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Ryan Seacrest May Replace Matt Lauer
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest could be a possible successor to Matt Lauer on NBC's 'Today' show if Lauer steps down next year
5 Years On: The Secret of Fox News's Success
Fox News started as an idea hatched by Rupert Murdoch, who hired GOP campaign strategist Roger Ailes to run the new channel. Ailes set out to build from scratch a network that resembled a newspaper: news and opinion. And the formula hasn't changed
Public Perception of Media Bias Hits Historic High
In a new study that calls into question the credibility of the news business, public belief that the media is inaccurate, biased, and influenced by powerful people has reached historic highs, according to the Pew Research Center
Who Killed Networks' Creative Model?
Twitter is an interesting medium, if only because it allows TV execs -- often behind the thinnest veneer of anonymity -- to express publicly what they traditionally say in private. So it's been amusing in recent weeks to see sniping from broadcast honchos about critically acclaimed cable shows
NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt pledged to put the network on the road to a comeback at its upfront presentation recently at Manhattan's Hilton Hotel. Though 'Celebrity Apprentice' star Donald Trump arguably upstaged the whole event by declaring he wouldn't seek the presidency, the message from the Peacock is that it wants to fly again
Television Grads May Miss the Way They Were
Charlie Sheen, Glenn Beck, Keith Olbermann, Simon Cowell, Katie Couric, Oprah Winfrey, Laura Schlessinger and Scott Pelley might sound like an unlikely dinner party, other than sharing a high tax bracket. If pressed, though, they might find something else in common -- namely, what it's like to miss your last job
Oprah Winfrey is a Blessing to Us All
May 25 will be a bittersweet day across America. On that day, after a quarter century of unparalleled excellence and out-of-this-world success, Oprah is closing down 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' TV's top-rated talk show year after year after year
Fifty years ago, then Federal Communications Chairman Newton Minow famously skewered the nation's daily television programming as 'a vast wasteland.' Today it is still largely a wasteland, in my view, because that's mostly what people want. But every so often a smart visionary comes along
Television Shows Depart to Little Fanfare
If TV has a window reserved for sentimentality, it's traditionally been May, the sweeps month associated with series finales and cliffhangers. Yet while last year was a veritable feast of fond farewells -- as networks and fans bid goodbye to long-running hits 'Lost,' '24' and 'Law & Order' -- this year, May is not-so-lusty
MTV Goes For the Gutter With 'Skins'
In an increasingly competitive media landscape, there's one sure way of attracting eyeballs: controversy. Namby-pamby shows aren't going to draw fickle viewers. And thoughtful analysis of issues and situations tends to bring in an elite -- and reduced -- audience. On TV, especially, one must be bold. Salacious. Crass. Shameless. This may explain MTV's latest foray into the youth market
Shaking It up With Bella and Zendaya!
On Disney Channel's Shake It Up, Bella Thorne and Zendaya Coleman play BFFs CeCe and Rocky -- and they love to dance! Here, the girls dish on how they learned to get down with the choreography, and their real-life off-camera friendships with the crew. Plus, Zendaya spills Bella's secret obsession!
Tolan: Let Critics Choose the Emmys
As a one-time member of the TV Academy's Board of Governors, 'Rescue Me' exec producer Peter Tolan made a case for tossing out the org's Emmy voting process. Tolan's idea: Get the nation's TV critics to choose Emmy winners
Top 11 TV Shows You Should Be Watching
Does TV bore you? Well, try these programs. They'll stimulate your mind, body and, in most cases, your funny bone
Modern Family Sweeps 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Modern Family bagged the most awards in the 63rd primetime Emmy awards. The comedy series swept the awards ceremony,winning five awards including best comedy series, which it bagged for the second consecutive year. British drama series Downtown Abbey came in second with four awards, including best miniseries
GOP Reality TV Show Could Be a Win-Win
In the name of fiscal responsibility and recognition of our changing times, here's a serious thought: Let's transform the 2012 Republican presidential primary into a reality TV show. While that might sound flippant, it's really a pragmatic suggestion
Charlie Sheen Act Potentially Deadly Off Screen
Diane Farr has taken a break from humor for this column, wanting to weigh in on Charlie Sheen from her vantage point as a TV actress and Hollywood insider
Kate Winslet Suffers Magnificently in HBO's 'Mildred Pierce'
HBO has attempted a mighty feat with its five-part miniseries Mildred Pierce starring Kate Winslet, based on James M. Cain's best-selling 1941 novel. First of all, there is the vivid memory of the 1945 black-and-white screen version, starring Joan Crawford as the ambitious, long-suffering Mildred and co-starring Ann Blyth as Veda, the vicious, ungrateful daughter from Hell
It's TV, Not Political Office, for Lou Dobbs
Feisty money talker Lou Dobbs is back, just not the way we expected when he abruptly quit CNN amid rumors he was going to run for the Senate or even the presidency. As he prepares to debut on Fox Business Network, he tells us, 'That is not something I wanted to do.' Though, he 'fessed, running for office was 'very tempting.'
