Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label TV qv Media TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV qv Media TV. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2007

20070913 The president in HD

The president in HD

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007

Thanks to David Wissing over at the Hedgehog Report – “President Bush Speech Notes/Open Thread” we learn that “tonight's Presidential address from the White House (was) broadcast for the first time in high definition television.”

Mr. Wissing credits TVNewser, “The President In HD” for the information, which notes, “Previous events, including this year's State of the Union address, were in HD but now that the White House is wired, the networks can carry the speech in HiDef.”

But quick, when was the first presidential speech on TV?

The History News Network, “How the White House Discovered Television” cites Christine Gibson in American Heritage : “…the first televised Presidential speech ever…” was “President Harry Truman's speech on October 5, 1947, urging Americans to save wheat…”

The speech and the circumstances are to be the subject of a future column that I am writing to coincide with the anniversary. I had come across the information before and then when I was at the Truman Key West “Little White House” this past February, I gained some more insight into the event. See: 20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy.

####

Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

####

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

20070814 TVNewser Daily Feed for Tuesday Aug 14 2007

TVNewser (Daily) Feed - 8/14/2007

mediabistro.com's DAILY TVNEWSER FEED

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ -- Visit TVNewser throughout the day for breaking news and inside info.

------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, Aug 14

THE TICKER: CNN, CBS, CNBC...

The NABJ presented CNN with its "Best Practices" award during their convention in Las Vegas last weekend. The net was cited for its commitment to diversity both on and off air. >On assignment for 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper, has just returned from Africa. He and his team went to the interior of Niger: an "odyssey through primitive villages where most mothers have lost a child to malnutrition." The story will air this fall. >Want...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/the_ticker/the_ticker_cnn_cbs_cnbc_65056.asp

FOR HEMMER, AROUND THE WORLD TO FNC

When he's not in the studio, or reporting from around the world, you might find Fox News Channel anchor Bill Hemmer in Sag Harbor, where he has a home. A reporter from The Sag Harbor Express sat down with Hemmer recently to chat about how he got his start in the biz. An internship with Cincinnati's WLWT, turned into a sports reporting job. "But by 25 or 26," while working at another Cincy station, WCPO,...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/for_hemmer_around_the_world_to_fnc_65083.asp

FNC, #7 ON CABLE LAST WEEK

The basic cable channel rankings for last week are in. Fox News Channel is the seventh most-watched network. CNN is #25. The rankings are here......

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/fnc_7_on_cable_last_week_65082.asp

EVENING NEWS RATINGS: WEEK OF AUG. 6

World News with Charles Gibson continues as the evening news leader. ABC says for the "15th Time in 16 Weeks ABC is #1 in all categories." Worth noting: the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric gained 300+ thousand viewers week to week, and went back above the 6,000,000 average for the first time in five weeks. Total viewers: ABC: 7,810,000 / NBC: 7,490,000 / CBS: 6,020,00025-54 demo: ABC: 2,390,000 / NBC: 2,260,000 / CBS: 1,790,00025-54...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/evening_news_ratings/evening_news_ratings_week_of_aug_6_65065.asp

==== advertisement ====

INTRODUCING THE SPRINT MOBILE MEDIA NETWORK.Pioneering a new way to engage, connect and interact with empowered consumers. The Sprint Mobile Media Network enables marketers and advertisers to reach millions of wireless data subscribers through strategically targeted advertising on mobile web browsing pages. Learn More Today

http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;74002033;15749662;c?http://www.sprintmedianetwork.com/

=======================

Tuesday, Aug 14

BILL PLANTE ON HIS FAMOUS QUESTION

CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante speaks out today, on CBS's Public Eye, about the much-discussed "If he's so smart, why did you lose Congress?" question he directed at President Bush after Karl Rove's departure announcement yesterday. Plante says, "There was no time to frame that question because the event [that] morning was a statement, not a news conference. So I asked a more direct one. I thought it unlikely that they would answer,...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cbs/bill_plante_on_his_famous_question_65073.asp

WHEN FIRST IS REALLY SECOND

Oh, those games cable networks play. This morning, at 10:42am ET CNN interviewed Matell CEO Bob Eckert about their toy recall. The net branded it a "first on CNN" interview. Only problem: Eckert was a guest on CNBC 18 minutes earlier at 10:24am ET....

