The Television Critics Association Press Tour came to an end on Saturday with the last three days devoted to cable networks. In the past, cable usually kicked off the press tour, but this year shoved toward the end of the twelve-day tour. Neverthless, critics stayed through the end, with the HBO presentation playing to full capacity on Saturday.
The biggest surprise at the cable portion of the tour was the absence of Turner networks, especially when TBS has Conan O'Brien's new weeknight talk show to promote.
Other cable networks such as Comedy Central, BET, TVOne, and ESPN also skipped the Summer press tour.
Still, cable networks were plenty represented, and here is an abbreviated take on their panels and presentations, in no particular order:
MTV/Nickelodeon
While Viacom only featured two of its cablers at the press tour, they provided the most attention - and not due to MTV's new Teen Wolf series or some kid who was featured on YouTube getting his own show on Nickelodeon. Nope, it was those wild nitwits from Jersey Shore that convinced critics to avoid leaving the tour early. The pompous jackasses had really nothing interesting to say at the tour but to stand there, look pretty, and give insipid answers to insipid questions - just like your average politician. Snooki for Governor!
FX
Fox's answer to cable held a Sons of Anarchy panel on August 3 featuring Mr. Hellboy himself Ron Pearlman and creator and exec producer Kurt Sutter. The biker drama returns with new episodes on Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. (CT). The best part of this panel? When asked about the lack of Emmy nominations, Sutter was quoted as saying "F*** them." You go, man!
-Also on FX's slate are new dramas Terriers and Lights Out (a new boxing drama with Stacy Keach), the newest season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and comedies The League (entering its second season) and Archer, a new animated sitcom featuring the voice of Aisha Tyler.
TLC/Discovery
-No Kate & Jon and Eight (thank God) at the tour, but TLC is launching a new show called Sister Wives, featuring a man who lives with his three wives. Should be named Lucky Bastard.
- Discovery has a new reality/competition show that's basically Idol behind bars. From Mark Burnett (who else?) it's Talent Behind Bars, debuting this fall. Included in the competition is the "Don't Drop The Soap" contest and Who Wants To Host A Radio Show? The winner gets to co-host with ex-con Jim Laski for a day on WGN Radio.
- Also unveiled at TCA is a new cable network targeted to children called The Hub, a joint venture of Discovery and Hasbro. The channel plans to air animated series, game shows, and live-action programs, circa Nickelodeon in 1988.
Nat Geo
- Nat Geo (a.k.a. The National Geographic Channel) plans to produce ten new episodes of Locked Up Abroad, scheduled to debut next year, and renewed Taboo for a seventh season.Meanwhile, new spin-off channel Nat Geo Wild (formerly Fox Reality Channel) plans to focus on the declining feline population with Big Cat Week (and by declining felines, I mean lions and tigers - not two sports teams in Detroit which are meeting a similar fate.)
Starz
- The party may be over for Party Down, but Starz continues its commitment to original programming with new seasons of Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Pillars of the Earth and launching a new series called Camelot with FlashForward star Joesph Finnes, who gets another chance to fail. Camelot features a contemporary take on the classic story. Also arriving at Starz doorstep is Torchwood, which moves over from BBC America.
According to Starz President and CEO Bill Myers, his network wants to pursue shows that are "epic, entertainment, and fun." Yes, the party never stops at Starz - unless the name of the show has party in the title.
BBC America
On tap for BBC America is a new action drama called Outcasts, where as a group of survivors relocate to another planet after Earth is destroyed - the real question is, can they get along with one another? Another is, has this series been done before? The program is filmed in South Africa and features former Ugly Betty star Eric Mabius and former Battlestar: Galactica actress Jamie Bamber.
A&E
The Bourne Ultimatum director brings his first project to TV in the vein of The Unexplained. This documentary from Doug Liman examines paranormal activity and those who experienced it.
HBO
Last, but not least came HBO into TCA and held panels in front of a packed house on the last day of the tour. Among the talking points co-president Richard Plepler and programming chief Mike Lombardo pointed out in their exec session:
- The execs are not concerned about martin Scorsese's new series (Boardwalk Empire) premiering at the same time the major broadcast nets are rolling out their shows. The series premieres Sept. 19.
- Confirmed Entourage is ending in 2011, but a movie is in the works.
- Noted 66% of HBO viewers watch their shows via DVR playback.
- The execs took the Kurt Sutter stance on the reason why David Simon (The Wire, Treme) doesn't get nominated for Emmys (only without using the F bomb.)
Other HBO News & Notes:
- Spike Lee told the press at TCA he actually had to add extra material If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, which features the continued aftermath of life in post-Katrina New Orleans. Lee was nearly finished filming the documentary when the BP oil spill happened. According to him, the reason for the extra material was to show the connection between the disaster in New Orleans (due to faulty levees) and the oil spill disaster in the Gulf - both having greed as a underlining theme. Lee also travels to Haiti to explore the aftermath of yet another disaster - the earthquake that ravaged the country last fall. The four-hour documentary airs August 23 and 24.
- Ricky Gervais will star in an HBO stand-up comedy special to be taped here in Chicago Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and air in December.
- 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan will also be featured in a stand-up comedy special airing in November.
- Bruce Springsteen is featured in a documentary titled The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, due to air in October.
- Rosario Dawson is hosting Brave New Voices 2010, a special featuring young poets from around the country competing at the national youth poetry slam in Los Angeles. Look for the special to air in November.
And that's a wrap - thankfully - for the TCA Press Tour in 2010. Last one turn out the lights!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
WBBM-TV cancels "Monsters"
What's surprising about Monsters and Money in the Morning is the program actually outlived The Jay Leno Show - by one month.
In what could be considered the biggest bomb in local television history, CBS-owned WBBM-TV canceled future T Dog Media Blog TV Hall of Shame inductee Monsters and Money in the Morning after six-and-a-half months of ultra-low ratings to be replaced by a new morning show on August 30, anchored by Steve Bartelstein, who held gigs at WCBS-TV and WABC-TV in New York City.
The move comes as more and more stations are firming up their morning news franchises by adding 4:30 a.m. newscasts, as two of them (WLS-TV and WFLD) just did and another (WGN-TV) is doing so as of Monday.
Monsters leaves the air on August 27.
The program was a mix of sports talk and financial news, hosted by former WSCR personalities Mike North and Dan Jiggetts, with Terry Savage and former CNBC reporter Mike Hedgeus handling the financial side. The program debuted on February 1, only a month after North & Jiggetts' Monsters in the Morning show went belly up on Comcast SportsNet.
While ratings expectations were low, the series never found an audience as ratings failed to match the already low ratings of the traditional news shows it replaced.
Ratings have always been a problem for WBBM and many other CBS affiliates, as the network's morning show still trails Good Morning America and Today, as its been for decades with umpteenth revamps, which even included a morning "news" show with comedy elements, a.k.a. The Morning Program, which ran for only ten months in 1987.
Much like The Morning Program (which was produced by CBS Entertainment), Monsters was not classified a news program, so it would realize revenue possibilities in a way it wouldn't be able to if it had. Of course, the issue was moot given Monsters' poor ratings performance.
As yours truly predicted back in February, this "experiment" wouldn't work (after all, I learned a thing or two after predicting The Jay Leno Show in primetime would be a modest hit - and look how that turned out.) If nobody watched North and Jiggetts on Comcast SportsNet, why would the duo fare any better at The Church of Tisch?
The only thing that will be remembered about Monsters and Money in the Morning is it has reserved a spot in the place where almost all bad television shows go to die - The T Dog Media Blog TV Hall of Shame. And Monsters would make history as the first local television program to ever be inducted (Johnny B. On The Loose doesn't really count because even though it was produced in Chicago, it was nationally syndicated.)
In what could be considered the biggest bomb in local television history, CBS-owned WBBM-TV canceled future T Dog Media Blog TV Hall of Shame inductee Monsters and Money in the Morning after six-and-a-half months of ultra-low ratings to be replaced by a new morning show on August 30, anchored by Steve Bartelstein, who held gigs at WCBS-TV and WABC-TV in New York City.
The move comes as more and more stations are firming up their morning news franchises by adding 4:30 a.m. newscasts, as two of them (WLS-TV and WFLD) just did and another (WGN-TV) is doing so as of Monday.
Monsters leaves the air on August 27.
The program was a mix of sports talk and financial news, hosted by former WSCR personalities Mike North and Dan Jiggetts, with Terry Savage and former CNBC reporter Mike Hedgeus handling the financial side. The program debuted on February 1, only a month after North & Jiggetts' Monsters in the Morning show went belly up on Comcast SportsNet.
While ratings expectations were low, the series never found an audience as ratings failed to match the already low ratings of the traditional news shows it replaced.
Ratings have always been a problem for WBBM and many other CBS affiliates, as the network's morning show still trails Good Morning America and Today, as its been for decades with umpteenth revamps, which even included a morning "news" show with comedy elements, a.k.a. The Morning Program, which ran for only ten months in 1987.
Much like The Morning Program (which was produced by CBS Entertainment), Monsters was not classified a news program, so it would realize revenue possibilities in a way it wouldn't be able to if it had. Of course, the issue was moot given Monsters' poor ratings performance.
As yours truly predicted back in February, this "experiment" wouldn't work (after all, I learned a thing or two after predicting The Jay Leno Show in primetime would be a modest hit - and look how that turned out.) If nobody watched North and Jiggetts on Comcast SportsNet, why would the duo fare any better at The Church of Tisch?
The only thing that will be remembered about Monsters and Money in the Morning is it has reserved a spot in the place where almost all bad television shows go to die - The T Dog Media Blog TV Hall of Shame. And Monsters would make history as the first local television program to ever be inducted (Johnny B. On The Loose doesn't really count because even though it was produced in Chicago, it was nationally syndicated.)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
TCA: PBS and "The Pioneers of Television"
It was PBS' turn at the mic at the annual TCA Press tour on Thursday, which focused mainly on the second edition of their miniseries Pioneers of Television, whose panel of classic TV stars featured two Chicago natives: Robert Conrad (Wild, Wild West, Black Sheep Squadron) Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek), who hails from southwest suburban Robbins.
The panel also featured Mike Conners (Mannix), Martin Landau (Mission: Impossible), and Linda Evans (The Big Valley, Dyansty).
The second edition of Pioneers of Television is due in the first quarter of 2011.
The first edition of Pioneers of Television generally received poor reviews when the four-part mini-series debuted in January 2008. Each episode focused on one genre of television: sitcoms, game shows, variety, and late-night television.
The sequel plans to devote an episode each to science fiction; westerns; crime dramas; and local children's television (and if they were smart, they would include plenty of Chicago material - it wouldn't be the Pioneers of Television without Bozo, Bill Jackson's Gigglesnort Hotel. and Garfield Goose.)
But the most interesting part of the panel came when Nichelle Nichols told the story of when she nearly left Star Trek and was persuaded to stay by her "number one fan" (the quote is directly from Marc Berman's Programming Insider newsletter:)
“It was rather interesting to me to be cast in Star Trek because I came up in musical theater, and somehow I was really on my way to break through and do all of the things that I really wanted to do on Broadway. And I took Star Trek because I thought it would be a nice adjunct to my resume, and I’d get to Broadway quicker and as a star. And I kind of got stuck there.
As a matter of fact, I even tried to leave after the first year, the first season, because I thought, “Oh, this is going nowhere for me.” And I told Gene Roddenberry I was going to leave the show on a Friday evening. And Saturday, that next day, he said, “Please don’t leave. Don’t you see what I’m trying to do here?” And that next evening, as fate would have it, I was being one of the guest celebrities at an NAACP fund raiser. And one of the fund raisers came up to the dais and said, “Ms. Nichols, there’s a fan. There’s a person here who says he’s a big, big fan of yours. He’s your biggest fan.” And I thought it was a Trekkie, and so I said, “Sure.” And I stood up, and I looked across the room, and there was Dr. Martin Luther King walking towards me with this big grin on his face. And he reached out to me and said, “Yes, Ms. Nichols, I am your greatest fan.” And he said that — that “Star Trek” was the only show that he and his wife, Coretta, would allow their three little children to stay up and watch, because while they were marching, every night you could see people who looked like me being hosed down with a fire hose and dogs jumping on them because they wanted to eat in a restaurant. And I think it was just an encounter that started out. But the marches began and here I was playing an astronaut in the 23rd century.
So I went back and told Gene Roddenberry on Monday, because he’d asked me to think about it over the weekend, and if I still wanted to leave he — I would have his blessings. And I went back, and I told him about Dr. Martin Luther King. And Gene Roddenberry was a 6-foot-3 guy with muscles. He was a big hack-nosed guy. And he sat there with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thank God that someone knows what I’m trying to do. Thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King.” And I told him if he still wanted me, I would stay. I’ve never looked back. I’m glad I did.”
That was some number one fan. Amazing.
Next up: Cable, including HBO, FX, and BBC America
The panel also featured Mike Conners (Mannix), Martin Landau (Mission: Impossible), and Linda Evans (The Big Valley, Dyansty).
The second edition of Pioneers of Television is due in the first quarter of 2011.
The first edition of Pioneers of Television generally received poor reviews when the four-part mini-series debuted in January 2008. Each episode focused on one genre of television: sitcoms, game shows, variety, and late-night television.
The sequel plans to devote an episode each to science fiction; westerns; crime dramas; and local children's television (and if they were smart, they would include plenty of Chicago material - it wouldn't be the Pioneers of Television without Bozo, Bill Jackson's Gigglesnort Hotel. and Garfield Goose.)
But the most interesting part of the panel came when Nichelle Nichols told the story of when she nearly left Star Trek and was persuaded to stay by her "number one fan" (the quote is directly from Marc Berman's Programming Insider newsletter:)
“It was rather interesting to me to be cast in Star Trek because I came up in musical theater, and somehow I was really on my way to break through and do all of the things that I really wanted to do on Broadway. And I took Star Trek because I thought it would be a nice adjunct to my resume, and I’d get to Broadway quicker and as a star. And I kind of got stuck there.
As a matter of fact, I even tried to leave after the first year, the first season, because I thought, “Oh, this is going nowhere for me.” And I told Gene Roddenberry I was going to leave the show on a Friday evening. And Saturday, that next day, he said, “Please don’t leave. Don’t you see what I’m trying to do here?” And that next evening, as fate would have it, I was being one of the guest celebrities at an NAACP fund raiser. And one of the fund raisers came up to the dais and said, “Ms. Nichols, there’s a fan. There’s a person here who says he’s a big, big fan of yours. He’s your biggest fan.” And I thought it was a Trekkie, and so I said, “Sure.” And I stood up, and I looked across the room, and there was Dr. Martin Luther King walking towards me with this big grin on his face. And he reached out to me and said, “Yes, Ms. Nichols, I am your greatest fan.” And he said that — that “Star Trek” was the only show that he and his wife, Coretta, would allow their three little children to stay up and watch, because while they were marching, every night you could see people who looked like me being hosed down with a fire hose and dogs jumping on them because they wanted to eat in a restaurant. And I think it was just an encounter that started out. But the marches began and here I was playing an astronaut in the 23rd century.
So I went back and told Gene Roddenberry on Monday, because he’d asked me to think about it over the weekend, and if I still wanted to leave he — I would have his blessings. And I went back, and I told him about Dr. Martin Luther King. And Gene Roddenberry was a 6-foot-3 guy with muscles. He was a big hack-nosed guy. And he sat there with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thank God that someone knows what I’m trying to do. Thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King.” And I told him if he still wanted me, I would stay. I’ve never looked back. I’m glad I did.”
That was some number one fan. Amazing.
Next up: Cable, including HBO, FX, and BBC America
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Mary Hart exits "Entertainment Tonight"
After a 29-year run, longtime Entertainment Tonight anchor Mary Hart has decided to step down next year. The move marks an end of an era for the long-running syndicated strip, which has been on the air since September 15, 1981. Hart joined the CBS Television Distribution program in 1982.
According to The Wrap, The Insider's Lara Spencer has been named new co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight effective when Hart leaves. CBS Television Distribution officials have not confirmed or denied this.
Hart has been through numerous changes to the show over the years, from changes to the set, co-anchors, even to who syndicates the show.
Currently, Hart anchors with Mark Steiners, whose she's been anchoring since 2004. Hart's other co-anchors included Bob Goen, John Tesh, and Robb Weller, who left A.M. Chicago in 1984 to take the job (and was replaced here by Oprah Winfrey.)
Despite the show's age, Entertainment Tonight (or simply abbreviated ET) has been among the highest-rated first-run shows, finishing in the top 20 for most of its run - even though the series has been through some down periods (notably between 1984 and 1988). A much-needed revamp of the show's format in 1988 gave the program a much-needed ratings boost.
