Hot Off The Press: The Latest TV News and Information - Page 249

Passings
Liz Callan, 57
PBS NewsHour Producer Succumbs to Injuries Suffered in Fire
By John Eggerton Broadcasting & Cable 8/20/2007

Liz Callan, 57, longtime producer for PBS’ NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, died Friday at the Washington Hospital Center of injuries suffered in a recent fire.

Callan joined the show as a producer in 1987. Most recently, she worked in its health and policy unit, where she produced stories on childhood cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and the health implications of the war in Iraq.

She also produced series of stories from El Salvador, Honduras, Chile and Nicaragua during the 1980s, including an interview with a Contra commander from inside Nicaragua during the United States-backed war against the Sandinista government.

Before joining NewsHour, Callan was a writer and producer for NBC News in New York.

Survivors include her daughter, Gabriella, of Washington, D.C., and two brothers.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ind...leID=CA6470215

Cable Nielsen Notes
Disney On Top Of Cable World
Network Scores Biggest Ratings Hit in History of Cable
By R. Thomas Umstead Multichannel News 8/20/2007

Disney Channel Worldwide entertainment president Gary Marsh knew the Aug. 17 premiere of High School Musical 2 would be a big ratings hit. But the most viewed program in the history of cable?

“We all managed our expectations and we were just hoping for the best,” said Marsh.

The “best” turned out to be an incredible 17.2 million viewers, easily besting the cable industry’s previous high of 16.0 million viewers garnered for ESPN’s Oct. 23, 2006 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys Monday Night Football game.

Marsh told Multichannel News that the viewership record wasn’t as important as the fact that the movie, a sequel to the phenomenal 2006 High School Musical hit which has drawn some 200 million viewers worldwide, reached well beyond the network’s target 9-14 tween viewership.

“Its terrific breaking viewing records, but as we all know viewing records come and go,” he said. “But what’s so remarkable is that we set a ratings record as a kids-targeted network that doesn’t have access to the tens of millions of adult viewers that other cable networks do. High School Musical 2 has changed that paradigm.”

But High School Musical 2 wasn’t the only Disney show to set a cable record Friday night. A new episode of Hannah Montana featuring an appearance from tween-targeted pop singing group the Jonas Brothers set the record for a primetime cable series with 10.7 million viewers, topping the 7.1 million viewers generated by the June 18 premiere of The Closer.

The Hannah Montana episode also set cable industry viewership records among kids 6-11 (4.2 million) and Tweens 9-14 (4.1 million).

Overall, Marsh said the network has the highest rated Friday night on television – broadcast or cable -- in five years.

HSM2’s phenomenal performance now sets the bar extremely high for future Disney Channel original movies. But Marsh said that HSM2 was a once in a lifetime event that will be difficult to match.

“We have to savor this moment and acknowledge that it was a force of nature; that is was a coming together of a lot of elements – the music element, the power of Disney Channel right now, the strong thematic components of the movie, the willingness of families to embrace this kind of storytelling in a world fraught with all sorts of heartache right now,” he said. “All of those elements combined make this moment in time a unique and special one.”

Disney’s Friday performance is almost certainly going to produce its sixth straight weekly prime-time ratings win. Marsh hopes that the mass exposure High School Musical 2 brought to the network’s other shows will bode well for the network’s ratings fortunes well into the fall after its tween audience has gone back to school.

“For us, HSM2 gave us tremendous sampling opportunity … I’m not concerned about us losing the momentum, because everything seems to be working,” he said. “We’re satisfying the audience in terms of music, storytelling, comedy and stars-power. These are the elements that our audience craves and we’re giving it to them every single day and every single program, so I’m not terribly concerned right now.”

http://www.multichannel.com/index.as...leID=CA6470112

TV Notes
Seacrest to host Emmy Awards
By Nellie Andreeva The Hollywood Reporter

Fox on Monday tapped "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest to emcee the network's broadcast of the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 16.

"Ryan Seacrest is a consummate host of major live broadcast events and a proven talent who always makes it easy, which makes the perfect choice for this year's Emmy telecast," said Fox's president of alternative entertainment Mike Darnell.