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/when_first_is_really_second_65067.asp

TODAY'S FOURTH HOUR: "SPONTANEOUS, INFORMATIVE, DYNAMIC"

With just weeks until its launch, NBC has officially taken the wrapping paper off the plans for the fourth hour of the Today show. As previously reported Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb will host, with a roster including Amy Robach, David Gregory, Giada DeLaurentiis, Jenna Wolfe, Nancy Snyderman and Tiki Barber making "regular appearances as co-anchors." Says Steve Capus, President of NBC News: "We never anticipated when we launched the third hour that...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/todays_fourth_hour_spontaneous_informative_dynamic__65063.asp

"I-CAUGHT": THE NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW

Today's New York Times reviews ABC News' "i-Caught", hosted by Bill Weir. Times writer Mike Hale asks, "Do enough people care about the stories behind viral videos to make this a viable prime-time television concept? Maybe - the premiere drew a tolerable number of viewers for a summer fill-in." "And there are signs," Hale continues, "that ABC News is willing to flex some reportorial muscle on the show's behalf: tonight's episode is scheduled to include...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/abc/icaught_the_new_york_times_review_65060.asp

Tuesday, Aug 14

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN & SPIKE LEE TELL KATRINA STORIES, THROUGH TEENS' EYES

With the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaching, CNN has teamed up "with 11 New Orleans-area teenagers for a documentary that captures what their lives have been like since the storm." The special was filmed almost entirely by the teens with handheld digital video cameras. "The teens discuss loss, depression, inspiration and redemption in their own words, diary-style." Children of the Storm premieres Wednesday, August 29, at 8pmET. The full press release is after the...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/soledad_obrien_spike_lee_tell_katrina_stories_through_teens_eyes_65059.asp

IF I DID IT, READY FOR THE PRESS(ES)

The controversial book about the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, will be coming to a book store near you, after all. Last month, Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father won the rights to the controversial O.J. Simpson project. A publisher for the repackaged book will be announced today. TVNewser contributor Diane Clehane, talked with "O.J. aficionado," CNN's Jeffrey Toobin about the project earlier this month. Public outrage led News Corp. to cancel...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/court_cases/if_i_did_it_ready_for_the_presses_65053.asp

DON KING'S THING FOR LIZ CLAMAN

We know Chris Matthews likes his business babes, but who knew Don King has it for former CNBCer Liz Claman. According to the NYDaily News Claman was having lunch with Ameritrade CEO Joe Moglia, when "Don King came barreling across the Michelangelo bar shouting how much he loved 'the most beautiful anchorwoman in America,' and offered Claman a job on the spot." The job? "co-hosting a country-music special with him, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnbc/don_kings_thing_for_liz_claman_65040.asp

OF KOOL-AID & CHOREOGRAPHERS

The NYPost follows up on Friday's story about a thriller of an afternoon at the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric....

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cbs/of_koolaid_choreographers_65039.asp

**

To read more on TVNewser, including this email:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/

To get RSS feeds for updated TVNewser throughout the day:

http://www.mediabistro.com/rss/

TVNewser Needs You! Send us your story tips, job changes, insider gossip, and all that other good stuff: TVNewser@mediabistro.com

------------------------------------------------------------

START RECEIVING THIS EMAIL

http://mediabistro.com/memberscenter/changeMailList.asp?lmlid=12

SEND FEEDBACK

wecare@mediabistro.com?subject=NewsfeedFeedback

HOW TO ADVERTISE

More than 90,000 people in the media business read this email every day. To learn about advertising or other creative partnerships, contact Chris O'Hara at 212-929-2588 x314.

