I see all this talk about Dawn making decisions for next year. Not gonna happen. All the agents and executives I speak to with say Dawn will be gone before the upfronts in May. The talk is David Staph(CBS) will replace her very soon (Mid March) The new regime can start by pairing Reba with Chris and adding two more comedies to that pair,(white, Black, Brown ) who cares what color the cast is just make sure it's a well written show.
Rumour mills, gossips...the highest currency of Hollywood...and traded so easily behind the anonymity of faceless, anonymous screennames.
I do not believe the rumours one iota. Ms. Ostroff is a survivor because she raises the bar for network television, and applies Hippocrates wisdoms in her programming:
Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile.
The owners at CBS-Paramount and Time-Warner see this. That is why she was appointed President of The CW network, one of only two networks in this February sweeps to be showing improvement or level results with last year.
For Veronica Mars alone, she deserves a special executive Peabody.
Seeing as how The CW didn’t exist last February, comparing it with WB or UPN wouldn’t be a fair comparison, since both networks targeted different demographics during the 2005-06 season.
The numbers for CW vs. WB and UPN can be used as a benchmark, but shouldn’t be used to say “See…we’re improving from out performance from last year”, even though they will surely try.
I’m neutral on Dawn Ostroff. I don’t think she’s as bad as Stephen McPherson or Jeff Zucker, but she isn’t Leslie Moonves or the late great Brandon Tartikoff (but, then again who is?). The only sure-fire hit that Ostroff fostered was “Everybody Hates Chris”, but does get kudos for nurturing “America’s Next Top Model” into UPN’s highest rated series and keeping the WWE following its acrimonious split from then-UPN parent company Viacom.
Lastly, regardless of personal feelings for “Veronica Mars”, the series has had three years and highly rated lead-ins (by UPN/CW standards) to prove itself. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been able to move beyond anything other than a cult favorite. Despite her self-professed love for the series, Ostroff needs to swing the ax – if she’s even given the chance to.
I find this topic to be very interesting to say the least. Why would she be replaced even before the second season on the air? I mean I know that happens a lot, when the network owner is not happy with the ways things are going, but is Les Moonves (sp) with the way she is doing her job?
I thought, and at least still think she will get another year. Well if she goes so does VM. The numbers suggest it will leave anyway, but without Dawn the show has no chance.
Imagine if Tyra was the head of the network, or should I say forehead. Would it be the CW network "Free To Be Fierce". Would she star in every show? Would every day be "Panty Party" Day? Would she say "Kiss My Fat Ass" if ratings sucked?
The CW Television Network Presents: Gossip Girl Premieres Wed. Sept 26th at 9/8c after Top Model
Posts: 701 | Location: Texas | Registered: 20 November 2006
If Tyra was to leave ANTM, that show would soon bomb.
As for ostroff, she may be a great person, may be a hottie that oughtta be in fronta the tube herself, may have an IQ of 200, may be well-qualified to be CEO of GM, but it's quite obvious she's NOT the person to make the CW succeed.
Originally posted by Jay: I’m neutral on Dawn Ostroff. I don’t think she’s as bad as Stephen McPherson or Jeff Zucker, but she isn’t Leslie Moonves or the late great Brandon Tartikoff (but, then again who is?).
What has Moonvest done besides fail upwards, get his ass bailed out by Nancy Tellem, and take credit for most of it? He put precious few hits on the air when he was president of entertainment, and his final season in that position ('97-'98) was a disaster. He's also cheap, greedy and impatient, has no problems kicking quality shows right out the door if they don't bring in the numbers by, oh, week three, and continues to foist his no-talent trophy wife on the unwary public. (Speaking of which, Les, isn't it about time for the next trade-up?) The guy certainly doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Tartikoff, since, before GE took over, Tartikoff was actually willing to carry low-rated shows for more than two seconds. I can count the number of times Les did that on half of one hand.
No arguments from me on McPherson/Zucker, though. Especially the latter. The former, at least, doesn't have a face that could turn Medusa to stone.
When Les Moonves arrived at CBS, the network was probably in the same position that ABC and NBC are in right now - or even worse.
Angela Landsbury and Dick Van Dyke (of "Murder, She Wrote" and "Diagnosis Murder") were the face of the network. Moonves and his successors as entertainment president (Nancy Tellem and Nina Tassler) changed that. Even though Moonves may not have had the title of entertainment president, he was and continues to be involved in the shape of CBS programming.
Under Moonves' watch, CBS dethroned NBC on Thursdays with "Survivor" and "CSI" along with its two successful spin-offs. At the same time, he lowered the network's average viewer age with the younger programs.
CBS also found success with "JAG" (an NBC cast-off) and its spin-off "NCIS", which continues to be the only series to "hold its own" against Fox's "American Idol". Moonves has shaped a network that has had one of the most stable schedules in television history over the past several years and has kept CBS on top for most of his tenure at the network - which dates back to 1995.
CBS is the network it is today because of Moonves and without his hiring may very well be fourth place today.
