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fredfa

03-01-07, 01:02 AM

TV Notebook
NBC May Oust Evening News Executive
By Bill Carter and Jacques Steinberg The New York Times March 1, 2007

NBC’s dominance in television’s evening news race is undergoing its most serious challenge in a decade as “World News” on ABC scored its second ratings victory in the last three weeks. The figures highlight the slow but steady ascent of the veteran ABC newsman Charles Gibson toward the top position among news anchors.

In what is being widely interpreted as fallout from the shifting ratings picture, NBC has made plans to replace the executive producer of the network’s “Nightly News With Brian Williams,” according to several NBC executives.

A successor to the current executive producer, John Reiss, may be announced as early as today, the NBC executives said, emphasizing that a change in the newscast had been in the works for several weeks and was not related to the most recent ratings results. The NBC executives asked not to be identified because the change had not yet been formally announced.

The looming change in the control room at “Nightly News” and the ratings surge by Mr. Gibson are but the latest developments in the most tumultuous two years in the recent history of broadcast news.

Mr. Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw in December 2004. After that, Dan Rather resigned as anchor at CBS in the midst of a reporting scandal, and was soon succeeded by Katie Couric. Peter Jennings died of lung cancer while still the lead anchor at ABC, and one of Mr. Jennings’s designated successors, Bob Woodruff, nearly died in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq, setting off a sequence of events that ultimately led to Mr. Gibson’s move to the anchor desk at “World News.”

Only six months before Mr. Gibson got the evening news job, he was effectively passed over for it, in favor of two much younger journalists, making his current run at Mr. Williams’s broadcast all the more remarkable.

Even as some young viewers forsake television for the Internet, the three network newscasts continue to attract a collective audience of nearly 25 million viewers most nights. The programs are also among the most lucrative for the networks, with advertisers planning to spend nearly half a billion dollars on them this year.

More than a few viewers, and advertisers, choose their broadcast based on the personal strengths of those anchors. That has left some people at the networks wondering whether Mr. Gibson — who, at 63, is the oldest and most established of the three — may be proving more attractive to more viewers than Mr. Williams and Ms. Couric.

One NBC executive who did speak for the record yesterday, Steve Capus, the president of NBC News, would not confirm that any decision had been made about replacing Mr. Reiss. But he dismissed any conclusions being drawn from the recent ratings, saying that NBC had experienced surges by ABC during previous special ratings periods, known as sweep months. He all but guaranteed that NBC’s anchor, Mr. Williams, would regain supremacy in the ratings in a matter of weeks.

But the results for Mr. Gibson and ABC over the last month or so certainly present at least the potential that a tipping point may be coming in the evening news competition. If ABC’s newscast managed to eclipse NBC on Tuesday and last night by the same margins it has achieved in recent weeks, ABC will probably beat NBC for the entire sweep month of February, in both total viewers and in the chief advertising sales category for news, viewers from the ages of 25 to 54. That would be the first time ABC News had managed that double victory since November 1996.

Mr. Gibson’s progress in closing the gap with Mr. Williams had gone largely unnoticed in the initial torrent of attention that accompanied the arrival of the former host of NBC’s “Today” show, Ms. Couric, as the anchor of “CBS Evening News.”

Mr. Williams had led the news ratings virtually every week since taking over for Mr. Brokaw, the longtime leader, in December 2004.

Mr. Williams’s broadcast remains the most-watched among viewers this television season, drawing about 9.3 million each night, compared with 8.8 million for Mr. Gibson and 7.5 million for Ms. Couric, according to Nielsen Media Research.

But for the four-week period that began Jan. 29 and ended last Friday, Mr. Gibson’s broadcast was seen by an average of 9.69 million viewers a night, about 43,000 more than the 9.65 million who watched Mr. Williams’s newscast. (Ms. Couric’s CBS program trailed at 7.6 million.)

More notable has been the erosion in Mr. Williams’s lead over the last year. Erosion is not uncommon for the network newscasts, which have been steadily losing viewers. Still, Mr. Williams has lost an average of a little more than 570,000 viewers over the last year; Mr. Gibson’s audience has grown by just under 60,000 viewers.

Ms. Couric’s CBS newscast, which remains a distant third, has lost about 120,000 viewers from the program that was led last year at this time by Bob Schieffer. Asked yesterday whether any changes were in the offing for the CBS newscast, Sean McManus, the president of CBS News and Sports, said: “As we’ve said all along, this is a very long process that takes many months, if not years. We’re not losing any patience.”

Through a network spokesman, Mr. Gibson declined a request to be interviewed yesterday. What is perhaps most remarkable about his broadcast’s moving within striking distance of Mr. Williams’s — and perhaps causing NBC to react by shaking up its newscast’s management — is that Mr. Gibson is occupying the anchor chair at ABC at all.

At least twice in the last decade, ABC News marginalized Mr. Gibson’s role to the point that he contemplated leaving the network — only to have ABC call upon him to rescue a program.

The first time was in 1998 when, after 11 years as a co-host with Joan Lunden on “Good Morning America,” he left the program under pressure from network executives as its ratings sagged well below those of “Today” on NBC. At the time, he contemplated assuming a part-time role at ABC News, so that he might accept an offer to take a lead role as host of the “Biography” series on the A&E Network.

But less than a year after Mr. Gibson left “Good Morning America,” David Westin, the president of ABC News, urged him to reassume his post as co-host of the program, this time alongside Diane Sawyer, after the program sagged further under the anchor team of two neophytes, Lisa McRee and Kevin Newman.

In April 2005, after Mr. Jennings took leave of “World News Tonight,” as the program was then known, to be treated for lung cancer, Mr. Gibson was one of several anchors (including Ms. Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas) who pinch-hit for him until his death in August 2005, and then continued to rotate in and out of Mr. Jennings’s empty chair for four months.

That December, Mr. Westin announced that he had selected Ms. Vargas and Mr. Woodruff, both in their 40s, as a permanent anchor team to succeed Mr. Jennings. In an interview on Dec. 5, the day of the announcement, Mr. Gibson, then 62, acknowledged that he had, effectively, been passed over for the job. At the time, it was widely believed that Mr. Gibson would leave “Good Morning America,” and probably ABC, when his contract was up in June 2007.

And yet, less than a month after the new anchor team began on “World News,” fate again played a hand in Mr. Gibson’s career. In late January, Mr. Woodruff was wounded and began a long recuperation. The plan for the anchor team was scrapped. Mr. Gibson was once again pressed into duty (as was Ms. Sawyer) to work with Ms. Vargas behind the anchor desk.

As for Ms. Vargas, she announced soon afterward that she was pregnant with her second child. Last May, Mr. Westin announced that the job of anchor of “World News” was now Mr. Gibson’s outright, and that he was leaving “Good Morning America.”

In an interview that day, Mr. Gibson said: “I am to some extent a creature of circumstance to horrendous events, Peter’s illness and Bob’s injury, and to a joyous event, but nonetheless one that affected all of us, which is the pregnancy for Elizabeth.”

On Tuesday night, in a stark reminder of that unsettled period, Mr. Gibson welcomed Mr. Woodruff back to the “World News” set, for an unusually long interview that touched on the details of his recovery .

Jon Banner, the executive producer of “World News” for Mr. Gibson (and Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Jennings before him), said: “To stand there with Charlie and Bob just before the broadcast was a miracle.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/business/media/01nbc.html?pagewanted=print

fredfa

03-01-07, 01:41 AM

Yes, but the numbers count in the season's ratings.

Fox feels that 'Til Death repeats will do better than Happy Hour, I guess.

Once the end of May hits (and the "season" ends) all networks will be free to play whatever they want.

Or maybe Fox will just sacrifice those "Happy Hour" episodes against some other network's hottest show -- figuring it doesn't matter what they thorw up against it, and they might as well save new episodes of something else.

Fox is apparently going to win February in the 18-49 by .1 or .2 over CBS in the 18-49 and every little bit helps.

dad1153

03-01-07, 01:54 AM

Since "Studio 60" is scheduled to go back in production in March and there's one unaired episode (the one pre-empted for "Black Donnellys") in the can, what are the chances Sorkin's show will air in May sweeps (regardless of time slot)? If the show is already condemned as everyone says, would NBC burn it off in April (when "Friday Night Lights" will also exhaust all its new episodes) or in the dog days of summer? And what will NBC air Mondays at 10 if "Donnellys" continues to get same-or-lower ratings than what "Studio 60" was getting in the same time slot? If NBC were a dyke then the Dutch would be all over it plugging the many leaks! :o

fredfa

03-01-07, 02:04 AM

The final "Friday Night Lights" is scheduled to air April 4, with "Thank God You're Here" taking its slot on April 11.

I have no idea what will be done with "Studio 60". I assume NBC has a hefty penalty to pay if all contracted for episodes are not shot.

But that still might make more sense than shooting and showing them -- much as I'd prefer to see them.

steverobertson

03-01-07, 06:30 AM

shawn12341234

03-01-07, 07:40 AM

i didn't see any info on the front page about lucky louie or weeds...is there any?

Marcus Carr

03-01-07, 08:16 AM

FCC rule requires all new TVs to be digital

By HIAWATHA BRAY
THE BOSTON GLOBE

Americans who don't know the difference between high-definition television and digital television are about to learn, thanks to a federal mandate.

Starting today, all new television sets designed to receive over-the-air signals must contain a tuner capable of receiving digital broadcasts, not just the old-style analog signals that we have relied on for the past half-century.

Many companies will offer dual-mode sets, capable of handling either analog or digital signals. But in 2009, all U.S. television broadcasts will be exclusively digital, by order of the Federal Communications Commission. This year's digital television mandate is designed to help the public make a painless transition from the old technology to the new.

"For many people, this has already happened, and they didn't realize it," said Megan Pollock, spokeswoman for the Consumer Electronics Association in Washington.

Digital tuners already are mandatory in television sets with screens larger than 25 inches.

Today's mandate covers smaller sets, the last bastion of all-analog technology.

Most Americans have cable or satellite television service. Those video providers handle the digital signal through the adapter boxes they provide to customers.

Those who still watch analog broadcasts have nothing to fear. Even when the television networks go all digital in 2009, companies will offer adapter boxes that will convert the digital signal into analog form, suitable for the older technology.

Getting a digital television doesn't necessarily mean buying a high-definition set. Digital broadcasting refers to the use of a stream of zeroes and ones to send the signal, instead of the wavelike signal of an analog transmitter.

All forms of broadcasting use limited amounts of bandwidth on the radio spectrum. Digital broadcasting uses much less bandwidth, while delivering excellent sound and picture quality. Switching to digital will free up capacity that can be used for additional channels or other communications traffic.

Digital broadcasting is different from HDTV, a technology that increases the sharpness of the video signal. Today's standard television systems display a picture made up of 480 lines drawn on the screen. But this standard image can be delivered by either analog or digital systems. Indeed, many digital sets offer a picture that's no sharper than an analog image.

All HDTV sets use digital technology, but they also use an imaging technique that produces a sharper picture, made up of either 720 or 1080 lines.

The extra lines mean that the picture can show much finer detail than a standard television image.

There's a third type of digital set, the enhanced-definition television, which offers an intermediate level of picture quality, better than standard television, but not as sharp, or as expensive, as HDTV.

According to the FCC, it took 12 years for 10 percent of U.S. households to get color television sets. But since the first digital televisions became available nine years ago, 32 percent of American homes have adopted them.

That is largely due to surging demand for HDTV programming, because 80 percent of the digital sets deliver a high-definition picture.

But beginning today, even television buyers with no interest in HDTV will find themselves going digital.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/305565_digitaltv01.html

WilliamR

03-01-07, 08:21 AM

Fredfa, do you do any kind of post where it lists the scheduled season finale dates for the more popular shows?

Maestro J

03-01-07, 08:44 AM

dad1153

03-01-07, 09:07 AM

Actually Cronin and the people that run GSN isolate themselves from the public because they make decisions that are pretty unpopular with hardcore gameshow fans (the type like me that want more repeats of older gameshows and less of the new one's), who let them know in no uncertain terms how they feel about him.

The following we got after "What's My Line?" was taken off the air as a 7-day-a-week strip, making a few thousand insomniacs around the country very sad and angry:

TO PHONE GSN:

310-255-6800 (A man named Ryan often answers.)

TO WRITE GSN:

GSN
Attn: Ann Hummel
Manager of Acquistions and Scheduling
2150 Colorado Ave, Suite 100
Santa Monica, CA 90404

No direct web address to reach Cronin & Co. has been found. :(

And isn't Chain Reaction a little too late for a seven year old to watch? It airs at 9PM ET/PT, a time when most seven year olds are already in bed. :confused:

Maestro J

03-01-07, 09:30 AM

Dad - we have a SD Tivo in the master bedroom that she has pretty much taken over. She records shows on that and I frequently see recordings of Chain Reaction, Family Feud, Amazing Race reruns, etc. along with Nick shows like Drake & Josh and Zoey 101.
That's too bad there is no email or web form to send him. I'm not much for snail mail writing anymore but hey, perhaps I can get her to write to him? It would probably grab his attention to see fan mail that is in bright marker on construction paper, right?

Iteki

03-01-07, 09:37 AM

I'll always remember her as Isabel, one of several aliens that attended Roswell high school on the WB's Roswell....

Me too, the one that betrayed them right? (in their previous life)

fredfa

03-01-07, 10:39 AM

TV Notebook
Charlie Gibson, 'ABC World News' wins ratings sweeps
By Gail Shister Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist March 1, 2007

Prepare to crown Prince Charles. At least for February.

Barring a major surprise, Charlie Gibson's ABC World News will win the February ratings sweeps, which concluded last night.

Moreover, it will be a clean sweep for ABC. (Cue clarion call.)

World News will finish No. 1 for the month in both total viewers and in its target audience of 25-to-54-year-olds. The last time ABC turned that particular double play was in November 1996.

The last time NBC's once-untouchable Nightly News ended up No. 2 in a sweeps month (February, May and November) was in November '01, under anchor Tom Brokaw.

Lest we forget, Katie Couric's CBS Evening News will conclude February at No. 3.

Until last week, Brokaw's successor, Brian Williams, had won 21 of 23 weeks this season, including the first 20 in a row. Overall, Nightly had led all comers for 132 of the past 138 weeks, NBC says.

Nobody's talking publicly, but NBC suits are nervous. Buzz at 30 Rock is that Nightly boss John Reiss is toast.

No comment from NBC. Reiss didn't return calls.

With World News on a roll, you might think executive producer Jon Banner would be euphorically projecting a more permanent reversal of fortune.

You would be wrong.

"I'm not ready to go there yet," says the ever-understated Banner. "The sweeps aren't over yet. We have a lot of work left to do. What is a trend is that we've had 10 continuous weeks of solid growth, year to year. That's especially pleasing to us."

World News won last week's race with 9.38 million total viewers, including 3.02 million in the 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. It marked World News' second weekly win in both categories in February.

Nightly News last week averaged 9.07 million total viewers (2.73 million in the demo); CBS Evening News had 6.91 million (2.18 million in the demo.)

Banner attributes World News' resurgence almost entirely to Gibson, who debuted in May.

"It's taken some time for the audience to realize Charlie is on World News and not on Good Morning America anymore. We're a big country."

Also, Gibson is more comfortable with the broadcast and has "taken ownership" of it, in Banner's words. He's involved in every aspect, from choosing stories to writing scripts.

Banner denies that lead-in Oprah Winfrey is a factor. Fewer than 50 percent of ABC affiliates carry the 4 p.m. show, and even so, he says, it's off the air 90 minutes before World News goes on.

Moving right along, former World News coanchor Bob Woodruff last night did his first piece for the broadcast since he was almost killed in a bomb blast in Iraq more than a year ago.

The story was an update on a U.S. soldier who suffered a traumatic brain injury similar to Woodruff's. It had original reporting in addition to footage used in Woodruff's prime-time special Monday.

Banner says he hopes to use Woodruff once a week "for the immediate future."

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16806082.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

rebkell

03-01-07, 10:47 AM

Me too, the one that betrayed them right? (in their previous life)

I thought it was Tess, the one that plays Clare(sp?) on LOST, I mainly remember Heigl's role as Max's brother, on the show, not sure how their real alien identities ended up, who was bad and who was good.

fredfa

03-01-07, 10:50 AM

The Business of Television
Comcast, Sinclair Extend Retrans Talks
By Glen Dickson Broadcasting & Cable 3/1/2007

Cable operator Comcast and station group Sinclair Broadcast Group, which have been embroiled in a retransmission-consent battle in 23 markets including Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Tampa, Fla., and Baltimore, have announced that they are extending negotiations through March 10.

That eliminated the possibility of Sinclair immediately pulling its signals from Comcast's systems, which it threatened to do at 2 a.m. Thursday unless Comcast agreed to pay its price .

The two companies issued a joint release this morning saying that they are "continuing to have productive discussions" and have agreed to "extend the retransmission agreement that was set to expire today through March 10."

For now, Comcast customers will continue to receive Sinclair's stations, which include numerous Fox affiliates, while the companies attempt to reach an agreement.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6420560

fredfa

03-01-07, 11:11 AM

TV Notebook
February Sweep Is Over

If you needed any reminder that the Sweep has ended, just note that "American Idol" is back to (just!) an hour tonight.

Oh, and “Grey’s Anatomy” is presenting a repeat.

So we’ll see how a full hour of “Are Your Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” does.

fredfa

03-01-07, 11:25 AM

TV Notebook
For '30 Rock,' decision time is nearing
Struggling NBC comedy is about to go on hiatus
By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Mar 1, 2007
The next two episodes of NBC’s “30 Rock” could help determine whether the critically beloved but low-rated sitcom will return for a second season.

“Rock” will go on a six-week hiatus after next week’s episode, leaving the Thursday 9:30 p.m. timeslot to the new show “Andy Barker, P.I.,” before returning in April. These two weeks are important because “Rock” will air against reruns of powerhouse timeslot competitors “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC and “CSI” on CBS.

Networks are in pilot mode now, beginning to narrow down which new and returning shows will make their fall schedule. NBC is only expected to pick up one of its freshman series for next fall, either “Rock” or “Friday Night Lights.” (A third rookie, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," looks all but dead.) "Rock" and "Lights" have similar season averages, and so NBC will be looking for growth potential when it decides which to bring back.

Airing against original episodes of “Grey’s” and “CSI” the past month, “Rock” actually has been shrinking, not growing. When the show took over the Thursday slot in late November, its first three episodes against minimal competition averaged a 2.9 adults 18-49 rating.

Its three most recent episodes have averaged a 2.5, a decline of 14 percent. If it can grow again over its next two outings, that might help convince NBC the show has potential much like “The Office,” which was renewed two years ago with similarly low ratings.

It doesn’t hurt that recently critics seem to have adopted “Rock” as the new “Arrested Development,” a similarly smart but low-rated show. Publications from TV Guide to Entertainment Weekly to countless blogs are championing its renewal.

The competition isn’t entirely light tonight. “Rock” will face a new challenge in Fox’s smash “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader,” which had the network’s best debut in 18-49s in more than 14 years earlier this week.

In tonight’s “Rock,” guest star LL Cool J plays a hip-hop producer who helps Jack (Alec Baldwin) launch a new line of champagne.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10480.asp

fredfa

03-01-07, 11:53 AM

Yesterday’s fast national over night prime-time ratings have been posted near the top of Ratings News the second post in this thread.

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:01 PM

TV Notebook
“Friday Night Lights” Sweep Ratings

Here are the grim numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 7 (“Bones” on Fox) 6.56 million viewers
Feb 14 (“Bones” on Fox) 7.43 million viewers
Feb 21 (“American Idol” on Fox) 5.37 million viewers
Feb 28 (“American Idol” on Fox) 5.13 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:12 PM

TV Notebook
“Lost” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:

Feb. 7 – 14.68 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.63 million viewers)
Feb 14 – 12.77 million viewers (series low) (“CSI: NY” 15.78 million viewers)
Feb 21 – 12.89 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.08 million viewers)
Feb 28 – 12.77 million viewers (“CSI: NY” 14.04 million viewers)

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

dad1153

03-01-07, 12:19 PM

TV Notebook
For '30 Rock,' decision time is nearing
Struggling NBC comedy is about to go on hiatus
By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Mar 1, 2007

Networks are in pilot mode now, beginning to narrow down which new and returning shows will make their fall schedule. NBC is only expected to pick up one of its freshman series for next fall, either “Rock” or “Friday Night Lights.” (A third rookie, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," looks all but dead.) "Rock" and "Lights" have similar season averages, and so NBC will be looking for growth potential when it decides which to bring back.

How can the show than ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season (even in the past few weeks before the hiatus) be the one that is 'all but dead'? Fred, do you have 'Studio 60's' grim February numbers to compare it with those of 'FNL' and '30 Rock'? Call me crazy but I still think that, if Sorkin pitches the suits a direction where the show is headed that they like (the reason CBS killed Smith) and Warner does a massive cost-cutting (let go of Paulson and Peet, cut the sets down, shoot with a smaller crew, etc.) to lower NBC's license fee, "Studio 60" might still be potentially salvageable for a second season. In normal times NBC would be right to cancel all three, but I can see the network keeping two of them going and I just don't see growth (creatively or in viewers) as been an advantage of "30 Rock." Call me a dellusional optimist but I think "Studio 60" has a chance (small and closing fast) to turn around if there are enough suits behind-the-scenes at NBC/Warner invested into this show as you and I... all three of us! :(

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:31 PM

I'll pull together the "Studio 60" numbers, dad.

But I am going to have to take your invitation and call you delusional.

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:36 PM

TV Notebook
And we have an (unofficial) winner...
FOX Triumphs in the A18-49 Demo for the February Sweeps
(from Dumont Demo over at Marc Berman’s Programming Insider blog.)

FOX has emerged as the A18-49 demo champ for the February Sweeps. After 28 days in A18-49 measures, the rankings are:

1. FOX 5.2 (+2% vs 5.1 in 2006)
2. CBS 4.9 (+41% vs 3.5 in 2006)
3. ABC 3.8 (-28% vs 5.3 in 2006)
4. NBC 2.8 (-42% vs 4.9 in 2006)
5. The CW 1.3 (-11% vs 1.4 WB in 2006, +18% vs 1.1 UPN in 2006)

In the end, those American Idol hours helped FOX to triumph in households over the February Sweeps as well, with the ranking as follows:

1. FOX 10.1 (+40% over 7.2 in 2006)
2. CBS 9.6 (+32% vs 7.3 in 2006)
3. ABC 9.0 (+5% vs 8.6 in 2006)
4. NBC 6.5 (-32% vs 9.6 in 2006)
5. The CW 2.1 (-5% vs 2.2 WB in 2006, +17% vs 1.8 UPN in 2006)

After 28 days of the February Sweeps, the best affiliate lead-ins at 10:30/9:30 pm on the Adults 18-49 demographic are:

1. FOX 5.4
2. CBS 4.0
3. ABC 3.8
4. NBC 3.1
5. The CW 1.2

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/50810763/p/2

maitak

03-01-07, 12:37 PM

I'm hoping they keep Friday Night Lights. I thought it was by far the better series of the three. Of course going against American Idol the last couple weeks hasn't helped it...

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:39 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Sockeroo debut for CW's 'Top Model'
Averages a series-best 3.4 in target 18-34 viewers
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 1, 2007

Even Simon Cowell and Jeff Foxworthy can’t slow down Tyra Banks. Her “America’s Next Top Model” had its best-ever premiere in the CW’s target adults 18-34 demographic last night despite airing opposite Fox’s powerhouse “American Idol” and its new hit game show lead-out.

A two-hour “Model” starting at 8 p.m. averaged a 3.4 rating in 18-34s, according to Nielsen overnights, its best-ever premiere in that demographic. It also had series debut bests in women 18-34 (5.4), women 18-49 (3.8) and total viewers (5.4 million).

In 18-49s, it averaged a 2.6, tying last fall’s debut for second-best premiere.

It marked the highest-rated night ever among 18-34s and women 18-34 for the fledgling CW, which launched last September from the merger of the WB and UPN networks.

“Model” now joins the small ranks of shows that have proven capable of standing up to “Idol,” which dominates the ratings among 18-49s.

“Idol” aired from 8 to 9:30 p.m. last night, averaging a 10.5 in 18-34s. Combined with an 8.9 for the new game show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader,” hosted by Foxworthy, Fox averaged a healthy 10.1 among 18-34s to win the night.

The CW was second, and the network also ranked ahead of NBC and ABC in 18-49s from 8 to 10 p.m.

Why did “Model” hold up when few others do? It may simply be that the show draws a different group of 18-34s than “Idol.” It also could not have hurt that Banks has been all over the news lately after admitting to a weight gain since her modeling days.

That’s gotten loads of publicity and some curious folks may have tuned in to see how Banks looks now (for the record, quite good).

Meanwhile, “Smarter” continued to draw huge ratings for Fox a night after it became the network’s top-rated premiere among adults 18-49 since 1994.

It declined just 13 percent from Tuesday’s debut rating in that demo, to a 9.8, and again retained an impressive portion of its “Idol” lead-in, which was down slightly from the night before.

Among 18-49s, Fox was first for the night among 18-49s with an 11.3 average rating and a 28 share. CBS was second at 3.6/9, ABC third at 3.2/8, CW fourth at 2.5/6, NBC fifth at 2.3/6 and Univision sixth at 1.6/4.

At 8 p.m. Fox started the night in the lead with an 11.3 rating for the first hour of its 90-minute “Idol.” CBS was second that hour with a 2.4 for “Jericho,” CW third with a 2.3 for the first half of its “Model” premiere and Univision fourth with a 2.1 for “La Fea Mas Bella.” That left ABC fifth with a 2.0 average for “George Lopez” (2.2) and “Knights of Prosperity” (1.7), and NBC sixth with a 1.8 for “Friday Night Lights.”

Fox lead at 9 p.m. with another 11.3 rating, this time for the last half hour of “Idol” (12.8) and the second episode of “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” (9.8). CBS was second with a 4.0 for “Criminal Minds,” CW third with a 2.8 for the second half of “Top Model” and NBC fourth with a 2.5 for “Deal or No Deal.” ABC was fifth with a 2.1 average for “According to Jim” (2.2) and “In Case of Emergency” (2.0) and Univision sixth with a 1.5 for “Mundo de Fieras.”

ABC moved into the lead at 10 p.m. with a 5.7 for “Lost,” followed by a 4.3 for CBS for “CSI: NY.” NBC was third that hour with a 2.5 for “Medium” and Univision fourth with a 1.3 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”

Fox also led the night among households, averaging a 16.5 rating and 25 share. CBS was second at 8.1/13, NBC third at 5.0/8, ABC fourth at 4.7/7, CW fifth at 3.5/5 and Univision sixth at 2.1/3.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10507.asp

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:46 PM

TV Notebook
“30 Rock” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 1 – 5.66 million viewers
Feb 8 – 5.09 million viewers
Feb 15 – 4.96 million viewers
Feb 22 – 4.58 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

fredfa

03-01-07, 12:55 PM

Fredfa, do you do any kind of post where it lists the scheduled season finale dates for the more popular shows?

I usually start that post about the end of March, William.

But I will do some digging and add it to post #4 (premieres and returning shows).

So far, here are the ABC finale dates:

Monday:
What About Brian: 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - March 26
Dancing with the Stars: 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 21

Tuesday:
Dancing with the Stars The Results Show: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 22
Boston Legal: 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - May 22

Wednesday:
Lost: 9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT - May 23

Thursday:
Ugly Betty: 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 17
Grey’s Anatomy: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 17

Friday:
America’s Funniest Home Videos: 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 18

Sunday:
Extreme Makeover Home Edition: 7:00-9:00 PM ET/PT - May 20
Desperate Housewives: 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT - May 20

steverobertson

03-01-07, 01:01 PM

That really sucks about Friday Night Lights I am begining to believe that the end is near.

fredfa

03-01-07, 01:04 PM

HDTV Notebook
MGM Planning HD Movie Channel
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

Venerable movie studio MGM is in conversations with cable and satellite operators to launch its first domestic television channel: MGM HD.

The studio hopes to launch MGM HD by the end of the year as a movie channel drawing from its library of 4,100 theatrical titles-about 1,200 of which currently are available in the high-definition format-and hundreds of hours of television content.

"We have the strongest HD library of any of the studios," said Douglas Lee, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Digital Media, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. "We've been developing the concept for the past year. We've talked to a lot of cable, satellite and telco companies, and people have been receptive."

DirecTV plans to launch 100 national HD channels by the end of the year; currently there are fewer than half that number available. Recently, several top cable networks including TBS, USA and FX announced they will launch HD simulcasts as part of DirecTV's HD initiative, which is expected to roll out this fall.

Though Mr. Lee declined to single out any video provider as a frontrunner to launch the channel, the DirecTV HD effort has caused an industrywide scramble for more bandwidth and HD content to remain competitive.

"When DirecTV launches their new HD package, that's going to raise the bar for all the other providers," Mr. Lee said.

MGM HD would join HDNet and another studio-based effort, Universal HD, among the few stand-alone, non-premium national HD movie channels. Like HDNet, the MGM plan currently calls for the titles to air uncensored.

Mr. Lee said MGM HD will stand apart from the competition.

"[The other channels have] shown there's an appetite for HD entertainment services," he said. "But clearly one branded MGM is stronger branded."

Some titles available for MGM HD include "The Usual Suspects," "Tank Girl," "Cherry 2000" and "RoboCop."

MGM library has changed hands over the years, most significantly in 1985, when Ted Turner acquired the studio's back catalog of classic titles. Today MGM owns nearly all of its post-1986 library, all of the United Artists library, a majority of the Orion Pictures film and television library and the pre-1996 Samuel Goldwyn library. MGM began converting its library titles to HD years ago as various licensing deals called for HD content.

MGM also owns and operates a standard-definition network, The MGM Channel, which is available in 120 foreign territories.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11628

RemyM

03-01-07, 01:29 PM

How can the show ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season be the one that is 'all but dead'?

$$$$$$$$$
It's all about return on investment.

fredfa

03-01-07, 01:44 PM

per dad's request:

TV Notebook
Last Five Weeks of “Studio 60” Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show for its five airings since the first of the year:
Jan 22 – 7.41million viewers
Jan 29 – 6.95 million viewers
Feb 5 – 7.18 million viewers
Feb 12 – 6.56 million viewers
Feb. 19 – 6.40 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

fredfa

03-01-07, 01:51 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Without Hope, All Is Lost
By Matt Roush TV Guide Critic

Today’s TV sermon, inspired by tonight’s wonderfully entertaining Hurley-centric episode of Lost, is all about hope. About not giving up hope, even when the TV gods seem to be working against our innate optimism that all good things come to those who patiently wait and watch.

I have hope for Lost, always have had. The show may never regain the mass audience of its first season, and that was probably inevitable. As the show got denser and the island more cluttered with new characters and enigmas, not all created equal, the impatient among us gave up, screaming “not another Twin Peaks!” and drifted away to more predictable shores. Their loss. Even at its worst, which arguably came in the ill-conceived six-episode “pod” last fall, Lost is still one of TV’s most ambitious and spectacular productions, blessed with a fascinatingly diverse cast (this year, largely underused until now) that reveals new depths with each flashback into their back stories. For all of the whining about the withholding of answers, some absolutely justified and some just an example of whining for whining’s sake, the level of storytelling on Lost is generally among TV’s most absorbing.

(Wasn’t it interesting that when Heroes employed the Lost approach this week, giving us compelling flashbacks into HRG’s history and revealing unexpected connections with characters like Claude and Hiro’s dad, all of this framing a thrilling real-time adventure, the show delivered its first truly four-star episode.)

Anyway, back to Hurley (the invaluable Jorge Garcia), who in this week’s episode decides to snap himself, and by extension Lost itself, out of the funk everyone has been in since the Others took Kate, Sawyer and Jack captive, altering the show’s focus in a way very few found satisfying.

“We could all use some fun,” Hurley declares after discovering the ruins of a car in the jungle. Said car triggers (what else) flashbacks to Hurley’s pre-island life, including his abandonment by his father (Cheech Marin) and more fallout from the “curse” of those blasted lottery numbers.

Is Hurley’s curse related to the woes of Charlie, who’s still haunted by Desmond’s premonitions of his impending doom? Don’t look for answers. Instead, roll with Hurley’s life-affirming watchcry: “Let’s make our own luck!” The end result is an uplifting joyride that reminds us that, as with most classic TV shows, Lost’s greatest asset is its indelible characters.

As someone says tonight, it’s never too late for a fresh start. In the case of Lost, it’s absolutely not too late. In fact, it’s just in time. If you’re so inclined, enjoy.

And while we’re on the subject of hope, here’s what else I hope:

That NBC will do the right thing and renew Friday Night Lights for a second season. As people slowly discover it, and realize that it’s about so much more than football, I believe its audience will grow. Not into a blockbuster, but into the sort of prestige item that NBC can not only be proud of but make money from. (The recent episodes, dealing with racial tensions on the team and parental tensions as the coach’s daughter considered losing her virginity, have been the best yet.)

That Veronica Mars, when it returns from hiatus in (presumably) late April, will go out on a high with self-contained episodes that illuminate character over convoluted mystery. The who-killed-the-Dean denouement this Tuesday wasn’t as ludicrous as last season’s rooftop climax, but it felt rushed and ultimately a bit ridiculous. Forget Veronica being a modern Nancy Drew. This time she was acting more like Perry Mason. (Have I given up hope, refuting today’s gospel, for a fourth season? A bit. I still enjoy the characters, but feel it has kind of played itself out. I’d be happy to be proved wrong, especially if it means we get to see Veronica get the FBI internship poor Professor Landry helped set up for her.)

That Heroes can sustain its momentum from this week’s best-ever episode.

That Supernatural fans will forgive me for my churlish response in Monday’s Ask Matt column to the e-mail blitz from those desperate to keep the show alive. I was overwhelmed, to be sure, but I hear your pain and am glad to share your concern. I also hope the network gives me a third season to finally get with the program.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800010001

fredfa

03-01-07, 01:58 PM

How can the show than ranked higher than "30 Rock" and "FNL" throughout the season (even in the past few weeks before the hiatus) be the one that is 'all but dead'?

Critical acclaim might just help save "30 Rock" and even "Friday Night Lights". Actually, acclaim is far to weak a word. Adoration might be closer to the truth.

Then factor in this: NBC is in such a hole that trying to fill two more slots probably won't be easy -- the prime-time ship is leaking in so many areas. And keeping those two shows would at least keep the critics happy and writing nice things about the network -- and despite what you might think, that does have some value.

But as for "Studio 60", it just isn't getting any critical love, certainly nothing like the adoring comments the other two endangered shows receive. I wouldn't be surprised if NBC, thinking of the early problems of "The Office", gives "30 Rock" a pickup.

And, of course, I even dare to dream of a pickup for "Friday Night Lights". But I think that is far less likely.

As for "Studio 60", I can't imagine any scenario (barring an unprecedented ratings turnaround) where it isn't toast.

fredfa

03-01-07, 02:07 PM

TV Notebook
“NBC Nightly News” producer to step down
By Matea Gold Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 1, 2007

NEW YORK — NBC officials are poised to announce that the executive producer of "NBC Nightly News" is leaving his post, according to network sources, a move that comes as the top-rated evening newscast faces a strong challenge from ABC's "World News."

John Reiss, who has run the NBC program since June 2005, when he was promoted from the No. 2 slot, is expected to take another position within the news division. The announcement of his departure, which was first reported by Radar magazine, could come as early as this week, sources said.

Reiss did not return a phone call, and a network spokeswoman declined to comment.

NBC's evening newscast had long enjoyed a wide margin over ABC and CBS. But with anchor Charles Gibson at the helm, "World News" recently closed the gap with the first-place newscast. Last week, ABC bested NBC by 310,000 viewers, its second such win in three weeks. Meanwhile, ratings for "CBS Evening News," anchored by Katie Couric, have lagged.

NBC sources said that Reiss' exit is not tied directly to the ratings, but rather friction with anchor Brian Williams.

The executive producer approached NBC News President Steve Capus several months ago about leaving the program because he and Williams were not meshing, according to employees familiar with internal discussions. While both men are well-liked internally, they have different working styles and are not personally close.

"He and Brian have never really been copacetic, and I think Reiss realized that quite some time ago," said one "Nightly" staffer.

Before joining the NBC newscast, Reiss worked at "Dateline" and ABC's "Good Morning America." Sources said he might take a new role in the network's political coverage. Reiss' replacement has yet to be chosen and executives are said to be considering internal candidates.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nbc1mar01,1,7087167,print.story?coll=la-headlines-business

dad1153

03-01-07, 02:25 PM

As for "Studio 60", I can't imagine any scenario (barring an unprecedented ratings turnaround) where it isn't toast.

So a graceful exit (assuming the remaining episodes in the contract are actually shot and aired) is the best we can hope for... sob, sob...? :(

fredfa

03-01-07, 02:38 PM

I would hope I am wrong -- but I think that is accurate.

FSugino

03-01-07, 02:39 PM

TV Notebook
“30 Rock” Sweep Ratings

Here are the numbers for the show during February:
Feb. 7 – 5.66 million viewers
Feb 14 – 5.09 million viewers
Feb 21 – 4.96 million viewers
Feb 28 – 4.58 million viewers

(All numbers are fast national ratings)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data
Fred - is this right? 30 Rock is on Thursdays, and the dates listed are Wednesdays.

fredfa

03-01-07, 03:11 PM

I pasted the wrong dates. I've corrected, thanks!

michaelk

03-01-07, 03:12 PM

biggiE48

03-01-07, 04:27 PM

Maestro J

03-01-07, 05:02 PM

:eek: Why does he think his demo are only old and black? Is this anecdotal or hard Nielsen number. I may be missing the point but what is the driving reason you want 2-11 age viewer. Is it the buying power or influence that is leverage by mom and dad?

