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"So You Think" You're
Half-Cancelled |
Posted 1/3/12 |
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So You Think You Can Dance
will have to learn a whole new routine for the coming
season. That's because executive producer and judge for the series Nigel Lythgoe took to his Twitter to reveal Fox has canceled the results show. Lythgoe broke the news Sunday, tweeting: "FOX have cancelled the results show so I will have to change the format of SYTYCD. At least we have another season at the end of MAY." The uber-producer went on to clarify that the format change doesn't mean an end to the competition show as a whole, reassuring viewers: "Don't worry SYTYCD fans. I'm thrilled we have a new series. We'll do our best to find some great talent starting next week in Atlanta." Although the precise format of the tweaked show remains unknown, as a hands-on executive producer Lythgoe remains content with the program's network and its new direction, adding: "I'm certainly not mad at FOX they have supported SYTYCD FOR 9 seasons. With the help of [producer] Mike Darnell, I think we have some great new ideas." With no results show, Lythgoe suggests one obvious revision to the judging process: "In order to continue America's vote, results would have to be given the following week." Talk about dramatic tension! That change alone stretches out the anticipation of who gets the boot even longer |
 "So You Think You Can Dance" returns in May (photo courtesy Fox/dick clark productions) |
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Monday: There Goes the
Bachelor... |
Posted 1/3/12 |
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CBS (11.90 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) took home top honors on the
first Monday of 2012 thanks to new episodes of "How I
Met Your Mother" (10.22 million viewers, #5; adults
18-49: 3.9, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (12.05 million viewers,
#2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (13.79
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "Mike &
Molly" (11.93 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.8,
#4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (11.72 million viewers, #4;
adults 18-49: 2.9, #5). A silver medal then went to ABC (7.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) with the return of "The Bachelor" (7.74 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6), which took a 17% hit from last year, followed by the debut of "Celebrity Wife Swap" (6.27 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6). Next up was NBC (5.11 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with its lineup of "Who's Still Standing?" (5.57 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9), "Fear Factor" (5.90 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10). "Standing" dropped 11.76% from last week in the face of new competition, but it is still a 114.29% increase over last year. "Fear Factor" remained solid over the last episode while improving upon the year-ago level by a killer 140%. And finally, a full night of "House" (3.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10) repeats on FOX (3.76 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) and "The Secret Circle" (0.89 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) on The CW (0.89 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. |
 Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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Worst Chefs 3: Anne Draws
Iron |
Posted 1/3/12 |
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Worst Cooks in America, the
hit primetime competition series that turns hopeless
cooks into confident kitchen mavens, returns for a third
season with two-time undefeated series champion Anne
Burrell challenged by superstar Iron Chef Bobby Flay on
Sunday, February 12th at 9pm ET/PT. The show pits Anne
against Bobby, each leading a team of eight "recruits"
in a grueling eight-week boot camp designed to transform
these culinary disaster-makers into competent cooks. A
$25,000 grand prize will be awarded to the winning
contestant who achieves the most progress and best
performance, in addition to bragging rights and victory
for their culinary mentor. "After two undefeated seasons of Worst Cooks in America, I'm ready for a third," said Burrell. "Going against Bobby Flay takes the challenge to another level, but I'm ready to whip these contestants into shape and the winner is sure to be from Team Burrell." "Anne may have had some early victories in past seasons, but this show is ready for a change and I'm going to bring it," said Flay. "I'll work my team until they can chop, filet and grill with the best of them." |
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More on Simon's Return to
BGT |
Posted 1/3/12 |
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Simon Cowell has been
feeling a little homesick, so he’s returning as a judge
on “Britain’s Got Talent!” The 52-year-old announced on Monday that he will head across the pond to reclaim his judge’s chair for the upcoming sixth season of the popular series, which he also created. “I miss Britain and I miss the British public and I miss judging them. I want to find the next generation of talent in 2012,” he said. With his return, the media mogul is putting his money where his mouth is -- he's personally boosting the prize for the winner of the show. The multi-millionaire is throwing in £250,000 of his own dough to double the cash prize for the victor, bringing the total to about $820,000 US dollars. The winner also receives the opportunity to perform for members of the Royal Family at the Royal Variety show. Simon hopes that his return -- and the added bucks -- will bring in new viewers for this round of the show, adding “By coming back in 2012, it's the year of the Olympics, it's a big year for Britain, we are going to be in the world's spotlight and I want this show to be back in the world spotlight.” Live auditions for the sixth season of “Britain’s Got Talent” begin on Jan. 22. |
 Simon Cowell to return to "Britain's Got Talent" (photo courtesy AP) |
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The FIRST Lightning
Round of 2012... |
Posted 1/3/12 |
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Coming Soon: The Sushil
Kumar Story? |
Posted 1/2/12 |
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The only contestant to have
won Rs.5 crore - over $93,000 - on TV game show Kaun
Banega Crorepati (KBC) so far - Sushil Kumar - has been
approached by a British filmmaker for a documentary to
be shot in the United Kingdom. There could not be a better New Year gift for the man from Bihar's Motihari district who scripted a genuine rags-to-riches story during the recently concluded fifth season of KBC. The documentary would showcase how a small town boy from the interiors of Bihar went on to become the first person in India to win Rs.5 crore in KBC and how the victory has changed his life. Kumar, who has been shooting a promotional film for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), now looks forward to his UK visit. |
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Celebrities to Come on
Down! |
Posted 1/2/12 |
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Rapper Snoop Dogg will make
his first appearance on “The Price Is Right” in January,
during the show’s first-ever celebrity week special. Snoop Dogg will join co-host Drew Carey and other celebrities, who will take on contestants for good causes. The proceeds from the celebrity edition of “The Price Is Right,” which is the longest-running game show in TV history, will go to the celebs’ favorite charities. Snoop, who also gets to spin the wheel during the show, may have faired better than his opponents, according to the show’s producer. “It was a lot of fun to watch these celebs play our iconic games,” Executive Producer Mike Richards told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “Each one had their own unique strategy to win. Let’s just say Snoop knows more about the price of grocery items than you might think!” Other celebs who will compete during “The Price is Right’s” first ever celebrity week include Jenny McCarthy, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Daughtry and supermodel Heidi Klum. Snoop is playing to raise funds for his Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) non-profit, which teaches children the importance of teamwork, camaraderie, and education through football. Celebrity Week: Monday, January 2 — Snoop Dogg playing for Snoop Youth Football League Tuesday, January 3 — Jenny McCarthy playing for Generation Rescue Wednesday, January 4 — Neil Patrick Harris playing for The Noreen Fraser Thursday, January 5 — Chris Daughtry playing for Alzheimer’s Association Friday, January 6 — Heidi Klum playing for Unicef |
 "Family Feud" will continue on to the 16th season (photo courtesy FremantleMedia) |
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Kaye
Stevens: 1932-2011 |
Posted 1/2/12 |
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Singer and actress Kaye
Stevens, who performed with the Rat Pack and was a
frequent guest on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show,”
has died at a central Florida hospital. She was 79. Close friend Gerry Schweitzer confirmed that Stevens died Wednesday at the Villages Hospital north of Orlando following a battle with breast cancer and blood clots. Stevens, a longtime South Florida resident, performed with Rat Pack members including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop. She also sang solo at venues like Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and the Plaza Hotel’s Persian Room in New York City. During the Vietnam War era, Stevens performed for American soldiers in the war zone with Bob Hope’s USO tour. According to a handout from friend Rhonda Glenn, Stevens was born Catherine Louise Stephens in Pittsburgh. Her family eventually moved to Cleveland, where a teenage Stevens got her start as a drummer and singer. She later married now deceased bandleader and trumpet player Tommy Amato, and the couple performed throughout the eastern U.S. During a gig in New Jersey, Stevens was discovered by Ed McMahon, Carson’s longtime sidekick, which led to new bookings. Her big break came when she was playing a lounge at The Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Debbie Reynolds became ill and was unable to perform in the main room. Stevens filled in and was an instant hit. Besides singing, Stevens also acted in film and television. She appeared in six movies, earning a Golden Globe nomination in 1964 for “The New Interns.” She was a regular celebrity player on game shows and appeared as a regular on “Days of Our Lives” from 1974-79. During the past two decades, Stevens started her own ministry and began performing only Christian and patriotic music. She staged benefits to help build St. Vincent Catholic Church in her longtime home of Margate, Fla., where city officials named a park in her honor. Her game show credits include such 70s staples as "Match Game" and "Hollywood Squares", as well as What's This Song?, PDQ, The Dating Game, New Hollywood Squares, Tattletales, Funny You Should Ask, The Game Game, Password All-Stars, Beat the Clock, Crosswits, The Gong Show, Everybody's Talking, What's My Line?, and Letters to Laugh-In. |
 Kaye Stevens (photo courtesy Matchgame.org) |
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Saying Goodbye in 2011... |
Posted 12/31/11 |
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They were a part of our
world - legends past and present, many with extensive
resumes, many who were taken too soon. As 2011 nears its
coda, may we remember always that they too walked among
us. Gil Cates (77) was a world renowned producer and director who dabbled in game shows with "Camouflage". Bob Banner's (89) hand was part of "Almost Anything Goes" and "Star Search". Paul Alter (89) left an indelible mark on "Family Feud". Ed Flesh (79) reinvented the wheel for television, and out of that genius came the titular "Wheel of Fortune". Jay Dee Springbett (36) helped Australia choose its next idol. Bill Nimmo (93) gave voice to "Who Do You Trust" and soul to "Keep It In The Family". Robert Robinson (83), during the 1960s and 1970s, hosted the series Open House, Picture Parade, Points of View, the leading literary quiz Take it or Leave it, Ask the Family, QI, and Call My Bluff. Phil Shepardson helped schools match wits on "As Schools Match Wits". Sherwood Schwartz (94) created two of the greatest sitcoms of all time, "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch". The former lent its name and premise to a reality competition on TBS. Steve Jobs (56) made watching and playing game shows easier with the advent of the iPod and the iPad. Ryan Dunn (34) was a professional "Jackass" before playing for charity on "Minute to Win It." "Police Academy's" Bubba Smith (66) played "Sports Geniuses". Elizabeth Taylor (79) was a guest on "What's My Line?". Charles Dubin (92) played "Twenty-One". Alice Playten (63) played "Musical Chairs". Laura Ziskin (61) was a writer before being a producer. Kaye Stevens (79) played the Match Game and the Hollywood Squares, as did Peter Falk (83), Alan Sues (85), Vic Dunlop (62), and Eleanor Mondale (51). Leonard Stone from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (87) was on "Wheel of Fortune". Nick Ashford (70) was on the "American Idol" panel with his partner Valarie Simpson. Jeff Conaway (60) was a mentor on "Grease: You're the One That We Want!". Mike DeStefano (44) was in the running for "Last Comic Standing". And Kay Armen (95) charmed on "Stop the Music". And who could forget our Elaine Stewart (81) or Betty Kennedy. Actress. Model. Dealer. Game show royalty. We will never forget any of them. |
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The Final Lightning
Round of 2011... |
Posted 12/29/11 |
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Syndies: A Wrapup |
Posted 12/28/11 |
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Ratings for syndicated shows
were in a holding pattern in the pre-holiday week ending
Dec. 18, as many viewers went shopping and PUT levels
declined slightly from the previous session. Dr. Phil (CTD) continued to be the No. 1 talk show; Judge Judy (CTD) dominated the courts; Entertainment Tonight (CTD) topped the magazine rack; Wheel of Fortune (CTD) held on to the game show lead; and Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) was again first among off-net sitcoms. Among game shows, Wheel lost 5% to a 7.1; Jeopardy (CTD) faded 8% to a a 5.8; Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) upticked 3% to a 3.2; and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) saw its fortunes decline 8% to a 2.4. |
 "Family Feud" will continue on to the 16th season (photo courtesy FremantleMedia) |
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Monday: Still Standing
Tall... "You Deserve It" Small |
Posted 12/27/11 |
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Let's play good news bad
news. CBS (6.62
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) took top
trumps on Monday with its all-repeat mix of "How I Met
Your Mother" (5.93 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49:
1.8, #4), "2 Broke Girls" (6.18 million viewers, #4;
adults 18-49: 1.9, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (8.09
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1), "Mike &
Molly" (7.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2)
and "Hawaii Five-0" (6.10 million viewers, #5; adults
18-49: 1.6, #T6). |
Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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Thursday: Going Out |
Posted 12/23/11 |
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FOX (12.45 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) was the network to beat on
Thursday with a new "The X Factor" (11.52 million
viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) followed by the
season finale of "The X Factor" (13.38 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1). Said numbers marked FOX's
most watched entertainment telecast since premiere week
and the show's highest-rated Thursday telecast since
10/6/11. A distant silver then went to CBS (8.00 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (9.10 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3), "Rules of Engagement" (6.78 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4), "Person of Interest" (7.87 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5) and "The Mentalist" (8.20 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6). Next up was NBC (3.91 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) and its mix of "Who's Still Standing?" (5.23 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6), "The Office" (2.23 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12), "Whitney" (1.92 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Prime Suspect" (4.42 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11). Meanwhile, ABC (3.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up encores of "Prep & Landing" (3.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" (3.67 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" (3.63 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8) and "Grey's Anatomy" (2.49 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +28.57% - The X Factor - 8:00 Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +176.92% - The X Factor - 8:00 (vs. Million Dollar Money Drop) +135.29% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Million Dollar Money Drop) +100.00% - Who's Still Standing? (vs. Community (Repeat)/30 Rock (Repeat)) |
Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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Happy Friday Lightning
Round |
Posted 12/23/11 |
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Fuse Hits the "Street" |
Posted 12/22/11 |
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Billy Eichner has a camera,
a microphone and an astounding passion for pop culture.
