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 […]
You’d think with recently disposed former NBC talk show host Conan O’ Brien possibly headed to Fox, you think the news would thrill affiliates, right? Well, think again. With news yesterday of Fox and O’Brien negotiating a deal to host a late-night talk show – something the network hasn’t had on a nightly basis since the debacle of Chevy Chase’s […]
So now that Conan O’Brien has wrapped up his tenure at NBC in late night after sixteen years, what’s next for the once low-key talk show host? Mr. O’Brien could have offers from other competing networks from several cable networks and at least one broadcast network. And he may have helped his cause on Friday night: Ratings for his final […]
The new Family Guy spin-off got some good sampling last night. Fox’s premiere of The Cleveland Show, featuring the next-door neighbor of The Griffins who moved to Virginia to start a new life drew 9.4 million viewers and a 4.9 rating in adults 18-49, growing 17% from its Simpsons lead-in. The premiere of Cleveland coincided with the season premieres of […]
Another GM shake-up at Fox-owned WFLD-TV and WPWR-TV has led Pat Mullen out the door after three rather unproductive years at the duopoly, and was replaced by Michael Renda of sister station WTXF-TV in Philadelphia, which is also a Fox O&O. In turn, Patrick Paolini takes over the WTXF job after his stint as vice president and director of sales […]
More from the bi-annual gathering in Pasadena, with cable on display: – BET had its presentation and is introducing two new programs: a new reality docu-drama featuring R&B singer Monica, and one featuring comedian Monique Ines-Jackson (better known as Mo’Nique.) Broadcasting & Cable also had an interview with BET Chairman Debra Lee. Click here to read. – National Geographic is […]
WWOR in New York also drops 10 p.m. newscast, but moves it to 11 p.m. Time’s up for The Ten. Fox-owned WFLD is dropping its 10 p.m. newscast titled The Ten after two uneventful years and will remove it from its schedule on September 18 (this blog’s birthday.) On September 21, WFLD will air off-network repeats of The Office in […]
KRON-TV San Francisco to dump Dr. Phil? It looks like these days viewers prefer the corruption, depression, politics, and crime to escapist fare. It what could be yet another blow to the syndication business, a story by Bloomberg News suggests local stations are dumping entertainment fare to air more local news especially in major markets. This comes as the fight […]
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 […]
Last week, two programs reminded us how much the words “vertical integration” meant to the TV business. The possible renewals of tired sitcoms According to Jim and Scrubs. Both come from the same studio (ABC Studios) and both are being considered for pickups by ABC next season, despite the fact both have drawn less and less viewers over the last […]
Giants win net Giant ratings Wow! The NFC Championship Game pitting the New York Giants at the Green Bay Packers notched a whopping 54 million viewers, making it the highest-rated non-Super Bowl program since the 1998 Seinfeld finale, which drew 76.3 million viewers. In Milwaukee, the game notched a 58.5 household rating and a 78 share for Fox-owned (and soon […]
Fox affiliate WLUK-TV in Green Bay is pulling a program for a rather unusual reason. The LIN Broadcasting-owned station is pre-empting Seinfeld from its regular Saturday 5:30 p.m. time slot to air a program that is being picked by viewers. It turns out New York Giants QB Eli Manning, in town to play the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay, […]
Oprah No. 1; Family Guy and Two and a Half Men tie for No. 10; CBS dominates list TV Week’s annual 10 Most Bankable Syndication Stars issue is out this week, and it boasts a few surprises: – Oprah Winfrey’s star power continues to shine as she repeats at No. 1. (well, that’s not a surprise), thanks to her public […]
– NBC has shelved plans to launch a spin-off of the TV series Heroes indefinitely. The move comes as a looming writers’ strike plans to wreak havoc with the networks’ schedules. The toast of the 2006-07 season, both Heroes and Ugly Betty are not having great sophomore seasons, with both programs down in the ratings from last year and both […]
Victory is mine! Family Guy has surged ahead of Everybody Loves Raymond to become the top-rated off-network sitcom in syndication for the week ending Sept. 23. Twentieth’s Family Guy surged 20 percent in the ratings to nab a 4.2, while CBS’ Raymond fell 3 percent to a 3.7. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men finished with a 3.3, ahead […]
ABC ABC-Owned Stations ABC 7 Chicago American Idol CBS CBS Chicago CBS Media Ventures CBS News And Stations Chicago Bears Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Bulls Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox ESPN Family Guy FCC Fox Fox 32 Fox Television Stations Los Angeles Milwaukee NBC NBC 5 NBC Owned Television Stations NBCUniversal Syndication Studios New York City Nexstar Media Group Radio Ratings Sinclair Inc. Syndication The Big Bang Theory The CW The Simpsons Tribune Media Warner Bros. WBBM-TV Chicago WCIU Chicago WFLD Chicago WGN-TV Chicago WGN Radio WLS-AM Chicago WLS-TV Chicago WMAQ Chicago WPWR Chicago