Mar 2009
As ER nears an end, who are TV's all-time top 10 docs?
03/31/09 05:06 PM
NBC's ER will end its record
15-season run -- the most ever for a medical series
-- with Thursday's two-hour finale. Two of its
denizens have made our list of all-time Top 10 TV docs. Plus, your
friendly content provider adds his voice to
cnn.com's story on ER's
impact and legacy. Also, there's great news for
NBC's Austin-made Friday Night
Lights. And Monday's D-FW Nielsen ratings
chronicle a rare occurrence in the local news
wars.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Take a look inside
03/30/09 11:57 PM
Tough-worded questioning from CBS11 reporter J. D. Miles put Dallas police officer Robert Powell on the receiving end during an exclusive interview on Monday's 10 p.m. newscast. The details are here. Also, we look at ABC's re-do of its 1998 series, Cupid, which premieres Tuesday.
Ed Bark
Advancing the story: CBS11 lands exclusive interview with Moats case cop
03/30/09 05:14 PM
By ED BARK
CBS11 plans to play catch up in a big way Monday with its own exclusive in the Ryan and Tamishia Moats case.
The station announced early Monday evening that reporter J.D. Miles will interview Dallas police officer Robert Powell on tonight's 10 p.m. newscast.
Powell is on administrative leave after his controversial conduct outside Baylor Regional Medical Center of Plano, where he issued a traffic ticket to Ryan Moats and detained him at length while his hospitalized mother-in-law died.
WFAA8 reporter Rebecca Lopez broke the story last Wednesday and is still in New York after interviewing the Moatses Monday in concert with ABC's Good Morning America. Portions of her interview aired on WFAA8's 5 p.m. newscast, with more to come on Monday's 6 and 10 p.m. reports.
More inside
03/30/09 02:33 PM
Live from New York, WFAA8 reporter
Rebecca Lopez talks to
unclebarky.com about the biggest story of her
career. Also, Fox will premiere Osbournes:
Reloaded following Tuesday's latest
American Idol performance show. It already
smells bad, though.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Waiting game: Ryan, Tamishia Moats go public first on GMA while WFAA8 readies its own local exclusive
03/30/09 09:50 AM
Ryan and Tamishia Moats were interviewed exclusively on Monday's Good Morning America while the reporter who broke the story, WFAA8's Rebecca Lopez, waited her turn. Get the details here. Also, Tiger Woods' dramatic 18th hole win Sunday gives NBC a short-lived boost in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Ed Bark
Moats and wife opt for more visible morning venue (updated)
03/29/09 11:39 AM
By ED BARK
Pro football running back Ryan Moats and his wife Tamishia (also spelled Tamisha in some accounts) have changed morning partners and now will appear exclusively on Monday's Good Morning America to talk about what has become their nationally famous altercation with Dallas traffic cop Robert Powell.
They'll be interviewed by co-anchor Robin Roberts at some point in the ABC program, which airs from 7 to 9 a.m. in D-FW on WFAA8.
CBS11 anchor Karen Borta had told viewers on the station's late night Thursday newscast (delayed by the NCAA basketball tournament) that CBS' The Early Show would have an exclusive interview with Ryan and Tamishia Moats on Friday's program.
But that never happened. As previously reported on unclebarky.com, CBS11 spokesperson Lori Conrad said she was informed that the Early Show interview "was a lock" until Friday morning, "when the broadcast executive producer got an email saying that they couldn't do the interview because Ryan's wife was still grieving."
Early Show easily is the least-watched of the three network morning programs both nationally and in D-FW. In last Monday's local Nielsen ratings, GMA had 93,002 D-FW viewers, followed by NBC's Today (79,716) and Early Show (39,858).
This Just In -- WFAA8 reporter Rebecca Lopez, who broke the story last week, also is in New York for what she says will be the only local station "exclusive" interview with Ryan and Tamishia Moats.
On Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast, Lopez told anchor Shelly Slater that her interview with the couple will air on WFAA8's 5 to 7 a.m. Daybreak program before GMA's network exclusive. WFAA8 is an ABC affiliate, but is not owned by the network.
Lopez said that Ryan and Tamishia Moats have not sought publicity and plan to do only the GMA and WFAA8 interviews.
Nor did the Moatses file a complaint with the Dallas police department, Lopez said. The incident, which occurred on March 17th, came to light only after a Plano officer who witnessed it complained to the DPD, Lopez told Slater. "And that's how this investigation got launched."
Lopez said the Moatses have been "overwhelmed" by all the attention the case has received over the past five days.