Let him loose on the streets of New York, and you have
the basis for Fuse's new game show Funny or Die's Billy
on the Street. Produced by the folks behind Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy's Funny or Die website, Billy on the Street features a hyper Eichner as he prowls Manhattan, barking questions at unsuspecting pedestrians. It's a surreal version of Cash Cab — without the cab — as these strangers are suddenly given a chance to win some money. But there's a catch: Eichner will sometimes make up the rules as he goes along. If he doesn't like your answer, he might just walk away (as he does in the first episode, when a contestant belittles rocker Pink, a favorite of Eichner's). And in the final round of questions, the answer is subjective —as contestants must somehow agree with Eichner's opinions. "This is a larger than life version of myself," Eichner says. "I'm pop culture obsessed, but it's definitely exaggerated for the show. I thought it would be funny if I treated celebrity and my opinion about it as if it were war journalism and the most important thing in the world." Eichner first incorporated the idea into a live comedic stage show he did in New York. "People had a great reaction to it, and began to wait for it," he says. "We knew people liked it, but we held off putting it online for a while." The videos became instant viral hits once they were finally posted last year, and they soon caught the attention of Funny or Die. That then turned into a pitch for a TV show, which landed at Fuse (where it debuts tonight, at 11/10c) "The savvier audience members realize that I'm commenting on pop culture and how opinionated the media-drenched personalities have become," he says. "But there are also people who just like the fact that I'm messing around with people."
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Wednesday: Xs and Os |
Posted 12/22/11 |
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FOX (9.84 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) was Wednesday's top draw
thanks to the part one of the "The X Factor" (11.11
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) season
finale and the winter closer to "I Hate My Teenage
Daughter" (6.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1,
#3). "Factor" dropped from last season by almost 3%, but
rose from its year-ago occupants "Human Target" and
"Million Dollar Money Drop" by a staggering 124.49%. ABC (4.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then snagged a distant second place with its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (5.41 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8), "Suburgatory" (4.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6), "Modern Family" (6.44 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2), "Happy Endings" (3.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T8) and "Revenge" (3.27 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12). Next up was CBS (6.12 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with its mix of "The 13th Annual A Home for the Holidays" (4.21 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T6) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5). Meanwhile on NBC (4.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4), night three of "Who's Still Standing?" (5.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) lead into encores of "A Michael Buble Christmas" (4.40 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.05 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10). "Standing" And finally, repeats of "Gossip Girl" (0.73 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) and "Gaga by Gaultier" (0.92 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.82 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip" delivered a 0.2 rating while "Gaga" posted a 0.3 rating.
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Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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"Catwalk" Sneaks Behind
"Runway" |
Posted 12/22/11 |
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Lifetime will give viewers
an early look at "24 Hour Catwalk" on Thursday, January
5 at 10:00/9:00c behind the launch of "Project Runway
All Stars," network sources have confirmed to the site. The newcomer, in which four designers compete to create their own collection in just one day, will then roll out as previously announced on Tuesday, January 10 at 10:00/9:00c. Alexa Chung hosts while Cynthia Rowley, Derek Blasberg and James LaForce serve as judges. Donna Macletchie and Linda Lea are the executive producers for Jane Street Entertainment. |
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Tuesday: A Drop... Then a
Rise |
Posted 12/21/11 |
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NBC (5.80 million viewers,
#2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) slipped into the top demo
spot on Tuesday thanks to night two of "Who's Still
Standing?" (5.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8,
#4), up from 5.56 million Monday, and an encore of
"Saturday Night Live Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas"
(5.79 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T1). CBS (10.58 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) however was still the most-watched network despite an all-repeat lineup of "NCIS" (12.35 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (11.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T1) and "Unforgettable" (8.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5). Next up was ABC (4.68 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with its repeat mix of "Last Man Standing" (5.72 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7), another "Last Man Standing" (5.51 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6), "The Middle" (4.31 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8), "Suburgatory" (3.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Body of Proof" (4.54 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13). Meanwhile, FOX (2.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up repeats of "Glee" (3.28 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9), "New Girl" (2.76 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) and "Raising Hope" (2.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11). Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): -14.29% - Who's Still Standing? (vs. Minute to Win It) |
Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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Wipeout Lawsuit Settles |
Posted 12/21/11 |
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A Japanese television
network has settled a lawsuit with ABC and a leading
reality TV production company over allegations that the
series "Wipeout" is a ripoff of several Japanese game
shows. The Tokyo Broadcasting System sued ABC in late 2008, claiming the obstacle-course game show closely resembles several Japanese shows. It alleged "Wipeout" violated its copyrights to shows such as "Takeshi's Castle," ''Most Extreme Elimination Challenge" and "Ninja Warrior." The Japanese network later sued Dutch entertainment giant Endemol, which produces "Wipeout." The companies settled the case Nov. 30 after meeting with a federal magistrate judge in Los Angeles. No settlement terms were filed with the court. |
 Producers of "Wipeout" and "Ninja Warrior" settle after ripoff claims (photo courtesy ABC) |
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Wednesday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/21/11 |
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Monday: Look Out Below! |
Posted 12/20/11 |
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CBS (7.43 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) claimed top honors on Monday
with its all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother"
(6.81 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4), "2
Broke Girls" (7.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49:
2.7, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (8.46 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2), "Mike & Molly" (7.79 million
viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5) and "Hawaii Five-0"
(6.90 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8). Sharing the demo crown however was FOX (7.18 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) with a new "Terra Nova" (7.24 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7) followed by the season finale of "Terra Nova" (7.12 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5). Next up was NBC (5.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with the launch of "Who's Still Standing?" (5.56 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9) alongside new episodes of "Fear Factor" (6.28 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12). Meanwhile, ABC (4.54 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up its mix of "Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special" (4.76 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), "A Chipmunk Christmas" (5.00 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10), "You Deserve It" (4.15 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and a repeat of "Castle" (4.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +22.22% - You Deserve It -31.43% - Fear Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +10.53% - Terra Nova - 8:00 (vs. Million Dollar Money Drop) +10.00% - Terra Nova - 9:00 (vs. Million Dollar Money Drop) -8.33% - You Deserve It (vs. Castle (Repeat)) -11.11% - Fear Factor (vs. The Sing-Off) -44.44% - Who's Still Standing? (vs. The Sing-Off)
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Ben Bailey hosts "Who's Still Standing" on NBC (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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Sir Bruce Could Return to
SCD |
Posted 12/20/11 |
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Sir Bruce Forsyth could be
returning for another series of Strictly Come Dancing
after BBC bosses reportedly said he can host the hit
show for as long as he likes. The 83-year-old entertainer has just finished filming this year's series, and show sources have revealed they're assuming he'll be back next year. An insider told The Sun: "Bruce has had a great series and Strictly is his as long as he wants it. He's having a break then will come back to us with his thoughts on next year's show. "We are working on the assumption he'll be back." The presenter, who was knighted earlier this year, is understood to be spending the Christmas holidays in Puerto Rico, the birthplace of his wife Wilnelia. |
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America's Got Howard |
Posted 12/20/11 |
 NBC
announced today that Howard Stern, American radio
personality, television host and author, will serve as
the new judge on the top-rated summer alternative series
“America’s Got Talent,” produced by FremantleMedia North
America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Television. Stern will provide his feedback on the colorful array of hopeful future stars who are currently auditioning in major cities around the country for the show’s upcoming seventh season.
Stern joked to his listeners on today's show, "I'm going
to be Piers on steroids. It's going to be a no-nonsense
judge... I'm going to go there as a serious judge...
It's gonna be something else... I am very excited. I
will find the next superstar." "Having two Brits and one
American on 'America's Got Talent' actually was
ridiculous in hindsight," Cowell said in a weekend
interview with Show Tracker. "I want to bring on a
fourth judge as well, definitely an American. And I want
somebody who understands what a Vegas crowd would pay
good money to judge." “This is gonna make my job really interesting,” host Nick Cannon said on his 92.3 NOW radio show. “I think it’s gonna be good. I really gotta bring my A-game now, because, Howard Stern, you never know what could happen with this guy. I think it’s gonna make the show even better.” Piers Morgan, the outgoing judge on the show, tweeted: "he'll be outrageous, hilarious, dangerous & brilliant. Can't wait." "America's Got Talent"
honcho Simon Cowell thinks the Parents Television
Council has NOTHING to worry about now that Howard Stern
is joining the show ... telling TMZ, "If he goes too
far, he'll be kicked off."
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 Howard Stern will inherit Piers Morgan's chair on "America's Got Talent" this summer (photo courtesy Film Buff Online) |
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Tuesday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/20/11 |
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Next Stop: One World |
Posted 12/19/11 |
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The winner of "Survivor:
South Pacific" wasn't the only thing unveiled on Sunday
night - viewers also got a sneak peek and the next
"Survivor" season. The reality competition's 24th season will be called "Survivor: One World," host Jeff Probst confirmed, and it will feature the two tribes living together on one island. The Salani and Manono tribes will live on the same beach, and will have to decide whether or not to share resources. According to "Survivor" Fandom, the season will take place in Samoa, and it's rumored that the tribes will be split by sex. The preview gave no indication whether the Redemption Island aspect of the game will continue, or if other "Survivor" veterans will return to compete again. "Survivor: One World" will premiere in February. Meanwhile, CBS (15.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) claimed top honors on Sunday with its mix of a powerful "NFL Overrun" (26.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.0, #1) followed by "60 Minutes" (18.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #3), the two-hour "Survivor: South Pacific" (13.06 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.0, #4) finale and the "Survivor: South Pacific Reunion" (10.25 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6) special. |
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Monday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/19/11 |
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The 20th Race Is On,
February |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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CBS announced today
additional mid-season schedule moves, including the
premiere of the next edition of THE AMAZING RACE and new
Friday time periods for UNDERCOVER BOSS and A GIFTED
MAN. Eight-time Emmy Award-winning THE AMAZING RACE celebrates its 20th global adventure when it premieres Sunday, Feb. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). Phil Keoghan hosts. Last week's finale of the fall edition of THE AMAZING RACE crossed the finish line with season-high ratings in viewers (11.72m), adults 18-49 (3.3/07) and adults 25-54 (4.5/09). |
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Thursday: And Then There
Were Three |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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CBS (11.90 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #1) was Thursday's top draw
thanks to a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.15
million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T1) followed by
new episodes of "Rules of Engagement" (9.71 million
viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4), "Person of
Interest" (12.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8,
#T1) and "The Mentalist" (12.98 million viewers, #1;
adults 18-49: 2.7, #T4). FOX (7.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then had to settle for second place with a new "The X Factor" (9.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T1) and a repeat of "Bones" (5.42 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T7). Next up was ABC (5.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with an encore of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (6.41 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) alongside the two-hour special "The Year With Katie Couric" (5.52 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T7). Meanwhile, NBC (2.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) served up repeats of "Community" (2.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10), "Parks & Recreation" (1.79 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13), "The Office" (2.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9), "Whitney" (2.07 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10) and a new "Prime Suspect" (3.62 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T10). And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.02 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14) and "The Secret Circle" (0.87 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14) on The CW (0.95 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 0.5 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.4 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): -6.67% - The X Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): 133.33% - The X Factor (vs. Bones (Repeat)) |
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"Shark Tank" Season 3:
January 20 |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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With "Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition" set to wrap on January 13, ABC is giving "Shark
Tank" an earlier return date. The series, originally set to kick off its third season on February 3, is now due back on Friday, January 20 at 8:00/7:00c followed by the return of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" at 9:00/8:00c. |
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X Factor Season 2
Auditions Go |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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Online auditions for the
second season of THE X FACTOR are now open! Now through
Dec. 31, 2011 at 11:59 PM PT, solo artists and vocal
groups 12 years old and over have the opportunity to
submit their two-minute a cappella audition videos to
www.TheXFactorUSA.com. In addition to online auditions, aspiring performers will soon be able to participate in open call auditions held in various cities (to be announced) across the country. Also, MyStudio Booths will once again be available for hopefuls to record and submit their auditions, just as THE X FACTOR finalist Drew Ryniewicz did for Season One. Auditioners should continue to check www.TheXFactorUSA.com for full terms, conditions and eligibility, as well as for more information about audition cities and dates. |
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GSN Going "Dancing" This
January |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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The sequins and the sweat,
the triumphs and tears, the graceful lifts and awkward
lunges—everything there is to love about DANCING WITH
THE STARS comes to GSN in January, when GSN premieres
the first-ever off-network airing of DANCING WITH THE
STARS, Season 4. DANCING WITH THE STARS, Season 4,
premieres on Saturday, January 21st at 6:00 p.m.
