Prepare your dialing digit ... and your digital camcorder ... for the primetime "Millionaire" qualifiers

All right, the road show component of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" is over. Producers were in KC Monday to hold tryouts for the 10th anniversary return of "Millionaire" (and Regis) to prime time in August. Now comes the part you — by which I mean all "Millionaire" geeks everywhere — have been waiting for: the phone qualifier!

Where you see italics, I am quoting the release sent to me by ABC.

First things first: No former “Hot Seat” players are eligible, and you must be at least 18 years old, a legal U.S. resident and meet all eligibility requirements.

Starting July 6th, you can call 1-800-999-7878 between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. ET (apparently ABC is afraid of stressing the phone system during peak usage hours). Call the 800 number and attempt to answer general knowledge questions by putting the 4 answer choices in correct order.  People who correctly answer all 5 questions will select one of the 6 available tape dates.  A random drawing will be held from among all the people who selected the same tape date to receive an eligibility call to qualify to become a finalist on the program. ... One call per person per contest day.

It's just that simple.

But wait! There's also a video qualifier. Effective immediately, up until 3 a.m. ET on July 16, people can submit a 2-minute video explaining why they would make a good contestant and what they would do with the $1 million.

Good luck.

Previously on TVB, I covered the "Millionaire" phenomenon in 1999 and put it in context of the great all-time quiz shows. In 2001, I looked into attempts to redress the show's heavy reliance on white male contestants.

Jamie Quirk's MLB Network debut

During the Royals' last home stand I reported a feature that will be appearing sometime this month about Fox Sports Kansas City's baseball coverage. So I got a chance to talk a bit with Jamie Quirk, the new cohost of the "Royals Live" pregame and postgame shows. Quirk was a 1972 first-round draft pick of the Royals (he played rookie ball in my hometown of Billings) and, before his current employment, was coach for the Colorado Rockies, which has come in handy doing armchair analysis of the Royals games.

Something odd struck me about those first "Royals Lives" this season: Quirk wasn't looking at the cameras when he spoke. That was something I thought they taught you in Sports Hosting 101. Turns out, "Royals Live" is his first regular TV gig! You'd think he'd have done this before, but no.

Well, Quirk learned the ropes quickly enough, and as you can see above, is wasting no time expanding his broadcasting empire. He popped up on last night's "Batting Practice" on MLB Network. FSKC confirmed to me today that it is his first appearance on MLB Net.

Frank Boal takes the buyout as Fox 4 gets thinner

Things have been awfully quiet over at Fox 4 lately. In part that's because Kansas City's oldest TV station, started 60 years ago by The Star, is now held by private equity, which doesn't have to say a thing to Wall Street, the press or the public if it chooses. It can neglect its weirdly vandalized "About Us" page for months at a time. It just doesn't matter.

Also, the folks at Fox 4 are a little busy these days. The station just had one of its best ratings books in a long, long while (see below), but who's got the time to celebrate? News director Bryan McGruder is working with about 10 fewer bodies in his newsroom than he was a year ago. But, "we’ve been making it work," he told TVB today. "We expand responsibilities, expand duties. We have a great staff here. They're picking up work and not complaining."

In mornings, for instance, there used to be an anchor-team handoff midway through. But that was eliminated along with the second anchor team. And yet in the May book, Fox's morning show widened its lead over its rivals.

Well, soon there's going to be even more work to pick up, specifically in sports, where longtime anchor Frank Boal is retiring — and won't be replaced.

"He is the consummate professional and will be sorely missed," McGruder said.

This week is the deadline for Fox 4 employees to accept corporate's buyout offer. All employees age 55+ with at least 15 years' tenure at the station are eligible. Photographer John Roach took the buyout when it was offered to union members earlier this year. And now, Boal and director Jerry Matz have told management they're getting out, too.

"We’re not in a position to replace Frank and go back to a three-man sports department," McGruder said. "We’re going to have to do something different, but I haven't talked to Al (Wallace) or Jason (Lamb) to get their input.

"I don't imagine it will be anything different."

