Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2008 > December
December 2008
Viacom keeps cable nets on Time Warner
Time Warner customers dodged the bullet.
In a contract showdown, Viacom, which owns 19 cable networks on Time Warner’s lineup, had threatened to take a hike if the cable company didn’t agree to an increase in its carriage fees.
Word came just before the midnight deadline that a deal had been reached, and MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and all the other Viacom networks would remain.
On Wednesday customers saw a “crawl” warning viewers that the aforementioned channels would go dark at midnight if Viacom and Time Warner didn’t reach a deal. More than 13 million subscribers nationwide and 300,000 in Central Texas would have been affected.
Viacom demanded fee increases of about 25 cents per subscriber per month for its channels, according to The Associated Press. Time Warner said it would not pay more, claiming it would have to pass on that increase to customers. At this time we do not know whether Time Warner agreed to pay more or Viacom agreed to take less.
In November Time Warner had a similar smackdown with LIN TV, which owns our NBC affiliate KXAN and several other TV stations around the country. LIN wanted cash for carriage; Time Warner didn’t want to pay. At the end of the face-off, however, Time Warner did pay.
Whatever the contract resolution between Viacom and Time Warner, the result is that our cable lineup still includes “SpongeBob,” Jon Stewart and many hours of MTV reality shows. Happy New Year.
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Time Warner yanking 19 cable channels? Happy New Year!
If you woke up this morning to an ominous crawl on one of your kids’ favorite cable channels, you know that Time Warner, the major cable provider in Central Texas with some 300,000 customers, is at it again.
Seems like only yesterday (actually it was only a month ago) that Time Warner had a smackdown with LIN TV, which owns our NBC affiliate KXAN. At issue was money, of course. LIN wanted cash for carriage, and Time Warner didn’t want to pay. At the end of the face-off, however, Time Warner did pay.
Now it’s Viacom, the media giant that has 19 cable channels on Time Warner — including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and VH1. The message that greeted viewers of “SpongeBob” this morning and “The Daily Show” late last night said that all of the Viacom channels will disappear from Time Warner at 12:01 a.m. Thursday if an agreement is not reached.
The last time Time Warner was in this position we lost our NBC station on cable for a month. The breakdown will affect 13 million Time Warner subscribers nationwide, which you would think would be a very big deal. This is, by the way, a national corporate confrontation, not anything that the Central Texas Time Warner folks have anything to do with.
Viacom has asked for fee increases from Time Warner about 25 cents per subscriber for its channels, according to the Associated Press. Time Warner is refusing, claiming they would have to pass on that increase to customers.
Here is the full list of Viacom channels that could go off Time Warner at midnight tonight:
Comedy Central, CMT: Pure Country, Logo, Palladia, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTV Tr3s, Nickelodeon, Noggin, Nick 2, Nicktoons, Spike, The N, TV Land, VH1, VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul.
Negotiations are either ongoing or not, depending on which corporate statement you believe.
Time Warner says the two sides are at the table, trying to work things out. Viacom insists Time Warner is not negotiating at all. The truth may lurk somewhere in between: negotiations are ongoing, but nobody is prepared to compromise.
Can’t we all just get along?
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Stamps honor Golden Age of TV … and Dick Clark to rock on ABC’s “Rockin’ Eve”
The networks may not care about us sofa spuds any more, but the United States Postal Service aims to please nostalgia-minded TV fans.
A series of 20 stamps, dubbed The Early TV Memories Collection, will be available Aug. 11 and feature tributes to classics such as “I Love Lucy,” “You Bet Your Life,” “Dragnet” and “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
You don’t have to be a hard-core philatelist to appreciate a stamp with Joe Friday barking, “Just the facts ma’m,” or Lucy and Ethel losing their wits trying to keep up with an assembly line of baked goods. Hopalong Cassidy, Alfred Hitchcock, Howdy Doody and even Lassie will grace the 42-cent face of other stamps in the collection.