Eastern. The season will air in back-to-back episodes
every Saturday night, starting at 6:00 p.m. Eastern
through Saturday, March 3, 2012. "Many of the most popular shows on television today - including DANCING WITH THE STARS - are essentially game shows at their core," says Amy Introcaso-Davis, Executive Vice President of Programming for GSN. "GSN is all about the potent combination of games, competition, entertainment and fun, and we know that DANCING WITH THE STARS is a show our female audience already loves." DANCING WITH THE STARS episodes on GSN will feature a wide variety of celebrities who have brought glamour, humor, and even some lively controversy to the show - including Chaz Bono, Bristol Palin, Kim Kardashian, Cloris Leachman, Susan Lucci, Tom DeLay, Kate Gosselin, David Hasselhoff, Mario Lopez, Emmitt Smith, Michael Bolton, Florence Henderson, Jennifer Grey, Wayne Newton, Marie Osmond, Donnie Osmond, Melissa Joan Hart, Kelly Osbourne, Nancy Grace, Ricki Lake, J.R. Martinez, and Kirstie Alley, among many others.
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 "Dancing with the Stars" is coming to GSN (photo courtesy ABC) |
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Happy Friday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/16/11 |
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"Substitute" Graduates to
Second Season |
Posted 12/15/11 |
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MTV's getting an A+ on its
new quizzer, "The Substitute", picking up the rookie
series for a 20-episode second season.
The game skew young, with a
median age of 20 and 77% in the 12-34 demographic, and
are aimed primarily at female teens. |
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Wednesday: Survival
Instinct |
Posted 12/15/11 |
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CBS (11.86 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) slipped into the top spot on
Wednesday with new episodes of "Survivor: South Pacific"
(10.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3),
"Criminal Minds" (12.70 million viewers, #1; adults
18-49: 3.4, #T1) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
(12.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4). FOX (9.33 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then had to settle for second place with fresh installments of "The X Factor" (10.69 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T1) and "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (5.25 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7). Next up was ABC (7.16 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with repeats of "The Middle" (6.16 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8), "Suburgatory" (5.21 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T8) and "Modern Family" (6.61 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T5) followed by "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011" (8.34 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T5). Meanwhile, NBC (3.97 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) was out of the hunt with its all-repeat lineup of "Up All Night" (3.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10), "Whitney" (3.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Harry's Law" (4.07 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #13) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.36 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T10). And finally, encores of "America's Next Top Model" (1.27 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (1.61 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #14) on The CW (1.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.6 rating while "Secret" posted a 1.0 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +3.03% - The X Factor -6.06% - Survivor: South Pacific Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +81.82% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target/Hell's Kitchen) -11.43% - Survivor: South Pacific -26.92% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. Hell's Kitchen) |
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Merry Christmas From the
"Family" |
Posted 12/15/11 |
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The holidays are all about
family (feuding or otherwise!), and this holiday season
GSN celebrates families with a FAMILY FEUD marathon and
the chance to win a Beaches® Resorts family vacation to
Jamaica. GSN’s FAMILY FEUD line-up on Christmas weekend
will feature Christmas Eve and Christmas Day marathons
offering a total of 24 hours’ worth of classic FAMILY
FEUD episodes. And GSN will further enhance the family
bond with an extraordinary Family Feud Family Reunion
Sweepstakes that rewards the lucky winner and his or her
family with the ultimate family reunion - a Beaches
Resorts Luxury Included® Vacation, including airfare
provided by Delta Vacations. FAMILY FEUD, one of GSN’s most popular shows, kicks off on Christmas Eve with the FAMILY FEUD marathon, running from 9:00 a.m. to midnight ET on December 24, 2011. The FAMILY FEUD Christmas Day marathon will run from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET on December 25, 2011. Driving excitement for the FAMILY FEUD marathon, GSN offers the Family Feud Family Reunion Sweepstakes. Running now through Friday, December 23, viewers will be directed to visit the GSN Facebook Page (Facebook.com/GameShowNetwork) to enter the Family Feud Family Reunion Sweepstakes. More entries can be earned by commenting about the sweepstakes on Facebook and by following GSN on Twitter (@GSN). The winner will be announced on Christmas Day during GSN’s FAMILY FEUD marathon. The Grand Prize winner and his or her family will be whisked away to the white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters of Jamaica to enjoy a Beaches Resorts Luxury Included® Vacation with accommodations for a family of 8. Offering more quality inclusions than any other resorts in the world, a Beaches Resorts stay includes luxurious accommodations, unlimited gourmet and casual dining, a variety of land and water sports including scuba diving for certified divers & snorkeling, gratuities and airport transfers. Winners will also receive a five hundred dollar ($500) per person airfare credit from Delta Vacations. |
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Biggest Loser Season 13
Drops with a Twist January 3 |
Posted 12/15/11 |
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"The Biggest Loser" returns
with a bang for season 13 on Tuesday, January 3 (8-10
p.m. ET) when the contestants arrive at the ranch and
get one of the biggest surprises ever in the series'
history. They arrive in teams of two - including
mother/daughter, father/son, brother/sister and
husband/wife, all eager to change their lives together.
But they're shocked to discover that they will not only
be split up - they will also be competing against the
person they came with. They'll be pushed out of their
comfort zones in a way they have never been before - and
one team won't even make it on to the ranch -- as the
season of "No Excuses" begins. All of the contestants have the same goal: losing weight and getting healthy. But they all have different excuses for why they never lost the weight before, ranging from being too busy, not knowing how to eat right, being emotional eaters, knowing they could always start a weight loss program "tomorrow," and more. So the season of "no partners" will also be a season of "no excuses" - as week in and week out, all the typical reasons for not getting in shape will be addressed. The contestants will hit the ground running with a three-part challenge as soon as they arrive, and though 18 of the 20 contestants come to the ranch with loved ones, two will initially be paired as strangers. Once divided, the two groups of players will be trained by Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince, both fiercely competitive and determined to whip their contestants into shape, and deliver the season's $250,000 grand prize winner. |
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Thursday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/15/11 |
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ABC Shares a Pint |
Posted 12/14/11 |
| ABC is continuing to experiment filling its weekend afternoon time slots with original, primetime-like programming. The network has picked up Bud United Presents: The Big Time, a branded content reality show put together by Budweiser that features adults competing to fulfill their dreams revolving around sports and entertainment. Seven episodes are set to air beginning Saturday, January 21 at 3 PM ET/2 PM CT. The deal was struck with ABC cable sibling ESPN, which took the series to the broadcast network. ”These shows offer a compelling trifecta — sports, entertainment plus viewer engagement via social media,” said Jason Bernstein, senior director ESPN programming and acquisitions. “It’s a unique blend of content, and we’re pleased Budweiser came to us with the opportunity to present it on ABC.” It’s not the first time the network is toying with original content on the weekend: In October, the game show Million Dollar Mind Game, based on a Russian format and originally scheduled for primetime, aired on Sunday afternoons (that move was in part motivated by the network scrambling to find a replacement for NBA games during the lockout, and it wanted to give the show a trial run). Each episode of The Big Time will feature three fans competing for their shot at living out their dream, coached and mentored by pros. Casting was done via Bud’s social media sites and is part of the beer label’s Bud United platform launched last year to connect consumers with its brand. | |
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Tuesday: And the Biggest
Loser Is... NBC. |
Posted 12/14/11 |
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CBS (15.53 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) was the most-watched network
on Tuesday with fresh installments of "NCIS" (19.03
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "NCIS: Los
Angeles" (16.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0,
#3) and "Unforgettable" (11.20 million viewers, #3;
adults 18-49: 2.1, #8). Sharing the demo crown then was FOX (6.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T1) with the fall finales of "Glee" (7.05 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "New Girl" (6.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "Raising Hope" (5.10 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6). Next up was NBC (6.95 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with the special "William & Kate: Inside the Royal Marriage" (5.31 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the season finale of "The Biggest Loser 12" (7.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5). While the latter marked a season high (up from last week by 22.73%), it was also "Loser's" lowest-rated fall finale ever (down last year by almost a third) Meanwhile, ABC (5.28 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up a new "Last Man Standing" (7.46 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) followed by repeats of "Last Man Standing" (6.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9), "The Middle" (4.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10), "Suburgatory" (3.82 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) and "Body of Proof" (4.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13). And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.82 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Ringer" (0.60 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 0.4 rating while "Ringer" posted a 0.3 rating. |
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All Right, Allwright...
Here's Your "Exit" |
Posted 12/14/11 |
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Matt Allwright has landed a
new game show called The Exit List. The Rogue Traders star will host the ITV1 show, which sees a pair of contestants make their way through a 24-room maze for the chance to win up to £200,000. In each room the contestants must answer a question to win a certain amount of money but, the further they go into the maze, the harder it is to get out. A spokesperson for the channel explained: "In each room, the contestants must answer a question with four possible answers. Get the question right, they pocket the cash and only that answer appears on The Exit List. Get it wrong, and all four answer options go on The Exit List. And the immediate way ahead is blocked. "When their memories can take no more, the contestants turn back but to escape with the money they must remember their exact route out and every single answer on their Exit List." ITV's director of entertainment and comedy Elaine Bedell said: "The Exit List is an exciting new concept and we are delighted to bring this innovative game of knowledge, memory and risk to ITV." The Exit List begins on January 10 |
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Monday: Fear... Is a
Factor Once More |
Posted 12/14/11 |
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CBS (12.02 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) held onto the top spot on
Monday with a special "2 Broke Girls" (12.46 million
viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2), a repeat of "2
Broke Girls" (10.25 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49:
3.3, #5) and the respective fall finales of "Two and a
Half Men" (14.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6,
#1), "Mike & Molly" (12.83 million viewers, #2; adults
18-49: 3.9, #3) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.93 million
viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7). NBC (7.08 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then jumped into second place with the return of "Fear Factor" (8.69 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6), a second hour of "Fear Factor" (8.52 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.04 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11). Overall, said lineup delivered the Peacock's best Monday numbers of the season. Next up was FOX (5.71 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with a new "Terra Nova" (6.99 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8) followed by a repeat of "House" (4.42 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10). Meanwhile, ABC (4.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) was out of the hunt with a repeat of "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" (5.30 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9), a new "You Deserve It" (3.40 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and a repeat of "Castle" (4.16 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12). And finally, encores of "Hart of Dixie" (1.42 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and another "Hart of Dixie" (1.31 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.36 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" posted a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): -10.00% - You Deserve It Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +6.06% - Fear Factor - 9:00 (vs. The Sing-Off) -3.03% - Fear Factor - 8:00 (vs. The Sing-Off) -18.18% - You Deserve It (vs. Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You)
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 "Fear Factor" returns on NBC (photo courtesy Endemol/NBC) |
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Wednesday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/14/11 |
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ABDC: Second Chance for a
First Prize |
Posted 12/13/11 |
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MTV's "Randy Jackson
Presents America's Best Dance Crew" ("ABDC") is
searching the country to find the next group of crews
who are ready to take their pulse-pounding and
hard-hitting dance moves from the streets to the "ABDC"
stage. Top hip-hop dance crews will have the chance to
showcase their edgy and innovative moves to casting
directors for the chance to become America's next best
dance crew, and for the first time in "ABDC" history,
auditions will be open to crews who have competed in
previous seasons and are hungry for another chance at
the title. Season seven will be heating up the dance floor with an all new "Season of the Superstars," which will premiere in Spring 2012 on MTV. Each episode will center on the music of a popular recording artist as crews must push themselves to create astonishing performances inspired by the music and persona of that artist. Casting calls are for crews of five to seven dancers. Auditions will be held in the following cities: · Chicago, Illinois January 13 · Houston, Texas January 15 · New York, New York January 21 · Los Angeles, California January 28 Crews can register at ABDCCasting.com or e-mail ABDC@mtv.com. To get the most up-to-date info, visit DanceCrew.MTV.com or Facebook.com/ABDC. |
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Tuesday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/13/11 |
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Sunday: Finish Line |
Posted 12/12/11 |
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NBC (18.64 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 6.9, #1) dominated the competition on
Sunday with its usual mix of "Football Night in America
#1" (7.84 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5,
#T11), "Football Night in America #2" (11.85 million
viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.3, #4), "Football Night in
America #3" (16.88 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49:
6.2, #2) and of course "Sunday Night Football" (22.51
million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 8.5, #1). CBS (13.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then took home a distant second place with its lineup of "NFL Overrun" (17.84 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #3), "60 Minutes" (15.66 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.7, #5), "The Amazing Race" (11.88 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #7), "The Good Wife" (11.24 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #13) and "CSI: Miami" (10.38 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #15). Next up was FOX (5.99 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) served up its mix of "NFL Overrun/Bob's Burgers" (9.36 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.5, #6), a repeat of "The Cleveland Show" (4.12 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.8, #16) and new episodes of "The Simpsons" (6.45 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.0, #9), "The Cleveland Show" (4.98 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 2.3, #14), "Family Guy" (6.05 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 3.1, #8) and "American Dad" (4.99 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T11). And finally, a repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.36 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #17) led into a new "Once Upon a Time" (8.91 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #10) and the feature "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (3.70 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.3, #18) on ABC (5.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +18.52% - The Amazing Race Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): -8.57% - The Amazing Race |
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"Drag Race" Sashays Onto
Logo January 30 |
Posted 12/12/11 |
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"RuPaul's Drag Race" returns
with a fresh, fun and fabulous fourth season as 13
glorious queens go heel-to-heel as they compete for the
title of "America's Next Drag Superstar." The 90-minute
premiere kicks off Monday, January 30 at 9 PM ET/PT on
Logo (the series' regular timeslot), followed by a new
season of the behind-the-scenes fan favorite "Untucked:
RuPaul's Drag Race" at 10:30 PM ET/PT. RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, has pushed the boundaries of popular culture on an international level and continues the fourth season, alongside judges Michelle Visage and Santino Rice, to decide who will "shante! stay!" or "sashay away" with a new batch of the nation's hottest, most glamorous drag queens. Wigs will fly and drama will run high as the contestants bring their over-the-top attitudes to the drag battle royale that is "RuPaul's Drag Race." "People ask me, 'RuPaul, how do you manage to book such amazing celebrity guest judges?,'" says RuPaul. "It's simple. I blackmail them using a series of naughty Polaroid pictures I took back in the '90s. Works like a charm." |
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... Shouldn't That Be
"Sweet Home Carolina" Then? |
Posted 12/12/11 |
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A season two fan favorite,
southern beauty Paige Duke has decided to give love
another chance and has signed on to be the new
bachelorette in the third season of SWEET HOME ALABAMA,
premiering Friday, January 13 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT.