Past Offers Paths For Remodeling 'Two and a Half Men'
Killing a sitcom character might sound like a bummer, but producer Norman Lear thinks viewers are relatively forgiving in such situations. 'If they have any other characters that the audience is interested in, and the writing is up to it, it'll sustain.' It would be possible to create a new character, Lear said, to deliver the news Sheen's alter ego, Charlie Harper, won't be back
Charlie Sheen and the Wages of Fame
It's been painful watching actor Charlie Sheen implode. Painful, embarrassing, disturbing and -- OK, I'll admit this -- entertaining in a horror-movie way. What will he say next? Can his behavior get any more erratic?
NBC's Andrea Mitchell Is TV's Iron Woman
At a time in her life when many of her contemporaries are trading in their press passes for a ticket to retirement's easy street, NBC's ageless whirlwind, Andrea Mitchell, is stepping it up
Experts Key to Oprah Winfrey Formula
Oprah Winfrey represents a billion-dollar industry unto herself, which invites the question: What exactly is her product? The daytime titan -- about to embark on a new adventure with the long-awaited launch of the Oprah Winfrey Network -- has dabbled in many fields. Yet her signature power is derived from a singular source, stemming from her ability to create a lucrative commodity
From edgy reality shows such as 'Married on MySpace' to next-generation comedies like 'Fred and Smosh,' the Internet seems to be offering something for everyone except, thankfully, the audience of 'The View.' So if you're not ready to sit through another Kardashian spinoff on the tube, log on and check out these gems on your desktop
Television For Women at a Crossroads
Television for women is a strange term for starters, since the vast majority of primetime TV aims squarely at them. Nevertheless, traditional formats, personalities and niche channels geared to women find themselves at a perplexing crossroads
Networks Are Not Upfront About Reality TV Shows
The major networks just hosted another upfront week, and once again there was an uninvited guest. That would be reality TV, arguably primetime's dominant genre, ratings-wise, conspicuous by its absence.
25 Years at the White House: 'I'm Peter Maer Of CBS'
Presidents come and go. And so do most reporters assigned to them. But one constant in the White House press room for exactly 25 years has been the voice of CBS reporter Peter Maer.
Charlie Sheen the Tabloid Gift That Keeps on Giving
For years, Chuck Lorre has chafed at what he sees as a lack of recognition and respect for his top-rated CBS comedy, 'Two and a Half Men.' As they say, be careful what you wish for. 'Men' has yet to receive that elusive Emmy, but thanks to star Charlie Sheen, it is now -- in its eighth season, improbably -- a media darling
Debby Ryan: Parting is Such Suite Sorrow
Debby Ryan, 17, prepares to bid adieu to her castmates of "The Suite Life on Deck" as the series premieres its Disney Channel original movie The Suite Life Movie in March -- before the popular show sails off into the sunset forever this summer. The talented Texan dishes on the making of the TV flick and closing the chapter on her star-making role
'Two and a Half' Headaches: Sheen Camp Wants to Return Early
With the recent airing of 'Two and a Half Men' marking the last original episode in the can, there's growing acrimony between Charlie Sheen's camp and CBS and Warner Bros. TV over when production will resume
Few Penalties For Stars Behaving Badly
Charlie Sheen and Ben Roethlisberger might seem an unlikely pair. Yet the 'Two and a Half Men' star and Super Bowl quarterback both demonstrate an old truth: Bad behavior is seldom enough to keep proven winners sidelined long.
The numbers are in. More than 111 million households watched the Super Bowl. That makes this year's Super Bowl the single-most-watched television broadcast of all time. Yes, even more than the premiere of 'Jersey Shore' season two. It's hard to believe, but completely true
Old Guard Wary of Cable TV News
The fight over 24-hour cable news' negative impact on journalism is hardly new, but recent rounds have been fierce -- with past and present industry heavyweights trading blows.
