In TV news matchup, cable wins convention coverage
And the winner of the 2008 national political conventions: cable news.
Cable news networks logged record viewership during the two weeks of back-to-back convention coverage, a sign of their growing dominance during breaking news events.
The final numbers showed a partisan divide in the audience: CNN won the biggest audiences during the Democratic convention â- a first for that network -- while Fox News swept the ratings during the GOP gathering for the second year.
Of the 38.9 million people who watched Sen. John McCainâs acceptance speech Thursday night, about a quarter tuned in to Fox News, according to Nielsen Media Research. The network had 9.1 million viewers at that hour, about the same number it attracted for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palinâs speech Wednesday night, the highest-rated convention telecasts in cable news.
NBC drew the second-largest audience Thursday with 8.7 million viewers. ABC had 6 million, CBS attracted 5.3 million, CNN followed with 4.8 million and MSNBC drew 2.5 million.
Overall, an average of 8.1 million people tuned in to Fox News during the key 7 p.m. hour throughout the three nights of televised coverage of the Republican convention, while CNN drew an average of 5.6 million viewers over the four nights of the Democratic convention.
-- Matea Gold
Fox News scores with Palin speech
The huge television audience that checked out Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech Wednesday night -- a staggering 37 million people -- translated into major dividends for Fox News. Nearly a quarter of those who watched the speech did so on the cable news network, which attracted 9.2 million viewers between 7 and 8:15 p.m. PDT, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Not only does that make the Palin speech the most-watched convention telecast in cable news, but it put Fox News on top of all the competition for a second night in a row.
This year's political conventions have showcased the dominance of cable over the traditional broadcast powerhouses. CNN boasted the highest viewership during last week's Democratic convention, pulling in 8.1 million viewers with its coverage of Sen. Barack Obama's acceptance speech.
The public’s interest in Palin lifted ratings for all the networks Wednesday night. NBC drew 7.7 million viewers, while CNN pulled in 6.2 million. ABC followed with 5.9 million, CBS posted 4.6 million and MSNBC attracted 3.4 million.
-- Matea Gold
Fox News wins Tuesday night's Republican National Convention coverage
After CNN dominated coverage of the Democratic National Convention last week, Fox News regained the upper hand Tuesday night when the Republicans took the stage, drawing a bigger audience than any of its broadcast or cable news competitors.
Fox News attracted an average of 6.18 million viewers during the 7 p.m. PDT hour when Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman addressed the GOP gathering in St. Paul. NBC placed second with 4.47 million viewers, followed by CNN with 3.22 million, beating out ABC, CBS and MSNBC.
This marks the second such victory for Fox News. In 2004, the cable news network also attracted the most viewers with its coverage of the Republican convention.
In all, 21.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the second night of the Republican National Convention this week, slightly less than the 22 million who watched the coverage the same night in 2004, according to Nielsen Media Research. Practically speaking, Tuesday marked the first night of this year’s RNC, since GOP leaders scrapped most of Monday night’s schedule due to Hurricane Gustav, the focus of news coverage that night.
Increasingly, viewers have been turning to cable news for coverage of the conventions. Fox News’ rebound to the top spot on Tuesday comes after CNN emerged the victor last week. During the four days of the Democratic convention, CNN averaged 5.6 million viewers in the key 7 p.m. PDT hour, edging out NBC’s 5.5 million. ABC placed third with 4.6 million viewers, followed by CBS, Fox News and MSNBC.
— Matea Gold
(Photo Sen. Joe Lieberman courtesy Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
'90210' premiere ratings score for the CW
To build anticipation for its new spin-off of the teen soap “Beverly Hills, 90210,” the CW kept a tight lid on preview copies and rolled out the show right after Labor Day, on a night with light competition.
Both steps look pretty smart right now.
The two-hour premiere of “90210” gave the struggling CW some of its best ratings ever, with a total of 4.9 million total viewers, according to early data from Nielsen Media Research.
“90210,” which follows new characters alongside such regulars from the old series as Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty, gave the CW its highest-rated night ever for a scripted series in the key demographic of adults aged 18 to 49, with a 2.6 rating/7 share.
Previously, the network hit that demo level only with its reality hit, “America’s Next Top Model.”
On Tuesday, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” was slightly higher (2.8/8) than “90210.” But NBC and other networks also aired low-rated coverage of the Republican convention, so CW ended up with a rare win for the night in the advertiser-friendly 18 to 49 demo.
Most important, perhaps,"90210" also enabled CW to score its third highest-rated night ever in its core adults aged 18 to 34 constituency, with a 3.0 rating/9 share. The program did particularly well among women 18 to 34 (a robust 4.3/12).
The “90210” premiere came one night after CW delivered the second most-watched episode of its teen soap “Gossip Girl,” with a second-season rollout watched by 3.4 million total viewers.
The real test for “90210” will come over the next few weeks, as other networks unveil fresh episodes of new and returning shows, including Fox’s “House” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser: Families.”
The original Aaron Spelling soap was never a Top 20 show, but it was massive in young adult demographics. But even its total viewer numbers sound impressive by today’s standards: The final season in 1999-2000 on Fox averaged 8.3 million total viewers.
-- Scott Collins
'90210's' Jennie Garth on those crazy Kansas kids
A few days before the Big Premiere, Jennie Garth, who is reprising her role as Kelly Taylor, enlightened the world as to why the new "90210" is likely to resonate with young viewers.
"It's going to reflect teenagers as they are. It's not going to sugarcoat it. You know teenagers are teenagers no matter if they live in Beverly Hills or if they live in crazy Kansas somewhere. All the kids are the same. They're going through the same elemental issues and problems."
Got it? Those crazy Kansans are just like you and me!
Please to enjoy for yourself:
--Maria Elena Fernandez
ABC picks up five new series
ABC has confirmed it has ordered five new series for this TV season. Delays in production caused by the strike prevented the network from ordering as many series as it does normally in May, when the broadcast networks announce their lineups.
But after the filming of pilots this summer, ABC President of Entertainment Steve McPherson has ordered five new shows and expects to order more in the coming months, ABC executives have confirmed.
The new series will air in midseason.