This time, Paige will be faced with the tough decision
of city versus country in her search for Mr. Right. SWEET HOME ALABAMA, is produced by Glassman Media with executive producers Andrew Glassman and Grant Julian. Claire McCabe and Jayson Dinsmore are executive producers for CMT. Paige Duke, from Lancaster, S.C., is a former ambassador for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and true southern girl at heart. Paige currently works at hunting farm in Minnesota, and is a part time model and veterinary technician. She enjoys rodeos, hunting, fishing and watching sports, and is looking for that someone special to add into her life. |
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Last Call at Club
Millionaire |
Posted 12/12/11 |
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From a press release...
"Due to circumstances beyond
our control, we are sorry to announce that, as of
Tuesday, December 6, 2011, all activity related to Club
Millionaire will be discontinued. We apologize for any
disappointment this may cause and thank you for your
participation of the Club. In the coming months, we will
be exploring other options related to development and
operation of a new Millionaire rewards program. Should a
new Millionaire club be launched, please be assured that
any points you've accumulated, thus far, will be
transferred into the new program. UPDATE: From our friends at About.com Game Shows comes this response from Disney/ABC...
"The third party company
that operated the Club and its website was no longer
able to fulfill their agreement. Valleycrest Productions
is ensuring that any outstanding prizes due to Club
contest winners are fulfilled. We are exploring the
possibility of continuing the Club with another partner,
but until that decision is made, all Club activity has
been discontinued. If and when a new Millionaire Club
gets underway, any accumulated member points would
transfer into the new Club." |
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Monday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/12/11 |
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Angelea WON'T Be
"America's Next Top Model" |
Posted 12/9/11 |
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Nothing goes together better
than reality shows and controversy, and last night's
America's Next Top Model finale proved to be no
exception. During the final judges panel, with scant explanation or elaboration, Tyra Banks & Co. announced that one of the frontrunners to take home the all-star edition title, Angelea Preston, had been disqualified from the competition, before proceeding to decide the winner among the remaining two contestants. Viewers were left both confused and outraged and a firestorm of questions and comments flooded online. So…what the heck happened? "We're back in Los Angeles on the Top Model set and we're here for a special finale that's being conducted under unusual circumstances," Banks said. "It turns out, our production team and the network learned information from Angelea that disqualifies her from the competition," noted, um, noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker. "It means we're now going to do our final judging with the remaining two girls, and in the interest of fairness, the producers and the network thought it best to evaluate Allison and Lisa on their own, without the added competition of Angelea." "You know what, guys, we wish Angelea the best in all her future endeavors," Jay Manuel added. And that was all the explanation viewers received. Which, pending further elaboration from either the network or Angelea, might be all the explanation they can expect. Particularly inflamed fans are pointing to a since deleted (if it ever existed) entry on Preston's personal Facebook page that supposedly gave away some spoilers about the final episode, including which three girls—herself included—made it to walk in the final runway show. However, that speculation has remained unconfirmed. Due to the rough jump cuts and the CW's admission that they had to recut some of the finale's final scenes, some fans are even theorizing that Angelea was initially declared the winner of the series prior to her disqualification. "After production wrapped on the current cycle of America's Next Top Model, we learned information that made Angelea ineligible and she was subsequently disqualified from the competition," the CW said in a statement. "As a result, new scenes were filmed to address this for the audience during the finale." |
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Thursday: Jingle Balls,
Jingle Balls, Jingle All the Way... |
Posted 12/9/11 |
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CBS (13.29 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) claimed top honors on
Thursday with the fall finale of "The Big Bang Theory"
(14.42 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1)
followed by new episodes of "Rules of Engagement" (10.96
million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2), "Person of
Interest" (13.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0,
#T3) and "The Mentalist" (13.75 million viewers, #2;
adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3). FOX (9.47 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "The X Factor" (9.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T3) and "Bones" (9.01 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7). Next up was NBC (4.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with its mix of "Community" (3.62 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13), "Parks & Recreation" (3.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11), "The Office" (5.80 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6), "Whitney" (4.14 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8) and a special "Grimm" (4.10 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12). Meanwhile, ABC (5.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) didn't get much spark from its specials "Winter Wipeout" (6.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), "America's Funniest Home Videos: Christmas Spectacular" (6.49 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8) and "The Great American Auction" (4.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T14). And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.25 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "The Secret Circle" (0.87 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (1.06 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 0.6 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.4 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): -3.23% - The X Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49) +30.43% - The X Factor (vs. Bones) -2.56% - Winter Wipeout (vs. Shrek the Halls/Disney Prep & Landing) -11.11% - Grimm (vs. The Apprentice) |
 "Winter Wipeout" offers a glimpse of the new season before launching January 5 (photo courtesy Endemol/ABC) |
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Happy Friday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/9/11 |
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Tattoo Battle #2...
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Posted 12/8/11 |
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Spike is looking to get
under viewers' skin with the series premiere of "Ink
Master," the first-ever tattoo competition reality
series starting Tuesday, January 17 at 10 PM, ET/PT. Ten
of the nation's top tattoo artists from around the
country will battle it out in permanent ink for a
$100,000 cash prize, an editorial feature in the
preeminent tattoo magazine Inked and the title of 'Ink
Master.' "Ink Master" contestants will compete in various tattoo challenges that not only test the artists' technical skills, but also their on-the-spot creativity, where they must create and execute an original tattoo on command. Challenges focus on different tattooing techniques, such as shading, line and proportion, and styles including photorealism, Tribal, American traditional, and pin-up. The tension and stakes are high in "Ink Master." Every week, the artists face a tough panel made up of series host Dave Navarro, renowned tattoo artists Chris Nunez ("Miami Ink") and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo). A roster of some of the top names within the tattoo community appear during certain challenges as guest judges, acclaimed artists Scott Campbell and Jack Rudy, Inked magazine creative director Todd Weinberger and celebrity tattoo aficionados NBA player Chris Andersen and Ton Jones ("Auction Hunters"). Of course, they will also have to face the opinions of the people they actually tattoo. These 'human canvases' range from tattoo virgins to connoisseurs with a full sleeve of body art to those who want to cover up a prior tattoo misstep. Satisfying the individual whose skin now bears the artists' handiwork will also be a major element in determining the victor. The masterpieces will last forever, but so will the mistakes. |
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Wednesday: Surviving the X
Factor |
Posted 12/8/11 |
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CBS (11.62 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) took home top honors on a
competitive Wednesday with its mix of "Survivor: South
Pacific" (11.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3,
#T3), "Criminal Minds" (12.26 million viewers, #1;
adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) and "CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation" (11.07 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49:
2.5, #8). ABC (8.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T2) and FOX (9.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T2) then split the silver as the latter offered up a new "The X Factor" (10.55 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T3) and week two of "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" (5.42 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10). Next up was the Alphabet with its fall finales of "The Middle" (8.81 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6), "Suburgatory" (8.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #T6), "Modern Family" (12.13 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1), "Happy Endings" (6.53 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.9, #5) and "Revenge" (7.31 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #9). Meanwhile, NBC (6.12 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) likewise served up the final 2011 editions of "Up All Night" (4.96 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #12), a repeat of "Up All Night" (3.84 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13), "Harry's Law" (7.04 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.93 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11). And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (1.26 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) led into the season finale of "America's Next Top Model" (2.35 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15) on The CW (1.81 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" posted a 0.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 1.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +25.00% - America's Next Top Model +6.45% - Survivor: South Pacific -10.81% - The X Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +150.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Fashion Forward: Making It!) +80.33% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target/Hell's Kitchen) -8.33% - Survivor: South Pacific -8.70% - I Hate My Teenage Daughter (vs. Hell's Kitchen) -30.77% - Up All Night (vs. The Sing-Off) -53.85% - Harry's Law (vs. The Sing-Off) |
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FCC: GSN Isn't Returning
to Basic on Cablevision |
Posted 12/8/11 |
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The Federal Communications
Commission won't force Cablevision to restore Game Show
Network to its basic tier while the commission is
vetting the network's program carriage complaint against
the cable operator. The FCC's Media Bureau, which issued that decision Wednesday, based it on a four-factor test: "(1) whether the complainant is likely to prevail on the merits of its complaint; (2) whether the complainant will suffer irreparable harm absent a stay; (3) whether grant of a stay will not substantially harm other interested parties; and (4) whether the public interest favors grant of a stay." The FCC said GSN has the burden of proof as the complaining party. "Applying the factors set forth above," the bureau said, "we conclude that GSN has failed to satisfy its burden of demonstrating that interim relief is warranted. The bureau said that GSN "did not demonstrate that it was likely to prevail on the merits of its complaint," but said whether it prevailed or not was based on facts still at issue. Since the FCC was not persuaded that not granting temporary carriage would cause irreparable harm, particularly since GSN waited to file the complaint, and since the public interest call "did not sharply tilt" in either direction, GSN had a "heavy" burden to show it as likely to prevail on the merits. The bureau said there remained "numerous factual issues" to be resolved regarding the first two factors, and that "based on the limited record at this early stage in the complaint proceeding, the first factor neither favors nor disfavors granting the relief requested," which did not meet that "heavy burden." The bureau did not elaborate on its consideration of factor three. GSN filed the complaint Oct. 12, alleging Cablevision discriminated against it by moving it to a premium sports tier, which cost the channel eyeballs, while favoring similarly situated networks We TV and Wedding Central, in which Cablevision has a financial interest. It wants the agency to force Cablevision to carry the network on what it says are "nondiscriminatory terms and conditions" and pay a fine. FCC rules prevent an MVPD from discriminating against unaffiliated nets in favor of ones in which it has a financial interest. |
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Thursday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/8/11 |
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Wednesday Lightspeed Round |
Posted 12/7/11 |
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Monday: "You" a Dog |
Posted 12/6/11 |
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CBS (12.30 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) was Monday's top draw thanks
to its usual mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (11.71
million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.5, #3), "2 Broke
Girls" (12.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6,
#2), "Two and a Half Men" (15.04 million viewers, #1;
adults 18-49: 5.0, #1), "Mike & Molly" (12.74 million
viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0"
(10.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5). FOX (7.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then claimed the silver with its second annual "American Country Awards" (7.42 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8). Next up was ABC (6.55 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with its mix of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (9.06 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6), "Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice" (6.99 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7), "You Deserve It" (3.57 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11) and "Castle" (8.05 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T8). Meanwhile, NBC (3.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up a "The Sing-Off" (4.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10) holiday special followed by a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.42 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): -28.57% - You Deserve It -35.29% - The Sing-Off Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): -16.67% - You Deserve It (vs. Skating With the Stars/Modern Family (Repeat)) -60.71% - The Sing-Off |
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Tuesday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/6/11 |
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Oxygen Gets Inked |
Posted 12/5/11 |
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Oxygen will premiere "Best
Ink," a new competition reality series laying bare the
cutthroat and wildly unpredictable world of tattoo
artistry on Monday, January 30th at 10 PM ET/PT. "Best Ink" pits ten of the best male and female tattoo artists from around the country against one another in this all-new competition. With nothing but their needles, ink, and passion, these artists compete for $100,000 and a cover story in Tattoo magazine. The contestants are guided through the competition by host and recording artist Kimberly Caldwell ("American Idol"). After each challenge, the artists are critiqued by head judge and world-renowned tattoo artist Joe Capobianco, international pinup model and tattoo shop owner Sabina Kelley and a guest judge from a rotating roster. Then one contestant is sent home. In every episode, the tattoo artists compete in two challenges: the "Flash Challenge," which tests their overall artistic and creative skills, and the "Ink Challenge," in which they produce bona fide masterpieces on skin - a permanence rarely seen in the reality competition world. The indelible body art will be created for and on real people in a variety of challenges designed to showcase the artists' talents. Challenges include an "Emotional Life Passage Challenge," in which the artists are tasked with designing a tattoo commemorating a personal story or life-changing moment, and a "Tribute Tattoo Challenge," in which the artists must design tribute tattoos for fans of a well-known musical icon. As the stakes get higher and the challenges become more difficult, only one artist will get the ultimate bragging rights to call their work "Best Ink." "Best Ink" is produced by Bunim/Murray Productions, a Banijay Group company, with Jonathan Murray, Gil Goldschein, and Rico Martinez serving as executive producers and Erin Cristall, Rene Rainey, and Peter Woronov serving as co-executive producers. |
