CYNTHIA TURNER’S
CYNOPSIS

10/12/04

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, October 12, 2004, and this is your first early morning briefing.

Despite the baseball game on Thursday night, it was  typical Thursday – that is a fight between CBS and NBC with CBS winning.  For the full night, CBS averaged an 8.0/21 A18-49 rating according to Nielsen Media Research, followed by NBC’s 7./2/19.  The baseball game was third for the night on Fox with a 2.2/6 (up to a 2.9/8 M18-49).  At 8pm CBS dominated with Survivor’s 7.1/20.  Joey on NBC answered with a 5.3/16 and Will & Grace a 5.4/15.  WB’s debut of Drew Carey’s Green Screen offered a modest 1.3/3 A18-49, picking up a share point among teens. At 9pm CSI averaged a huge 9.9/24, with NBC’s The Apprentice delivering a 7.7/19.  Over on ABC, the premiere of Life as We Know It earned a 1.8/4.  Teens doubled the adult share, with a solid 2.3/8 – and after all that is the demo for a show about teenage behavior.  At 10p CBS’ Without a Trace averaged an 8.5/23, once again with NBC close behind posting a 6.5/17. 

Friday night’s highlight was the Presidential Debate.  The Nielsen Media Research ratings for that night take into account primetime, minus the debate.  So looking at 8-9p and then 1030-11p, the averages were led by NBC with a 3.2/10, followed by ABC 2.6/8, CBS 2.2/7, Fox 1.4/4.  WB and UPN had their full primetime schedules on Friday night – WB 1.4/4, UPN 1.3/4.  At 8pm ABC and CBS tied with a 2.3/8, NBC 2.1/7, UPN 1.4/5, and WB and Fox tied at 1.3/4 among A18-49.

On Saturday night, from 8-1030pm, Fox and ABC tied each posting an 8 share among A18-49 according to Nielsen Media Research.  With that said, Fox outright won the 8-10p average with a 2.8/9, while ABC’s strength seemed to come largely in its 10-11p hour (Desperate Housewives repeat) which on its own delivered a 2.9/9.  For the baseball game on Fox, the demo high came from M18-49 posting a 3.4/11.  Back to 8pm – Fox began strongly with a 3.4/12 A18-49, while NBC’s repeat of Most Outrageous Moments came in #2 with a 1.9/7.  Survivor on didn’t impress, posting a 1.4/5, and at 9pm neither did The Apprentice with a 1.9/6 for NBC or Without a Trace for CBS with a 2.0/6. The 9p average for ABC’s second our of its movie Liar Liar earned the network a 2.8/9, winning the hour. At 10p you already know about Desperate Housewives; elsewhere 48 Hours delivered a 2.6/8 as did a repeat of L&O: SVU on NBC.

From all appearances, after just two weeks on the air, it looks like ABC has another hit on its hands with Desperate Housewives. Some may say it’s too early to call, but I don’t think so. Read on.  ABC aced Sunday night, nearly doubling its closest competition’s demo share and posting a 5.6/15 A18-49 for the night according to Nielsen Media Research. NBC was #2 with a 3.3/9 followed by Fox 3.2/8, CBS 3.0/8, WB 1.3/3.  At 7pm Fox led with a 4.9/15 for its runover of NFL Football coverage, while ABC and CBS tied with an 8 share. ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition nailed the 8p hour with a 6.2/16, its closest competition coming from CBS’s Cold Case which earned a 3.5/9.  At 9p ABC’s Desperate Housewives built on its leadin and averaged an 8.7/20 A18-49 rating, nearly doubling NBC’s 4.5/11 for Law & Order: CI. ABC also won the 10p hour with Boston Legal’s 5.1/13, over NBC’s 4.4/11 for Crossing Jordan.

Tonight’s Premieres:
BBC America:  Ground Force America: Hollywood at 8pm (US Premiere)

Sinclair Broadcasting Group‘s plan to air an anti-John Kerry documentary film on 62 television stations is drawing a lot of attention to the group, its executives, and the stations’ obligation to serve the public interest.  The documentary is called Stolen Honor: Wounds that Never Heal which follows Kerry’s activities immediately after he returned from the Vietnam War approx 30 years ago. The doc is 42 minutes long and an SBG spokesman said all or nearly all of it will air within a one hour news program.  The Democratic Party and 18 Senators plan to files a complaint with the Federal Election Committee alleging the group’s airing of the film is an “in-kind contribution” to the Bush campaign.  Records show SBG executives have donated thousands of dollars to the Bush’s Campaign for President fund. The DNC and the 18 Senators also plan to file a complain with the FCC.  On its behalf SBG has said it has extended an invitation to Senator Kerry to join them for an on air discussion following the airing of the documentary, and has posted notice on the group’s website urging people to urge Kerry to accept the invitation. Thus far, he has not.

