FNC Wants DVR Viewers…Badly…

Sometime fairly recently, perhaps within the past week. FNC started making a brazen appeal for viewers to DVR its programming. It has been embedding a “DVR it NOW” bug into programming spots.

This isn’t the first time someone at the network has gone down this path. Years ago when there was still something of a dispute between some of the cable nets about whether Live or Live+SD ratings should be the standard to measure ratings by, Bill O’Reilly practically begged viewers to DVR his show. Now, of course, everyone goes by Live+SD (and even that may go the way of Live ratings as C7 gains momentum) ratings.

Still this is a really silly campaign for FNC to mount. What’s the point? Not enough people are DVR-ing FNC shows? Is this, like O’Reilly’s plea five years ago, an attempt to boost the network’s ratings?

I doubt it will work. People with DVRs already DVR the shows they can’t watch live. It might have some impact on the less DVR savvy who don’t have recording queues a mile long…such as mine which has 217 programs to record over the next two weeks. But the impact will probably be negligible. Ultimately this campaign’s main achievement will probably be to focus attention on the network’s appeal (and the speculation as to why) and the benefit of that is dubious at best.

Update: It’s worse than I thought. FNC’s website has a DVR FAQ…

DVR FAQ

Have a question about your DVR? We have the answer.
What is a DVR?

It’s like a VCR, but it does not require a video tape. Instead, it records and plays back video digitally right from your cable or satellite box. It contains a hard drive, like a computer, that stores the information.

Anybody ignorant of what a DVR is is probably too ignorant to find this web page…

CNN Connecticut Massacre Coverage Notes

CNN’s coverage plans for tonight…

7pmE Erin Burnett OutFront; Ashleigh Banfield anchors from location
8pmE Anderson Cooper 360; with Soledad O’Brien from location
9pmE Piers Morgan Tonight
10pmE Anderson Cooper 360; with Soledad O’Brien from location
11pmE Erin Burnett OutFront; Ashleigh Banfield anchors from location

Saturday…

6am – 9amE Ali Velshi and John Berman
9am – 11amE Soledad O’Brien
11am – 1pmE Wolf Blitzer
1pm – 3pmE Don Lemon
3pm – 5pmE Soledad O’Brien
5pm – 8pmE Wolf Blitzer and Kate Bolduan
8pm – 9pmE Anderson Cooper
9pm – 10pmE Don Lemon and Soledad O’Brien
10pm – 11pmE Anderson Cooper

Update: Sunday…

6am – 8amE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by John Berman & Kate Bolduan (on location)
9am – 10amE State of the Union with Candy Crowley (on location)
10am – 12pmE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by Wolf Blitzer & Soledad O’Brien (on location)
12pm – 1pmE State of the Union with Candy Crowley (on location)
1pm – 3pmE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by Don Lemon (on location)
3pm – 5pmE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by Erin Burnett (on location)
5pm – 6pmE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by Wolf Blitzer (on location)
6pm – 7pmE Connecticut School Shooting anchored by Anderson Cooper (on location)
7pm – 8pmE Erin Burnett OutFront (on location)
8pm – 9pmE Anderson Cooper 360 (on location)
9pm – 10pmE Piers Morgan Tonight
10pm – 11pmE Anderson Cooper 360 (on location)

Free for All: 12/14/12

What’s on your mind?

More Ann Curry Gossip…

Radar Online’s Jen Heger writes about the latest buzz surrounding Ann Curry and CNN… (via J$)

“Ann would love to enter formal talks to explore the opportunity of working at CNN for Jeff Zucker, but NBC has told her lawyer that the Peacock network won’t let her out of her contract. Ann wouldn’t necessarily jump ship because there is just as much tumult at CNN as there is at NBC in the news division,” a source close to the situation tells RadarOnline.com exclusively.

“It’s a frustrating situation for Ann because she has been at NBC for over 15 years, but she is basically just being kept in the background, and not being utilized,” the insider added.

CNN = Comedy News Network?

The New York Daily News’ Don Kaplan is the latest beat writer to contribute to the “What will CNN do next?” narrative that’s taken off like wildfire since Jeff Zucker was announced as the new head of CNN Worldwide…

CNN’s new chief is looking to liven up the ailing channel’s late-night slate with a news-driven satire program, like “The Daily Show,” industry sources tell the Daily News.

Jeff Zucker, 47, who was named President of CNN Worldwide last month, has quietly been sending out feelers to talent agents who represent, “smart, funny comics like (“Daily Show” host) Jon Stewart” for a potential “late night comedy,” a source close to the network said.

Lynn Berry Leaves NBC/MSNBC…

Early Today/First Look anchor Lynn Berry’s last day on the air was today. She put a tweet out about the news this morning…

A bittersweet goodbye to one heck of a staff. Thx you so much for all the well wishes. I’ll keep u posted on next step!

I’ll bet that Berry winds up at CNN. So who will be the new Early Today/First Look anchor?

Update: TVNewser’s Alex Weprin reports that Mata Schiavocampo is getting the gig…