Longtime ABC News anchor John Stossel is leaving the network to join the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network on cable TV, the company announced Thursday.

Stossel is most widely known for his work on the long-running ABC newsmagazine, "20/20," where he has served as co-anchor and done investigative reporting.

"John has done meaningful and important work throughout his career. His thoughtful and charismatic style has carved a unique niche in the world of television," Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO of Fox News said in making the announcement.

Continue reading "John Stossel leaves ABC News for Fox cable" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Fox
        

Fox Television announced Wednesday night that talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will become the permanent fourth judge on "American Idol" replacing Paula Abdul.

DeGeneres was a surprise appointment, and it will be fascinating to see what her off-beat sense of humor does to the chemistry of the show when "Idol," the most popular show on TV, returns in January. Her brand of humor was apparent in a statement issued Wednesday night by Fox.

 “I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol,” DeGeneres said. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”

Continue reading "Ellen DeGeneres replaces Paula Abdul on 'Idol'" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 9:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Fox
        

Controversial radio show host Don Imus will be joining the Fox Business lineup as the result of multi-year year deal the channel announced Thursday to simulcast "Imus in the Morning" starting Oct. 5. The program will air 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays on the Rupert Murdoch owned channel.

“We’re excited to welcome a renowned broadcaster like Don Imus to the Fox Business team. His 40 years of on-air experience combined with his superb interviewing skills and capitalist sensibilities will be a great addition to our lineup," Kevin Magee, executive vice president of Fox Business, said in a statement.

According to the Fox release, the program, will will "add business news into its format which now offers a mix of current affairs, politics, entertainment and sports."

 “I love Fox. Roger Ailes [president of the Fox News Channel] is the preeminent genius of American Broadcasting. Who wouldn't want to do this?" Imus said in the press release from Fox.

Continue reading "Fox Business adds Don Imus to its TV lineup" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (32)
Categories: Fox
        

Usually I am intrigued by the latest razzle-dazzle of Fox reality TV executive Mike Darnell. But his latest, "Octomom: The Incredible Unseen Footage," scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 19, troubles me a lot.

It troubles because the footage of Nadya Suleman and her children was shot by by a production company that received four citations from the state of California for violating rules on filming children. according to AP.

Given that fact, you you tell me how these kids are not being exploited by every dollar that changes hands on this TV special -- whether it is Fox, the broker who made the deal, the production company that violated California labor lawa of Suleman herself. Say what you will about the Gosselins, they haven't been cited for breaking any child labor laws yet.

Continue reading "Octomom and Fox: Making TV with tainted film" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Fox
        

It's official, I am past the stage of denial and finally starting to accept the fact that Paula Abdul will not be coming back to "American Idol."

Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice said Thursday that the network is done negotiating with Abdul and two guest judges will be brought in during the auditions for the ninth season that starts Friday.

The two are Victorian Beckham and Katy Perry. They will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.

Continue reading "Katy Perry, Victoria Beckham guest judges for 'Idol'" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Fox
        

After years of the judges on "American Idol" and Fox playing the game of they-will-return/they-won't-return/they-will-return, it looks like one of them might actually not be back. Tuesday night while some of us slept tight thinking the world was safe for "Idol" lovers everywhere, Paula Abdul sent out a tweet saying she wasn't coming back for the new season -- and the blogosphere is freaking out.

I say don't freak out just yet. There is still a lot of wiggle room on both sides for Abdul to take back her resignation. Try this scenario: Abdul gets a big  outpouring of affection, Fox bumps up its offer, and everybody is everybody's new best friends again. Would you be shocked?

Continue reading "Let's not say goodbye just yet to Paula Abdul" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Fox
        

Remember back to May sweeps when Fox was trying to hype the ratings for American Idol and it seemed like every day the Web was abuzz with "news" of another judge said to be leaving the show?

Remember how I said it was all hype and they would all be back?

Well, check off another. Kara DioGuardi has already been re-signed for another season of the hit contest show.

(UPDATE: On Monday, Fox confirmed DioGuardi's return.)

That leaves only Paula Abdul. And, oh shock of shocks, Paula's making news again today saying the negotiations are ongoing and she will be back, but only if she gets a "fair deal."

Continue reading "Kara DioGuardi returning to America Idol " »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Fox
        

It's official: We are a nation of weenies. We can't handle art, ambiguity or men who wear too much makeup.

I am talking about the 100 million persons who outrageously selected Kris Allen over Adam Lambert as the new American Idol Wednesday night.

I am so through with this hyped-up show. I put up with the fake judges' controversies and phony claims that some of them wouldn't be back next year. I put up with the producers raiding funeral homes to find over-the-hill performers like Freda Payne and Lionel Richie who they could get for peanuts. I put up with the shameless product placement and the unconscionable commercialization and commodification of the performers in music videos ads for Ford.

