Quick Takes - March 15, 2013

Book on pope in works

It seems like the smoke had barely cleared from the Sistine Chapel before news came that a book about the new pope is on the way.

The as-yet-untitled book about Pope Francis — heretofore Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, now the first pope from the Americas — is to be published by Image Books, a Catholic-focused imprint at Random House.

The publisher plans for it to “give readers an insight into the spiritual vision of the new pontiff with a look at his most inspirational teachings on God, Jesus, marriage and family, life, prayer, religious freedom, and more.”

Dr. Robert Moynihan, founder and editor of the magazine Inside the Vatican, is writing the book, scheduled to be released April 30.

—Carolyn Kellogg

Olbermann, network settle

Keith Olbermann and Current TV say they’ve settled their dispute nearly a year after Olbermann was fired by the network and responded with a $50-million lawsuit.

Both parties said that the terms of the settlement are confidential.

Olbermann was fired last March as a host and executive at the left-leaning cable talk network. He sued, claiming Current violated his agreement and engaged in shoddy production values.

Current’s countersuit accused him of breaching his contract, including taking vacation without notice.

The at-times volatile host came to Current in June 2011 after a stormy eight-year stint at MSNBC, which he abruptly left that January.

Current, co-founded by Al Gore, is now being acquired for $500 million by Al-Jazeera, which is owned by the government of Qatar.

—Associated Press

Asner released from hospital

Ed Asner was released from a Chicago-area hospital Thursday and was flying home to Los Angeles after being diagnosed with

exhaustion, his publicist said.

The 83-year-old actor, best known for his roles in TV’s “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Lou Grant,” likely will postpone some performances of his touring one-man stage show, publicist Charles Sherman said.

On Tuesday night, Asner was taken off the stage in Gary, Ind., and went by ambulance to the unidentified hospital.

Asner just completed filming several episodes of the TV series “The Glades” in Florida.

He’s been on a national tour portraying President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the play “FDR” for more than three years.

—Associated Press

MSNBC gives Hayes new spot

MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes is going from working weekends to working weeknights.

Hayes, who had hosted a weekend morning show for the cable news channel, has been tapped to take over its 5-6 p.m. Pacific time slot starting April 1.

Ed Schultz, who had hosted that hour, is moving to weekends.

For MSNBC, the hope is that Hayes can attract younger viewers and will be a better fit with Rachel Maddow, whose show runs in the 6-7 p.m. slot.

Hayes has often been a guest host on Maddow’s show.

MSNBC has struggled in that hour as has CNN against the juggernaut that is “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News.

—Joe Flint

Geithner to write a book

Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has a book deal.

Geithner has an agreement with Crown Publishers, an imprint of Random House Inc.

Crown announced Thursday that Geithner’s book, currently untitled, is scheduled for 2014.

Geithner plans a “behind-the-scenes” account of the financial crisis, drawing upon his experience as Treasury secretary in the Obama administration and his previous job as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he served from 2003 to ’09.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

—Associated Press

Ang Lee turns to TV for FX pilot

Ang Lee, fresh off his Oscar win as best director for “Life of Pi,” will make his TV directorial debut with the pilot for “Tyrant,” for FX.

“Tyrant” is about an unassuming American family drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation.

Production is scheduled to begin this summer.

—Greg Braxton