But ratings for ET has softened over the years as competition from other entertainment tabloid shows (Extra, Access: Hollywood, and TMZ), cable networks (E! and TV Guide Channel) and the Internet have taken its toll. In the last few years in Chicago, Access on WMAQ-TV has outrated ET in households and in younger demos. However, both still get beat by Wheel of Fortune on WLS-TV and faces tough competition for younger viewers from popular syndicated sitcom reruns on other channels.
Two years ago, ET left its longtime home on Stage 28 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood to Stage 4 at CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles to coincide with the show's move to high-definition. In 2006, ET syndicator Paramount Domestic Television changed its name to CBS Paramount Television Distribution after owner Viacom split into two companies (CBS has since dropped the Paramount name from all of its properties.)
Mary Hart's departure comes at a time when local stations are balking at paying increased license fees for first-run and off-network syndicated programming due to the recession, which continues to batter advertising budgets and local revenues. In fact, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Hart's salary was cut in order to bring her back for one final season - she was reported to make an estimated $5 million per year (Hart's publicist has denied this was the case.)
Hart's departure next year coincides with that of Oprah Winfrey, whose ending her talk show after 25 years.
According to The Wrap, The Insider's Lara Spencer has been named new co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight effective when Hart leaves. CBS Television Distribution officials have not confirmed or denied this.
Hart has been through numerous changes to the show over the years, from changes to the set, co-anchors, even to who syndicates the show.
Currently, Hart anchors with Mark Steiners, whose she's been anchoring since 2004. Hart's other co-anchors included Bob Goen, John Tesh, and Robb Weller, who left A.M. Chicago in 1984 to take the job (and was replaced here by Oprah Winfrey.)
Despite the show's age, Entertainment Tonight (or simply abbreviated ET) has been among the highest-rated first-run shows, finishing in the top 20 for most of its run - even though the series has been through some down periods (notably between 1984 and 1988). A much-needed revamp of the show's format in 1988 gave the program a much-needed ratings boost.
But ratings for ET has softened over the years as competition from other entertainment tabloid shows (Extra, Access: Hollywood, and TMZ), cable networks (E! and TV Guide Channel) and the Internet have taken its toll. In the last few years in Chicago, Access on WMAQ-TV has outrated ET in households and in younger demos. However, both still get beat by Wheel of Fortune on WLS-TV and faces tough competition for younger viewers from popular syndicated sitcom reruns on other channels.
Two years ago, ET left its longtime home on Stage 28 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood to Stage 4 at CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles to coincide with the show's move to high-definition. In 2006, ET syndicator Paramount Domestic Television changed its name to CBS Paramount Television Distribution after owner Viacom split into two companies (CBS has since dropped the Paramount name from all of its properties.)
Mary Hart's departure comes at a time when local stations are balking at paying increased license fees for first-run and off-network syndicated programming due to the recession, which continues to batter advertising budgets and local revenues. In fact, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Hart's salary was cut in order to bring her back for one final season - she was reported to make an estimated $5 million per year (Hart's publicist has denied this was the case.)
Hart's departure next year coincides with that of Oprah Winfrey, whose ending her talk show after 25 years.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
TCA: Fox leaves "American Idol" questions unanswered
Fox's 2010 TCA Presentation won't be remembered for its three new shows (in fact, they're quite forgettable), but for the questions it didn't answer...
Fox execs Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice talked about a lot of things pertaining to their network, but disappointed many at the press tour by refusing to answer any questions related to American Idol, especially on who's going to replace Simon Cowell as judge and whether or not Kara GioDaurdi was really let go. The only item they did confirm was Ellen DeGeneres' departure.
The execs even went as far to bash bloggers and critics, noting the decision to announce anything regarding Idol will come on their timetable - not them or their readers.
"We have no signed contracts with anyone" noted Rice, who he and Reilly denied reports about Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler coming to the show. With rumors of a backlash from fans signing the two, Lopez's and Tyler's plan to sit in those judge's chairs seems less likely.
However, one report was verified later in the week- Nigel Lythgoe announced he would be returning to his executive producer duties on Idol next year. Lythgoe departed the series two years ago so he can focus more on his other series So You Think You Can Dance, which he'll also continue to be showrunner.
Fox should be ranked over the coals over the way this was handled. The network should have had a game plan ready by now, especially with auditions currently in full swing. By denying reports, all Fox is doing is sending a perception that things are chaotic at American Idol. If the announcements were made about Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joining the show, why are they backtracking from them now?
Meanwhile, panels for Fox's three new shows went as follows:
Perhaps the most anticipated new show on Fox's new fall lineup is Lonestar. Based in Texas (of course), this series is about a con man who juggles two different lives with two different women in two different Texas cities (even J.R. Ewing wasn't this much of a dog!) At a panel, producer Amy Lippman noted the series would have to reinvent itself periodically and keep it fresh. Good premise, but changing it down the road is a risk.
Next were panels on Fox's two new Tuesday night comedies - first up was Raising Hope, a new sitcom from Yes, Dear and My Name Is Earl creator Greg Garcia. It's premise: A 25 year-old bachelor who winds up caring for an infant with the help of his nutty family.
The next panel was Running Wilde from Arrested Development producer Mitchell Hurwitz featuring Arrested's Will Arnett and Felicity's Keri Russell. Arnett plays a rich Hollywood jerk (in a role he similarly played on Arrested Development - though the difference is he doesn't lose his money) who falls in love with Russell, who plays an environmentalist. Are you laughing already?
The bottom line: don't expecting from these two sitcoms, which likely will get axed midseason, if not sooner. And a day at the dentist is more fun than watching these two loser shows.
Other news from the press tour regarding Fox:
- Steven Speilberg's new action drama Terra Nova is being pushed back until next fall, but look for a sneak preview to air sometime next May - the same manner Glee was launched in 2009 with a special preview after American Idol.
- And speaking of Glee, Fox said it plans to cut the number of musical numbers per episode and more focus on the story. Kevin Reilly on Glee: “I think this year, the audience can’t wait to have it go on. We’re looking to do a great year of television, and maybe some of the hoopla will die down and I think that will be healthy.”
- One of the funniest lines quipped at Fox's portion of the tour was when Raising Hope's Cloris Leachman when she jokingly talked about Betty White: I’m so sick of Betty White. Never liked her. We have a movie coming out that we made together. It’s called You Again. She could make a soufflé and I could open the oven. That would be funny, and I slam it and make the soufflé go down.”
Both Leachman (Phyills) and White (The Betty White Show) each had spinoffs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
- Fox plans to join the already-crowded country music awards arena with the launch the American Country Awards. The special airs December 6.
Next up: PBS and cable
Fox execs Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice talked about a lot of things pertaining to their network, but disappointed many at the press tour by refusing to answer any questions related to American Idol, especially on who's going to replace Simon Cowell as judge and whether or not Kara GioDaurdi was really let go. The only item they did confirm was Ellen DeGeneres' departure.
The execs even went as far to bash bloggers and critics, noting the decision to announce anything regarding Idol will come on their timetable - not them or their readers.
"We have no signed contracts with anyone" noted Rice, who he and Reilly denied reports about Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler coming to the show. With rumors of a backlash from fans signing the two, Lopez's and Tyler's plan to sit in those judge's chairs seems less likely.
However, one report was verified later in the week- Nigel Lythgoe announced he would be returning to his executive producer duties on Idol next year. Lythgoe departed the series two years ago so he can focus more on his other series So You Think You Can Dance, which he'll also continue to be showrunner.
Fox should be ranked over the coals over the way this was handled. The network should have had a game plan ready by now, especially with auditions currently in full swing. By denying reports, all Fox is doing is sending a perception that things are chaotic at American Idol. If the announcements were made about Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joining the show, why are they backtracking from them now?
Meanwhile, panels for Fox's three new shows went as follows:
Perhaps the most anticipated new show on Fox's new fall lineup is Lonestar. Based in Texas (of course), this series is about a con man who juggles two different lives with two different women in two different Texas cities (even J.R. Ewing wasn't this much of a dog!) At a panel, producer Amy Lippman noted the series would have to reinvent itself periodically and keep it fresh. Good premise, but changing it down the road is a risk.
Next were panels on Fox's two new Tuesday night comedies - first up was Raising Hope, a new sitcom from Yes, Dear and My Name Is Earl creator Greg Garcia. It's premise: A 25 year-old bachelor who winds up caring for an infant with the help of his nutty family.
The next panel was Running Wilde from Arrested Development producer Mitchell Hurwitz featuring Arrested's Will Arnett and Felicity's Keri Russell. Arnett plays a rich Hollywood jerk (in a role he similarly played on Arrested Development - though the difference is he doesn't lose his money) who falls in love with Russell, who plays an environmentalist. Are you laughing already?
The bottom line: don't expecting from these two sitcoms, which likely will get axed midseason, if not sooner. And a day at the dentist is more fun than watching these two loser shows.
Other news from the press tour regarding Fox:
- Steven Speilberg's new action drama Terra Nova is being pushed back until next fall, but look for a sneak preview to air sometime next May - the same manner Glee was launched in 2009 with a special preview after American Idol.
- And speaking of Glee, Fox said it plans to cut the number of musical numbers per episode and more focus on the story. Kevin Reilly on Glee: “I think this year, the audience can’t wait to have it go on. We’re looking to do a great year of television, and maybe some of the hoopla will die down and I think that will be healthy.”
- One of the funniest lines quipped at Fox's portion of the tour was when Raising Hope's Cloris Leachman when she jokingly talked about Betty White: I’m so sick of Betty White. Never liked her. We have a movie coming out that we made together. It’s called You Again. She could make a soufflé and I could open the oven. That would be funny, and I slam it and make the soufflé go down.”
Both Leachman (Phyills) and White (The Betty White Show) each had spinoffs from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
- Fox plans to join the already-crowded country music awards arena with the launch the American Country Awards. The special airs December 6.
Next up: PBS and cable
TCA: ABC tries to move up and move on without McPherson
ABC's presentation at the Television Critics Association Press Tour was dominated by talk of the sudden departure of its longtime entertainment chief (Stephen McPherson) after six years. But while there was talk about it, there was none of it coming from ABC brass - they consider the matter closed.
In comes Paul Lee who was named new entertainment chief, who comes over from ABC Family. He inherits a prime-time lineup deteriorating in the ratings and chock full of aging, older-skewing shows.
Executive session
Talk about going from the frying pan and right into the fire: Paul Lee first task at TCA: face the critics.
- Mr. Lee said ABC Family's programming (formerly CBN, Fox Family, etc.) proabably wouldn't work on the mothership, saying both nets have different audiences.
- Expect no changes to the prime-time lineup that he's inheirting from his predecessor (good luck with that.)
- He's lucky to have hit Modern Family on his schedule. They're lucky to have him too.
- Too early to say whether or not he would add a second night of comedy to the schedule (yours truly's guess: not likely to happen anytime soon; they're not CBS.)
- Serialized shows aren't going anywhere, no matter how much they bomb in the ratings.
ABC held a multitude of panels for its new fall shows:
Detroit 1-8-7: The Detroit 1-8-7 panel talked abut the pressures of filming the new crime drama based in the Motor City, especially how the series is going to be portrayed in the rest of the nation. According to executive producer Jason Richman, the show eliminated the documentary-style presentation because of an A&E reality show (The First 48) followed Detroit police officers on a raid this past spring and shot into a house, killing a 7-year old girl. Detroit officals decided to no longer allow camera crews to follow law enforcement in the city (similar to a policy Chicago police have long held - that's why you've never seen Cops based in Chicago.)
The new series is led by former NYPD Blue star James McDaniel. The series is on Tuesdays at 9p.m., facing off against NBC's Parenthood and CBS' The Good Wife. Unfortunately, the series may be too gritty for some viewers and the series is definately going to be plagued by whether the show is positive for Detroit's image.
My Generation: What notable about My Generation is one of the executive producers in former NBC Entertainment Chief Warren Littlefield. This show is about a group of people ten years later after high school, shot in a documentary-style format. This would be better if this were a group of losers who do nothing but hang around the 7-Eleven all day. Great idea for a TV show!
No Ordinary Family: Michael Chiklis returns to TV as head of a family with superpowers. The panel discussion focused on the amount of violence - or the lack there of - on the show - particularly in the 7 p.m. (CT) "family hour" (how times have changed - The Rookies aired on this network from 1972-75 at 7 p.m. Mondays and it was more violent than any network show put together today outside of CSI and its sister shows.)
The Whole Truth: Jerry Bruckmeier strikes again, this time with a legal drama featuring Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure, Numb3rs) and Maura Tierney, whose health scare last year forced her to drop out of NBC's Parenthood. Equal time is presented between the prosecution and the defense in this legal drama. The Whole Truth? Pick 'Em, since its Wednesday 9 p.m. slot also features two freshman shows.
Body of Proof: Want the proof? Here's the proof! Dana Delany stars as a neurosurgeon who loses her job and winds up solving crimes using her medical skills, i.e. Quincy and DaVinci's Inquest. Better than working at Jack-In-The Box, that's for sure. With a Friday night time slot (and competition from a relocated CSI: NY), it's likely bombs away and the crew would actually have to find jobs at Jack-In-The-Box.
Secret Millionaire: I can't remember the last time the big three networks picked up a canceled series from Fox, but this show features a millionaire who goes into a impoverished community, lives there for a while and at the end of each episode, awards individuals money. It's likely this show will do worse for ABC than it did for Fox. Hey producers, have you ever heard of the Discovery Channel? This is where Secret Millionaire should have gone if it was looking for a revival. (Personally, yours truly does not like the concept for this show, because it basically sends the wrong message.)
Better With You: Nestled between The Middle and Modern Family on Wednesday nights, this comedy series features three couples who have different outlooks on love. The cast features Debra Jo Rupp, who played Kitty Forman on That '70's Show and Jerry Seinfeld's meddling agent on an episode of Seinfeld. One plus is its a multi-camera sitcom shpt in front of an audience. Another is the good time slot it has on ABC Wednesday night line up. Finishing second to Survivor might not be a bad thing - in fact, it is a good thing.
Also of note:
Modern Family's executive producer duo of Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd spoke to the press at TCA and discussed how they handle their showrunner duties, given their partnership dissolved earlier this year (they take turns being showrunner on Modern Family.)
Matthew Perry talks about his new sitcom, Mr. Sunshine and his return to TV after six years: “You can tell how successful my movies have been by the fact that I’m here,” noted Perry. Perry plays a manager of a sports arena in San Diego where he realizes he was acting a jerk throughout his life and tries to turn it around - before it's too late. The series is due in midseason.
ABC announced its Christmas Day NBA Doubleheader featuring the LeBron James-fueled Miami Heat against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to a Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics game. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls play on Christmas for the first time since 1997 when they take on the Chicago Bulls in an ESPN-televised game.
Next up: Fox
In comes Paul Lee who was named new entertainment chief, who comes over from ABC Family. He inherits a prime-time lineup deteriorating in the ratings and chock full of aging, older-skewing shows.
Executive session
Talk about going from the frying pan and right into the fire: Paul Lee first task at TCA: face the critics.
- Mr. Lee said ABC Family's programming (formerly CBN, Fox Family, etc.) proabably wouldn't work on the mothership, saying both nets have different audiences.
- Expect no changes to the prime-time lineup that he's inheirting from his predecessor (good luck with that.)
- He's lucky to have hit Modern Family on his schedule. They're lucky to have him too.
- Too early to say whether or not he would add a second night of comedy to the schedule (yours truly's guess: not likely to happen anytime soon; they're not CBS.)
- Serialized shows aren't going anywhere, no matter how much they bomb in the ratings.
ABC held a multitude of panels for its new fall shows:
Detroit 1-8-7: The Detroit 1-8-7 panel talked abut the pressures of filming the new crime drama based in the Motor City, especially how the series is going to be portrayed in the rest of the nation. According to executive producer Jason Richman, the show eliminated the documentary-style presentation because of an A&E reality show (The First 48) followed Detroit police officers on a raid this past spring and shot into a house, killing a 7-year old girl. Detroit officals decided to no longer allow camera crews to follow law enforcement in the city (similar to a policy Chicago police have long held - that's why you've never seen Cops based in Chicago.)
The new series is led by former NYPD Blue star James McDaniel. The series is on Tuesdays at 9p.m., facing off against NBC's Parenthood and CBS' The Good Wife. Unfortunately, the series may be too gritty for some viewers and the series is definately going to be plagued by whether the show is positive for Detroit's image.