Seacrest has emerged as Fox's host in residence for high-profile specials. The "Idol" host was recently tapped for pregame and halftime hosting duties for the network's upcoming coverage of the Super Bowl.

While Seacrest is a logical choice for Fox, he is a somewhat unorthodox pick for the Emmy Awards ceremony which are usually fronted by a comedian.

"This year's show will be different in a number of ways," said Emmys executive producer Ken Ehrlich. "The freshness, enthusiasm and professionalism that Ryan brings to everything he does will be a perfect match for some of the innovative things we have planned."

In a twist of fate, this year's Emmy Awards were supposed to be executive produced by "Idol" masterminds Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick who bowed out shortly after being named to the gig in the spring.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...955d7381e53da2

Overnight Nielsens in the 18-49 Demo
Olympic dreams: Rise for gymnastics
U.S. Championship is up 9 percent in total viewers
By Toni Fitzgerald MediaLifeMagazine.com staff writer Monday, August 20, 2007

With the Beijing Olympics now less than a year away, NBC saw a small kick-up in viewership for the 2007 U.S. gymnastics championships over the weekend, though they still drew relatively small crowds.

Last night’s finale averaged 4.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen overnights, up 10 percent over last year’s 4.1 million. (Note: Due to Nielsen processing errors, release of the data was delayed until this afternoon.)

Though NBC was still third in the 7 p.m. timeslot, behind CBS’s “60 Minutes” and a rerun of ABC’s “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” it capped a weekend of gains for gymnastics.

Saturday’s 8 p.m. telecast of the championships averaged 3.75 million, up 18 percent over last year’s 3.18 million.

Gymnastics are nearly always the top draw at the Summer Olympics, and next year should be no exception despite the fact that the women’s side will have virtually no returners from the 2004 squad that took silver in the team competition.

However, last night’s numbers may have also been artificially inflated by NBC’s live preseason football game at 8 p.m. Nielsen fast nationals measure timeslot data, not actual program data, and so final numbers may fluctuate when they are released tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Fox and CBS tied for first for the night among viewers 18-49, each with a 2.1 average overnight rating and a 6 share. NBC was a close third at 2.0/6, with ABC fourth at 1.7/5, Univision fifth at 0.8/2 and CW sixth at 0.4/1.

ABC started the night in the lead with a 1.9 rating at 7 p.m. for a repeat of “Videos,” followed by CBS with a 1.8 for “Minutes.” NBC was third with a 1.2 for gymnastics, Fox fourth with a 1.1 for repeats of “Til Death” and “King of the Hill,” Univision fifth with a 1.0 for “Hora Pico” and CW sixth with a 0.4 for a repeat of “Smallville.”

CBS took the lead at 8 p.m. with a 2.9 for “Big Brother,” as ABC fell to second with a 2.4 for a repeat of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Fox was third with a 2.3 for repeats of “The Simpsons” and “American Dad,” NBC fourth with a 2.2 for its first hour of an NFL preseason game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens, Univision fifth with a 0.7 for its first of three hours of “Buscando a Timbiriche” and CW sixth with a 0.3 for a “7th Heaven” rerun.

Fox led at 9 p.m. with a 2.9 for an hour of “Family Guy” reruns, with NBC second with a 2.5 for its second hour of football. CBS was third with a 1.9 for a repeat of “Cold Case,” ABC fourth with a 1.5 for a repeat of “Desperate Housewives,” Univision fifth with a 0.8 for its second hour of “Buscando” and CW sixth with a 0.4 for a repeat of “Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll.”

At 10 p.m. NBC led with a 2.2 for another hour of football, while CBS finished second with a 1.8 for a “Shark” repeat. ABC was third with a 1.1 for a repeat of “Brothers & Sisters” and Univision fourth with a 0.9 for its last hour of “Buscando.”

Among households, CBS led the night with a 5.4 average overnight rating and a 9 share. NBC was second at 4.2/7, ABC third at 3.4/6, Fox fourth at 2.8/5, Univision fifth at 1.0/2 and CW sixth at 0.8/1.

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/art...gymnastics.asp

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

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&#post10367387

Zabras23: I was going to post that Paramount HD-DVD story, but decided not to because of the virulence of the fans of each of the hi def DVD systems.