Dad, of course, can answer himself but I think he's talking in general terms. Anyone under the age of 49 is an attractive audience. gsn's prez seems to think they don't get many under that age. My household says otherwise.

AFH

03-01-07, 05:05 PM

Well, on the positive side, a whole lot less is wrong with the CW than My Network TV or whatever PAX is currently known as (last I saw they started calling themselves "ion".)

Ain't that the truth. At least the CW has Gilmore Girls, Girlfriends and America's Next Top Model. I don't even know or care to know what station the MY Network TV occupies in the area I live in and I would imagine it's that way for many other Americans.

michaelk

03-01-07, 05:10 PM

Ain't that the truth. At least the CW has Gilmore Girls, Girlfriends and America's Next Top Model. I don't even know or care to know what station the MY Network TV occupies in the area I live in and I would imagine it's that way for many other Americans.

I believe the my network exists so local sports have an OTA outlet that doesn’t need to preempt watchable primetime programming- LOL

AFH

03-01-07, 05:13 PM

AFH

03-01-07, 05:22 PM

I believe the my network exists so local sports have an OTA outlet that doesn’t need to preempt watchable primetime programming- LOL

Sounds plausible to me. Just tell that to WRAL (CBS Affil) here in Raliegh-Durham b/c they have the Raycom ACC college basketball package and some nights the game preempts the primetime shows and you have to record them or stay up until 3:07am to watch The Unit. ;) Maybe they can take a hint and pass that package off to the My Network affil here in town. Every over city seems to be able to grasp the concept of sports that are shown during the week belong on non-major network stations, i.e. the CW or My Network TV. Oh, and I know ACC basketball is huge down here, but there are other OTA outlets for it that don't have a major affil attached to them. Sorry I had to rant. :)

michaelk

03-01-07, 05:27 PM

Sounds plausible to me. Just tell that to WRAL (CBS Affil) here in Raliegh-Durham b/c they have the Raycom ACC college basketball package and some nights the game preempts the primetime shows and you have to record them or stay up until 3:07am to watch The Unit. ;) Maybe they can take a hint and pass that package off to the My Network affil here in town. Every over city seems to be able to grasp the concept of sports that are shown during the week belong on non-major network stations, i.e. the CW or My Network TV. Sorry I had to rant. :)

in NYC both the Mets and Yankees have always been on the my/cw/upn/wb also ran channels. (in the early years fox also carried some when it was still the BIG 3 plus fox). But really weird was a couple years back WCBS- the CBS flagship decided to carry the Yankees OTA broadcasts. It was really odd. That lasted all of a year and then the also ran my/cw/upn/wb channels took back over. I'd say that OTA baseball games account for well over 90% of my my.cw.upn.wb veiwing (could be as high as 100%- i cant recall the last time i checked one of those 2 channels otherwise- hmm I got a tivo series 3 after baseball season was over last year- now that reminds me I better check the tuner to see if it can get those crappy channels for this baseball season- doubt I've tuned their since I got the Tivo in October.

VisionOn

03-01-07, 05:48 PM

I wonder why the Feb 14 numbers for CSI Ny shotup a million people versus the previous week and then dropped another 1.7 the following two weeks.

Date night! :)

AFH

03-01-07, 06:18 PM

Date night! :)

What is this date night that you speak of! ;)

fredfa

03-01-07, 06:48 PM

TV Notebook
“5th Grader” Gets More Homework
By Jim Benson Broadcasting & Cable 3/1/2007

Producer Mark Burnett’s two strongest shows will run head-to-head for more than a month now that Fox has announced that it is extending the Thursday night run of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Fox has added four more episodes to air 8-9 p.m. ET Thursdays on top of two previously announced airings March 15 and 22. The game show is slated to air after American Idol 9-10 p.m. Thursday and March 8.

That puts the Jeff Foxworthy-hosted game show head-to-head with Burnett’s Survivor on CBS for a total of six weeks. When NBC aired Burnett’s The Apprentice on Thursdays, it had an agreement with Burnett to air the show out of the path of Survivor at 9 p.m. (excluding “super-sized” episodes that started 15 minutes early).

But Survivor, while still a top-10 show, has slipped some since then and The Apprentice has been relegated to a new night following a ratings decline. This time around, it appears that Burnett did not have that same leverage with Fox.

To accommodate the move, Fox is benching Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy and Nanny 911 until a later date. It will double-run Family Guy 9-10 p.m. March 15 and install a second weekly airing of the hit animated comedy at 9 p.m. on Thursdays. On March 22, American Dad will make its debut at 9:30 p.m., also giving it two weekly airings.

The new 5th Grader game show has received high marks in the ratings, with the premiere Tuesday becoming Fox’s highest-rated series debut in 13 years; best-rated series premiere on any network in more than five years among adults 18-49 (11.2 rating/26 share) and in eight years in viewers (26.6 million).

The series debut also made the honor roll by retaining the largest audience ever out of an American Idol lead-in among adults 18-49 (93%) and viewers (88%), and it beat Idol with teens (8.7/28 vs. 8.3/26) and men 12-34 (7.7/24 vs. 7.0/23).

Wednesday’s edition retained 83% of adults 18-49 and 79% of viewers from Idol.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6420875

fredfa

03-01-07, 06:55 PM

TV Notebook
Reilly reups at NBC
Pact had been anticipated since January
By Josef Adalian Variety March 1, 2007

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly has inked a new multiyear deal with the Peacock.

Pact had been anticipated since January, when NBC U supremo Jeff Zucker publicly stated his desire to have Reilly stay on (Daily Variety, Jan. 18). Contract negotiations began in earnest a few weeks later (Daily Variety, Feb. 5), but some major deal points prevented a pact from wrapping up until this week.

Reilly's re-upping reps a victory for the former FX exec, who's been plagued by rumors about his long-term future at the network almost from the moment he ascended to his current post in May 2004.

Negative buzz was sparked mostly by NBC's poor primetime performance in the post-"Friends" era.

Peacock still has a long way to go until it's healthy, but the net finally seems to have gained some momentum.

Comeback started last fall with the success of "My Name is Earl" and the slow emergence of "The Office" as a legitimate hit. Both shows were heavily championed by Reilly, whose pre-NBC track record counts successes such as "The Shield" and the pilot for "The Sopranos."

The early victories at NBC were followed by the breakout success of quizzer "Deal or No Deal" last winter and this fall's bow of the big hit drama "Heroes." Reilly has also won plaudits from the creative community for sticking by low-rated but well-reviewed newcomers "Friday Night Lights" and "30 Rock."

Still, NBC's sked has numerous trouble spots.

The once-mighty "Law & Order" franchise has faded, in no small part due to years of overexposure by a long line of NBC execs looking to plug holes. A big, expensive bet on Aaron Sorkin didn't pay off, with "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" barely clinging to life. And NBC has inherited ABC's annual headache of programming a night part-time following the end of the Sunday Night Football season.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117960370&categoryid=14

fredfa

03-01-07, 07:43 PM

This has been posted in its own thread….but if you misse it…..
TV Notebook
MyNetwork TV: No More Scripted
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

MyNetworkTV is getting out of scripted programming.

The network has dropped plans to produce seventh and eighth cycles of telenovelas, and has decided to cease pursuing scripted content of any kind.

"We're not developing anything scripted at this time," said MyNetwork President Greg Meidel. "We don't have one scripted project, other than telenovelas that have already been produced."

Instead, Mr. Meidel said the News Corp.-owned network, which has struggled to draw audiences with its telenovela content since launching last fall, is in discussions with top reality producers to acquire new shows.

Mr. Meidel was blunt about his reasons for dropping scripted content.

"The five major networks spend enormous amounts on development and I don't think we can outdo what they do in [comedies] 'Family Guy' or 'Two and a Half Men,' or [dramas] 'House' or 'Grey's Anatomy,'" he said. "But I think there's some great reality projects out there that are available."

After running telenovelas since September that have averaged about 800,000 viewers, MyNetworkTV is on the verge of a major schedule shakeup.

Next month the network runs its final two telenovelas-"American Heiress" and "Saints & Sinners"-on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with mixed martial-arts fighting Mondays and movie nights Thursdays and Fridays.

The network also recently announced upcoming specials on Anna Nicole Smith ("Anna Nicole Smith: A Centerfold Exposed," produced by the team behind "Access Hollywood"), an Elton John concert special ("Happy Birthday Elton") and a fight night preview special ("Countdown to Battleground").

Mr. Meidel said his current strategy isn't to focus on a particular brand, but to "make some noise" and bring in new sampling.

"I want people to know MyNet is out there, and there's a huge percentage that do not know we exist," he said.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637

fredfa

03-01-07, 07:46 PM

Curious- what’s the current status of the Disney + MGM relationship? I know at one point they were all buddy buddy (“Disney’s MGM Studios”) and there was even some talk of a merger or something . But I think they had a falling out and went their separate way’s?

Curious if there is a relationship- if the Disney Library might be part of that? Give Disney another way to make cash off it’s stuff besides broadcast ABC and SD Disney Channel

I have no knowledge of any MGM-Disney synergy.

But maybe James Hibberd knows the answer to your question. He's obviously been pretty busy today with his weekly HD Newsletter and some other stories you have seen here (and hopefully on the Television Week site -- which you should visit at least daily).

James takes a peek at this thread on occasion, hopefully he can answer your question, Michael.

fredfa

03-01-07, 07:53 PM

The Business of Television
EchoStar Reports Fourth Quarter 2006 Financial Results
Up for Year, 4Q in Subs and income
(EchoStar news release March 1, 2007)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --EchoStar Communications Corporation reported total revenue of $2.58 billion for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, a 17 percent increase compared with $2.20 billion for the corresponding period in 2005.

Net income totaled $153 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, compared with $133 million during the corresponding period in 2005. Basic earnings per share were $.35 for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, compared with basic earnings per share of $.30 during the corresponding period in 2005.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, EchoStar reported total revenue of $9.82 billion compared with $8.45 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, an increase of 16.2 percent. EchoStar's net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006, totaled $608 million, compared with $1.51 billion for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005. Net income for the year ended Dec. 31, 2005, includes a non-recurring, non-cash benefit of approximately $593 million to recognize the tax benefits of previously reported tax losses and a $134 million gain related to the settlement of EchoStar IV satellite insurance and related claims.

DISH Network(TM) added approximately 350,000 net new subscribers during the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2006, giving the company approximately 13.105 million subscribers as of that date, an increase of 1.065 million subscribers compared to the number of subscribers as of Dec. 31, 2005.

Davinleeds

03-01-07, 07:58 PM

Ist qtr for 07 should be better. I received my notice of increased subscription rate.

fredfa

03-01-07, 08:05 PM

Cable Notebook
Nielsen Ratings
And Many Cable Network Notes
By Marc Berman MediaWeek’s Mr. Television at his Programming Insider blog March 1, 2007

Ratings: Top 15 Cable Series by Total Households*

Week of 02/12/07-02/18/07
(Rank; Program Name; Network; Day; Time; Household Rating; Household Audience; Total Viewers)

1 2007 NBA ALLSTAR GAME(S)-02/18/2007 (EAST VS WEST) TNT SUN 8:47 PM 4.2 4,729,000 6,843,000
2 NBA ALLSTAR TIP OFF(S)-02/18/2007 TNT SUN 8:00 PM 3.3 3,647,000 5,108,000
3 NBA ALLSTAR SAT NIGHT(S)-02/17/2007 TNT SAT 8:24 PM 3.1 3,464,000 4,845,000
4 SPONGEBOB NICK SAT 9:30 AM 3.1 3,405,000 4,602,000
5 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SAT 10:30 AM 2.8 3,110,000 4,117,000
6 SPONGEBOB NICK SAT 9:00 AM 2.7 3,048,000 4,124,000
7 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SAT 10:00 AM 2.7 3,038,000 4,053,000
8 WWE ENTERTAINMENT THU(S)-02/15/2007 (WWE RAW) USA THU 9:00 PM 2.7 2,991,000 4,513,000
9 NED DECLASSIFIED NICK SAT 8:00 PM 2.6 2,841,000 4,173,000
10 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SUN 10:00 AM 2.5 2,825,000 3,813,000
11 AVATAR: SIEGE OF THE NORT NICK SAT 11:00 AM 2.5 2,767,000 3,802,000
12 NAKED BROTHERS BAND NICK SAT 8:30 PM 2.5 2,759,000 3,960,000
13 FAIRLY ODD PARENTS NICK SUN 10:30 AM 2.4 2,716,000 3,704,000
14 S CORY IN THE HOUSE(S)-02/14/2007 DSNY WED 7:30 PM 2.4 2,659,000 3,559,000
15 SPONGEBOB NICK SUN 9:30 AM 2.4 2,621,000 3,568,000

Some helpful terms:

Household: An occupied housing unit. An individual or group of individuals occupying a house, apartment, group of rooms, or single room.

Total Audience Rating: Percent of households tuning to all or to any portion of a program for at least 6 minutes. Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program at once. Ratings are expressed as a percent.

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

ABC Family:

ABC Family has renewed "Lincoln Heights" for a second season for 10 episodes.

Also, the network has ordered nine episodes of the new series GREEK, which follows a college freshmen trying to find his place in the social hierarchy on campus. He was engrossed in his studies in high school but decides to ditch the books to have some fun now that he's in college, so he decides to join a fraternity. Patrick Sean Smith is the creator.

Animal Planet:

Animal Planet has announced three new series for April. SPRING WATCH USA premieres on Saturday, April 21 from 8-9 PM (ET/PT). A multi-part, as-it-happens nationwide event, SPRING WATCH USA celebrates the arrival and beauty of spring from coast to coast. Hosted by Jeff Corwin and Vanessa Garnick, viewers learn about the amazing animals, birds and insects that herald the arrival of spring. DIVINE CANINE: With the Monks of New Skete premieres on Monday, April 16 at 8 PM (ET/PT). Devotion. Obedience. Fulfillment. These are some of the things that the Monks of New Skete, an order of Eastern Orthodox monks, strive to achieve. But one of the ways they do so is unique: by raising and training dogs. Each week, this program follows Brother Christopher and the other monks as they train “problem” dogs a at their picturesque 500-acre monastery in the rolling hills of Cambridge, New York. IT'S ME OR THE DOG premieres on Monday, April 16 from 8:30-9 PM (ET/PT). Dogs: they should be man's best friend, but instead, the United Kingdom is overrun by can! ine biting, barking, pooping and stealing. When they're not hounding their owners, destroying relationships and creating havoc in their own homes they're out on the street terrorizing the rest of us. And it's got to stop! This six-part series follows dog training expert Victoria Stilwell arrives to restore order in homes where the pet is running riot and the family is in the dog house.

BET:

Television's best dressed hour returns to show what's "in" during BET's annual fashion and music fete, RIP THE RUNWAY at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, March 6, 2007. Hosted by R&B singers Chris Brown and Ciara, RIP THE RUNWAY will a mix and match urban, high-end, and swimwear against a backdrop of electrifying musical performances. Fresh off Project Runway and primed for the BET catwalk, MYCHAEL KNIGHT is one of the most popular designers to recently emerge on the scene and has quickly become a household name. Other fashion lines burning up the runway this year are: the ultimate in urban sportswear, BRAND JORDAN; the fashion- forward women's wear line, APPLE BOTTOM; high end swim couture AMAYA SWIMWEAR; merging hip-hop and high class fashion, BABY PHAT; representing the "style of the streets," G-UNIT CLOTHING; clothing for elite individuals who like to stand out from the crowd, THE STEVE HARVEY COLLECTION; bringing a "Casual Sense Of! Couture" to the plus-size market, MONIF C.; and "it's all fun and games until someone gets fly," LRG. In addition to the latest in fashion, explosive musical performances will add fire to the catwalk. Soul singer Musiq Soulchild who's latest single, "Buddy" is burning up the charts; newcomer Mims whose blazing debut, "This is Why I'm Hot," has become the latest rap anthem; Alabama rapper Rich Boy, known for the hot club banger, "Throw Some D's"; and R&B singer Lloyd, who is dominating the charts with the hit single, "You," are guaranteed heat up the runway. Viewers can also look forward to appearances by Nelly, Steve Harvey and 50 Cent as their clothing lines blaze the runway. See what happens when street meets chic in this year's sizzling premiere of RIP THE RUNWAY airing Wednesday, March 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET.

Bravo:

Bravo announced a special hour-long documentary on pop cultural fixation Anna Nicole Smith, premiering Friday, March 2, from 10-11 p.m. ET/PT. The exclusive in-depth interview with Larry Birkhead, photographer and former boyfriend of Smith, features never-before-seen archival footage and photos of Smith with her late husband, billionaire J. Howard Marshall. The first half hour, "Larry Birkhead: Good Night My Sweet Anna Baby” – Birkhead's nightly phrase he used to say to Anna – features Access Hollywood's Tony Potts' exclusive sit-down interview with Birkhead. The special reveals surprising insights about Birkhead's unconventional, sometimes volatile and always passionate relationship with Smith, as he speaks candidly about living with her. During the emotional interview, Birkhead also talks about the continued paternity battle over Smith's five-month-old daughter Dannielynn, the ongoing struggle to have Smith laid to rest and the glare of the media spo! tlight. The second half hour, "Anna Nicole Smith: A Life Through A Lense,” includes footage of Smith with her late husband, Marshall, as he reads his will aloud, and recent revelations about her lesbian relationships. The special also provides an intimate look at Smith's life, from her humble beginnings in Texas to her controversial rise to fame, to her tragic and untimely death. "Larry Birkhead: Good Night My Sweet Anna Baby” is produced by Bravo. "Anna Nicole Smith: A Life Through A Lense” is produced by Endemol for Bravo.

Chiller:

When NBC Universal Cable launches the new horror/thriller cable network Chiller on DirectTV on March 1st, the date also marks the debut of its new companion website -- chillertv.com. While the 24-hour digital cable channel will be dedicated to the horror/thriller genre, Chillertv.com will become the designated online destination for horror fans. The site will launch in partnership with Lionsgate Home Entertainment's "After Dark Horrorfest" and Interactive Initiative. Horror fans will be able to visit www.horrorfest.chillertv.com and sample exclusive scenes and clips from all seven DVDs before they go on sale March 27th. Chiller, an NBC Universal Cable channel launching on March 1, 2007, is a new entertainment cable channel dedicated to the popular horror genre, around the clock. Chiller features exclusive horror and thriller programming from "Twin Peaks," "Tales From the Crypt" and "Hitchcock Presents" to "The Shining," "! ;Psycho" and "The Haunting." To learn more, visit: www.chillertv.com. Chiller will offer a digital triple-pack service, which features a standard definition digital channel (SD), hi-definition simulcast channel (HD), and a video-on-demand (VOD) channel offered as a digital bundle. The SD digital channel will be available March 1, 2007, with the VOD and HD offerings available later in 2007.

CMT:

Country superstars Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood lead the final nominees for the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, it was announced today at a CMT press conference hosted by nominated duo, Sugarland. Also announced was the addition of triple nominated Rascal Flatts to the performance line-up for the show, putting a new twist on their performance by letting CMT viewers choose their "Flatt Out Fan Favorite," the song that will open the sixth annual awards show. The 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS will air live from Nashville's Curb Event Center at Belmont University on Monday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m., ET.* For the first time since 2003, the Dixie Chicks make the final nominees list, garnering two nominations, along with Sugarland and newcomers Jason Aldean and The Wreckers. Toby Keith also snags two nominations, hoping to hold on to his designation as the most-awarded CMT MUSIC AWARDS artist. Other notable nominees include Josh Turner who picks up his first nomination i! n the MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR category, among established country favorites Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith. Sting picks up his first CMT MUSIC AWARD nomination along with Sheryl Crow for their duet, "Always On Your Side," in the newly-created WIDE OPEN COUNTRY VIDEO OF THE YEAR category. Fans can vote online at CMT.com through Friday, April 13 to determine the night's winners of the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, airing live on Monday, April 16 at 8 p.m., ET*. Fans can also vote online for the "Flatt Out Fan Favorite," from the following Rascal Flatts hits: "Life Is A Highway"; "Me and My Gang"; or "Fast Cars and Freedom."

Comedy Central:

Coming up in the 11th season, viewers can expect a parody of the popular FOX hit series, "24," and Hilary Clinton pays a visit to "South Park." There will be plenty of shocking surprises from the legendary fourth-graders with seven all-new episodes beginning on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:00 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL. As a bonus, fans will be able to download the uncensored version of each new episode from the 11th season on iTunes the Tuesday after it premieres beginning on Tuesday, March 13. Launched in 1997, "South Park," now in its 11th season, remains the highest-rated series on COMEDY CENTRAL. "South Park" repeats Wednesdays at 12:00 a.m., Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., Fridays at 12:00 a.m. and Sundays at 11:00 p.m.

Also, COMEDY CENTRAL continues to blaze trails in the digital content arena with the launch of "Web Shows," a new on-air half-hour late-night series featuring all original broadband programming from comedycentral.com and AtomFilms. "Web Shows" will premiere the first of six episodes on COMEDY CENTRAL on Monday night, March 5 at 2:00 a.m. ET/PT. This is COMEDY CENTRAL's first on-air collaboration with AtomFilms -- both are divisions of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom. "Web Shows" is an on-air, late-night jukebox format for COMEDY CENTRAL's original digital shorts, which the network started producing for comedycentral.com in November 2005. Each episode of "Web Shows" will feature a line-up of original programming including animation, live-action narratives, topical stand-up performances and sketch comedies. Among the series that will be aired are "Baxter & McGuire," from "King of Queens" creator Michael J. Weithorn and Nick Bakay, "Golden Age," which was an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, the Telly-Award-winning "I Love The 30's," "The Watch List," the first-ever stand-up show to feature an all Middle-Eastern line-up and many others.

Further, Sarah Silverman has taken viewers on several memorable journeys throughout her inaugural season of “The Sarah Silverman Program,” providing her unique point-of-view on substance abuse, AIDS and abortion, among other subjects. For the first season finale, airing on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m., Silverman is set to take on telethons, marathons and God.
In the season finale, featuring cameos by “Heroes” star Masi Oka and Larry Hankin, Silverman sets off to buy replacement batteries for her television's remote control in order to change the channel from a 36-hour telethon to help sick and dying children. During the course of her day, she manages to wreak havoc upon a wheelchair marathon, set off a flashback in the mind of a homeless Vietnam Vet, hold a personal audience with God and break into a musical number detailing her wishes to make the world a better place.

Finally, get out of jail free card? Not on COMEDY CENTRAL! First stop is "Halfway Home," an improvised half-hour show featuring the daily exploits of five ex-cons living together in a residential rehab facility. The series premieres on Wednesday, March 14 at 10:30 p.m. "Halfway Home" welcomes viewers to Crenshaw House, where the L.A. Bureau of Prisons houses some of its most notorious semi-hardened parolees. As an equal opportunity offender, COMEDY CENTRAL is the only place that could assemble such an unpredictable mix of criminals and comedy. Living together under one roof, "Halfway Home's" residents must learn to come to terms with each other and live on the straight-and-narrow under the semi-watchful eye of their county-approved supervisor.

Discovery Channel:

Scientific analysis of limestone ossuaries (bone boxes) and physical evidence found in a 2,000-year-old tomb in Talpiot, Jerusalem, provide credible new information that the tomb once may have held the remains of Jesus of Nazareth and his family. A new Discovery Channel documentary THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, from executive producer James Cameron and director Simcha Jacobovici, exclusively reveals what might be the greatest archaeological find in history. The film presents the latest evidence from world-renowned experts in Aramaic script, ancient DNA analysis, forensics, archaeology and statistics. Among the major discoveries chronicled in the program is new evidence that Jesus and Mary Magdalene, also known as “Mariamene e Mara,” may have had a son named Judah. THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, which premieres Sunday, March 4, at 9 PM ET/PT, follows an investigative journey into the identities of and relationships among 10 ossuaries, which originally were discovered more than! 25 years ago but never were connected conclusively. In conjunction with the film, HarperSanFrancisco is publishing a companion book, The Jesus Family Tomb, co-authored by Jacobovici and Dr. Charles Pellegrino, with a foreword by Cameron.

Disney Channel:

Disney Channel stood as February 07’s No. 1 basic cable network in Primetime, extending its dominance to 24 consecutive months in Kids 6-11 (1.0 million/4.2 rating) and to 23 months in Tweens 9-14 (916,000/3.7 rating). Disney Channel scored the No. 2 spot in Prime this month in Total Viewers (2.4 million), beating third-place finisher TNT (2.1 million) by a healthy 14%. February 07 qualified as Disney Channel’s most-watched February ever in Prime in Total Viewers (2.4 million), Kids 6-11 (1.0 million/4.2 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (916,000/3.7 rating).

Also, Disney Channel has renewed the preschool series "Johnny and the Sprites for a second season. The series premiered on January 13th. Tony Award nominee John Tartaglia ("Avenue Q") is the star and executive producer.

GSN:

Fifty high school students, ranging in age from 14-to-18 years of age, will be traveling to New York City to compete in GSN's first-ever National Vocabulary Championship (NVC) on Monday, March 5. The winner of the NVC will receive $40,000 toward college tuition, a trophy, and bragging rights as the first-ever National Vocabulary Champion. The National Vocabulary Championship is a new event on the scholastic landscape for high school-aged students. In that regard, it is complementary to Scripps National Spelling Bee and the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge, in which contestants are limited to competitors aged 15 years and younger. GSN will broadcast all the action as a one-hour special premiering at 8 PM ET/PT Sunday, April 15. Dylan Lane, host of GSN's original game show "Chain Reaction" will moderate the competition and host the televised special.

Lifetime:

Treat Williams ("Brothers & Sisters," "Everwood"), Samaire Armstrong ("Entourage," "The O.C.") and Kevin Pollak ("The Usual Suspects") star in the Lifetime Original Movie, "The Staircase Murders," a provocative drama based on the actual events of the famed murder case involving Michael Peterson, the novelist accused of killing his socialite wife in their North Carolina home. Production is underway in Louisiana. Produced by Lionsgate, "The Staircase Murders" premieres Sunday, April 15, at 8PM ET/PT, with a special encore airing on Monday, April 16, at 9PM ET/PT, on Lifetime Television. In "The Staircase Murders," loving father, aspiring politician and successful New York Times best-selling novelist Michael Peterson (Williams) was the picture perfect husband to his wife Kathleen. But when a panic- stricken Michael frantically calls 911 to report Kathleen has accidentally fallen down the stairs,! investigators arrive at their home to discover several suspicious findings at the crime scene and soon begin to question the truth about Kathleen's death.

MTV Networks:

MTV Networks announced its new presentation model for the Upfront and the 2007 selling season, a series of interactive ad sales events held throughout the year that reflect the marketplace's continued evolution to a year-round selling model. Rolling out in four phases across the calendar year, the events will offer marketers news on programming initiatives, targeted forums for consumer research, creative solutions and strategic ideas on changes in consumer trends and behavior. The event series will feature: MTVN roadshows and individual client meetings in the spring, previewing new programming content and initiatives across all platforms from the company's leading brands; MTVN "Digi-Tour" events also in the spring, offering clients total immersion in the multiplatform experiences the company creates across its brands; three demo-specific summits in the early fall, each focusing on consumer research and trends; and a strategy summit in the fall held exclusively for ! chief marketing officers.

Nickelodeon:

Mall of America and Nickelodeon announced a partnership combining the country's largest shopping and entertainment destination with the number-one entertainment brand for kids. Under the new agreement, various Nickelodeon properties and characters will come to life in the first-ever Nickelodeon themed park, part of a re-branding of the Mall's seven-acre amusement park. Fresh designs and exciting new rides and attractions, inspired by Nickelodeon's popular shows and characters, are just a few of the anticipated changes. Construction will begin after the architectural plans are complete, with the grand opening of the newly re-themed anticipated in spring 2008. As part of the partnership, Nickelodeon will bring an assortment of its top characters, interactivity, and its signature iconic green slime to Mall of America. The newly revamped park, and the first ever Nickelodeon theme park, will feature new rides, live shows, attractions, retail, games and entertainment, and food ser! vice establishments themed with top ranking network properties including: SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Danny Phantom, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The Backyardigans and many more. Costumed characters and live interactive entertainment from these Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows will also find a home at the Mall. Nickelodeon will also establish its largest retail presence in the world at Mall of America, with a brand new Nick store occupying more than 4,000 square foot space, offering consumers items such as branded tee-shirts, souvenirs, novelties and more. And the network will introduce healthy dining options throughout the parks' eateries, in line with its four year old health and wellness pro-social initiative for kids and families, Let's Just Play.

Sci Fi Channel:

SCI FI Channel, the television network dedicated to fueling the imagination, is teaming up with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Comics to create a forward-thinking, co-branded multimedia partnership called SCI FI/Virgin Comics. With five new comic book titles serving as a jumping off point, SCI FI/Virgin Comics will develop fresh properties that integrate the unique spirit and vitality of both brands. Delivering innovative, multi-platform projects, original concepts will be considered across all mediums from publishing, film and television to digital and gaming. Utilizing the global creative and synergistic resources that exist both at SCI FI Channel, part of NBC Universal, and Virgin Comics, the partnership will aim to attract some of the biggest names and talent from the worlds of comic books, television and movies. SCI FI and Virgin Comics will bring together a multimedia, creative editorial board with members representing comic books, television, movies, digital, gaming, li! censing and merchandising. The first SCI FI/Virgin titles, distributed by Diamond Comics, can be expected to hit shelves later this year.

Also, The Stargate legacy continues to burn bright on SCI FI. As the countdown to the final ten episodes of Stargate SG-1 commences, the Channel prepares for the launch of an all-new fourth season of Stargate Atlantis this fall. SG-1's Amanda Tapping will travel to the Pegasus galaxy to join the Atlantis cast and reprise her role as television's favorite astrophysicist, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter. Taking the torch from SG-1 as television's most thrilling adventure series, Atlantis, slated to begin production in Vancouver next month, promises to up the ante this season by introducing a powerful new race, welcoming new cast members and mourning the loss of some beloved friends. For ten seasons, Tapping starred on Stargate SG-1 as the intelligent and beautiful Samantha Carter. Her combination of Gate expertise, in-depth scientific knowledge and military training made her a critical member of SG-1. She will need to draw upon all these resources as she assumes her new role on At! lantis. Tapping will appear in 14 of the season's 20 episodes.

SOAPnet:

Powered by popular storylines for its day/date soap operas, February 07 finished as SOAPnet’s most-watched month on record in Primetime (M - S, 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) in the network’s history in Total Viewers (377,000) and Women 25-54 (178,000). Year to year, SOAPnet generated strong gains, up by 28% in Total Viewers (377,000 vs. 294,000), by 15% in Women 18-49 (141,000 vs. 123,000) and by 27% in Women 25-54 (178,000 vs. 140,000).

Spike TV:

Spike TV will telecast its first MLE(TM) (Major League Eating) event, the "MLE: ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) on St. Patrick's Day emanating from Savannah, Georgia and involves the consumption of corned beef and cabbage, jalapenos, and green donuts. The event will air same day tape on Spike TV Saturday, March 17 (7:00-8:00pm ET/PT). The first annual "ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) will occur in historic Savannah, Georgia on the banks of the Savannah River during one of the country's largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The preliminary rounds will involve such delicious gastronomical delights as jalapenos and the famed Irish dish of corned beef and cabbage. The final event, a green donut-eating contest, will include the two top eaters from the prelims. Top MLE eaters will participate in the "ST. PATRICK'S DAY CHOWDOWN"(TM) including the legendary Takeru Kobayashi, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, &qu! ot;Humble" Bob Shoudt, Patrick Bertoletti, Timothy "Eater X" Janus, Richard LeFevre and ChipBurger Simpson. George Shea, MLE's Chairman, will join Richard Shea to host the Spike TV telecast.

TLC:

TLC will premiere two new specials this month. SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA
premieres Wednesday March 7 at 9 PM (ET/PT). Sleepless in America takes us into the lives of 3 of America’s worst sleepers as they try to find a cure. We’ll see how these individuals struggle to get sleep as we follow them on their journey to find a comfortable night’s rest. WE HAVE 15 CHILDREN premieres Sunday March 11 at 9 PM (ET/PT). Meet Ian and Sue Povey, 45 and 43 respectively, married for 25 years, living in a quiet cul-de-sac in Swindon. Ian is a systems analyst and Sue is a Mom… to Isabelle, Emily, Ellie, Abbie, Jessica, Katie, Thomas, Callum, Matthew, Michael, Christopher, Alex, Charlotte, Hannah and Becki - their fifteen children. From lines for the bathroom, breakfast, packed lunches, getting them all to the right classrooms of the right schools… through eight loads of washing a day, $400 supermarket trips, homework, various sittings for tea… until bath time and bed.

VH1:

The self-titled "Rocky of Comedy,” Andrew Dice Clay, is coming out of retirement and he’s pulling out all stops to do it with a multi-media blitz –- writing a book, cutting a record, producing his own Sirius radio show and playing to the types of crowds that made him a legend. In the VH1 series “Dice Undisputed” viewers will get an intimate and often hilarious look into the highs and lows of this heavyweight king of laugh’s personal and professional life as he fights to get back on top. “Dice Undisputed” premieres with back-to-back episodes Sunday, March 4 at 10:00 PM*. VH1 has picked up 7 episodes of this half-hour series. Dice’s controversial macho image often collides with his real family life as the man behind all the limericks and leather tries to find a balance between being a devoted father of two teenage sons (11 and 16), dealing with a broken marriage, juggling a relationship with his strong willed ex-wrestl! er fiancée Eleanor and facing the challenges of middle age. Also thrown into the fray is his posse of friends and road crew, otherwise known as his "dysfunctional, middle-aged entourage," including “Wheels,” his ever-dieting buddy; Todd, his quirky road manager; “Happy Face,” his stone-faced ninja-trained bodyguard; and Uncle Lee, his doting mentor who spouts sage advice at the drop of a hat. While this rag-tag group of buddies often offers unwanted advice, their presence gives Dice an endless supply of comedic rants for his stand-up.

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/50810763/p/6

fredfa

03-01-07, 08:13 PM

The Business of Television
Next on the Clock: Cox, Belo
Cable Operator, Broadcaster Negotiating Retransmission-Consent Deal for WWL-TV
By Linda Moss MultiChannel News 3/1/2007

WWL-TV and Cox Communications New Orleans, with a retransmission-consent deadline looming, were still in negotiations Thursday, officials for both companies said.

Cox has a retransmission-consent extension to continue carrying the CBS affiliate until the end of the day Friday, according to a spokesman for the TV station’s parent, Belo.

“We are continuing to negotiate and are hopeful that we will reach an agreement soon,” a Cox spokeswoman added.

The cable operator, with 184,000 subscribers in New Orleans, and the broadcaster are negotiating over continued carriage for WWL-TV and all-news channel NewsWatch 15, as well as for Cox to carry WWL-TV’s HDTV signal.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6420867.html?display=Breaking+News

SowegaBowler

03-01-07, 08:46 PM

I think Pax progressed to i and now is ion.
You're so right, Fred...turned on what was my i channel here and saw an "ion" logo on the screen. Thanks!

SJKurtzke

03-01-07, 08:48 PM

This has been posted in its own thread….but if you misse it…..
TV Notebook
MyNetwork TV: No More Scripted
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

MyNetworkTV is getting out of scripted programming.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637
So, I'm guessing their committment to being the first all-HD broadcast network has fallen through? (Then again, it's FOX, so they might do HD or 16:9 SD)
(BTW, 700 posts!)

GeorgeLV

03-01-07, 09:04 PM

This has been posted in its own thread….but if you misse it…..
TV Notebook
MyNetwork TV: No More Scripted
By James Hibberd Television Week March 1, 2007

MyNetworkTV is getting out of scripted programming.

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637

Okay. Getting out of the telenovela fiasco was long overdue.

If they're going all reality why not rename the channel and leverage the existing Fox Reality brand?

CPanther95

03-01-07, 09:40 PM

Perfect name: Fox Unscripted

"F. U." is a lot more catchy than "The CW". ;)

dad1153

03-01-07, 10:33 PM

NBC-Universal has announced its slate of DVD/HD-DVD releases for summer of '07. Some highlights (source: http://www.thedigitalbits.com/rumormill.html#030107):

June - Bruce Almighty: Special Edition, Miami Vice: Season Five

July - Serenity: Special Edition, Baa Baa Black Sheep: Volume Two, Incredible Hulk: The Complete Second Season, Woody and Friends: Classic Cartoon Collection

August - Flash Gordon: Savior of the Universe Edition, Friday Night Lights: Season One, Seaquest DSV: Season Two, Heroes: Season One, Saturday Night Live: Season Two

September - 30 Rock: Season One, The Office: Season Three, The Birds: Legacy Series, Psycho: Legacy Series.

Heroes Season One and Battlestar Galactica: Season One were also confirmed as HD-DVD exclusives for August and September, respectively. Hope is that, not to be left behind, Disney will be prompted to announce a Blu-ray release of Lost soon. Also love how Universal optimistically refers to the "Friday Night Lights" and "30 Rock" Box Sets as 'Season One,' not 'The Complete Series.' :rolleyes: Needless to say I'm psyched like a bitch in heat for the second season of "The Incredible Hulk" coming to DVD this July. :D

GeorgeLV

03-01-07, 10:51 PM

Perfect name: Fox Unscripted

"F. U." is a lot more catchy than "The CW". ;)

And as a bonus it's descriptive. Wasn't MNTV formed as a F.U. to Tribune and CBS for pulling the rug out under from UPN and leaving Fox's secondary O&Os without programming?