My Generation: What notable about My Generation is one of the executive producers in former NBC Entertainment Chief Warren Littlefield. This show is about a group of people ten years later after high school, shot in a documentary-style format. This would be better if this were a group of losers who do nothing but hang around the 7-Eleven all day. Great idea for a TV show!
No Ordinary Family: Michael Chiklis returns to TV as head of a family with superpowers. The panel discussion focused on the amount of violence - or the lack there of - on the show - particularly in the 7 p.m. (CT) "family hour" (how times have changed - The Rookies aired on this network from 1972-75 at 7 p.m. Mondays and it was more violent than any network show put together today outside of CSI and its sister shows.)
The Whole Truth: Jerry Bruckmeier strikes again, this time with a legal drama featuring Rob Morrow (Northern Exposure, Numb3rs) and Maura Tierney, whose health scare last year forced her to drop out of NBC's Parenthood. Equal time is presented between the prosecution and the defense in this legal drama. The Whole Truth? Pick 'Em, since its Wednesday 9 p.m. slot also features two freshman shows.
Body of Proof: Want the proof? Here's the proof! Dana Delany stars as a neurosurgeon who loses her job and winds up solving crimes using her medical skills, i.e. Quincy and DaVinci's Inquest. Better than working at Jack-In-The Box, that's for sure. With a Friday night time slot (and competition from a relocated CSI: NY), it's likely bombs away and the crew would actually have to find jobs at Jack-In-The-Box.
Secret Millionaire: I can't remember the last time the big three networks picked up a canceled series from Fox, but this show features a millionaire who goes into a impoverished community, lives there for a while and at the end of each episode, awards individuals money. It's likely this show will do worse for ABC than it did for Fox. Hey producers, have you ever heard of the Discovery Channel? This is where Secret Millionaire should have gone if it was looking for a revival. (Personally, yours truly does not like the concept for this show, because it basically sends the wrong message.)
Better With You: Nestled between The Middle and Modern Family on Wednesday nights, this comedy series features three couples who have different outlooks on love. The cast features Debra Jo Rupp, who played Kitty Forman on That '70's Show and Jerry Seinfeld's meddling agent on an episode of Seinfeld. One plus is its a multi-camera sitcom shpt in front of an audience. Another is the good time slot it has on ABC Wednesday night line up. Finishing second to Survivor might not be a bad thing - in fact, it is a good thing.
Also of note:
Modern Family's executive producer duo of Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd spoke to the press at TCA and discussed how they handle their showrunner duties, given their partnership dissolved earlier this year (they take turns being showrunner on Modern Family.)
Matthew Perry talks about his new sitcom, Mr. Sunshine and his return to TV after six years: “You can tell how successful my movies have been by the fact that I’m here,” noted Perry. Perry plays a manager of a sports arena in San Diego where he realizes he was acting a jerk throughout his life and tries to turn it around - before it's too late. The series is due in midseason.
ABC announced its Christmas Day NBA Doubleheader featuring the LeBron James-fueled Miami Heat against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to a Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics game. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls play on Christmas for the first time since 1997 when they take on the Chicago Bulls in an ESPN-televised game.
Next up: Fox
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
TCA: NBC looking for a comeback
NBC spoke to the critics at the Television Critics Association Press Tour on Friday and held numerous panels. The peacock network unveiled seven new shows for the 2010-11 season, in hopes of getting the network out of fourth place, where it's been for five years. Here is the what they said at the press tour:
Executive session with Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstead:
- The two didn't look like the deer-in-headlines duo unlike last year when Bromstead was paired with Paul Teady. With the failure of The Jay Leno Show behind them, it's nowhere to go but up for this beleaguered network.
- With the looming departure of Steve Carrell from The Office, the duo said the show will continue, and they plan a season-long story arc leading up to his exit. I'm sorry, but Steve Carrell was the Office. Even though the series has a strong cast, it won't be the same without Mr. Carrell.
- Gaspin noted the Thursday showdown between Community and The Big Bang Theory, noting there is room for both comedies in the 7 p.m. Thursday night time slot. If Big Bang maintains its dominance like it did on Monday nights, this Community might disbandon.
- Bromstead noted the recently-canceled Heroes ..."was a great show and we had four tremendous years with that and it was a very good business for us." Oh, really? And the Cubs were great the last four years, too.
On to the panels: NBC held panels for each of its new shows.
- The Event is a serial where Heroes meets 24 (are you excited already?) This is a program is where a person investigates his finance's disappearance and uncovers... Yep, this the next Lost that's likely to wind up the next FlashForward.
- J.J Abrams' new Wednesday night spy drama is titled Undercovers, which features a married couple who met in the CIA and decide to return when a fellow spy turns up missing. The show features two black leads: Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who play the married couple. Competition won't be easy - the time slot its' in also features Survivor, The Middle, and America's Next Top Model.
- The biggest project of course, is NBC new Law & Order: Los Angeles. But first, a pause to pay tribute to the original Law & Order , the one that started all the fun (and revenue.) Creator Dick Wolf said the show is absolutely, positively dead, and there will be no wrap-up movie - closing the book on twenty seasons on the crime and court series, which ties Gunsmoke for the longest-running drama in television history.
Many critics are predicting Law & Order: LA will be a breakout hit. Is it original? No. Is it going to be good? Not likely. But its a familiar brand set in a familiar city and it doesn't get more generic than that. But it'll be a ratings smash, and that all it matters.
- Next came Outscored, a new single-camera comedy about a mid-level manager whose company "outsources" him from Kansas City to India (any chance they can send the Royals there?) While the pilot received mixed reviews, expect this series to fit in perfectly with NBC's Thursday comedy block. But the concept of the series seems to have been borrowed from a Simpsons episode.
- The next panel was Outlaw, which features Jimmy Smits' return to TV as a Supreme Court judge who quits his gig and return to the legal profession as a lawyer. Critics have panned this show, and its Friday night 9 p.m. time slot could doom this show from the start. Over/Under? Three episodes.
- Next came Chase from super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, about a group of U.S. marshals hunting for the country's most dangerous criminals. Expect a lot of action on this show, and yes, it will get nasty at times. There are a lot of choices for violence Mondays at 9 p.m. this fall, and that includes the local newscasts.
-And finally, School Pride is a new Friday night reality show hosted by Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) where according to her: “The whole idea of School Pride is to bring the community together, to empower the community to make changes in the school,”. The question TV critics should have asked her: Why is such a talented performer hosting a show like this? Don't worry, Ms. Hines will be soon back on the stage making us laugh.
Other News & Notes from NBC's day at the tour:
- 30 Rock will attempt something no sitcom has done in 17 years - perform live. A live episode of 30 Rock is scheduled to be performed on October 14 on both the East Coast and West Coast. The last time a sitcom aired live was Fox's Roc, which did it not only for one episode, but for the entire 1992-93 season. Other one-time live stunts include ER (1997) and Gimme A Break! (1985).
- NBC and the Emmys have decided to strip the Best reality TV host category out of the show, upsetting the nominees.
- NBC also announced it was adding Rob Lowe (late of Brothers & Sisters) to Parks & Recreation, which returns in midseason.
- Guest Star Patrol: Drew Carey visits Community while Kathy bates drops by again on The Office.
- Chicago's own Joan Cusack guest stars on the two-hour season premiere of Law And Order: SVU on Sept. 22.
Next up: ABC
Executive session with Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstead:
- The two didn't look like the deer-in-headlines duo unlike last year when Bromstead was paired with Paul Teady. With the failure of The Jay Leno Show behind them, it's nowhere to go but up for this beleaguered network.
- With the looming departure of Steve Carrell from The Office, the duo said the show will continue, and they plan a season-long story arc leading up to his exit. I'm sorry, but Steve Carrell was the Office. Even though the series has a strong cast, it won't be the same without Mr. Carrell.
- Gaspin noted the Thursday showdown between Community and The Big Bang Theory, noting there is room for both comedies in the 7 p.m. Thursday night time slot. If Big Bang maintains its dominance like it did on Monday nights, this Community might disbandon.
- Bromstead noted the recently-canceled Heroes ..."was a great show and we had four tremendous years with that and it was a very good business for us." Oh, really? And the Cubs were great the last four years, too.
On to the panels: NBC held panels for each of its new shows.
- The Event is a serial where Heroes meets 24 (are you excited already?) This is a program is where a person investigates his finance's disappearance and uncovers... Yep, this the next Lost that's likely to wind up the next FlashForward.
- J.J Abrams' new Wednesday night spy drama is titled Undercovers, which features a married couple who met in the CIA and decide to return when a fellow spy turns up missing. The show features two black leads: Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who play the married couple. Competition won't be easy - the time slot its' in also features Survivor, The Middle, and America's Next Top Model.
- The biggest project of course, is NBC new Law & Order: Los Angeles. But first, a pause to pay tribute to the original Law & Order , the one that started all the fun (and revenue.) Creator Dick Wolf said the show is absolutely, positively dead, and there will be no wrap-up movie - closing the book on twenty seasons on the crime and court series, which ties Gunsmoke for the longest-running drama in television history.
Many critics are predicting Law & Order: LA will be a breakout hit. Is it original? No. Is it going to be good? Not likely. But its a familiar brand set in a familiar city and it doesn't get more generic than that. But it'll be a ratings smash, and that all it matters.
- Next came Outscored, a new single-camera comedy about a mid-level manager whose company "outsources" him from Kansas City to India (any chance they can send the Royals there?) While the pilot received mixed reviews, expect this series to fit in perfectly with NBC's Thursday comedy block. But the concept of the series seems to have been borrowed from a Simpsons episode.
- The next panel was Outlaw, which features Jimmy Smits' return to TV as a Supreme Court judge who quits his gig and return to the legal profession as a lawyer. Critics have panned this show, and its Friday night 9 p.m. time slot could doom this show from the start. Over/Under? Three episodes.
- Next came Chase from super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, about a group of U.S. marshals hunting for the country's most dangerous criminals. Expect a lot of action on this show, and yes, it will get nasty at times. There are a lot of choices for violence Mondays at 9 p.m. this fall, and that includes the local newscasts.
-And finally, School Pride is a new Friday night reality show hosted by Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) where according to her: “The whole idea of School Pride is to bring the community together, to empower the community to make changes in the school,”. The question TV critics should have asked her: Why is such a talented performer hosting a show like this? Don't worry, Ms. Hines will be soon back on the stage making us laugh.
Other News & Notes from NBC's day at the tour:
- 30 Rock will attempt something no sitcom has done in 17 years - perform live. A live episode of 30 Rock is scheduled to be performed on October 14 on both the East Coast and West Coast. The last time a sitcom aired live was Fox's Roc, which did it not only for one episode, but for the entire 1992-93 season. Other one-time live stunts include ER (1997) and Gimme A Break! (1985).
- NBC and the Emmys have decided to strip the Best reality TV host category out of the show, upsetting the nominees.
- NBC also announced it was adding Rob Lowe (late of Brothers & Sisters) to Parks & Recreation, which returns in midseason.
- Guest Star Patrol: Drew Carey visits Community while Kathy bates drops by again on The Office.
- Chicago's own Joan Cusack guest stars on the two-hour season premiere of Law And Order: SVU on Sept. 22.
Next up: ABC
Monday, August 02, 2010
TCA: CW trying to shred image as "can't win" network
The CW was next up as part of CBS Corporation's two days at the Television Critics Association Press Tour on Thursday (CW is part-owned by CBS.)
CW chief Dawn Ostroff spoke at an executive session with the critics on Thursday. Among what was discussed:
- Overnight ratings weren't relative anymore. Maybe not, since their ratings aren't that good to begin with.
- CW was the first network to use Twitter and Facebook (and in other news, I got up today.)
- Noted America's Next Top Model begins its 15th cycle by focusing on the "High Fashion World", which meant the other fourteen were focused on something else.
- Ostroff avoided answering questions on One Tree Hill's future, which is the second oldest-tenured show on The CW's tenure, behind Smallville, which CW did confirm it is in its final season.
- She also said CW doesn't have the resources to promote new reality series Plain Jane or CBC import 18 to Life this summer. How can a network acquire two series and then don't have the resources to prmote them? And you can see why CW is in the shape it is in.
- Remarked Supernatural will be "hunting something different every week." To which the San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman twittered on @BastardMachine "Ratings".
Nikita: The remake of USA Network '90's hit (name Le Femme Nikita) features Maggie Q (not related to '80's pop star Stacey Q) who is your heroine who kicks a lot of ass. But the question yours truly is asking is, didn't Jessica Alba do the same in Dark Angel? Didn't Jennifer garner do the same in Alias? What makes this show any different? But Nikita should do well for CW (and would pick up a few male viewers as well.)
Next up was Hellcats, which is a show about a college student who is forced to join a cheelerleading squad to pay for her education. Think Bring It On meets Felicity. Executive Producer Kevin Murphy (of Caprica fame) told Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Gazette-Journal the series was inspired by 1980's movies (like Flashdance) that dealt with hardship and making tough choices.
Finally, CW made a important announcement regarding Gossip Girl at the press tour: It was filming two episodes in Paris! When the announcement was made, critics were playing Solitaire on their laptops, which was no doubt more exciting.
Next up: NBC
CW chief Dawn Ostroff spoke at an executive session with the critics on Thursday. Among what was discussed:
- Overnight ratings weren't relative anymore. Maybe not, since their ratings aren't that good to begin with.
- CW was the first network to use Twitter and Facebook (and in other news, I got up today.)
- Noted America's Next Top Model begins its 15th cycle by focusing on the "High Fashion World", which meant the other fourteen were focused on something else.
- Ostroff avoided answering questions on One Tree Hill's future, which is the second oldest-tenured show on The CW's tenure, behind Smallville, which CW did confirm it is in its final season.
- She also said CW doesn't have the resources to promote new reality series Plain Jane or CBC import 18 to Life this summer. How can a network acquire two series and then don't have the resources to prmote them? And you can see why CW is in the shape it is in.
- Remarked Supernatural will be "hunting something different every week." To which the San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman twittered on @BastardMachine "Ratings".
Nikita: The remake of USA Network '90's hit (name Le Femme Nikita) features Maggie Q (not related to '80's pop star Stacey Q) who is your heroine who kicks a lot of ass. But the question yours truly is asking is, didn't Jessica Alba do the same in Dark Angel? Didn't Jennifer garner do the same in Alias? What makes this show any different? But Nikita should do well for CW (and would pick up a few male viewers as well.)
Next up was Hellcats, which is a show about a college student who is forced to join a cheelerleading squad to pay for her education. Think Bring It On meets Felicity. Executive Producer Kevin Murphy (of Caprica fame) told Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Gazette-Journal the series was inspired by 1980's movies (like Flashdance) that dealt with hardship and making tough choices.
Finally, CW made a important announcement regarding Gossip Girl at the press tour: It was filming two episodes in Paris! When the announcement was made, critics were playing Solitaire on their laptops, which was no doubt more exciting.
Next up: NBC
Sunday, August 01, 2010
TCA: CBS looking to stay on top
The semi-annual Television Critics Association Press Tour got underway this week at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in this upscale section of Los Angeles. Many critics complained about the air conditioning in the ballroom and lackluster wi-fi connection, which rivals the poor signal one usually gets at the Harold Washington Library in the Loop. The only difference is the security guards won't toss your ass out for opening a Milky Way. First up: CBS.
The Church of Tisch's presentation got underway with an executive session featuring Nina Tassler, where she talked about how the network stacks up among the others, and reacting to the sudden depature of ABC Entertainment Chief Steve McPherson (more on that when I do ABC's TCA wrap-up.) Her reaction? "He got out of press tour!"
- She addressed the issue of the lack of gay and lesbian characters on the network's shows, and stated she will be adding more in the future.
- Talked about the new surprise hit Undercover Boss and hadn't held any discussions on late night star David Letterman cutting back his workload.
- She also reassured fans of Two and a Half Men that Charlie Sheen's legal woes won't affect production of the show.
- On to S#!% My Dad Says, a sitcom based on a popular Twitter feed with William Shatner playing dear old Dad. Shatner said the word "Shit" should have been used as the title, saying he doesn't know what the big deal is all about. The role of the son is being recast, but given how similar this show is to the 1970's NBC hit Sanford & Son, I'm surprised they didn't give the job to Desmond Wilson.
- William Shatner is also guest starring on The Big Bang Theory this season, which will lead into S#!% My Dad Says on Thursday nights. The cast and producers basically repeated what they said at Comic-Con about the day and time period switch. Mayim Bialik returns as Sheldon's possible "love interest" this season. Bazinga!
- Survivor is also on the move - to Wednesday, with the cast divided into two tribes: people under 40 and people over 40. A notable contestant in this year's Survivor is former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current Fox Football analyst Jimmy Johnson, which marks the first time a celebrity has been participating on Survivor.