Boal announced on Monday's 6 p.m. sportscast that today would be his last day at WDAF-TV.

“It was a close call,” Boal said Monday, adding that Fox 4 management “did everything they could to keep me here. It was just one of those things where, being 62 and at the very end of my contract, and with the uncertainty of the future, that had a lot to do with taking the buyout.” Local TV LLC, the private-equity firm that owns WDAF, offered a lucrative buyout to all of its employees age 55 or older with at least 15 years' service. The deadline for taking the offer is this week.

The sudden decision has left Boal unsure about his future. He'll continue to do on-air work for WHB-AM (810), though “how many hours a week is still being determined,” he said. And he intends to return to the Rocky Mountains to take up his recent hobby of hiking peaks 14,000 feet and higher.

“This summer I think I'll knock off a few mountains,” Boal said.

---

This just in from my man David Burke in the Quad Cities, via Twitter:

Local TV site not vandalized: It was intentional. (Left spot was former exec, same pic as other two.) They own ex-NYT affil here.

All I'm saying is, it doesn't look very professional.

---

PR from WDAF follows. Here's my story from 2007 about Local TV LLC acquiring WDAF. If corporate wises up and finally fixes the "About Us" page, and you're wondering what it looked like before, here.

FOX 4 NEWS IN THE MORNING IS KANSAS CITY’S NUMBER ONE MORNING NEWS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2009 May sweeps results are in and WDAF-TV’s FOX 4 News in the Morning is the winner of the 5-9am morning news race. FOX 4 News at 5am, 6am, 7am and 8am M-F secured number one status in strong fashion by winning every time period in overall household numbers and with adults, women and men in the 25-54 and 18-49 demographics. FOX 4 News in the Morning also produced double-digit demo increases year-to-year and soundly beat the national Morning shows including “Good Morning America,” and the “Today Show” at 7am. Additionally our Saturday morning news ranked number one in households, adults and men in 25-54 and 18-49 and women 18-49 age groups. Sunday morning ranked number one in adults, women and men 25-54 demographics.

The results, according to the Nielsen 2009 May sweep ratings measurement period, portray WDAF as the dominant, morning news station. “It is gratifying to know that FOX 4 news remains the most popular and most watched morning newscast. We are extremely proud of the impressive demo growth for all of our shows,” said Cheryl McDonald, President and General Manager of WDAF-TV FOX 4.

This ratings success in not confined to the mornings. WDAF-TV FOX 4 was also number one in prime time (FOX prime airs Monday through Saturday 7 to 9pm, Sunday 6 to 9pm) in all key demographics with veteran programs like American Idol, House, 24 and Hell’s Kitchen leading the way. And, FOX 4’s weekday 9 pm news ranked number two with adults and men in the 25-54 and 18-49 age groups beating all other stations’ 10pm newscasts with the exception of KMBC.

WDAF’S weekday morning news team consists of anchors Mark Alford and Loren Halifax; meteorologist Don Harman; reporters Kathy Quinn and Sharita Hutton; and traffic reporter Nick Vasos. Weekend morning news is anchored by Paul Herdtner and meteorologist Joe Lauria. John Holt and Susan Hiland anchor the weekday 9pm newscast, with chief meteorologist Mike Thompson and sports director Frank Boal.

In 1949, WDAF-TV became the first television station to broadcast in Kansas City. With 49 hours of news programming every week, FOX 4 is continuing 60 years of excellence and service to the Kansas City Community. WDAF-TV FOX 4 is owned by Local TV LLC, a broadcast holding company with 16 television stations in small to midsized markets. Local TV is owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners.

Discovery blowing out Wednesday sked for Billy Mays

So you may recall I wasn't too impressed with Discovery's very generic reaction to the loss of Billy Mays, who, whatever you thought of his yelling-is-the-new-talking approach to TV salesmanship, was anything but a generic personality.

Well, now they've made up for it. PR follows:

Discovery Channel is devoting its airwaves to the legendary pitchman Billy Mays this Wednesday, July 1.

