'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
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dan rather
Dan Rather not a fan of new CBS Evening News
by Bob Sassone, posted Jun 12th 2007 12:05PM
Former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather has some harsh words for the show and Katie Couric.
Rather was on MSNBC, talking to Joe Scarborough (he's in Imus' spot in the morning right now) via phone. Although he said that Couric is a nice person, he also said that the show has been "dumbing it down, tarting it up," and that they're really focusing too much on celebrity coverage now.
Dan Rather to appear on Dirty Sexy Money
by Adam Finley, posted May 17th 2007 1:41PM
That's Dirty Sexy Money, an upcoming drama on ABC, just to clarify. I didn't want you to think the U.S. Mint was printing up a new type of currency with Dan Rather on the bill in place of one of the presidents.
Although, that would be interesting. "Give me seven quaraters and two pennies for a Rather," you would say. The Rather would be worth $1.77 for some reason.
Top TV Stories of 2006: The Diva Shuffle
by Anna Johns, posted Jan 4th 2007 6:30PM
(Part 4 of 5)
Katie.
Meredith.
Rosie.
They all made big news and big career moves that changed the face of some very popular programs. This whole domino effect started in April, when Katie Couric announced the "worst kept secret in television" that she was going to replace Bob Schieffer as the sole anchor of the CBS Evening News. She spent her summer conducting town hall meetings with regular folk to find out what they want in a national newscast. And her first broadcast made worldwide news because she debuted Vanity Fair's photographs of the elusive daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. The excitement over Katie lasted for about a week.
Dan Rather doesn't mind sharing HDNet with Model Boxing
by Joel Keller, posted Jan 2nd 2007 12:32PM
It's too bad that I don't have a hi-def TV, because I'm starting to get curious about the dizzying array of programming Mark Cuban is making available on his HDNet network. First, he hired Dan Rather to do in-depth reports on current affairs on the hour-long Dan Rather Reports, and now he has... model boxing! Brett talked about Perfect 10 Model Boxing last month; essentially, it's hot chicks in tiny shorts and tops punching each other. Not much more to say about it than that, other than the fact that the show's sponsor, Perfect 10 magazine, shows nude photos of women that aren't surgically enhanced.So, how does Gunga Dan feel about sharing a channel with fighting hotties? New York Magazine found out; he doesn't have a problem with it, though he doesn't think he'd watch it in his house. Sure, Dan. I'm sure your mind will change when your wife's away on a long weekend.
[via Mediabistro]
Connie Chung tells pundits to lay off Couric
by Joel Keller, posted Dec 13th 2006 7:23PM
In today's Philadelphia Inquirer, three female media figures talk to writer Gail Shister about the high expectations on Katie Couric, who is (altogether now) the first solo female weeknight anchor in network history. All three experts think that people are expecting Couric to turn things around quickly, mainly because of her historic ascension to the CBS Evening News anchor chair. But things don't usually work that way.One of the experts interviewed was Connie Chung, who knows about this issue more than most; she spent two largely tension-filled years of the mid-nineties co-anchoring the CBS news with Dan Rather. "All this takes an enormous amount of time," she told Shister. "TV viewing rarely changes dramatically, whereas programmers do. I think Katie's holding her own nicely." She goes on to say that experts should stop constantly judging Couric.
I tend to agree with Connie. Yes, Couric's ratings aren't good (in fact, the article states, the November ratings were slightly lower than they were when Bob Schieffer was anchor). But she should be given room to find her legs, no pun intended. She did a pretty nice job on Election Night, which bodes well for her ability to cover breaking stories down the road.
NYTVF: Dan Rather looks me straight in the eye
by Joel Keller, posted Sep 15th 2006 2:33PM
When you're sitting less than ten feet away from a television legend, you pay attention, even if you're hot and sweaty and somewhat aware that the deodorant you put on in the morning is no longer doing its job. That's the situation I was in as I hustled uptown from the One-Minute Pitch finals just in time for the panel discussion on the news media's role in a war zone. Twenty minutes and one very muggy F train station later, I found myself in the front row, with a panel of distinguished newsmen in front of me. But everyone knew the attraction was Rather. More on the panel -- and more pictures -- after the jump.