Of the five shows, three are dramas:
“Castle” is described in the press notes as a comedic crime procedural about a famous mystery novelist, Nick Castle, who has gotten bored with his success. When a real-world copycat murderer starts staging scenes from Nick’s novels, he’s teamed with a female detective, and soon the sparks are flying. Castle is kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother, quick-witted teenage daughter, and his long-suffering ex-wife, who happens to be his editor. It stars Nathan Fillion as Castle, Stana Katic as Det. Kate Beckett, Molly Quinn as Alexis, Susan Sullivan as Martha, Monet Mazur as Gina and Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Capt. Montgomery.
From executive producer Rob Thomas ("Veronica Mars"), "Cupid” is a remake of the 1990s' series of the same title, starring Jeremy Piven. This version, according to the press notes, is romantic dramedy about Trevor, a larger-than-life character who may or may not be the Roman god of love, Cupid, sent to Earth to bring couples together. As fate would have it, Trevor is under the care of famous psychologist and self-help author Dr. Claire Allen, who is also dedicated to helping lonely hearts find their soul mates. While she agrees with his cause, she questions whether he’s crazy or really is Cupid. “Cupid” stars Bobby Cannavale as Trevor, Sarah Paulson as Claire, Rick Gomez as Felix and Camille Guaty as Lita.
“The Unusuals” is a comedic procedural set in a New York police precinct, according to the press notes. Casey Schraeger started her day as an NYPD vice detective but is unexpectedly transferred to the homicide division. She quickly realizes that not only does everyone in her new department have a distinct sense of humor but also their own dirty little secret. “The Unusuals” stars Amber Tamblyn as Det. Casey Schraeger, Jeremy Renner as Det. Joe Walsh, Terry Kinney as Sgt. Harvey Brown, Kai Lennox as Det. Ed Alvarez, Harold Perrineau as Det. Leo Banks, Adam Goldberg as Det. Eric Delahoy, Monique Gabriela Curnen as Det. Allison Beaumont and Joshua Close as Henry Cole.
The other two new shows are comedies:
“Better Off Ted” is a satirical office comedy featuring a successful but morally conscious man, Ted, who runs a research and development department at a morally questionable corporation, Veridian Technologies. No achievement is too farfetched and no invention too unorthodox for Veridian, according to the press notes. Need a suicidal turkey? Done. Need a metal that is hard as steel but bounces –- and is edible? Done and done. Ted loves his seemingly perfect job; he loves his super-human boss, Veronica, and colleagues Lem, Phil and Linda, but he’s starting to take a closer look at the company’s extremely questionable practices, especially when they try to cryogenically freeze one of Ted’s scientists for testing purposes. It stars Jay Harrington as Ted, Andrea Anders as Linda, Portia de Rossi as Veronica, Jonathan Slavin as Phil, and Malcolm Barrett as Lem.
“Single With Parents” is a comedy about Lou, a woman in her mid-30s who is determined to have her own life despite her crazy blended family getting in the way. According to the press notes, she’s thrilled that her divorced parents are leading exciting lives -– really, she is –- except both of them rely on her way too much. Dad needs her as a surrogate parent, and Mom counts on her 24/7 as a shrink and confidante. Lou has resolved to finally find a fulfilling life for herself. The series stars Alyssa Milano as Lou, Annie Potts as Elizabeth, Beau Bridges as Joe, Amanda Detmer as Sasha, Meagan Fay as Nancy and Eric Winter as Charlie.
The five shows join other previously announced new shows: “Life on Mars,” a drama; “The Goode Family,” a comedy, and two alternative series, “Opportunity Knocks” and the untitled Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks Project.
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
(Photo of Nathan Fillion by Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)
New 'Dancing With the Stars' lineup includes Cloris Leachman, Lance Bass, Misty May-Treanor, Warren Sapp
No, Dan Qualye is not on the list, but the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" will boast its largest cast ever, its youngest and oldest competitors to date, two Olympic gold medalists, a Grammy-winning singer, a TV legend, an Oscar winner and a Super Bowl champion.
The seventh season of the highly popular ABC series will have a three-night premiere because, for the first time, all of the couples will learn two routines for the first week of competition.
The new stars competing for the hideous mirror ball trophy are:
Lance Bass of 'N Sync, singer Toni Braxton, actress-host Brooke Burke, celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito, Olympic track star Maurice Greene, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, actress Cloris Leachman, "Hannah Montana" star Cody Linley, soap vixen Susan Lucci, Olympic beach volleyball superstar Misty May-Treanor, actor Ted McGinely, comedian Jeffrey Ross and NFL Super Bowl champ Warren Sapp.
The show premieres on Sept. 22 at 8 p.m., Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.
--Maria Elena Fernandez
Rachel Maddow promises to stir things up with her new MSNBC show
Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s newest host, giddily contemplated what her show will look like when it debuts on the cable news network on Sept. 8.
“Live audience. Live punk band. You know, mariachis for important segues,” she joked with Keith Olbermann Tuesday evening during an appearance on his program to announce her new gig.
No matter what form her show takes, there’s no question that the 35-year-old will cut a different figure than most of her cable brethren. An openly gay woman, unapologetic liberal and Rhodes scholar with a doctorate from Oxford University, Maddow has drawn a passionate following during her stint this year as an analyst for MSNBC.
Network executives are now trying to capitalize on her rising popularity, hoping that she will further their efforts to remake MSNBC as the destination for lively political news and analysis.
MSNBC officially announced today that it was replacing Dan Abrams’s program “Verdict” in the 6 p.m. PT time slot with “The Rachel Maddow Show.”
"Rachel is unbelievably talented and brilliant; her breadth and depth of knowledge of politics and news is astonishing and I'm so excited to give her a place to really showcase what she can do," said MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement.
Laurence Fishburne to join 'CSI'
Laurence Fishburne, the Oscar-nominated actor, will join the cast of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in its ninth season, the network announced this morning. His character will first appear in the ninth episode of the season.
It will be the first regular primetime TV series role for Fishburne, who is best known for his numerous film roles, including “Boyz N The Hood,” “Apocalypse Now,” “What”s Love Got To Do With It,” and “The Matrix” franchise. He was most recently seen in “Thurgood,” his one-man show about Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, which won him a Tony Award nomination for best actor in a drama.
This summer, William Petersen, the actor who had led "CSI" since its first season, said he will leave the show in its 10th episode to pursue other projects. In July, Nina Tassler, the CBS President of Entertainment, told members of the press that the show's executive producers were pursuing Fishburne, as well as John Malkovich, to replace Petersen.
