News

Remember when Fox News Channel launched in 1996 with the slogan “Fair and balanced”? Believe it or not, early on, the channel at least pretended to follow that idealistic goal, providing straight news during the day and balancing conservative voices with liberal ones on primetime opinion shows. Hell, even Sean Hannity shared a show with Alan Colmes, at least giving the impression of equal time.

But it was always a facade, with much of that “balance” more on paper than in reality. Colmes was there, but Hannity usually got the last word. Fox News was Rupert Murdoch’s and Roger Ailes’ attempt to shift the national conversation and muddy the waters of discourse in the nation — and it has been successful beyond their wildest dreams.

Eventually, Fox News dropped the “Fair and balanced” tagline — in a rare moment of acknowledgment that it was a lie — and moved deeper into the realm...

UK TV ratings roundup - data supplied by Barb

The final ever CSI episode had underwhelming figures for Channel 5 on Tuesday night.

Gil Grissom and his team's last case brought in an average overnight audience of 945,000 (8.4%) at 10pm (119k/2.1% on +1). However, it is around 400k higher than its previous new episode back in May.

Earlier, The Yorkshire Vet appealed to 1.05m (5.3%) at 8pm, followed by Body Donors with 904k (4.4%) at 9pm.

BBC One's penultimate episode of New Tricks rose slightly from last week to top the night overall outside soaps with 5.38m (26.3%) at 9pm.

On BBC Two, Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure was seen by 2.00m (9.9%) at 8pm, while The Naked Choir continued with 1.78m (8.7%) at 9pm.

ITV's Parking Wars attracted 2.37m (11.7%) at 8pm (223k/1.1%), while Bear Grylls's Britain's Biggest Adventures continued to struggle with 1.25m (6.1%) at 9pm (133k/1.0%).

On Channel 4, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners interested 1.15m (5.7%) at...

UK TV ratings roundup - data supplied by Barb

The latest Celebrity Big Brother double eviction brought in an overnight audience of 1.49 million (7.4%) at 9pm on Tuesday evening.

Fatman Scoop and Gail Porter's departures also attracted 157,000 (1.1%) on +1. Earlier, new series The Yorkshire Vet appealed to 1.11m (5.6%) at 8pm, while The Hotel Inspector Returns was seen by 749k (5.0%) at 10pm.

On BBC One, New Tricks topped the night outside soaps with 5m (24.9%) at 9pm.

BBC Two's premiere of new Daniel Radcliffe GTA movie The Gamechangers thrilled 886k (4.7%) at 9pm. Earlier, The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure brought in 1.76m (8.8%) at 8pm.

On ITV, Parking Wars was seen by 2.06m (10.2%) at 8pm (222k/1.1%), followed by Britain's Biggest Adventures with Bear Grylls with 1.36m (6.8%) at 9pm (106k/0.7%).

Channel 4's Battle of Britain interested 1.64m (8.2%) at 8pm (266k/1.3%), while Educating Cardiff continued with 1.39m (6.9%) at 9pm (165k/1.1%).

A+E Networks has tapped Thomas Moody as Svp Programming, Planning & Acqusitions for Fyi and Lmn and Laura Fleury has been upped to VP Programming and Development, Lmn. Jana Bennett, President of Fyi and Lmn announced the new positions today which are effective immediately. Both will report to Bennett. Moody has been with A+E Networks since 2001. In his new role, he will oversee program planning, strategy and acquisitions for both Fyi and Lmn. He was previously responsible for developing and implementing the scheduling and acquisition strategies for A&E and Bio. In addition, Moody has also developed and/or served as an executive producer on A+E Networks shows including Hoarders, Private Sessions, Biography, and Celebrity Ghost Stories. As VP Programmming and Development for Lmn, Fleury will oversee all original programming for the network. She has been with A+E Networks for over 15 years. In her previous role, Fleury...

Boy, the folks who name TV shows have been feeling a bit warlike lately. But the ever-popular Storage Wars stood out from the crowd, and the show’s star auctioneers, Dan and Laura Dotson, were thankful to have come out on top. “I am sure that God does not appreciate wars, but he seems to like this one,” they said. “The best wars are won without firing a shot!” Best Wars Series — Winner: Storage Wars Storage Wars/A&E 35% Cupcake Wars/Food Network 28% Parking Wars/A&E 10% Whale Wars/Animal Planet 8% Swamp Wars/Animal Planet 7% Shipping Wars/A&E 5% Craft Wars/TLC 4% Property [...]...

A new series of short online dramas take inspiration from the novel A Rage in Harlem. Laura Barnett meets the writers – including hip-hop star Akala and playwright Bola Agbaje – bringing black Britain to life

A man paces up and down his prison cell, recalling the act of revenge that put him there. In a Middlesbrough shopping centre, two brothers fence goods to buy medicine for their ailing mother.

