniest Home Videos" (ABC)
"America's Most Wanted" (Fox)
"America's Next Top Model" (CW)
"The Apprentice" (NBC)
"Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" (Fox)
"The Bachelor" (ABC)
"Battlestar Galactica" (Sci-Fi)
"The Biggest Loser" (NBC)
"Big Brother" (CBS)
"Big Love" (HBO)
"Bones" (Fox)
"Boston Legal" (ABC)
"Brothers and Sisters" (ABC)
"The Closer" (TNT)
"Cold Case" (CBS)
"Cops" (Fox)
"Criminal Minds" (CBS)
"CS." (CBS)
"CSI: Miami" (CBS)
"CSI: NY" (CBS)
"Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
"Desperate Housewives" (ABC)
"Dexter" (Showtime)
"Entourage" (HBO)
"ER" (NBC)
"Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (ABC)
"Family Guy" (Fox)
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
"Heroes" (NBC)
"The Hills" (MTV)
"House" (Fox)
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (FX)
"King of the Hill" (Fox)
"The L Word" (Showtime)
"Las Vegas" (NBC)
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC)
"Lost" (ABC)
"Men in Trees" (ABC)
"My Name is Earl" (NBC)
"NCIS" (CBS)
"Nip/Tuck" (FX)
"Numb3rs" (CBS)
"October Road" (ABC)
"The Office" (NBC)
"Prison Break" (Fox)
"Project Runway" (Bravo)
"Rescue Me" (FX)
"The Sarah Silverman Program" (Comedy Central)
"Shark" (CBS)
"The Shield" (FX)
"The Simpsons" (Fox)
"So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox)
"South Park" (Comedy Central)
"Supernanny" (ABC)
"Ugly Betty" (ABC)
"Survivor" (CBS)
"Weeds" (Showtime)
"Wife Swap" (ABC)
"Without a Trace" (CBS)
"The Wire" (HBO)
"WWE Smackdown" (CW)

“BUBBLE' SHOWS”
Because of their lackluster (but not deadly) ratings, it wasn't certain at press time whether these series would be canceled or if they'd return for another season next fall. They're "on the bubble."

"1 vs. 100" (NBC)
"20/20" (ABC)
"According to Jim" (ABC)
"All of Us" (CW)
"Beauty and the Geek" (CW)
"The Class" (CBS)
"Close to Home" (CBS)
"Crossing Jordan" (NBC)
"Dirt" (FX)
"Friday Night Lights" (NBC)
"The Game" (CW)
"The George Lopez Show" (ABC)
"Ghost Whisperer" (CBS)
"Gilmore Girls" (CW)
"Girlfriends" (CW)
"Identity" (NBC)
"Jericho" (CBS) »
"Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" (MTV)
"Law & Order" (NBC)
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC)
"Medium" (NBC)
"Nanny 911" (Fox)
"Nashville Star" (USA)
"The New Adventures of Old Christine" (CBS)
"The Nine" (ABC)
"Notes from the Underbelly" (ABC)
"One Tree Hill" (CW)
"Raines" (NBC)
"The Riches" (FX)
"Rock Star" (CBS)
"Rules of Engagement" (CBS)
"Scrubs" (NBC)
"Smallville" (CW)
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (NBC)
"Supernatural" (CW)
"Thank God You're Here" (NBC)
" 'Til Death" (CBS)
"The Unit" (CBS)
"Veronica Mars" (CW)
"What About Brian" (ABC)
"The Winner" (Fox)

WHERE TO WRITE

If you want to make sure your favorite show isn't canceled, now's the time to make your opinion known. Write to network programmers at these addresses:

Stephen McPherson, ABC, 2300 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA, 91521

Nina Tassler, CBS, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90036

Peter Liguori, Fox, Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA, 90213

Kevin Reilly, NBC, 3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA, 91523

Dawn Ostroff, CW, 11800 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90025

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/television/352596,SHO-Sunday-elf22.articleprint

dad1153

04-22-07, 03:45 PM

Fred, any news on how the new Friday night block on the Sci-Fi Channel ("Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis" and "Painkiller Jane") did on its debut week two Fridays ago?

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:55 PM

Point…
TV Notebook
“Veronica Mars” still lives
Don't count show out yet, says Toronto actor who plays sleuth's dad
By Rob Salem Toronto Star TV Critic

Contrary to the currently prevailing public opinion, there may indeed be life on Mars.

Veronica Mars, that is, the oddly endearing and enduring young detective show, which survived the rocky merger of the former UPN and WB, and a shotgun marriage to an increasingly creatively compromised Gilmore Girls, with its middling, if remarkably consistent audience more or less intact.

It doesn't hurt that one of those diehard fans is Dawn Ostroff, entertainment president of the show's freshly minted new hybrid home, The CW.

Then again, it doesn't necessarily help. A misguided effort to broaden its audience with shorter, more self-contained story arcs and a more socially successful Veronica did nothing to improve its numbers. And alienated even its dedicated fans.

Even once back on track, it remained irrevocably "on the bubble" – in imminent danger of abrupt cancellation.

According to USA Today this week, that bubble is about to burst.

But reports of Veronica Mars' premature death are greatly exaggerated, insists Enrico Colantoni, the Toronto-born actor who plays Veronica's detective dad.

Back home this month shooting a Céline Dion TV biopic – he plays husband/manager René Angelil – Colantoni says the fate of the much-loved series is still very much undecided.

"No one knows anything," the actor insists over double espresso at his old haunt, Café Diplomatico. "But I love how people think they know ...

"We were outside the bubble for the longest time.... And then they put us on after the Gilmore Girls. But people weren't sticking around after Gilmore Girls, because it's really a whole different audience.

"The thing is, anyone who actually sees Veronica Mars is going to love Veronica Mars. I mean, I have yet to meet anyone who's like, `Eh ...'"

That being said, and despite the failure of the experimental retooling, a new initiative came down from even farther out of left field to take the show in a whole new direction.

"Rob (creator/producer Thomas) and a couple of the other executives said, `Let's make a little showcase pilot of what Veronica could be like in four years.' They thought Dawn might latch on to the idea of Veronica as an FBI agent in a kind of sexy workplace environment, á la Grey's Anatomy, that kind of thing.

