Rachel Maddow Interview…

The Huffington Post’s Jack Mirkinson interviews Rachel Maddow about her upcoming 9/11 special with Richard Engel…

“I have started to feel like when I have stuff to explain or report, I want it to be on TV,” Rachel Maddow said.

She was speaking to The Huffington Post about her new documentary, “Day of Destruction, Decade of War,” which she made with her NBC colleague Richard Engel. Judging from the special, Maddow clearly thought that she had quite a bit of stuff to explain and report.

The documentary is uncommonly long for cable television, running for three parts over two nights. It functions as a sort of primer on the expansion of the national security state following 9/11: the explosive growth of the intelligence community, the use of private entities to carry out covert operations and core spying functions, the network of secret (and not-so-secret) military and CIA prisons around the world, the intrusion into everyday American life, the use of torture on detainees and the continued warfare in the Middle East, to name just a few.

The Hazards of Live TV: #25,126

Yesterday on FBN during “Bulls and Bears” the FBN video suddenly disappeared and this popped up on my DirecTV feed…

This was followed by several minutes of affiliate promo spots for yesterday’s edition of “Dish Nation”.

“Dish Nation” is a Fox Television Stations syndicated program that debuted last month. I hadn’t seen something like this since the old, old days in the late 80s when you could get a hacked satellite box on the black market which could tap into any satellite dish feed and you’d see that days’ Entertainment Tonight being broadcast out to affiliates followed by several minutes of affiliate promos for the episode (some of which were customized for specific TV stations). With the advent of Satellite TV networks like DirecTV, the days of needing boxes like that are over for all but the most hardcore satellite junkie so most people have no idea what transpires on a daily basis in the world of syndicated TV show broadcasting.

There are two possible explanations for this gaffe. Either someone at DirecTV punched the wrong button, though I don’t see how or why this would happen given this was a syndication feed, or someone at News Corp.’s uplink facility, which broadcasts FBN and presumably all of Fox Television syndication shows, screwed up. What’s amazing is how long this went on without being caught or stopped. The FBN disruption lasted a good few minutes before returning to “Bulls and Bears”.

Free for All: 08/31/11

What’s on your mind?

A Shot by Shot Breakdown of the new OutFront Promo…

CNN’s OutFront premieres next month. That gives the network less than 30 days to introduce Erin Burnett to its audience. Oh she’s been on a few times already talking mostly business news on other CNN programs but she remains mostly an undefined identity to the vast TV watching public who didn’t sit glued to CNBC all the time. Therefore it is up to CNN to define Burnett and how it wants Burnett viewed by the public.

All of which makes the first promo video for OutFront so critical in the run up to the show’s launch. Remember those inane pre-launch Parker-Spitzer promos which suggested the show would indeed be as awful as we feared? Promos can positively create an impression or negatively re-enforce one that already existed.

With that in mind lets take a look at the various shots used for the OutFront promo. None of these were accidentally chosen or chosen at random. They were chosen with a purpose and chosen to send a message. It seems that most of these were chosen to define Erin Burnett in terms CNN wanted to play up; specifically her reporting and journalism background. There are not many original ways of accomplishing that anymore. Most of these types of shots have been done so many times, particularly at the local TV news level, that we’ve become desensitized to them to the point that they are cliche.

CNN Names Erin Burnett’s Shows…

Broadcasting & Cable’s Andrea Morabito writes about CNN naming Erin Burnett’s upcoming 7pm show “OutFront” (Side note: Maybe I missed the memo but when did it become vogue on cable news to take the spaces out between the words in a program name? “NewsNation”…”PoliticsNation”…”OutFront”…)

The show will premiere in September according to Burnett’s tweet, though no official date has been set by CNN.

Though Burnett, a former CNBC anchor, comes from a business journalism background, CNN has said her show will be a general news program, not a business news one. In the promo reel, Burnett says, “I want our show to be smart, I want our show to be authentic, I want our show to have courage.”

August Ratings: CNN…

CNN is noting its August ratings…

CNN GROWS AN IMPRESSIVE +55% IN M-F PRIMETIME IN AUGUST COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO

CNN’s AC360 TOPS MSNBC AT 8PM IN P25-54 AND IN TOTAL VIEWERS AND THE DEMO AT 10PM

CNN TOPS MSNBC IN TOTAL DAY IN TOTAL VIEWERS AND AMONG KEY DEMO 25-54

In August, CNN continued to post significant year-over-year ratings gains, growing more than any cable news network, increasing +55% in M-F primetime (232k vs. 150k). In addition, CNN tied for second with MSNBC in M-F primetime among P25-54 (232k vs. 232k).

