News Archive:
King of the Hill to end
The FOX network has decided animated comedy King of the Hill will not proceed beyond its current 13th season.
But the news is no big surprise given Greg Daniels and Mike Judge have moved on to other projects, and FOX is developing new animated comedies, including one based on Aussie sitcom Sit Down Shut Up.
Daniels is behind The Office, while Judge has The Goode Family, launching on ABC in midseason.
The Texas-based series which began life in 1997 was voiced by Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Brittany Murphy, Tom Petty, Toby Huss, Johnny …
Gone: Prison Break. Bumped: Heroes
Wentworth Miller’s Prison Break is the latest casualty of network programmers with Seven removing it from the schedule until summer. Earlier this month Nine did the same thing to Fringe.
The drama attracted 427,000 viewers last night, which was actually up from 389,000 the week before. Seven lost the night to the Nine Network.
But Seven has had problems with Heroes, netting a disappointing 624,000, dropping from The Amazing Race’s 902,000. It was beaten by RPA’s 1.02m and a repeat of Law & Order: SVU on 930,000.
Race was #1 in key demographics 16-39, …
Airdate: The Daily Show, Bumped: The Office
TEN has picked up the rights to the global edition of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Airing as a weekly show it premieres at 11:20pm Sunday November 9th. The compilation from his daily editions, used to air on SBS.
His daily editions currently screen on the Comedy Channel.
This pushes The Office back to 11:50pm. The following week it will be 12:10am.
Good news for fans of Jon Stewart. Not so good for Steve Carrell fans….
Rove season finale in Sydney
Rove’s final edition for 2008 will be broadcast live from Sydney on Sunday November 16.
They’ve locked in some impressive guests for the big finish too.
Daniel Craig, Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and a performance by Snow Patrol -all promised on the couch. None too shabby there…
The finale will be a full 90 minutes, concluding at 10pm.
Other forthcoming guests include:
Nov 2
Chris Isaak
Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Hamish & Andy (with their update on their Caravan of Courage)
And a performance by End of Fashion!
No 9
Rob Schneider
Ronan Keating
Hamish & Andy stories from the Caravan of Courage trip
Boyzone - …
Do yourself a favour
Television fans lucky enough to attend the recording of the one-off Countdown special, as part of the launch of the 111 Hits channel, relived some old memories yesterday.
Filmed in the same ABC studio where it began, Molly Meldrum was again introducing old friends including John Paul Young, The Angels (how will they edit around the audience chanting to “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?”), The Models along with Bonnie Tyler and Jermaine Jackson.
The softly-spoken Jackson chatted with Meldrum in a scene reminiscent of the famous Humdrum segment. Jackson again …
Leckie quits Free TV board
Do commercial television networks actually have a conscience? That’s a question worth asking today after news that the networks rejected a proposed ad campaign to kick Pay TV to the curb.
The answer (surprisingly) would appear to be yes.
Why? Because Seven sought the approval of fellow commercial networks in the Free TV Australia body for two $25,000 newspaper advertisements that would “compare Pay TV’s audience figures and share of television viewing with Free TV”.
Nine and Prime in voted in favour of the move while TEN, Prime, WIN and Imparja opposed it. The …
Just a little ‘world scoop…’
TV Tonight’s world exclusive this week on Out of the Blue moving from BBC to FIVE has now made news in the UK.
A channel spokeswoman told Digital Spy: “I can confirm that Fiver has acquired the rights to Out of the Blue from Southern Star Entertainment. It will start airing on Fiver from early 2009.”
The Australian also picked up the story yesterday (complete with attribution).
You heard it here first!
US Presidential Election: your guide
Next week’s US Election will gain major coverage on Australian television, not just in news bulletins and current affairs programmes, but with live results coverage next Wednesday.
Almost all our networks will modify their programming to cover the event.
Here’s a guide to what’s in store (all times are AEDST):
ABC
Monday Nov 3
Four Corners 8:30pm Next on Four Corners: What could stop Obama? Quentin McDermott reports from the make-or-break, winner-takes-all state of Ohio. Opinion polls tell Barack Obama he is on the White House porch with one foot in the doorway. But outside, in …
UK National TV Award winners
Now that the shock of David Tennant’s news has finished upstaging the UK’s National Television Awards, here’s who actually won, followed by nominees in each category.
Outstanding Serial Drama Performance Matt Littler (Hollyoaks)
Lacey Turner (EastEnders), Katherine Kelly (Coronation Street), Charlotte Bellamy (Emmerdale), Matt Littler (Hollyoaks)
Outstanding Drama Performance David Tennant (Doctor Who)
Philip Glenister (Ashes to Ashes), Catherine Tate (Doctor Who), Alex Walkinshaw (The Bill)
Most Popular Drama Doctor Who (BBC)
The Bill (ITV), Shameless (Channel 4), Desperate Housewives (Channel 4)
Most Popular Serial Drama EastEnders (BBC)
Coronation Street (ITV), Emmerdale (ITV), Hollyoaks (Channel 4)
Most Popular Entertainment Programme …
The best man differs with the groom
David Gyngell defends that there is still money to be made in free-to-air television, and has vowed to prove James Packer wrong.
Gyngell told advertisers in Sydney yesterday that the billionaire’s decision this week to cut his family’s more than 50 years of ties to the network was not going to spell any change for Nine, which has started a comeback in TV ratings this year.
“I loved Kerry Packer, what he did for me and how much I learned from him,” Mr Gyngell said.
“He was truly extraordinary, so hopefully I picked up …
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Elisabeth Sladen gets her own Doctor Who spin-off for kids. 7pm Friday on Nickelodeon.
Ice Road Truckers
Mister President
Taggart
Movie: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets
Movie: Scream (marathon)
Local push for Kennedy statue
Stephen Curry, who played Graham Kennedy in telemovie The King, has backed a local council candidate’s pledge to commission a sculptor to honour the television star.
Curry says a current 20cm plaque outside Kennedy’s childhood home in Melbourne’s Balaclava, was not a big enough tribute for the king of television. He said the plaque was almost hidden behind a fence and the branches.
“(The house) is a huge part of Melbourne’s history,” Curry said. “It would be disappointing to see his memory disappear in the wave of development.”
Local candidate Rachel Powning said a …