"We shot 10 pages and they saw it and the reaction was, `That's not our show.' Then they saw the last episode of this season, and it was so on the money ... it was like the first two years. And I think the network was very excited about that.

"You know how it works. They've got six new pilots. And if some of those tank, or if Gilmore Girls doesn't come back, then of course they're going to want us back."

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/205239

fredfa

04-22-07, 03:56 PM

…And counterpoint:
TV Notebook
“TV Guide” Exclusive:
Veronica Mars' FBI Pitch Not Dead!
By Michael Ausiello TV Guide

Veronica Mars' dream of becoming an FBI agent is still very much alive, according to Mars chief Rob Thomas.

Responding to Enrico Colantoni's recent declaration in the Toronto Star that the CW has essentially rejected a proposal that would've placed Veronica in the FBI next season, Thomas tells me that network head Dawn Ostroff "hasn't seen the presentation," adding, "I have no earthly idea what Enrico is talking about. The network doesn't see it or hear our pitches for VM College or VM FBI until May 2."

Colantoni did get one thing right in the Toronto Star piece, per Thomas. CW execs "did see and love our finale," he says, "and I told Enrico that. But the rest of it is out of left field."

A CW spokesperson, meanwhile, backs up Thomas' story. "Rob is right," says the rep.

So, the only question now is, what the heck was Enrico smoking when he gave those quotes? Any guesses?

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Exclusive-Veronica-Mars/800013346

dad1153

04-22-07, 03:59 PM

rebkell

04-22-07, 04:03 PM

I'm loving all the VM talk, could it be back? I hope so, that would be sweet.

dad1153

04-22-07, 04:07 PM

I'll make an oath right now, publicly, in front of everybody: if "Veronica Mars" gets renewed for another season I'll buy all three seasons on DVD (the first two out right now and the inevitable S3 Box Set). I've never seen a single "VM" episode but any show with ratings these ****** but a dedicated fan base so loyal (however small) cannot be a complete waste of my viewing time. BTW, anyone heard any news of "VM" coming out in a high-definition format like HD-DVD or Blu-ray? :rolleyes:

fredfa

04-22-07, 04:21 PM

A moment of silence for the original Lost thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=449662) which was locked yesterday by the Administrators after going off-rails. You know, like the show itself! :D
-

(crickets)
-

All hail Fredfa's "Hot of the Press" thread, now officially...

THE LONGEST-RUNNING STILL ACTIVE THREAD WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POSTS/VIEWS IN AVS FORUM HISTORY.

:) :cool: :D :o :rolleyes: :p

Thanks, dad, but this orginal "Hot Off The Press" thread is about to suffer the same fate.

Both just got too big for the server to handle. So "Lost" was archived, and "HOTP" will follow -- soon.

But a new HOTP-2 will follow in its place, with all the info in the first few posts saved and carried over.

I'll just miss seeing the total # of posts over the one million mark :)

fredfa

04-22-07, 04:24 PM

I'm loving all the VM talk, could it be back? I hope so, that would be sweet.

I know there are a number of "Veronica Mars" viewers here, rebkell, so we can all keep our fingers crossed for you.

There will be increasing reports on the survival -- or not -- of many shows during the next three weeks before the upfronts.

(And I'll try to post every one that I can.)

Then, of course, "Hot Off The Press" will have massive coverage during the upfronts themselves, which start on Monday, May 14 with NBC unveiling its 2007-2008 prime time schedule

fredfa

04-22-07, 04:26 PM

Fred, any news on how the new Friday night block on the Sci-Fi Channel ("Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis" and "Painkiller Jane") did on its debut week two Fridays ago?

I can't find specific numbers on those shows, dad. I'll look a little deeper, though.

None of them managed to crash the top 40 shows in prime time, however.

I'll post the cable net ratings for the week of April 9-15 in a few minutes.

RockyF

04-22-07, 04:50 PM

1. Fredfa, I have also been having various problems with registering to vote, but I'll keep trying, I am another who checks this post several times a day, and a few time over the weekend as well, so I want to vote.

2. Dissappointed to hear about the emminent restart of the thread, but I'm sure the post/view count will be the only difference.

3. I haven't gotten around to watching last weeks Lost yet, so I've avoided the Lost thread, so this is the first I've heard of it getting shut down. Actually, I saw in my local HDTV thread that my ABC affiliate played the last 20 minutes in SD, so at this point I'll probably just wait for the Wed. encore.

4. dad, I'd recommend the VM boxes even if it doesn't get renewed. I love the show (even if it's hard to keep up with some of minor characters who come and go). I actually kind of like the FBI idea, if nothing else, the fact that they have two direction for the network to choose from could help its chances for survival.

fredfa

04-22-07, 04:56 PM

Thanks RockyF.

I have VM on DVD season one ready to go (I plan to catch it this summer) but keep reading that season two was a disappointment and this year is up and down. Your thoughts?

fredfa

04-22-07, 05:00 PM

Cable Nielsen Notebook
Weekly Cable Prime time network ratings
Week of April 9-15, 2007 (Live Plus Same Day data)

RANK NET Viewers 2+ (in millions)
1----USA 2.91
2----DSNY 2.20
3----TNT 2.01
4----FOXNC 1.64
5----DISC 1.58
6----LIF 1.49
7----AEN 1.41
8----NAN(1) 1.32
9----FX 1.32
10---TOON(1) 1.28
11---TBSC 1.26
12---SCIFI 1.20
13---HALL 1.14
14---COURT 1.11
15---VH1 1.10
16---CMDY 1.09
17---HIST 1.05
18---ESPN 1.03
19---FAM 1.03
20---HGTV 1.01

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

fredfa

04-22-07, 05:01 PM

Cable Nielsen Notebook
Weekly Cable All-day network ratings
Week of April 9-15, 2007 (Live Plus Same Day data)