Tassler said at the time that the new character would join the Las Vegas crime lab on the side of good, but has a genetic pattern that -- yikes -- is common to serial killers. Monday's press release elaborated: "His focus is on understanding criminal behavior, how and why people commit acts of violence -– tendencies he disturbingly sees within himself."
Update: Fishburne and the show's executives producers discuss the upcoming changes with reporters.
Does a Ted-Stella engagement on 'Mother' have a final ring to it?
As Barney Stinson might say, "This is AWWWWWESOME!"
Or is it?
We hear wedding bells are ringing on the set of "How I Met Your Mother." At the end of last season, Ted (Josh Radnor) proposed to his girlfriend, Stella (Sarah Chalke). We've been waiting on pins and needles to find out if she accepts, because then that would mean that SHE IS THE MOTHER!
Well, we now know that a wedding date has been set! Ted and his blushing bride are to exchange vows in an October episode of the CBS comedy, according to an in-the-know little birdie.
Will they actually say "I do"? Now that is the question, isn't it? Because wouldn't that signal the end of the series when the season has just begun? And let us not forget what CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler said in July. She wasn't lying to us, was she?
Who will suit up and ruin the whole thing? Who knows. But one other thing we do know is that Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) will have already declared his love by this episode.
Who knew October was the new February?
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
'90210's' Kelly and Brenda to CW: 'Let Donna Martin graduate ... we mean, renegotiate!'
As previously reported, Tori Spelling will no longer be reprising her role of Donna Martin on the CW's spinoff "90210."
Now costars Jennie Garth (Kelly Taylor) and Shannen Doherty (Brenda Walsh) are speaking out about the network's decision after a report surfaced that the breakdown in negotiations was over salary.
Garth tells Entertainment Weekly she was bummed to hear the network was allegedly offering less salary per episode to Spelling.
“[The press thinks] we’re at war over salary with Tori. I didn’t know I was at war with Tori,” Garth told EW.com. “I’m really bummed because I love Tori and I was psyched Tori was going to be on the show. I think she should definitely get paid as much as either of us is getting paid. Her father created the show. It just seems wrong if that’s the case. I don’t know what really happened because I haven’t talked to her. I would like to talk to her.”
Doherty also went on recored disputing the report that initially claimed she and Garth were being paid "$35,000-$50,000" per episode while Spelling was being offered "$10,000-$20,000."
“They didn’t even get the numbers right,” said Doherty, according to EW.com, "so I don’t know if it’s about the money either.”
The CW issued an official statement saying: "The CW has no deal with Tori Spelling to appear on '90210' at this time."
Something tells us the chapter on Donna Martin's return to "90210" isn't finished yet. Stay tuned!
-- Joseph A. Kapsch
(Photo credits: Associated Press/Getty Images)
'90210': Sorry, Donna, the CW is just not that into you
At least we still have Brenda.
News broke today that Tori Spelling will not be bringing Donna Martin back to the CW's "90210" reboot because she reportedly wouldn't be making the same bucks as costars Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth.
Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke reports:
"Insiders tell me that Tori was hired to reprise her role as fashion boutique owner Donna Martin for just "$10,000-$20,000" per episode. But then Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty were signed for "$35,000-$50,000" a show. When Tori found out her former co-stars were getting paid way more than she was, she got pissed and demanded equal pay. But the network suits have refused."
The network and Spelling's personal rep issued this statement in response: "The CW has no deal with Tori Spelling to appear on '90210' at this time."
Oh, but they did. A press release handed out at July's TCA session spelled it out: “As previously announced, Jennie Garth returns as Kelly Taylor, now a West Beverly guidance counselor; Tori Spelling returns as Donna Martin, now owner of an upscale boutique, and Joe E. Tata returns as Nat, owner of the Peach Pit.”
During the show's panel, "90210" producers were asked point-blank about the state of Spelling's deal. "Yeah, we have a deal," Jeff Judah said. Gabe Sachs added that he had been "e-mailing and brainstorming" with Spelling on what older, more mature Donna's been doing these days.
Guess Spelling feels like having an Oxygen hit in "Tori & Dean: Inn Love" should count for something. As much as being a contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" did for Garth, anyways.
But can't someone reason with her? Is there be room for further negotiations? Let her title card run before Jennie and Shannen's? Give her a permanent "special guest star" billing, just like Heather Locklear got for five years' work on "Melrose Place"?
Or has the CW already burned Donna's "upscale boutique" to the ground?
'Battlestar Galactica': Edward James Olmos will direct Cylon-centric special feature
Months before its final 10 episodes begin airing in January, we now know for certain that "Battlestar Galactica" will live on -- in the form of a two-hour special on the Sci Fi Channel to air in 2009 after the series concludes.
The unnamed feature will be directed by the show's co-star, Edward James Olmos, and written by "Battlestar" writer and former "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" brain Jane Espenson.
The stand-alone will document the Cylons' attempts -- those of two agents in particular -- to grapple with human survivors, both those aboard ships and those left alive on planets, shortly after the Cylons' destruction of human home worlds.
So it's a flashback, but not all the way back.
Three confirmed cast members are Michael Trucco (Sam Anders), Aaron Douglas (Galen Tyrol), and Dean Stockwell (Cavil, Cylon model No. 1) -- all Cylons. Shooting will begin promptly in Vancouver, Canada, and Sci Fi promises women regulars are being cast as well, with more names coming soon.
"Razor," the "BSG" event-movie that aired last November, was a successful test. "Not only did it do well on the air, it did phenomenally well in the international and DVD market," said Mark Stern, executive vice president of original programming for Sci Fi.
Produced by the newly-formed Universal Cable Productions (of which Stern is also a co-head), there is also "a disproportionately larger amount of money from foreign and DVD money," more than would be devoted to an average pilot, he said. (Both "Razor" and the two-hour event/pilot of "Caprica" have been produced in this fashion.) "I think it is the Holy Grail for us, in which we get high-quality programming for a lower license fee," Stern said. He declined to reveal the budget, saying that it was "expensive" and "very healthy," and that they were at first "skeptical" that the studio could get it.
"I was impressed with how high they were able to make it," he said.
So the transformation of Sci Fi and its related and parent entities into essentially a film studio was the hold-up to the deal. "What you don't want to do is do them in some half-assed way where they're not as good as they needed to be," he said.
The channel came to executive producer Ronald D. Moore once the finances were set. The story idea Moore brought back from the writers is the one indeed being made, although there was some back-and- forth, with the network's concern being that a new viewer could jump right in. "What was more of a burden to Ron in this particular case was the availability of who's out there," said Stern.