Elsewhere, the FCC is reporting adjusting it sites on an episode of Married by America which aired on Fox in April 2003 which contained some bachelor party conversation and scenes which the PTC considered to be indecent.  The PTC has filed a complaint and the commission is considering a $1 million fine aimed at Fox Broadcasting Corp. for flying in the face of the indecency regs.

Casting / Development / Production:

• NBC is bringing along a project for television based on the film The French Connection (NBC Universal), featuring NYC cops Sonny Grosso and Eddie Egan, aka Cloudy Russo and Popeye Doyle.
• FX is looking on a new reality show called Or Best Offer where cameras follow the day in an day out father and son life as used car salesmen. The project is from Hank Capshaw and Russell Muth, the same guys behind American Chopper on Discovery, according to Hollywood Reporter.
• Nicki Aycox will join the cast of CBS’ Cold Case for a 6-ep story arc.

High School Reunion will return for a third season to the WB schedule this winter in the time period currently occupied by One Tree Hill, beginning December 7 at 9pm.  OTH will get a brief rest after its November 30th airing to make room for High School Reunion.  Plans are OTH returns in time for the Feb sweep.

The Jane Pauley Show had been moved in several markets, typically away from a news lead-in position where she was competing against the likes of Oprah and Dr. Phil among others.  Here’s where she’s at since her move to time periods earlier in the day. In all cases she’s up in her new time period, but as everyone knows, that’s only the start of the battle for numbers:

• KXAS/Dallas (NBC O&O): Moved from 3p (where she had averaged a 1.0/3) to 12n, and is now averaging a 1.3/4, slipping a share point from her lead-in Extra, and down a share pt vs. her time period average a year ago of 1.6/5 (Starting Over).
• WKRN/Nashville: Moved from 3p (where she averaged a 1.4/4) to 11am where her current average is a 2.0/7. Her lead-in is ABC’s The View which averages an 11 share.
• WDSU/New Orleans moved Jane from 4p to 12n.  At 4pm Jane averaged a 2.3/4, and in her first week at 12n she has averaged a 2.0/5. While she is down from her leadin Montel (3.4/8), she’s up vs. time period one year ago (1.5/4 Starting Over).
• KATU/Portland moved Jane from 4pm where she had pulled season to date a 1.2/3 an replaced the hour with Millionaire and The Insider.  Jane now airs at 3pm and is averaging a 1.7/5 after her first week, dropping 50% from her lead-in General Hospital.

Louis Rukeyser of CNBC‘s Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street delivered this statement to the press late last week:  “This is the most difficult letter I have ever written.  I am still recuperating from serious complications that have taken much longer than seemed reasonable over the past year–and I can no longer predict when I will be ready to rejoin you here.  Under the circumstances, I have asked my friends at CNBC to suspend production of “Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street” at the end of its run later this year. I miss being with you, and appreciate your good wishes more than I can say.”  Per his request, CNBC will be suspending production of his program by December 31, 2004. Until that time, “Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street” will be hosted by Consuelo Mack and continue to air every Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET and then be rebroadcast on 162 public-television stations over the weekend.

WWE is window shopping for a new cable network partner.  According to WWE, this is just a due diligence obligation to its shareholders, to seek out the best deal they can find.  Alternatively, WWE’s deal with the Viacom group ends in 2005.  For the past 4+ years, WWE has been airing on Spike TV, and according to Spike, it’s an important franchise for the network. And yet, it may be Spike TV no longer needs the WWE to help bolster its schedule and make it a destination for young male viewers – original and acquired programming is gaining attention for Spike.  And it could be the WWE will find more satisfaction for its 260 hours of original programming annually.   According to the Hollywood Reporter, Viacom is currently paying an annual license fee of $28 million, a fee that could go up to as high as $40 million with a deal renewal, despite the aging of the median age for WWE programming on Spike. In the past four years, the show’s media age has aged by 7 years, now at 34. And, says Hollywood Reporter quoting Nielsen Media Research data, Spikes’s target audience, M18-34, has declined 14% in 3rd qtr 2004 vs. the same period a year ago.  All are signals that perhaps its time for both parties to move on.   WWE has a separate deal with UPN for the weekly airing of WWE Smackdown and currently has two more years to go on their current deal.