www.mediabistro.com | 494 Broadway | New York | NY | 10012 | USA

Friday, June 29, 2007

20070629 MediaBistro Daily TVNewser Feed for Fri Je 29 2007

20070629 MediaBistro Daily TVNewser Feed for Fri Je 29 2007

Friday, Jun 29

MOYERS SAYS FNC "HUFFS & PUFFS," BUT "DOES LITTLE SERIOUS ORIGINAL REPORTING"

Bill Moyers' essay about Rupert Murdoch, airing tonight on PBS, is already on YouTube and The Huffington Post. Here's what Moyers says about FNC: "His worst offense with FOX News is not even its baldly partisan agenda. Far worse is the travesty he's made of its journalism. FOX News huffs and puffs, pontificates and proclaims, but does little serious original reporting. His tabloids sell babes and breasts, gossip and celebrities. Now he's about to bring under...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/moyers_says_fnc_huffs_puffs_but_does_little_serious_original_reporting_62126.asp

MSNBC GOING TO TAPE ON SATURDAY P.M.

MSNBC is pulling the plug on its Saturday afternoon newscasts."The network had originally added the 12-4pm shift with Contessa Brewer back at the end of 2005. The network dropped its Sunday 12-4 newscast due to ratings last December," ICN says.MSNBC Live will now run from 8am to noon. "As we do on Sunday, we will break into the afternoon programming for breaking news," a network rep says......

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/msnbc_going_to_tape_on_saturday_pm_62127.asp

NEW ON FOXNEWS.COM: "DOTCOM DAILY"

FOXNews.com is testing a new web video: "Dotcom Daily," hosted by Courtney Friel, the web site's entertainment correspondent.She already hosts the gossip webcast Lips and Ears. Since Monday, she's been reading headlines on the two-minute videos, accessible through AOL Video.Is this a new web product from FNC, similar to the business videos Cheryl Casone hosts for Yahoo?......
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/new_on_foxnewscom_dotcom_daily_62045.asp

DEBATES: MSNBC SPONSORING TWO IN FLORIDA

Several Florida groups are hoping to attract presidential candidates to two debates next January. Today MSNBC signed on as a national broadcast sponsor for the debates, scheduled to take place Jan. 23 and 25. Also, "most of the NBC affiliates in Florida have already committed to broadcast the debates live." NBC special events EP Phil Alongi says "NBC News is pleased to join the Decision 2008: Before You Vote partnership, and we are looking forward...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/debates_msnbc_sponsoring_two_in_florida_62120.asp

==== advertisement ====

INTRODUCING THE SPRINT MOBILE MEDIA NETWORK.Pioneering a new way to engage, connect and interact with empowered consumers. The Sprint Mobile Media Network enables marketers and advertisers to reach millions of wireless data subscribers through strategically targeted advertising on mobile web browsing pages. Learn More Today

Friday, Jun 29

ZUCKER THINKS WE SHOULD "BACK OFF" COURIC & "GIVE HER A BREAK"

Jeff Zucker, Katie Couric's former boss, thinks some of the scrutiny directed toward her has been "unfair and sexist in tone." In a FT.com video interview, Zucker said: "Frankly, I think everybody should just back off, give her a break, and let her do her job, and see how it goes. But I think the amount of attention attended to this has been wholely unfair, and I do think there is a degree of sexism...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/couric_watch/zucker_thinks_we_should_back_off_couric_give_her_a_break_62101.asp

TERROR PLOT FOILED: COVERAGE NOTES

> Look at the message CBS News found on a jihadist Internet forum: "Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed." It was posted hours before the scare... > Today's scare "comes just three weeks after what was described as an al Qaeda graduation ceremony of suicide bomb teams to be dispatched to Europe and the United States," ABC's Brian Ross notes... > Good Morning America covered the plot with three correspondents:...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/top_stories/terror_plot_foiled_coverage_notes_62100.asp

WATCH: BYSTANDER GRABS INGLE'S MIC ON FNC

A bystander interfered with Laura Ingle's iPhone live shot on FNC this morning, grabbing her microphone and running away before being tackled. Here's the must-see video. Ingle was interviewing Newsweek's Steven Levy, who was holding a coveted iPhone. "I thought it was interesting that the guy tried to grab your microphone and not the iPhone!," Megyn Kelly said......