RANK-NET---Viewers 2+ (in millions)
1----NICK 2.38
2----DSNY 1.39
3----NAN 1.33
4----USA 1.31
5----TNT 1.24
6----ADSM 1.14
7----TOON 1.09
8----LIF 0.90
9----FOXNC 0.89
10---AEN 0.81
11---DISC 0.81
12---TBSC 0.77
13---HALL 0.71
14---FAM 0.69
15---FX 0.68
16---COURT 0.66
17---MTV 0.61
18---HIST 0.60
19---HGTV 0.59
20---ESPN 0.59

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

RockyF

04-22-07, 05:12 PM

Fredfa, I guess I would more or less agree with that assessment of Veronica Mars, the first season was great, the second may not have been quite as good, but it's still better than a lot of stuff on TV. On the third season, you can see the attempt to gain a larger audience by going to shorter storyarcs instead of a full season mystery (of course, this season also had the usual teen show problem of the high-school to college transition. This is one of the reasons I'm actually digging the FBI idea, they can just skip over the college years.) I guess one of the problems with the third season was just too many new college friends at the expense of some of the older characters. Overall though, it's still a fun show, with a lot of twists.

rebkell

04-22-07, 05:18 PM

We actually get a new ep of VM Tuesday after next. Finally, it seems like it's been forever since it was last on.

trbarry

04-22-07, 05:48 PM

cherry ghost

04-22-07, 06:37 PM

WORTH SAVING
"Law & Order" (NBC): Old but great.
"The Loop" (Fox): The best comedy you don't watch. It gets one last chance with new episodes in June.
"Veronica Mars" (CW): The third season wasn't its best, but it's still a fun mystery.

Can't argue with Doug on those, but I'm waiting to see what changes they made to "The Loop". I'm hoping they didn't get rid of the two girls.

URFloorMatt

04-22-07, 06:56 PM

Both of the girls on The Loop are done according to IMDb and, apparently, the listings on the Fox.com website for The Loop. While I never particularly found much comedy in his "friends" life compared to his "work" life, the eye candy in his friends life was the extra nudge I needed to keep watching. Shame.

Iteki

04-22-07, 07:49 PM

I tried to vote too, I never got the confirmation letter, I e-mailed that address to email if you do not get it. Never heard back, Tried to log on says I need to confirm my email. Tried another e-mail, same thing.

It's an actual person that responds...she likely had the weekend off. You might hear back on Monday lol

dad1153

04-22-07, 09:28 PM

VisionOn

04-22-07, 10:37 PM

shuttermaker

04-22-07, 10:52 PM

fredfa

04-22-07, 11:47 PM

Is Sunday night between 7 and 11PM the lest-frequented time period for this thread? There's so much good TV on at this time (from "60 Minutes" to "Desperate Housewives" to "Entourage" and "The Tudors") plus the sports games that it seems this place goes quiet during this time/night.

Generally, Saturday is the slowest day, dad.

(But the slowest days all time have been Sundays. Go figure.)

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days for page views. Mondays and Fridays are about equal -- with Mondays picking up through the day and Fridays slowing down, especially after about 4 pm ET.

The most page views in a single day: 3,538 on Wednesday, March 7.

The last day with fewer than 1,000 page views was Sunday, Sept. 30, 2006 with 895.

So far in 2007, page views are averaging 2,207.

In the first four months of 2006, the average was 1,275.

In the first four months of 2004, the average was 851.

The first month to average more than 1,000 views was March of 2005 (1,029).

The first month to average more than 2,000 views was January of 2007 (2,043).

fredfa

04-22-07, 11:48 PM

I'm quite proud that my Santa theory was the very last post before CP locked it. :D

Now the question is who will get the final post on the original Hot Off The Press thread?

fredfa

04-22-07, 11:52 PM

As long as I am wandering down memory lane…..
Hot Off The Press Notebook
Milestone Posts
Post numbers, time (Pacific) and posters
(First post: August 27, 2004, 7:24 PM Pacific time by fredfa)
1,000 Dec. 9, 2004, 717p fredfa
2,000 March 16, 2005, 330p keenan
3,000 May 18, 2005, 753a Paul Bigelow
4,000 July 23, 2005, 517p fredfa
5,000 Sept. 15, 2005, 1029a fredfa
6,000 Oct. 25, 2005, 734a fredfa
7,000 Nov. 28, 2005, 649p fredfa
8,000 Dec. 24, 2005, 220p fredfa
9,000 Jan. 26, 2006, 618p fredfa
10,000 March 27, 2006, 253p keenan
11,000 May 17, 2006, 1108a fredfa
12,000 June 10, 2006, 643p fredfa
13,000 July 10, 2006, 300p VisionOn
14,000 July 28, 2006, 122p 123HDTV
15,000 Aug. 28, 2006, 702p fredfa
16,000 Sept. 25, 2006, 609a Jediphish
17,000 Oct. 19, 2006, 1046p fredfa
18,000 Nov. 15, 2006, 1119p fredfa
19,000 Dec. 11, 2006, 1142a harley1
20,000 Jan 6, 2007, 916a dad1153
21,000 Jan 23, 2007, 829p PJO1966
22,000 Feb 8, 2007, 620p RussTC3
23,000 Feb 28, 2007, 107p Iteki
24,000 Mar 21, 2007, 822a fredfa
25,000 Apr 11, 2007, 1103p RussB

fredfa

04-23-07, 12:10 AM

TV Sports
MLB Blackout Rules: Help Coming?
By Jason Stark ESPN

Whatever it took to keep MLB's Extra Innings package on cable, we're grateful. But we're starting to hear those annual complaints from customers who can't watch what they thought they had signed up for, even after shelling out their $179, thanks to MLB's often-puzzling blackout regulations. Well, for the first time, there's hope.

We're hearing that a discussion of those blackout rules is on the agenda for next month's owners meeting. And indications are that it's Bud Selig's intention to fix this mess ASAP. We've also heard that teams have been asked to submit info to MLB specifically outlining all the distant locations in their "territory" where they're actually on some form of local TV. MLB then intends to crack down on clubs that are claiming certain areas as their turf if, in reality, those claims actually are preventing fans of that team from seeing games even if they're willing to pay for Extra Innings.

It's one thing for clubs to protect their right to cut local TV deals. But it's a big problem for the industry if the effect is, essentially, to tell fans: "You can't be a fan of this team anymore." Nevertheless, it isn't as simple as it sounds. So stay tuned.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2842914

DoubleDAZ

04-23-07, 12:15 AM

I didn't have any problems either, IE w/Vista.

