Bob Costas takes a swing at the sport of baseball on the next edition of Costas Now (July 16, 9 pm/ET, HBO).The live broadcast — airing on the last night of baseball's All-Star break — will feature several panels of former baseball players, experts and industry observers discussing issues facing the sport.Next month's program comes on the heels of a live broadcast in April that featured raucous and heated discussions on, among other things, race and the impact of bloggers on sports. —J.R. Whalen
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Bob Costas hosts a special live, 90-minute town hall-style edition of Costas Now in front of a studio audience in New York Tuesday night on HBO (April 29, 10 pm/ET).Costas and a panel of guests will discuss the state of the "sports media landscape," including the rise and influence of the Internet and sports bloggers, and how the issue of race impacts the sports world.The panel includes Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck, ESPN analyst Cris Carter and Turner Sports analyst Charles Barkley. — J.R. Whalen
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George Clooney's Smokehouse shingle is developing for Showtime Doubting Thomas, an hourlong drama about a family of televangelists, eyed for a possible 2008 premiere.... Also per Variety, IFC will air all 12 original episodes of R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" "hip-hopera," as well as collaborate with the recording artist on 10 new installments.... HBO Sports' Costas Now returns with a mid-season baseball special on July 24 at 10 pm/ET.... Hallmark Channel has commissioned 30 original movies for 2008, its biggest slate ever. And only 24 of them star Stacy Keach!.... As scooped by the Ausiello Report, Lifetime has ordered a second, 18-episode season of Army Wives, to launch next spring.
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