New links on the right

We’re adding two new media news links on the right: TVNewsday, a new website that mixes in original reporting and linked stories from other sites. The editor and publisher of the website is a familiar name to Broadcasting & Cable readers: Harry Jessell, who was a reporter and editor at the magazine from 1978 to 2004, is editor and publisher […]

Anna Nicole Smith Dies

The former model and Playboy Playmate and reality TV star (E!’s The Anna Nicole Smith Show, 2002-04) was found dead in a hotel room in Hollywood, Fla. this afternoon. She was 39. Link: Chicago Tribune Link: Entertainment Tonight

WBBM-Ch.2 to help with HDTV before Super Bowl

With the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl, CBS-owned WBBM-TV has set up an HDTV hotline to help viewers who have problems receiving the station’s HDTV signal over the air (antenna). WBBM has been notorious for having problems with its over-the-air HD signal. For more information on how to receive the station’s HD signal with an antenna or through cable, […]

Tempted

Twentieth Television is bringing back the old game show Sale of the Century — but with a different name. Twentieth cleared Temptation– a new program based on the ’80’s daytime game show on its 10 MyNetworkTv stations covering 24 percent of the country (including WPWR here in Chicago.) The program is produced by FremantleMedia, which owns the rights to the […]

That’s a wrap for 2006

We’re taking a breather from blogging as everything slows down due to the holidays (particularly after this wild week!) On Wednesday, I’ll post The Excellent 10 — the best shows of the year (The Toilet Bowl 10 post is below this one), but we won’t return to full speed until January 2. If there’s any breaking news in the media […]

The Toilet Bowl 10

Here is the worst of the worst. We’re counting down the worst TV programs of 2006. Other blogs rank their lists from one to ten. Where’s the excitement in that? Why start at Number One? Here at the T Dog Blog, we do things differently. We’re counting them down Casey Kasem-style, from #10 to #1. Now, on with the countdown….. […]

WLS-TV goes HiDef

Robert Feder is reporting today that WLS-TV in Chicago will air all of its weekday programming in High Definition, becoming the first station to do so. That includes all of its newscasts, and syndicated programming such as Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! Meanwhile, Feder finally mentioned the Third Coast Press’ FCC challenge toward Chicago’s television stations, which was soundly rejected […]

UPDATED: Finally! A decision the FCC made that actually makes sense

The FCC rejected a rather bogus license challenge from Third Coast Press over Chicago’s 18 television stations. (I’ve never heard of them either.) While there are problems with local news, it’s not up to special interest groups (left or right) to determine what should be on newscasts, let alone what programming should be on local television stations. Update: Here is […]

Worst. Commissioner. Ever.

Ad Age’s Simon Dumenco calls for the resignation of FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Couldn’t agree more. In the words of The Simpsons‘ Comic Book Guy: Worst. Commissioner. Ever.

KSDK lands rights to Cardinals

NBC affiliate KSDK in St. Louis has re-acquired the rights to air World Champion St. Louis Cardinals baseball games beginning next spring (assuming the power, knocked out in some areas by last week’s snow/ice storms, is back on by then…) KSDK carried Cardinals baseball from 1947 until 1987. In 1987, KSDK had the number one network lineup, and didn’t want […]

CNET editor found dead

James Kim, R.I.P. (1971-2006) He was missing for several days after going for help after he and his family was stranded in the snow in Oregon, but was found dead today in the southwestern part of the state. http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6141498.html CNET Memoriam: http://news.com.com/2009-12-6141617.html

Local November Sweeps roundup

I’ve been complying local sweeps results for 17 seasons now and this is the first time I’m posting these on a blog….. Local November sweeps stories from around the country… Dallas/Fort Worth: In Big D, NBC-owned KXAS-TV won its sixth straight 10pm news crown, defeating ABC affiliate WFAA-TV in households and in adults 25-54… KXAS returned to the top spot […]

Late night news ratings drop in Washington

The Washington Post is reporting that late-news ratings at 11p.m. for the four network affiliates in the Washington, D.C. market have plummeted more than ten percent compared to last year’s ratings. One station, Allbritton’s ABC affiliate WJLA, fell 35 percent at 11p.m. in November, compared to November 2005, despite ABC No. 1 ranking in prime-time. NBC-owned WRC-TV, the market leader, […]