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Sunday: Football and Lots
of It |
Posted 12/5/11 |
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NBC (13.72 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1) topped a tight race on Sunday
with its usual mix of "Football Night in America #1"
(5.28 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.7, #16),
"Football Night in America #2" (7.42 million viewers,
#12; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T9), "Football Night in America
#3" (14.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 5.1, #4)
and "Sunday Night Football" (16.58 million viewers, #3;
adults 18-49: 6.5, #3). FOX (12.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.1, #2) then got a boost with its lineup of "NFL Overrun" (26.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 9.6, #1), "The OT" (22.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 8.3, #2), "The Simpsons" (9.01 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 4.0, #5), "Allen Gregory" (5.22 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 2.4, #12), "Family Guy" (7.05 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 3.5, #6) and "The Cleveland Show" (5.43 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.5, #11). Next up was ABC (7.08 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (5.96 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #18), "Once Upon a Time" (9.61 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.1, #7) - a series low, "Desperate Housewives" (8.09 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T9) and "Pan Am" (4.67 million viewers, #18; adults 18-49: 1.6, #17) - likewise a series low. And finally, new episodes of "60 Minutes" (11.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #15), "The Amazing Race" (9.64 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8) - tied with its season low, "The Good Wife" (9.79 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #14) - tied with its series low, and "CSI: Miami" (10.37 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #13) on CBS (10.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) rounded out the night. |
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A Knockout Price |
Posted 12/5/11 |
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It's a Knockout didn't need
to return to Australian screens last week with more than
1 million viewers to be a success for Network Ten. Ten in effect bought the show for half-price -- paying only a couple of hundred thousands Australian dollars per episode -- in a brand-funded deal with McDonald's. Its appearance in prime time is believed to be a first in recent times for a program largely funded by a sponsor, a return to TV's earliest days when soap operas were actually paid for by companies such as Colgate-Palmolive. Brand-funded content joins product placement, sponsorship and integration in showcasing brands for sponsors while helping networks foot production bills. Last night, the second episode aired. The first knocked 60 Minutes off its perch and won all the key demographics. A second series was already in the pipeline, sources said. "If this continues to rate as well as episode one it will be one of the most profitable shows on Ten," a source said. It is a good deal for Ten. The network and McDonald's paid Fremantle Media to produce the show for them. But McDonald's also paid Ten a fee for the branding rights, and for the advertising slots that run in and around the program. There are other brand-funded shows around -- Huey's Kitchen, New Idea Test Kitchen and Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield to name a few -- but none with such a high profile or screened in prime time. It's a Knockout, a global franchise based on the French format, Intercities, is the first collaboration between Ten and Fremantle Media Australia's new low-cost production arm Spring. FMA chief executive Ian Hogg said there would be many more such productions, particularly on multi-channels. Many traditionally funded shows, such as Nine's Celebrity Apprentice and Ten's MasterChef are already packed with "integration" or segments featuring a client's products or services. Apprentice featured entire episodes filmed at KFC branches; while a MasterChef contestant has a hard time cooking anything without prominently using a Sunbeam kitchen appliance. |
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Alan Sues: 1926-2011 |
Posted 12/5/11 |
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Alan Sues, an actor whose
loud, clownish comedic style made him an invaluable cast
member on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” one of the
top-rated shows on television in the late 1960s, died on
Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 85. The cause appeared to be a heart attack, Michael Michaud, a friend and administrator for Mr. Sues, said. On “Laugh-In,” Mr. Sues was part of an ensemble cast in a comedy-sketch show that prefigured “Saturday Night Live” And launched the careers of stars like Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin and Flip Wilson. Mr. Sues played Uncle Al the Kiddies’ Pal, a consistently hung-over children’s entertainer; Big Al, an effeminate sportscaster more obsessed with ringing a bell than announcing the day’s action; and a drag imitation of the cast member JoAnne Worley. He first performed on the show in 1968 as a manic fan who accosts Rowan and Martin with a 30-second recap of a “Laugh-In” episode. “Laugh-In” combined vaudeville routines, topical and physical humor and jokes in a rapid, stream-of-consciousness format. Episodes began with banter by the hosts, the comedy of team of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, that quickly devolved into a cavalcade of psychedelic sight gags, sketches and bikini-clad dancers punctuated by catchphrases like “Sock it to me!” and “You bet your sweet bippy.” In terms of game show appearances, Sues, like many of his "Laugh-In" cohorts, made the rounds on 70s-era game shows, including "The Game Game", "Letters to Laugh-In", "Name Droppers", "It Takes Two", "Can You Top This?", "The Movie Game", "The Hollywood Squares", "The Liars' Club", and "Celebrity Sweepstakes". GSNN's Chris Tufts contributed to this report. |
 Alan Sues (photo courtesy IMDb) |
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Monday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/5/11 |
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What Becomes of the X
Factor 2.0? |
Posted 12/3/11 |
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Holding strong at 10 million
viewers, as Thursday’s episode brought in for Fox, X
Factor has already been confirmed for a second season,
but how much will version 2.0 look like the original? Rumors are already spreading about a possible judge swap -- X Factor UK’s Kelly Rowland for US judge Nicole Scherzinger -- and there’s the question of host Steve Jones and whether he’ll return. “I have no idea,” Jones told The Hollywood Reporter after Thursday’s elimination. “Fingers crossed, I’d love to come back.” Normal protocol, says the six-foot-plus Brit, “is the show finishes and they assess. If they want me back, great. If they don't, I'll do something else, it’s as simple as that.” More complicated is the matter of a major judging switch, but Simon Cowell shot that idea down on Thursday night, too. “I have never had that conversation," he said when asked about the Rowland-Scherzinger rumor. "Though after tonight maybe it's not a bad idea. Maybe I should send them both [Paula Abdul and Scherzinger]! But no, it’s not true at all."
Principal players aside,
there’s also the matter of the show’s budget. Cowell’s
flagship program is one of the more expensive shows on
the air (with production costs estimated between 2 to 3
million dollars an episode), and while it’s 3.0 share is
solid, can it sustain such exorbitant spending? |
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Weekend Lightning Round |
Posted 12/3/11 |
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Midseason: Fox |
Posted 12/2/11 |
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FOX is announcing 2011-2012
midseason premiere dates for new and returning series,
including the return of AMERICAN IDOL; the debuts of new
dramas TOUCH, ALCATRAZ and THE FINDER; and the launch of
new animated series NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. Welcome AMERICAN IDOL back when its 11th season begins with a two-night premiere Wednesday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Featuring host Ryan Seacrest and returning judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, television's No. 1 series continues with a special, extended primetime broadcast Sunday, Jan. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT) following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (6:00 PM-CC ET live/3:00 PM-CC PT live). |
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Thursday: Fox Wins on
Results |
Posted 12/2/11 |
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FOX (9.51 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) held off the competition on
Thursday thanks to new episodes of "The X Factor" (10.20
million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) and "Bones"
(8.82 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4). ABC (8.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then climbed to second place with a repeat of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (7.24 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5) followed by the two-hour special "CMA Country Christmas" (9.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #7). Next up was CBS (8.41 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2), "Rules of Engagement" (8.08 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T5), "Person of Interest" (8.08 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11) and "The Mentalist" (7.89 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11). Meanwhile, NBC (4.44 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up new episodes of "Community" (3.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) - its largest audience since September 29, "Parks & Recreation" (3.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9), "The Office" (5.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2), "Whitney" (4.02 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8) and "Prime Suspect" (4.63 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13). And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.11 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) and "The Secret Circle" (0.86 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T14) on The CW (0.98 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 0.4 rating while "Circle" delivered a 0.5 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +3.33% - The X Factor (vs. 11/17/11) Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +29.17% - The X Factor (vs. Bones) -7.14% - Prime Suspect (vs. The Apprentice) |
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"Bank Job" Goes Live
Online |
Posted 12/2/11 |
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Channel 4 is to launch an
online game involving players answering general
knowledge questions inside a virtual bank vault to win
the chance to appear on a forthcoming live TV show. The Bank Job, produced by Big Brother maker Endemol, is a new gameshow format that will air for six nights on Channel 4 in the first week of January, giving contestants the opportunity to "pull off the ultimate heist and walk away with a life-changing sum of money". An exclusive early application form to appear on the show can be secured by playing the online game, also called The Bank Job, which is live now on the Channel 4 website. Online players will go head-to-head during tournaments, answering general knowledge questions in real-time to scoop the most virtual cash and escape the vault. Each timed round will feature 25 safety deposit boxes. A correct answer to the question enables the player to select a box, which could contain a cash sum, or be empty, or give the chance to steal an opposing player's money. The winner is the player who leaves the vault with the largest amount of cash before the time runs out, but the game's strategy and tactics come in with how long you decide to stay in the vault. Leave too early and there could be too many boxes left for an opponent to plunder, but leave too late and your own cash could be at risk of being stolen, or locked in the vault. As players compete online they will build a personal profile of their performance, which can be shared with friends via Facebook. The main aim is to become an Elite Player and unlock the application form for the live show, as well as the chance to enter a prize draw to win £10,000. |
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Blue Touch Open for
Business |
Posted 12/2/11 |
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Chris Pye, the former
chairman of Sony's 2waytraffic, and David Walton have
set up the entertainment formats outfit Blue Touch TV,
which has already landed two deals from its launch
slate. Co-developed by Blue Touch and NERD TV, The Network is a game show that sees contestants relying on their social-networking friends to answer questions about them. An international distribution deal has been signed for the show with BBC Worldwide. Curveball, developed by Blue Touch in association with McLaren Entertainment, is a rapid-fire quiz in which contestants can play game-changing curveballs. The format has been optioned in the U.K. by Rain Media. |
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Happy Friday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/2/11 |
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"24 Hour Catwalk": January
10 |
Posted 12/1/11 |
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The fierce and competitive
world of fashion gets even cattier with the premiere of
the new series, 24 Hour Catwalk, beginning Thursday,
January 10, 2012, at 10pm ET/PT on Lifetime. Featuring
television personality and global style icon Alexa
Chung, four talented designers get the chance to create
their own collection for the judging eyes of industry
bigwigs. But, they must do so in only 24 hours! Who will
have the vision, the talent and most importantly, the
endurance to make it on the runway? Hosted by Alexa Chung, each episode of 24 Hour Catwalk gives four designers the chance to compete to create their own line... in just one day. After a first cut challenge and elimination that will test their innovation and aesthetic, the competition whittles down to two, each tasked with creating a themed collection for their own star-studded runway show. Contestants will be on pins and needles when they, along with help of 24 Hour Catwalk's talented and opinionated sewing team, must prepare to showcase their three-piece collection to the program's judges, including renowned designer Cynthia Rowley, New York Times best-selling author and fashion editor Derek Blasberg and power publicist James LaForce. As the clock ticks down, tensions run high as 24 Hour Catwalk tests who has the will, desire and stamina to create clothes worthy of winning a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Cover Girl and Herbal Essences. 24 Hour Catwalk is produced by Jane Street Entertainment with Linda Lea and Donna Macletchie, and Rob Sharenow, Gena McCarthy and Colleen Conway of Lifetime executive producing. |
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Wednesday: Insert
X-Factor-Related Pun Here |
Posted 12/1/11 |
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FOX (9.91 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was Wednesday's top draw
thanks to a new "The X Factor" (10.93 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) plus the premiere of "I Hate
My Teenage Daughter" (6.84 million viewers, #8; adults
18-49: 2.8, #3). CBS (8.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "Survivor: South Pacific" (10.92 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2), a repeat of "Criminal Minds" (7.55 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and its annual special "The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! - Countdown to Music's Biggest Night" (5.62 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8). Next up was NBC (9.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) with its annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" (9.42 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9) special followed by new episodes of "Harry's Law" (9.91 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) - a season high - and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9.83 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5). Meanwhile, ABC (5.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T3) fell to fourth place with an all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (6.00 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T9), "Suburgatory" (5.26 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11), "Modern Family" (7.16 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #4), "Happy Endings" (4.96 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Revenge" (4.01 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13). And finally, the special "A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa" (2.40 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T14) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.93 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T14) on The CW (2.16 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Muppets" delivered a 1.1 rating while "Top Model" posted a 1.1 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +100.00% - America's Next Top Model +63.16% - Survivor: South Pacific +48.00% - The X Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +91.71% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target/Hell's Kitchen) 0.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Hellcats) -13.89% - Survivor: South Pacific |
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More on Facebook "Feud" |
Posted 12/1/11 |
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While the popularity of
Family Feud has waned since the days of host Richard
Dawson, the game show has moved into the 21st century.
