Jim Bell

Diane Sawyer to Anchor 'World News': 'Another Nail in the Coffin of the Old Boys' Network' - Posted September 3, 2009
Anyone predicting a Diane Sawyer - Katie Couric "cat fight" come January "needs to get a life," says Connie Chung. "It's a chauvinistic question," explains Chung, 63, Dan Rather's co-anchor on "CBS Evening News" for about a minute and a half in the early '90s. "The question should be, 'How... [TVNewser]

Former First Daughter Joins "Today" - Posted August 31, 2009
If you've been wondering what former President George W. Bush's daughters have been up to, look no further than morning TV. Jenna Bush Hager will soon be starting a gig as a correspondent for NBC's "Today" show. Although the 27-year-old is currently a teacher in Baltimore, she will be working part time... [FishBowlNY]

Former First Daughter Becomes "Today" Correspondent - Posted August 30, 2009
A brunette Jenna Bush Hager will be joining the "Today Show" and working as a correspondent out of NBC's Washington bureau, the AP reports. She'll contribute education stories about once a month and her first piece should air some time in September. Jenna's 27 now, living in Baltimore and working as a... [FishBowlDC]

Jenna Bush Joins 'Today' Show as Correspondent - Posted August 30, 2009
The AP's David Bauder reports the "Today" show has hired Jenna Bush Hager to be a correspondent for the show. One of the twin daughters of former Pres. Bush and Laura Bush, Hager will contribute stories about once a month on issues including education, but not on politics. Bauder reports Hager,... [TVNewser]

Jenna Bush Joins 'Today' Show as Correspondent - Posted August 30, 2009
The AP's David Bauder reports the "Today" show has hired Jenna Bush Hager to be a correspondent for the show. One of the twin daughters of former Pres. Bush and Laura Bush, Hager will contribute stories about once a month on issues including education, but not on politics. Bauder reports Hager,... [TVNewser]

What's Jake Tapper Got Against NBC News? - Posted July 15, 2009
South Carolina newspaper The State has gotten a hold of email correspondence sent to Gov. Mark Sanford's communications director, Joel Sawyer, by reporters in the run-up to the revelation of Sanford's extramarital tango. Politico's Michael Calderone notes one of the more surprising emails was sent by ABC News White House correspondent... [TVNewser]

News Organizations Asked Not To Name "Other Woman" During Elizabeth Edwards Interviews - Posted May 13, 2009
What's in a name? A lot if you are Elizabeth Edwards, especially if that name is Rielle Hunter. Edwards began making the rounds last week publicizing her new book. But in three TV interviews - with Oprah Winfrey, Matt Lauer and Larry King - Hunter, "the other woman" in the John... [TVNewser]

News Organizations Asked Not To Name "Other Woman" During Elizabeth Edwards Interviews - Posted May 13, 2009
What's in a name? A lot if you are Elizabeth Edwards, especially if that name is Rielle Hunter. Edwards began making the rounds last week publicizing her new book. But in three TV interviews - with Oprah Winfrey, Matt Lauer and Larry King - Hunter, "the other woman" in the John... [TVNewser]

Not All Fun and Games For Al Roker...Just Mostly - Posted March 5, 2009
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist Weatherman. Raconteur. Chef. Cable host. Cartoonist? "Today" weatherguy Al Roker is shopping an animated cartoon about the life of a "major player in the culinary world" -- read "chef" -- as a child, he confirms. Like any oyster with strong survival instincts, Roker's lips are sealed about details. He will say, however,... [TVNewser]

Not All Fun and Games For Al Roker...Just Mostly - Posted March 5, 2009
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist Weatherman. Raconteur. Chef. Cable host. Cartoonist? "Today" weatherguy Al Roker is shopping an animated cartoon about the life of a "major player in the culinary world" -- read "chef" -- as a child, he confirms. Like any oyster with strong survival instincts, Roker's lips are sealed about details. He will say, however,... [TVNewser]