Anderson Cooper Set for New Television Talk Show
Anderson Cooper's decision to enter the competitive syndicated talk show fray could have a far-reaching impact on the daytime TV landscape.
Reality Bug Bites TV Stars of the '80s
There's a wave of '80s talent back on television this fall. It's just that many of them are playing themselves, rather depressingly, in reality TV shows.
TV Networks Need Brand Flexibility
Branding has become a favorite buzzword in creative circles. Even TV programs and performers are 'brands' now to be carefully managed to avoid striking discordant notes. However, for all the meticulous planning programmers do, history indicates more often than not that networks stumble into success
Discovery Channel Aims Higher: Enlightened Reality TV
With 'Jersey Shore' snookin' through the summer and 'Real Housewives' sprouting up in the U.S. capitol, it's easy to despair about the future of unscripted TV (in this context, 'reality' hardly applies). Yet there is another front in the unscripted wars, a second tier of more enlightened -- and enlightening -- reality.
If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise
As a documentarian, Spike Lee employs a kitchen-sink approach (as in throwing in everything but) that could be seen in some of his early films. He frames his story with the New Orleans Saints' uplifting Super Bowl victory in February, then closes it by devoting most of the last hour to the devastation wrought by BP
Katrina Kicks Off Tragedy Calendar
Television has historically operated by its own peculiar calendar: The seasonal September kickoff timed to new car models, 'very special' sweeps stunts, and a summer siesta in May. But now, courtesy primarily of cable networks and their yawning demand for programming, we have a new wrinkle: the tragedy re-visitation calendar
It's a hit of the television season -- again. What with Hollywood turning out one silly movie after another, the little screen is reasserting itself as the place to go for, if not serious drama, than the kind that rivets the viewer's attention between commercials. Much as 'The Sopranos' did a few seasons back. What keeps people tuning into 'Mad Men'?
'Mad Men' - Great Show Set in Not-So-Great Era
Grab your fedora hats and kitten heels, people: The new season of 'Mad Men' is about to begin. Add a Tom Collins or a scotch neat to get in the mood. The AMC drama about life in the early 1960s is starting its fourth season
8 Kids with 6 Moms? NFL Star Is Shameful
It is already one of the most embarrassing video clips in sports history, and it has nothing to do with dropped passes or missed dunks. It is footage of New York Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie, a 26-year-old man, trying to list the names of his children. Cromartie, in the HBO reality series 'Hard Knocks,' sits on the field, counting his kids on his fingers
Chatting It up With the Jonas Brothers
You might not know that Camp Rock 2 co-star Demi Lovato and other cast members are joining the Jonas Brothers for a concert tour, which starts in the United States before kicking off the world tour in Mexico in October. The Jo Bros were anxious to chat with us about their new movie and tour, and we were all ears
Police Work and Reality TV: Not a Good Fit
We still don't know what happened the night 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was shot, but if a certain TV show had its way, 2 million people might have witnessed the whole thing. That's the audience for a hot episode of 'The First 48,' a reality show on A&E that follows cops during the 48 hours after a murder is committed.
Media Overreaches As 'Lost' Finishes Up
As fate would have it, 'Lost' is one of three long-running hits that say goodbye over the next few days, the others being '24' and 'Law and Order.' And while each can rightfully be lionized in various ways it detracts from them not at all to say that their accomplishments are almost without exception at least as notable for their impact on the commerce of TV as its art
A compelling case exists that for many newspapers to survive, they'll require nonprofit status -- and possibly public funding. A related question is where TV and radio journalism might fit into that equation.
New DVR Recorders Do More Than Record TV
TiVo was the first to popularize the convenience of recording TV to digital files. TiVo is still around, and in its first decade it slowly added features. But now TiVo is facing a growing list of competitors that have spurred a golden age of innovation. Today's recorders are more powerful, easier to use, and rapidly adding new capabilities
It's no secret that most kids watch too much television. For years, psychologists and pediatricians have sounded alarms that excessive television time contributes to an array of modern childhood problems -- from obesity to a failure to develop new interests. The good news is: If you start early, you can raise kids with a balanced and appropriate TV diet. Here's how
Why Do I Mistrust Fox? Let Me Count the Ways
Fox News is in a class by itself. In its epidemic inaccuracy, its ongoing disregard for basic journalistic standards of fairness, its demagogic appeals and its blatantly ideological promotions it is, indeed, unique -- a news source in name only. That's not just an opinion: a 2003 study found Fox viewers more likely to be misinformed than those who get their news elsewhere.