I must admit though that I have had problems getting back to the site from time to time, like right now.

Also, with so few folks voting for much of anything IMHO, what would it really mean if HOTP actually got the most votes? I mean, if the leader has 300 and HOTP has 50, I'm not sure what that really means in the big scheme of things. It seems like the numbers should be more like several thousand, shouldn't they?

fredfa

04-23-07, 12:16 AM

TV Sports
Blackout Issues Could be Addressed at Owners Meetings
By Maury Brown BizofBaseball.com April 22, 2007

With the increased visibility of the recent Extra Innings deal and the overall discontent of many consumers over how television blackouts are addressed by MLB, there is word that a restructuring of how blackouts are handled could be a hot topic at the upcoming owners meetings.

It's one thing for clubs to protect their right to cut local TV deals. But it's a big problem for the industry if the effect is, essentially, to tell fans: "You can't be a fan of this team anymore." Nevertheless, it isn't as simple as it sounds. So stay tuned.

As Jayson Stark reported, it isn't as simple as it sounds. There are overlapping television markets so determining how to break them up into more reasonable blackout territories will take some doing.

Still, this issue is one of the more frustrating aspects of owning Extra Innings. While Stark does not state it in his article, the national blackouts that come with the FOX game on Saturdays, and the ESPN games on Sundays would not be altered. All that said, one has to say that if MLB addresses the matter of "local" games, it would be a win for those that have wrestled with the Blackout Blues.

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php

fredfa

04-23-07, 12:24 AM

Critic’s Notebook
CBS evening blues
Katie Couric hasn't redeemed the No. 3 newscast. Can she survive as anchor?
By Gail ShisterPhiladelphia Inquirer TV Columnist

"CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric sits beside Virginia Tech freshman Tim Tutt, 19, of the Collegiate Times. They were in the press room on campus Monday after the massacre of 32 people.

CBS executives deny it, but there's a growing feeling within the network that Katie Couric is an expensive, unfixable mistake.

So unfixable that Couric - the first woman to anchor a network nightly newscast solo - may leave CBS Evening News, probably after the 2008 presidential elections, to assume another role at the network, CBS sources say.

Despite her A-list celebrity, her $15 million salary, and a promotional blitz worthy of a Super Bowl, the former star of NBC's Today has failed to move the Nielsen needle on No. 3 Evening News since her debut seven months ago.

In a bottom-line business like television, that's a cardinal sin. Already-low morale in the news division is dropping, says a veteran correspondent there.

"It's a disaster. Everybody knows it's not working. CBS may not cut her loose, but I guarantee you, somebody's thinking about it. We're all hunkered down, waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Seven correspondents, producers and executives at CBS and other networks interviewed for this story spoke on condition of anonymity, given the sensitive nature of the Couric situation.

Couric and CBS were a bad fit from the start.

"From the moment she walked in here, she held herself above everybody else," says a CBS staffer. "We had to live up to her standards. . . . CBS has never dealt in this realm of celebrity before."

Media experts predict Couric's ratings won't improve anytime soon, given that news viewers tend to be older and averse to change.

Couric, 50,draws fewer viewers than did avuncular "interim" anchor Bob Schieffer, 20 years her senior. Much of the feature-oriented format she debuted with is gone, as is her first executive producer, Rome Hartman.

"The broadcast is an abject failure, by any measure," says Rich Hanley, director of graduate programs at the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University.

"They gambled that viewers wanted a softer, less-dramatic presentation of the news, and they lost. It's not fair to blame Couric for everything, but she's certainly the centerpiece and deserves a fair share."

CBS Evening News this season averages 7.319 million total viewers, down 5 percent from the same period a year ago, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Couric's viewership has dropped nearly 30 percent since her Sept. 5 premiere week, when she averaged an inflated 10.2 million viewers and led CBS News to its first Nielsen win since June 2001.

In separate interviews, CBS News president Sean McManus and Evening News executive producer Rick Kaplan vehemently deny that Couric's future as anchor of the broadcast is in peril.

Couric "is the current anchor and the anchor of the future," McManus says. "Everyone at the network, from my boss [CBS Corp. president and chief executive Leslie Moonves] on down, is 100 percent behind her."

"Katie is the anchor until she decides to ride off into the sunset and do something else," says Kaplan, named e.p. March 8. "There is no one, no one, wringing their hands around here."

Others say CBS is in denial. "It's over. The only one who doesn't know it is CBS," says an executive at a rival network.

To bolster its argument, CBS points to Couric's attracting 6 percent more 18-to-49-year-old women than a year ago, while ABC and NBC are down sharply in those categories.

NBC Nightly News, with Brian Williams, is No. 1 this season with an average of 9.004 million total viewers (down 6 percent). Charlie Gibson's ABC World News has 8.739 million (up 2 percent).

Some predicted that Couric was destined to fail in her new position.

For starters, the 6:30 p.m. news and Today call for totally different skill sets. And those sets are not easily transferrable.

Couric's effervescent personality and expertise with live interviews and ad-libs were perfect for morning TV, particularly over a leisurely two hours.

On a 30-minute evening newscast, however, what's required is the ability to read the TelePrompTer and not display too much emotion.

"I guess the evening news isn't ready for the morning news," quips Robert Lichter, president of Washington's Center for Media and Public Affairs.

Or, in the words of an NBC producer, "it's like asking a centerfielder to pitch. It's the same game, but requires totally different skills."

Contrary to popular opinion, gender is not an issue in the Couric situation, says Mediaweek.com analyst Marc Berman. "I give CBS a lot of credit for picking a woman. They just didn't pick the right woman."

Jennifer Pozner, executive director of New York's Women in Media & News, an educational and advocacy group, labels it "an infotainment issue."

"Couric came from Today, where bits of hard news are interspersed with diet tips and fall fashions." Had CBS hired Today coanchor Matt Lauer, the results would have been the same, Pozner says.

"Neither of them has the journalistic chops for the job. It's absolutely ridiculous that CBS wouldn't have predicted this."