So did the cast, now more well-known thanks to "BSG," play hardball for their rates in the event-movie? "The cast are lovely," said Stern. "That's not to say we're not getting phone calls from their agents saying, 'They're huge now.' And we're respectful of that. We're not expecting anyone to do it because they owe us. There are actors that have come to some prominence; they're helping us out because they want to do it."
And, on the other side, have the news-hungry fans been driving the network crazy? "The short answer is absolutely not," said Stern, who has been a regular target of angry fans. (He was blamed for the death of "Farscape," even though he arrived at the network after it had been killed.) "The longer answer is all of our fans are kind of rowdy and invested," he said. "There's no question that there's an appetite for wanting more -- by the way, which started with us! We're all feeling, 'Does it have to be over already?' "
So, it does not entirely, though Stern said that more specials would not be produced at the same time as the first, even though some cast and crew would be assembled.
"I promise you that, not having shot a frame of footage, it will blow you away," Stern said.
Oh yes? Let's let the real experts decide.
"I'm a big fan of Edward James Olmos as a director," said Erica Blitz, co-editor of the blog Galactica Sitrep. "All his episodes have been highly unique and really wild, especially that one from Season 3, 'Taking a Break from All Your Worries'? That was wild!"
"I want to see more Jane Espenson," said Annalee Newitz, editor of sci fi blog io9, when consulted, pre-announcement, about her "BSG" future wish list. "I really like her, I like the episodes she's done. She does a really great job with dialogue and character development. She did the episode 'The Hub,' which was like super-amazing."
OK then, so it is on!
-- Choire Sicha
'American Idol' show runner steps down
In recent months, Fox executives announced that they intend to make some creative changes to the format of "American Idol" in its eighth season next year to freshen up the show.
But they weren't counting on a change in show runners. As first reported on TMZ, executive producer and show runner Nigel Lythgoe is stepping down from the Fox juggernaut to pursue a new show and continue with "So You Think You Can Dance," which he also runs.
In a statement issued Monday by Lythgoe and 19 Entertainment, the British producer said that he was "stepping back from day-to-day producing work on 'American Idol'" because he is going to devote all of his time to a new venture with Simon Fuller and 19 Entertainment and to working on local versions of "Dance" in Australia, South Africa, and Canada." Fuller and Lythgoe created "So You Think You Can Dance."
Lythgoe denied a request for an interview, as did Fox executives. The network also issued a statement Monday: "[Nigel] is an extraordinarily talented producer whose creative contributions to the No. 1 show on television has been immeasurable. While we are disappointed that he will no longer be executive producing 'American Idol,' we are pleased to continue working with him on 'So You Think You Can Dance.'"
In May, Fox Chairman Peter Liguori said during a news conference that producers and the network were excited about revamping the show next year. Last month, during the TV industry's press tour, President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly said he could not disclose details of the changes. One thing that seems certain is that the Wednesday results show will go back to a half-hour format.
Fox executives said they do not know who will run "Idol" next year. But it's likely that Ken Warwick, who has worked closely with Lythgoe since the show launched, will take over.
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
(Photo: Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)
TCA: Jay Leno impersonates Kimmel impersonating a reporter
Show business is all about one-upping the competition.
Last week at press tour, Jimmy Kimmel posed as a reporter demanding answers from ABC President of Entertainment Steve McPherson about the fate of his late-night show. Rumors have been swirling again that ABC might want to grab Jay Leno when his stint as “Tonight Show” host ends next May.
On Monday, Leno, in a disguise that included a bald head, demonstrated he’s a good sport by showing up during NBC’s executive session with reporters and inquiring about his awkward situation. But the stunt fell a bit flat in the room because the disguise rendered Leno unrecognizable and also because he didn’t seem to be offering jokes as questions. After Leno left, one critic asked NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Co-Chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff whether it had actually been him.
All gimmicks aside, the NBC executives announced that Leno, whose contract officially expires in December 2009, will have his last show on May 29, and that Conan O’Brien will replace him as “Tonight Show” host June 1.
That makes Leno a hot ticket, and ABC is certainly interested in him. Although McPherson says he is committed to Kimmel, whose show took off with viewers this year, he also pointed out last week that there could be room for both late-night hosts at his network.
Not so fast, said Graboff Monday, adding that NBC Universal is still talking to Leno about staying at the company in a different capacity.
“If we had the ‘Tonight Show’ still available, it probably wouldn’t take so long,” Silverman said about the negotiations. “But it’s just trying to be creative and work with Jay in a way that he would want to stay and find an environment that he would embrace.”
(Leno, as reporter, joked that NBC Universal had offered him a fifth hour on the “Today” show.)
“When we made the deal with Jay four years ago, we made a long-term deal with him,” Graboff said. “We’ve been talking to him pretty much that whole time about the future beyond the ‘Tonight Show.’ We can’t force him to do something. We’re presenting him with a number of opportunities that we think will be great and we’re hoping that he eventually thinks will be great as well.”
It was Leno’s idea to appear at press tour and imitate the ABC session, said Silverman.
“The point that we want you guys to take away from Jay being here is that we have a great relationship with Jay Leno,” Silverman said. “Whether this is not the best decision today in the press’ minds is one thing. But we just want to be clear: Jay Leno is a partner of ours. We’ve had an unbelievable business with Jay and are continuing to work with Jay and we’re looking for a way that he could remain part of the family.”
Another member of the NBC family who will have a different role next year is “Saturday Night Live” actress Amy Poehler, who has agreed to be the star of a spinoff of “The Office” that is not really a spinoff.
The series, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, will be a workplace comedy with a similar style to “The Office” but will not feature any of the Dunder Mifflin gang. Silverman hopes to launch the series in March, after Poehler completes her “Saturday Night Live” duties and has her first baby.
Daniels and Schur are working on another spinoff of “The Office” that will feature members of the cast and put them in a different environment, Silverman said.
“It was a great chance for us to land [Poehler],” Silverman said.
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
TCA: MSNBC to stick with 'the team that took us this far'
NBC News President Steve Capus today defended the dual roles that MSNBC hosts Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews play on the cable news network, arguing that the ratings prove viewers are comfortable watching them pivot between commentary and news anchoring.
“The audience gets it, and that’s the single biggest factor that I see,” Capus said.