If It's Wednesday...It's Michael's For Gregory - Posted December 10, 2008
From TVNewser contributor Diane Clehane's "Lunch" column on FishbowlNY: The scene spilled over into the Garden Room where Today's executive producer Jim Bell and David Gregory were seated. The newly-minted host of Meet The Press gave us a big hello and a smile as he made his way to the back, but... [TVNewser]

Ending a Week of Going To the "Ends of the Earth" - Posted November 20, 2008
It was a typical morning at the Today show — atypical. The teen stars of the new movie, "Twilight," were there, CNBC's Jim Cramer talked about the market lows, Dr. Nancy Snyderman talked about the rise in doulas and Tony Bennett performed with a 12-man band. But the big topic when... [TVNewser]

NBC Reveals Theme of Next "Ends of the Earth" - Posted November 6, 2008
As was hinted in our interview with Today show EP Jim Bell last month, water will be the theme as the Today show goes to the ends of the earth. According to the press release, "Matt (in the photo from last year's project), Meredith, Al and Ann will explore the power of... [TVNewser]

Ailes, Lauer, 60 Minutes Set For Hall of Fame - Posted October 20, 2008
10 new members to the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame will be inducted tomorrow night, spanning the tube from Showtime to ESPN. A few will be from the TV news world as well, and each of the inductees are profiled on the B&C site: • Marisa Guthrie describes FNC CEO Roger... [TVNewser]

Who Said This? - Posted October 8, 2008
"They could certainly have me do 100 live shots rather than two or three stories a month." The story after the jump...... [TVNewser]

Morning Show Ratings: 2007-2008 Season - Posted September 27, 2008
No surprise if you've been reading our weekly Morning Show Ratings posts. NBC's Today show comes out on top for the 2007-08 season. Today beat second-place Good Morning America by 23% (1.03 million) Total Viewers and by 31% in A25-54 viewers. After the jump, the memo sent to the Today staff from... [TVNewser]

Water-Ready Anchors Prep for This Year's 'Ends of the Earth' - Posted September 22, 2008
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist First on TVNewser: 'Today' is going to the ends of the Earth. Again. Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Al Roker will pack up their extreme-weather gear in November as the show reprises its geographical lollapalooza from November '07, 'Today' boss Jim Bell confirms to TV Newser. Co-anchor Meredith Vieira will... [TVNewser]

Water-Ready Anchors Prep for This Year's 'Ends of the Earth' - Posted September 22, 2008
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist First on TVNewser: 'Today' is going to the ends of the Earth. Again. Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Al Roker will pack up their extreme-weather gear in November as the show reprises its geographical lollapalooza from November '07, 'Today' boss Jim Bell confirms to TV Newser. Co-anchor Meredith Vieira will... [TVNewser]

Look Who Dropped in On GMA at the DNC - Posted August 28, 2008
Their competitive streaks may run wide and deep, but at the political conventions they're only steps from each other. So when his broadcast ended, Early Show anchor Harry Smith dropped in on Good Morning America's Robin Roberts. "You know, it's a big family out here," Roberts said. "Harry Smith. How did we... [TVNewser]

The Ticker (DNC Day 3, PM Ed.): Nightly, Mornings, Post-Conventions... - Posted August 27, 2008
> NBC's Brian Williams sits down with Michelle Obama for an interview to air tonight on Nightly News and on nightly.msnbc.com. > In the photo below, CBS Early Show EP Zev Shalev meets fellow a.m. EP Jim Bell of the Today show today on the floor of the DNC. Bell's... [TVNewser]

The Ticker (DNC Day 3, PM Ed.): Nightly, Mornings, Post-Conventions... - Posted August 27, 2008
> NBC's Brian Williams sits down with Michelle Obama for an interview to air tonight on Nightly News and on nightly.msnbc.com. > In the photo below, CBS Early Show EP Zev Shalev meets fellow a.m. EP Jim Bell of the Today show today on the floor of the DNC. Bell's... [TVNewser]