A previously-scheduled PITCHMEN marathon of episodes 1-11 airs from 11AM ET/PT through 10PM ET/PT culminating in the never-before-seen season finale at 10PM ET/PT.

To celebrate a man who was larger than life, the network will run tribute promos honoring Billy Mays and never-before-aired moments throughout the day. A slate will also be added to the end of the season finale in his remembrance.

In addition, a special tribute show is being planned.

No decision has been made regarding season two of PITCHMEN. The network is focused on supporting Mays' family and friends during this time of incredible loss.

How they remembered Michael Jackson in New Orleans

I'll be honest with you: I shut off the Michael Jackson coverage after Friday night. There was no reason for me to continue with it. My needs were met, and then some, by the overamped coverage of CNN and tabloid TV - heck, even Keith Olbermann's more cerebral approach Thursday night was plenty for me.

But I have been inspired by video clips I've been seeing online of people around the world celebrating the life and music of MJ. These responses come from a less cynical, more nostalgic and definitely more creative gene than is driving most of the cable/tabloid outfits. The London and Times Square moonwalks were well-attended and joyous, if a little messy.

Those cities, however, can't hold a candle to what went on in New Orleans. My buddy Dave Walker has the writeup and NOLA.com has the video:

By the way, if you love the jazz-heritage sound kept alive by the musicians of New Orleans, check out the all-volunteer, all-music community radio station WWOZ, which I discovered while writing my recent magazine piece on KKFI.

The home theater that shakes your booty

As a high-energy guy, I don't think I really need something like the ButtKicker. This home-theater addition basically provides a rumble seat while you watch your big screen. It's the living-room version of Sensurround sound, which anyone over the age of 40 will remember from its brief reign as the movie-house gimmick used to perk up such otherwise dreary blockbusters as "Earthquake" and "The Towering Inferno."

As anyone who's ever watched me watch TV knows, I'm not exactly a couch potato. I get up, I move around, I leap from my seat without warning, I hit the jump-back button about 20 times an hour ... I don't think I need to add a mechanical enhancement to the mix.

But Ramsey tried out the ButtKicker and made an amusing video of it:

I have no idea who the first person was who began including in his product reviews a video of himself opening the box, removing the parts and assembling them, but it's genius. I think a lot of us are stymied by descriptive instructions with 2-D line art written in pidgin English. (Though I have to say I'd LOL if I ever opened up the box and found a note that said, "I mades you a table!!") So this seemingly boring prologue reel is always appreciated.

Relentless Billy Mays dies after head trauma

You may have heard during the endless Michael Jackson tribute coverage that the TV pitchman Billy Mays died after he was struck on the head following a rough flight home.

An early LA Times headline announced it this way: But wait, there's no more - Billy Mays dead.

Well, call me Mr. Sensitive but that just ain't right. The man was 50, like another celebrity who died of late. He leaves behind a grieving family. Perhaps some in the media are punch-drunk after a weekend of off-the-hook Michael Jackson action, and maybe the death of someone whose only claim to fame is he shouted at you 10 times a day on the TV is a great release valve for a headline writer.

Reality TV to watch while waiting for Jon to move out of Kate's house

As of Tuesday morning this week, the official website for Jon and Kate Gosselin still greets visitors with these words on the home page written by Kate: "It all started when Jon and I met October 5, 1997 at a picnic. I never believed in 'love at first sight,' but ..."

Well, those words may eventually come down, but don't bet on it. After all, the show must go on, because the house built for the kids must be paid for by the books (which are about the kids) and the DVDs (which are also about the kids) and the TV show, which Jon and Kate, even during Monday's pathetic breaking-up episode, kept insisting was all about the kids.

I guess I missed the episode where the kids asked for an unsustainably huge McMansion with television lighting built in.

But at least you, the viewer, have a choice this summer! Here are some other new summer reality shows worth checking out, even if just for a drive-by to see how many people are out there trying to become America's next tabloid wreck.

Remember, all times are Central.