Many say CBS, long the home to the most traditional hard-news broadcast of the Big 3, alienated its core viewers by making too many changes too quickly.

Network news viewers, whose median age is about 60, are accustomed to a straight-ahead roundup of the day's most important stories.

"They're middle-aged white guys saying, 'Give me news from a middle-aged white guy,' " says Charles Bierbauer, dean of the University of South Carolina's College of Mass Communications.

No surprise, then, that ABC's Gibson, 64, is now battling for first place with NBC's Williams, who turns 48 next month.

Connie Chung, 60, the last woman to anchor a network newscast, says Couric hasn't been in the chair long enough to get a fair shake.

"Six months? Good Lord, that's a blink of the CBS eye," says Chung, whose forced on-air partnership with CBS Evening News' Dan Rather lasted two excruciating years, until 1995.

"Katie should be given as much time as it takes. . . . I'm flabbergasted that anyone would sound some sort of death knell now."

Network-news analyst Andrew Tyndall agrees. Evening News "is absolutely salvageable," he says. The key will be Couric's learning to relax into her role as an evening anchor.

That won't be easy, given the pressure of impossibly high expectations. Many say Couric was painted as a white knight brought in to resurrect the once-mighty Evening News.

"She's trying too hard," Tyndall says. "She's overthinking her role. She's got to stand back. It's a very Zen problem. To be the face of Evening News, she's got to be self-effacing."

Self-effacing isn't the first adjective that comes to mind with Couric. She arrived at CBS with her own group of producers, bookers and assistants, which didn't sit well with the staff.

"She sees herself as a star and thinks the whole news department is here to serve her," says a longtime CBS correspondent.

Former anchors Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and Schieffer "saw themselves as leaders of the journalistic team," the correspondent says. "We felt we were part of something bigger than we were."

That Couric, a widow with two young daughters, seems to be a magnet for bad personal publicity exacerbates newsroom anxiety over CBS's image and credibility.

Recently, the tabloids have been in a frenzy reporting that Couric's new boyfriend is 17 years her junior.

"Having an anchor humiliated in the tabloids detracts from the nature of news itself," says Quinnipiac's Hanley. Such coverage "is part of the whole matrix of things that have gone wrong at CBS."

Couric took another P.R. hit recently when it was revealed that her CBS blog, Katie Couric's Notebook, was written by a producer. The ghostwriting became public only when CBS fired the producer for plagiarism.

Bob Steele, who teaches ethics at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, labels it "professionally and ethically deceptive" for someone to claim authorship of a piece if others contributed to the work.

"At the very least, this incident should be a loud warning bell for Couric and CBS," he says. Along with damaging credibility, using a ghostwriter gives less control of the material to the journalist who's responsible for it.

Given CBS's desire to brand Couric on every conceivable platform, "you have an individual who's spread too thin," in Steele's view. "She's exceptionally vulnerable."

If anything, that vulnerability serves to make the judgments of her work harsher. When Couric interviewed Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards and his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, March 25 on 60 Minutes, she was criticized for being too hard on them.

Prior to that, she was accused of being too soft. The constant critical scrutiny seems to be taking a toll on a woman accustomed to positive treatment in the media.

Nobody was more positive about Couric than CBS boss Moonves, the consummate showman, but observers agree that he oversold her - and that it was a major mistake.

By introducing a new (female) anchor and a softer, magazinelike format at the same time, CBS "scared people off," says an NBC producer. He would have waited six months before tinkering with the content, he says.

One of the early casualties was "Free Speech," a segment in which ordinary people as well as celebrities sounded off on various issues.

For many CBS News staffers, the nadir was a "Free Speech" segment Oct. 2, the day five Amish schoolgirls were murdered in Lancaster County.

The father of a child killed in Colorado's Columbine High School massacre in 1999 blamed the Amish tragedy, in part, on the teaching of evolution in public schools and on abortion.

Despite CBS's avowed intention to include all viewpoints in "Free Speech," the segment caused an uproar in the newsroom, according to CBS insiders.

"There's a difference between free speech and responsible speech," an embarrassed correspondent says.

It was another significant misstep in Couric's uphill climb to legitimacy, a trek that seems to grow steeper by the day.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/gail_shister/20070422_Gail_Shister___CBS_evening_blues.html

fredfa

04-23-07, 01:41 AM

TV Notebook
Ailing TV shows await the ax or the reprieve
By Scott Collins Los Angeles Times Staff Writer in the Channel Island TV Industry column April 23, 2007

Josh Goldsmith, like so many others, is waiting for The Call.

"Every time the phone rings, you think, 'Is this it?' " he said. "It's a nerve-wracking time."

As creator and executive producer of the Fox sitcom " 'Til Death," Goldsmith is sweating through a springtime ritual of the TV business, trying to distract himself with happy thoughts while network bosses decide whether to bring his show back for another year. The only note of grace is that the date of execution or reprieve cannot be postponed; the networks trot out their fall schedules next month in lavish New York ceremonies.

You know " 'Til Death" — or maybe you don't, which explains why it's fighting to keep its spot on the schedule. Critics have mostly rolled their eyes at the series, which mines for humor and sexual innuendo in the travails of a long-bickering Philadelphia couple (Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher). The ratings haven't been great, but Fox has shown patience, and the show did perk up a bit this spring when it was put behind "American Idol." Then again, unedited videotape of your last family trip could probably rack up a decent number behind "Idol."

So, " 'Til Death" joins a dozen or so other network series that are, in one of those endearing industry metaphors, "on the bubble." Other high-profile shows in this group include the NBC dramas "Law & Order" (now in its 17th season), "Friday Night Lights" and "Crossing Jordan"; CBS' "Jericho" and "The Class"; and ABC's drama "What About Brian" and the sitcom "According to Jim." The CW's "Veronica Mars" and "Gilmore Girls" should be added to the list as well. (Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive roster, and it doesn't include many shows that are definitely saying sayonara, such as the CW's "7th Heaven," as well as those that have already been picked up for next year, such as NBC's "30 Rock" or ABC's "Ugly Betty" and "Men in Trees.")