It may seem a shame to slap these things onto your depressingly huge cable bill, but don’t wait to use them (unless you just plan to collect them). The Post Office probably will raise the rate again in 2009, and you’ll be stuck with useless stickies featuring the Lone Ranger and Perry Mason.
Yes, Dick Clark will rock on New Year’s Eve
“American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest may be front and center in Times Square this New Year’s Eve, but Dick Clark will be there with him to make a brief appearance for his 36th year.
Clark’s long run as host of ABC’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” ended four years ago when he suffered a stroke that made it difficult for him to speak. Ever upbeat and determined, Clark, now 79, will pop in sometime before the big crystal ball drops.
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TV Land is desolate this week … what’s a poor sofa spud to do?
Wow, anyone who thinks summer is TV’s dead time hasn’t studied the two weeks leading up to New Year’s Day.
Reruns, awful specials and reruns of awful specials take up about 80 percent of the air time. With the exception of Sunday’s packed NFL schedule, TV has been decidedly dead for longer than any of us would like to admit.
What’s new tonight on network TV? I’m embarrased to say, but here goes:
NBC has the allegedly new but simply re-packaged “Greatest Holiday Moments,” a compilation of home-video holiday disasters; “Deal or No Deal” (seriously, who needs to see Howie Mandel this much?); and the odious new reality show “Momma’s Boys.”
Even reliably entertaining cable networks are running on empty with bad movies (FX’s “White Chicks”) and endless repeats of “Project Runway” (Bravo).
Don’t these network progammers know there are eager eyeballs out here searching for something good to watch?
Fellow couch potatoes, now is the time to sign up for Netflix, and watch all the series you missed last season, or start pecking through that list of movies you’ve been meaning to rent to watch on your brand new Blu-Ray DVD player.
Out of desperation, I ripped the best-seller list out of Sunday’s newspaper, fully intending to read a few books before good viewing returns in January … we’ll see how far I get on that project.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“The Sound of Music,” 6 p.m. on ABC — Kids love it, and the music never gets old. A young nun becomes governess to Capt. Von Trapp’s seven children in Austria before World War II. The 1965 classic stars Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and a bunch of adorable moppets.
“Nick News Special Edition,” 8 p.m. on Nickelodeon — Linda Ellerbee takes a look at the pros and cons of gender separation in public schools.
Monday
“Greatest Holiday Moments: Hilarious Home Video Countdown,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Christmas is over. Shouldn’t we be finished with all this stuff? And yet, there’s this, for those who just can’t move on. Note the word “hilarious” is in the title, not our description.
“Great Performances at the Met,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Baritone Gerald Finely plays J. Robert Oppenheimer in “Doctor Atomic,” director Penny Woolcock’s version of the creation of the atomic bomb. Sounds festive, no?
Tuesday
“31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors,” 8 p.m. on CBS — The Washington gala honors Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Barbra Streisand, Twyla Tharp, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey. Beyoncé, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis and Denzel Washington are scheduled to appear; and newly revealed U.S. Senate wannabe Caroline Kennedy hosts.
“Eli Stone,” 9 p.m. on ABC — Watch it while you can, because this imaginative series won’t be around for long. In tonight’s new episode, Eli has a vision that causes him to question Nathan’s fiancée’s devotion, and then he comes out of his fog and defends a minister against discrimination.
Wednesday
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” 9 to 10 p.m., 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on ABC — Don’t be sad if you’re home on New Year’s Eve. (You’ll feel so much better than your hard-partying pals tomorrow.) Ryan Seacrest hosts the traditional countdown to the drop of the crystal ball in Times Square. The Jonas Brothers, Ne-Yo, Jesse McCartney, Natasha Bedingfield, Fall Out Boy, Solange and Robin Thicke will perform.
“New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly,” 9 p.m. on NBC — The countdown begins in Times Square with T.I., Katy Perry and Elton John scheduled to appear.
“New Year’s Eve Live,” 10 p.m. on Fox — Spike Feresten and Mark Thompson host this one, with performances by David Cook, Daughtry, Scott Weiland and Lynyrd Skynyrd and a 200-foot jump attempt by daredevil Robbie Knievel.