"Tattoo Highway" (9 p.m. Wednesday, A&E) is a spinoff that works better than the original. Mostly it's a story about tattoo artist Thomas Pendleton, seen on the A&E series "Inked," who decides to take his business on the road in a giant bus. Although this dubious premise, which is repeated in the opening credits, has not been explained to my satisfaction, it works for me.

And that's because there's a nice dose of estrogen into this traditionally male bastion of bikes, babes and body altering. Pendleton's wife, Monica, is along for the ride (she's his "business partner," too), and she supplies genuine emotional support you don't see, say, among certain overexposed mothers of eight. Thomas is a genuinely appealing TV character -- he's got a lot of mileage but not too much baggage. He and Monica have overcome substance addictions, a trial that only seems to have strengthened their bond. He has good rapport with his rolling crew of artists. Their idea of "reality" may not agree with yours (a recent episode revolved around Monica's boob job), but unlike other shows I could name, they don't appear to be making up their reality to please TV producers.

"NYC Prep" (9 p.m. Tuesday, Bravo). "Real Housewives" meets "Gossip Girl" in the Bravofication of life for spoiled teenagers on the Upper East Side. This show focuses on five kids who attend tony private high schools and one who goes to a public school and is, therefore, the pitiable one. There is a considerable amount of time spent "eavesdropping" on restaurant and club conversations and trips to the best stores (one of our subjects, 17-year-old Jessie, has had her own assigned personal shopper at Barneys since she was 13).

The "Gossip Girl" comparisons get to be a bit much. Someone even says, "You guys are the real Gossip!", presumably to help along the more slow-witted viewers. The producers have tried awfully hard to cast a callow dude named Sebastian as the show's bed-hopping eyebrow villain, a la Chuck on "Gossip." Jessie and her ex-boyfriend PC (pictured) show up in a Facebook group conveniently dedicated to dish all about characters on the show. And so on.

It's clear that there is more going on here than trying to create yet another voyeuristic, wish-fulfillment reality series here. Bravo is trying to mint its own version of "The Hills," with easily replicable cardboard characters who could be spun off into side series of their own ("The PC Show" seems inevitable). From watching last week's first episode, though, I haven't seen any couple that remotely resembles Speidi. We should be grateful for small blessings.

"Dance Your Ass Off" (9 p.m. Monday, Oxygen). Brilliant! Someone finally thought to combine ABC's most popular reality series, "Dancing with the Stars," with NBC's most popular show period, "The Biggest Loser." The result is a competition series that's heartwarming, myth-shattering and a kick to watch.

Marissa Jaret Winokur (the plus-sized heroine of Broadway's "Hairspray") is the charming host and there is the usual three-judge panel. But it's the contestants who steal the show early and often with their dance moves -- not what I was expecting from a crew made up of the morbidly obese. One 300-pound contestant looks positively light on his feet during the opening round. The judges grade them on a curve that takes into account both their weight and previous dance experience. As the show goes on, those differences will evaporate, along with the pounds. This is one show where I can't wait to see the finale.

TV One to re-air 2001 Jacko special that featured Jacksons reunion

Remember this? The last really big Michael Jackson TV special that didn't feature the Neverland Ranch?

Taped over two nights -- including September 10, 2001 -- the "Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Celebration" aired in November of that year and, as MediaPost noted, "averaged a stunning 25.73 million viewers, a 10.9 rating, 26 share in adults 18-49 and an 8.9/23 in 18-34 -- the best scores in the two-hour block for CBS since part two of the February 1993 miniseries 'Queen.' It's also the largest audience for a music special on any network (excluding awards shows) since ABC's 'Beatles Anthology' in November 1995."

Cable's TV One is airing it tonight (twice), part of a weekend of Jacko-retro.

Max Weinberg leaves for Springsteen tour IMMEDIAMENTE

I'd like to think that in the special waiting lounge for skeptics in the Great Beyond, the late great Steve Allen, author of so many of the great live visual stunts in late-night television history, was watching when this tremendous sight gag played out on Thursday's "Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien." (By the way, I'm finding it is still a blast to type those words.)