Reality TV Breeds New Star System
The rise of reality contestants has occurred gradually, even within a genre only a decade old in its current guise. At first reality players seemed like highly disposable commodities -- people who could be counted on to flame brightly if the show featuring them caught on before returning to their lives, perhaps a little richer and with a story to tell the grandkids. Only now, because of the unquenchable demand for programming and recognizable 'talent,' ...
Dan Rather's Spacy Broadcasting Odyssey
Thinking about Dan Rather always brings to mind an observation about the entertainment business by the agent Pat Faulstich, who was fond of saying that the best job you'll ever have is the one that precedes the one you always wanted. For Rather, his career apex might actually have come when he was a hard-charging network correspondent ...
Inside Nigel Lythgoe's Plans for American Idol
Now that he's back as an 'American Idol' exec producer, Nigel Lythgoe has an idea -- or 20 -- about how to reboot the franchise. First up: Lythgoe told Daily Variety on Wednesday that he'd like to find a way to bring former 'Idol' judge Paula Abdul back into the fold. Such a coup might be tough to pull off
Will Emmy Finally Gleam for Ann-Margret?
'WE THINK you're a little drunk, ma'am.' 'So, what are you -- the sobriety police?' That's how it went between Chris Meloni and Ann-Margret in the opening scene of the 'Law & Order: SVU' episode that has garnered an Emmy nomination for the famous flame-haired actress/singer/dancer. This is not Ann-Margret's first Emmy nomination, of course. She has been up for the award six times
DeGeneres Leaving 'American Idol': Jennifer Lopez May Be Joining
Ellen DeGeneres won't be returning to 'American Idol' next season. But Jennifer Lopez may soon be joining the 'Idol' judges' table. As first reported by Variety, DeGeneres' exit comes as Fox and producers FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment plot a massive 'Idol' overhaul
CNN's Larry King to Sign Off: Host Announces His Departure
It's official: After 25 years as a staple of CNN's primetime, Larry King is hanging up his suspenders. His exit, which has been expected for some time, puts speculation on his replacement -- already a hot topic in news circles -- into overdrive
C-SPAN Now Reaches 100 Million Homes
C-SPAN, the little cable company that could when it started 31 years ago by airing boring House and Senate floor action, has become the influential public affairs channel that did.
Network News Doing Less with Less
The trend in TV news is a push to accomplish more with fewer people, capitalizing on new technologies to replace body and head count. Indeed, the latest round of cuts in television will likely hasten a scenario where reporters don't so much report as invest the minimum amount of resources necessary to produce precisely the story they were dispatched to bring back.
'Undercover Boss' Most Subversive Show on TV
Is reality TV finally living up to its name? Most of what we are served up under that rubric is actually the furthest thing from reality. Enter 'Undercover Boss,' the new CBS reality show in which corporate CEOs don disguises and spend a few days experiencing what it's like to be a low-level worker at their companies.
Chattin' It up With iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove
Miranda Cosgrove isn't getting much of a vacation this year, but she's not complaining. The 16-year-old actress is busy filming a slew of new 'iCarly' episodes, but that hasn't stopped her from partaking in some of her favorite pastimes
Recurring Reality's Faux Sheen
'Survivor' helped establish the modern template for reality TV in the U.S., so it's appropriate the CBS show -- with its 10th anniversary wrinkle, 'Heroes vs. Villains' -- would contribute to the genre's creative 'jump the shark' phase. As reality TV becomes a mature category, it's being victimized by a chronic industry condition -- namely, sequelitis.
Ultimate HDTV HD Television Buying Guide
We studied the hundreds of HDTV flat-panel television sets that plastered walls at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and have distilled a quick guide to today's key options
David Lee -- part of the creative trio that launched 'Wings' and 'Frasier' -- left television in 2004 finding a nifty second act in his first love, the theater. Lee agreed to discuss TV's current comedy landscape, which has seemingly taken several welcome turns.
70th Anniversary of First Televised NFL Game
Seventy years ago, the NFL and NBC tried something that would change football, and television, forever. On October 22, 1939, the Brooklyn Dodgers hosted the Philadelphia Eagles at Ebbets Field. The contest marked the first time pro football was broadcast on television.
Monday Night Football Celebrates 40th Season
NFL Monday Night Football kicks off its 40th season on September 14 with an "AFL 50th Anniversary" doubleheader on ESPN and a new face in the broadcast booth!