Thursday
“Rose Bowl Parade,” 10 a.m. on ABC and NBC — Smell the roses, see the floats!
“Rose Bowl,” 4 p.m. on NBC — The granddaddy of all bowl games features Penn State against USC.
“Orange Bowl,” 7:30 p.m. on Fox — It’s Cincinnati versus Virginia Tech.
Friday
“Cotton Bowl,” 1 p.m. on Fox — Texas Tech’s Red Raiders take on Mississippi.
“Sugar Bowl,” 7:15 p.m. on Fox — It’s Alabama and Utah this year.
Saturday
“NFL Football,” 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on NBC — An AFC or NFC wild card game. We know not which or who.
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Kristin Chenoweth goes “Legally Mad”
Kristin Chenoweth, the tiny actress with the mousey speaking voice and rafter-rattling singing pipes, has landed yet another starring role in a buzz-worthy TV show — just a few weeks after the official cancellation of ABC’s “Pushing Daisies.”
She has joined the cast of David E. Kelley’s offbeat (is there any other kind of Kelley show?) comedy-drama “Legally Mad.” The pilot has been bought by NBC, but no premiere date has been set.
Here’s the best part: Chenoweth will play an attorney named (ready? wait for it …) Skippy Pylon. Seriously, I’m not making that up.
“Variety” describes Skippy as “a cheerful and brilliant attorney who nonetheless exhibits flashes of psychosis” when she joins her father’s powerful Chicago law firm.
The Kelley-Chenoweth collaboration should be a match made in heaven, not unlike James Spader’s turn as Alan Shore on Kelley’s recently departed “Boston Legal.” Kelley’s snappy, witty dialogue delivered in Chenoweth’s trademark Betty Boop voice could be wildly entertaining.
Chenoweth played Olive Snook on “Pushing Daisies,” a role that enabled her to sing on more than one occasion and generally flit through scenes like a firefly. She earned an Emmy nomination for her effort. She also had a brief turn on “The West Wing” as Annabeth Schott, and she co-stars in this season’s holiday movie “Four Christmases.”
But she’s probably better known for her portrayal of Glinda in Broadway’s “Wicked.”
A little bit of the high-energy, Munchkin-like Chenoweth can go a long way, so it will be imperative for Kelley to populate the rest of the show with calmer characters. We’ll see.
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Mr. TV says: No moping on Christmas Eve
No, it’s not necessarily sad to be home alone on Christmas Eve. Seriously, it’s not.
If you’re not awash in family, heading to church or partying like it’s 2009, give yourself the gift of calm solitude tonight. Sink into a good book … or settle into an evening with your old pal Mr. Television.
Don’t mope. Celebrate!!
PBS serves up the always inspiring “Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” (at 7 p.m.). Turn up the volume almost as high as it’ll go (unless you’re in a cardboard-walled apartment building) and let the glorious voices wash over you.
If you haven’t gotten to the point where your skin crawls when you hear the title, indulge in the umpteenth showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” at 7 p.m. on NBC. Comfortable as an old shoe, this syrupy-sweet saga is about a suicidal family man (Jimmy Stewart) who is reborn on Christmas Eve after his guardian angel shows him what Bedford Falls would have been like if he’d never been born.
A considerably more modern movie option is “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” at 7 p.m. on ABC. Based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, this 2005 movie finds children and a mystical lion on a mission to free the land of Narnia from a witch’s winter spell. The story may not make a lot of sense, but the movie is glorious to look at.
Jim Carrey’s frantic rendition of the green-faced Grinch might be the ticket with “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” at 7 p.m. on Family Channel. This is for anyone needing to rev up instead of calm down.
And if you just want to pretend Christmas isn’t coming at all, CBS has its usual smorgasbord of crime: “Criminal Intent” at 8 p.m. and “CSI: New York” at 9 p.m. Nothing like a gruesome murder to the blood pumping.
