News Shorts

Fox takes Wednesday in reality matchup
The Big Three networks went after Fox on Wednesday with a lineup heavy on unscripted shows, but while some of the programs pulled decent ratings, Fox still took the night in the adult 18-49 demographic. Fox averaged a 6.5 rating, based on Nielsen overnights, while ABC had a 4.9, NBC had a 4.5 and CBS had a 2.5.Fox ranked No. 1 for three of four half-hours and peaked at 8:30 p.m. with “American Idol,” which had a 9 rating. Other shows on Fox did well too, but “Wanda at Large” is proving a disappointment. The midseason sitcom lost 22 percent of “Bernie Mac’s” lead-in rating and fell to No. 2 behind the second half of ABC’s “The Bachelor.” ABC had its best rating at 9 p.m. with a 6 for the third version of that reality series and was also competitive at 10 p.m. with the premiere of “Extreme Makeover.” That show, based on the special of the same name, had a 5.8 rating and ranked No. 2 behind NBC’s “Law & Order.” NBC held up throughout primetime, although the special “Psychic Secrets Revealed” was in third place at 8 p.m. Meanwhile, CBS stumbled with “Star Search” and newsmagazines.

Tight race among Big Three behind 'Idol' sweep
Tuesday proved to be a competitive night for the Big Three networks, when being decimated by Fox’s “American Idol” isn’t factored in. Fox’s adult 18-49 rating was more than twice that of any of the other network’s rating. “Idol” had a 9.3 in the demographic at 8 p.m., by far the highest rating of the night, while “24” ranked No. 1 at 9 p.m. with a 5.7. Meanwhile, ABC, CBS and NBC were virtually in a three-way tie for second place. CBS had a 3 rating, while ABC and NBC each had a 2.9 rating. CBS did best at 10 p.m., when “Judging Amy” tied NBC’s “Dateline” with a 3.9 adult 18-49 rating.NBC continued to have problems with “Frasier” competing against “24.” The sitcom ranked No. 3 in its time slot – CBS’s “The Guardian” was No. 2. “Frasier” did little to help “Watching Ellie,” which lost 13 percent of its lead-in rating and tied for last place in its time slot.ABC had repeats of its Tuesday sitcoms and the new “Lost at Home,” which ranked No. 2 in its time slot, and a repeat of “NYPD Blue.” All ratings are based on preliminary data from Nielsen.

NBC takes 'Just Shoot Me' up on the offer
"Just Shoot Me" is shot. The long-running sitcom returned to NBC’s schedule last week only to be yanked once again after a disastrous outing, ratings-wise. Two episodes averaged a dismal 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 Tuesday, down from its season-to-date average of 2.7 Tuesdays at 8 and 8:30. That’s less than half what the show averaged in the coveted Thursday 9:30 slot last year. Executive producer Steve Levitan accused NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker of breaking his word after telling the cast just last month that the show would not be pulled. Sounding eerily like David E. Kelley criticizing ABC’s handling of “The Practice,” Levitan said NBC helped kill the show through bad scheduling and few promotions. “Just Shoot Me” had been preempted so many times this season that there are still 13 unaired episodes sitting around. Those will be shown sometime this summer, as will what is undoubtedly the seventh-year show’s season finale. Through the end of May NBC will show specials such as May 6’s “Most Outrageous Game Show Moments 4” in the slot. In other programming news, The WB has picked up “Grounded For Life” for 22 episodes next year. The comedy, which debuted on Fox in 2001, moved to the WB at midseason. Following “Reba” on Fridays, “Grounded” has held 99 percent of its lead-in audience among 12-34s at 9:30. And finally, ABC will air 13 episodes of Roseanne Barr’s reality show this summer. Part of the show will focus on the former “Roseanne” star pitching a new show to various networks.

Martha Stewart producing TV series on pet care
Martha Stewart seems to have trouble getting along with humans, but that shouldn't be a problem in her latest TV endeavor. Starting in September, Martha Stewart Living Television will produce “Petkeeping with Marc Morrone.” The half-hour syndicated show -- starring Morrone, a Long Island pet shop owner and frequent "MSL" guest -- offers care tips for household pets. Hearst Entertainment will distribute the show to 130 markets. Morrone will also write a column for Martha Stewart Kids magazine. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association says that pet-related sales last year totaled $29.5 billion, with that figure expected to jump to $31 billion this year.

'Growing Pains' star hurt in hockey accident
Don't ask Alan Thicke to show you that smile again. The former "Growing Pains" star lost five teeth when he was struck in the face by a hockey puck on Tuesday. The Canadian-born actor was practicing for a celebrity hockey game to raise funds for New York City police and fire departments when he received the injury, which required 30 stitches. "Alias" star Michael Vartan was also on the ice at the time of the accident. Thicke's son, musician Robin Thicke, appeared Monday on "The Wayne Brady Show" with his band, which is called Thicke.

Conservative group gives Dan Rather high marks
Is Fox News Channel losing its status as a darling of the right? First NBC’s Tom Brokaw, not Shepard Smith or Brit Hume, was granted the first wartime interview with President Bush. And now a conservative media group has rated Dan Rather higher than Fox for his war coverage. Basing its assessment on the unabashedly conservative standard of how positively news outlets portrayed the U.S. war effort, the Media Research Center gave Rather's coverage of the war in Iraq a B-plus to Fox News’ B. The group, which exists to combat "liberal bias" in the press, said Fox News would have gotten an A if Geraldo Rivera hadn’t gotten himself booted from Iraq for compromising the security of U.S. forces. Fox’s Hume got the only A given out to a news anchor. CBS received an overall grade of B-minus. NBC, MSNBC and CNN earned C-pluses, ABC got a D-minus and ABC news anchor Peter Jennings received an F. As for Brokaw, his exclusive with the president, Bush’s first one-on-one interview since war began last month, will take place today on Air Force One and at two Midwestern events. Parts will air on the “Today” show and “NBC Nightly News” before tomorrow’s one-hour special at 9 p.m.

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