I put up with all of that for the transcendent moments when Adam Lambert re-invented pop classics by taking them up into a range where no male singer should go -- and then standing there defiantly holding one of those impossible notes for all the world to see and hear. I haven't been that excited about a new performer in years.

Continue reading "American Idol: Kris Allen wins, and we are all losers" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (166)
Categories: Fox, Reality TV
        

Nothing else matters about Tuesday night's competition final except what Adam Lambert did with Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come. If anyone in the audience of 30 million still didn't know which of the two finalist was an artist, they did after this soul-stirring, electrifying interpretation by the 27-year-old singer from San Diego.

Kris Allen did do better in the first round with Ain't No Sunshine than Lambert did with Mad World. But in the second round when Lambert soared up into the high-note/bent-note land of Patti LaBelle where gospel meets blues and rhythm & blues, the competition was over. Allen, with that pretty-boy smile and thin voice, was left for dead on the killing room floor.

Continue reading "Adam Lambert steals the show in final Idol competition" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 9:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Fox, Reality TV
        

There are spoilers here, so stop now if you haven't see the sorry season finale of 24.

To all those readers who were mad at me for making fun of the melodramatic Jack-is-dying story line the past few weeks, is there one of you who in his or her heart of hearts can honestly say that wasn't one lame ending Monday night? There's Jack in a coma, and here comes Kim arriving to volunteer for the highly risky "stem cell procedure" that could bring him from sure-to-die, one-man biological time bomb back to life. But will it work?

The only thing they didn't do is have Jack's vital signs monitor flat line in the final seconds. Oh wait, they did that last week on Grey's Anatomy.

Continue reading "What a sorry season finale for Jack Bauer and 24" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: Fox, Scripted Series, TV Review
        

Here is the start of a piece I am working on for Sunday's Sun about the powerful archetypes that Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, the two finalists on American Idol, embody. Check back later, and I'll have a link to where you can read the full piece online. Or, tune into the Sun on Sunday, and you can read it there...

Who knows how honest the vote tabulations on American Idol are. After all, no outside source verifies them. But no matter how Fox and the producers of the series managed to get here, they now have their most culturally potent finale ever in the showdown between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen.

Each embodies an archetype of musical and sexual identity at least as old as television. And the choice viewers and voters make this week will have something very important to say about where we are now at as a nation and what kind of performers we are willing to celebrate and embrace.

Continue reading "Kris Allen & Adam Lambert: Ricky Nelson versus Elvis" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Fox
        

Here's the one thought I could not shake as I screened tonight's episode of 24: In the glory days of this series, an hourlong episode used to seem like it raced by in a blur, the fastest hour on television. Now it seems as long and slow as a speech by Vice President Joe Biden.

For those of you who are real weenies about spoilers, stop reading now. I suspect it's not really spoilers you hate, but rather critics getting advance screening copies. You know, information wants to be free and all that. But that's another debate.

Let me tell you a couple of things about tonight's episode without ruining one little bit of the non-drama to which this once great series has succumbed.

Continue reading "24 Preview: At least Jack isn't flopping on the ground" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Fox
        

WBFF (Channel 45) has set a time for the replays of the Monday night episodes of House and 24 that were disrupted by problems in transmission.

House will air Saturday at 1 p.m. followed by 24 at 2 p.m., according to Bill Fanshawe, general manager of the station. The House replay is a bit of a victory, because normally episodes are delayed eight days even online. Fanshawe had to get permission from Fox and the Writers Guild of America for the Saturday replays.

"Again, we apologize to viewers," Fanshawe said Wednesday in an interview. "And we are grateful and excited that Fox and the Writers Guild are allowing us to air the shows Saturday."

(Right: Fox photo of Hugh Laurie as House by Nigel Parry)

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Baltimore Television, Fox, Scripted Series
        

WBFF, Baltimore's Fox affiliate, offered an explanation and apology to fans of House and 24 who had their Monday night viewing interrupted.

Bill Fanshawe, general manager of the station, Tuesday morning said he is in the process of asking the Fox network for permission to re-air the two episodes.

Furthermore, Fanshawe said he is seeking clearance from Fox for permission to put  House online immediately so that viewers can see the Monday episode without the normal eight-day delay. Fanshaw said he would have a link at his station's Web site by 1 p.m. Tuesday offering viewers a chance to go online and see Monday's full episode of 24. 

Here's the statement from Fanshawe followed by further details from our interview as to what happened Monday night to cause viewers to miss 15 minutes of House and 24 minutes of of 24. The statement is also followed by details as to how CW fans can see the Monday night episodes of Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill, which were also affected.