Cheers!
Coke on the range
Just when you thought mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s enormous plate was finally full …
HBO has picked up a new Bruckheimer offering called “Cocaine Cowboys,” a drama series about the 1980s drug trade in Miami. No word on when the show might arrive or who might be cast.
Bruckheimer, of course, has churned out an enormous chunk of the current prime-time series — including “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: New York,” “Without a Trace,” “Cold Case,” “Amazing Race” and “The Eleventh Hour.” The man can’t seem to stop churning.
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KXAN News goes HD
If KXAN’s 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts look sharper and brighter today — if you suddenly realize that anchors Robert Hadlock and Leslie Rhode have a few freckles you hadn’t noticed before — there’s good reason.
The station is debuting its new high-def local newscasts.
The NBC affiliated station is the third Austin station to offer local news in HD. KEYE led the way in November 2007, and KVUE followed this past June (2008).
KXAN worked with the Emmy award-winning lighting design firm FX Group to design a flexible news set that will be used for all newscasts.
And the station has updated its studio cameras, weather and graphics equipment for HD telecast.
“High definition newscasts and cutting edge visuals highlight our commitment to quality and clarity, in both content and presentation,” news director Michael Fabac said in a release.
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SAG strike in 2009? And lady werewolves coming to Fox
The Screen Actors Guild has postponed plans for a strike authorization vote until after the union’s national board meets to discuss the matter.
This ominous rustling of a labor union is more controversial than usual because of the sagging economy and cutbacks throughout the entertainment industry.
Among the 150 or so high-profile actors who adamantly oppose a strike are Tom Hanks, Robert Redford and George Clooney.
But SAG says nearly 100 biggies, including Mel Gibson and former SAG president Ed Asner, have declared their support, arguing that the studios’ latest contract offer is unacceptable.
The union has been deeply divided on the issues, most of which concern profits from digital distribution of movies and TV shows.
The union’s 120,000 members had planned to send out ballots for the strike referendum on Jan. 2, but in an e-mail to board members Monday night, SAG director Doug Allen said he and SAG president Alan Rosenberg have agreed to delay the vote until after the board meets on Jan. 12.
The union’s leadership believes a strike authorization will give SAG much-needed leverage in stalled contract negotiations. But there is growing resistance to a strike, which only a small percentage of working actors could actually afford.
A work stoppage has to be approved by 75 percent of the members who vote. Here’s hoping it doesn’t happen. A year after the disastrous writers’ strike, an actors’ strike could tank the entire TV industry.
Unprintable title or quirky good show?
Fox has ordered a pilot script for a dramedy about a group of female friends who are werewolves.
“Bitches” (the title may not make it into some family newspaper TV listings) comes from film writer Michael Dougherty (“Superman Returns”) and focuses on four New York women who turn into wolves at every full moon.
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Recapping the two-week TV blog break: big doings in normally dull December
Holy moly! A girl takes off a couple of weeks for the holidays, and all heck breaks loose on a beat that’s normally dead as rock during December.
On December 8, “Boston Legal” ended its run with Alan and Denny tying the knot in a ceremony presided over by Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia. The sparring, loving legal couple allegedly wed for financial reasons, but fans of the show know these guys have been the perfect duo from the beginning. Scotch and cigars on the balcony … sigh.
On December 15, KVUE’s new prime-time partner for Tyler Sieswerda finally arrived. Terri Gruca slipped into the seat formerly occupied by Christine Haas, who left Austin in the summer for a morning anchor gig in Houston. Like Haas, Gruca comes from Minneapolis, which means she must really think Austinites are wimps for whining about 32-degree weather.
And Michelle Valles, who departed KXAN’s evening news in a nasty contract dispute, made her debut as Fred Cantu’s co-anchor on KEYE’s early morning news.
By the way, kudos and thank you to colleague Gary Dinges, who reported the aforementioned anchor changes in my absence.