CNN outperformed MSNBC in total day (6a-6a) among both total viewers (540k vs. 429k) and in the key demo 25-54 (189k vs. 143k). CNN grew the most in other key dayparts as well, increasing +63% in total day (189k vs. 116k) and +48% during the daytime in the key demo (173k vs. 117k) compared to last year.

Since AC 360 launched on August 8 at 8 pm, the program has delivered 219k in the key demo 25-54, a +74% increase over year ago programming (126k), a +44% increase vs. last month’s 152k and a 30% increase vs. CNN’s 8pm programming during the second quarter (168k). (For the month, CNN topped MSNBC in the key demo at 8 pm and in the key demo and total viewers at 10 pm – see below).

August Ratings: MSNBC…

MSNBC is noting its August ratings…

MSNBC CONTINUES TO TOP CNN IN PRIMETIME – AUGUST 2011 RATINGS

NEW YORK – August 30, 2011 – MSNBC continued to beat CNN in primetime among total viewers for the month of August 2011, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC topped CNN by 15% among total viewers in Monday – Friday primetime (815,000 vs. CNN’s 708,000). MSNBC also topped CNN in the morning with “Morning Joe” ranking #2 among total viewers for the 5th consecutive month.

Following are MSNBC ratings highlights for August:

“Morning Joe” ranked #2 beating CNN’s “American Morning” among total viewers (438,000 vs. 283,000 CNN) and A25-54 (143,000 vs. 122,000). This is the 5th consecutive month “Morning Joe” has ranked #2 among total viewers, beating “American Morning” for the 5th straight month and HLN’s “Morning Express with Robin Meade” for the 20th consecutive month. Compared to August 2010, “Morning Joe” is up 21% in total viewers and 32% among A25-54.

CNN Buys Zite…

CNN has bought Zite…

“Zite represents the next generation of content discovery and personalized publishing, and CNN wants to help lead in that space,” said KC Estenson, general manager of CNN Digital. “We think we can advance the industry in a meaningful way that helps content creators expand their businesses while growing the distribution of a product that people already love. The Zite technology can also help CNN’s Websites and apps serve more personalized content, making our current digital services even better.”

Zite is an iPad app that leverages deeper technology to provide an individually personalized experience. Zite surfaces content to users that they will find most interesting from a variety of sources across the Web by learning users’ preferences and getting smarter as it’s used.

Free for All: 08/30/11

What’s on your mind?

Jeanne Meserve Out at CNN?

Page Six reports that longtime CNN correspondent Jeanne Meserve is out at the network…

Award-winning journalist Jeanne Meserve is leaving CNN after 15 years, but not without a stormy send-off. After reporting on Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks, and distinguishing herself as the net’s first homeland security correspondent, Meserve was sent to Maryland to be battered one last time by Irene. “Management says they’re all over these big hurricane and terror stories, yet they let this first-class reporter go,” said a source. No word on her next move. CNN didn’t get back to us.

Hurrican Coverage: Hype or Not Hype?

The AP’s David Bauder writes about the hurricane “hype thing”…

Media organizations defended their coverage, in some cases angrily. NBC News anchor Brian Williams recalled talking to a meteorologist from The Weather Channel on Wednesday night and said he had “never heard him so dire.” Networks took cues from public officials, like when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered unprecedented evacuations and a full-scale public transportation shutdown in the nation’s largest city.

Criticism that the coverage was overblown is the worst kind of Monday morning quarterbacking, said Phil Griffin, MSNBC chief executive.

“There’s just an unpredictability about this stuff,” Griffin said. “Suppose someone tells you there’s a 1 in 10 chance you’re going to have a tire blow out on your car. Are you going to drive home on it, or are you going to fix the tire? You’re probably going to fix the tire.”

Press Releases: 08/29/11

MSNBC (1)

Millions Turn to Msnbc Digital Network For the Latest News on Hurricane Irene

August is near record breaking month for BreakingNews.com

NEW YORK, NY — August 29, 2011 –The Msnbc Digital Network served more than 101 million page views* and more than 24.8 million storm-related video streams** as millions of consumers watched NBC News’ video to get the latest information and updates on Hurricane Irene. Several sites across the Msnbc Digital Network experienced a significant increase in traffic, including BreakingNews.com.

From Libya and the East Coast earthquake to Hurricane Irene, BreakingNews.com will end the month with its second-highest traffic ever, eclipsed only by the Japan tsunami in March. From Thursday, August 25 through Monday, August 29 (at noon, ET), @breakingnews and @breakingstorm added nearly 50,000 Twitter followers. The BreakingNews team worked 24/7 throughout the entire Irene story, publishing 650 updates, tweets, photos and videos from dozens of news organizations and eyewitnesses. The site also saw a significant spike in unique visitors and time spent.