- Chuck Lorre talks about his third sitcom on CBS, titled Mike & Molly: "Television normally would have cast Chris O' Donnell AND Courtney Cox who meet at Overeaters Anonymous." Heard there were a lot of fat jokes in the pilot. Throw in Nell Carter and three kids and you have an updated version of Gimme A Break. The only thing going for it is the show in set in Chicago. Um, wait a minute...
- The revival of Hawaii Five-O brought complaints that the show was too violent and too dark. Um, guys... so was the original. Alex O'Laughlin noted the original Hawaii-Five-O was taken off the air "40 years ago". So, what he was saying was Hawaii Five-O ended two years after it began in 1968. Funny, the program I saw on Me-TV the other day had a copyright of 1974.
- Blue Bloods' panel featured Tom Selleck and former New Kid on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg. The New York police drama isn't wowing critics, and may likely get canceled before November.
- The CBS Corp. portion of the tour extended into Thursday, with the first part of the day devoted to Showtime programming, featuring Dexter (who announced a showrunner change), Laura Linney's new drama The Big C, The Real L Word, and tons of made-for-cable movies.
Next up: The CW.
The Church of Tisch's presentation got underway with an executive session featuring Nina Tassler, where she talked about how the network stacks up among the others, and reacting to the sudden depature of ABC Entertainment Chief Steve McPherson (more on that when I do ABC's TCA wrap-up.) Her reaction? "He got out of press tour!"
- She addressed the issue of the lack of gay and lesbian characters on the network's shows, and stated she will be adding more in the future.
- Talked about the new surprise hit Undercover Boss and hadn't held any discussions on late night star David Letterman cutting back his workload.
- She also reassured fans of Two and a Half Men that Charlie Sheen's legal woes won't affect production of the show.
- On to S#!% My Dad Says, a sitcom based on a popular Twitter feed with William Shatner playing dear old Dad. Shatner said the word "Shit" should have been used as the title, saying he doesn't know what the big deal is all about. The role of the son is being recast, but given how similar this show is to the 1970's NBC hit Sanford & Son, I'm surprised they didn't give the job to Desmond Wilson.
- William Shatner is also guest starring on The Big Bang Theory this season, which will lead into S#!% My Dad Says on Thursday nights. The cast and producers basically repeated what they said at Comic-Con about the day and time period switch. Mayim Bialik returns as Sheldon's possible "love interest" this season. Bazinga!
- Survivor is also on the move - to Wednesday, with the cast divided into two tribes: people under 40 and people over 40. A notable contestant in this year's Survivor is former Dallas Cowboys head coach and current Fox Football analyst Jimmy Johnson, which marks the first time a celebrity has been participating on Survivor.
- Chuck Lorre talks about his third sitcom on CBS, titled Mike & Molly: "Television normally would have cast Chris O' Donnell AND Courtney Cox who meet at Overeaters Anonymous." Heard there were a lot of fat jokes in the pilot. Throw in Nell Carter and three kids and you have an updated version of Gimme A Break. The only thing going for it is the show in set in Chicago. Um, wait a minute...
- The revival of Hawaii Five-O brought complaints that the show was too violent and too dark. Um, guys... so was the original. Alex O'Laughlin noted the original Hawaii-Five-O was taken off the air "40 years ago". So, what he was saying was Hawaii Five-O ended two years after it began in 1968. Funny, the program I saw on Me-TV the other day had a copyright of 1974.
- Blue Bloods' panel featured Tom Selleck and former New Kid on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg. The New York police drama isn't wowing critics, and may likely get canceled before November.
- The CBS Corp. portion of the tour extended into Thursday, with the first part of the day devoted to Showtime programming, featuring Dexter (who announced a showrunner change), Laura Linney's new drama The Big C, The Real L Word, and tons of made-for-cable movies.
Next up: The CW.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tribune to go ahead with "Big Willie"
CBS to launch The Talk to replace As The World Turns
Despite anemic ratings, poor reviews, and Twitters unanimously dissing it, Tribune Broadcasting is apparently going ahead with Bill Cunningham's new talk show, which is now targeted for a Fall 2011 launch.
During the four-day test, the program averaged an 1.1 Nielsen household rating in seven markets, including Chicago. While the number was down from its lead-in and underperformed year-ago time period levels, the rating is basically average for the fragmented world of daytime syndication.
Big Willie now clears all Tribune markets, including WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles and of course, WGN in Chicago, where the show is to be taped. The program's title is also likely to change.
Cunningham hosts a weekday radio program on WLW-AM in Cincinnati. He plans to do a few shows per week in Chicago, while taping his TV talk show.
In a recent interview in the Chicago Tribune, Cunningham states he would like to do a traditional talk show and not one with his political persona which he displays on his conservative radio talk shows.
The move comes as a shake-up in daytime and early fringe programming is upon us since Oprah Winfrey is departing her talk show next year. But the projects announced - Big Willie included - have been major yawners thus far.
CBS announced its own lackluster project in the vain of The Talk, featuring a panelists of six celebrity moms, which is basically a rip-off of The View (and even the name of the show isn't original - the title of the show is used by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV for its Sunday morning public affairs show, hosted by Marion Brooks.) The Talk debuts this fall, replacing long-time time occupant As The World Turns.
The show is the brainchild of former Roseanne star Sara Gilbert, who besides a few appearances on The Big Bang Theory, has been on the tube hardly at all.
The announcement of Big Willie and The Talk shows the lack of innovation that plagues this industry, and nowhere it is evident than it is in daytime (and prime-time for that matter.)
And there's the predicament of how all of this gets on the air. It's simple: Bill Cunningham used to work for Randy "Court Jester" Michaels and Sean Compton, both former employees of Cincinnati-based Jacor Communications, which was absorbed into Clear Channel Communications a decade ago. One of the hosts of The Talk (Julie Chen, who also hosts CBS' Big Brother) just happens to be married to Les Moonves, who is the CEO - or Bishop - of The Church of Tisch. It's the old-boy network where just like Chicago politics, cronies get what they want, when they want, and how they want (how else you explain why The Simpsons is still on the air and the horrid writing staff still have jobs?) The result? Safe, uninnovative projects that hit the airwaves.
As for Big Willie, the program's launch still isn't guaranteed. Tribune hopes to land a syndicator, likely a small distributor. Among the suitors being discussed include Litton, Program Partners, Byron Allen's ESTV (I doubt it), Trifecta Media & Entertainment, and Debmar-Mercury, among others (Tribune closed its syndication business in December 2007.) Then it needs to clear at least 70 percent of the country to get on the air.
The strange thing about this - or maybe not so strange - is despite the poor performance, Tribune is still going ahead with this daytime show. Once again, broadcast television execs misread the market and air programs no one wants to watch. Compton claims the ratings weren't important as what worked and said Big Willie "wasn't a disaster". Well, maybe he should have looked the words Big Willie up on Twitter and see almost unanimous poor reviews for the show. Television execs only use blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other social-networking tools to promote and shove their crap down our throats instead of monitoring feedback for a show while still relying exclusively relying on Nielsen ratings - which they completely misread. And you wonder why the broadcast television business is in trouble.
And it may get worse. Lisa Wu Hartwell of The Real Housewives of Atlanta fame - a reality show known for catfights, hair pulling, and other Jerry Springer-like material, is leaving the show to pursue "other opportunities".
Let's hope one of them isn't a talk show with Tribune. But I'm guessing Randy "Court Jester" Michaels already has a studio reserved for her at Bradley Place and has her on speed dial, since they may need a companion show for Big Willie. Yeah, I can totally see that happening.
Despite anemic ratings, poor reviews, and Twitters unanimously dissing it, Tribune Broadcasting is apparently going ahead with Bill Cunningham's new talk show, which is now targeted for a Fall 2011 launch.
During the four-day test, the program averaged an 1.1 Nielsen household rating in seven markets, including Chicago. While the number was down from its lead-in and underperformed year-ago time period levels, the rating is basically average for the fragmented world of daytime syndication.
Big Willie now clears all Tribune markets, including WPIX in New York and KTLA in Los Angeles and of course, WGN in Chicago, where the show is to be taped. The program's title is also likely to change.
Cunningham hosts a weekday radio program on WLW-AM in Cincinnati. He plans to do a few shows per week in Chicago, while taping his TV talk show.
In a recent interview in the Chicago Tribune, Cunningham states he would like to do a traditional talk show and not one with his political persona which he displays on his conservative radio talk shows.
The move comes as a shake-up in daytime and early fringe programming is upon us since Oprah Winfrey is departing her talk show next year. But the projects announced - Big Willie included - have been major yawners thus far.
CBS announced its own lackluster project in the vain of The Talk, featuring a panelists of six celebrity moms, which is basically a rip-off of The View (and even the name of the show isn't original - the title of the show is used by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV for its Sunday morning public affairs show, hosted by Marion Brooks.) The Talk debuts this fall, replacing long-time time occupant As The World Turns.
The show is the brainchild of former Roseanne star Sara Gilbert, who besides a few appearances on The Big Bang Theory, has been on the tube hardly at all.
The announcement of Big Willie and The Talk shows the lack of innovation that plagues this industry, and nowhere it is evident than it is in daytime (and prime-time for that matter.)
And there's the predicament of how all of this gets on the air. It's simple: Bill Cunningham used to work for Randy "Court Jester" Michaels and Sean Compton, both former employees of Cincinnati-based Jacor Communications, which was absorbed into Clear Channel Communications a decade ago. One of the hosts of The Talk (Julie Chen, who also hosts CBS' Big Brother) just happens to be married to Les Moonves, who is the CEO - or Bishop - of The Church of Tisch. It's the old-boy network where just like Chicago politics, cronies get what they want, when they want, and how they want (how else you explain why The Simpsons is still on the air and the horrid writing staff still have jobs?) The result? Safe, uninnovative projects that hit the airwaves.
As for Big Willie, the program's launch still isn't guaranteed. Tribune hopes to land a syndicator, likely a small distributor. Among the suitors being discussed include Litton, Program Partners, Byron Allen's ESTV (I doubt it), Trifecta Media & Entertainment, and Debmar-Mercury, among others (Tribune closed its syndication business in December 2007.) Then it needs to clear at least 70 percent of the country to get on the air.
The strange thing about this - or maybe not so strange - is despite the poor performance, Tribune is still going ahead with this daytime show. Once again, broadcast television execs misread the market and air programs no one wants to watch. Compton claims the ratings weren't important as what worked and said Big Willie "wasn't a disaster". Well, maybe he should have looked the words Big Willie up on Twitter and see almost unanimous poor reviews for the show. Television execs only use blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other social-networking tools to promote and shove their crap down our throats instead of monitoring feedback for a show while still relying exclusively relying on Nielsen ratings - which they completely misread. And you wonder why the broadcast television business is in trouble.
And it may get worse. Lisa Wu Hartwell of The Real Housewives of Atlanta fame - a reality show known for catfights, hair pulling, and other Jerry Springer-like material, is leaving the show to pursue "other opportunities".
Let's hope one of them isn't a talk show with Tribune. But I'm guessing Randy "Court Jester" Michaels already has a studio reserved for her at Bradley Place and has her on speed dial, since they may need a companion show for Big Willie. Yeah, I can totally see that happening.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Bill Kurtis, Walter Jacobson reunite at WBBM-TV for 6 p.m. newscast
The boys are back in town.
The duo who are synonymous with serious, professional journalism are back for another run. CBS-owned WBBM-TV announced today it was reuniting the anchor duo of Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson for its 6 p.m. newscast, effective Sept. 1. The reunification of Kurtis and Jacobson has been rumored for several months.
Kurtis and Jacobson were largely responsible for the station's dominance in the 1970's and 1980's, sending WBBM to number one in the ratings news and sign-on to sign-off. With John Coughlin on weather and Johnny Morris on sports, the news team was the newscast to beat in Chicago, even calling itself at one point THE 10 O'clock News.
WBBM stayed on top even when Bill Kurtis left for CBS' morning newscast in 1982. They were reunited again in 1985 but by that time, the wheels were already coming off as ABC-owned WLS-TV rode to the top of the ratings and a boycott by Operation PUSH over the demotion of anchor Harry Porterfield helped send WBBM crashing to third place by 1986 (Porterfield has since returned to the WBBM fold.) By 1989, Jacobson's role at the station was reduced when Linda MacLennan became Kurtis' co-anchor. Except for the period when they rebounded to finish second overall from 1987-90, and in 1993 when its 4 p.m. newscast tied WLS in the ratings, WBBM has been struggling in the ratings ever since
Jacobson departed WBBM in 1993 for Fox-owned WFLD-TV where he was until 2006, while Kurtis departed in 1996 to focus more time on other projects, including overseeing his production company and hosting A&E programs, including Cold Case Files.
Last November, Kurtis and Jacobson were reunited for a one-night only stunt which did well in the ratings. Jacobson rejoined WBBM's 10 p.m. newscast a few times a week for his Perspective commentaries, which were a signature segment of the newscasts of the Kurtis-Jacobson heyday.
The move is in the lastest of changes WBBM is making to improve ratings. Recently, WBBM poached Kate Sullivan from WCBS-TV in New York City to co-anchor with Rob Johnson at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The pairing of Kurtis and Jacobson in 1973 was the idea of then-GM Bob Wussler and news director Van Gordon Sauter, who went on to work for CBS News. The newscast were known for the "working newsroom" concept, and the use of the mini-cam unit to provide live reports instead of using film shot in the field and compiling reports through the use of ENG, or Electronic News Gathering. These innovative concepts are common in local newsrooms today.
Thought: Here's the reality check: While this was great as an one-night stunt, bringing back Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson to do a 6 p.m. newscast isn't an answer to the station's ratings woes. Journalism has changed a lot since they last did a newscast together on a regular basis, and not for the better as today's local newscasts often starts with the latest shooting, fire, or car accident. Unfortunately, this "it bleeds, it leads" mentality is what brings in the ratings, and Kurtis and Jacobson won't drop down to that level.
It's great to see them both back at the anchor desk, even if its only at 6 p.m. But it won't be a ratings hit.
The real question is: can they handle the daily grind once again, especially at their age? Only time will tell.
Read the official press releasse
The duo who are synonymous with serious, professional journalism are back for another run. CBS-owned WBBM-TV announced today it was reuniting the anchor duo of Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson for its 6 p.m. newscast, effective Sept. 1. The reunification of Kurtis and Jacobson has been rumored for several months.
Kurtis and Jacobson were largely responsible for the station's dominance in the 1970's and 1980's, sending WBBM to number one in the ratings news and sign-on to sign-off. With John Coughlin on weather and Johnny Morris on sports, the news team was the newscast to beat in Chicago, even calling itself at one point THE 10 O'clock News.
WBBM stayed on top even when Bill Kurtis left for CBS' morning newscast in 1982. They were reunited again in 1985 but by that time, the wheels were already coming off as ABC-owned WLS-TV rode to the top of the ratings and a boycott by Operation PUSH over the demotion of anchor Harry Porterfield helped send WBBM crashing to third place by 1986 (Porterfield has since returned to the WBBM fold.) By 1989, Jacobson's role at the station was reduced when Linda MacLennan became Kurtis' co-anchor. Except for the period when they rebounded to finish second overall from 1987-90, and in 1993 when its 4 p.m. newscast tied WLS in the ratings, WBBM has been struggling in the ratings ever since
Jacobson departed WBBM in 1993 for Fox-owned WFLD-TV where he was until 2006, while Kurtis departed in 1996 to focus more time on other projects, including overseeing his production company and hosting A&E programs, including Cold Case Files.
Last November, Kurtis and Jacobson were reunited for a one-night only stunt which did well in the ratings. Jacobson rejoined WBBM's 10 p.m. newscast a few times a week for his Perspective commentaries, which were a signature segment of the newscasts of the Kurtis-Jacobson heyday.
The move is in the lastest of changes WBBM is making to improve ratings. Recently, WBBM poached Kate Sullivan from WCBS-TV in New York City to co-anchor with Rob Johnson at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The pairing of Kurtis and Jacobson in 1973 was the idea of then-GM Bob Wussler and news director Van Gordon Sauter, who went on to work for CBS News. The newscast were known for the "working newsroom" concept, and the use of the mini-cam unit to provide live reports instead of using film shot in the field and compiling reports through the use of ENG, or Electronic News Gathering. These innovative concepts are common in local newsrooms today.
