stephen.battaglio

The Biz: Why ABC Lost Hope for Its Soaps

It was a sad day for fans of All My Children and One Life to Live when ABC announced that it was pulling the plug on its long-running soaps. But it shouldn't come as a shock. Ratings for the soaps took their first major hit in 1995, when several cable networks provided gavel-to-gavel coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. The stunning real-life drama captured the attention of daytime viewers and broke the soap habit for many of them. The numbers have drifted downward ever since.

Mon, Apr 25, 2011

The Biz: Why ABC Lost Hope for Its Soaps

The Biz: Lou Dobbs Reemerges on Fox Business

Lou Dobbs is back. One of the original anchors at CNN — who departed in November 2009 — he has re-emerged in the cable news wars on the Fox Business Network where he now holds court weeknights at 7 p.m. with his new show Lou Dobbs Tonight. He's still a pretty big name and The Biz asked if there are bigger plans ahead for him at Fox News.

Fri, Apr 15, 2011

The Biz: Lou Dobbs Reemerges on Fox Business

Quick and Painful: Charlie Sheen's Tour Bombs in New York City

At least it was short.Charlie Sheen brought his "Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour" to Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Friday night. To call it a show would be using the term very loosely. It was a bare-bones, one-hour dialogue with an interviewer in which Sheen showed a total inability ...

Sat, Apr 9, 2011

Quick and Painful: Charlie Sheen's Tour Bombs in New York City

The Biz: Meredith Vieira Expected to Leave NBC's Today

Meredith Vieira is expected to leave NBC's Today when her current contract expires later this year, according to a source familiar with her plans. Vieira has been in discussions with NBC News executives for several months about extending her deal, which is up in September. But the co-anchor is said to be weary of the demanding early morning hours and is ready to move on. Vieira has often said that the health of...

Tue, Apr 5, 2011

The Biz: Meredith Vieira Expected to Leave NBC's Today

The Biz: Second-chance Successes

Mae West once said, "All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else." Several TV networks couldn't agree more. The Game was dumped by The CW in 2009 when the network decided to get out of the half-hour comedy business. Since relocating to cable network BET in January, the sexy, soapy sitcom about pro football players and the women who love them has averaged 4.4 million viewers — more than any current show on The CW...

Wed, Mar 30, 2011

Juju Chang Out, Josh Elliott In at Good Morning America

Juju Chang is out as the newsreader for ABC's Good Morning America. Chang has been reassigned to a full-time role as a special correspondent and fill-in anchor at Nightline. Josh Elliott, currently a co-anchor for...

Wed, Mar 30, 2011

Juju Chang Out, Josh Elliott In at Good Morning America

The Biz: Is Katie Couric Headed to Daytime?

It's looking like Katie Couric's future will be in daytime TV. The CBS Evening News anchor, whose contract expires in June, is being courted by the syndication arms of both CBS and NBC Universal for a daily daytime talk show, according ...

Tue, Mar 15, 2011

The Biz: Is Katie Couric Headed to Daytime?

The Biz: ABC News' James Goldston on Moving to Good Morning America

James Goldston is changing executive producer jobs at ABC News, moving from Nightline to Good Morning America. Goldston is the former BBC producer who oversaw the turnaround of ABC's Nightline in 2005, when it looked like the show might be headed for extinction. Now Nightline is often the most watched-show in late night. Can he bring the same touch to Good Morning America, which has been in the ratings shadow of NBC's Today for the past 15 years?

Fri, Feb 25, 2011

The Biz: ABC News' James Goldston on Moving to Good Morning America

The Biz: The Weather Channel's Sunny Outlook

When the weather outside is frightful, viewers flock to The Weather Channel. But the cable network wants people to keep tuning in even when outdoor conditions aren't extreme, as well as hold on to viewers who log on to TWC's weather.com or other online sources for forecasts. TWC will step up those efforts on March 31 when it launches From the Edge, a new weekly half-hour series built around the...

Thu, Feb 24, 2011

The Biz: The Weather Channel's Sunny Outlook

The Biz: Fox News Correspondent Greg Palkot on Being Attacked in Egypt

The uprising in Egypt was the kind of story that gets the adrenaline pumping for a foreign correspondent. But the attacks on Greg Palkot of Fox News, Lara Logan of CBS and other journalists reminded the world of the extreme danger that comes with the job. Palkot, who with his cameraman Olaf Wiig was badly beaten in Tahir Square during the height of the violence on the streets of Cairo, says he is ready to go back to work and is even up for an assignment to cover the unfolding revolution in Libya. He gave TV Guide Magazine an update on his condition and reflected on the occupational risks. TV Guide Magazine: It's been three weeks since you were attacked. How are you feeling?Palkot: Much better. I had a...

Wed, Feb 23, 2011

The Biz: Fox News Correspondent Greg Palkot on Being Attacked in Egypt

The Biz: Rating the Replacements

How have viewers responded to the tumult in TV so far in 2011? Here's what the Nielsen ratings tell us. American IdolWith the show going in to its 10th season, without Simon Cowell, industry insiders thought Idol could crash and burn. It hasn't happened. Through February 16, the show has averaged 25.2 million total viewers, down only 9 percent. "We feel it's a victory," says Fox executive vice president Preston Beckman, who credits the performance of new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. "We succeeded in reinventing the panel," he adds.

Mon, Feb 21, 2011

MSNBC's Chris Matthews Explores The Bill Clinton Phenomenon

On Presidents' Day, Hardball host Chris Matthews will look at the 10 years that have passed since William Jefferson Clinton left the White House. Matthews' documentary, President of the World: The Bill Clinton Phenomenon (Monday at 10/9c on MSNBC) explores the former commander-in-chief's many recent roles, including humanitarian, political spouse and diplomat who helped in the release of two journalist imprisoned by North Korea. The Biz recently chatted with Matthews about why we seem to love Bubba more than ever.

