Unless you’re CBS After three nights of momentum, network TV slid off the rails Thursday as two programs’ premieres underwhelmed. For the record, real-life events had an effect on TV schedules – police protests in Charlotte were covered on cable news networks and spurred pre-emptions on several Charlotte TV stations; and here in Chicago, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel gave a […]
Kiefer Sutherland gets to do something he was never able to do on 24 – become President of The United States. And he didn’t even battle Dennis Haysbert for the job. The biggest debut of the night was the premiere of Designated Survivor, the Kiefer Sutherland vehicle where he plays the President Of The United States – getting the position […]
New dramas get strong sampling; The Voice continues to dominate; S.H.I.E.L.D. skids off radar The first Tuesday of the new season bought more ratings riches for both CBS and ABC while ABC and Fox struggled to remain competitive. Obviously, the story of the night is the successful debuts of CBS’ Bull and NBC’s This is Us. The latter show benefited […]
Quincy and Sinclair do some wheeling and dealing, moving networks onto digital subchannels In what may become commonplace in small markets across the country, major broadcast networks are winding up on digital subchannels of other stations. In a huge television realignment just 80 miles east of Chicago, Sinclair Broadcasting’s WSBT snagged the Fox affiliation from Quincy Media-owned WSJV, which dropped […]
After Monday’s announcement of The CW shifting to WPWR, where does these channels stand? Back in 2008, WGN-TV aired a retrospective of its 60th year in broadcasting. Hosted by Jim Belushi, the special looked back on the station’s local programming such as Garfield Goose, Ray Rayner, and Bozo. Airing on a Sunday night, the special did better in the ratings […]
Networks pull plug on underperforming shows. Ten shows axed; Supergirl changes networks For the last several years, the major networks have made decisions on “bubble shows” on the Thursday and Friday before the upfronts – thus, “Bubble Bustin’ Thursday” and “Bubble Bustin’ Friday”. These two days are brutal for the prime-time TV business; decisions are made on what pilots are picked up […]
With the upfronts a little over a week away, reports are surfacing on not if Supergirl is coming back next season but where: The Wrap is reporting Warner Bros. Television is discussing a plan to move the freshman drama from CBS to The CW next year, where CBS and Warner Bros. have a 50/50 interest. There are concerns if the […]
As yours truly hinted before, American Idol’s “finale” may not be the finale after all – it’s going on a long hiatus. Idol exited a winner Thursday night, finishing up with 13.3 million viewers from 8 p.m.-10:06 p.m. EST. In the adults 18-49 demo, the program earned a 3.0 rating. In Nielsen’s 56 overnight markets, Idol dominated with a 9.6 […]
In an indication of how quick Fox wants to get rid of the show, American Idol is ending its fifteen-season run on Thursday, April 7, rather than dragging it out through the May sweeps, which the show usually wrapped up on the final night of the TV season. While yours truly was never a fan of the show (“loathed” is more appropriate), […]
NHL All-Star Game and Pro Bowl do decently well in Chicago despite competition Fox’s entry into the musical competition was a smash: Grease: Live, an adaptation of the 1970’s musical and 1978 movie, drew 12.2 million viewers and a 4.3 adult 18-49 rating and 13 share, according to Nielsen numbers. The results far outpass NBC’s recent live musicals The Wiz […]
Chicago ratings go on a roller coaster ride; ratings drop for fourth game The Chicago Cubs may have been swept out of the playoffs by the New York Mets, but Turner Sports was really the big winner in the series. The National League Championship Series between teams from two of the largest markets in the country brought in a record […]
Constant whining about radio, TV threatens to undermine business Before social media, message boards and comment sections were basically a way to post your thoughts about a particular issue and to connect with others. But these days, message boards and comment section sections are often breeding grounds for stupidity and for people to start arguments for the sake of starting arguments. […]
It was Fox’s turn at TCA last week, with Empire as the main attraction. Creator Lee Daniels told the crowd he was blessed to be employed, as some of his fellow colleagues aren’t so lucky. Taraji P. Henson, who plays the outspoken Cookie, said she was having the time of her life on the show, pointing out she’s more politically correct […]
Plus: WBBM-TV’s news ratings stink; Downtown Abbey heads into the final stretch; MundoFox to become MundoMax…eventually – ABC-owned WLS-TV reclaimed the top spot at 10 p.m. according to Nielsen, reclaiming the late news throne from NBC-owned WMAQ-TV. Despite the loss, WMAQ still gained viewers year-to-year at 10 in the all-important 25-54 demo. The biggest loser no doubt is CBS-owned WBBM, who […]
CBS announces seven new series – five for fall CBS announced its new 2015-16 season lineup for next season, with the network renewing 22 programs and bringing on seven new series – five of which will debut in the fall. Here’s the night-by-night throwdown: – Monday: Once again, Thursday Night Football is forcing some temporary changes, with The Big Bang […]
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