Her long-awaited TV news return was professional, albeit fictitious, but her casting was perfect!

Sue Simmons made her first television appearance since her divorce from WNBC in June. The anchor with 32 years of service at Channel 4 was hired as a reporter for the two-part season premiere of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU that aired last night, and there she was again on Channel 4.

Simmons was featured briefly three times during the two hours. Her first “scene” lasted approximately 20 seconds reporting the “breaking news” of the police commissioner’s resignation, watched from a hotel television. Those who stuck around for the second-half of the intense, extended episode were rewarded with more Sue.

In part two, Simmons was shown directly out of a commercial break on a TV in the show’s watering hole. Simmons appearing to be on the steps of criminal court in lower Manhattan giving another quick, flawless “breaking news” report before Richard Belzer heard enough.

Simmons had final moment in concluding the story arc. Not only did she have her longest on-air portion (about 30 seconds), but it was done as an actual report, seen directly on the screen without having to peer into a television. Simmons continued the report as a voice-over to the multiple arrests.

No word if she’ll have a recurring role as herself on the longtime NBC drama.

On Tuesday night, Simmons appeared on Joy Behar‘s Current TV show, giving her first interview since leaving WNBC.

Television’s biggest night was a ratings winner! The Emmy Awards, broadcast on ABC, was the number one prime time show in New York for the week ending September 23. The event, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, had an estimated 1.3 million WABC viewers with a 6.9 rating, according to Nielsen.

ABC’s Emmy Red Carpet show failed to draw as much attention, settling for a 17th-place tie (540,000/2.8).

Back to the top of the survey, where despite scab refs, the NFL shines. As direct competition to the Emmys, NBC’s Sunday Night Football had a strong week. The Patriots/Ravens tilt was second-best with 1.1 million viewers and a 5.7 rating.  The last half-hour of NBC’s kickoff program Football Night in America landed in a tie for 17th (544,000/2.8).

The Giants’ Thursday nighter also did well. The NFL Network telecast had a ninth-place finish (832,000/4.3). A simulcast version on WPIX/Channel 11 tied for 17th (544,000/2.8). We’re not certain if those numbers include the Cablevision audience, blocked from the WPIX programming since mid-August. Cablevision, though, offered a free preview of the NFL Network to all subscribers on PIX.

More from the Top 10 after the jump

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Guess what? Deborah Needleman has been denying that she was leaving WSJ. for T: The New York Times Style Magazine, but she did anyway! It’s official: The Times just sent out a release naming Needleman the editor-in-chief of T.

“Deborah is a creative and innovative editor with an impeccable sense of style and design,” said Jill Abramson, executive editor of the Times, in a statement. “As we look to expand and extend T and continue to evolve it for our loyal and sophisticated New York Times audience, we will rely on Deborah’s broad range of experience and creative energy.”

So there you have it, another round of media rumors put to rest. Who’s next?

We don’t know what the Drudge Report is trying to tell us with all the winking, but it can’t be good. Or can it???

Perhaps we’ll never know why these pictures are dominating the site right now. Or will we???

???????

Deborah Needleman is in high demand, and so the rumors about her leaving WSJ. for T: The New York Times Style Magazine will not end until we hear something official. WWD reports that Needleman is still expected to accept the job at T, but a source at the Journal said that on Tuesday, the paper’s managing editor — Robert Thomson — met with her and gave a last ditch pitch to keep her. Additionally, there is gossip swirling that Hearst offered Needleman a job.

It all makes us wonder: Who are these people who keep spreading rumors about their coworkers?

“Ohhhh snap, Stacey was just eating at her desk! And it was leftover Tuna Helper, so she’s definitely gone. I can’t wait to tell someone about my assumption!”

What an odd life. Of course then we have to write about it, so…

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TVNewser: The NFL’s replacement refs are so bad they’re good for ESPN. Yes, even better than Tebow.

TVSpy: What’s worse, being a Meat Loaf impersonator or being fooled by a Meat Loaf impersonator?

GalleyCat: Smash Mouth is publishing a cookbook that will no doubt be better than the band’s songs. There’s really no way to go but up from “All Star.”

Sandra Lee, the Food Network star with a knack for color-coordinating that is totally normal and not obsessive, is launching a magazine.  The New York Post reports that the glossy will be called Sandra Lee The Magazine, because Lee is humble.

The title will have a wider focus than her previous magazine, Sandra Lee Semi-Homeade. Sandra Lee will also only be sold on newsstands ($6.99 a pop) and through tablets. The first issue is set to hit stores on October 30, and at least at first, it will be published bi-monthly.

Lee will act as editor-in-chief of Sandra Lee because if you’re going to launch a magazine that’s named after yourself and all about what you like, you might as well edit it too.

Mark Jannot has only been with Reader’s Digest North America since May, but he’s already been dropped by the company. According to The New York Post, Jannot has been let go and his role — chief content officer — has been eliminated.

Jannot had come to Reader’s Digest from Bonnier, where he had served as editorial director of Popular Science, Popular Photography, American Photo, and Sound & Vision.

The departure of Jannot likely won’t do much to help Reader’s Digest’s standing with Standard & Poor. S & P recently downgraded the company to “negative,” and said “In our opinion, there are significant uncertainties and limited visibility surrounding Reader’s Digest revenues and earnings prospects, given its declining businesses and ongoing restructuring requirements.”

M. Scott Havens has been named president of The Atlantic. Havens most recently served as Atlantic Media Company’s senior vice president of finance and digital preparations.

“Scott is the right person at the right time to take the helm of The Atlantic, our company’s flagship brand,” said Justin Smith, president of Atlantic Media Company, in a statement. “For the past few years, he has been Atlantic Media’s digital business brain, implementing a ‘digital first’ strategy within each of our companies. The Atlantic requires bold, innovative leadership to continue its phenomenal track record of success. Scott’s skills, temperament, and understanding of The Atlantic’s mission are just three of many reasons that he is uniquely equipped to rise to this challenge.”

Havens has been with Atlantic Media since 2009.