Author: David Bauder
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Politicians use Fox for visibility
NEW YORK — Three of the top five choices in the Southern Republican Leadership Conference’s recent straw poll on favorite 2012 presidential candidates had more than one thing in common: They’re all on the Fox News Channel payroll. Mike Huckabee hosts his own weekend show at Fox, Newt Gingrich gets frequent air time as an…
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‘South Park’ Muhammad episode airs despite uproar
NEW YORK — Comedy Central’s “South Park” included a representation of the Prophet Muhammad as a character this week despite a radical Muslim group’s warning that its producers could be killed. Muhammad appeared on Wednesday night’s episode of the cartoon with his body obscured by a black box, since Muslims consider a physical representation of…
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Palin’s Alaska series to appear on TLC
NEW YORK — Sarah Palin’s travelogue series about Alaska has landed at the TLC network, and filming is set to begin this summer. Network owner Discovery Communications announced Thursday that it had acquired rights to the eight-part series, produced by “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett. The deal lands “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” on the network that also…
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Olympics are golden, topping ‘Idol’ in TV ratings
NEW YORK — Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White and Shani Davis are the true American idols. With the trio leading a record haul of six medals for the Americans, NBC’s telecast of the Olympics clobbered Fox’s “American Idol” in television ratings Wednesday night. During the hour that the two shows went head-to-head, the Olympics were seen…
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Bryant Gumbel says he has lung cancer
NEW YORK — Bryant Gumbel shocked a television audience with the news that he’s recovering from lung cancer surgery and treatment. The former “Today” show anchor, 61, said a malignant tumor and part of his lung were removed two months ago. He revealed his condition to Kelly Ripa while subbing for Regis Philbin on Tuesday’s…
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Sarah Palin: Letterman owes women an apology
NEW YORK – Sarah Palin says David Letterman owes an apology to young women across the country for his joke about her daughter. The Alaska governor appeared on NBC’s “Today” show Friday, continuing a feud with the CBS “Late Show” funnyman over his joke earlier this week that Palin’s daughter got “knocked up” by New…
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CBS, Letterman close to deal for extension
NEW YORK – David Letterman and CBS are close to a deal that would keep the late-night comic on the “Late Show” through at least the spring of 2012. That represents a two-year extension of Letterman’s current deal, set to expire next year. CBS will also pay Letterman’s production company, Worldwide Pants, a smaller licensing…
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Conan on ‘The Tonight Show’ wins high ratings
NEW YORK – Conan O’Brien has reason to smile after his debut as “Tonight” show host. His first Nielsen Media Research report card showed a 7.1 rating and 17 audience share in the nation’s biggest media markets. Those numbers indicate more people checked out O’Brien’s show out than watched David Letterman’s “Late Show” on CBS…
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Fox sticking with schedule instead of Obama
NEW YORK – Fox became the first broadcast network to turn down a request by President Barack Obama for time, opting to show its drama “Lie to Me” on Wednesday instead of the president’s prime-time news conference. Fox will direct viewers interested in the news conference to Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network,…
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After 72 years, TV’s ‘Guiding Light’ switching off
NEW YORK – CBS is pulling the plug on the soap opera “Guiding Light” after a 72-year run that predates television, the show a victim of the economy and changed viewing habits. The drama’s final episode will air on Sept. 18. The Guinness Book of World Records has cited it as the longest-running television drama.…