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/watch_bystander_grabs_ingles_mic_on_fnc_62095.asp

TERROR PLOT FOILED: LAUER'S GOOD TIMING

Nice timing: Matt Lauer was in London to tease Sunday's Diana concert when this morning's bomb scare news broke."Just about three miles from where I'm standing here at Kensington Palace this morning, police diffused or made safe what they're describing as a potentially viable explosive device," Lauer said at the top.Then he spent a couple minutes teasing his Diana coverage before introducing a correspondent's package and interviewing an ITV News political editor... > Update: 10:51am:...
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/terror_plot_foiled_lauers_good_timing_62093.asp

Friday, Jun 29

TERROR PLOT FOILED: MSNBC IGNORES IT

While CNN and Fox News Channel were in breaking news mode early this morning, broadcasting continuous live coverage of the London bomb scare, MSNBC was acting like nothing had happened. MSNBC's First Look, live at 5am and repeated at 5:30am, barely made mention of the developing story. The top story was yesterday's immigration defeat in Congress. Anchor Joel Connable was finally forced to mention the terror plot once, when tossing to CNBC Europe for a market...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/terror_plot_foiled_msnbc_ignores_it_62091.asp

TERROR PLOT FOILED: CNN SIMULCASTS INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE, FNC AIRS SKY NEWS

E-mailer coverage notes: > "FNC broke the news with Suzanne Sena giving live updates at 3 a.m., 3:30 a.m., and then interrupting a repeat of Special Report to simulcast a live feed from Sky News from 3:40 a.m. for about 7 minutes," an e-mailer says. > FNC started simulcasting Sky News at 4am, with brief breaks for commercials. The live coverage continued until Fox & Friends started at 6am. > CNN interrupted the 3am replay...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/top_stories/terror_plot_foiled_cnn_simulcasts_international_coverage_fnc_airs_sky_news_62089.asp

TERROR PLOT FOILED: CNN'S "GOOD FORTUNE" TO HAVE AMANPOUR ON SET

American Morning co-hosts John Roberts and Kiran Chetry were lucky to have Christiane Amanpour on hand this morning -- and they knew it.Amanpour was on set in New York all morning."We woke her up. She has raced into the studio," Roberts said.Before signing off, Chetry added later: "It was certainly good fortune for us."Amanpour's special, "The War Within," will re-air Saturday and Sunday at 8pm.....

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/terror_plot_foiled_cnns_good_fortune_to_have_amanpour_on_set_62087.asp

Watch: Check out the iPhone stunt gone wrong on Today."Steve Jobs is counting on us!," Meredith Vieira joked as she tried to get her phone to work......

mediabistro.com's DAILY TVNEWSER FEED

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/

-- Visit TVNewser throughout the day for breaking news and inside info.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/_62088.asp

To read more on TVNewser, including this email:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/

20070629 Quote of the day - affirm your work

Quote of the day - affirm your work

Friday, June 20th, 2007

“No one else can tell you what your life's work is, but it's important that you find it. There is a part of you that knows--affirm that part.”

Willis Harman (d. 1997) Scientist and engineer

Thanks TC

Then again – I like the one I noticed on “Studio 60” last night: “Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”

(And yes I agree…)

Hey – it’s Friday.

Have a great weekend.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

20070627 Alabama Mayor Caught Driving Stolen Vehicle


Alabama Mayor Caught Driving Stolen Vehicle

June 27th, 2007 – Posted June 28th, 2007

Hmmm, seems to me that this sort of activity is not on the mayoral behavior recommended list. Where are Andy Taylor and Barney when we need them?

Andy Griffith Show promo

Alabama Mayor Caught Driving Stolen Vehicle

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

By Audrey Bright

Fox News

Lipscomb, Ala., Mayor Simon Speights Sr. was found driving a stolen vehicle last Friday Jefferson County Sheriff's Department Spokesman Sgt. Randy Christian told FOXNews.com.