More new stuff
03/27/09 03:41 PM
HBO's latest new series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective
Agency, premieres Sunday night. It's the
first G-rated scripted series ever from the
longrunning premium pay network. Also, Rebecca Lopez's scoop on the much
talked-about Ryan Moats/traffic cop incident
re-proves the value of experienced beat reporting
in times when many local TV stations are giving it
up. Also, we have updates requested on several
former D-FW television newsies
pictured in a vintage WFAA8 promotional video. And
the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings bounce
the wrong way for NCAA basketball.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside pages
03/25/09 03:07 PM
ABC's new In the Motherhood
premieres Thursday. Not to be too judgmental, but if
you're in the womb, stay there. Also, Tuesday's
Obama-infused D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Sportscaster Gina Miller knows the score as D-FW television's last woman standing
03/24/09 01:33 PM
Dallas-Fort Worth, the country's fifth-largest TV market, now has just one woman sportscaster on the six stations with nightly local newscasts. Post up with Gina Miller in our extended profile.
Ed Bark
Fresh produce
03/24/09 11:37 AM
Which D-FW weatherman showed up in a
tuxedo to do Monday's 10 p.m. forecast? We've got a
picture and some fake reasons why.
Also, TBS enters the late night talk show ring
with a surprise newcomer of color. And the
latest D-FW ratings are in the
house.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Rather hits the century mark -- in HDNet news programs
03/23/09 05:08 PM
Dan Rather's weekly HDNet news program
will reach 100 episodes and counting on Tuesday. It's
turned out to be an optimum marriage for the former
CBS News heavyweight and Dallas-based owner Mark
Cuban. Rather has plenty to say about this and more
in an extended telephone interview with
unclebarky.com. Also, we get an update from
former Fox4 Good Day anchor Megan Henderson, who's newly on the
air at KTLA-TV in Los Angeles.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
New inside
03/23/09 01:20 PM
Throwing your voice can be a very good
gig, especially if you're originally from D-FW. Check
out the latest homegrown ventriloquist who's raking it in. Also, the weekend Nielsen ratings were
bullish for both Obama and basketball.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Local angles -- all nine of 'em
03/23/09 12:20 PM
By ED BARK
We recently messed around with NBC5's new "Golden Local" award, which kind of looks like a cowboy giving D-FW the time-tested finger.
But it turns out that our local Peacock, owned-and-operated by NBC Universal, isn't the only O&O to deploy this advertising device. In fact, nine of NBC's 10 O&O stations have a Golden Local in play, with WTVJ-TV in Miami so far the only exception.
The KXAS-TV (Ch. 5) Golden Local is pictured at the top left. Its latest winner, Uncle Julio's, got the most votes in a Mexican restaurant competition with Mi Cocina. Both restaurants' logos, and links to their Web sites, are part of the package. Do you smell corporate synergy?
Let's meet the eight other Golden Locals, all pictured above. Three are billed as "the World's First Human trophy," even if only one really is. But without further ado . . .
TOP ROW (left to right): KXAS (Dallas-Fort Worth); WNBC (New York); KNSD (San Diego)
MIDDLE ROW: KNTV (San Jose, San Francisco); WMAQ (Chicago); WRC (Washington, D.C.)
BOTTOM ROW: WVIT (Hartford, Conn.); KNBC (Los Angeles); WCAU (Philadelphia)
And no, you won't this information anywhere else.
On Wisconsin -- off Florida State (updated)
03/20/09 01:54 PM
Uncle Barky's alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will take on the heavily favored Florida State Seminoles in one of the NCAA basketball tournament's late games Friday.
Few give the Badgers much of a chance, and yes I've heard most of the jokes and have a few myself.
Wisconsin looks and plays like a set-shooting '50s team.
Their games should be televised in black-and-white.
The team rallying cry is a yawn.
They're more deliberate than Dag Hammarskjold.
They make Perry Como look like Billy Idol.
One of their star players is hulking Joe Krabbenhoft, whose name sounds like a specialty sauerkraut dish.
And so on.
The Badgers will enter tonight's game as a lowly No. 12 seed after losing their opening game in the Big Ten Tournament. Florida State is a No. 5 seed after making it to the title game in the rough-tough ACC tournament.
But look for Wisconsin to put a Verne Gagne sleeper hold on the otherwise up-tempo Seminoles. And after the paint has dried and the snores have set in, the Badgers will pull off a 10-9 win in always pulsating Boise.
