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fredfa

02-23-05, 12:49 AM

NBC's 'Contender' to Face Some Fresh CBS Challengers
By Lisa de Moraes washingtonpost.com Wednesday, February 23, 2005; Page C07
Another blow for NBC's new boxing competition series "The Contender":
What with the February ratings sweeps turned into a somewhat silly exercise now that it includes the Super Bowl, suits at CBS (which did not air this year's game and therefore stands no chance of winning the ratings competition) have decided to yank valuable original episodes out of the final Monday of the sweeps -- Feb. 28 -- to deploy them against the 90-minute premiere of "The Contender" on March 7.

NBC also plans to give "The Contender," from reality series guru Mark Burnett, one airing in the "ER" time slot on Thursday, March 10; CBS has saved an original episode of "Without a Trace" for that night at 10. CBS's decision to hit "The Contender" with its best stuff comes days after one of the show's 16 contestants committed suicide, news of which, grievously, probably means the show's opening will snag more viewers than it might have otherwise.

On Valentine's Day, contestant Najai Turpin, 23, shot himself in the presence of his girlfriend, with whom he has a 2-year-old daughter. The New York Daily News reported the next day that his manager said Turpin was "bothered" by the fact that his NBC contract had kept him from fighting until the oft-delayed series finally aired. Another paper reported he had gained 20 pounds.

The much-juggled "Contender" originally was to debut in November, but NBC yanked it to distance it from Fox's knockoff, "The Next Great Champ." The Fox show was such a ratings train wreck it was yanked before finishing its run. Next NBC picked a January start date. Then it pushed the show to February, opposite Fox's ratings behemoth "American Idol" on Tuesdays.

That got scrapped and the show was moved to Wednesdays at 8 p.m., which still left it vulnerable should Fox decide to expand its "Idol" telecasts that night. Given Fox's track record of swelling "Idol" episodes for the sake of ratings, that's a pretty safe assumption.

So earlier this month, NBC announced it would move "The Contender" to Sundays at 8 p.m., bumping "American Dreams." But the show would settle into that slot only after a 90-minute preview on the first Monday after the February sweeps, and another special broadcast that Thursday.

Turpin's manager, Percy Custus, told the Daily News: "With 'The Contender' thing he hadn't fought in over a year. That bothered him, but I can't say that was the only thing that was bothering him."

TV critics, who'd been waiting for a contestant to get killed while participating in a reality series, snapped at that like stray dogs on rib-eye. The next day, the same paper reported that Turpin's relatives said he killed himself after quarreling with his girlfriend over custody of their daughter.

A couple of days after that, NBC went ahead with a long-planned phone news conference for the launch of "The Contender," and principals Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone dismissed any responsibility for Turpin's tragic death. It was a ghoulish news call. One critic said she had just "a quick question," which was, "How did each of you hear about Najai's suicide and what was your initial reaction?"

Another critic prefaced her question by telling the men, "Let me just say, I'm sure everyone feels this way, we'd like to extend our condolences to you since you all got to know him much more intimately than probably a lot of people since he was so young." She was curious to know whether there would be any acknowledgment on the show of Turpin's suicide. They also asked about that weight gain, and about the manager's comments.

Leonard said that boxers often fight only once or twice a year and that any real trainer would know that. He added that it's not unusual for a boxer to gain 20 pounds between fights. Burnett said all of the contestants knew that "the show didn't end with the show" and that many of them would get the opportunity to box again in rematches chosen by the fans. The show employed two roving trainers who traveled throughout the country checking up on the boxers' progress.

"We know Najai was at training camp in the Poconos . . . and left because of a personal issue he needed to deal with back in Philadelphia, and that's when this occurred," Burnett said.

One critic asked Burnett, who also executive-produces CBS's "Survivor" and NBC's "The Apprentice" and used to do "Eco-Challenge," whether Turpin's death caused him to "rethink the selection of these people for reality shows like this," adding that "you know the kind of people you're looking for and you always find them . . . in some ways combative, type-A personalities."

Faster than you can say "DreamWorks SKG," Katzenberg jumped in: "There has been a great deal of introspection among the partners of this show in the last few days . . . because you can't have something like this occur and not look at yourself and ask, 'What is your responsibility and what is your part in all of this.' We feel we have approached the making of this show in every respect with a great deal of care and consideration. These participants in this show are professionals, they all came to us with a great deal of experience, and a tremendous amount of care was taken on our part. . . . Obviously we are heartbroken about what has occurred. . . . Having said that, the issues as we understand it for Najai were personal issues and unrelated to the show." Katzenberg said he thought it was "not right" for critic to be implying otherwise.

Burnett said he does not plan to edit any of Turpin's appearances throughout the series because "his family deserves to see him being himself." But an acknowledgment of what had happened would be added to the show, he said, as well as "an opportunity for viewers, who I know are going to fall in love with him the way we did, to contribute to a trust fund" that will "give a future to his young daughter."

Which seemed really tawdry and smelled like a publicity stunt, given that these men together are collectively richer than God and could easily afford, if they just pooled their pocket change, to set this little girl up to live extremely comfortably for the rest of her life.

fredfa

02-23-05, 11:38 AM

Tuesday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

02-23-05, 11:46 AM

Network drama pilots ease off the gunplay
By Gary Levin USA TODAY
Desperate Housewives may meet some Soccer Moms, and plane-crash survivors won't be the only ones Lost on TV next fall.

Both new hits are sparking a renewed interest in cheeky soaps and ambitious, splashy mysteries as new-series hopefuls for next season. Fans of cop, law and medical dramas needn't despair; the networks are still plotting many of these TV staples. But they're less dominant among the 50-odd drama pilots being filmed over the next few weeks, hoping for spots on the fall schedules that will be announced in mid-May.

Instead, look for more character-based soaps, some with twisty mysteries that keep viewers coming back for more. Housewives and Lost "are the two obvious shows that people are sort of copying," says Paul Haas of the Endeavor talent agency, mostly by finding similar marketing hooks that are "highly promotable, where it's easy to understand what the show is."

In the Housewives vein, ABC has comedic drama Soccer Moms, starring Sex and the City's Kristin Davis, about a pair of suburbanite private eyes; and Westside, about doings at an upscale L.A. real estate agency, with a cast including Ashley Scott (Birds of Prey). Like Lost, there's Invasion, about residents of a Florida town mysteriously besieged by aliens after they're hit with a devastating hurricane.

Elsewhere, there's:
•The Commuters, (CBS) about three couples in suburban New York, where secrets are revealed while husbands ride the 7:40 train. Jeri Ryan (Boston Public) stars.
•Prison Break (Fox), about a man who breaks into jail to get his brother out.
•Fathom (NBC), a twisty, Lost-like mystery about a weird sea creature's effect on a San Diego family, the Navy and some fishermen.
•Reunion (Fox), which follows six friends from high school graduation to their 20th reunion, as characters age one year in each episode.
•Love Monkey (CBS), about the dating and marriage foibles of four male friends (including Ed's Tom Cavanagh).
•Ticket to Ride (Fox), concerning the lives of 20-odd acquaintances who share a huge lottery jackpot.
•The Prince (WB), a soap about a rich family after the death of its favorite son.
•Triangle (UPN), about a doctor who stays in the Caribbean after his wife disappears on their honeymoon.

Despite the failure of Once and Again to find a large audience, producers Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick also are trying once again with ABC's 1/4 Life, one of several new relationship dramas about post-college twentysomethings.

"We always develop those kinds of programs, but for whatever reason they just never made the cut," says ABC prime-time development chief Francie Calfo. "Now we sort of have a better shot of getting them picked up (as series), because we've proven we've got an audience that's turned on by those shows."

The trend defies the TV industry's conventional wisdom that viewers prefer neatly self-contained crime-solvers such as CSI and Law & Order. But the networks are eager to continue tapping that vein for economic reasons: Such shows are more easily repeated, making a hit show even more profitable. That's why ABC remains bent on finding a new crime hit, elusive since NYPD Blue —exiting next week — premiered 12 years ago. "We're all about diversity," Calfo says. "We're not going to chase the hits we have by developing 10 more like them."

Different does not always equal better. Although it's liberating to see hit dramas where "they all don't have to be toting guns," says NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly, too often "the tendency is to reach for things that are different but just aren't very good." And when those fail, networks blame the idea more than how it's translated.

Viewers "are just as apt to reject an out-of-the-box concept that's poorly executed as they are a mediocre, down-the-middle show."

fredfa

02-23-05, 12:13 PM

The weekly national Nielsen ratings are delayed a day this week by the President's Day Holiday Monday.
I expect to post them later today.

fredfa

02-23-05, 01:05 PM

'The West Wing's' character issue
By David Bianculli New York Daily News Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005
On "The West Wing" this season, all roads lead not to Rome, but to the White House. Getting there has been more than half the fun - but I'm unconvinced, watching this year's episodes on NBC, that the destination will be as worthwhile as the journey.

As the show, which presents its newest episode tonight at 9, charts the events that will lead to a successor to Martin Sheen's President Bartlet, the plots have been truer to the process than to the characters. It's been intriguing watching the various presidential wanna-bes, including Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) and Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits), both new this season, jockey for position in the Iowa caucus and press the flesh for the New Hampshire primary. Location scenes have captured the frostiness of both the environment and the populace, and the crowded political field makes for lots of drama.

In addition to Republican front runner Vinick and Democratic dark horse Santos, there are two familiar faces who worked directly under Bartlet: Gary Cole's Vice President Bob Russell and his disgraced predecessor John Hoynes, played by Tim Matheson.

In last week's episode, Bradley Whitfield's Josh Lyman, who left the White House after persuading Santos to run, pulled every trick in the book to open a New Hampshire debate between Hoynes and Russell into one for all seven Democratic candidates. In the end, though, Santos who, rejecting all those tricks and speaking directly to viewers in one live commercial minute of TV time, turned the tide and saved his candidacy. It was a good dramatic moment, however improbable.

The idea that "The West Wing" has become, for the moment, not the story of one side fighting for right, but of several sides fighting for position, has made it less predictable but not always more satisfying. Russell is a political lightweight, yet he has not only Joshua Malina's Will Bailey in his corner, but also Janel Maloney's beloved Donna Moss. Shouldn't Donna see what Josh sees, even if she's no longer working for Josh?

Story lines this season have shaken up the staff as well as divided it. John Spencer's Leo McGarry had a heart attack and resigned. Allison Janney's C.J. Cregg took his job, and now scolds the President about taking too harsh a tone with her.

For two seasons now, President Bartlet seems to have gotten dumber, while all those around him have increased their IQs and attitudes. Watch the show's first two seasons, still the undisputed high points under series creator Aaron Sorkin's rule, to compare and contrast.

Promos for tonight's show have Josh and Toby getting so angry at one another, they get into a physical fight. That isn't the Josh and Toby I know, no matter how heated the argument - but more and more, this isn't the "West Wing" I know, either. A meteor heading toward Earth as a presidential crisis? Please. That's the dumbest thing associated with this show since Rob Lowe's decision to leave it.

There have been some good things this season, in addition to the primary (literally) story line. The worsening of Bartlet's multiple sclerosis has been an unusual subplot; Mary-Louise Parker's return last week as Amy Gardner was both welcome and charming, and Alda and Smits have added a lot of dramatic fire.

It's easy to predict that when the dust clears, it'll be Alda's Vinick and Smits' Santos in a race for the White House - and not much harder to predict that, at the end, Alda and the Republicans will win. But by then, how many of the long-term "West Wing" characters will even remotely resemble the ones we met when the series began?

dline

02-23-05, 02:55 PM

FCC Makes It Official: No Must-Carry for Multicasts
Written and posted by dline

(Feb. 23) The FCC today reaffirmed its stance against "multicast must-carry."

It released its official Report and Order, ruling that broadcasters may only require cable operators to carry one stream of programming. The document also denies broadcasters' petitions to reconsider that ruling.

The commission made its decision February 10. Most commissioners said they voted against multicast must-carry because they didn't believe Congress had multiple programming streams in mind when it passed the law in the early 1990s.

Even so, some commissioners had qualms about their vote, and every commissioner posted a statement on the FCC website giving their take on the issue.

"The must-carry statute limits the video signal that must be carried to the 'primary video'," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said in a statement. "If some video is primary, it necessarily follows that some is secondary. The view urged by broadcasters that primary video includes all their video streams without limitation proves too much and, to my mind, effectively strikes the restriction from the books."

But in a partially dissenting statement, Commissioner Kevin Martin lamented the effect this decision could have on smaller, independent broadcasters.

"Network stations ... are likely to get their signals carried through retransmission consent; must-carry was never about these large broadcasters," Martin wrote. "Must carry was designed for these smaller broadcasters that in the past have been unable to negotiate with larger cable operators. These broadcasters play an important part in their communities, and we should not be hindering them from investing in new, free programming for their viewers."

And Commissioner Michael Copps warned that the decision "may lead some broadcasters to use the public spectrum for ancillary pay services, rather than for free over-the-air broadcasts in their communities. That's not what the transition is supposed to be about."

Full statements, and the Report and Order, can be accessed from www.fcc.gov .

___

dline posts this for information only and does not necessarily endorse any of the points of view expressed above.

fredfa

02-23-05, 05:30 PM

CBS Wins Weekly Nielsen; Fox takes 18-49 Demo
'CSI' and 'Idol' Battle for Weekly Ratings Split
(zap2it.com)--The powerhouse launch for "Survivor: Palau" helped push CBS' Thursday highs and gave the network yet another easy overall win for the week ending Sunday, Feb. 20. While CBS continued to push its across-the-board viewership advantage, FOX grabbed another demographic win and keeps pulling ever closer for the season in the tight race.

Overall Prime Time Ratings/Share/Total Viewers
CBS 8.6 rating/14 /13.41 million primetime viewers
NBC 7.1/11/10.67 million viewers
ABC 6.8/11 and 10.44 million viewers
FOX 6.1/10/ 10.19 million viewers
WB had a 2.3/4/3.51 million viewers
UPN' 2.2/3 and 3.23 million viewers

Adults 18-49
Fox 4.4
ABC 3.9
CBS 3.9
NBC 3.8
WB 1.4
UPN 1.3

CBS's three top shows for the week came on Thursday, led by "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which hooked 30.71 million and an 18.9/28, making it television's top show for the week. "Without a Trace" wasn't far off, holding onto enough of the "CSI" audience for a 13.5/22 and the week's No. 5 position. "Survivor: Palau" kicking the night off right with a 13.3/21 for No. 6.

"CSI: Miami" (12.6/20, 7th) paced CBS' strong Monday, which also landed "Everybody Loves Raymond" (11.2/17, 9th) and "Two and a Half Men" (10.5/16, 11th) in the Nielsen Top 20 for the frame. Sunday also had three listworthy CBS shows, as Tom Selleck delivered big ratings with the telefilm "Stone Cold" (11.2/17, 9th) and "Cold Case" (9.5/14, 17th) and "60 Minutes" (8.9/15, 20th) worked their usual magic. Also making the Top 20 for CBS was Wednesday's "CSI: NY" at No. 14 with a 9.6/16.

NBC had five Top 20 shows, with Thursday's "ER" (11.9/19, 8th) and "The Apprentice 3" (9.6/14) leading the way. The Donald's reality show tied with "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9.6/16), just ahead of "Medium" (9.4/15, 18th) and the "Law & Order" mothership (9.3/15, 19th). The network's special "Saturday Night Live: The First Five Years" was No. 25 with a 7.6/12.

ABC's hit freshman dramas "Desperate Housewives" (14.7/22, 4th) and "Lost" brought home their share of the Nielsen bacon, as did the always reliable "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (10.2/15, 13th).

Casual ratings observers will be shocked to discover that FOX's top two shows for the week were Tuesday's "American Idol" (15.5/24) and Wednesday's "American Idol" (15.5/23), which tied for No. 2 on the frame. Those same shocked people will be surprised to see three installments of "American Idol" on this list for the next three weeks.

A new "Gilmore Girls" paced The WB for the week with a 3.7/6 for No. 81, while UPN's leader was "WWE Smackdown!" at No. 85 with a 3.4/5.

UPN also had network television's least watched original program, as only 2.24 million viewers tuned in for a new "Kevin Hill," just fewer than the 2.29 million fans for The WB's fresh "Jack & Bobby."

fredfa

02-24-05, 01:59 AM

Last week’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

02-24-05, 02:08 AM

The Loser Is: Ratings for Awards Shows
By ANITA GATES The New York Times February 24, 2005

More than 16 million people saw Jamie Foxx come close to breaking down at the Golden Globe Awards last month. Mr. Foxx, accepting the award for best actor in a film (as Ray Charles in the director Taylor Hackford's "Ray"), tried to say that he believed his grandmother was looking down on him from heaven but had to stop to compose himself. The people who missed that speech included about 10 million who had watched the Golden Globes in 2004 but didn't bother tuning in this year.

In the world of awards-show ratings, this is hardly an isolated case. The Grammys, broadcast this month on CBS, attracted roughly 19 million viewers, a 28 percent decline from last year. Even the Oscars have been steadily dropping in viewership. The 1998 telecast, when "Titanic" won 11 awards, was the last big success, with more than 87 million viewers in the United States. Last year about 43.5 million watched. This Sunday night, when the 77th annual Academy Awards are shown on ABC, the numbers are not expected to soar.

This ratings decline has been attributed to a number of factors, from a dearth of big stars in the presentations to the sheer number of awards shows. Where once the Academy Awards was the only big televised movie-awards show, viewers now have the Golden Globes on NBC, the Screen Actors Guild Awards on TNT, the Critics' Choice Awards on WB, the People's Choice Awards on CBS, the MTV Movie Awards, and the Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, both on IFC. Not to mention the British Academy of Film and Television Awards on BBC America.

What most of these shows have in common is an assortment of glamorous presenters, nominees and dates: Annette Bening, Warren Beatty, Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett.

"If you're just showing people stars, that's not enough," said Gil Cates, the producer of this year's Oscars telecast and of 11 others since 1990. "Yes, there is a certain allure to watching a movie star. But the more often you see them, the more accessible they become, and there's a slight diminution of interest. The context is what supplies the interest."

For Mr. Cates, the only context that matters is the Academy Awards themselves. "People watch the Oscars for three reasons," he said in a telephone interview from a Los Angeles recording session. "First, it's a news show. They watch to see who's getting the Oscar. They watch it to see fashions and entertainment. And then I think they watch it for whoever the host is and whatever the host contributes to it." This year's host is Chris Rock, whose well-known irreverence ABC can only hope will draw new viewers.

Mr. Cates said he considered it unfair to compare subsequent shows' ratings with the "Titanic" year, because moviegoers' emotional investment in that film was such a rare phenomenon. Ken Ehrlich, the producer of the Grammys, says he feels the same way about comparing his show's 2005 viewership with 2004. "Last year I credit a great deal to the Super Bowl Janet Jackson incident," he said. The Grammys, on which Ms. Jackson appeared but did not perform, were held one week after her infamous wardrobe malfunction. In other years with particularly high ratings, he said, "there was more of a horse race."

This year, for the first time, there was also "Desperate Housewives," ABC's Sunday night hit soap, which earned higher ratings than the awards show broadcast opposite it. Mr. Ehrlich plays down that factor. "The reality is that 'Desperate Housewives' or not, the normal audience that comes to the Grammys year to year really wasn't there in the numbers that it has been," even at 8 p.m., before the ABC show started, he said. "I think this was a less compelling year."

"The core audience who really love music watch the Grammys because they're interested in the performers they like," Mr. Ehrlich said. "They're less interested in what the awards are. Maybe the ratings differential is tied to those people who aren't hard-core fans."

One cable executive thinks the problem is much simpler.

"There's no spontaneity," said Evan Shapiro, general manager of the Independent Film Channel and an executive producer of the Independent Spirit Awards broadcast. "There's no chance of anything interesting happening on these awards shows. If you go online, the one word you see over and over again is 'boring.' With lots of O's. Big capital O's." Not surprisingly, Mr. Shapiro sees the Independent Spirit Awards, which are presented the day before the Oscars, as far more interesting.

"They're wearing jeans and flip-flops," he said of the actors and filmmakers who attend the oceanside ceremony in Santa Monica, Calif. "They're drunk oftentimes."

But since these are awards for independent films, some nominees are not that well known. It may not be as exciting for audiences to see Jared Hess or Kimberly Elise let their hair down as it was for Mr. Shapiro to see a major movie star so distracted that she forgot to read the nominations before opening the envelope on the Golden Globes a few years ago.

"I loved it when Elizabeth Taylor got up there and gave that presenting speech," he said. "I called people and said: 'You've got to turn on the TV right now. It's a car wreck.' "

Both Mr. Shapiro and Mr. Ehrlich describe themselves as big awards-show fans. Mr. Cates says he does not normally watch the shows. Shari Anne Brill has to.

As vice president and director for programming at Carat USA, a media services company, Ms. Brill subscribes to a modified version of the celebrity-fatigue theory. It's not that the public has become bored with the rich and famous; it's just that seeing them on screen isn't the hallowed experience it once was.

"Celebrity is in our face all the time," she said in an interview from her New York office. "Do I really care about Paris Hilton's phone book being hacked? We're preoccupied with them, because they're always there. You can get your helping of celebrity any time you want. You don't have to go to the Oscars to get that."

Ms. Brill did say she believed that "the glut of awards shows cannibalize each other," but she sees the Academy Awards as above the general fray, even if its flaws are a subject of popular debate.

A recent report on the CBS News program "Sunday Morning" referred to the Oscar acceptance speeches as the best part of the show and took Mr. Cates to task, partly tongue in cheek, for cutting them off. Mr. Cates says that he enjoys a well-done speech but does look back nostalgically on the day when "Oscar winners only said thank you."

Mr. Ehrlich agrees that viewers are tired of unimaginative acceptance speeches. "Too often it's agents and publicists and labels" who are being thanked, he said. So maybe awards shows would be better television if actors and musicians had speechwriters.

"You've got kids and they don't have a context, but they're great mimics," Mr. Ehrlich said. "When a winner says, 'This is the most exciting moment of my life,' you don't have to be a very sophisticated viewer to say, 'Oh, come on.' "

fredfa

02-24-05, 02:15 AM

The Week’s Winners and Losers
By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Thursday, February 24, 2005; Page C07
"Survivor" came on strong to put CBS at the top of the ratings heap last week, but "American Idol" kept Fox in first place among younger viewers. Here's a look at the week's muscled and weak:

WINNERS

CBS's Thursday. CBS logged its largest Thursday audience since at least 1987 thanks to the debut of "Survivor: Palau," which averaged nearly 24 million viewers, and "CSI," which posted more than 30 million. It was the "Survivor" franchise's biggest kickoff audience since "Survivor: Africa" in October 2001 (if you exclude the post-Super Bowl debut of "Survivor: All Stars"), and "CSI's" second-largest crowd this season, behind only the 100th episode in the November ratings sweeps.

Daytona 500. Fox's Sunday afternoon telecast of the race averaged 18.7 million viewers, crushing TNT's Sunday prime-time telecast of the NBA All-Star Game, which bagged just 8.1 million.

"Stone Cold." The CBS Sunday movie, starring Tom Selleck as a hard-drinking, hard-living Los Angeles homicide detective turned hard-living, hard-drinking small-town police chief, nabbed about 18 million viewers, making it the season's third most watched made-for-TV flick, behind ABC's "Mitch Albom's the Five People You Meet in Heaven" and CBS's "Magic of Ordinary Days."

"Battlestar Galactica." Sci-Fi Channel has renewed "BG" for another season; this season, the show is averaging about 3 million viewers Fridays at 10 and is the cable network's highest-rated original series.

LOSERS

"Michael Jackson's Secret World, With Martin Bashir" remains largely secret, with or without Martin Bashir. Only 8.8 million viewers showed up Thursday night for the ABC News February sweeps special. Two years ago, when ABC News telecast "Living With Michael Jackson," also with Bashir, it copped a whopping 27 million viewers. Wonder if media organizations preparing to spend millions covering the Trial of the Whatever Period It's Been Since O.J. sat up and took notice.

"The L Word." The second season of Showtime's series opened Sunday with 515,000 viewers; last year the series premiered with 936,000 viewers and wrapped its first season with an average of just under 600,000. In fairness the second-season opener was considerably better than the network's prior four-week average in the time slot -- just under 300,000 viewers with various programs.

"Jonny Zero." You can say that again. Fox's new Friday drama trickled in with its smallest audience yet -- 3.2 million viewers -- and got beat in its time slot by WB's "Reba" and "Blue Collar TV."

dline

02-24-05, 03:58 AM

Clarification of my earlier post #1796
(http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=5227406#post5227406):

The FCC's decision on multicasting was actually made Feb. 10. The only thing new which happened Wednesday was that the FCC made it official by releasing the Report and Order, which officially denied several broadcasters' request to reconsider. I have edited my post on the subject.

fredfa

02-24-05, 11:17 AM

Wednesday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

02-24-05, 05:44 PM

Complete Season To Date Primetime Ratings Through February 20, 2005
From allyourtv.com
# / Program / Viewers in millions / 18-49 Rating / No. of Shows
1 AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY 29920 10.8 5
2 AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY 26380 9.5 5
3 CSI 26220 9.4 20
4 SURVIVOR: PALAU 23660 8.5 1
5 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES 23200 8.3 15
6 SURVIVOR: VANUATU 19640 7.1 11
7 CSI: MIAMI 19060 6.9 22
8 WITHOUT A TRACE 18790 6.8 20
9 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND 17060 6.1 21
10 E.R. 16530 5.9 18
11 LOST 16360 5.9 21
12 TWO AND A HALF MEN 16240 5.8 22
13 NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL 16230 5.8 15
14 APPRENTICE 2 16140 5.8 11
15 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P 15880 5.7 19
16 COLD CASE 15480 5.6 17
17 MEDIUM 15290 5.5 7
18 APPRENTICE 3 15270 5.5 5
19 60 MINUTES 15040 5.4 20
20 CSI: NY 14430 5.2 19
21 NCIS 13950 5.0 17
22 LAW AND ORDER:SVU 13520 4.9 19
23 LAW AND ORDER 13230 4.8 19
24 ALIAS 12960 4.7 6
25 AMAZING RACE: 5 12850 4.6 1
26 BOSTON LEGAL 12720 4.6 15
27 LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT 12420 4.5 15
28 CROSSING JORDAN 12270 4.4 16
29 CBS SUNDAY MOVIE 12110 4.4 15
30 NUMB3RS 12040 4.3 4
31 24 11850 4.3 6
32 LAS VEGAS 11690 4.2 19
33 WEST WING 11550 4.2 17
34 AMAZING RACE: 6 11510 4.1 12
35 JOEY 11310 4.1 20
36 WILL & GRACE 11110 4.0 17
37 SIMPLE LIFE 3 11030 4.0 3
38 FEAR FACTOR 10900 3.9 22
39 ACCORDING TO JIM 9PM 10670 3.8 19
40 JUDGING AMY 10530 3.8 15
41 SIMPSONS 10480 3.8 13
42 KING OF QUEENS 10430 3.8 15
43 STILL STANDING 10310 3.7 22
44 BIGGEST LOSER 10300 3.7 12
45 SUPERNANNY 10140 3.6 5
46 LISTEN UP 9880 3.6 22
47 JAG 9770 3.5 15
48 NYPD BLUE 9700 3.5 18
49 WIFE SWAP 9620 3.5 16
50 EM HM:HOW’D THEY DO THAT 9480 3.4 5
51 THIRD WATCH 9360 3.4 16
52 RODNEY 9340 3.4 18
53 DATELINE FRI 9240 3.3 18
54 LAW & ORDER:SVU-SAT-RPT 9110 3.3 13
55 CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE 9040 3.3 12
56 HOUSE 8880 3.2 12
57 MEDICAL INVESTIGATION 8820 3.2 17
58 BACHELOR, THE 8790 3.2 9
59 YES, DEAR 8770 3.2 1
60 BACHELORETTE, THE 8740 3.1 6
61 20/20-FRI 8700 3.1 19
62 AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS 8610 3.1 16
60 MINUES WEDNESDAY 8610 3.1 18
64 NANNY 911 8210 3.0 9
65 DR. VEGAS 8160 2.9 5
66 JOAN OF ARCADIA 8140 2.9 16
67 DATELINE SUN-7PM 8050 2.9 19
68 LAW & ORDER:CI-SAT-RPT 7980 2.9 8
69 MY WIFE AND KIDS 7970 2.9 17
70 GEORGE LOPEZ 7930 2.9 17
71 TRADING SPOUSES 7790 2.8 14
72 8 SIMPLE RULES-FRI 8:30PM 7720 2.8 4
73 AMERICAN DREAMS 7530 2.7 13
74 CLUBHOUSE 7510 2.7 4
75 HOPE & FAITH 7500 2.7 18
76 LAW & ORDER-SAT-RPT 7470 2.7 6
77 CRIMETIME SATURDAY 7450 2.7 16
78 SCRUBS 7400 2.7 17
79 AMW: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK 7370 2.7 14
80 LAX 7350 2.6 9
81 48 HOURS MYSTERY 7290 2.6 19
82 ABC SAT MOVIE OF THE WEEK 7280 2.6 5
FATHER OF THE PRIDE 7280 2.6 6
84 COPS 2 7270 2.6 14
85 COMMITTED 7240 2.6 7
86 SWAN 2, THE 7200 2.6 9
87 HAWAII 7160 2.6 3
88 8 SIMPLE RULES 7120 2.6 18
89 O.C. 7030 2.5 15
90 PRIMETIME LIVE 6930 2.5 19
91 WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY 6890 2.5 6
92 MOST OUTRAG MOMTS LIVE TV 6830 2.5 3
93 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES-SAT 6750 2.4 8
94 COPS 6650 2.4 14
95 THAT ‘70S SHOW 6580 2.4 15
96 LESS THAN PERFECT 6550 2.4 17
97 EXTREME MAKEOVER-THU 9PM 6510 2.3 5
98 EXTREME MAKEOVER-THU 8PM 6450 2.3 10
99 WICKEDLY PERFECT 6140 2.2 7
100 MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE 6110 2.2 10
101 COMPLETE SAVAGES 6090 2.2 14
102 ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT 6020 2.2 11
103 SIMPSONS-SUN 9:30P 6010 2.2 3
104 FAMILY GUY 5900 2.1 5
105 7TH HEAVEN - WB 5870 2.1 20
106 LAST COMIC STANDING 3 5780 2.1 3
107 NBC SATURDAY NIGHT MOVIES 5640 2.0 7
108 KING OF THE HILL 5510 2.0 6
109 QUINTUPLETS 5190 1.9 12
110 LIFE OF LUXURY-MON 5180 1.9 5
111 WWE SMACKDOWN! 5070 1.8 21
112 BERNIE MAC-WED 9:30P 5060 1.8 3
113 SPORTS ILLUS:MODEL SEARCH 5040 1.8 6
114 AMERICA’S NXT TOP MODEL 3 5020 1.8 13
115 GILMORE GIRLS - WB 4920 1.8 21
116 BERNIE MAC 4840 1.7 9
117 BERNIE MAC-FRI 8:30P 4810 1.7 6
118 ONE TREE HILL - WB 4560 1.6 14
119 SMALLVILLE - WB 4550 1.6 21
120 NEXT GREAT CHAMP 4530 1.6 2
121 REBA - WB 4470 1.6 19
122 BENEFACTOR, THE 4410 1.6 5
123 SURVIVOR: VANUATU ENC 4350 1.6 4
124 RENOVATE MY FAMILY 4340 1.6 6
125 LAW & ORDER:CRIM INT-TUE 4290 1.5 1
126 WILL, THE 4240 1.5 1
127 POINT PLEASANT 4220 1.5 5
128 EVERWOOD - WB 4210 1.5 20
129 REBEL BILLIONAIRE 4130 1.5 10
130 NORTH SHORE 4070 1.5 10
131 BIG FAT OBNOXIOUS BOSS 4040 1.5 5
132 REBA - FRI - WB 3960 1.4 6
133 JONNY ZERO 3940 1.4 6
WORLD’S CRAZIEST VIDEOS 3940 1.4 4
135 APPRENTICE 2-SAT 3810 1.4 4
136 LIFE AS WE KNOW IT 3800 1.4 11
137 TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS BHVR 3660 1.3 4
138 CHARMED - WB 3630 1.3 18
139 GIRLFRIENDS 3600 1.3 20
140 BLUE COLLAR TV - WB 3530 1.3 19
141 CUTS 3480 1.3 1
142 BLUE COLLAR TV - ENC - WB 3340 1.2 3
143 HALF AND HALF 3320 1.2 21
144 ONE ON ONE 3230 1.2 21
145 SECOND TIME AROUND 3010 1.1 18
146 KEVIN HILL 2990 1.1 20
147 EVE 2960 1.1 20
148 ENTERPRISE 2880 1.0 17
149 ALL OF US 2830 1.0 20
150 D CAREY GREEN SCREEN-WB 2740 1.0 5
151 ROAD TO STARDOM 2700 1.0 7
152 WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU-WB 2670 1.0 18
153 GROUNDED FOR LIFE - WB 2660 1.0 14
154 HIGH SCHOOL REUNION-WB 2520 .9 7
155 COMPLEX: MALIBU 2500 .9 3
156 JACK & BOBBY - WB 2480 .9 14
157 S HARVEY BIG TIME - WB 2470 .9 21
158 VERONICA MARS 2450 .9 20
159 WB THU MOVIE - WB 2440 .9 13
160 MOUNTAIN - WB 1920 .7 13
161 AMER NEXT TOP MODEL 3-ENC 1900 .7 10
162 BMOC - WB 1690 .6 6
163 OE TREE HILL - THU - WB 1610 .6 2
164 CHARMED - THU - WB 1530 .6 4
165 ROAD TO STARDOM ENC 1380 .5 7
166 SUMMERLAND - SUN - WB 1350 .5 6

bgall

02-24-05, 05:51 PM

Wow AI sure is popular.