Whether due to marginal ratings or tangled financial considerations — or, typically, a combination of both — the fate of these unfortunates is so precarious that even Hollywood's biggest touts, cynics and bull artists don't feel confident predicting whether they'll survive for another season. The network execs themselves don't know, because they haven't started screening finished pilots for new shows, and thus have no idea whether it's time to toast development plans that succeeded wildly or time to pull the kids out of private school.

"How you make these decisions is messy," said Vince Manze, NBC's newly installed president of program planning, scheduling and strategy, sounding almost apologetic.

The process is getting even messier as the networks continue to battle audience erosion. For example, is it possible that the pilloried " 'Til Death" might come back in the fall, while NBC's critically beloved but little-watched youth soap "Friday Nights Lights" is allowed to expire alone in a dark corner? Well, sure. Television is brutal.

Asked what looks at-risk at his network, ABC scheduling chief Jeff Bader replied instantly, "Our comedies." It's true — belly laughs seldom erupted at ABC's Burbank headquarters this season, as its half-hour offerings such as "Big Day," "In Case of Emergency," "Help Me Help You" and "The Knights of Prosperity" flopped. Most observers don't expect those shows to return; the ax could likewise fall on aging veterans such as "According to Jim" and "George Lopez." ABC needs an extreme comedy makeover for next season. (One possibility: The network could import NBC's comedy "Scrubs," which happens to be made by ABC's sister company, ABC Television Studio, and has had a semi-permanent residence on NBC's bubble for a while now.)

"They're hurting in a lot of hours," remarked Shari Anne Brill of New York-based ad firm Carat USA.

The picture doesn't look much brighter for "What About Brian," although the low-rated drama "does have a fairly vocal fan base" among its target audience of young women, Bader noted.

Meanwhile, over at CBS, which is generally in strong shape, one of the biggest surprises of this season has been the sharp reversal of fortune for "Jericho," the thriller about the residents of a small Kansas town in the wake of a nuclear calamity. The show started the season as a modest hit — last fall, your humble columnist even lumped it in with "Betty" and NBC's hit "Heroes" — but ratings tumbled when it was brought back in February after a two-month hiatus. Now, its prospects for a sophomore season are no better than 50-50.

Did the split season hurt the show? Possibly, but CBS execs, like their counterparts at other networks, have found it challenging to schedule serialized dramas without relying on repeats or layoffs, either of which can turn off hard-core fans.

In any event, "Jericho" "didn't captivate viewers after it came back from hiatus," Brill said, adding: "I couldn't see how something so gruesome would have audience appeal."

One important clue regarding "Jericho": It's axiomatic in the TV business that networks frequently make renewal decisions based on whether a series performs better or worse than the network's overall prime-time average. CBS is averaging a 3.8/10 rating among viewers ages 18 to 49 this season, including the high-rated Super Bowl telecast, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research. "Jericho" is averaging a 2.9/8.

Given that NBC again finds itself in fourth place, executives there will find themselves making plenty of farewell calls to producers next month. Yep, that includes Aaron Sorkin, whose ultra-pricey "Studio 60" is considered an all-but-certain casualty. Another big name on the list may be "Law & Order" producer Dick Wolf, who's reportedly hacking away at the show's budget to try to persuade executives to order an 18th season.

But the most agonizing internal debate will likely come over "Friday Night Lights," a series that's loved by critics, executives and a ferociously devoted fan base yet can't seem to make a dent in the ratings.

"Certainly, I'll never be able to check my e-mail again if we don't schedule it," Manze joked, referring to viewers' passionate feelings about the show. If it's renewed, he added, "the most difficult thing is, where do you put it?" The show fizzled on Tuesdays and hasn't done much better in a new Wednesday slot.

"Friday Night Lights" on … Fridays? Maybe too obvious.

At the still-evolving CW, it's always dangerous to make bets on what executives might do. The family drama "7th Heaven" was officially targeted for cancellation in 2005, but last May — days after the airing of what everyone assumed was the series finale — the show was suddenly and unexpectedly revived for an 11th season.

There probably won't be such a happy outcome for the youth-oriented crime drama "Veronica Mars," though. The show seems to have lost momentum in its third season and failed to capitalize on a comparatively strong lead-in from "Gilmore Girls."

"Forget about it," said one person close to the show, who declined to speak on the record.

Meanwhile, "Gilmore" itself could be in trouble. The network hasn't been able to finish negotiating new contracts with lead actors Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, and many fans have rebelled since the departure last year of creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

Granted, this might all sound rather grim. But TV people grow adept at finding silver linings at this time of year. Being bubbly means a show hasn't been canceled yet, and in an era of diminished expectations, that counts as an achievement in itself.

As Goldsmith put it, "Having a show on the bubble feels like a victory; it's so hard just to get people to watch."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-channel23apr23,1,2196427,print.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews&ctrack=3&cset=true

fredfa

04-23-07, 01:54 AM

Technology Notebook
Blu-ray burning its high-def DVD rival
By Thomas K. Arnold The Hollywood Reporter April 23, 2007

Of the high-definition discs bought by consumers in the first quarter, 70% were in the Blu-ray Disc format and 30% were HD DVD, according to sales figures provided by Home Media Magazine's market research department.

Blu-ray took the lead in February, and its percentage of total sales accelerated to the point where it accounted for nearly three out of every four high-definition discs sold in March.

What's more, when given the choice, consumers are going with Blu-ray. Warner Home Video released "The Departed" the same day, Feb. 13, in both formats. Between then and March 31, consumers bought 53,640 copies of the film on Blu-ray Disc and 31,590 on HD DVD, according to Home Media Magazine's market research, based on studio estimates and Nielsen VideoScan point-of-sale data.

Research also shows that eight of the 10 top-selling high-definition titles in the first quarter were on Blu-ray Disc. At the top of the list is Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's "Casino Royale," which sold through to consumers an estimated 59,680 units in the first quarter. The Blu-ray Disc edition of "Departed" finished second, while the HD DVD version of that Oscar-winning film placed third.

From Jan. 1-March 31, consumers bought almost 1.2 million high-definition discs -- 832,530 Blu-ray units and 359,300 HD DVDs -- according to Home Media Magazine. In March, consumers bought 335,980 Blu-ray Discs and 119,570 HD DVDs.

