CBS Announces Pick-Up of Canadian Drama The Bridge

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERFriday, February 20, 2009 Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:TV Nicknames ______________________________________________________________________ Note: All overnight data for Tuesday, Feb. 17, Wednesday, Feb. 18, and Thursday, Feb. 19 will be held by Nielsen until Friday due to stations making the digital transition. Although a small percentage of stations transitioned yesterday, the purpose of the three-day hold is to ensure that all necessary changes have been made in Nielsen’s internal systems to properly credit the stations that transition. Overnight data for Tuesday through Thursday is expected to be released on Friday morning. Make sure you go to PIFeedback.com at approximately 12 p.m. ET, however, for a look at the fast affiliate results for Thursday, Feb. 19._______________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Big Gains for Cartoon Network:Based on ratings for the week of Feb. 9 (and ignited by Star Wars: Clone Wars and Pokemon 11: Giratina & The Sky Warrior), Cartoon Network ranked first among all basic cable networks for the prime-time delivery of boys 6-11 and boys 9-14 Compared to the year-ago week, the home of must see animation increased by a hefty 27 percent in kids 2-11 (904,000), 35 percent in kids 6-11 (678,000) and 33 percent among kids 9-14 (534,000). Star Wars: The Clone Wars topped the charts in all of television – broadcast and cable – among boys 6-11, with a second place finish among boys 9-14. -National Ratings in Primetime – Week of Feb. 16 to-Date (Through Wednesday, Feb. 18): Two nights (and three hours) of American Idol has, of course, lifted Fox well above the competing networks. But keep in mind that the upcoming 81st Annual Academy Awards on Sunday will give ABC a significant boost. And four more nights of Fox minus Idol will result in a significantly lower weekly average. The only original program on the CW this week, meanwhile, is the series-finale of 13: Fear is Real tonight (and that will be lucky to even attract one million viewers). Here is the national ratings to-date from Monday, Feb. 16 through Wednesday, Feb. 18: Households:Fox: 10.7 rating/16 share, CBS: 7.8/12, ABC and NBC: 4.8/ 8 each, CW and MNTV: 0.7/ 1 each Total Viewers: Fox: 18.75 million, CBS: 12.38, NBC: 7.60, ABC: 7.53, MNTV: 1.10, CW: 950,000 Adults 18-49:Fox: 6.9 rating/17 share, CBS: 3.0/ 8, ABC: 2.9/ 7, NBC: 2.7/ 7, CW: 0.4/ 1, MNTV: 0.3/ 1 Source: Nielsen Media Research data________________________________________________________________________________ On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options Friday 2/20/09 ABC: 8:00 p.m. Wife Swap 9:00 p.m. Supernanny10:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS: 8:00 p.m. Ghost Whisperer (R) 9:00 p.m. Flashpoint (R)10:00 p.m. Numb3rs (R) NBC: 8:00 p.m. Howie Do It (two episodes: original and repeat) 9:00 p.m. Friday Night Lights 10:00 p.m. Dateline Fox: 8:00 p.m. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles 9:00 p.m. Dollhouse CW: 8:00 p.m. Everybody Hates Chris (R) 8:30 p.m. The Game (R) 9:00 p.m. 13 – Fear is Real (series finale) MNTV 8:00 p.m. Friday Night Smackdown! --------------- Saturday 2/21/09 ABC: 8:00 p.m. Scrubs (R) 8:30 p.m. Movie: Hitch (R) CBS: 8:00 p.m. Without a Trace (R) 9:00 p.m. Criminal Minds (R) 10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery NBC: 8:00 p.m. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) 9:00 p.m. Law & Order (R)10:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU (R) Fox: 8:00 p.m. Cops 9:00 p.m. America’s Most Wanted MNT 8:00 p.m. Movie: Bushwhacked (R) --------------- Sunday 2/22/09 ABC: 7:00 p.m. Barbara Walters Special 8:00 p.m. The Oscars Red Carpet 8:30 p.m. The 81st Annual Academy Awards CBS: 7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes 8:00 p.m. The Amazing Race 14 9:00 p.m. Cold Case (R)10:00 p.m. The Unit (R) NBC: 7:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) 9:00 p.m. 100 Most Outrageous Moments of All-Time 2 Fox: 7:00 p.m. NASCAR 2009 CW: 7:00 p.m. Jericho (R from 6:30 p.m. ET) 7:30 p.m. Sunday Movie: Tomorrow Never Dies (R) Mr. TV’s Oscar Picks:Truth be known, I only saw a handful of movies this year. So, I am certainly no expert. But, after researching the movies and hearing what the “experts” have to say, here are my individual picks for The 81st Annual Academy Awards: BEST…-Picture: Slumdog Millionaire-Actor: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)-Actress: Kate Winslet (The Reader)-Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)-Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)-Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)-Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire-Original Screenplay: Wall*E-Foreign Language Film: The Class-Animated Feature Film: Wall*E-Animated Short Film: Presto-Art Direction: The Duchess-Cinematography: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Costume Design: The Duchess-Documentary Feature: Man On Wire-Documentary Short Subject: The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306-Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire-Live Action Short Film: Spielzeugland (Toyland)-Make-Up: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire-Original Song: “Down to Earth” (Wall*E)-Sound Editing: The Dark Knight-Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight-Visual Effects: The Dark Knight ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -CBS Picks Up Canadian Drama The Bridge:Original CTV drama The Bridge, which begins production in Toronto this spring, will also air on CBS. The Eye network has ordered 13 episodes for telecast next season. Originally shot as a two-hour made-for movie and back-door pilot, The Bridge is an ensemble piece focusing on street cops who battle criminals – and their own bosses – to protect society. The Bridge is the third Canadian series in under 18 months to be picked up here. The first is drama Frashpoint, which currently airs on CBS out of Ghost Whisperer on Friday. And the second is drama The Listener, which is expected to run on NBC this summer. -TBS Announces the Return of My Boys:Season three of sitcom My Boys, which will begin on the heels of soon-to-be-married Bobby (Kyle Howard) trying to confess his true feeling to P.J. (Jordana Spiro), will return on Tuesday, March 31 at 10 p.m. ET. Nine new episodes will air. -The Weather Channel’s Storm Stories to Return on Feb. 22:Weather Channel favorite Storm Stories, which returns on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. ET, will kick-off with coverage of the tornado that struck Windsor, Colorado in 2008. Viewers this season can share their own “storm stories” online at www.weather.com/tv. -Jimmy Fallon Lines Up Guest Stars:Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC will debut on Monday, March 2 with two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and musical guest Van Morrison. Also appearing that week will be his former SNL Weekend Update anchor (and 30 Rock star) Tina Fey, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Ludacris. -Oscar Coverage on E!:If you just can’t get enough of The Academy Awards, E! will offer Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards from 2-6 p.m. ET; followed by Live From the Red Carpet, hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Juliana Rancic from 6-8 p.m. ET. Immediately following the awards is E! After Party: The 2009 Academy Awards from 11:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m. ET. And Monday, Feb. 23 at 10 p.m. ET will feature Fashion Police: The 2009 Academy Awards, hosted by Debbie Matenopoulos, Jay Manuel, Christian Siriano and Peter Ishkhans. _____________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:TV Nicknames What was Almonzo’s nickname for Laura on Little House on the Prairie? BabyBethFrecklesHalf-PintMrs. Schmenkman The answer to yesterday’s trivia question… What was the name of the town the Cleavers lived in on classic sitcom Leave it to Beaver? AmityvilleFour CornersHillsdaleMayfieldSpringfield Is: d) Mayfield. It was never determined, however, where exactly Mayfield was.-Current kudos goes to:Joelle Alexander, Ric Beddingfield, Barbara Berman, Gerry Bixenspan, Kimay Bloch, Lillian Buchman, Brian Carney, Larry Collins, Harold Cooper, Annie Courtney, Reid Davis, James Davison, Ric Dittman, Jerry Gibbons, Geoffrey Gordon, Sharron Harmening, Pat Hylkema, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Marie LeFevre Karp, Synda Kollman, Mark Krause, Steven Lewis, Thomas Lobascio, John Merrill, Debbie Mirr, Jim Moore, Beverly Morris, Anne Moynihan, Michael Murphy, Michael Natale, Alan Perris, Alex Petrilli, Jr., Bob Rall, Arthur Reinsterin, Alan Rosenfeld, Colleen Roth, Neal Sabin, David Shall, Mark Simmons, Brian Strauss, Joe Swaney

Convergent TV

CBS Announces Pick-Up of Canadian Drama The Bridge

Marc Berman

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Marc Berman