Thought: Here's the reality check: While this was great as an one-night stunt, bringing back Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson to do a 6 p.m. newscast isn't an answer to the station's ratings woes. Journalism has changed a lot since they last did a newscast together on a regular basis, and not for the better as today's local newscasts often starts with the latest shooting, fire, or car accident. Unfortunately, this "it bleeds, it leads" mentality is what brings in the ratings, and Kurtis and Jacobson won't drop down to that level.
It's great to see them both back at the anchor desk, even if its only at 6 p.m. But it won't be a ratings hit.
The real question is: can they handle the daily grind once again, especially at their age? Only time will tell.
Read the official press releasse
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
WLS-TV jumps into the 4:30 a.m. news derby
Remember when yours truly said an expansion for local news at 4:30 a.m. was inevitable in the Chicago market?
Well, the race to have the first newscast of the day is getting awfully crowded.
Just two weeks after Tribune's WGN-TV announced it was expanding its morning newscast to 4:30 a.m. on August 16, ABC-owned WLS-TV announced yesterday it was expanding its morning newscast to 4:30 a.m.and beating WGN to the punch by starting the newscast two weeks earlier. Judy Hsu and Hosea Sanders, who anchor the 5-7 a.m. news at WLS will add the 4:30 newscast to their duties as well.
The news was first reported by Robert Feder at Vocalo Monday afternoon.
In addition, WLS is also expanding its Saturday morning news show to 8 a.m., displacing an hour of children's programming. Stacey Baca will front the 8 a.m. show, in addition to the 6 a.m. show she already anchors.
Recently, WGN's sister station in New York (WPIX) announced it was expanding its morning show to 4 a.m. effective September 20.
The moves are being made to take advantage of the incresing HUT levels in the hour when more and more viewers are waking up earlier to go to work. Plus, stations can earn extra revenue from the newscasts and should get help this year from a strong election season.
Both WLS and WGN join WMAQ-TV in the 4:30 a.m. news derby, which was the first station to launch a traditional local newscast in the time slot in January 2007 (beforehand, WMAQ aired Barely Today, an off-beat news show with Bruce Wolf.)
No word on when or if CBS-owned WBBM-TV or Fox-owned WFLD-TV will join the extra-early dawn patrol party, but they have to sooner or later.
Well, the race to have the first newscast of the day is getting awfully crowded.
Just two weeks after Tribune's WGN-TV announced it was expanding its morning newscast to 4:30 a.m. on August 16, ABC-owned WLS-TV announced yesterday it was expanding its morning newscast to 4:30 a.m.and beating WGN to the punch by starting the newscast two weeks earlier. Judy Hsu and Hosea Sanders, who anchor the 5-7 a.m. news at WLS will add the 4:30 newscast to their duties as well.
The news was first reported by Robert Feder at Vocalo Monday afternoon.
In addition, WLS is also expanding its Saturday morning news show to 8 a.m., displacing an hour of children's programming. Stacey Baca will front the 8 a.m. show, in addition to the 6 a.m. show she already anchors.
Recently, WGN's sister station in New York (WPIX) announced it was expanding its morning show to 4 a.m. effective September 20.
The moves are being made to take advantage of the incresing HUT levels in the hour when more and more viewers are waking up earlier to go to work. Plus, stations can earn extra revenue from the newscasts and should get help this year from a strong election season.
Both WLS and WGN join WMAQ-TV in the 4:30 a.m. news derby, which was the first station to launch a traditional local newscast in the time slot in January 2007 (beforehand, WMAQ aired Barely Today, an off-beat news show with Bruce Wolf.)
No word on when or if CBS-owned WBBM-TV or Fox-owned WFLD-TV will join the extra-early dawn patrol party, but they have to sooner or later.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Comic-Con 2010 - Day 1
The annual fanboy and fangirl fest wrapped up Day One in San Diego Thursday and here are some highlights - T Dog Media style!:
- Flick fans had plenty of panels to attend and choose from at Comic-Con's Opening Day on Thursday. One of the panels involved Angelina Jolie's new movie Salt, who had the fans whooping it up. Jolie plays a CIA agent in the flick (which opened Friday), and yes, she does her own stunts. Yowser.
On the other hand, fans of Peter Jackson and his troubled project The Hobbit, didn't have it nearly as good. The movie's future is in doubt, thanks to MGM's perilous financial situation (MGM co-owns the film with Warner Bros.) The plan now is to release the movie in 2012, but by then, hardly anyone will give a sh*t.
- And guess what? Tron is coming back with a new movie for the first time in 28 years, titled Tron: Legacy (you can view the trailer here.) Really, did anyone see this the first time this came out? (Okay, a lot of people did, but who would admit it?)
- On to the TV side: USA Network had two panels on Thursday - one for Burn Notice, the other for Psych.
For Burn Notice, a prequel is being planned with the movie being shot in-between seasons four and five. Star Bruce Campbell is participating, and his character in the prequel heads to Latin America on a mission. (Meanwhile, repeats of Burn Notice were recently sold in weekend broadcast syndication in 60% of the country, including the Fox O&Os.) Psych creator Steve Franks said a movie is a possibility - for the right price. But for now, they're preceding for the next season of the show, with guest stars Chi Bride, Vanessa Minnillo, and CSI's Adam Rodriguez.
While there isn't a Lost panel this year at Comic-con, that doesn't mean the show isn't being talked about - the series finale is still generating a lot of chatter. Creator J.J. Abrams defended the controversial ending to the popular series, praising co-creators Carlteon Cuse and Damon Lindelof. Abrams made his comments at a panel with Buffy and Dr. Horrible creator Joss Wheadon, who confirmed he was directingthe big screen adaption of the 1960's TV series The Avengers. (actually, it's a superhero movie due for release in 2012. Don't look for a remake of the UK TV series anytime soon...)
AMC held a panel Thursday for its Walking Dead project, which debuts in October (no, its not about the Cubs.) Based on the popular comic strip and graphic novel, it tells about a group of individuals who survive an zombie apocalypse (I guess this is about the Cubs after all...) The trailer must've been good - they showed it twice.
- Check out these posters for NBC's Chuck and CW's new action drama Nikita. Place your money on which show will get canceled first...
-CBS announced hot teen sensation Justin Bieber will guest star in the season premiere episode of CSI this September. Not a Comic-Con item because the subject is, um... Justin Bieber.
Finally, the Westboro Baptist Church and their leader Fred Phelps led a protest against Comic-Con saying the convention is anti-religious and promotes homosexaulity.
You think the geeks of the world would take this lying down, right? Well, check out these awesome pics on how they counter-protest - geek style!
In a world filled with racism, poverty, gang violence, environmental problems, hunger, and many other injustices, the Westboro Baptist "Church" couldn't have picked a better topic - geeks attending Comic-Con. So, I suppose we'll see them protesting at a garden show next weekend?
- Flick fans had plenty of panels to attend and choose from at Comic-Con's Opening Day on Thursday. One of the panels involved Angelina Jolie's new movie Salt, who had the fans whooping it up. Jolie plays a CIA agent in the flick (which opened Friday), and yes, she does her own stunts. Yowser.
On the other hand, fans of Peter Jackson and his troubled project The Hobbit, didn't have it nearly as good. The movie's future is in doubt, thanks to MGM's perilous financial situation (MGM co-owns the film with Warner Bros.) The plan now is to release the movie in 2012, but by then, hardly anyone will give a sh*t.
- And guess what? Tron is coming back with a new movie for the first time in 28 years, titled Tron: Legacy (you can view the trailer here.) Really, did anyone see this the first time this came out? (Okay, a lot of people did, but who would admit it?)
- On to the TV side: USA Network had two panels on Thursday - one for Burn Notice, the other for Psych.
For Burn Notice, a prequel is being planned with the movie being shot in-between seasons four and five. Star Bruce Campbell is participating, and his character in the prequel heads to Latin America on a mission. (Meanwhile, repeats of Burn Notice were recently sold in weekend broadcast syndication in 60% of the country, including the Fox O&Os.) Psych creator Steve Franks said a movie is a possibility - for the right price. But for now, they're preceding for the next season of the show, with guest stars Chi Bride, Vanessa Minnillo, and CSI's Adam Rodriguez.
While there isn't a Lost panel this year at Comic-con, that doesn't mean the show isn't being talked about - the series finale is still generating a lot of chatter. Creator J.J. Abrams defended the controversial ending to the popular series, praising co-creators Carlteon Cuse and Damon Lindelof. Abrams made his comments at a panel with Buffy and Dr. Horrible creator Joss Wheadon, who confirmed he was directing
AMC held a panel Thursday for its Walking Dead project, which debuts in October (no, its not about the Cubs.) Based on the popular comic strip and graphic novel, it tells about a group of individuals who survive an zombie apocalypse (I guess this is about the Cubs after all...) The trailer must've been good - they showed it twice.
- Check out these posters for NBC's Chuck and CW's new action drama Nikita. Place your money on which show will get canceled first...
-CBS announced hot teen sensation Justin Bieber will guest star in the season premiere episode of CSI this September. Not a Comic-Con item because the subject is, um... Justin Bieber.
Finally, the Westboro Baptist Church and their leader Fred Phelps led a protest against Comic-Con saying the convention is anti-religious and promotes homosexaulity.
You think the geeks of the world would take this lying down, right? Well, check out these awesome pics on how they counter-protest - geek style!
In a world filled with racism, poverty, gang violence, environmental problems, hunger, and many other injustices, the Westboro Baptist "Church" couldn't have picked a better topic - geeks attending Comic-Con. So, I suppose we'll see them protesting at a garden show next weekend?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
WFLD revamps Good Day Chicago... again
In a long due overhaul, Fox-owned WFLD-TV has decided to revamp its low-rated Good Day Chicago morning news program with the announcement of two new anchors to take over the show - reporter Anna Delvates and sports anchor Corey McPherrin, effective August 2. News of a possible anchor change first surfaced on July 14 in Robert Feder's blog at Vocalo and was made official today by station officials.
Both Davalantes and McPherrin are currently on the station's 9 p.m. newscasts. They will air the 7-to-10 a.m. portion of the morning show.
The duo replaces David Novarro (who's headed back to New York, where he'll join sister station WNYW-TV) and Jan Jeffcoat, who is being moved to noon to co-anchor the midday newscast with Patrick Elwood. During their tenure of Good Day Chicago, both Navarro and Jeffcoat were criticized for their lack of chemistry on the show.
Replacing McPherrin on the sports beat on the 9 p.m. newscast - which already saw Bob Sirott take over from Jeff Goldblatt as co-anchor earlier this week - is Jill Carlson.
Anchors shifting from sports to news have met with mixed results. While Bill Weir has had success going from a third-tier sports anchor at WGN to news anchor at KABC-TV in Los Angeles (and who just today was named co-anchor of Nightline), a similar shift Tim Weigel did in the early 1980's with WLS-TV wasn't as successful (he wound up returning to the sports beat.)
The move is the latest in changes at WFLD's news operation in hopes of improving the station's sagging news ratings, which are the weakest of the entire Fox O&O chain with viewers clearly preferring WGN-TV's newscasts, whose numbers are the strongest of any CW affiliate in the nation in contrast.
In New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, Fox-owned stations lead their Tribune counterparts by comfortable margins.
Currently, WFLD ranks fourth in morning news, only ahead of perennial basement-dwellerCBS This Morning The Early Show. WGN meanwhile, often contends for number one in the time period with WLS and Good Morning America.
Thought: You wonder if all the changes the station has made over the past seven months in their news department - and there has been a lot of them - is going to make any difference. Right now, WFLD/WPWR GM Mike Renda and News Director Carol Fowler have their work cut out for them - it's going to be no easy task to build up these ratings. And a weak syndicated programming lineup on WFLD (outside of The Simpsons, The Office, and Dr. Oz) doesn't help matters much, either. Given all of these problems, WFLD has apparently passed on launching an early fringe newscast anytime soon.
With that said, shifting McPherrin and Dalvantes - who left NBC-owned WMAQ-TV last year - to mornings is a risk the station should take and would be a vast improvement over the bland Navarro and the vapid Jeffcoat. With Jeffocat being shifted to noon, a good guess is she might be out when her contract is up. Her next career move? Well, E! is always hiring....
Both Davalantes and McPherrin are currently on the station's 9 p.m. newscasts. They will air the 7-to-10 a.m. portion of the morning show.
The duo replaces David Novarro (who's headed back to New York, where he'll join sister station WNYW-TV) and Jan Jeffcoat, who is being moved to noon to co-anchor the midday newscast with Patrick Elwood. During their tenure of Good Day Chicago, both Navarro and Jeffcoat were criticized for their lack of chemistry on the show.
Replacing McPherrin on the sports beat on the 9 p.m. newscast - which already saw Bob Sirott take over from Jeff Goldblatt as co-anchor earlier this week - is Jill Carlson.
Anchors shifting from sports to news have met with mixed results. While Bill Weir has had success going from a third-tier sports anchor at WGN to news anchor at KABC-TV in Los Angeles (and who just today was named co-anchor of Nightline), a similar shift Tim Weigel did in the early 1980's with WLS-TV wasn't as successful (he wound up returning to the sports beat.)
The move is the latest in changes at WFLD's news operation in hopes of improving the station's sagging news ratings, which are the weakest of the entire Fox O&O chain with viewers clearly preferring WGN-TV's newscasts, whose numbers are the strongest of any CW affiliate in the nation in contrast.
In New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, Fox-owned stations lead their Tribune counterparts by comfortable margins.
Currently, WFLD ranks fourth in morning news, only ahead of perennial basement-dweller
Thought: You wonder if all the changes the station has made over the past seven months in their news department - and there has been a lot of them - is going to make any difference. Right now, WFLD/WPWR GM Mike Renda and News Director Carol Fowler have their work cut out for them - it's going to be no easy task to build up these ratings. And a weak syndicated programming lineup on WFLD (outside of The Simpsons, The Office, and Dr. Oz) doesn't help matters much, either. Given all of these problems, WFLD has apparently passed on launching an early fringe newscast anytime soon.
With that said, shifting McPherrin and Dalvantes - who left NBC-owned WMAQ-TV last year - to mornings is a risk the station should take and would be a vast improvement over the bland Navarro and the vapid Jeffcoat. With Jeffocat being shifted to noon, a good guess is she might be out when her contract is up. Her next career move? Well, E! is always hiring....
WBBM-TV names new 10 p.m. co-anchor
CBS-owned WBBM-TV is undergoing yet another change with its 10 p.m. weeknight newscast by pairing current anchor Rob Johnson with Kate Sullivan, a morning anchor at sister station WCBS-TV in New York City, also a CBS O&O. The report first surfaced Wednesday on Robert Feder's blog at Vocalo.
The change is expected to take place in September. Johnson had been anchoring the newscast solo since the departure of Anne State fifteen months ago (she remained with the station as a general assignment reporter, but WBBM did not renew her contract earlier this year.)
Ms. Sullivan is a Notre Dame graduate and landed her first gig at nearby WSBT-TV, a CBS affiliate in South Bend. From there, she went on to NBC affiliate WJAR-TV in Providence and ABC affiliate KATV in Little Rock before landing at WCBS in April 2006. She most recently co-anchored the morning show with Maurice DuBois, an alum of Fox-owned WFLD-TV.
Once a perennial also-ran in New York's competitive news race, WCBS now routinely finishes second in most time periods, thanks to stronger syndicated programming (Judge Judy and Dr. Phil), but also due to a series of disasterous on-air personnel and programming changes at NBC-owned WNBC-TV, whose newscasts now generally rank behind WCBS and market leader WABC-TV, owned by The Walt Disney Co.
By comparison, WBBM has been either in third, fourth, or even fifth place at 10 p.m. for most of the last twenty years, with the notable exception being last November's sweeps, when The Jay Leno Show helped pull down NBC-owned WMAQ-TV's ratings at 10 p.m. Today's change marks the eleventh anchor change at WBBM-TV's 10 p.m. newscast in the last decade.
WBBM has also trailed in other news time periods, including early mornings where Monsters and Money In The Morning (with Mike North and Dan Jiggetts) currently resides.
The change is expected to take place in September. Johnson had been anchoring the newscast solo since the departure of Anne State fifteen months ago (she remained with the station as a general assignment reporter, but WBBM did not renew her contract earlier this year.)
Ms. Sullivan is a Notre Dame graduate and landed her first gig at nearby WSBT-TV, a CBS affiliate in South Bend. From there, she went on to NBC affiliate WJAR-TV in Providence and ABC affiliate KATV in Little Rock before landing at WCBS in April 2006. She most recently co-anchored the morning show with Maurice DuBois, an alum of Fox-owned WFLD-TV.
