Hot Off The Press! The Latest Television News and Info

[dad1153]

Nielsen Notebook
Syndicated Ratings: 'Insider' Scores
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable December 6, 2006

Reports on ex-Seinfeld co-star Michael Richards' racist rant and the Kelly Ripa/Clay Aiken spat helped push ratings for syndicated news mag The Insider to its highest level since March while many other syndicated strips appeared to be on a tryptophan-induced lull in the Thanksgiving holidy week ending November 26, 2006.

Aiken, subbing for Regis, rubbed Ripa the wrong way on Live with Briefly Clay and Kelly, leading to something of an on-air spat that gained wider attention when Rosie O'Donnell ripped Ripa for remarks she said were homophobic, a charge Ripa disputed.

Holiday programming-related loss of coverage left many shows with only three- or four-day averages for the week. That didn't hurt Insider any, which had a three-day average of a 2.8 rating for the weeklet, it's best showing in 37 weeks and up 4% from its previous season high of the week before.

ET, the top news mag seemingly in perpetuity, was up 2% to a 5.6, matching its previous season high. It was the only strip in first run that was up--2%--over last year at this time.

On the downslope, Inside Edition, the second place mag, was off 17% to a 2.9. Access Hollywood, in fourth , was down 11% to a 2.5 and Extra was off 9% to a 2.1.

In the talk category, only Ellen Degereres could boast a season high, up 5% to a 2.2 in fifth place.

That was primarily thanks to some help from high places--a rare daytime talk appearance by former President Bill Clinton. His November 21 visit boosted ratings 14% from the week before to a 2.4, its best outing for a non-holiday episode of the season.

Oprah led the talkers, although down 13% for the week to a season low 6.2. Dr. Phil was down 4% to a 5.1. Live with Regis and Kelly was flat at a 3.5. Maury was up 4% to a 2.4. All of the veteran talkers were down from the same week a year ago, with Oprah seing the the biggest drop among top talkers, down 31%. Dr. Phil saw the least drop, down 4% from the same week last year.

Among rookie talkers, Rachael Ray continued to pick up eyeballs, up 12% in a little over a month. Ray averaged a 2.1 in households, even with the week before. Greg Behrendt and Megan Mullally were both unchanged at an 0.8, while ratings were not available for Dr. Keith Ablow.

All the veteran court and game shows were flat or down compared with the week before, with the exception of People's court, which was up 4% to a new season high 2.9, tied for second place among judge shows with Judge Joe Brown for the first time this season. Compared to last year, all of the court and game shows were down.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6397858.html?display=Breaking+News

[keenan]

And another one bites the dust! :(

TV Notebook
ABC turns the light out on 'Daybreak'
By Mike Hughes, Gannett News Services December 7, 2006

"Day Break" - the tangled drama that needs a conclusion - will soon lose its place on ABC.

On Jan. 3, its slot (9 p.m. Wednesdays) will go to two new comedies. ABC made no mention of "Day Break" in its announcement but unofficial word isn't encouraging:

The show might continue to air through December.

After that it would still have at least five more episodes. They might be consigned to abc.com.

The season began with networks giddy about dramas - from "Lost" to "Prison Break" - with serialized story lines. They loaded up on new ones, promising that viewers wouldn't be left hanging.

NBC's "Heroes" and CBS' "Jericho" have done well, but other serialized shows have crashed and were pulled. They include Fox's "Vanished," NBC's "Kidnapped," CBS' "Smith" and ABC's "The Nine" and "Six Degrees."

"Day Break" has a cop, played by Rochester, N.Y., native Taye Diggs, reliving the same horrific day. It was supposed to borrow the "Lost" slot for 13 weeks.

After heavy promotion, however, its Nielsen ratings fell in half the second week it aired.

Now its place is disappearing. On Jan. 3, "Knights of Prosperity" airs at 9 p.m. and "In Case of Emergency" at 9:30 p.m. They'll be preceded by the returning "According to Jim" and "George Lopez."

When "Lost" returns on Feb. 7 it will air at 10 p.m. instead of 9 p.m.

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/tv/articles/1207daybreak1207.html
Well, I still have last week's ep on the DVR and was going to watch both tonight, but now I guess I can just delete last week's, turn off the season pass, and read a book.

[dad1153]

The Business of (Regulating) TV
FCC Files Brief Defending Indecency Stance
By Ira Teinowitz, TV Week December 6, 2006

The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday defended its profanity-related indecency actions against Fox for Nicole Richie and Cher's swear words on the Billboard Music Awards in 2002 and 2003, telling an appellate court that broadcasters are distracting attention from the case's central issues because they don't have good answers to them.

"This case involves only two FCC adjudications-that Fox's broadcasts of the 2002 and 2003 Billboard Music Awards were indecent and profane," the FCC said in its brief filed Wednesday in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. "Those adjudications and those adjudications alone are before the court. … The court should reject Fox's effort to change the subject."

The indecency case stems from the FCC's March 15 order attempting to set clearer guidelines on indecency. As part of the order the FCC ruled the two programs were indecent, but didn't fine Fox stations, saying it wanted to make clearer to broadcasters what it considers indecent.

In Wednesday's filing, the FCC indicated its suggestion of extraneous issues referred in part to broadcasters' arguments that the findings were an arbitrary change in the FCC's longtime indecency policy about use of fleeting expletives and that the growing impact of cable households should alter what should be viewed as violating local community standards. The filing also addressed other network arguments.

"In an attempt to use this case as a springboard for mounting a wholesale assault on the federal broadcast indecency statute and regulations, the networks invite this court to issue a series of advisory opinions on matters not before it," the FCC said in its brief.

The FCC also contended that the networks' claims that the commission was inconsistently vague by allowing profanity in "Saving Private Ryan" but not on a PBS station's documentary was not before the court and further rested on an artistic expression issue that wasn't a factor in the Fox cases. The FCC disputed contentions that its treatment of the f-word is inconsistent with its treatment of other coarse words and said that contrary to warnings that news could no longer be presented live, it had distinguished between live newscasts and entertainment programming.

http://tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11192

[dad1153]

TV Notebook
'Tsunami' sets off wave of concern
By Marisa Guthrie, The New York Daily News December 6, 2006

How do you tell the story of one of the biggest disasters in human history - the tsunami that razed swaths of 11 countries, from Thailand to Africa?
Illuminate the individual stories.

HBO's "Tsunami: The Aftermath" opens on a scuba boat in the Indian Ocean where Susie Carter (Sophie Okonedo) has gone on a morning excursion while her husband, Ian (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and their young daughter, Martha (Jazmyn Mabaso), have stayed at their resort. Susie and Ian survive, but little Martha was last seen clinging to a tree. And so the bereaved parents embark on a torturous search for their lost child.

"It humanizes the situation," said Okonedo. "Otherwise, it becomes just a big disaster. It lets people identify with it, and when people identify with it, it brings up a whole well of compassion."

Other stories center on a Thai resort worker (Samrit Machielsen) and a frustrated Christian aid worker (Toni Collette). "Tsunami" premieres Sunday night at 8 and concludes the following Sunday, also at 8.

The dead and missing numbered nearly a quarter of a million, according to official reports. And the disaster spurred an international outpouring of grief, with citizens from dozens of countries (many like the fictional Carters) on holiday for Christmas.

"That's why I wanted it [the movie]," said Okonedo. "It showed all the different ways that different cultures and different races deal with grief."

Okonedo is skilled in the cinematic translation of grief. The British actress garnered an Oscar nomination for her tender portrayal of Don Cheadle's wife in "Hotel Rwanda." Before that, her professional domain was limited to theater, British television and small films, including "Dirty Pretty Things," which also featured her "Tsunami" co-star, Ejiofor. Now, at 37 (she turns 38 on Jan. 1), Okonedo finds herself in an enviable spot.

"I sort of have a film career now," she said. "I don't always have to audition for everything, which is quite nice. And I also have a career in America a bit now. I had never been to America until the whole Oscar thing happened."

She's currently attached to several projects, including a Black Panther movie with Mos Def and a crime noir starring Kevin Bacon, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis. But despite a measure of fame, Okonedo is still drawn to decidedly unglamorous, difficult parts.

"I don't have to live up to any glamorous image," she laughed. "I don't have to worry about how I look going shopping, because everyone's seen me up close with all my spots. Most of the time people say to me, 'God, you look much nicer offscreen!' I'm so blessed in some of the projects I've been involved in, as they really have made a little bit of a difference," she added. "I never thought that would be part of my job as an actor. But good drama asks many questions. That's one of its functions."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/477386p-401633c.html

[dad1153]

TV Notebook
Rosie Gets a 'Nip'
By Michael Starr, The New York Post December 6, 2006

Forget a "Nip/Tuck" spinoff - Rosie O'Donnell now says she might star on the plastic-surgery drama.

O'Donnell says she would replace the de parted Joely Richard son and play the sud denly rich Dawn Budge, whose popular ity last season spurred serious talk of a spinoff for Rosie.

O'Donnell broke the news yesterday during a question-and-answer session with audience members of "The View."

"Access Hollywood" first reported the story on its Web site.

O'Donnell sounded like she was "leaning" toward accepting the role, which would involve a 15-week shoot in L.A., according to the site. The fifth season of "Nip/Tuck" is scheduled to begin shooting late next spring.

O'Donnell said Dawn would own the plastic surgery center run by Drs. Troy and McNamara (Julian McMahon, Dylan Walsh) - and would do things like "sneak Cher in the back door" and then hire paparazzi to snap pictures.

An FX spokesman had no comment yesterday.

It's not clear if Rosie would keep her spot on "The View." She has just a one-year deal with the morning show.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12062006/tv/rosie_gets_a_nip_tv_michael_starr.htm

[dad1153]

The TV Column: The Week’s Winners and Losers
'Criminal Minds' Steals 'Lost's' Thunder
By Lisa de Moraes, The Washington Post December 6, 2006

CBS's "Criminal Minds" last week scored its biggest audience ever -- nearly 18 million viewers -- and this past Monday was rewarded with this season's post-Super Bowl time slot. The next day, ABC announced that "Lost," which is off until February, would not return to the Wednesday time slot it has shared with "Criminal Minds" -- also the slot of upcoming "American Idol" on Fox.

Here's a look at the week's found and lost:

WINNERS

"Criminal Minds." Mandy Patinkin made mincemeat out of I'm Taye Diggs! and landed in the No. 3 spot for the week with his CBS show's biggest audience ever -- 17.9 million viewers.

"The Polar Express." The 13 million who caught Tom Hanks's animated Christmas flick on ABC last Friday made up the biggest TV audience for a theatrical movie since NBC aired "Shrek" nearly three years ago. "Polar" is also this season's No. 3 broadcast among kids, behind two "Charlie Brown" broadcasts.

"Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban" was ABC Family's most watched telecast ever -- nearly 5 million tuned in on Sunday.

LOSERS

"3 Lbs." CBS's schedule is "3 Lbs." lighter after anemic ratings killed this new medical drama three episodes in.

