Say with me everybody… ABC-owned WLS-TV (ABC 7) dominated the local news competition during the sweeps – this time is the February “book”, as it has done since 1987 (excluding Olympic years.) According to information obtained by Chicagoland Radio and Media, WLS won almost all local news time slots in households and the key adult 25-54 demo, with one major […]
As per the course for this time of year – and right before the NATPE gathering in Miami – syndicators are announcing renewals left and right. Here’s the latest: – CBS Television Distribution decided to reward Dr. Phil’s recent ratings increase by renewing the show through the 2016-17 season, with thirteen of CBS owned-and-operated stations on board, including CBS 2 […]
News Corp.’s two networks (Fox and FX) went back-to-back days at the TCA Winter Press Tour last week and touted the new-look Idol, new drama The Following, and more: Executive session: Fox executive Kevin Reilly addressed the critics at the press tour on Jan. 8 and admitted the fall schedule wasn’t what he hoped for ratingswise – but at least […]
Happy New Year! The first Grab Bag of 2013 is here: – Countdown Chicago, ABC 7’s annual New Year’s Eve countdown special which aired from 11:08 p.m. to around 12:15 a.m., drew a huge 17.4 household rating and a 40 share – despite the annual bashing from viewers (after all, we still attend Cubs games, don’t we?) Hosted by WLS-TV’s […]
http://youtu.be/DL_1amsoK4M Welcome back, Arsenio! With 2012 behind us, its time to look ahead to 2013. Here are the top ten things to look for in the media business this year, in Chicago and beyond: 1. Arsenio’s back. After an absence of nearly twenty years, Arsenio Hall returns to late-night syndication. But can he make a comeback and compete with three […]
They might as well have renamed American Idol “Bozo’s Circus”. Become a clown is joining the judging panel. And I don’t mean Keith Urban. In news that leaked a few weeks ago, American Idol’s latest new judges are clownish rapper Nicki Manaj and country artist Keith Urban, announced by Fox early Sunday morning (because I guess observing the day the […]
Fox became the first broadcast network to hold their presentation at the Television Critics Association Press Tour on Monday, with panels on Fox’s three new shows, a X Factor press conference, and an introduction of a new judge on American Idol. – Fox executive session: Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly met the press on Monday and revealed that Mariah Carey will […]
As you know by now, Community creator and executive producer Dan Harmon was fired by the studio who produces the show (Sony Pictures Television) on the evening of Friday May 18. I’m sure you’ve read the reasons why he was fired, including from Harmon himself. Fans of Community took to social media and the Internet to express their outrage over […]
Fox unveiled its prime time campaign for the 2012-13 season Monday morning, in advance of the network’s upfront presentation later in the afternoon. The biggest move coming out of this schedule is the relocation of Glee from Tuesday to Thursday night to make room for a live-action sitcom block. Fox’s 2012-13 schedule, which is surprisingly skimp on new programming, sees […]
Fox celebrated their 25th Anniversary in prime-time this past Sunday with a two-hour retrospective, featuring clips of past shows and a few cast reunions. While the network officially launched its primetime lineup on April 5, 1987 with three airings each of Married… With Children and The Tracey Ullman Show, the network actually launched on October 9, 1986 with The Late […]
In what can be billed as a blindside announcement, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution announced Tuesday the sale of ABC Wednesday night sitcom The Middle to 92 percent of the country for off-network syndication beginning in September 2013, with station groups representing Tribune, Sinclair, Weigel, Raycom, and CBS. The swift announcement – and just as swift clearance of the show […]
It’s a Valentine’s edition of T Dog’s Six Pack – the heart-shaped winners and the prune-shaped losers: A fine box of chocolates The Grammys. Fueled by the death of Whitney Houston (who paid tribute) and Adele’s 6-for-6 night, the 54th Grammy Awards drew 40 million viewers, the second-largest audience for the awards show in history (The 1984 Grammys drew 43.8 […]
As far as NATPE goes, the days of the big booths with a just-as-big picture of Mary Hart front and center are long gone. But the mission remains the same – for individuals to gather and network with industry professionals (not to mention making a sale or two.) The three day gathering got underway Monday with increased attendance and increased […]
The Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour continued to roll along on Sunday with Fox’s turn at the mic. The network has a lot of new shows to roll out in midseason – not to mention the eleventh season of American Idol: – To start off, there was an executive session with entertainment president Kevin Reilly and addressed the crowd. He […]
Remember when I wrote a think tank on WFLD’s news ratings struggles earlier this year? Well, you’ll be happy to know that things haven’t changed – if fact, they’ve gotten worse: During a report on how the struggling economy was affecting gift-giving during this holiday season on Tuesday night’s 9 p.m. newscast, WFLD co-anchor Robin Robinson obviously blurted out there […]
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