Attention Last Comic Standing fans — the final ep of this series will air on Comedy Central, where the entire series has been repurposed, on October 16.

Casting Call: Nickelodeon is looking for musical theatre performers to fill two roles in the upcoming Dora the Explorer LIVE tour – Dora’s Pirate Adventure.  They are looking for someone to play the Latino characters, Dora and her cousin Diego.  The ideal age is someone in their late teens or early 20’s. Union membership is not required. What is required is you are prepared to learn and perform a short dance combination, sing a pop up-tempo song and a ballad – extra points if you can sing in Spanish. Bring a photo, resume and sheet music, and show up at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts in NYC at 214 West 43rd St on Monday the 18th at 10am.  Similar information can be found at this phone number: 917.421.5420.  Good luck!

Casting Call:  Again with Nick only this time they’re looking for adult women to host a new primetime project where parents pay fun and goofy tricks on kids. Looking for fun, energetic and outgoing types, in her 30’s, a so-called Kelly Ripa or Ellen DeGeneres non=threatening but edgy type.  To gain an audition time, send in your headshot and resume to
Auditions are being scheduled for October 21 and 22; if they want to see you, you’ll be contacted with the necessary information (where, when, etc).  Good luck!

Michele Ganeless has been named EVP/GM of Comedy Central.  The announcement was made by Doug Herzog, President. Michelle will be based in NYC where she will report directly to Doug.

John Gallagher has been named President/GM of WLS-AM 890 and Radio Disney WRDZ-AM 1300 in Chicago. The promotion, effective immediately, was announced today by Mitch Dolan, President of the ABC Radio Station Group.

Nickelodeon announced several top-level appointments as part of the integration of recently announced integration of Paramount Parks and Viacom Consumer Products under Nickelodeon Networks and its President, Herb Scannell.  The realignment includes the naming of Leigh Anne Brodsky as President/Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, and Al Weber is named President/Viacom Recreation, both will report to Jeff Dunn, President/Film & Nickelodeon Enterprises. In her new role, Leigh Ann will oversee the Viacom Consumer Products business, as well as the licensing and merchandising for MTV Networks International, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land & Spike TV.  Al will now be responsible for all live, location-based, licensed entertainment for the brands/properties of Comedy Central, MTV Networks International, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, paramount, TV Land and Spike TV, which includes Paramount’s regional theme parks; Nickelodeon’s licensed theme park attractions at Universal Studios, Hollywood & Orlando; both Nickelodeon and Paramount’s live theatrical licensing business; and the upcoming Nickelodeon hotel in Orlando, Florida; the Bubba ump Shrimp Company restaurant chain; and CBS Television City and Star Trek: The Experience, in Las Vegas. 

Thursday, October 7, 2004. Fast National Household Ratings for all Networks. Fast affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

CBS     14.1/22 Survivor 11.4/18, CSI 17.1/26, Without a Trace 13.9/22

NBC     10.2/16 Joey 8.6/14, Will & Grace 8.4/13, The Apprentice 10.5/16, ER 11.5/18

FOX     4.7/7   Baseball Division Playoffs: Game #2  4.7/7 (8-11p avg)

ABC     4.1/6   Extreme Makeover 5.1/8, Life as We Know It [p] 3.2/5, Primetime Live 3.9/6

UPN     3.4/5   WWE Smackdown 3.4/5

WB      1.5/2   Blue Collar 2.1/3, Drew Carey’s Green Screen [p] 1.8/3, One Tree Hill 1.0/1

A18-49  CBS 8.0/21, NBC 7.2/19, Fox 2.2/6, ABC 2.0/5, UPN 1.6/4, WB 0.9/2

Friday, October 8, 2004. Fast National Household Ratings for all Networks – Due to sustaining news coverage of the Presidential Debate, there are no Nielsen ratings for the 9-1030p time frame. Fast affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

NBC     6.6/11  Dateline 7.4/12, Presidential Debate

ABC     5.5/9   8 Simple Rules 5.0/9, Complete Savages 4.2/7, Presidential Debate

CBS     5.1/9   Joan of Arcadia 5.5/10, Presidential Debate

WB      2.2/4   What I Like About You 1.9/4, Grounded for Life 1.9/3, Reba 2.7/4, Blue Collar TV [r] 2.2/4