So, I am glad it is posted: but let us not get into a childish shouting match about Blu-Ray and HD DVD.

That WOULD be refreshing, David!

TV Q&A
Ask Matt (from the Ask Matt column at TVGuide.com)
Why “SYTYCD” will stay a summer hit, “Psych” hits its stride, “The Office” gets a new timeslot and more!
By Matt Roush: TVGuide Senior Critic Monday, August 20, 2007

Question: I know you're a big fan of So You Think You Can Dance and was wondering if you think Fox will eventually decide to move the show to the regular season instead of the summer. Do you think that would be a good idea? I know summer is becoming more competitive and networks like to have original programming then, but the show has become so popular, it almost doesn't make sense to "waste" it during months when ratings are less important. Plus, it would be great if such a move raised the show's profile (after all, American Idol and Dancing with the Stars both started during the summer and became even bigger once they went to the regular season) and I can see SYTYCD finally solving Fox's problem of how to schedule the Idol-less fall. But I would hate for Fox to abuse the show the same way NBC did when they tried to replicate the summer success of Last Comic Standing by throwing together that hasty and ill-advised third season a couple of falls ago. So what do you think — would a move to fall be a good idea? I know Fox originally considered airing this season of Hell's Kitchen in the spring but eventually decided it was best left for summer. Do you think it's the same for SYTYCD?— Mike

Matt Roush: My own opinion is that So You Think You Can Dance should stay put in the summer, where it works beautifully, and my instinct tells me that Fox will keep it where it is — continuing to launch each season out of the American Idol finale and letting it play out one cycle a year, which keeps it from being overexposed and burned out. It's possible that Dance could boost Fox's fortunes in the fall, and that would be the best argument for keeping it off the air during the summer. But the summer months have become increasingly important to the networks' bottom line, and it's in their best interest to come up with at least a few franchises that keep the lights on during these months (Big Brother for CBS, America's Got Talent and Comic for NBC, Hell's Kitchen and Dance for Fox, and I'm not sure what for ABC). If Dance had exploded this year into a bigger hit, then maybe Fox would be tempted. But it seems to have settled into a plateau that's perfectly acceptable for summer but might have more trouble growing in months with more serious competition.

Question: I was wondering if you agree that Psych has truly hit its comedic stride this season. In Season 1, I watched episodes eventually (thanks to TiVo) and chuckled, enjoying the chemistry between the great characters. But this season, it's become don't-miss viewing, laugh-out-loud funny. Your views on the season so far?— TaMara

Matt Roush: For a variety of reasons, I've only seen a handful of episodes this summer, but what I've seen I've really enjoyed, so I see no reason to disagree.

Question: I was completely prepared to enjoy Saving Grace until I saw an interview in which Holly Hunter disdainfully admitted that her family does not watch TV and only has a set to watch prerecorded DVDs and other "worthy" materials such as Emmy and Oscar submissions. I have not watched a single episode of her show because of the bad taste left in my mouth by her proud declaration that TV is below her talents and attention. Is it fair of me to dislike this supposedly groundbreaking series because I find the star a hypocrite? And what do you think of someone so blatantly scorning the medium that has helped make her a cable-TV star?— Janine

Matt Roush: If you knew how little TV most people in the business watch, you'd probably have to tune everything out. (But it helps explain why the TV Academy membership makes such a sorry mess of the Emmy nominations most years.) I'm not surprised to hear that she said this, but that's only because I've become accustomed to hearing it from just about everyone in Hollywood. Which is another way of saying that I doubt Holly Hunter was trying to act all elitist, even if it came off as arrogant (which, again, wouldn't surprise me). She was just being honest. Most people I know who work in theater, film or TV rarely find time to get hooked on weekly series television. Their loss. But you'd think once they learn how difficult it is to pull off even a mediocre TV show given the time and money constraints, they'd have a new appreciation for the medium. I wonder if she'd have the same answer a year from now.

Question: Why did NBC move The Office so it now conflicts with Grey's Anatomy? I guess putting Scrubs after it might give that show the break it deserves. And now they put Cane opposite Boston Legal. I don't have TiVo, so I guess I have to dust off my VHS. Do they really want to weed out good (old) shows or jeopardize new ones? On another topic, what happened to Shark?— Kay S.