"Big Day." New ABC sitcom fumbled more than 40 percent of Charlie Brown's Christmas-special audience, though, ABC pointed out, it finished second in its time period among females. That, one network staffer noted, is not surprising given that the series is about a wedding. Yes, women are that predictable.

"Daybreak." ABC's "Groundhog Day"-meets-"24" drama, starring I'm Taye Diggs!, by last week was clinging to just 4.7 million of the more than 10 million who'd caught its premiere following the finale of "Dancing With the Stars."

"Scrubs." NBC's much-moved sitcom continues its slow, sad descent into irrelevance, with just 7.7 million watching its return to the lineup on Thursday. That's its smallest fall debut ever, beating the previous low of 8.5 million in '04 when the show returned early, allegedly to bask in NBC's Summer Olympics ratings halo.

"Ice Wars." About 44 percent more viewers would rather watch "Ghost Whisperer" and "Close to Home" on CBS, Friday from 8 to 10 p.m., than "Ice Wars: USA vs. The World" (6.2 million viewers).

"Justice." Maybe so soon after the O.J. Simpson interview debacle, Fox should not have brought back to the schedule its new Jerry Bruckheimer drama about high-priced lawyers who employ various antics to get their clients off on charges. It finished fifth in its Friday time slot; just 4.3 million tuned in.

"Lost." ABC announced yesterday that it will move "Lost" out of its Wednesday 9 p.m. time slot to get it out of the way of "American Idol" -- and "Criminal Minds." "Lost" already has lost about 1.5 million viewers this fall compared with same time last year, before "Idol" even returns to the lineup.

The week's 10 most watched programs, in order, were: ABC's "Grey's Anatomy"; CBS's "NCIS" and "Criminal Minds"; NBC's Monday "Deal or No Deal"; Fox's "House"; CBS's "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "CSI" and "Survivor: Cook Islands"; and NBC's "Heroes."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501367.html

[tkmedia2]

Watch with Kristin
Exclusive! Rebecca Romijn Joins Ugly Betty!

by Kristin Veitch, E! Online Blog Dec. 6, 2006

I heart Ugly Betty. And I heart Rebecca Romijn. So, needless to say, I am over the moon to share with you the exclusive scoop I just dug up: Rebecca Romijn is joining the cast of Ugly Betty! You heard me right. Joining the cast. As in, a series regular. As in, indefinitely.

[I'll pause while you freak out over the good news.]

According to sources connected to Betty and Rebecca (get used to hearing those names side by side!), the lovely Ms. Romijn will be arriving on the Betty set next week to begin her work on the ABC dramedy that has become an instant hit among anyone with even a smidge of decent taste.

As far as who Rebecca will be playing, don't read any further if you don't wanna know, but I have the goods!

According to sources, Rebecca will be playing the woman behind all the bandages! If you're a fan, you should know exactly who I am talking about. (And if you haven't been watching, you're gonna get on the Betty/Rebecca train pronto, right?)

By the way, some of you may remember that while I was on the Ugly Betty set a couple of weeks ago, Eric Mabius (Daniel Meade) teased to me that "the audience is in a store for a real shock. One of the women they introduce to try and tempt me away from Sofia [Salma Hayek] will be kind of amazing." When asked if he read with this new mystery woman during her audition, he let out a little chuckle and said, "No, trust me. This was an offer type situation."

Sure sounds like he's talking about our dear Rebecca, no? And if so, Salma, honey, you'd better watch your man. I mean, check out the photo above—Yeowzah!

http://www.eonline.com/print/index.jsp?uuid=45a9c23f-5010-46fc-9696-d83ec431ab25&contentType=watchWithKristin

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
'Sopranos' cleans up its act
By David Bianculli, The New York Daily News December 7, 2006

Like the rowdy girls of "Sex and the City," whose language and activities were diluted to make them suitable for reruns on TBS, the violent and profane gangsters of HBO's "The Sopranos," have been cleaned up for telecast on ad-supported A&E.

Can Tony Soprano and company behave well enough to make the transition from F-bombing tough guys to ready-for-basic-cable players?

Golly gee, yes.

A&E provided sample episodes of their edited versions of "The Sopranos," which begin running in two-hour Wednesday night blocks (9-11 p.m.) on Jan. 10. We watched one of the revamped episodes - the third one from the show's first season - then measured it against the same unexpurgated hour from the "Sopranos" DVD set.

The verdict?

If you saw and loved the unedited versions on HBO or DVD, the scrubbed-down ones will be jarring, even irritating, in spots.

But that's not the audience at which these new, better-behaved "Sopranos" are aimed. A&E is targeting TV viewers who neither subscribe to HBO nor have plunked down about $100 a season for the DVD collections.

It's a target audience, estimated by A&E at some 150 million, who have heard the buzz about David Chase's "Sopranos" for the past seven years, but haven't watched a single episode.

Since they don't know what they've been missing, what's left of "The Sopranos" is quite likely to be good enough - and, in some cases, may be even more palatable for being less risqué.

After all, it's basic cable, where slightly different standards apply.

Watching the two versions directly, it's clear that the invectives uttered by James Galdolfini's Tony and company, and some of the other activities, are replaced by less natural-sounding substitutes. The most glaring example in episode three is when Tony surprises a hospitalized crime boss with a Bada Bing stripper dressed - then undressed - as a staff nurse.

On HBO's version, she treated the patient, and viewers, with topless abandon. Not on A&E, though.

And when Tony, pouncing on his Russian mistress for a quickie, is interrupted by an unwanted phone call, his scatological obscenity in the HBO version is replaced by a much less Tony-like "Nuts!!"

This is Tony Soprano we're talking about, not Charlie Brown. Good grief.

Lots of people are called "jerks," instead of various body parts, and the F word is changed to something that rhymes with reeking - as in, reeking of selling out. But by seeking a larger audience, "The Sopranos" isn't selling out so much as just selling.

And the final truth is, these episodes from 1999 still retain shock value - the delightful shock of seeing Adriana and Tony's mom alive again, and the general shock about how good "The Sopranos" - even a watered-down "Sopranos" - was from the start.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/477836p-402009c.html

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
Womb with a View
Oh Baby, Cameras Go Where Life Begins
By Linda Stasi, The New York Post December 7, 2006

RATING: FOUR STARS (OUT OF FOUR)

Last year's phenomenal National Geographic special "In the Womb" took viewers on the most-phenomenal journey imaginable - from conception to birth through the use of sonograms and computer-generated images.

It was such a breakthrough that they have now expanded the, er, concept to bring us lucky viewers two more specials.

On Sunday night, it's "In the Womb: Animals," and next month, they return with "In the Womb: Multiples."

The original special shows every step of the remarkable development, in utero, of a fetus from fertilized egg to fully formed baby.

By using ultrasound scans, photo-quality, three-dimensional images are arranged together to show movement in real time - so we get to see how fetuses actually move.

"Animals" takes us inside the wombs of dogs, dolphins and elephants as their fetuses grow into babies - and it's extraordinary.

Few of us will actually live with elephants or dolphins in our lifetimes, but countless of us love and live with dogs.

The images will knock your socks off. But it's tremendously interesting to see how your loving little canine monster - who chews your favorite Manolo Blahniks to show how much he misses you (they pick your favorite shoes because your feet have the most sweat glands and shoes smell the most like you) - developed and sloshed around inside the womb with all his litter mates.

Aside from the startling images, you'll also learn that only about a dozen types of animals share close relationships with humans; that all dogs are descended from the Gray Wolf; and that dogs that live in packs often have false pregnancies.

Interestingly, that happens because only the lead dogs can mate and hunt, so all the females in the pack develop the symptoms of pregnancy in order to nurse the litter - leaving the Alpha female free to hunt.

You'll also learn that dolphins are the only animals beside humans to have recreational sex - and, unlike humans, male dolphins enjoy extended periods of foreplay before sex.

Who knew that every mammal on earth shares a common ancestor - a shrew-like creature who lived 200 million years ago?

Or that elephants are probably descended from sea cows and that their trunks might have been used as snorkles (in a way, they still are since elephants can swim up to 15 miles).

There isn't a minute of this special you won't love - so fire up the TiVo . . . these are a couple of keepers.

"In the Womb Animals"
Sunday night at 9 on National Geographic

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12072006/tv/womb_with_a_view_tv_linda_stasi.htm

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
HBO's big 'Tsunami' is kind of a washout
By David Hinckley, The New York Daily News December 7, 2006

TSUNAMI, THE AFTERMATH.
Sunday, 8 p.m., HBO
RATING: TWO STARS (OUT OF FOUR)

If anything like the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami had struck the United States, we would have talked about almost nothing else since then.

Since it happened half a world away, even the staggering toll of 224,000 deaths hasn't produced much more in America than general agreement that yes, it was a terrible tragedy.

Location, location, location.

Still, HBO is betting our fascination with natural disaster will draw us to "Tsunami: The Aftermath," a three-hour BBC production HBO will split over the next two Sunday nights.

It's a quality production - a little long, but carried well by a rich visual texture and four strong lead performances: Tim Roth as Nick, a cynical reporter shaken as he grasps the scope of what he sees; Toni Collette as Kathy, an Australian aid worker, and Chiwetel Ejiofor and Sophie Okonedo as Ian and Susie Carter, a British couple whose 6-year-old daughter is missing.

By focusing on the aftermath and a handful of specific characters, the producers clearly hope to make this much more vivid. While 224,000 deaths is an abstraction, everyone understands a missing 6-year-old.

This strategy works to an extent, and some of the strongest scenes come as the Carters' increasingly desperate search starts causing them to unravel.

Roth's reporter, a classic media jerk in the opening scenes, undergoes an intriguing change as he absorbs and documents several truths about who was responsible for turning a natural disaster into a catastrophe.

These include governments that fail to protect their people and vulture developers who swoop in to steal stricken land even before the bodies are cleared.

"Aftermath" condemns them bluntly and persuasively.

Yet for all that, the show adds up to less than it should.

While the docudrama format is used respectfully, the technique of dropping fictional characters into a real event dilutes the power of this particular story.

Since the tsunami affected so many real people, building "Aftermath" on a few of their stories would very likely have produced measurably greater impact on the viewer.

While it's not a precise parallel to compare "The Aftermath" with "When the Levees Broke," Spike Lee's brilliant and similar HBO film, "Levees" is far more powerful on almost all counts.

When a real-life story has as much drama as the tsunami, the best way to tell that story, it seems clear, is to include as much real life as possible.

"Aftermath," while not markedly flawed, leaves plenty of room for another run at the biggest natural disaster of the fledgling 21st century.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/477831p-402000c.html

[dad1153]

Any Canadian visitors familiar with this show? Has it premiered already, or are they promoting it? What network carries it? And what have the ratings/general reaction been like to the idea/premise? It'd be interesting to see something like this tried in the States although chances of that happening are about the same of Fredfa leaving this thread for others to manage. Mmmphh... :rolleyes:

(International) TV Notebook
Sitcom’s Precarious Premise: Being Muslim Over Here
By Neil MacFarquhar, The New York Times December 7, 2006

TORONTO — The handsome, clean-cut young man of evidently Pakistani or Indian origin is standing in an airport line, gesticulating emphatically as he says into his cellphone, “If Dad thinks that’s suicide, so be it,” adding after a pause, “This is Allah’s plan for me.”