fredfa

02-24-05, 05:56 PM

WB Adds Extra 'What I Like,' 'One Tree Hill' Episodes
(thefutoncritic.com) – The WB is rallying behind "What I Like About You" and "One Tree Hill," as the network has confirmed it has ordered additional episodes of each series this season.
Said orders are for two extra episodes of "What I Like About You" and one additional installment of "One Tree Hill," bringing each series' respective total to 24 and 23 episodes.

fredfa

02-24-05, 05:57 PM

You are right, bgall -- and it has been about the only thing saving Fox this year.

bgall

02-24-05, 05:59 PM

I'm surprised MNF maintained #13. I didn't think that many people watch football on a monday night, I didn't.

fredfa

02-24-05, 06:10 PM

TiVo's most recorded shows of week ending February 19
#/Show title / Network / % of TiVo Owners
1. Desperate Housewives, ABC 30.4%
2. American Idol (Tuesday), Fox 26%
3. American Idol (Wednesday), Fox 23.2%
4. The Apprentice, NBC 22%
5. Lost, ABC 21.5%
6. Survivor: Palau, CBS 20.1%
7. CSI, CBS 19.5%
8. Grammy Awards, CBS 18.1%
9. 24, Fox 17.7%
10. ER, NBC 16.2%
USA Today Source: TiVo, week of Feb. 13-19; based on analysis of viewing preferences of anonymous aggregate sample of 20,000 households; reflects recorded and live viewing of prime-time programs.

PJO1966

02-24-05, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
reflects recorded and live viewing of prime-time programs.

How can they differentiate between live viewing of prime-time programs, and TiVo's that happen to be sitting on a channel while nobody's watching?

fredfa

02-24-05, 06:31 PM

They can't any more than a Nielsen box can differentiate between a TV left on while its owner takes a shower.
(But there are indications: channel surfing in commercial breaks, checking the various TiVo menus, etc.)
But the TiVo numbers can (and do) indicate when a specific program is not only recorded but played.

slocko

02-24-05, 08:14 PM

is 24 down compared to other seasons?

f44

02-24-05, 08:30 PM

Well, 24 barely survived Season 1's ratings. So it is doing better than that. I think it's the highest season yet, even though the last 2 had an American Idol lead-in for part of their years. Could be wrong.

fredfa

02-24-05, 08:57 PM

I believe it is doing its best numbers -- and certainly compared with the rest of the non-AI Fox schedule.

Scott G

02-24-05, 09:23 PM

Complete Season To Date Primetime Ratings Through February 20, 2005

Some of these total season ratings are not that relevant. Shows like George Lopez, My Wife and Kids and Joan of Arcadia have been dropping dramatically lately. While some others like Hope and Faith and 8 Simple Rules have been rising lately. These are the season averages.

fredfa

02-25-05, 12:49 AM

True, Scott G, but that's why I post the weekly numbers, and, occasionally, the season to date ratings (both viewers and 18-34), so people can make their own judgments.

fredfa

02-25-05, 02:13 AM

How Many People Watch the Academy Awards?
(Hint: NOT A Billion)
by Daniel Radosh The New Yorker Issue of 2005-02-28
About the Oscars this Sunday, one thing may safely be predicted: someone will do something embarrassing onstage, and someone else will point out that it was done in front of a billion people. It is common knowledge that the Academy Awards are watched by a billion people around the world. “They keep reminding you, like, every two seconds,” Cate Blanchett, who is a nominee for Best Supporting Actress, recently complained to Oprah Winfrey. Last year, the figure cropped up in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Daily News, The Economist, and dozens of other publications. If anyone remembers a single speech from last year’s Oscars, it is probably the one made by Andrew Stanton, the co-director of “Finding Nemo,” who told his wife, “I wrote it to you in a note in eighth grade, now I can say it in front of one billion people: I love you.”

But the worldwide audience for the Oscars isn’t even close to a billion, as a little common sense makes plain. In the United States, 43.5 million people watched the show last year. That’s a lot, but it’s 956.5 million short of a billion. Can the show really pick up that many viewers in countries that most of the films and people being honored are not from, and where the speeches are in a language that most of the population does not speak?

One way to calculate that the Academy Awards could almost reach a billion viewers is to assume that since the domestic audience of 43.5 million amounts to fifteen per cent of the American population, maybe fifteen per cent of the world population also watches. That would make nine hundred and sixty million, close enough for rounding up. There are a few problems with this assumption, though. The first is that even though the ceremony is broadcast in more than a hundred and fifty countries, in many of those it is available only on satellite or cable channels that have relatively few subscribers. If one uses some generous estimates (is it possible for every man, woman, and child in Russia to get to a TV?), the total potential audience for the Oscars is around two billion. Fifteen per cent of two billion is only three hundred million.

Few other countries track television audiences the way the United States does, so solid data are hard to come by, but the evidence isn’t promising. For instance, of the 715 million Chinese who could have tuned in last year, only one per cent did. Recently, the Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno, a Best Actress nominee for “Maria Full of Grace,” told the Times that she had never seen the Oscars at all. “In Colombia, the big thing is to watch the beauty pageants,” she said.

So where does the billion figure come from? “I think several years ago that was a number that a variety of entities handed out,” Leslie Unger, the publicity coördinator for one of those entities, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said. “I don’t believe any entity now thinks that the number has any veracity.” The division of the Walt Disney Company that distributes the show internationally also disavows the figure. Unger added, “Our best estimate is several hundred million.”

Despite the backpedalling and the occasional skeptical glance from such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Variety, there is little chance that the myth of the billion viewers will fade, if only because it has a twenty-year jump on the revised figure. The claim that a billion viewers watch the Oscars first appeared on March 24, 1985, in an Associated Press article, according to Nexis. The following year, it was cited onstage by the Academy’s president, and by Robin Williams, who turned it into a joke (“A billion. That’s more than Mrs. Marcos spends in, oh, maybe a week”).

One of the earliest and most enthusiastic citers of the statistic was a U.P.I. columnist named Vernon Scott. Between 1985 and 2002, when he died, at the age of seventy-nine, Scott mentioned the figure at least thirty-nine times. He pegged the Oscar audience as, variously, “a billion,” “an estimated billion,” “approaching a billion,” “a reported billion,” and “more than a billion.” A couple of times, it spiked upward, once to “1.5 billion” and once to “2.5 billion,” before settling back down.

It helps, perhaps, that, while common sense exposes the billion figure as preposterous, Hollywood common sense reinforces it. If you are, say, Cate Blanchett, or even Andrew Stanton, how could it possibly occur to you that a billion people wouldn’t want to watch you win an award?

j_buckingham80

02-25-05, 10:54 AM

A couple numbers from Drudge:

FLASH: CBS WINS BIG THURSDAY: 'CSI' 19.8 RATING/28 SHARE TOPS [OUTPACES 'IDOL,' 'HOUSEWIVES' FOR #1 OF WEEK] LOW END OF NIGHT: ABC'S PETER JENNINGS 'UFO' 8.0 RATING/11 SHARE...

fredfa

02-25-05, 11:19 AM

Thursday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

dline

02-25-05, 03:44 PM

FCC: Angel Episode Not Indecent

(Feb. 25) The FCC unanimously turned down an indecency claim against an episode of the WB show Angel.

The Parents' Television Council complaint against The WB's affiliates in Washington, D.C. and other cities. It centered around two sexually explicit scenes in the November 19, 2003 episode of the program, which aired at 9 p.m. Eastern.

But commissioners decided that the two scenes, in the context of the program, weren't explicit enough to tip the delicate balance between the First Amendment and federal indecency laws.

"After review of the Complaint and the videotape of the episode provided by PTC, we conclude that the material is not 'patently offensive' as defined by Commission precedent, because the cited material is not sufficiently graphic or explicit," the commission said in its Memorandum Opinion and Order Friday. "Both scenes are brief. Neither scene at issue contains any nudity and neither is sufficiently graphic or explicit to render the program patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards."

Commissioners posted no individual comments on the FCC's Web site as of Friday afternoon.

The full opinion can be read with Adobe Acrobat at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-37A1.pdf, or with Microsoft Word at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-37A1.doc.

_____

dline posts this for information only and does not necessarily endorse any point of view contained in this post.

fredfa

02-25-05, 03:48 PM

At NBC, it's all 'Law & Order,' all the time '
By Robert Bianco USA TODAY
Here's how bare the programming cupboards are at the network that was for years broadcast TV's most dominant and innovative: Next week, NBC will air 12 hours of Law & Order in its various, if not varied, incarnations, allowing the franchise to occupy more than half its schedule. It's as if the network were purposely pursuing the TV version of the perfect storm, that fatal point where creative exhaustion meets audience ennui.

Oddest of all, right in the middle of that Order onslaught (which drops to a mere nine hours the week after), NBC will premiere the fourth show in the franchise, Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Can you think of a better way to make viewers think they're simply getting more of the same than by surrounding Jury with more of the same? It could be the first show in TV history to premiere as a rerun.

The reason for this late February influx is ratings. NBC is in danger of finishing fourth in the soon-to-be-concluded sweeps — not just in total viewers, but also in the younger viewers the network used to brag about capturing. So it's making use of one of the only weapons it has at its command. What else can it do? Supersize Joey, a once-promising sitcom that has bled viewers and goodwill as the network, the studio and the producers dithered?

The question is how NBC allowed itself to become so reliant on one franchise — a franchise that, unlike CBS' CSI juggernaut, doesn't even hold a spot in the Top 10. Indeed, other than SVU, L&O shows don't even consistently win their time slots. Still, given that NBC is so dependent on L&O, reason says the network would be wise to avoid exhausting it. Yes, overall, the shows are holding up remarkably well, given that they sometimes air as much as 10 hours a day between network and cable.

But as ABC learned with Who Wants to be a Millionaire, it's virtually impossible to tell when a series has reached the exhaustion point until it has — and by then, it's too late. Ask the buffalo hunters, if you can find any.

Clearly NBC isn't the only network to work a show or a genre to death, or to have trouble coming up with new ideas. Between the falling Numb3rs and the vacant CSI: NY, which is no more than a title in search of a show, CBS has clearly drained the procedural well dry. Over at Fox, the network's only true hit is the mega-smash American Idol— though wisely the network has used it to boost two great hours, 24 and House. And although ABC has struck the mother lode with Desperate Housewives and Lost, it's propping up the rest of its schedule with various versions of Extreme Makeover.

Still, whether you base your judgment on what people actually do watch or what they should watch, NBC is clearly at the bottom of the network Big Four. Its only series in the season-to-date Top 10 is the aged wonder ER. Its next best performer is The Apprentice, a show that can do no better than a distant second place in a time slot NBC owned for decades. That's such a dismal development record, you might think the network was being run by a secret cabal of ABC, CBS and Fox executives.

The hopeful news is that network ratings collapses are nothing new, and they often have the same salutatory effect as a forest fire. They're terrible as they rage, but they clear out the deadwood and make room for new growth. Indeed, the farther networks fall, the more prone they are to the kind of experimentation that leads to new, breakout hits. Look at ABC, which went from desperate network to Desperate Housewives in one artistic leap.

Maybe next year, NBC will have a similar recovery. Or maybe it will give us Law & Order: Chapter Five. In which case, we can all just order up another network.

dline

02-25-05, 04:38 PM

Clearly NBC isn't the only network to work a show or a genre to death, or to have trouble coming up with new ideas. Between the falling Numb3rs and the vacant CSI: NY, which is no more than a title in search of a show, CBS has clearly drained the procedural well dry. Over at Fox, the network's only true hit is the mega-smash American Idol— though wisely the network has used it to boost two great hours, 24 and House. And although ABC has struck the mother lode with Desperate Housewives and Lost, it's propping up the rest of its schedule with various versions of Extreme Makeover.
I'd have to disagree a little with that assessment, since there are only three "Extreme Makeover" shows on ABC, and the plastic surgery version is different enough from the "Home Edition" that you'd almost have to consider them separate shows. Also, Alias and Boston Legal -- as well as NBC's Medium -- are no slouches (though I admit I have yet to watch Medium.)

I would have to agree, though, that NBC Thursday (or anyone's Thursday, for that matter) isn't as "must-see" as it used to be, that Joey just isn't the same without his old "friends," and that sitcoms in general seem to be lacking (unless you count the humor in shows like Desperate Housewives and Boston Legal as comedy). It would be interesting to see whether the switch to HD is causing us to make different choices and switch away from sitcoms, even HD ones.

GregF

02-25-05, 04:38 PM

Re "Law and Order", just think, it would be 2 more hours if "Crime & Punishment: Real Life Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Deadline" hadn't been canceled, then there were the proposed Chris Noth recurring L&O TV-movies (Noth BTW is now going to be alternating with the sporadic Dinofrio on "Criminal Intent").

dline

02-25-05, 04:42 PM

Actually, it could be "3 more hours." Wasn't Players also a Dick Wolf show?

fredfa

02-25-05, 04:49 PM

I was looking at a reference book the other day and noted that in the early 1970s, nine of the top 10 programs were half-hour sitcoms.
Things sure have changed.

fredfa

02-25-05, 05:01 PM

Cable News Ratings, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 '
(from the drudgereport.com)

FOX NEWS CHANNEL—(8 pm)--Bill O’Reilly 2,181,000 [VIEWERS]
FOX NEWS CHANNEL—(9 pm)--Hannity & Colmes 1,622,000
FOX NEWS CHANNEL—(7 pm)--Shepherd Smith 1,386,000
FOX NEWS CHANNEL—(6 pm)--Brit Hume 1,318,000
FOX NEWS CHANNEL-(10 pm)-Greta Van Susteren 1,307,000
CABLE NEWS NETWORK-(9 pm)-Larry King 1,004,000
CABLE NEWS NETWORK-(8 pm)-Paula Zahn 673,000
CABLE NEWS NETWORK-(10 pm)-Aaron Brown 551,000
CABLE NEWS NETWORK-(7 pm)-Anderson Cooper 524,000
MSNBC—(7 pm)-Hardball with Chris Matthews 388,000
CABLE NEWS NETWORK—(6 pm)-Lou Dobbs 379,000
CNN HEADLINE NEWS—(8 pm)-Nancy Grace 366,000
MSNBC—(10 pm)-Joe Scarborough 240,000
MNSBC—(8 pm)-Keith Olbermann 208,000

j_buckingham80

02-25-05, 05:17 PM

And yet really creative and innovative Sitcoms like Arrested Development are not heavily watched. Part of it may just be the need for quick hits instead of developing an audience. Networks seem to be giving in to a quick Cost-Benefit Analysis as opposed to a longer-term view of cultivating an audience. L&O is easy because it will generate enough viewership, it won't challenge new ground, making it cheap to produce. Arrested is tough because it's challenging new ground (the mockumentary) and isn't guaranteed viewership. Andy Richter was another good show, Sitcoms unlike plug and play tv, take time for viewer to invest themselves into the show. This was true with Seinfeld, and probably would have been true with Friends if Seinfeld hadn't been helping Friends establish. After all, Friends was really just Seinfeld but not nearly as funny. Heck it probably would've been true with Frasier if it hadn't been a spinoff of Cheers.

fredfa

02-25-05, 05:48 PM

I think you have to consider the platform: broadcasting.
The networks try to cast a wide net to gain as many viewers as possible.
Thus shows like Arrested Development (in your eyes creative and innovative, in my eyes something far less) might do much better on HBO.
Perhaps a reason for their demise is that sitcoms have mined every off-color joke and innuendo there is and there is no place else for them to go.
Of course writing funny shows which deal with relationships and every day occurrences is a bit more difficult, but when networks seem to have decided to approach sitcoms as merely a pretense for seeing how far they can stretch the boundaries of taste, perhaps this is the price they pay.

As the USA Today article I posted earlier today notes about the L&O franchise, NBC seems to be doing everything it can to milk any possible ratings points out of it, no matter what the long-term cost.
Sad, but once or twice a week it was appointment TV. Now it almost seems like you can't escape it.
NBC's lack of creativity is obviously maiming its ratings this season -- and could, a la ABC's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" fiasco of a few years back, cripple the network for several seasons.

As to the cost-benefit analysis -- exactly what could Fox have done to get an audience for Arrested Development? It seems clear that while there is some audience for AD, it is a very small one.
But it is not as if Fox just buried it. They have promoted it heavily, and still too few people watch it.

j_buckingham80

02-25-05, 06:09 PM

Well I think Arrested actually been quite poorly treated by Fox in relation to some of their other shows. But Fox has that problem with a lot of programming especially with their sports line-ups and the rest. 24 suffered and I think a lot of their other programming did as well. I also think that's why with AI on now you, House has been able to take off, and the no-interruption 24 doing some very good numbers on Fox. Fox just has a wacked out schedule, which doesn't help out their shows. It also didn't help that Arrested backed up to My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss, opposite Desperate Housewives. To be honest, I'm not actually that concerned about Arrested however, with Simpsons decling and AD outpulling MitM lately I don't think Fox is going to be quick to dump AD.

I understand that's Arrested is not funny to a lot of people, I think it's just a show you have to get into. I remember thinking that the first couple episodes were dumb, but once I got into it, I found it to be quite funny. I just happen to be a big fan of Fox's sunday night, so that's how they roped me in, and then like good shows got addicted.

And actually Fox itself is interesting because it seemed like it was really close to wiping out this season like NBC, but instead of L&O overdose on reality overdose. For them their two season year really helped, and with scripted shows House and 24 helped prevent a Reality overload, which, possibly could have really harmed AI, remember how Fox was setting low expectation for AI before it started.

fredfa

02-25-05, 06:19 PM

You know what?
There are no right or wrong answers about what we like.
I agree that Fox could have done better with AD but some of their execs seem pretty dense about promotion.
As I noted after the Super Bowl, what was up with promoting a "Simpsons" episode and an "American Dad" (which won't reappear until May 1), when they could have perhaps helped AD or some of their other shows.
"House" was growing steadily, and probably would have been renewed even without the bump from AI. Perhaps now is the time to move "House" and give that massive lead-in to some other show that Fox might be able to nurture into a solid hit.

j_buckingham80

02-25-05, 06:28 PM

Fredfa, you sound like you'd make a good network exec! Seriously I do think the nets probably new blood at top, and I completely agree with you.

fredfa

02-25-05, 06:30 PM

HBO to Air 'Six Feet Under' on Mondays '
By Jon Lafayette TVWeek.com February 25, 2005
HBO plans to air the final season of "Six Feet Under" on Monday nights, starting in June. The move is a test to see if the premium network can put its originals on a night other than Sunday. In June the Lisa Kudrow comedy "The Comeback" and the second season of "Entourage" will air on Sunday, HBO's traditional night for premiering originals.
HBO said a smaller portion of its viewers are watching its shows during their premiere run but are instead watching reruns or using the HBO On Demand service. HBO downplayed the notion that it is moving programming to Monday to avoid competition with ABC's blockbuster "Desperate Housewives." "Comeback" and "Entourage" as well as the new season of "Deadwood" will run from 9-10 p.m. HBO does not plan to air originals on Monday night during the fall, when "Monday Night Football" is broadcast.

fredfa

02-25-05, 07:41 PM

JAG's Star: Why He's Out
”We want a younger, hipper JAG”
by Mary Murphy TVGuide.com
David James Elliott did not jump ship; he was forced to walk the plank. Elliott, who plays Navy attorney Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr. on JAG, is leaving the show when it concludes its 10th season in May. Elliott, 44, has already signed a series-development deal with ABC. "David left, and we wish him well," JAG creator Donald Bellisario says. "His contract was up, and we never expected it to go on. We had to cut costs. [So] we started doing episodes with less of David, and it became obvious to him that we were not going to renegotiate."

Elliott's manager says CBS never responded to his client's salary request for another season, but "David loves CBS. [The role] had run its course. He has made a lucrative deal with ABC."

That said, there may not even be another season. CBS won't announce its fall lineup — including JAG's fate — until May, but Bellisario has made a preemptive strike by adding a new attorney to anchor the show. Chris Beetem, a 32-year-old As the World Turns veteran, joined the cast Feb. 18 as Lt. Gregory Vukovic and has already been signed for a potential 11th season.

"We want a younger, hipper JAG," Bellisario says. JAG attracts nearly 10 million viewers on average, but only a quarter of them are in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic coveted by advertisers.

One character who won't be swept overboard is Lt. Col. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, played by Catherine Bell. "It was always intended that Catherine would be [on] the show next season but [Elliott] would not," says Bellisario, who promises a surprise in May that will wrap up the relationship between Mac and Harm. But don't pick out wedding gifts just yet.

fredfa

02-25-05, 07:51 PM

The First Televised Academy Awards: How Things Have Changed!
The accidental 1953 Academy Awards
It was the last thing the big studio bosses wanted
By Ed Robertson medialife.com
On Sunday night some 40 million Americans will sit down to watch the Academy Awards. It's a wingding of a television event for sure, and every bit a TV institution after a half century, even with all the social changes that have swept across America and the enormous changes in media over those 50 years. Yet the very fact that the Academy Awards air on TV is a fluke of history. We owe it all to a flap over money.

more here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=513939

fredfa

02-26-05, 12:20 PM

Friday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

02-26-05, 05:36 PM

(From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)
Tonight’s Network TV
Saturday 2/26/05 Night 24 of the Feb. 2005 Sweep

ABC:
Movie: Forrest Gump (R) HD

CBS:
Wickedly Perfect
Cold Case (R) HD
48 Hours Mystery

NBC:
Law & Order (R) HD
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) HD
Law & Order: SVU (R) HD

Fox:
Cops
America's Most Wanted

fredfa

02-27-05, 02:08 AM

I will be travelling Sunday, so I will get Saturday's ratings posted late Sunday PT.

fredfa

02-27-05, 03:42 PM

Saturday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

j_buckingham80

02-28-05, 09:21 AM

From Drudge:

OSCAR OVERNIGHTS:
2005 30.1 RATING/43 SHARE

George Thompson

02-28-05, 09:37 AM

CBS Triples HD coverage of NCAA Tourneys...
More HD Sports News
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/sports/20050225/#

George Thompson

02-28-05, 09:43 AM

SMPTE seeks info on lip sync errors. Here's your chance to be heard.
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/bth/20050227/#smpte

fredfa

02-28-05, 10:17 AM

It is always helpful to put ratings in whatever context we can.
Here is the rest of what Matt says about the Oscars:

OSCAR OVERNIGHTS:
2005 30.1 RATING/43 SHARE
2004 29.6 RATING/43 SHARE
2003 25.2 RATING/37 SHARE ** SET RECORD LOW
2002 29.1 RATING/47 SHARE ** SET RECORD LOW

[2005: MAX 63 SHARE NYC, 54 SHARE L.A., 61 CHICAGO, 51 PHILLY, 54 BOSTON, 61 SAN FRAN, 51 DALLAS, OTHERS... NATIONAL #S DUE LATER MONDAY, COULD OFF-SET URBAN GAINS]

fredfa

02-28-05, 10:43 AM

Fox to Sweep February
But big advertisers seem not that impressed
By John Consoli mediaweek.com February 28, 2005

With one week to go in the February sweeps, Super Bowl XXXIX and American Idol have essentially guaranteed Fox will be the runaway winner in all major demographics, and its strong month has propelled the network to a tie with CBS in the season-to-date battle for the 18-49 demo title. However, even if Fox comes out on top of the 18-49 demo for the season, media buyers said Fox should not count on garnering extra favor among advertisers and media buyers in the May upfront.

“Fox winning the sweeps and 18-49 demo for the season is great for its morale, but from our point of view, it’s not that big a deal,” said Steve Sternberg, executive vp and director of media analysis for Magna Global USA. “We know those ratings were driven by only a few shows, and we need to look at the entire schedule, for consistency on every night.”

Shari Ann Brill, vp/director of programming at Carat, agreed. “No one is fooled by bottom-line demo averages,” said Brill. “So much of Fox’s success is due to American Idol. Even its [Tuesday 9 p.m.] drama House was only doing half the [adults] 18-49 ratings earlier in the season, before it got Idol as its lead-in.”

Brill added that while one cannot discount the power of Idol in drawing viewers to the network, because of category exclusivity on the show, some advertisers could not take advantage of Idol in their upfront packages.

During the sweeps, House has lost half of its Idol lead-in audience in adults 18-49, but retained 95 percent of last week’s still-solid 5.6 18-49 rating in the second half-hour of the show. And Fox’s move of 24 from Wednesday at 9 to Monday at 9 has paid off particularly well during the sweeps, averaging a 5.1 in 18-49, up 25 percent over last season.

Through the first three weeks of sweeps, Fox leads all networks in viewers with 16.9 million, adults 18-49 with a 7.0 and adults 18-34 with a 6.5. CBS ranks second in viewers at 12.6 million, and in adults 18-49 with a 3.9 (but falls to fourth in adults 18-34 with a 2.8). ABC is third in adults 18-49 with a 3.8 and second in adults 18-34 with a 3.0.

UPN and the WB are both down double digits across all demos, but because they operate off a lower base, media buyers are less concerned about them than they are about NBC, which is also down double-digit percentages across all demos (to 10.2 million viewers, a 3.6 in 18-49 and a 2.9 in 18-34). “NBC missed its opportunity when it didn’t come up with a viable replacement last fall for Friends,” said Brill. “They’ve been paying for it all season.”

But with three months left in the season after the February sweeps, there is still time for NBC and the other networks to make some positive impressions on the ad community.

“Even though NBC is down for the season, it is still only three-tenths of a rating point behind the leader in 18-49,” Sternberg said. “NBC is just one show away from being back. It’s going to be a real horse race.”

fredfa

02-28-05, 11:08 AM

Alas, format did not do Oscar proud
By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY
Do the Oscar folks have rocks in their heads? Apparently the academy thought using hipster favorite Chris Rock as host and giving short shrift to the lower-profile awards would re-energize the Oscar show, turning it from a dowdy matron into a hot, younger-demo hit. Instead, ABC's three-hour plus broadcast of the Academy Awards Sunday seemed tailor-made to bore the young, embarrass the old and chase away even the most dedicated Oscar fan.

Yes, it moved faster — but where exactly did it think it was going?

To be sure, Rock is one of the funniest, smartest, most talented comics in America. What he clearly wasn't, as the academy must surely now realize, was a smart choice to host the Oscars. His act may have worked in the hall (and to be fair, the crowd did seem to be with him), but it didn't work on TV. Loud, snide and dismissive, he wasn't just a disappointment; he ranks up there with the worst hosts ever — particularly when you factor in the expectations. When the show ran a salute to Johnny Carson's years as host, the comparison was so painful, it made you think the academy would have been better off just letting a computer-generated Carson host again.

Perhaps someone should have told Rock that he wasn't just doing a stand-up gig, he was hosting the Oscars. At the minimum, that means you're kind of expected to act as if you have some interest in the proceedings. Instead, his monologue bypassed the nominated films entirely in favor of a few mild generalized jokes about movies and movie stars — praising Clint Eastwood, mocking Jude Law It wasn't just pointless, it was dull (and apparently offensive to Sean Penn, who came to Law's defense).

