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In Depth

Syndicated Talk Shows Rise in First Week of Sweeps

Several syndicated talk shows continued to rise during the first full week of sweeps, with a few veteran shows and newcomers benefiting from firing their biggest programming guns during November. Leading the pack in gains was King World’s “Dr. Phil,”…

Third ‘Dateline’ to Replace ‘Lights’ on Tuesdays

“Dateline NBC” is getting a third night per week beginning Dec. 26, when 8 p.m. Tuesdays becomes a regular slot for the NBC newsmagazine. “Dateline” has been airing on Saturdays and will return to Sundays after the NFL TV season…

‘Heroes’ Scores Season High as NBC Wins Another Monday

In what’s becoming a familiar headline for NBC, its freshman drama “Heroes” hit another season high this week. “Heroes” earned a 6.9 rating among adults 18 to 49 Monday night, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, which put NBC…

Study: Stations Gorged on Campaign Ads, but Not Election Coverage

Midwest TV stations devoted far more time to political advertising than to political news coverage during their newscasts in the month before the November election, according to an analysis released Tuesday by the University of Wisconsin’s NewsLab and the Joyce…

Journalist John Higgins Dies: A Remembrance

By Chuck RossMy friend John Higgins has died of a heart attack at the much too young age of 45, and, like most who knew John, I am devastated. John was the business editor at Broadcasting & Cable. He was…

CBS Escalates Challenge to Super Bowl Indecency Fines

CBS is stepping up its challenge of the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to fine its stations $550,000 for Janet Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction,” telling an appellate court the decision raises First Amendment and due process questions and is…

Comcast-Disney Carriage, Content Deal Imminent

The completion of the long-awaited carriage and content deal between Comcast Corp. and The Walt Disney Co. is imminent, according to people familiar with the negotiations. An announcement is expected in the next few days.The comprehensive agreement includes the sale…

NBC to Stunt ‘Identity’ Premiere

NBC will premiere “Identity,” its “next-generation game show,” as a five-night stunt during late December. “Identity” will run Monday, Dec. 18, through Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m. The show, hosted by comedian/magician Penn Jillette, has contestants trying to match…

ABC Reclaims Sunday as Football Fails NBC

After an upset victory last week, football-fueled NBC fumbled to third place Sunday night in the preliminary Nielsens, while ABC reclaimed the top spot. NBC’s airing of the “Sunday Night Football” game between the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos…

News Corp. Cancels O.J. Simpson TV Special, Book

News Corp., facing public and internal pressure, on Monday canceled the TV special and book in which O.J. Simpson talked hypothetically about how he would have killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. In an abrupt…