T Dog’s Grab Bag: Bill Kurtis joins Decades

– Emmy and Peabody winner Bill Kurtis has a new gig: he’ll host a show on the new Decades network called Though the Decades, a weekday strip recalling the events of historical significance between the 1950s and 1990s, beginning in May. The series plans to draw from the vast resources of CBS News and Entertainment Tonight libraries for material. A […]

TCA Summer Press Tour 2014: CBS sessions turn testy

Even though many people view CBS’ primetime time lineup with about as much excitement as watching an ice cube melt, their TCA Press Tour presentations are something different entirely. There were a lot of people here on the hot seat, including CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler and Dawson’s Creek creator, Kevin Williamson, whose new show (Stalker) drew the wrath of […]

CBS brings out the goods at TCA

While they weren’t busy having new WXRT-FM part-timer Tom Marker drive an “investigative reporter” around so he can have his Taco Bell and Gin & Juice fixes, The Church of Tisch was presenting their wares at the TCA Press Tour Tuesday at Pasadena. – Executive session: Nina Tassler made her first appearance in front of the critics in nearly a […]

TCA: CBS has a “Job” for you

The Church of Tisch opened its portion of TCA press tour with three of their properties including CBS, who claimed they are “the most watched network”. Network chief Nina Tassler addressed the critics in her CBS executive session: – On the issue of TV violence, Tassler remarked it was important not to pit one show against the other, stating the […]

CBS at TCA: Lackluster fall entries at a lackluster presentation

It was The Church Of Tisch’s turn at the Death March With Cocktails (translation: CBS’ day at the Television Critics Association Press Tour) on Sunday, introducing five new shows – and most of them were unimpressive. Here’s what went down: – CBS exec session: CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler began the session walking out with a stuffed monkey, obviously mocking […]

TCA, Part 9: CBS and The CW

The end is (finally) here: CBS Corp. wrapped up the broadcast portion to the two-week miniseries known as the Winter Television Critics Association tour in Pasadena on Friday with CBS and the network it part-owns with Time Warner, The CW. CBS -The executive session featured programming chief Nina Tassler and addressed the matter surrounding Two And A Half Men star […]

TCA: CBS looking to stay on top

The  semi-annual Television Critics Association Press Tour got underway this week at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in this upscale section of Los Angeles. Many critics complained about the air conditioning in the ballroom and lackluster wi-fi connection, which rivals the poor signal one usually gets at the Harold Washington Library in the Loop. The only difference is the security […]

CBS makes post-Super Bowl slot decision

The Church of Tisch has done it again. CBS announced it will slot Undercover Boss in the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot on February 7. Undercover Boss is a new reality show which features a supervisor who goes undercover to see if can do a real job at his company. This marks the first time in over a decade a […]

TCA: CBS and The CW

CBS Corp. held panels for its CBS and The CW (which it partly owns with Time Warner) and its syndicated series The Doctors on Monday and Tuesday. Among the highlights: CBS – An executive session with Nina Tassler kicked off the CBS portion of the tour on Monday. She talked about improved ratings for Letterman (thanks to Leno’s departure from […]

TCA Notes

The major broadcast networks made their presentations at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour this week. Among the highlights: NBC – NBC announced Conan O’ Brien’s final night on Late Night will be on Feb. 20, just three months before he is scheduled to take over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno in Los Angeles. Replacing him is Jimmy […]

TCA: The eye is on CBS

Part one of CBS’ TCA session: – Katie Couric isn’t leaving The CBS Evening News. And the viewers aren’t going to be watching her, either. – CBS news executives talked about the presidential campaign and Obama’s first trip overseas and the fact conservative critics could be chirping because a similar trip by John McCain in March didn’t nearly gather much […]

TCA News: CBS

Today was CBS’ turn at the press tour. And there is a lot to cover: – CBS President Nina Tassler declined to answer questions about Mandy Patinkin’s departure from the hit crime drama Criminal Minds, which can be attributed to “creative differences”. Patinkin left former CBS show Chicago Hope after one season only to return much later. -Tassler also admitted […]