JimsArcade

03-01-07, 11:31 PM

Perfect name: Fox Unscripted

"F. U." is a lot more catchy than "The CW". ;) I wish we had an applause emoticon, that post would've deserved it. :D

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:14 AM

TV Notebook
TV stretches its second season
By Gary Levin USA TODAY

September. January. March.

Until recently, TV networks rolled out their arsenals like clockwork. Each of them unfurled a half-dozen new series at once in mid-September, then called up replenishments at precise intervals in winter and early spring for the inevitable failures.

But in an evolving trend, the midseason replacement is now a more fluid affair, with backups stretching from November all the way up to mid-April — barely in time to establish a track record before the networks set their fall schedules in May.

The reason? Partly economics, partly a function of the networks' performance (see story inside) and — as with most things TV these days — partly the Idol effect.

Once the world's biggest singing contest spreads like kudzu each January, rivals steer clear: "There's a shift away from premiering anything smack against Idol," says CBS scheduling chief Kelly Kahl. "You're essentially trying to find the cleanest playing field you can, and for different networks those come at different times."

And Fox, content to let Idol and 24 reset its flagging fall each January, hews to its own calendar. "It's a function of the whole rhythm to our schedule," says scheduling chief Preston Beckman of Fox, which is readying comedy The Winner for Sunday, in a three-week, six-episode burst, and drama Drive to premiere April 15. "We look at March and April, when we feel like we're trying to get one or two shows to stick in the spring to make our lives easier in the fall."

All told, the major broadcast networks will unveil 11 more shows by May — three of them in April — and return five others to their lineups.

Analyst Steve Sternberg of ad buyer Magna Global USA says the networks, less reliant on stunts during the "sweeps" months of February and May, are more willing to try new shows away from the traditional calendar.

They're easier to promote when they stand apart from the pack. And there are more opportunities to do so: The new split-season trend seen with Heroes, Prison Break, Jericho and reality series creates more short-term gaps.

"All of these result in schedule changes taking place at an individual networks' convenience to suit their particular needs, rather than everyone scrambling to meet an artificial midseason date for new shows," Sternberg says.

But in a separate development, the networks "seem to be moving further away from the quick hook," says Chuck Bachrach of Rubin Postaer & Associates, a Los Angeles ad firm. Just 12 new series have been canceled so far this season, about half as many as two years ago.

Many more low-rated series are being given a longer leash to find an audience, from Friday Night Lights to The Knights of Prosperity.

"It's easier to keep what you have and promote it," Bachrach says. And often, replacement series do as poorly or worse than the shows they replace. That's what happened last November when CBS subbed in medical drama 3 Lbs. for the heist caper Smith; each lasted three weeks.

"We are being more patient with our shows when there's something to the show," says NBC program planner Mitch Metcalf about Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock. Persistence with The Office two years ago paid off when the show eventually blossomed into a solid performer.

It's not all benevolence: In the midst of a cost-cutting drive, "we don't have an unlimited budget to have an exceptionally deep bullpen" of backup series, Metcalf says.

So NBC is trying low-cost shows such as Thank God You're Here, an improvisational sketch-comedy series. And Fox had huge initial success this week with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, a quiz show that followed American Idol and, with 26.5 million viewers, became the most-watched premiere on any network since 1998.

Both avoid the long "gestation period" needed for sitcoms and dramas, Kahl says, making reality TV a more flexible midseason option. "You can fire those things up pretty quickly."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-01-midseason-shows-main_x.htm

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:34 AM

Critic’s Notebook
Midseason TV: Network-by-network

As new shows arrive and some favorites return, USA TODAY's Gary Levin looks at the surprises and disappointments so far this season — and the networks' future prospects (all times ET/PT):

NBC

Average audience: (season to date): 9.6 million

Average audience change from last season: -5%

18-49 viewers: 4.5 million (+1%)

On target: Sunday Night Football, Heroes.

Misfires: Kidnapped, 20 Good Years, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock are critical hits but viewers aren't responding.

The rundown: The addition of football and Heroes, TV's biggest new hit, helps stem further decline, but with football season over, ratings go downhill from here. The Office has blossomed into a solid performer. NBC is expected to finish fourth (again) but closer to its competitors than in the last two years.

Coming up:

Andy Barker, P.I. (March 15, Thursdays at 9:30): Former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter is an accountant-turned-investigator in this Conan-produced sitcom, also starring Tony Hale (Arrested Development). Temporarily replaces 30 Rock, scheduled to return in April.

Raines (March 16, Fridays at 9): Jeff Goldblum plays a detective who imagines conversations with murder victims, who help him solve cases. Replaces Las Vegas after its season finale.

Thank God You're Here (April 18, Wednesdays at 8, after previews April 9 and 16): Celebrity guests take improv-comedy challenges in this hour hosted by David Alan Grier. Replaces Friday Night Lights after its season finale.

ABC

Average audience: (season to date): 10.1 million

Average audience change from last season: -12%

18-49 viewers: 4.7 million (-14%)

On target: Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters are solid additions; move of Grey's Anatomy to Thursdays — a big gamble — paid off, as the series is hitting record highs against CSI. Dancing With the Stars is the No. 2 reality series.

Misfires: The Nine, Help Me Help You, Big Day, In Case of Emergency. One-time smash Lost is ebbing in its third season.

The rundown: The network is chronically incapable of finding comedy hits, and overplayed its hand with serialized dramas. But it continues to have the most buzzed-abo ut series. Loss of Monday Night Football - and last year's Super Bowl — hurts overall numbers, down 1% with sports excluded.

Coming up:

October Road (March 15, Thursdays at 10): Bryan Greenberg plays author who moves to his hometown and is confronted by the inspirations for his work. (Men in Trees is due back in mid-April).

Dancing With the Stars (March 19, Mondays at 8, Tuesdays at 9). Reality smash returns for a fourth go-round with Heather Mills, Billy Ray Cyrus and Leeza Gibbons.

Six Degrees (March 23, Fridays at 9): Struggling serial is back from hiatus with a new character to better connect the others.

Great American Dream Vote (March 28, Wednesdays at 8, after preview March 27): Donny Osmond hosts this wish-fulfillment reality series, a modern-day spin on Queen for a Day.

The Bachelor (April 2, Mondays at 9:30): Dating derby returns for another edition.

Notes From the Underbelly (TBA, Wednesdays at 9:30): Sitcom about newly pregnant couple and their road to parenthood.|

Traveler (TBA): Thriller about a pair of college pals framed for a terrorist act and their efforts to clear their names.

CBS

Average audience: (season to date): 13.1million

Average audience change from last season: +3%

18-49 viewers: 5.1 million (+3%)

On target: Solidly performing crime dramas (and the Super Bowl) guarantee the network a fifth consecutive win this season among all viewers. Midseason comedy Rules of Engagement is a keeper behind Two and a Half Men.

Misfires: The Class was a costly comedy disappointment, Smith and 3 Lbs. lasted three weeks apiece, and reality cop show Armed and Famous was a dud.

The rundown: The network is stung by its lack of water-cooler "buzz" shows and needs a big new drama hit. CSI is slowing with age against Grey's.

Coming up:

The New Adventures of Old Christine (March 12, Mondays at 8:30) returns in a new time slot, replacing The Class.

The King of Queens (April 9, Mondays at 9:30) returns for seven final episodes, once Rules runs out.

Fox

Average audience: (season to date): 9.7 million

Average audience change from last season: +4%

18-49 viewers: 4.9 million (unchanged

On target: American Idol, which improbably continues to climb in its sixth season; House, hitting records in its third, and 24, holding steady.

Misfires: Standoff, Justice, Vanished and Happy Hour all vanished — or nearly so — while attracting a much older audience than Fox's norm. 'Til Death is struggling but will get a boost with plum new time slot behind Idol starting March 14.

Coming up:
The Winner (starts this Sunday at 8:30 and 9:30), a comedy starring The Daily Show's Rob Corddry as a 32-year-old late bloomer.

The Wedding Belsl (March 9, Fridays at 9, after a preview Wednesday): Producer David E. Kelley's latest, a romantic comedy about a trio of sibling wedding planners and their sometimes flustered clients.

Drive (April 16, Mondays at 8, after an April 15 preview): A drama takeoff on The Amazing Race, in which a disparate group of cross-country road racers, with different motivations, seeks an elusive finish line.

The CW

Average audience: (season to date): 3.3 million

Average audience change from last season: +1%

18-49 viewers: 1.8 million (-2% vs. WB, +3% vs. UPN)

On target: Gilmore Girls and Beauty and the Geek are healthy, Top Model had a record season opener Wednesday, and the young-skewing network has benefited from Nielsen's new measurement of college students living away from home.

Misfires: The successor to WB and UPN offered only two new shows, and gave Runaway a quick hook. Resurrected 7th Heaven is languishing, Everybody Hates Chris hasn't fulfilled its (ratings) promise, cult fave Veronica Mars is on its last legs and off till April.

Coming up:

Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll (March 6, Tuesdays at 9): A variation of CW top hit Top Model.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-03-01-midseason-TV-charticle_x.htm

fredfa

03-02-07, 01:03 AM

TV Notebook
Fox closes strong
'American Idol,' 'Grade' combo helps
By Rick Kissell Variety March 2, 2007

Auds didn't exactly stick to the script on the final night of the February sweep, with Fox and CW racking up big numbers.

Combo of "American Idol" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" again put Fox well in front of its competitors, but CW also made some noise with best-yet premiere numbers for its No. 1 show, "America's Next Top Model."

Sweep overall, meanwhile, remains a misleading indicator of each net's midseason strengths, as events like the Super Bowl and Academy Awards skew results.

There's no doubting that Fox is the hottest net heading into the homestretch, though, as it used "American Idol" to nip Super Bowl net CBS for the month's 18-49 title and easily led among people 12-34, while the Eye still had enough to prevail in both adults 25-54 and total viewers.

Looking at Wednesday's action, "American Idol" (11.9 rating/30 share in adults 18-49, 29.78 million viewers overall) dominated as usual with another 90-minute performance edition, down slightly from its Tuesday scores.

And at 9:30, gameshow "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" (9.7/23 in 18-49, 23.37m) wasn't quite as scintillating as its night-earlier premiere but retained an excellent 82% of its "Idol" lead-in among adults 18-49 to win its half-hour by 12 shares.

After the strong second-night results, Fox on Thursday picked up four additional hourlong episodes of "5th Grader," set to air on Thursdays at 8 beginning March 29.

At CW, "America's Next Top Model" (2.5/6 in 18-49, 5.36m) opened with the series' best-ever premiere averages in adults 18-34 (3.5/10), women 18-34 (5.4/13), teens (3.8/11) and total viewers.

Show, which beat "Idol" head-to-head in some young female categories in New York and Los Angeles, lifted the first-year net to its highest-rated night to date; it ran second to "Idol" from 8 to 10 in adults 18-34.

CBS remained a distant second on the night with "Jericho" (2.3/6 in 18-49, 8.31m), "Criminal Minds" (3.9/9 in 18-49, 14.50m), and "CSI: NY" (4.4/11 in 18-49, 14.33m).

ABC ran fifth with comedies from 8 to 10 before moving to the demo lead at 10 with "Lost" (5.7/15, 12.78m). NBC wasn't much of a factor with "Friday Night Lights" (1.8/5 in 18-49, 5.07m), "Deal or No Deal" (2.5/6 in 18-49, 9.21m) and "Medium" (2.5/6, 7.63m).

For the sweep, Fox led in adults 18-49 with a 5.2 rating/13 share, followed by CBS (5.0/13), ABC (3.9/10), NBC (2.9/8), Univision (1.7/4) and CW (1.4/3). (Year-to-year comparisons are particularly meaningless this February since last year featured the Winter Olympics on NBC.)

Fox led in people 12-34 over second-place CBS (4.5/13 to 3.4/10), while the Eye had it in 25-54 (6.1/14 to 5.5/13 for Fox) and total viewers (15.7 million to 12.9 million for Fox).

Fox, which finished on top among adults 18-34 for a fifth straight February, was led by "Idol," of course, but also by record ratings for Tuesday drama "House." Vet "24" also remains a strong performer, while 8 o'clock dramas "Prison Break" and "Bones" look good in their soph seasons.

CBS, whose highlights for the month included the Super Bowl and the Grammy Awards, also saw good results for new comedy "Rules of Engagement." Monday laffer seemed to energize the entire night, with "Two and a Half Men" and "CSI: Miami" also hitting season highs in the month.

ABC was led by "Grey's Anatomy," the month's top scripted show, and was also pleased with its increased perf -- thanks mostly to "Lost" -- in the 10:30 half-hour leading into the weeknight local news. Monday tandem of "Wife Swap" and "Supernanny" also achieved season highs during the month.

NBC remained strong from 8 to 10 on Monday with "Deal or No Deal" and the season's No. 1 new series, "Heroes," while "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" continue to shine on Thursday. Vets "Law & Order: SVU" and "ER" continue to lead their 10 o'clock slots but are clearly wobbling.

Univision rode hot telenovela "La Fea Mas Bella" (The Prettiest Ugly Girl) to a third-place finish among adults 18-34 during the 8 o'clock hour, while music awards show "Premio Lo Nuestro" averaged more than 6 million viewers.

And although "Gilmore Girls" and "Smallville" continue to do well, CW's best news came from its unscripted franchises. In addition to the bow of "Top Model," "Beauty and the Geek" posted its best finale numbers to date, and "Friday Night Smackdown" hit season highs, drawing 5.4 million viewers last week.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960368.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

fredfa

03-02-07, 01:11 AM

TV Sports
How Will Selig Sell the Extra Innings Deal to Fans?
By Richard Sandomir The New York Times March 2, 2007

Earlier this week, it looked as if Major League Baseball’s ever-pending deal that would move the Extra Innings package of out-of-market games exclusively to DirecTV might be announced today. That is no longer likely. It may happen Monday, next month or by the All-Star Game break.

But the interminable delay — for a product that needs to be in place by opening day — has provided ample time for contemplation.

How will Commissioner Bud Selig make this sound beneficial to former buyers of Extra Innings on cable when he finally discusses it in detail? How will M.L.B. step out of the muck of bad publicity surrounding the deal, assuming there are enough owners to approve it?

More specifically, can Selig make M.L.B.’s betrothal to DirecTV look like anything but a way to a) push abandoned cable subscribers to an mlb.com service, mlb.tv (cost: $89.95 or $119.95) to increase centralized revenue coursing from M.L.B. Advanced Media, which runs baseball’s on-line world, and b) ensure that 15 million DirecTV homes will get the new 24/7 baseball channel that is to start in 2009 in time for the second World Baseball Classic?

One more question: With so much baseball available nationally and locally, who will watch the planned channel?

Perhaps by design, Major League Baseball has given itself two years to persuade cable operators to carry the proposed channel. It will need every minute of that time. In early talks, cable operators refused to guarantee broad distribution of the new network, which catapulted baseball into its love match with DirecTV.

Why would cable operators, now without Extra Innings, carry the new channel, even if it turns out to be terrific? What is the incentive?

The channel will most likely carry a Thursday or a Saturday night game of the week (do we need another?) with more camera and aural access than other networks get (which should tick off the other networks). But will that attract cable operators any more than those who have refused to carry the NFL Network even with its eight regular-season games?

Baseball can assess the history of the NFL Network and NBA TV for guidance. NBA TV has only 12 million cable and satellite subscriptions (some of them on digital sports tiers), but Commissioner David Stern said he was pleased.

“We have the penetration we projected,” he said yesterday by telephone, “an enormous promotional platform and a digital gateway into our other offerings, telling fans about our broadband and V.O.D.” — video on demand.

The NFL Network, while it is in 40 million cable and satellite homes, is not in the 29 million homes of Time Warner, Cablevision and Charter customers; it is also suing Comcast for wanting to carry it on a marginalized digital sports tier, not the broader digital tier where it is now available.

When asked last year why Cablevision didn’t carry the NFL Network, James L. Dolan, the company’s president, raised his industry’s lingering resentment that the National Football League’s Sunday Ticket out-of-market package of games has always been the exclusive domain of DirecTV.

Give me Sunday Ticket, he reasoned, and I’ll carry the NFL Network.

Baseball will march into that toxic environment. But even if the channel signs up no cable subscribers for a year or two, Major League Baseball will not be at a total loss.

“The reality is,” said Lee Berke, an industry consultant, “DirecTV is, outside of Comcast, the largest distributor of subscription TV. So if you do a DirecTV deal, you start with a good base.”

If the baseball channel is well-received, Berke suggested, cable operators are likely to reconsider, but slowly. “There is precedent in cable that when a deal is done with a competitor, they get upset and standoffish, but they’re in the content and subscriber business,” he said.

It appears unlikely that M.L.B. will reconsider its close dancing with DirecTV, regardless of the many fans (among the nearly 200,000 cable buyers of it last year) who have squawked about it or signed petitions against it. But Selig and others will, once they announce the deal, have to do more than brush aside the concerns of those who cannot switch from cable to DirecTV, or shoo them to the broadband-delivered games on mlb.tv.

And he must not try to sell this as an innovation, like interleague play, or a labor coup, like expanding drug testing. This is a business transaction that so far has served only to rile a subset of devoted fans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/02/sports/baseball/02sandomir.html?pagewanted=print

dad1153

03-02-07, 01:29 AM

TV Notebook
Fox closes strong
'American Idol,' 'Grade' combo helps
By Rick Kissell Variety March 2, 2007

Sweep overall, meanwhile, remains a misleading indicator of each net's midseason strengths, as events like the Super Bowl and Academy Awards skew results.

There's no doubting that Fox is the hottest net heading into the homestretch, though, as it used "American Idol" to nip Super Bowl net CBS for the month's 18-49 title and easily led among people 12-34, while the Eye still had enough to prevail in both adults 25-54 and total viewers.

What amazes me about American Idol's ratings (not the show itself) is that, unlike the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards, it has a much larger inventory of commercial time to sell than the handful of commercials the Super Bowl or Grammy's can accomodate for one evening. For the people that actually pay the bills, the sponsors, "AI" is a better and more dynamic buy than any of the stunt sweeps programs because the show has proven it can attract that huge audience in the non-sweeps months. None of the other networks, which immediately switch to repeats as soon as sweeps are over, can offer that to advertisers. And didn't the Oscars on ABC this year get like one or two million viewers more than an average "Idol" episode (out of several on the same week)? Big f***ing deal, that was one evening in a month versus the dozens of nights "AI" delivers those giant ratings/viewers whether its sweeps or not. For advertisers that want to sell their wares in August-October, December-January, March-April and June the question is: when will an "AI"-like phenomenon repeat the success of Fox's show from September to December to even the monopoly Fox enjoys in the second half of the season? A couple of years ago ABC could have done just that with then red-hot Lost if it had had the foresight to build the schedule into a non-stop train, ala 24. Alas, we know where "Lost" is headed and the 'could have beens' for that show in the future will make the Studio 60 post-mortums seem like a quaint warm-up. The armchair TV programmers are just beginning to sharpen their witty criticisms for that one! :)

Back to the present though, we are living through television history with this "Idol" phenomenon (behind the scenes as well as for everyone to see), which I never thought I'd see in an age of fragmented television schedules that micro-targets audiences rather than broadcast to as many of them as possible. "AI" singlehandedly makes the past few decades of sweeps programming stunts to spike the ratings during ad setting periods look like the fraud we've known all along it was. :rolleyes:

dad1153

03-02-07, 08:36 AM

Please write to GSN President Rich Cronin and tell him about your kid. He's convinced the audience watching GSN consists mostly of older and poor female black viewers. Young viewers like your daughter are what GSN needs most to stay in business. What are her favorite shows to watch? Does she watch them live or by DVR (to skip those annoying Medicare and Scooter Store commercials not aimed at anyone younger than 65)? I love Body Language, the Password and Card Sharks shows, Match Game and Lingo whenever they have new episodes. Has she seen the new Chain Reaction show? And what about you Mr. No-Whoopee-Allowed, what do you like to watch on GSN?

:eek: Why does he think his demo are only old and black? Is this anecdotal or hard Nielsen number. I may be missing the point but what is the driving reason you want 2-11 age viewer. Is it the buying power or influence that is leverage by mom and dad?

Sometimes I forget that normal folks don't read the same gameshow-related websites and forums that I visit daily. But then I remember that the people reading this thread are TV nuts and aren't exactly normal either! ;)

The "old and black" comments comes from a 2003-04 Nielsen report commissioned by Game Show Network based on the Los Angeles market that found the network's audience was primarily black, female and poor (i.e. less than $20,000 of disposable income per year). It was a skewed report because it was only based in the L.A. market (hardly representative of the nation as a whole), and its notorious amongst the gameshow loving community because it was one of the reports Rich Cronin used as a linchpin to remake Game Show Network (a TV channel dedicated to classic gameshows and original gameshows) into GSN: The Network For Games back in 2004 (mix of old gameshows, reality show repeats, gambling shows, interactive games and all types of "games"). I haven't seen the "old and black" Nielsen report myself (links I found to it were dead by the time I clicked them), but amongst the internet savvy hardcore gameshow people this Nielsen report is like an urban myth.

In more recent cable ratings reports GSN continues to be mentioned as one of the oldest-skewing networks on cable (one of the highest median ages for a cable channel), which explains the inordinate amount of commercials for health supplies and elderly assistance devices. GSN bought repeats of The Amazing Race in 2005 to try to reverse the trend. Despite the show bombing in the ratings the median age of the network was drastically reduced on the strength of 'Amazing Race's' young demos. This is why I suggest that Maestro let the GSN folks know that there's a little kid watching the network (not that it matters any unless Maestro's family has a Nielsen box in the household). The younger a GSN viewer is (and Nielsen registers that young viewer) the more it will help lower the network's sky-high median age, by far its biggest obstacle to getting the youth-seeking advertisers that are currently not making GSN their top spending priority.

What does any of this has to do with high definition? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING other than its part of the wonderful mosaic of the business that we watch and love whether its HD or not! ;)

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:07 AM

TV Notebook
NBC's Reilly Glad To Have Job Security Questions Behind Him
By Ben Grossman Broadcasting & Cable, 3/2/2007

NBC announced Thursday that Entertainment President Kevin Reilly signed a new multi-year deal to remain in his job, as has been expected since early this year.

And Reilly, who has stemmed the network’s primetime ratings plunge and given NBC some newfound momentum despite massive cuts at NBC Universal and constant rumors about his job security, says he is just happy to have all the questions about his future behind him.

“A lot of that stuff just goes with the gig in good times and especially in bad times,” he says. “It stopped bothering me personally, but it messes with the organization; people get insecure.”

Reilly says despite recent rumors that he may have been looking elsewhere, his first choice was always to remain with NBC.

“I believe there were other options,” he acknowledges. “It hasn’t been an easy couple of years. But I really wanted to finish what I started.”

Since joining NBC from FX in 2004, Reilly survived the brutal post-Friends years and has begun to re-establish NBC’s reputation - and ratings - with Nielsen hits like Heroes and Deal or No Deal and high-quality critical darlings like The Office, Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock.

But Reilly knows with plenty of holes in his schedule as with all of the networks these days, and with expensive failures like this year’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, NBC still has to find more assets. That said, he thinks the task is more manageable now.

“I don’t feel like I am running into gale-force winds,” he says. “We have a lot of work left ahead of us, but it all seems possible now.”

And Reilly says that, despite the questions about his future both inside and outside his building, he never felt like he had to play it safe - as evidenced by his willingness to champion lower-rated fare he believes in, like the afore-mentioned The Office, Friday Night Lights and 30 Rock.

“People would tell you to follow your instincts, but that can be very hard to do when you’re under fire,” he says. “But I’ve been doing it now for a couple seasons and frankly had the support above me to do it. No one said, ‘If you pick up the back nine on 30 Rock you’re in trouble.’ Clearly, because they renewed my deal.”

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6420893

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:31 AM

TV Sports
Leagues' gambles shutting out viewers
By Barry Jackson Miami Hearld March 2, 2007

You might think sports leagues would want their games available to more viewers, not fewer. But several times in recent years, leagues have done the opposite, moving some of their games to cable networks or satellite services in fewer homes than they were on originally.

The latest such move has created a public outcry and drawn the attention of the FCC. The expected switch of baseball's Extra Innings package to DirecTV exclusively will impact, among others, the 230,000 who bought the package last year through their cable system or Dish Network but aren't among the 15 million homes with DirecTV. (Another 270,000 bought the out-of-market baseball package through DirecTV last season.)

FCC chairman Kevin Martin has promised an investigation. Not only is DirecTV offering big money ($700 million over seven years), but it's also promising to carry the new baseball network set to launch in 2009.

Meanwhile, MLB also this year will move one of its league championship series exclusively to cable (TBS). Fox will carry the other.

Leagues have justified taking cable's huge dollars by noting that most sports fans have cable. Of course, they don't volunteer that of the 111 million TV households, between 18 million and 19 million -- many low-income -- don't get ESPN, TNT or TBS, and far more don't get Versus, the Golf Channel or NFL Network.

Checking out how some of these deals have worked out:

• The NFL hoped giving NFL Network rights to eight regular-season games would convince most cable systems to add the channel to their basic service. It hasn't happened.

After the announcement, NFL Network's penetration grew by six million homes. But the channel has been stuck at 42 million since September (compared with ESPN's 93 million), with Cablevision and Time-Warner among the holdouts. Some systems want to add it to a pay-extra sports tier, but the NFL Network opposes that.

''They thought they could grow the channel quickly [instead of selling the eight games to another network],'' TV consultant and former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson said this week. ``First year, it hasn't worked out. They haven't been able to get the 70-80 million homes they had been projecting.''

• The NHL's cable move from ESPN to Versus (then OLN) two years ago made financial sense -- Versus (in 72 million homes) offered $130 million for two years -- but ratings have shrunk further. Regular-season games are averaging 159,997 homes, compared with ESPN's 416,000 and ESPN2's 207,000 in their last season (2003-04).

But Pilson doesn't view the NHL's move as damaging: ''They're generating probably twice as much [money] as what they could have gotten from ESPN.'' Versus, meantime, has exercised its NHL option for 2007-08.

• Although the NBA doesn't seem to have suffered, the audience for the conference finals has eroded since most of those games were moved after 2002 from NBC (111 million homes) to TNT and ESPN. (ABC carries one or two conference finals games each year.)

One example: Last season, TNT averaged a 3.8 rating (3.8 percent of U.S. homes) for the Dallas-Phoenix Western finals. NBC, by contrast, averaged an 8.8 for its last Western finals (Lakers-Sacramento in 2002) and a 6.7 for its last non-Lakers Western finals (San Antonio-Portland in 1999). Pilson's take: The NBA got ``substantially more money and got on more outlets. The popularity of the game doesn't seem to have diminished.''

• It's too early to judge the PGA Tour's decision to shift a substantial chunk of its coverage to the Golf Channel, although the length of the deal (15 years) has been questioned. The Golf Channel, in 75 million homes, carries every round of 13 PGA Tour events and the first two rounds of every regular PGA Tour event (many of which previously aired on higher-profile networks such as ESPN).

''That's a deal I don't fully understand at this point,'' Pilson said. ``It doesn't attract the casual audience the way ESPN or a network might do.''

• Although the NFL moved Monday Night Football to cable because ESPN offered $1.1 billion annually, the Sunday night games moved from ESPN to NBC. The offshoot: Monday night ratings were the lowest in history (down 24 percent from 2005 on ABC), but Sunday night ratings increased 83 percent.

• Bill Parcells, saying he is done coaching, on Thursday joined ESPN as an analyst on SportsCenter and the Monday night pregame and halftime shows. He'll also do a Friday night program on ESPN Radio.

• Tidbits: If you tune to ESPN on Sunday and hear Spanish audio, do not adjust your television set. ESPN will carry a Spanish call of the NASCAR Busch Series race from Mexico City at 2 p.m., with ESPN2 airing English audio of the race. . . .

ESPN will add College Football Live, patterned after NFL Live, at 3:30 p.m. weekdays, starting in July. . . . ABC, replacing NBC as the Arena Football League's noncable rights-holder, will use ESPN morning radio hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic as its lead announcers.

http://www.miamiherald.com/588/story/28502.html

steverobertson

03-02-07, 10:45 AM

I like the college football live show that is great news hope it is HD

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:46 AM

Nielsen Notebook
Fox pops out to win February sweeps
By Diego Vasquez MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Mar 2, 2007

Two years ago, Fox won the February sweeps largely on the strength of Tom Brady’s arm. This year it pulled off a surprise victory thanks to Jeff Foxworthy’s wit.

The network closed out a frenzied come-from-behind sweeps win among adults 18-49 Wednesday night by jumping 0.4 points in the final two nights to overtake Super Bowl carrier CBS.

Some had expected CBS, which led up until Wednesday night, to hold off Fox. After all, the Super Bowl carrier has won the last two Februarys.

But the unexpected success of Fox’s new Foxworthy-hosted show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” gave the network an extra edge this week.

Fox finished February with an average 5.2 rating and 13 share, and CBS was second with a 5.0/13. Entering the final night, Fox trailed CBS by 0.1.

ABC took third at 3.9/10, followed by NBC at 2.9/8, Univision at 1.7/4, the CW at 1.4/3, Telemundo at 0.4/1, and Telefutura at 0.3/1.

Fox’s late surge was expected. The network aired five hours of “American Idol” last week and four hours this week, more than double what it usually has on the schedule.

But the difference maker was “Smarter,” which had the biggest debut for a Fox show in 13 years Tuesday (excluding a post-Super Bowl "Family Guy"), holding onto a record 92 percent of “Idol’s” audience.

You might expect the network could toss anything on after “Idol” and still draw huge numbers, but that hasn’t proven true. Several failed comedies have cycled through the post-“Idol” slot, losing half its audience.

Last year the reality show “Unan1mous” averaged a 6.0 in 18-49s airing out of “Idol.” “Smarter” has averaged 10.5 through two outings.

“Smarter” seemed like little more than a gimmick when it launched, a way for Fox to give top performer “House” a brief rest so as to save more episodes for the critical May sweeps.

But the brilliance of the show is that, like “Idol,” it is family entertainment. Past sitcoms have flopped because they’re aiming at older viewers, and it’s families that really help power “Idol.”

If there’s a show on afterward that they can all watch together, unlike workplace comedy “The Loop” or more sophisticated fare like “Wanda at Large,” they’re likely to tune in.

Plus, having Foxworthy, the popular star of the WB’s late “Blue Collar TV” as well as a string of highly rated Comedy Central specials, certainly helps as well.

The show asks contestants to answer questions better suited to elementary school students, and they compete in subjects like social studies, math and art. The amusing part is that they don’t always get the answers right.

Fox ends sweeps up 2 percent over last year in 18-49s. CBS grew 43 percent, spurred by the Super Bowl. But even excluding the big game’s numbers, the network was up a solid 6 percent.

ABC, which carried last year’s Super Bowl and won last year’s February sweeps, ended down 26 percent. Excluding Super Bowl, it fell 5 percent, with the Academy Awards, which aired after sweeps last year, offsetting the absence of “Dancing with the Stars.”

NBC fell 41 percent compared with last year, when it carried the Winter Olympics. Excluding those, it was still down 12 percent.

The CW was flat to last year’s WB rating and up 27 percent compared with UPN.

Two years ago, Fox won the February sweeps by a large margin partly on the strength of Super Bowl, in which quarterback Brady's New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/printer_10537.asp

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:53 AM

The TV Column
Smart Move:
Fox's '5th Grader' Quiz Show Quickly Makes the Ratings Honor Roll

By Lisa de Moraes Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, March 2, 2007

Fox may have finally found the perfect "American Idol" accessory in a quiz show that pits adults against fifth-graders, testing their knowledge of factoids found in grade school textbooks.

When Mark Burnett's "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" unveiled Tuesday after "Idol," it scored the biggest opening audience of any series on any network in more than eight years -- nearly 27 million viewers.

That's also the biggest series debut audience on Fox -- ever.

The following night, a second half-hour of "5th Grader" held on to nearly all of that audience -- more than 23 million.

Of course, you might point out here, Fox's ratings monster "American Idol" is attracting its biggest audience this season -- 31 million viewers this past Tuesday and 30 mil the next night.

Fox could debut white noise after "Idol" and do a number, you might add. In fact, it did: "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance" in January '04 and "Life on a Stick" in March '05, among them. Remember "Life on a Stick"? Two BFF slackers get jobs at a fast-food joint in the local mall where they are stuck with meanie manager but also hot co-worker. About 20 million "Idol" fans caught the "Fiance" kickoff, but just 9 million got suckered into sticking around for "Stick."

But the "Stick" slackers look like Mensa boys now compared with some of the "5th Grader" contestants who have been given pause by such questions as: "What's 2 times 5?"; "What's the closest star to Earth?"; and "What month is Columbus Day observed?"

How can a show so dumb be so attractive to the clever, discerning and, we like to think, good-looking "Idol" audience?

Yesterday, Fox reality guru Mike Darnell tried to make sense of it all.

Even he claims to be "floored" by the "5th Grader" opening number. And it takes a lot to floor Darnell; this is the guy who bought "The Swan."

Darnell notes no other show has held on to this much of the singing competition's audience, except the doc drama "House" -- "which took two years to do it," he added.

Reality series, he noted, generally perform better out of "Idol" than scripted shows. But this quiz show is particularly compatible, he speculated, because it is a broad, family show that, like "Idol," attracts kids, adults, parents and grandparents.

And, sadly, "5th Grader" is extremely relatable, he noted. "Anybody who has kids -- they get to a certain age and you can't do their homework anymore," he said. His daughter Chelsea is 8, "and I'm just getting to that point where I'm embarrassed when I can't help her with a math problem."

"5th Grader" actually fared better with teens in its first two nights than did "Idol." Darnell thinks that age bracket is attracted to the notion of being smarter, not only than the person on the show but also than their parents watching with them.

Yesterday afternoon, Fox extended its order on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" four weeks beyond its initial order. The elementary school questions will continue through at least April 19. The series will settle into its regular time slot, Thursdays at 8, on March 15, where, ironically, it will take on Burnett's other reality hit, CBS's "Survivor."

• • • • • • • • • • •

Just days after Discovery Channel held a news conference in New York to announce its controversial "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" documentary -- and companion book -- about the purported discovery of the tomb of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and possibly a son she had with Jesus, the cable network announced Ted Koppel would moderate a discussion of the project right after its premiere on Sunday.

Koppel's experts will include:

• James D. Tabor, chairman of the department of religious studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who has been a supporter of the film.

• Darrell L. Bock, professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and past president of the Evangelical Theological Society, who has been highly critical of the claims in the film.

• The Rev. David M. O'Connell, president of Catholic University.

• William Dever, professor emeritus of Near Eastern archaeology and anthropology at the University of Arizona, who has dismissed the film as "a publicity stunt" in The Post.

• Simcha Jacobovici, who made the film.

They will chat about whether they think there is truth to the film's assertions or whether it's just "Alien Autopsy" for an older audience. You remember "Alien Autopsy," which ran on Fox: huge ratings, later exposed as a total hoax in another Fox special. A real win-win for that network.

Koppel these days is managing editor of Discovery Channel.

He has no connection with the Jesus project, Discovery noted. The one-hour discussion will have minimal commercial interruptions, the network said.

"This documentary touches on many sensitive issues," Discovery Channel President and General Manager Jane Root said, stating the obvious, in a statement.

She noted the "experts' findings" reported in the documentary "rely on the application of the most current forensic patina analysis, paleo-DNA techniques and statistical evaluation." We will take her at her word.

But, she warned, "it is the beginning of a complex archaeological journey, not the end. Because of that, we believe that this film should be viewed in the context of a spirited dialogue and viewers should decide their own viewpoints and conclusions."

The announcement also came with a Koppel quote managing expectations:

"Inevitably, on a subject as important as this, there will be many unanswered questions," he said.

"I expect to raise as many of those as possible."

Four days later, on March 8, he will continue the discussion -- on Comedy Central, as a guest on "The Colbert Report."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/01/AR2007030101799_pf.html

fredfa

03-02-07, 11:03 AM

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

fredfa

03-02-07, 11:18 AM

TV Notebook
TV Death Watch
A look at shows facing cancellation before the fall

By Stephen Battaglio TV Guide

The networks have started working on new fall series, which means pink slips are coming for some of your old favorites. Here's what could be on the chopping block.

NBC

Did you ever imagine the day when Law & Order would be canceled? We're not saying it's going to happen — it probably won't. But costs on the show have risen while its ratings have dropped, which means its renewal is no longer automatic every year. NBC's other middling crime dramas — Law & Order: Criminal Intent, [B]Crossing Jordan and Medium — are more vulnerable. The network has also yet to decide on another season for The Apprentice.

Stick a fork in Studio 60. It held little of the audience from its lead-in, Heroes, and began to slip even further in its last two airings. Prospects are better for Friday Night Lights, which has a small but steady following and is a favorite with critics (it also doesn't hurt that NBC owns it). On the comedy side, the network has to decide if it's willing to show patience with the funny but struggling 30 Rock. Word is it will swap time periods with Scrubs later this season to see how it does with The Office as a lead-in.