These are some of the stories told by 10by10, a remarkable new project combining theatre and film. Commissioned and directed by Dawn Walton, whose Sheffield-based Eclipse Theatre is one of the UK's foremost black-led theatre companies, the project consists of 10 short films written by and starring some of Britain's brightest young playwrights and actors.

The stolen stuff being sold in Middlesbrough is perfume, which gives its name to the film by Ishy Din; Din grew up there and worked as a taxi...

HollywoodNews.com: Everybody can save a life! Thanks again to another very generous donation from the Mr. Carlos De Abreu –the founder of The Hollywood Film Awards®, MatchingDonors.com is asking the public to help raise awareness about being a living organ donor on MatchingDonors.com through their second annual Everybody Can Save A Life Video Contest! Mr. Carlos De Abreu – and the Hollywood Film Awards® efforts have saved many lives of individuals needing lifesaving organ transplants.

This contest will also get the entrants videos before Hollywood’s Top decision makers, producers, and studio executives, and winners will receive cash prizes as well as the opportunity to work with these top people in Hollywood as Assistant Producers on a television show or movie, or even Assistant Produce an iPhone social game with the creator of Xbox Live. See more information and how to take part in the contest at Zooppa.

The barbecue can wait. The beer can come inside. The family will understand. There's a lot of television on this weekend!

Indeed, if the weather turns ugly or you get sick of hanging out with your loved ones, consider the following marathons airing over Memorial Day. Or at least program your DVR accordingly...

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Saturday, May 26

A&E: "Parking Wars," "Storage Wars" and "Flipped Off," 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.

BBC America: "The Tudors," 6 a.m. to midnight

Bravo: "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" marathon, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Cloo: "Monk," 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. the next day

Lmn: "Drop Dead Diva" marathon, 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day

MTV: "16 and Pregnant," 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oxygen: "America's Next Top Model," 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

USA: "NCIS," 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday, May 27

A&E: "The Glades," 7 a.m. to noon; "Criminal Minds,...

New Delhi, March 20: After getting positive reviews from critics and audiences, Vidya Balan's "Kahaani" has now become a huge hit among online gamers. It got 50,000 hits within the first 10 days of its launch.

"The Great Indian Parking Wars" requires gamers to park Vidya's taxi on a friend's street to help her in the journey to find her missing husband. Gamers can play the game at ibibo.com and can get in touch with Vidya through her gaming profile on the website.

"It's amazing to see the kind of popularity Ibibo has developed about the film on social media," said the actress about the association with ibibo.com.

Gamers,.

There is a reality TV war that is going on and our televisions have been besieged -- the new onslaught of reality TV programs revolving around storage lockers, parking places and tickets, cargo boxes, shipping items, and more! You're either a junkie for these programs or you find them the lowest on the food chain. For me, I can't get enough of these addicting shows that pit competitor against competitor, citizen against government employee or time or acts of nature against driver.

What starts with one show quickly doubles because these shows are packed with adrenaline and quirky characters. What makes programs like Storage Wars or Storage Wars: Texas so addicting is the fact that these are Average Joe's who find miraculous treasures in what may seem like rubble. In some instances these individuals can pay a couple of hundred dollars for a locker full of what looks like garbage or junk,...

Mark Wahlberg is expanding his burgers-and-movies-and-HBO empire into reality television with Teamsters, a pilot for A&E, Deadline reports. Wahlberg, whose father was a Teamster, will executive produce along with frequent collaborator Stephen Levinson, and Kevin Thompson. The show will center on Teamsters Local 25 in Boston — an 11,000-member-strong chapter — and could kick off a franchise of other shows based on unions. A&E loves a spinoff series: The First 48 begat The First 48: Missing Persons; Parking Wars begat Storage Wars begat Storage Wars Texas begat Shipping Wars; Intervention begat Hoarders and Relapse; American Hoggers and Lady Hoggers sprung forth right from Zeus's forehead. If Teamsters goes well, expect an Seiu show very, very soon. You're welcome, labor movement!

HollywoodNews.com: MatchingDonors.com is asking the public to help raise awareness about being a living organ donor on MatchingDonors.com through their Everybody Can Save A Life Video Contest! This contest will also get the entrants videos before Hollywood’s Top decision makers, producers, and studio executives, and winners will receive cash prizes as well as the opportunity to work with these top people in Hollywood as Assistant Producers on a television show or movie, or even Assistant Produce an iPhone social game with the creator of Xbox Live. (See extensive information at http://www.matchingdonors.com/life/pdfdocs/Contest.pdf).

Thanks to a very generous donation from the Hollywood Awards, the First Place winner will also be given two tickets and be invited to attend the Hollywood Awards® Gala where they can socialize with Hollywood’s biggest stars. See more at http://www.hollywoodawards.com.

Nineteen people die...