Al Sharpton Interview…

The St. Petersburg Times’ Eric Deggans interviews Al Sharpton…

In the past, when Fox News hosts such as Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck seemed to give too much support to the then-developing Tea Party, media critics asked sharp questions, wondering if the line had grown too blurry between passionate advocacy of general politics and specific support of a specific political organization.

With Sharpton’s hire at MSNBC, those questions rise again, despite his assurances that his National Action Network is a federally-recognized charity prohibited from advopcating for specific politicians (he also shrugged off notions that his support for government approval allowing cable giant Comcast to take control of NBC Universal led to his MSNBC show, noting that ratings govern most cable TV news decisions).

Sharpton noted discussions over his advocacy work contributed to a delay that kept MSNBC from confirming him as 6 p.m. host until two months after he began guest hosting in the timeslot. “It was a matter of reaching a comfort level on both sides,” he said. “Glenn Beck and other have done their activism marches while they were affiliated with their (channels). And none of it is partisan political. Most of what the network does is around issues of civil rights.”

Oh Al…citing Glenn Beck as an example of the way things can be done? Not a good idea…

Free for All: 08/29/11

What’s on your mind?

9/11′s 10th: Remembering…

The New York Daily News’ Richard Huff interviews Shepard Smith about 9/11…

Shepard Smith chokes up when he talks about Sept. 11, 2001.

The Fox News anchor is not alone, of course. Like many journalists, he worked for days and weeks before the magnitude of the event hit home personally.

“I don’t remember specific days,” Smith says now, adding that the first few months after were a blur.

“I didn’t have a recollection of it until a subway ride, it had to be be weeks in, when a man was crying and another man came over to console him,” Smith says, pausing. “I think that’s my first vivid memory of what happened.

“I cried, too,” he quickly adds. “There was a lot of it during that period.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/08/29/2011-08-29_fox_news_anchor_shepard_smith_recalls_september_11_experiences_news_coverage_of_.html#ixzz1WQN9QENX

What’s Hot/What’s Not: 08/28/11

What’s Hot:

Yikes! We just blew through the satellite uplink budget for September and it’s not yet Semptember! – The battle for Tripoli, an Earthquake on the east coast, followed by a hurricane on the east coast; all in one week.

Heather Childers – Childers was named a permanent anchor for weekend afternoons on FNC.

Al Sharpton gets 6pm on MSNBC – Let the fireworks commence…

Hazards of Live TV: Keeping me busy this week…

EEOC Herridge FNC lawsuit dismissed – Judge in the case sides with the network.

Gawker vs. FNC – This week was Chapter One: The pre-emptive strike. Chapter Two has yet to be written.

What’s Not:

Contessa Brewer done anchoring at MSNBC – We’ll never know for sure what could have been. We do know that everything that could have been done wasn’t tried.

Irene-mania – Some think the hurricane overhype scenario is a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. Others disagree. There’s points to be made on both side. What shouldn’t be debatable however is when it became obvious that Irene didn’t quite live up to forecasts, particularly when it reached New York, that’s the time to think about throttling back and/or otherwise adjusting your coverage. Some networks did just that. Some did not.

MSNBC Programming Changes…

Brian Williams is on the air right now during the 3pmET hour anchoring Irene coverage for MSNBC. This was not part of the original MSNBC programming. Now will be what happens at 4pm when Meteorologists Bill Karins and Jeff Ranieri will anchor an hour talking about what we’ve learned. MSNBC put out a tweet asking followers to send in their questions. MSNBC has apparently thrown the schedule out so who knows what’s happening at 5pm…

Press Releases: 08/28/11

CNN (1)

CNN Exclusive: CNN’s Nic Robertson has been looking for the man convicted of the 1988 PanAm 103 bombing, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, and tracked him down today in Libya.

Libya’s National Transitional Council announced Sunday it will not extradite Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the 1988 PanAm 103 bombing. The NTC justice minister Mohammed al-Alagi insisting that “We will not give any Libyan citizen to the West.” Megrahi may be the last man alive who knows precisely who in the Libya government authorized that bombing.

Tune into CNN International, CNN/U.S. and CNN.com for Robertson’s exclusive report.

Hurricane Scaremongering…

Howard Kurtz writes in The Daily Beast about Irene coverage. I give Kurtz mega bonus points for highlighting the segment that aired on MSNBC which I tweeted about this morning…

It was raining in Manhattan on Sunday morning, and the dogged correspondents in their brightly colored windbreakers were getting wet.

But the apocalypse that cable television had been trumpeting had failed to materialize. And at 9 a.m., you could almost hear the air come out of the media’s hot-air balloon of constant coverage when Hurricane Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm.
Click here to find out more!

Not everyone was willing to accept this turn of events. When the Weather Channel’s Brian Norcross told MSNBC that forecasters had been expecting the first hurricane to make landfall in New York City since 1893—“and it didn’t happen”—anchor Alex Witt was openly skeptical.