Yes, you can now audition on Facebook. Through a partnership with Playkast, families (comprised of five family members who are either related by blood, marriage, or adoption) can now upload a 90-second video via the Family Feud Facebook page and pitch the show's producers (and America) for the right to compete on the show, now hosted by comedian Steve Harvey. Other users can "like" the audition, naturally, and accumulated likes will earn the audition points, boosting popular auditions onto the show. It's also a way of boosting the show's awareness on social media. The actual deal has been struck between Fremantle Media and Playkast. Fremantle also produces several other popular shows—The X Factor, America's Got Talent, and The Price is Right, among others—which implies that the Facebook format could be used on the other properties, as well, in the future. "It's time to take fan engagement to the next level," said Larry Braitman, chief executive of Playkast, in a statement. "With 'Family Feud,' our goal was to transform the audition process into online entertainment while giving the fan community a voice. Playkast provides companies with a dynamic way to reach out and turn fans into active participants and content creators." Auditions run through January 9. |
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My Man Can in Lithuania |
Posted 12/1/11 |
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SevenOne International has
sold the game-show format My Man Can to LNK TV in
Lithuania, where the show is to air as Mano Vyras Gali
in January 2012. My Man Can, produced by Redseven Entertainment, features four women who gamble on their man’s ability to accomplish certain tasks. If he performs the task, such as eating 20 chili peppers, she wins the jackpot. The series has already been sold to China, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, South Korea and France, among other territories. Shakira Hoffmann, the sales manager of CEE at SevenOne International, said, “In My Man Can, the women are in charge and guys who think of themselves as the lords of creation have to show what they’re really made of. Many couples only really get to know each other on the show. Now LNK audiences will find out whether Lithuanian men can keep their significant others’ promises." Indre Zelbaite-Ciesiuniene, the creative director of LNK TV, added, "We are excited to have this internationally acclaimed and extremely positive and funny show on our new schedule starting in January 2012. This will be great a company to the slate of our premium weekend entertainment shows." |
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Thursday Lightning Round |
Posted 12/1/11 |
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Simon Cowell to Return...
to Britain's Got Talent |
Posted 11/30/11 |
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Simon Cowell has reportedly
decided to return to Britain’s Got Talent as a judge
next year. The music mogul was said to be considering leaving the show and focusing on his American TV ventures in 2012, but has now decided to return to the ITV series. Insiders think his decision may have been influenced by the lack of success enjoyed by his game show format Red Or Black over the summer and also by the falling X Factor ratings this year. An ITV source told The Mirror: “Simon wants to make it the biggest, most successful series yet. His presence will be a guaranteed ratings winner as he is so popular with viewers.” David Hasselhoff yesterday confirmed that he had been sacked from the show and Michael McIntyre revealed earlier in the year that he had left the panel, so ITV bosses are currently trying to fill their spots. Names in the frame so far have included Dannii Minogue, Samantha Womack and David Walliams and The Mirror today claims that Cowell himself is trying to persuade actress Barbara Windsor to join the lineup. The source added: “Simon’s been focussing on US X Factor and viewing figures for his British shows have fallen. He won’t take chances with BGT.” |
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Tuesday: Everyone Still
Loves Rudolph |
Posted 11/30/11 |
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CBS (12.11 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) bested the competition on
Tuesday with its mix of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"
(12.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), a
repeat of "NCIS" (13.35 million viewers, #1; adults
18-49: 2.9, #5) and "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show"
(10.30 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1). FOX (7.15 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "Glee" (7.84 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4), "New Girl" (7.60 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "Raising Hope" (5.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6). Next up was NBC (6.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with a new "The Biggest Loser 12" (7.07 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6) and the fall finale of "Parenthood" (5.74 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9). Meanwhile, ABC (7.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up its combination of "Last Man Standing" (10.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T6), "Man Up!" (6.59 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #11), a repeat of "The Middle" (4.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12), another repeat of "The Middle" (4.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13) and a new "Body of Proof" (9.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #10). And finally, a new "90210" (1.57 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) led into the fall finale of "Ringer" (1.57 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.57 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.5 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.8 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +20.00% - The Biggest Loser 12 Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): 0.00% - The Biggest Loser 12 (vs. Christmas in Rockefeller Center/The Biggest Loser) |
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India Checks Into "Real
Chat House" |
Posted 11/30/11 |
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MTV India is to produce a
local version of reality format The Real Chat House
after striking a deal with Armoza Formats. This marks the first international version of the format, which was created and developed by Harel Josefson. The Indian youth skewing broadcaster will coproduce the series with Israeli production company Tanin Productions and will launch the first season of 16 episodes in December. The show features 15 contestants that live in a house together and instead of being eliminated, they must try and add as many online friends to the house as possible. The winner receives a prize of INR25,000 (US$500). This is the second format that Armoza has had commissioned in Asia following its recent deal with nascent Korean broadcaster Channel A to launch a local version of gameshow Upgrade. |
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It's A "Family" Thing in
Ghana |
Posted 11/30/11 |
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In a quest to fulfill a
promise of localizing its programming Viasat 1 has
introduced another own produced program "IT RUNS IN THE
FAMILY". Premiered in September 2011, IT RUNS IN THE
FAMILY is produced by Viasat 1’s sister company Modern
African Productions (MAP) and hosted by stand up
comedian Derrick Kwabena Boateng AKA DKB or Madam
Kpelems. IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY is a family oriented game show. The game play sees two families go head to head and compete to win a grand prize. The families consist of two males and two females between the ages of 15 and 50+. Players are asked to guess responses given by a street survey. There are three rounds, each of which sees one player from each team eliminated leaving one only from both families, to compete for the grand prize in the final round. Individual prizes are awarded to high scoring players. The show is interactive and allows audiences to participate in the game. Viewers also win by guessing responses. The quickest with the correct answer wins via SMS. |
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Wednesday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/30/11 |
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Project Runway All-Stars:
January 5 |
Posted 11/29/11 |
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The wait is FINALLY over!
The MVPs from past seasons of the Emmy(R) Award
nominated series Project Runway will be judged once
again on Project Runway All Stars, premiering Thursday,
January 5, 2012 at 9:00pm ET/PT on Lifetime. A new day has arrived for 13 of the show's most talented and memorable designers who've come back to the catwalk to face a brand new panel of discerning eyes with host supermodel Angela Lindvall, world-famous designers Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as judges and fashion tastemaker and mentor, Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles. The designers have already shown what they can do and have created names for themselves since appearing on their seasons but will they have what it takes to impress these fashion elites? They must also show off their fashion prowess to guest judges such as the iconic Miss Piggy, supermodel Miranda Kerr and musician and producer Pharrell Williams, among others throughout the season. |
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Monday: CBS Beats
Everyone... on Reruns |
Posted 11/29/11 |
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CBS (8.51 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) took home top honors on
Monday despite an all-repeat mix of "How I Met Your
Mother" (7.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9,
#3), "2 Broke Girls" (9.15 million viewers, #2; adults
18-49: 3.3, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (9.69 million
viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2), "Mike & Molly"
(8.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) and
"Hawaii Five-0" (7.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49:
2.1, #9). FOX (7.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then moved up to second place with new episodes of "Terra Nova" (7.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8) and "House" (7.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5). Next up was ABC (5.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with repeats of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (7.67 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7) and "Shrek the Halls" (7.66 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5) followed by a new "You Deserve It" (4.36 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11) and a repeat of "Castle" (5.52 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12). Meanwhile, NBC (5.95 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up the season finale of "The Sing-Off" (6.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13). And finally, originals of "Gossip Girl" (1.34 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) and "Hart of Dixie" (1.87 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) on The CW (1.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Dixie" posted a 1.7 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +21.43% - The Sing-Off -33.33% - You Deserve It Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +7.69% - You Deserve It (vs. Skating With the Stars/CMA Country Christmas) -12.82% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Event)
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Bindi's Sending You to
Bootcamp |
Posted 11/29/11 |
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Australian broadcaster ABC
has commissioned wildlife game show Bindi’s Bootcamp,
which will be the first property to emerge from a
partnership between FremantleMedia Enterprises; Terri,
Bindi and Robert Irwin; and the Australia Zoo. ABC commissioned FremantleMedia Australia, in association with Sticky Pictures, to produce the series, which will be shot at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia. Hosted by Bindi Irwin (Bindi: The Jungle Girl), the series sees three teams join Irwin on an adventure across zoo, jungle, safari and savannah locations, where they will test knowledge, strength and endurance to become an official “Wildlife Warrior.” Sander Schwartz, president of kids and family entertainment at FME, said: “Bindi is an amazing young talent and will infuse this series with fun, excitement and charm. The Irwins have dedicated their lives to protecting endangered species and supporting wildlife and nature conservation, an ethos that forms the basis for all the fun, adventure and mayhem that will be a part of this show.” |
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Tuesday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/29/11 |
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"Face Off" Season 2:
January 11 |
Posted 11/28/11 |
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One of the most imaginative
aspects of science fiction is the creation of special
effects from the genre's wealth of fantastical
possibilities. Making it to the top of this creative
world requires a rare mix of exceptional qualities, most
importantly an ingenious spirit that Syfy celebrates
with the second season premiere of its acclaimed reality
competition series Face Off on Wednesday, January 11,
2012 (10:00 - 11:00 PM ET/PT). Face Off is an authentic depiction of the high creative standards necessary for a special effects make-up artist to succeed in their craft. The series debuted in January 2011 as a new reality competition program to critical and ratings success, earning the title of Syfy's best unscripted franchise series launch ever among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. In its second season, Syfy introduces a new crop of the country's most impressive rising special effects make-up artists, all wanting to follow in the footsteps of season one winner, Conor McCullagh, who recently wrapped work on the anticipated Lionsgate film The Hunger Games. The aspiring artists have come all across the country and from all walks of life - a film and science high school teacher, a tattoo artist, a toy designer, and traditional sculptors and makeup effects artists, some with years of professional experience and others self-taught. The contestants are pitted against each other in a series of hands-on challenges that will test the limits of their imaginations. The contestants are tasked with elaborate feature challenges, and for season two the creative expectations are even greater. This season, contestants will re-imagine iconic characters from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, create a waterproof sea creature, bring terrifying phobias to life, and design and build dinosaur human hybrids, among many other visually stunning creatures. There will also be the favorite genre-themed challenges that will showcase the incredible imaginations and skill of these special effects artists. Each special effects make-up artist will do whatever it takes to prove that they have the right aesthetics to win. Competing against one another in a series of rigorous challenges, the show captures the inspiring creativity and high emotion typical in the atmosphere of a working special effects lab, while also exploring the relationship dynamics and rankings that are common in the tight-knit, collaborative world. |
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Sunday: NFL Overage |
Posted 11/28/11 |
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NBC (14.17 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1) was as usual the network to
beat on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in
America #1" (6.00 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49:
1.9, #T12), "Football Night in America #2" (7.83 million
viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8), "Football Night in
America #3" (13.42 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49:
4.7, #3) and of course "Sunday Night Football" (17.23
million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.7, #2). CBS (13.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) then got a spark from a full hour of "NFL Overrun" (22.87 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.0, #1) followed by new episodes of "60 Minutes" (15.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) and "The Amazing Race" (8.98 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10) as well as an encore of "Person of Interest" (6.77 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T15). The Race took in 11.11% LESS in the money demo from last week, and 22% less from last year. Next up was ABC (7.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with new episodes of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (7.62 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #14) and "Once Upon a Time" (10.66 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #5) alongside the original movie "Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith" (6.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #17). And finally, "NFL Overrun" (8.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #6) on FOX (5.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) led into new episodes of "The Cleveland Show" (4.06 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T12), "The Simpsons" (5.61 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9), "Allen Gregory" (3.12 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T15), "Family Guy" (5.51 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7) and "American Dad" (4.46 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 2.2, #11). |
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Monday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/28/11 |
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Holiday Weekend Lightspeed Round |
Posted 11/27/11 |
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Tuesday: Singing and
Dancing... |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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ABC (15.66 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) moved top spot on Tuesday
with the two-hour season finale of "Dancing With the
Stars" (19.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1,
#1). Compared with last fall's finale (24.13 million
viewers; adults 18-49: 5.3 on 11/23/10), "Dancing"
however was down 19.39% in total viewers and 22.64% in
adults 18-49, marking its lowest-rated November finale
to date. Leading off the night were new episodes of
"Last Man Standing" (9.33 million viewers, #6; adults
18-49: 2.7, #6) and "Man Up!" (6.79 million viewers, #8;
adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9). FOX (9.33 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then took home the silver with special Tuesday installments of "The X Factor" (9.58 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4) and another "The X Factor" (9.08 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3). Next was CBS (14.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) with new episodes of "NCIS" (18.45 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (14.03 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5) and "Unforgettable" (10.33 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7) - all of which marked season lows. Meanwhile, NBC (5.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) offered up fresh installments of "The Biggest Loser 12" (5.56 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #8) and - with a season low - "Parenthood" (4.54 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T9). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +51.85% - Dancing With the Stars -4.76% - The Biggest Loser 12 -11.11% - The X Factor - 8:00 (vs. 11/16/11) -19.51% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. 11/16/11) Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +100.00% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill (Repeat)) +57.14% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Raising Hope/Raising Hope (Repeat)) -16.67% - The Biggest Loser 12 -20.00% - The X Factor - 8:00 (vs. Glee) -22.64% - Dancing With the Stars |
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"Kitchen" Nightmare |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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BBC America has given the
green light to a new "adventure cooking competition"
show as it steps up its original production efforts. No Kitchen Required, produced by IAC-owned, New York-based prodco Notional, will be filmed in countries such as Thailand, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. Each week the unscripted show will take three chefs to a remote location and drop them off by helicopter. They will then have to cook a locally inspired meal for the community after hunting and foraging for ingredients, with a winner announced at the end of each show. The series will be hosted by the BBC's One Show presenter Shini Somara and executive-produced by Kevin Greene and Notional's Chachi Senior and David Noll for a premiere in spring 2012. The show is part of BBC America's new production drive, which also includes the Graham Norton-fronted comedy panel show Would You Rather and a one-hour quiz show special called Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me, which are both due to air next month. New series lined up for next year include Richard Hammond's Crash Course and drama Copper. |
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"Weakest Link" to Sign Off
with... Hunks |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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Anne Robinson has revealed
that a number of her celebrity crushes will appear on
the final edition of The Weakest Link next year. The Watchdog host is said to have handpicked the contestants for a planned 'hunks' edition of the BBC quiz show, which is set to end in 2012 after 11 years on air. X Factor star Chico and The Streets singer Leo Ihenacho are among the celebrities selected for the special, according to The Mirror. "The deal I am hoping to arrange is that I take home the winner," Robinson told the paper, adding that leaving The Weakest Link had been "a hard decision". "It's been superb, I will miss it," she commented. "But I have always tried to leave before you think you're going to be tired of doing something." |
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KBC to Return for Season 6 |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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Bollywood's megastar Amitabh
Bachchan has revealed that sixth season of the popular
Television show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) will be
hosted by him. The curtains of the fifth season of KBC
have been put down on Thursday. Big B wrote on micro blogging site Twitter, "Indeed I am contracted for another season of KBC and I hope to be back with you at the earliest .. till then for KBC, shubhratri." Amitabh had signed a contract with Sony TV early this year on January 14 to host two seasons of the game show. Reacting on the overwhelming response of his fans, Amitabh said, "T 562 -I am overwhelmed and in obvious emotion to receive messages of sadness on the closure of KBC .. but will be back soon ..Thank you !" |
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UK "Voice" Has Hosts |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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Holly Willoughby and Reggie
Yates will present the BBC's new talent show, The Voice. Best known as co-presenter of ITV's daytime magazine program, This Morning, Willoughby has also fronted five series of Dancing on Ice for the commercial broadcaster, as well as The Xtra Factor and appearing as a regular panelist on ITV2 gameshow Celebrity Juice. Yates has made his name as a BBC Radio 1 presenter, hosting the network's Request and Chart Shows as well as fronting Glastonbury Festival coverage, Reading, T in the Park and hosting the Mobo Awards. Holly said: “I’m so excited to be hosting The Voice. When it launched in America I watched one of the shows and thought it was just a fantastic format, and when I heard it was coming to the UK I thought to myself how incredible it would be to be a part of it. It’s going to be one rollercoaster of a ride and I can’t wait to get started!” Reggie added: "I’m so delighted to get this job and be part of such a credible music show. The format of The Voice in America has worked brilliantly and I have no doubt it will be just as successful on British TV." BBC1 controller Danny Cohen commented: "Holly and Reggie feel like a perfect partnership for The Voice. They are both big fans of the show and will bring a huge amount of passion and enthusiasm to the production." At present only one celebrity coach has been announced for the program, pop star Jessie J. Further coaching announcements are expected in the near future. |
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"Top Model" Hits Asia |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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Ice-TV has inked a deal for
an Asia-wide version of CBS Studio's format Top Model.
