USA Today: Katie Couric Anchoring CBS Evening News “All But Certain”

OK, folks, barring a retraction from McPaper, now you may begin the speculation game…

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-04-04-couric_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA

…FWIW, if indeed Katie leaves, I think they’d be wise to promote within (read: Ann Curry, Natalie Morales or the recently married Campbell Brown).

Further, should this all comes to fruition, how much ya wanna bet Katie will be disciplined for running a story about American Idol on The CBS Evening News? 🙂

Chickening Out Again?

Stop me if you’re heard this before. The Today Show on NBC once again gave free air time to Fox’s American Idol.

This morning, an interview with Kevin Covais — followed by a brief performance from the kid they call “Chicken Little”, because of his resemblance to the Disney character.

Again I ask — why? Aside from the fact AI is a monster hit — why?

Call me crazy (you wouldn’t be the first) — but I think Today is better off doing interviews related to Deal or No Deal. To the best of my knowledge, they’ve done one where Matt played an abbreviated mock game with Howie live in the L.A. studio and half-a-dozen models and their respective cases. Because DoND has been one of few new NBC shows worth writing home about, it’s worthy of just a little more attention.

(Spoiler warning: Some results of last night’s DoND are included in this post. Stop now if you haven’t seen the show from 3/29/06 and don’t want to know ’til you see it.)

Continue reading “Chickening Out Again?”

“Today” Going Back To The Future? Doubt It

Will she or won’t she be the next anchor of the CBS Evening News? Only Katie Couric knows for sure. My take: I’ll believe it when I see it.

But this nonsense…

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6310992.html?display=Breaking

…I don’t buy for a minute. For starters, this “industry leader” either didn’t watch or completely forgot the ABC News 20/20 interview that aired several hours after Bryant Gumbel signed off from CBS’ The Early Show for the final time. In the interview, he essentially said he wouldn’t be on TV five days a week again.

I think it’s safe to say he’s happy with his current TV gig (HBO’s Real Sports), wife #2 (Hilary Quinlan) and the occasional guest host appearance (Live with Regis and Kelly).

I’d like to know what this industry leader’s been smoking; either (s)he needed to quit it or share it.

Rock 104 Store

You there. Want to buy some stuff with my radio station’s logo? And help out one of my co-workers in the process?

The 104 Store at www.rock104fm.com store is selling tote bags, sport bottles, note pads and more.

This is for the benefit of Stephen St. James. He’s a great guy who taught me a lot about the biz way back when — and was one of the first to welcome me to Rock 104 ten years ago. Stephen went through another round of brain surgery recently and proceeds from the www.rock104fm.com store’s sales help pay for the expenses not covered by insurance.

Someone Missed A Memo (or didn’t bother to read it)

An oops award is on its way to Fox Sports Radio for airing this liner voiced by sportscaster James Brown…

“Hi, I’m James Brown – and you’re listening to The Drive on Fox with Chris Myers and Brian Cox.”

…such a liner was useless for two reasons…

1. Chris and Brian were both away on assignment — Chris in Florida covering Daytona SpeedWeeks and Brian visiting our men and women in uniform in Iraq. To the network’s credit, Fox Sports Radio’s voice guy introduced their substitutes.

2. J.B., so nicknamed by his colleagues and legions of fans, is no longer with Fox Sports. In a week Al Michaels “crossed the street” to NBC, Brown was named the new studio host for CBS’ The NFL Today.

…oh, and this liner aired *twice* this week.

OY!

‘Cause It’s Root, Root, Root For The Home Team

Cindy e-mailed me noting we have a couple to cheer for when The Amazing Race 9 starts…

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race9/bios/lake_michelle/

…I think we can bury the hatchet over “find the Southern colonel” from TAR8, a.k.a. the family edition.

And Another Baby Makes Five

Please join me in congratulating Steve Taylor and his wife, Susan — proud parents of their third child, Emerson Lola, who entered the world earlier this morning.

With regard to the rumor about their other two children, the answer’s no. They’re not renaming Shelby Grace and Walker Brooks as “Lake” and “Palmer”, respectively. (Only kidding!)

Seriously, congratulations to the family.