Unfortunately, what many viewers are most likely to remember — particularly those who feel Hollywood is out of touch with many of its customers — is Rock's lengthy attack on George Bush. It went over big with the crowd, and if you voted for John Kerry, you probably found it amusing. But that routine had nothing to do with the Oscars, either, and it very likely sent half the audience fleeing from what was otherwise a politics-free evening.

Later, as if to verify that he thought the show was a waste of time, Rock ran a pre-taped interview with people at a movie theater, none of whom had any interest in the nominated films. The bit was hardly shocking: We all knew there was no Lord of the Rings blockbuster in this year's lineup. On another night, on another show, it might even have been funny. On this night, at this event, it was alarmingly out of place.

Doesn't anyone have a sense of occasion anymore? It's one thing to make gentle fun of the nominees, as Billy Crystal does so well, and another to imply that no one outside of the hall cares about their work. Surely someone involved with last night's broadcast should have known the difference. Luckily, like every other host, Rock made only limited appearances after the first half-hour. In this case, less was best.

Rock, however, can't take all the blame for an evening that was well-dressed but almost ceaselessly dreary. Among a host of awful ideas, the worst was the decision to make second-class citizens out of the nominees for the technical awards — otherwise known as those people who have the nerve to be nominated without being famous. If anyone should realize that these categories are as integral to a movie's success and as hard to pull off as a great acting performance, it should be the members of the movie academy.

Instead, they made the nominees for some of those awards, such as art direction and documentaries, stand together on stage while their names were read, like American Idol contestants at the results show. That meant the losers also had to stand there and clap, at least until the camera closed in on the winners. At that point, one assumes, the losers were whisked away, though for all we know they were dropped into a hole in the set.
Even so, they were treated like stars compared with the nominees for a few other categories, such as best action short, who had to accept their Oscars in the aisle. Wouldn't it have been even faster just to pitch the Oscars at their heads?

Does it really take that much more time to let a winner rise out of a seat and come up on stage? If being asked to give up a few extra viewing seconds so these people can have their proper due is that much of an imposition, then here's a radical idea: Every event on Earth is not about you. These people have just won the most important award in their field. For heaven's sake, let them enjoy it.

But then for years, the intent of the Oscar broadcast has seemed to be to take the focus away from the awards and put it on ... well, what, exactly? The awards don't get in the way of the show; they are the show. If the producers think the acceptance speeches are boring, then by all means encourage the nominees to limit their thanks to those people to whom they are actually grateful. (That should cut the speeches down drastically.) But it's awfully hard to persuade an audience to watch an awards show when the people presenting the awards act like they're meaningless.

Of course, those lucky few winners who did get on stage immediately found themselves upstaged by the set, which did just about everything but talk. Note to the director: When you have Sidney Lumet accepting the lifetime achievement award with one of the evening's more eloquent addresses, it's not the best idea to have some giant Oscar lazy-susan spinning behind him. Yet there it was, rotating away behind every acceptance speech like some out-of-control carnival ride. Didn't that thing have a "stop" button?

Still, if Sunday's program went too far with its innovations, that doesn't mean the Oscar format couldn't use some tweaking. For one thing, the time has probably come to make the original-song category optional. Beyoncé is a lovely woman and a fine singer, but most of those songs not only shouldn't have been performed, they shouldn't have been nominated.

Ironically enough for a show that seemed ashamed of its own awards, it was the award winners who came to the rescue. Hilary Swank gave a touching, graceful acceptance speech, thanking her husband and scaring off the orchestra. Jamie Foxx's win gave the show a long-awaited emotional boost. And Clint Eastwood added old-school, masculine class.

Clearly, the Oscars rock. What a shame the show didn't.

fredfa

02-28-05, 11:13 AM

Rock, Well . . . Didn't
By Tom Shales The Washington Post Monday, February 28, 2005; Page C01

Chris Rock jokingly welcomed viewers to "the 77th, and last, Academy Awards" last night but this Oscar show, nervously televised from Hollywood on ABC, will more likely turn out to be the first, and last, to be hosted by Rock. Though a brilliant and caustic stand-up comedian, Rock's stint as an Oscar host was strangely lame and mean-spirited.

Since we are apparently still living in the aftermath of Janet Jackson's overexposure at the 2004 Super Bowl, and because Rock is a comic known for raw and risque material, there was much hullabaloo in the weeks leading up to the ceremony about whether Rock would misbehave, perhaps earning ABC a scolding and sanction from the Federal Communications Commission, which now doles out fines the way Hollywood doles out awards.

But the only real controversy generated by Rock came during a so-so monologue in which he insulted several actors, Jude Law among them, as being small-timers who got parts only when better actors were unavailable. Rock had also pre-taped a peculiar bit of man-on-the-street comedy in which a collection of Hollywood moviegoers, most of them African American, said they hadn't seen or even heard of many of this year's nominated films. It was unclear if this routine was some sort of commentary on racism or a gratuitous slap at Hollywood, but either option is hardly encouraging.

The first half of the show was dominated by the film "The Aviator," about the life of Howard Hughes, but then the show was taken over by "Million Dollar Baby," a gritty drama about a woman who wants to be a professional boxer. "Aviator" won for art direction, costumes, supporting actress (Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn) and cinematography, but "Million Dollar Baby" won the million-dollar awards: Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Picture and best performance by an actress, the toothy Hilary Swank.

Swank also took dubious honors for one of the evening's most torturous and prolonged acceptance speeches, refusing to be cut off by the orchestra, which had managed to silence a few blabbermouths who preceded her. Few winners followed the sterling example set by Morgan Freeman, who was named Best Supporting Actor in the same film and whose speech was brilliantly brief.

Producer Gil Cates made a few brave tries at shortening the show. Some awards were handed out in the audience, eliminating a few of those agonizing long walks to the stage (which some shrewd winners always draw out by stopping to shake hands with everybody they met in Hollywood on their way to the top). Nominees and winners of craftsmanship and technical awards were already gathered onstage when their awards were announced.

That led Rock to joke that next year some Oscars will be presented in the parking lot, with winners taking advantage of a quickie drive-through lane.

This year's Oscars featured, for the most part, such a gloom-and-doomy array of nominees that it would have been very hard to turn the show into a funfest, or even a decently entertaining three hours of self-indulgence.
Fearing that the lackluster box-office performance of the nominated films would translate into low ratings for the Oscar special, Cates and other producers of the program hired hot comic Rock and then sent him on a publicity tour during which he repeatedly suggested he would not soften or homogenize his material. The promise appeared to be that this year's Oscars would be racy and sexy and a slap in the face of blue-nose pressure groups who have currently declared open season on TV and its allegedly offensive programming.

But the brave front was a sham. Robin Williams was scheduled to perform a song ridiculing censorious fringe groups, but according to news reports the song was deemed so inflammatory, and was so heavily edited by ABC censors, that its authors refused to let it be performed. When Williams stepped onstage, he'd affixed a piece of white tape over his mouth to symbolize the censorship.

His comedy routine included some of the material that had been in the song -- jokes about comic-book and fairy-tale characters having scandalous private lives -- but the song itself was gone, revealing ABC censors to be chickenhearted in the way that almost all censors are, and handing a victory to the pressure groups, one of which recently charged that the popular cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants was sending out secret pro-homosexual messages in his animated adventures.

"SquarePants is not gay," Williams jokes. "Tight Pants? Maybe. SpongeBob HotPants? You go, girl!" The cartoon, which airs daily on Nickelodeon, is one of the most popular programs of any kind on cable TV.

The annual Academy salute to motion picture figures who died during the previous year was movingly accompany by a Yo-Yo Ma cello solo. As was only fitting, the personality saved for last and given the most time during the tribute was Marlon Brando. Earlier, however, the Academy badly fumbled a chance to offer a tribute to Johnny Carson, who hosted the Academy Awards many times in the '70s and '80s, back when the show still had a vestige of energy and the nominated movies still had some glamour and pizzazz.

This year's Oscar show was certainly more ethnically diverse than ever, but so much attention was called to this that it made the program seem lopsided, a celebration only of films that qualify as politically correct. Actor Jamie Foxx, who won for playing the great singer Ray Charles in the film "Ray," seemed to be exploiting the racial angle by implying his victory was a victory for African Americans. He gave essentially the same speech he gave at the Golden Globes, replete with threats to break up in tears when he got to the part about his dear old grandma and her influence on little Jamie when he was a child.

That influence included "whippings," Foxx said, but he claimed to be grateful even for those. In the audience, Oprah Winfrey gave Foxx a big wave as if she somehow shared in the award for his acting talent and heartfelt performance in the movie.

The Oscars are losing their status as a big national party and turning instead into de facto political conventions -- and if there's anything TV and the nation don't need, it's more of those. Chances are the ratings for this year's Oscar show will not be especially high and might be especially low, unless Rock turns out to have been enough of a name to bring viewers back to their sets. More likely, the whole horrible mess will have to be rethought once again, and next year's Oscarcast will be preceded by a fresh wave of hype about how new and improved it all is.

Perhaps Billy Crystal will come riding in on a white horse again and rescue the show with a zippy performance as host. There can't really be great Oscar shows, however, without great movies. The fault for this year's dry and dreary fiasco isn't Rock's or the windy speechmakers thanking half the population of North America. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in our motion pictures.

fredfa

02-28-05, 11:18 AM

New tune, but song's the same
The big surprise is that Rock turns out to be not too dangerous
By Paul Brownfield Los Angeles Times Staff Writer February 28, 2005

Oh, cruel Oscar world, with your caste systems and not-so-subtle slights! I know that this year's telecast was designed to streamline things, to head off the collective unconsciousness that tends to kick in around hour three. But all the little stylistic changes — barring some winners from going onstage, limiting Robin Williams to 10 jokes about Beverly Hills face-lifts — couldn't save the show from devolving into the overblown TV event it wants always to be. It doesn't matter where you place Scarlett Johansson to talk about technical achievement, the Oscars are a popularity contest that pretends also to honor the boulder pushers who spend months of their lives applying makeup to a celebrity's puss at 5 in the morning.

Those would be the makeup artists, among the categories in which the winner accepted the award in the aisle, like an audience member asking a question on a daytime talk show. Lacking a great race for best picture and fearing the audience fatigue that has seen ratings for the Oscar telecast — and other award shows — spiral downward in recent years, the PR strategy this year was to plug its "dangerous" host, Chris Rock. By the time Rock took the stage Sunday night, so many thousands of words had been written about what he might say and whom he might alienate that it seemed the fate of Iran and North Korea's nuclear capability hung in the balance. Rock did filter the broadcast through the prism of his comedy in a way that at times felt indecorous, if not dangerous, and he shook things up about as much as could be expected when you've got a five-second delay on your script and a movie career — his own, namely — to think about.

He kept bringing it all back to race, in a kind of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"-ization of the Oscars. The asides gave the evening whatever tension it had, and it didn't have much.

"Black movies don't have real names," Rock said in his opening monologue. " 'Barbershop,' 'Cookout,' 'Car Wash,' — you know 'Laundromat's' coming soon. And after that 'Check Cashing Place.' " You can hear Rock do this joke anywhere, and the monologue, overhyped as it was, was anticlimactic — a separate, out-of-context event grafted onto the event at hand. In his brief set, Rock took several passing jabs at President Bush but, bizarrely, ended up incensing more people in the house with a running gag about the cinematic omnipresence of Jude Law. "Who is Jude Law?" he carped, and hours later, presenting the award for best actress, Sean Penn peevishly called out Rock for sullying the name of "one of our finest actors."

Rock wasn't the best choice for the gig he was the best choice to get people talking about tuning in. "Sideways" is a nice movie, and so is "Finding Neverland," but this year's Academy Awards, you just knew, weren't going to make anyone forget that on Sunday night at this time ABC is usually showing "Desperate Housewives."

So here was Rock, in a made-for-TV event. It was a ruse. If you've seen him perform, it takes Rock about 30 minutes to get going — his anger builds, his rhythm picks up, he's eviscerating black street culture.

This, on the other hand, was 10 minutes before kicking it over to Cate Blanchett. One of the reasons Billy Crystal dominated the awards as host for so many years is that the night lends itself to a Vaudevillian master of ceremonies, someone who enters doing light shtick.

That's not Rock. And so he mostly behaved, and pretty soon it was the same old three-hour-plus ritual again, only with rearranged furniture. By the end, the most memorable segment was one that Rock and his writers taped at the Magic Johnson Theaters in Los Angeles. There, he asked black moviegoers to list their movies of the year. One guy said "The Chronicles of Riddick." Several others said they really liked "White Chicks," which became the running joke — applaud yourself all you want, Hollywood, but your business is built on the opening-weekend take of "White Chicks" at the mall in the predominately black neighborhood. You could feel the self-congratulatory air back at the Kodak Theatre being sucked out of the room, and for a brief moment it felt as though Rock had blown the show open.

fredfa

02-28-05, 11:28 AM

Sunday’s ratings been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

Paul Bigelow

02-28-05, 11:58 AM

I think the Academy Awards presentation is first and foremost an awards presentation, a chance to see performers and technicians come together and celebrate a year of work.

I think when forces act upon the presention to try to morph the Awards into something else -- that's when it runs into trouble.

Hollywood needs to find one of their own who is smart, nice, talkative, and has a deep understanding and appreciation of movie business and history.

IMHO

Paul

George Thompson

02-28-05, 02:20 PM

NBC UNIVERSAL WILL SHOP FOR A LOT AT NAB
By Glen Dickson, Broadcasting & Cable, 2/27/2005

NBC Universal's John Wallace is going to preside over a big field trip at the NAB. As executive vice president of television operations and production services, he oversees technology for the NBC network and its 14 owned stations; NBC Universal cable networks; and Telemundo and its 16 stations. He'll take 80 staffers to Las Vegas to help him shop for technology that can solve production and distribution challenges.
Three major areas NBC Universal will be focusing on at NAB are HDTV, multicasting technologies and creating a standardized platform to manage spot sales and playback across all NBC Universal television properties.

"We're looking at solutions for a more complex environment as we explore mobile technologies, targeted ads and interactive mediums like VOD," says Wallace. "The traditional paradigms of how we broadcast and sell are changing, and there are some interesting thoughts in how vendors are tackling the market."

HDTV production gear is a priority since NBC will launch Late Night With Conan O'Brien in HDTV in April and convert Studio 8H, home of Saturday Night Live and Last Call With Carson Daly, by October.

And to support NBC's high-def broadcast of the 2006 Winter Olympics from Turin, Italy, next February, the network will upgrade its 32-channel Genesis operations center in New York to handle eight channels of HDTV.

"The biggest difference [compared with the Athens Summer Olympics in 2004] is that the NBC television network will do a simulcast in full HD," says Wallace. "This time, we will do all the commercial integration through New York and manage multiple time zones."

NBC Universal is also creating a new network operations center (Genesis II) in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., for its cable and Telemundo networks. Due to go online next month, it's designed to handle 64 channels and a mix of standard-definition and HDTV feeds. Initially, it will support 28 channels including Universal HD.

On the station side, NBC Universal is focused on ways to use its digital spectrum for multicasting, with such projects as NBC Weather Plus, the 24-hour weather service it is launching in 14 markets. In that vein, NBC will be investigating 'virtual-set' systems.

NBC U is standardizing technology platforms at all of its facilities to streamline the selling and airing of commercials. Wallace wants a system that handles sales, reporting and playback across all broadcast and cable properties and is able to expand to new applications, such as targeted ads, mobile-content services and VOD advertising.

"We want a 'sales-to-playback' strategy that will let us efficiently sell to the customer across multiple digital mediums," he says.

Wallace has digital asset-management systems on his list, too, prices have become more reasonable in that area. Storage is important, but "I'm also looking at the ability to manage content through the enterprise and push and pull material," says Wallace. "If a story is breaking in Birmingham, can I have it in my desktop in New York immediately?"

dline

02-28-05, 03:37 PM

FCC Denies Indecency Complaints Against Three More Shows
Saving Private Ryan, Arrested Development, Will & Grace Targeted

(Written and posted by dline)

(Feb. 28) The Federal Communications Commission today dismissed indecency complaints against three more programs.

One of these shows was ABC's Veterans' Day broadcast of Saving Private Ryan. Many affiliates refused to air the movie because they feared the FCC would fine them due to its language and graphic war scenes.

ABC's contract required the network and its affiliates to air the film uncut.

"In light of the overall context in which the material is presented, the Commission determined that it was not indecent or profane," the FCC wrote in a press release, adding that indecency and profanity rules do not apply to violence.

The commission's order noted ABC's various warnings, including the movie's introduction, the full-screen graphic after each commercial break, and the "TV MA LV" rating bug.

In a separate statement, FCC Chairman Michael Powell wrote: "This film is a critically acclaimed artwork that tells a gritty story -- one of bloody battles and supreme heroism. The horror of war and the enormous personal sacrifice it draws on cannot be painted in airy pastels. The true colors are muddy brown and fire red and any accurate depiction of this significant historical tale could not be told properly without bringing that sense to the screen."

The complaint against Saving Private Ryan was filed by the American Family Association.

The FCC also denied complaints filed by the Parents' Television Council against recent episodes of the Fox show Arrested Development and the NBC comedy Will and Grace, both of which targeted sexual innudendo. In both cases commissioners decided the material cited by the PTC was "not sufficiently graphic or explicit."

More information and the full reports can be obtained through www.fcc.gov .

___

dline posts this for information only and does not necessarily agree with any point of view contained in this post.

j_buckingham80

02-28-05, 04:20 PM

Drudge is reporting that the National Numbers for the Oscars reflect a 6% YOY decline in viewership for the Oscars (no number given) reflecting "Heartland America" not watching the Oscars.

41.5 Million Viewers down 2 million from last year.

Full Article:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050228/ap_en_mo/oscars_tv_ratings_2

AFH

02-28-05, 05:31 PM

In regards to Dline's FCC post, I must concur with some of the sexual complaints about Arrested Devel. I like the show and I have it as a season pass on my Directivo, but it seems as of late that the sexual innudendo has become more commonplace and overt. And it seems that Tobias is the one that the innudendo is coming from but the other character seem to also direct it at him. The show can and has been funny with Tobias making references to performing oral sex on himself.

j_buckingham80

02-28-05, 05:59 PM

Last episode was pretty heavy on the innuendo. It's like salt, a small amount lightens up an episode and contributes to the opinion one has of Tobias as a little clueless, but too much and it can easily ruin the meal.

fredfa

02-28-05, 09:16 PM

The Fast National Oscar ratings (off 2.03 million viewers from last year) been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

02-28-05, 09:19 PM

Oscar viewership slips again
By Scott Collins Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Chris Rock didn't utter any naughty words at the Oscars — and he didn't boost ratings either.

Average viewership of Sunday's Academy Awards telecast slipped 5%, to 41.5 million viewers, compared to last year's show, according to preliminary data released today from Nielsen Media Research.

Oscar organizers hoped that as a first-time host, Rock would help halt an overall trend of ratings erosion.

Despite a weeks long controversy over the comic's irreverent comments in magazine articles — and worry about whether he might spice Oscar night with the expletives familiar from his stand-up routines — Rock did not appear to have connected even with his core fan base of younger viewers. The ratings slipped 6% in the key viewer demographic of ages 18 to 49.

This year's nominated films failed to stoke much enthusiasm among viewers — none of the five films tapped in the best picture category has grossed more than $100 million. But the clutch of critical pans for Rock's performance might send the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences back to the drawing board next year.

"Rock wasn't the best choice for the gig; he was the best choice to get people talking about tuning in," Paul Brownfield wrote in The Times. Reviews in the Washington Post and USA Today were even more harsh.

Based on ratings, the Oscar broadcast captured 30.1% of viewers, a slight 1% improvement over last year's results, according to wire service reports. It was the highest ratings, based on share of the audience, since the 2000 awards broadcast.

fredfa

02-28-05, 09:27 PM

TiVo Picks Jamie Foxx as Oscar’s Big Winner
Red Carpet Diva Cate Blanchett Ruled the Oscar Pre-Show as TiVo Viewers Hit Replay to See Her Stunning Entrance

ALVISO, Calif., Feb. 28 PRNewswire-FirstCall--Front-runner Jamie Foxx's emotional acceptance speech after winning the award for "Best Actor" was the top TiVo moment of the Oscar broadcast according to TiVo analysis released today. In his speech, Foxx gave a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother saying "She still talks to me, only now she talks to me in my dreams. I can't wait to go to sleep tonight."

The second most popular TiVo moment of the evening was the "Best Picture" win by "Million Dollar Baby."

Taking home four awards in some of the event's most prestigious categories, the film, directed by Clint Eastwood, was the Hollywood knockout of the night.

Cate and Kate Rule the Red Carpet

"The Aviator" co-star Cate Blanchett -- who clinched the award for "Best Supporting Actress" -- was the most popular Hollywood celebrity to grace the red carpet, among TiVo subscribers, as she made her entrance in a yellow Valentino gown with diamond brooch. Blanchett's arrival was the most replayed moment of the night's red carpet glamour.

Not to be outdone, actress Kate Winslet's arrival in a blue Badgley Mischka stunner also caught the eye of TiVo subscribers, ranking number two as the second most popular replayed TiVo moment on the red carpet.

TiVo's audience measurement analysis is based on aggregated data from a sample of 10,000 anonymous TiVo households. TiVo viewership information gauges viewer interest in programming content by measuring the percentage of the TiVo audience who are watching in "Play" speed.

fredfa

03-01-05, 01:04 AM

A more complete look at Sunday’s Oscar ratings – which were, at first, reported to be solidly higher than in 2004,.
But then the returns from the smaller markets came in….

The Oscar Telecast's Ratings: Less Than Rock Solid
By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Tuesday, March 1, 2005; Page C07
About 41.5 million viewers watched Chris Rock's first (and, many were speculating yesterday, last) gig as Oscar host on Sunday. That was 2 million fewer viewers than watched last year's Billy Crystal-hosted Oscarcast.

Based on the numbers, it would appear that the decision to hire Rock to host the Academy Awards show -- a choice that had done so much these past few weeks to cause the media's knotted and combined locks to part, and each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porpentine -- did not have the same sensational effect on the public at large. Wish we had a buck for every time that's happened.

Some industry pundits had speculated that Oscar viewing levels would be high because of Rock's gig -- the mere anticipation of which had caused the media's hair to stand on end like that porpentine (aka porcupine) whose one big moment in "Hamlet" we pinched above, proving that you never know when the drivel you're forced to memorize in school is going to finally come in handy. Indeed, news reports early yesterday said Sunday's Oscar numbers were the franchise's best in five years.

Those reports, however, had been based on so-called "metered market" ratings, which aren't worth the per-pound price of porpentine when it comes to trying to figure out national numbers for a live broadcast such as the Academy Awards.

In fairness, Rock's audience was much larger than the paltry 33 million who had gathered around their sets to watch the Academy Awards in 2003, when Steve Martin hosted the show. (That audience remains the trophy show's smallest ever.) On the other hand, Rock's following was about 1.5 million viewers shy of the audience for the Martin-hosted 2001 Academy Awards. Rock also scored fewer viewers than Oscarcasts of 2002, 2000, 1999, '98, '96, '95,'94, '93, '92, '91, '89 -- we could go on and on.

This was not because, as Oscar hosts go, Rock was lousy, though there is a compelling argument to be made (and quite a number of critics have made it) that Rock was pretty lousy. This was because the number of viewers who tune in to the Academy Awards is largely dependent on what movies are in the race. This year, for the first time in 15 years, none of the Best Picture contenders has broken $100 million at the box office. Last year, on the other hand, blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" was among the final five.

Back in October, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Rock would host the Oscars, sending the media's locks into that porpentine routine, Academy Executive Director Bruce Davis said Rock was sure to attract those young male viewers the show has had so much trouble getting to watch. So how did Rock do with young male viewers? Not so well, turns out.

This year's Oscarcast is down in that age bracket compared with last year. In fact, Rock's male 18-to-34 numbers are lower than any Academy Awards broadcast in recent Oscar history, except that super-lousy one in 2003. ABC noted yesterday afternoon in its Oscar ratings roundup that the show posted its best numbers in that demographic group in three years and credited the boost to Rock.

Hooey.

In truth, Sunday's show delivered only 400,000 more 18-to-34-year-old viewers -- chump change in the broadcast TV business -- than last year's show.

And this was because the broadcast attracted more young female viewers, probably thanks to Beyonce and "Aviator" star Leonardo DiCaprio. Rock actually delivered 400,000 fewer 18- to 34-year-olds than the 2002 telecast, hosted by grandmother Whoopi Goldberg, while a whopping 1.6 million more turned up for the 2001 Oscarcast, hosted by Martin, who was then in his mid-fifties.

Also contributing to Sunday's dampened numbers: virtually no surprises. Hilary Swank, Best Actress; Jamie Foxx, Best Actor; "Million Dollar Baby," Best Picture, all as forecast by the Golden Globes and critics.

Which is not to say the show was devoid of excitement. There was the mystery of Beyonce singing three of the five nominated songs. Billboard reported that she had stepped in for Minnie Driver on one song because Minnie discovered a "scheduling conflict." Do you believe that? Me neither.

And how about John Travolta's Chia Pet hair? Three nights earlier, Travolta, sporting a very short haircut, appeared on David Letterman's show to promote his new movie. As an Oscar presenter, his hair appeared to have grown about four inches. This would not cause alarm in Hollywood, where hair idiosyncrasies are commonplace, but in Washington it's another matter entirely, particularly when talked about on-air by hair-challenged TV, radio and Washington Post personality Tony Kornheiser -- did we mention he has a CBS sitcom based on his home life? Put on the case, we called Travolta's publicist who issued a terse "no comment." To be perfectly accurate, his publicist's secretary issued the "no comment" because, it seems, Travolta's publicist is the Wizard of Oz, who does not grant audiences to just anyone.

slocko

03-01-05, 01:07 AM

i'm one of those that has never watched the oscars. i do watch the grammys though.

fredfa

03-01-05, 03:19 AM

slocko:
So You're the guy who watches the Grammys! :)

fredfa

03-01-05, 11:24 AM

Monday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

bgall

03-01-05, 11:25 AM

Tuesday's rating already? Wow you know the ratings before the shows even air, awesome!

fredfa

03-01-05, 11:42 AM

Thanks for catching the error, bgall. edit made.

slocko

03-01-05, 07:16 PM

Yep, that's me! :D

I just don't have the time to watch both events. So I rather watch the one that I consider more entertaining.

One of these days I have to try that retirement thing :)

Originally posted by fredfa
slocko:
So You're the guy who watches the Grammys! :)

fredfa

03-01-05, 08:12 PM

ABC Sweeps Into Second
By Jim Finkle Broadcasting & Cable3/1/2005
ABC is poised to grab second during the February sweep in the key 18-49 sales demo, pushing CBS into third place, thanks to some help from Sunday's Oscars telecast. It will mark the network's best showing in 18-49's in a February sweep in five years, according to ABC.
It's the latest sign that the network may be able to leverage the success of Desperate Housewives and Lost into a broader turnaround for the network that placed last among the Big Four during the 2003-2004 season.

Fox will win the sweep, as has long been expected thanks to the Super Bowl and American Idol, with an assist from 24 and especially, House, which has been Tuesday night's top drama thanks to its Idol lead-in and the strength of brilliantly quirky lead Hugh Laurie.

Just how much the competition was crediting the Super Bowl for Fox's win was summed up by CBS ratings guru, David Poltrack. "We congratulate our friends at Fox for their impressive victory, salute NBC's Olympic-driven win next February, and boldly declare CBS, home of Super Bowl XLI, the winner of the February 2007 sweep."

That may have been stretching it a bit, since Fox also had the top-rated series of the sweep in American Idol. CBS claimed the top scripted series with CSI.

The battle for second place has been hotly contested, with CBS and ABC trading spaces several times over the course of February.

The Oscars drew a smaller audience than last year, pulling a 15.1 rating in the 18-49 demo vs. a 15.3 for last year. Still, that was a large enough number to tip the scale in favor of ABC.

Here's how the networks ranked among 18-49s based on final ratings for Sunday, the 25th day of the 28-day sweep: Fox: 6.3 rating/16 share; ABC: 4.1/11; CBS: 3.8/10; NBC: 3.6/9; WB: 1.4/3; UPN: 1.3/3.--John Eggerton contributed to this report.

fredfa

03-01-05, 09:30 PM

Last week’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-02-05, 12:18 AM

Each network’s top five and bottom five programs last week’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-02-05, 12:45 AM

With 'Idol' and Super Bowl, Fox Wins Sweeps Month
By KATE AURTHUR The New York Times March 2, 2005

“Today we declare victory, handily," Gail Berman, Fox's entertainment president, said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. Her declaration came yesterday, one day before the end of the February ratings sweeps, but her network's No. 1 ranking has been assured for weeks on the strength of the unstoppable fourth season of "American Idol" and the Super Bowl broadcast last month.

According to Nielsen Media Research, Fox is far ahead in all the measurements advertisers value: adults 18 to 49, adults 18 to 34 and total viewers. And because of its winter surge, Fox is now tied with CBS in the 18-to-49 demographic for the season. It is a come-from-behind victory for Fox, which was mired in fourth place because of a disastrous fall schedule. During the fall, Fox relied on a number of reality shows that flopped, like "My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss" and "The Rebel Billionaire."

"We had a difficult fourth quarter, as we always do," Ms. Berman acknowledged, citing another struggle: scheduling around postseason baseball, which Fox carries and which delays the premieres of fall shows. "Going forward, we have to utilize baseball, which is a great asset for us, and not have it be a problem for the entertainment part of the schedule." She listed the medical drama "House," the fourth season of "24" and "The O.C.'s" move to Thursday nights with little loss of viewers as Fox's non-"American Idol" successes this season.
Aside from Fox's clear sweeps win, in the all-important 18-to-49 demographic for the season, the top four networks are separated by the slimmest of margins. "The network races are so close right now," said Steve Sternberg, a television analyst for Magna Global, a media research firm in New York City. "If you look at the full season, anyone can still win."

Even NBC, Mr. Sternberg said, which has suffered from the loss of "Friends" and audience erosion for veteran shows like "ER" and "Will & Grace." NBC is in fourth place for the sweeps period, but it is behind CBS and ABC only fractionally in the 18-to-49 demographic largely because of its midseason hit mystery series "Medium," the continued success of "The Apprentice" and the fact that the "Law & Order" franchise still draws big numbers, though ratings for two of the three crime shows are down from last year.

Mr. Sternberg said CBS and ABC were poised to perform the best for the rest of the season. "CBS has had the most consistent ratings over the last several years," he said of the network that was No. 1 during the November sweeps race. "But it's not only that their ratings have been stable, their programming and schedule have been stable, too."

