ExecutiveSession-related stories
Posted Aug 5th 2009 2:21PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Industry, The Apprentice, Saturday Night Live, The Office, Heroes, 30 Rock, TCA Press Tour, Chuck, Reality-Free
We just got done with the NBC executive session, where primetime entertainment head Angela Bromstad and alternative programming (read: reality) chief Paul Telegdy took the reporters questions.
Of course, many of the questions had to do with
The Jay Leno Show and Ben Silverman's departure. What the gathered reporters got out of the two executives was evasiveness, referrals to other executives, and a general sense that the two of them either don't know or don't want to provide answers about their own network.
When the question of Leno and
CBS's Nina Tassler's assertion that NBC would declare victory no matter what numbers they got, Bromstad tried to pass us to the session for Leno's show later in the day. Telegdy did the same. But we wouldn't let them off the hook. An example exchange, for instance, went like this:
Continue reading NBC execs don't seem to know much about NBC - TCA Report
Posted Aug 3rd 2009 1:12PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Industry, TCA Press Tour, Reality-Free
CBS programming chief Nina Tassler held court this morning in the CBS executive session. Her network is in an extremely strong position, so there wasn't much in the way of controversy to report, but here are some interesting tidbits from the session:
- Laurence Fishburne's character of Dr. Langston on CSI will assume a more take-charge position this year, he'll also be given a "wardrobe makeover" so he seems, as Tassler put it "more comfortable in his own clothes."
- Jorja Fox will be back for the first five episodes. And one of the main characters will get promoted. I won't spoil it for you, but you can probably figure out who it might be.
- A new Let's Make A Deal with Wayne Brady as host, will be taking the place of Guiding Light. Tassler wouldn't go so far as saying this is a trend towards the return of daytime network game shows, but she did say she wanted to get a new LMAD on the air for a while.
- No plans to bring back Flashpoint right now, though they can. More Canadian cross-production deals on the way, including The Bridge.
- On NBC's late-night / Leno strategies: "Whatever numbers they get, they'll declare victory anyway, so it doesn't matter."
- On the departure of Ben Silverman of NBC: "I'm really just a D-girl, so I wouldn't comment."
Continue reading CBS exec session: CSI changes, Let's Make A Deal... and a few shots at NBC - TCA Report
Posted Jul 19th 2008 12:28PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Industry, Dexter, TCA Press Tour, Weeds, Reality-Free
When I posted
the news items that came out of Showtime's portion of the CBS tour, the one question I got was "When will
Dexter be back?" Well, network president Robert Greenblatt mentioned that the third season would debut in September. No word beyond that. Didn't seem like news to me. But there you are,
Dexter fans; that's all I've got on that.
The executive session was introduced by a semi-funny clip from one of the network's stars, Tracey Ullman. Really, it wasn't that good, so I won't talk much about it here. Greenblatt also showed clips of
The United States of Tara and
Nurse Jackie during his opening remarks. Other than that? Well, isn't that enough?
Continue reading Showtime wrap-up: executive session and four shows talk at once - TCA Report
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