Since the high-def format's inception -- HD DVD launched in April 2006, while Blu-ray got rolling two months later -- more than 2.14 million discs have been purchased by consumers: 1.2 million Blu-ray Discs and about 937,500 HD DVDs.

Observers aren't surprised by the disparity, noting that Blu-ray Disc enjoys the support of five of the six major studios, while HD DVD is supported by three of them. Three studios -- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Buena Vista Home Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment -- are exclusively in the Blu-ray camp, as is mini-major Lionsgate, while Paramount Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video support both formats. Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the only major studio to release titles only in the HD DVD format, which backers claim is easier and cheaper to produce.

"All of this data points to the irrefutable facts that the consumers are voting with their dollars and adopting the revolutionary technology of the Blu-ray Disc," Buena Vista Home Entertainment president Bob Chapek said. "With such beloved titles as 'Pirates of the Caribbean' on the horizon, these numbers will only do one thing: grow."

Added Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president David Bishop: "Breaking the 1 million-unit mark is a significant milestone for Blu-ray because it represents rapidly growing consumer acceptance for this revolutionary platform. I am confident that the numbers will increase and more critical benchmarks will be reached to ensure Blu-ray's position as the leading high-definition format."

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment president Mike Dunn agreed.

"Practically, Blu-ray launched this past November and in just over one business quarter has rocketed to a significant lead," Dunn said. "Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray as their high-def format of choice and telling us so at retail cash registers."

The three HD DVD studios wielded weak release slates in the first quarter; behind "Departed," the next biggest-selling HD DVD was "Batman Begins," which had been released in October. The title sold 16,980 HD DVDs in the first quarter, but factoring in its initial sales, it stands at 44,590 units, not far behind "Casino Royale."

Blu-ray supporters also were quick to hail the widening gap between Blu-ray and HD DVD titles.

"It's exactly what we've said all along would happen: The strong support for Blu-ray among movie studio and equipment manufacturers means that consumers have more choices when it comes to players and titles," said Andy Parsons, chair of the Blu-ray Disc Assn.'s U.S. promotion committee. "And they're choosing Blu-ray by an ever-increasing margin."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i22635e34795b6681749155f40a55d89d

fredfa

04-23-07, 02:12 AM

TV Notebook
'Bob Vila' Nailed Shut
By Chris Pursell Television News April 23, 2007

Say goodbye to "Bob Vila" -- at least in its original run. CBS Television Distribution has pulled the plug on longtime home-improvement television show host Bob Vila and his eponymous weekly series, which has been averaging a 0.3 rating this season, flat with last year.

The cancellation of the show ends a 28-year run for Mr. Vila on broadcast TV. He first shot to fame as host of "This Old House" on PBS in 1979 for a decade-long tour before debuting "Bob Vila's Home Again" in syndication in 1989. That series was renamed "Bob Vila" in 2005.

He has authored 11 books in that time, including a five-book series titled "Bob Vila's Guide to Historic Homes of America." In addition, he appears regularly on the Home Shopping Network, where he sells a range of tools under his own brand.

"Bob Vila" experienced a steady decline in ratings over the years due to the proliferation of home improvement channels on cable, including the DIY Network and HGTV, which made him a cornerstone of their programming. DIY currently airs old episodes of "This Old House" as well as "Bob Vila's Home Again."

Mr. Vila, 60, hosted his first original weekly cable series, "Restore America With Bob Vila," on HGTV in 1999; the show took viewers on a state-by-state tour of restored historic buildings, neighborhoods and gardens around the country.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11922

fredfa

04-23-07, 08:40 AM

TV Notebook
'Traveler' gets ticket for May 10 show
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter April 23, 2007

ABC's drama "Traveler" will get on the road earlier than previously announced.

The series, from Warner Bros. TV and the Jinks/Cohen Co., will premiere May 10 after "Grey's Anatomy."

The show's pilot episode will air again May 30 in the series' regular Wednesday 10 p.m. time period.
Previewing the series -- about two college buddies on the run after being framed by their friend for a terrorist act -- behind an original episode of the highest-rated drama series on television assures great sampling for the show before its off-season run.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i22635e34795b6681cf9117e99089024a

fredfa

04-23-07, 08:52 AM

TV Notebook
Cast, Cost Pruning Set for May Sweeps
Character Deaths Fulfill Dramatic, Financial Needs
By James Hibberd Television Week April 23, 2007

Not everybody is going to survive May sweeps.

Producers will nuke a major character on CBS's "Jericho." At least one beachgoer on ABC's "Lost" won't be found next fall. One of NBC's "Heroes," if not more, will have a heroic death.

Increasingly for prime-time series, May sweeps means cleaning house.

Pruning the series-regular ranks can help a show both dramatically and financially.

"At the very same moment networks are under major financial stress and trying desperately to reduce their costs, they've gotten locked into these big-cast, expensive shows," said Tim Brooks, TV historian and executive VP of research at Lifetime. "It's been 'attack of the accountants.'"

The popularity of cinematic ensemble dramas in recent years has crashed into the bottom-line reality of softening prime-time ratings. So showrunners are taking a cue from whack-heavy series like HBO's "The Sopranos" and Fox's "24" and increasingly relying on character deaths to pay off a season of loyal viewership.

Showrunners maintain that character deaths usually are in service to the story. In first-season shows cast with relative unknowns, such as "Heroes" and "Jericho," that's almost certainly the case.

Manny Coto, co-executive producer of "24," said deaths on the veteran drama have never been about the budget.

"Usually the characters being killed off have run their course, storywise," Mr. Coto said. "It's reaching for an emotional response out of the audience, and for better or worse, killing a major character accomplishes that."

The real-time drama embraced killing characters in prime time starting with the shocking death of Jack Bauer's wife in the first season's 2002 sweeps finale. Last season, "24" significantly upped the ante by killing four regular characters.

If online rumors, showrunner hints and network loglines are any indication, May is going to be a very bloody month.

Without revealing specific spoilers, a TV Guide report said "Lost," which is one of the most expensive dramas on television and has experienced a ratings drop this season, soon will chalk up a body count similar to the fabled "24" bloodbath.