“This is the team that took us this far, and we’re going to continue to stick with them," he added. "The audience understands what we’re doing and they’re coming to us in record numbers.”
The two hosts have emerged as the leading figures at MSNBC, which has enjoyed a viewership surge during this year’s presidential election. Both have also drawn criticism for their outspoken on-air commentaries –- particularly Olbermann, who has made a practice of lambasting the Bush administration.
The network news president said that both Olbermann and Matthews know how to calibrate their approach when they’re anchoring news coverage.
“I actually happen to watch what they do on the air and how they handle themselves and how they handle the responsibilities, and I think they’ve been spot on,” Capus said. “I think their work speaks for itself.”
Earlier in the week, Fox News’ Chris Wallace took MSNBC to task for putting sharply opinionated hosts in the anchor chair, saying his cable network maintained a “firewall” between its commentators and news anchors.
“Our feeling is the opinion-makers should deliver their opinions, and the journalists should cover the news,” Wallace said during the Fox News panel at the television press tour.
Olbermann today challenged Wallace’s assertion, saying that Fox News commentators such as Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes and Bill O’Reilly “were on for lengths of time” during that network’s primary coverage this year.
“What this statement is based on is something his network was doing, and I think with less of an acknowledgment that those roles need to be separate,” he said.
(A Fox News spokeswoman disputed that, saying none of the network’s political commentators act as anchors. During the primaries, Hannity and Colmes were usually on the air after 11 p.m. ET to offer analysis, she said, while O’Reilly appeared a handful of times as a commentator during the coverage.)
Olbermann said that MSNBC is asking viewers to engage with its coverage by distinguishing between the two roles that he and Matthews play.
“We know there are different rules for us, and the viewers -- I think based on how many of them have turned out -- know there are different rules,” he said.
"If you’re fairly good at what you do in this business, you should be able to do a couple of different things and know which is appropriate for each set of circumstances," he added.
The notoriously provocative cable personality appeared to rein himself in when he was asked if Fox News was missing an opportunity by not having O’Reilly -- its top-rated host and a frequent Olbermann target -- anchor its election coverage.
“How many ways can I get myself into trouble by answer this question?” Olbermann said with a grin.
“It would make it more interesting if Bill was on and did it live,” he said. “Let’s just leave it there.”
-- Matea Gold
TCA: First look at 'Caprica,' the 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel
On Sunday afternoon, a zombiefied press corps at the Beverly Hilton perked up slightly for Sci Fi Channel's "Caprica" panel.
"Caprica" is the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel, and it takes place 51 years before "Battlestar's" action begins. Its story revolves around two rival families, the Graystones and the Adamas. Esai Morales plays Joseph Adama -- "Battlestar" fans will already know that Joseph is the father of Edward James Olmos' Admiral William Adama. Polly Walker and Eric Stoltz will also star in the prequel.
During the panel, "Battlestar" overlord Ronald D. Moore said that the terrestrial "Caprica" will have a "completely different tone, a completely different mood” from its progenitor. And indeed, one critic pointed out that the "Caprica" art direction resembles "Mad Men." Executive producer Remi Aubuchon agreed with that description, saying "“there is a bit of a retro feel" to the show's look.
When viewers will actually see "Caprica" is still an open question. Mark Stern, Sci Fi's executive vice president of original programming, said that the two-hour backdoor pilot will either air as a stand-alone movie or will serve as the pilot episode for the series. Stern also didn't know -- or wouldn't say -- whether it would air before, during or after the final 10 episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" begin running in January.
-- Kate Aurthur
TCA: Olympics will be live. Do you hear us? Live!
The NBC brain trust behind the network's herculean Olympic coverage that begins Aug. 8 wants desperately to make one thing clear -- we're live!
With an intensity not unlike that of Dr. Frankenstein upon discovering the lightning-juiced status of his pet project, NBC executives emphasized during its panel Monday morning that the Summer Olympics in Beijing will feature live coverage. That's live, live, live -- as opposed to dead, dead, dead in the ratings that previous time-zone-unfriendly Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and Athens registered with American audiences.
A little more than half of NBC's prime-time Olympic coverage -- including swimming and women's gymnastics -- will be live, said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC's Sports and Olympics. Of course, the live programming really is for the Eastern -- which has a 12-hour time difference with Beijing -- and Central time zones.
In the West, most prime-time programming will still be tape-delayed -- but only by hours, not by a half or full day as with the last couple of Summer Olympics.
For those who can't wait, the Web will be there -- live, live, live. NBCOlympics.com will carry some 2,200 hours of live events across 25 sports; users can choose from among 20 concurrent streams.
In all its platforms, NBC will provide about 3,600 hours of Olympic coverage -- more than the total of every previous televised Summer Olympics combined. By comparison, CBS broadcast 20 hours of events from the Rome Olympics in 1960.
One final note comes from Olympics anchor Bob Costas: He promised that the event's opening ceremonies will be "uber-spectacular."
-- Martin Miller
TCA: Amy Poehler's departure from 'Saturday Night Live' will be 'a big loss'
Amy Poehler's departure from "Saturday Night Live" sometime this fall "will be a big loss," executive producer Lorne Michaels told television critics today.
Poehler, who is pregnant, has signed on to do a new comedy on NBC from the executive producer of "The Office." She plans to remain on the late-night variety show through the November election or until her baby is born, "which will hopefully be right after the election," Michaels said. Poehler has done the show's sharp impersonation of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Michaels said he will likely hire two or three new cast members this year and is holding formal auditions in August to consider new talent.
"Saturday Night Live" will have a heavy on-air presence this season, with 22 live shows instead of the usual 20. To take advantage of the material generated by the presidential campaign, seven original shows will air before Election Day.
In addition, the writers are producing three half-hour shows for prime time that will feature live editions of "Weekend Update." And on Nov. 3, SNL will do a 90-minute prime-time special spotlighting its political satire.
Michaels said he relishes the challenge, adding that it was "unbelievably frustrating" to have been sidelined by the writers strike during the bulk of the presidential primary season.
"It made me realize how precious it was to have this job," he said.
By the fall, he added, he's confident the public's impression of Sen. Barack Obama will have solidified enough to make him easier to parody.
"I think he's still defining himself and he's primarily cast as heroic," Michaels said. "But sooner or later, everyone does something to irritate us."