As might be expected, a cop materializes almost instantly and drags the man off, telling him that his appointment in paradise will have to wait, even though the suicide he is referring to is of the career kind; he’s giving up the law to pursue a more spiritual occupation.

The scene unrolls early in the pilot of a new Canadian comedy series called “Little Mosque on the Prairie.”

Yet that fictional moment is an all-too-possible occurrence, as witnessed when six imams were hauled off a US Airways plane in Minnesota in November after apparently spooking at least one fellow passenger by murmuring prayers that included the word Allah.

“Little Mosque on the Prairie” ventures into new and perhaps treacherous terrain: trying to explore the funny side of being a Muslim and adapting to life in post 9/11 North America. Its creators admit to uneasiness as to whether Canadians and Americans can laugh about the daily travails of those who many consider a looming menace.

“It’s a question we ask ourselves all the time,” said Mary Darling, one of the show’s three executive producers and an American who has lived in Canada for the last decade. “If 9/11 is still too raw, it might not work,” she said.

There is the other side of that coin too — what will Muslims think? — which the show’s creators usually summarize in one long sentence that mentions the uproar prompted by Salman Rushdie as well as the Danish cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad.

This concern stems from the almost automatic presumption that “to look at Muslims in an entertaining way is going to be controversial because they will riot in the streets,” said Al Rae, one of the show’s writers, who noted that he does research by bouncing potential scenarios off cab drivers here. Or as Amaar, the young man detained in the opening airport scene, puts it sardonically, “Muslims all over the world are known for their sense of humor.”

The strongest insurance against outrage from the faithful is that “Little Mosque” is the brainchild of Zarqa Nawaz, a Canadian Muslim of Pakistani origin whose own assimilation, particularly after she left Toronto for Regina, Saskatchewan, 10 years ago, provides much of the comic fodder.

“It rests on my shoulders to get the balance right between entertainment and representing the community in a reasonable way,” Ms. Nawaz, a 39-year-old mother of four, said in an interview here. “You have to push the boundaries so you can grow and evolve as a community.”

During one recent episode being filmed at a neighborhood swimming pool, two Muslim characters who are normally veiled leave the changing room to discover that a man has replaced their usual female instructor. The horrified women lunge for bath towels to use as temporary hijabs, or veils, to cover their hair.

Ms. Nawaz, veiled since she was in ninth grade, coached both actresses to be less relaxed. “I didn’t feel that they were panicked enough,” she said. “It’s a big deal for a hijab-wearing woman to be seen without one.”

Ultimately the solution is found when, as the script describes, “Fatima comes out dressed in the Haz-Mat Islamic swimsuit.” The costume designer unearthed a swimsuit on the Internet from Jordan that covers her from scalp to ankle and had it shipped to Canada.

The struggle over what constitutes modest dress is central to the show. When a Muslim girl flounces into her immigrant father’s presence with her navel showing, he recoils in horror, saying, “You look like a Protestant.”

She counters, “Dad, you mean a prostitute?”

He responds, “No, I meant a Protestant.”

Ms. Nawaz’s humor also emerges in the pool episode. Johnny, the male water aerobics instructor, is gay, and he pointedly says that the sight of the women’s hair would not be the least bit arousing.

“I always try to start these debates in my community like: Does gay count? Do you have to cover your hair in front of a gay man?” Ms. Nawaz said with a chuckle. (It is not the kind of question that arises in Muslim countries, where being openly gay is virtually out of the question; such behavior is punishable by a death sentence in some places.)

Fellow Muslims often dismiss her thoughts and questions as too outrageous, she admitted. “But now I have a whole series to express them.”

Amaar, for example, is abandoning a law career to become the new imam, or prayer leader, in the small town of Mercy. His predecessor as imam preaches sermons like, “First there was ‘American Idol,’ and now there is ‘Canadian Idol.’ All idols must be smashed.”

Ms. Nawaz wanted the show to look at how a native-born imam, exceedingly rare at the moment, might deal with issues differently from the standard imported imams. The actor who plays the young imam, Zaib Shaikh, is the only Muslim in the cast, although the creators said they had hoped more would audition.

Another episode focuses on the anguished debate among strict Muslim families about allowing their children to dress up and collect candy on Halloween, a Christian affair built atop a pagan festival. Most North American Muslims eventually compromise because the day has been drained of religion. “Little Mosque on the Prairie” turns it into “Halal-oween,” halal being the Arabic word for anything religiously permissible.

The sitcom grew out of the battle in Ms. Nawaz’s mosque in Regina over whether women had to pray behind a partition, a heated controversy across the United States and Canada. She vehemently opposed the idea, ultimately making a documentary released this year called “Me and the Mosque” about the tug-of-war with her own imam as well as similar segregation battles in Chicago and West Virginia.

The documentary sparked her idea that all manner of tension between moderate and conservative Muslims — one episode focuses on the partition issue — would make both Muslims and non-Muslims laugh. There were 600,000 Muslims in Canada in the 2001 census, with the number now estimated around 800,000. Estimates for the American population are around six million.

In an earnest manner not atypical of Canadians, one goal of the show is to explain Muslim behavior, or at least make Muslims seem less peculiar, much as humor about Jews, Italians or gays helped those groups assimilate.

“On the news all you ever hear are voices from the extreme end of the spectrum,” Ms. Darling said. “This gives voice to ordinary people who look just like other ordinary people.”

With its small-town setting and affable cast of characters — even a talk radio host who labels Muslims as terrorists comes across as rather lighthearted — the show unrolls a bit like “Mary Tyler Moore” or some other 1970s sitcom. It is scheduled to start on CBC on Jan. 9, with eight episodes. More are under negotiation. Pitches will be made to networks in the United States in December, so at first only Americans in border states will be likeley to have access to it.

Test audiences have been somewhat divided, the producers said. Younger viewers, especially Muslims, tend to laugh openly with recognition. Others, particularly the older generation — whether Muslim or not — hesitate.

“Nobody has done a comedy about Muslims before, so they are not sure how to take it,” Ms. Nawaz said. “Some non-Muslims wonder, ‘Are we allowed to laugh?’ ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/07/arts/television/07mosq.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
Putting God Back in the Produce Aisle
James Poniewozik's Time 'Tuned In' Blog Dec. 6, 2006

From my sometime nemeses at the Parents Television Council comes word that NBC, like Saul on the road to Damascus, may have had a change of heart in its dealings with the Bible-oriented cartoon VeggieTales. As I wrote earlier, NBC had been editing out overtly religious messages from the cartoon when broadcasting it as part of its Saturday-morning block. Now we hear from the show's creator that in several of the episodes re-aired, the upfront "theistic" content has been left in.

I have had my differences with the PTC before, but in this case I agree with them entirely. You may, like me, not particularly want your children receiving religious instruction from an animated tomato. That's fine: for us, there is an entire world of non-religious kids' programming out there. But if you want to watch VeggieTales, you want to watch VeggieTales, and there's no point to watering down its essential message. By the same token, NBC did the wrong thing by cutting out a controversial scene from a Madonna concert in which she appeared on a cross: if you want to watch a Madonna concert, you want to watch a Madonna concert, and the cross is part of her message, whatever that is.

It's all about choice, in other words, which is a point the PTC and its ilk only seem to get about half the time. Some of the groups' efforts are focused on expanding consumer choice--especially its crusade to allow cable subscribers to choose from tiers of channels, which unlike many TV critics I support. But choice goes both ways, and unfortunately too much of the PTC's effort is dedicated to taking away choice: in particular, pressuring the FCC to suppress primetime programming that millions of viewers want to see, because a relative few don't like giving other people the option to see it. (The PTC, notably, did not advocate for NBC to keep the crucifixion scene in the Madonna concert.)

Maybe the VeggieTales victory will persuade the PTC, and others, that what we need is more choice, not less, that the ideal media environment is one in which they can see their Biblical cartoons and I, my filthy reality shows and crucified pop stars, without either of us trying to frustrate the other's choices.

Maybe. But I expect to see vegetables talk first.

http://time.blogs.com/tuned_in/

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
If it isn’t one thing, it’s another...
TV Land’s list of greatest quotes ignores women’s lines
By Lauren Beckham Falcone, The Boston Herald December 7, 2006

Hey, TV Land - a message from the ladies: Kiss my grits!

‘‘The 100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases” (starting Monday at 10 p.m.) features a mere four offerings from women. A few TV experts are now saying ‘‘Never mind” to the sexist tally.

‘‘It’s crazy that there are so few women represented,” said Terry Lawler, executive director of New York Women in Film & Television. ‘‘It’s a glaring omission, and you have to wonder how many women were part of the choosing. You also have to wonder why there wasn’t any effort to ask, ‘Are we representing the full spectrum of women and shows that have been important?’”

Tom Hill, vice president and creative director for TV Land, said 10 staffers created the list, and the group ‘‘included a number of women.

‘‘Although I won’t reveal the percentage,” he said. ‘‘I do admit it was a bit of a surprise when it was pointed out how few women were on the list. Do two men in drag count?”

(For the record, the quotes by women on the list include: ‘‘Marcia Marcia Marcia” by Jan Brady (Eve Plumb) on the ‘‘Brady Bunch”; ‘‘Oh my nose” by Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) from the same show; ‘‘God’ll get you for that” from ‘‘Maude” (Bea Arthur); and ‘‘That’s hot” from Paris Hilton on ‘‘The Simple Life.”)

Hill said the list reveals that the last 50 years of TV, specifically comedies, are male dominated.

‘‘Catch phrase comedy is skewed to males,” he said. ‘‘Female comedy, if you want to generalize, tends to be more story based. We stand by our list, but I think it might have been fair to say it could have had a more feminine touch. But it is what it is, to coin a phrase.”

Denise Dorman, a Los Angeles-based media critic, said the list omits what she considers ‘‘the most important TV quote from a woman.”

‘‘Tick tock, Arnie, tick tock’ from ‘L.A. Law,’ ” she said. ‘‘Women around the U.S. immediately started using that line to ask for their well-deserved pay increases. It was also a critical moment on ‘L.A. Law,’ showing a timid woman (Roxanne, played by Susan Ruttan) become empowered enough to ask for what she deserved. It gave a lot of underpaid women an important boost of self-esteem.”

Ladies talk back

Our top 10 missing quotes from the ladies:

‘‘Never mind.” - Emily Litella (Gilda Radner) on ‘‘Saturday Night Live.”

