Also: Hollywood Daily Live, Daily Helpline debut to microscopic audiences In a rather unusual move, Tribune-owned WGN-TV has slotted Craig Ferguson’s new game show, Celebrity Name Game from Debmar-Mercury at 10 p.m., starting September 22. As first reported by Robert Feder, Name Game would replace the failed revival of The Arsenio Hall Show, which was canceled in May. While other […]
– Good Friday was a month ago, but it was really a Good Friday for several bubble shows on network schedules as eight shows were officially picked up for next season: NBC’s Parenthood, Chicago Fire, Revolution, Grimm, and Law & Order: SVU; CW’s Hart Of Dixie and Beauty And The Beast; and CBS’ Two And A Half Men, though without […]
In a surprise announcement, Meredith Vierra has called it quits as host of Who Wants To be A Millionaire. Up to this point, she was host of the syndicated series’ entire run, which spanned eleven seasons. Vierra, who also was a Today co-host during Millionaire’s run, plans to devote more time to other projects, including a film she is currently […]
Instead of the usual pictures of trophies and toilets, this year yours truly is combining the two lists of the Best and Worst TV shows for 2012 into one convenient handy post (and because of time constraints.) So here we go – counting down the best shows of the year and counting up the worst: Excellent 10: 10. The Voice […]
Local stations, syndicators shuffle the deck As we enter year two in the post-Oprah era, things are finally changing in the syndication marketplace, as five new syndicated talk shows – the most in 17 years – make their debut. As for off-network sitcoms, the pickings are rather slim – just two new entries this year, compared to five in 2011. […]
Richard Dawson, best known as the first host of the long-running game show Family Feud in the 1970’s and 1980’s, died from a battle with esophageal cancer on Saturday. He was 79. Dawson was diagnosed with the disease just three weeks ago. The Gosport, England native broke into the business as a standup comic. playing such venues such as the […]
Welcome back, Steve Harvey After losing the barely-watched Rosie Show to New York City, Chicago gained a new syndicated talk show on Monday with NBCUniversal’s and Endemol USA’s announcement that the upcoming Steve Harvey will tape in a new, high-definition facility at the NBC Tower. In addition, three-time Emmy-winning producer winner Alex Duda has been named executive producer of Steve […]
This week’s Grab Bag include plenty of local TV items – and some not so local: – In an item first reported Saturday at Chicagoland Radio and Media, Brandmeier has been picked up for a second cycle by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV. The series stars WGN-AM morning host Johnathan Brandmeier where takes on the week’s headlines and interviews special guests. Brandmeier had […]
As a reward for upgraded timeslots and ratings growth among women 25-54, Debmar-Mercury announced yesterday the renewal of its game show strip Family Feud through the 2014-15 season. In addition, Feud will be shot in HD starting next season. Station groups renewing the series through 2014 include Fox, CBS, Capitol, Sinclair, and Tribune. So far this season, Feud has scored […]
The competition for syndicated daytime clearances for next fall has gotten hotter with the addition of Steve Harvey to the mix as NBC Universal Television Distribution cleared his new, one-hour talk show strip on NBC’s ten owned-and-operated stations, including WMAQ-TV here in Chicago. Harvey is competing with Disney-ABC’s Katie Couric and Twentieth Television’s Ricki Lake for talk show clearances for […]
RTV: The R stands for “ruined”. – Good news for fans of Richard Roeper and Roe Conn – the duo at WLS-AM signed a three-year contract extension to continue their successful afternoon show through the year 2014. The move come as Cumulus is about to take over Citadel Communications, owners of WLS-AM and FM in a merger. If you want […]
Twentieth’s game shows canceled, and other news of note For the first time in a long time, it’s time for The Grab Bag – items not good enough for individual posts – but good enough to be written here: – Ricki returns. In a report confirmed by B&C and TVNewscheck, Ricki Lake signed a deal with Twentieth Television to launch […]
Stations are hoping to strike it rich with “The Nate Berkus Show”. While the official start of the 2010-11 television season is only a week away, syndicators rolled out their new programs this week per tradition, with several new faces. One is interior designer Nate Berkus, who hosts his own talk show courtesy of Sony Pictures Television. A lot of […]
Family Feud, the venerable game show whose been through more syndicators (and hosts) than Terrell Owens been through football teams, is getting a new locale. Beginning July 10, the Debmar-Mercury-syndicated show is trading in Los Angeles for Universal Studios in Orlando, bringing back game show production back to the facility on a regular basis for the first time since the […]
In good news for the syndication business, two of the platform’s highest-rated shows are going to be around for at least a few more years. CBS Television Distribution’s game-show duo of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! has been renewed on the seven ABC-owned and operated stations who carry the programs through 2014. The news broke a week ago on TheWrap.com. […]
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