Once a perennial also-ran in New York's competitive news race, WCBS now routinely finishes second in most time periods, thanks to stronger syndicated programming (Judge Judy and Dr. Phil), but also due to a series of disasterous on-air personnel and programming changes at NBC-owned WNBC-TV, whose newscasts now generally rank behind WCBS and market leader WABC-TV, owned by The Walt Disney Co.
By comparison, WBBM has been either in third, fourth, or even fifth place at 10 p.m. for most of the last twenty years, with the notable exception being last November's sweeps, when The Jay Leno Show helped pull down NBC-owned WMAQ-TV's ratings at 10 p.m. Today's change marks the eleventh anchor change at WBBM-TV's 10 p.m. newscast in the last decade.
WBBM has also trailed in other news time periods, including early mornings where Monsters and Money In The Morning (with Mike North and Dan Jiggetts) currently resides.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Comic-Con 2010 is here
Hey, are you tired of turning on the TV news or logging on to the local newspaper websites and seeing Blago regularly making an ass out of himself or hearing about the latest shootings in Chicago?
Well, cheer up... because I got the prescription to cure your depression... Comic-Con!
Yes, the 41st annual geek fest begins today in beautiful San Diego, with people dressed in Chewbacca costumes, Star Trek uniforms, and Stormtrooper outfits.
And of course, there will be tons upon tons of panels whose subjects range from comic books to video games and from to Hollywood movies to TV shows. There's even panels on screenwriting and how to break into the business.
And for you Star Wars fanatics out there, Friday has been designated as Star Wars Day.
Among the mainstay genres being represented include science fiction (Caprica, Warehouse 13, and Eureka), animation (Futurama, Cartoon Network's and Nickelodeon's shows, Adult Swim, and Fox's entire Sunday night lineup), live-action sitcoms (The Big Bang Theory, of course - their panel is on Friday) and mauch more.
Even television shows who don't fit the traditional definition of geek are here as well, including CBS' new Hawaii Five-O revival; USA's Burn Notice and Psych; and MTV's new one-hour drama Teen Wolf, based on the 1985 Michael J. Fox movie.
In addition, current pop culture favorites Glee , True Blood, and Vampire Diaries are being represented (now before you all go crazy, let's all be thankful Big Willie isn't holding a panel at Comic-Con.)
And you can't have a Comic-Con without Stan "The Man" Lee. The legendary cartoonist is scheduled to helm several panels.
If you're looking for coverage of the event, you'll find plenty of it online via Twitter and Facebook and at Comic-Con's YouTube page (which as of this writing, hasn't been updated yet.) On television, G4 is scheduled to send Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn of Attack of the Show to cover the first two days of the event on Thursday and Friday.
For the complete listing of panels for each day of the festival - and believe me, there are a lot of them - click here.
And of course, The T Dog Media Blog will have daily wrap-ups of the events here. Plus, The Sidebar will feature numerous Comic-Con related links, from the official site to the local San Diego television stations covering the event. Plus, follow yours truly on Twitter to get even more updates, breaking news, and links to YouTube videos as soon as I'm able to get them.
Happy geeking, everyone!
"Big Willie" not so big
The one thing that was good about Bill Cunningham's daytime stint last week was he proved he can actually host a TV talk show.
Too bad it was the only good thing.
The four-episode test of Big Willie, which ran on six Tribune Broadcasting-owned stations and one Raycom outlet (Fox affiliate WXIX-TV in Cincinnati) stumbled out of gate. According to Broadcasting & Cable, the program averaged a 1.1 Nielsen household rating and a 4 household share during the four days the show aired. While those numbers are more in line with what a lot of syndicated fare earns during daytime these days, the ratings were down 35 percent from its lead-in and down 15 percent from its year-ago time period averages.
Cunningham is host of a daily conservative talk show on Cincinnati's WLW-AM, as well as a weekly three-hour Sunday night syndicated national radio show, which airs locally over WLS-AM.
Big Willie did best in his home market of Cincinnati, where he earned a household 1.9/5 on WXIX, up 73 percent from its lead-in and up 90 percent from July 2009's time period average. The program also posted year-ago time period increases in Seattle (KCPQ) and Indianapolis (WXIN).
But the program's ratings were down double-digits in the other four markets, including Chicago - where WGN-TV earned a 0.9/4 at 12:30 a.m., down 50 percent from its Friends lead-in and down 40 percent from year-ago time period averages, which consisted of sitcom reruns (Maury usually occupies the time period.)
Originally, five episodes were to be shown, but one of them was pulled due to a lawsuit.
The test episodes included a woman who wanted to set a Guinness Book of World Record for being the largest person ever to give birth (she weighed in at 600 lb. and was going for 1000 lbs.) She appeared on stage with her husband, who fed her sushi and had a whip to "keep her in line".
Other episodes featured women who drank alcohol and did drugs during pregnancy; and elderly women who stripped and worked as sex-phone operators.
If you thought the topics were bad, the overall look of the show was even worse: the set screamed cheap and amateurish and the program looked like it was shot in an office under going renovation with production values stuck in 1987. At any given moment, you'd expect Bob Vila to come out and start using power tools.
A search of Big Willie on Twitter (aside from numerous Will Smith and male genitalia references) turned up mostly negative reviews, with many viewers wondering where Maury was. A sampling of their comments as follows:
- "Big Willie Show = Weak. Sad. Boring. Disgusting. Dumb. Lame. Horrible. An #EpicFail." - SteeVWonders, Chicago
- "[I mean] Big Willie looks like a bootleg Jerry Springer, not Maury. Just awful." - flyyychick, Unknown city
- "They Can't afford chairs on The Big Willie Show?" - Lesile Mere, Houston
- "Who ever at WGN replaced my Maury Povich with this annoying Big Willie show, damn you to hell *sighs*" - Chitownloon (Gina), Chicago
Given these numbers, it is not known whether Tribune will pursue this project for a full-time syndication run, but given this debacle, maybe Bill Cunningham probably should have interviewed now-defunct Bachelor couple Jake Palvelka and Vienna Giradi on one of these shows. At least the two would have felt right at home with the obese woman who thinks she's a seal and the granny porn stars.
Too bad it was the only good thing.
The four-episode test of Big Willie, which ran on six Tribune Broadcasting-owned stations and one Raycom outlet (Fox affiliate WXIX-TV in Cincinnati) stumbled out of gate. According to Broadcasting & Cable, the program averaged a 1.1 Nielsen household rating and a 4 household share during the four days the show aired. While those numbers are more in line with what a lot of syndicated fare earns during daytime these days, the ratings were down 35 percent from its lead-in and down 15 percent from its year-ago time period averages.
Cunningham is host of a daily conservative talk show on Cincinnati's WLW-AM, as well as a weekly three-hour Sunday night syndicated national radio show, which airs locally over WLS-AM.
Big Willie did best in his home market of Cincinnati, where he earned a household 1.9/5 on WXIX, up 73 percent from its lead-in and up 90 percent from July 2009's time period average. The program also posted year-ago time period increases in Seattle (KCPQ) and Indianapolis (WXIN).
But the program's ratings were down double-digits in the other four markets, including Chicago - where WGN-TV earned a 0.9/4 at 12:30 a.m., down 50 percent from its Friends lead-in and down 40 percent from year-ago time period averages, which consisted of sitcom reruns (Maury usually occupies the time period.)
Originally, five episodes were to be shown, but one of them was pulled due to a lawsuit.
The test episodes included a woman who wanted to set a Guinness Book of World Record for being the largest person ever to give birth (she weighed in at 600 lb. and was going for 1000 lbs.) She appeared on stage with her husband, who fed her sushi and had a whip to "keep her in line".
Other episodes featured women who drank alcohol and did drugs during pregnancy; and elderly women who stripped and worked as sex-phone operators.
If you thought the topics were bad, the overall look of the show was even worse: the set screamed cheap and amateurish and the program looked like it was shot in an office under going renovation with production values stuck in 1987. At any given moment, you'd expect Bob Vila to come out and start using power tools.
A search of Big Willie on Twitter (aside from numerous Will Smith and male genitalia references) turned up mostly negative reviews, with many viewers wondering where Maury was. A sampling of their comments as follows:
- "Big Willie Show = Weak. Sad. Boring. Disgusting. Dumb. Lame. Horrible. An #EpicFail." - SteeVWonders, Chicago
- "[I mean] Big Willie looks like a bootleg Jerry Springer, not Maury. Just awful." - flyyychick, Unknown city
- "They Can't afford chairs on The Big Willie Show?" - Lesile Mere, Houston
- "Who ever at WGN replaced my Maury Povich with this annoying Big Willie show, damn you to hell *sighs*" - Chitownloon (Gina), Chicago
Given these numbers, it is not known whether Tribune will pursue this project for a full-time syndication run, but given this debacle, maybe Bill Cunningham probably should have interviewed now-defunct Bachelor couple Jake Palvelka and Vienna Giradi on one of these shows. At least the two would have felt right at home with the obese woman who thinks she's a seal and the granny porn stars.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
WLS-TV to replace "Oprah" with live, local morning show
In news first reported Tuesday morning on Robert Feder's blog at Vocalo, ABC-owned WLS-TV has announced plans to replace The Oprah Winfrey Show, which departs first-run syndication on September 9, 2011: The station is developing a live, local morning show to take her place. There is no word yet on a host or format, but it is expected to be targeted to women 25-54.
The program has a working title of Morning Rush, and the show would air live weekdays at 9 a.m. in front of a studio audience, starting on September 12, 2011 in a time slot Ms. Winfrey has dominated for a little over 25 years.
The new show would be a throwback of sorts - in the 1970s and 1980s, many local stations produced daily talk shows - some airing live in front of a studio audience. For example, then ABC-owned WXYZ-TV in Detroit had the long-running morning talk show Kelly & Company, while the five Group W stations produced plenty of daily, local programming. This came at a time when their were few first-run programs in syndication outside of prime access and local stations (who didn't have nationally syndicated talk shows featuring Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, or Dinah Shore) had only two choices- air off-network reruns or air locally produced programming.
Many talkers, like Ms. Winfrey, Phil Donahue, Regis Phillbin & Kathie Lee Gifford, and Morton Downey Jr. all got their start hosting local shows before they went into national syndication (only Downey didn't succeed.) In fact, Ms. Winfrey became host of WLS' locally-produced A.M. Chicago in early 1984, which evolved into The Oprah Winfrey Show. It started beating Donahue on CBS' WBBM-TV and the rest is history.
In the interview with Mr. Feder, WLS-TV General Manger Emily Barr stated she wasn't looking to launch the next Oprah Winfrey Show: "I think we want to go in a completely different direction. We want to do something that feels lighter rather than heavier, fun without being too silly, smart without feeling too sophisticated. If we can do all of that, and get the right hosts and make it both predictable and unpredictable, then I think people will try us out.”
Instead of airing a program from ABC's Live Well HD subchannel network (which Ms. Barr also manages) or going the vertical integration route by poaching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or Regis & Kelly from Disney-ABC Domestic Television Distribution (who like WLS, is also owned by The Walt Disney Co.), the station decided to develop a local show and keep all the potential ad revenue earned from the program, instead of shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to a syndicator, and giving up some barter time on top of it.
So far, this marks the second ABC-owned station to announce its post-Oprah plans. A few weeks ago, KABC-TV in Los Angeles announced its was replacing Oprah at 3 p.m. with The Dr. Oz Show in 2011. Oz, who has appeared on Oprah a few times, currently airs at 5 p.m. on Fox-owned KTTV in Los Angeles.
Sony could have convinced WLS to buy Dr. Oz to replace Oprah at 9 a.m., but opted to renew with WFLD-TV instead. The sale of Oz to KABC put the kibosh on any notion of an ABC group deal to replace Oprah on seven of its ten O&Os.
Meanwhile, other major ABC O&Os including WABC-TV in New York and WPVI in Philadelphia have yet to announce their post-Oprah plans, where she airs at 4 p.m., but sources say a local news expansion into those time periods is likely.
The program has a working title of Morning Rush, and the show would air live weekdays at 9 a.m. in front of a studio audience, starting on September 12, 2011 in a time slot Ms. Winfrey has dominated for a little over 25 years.
The new show would be a throwback of sorts - in the 1970s and 1980s, many local stations produced daily talk shows - some airing live in front of a studio audience. For example, then ABC-owned WXYZ-TV in Detroit had the long-running morning talk show Kelly & Company, while the five Group W stations produced plenty of daily, local programming. This came at a time when their were few first-run programs in syndication outside of prime access and local stations (who didn't have nationally syndicated talk shows featuring Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, or Dinah Shore) had only two choices- air off-network reruns or air locally produced programming.
Many talkers, like Ms. Winfrey, Phil Donahue, Regis Phillbin & Kathie Lee Gifford, and Morton Downey Jr. all got their start hosting local shows before they went into national syndication (only Downey didn't succeed.) In fact, Ms. Winfrey became host of WLS' locally-produced A.M. Chicago in early 1984, which evolved into The Oprah Winfrey Show. It started beating Donahue on CBS' WBBM-TV and the rest is history.
In the interview with Mr. Feder, WLS-TV General Manger Emily Barr stated she wasn't looking to launch the next Oprah Winfrey Show: "I think we want to go in a completely different direction. We want to do something that feels lighter rather than heavier, fun without being too silly, smart without feeling too sophisticated. If we can do all of that, and get the right hosts and make it both predictable and unpredictable, then I think people will try us out.”
Instead of airing a program from ABC's Live Well HD subchannel network (which Ms. Barr also manages) or going the vertical integration route by poaching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or Regis & Kelly from Disney-ABC Domestic Television Distribution (who like WLS, is also owned by The Walt Disney Co.), the station decided to develop a local show and keep all the potential ad revenue earned from the program, instead of shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to a syndicator, and giving up some barter time on top of it.
So far, this marks the second ABC-owned station to announce its post-Oprah plans. A few weeks ago, KABC-TV in Los Angeles announced its was replacing Oprah at 3 p.m. with The Dr. Oz Show in 2011. Oz, who has appeared on Oprah a few times, currently airs at 5 p.m. on Fox-owned KTTV in Los Angeles.
Sony could have convinced WLS to buy Dr. Oz to replace Oprah at 9 a.m., but opted to renew with WFLD-TV instead. The sale of Oz to KABC put the kibosh on any notion of an ABC group deal to replace Oprah on seven of its ten O&Os.
Meanwhile, other major ABC O&Os including WABC-TV in New York and WPVI in Philadelphia have yet to announce their post-Oprah plans, where she airs at 4 p.m., but sources say a local news expansion into those time periods is likely.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
WGN-TV begins 4:30 a.m. newscast
Tribune-owned WGN-TV is adding yet another half-hour of news later this summer, this time at 4:30 a.m.
Following a trend many local stations have been doing across the country for the past year, WGN is adding the 4:30 a.m. newscast to take advantage of commuters getting up earlier to go to work (or as we say in the trade, increasing HUT levels in the half-hour.)
And not to mention the potential to grab extra revenue. Before NBC affiliate KUSA-TV in Denver decided to launch a 4:30 a.m. newscast, it was estimated the Gannett-owned station would earn $12,000 to $15,000 more per week - a number that would go higher for WGN since Chicago is a larger market.
Val Warner will anchor the new dawn patrol newscast, with Paul Konrad on weather. The newscast starts on August 16.
WGN becomes the second Tribune station to add 4:30 a.m. news; earlier this year, sister station KTLA in Los Angeles added a 4:30 a.m. show.
The CW affiliate entered the morning news business on September 1994 with an hour-long morning news show, more than a year after Fox-owned WFLD became the first local station in the market to air a weekday 7-9 a.m. news show (and shifted the long-running Bozo Show to weekends, to the outrage of its many fans.)
As WGN's morning show expanded, its ratings grew - passing WFLD rather easily and has often ranked #1 in its time period. The program also produces plenty of buzz-worthy viral video moments (including timeless classics like "I'm Freakin' Tom Skilling!)
The extra half-hour displaces an episode of The Andy Griffith Show, which stays at 4 a.m. (Chicago viewers can also catch Andy on Me-TV at a more reasonable time, weeknights at 8 p.m.)
Following a trend many local stations have been doing across the country for the past year, WGN is adding the 4:30 a.m. newscast to take advantage of commuters getting up earlier to go to work (or as we say in the trade, increasing HUT levels in the half-hour.)
And not to mention the potential to grab extra revenue. Before NBC affiliate KUSA-TV in Denver decided to launch a 4:30 a.m. newscast, it was estimated the Gannett-owned station would earn $12,000 to $15,000 more per week - a number that would go higher for WGN since Chicago is a larger market.
Val Warner will anchor the new dawn patrol newscast, with Paul Konrad on weather. The newscast starts on August 16.