Max Weinberg has been Bruce Springsteen's drummer since 1974. He hasn't missed a tour date in all those years, and as you can imagine, that record was in a bit of jeopardy when it was announced that the Boss would be world-touring this summer just as "The Tonight Show" was signing on the air. But they worked it out. There is a Weinberg-Springsteen Rule at NBC, and it was adhered to on last night's broadcast.

But boy, did Max cut it close!

Sorry, but Jacko, Farrah and Ed McMahon never appeared together on "The Tonight Show"

Boy, here is a great lesson of "if it seems too good to be true ... look it up!" Fellow Twitter nut Troy Diggs at KMBC-9 passed along this tweet this evening as we were all remembering the late King of Pop:

@ryanmer On 09/18/1979, Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson were both guests on the Tonight Show w/Johnny Carson, co-hosted by Ed McMahon.

Great factoid, and I posted it immediately, and it rapidly spread from there. A few minutes later, it occurred to me that mebbe I should've checked it out first. So I went to JohnnyCarson.com, the official "Tonight Show" site maintained by Carson Enterprises, and went to its comprehensive, 30-year guest search function. See the video for yourself:

Not only did Jacko never appear with Farrah Fawcett, he never appeared on the "Tonight Show" after the Jackson 5 days, according to the guest database.

And in fact, a search for 09/18/1979 revealed ... Johnny didn't do a show that night.

Oddly enough, the late Fawcett appeared twice on the "Tonight Show" with the Temptations.

It's a new day in late night, as Dave tops Conan in ratings; is it better to be the King or the Prince?

Those of us monitoring the night-to-night ratings knew this was coming, and now Nielsen has just made it official: For the first time in nearly four years, "Late Show with David Letterman" beat "The Tonight Show" in the weekly household ratings. And the margin of victory was substantial enough that it suggests a change in pecking order.

For now, Dave is the King of Late Night. It's unclear whether his reign will be short-lived or not. Yes, there is that "Palin boost" he got last Monday. But there is also (as anyone with access to the overnight ratings can see) a continuing Conan sag. His nightly audience has ebbed lower and lower over three weeks. Is 3.3 million viewers per night the new level for "The Tonight Show"? It appears so, but more time is needed to be sure. If that number holds, though, Conan will indeed be the Prince of Late Night, because Dave has been averaging 3.8 million viewers a night for much of the last year.

I think this news will bring a great deal of satisfaction to Letterman's legion of followers. Many people have been waiting for this day when Dave could claim to be #1 in late night again. But if that makes Conan the Prince of Late Night, well, there is this consolation: Like most princes, Conan has a lot more youth appeal than the old man. And that will work in his favor, eventually.

AUDIO: My fearless "Jon + Kate + 8" prediction!

On San Diego's KOGO Radio this morning, Chip Franklin and I talked about baseball, then golf, then something that mattered to the female half of our audience: the very special episode tonight of "Jon and Kate Plus 8" airing on TLC.

I wagered a wild guess what might happen tonight. We also talked about why the fascination with the show. (d/l)

If you want to get all my audiocasts, or alerts of same, you just have to follow me.

How's Cronkite doing? Not as bad as previously reported ... but not great

UPDATE: Walter Cronkite's right hand, Marlene Adler, asserts that he is NOT "gravely ill," contrary to what Gail and Verne were reporting earlier. "He's ill, but the angel of death is not standing over his bed," Adler said.“He’s dealing with the challenges of being a 92-year-old man.” Boston.com says "fragile" would be a better description of Cronkite's condition.

God bless 'im.  Anyway, earlier I wrote ...

I think Walter Cronkite would understand if he were to learn that I am currently juggling two stories, one of which is his obituary. I am trying to write a thoughtful and locally-focused remembrance of the St. Joseph-born newscaster, who met his wife while working at KCMO Radio and included many happy (and colorful) memories of Kansas City in his 1996 biography A Reporter's Life. At the same time, I am trying to keep one eye on the remarkable people's media revolution happening in Iran. In fact, I am doing interviews and writing copy for both stories right now.