Michaels is also the executive producer of "Late Night with Conan O’Brien," which SNL alum Jimmy Fallon is taking over next year. Michaels said he plans to launch Fallon's show online before he takes over the time slot.
"I think beginning it on the Internet for five or six months before it goes on will be an exciting process and will allow us to find a voice," he said.
-- Matea Gold
Photo: Getty Images
TCA: 'Battlestar Galactica' final season
At Sunday afternoon's press tour session, Dave Howe, president of the Sci Fi Channel, announced that the final -- or as he put it "final, final" -- season of "Battlestar Galactica" will premiere in January.
And then we will come to the end.
-- Kate Aurthur
TCA: Rapper Coolio and his new reality
We can say one definitive thing about Grammy-winning rapper Coolio: He's not boring.
Coolio and four of his children (he has six) appeared at the Beverly Hilton to promote their new Oxygen reality series, "Coolio's Rules." Before they sat down for a news conference, the family performed. While Coolio and his son, Artis Ivey, rapped, his three daughters -- Jackie Ivey, Brandi Ivey and Artisha Ivey -- did something similar to the Electric Slide. Let's just say this did not bring visions of the Von Trapp family.
Moving along to the press conference: TV critics learned many things about this family. Even things they did not want to know. Such as Coolio's pronouncement that his daughters are virgins right before the session ended or that he loves "hoes" and likes to bring them home to show his daughters what kind of women they should not grow up to be.
Fortunately for the girls -- Jackie is in high school and Brandi and Artisha are in community college -- they do not seem to need Daddy's advice. They seem grounded beyond their years and completely capable of putting their 44-year-old father in his place. Which they do often.
"He doesn’t know what he needs," offered Brandi about her father's choices of women. "He definitely knows what he wants."
"A nongold-digger," Dad-Coolio interjected.
"He’ll like somebody because their boobs are big or something, and we’re like, 'She’s dumb!' " Brandi replied.
"Maybe she's dumb, but I don’t need her to be smart," Coolio said. "I don't want her to pay my bills. I just want her to lay around and look good."
"We don’t need that, how about that?" Brandi said matter-of-factly.
After some back and forth with his daughters over his women -- some apparently have had mustaches or been body builders -- Coolio ended the conversation by declaring: "Eventually she goes away, right, like a wart?"
In the series, which premieres in October, viewers will watch Coolio juggle raising his children, who are living with him after a divorce, with his music career, a new clothing line and a new catering business.
Asked if he's having a midlife crisis, Coolio responded:
"I think I already had my midlife crisis. I’m divorced for about eight years. I’m still having trust issues with women. Put it this way, I got robbed by my ex-wife. I’m comfortable with being 44. I really am. This is entirely true: Bring a 24-year-old in here and watch the difference between him and me. Let me sleep with his girlfriend and let him sleep with mine and we'll see who's really 24 and who’s 44. Most artists stop rapping at my age. I’m at my peak when it comes to my writing skills and the art of hip hop. I’m a much better performer and a much better writer. I’m just not as pretty. And my hair is not as thick. I have a plan. I’m trying to be the first rapper to go platinum at 50. At 50, I’m gonna make my last album, titled 'Old Man River.' At that point, I’m gonna completely show you why they call me Mr. Burns."
Coolio also revealed that he disciplines his kids, mostly, by denying them money. Does he give them their own credit cards?
"Hell to the no! We’d be living downtown in a cardboard box. I give them cash. Sometimes I take them shopping. Most often not. I’m not cheap, but I’m thrifty. Right after my divorce, I went through a period where it got kind of rough, bro. I was having money problems. Imagine having money and then not having money and being one of the most recognized celebrity rappers in the world and not having money, man; it was rough. It waas rough, bro."
We have no idea if this show will be a hit, but we predict Joel McHale will have a field day with it on "The Soup."
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
Photo: Getty Images
TCA: NBC's 'Friday Night Lights' comes back from the near-dead as 'a brand new show'
Heading into their third season, the cast members of the long-threatened NBC drama “Friday Night Lights” said today that they acutely feel the gratitude that comes with being pulled back from the brink of cancellation.
“It was sort of like we were thrown a life ring,” actor Kyle Chandler said of the deal NBC struck with DirecTV to split the series' production costs and distribution rights. "I feel like it's a brand new show."
As part of the agreement, the satellite provider gets to air the new 13-episode season of “Friday Night Lights” this October before it debuts in February on the broadcast network.
“When the opportunity came up, we jumped right on it,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of entertainment for DirecTV, a self-professed fan of the show who said Chandler’s Coach Taylor “has enormously impacted how I raise my child.”
When the series airs Wednesdays on DirecTV’s 101 Network, each episode will be paired with a 30-minute live call-in show, in which fans can talk with actors from the show.
Because “Friday Nights Lights” will air on such different platforms, producers are considering creating two distinct versions of each episode to take advantage of having a longer run time and fewer content restrictions on satellite.
“Potentially, there could be a version of the show that airs on DirecTV that’s different from the one on NBC, and each version would have something to recommend it,” said executive producer Jason Katims.
But it remains an open question whether hard-core fans of the show (are there any other kind?) who don’t have DirecTV will wait to watch it on NBC or download pirated episodes that are bound to make their way online.
“I would like to think I would be patient and wait and watch the real version when it was available,” Katims said.
Or, suggested actor Zach Gilford, “if you’re big fan, download it, then go ahead and turn it on on NBC.”
The coming season will jump to the fall of a new school year, even though the writers strike prevented the series from finishing its second-season story line.
“We’re going to essentially catch people up through brilliant exposition,” Katims quipped.
As previously reported, actors Gaius Charles (Smash Williams) and Scott Porter (Jason Street) will not return as series regulars. Since both characters were in their senior year last season, the writers felt it made sense for them to be taking their leave from Dilllon, Katims said.
TCA: Dawn Ostroff calls for every viewer to be counted on The CW
Dawn Ostroff, The CW’s entertainment president, seemed to be channeling Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton Saturday as she discussed the network’s frustration that the ratings for “Gossip Girl” haven’t reflected the show’s huge pop culture presence.
“Every viewer must be counted and no viewer should be left behind,” Ostroff said earnestly, drawing chuckles from the assembled television critics.
But it’s no laughing matter for The CW, which is heading into a make-or-break junior year. Network executives hope “Gossip Girl” and similarly glossy additions like “90210” and “Privileged” will gain traction with viewers this season.