ABC

The network's comedies continue to get clubbed by competition from American Idol. So it could be the end for According to Jim, George Lopez, In Case of Emergency and Knights of Prosperity. What About Brian has failed to grow its audience, but insiders put its chances of returning at 50-50. While Men in Trees doesn't hold much of Grey's Anatomy's audience, it's a favorite among ABC execs and could survive to a second season. Remember, you can't cancel everything.

CBS

Second-year crime drama Close to Home has been an underachiever between Ghost Whisperer and Numbers, and CBS will look hard for an upgrade in the time period. With mid-season comedy Rules of Engagement working, it's uncertain that The Class will graduate to a second season. Jericho will also have to get closer to the ratings it scored in the fall to survive.

Fox

Brad Garrett's sitcom 'Til Death will get a shot after the American Idol results show before the network decides on its fate. Producers are looking to cast Michael Rapaport in new shows, which means The War at Home might be over. With Standoff banished to Friday nights, the chances of it being rescued from cancellation are slim.

CW

It's goodbye to the Gilmore Girls unless stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel decide to sign on for another season. Veronica Mars will likely solve her final case this spring. Monday sitcoms All of Us and The Game are vulnerable. If 7th Heaven doesn't get canceled after this season, you'll know that the CW's new-show development is lousy.

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/The-Biz/default.aspx?posting=%7B214844C1-FBDF-408D-9802-1B016ACEF9E6%7D

fredfa

03-02-07, 11:52 AM

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

fredfa

03-02-07, 11:57 AM

(From Marc Berman’s Friday. March 2, 2007. Programming Insider column at Mediaweek.com )
Final Feb. 2007 Rating Results
CBS and Fox Share Dominance

Led by the Super Bowl, CBS moved past Fox’s American Idol steamroller, with a healthy first-place finish in Feb. 2007 in both households and total viewers. Fox dominated among key adults 18-49, beating the Eye net by two-tenths of a rating point (or four percent). CBS increased, of course, by double-digit percentages over Feb. 2006, while Fox rose by margins of 2 to 5 percent in the three surveyed categories.

ABC finished third in Feb. 2007, with erosion of 4.17 million viewers and as much as 29 percent among adults 18-49 from one year earlier. NBC came in fourth, with heftier losses, while last-place the CW was on par with year-ago levels from the WB.

What follows are the final national ratings for Feb. 2007:

Household Rating/Share:
CBS: 9.4/15 (+29)
Fox: 7.5/12 (+ 4)
ABC: 6.5/10 (-24)
NBC: 5.6/ 9 (-42)
CW: 2.2/ 3 (no change)

Total Viewers: :
CBS: 15.80 million (+40)
Fox: 12.87 (+ 5)
ABC: 10.30 (-29)
NBC: 8.57 (-45)
CW: 3.37 (+ 1)

Adults 18-49: :
Fox: 5.2/13 (+ 2)
CBS: 5.0/13 (+43)
ABC: 3.9/10 (-26)
NBC: 2.9/ 8 (-41)
CW: 1.4/ 3 (no change)

• Source: Nielsen Media Research data

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/newsletters/proginsider/index.jsp

fredfa

03-02-07, 11:59 AM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Fox's '5th Grader' rips it up some more
Third night of game show averages a 9.4 in 18-49s
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 2, 2007

When a new show debuts to huge numbers, the question always is whether that momentum will carry or whether it will slump in the following episodes.

It seems a clear case of the former for Fox’s new hit game show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” For the third straight night, the Jeff Foxworthy-hosted quiz show put up huge numbers, managing to hold most of its “American Idol” lead-in.

“Smarter” averaged a 9.4 adults 18-49 rating last night, according to Nielsen overnights, retaining 90 percent of lead-in “Idol’s” 10.4.

“Smarter” was down a tad from Wednesday’s 9.7, but its lead-in dipped as well. On a night where the other networks aired mostly reruns, Fox earned its third straight nightly win in dominant fashion, more than doubling CBS.

Not surprisingly, Fox has ordered four additional episodes of “Smarter” and scheduled them for Thursdays at 8 p.m. That’s in addition to already announced episodes airing the next three Thursdays.

“Smarter’s” numbers will likely dip once “Idol” contracts back from Thursday to a two-night schedule two weeks from now, but it should give Fox a Thursday presence that it has lacked for years. Even if the show lost half its audience, it would still compete for No. 1 in the timeslot.

Fox was first for the night among 18-49s with a 9.9 average rating and a 24 share. CBS was second at 4.2/11, ABC third at 2.9/7, NBC fourth at 2.8/7, Univision fifth at 1.9/5 and CW sixth at 1.0/2.

At 8 p.m. Fox started the night in the lead with a 10.4 rating for its “Idol” results show. CBS was second with a 5.0 for “Survivor,” NBC third with a 3.0 for repeats of “My Name is Earl” and “The Office” and Univision fourth with a 2.3 for “La Fea Mas Bella.” ABC was fifth that hour with a 2.2 for a repeat of “Ugly Betty” and CW sixth with a 1.1 for a “Smallville” rerun.

Fox led again at 9 p.m., this time with a 9.4 for an hour of “Smarter.” CBS came in second with a 4.3 for a repeat of “CSI,” ABC third with a 3.9 for a repeat of “Grey’s Anatomy” and NBC fourth with a 3.0 average for “Scrubs” (3.4) and “30 Rock” (2.7). Univision slipped to fifth that hour with a 1.9 for “Mundo de Fieras” and CW was sixth with a 0.9 for a repeat of “Supernatural.”

CBS led a rerun-filled 10 p.m. hour, finishing on top with a 3.2 for a repeat of “Shark.” ABC was second with a 2.6 for a repeat of “Men in Trees,” NBC third with a 2.4 for a repeat of “Black Donnellys” and Univision fourth with a 1.5 for “Aqui y Ahora.”

Fox led the night easily among households, finishing with a 14.2 average rating and a 21 share. CBS was second at 9.0/14, ABC third at 5.6/9, NBC fourth at 4.0/6, Univision fifth at 2.2/4 and CW sixth at 1.6/2.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10541.asp

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:20 PM

The Business of Television
Calif. OKs Statewide-Franchise Rules
By Linda Haugsted MultiChannel News 3/2/2007

The California Public Utilities Commission approved the rules under which video franchises will be issued on a statewide basis -- an action that was cheered by new providers such as Verizon Communications but derided by consumer groups and municipalities.

Cities including Los Angeles asserted that the wording of the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act meant that cities could retain rights to renew pacts with incumbents.

But the PUC commissioners rejected that argument, stating that the legislature meant for the state agency to be the sole regulator of video providers. The PUC commissioners also said the agency would only regulate in areas specified under the new state law.

Incumbent cable operators with expired franchises may apply for statewide authority Jan. 2, 2008. They can also apply for franchises for areas they don't currently serve. The PUC also clarified that operators with franchises that will expire between now and Jan. 2, 2008, can indicate their intent to seek state franchising, which will trigger an automatic extension of their current operating agreement.

Operators had expressed concern that local governments would seek franchise concessions during the next 10 months or penalize them for working without valid franchises while they waited to apply for state certificates.

Verizon lauded the decision. The company has already activated systems, beginning with its first state franchise in Beaumont, Calif. The company has not stated specific subscriber numbers for the state.

Verizon West region vice president Tim McCallion said his company will file its state-franchise applications as soon as possible.

But consumer groups criticized the PUC action, as the commission refused to allow subscriber advocates to intervene in future disputes on behalf of broadband and video customers. Those groups are afforded that right for utility customers, but the PUC noted that video service is not a utility.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6421022.html?display=Breaking+News

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:31 PM

TV Notebook
Vincent Pastore Sub named for “Dancing”

John Ratzenberger (“Cliff” on “Cheers”) has reportedly been named to replace Vincent Pastore (“The Sopranos”) on this spring’s edition of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars”.

Pastore pulled out of the show earlier this week.

dad1153

03-02-07, 12:35 PM

TV Notebook
TV Death Watch
A look at shows facing cancellation before the fall

By Stephen Battaglio TV Guide

The networks have started working on new fall series, which means pink slips are coming for some of your old favorites. Here's what could be on the chopping block.

NBC

Did you ever imagine the day when Law & Order would be canceled? We're not saying it's going to happen — it probably won't. But costs on the show have risen while its ratings have dropped, which means its renewal is no longer automatic every year. NBC's other middling crime dramas — Law & Order: Criminal Intent, [B]Crossing Jordan and Medium — are more vulnerable. The network has also yet to decide on another season for The Apprentice.

Stick a fork in Studio 60. It held little of the audience from its lead-in, Heroes, and began to slip even further in its last two airings.

I have no reason to live anymore! :(

Studio 60 getting dumped on by everyone is bad enough (it's NOT freaking canceled yet! :mad: ) but either of the Law & Order's not named Special Victim Units getting the ax? Too much for mu fragile little psyche to take in one fell swoop. I'd say that "Criminal Intent" is more vulnerable than the mothership show because there are more cast members (D'Onofrio, Erbe, Noth, Bogosian and "Weaver"... what's her name? :p ) to pay, plus the show's ratings just aren't that great opposite "American Idol" or "House". Ironically "Criminal Intent" is getting stripped in syndication this Fall (first time in ages an hour-long drama from a network gets stripped outside of cable, mainly to Fox O&O stations) so there's an incentive to keep the inventory of "CI" repeats replenished if these syndie episodes do well. Same with the mothership, although with round-the-clock TNT repeats its hard to justify the expense of current "L&O" episodes when they rank so low. But I can't see NBC just canceling "L&O" outright after all the profits and schedule hole its been forced to fill. I can see NBC renewing it for 2007-08 and, if the ratings decline even further, announce its the show's final year and ride a year-long wave of free publicity toward a (hopefully) well-publicized May '08 series finale. It worked for Will & Grace, which was getting "L&O"-type low numbers for most of its last season and then pulled a mammoth Top 20 rating in its final show to bow out on top.

Ironically if NBC cancels either of the endangered "Law & Order" shows it sets a domino effect that would affect its Saturday night repeats. "SVU" and "CI" repeats on Saturdays are averaging 6+ million viewers (sometimes higher), a not-insignificant amount of viewers that NBC would have to attract with repeats of something else if the supply of "L&O" fresh episodes to repeat dries up. Between the original showings and the umpteen million repeats of these shows (on Saturday and wherever else NBC needs to pluck a hole) they probably make enough money to get by.

dad1153

03-02-07, 12:36 PM

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:50 PM

On the other hand, dad, you could make a case that the repeats of the various L&Os on Saturdays is siphoning off viewers from the orginal episodes.

I think NBC would do better to order Saturday episodes of "Deal or No Deal" and "1 vs 100" etc., and run the fresh game shows against movie and series repeats on the other networks.

fredfa

03-02-07, 12:58 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Friday, March 2, 2007

Matt answers your questions about “Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Lost” and More

Question: Please tell me Friday Night Lights is doing better in the ratings and may be renewed for next year. The stories on this show are so entertaining, and the interactions between the characters are the most engaging I've seen since Lost's first season. I find that this sort of writing only comes along once or twice a year.

On a side note, is it possible that Kyle Chandler could be nominated for any awards on such a poorly viewed show? He plays that character so exceptionally it's hard to pick out particular instances of brilliance, but to name a few from last week (Feb. 21): talking about sending his daughter to a nunnery in Rome, telling Buddy he didn't want to hear about his affair, and his quiet expression of relief after Julie finally got home. Priceless. — Michael L.

Question: After watching the most recent (Feb. 21) episode of Friday Night Lights (which they pre-empted for an NBA game and shoved into the 4 pm/Sunday time slot), I was inspired to write to you and anyone else who can campaign for an Emmy nomination for Connie Britton. This show not only continues to defy the norm and go in completely unexpected directions, but the acting is real.

Case in point: Britton's scene when she questioned her daughter about sleeping with Matt Saracen. I am a 35-year-old typical male (with a pretty little 6-year-old daughter, mind you) who is afraid to cry in public or private, but I'll be darned if I wasn't moved by that scene. "Don't you smirk at me, Julie, this is very difficult!" I don't even know if I got the line right, I was so moved by the performance. There is no doubt in my mind when I watch that family that they are anything but a family: I don't see them as actors. Isn't that what good acting means? Anyway, I think they all deserve an award, but this scene in particular was exceptional, so please do what is in your power to get Connie Britton and the cast and writers of Friday Night Lights the recognition they deserve.— Rob L.

Matt Roush: There's only so much I can do, but let me use this pulpit and this double-barreled blast of praise to beat the drums once again for this wonderful show and its remarkable cast, who make poetry out of understated realism.

This last batch of episodes has generated even more positive mail than usual, starting with the episodes in which Smash led a walkout of the African-American players — how rare to see a racial conflict played out so thoughtfully — and peaking in the Feb. 21 episode in which Julie and Matt went to the brink of their first sexual encounter, but to their relief (and especially to her parents'), they thought better of it. There wasn't a false moment in any of this. I'm especially keen on the way Kyle Chandler plays this coach and father. On the field and with his team, he has all the answers, or at least tries to give that impression of authority. With his daughter, however, he can be rendered speechless. His discomfort with Julie, his regret at blowing up at his wife Tami: all perfectly pitched. A career high. And Connie Britton matches him, sometimes surpasses him, all along the way. They are my No. 1 TV couple right now, as sexy as they are real.

With nearly a full season behind it, and (fingers crossed) a renewal on the horizon if NBC knows what's good for it, I'm hoping the off-season will bring Friday Night Lights the awards recognition it deserves. I would hope it will be recognized not just by the Emmys and the TCAs (I'll do my part for the latter), but by the administrators of the Peabodys, the Humanitas, etc. If ever there was a show that deserves to be kept alive for prestige purposes, it's this one. If only it can survive these weeks of American Idol onslaught.

Question: Without a Trace has been my favorite show since the premiere in 2002. The move to Sunday night, though, has me perplexed. The last first-run episode was probably about a month ago, maybe a week before the Super Bowl. I'm concerned that Without a Trace is losing viewers due to the move and due to the fact that CBS doesn't promote the show as it did in its first few years. Is CBS trying to kill the show off? Are the actors tired of the gig? In addition, the writing and plots don't seem to be as strong as they were a couple years back. What is your take?— Jim

Matt Roush: Some legitimate points here, but first, and once again, networks are not in the business of "trying to kill" shows. Especially not in this case. Moving Without a Trace to join Cold Case in a two-hour Sunday crime-drama block was a calculated and relatively successful move to strengthen a night that was dying with the TV-movie franchise.

It had less to do with the show than with an overall programming strategy. Airing on Sundays can be problematic, especially in an anomalous sweeps month like February, where mega-specials force preemptions or reruns. Only one original episode of Trace aired in February, and even that was hurt by a sports-overrun delay — for golf! CBS wasn't going to waste new episodes against the Super Bowl or the Oscars, and CBS aired the Grammys on one Sunday. That's just the way it goes.

But to the more interesting creative question. This is something that's going to come up several times in this week's column, a condition I'm calling Jaded Viewer Syndrome that becomes inevitable among chronic TV fans. Without a Trace is well into its fifth season, with more than 100 episodes under its belt. It's hard, especially for a relatively formulaic procedural, to stay entirely fresh after all this time. Longtime fans tend to get jaded after spending this much time in a show's company. They hate when it changes (witness all the griping over cast additions), and they're not much happier when the show goes about its weekly business without surprising or thrilling them as much as it used to. I'll admit I've watched less of Trace this season, but that has more to do with the competition on Sundays (and the overruns, which cause me to record it on DVR, where it tends to sit unwatched). If it were still on Thursdays, I'm sure I'd watch it more, although ABC gets first position on that night these days. From what I've seen this season, the quality has been hit or miss, possibly more than in the past, but I wouldn't chalk it up to the actors being "tired" — or even the writers, for that matter. Maybe "uninspired" is a better word. It's probably a miracle a show like this can still even be watchable after cranking out episodes for this long.

Question: I love 24, I really do, but after a great start, this season is losing me fast. After the Logan twist last year, the writers obviously tried to pull off another great twist with Graem Bauer. Unfortunately, it fell flat. The presidential-assassination story line was suspenseful, but in the end it was only an imitation of Season 2's plot. And while I love the characters of Chloe and Morris, they shouldn't be asked to carry the weight of CTU's burden. The alcoholic story line would be fine if there were something (anything!) else going on at CTU. Heck, I thought maybe Logan's welcome return would spice things up, but even that felt anticlimactic (Itzin's acting aside). People always wondered how 24 could continue past one season, yet it somehow beat the odds year after year. Now, six seasons in, it looks like the constraints of the format are finally catching up to it. Maybe there just aren't very many "stop the threat" plots left for the writers to mine.

So, has 24 finally run its course? I know, I know, it always goes through stretches of downtime even in its best seasons, but this feels bigger and more problematic. Maybe it's because, for once, 24 isn't the most hyped show in the time slot. Heroes seems to be gaining more and more traction (this Monday's episode was a highlight), and 24 feels like the old fogey in the room, still stuck in its ways. In the past, there was nothing else on, so people weathered the storm. I could see the ratings sliding if 24's problems continue. Boy, did the show ever pick a bad time to start dragging. I hope I'm wrong. I hope that it blows me away again, like it did all of last season (and in the first five hours of this one). One thing's for sure: whatever happens this season, good or bad, 24 needs to call it quits next year. I want it to go out on top and not as a shadow of its former self.— Luis C.

Matt Roush: As evidenced in my Dispatch earlier this week, I don't entirely disagree. 24 is the classic example of a show that courts can-you-top-this Jaded Viewer Syndrome. And in a week like this, when Heroes hit a creative high on Monday while 24 spun its wheels in ruts of recycled mayhem (another attempted President Palmer assassination, yawn), the feeling is intensified. Let's see what happens when Heroes goes into rerun mode after the next episode. Should 24 get its mojo back during that time, maybe the endless whining (this year, even I'm part of the chorus) will subside a bit. 24 is used to it. 24 invites it by its incredible nature.

Even last season, which many (including Emmy voters and myself) felt was the best-ever 24, there was plenty of bitching and moaning among the so-called fan base and other cynics. I don't think 24 is ready to give it up just yet, but if this season doesn't rally for a final act as strong as the year's first episodes, it may be time to acknowledge that some tinkering needs to be done, perhaps even with the format. And yes, I know I'm contradicting myself from earlier opinions. It's very frustrating. You have no idea how much I want to be enjoying 24 right now. It's not as laughable as Prison Break, but if there are many more scenes like the one in which Chloe busted into the men's room to confront Morris on his drinking, it'll get even harder to defend.

Question: I've written in with my ho-hum comic rip-off opinions about Heroes before, and while, to some extent, those opinions stand, I think it has really turned a corner in recent weeks. The episode featuring Horned-rimmed Glasses was without a doubt the best yet, featuring a truly touching ending that only a show as bizarre as Heroes or maybe Lost could ever hope to give us. It's really fun to see a show grow from average to great. I notice myself at first switching it on out of obligation, then slowly looking forward to its every airdate, until finally last week when we reached "so-good-I-have-to-pause-it-when-I-get-up-for-the-bathroom" status. I rarely give a show such an extended chance before dropping it, but in this case the superhero premise was enough to hook me for a season.

Boy, am I glad I stuck around. Do you think we're seeing Heroes turn from so-so to a real phenomenon? On a related note, I watched the premiere of The Black Donnellys and was quite underwhelmed. I do feel that the show has some potential, however. Normally, I wouldn't keep wasting my time with it, but after what happened with Heroes, I wonder if I should be so quick to dismiss a show based on a shoddy pilot.— Dan

Matt Roush: Again, this pretty much echoes my Tuesday Dispatch this week. If Heroes continues on this level, it will finally deserve all the hype it's been getting. I agree that there's nothing better than watching a show you want to like get better as it goes. On the other hand, having watched five episodes of The Black Donnellys, I can say with some confidence that if you didn't much like the opener, it doesn't get better, just more frustrating. On the other hand, for those who wrote in to defend the show, if you liked what you saw, keep watching. It's more of the same, and in some cases, even more so.

Question: The producers of Lost once said that viewers are more interested in the characters than the details of the island and the secrets therein. Is this true? Do people who watch Lost really care more about the character relationships than the island? Honestly, I never watched Titanic because I cared about the people on the boat. I watched Titanic because of the boat and the sad little voyage doomed to fail. I want to know more about the island. What is the point? With constant stringing along and no answers, I'm totally fed up with Lost and have moved on to Heroes, which gives some sense of gratification in response to my efforts in watching. Sure, Lost may have more intense acting and dramatization, but with more questions than answers, I've run out of caring. What do you think of this?— Todd M.

Matt Roush: At the risk of generalizing in this world of Jaded Fan Syndrome, I would like to suggest that in a perfect world (which this certainly isn't), the ideal Lost fan is someone who cares equally about the characters, the relationships and the island, although (given the narrative structure of the series, which I'm glad they're still adhering to) with a tilt toward the characters over the island.

I beg to differ about Titanic, as well. The movie didn't rake in its record box office because of the boat, no matter how spectacularly it was recreated. It got the repeat business because people wanted to go back and cry over Leo. This complaint about Lost, that we're being strung along with too few answers, is certainly the most common gripe, and probably accounts for the steady slide in viewership over the three seasons. In some ways, Lost is a victim of its own success. It all depends on what kind of dramatic payoff you're looking for from this show. I always like to remind myself that the characters have spent a lot less time on the island than we have spent obsessing about them on their island. I'm still patient, within reason. But is Lost perfect? Hardly. What follows are edited (and annotated) versions of some of the more recent and chronic complaints about the show:

From Michael H: "I think I know why most people aren't enjoying Lost this year: because the Others are incredibly boring. The only thing interesting about them is who they are and what they're doing there. But if they're not going to tell us that then they're just dull, dull, dull. Plus, having the characters interact with them and not ask those questions just comes off as ridiculous and a lazy way of avoiding having to give any answers. During the [Feb. 21] episode, I was literally yelling at the screen through most of the conversations. Like when Karl said, ‘We take them to give them a better life,' I shouted, 'What does that mean?!' But Kate and Sawyer just sat there! They need to either give us answers about the Others (and after drawing things out for so long, is there any way it won't feel anticlimactic?) or stop focusing on them so heavily. Frankly, it's no coincidence that the best episodes this season are the ones that don't feature the Others."

I would argue that, among the Others, Ben and especially Juliet are fascinating characters well worth exploring. But you're right in your frustration about how the characters themselves pull back from demanding answers.

From Dennis B: "I'm still really enjoying Lost and I appreciated your comments in last Friday's Ask Matt. Talking to other fans of the show (online and in person), I think one of the biggest causes of the viewer dissatisfaction is ABC's promos. The promos for the Feb. 21 episode said, 'Three of the biggest mysteries will be explained,' or something like that. As best I can tell, Mystery 1 was what happened to the tailies who were taken by the Others. That wasn't really explained. We only saw that they are alive and have been assimilated into the Others' society, but we don't know why or how or anything. Mystery 2 was Jack's tattoos, and I haven't talked to anyone who actually thought that was a mystery. And I haven't found anyone who can figure out what the third mystery was supposed to be. So instead of judging the episode on its own merits, a lot of people only focused on the fact that there weren't any big mysteries explained and how disappointed they were. The promos are only serving to set up the show for failure. Every episode is being billed as having some great revelation and when it doesn't happen, viewers are disappointed. If ABC would tone down the promos, I think at least some of the backlash would go away."

Rule of thumb: It's almost always a mistake to judge a show by its promos. But in the case of that episode of Lost (the only one since its return that I felt was a letdown), ABC absolutely did do the show a disservice.

From Katelyn: "I have a complaint of a different kind about Lost. I think it is genius the way in which the stories are told, with the flashbacks shedding light on current behavior and reactions. I don't care about the falling ratings; this show is in no danger. I love the mysteries and the subtle hints. I love shows that require attention and thought. I don't need answers right now, and sometimes I think things are best when there is no definitive conclusion. At times, our minds can create something better than the writers will ever be able to produce. My concern is with the answers we've already been given. The best example of this is the monster. It's a cloud of black smoke? Really? I don't think they could have come up with anything more disappointing. Maybe if it was a bunny (but that would just bring a laugh from us Monty Python fans). I loved Alias for the first two seasons, but soon learned that with J.J. Abrams, the setup is often more satisfying and intriguing than the answer. I really don't want Lost to devolve into the "giant red orb creates zombies" mess that Alias became. That's my fear for the show. What do you think? Are my fears unfounded in your eyes? Are you satisfied by the answers we've been given?"

The revelation of the hatch, the electromagnetic pulse, the existence of the Dharma Initiative, etc, are all still very intriguing to me. When this season's first episode introduced us to the Others' village, I was dumbstruck. So while I agree with you about the black-smoke monster (reminds me of something Stephen King once told me about why his best monsters are shadow creatures), I am still hopeful that the answers won't all disappoint. That said, I'm with Katelyn, that in the case of Lost, the journey is probably going to be much more enjoyable than arriving at the final destination.

Question: I sat in open-mouthed horror reading Michele's letter about not wanting "the gay lifestyle" to infringe on her precious TV shows. I know that your column is not a site for political debate, but I must say I chuckled at the fact that she is concerned about how they introduced gay characters on Desperate Housewives, a show created by an openly gay man. Does Michele not realize that, without the contributions of gay people, she probably wouldn't have any television shows to watch in the first place?— Greg B.

Matt Roush: Well put. It won't surprise anyone that I got a lot of heated response to that letter. My favorite was probably this from Will:

"I admire (though couldn't likely recreate) the restraint in your response to Michele. It just serves to remind me what it is I love about fictional Elmo, Alaska: Whatever the initial disparity might be, by the end of the episode, tolerance and understanding win out. The lessons may be simple and glossy — Buzz learns to accept his gay son's alternative lifestyle (although he wasn't even excessively upset about it in the first place) in the span of an hour — but they offer a rare optimistic diversion from letters such as Michele's. Men in Trees has become escapist television at its near-best, and I hope nobody mourns the loss of one viewer whose words would earn her a one-way ticket on the next flight out of Elmo. In fact, it has been a fantastic season for gay men on network television, as Brothers & Sisters manages to include a gay lead who can share a real kiss (not a laughable peck on the cheek or a fade-to-commercial) with surprisingly little fanfare or impact on the ratings. I know people who were uncomfortable with a recent scene in which Kevin kissed his new love interest in the open door of his apartment, and I can understand that discomfort. But those people didn't change the channel, and they're going to tune in again next week. That's some of the most exciting news in television this season. Men in Trees may teach its lesson in an hour, and that escapism is so welcome in a world that I have to share with Michele. But outside of Elmo, lessons take a lot longer, and I'm glad that Brothers & Sisters, in addition to being entertaining, is helping to expand the dialogue here in the real world, serving as the latest measuring stick in the fight for tolerance."

That said, I'm still getting mail like this from Sara: "What do you think of the new show Brothers & Sisters and the scenes between Kevin and his boyfriends? I am OK that his character is gay, but I do not like seeing two men kiss each week. It does not bother me to see them holding hands, going to dinner, being a couple. I just do not want to see them lying in bed together naked. I am sure this story line boosts their ratings with the homosexual population, but I would bet that there are a lot more heterosexual viewers of this show who do not like this story line the way it is now. Any idea if they are going to curtail some of these scenes? Is Kevin gay in real life?"

Not that it matters, but Matthew Rhys (who plays Kevin) is not gay. (But he is British, which may be even more surprising to viewers.) I have gone on record repeatedly declaring how encouraged I am by the depiction of Kevin's romantic life, which is treated just the same as the relationships of his straight siblings, as it should be. The fact that it makes some viewers uncomfortable is understandable, but I think it's healthy in the long run for people to confront the societal double standard that applies to gays in this country. Even if people are tolerant, which sometimes seems triumph enough, they'd still just as soon not see actual physical evidence of it.

Question: I agreed with Michele's comment on Men in Trees up until she slammed the show for bringing in a gay character. I have no problem with that cast addition. In fact, I found that story line quite amusing. I have enjoyed the show from the pilot episode. My colleagues and I all commented that the show was fun and lighthearted and romantic. However, we've all started to lose our enjoyment of the show with the Lynn-Jack story line and with Marin's sudden promiscuity. Maybe it's just because I'm tired of my favorite shows keeping the romantic leads apart for years simply for the sake of drama (Gilmore Girls being the No. 1 example), but I really liked the simple and mostly laid-back romance between Jack and Marin, and I'm really resenting Lynn's character as a roadblock.— Stephanie

Matt Roush: You're obviously not the only one. I do like the fact that they avoid melodrama on this show, and that even Lynn and Marin have reached a civilized détente while acknowledging the weirdness between them. But something has been missing since Jack and Marin split (Jane and Plow Guy filled the gap for a while), and since in more ways than one they are meant for each other, I keep hoping the writers will find a way to get past this obstacle before the season's over.

Question: I just finished watching Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? There's a half hour of my life that I will never get back! It's not that the premise of the show was all that bad, it's just that there were too many commercials. In fact, there were so many commercials that they only got through five questions in the entire half hour. The same thing drives me nuts with Deal or No Deal (a game that literally could be played in less than five minutes). Why don't networks realize that they are killing their own shows with all of these commercials? I understand that shows are getting costlier to produce and that networks have lost a lot of their audience to cable networks, but I thought game shows were traditionally cheaper to produce. So why all the commercials? Is it simply corporate greed?— Robert C.

Matt Roush: And this somehow surprises you? I agree. I find this new wave of prime-time game/quiz shows excruciating. Not because they're silly, which they mostly are (they're ultimately harmless). But the way they're drawn out, especially Deal or No Deal, I can't see how people can sit still and watch them in real time. Even without the excessive commercial load, these shows drive me nuts. To each their own. As for 5th Grader, I guess they were going for laughs, but I found it sad that a history major couldn't remember Andrew Johnson's impeachment. Give me Jeopardy! any day.

Question: Am I the only one noticing that the HBO show Rome is doing sort of a Forrest Gump thing with the Titus Pullo character? Let's see, he's stumbled on the Roman treasury in one episode, saved Octavian's life, personally caused the Pompey-Caesar conflict, trained Octavian in battle (and slipped information that would lead to Caesar's demise), fathered Cleopatra's child, and more recently killed Cicero. After a while, it's really getting silly how linked this one guy is in history. Is the BBC taking more of a comical approach to this?— Bryan L.

Matt Roush: Apparently so. Honestly, the best way to approach Rome (while it lasts) is as a guilty pleasure, not as an I, Claudius-style masterpiece.

Question: I wanted to thank you for referencing the awful Gilmore Girls triangle (or should I say circle, since we all knew how it was going to turn out, and haven't we been there before?) when mentioning The Office's Pam/Roy/Jim/Karen story line. The latter proved that tired old plot could be given new life; the Feb. 22 episode was entirely unexpected and interesting, having Roy prove his jerkiness before he and Pam got too serious again, or (God forbid) after Jim and Karen eloped to Atlantic City. If only Gilmore Girls had taken the more interesting route down that worn-out and predictable tour.
As it is now, the season is just about over, and unless Rosenthal can lure Milo Ventimiglia back to the show as Peter Petrelli so he can reverse time, I don't see how the show can resolve the Luke-Lorelai story in a satisfying way. Especially if this is the last season, which sadly it probably will be, for reasons other than whether or not it deserves to come back.— Maria

Matt Roush: I was surprised and impressed at how quickly The Office threw a monkey wrench into the Pam-Roy situation. And while this may come as a surprise, considering how down I've been on Gilmore Girls most of this season, I have enjoyed the more recent episodes once they washed their hands of Christopher (a touching breakup scene between him and Lorelai, but the circumstances leading up to it were as bogus as most of the rest of the season). The scenes between Lorelai and Emily were quite moving, as daughter acted like mother for a change (helping Emily learn her way around a computer) and then they had an honest discussion about the breakup of Lorelai's marriage. And I loved Lane's baby shower this week. So nice to be able to relax in Stars Hollow again. But was I surprised to see the writers moving Logan back to jerk mode after he'd been such a rock for Rory lately? Just another reason to pray that this season is the last for Gilmore Girls, although the CW's dire ratings straits may force the network to renew the show for an eighth season, in one form or another. Whatever happens, I think after this season, I'll finally throw in the towel. That may give me time to watch Supernatural, should the CW renew it.

http://tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Ask-Matt/Default.aspx

fredfa

03-02-07, 01:18 PM

TV Notebook
A 5th grader would have bet on show as hit
By Phil Rosenthal Chicago Tribune Media Columnist March 2, 2007

The first question for the first contestant on Fox's "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" stumped the UCLA grad who thought Columbus Day was in September, not October.

They might as well have asked him how to spell UCLA.

Throw in "American Idol" as a lead-in, a top prize of $1 million and the oft-underestimated Jeff Foxworthy as host, and even a kindergartner could smell a hit.

Sure enough, this elementary quiz program has proved the most popular new show of the 2006-07 television season.

Its premiere episode Tuesday drew 26.5 million viewers, Fox's highest-rated series premiere in 13 years. Its second episode, on Wednesday, attracted 23.4 million. Thursday, Fox announced it had ordered more episodes.

Even with its grade school questions, it's still more intellectually stimulating than watching people choose which suitcase they think has big money in it on NBC's "Deal or No Deal," a well-produced version of "How Many Fingers Am I Holding Behind My Back."

It all recalls the line by Martin Scorcese, as the sponsor in the movie "Quiz Show," who confides that there's no need to fix game shows to ensure their popularity, just make the questions easier.

"You see the audience didn't tune in to watch some amazing display of intellectual ability," he says. "They just wanted to watch the money."

That's never been more true.

NOT NECESSARILY THE NEWS: NBC Entertainment boss Kevin Reilly, who shepherded "My Name is Earl" and "Heroes" and nurtured "The Office," has signed a new multiyear deal to stay in his post.

But "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" Executive Producer John Reiss is leaving his. An official announcement is expected soon, but NBC News sources confirmed Reiss is being reassigned after less than two years on the job.

First reported by Radar Online, word began leaking out after Williams' newscast was defeated in the ratings by ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" in two of the last three weeks.

NBC has been No. 1 among the network evening newscasts for the past decade or so, stretching back well before Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw in late 2004.

But, with the other two networks each changing anchors more than once since then, everyone has been waiting to see what, if anything, would cause the ratings to change.

Year-to-year, Gibson's newscast is the only one of the three nightly network newscasts to gain viewers, though NBC was boosted by the Winter Olympics. Season to date, NBC is ahead of ABC by 464,000 viewers.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-0703020162mar02,0,289742.column

URFloorMatt

03-02-07, 03:38 PM

On the comedy side, the network has to decide if it's willing to show patience with the funny but struggling 30 Rock. Word is it will swap time periods with Scrubs later this season to see how it does with The Office as a lead-in.

Nice. I think/hope the Scrubs lead in is burning out potential 30 Rock viewers.

fredfa

03-02-07, 03:47 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Stuck in the middle
Midseason brings a quieter-than-usual slate of new series - from quirky sitcoms to a big-name mystery - hoping for success
By Diane Werts Newsday

'Grey's Anatomy."

"The Office."

Even "The Simpsons" and, back to the '60s, "Batman."

Sneaky hits and uncommon concepts can just be easier to introduce away from the fall-premiere crush. That's why the networks like debuting shows at midseason.

Now here's why they don't.

"Blind Justice." "Life on a Stick." "Century City." "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance."

So there's another bit of conventional wisdom out the window. For every midseason success you can point to, there are many more failures, if not outright bombs. Same as in the fall.

Maybe that's why the networks' 2007 midseason slates seem a bit quieter than usual, with less than a dozen planned entries, despite the sudden two-week rush starting with Sunday night's Fox comedy "The Winner." February's ratings sweep is over, many established series are returning to repeats, and such January perennials as "24" and "American Idol" have settled into their slots.

Now come midseason's quirky comedies (Rob Corddry's "The Winner"; NBC's Andy Richter vehicle "Andy Barker P.I."). And "dramedies" (Fox's party-planner hour "The Wedding Bells"). More reality concepts (a "Pussycat Dolls" search on the CW; a filmmaker competition called "On the Lot" from Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg for Fox). Even a late exponent of last fall's serialized drama craze (the "Drive" road race on Fox). Plus that increasingly rare commodity, a star vehicle (Jeff Goldblum's NBC mystery hour "Raines").

How many of these will stick? Judging by both history and this season's advance screeners, not many.

But here's the good news. More unusual ideas are finding acceptance in the fall these days. "Lost," "Desperate Housewives, "House," "Heroes" - these idiosyncratic new hits all arrived in the teeth of the September-November crunch. No longer is it assumed that networks can't sell something (relatively) strange amid the fall-season flood.

Which is great news for daring broadcasters, who've seen viewer openness to their fresh offerings in other months plummet, largely thanks to the aggressive original slates mounted by their cable competitors at such opportune times. When the networks were banking nearly all on fall, such upstarts as HBO, FX, USA, Sci Fi and Lifetime took advantage of those spring, summer and holiday-month reruns to launch big-time contenders - "The Sopranos" (a January 1999 debut), "The Shield" (March 2002), "Monk" (July 2002). Viewers quickly learned to turn to cable for fresh fare the rest of the year.

And now those cablers are coming after the fall. Showtime premiered its acclaimed "Dexter" serial-killer study in October. That same month, Sci Fi started a season of "Battlestar Galactica" in the fall for the first time. TBS launched its well-received sitcom "My Boys" in November.

The networks might be well-advised to find more fun fresh stuff for times of the year like, well, now. March 2005 was a very good month: ABC premiered "Grey's Anatomy," NBC introduced "The Office." Last year? Not so hot. In March 2006, CBS debuted "The Unit," which even then felt like only a least-objectionable-program alternative. ABC had "What About Brian?" which wasn't even that. There was also CBS' Julia Louis-Dreyfus comedy "The New Adventures of Old Christine," fitting snugly into that network's Monday night lineup, but hardly appointment viewing on its own.

