This Isn’t the Summer of Love for Oprah
This isn’t the Summer of Love for Oprah Winfrey. Her show continues to struggle in the ratings, reports B&C. The show dropped 13% in the week ending July 18 from the prior week, giving it a 2.8 live plus same…
Cable
As Networks Perfect Programs, Level of Tinkering for the Upcoming Fall Season Seems Remarkable
As the networks perfect their new shows for the 2010-11 season, the level of tinkering seems to have gone beyond the changes usually seen, report Joe Flint and Maria Elena Fernandez in the Los Angeles Times. For instance, more than…
Chris Albrecht, Who Was a Hughly Successful Programmer at HBO, and His $1 Billion Bet That He Can Make Starz a Significant Player on the Original Programming Scene
Chris Albrecht, who was extraordinarily successful as a programmer at HBO, is betting $1 billion that he can repeat his magic at Starz Called Operation Turbo, Starz has a plan to raise the $1 billion in off-balance-sheet financing to build…
Creative Thinking Award of the Day: The Reason Mobile TV Has Not Taken Off in the U.S.
Here’s an interesting take on why mobile TV has not taken off in the U.S. It’s our dearth of public transportation, reports the Wall St. Journal (note that the Journal is behind a firewall and may charge you to read…
What’s Up with Anderson Cooper? Not Ratings, as CNN’s Audience Problem Extends Beyond Campbell Brown and Larry King
CNN’s ratings woes continue, with Anderson Cooper’s show in the doldrums, reports the Los Angeles Times’ Company Town blog. Anderson Cooper’s show averaged just 575,000 viewers for July, representing a 56% decline from the same period a year earlier. it’s also…
Report: Reps for Elton John and Justin Timberlake Say No ‘American Idol’ Judging
Elton John and Justin Timberlake apparently aren’t going to be judges on "American Idol" anytime soon, reports Nikki Finke at Deadline.com. "Elton’s got commitments right up until next year. As we stand at the moment, Elton has no plans to…
One of the Baldwin Brothers Near Deal to Join ‘Parenthood’ Cast
Looks like one of the Baldwin brothers will be joining hte cast of NBC’s "Parenthood," reports EW.com’s The Ausiello Files. It’s Billy Baldwin. NBC declined to comment, the story says. Baldwin, who recently appeared as a dad on "Gossip Girl,"…
TCA Summer Tour Begins: Todays Schedule
The annulal Television Critics Association summer tour begins today, Wednesday, July 28, 2010. FIrst up is CBS, and as a profession courtesy, here’s today’s schedule: CBSPRESS TOUR SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JULY 28 7:00 AM Registration opens 7:30 AM “The Defenders”/Las Vegas…
Test of ‘The Huckabee Show’ Shows Viewers Don’t Yet Heart Former Gov. Huckabee
Fox’s test of "The Huckabee Show" isn’t yet showing that viewers love former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, reports B&C. The show, which is being tested for six weeks on seven television stations, averaged a 0.6 rating/2 share on its Monday debut, the…
Two Join Grammy Winner in Cast of AMC’s New Western ‘Hell on Wheels’
AMC’s Western period drama "Hell on Wheels" has cast two of its leads, who will be joining Grammy-winning rapper Common in he cast, reports Deadline.com. Joining the cast are Anson Mount and Dominique McElligott. Common will play a freed slave, as previously reported. Mount…