"Heroes" showrunner Tim Kring has often stated that at least one cast member won't survive sweeps. Also on NBC, the renewals of several shows, such as the "Law & Order" franchise, reportedly have been tied to cast and crew budget cuts, which eventually could impact on-air storylines as well.

At CBS, a May press release reveals that somebody will die on both "Jericho" and "Close to Home," joining "CSI: NY," "NCIS," "CSI: Miami" and "Ghost Whisperer" as CBS shows that have killed off series regulars. The online rumor mill contends The CW's "Smallville" also is planning a major casualty.

"[Deaths are] partly a function of this new style of show where you have a really big ensemble," said Erin Gough-Wehrenberg, senior VP, current series, NBC Entertainment. "For 'Heroes,' it's definitely to do what's best for creative storytelling. ... [Deaths on other series] were each unique circumstances."

Yet the most anticipated sweeps stunt isn't a character's demise or a catastrophic battle, but the two-hour backdoor pilot for the "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off starring Kate Walsh, airing May 3.

For decades, the on-screen death of major characters was practically verboten.

When Jean Hagan left "Make Room for Daddy" in 1956, or when Jean Stapleton left "All in the Family" in 1971, their respective characters were simply written out of the show during the off-season. In such cases, the characters died because the actor left the show, rather than due to a showrunner's creative decision or budget downsizing.

As networks began to program stunts for sweeps, shows would reach for greater narrative twists, the most famous being the "Who Shot J.R.?" cliffhanger on "Dallas" in 1980.

But the regular killing of characters, to the point where audiences expect a corpse every season, is a recent phenomenon -- at least in prime time.

"[For sweeps stunts] we have progressed from the first kiss, to the big wedding, to bodies all over the stage," Mr. Brooks said. "But in daytime, soaps have killed off characters for years. You have a shoot-out in the hospital and -- voila -- some of the highest paid actresses are gone."

http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31855

fredfa

04-23-07, 08:59 AM

TV Sports
Team Owners Pledge to Keep Games on Their NFL Network
By John Consoli MediaWeek April 23, 2007

With rumors circulating that the National Football League was considering putting up for re-bid its eight-game, Thursday-Saturday package airing on the NFL Network, now comes confirmation that the games are staying put on the league-owned cable net.

Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos and chairman of the NFL’s broadcasting committee, told Mediaweek that team owners plan for the network to continue to air the games for the duration of the current rights deal, which expires five years from now.

The network has been unable to do carriage pacts with major cable operators Time Warner and Cablevision, contributing to low first-season ratings (1.9 in households, according to Nielsen Media Research). NFL Network pays $400 million a year to air the games, but Bowlen said the deal was more about establishing the network long-term than making money at the outset.

“The owners’ decision to put the games on the NFL Network was to help build a 24-7 network about football,” Bowlen explained. “That is our goal. We’re not concerned about making more money on another TV rights deal. We want to create a year round football network.”
Despite hearsay, Bowlen said no team owner had talked to him about putting the games back up for bid.

“They realize we are building an asset, and that it is not going to happen overnight,” he said. “Every startup operation loses money for a while. But it is a priority to have these end-of-the-season games on the NFL Network.”

Bowlen’s comments come just before the network’s upfront presentation to advertisers and media agencies in New York City on April 25. At the upfront, the net is expected to announce some tweaks to its NFL pre-game and game coverage, as well as the addition of another night of NFL game replays, the return of its Playbook show and a major revamp of its Web site. The net will also unveil plans to air the NFL draft on April 28 and 29 (competing with live draft coverage on ESPN), as well as offer draft coverage online and via Sprint mobile phones.

Ron Furman, senior vp of media sales at the NFL Network, said many programming changes resulted from viewer input.

One change: the return of Playbook, an X’s and O’s show on which analysts break down games for the coming weekend. Originally a standalone show, last year it became a shorter segment on the nightly NFL Total Access. Now, it will air for an hour every Thursday night and half-hours on Friday and Saturday. The show now will focus exclusively on upcoming games, unlike previously, when it also looked at past games.

The network will also add another pre-seaon game, as well as another night of game replays. Last season, the net aired two replay games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday. This season, it adds a fifth replay game on Monday night, either at 7 or 7:30. The replay games are not just straight repeats but include bells and whistles such as miked-up players and lockerroom footage.

“A lot of people wondered what kind of response we would get to these replays last season,” Furman said. “But the fans have voted, and they liked them, so we are adding another game on another night.”

The network’s pre-game show, which last season ran three hours and was broadcast entirely on-site, now will originate in the studio for the first hour, followed by two hours at the game site.

“The first hour in the studio will allow them to break down the game strategy better than on a live location,” Furman explained.

Kick-off of the Thursday and Saturday games will be moved back to 8:15 p.m. from 8:05. Furman said the move will allow announcers more time to set up the game, and allow the audience to build. “Research shows that HUT levels grow increasingly as that first half hour moves along,” he said.

NFL Network also plans to reimagine its Web site with a soft relaunch in August, followed by a heavily promoted relaunch concurrent with the start of the NFL season in September.
And for the first time, the network will cover the NFL draft, along with ESPN. Steve Mariucci and Deion Sanders, analysts on the NFL pre-game show, will join host Rich Eisen on the two-day telecast.

In addition to its eight-game regular season package and pre-season game coverage, the NFL Network next season will air the Pro Football Hall of Fame pre-season game, pitting the New Orleans Saints against the Pittsburgh Steelers. NBC carried the game last year.
NFL Network in August will introduce a half-hour college football show, airing daily Tuesday to Friday at 6:30 p.m. and leading into NFL Total Access.

Media buyers, none of whom would comment for attribution, said that while all of NFL Network’s shoulder programming is good, the live games are the real draw, since the network can use those games to package deals for other programming.

“ESPN has a lot of sports shoulder programming, but what draws the most viewers in is live sports telecasts,” one buyer said. “The sports leagues that have their own networks have a hurdle to overcome since they can only show live games of their sport in-season, not year-round. And getting advertisers to get excited over shoulder programming out of season is sometimes a difficult task.”

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003574623