Here's a measure of the networks' increasing spring sag. Two of the shows whose casts attended critics' midseason press tour last season never made it on the air at all (NBC's cliche-ridden "fat"-com "Thick and Thin" and The WB's sperm-donor laugh riot "Misconceptions"). So don't get too attached to a series promised in the accompanying list if it doesn't have a firm airdate attached. And even then ..,

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-fftv5112946mar04,0,6730926,print.story?coll=ny-television-headlines

fredfa

03-02-07, 03:47 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Which shows will reign supreme?
By Diane Werts Newsday

• denotes one of Newsday TV critic Diane Werts' top picks. (Note: all time are Eastern.)

NEW SERIES

• The Winner[/B] (Sunday at 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., Fox) - Rob Corddry ("The Daily Show"), playing a 30-something adolescent still living at home, suddenly decides to pursue his childhood crush by "mentoring" her 13-year-old son. Strangely charming sitcom from "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane.

Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll (Tuesday at 9 p.m., CW) - The latest competition for skinny sexpots seeks a new member for the "freaky" pop group.

The Wedding Bells (Wednesday, preview at 9 p.m.; then Fridays at 9, Fox) - Three sisters plan wed-dings in this "romantic dramedy" from producers David E. Kelley ("Boston Legal") and Jason Katims ("Roswell").

Andy Barker P.I. (March 15 at 9:30 p.m., NBC) - Former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter gives sitcomedy another go in this Conan-created tale of an accountant mistaken for a veteran detective.

Raines (March 15 and 22 at 10 p.m.; then Friday at 9 p.m. as of March 30, NBC) - Jeff Goldblum sees dead people. In a modern mystery/comedy noir, he's a police detective who taps an overactive imagination to "visualize" clues that help him solve cases.

October Road (March 15 at 10 p.m., ABC) - Young author (Bryan Greenberg, "One Tree Hill") estranged from his hometown returns to suspicions and surprises. With Tom Berenger and Laura Prepon ("That '70s Show").

• Dancing With the Stars (March 19 at 8-10 p.m., then Mondays at 8-9:30 and Tuesdays at 9-10, ABC) - Competition and results show airings feature new celebs: Ian Ziering ("Beverly Hills 90210"); singers Billy Ray Cyrus and Joey Fatone; athletes Laila Ali, Apolo Anton Ohno and Clyde Drexler; TV hosts Shandi Finnessey ("Lingo") and Leeza Gibbons ("Extra"); model Paulina Porizkova, and activist/Paul McCartney ex Heather Mills.

Thank God You're Here (April 9 at 9 p.m., then Wednesdays at 8 as of April 18, NBC) - David Alan Grier hosts comedy improv with revolving quartets of celebs including Jason Alexander, Fran Drescher, Tom Green, Mo'Nique, Bryan Cranston, many more.

Drive (April 15-16 at 8 p.m., then Mondays at 8, Fox) - Nathan Fillion ("Firefly") leads the latest group of strangers brought together by a twist of fate, in this case, a cross-country road race.

On the Lot (May 16, Fox) - Steven Spielberg and "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett are behind this filmmaking competition whose prize is a million-dollar DreamWorks deal.

PLANNED SERIES

(No date announced)

Hidden Palms, youth drama from "Dawson's Creek" creator Kevin Williamson (CW); Traveler, conspiracy thriller of innocents on the run (ABC)
Notes From the Underbelly, pregnancy comedy (ABC)
The Singles Table character comedy (NBC).

RETURNING FROM HIATUS

The New Adventures of Old Christine (March 12 at 8:30 p.m., CBS)

Identity game show (March 16 at 9 p.m., then Fridays at 8, NBC)

Six Degrees (March 23 at 9 p.m., ABC)

Standoff (March 30 at 8 p.m., Fox)

The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman (April 2 at 9:30 p.m., ABC)

The King of Queens (final episodes; April 9 at 9:30 p.m., CBS)

New lineup on MyNetworkTV taking effect Thursday: Monday, International Fight League; Tuesday, telenovela American Heiress with Alicia Leigh Willis ("General Hospital"); Wednesday, telenovela Saints & Sinners with Maria Conchita Alonso and Robin Givens; Thursday-Friday, movies, mostly action and comedy.

CABLE/SCRIPTED

Robin Hood (Saturday, March 3 at 9 p.m., BBC America) - The medieval robber hero gets all WB hunky, in the person of 26-year-old Irish actor Jonas Armstrong.

Clatterford (Friday at 9 p.m., BBC America) - "AbFab's" Jennifer Saunders turns her comic eye on a small-town women's club.

Blood Ties (March 11 at 9 p.m., Lifetime) - Supernatural crime solving by an ex-cop investigator (Christina Cox of "Riddick") and "a mysterious and sexy vampire" (Kyle Schmid of "Beautiful People").

• The Riches (March 12 at 10 p.m., FX) - Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver are superb as "Irish travelers" in the American south. While itinerantly scamming with their kids, they suddenly luck into assuming the nouveau-riche lives and identities of a dead country club couple.

Halfway Home (March 14 at 10:30 p.m., Comedy Central) - Improv comedy about ex-cons in a halfway house.

Til Death Do Us Part (March 19 at 10 p.m., Court TV) - John Waters hosts this arch anthology of doomed marriages, dramatized from true crime cases.

The Whitest Kids U Know (March 20 at 1 p.m., Fuse) - Scatological comedy sketches.

The Tudors (April 1 on Showtime) - Jonathan Rhys-Meyers stars as a hot young Henry VIII, long before he marries six wives, defies the pope and gets fat on the throne of England.

• The Shield (April 3 on FX) - The sixth season starts with a bang, as Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) vows to take down fellow cop Lem's killer - not knowing it's his own partner (Walton Goggans). Forest Whitaker returns as the creepy internal affairs officer whose Mackey obsession grows yet more toxic.

• The Sopranos (April 8 on HBO) - Final nine episodes of the already classic "family" drama about James Gandolfini's Jersey mobster.

• Entourage (April 8 on HBO) - The Hollywood star and his hangers-on conclude their third season with eight more episodes.

Painkiller Jane (April 13 on Sci Fi) - Kristanna Loken plays an unkillable former drug agent recruited to a covert agency to use her "enhanced abilities" against similarly powered evildoers.

Hustle (April 18 on AMC) - Robert Vaughn is one of the stylish con artists in this third season, bringing the good-hearted British scammers to Las Vegas and L.A.

The Big Gay Sketch Show (April 24 on LOGO) - Self-explanatory comedy.

CABLE/REALITY

Designer to the Stars (Saturday, March 3 at 10 p.m., WE) - Kari Whitman works with Jessica Alba in the series premiere; Kristen Bell on March 24.

Epic Conditions (Sunday at 9 p.m., Weather Channel) - Extreme sports meet extreme weather in a weekly survey of surfing, skiing, mountain biking and more.

Paradise City (Sunday at 10:30 p.m., E!) - Las Vegas singles live wild with cameras in tow.

Tori & Dean: Inn Love (March 20 at 10:30 p.m., Oxygen) - Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott run a California bed-and-breakfast.

• This American Life (March 22 at 10:30 p.m., Showtime) - Ira Glass visualizes his NPR cult fave of storytelling that spotlights the odder angles of everyday life. Follows the return of "Penn & Teller."

• Planet Earth (March 25 at 8 p.m., Discovery/Discovery HD) - Sigourney Weaver narrates this big-bucks 11-parter promising "never-before-seen wilderness locales and animal behaviors."

Sons of Hollywood (April 1 on A&E) - The other Spelling spawn, brother Randy, joins Sean Stewart (his dad's Rod) in a docusoap chronicle of show-biz progeny.

100 Biggest Weather Moments (April 15 on Weather Channel) - Harry Connick Jr. hosts a celeb-centered countdown. Look for the tornado from "The Wizard of Oz."

Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter (April 20 on WE) - Former female wrestler and her semiautomatic handgun track fugitives and raise kids outside Phoenix.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/ny-tvreignsupreme0304,0,2022945,print.story?coll=ny-entertainment-bigpix

VisionOn

03-02-07, 03:52 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Midseason TV: Network-by-network

As new shows arrive and some favorites return, USA TODAY's Gary Levin looks at the surprises and disappointments so far this season — and the networks' future prospects (all times ET/PT):

Andy Barker, P.I. (March 15, Thursdays at 9:30): Former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter is an accountant-turned-investigator in this Conan-produced sitcom, also starring Tony Hale (Arrested Development). Temporarily replaces 30 Rock, scheduled to return in April.

So what are the chances of this succeeding as a mid season? Especially at 9.30 on Thursday?

Andy Richter Controls the Universe, was one of my favorite sitcoms of the past few years (and was liked by the critics from what I remember) but very few other people tuned in. If this follows the same style of comedy I don't hold much hope for it.

fredfa

03-02-07, 03:53 PM

The Business of Television
DirecTV Defends Its Play for Extra Innings
By Jon Lafayette Television Week March 2, 2007

DirecTV on Friday defended its plan to acquire exclusive rights to Major League Baseball’s Extra Innings out-of-market games package for $700 million over seven years.

The cable industry has stirred up opposition to the unannounced, still-being-negotiated deal. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., asked the FCC to look into the deal on behalf of Red Sox fans who might not be able to see games when they’re not in Boston.

In a letter Friday to Monica Shah Desai, chief of the FCC’s Media Bureau, DirecTV president-CEO Chase Carey said DirecTV will create a better deal for consumers by investing to make Extra Innings a better product than it was while on cable; he said no governmental action is called for.

Mr. Carey also asserted that no one will be denied access to the great American pastime. Consumers who can switch to DirecTV from cable will be provided free equipment and installation, and the 5,000 people in the country who have the package and cannot receive DirecTV will have access to the games through MLB.com.

Mr. Carey added that policies set by Congress and the FCC allow for some programming to be provided on an exclusive basis.

In his letter, Mr. Carey described what the Extra Innings service would look like if the satellite TV provider completes its deal with MLB. Most games will be provided in high-definition on satellite—something cable operators don’t have the bandwidth for now—and the games will be accompanied by the Strike Zone channel, which will deliver live cut-ins of games throughout the country as well as scores and statistics.

“DirecTV will do for Extra Innings what we have done for other programming: transform a service that had enjoyed limited popularity when offered by multiple [distributors] into a fan’s dream,” Mr. Carey said.

DirecTV also is agreeing to carry MLB’s Baseball Channel, which will be available to other distributors as well.

According to Mr. Carey, only 230,000 non-DirecTV subscribers purchased Extra Innings last year. (About 270,000 DirecTV customers bought the package.)

“The only real barriers to cable customers who want to switch to DirecTV are imposed by cable,” Mr. Carey added. “Cable penalizes such customers by increasing the price of Internet service if a customer drops cable’s video service. Furthermore, if cable did not prohibit a direct connection between the Internet and the set-top box, MLB.com could easily be viewed on television sets.”

In his letter, Mr. Carey that more than 400 games are televised in most broadcast markets by local stations, regional sports networks, Fox, TBS and ESPN.

“In the end, this transaction will not reduce the access of any baseball fan to his or her home team games or to the many out-of-town games MLB makes available each year outside of Extra Innings,” he said.

Last week Echostar blasted exclusive sports deals as anti-competitive and anti-consumer.

“There is a line that must be drawn between a healthy, competitive market and one that deprives most Americans of the sports they love. In our opinion, that line has been crossed," EchoStar said in a statement.

EchoStar called the potential Extra Innings deal “particularly egregious” because “we will be forced to take away valuable programming from existing subscribers who depend on EchoStar to receive all their television channels.”

http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11644

homcom

03-02-07, 04:00 PM

123HDTV

03-02-07, 04:25 PM

If DirecTv is commenting, this deal is all done. Announce it already.

Maestro J

03-02-07, 04:54 PM

If DirecTv is commenting, this deal is all done. Announce it already.

Tell me about it. It's still not up on Directv's website so you can order it.
I'm most stoked about the comment "most games will be in HD".

rebkell

03-02-07, 05:04 PM

I have no reason to live anymore! :(

Studio 60 getting dumped on by everyone is bad enough (it's NOT freaking canceled yet! :mad: ) but either of the Law & Order's not named Special Victim Units getting the ax? Too much for mu fragile little psyche to take in one fell swoop. I'd say that "Criminal Intent" is more vulnerable than the mothership show because there are more cast members (D'Onofrio, Erbe, Noth, Bogosian and "Weaver"... what's her name? :p ) to pay, plus the show's ratings just aren't that great opposite "American Idol" or "House". Ironically "Criminal Intent" is getting stripped in syndication this Fall (first time in ages an hour-long drama from a network gets stripped outside of cable, mainly to Fox O&O stations) so there's an incentive to keep the inventory of "CI" repeats replenished if these syndie episodes do well. Same with the mothership, although with round-the-clock TNT repeats its hard to justify the expense of current "L&O" episodes when they rank so low. But I can't see NBC just canceling "L&O" outright after all the profits and schedule hole its been forced to fill. I can see NBC renewing it for 2007-08 and, if the ratings decline even further, announce its the show's final year and ride a year-long wave of free publicity toward a (hopefully) well-publicized May '08 series finale. It worked for Will & Grace, which was getting "L&O"-type low numbers for most of its last season and then pulled a mammoth Top 20 rating in its final show to bow out on top.

Ironically if NBC cancels either of the endangered "Law & Order" shows it sets a domino effect that would affect its Saturday night repeats. "SVU" and "CI" repeats on Saturdays are averaging 6+ million viewers (sometimes higher), a not-insignificant amount of viewers that NBC would have to attract with repeats of something else if the supply of "L&O" fresh episodes to repeat dries up. Between the original showings and the umpteen million repeats of these shows (on Saturday and wherever else NBC needs to pluck a hole) they probably make enough money to get by.

They sure do go out of their way to make sure that everyone hears about their favorite show FNL.

Stick a fork in Studio 60. It held little of the audience from its lead-in, Heroes, and began to slip even further in its last two airings. Prospects are better for Friday Night Lights, which has a small but steady following and is a favorite with critics (it also doesn't hurt that NBC owns it).

small but steady following, talk about spin doctors with an agenda, I'm starting to wonder how much the critics are getting paid to keep FNL on the air, the show has consistenly bombed in the ratings, yet the critics go on and on about how great it is, and yada yada .... Where were these great critics when Firefly got the axe?

kizzo

03-02-07, 05:26 PM

The Shield returns in April.. I can't wait :D

I'm still upset that Forest Whittaker didn't get an award for his performance on The Shield when he guest starred.

fredfa

03-02-07, 05:26 PM

Fredfa, is there any site out there that has the ratings summaries for local markets. All I'm looking for is what stations won each daypart and such. The only place I have found this info is in local papers, but I really don't want to search thru all the local papers in the markets I'm interested in.
Thanks

There is nowhere that I know of, although it is possible that certain local websites migth contain their market's numbers.

They are hard to come by from Nielsen, since they are pretty expensive in local markets and there is no need to make them public on the net.

foxeng

03-02-07, 05:32 PM

fredfa

03-02-07, 05:38 PM

...Where were these great critics when Firefly got the axe?

Very few of them, to be honest, thought very highly of the combination Western/SciFi genre show. As I recall Tim Goodman exemplified the critical reaction -- although his was perhaps even more scathing than most.

On the other hand, critics do, for the most part, think "Friday Night Lights" is exceptional television.

Part of a TV critic's job, as most of them see it, is to do the best they can to get people to watch shows they think are exceptional.

It doesn't make them right or you wrong, but most did not (and do not) think of "Firefly" as anything special at all, just a quirky cult show.

But it does have one thing in common with "FNL", which can't attract much of an audience, either.

fredfa

03-02-07, 05:41 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
Makes you want to bathe after watching
By Charlie McCollum San Jose Mercury News
(Times are Pacific.)

``Odd'' isn't a word I use too often to describe a TV series, but if ever a show warranted it, it's Fox's new ``The Winner.''

The comedy -- and later we'll discuss just how loosely that term can be applied -- makes its debut Sunday with two episodes (8:30 and 9:30 p.m., Fox) that actually manage to obscure just how deeply weird, unpleasant, laughless, juvenile and downright creepy the show is at its core. That's because it has a couple of virtues that provide protective coloration, at least for the first two 30-minute installments.

``Winner'' deserves some credit for at least trying to put a spin on the network sitcom, a genre dominated by the formulaic and predictable. Set in 1994, the show follows the trials and tribulations of one Glen Abbott, a 32-year-old adolescent who still lives with his parents and is the ultimate slacker in both work and love. His biggest achievement in any given week is finishing the crossword puzzle in TV Guide.

What finally jolts Glen out of his stupor is the return of Alison Miller, the unrequited love of his life, who comes back to her hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., with her 13-year-old son Josh in tow. In a sense, this is a coming-of-age comedy with two kids -- Glen and Josh -- going through the wonder years. (OK, 32-year-old dude doing the buddy thing with a 13-year-old. Ewwww.)

The other virtue is the actor playing Glen: the very funny Rob Corddry, part of Jon Stewart's ``Daily Show'' mob (Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell) that seems to have taken over television. (That's a good thing.)

Corddry manages to make scenes work that otherwise would have viewers reaching for the remote. He gives Glen a measure of good-natured boyish charm that makes the character engaging even when things get icky.

But, boy, do things get really, truly icky.

Heading off to a massage parlor to learn about sex is just one of the little adventures Glen has with Josh. Glen also has sex, for the first time, with his former high school teacher -- who is looking for a boy toy, not easy to find in Buffalo, apparently. In fact, just about every episode starts with sex, has sex in the middle and ends with sex. I'm all for sex, but not when it's framed with the kind of crude humor used on ``Winner.''

It also doesn't help that the show is laden with a wildly unsuccessful mix of mid-1990s culture references (the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase, ``Party of Five,'' ``Wings'') and gags involving pedophilia (boy, that's a knee slapper).

After a few episodes of ``The Winner,'' you may not feel the need to take a long shower, but you will have the urge to wash your hands -- vigorously.

Remote controls

Don't go into BBC America's new ``Robin Hood'' (9 p.m. Saturday) expecting a classic take on the Robin of Locksley legend. This 13-episode tale of Robin, Marian and all those Merry Men has a definite modernist feel to it, with snappy dialogue served up with a wink and a nod to previous movies, TV shows and modern pop culture moments. (In one priceless exchange, one character says, ``I shot the sheriff'' and another replies, ``No, you shot the deputy.'')

Newcomer Jonas Armstrong (who at times looks like Eminem dropped into Sherwood Forest) is a lusty young Robin. Keith Allen (``Viva Blackpool'') is a particularly nasty Sheriff of Nottingham. The Merry Men are a colorful lot, particularly Allan-a-Dale (Joe Armstrong), who is a pathological liar, and Djaq (Anjali Jay), a master of trickery.

But the most fun is the luminous Lucy Griffith, just 19 when she played Lady Marian. Her Marian is no shrinking violet (she rescues Robin as often as he rescues her), and she has a kick-butt post-feminist approach that gives her part of the story a decidedly different spin.

Still, at its heart, this ``Robin Hood'' is the same engaging adventure yarn of good vs. evil that it was when Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, Richard Greene and Sean Connery played Locksley.

You'll get hooked on it early and should stick around to the very end -- even though you have a good idea of what's coming.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/television/16808887.htm

Iteki

03-02-07, 05:44 PM

The Shield returns in April.. I can't wait :D

I'm still upset that Forest Whittaker didn't get an award for his performance on The Shield when he guest starred.

He got an Oscar this year though...I'm sure he'll take that over an Emmy. But he's back again this season, so maybe he can top last year. (he was fantastic)

fredfa

03-02-07, 05:47 PM

TV Sports
DirecTV Hints MLB Deal May Be Complete
By John Eggerton Broadcasting & Cable,3/2/2007

In a signal that a deal may be finalized, DirecTV told the FCC Friday that the planned exclusive agreement with Major League Baseball for out-of-market games could result in "more baseball being available to more fans in a more compelling format."

Likening the deal to those DirecTV has with 'Sunday Ticket' and 'NASCAR Hotpass', the company told the FCC's media bureau that its 'Extra Innings' package would result in more content and features and that "no one would be denied access."

A letter was sent to FCC Media Bureau Chief Monica Shah Desai from DirecTV President Chase Carey. It was sent in response to a Feb. 20 letter from the FCC asking for information on the deal.

To access the programming, consumers will have to switch from the cable systems and competing satellite operators to DirecTV. "Consumers switching from cable to DirecTV will be provided with free equipment and free installation, " the company told the FCC.

DirecTV pointed out that it had competed with EchoStar and IN Demand for the package, and it was the only company to agree to terms acceptable to MLB. One of those terms was that DirecTV must carry MLB's Baseball Channel in the basic tier.

DirecTV outlined some of its plans for the package. It will include channels that would deliver cut-ins to games around the country, real-time scores and stats, and it would offer the most games in high definition--a move very few cable operators would be able to do.

Some in Congress, notably Massachusetts Senator John Kerry and Rep. Ed Markey (he gets the games of his beloved Boston Red Sox via Comcast's 'Extra Innings') had expressed concerns and made comments to the FCC about the exclusive package and its effect on baseball fans.

In a letter, DirecTV said that "no baseball fans will be denied access to America's pastime" and said that all the baseball games would be available online at MLB.com. They also pointed out that any consumer can switch to DirecTV at no start-up cost, and that even the online watchers could use their TVs "if cable did not prohibit a direct connection between the Internet and the set-top box."

DirecTV said that only 230,000 non-DirecTV subscribers took the 'Extra Innings' package last year.

"DirecTV's agreement with MLB to carry 'Extra Innings' is going to be a big win for consumers," the company said.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA6421283

humdinger70

03-02-07, 06:49 PM

A commentary about "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?"...

If this show is a hit, it reflects on how bad the American education system has become. They are definitely playing to those people who subscribe to the "being dumb is cool" and "jocks rule; geeks/nerds drool" mentality.

I'm sorry, but it saddens me we've come to this state of affairs. I'm proud to say that I am a product of the New York City public school system. I was in the IGC (intellectually gifted) group. I managed to survive with my wits intact, despite what was going on around me.

I even remember the schools I attended: PS 117, JHS 217 (across the street from PS 117) and Brooklyn Technical High School (for which I had to take an entrance exam). Note that my time period for these schools was 1960 thru 1973 - the state of affairs for educational standards was probably far different than it is now.

I studied hard because I felt education was important. It's also a reflection of my heritage - my mother was a teacher in the same system (different school than the one I attended)

OK, I'm off the soapbox now.

VisionOn

03-02-07, 07:02 PM

choskyigragspa

03-02-07, 07:23 PM

fredfa

03-02-07, 07:25 PM

I see the show more as fun for a family to watch together -- especially if there are elementary or middle age school kids in the house.

That being said, I have been astounded at how little general knowledge so many of the contestants seem to have acquired. On the other hand, I would assume the kids watching would find it very amusing.

At least it doesn't seem exceptionally cruel as so many other "reality" shows seem to be.

taz291819

03-02-07, 07:44 PM

I kind of agree with you. I saw the opening few minutes last night and when the audience broke into applause because the adult could spell "pledge of allegiance" correctly. It just confused me. I can appreciate it when kids can answer questions beyond their expected level, but adults? Why are they applauding someone who should know better?

Actually, some of those questions aren't 5th grade questions. Of course in the 5th grade I knew what the Periodic Table was, but we didn't have to memorize it. Hell, I didn't memorize it until my sophomore of high school, in Chemistry class.

Being a Physics major though, I did know the answer.

The funny thing about this show is a lot of the questions are things adults learned, but have simply forgotten, since we don't use them in life (like the Periodic Table for instance).

I wouldn't necessarily call someone stupid for not knowing Na was "Sodium". And I can understand misspelling "allegiance", especially when you can't write it down to look at it. As we all know, some people are visual learners.

It's a fun family show. Although, it's a rip-off from "The John Boy and Billy Big Show".

CPanther95

03-02-07, 08:22 PM

"Na is one of those tricky ones, Na = Salt = Sodium"

I guess he's lucky he didn't answer "Chloride".

srw1000

03-02-07, 08:44 PM

"Na is one of those tricky ones, Na = Salt = Sodium"

I guess he's lucky he didn't answer "Chloride".Yeah, he was very lucky on that one. He said "salt," and I'm thinking the guy didn't even know the difference between an element and a compound. They should have asked him to clarify whether he meant salt or sodium.

I also thought it was odd how Jeff helped some of the contestants "work" through the answer. It was kind of like how Regis would coach the celebrities during the early rounds of those special Millionaire episodes.

I don't see this show having long-term legs.

Scott

rebkell

03-02-07, 08:49 PM

Very few of them, to be honest, thought very highly of the combination Western/SciFi genre show. As I recall Tim Goodman exemplified the critical reaction -- although his was perhaps even more scathing than most.

On the other hand, critics do, for the most part, think "Friday Night Lights" is exceptional television.

Part of a TV critic's job, as most of them see it, is to do the best they can to get people to watch shows they think are exceptional.

It doesn't make them right or you wrong, but most did not (and do not) think of "Firefly" as anything special at all, just a quirky cult show.

But it does have one thing in common with "FNL", which can't attract much of an audience, either.

I guess, of course Firefly was delegated to Friday nights, and I don't know, but it seems every story posted(that's not directed at you, you just post the articles) mentions Friday Night Lights, I can't figure out why it's such a big favorite, I watched quite a few shows and it just didn't grab me, seriously I believe that show gets more ink than any show on right now. I know your a big fan, but it just seems like we are constantly bombarded with FNL.

fredfa

03-02-07, 08:50 PM

(From Marc Berman’s Tuesday. March, 2007, Programming Insider blog at Mediaweek.com )

Marc noted the final overnights from last night’s repeat showing of the Black Donnellys and remarked: “I don't think there is any hope for The Black Donnellys.”

10:00 p.m. V: 5.95 million, A18-49: 2.7/ 7
10:30 p.m. V: 4.90 million, A18-49: 2.1/ 6

http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/63310451/m/32710963/p/5

fredfa

03-02-07, 08:52 PM

Critic’s Notebook
'Lost' on ABC is going nowhere
More is revealed about Hurley, but none of it seems very important. What's the point, other than to fill an hour?
By Denise Martin Special to the Los Angeles Times March 2, 2007

After a promising rebound episode revealing Juliet's pitiable past, "Lost" returned to its lazy ways this week, offering up the kind of one-hour filler that has become all too common for the series this season.

In Wednesday's episode, we get only a little more back story for affable human teddy bear Hurley, whom the writers consider the show's primary source of comic relief. After a run of episodes at the heavy-on-torture Camp Others, a lighthearted Hurley-centric hour may have seemed appealing. But there's a big difference between light and pointless, and this veered toward the latter.

On hold were the plots involving the island, the Others and their presumed-dead kidnap victims (briefly revealed to be alive last week). More confounding — almost as much as last week's episode involving Jack's past romp through Thailand — was the lack new relevant information about Hurley … except the startling fact that his father is Cheech Marin (in a guest role).

Hurley was abandoned by his father as a child, the effects of which are made clear in the flashback. Dad handed the boy a candy bar right before deserting his family for 17 years. Flash forward: Hurley has plumped up quite a bit. Thanks a lot, Dad!

Hurley's big realization? He needs hope, a mantra his father repeated twice in the flashbacks. Apparently, an upbeat attitude is what will really help him endure this island of mysterious Others and the cloud of bad luck that seems to hover over him and those pesky numbers.

But has Hurley ever been anything but upbeat? He may think he's cursed and, yes, he lost his almost-girlfriend Libby last season, but Hurley is also everyone's best friend on the island. He even built a golf course to take the castaways' minds off figuring out what the heck that Dharma Initiative is, where those jungle polar bears came from or even how to get off the island.

This week, Hurley's positive energy brought a dead VW van engine back to life, which may or may not come into play later on. With the mounting number of mysteries, it hardly matters. The writers' inability to evolve his character, or anyone else's, is the real mystery. There are already many pressing ongoing stories that Hurley could have benefited from becoming a part of.

So with just the slightest hint of something more exciting to come — Kate luring Rousseau into a rescue mission for Jack by mentioning she's seen the French woman's stolen daughter — the episode is the perfect illustration of this season's failure to simultaneously move the island's stories along while advancing characters whose names aren't Jack, Sawyer or Kate.

There's no telling if "Lost" can recover from the ratings tumble it's taken this season, but it might help the show to reserve its flashbacks for points worth making and characters with secrets worth revealing.

http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-lost2mar02,0,4090128,print.story?coll=cl-calendar

choskyigragspa

03-02-07, 08:54 PM

The funny thing about this show is a lot of the questions are things adults learned, but have simply forgotten, since we don't use them in life (like the Periodic Table for instance).
This is precisely why I think this says something bad about our educational system. Either one of two things is the case:
(1) Schools don't do a good job of instructing students in a way that helps them to retain into adulthood all that they learned (perhaps due to a "memorize...test...forget" approach to learning), or
(2) Much of the material being taught to elementary school students (stuff that 5th graders know) isn't useful in our adult lives.

Either way... :(

dad1153

03-02-07, 08:59 PM

Actually, some of those questions aren't 5th grade questions.
The funny thing about this show is a lot of the questions are things adults learned, but have simply forgotten, since we don't use them in life (like the Periodic Table for instance).

It's a fun family show. Although, it's a rip-off from "The John Boy and Billy Big Show".

You mean the same way American Idol is a rip-off from The Ted Mack Amateur Hour, Star Search and a bazillion contest/variety shows (on national and local TV) since the dawn of TV? Or the same way Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a modernized version of Queen For A Day? Or... :rolleyes:

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:10 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
‘The Winner' of our discontent
By David Bianculli New York Daily News TV Critic

(one * out of four)

It would be obvious and unfunny to dismiss Rob Corddry's new Fox sitcom, "The Winner," (Sunday night at 8:30 and 9:30, Fox) by saying it's a loser. But since the alleged humor in this new series is even more lazy and less amusing than that, it seems only fair.

"The Winner" premieres Sunday night with a pair of episodes: one at 8:30 and another at 9:30. Watch the first, and I can't imagine you'll watch the second.

Corddry, whose deadpan style made him one of the standout correspondents of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," stars as a late bloomer. He plays Glen Abbott, who calls himself "the richest man in Buffalo" - but the only evidence we see is the estate seen in the opening credits.

Instead, "The Winner" is one giant flashback, mostly taking place in 1994. In the '90s, Glen is a 32-year-old virgin, living with his parents and bonding with Josh, the son of Glen's childhood crush, now the divorcee next door.

Fox has tried this kind of comedy before, and with much more success. From 1990-92, the network aired "Get a Life," starring Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old loser who lives with his parents. Elliott's real dad, Bob Elliott of the famous radio comedy duo Bob & Ray, played his father, and that sitcom was full of humorous situations and punch lines.

"The Winner," by contrast, is totally devoid of them.

Fox sent out five episodes for preview, and only one, with Katey Sagal of "Married ... With Children" guest-starring as Josh's sexy teacher, was remotely bearable. Otherwise, except for Lenny Clarke as the dad, Corddry has no equal to play against. Keir Gilchrist as little Josh, and Erinn Hayes as Josh's mother, never turn their characters into anything other than cardboard cutouts. Series creator Ricky Blitt's scripts, though, don't give them the chance.

All that's necessary to summarize the comic level of "The Winner" is to quote a line of dialogue from Glen's boss, a video store manager, who in Sunday's second episode tells Glen what to do if someone comes in and asks for a Julia Roberts movie.

"After you clean up your vomit and involuntary feces," he says to Glen, "tell them it's over there."

At this point, I could make another obvious joke at this show's expense, but why bother? If you want to watch "The Winner," it's over there.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/col/dbianculli/

fredfa

03-02-07, 10:14 PM

TV Notebook
Cliff Takes Over
By Hal Boedeker Orlando Sentinel Television Critic his TV Guy blog March 2, 2007

Well, he's no Big Pussy. But ... everyone knows his name.

John Ratzenberger will join "Dancing With the Stars" as a replacement for Vincent Pastore, who played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on "The Sopranos." ABC made the announcement Friday.

Ratzenberger will always be remembered for playing chatty mailman Cliff Clavin on "Cheers." He will be partners with Edyta Sliwinska on "Dancing," which returns to ABC on March 19.

In a release, ABC said Ratzenberger "has nobly stepped in" to take Pastore's place.

ABC also explained how difficult it will be for Ratzenberger: "He takes on the added challenge of having less time to train than his fellow competitors before the series premieres -- two weeks versus four."

The competitors include Joey Fatone of Central Florida, Heather Mills, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clyde Drexler, Leeza Gibbons, Paulina Porizkova and Ian Ziering.

ABC also announced that Donny Osmond will host a new game show. The title: "The Great American Dream Vote."

The premise: One lucky contestant watches his or her dream come true. The studio audience reduces the crop of hopefuls to two. Viewers at home make the final decision.

The series previews at 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 27. The show moves its regular slot, 8 p.m. Wednesdays, the next night.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2007/03/dancing_with_th.html

dad1153

03-02-07, 11:24 PM

rebkell

03-02-07, 11:41 PM

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ****ING KIDDING ME!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

TV Notebook
Geico Cavemen Will Be Focus of New ABC Sitcom
By Associated Press

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256188,00.html

Where's my gun? It's over, turn out the lights, I'm drowning over here! :(

Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the rock. ;)

VisionOn

03-02-07, 11:46 PM

Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the rock. ;)
:D

Sitcom about cavemen based on a commercial, or "reality" show about Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham?

I know which I would rather watch if my life depended on it, and which has more intelligent characters!

SowegaBowler

03-03-07, 12:00 AM

Sounds like someone got up on the wrong side of the rock. ;)
^^^What he said.

Forget the sitcom; the cavemen may be a much better fit for those eating contests on Spike TV. ;)

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:02 AM

And people keeping wondering why
a) ABC has trouble developing comedies and
b) why viewers keep leaving network TV for cable.

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:12 AM

TV Review
“The Winner”
Corddry's sitcom not stupid funny, just really stupid
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle Television Critic March 2, 2007

Of all people, Rob Corddry should know from his work on "The Daily Show" that intentionally stupid comedy is often funny. As one of the most popular correspondents on the fake-news show, Corddry made a name for himself with a fearless approach to absurdity and ridiculousness, often grounded in his wrong-headedness about a variety of topics, which was clear to everyone but him.

Now he has his own Fox sitcom, called "The Winner," and it's unintentionally stupid. Insipid, poorly written and saddled with an onerous laugh track, "The Winner" is lame even by Fox's standards. On Sunday, everyone will be able to see that for themselves -- and you have to wonder if Corddry doesn't already know how dreadful his own show truly is.

No doubt fans of "The Daily Show" who tune in to see the beloved, balding nutcase that is Corddry will be sadly disappointed. Or repulsed. Imagine the aggressively clueless "Daily Show" specialist saying this line to a pharmacist in his new sitcom: "What's the largest number of condoms a gentleman can put on his unit?"

Yeah, it's that bad. Later he gets agitated and says he wants to "make a number two" in someone's car. And that was the good joke.

Fox sent out three episodes of "The Winner." Having endured the first two, it's safe to say that by producing a total of six -- which it will air in pairs over the next three Sundays -- Fox is still as wildly ambitious and clueless about its own sitcoms as always. For every "Andy Richter Controls the Universe" or "Arrested Development," Fox has spat out a horde of turgid, lifeless, childishly unfunny others. No doubt "The Winner" lands squarely in that bunch.

Normally, one or three people would be fired if they kept up the insistent losing streak that Fox is on, but at least in the case of "The Winner," you can see why they green-lit the show in the first place (if not why they didn't halt it once they saw the script).

"Family Guy" vets Ricky Blitt and Seth MacFarlane are the creator and executive producer, and Fox probably thought they'd work up some kind of "Family Guy" magic with this non-animated show.

They didn't.

But at least their pedigree helps explain jokes about child molestation and Down syndrome, and lines such as, "Let's get married so you can comb my hair and touch my vagina."

What Fox failed to realize is that the animated world of "Family Guy" lets MacFarlane and Blitt get away with some outsized smartass jokes and allegedly daring one-liners at the expense of taboo targets. But what seems audacious in a fast-paced animated series seems wooden and stupid in a standard sitcom. And while "Family Guy" has a shotgun blast of offensive jokes that often hit their targets (or fail miserably), nothing on "The Winner" even comes close. It's one of the least funny sitcoms in ages -- probably tied with a parcel of other now-dead sitcoms from Fox.

"The Winner" is about Glen Abbott (Corddry), a 32-year-old virgin who lives with his parents and doesn't have a job. The show is set in 1994. In a voice-over, Glen says he's now the richest man in Buffalo, but his "Wonder Years" didn't happen until he was 32 and the love of his life, Alison (Erinn Hayes), moved back across the street to take care of her ailing mom. Alison kinda-sorta kissed Glen when they were kids, and he's been stuck in this state of arrested development -- oh, sorry, Fox -- for decades now. Lucky for him, Alison is divorced (though she does have a 14-year-old son as baggage) -- but the dream still lives.

With an aggressively annoying laugh track beating down on every unfunny joke, "The Winner" is almost immediately hard to like. It's also painful to watch Corddry involved in this mess. The self- deprecating humor that comes so easily to him is impaled on moronic jokes and ridiculous and predictable sitcom scenarios. For example, Glen immediately bonds with Alison's son, Josh (Keir Gilchrist), because they are essentially the same person. Get it? Glen is really just a socially awkward misfit like any neurotic 14-year-old boy. That allows them to bond over buying condoms and talk about sex. Josh has a thing for a girl named Vivica. He thinks she's been around and worries about that. "I still say Vivica may want to mount me." It's so cute when he says it. Same goes for Corddry when he says, "I've never fornicated a woman!" Or: "I am NOT looking forward to doing your mom."