Continue reading "WBFF offers apology and explanation on House, 24" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Baltimore Television, Fox, Scripted Series
        

Some area viewers who were hoping to find out how the doctors on House were going to deal with the suicide of Dr. Kutner were in for deep frustration Monday night when the medical drama disappeared about 8:45 p.m. only to be replaced by Gossip Girl without the audio.

Could it be worse?

Yes, the screen went entirely dark on WBFF at times during a foul-up that appears to be the fault of WBFF (Channel 45) and WNUV (Channel 54), which are owned and managed, respectively, by Sinclair Broadcast Group.

As if all of that was not maddening enough, the first 20 minutes or so of 24 were also lost on Channel 45. Good luck trying to join 24 after the first 20 minutes and figure out what is going on.

Continue reading "Baltimore viewers miss parts of House and 24 on WBFF" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (48)
Categories: Baltimore Television, CW, Fox, Scripted Series
        

Leonard Nimoy, the legendary actor who played Star Trek's Mr. Spock, will guest-star on an upcoming episode of the J.J. Abrams' drama, Fringe, the Fox network announced today.

According to the network, "Nimoy will appear as pivotal person of interest William Bell as the series approaches its first season finale" on May 12th.

Nimoy will be revisiting his role as Spock in the Star Trek feature film that Abrams, co-creator of Fringe, is directing. That's the connection between the director and actor.

I did a long interview on-air interview with Nimoy for a radio show on WYPR that I used to host, Media Matters, and I found him to be one of the most fascinating, multitalented and wisest performers I ever met.

I have tuned out Fringe, but I will be tuning back in to see Nimoy. I think that's the kind of response Fox and Abrams are hoping for with this bit of casting.

(Above: Associated Press photo of by Leonard Nimoy Tom Dodge)

Continue reading "Leonard Nimoy will be trekking over to Fringe on Fox" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Coming Soon to TV, Fox, Scripted Series
        

Continue reading "Kutner's suicide on House -- an exploitative TV death?" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Dead on TV, Fox, Scripted Series
        

Mike Darnell (right), Fox TV's mad monk of reality programming, is launching a new show based on the premise that millions of viewers are tired of looking at magazine-cover beautiful young people fall in love -- and want instead to look at dating show contestants that look more like themselves.

The idea is to replace the beautifully sculpted contestants of shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette with an overweight guy looking for a plus-sized woman to love.

Darnell is a whiz at creating new reality TV concepts and not only making ratings magic with them, but also making it sound as if the series are going to make the world a better place for all of us to live in. The results are usually more along the lines of his Joe Millionaire creation. But it is fascinating to see him probe and try to exploit social reality and the national psyche.

Continue reading "Overweight is the new skinny on Fox reality TV series" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Coming Soon to TV, Fox, Reality TV
        

The Reincarnationist pilot for an hourlong Fox drama series that started filming in Baltimore yesterday is part of a larger Hollywood trend in the way that TV shows are produced these days.

Yesterday, I wrote about the way the drama about a team of investigators that uses the concept of reincarnation to solve problems in their clients' present day lives fits thematically with an emerging pattern of new prime-time procedural dramas. But in a business sense, the production is also part of a wave of pilots that are being filmed outside of California thanks to tax breaks and incentives provided by forward-thinking states like Maryland hoping to bring new jobs to the states.

Here is a bite from a story in the trade publication Variety today exploring the trend from a dollars and sense standpoint. It looks like Maryland was on the side of good sense with its support for incentives.

Continue reading "Reincarnationist pilot : Baltimore wins as LA loses" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Baltimore Television, Fox, Scripted Series
        

While most pilots never see the light of a network's prime-time schedule, there's one that began filming today in Baltimore that looks like a strong candidate to make the Fox lineup next season.

The reason for the optimism: the pilot for the as-yet-untitled series about reincarnation is the work of a writer of quality drama, and the series seems to fit with what some network programmers see as the next big theme.

The pilot, which follows a team of investigators who use the concept of reincarnation to solve present-day problems in their clients' lives, is being directed by Deran Sarafian (House) and features actors Kelli Giddish (All My Children), Nic Bishop (Home and Away) and Ravi Patel (Scrubs). But the name that matters most in this production is that of David Hudgins, who wrote the script and serves as executive producer. Hudgins most recently worked as writer and supervising producer of the NBC drama Friday Night Lights.

(Photo of Kelli Giddish)

Continue reading "Reincarnation pilot filming here has good shot at Fox" »

Posted by David Zurawik at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Baltimore Television, Coming Soon to TV, Fox