Sneak peek at "Meet the Past," the TV series

Here we go, at long last ... from KCPL PR ... note that it's being held at the comfy Truman Forum at the Plaza Branch, where Mrs. TVB and I attended a lovely program by former poet laureate Ted Kooser just last Friday.

Always a good idea to go to the website and RSVP, so they know how much wine to buy.

Library to Host Special Sneak Preview of "Meet the Past" Television Series

(Kansas City, Missouri) - Kansas City Public Library Director Crosby Kemper III, Director of Public Affairs Henry Fortunato, and Kansas City historian Bill Worley host a preview of the Meet the Past television series on Thursday, October 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Truman Forum at the Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St.

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Here's audio of me on CNN.com talking COUGARTOWN, GLEE, FLASH FWD and NCIS:LA - bit.ly/21pekg
• Talk radio hosts are CONVINCED the Fairness Doctrine is on its way back - listen as I try to set one straight: bit.ly/336YB8
• Still, nowhere near the casualty rate of most Burns films RT @rcatlin Man reported lost in Ken Burns' The National Parks. May never be found
• Jon Gosselin is "suspending his divorce proceedings." Think that has anything to do with TLC's big news?? bit.ly/1Z0qdg
• Not a Rather-hater, but I always thought he was over his head in the National Guard story. So this doesn't surprise me: bit.ly/5z61y
• Thanks, IBS, for this 100% WRONG breaking news alert: "A magnitude-7.9 quake in the South Pacific is not expected to produce a tsunami"
• Remember when Chuck Knoblauch had trouble hitting the first baseman?
• Guess who Craig Ferguson hired as the lone female writer on his show? His sister! bit.ly/hOSR

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TLC to Jon Gosselin: You're dead to us

Sara Smith, who's one of my editors, just pointed out that Jon Gosselin announced today that he is suspending his divorce proceedings. Really? I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that the new title of TLC's super-sized family train wreck will be

Jon & Kate Plus 8

PR follows ...

*TLC To Introduce "KATE PLUS EIGHT" Starting November 2nd *

"JON & KATE PLUS EIGHT" SERIES TO EVOLVE WITH CHANGES IN THE GOSSELIN FAMLY

TLC has announced that JON & KATE PLUS EIGHT will adapt to the changing Gosselin family and relaunch in November under the new title KATE PLUS EIGHT.

The program will continue to capture the incredible lives of the eight Gosselin children and their family but will now include a deeper focus on Kate’s role in the family and her journey as a single mother building the next chapter in her life. TLC will continue its exclusive relationship with Jon Gosselin and he will continue to appear on the show, but on a less regular basis.

"Given the recent changes in the family dynamics, it only makes sense for us to refresh and recalibrate the program to keep pace with the family. The family has evolved and we are attempting to evolve with it; we feel that Kate’s journey really resonates with our viewers. Additionally the network is in development on a Kate project for 2010” states Eileen O’Neill, President and GM, TLC.

The series will continue to chronicle the Gosselin family as they go on outings and tackle daily challenges and adventures. It will also document Kate’s journey as a newly single mother raising 5 year-old sextuplets and 8 year-old twins.

About TLC
TLC's innovative docu-series and reality-based programming include favorites Jon & Kate Plus 8, Little People, Big World, What Not to Wear, 18 Kids and Counting, and LA Ink. TLC defined home design with Trading Spaces and continues to renovate the genre. TLC's daytime lineup includes the Emmy Award-winning A Baby Story. The channel is available in more than 98 million homes in the US, nearly 8 million homes in Canada and through the website at www.tlc.com. TLC is part of Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries.

Chip Franklin: He's as wrong as rain.

So Chip thought he had me on the Fairness Doctrine yesterday. The KOGO Radio morning man was absolutely convinced of two things: (1) that Democrats were thisclose to reintroducing the Fairness Doctrine on the House floor, soon to move it to the Senate and then the President's desk for signing; and (2) that the FCC falls under the executive branch.

He was wrong on both counts. Realizing that he was losing the argument on the feasibility of anyone ever shutting up Rush Limbaugh, he shifted gears and began harping on the rather picayune point of who actually runs the FCC.

Well, speaking as someone who has written about and researched that agency, I can tell you the FCC is technically independent but that in all regulatory day-to-day operations it is accountable to Congress. Quoting FCC.gov,

About the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency, directly responsible to Congress.

