Richard Gere
This may go down as the year movie studios discovered that there's no place like home for watching some first-run films.
In Demand, a major distributor of video-on-demand services for cable systems, says 2012 saw a 21 percent increase in the number of movies it offered subscribers on the same day or before they played in theaters. Thirteen distributors now supply new films to VOD and online streaming services, more than double the number in 2010, when indie distributors like IFC and Magnolia were leading the trend.
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Christiane Amanpour
The sight of Christiane Amanpour reporting from conflict zones in the Middle East is one of the most familiar images in television news. So it will be a real change of pace for viewers when she's seen as a relaxed traveler — and mother — in Back to the Beginning, a two-part special airing Dec. 21 and 28 (9/8c, ABC). Amanpour and her son Darius hit the road earlier this year to explore the ancient sites depicted in "the oldest stories ever told," as she puts it. They take an archeological tour through Turkey and the Middle East to examine the sites of biblical tales that unite rather than divide the followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Amanpour talked to The Biz about the special and her new boss at CNN, Jeff Zucker.
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Shark Tank
American workers haven't had it easy these days, as they deal with high unemployment rates and home foreclosures. What better way for them to escape their economic woes than to watch a reality show where the stars are a bunch of one-percenters?
That's why they're tuning in to ABC's Shark Tank, which has quietly grown into a hit with close to 7 million viewers each week. The show...
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David Geffen
Entertainment mogul David Geffen was pleased that the prestigious PBS documentary series American Masters wanted to feature him as a subject — until executive producer Susan Lacy told him he had to be interviewed on camera. Geffen likes to talk, but apparently not...
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Mitt Romney
The electorate may be deeply divided, but the two candidates running for president share common ground on their favorite TV show. Both President Barack Obama and his opponent Governor Mitt Romney told TV Guide Magazine that Modern Family is the show they most enjoy watching with their wives. President Obama told us about his TV preferences and pop culture habits...
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Michelle Obama
While President Obama has been locked in a tight battle for reelection, his wife's favorability ratings have soared higher than ever. America loves First Lady Michelle Obama, and when viewers see her on the talk-show circuit doing pushups with Ellen DeGeneres or reeling off a Top 10 list on Late Show With David Letterman, it's easy to understand why.
Michelle Obama has such an appealing TV presence that if she and her husband find themselves moving out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January, she'll have the opportunity to make the transition from high-profile, engaging talk-show guest to big-name talk-show host — arguably the biggest ever in terms of recognizability.
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Bob Schieffer
CBS News Washington bureau chief Bob Schieffer has worked on his network's coverage of every presidential debate since 1976. But Schieffer told TV Guide Magazine he decided to stay out of the fray this time around until he moderates the final presidential debate between President Barack Obama and his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, in Boca Raton, Fla., on Monday (9/8c).
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Katie Couric
A lot of new big names have moved into the daytime neighborhood this fall, but viewers are choosing to spend more time with a familiar friend. The Ellen DeGeneres Show is off to its best start in its 10-year history, ranking as the No. 1 syndicated talk program among the advertiser-favored audience of women ages 25-54 through the first two weeks of the TV season. Its overall average of 3.3 million viewers is up 6 percent from a year ago, putting it behind Dr. Phil (3.8 million) and Live With Kelly and Michael (3.4 million).
When Oprah Winfrey ended her program in 2011, insiders in the syndication business wondered where her viewers would go. No program last year took immediate advantage of the upheaval, but daytime habits change glacially. "All the research indicated that after Oprah left there was a large opportunity for Ellen, and that may be playing itself out," says Ken Werner, president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, which syndicates Ellen.
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48 Hours
The Saturday premiere of 48 Hours (10/9c) marks the start of the CBS newsmagazine's 25th season. But executive producer Susan Zirinsky can think of far more important numbers connected with the program.
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Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer
Don't blame Matt Lauer if you miss Ann Curry on NBC's Today. The morning show's executive producer Jim Bell said Wednesday it was his decision to eject Curry from the co-anchor chair back in June.
Lauer has rarely been the subject of unfavorable press since he became a star co-anchor on Today in 1997. But Today's ratings have dropped further behind ABC's Good Morning America since Curry was replaced by Savannah Guthrie.
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