WGN becomes the second Tribune station to add 4:30 a.m. news; earlier this year, sister station KTLA in Los Angeles added a 4:30 a.m. show.
The CW affiliate entered the morning news business on September 1994 with an hour-long morning news show, more than a year after Fox-owned WFLD became the first local station in the market to air a weekday 7-9 a.m. news show (and shifted the long-running Bozo Show to weekends, to the outrage of its many fans.)
As WGN's morning show expanded, its ratings grew - passing WFLD rather easily and has often ranked #1 in its time period. The program also produces plenty of buzz-worthy viral video moments (including timeless classics like "I'm Freakin' Tom Skilling!)
The extra half-hour displaces an episode of The Andy Griffith Show, which stays at 4 a.m. (Chicago viewers can also catch Andy on Me-TV at a more reasonable time, weeknights at 8 p.m.)
Friday, July 16, 2010
Everybody Loves Mancow
Mancow's shtick is so laughable, it could pass itself off as a pathetic sitcom.
Welcome to Everybody Loves Mancow, starring Mancow Mueller! In this show, Mancow thinks the whole world only evolves around him and only him - and everybody who works with him suffers for it. In this latest episode, Mueller talks about Tuesday’s Federal Court ruling on indecency and his effect - on him.
In an interview with Vocalo’s Robert Feder, Mueller said the ruling, which the court threw out the government’s strict rules on profanity, does little for him - declaring radio “dead” and then compared it to someone who died of cancer and they just found the cure.
On Tuesday, the Court thankfully threw out those silly rules, which found TV and radio stations liable for any type of profanity, even the “fleeting” kind. The court said the strict policies - made up after the Super Bowl Halftime Show debacle in 2004 - were called “unconstitutionally vague and chilling”.
Mueller was host of Mancow’s Morning Madhouse on WKQX-FM (Q101) until 2006, when his contract was not renewed. He wound up suing Q101, in a case still pending in the courts. His most recent gig - a 9 -to- 11 a.m. talk show with Pat Cassidy on WLS-AM ended a few months ago when the station canceled the show despite strong ratings.
Mueller’s show was targeted by one person - uber-idiot David Edward Smith of the Illinois Family Institute - who filed 70 FCC complaints and the agency fined Q101 owner Emmis for indecent broadcasts.
In the interview, Mueller said the ruling had little consolation for him and blamed the crackdown for “safe radio” due to the FCC’s stepped-up enforcement of indecency rules. But Mueller also played the race card, saying Chicago’s Hispanic and urban-targeted radio stations got away with more than he ever could, claiming the FCC didn’t go after them because he thinks they didn’t view their audience as voters (and I suppose he forgot - or chose to forgot about the huge voter turnout in Chicago’s minority communities during the last major election.)
In his filings of his lawsuit against Q101, he claims he was denied the opportunity to work at WPWX-FM (Power 92) - a station that plays hip-hop/rap and R&B music - the same type of music Mancow once played at San Francisco’s KMEL-FM.
How hypocritical.
While Mueller is spot on about the FCC crackdown creating more bland radio, his comments were basically on how it affected him - and he plays the victim as he usually does. And he talks about how “big” his show is nationally when it isn’t even heard in the 10 largest radio markets, including Chicago.
But all of this drama surrounding Mancow plays out like a poorly acted and poorly written farce of a sitcom with Mancow as The Fonz and David Edward Smith as Officer Kirk, trying to run him out of town. The only difference is, the Fonz wasn’t an arrogant asshole like his nemesis was. In this sitcom, it’s a riot with two idiots running their mouths. Just throw in a phony laugh track, a lousy plot, and several cliches, and you get something resembling Til Death or Tyler Perry’s House of Payne... you’d hope Mancow would get hit upside the head with Madea’s purse.
But unlike Til Death, Everybody Loves Mancow is a sitcom that will never get canceled as long as the motormouth keeps his broken-down engine running. And it took four years for Fox to finally pull the plug of the stupid Brad Garrett sitcom (pictured, above when he actually had a better job playing fourth banana to Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and one of those kids on the show.) How long it will take for Mancow Mueller to finally shut up?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
T Dog's Six Pack: The Emmys, "Hot In Cleveland", LeBron, and more
Three up, three down: The best and worst in media during the past week:
What's Hot.
The Final Answer: Pay up, Mickey Mouse. A grand jury ruled in favor of Celador after The Walt Disney Co. skimmed the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire producer out of millions of dollars, thanks to "Hollywood Accounting." The jury awarded Celador $269 million, which Disney is appealing. A huge setback for big media conglomerates - and good news for the rest of us.
Hot In Cleveland. This surprise hit from TV Land of all places has been picked up for 20 more episodes, set to return in January. The program has averaged a cumulative 4.7 million viewers this season - more than Comedy Central's much-ballyhooed return of Futurama and TBS' new laugh-free comedy Are We There Yet? With Betty White, who needs LeBron?
World Cup Fever. ABC and Univision scored more goals than the teams did with the soccer tournament. Sunday's Cup Final in which Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 drew 15. 5 million viewers to ABC and another 8.8 million on Spanish-language Univision, giving the match close to 24 million viewers overall. And now, Americans can go back and ignore soccer to the next four years.
What's Not.
The LeBron Debacle. Who's to blame here? ESPN? LeBron James? Jim Gray? Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's remarks? Jesse Jackson's even dumber remarks? How about each one of these dumbasses involved? That's better than going on an one thousand-word rant on this subject (which I did with WGN Radio and ESPN two weeks ago.)
And for the record, yours truly is not a LeFraud James fan.
Emmy nominations. Okay, how does Glee - a program with a bunch of musical numbers strung together by a very thin plot - get 19 Emmy nominations? And this show nominated in the Outstanding Comedy category while The Big Bang Theory isn't?. Meanwhile, Ed O'Neill is the only cast member of Modern Family not nominated? And neither edition of Survivor gets nominated for Outstanding Reality Series, but the cheesy Dancing With the Stars does? And only four minorities nominated for the Emmys? So much for diversity. At least the inane Minute It To Win It and Marriage Ref weren't nominated - or are they next year's nominees? The Emmy Awards are becoming more and more irrelevant with each passing year. Yours truly will not be watching this year, and possibly ever.
Jeremy Green. Remember those Holiday Inn Express commercials where you were instantly smart for staying in one? Well... Tirico Suave tweets:
"Jeremy Green busted with kiddie porn AND cocaine. Good thing he was at a Holiday Inn Express or he might have done something REALLY dumb"
The now-former host of ESPN's Football Today Podcast and son of former NFL coach Dennis Green becomes the first person in history to go to a Holiday Inn Express and comes out looking like an idiot. But don't worry his future career endeavors - he now qualifies to co-host with fellow convict Jim Laski on WGN Radio when he gets out of jail.
What's Hot.
The Final Answer: Pay up, Mickey Mouse. A grand jury ruled in favor of Celador after The Walt Disney Co. skimmed the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire producer out of millions of dollars, thanks to "Hollywood Accounting." The jury awarded Celador $269 million, which Disney is appealing. A huge setback for big media conglomerates - and good news for the rest of us.
Hot In Cleveland. This surprise hit from TV Land of all places has been picked up for 20 more episodes, set to return in January. The program has averaged a cumulative 4.7 million viewers this season - more than Comedy Central's much-ballyhooed return of Futurama and TBS' new laugh-free comedy Are We There Yet? With Betty White, who needs LeBron?
World Cup Fever. ABC and Univision scored more goals than the teams did with the soccer tournament. Sunday's Cup Final in which Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 drew 15. 5 million viewers to ABC and another 8.8 million on Spanish-language Univision, giving the match close to 24 million viewers overall. And now, Americans can go back and ignore soccer to the next four years.
What's Not.
The LeBron Debacle. Who's to blame here? ESPN? LeBron James? Jim Gray? Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's remarks? Jesse Jackson's even dumber remarks? How about each one of these dumbasses involved? That's better than going on an one thousand-word rant on this subject (which I did with WGN Radio and ESPN two weeks ago.)
And for the record, yours truly is not a LeFraud James fan.
Emmy nominations. Okay, how does Glee - a program with a bunch of musical numbers strung together by a very thin plot - get 19 Emmy nominations? And this show nominated in the Outstanding Comedy category while The Big Bang Theory isn't?. Meanwhile, Ed O'Neill is the only cast member of Modern Family not nominated? And neither edition of Survivor gets nominated for Outstanding Reality Series, but the cheesy Dancing With the Stars does? And only four minorities nominated for the Emmys? So much for diversity. At least the inane Minute It To Win It and Marriage Ref weren't nominated - or are they next year's nominees? The Emmy Awards are becoming more and more irrelevant with each passing year. Yours truly will not be watching this year, and possibly ever.
Jeremy Green. Remember those Holiday Inn Express commercials where you were instantly smart for staying in one? Well... Tirico Suave tweets:
"Jeremy Green busted with kiddie porn AND cocaine. Good thing he was at a Holiday Inn Express or he might have done something REALLY dumb"
The now-former host of ESPN's Football Today Podcast and son of former NFL coach Dennis Green becomes the first person in history to go to a Holiday Inn Express and comes out looking like an idiot. But don't worry his future career endeavors - he now qualifies to co-host with fellow convict Jim Laski on WGN Radio when he gets out of jail.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Bob Sirott returns to WFLD
He's back!
Veteran Chicago media personality Bob Sirott is returning to Fox-owned WFLD as an anchor for the station's signature 9 p.m. newscast on July 19, alongside Robin Robinson. He replaces Jeff Goldblatt, whose contract at the station was not renewed.
The station initially denied it was pursuing Sirott, even though Vocalo's Robert Feder and the Tribune's Phil Rosenthal said otherwise.
Sirott was last at NBC-owned WMAQ-TV as a temporary 10 p.m. replacement anchor alongside Allison Rosati. Sirott took over after Warner Saunders retired. Sirott was released from his contract after negotiations to renew failed.
Sirott's hire is a bit of a homecoming. He helmed Fox Thing In The Morning for six years with co-anchor (and future wife) Murianne Murciano.
When Fox let him go in 2000, Sirott went on to host Chicago Tonight on WTTW and later went to WMAQ as a fill-in anchor.
Sirott's other employment gigs in Chicago included stints at WBBM-FM (during the station's progressive rock era), WLS-AM, WGN-AM, WBBM-TV. He also did a stint for CBS News' short-lived newsmagazine show West 57th.
The move is intended to boost sagging ratings for WFLD's 9 p.m. newscast, which has not benefited from its network's strong lead-ins of Glee and American Idol - and the opportunity to further cash-in on the latter's success may be slipping away with ratings already declining and likely to accelerate with Simon Cowell now gone from the show (for the record, American Idol has historically underperformed the national average locally, notably after hometown favorite Jennifer Hudson was eliminated from competition early in 2004.)
WFLD's newscasts are the weakest O&O in the Fox chain, given its New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston counterparts (among others) fare so much better in 9 p.m. (10 p.m. ET) and morning newscasts.
Thought: I think the pairing of Bob Sirott and Robin Robinson (another WBBM-TV alum) is a good idea - Sirott's chemistry with on-air partners have worked well in the past and will work with Ms. Robinson. Sirott never should been released from Fox Thing In The Morning, which was one of the best local morning shows in a long time. Had WFLD management been patient and not throw in the towel in the face of WGN-TV's morning show, Fox Thing could have been the market's top-rated morning show.
Instead, it languishes in fourth place (just barely ahead of perennial last-place dweller CBS This Morning or The Early Show, or The Morning Program, or whatever they call it now) with David Navarro and the ditzy Jan Jeffcoat, who alone makes the show unwatchable. She makes former CBS morning show hosts Phyills George and Mariette Hartley geniuses by comparison.
Veteran Chicago media personality Bob Sirott is returning to Fox-owned WFLD as an anchor for the station's signature 9 p.m. newscast on July 19, alongside Robin Robinson. He replaces Jeff Goldblatt, whose contract at the station was not renewed.
The station initially denied it was pursuing Sirott, even though Vocalo's Robert Feder and the Tribune's Phil Rosenthal said otherwise.
Sirott was last at NBC-owned WMAQ-TV as a temporary 10 p.m. replacement anchor alongside Allison Rosati. Sirott took over after Warner Saunders retired. Sirott was released from his contract after negotiations to renew failed.
Sirott's hire is a bit of a homecoming. He helmed Fox Thing In The Morning for six years with co-anchor (and future wife) Murianne Murciano.
When Fox let him go in 2000, Sirott went on to host Chicago Tonight on WTTW and later went to WMAQ as a fill-in anchor.
Sirott's other employment gigs in Chicago included stints at WBBM-FM (during the station's progressive rock era), WLS-AM, WGN-AM, WBBM-TV. He also did a stint for CBS News' short-lived newsmagazine show West 57th.
The move is intended to boost sagging ratings for WFLD's 9 p.m. newscast, which has not benefited from its network's strong lead-ins of Glee and American Idol - and the opportunity to further cash-in on the latter's success may be slipping away with ratings already declining and likely to accelerate with Simon Cowell now gone from the show (for the record, American Idol has historically underperformed the national average locally, notably after hometown favorite Jennifer Hudson was eliminated from competition early in 2004.)
WFLD's newscasts are the weakest O&O in the Fox chain, given its New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston counterparts (among others) fare so much better in 9 p.m. (10 p.m. ET) and morning newscasts.
Thought: I think the pairing of Bob Sirott and Robin Robinson (another WBBM-TV alum) is a good idea - Sirott's chemistry with on-air partners have worked well in the past and will work with Ms. Robinson. Sirott never should been released from Fox Thing In The Morning, which was one of the best local morning shows in a long time. Had WFLD management been patient and not throw in the towel in the face of WGN-TV's morning show, Fox Thing could have been the market's top-rated morning show.
Instead, it languishes in fourth place (just barely ahead of perennial last-place dweller CBS This Morning or The Early Show, or The Morning Program, or whatever they call it now) with David Navarro and the ditzy Jan Jeffcoat, who alone makes the show unwatchable. She makes former CBS morning show hosts Phyills George and Mariette Hartley geniuses by comparison.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
"American Top 40" to celebrate 40 years
American Top 40 - the legendary radio program which counted down the week's popular hits from number 40 to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and gave us the Long Distance Dedication, marks its 40th anniversary on July 4 - the exact day the program was born back in 1970, when it was heard on only seven stations. Two years later, AT40 would have more than 200 affiliates across the country and by the end of the 1970's, would be heard all around the world.
The program has been through almost every musical genre you can think of the last four decades - from Disco to New Wave, from Rock to Hip-Hop, from Grunge to Crunk and kept track of artists such as The Bee Gees, The Jackson 5 (and of course, Michael's solo career), Whitney Houston, Prince, Madonna, Duran Duran, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Usher, and Lady GaGa, as each become superstars.
In Chicago, American Top 40 has aired on WDHF, WBBM-FM (before the Hot Hits/B96 era), WLS-AM, WYTZ-FM (Z95), WBUS-FM, and its current home, WKSC-FM.
Ryan Seacrest, the show's current host, will look back at four decades of chart-making hits on the special broadcast, which also includes this week's Top 40 songs (the countdown airs Sunday from 7-11 a.m. locally on WKSC.)
American Top 40 was co-created by Casey Kasem, who hosted the show from July 4, 1970 to August 6, 1988, when he departed the show he created after failing to come to terms with ABC Radio on a contract renewal (Kasem would start another countdown show titled Casey's Top 40 with Westwood One in January 1989.) He would be replaced by Hollywood Squares announcer Shadoe Stevens on August 13, 1988 who hosted the show until its cancellation in January 1995 (the show ended a few months earlier in the U.S. in July 1994.)
When ownership rights reverted back to Kasem and co-creator Don Bustany, Kasem left his Westwood One show and launched a new version of American Top 40 in conjunction with AM/FM Radio Corp. (now Clear Channel-owned Premiere Radio Networks) on March 28, 1998 with Kasem again as host. On January 10, 2004, Ryan Seacrest took over as host, but Kasem continued to host AT40's Adult Contemporary spinoffs (American Top 20 and American Top 10) until July 4 of last year, when Kasem retired from the grind - exactly 39 years to the day AT40 premiered.
The success of American Top 40 spawned numerous imitators - some successful (Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40, which began in 1983 and is still going strong)... and some not so (remember Dan Ingram's Satellite Survey?)
American Top 40 is best known for counting down the forty most popular songs from Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart, but in 1991 switched to an all-airplay chart from the magazine in order to cut down on the number of raunchy Hip-Hop, Rap, and Heavy Metal songs prevalent on the Hot 100, which many of AT40's client radio stations did not want to play. When the show returned in 1998, it used the CHR/Pop Airplay Chart used in the now-defunct Radio & Records magazine and complied by Mediabase. Today, AT40 uses Mediabase's Top 40 Airplay Chart and can be found on All Access' website.