For ABC, what used to be its weakness - its lack of a franchise show with spinoffs on several nights - now appears to be its best asset. Last season, the beleaguered network had nothing comparable to NBC's "Law & Order," CBS's "CSI" or Fox's "American Idol." And it still does not. But hit shows like "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Boston Legal" have so greatly improved ABC's fortunes that it is second to CBS in total viewers for the season, and behind only Fox in this sweeps period in adults 18 to 49. In terms of competitiveness with CBS, Mr. Sternberg said, "ABC is getting very close right now."

For Fox, Ms. Berman said she had high hopes for the rest of the season, as well as for the network's summer schedule. "We've had some missteps and I acknowledge them," she said. "But we're going to deliver our audience and advertisers a tremendous season. Perhaps our best ever."

During Fox's poorly rated fall, there was talk that Ms. Berman's job might be in jeopardy. Has the network's resounding sweeps victory quieted those murmurs? "When all that stuff is stirring around, you just have to stay focused," Ms. Berman said of the job she has held since July 2000. "There's been talk about my job since I walked in the door."

fredfa

03-02-05, 12:57 AM

Fox Charts Its First-Ever Sweeps Victory
By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Wednesday, March 2, 2005; Page C07
Historic February ratings sweeps? Meaningless February sweeps? It all depends on whether your network won.Here's a look at the week's victories and defeats:
WINNERS
Fox. Fox made history during the February ratings derby, winning its first sweeps since the network began broadcasting in 1987. Not coincidentally, Fox aired the Super Bowl, which for the first time was scheduled for the February sweeps (the 2002 Super Bowl also fell in the sweeps period after the football season was delayed in the wake of Sept. 11). Take away the Super Bowl and Fox finishes third, behind CBS and ABC, despite ratings-hit "American Idol." (It does stay on top among 18-to-49-year-olds.) CBS officially congratulated Fox on its win yesterday, and also saluted NBC's Olympics-driven win next February, while boldly declaring itself, home of Super Bowl XLI, the winner of the February 2007 sweeps. Meow.
77th Annual Academy Awards. When the final numbers came in, the Chris Rock-hosted Oscarcast clocked 42 million people, making it TV's most watched entertainment telecast this season to date. The annual trophy show, which this year lacked big box-office contenders, was down 1.5 million compared with last year, when "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" cleaned up. But its numbers improved among 18-to-34-year-old women, and the show clocked its best male teen stats since 1999, when Whoopi Goldberg hosted and "Shakespeare in Love" was named best picture. Go figure.
"Peter Jennings Reporting -- UFO: Seeing Is Believing." Nearly 10 years ago, Fox made TV history when it drew an average of 11.7 million viewers to "Alien Autopsy." Last week, this aliens-are-among-us-or-are-they? special scored 11.6 million viewers -- nearly doubling ABC's season average in the Thursday 8-to-10 p.m. time slot. Who knew a Fox concept could work so well for ABC?
"Stars Without Makeup." About 7.4 million learned an important lesson: Female celebs in their late forties through late fifties often do not look 20 years old when they go to the grocery store -- oh, and Elton John has a potty mouth. "Makeup" lured more viewers than "The O.C.," which aired right before it, and it nearly doubled Fox's season average in the Thursday 9 p.m. hour. Can an ABC special -- "Peter Jennings Reporting: Celebrity Makeup: Seeing Is Believing" -- be far behind?
"Project Runway." When Bravo's fashion design competition debuted in December, only 354,000 tuned in. By last week's finale, more than 2 million were hooked. That's the biggest audience for Bravo this season and a record for the network in the Wednesday 9-11 p.m. time period.
LOSERS
NBC. The once-dominant network finished No. 4 for the first time in any sweeps race. NBC points out that it would finish No. 2 if only you took away Fox's broadcast of the Super Bowl, CBS's broadcast of the Grammys and ABC's broadcast of the Academy Awards. Why would we do that? Those networks paid good money for those broadcast rights.
"One Day at a Time Reunion." A paltry 9.3 million watched CBS's sitcom reunion special -- particularly embarrassing since ABC's "Happy Days" reunion special, on the first night of the February sweeps, logged 20 million,

keenan

03-02-05, 02:40 AM

Originally posted by fredfa
Fox Charts Its First-Ever Sweeps Victory
By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Wednesday, March 2, 2005; Page C07

NBC points out that it would finish No. 2 if only you took away Fox's broadcast of the Super Bowl, CBS's broadcast of the Grammys and ABC's broadcast of the Academy Awards. Why would we do that? Those networks paid good money for those broadcast rights.

NBC really didn't say this did they? That's the best response they could come up with, a " would have been, if "? :D :p

rogo

03-02-05, 03:03 AM

NBC pointed out that, well, no one would be watching NBC anyway, as they, well, still finished 4th. And apparently they would've finished 4th no matter how you slice it.

The fact that most of their "franchise" shows are losing viewers does not bode well for the future, either.

George Thompson

03-02-05, 08:08 AM

THE INVESTIGATION OF "THE 4400" CONTINUES AS PRODUCTION RESUMES ON ITS SECOND SEASON ON USA NETWORK
( March 01, 2005 )

Los Angeles, CA – March 1, 2005 – THE 4400, the critically acclaimed hit series from Paramount Network Television, begins production on its second season this week in Vancouver. Production on the series, which will air Sundays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on USA Network, resumes with the episode entitled "Wake-up Call." The series will premiere with a special two-hour episode on Sunday, June 5 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

Billy Campbell will reprise his role as Collier, one of the mysterious 4400. Other returning cast members include Joel Gretsch as Tom Baldwin, Jacqueline McKenzie as Diana Skouris, Patrick Flueger as Shawn Farrell, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali as Richard Tyler, Laura Allen as Lily Moore, Chad Faust as Kyle and Conchita Campbell as Maia.

The second season will continue exploring the travails of the 4400 people who were presumed dead or reported missing, before they suddenly reappeared on Earth. Though they had not aged physically, some of them reappeared on earth with severe alterations ranging from superhuman strength to an unexplained healing touch. The Department of Homeland Security formed an agency to track the 4400 after one of them was accused of committing a murder.

THE 4400 premiered on July 11, 2004 on USA Network as the highest-rated and most-watched original series premiere ever on a basic cable network. The series was 2004's top original scripted basic cable series, beating all other original programs in viewers, households, and key demos.

In the first episode of the show's second season, the action resumes six months after the series first season ended, and over a year after the 4400 were deposited back on earth. Tom is reinstated at the Department of Homeland Security, reuniting with his partner, Diana, as they continue their investigation into the 4400. Meanwhile, Lily's baby, who was mysteriously conceived during her absence, is now six months old; and Collier's book is published, containing explosive information about the 4400.

THE 4400 was created by Scott Peters and Rene Echevarria. Scott Peters, Maira Suro, Ira Behr and Perry Simon are executive producers.

THE 4400 is produced by Paramount Network Television in association with Renegade 83 and American Zoetrope for USA Network. Paramount Network Television is a division of the CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group, a unit of Viacom Inc.

USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

George Thompson

03-02-05, 08:19 AM

Headlines

'MEDIUM,' 'ER,' 'SVU,' 'APPRENTICE' AND 'LAS VEGAS' AMONG NBC STANDOUTS FOR THE FEBRUARY SWEEP AND THE WEEK OF FEB. 21-27
( March 01, 2005 )

'MEDIUM,' 'ER,' 'SVU,' 'APPRENTICE' AND 'LAS VEGAS' AMONG NBC STANDOUTS FOR THE FEBRUARY SWEEP AND THE WEEK OF FEB. 21-27

NBC CLAIMS NINE TOP-30 SERIES AMONG ADULTS 18-49 IN FEBRUARY, MORE THAN ANY OTHER NETWORK

NBC IS #1 FOR THE 10:30 LEAD-IN TO LOCAL NEWS, INCREASING ITS ADVANTAGES OVER ABC AND CBS VERSUS NOVEMBER SWEEP RESULTS

THE PEACOCK IS RUNNING WITHIN A TENTH OF A POINT OF SECOND PLACE IN 18-49 REGULAR-PROGRAM AVERAGES FOR FEBRUARY

LAST WEEK'S 'MEDIUM' BOOSTS NBC'S SEASON AVERAGE IN THAT MONDAY SLOT BY 74 PERCENT

'LAS VEGAS' ROLLS A 36 PERCENT GAIN VS. ITS LEAD-IN TO WIN ITS TOUGH SLOT LAST WEEK IN 18-34

'LAW & ORDER: SVU' TRACKS DOWN ANOTHER RATINGS WIN, TOPPING THE COMPETITION COMBINED IN 18-34

'ER' GLOWS WITH HEALTHY DEMO WIN

'LAW & ORDER,' 'CRIMINAL INTENT' AND 'SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT' STAND TALL ON SUNDAY AGAINST THE OSCARS

NBC PLACES 9 SHOWS IN THE WEEK'S TOP 30 AMONG ADULTS 18-49, MORE THAN ANY OTHER NETWORK, INCLUDING A TOP-30 SHOW ON FIVE NIGHTS OF THE WEEK

fredfa

03-02-05, 11:15 AM

Tuesday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-02-05, 11:24 AM

For a summary of the FCC's take on the digital transition, and the effects of various hard dates,go here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=5263511#post5263511

rogo

03-03-05, 02:05 AM

NBC finds endless creative ways to parse the numbers to make a network in massive decline seem to be doing well....

fredfa

03-03-05, 02:58 AM

Personally, I'm waiting for the spin from UPN and the WB.

keenan

03-03-05, 03:00 AM

Originally posted by rogo
NBC finds endless creative ways to parse the numbers to make a network in massive decline seem to be doing well....

Maybe we'll have an episode of The Apprentice where Trump says to Jeff Zoooooker, YOU'RE FIRED!! :D :p

George Thompson

03-03-05, 08:08 AM

HD Technology Update from Broadcast Engineering, including...

INHD seeks proposals for HD programming from producers
Subsidized set-top boxes could be part of completing transition to DTV
(With GAO report on potential cost)
EFF 'Cookbook' shows consumers how to build flag-resistant HD PVR
Canadians are purchasing HDTV-ready TV's at faster rate than Americans

http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/hd_tech/20050302/#flag

George Thompson

03-03-05, 12:11 PM

NAB Update from Broadcast Engineering

SMPTE to host digital cinema session at NAB
HD TV project programming - model DTV station
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/nab_update/20050303/#

fredfa

03-03-05, 12:33 PM

Wednesday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

bgooch

03-03-05, 02:23 PM

Cablevision's Bundle Adds Up With Users
Thursday, March 3, 2005
BY REINHARDT KRAUSE, INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
http://www.investors.com/editorial/tech01.asp?view=1

Management discord has made some cable TV firms vulnerable to satellite rivals.

Three of the cable TV industry's biggest players — Cablevision, (CVC) Adelphia and Charter Communications (CHTR) — are mired in soap operalike sagas.

While Cablevision appears to be holding its own, the other two are having troubles.

Adelphia's post-bankruptcy sale has dragged on. Management turnover and other woes continue at Charter, which is controlled by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. And a family feud could force Cablevision to put itself up for sale.

Still, Cablevision is one of the few cable firms that's managed to stem subscriber losses to satellite TV rivals. Its strategy of selling pay TV, Internet access and phone services in a discounted bundle has paid off, analysts say. The Bethpage, N.Y.-based company added 18,000 subscribers in 2004.

That's less than 1%, but that's the most adds among all the publicly traded cable TV firms last year.

"Cablevision is pointing the way to the rest of the cable industry," said Wachovia analyst Jeff Wlodarczak.

Satellite firms DirecTV Group (DTV) and EchoStar Communications (DISH) have steadily grabbed market share from cable rivals the past decade, spending heavily on marketing.

In June, Cablevision roiled the industry with its new bundle offer. It started selling new subscribers TV, broadband Internet and phone services for just $90 a month.

That offer gave new customers roughly a $40 per month discount. Cablevision recently made a similar offer to existing customers, with about a $25 discount.

Cablevision's stock has climbed more than 20% in 2005. By contrast, IBD's 32-stock Media Cable/Satellite TV group is up less than 1%.

Father, Son Feud

One factor helping Cablevision shares is speculation the firm might be put up for sale because of a family feud over strategy. In December, Cablevision scrapped plans to spin off its satellite TV service, Voom. That sparked a battle between founder Charles Dolan and his son, Chief Executive James Dolan.

Still, analysts say Cablevision's cable business seems sound. Some Wall Street analysts say other big cable firms will copy Cablevision's successful discount strategy.

Adelphia's financial troubles have delayed crucial upgrades to its cable systems. It lost 249,000 customers in 2004. It had 4.79 million subscribers at the end of 2004. That's down 21% from 5.78 million at the end of 2001, says Merrill Lynch.

Company spokesman Paul Jacobson says Adelphia purposely shed some customers that fell behind paying. He says Adelphia has signed up 1.8 million digital customers and 1.3 million Internet subscribers the past four years.

In early 2002, Adelphia disclosed accounting fraud that led to criminal charges against its founders, and it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In 2004, Adelphia's creditors put the company up for auction. Comcast (CMCSA) and the cable unit of Time Warner, (TWX) the nation's two largest cable firms, have jointly bid for Adelphia. Their offer is said to be around $17.5 billion, including stock.

Charter Defections

The biggest holder of Adelphia debt, William Huff, is holding out for an all- or mostly cash deal.

Charter's (CHTR) subscriber rolls plunged 210,000 last year. That includes 83,000 subscribers it lost in the fourth quarter. The No. 3 cable TV firm in the U.S. ended 2004 with 6 million customers.

On Tuesday, Charter said its fourth-quarter per-share loss widened to $1.12 from 20 cents in the year-earlier quarter. Its shares, which began declining steeply in 2001, have slid 23% in 2005 to 1.68.

After Adelphia's problems surfaced, investors took a closer look at the bookkeeping of all cable firms. The Securities and Exchange Commission ended a probe of Charter's accounting last year.

In 2003, Charter said it overstated revenue and cash flow between 2000 and 2002.

In January, Charter CEO Carl Vogel resigned. Analysts said he differed with billionaire Allen over how to turn around things at Charter. Charter's chief operating officer and chief financial officer also have left in the past year.

Charter piled up more than $18 billion in debt during an acquisition binge. Analysts say it's unclear whether Allen will put more money into Charter.

Adelphia and Charter aren't the only cable TV firms hurting. Time Warner Cable lost 35,000 customers, ending 2004 at 10.86 million.

Comcast added just 8,000. It has 21.5 million subscribers.

Mediacom (MCCC) lost 86,000 customers last year, and Insight Communications (ICCI) dropped 22,000.

f44

03-03-05, 10:13 PM

Fox's 'North Shore' TV series canceled

HONOLULU (AP) — Fox television's Oahu-based drama series North Shore has been canceled, officials said.

Producer Harry Bring said he was told Wednesday that the network will not renew the hotel drama, which shut down in December two episodes short of its planned 22-episode season.

"There was no reason given yet," he said. "I don't know if it was cost, ratings or whatever."

The hour-long drama, which premiered last summer, was about the young staff at a posh Hawaiian hotel. It was savaged by critics and failed to attract big ratings.

ABC's Lost is now the sole network series filming in the islands. NBC's cop drama Hawaii was canceled last year after one season.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-03-03-north-shore-cancellation_x.htm

f44

03-03-05, 10:18 PM

From the newspaper The Honolulu Advertiser (despite what the producer says, the show's ratings were bad):

Producer says it's true: 'North Shore' wiped out

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Say aloha to the Grand Waimea Hotel.

After weeks of rumor and speculation, the TV network Fox finally pulled the plug on its O'ahu-based hotel drama, "North Shore."

Producer Harry Bring, who had been in daily contact with the network since the show wrapped up filming last December, said he received the bad news yesterday afternoon.

"They just said they will not renew the show," Bring said. "There was no reason given yet. I don't know if it was cost or ratings or whatever."

Hawai'i film commissioner Donne Dawson said she was saddened by the cancellation.

"It was just really a wonderful experience working with them, and it's really unfortunate that they're not coming back," she said. "The upshot of all this is that we have a stronger relationship with Fox now, and hopefully we'll see more productions coming our way."

North Shore was the first of three major network television series (along with ABC's "Lost" and NBC's ill-fated "Hawaii") to film on O'ahu last year. Greenlighted as part of the network's summer programming experiment, the production hit the airwaves with just one-third of the preparatory time most series are given.

Panned by TV critics, the show about life at a luxury North Shore hotel nonetheless found a small but devoted following, drawing between 3 million and 5 million viewers a week.

Uneven scripts and two protracted hiatuses (one for the Olympics, the other during October sweeps) hamstrung the show's efforts to build its audience. Actress Shannen Doherty was added to the cast at mid-season, but even her involvement couldn't spur a ratings rally.

Though the ratings improved slightly after a November move from Mondays to Thursdays (following "The O.C."), it wasn't enough to prevent Fox from canceling the last two episodes of the season.

Still, the fact that the show wasn't canceled earlier in the season had given producers a glimmer of hope.

"I kept thinking the length of time they were taking to make a decision was in our favor," Bring said.

Uncertainty about the status of the show affected more than just the cast and crew of the show.

Bring said he has been in contact with producers from "Lost," who are interested in taking over the soundstage used by "North Shore" at the state's Diamond Head Studios.

"Lost" has been using a retrofitted space in the old Xerox building on Nimitz Highway.

Bring said he'll ask "Lost" producers if they'd like to use the $1 million Grand Waimea Hotel facade before it's broken down. The rest of the set was packed and stored in the middle of the soundstage when the show wrapped for the season.

"It's really sad because we had a wonderful family here," Bring said. "We really had something special."

Bring said his experience working with the local crew only enhanced his appreciation of Hawai'i as a filming destination.

"I've heard digs about the local crews but not here, not in my book," Bring said. "They're hot (stuff). This is the first time I've every worked on a show and wanted to spend time with the crew on the weekends."

Honolulu Film Commissioner Walea Constantinau said the loss of show would hurt on many levels.

"It's certainly a shame," she said. "There are a lot of people out of work now. The show was also a tremendous promotional vehicle for the island, and it brought a lot of money into town."

Over the past few weeks, the studio had granted "North Shore" actors Kristoffer Polaha, Jason Momoa and others permission to audition for other pilots.

"I guess that was an indication," said Polaha, who is back home in Los Angeles.

Polaha said he was disappointed but not surprised by the news.

"Our ratings weren't bad," he said. "But TV is such a difficult business. It's like opening weekend for a movie. You have to pop from the get-go or you'll get pushed aside.

"I just want people in Hawai'i to know how much I appreciated and enjoyed working among them," he said. "It was one of the highlights of my life, and something I'll keep with me forever."

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Mar/03/ln/ln32p.html

fredfa

03-04-05, 02:57 AM

The Washington Post TV critic's view of "Law & Order: Trial By Jury"

A Case for Cloning
The Best Traits Of 'Law & Order' Are Expressed In 'Trial by Jury'
By Tom Shales Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, March 3, 2005; Page C01
Most viewers know about the ratings race, and millions of happy viewers apparently love to get it on with CBS's recently returned "Amazing Race." But the race to follow in TV this season is the one between CBS and NBC -- the race to see which network can spin off the most shows from a single dramatic series.

At CBS, the original is "CSI" and the clones include "CSI: NY." At NBC, the reigning faux faxes were cloned from producer Dick Wolf's tense and tough "Law & Order" show. It's not really a show anymore but a designer label that is affixed to at least one new series per season. "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" is this year's latest model, premiering at 10 tonight on Channel 4, then moving to its regular time slot, Fridays at 10. One could easily argue that every copy of "Law & Order" is a bit fainter and less vivid than the original, but not by all that much.

The original blueprint -- "Law" in the first half-hour has cops trying to solve a crime; in "Order," the second half, the district attorney's office tries to prosecute the guilty party -- has been bent and shaped in various ways but always remained recognizable. Tonight's premiere begins in a very familiar way, with the steroidal voice of a baritone announcer declaring, "In the criminal justice system, the most important right is a trial by jury. This is one of those trials."

Then -- oh, you can hear it already, can't you? -- that immortal theme, "Plink-Plunk." Have two notes ever been put to more use than these?

After previewing the first three episodes, it's safe to say that the new "Law & Order" proudly upholds the franchise, which includes "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The stories have the solid punch of good daily journalism and are told in a compelling way by a cast of characters and guest stars about whom we are never told one fact too many.

As the title implies -- actually, it might imply that Wolf had joined forces with Gilbert & Sullivan. But no, it's not that "Trial by Jury"; it's a new one in that the audience is taken backstage at a trial into such previously verboten locations as the rooms where juries deliberate and rooms where grand juries grill witnesses and decide whether indictments are to be handed up.

We also get much more insight into the strategizing that goes on in both camps, prosecution and defense, and this leads to revelations about media manipulation or at least attempts at it and scenes of lawyers coaching witnesses on how to perform on the stand. A lot of acting is required by lawyers and prosecutors and even by those peripatetic perps who pop up on every show to make sure there's a plot.

The first case, involving a cold-blooded theatrical producer and a pregnant young star who's been missing since she last had dinner with him, gets off to a slightly murky start. Bebe Neuwirth, playing a ragingly confident prosecutor, doesn't look very happy to be there and has a washed-out pallor. Sam Waterston is seen briefly and then vanishes for at least the next two episodes. The killer confesses to his attorney early in the show, which will apparently be common practice on "Trial by Jury" and which, inevitably, dilutes the suspense.

But the first two shows have another compelling element that couldn't have been foreseen by producer Wolf when he got the go-ahead for the series from NBC. Jerry Orbach completed work on only those episodes before succumbing to cancer; he died in December at the age of 69. His presence seems all the more invaluable because we know it will be short-lived. He brought a terrific sardonic energy to his character, detective Lennie Briscoe, in production as he did to the template show.

Nobody was better at delivering the sly slur (a producer was guilty of "using young girls as party favors," he says) or the sarcastic observation (to Neuwirth he says, "You may be a ball buster but when you're right, you're right"). He could make the weakest dialogue seem stronger than those new improved paper towels that hold an elephant or a steam shovel.

As of the third episode, airing March 11, Orbach is gone, and the show is going to suffer. Candice Bergen, however, is a gratifying addition as a no-nonsense judge in the first two episodes and perhaps in others to come.

When "Law & Order" started, Wolf and the writers did their clever best to avoid cliches that had hounded courtroom dramas for decades. Now "Law & Order" has become such an established and dominant fixture that it has developed cliches of its own, plink-plunk being only one of them. Even so, the story structure remains strong without coming across as formulaic, and the actors work wonders filling out the skeletal characterizations in the scripts.

Once again with "Trial by Jury," Wolf's "Law & Order" takes cunning aim and hits the target with speed and precision. This is high-class television put together by people who know exactly what they are doing and how to do it.

George Thompson

03-04-05, 08:17 AM

"Why did we undertake this transition in the first place?"
In testimony before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Barrington Broadcasting CEO Jim Yager asked if cable head-ends are to be permitted to convert broadcasters' HD signals to analog, why did the industry convert at all.
For this and other stories
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/rfupdate/20050304/#

fredfa

03-04-05, 01:28 PM

Thursday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-04-05, 01:29 PM

From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column Friday March 4th, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)
Final February Sweep 2005 Results:
Fox on the Forefront; ABC and Fox on the Rise

Led by American Idol, and helped no doubt by Super Bowl XXXIX, Fox won the February 2005 sweep in households, total viewers and all key demos. Comparatively, Fox scored its highest rated sweep ever in adults 18-49, building year-to-year in the demo by 55 percent (6.5/16 vs. 4.2/11), and as much as 62 percent among adults 25-54 (6.8/16 vs. 4.2/10). Fox, additionally, outperformed its nearest competitor by 3.25 million viewers (15.57 million vs. CBS' 12.32 million), 59 percent in adults 18-49 (6.5/16 vs. ABC's 4.1/11), and 82 percent in adults 18-34 (6.0/17 vs. ABC's 3.3/10).

While The Academy Awards was, of course, a boost for ABC, unlike The Super Bowl the February 2004 sweep also included the Oscars. With that in mind, the home of Desperate Housewives and Lost finished second in the surveyed demos and also posted across-the-board growth, with gains of 7 percent in households (7.2/11 vs. 6.7/11), 840,000 viewers (11.18 vs. 10.34 million), and 14 percent in both adults 18-49 (4.1/11 vs. 3.6/10) and adults 18-34 (3.3/10 vs. 2.9/ 9).

Although third-place CBS managed to beat NBC by 6 percent among adults 18-49, year-to-year the Eye net was down 10 percent in the demo. CBS ranked second in households (8.0/13) and viewers (12.32 million), with erosion of 10 and 12 percent, respectively, from Feb. 2004. NBC lost its grip, meanwhile, sinking to a record No. 4 among adults 18-49 (3.6/ 9) with a loss of 25 percent year-to-year. NBC was also No. 4 in households (6.9/11), viewers (10.28) and adults 25-54 (4.4/10).

In the battle of UPN vs. the WB, both networks were on the downside, with erosion of 11 to 14 percent for the WB, and 15 to 18 percent for UPN. The WB had a 14 percent advantage among adults 18-34 (1.6/ 4 vs. 1.4/ 4), while the two nets were neck-and-neck in the other categories.

What follows are the Feb. 2005 ratings (with change versus the year-ago period in parentheses):

Households:
Fox: 8.8/14 (+49)
CBS: 8.0/13 (-10)
ABC: 7.2/11 (+ 7)
NBC: 6.9/11 (-12)
WB: 2.3/ 4 (-12)
UPN: 2.3/ 3 (-15)

Total Viewers:
Fox: 15.57 million (+60)
CBS: 12.32 (-12)
ABC: 11.18 (+ 8)
NBC: 10.28 (-14)
WB: 3.46 (-14)
UPN: 3.33 (-15)

Adults 18-49:
Fox: 6.5/16 (+55)
ABC: 4.1/11 (+14)
CBS: 3.8/10 (-10)
NBC: 3.6/ 9 (-25)
WB: 1.4/ 4 (-12)
UPN: 1.4/ 3 (-18)

Adults 18-34:
Fox: 6.0/17 (+43)
ABC: 3.3/10 (+14)
NBC: 2.9/ 8 (-29)
CBS: 2.7/ 8 (- 7)
WB: 1.6/ 4 (-11)
UPN: 1.4/ 4 (-18)

Adults 25-54:
Fox: 6.8/16 (+62)
ABC: 4.7/11 (+ 9)
CBS: 4.7/11 (-11)
NBC: 4.4/10 (-19)
WB: 1.4/ 3 (-12)
UPN: 1.4/ 3 (-18)

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

dline

03-04-05, 03:13 PM

Another Indecency Complaint Denied, This Time On Cable

The FCC denied another indecency complaint Thursday, this time against the FX cable program, Nip/Tuck.

"Although the complaints vary in the degree of detail provided, they generally allege that the program depicts actors engaged in an array of simulated sexual acts ... as well as nudity," the FCC acknowledged in its Memorandum Opinion and Order, posted today on its website. "Some complaints also focus on the program's graphic portrayal of medical procedures such as liposuction and rhinoplasty."

In its order, the FCC said that the FX show did not cross the line into obscenity -- which courts have ruled is not protected by the First Amendment -- because "nothing in the record indicates that Nip/Tuck as a whole appeals to the prurient interest or lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value."

The FCC also said it does not regulate mere indecency on cable. It cited laws that restrict "obscene, indecent, or profane language" in broadcasts, but only "obscene" material in cable and subscription services. But those laws could change if some in Congress have their way.

Full report at:

- Acrobat: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-528A1.pdf
- Word: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-528A1.doc
- Text: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-528A1.txt

____

dline posts this for information only and does not necessarily endorse any point of view contained in this post.

fredfa

03-04-05, 03:59 PM

Midseason in Full Swing:
By A.J. Frutkin mediaweek.com March 04, 2005

With more than a dozen new shows—or new seasons of shows—launching this month, March looks like the new September.

On Tuesday, March 8, ABC premieres Blind Justice, the Steven Bochco drama about a cop who’s lost his sight. On Sunday, March 13, the network previews its single-camera John Stamos comedy Jake in Progress, which moves to Thursdays on March 17. The female-driven hospital drama Grey's Anatomy launches on Sunday, March 27, while Eyes, the high-tech detective drama starring Tim Daly, debuts on Wednesday, March 30.

After previewing in ER’s Thursday time slot last night, NBC’s new Dick Wolf spinoff Law & Order: Trial By Jury officially launches tonight. The network previews Mark Burnett’s boxing reality show The Contender on Monday, March 7 and Thursday, March 10, after which the show moves to Sundays, beginning March 13. The network is pinning a lot of its comedy hopes on The Office--based on the BBC hit--previewing Thursday, March 24, and then moving to Tuesdays, beginning March 29.

Meanwhile, the WB is banking a lot of its reality hopes on The Starlet, a sort of actress-wannabee show with Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway in the snarky judge role. The non-scripted series launches Sunday, March 6.

And then there’s cable. HBO’s second season of its critically acclaimed western Deadwood premieres Sunday, March 6. Showtime’s Kirstie Alley comedy Fat Actress debuts Monday, March 7. Comedy Central’s new sketch show Hollow Men launches Thursday, March 10. Oxygen’s Fabio-hosted Mr. Romance, a search for the next romance novel-cover model, premieres Monday, March 14. A new season of FX’s The Shield—with Glenn Close joining the cast--kicks off on Tuesday, March 15, as does Bravo’s Project Greenlight (the show’s first commercial airing, after two seasons on HBO). A&E’s non-scripted Intervention--about real-life drug, alcohol and other addiction interventions—launches Thursday, March 17.

So what do buyers make of this programming push? As February sweeps came to a close earlier this week, most network series are preparing to go into repeats for the next two months. But as competition between broadcast and cable becomes increasingly fierce, several advertisers said it’s about time the networks fought back. &ldquoWhat happens when there are repeats at this point in the season is that cable will gain six to ten share points,” said Stacey Lynn Koerner, executive vp/director of global research integration at Initiative. &ldquoSo it doesn’t surprise me that the networks are introducing new series.”

A launch-heavy March also may point to a stronger commitment to 52-week programming. &ldquoI think there is a collective understanding that you need to have original programming all year round,” said Shari Anne Brill, vp/director of programming at Carat USA. But Brill also stressed the need for quality, and warned against scheduling just anything that may be handy. &ldquoJust because something hasn’t aired before doesn’t make it good,” she added.

fredfa

03-04-05, 04:19 PM

'House' Gets Second-Season Pickup
By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com March 4, 2005

Fox has picked up a second season of its medical mystery drama "House." The show, which stars Hugh Laurie as mercurial physician, premiered to modest numbers and generally good reviews in November, but has gained ratings traction as a lead-out to "American Idol."

