Move as a result of waning interest in linear TV In what could be potentially the biggest shake-up in prime-time since the implantation of the PrimeTime Access Rule in 1971, NBC is mulling a plan to give the 10 p.m. ET/ 9 p.m. CT slot to affiliates – likely for them to program local news. “While NBC is the […]
Failure to disclose romantic relationship with staff member leads to his demise In the sixteen years of writing this blog, there have been a number of media executives I’ve written about who came off as total assholes – Sam Zell, Randy Michaels, Jimmy deCastro, Michael Ferro, Jan Jeffries, Les Moonves, Marv Nyren, Larry Tisch, and probably more, enough to […]
Former tonight show host to host first-run syndicated strip for fall 2021 Nearly thirty years after Bill Cosby quickly came and went with a revival of You Bet Your Life, the classic Groucho Marx game show is back with a new host: Jay Leno. Starting in September 2021, Leno will host a new weeknight strip syndicated by Fox First Run, […]
Hot-button issues drives viewers to the polls – and election coverage Election night on Tuesday is going to be like Christmas morning for news organizations as viewers are expected to tune in enmasse for the results. In the past, viewers barely tuned into election night as races weren’t exciting or the outcome was expected (re: the 1984 and 1996 Presidential […]
Wednesday not only marks the end of another sweeps period, but also the end of an era. 68 year-old David Letterman hangs up his mic tonight, after 33 years in the late fringe daypart – 22 of those years at CBS, where he moved to in August 1993. The Indianapolis-born comedian went from bagging groceries to a weatherman for the […]
The last-minute nail biter between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots becomes the most-watched program of all time and the tenth-highest rated Chicago pulls in higher number for Super Bowl XLIX than the Bears’ Super Bowl XLII appearance Super Bowl XLIX between Seattle and New England set several ratings records as Americans plopped down in front of their couches […]
The NATPE gathering continued into Wednesday as buyers came out to see panels featuring former Tonight Show host Jay Leno and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons: – Leno appeared at a Q&A session Wednesday at NATPE and stated his thoughts on Bill Cosby, who is accused of sexually assaulting several women: “I don’t know why it’s so hard to believe women”, […]
Goodbye Comedy Central, Hello Church Of Tisch – Colbert is CBS’ new late-night host It’s probably not a surprise who is replacing David Letterman, but a surprise it came this quickly. CBS announced last Thursday the hiring of Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report as their new 10:35 p.m. guy to replace a retiring David Letterman, who is […]
– WLS-TV returns to the top of the late news heap – American Idol continues to slide With the Olympics over and done with, normal viewing patterns have resumed – good news for ABC-owned WLS-TV, which saw its 10 p.m. news dominance temporarily usurped by NBC-owned WMAQ. In March, WLS returned to the top spot at 10 with a 9.0 […]
Grab Baggin’- * It’s like good prevailing over evil: CBS Television Distribution announced the renewal of The Arsenio Hall Show for a second season Wednesday evening, with former Tonight Show host Jay Leno delivering the news to Arsenio in person (see above.) This comes as Arsenio has the youngest median age of any late night talk show amid a recent ratings […]
Lost in all the hoopla over the launch of The Game and 101WKQX Monday (ha ha) was the premiere of The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon on NBC, with the 39-year old comedian and Late Night host succeeding Jay Leno. And the results were amazing. Fueled by an Olympic-lead-in (actually after the local news), Fallon earned a whopping 11.3 1 […]
NBC and two of its cable networks took to the stage last weekend at the TCA Winter Press Tour in Pasadena to tout its post-Olympic schedule – which contains a major realignment of its late fringe schedule. While NBC has improved its programming under Entertainment President Bob Greenblatt, there are still many weak spots, including Thursday night. – Executive session: […]
Comcast Sportsnet Chicago sideline reporter Susannah Collins was released from her position Thursday night after just eight months on the job, reports Robert Channick of the Chicago Tribune. In a moment that would’ve made Dick Clark and Ed McMahon proud (and would’ve make TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes), Collins made a notable on-air flub during the first intermission of a […]
Here we go again. After weeks of speculation, NBC made it official last week: it was handing the hosting duties of The Tonight Show to Jimmy Fallon, replacing Jay Leno in the role. In addition, NBC is moving production of The Tonight Show to New York City, returning to the Big Apple for the first time in 42 years. Excluding […]
– WLS-TV returns to the top of the late news heap – American Idol continues to slide With the Olympics over and done with, normal viewing patterns have resumed – good news for ABC-owned WLS-TV, which saw its 10 p.m. news dominance temporarily usurped by NBC-owned WMAQ. In March, WLS returned to the top spot at 10 with a 9.0 […]