May 2010
Happy Memorial Day weekend from unclebarky.com world headquarters in Vandownbytheriver, TX
05/28/10 12:36 PM
Have a safe, happy and restful Memorial Day weekend, everybody. We'll be taking some time off, too. But a couple of fresh posts are lurking inside. The latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in. And we also weigh in on Dallas-based WFAA8's Daybreak promotional campaign, starring co-anchor Cynthia Izaguirre and weathercaster Greg Fields with cameos by the man with no name.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
May "sweeps" turn out to be one for the books for CBS11
05/27/10 03:17 PM
CBS11 made station history Thursday by sweeping a 10 p.m. "sweeps" ratings race for the first time since it launched late night newscasts 15 years ago in D-FW. But it was close -- not only at 10 p.m. but just about everywhere else, too. Our complete and fastidious report is here.
Also, the Wednesday Nielsen ratings "snapshot" charts the D-FW ratings for Fox's American Idol finale while also wondering why Fox4's 9 p.m. newscast keeps embarrassing itself in this regard.
Plus, we look at how it went on Idol during judge Simon Cowell's swan song.
Ed Bark
Also, the Wednesday Nielsen ratings "snapshot" charts the D-FW ratings for Fox's American Idol finale while also wondering why Fox4's 9 p.m. newscast keeps embarrassing itself in this regard.
Plus, we look at how it went on Idol during judge Simon Cowell's swan song.
Ed Bark
D-FW ratings tell some interesting stories on penultimate night of May "sweeps"
05/26/10 02:06 PM
Tuesday night's D-FW ratings were pivotal for the 10 p.m. May "sweeps" news fortunes of both WFAA8 and CBS11. Did WFAA8 get the big win it needed coming off ABC's Dancing with the Stars finale? Was an outgunned CBS11 able to hold the fort on the penultimate night of the sweeps? Our complete report is here.
Also, the documentary film Saving Africa's Witch Children has its U.S. premiere Wednesday night on HBO2. It's short, but to the point. And it's already made a big difference. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Also, the documentary film Saving Africa's Witch Children has its U.S. premiere Wednesday night on HBO2. It's short, but to the point. And it's already made a big difference. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Here comes Chaos -- making it four network TV series calling North Texas home
05/25/10 05:35 PM
Gov. Rick Perry and Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, yearning to get in on the action, will be on hand Wednesday afternoon in DT Dallas to tell commoners that a fourth TV series will be shot in North Texas during the coming months. Based on clues from The Dallas Observer's Robert Wilonsky, we tell you why it could only be Chaos.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
CW33 news: newly in HD and selling sex like a pimp
05/25/10 01:22 PM
Dallas-based CW33's newscasts finally made the transition to high-definition over the weekend. Monday's first weeknight 9 p.m. edition in HD was heavily stocked with the station's newest stock in trade -- sex. See our extended look -- with pictures -- right here. Also, we chart the numbers for Monday's big series and season finales in the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings "snapshot."
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Muted good nights for Law & Order and 24
05/24/10 03:02 PM
On the heels of Lost's finale, which is still kicking up all kinds of commentary, here come the Monday night farewells for NBC's Law & Order and Fox's 24. We've seen both and talk about them here. Also, the national Nielsens for Lost are in while its ex-network decides to bring back an old flame. Get those details here.
Ed Bark.
Ed Bark.