During the February sweeps ratings period, "House" was no. 1 in its Tuesday 9 p.m. (ET) time period among adults 18 to 49, adults 18 to 34, teens and total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

fredfa

03-04-05, 04:44 PM

(I am posting this here in an attempt to stay out of the Voom-bashing and anti-VOOM bashing lines of fire.)
Voom Strolling in Limboland
A media critique by Wayne Friedman,MediaPost.com Friday, March 4, 2005
PERHAPS IT'S TIME FOR CHARLES Dolan to leave bad enough alone.
The chairman of Cablevision Systems Corp. wants to keep going with the high-definition satellite programming service, Voom, a service that virtually all business analysts have said is a drain on the company's financial resources, not to mention redundant because many other competitors are in the field. Most of all, the problem with Voom is that Cablevision has agreed to the service's satellite and some programming contracts to EchoStar Communications.

But now Dolan has changed his mind - sort of. He wants to keep Voom going by buying up the remaining assets. And they are exactly what? Some low-level programming contracts? Some ground-based operations and overhead?

The satellite business has many competitors - all who have the exclusive rights to high-profile programming Dolan won't get near in the future. Someone should tell Dolan the satellite distribution business has many competitors - unlike the near monopoly the cable industry had for 20 years.

Dolan replaced some board members to let him keep Voom, and, as analysts have mused, possibly sell Cablevision Systems, which continues to conflict with his son, James Dolan, the company's CEO.

For the last two years, Cablevision has been investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for accounting improprieties of its Rainbow Media programming division, which resulted in the departure of some senior executives.

Now, there's more trouble. The SEC opened an informal inquiry into recent trading problems of Cablevision shares since last November.

One current director has already issued a warning that Dolan's actions might be construed to the misleading appearance that Cablevision might be reneging its agreement with EchoStar. That's because Dolan started up a new Voom Web site -- while the original Web site says Voom is to be shut down this month.

Many years ago, Dolan likened cable to a newsstand, where there are many magazines to choose from. In those near monopolistic days - before the advent of satellite -- cable was a smug force that regularly increased cable rates and strong-armed business deals. But Dolan could never answer why there was only one 'newsstand' in which to buy those magazines.

Dolan still thinks he's the only game in town.

fredfa

03-04-05, 05:32 PM

Re f44 on the "North Shore" cancellation:

"...Producer Harry Bring, who had been in daily contact with the network since the show wrapped up filming last December, said he received the bad news yesterday afternoon.
"They just said they will not renew the show," Bring said. "There was no reason given yet. I don't know if it was cost or ratings or whatever..."

\But here is the obviousy reason.
So far in the season-to-date ratings, "North Shore" ranks 130th with an average of 4.07 million viewers.
(The canceled "Rebel Billionaire" is 129th with 4.130 million viewers, and the canceled "My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss' trails slightly in 131st place with 4.04 million viewers.

In comparison with "North Shore's" average of 4.07 million viewers, this past week the #60 show, "Wife Swap", had 8.22 million viewers.

Scott G

03-04-05, 06:22 PM

Envelope please:
Shows on the bubble The killing season approacheth: What gets axed
By Kevin Downey

A few bubbles are about to burst on network television.
Several first-season programs are in a state of limbo, with weak ratings signaling they will soon vanish from primetime. But other factors such as critical acclaim and the lack of stronger programs in development could land some of these on-the-bubble shows a second season this fall.
Media researchers say all six networks have programs that are as good as gone. Others may be spared the axe the way Fox’s low-rated but Emmy-winning “Arrested Development” was last year.
Shows on the bubble include ABC’s “Rodney” and “Complete Savages;” CBS’s “Listen Up” and “Wickedly Perfect;” NBC’s “Joey” and “Committed;” Fox’s “Jonny Zero” and “Point Pleasant;” UPN’s “Cuts” and “Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott;” and the WB’s “Blue Collar TV” and “Steve Harvey’s Big Time.”
Media researchers say that on ABC “Desperate Housewives,” “Lost,” “Boston Legal,” “Wife Swap,” and “Supernanny” will be back. However, “Legal” will probably move from Sunday, where it’s an uneasy fit following “Desperate Housewives.” And “Supernanny” may return outside the fall-through-spring broadcast season.
Other ABC programs have less certain futures.
“I think ‘Rodney’ is on the bubble,” says Tom Weeks, associate director of Starcom Entertainment, referring to the rookie sitcom.
“It will depend on what ABC’s comedy slate is next year. Their comedy blocks are aging, so they’ll be looking for a strong show that could be the launching pad for other shows.”
ABC’s drama “life as we know it” will not make it to next fall. And most media researchers say the Mel Gibson-produced “Complete Savages” isn’t likely to return. It’s already off the schedule, although ABC expects to air four remaining episodes.
ABC, like the other networks, will start giving media buyers hints over the next couple of months during pre-upfront development meetings whether these shows will return.
Over at CBS, “CSI: NY” has been greenlit for a second season. But ongoing reality show “Wickedly Perfect” will likely join other canceled shows “dr. vegas,” “Center of the Universe,” “The Will” and “Clubhouse.”
The new drama “Numb3rs” has slipped since debuting to big ratings in January. But most researchers say it will get renewed because it initially had good ratings and because it fits well on CBS’s procedural-focused lineup.
The Jason Alexander sitcom “Listen Up” may also be spared the axe. That will not be because it's a great show--most researchers agree it’s not--but because CBS has a big comedy hole to fill once “Everybody Loves Raymond” bows out this May. Canceling a modest performer like “Listen” could worsen CBS’s situation.
“Having continuity from year to year, even if it’s not a very strong show, might be better than risking the time period by putting on a new show,” says John Spiropoulos, partner and associate research director at MindShare.
Meanwhile, NBC has a few rookie shows that are expected to return this fall.
“Medium” has been renewed, and media people say “Medical Investigation” and reality show “Biggest Loser,” due for a second edition this summer, will almost certainly be picked up.
The sitcom “Committed” isn’t likely to return. But “Joey” will. The show regularly ranks No. 2 behind CBS’s “Survivor” in its Thursday 8 p.m. timeslot and would be on the bubble if it wasn’t a “Friends" spinoff.
“NBC will bring back ‘Joey’ because it’s too embarrassing if they scrap that,” says Shari Anne Brill, vice president and director of programming at Carat.
Like most other networks, Fox has a few modest performers that are expected to make it to season-two. "House" began as a modest performer, but strong ratings in its post-"American Idol" slot earned it a second-season renewal yesterday.
“Trading Spouses” and “Nanny 911” are good bets to appear at some point during Fox’s year-round schedule. The sitcom “Quintuplets” is on the bubble. While hardly a hit, a few media people think Fox will stick with it.
The same is not being said about Fox’s dramas “Jonny Zero,” and “Point Pleasant;” “North Shore” was canceled yesterday. Neither of the other two are expected to return.
UPN’s first-year show “Missy Elliott” is widely expected to get the axe, or at least be moved out of the regular season.
It’s still too early to tell whether “Cuts” will survive, but most media people think it’s unlikely to return. The sitcom “Second Time Around” has been dropped.
But while dramas “Kevin Hill” and “Veronica Mars” are struggling in the ratings, positive reviews and good word of mouth could keep “Kevin” and possibly “Veronica” alive.
Meanwhile, all of the WB’s rookie programs are on the bubble, including variety shows “Blue Collar TV” and “Steve Harvey’s Big Time.”
The drama “Jack & Bobby” is also on the bubble because of weak ratings. But a few media researchers say it could make it to a second season because of critical acclaim and the WB’s long history of giving dramas time to grow.
“It takes strong networks willing to invest time and money in nurturing a show to make sure it catches on,” says Starcom’s Weeks. “But if a show isn’t connecting [the networks] will wisely shut down production because it’s so expensive to shoot these things.”

March 4, 2005 © 2005 Media Life - Kevin Downey is a staff writer for Media Life.

http://69.20.6.242/News2005/feb05/feb28/5_fri/news3friday.html

keenan

03-04-05, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by Scott G
Envelope please:
Shows on the bubble The killing season approacheth: What gets axed
By Kevin Downey

“NBC will bring back ‘Joey’ because it’s too embarrassing if they scrap that,” says Shari Anne Brill, vice president and director of programming at Carat.

What a way to program a network...:p

rogo

03-04-05, 06:49 PM

Save Kevin Hill and Jack and Bobby. It's nice to have some dramas that aren't about crime or hospitals... And either the article left it out or Joan of Arcadia appears to have a good shot at another season.

As for House, what a no brainer. That character is unbelievable and incredibly well played by Hugh Laurie.

Most of you know by opinion of the Not Bothering Channel, but I can't agree more with keenan.

Mark

AFH

03-04-05, 07:02 PM

I hope Kevin Hill is renewed as well as American Dreams. NBC certainly does have a interesting method to programming but at least they have one as opposed to Fox.

fredfa

03-04-05, 07:13 PM

"American Dreams" is my favorite show that appears doomed.
And I agree with rogo about "House".
It has quickly become about the most anticipated show in our own house.

Scott G

03-04-05, 07:23 PM

And either the article left it out or Joan of Arcadia appears to have a good shot at another season.

This article is about first year shows on the bubble. Joan of Arcadia is in its second season.

keenan

03-04-05, 07:26 PM

House is great, one of the two shows I watch on Fox, just started watched MI-5 on DVD and Laurie is great in that as well...

Regarding, Joan, wasn't that one that was previously announced as close to gone, have things changed? And I thought Third Watch was near extinction as well..?

Nevermind, just read the previous post..

Paul Bigelow

03-04-05, 07:50 PM

House is mesmerizing. Watching Hugh Laurie act up a storm with that role is a real treat. He's gotta be an Emmy nominee, if not a winner. Must-see in our HOUSE-hold.

Paul

dturturro

03-04-05, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by Paul Bigelow
House is mesmerizing. Watching Hugh Laurie act up a storm with that role is a real treat. He's gotta be an Emmy nominee, if not a winner. Must-see in our HOUSE-hold.

Paul

Laurie's character sure is a breath of fresh air on network-TV. For the show to stay fresh next year they have to work in some formulas other than "let's keep guessing at a diagnosis until we get it right"!

fredfa

03-05-05, 12:45 AM

Joan is, apparently, in deep trouble.
It is 66th in the season-to-date ratings -- just behind the canceled Dr. Vegas.

keenan

03-05-05, 01:14 AM

That's too bad, it's good acting and it's different...

fredfa

03-05-05, 12:42 PM

Friday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

taz291819

03-05-05, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by dturturro
Laurie's character sure is a breath of fresh air on network-TV. For the show to stay fresh next year they have to work in some formulas other than "let's keep guessing at a diagnosis until we get it right"!

IMO, House is the best show on television, and thankfully American Idol gave it a chance to get some viewers (for once reality tv did something for the good).

And I agree with your statement, the writers are going to have to come up with something, like the episode where House was struggling with his pain-killer addiction, and still 'saved the day'. Great episode.

slocko

03-05-05, 12:50 PM

I was thinking of maybe an episode where a hotshot young doctor comes to the hospital and gets into a competition with House with both fighting at the end for what they think is the correct diagnosis.

slocko

03-05-05, 12:51 PM

By the way, I really liked House, but my wife didn't get into it. So I had to stop watching it since I already have too much stuff that I watch by myself.

j_buckingham80

03-05-05, 12:59 PM

Slocko, what kind of excuse it that. I mean "Come On!" Anyways...House is a lot of fun, agreed that it's probably one of the best shows on TV lately. Lot more fun and interesting than CSI, which I already watch plenty of.

slocko

03-05-05, 08:54 PM

I watch Battlestar, 24, Lost, Amazing Race, Odyssey 5, and Fear Factor by myself. Add Deadwood to the list.

I should cut out fear factor and replace with House, but Fear Factor is like Fast Food TV.

Hopefully they will repeat it in the summer. I do like the show.

Londo

03-06-05, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by dturturro
Laurie's character sure is a breath of fresh air on network-TV. For the show to stay fresh next year they have to work in some formulas other than "let's keep guessing at a diagnosis until we get it right"!

I love HOUSE, but sometimes I get weirded out watching Laurie be so serious..... go dig out Blackadder II and III for a very different take :D

fredfa

03-06-05, 12:35 PM

Saturday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-07-05, 11:17 AM

Sunday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-07-05, 01:30 PM

At last, creative sparks again at NBC
'Trial by Jury' is season's second hit after 'Medium'
medialifemaghazine.com—After a very long dry spell, it looks as though NBC has finally started to figure out what its audience wants. Just six weeks after launching the hit show “Medium,” the network introduced another very successful show on Friday, the spinoff “Law & Order: Trial by Jury.” Judging by the first two episodes, NBC has another hit, though a more mild one than "Medium."

Even the least astute TV observer could have predicted that the show would be a success, considering the two previous “L&O” spinoffs have both thrived. Still, for a network that has seen its adults 18-49 average tumble this season while launching disastrous shows like “Hawaii” and “Father of the Pride,” any success is significant.

“Jury” attracted 17.3 million total viewers and averaged a 6.2 adults 18-49 rating in its special Thursday preview in the regular “ER” slot. The next night, in its regular 10 p.m. Friday slot, “Jury” averaged 14.4 million total viewers, down 17 percent from Thursday, and a 4.1 18-49 rating, off a more alarming 34 percent from Thursday.

Some of the dropoff can be explained by the Friday timeslot. It’s just not a strong night for television viewing in general. But the numbers also came against a repeat of CBS’s “CSI” instead of usual time slot occupant “Numb3rs.” “Jury” still attracted 3 million more total viewers than usual NBC timeslot occupant “Medical Investigation” pulled in its highest-rated episode of the February sweeps. Even if it drops off another 10 percent, it will still be a solid Friday hit.

Last year, NBC introduced only two new shows, “Apprentice” and “Las Vegas,” that stuck around. The previous year only “Good Morning, Miami,” “Boomtown” and “American Dreams” made it, and “Miami” and “Boomtown” were canceled soon after their second-season debuts. Now, with “Trial by Jury’s” strong Friday showing, it looks as though the network could have up to five new shows that make it to next season: “Medium,” “Joey,” “Jury,” “The Biggest Loser” and “Medical Investigation.” It’s too early to guess on “The Contender,” which premieres tonight.

“Trial by Jury” could very well end up in a different timeslot next season, however. The network won’t want to waste a show with potential on Fridays, since the rest of its schedule has struggled. Possible slots for the show include Sundays at 8 p.m., where “The Contender” has taken over for “American Dreams,” Wednesdays at 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the fate of “The West Wing,” and perhaps Tuesdays at 9 p.m. before “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

NBC has struggled to program new shows during the Jeff Zucker era, which began in late 2000. Though he did preside over the successful second spinoff of “L&O,” Sunday’s “L&O: Criminal Intent,” and the critically beloved “Scrubs,” his only big ratings hit has been “The Apprentice.” And that dropped audience rapidly in its second and now third season.

Just two years ago a decent Friday show would not have warranted much excitement at NBC. But the mood at the network has changed dramatically, with its ratings having plummeted this season after losing “Friends.” Its season average among 18-49s is down 12 percent versus last year, to a 3.7, fourth among the Big Four networks. The network finished fourth in that demo in the February sweeps last week for the first time ever.

dline

03-07-05, 01:49 PM

fredfa has Monday's ratings already ??!!!

There you go again with the crystal ball ...

fredfa

03-07-05, 02:18 PM

arrgh.....can't keep my days straight.

dline

03-07-05, 02:20 PM

SHVERA Update

In a notice published today on its website, the FCC announced it is seeking comment on proposed new rules requiring broadcasters and satellite providers to bargain in good faith for retransmission consent.

The new rules are required by the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, commonly known as SHVERA. The existing satellite law, known as SHVIA, requires only broadcasters to negotiate in good faith with multichannel services. Proposed new rules will extend that obligation to the multichannel services as well.

The notice may be read at:
- http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-49A1.pdf (Acrobat)
- http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-49A1.doc (Word)
- http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-49A1.txt (text)

fredfa

03-08-05, 10:01 AM

Matt Drudge at the drudgereport.com reports that last night's debut of The Contender on NBC crashed and burned in its debut.
Drudge says early Nielsen ratings left the show ("the most expensive reality show ever produced") with just a 5.6 rating and an 8 share.
By comparison, he reports, the ratings for two other programs last night:
American Idol 16.1/23
CSI: Miami 15.9/24.
Complete overnight ratings for Monday will be available a little later.

fredfa

03-08-05, 11:20 AM

Monday’s prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

bgall

03-08-05, 11:37 AM

The top ratings last night were exaclty what I wathced, hurray :)

fredfa

03-08-05, 03:07 PM

FOX Puts 'Jonny Zero' on the Bench
By Brian Ford Sullivan
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) – The "FOX Friday" curse lived up to its name again today, as the network has pulled its freshman drama "Jonny Zero" from its schedule effective immediately.

Back-to-back repeats of "That '70s Show" will fill the show's Friday, 9:00/8:00c slot for the next two weeks ("Time Is On My Side" and "Let's Spend the Night Together" on March 11; "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" on March 18), while FOX's previously announced coverage of the "36th Annual NAACP Image Awards" will take over on March 25.

Through its eight airings this season, "Zero" has ranked 141st in all programs and averaged a relatively invisible 3.64 million viewers, holding 81% of lead-in "The Bernie Mac Show's" audience (4.50 million) on average. Among all FOX series, only clipfest "Totally Outrageous Behavior" (3.66 million) has fared worse this season for the network.

With only eight of the 13 produced episodes aired, the decision to bench the series leaves five installments on the shelf.

bgooch

03-08-05, 03:43 PM

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business/article/0,1299,DRMN_4_3602655,00.html
Groups put target on Time Warner, Comcast as buyers
By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News
March 8, 2005
Five public interest groups plan a "guerrilla war" if bankrupt Adelphia Communications Corp. sells its assets to Comcast Corp. or Time Warner Inc., charging such deals would stifle competition and diversity in the television world.
In a letter sent Monday to top executives at Adelphia, Comcast and Time Warner, the nonprofit groups wrote they will fight any sale involving the companies "in the strongest possible terms" both federally and locally.
Comcast and Time Warner - the nation's largest cable providers - reportedly have made a joint bid to buy Greenwood Village-based Adelphia for more than $17 billion. Adelphia, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002, is exploring a potential sale and has received numerous bids from companies and investors. It hasn't accepted any offers yet.
"This is really just the tip of the iceberg here," said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, which promotes media and broadband diversity and signed the letter. "Many more groups will work with us to oppose any transfer of Adelphia in part or in its entirety to Comcast and Time Warner. While this deal may seem to make sense for the companies, it's antithetical to competition and the free flow of information."
Other groups that signed the letter include Common Cause, a political advocacy organization with 300,000 members; the Media Access Project, a public interest law firm; the Center for Creative Voices in Media, which works to preserve independent and diverse media; and Free Press, which is involved in media-related policymaking.
Comcast and Time Warner could capture a sizable chunk of the market by buying Adelphia, the nation's fifth-largest cable provider with more than 5 million subscribers, including 105,000 in Colorado Springs. Comcast is the nation's largest pay-TV provider with 21.5 million customers - including 680,000 in Colorado - while Time Warner is the second-biggest cable company with 11 million subscribers.
Adelphia and Comcast declined to comment in detail. Time Warner did not immediately return messages.
"Given Adelphia's situation, everybody will be looking at this transaction very closely. There will be plenty of scrutiny," said Paul Jacobsen, an Adelphia spokesman.
Any deal will need federal backing and approval from individual communities where Adelphia provides service. If Adelphia accepts the Comcast-Time Warner bid, the nonprofit groups said they will take the fight to the local level in the hopes of stalling its progress.
Some industry watchers, though, said there's plenty of competition in the industry from satellite providers and questioned how much success the groups would have convincing local communities to oppose such a deal.
walshc@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2744
Copyright 2005, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.

fredfa

03-08-05, 04:21 PM

Last Chance for "American Dreams"?
By Jim Finkle Broadcasting & Cable3/8/2005
American Dreams returns to NBC Wednesday night for the first of four episodes remaining in its third season. It could be its final season. The network moved the family drama set in the 1960s to Wednesday at 8 p.m. from Sunday at 8 p.m., where it's had trouble holding its own against Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Cold Case.

But now it's up against ABC's big hit, Lost, and Fox's consisted performer, That 70's Show.

In a bid to save American Dreams, creator and executive producer Jonathan Prince is seeking help from some of the show's biggest fans - TV critics who count American Dreams among the best shows on television that nobody's watching.

Prince put out his call for help by sending them a DVD with the next two episodes of Dreams (which includes a March 16 guest appearance by Paris Hilton). In a note to TV writers, Prince asks them to recommend the show to their readers. "I recognize you as a tastemaker, one whose opinions matter to viewers looking for substance," he says. "You speak to the masses in ways that we can't."

fredfa

03-08-05, 08:05 PM

The weekly prime time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-08-05, 11:09 PM

Are your favorite shows in ratings trouble? Or are they in ratings heaven?
The bottom five shows by network (and the top five shows by network) for last week have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

rogo

03-09-05, 03:05 AM

The Contender, well, isn't.

Americans Dreams is getting rudely awakened.

The Rogo vendetta against the NoBody Cares network gets another moment in the sun.

fredfa

03-09-05, 04:30 AM

Aww, speak kindly of American Dreams, rogo, it's one of my favorites.

fredfa

03-09-05, 11:16 AM

Tuesday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-09-05, 12:00 PM

Cable was the real winner of sweeps
Tops broadcast for the first time in February
By Toni Fitzgerald medialifemagazine.com
The broadcast networks had the big events during the February sweeps but cable had the bigger numbers. For the first time ever, ad-supported primetime cable viewership passed broadcast viewership during the February sweeps period, according to data released yesterday by the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau.

Ad-supported cable viewership grew 5 percent compared with the last February sweeps, to an average 34.052 million households per night. That was 202,000 more household viewers than the seven broadcast networks averaged, at 33.85 million. The margin might have been much larger had the Super Bowl not fallen in February sweeps for only the second time. That helped Fox to a 51 percent viewership gain over last year.

ABC, home to the month’s other big event, the Oscars, was the only other network to show gains, although broadcast had a far greater share of the sweeps’ top-rated shows.

Meanwhile, cable networks including Comedy Central, History Channel, VH1, TV Land and AMC recorded huge primetime viewership gains compared with last February. TNT even finished ahead of one broadcast network, the WB, among men 18-49 and men 25-54.

Broadcast household viewership was up 1 percent compared with last year’s sweeps period. It marked the fourth consecutive sweeps period where cable beat broadcast in household viewership, dating back to last May.

Two demographics have helped drive cable’s viewership increases: adults 35-49 and kids 2-11. Cable gained 739,000 viewers 35-49 during sweeps while broadcast lost 351,000. Cable gained 518,000 2-11s and broadcast lost 599,000.

CAB also points out that only three broadcast sweeps programs averaged an 18-49 rating above a 15.0: the Super Bowl, the Super Bowl postgame and the Academy Awards. It says 85 percent of broadcast’s sweeps shows averaged a 5.0 rating or below. CAB does not point out, but it is true, that cable can't boast any programs for the month with an 18-49 rating of 5.0, let alone a 15.0.

And broadcast continues to deliver a much greater volume per program than cable. For the week ended Feb. 27, broadcast boasted 96 of the top 100 primetime programs among adults 18-49, including 74 of the top 75, according to the Television Bureau of Advertising.

fredfa

03-09-05, 06:11 PM

Housewives Fans Won't Be Desperate
By Jim Finkle Broadcasting & Cable

Many of the Desperate Housewives secrets involving Mary Alice Young and Mike Delfino will be revealed during the May sweeps, when ABC airs this season’s final episodes.

Desperate creator Marc Cherry told some 600 fans Tuesday night that they won’t have to wait until next season to learn the truth about Mary Alice’s apparent suicide and the real reason for dangerous hunk Mike Delfino’s presence on Wisteria Lane.

But some secrets will remain a mystery until after the summer hiatus, Cherry said during a sold-out Q&A session with the show’s cast and producers, sponsored by the Museum of Television and Radio in L.A. That's not surprising, since both Cherry and ABC want to draw viewers back to that network's biggest hit in years.

He also said that two Desperate Housewives are based on creator Marc Cherry’s mom, who hails from conservative Orange County, Calif.

Lynette Scavo, the desperate mom played by Felicity Huffman, is based on the Mrs. Cherry that her son remembers from his childhood. A scene where she kicks her kids out of the car, then drives off to scare them into behaving, was based on an incident on a roadway in Oklahoma, Cherry said.

Bree Van De Kamp, the passive-aggressive perfectionist played by Marcia Cross, represents the contemporary Mrs. Cherry. That may explain the origin of a storyline where Bree learns that her son Andrew is gay -- Cherry is openly gay.

The Q&A, which was moderated by Carrie Fisher, was part of the Museum of Television and Radio’s William S. Paley Television Festival.

fredfa

03-09-05, 06:29 PM

Some Cable Ratings notes
(from thefutoncritic.com)
CARNIVALE/DEADWOOD (HBO) - A solid 2.79 million viewers watched the second season launch of "Deadwood" on Sunday, down 48% from its debut last season (5.8 million, HBO's most-watched series premiere to date). That installment however followed a new episode of "The Sopranos" (10.1 million). Meanwhile, lead-out "Carnivale" fared better with its new "Deadwood" lead-in, hitting a season-high 1.96 million viewers.

FAT ACTRESS (Showtime) - The much-hyped series premiere of "Fat Actress" drew 924,000 viewers on Monday, including a 4.16 household rating among Showtime homes. The latter number marked Showtime's best performance since the 2000 debut of "Queer as Folk," while among actual viewers, "Actress" beat out the recent season/series premieres of "Huff" (456,000 on 7/7/04), "Dead Like Me" (797,000 on 7/25/04) and "The L Word" (515,000 on 2/20/05) but fell short of "Queer as Folk" (1.1 million on 4/18/04). A repeat at 11:00/10:00c also fared well, earning 400,000 viewers.

MONK (USA) - "Monk's" third season finale drew 4.4 million viewers on Friday, on par with its recent numbers for the season.

f44

03-09-05, 07:57 PM

fredfa,

"LAX HD (3 unaired episodes)" ---NBC has now scheduled 2 of the unaired episodes to air March 19 and 26 (Saturdays) at 8pm ET.

fredfa

03-09-05, 08:02 PM

thanks, f44, I'll make the change.

GregF

03-09-05, 08:52 PM

Originally posted by rogo
The Contender, well, isn't.

I thought the Contender was well done. Unlike the FOX rip-off, which I couldn't watch an entire episode of, this show not only captures the heart of boxing, of life's underdogs rising to become champions or leaving in defeat, but also captured some of the magic of Rocky. I liked the way that during the boxing match, the camera would briefly go into slow motion when a boxer was hit, emphasizing the impact of the blows. I look forward to watching more of this.

To a non-boxing fan it might have passed unnoticed, but these fights are actual sanctioned matches. They will count on these fighters' records.

f44

03-09-05, 11:51 PM

Also,

"My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss (unknown unaired episodes)" -should say that those episodes are being slowed released, one per week, for free on FOX.com.

fredfa

03-10-05, 12:11 AM

Last Week’s Winners and Losers
By Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Wednesday, March 9, 2005; Page C07
About 25 million pairs of eyes were watching "God" on ABC and even more were watching "Idol" on Fox, but by bulking up on "CSIs," the Eye Network managed to snag the biggest average audience for the week anyway.
Here's a look at the week's powerful and weak:
WINNERS
"Their Eyes Were Watching God." Nearly 25 million pairs of them, though we suspect they were watching Halle Berry. ABC's latest brought-to-you-by-Oprah flick was the most watched movie on any network since CBS's December-December romance "One Special Night," starring Julie Andrews and James Garner, more than five years ago. It's also Oprah Winfrey's biggest ABC flick audience since "Before Women Had Wings" in November '97.
"NYPD Blue" wrapped up its 12-season run with 16.1 million viewers on Tuesday -- the cop drama's largest audience in more than three years. The tribute that preceded it drew ABC's largest non-sports audience in the time slot since May 2002 -- more than 13 million.
"Law & Order: Trial by Jury." In "ER's" Thursday 10 p.m. hour, NBC's fourth "Law & Order" drama opened with more than 17 million viewers -- the franchise's biggest opening haul ever. Predictably, the show's numbers went down the next night when it moved to its regular Friday time slot, though its 14.5 million viewers still constituted NBC's largest audience in the time period in about two years, excluding Olympics coverage.
"America's Next Top Model." The UPN reality series started its fourth cycle with its biggest opening audience yet -- 5.1 million viewers.
LOSERS
Fox's Friday. Fox logged its smallest Friday prime-time audience since at least 1991 with a losers' parade that included an infomercial for the flick "Robots," which averaged a lousy 2.7 million viewers, and "Jonny Zero," which fell to a lowest-yet 2.3 million.
"Starlet." Hope Faye Dunaway didn't think this reality series for WB would jump-start her career; it's the least-watched series opening of the TV season on any network, with just 1.6 million bothering to watch.
"Bachelorette." ABC's reality series suffered a smallest-ever finale audience of just 8.4 million viewers. Ironically, immediately after, the post-finale blah-blah show "Bachelorette: After the Final Rose" logged that franchise's biggest audience ever -- 11.3 million viewers. This is probably because bachelorette Jen shrewdly saved her final bit of guy-rejecting for the blah-blah show.
"Deadwood." HBO's critically heralded western opened its second season with an average of 2.79 million viewers Sunday around 9 p.m. Its first season finale had opened with 3.21 million and the series premiered with 5.79 million.
"The Contender." NBC's oft-delayed boxing competition finally debuted this Monday to less than great results, triggering a tsunami of boxing puns from competitors and The Reporters Who Cover Television: " 'The Contender' failed to deliver many solid punches," " 'Contender' takes first-round beating," "Sylvester Stallone and Fox's Oscar De La Hoya have been knocked out by dismal ratings." The much-ballyhooed preview bagged a disappointing 8 million viewers, though it did manage to win its time period among men 18 to 34.
"Fat Actress." Thin crowd. On the other hand, 924,000 viewers is a good number for the premiere telecast of a Showtime series. Still, given all the hype, you'd think it would have cracked the million mark in its first telecast last night. For comparison, the premiere of Showtime's "The L Word" weighed in with about 930,000 viewers, but "Fat" crushed "Huff," which had opened with about 460,000. "Fat" wasn't helped much by its "Super Size Me" lead-in, which produced a measly 383,000 viewers; in its replay later last night, "Fat Actress" drew 349,000.

rogo

03-10-05, 04:33 AM

Greg, I honestly didn't see it. A friend also liked it.