As for Brandon Tartikoff, he was perhaps one of, if not the, most talented programmers that has ever graced the entertainment industry.
Originally posted by Jay: When Les Moonves arrived at CBS, the network was probably in the same position that ABC and NBC are in right now - or even worse.
Angela Landsbury and Dick Van Dyke (of "Murder, She Wrote" and "Diagnosis Murder") were the face of the network. Moonves and his successors as entertainment president (Nancy Tellem and Nina Tassler) changed that. Even though Moonves may not have had the title of entertainment president, he was and continues to be involved in the shape of CBS programming.
Under Moonves' watch, CBS dethroned NBC on Thursdays with "Survivor" and "CSI" along with its two successful spin-offs. At the same time, he lowered the network's average viewer age with the younger programs.
CBS also found success with "JAG" (an NBC cast-off) and its spin-off "NCIS", which continues to be the only series to "hold its own" against Fox's "American Idol". Moonves has shaped a network that has had one of the most stable schedules in television history over the past several years and has kept CBS on top for most of his tenure at the network - which dates back to 1995.
CBS is the network it is today because of Moonves and without his hiring may very well be fourth place today.
As for Brandon Tartikoff, he was perhaps one of, if not the, most talented programmers that has ever graced the entertainment industry.
That is why she was appointed President of The CW network, one of only two networks in this February sweeps to be showing improvement or level results with last year.
apples...... meet oranges. February sweeps for 2+ weeks last year were skewed by the Winter Olympics.
Originally posted by Jay: When Les Moonves arrived at CBS
I don't need a history lesson on Moonves, thanks. I repeat, what, really, did he do for CBS on his own? "JAG," I'll give him. I'll also give him credit for developing "Everybody Loves Raymond" (and managing not to cancel it right away) and "The King of Queens." He put on a few middling successes that came and went ("Cosby," "Early Edition," "Promised Land," "Kids Say the Darndest Things"), not all of which did better than inherited shows that they replaced. That's about it. He was in danger of becoming a laughing stock before Tellem was hired. And although she quickly turned the network around, most people think it was all him. And why wouldn't they? He acts like it was all him.
So he put on some hits. So did Jeff Sagansky. So did Peter Tortorici. Anyone can stumble into a hit or two. McPherson and Zucker stumbled into several.
Plus, Les is just in it for the money. Tartikoff at least liked television on other levels. That, and his wife wasn't hosting half the shows on the network.
Obviously you don't like Les Moonves so there's no use wasting key strokes to convince you otherwise.
However, no network in television history has ever not had to cancel a series or put on series that were not popular. I doubt that Moonves is responsible for the demise of "Cosby" considering the network gave it a plumb Monday slot and never broke out as the hit CBS had hoped it would become.
Overall, anyone who can salvage a freshman cancellation ("JAG") and turn it into a long running hit that spawns an equally successful spin-off and can lay claim to "Raymond" and "King" - two of the most popular non-NBC sitcoms of the past decade - surely deserves honorable mention.
Speaking of NBC, Moonves also helped develop a little show called "Friends" during his time with Warner Bros. TV.
Overall not a bad resume.
As far as Les being "in it" for the money, there are countless people in Hollywood - in front of and behind the cameras - that are only in it for the money. There is no sin in that.
As for Julie Chen, if you don't care for her, don't watch "The Early Show" or "Big Brother". Those gigs hardly constitute "half the shows" on CBS. Also, Chen was already associated with the network before she and Moonves ever married so it isn't like he foisted his "trophy wife" on an unsuspecting public.
quote:
Originally posted by Riff Rafferty:
quote:
Originally posted by Jay: When Les Moonves arrived at CBS
I don't need a history lesson on Moonves, thanks. I repeat, what, really, did he do for CBS on his own? "JAG," I'll give him. I'll also give him credit for developing "Everybody Loves Raymond" (and managing not to cancel it right away) and "The King of Queens." He put on a few middling successes that came and went ("Cosby," "Early Edition," "Promised Land," "Kids Say the Darndest Things"), not all of which did better than inherited shows that they replaced. That's about it. He was in danger of becoming a laughing stock before Tellem was hired. And although she quickly turned the network around, most people think it was all him. And why wouldn't they? He acts like it was all him.
So he put on some hits. So did Jeff Sagansky. So did Peter Tortorici. Anyone can stumble into a hit or two. McPherson and Zucker stumbled into several.
Plus, Les is just in it for the money. Tartikoff at least liked television on other levels. That, and his wife wasn't hosting half the shows on the network.
Originally posted by director nathan: The new regime can start by pairing Reba with Chris and adding two more comedies to that pair,(white, Black, Brown ) who cares what color the cast is just make sure it's a well written show.
Did everyone miss that little nugget? I don't doubt that Dawn Ostroff may lose her job sooner rather than later. But at least believe someone credible.
Would it be the CW network "Free To Be Fierce". Would she star in every show? Would every day be "Panty Party" Day? Would she say "Kiss My Fat Ass" if ratings sucked?