When confronted, Speights reportedly told investigators he had indeed driven the vehicle. The car was originally from Virginia and had been reported stolen in Walker County, Ala., in September 2005.

Click here to read the report by MyFOX Birmingham

Read the rest of the Fox News item here: Alabama Mayor Caught Driving Stolen Vehicle

####

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

20070612 CBS Chief Calls Rather Comments sexist

In a battle of the moonbats…

TV: CBS Chief Calls Rather Comments `sexist'

By SETH SUTEL, The Associated Press 2007-06-12

NEW YORK - CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves shot back at former CBS news anchor Dan Rather on Tuesday, saying remarks Rather made about his successor, Katie Couric, were "sexist."

Rather, speaking on MSNBC by phone on Monday, said CBS had made the mistake of taking the evening news broadcast and "dumbing it down, tarting it up," and playing up topics such as celebrities over war coverage. The comments appeared in blogs and in a story published Tuesday in the New York Daily News.

While referring to Couric as a "nice person," Rather said "the mistake was to try to bring the 'Today' show ethos to the 'Evening News,' and to dumb it down, tart it up in hopes of attracting a younger audience."

Moonves, asked about the remarks at an appearance in New York sponsored by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, called the remarks "sexist" and said he was surprised at the amount of negative coverage Couric was receiving. Couric, the first solo female news anchor, has been struggling in the ratings.

"She's been on the air for nine months," Moonves said. "Let's give her a break."

More

####

Sunday, June 03, 2007

20070528 Variety: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

Variety: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

Hat Tip: The Digital TV Weblog: i-Caught – or see post on Soundtrack: 20070531 The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

Posted on Soundtrack June 3rd, 2007

Anyone who reads Soundtrack, know by now how much I like movies and videos… and TV commercials…

Commercial TV these days leaves me flat. I’m not much on game shows, situational comedy, and certainly not a fan of reality TV.

But I hope to catch this program – “ABC I-Caught” - when it comes out – as I have so enjoyed much of YouTube… This seems like a pretty good match-up. We’ll see.

ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117965899.html?categoryid=1300&cs=1

Network launches user-generated video show

By MICHAEL LEARMONTH Posted: Mon., May 28, 2007, 8:00pm PT

ABC is hoping to reinvent the newsmagazine for the YouTube generation with a show produced by ABC News but based on user-generated video.

Hourlong skein "i-Caught" will get a six-week run on the network starting Aug. 6 at 10pm on Mondays with an eye toward a midseason return if it performs as well as the network hopes.

Amateur video will form the basis of the show's segments, but ABC News correspondents will build news stories and features around video captured on cell phones or digicams and uploaded to a companion Web site.

Exec producer David Sloan said the show will take on a wide breadth of potential stories, including breaking news; celebrity journalism; investigations; and stories of politics, crime, Internet hoaxes or just the moments of everyday life.

"The watershed event that changed newsgathering was the London terror attack in 2005," Sloan said. "There were people on that subway who did not know if they would live or die, but they got out their cell phones and started shooting."

Read more: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

20070603 YouTube on Soundtrack

June 3rd, 2007

To view posts on Soundtrack which include videos on YouTube go here.

For posts on Soundtrack that include videos from my YouTube accountgo here.

For additional commentary and other related material on YouTube – go here.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

20070531 The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

i-Caught

The Digital TV Weblog

Filed in archive Business Trends by martino on May 31, 2007

ABC will test an hour-long user generated news show i-Caught on TV for six weeks from August 6 in an attempt to get the YouTube generation interested in TV news. I suppose that the main distinction to make is that this might be 'news' but it is not journalism.

[…]

… Good Morning America weekend co-anchor Bill Weir will host…

More… i-Caught

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

20070424 Ozzie and Harriet

















"Ozzie and Harriet"

Posted April 24, 2007

The adventures of America’s favorite family, Ozzie, Harriet, David and Ricky Nelson.