Some people on Twitter are questioning whether the factual information can be trusted that has been reported so far: Namely, that Cronkite, age 92, is "gravely ill" and near death. But the key source on these reports is Gail Shister, the former Philly Inquirer columnist who is about as well sourced with CBS News' old guard as anyone I know in my business. Of course, her best source was Cronkite antagonist Dan Rather, who forced Walter out of the anchor's chair in 1981, but my point is, if Gail is reporting it, and no one at CBS is denying it, it's probably true.

KMBC #1 among ABC stations ... in big cities

Every now and then, I receive a version of the following press release from KMBC-9 (and yes, I'm going to keep calling it 9 even though it's broadcasting digitally off some UHF frequency) bragging about how it is the "Number One ABC Affiliate in America!"

This PR is done not so much to encourage the staff, though I'm sure it does, as it is to promote the Hearst-Argyle Television company, which is the largest independent owner of ABC affiliates in the country. It's a message to ABC's owner, Walt Disney, and to Wall Street that Hearst remains a force in broadcasting. (Wall Street not so much, actually — Hearst, a private company, holds most of HTV's stock.)

Note, however, that KMBC is only ranking itself No. 1 among the top 50 DMAs in America, which means for all we know there is an even more dominant ABC affiliate in Shreveport or El Paso or Fort Wayne or any of the other 160 markets not in Nielsen's nifty fifty.

How well it did in the May book won't be known until ... um, I find some time to go over the May book, which arrived Monday.

PR follows.....

KCPT's video player now online

The super-duper new video player from KCPT — the first in the market to combine both national and local programs in a single interface — is now officially on the air.

Here's the piece I wrote about it yesterday.

Jason Jones did TOO go to Iran!

For those of you who thought "Daily Show" correspondent Jason Jones was going to be talking in front of a greenscreen in his week of comedy segments about Iran and decided to skip last night's first installment ...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Jason Jones: Behind the Veil - Minarets of Menace
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

Conan's lead over Letterman shrinks to 100,000. Maybe he should start warming up the crowd again.

We’ll get to the ratings in a moment. First, a couple of things I’ve observed about the new Conan compared with the old Conan.

Before he signed on as “The Tonight Show” host for the first time, Conan O’Brien promised me — and many other reporters — that his show would change incrementally. He figured that his new time period and the Super Mario Bros.-inspired backdrop of his new Universal Studios set would be shocking enough to viewers. He promised he would only tweak the other parts of the show formula that has made him what he is, the next-generation king of late night TV.

Let me address a couple of these tweaks, which have mostly gone unnoticed by reviewers of the first three weeks of the new “Tonight” show.

Is AT&T giving unfair video rights to MLB.com?

Free Press, which I consider the most fair-minded of the various media advocacy groups hovering around Washington, has this unsettling report out today about AT&T. As any iPhone owning baseball fan knows, the new MLB.com player for iPhone and iPod touch is one of the great bargains at the App Store.

One reason the player is so good is that it streams video from MLB.com over AT&T's 3G network. Apparently only MLB gets this privilege. The makers of Slingbox wanted to allow people to watch their TV shows recorded at home over their iPhones without having to lug their Slingbox around. No go, said AT&T. Foul! cries Free Press.

PR follows.....

BookTV's new video player

This is turning into the week of the nonprofit video players ... Today BookTV.org hard-launched its new player, and though it's still got limitations, it's coming along. The best thing about it is that it streams BookTV live. The major drawback is that the jukebox appearance you see here is for the most part a facade. Clicking on any of the programs will take you to another screen ... and then you must click again ... to get another screen ... and finally, the video. Also, only recent programs are done in Flash, the older stuff still uses clunkier video technology. But hey, you can post it to Twitter — I'm amazed how many websites don't have that enabled but think StumbleUpon is still cool. (If it was ever cool.)

Coming Thursday, my preview of KCPT's new video player ... which is coming Friday. But if you'd like to see what it looks like, it's basically the local version of this.