‘‘It’s a good thing.” - Martha Stewart

‘‘Can we talk?” - Joan Rivers

‘‘Kiss my grits.” - Flo (Polly Holliday) from ‘‘Alice”

‘‘So, you think you’re spongeworthy?” - Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) on ‘‘Seinfeld”

‘‘I couldn’t help but wonder . . .” Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) on ‘‘Sex and the City”

‘‘Nothing comes between me and my Calvins.” - Brooke Shields

‘‘It’s a vast right-wing conspiracy.” - Hillary Clinton

‘‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” - Mrs. Fletcher in the LifeCall commercials

‘‘Calgon, take me away.” - from the Calgon commercial

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/tvNews/view.bg?articleid=170828

[dad1153]

TV Sports/Local Politics
Political Football
Don't Darken My Knights: N.J. Pol
By Peter Lauria, The New York Post December 7, 2006

New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg wants his Rutgers bowl game - and he's calling on the NFL Network to let him have it.

"Rutgers fans should be able to watch Rutgers play in their bowl game - period," Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said.

"The fans should not be used as a bargaining chip in the dispute between the NFL Network and cable companies," he said in a letter sent yesterday to the NFL Network urging it to allow the game to be shown on local television in New Jersey.

Coming off arguably the best season in the school's history, the Scarlet Knights will be playing in this year's Texas Bowl on Dec. 28.

Rutgers fans won't be able to see the game since the NFL Network, which holds exclusive rights to the Insight Bowl and the Texas Bowl, is currently blacked out of most of New York and New Jersey due to a dispute over how much Time Warner Cable and Cablevision will pay to carry the station. Satellite services are currently carrying the NFL Network.

"Because a majority of New Jerseyans, even most who pay for cable service, cannot watch the NFL Network, I urge you to permit this game to be shown on local broadcast television in New Jersey," wrote Lautenberg, who is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees cable and broadcast television.

"We received Senator Lautenberg's letter and share his desire to have the Rutgers bowl game seen by as many of the team's fans as possible," said an NFL Network spokesman in a statement. "As the Senator recognizes, we have repeatedly offered to make not only this Rutgers game, but all NFL Network programming, available broadly throughout New Jersey.

"We regret that Time Warner and Cablevision have not yet agreed to carry NFL Network, but we will to work as hard as we can to resolve this commercial dispute as soon as possible. We hope that Time Warner and Cablevision will show the same concern for the fans and resume negotiations with us promptly."

After several months of failed talks prior to the NFL Network's premiere broadcast on Thanksgiving night, the two sides are currently at a stalemate with a return to the negotiating table nowhere in sight.

"Just as the NFL Network makes Giants or Jets games available in the New York market, and any other NFL team in any other home market available, they should certainly do the same for Rutgers," a Cablevision spokesman said.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12072006/business/political_football_business_peter_lauria.htm

[dad1153]

Critic's Notebook
'Sleeper Cell' is an eye-opening look at war on terror
By Rob Owne, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette December 7, 2006

If Showtime's first season of "Sleeper Cell" had one failing when it aired last December, it was the finale. To that point, "Cell" was a far more realistic look at the inner workings of a terrorist group on American soil than anything viewers have seen on "24."

But that last hour, though not terrible, was at least more conventional than the rest of the series as FBI undercover agent Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michael Ealy) leapt into action to stop the terrorists from executing their planned bombing of a ballpark.

Through the first six hours made available for review, this year's follow-up, "Sleeper Cell: American Terror" (9 p.m. Sunday and running eight consecutive nights through Dec. 17), is another A+ production that conjures chills as a new terror cell, calmly and coolly plans for attack. It shows not only the preparations, but also their motivations.

Humanizing terrorists won't sit well with unthinking viewers, but it does paint a more realistic picture than the twirling mustache villains on "24."

This season American Muslim FBI agent Darwyn infiltrates a terror cell that includes a Latino gang member (Kevin Alejandro), a Dutch nanny with a dark past (Thekla Reuten) and a Shiite-hating, Iraqi ex-patriot (Omid Abtahi, "Over There").

Darwyn's girlfriend, Gayle (Melissa Sagemiller), is back, hoping Darwyn will take a teaching position, but before he can, he becomes embroiled in another undercover assignment with a new, inexperienced FBI case handler (Jay R. Ferguson).

Last year's captured cell leader, Faris Al-Farik (Oded Fehr), does not cooperate with American interrogators, and the only other surviving member of the original sleeper cell, Ilija Korjenic (Henri Lubatti), escapes and makes his way back to Europe.

Even in its first hour, "Sleeper Cell" offers disturbing glimpses at the reality of the war on terror, made more palpable when it hits home, claiming the lives of characters that viewers have grown attached to.

Each episode includes one real shocking plot twist, but this second "Sleeper Cell" also takes time to develop the characters, both new and old. Viewers learn much more about Darwyn's background through his relationship with his father (Charles S. Dutton) and the new installment also gives glimpses at Farik's life in Saudi Arabia.

Another edge-of-your-seat thriller, "Sleeper Cell: American Terror" puts its characters in context. They may commit despicable, heinous acts, but they're still human. "Sleeper Cell" recognizes that the world is far more gray than it is black and white.

'Tsunami, The Aftermath'

A fictional account of what happened after a December 2004 tsunami swamped Thailand and neighboring countries, this HBO mini-series is a well-acted, well-intentioned tragedy in two distinct parts.

Night one, airing at 8 p.m. Sunday, is a high-gloss disaster flick, albeit a much better one that what broadcast networks have put on in recent years. Night two, airing at 8 p.m. Dec. 17, is closer to a political polemic with greater attention to character development.

Clocking in at a little more than three hours (about 90 minutes each week), this HBO-BBC co-production follows two vacationing families at a Thailand resort who get separated when a wall of water crashes down on their vacation paradise.

Ian Carter (stand out actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Serenity") grabs his young daughter and runs when the waves hit. His wife, Susie (Sophie Okonedo), is out at sea scuba-diving as the tsunami comes to shore and it somehow misses her entirely. Also on the scuba trip are Kim Peabody (Gina McKee, "The Forsyte Saga") and her youngest son, while her husband and teen son are swamped on land.

Attempts by the family members to re-connect with their missing loved ones are painful to watch. But "Tsunami" is not just about the vacationers. The film also follows a Thai boy whose entire village is lost.

In the aftermath, "Tsunami" tracks the work of a British bureaucrat, an aid worker and a journalist who investigates what could have been done to give people better warning.

Written by Abi Morgan and directed by Bharat Nalluri ("Hustle"), "Tsunami" creates a sense of dread as the killer waves approach shore. The impact is filmed in tight, close-up, jittery style, creating, perhaps, a more effective sense of confusion than a big-budget special effects extravaganza ever could.

But the film feels like it drags, especially in night one ("Tsunami" is not a pulse pounder like "Sleeper Cell," nor does it contain characters with the richness of those in "Sleeper Cell"). There's only so much sadness and vain searching for loved ones that a viewer can take. Night two offers some relief, concentrating instead on the political realities of storm preparedness and a shady hotel chain deals to rebuild on land that belonged to a small village before the storm.

The second part of the miniseries also contains a greater emphasis on characters. Certainly a discussion of religious faith would not be something a broadcast network miniseries would spend much time on.

"Hope: It's all I've got, believing in something that can't be proven but you're willing to trust is there," says aid worker Kathy Graham (Toni Collette). "It's what keeps me safe at night."

"Tsunami" won't go down in TV history as one of the best miniseries ever, but it's certainly better than many.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06341/744146-237.stm/

[dad1153]

The Business of TV
Murdoch and Malone Find a Way to Make Up
By Richard Siklos, The New York Times December 7, 2006

Rupert Murdoch and John C. Malone, who have wrangled for two years over Mr. Malone’s challenge to Mr. Murdoch’s control of the News Corporation, have made peace.

It was almost two years ago that Mr. Murdoch was stunned to learn that Mr. Malone, his friend and sometimes business partner, had bought a big voting stake in the News Corporation, a stake that could threaten Mr. Murdoch’s grip on the colossus he built over five decades.

The two men privately struck a deal this week that would have Mr. Malone take one of Mr. Murdoch’s once-prized assets — the DirecTV satellite service — plus other goodies in exchange for going away by selling his $11 billion stake in the News Corporation back to the company.

Mr. Malone’s Liberty Media is to take Mr. Murdoch’s 39 percent stake in DirecTV as well as three regional sports networks owned by the News Corporation’s Fox subsidiary, plus some $550 million in cash, according to a banker briefed on the terms.

The News Corporation would simultaneously retire Liberty’s 19 percent voting stake and 15 percent nonvoting interest in what amounts to a huge share buyback. Another executive close to the discussions cautioned that Mr. Malone and Mr. Murdoch have come close to deals before only to back away, but others said this was the first time the men actually agreed on terms. A full legal agreement is expected to be signed and announced within two weeks.

The deal was struck over the last day by telephone after months of talks that were largely led by Liberty’s chief, Gregory B. Maffei, and the News Corporation’s chief financial officer, David F. DeVoe. Although Mr. Malone and Mr. Murdoch speak and their relations are said to be cordial, the once-chummy moguls have not spent much time together over the last two years.

In that time, the News Corporation adopted a poison-pill takeover defense to keep Liberty at bay, and Mr. Malone once said: “Half of the shareholders are afraid Rupert will die; half are afraid that he won’t.”

Each man will probably be able to claim victory in the contemplated deal, with Mr. Murdoch booking a gain of close to $5 billion on DirecTV since buying his stake in 2003. Perhaps more important, the buyback of Mr. Malone’s shares would eliminate the company’s second-largest shareholder and increase the Murdoch family’s voting stake to some 36 percent from close to 30 percent.

Mr. Murdoch, who is 75, has had a long-held ambition to pass the globe-spanning company to one of his six children. His son Lachlan, who resigned from the company last year, is on the board. James, another son, is chief executive of BSkyB, the British satellite broadcaster controlled by the News Corporation.

For Mr. Malone, the transaction also satisfies several financial and strategic objectives — not least of them being the ability to cash in on his big nonoperating stake in the News Corporation without paying taxes. But it would also put the onetime king of cable television back in the big leagues of companies that sell video services in the United States and could lead to a further reorganization of Liberty’s programming assets, which include half of Discovery Communications, the QVC home-shopping channel and the Starz pay television service. Mr. Malone once led the nation’s largest cable television company, Tele-Communications Inc., before selling it in 1999.

Mr. Malone and Mr. Maffei have said their goal is to create operating businesses out of the company’s diverse assets. Speaking hypothetically, Mr. Maffei told a media conference held in New York yesterday by the firm UBS that the company had various options for DirecTV that could potentially include trying to merge it with a rival, EchoStar, or with a telephone company seeking to expand its video efforts.

DirecTV is the nation’s largest satellite broadcaster, with 15.5 million subscribers as of June 30, and another 1.7 million subscribers in South America.

Mr. Maffei declined to comment for this article, as did a News Corporation spokesman.

Mr. Murdoch doggedly pursued DirecTV for years before persuading General Motors to sell him control in 2003. One reason he appears willing to sell only three years later is the uncertainty surrounding how satellite services will offer nonvideo services like high-speed Internet access to compete with cable and telephone rivals.

The sports networks operated by Mr. Murdoch’s Fox subsidiary are in the mix because for the deal to be a tax-free spinoff for both parties, it needed to include a business that the News Corporation has operated for more than five years that represents more than 5 percent of the transaction’s value.