If not, queried reporters, isn’t the network in trouble?
Ostroff swatted away the suggestion that The CW faces a deadline to improve its performance, saying, “We all feel we’re on our way.”
To that end, she announced the network had picked up a horror-theme reality series for midseason called “13 -– Fear is Real” that she described as “the Blair Witch Project as a reality show.”
In the show, a group of young people compete in creepy challenges in the Louisiana bayous. The clip reel featured gory images of chainsaws, mutilated dolls, knives and hooks, with a distorted voice-over threatening that losing contestants will be killed off.
“You know, we’ll do anything for attention here at The CW,” Ostroff joked.
If this season falls flat, network executives are already planning a new strategy for next year: launching the schedule in the summer instead of the fall.
By premiering its shows in July or August, The CW could hopefully garner more attention than in September, when it faces a crush of competition from the bigger broadcast networks, Ostroff said.
“The idea is to just get out of the fray,” she said, adding: “We really feel we need to zig when everyone else is zagging.”
-- Matea Gold
TCA: How The CW got Shannen Doherty back on '90210'
The deed is done: Not only will Shannen Doherty officially have a role on the new version of "90210,” she will be in the two-hour premiere on Sept. 2.
After weeks of speculation, rumors and, presumably, haggling, Executive Producer Gabe Sachs said Saturday morning at the Beverly Hilton that Doherty's Brenda will join the previously announced returns of Kelly (Jennie Garth), Donna (Tori Spelling) and Nat (Joe E. Tata). Garth and Tata also will be in the pilot episode. Spelling will appear later.
Doherty did not appear at the CW TCA Press Tour session, which featured the series' regular cast -- in other words, none of the throwback ones. (But Tata -- already in character -- did help serve the buffet breakfast before the panel began until he was overrun by journalists.)
Doherty left the original "Beverly Hills, 90210" under unpleasant circumstances after the fourth season. But the character of Brenda -- and Doherty herself -- have loomed large in the popular imagination. After the press conference, Sachs said that it was CW President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff who wanted Doherty from the start.
“Dawn was very, very, very excited about the prospect of having Shannen on the show,” Sachs said. “And I think that generated conversations. Someone from Shannen’s camp introduced herself on an e-mail and asked, “Would you have dinner?” And I was like, ‘yeah.’ Then, of course, everyone from Paramount and CW are concentrating on this dinner."
The 3-1/2-hour dinner at STK went well, Sachs said. But the subject of appearing in his highly anticipated show didn’t come up until 20 minutes before it was over, he said.
“It was three hours of us getting to know each other,” he said. “We didn’t discuss this show at all until the last 20 minutes. “And I said: ‘You know, you’re coming into an environment that’s completely different. It’s not going to be that environment where there was any tension. That’s not what our world is. It’s not the way Jeff [Judah] and I produce shows. It’s a very warm environment. No one yells. It’s just a different beast.’ ”
After the dinner, Sachs and Doherty e-mailed each other a few times and then decided to get down to business on the telephone.
“We brainstormed and she was so excited,” he said. “She was like, 'This is so different.' We’re including her and I think her experience was producers and actors are very separate. We are very collaborative with actors.”
Sachs and fellow executive producer Jeff Judah said that Brenda -- who was always theatrically minded -- 
would return to West Beverly High as the director of the school musical. She will appear in "multiple episodes," Sachs said.
“Her concern was that she wanted to come in a way that would be real,” Sachs said.
During the press conference, one critic asked for a clarification about the specifics of the part, and when Sachs provided those details, said, “I was afraid you had hired her to be a director.”
Garth was the first former cast member to sign on. Kelly is now a high school guidance counselor who grew up living next door to Harry Wilson, played by Rob Estes.
Asked how she responded to the news that Doherty would also be back — the actresses famously do not like each other — Sachs replied:
“Jennie’s a big girl,” he said. “I love Jennie. I’ve known Jennie a long time. She’s a big girl. She’s smart and that will all be great.”
-- Maria Elena Fernandez and Kate Aurthur
Photo: Getty Images
TCA: 'Dexter,' quite a follow-up gig
Michael C. Hall was nominated for an Emmy Thursday for his nuanced portrayal of "Dexter" the serial killer who is hard not to like.
On Friday, during a press tour panel at the Beverly Hilton, Hall, who made a name for himself playing a gay man on "Six Feet Under" for six seasons, was asked how his family reacted to news that his next TV gig would be playing a serial killer.
"As long as you're not kissing a black man!" Hall said. The room erupted in laughter.
Hall continued: "But if I hadn't kissed a black man, I wouldn't be a serial killer. They were somehow weirdly comfortable with it."
--Maria Elena Fernandez
TCA: Showtime picks up Edie Falco (Take that, HBO!)
Riding high off a successful year and a slew of Emmy nominations, Showtime executives today announced an assortment of new pickups and renewals:
• Edie Falco, best known for her role on a certain HBO show, is joining rival Showtime as the lead of a new series tentatively titled “Nurse Jackie.” Falco plays a New York City nurse with a painkiller addiction. That may sound familiar, but Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt said it’s nothing like a certain other program on Fox.
“It’s fundamentally about who she is as a character,” he said. “It isn’t the most high-concept idea, but I don’t think you’ve ever quite seen a nurse like this. It’s not going to be case-driven. It’s not going to be the big medical story of the week.”
The drama starts production in the fall and will be on the air by spring or early summer.
• The network is developing a spinoff to the “The L Word,” which wraps its final season this year.
• A six-episode reality show/documentary called “Lock 'N Load,” which profiles a gun store in rural Colorado and the varied customers it draws, joins the schedule in 2009.
Another major addition to Showtime’s lineup this year: “The United States of Tara,” a comedy about a suburban mom with a multiple personality disorder that stars Toni Collette. The show, which goes into production in September, will air right after the first of the year.
Greenblatt also said that he has renewed the series from comedians Penn & Teller for its seventh season, making it the longest-running show on the network. It will return in 2009. In addition, Showtime picked up two more 13-episode season of “Weeds.”
-- Matea Gold
TCA: The 'L-Word' spinoff
The end of "The L Word" might not be the end of "The L Word." At least, for one character.
Showtime President of Entertainment Robert Gleenblatt told TV critics Friday that creator and executive producer Ilene Chaiken is working on a spinoff of the series that will be focused on one character whose storyline will remain open-ended when the series comes to an end next year.