Abdul stepping not-so-lightly over to CBS
05/24/10 12:13 PM
Ex-American Idol judge Paula Abdul won't be re-teaming with Simon Cowell after all. Instead she'll have her own competition show, over which she'll preside like a potentate. Get the details here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings snapshot charts Sunday night's local numbers for ABC's big Lost finale.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Sunday service: Lost congregates its masses in otherwordly Church
05/24/10 08:19 AM
ABC's Lost let Jesus take the wheel at the close of its two-and-a-half hour finale Sunday. We take a knee here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
WFAA8's Gloria Campos mulls fewer hours, less pay and eventually life beyond TV news
05/21/10 05:04 PM
WFAA8 anchor Gloria Campos has some candid thoughts on what she'd like her TV news life to be like a few years down the road. In the immediate future, she's giving up "Wednesday's Child" after more than two decades with the weekly segment. Get the story on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 16 of the May sweeps
05/21/10 01:50 PM
Viewers took over a good part of Thursday's late night D-FW newscasts with their video and pictures of that afternoon's tornado activity. But NBC5 clearly had the "Best of Show." See our latest compendium on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page, where you'll also find Thursday's D-FW Nielsen ratings. They show ever-tightening races for the May "sweeps" local news crowns at both 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 15 of the May sweeps
05/20/10 06:05 PM
This'll be a multi-task edition that also takes note of all those Thursday afternoon programming preemptions tied to tornado warnings in Ellis and Navarro County. Weather I'm right or weather I'm wrong, you can find it all on our dependably content-stocked Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Made-in-Dallas Good Guys does well in D-FW, but stumbles on national stage
05/20/10 03:10 PM
Fox's Wednesday night preview of The Good Guys had a good go in the D-FW Nielsen ratings but kinda flamed out in the country at large. Get all the details on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page. Also, The CW announces its fall schedule, and it's all right here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 14 of the May sweeps
05/19/10 06:03 PM
Our latest D-FW late night newscast compendium is in the books. It's been a long day.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
CBS makes big changes despite only adding five new series
05/19/10 12:23 PM
An influx of old-timers in new shows and the shifting of four high-profile series to new nights and times are the big news coming out of CBS' latest fall schedule. Get all the details on our Network News & Reviews page. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are quite eventful, too.
P.S. My 12-city TV-themed "radio tour" is over. And after a couple of hours of non-stop talking, your friendly content provider will do a Harpo Marx while silently typing for the remainder of Wednesday.
Ed Bark
P.S. My 12-city TV-themed "radio tour" is over. And after a couple of hours of non-stop talking, your friendly content provider will do a Harpo Marx while silently typing for the remainder of Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Remember to patronize your local Good Guys
05/18/10 05:22 PM
Remember to synchronize your watches for the Wednesday, May 19th sneak preview of Fox's The Good Guys at 7 p.m. (central).
The made-in-Dallas odd-couple cop series then begins its scheduled summertime run on June 7th before moving to Fridays in the fall. Due to considerable local interest, we posted our unclebarky.com review way back on May 6th. Here's a link to it in case you'd like to read or re-read.
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective; Night 13 of the May sweeps
05/18/10 05:08 PM
Our latest compendium takes note of the fact that only one major TV news provider's featured anchors are actually getting out and reporting on a regular basis. Their identities "might surprise you," as they hardly ever say in the biz anymore. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in the books.
Note to readers: I'll be doing a 12-city "radio tour" Wednesday morning from the relative comfort of unclebarky.com central in Garland. It's on behalf of my home away from home, locatetv.com. So our "Up-close" dispatch might be delayed a bit because CBS also is announcing its fall schedule on Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Note to readers: I'll be doing a 12-city "radio tour" Wednesday morning from the relative comfort of unclebarky.com central in Garland. It's on behalf of my home away from home, locatetv.com. So our "Up-close" dispatch might be delayed a bit because CBS also is announcing its fall schedule on Wednesday.
Ed Bark
Austin strikes back with a new fall series of its own
05/18/10 11:30 AM
The score is now 3-2, with Dallas still on top.
ABC announced Tuesday that one of its seven new fall series will be the made-in-Austin My Generation. The city still has Friday Night Lights in production, too, although probably not for much longer.
As previously reported, there'll be a trio of made-in-Dallas series in prime-time next fall. Specifically, Chase on NBC and Lonestar and The Good Guys on Fox.
For all the details on ABC's new fall plans, go to our Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark
ABC announced Tuesday that one of its seven new fall series will be the made-in-Austin My Generation. The city still has Friday Night Lights in production, too, although probably not for much longer.
As previously reported, there'll be a trio of made-in-Dallas series in prime-time next fall. Specifically, Chase on NBC and Lonestar and The Good Guys on Fox.