Yep, plenty of that in "The Winner." It's clear that Fox wants to cater to the young male demographic, the one that eats up "Family Guy." Fox has always been eager to be edgy, to cash in with the young kids. And yet, almost every sitcom it makes is heinous and fails. Why? Because even a 14-year-old -- maybe especially a 14-year-old -- knows lameness when he sees it.

"Daily Show" fans will be wishing Corddry had the same vision. Is it too late to go back?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/02/DDG94OD1OR1.DTL

dad1153

03-03-07, 12:27 AM

So far the only review for The Winner that has been positive was actually a Four Star rave from the New York Post TV critic. Either she's in the tank for a fellow NewsCorp. intellectual property of every other critic in the country got sent a different review copy than the one she saw. Odd! :rolleyes:

fredfa

03-03-07, 03:29 AM

HDTV Sports
The MLB-DirecTV Extra Innings Deal
DirecTV Promises to Improve Baseball Package, but Others Wonder How
By Richard Sandomir The New York Times March 3, 2007

The head of DirecTV yesterday defended the satellite programmer’s seven-year, $700-million deal with Major League Baseball for exclusive control of the Extra Innings package of out-of-market games. He said that it was pro consumer and that cable subscribers could switch to DirecTV without upfront fees.

Subscribers will “receive a better product, with more content and more features,” Chase Carey, the president of DirecTV, wrote in a seven-page letter to the Federal Communications Commission. Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, had asked the F.C.C. to investigate the deal.

In the letter, Carey labeled the deal as an “agreement” without modifying it by describing it as pending or proposed. But Robert Mercer, a spokesman for DirecTV, said that it had not been completed.

While Carey extolled how Extra Innings would be improved, a leader of the consortium of cable operators that had negotiated with M.L.B. said the DirecTV deal was “stunning in its disregard for baseball fans.”

Robert Jacobsen, the president of In Demand, which is owned by Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and Advance/Newhouse, said in a statement that cable operators had offered M.L.B. a “nonexclusive deal” with “better overall terms than the DirecTV offer,” which would have permitted Extra Innings to be available to at least as many cable and satellite subscribers as it is now.

“It’s hard to believe that M.L.B. would have so little respect for its fans,” Jacobsen said. A cable industry executive who was not authorized to speak publicly said that In Demand had matched DirecTV’s financial offer and that it would make the Baseball Channel, which is to start in 2009, available to slightly more than the 15 million subscribers promised by DirecTV.

Baseball hopes to announce the deal next week, but yesterday its lead negotiator, Tim Brosnan, an executive vice president, declined to comment.

Carey said that DirecTV would overhaul Extra Innings to provide live cut-ins to other games, real-time scores and statistics, and a channel with multiple games that can be viewed on the same screen.

DirecTV exclusively sells the N.F.L.’s Sunday Ticket out-of-market package to nearly 2 million subscribers and last month began its exclusive agreement to carry Nascar’s HotPass service, which features five channels that are each devoted to a single driver.

Carey’s letter to the chief of the F.C.C.’s media bureau represents the first detailed comments by DirecTV or baseball executives. Their deal had been scorned by fans who have declared their outrage and disappointment in chat rooms, fan forums, blogs and e-mail messages to newspapers and Web sites.

Carey wrote that based on the estimated 180,000 cable buyers of Extra Innings — a 10-channel service that carries games that appeal to fans who have moved outside their favorite teams’ markets and others who want to see their home teams’ rivals play — only 5,000 of them will be unable to switch from cable to DirecTV. He offered no source to back up his claim.

And he said, as expected, those fans who do not, or cannot, move to DirecTV could watch on mlb.tv, the streaming video service of mlb.com.

Carey said that in the negotiations for Extra Innings, cable operators, DirecTV and EchoStar’s Dish Network bid for it, but only DirecTV valued it more than anyone else and was also willing to provide a place for the Baseball Channel on its basic level of service.

Carey said that HotPass, when offered to cable subscribers by the In Demand consortium of operators through last season, had only 30,000 buyers. But early in the Nascar season, with only two Nextel Cup races run, DirecTV has already generated more than 90,000 customers.

“DirecTV will do for Extra Innings what we have done for other programming — transform a service that had enjoyed limited popularity” into what Carey said in the letter will be “a fan’s dream.”

Carey also said that the exclusive hold it would have on Extra Innings would not be anticompetitive. Congress, he wrote, has “only restricted exclusive arrangements that were the product of market abuses.” Extra Innings will now be available to DirecTV’s 15 million subscribers; 32 million digital cable and 13 million Dish customers will not be able to subscribe.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/03/sports/baseball/03directtv.html?pagewanted=print

VisionOn

03-03-07, 04:02 AM

URFloorMatt

03-03-07, 05:27 AM

Not to overplay the corporate ties thing, but doesn't News Corp. own TV Guide as well?

homcom

03-03-07, 10:17 AM

Not to overplay the corporate ties thing, but doesn't News Corp. own TV Guide as well?
Yes Gemstar who owns Tv Guide is owned by News Corp.

fredfa

03-03-07, 11:20 AM

The Business of Television
New Orleans Deal for Cox, Belo
By Linda Moss & David Cohen MultiChannel News 3/2/2007

WWL-TV, WUPL-TV and all-news network NewsWatch on Channel 15 will remain on Cox Communications’ system in New Orleans after the cable operator finalized a retransmission-consent agreement with station owner Belo late Friday.

The previous retrans deal between Cox and Belo was set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either party, but a Cox spokeswoman said the deal also covered Belo stations in other Cox markets, and further details will be announced Monday.

Cox and Belo reportedly had been at odds over compensation for the operator to carry WWL-TV’s HDTV signal.

The MSO has 184,000 subscribers in the Big Easy.

WWL-TV is a CBS affiliate, WUPL-TV is a MyNetwork TV affiliate and NewsWatch reairs newscasts from WWL-TV.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6421258.html?display=Breaking+News

taz291819

03-03-07, 11:23 AM

You mean the same way American Idol is a rip-off from The Ted Mack Amateur Hour, Star Search and a bazillion contest/variety shows (on national and local TV) since the dawn of TV? Or the same way Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a modernized version of Queen For A Day? Or... :rolleyes:

I agree, most shows are a rip-pff of something else, I noted John Boy and Billy because they were joking about it yesterday on their show.

fredfa

03-03-07, 11:46 AM

TV Review
'The Daily Show's' Rob Corddry comes up a 'Winner'
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher”

It has been nerve-racking to watch a steady stream of “Daily Show” correspondents leave Comedy Central’s signature fake newscast. You had to wonder if Steve Carell, Ed Helms, Stephen Colbert and Rob Corddry would ever find projects that would make their comic talents shine as much as Jon Stewart’s show did.

Well, Colbert’s festival of faux outrage, “The Colbert Report,” is a consistently enjoyable pleasure, and clearly Helms and Carell have safely landed on “The Office,” among other projects. In fact, Helms did such fine work as the rage-filled yet obsequious Andy on his initial batch of “Office” episodes that he has been made a series regular on that NBC comedy.

Corddry, thank goodness, has also had a safe landing. If his new sitcom, “The Winner” (7:30 & 8:30 PM CT Sunday, Fox) has a few grating elements, they’re not Corddry’s fault. Overall, the new Fox sitcom is surprisingly winning, and the skilled Corddry is the main reason.

Corddry plays Glen Abbott, who still lives at home at the ripe old age of 32. He knows the TV schedule by heart, is a bit of a hypochondriac and is quite possibly too enamored of the sitcom “Wings.” The show is set in 1994, you see, and a voice-over at the start of each show tells us that Glen eventually made a success of himself - but before that came a whole lot of delayed adolescence.

Glen’s jolted out of his jobless, aimless life by the arrival of Alison (Erinn Hayes), the girl next door - the only girl he had ever kissed, way back when they were both barely into their teens. Alison soon moved away, but when she comes back home to take care of her ailing mom, Glen’s love for her is reignited.

The only trouble is, the divorced Alison is now a doctor with a son, but Glen’s spent so much time obsessively checking his pulse and memorizing lines from “Party of Five” that he has no idea how to act like a normal adult. A road trip to Albany makes him ecstatic about the room service menu: “This says we can get Frosted Flakes any time - that must be a typo!” he crows.

And when he visits a massage parlor - he’s self-conscious about the fact that he’s never “fornicated a woman” - he brings his own linens. (“Hollywood was right,” Glen solemnly tells the prostitute after pouring out his troubles to her. “You do have a heart of gold.”)

The show’s central conceit - that Glen becomes best friends with Alison’s nerdy 13-year old son, Josh (Keir Gilchrist) - could have been truly creepy, but thanks to Corddry’s subtlety and skill, it’s not. Corddry can easily put his trademark jerky spin on just about any line, as when he lies to Alison and says he’s also caring for his sick mom. The waspish fake sincerity he gives to the line “On her good days, I just feel like singing” is quite funny.

But it’s the innocence that he mixes in to Glen’s boasting and bumbling that makes the show work. If Glen were only a jobless creep ogling the neighbor lady and becoming too friendly with her son, the show would have been a little too weird to enjoy. But Glen’s truly flummoxed by the adult world, as is Josh. And Corddry makes Glen’s mixture of wonder and discomfort enjoyable to watch.

My only quibbles are that the comedy is sometimes pitched too broadly (and parents should know that the humor’s on the smutty side sometimes). The show also looks fairly cheap and has a gratingly loud laugh track, and some of the supporting actors aren’t really in Corddry’s league (though “Rescue Me’s” Lenny Clarke as his rage-filled dad is excellent).

Still, what are the odds that a fine comic actor would end up on a pretty good sitcom, one that actually puts many of his ample skills to use, instead of throwing them away on groan-inducing lines and tired situations? Perhaps that’s an investigative story “The Daily Show” could tackle.

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

fredfa

03-03-07, 11:47 AM

TV Review
We have a winner!
By Aaron Barnhart Kansas City Star in his blog “TV Barn”

On “The Winner,” Rob Corddry plays Glen Abbott, a 32-year-old single white male in a state of severely arrested development. He lives at home with his parents. He watches TV all day. His best friend is the teenage geek who just moved in across the street, whose mom happens to be the girl Glen had the hots for in high school -- and still does.

This unlikely premise for a sitcom is likely to divide the audience for “The Winner” (debuting 7:30 p.m. CT Sunday on Fox, with a second episode at its regular time of 8:30) into two camps. For those who don't know who Rob Corddry is, the show sounds like something that might air on the Disney Channel. But if you are a devoted viewer of cable's “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” you might have a different reaction.

Of all the comedians to have graced “The Daily Show” over the years, Corddry stands out, and not just for his bald pate. After Stephen Colbert, nobody has been so aggressively clueless while reporting the fake news as Corddry. Following Hurricane Katrina, he boldly declared that he was “impressed” by FEMA director Michael Brown's “willingness to accept responsibility for how incompetent everyone else was.”

And although Vice President Cheney delivered a gift to every comedian in the land a year ago, it was Corddry, posing as the show's “firearms mishap analyst,” who made the highlight reels when he effortlessly linked Cheney's PR debacle and international-relations fiasco. Had the vice president known the whereabouts of his friend Harry Whittington, Corddry blustered, “Mr. Cheney insists he still would have shot Mr. Whittington in the face.”

Compared with priceless material like that, it seems inevitable that “The Winner” will strike many Corddry fans as a bit of a comedown. This is a standard-issue Fox live-action comedy -- family-based with relatable if slightly off-kilter characters and, needless to say, zero political humor.

As for Corddry, whose belligerent Northeastern style once got him called a “Boston M---hole,” the edge has melted off and what's left is a goofy, eager-to-please fella named, of all things, Glen.

Equally as jarring is the knowledge that “The Winner” comes from Seth McFarlane, creator of Fox cartoons “Family Guy” and “American Dad,” whose usual m.o. is to cheerfully pummel everything that is good and decent about our culture into a bloody mess.

Nothing about “The Winner” strikes me as the slightest bit subversive. So Glen Abbott is well past 30 and hasn't lost his virginity. Didn't another “Daily Show” alumnus make a movie about that?

And yet, the show works on its most basic level. It's a hoot.

One reason, I think, is that “The Winner” has shed the skin of irony that has proven to be a straitjacket for too many sitcoms. The show is set in 1994, the not-too-distant past, a la “The Wonder Years,” the original nostalgia sitcom for the color-TV generation. And as each episode opens, we hear Corddry's voice announcing, “I'm Glen Abbott, and I'm the richest man in Buffalo,” so as we look at pictures of his present-day estate, we know in advance the story (at some point) has a happy ending.

The shedding-skin analogy works in another way. If you think about it, Corddry is not unlike a professional wrestler cast as the arch-villain -- think Andre the Giant during the height of his “feud” with Hulk Hogan -- who drops the mask as soon as a serious acting role is offered. Corddry, then, has merely taken his character “Rob Corddry” and made him cuddlier.

“I think a lot of people who are 'Daily Show' fans will be surprised,” said Ricky Blitt, who dreamed up “The Winner” and wrote the pilot. “There's a vulnerability behind the character that people get right away.”

That's revealed in the show's unusual buddy relationship between Glen and Josh (Keir Gilchrist), the painfully awkward nerdy teenager who is currently reliving the nightmare of school that Glen once did. Because Glen is still looking for all the things Josh wants -- non-allowance money, freedom from parental control, instructions for unhooking a girl's bra -- they relate like two peas in a pod, even as they both conspire to maintain the ruse to Josh's conveniently single mom Alison (Erinn Hayes) that Glen's the dad he never had.

A running gag on the show is Alison saying admiringly to Glen how well he and Josh seem to get along, and Glen not sure what to do with that information. You can see where that's heading.

So tune in, Corddry fans. The four episodes of “The Winner” I saw were packed with well-executed gags and performances, including Linda Hart and the reliable Lenny Clarke as Glen's long-suffering parents, whose role is to wonder if their son is ever going to be more than a live-in loser. The title is your tipoff that there's more here than meets the eye.

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2007/03/we_have_a_winne.html#more

fredfa

03-03-07, 11:48 AM

TV Review
“The Winner”
Growing Up — at 32 — Is Hard (But Funny)
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic

Fox, which does well with animated comedies, is overdue a live-action winner. The network may finally have found one in the unlikely form of a balding, bumbling, giggling, socially maladroit perpetual adolescent named Glen Abbott, who is also the season's most original comic hero.

Like Glen, The Winner (premiering Mar. 4 at 8:30 pm/ET) is deeply silly, endearingly sweet, a little creepy and undeniably weird. Told in flashbacks to 1994, this is the story of how, at the overripe age of 32, Glen (The Daily Show's Rob Corddry) awakens from life with Mom and Dad at home, where he has cultivated an unnatural fascination with the sitcom Wings.

New neighbors provide the catalyst for Glen's long-delayed coming of age, which he tells us in voice-over will lead him to become the richest man in Buffalo. Alison (the winsome Erinn Hayes), his childhood crush, is now a doctor and the single mom of 13-year-old Josh (the appealingly awkward Keir Gilchrist), who's as phobic and nerdy as Glen. Naturally, Josh and Glen become best buds (that's the creepy part).

Watching this boy and boy-man execute the comic rites of passage, which usually involves all sorts of anxiety regarding the mysterious opposite sex, is like The Wonder Years as told by Forrest Gump or Pee-wee Herman.

Glen's buoyant guilelessness, his giddy overgrown-kid excitement over everyday things like a road trip to Albany, makes him more lovable than icky. Even clichéd situations such as Glen unknowingly befriending a gay guy or being seduced by a former teacher become freshly funny through his warped, winning perspective.

Fox is giving The Winner a quick tryout, airing twice on Sundays for three weeks. Catch it while you can.

http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Roush-Review/Default.aspx?posting={AACBE2A1-07AB-4118-A2F8-D30DFAEC2970}

fredfa

03-03-07, 11:50 AM

TV Review
“The Winner”
By Ed Bark former Dallas Morning News TV critic at his website unclebarky.com

Empathy for pathetic Glen Abbott is the goal of this gamey new sitcom from Fox.

He's a 32-year-old virgin en route to becoming the richest man in Buffalo, we're told. His nebbish years, circa 1994, are documented in The Winner, which can be winning one minute and immensely crude the next. As when Glen (Rob Corrdry from The Daily Show) fantasizes the girl of his dreams telling him, "Let's get married so you can comb my hair and touch my vagina."

The show's co-producers are Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy fame and the seriously bent Ricky Blitt, whose savaging of Faye Dunaway at the recent TV critics' "press tour" already has made him a near-mythical figure. Blitt's recent promotional letter to reviewers ("My Dearest Friends and Future Sexual Partners in the Media") includes an invitation to "share a Snapple or something at my pad. I look like a combination of Verne Troyer and Helen Mirren, if somehow that sweetens the deal."

Blitt's semi-autobiographical embodiment on The Winner looks longingly upon the only girl who ever kissed him as an adolescent. She's Alison Miller (Erinn Hayes), now the divorced mother of an introverted 13-year-old son named Josh (Keir Gilchrist). Amazingly she moves into a house right across the street from Glen, who still lives with his loud, belittling father, Ron (Lenny Clarke), and supportive but dense mother, Irene (Linda Hart).

Alison is "the girl I had been pleasuring myself to for nearly two decades," Glen narrates, albeit in a "spiritual way." He's soon bonding with her son in hopes of getting lucky with her. Except that Glen is almost deathly afraid of getting lucky or even halfway to first base.

Sunday's first of two episodes, airing after The Simpsons, lays the groundwork for these relationships. It's amusing at best, but marred with some really cheap shots at people with Down's Syndrome and, of all people, the late Herve Villechaize. His suicide was "so sad," says Glenn's mom. "He shot himself in his itty bitty little midget chest."

Episode 2, bridged by an episode of Family Guy, makes a far better case for itself, even if the overall crudity persists. Cordrry is laugh-out loud funny in scenes from a Korean "massage parlor," where he hopes to test his unused manhood in anticipation of a later sexual romp with Alison.

"What's the largest number of condoms a gentleman can put on his unit?" Glen first asks a pharmacist.

In tow with Josh, he then heads for spring training. The show at least has the good sense to keep the kid waiting outside while Glen gingerly tries to become a big leaguer. He's brought a box of chocolate and his own bed linen in hopes of impressing a prostitute who says mechanically, "Oh God, you're so sexy. You're making me horny."

The show's over-the-top laugh track goes nuts at times like these. But Cordrry's double-takes and overall hapless characterization are what make The Winner at least a contender. It can be very funny in spots but also lets itself down with too many, cringe-worthy, sub-juvenile jokes.

Both Glen Abbott and the scripts, as it turns out, have ample growing up to do.

Grade: C+

http://www.unclebarky.com/reviews.html

CPanther95

03-03-07, 11:54 AM

I'll give any show starring an ex-Daily Show correspondent a chance. But I'm not crazy about the laugh track, and an overused laugh track is almost sure to keep me from tuning back in, no matter how funny it is.

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:09 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
By Linda Stasi New York Post
(Four **** out of four)

Who would have thought that a show called "The Winner" would, well, actually be one?

OK, now that I've got that crass attempt to get my name on an ad somewhere out of the way, let me be a little clearer.

Fox's new Sunday-night show from the producer of "Family Guy" is not only the funniest new show this season, but the strangest one since "Get A Life," the short-lived Chris Elliot show that came and went on Fox in the early '90s.

Here, Rob Corddry, of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," plays Glen Abbott, a totally clueless, totally naive, 32-year-old guy perennially jobless and still living at home.

During the intro, Glen explains that today he's the richest man in Buffalo - but the show captures his loser life during the 1990s.

As a man in his 30s, Glen has only been kissed once - when he was 14. He's been dreaming of that girl, Alison (Erinn Hayes), his then-next door neighbor, ever since.

Luckily for Glenn (but not for her), Alison - now a divorced doctor - and her 14-year-old son Josh (Kier Gilchrist) move back in next door to care for her sick mother.

In an attempt to win Alison's love, Glen befriends Josh. But he and Josh are basically the same age emotionally and instantly become fast friends.

Both are out of step with the world and with reality - as when Glen gets a job in the video store in an attempt to impress Dr. Alison.

There's not an actor in the show that isn't hilarious (although Hayes is the straight man, er, doctor here).

Gilchrist and Corddry have such perfect timing and chemistry that half of their screen time together had me breaking out into room-disturbing laughter at work.

Perfect casting. Mom Irene (Linda Hart) and dad Ronny (Lenny Clarke) are just as funny.

But it's not just the perfection of the cast, but also the writing by executive producer Ricky Blitt.

Instead of me trying to explain why it's funny, let me hit you with one joke.

When a fellow loser in the video store tells Glen that a customer is gay, Glen responds, exasperated: "If he's gay, why is he taking me to a Liza Minnelli concert? Hello? The piece of a** from 'Arthur'?"

I'm still laughing.

http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/03012007/tv/big_winner_tv_linda_stasi.htm

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:10 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
Doesn't Even Get to First Base
By Tom Shales Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, March 3, 2007

Fox's show "The Winner" is probably the most mistitled sitcom of the decade. It never rises even to the level of worthlessness, occupying a territory beneath rock bottom, a sub-sub-subterranean realm where puerile bad taste is passed off as, of course, edginess.

So how's this for edge: Glen Abbott, a 32-year-old virgin (a character obviously stolen from the Steve Carell movie "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"), has a promising date with a divorced woman on Saturday night, an evening that he thinks might result, finally, in an end to his virginity.

Abbott discusses that hope with the woman's 14-year-old son, Josh. "I'm going to have sex with your mom," he tells the boy, although later he confesses, again to the kid, "I am not looking forward to 'doing' your mom," because "I've never fornicated a woman."

The sitcom's attempts at shock and titillation come across as merely more cheap smut from Fox, one of television's chief cultural polluters. (The series debuts Sunday at 8:30 p.m. -- when many children still control TV sets -- with a second episode at 9:30.)

Rob Corddry -- best known as a contributor to "The Daily Show" and as a guest star on Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" -- stars as Abbott, a feebly conceived variation on every doofus and goof ever played in the movies by Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell, although Corddry hardly belongs in their company. Abbott's character and situation are also vaguely reminiscent of the happily hapless man-child played by Chris Elliott in his quirkily hilarious '90s sitcom "Get a Life."

Josh is likably played by Keir Gilchrist. The character is only 13, according to a Fox news release; perhaps the producers thought 13 was a little young for a kid to be listening to an older man's sexual confessions (the relationship between the two is squirmingly discomforting), so they made him 14 instead.

Still, is it now commonly accepted in Middle America for a 14-year-old to know about "a Korean massage parlor that's not really a massage parlor"? And then accompany an older man there so the man can learn sexual fundamentals prior to his encounter with the boy's mom?

First, though, Josh goes with Abbott to a drugstore so that Corddry can bumble his way through a groaningly familiar scene from many a teenage comedy: the awkward business of buying condoms and being just oh-so-embarrassed by it. Writer and executive producer Ricky Blitt tries to finesse this hoary corn by setting the whole story in 1994, but that doesn't make much difference. Besides a reference to the TV show "Wings," very little about the show suggests mid-'90s America.

Each episode of "The Winner" opens with Corddry reciting expositional narration: "My name is Glen Abbott and I'm the richest man in Buffalo." Then we flash back to his great awakening, which occurred, he says, "at the tender age of 32," when he was still living with his parents in their suburban home.

It could be that "The Winner" is intended as a parody of a bad 1994 sitcom. But that's a very hard trick to bring off and something clearly beyond Blitt and fellow executive producer Seth MacFarlane (both are alumni of "Family Guy," a potty-mouthed Fox cartoon in the tired and self-congratulatory "South Park" mold).

Corddry's Glen Abbott does make it to the Enchanted Garden massage parlor, hoping to be instructed in the art of lovemaking by one of the professional women. There's one cute, even endearing touch to the scene: Abbott innocently brings a box of candy for the girl, as if this were a respectable Friday-night date. The humor degenerates rapidly, though, with Abbott cowering in fear while the prostitute issues such directives as, "Take out your hose and put out my fire."

It's all utterly and pathetically lame, as are "Winner's" allegedly comic references to "involuntary feces" and "lazy bowel" and such; when the show's not in the gutter, it's in the you-know-what.

We apologize for quoting toilet-humor examples from the sitcom's notion of knee-slapping stuff, but you should be alerted. "The Winner" is an insult to "The Simpsons," "American Idol," "House" and any other of the few quality shows that have managed to make it onto Fox over the years.

With "Winners," on the other hand, Fox stooped so low it got the bends.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/02/AR2007030201855_pf.html

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:28 PM

fredfa

03-03-07, 12:45 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
A sitcom about obsession that could become a compulsion
By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News

A comedy writer once told me that a good sitcom tells a story that could just as easily be a drama.

In the case of "The Winner," 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. ET/PT Sunday on Fox) ,make that "edgy indie film."

Because where else but an art house would you expect to find a story about a 32-year-old with obsessive-compulsive disorder who befriends a 13-year-old neighbor with the same condition?

Not on Fox, certainly.

I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't something a little bit creepy about "The Winner," which stars Rob Corddry of "The Daily Show" as Glen Abbott, who's unemployed and living with his parents when the only girl he's ever kissed (Erinn Hayes) - all grown up, and a doctor, to boot - moves in across the street with her young son, Josh (Keir Gilchrist).

But I'd also be lying if I didn't add that it's surprisingly charming, not to mention funny.

Set in 1994 - and narrated by an older Glen who begins every episode telling us he's now "the richest man in Buffalo" - "The Winner" is about the beginning of Glen's delayed adolescence.

Spurred by his longtime crush on Josh's mother, Alison, Glen gets his first job - at a video store - and he and Josh take their first faltering steps toward adulthood.

In other words, it's just like "The Wonder Years," if Kevin Arnold had had a much older neighbor who hung out with him all the time but for some reason didn't make his parents even a little bit nervous.

Oh, and if Kevin had accompanied the neighbor on a trip to the drugstore to buy condoms in anticipation of the neighbor's bedding Kevin's mom.

It will probably surprise no one that "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane has his name on this one, though the show's largely the brainchild of his fellow executive producer Ricky Blitt, for whom "The Winner" is a labor of love.

"I wish to God I didn't have to utter these words, but it is very autobiographical," Blitt told reporters recently.

Blitt's a funny guy, but it's hard to imagine any of this working without Corddry, who brings both enough sweetness and intelligence to Glen to keep him from seeming like too much of a loser.

Much has been written about the role of "The Daily Show" as an incubator for comedy stars, but maybe we should look instead at how it's managed to make nerds - the second and third bananas of the entertainment world - into unlikely leading men.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16816463.htm

fredfa

03-03-07, 01:42 PM

Critic’s Notebook
It's time to hit the brakes on Fox's 'Idol'

By Brian Lowry Variety

OK, enough's bloody enough.

"American Idol" is starting to piss me off.

This isn't to say the Fox singing competition doesn't deserve to be a ratings success, even a full-blown hit. But nothing about the show is so riveting as to justify its insanely gaudy ratings, prompting the far-flung media world to crazily clutch at its coattails.

How fortunate for the media that the franchise comes equipped with helpful tabloid elements -- such as the annual "contestant nude photo" scandal -- just right for trashy magazines, "ET" and cable news.

Were "Idol" confined to its own sphere, its gargantuan status would be tolerable. As the franchise inflicts collateral damage, however, the show's side effects become harder to ignore, sparking this (one-person, so far) backlash.

"Idol" doesn't exist in a vacuum, but it does approximate the properties of one -- efficiently sucking up viewers, while depriving other series the oxygen they need to survive.

In the past few weeks, that has meant leaving some of TV's best and brightest new dramas gasping for air, having already chased ABC's "Lost" to a new timeslot to escape "Idol's" fury. With "Idol" swelling to two hours, both NBC's scintillating high-school soap "Friday Night Lights" and CBS' post-apocalyptic "Jericho" dipped to season-low ratings, suggesting that for them, anyway, the apocalypse might be now.

Still, Fox wasn't satisfied by simply expanding the regular Tuesday- and Wednesday-night telecasts, adding a Thursday showing conflicting with "The Office." That the rightfully lauded NBC comedy absorbed the body blow better than most is small consolation for the wreckage "Idol" left in its wake.

Around here, them's fighting words.

Yet Fox isn't content with "Idol's" dominance. The network has gone further -- tasking producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick with presiding over this year's Emmy Awards, the implication being that the venerable telecast could use an "Idol"-like infusion.

So the TV Academy finds itself customarily caught between a rock and a hard place -- under pressure to improve ratings and breathe life into its format, yet skittish about wrinkles that might mar the event's dignity or diminish the 27 awards that are the broadcast's ostensible point and, as snazzy TV showcases go, among its biggest liabilities.

Lythgoe and Warwick have thus far spoken vaguely about shaking things up, which makes one wonder whether anybody at Fox or the academy would have the brass to deny them if the duo wanted to present a medley of network chiefs dressed like the Fruit of the Loom underwear mascots.

Similarly, with so many news outlets lobbying for a seat aboard the gravy train, few in the media dare identify "Idol" for what it is -- a karaoke sing-off designed to create and build up equity in bland pop acts such as Carrie Underwood and Clay Aiken.

The show is neither conceptually groundbreaking (series like "Popstars" and "Making the Band" got there first) nor musically inventive, making its enduring power a lingering mystery. Granted, there are the slick production values and peculiar alchemy of the judges -- Simon Cowell's bracing brutality and Paula Abdul's slow-rolling dance toward an "E! True Hollywood Story" -- but little else to explain the mix of luck and timing that births such a megahit, especially in reality TV.

To their credit, Fox and the producers have basked in this glory without rubbing "Idol's" towering Nielsen tally in rivals' faces -- taking the high road, perhaps, because the network's programming efforts outside "Idol" season have provided so little to crow about.

That said, if Ryan Seacrest's face shows up anywhere near the Emmys, seriously, there ought to be hell to pay.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960474.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

foxeng

03-03-07, 02:08 PM

I guess somebody from Idol p*ssed in SOMEONE'S corn flakes. Hollyweird!

fredfa

03-03-07, 02:17 PM

TV Sports
ESPN, Fox in a pickle
Should networks cash in or bail on Bonds?
By Steven Zeitchik Variety March 3, 2007

When ESPN producers and talent gathered last month for their annual preseason baseball seminar, even old pros were concerned over how to deal with the Barry Bonds issue.

Broadcasters like Jon Miller continued to ask a question they first posed when the Balco scandal broke in 2005: "He asked (then), 'How do I call (a Bonds homer)? Do I call it with doubt in my voice or do I call it as a home run?'" recalls Tim Scanlan, senior coordinating producer for ESPN.

With opening day weeks away, the Bonds issue is vexing the networks.

On the one hand, a legendary baseball player is closing in on what is perhaps sports' most hallowed record: Hank Aaron's career home run tally.

On the other hand, that same athlete faces questions of steroids, perjury and, most importantly for the nets, deepening fan resentment.

Do broadcasters treat Bonds with celebratory zeal, journalistic detachment or some muddled combination of the two? "It's the most complicated issue to come along in a long time," says a high-ranking sports exec.

Bonds enters this season with 734 homers, 22 shy of breaking Aaron's 755.

That should have Fox and ESPN salivating.

Last year, when Bonds closed in on Babe Ruth's 714 mark, ESPN regularly cut into other broadcasts to show a Bonds plate appearance.

And the Mark McGwire/ Sammy Sosa chase in 1998 of Roger Maris' single-season record was a ratings bonanza

In a perfect world, Bonds' quest would shatter those numbers and bring in record coin for the two nets, which hold national rights to regular-season games this year.

But baseball these days inhabits an imperfect world. The Balco investigation has heated up since ESPN's hoopla about Bonds and Ruth last year; federal prosecutors in July seized medical records that could suggest Bonds used steroids and implicate him in a perjury scandal.

And fan backlash to the Giants slugger continues to intensify. A GQ poll ranked him as the second-most hated athlete in sports (behind Terrell Owens).

That leaves nets in a quandary: Sit back too much and they miss a big moneymaking opportunity. Push too hard and they risk alienating fans.

So Fox is reserving decisions on how to promote Bonds until the chase ratchets up.

"We'll be gauging the public's reaction as the season goes along," says the net's Lou D'Ermilio. "If we sense there's a lack of interest, then we might not go as far out of the way in our coverage." And if fan enthusiasm is there? "Then we go for it."

ESPN, on the other hand, is trying to synthesize the two approaches. The net will use "every asset in our arsenal" on the chase, says senior veep of programming and acquisitions Len DeLuca.

But it is also hoping to leaven the quest with hard news. "It will be very different from 1998. It will be less celebratory and more reportorial," Scanlan says. One change, he says, is more coverage of the record's context.

Most strikingly, ESPN will take its cue from an unlikely group: the home crowd. "A Bonds home run will be reflective of the venue," Scanlan says. "If he hits a home run in San Francisco, it will be called differently from the way it's called in Philadelphia."

Meanwhile, Major League Baseball has completely ducked the issue; commissioner Bud Selig hasn't even decided whether to attend a potential record-breaking game.

Bonds' quest -- which, given that no one his age has ever hit more than 18 homers in a season, is hardly a shoo-in -- has also set off a series of scheduling moves.

Betting the star won't close in until later in the season, ESPN has held back on using the maximum of five Sunday Night Baseball slots it has for any team.

In the first two months, it will use only one on the Giants, a May 6 game against the Phillies, and only one of the three premium weekday slots it is allowed per team, for a May 29 game against the Mets.

For its part, Fox has assigned the Giants only seven of its nine slots for its regional Saturday coverage, saving two for a late-season Bonds run.

Of course, it's in baseball's interest for Bonds to start slow and keep the intrigue going all season; that will prolong the chance for a ratings spike.

Unfortunately, in yet another wrinkle, the nets that can benefit most may be constrained from campaigning for that spike. Says consultant Neal Pilson: "All of the suspicions rob both the broadcaster and the viewer of the joy of the chase. It just becomes a grim requirement to cover the story."

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=print_story&articleid=VR1117960469&categoryid=14

fredfa

03-03-07, 02:23 PM

I guess somebody from Idol p*ssed in SOMEONE'S corn flakes. Hollyweird!

I can understand disagreeing with Brian Lowry's comments, but "Hollyweird"?

What in the world is that slur supposed to mean in this case, foxeng? How does it in any way respond to what one of the most respected analysts covering the world of television wrote?

I'd prefer we stay away from generalized stereoytpical slams at geographical locations before we get into areas that aren't at all conducive to civilized conversation and debate.

foxeng

03-03-07, 02:50 PM

I can understand disagreeing with Brian Lowry's comments, but "Hollyweird"?

What in the world is that slur supposed to mean in this case, foxeng? How does it in any way respond to what one of the most respected analysts covering the world of television wrote?

I'd prefer we stay away from generalized stereoytpical slams at geographical locations before we get into areas that aren't at all conducive to civilized conversation and debate.

It wasn't intended to be a noun of geography but a pronoun of a social think by some who see themselves in a light that isn't really there, describing how a snub of some type, real or unreal can get ugly for the whole country to see (even though the rest of the country could really care less). And even though a part of my paycheck every week comes from things that happen in the LA area, it is a "country all to itself" that many not in the TMZ can understand or fathom.

If that cut a little close to the quick for you, please be advised you were not included in that statement but was directed at the Paris Hilton's of the area, which I haven't seen ANY indication you would fall in THAT catagory, or maybe you hide it well! I don't know! ;)

URFloorMatt

03-03-07, 04:18 PM

I guess somebody from Idol p*ssed in SOMEONE'S corn flakes. Hollyweird!

I thought he was being generous. Most of the time I despise Idol and everything it represents.

HDTVChallenged

03-03-07, 04:21 PM

... just do what I do and ignore the show. Just say no. :D

dad1153

03-03-07, 05:36 PM

Agree. "AI" will never contaminate my TV screen with its presence (except when other shows use clips of it to make fun of it, i.e. Jimmy Kimmel Live) for as long as I'm holding the remote control.

fredfa

03-03-07, 05:37 PM

Critic’s Notebook
“Are Your Smarter Than A 5th Grader”?
TV show appeals to adults who think (wrongly) they know more than kids
By Charlie McCollum San Jose Mercury News Mar. 03, 2007

It is a concept so simple that it's brilliant.

Take average Joe or Jane Adult Americans and ask them to relive their elementary school days, when they had to learn the answers to questions about basic math, fundamental grammar and elemental American history.

If they get the answers correct -- with the help of some real fifth-grade kids on a panel of ``experts'' -- they can win up to $1 million. (For the contestants, that has so far proven to be tougher than it would seem.)

That's the essence of Fox's new TV series, ``Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?'' which debuted this week. And to the utter amazement of those in the TV business -- even the executives at Fox -- the show has become something of an instant phenomenon.

The show's premiere episode on Tuesday drew an audience of nearly 27 million -- the most viewers for a series debut in Fox's history and the largest for any network debut in eight years. On Wednesday, for its second installment, ``Smarter'' attracted 23 million. Thursday, it pulled 23.5 million -- beating CBS's ``CSI'' and ABC's ``Grey's Anatomy,'' which even in repeats are usually ratings blockbusters.

The numbers were so big that Fox has added four episodes to the six that had been scheduled.