In their dance over which assets to swap, Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Malone previously looked at other News Corporation businesses including the company’s stake in the National Geographic cable channel and some television stations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/07/technology/07cable.html?ref=technology

[harley1]

Showtime's 'Sleeper Cell' a real eye opener


Ellen Gray


SLEEPER CELL: AMERICAN TERROR. 9 nightly, Sunday through Dec. 17, Showtime.

AS ANYONE who tried to track ABC's "Lost" last season knows, conventional network models don't always work for serialized dramas.

Take 22 or so episodes and spread them out across a 36-week television season, and you're bound to have fans unhappy about reruns, pre-emptions and storylines that may be left hanging for weeks or months.

Even Fox's "24," with 24 episodes that start in January and run pretty steadily through spring, tends to bog down in the middle, as characters develop amnesia or encounter cougars or drive aimlessly around Los Angeles, looking for someone to torture.

Well, there's none of that on Showtime, the home of dope-peddling soccer moms and sympathetic serial killers.

The premium-cable channel, which just may have a death wish, is following up last December's challenging "Sleeper Cell" - 10 parts over a bit more than two weeks - with the even more intensely scheduled "Sleeper Cell: American Terror," which will air for eight consecutive nights beginning Sunday.

It's like they're daring you to watch.

But if you can make the time in a season where most programmers think we're all too busy shopping to be watching anything heavier than "Miracle on 34th Street" (the Natalie Wood version, of course), then "Sleeper Cell" delivers.

I watched the six hours Showtime sent over the course of 24 and can't wait to see those last two.

On the other hand, I haven't even started my shopping.

All those who missed last year's "Cell" really need to know is that FBI agent Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michael Ealy), a practicing Muslim who last year infiltrated a group of terrorists plotting mass murder at Dodger Stadium and then helped avert that, is undercover again in Los Angeles, working as the interim head of another cell and taking orders from both al Qaeda and the FBI.

Some days, the FBI seems the more troublesome of the two, thanks to a wet-behind-the-ears handler (Jay R. Ferguson) who's poking his nose into Darwyn's relationship with a single mom (Melissa Sagemiller), but "Cell" never loses track of the evil done in the name of Islam.

It does, however, give that evil some beguiling faces, from Oded Fehr, who returns as Farik, the cell leader captured in last year's finale, to a Dutch au pair (Thekla Reuten) who's moonlighting as a would-be martyr.

Henry Lubatti is back as Ilija Korjenic, the rapping, karaoke-loving terrorist who also escaped the FBI's net, and if you think Showtime's "Dexter" is cute, then you might still think the same about Ilija.

He's going to make you work for it, though.

"Sleeper Cell's" al Qaeda remains an equal-opportunity employer, with Darwyn's crew including Reuten's character, Mina, a streetwise Latino named Benny Velasquez and the Cockney-accented Salim (Omid Abtahi).

The show, which handles issues like torture and the war on terror less cartoonishly than "24," this time delves deeper into Darwyn's past, focusing on his relationship with his estranged Nation of Islam father (Charles S. Dutton).

Darwyn retains his uncanny ability to summon an apt quote from the Quran for every occasion, but it's characters like Farik and Mina, whose faith is presented as a perversion of Islam, who nevertheless offer tantalizing glimpses of the love that may still dwell beneath the hate.

No TV show can be expected to make us understand completely how that works, but "Sleeper Cell" deserves credit for trying.

'Lost' on the move

ABC's moving "Lost" again.

When the show returns Feb. 7, it'll be airing at 10 p.m. Wednesdays, where it'll be safe from both Fox's "American Idol" and CBS' "Criminal Minds," which has been piling up the viewers in its absence.

No word yet on what this means for "The Nine," last seen hitching a ride to Hiatusville, but given how much trouble ABC's had keeping viewers after "Lost" with shows of similar intensity, maybe it's better as a nightcap than a lead-in.

In other scheduling news, ABC finally announced a premiere date for the much-postponed, heist-based sitcom "The Knights of Prosperity," which will now air at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, starting Jan. 3. Following "Knights" - which stars Donal Logue and is the only comedy this season to list Mick Jagger as an executive producer - look for "In Case of Emergency," a comedy about four friends who realize their lives didn't turn out the way they thought they would when they were in high school together.

Haven't seen that one yet, but ABC's press release says it's a "unique laugh-out-loud comedy."

Some - some who maybe don't watch "The Office" - could say that would be unique.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16182815.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[harley1]

'Sleeper Cell': A gripping tale that'll keep you up at night

MAUREEN RYAN


It’s hard to imagine an acting challenge more difficult than the one faced by Oded Fehr in “Sleeper Cell: American Terror.”

In the second season of this solid Showtime series (8 p.m. Sunday), as in the first, he plays Islamic terrorist Faris Al-Farik, a man who not only plans heinous deeds but indeed looks forward to the resulting death tolls.

In Fehr’s hands, as much as you despise the character’s twisted goals, you never lose sight of the beliefs that drive Al-Farik. The man’s tenacity and determination must be acknowledged, as well as his charismatic reserve.

The series would fall apart if Al-Farik were a cardboard cutout villain. Who’d want to watch eight hours of this man’s journey if he were just a shallow action-movie bad guy? But thanks to Fehr’s brave, layered performance, it’s impossible to ignore Al-Farik or the ideas that motivate him.

And that may be the point. We may not want to think that people so cunning and committed to our destruction are in our midst, but the terrifying truth behind this timely series is that they must be.

At the opening of season two, which runs for eight consecutive nights, Al-Farik is in U.S. custody. The terrorist plot of the previous season was broken up, thanks to the work of undercover agent Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michael Ealy). Al-Farik’s captors think that through torture and psychological games, they can break the Al Qaeda operative and get him to spill secrets. What they find is that he’s manipulating them more than they thought possible.

“Accept that your world is never going to be safe again until you make peace with Islam on our terms,” Al-Farik says through gritted teeth to his American interrogators.

Much of what drove the first season was the tension between Al-Sayeed and Al-Farik. The FBI agent Al-Sayeed, a deeply devout Muslim convert, had to hide his loathing for Al-Farik’s twisted version of their faith - and conceal the fact that he was not a true believer but an American agent working to foil the cell’s plot.

In the second season, Al-Sayeed, whose part in disrupting the previous plot was never made public, ends up leading another terror cell in Los Angeles. He has to not only keep down the body count of his unruly underlings, a motley international crew, he also has to contend with an FBI case officer more intent on glorifying his career - and covering his behind - than on helping the undercover agent.

Ealy plays the role of Al-Sayeed with hunched, inward-looking body language; his true self is in hiding, or so the agent thinks. Without Al-Farik to spar with, Al-Sayeed’s inscrutability and “Sleeper Cell’s” occasionally shallow writing slow things down, though there are passages, especially at the end of the first episode, in which Al-Sayeed erupts with electric fury at developments that mirror unthinkable things that have happened in the real world.

In this season, as in the last one, the lesser characters in the plot aren’t as compelling as they could be, especially compared with Al-Farik. And Al-Sayeed’s continuing romance with a civilian woman, who last season wasn’t aware of his real job, often seems like an afterthought or a convenient plot device. Why would this man, so smart in other ways, be so rash and thoughtless as to involve an innocent bystander and her child in a world that is so dangerous? The series never adequately explains that.

And this season, instead of following one cell’s plans, we get three parallel plots in the first few hours: Al-Farik’s harsh stints in the custody of Americans and then the more brutal Saudis; former cell member Ilija’s attempt to stay undercover with his girlfriend; and Al-Sayeed’s takeover of the L.A. terrorist cell. As the strands come together, the story gains in tension and you want very much to know what happens next.

Even if what happens next is the unthinkable.
Also on Sunday, HBO premieres the elegiac fictional mini-series “Tsunami: The Aftermath” (7 p.m.); the second half airs Dec. 17. As with “Sleeper Cell,” we are given a well-made glimpse into events and situations that we might rather look away from.

Families glowing with relaxation chill out at a resort in Thailand, hardworking employees go about their business - the biggest problem anyone faces is a polite disagreement at the reception desk. Then, the deluge comes. The disaster - along with its aftermath - is depicted with accuracy and sensitivity by a cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Tim Roth and Toni Collette.

It’s heartbreaking to watch. But in this world, as both “Sleeper Cell” and “Tsunami” show with great honesty and seriousness of purpose, we are all connected, from Thailand to England, from Bosnia and Saudi Arabia to L.A. Even if we wanted to ignore that fact, we can’t.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/

[harley1]

Earl a fish out of water

Bill Harris


One of the most commonly used comic devices is the fish-out-of-water routine.

Even after decades of movies and TV shows, we still find it funny when someone is placed in a new environment he or she doesn’t understand.

Heck, Borat recently conquered North America with that very simple concept.

Which brings us to Dec. 7 and the back-to-back new episodes of the sitcom My Name Is Earl. They’ll be shown at 9 and 9:30 p.m. on NBC, and at 10 and 10:30 p.m. on Global.

On Dec. 7, Earl (Jason Lee) accidentally gets illegal-immigrant Catalina (Nadine Velazquez) deported back to Mexico. Subsequently, Earl and his brother Randy (Ethan Suplee) have to gather their courage and embark on a trip outside their native U.S. to bring Catalina back.

Also, Earl’s ex-wife Joy (Jaime Pressly) takes medication to control her temper, but her hubby Darnell (Eddie Steeples) doesn’t like her new demeanour.

Most TV historians would agree this isn’t a golden era for sitcoms. When the most-watched sitcom is Two And A Half Men, well, do the math. But Thursdays remain an oasis, thanks to NBC.

The Office, normally a Thursday staple, gets bumped Dec. 7 to accommodate an hour of Earl. But next week Earl will be bumped for The Office.

TV that truly makes you laugh has become a rarity. But seeing Earl south of the border Dec. 7 might just have you squirting cerveza out your nose.


http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=164424&x=articles&s=showbiz

[harley1]

TV viewers spoon-fed college bowls all 32 of them

By Dick Kreck


Baseball may be America's pastime but it's football that we pass our time watching on TV.

When I was a kid - and footballs were made from real pigs - there were four bowl games. My dad and I sat on the couch from first kickoff until the Orange Bowl ended sometime after dinner.

This year, there are 32 bowl games, starting with the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 19. Among the others are the PapaJohns.com Bowl (really!), Meineke Car Care Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Bowl. TV will be there, ending with the BCS Championship on Jan. 8 on Fox.

Pro football? ESPN this week announced that ratings for its "Monday Night Football," which it inherited from sister network ABC, are up 38 percent over last year.

Last Sunday's game between Dallas and the New York Giants on Fox was the most-watched NFL game since 1999, with 27.6 million viewers. The Broncos' loss against Seattle drew a 55 share, meaning more than half those watching at the time were tuned into the game.

This week, "Sunday Night Football," which has been extraordinarily popular since NBC has been able to pick which game it wants to air, gives us New Orleans-Dallas (6:15 p.m., KUSA-Channel 9).

Whither Tim and Jim?