The Hong Kong and Singapore-based producer Ice said that
production will start on Asia's Next Top Model in
early-2012. The producer and distributor did not reveal
any broadcast partners and said it also currently
recruiting marketing and branding partners for the show. The show will pitch want-to-be supermodels from around Asia against one another to find Asia's next top model. The winner will get a contract with a top model agency. The show is on The CW network in the US and is currently in its 17th season. There are local versions of the show in countries including Brazil, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy and the UK. In the Asia and Asia Pacific region there have been local versions in Australia and China, but never a pan-regional series. "Next Top Model is a genuine and proven superbrand amongst the global entertainment formats," noted David Searl, managing director, Asia, Ice TV. Meanwhile, Ice-TV is also readying a pan-regional version of The Biggest Gameshow in the World format. Broadcasters including TV5 (Philippines), RCTI (Indonesia), Channel 5 (Thailand) andVTC9 (Vietnam) have already signed up for the show, which is also known as It's A Knockout and sees different countries competing against each other in various physical challenges. "The show is produced out of Kuala Lumpur and is a format that we took off the shelf from Mistral in France," explains Simon Lockyer, Ice-TV managing director, Singapore. |
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Wednesday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/23/11 |
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Monday: On Second
Thought... |
Posted 11/22/11 |
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CBS (11.97 million viewers,
#2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) was the top demo draw on
Monday with its usual mix of "How I Met Your Mother"
(10.07 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.3, #3), "2
Broke Girls" (11.19 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49:
4.4, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (15.74 million viewers,
#2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), "Mike & Molly" (13.10
million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.2, #4) and "Hawaii
Five-0" (10.34 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8,
#6). A silver medal then went to ABC (14.00 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) with the penultimate installment of "Dancing With the Stars" (20.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #5), the series premiere of "You Deserve It" (10.05 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9) and a new "Castle" (11.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7). Next up was FOX (6.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with fresh installments of "Terra Nova" (6.49 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9) and "House" (7.34 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #8). Meanwhile, NBC (4.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) continued to struggle with its pairing of "The Sing-Off" (4.25 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.63 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12). Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +5.88% - Dancing With the Stars -6.67% - The Sing-Off Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +22.73% - Castle (vs. Skating With the Stars) -17.65% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Event) -23.40% - Dancing With the Stars -36.36% - You Deserve It (vs. Dancing With the Stars/Skating With the Stars)
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 "You Deserve It" premieres tonight on ABC (photo courtesy Worldscreen) |
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Tuesday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/22/11 |
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Sunday: It's "Amazing"
Nothing Major Happened |
Posted 11/21/11 |
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Due to NFL overrun, Fast
Nationals for CBS are approximate on the night. 60
Minutes began at 7:25p with prime sliding. Due to the
nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for NBC are
approximate on the night. NBC (14.80 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #1) as usual was the network to beat on Sunday with its mix of "Football Night in America #1" (7.23 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #11), "Football Night in America #2" (10.26 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.8, #5), "Football Night in America #3" (13.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.7, #3) and "Sunday Night Football" (17.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 6.6, #1). ABC (10.14 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then took home the silver with its coverage of "Countdown to American Music Awards" (4.46 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #16) and "The 2011 American Music Awards" (12.04 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #4). Next up was CBS (11.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and its combination of "NFL Overrun" (19.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.6, #2), "60 Minutes" (13.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #7), "The Amazing Race" (10.05 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8), "The Good Wife" (9.65 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T12) and "CSI: Miami" (8.89 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #15). The "Race" didn't lose viewers in the demo from last week, but it dropped 12.9% from last year. And finally, a repeat of "The Cleveland Show" (3.01 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 1.2, #17) led into originals of "The Cleveland Show" (3.82 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.8, #14), "The Simpsons" (5.74 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.7, #T8), "Allen Gregory" (3.97 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T12), "Family Guy" (6.04 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 3.1, #6) and "American Dad" (4.79 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10) on FOX (4.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4). |
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Midseason: ABC |
Posted 11/21/11 |
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ABC announced the following
midseason premiere dates for the 2011-12 season today.
All times listed are ET. Thursday, January 5 - 8:00-9:00 p.m. "Wipeout" - Winter Wipeout (Season Premiere) Friday, February 3 - 8:00-9:00 p.m. "Shark Tank" (Season Premiere) Monday, March 19 - 8:00-10:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" (Season Premiere) Tuesday, March 27 - 9:00-10:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show" (Season Premiere) |
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Dick de Rijk Takes Asia |
Posted 11/21/11 |
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Among the speakers set for
the upcoming Asia Television Forum is Dick de Rijk, the
creator of such hits as Deal or No Deal, who will talk
about developing original formats with international
commercial potential. de Rijk will spotlight the creative process of taking an idea and developing it into a successful original format that appeals to various cultures. He will break down the makings of a hit reality show, from packaging to promotion to making it relatable to audiences, using his new hit game show You Deserve It as an example. The Media Leader's Forum will kick off the two-day conference lineup on December 7. The focus is on the social role of media companies in the issue of climate change. Spotlight sessions on emerging Asian territories and the best of Asian animation are also included in the program. Another highlight is the gala opening of the Societe Generale Private Banking 1st Rendezvous with French Cinema, a film festival showcasing the best of contemporary French cinema. It will also serve as a business platform, with industry leaders, senior media execs and ATF delegates gathering for an evening of networking. “ATF is always evolving with market trends and one of our key objectives to enable our delegates to stay at the forefront of the ever-changing media landscape,” said Yeow Hui Leng, the project director of ATF at Reed Exhibitions. “This year’s focus on Asia is highly relevant given that the global TV industry is now turning towards Asia and demand for Asian content is growing within the region and internationally.” “As Asia’s leading content market, we provide a comprehensive platform for international content providers to network with Asian production companies and broadcasters while gaining valuable market insights at dedicated conferences led by notable industry players,” added Yeow. |
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Very Pretty; Rarely Wins |
Posted 11/21/11 |
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Anna Kournikova will not be
returning for next season of NBC's The Biggest Loser,
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Kournikova was hired by NBC to host and act as trainer on season 12 of the reality weight loss series, following Jillian Michael's exit. It seemed like a great idea at the time: she's attractive, camera friendly and a major athlete. But staffers say they clashed with her, and some of the contestants found her a bit brash. Whereas Michaels was soothing, encouraging and even uplifting, Kournikova did not sympathize with her overweight contestants, often telling them about her own tough upbringing when they complained about training being hard. A source on the show actually called Kournikova "a nightmare." She would definitely not have been mistaken for a life coach. Kournikova and her reps did admit to THR that she is leaving the show after one season, and the tennis star issued this statement to us: "I enjoyed my time on the Biggest Loser ranch. Although I will not be returning as a full time trainer on season 13, I will always be a part of The Biggest Loser family and my commitment to bettering lives through health and fitness will continue." |
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Monday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/21/11 |
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Vaya Con Dios, Regis... |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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Regis Philbin on Friday
ended his run on the popular television program "Live!"
with well-wishers including Mayor Michael Bloomberg
stopping by to pay tribute to his nearly three decades
on the daily show. Philbin, 80, bid farewell to the syndicated morning show after 28 years on the air, saying viewers had always told him they watched the show "because it makes them feel better, and it can't get better than that." "I'll never be able to top that," he added in his sign-off remarks before a star-studded audience that included Tony Danza, Alan Alda, Diane Sawyer, Donald Trump, Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira and John McEnroe. Philbin announced in September that Friday would be his final appearance on "Live! with Regis and Kelly," which will be renamed "Live! With Kelly" as Kelly Ripa welcomes a series of guest co-hosts starting next with comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Ripa, who joined Philbin in 2001 replacing former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, recalled in a halting voice her first-day jitters. As the hosts came on stage, the audience cheered and Philbin told her, "You see that sweetie, that's all for you." The final show featured a several video clips and montages, including many of guests and comedians ranging from Dana Carvey to Barney the Dinosaur imitating Philbin's signature syncopated and enthusiastic manner of speech. Gifford was on hand but did not appear on stage. A series of younger stars including Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez and Anne Hathaway all offered thanks and congratulations to Philbin in taped tributes. Bloomberg presented Philbin with a key to the city, and suggested new jobs for Philbin including cabbie, New York Yankee, underwear model and New York mayor, with images of the retiring TV host digitally inserted into appropriate photos. "You have been New York City's biggest fan for 28 years and I just wanted to come and tell you New York feels the same way about you," Bloomberg said, adding that the city enjoyed tourism business from people coming to the city for the show. Philbin's wife Joy, who often co-hosted with him, appeared, along with the couple's two daughters, who in taped, split screen interviews said "he's going to drive my mother nuts," when asked about Philbin's prospects after the show. Philbin said he would be busy promoting his new book "How I Got This Way" for at least the next several weeks. The cast of "Rent" performed, and Disney CEO and president Robert Iger announced a plaque with Philbin's image had been installed outside the show's Manhattan studio. "Live!" has enjoyed a loyal audience and solid viewership, and earned Philbin two Emmys for outstanding daytime talk show host. He received a lifetime achievement award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Emmys. The show began in 1983 when Philbin created "The Morning Show" for WABC in his native New York City. Gifford joined him in 1985, and in 1988 the program won national syndication. He hosted the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" for its 1999 U.S. debut, and is the Guinness World Record holder for most time on camera, with more than 16,500 career hours.
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 Regis Philbin hosts his final "Live! With Regis & Kelly" (photo courtesy ABC) |
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Pub Quiz, Meet "Mind Game" |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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Six minds unite on the
Season Finale of "Million Dollar Mind Game."