“Really, Brian?” she asked. Hadn’t Irene technically still been a hurricane when it came ashore in New York an hour earlier? “Can’t we still go with that?”

No, Norcross said.

The Hazards of Live TV: 25,125

Cheeky little devils…

FBN To Simulcast WNYW Sunday

Johnny Dollar is noting that before FBN launches its Irene coverage tomorrow night at 8pm ET it will be simulcasting WNYW’s coverage from 6am-8pm.

Hurricane Irene: Your Reactions…

Keep it one place…

What’s Hot/What’s Not: Submissions…

Post your nominations for this week’s What’s Hot/What’s Not. I’ll post the finalists Sunday night…

Gawker vs. FNC…

Politico’s Burgess Everett writes about the recent back and forth between Gawker and FNC. It all seems to boil down to this…

“I have for several weeks been working on a story about a Fox News personality that Fox News really does not want published! Fox knows what the story is, because I’ve asked its PR department for comment (they refused). Tune in next week to see what the story is,” Cook wrote.

Depending on who this purported Gawker expose is about this could get very ugly…

CNBC Hurricane Coverage Programming Changes…

Not wanting to cede the battlefield to FBN, CNBC announced it too will be live Sunday night cover Irene. In fact CNBC is going wall to wall all day Sunday…a “try and top that FBN” if you will…

“CNBC SPECIAL REPORT: HURRICANE IRENE” WILL AIR LIVE SUNDAY, AUGUST 28TH FROM 6AM-11PM ET ON CNBC

Sunday, August 28th:

6:00 AM ET: “CNBC SPECIAL REPORT: HURRICANE IRENE”
(PRE-EMPTS OPTIONS ACTION, PAID PROGRAMMING, dLIFE: DIABETES TV, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORT, HOW I MADE MY MILLIONS #10 & #5, TRASH INC: THE SECRET LIFE OF GARBAGE, AND CNBC TITANS #15: LEO BURNETT)

8:00 PM-11:00 PM ET: “CNBC SPECIAL REPORT: HURRICANE IRENE”
With the financial capital of the world in the path of the storm, CNBC’s Primetime special, anchored by CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla and Melissa Lee, will look at the financial impact of Hurricane Irene, what it means for people and business as well as the global markets.

Contessa Brewer’s Sign Off Video…

Herridge EEOC Lawsuit Dismisssed…

Zoe Tillman writes on the Blog of Legal Times that the EEOC lawsuit against FNC regarding Catherine Herridge has been dismissed…( via J$)

A Washington federal judge granted Fox News Network summary judgment (PDF) Thursday afternoon in an age and gender discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Fox News reporter Catherine Herridge.

Lock Up Unlocked in Florida…

The Florida News Service writes that the previously blocked from filming in Florida version of Lock Up has been let back in again…

The on-again, off-again MSNBC look at Santa Rosa County Correctional Institution is on again after Gov. Rick Scott signed off on a Department of Corrections plan to allow the network to film inside the prison for its series. “Lockup.”

Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger on Thursday confirmed that taping would proceed after the Scott’s office signed off on the deal, which will net the state $110,000.

Hurricane Irene Programming Changes…

TVNewser has MSNBC’s programming changes for Hurricane Irene…

MSNBC’s Chris Jansing will anchor “Hardball” tonight at 5pm & 7pm, with a Hurricane focus. Thomas Roberts is on from 10pmET-Midnight. The network, which normally goes to tape on Saturdays and Sundays at NoonET will be in extended coverage all weekend. Veronica De La Cruz anchors early mornings, Alex Witt anchors until Noon, Tamron Hall from Noon-5pmET, Jansing from 5-10pmET and Roberts picks up at 10pm.

Johnny Dollar somehow got his hands on what appears to be an internal FNC schedule for this weekend…

FBN will be live Sunday night trying to tie Irene to business news.

Here are the current programming changes for this weekend on CNN…

Programming Schedule:

Saturday, August 26

6a.m. to 12p.m CNN Newsroom with T.J. Holmes
12p.m. to 5p.m. CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield
5p.m. to 8p.m. Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer Hurricane Special
8p.m. to 12a.m. CNN Newsroom with Kyra Phillips and Martin Savidge

Sunday, August 28

5a.m. to 9a.m. CNN Newsroom with T.J. Holmes
9a.m. to 10a.m. State of the Union with Candy Crowley
10a.m. to 12p.m. CNN Newsroom with T.J. Holmes
12p.m. to 1p.m. State of the Union with Candy Crowley (Live)
1p.m. to 6p.m. CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield
6p.m. to 12 a.m. CNN Newsroom with Randi Kaye and Martin Savidge

Free for All: 08/26/11

What’s on your mind?