DAN RATHER: DON’T ALLOW POLITICIANS TO APPROVE QUOTES

Former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather has lashed out at deals in which politicians and other public figures agree to interviews on condition that the questions are submitted in advance and that they can approve the quotes before they are published. The practice came to light in a New York Times article last Monday, […]

SORKIN’S THE NEWSROOM A HIT IN DEBUT

Aaron Sorkin’s first TV series for pay TV, The Newsroom, starring Jeff Daniels, debuted to solid numbers on HBO Sunday night. In its first airing of the night, it averaged 2.1 million viewers, then added 600,000 more in a repeat. Yet to be counted are those who viewed the series on their DVRs or via […]

CUBAN’S HDNET TO BECOME POP-CULTURE OUTLET AXS

While older folks are likely to associate the Axis as the World War II alliance of Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo, the younger generation may soon identify the name with the rebranded HDNet. Spelled AXS and pronounced “access,” the channel is a partnership of Cuban, Ryan Seacrest, concert promoters AEG, and the Creative Artists Agency. It’s […]

AFTER 20 YEARS, SCHIEFFER GETS HIS WISH

It’s easy to conclude that CBS bosses take Bob Schieffer for granted. When he was temporarily assigned to take over the anchor’s desk at the CBS Evening News after the departure of Dan Rather and before the arrival of Katie Couric, he not only produced ratings for the newscast that were higher than they were […]

CNN INSISTS IT’S NOT REPLACING LARRY KING

CNN is denying a spate of rumors that appeared Monday in the New York Post and numerous British newspapers saying that America’s Got Talent lead judge Piers Morgan is in talks to replace Larry King at the cable news network. But in response to inquiries from the TVNewser website, a CNN spokesperson said, “Rumors that […]

RATHER SAYS CBS NEWS/CNN MERGER WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS

Dan Rather, who still occupied the anchor’s desk on the CBS Evening News when CBS and CNN first began discussions about merging their news operations, has told a New York interviewer that there could be “advantages to each side” if the current talks between CBS and CNN prove to be productive. Speaking with interviewer Julie […]