I don’t know when this episode aired. The show “Ozzie and Harriet” appeared on ABC from 1952 to 1966.

This episode features a commercial for the Kodak Brownie Starmatic camera.

In this episode Dave, Ricky and Wally go horseback riding at the Lazy K Stables…

Check out the car as they leave the house to travel to the stable.

Wally rides a horse named Bertha. His mounting technique is well, unique…

And check out the riding instructor.

It would be luck that I would end up taking lessons from “Hank,’ the other riding instructor.

They decide that perhaps they need some additional horseback riding instructions… But not from George or Bill or Bob…

Well, watch the clip and smile broadly at era long since gone by.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MC8U_vlq-A

Yeah, for all my nieces and nephews who read the blog, this was TV when your uncle was growing up.

Of course, this is the other side of your uncle:

Ozzy Osbourne-Dreamer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJqswLi3uE

For the lyrics, it’s my favorite Ozzie song…

####

Saturday, April 21, 2007

20070420 FNC’s Wallace’s Bulldog Style of Interviewing

April 20, 2007

Hat tip: TVNewser

The Virginian Pilot has a piece up on the Sunday morning news “talking heads” programs…

TVNewser says…

"Wallace's bulldog style of interviewing should make his father, Mike Wallace, proud. At times, he'll plunge into an interview by saying, 'Let's look at the record.'”

[…]

Also: TV Guide has a Q&A with Wallace...

______

Sunday morning brew

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=123246&ran=135848

Also take time to review an good synopsis of The Sunday morning news lineup

By LARRY BONKO, The Virginian-Pilot

© April 22, 2007

What's Sunday morning like in your house?

A lazy day of sleeping late, devouring the Sunday paper, munching on toast and sipping coffee, followed by "Meet the Press" on NBC at 9, followed by "Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace" on Fox at 10, followed by "Face the Nation" on CBS at 10:30, followed by "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" at 11:30 on ABC?

If you watch these four shows on a regular basis, you are a certified news and public affairs junkie.

Chris Wallace loves you for it.

He's been at the helm of "Fox News Sunday" since 2003. The program celebrated its 11th anniversary last Sunday, and Wallace talked about how the cable upstart has become a force.

"Fox News Sunday" preceded the start-up of the Fox News Channel by seven months in 1996.

[…]

Who could forget…

Clinton wagged his finger in Wallace's face as he scolded him. He poked at the notes that Wallace held.

"I got the full Clinton treatment," said Wallace.

[…]

Clinton supporters called it a conservative hit job.

Wallace left ABC News after 15 years to join Fox News four years ago. ABC was prepared to extend his contract by three years when he left for Fox.

"I'd love to say that I helped build Fox News and the Fox News Channel into what it is today, but by the time I made the switch, Fox was No. 1 in cable news. As I looked across the television landscape, I saw that Fox News was still growing and expanding. I came to the conclusion that its best days were still ahead."

In the coming months Wallace and his "power panelists" on "Fox News Sunday" - including Brit Hume, Fox News Washington, D.C., bureau managing editor; William Kristol of The Weekly Standard; and Mara Liasson of National Public Radio - will spend much time discussing the run for the White House in 2008, which is well under way.

[…]

Read the entire piece… It is well worth the time. You can find it here: Sunday morning brew.

####

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

20061121 The best approach to Nancy Grace is simply do not watch it

The best approach to Nancy Grace is simply do not watch it

November 21st, 2006

Re: Filan: Lawsuit against Nancy Grace a long shot. Woman of missing boy committed suicide after appearing on CNN show. LEGAL ANALYSIS by By Susan Filan, MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst. MSNBC Updated: 7:18 p.m. ET Nov 21, 2006: “I spoke to the lawyer who represents Melinda Duckett’s family in their wrongful death lawsuit against Nancy Grace and CNN. When I first heard about the lawsuit, it sounded like a long shot to me…”




One of the more horrid programs on TV today is Nancy Grace. Please enjoy the YouTube clip above.