And Fred, I was merely speaking of ratings, not the show. Never watched, might see it someday in syndication or on DVD...

I am just relishing the dismembering of NBC. They can spin all they want, but the network has almost nothing going for it. When you are pointing to Friday night as your big success for the season, well, LOL....

adb

03-10-05, 09:27 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rogo
[B]Greg,

I am just relishing the dismembering of NBC. They can spin all they want, but the network has almost nothing going for it. ]

I certainly agree about NBC. Looks to me like CBS is doing some some of that as well.

Xesdeeni

03-10-05, 12:57 PM

Dunno if it's been mentioned, but checking TitanTV for next week shows that Medical Investigation is moved up 1 hour (8:00pm CT) next Friday. A new episode of L&O: TBJ is in MI's time slot (doesn't that show have a time slot of its own...it's like a lost soul).

Xesdeeni

fredfa

03-10-05, 01:00 PM

L&O TBJ's normal time slot is Friday at 10.
MI has about finished its first-run episodes.

Xesdeeni

03-10-05, 01:03 PM

Whoa! Even better: In addition to Minority Report this Saturday night in HD, next Saturday it's The Ten Commandments, also in HD.

Xesdeeni

fredfa

03-10-05, 01:08 PM

Wednesday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

George Thompson

03-10-05, 03:57 PM

NAB Update
This is the HD wireless system I've been talking about for all you guys asking about HD wireless cameras. I hope they finally got the delay down to a decent level.

Link Research to show working model of HD wireless camera system

Mar 10, 2005 8:00 AM
NAB Update e-newsletter

Link Research will unveil plans for LinkHD, an HD wireless camera system, and show a working model of the device at NAB2005.

The company will also roll out a rack-mount version of the LinkXP designed for use in helicopters.

LinkXP is a lightweight, low-power wireless camera system. It will be shown with the LinkXPRV, a model with reverse video and extra features for sports broadcast.

For more information, visit booth C11837 or go to www.linkres.co.uk.

fredfa

03-11-05, 12:00 AM

Rather Good Ratings for Anchor's Departure

(zap2it.com)--Spurred on by the departure of venerable anchor Dan Rather, "CBS Evening News" made a rare trip to the top of the newscast ratings heap.

In preliminary Nielsen ratings culled from the nation's 56 markets, Rather's farewell attracted a 7.3 rating/13 share. The evening's normal winner, "NBC Nightly News" with new anchor Brian Williams, was second with a 6.5/12, while Peter Jennings' "World News Tonight" delivered a 6.4/12 on ABC.

"We have shared a lot in the 24 years we've been meeting here each evening," Rather said as part of his final send-off. "And before I say goodnight, this night, I need to say thank you. Thank you to the thousands of wonderful professionals at CBS News, past and present, with whom it has been my honor to work over these years. And a deeply felt thanks to all of you who have let us into your homes, night after night. It has been a privilege and one never taken lightly."

The telecast reached roughly 8 million households, more than 2 million more than watched on average last week. Those figures are still well below the preliminary audience figures for Tom Brokaw's December exit from NBC, which pulled in around 15.4 million viewers. Final results for the telecast won't be available until the end of the week.

Rather took over for Walter Cronkite on March 9, 1981 and carried Cronkite's momentum for several years at the top of the ratings heap. In recent years, though, Rather has found himself in third place most of the time and the final months of his tenure were covered by the recent "Memogate" scandal, which embarrassed and disgraced CBS News last fall.

"Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer will fill in for Rather for at least the next three weeks while the search continues for a permanent replacement.

George Thompson

03-11-05, 09:07 AM

A NIP HERE, A TUCK THERE; NETS IN NEED OF SCHEDULE SURGERY LOOK TO REMAKE THEIR IMAGE
By Denise Martin, Daily Variety, 3/11/2005

Cable's love affair with makeover shows may be cooling -- "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is winding down and "Trading Spaces" has slowed -- but network makeovers are hotter than ever.

When A&E threw out its arts and entertainment focus last year in favor of topical telepics and younger-skewing docusoaps, viewers came flooding in. TLC will dive into the latter genre with "Sheer Dallas," about the Lone Star State's high society. Lifetime also pulled in younger demos by revamping and recasting "Missing" with Vivica A. Fox and adding more reality to primetime.

Now, in a bid to get young and stay relevant in a crowded arena, several cable chiefs are renovating programming strategies, some of which have undergone serious nips and tucks.

Doug Herzog, who added Spike TV to his portfolio in January, is shedding the net's excess with a less-is-more approach. "My whole attitude is fewer, but bigger and better," he says. "It's a world of white noise out there, so whatever we're throwing out needs to stand out."

Exec is keeping busy figuring out how to carve out a niche for Spike, distinct from his other male-demo net Comedy Central. Right now that means fewer cheap reality efforts and more dramatic endeavors.

"We're going to try to get Spike into the scripted business because what it really needs is better originals," Herzog says, emphasizing that priority one is to evolve Spike beyond "the first network for men." "We've got two big-ticket entertainment franchises -- 'CSI' and wrestling -- so Spike really needs to look more like an entertainment network."

In part, reconstructions are the byproduct of last year's massive exec shuffle that sent Herzog to the Viacom family, Ted Harbert to E!, John Landgraf to FX, Mark Juris to Court TV, Bill Hillary to BBC America and Paul Lee to ABC Family, and saw USA and Trio added to Bonnie Hammer's and Lauren Zalaznick's plates, respectively. Shortly, Lifetime will name a new topper as Carole Black is scheduled to exit at the end of the month.

Bravo prexy Zalaznick will be honing in on the channel's brand with a strategy aimed at keeping the momentum of recently concluded "Project Runway" going year round with a slew of rookie series.

Like A&E, Zalaznick is rapidly shedding Bravo's stodgy arts image, giving the on-air look a colorful facelift and a new tag, Watch What Happens. Projects centered on Bobby Brown, Howie Mandel and Kathy Griffin will surface as will new cycles of the "Moms & Dads" series, HBO transplant "Project Greenlight" and "Blow Out."

Exec says the new Bravo is about the other side of celebrity and the creative processes of entertainment.

"What we're not about is unauthorized or exploitation," she says. "On the other hand, we're still an entertainment network. We didn't do 'Project Runway' as behind-the-scenes documentary -- which would've been the legit way to go. We set out to do a reality show, but a compelling one. We did the art of reality."

ABC Family's Lee will go out on a limb this summer, adding the first original drama to the channel's lineup, "Beautiful People," an unapologetically unconventional family hour. Since making the jump from fledgling BBC America to ABC Family last spring, Lee quickly established that the net, previously known for its sappy original movies and storied history, would diversify.

"Everything and anything we put forward will be about modern families in all their glory and dysfunction," Lee says.

To help him redefine the net as an 18-34-targeted steppingstone between Disney Channel and ABC, Lee recruited Kate Juergens, a former exec at the WB, to oversee programming. In the coming months, ABC Family will premiere reality series "Las Vegas Garden of Love," about a quirky family-run chapel, and "Beautiful People," about a single mom who moves her two daughters from a small town to the Big Apple.

Lee also is making a push into the rarefied world of cable comedy. Projects in development include a series focused on a teen uncertain about his sexual identity, and another about a precocious teen Chinese girl adopted by Caucasian parents.

FX also is trying comedy on for size, albeit for an older set. Entertainment prexy John Landgraf has made it his mission to get the boundary-pushing cabler into the reality and comedy arenas, and is taking chances on a pair of low-budget laffers from lesser-known scribes and a reality series from Oscar-nominated "Super Size Me" director Morgan Spurlock.

Over at Sci Fi, prexy Bonnie Hammer is looking for her next hit outside of the space operas genre. Though "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis" and "Battlestar Galactica" dominate Friday nights on cable and each were renewed, Hammer is hoping two pilots can expand Sci Fi beyond space and aliens. "Painkiller Jane" centers on a sexy female action hero with healing powers and "Eureka" revolves a U.S. marshal who gets stranded in an eccentric think-tank community in the Pacific Northwest.

"Our next step is to create hits that live in other genres like fantasy or the here and now. We're even looking at some unconventional comedy," Hammer says.

Hammer's other ward, USA, will be zeroing in on a brand in the coming months. Exec points to the success of FX, which secured its gritty, contemporary branding with just three original dramas and became the equivalent of HBO among ad-supported channels.

Some brand makeovers have drawn mixed results: TBS added Very Funny to its moniker in June and has drawn a crowd for its "Sex and the City" repeats, but struggled on the original series front with only "The Real Gilligan's Island" delivering big numbers. TNT worked wonders with its We Know Drama positioning (and "Law & Order" reruns), but found it necessary to take a risk on original series. This summer it will bow new dramas "The Closer" and "Wanted," its first originals since "Witchblade."

USA execs are mum on details of the new positioning but Hammer reveals, "It's not a giant left turn or right turn from where USA is now.

"It will be the first time in 27 years that we have a brand, and what I can say is that it's going to be a relatable and accessible way to make a whole out of all our parts, including 'Monk' and 'Nashville Star' and 'Law & Order.' "

Joining the already diverse menu are "Made in the USA," a reality competish for aspiring inventors from "America's Next Top Model" producer Ken Mok; an update of "Kojak," toplining Ving Rhames; and the return of "The 4400."

Comedy Central is on solid footing -- having locked up net superstars Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart for multiple years -- but will branch out with narrative live-action half-hour "Stella," from the trio behind "Wet Hot American Summer." Herzog says he is intent on growing a latenight franchise with projects in the works from Adam Carolla and D.L. Hughley.

Ted Harbert is still shaping E!, already reworking news daily flagship "E! News" into a tighter operation. In his first at bat, Wayne Newton-hosted competish "The Entertainer" struck out, but docusoap "Gastineau Girls" shows promise. More important, Harbert is at work on several franchises for the cabler, which he believes will be key to heating up the entertainment network.

"After we all do a good job marketing and promoting, what does the viewer notice?," Harbert asks. "My goal is not necessarily to have a volume play -- though I plan to launch several more series this year -- but to develop franchises, or umbrellas, that people can come to and know what to expect."

For now, that means an investigative edition of "True Hollywood Story" as well as a real-people special. It also means viewers can look forward to spinoffs of channel breakthrough "Dr. 90210" that venture into the "90210" worlds of domestic help and possibly divorce.

MTV, the channel that revels in being everything mainstream TV isn't, is finally finishing up its deal with the Simpson clan -- "Newlyweds" hubby Nick Lachey will star in his own series this summer -- but is staying ahead of the curve with Cameron Diaz's "Trippin'," which puts a twist on National Geographic-style specs by sending celebs into the jungle to deal with environmental issues, and "Wild 'n Out," an improv comedy competition with a twist hosted by Nick Cannon.

Music net also is gobbling up the teens with some lesser-hyped real-teen skeins: Cabler ordered another helping of "My Super Sweet 16," a series that centers on extravagant 16th birthday bashes. Reaching new heights is long-running series "Made," which documents a young person's attempt to take on something totally different (i.e., a tomboy who wants to become the school play's leading lady).

"Nobody writes about these shows, but they've done tremendously for us," MTV Networks programming whiz Brian Graden says. " 'Made' is all about youth empowerment and busting stereotypes. These shows don't have big, sexy hooks, but that's what makes them all the more incredible."

fredfa

03-11-05, 11:18 AM

Thursday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-11-05, 11:20 AM

(Some additional ratingsnotes from Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column Friday March 11th, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)

Ratings Box: What's Hot/What's Not

Dan Rather Signs Off on a Winning Note:
The departure of Dan Rather on CBS' Evening News this Wednesday lifted the ailing newscast to a first-place 7.3 rating/13 share in the metered markets -- its first overnight victory since March 13, 2000. Second was NBC's Nightly News (6.5/12), followed by ABC's World News Tonight at a 6.4/12.

-ABC Daytime Scores in February: [/B] [/U] [/COLOR]
Based on Feb. 2005, ABC in daytime won every time period it programs for the first time during a major sweep period in recorded history. ABC's daytime drama line-up ranked first for the eighth consecutive February among women 18-49 (2.2/13). Second was NBC with a 1.9/11, followed by CBS with a 1.7/10 in the demo. ABC's full daytime schedule was No. 1 for the third straight February sweep, with a 2.1/12 among women 18-49, followed by NBC (1.9/11) and CBS (1.6/10).

ABC's Good Morning America Narrows the Gap:
Also based on Feb. 2005, ABC's Good Morning America had its strongest performance to-date, narrowing the gap opposite NBC's Today Show by the smallest margin since May 1996. GMA averaged 5.67 million viewers (+ 7 percent year-to-year), versus a six-year low for The Today Show (6.09 million, - 6 percent) and 3.00 million for CBS' The Early Show (- 8 percent). Comparably, Today's advantage over GMA was just 420,000 viewers. Although Today also led among adults 25-54 (2.6/17, - 3 percent), GMA increased by 11 percent in the demo (2.2/15) followed by The Early Show at a 1.1/ 8. Next year at this time could, no doubt, be an interesting time for the morning news daypart.

Solid Sampling for ABC's Blind Justice:
New Stephen Bochco drama Blind Justice debuted on ABC Tuesday with a competitive second-place finish in viewers (12.4 million) and adults 18-49 (4.5/12), building year-to-year over NYPD Blue by 2 million viewers and 29 percent among adults 18-49. Comparatively, this was ABC's second-best performance with regularly scheduled programming in the time period since May 20, 2003

slocko

03-11-05, 12:01 PM

Caught Blind Justice. Not too bad. Will give it a chance.

I think if Amazing race did HD, they could get some advertising dollars from the Tourism industry. Every time I see the show I want to travel to those places.

I think they can extend the show for another 30 minutes and fit in some Tourism spots in there.

Cinder

03-11-05, 02:32 PM

The tourism angle on amazing race is a great idea. I wish they'd extend it 30 minutes as well so we can see more of those places. I definately have marked places i want to travel to.

slocko

03-11-05, 02:45 PM

oh, and more importantly, my wife also liked Blind Justice :)

So we can watch it together.

fredfa

03-11-05, 05:01 PM

NBC extends its 'ER' stay through at least 2008
(medialifemagazine.com)--NBC may have lost two of its most successful comedies in the past year in “Friends” and “Frasier,” but it won’t be losing its top drama. The network has reportedly reached a deal with “ER” producer Warner Bros. to extend the show for at least two more years, through the 2007-’08 season. NBC already has the drama locked up through next season. “ER” is tied with “The Apprentice 2” as NBC’s top-rated show for the season among adults 18-49, averaging a 7.8 rating and 20 share. It is the network’s most-watched program period, averaging 16.5 million viewers season to date, down from 19.5 million last year. Still, even a diluted “ER” is a strong show. It’s the lone remaining heavyweight on NBC’s once-mighty Thursday schedule, where CBS has made serious inroads the past four seasons. The show has undergone lots of cast changes since its 1994 start, with Noah Wyle the only one to stay for its entire run. He’s rumored to be leaving after this season. Though Warner Bros. set a record six years ago with a $13 million per-episode licensing fee, the new deal will reportedly drop to $8 million or $9 million.

fredfa

03-11-05, 05:03 PM

Another disappointing finish for 'The Contender'
(medialifemagazine.com)--It’s probably safe to say now that NBC’s “The Contender” will never find a big audience. Despite airing in the network’s coveted Thursday 10 p.m. slot, leading out of the highly rated “Apprentice,” “The Contender” once again received disappointing ratings, according to Nielsen overnights. The show averaged a 4.8 adults 18-49 rating, up 17 percent over Monday’s premiere but losing nearly a third of “Apprentice’s” lead-in audience. The show averaged just 9.2 million total viewers, about 0.7 million better than Monday’s total.

CBS easily finished first among adults 18-49 last night, averaging an 8.7 rating and 23 share. NBC finished second at 5.1/13, followed by Fox at 2.6/7, UPN and ABC tied at 1.8/5, and the WB at 0.6/1.

At 8 p.m. CBS’s “Survivor” led with an 8.1 average. NBC’s “Joey” (3.6) and “Will & Grace” (3.8) repeats finished second. Fox was third with “The O.C.’s” 3.5 average, including the newly revealed “Star Wars” ad that aired at the end of the show.

At 9 p.m. a new “CSI” on CBS was well ahead of “The Apprentice,” averaging a 10.4 to the latter’s 6.7. The second hour of a 120-minute “Extreme Makeover” repeat on ABC was third at 1.8. CBS’s “Without a Trace” led with a 7.6 average at 10 p.m., followed by “Contender’s” 4.8 and ABC’s 2.2 for “Primetime.”

CBS finished first among households for the night with a 15.3/24 average. NBC was second at 7.11/11, followed by ABC at 4.2/7, Fox at 3.8/6, UPN at 3.2/5 and the WB at 1.1/2.

fredfa

03-11-05, 05:09 PM

Judge Says Leno Can Joke About Jackson
By TIM MOLLOY Mar 11, 2:01 PM (ET)
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (The Associated Press)—"Tonight Show" host Jay Leno may joke about Michael Jackson despite a gag order on the prospective witness in the molestation case, the judge ruled Friday at a hearing in which prosecutors also claimed the singer may be "on the precipice of bankruptcy" and sought access to his financial records.

Responding to a request by Leno's attorney, Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville clarified that the gag order would not prevent the comic from making jokes about Jackson in his monologues. Leno, who may be called to testify about a phone call with Jackson's accuser, has been having other celebrities tell Jackson jokes on his show since being subpoenaed. Media attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr. argued for the clarification on grounds Leno's First Amendment rights were violated.

The judge said the gag order barred Leno from talking about the specific areas on which he may testify, but it wouldn't prevent him or anyone else covered by the gag order from commenting generally about Jackson. He said he would not even try to make Leno stop telling jokes that assume Jackson is guilty.

"I am not attempting to prevent anybody from making a living in the normal way that they make their living," he said. The judge also joked: "I'd like him to tell good jokes ... but I guess I can't control that."

Jackson attorney Robert Sanger said Leno has made "very cruel jokes" about Jackson that could affect how he might testify and he urged the judge to restrict Leno further. "We're not putting him out of his business if he can't talk about Michael Jackson for a few weeks," Sanger said.

The judge said he didn't believe such a limit would be constitutional.

The defense is expected to call Leno as part of its effort to show that the accuser's family has sought money from many celebrities including the "Tonight Show" host. According to the defense, Leno called police after talking with the accuser because he thought accuser's family was looking for a "mark."

Sanger noted that Leno's testimony would be favorable to the defense. The judge said that during questioning, Jackson's lawyers would be free to note that Leno has made jokes about Jackson if they think it's relevant.

bgall

03-11-05, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
"I'd like him to tell good jokes ... but I guess I can't control that."

rotfl!!!

that was a great article fred :)

keenan

03-11-05, 05:50 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
[B] NBC extends its 'ER' stay through at least 2008
with Noah Wyle the only one to stay for its entire run. He’s rumored to be leaving after this season.

I just read somewhere today that Wyle is hooked up through 2008..can't remember where though..

Any scuttlebutt on Third Watch?

fredfa

03-11-05, 06:21 PM

Given NBC's major problems, I am not sure Third Watch is a prime worry.
But it isn't in very good shape, either.
Apparently it is on the bubble: its numbers are not great -- through last week it was 55th in the season-to-date ratings.
Not good at all. (It was just behind the Saturday repeats of L&O SVU.)

keenan

03-11-05, 06:30 PM

Probably not, NBC should have tried and kept House for themselves..

dline

03-11-05, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
Another disappointing finish for 'The Contender'
(medialifemagazine.com)--It’s probably safe to say now that NBC’s “The Contender” will never find a big audience ...
You have to wonder, with all the "real" sports action on the basketball court, whether this was a good time to introduce such a show. This is college tournament week, after all.

fredfa

03-11-05, 07:46 PM

Scott G has reminded me that the futon critic has begun its annual exploration of what the six TV networks might have in store for us next year.
While I believe it is a bit too early for such conjecture (kind of of picking like the NCAA basketball seeding in early January) it is a fun read to anyone interested in network TV programming.
(And I would guess most of you who visit this thread are interested in such prognostications!)
It begins with CBS and will continue through next week.
(The Futon Critic, unlike this thread, is dark over the weekends.)

You can check out their CBS guesstimates here:

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=rant&id=20050311

f44

03-11-05, 08:47 PM

Originally posted by Xesdeeni
Whoa! Even better: In addition to Minority Report this Saturday night in HD, next Saturday it's The Ten Commandments, also in HD.

Xesdeeni

Where does it say HD for The Ten Commandments?

Scott G

03-11-05, 10:15 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
ScottG has reminded me that the futon critic has begun its annual exploration of what the six TV networks might have in store for us next year.
While I believe it is a bit too early for such conjecture (kind of of picking like the NCAA basketball seeding in early January) it is a fun read to anyone interested in network TV programming.
(And I would guess most of you who visit this thread are interested in such prognostications!)
It begins with CBS and will continue through next week.
(The Futon Critic, unlike this thread, is dark over the weekends.)

You can check out their CBS guesstimates here:

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=rant&id=20050311

You can also still check out the ABC guesstimates here :

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=rant&id=20050310

fredfa

03-12-05, 02:26 AM

Jonny Zero’s future: Nada
(thefutoncritic.com) – Industry insiders have confirmed “Jonny Zero”, the Fox freshman drama, has been officially canceled. The network announced on Tuesday it had pulled the series from its schedule effective immediately. Repeats of its various comedies plan to fill the Friday, 9:00/8:00c hour through late April, after which feature films will take over the night.

fredfa

03-12-05, 02:45 AM

It is not HD, I confess, but forgive me for posting the sad news for a very classy lady.

'Jane Pauley' Canceled
By Christopher Lisotta TVWeek.com

Staffers on NBC Universal's "The Jane Pauley Show" were told in a meeting Friday afternoon in New York that the syndicated strip has been officially canceled. The show, which premiered Aug. 30, 2004, with great fanfare, had secured a two-year deal and top-level clearances on the NBC owned-and-operated stations.

Production on "Pauley" will cease in mid-April, and a mix of original episodes and repeats will air through the end of the season. Original episodes are slated for the entire May sweeps.

In a statement released to TelevisionWeek, distributor NBC Universal Television Distribution said, "We are very proud of the quality of work Jane, the producers and the entire team at 'The Jane Pauley Show' have put forward this season."

Ms. Pauley also released a statement: "We started out with an enormous vote of confidence from our stations and have seen our audience grow steadily from November until now, but it came too late for too many to stick with us."

The show had a season-to-date household rating of 1.5 through Feb. 27, according to Nielsen Media Research. It premiered modestly and never improved much beyond its opening numbers.

"Pauley," which had been touted as an afternoon competitor to shows such as King World's "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and Warner Bros.' "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," had been downgraded in many markets. Though not a direct time-period trade, industry experts have said NBC Universal's upcoming strip with Martha Stewart would help its stations replace any holes left by "Pauley."

slocko

03-12-05, 08:54 AM

i'm surprised zero even got a chance to air. there seemed nothing original about the show. the promos didn't inspire even a glance at the show.

fredfa

03-12-05, 12:34 PM

Is there ratings trouble ahead for "Law & Order: Trial By Jury"?
Check Friday's ratings which have now been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-12-05, 02:22 PM

A few days ago, GregF asked about Colin Ferguson's ratings on "The Late Late Show" and how they compare with recent LLS numbers.
I don't have complete ratings, but I did find this tidbit:

(From Lisa de Moraes The Washington Post Thursday, March 10, 2005)
…"The Daily Show" pulled in its biggest audience to date of 2005 -- 1.8 million viewers.
Which, to put things in perspective, is about 100,000 fewer viewers than CBS's "Late Late Show," now hosted by Craig Ferguson, averaged during the February sweep.
Which, by the way, is "Late Late Show's" biggest February audience ever, with any host...."

f44

03-12-05, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
Is there ratings trouble ahead for "Law & Order: Trial By Jury"?
Check Friday's ratings which have now been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

I wonder if people only watched to see Orbach's final L&O performances, which were in the first two episodes only.

f44

03-12-05, 02:39 PM

I always though the shows that follow Leno and Letterman had more people watching.

fredfa

03-12-05, 02:56 PM

I would agree that a great number of people probably tuned in to see Jerry Orbach's final performances.

keenan

03-12-05, 03:31 PM

Speaking for myself only, Bebe Neuwirth just completely turns me off, she gives me the same reaction I get when I see Leo DiCaprio. There's just something about those actors that bugs me...

fredfa

03-12-05, 04:00 PM

Pilots Nab More Movie Stars
By A.J. Frutkin Mediaweek.com

Big screen stars continue to return to television for pilot season. Oscar-winning actress Ellen Burstyn has joined NBC's church drama Book of Daniel, in which Aidan Quinn plays an Episcopalian minister addicted to prescription drugs. Burstyn will play the bishop of the diocese.

Meanwhile, Danny Devito will direct the Fox comedy pilot Queen B, starring Alicia Silverstone as a once-popular high school girl who must now deal with life's daily humiliations as an adult.

Spin City's Alan Ruck has joined Fox's gay-tinged comedy Don't Ask, about a teenage boy whose dad (Ruck) leaves his mom for another man.

In other casting news, American Dreams' Gail O'Grady has signed on to star in ABC's real estate comedy pilot Hot Properties, leaving the fate of American Dreams uncertain.

fredfa

03-12-05, 04:13 PM

From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column at Mediaweek.com)
What’s On Prime-Time Network TV Saturday 3/12/05

ABC
Movie: Minority Report (R) HD

CBS
Cold Case (R) HD
Without A Trace (R) HD
48 Hours Mystery

NBC
Law & Order (R) HD
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) HD
Law & Order: SVU (R) HD

Fox
Cops
America's Most Wanted

ESPN HD
Big East Basketball Championship: (West Virginia – Syracuse ) 8PM ET, 5 PM PT HD

f44

03-12-05, 09:15 PM

Originally posted by fredfa
From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column at Mediaweek.com)
What’s On Prime-Time Network TV Saturday 3/12/05

NBC
Law & Order (R) HD
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) HD
Law & Order: SVU (R) HD

NBC switched the order around, it is now:

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) HD -8pm ET
Law & Order: SVU (R) HD -9pm ET
Law & Order (R) HD -10pm ET

fredfa

03-12-05, 09:20 PM

I've got to get you a job on Marc's research staff, f44...good work (for those on west left coast, at any rate)

f44

03-12-05, 09:27 PM

I just flipped to it and it was different from what the on-screen guide listed.

fredfa

03-12-05, 09:32 PM

"The Carol Burnett Show" will be honored at the "TV Land Awards."
Getting another chance to howl
Will a Tarzan yell be heard?
March 12, 2005
By Lisa Rosen The Los Angeles Times---

The lore about Carol Burnett starts, fittingly, in Hollywood. She grew up in an apartment on Wilcox and Yucca with her grandmother, who took her to four double features a week. Afterward, Burnett and her friends would act out all the parts. They'd climb up to the Hollywood sign — Burnett favored the O's because they were less rickety than the other letters, as she tells it — and she would let loose with a Tarzan yell.

That cry ricocheted off more than the hills, eventually landing as a signature moment on one of the most popular, longest-running variety shows on television.

Recognizing that, TV Land is reuniting the cast to present "The Carol Burnett Show" with the Legend Award during its third annual "TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV" on Wednesday.

It's a lovely gesture but hardly necessary. Ask anyone of a certain age, and you'll find that "The Carol Burnett Show," which ran from 1967 to 1978, became legendary long ago. The program and the cast — Burnett, Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence and Lyle Waggoner — were as much a part of weekly life as Saturday night itself.

Not bad for a Hollywood kid whose grandmother scraped money from the welfare check so they could go to the movies.

Those hours Burnett spent spellbound in darkened theaters would later fuel the show's parodies of films such as "Mildred Pierce" and "Gone With the Wind." (The latter inspired one of the great sight gags of all time — when Scarlett needs a new dress to impress Rhett and uses the curtains, rod and all. Design great Bob Mackie, who worked for the show, came up with the idea.)

Those movie spoofs caught the eye of stars such as Rita Hayworth, who sent a telegram congratulating the cast, and Joan Crawford, who called Burnett and said, "You gave us more production than a … Warner Bros. movie" — albeit in slightly saltier language.

In fact, the screen gods and goddesses of the day, those same ones Burnett had watched adoringly with her grandmother, turned out to be admirers, calling to ask if they could come on the program.

Recently, as the cast members looked back on the show's heyday, they sounded a unanimous note of wonder that their idols were fans.

"Even though I grew up doing Betty Grable and Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth, they were guests on the show. That was something. If my grandmother had been alive, it would have killed her," Burnett said, laughing, as she sat in her Beverly Hills office. "She would have had a heart attack to see me working with Betty, to see me working with Lana."

Over the phone from his home in Westlake Village, Waggoner spoke of the day Sammy Davis Jr. stopped him in the hall of CBS, where the show was taped, to thank him for his work. "He's thanking me?" Waggoner thought.

Conway and Korman, during a joint interview in Westwood, remembered innumerable meetings with famous fans: Gloria Swanson, James Stewart, Gene Kelly, Rosalind Russell and Henry Fonda among them.

Conway recalled trying to talk to Frank Sinatra when Ol' Blue Eyes approached him. No words came out, just gibberish. Conway insists that even after a number of evenings spent with Sinatra, he was still so awestruck that he couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Korman remembered Fred Astaire complimenting him on the show, and Korman could only think, "You're Fred Astaire for heaven's sake, what are you talking about, why would you even look at me?"

Another big star proved the undoing of a few cast members. Burnett recalled the day Korman came into work with the news that he had been at a party with Cary Grant the previous Saturday night, and Grant had asked the hostess at 10 o'clock where the television was, because he never missed the show. "I said, 'Oh, my God, Harvey, Cary Grant knows who we are?' " Burnett said, her eyes wide.

A few weeks later she was at a party at Peggy Lee's house when "all of a sudden it got very quiet, and it was as if the Red Sea parted, and in walks Cary Grant." Burnett immediately ran to get her coat, telling her then-husband (and the show's producer), Joe Hamilton, that they had to leave before she could meet Grant, because she knew she would make a fool of herself.

While in the coat closet, she felt a tap on her shoulder. "And I turned around, and I'm looking at this gorgeous face, and my heart is beating so loudly that it's in my ears. And his mouth is moving, and I know he's got to be saying something charming, but I can't hear it.