Admittedly, all three ``Smarter'' shows benefited hugely from airing behind something called ``American Idol.'' (You could put a blank screen on behind that TV juggernaut and draw 8 million viewers and, after this coming week, ``Smarter'' will live in a time period outside the ``Idol'' halo.) But no previous show Fox has put on after ``Idol'' -- including ``House'' -- has even come close to the numbers put up by ``Smarter,'' which has hung on to 80 percent of the ``Idol'' audience, including most of its younger viewers.

By the morning after its first episode, ``Smarter'' had also become fodder for workplace chatter and Web talk -- largely among adults who, the night before, had found they had problems answering those seemingly simple questions, or who scorned the contestants who couldn't figure out in which month Columbus Day is observed.

(The very first person to play ``Smarter'' couldn't get that question right -- it's October -- but the kids on the panel all did.)

``It was more than a bit embarrassing watching the show,'' said Carole Simons, a San Jose mother of three, in an e-mail last week. ``My kids got most'' of the questions ``right and I was stuck on the definition of a pronoun.''

Which may account for the appeal of the show, produced by reality TV guru Mark Burnett (``Survivor,'' ``The Apprentice'').

The format is a mash-up of other game shows such as ``Who Wants to Be A Millionaire'' and ``Deal or No Deal.'' The contestants pick from such categories as third-grade math and fifth-grade history. If they answer questions correctly, they move up a money ladder to the big bucks. If they need to, they can use the kids on the panel as a lifeline a la ``Millionaire.'' (It's called ``cheating'' on the show.)

The moment of agony comes when the kids know and the adult doesn't. (On one show last week, a UCLA history professor bombed out on a history question easily answered by the kids.) At that point, host Jeff Foxworthy -- whose good-natured blue-collar humor is perfect for the show's tone -- requires the adult to face the camera and say, ``I'm not smarter than a fifth grader.''

``Whereas most game shows measure how smart you are, our contestants are measured about how dumb they are,'' said Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori who jokingly claims he got the rights to the series because he answered more questions correctly than the executives at other networks.

But what seems to be grabbing the viewers is a bit more complicated than the chance to sneer at the stupidity of the losers.

In an interview with reporters before the show began, Foxworthy may have hit on it when he said, ``It's going to appeal to kids because this is stuff they know. It gets to show them being smarter than adults at something. It appeals to adults because they think it's something they can do, but they can't.''

Mike Darnell, who oversees reality TV for Fox, suggested last week in a Washington Post interview that the appeal also involves ``Smarter'' reflecting the real-life world of children and parents.

``Anybody who has kids'' knows ``they get to a certain age and you can't do their homework anymore,'' says Darnell. He should know because he has an 8-year-old daughter ``and I'm getting to that point where I'm embarrassed when I can't help her with a math problem.''

``Smarter'' has already drawn some potshots from those who see it as just another ``dumbing down'' of America. Angel Cohen, who writes the Surfer Girl blog for tvguide.com, wrote in a post Friday that ``instead of revealing how intelligent these kids are, it really shows how stupid some adult Americans are.''

But at least for now, a lot of Americans -- a lot of American families -- are finding that returning to the days of reading, writing and arithmetic is kind of fun -- if a little bit humbling for mom and dad.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/columnists/charlie_mccollum/16827729.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

dad1153

03-03-07, 05:39 PM

TV Notebook
Geico Cavemen Will Be Focus of New ABC Sitcom
By Associated Press

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256188,00.html

What do you know? Turns out this idea isn't even original to begin with: http://www.tvobscurities.com/articles/itsabouttime.php (make sure you read the last few paragraphs for the connection to the Geico cavemen sitcom pilot). I don't know what's more depressing: that the Geico cavemen are deemed hip-enough to warrant their own sitcom (didn't we all learn from the debacle that was Emmeril? :rolleyes: ) or that the idea for a TV show like this is being ripped-off from a failed Sherwood Schwartz comedy! :eek:

fredfa

03-03-07, 06:31 PM

Wait...you are suggesting there are new ideas for network TV shows? :)

Jediphish

03-03-07, 06:59 PM

Hey fredfa - any word on whether "The Loop" will ever get back in the FOX lineup this season? I thought this was one of the better sitcoms last season and am really hoping they aren't shelving it forever.

Grampaw

03-03-07, 07:03 PM

Wait...you are suggesting there are new ideas for network TV shows? :)

I've been watching TV for more than 50 years (Yes, I'm that old), and I haven't seen anything new in about 40 years...

Walt
(New Great-Grampaw :) )

fredfa

03-03-07, 07:19 PM

Congratulations on the new arrival Grampaw...and welcome to the thread!

cherry ghost

03-03-07, 08:31 PM

dad1153

03-03-07, 09:30 PM

Source cherry ghost?

fredfa

03-04-07, 12:43 AM

The Loop has been listed as returning June 10 for a couple of weeks now in post #4 of this thread -- which lists premieres and returning shows.

The source was Fox.

fredfa

03-04-07, 03:04 AM

TV Review
“The Winner”
Holds its own
By Robert BiancoUSA TODAY

In today's troubled sitcom world, "winning" is a relative term.

If what you're waiting for is the next big sitcom thing, the new Cosby to shake the genre out of its doldrums, chances are The Winner will not impress. But if you can be content with a new series that is funnier and unexpectedly sweeter than the current norm (particularly Fox's), The Winner may just get you through until that next big thing comes along.

It's a minor miracle The Winner (8:30 and 9:30 PM ET/PT Sunday, Fox) works as well as it does, considering how easily it could have gone disastrously wrong. Created by Ricky Blitt and produced by Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane, The Winner tells the story of 32-year-old, live-at-home virgin Glen Abbott, whose only friend is a 14-year-old neighbor boy with whom he shares his prolonged adolescence. The sick possibilities are so obvious, the show works in a we-know-what-you're-thinking pedophilia joke just to get the creepiness out of the way.

Yet though it is decidedly odd, The Winner is never creepy. Thank Daily Show veteran Rob Corddry, who imbues Glen with such hilariously awkward innocence, he brushes aside any fears of impropriety. Instead, he makes Glen's friendship with young Josh (ably played by Kier Gilchrist) seem like the best thing for both of them, as these two potential losers work their way toward a minor life victory each week.

It helps that the show lets us know up front that Glen does indeed succeed: In a preamble, he tells us that he is now rich and has a family of his own. And it helps even more that the producers have surrounded Corddry with an excellent cast: Erinn Hayes as Josh's mother, Alison, and the object of Glen's manic affection; Linda Hart as Glen's devoted mother; and the always funny Lenny Clarke as Glen's blustering father.

The first of Sunday's two episodes introduces us to Glen and Glen to Josh, as the two bond over Josh's efforts to pick up a pretty girl in a video store. In the second, Glen's fears that Alison may want to have sex with him lead him to seek out professional help at a massage parlor. It's a funny plot twist, but it does highlight the show's biggest potential problem: that it may be too limited by the backwardness and sexual obsessions of its characters. The five episodes made available for preview all hinged on Glen's sexual discomfort — either his desire to have sex or to avoid having it.

Still, we can worry about the show's future if and when the show has one. For now, let's just be happy with the Winner we have. Relatively speaking.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2007-03-01-winner-review_N.htm

flint350

03-04-07, 01:55 PM

I can understand disagreeing with Brian Lowry's comments, but "Hollyweird"?

What in the world is that slur supposed to mean in this case, foxeng? How does it in any way respond to what one of the most respected analysts covering the world of television wrote?

I'd prefer we stay away from generalized stereoytpical slams at geographical locations before we get into areas that aren't at all conducive to civilized conversation and debate.

I'm no fan of Idol, but I agree with foxeng's take on that write-up and his use of the "Hollyweird" comment. That term has been used quite frequently in many venues in a mostly laughing way to describe the difference in general between much of the Hollywood mentality (for want of a better term) from that of the rest of us. There's even a Hollyweird Gazette and MSNBC has a whole Hollyweird section, if I recall (I doubt MSNBC considers it a "slur"). It's simply a cultural term and not generally meant to be offensive, but more descriptive of the difference in cultures/thinking/etc. Just an opinion, but I think you may have over-reacted on this one fred. It didn't really deserve quite so harsh ("slur" and "stereotypical slams"??) a response.

fredfa

03-04-07, 02:07 PM

(Not that in the grand scheme of things Saturdays are all that important, but I'll get the overnights posted as soon as they are available.)

fredfa

03-04-07, 02:14 PM

TV Review
“The Winner”
From loser to 'Winner' in 2 easy episodes
By Joanne Weintraub Milwaukee Journal Sentinel TV critic

Fox is smart to air its latest comedy in double time, with two half-hour episodes each Sunday night, and even smarter to offer the first four all at once - free - at www.fox.com.

That's because it's hard to recall a sitcom that started with such a shaky pilot but became as enjoyable, even endearing, as "The Winner."

The title character is Glen Abbott (Rob Corddry, "The Daily Show"), who's 32, lives with his parents and has never held a job. So how does Glen, in a little more than a decade, become a well-adjusted adult and "the richest man in Buffalo," as he says in a voiceover?

The transformation from weirdo to winner starts when Alison (Erinn Hayes), Glen's childhood crush, moves in next door. As sweet as he remembers her, she's divorced, the mother of preteen Josh (Keir Gilchrist, "Samantha: An American Girl Holiday") and, to Glen's mortification, a doctor - which, if it isn't exactly the opposite of being unemployed, is close.

Determined to win Alison, Glen decides to pull up his socks, get a job at a video store and try out this adulthood business.

The result, at first, is strange verging on creepy, but as the character and the show find their footing, the oddness becomes appealing and the creepiness mostly disappears.

I say "mostly" because creator Ricky Blitt, who says Glen is a farcical exaggeration of his younger self, is inexplicably fond of such lines as "I've never fornicated anyone before" and "(She's) the girl I've been pleasuring myself to for over two decades," lines that, when spoken by a man in his 30s, induce acute cringing.

But as Glen gets out and smartens up, he begins showing some of the offbeat charm that made Andy, Steve Carell's character in "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," such a breath of fresh air.

Like Andy, Glen is a social misfit but no fool: He's intelligent, curious, even witty - and an open-hearted nice guy, to boot.

Glen also makes a novel companion - part father figure, part childlike buddy - to the smart but socially awkward Josh. This is one adult who can understand a kid who's too smitten with a girl to ask her name but says dreamily that she looks "like a Brooke or a Vivica."

"The Winner" wouldn't work without an actor like Corddry, who can be self-deprecating at one moment and giddily optimistic the next while making you believe in both sides.

The precociously talented Gilchrist, too, is very good as a junior Glen. But, as his mother, Hayes has little to do but impersonate Dr. Right - pretty, kind and rather vacuous - in an underwritten role.

Glen's parents, too, are a mixed bag. Lenny Clarke, who's been hilarious opposite pal Denis Leary in "The Job" and "Rescue Me," plays Ron Abbott in a monotonous bellow, while Linda Hart hits some interesting notes as Irene, whose own good-natured innocence is clearly the source of her son's.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=572247

risnuff

03-04-07, 03:10 PM

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ****ING KIDDING ME!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

TV Notebook
Geico Cavemen Will Be Focus of New ABC Sitcom
By Associated Press

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256188,00.html

Where's my gun? It's over, turn out the lights, I'm drowning over here! :(

The commercials are funnier than any of the cliched 3 camera, laugh track comedies on TV. The show probably will be too.

fredfa

03-04-07, 03:32 PM

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

fredfa

03-04-07, 03:33 PM

Your take (and foxeng's) could be right flint.

jtbell

03-04-07, 05:45 PM

TV Notebook
Geico Cavemen Will Be Focus of New ABC Sitcom
By Associated Press

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256188,00.html

Maybe they'll have a gecko for a sidekick. :D

fredfa

03-04-07, 07:12 PM

It probably wouldn't be hard to sign the gecko up to a long-term deal. :)

rebkell

03-04-07, 07:24 PM

It probably wouldn't be hard to sign the gecko up to a long-term deal. :)

Looking down the road, I could definitely see a spinoff series for the gecko.

dad1153

03-04-07, 08:04 PM

Can't wait to read the gecko's unauthorized biography! :rolleyes:

biggiE48

03-05-07, 12:17 AM

Sometimes I forget that normal folks don't read the same gameshow-related websites and forums that I visit daily. But then I remember that the people reading this thread are TV nuts and aren't exactly normal either! ;)

The "old and black" comments comes from a 2003-04 Nielsen report commissioned by Game Show Network based on the Los Angeles market that found the network's audience was primarily black, female and poor (i.e. less than $20,000 of disposable income per year). It was a skewed report because it was only based in the L.A. market (hardly representative of the nation as a whole), and its notorious amongst the gameshow loving community because it was one of the reports Rich Cronin used as a linchpin to remake Game Show Network (a TV channel dedicated to classic gameshows and original gameshows) into GSN: The Network For Games back in 2004 (mix of old gameshows, reality show repeats, gambling shows, interactive games and all types of "games"). I haven't seen the "old and black" Nielsen report myself (links I found to it were dead by the time I clicked them), but amongst the internet savvy hardcore gameshow people this Nielsen report is like an urban myth.

In more recent cable ratings reports GSN continues to be mentioned as one of the oldest-skewing networks on cable (one of the highest median ages for a cable channel), which explains the inordinate amount of commercials for health supplies and elderly assistance devices. GSN bought repeats of The Amazing Race in 2005 to try to reverse the trend. Despite the show bombing in the ratings the median age of the network was drastically reduced on the strength of 'Amazing Race's' young demos. This is why I suggest that Maestro let the GSN folks know that there's a little kid watching the network (not that it matters any unless Maestro's family has a Nielsen box in the household). The younger a GSN viewer is (and Nielsen registers that young viewer) the more it will help lower the network's sky-high median age, by far its biggest obstacle to getting the youth-seeking advertisers that are currently not making GSN their top spending priority.

What does any of this has to do with high definition? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING other than its part of the wonderful mosaic of the business that we watch and love whether its HD or not! ;)

Thanks for the clarification. The back story fills in the blank, and yes I am a normal guy who lives for HD and all that goes with it.
P.S.
DAD I read this forum daily you are a informative and frequent poster do you work in the media?

dad1153

03-05-07, 01:11 AM

I've been working 11 years now (fresh out of College) for a NYC-based TV production company that specializes in direct-response commercials, infomercials and industrial videos. Companies that want to sell a direct-response product/service hire us to write, shoot and edit their stuff and then another company buys the time on TV stations/networks to put the :60/:120 direct response commercials we make on the air. The only connection I have with the entertainment industry is that some of the products we're working on have been advertised on the stations/TV shows we talk about. That and I can totally vouch for the authenticity of shows like Studio 60, The Larry Sanders Show and others in their depiction of behind-the-scenes in production as a dog-eat-dog snake pit that brings out the best and worst from people associated with this business. Fred also knows a thing or two about the subject matter! :rolleyes:

dad1153

03-05-07, 01:21 AM

Speaking of "Studio 60," if you've read the show's thread on this forum there have been lots of complains from HD savvy viewers about the picture quality of recent episodes (before the hiatus). This was posted yesterday on the "Studio 60" thread that goes a long way to explain the soft PQ in HDTV broadcasts people have been complaining about:

The latest issue of American Cinematographer says the first ten episodes were shot on 35mm but episodes after those were shot on Super 16mm to save money.

Actually the pilot was also shot in Super 16mm, then switched to 35mm before the apparent switch back to Super 16. Interesting that Warner Bros. and NBC were already cutting the show's budget (and where they chose to cut it: film stock) by the time the show went to its Winter break last December.

HDTVChallenged

03-05-07, 01:54 AM

It's simply a cultural term and not generally meant to be offensive, .

It's absolutely meant to be derisive if not offensive. And yes, I've even stooped to using it on occasion ... along with other non-PC terms. I'm not proud of it, but there it is ... :o

fredfa

03-05-07, 02:13 AM

Critic’s Notebook
“Dolls” Clad in Feminism, and Hardly Anything Else
By Edward Wyatt The New York Times

LOS ANGELES — Parents looking for role models for teenage daughters: Finally there is a show for you.

“Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll,” which is to have its premiere on Tuesday night on the CW network, may look like just another reality show with attractive, slinkily dressed women preening for the camera in the hope of a shot at stardom.

But “Pussycat Dolls Present” is about female empowerment, the show’s producers explained to a group of television writers and critics here in January,

“Everything the Pussycat Dolls are is everything that I’ve developed myself into being,” said the rap star Lil’ Kim, who is a judge on the show and who served a prison sentence for lying to a federal grand jury about a shooting outside a radio station.

For the uninitiated, the Pussycat Dolls are a female singing group whose six members slither through their music videos dressed like Barbie’s nasty cousins. In their best known song they ask the musical question: “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?”

Dismiss immediately whatever pornographic inferences such a performance might bring to mind, said McG, the music producer and film director who is an executive producer of “Pussycat Dolls Present.” The Dolls, McG said, are simply making a heartfelt inquiry: “It’s just like saying, ‘Don’t you wish your girlfriend could be free and comfortable in her own skin and do her own thing, like me?’ ”

When one reporter said his 17-year-old daughter looked at the group and their antics as a giant step backward for women, the Pussycat Dolls’ founder, Robin Antin, became defensive, invoking female role models who follow the Dolls.

“There’s a reason why people like Scarlett Johansson, Gwen Stefani, Cameron Diaz have all been so interested in what Pussycat Dolls is all about,” she said. “They feel that it is empowering to get up there and dress up like a Doll. It’s fun, and it’s something that every girl in the world — she may think one thing, but I think inside every girl in the world wants to do it.”

When another male writer asked what kind of women truly aspire to the Dolls’ aesthetic, McG responded: “You must understand the fundamental paradox of a gentleman of your age asking that very question.”

He added: “Being a step backwards for women suggests it’s in the service of men. Under no circumstances is this in the service of men.”

On the contrary, he said: “There’s even a position to take if this is, frankly, third-wave feminism.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/arts/television/05cats.html?_r=1&oref=login&ref=television&pagewanted=print

TheRock

03-05-07, 05:19 AM

vonzoog

03-05-07, 07:23 AM

The commercials are funnier than any of the cliched 3 camera, laugh track comedies on TV. The show probably will be too.

I couldn't agree more. And the facial expressions made in the commercials show 10 times more acting ability than is seen on the majority of current half hour comedies.

I laugh every time I see them. Even after several times. And I don't even need a laugh track to tell me to laugh. Imagine that!

Just my .02 cents worth.

Iteki

03-05-07, 09:25 AM

I couldn't agree more. And the facial expressions made in the commercials show 10 times more acting ability than is seen on the majority of current half hour comedies.

I laugh every time I see them. Even after several times. And I don't even need a laugh track to tell me to laugh. Imagine that!

Just my .02 cents worth.

"Debbie's here....we're getting back together!" :-)

fredfa

03-05-07, 11:17 AM

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

dad1153

03-05-07, 11:28 AM

Fred, how soon can we get overnights for the James Cameron documentary on Discovery about Jesus? If my office is any indication this thing must have done monster numbers last night.

fredfa

03-05-07, 11:30 AM

I'll check. Usually cable nets take an extra day or so -- but maybe Discovery paid for a quicker service.

fredfa

03-05-07, 12:05 PM

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

AAF

03-05-07, 12:10 PM

Hmmm, isn't the "going nuclear" guy on Heroes one of the Caveman actors? If not, I apologize to the caveman, but he's a dead ringer with that facial structure.

fredfa

03-05-07, 12:15 PM

Overnights in the 18-49 Demo
Big deal: NBC's 'Apprentice' perks up
Averages a 2.7 in 18-49s in new 10 p.m. timeslot
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer March 5, 2007

Last year Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” got a nice lift from “Deal or No Deal” on Monday nights. This year “Deal’s” move to Sunday helped The Donald to his best outing in over a month.

“Deal” averaged a 2.7 adults 18-49 rating in its new 10 p.m. timeslot last night, according to Nielsen overnights, its best rating since Jan. 28. Since then, the show has been in a slump, airing against tough competition on ABC and CBS including the Grammy Awards and “Desperate Housewives.”

And it hadn’t gotten much help from its fading lead-in, “Grease: You’re the One That I Want,” which dipped to a 2.0 in its last pre-“Apprentice” outing last month. The latter had been preempted two of the last five weeks to avoid airing against the Super Bowl and Academy Awards.

Those disappointing ratings prompted NBC to institute a mini-makeover on the night, moving “Apprentice” to 10 p.m. and inserting “Deal” at 9 p.m. “Crossing Jordan” moves to Wednesday nights to take “Deal’s” place.

“Deal” provided a much stronger lead-in, averaging a 3.3 rating and tying for third in the timeslot with CBS. “Apprentice” retained 82 percent of that lead-in and grew a tiny bit, from a 2.6 to a 2.7, in its second half hour.

Still, the show remains down from last year at a 3.2 season average, and it finished a distant third in the timeslot last night behind ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” and CBS’s “Without a Trace.”

Meanwhile, ABC was first for the night among viewers 18-49 with a 5.1 average rating and a 13 share. CBS was second at 3.3/8, Fox third at 3.1/8, NBC fourth at 2.4/6, Univision fifth at 1.4/4 and CW sixth at 0.9/2.

ABC led all four hours of the night, starting with a 2.9 rating at 7 p.m. for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” CBS was second that hour with a 2.5 for “60 Minutes,” NBC third with a 1.9 for “Dateline” and Fox fourth with a 1.8 average for a repeat of “American Dad” and a new “The War at Home” (2.0). Univision was fifth with a 1.0 for “Hora Pico” and CW sixth with a 0.9 for an hour of “Reba” reruns.

At 8 p.m. ABC finished first with a 5.3 rating for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” followed by a 3.8 for Fox for “The Simpsons” (4.2) and the series premiere of “The Winner” (3.5), which held a respectable 83 percent of its lead-in and was about on par with “King’s” performance there the last few weeks.

CBS was third at 8 p.m. with a 3.7 for “The Amazing Race,” NBC fourth with a 1.8 for “Grease: You’re the One That I Want,” Univision fifth with a 1.4 for “Bailando por la Boda de Mis Suenos” and CW sixth with a 0.9 for the first half of an “America’s Next Top Model” repeat.

ABC led again at 9 p.m. with a 7.4 for “Desperate Housewives,” the night’s top-rated show among 18-49s. Fox was second with a 3.7 for “Family Guy” (4.4) and another “Winner” (3.1), with CBS and NBC tied for third at 3.3, CBS for “Cold Case” and NBC for “Deal or No Deal.” Univision was fifth with a 1.7 for its second hour of “Bailando” and CW sixth with a 1.0 for the second half of its repeat of “Model.”

At 10 p.m. ABC completed its sweep with a 4.7 for “Brothers & Sisters.” CBS was second with a 3.9 for “Without a Trace,” NBC third with a 2.7 for “The Apprentice” and Univision fourth with a 1.7 for its last hour of “Bailando.”

Among households, ABC led with an 8.5 average rating and a 13 share, followed by CBS at 8.1/13, NBC at 4.8/8, Fox at 3.9/6, Univision at 1.8/3 and CW at 1.6/3.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_10574.asp

dad1153

03-05-07, 12:26 PM

Hmmm, isn't the "going nuclear" guy on Heroes one of the Caveman actors? If not, I apologize to the caveman, but he's a dead ringer with that facial structure.

LOL, I thought the exact same thing when I saw that episode over the weekend. I checked IMDB and there's no mention of him being in those commercials: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0035826/

BTW, Chapter 17 of "Heroes" a week ago was one of the best hours of network TV I've ever seen in my life. A pitch-perfect episode from beginning to end that actually moved me to tears and kept me on the edge of my seat. There are TV episodes that trascened the confines of a TV viewing experience, and can make a TV show you watch become a TV show you love. "Heroes" went from being a merely good show that I liked into a TV show I love on the strength of that single episode (and tonight's if the leaks from Canada about today's episode are any indication). Same thing happened a few weeks back with Studio 60 with the episode "The Friday Night Slaughter"; it made me fall in love with Sorkin's show hard, which only makes the current wait for the guillotine to fall all the more agonizing. :(

fredfa

03-05-07, 12:41 PM

TV Sports
ESPN News in HD

According to this week’s edition of Sports Business Journal in an article written by John Ourand, “ESPN is planning to launch its third high-definition channel — an HD version of ESPNews — around the end of the year, and it has worked out a deal to have DirecTV carry the new service.

The deal, which was signed last week after several months of negotiations, also includes a DirecTV agreement to launch ESPN Deportes on April 1 on the satellite operator’s Spanish-language Para Todos package.

A formal announcement could come as early as this week.

ESPN’s third HD channel, ESPNews HD, will be placed on the same HD tier as ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD, and will be shot from the sports network’s all-HD complex in Bristol, Conn….”

dad1153

03-05-07, 12:49 PM

ESPN Deportes isn't (and isn't expected to be) in HD, correct?

steverobertson

03-05-07, 12:54 PM

Great news another HD channel

fredfa

03-05-07, 12:56 PM

For those who have access to the Wall Street Journal subscription-only site, there is a good article today on how the networks are vying for the college viewing audience -- in the wake of Nielsen starting to count the out of home college-age viewers.

[urlhttp://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB117305635645926505.html[/url]

AFH

03-05-07, 01:01 PM

homcom

03-05-07, 01:12 PM

ESPN should focus on making all of the ESPN Gameplan games available in HD. I guess we have to wait another 3 years for that.
The games that are part of Gameplan come mainly from ESPN Regional Television. Since these games are syndicated for local market there really is not a big driver to produce these games in HD when most stations could not even air them in HD. Besides the ERT and ABC games that are in Gameplan the rest come from other producers that ESPN has no control over. Currently the market for the Gameplan games to go HD is just not larger enough to justify it.

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:12 PM

ESPN Deportes isn't (and isn't expected to be) in HD, correct?

Everything is expected to be in HD at some point, dad. But with fewer than five million viewers, it would seem ESPN's resources are better used elsewhere for the moment. So far Bristol has had no word on Deportes going to HD.

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:15 PM

The games that are part of Gameplan come mainly from ESPN Regional Television. Since these games are syndicated for local market there really is not a big driver to produce these games in HD when most stations could not even air them in HD. Besides the ERT and ABC games that are in Gameplan the rest come from other producers that ESPN has no control over. Currently the market for the Gameplan games to go HD is just not larger enough to justify it.

Agreed, but I would think the heavy push by the FSN RSNs to move to HD will put added pressure on ESPN to add regional games in HD.

steverobertson

03-05-07, 01:19 PM

ESPN should focus on making all of the ESPN Gameplan games available in HD. I guess we have to wait another 3 years for that.

I am actually dropping game plan this year as the games are just not watchable and there is enough games on every Saturday through other sources

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:21 PM

I tend to agree, steve. The PQ (at least on DirecTV) is unwatchable on many of the GP contests.

humdinger70

03-05-07, 01:23 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:23 PM

Critic’s Notebook
Series' biggest problems mostly in-'House'
By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News March 5, 2007

If one thing’s become clear this season on Fox's "House," it's that there's only one patient at the center of the show's universe.

And it's not the guy (or the girl) in the bed.

Even when the guy in the bed's played by Dave Matthews.

As the show returns tomorrow night after its latest "Idol"-enforced exile, Matthews is portraying a brain-damaged savant named Patrick, a man robbed by a childhood accident of most life skills but endowed with the ability to play the piano brilliantly.

Before it's over, his father, played with heartbreaking simplicity by "That '70s Show's" Kurtwood Smith, will be forced to make a terrible choice.

Pretty compelling stuff, even before the docs saw off the top of Patrick's head and start mucking around inside.

But it's nothing compared to what's up with Dr. House (Hugh Laurie), whose latest crisis may have viewers comparing him - at least for a little while - to the Bible's Job.

Nothing on "House" is ever quite as simple as it seems, though, and House is no Andy Sipowicz, even if, like "NYPD Blue's" own Job-like character, he brings a certain amount of his troubles on himself.

We're exposed to the concept of addiction all the time - most recently through Britney and Lindsay's flirtations with rehab and in shows like A&E's "Intervention" and HBO's documentary series, "Addiction," which premieres March 15.

It remains, though, an idea as slippery as an eel and as hard to pin down as addicts themselves.

As "House" this season confronts what up until now had been more like character shorthand - "Vicodin-popping doctor" - the journey into Patient No. 1's brain only becomes more interesting.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/television//16835900.htm

humdinger70

03-05-07, 01:28 PM

This applies to all of you (or the large majority of you) starting Monday, March 19.

You can only DVR record and/or watch two programs (because of start times or overruns into later start times; also assuming your DVR only has two tuners). Starting at 9:00 PM, which of these do you DVR?

(HD) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) - starts at 8:00 PM, runs to 9:30 PM (10:00 PM on 03/19)
(HD) Heroes (NBC) - starts at 9:00 PM
(HD) 24 (Fox) - starts at 9:00 PM
(SD) WWE Monday Night RAW (USA) - starts at 9:00 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:31 PM

If you haven’t seen the latest “Battlestar Galactica” episode skip this post. Spoilers abound.
Critic’s Notebook
“Battlestar Galactica”
The 'death' of Starbuck and the mindblowing season finale
From Maureen Ryan’s Chicago Tribune blog “The Watcher”

Given what happened in Sunday’s episode of “Battlestar Galactica,” you may have questions about Kara “Starbuck” Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) and whether she’s dead or alive.

I have questions too, but they’re different ones: How do the creators of this show keep coming up with such gripping season finales? And if fans are in a tizzy now, what will they think of the mindbending season finale? I can’t even imagine.

Sci Fi Channel sent certain members of the media the last few episodes of “Battlestar Galactica’s” third season. And it’s my fervent hope that nobody, including me, spoils the major details of the end of the season for “Battlestar” fans.

Having said that, we can now talk about Sunday’s episode, and I think it is safe for even those who like to avoid spoilers to check out a January interview executive producers Ron Moore and David Eick did with the Tribune. They said then that Starbuck would be involved in a “major event” with “lasting reverberations,” and they certainly were right about that.

Regardless of whether Starbuck is dead or not, it must be said that if there were any justice in the TV award-giving world, Sunday’s episode would win Sackhoff (more from here here) an Emmy nomination. The episode, which involved flashbacks to her life with her mother, allowed her to show her full range and not just do that rebellion thing that she does so well, but to play the rage and heartbreak of an abused child who still deeply loves her parent.

If anything, I would have loved to see even more scenes between Kara and Socrata Thrace – how did Socrata know that her daughter had a special fate? Why did Socrata end up bitter and alone?

Regardless, the episode was quite compelling, and one scene between Apollo and Starbuck was truly poignant. Starbuck was talking to Apollo, her former lover, about the fact that he and his wife, Dualla, were still together and doing fine. Apollo and Starbuck were just friends now – “and that’s all we’ll ever be,” she said sadly. The restrained performances in that scene were very effective.

As far as the remaining three episodes of the season go, I can say without spoiling anything that they are, like Sunday’s Starbuck episode, a rousing return to form after some uneven standalone episodes

In particular, Feb. 25’s intriguing but ultimately disappointing “Dirty Hands,” which concerned labor troubles aboard the fleet’s fuel refinery, was a good idea that suffered from frustrating execution. I thought the way Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) was portrayed wasn’t consistent with what we’ve known of her in the past, and the way the writers portrayed her wasn’t even consistent within the episode – it felt as though Roslin’s personality was changed to suit the need of each story point.

I would have loved to see how Roslin and Adama would have dealt with a full-on labor strike at a critical facility. But we didn’t really get that, given that the actual strike didn’t happen until late in the episode. We saw some extremely interesting class issues raised, and then suddenly Tyrol was in the brig and Adama was threatening to kill Tyrol’s wife. What?

Much of my frustration with that episode stems from the fact that Tyrol is someone that Adama and Roslin know and trust – why wouldn’t they take his concerns more seriously earlier on? And what if the refinery ship did blow up due to the fact that it was in poor shape? Why weren’t Roslin and Adama more pragmatic and concerned about that critical problem? And I’m all for showing class and labor issues in the fleet, but surely Adama and Roslin are smart enough to handle them with more subtlety and less offhand dismissiveness.

And that final scene in which Roslin was so amenable and friendly to Tyrol was jarring, to say the least – I have to wonder if several scenes were cut from this episode, because their relaxed conversation, given what had gone before it, felt out of place.

But I’m willing to let that go – every single one of my favorite shows has had a frustrating episode or two. That’s just the nature of the beast. And it's my opinion that the last four episodes of the season more than make up for any wobbles earlier in Season 3.

And in any case, the last two outings of the season, in particular, are among the best work “Battlestar” has ever done. There are absolutely transfixing moments in those episodes, and in the season finale, which airs March 25, Jamie Bamber (who plays Lee “Apollo” Adama) and Michael Hogan (Saul Tigh) do some particularly fine work.

And watch for an unexpected moment of levity involving the word “butterfingers.”

I’ll do this next bit in the form of a Q&A, in an effort to ask and answer the biggest questions that might be on the minds of “Battlestar” devotees.

Q. Is Starbuck alive?

A. Good question. We saw debris from her ship, but perhaps she ejected before it was destroyed. And was there a Cylon ship nearby which could have rescued her – or was that a figment of her imagination?

One thing to keep in mind is that in their January interview, Ron Moore and David Eick were very careful to never use the words “death” or “dies.” They called what happened to Starbuck “a major event,” and when I asked directly if she would die in “Maelstrom,” Moore said, “I don’t know that I want to say that directly. I think people will have to watch that episode and judge for themselves what happens.”

I'll just say I find that comment telling.

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

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:34 PM

steverobertson

03-05-07, 01:39 PM

Another compelling agrument for (at least!) two HD DVRS.

I have 2 now but I only watch 24 so that will not an issue for me.

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:47 PM

TV Notebook
TV's must-see Monday ratings war
NBC's 'Heroes,' CBS' 'Two and a Half Men' and Fox's '24' tangle. And the networks are thrilled
By Martin Miller Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 5, 2007

Thursday nights, not Monday nights, were supposed to showcase the battle of the network stars this season.

Although the fireworks between titans "Grey's Anatomy" of ABC and "CSI" of CBS have been colorful, another unexpected contest broke out in January when Fox's "24" returned to Mondays at 9 p.m. to face off against CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and NBC's "Heroes." Combined, the triumvirate of shows can draw as many as a whopping 45 million total viewers, and all three are in the top 20 shows in the highly desirable demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds.

"That's a lot of viewers in the age of fractionalized audiences," said Brad Adgate, senior vice president at New York ad firm Horizon Media. "It shows that even in a very, very competitive landscape, you can still get huge numbers."

Especially in an era when networks are struggling as never before to land a hit show, it's extremely rare for three bona fide frontrunners to be pitted against one another in the same time slot. The trio has been a boon for Mondays, transforming a traditionally solid television viewing night into one of the most competitive prime-time matchups in recent memory.

For an industry wringing its hands over declining viewership, it's a three-way battle royal that everyone, even the opposing networks, is enjoying.

"It's really been a win-win-win for television," said Kelly Kahl, CBS' programming chief. "There's more resilience in this business than I think people give us credit for. When you put on strong programming, it comes from other places instead of our own hides."

Coming into this TV season, it was a given that Fox's real-time nail-biter with Kiefer Sutherland and CBS' bachelor-pad comedy with Charlie Sheen would butt heads in January on Mondays. But weeks into this year's fall season, it quickly became clear that NBC's serialized drama "Heroes" was the one big hit of the season and the network's most valuable new commodity.

"As we came back from the holidays, I think everyone here held their breath," said Mitch Metcalf, NBC's programming chief, on whether "Heroes" would hold on to its audience. "It's television. You never know what's going to happen. You never know."

Metcalf needn't have worried too much. "Heroes," which chronicles an evolutionally gifted and troubled crowd, captured the top spot this week, as it usually does, in the 18-to-49 demographic. Meanwhile, CBS' half-hour guy comedy can boast the highest totals this week, as it usually does, with 16.5 million viewers.

"Two and a Half Men's" success has helped newcomer "Rules of Engagement" as well. The relationship comedy starring David Spade continues to perform well, as it did this week by holding much of its lead-in audience and racking up 13.5 million viewers.

In most other time slots, Fox's action-thriller "24," now in its sixth season, would be a first-place finisher. But in this elite crowd, it's third despite an enviable average viewership of 14.4 million this season

But if there has been any viewership cannibalizing among the trio, the popularity of "Heroes" has probably affected "24" the most. "There's been a bit of nibbling away at '24,' " said Preston Beckman, Fox's head of programming. "But I think the worst thing to do for us would be to disrespect the core audience and move it somewhere else. We play our game and try not to play another network's game."

The three networks say they never gave serious thought to moving their shows to a less competitive time slot. Shifting a show is always a risky decision, not to mention a blow to a network's pride.

But what about next year? Any of these hits could be transplanted to a soft scheduling spot to try to build a respectable night of programming around them. But executives say it's far too early to contemplate shifting shows.

CBS and NBC seemed to suggest that there was little chance of movement from the Monday time slot, but Fox was willing to think about it.

"We'll see. We're expecting to be at Mondays at 9, but who knows?" said Fox's Beckman. "We're at an interesting place, and maybe it's the year to take some gambles. Maybe we'll have some tricks up our sleeves."

But Adgate said he would be surprised if the three shows confront one another in the same place next season. He predicted, like "Grey's Anatomy" and CBS' "Survivor" before them, one of the shows would end up on ad-lucrative Thursday night.

"Each network has a lot of holes to fill," Adgate said. "There's almost no chance these three are going to stay put on Mondays."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-monday5mar05,0,5854494,print.story?coll=cl-tv-features

fredfa

03-05-07, 01:57 PM

I do the best I can, Dave.