Matt Roush: The move of The Office has nothing to do with giving Scrubs a break. This is Scrubs' final season, and nothing's going to make it a breakout hit. Actually, none of NBC's comedies on Thursday are runaway hits. The move probably has to do with giving 30 Rock a more protected slot at 8:30 pm/ET, between My Name Is Earl and The Office. The fact is that some good NBC comedy is going to have to go up against Grey's Anatomy and CSI, and The Office is arguably better suited, thematically and content-wise, for the later time period. And Cane vs. Boston Legal? CBS had to put something there, having basically vamped with repeats all season long on Tuesdays after the fast flops of Smith and 3 LBS last season. I'm assuming Cane was developed as a 10 pm/ET show, and wherever it was scheduled, it would go against some hot drama. No show gets a free pass anymore. And what happened to Shark? I'm not aware anything did — unless you mean the fact that it has moved from Thursdays to Sundays at 10 pm/ET, where it will stay in the fall.

Question: Just wondering about your take on Viva Laughlin. Is it really as bad as some of the critics are making it out to be, or is it the musical aspect that some people just can't stomach? I'm quite intrigued by all of the CBS promos for Viva — Hugh Jackman! Melanie Griffith! I'm there for at least the first few episodes!— Robin

Matt Roush: This one has "disappointed cult" written all over it. I liked the original British version quite a bit (titled Viva Blackpool on BBC America), but the CBS pilot is a lot less enticing: in its writing, its musical choices, its pacing, its casting (don't get accustomed to Jackman being there, in other words). There's a chance this show will get its act together, but from what I heard from the producers during the show's TCA session, where it sounded like they were more nervous than the audience about calling this thing a musical, I'm not betting on it. It was always going to be a tough sell, even if it had turned out as well as (for example) Pushing Daisies. Without critical support, which I imagine will be hard to come by, this is one of the longest shots of the fall season.

Question: OK, I know it's not your channel or your kind of show (it is a chick thing!), but I was wondering: Have you previewed any episodes of Lifetime's Side Order of Life? Though it's a little cheesy, with its Ally McBeal-esque antics (not done half as well...), the heart of this show is very sweet and genuine. Diana-Maria Riva is absolutely amazing as Vivy. The way she makes me laugh and cry, portraying a woman striving to live a normal life despite having cancer, is a prime example of why I love TV and come back for more each week!— Nicole

Matt Roush: Message received. My initial reaction to reviewing this pilot was to cut it some slack. I agree with the remark about it being cheesy, but I also found it harmless and likable and, most important, very much in keeping with the Lifetime brand (and I don't mean to be patronizing here). By comparison, despite a strong performance by Lili Taylor, I thought its companion show, State of Mind, was an annoyingly over-the-top attempt to bring an FX-like edge to Lifetime, with characters I could barely stand an hour of. I haven't watched either show past the pilot and doubt that I will (though I have tried to keep up, here and there, with Army Wives), which is less a reflection of their quality than with the overwhelming glut of summer programming. (Sundays also being home to The 4400, HGTV's Design Star and, until recently, that strange surfing show on HBO, among other distractions.)

Question: Damages is fascinating and does a terrific job at providing those "out of the blue" moments that grab your attention. But the show is so nasty and cynical. I realize it is not the scope of the show, but couldn't they have put some nice, enjoyable characters in the show? It's like watching the Wicked Stepsister ruin everyone's lives. Normally, I like dark. I love the old Irish folk songs where the good person is screwed at the end. Love The Shield. But this show may not be a keeper for us. Which is too bad, because we want to like it.— Jon D.

Matt Roush: I'll admit, I'm at a loss to figure out where Damages is going beyond this season and whether in the long run it will be a "keeper." But I can't imagine anyone who's stayed with it this long tuning out before seeing how the season ends. It's a nifty, if bleak, mystery, and I agree that outside of the heroine Ellen, who we already know is heading for a tragic fall, there are very few characters to engage our sympathies (Glenn Close's portrayal of Patty Hewes as a bad mother with a borderline-psycho son probably isn't enough). But to try to balance the show's sinister nature with a few "nice, enjoyable" types might risk compromising the show's vision, even if this means some viewers will be put off by the unrelieved cynicism. Honestly, the only truly decent person in the show is someone we already know is going to turn up dead by the end (which may signal he's not quite as saintly as he appears).