In the November overnight Nielsens, KVUE held onto its traditional No. 1 perch at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., but KXAN eked out a victory at 6 p.m. and finished first in the 6 to 7 a.m. slot.
KTBC’s Fox 7 was No. 3 at 5 p.m. with its hour-long newcast.
KEYE was last (fourth) at 5 p.m. but third at 6 p.m. and an impressive No. 2. at 10 p.m.
In the sagging world of the broadcast networks, NBC more or less officially gave up on prime time when it announced a week ago that Jay Leno will have a talk-variety show Monday through Friday at 9 p.m. next fall, after his “Tonight” hosting concludes. (Conan O’Brien steps into “Tonight” after Leno’s finale May 29.)
The decision to bail on hour-long dramas in the 9 to 10 p.m. hour means NBC will save millions of dollars, but if Leno bombs in prime time, the Peacock can kiss its tail feathers goodbye. NBC also has mulled pulling out of programming on Saturday nights.
I’m sure lots of other things happened during the two weeks the TV blog took its December break, but re-entry has rendered me semi-blank. Better to look ahead for now, which we’ll try to do in the coming days.
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KVUE’s new anchor debuts tonight
Tonight’s the night, KVUE viewers.
After flying solo for nearly four months, Tyler Sieswerda will be joined by new co-anchor Terri Gruca on the station’s 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.
Gruca arrives from Minneapolis, where she was weekend anchor and consumer reporter at CBS-owned WCCO. Here, in addition to her anchor duties, she’ll be filing investigative stories as part of KVUE’s Defenders franchise. In fact, her blog — featuring tips galore for saving money — is already live on the station’s Web site.
Another anchor debut happens later this week, when Michelle Valles returns to the Central Texas airwaves.
Valles, who walked away from her evening gig at KXAN earlier this year, will be teamed with Austin veteran Fred Cantu on KEYE’s 5 a.m. newscast starting Wednesday.
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Michelle Valles joins KEYE news team
KEYE’s Fred Cantu will soon be joined by a familiar face on the station’s 5 to 7 a.m. newscast.
Michelle Valles, who spent five years as co-anchor of KXAN’s evening newscasts, starts work Wednesday, according to a news release.
Valles left Austin’s NBC affiliate in September of this year after turning down a contract extension she deemed unacceptable. At KEYE, she replaces Elizabeth Dannheim, who was let go in an August talent purge that also saw the departures of meteorologist Byron Webre and reporter Keith Elkins.
“Fred and Michelle have known each other for years,” said news director Suzanne Black. “We are excited to bring their energy and chemistry to morning viewers.”
The move — while certain to be a shock to Valles’ body clock — keeps the University of Texas graduate in Austin, something she’s desperately wanted.
“I am so thrilled to work with journalists the caliber of Ron Oliveira, Judy Maggio and Fred Cantu,” Valles said.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
‘House of Saddam,’ Parts 1 and 2, 8 p.m. HBO. A new four-part miniseries on the rise and fall of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein premieres, with Igal Naor (“Rendition,” “Munich”) in the title role. Shohreh Aghdashloo, who was great in “House of Sand and Fog,” plays his first wife, Sajida. Nobody does miniseries better than HBO.
‘Dexter,’ 8 p.m. Showtime. In the new episode `I Had a Dream,’ the quirky serial killer (Michael C. Hall) tries to figure out a way to get rid of his pesky, dangerous friend Miguel (Jimmy Smits, who steals almost every scene he’s in). If Dexter doesn’t do the dastardly deed, this show could end up being called “Miguel.”
Monday
‘Mystic River,’ 9 p.m. AMC. If you don’t believe Sean Penn is one of America’s greatest actors, go see “Milk” on the big screen this weekend and then watch this Oscar-winning performance in director Clint Eastwood’s drama about the death of a daughter.