For all the details on ABC's new fall plans, go to our Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 12 of the May sweeps
05/17/10 12:43 PM
Were D-FW's major TV news providers in large part all wet with their endless hyperbole about weekend rain? Yeah, they were. So we revisit this topic for hopefully the last time in our latest compendium. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Not one, but two Dallas-made series make Fox's fall cut
05/17/10 09:58 AM
A Dallas-esque new serial soap and a fall berth for The Good Guys should keep local production crews super-busy this summer. Get all the details here on Fox's just-announced fall schedule plus the identity of the show that will follow next year's Super Bowl XLV telecast from Jerry's Palace in Arlington.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Dallas-made Chase among eight newbies on NBC fall schedule
05/16/10 11:08 PM
The only remaining question about Chase was whether the Dallas-made drama about U.S. marshals would make NBC's fall cut or be held for midseason. Question answered. Chase, from hitmaker Jerry Bruckheimer (the CSI franchise), will premiere this fall on Mondays at 9 p.m. and get a big promotional push on Sunday Night Football, Peacock execs told TV writers Sunday evening.
Go here to see a clip from Chase -- the entire series will be filmed in North Texas, too -- while also getting all the details about what's on and what isn't.
Ed Bark
Go here to see a clip from Chase -- the entire series will be filmed in North Texas, too -- while also getting all the details about what's on and what isn't.
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 11 of the May sweeps (and much more)
05/14/10 04:25 PM
Our latest late night compendium praises three extended enterprise stories offered by three different D-FW television news providers. Plus, TXA21 is ending its weekend prime-time newscasts while also jettisoning a former full-time personality, who's already out the door. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in. And NBC offers another bucketful of very intriguing prime-time programming announcements. The network is even doing business with Conan again. Get the details here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Earlier start time for CBS11's waker upper; D-FW's May sweeps races still air tight at halfway mark
05/13/10 04:35 PM
DFW-based CBS11 will be replicating Fox4 in starting its early morning newscast a half-hour earlier. Get the details here. Plus, the May "sweeps" local news ratings races are still way too close to call at the halfway mark -- particularly at 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Our scorecards are here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 10 of the May sweeps
05/13/10 01:49 PM
Run for the hills, there's probably rain coming this weekend. Or you can just let a smile be your umbrella and grin along with unclebarky.com's look at all the up-top histrionics during Wednesday's D-FW late night TV newscasts. It's all right here. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show American Idol still strong and Fox4's following local newscasts stronger for it. It definitely helps to have a local angle in Casey James.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
One, two, three new network TV series now set to film in Dallas area
05/12/10 05:42 PM
After some pretty lean production years -- can you say Shreveport? -- Dallas and the North Texas area are on a big rebound. Word came Wednesday of another new Dallas-made series being picked up for next fall. Get the details here while veteran Dallas Film Commission head Janis Burklund continues to do cartwheels as best she can.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 9 of the May sweeps
05/12/10 01:53 PM
The Oklahoma tornadoes and their aftermath were still news on Tuesday's D-FW late night TV newscasts. But the pecking orders were significantly different. In one case, the health threat posed to dogs by chewing gum was deemed worthy of bigger play. Our latest in-depth dissections are here. Also, Fox4 continues to make ratings noise in the early mornings while defending champ NBC5 snoozes of late. Check out the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
The Doors are ajar again in new and terrific American Masters film
05/11/10 06:22 PM
Using footage from their times -- and no additional additives -- PBS' When You're Strange: A Film About the Doors recaptures the traumatic, dramatic times of a signature group and their volatile, self-destructive lead singer. Johnny Depp narrates. Our review is here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 8 of the May sweeps
05/11/10 01:29 PM
Three of D-FW's major TV news providers led their late editions with extensive coverage of the lethal twisters that hit Oklahoma. Which one didn't? There also was lots more to write about in our latest dissection, which you can see here. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in for what turned out to be a dominating Monday night for ABC/WFAA8.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
NBC adds Dallas-filmed Chase for next season
05/10/10 05:45 PM
By ED BARK
NBC's fifth new series pickup for next season, Jerry Bruckheimer's Chase, hits very close to home.