Chip, however, was possessed of the idea that the FCC falls under the Executive Branch and that Ronald Reagan himself killed the Fairness Doctrine. Not to be deterred, Chip found something on the Internet that backed him up ... and when he tired of hearing the truth, he finally shouted me down. Good times.

Bookending our Fairness Doctrine yellfest, we talked about the Roman Polanski case, "SNL's" F-bomb fallout, and what to see and skip this week on TV.

(d/l)

The fall season: talking "NCIS: LA," "CougarTown," "Glee," "Flash Forward!"

Here's audio of our CNN.com "Bloggers Bunch" segment featuring yours truly and three others discussing some of the most buzzed-about shows of the fall season. The video is here.

d/l

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Combined number of women writers on the Leno, Letterman and O'Brien comedy shows: 0 - bit.ly/e6i2B
• Where is the center of the universe for female late-night TV writers? Hint: Liz Lemon works there, too! bit.ly/hOSR

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Late night TV still a boys' club ... except at 30 Rock

I don't agree with the conclusions of Nancy Franklin's review of "The Jay Leno Show" — saying that "it doesn't serve any purpose" seems to willfully turn a blind eye to at least four purposes his show pretty obviously serves:

1. Keep Jay off ABC.
2. Keep affiliates happy on nights when "Law & Order" isn't on.
3. Keep America laughing. (OK, Dave has to do his part, too.)
4. Keep NBC in the black. (Did you know that conservatively, "The Jay Leno Show" is expected to clear a quarter BILLION dollars this season?)

What's working for me...

1. "The National Parks." You're not watching it this week? Even after I told you it was the best thing Ken Burns has done? You'd probably run over Ranger Rick, too. There's still hope for you -- KCPT is rerunning all 12 hours this weekend.

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Hey, if you've never seen the PBS series Tom Jacobs produces, he and it are inspiring, as Mark D explains: bit.ly/3AJ4hw
• Jenny Slate dropped the F bomb (bit.ly/YWbaM) during the FCC's safe harbor time, so she didn't violate anything but decorum, maybe.
• thank you @Carbondated - I swear to betsy I checked!!
• MLB Net is airing 15-year-old documentaries when it should be showing us Zack's quest for Cy. MLBN sucks. bit.ly/eVsIc #kcroyals
• RT @JPosnanski: Chiefs have won 2 of last 28. Detroit over same time -- with victory today - have won 3 of last 28, including W over KC
• Finally, a live look-in! Go to bit.ly/tbnOu right now!
• #kcroyals Finally, a live look-in! Go to bit.ly/tbnOu right now!
• Apologies to Pirates fans for stepping on your live look-in ... but honestly, who coulda predicted THAT? #kcroyals
• You know how wire service writers would like, send each other memos using the wire? Catch this while you can ... bit.ly/11egG0
• First eyebrow of the season! RT @Ihnatko If Phil Keoghan and Tim Gunn got into an eyebrow-arching battle, continents would be laid to waste

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MLB Network: We're there when we decide we need to be there

MLB Network had been doing so well this inaugural season. Unfortunately, it now officially sucks.

When FSN Kansas City decided not to televise the final game of the Royals homestand, I was disappointed but not surprised. FSN knew the game would be competing with the Chiefs, and when it was drawing up its schedule it could not be expected to predict, or even in anyone's wildest dreams guess, that the leading contender for the Cy Young Award (that would be Zack Greinke, shown here) would be pitching on that final game. (Of course, it owns the rights to Twins game, and Minnesota was televising it, so ...)

Anyway, when I heard FSN was dark I thought, I'll just watch the live look-ins on MLB Network. After all, MLB Net (which signed on Jan. 1) is constantly telling us that they will be offering live look-ins at all the games "from the first pitch to the last out," right?

Well, actually there is a little fine print: Teams must be playing at night. Which, when you think about it, is an insane policy to have on a Sunday. On Sundays, everyone plays in the afternoons except the Yankees and Red Sox (who, it seems, are forever paired on ESPN's "Sunday NIght Baseball"). So why not do a Sunday Gameday show? Or at least in September and October when the stakes are incredibly high ... and every true fan, not just those in Kansas City, is watching Zack?

Why doesn't MLB Net put its evening programming on Sunday afternoons, instead of a bunch of beat-up documentaries from the 1990s?

Short answer: Because like every other cable network, MLB Network is trying to look expensive on the cheap. Not as many people watch on Sundays, so you cut a corner, you save some money. Like every other cable network, MLB can afford to do better, and should.