OK, it's likely to be a bit higher-scoring than that. And Wisconsin should have a strong fan base in Dallas after bequeathing the Mavs both Michael Finley and Devin Harris. It's not the great state of Wisconsin's fault that owner Mark Cuban later coughed both of them up.
So let's get behind a bratwurst-powered team with nothing to lose under the steady leadership of former University of Wisconsin-Platteville coach Bo Ryan. For him, a fast break is a dirty word. But he does do a mean hambone. Check it out and say cheese:
Ed Bark
Postscript: Well, the Badgers beat Florida State by two points in overtime, but then wilted in the second half against Xavier to bow out of the NCAA tournament Sunday afternoon. Wait'll next year, when Wisconsin returns with more slo-mo, rim-clanging hardwood action.
Web-only Rockville CA finds O.C. creator skipping networks
03/19/09 05:53 PM
The new web-only series Rockville CA is another instance of a prominent TV producer bypassing the conventional networks to play what for now is still small ball. In this case it's Josh Schwartz (The O.C.). Get our take on what he's done on the Web Browser page.
Ed Bark
Take a look inside
03/19/09 01:35 PM
Former CBS11 news director Regent
Ducas, quite the notorious figure during his brief
tenure, has landed a coaching job in North Texas. Get
the details here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in,
as is news of two long leases on life for a
pair of CBS comedies. Look below on
this page as well for an example of how one major
TV station humanely handled an anchor layoff.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Ah, the humanity -- seriously
03/19/09 01:07 PM
By ED BARK
You know how it is when a D-FW television anchor or reporter is sacked due to downsizing.
Station managers invariably have no comment. They say it's because they have to protect themselves against possible lawsuits. So no one said anything on the record when the likes of WFAA8's Macie Jepson and CBS11's Robert Riggs were let go.
But it really doesn't have to be done this way, as CBS-owned WCCO-TV in Minneapolis is showing. The station's web site has a March 16th story headlined, "WCCO Releases Jeanette Trompeter."
That's a reference to an anchor-reporter who joined WCCO in 2005 from a Des Moines, Iowa TV station. The story includes this passage:
"In a message to the station's staff, Vice President and General Manager Susan Adams Lloyd said economic realities during the recession required that she make a very difficult decision. She wished Jeanette all the best."
Lloyd also is quoted in the story as saying, "Like so many businesses in our community that are adjusting to these uncertain economic times, WCCO-TV, too, had to make one of these tough decisions . . . It's a difficult day for all of us today."
WCCO also provided a link for viewers wanting to wish Trompeter well.
Kudos to the station for handling her layoff in a very classy and humane way. It doesn't take much. And it can make a big difference.
You know how it is when a D-FW television anchor or reporter is sacked due to downsizing.
Station managers invariably have no comment. They say it's because they have to protect themselves against possible lawsuits. So no one said anything on the record when the likes of WFAA8's Macie Jepson and CBS11's Robert Riggs were let go.
But it really doesn't have to be done this way, as CBS-owned WCCO-TV in Minneapolis is showing. The station's web site has a March 16th story headlined, "WCCO Releases Jeanette Trompeter."
That's a reference to an anchor-reporter who joined WCCO in 2005 from a Des Moines, Iowa TV station. The story includes this passage:
"In a message to the station's staff, Vice President and General Manager Susan Adams Lloyd said economic realities during the recession required that she make a very difficult decision. She wished Jeanette all the best."
Lloyd also is quoted in the story as saying, "Like so many businesses in our community that are adjusting to these uncertain economic times, WCCO-TV, too, had to make one of these tough decisions . . . It's a difficult day for all of us today."
WCCO also provided a link for viewers wanting to wish Trompeter well.
Kudos to the station for handling her layoff in a very classy and humane way. It doesn't take much. And it can make a big difference.
New for you
03/18/09 03:15 PM
Our latest "Making A List" assembles the "Top
10 TV Stars whose real names bear no resemblance."
One that didn't make the cut is Orson Bean, who
once upon a time was Dallas Burrows. Also, the
latest D-FW Nielsen ratings mark
the first time a competing show has beaten
American Idol. At least in these parts. And
unclebarky.com picks a Final Four for American Idol
in hopes that at least one of 'em makes it.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside stuff
03/18/09 07:45 AM
The new ABC workplace comedy Better Off Ted launches Wednesday night. Comparisons to The Office are inevitable, but this one has its own odd charms. Our review is here. Also, avid twitterer George Stephanopoulos "tweets" with late adapter John McCain. And we pick up the pieces.