"Then his mouth stopped moving. I realized it was my turn to say something, and I blurted out, 'Oh, you're a credit to your profession,' " she said with a roll of her eyes. "I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole."

She ran out to the car with Hamilton, who told her she was right: They should have left before she spoke.

Waggoner remembered the party — Grant tapped his shoulder too. "He said, 'Excuse me, hello, I'm Cary Grant,' and I thought, 'No kidding,' " said Waggoner, who was dumbstruck when Grant said he was a fan.

Korman's moment was at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, waiting impatiently for Conway to show up so they could present an award at a black-tie event, when he got his tap on the shoulder from Grant. "I swear to you, I nearly fainted," Korman said. "I swooned."

But Grant was undeterred by all the responses, and the group struck up a friendship. They even used to pal around at the Hollywood Park racetrack. "Grant was a $2 bettor," Korman confides.

Stars even showed up in the studio audience. One night Korman's lifelong idol, Laurence Olivier, came to watch a taping. Vicki Lawrence saw how nervous Korman was and tried to reassure him: "What's the big deal? He's just a guy, and you're funny." To which she said Korman replied, "What do you know, you little putz? You're too young and stupid to be scared."

Vicki Lawrence was indeed young, getting the job just out of high school as the result of a fan letter she wrote to Burnett. Over the phone from her Long Beach home, she remembered being onstage doing scenes with movie stars, wondering, "What the hell am I doing here?"

Sometimes the stars may have wondered that themselves. "Usually people who came from the movies or stage were terrified because of the time span we had to work in," said Mackie, who created about 50 costumes a week for the show. "So it was always an interesting week."

Lawrence remembered that Hayworth was traumatized because she couldn't get a dance number right. "She said, 'I don't know how you people do this in a week,' and I'm thinking, 'My God, Miss Hayworth, you've gone up and down a staircase with Fred Astaire, get a grip.' "

The cast members are delighted with the TV Land award and that the airing of "The Carol Burnett Show" (8 a.m. Saturdays) has given them a new generation of fans. Most of them are still hard at work, connected in some fashion to the show or one another.

Lawrence often performs on the road with her "two-woman show — Vicki Lawrence and Mama," as she calls it, referring to the character she played in "Mama's Family" that was first seen on "The Carol Burnett Show." Conway and Korman have been performing on the road together for years. Waggoner runs Star Waggons, which supplies location trailers to the entertainment industry. Mackie recently designed costumes for Burnett in the remake of the musical "Once Upon a Mattress," due out late in the fall from ABC.

But even after all these years and all those shows, the gang still can't believe its luck in meeting, and working with, its Tinseltown heroes.

"When we were growing up, these were indeed giants, they were myths, they were larger than life," Korman said. "Meanwhile it turns around, and they are fans of ours. How gratifying can that be?

"But it brings up another point. Do we have those kinds of people in movies and television today? They're commodities, you see them on television all the time, in all the magazines. They're way too available, there's no magic anymore, no mystery. I miss that."

'TV Land Awards'
Where: TV Land
When: 9 p.m. Wednesday
Rating: TV-G (suitable for all ages)

fredfa

03-13-05, 02:19 AM

Glenn Close Encounters 'The Shield'
By John Maynard Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, March 13, 2005; Page Y07
She may not be boiling bunnies or skinning Dalmatians, but you still don't want to mess with Glenn Close in her new role on FX's gripping cop show "The Shield." The five-time Oscar nominee, who terrified cheating husbands everywhere in "Fatal Attraction" and portrayed a puppy slayer in "101 Dalmatians," debuts this week as Monica Rawling, the captain of the tough precinct depicted in "The Shield."

Station headquarters, or the "barn" as it's affectionately called by the show's characters, is full of renegade detectives, power-hungry commanders and cops living double lives. Oh, yes, it's also trying keep the body count down in the gang-ridden Los Angeles neighborhood it represents.

"They wouldn't have put me in the job if they didn't think I could do it," Close said about her character, a 25-year veteran on the force who's a sharpshooter and wears the coolest sunglasses. "I've earned my stripes."

Rawling replaces outgoing Capt. David Aceveda, portrayed by Benito Martinez, who won a seat on the city council and will remain a central character. Aceveda was a political animal whose style never jibed with that of his cops, but Rawling comes aboard as a cop's cop, someone who "identifies with the grunts on the police force," said "Shield" creator Shawn Ryan. "She still wants to be one of them." Close, who turns 58 on Saturday, has played a first lady, a vice president and an Army colonel, but "The Shield" offers her the first opportunity to portray a police officer.

Close wasn't thrilled about the target practice she needed to prepare for the role ("I don't like shooting a gun"), but she did get a kick out of getting to know Theresa Shortell, one of the few NYPD female precinct commanders.

"She was very inspiring because of her love of law enforcement, her appreciation of the opportunities she'd been given, her toughness and yet her femininity," Close said. "She even let me go through her closets to see what she wears when she's not in uniform."

Femininity might come in handy when dealing with the rowdy precinct and Vic Mackey, the precinct's best and most ethically challenged detective. Portrayed by Michael Chiklis, Mackey's been involved with some bad dealings, including killing two innocent cops to save his own skin and getting involved with a money-laundering scheme that blew up in his face last season.

Rawling doesn't trust Mackey as far as she can throw him, but she needs him off desk duty and back on the streets if she's ever going to make an impact in the neighborhood.

"I go way out on a limb in order to bring Vic back," she said. "My fate is tied to him."

Creator Ryan aimed high when casting the role of the new captain, pitching names such as Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand to show writers and network executives. But after sorting through schedules and assessing the capabilities of various actors, it became clear that Close was the choice.

"The one thing that appealed to us about Glenn right from the beginning is that she's someone famous for the work she's done, as opposed to being a celebrity on top of that," Ryan said. "You never saw her in the rags." (That's Hollywood-speak for the tabloids.)

Close said she had not watched "The Shield," but, after being approached by Ryan, engaged in a marathon viewing session while visiting her parents. Close became addicted; however, the jury is still out for her mother.

"My mom said, 'Oh, they do such bad things.'"

Chiklis was excited but somewhat leery about having a big-shot movie star join a cast of virtual unknowns.
"Let's face it: She could have come on the show with the attitude [of] 'I'm Glenn Close and you're not,' and nothing could be further from the truth," Chiklis said. "She's shown up with work ethic and excitement."

She's also gone to a basic cable show straight from the big screen, a move once considered slumming. Not anymore, said Close.

"There was a huge snobbery about work on television when it was mainly network," Close said. "For me, it's always been, 'Where's the great writing?' There are wonderful writers in cable. Some of the best of the best."

Besides, Close said, at times it even beats the glamour of the big screen. "I like the rhythm of television. I get extremely bored now sitting around on a movie set. So, I thought, why not?"

fredfa

03-13-05, 02:41 AM

'Meet the Parents' actress dead at 31
Friday, March 11, 2005 Posted: 10:46 PM EST (0346 GMT)
LOS ANGELES, California (The Associated Press) –Actress Nicole DeHuff, who memorably took a volleyball in the face from Ben Stiller in the 2000 hit movie "Meet the Parents," died of complications from pneumonia. She was 31.
DeHuff had twice visited a hospital shortly before her death February 16 but was sent home both times, the E! Network's E! Online Web site reported.

"Meet the Parents" was DeHuff's first film. A bumbling Stiller, who is dating her sister, accidentally breaks her nose during a volleyball game on the eve of her wedding. The action is one of many that estrange Stiller from DeHuff's menacing father, played by Robert De Niro.

The actress also appeared in the films "Suspect Zero" and "See Arnold Run" and had a starring role in the recently completed movie "Unbeatable Harold," which was directed by her husband, Ari Palitz.

She had a regular role in the 2002 TV series "The Court" and appeared on such other shows as "CSI: Miami," "Without a Trace," "Dragnet," "The Practice" and "Monk."

The Oklahoma native earned a bachelor's degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles

Guest Starring Roles
CSI: Miami - Carrie Delgado - Wannabe (2004)
CSI: Miami - Carrie Delgado - Stalkerazzi (2004)
Monk - Vicki Salinas - Mr. Monk and the Paperboy (2004)
L.A. Dragnet - Claudia Hellman - The Magic Bullet (2003)
Without a Trace - Kathy Dobson - Underground Railroad (2003)
The Practice - Michelle Farrell - Dangerous Liaisons (2001)
CSI - Tina Kolas - Alter Boys (2001)

Movie/Mini-Series/Special Roles
See Arnold Run (2005) - Barbara
Suspect Zero (2004) - Katie Potter
Meet the Parents (2000) - Debbie Byrnes

slocko

03-13-05, 10:39 AM

how tragic. how can in this modern age someone who is 31 die of pnemonia. that is gross malpractice. no offense to any doctors present.

it's just unfortunate that like in any profession, there are too many who are in it just to make a living. unfortunately not caring about one's profession has dire consequences when you are in the medical field.

dturturro

03-13-05, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by slocko
how tragic. how can in this modern age someone who is 31 die of pnemonia. that is gross malpractice. no offense to any doctors present.

it's just unfortunate that like in any profession, there are too many who are in it just to make a living. unfortunately not caring about one's profession has dire consequences when you are in the medical field.

Forget the individual medical professionals, how about the HMOs that refuse treatment based on a cost analysis sheet?

PJO1966

03-13-05, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by dturturro
Forget the individual medical professionals, how about the HMOs that refuse treatment based on a cost analysis sheet?

No kidding... just because she was in a couple of movies doesn't mean she can afford health care. There was an interview with Hillary Swank. After she had done Boys Don't Cry she went to pick up a prescription. Her insurance didn't cover it because she didn't make enough the previous year to be eligible for coverage. She had just won an Oscar but couldn't afford to pay for her prescription.

fredfa

03-13-05, 12:32 PM

Saturday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-13-05, 01:00 PM

Networks Run Their Own Numbers Game
Nets using 'new math' to calculate viewer stats
By JOSEF ADALIAN variety.com
Numbers don't lie -- except in Hollywood. In a town known for its creative math, it's never much of a shock to hear that someone's fudged the numbers just a little. But in recent weeks, network promotion execs have taken the art of spinning stats to a whole new level.

The most recent wave of "new math" started during last month's Super Bowl. Hoping to create some heat for new drama "House," Fox ran an ad trumpeting the claim that "40 millions have made 'House' a hit."
To which most TV insiders watching responded, "Huh?"

At the time, "House" was averaging a modest 7 million viewers per week. Critics loved it, and it was growing substantially from its lead-in -- but no single episode ever approached the 40 million number. Turns out Fox had come up with 40 million by estimating how many people had watched the show on a cumulative basis since its November premiere. Even if someone only watched one episode for 10 minutes, it counted.

The floodgates soon opened:

CBS, irritated by Fox's positioning, decided to start touting the fact that "more than 100 million viewers" have made "CSI" TV's top-rated show.

A few days later, ABC Entertainment prexy Steve McPherson, flabbergasted by Fox's funny numbers s, upped the ante further. He ordered ads hyping the 150 million-plus fans tuning in each week to watch "Desperate Housewives" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Cablers have joined the fray, too. Last week, E! ran a radio spot breathlessly urging folks to discover why "millions and millions of viewers" have made its "Dr. 90210" reality skein a success.

McPherson said his ad was designed to lighten up the ratings race. It only ran a few times, and he has no plans to start using so-called "cume" ratings on a regular basis.

"I'm not sure that America is that naive," McPherson says, arguing such spots don't really do much to convince viewers to tune in. "They watch shows that they like based on their content," he adds. "And those numbers don't bear any semblance to how the shows are actually doing."

Fox actually agrees with ABC's take.

"Do I think any of these numbers entice people to watch? No," says Fox scheduling guru Preston Beckman. "At the end of the day, the viewers are smarter than all of us."

But Beckman also points out that Fox is hardly the first web to use cume numbers to tout its shows.

"It's been done before; we just happened to do it during the Super Bowl," he says. "We didn't do anything groundbreaking."

Some industry wags are already joking about just how out of hand the cume craze could get. NBC, for example, could probably run an ad saying more people than inhabit the planet have watched "ER" since the show's debut.

"Maybe we could cume up the number for 'America's Funniest Home Videos,' " McPherson says of the net's longest-running skein. "At last count, it's up to 17 billion."

Xesdeeni

03-13-05, 03:51 PM

Originally posted by f44
Where does it say HD for The Ten Commandments? Check out TitanTV.com. It's also listed as HD in the new TV magazine in the Sunday paper :-)

Xesdeeni

fredfa

03-13-05, 04:35 PM

From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column at Mediaweek.com)
What’s On Network TV Sunday 3/13/05

ABC
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (two episodes)
Jake In Progress (premiere, two episodes) HD
Boston Legal HD

CBS
60 Minutes
Cold Case HD
Made-for: Saving Millie HD

NBC
Dateline
The Contender (time period premiere)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent HD
Crossing Jordan HD

Fox
King of the Hill
Malcolm in the Middle
The Simpsons
Arrested Development HD
The Simpsons (R)
Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show (premiere)

WB
Charmed (R)
The Starlet
Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge

f44

03-13-05, 04:48 PM

ABC press releases currently do not indicate HD for it. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

f44

03-13-05, 04:53 PM

The WB tonight should be:

Charmed (R) (two episodes)
Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge

fredfa

03-13-05, 07:29 PM

'American Idol' Shocker: Mario Out, Nikko In

(zap2it.com)--"American Idol" will begin its Final 12 on Tuesday (March 15) with a different dozen than viewers saw unveiled last Wednesday night. In a surprising move, Mario Vazquez has withdrawn from the popular FOX talent show and will be replaced by Nikko Smith.

Offering no explanation beyond the always vague "personal reasons," FOX announced on Sunday (March 13) that Vazquez would no longer be competing on "Idol." A 27-year-old from New York City with smooth dancing moves and a pure voice, Vazquez had been one of the favorites since his "Idol" audition in Las Vegas. A recent set of odds put out by an offshore betting group had Vazquez as a third betting choice, behind only Anwar Robinson and Bo Bice.

fredfa

03-13-05, 07:36 PM

Disney Board Names Iger to Succeed Eisner
By Jay Sherman TVWeek.com March 13, 2005
The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday named Robert Iger as CEO, tapping the media giant's No. 2 executive to replace longtime chief Michael Eisner, who will step down a year earlier than he previously planned.

The company said Mr. Iger, 54, was elected unanimously by the board of directors and will assume the CEO job Oct. 1.

Mr. Eisner, meanwhile, told the board Sunday that he will also step down from the board when he retires as CEO.

Mr. Eisner, following a withering 45 percent no-confidence vote by shareholders, announced last September that he would not renew his employment contract when it expires Sept. 30, 2006. Since then, he has publicly supported Mr. Iger, a Disney executive since 1996, to succeed him.

Despite Mr. Iger's high rank at Disney, his appointment is likely to spark controversy among shareholders who saw Mr. Eisner's retirement as an opportunity to inject new management blood into the company.

Rumors swirled in recent weeks that the CEO candidate list lacked a number of names seen as logical choices, including News Corp. President Peter Chernin and Viacom co-President and co-Chief Operating Officer Leslie Moonves. Press reports Sunday indicated eBay CEO Meg Whitman, who interviewed with the Disney board last week, took herself out of consideration.

Until recently, Mr. Iger has taken hits for failing to revive the ratings fortunes at ABC and has been perceived as lacking the kind of management chops required to run a company with such far-flung assets.

In recent months, that perception changed as Mr. Iger took on a higher profile and as Mr. Eisner's luster faded amid shareholder dissatisfaction. In recent weeks, though, questions once again arose regarding Mr. Iger's management acumen following the release of a book that sometimes portrayed Mr. Iger's leadership less than favorably.

fredfa

03-13-05, 07:46 PM

Disney's Board Chooses Iger as New Chief
By LAURA M. HOLSON The New York Times March 13, 2005

LOS ANGELES, March 13 - The Walt Disney Company announced today that Robert A. Iger will succeed Michael D. Eisner as the new chief executive. Mr. Iger, 54, will begin in September 2005, a year before Mr. Eisner said he would step down. In a letter to the board of directors, Mr. Eisner said he would not seek the chairmanship or a seat on the board of directors after Oct. 1, 2005, something many in Hollywood thought he would want if Mr. Iger succeeded him as chief executive.

The naming of Mr. Iger will mark the end of Mr. Eisner's storied and tumultuous two-decade reign at Disney. It was was marked by a shareholder revolt last March, leading to his announcement seven months later that he would not seek to be named chief executive after his contract expired in September 2006.

For months many inside and outside the company expected that the board would name Mr. Iger, who Mr. Eisner named as his choice. But the board also interviewed other candidates, including Meg Whitman, the chief executive of eBay. On Friday, she said she was withdrawing from the competition.

The promotion will be the realization of something Mr. Iger has patiently waited for since Mr. Eisner named him Disney president in 2000. Mr. Iger worked tirelessly in the shadow of Mr. Eisner, a position that was at times uncomfortable as he was forced to differentiate himself from his boss, who had become a lightning rod for many of Disney's troubles. At last year's annual meeting, 45 percent of the votes cast in the board election were withheld from Mr. Eisner in a public rebuke of his management.

Now Mr. Iger will have to prove that he has the ability to retool Disney, whose fortunes, after years of underperformance, are turning around as tourists have returned to the theme parks and the ABC television network appears to be improving with hits like "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost."

As little as a year ago few executives in Hollywood expected that Mr. Iger, who began his career in 1974 at Capital Cities/ABC as a studio supervisor, would get the job. But in recent months Mr. Iger has not only successfully wooed Wall Street but also members of the board.

Mr. Iger's skills as a chief executive - despite his negotiations with Hong Kong officials over construction of a Disneyland park there or his overseeing the successful ESPN businesses while president - are untested. Mr. Iger has neither attracted the ire of critics nor been celebrated for having the creative vision to run Disney. He is best known for his easy charm and cool demeanor, something that could work in his favor with Disney's disaffected partners, including Steve Jobs, the chairman of Pixar Animation Studios, who battled with Mr. Eisner.

"Clearly Bob's been a great partner to Michael Eisner in very tough times," said Jeffrey Logsdon, a media analyst at Harris Nesbitt who has followed Disney for years. "But he's got a lot of different constituencies to work with and gain confidence where he does not have it."

fredfa

03-13-05, 10:14 PM

Popular 'Idol' contender calls it quits
By César G. Soriano USA TODAY
American Idol finalist Mario Vazquez, considered by some a leading contender to win the hit TV talent show, unexpectedly quit the competition on Sunday, citing personal reasons. He was replaced by Nikko Smith, who was ousted last Wednesday.

A Fox spokesman did not elaborate on the surprise announcement except to stress that it was Vazquez's decision to withdraw. Vazquez was traveling home to New York on Sunday and could not be reached for comment.

With his charismatic persona, pop-star fashion and extensive vocal range, the Bronx-born Vazquez, 27, had gained a fan following. His repertoire consisted of R&B classics such as Stevie Wonder's Do I Do and The O'Jays' I Love Music.

Fans were stunned at the news.

"He was the best contestant on the show," said Idol viewer Kent Bailey of Lexington, Ky. "The talent, along with that smile, would have won him the competition."

Melissa Gleason of Columbus, Ohio, picked Vazquez in her office pool. "I am bummed," she says. "He had the whole package — looks, talent, the 'it' factor."

At a Fox party Wednesday to honor the 12 finalists, Vazquez gave no hint that anything was amiss. He even showered compliments on Smith, who was eliminated last week when men were reduced from eight to six performers. (Smith was chosen to return because he had more votes than Travis Tucker.)

"I was really disappointed about Nikko leaving," Vazquez told USA TODAY. "I thought he was amazing. I thought he had an excellent voice. And he was smooth, dude. He was a smooth operator."

Smith, the son of baseball's Ozzie Smith, will perform Tuesday (8 p.m. ET/PT) when the men and women first compete against each other.

Vazquez was one of several contestants who benefited from a rule change this season, raising the age limit to 28. He was once rejected at an Idol audition for being a month over the cutoff.

Vazquez is not the first Idol contestant to leave the show unexpectedly:

• In 2004, finalist Donnie Williams was kicked out after an arrest on suspicion of DUI.

• In 2003, Frenchie Davis was dropped for having posed on a Web site catering to men with fantasies of underage girls; and finalist Corey Clark and semifinalist Jaered Andrews were dismissed for failing to report previous arrest records.

Idol is consistently the No. 1 TV show, averaging more than 26 million viewers a week.

keenan

03-13-05, 11:51 PM

Probably got offered a nice contract..

fredfa

03-14-05, 01:46 AM

For those of you who missed it over on the March Madness thread, here's an HD (and SD) preview for this week's first-round NCAA games.

NCAA First Round HD/SD Viewing Guide
(with thanks to rkunces)
Thursday March 17, 2005

12:15 PM Wisconsin-Milwaukee #12 vs. Alabama #5 HD
12:45 PM Niagara #14 vs. Oklahoma #3 HD
2:55 PM Penn #13 vs. Boston College #4 HD
3:15 PM Texas-El Paso #11 vs. Utah #6 HD
7:10 PM Chattanooga #15 vs. Wake Forest #2 HD
7:25 PM Winthrop #14 vs. Gonzaga #3 HD
9:40 PM Creighton #10 vs. West Virginia #7 HD
9:55 PM UCLA #11 vs. Texas Tech #6 HD

12:20 PM Eastern Kentucky #15 vs. Kentucky #2
12:40 PM Pittsburgh #9 vs. Pacific #8
2:50 PM Iowa #10 vs. Cincinnati #7
3:10 PM Montana #16 vs. Washington #1
7:10 PM Nevada #9 vs. Texas #8
7:20 PM Utah St. #14 vs. Arizona #3
9:40 PM Fairleigh-Dickinson #16 Illinois #1
9:50 PM UAB #11 LSU #6

Friday March 18, 2005

12:15 PM North Carolina State #10 vs. Charlotte #7 HD
12:25 PM Ohio #13 vs. Florida #4 HD
2:45 PM University of Central Florida #15 vs. Connecticut #2 HD
2:55 PM New Mexico #12 vs. Villanova #5 HD
7:10 PM Louisiana-Lafayette #13 vs. Louisville #4 HD
7:10 PM Vermont #13 vs. Syracuse #4 HD
9:40 PM Old Dominion #12 vs. Michigan State #5 HD
9:40 PM George Washington #12 vs. Georgia Tech #5 HD

12:30 PM Iowa St. #9 vs. Minnesota #8
12:30 PM SE Louisiana #15 vs. Oklahoma St. #2
3:00 PM St. Mary's (Ca.) #10 vs. Southern Ill. #7
3:00 PM Alabama A&M/Oakland #16 vs. North Carolina #1
7:20 PM Northern Iowa #11 vs. Wisconsin #6
7:25 PM Delaware St. #16 vs. Duke #1
9:50 PM Bucknell #14 vs. Kansas #3
9:55 PM Mississippi St. #9 vs. Stanford #8

jim tressler

03-14-05, 07:56 AM

this is interesting.. none of the #1 seeds are in hd.. lol

George Thompson

03-14-05, 08:32 AM

Beyond th Headlines....Latest industry news.
"Powell to exit without resolving DTV deadline"
"MSNBC owners want to split"
"FCC grants DTV extensions to 85 stations"
"WUSA-TV goes HD"

http://enews.primediabusiness.com/enews/broadcastengineering/v/529

fredfa

03-14-05, 10:55 AM

Wired Cable Loses 1.1 Mil. Users
By Katy Bachman mediaweek.com

Wired cable penetration hit a 10-year low in February, losing 1.1 million subscribers, according to a Television Bureau Advertising analysis of Nielsen Media Research data released Wednesday. Compared to a year ago, cable penetration fell from 67.5 percent to 65.8 percent and the number of subscribers dropped to 72.1 million from 73.2 million in 2004.

Cable's loss is satellite TV's gain. Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) is estimated at 19.2 percent, up from 17.8 percent a year ago. Alternative delivery systems (which include DBS) are also up, reaching 19.7 percent in February, up from 18.8 percent a year ago. ADS now represent 23.3 percent of subscription TV customers.

In some markets, ADS make up a significant percentage of cable households. In Salt Lake City, 41.1 percent of multi-channel subscriber homes are receiving TV programming via ADS. In Dallas, the seventh-largest TV market, 39.5 percent of multi-channel homes receive TV programming via ADS.

fredfa

03-14-05, 11:23 AM

Sunday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-14-05, 11:24 AM

jimtressler:
Since a #16 has never beaten a #1 in the men's tournament it makes sense, I guess.

fredfa

03-14-05, 01:17 PM

(This show is not in HD yet, but it will be later in the year.)

Late Night Raises The Burr
CBS's Craig Ferguson Brings Brit Wit -- and a Spot of Tea -- to the Table
By Hank Stuever Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, March 14, 2005; Page C01

LOS ANGELES--Craig Ferguson is sitting in his tidy office at CBS's Television City several hours before the taping of his nightly show (or "the shoo," as he calls it), talking about growing up in the small town of Cumbernald, just outside Glasgow, Scotland. His father knew someone over at the shipyard who'd picked up some carpet remnants from a luxury liner being assembled, and thus, Ferguson swears, his family was the first in the neighborhood to get wall-to-wall carpet.

Since he took over nine weeks ago as host on "The Late, Late Show," a post-Letterman, seldom-seen, insomniac's delight, this has been part of his shtick: He loves to go on about the exaggerated bleakness of his Scottish youth, so bad there wasn't even carpet. "I remember people came around, from the whole block, you know, just to have a look at our new carpet."

Shag?

"No, not right now, I've got to do the shoo," Ferguson says. "But maybe later on."

(Wait a beat. He lets out a deep laugh, then mock-addresses a nonexistent camera: "We'll be right back after these messages, everybody.")

To read this story properly, you might want to use your fake Scottish accent (and you know you've got one) for the quotes where Ferguson talks. Just do it in your worst burr; think Groundskeeper Willie on "The Simpsons," James "Scotty" Doohan from "Star Trek" or Mike Myers as Fat Bastard. Such is the American pop gamut of Scots, until now.

People apparently love to listen to Craig Ferguson talk. His predecessor, Craig Kilborn, hosted for five seasons, and it was fine as far as it went, except for Kilborn's slight, bratty chilliness -- it was too frat-boy, Kilborn's detractors said. Too snide, oddly clinical.

Ferguson's show already gives off light beams of jolliness, even as you get the feeling that it's possibly a happy train wreck. In an age of snark, it's almost too retro: A good-looking man walks out, has an accent, tells some jokes, makes chitchat, introduces a band, and nobody gets hurt.

Desperate actresses especially adore him. Witness the parade of fabulously coiffed and giddy B-minusers who've done "The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson" since its debut Jan. 3 -- Jennifer Beals, Mimi Rogers, Jennifer Love Hewitt.

And on this particular night's show, ladies and gentleman, Faye Dunaway, as if she has been transported to us accidentally by time machine!

Dunaway is on to promote "Starlet," the new reality show she's appearing on, but also she is here, she will later reveal, because she's been staying up late, too, with the rest of a certain demographic: People who, perhaps through a fog of Tylenol PM, have developed a teensy, weird crush on Ferguson.

The show has become very Los Angeles in a local sense, in both vibe and casual conversation -- as if West Hollywood had gained a cable-access channel. Ferguson talks about his ex-wife (they are friendly; she runs a Pilates center and lives two doors from his house, and went with him to Clive Davis's Grammy party) and his 4-year-old son, Milo (he shares custody). Watching the shoo feels like you've bumped into him at the Farmers' Market Starbucks off Fairfax Avenue.

"I don't try to put a positive spin on things when I talk to guests, or the audience," he says. "I think that's the reason I talk about my ex-wife on the show, or being a dad, or alcoholism, to say, yes of course I'm a member of the human race and yes of course I have interactions which succeed and fail, and other than that I'm okay and I'm doing all right and this show, you know, we're not here to talk about our feelings and help you out with your [expletive], because I don't even know ya. It's TV."

Mostly it's kitten time. "You're so charrrrmmming," Hewitt blurts out the minute she sits down on a recent show. She looks like she wants to eat Ferguson with a spoon. He appears to be looking for a fork. So yes, somehow he's charming: handsome in a shopworn and pocky way, at 42; blue-eyed, dark hair askew, deeply dimpled; slouching happily onto the set in a 6-foot-2-inch frame, that, if, say, a skit calls for him to perform a "Flashdance" routine in a ripped sweat shirt, leotard and leg warmers, reveals itself to be a bit thick.

Rogers comes on to talk about a TV movie she's done with Tom Selleck and frankly you could care less, until Ferguson learns that she dated Selleck back in his "Magnum, P.I." days.

"You had him at the top of his game," he says. "He's a pretty hairy man, isn't he?"

"The right amount," Rogers says, and wonders if Ferguson will open his shirt a button or two for a comparison.

"Oh, no, I'm like a dolphin," he says. "I've got nothin' -- I've got the landing strip, and that's it."

He addresses viewers at home as "my lovelies" or, better, calls them "cheeky wee monkeys" and does a regular bit where he pours himself a cup of tea from a proper silver tea set, inviting the audience to ask questions. The show leaps at you -- at 12:35 a.m., an ungodly hour for anyone past their Jesus year, age 33 -- with a jaunty, Electric Light Orchestra-ish theme song ("Mr. Blue Sky" maybe?):

But hang on leave the TV on

And let's do it anyway (hey, hey)

You can always sleep through work tomorrow,

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday.

Growing Pains

Ferguson's ratings are up just slightly from Kilborn's a year ago, to about 1.9 million viewers, and still somewhat below "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" on NBC, which draws 2.5 million. There are odd little pops in Ferguson's first demographic returns -- men over 54, for example, are watching in greater numbers, and so are women that age. (With other spikes in younger female cheeky monkey departments.) Yes, this is just another man in a tailored suit and expensive necktie sitting at a desk with a fake window view of twinkling lights behind him, in a post-post-post-post-Carson era. But it's also some elusive other thing, a lark: "This is a show that's being born on the air," Ferguson says. "There were no trial shows -- this is it, so the comedy is honest-to-goodness birth pains."

CBS really just threw this man on the air, with only two auditions and a few weeks' notice -- a man viewers knew only from his role as Nigel Wick, the unctuous boss on "The Drew Carey Show"; a man some viewers might not literally understand.

To really work, late-late talk shows (12:30 is so very different from 11:30) must feel somehow illicit, but not nasty; smart, but not cerebral or vital; they have to feel like secret entree into the world of adults but also remain childish. They need guests who are either coming or going from fame. They are successful only when they make you feel like a child getting away with impermissible viewing.