Kathie Lee Getting Buzz — Positive and Negative - Posted August 11, 2008
In the wake of last month's awkward cooking segment with 'Sam the Cooking Guy,' the New York Times' Douglas Quenqua takes a look at the 4th hour of the Today show and Kathie Lee Gifford's impact. It has been four months since Gifford joined, and she, "has been a lightning rod for... [TVNewser]

Bell: "I'm an Olympics Geek, What Can I Tell You?" - Posted August 4, 2008
The Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold takes a look at the upcoming Today show coverage of the Olympics. Anchor Matt Lauer says the network will cover the good and the bad. "We're going to cover every single aspect of it," he said. "And I don't think we're going to be shy about... [TVNewser]

Bell: "I'm an Olympics Geek, What Can I Tell You?" - Posted August 4, 2008
The Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold takes a look at the upcoming Today show coverage of the Olympics. Anchor Matt Lauer says the network will cover the good and the bad. "We're going to cover every single aspect of it," he said. "And I don't think we're going to be shy about... [TVNewser]

MSNBC's Phil Griffin, "A Big Fan" of Fox News, Says It's "Our Time" - Posted July 17, 2008
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist Phil Griffin to Chris Wallace: Kiss my Peacock. The newly-named president of MSNBC takes offense at Wallace's assertion this week that commentator Keith "Mr. Bush, Shut the Hell Up" Olbermann has no business anchoring election coverage, and that Fox News would never commit such a sin. "That raises little hairs... [TVNewser]

MSNBC's Phil Griffin, "A Big Fan" of Fox News, Says It's "Our Time" - Posted July 17, 2008
Gail Shister TVNewser Columnist Phil Griffin to Chris Wallace: Kiss my Peacock. The newly-named president of MSNBC takes offense at Wallace's assertion this week that commentator Keith "Mr. Bush, Shut the Hell Up" Olbermann has no business anchoring election coverage, and that Fox News would never commit such a sin. "That raises little hairs... [TVNewser]

Lunch at Michael's: Joan Rivers, Deepak Chopra & The Today Gang - Posted July 11, 2007
— DIANE CLEHANE The scene at 55th & Fifth was more subdued than usual today with most of the regulars nowhere to be seen. With an unusually high number of "civilians" milling about, it seemed unlikely we'd get our weekly boldfaced name fix this go round. Imagine our delight when Joan Rivers... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Al & Meredith Talk Skateboarding - Posted May 30, 2007
On the menu today: a tasty stew of media moguls and television titans with a dash of talking heads to spice things up. After making the rounds and checking in with some of our favorite regulars, we were thrilled to chat with our good pals Today's Meredith Vieira and Al... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Is Dave Zinczenko Ready For Prime Time? - Posted February 28, 2007
Magazine moguls kept things interesting today at 55th and Fifth. Without the usual intriguing mix of celebrities (who were, undoubtedly still recovering from Oscar overload) to observe, we spent the afternoon wondering what the editors and behind-the-scenes execs were plotting over their cobb salads. Our good friend, Men's Health honcho Dave... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Is Dave Zinczenko Ready For Prime Time? - Posted February 28, 2007
Magazine moguls kept things interesting today at 55th and Fifth. Without the usual intriguing mix of celebrities (who were, undoubtedly still recovering from Oscar overload) to observe, we spent the afternoon wondering what the editors and behind-the-scenes execs were plotting over their cobb salads. Our good friend, Men's Health honcho Dave... [FishBowlNY]

Lunch at Michael's: Valentine's Hangover - Posted February 15, 2007
It's the calm after the storm. The biggest — and only — snow storm of the season couldn't keep the movers and shakers away yesterday. On Valentine's Day the bustling dining room was host to a "low-key" birthday celebration hosted by Sherry Westin for Mayor Bloomberg, who received kudos all around... [FishBowlNY]