Fri, Feb 18, 2011

MSNBC's Chris Matthews Explores The Bill Clinton Phenomenon

The Biz: Which Shows Will Be Canceled?

The broadcast networks are at work on their new fall shows, which means some of your favorites will be moving on. Here are the series facing an uncertain future. ABCThe network wants to bring back Desperate Housewives but still has to make deals with the show's stars. "Everyone is hopeful and optimistic that we'll be returning for an eighth season," executive producer Marc Cherry tells TV Guide Magazine. "But until the women have signed on, there's no guarantee." ABC needs Housewives for at least another year to launch something new in the slot that follows it, especially if ...

Thu, Feb 10, 2011

The Biz: Jeff Fager Discusses His New Role at CBS News

Since 2004, Jeff Fager has been the steward of 60 Minutes, the crown jewel of CBS News that has withstood the fast-changing media information landscape and remained a ratings hit. On Tuesday he was tapped to the new role of chairman of the CBS News at a time when the division has to make some big decisions about the future. The Biz talked to him about his new role and what's ahead.

Wed, Feb 9, 2011

The Biz: Jeff Fager Discusses His New Role at CBS News

The Biz: Bob Woodruff's Long Road to Recovery

On a table in Bob Woodruff's office at ABC News is a stack of flash cards with illustrations of household items. They are a reminder of the difficult days that followed for the correspondent after he suffered a traumatic brain injury from an improvised explosive device while reporting in Iraq. "I couldn't even say scissor," he says as he palms one card. "I couldn't say hammer. When I could finally say it, I spelled it h-a-m-o-r. This was my therapy in the first month or two after I woke up — just trying to name these things."

Tue, Feb 8, 2011

The Biz: Bob Woodruff's Long Road to Recovery

Keith Olbermann Heads to Current TV

Former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann is coming back to prime time on Current TV. Olbermann will host a new nightly news and commentary show in a deal will make him an equity partner in Current Media, the parent company of the channel which reaches 60 million homes in the U.S. He will also have the title of chief news officer and look to develop other news and talk shows for the network which mostly carries unscripted and documentary programming.

Tue, Feb 8, 2011

Football's Ratings Blitz

Back in February 1983, when watching TV meant tuning in to ABC, CBS or NBC, 106 million people watched the final episode of M*A*S*H. Legend has it that the water pressure in New York City showed a noticeable drop during the commercial breaks. For 27 years, the M*A*S*H finale stood as the most watched TV show ever, and in an era when the average home has more than 100 channels to choose from, it seemed impossible that any single broadcast could amass that type of audience again.But Super Bowl XLIV capped what had been a storybook season for the New Orleans Saints, playing for a city that only a few years before gave viewers the horrific images of Hurricane Katrina...

Tue, Jan 18, 2011

The Biz: Press Tour Day Two: Fox

Fox already has two solid new pieces for its fall 2011 schedule with dino-soap Terra Nova and its new talent competition The X Factor. But what about veteran favorites House and Bones? At the network's Tuesday session before the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly noted that ...

Wed, Jan 12, 2011

The Biz: Press Tour Day One: ABC

The new president of ABC News is ready to shake up This Week with Christiane Amanpour.Ben Sherwood, who took over the reins of ABC News from David Westin last month, said Monday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour that he wants to focus "on making the best possible program for Christiane and her many strengths... This Week can do more to showcase Christiane's prodigious talents in another way for viewers and that's what we're going to be doing."While ABC replaced This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos with an established star in the former CNN foreign correspondent, ratings have been in decline. There has also been talk that Amanpour wants to move the show from Washington, D.C. to New York where ...

Tue, Jan 11, 2011

Piers Morgan: The Man Who Would Be King

Piers Morgan says his new job replacing Larry King on CNN is akin to "following Frank Sinatra in Vegas." But the 45-year-old print journalist, America's Got Talent judge and British-TV talk-show fixture isn't hesitant to try to revive CNN's prime-time ratings with the January 17 premiere of Piers Morgan Tonight (9/8c). He gives TV Guide Magazine a preview of his plans.TV Guide Magazine: If America's got talent, why did CNN have to hire a Brit to replace Larry King?Morgan: For the same reason that NBC put a Brit on America's Got Talent. There's been a growing appetite for us probably since Simon Cowell arrived on the scene. There is kind of a belief amongst Americans, true or not, that the Brits are perhaps a little more blunt and more to the point, and we have a quirky humor that's grown in popularity in America. In Britain, I've done ...

Tue, Jan 4, 2011

The Biz: A TV Producer for All Seasons

Viewers of the CBS hit Blue Bloods may feel like they've gone through a time warp when they see executive producer Leonard Goldberg's credit on the screen. One of network TV's most successful execs, he oversaw programming at ABC in the 1960s, produced such hits as Charlie's Angels and Starsky & Hutch with Aaron Spelling in the 1970s and was responsible for some of the most memorable made-for-TV movies of the '80s before heading into film. Goldberg, who turns 77 this month, told us what it's like to be back on the front lines of prime time.

Sun, Dec 26, 2010

The Biz: The Year in Numbers

As DVR usage grows and demos slice and dice the audience, the winners and losers in the TV business are not so clear-cut anymore. Here's a look at some of the facts and figures that reflect what — and how — viewers watched (and listened and purchased) in the past year....

Tue, Dec 14, 2010