Question: Do you know if Fox will ever show the April 18 episode of Bones that was postponed due to plot similarities with the Virginia Tech tragedy? Is it possible they will air it a week before the new season starts, like the WB did for Buffy (with the awesome "Earshot" episode, which bore similarities to Columbine) several years ago?— Joe

Matt Roush: Here's the situation, as laid out by the Bones producers during a TCA session last month: The episode is being reworked with the intention of airing it in December. A new subplot will have to be worked into the episode, because part of the original version involved some critical moments in the Hodgins-Angela relationship in which he proposed to her after going to Cam and Booth for advice. Since that ship has already sailed, those scenes are being taken out of the episode (though they may be included in a future DVD). But the main procedural storyline will remain intact in the version that's expected to air later this season.

Question: I am writing to you, but mostly to the African-American reader who wrote to you about Tyler Perry's House of Payne. I, for one, think it's a funny show. While I will agree that the first few episodes were rough, I find myself looking forward to it, and I TiVo it religiously. That reader kind of ticked me off, because maybe he doesn't personally go through the issues from the show, but they are definitely issues in a lot of families. I give thumbs up to Tyler Perry for doing the show he wanted to do, rather than what the networks wanted. I am proud to see a 90-percent black cast and wish there were more like this for my children to see. I think it's important to remember that this show is a comedy and thus makes light of issues. The episode this week about the son on the Internet and a predator coming to the house opened up a dialogue in my family about the issue. If you don't like the show, don't watch it! But let it be for those of us (and trust me, there are a lot) who do like it! The reader who put this black show down was then saying that there are no shows that represent them. Maybe this is not the best show for everyone, but it is definitely making a point that African-Americans do have a voice and want to see things that appeal to them, whether they be serious or funny! When you jump out of the gate and condemn them, then we go back to watching shows like Friends and Seinfeld that in no way reflect us. Next time, think before you speak, please.— L.C.

Matt Roush: Clearly, there's an appetite for Tyler Perry's brand of comedy, and there's no question TV could use more comedies (and dramas) servicing minority audiences. But to give too much credit to a show just because it's African-American makes as little sense to me as when gay audiences continued to overembrace something like Queer as Folk after it went off the rails into self-parody. If people are willing to settle for the amateurish quality of House of Payne just to see themselves reflected on TV, so be it. And if some families think it's funny, good for them. But it's unfair to accuse someone of not "thinking before they speak" just because they disagree with you. I doubt the future of African-American TV rests on the shoulders of this show, but it's already successful, so what's the problem? If Perry had any ambitions for this show beyond cranking out a cash cow, it certainly isn't evident in the writing or casting.

Question: Any news on the fate of Flight of the Conchords? Though an episode or two has stumbled, it has been an overall joy to watch. The ensemble cast is one of the best in comedy. Also, they've given me a reason to start wearing all of my old folk-music T-shirts again. So what's the verdict? Should I put my old T-shirts back into storage?— Chrissy

Matt Roush: Wear them proudly. I don't share your fondness for this show — as a series, it makes a better argument for music-video interstitials — but it does have a devoted cult following. And HBO has just made this group of fans very happy by renewing it at the end of last week, along with Entourage (a decision I'm much more on board with). Given that it looks like it hardly costs anything to produce Conchords, I guess I'm not that surprised.

http://www.tvguide.com/Ask-Matt#01soyouthinkyoucandance

Critic’s Notes
The “Mr. Television” column:
A Season Of Change
By Marc Berman MediaWeek August 20, 2007

You have to excuse me if I sound a bit frazzled, but I'm under a bit more pressure than usual to write the column this week. That's because if I don't get it wrapped fast there are liable to be more prime-time schedule changes. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a tad, but I don't understand why the networks even bother showing their new fall lineups every May when we all know a ton of changes will be made over the summer.