Sometime ago, when I first stumbled upon her program, not knowing anything about her – or it, I thought it was a spoof.

Unfortunately she is not a spoof. The program is like watching Jerry Springer, dressed in drag, on a bad acid trip… (I almost feel badly for Mr. Springer to have mentioned his name in the same paragraph…)

Then comes along Melinda Duckett’s family filing a wrongful death suit. OMG. Has no-one any shame?

The best thing to do about Nancy Grace is for no-one to watch the show.

And let’s nominate someone to pick the short straw to dress-up in personal protective hazmat gear to watch the show and list and post all the sponsors and advertisers for the horrid program; with contact e-mail addresses, so that we may all take a moment to do something truly wonderful for our country and e-mail all the sponsors and advertisers and tell them that as long as they advertise on her show, we will not buy their products.

Hey – it’s a free country. She has a right to have her show and CNN has a right to air her show - - and I have a right to not watch it and not support any organization or business that supports this filth.

Okay – moving on here… I feel better.

Kevin

Monday, November 20, 2006

20061120 OJ Simpson Book TV Special canceled

OJ Simpson Book TV Special canceled

4:10 PM November 20th, 2006
Update: Brian Selter over at TVNewser has more; see: "Fox Cancels OJ: "Your Outrage Has Been Noticeable," Shep Smith Says." / 7:30 PM KED

It just came “over the wires” that News Corp (- Fox Network,) the folks that own (ReganBooks, a subsidiary of HarperCollins, the publisher of the proposed book by Mr. Simpson and Fox Network, that had announced last week that it would air a “special,” “If I Did It,” featuring Mr. Simpson) – are going to cancel the “OJ Slasher-Extravaganza Exposé” show.”

Well, perhaps there is a G_D, after-all?

MSNBC is carrying an Associated Press story which quotes Chairman Rupert Murdoch saying that the “project was ‘ill-considered.’”

For my previous post on this sad-sorry-saga, see: 20061119 Another good post in “Plugged In” by Jordan Bartel.

“Ill-considered” is certainly one way to put it. The story behind the story is the fact that the project was even considered to begin with. It shows an enormous lack of good judgment and was in incredible poor taste. Just what were they thinking?

To be sure, poor taste pervades much of the television media these days as many of the networks continue to attempt to “dummy-down” their programming in an ill-advised attempt to capture and maintain market share.

At some point in time, hopefully it will dawn on at least some of the networks, that making programs more moronic, salacious and stupid is the incorrect direction.

Anyway, the AP story continues by saying:

NEW YORK - After a firestorm of criticism, News. Corp. said Monday that it has canceled the O.J. Simpson book and television special “If I Did It.”

“I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project,” said Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. chairman. “We are sorry for any pain that his has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.”

A dozen Fox affiliates had already said they would not air the two-part sweeps month special, planned for next week before the Nov. 30 publication of the book by ReganBooks. The publishing house is a HarperCollins imprint owned — like the Fox network — by News Corp.

In the projects, Simpson speaks in hypothetical terms about how he would have committed the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Goldman.

Relatives of the victims have lashed out at the now scuttled publication and broadcast plans.

“He destroyed my son and took from my family Ron’s future and life. And for that I’ll hate him always and find him despicable,” Fred Goldman told ABC last week.

The industry trade publication Broadcasting & Cable editorialized against the show Monday, saying “Fox should cancel this evil sweeps stunt.”

One of the nation’s largest superstore chains, Borders Group Inc., said last week it would donate any profits on the book to charity.

Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of murder in a case that became its own television drama. The former football star and announcer was later found liable for the deaths in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Goldman family.

Judith Regan, publisher of “If I Did It,” said she considered the book to be Simpson’s confession.

The television special was to air on two of the final three nights of the November sweeps, when ratings are watched closely to set local advertising rates. It has been a particularly tough fall for Fox, which has seen none of its new shows catch on and is waiting for the January bows of “American Idol” and “24.”


Other related stories called to our attention by MSNBC are:

Newsweek: Why I gave O.J. a book deal
Some affiliates rejected show
Discuss: Your thoughts on book, TV special?

