Q&A: Dec. 12
12/12/07 12:17
Question: What is the reason (or is there a reason) for Brad Davis doing the color with Mark Followill on TV broadcasts and Bob Ortegel switching over to ESPN radio for Dallas Mavericks games? Davis does a good job. I thought Ortegel was condescending when working with Followill last season.
Danny Kunsch
Answer: Big Bob can be condescending, but they did mesh much better as the season wore on. Ortegel is supposed to be splitting his time between radio and TV this season, but Davis so far has done the tube talk. He's OK, but I kind of miss Ortegel. Both Followill and Ortegel signed contract extensions with the Mavs last month, but not so Davis. So look for Followill and Ortegel to ride together again at some point.
Question: Did Jackie Hyland, the early AM gal, just move back home? Or was there pressure because ratings were flat?
Tim Mooney
Answer: Hyland returned to New York to be with her family for personal reasons that I've agreed not to divulge. It's nothing scandalous, though. Ratings for Belo8's Daybreak improved during the pairing of Hyland and Justin Farmer, and the show remains a very competitive second to Fox4's Good Day. So no, I don't think she was pushed out.
Question: Now that NBC5 has fallen into third place in the ratings, do you expect major management or anchor changes?
Donald Bean
Answer: Big changes are possible at some point, but probably not during the ongoing TV season, which still has the February and May "sweeps" ratings periods coming. NBC's prime-time woes haven't helped NBC5's 10 p.m. ratings. Nor has a very clumsy conversion to HD. News director Susan Tully seems like a resilient and relatively benevolent boss who backs her people more than most. At least that's the impression I've gotten during talks with her.
An overhaul will be a certainty, though, if NBC5 doesn't show some signs of life in the next two ratings books. Even during the good days, anchor Mike Snyder's staying power remained the D-FW market's biggest unsolved mystery.
Question: I get the feeling I'm the only fan of Bionic Woman, and it's mainly because I think Michelle Ryan is hot. Any news? I get the feeling it's not coming back.
Derrick Dennis
Answer: Bionic Woman started fast in the ratings but then slowed to a crawl. Its future looks almost as dim as Journeyman's which assuredly is a goner. So far NBC has given full-season orders to its other two new dramas, Life and Chuck. That also tells you something.
Danny Kunsch
Answer: Big Bob can be condescending, but they did mesh much better as the season wore on. Ortegel is supposed to be splitting his time between radio and TV this season, but Davis so far has done the tube talk. He's OK, but I kind of miss Ortegel. Both Followill and Ortegel signed contract extensions with the Mavs last month, but not so Davis. So look for Followill and Ortegel to ride together again at some point.
Question: Did Jackie Hyland, the early AM gal, just move back home? Or was there pressure because ratings were flat?
Tim Mooney
Answer: Hyland returned to New York to be with her family for personal reasons that I've agreed not to divulge. It's nothing scandalous, though. Ratings for Belo8's Daybreak improved during the pairing of Hyland and Justin Farmer, and the show remains a very competitive second to Fox4's Good Day. So no, I don't think she was pushed out.
Question: Now that NBC5 has fallen into third place in the ratings, do you expect major management or anchor changes?
Donald Bean
Answer: Big changes are possible at some point, but probably not during the ongoing TV season, which still has the February and May "sweeps" ratings periods coming. NBC's prime-time woes haven't helped NBC5's 10 p.m. ratings. Nor has a very clumsy conversion to HD. News director Susan Tully seems like a resilient and relatively benevolent boss who backs her people more than most. At least that's the impression I've gotten during talks with her.
An overhaul will be a certainty, though, if NBC5 doesn't show some signs of life in the next two ratings books. Even during the good days, anchor Mike Snyder's staying power remained the D-FW market's biggest unsolved mystery.
Question: I get the feeling I'm the only fan of Bionic Woman, and it's mainly because I think Michelle Ryan is hot. Any news? I get the feeling it's not coming back.
Derrick Dennis
Answer: Bionic Woman started fast in the ratings but then slowed to a crawl. Its future looks almost as dim as Journeyman's which assuredly is a goner. So far NBC has given full-season orders to its other two new dramas, Life and Chuck. That also tells you something.