Fox, in particular, has made so many tweaks I can barely remember what half its schedule looks like. And if I'm confused—remember, I can break down a decade of TV schedules off the top of my head in Rainman-like detail—imagine what it must be like for the average viewer. (Go to pifeedback.com and try to stump me…not many can.)

In three months, Fox has repositioned Tuesday through Friday by moving Bones to Tuesday, adding a second weekly telecast of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, finding a spot for recent game show Don't Forget the Lyrics and pushing back upcoming drama New Amsterdam to midseason. What always amazes me about Fox is how it also boldly announces its plans for midseason in May. If it can't decide what to do this fall, why would we believe anything it says about January and beyond?

ABC, meanwhile, has changed the title of upcoming Christina Applegate sitcom Samantha Who? twice and refigured Friday, opting to open with veteran newsmagazine 20/20 and moving sophomore drama Men in Trees to 10 p.m. It also chose to recast one of the leads on upcoming sitcom Cavemen and has re-shot the pilot, a similar tactic to last season's freshman Brothers & Sisters. But Cavemen is no Brothers & Sisters and is likely to be extinct by the November sweeps. Why create a series based on a goofy commercial, ABC?

CBS and corporate cousin The CW have kept their word from May, leaving their schedules intact…for the time being. But NBC, which is now kicking off the week with new dramedy Chuck, has expanded returning The Biggest Loser to 90 minutes, pairing it with The Singing Bee, and has totally revamped Friday. The original Monday 8 p.m. telecast of Deal or No Deal has been bumped to Friday, leading into Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas, which will flip time periods.

While the above changes may not sound overly dramatic, keep in mind that there is still a full month before the new season begins. So, brace yourself for more changes. Every time a network makes a change, particularly before the season begins, I think it sends out a message of insecurity to the audience. And if the network seems unsure of itself, why should anyone watch? What I wouldn't give to sit in those programming chiefs' chairs for one week—or two—to see what it's really like to set schedules. And don't even get me started on how nice it would be to have two weeks of their pay.

Since I think I actually have the chops to do the job, here's one observation. Now that Kitchen Nightmares is cooked on Wednesday at 9 p.m. (unless, of course, Fox changes its mind again), four of the five series in that hour are new. Only CBS sleeper Criminal Minds is established. And nine new series in total are now airing on Wednesday, more than I can ever remember on a single evening. How are any of these new shows going to stand out in the glut of new offerings?

One recent trend that will not be repeated next season is breaking seasons into two shifts (Heroes, Lost or Jericho). But what is also unusual (and another historical high, I believe): 18 established series are waiting on the bench for midseason. This shows that the broadcasters are taking a page from cable and starting to roll out series throughout the year. Very smart.

An unfortunate obstacle the broadcasters face is a weak summer, the blame for which falls on the shoulders of dismal original fare like ABC's Fast Cars & Superstars, Set for Life and Shaq's Big Challenge; CBS' Pirate Master and Creature Comforts; NBC's Age of Love; Fox's On the Lot and The CW's Hidden Palms. Through eleven weeks, the five networks combined are averaging 25.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data. That's a decline of 3.9 million viewers ( 14 percent) from last year. Combined erosion among adults 18-49 is more severe at 17 percent (a 8.3 rating/27 share from a 10.0/33).

While any savvy researcher will blame the falloff on the lower HUT levels in the summer, audience shrinkage makes the promotional platform weaker. And that will certainly not bode well for the new TV season.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/departme..._id=1003627804

TV Sports
'Countdown' scores new timeslot
Olbermann to air before 'Sunday Night Football'
By Michael Learmonth Variety August 20, 2007

NEW YORK --- Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" is about to get a much bigger platform--a pre-game timeslot before NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

MSNBC is programming a special edition of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," which will air live on the network on Sunday at 7 pm EST before NBC's pre-season matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8 pm.

"I'm delighted we're getting a chance to show off in a bigger storefront window," Olbermann said.

MSNBC is looking to re-introduce former ESPN anchor Olbermann to sports fans as well as expose his cable news show to a wider aud of potential viewers.