The show's comedy bits, TV critics have written since Ferguson took over, leave a lot to be desired. And he mostly agrees: "Did you see last night?" he asks, making a sour face. "Some nights I'll be doin' a bit, and I just really wish we could show the last night's show, but that's the whole point of it. You have to make something every day.

"I had one guest," he says, declining to name her, "and I thought, 'God, even you are bored by what you're sayin'. You're bored, I'm bored.' She was so media-trained that it was like, 'Christ almighty, can't you forget this [expletive] for a minute?' "

[B] Self-Taught Dropout

Ferguson was born in 1962 and came of age during the Protestant-Catholic tensions that raged in Ireland and set the tone in his Scottish neighborhood, too. The Fergusons were Protestant; his father worked for the postal service and his mother taught school; Craig is third of four children. He was a fat kid with too much energy. When he was 13, his father took him to Long Island to see an uncle; they got one of those budget fares on Sir Freddy Laker's airline. Ferguson was smitten with America.

He dropped out of high school at 15. "I was a bright kid, but I was kind of crazy. I used to win the school prize for literature. I would write these great big stories. But I never finished school and I kind of regret it now. I'll be reading something, Descartes or Thomas Aquinas" -- and he insists he really reads these things and was recently taken with Jostein Gaarder's "Sophie's World," a novel that attempts to encompass the whole history of Western philosophy -- "I'll be reading and come into something that's a huge gap where I don't really know what's going on, and I'll have to go back and look up a reference from a thousand years earlier. On a good day I'm an autodidact and on a bad day I'm a dilettante." (He recently finished writing a novel about "the birth of a church in America," he says, but he hasn't shopped it around to publishers yet.) Eager "to just get started with life," Ferguson worked in a factory and as a bartender, and then joined a series of punk-rock bands in the late '70s and early '80s, "with such dooomb names," he notes: The Bastards From Hell, then the Green Boys. Then the Recognitions. Then the Lone Wolves. "The Lone Wolves? That's the dumbest name there," he says. "How can you be lone if you're a pack of wolves?"

In 1983, he and his first wife moved to New York, and Ferguson worked in construction and acted in some obscure plays. He returned to Scotland and to bartending, "I'm a big drinker. I'm an alcoholic, so I was good at bartending." He did profane stand-up comedy as a recurring character named Bing Hitler, which he now says he was too drunk to remember. He went into rehab in 1993 after appearing as Brad in a revival of "The Rocky Horror Show" and has been sober ever since.

That decision, he says, persuaded him to move to Los Angeles and try to break into TV (he joined Carey's sitcom in 1995) and movies. His last role, in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," wound up mostly on the cutting-room floor; it was becoming apparent to him that the work was drying up, and Ferguson says he's given up acting.

He has frequently talked about his alcoholism since taking over "The Late, Late Show." When Steve Jones, the former Sex Pistol turned L.A. radio deejay, came on the show, he and Ferguson commiserated like a couple of veterans of the punk-rock pint wars.

[B] 'Can He Do It?'

Johnny Carson died when Ferguson had been on the job only two weeks. He felt extremely awkward about weaving Carson's death into his own mess of a show. He worried that nothing he could say seemed appropriate, or even earned.

But without rehearsal or a script, Ferguson opened his show with some gentlemanly words. "I think if I had done some big phony thing about Johnny, I would have been found out. I said, we're going to talk about it once, because he created what we do for a living, and then we're going to leave it."

He quoted James Joyce and told about moving to New York at 22, and feeling naive and far from home. He said that he felt "a little bit more American" each night when he watched "The Tonight Show."

Now that Ferguson has buzz -- and his publicists are running a charm offensive that has him hosting awards shows and doing more interviews -- the feeling around CBS is that they picked a nice guy.

But as it happens, Ferguson needs to be a tyrant right this very minute. After a blackened chicken wrap and a meeting with his writers, he has to go to the set and play the part of North Korea's Kim Jong Il in a prerecorded skit for the night's show where Fearless Leader makes a nuclear bid for the 2012 Olympics.

The sketch feels doomed from the start -- when Ferguson walks out in a Kim Jong Il hairdo, someone on the crew says he looks "like Ira from 'Mad About You' " -- but Ferguson is happily game, ready to bomb.

"I think I was anxious at first about failing, but not now. It's still too early to tell," he says. His contract with CBS is for six years, but that could mean nothing. "I think anyone who reviewed the show in the first three weeks, and a lot of people did, is kind of an idiot. None of us know what it is, and I think maybe that's why people are watching. They're sort of fascinated, I think. 'Can he do it'?

"The final answer," he says, "is I will be here for a while, and I will get it right."

j_buckingham80

03-14-05, 03:17 PM

It's interesting that Wired Cable has lost so many viewers over the past year. I don't quite understand what ADSs are though, but it does seem like just taking MSO+ADS (which supposedly includes DBS right?) from last year and MSO+ADS from this year there has been every so slightly a move to free OTA. (A move of .8%) Who knows if there's anything to that or not though. And the Salt Lake City area probably includes USDTV I would think (seeing as that's one of their market areas) which may represent a move of people to free and pay OTA. Don't know about Dallas though.

fredfa

03-14-05, 04:52 PM

Canseco Recommends Steroid Use
Says They Have "Made the Game More Exciting Than Ever,"
During Interview With Roy Firestone On HDNet
(HDNet Press Release)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - DALLAS - (March 14, 2005) - Jose Canseco, former Major League Baseball player and author of "Juiced," a book about the alleged rampant use of steroids in baseball, makes some controversial statements in a special "Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone" that premieres Monday night at 9:30 p.m. ET, and again Tuesday at 2:00 a.m. ET / 11:00 p.m. PT, only on HDNet.

In the interview, Canseco, who is scheduled to appear in front of a congressional committee on steroids in baseball on Thursday, talks about his own use of steroids and growth hormones, as well as other players, and actually recommends steroid use for some athletes.

"You know I don't recommend steroids for everyone...but for some it will benefit them greatly, steroids and growth hormones definitely," says Canseco.

When Firestone asks if Canseco thinks he and other players who used steroids have hurt the game, Canseco's response is: "I think we made the game more exciting than ever. I think the home run competition between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire brought the game back to life. I truly believe that these two individuals saved the game at one point. Were they using steroids? Absolutely."

The program will air again on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET and in other time slots throughout the week.

fredfa

03-14-05, 05:01 PM

(Adapted from basic information in Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column Monday March 14th, 2005 at Mediaweek.com. Any mistakes or omissions are mine.)
On The Air Tonight
Primetime Programming Options

Monday 3/14/05

ABC:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - How'd They Do That?
Extreme Makeover
Supernanny (R)

CBS:
Still Standing (R) HD
Listen Up (R) HD
Everybody Loves Raymond (R) HD
Two and a Half Men (R) HD
CSI: Miami (R) HD

NBC:
Fear Factor (R)
Las Vegas HD
Medium HD

Fox:
Nanny 911
24 HD

UPN:
One On One (R) HD
Cuts HD
Girlfriends (R) HD
Half and Half (R) HD

WB:
7th Heaven
Summerland HD

InHD:
Lakers at Wizards HD

f44

03-14-05, 05:45 PM

fredfa, Still Standing and Listen Up on CBS and Cuts on UPN are in HD.

(It says "Simulcast In HDTV" for Cuts in this promo for the show: http://www.upn.com/video/promo_cuts.shtml.)

fredfa

03-14-05, 06:07 PM

thanks f44, changes made.

fredfa

03-14-05, 06:13 PM

'Numbers' adds up to early lead vs. 'Trial'
'Jury' fails to make case
variety.com
NBC's "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" took a step back in its second outing, falling behind CBS rookie "Numbers" in their first head-to-head matchup. According to preliminary nationals from Nielsen, "Numbers" (3.5/10 in adults 18-49, 11.6 million viewers overall) topped "Trial by Jury" (3.0/9 in adults 18-49, 10.8 million viewers) in most key categories, with the Peacock entry prevailing only in a couple of female demos.

ABC's "20/20" was a competitive third for the hour (prelim 2.8/8 in 18-49, 8.1 million).

This is the best result for "Numbers" since its Friday premiere on Jan. 28. CBS effectively promoted the Rob Morrow-David Krumholtz crime skein during its powerhouse Thursday lineup, which dominated every half-hour last week.

For NBC, "Trial by Jury" declined by 27% from its time-period bow of a week earlier. This is believed to be the lowest 18-49 score for a regular, firstrun seg of the "Law & Order" franchise, which now has four programs on the Peacock.

fredfa

03-15-05, 01:28 AM

Ferguson's 'Late Late' ratings rise
Revamped talker rating second behind Conan
By MICHAEL LEARMONTH variety.com
Latenight's newest host is finding an audience. Craig Ferguson, the bemused Scotsman who won the sweepstakes to host the "Late Late Show," is taking the show to new ratings heights.

Show rated an average of 1.91 million viewers during the February sweeps, putting distance between the "Late Late Show" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and moving into a respectable second place behind NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (2.53 million).

Ferguson, who beat out three other candidates for the job, turned in a better February sweeps perf than either of his predecessors, Craig Kilborn and Tom Snyder. Eye senior VP for programming Kelly Kahl estimates Ferguson has added 100,000 viewers to the show since he took over 10 weeks ago. "Late Late" is the only 12:30 show to gain viewers over last year, with "Conan" down 9%. "Kimmel," which starts a half-hour earlier, is down 4%.

"Late Late" has pulled ahead of "Kimmel" by 356,000 viewers, up from 228,000 last year, and closed the gap with "Conan" to 638,000. Last year, "Conan" beat Kilborn's "Late Late Show" by nearly a million. Ferguson has won acclaim for his interviewing skills and a disarming sensibility that makes guests comfortable. Rockier has been the opening monologue, which exec producer Todd Yasui admits has been a work in progress.

"In any latenight show, it always takes a while to find your footing," he said. "We have to find the voice of the host, and he needs to find his voice, too."

fredfa

03-15-05, 10:53 AM

Vazquez: 'Idol' run is over, but dream lives on
By César G. Soriano, USA TODAY
Former American Idol finalist Mario Vazquez says quitting the competition "is all for the best" and vows that fans haven't heard the last of him.

"I knew I was going to disappoint a lot of people, but I always follow my gut," said Vazquez of his decision to quit Idol.

Vazquez, 27, made the media rounds Monday to explain why he decided to leave the hit talent show on Fox just as the final rounds begin (Tuesday, 8 ET/PT). But he did not elaborate on the "personal reasons" that led to his decision.

"There are priorities I have to take care of — personal, private things — and I hope my fans can be respectful of what little bit of privacy I have remaining," Vazquez said by telephone from his native New York. "I can't be sad. But I was disappointed that I had to make this decision. I knew I was going to disappoint a lot of people, but I always follow my gut."

Nikko Smith, who was voted off the show last week, was chosen to replaced Vazquez.

Vazquez said he struggled with the decision "throughout the competition. I couldn't show I was worried or anything. Truly, I was excited making the top 32, making the top 24 and then the top 12. But it was hindering a bit."

He denied reports that he left the show in a dispute with Fox or Idol producers but declined to discuss the specifics of his contract. "American Idol has been nothing but wonderful to me. They felt disappointed I had to go, but they respected my choice."

His family was still in the dark Monday. Rich Vazquez, his brother, said he spoke to Mario briefly. "He hasn't divulged anything. I'm as clueless as you are. He just dropped this bomb on us. It's for a good reason, I guess ... but I'm presently upset."

Vazquez says he felt bad that his family and friends had to hear the news secondhand. "They're all a bit shocked and disappointed like I thought they would be. It might take them a bit of time to understand." He added that his decision had nothing to do with his family.

Many fans considered the charismatic Vazquez a front-runner. His song list focused on old-school R&B such as Stevie Wonder's Do I Do, a performance that caught the superstar's ear. "He sounded pretty good," Wonder told USA TODAY at Sunday's TV Land Awards.

Vazquez, who sang background vocals on the Michael Jackson single Whatever Happens, says he has no intention of quitting his musical dreams. "I'm always going to have a passion for music, no matter what."

(Contributing: Bill Keveney)

fredfa

03-15-05, 11:17 AM

Monday’s ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

dline

03-15-05, 03:33 PM

In other news, and I'm surprised nobody on AVS beat me to it (I was out of town Monday), the FCC has turned away another indecency complaint -- this time against ABC's Monday Night Football.

As you'll recall, the complaint had to do with the intro before the Nov. 15 telecast, in which Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan comes on to football player Terrell Owens wearing nothing but a towel.

In its order, the FCC concluded: "Owens is fully clothed throughout the segment, and, with the exception of a moment when her bare back is exposed to the audience, Sheridan is at all times fully covered with a towel. No sexual or excretory organs are shown or described, and no sexual activities are explicitly depicted or described. Furthermore, the scene where Sheridan drops her towel and jumps into Owens's arms is brief. Although the scene apparently is intended to be titillating, it simply is not graphic or explicit enough to be indecent under our standard."

Link to order:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-53A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-53A1.doc

The only dissenting statement came from Democrat Michael Copps:

"Although the Commission finds that this broadcast does not violate [the indecency statute], it does raise the issue of broadcasters acting responsibly when deciding what to air during the hours when children are likely to be in the audience," Copps wrote.

Link to Copps statement:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-53A2.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-53A2.doc

dline posts this for information only and does not necessarily agree with any point of view expressed in this post.

Rack

03-15-05, 03:46 PM

If you happen to have a digital screenshot of Nicolette, you can see she's wearing pink underwear with dark purple polka dots outside the safe area. :)

fredfa

03-15-05, 04:01 PM

Towel skit with Terrell Owens not out of bounds, FCC rules

Not "explicit enough" to warrant a penalty for ABC
By Daniel Rubin Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday declined to throw the flag for the Monday Night Football skit where a seemingly naked Nicollette Sheridan jumped into the arms of Eagles receiver Terrell Owens.

By a unanimous vote, the five commissioners decided that while "intended to be titillating," the scene was "simply not graphic or explicit enough" to violate indecency rules. ABC's spot, which aired Nov. 15 at 9 p.m. Philadelphia time - 6 p.m. on the West Coast - was another flash point in the culture war over what is appropriate for broadcast.

Nine months earlier, a "wardrobe malfunction" during the Feb. 1 Super Bowl halftime show left Janet Jackson's right breast exposed to 90 million viewers. Hearings followed, the FCC fined CBS $550,000 (the network is appealing), and bills to vastly increase indecency penalties are before Congress.

During the locker-room scene, Owens was about to head for the field when he found himself alone with Sheridan, a star of ABC's Desperate Housewives, who was wearing only a towel. When he rebuffed her advance, saying his team needed him, she dropped her towel. Owens replied, "Aw, hell, the team's going to have to win without me," and she leaped into his arms. The camera showed her naked back.

The commission reported receiving "many" complaints about the skit's indecency. An FCC spokeswoman declined to specify how many.

One group that objected was the American Family Association of Tupelo, Miss., which organized a campaign that sent 20,000 e-mails to the network and football officials, said Randy Sharp, the group's director of special promotions.

"We're not surprised [by the ruling]," Sharp said, "but we are disappointed that this continues to occur on the public airwaves. We're disappointed that the ABC network did not respect our families and parents enough to have stronger consideration for what they put on the air."

After the skit ran, FCC Chairman Michael Powell asked, "I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud?" ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Co. Most involved backed off the skit soon after the broadcast.

ABC apologized. The National Football League deemed it "inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience." The Eagles said, "After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn't aired."

Commissioner Michael Copps was the sole FCC member to issue a statement with the ruling. The Democrat said the skit "does raise the issue of broadcasters acting responsibly when deciding what to air during the hours when children are likely to be in the audience."

At a time when surveys show most parents are very concerned about their children's exposure to inappropriate programming, Copps said, he hoped broadcasters "would go the extra mile" in using restraint.

"There wasn't much self-discipline in this particular promotion," he wrote. "As stewards of the public airwaves, broadcasters can and should do better."

Jeff Jarvis, a former TV critic who writes the BuzzMachine blog, faulted the FCC for even getting involved.

"It's absurd we have the government doing this and being in the position of being our national censor and our national art critic," Jarvis said. "The FCC said [the skit] wasn't explicit enough. Only they know what is. You have this ridiculous blurry line where there shouldn't be a line at all. To me, it remains a violation of the First Amendment. The market should determine if it's acceptable."

fredfa

03-15-05, 04:17 PM

CBS, FOX Split Weekly Ratings Races
(zap2it.com)--Let this be a lesson: Airing three episodes of "American Idol" per week is a recipe for ratings success and competitiveness. Airing three episodes of "The Contender" in a week is a recipe for third place. FOX rode its popular talent show all the way to the demographic bank, while NBC struggled through the week hamstrung by its new reality boxing disappointment. Meanwhile, though, neither network could stop CBS in overall measurements for the week ending Sunday, March 13, 2005.

CBS earned an 8.1 rating/13 share for the week, pulling in 12.53 million viewers per night in primetime. FOX was well back in second with a 6.7/11 and 11.12 million viewers. NBC was third with a 6.4/10 and 9.57 million viewers, easily holding off fourth place ABC's 5.5/9 and 8.5 million viewers. On the netlet side, UPN had a 2.0/3 and 3.01 million viewers for fifth, leaving The WB to trail with a 1.8/3 and 2.58 million.

FOX scored a big win in the key young adult demographic, doing a 4.8 rating among viewers 18-49. CBS was second with a 3.7 rating, with NBC's 3.4 rating and the 3.2 rating for ABC close behind. UPN had a 1.2 rating to nip the 1.1 rating for The WB.

The highest rated and most watched show for the week was CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," which hooked 29.4 million viewers and an 18.0/27. Fellow Thursday entries "Without a Trace" (15.0/25, 4th) and "Survivor: Palau" (12.4/20) also delivered the Nielsen goods. CBS' strategy to program new episodes of "CSI: Miami" (14.0/22, 5th) and "Two and a Half Men" (11.4/17, 8th) opposite NBC's "Contender" premiere paid off big and even that night's "Everybody Loves Raymond" (10.7/16, 9th) repeat was solid.

CBS also had Top 20 showings from Sunday's "Cold Case" (10.5/16, 10th) and "60 Minutes" (8.3/14, 18th).
FOX's success was all about it's "American Idol" trinity. The Tuesday female performance episode and the Wednesday results edition were tied for second on the week with the same 15.8/24 and the shows pulled in 27.66 and 26.86 million viewers respectively. The Monday performance episode wasn't far off with a 14.0/21 for No. 5. Tuesday's episode helped push a repeat of "House" to the medical drama's highest ratings yet with a 10.1/15 for No. 12. The Wednesday episode pushed "Simple Life: Interns" to an 8.3/13 for No. 18.

NBC's first three "Law & Order" franchises made Top 20 appearances, with "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (10.1/15) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10.1/17) tying for No. 12 and the original mothership taking No. 20 with an 8.2/14. Friday's "L&O: Trial By Jury" was less lucky, falling to No. 27 with a 7.3/13.
The peacock's other listworthy entries were "The Apprentice" (9.2/14, 15th) and "Crossing Jordan" (8.8/15, 16th).

Less impressive were the first three airings of NBC's "The Contender." The show's Monday sneak preview was No. 61 with a 5.1/8 and despite a strong "Apprentice" lead-in, the Thursday sneak was only slightly better (5.8/10, 52nd). Once the show settled into its regular Sunday home, it hit a nadir with a 4.3/7 for No. 74.

ABC's only Top 20 shows for the week were "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (10.3/16, 11th) and the sneak preview of the comedy "Jake in Progress" (8.7/13, 17th). The premiere of "Blind Justice" wasn't far off with a 8.1/13 at No. 21.

The WB's "Gilmore Girls" and UPN's "America's Next Top Model" tied at No. 82 with a 3.5/5, the best for either network. The WB, meanwhile, had the week's lowest rated original program with the 1.5/3 for the Tuesday premiere of "The Starlet," which could only drum up 2.15 million viewers.

fredfa

03-15-05, 04:50 PM

Senator Says No Quick DTV Deadline
By Todd Shields Mediaweek.com March 15, 2005

A Senate leader on technology issues said Tuesday the chamber may accept a hard deadline for the digital TV transition, but it is unlikely to go along with an emerging House proposal to end analog transmissions as early as the end of next year.

"People will think that's not enough time," said Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.), head of the Commerce Committee's subcommittee on technology. "Whether it's 2007, 2008 -- something like that will be more the compromise," Ensign told reporters after addressing a Washington audience gathered by the Consumer Electronics Association.

Broadcasters generally oppose setting a deadline, arguing that cutting off analog transmissions could leave millions without essential TV service. The consumer electronics industry wants a deadline. So does Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), chair of the House Commerce Committee, who told the same audience earlier Tuesday he expects to soon introduce a bill setting a hard date.

Barton said he prefers a deadline of Dec. 31, 2006 -- a date set years ago by Congress but which added an escape clause: the transition need not take place until 85 percent of viewers can receive a digital TV signal. Barton suggested the 85 percent goal is close in many markets, if regulators count subscribers to cable systems that can convert broadcasters' digital signals to analog signals that will work with old TVs.

fredfa

03-15-05, 05:28 PM

'Living With Fran' to Premiere April 8 TVWeek.comMarch 15, 2005

The WB announced Tuessday its new comedy "Living With Fran," will premiere Friday, April 8, at 8:30 p.m. (ET), with a special second episode airing that same night at 9:30 p.m.

"Living With Fran" stars Fran Drescher as a divorcée with a 21-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter who has her 20-something boyfriend move in with her.

The special episode guest stars John Schneider and Marilu Henner as the 20-something boyfriend's parents.

fredfa

03-15-05, 06:47 PM

From Marc Berman’s Programming Insider column Tuesday March 15th, 2005 at Mediaweek.com)
On the Air Tonight: Primetime Programming Options

Tuesday 3/15/05

ABC:
My Wife and Kids HD
George Lopez (R) HD
According to Jim (original and repeat) HD
Blind Justice HD

CBS:
NCIS (R) HD
The Amazing Race 7
Judging AmyHD

NBC:
Will & Grace (two repeats) HD
Scrubs (R)
Committed HD
Law & Order: SVU (R) HD

Fox:
American Idol HD
House HD

UPN:
All of Us (R)
Eve (R)
Veronica Mars (R) HD

WB:
Gilmore Girls (R) HD
The Starlet

fredfa

03-15-05, 07:54 PM

Last week’s prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-16-05, 01:37 AM

NBC re-elects 'Wing'
License fees cut to secure another year
From Variety.com
NBC, John Wells Prods. and Warner Bros. TV are close to wrapping up a long-expected deal to renew "The West Wing" for at least one more season.

None of the parties involved would talk Tuesday, but those familiar with the negotiations said just a few small deal points were left to be hammered out. NBC is expected to get another season of the show at a substantially reduced license fee vs. what the net had been paying, along with options for future seasons.

Under terms of the most recent "West Wing" license fee agreement, Peacock shelled out about $6 million per episode. That price will go down to about $3 million, according to insiders.

fredfa

03-16-05, 11:26 AM

Marc Berman's analysis of last week’s prime-time ratings and Tuesday’s prime-time ratings have been posted at the top of Latest News, the first item in this thread.

fredfa

03-16-05, 11:33 AM

Martin to Be Named New Chairman of FCC

The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that, according to an administration official, the White House is expected to name Kevin Martin as the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Martin would succeed Michael Powell who is stepping down as the nation's top communications regulator this week.

fredfa

03-16-05, 12:10 PM

Want decent family TV? Then help save 2 quality HD shows
By Jonathan Storm Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist
Nobody likes a tattletale. Take the Parents Television Council, which says it has one million members. Nattering nabobs of negativism, they spend most of their time howling about the dire state of TV, picking one risque incident here and one tasteless epithet there, and flooding the Federal Communications Commission with complaints.

Guys, here's a chance to be positive for a change: Two of the shows you love, 8 p.m. dramas that ooze family and moral values from every scene, are hanging by cobwebs, though still not canceled.

The threads holding NBC's American Dreams and CBS's Joan of Arcadia on the air would snap even before Alias' Sydney Bristow could climb back to safety. But, aided by the shrill cries of the council, as well as thousands of other less politicized viewers, rescue may still be possible.

Last month, NBC cut the production of Dreams, the moving story of a Philadelphia family in the '60s, when the times, they were a-changin'. Last week, the network moved the show from Sundays to Wednesdays.

Despite powerful story lines and a soundtrack that in a single show can include everything from Paul Butterfield to Paul Revere and the Raiders, with Bob Dylan in between, Dreams couldn't keep up with the joy and bathos of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Dreams will wrap its third season running Wednesdays at 8 through the end of the month.

Joan of Arcadia, a surprise hit last year, bumps along on Fridays, dwindling in the ratings despite a close connection to God. He doesn't just return the producers' phone calls. He also shows up on-screen every week, in different guises, to push teenager Joan Girardi down paths that not only lead to spiritual awareness and self-discovery, but are also just plain fascinating.

March Madness basketball blankets CBS the next couple of weeks. Joan will return April 1, with four consecutive new episodes before the curtain falls for the season.

Gorgeously acted by multigenerational casts, with voices unheard anywhere else in prime time, the shows are unique: satisfying for adults, with strong hooks for preteen and older children. But neither will make a peep during the sweeps in May, when networks go all out to maximize viewership - and when the new fall lineups are announced.

Joan ranks No. 1 with the council, for family-friendly programming, "uplifting without being saccharine," says the endorsement. Dreams comes in No. 9 on the Top 10 list, which, it must be acknowledged, includes Home Edition (No. 6) as well as such dramatically mediocre fare as the WB's 7th Heaven and a couple of Pax programs.

A sad message in the ratings decline of both Joan (tied for 72d place among 182 major network shows) and Dreams (tied for 79th) is that Americans in general don't much like complex TV drama unless it contains a dose of sex or violence. But the Parents Television Council wields power, even if it doesn't always reflect popular taste. (CBS's CSI, television's No. 1 drama, and Two and a Half Men, the No. 2 comedy, are on its Worst 10 list.)

And there are some important, receptive ears at both networks. Jeff Zucker, president of NBC Universal Television Group - the big boss - swears up and down the flagpole (when Fear Factor contestants aren't slipping off the pig grease on it) that American Dreams is his favorite show.Nina Tassler developed Joan of Arcadia before being named president of CBS Entertainment last year.

Networks can make money besides selling just raw ratings. You don't think they could get a premium from advertisers by pushing Dreams' and Joan's quality and family appeal?

Trekkies have raised millions of dollars in a worldwide appeal to keep the Starship Enterprise flying, or whatever it does. Family-oriented folks should be able to beat that effort for Joan and Dreams.

Near the top of the council's home page (www.parentstv.org) is a link that says, "File an FCC Complaint." For the next two months, the group could give up its role that by comparison makes Dreams' bratty tattler Patty Prior look like an angel. It could change the click to a direct, Don't-Cancel-Dreams line to Zucker, and add another urging the renewal of Joan that goes to Leslie Moonves, copresident and co-chief operating officer of Viacom Inc., which owns CBS.

Postcards - not letters - can make an effective flank attack, both for council folk and the rest of the people in the world who would like to act independently to support TV that is both entertaining and important. Flood the honchos' mailboxes at the addresses in the accompanying box.

And don't feel as if it's a big waste of time. How can you give up on family television, when it can offer so much? Be like Joan, who goes with God even when he gets her so confused, she could spit.

"You feel frustrated and victimized," he told her last week. "Yet you're still talking to me. So, somehow, you know this isn't pointless."

Where to Write to Save Two Shows
For American Dreams:
Jeff Zucker, President
NBC Universal Television Group
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

For Joan of Arcadia:
Leslie Moonves
Copresident, Co-Chief Operating Officer
Viacom Inc.
CBS Television City
7800 W. Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, Calif. 90036.

fredfa

03-16-05, 12:18 PM

New worry for 'Arrested Development'
Scratched for May sweeps, not a very good sign
By Toni Fitzgerald medialifemagazine.com
For the second straight year, there’s a rather glaring absence on Fox’s May sweeps schedule. The critically beloved and Emmy-winning sitcom “Arrested Development” had its order cut last month and will sit out the sweeps.

It’s never a good sign when a show is yanked for any sweeps period. But for “Development,” which was a somewhat surprise renewal last year after only lukewarm ratings, it raises an important question: How long can Fox keep supporting this show when viewers aren’t?

Thus far this season, “Development” has averaged a 2.9 adults 18-49 rating in the 8:30 p.m. Sunday timeslot, up 7 percent over last season’s 2.7 when it aired mainly at 9:30 with weaker lead-in “Malcolm in the Middle.” The show has averaged 6.0 million viewers, down slightly from last season’s 6.2 million viewers.

Sunday’s original episode averaged a 2.8 rating, losing 30 percent of its “Simpsons” rerun lead-in. These are not great numbers. It’s about what NBC’s disastrous “Father of the Pride” averaged during its brief run, and that show has been gone for months.

What there is of a fan base is rabid. Fox spokesman Scott Grogin says that “Arrested Development” and “24,” another show that needed two seasons before it took off, receive more fan mail than the network’s other scripted shows. An online petition (www.**************.com/Arrested/petition.html) to save the show has more than 31,000 signatures.

Yet while Fox waits patiently, “Arrested” is hogging what used to be a prime spot on the network’s schedule, the post-“Simpsons” slot. “Arrested” is not holding much of “The Simpsons’” 4.9 average rating among 18-49s. Fox is already trying to revamp the night, bringing in “Family Guy” and “American Dad” for May sweeps, when “Simpsons” reruns will fill the “Arrested” time slot.

Should Fox decide on even more of a change for next season, “Arrested” could well be gone.

At the same time, while Sundays are no longer as strong as they once were, "Arrested" is not hurting Fox's bottom line. The "American Idol"-fueled network should finish first for the season among 18-49s, and that means it can perhaps afford to coddle underperforming critical hits.

Most likely, Fox will give the show one more shot, perhaps on another night and with a small order. It doesn’t want to lose the sitcom’s award-bait cachet. “Arrested” was the only Fox show besides “24” to get major Emmy or Golden Globe attention in the past 18 months, when it became the least-viewed show ever to win the Best Sitcom Emmy.

There's no decision yet on whether “Arrested” will be back next season. Fox entertainment president Gail Berman has been a big booster of the show, but no one can say the network hasn’t given it a fair shot.

If a limited order for next season doesn’t result in a ratings boost, “Arrested” will be gone and fans of quality television will weep.