Its pilot episode recently was filmed in Dallas, with Kelli Giddish (Fox's quickly canceled Past Life) starring as U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a "cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down violent criminals on the run."
NBC entertainment president Angela Bromstead bills Giddish as "a breakout star." Her fellow U.S. Marshals are played by Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco (from Fox's filmed-in-Dallas Prison Break), Rose Rollins and Jesse Metcalfe.
Dallas Film Commission head Janis Burklund doesn't know whether the entire series will originate from North Texas. "We think they will be here, but nothing official from them yet," she said via email.
Fox's The Good Guys continues to film all 13 of its episodes in this area, with a sneak preview slated for May 19th.
As previously posted, NBC also has announced four other new scripted series for next season -- Undercovers, The Event, Love Bites and Outsourced.
Up-close and objective: Night 7 of the May sweeps
05/10/10 10:51 AM
Our latest in-depth look at the local late nighters spotlights the sometimes Smallville nature of lead stories. Plus you can see an NBC5 reporter in a funny hat and video of Fox4 weathercaster Ron Jackson's butt-forward, off-camera dance. Also, the weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings are in. And on our home away from home, locatetv.com, we pose some of "TV's Top Unanswered Questions" -- and try to address them.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 6 of the May sweeps
05/07/10 12:39 PM
TV station managers and sales departments have little or no use for older viewers when it comes to setting advertising rates. But plucky, purse snatcher-defying oldsters like Linda Self are godsends when it comes to a newscast's show 'n' tell. As you'll see in our latest compendium. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings have some very telling numbers. Plus, NBC throws three more new series on the grill for next season.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 5 of the May sweeps
05/06/10 04:59 PM
Our latest compendium questions whether WFAA8 needs a jolt of Red Bull. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in and Friday Night Lights is ready to return to NBC while Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo visits The Biggest Loser. Get those details here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
A first look -- and a favorable impression -- of Fox's Dallas-made The Good Guys
05/06/10 09:59 AM
Filmed entirely in the Dallas area, Fox's The Good Guys won't be launching until May 19th. Episode 1 just arrived in the mail, though. And due to considerable local interest, there's no time like the present to review it. See what we think on the Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 4 of the May sweeps
05/05/10 01:44 PM
Our latest look at D-FW's late night newscasts re-investigates two dubious CBS11 investigations, one of them latching onto a previous effort by the tabloid magazine Inside Edition. You can find all of this and more on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in, and ABC's Lost finale has grown another tentacle.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Up-close and objective: Night 3 of the May sweeps
05/04/10 03:21 PM
Presenting more praise and punches for D-FW's late night newscasts on what turned out to be a very eventful Monday. Our latest compendium is here. Also, the Emmys have a new host and NBC has picked up a promising new series for next fall from the guy who birthed Lost. Plus the delayed D-FW Nielsen ratings at last are in. We've got Friday's over here and Saturday's through Monday's over there.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Friendlier venue for Conan on convivial 60 Minutes
05/03/10 12:01 AM
Contractually freed to appear on TV for the first time since leaving The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien chose Sunday's 60 Minutes and correspondent Steve Kroft. Get our take on how he came off and what Kroft might have asked him, but didn't.
Also, our latest "Night in the Lives" of D-FW's late night newscasts is in the bank. And see which CW33 veteran has decided to leave the station's news team.
(Note: it's another change of month, meaning that some pages already have been sent to the April archives, with more to follow. Thanks to all who keep reading and especially to those who take the time to make their amazon.com purchases after first clicking through the ads on unclebarky.com. A 4 percent commission is paid for each purchase, helping in a small way to defray the monthly costs of keeping unclebarky.com rolling free of charge.
Ed Bark
Also, our latest "Night in the Lives" of D-FW's late night newscasts is in the bank. And see which CW33 veteran has decided to leave the station's news team.
(Note: it's another change of month, meaning that some pages already have been sent to the April archives, with more to follow. Thanks to all who keep reading and especially to those who take the time to make their amazon.com purchases after first clicking through the ads on unclebarky.com. A 4 percent commission is paid for each purchase, helping in a small way to defray the monthly costs of keeping unclebarky.com rolling free of charge.
Ed Bark