Focus : Today’s News, Tomorrow’s ‘Murphy Brown’

It’s hard enough to separate reality from make-believe on television. On CBS’ “Murphy Brown,” the line between fact and fiction is forever blurred. Real-life news broadcasters walk into the fictional “FYI” newsroom as themselves. Last season saw TV journaaists Connie Chung, Kathleen Sullivan and Linda Ellerbee in guest roles on the comedy series about a make-believe television news magazine based in the nation’s capital.

Besides cameos by news personalities, the highly rated program consistently draws its scripts from headline stories.

This season is no different.

The Sept. 18 premiere of “Murphy Brown’s” third season saw the cast and set of “FYI” undergo a total overhaul, complete with toupees, short skirts and a Santa Fe nightmare of new furniture, all in the name of chatty, user-friendly news and bigger ratings.

The next episode concerned the ever-intense liberal and feminist lead character Murphy Brown, played by Candice Bergen, doing an interview with a racist, sexist comedian whom she despised (guess who the comedian was modeled after).

The show’s writers also are working on a script tackling the issue of what happens when news personalities say regrettable things, a la Andy Rooney’s now infamous remarks about gays and blacks.

“People like to see issues from news and things that affect them personally,” said Diane English, the program’s creator, co-executive producer and frequent writer. “The topicality of our shows is one of the favorite things about ‘Murphy Brown.’ ”

Last month the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded the show an Emmy for best comedy series. Bergen also won her second outstanding lead comedy actress trophy for her acid-tongued portrayal of a star TV journalist.

Despite such heady honors, English said the show will remain largely the same. Some subtle, unexpected plot twists are being planned, but she wouldn’t divulge them.

“We like to have surprises for our viewers,” English said.

And while “Murphy Brown” uses news for entertainment, real-life journalism has decided to use “Murphy Brown” for news.

“PrimeTime Live” co-anchor Diane Sawyer spent a week on the set taping a segment on the making of “Murphy Brown,” set to air Thursday. If Sawyer’s schedule would have permitted, English said, the former “60 Minutes” correspondent might have made an appearance on the comedy series while doing a news story about it.

In fact, English said, her show has extended several invitations to Sawyer and Rall the ’60 Minutes’ guys” including CB” Evening News anchor Dan Rather (a former “60 Minutes” guy) and Mike Wallace.

Rather is really not sure whether this is a good thing for him to do,” English said. “He has a great sense of humor, and it would be great if people could see that.”’

Cable talk show host Larry King’s involvement is being sought for an upcoming episode in which Brown is taken hostage by environmentally conscious Reco-terrorists,” English said. “She’s trying to convince people that she’s really been kidnaped and no one believes her because she’s such a practical joker,” English said.

In captivity, Brown sees King on television and tries to call in on the talk show’s viewer line.

English said she and husband Joel Shukovsky, the show’s other executive producer, also are considering an episode about management survival trips, at the suggestion of Sawyer.

According to English, Sawyer said ABC had sent her and “PrimeTime Live” co-anchor Sam Donaldson into the wilderness to rough it for a few days-a kind of management retreat that bigger corporations are increasingly employing.

English should just film Sawyer and the notoriously pugnacious Donaldson hanging out with Mother Nature- now that would be entertainment.

Although “Murphy Brown” is lauded by critics and has climbed steadily-if sporadically-in the ratings, English and Shukovsky were very close to leaving the show this year because of protracted contract battles with Warner Bros. Television.

“The negotiations were very long and very tedious and very dismal at times,” English said. “We had even approved a press release that CBS was going to put out in April saying we would not be coming back to the show.”

At the last minute, the studio agreed to give the pair more money, a higher ownership percentage in the program and the right to make other shows for other networks.

In return, English and Shukovsky signed on for 100 more episodes.

“We made this show,” English said. “Without us, there was no ‘Murphy Brown.’ And we saw the network coming out way ahead of us. I’m doing everything but catering the meals.”

When it comes to monetary issues in the television business, the line between reality and make-believe is very clear.

“Murphy Brown” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBS. The “Murphy Brown” segment of “PrimeTime Live” airs Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.