Ed Bark
"I'll be back at 6 -- unless they fire me between now and then"
03/17/09 12:55 PM
OK, maybe we should be glad that
traffic reporter Bob Herzog's not plyin' his trade in
D-FW. But his Irish thing-a-ma-jig on St. Paddy's
Day, 2008 makes Uncle O 'Barky laugh more than just a
wee bit.
Herzog channeled his dance at 5:48 a.m. on WKRC-TV's Good Morning Cincinnati program. And a year later, he's still hangin' in at the CBS station. Here's a look at how he stopped traffic:
Ed Bark
Herzog channeled his dance at 5:48 a.m. on WKRC-TV's Good Morning Cincinnati program. And a year later, he's still hangin' in at the CBS station. Here's a look at how he stopped traffic:
Ed Bark
New for you
03/17/09 11:38 AM
The early morning ratings are getting
very grim for WFAA8's Daybreak, which hasn't
clicked at all lately in the local Nielsens. I guess
you could say it's still early for the stations
latest anchor duo of incumbent Cynthia Izaguirre and
newcomer Chris Flanagan. But Monday's Daybreak numbers
were truly abysmal. We also have the weekend D-FW Nielsens plus news of
Sopranos creator David Chase's new miniseries for
HBO. And a new TV Bulletin Board notes a big first
in the annals of late night TV talk shows. Plus, a
new "Ask Uncle Barky" gives you a look
at former WFAA8 anchor Jeff Brady's new -- and so
far underwhelming -- Web site. There are other
answers, too.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
In memoriam: Mike Maza
03/16/09 11:26 AM
Today is the memorial for my good
friend and former Dallas Morning News
colleague Mike Maza, who died last year of cancer. In
his memory, there'll be no further postings today.
We'll resume on Tuesday. Thank you.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
NBC's Kings deserves some loyal subjects
03/13/09 12:54 PM
One of the better new TV dramas of
late, NBC's suitably epic Kings, premieres
Sunday night. Our review is here. We also apprise
George Clooney's little-promoted
appearance on Thursday's ER, which
didn't fare very well in that night's D-FW Nielsen ratings. And NBC has a
summer schedule in place, with which we mess around.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Earmarking of a different sort: Cell phone usage in a steam room
03/13/09 10:48 AM
This basically has nothing to do with
TV, although a D-FW station presumably could flip it
into a "trend" story. But here goes anyway.
After working out yesterday at a Garland fitness emporium, I hit a very steamy co-ed steam room. So did a woman with her cell phone. She began to loudly yak on it and never stopped. A good 20 minutes later, she was in the whirlpool, still talking away. So much for peace and serenity.
It's the first time I'd witnessed cell phone usage in a steam room and whirlpool. But in more upscale exercise places, perhaps this is commonplace.
Anyway, it pissed me off, maybe for no good reason. Got any odd cell phone usage stories of your own? Or am I just being a grump? Thank ya.
Ed Bark
After working out yesterday at a Garland fitness emporium, I hit a very steamy co-ed steam room. So did a woman with her cell phone. She began to loudly yak on it and never stopped. A good 20 minutes later, she was in the whirlpool, still talking away. So much for peace and serenity.
It's the first time I'd witnessed cell phone usage in a steam room and whirlpool. But in more upscale exercise places, perhaps this is commonplace.
Anyway, it pissed me off, maybe for no good reason. Got any odd cell phone usage stories of your own? Or am I just being a grump? Thank ya.
Ed Bark
Idol axes two, bungles new rule
03/12/09 11:22 AM
Prime-time's most popular show,
American Idol introduced a very lame "Judges'
Save" option Wednesday. But it then made a mess of its own new rules. Also,
the latest D-FW Nielsens are in. And on
the Web Browser page, we commend NBC
Universal for finally doing something right, even
if it's an embarrassment for one of its owned
networks. Plus, Dallas-based KDAF-TV's 9 p.m.
local newscast sinks to another low.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
WFAA8 to be hit by more layoffs
03/11/09 10:27 AM
Belo Corp., owner of Dallas-based
WFAA8 and 19 other TV stations, will be dropping 150
more employees by mid-April. Get further details
here. Also, another network cooking
competition, NBC's The Chopping Block,
steps up to the plate Wednesday night. Our review
is served here. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
And do grackle poop and Fox4 reporter Matt Grubs
mix? Yes, and quite well as it turns out.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside pages
03/10/09 02:35 PM
Dancing with the Stars returned
Monday night to the tune of big ratings and high
scores for former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader turned
Bachelor jilt-ee Melissa Rycroft. One North
Texas couple immediately sent a letter of protest to
ABC on other grounds, though. Get Dancing's
D-FW ratings here and the other stuff here. Also, it was a pinstripes
palooza Monday on Fox4's 9 p.m. local newscast. We
jest and nitpick here.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Inside stuff
03/09/09 04:06 PM
Dallas-based WFAA8 has named a
third Good Morning Texas
co-host to fill the spot left by Brenda Teele.