####

Friday, October 20, 2006

20061019 The Honda Video




The Honda Video

October 19, 2006

As many folks are aware, I really like television commercials – well, at least the unique and artistic commercials, such as the “20060619 The Zurich Television Commercials.”

Recently I was e-mailed the link to the Rube Goldberg-like Honda video. Please find that commercial here.

Hat Tip: “Mayor Zoom” And thanks a bunch!

The e-mail states: “There are no computer graphics or digital tricks in the film. Everything you see really happened in real time exactly as you see it. The film took 606 takes. On the first 605 takes, something, usually very minor, didn't work.

They would then have to set the whole thing up again. The crew spent weeks shooting night and day. By the time it was over, they were ready to change professions. The film cost six million dollars and took three months to complete including full engineering of the sequence.

It is fast becoming the most downloaded advertisement in Internet history. Honda executives figure the ad will soon pay for itself simply in "free viewings" (Honda isn't paying a dime to have you watch this commercial!). When the ad was pitched to senior executives, they signed off on it immediately without any hesitation - including the costs.

Everything you see in the film (aside from the walls, floor, ramp, and complete Honda Accord) is parts from those two cars. The voiceover is Garrison Keillor.

Oh. and about those funky windshield wipers. On the new Accords, the windshield wipers have water sensors and are designed to start doing their thing automatically as soon as they become wet. It looks a bit weird in the commercial.”

Please enjoy this way-cool video.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org http://www.thetentacle.com/ Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Monday, June 19, 2006

20060619 The Zurich Television Commercials






The Zurich Television Commercials

June 19, 2006 [Updated October 12th, 2006]

I like television commercials. Consistently, some of the best art on TV is found in the commercials.

Recently I have noticed the commercials for Zurich insurance, “Because change happenz,” I finally found a still-detail from the video and I have pasted it above…

(The Zurich web site explains that “Zurich Financial Services Group go back to the 19th century. Founded in 1872…”)

The web site for Zurich reports that the “the theme of Zurich's latest TV and print advertising campaign, centers on Zurich's ability to actively evaluate change. Now and in the future customers know they will get more innovative, relevant, contemporary and secure solutions.”

The visual art is certainly well executed, but what has me really intrigued is the music. Recently I went on the web to see if I could out more about the music.

So far I have not found anything about the music, but I found the commercial in English - - and the German version of the commercial. The German version is even more fascinating visually.

Click here for the English version and click here for the German version. It will take you to a site called "vividas," where you can choose what bandwidth you are on...

The German version brought back memories of many years ago, the Black and Decker annual stockholder meetings were held in Hampstead and one of the highlights of the meeting was when they would play their latest foreign commercials.

Visit4info.com,” a British web site explains the German ad: “As the narrator talks about what happens about change in different situations the images are show to represent what is happing. First a bizarre product launch is shown going global, then a snowboarder is shown to be an older man. Next cars are shown driving through a junction with out stopping, and avoiding each other all because they use a GPS system, and ends with a shop literally changing it's business model in front of your eyes.”

And the same web site gives some of the commercial’s credits: “Ad location Creative agency Publicis Creative Sacha Moser, Tim Hoppin TV Producer Daniela Berther Production Co Stink, Smuggler (USA) Director Stylewar Producer Mungo Maclagan Photography Mungo Maclagan Post Production Method (California) Uploaded 04 Mar 2006”

Another Zurich commercial for Britain features flying pigs. I kid you not. It is quite a hoot. Go here to view the video. (Oh, once you get to the web page, hit the “Play Ad” button. (There is a “Download button," but they want to charge you “£2 per download.”)

Because … happens: Warum verarbeitet mein Gehirn bei diesem Werbespruch der Zürich-Versicherung nur jedes Mal genau ein Wort falsch anders?

Auf der Zürich-Webseite gibt es die (wie ich finde recht gelungene) Printwerbung sowie den TV-Spot (auch auf englisch).

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org http://www.thetentacle.com/ Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/