Previously on TV Barn, Jason Snell didn't care for MLB Network. I must say, though, I love "Quick Pitch."

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Hey it's our old pal @kentucker sitting on a couch next to Craig Ferguson: bit.ly/tGYrM
• If you love sweet potatoes like I love sweet potatoes, have a look at what I pulled out of the ground today ... bit.ly/k8Eti
• Craft and Fain explain their leaving DOLLHOUSE and what's in store for LIE TO ME - bit.ly/QPmbe
• You may not agree a week from now, but I think THE NATIONAL PARKS is Ken Burns' best film to date, and here's why: bit.ly/Py7x7
• Oh c'mon, LOTS of people in the demo are watching NCIS! - bit.ly/HX5NC

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Oh, c'mon - people under 30 are watching NCIS!

I was on CNN.com's "Blogger Bunch" on Friday ...

... and one of the screwier moments happened toward the end when two of the four bloggers admitted they actually hadn't watched the season premiere of "NCIS: LA," and used this as an occasion to trash CBS for skewing old.

That would've been a relevant criticism, say, 10 years ago ... but CBS blew away the competition in adult demos on Tuesday night with its "NCIS" one-two punch ... in fact it was (as I noted) the biggest Tuesday of premiere week CBS has had in 16 years!

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• In defense of Fox's BROTHERS, the last of the black network sitcoms - bit.ly/LN7pr
• Women's rooms are sexist. Why must bathrooms be so segregated? RT @sheepodoom: Black sitcoms are racist. Why must sitcoms be so segregated?
• Looks like I'm doing the Blogger Bunch today at cnn.com/live, tawkin' TV. 12:10 ET, or 54 minutes from now
• Good point, tho as I recall we DID call Friends on its wonderbreadness. RT @natthedem: Would we call Friends or HIMYM a "White Sitcom?"
• Where did those KU players ever get the idea of fighting over women? Oh ... bit.ly/3EWjIr
• Another reason Fareed's GPS has it over all other Sunday shows: Gadhafi! Edited for time, even! bit.ly/jcyFH
• !!! RT @kellysue Dreamed the FBI arrested me for a green card marriage to @MarkWaid. "We're both citizens!" - No one would listen
• Adam Jamal Craig - an actual geek who plays one on NCIS:LA - gives a tour of the ops center bit.ly/bK1Bh - also bit.ly/11Ddpu
• Just turned down 2 tickets to the #kcroyals tonite for bit.ly/gOVqv (the only Royal doing poetry right now doesn't pitch till Sunday)

The above ticker was distilled from my daily posts to Twitter. You can follow me on twitter. Or join the thousands who follow TV Barn by email, RSS and podcasts.

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TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Does every MLB team only have 140 of its games broadcast on TV? I'm bummed we won't be getting some games now that we're hot #kcroyals
• Greg Gibson, the answer to the trivia question "Is there a worse MLB umpire than Angel Hernandez?" #kcroyals
• Dunno what else the AP got wrong on the Sparkman story but Clark Co is not SE Ky, it's E Ky. Big diff, says Mrs TVB, who taught in Leslie Co
• Actually @BroadcastKC , you're supposed to say Dave Ramsey got better than he deserves
• RESCUE INK: Pets, tats and guts - my preview of cable's latest can't-fail reality sensation - bit.ly/vQw8n
• Now wait @pomeranian99 - how can Dire Straits get mentioned but not Blue Oyster Cult?

The above ticker was distilled from my daily posts to Twitter. You can follow me on twitter. Or join the thousands who follow TV Barn by email, RSS and podcasts.

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TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• Obama on with Dave, DeLay on DANCING W THE STARS: which was magic, which was tragic? bit.ly/1K4NKp
• One pitch! And it was worth it!! 15 wins for Zack!!!! #kcroyals
• Anyone see the HBO film about these guys? Co-founder of @theyesmen arrested today during fake press conf bit.ly/OlAyr v @TreeHugger
• Zack's pitching Sunday. How many 95-loss teams can say they had a sellout the first game of the season ... AND the last? #kcroyals

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Obama on with Letterman, DeLay "Dancing with the Stars": Which was magic, which was tragic?

The President spent the entire hour with David Letterman Monday night, while earlier in the evening ABC made viewers wait an hour and a half before seeing how former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay did the cha-cha on "Dancing with the Stars." Each was compelling TV in its own right, and I talked about both this morning on KNX Newsradio in Los Angeles.