Tuesday
‘Johnny Cash: A Man and his Vision,’ 10 p.m. KLRU. This special looks at the music legend’s variety series, “The Johnny Cash Show,” that aired from 1969 to 1971. During that time, Cash hosted such legends as Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Ray Charles and Neil Young. Also at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Wednesday
‘High Noon,’ 9 p.m. TCM. Westerns don’t get any better than this. As a town marshal, Will Kane (Gary Cooper) finds out that a killer is coming for him at noon and that he’ll have to face him alone because no one is willing to help. Cooper won an Oscar for his stoic portrayal. From 1952. A must-see for any film buff.
‘The Rachel Maddow Show,’ 8 p.m. MSNBC. This edgy gal takes no prisoners when she delivers the news. And she’s quickly gaining a following, especially among young people. She’s the rising star of MSNBC.
Thursday
‘ER,’ 9 p.m. NBC. Sam, played by Linda Cardellini, wants to take Alex (Dominic James) off the ventilator. Meanwhile, Morris (Scott Grimes) gets an unexpected package from his dad. In its last season, this medical drama still manages to impress.
‘The Day the Earth Stood Still,’ 7 p.m. AMC. Chilling scenes. Excellent pacing. A fine performance from Patricia Neal. Can the new version of this 1951 classic be anywhere near as good? We’ll see when the new “Stood Still,” starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, opens Dec. 12. Meanwhile, savor the original.
Friday
‘My Music: My Generation - The 60s,’ 9 p.m. KLRU. See the essential folk rock, R&B and pop performances from the 1960s in the latest production of the “My Music” fundraising series. Saturday
‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,’ 1 p.m. TCM. If winter ever truly arrives in Texas, it would be fun to curl up in bed and spend a lazy day watching Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell camp it up in this 1953 classic comedy. Great songs include “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Great dialogue from Monroe’s Lorelei Lee: “I can be smart when it’s important, but most men don’t like it.”
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NBC hopes for better 2009, “Daisies” officially dead
NBC has waged a losing battle with the ratings so far this season, finishing in fourth place on many weeks, behind CBS, ABC and Fox.
But things should look up in February, when a new rating period begins with NBC’s coverage of the always blockbuster Super Bowl.
The network’s hoped-for revival will include the third season opener of “Friday Night Lights” on Jan. 16, an hour-long episode of “The Office” right after the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, the return of ” Medium” on Feb. 2 (to coinciide with a new batch of episodes of “Chuck” and “Heroes” the same night) and the series finale of “ER” on Mar. 12.
NBC will have to face the usual onslaught from Fox at that time of the year, however, when a new sdeason of “American Idol” will debut, and “24” is scheduled to return.
“Daisies” is dead
Any hope we may have had for the survival of ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” is dashed by the news that the fanciful series’ creator/producer Bryan Fuller has officially signed on with NBC’s “Heroes.”
R.I.P., Pie Maker … You were just too sweet and strange for a mass audience.
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Are they really “The Most Fascinating People?”
For the 16th annual edition of “Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People” (9 tonight on ABC), most of the choices aren’t terribly surprising: Olympic superstar Michael Phelps, former Republican veep wannabe Sarah Palin, comedy writer-actor genius Tina Fey or teen queen Miley Cyrus.
But others? Not so fascinating but definitely surprising: loud-mouth radio guy Rush Limbaugh (seriously, who cares?), Mr. Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise and Tom Beatie (the man who gave birth to a baby thanks to his half-transgender status).
Here are some better choices that we offer as replacements for the aforementioned not-so-fascinating trio: Jon Stewart (always fascinating, not to mention funny and smart), Karl Rove (if you’ve got to have a conservative bombast, at least pick one with a brain) and Zhang Yimou (the creative genius who orchestrated the spectacular opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics).
As always, Baba will announce THE most fascinating person on the show. Anybody doubt that it will be Barack Obama? Well, I guess it could be an actual surprise and be Hillary Clinton.
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Something for most in tonight’s holiday specials
For the traditional and not-so-traditional, tonight’s cluster of holiday specials runs the gamut.
For the 76th year, the gigantic tree in New York City explodes with light on NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” at 7 p.m. Beyoncé, the Jonas Brothers and other musical guests are scheduled to perform as the countdown to the lighting unfolds.
