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Broadcast Journalism | Homepage

ABC's Nightline Benefits From Strike

NightlineMany of your favorite shows are running out of episodes and the late night shows have all gone dark thanks to the Writers' Strike, which has now lasted ten days with no sign of any negotiating between the WGA and the AMPTP. There are some shows the strike benefits and those are TV newsmagazines. ABC's Nightline was seen by the largest number of households during the first week of the strike -- beating out reruns of Letterman and Leno.
Indeed, "Nightline," which introduced a new anchor team two years ago, already has enjoyed an immediate lift. During the first week of the writers' strike, the usually third-place program drew the largest number of households, according to early Nielsen data of 56 metered markets. The newsmagazine pulled an average of 2.8 million households, while Letterman had 2.7 million and Leno had 2.6 million.

"We take no pleasure in there being a strike whatsoever," Goldston said. "It's no good for anybody. What's also true in the odd circumstance this presents us with is that it is an opportunity of sorts for people who have maybe not sampled the new 'Nightline' or who are looking around for alternatives to come to the show."

"Nightline" is not the only news program that stands to benefit from the strike. As the broadcast networks ration their dwindling supply of original comedies and dramas, news divisions have been instructed to prepare to pick up the slack. If the walk out drags into next year, the prime-time schedule could be filled with NBC's "Dateline," ABC's "Primetime" and CBS's "48 Hours Mystery."

For newsmagazines, the situation offers a chance to flex their muscles. In their 1990s heyday, they were on as much as 20 hours a week, but since, their roles have diminished. "Dateline," which once aired five nights a week, was not scheduled to be back on until after football season ends early next year.
If the strike lingers you may see more news shows on the networks. There will also be lots of reality tv, game shows and reruns of other shows.

Posted on November 14, 2007
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Gravely Ill Tammy Faye Messner On Larry King Live Tonight

Photo of Tammy Faye MessnerTammy Faye Messner bravely appears on Larry King Live tonight on CNN. She is suffering from inoperable cancer, and is just wasting away. But her spirit is still strong, as is her great sense of humor. She says she craves a hamburger and fries, although she can only eat chicken soup and rice pudding these days. Tammy garnered a huge new fan base when she apppeared on The Surreal Life and won everyone over with her generosity of spirit and her ability to poke fun at herself. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Tammy Faye!

You can see a clip from tonight's show here.

Update Tammy Faye Messner died at age 65.

Posted on July 19, 2007
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Larry King Gets First Paris Hilton Interview

CNN's Larry King has landed Paris Hilton's first post-jail interview. Paris said:
"I am thrilled that Larry King has asked me to appear on his program to discuss my experience in jail, what I have learned, how I have grown and anything else he wants to talk about. Larry King is not only a world-renowned journalist, but a true American Icon. It will be an honor to do his show."
The interview will air Wednesday, June 27th on CNN. She'll have the entire hour -- and boy are they going to have to screen those calls.

Posted on June 23, 2007
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A Slow Week In Television

It's a sad day for television executives. Last week was the least watched week of television in recorded history for the four big broadcast networks.
TV viewers must have taken to the beach: It was the least-watched week in recorded history for the four biggest broadcast networks. CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox averaged 20.8 million viewers during the average prime-time minute last week, according to Nielsen Media Research. That sunk below the previous record, set during the last week of July in 2005. It wasn't entirely unexpected. By tradition, the week that includes Independence Day has the fewest viewers of the year, or close to it, because rerun season is in full swing and the public is consumed with outdoor activities.

There also aren't any new summer hits to entice people. Only one program, NBC's "America's Got Talent," recorded more than 10 million viewers, Nielsen said. It was a lousy week for Brian Williams and the "NBC Nightly News," too. Williams' newscast finished out of first place among viewers for the first time since last August, beaten by ABC's "World News Tonight," where Diane Sawyer subbed for Charles Gibson, according to Nielsen Media Research.

NBC says there's an easy explanation. Only three days were counted in the ratings following the long weekend, and on those days NBC's news was preceded in many markets by coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, which drew relatively little interest. NBC lost during the corresponding weeks in 2001 and 2004. Williams was the only regular anchor working last week. Besides Sawyer, Harry Smith subbed for Bob Schieffer on CBS. Despite Gibson's absence, it was a boost for ABC. In the month since Gibson has taken over, "World News Tonight" has widened the gap over the third-place "CBS Evening News."

*****

On cable, USA Network's "Psych" came out of the box with 6.1 million viewers, the highest-rated new scripted series on basic cable this year.
We liked Psych and we're glad it did well. But how many people will tune in for week 2? That's a very important ratings number.

Posted on July 11, 2006
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Angelina and Anderson Have A Chat

Photo of Anderson Cooper and Angelina JolieTonight Anderson Cooper inteviews Angelina Jolie on CNN's 360. In the interview, of which some snippets were released beforehand, we learn that the birth of Shiloh Nouvel was "terrifying" but that the doctors were "great." She also talks about World Refugee Day and quite a few other things.
Weeks after the birth of their first biological child, Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are planning to adopt another. "Next we'll adopt," Jolie told CNN in an interview to be aired on Tuesday. "We don't know which -- which country. But we're looking at different countries. And we're -- I'm just-- it's gonna be the balance of what would be the best for Mad and for Z right now. It's, you know, another boy, another girl, which country, which race would fit best with the kids," she said, referring to her adopted children.

Jolie's adopted daughter Zahara, now about 15 months old, is from Ethiopia, and son Maddox, 4, is from Cambodia. The couple's younger daughter, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, was born on May 27 in Namibia in one of the most highly anticipated celebrity stories of the year. Jolie said she had given birth in Namibia because she loved Africa and had wanted to bring Zahara back to Africa. "My other daughter's African," she said in excerpts of an interview to be aired on CNN's program Anderson Cooper 360. "... And I wanted to take her back to Africa."

Jolie said she was frightened during the birth, which was by Caesarean section because the baby was in a breech position. Pitt was in the operating room for the delivery, she said. "And you know, because you're there for the birth, which I wasn't for my first two kids, you're just suddenly terrified that they're not gonna take a first breath," she said. "That was my whole focus. I just wanted to hear her cry. And I was sure everything would go right -- at the last minute, I became the mother that was sure everything was gonna go wrong. And she's healthy, and it was amazing."

The Oscar-winning actress, who said she gives a third of her income to refugees and other causes, is a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and the CNN interview will be aired on June 20, World Refugee Day. "I had a stupid income for what I do," she said. The money does make a difference and Jolie does see change. She said she feels "lucky" because she is able to visit the places that receive her money. "I can meet some people who say, 'God, we really need a well, or these cars are broken. Or we need something in the camp that's ... at school.' And I can go back a year later and see it built or see the cars."
Wow. She's already thinking about adoping another baby, just three weeks after having Shiloh Nouvel? We're definitely seeing some Mare Winningham tendencies going on here. And on another subject, she looks fabulous, doesn't she?

Posted on June 20, 2006
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