(d/l)

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• "The essential element in whatever passes will be publicly financed expansion of the insurance & pharmaceutical markets"bit.ly/12J2Nm
• I love it! A guy who started his tweet, "Wow, you guys are horribly uninformed" now demands to know why I never answered back!
• Emmys 09 were a cable lovefest - but don't feel a bit sorry for the big nets - here's why: bit.ly/K7s9Y
• Well, whadja think, Bill? @billlehecka: So far, the #emmys aren't stuffy. That's probably a good thing. Can it keep up, though?
• RT @TVBarn: #Emmys were a cable lovefest - good thing the networks own them! bit.ly/K7s9Y
• Piper's Eric Stonestreet and Olathe South's Adam Jamal Craig have good roles in BIG fall shows: bit.ly/11Ddpu

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What's working for me...

1. The Emmys on CBS. After Sunday's pepped-up broadcast, I say we let them keep it.

Emmys another lovefest for cable. But don't cry for the big networks

Here I am on KNX Radio this morning, reminding one and all that NBC, CBS and Fox all won at the Emmys last night — even as they lost. And trust me, the day is coming when we're going to look back at this whole cable-vs-network division and say, "What was that all about?"

(d/l)

TV Barn Ticker for today ...

Here's a quick summary of all the news and comment from the world of TV and media that I published or read today, dispensed in bite-sized nuggets:

• I liked everything about that speech. #emmys
• Boy, do the #emmys have a spring in their step so far. At this rate I'd be in favor of ending the rotation and letting CBS have it
• NPH is in a seat for the Emmy noms .... that's almost as funny as Jon Cryer's Fred McMurray sweater vest!
• Jon Hodgman: "How many people knew HOT SHOTS was a backdoor pilot for TWO AND A HALF MEN?" #emmys
• How fitting that the CW talent are assigned Schmemmies duty #emmys
• We have divided this evening into five genres (except the part where we save the best comedy series award until the end of the show) #emmys
• CBS is doing a shoutout to @realityblurred is what it's doing #emmys
• btw, not all those personalities @hodgman mentioned were from Wichita, they were all from Kansas. #likeyoucare #emmys
• That Windows 7 ad with the LOLcat slide is making me, well, LOL
• Is AMAZING RACE that great a show, or are the #emmys voters simply checking the box every year? It's starting to have that John Lithgow vibe
• And the award for best acceptance speech goes to ... #emmys
• Ed Burns, screwed again. #emmys
• So hour one: Single genre. Hour three: Single genre. Hour two: THREE GENRES. What is wrong here? #emmys
• Hey @realityblurred didn't you tell me IDOL was one of the worst directed reality show this season?
• As usual, the Conan writers have the best montage #emmys
• Conan's writers: 5 hrs/wk. Stewart's writings: 2 hrs/wk. Just sayin' #emmys
• ADVISORY TO ALL AFFILIATES: DEATH REEL IN 11 MINUTES #emmys
• Until about 3 minutes ago the joke was: What do you call Kanye West barging onto the stage of the 2009 #Emmys? Integration
• And in fairness @moryan it's also a way to get FNL mentioned at the #emmys (montage)
• Hey, why doesn't Dr. Horrible break into this? No disrespect intended to Amy Grant ... #emmys
• Or Sarah MacLachlan, whoever the hell she is.
• IRving R. LeVEEN, WAshington. rip #emmys
• All Haley Berry! #emmys
• Might as well not air a MAD MEN repeat tonight. The #emmys voters all Tivo it and the rest of America doesn't watch anyway
• No room in the #emmys review for all my highlights, like Stewie beating the crap out of Brian and NPH's droll "...AND a hilarious sight gag"
• I have a feeling I'm going to wake up tomorrow and wish I'd included that line about Kanye integrating the #emmys in my review.
• twitpic.com/ijt7b - A bigger kick than anything I saw on the #emmys was this deer in Roanoke Park on the way home!
• Will there always be seating for 105,000 in Cowboys Stadium?? holy smokes
• From Rachel Sklar via @mediaite: “Put Down The Remote”: Lyrics To Neil Patrick Harris’ Emmy Song: bit.ly/Z2Zv1
• REVIEW: Add me to the list of crix delighted with the new host + look of Emmys but otherwise asking: Is this a repeat?? bit.ly/gR3m7

The above ticker was distilled from my daily posts to Twitter. You can follow me on twitter. Or join the thousands who follow TV Barn by email, RSS and podcasts.

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