Out of the Blogosphere
by Bob Sassone, posted Aug 9th 2006 12:41PM
This guy has posted his picks for the 10 Best and 10 Worst Sci-Fi Openings of All-Time. He's made some good choices here. For best he includes Star Trek: TNG and Mystery Science Theater 3000, and for worst he includes Enterprise. Did he miss anything? Put your picks in the comments below. - Ken Levine has a really funny story about the cat from the 90s sitcom Almost Perfect.
- "The jungle is deep and dark and dangerous, but there are diamonds in there. Journalistically, that's how I look at this. It's a wilderness, and I'm gonna plunge into it and hope we come out of it with a few diamonds." Who said it?
- Somewhere along the line, Lost Remote changed it's URL to NowBreaking.com?!
- EW's Dalton Ross thinks there's something fishy about the Project Runway judging.
- Defamer has an update on the Ted Casablanca/E! controversy.
Despite CBS exit, Dan Rather's not done yet
by Joel Keller, posted Jul 11th 2006 11:22AM
We knew that Dan Rather was still going to be kicking around, didn't we? The old coot's just too feisty to go away retire; even after quietly leaving CBS after 44 years of service (the last 2 of which were, shall we say, a bit contentious), he'll still be on our TV screens, or at least a small fraction of them.Just as the rumors predicted, Rather signed with Mark Cuban's HDNet to do a weekly newsprogram called Dan Rather Reports. He'll also be appearing as a guest panelist on Chris Matthews' syndicated show and will be talking to Larry King about his new venture tonight. And I'm sure he'll be giving plenty of "exclusive" interviews to the critics gathered at this week's Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, as he has arrived there yesterday to promote his new venture with Cuban. Now that he's unfettered by his relationship with CBS, I'm curious to hear what spills out of Dan's mouth about his exit. This might get interesting.
Previously on TV Squad
by Joel Keller, posted Jun 25th 2006 5:40PM
In case you've missed it -- perhaps you were watching the World Cup -- here are some highlights from the last week at TV Squad:
Breaking News
Opinions
Breaking News
- Is FOX News working on its own version of The Daily Show?
- Changes in Emmy voting procedure may make fans happier.
- Character actor Richard Stahl dead at 74.
- Son of Anna Nicole Smith's late husband dies.
- Legendary producer Aaron Spelling dies at 83.
- America's Got Talent is scoring high ratings.
- Showtime cancels Huff.
- Katharine McPhee talks about her struggle with bulimia.
- Creator of Rescue Me defends rape scene.
- New episodes of Futurama coming to Comedy Central.
- Here's some free TV shows available on iTunes.
- The next Comedy Central Roast will be of William Shatner.
- FOX announces fall premiere dates.
- Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are getting their own "reality-esque" show.
- Shatner, Brokaw, and Philbin named to TV Hall of Fame.
- Jon Hein sells Jump The Shark to TV Guide.
- Rejected network pilot now playing on YouTube.
- Gordon Ramsay wins libel lawsuit.
- Dan Rather leaves CBS after 44 years.
- David Blaine to hang from Brooklyn Bridge.
- Do Connie Chung's antics make her less of a newsperson?
- Is Matt Damon too old to play the young James T. Kirk?
- More Lost puzzle-clue-conspiracy thingies.
- Watch Connie Chung's farewell song.
- How much would you pay for every DirectTV channel?
Opinions
- Anna's loving Hasselhoff on America's Got Talent.
- Rich and I do a "chat review" of Game Show Marathon: Match Game.
- Anna shops the NBC clearance sale.
- Adam talks about Family Dog.
- TV Squad previews NBC's new shows.
- Listen to APB podcast #14: Pilot Screeners Edition.
- NewsRadio: "Smoking"
- Firefly: "Shindig"
- Strangers with Candy: "Who Wants Cake?"
- Sports Night: "Intellectual Property"
- The Simpsons: "Itchy and Scratchy Land"
- Seinfeld: "The Dog"
- The Prisoner: "Checkmate"
- The Office (BBC): Episode 4
- Angel: "In the Dark"
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Tearcher's Pet"
- NYPD Blue: "True Confessions"
- Futurama: "I, Roommate"
It's official: Dan Rather is out at CBS
by Joel Keller, posted Jun 20th 2006 12:01PM
After a couple of days of speculation, CBS News made it official today: Dan Rather is leaving the network after 44 years. His contract was supposed to run out in November, but he negotiated an early release because a) he wasn't being used much and b) he could not get a new contract from the network that guaranteed he would get work.The network is working on a retrospective of Rather's career, which will air in the fall. They will also make a contribution to his alma mater, Sam Houston University.