KLZ 560-AM switches its sports talk from ESPN to Sporting News Radio on Jan. 1. I'm unfamiliar with any of SNR's hosts but unless they can whistle "Dixie" and talk at the same time they can't hold a candle to Tim Neverett and the Post's Jim Armstrong, the best-informed and literate sports duo on local radio.

Rumors afoot that Tim&Jim will turn up elsewhere shortly.

Waltrip tells all

Driver Michael Waltrip, the best spokesman NASCAR has, tells how it all works in an 11-week documentary, "Michael Waltrip Racing: The New Era," (8 and 9 p.m. Sunday, ESPN2)."New Era" chronicles his formation of the team with NASCAR newcomer Toyota, finding sponsors and drivers and building cars.

Around the dial

CU women's basketball coach Kathy McConnell-Miller guests on "Buffalo Stampede" with Charles Johnson (7 p.m. Friday, FSNRM). ... Virginia's Oak Hill, featuring everybody's number-one senior O.J. Mayo, and Georgia's Norcross, the nation's two top-ranked high school basketball teams, meet at Georgia Tech (7 p.m. today, ESPN2) ... It's awards season: It'll be a bigger upset than UCLA over USC if Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith isn't handed the Heisman Trophy (6 p.m. Saturday, ESPN). Adam Schefter hosts the 49th annual College Football Hall of Fame ceremonies from New York City (4 p.m., NFL Network) ... Quotable: "If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead." Erma Bombeck

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_4789942

[harley1]

HRTS tackles reality TV, indecency

By Kimberly Nordyke

Dec 7, 2006

A panel of TV creators and executive producers discussed topics ranging from the merits of reality shows to disagreements with broadcast standards executives Wednesday during a "Hitmakers" panel, part of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society's Newsmaker Luncheon series.

The panel was mixed about reality TV, with Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of "Gilmore Girls" (which started out on WB Network and now airs on the CW), the most vocal about her feelings during the discussion at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

"These shows are a crutch and an excuse for the networks not to develop great (scripted) shows," she said. "Comedy is not dead; it's just that the networks haven't put on a great comedy (with some exceptions). ... The Big Four should be doing (more scripted programming). They have the biggest audience and the biggest budgets. Comedy used to make money, but everybody turned their back on it because it's just too easy not to trust good writers."

Sherman-Palladino, who received varying levels of applause three times during her comments, also complained that networks too quickly replace failing scripted series with reality programming.

Greg Daniels, executive producer of NBC's "The Office," said he's a fan of reality TV and sometimes watches shows to see how they are shot because "The Office" is structured as if the characters are taking part in a documentary.

"They're killing the industry, I guess, but I like them," he said, citing NBC's "Average Joe" as a favorite.

On the other hand, Damon Lindelof, co-creator/executive producer of ABC's "Lost," said there's not much he can incorporate by watching CBS' "Survivor" -- despite the fact that former ABC Entertainment TV Group chairman Lloyd Braun's idea for the show was " 'Survivor' as a drama" -- because it's more of a game show with a prize at the end, he said.

But Lindelof did admit that "Lost" episodes are often influenced by favorite series of the writers and producers, citing such shows as WB/UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the syndicated series "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Also during the discussion -- moderated by Jimmy Kimmel, who once again didn't disappoint in keeping up a lively conversation -- the panelists discussed the disagreements they've had with broadcast standards executives.

Seth MacFarlane, creator and executive producer of Fox's "Family Guy," said his show can get away with more than live-action series because it's animated, but there has been a heavier crackdown on content since the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident in 2004.

"Broadcast standards says we live in a post-Janet Jackson world now, as if it were Sept. 11," he said, adding that a major "no-no" is "**** jokes. That's public enemy No. 1 of broadcast standards' concerns."

Ron Moore, executive producer of Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica," said his disagreements usually concern sexual content and how many "pelvis thrusts" can be shown -- "two are OK, but you can't show three in a row" -- and said he has gotten around concerns related to cussing by using the made-up expletive "frak" as a substitute.

"It was established in the original (ABC's 1978-80 'Battlestar Galactica'), so we're able to use 'motherfraker' and 'frak me' and 'frak off,' " he said.

Meanwhile, Kimmel asked Anthony Zuiker, creator of CBS' "CSI" franchise, where he would set a fourth "CSI" series.

"I pray to God we never do that, but I think it should be somewhere cool, like Los Angeles -- Hollywood, where you've got stars, guns, sex, drugs," he said.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i4e2055a0ae81a85218530198186b8b4b

[dad1153]

Please check the previous page (#627) for lots of stories added late last night and early this morning, including news of Daybreak's imminent demise and Murdoch & Malone coming to a deal about the latter's acquisition of Direct TV.

[VisionOn]

And another one bites the dust! :(

TV Notebook
ABC turns the light out on 'Daybreak'
By Mike Hughes, Gannett News Services December 7, 2006

"Day Break" - the tangled drama that needs a conclusion - will soon lose its place on ABC.

On Jan. 3, its slot (9 p.m. Wednesdays) will go to two new comedies. ABC made no mention of "Day Break" in its announcement but unofficial word isn't encouraging:

The show might continue to air through December.

After that it would still have at least five more episodes. They might be consigned to abc.com.


to be honest I'm not surprised. I don't mind complicated storylines but Daybreak leaves me scratching my head for the first thirty minutes of each hour. It has to jump through so many hoops to set up the premise from the previous days and previous weeks episode that I'm often trying to remember what he's trying to do. It doesn't help that for some reason every episode resets the day count. The second episode started throwing up captions saying "Day 2" and "Day3" when he'd already had at least 4 days in the previous week. They did the same thing again this week and he must have relived the same day at least 15 times now. If any show needed an onscreen time stamp outside of 24 this one does.

The pity is when the show settles down, the second half is actually quite a good piece of action television.

[keenan]

Any Canadian visitors familiar with this show? Has it premiered already, or are they promoting it? What network carries it? And what have the ratings/general reaction been like to the idea/premise? It'd be interesting to see something like this tried in the States although chances of that happening are about the same of Fredfa leaving this thread for others to manage. Mmmphh... :rolleyes:

(International) TV Notebook
Sitcom’s Precarious Premise: Being Muslim Over Here
By Neil MacFarquhar, The New York Times December 7, 2006


With its small-town setting and affable cast of characters — even a talk radio host who labels Muslims as terrorists comes across as rather lighthearted — the show unrolls a bit like “Mary Tyler Moore” or some other 1970s sitcom. It is scheduled to start on CBC on Jan. 9, with eight episodes. More are under negotiation. Pitches will be made to networks in the United States in December, so at first only Americans in border states will be likeley to have access to it.


See the underlined boldened type in the article. Hopefully it airs on CBC-HD.

[CPanther95]

Please check the previous page (#627) for lots of stories added late last night and early this morning, including news of Daybreak's imminent demise and Murdoch & Malone coming to a deal about the latter's acquisition of Direct TV.

It's best to use post #s. Not everyone views the same number of posts per page so the page numbers will vary.

This is page 314 with my settings.

[Jediphish]

Becasue it seems like that's what they are still doing. I was just reviewing the Fall '06 schedule that was initial released during Up Front's and it is quite funny to see how the schedule has changed since then. All one needs to do is pay attention around this board to see how quickly things get cancelled. Sometimes the cancellations are announced. Other times not so much. Nets will promise a resolution and then ban a show to the internet.

In my opinion, "bandwagon" seems to be the name of the game these days. As in "this type of show is succeeding, so let's get on the bandwagon with our own version." How many of us expect that next year we will see a slew of super-hero knock-offs from not only ABC, Fox, and CBS, but maybe even NBC (Heroes: The Beginnings)? I'd say the odds are we will. Likewise, they are probably thinking that the hour-long comedy (a la Ugly Betty) is the way to go instead of the traditional 30-minute sit-com. Lost and 24 have been successful for their own reasons, and as a result we got bombarded with serials this year. If I were running a network (and of course I'm not), I'd consider the complete dearth of traditional sit-coms a great opportunity to bring in some fresh new shows of that variety. After all, this is not the first time the sit-com has been declared dead (see the era immediately preceding Thursday's Must See TV).

How many of you out there have seen a preview for a show and said to yourself "that will never make it." I did that with 20 good years and 3lbs myself (not that I'm a rocket scientist). I'll admit that I watch a bunch of shows that don't get the best of ratings (Veronica Mars being the best example), but I also feel that if there always weren't so many new shows being premiered, viewers might be more inclined to tune into an existing show to see whether they should give it a second chance. Hey, but maybe its just me.

And, of course, the dreaded game-show/reality series. I know these are cheap to produce and because of their low expenditures have fairly high profit margins, but these shows have very little "lasting" power (with AI being the exception).

So, please listen up TV Network Execs - deliver us quality shows, shows that bear some semblance of originality, and then give us a chance to find out they are worth watching. Look towards the future, not next week! How about devising a 5-year plan of where you want your network to be, and then follow it. Obviously, when certain things fail, and they will, there's no point in sticking with them, but how much longer are we viewers going to have to suffer through this seemingly-endless game of "premier" and "cancel."

I know this has been going on for a while now, but for me it truly began when Fox canceled Reunion. Now this year, I've just learned that I've wasted my time with The Nine. If this keeps up much longer, like the people who are constantly saying they are done with D*, I will be shouting my plan to "be done" with broadcast TV and go back to reading books (in HD).

[mp12point7]

"It's best to use post #s. Not everyone views the same number of posts per page so the page numbers will vary.

This is page 314 with my settings. "

CPanther95, If you simply start by reading the "last post" each time you come to fredfa's pages, and work your way up each page from the bottom, the previous locations always come up--just read in reverse order.

[Jediphish]

:)s at mp12point7 giving Cpanther95 advice on reading threads. No offense meant mp12point7 as I'm sure you meant none either. Still - quite humorous.

[harley1]

CBS rules Wed., starting with 'King of Queens'

By Paul J. Gough

Dec 8, 2006

NEW YORK -- Even with repeats of its two hourlong dramas, CBS won in both key measures in a Wednesday primetime that opened with the return of "The King of Queens."

Despite facing original programming on several other networks, CBS won the night in viewership by almost 4 million viewers and in the adults 18-49 demographic by a half a rating point, according to preliminary estimates released Thursday by Nielsen Media Research. The night's top show in viewership was a "Criminal Minds" repeat (14.1 million, 3.9/10) but "The Biggest Loser" squeaked by it in the demo. It was followed by a "CSI: NY" repeat that averaged 12.4 million viewers and a 3.8/11.

The only other program to crack 10 million viewers for the night was a second episode of "King of Queens" (10.2 million, 3.6/10) at 8:30 p.m. that followed the season premiere that delivered 9.5 million viewers and a 3.2/9 in the demo at 8 p.m. It was a mixture of good and bad news for CBS on "King of Queens," which was down 11% in viewers and the demo from when it premiered on a Monday in September 2005. But it was still first.