"Countdown" averaged 721,000 viewers in July, an 88% increase from July of 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research. Show beats CNN at 8pm EST in July, but trails Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor," which averaged 1.9 million viewers.

NBC Sports is airing pre-season games on Sunday without a pre-game show, which created a window for the special edition of "Countdown" at 7 p.m.

Olbermann is set to join NBC's "Football Night in America" analysis team of Bob Costas, Tiki Barber, Chris Collinsworth and Jerome Bettis, but only select members of that crew are working the halftime show of preseason games.

Olbermann will not appear on the halftime show for Sunday's Eagles-Steelers game, allowing "Countdown" to be shot live at MSNBC studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?lay...&categoryid=14

Critic’s Notes
From the You've-Got-to-be-Kidding Department:
Ryan Seacrest will host the Emmy Telecast
By Barry Garron in The Hollywood Reporter blog “Past Deadline” August 20, 2007

It's no secret that the Emmy telecast is in trouble. Ratings, with rare exceptions, have been on a downhill course for years.

A lot of reasons have been offered, such as an abundance of award shows, a broadcast that lasts too long, nominations that sometimes verge on the ridiculous and bad timing (for example, 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina).

This year, at least, people will be able to agree on what went wrong--the selection of Ryan Seacrest as host.

That's right, the high priest of bland on "American Idol," the guy who single-handedly made New Year's Eve the dullest night on TV, has been picked to bring verve and wit to the Emmy telecast. This is a show that desperately needs laughs and the quickness of a standup comic. So why choose a guy with a well-deserved reputation for being monotonously glib? It makes about as much sense as selling posters of former FEMA director Michael Brown to raise money for Katrina victims.

So how did it happen? Did they make a list of potential hosts and get turned down by all of them until they got to Seacrest? Is it possible that even Donald Trump and Paris Hilton were busy that night?

For an explanation, look no further than the Emmy rotation system, in which ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox take turns carrying the award show. The network in charge that particular year has considerable influence over who gets chosen as host.

Naturally, each network wants one of its own to be host. Last year, for example, NBC had the show and picked Conan O'Brien. But what happens if your network, like Fox, doesn't have an obvious choice? You could go outside your network and find someone else with proven talent and fast wit, such as Ellen DeGeneres or Chris Rock. Or you can put the promotion of your network before the good of the Emmys and pick Seacrest.

The release announcing the new host had a quote from Dick Askin, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, who touted Seacrest's popularity with younger viewers. The problem is that, even if this was true, it makes no difference. Younger viewers don't watch the Emmys. Never have and never will.

Then Mike Darnell, Fox's president of alternative entertainment and the individual who has done more to dumb down TV than anyone in history, is quoted. "His work on 'American Idol' is unparalleled in the industry," Darnell says. I agree, though we'd probably differ on how to interpret "unparalleled."

Fox initially announced that the men behind "American Idol," Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick, would produce the Emmy telecast. They bowed out shortly thereafter. Wouldn't it be nice if Seacrest follows their example?

http://www.pastdeadline.com/

Maybe he could also host the BCS and the Daytona 500, then do a short intro to each episode of "House".

TV Notes
Cable Takes Over
By Patrick Day, Todd Martens and Stephanie Lysaght Los Angeles Times

The overwhelming success of "High School Musical 2" is just the latest triumph in cable TV's long but steady march to the top.

1972-1975: HBO takes off

The world's first pay-cable station aired "Sometimes a Great Notion," starring Paul Newman and Henry Fonda, on Nov. 8, 1972. Time Inc.'s fledgling channel signified the cable industry's first step toward changing the way Americans viewed TV. Informally known as "Home Box" at the time, the cable channel started to come into its own three years later, when the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier "Thrilla in Manila" heavyweight bout was broadcast live via satellite.

1981-1983: MTV launches a 'Thriller'

The launch of MTV in August 1981 redefined the music and television industries, stealing the cool from radio by placing an emphasis on fast-paced visuals. MTV quickly became the go-to station for youth culture, operating in parallel as a repository for teen marketing initiatives. If there is a singular event that heralded MTV’s cultural dominance, it was the premiere of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” A swell of excitement around the 14-minute video turned the canny marketing tool into a must-see event. The highly choreographed zombie dance-a-thon, directed by John Landis (“An American Werewolf in London”) with cinematic production values, premiered in December 1983. Demand was so high that it was shown twice an hour in its early days.