The story will be continued online, and then in a spinoff, if Showtime decides to move ahead with it, Greenblatt said.
But the project is in the initial stages, he emphasized, adding that even the actress who would star in it doesn't know.
"I don’t want to be too coy but I can’t say," Greenblatt said. "We’re still forming it," he said.
Hmmm, maybe we should start an e-mail campaign: Should the spinoff go to Bette? Tina? Shane? Someone else?
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
TCA: CBS sticks to crime scenes
The departure of William Petersen from CBS’ biggest hit, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” brings up a deeper question for the network, which reigned for six years as the “most-watched” network until Fox stole the title this season.
“CSI” enters its ninth season in the fall, and Nielsen ratings show that its audience is still loyal and large. But at CBS, which has built its empire on crime procedurals, it is one of their many series that are getting on in years. Additionally, no new show has broken out in a big way since “Criminal Minds” was launched in 2005, which could leave CBS in a pinch when its established series go off the air.
On Friday, CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler, speaking to TV critics at the Beverly Hilton, rejected the notion that her network could find itself in the same rocky place as NBC was after “Friends” and “Frasier” went off the air.
“That’s certainly not the case,” Tassler said. “I think we’ve been very smart, adding shows like ‘The Mentalist’ and ‘Eleventh Hour.’ I think we’ve been very, very calculated at building and adding shows that are within the wheelhouse but expanding our brand.”
Last season, CBS experimented with unconventional scripted fare that took the network far from its crime procedural roots, and failed. The last of those to launch, “Swingtown,” about married swingers in the ‘70s, has not performed well, and Tassler said she has not decided if it will go on.
But she is hoping that two new dramas, “Eleventh Hour” and “The Mentalist,” will bring in CBS’ core audience.
“Certainly, [those] shows are more within our wheelhouse, there’s no doubt about it,” Tassler said. “But as you see the shows, there’s a marked departure. There’s an evolution in terms of tone, style, sensibility, the characters are a little bit more idiosyncratic. “
Petersen, who is also an executive producer on “CSI,” will leave in the 10th episode of the season, but will probably appear in future episodes, Tassler said.
“Billy is an extraordinary guy,” Tassler said. “He really is. Let us not forget his roots, his origins in the theater. He’s still an artist and he’s very passionate, committed, to the show. He’s going off to do a play. I think it’s just an artist’s choice to perhaps change his life again.”
To deal with the loss of Gil Grissom, executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naran Shankar have created a new character that eventually will become the boss of the unit, Tassler said.
“I don’t think you replace Billy, but you look at adding elements to the show that are really going to invigorate and contribute to the alchemy of the show where it is today. They’ve created a great character,” she said. “What I know of him, so far, is he’s an outsider coming into the CSI unit. He has an interesting genetic profile. In certain medical contexts, they’ve noticed that serial killers have that same genetic profile. This gentleman knows this about himself and he's on a journey to discover who his true character will ultimately become.”
The role has not been cast, but Tassler confirmed that the network is interested in casting a high-profile actor and is considering John Malkovich or Laurence Fishburne for the role.
The series also has added Lauren Lee Smith as Riley Adams, who replaces Sara in the crime lab. Jorja Fox, who played Sara, left the show last season but she will appear in the first three episodes of this season.
-- Maria Elena Fernandez
TCA: Katie Couric calls the amount of attention she receives 'befuddling'
Speaking via satellite from New York, Katie Couric told reporters today that “it’s befuddling to me the amount of attention I have received.”
“I spend every day really focused doing the best job I can,” she added.
CBS News President Sean McManus said that he does not get hung up on the evening broadcast’s ratings, which have fallen since Couric took over the newscast nearly two years ago.
“All we can do is put on the best broadcast we can, and we’re doing that,” McManus said. “I continue to believe that if we do that, more people will watch the broadcast.”
At a time when the cable news networks are aggressively pursuing political coverage, Couric said she believes CBS has an opening to distinguish itself through the kind of reporting it is doing on the presidential election.
“There’s much more room for opinion on the cable news networks, particularly Fox and MSNBC now, and it’s much more political commentary,” she said. “And we want to have political insight, but we do want to have accuracy. And I’m not suggesting they’re not accurate, but it’s from a distinct point of view. And I think to have level-headed, well-thought-out, well-researched, accurate information is something that viewers really crave.”
McManus also fielded questions about correspondent Lara Logan’s recent contention that the network is giving short shrift to stories from Iraq.
TCA: Katie Couric says she's not leaving 'CBS Evening News'
Katie Couric said she’s not going anywhere -- at least not any time soon.
Facing the press for the first time since reports surfaced this spring that she was preparing to leave the CBS News anchor chair after the presidential election, Couric said today that she’s staying put.
“We have no plans to part company any time soon,” Couric said. “And there were a lot of speculative pieces that I think got, quite frankly, spun out of control.”
Couric and CBS News President Sean McManus both said that media reports suggesting that she planned to leave the third-place “CBS Evening News” after the election or the next presidential inauguration if the ratings don’t improve were wrong.
“It's not true,” McManus said.
The anchor referred obliquely to talks she had with CBS executives earlier this year about her future on the broadcast. In the discussions, Couric and the network officials agreed to table any decision until after the presidential election.
“You know, we always assess how the show is doing and what direction we want to go in. And so clearly when you work for an organization you have ongoing discussions,” Couric said. “But I’m very committed to the people here.”
-- Matea Gold
TCA: Sarah Chalke gets caught telling a fib
Sarah Chalke, you bad, bad girl.
Chalke, who stars on "Scrubs" and has a recurring role on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother," appeared at the Beverly Hilton on Wednesday to help promote the move of "Scrubs" to ABC from NBC this season.
Chalke was asked if she would be reprising her role on "Mother," which has stirred a lot of speculation among TV critics and fans that Chalke's character will turn out to be the mystery "Mother" on the comedy.
Her answer: "Actually, I have no idea what's going to happen with that. I had a great time doing it."
But on Friday, CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler touted Chalke's return to the show, saying she was signed on for multiple episodes. Including the season premiere.
A critic asked Tassler if Chalke was "fudging" the facts.
"Maybe," Tassler, said smiling.
Just as critics were left pondering why, why, why Sarah would fudge about appearing on a show they like, Tassler gave them something else to chew on.
"Right now, I don’t think she’s the mother, no," Tassler said.
--Maria Elena Fernandez