Murdoch: We're weighing
options on Conan
Other shorts: Viewers: CBS should air Focus on the Family ad
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Feb 3, 2010
Murdoch: We're weighing our options on Conan
If Conan O'Brien is coming to Fox, Rupert Murdoch isn't saying. Yesterday the News Corp. chairman acknowledged rumors that the former "Tonight Show" host could be used to launch a new weeknight late-night franchise at Fox, which has tried and failed in that area several times before. On a fourth quarter earnings call, Murdoch said many in the network have different opinions on the matter, but the bottom line is money. If there was a way to bring in O'Brien "and make a profit, we would do it in a flash." Murdoch said there have been no formal negotiations between the comedian and the network, though he did acknowledge there may have been some informal talks. O'Brien left NBC last month after the network announced plans to move "Tonight" back to 12:05 a.m. to make room for a half hour version of "The Jay Leno Show," which was tanking in primetime and drawing protests from affiliates. According to his exit deal, O'Brien could host a new show as soon as September, but Fox has another, perhaps bigger hurdle in convincing the affiliates that now program the 11 p.m. hour to abandon their lucrative syndicated repeats for an unproven talk show.
Viewers: CBS should air Focus on the Family ad
While women's groups have been in an uproar over Sunday's Focus on the Family ad, and gay groups have been chiding CBS for its alleged double standards, the bulk of viewers say CBS should go ahead with the controversial ad. That's according to a poll released yesterday by HCD Research's MediaCurves, which found that 62 percent of respondents do not think the ad should be yanked. Among pro-choice viewers, the ad, rumored to carry an anti-abortion message, had slightly less support. Fifty-three percent said it should be pulled, while83 percent of pro-life viewers said it should run. Seventy-five percent of pro-life viewers said the Super Bowl was an appropriate platform for such an ad, though only 34 percent of pro-choice viewers felt that way. The ad shows Tim Tebow and his mom, who was advised to get an abortion by doctors while carrying the future Heisman Trophy winner. CBS said last month it had loosened its policy on advocacy ads and accepted this one, but it has been denounced by women's groups. The furor extended to gay groups after CBS turned down an ad for a gay male dating site last week, leading to cries of left-wing/right-wing double standards.
Favorite to win ad poll: Anheuser-Busch
There are two betting favorites heading into this weekend’s Super Bowl: the Indianapolis Colts and Anheuser-Busch. The Colts are favored by five points to win Sunday's game versus the New Orleans Saints, and Anheuser-Busch is the odds-on favorite to have this year’s highest-rated Super Bowl commercial based on USA Today’s Ad Meter, according to the gambling web site Bookmaker.com. That’s probably a pretty safe bet; last year Doritos had the top-rated ad, according to USA Today, but Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser and Bud Light finished on top the previous 10 years. Coca-Cola, Dockers, Disney and Taco Bell all made the top five favorites, according to Bookmaker.com’s odds. On the other end, the U.S. Census Bureau is the longest shot to finish with the top-rated Super Bowl ad, followed by Intel and KGB.
Carat's Shari Anne Brill leaves after 11 years
Months after Steve Sternberg exited Magna, another big name in TV research is leaving. Shari Anne Brill, senior vice president and director of programming at Carat, left the agency after 11 years on Friday in what the agency termed a "mutual agreement." In addition to producing reports that highlighted important trends in ratings and serving on many research boards, Brill is also one of the most widely quoted TV analysts in the business, and a favorite here at Media Life because she is not afraid to speak her mind. Speaking earlier this year about the CBS comedy “Accidentally on Purpose,” about a woman who becomes pregnant by a younger man, Brill told Media Life: “I don’t like the premise. These shows are about older women getting involved with younger men. They’re like predators.” Two years before Simon Cowell announced his departure from "American Idol," Brill predicted his exit could sink the show. “The day Simon leaves is the day it falls apart,” she said. “When you’re cranky with a British accent, it just gives you this air of authority. We love being insulted by Brits--remember ‘The Weakest Link?’” Media Life was unable to contact Brill at press time, and there's no word on her next move.
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