FOX     2.1/4   The Complex: Malibu [f] 2.0/4, Presidential Debate

UPN     1.9/3   Star Trek 2.0/4, Top Model [r] 1.7/3

A18-49  NBC 3.2/10, ABC 2.6/8, CBS 2.2/7, Fox and WB 1.4/4, UPN 1.3/4

Saturday, October 9, 2004. Fast National Household Ratings for all Networks. Fast affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

FOX     5.1/10  Baseball Division Playoffs: Game #3  5.1/10    (8-1030p avg)

CBS     4.7/9   Survivor [r] 2.8/5, Without a Trace [r] 5.4/10, 48 Hours 5.8/11

ABC     4.1/8   Movie: Liar Liar 3.7/7, Desperate Housewives [r] 4.9/9

NBC     4.1/8   Outrageous Moments [r] 4.2/8, The Apprentice [r] 3.1/6, Law & Order SVU [r] 5.1/9

A18-49  Fox 2.6/8, ABC 2.5/8, NBC 2.1/7, CBS 2.0/6

Sunday, October 10, 2004. Fast National Household Ratings for all Networks. Fast affiliate numbers which reflect time period data, not program data, and can change slightly once the finals come in, particularly for LIVE programming (i.e. Football). Source Nielsen Media Research. Time Period Averages Only. [p] = Premiere; [o] = Original; [r] = Repeat

CBS     8.4/14  60 Minutes 8.1/14, Cold Case 10.0/16, Movie:  While I Was Gone 7.8/12

ABC     8.2/13  AFV 4.3/8, Extreme Makeover Home Edition 8.3/13, Desperate Housewives 12.2/19, Boston Legal 8.1/13

NBC     6.4/10  Dateline 5.2/9, American Dreams 4.5/7, L&O: CI 8.0/12, Crossing Jordan 8.0/13

FOX     5.7/9   NFL Runover & Postgame 7.6/13, Baseball Division Playoffs: Game #4      5.0/8 (8-11p avg)

WB      1.9/3   Steve Harvey’s Big Time 1.2/2, Charmed 2.9/5, Jack & Bobby 1.6/2

A18-49  ABC 5.6/15,  NBC 3.3/9,  Fox 3.2/8, CBS 3.0/8, WB 1.3/3

A MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

The History Channel presents This Day in History:
1960:  In one of the UN’s most memorable moments, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev throws a wild tantrum, pounding a table with his shoe in protest against criticisms of Soviet policy.  Trying to restore order, General Assembly President Frederick Boland pounded his gavel, which broke before Khrushchev replaced his shoe. 

Answer to Yesterday’s Trivia Question:  What was Tom Selleck’s first movie after Magnum PI? a) High Road to China; b) Three Men and a Baby; c) Quigley Down under; d) Lassiter? HIGH ROAD TO CHINA.  Kudos to: Matt Cohen-Formatt Prods; Dave Riedel-ABC/NY; Dennis Camlek-Horizon Media/NY; Jake Vander Linden-Carat USA/NY; David LeNoble-Executive Decision Systems/Retail Insights/Denver; Dan Whitford-RPA/Chicago; Adam Leston-HRP/Chicago; Jean Follestad-Starz!/Englewood; Jon Rand-KAYU/Spokane; Donn Carper-KCBS/LA; Patrick Nichols-Lifetime/LA; Gene Lavelle-Modern Ent/LA; and internationally from Jim Wagner-Jim Wagner Design/Beijing.

Today’s Trivia Question:  Who was it that had a rock as a keepsake, fondly remembering it sitting upon his father’s desk and using it to strike matches to light his father’s pipe?  (click
to respond to the trivia question and please be sure to include with your answer your name, company, city and time zone. Only the second four correct responses from each time zone will be listed in tomorrow’s kudo list.)

A MESSAGE FROM COURT TV

Later — Cyn

Cynthia Turner’s Cynopsis
10/12/04  5:29am

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WHAT’S ON TONIGHT:  TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2004:

ABC             My Wife & Kids, George Lopez, According to Jim, Rodney, NYPD Blue
CBS             NCIS, Clubhouse, Judging Amy
FOX             American League Championship Series Game #1
NBC             Father of the Pride, Father of the Pride, Father of the Pride, Scrubs, L&O: SVU
PAX             Second Verdict, Cold Turkey, Doc
UPN             All of Us, Eve, Veronica Mars
WB              Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill
TELE            Prisonera, Gitanas, Te Voy a Ensenar a Querer
UNIV            Rubi, Amarte es mi Pecado, Casos de la Vida Real,