And for those who want to listen to the very first American Top 40 broadcast from July 4, 1970, you're in luck - Premiere Radio Networks' American Top 40: The '70's is broadcasting it this weekend. For showtimes and streams where you can listen to the broadcast, click here, and use the drop-down buttons to select AT40: The '70's and the time zone you live in (for example, in Chicago, use -6 for Central Daylight Time.)
The program has been through almost every musical genre you can think of the last four decades - from Disco to New Wave, from Rock to Hip-Hop, from Grunge to Crunk and kept track of artists such as The Bee Gees, The Jackson 5 (and of course, Michael's solo career), Whitney Houston, Prince, Madonna, Duran Duran, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Usher, and Lady GaGa, as each become superstars.
In Chicago, American Top 40 has aired on WDHF, WBBM-FM (before the Hot Hits/B96 era), WLS-AM, WYTZ-FM (Z95), WBUS-FM, and its current home, WKSC-FM.
Ryan Seacrest, the show's current host, will look back at four decades of chart-making hits on the special broadcast, which also includes this week's Top 40 songs (the countdown airs Sunday from 7-11 a.m. locally on WKSC.)
American Top 40 was co-created by Casey Kasem, who hosted the show from July 4, 1970 to August 6, 1988, when he departed the show he created after failing to come to terms with ABC Radio on a contract renewal (Kasem would start another countdown show titled Casey's Top 40 with Westwood One in January 1989.) He would be replaced by Hollywood Squares announcer Shadoe Stevens on August 13, 1988 who hosted the show until its cancellation in January 1995 (the show ended a few months earlier in the U.S. in July 1994.)
When ownership rights reverted back to Kasem and co-creator Don Bustany, Kasem left his Westwood One show and launched a new version of American Top 40 in conjunction with AM/FM Radio Corp. (now Clear Channel-owned Premiere Radio Networks) on March 28, 1998 with Kasem again as host. On January 10, 2004, Ryan Seacrest took over as host, but Kasem continued to host AT40's Adult Contemporary spinoffs (American Top 20 and American Top 10) until July 4 of last year, when Kasem retired from the grind - exactly 39 years to the day AT40 premiered.
The success of American Top 40 spawned numerous imitators - some successful (Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40, which began in 1983 and is still going strong)... and some not so (remember Dan Ingram's Satellite Survey?)
American Top 40 is best known for counting down the forty most popular songs from Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart, but in 1991 switched to an all-airplay chart from the magazine in order to cut down on the number of raunchy Hip-Hop, Rap, and Heavy Metal songs prevalent on the Hot 100, which many of AT40's client radio stations did not want to play. When the show returned in 1998, it used the CHR/Pop Airplay Chart used in the now-defunct Radio & Records magazine and complied by Mediabase. Today, AT40 uses Mediabase's Top 40 Airplay Chart and can be found on All Access' website.
And for those who want to listen to the very first American Top 40 broadcast from July 4, 1970, you're in luck - Premiere Radio Networks' American Top 40: The '70's is broadcasting it this weekend. For showtimes and streams where you can listen to the broadcast, click here, and use the drop-down buttons to select AT40: The '70's and the time zone you live in (for example, in Chicago, use -6 for Central Daylight Time.)
T Dog's Think Tank: A hiring suggestion for Randy Michaels
Reader discretion is advised.
I have some hiring advice for Tribune CEO Randy "Court Jester" Michaels directly from The T Dog Media Department....
Hire Seth Everett away from WEPN-AM in New York City (known primarily as ESPN 1050) and from ESPN's Baseball Today podcast.
Why you may ask? Because he is a seasoned, reliable broadcaster. Wait, no... you don't want people like that. Let me put it another way...
This guy is an abrasive jackass, which would certainly fit WGN Radio's criteria of hiring talent these days, which is right up yours' and Kevin "Pig Virus" Methany's alley.
And never mind his sports background. Assholes like him can be bought and sold for the right price, and you can make him talk about anything topic you want.
So why should The Court Jester and Pig Virus consider hiring Everett? Here's an example... on June 11th's Baseball Today podcast, right out of nowhere, Mr. Everett slammed Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after he got into an argument with Ken Williams, the team GM over the drafting of Guillen's son and the elder Guillen offering his son $50,000 not to play for the team (after all, it is the Chicago way. Click here to listen and speed to about 11:05 to listen.)
Alright, Ozzie is.. well a bit much - he would fit in with the political crowd in Chicago, that's for sure. But the garbage Everett is spewing is so hypocritical.
This idiot calls out Guillen for using profanity during post-game interviews... but yet, he admits to watching Family Guy, a program which contains such language (albeit bleeped) and rather questionable content. In fact, the Parents Television Council has a file so large on this show, it's practically a phone book (if you've read this blog for the past four years, then you know where I stand on the PTC.)
And he has the nerve to call out Ozzie for profanity and unprofessionalism? Good grief. Take a look at who the Worldwide Leader in Bullshit employs as a college basketball analyst - yes, that wonderful angel Bobby Knight, who spent half of his career tossing chairs across basketball courts.
And here's another gem: after a pitcher from an American League team recently injured himself running the bases at a National League ballpark during interleague play, he had the nerve to blame interleague play for the fiasco. I guess to him, pitchers rarely have injuries, right? According to his logic, robots should go out to the mound and throw no-hitters instead.
And a few days ago on ESPN's Baseball Today while discussing (or ranting) about the firing of the Florida Marlins manager, Everett said he wouldn't call for any major league manager to be fired- while he has called for Ozzie Guillen's firing on numerous occasions.
While yours truly won't defend Ozzie, Everett's constant attacks on Major League Baseball players and personnel is unwarranted, unfair, and totally hypocritical. This person is just as bad as Jay Mariotti - and some of the reasons why sports talk radio is unlistenable is because the majority of the hosts are retards and Seth Everett is no exception. His voice is so annoying, it makes you want to stick your head in the toilet and vomit.
But it's not the attack on Guillen that gets your truly. No, it's the fact that he would attack someone on the air about the person's professionalism when his own comes into question. And Everett sounds like a member of the despised PTC - when he says his favorite show is Family Guy. This moron sounds like one of those hot-air windbags WGN Radio is trying to hire.
Remember, this is a guy who replaced Peter Pascarelli as co-host of Baseball Today - a job Pascarelli was fired from after he made a crack about MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's statue in front of Miller Park in Milwaukee and birds from all over Wisconsin dropping off some... um, substances on the top of the statue's head. And when the gig became available, Everett took a two month vacation. In other words, he wanted to start the job when he wanted to. Wow, I wish I could've gotten a vacation when I started my new job!
And this trash can also worked in the Major League Baseball Commissioner's office for eight years - I guess ESPN won't ever be worried about Everett running off pigeon jokes.
And his "expertise" on baseball isn't that great either if you listen to the podcast along with Eric Karabell, who comes off as a whiny little prick who mentions the Phillies are his favorite team on every single podcast (and who says The Worldwide Leader in Bullshit has no East Coast bias?) But of course, if you want to work in sports talk radio, a knowledge of the subject isn't really a prerequisite - just acting like an jackass gets you right in the door. Just ask Tony Kornhiser from Pardon the Interruption, who is another self-absorbed jackass at the Worldwide Leader In Bullshit. And don't get yours truly started on Mike & Mike, the weekday morning train-wreck of a show those two idiots on Baeeball Today keep name dropping on their podcast. What, I want to listen to two more idiots?
Given The Court Jester and Pig Virus are so hell-intent on remaking WGN Radio as a outlet full of moronic windbags, Seth Everett would fit right in with ex-convict Jim "don't drop the soap" Laski and newcomer Mike McConnell from WLW-AM in Cincinnati, a polarizing talk show host who spews about the same amount of garbage as Everett does. All of this while good-natured and relatable personalities like Steve Cochran and Bob Sirott were kicked out the door. And WGN was this close to hiring Bill Cunningham from WLW, another polarizing figure who is shooting pilots for a daytime talk show on Bradley Place titled Willie, or its more appropriate title, Randy's Circus on Bradley Place featuring angry parents of child pageant contestants.
But what do you expect when Big Media is in control? Common sense and taste doesn't matter. Shock value and ratings does. It's the kind of values that Randy Michaels, Sam Zell, Kevin Methany, and ESPN executives thrive on. They hire personalities who are hypocrites who call other people's behavior into question while their own behavior comes into question. Does it make good radio? It makes stupid radio. But stupid people love stupid radio, and sadly, there is a lot of stupid people out there and even stupider executives, and it goes beyond the suites at the Tribune Tower and in Bristol.
And while the Internet has provided a new platform for distribution, ESPN's podcasts break no new ground. Big Media conglomerates like The Walt Disney Co. (owners of ESPN) and Tribune don't invest in innovation - they stifle it by trotting out the same old bullshit you are used to hearing on terrestrial radio. And it will get worse because Big Media is only going to get bigger with Comcast's purchase of NBC, which is all but certain thanks it part to the public's indifference on the matter, stifling creativity and innovation even more.
And this is what you get... Pascarelli no longer being employed at ESPN because his comments about Bud Selig offended no one but Bud Selig - and that's all it mattered to ESPN execs, who canned him anyway and replaced him with someone who would rather criticize Ozzie Guillen's actions and Interleague play, but not MLB's shaky steroid policy while running his mouth like a total jackass. No, criticism of Major League League Baseball - or any sports league ESPN has rights to isn't allowed at The Worldwide Leader In Bullshit, but half-truths and lies are.
And Seth Everett is the biggest pathological lying scumbag in sports talk radio today.
So Mr. Michaels and Mr. Methany, please hire away Seth Everett and bring him to Chicago. Because his arrival would complete the task of destroying what was once a great radio station. Better yet, pair Everett in prime time with that ex-con Laski the Loser. Yes, that would make great radio, according to you two morons. Why not go for broke? Adding an assclown like Everett would fit in the rest of the assclowns who work in the executive suites at Tribune Tower.
I have some hiring advice for Tribune CEO Randy "Court Jester" Michaels directly from The T Dog Media Department....
Hire Seth Everett away from WEPN-AM in New York City (known primarily as ESPN 1050) and from ESPN's Baseball Today podcast.
Why you may ask? Because he is a seasoned, reliable broadcaster. Wait, no... you don't want people like that. Let me put it another way...
This guy is an abrasive jackass, which would certainly fit WGN Radio's criteria of hiring talent these days, which is right up yours' and Kevin "Pig Virus" Methany's alley.
And never mind his sports background. Assholes like him can be bought and sold for the right price, and you can make him talk about anything topic you want.
So why should The Court Jester and Pig Virus consider hiring Everett? Here's an example... on June 11th's Baseball Today podcast, right out of nowhere, Mr. Everett slammed Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after he got into an argument with Ken Williams, the team GM over the drafting of Guillen's son and the elder Guillen offering his son $50,000 not to play for the team (after all, it is the Chicago way. Click here to listen and speed to about 11:05 to listen.)
Alright, Ozzie is.. well a bit much - he would fit in with the political crowd in Chicago, that's for sure. But the garbage Everett is spewing is so hypocritical.
This idiot calls out Guillen for using profanity during post-game interviews... but yet, he admits to watching Family Guy, a program which contains such language (albeit bleeped) and rather questionable content. In fact, the Parents Television Council has a file so large on this show, it's practically a phone book (if you've read this blog for the past four years, then you know where I stand on the PTC.)
And he has the nerve to call out Ozzie for profanity and unprofessionalism? Good grief. Take a look at who the Worldwide Leader in Bullshit employs as a college basketball analyst - yes, that wonderful angel Bobby Knight, who spent half of his career tossing chairs across basketball courts.
And here's another gem: after a pitcher from an American League team recently injured himself running the bases at a National League ballpark during interleague play, he had the nerve to blame interleague play for the fiasco. I guess to him, pitchers rarely have injuries, right? According to his logic, robots should go out to the mound and throw no-hitters instead.
And a few days ago on ESPN's Baseball Today while discussing (or ranting) about the firing of the Florida Marlins manager, Everett said he wouldn't call for any major league manager to be fired- while he has called for Ozzie Guillen's firing on numerous occasions.
While yours truly won't defend Ozzie, Everett's constant attacks on Major League Baseball players and personnel is unwarranted, unfair, and totally hypocritical. This person is just as bad as Jay Mariotti - and some of the reasons why sports talk radio is unlistenable is because the majority of the hosts are retards and Seth Everett is no exception. His voice is so annoying, it makes you want to stick your head in the toilet and vomit.
But it's not the attack on Guillen that gets your truly. No, it's the fact that he would attack someone on the air about the person's professionalism when his own comes into question. And Everett sounds like a member of the despised PTC - when he says his favorite show is Family Guy. This moron sounds like one of those hot-air windbags WGN Radio is trying to hire.
Remember, this is a guy who replaced Peter Pascarelli as co-host of Baseball Today - a job Pascarelli was fired from after he made a crack about MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's statue in front of Miller Park in Milwaukee and birds from all over Wisconsin dropping off some... um, substances on the top of the statue's head. And when the gig became available, Everett took a two month vacation. In other words, he wanted to start the job when he wanted to. Wow, I wish I could've gotten a vacation when I started my new job!
And this trash can also worked in the Major League Baseball Commissioner's office for eight years - I guess ESPN won't ever be worried about Everett running off pigeon jokes.
And his "expertise" on baseball isn't that great either if you listen to the podcast along with Eric Karabell, who comes off as a whiny little prick who mentions the Phillies are his favorite team on every single podcast (and who says The Worldwide Leader in Bullshit has no East Coast bias?) But of course, if you want to work in sports talk radio, a knowledge of the subject isn't really a prerequisite - just acting like an jackass gets you right in the door. Just ask Tony Kornhiser from Pardon the Interruption, who is another self-absorbed jackass at the Worldwide Leader In Bullshit. And don't get yours truly started on Mike & Mike, the weekday morning train-wreck of a show those two idiots on Baeeball Today keep name dropping on their podcast. What, I want to listen to two more idiots?
Given The Court Jester and Pig Virus are so hell-intent on remaking WGN Radio as a outlet full of moronic windbags, Seth Everett would fit right in with ex-convict Jim "don't drop the soap" Laski and newcomer Mike McConnell from WLW-AM in Cincinnati, a polarizing talk show host who spews about the same amount of garbage as Everett does. All of this while good-natured and relatable personalities like Steve Cochran and Bob Sirott were kicked out the door. And WGN was this close to hiring Bill Cunningham from WLW, another polarizing figure who is shooting pilots for a daytime talk show on Bradley Place titled Willie, or its more appropriate title, Randy's Circus on Bradley Place featuring angry parents of child pageant contestants.
But what do you expect when Big Media is in control? Common sense and taste doesn't matter. Shock value and ratings does. It's the kind of values that Randy Michaels, Sam Zell, Kevin Methany, and ESPN executives thrive on. They hire personalities who are hypocrites who call other people's behavior into question while their own behavior comes into question. Does it make good radio? It makes stupid radio. But stupid people love stupid radio, and sadly, there is a lot of stupid people out there and even stupider executives, and it goes beyond the suites at the Tribune Tower and in Bristol.
And while the Internet has provided a new platform for distribution, ESPN's podcasts break no new ground. Big Media conglomerates like The Walt Disney Co. (owners of ESPN) and Tribune don't invest in innovation - they stifle it by trotting out the same old bullshit you are used to hearing on terrestrial radio. And it will get worse because Big Media is only going to get bigger with Comcast's purchase of NBC, which is all but certain thanks it part to the public's indifference on the matter, stifling creativity and innovation even more.
And this is what you get... Pascarelli no longer being employed at ESPN because his comments about Bud Selig offended no one but Bud Selig - and that's all it mattered to ESPN execs, who canned him anyway and replaced him with someone who would rather criticize Ozzie Guillen's actions and Interleague play, but not MLB's shaky steroid policy while running his mouth like a total jackass. No, criticism of Major League League Baseball - or any sports league ESPN has rights to isn't allowed at The Worldwide Leader In Bullshit, but half-truths and lies are.
And Seth Everett is the biggest pathological lying scumbag in sports talk radio today.
So Mr. Michaels and Mr. Methany, please hire away Seth Everett and bring him to Chicago. Because his arrival would complete the task of destroying what was once a great radio station. Better yet, pair Everett in prime time with that ex-con Laski the Loser. Yes, that would make great radio, according to you two morons. Why not go for broke? Adding an assclown like Everett would fit in the rest of the assclowns who work in the executive suites at Tribune Tower.
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