Sci Fi Network to Develop New Take on 'Alien Nation'
Sci Fi is developing a new take on "Alien Nation," the 1988 feature that previously spawned a spinoff series on Fox. "Alien Nation" centers on the partnership between a veteran cop and his alien detective partner, set against the larger tale of alien "newcomers" who move to Earth and attempt to assimilate into society.
TV Networks Should Rethink Summer Strategy
Mindful that man (and woman) cannot live on 'Wipeout' and 'America's Got Talent' alone, the networks have taken steps to provide a more varied lineup when the weather heats up. But even that has felt mostly like half-measures, with a heavy reliance on Canadian imports and programs produced on the cheap
Fat Times For Weight-Loss TV Shows
Television has a strange relationship with weight loss. America's battle with the bulge is too readily relatable to resist, making the struggles of folks who sweat merely donning their workout garb ideal for unscripted fare. Here's how television networks have crafted heart-tugging stories around the pursuit of weight loss. Biggest Loser sets the standard, but has plenty of company
Grading Network Television Fall Schedules
Call this The Year of Living Conservatively. The television networks appear to collectively think a recession isn't time to reinvent the wheel, resulting in a pretty steady diet of meat and potatoes. And while they bring their own spin to new procedurals, ABC and NBC have seemingly concluded that those older people dozing in front of the set watching CBS can't all be wrong.
'Lost' Found 'Net Niche: Stoked TV-Centric Blogosphere Fires
From the moment the 'Lost' finale ended, the Internet was ablaze with commentary, analysis, ranting and raving about the merits of the epic series closer
Betty White - What We Can Learn From the Golden Girl
Oh, what Betty White can teach us all. Listen up. The self-effacing funny woman who wowed a record 12 million viewers on 'Saturday Night Live' is less a throwback to the past than a portent of the future.
In its recent dispute with Time Warner Cable, Fox, on its website Keepfoxon.com, accused the cable operator of waging a campaign that 'masquerades as a grass-roots effort to enlist viewer participation.' News Corp. certainly should recognize the tactic, having all but invented it
America Through the Reality Lens
Culturally, this has been the decade of the reality show. And what do we have to show for it? Not much more than the contestants themselves.
The media world spins so fast, it's easy to forget how dramatically the landscape has changed during the 00's decade. So before putting the '00s behind us, let's review some key statistics and recap the dramatic changes in television and entertainment.
Behind the Scenes at the Food Network
'People don't realize how many hands are involved even before Rachael, Guy or Melissa touch the food,' explains Rob Bleifer, executive chef of the Food Network Kitchen. The names he mentions will be familiar to fans of the network -- they are stars Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri and Melissa d'Arabian.
Fox - White House Media War is Killing News
When members of the Obama administration announced that they did not consider Fox a real news network, they were actually bringing attention to what has become the sad reality of real news gathering in this country: It's disappearing faster than contestants on Survivor
TV News Sensationalism: Everything Is Suspect
Back in 1949, a little girl in California fell down a well. As diggers tried to save her, a huge crowd gathered. The rescue attempt, which took several days, was broadcast nationwide on radio -- and followed anxiously on a new medium called television. Since that moment, kids and danger have been an irresistible lure for broadcasters
Discovery Channel explains Nitty-Gritty of Dirty Jobs
Throughout the course of the Discovery Channel show "Dirty Jobs", Mike Rowe, 47, has parachuted into incredibly dirty jobs, including coal miner, shrimper, and even skull cleaner, paying tribute to the value and integrity of manual laborers as he sloshes around in knee-high nastiness right beside them. A recent interview with Mike Rowe about Dirty Jobs ...
Fresh Reality TV Shows Try to Find Spot on Crowded Sked
Finding a spot is the big challenge right now for first-season reality TV programs. After all, there are only so many hours in the day to watch television, and viewers tend to be loyal to their favorite show, even if it's a little long in the tooth.
Oprah Winfrey Network Brand Bucks Cable TV Tide
Determined to find hits, cable TV networks keep breaking out of narrowly defined brands. In stark contrast to this, there's the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN for short), a channel so committed to its brand -- the daytime host's "Live your best life" mantra -- that the specific nature of its programs remains something of an afterthought as the venture readies for next year's debut.
'Breaking Bad' -- Am I the Only Person Watching This Great TV Show
After having its maiden run shortened by the writer's strike, 'Breaking Bad' recently capped a breathtaking second season that delved deeper into the show's world of moral ambiguity and unintended consequences," writes Variety's pundit Brian Lowry.