Media Scribbler

Why Leno Is Taking On Primetime

Jay Leno is about to shake the television landscape merely by changing timeslots. According The New York Times writer Bill Carter, who wrote an incredible book called “The Late Shift” about Leno’s original ascent to The Tonight Show after a protracted public battle for the slot with David Letterman), the longtime Tonight Show host is signing a new deal with NBC to host a show every weeknight, only 90 minutes earlier. Conan O’Brien has been slated to take over hosting duties for the hallowed 11:30 p.m. time slot on NBC for years, with Leno agreeing at the time that he would retire [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 25

So what’s going to win the night – the “Dancing With The Stars” finale or the super-hyped episode of “House” where he and his team are hijacked and “someone dies”? I think most will stick with “House” for an hour and then skip over to ABC to see the final result. Or skip the dancing entirely for the series finale of “The Shield”, which I would personally do. Hot Picks for November 18, 2008 The Biggest Loser (NBC) at 8pm It’s Thanksgiving week at the “Biggest Loser” ranch, and contestants will be celebrating with turkey, football and very special guests! First, NFL Super Bowl MVPs [...]

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A Novel Idea: Replace Cable Bill With Good Broadband

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(234,155,295671,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() As people stay in more to watch TV because they aren’t going out as much as budget crunches hit the wallet, could Americans build a new, unconnected video network that replaces shows with podcasts or digital downloads and leaving traditional cable-based companies to maybe, possibly, lower rates? A column in TVWeek.com seems to think so. Daisy Whitley said since she can now download shows on Netflix on her XBox 360, she can now live a cable-free life. That would be a credit to NBC Entertainment’s unprecedented attempts to offer all their content for free on their own platform [...]

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Britney Spears Doc Explores Singer’s Slow Road Back

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(234,324,291218,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() It’s hard to debate that Britney Spears has been pretty unforgettable this year. How many of us woke up on a couple of mornings in January to find out that she’d been the subject of another media circus, with paparazzi and mainstream press nudging each other aside as she was committed to some sort of involuntary treatment? She was the first story on CNN’s live morning coverage, for crying out loud. Now Britney’s back and from all appearances will cement her “comeback” on Dec. 2, when her new album comes out on her 27th birthday. Shortly before [...]

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Ratings For Reality Shows Suffer, While Scripted Shows Thrive

In a country where each day seems to bring more “reality” with job losses and stocks plummeting, could TV watchers be looking for a little less reality television? This season’s ratings point toward “yes”. According to the Los Angeles Times, several network mainstays are performing so badly that their futures are now in doubt. Fox’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?,” has lost nearly half its share of the 18-to-49-year-old demographic since last year, and viewership for NBC’s “Deal Or No Deal” has falled nearly 29 percent for its Wednesday show. Even ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” has lost 9 percent [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 19

Another season of "America’s Next Top Model" draws to a close, but incredibly it’s not the most dramatic show of the night. With a bigamist baby daddy on "Private Practice" and a long-overdue catfight on "Dirty Sexy Money", all those eyeballs who have given up watching ABC on Wednesday nights should be making a return trip. Read on for the full listings for all the new stuff to watch tonight… Hot Picks for November 19, 2008 Pushing Daisies (ABC) at 8pm Ned reluctantly agrees to help a magician whose animal assistants are being murdered. With Pushing Daisies on the chopping block, tune in to help [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 18

It’s a night full of guest stars, as Shannen Doherty returns to “90210″ and both members of Outkast end up on different shows. Plus we find out who will be going to the “Dancing With The Stars” finals and we once again deal with the clash of the egos on “House”. Will House win or will Foreman? Well, I think that House is leading 3-0 from previous battles, but Foreman is bound to win one eventually. Hot Picks for November 18, 2008 90210 (The CW) at 8pm Shannen Doherty is back, and the divide between her and Kelly widens as Kelly attempts to counsel Annie and Naomi [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 17

There’s a whole lot more cooking on “Gossip Girl” tonight than turkey and dressing, while on “Chuck” and “Samantha Who” there’s plenty of ex drama to go around. Finally, will Kate on “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ actually be able to relax and enjoy the day when she and Jon renew their vows? Signs point to “no”. Hot Picks for November 16, 2008 Gossip Girl (The CW) at 8pm I guess it’s officially the holiday season when Thanksgiving-themed eps start airing. There’s lots of family drama, with Blair upset with her mom’s boyfriend and Jenny angry with her father. In the meantime, Serena’s [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 13

It’s sweeps, so it’s time for the networks to pull out the ridiculous star power they have been holding for months to help otherwise sluggish shows. NBC’s having a lot of issues drawing eyeballs, so execs have brought back their stars from yesteryear (well, it seems that long) with guest appearances by Jennifer Aniston and Anthony Edwards. But if gimmick casting isn’t your thing, there are a ton of drama-filled reality shows to pick from, as well as some neat plot twists on “The Office” and “Ugly Betty”. Hot Picks for November 13, 2008 Kitchen Nightmares (Fox) at 8pm Sammy, the owner of Sabatiello’s in Stamford, CT, is in debt over $1 [...]

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Tonight On TV: Nov. 12

Tonight’s lineup features plenty of guitars and cowboy hats, but also offers the season premiere of “Top Chef” and a full lineup of crime dramas on CBS. 8 p.m. The 42nd Annual CMA Awards (ABC): If you like country music or just like to snark about the outfits that folks wear to country music award shows, this is the one for you. Brad Paisley (known for his funny songs, including one that talks about looking for ticks) and Carrie Underwood of “American Idol” fame are hosting. If you’re on Twitter, I’ll be doing live coverage tonight. America’s Next Top Model (The WB): Paulina offers [...]

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