What’s happening to the cherished genre these days isn’t funny as it could be reduced to nothing Seven weeks ago, CNN launched The History Of The Sitcom – an unnecessary eight-part documentary on a subject covered to death through books, PBS, and other media celebrating the form stretching from the days of I Love Lucy on your black-and-white mono […]
The Walt Disney Company unveils its weapon to win the streaming wars (Editor’s Note: This post was updated on November 12, the day Disney + was released.) At Disney Investor Day at Walt Disney Studios in the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank came the new everyone was waiting for. The long-awaited Disney answer to Netflix was finally unveiled Thursday afternoon: […]
Tim Allen? Vicki Lawrence? The once edgy Fox brand is history as the network retools to attract older audiences Fox announced its 2018-19 schedule and it is a radical departure from what it was in years past. In the 1990s, Fox was synonymous with “hip, edgy programming” with The Simpsons, Beverly Hills 90210, In Living Color, and Melrose Place dominating […]
Also: Oscars notch record-low audience; Home Improvement has a new “home” A few more notes on WLUP’s demise: Not only The Loop is headed to the great radio graveyard in the sky, but so are the call letters (at least in Chicago.) According to Radio Insight, new owner Educational Media Foundation is changing the calls to WCKL-FM, currently at EMF’s […]
Chicago sports teams now have something in common with media companies – rebuilding when the good times end Chicagoans better get used to a word they’ve been hearing a lot: rebuild. Last week, two of Chicago’s sports franchises – the Bulls and Blackhawks announced changes that dramatically overhauled their lineups for next season. On the day of the NBA Draft, […]
This Is Us remains on Tuesday; new Will & Grace avoids showdown with Big Bang Theory The month of June hasn’t arrived yet, and we already have our first change in the 2017 fall schedule. NBC announced Tuesday it was keeping This Is Us in its regular Tuesday slot after all, keeping it as a lead-out of The Voice. Meanwhile, […]
They’re no fools, ABC retools; ten new shows highlight 2016-17 schedule As expected, ABC has overhauled its schedule for 2016-17, the first under new ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey. Unlike NBC and Fox, who are introducing just three new shows onto their fall schedules and saving the rest for midseason, ABC is going full throttle, adding five new shows to their […]
Plus other news of note, including Rosie Show results; Brandmeier’s return; and a new game show in an unusual time slot. – Viewers welcomed back Tim Allen to network TV Tuesday night with open arms with strong sampling of his new sitcom Last Man Standing. On Tuesday, the series opened with 13.1 million viewers and grew […]
In a first for a Midwest Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC) affiliate, Hearst’s WISN-TV in Milwaukee is expanding its 10 p.m. newscast from 35 minutes to an hour beginning January 24. The move sends NBC Universal’s Access: Hollywood (the current 10:35 p.m. occupant) to 12:30 a.m., after Jimmy Kimmel Live. Nightline retains the 11:05 p.m. slot, but now gets to […]
Are these guys worth $4 million per episode? You bet your behind it is. Is the high-priced off-network sitcom on its way back? With the upcoming sale of The Big Bang Theory, we may soon find out. Not since the days of Friends, Seinfeld, The Simpsons, and The Cosby Show have we seen a sitcom come close to the $4 […]
After a run of fourteen seasons, King of the Hill is stepping down from its throne. Fox officials confirmed the venerable animated series will end its long run during the 2009-10 season, which it is scheduled for thirteen episodes. The program, created by Mike Judge, was about a propane salesman living in Texas with his wife Peggy and his son […]
Katie, Brian, and Charles: you met your match. Beginning Monday, Harvey Levin’s syndicated celebrity gossip paparazzi show TMZ will face off against network newscasts in Chicago with the show moving to 5:30 p.m. on Fox-owned WFLD-TV. The program currently airs on sister station WPWR-TV at 6:30 p.m. TMZ will continue to air at 11:35 p.m. on WFLD. Fox-owned stations in […]
Good news for local fans of the TV series Scrubs: WCIU-TV has acquired the second cycle of the hit NBC comedy from Disney/ABC Domestic Television beginning in the fall of 2009. The move means the program will stay in broadcast syndication and not head for an exclusive deal on cable, which many off-network sitcoms have recently done (i.e. Home Improvement, […]
Have WGN’s and WFLD’s weekday fall lineup, courtesy of Zap2it. Among the changes starting Sept. 10 (unless otherwise noted): WGN: -As noted before, Family Guy will air at 6:30 and 10, and Two and a Half Men will air at 6 and 10:30. – Teacher vs. student – The Steve Wilkos Show will air at 2 p.m. -up against Jerry […]