1983: HBO turns to puppets

After a few attempts at producing original documentary series, HBO decided to make its first original fictional series one for the kids. Teaming with Jim Henson, the channel launched "Fraggle Rock," about several races of Muppet characters who live in an underground world accessed through a crack in the wall of a man's shed. The series lasted five years on HBO. The same year, the channel aired its first made-for-TV movie, "The Terry Fox Story."

1985: Wrestling for dollars

Pay-per-view had been in use since the early 1970s to broadcast sporting events of all kinds, but it wasn't until Vince McMahon, the young owner of the World Wrestling Federation, held the first "WrestleMania" event in New York on pay-per-view that a cable sports love affair was born. McMahon's enterprise, now called World Wrestling Entertainment, is currently one of pay-cable's most prolific programmers, with multiple pay-per-view events per year.

1985: 'Live Aid' inspires a generation

The recent airing of “Live Earth” may have been a clarion call for the environment, but it was far from the ratings event that was 1985’s “Live Aid.” With its main stages in London and Philadelphia, Live Aid aired on multiple networks (ABC and MTV in the U.S.), and is said to have attracted more than 1.5 million viewers in 100 countries.

Performers included Led Zeppelin, the Who, U2, Madonna, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, but "Live Aid" became a television milestone for providing almost a full day's worth of continuous satellite coverage around the globe.


1988: Cable wins over jury of peers

After well over a decade in operation, the cable industry finally earned recognition from its peers when the network-centric Academy of Television Arts & Sciences decided to bestow two Emmy awards on cable programming, specifically HBO's documentary "Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam." Earlier that same year, another cable station, ESPN, won the first Sports Emmy for its programming.

1991: Here come the cruise missles

CNN had been in existence since 1980, but Ted Turner's cable news outfit didn't break out until 1991, when the Persian Gulf War handed the channel its biggest advantage over the networks -- the ability to report live from within Iraq during the first bombing campaigns of the war. CNN correspondents Bernard Shaw, John Holliman and Peter Arnett delivered arresting reports, often from underneath desks, that transformed the first 24-hour news network into must-see TV.

1992: MTV gets real

Cementing MTV’s shift from a 24/7 music channel to a youth lifestyle juggernaut was the 1992 launch of “The Real World,” which has become the longest-running program in the station’s history. The show provided some of the first reality-TV stars of the '90s, and its success paved the way for 1995’s “Road Rules.”

Now in its 19th season, “The Real World” has plenty of unscripted company on TV. But while “The Real World’s” influence can been seen in competitors such as “Survivor” and “Big Brother,” among many others, MTV has continued to win audiences and headlines with its reality programming, including “The Osbournes,” “My Super Sweet 16” and the current hit “The Hills,” which just kicked off its third season with impressive ratings.

1999: Made men

HBO's mob drama "The Sopranos" debuted to critical praise so glowing, the Emmy-voting members of the TV academy, whose tastes tended toward network fare, couldn't help but give it a nomination for best dramatic series. It was the first time a cable series had been nominated in the category. It took five more years for the celebrated mafia drama to finally win an Emmy.

2007: 'The Closer' opens wide

TNT hit the ball out of the park with its original dramatic series, "The Closer," starring Kyra Sedgwick. The police drama's season three premiere became basic cable’s most-viewed series telecast of all time, with 8.81 million viewers tuning in for the record-breaking episode. Turner Entertainment Network president Steve Koonin explained at the time, “We’re only getting better shows on cable, and I’m glad we’re kind of leading the way.” Sedgwick won a Golden Globe and has earned two Emmy nominations for her work on the series.

2007: 'High School Musical 2' takes sophomore honors

Forget three times. The second time must be a charm, because the premiere of "High School Musical 2" pulled in an estimated 17.2 million viewers. That number would make it the most-watched basic cable program in history and the summer's biggest blockbuster not on the big screen. The old cable record belonged to a 2006 “Monday Night Football” game on ESPN that drew 16 million viewers.

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