"America's Next Top Model" finished up its seventh cycle, the first on The CW. It averaged 6.3 million viewers and a 3.0/9 in the demo, winning its hour in adults 18-34 and other demos. At 8 p.m. it finished ahead of ABC's "Show Me The Money" (7.1 million, 1.9/6) and Fox's "Bones" (6.4 million, 2.1/6) as well as NBC's "The Biggest Loser" clip show (6.9 million, 2.6/7). It also powered The CW to its biggest night so far in adults 18-34 and women 18-34.

NBC's fortunes improved at 9 p.m., where "The Biggest Loser" (9.4 million, 4.0/11) won the hour in the demo and was its best demo and viewership since Nov. 29, 2005. "Daybreak" (4.4 million, 1.7/5) continued its fall, dropping from last week's 1.8/5 (as well as its 3.6/9 premiere). Both "Bones" and "One Tree Hill" were repeats at 9 p.m.

A "CSI: NY" repeat had no problem dispatching both a new episode of "Medium" (8.6 million, 3.1/9) and ABC's "Primetime: Basic Instinct" (6.6 million, 2.7/8).

Nightly averages: ABC (6.1 million, 2.1/6); CBS (12.1 million, 3.7/10); NBC (8.3 million, 3.2/9); Fox (6.3 million, 2.0/6); and The CW (5.2 million, 2.4/7).


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3icde94ed211afc29f86148896f2e81d73

[harley1]

Wednesday Ratings Set Record for The CW


By James Hibberd


Wednesday night's season finale of "America's Next Top Model" landed The CW in third place among the major networks for the first time since its September launch.

The CW averaged a 2.4 rating for the evening among adults 18 to 49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures. It bested ABC (2.1) and Fox (2.0), giving the traditional fifth-place The CW its first third-place finish. It was also the highest-rated evening so far for The CW among its key adults 18 to 34 demographic.

The king of Wednesday night, however, was CBS, which won the evening with the ninth-season premiere of "King of Queens." The episode earned a 3.2, followed by a "King of Queens" special (3.6). Two procedural reruns followed.

NBC was second with a "Biggest Loser" recap special (2.6), followed by a new "Loser" episode that was the highest rated of the season (4.0), then an average episode of "Medium" (3.1).

The CW tied its highest-rated "Top Model" finale ever (3.0), as well as had a season-high "One Tree Hill" (1.9).

In fourth place was ABC, which despite programming originals against a rerun-soaked field had a rough night. Game show "Show Me the Money" fell 14 percent from its already low-rated time-period average to a 1.9. "Money" was followed by the fourth, and likely final, episode of "Daybreak" (1.7), which continued to decline.

Fox was in fifth place with two reruns of "Bones."

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11196

[harley1]

Commercial Ratings Meeting Ends Without Compromise

By Michele Greppi


A meeting Thursday between Nielsen Media Research and some of its television and advertising clients ended without a compromise on the ratings company's proposals for measuring how many people watch commercials.


The meeting was called so that advertising buyers and TV networks can try to reach a compromise on measuring delayed viewing of commercials by people who use digital video recorders.

One Nielsen client described today's meeting as constructive and said a lot of questions were answered.

Disagreements on the issue came to a boil at the last upfront advertising market, with ad buyers insisting that commercial time be bought and sold on the basis of live viewers, and live plus viewers who watch recorded shows the same day they air. Networks were rebuffed in their push to negotiate deals on the basis of live plus seven-day counts.

Nielsen has suggested a compromise that would have deals negotiated on the basis of people who watch commercials in live viewing and DVR playback within two days, or live plus three days.

Without a compromise, the commercial rating plan could collapse, meaning the networks would have to arm-wrestle with buyers at the next upfront over buying on program ratings that either include or don't include delayed DVR viewing.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11194

[harley1]

NFL: No Basis To Yank Antitrust Exemption


By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/7/2006


The NFL says Congress has no reason to remove its long-standing antitrust exemption.

"There is no basis now to repeal statutory provisions that have supported the development of these pro-consumer and pro-fan policies," said Brain McCarthy, NFL director of communications.

The league was responding to the threat--more like a promise--from Senator Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, that he was going to introduce a bill to pull that exemption. That threat came at a hearing Thursday on access to cable sports programming.

He said the NFL was making anti-consumer programming moves that mirrored what he said were anti-fan moves when the league lets some teams--like the Colts and Browns--switch cities.

"We have discussed a wide range of issues, including television, franchise moves, and stadium construction, with Sen Specter for more than 20 years," said McCarthy.

"We are sensitive to his concerns and will continue to be responsive to his interest in the NFL. For more than four decades, NFL television practices have been recognized as consistent with the public interest and as delivering fans extraordinary amounts of programming at little or no cost. NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL Network support consumer choice, as well as broader competition in the overall television market."

Specter was critical of the NFL's exclusive Sunday Ticket deal with satellite provider DirecTV that is unavailable to competing cable operators in the market.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6398107

[harley1]

Specter Criticizes Cablevision Absence

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/7/2006


Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) was not happy with the absence of Cablevision from a hearing Thursday on cable sports programming.

He said that they had been given ample notice and was given no reason for their failure to appear. He pointed out that the committee has subpoena power and said he expected cooperation in any future hearings.

His committee continues to eye the cable sports business looking for possible violations of antitrust law.

In a follow-up to a hearing last month in which the NFL got roughed up for an effort to seed its fledgling NFL Network with regular season games, the committee, still headed by Specter through the lame duck session, took another crack at the issue of whether consumers are being fairly treated by sports leagues and cable companies, whether antitrust laws are being violated, or whether the laws need to be adjusted.

Specter was particularly interested in whether Congress should step in to close the so-called terrestrial loophole. Per the 1992 Cable Act, operators must provide programming to multichannel video competitors at reasonable rates. But the requirement applies only to satellite-delivered programming, not to terrestrially-delivered networks.

Another key issue for the committee was the 2007 sunset on the ban on exclusive contracts between cable operators and programmers in which they have an attributable interest. The issue is key for FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, too, who on Wednesday said he wanted the FCC to open an inquiry into whether maintaining that ban was necessary to assure access to programming.

Cablevision may not have been in attendance, but the cable operator side was represented in the person of Comcast EVP David Cohen, who said that rather than extend the ban, it should be allowed to sunset, saying that the cable industry is far less vertically integrated than when the ban was instituted in the 1992 Cable Act. He also said that vertical integration is not necessarily a bad thing, but has instead led to the creation of such networks as CNN, C-SPAN and Discovery.

Cohen called Comcast one of the least vertically integrated operators, with an average ownership interest of only 7% of the networks on its systems, contrasting that with DirecTV, which he said owned some 30% of its networks, including far more sports nets.

Cohen argued that there was "no justification" for the FCC's current program access rules.



Cohen pointed out that Comcast makes its regional sports networks available to all wireline competition and to satellite competitors everywhere but in Philadelphia. That is becase the Philadelphia sports net is delivered via landline and so falls under the exemption.

So, is Comcast using that exemption as a loophole in this case to withhold access to satellite in the one place it can. Well, yes, but Cohen points out that satellite operator DirecTV also has an exclusive deal with the NFL for its Sunday Ticket package of games that Comcast does not have access to. It's sauce for the goose and gander, he said, that Comcast does not make its sports net available to satellite in Philly for the same competitive reasons.

Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America said that rising cable prices, discrimination in program provision and anti-consumer bundling of programming were all justifications for program access rules, saying cable operators had built barriers to entry. He said that cable should be required to unbundle its programming, allowing consumers to provide some market discipline on the cable industry.

While the FCC has placed program-access conditions on the mergers of DirecTV and News Corp. and the divvying up of Adelphia between Comcast and Time Warner, James Baller of the Baller Herbst Group, a law firm that represents state and local governments on telecommunications issues, said that protecting access on a merger-by-merger basis was not sufficient, and that Congress needed to pass unambiguous program-access laws.


http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6397950

[dad1153]

Nielsen Overnight Ratings
CBS's 'King of Queens' in regal return
Season premiere dominates 8 p.m. timeslot with a 3.4
By Toni Fitzgerald, Media Life Magazine December 7, 2006

The season premiere of “King of Queens” dominated a weak timeslot last night, up slightly from last season’s average and performing slightly better than former timeslot occupant “Jericho.”

Back-to-back original episodes of the show averaged a 3.2 and 3.6 rating at 8 p.m. last night, according to Nielsen overnights. The combined average of 3.4 just bettered the show’s season average last year, 3.3, and it put CBS 0.4 ahead of impressive runner-up CW in the hour.

It was also a 6 percent improvement over what first-year drama “Jericho” averaged in the timeslot this season. “Jericho” will return with new episodes next year, and “Queens” will fill in with double doses in the meantime.

This is rumored to be the last season for the sitcom, a late surprise pickup last May. Leads Kevin James and Leah Remini have risen to among the highest-paid sitcom actors on television, but the show’s ratings aren’t really strong even to continue justifying that price.

The show ranks as CBS’s No. 3 comedy, behind “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and No. 1 “Two and a Half Men.”

Also last night, the CW had another big Wednesday. The season finale of “America’s Next Top Model” dominated among adults 18-34 at 8 p.m., averaging a 4.0, 1.3 ahead of No. 2 CBS. That boosted “One Tree Hill to a 2.6 at 9 p.m., tied for second in the timeslot.

CBS was first for the night among 18-49s with a 3.7 average rating and a 10 share. NBC was second at 3.2/9, CW third at 2.4/7, ABC fourth at 2.1/6, Fox fifth at 2.0/6 and Univision sixth at 1.7/5.

At 8 p.m. CBS led with a 3.4 average for back-to-back episodes of “The King of Queens.” CW was second with a 3.0 for the season finale of “America’s Next Top Model,” NBC third with a 2.6 for “The Biggest Loser” and Univision fourth with a 2.2 for “La Fea Mas Bella.” Fox was fifth with a 2.1 for a repeat of “Bones” and ABC sixth with a 1.9 for “Show Me the Money.”

NBC took the lead for the 9 p.m. hour, averaging a season-high 4.0 rating for its second hour of “The Biggest Loser.” CBS fell to a close second with a 3.9 for a repeat of “Criminal Minds,” with Fox third with a 2.0 for a repeat of “Bones” and CW fourth with a 1.9 for “Hill.” ABC moved to fifth with a series-low 1.7 for “Daybreak” and Univision was sixth with a 1.5 for “Mundo de Fieras.”

CBS wrestled the lead back at 10 p.m. with a 3.8 for a repeat of “CSI: NY.” NBC was second with a 3.1 for “Medium,” ABC third with a 2.7 for “Primetime” and Univision fourth with a 1.4 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

Among households, CBS finished first as well, averaging an 8.0 rating and a 13 share. NBC was second at 5.5/9, ABC and Fox tied for third at 4.3/7, the CW fifth at 3.5/6 and Univision sixth at 2.2/4.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_8994.asp

[dad1153]

Tkmedia 2 broke the story yesterday for us here at the thread, and here's verification!

TV Notebook
Romijin joins 'Ugly Betty'
Actress to play mystery woman
By Gabriel Snyder & Josef Adalian, Variety December 7, 2006

ABC's "Ugly Betty" is adding some star power, snagging Rebecca Romijn for a key role.

