Friday, March 15, 2019

Media Friday

ABC is reviving two old game shows, "Card Sharks" and "Press Your Luck."  I haven't seen any host names attached yet.  I see this as qualified good news.  ABC has done a nice job on "Pyramid."  Not so nice on "To Tell the Truth."  The last "Card Sharks" revival was simply awful.  I hope they stay true to the original.

Old news, but Jason Witten is leaving ESPN and going back to the Dallas Cowboys.  I caught some of his "Monday Night Football" work.  It wasn't very good, but not as horrible as the TV newspaper and internet critics made it out to be.  ESPN is still trying to capture that old ABC "Monday Night Football" magic, and it's not happening.

The Federal Communications Commission is still trying to figure out what to do with AM radio.  I've seen suggestions as to close the band.  Another lifts ownership caps.  Companies can own as many AM stations as they please.  I have a newsflash for you.  It's not far from that now.  I still like my idea best.  Offer tax incentives for letting failing and low powered AM stations go dark.  Take the ones that remain, space them out better and offer more power.

ABC reports another strong month for "World News Tonight" and "Good Morning America."

CBS is considering blowing up its morning broadcast again, according to industry publications.    John Dickerson is supposed to go to "60 Minutes."  Norah O"Donnell slides to the "Evening News."  Gayle King stays with a fat contract.  The broadcast lost its way when Charlie Rose was fired.  Ann Curry and Ashleigh Banfield are reportedly on the CBS short list.

Several big city stations have renewed their contracts with Rush Limbaugh.  Even after 30 years, he is the gold standard in talk radio.

Speaking of conservatives, and I know I've said this before, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie is really good at TV, and he even has the onions to go on liberal networks, where he knows the questions will not be friendly.

The New York Post reports one of the woman involved in the Matt Lauer affair is shopping a book to the big publishing houses.  My Lauer question, and I don't have the answer,is how long will he have to stay in TV jail?  I was never a fan, but he did help keep the "Today" show afloat for a long time.  I'm sure he can help someone.

Rob Schneider is appearing at a resort in the Poconos Sunday.  He starred in a 1996 sitcom called "Men Behaving Badly."  Do you think a show with that name could get on the air today?