Some folks just can’t live without watching this spectacle.
For women dreaming of the perfect gifts and men dreaming of seeing women wearing perfect gifts. there’s “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” at 9 p.m. on CBS. Yes, yes, this is not exactly the babe in a manger, but Heidi Klum and other Victoria’s Secret models/babes prancing around in wings and skimpy lingerie certainly strikes some as celebratory.
“Three Tenors Christmas,” at 7 p.m. on PBS, is here to give culture vultures a thrill. Repeated many times since its 1999 debut, the holiday special features opera greats Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavaarotti and Jose Carreras infusing vocal power in yuletide songs and carol.
And for those who aren’t in the mood for models or music, TNT has “A Christmas Story” tonight at 7. The 1983 movie, set in the 1940s, features little Ralphie trying to convince his parents to get him a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon star.
Cheers … now aren’t we all just a little hungry for a creepy horror film or a really gruesome crime drama?
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Old dog, old tricks: “According to Jim” returns … but why?
Boy, talk about a show with nine lives … OK, it has eight lives, but seriously, how many times do you suppose ABC can cancel “According to Jim” and then bring it back?
The old-fashioned, deeply annoying family sitcom starring Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith returns tonight at 8 for its eighth season — after being axed at least three times during the course of that surprisingly long run.
“Scrubs” has had a similarly up-and-down run on NBC and come January, it will try its luck on ABC. But at least “Scrubs” is actually funny and deserves to live.
At a time when sitcoms range from lackluster to lame, “According to Jim” feels more like a place holder for something better. It’s not funny, but presumably it will fill 30 minutes on the schedule, until ABC comes up with something better.
I just wish Hollywood could get over the marital misery theme for a while.
New host for “Meet the Press?”
The Huffington Post claimed to break the news late Monday night that NBC White House reporter David Gregory will become the new host of “Meet the Press.” But NBC quickly countered that it was “not ready to make an announcement.”
Gregory, who anchored MSNBC’s presidential campaign coverage in the fall, has been a contributor to “Meet the Press” for years and was one of the names rumored to be in the running to replace the late Tim Russert.
Whether NBC just wants to make the announcement on its own terms or whether Huffington is just plain wrong is a mystery.
But we do know the new host will have to be named soon, because substitute Tom Brokaw is scheduled to end his duties after this Sunday’s broadcast.
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Couch spuds logging more viewing time, UT’s ABC News Campus Bureau getting KVUE time
While we can watch TV shows on computers and even on our cell phones, we’re still a nation of loyal couch potatoes who prefer plopping down in front of our big-screen sets.
Nielsen reports that TV use is at an all-time high now, with home TVs turned on for an average of 8 hours and 18 minutes a day. That’s an hour more than the average viewing time a decade ago.
During the fall, when the Olympic Games and presidential debates were sucking us in, Americans gobbled up more than 142 hours of TV a month. That’s more than 4.5 hours a day.
New media options remain the trend to watch, but they’re not taking over yet.
Nielsen found that people who use the Internet spent about 27 hours a month online, with about 2.5 hours of that time watching TV programs and videos. But that’s nothing compared to actual TV viewing.
The bigger trend, which is no surprise, is that DVR viewing doubled last year, with Americans logging about 6.5 hours each month watching TV shows time-shifted by recording. And nearly 30 percent of TV households now have digital video recorders, so we can look for this trend to grow.
And people who have DVRs watch more TV shows because they don’t have to choose between two or three competing programs — and they don’t have to miss anything because they didn’t get home in time.
No wonder we don’t read enough books or exercise enough! We don’t have time!!
ABC News’ UT Campus Bureau
The University of Texas’ ABC News On Campus Bureau has made a deal with KVUE to introduce and package one or two reports a week live on the station’s weekend morning show.
“It’s such an incredible opportunity for them,” crowed UT faculty advisor Kate Dawson of her energetic team.
We’ll be watching.
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