Also, WFAA8 is a bit miffed at Houston's KPRC-TV,
whose latest news personality promos look more than a little like copycats.
The weekend D-FW Nielsen ratings are
in, too. Plus, NBC reporter Lindsay Wilcox has a new arrival
and a freshly posted TV Bulletin Board page entry tells
you what South Park has in mind for the
Jonas Brothers on Wednesday's 13th season
premiere.
We also have a new paid advertiser, Texas A&M University, which actually is hiring! As you can see from the ad along the right-hand border, they're looking for a Senior Communications Specialist. So by all means check it out if you fit the accompanying job description. And tell 'em unclebarky.com sent ya.
Ed Bark
We also have a new paid advertiser, Texas A&M University, which actually is hiring! As you can see from the ad along the right-hand border, they're looking for a Senior Communications Specialist. So by all means check it out if you fit the accompanying job description. And tell 'em unclebarky.com sent ya.
Ed Bark
New for you
03/06/09 10:44 AM
It's not every day you hear a fire
alarm go off in the middle of a local newscast. See
how WFAA8 handled it, pictures and
all. Also, we have a review of ABC's new and
heavily promoted Castle series, an American Idol update and the
latest D-FW Nielsen ratings on Day
1 of the largely inconsequential March "sweeps."
Plus, check out unclebarky.com's review of Breaking Bad, which returns
for Season 2 Sunday night.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Stripped of stripes
03/05/09 12:26 PM
Fox4 anchor Steve Eagar again called
attention to his sinister wide-striped suitcoat
Wednesday, this time to swear off wearing it at the
order of his "boss's boss." Also,
the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are another
cuppa cold coffee for WFAA8's
Daybreak. We've got our latest American Idol picks, too,
and a variety of tidbits on the TV Bulletin Board page.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Fox4 anchor shows his stripes
03/04/09 11:40 AM
He reports, you decide. Fox4 anchor
Steve Eagar made a point of wearing his wide-striped
suitcoat Tuesday night after he says management told
him to bag it. Instead he wants viewers to vote it on or off. Also, Tuesday's
early morning ratings are a jolt for new anchor Chris
Flanagan, who made his Daybreak debut. And
we again pick our three Idol survivors from
Tuesday's last in a trio of 12-way sing-offs.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Another new male delivery at WFAA8
03/03/09 10:30 AM
Anchor Chris Flanagan made his
Daybreak debut Tuesday on WFAA8, and hopes to
last much longer than the previous trio. Our first
impressions are here. Also, cancer survivor Judy
Jordan, who was D-FW's first woman news anchor,
offers a buoyant update and picture. And the
latest D-FW Nielsens are rosy for
ABC's The Bachelor, where North Texan
Melissa Rycroft belatedly got jilted Monday night.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
New inside
03/02/09 01:58 PM
The latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are
both a plus and a minus for Megan Henderson's last
day on Fox4's Good Day. Also, Jimmy Fallon
will take a Web-centric approach to NBC's Late
Night, where he debuts on Monday, March 2nd.
Here's what he has to say.
Ed Bark
Ed Bark
Rebooting for March
03/02/09 12:46 AM
New posts for March send last month's
to the February archives located along the right-hand
border of each unclebarky.com page. In our latest
Dallas-Fort Worth TV entry, we have news of two
former D-FW television news stalwarts battling serious health problems.
And 24's latest two-hour "event"
again finds its fictional president facing worse
problems than her real-life counterpart. Namely, a
terrorist invasion of the White House.
Ed Bark
P.S. Again, a monthly thanks to all who have made Amazon.com purchases by first clicking through the Amazon ad on unclebarky.com. And a special thanks to photographer Michael Irvin for his ongoing pre-paid advertisement. It all helps.
Ed Bark
P.S. Again, a monthly thanks to all who have made Amazon.com purchases by first clicking through the Amazon ad on unclebarky.com. And a special thanks to photographer Michael Irvin for his ongoing pre-paid advertisement. It all helps.