Romijn has inked to be a series regular on the frosh sudser, one of the season's few new hits. She'll play the mystery woman who's been conspiring with Vanessa Williams' Wilhelmina character to take over the publishing company at the heart of the show.

Character to be played by Romijn has already been seen on the show, but in profile and covered in gauze. A different actress has been supplying the voice of the mystery woman.

Romijn is expected to begin work on Monday. Her first episode should air in time for the February sweeps.

Thesp has some experience playing women with secret identities. She's appeared in all three "X-Men" films as the mutant Mystique.

Romijn's roots as a former model should also make her comfortable with the fashion world focus of "Betty."

On the TV front, she starred in last season's WB dramedy "Pepper Dennis," playing the title character. Romijn recently wrapped production on the feature "Lake City," starring alongside Sissy Spacek.

Romijn is repped by WMA and 3 Arts.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955213.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

[dad1153]

Morning News Ratings
Morning-News Ratings: Today Takes the Week Again
By Rebecca Stropoli, Broadcasting & Cable December 7, 2006

NBC's Today show was the most-watched morning-news program in total viewers and the key adults 25-54 demo for the week of Nov. 27. The show attracted 6.080 million viewers and 2.150 million in the demo, according to Nielsen. This is the 573rd consecutive week that Today has been No. 1.

ABC's Good Morning America was in second place for the week, with 5.050 million viewers and 2.15 million in the demo. Week to week, GMA gained 10% in both categories and scored a No. 1 ranking in 13 markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston.

Lagging far behind was CBS' Early Show, with 3.03 million viewers and 1.28 million in the demo.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6398089.html?display=Breaking+News

[dad1153]

TV Notebook
Gauging the real heft of 'Men in Trees'
ABC's Alaska romp pales against its lead-in
By Diego Vasquez, Media Life Magazine December 7, 2006

How to judge the recent Thursday night debut of “Men in Trees,” the “Northern Exposure” meets “Sex and the City” dramedy starring Anne Heche that ABC rescued from Friday futility?

On the one hand, the first-year show hit series highs among adults 18-49 with a 3.8 and 18-34s with a 3.0. It also bettered its previous season average of 2.1 by 81 percent and finished 23 percent higher than “Six Degrees” did in that show's final Thursday 10 p.m. airing four weeks ago.

But "Trees” has also fumbled more than half of its “Grey’s Anatomy” lead-in, lost a lot of its audience in its second half hour, and finished well below “Degrees’” September premiere.

A better gauge of the program may come tonight, when “Grey’s” is a repeat and “Men” will not have such a big lead-in. If numbers stay within reasonable range of last week’s ratings, ABC should be encouraged by its ability to retain viewers week to week, something “Degrees” never accomplished.

If, however, it dips a lot from last week, the network has reason for alarm.

ABC could certainly try to launch a third new drama out of that slot this spring, but so far it hasn’t had much luck leveraging the success of either “Grey’s” or “Lost” into a new hit.

So long as ABC continues to win Thursday--it has won all but two this season--the network may be content to let “Men” grow, as it has with “Brothers & Sisters” after “Desperate Housewives” on Sunday.

The consensus with critics seems to be that the show’s quality has risen since its pratfall-filled debut. Recently “Men” has put more focus on the actual men in the cast and toned down the physical comedy a bit while still focusing on the surprisingly engaging Heche’s struggle to adjust to Alaska life.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_8967.asp

[dad1153]

Late Night Ratings
Nightline Ratings Tick Up
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable December 7, 2006

Nightline got some raised critical eyebrows when it moved to a New York-centric, three-anchor format with a pledge to pay more attention to the West Coast, but the ratings appear to vindicate the change from a ratings-and-shares standpoint.

It has been a year since Nightline made the switch and, according to ABC number crunchers, the show's viewership has increased considerably in the key 25-54 demo.

For the week ending Nov. 27, the last week of the November sweep, the show averaged 1.91 million viewers (1.6 rating) in the demo, up 25% from the same week last year, the first week of the new format.

It was also Nightline's best 25-54 rating since the February sweep.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6398147.html?display=Breaking+News

[dad1153]

Overnight Nielsen Ratings
Best night yet for CW
By Rick Kissell, Variety December 7, 2006

The finale of "America's Next Top Model" on Wednesday helped young net CW log its best night to date, while the return of "King of Queens" scored for CBS, which led the evening in key ratings categories, according to preliminary Nielsen nationals.

From 8 to 9, "America's Next Top Model" (3.0 rating/9 share in adults 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall) set records for the finale of an edition in key demos including 18-49 and adults 18-34 (3.3/10); it led the time period in 18-34 and dominated in females 12-34 (5.8/17). Net stayed solid at 9 as "One Tree Hill" (1.9/5 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) notched season highs and its best delivery in women 18-34 (4.1/11) since February 2004.

Overall from 8 to 10, CW led all networks in adults 18-34 (3.3/10), notching the best nightly average in its first 80 days on the air.

At CBS, a full hour of vet laffer "King of Queens" averaged a 3.4/10 in adults 18-49 and 9.9 million viewers overall, winning the 8 o'clock hour in these measures and delivering the Eye's best demo performance in the hour since week three of "Jericho" in October. Net also fared well with repeats of "Criminal Minds" (3.9/10 in 18-49, 14.1 million viewers overall) and "CSI: NY" (3.8/11 in 18-49, 12.5 million viewers overall).

NBC's "Biggest Loser" hit a season high at 9 (4.0/11 in 18-49, 9.4 million viewers overall), narrowly leading its hour in 18-49, and "Medium" was above its recent averages to rank second at 10 (3.1/9 in 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall).

ABC continues to struggle from 8 to 10 with "Show Me the Money" (1.9/6 in 18-49, 7.1 million viewers overall) and "Day Break" (1.7/5 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall) before showing some spunk at 10 with the premiere of a limited "Primetime" series called "Basic Instincts" (2.7/8 in 18-49, 6.6 million viewers overall).

Fox ranked fifth on the night in 18-49, although just a tick behind fourth-place ABC's all-firstrun lineup, with two repeats of "Bones" that averaged a 2.1/6 in 18-49 and 6.1 million viewers overall

Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: CBS, 3.7/10; NBC, 3.2/9; CW, 2.4/7; ABC, 2.1/6; Fox, 2.0/6; Univision, 1.7/4.

In total viewers: CBS, 12.2 million; NBC, 8.3 million; Fox, 6.3 million; ABC, 6.1 million; CW, 5.2 million; Univision, 3.9 million.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955254.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

[dad1153]

The Business of TV
Murdoch and Malone Cut Deal for DirectTV
By Anne Becker, Broadcasting & Cable December 7, 2006

After two years of discontent, Rupert Murdoch may soon succeed in parting ways with John Malone. Murdoch's News Corp. and Malone's Liberty Media have cut an $11 billion asset swap to give Liberty control of News Corp.'s 39% stake in DirecTV, according to several published reports.

Under the deal, News Corp. would retire Liberty's 19% voting stake in News Corp. and and cable founding father Malone get News Corp.'s stake in the pay TV provider, in addition to $550 million in cash and three News Corp.-owned regional sports networks, according to the New York Times, which cited details from an unidentified banker briefed on the terms of the deal.

Executives from both companies have been hinting for months that a swap was perhaps in the works. Liberty last year abruptly increased its voting stake in News Corp. from 9% to 17%, startling Murdoch and prompting him to establish defenses against an unwelcome takeover.

News Corp. has tried unsuccessfully for years to lure Liberty out of the company., but has never offered anything Malone deemed worthy of exchanging for his stake, 188 million voting shares and 324 million non-voting shares. In the past, for example, News Corp. offered Liberty several local stations .

With the satellite business limited in its growth, DirecTV has frustrated News Corp. lately which could explain the company's willingness to part with it. Murdoch aggressively went after DirecTV for years, but has been so disappointed with it lately, he has called it a "turd bird."

According to the New York Times, a contract could be signed within two weeks. Liberty had insisted on a deal that minimizes taxes for both. The sports networks, owned by News Corp. subsidiary Fox, were included to make the deal a tax-free spinoff for both companies.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6397976.html

[RemyM]

If you simply start by reading the "last post" each time you come to fredfa's pages, and work your way up each page from the bottom, the previous locations always come up--just read in reverse order.

Or you could just subscribe to the thread, log in, and via the User CP be shown any new posts since the last time you visited. :cool:

[dline]

TV viewers spoon-fed college bowls all 32 of them

By Dick Kreck

... This year, there are 32 bowl games, starting with the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 19. Among the others are the PapaJohns.com Bowl (really!), Meineke Car Care Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Bowl. TV will be there, ending with the BCS Championship on Jan. 8 on Fox.

Actually, it's the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

(I saw it on an ESPN crawl last week.)

[fredfa]

Thanks to all for keeping the thread alive the past 36 hours.

I continue to have internet connection problems but should be back to normal by morning.

But the hard work -- and voluminous posting -- of dad1153 along with harley1 (and the quick posting by tkmedia2 on the "DayBreak" demise) is very much appreciated.

[fredfa]

Critic’s Notebook
“Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip”
By Rich Heldenfels in his Akron Beacon Journal blog Dec. 7, 2006

…Just when I was convinced that ''Studio 60'' would no longer require my attention, it came up with an episode that didn't stink. The New Orleans tribute was genuinely moving. The Ed-Asner-says-go-get-'em scene was utter nonsense, but it was effective dramatically (not least because of Asner, whom I am sure believed every word he said). It sort of worked the way you could look at a lot of ''West Wings'' and think, ''That would never happen, but wouldn't it be neat if it did?'' Good job by Whitford, although I don't buy the romance, and Perry. And the Santa Claus/''Dateline'' joke was nearly funny.

I could write this off as Aaron Sorkin cranking it up for a Christmas episode, the way he would on ''West Wing.'' But I'll have to come back to be sure.

http://blogs.ohio.com/beacon_tv/

[DoubleDAZ]

:)s at mp12point7 giving Cpanther95 advice on reading threads. No offense meant mp12point7 as I'm sure you meant none either. Still - quite humorous.Cool! I totally missed that and just had myself a good laugh, not that there is anything wrong with anyone, no matter how many posts, trying to help anyone else here.

[DoubleDAZ]

Looks like Studio 60 is getting some interesting press these days. Anyone think it'll be enough?

[Davinleeds]

Thanks to all for keeping the thread alive the past 36 hours.

I continue to have internet connection problems but should be back to normal by mornin.
Since tues here. and Dad and Harley work it.

[Jediphish]

Cool! I totally missed that and just had myself a good laugh, not that there is anything wrong with anyone, no matter how many posts, trying to help anyone else here.

Agreed.

[fredfa]

The thread works a lot better when as many people contribute as possible.

I can't possibly be aware of all the good stories out there -- so if you see anything of interest please post.

It will help us all.

(And Dave, I have a feeling that Studio 60 is toast. But I can hope for some kind of miracle.)

[Inundated]

Actually, it's the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.<