This unique team of competitors includes a professional violinist, a writer/director, a gospel songwriter, a music composer, a cross country traveler and the largest money winner in "Jeopardy" history. The challenge for Team Pub Quiz lies in the fact that, while they are successful with trivia questions, they may not be as victorious with logic based questions. The Season Finale of "Million Dollar Mind Game" airs SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27 (4:00-5:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. |
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Thursday: CBS Beats Fox |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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CBS (12.21 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) took home the demo crown on
Thursday for the first time this season thanks to new
episodes "The Big Bang Theory" (14.83 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), "Rules of Engagement" (11.04
million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2), "Person of
Interest" (11.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6,
#T6) and "The Mentalist" (12.09 million viewers, #2;
adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8). FOX (9.14 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then claimed the silver with fresh installments of "The X Factor" (9.46 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Bones" (8.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5). Next up was ABC (7.46 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) with a special "20/20" (8.04 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13) followed by a new "Private Practice" (7.19 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T8) and a second hour of "Private Practice" (7.15 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6). Meanwhile, NBC (4.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up its lineup of "Community" (3.63 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12), "Parks & Recreation" (3.71 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10), "The Office" (5.55 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "Whitney" (4.09 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11) and "Prime Suspect" (4.39 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14). And finally, the feature "Beneath the Blue" (2.58 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) on The CW (2.58 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): -9.09% - The X Factor Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +11.11% - The X Factor (vs. Bones) -8.33% - Prime Suspect (vs. The Apprentice) |
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Kinetic Expands Its Team |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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Kinetic Content has promoted
Emma Conway to the role of executive producer in charge
of development, and Zach Green is to join the company as
executive producer. Conway, originally from London, joined Kinetic last year and is involved in the two new network projects—the upcoming ABC game show You Deserve It and NBC's new comedy series Betty White's Off Their Rockers. In the U.K. Conway’s credits include Britain’s Got Talent, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Gameshow Marathon, The Graham Norton Effect, Banzai and Beat the Star. Green previously oversaw production on Discovery Channel’s American Chopper, Out of the Wild and History Channel’s Top Shot. He has also worked on five seasons of Survivor. Chris Coelen, the CEO of Kinetic Content, said, “We’ve worked very hard to create a quality slate of shows, and Emma and Zach's expertise will help us continue to grow as we develop a diverse programming slate." |
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First They Drop Money, Now
They Raid Banks |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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Channel 4 is preparing to
launch a new interactive, dual-screen gameshow following
the success of The Million Pound Drop Live. The show, which is being developed under the working title The Bank Raid, will also feature a playalong game and is due to launch in the new year, according to Channel 4’s commercial controller of Future Media and Advertising Ed Couchman. Speaking at Thinkbox’s TV Mobile: Up Close and Personal event in London yesterday, Couchman said the aim of the show format is to create more integrated ad opportunities beyond TV and online ad synchronization. |
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Kay
Armen: 1915-2011 |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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Kay Armen died peacefully on
October 3, 2011 after a short illness, at the age of 95. Born on November 2, 1915 in Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Armen (née Armenuhi Manoogian) was the first of four children born to Armenian parents. In 2008, Ms. Armen was honored with a pontifical encyclical and the "St. Sahag-St. Mesrob Medal" from the Catholicos of All Armenians, the highest honor bestowed by the worldwide Armenian Church to artists for their significant lifetime advancement in the arts and culture. In the 1980s, New York's St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral honored her with its "St. Vartan Award" for her longstanding support of the cathedral construction project, and for her continuing contributions to its cultural life. Affectionately known as "Charmin' Kay Armen," Kay had an illustrious show business career which spanned almost 60 years in the radio, television, stage, screen and recording industries. A singer, actress and composer, she made many records and performed on stage, in night clubs, films and on television. Her many radio hits include the phenomenally successful "Stop the Music," with Bert Parks, on both radio and later on TV. At one time Armen was heard on all three national radio networks, CBS, NBC and ABC, with various programs. Playwright William Saroyan and her cousin, Ross Bagdasarian (creator of the Chipmunks) wrote "Come on-a My House" for Kay Armen and it was later recorded by many artists, including Rosemary Clooney. On television, she starred in the hit sitcom "Love and Marriage," and Ray Bolger's "Washington Square," in which she was his singing star, and was a regular guest on many talk-variety shows, including "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Merv Griffin Show" and "The Mike Douglas Show." |
 Kay Armen (photo courtesy Armenian Reporter) |
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Happy Friday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/18/11 |
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From NPR and WBEZ
Chicago... and BBC America... |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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Could the public radio show
“Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” soon have a weekly perch on
television? The BBC America cable channel is giving the popular NPR quiz show a try-out of sorts. It’s going to tape a 2011 year in review edition of “Wait Wait” next month and televise it on Dec. 23. For the BBC, it is a one-hour special, but it could turn into something more. Television channels regularly make pilots for possible shows by commissioning one-hour specials. Asked whether that’s the case this time, an NPR spokeswoman said, “BBC and NPR are testing and learning. We’ll see how it goes and take it from there.” Peter Sagal, the witty host of “Wait Wait,” answered the same question thusly: “No comment. (I’ve always wanted to say that to The New York Times.)” NPR is known to have contemplated a television version of “Wait Wait” once before, in 2008, when it worked with the CBS network on a pilot for such a series. The pilot did not go forward. In an interview in 2009, Mr. Sagal said he valued the intimacy and the spontaneity of the current format on radio. ”We’re a bunch of guys who like joking around with each other,” he said. The television special for BBC America, to be taped in Chicago on Dec. 2, seems designed to preserve the intimacy and spontaneity of radio. It will have Mr. Sagal, the official judge Carl Kasell and a panel like all other editions of the show. Reflecting the relationship with the British broadcaster, it will include both an “American and British perspective,” according to a news release on Wednesday, “and will also include listener contests and celebrity guests from both sides of the pond.” Doug Berman, the series creator, said in a statement, “It’s going to be pretty much what we do every week, except NPR has to add a budget line for pants.” December’s one-hour special will be the first time NPR has partnered with BBC America.
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 Peter Sagal will reprise his role as host of "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" for BBC America (photo courtesy Atlanta Journal Constitution) |
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"Survivor" to Return for
Seasons 25, 26 |
Posted 11/17/11 |
| CBS has ordered Seasons 25th and 26th of TV’s longest-running reality competition, Survivor. Additionally, the network has set a premiere date for the series’ upcoming 24th cycle, which will debut on Feb. 15. Four-time Emmy winner Jeff Probst will return as host and executive producer for the three upcoming cycles of Survivor. He will juggle his duties on the reality series with his new syndicated daily talk show, which launches next September, as CBS and sibling CBS TV Distribution, which produces the talk show, have made scheduling arrangements. In its 23rd edition, Survivor: South Pacific is averaging 12.3 million viewers and 3.8/11 in adults 18-49 in the Wednesday 8 PM slot. The series is produced by SEG, Inc. Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and David Burris are executive producers. | |
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Ludia Drops Trips on the
PSN, Son |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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Ludia Inc. today announced
that it will be launching three new games based on an
assortment of fan-favorite and beloved television game
shows. Hollywood Squares(TM), Who Wants To Be A
Millionaire(TM), and Family Feud(R) Decades will be
released in the United States and Canada by the end of
the year on the PlayStation(R)Network. Based on the recognized and timeless TV show, Hollywood Squares is a game where friends and family can play on the famous "tic-tac-toe" game board occupied by "center squares" Kathy Griffin, Brad Garrett, Martin Mull and Jeffrey Tambor. Host Tom Bergeron asks celebrities questions and players judge whether the responses are true or false, all the while incorporating outrageous "zingers" to fuel the fun. Each correct answer earns a player with a square on the board and the first to mark three squares in a row wins! Released on November 15, the game is available through a single or multiplayer mode or online through the PlayStation(R)Network. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is based on the wildly popular and Emmy-award winning TV game show. Just like on the TV show, players will try to win $1,000,000 by correctly answering multiple choice questions, each worth an increasing amount of money. The game will feature favorite elements from the TV show including the lifelines "Ask the Audience," "Double Dip" and "Phone a Friend". Players will have the option of playing solo, enjoying multiplayer mode on their PlayStation(R)3 system or playing online through the PlayStation(R)Network. Players will enjoy a true-to-TV experience with the authentic Millionaire theme music, classic stage setting and other favorite elements from the popular TV game show. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire will be released on November 22. Based on the popular television game show, Family Feud Decades allows players to be the leader of a virtual family in a contest to name the most popular answers to survey questions from the decade of their choice. Scheduled for release on December 13, Family Feud Decades features favorite elements from the hit TV show, including the thousands of survey questions, 'Fast Money' play, authentic theme music and the familiar scoreboard. The game will include realistic sets and stages modeled after all four decades of the TV show, with matching wardrobe items to dress players' avatars within the appropriate time period. Players can play in multiplayer mode on their PlayStation(R)3 system and challenge their family and friends head-to-head, or compete online through the PlayStation(R)Network. |
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Wednesday: "X Factor"
Rocks |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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FOX (11.18 million viewers,
#2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) was the network to beat on
Wednesday with a new "The X Factor" (10.89 million
viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) followed by a second
hour of "The X Factor" (11.47 million viewers, #4;
adults 18-49: 4.1, #2). ABC (8.86 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "The Middle" (9.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #7), "Suburgatory" (8.13 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8), "Modern Family" (12.88 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.5, #1), "Happy Endings" (7.11 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6) and "Revenge" (7.95 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T9). Next up was CBS (11.52 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #3) with fresh installments of "Survivor: South Pacific" (11.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5), "Criminal Minds" (12.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #3) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T9). Meanwhile, NBC (6.25 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up a new "Up All Night" (4.82 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T11), a repeat of "Up All Night" (3.86 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13) and new episodes of "Harry's Law" (7.15 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (7.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T11). And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (1.19 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #16) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.86 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) on The CW (1.52 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" posted a 0.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 1.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): +6.45% - Survivor: South Pacific +2.50% - The X Factor - 9:00 0.00% - The X Factor - 8:00 0.00% - America's Next Top Model Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): +100.00% - The X Factor - 8:00 (vs. Human Target) +57.69% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. Hell's Kitchen) -5.71% - Survivor: South Pacific -11.11% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Hellcats) |
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... and Here's Nick
Hewer's Clock |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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The Apprentice star Nick
Hewer has been announced as the new host of Countdown. Channel 4 confirmed that Lord Alan Sugar's aide will take over from Jeff Stelling when filming of the long-running gameshow recommences at the end of the year. Hewer's first episode as Countdown host will air on January 9, 2012. "I'm flattered to have been asked to present such an iconic program and will work hard to justify sitting in the same seat as such great talents as Jeff Stelling, Des O'Connor and of course the great Richard Whiteley," Hewer commented. "It's particularly fitting that I should be doing this now as my spelling has started to slip quite badly. I used to be able to spell chrysanthemum." Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt said of the announcement: "Nick will be a fantastically charismatic host for Countdown. He is sharp and funny and has a real twinkle in his eye." Head of daytime Helen Warner predicted that Hewer would bring "dry wit, fierce intelligence and unique charm" to the show, while executive producer Peter Gwyn added: "I'm absolutely delighted that Nick has agreed to take the Countdown chair, and I can't wait to see him bring his unique style and humor to this iconic format. "With Nick at the helm and our 30th birthday next year, we've got some very exciting times ahead for Countdown viewers." Math expert Rachel Riley and Dictionary Corner chair Susie Dent are both returning to the show. Stelling quit as Countdown presenter back in May after two years in the role.
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 Nick Hewer will be the fourth host of "Countdown" in 2012 (photo courtesy Wikipedia) |
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"Stars" Shot... Down |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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BBC Two has pulled the plug
on the quiz show "Shooting Stars" – hosted by Bob
Mortimer and Vic Reeves – for the second time after it
first aired from 1995-1997, followed by a second run
from 2008. A BBC spokeswoman said: “In future there will be less space on BBC Two for comedy and entertainment panel shows so sadly Shooting Stars won’t be returning. “We’d like to thank Vic and Bob for everything they’ve brought to the channel over the years.” Shooting Stars’ boss Lisa Clark added: “There isn’t enough money. It’s a real shame because Vic and Bob are unique.” Bob wrote on his twitter page: “BBC have just cancelled shooting stars.” Fans reacted angrily to the news on twitter with The Times critic Caitlin Moran writing: “A genuine outrage. I hope some other channel snaps up Shooting Stars immediately: it’s one of the best comedy shows of the last 20 years.” Former Fast Show star Simon Day added: “Shooting Stars: funniest show on telly. Great idea to drop it, from people who care.” Earlier this year Bob admitted he was thrilled with how the show was being received, claiming the public needed a show that was a “bit stupid”. He explained: “It’s had the best critical acclaim in years so maybe the time’s come round again. There’s a feeling in the air that maybe things have got a bit dreary again. There’s a need for something a bit stupid – a bit Milligan, a bit Cooper.”
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Thursday Lightning Round |
Posted 11/17/11 |
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Tuesday: Dropping
Pounds... and Viewers |
Posted 11/16/11 |
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CBS (15.38 million viewers,
#1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) held onto the top spot on
Tuesday with its usual mix of "NCIS" (19.94 million
viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1), "NCIS: Los Angeles"
(15.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3) and
"Unforgettable" (11.19 million viewers, #4; adults
18-49: 2.4, #7). The silver then went to FOX (6.48 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) with fresh installments of "Glee" (7.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #4), "New Girl" (6.91 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and "Raising Hope" (4.83 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8). Next up was ABC (10.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with new episodes of "Last Man Standing" (8.97 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #6), "Man Up!" (6.28 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #12), "Dancing With the Stars" (14.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5) and "Body of Proof" (9.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9). Meanwhile, NBC (5.79 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "The Biggest Loser 12" (6.20 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T9) and "Parenthood" (4.96 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11). And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.64 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) and "Ringer" (1.85 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T13) on The CW (1.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Ringer" posted a 1.0 rating. Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): 0.00% - Dancing With the Stars -12.50% - The Biggest Loser 12 Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49): -16.00% - The Biggest Loser 12 -18.18% - Dancing With the Stars |
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Oca Una Vez Mas |
Posted 11/16/11 |
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Veralia, the Madrid-based
production holding, is readying a Latin American reboot
of mid-90s Spanish game show "El Gran Juego de la Oca"
(The Great Goose Game), which was based on the Snakes
and Ladders boardgame. Produced in Bogota and set up at Veralia's light entertainment division Europroducciones TV, "Oca" wil | |
