Fat TV Is Ratings Heavyweight

Don't expect your average cop shows and sitcoms

(NEWSER) - As they ready their fall lineups for advertisers, the major networks are stepping off last season's beaten path of struggles and flops. “We were looking for fresh,” says NBC Entertainment’s new president. “I really want people to see the concept for a show and go: ‘Oh wow. What’s that?’” To that end, his network is planning shows like Smash, the big-budget story of a Broadway musical’s creation. The series will have original songs penned by Broadway legends—and it’s getting some help from Steven Spielberg. More»

This year's network pilots include four with non-white stars

(NEWSER) - The upcoming crop of pilots for network TV offers hope that the industry taboo against minority leads in dramas can finally be put to rest. Four of the most high-profile projects in the works feature non-white actors, notes the Hollywood Reporter , including Forest Whitaker in a spinoff of Criminal Minds for CBS. More»

Launch a Fox rival? Return to SNL ? Reality TV?

(NEWSER) - NBC's shabby treatment of Conan O'Brien has been a recurring theme of the Jay Leno-centric late-night shuffle, but "he-who-rocks-the-dopest-pompadour-on-TV" has more options than you might think. MTV ponders his options.

• Defect to Fox: The network is apparently interested, and it would be a great way to tick off NBC. But Fox has a terrible track record with late-night talk shows.
• Saturday Night Live: O'Brien's writing tenure at SNL coincided with a memorably strong run for the show, but Tonight Show host to "Cheeto-dusted anonymity" is a major step down.

News Corp. talks subscription model; paywall unlikely

(NEWSER) - The days of free TV shows on Hulu are likely ending: A News Corp. exec says “it’s time to start getting paid for broadcast content online,” adding that “Hulu concurs with that.” Asked by Broadcasting & Cable what exactly that means, Chase Carey was vague: No timeline, but 2010 is likely; a paywall is not the answer; and a mobile version of the site is a potential moneymaker, as are Hulu-only TV previews. More»

Zaftig reality stars make us feel better about our bulging waistlines: Dumenco

(NEWSER) - America's obsession with "fattertainment" has become a form of catharsis for an obese nation, Simon Dumenco writes for GQ. Shows like The Biggest Loser and Dance Your Ass Off were at least ostensibly about getting their contestants in shape. But on More to Love, “the participants aren't even trying to lose weight,” writes Simon Dumenco. “Face it: These shows traffic in human suffering." More»