So what's Rather's next step? Well, he may work for Mark Cuban's HDNet, or he may do something else. But chances are, this isn't the last we've seen of Gunga Dan.
[via Mediabistro]
Dan Rather: Now in Hi-Def!
by Anna Johns, posted Jun 17th 2006 10:12AM
Since CBS no longer needs his services, Dan Rather is reportedly mulling over an offer to host a weekly news program for HDNet. The network is owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The deal would establish Rather as the host and producer of a one-hour news program. Rather told The New York Times that he also has offers from two other networks but he's leaning toward the HD thing.I don't have HDTV so I've never seen the network but, I have to wonder, does 74-year-old old-fashioned newsman Dan Rather match with the network?
Dan Rather might be in his final days at CBS
by Joel Keller, posted Jun 15th 2006 8:29PM
Dan Rather told the Philadelphia Inquirer today that he is in contract negotiations with CBS five months before his contract ends in November. The scuttlebutt is that his days at the network, where he's worked for 44 years, are coming to an end. According to the Inquirer article, there are no plans for Rather to return to 60 Minutes after November, and his presence at CBS is causing some resentment (remember he was forced from the Evening News anchor chair in 2005 after presenting a sketchy 60 Minutes II story on President Bush's National Guard service).Other articles, like these from Reuters appear to be more definitive; one even quotes Rather as saying that "finishing details are being worked out for me to leave CBS News after 44 years." Stay tuned on this one.
Ed Bradley leaving 60 Minutes?
by Bob Sassone, posted Jun 6th 2006 12:48PM
Possibly. Sources say that the veteran newsman isn't happy with the way CBS execs are handling his contract negotiations, and he has told people he's "on strike." Not literally on strike, just not happy with the way things are going. Then again, he told the New York Daily News that he's honoring his contract, there has been no work slowdown, and he even taped a new opening for an old piece (the show is in summer reruns right now).My guess? There are contract negotiations going on, but I'm sure Bradley is working the same way he always has, and the press is just trying to find juicy stuff to tease with about a longtime TV personality (shocking the press would do that, I know). The NYDN even tries to get him to talk about his contract, and he says he doesn't discuss his contract with anyone. I think that's the right response to that question no matter what the situation. I really doubt Bradley is walking around the CBS offices with a donut, talking to people in their cubicles, not doing any work, going back to his office to pout and play solitaire on his computer until producers give him more money.
Desperate Networks is a must-read for TV fans
by Bob Sassone, posted May 4th 2006 10:59AM
Bill Carter wrote one of my favorite
media/entertainment books, The Late Shift (about the Letterman/Leno battle for
late-night), and now he's back with an even more ambitious book, Desperate Networks. It explains how we got the TV landscape that we have today,
from all the reality shows to how Les Moonves got to the head of CBS to Katie Couric's negotiations to leave NBC. It's
a fascinating read, with many interesting revelations, including:1. ER was originally set in Boston, but NBC already had St. Elswhere set there, so they asked for the setting to be changed. Chicago was chosen "for no especially good reason."
Dan Rather wishes luck to Katie Couric
by Richard Keller, posted Apr 25th 2006 6:26PM
Former CBS Evening News
anchor Dan Rather has good wishes and warnings for incoming anchor Katie Couric. During an appearance at the
annual National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas, Rather, who was honored at the NAB conference along
with Tom Brokaw and the late Peter Jennings, wished Couric luck, but warned that she would need to be a leader and
have a passion for the news in order for her to succeed in the anchor chair.
Rather had no doubts that the CBS Evening News would be different under the reign of the current Today show co-host, who will be leaving the morning news show at the end of May. He added that the role of the news anchor is not like the one a field journalist would have; it's more of a management position where the organization takes on the personality of the person behind the desk.
So, there's a good possibility that everyone will have a colonoscopy dressed up as SpongeBob SquarePants sometime during Couric's tenure.
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