I long ago decided not to use spoiler tags (as a general rule) on the site.

I try to note which stories contain spoilers, but am not always perfect. In this case, I noted it, and if that left you unwarned, I apologize.

dad1153

03-05-07, 02:06 PM

dc_pilgrim, that's Fred's polite way of saying Screw you hippie, I gave you plenty of warning there were spoilers. Now go smoke weed and listen to old Jefferson Airplane records (or thoughts to that effect)! ;)

BTW, I haven't seen last night's episode (actually the last three "BG's" are stored in my DVR for an eventual marathon back-to-back viewing) and the moment I read "spoilers ahead" I scrolled right past the story without seeing anything. Guess we all have to learn the hard way dc_pilgrim. :rolleyes:

Iteki

03-05-07, 02:11 PM

If you haven’t seen the latest “Battlestar Galactica” episode skip this post. Spoilers abound.

Great article...sums up the feelings of may fans

jim tressler

03-05-07, 02:12 PM

i always thought the deal was simple.. if its already aired, then its free game... look at the title of the thread.. hot off the press.. what else would you expect the day after something aired.. it would kind of be like putting spoilers tags on who won oscars!!

Iteki

03-05-07, 02:12 PM

archiguy

03-05-07, 02:31 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 02:56 PM

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com
Matt answers your questions about 24, The Class and Grey's Anatomy
By Matt Roush: TVGuide.com TV Critic Monday, March 5, 2007

Question: I must admit that I do not watch 24, but I do keep up with online recaps. Recently, The New Yorker ran an article on the politics of 24, focusing on the question of how the show's liberal use (if you'll pardon the pun) of torture has filtered through to the real world, creating an atmosphere — even within the classrooms of experts who teach law and study torture — in which inflicting terrible pain on people is acceptable. There is certainly also a question about the extent to which 24 has normalized torture and inured the American public to this real issue. As the experts point out, torture does not "work" in real life (leaving aside the question of its barbarism), yet this is not a reality that is ever reflected in 24. The common defense of the show is that it is fiction and people can tell the difference. In fact, people probably can't tell the difference, and 24 — perhaps quite deliberately, given the disposition of Joel Surnow, its producer — has become an advertisement for the positive effects of brutalizing other people. Do you have any comment on this? Are you uncomfortable or concerned with the real-life implications of this kind of "entertainment" in a world where the U.S. has made torture part of its state policy?— Shaun

Matt Roush: My gripe with 24's use of torture, an issue that we've covered in TV Guide as well, isn't so much that it's bad for society but that it has become a crutch for the show. You may have heard my groan when, watching the trailer for this week's episode [possible spoiler alert], I saw that Jack is once again about to threaten an adversary with serious bodily harm, in this case the Russian consul, to squeeze some critical intel out of him. Again? But seriously, if I truly thought 24 was celebrating or glamorizing torture, I might agree with you. But for the most part, I feel that the show goes out of its way to demonstrate that there has been a psychic toll taken on Jack Bauer for his participation in this dehumanizing activity. He has been tricked into thinking he tortured his own brother to death, and he's not very happy about it. He began the season by saying he didn't think he had it in him to go through this again, an indication that he isn't getting much joy out of this save-the-world-at-all-costs business. I don't pretend to agree with some of 24's politics (or the politics of some of its creators, let's say), but I also hesitate to demonize the show as a negative force, when at its best I would prefer to celebrate it as a masterful exercise in action-suspense.

Question: Is The Class canceled or did it just have an early season finale? I'm so disappointed if it is canceled! It has turned out to be one of my favorite shows!— Jami P.

Matt Roush: Tonight's episode is an early season finale, fulfilling a shortened season order of 19 episodes, but it could well be the first step toward a cancellation. (Shades of last season's Out of Practice.) It's too bad. The Class is still figuring itself out, but there are a handful of characters here (Ethan and Kat, Richie and Lina, Nicole and Duncan) I'd like to see more of. It's just that the show lacks a center, with more tenuous connections between the couples than on David Crane's hard-to-surpass Friends. If the prime-time environment were more hospitable to comedy, there might be room for The Class to return and evolve. But with CBS having basically a single two-hour comedy block to work with, and with Rules of Engagement doing well enough after Two and a Half Men to be a lock for renewal (groan), its prospects look pretty dismal.

Question: Is this the unceremonious end for Studio 60? Suddenly preempted by Donnellys whatever? Studio 60 is intelligent, fast, terrifically funny; the stars are great, etc.. My friends and I eagerly anticipated every show. Is there any chance for it? How frustrating, how maddening, how sad if it's been removed forever. Replaced by yet another show with violence as one of its main characters. Nuts.— Bob O.

Matt Roush: Unceremonious, to be sure. Studio 60 was probably always going to take a spring breather to give some mid-season show a tryout, but when NBC rushed The Black Donnellys on the air a week early, it was clearly time to start preparing the eulogy. (Never mind that Donnellys is such a botch it makes Studio 60, whatever its faults, look like a winner.) I won't give you false hope on Studio 60's chances, but you never know if NBC will take a gamble on a star producer like Aaron Sorkin, not to mention that cast, and give it more rope, hoping it will redeem and not hang itself. Still, I wouldn't count on it.

Question: Am I the only one that thinks that a spin-off for the Addison character on Grey's Anatomy doesn't seem like a good idea? I like Kate Walsh, but shouldn't a good spin-off have a different tone than the original (such as Buffy/Angel, The Practice/Boston Legal)? With the announcement of Addison as the main character and Taye Diggs being brought on as the other romantic lead, it sounds like they're making another medical soap. This will mean that Shonda Rhimes' writing will be split between two similar shows which could finally lead to the diminishing quality of both shows. Do you think a spin-off should be different enough from the original so that the good ideas aren't spread too thinly?— Oscar R.

Matt Roush: That was one of the points I made in the Dispatch that I filed the instant I heard about this spin-off idea. If the Addison show is nothing but a clone of Grey's, aping its style and tone, then I think it's in trouble, and there is a distinct risk that the original could suffer as well. The most successful spin-off of all time, Frasier from Cheers, was a perfect case of establishing an altogether different tone instantly. I'm not sure how different a show focusing on Addison would or could be. If it's more dramatic than Grey's, that could translate to "not as much fun." There are only so many ways you can do a medical ensemble show with attractive lead characters (and isn't it funny that some of us were speculating that Taye Diggs would have been the perfect replacement if Grey's had fired Isaiah Washington over his F-word flap?). All in all, this sounds like a risky proposition: for the Grey's team and for the fans, if not for the terrific Kate Walsh, who'll still have a job even if the spin-off doesn't take.

Question: How have the ratings been for The Amazing Race: All Stars? There are very persistent rumors going around that this is TAR's last season unless the ratings rise. The show has been exciting so far, and I would hate to lose this "amazing" reality show.— B. Norris

Matt Roush: So far, not so hot. The first week, the show was damaged a bit by a sports overrun, and the second week, it went up against the Oscars. (What was CBS thinking?) I wouldn't dwell too much on those cancellation rumors, which have dogged Race since the beginning. Although anything is possible, given what I imagine are pretty serious production costs on this most ambitious of reality shows. Maybe the show would do better if it only produced one cycle a season, creating more of a sense of an "event" when it returned. Hard to say. And I wish that Race had resisted the impulse to cash in on an all-star version, which is already getting on my nerves. But I still find it hard to imagine that CBS would cancel the one prime-time series it has that does well at the Emmys. What would they replace it with? A spin-off of Criminal Minds? Kill me now.

Question: Have you heard about the online fans' campaign to save the character Charlie on Lost? They are calling it "Save the Junkie, Save the World." A Heroes rip-off, I know, but it has a ring to it. Charlie has a very loyal fan base. Anyway, my question is: Do you think these sorts of campaigns can actually affect the decisions made by the powers that be? Or do they have these decisions already made?— Linda B.

Matt Roush: Yes, I've heard about the campaign, and it's mentioned on the "You Tell Us" page in this week's TV Guide. Where Charlie's fate this season is concerned, I imagine that's already written in the cards, although my understanding is that Lost is a show whose producers keep ears and eyes glued to fan feedback more than most. The way I see it, because the writers so openly put this issue of Charlie's mortality out front, the likelihood that they'd actually kill him off anytime soon is relatively slim. But nothing this show does would surprise me.

Question: Kelsey Grammer! Patricia Heaton! Together! Color me excited! Now I read that Action News won't be seen on CBS, NBC or even ABC, but has been bought by Fox. I have to wonder how this bodes for the show. What do you think?— Melanie

Matt Roush: There apparently was a bidding war for this comedy pilot, and Fox's series commitment makes Action News already one of the more-anticipated shows for next season. While it's true that Fox has had a lousy track record with live-action comedy, precedent tells me that people will find a show on any network if it lives up to the hype. And on paper anyway, this sounds a lot more mainstream than the beloved Arrested Development. Speaking of which....

Question: I think Arrested Development is the funniest show I've ever seen, and the BBC's The Thick of It is definitely one of the funniest shows in the post AD era. Having said that, I don't think I need to tell you how excited I got when I read that AD creator Mitch Hurwitz was tasked with adapting The Thick of It for the U.S. However, much of my excitement subsided when I heard that he is developing the show for ABC. Is the show pretty much doomed to fail? Even if this show lives up to expectations creatively, it would take a lot for it to become a show mainstream America would follow, especially given that ABC has no other great sitcoms to pair it with. I have a sick feeling in my stomach that it will have a run similar to Sons & Daughters, another gem I sorely miss.— Jordan C.

Matt Roush: The networks really have conditioned us to expect the worst, haven't they? You'd think we could at least take a moment to look forward to the prospect of the talented Mitchell Hurwitz taking a crack at BBC's wild political satire (which I also loved when it aired on BBC America). Instead, we're already worried that once again, ABC will drop the ball when confronted with an actually good comedy. As with Action News, for now let's just hope that the pilot turns out all right, that it's accessible enough to have even a bit of mainstream appeal (may be hard for this one), and that people will find it even if it is sharing the schedule with the likes of Jim Belushi.

Question: I was wondering if there is a difference in either the reviews or the ratings for the two different versions of Law & Order: Criminal Intent? I happen to like both versions, for the completely different approaches each set of characters takes to solving the crimes and how they relate interpersonally and to suspects and victims. Yes, Vincent D'Onofrio is sometimes a little over the top, but I still like him. I also really like his partner, and this season there seems to be more insight into their nonworking relationship. I will forever love Chris Noth, dating back to the original Law & Order (he and Jerry Orbach were my favorite combination from any L&O series). I am not sure his partner, Julianne Nicholson, is quite up to snuff yet, but I will give her a chance. Anyway, thanks for the insight.— Beverley

Matt Roush: On this subject, you have more insight than I do. Of the L&O shows, this is the one I've watched the least. I'm more inclined to watch the Mike Logan episodes over the Robert Goren ones (an actor preference), but generally, I don't watch either. To answer your question, I'm not aware and haven't read anything to indicate that Goren episodes do significantly better or worse than the Logan episodes. Most fans appear to have accepted the way the franchise evolved to reduce D'Onofrio's workload.

Question: I've got to disagree with you on your recent assessment of Prison Break. Is PB ridiculous? Sure. Even idiotic at times? Sure. Every episode has at least one credulity-busting moment. Yet on the whole, it's a gloriously ridiculous story. Where I think that 24 suffers from some of the ridiculous plot twists because of its naturalistic style, PB is distinctly melodrama, even camp, and so it's able to gloss over ridiculous elements. At the same time, I can't help but express my growing loathing for T-Bag. While you may find his antics fascinating, I find them merely disgusting. His recent sojourn of kidnapping and psychologically torturing a family caused me to turn away whenever he came on the screen. He was a great Schillinger-lite villain in Season 1, and one had to admire his plucky survival instincts through much of Season 2, but once he got what he wanted, we were treated to an extended wallow in the disgusting life of a serial murderer and rapist. Like other PB fans, I share the concern over what they will do for Season 3. Yet I also had those concerns about Season 2, and I think they've handled the tradition brilliantly.— Jeff

Matt Roush: To each his own. Jeff's is a wonderful example of a long-honored critical tradition: damning with faint praise. I certainly got my share of hate mail this week (more than usual, anyway) for being so snarky about this silly show last week. I get Prison Break as a guilty pleasure, and I guess I should leave it at that. It's just that it once seemed to have a bit more potential. That may be the reason I champion T-Bag, not because I admire him (hardly!), but because he's the one element of the show that still seems original and daring to me. Everyone else is like pieces on a chessboard, being moved around (and occasionally offed) at the whim of writers who've lost a grasp on character and are content with shuffling the deck in new and wacky ways each week. (When all else fails: suicide.) Last week's episode, in which Team Scofield led the fake "Cooper Green" through hell and high water in their quest to find someone who'd listen to the mysterious tell-all tape, reminded me of a very bad episode of the mercifully vanished Vanished.

http://tvguide.com/News-Views/Columnists/Ask-Matt/Default.aspx

TravelFan1

03-05-07, 02:59 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 03:05 PM

TV Notebook
MyNetTV Changes Production Script
Limp Ratings Prompt Shift From Telenovelas to Reality
By James Hibberd Television Week March 5, 2007

As its telenovela ratings continue to sink, MyNetworkTV is bailing out of scripted programming altogether.

The network dropped plans to produce seventh and eighth cycles of telenovelas, and has ceased pursuing scripted content of any kind.

MyNetwork executives previously said they intended to scale back the telenovela programming that originally comprised the entire schedule. The network last week elected for a full-scale content reboot.

"We're not developing anything scripted at this time," MyNetwork President Greg Meidel told TelevisionWeek in an interview last week. "We don't have one scripted project, other than telenovelas that have already been produced."

Instead, Mr. Meidel said, the News Corp.-owned network, which has struggled to draw audiences with its telenovela content since its launch last fall, is in discussions with top reality producers to acquire new shows.

"The five major networks spend enormous amounts on development, and I don't think we can outdo what they do in [comedies] `Family Guy' or `Two and a Half Men,' or [dramas] `House' or `Grey's Anatomy,"' he said. "But I think there's some great reality projects out there that are available."

MyNetwork launched in September. The network's ratings have gone from low to abysmal since, frustrating the collection of stations that signed on to carry the network as an alternative to the newly formed CW.

The first round of telenovelas, which were stripped Monday through Friday, averaged about 950,000 viewers and a 0.4 rating among adults 18 to 49, according to Nielsen Media Research. Since launching the second cycle in December, the audience dropped to an average 700,000 viewers and a 0.2 rating.

For comparison, if MyNetwork were on basic cable, it would be ranked just above BET among viewers and just above E! among adults 18 to 49.

The network is due for its first major schedule shakeup this month, when it debuts its final two telenovelas-"American Heiress" and "Saints & Sinners"-on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Mixed martial-arts fighting from International Fight League is set for Mondays, with movies on Thursdays and Fridays. The network recently announced an upcoming special on Anna Nicole Smith ("Anna Nicole Smith: A Centerfold Exposed," produced by the team behind "Access Hollywood"), Elton John concert special "Happy Birthday Elton" and IFL fight night preview special "Countdown to Battleground."

Gaining Attention

The new content-from young male-targeted fighting to Hollywood celebrity programming-raises the question of what MyNetwork's post-telenovela brand will be. Mr. Meidel said his current concern isn't to focus on a brand, but to "make some noise." "There is meaning behind the madness," he said. "I want people to know MyNet is out there, and there's a huge percentage that do not know we exist."

Mr. Meidel said he has particularly high expectations for IFL.

"We are utilizing the International Fight League the way USA has used WWF or the way Spike has used UFC," he said. "Mixed martial arts has the ability to attract a large audience, with broad-based appeal that can be used to promote the other nights of the week."

John Rash, senior VP at advertising agency Campbell Mithun, said for MyNetworkTV, reaching for young males-or any young demographic-is a better bet than telenovelas. "What MyNetwork still has of great value is distribution, and the more they can focus it on harder to reach younger males, the more success they may have," he said.

http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31599

fredfa

03-05-07, 03:13 PM

TV Notebook
ABC News nipping at NBC's heels
By Matea Gold Los Angeles Times Staff Writer March 5, 2007

NEW YORK — For the last decade, NBC News has dominated broadcast news, besting the competition with juggernaut programs like "Today" and "NBC Nightly News." Even when the network's prime-time fortunes sank in recent years, the news programs remained outposts of ratings strength.

But now there are signs that the long-golden news division is losing some of its luster.

This season has seen a marked drop in viewership of the network's flagship evening newscast, triggering unease inside a newsroom unaccustomed to ratings woes.

"NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" is down an average of 570,000 viewers compared with last season, a falloff of 6%, according to Nielsen Media Research. The drop has allowed ABC's "World News With Charles Gibson" — which has gained almost 60,000 viewers this season — to substantially narrow the gap between the two programs.

"Today," which lost Katie Couric to CBS this season, has maintained a strong lead over the competition. But the program has suffered its own audience erosion, especially in the key 25- to 54-year-old demographic, which has dwindled by 250,000 viewers so far, a drop of 8%.

Network sources say the shrinking audiences have alarmed news executives and deepened a sense of anxiety among a staff already nervous about new cuts looming as part of NBC Universal's corporate restructuring initiative, dubbed NBCU 2.0. The mood turned especially gloomy last week when "World News" bested NBC in the February sweeps, ABC's first such win in 11 years.

"It's always a very unhappy moment when things are not going as well as they were," said former NBC News President Richard Wald, now a journalism professor at Columbia University who consults for ABC News. "I think they are in that place every dominant news organization finds itself in: You can't go up, you can only go down. This is just the beginning of a struggle, but it is a struggle."

Steve Capus, president of the news division, said he is untroubled by the ratings, and he rejected the notion that the organization has hit a rough patch.

"NBC News is far and away America's leading news division, and that is as true today as it was yesterday," he said. "There is always going to be an ebb and flow in the ratings here and there. The 'Today' show continues to be incredibly dominant. If I were to look at a scoreboard, 'Nightly News' is winning the game."

Capus added that the news division is expanding in key areas such as MSNBC.com, which attracts more traffic than the websites of ABC and CBS combined. This week, Williams is in Iraq to cover the ongoing violence and troop escalation.

It would be difficult for ABC to knock the NBC broadcasts off their perches altogether this season. ("Today" leads "Good Morning America" by 820,000 viewers on average, while "Nightly News" has a margin of 460,000 viewers over "World News.") But the ratings drop-off is an unwelcome trend, particularly on the heels of Jeff Zucker's recent appointment as chief executive of NBC Universal. Zucker got his start in the news division as executive producer of "Today."

"They don't want to disappoint him or put a blot on his ascendancy," Wald said.

Together, the morning and evening newscasts make up NBC News' most important assets. "Today" — which is expanding to a fourth hour this fall — brings in the bulk of the revenue. "Nightly News" is the network's signature broadcast, and its top ranking carries prestige.

The audience decline in the evening has particularly worried NBC executives. "They're scared," said one editorial staffer familiar with internal discussions. "This is enough to constitute an overall trend, and you can't deny it."

The falloff in the ratings has contributed to an unusual period of upheaval at "Nightly News," whose executive producer, John Reiss, left his post Friday, largely because he and Williams had differing working styles, sources said. Officials are expected to name a new producer this week.

Evening news ratings have historically moved in long, slow cycles. "Nightly News," dominant since the mid-1990s, remained No. 1 when Williams replaced Tom Brokaw in December 2004 in what was widely viewed as a successful handoff. But for most of his tenure, the NBC anchor had been competing against two networks mired in upheaval: CBS transitioned from Dan Rather to Bob Schieffer and then Couric, while ABC appointed Gibson to the anchor desk last May after Peter Jennings died of lung cancer and Bob Woodruff was almost killed in Iraq.

Now that all three newscasts have permanent anchors, the competitive landscape may be shifting. One factor, suggested industry veterans, could be Gibson himself. The 63-year-old newsman has a calm presence that appears to be playing well with the evening news audience.

"I don't think NBC is doing anything wrong," said Joe Angotti, a former NBC News executive who now teaches journalism at Monmouth College in Illinois. "It's a matter of the competition just becoming stronger. Charlie is a very strong authoritative figure. He's like a rock, and I think people like that."

For ABC, the recent gains have been particularly sweet, especially after the news division's last two tumultuous years. When the network received word last week that it had won the February ratings contest — a victory that coincided with Woodruff's return on-air — news division chief David Westin sent a case of chilled Champagne to the newsroom to celebrate.

"It was great for everyone because it has been a couple of hard years," Westin said. "But at the same time, it's one sweeps win. This is a longer project than that."

CBS News, meanwhile, has remained stuck in third since Couric became anchor, its evening news audience down 118,000 viewers so far this season.

Sean McManus, president of the news division, said he remains confident in the program.

"We don't like being No. 3 at all, but I still firmly believe if we keep putting on a better and better show, we're going to see some growth in the ratings," said McManus, noting that it took more than a decade for Brokaw to ascend to the top spot. "I'm very patient, Katie's patient, my boss is patient."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-nbc5mar05,0,6081959,print.story?coll=cl-tv-features

habscolts

03-05-07, 04:19 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 04:22 PM

fredfa

03-05-07, 04:24 PM

I may be wrong (and I probably am), but I thought that tonight is the last new episode of Heroes?

Tonight is the 18th episode of the season. New episodes will be back in the May sweep.

jpco

03-05-07, 04:32 PM

TV Notebook
“Knights of Prosperity” Gone

ABC today announced the scheduled next three episodes of “The Knights of Prosperty” will be replaced be reruns of “According to Jim” and “The George Lopez Show”.

In an ominous note, the network did not say if the “Knights” episodes will ever be shown.

What is it with According to Jim and The George Lopez show? They just keep reappearing to replace struggling shows. Do they really draw strong enough numbers in rerun to warrant the removal of something that may be new or interesting, even if it's struggling?

fredfa

03-05-07, 04:36 PM

The move just shows how bad the ABC comedy lineup is. I wouldn't expect either Jim or George to be back next season.

fredfa

03-05-07, 04:58 PM

Critic’s Notebook
He weeds TV chaff so viewers won't have to
By Tim Goodman San Francisco Chronicle in his TV blog “The Bastard Machine” Monday, March 5, 2007

On Tuesday, a network that a lot of people don't watch -- the CW -- will air a reality series called "Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll," which is a TV show I have no intention of reviewing. Why? Assuming that it's not self-evident, I'll give you three quick reasons:

• I very rarely review reality television.

• This is essentially one long commercial for the Pussycat Dolls empire and you don't have to be a trained critic to see through that transparency.

• The CW and the producers of the show are selling it as "self-empowerment" for young women, a show that is "aspirational" (instead of, say, "sensational"), which is too laughably absurd and crass even for my low standards. Had neither the network nor the producers pushed this so fervently as the chance for every young woman to achieve her life's goals, I might have considered reviewing it for the sheer whimsy of hitting it deep into McCovey Cove. Had they said, "This is an opportunity for hot young women to dress up and play 'hootchie skank' while we sell the young demo ratings to Madison Avenue for mad cash," well, sure, I'd have played along.

Ah, but they didn't.

However, this show has provided me a small service as it does illustrate a couple of questions I get all the time. "How much television do you watch?" And "How do you choose what to watch?" The answer to the first is, quite clearly, "too much." Because of that, I have to make a lot of difficult choices, which brings me to the second question, which is slightly harder to answer.

While it's good to be king of all things TV here at The Chronicle, the truth is most large newspapers have two, sometimes three people reviewing shows or otherwise writing television stories -- interviews with stars, features, etc. We don't have that luxury. So what I try to do is avoid most of the patently vapid offerings (most reality shows) and focus on scripted fare from the five broadcast networks and hordes of cable channels.

Channels are multiplying at a rapid rate and many of those eventually decide to stop showing reruns of "Law & Order" and produce their own scripted fare. The onslaught is overwhelming. Sometimes deserving shows from smaller cable channels are overlooked. Luckily I've got my boss and fellow TV addict, David Wiegand, there to help me pick up some of the slack. But trust me, he's not going to watch "Search for the Next Doll" either. I consider part of my job to be, as I've stated many times, taking a bullet for you. Watching television so that you don't have to. Absorbing hours of dramas, comedies, movies, documentaries and even kids shows so that I can funnel you either the best of what's out there or at least give you a representative sampling of what Chuck D once called thedumbassification of America via television and let you be the judge of how to spend your TV time.

Even this working set of rules has some flaws. Often -- meaning every single time -- when I write about BBC America and much of the fine programming available there, people get annoyed because they can't find it or realize they don't get it. Same goes for HBO. Many people would rather I spend most of my time on PBS programming only. (Hey, some weeks I feel the same way. And on those occasions where someone needs to pull me off of the CW or Fox for fear that I will pummel them into a bloody pile of bones, mistakes, bad decisions and regret, then those networks also wish I'd spend more time with PBS. But then when I do spend a lot of time with PBS, many people in public television wish I'd go back to beating up on bad sitcoms. It's just hard to make friends, I guess.)

Sometimes people will ask why I bother with shows like "Slings and Arrows," "Kath & Kim," or "Footballers' Wives," which are imported from places like Canada, Australia and England. There's two answers: It's my job to seek out quality television and bring it to people's attention so they're not stuck watching "Dancing With the Stars" all their lives. Secondly, those shows tend to be the next wave of "Americanized" offerings. Look for all three of those series to be redone (probably for the worse) on our networks soon.

While it's not physically possible to watch everything that's on TV (not to mention being a kind of mental suicide mission), our rickety little system has some benefits. By hunting for the artistically scrumptious morsels you might otherwise have missed -- "Slings and Arrows," "The Wire," "Rescue Me," etc. -- you miss out only on stupid stuff like "I'm From Rolling Stone" or "1 vs. 100" -- and if the dreck manages to become a hit ("Deal or No Deal"), then you'll find out about it on your own, and I won't be complicit in your heinous decision making.

I bring this up because -- well, because a couple of my other column ideas fell through -- March is shaping up to be one very jam-packed month of goodies, followed in very short order by three big event cable series at the start of April, one of them involving Italian mobsters singing their last arias. There are six or seven new series unfolding by mid-March, which may change your viewing schedules drastically.

These how-much-do-you-watch and what-do-you-watch topics came up at a recent dinner party, allowing me to reveal some truisms that people are sometimes surprised to hear. Like that I have absolutely no idea, nor do I care, what's going on with "ER." I once said that the entire cast could have been replaced by aliens and I'd have missed it.

And when people ask what's going on with the "Law & Order" or "CSI" franchises, I get that queasy look on my face. Yeah, I periodically check in to judge the quality. But I'm not following them religiously. One time a guy asked me a detailed question about "Numb3rs" on CBS and I looked at him like he was speaking Gaelic.

Once a show is established, by necessity it gets less of my attention unless:

• It's one of my favorites.

• Everybody is talking about it. "Heroes" for example. Exception: "American Idol."

• The quality of its content is in flux, or has recently improved or tanked, and needs to be monitored. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "30 Rock" and "Friday Night Lights" fall into this category.

Sometimes admitting I'm not watching "Cold Case" or some such thing evokes shock or disdain in loyalists. "Why not," they ask? So I tell them about how one person -- or even two -- can't possibly watch everything that's out there. (You could field a starting five of reviewers and never cover everything -- plus all the higher arts at The Chronicle would lose precious space in the paper and Bay Area cultural integrity would be badly damaged.)

But mostly what I say after "There's too much" is: "And there's more coming."

There's always more coming. March, as you will see, is a perfect example. And here's the scary part, at least for a critic who knows how the business works: By April, 40 or more new shows will be ready to go for next season -- just for the broadcast networks. The cable cobblers are also busy in their little workshops, cranking out new product. And less than a month after those 40 or so shiny new shows scream "Pick me! Pick me!" to the networks, they will indeed be picked. The current season will not have ended and the reinforcements (and replacements) will be coming.

And I'm supposed to waste my time with who wants to be the next hootchie skank?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/05/DDG3MOE3081.DTL

fredfa

03-05-07, 05:06 PM

TV Notebook
Jerry Springer Replaces Regis
NBC News Release March 5, 2007

BURBANK, Calif. -– March 5, 2007 -– NBC has named popular talk show host Jerry Springer ("The Jerry Springer Show") as the new host of "America's Got Talent," when the hit variety-talent competition series returns to the network line-up this summer.

The announcement was made today by Craig Plestis, Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming, Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment.

"Jerry Springer is the perfect ringmaster to harness all the incredibly diverse talent of 'America's Got Talent' under one big tent," said Plestis. "To say the least, he is known for presiding over an unpredictable show where the unexpected is the typical order of each day."

Added series' executive producer, Simon Cowell, "I am absolutely thrilled that Jerry has agreed to host the next season of our show for a number of reasons, he is the perfect person for this show. I wish him (and he is going to need it!) the best of luck."

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"I've been around some of America's most talented individuals on my talk show for the last 16 years, so I'll feel right at home hosting 'America's Got Talent,' said Springer. "I love the show and look forward to discovering the best performers from across the country."

From the producers of "American Idol" and Cowell, "America's Got Talent" premiered on June 21, 2006 with a 4.6 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 12.4 million viewers overall, making it the #1 non-sports telecast on television for the week. In all, "America's Got Talent" ranked #1 among non-sports telecasts three times last summer in adults 18-49 and five times in total viewers. It was the #4 summer series in adults 18-49 and #3 summer series in total viewers, averaging a 3.5 rating, 10 share in 18-49 and 11.0 million viewers overall.

Bringing the variety format back to the forefront of American culture, "America's Got Talent" showcases the hottest performers from across the country, with the winner being chosen by the television viewing audience. Each week, the show features a colorful array of hopeful future stars -- singers, dancers, comedic performers and unique acts of all ages who have a chance to strut and perform in front of a panel of celebrity judges. For information on auditions for the new season, please go to www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent.

Springer is currently in his 16th season of hosting NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's hit talk show "The Jerry Springer Show." Throughout his varied career, Springer has become a cultural and civic icon. In addition to talk-show host, he has been mayor of Cincinnati, political pundit, lawyer, award-winning newscaster, country recording artist, international emcee, television personality, movie star, Broadway actor and progressive talk-radio broadcaster.

Earlier this season, Springer added ballroom dancing to his list of accomplishments as he joined the cast of the hugely popular television series "Dancing with the Stars." The multi-faceted Springer, who has a passion for politics, was named Ohio Democrat of the Year, and represented Ohio as Delegate-at-Large for the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

A regular guest on the talk-show circuit, Springer has appeared on various prominent television shows, including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with David Letterman," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Daily Show," MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" and "The View."

Today, because of the lasting popularity of his talk show, Springer is a favorite guest speaker throughout college campuses in the U.S. In recent years, Springer was welcomed at Harvard, Yale, Georgetown, Northwestern, the University of Miami, University of Southern California, San Francisco State, Emory University, George Washington University, American University, and his undergraduate alma mater, Tulane University.

"Ringmaster," penned by Springer, hit bookstore shelves in November 1998 and was a personal account of his experiences along with remembrances from his childhood and professional career. Also in November 1998, Springer made his first venture into feature films, starring in "Ringmaster," a fictionalized movie chronicling his television talk show. In 1999, Springer worked with Mike Myers, where he portrayed himself in the hit film "Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me."

Springer also has graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Esquire, New York Magazine and Sarasota Magazine and was featured in Vanity Fair's "Vanities." Barbara Walters chose Springer as one of the10 Most Fascinating People in her 1998 Special. Springer has twice served as the master of ceremonies for the Miss World Pageant and added a Broadway appearance to his distinguished list of achievements, starring for a week in the production of "The Rocky Horror Show Live."

Davinleeds

03-05-07, 05:25 PM

Wouldn't you know, my dvd recording of Battlestar failed. Sigh.

VisionOn

03-05-07, 05:32 PM

TV Notebook
“Knights of Prosperity” Gone

ABC today announced the scheduled next three episodes of “The Knights of Prosperty” will be replaced be reruns of “According to Jim” and “The George Lopez Show”.

Awesome, because quite frankly you can never have too much According to Jim. They should just pull Lost from Wednesday and have Jim night. I mean it's not as if ABC are really trying to win Wednesday timeslots, so why waste a Lost on it?

rebkell

03-05-07, 05:56 PM

Wouldn't you know, my dvd recording of Battlestar failed. Sigh.

Tomorrow(Tuesday) at 11:00 pm EST is a replay.

TheRock

03-05-07, 06:17 PM

TV Notebook
“Knights of Prosperity” Gone

ABC today announced the scheduled next three episodes of “The Knights of Prosperty” will be replaced be reruns of “According to Jim” and “The George Lopez Show”.

In an ominous note, the network did not say if the “Knights” episodes will ever be shown.

Oh boy. :rolleyes:

Who wants to see the delicious Sofia Vergara when we can watch two of the crappiest shows of all time instead? Another great move ABC. The only way you can top that is if the reruns started/ended 10 minutes early/late.

fredfa

03-05-07, 07:20 PM

TV Notebook
Foxworthy hits game-show gold
By Scott Collins Los Angeles Times Staff Writer in the Channel Island TV Industry column March 5, 2007

Here’s how quickly a career can change in television: Until a month ago, comic Jeff Foxworthy thought he was pretty much done with the networks.

Last week, though, the man who launched a million redneck jokes helped deliver some record-breaking ratings for Fox. New entry on the Foxworthy résumé? Only prime-time game-show host in America with his own line of beef jerky products.

"I had no desire or aspiration to do more TV," Foxworthy said over the phone in his Georgia drawl last week, after massive ratings for "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" caught network officials by surprise.

In the '90s, Foxworthy's self-titled sitcom burned out after a couple of seasons, and 2004's comedy variety show "Blue Collar TV," while popular, proved an odd fit at the teen-loving WB Network. But the Tuesday premiere of "5th Grader" logged an eye-popping 26.5 million total viewers, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research, and all three airings last week did a superb job hanging onto the huge audience from "American Idol." Following "Idol" might look like a cushy post, but as any producer can tell you, getting those millions of eyeballs to stay stuck to the screen is much harder than it sounds. Thursday's episode of "5th Grader" even climbed 18% among teenagers compared with "Idol," an almost unheard-of achievement.

"I don't know that I saw myself doing a game show," Foxworthy said. As one of the highest-grossing stand-ups in history — his best-known bit remains the "You Might Be a Redneck" tagline that caught on in the early '90s — he didn't need the cash. But he liked the concept of "5th Grader," in which flummoxed grown-ups trip up on elementary-school quiz questions ("How many sides does a trapezoid have?") and are then helped out by bright but not genius-level 10-year-olds. The show reminded Foxworthy of "Kids Say the Darnedest Things," an old quiz segment from Art Linkletter's popular daytime show that was later revived by Bill Cosby as a stand-alone show. "I told them, 'I'm supposed to speak to a Boy Scout troop and I have a show in Atlantic City, but let me start rearranging my life,' " he added.

Fox has been hunting a long time for a show like "5th Grader" — a family-friendly, cheap-to-produce unscripted romp that can pair with "Idol," TV's biggest hit. Previous piffle like "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance" and the game show "Unanimous" didn't quite fit the bill. Although it's still too early to tell whether "5th Grader" can graduate to long-term hit status, Fox is seizing on its early promise, last week quickly ordering four more episodes for its regular 8 p.m. Thursday slot. The series will continue at least through April 19.

"I think we've got a smash hit right now," said Mike Darnell, Fox's executive vice president of alternative programming. "I'm thrilled and a little bit shocked."

The truly amazing part is that it all came together, from pitch to premiere, in less than two months. That's the speed of lightning by the glacial yardsticks of network television, in which development moseys along on 12-month cycles and show ideas are often kicked around for years. But this is exactly how networks are being forced to do things these days, with the TV landscape evolving from one instant to the next, sweeping away yesterday's assumptions in an eye blink. Some shows still need ample time to marinate, but waiting for waiting's sake is a sure recipe for failure.

Producer Mark Burnett, whose "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" franchises have dominated large parts of the CBS and NBC schedules, came to Fox in January with an idea for a show based on quiz questions for grade-schoolers.

"The thing I really related to is that, as a parent of fourth-, fifth- and eighth-graders, I've found helping them with their homework is really hard," Burnett told me. "It's totally relatable for parents."

Darnell liked the idea but knew the original title had to go: "Do You Remember Grade School?" (Yes, and many of us don't want to go back.) Fox executives also tinkered with the structure of play, moving from a zero-sum style game to a more interactive contest in which the kids offered plenty of help to the bamboozled adults.

The result is disarming, undemanding and undoubtedly goofy. "5th Grader" seems like even more of a throwaway after the endless tears and triumph on the pop opera that is "American Idol." In Thursday's episode, a 31-year-old phone-sales rep named Larry sweated out a query about how many times the letter "e" appears in the phrase "Pledge of Allegiance." "If it helps, put your hand over your heart as you do it," Foxworthy quipped.

Darnell said the network got exactly what it wanted in a host: "Someone who could be a little sarcastic with the adults but not mean-spirited."

The gig seems to be working out for Foxworthy too. Sour experiences on "The Jeff Foxworthy Show" gave him trepidation about another big, prime-time outing. "I was trying to be what someone in L.A. thought Jeff Foxworthy ought to be," he said of the sitcom.

But after seeing Howie Mandel on NBC's hit "Deal or No Deal," Foxworthy thought a game show might be fun — and if it failed, it wouldn't hurt his stand-up career.

Now, he has a little more success than he bargained for.

"I'm in the grocery store," he said, "and a 50-year-old guy comes up to me — I'd never met him before — and he goes, 'I only missed one question last night.' He was really proud of himself."

http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-channel5mar05,0,2926103,print.story?coll=cl-tv-features