Jeff Probst Sticking With 'Survivor'

The host of CBS's "Survivor," Jeff Probst has no intention of walking away from the show, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Probst tweeted the news that he's made a deal with CBS to keep him moderating tribal coucils for two more cycles. He said online, "Survivor fans: I'm jazzed and wanted to share with you guys first -- I'll be back snuffing torches for two more seasons (21&22) of Survivor."

-- Allison J. Waldman

Barrymore Involved in 2010 TV Version of 'Charlie's Angels'

The proposed pilot for a new incarnation of the ABC girl cop show "Charlie's Angels" is in the works with star of the "Angels'" film adaptation Drew Barrymore serving as executive producer, reports TV Guide.

Ms. Barrymore will team with the film's director McG, serving as a consultant on the project. Barrymore is considering an appearance to launch the new set of "Angels" and McG, who is currently producing NBC's "Chuck," Fox's "Human Target" and The CW's "Supernatural," promises a 2010 spin for the series.

However, McG said that if 92-year-old actor John Forsythe was amenable, he would definitely want him to provide the voice for Charlie, since he was the original.

-- Allison J. Waldman

ABC TV Station Affiliates Mad About Company Moving Live Sports to ESPN

ABC affiliates are complaining about a corporate decision to move some live sports events that they thought belonged to them to ESPN, reports Mediaweek.

Most recently, ESPN said it is picking up eight fall NASCAR races that were originally set for ABC. Earlier, the network gave up the Rose Bowl to its cable sibling, beginning next year, and this year’s British Open.

Station executives complain that the moves will cost them ad revenue, and their ability to promote other shows, particularly to men.

--Elizabeth Jensen

Yes, Howard Stern is an A*Hole, But He's the Right Choice to Replace Simon Cowell on 'Idol'

Or so says TVWeek Open Mic blogger Chuck Ross. To read why he thinks so, click here.

(I think my colleague Ross may have finally gone too far and his mom is going to be unhappy with him...)

--Tom Gilbert

Kate Gosselin Defending Herself to Her Kids

Here's an interesting twist: Kate Gosselin is defending the way she's been raising her kids--not to the media--but, surprisingly, to her kids themselves.

It will come in the form of a book of letters address to her hids, according to People. com

Gosselin, former star of TLC’s “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” is releasing “I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith and Family” on April 13. She said in a statement that "Each day the thought crosses my mind that when they get older, my kids are going to look back and think about how they were raised," adding, "I know they will have a lot of questions about things that may not make sense because they were raised so unconventionally. I don’t want them to grow up and wonder; I want them to know without a shadow of a doubt how much I love them and how much every sacrifice made was worth it for them."

Her first two books were New York Times bestsellers.

--Elizabeth Jensen

CW to Premiere New Reality Show After ‘Top Model’

Both of The CW’s upcoming Wednesday reality shows will get special premieres behind a 90-minute episode of “America’s Next Top Model,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.

"High Society," following the life of socialite Tinsley Mortimer, will debut March 10, while "Fly Girls," about Virgin America flight attendants, will debut March 17. They’ll return in their regular time periods, back-to-back at 9 p.m., on March 24.

--Elizabeth Jensen

Super Bowl Sets Another Record—for Clutter

The Super Bowl had the most viewers of any TV event ever, but it also set another record, for the ad clutter,  the Associated Press reports.

Commercials accounted for about 48 minutes of the game, which was almost three minutes longer than last year, which was the previous record, research firm Kantar Media said. There was more than the usual number of 15-second ads, as well.

--Elizabeth Jensen

Charlie Sheen Charged WIth A Felony; 'Men' Producers Fret Over the Possibility of Jail Time

It's nervous time for the producers of the hit cash-cow "Two and a Half Men," reports Scott Collins of the Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker blog.

The star of that show, Charlie Sheen, at a Colorado court proceeding Monday, was charged with felony menacing and misdemeanors for assault and criminal mischief in the Christmas day incident involving his wife.

If Sheen is unavailable at some point to tape "Two and a Half Men," that article says, it could cause major headaches, "because the network and Warner Bros., which makes the show, have banked so heavily on the series, in its seventh year, lasting at least through the 2011-12 TV season. 'Men' over the years has become expensive to produce, in large part because of Sheen's high salary. In 2008, a TV Guide survey ranked him the highest-paid actor on TV, making $825,000 per episode, or nearly $20 million per year."

--Chuck Ross and Elizabeth Jensen

FX Bets on Originals

News Corp.’s FX is ditching the usual cable strategy of airing a few original series in a sea of off-network reruns, and instead making a bet on lots of original programming and top-tier theatrical movies, Multichannel News reports.

The network has 11 original scripted series launching in the next year--six shows returning for new seasons and five newcomers--and more than 100 commercial-television movie premieres set for the next two years. Among them is “Avatar,” the worldwide box-office gross record-holder

--Elizabeth Jensen

Oscars Get Social Media Makeover to Attract Younger Viewers to Its TV Broadcast

Last year's broadcast of the Academy Awards was the third lowest-rated broadcast in the show's history.

With the nominations of such crowd pleasers as "Avatar" and "The Blind Side," audience numbers should increase dramatically this year, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are not taking any changes.

They are going whole-hog into social media this year, reports Advertising Age. Facebook, an upcoming iPhone app, you name it.

With rigorous analysis and interviews with all the key players, this excellent piece by Andrew Hampp explains the longterm strategy behind the Oscars' social media push, as well as its tactical execution.

--Chuck Ross