Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

1. Time to Hand Out the Barmash Award for Local TV News Excellence, December 14
2. NYPD Continues to Block Journalists from Covering Occupy Protests, December 13
3. People Thought Anna Wintour’s First Vogue (left) Cover Was a Mistake, December 9
4. Geraldo Rivera Gets 77 WABC Midday Slot, December 12
5. The Kim Kardashian Effect Hits a Slump, December 14
6. Pulitzer Winner Don Van Natta Jr. Leaves The New York Times for ESPN, December 9

Keep up-to-date with the latest FishbowlNY news. Click here to sign-up for the FishbowlNY daily newsletter, bringing you our articles each afternoon directly to your inbox.

Don Van Natta Jr., a Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times veteran of 16 years, is leaving the paper to become a Senior Writer at ESPN. During his time at the Times, he was a member of two Pulitzer-winning teams.

Prior to the Times, Van Natta worked at the Miami Herald for eight years. Van Natta, who is also a published author, will contribute to ESPN, ESPN radio, its magazine, its website and more.

“Having a well-respected, veteran investigative reporter like Don Van Natta on board is a testament to the commitment ESPN has made to quality cross-platform journalism,” said Rob King, Senior Vice President, Editorial, ESPN Digital and Print Media.

Van Natta will be based out of Miami, and his first day will be January 1.

The Giants may have lost on the field to the unbeaten Packers, but they won–and won big in the ratings department. The late afternoon game on WNYW/Channel 5 was tops for the week, according to Nielsen, with a whopping 2.3 million viewers and an 11.9 rating.

Because of the dramatic Packers comeback, devastated fans stayed with Fox. Post-game show, The OT was number two with an estimated 1.8 million and a 9.4 rating.

The Giants also scored in the ratings at number four, with the previous week’s ESPN Monday nighter (983,000/5.0) in New Orleans. The Saints, however, did most of the scoring on the gridiron in a 49-24 drubbing.  A simulcast version on WWOR/Channel 9 was number 22 (583,000/3.0).

The NFL was also represented by NBC’s Sunday Night Football, tying at number five (892,000/4.6).

The highest non-football program, though, was NBC’s Rockefeller Center tree lighting special at number three (1.5 million/7.9).

More from the Top 10 after the jump.

Read more

A healthy dose of NFL action was tops in the weekly prime time ratings. The Giants fell short at the 49ers, but did not fall short in the ratings. The late afternoon Fox game, seen on WNYW/Channel 5, was number one, according to Nielsen. The game had an estimated 2 million viewers and a 10.6 rating. The Fox football spillover from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m. held down the third position (1.4 million/7.2). 

Ironically, the Jets/Patriots Sunday night showcase on NBC settled for number two (1.6 million/8.4). The final 30 minutes NBC’s pre-game show Football Night in America tied for fifth-best on WNBC/Channel 4 (1 million/5.3).

Also in the Top 5, Dancing With The Stars–at number four, the two-hour performance (1.2 million/6.4) and fifth for results (1 million/5.3).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

Read more

WABC had the highest-rated show for the week. The Monday night, two-hour performance of Dancing With The Stars was number one, according to Nielsen, with an estimated 1.1 million viewers and a 6.0 rating.

The Tuesday night result show took hold of eighth place (870,000/4.5).

Also on WABC, the sitcom Modern Family rocketed to number two (1.1 million/5.7).

CBS’ 60 Minutes had a third-place finish (1 million/5.4).

The New York Jets Monday Night Football appearance on ESPN, a 24-6 victory against the Miami Dolphins, was fourth (1 million/5.1).

As for the Sunday NFL action, the late-afternoon game on Fox/WNYW tied for eighth (878,000/4.5).

There was also baseball, as the World Series got underway on Fox.

Games 1, 2, and 4 cracked the Top 20. The highest-ranking were number 12 (817,000/4.2) and 14 (779,000/4.0) for the week.

More from Top 10 after the jump

Read more

No Jets or Giants, no matter. Sunday’s 4 p.m. Patriots/Cowboys game on Fox was number one for the week  in New York, according to Nielsen.

The game had an estimated 1.2 million viewers on WNYW/Channel 5 and a 6.5 rating.

The Dancing With The Stars result episode on WABC/Channel 7 was next at number two (1.1 million/6.0), while the two-hour performance show had a fifth-place finish (1.1 million/5.7).

A pair of sitcoms tied for third: Modern Family on ABC (1.1 million/5.8) and Two and a Half Men on CBS (1.1 million/5.8).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

Read more

It was another Sunday Night Football appearance for the New York Jets. Gang Green was routed by the Ravens, 34-17. But the NBC game was number one in New York with an estimated 1.5 million viewers and a 7.7 rating, according to the Nielsen Company.

The Giants, with the late game heroics in a victory against the Cardinals, tied for third place. The Fox late-afternoon matchup had 1.2 million viewers and a 6.3 rating.

But it’s also the Yankees favorite time of the year–the post-season.

The American League Division Series resumed Saturday with the Yankees beating the Tigers in game one on TBS (1.1 million/6.0).

Even Friday’s two-inning rain-out registered high with a seventh-place finish (1 million/5.5).

ESPN’s Monday Night Football (Redskins/Cowboys) was 11th for the week (959,000/4.9).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

Read more

The buzz surrounding Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men was enough to catapult it to number one for the week.

The season premiere of the CBS comedy had an estimated 1.9 million New York viewers and a 9.7 rating, according to Nielsen.

WCBS held down second place, thanks to the New York Jets game in Oakland (1.4 million/7.2).

Channel 2 also scored with the season premiere of 60 Minutes, which featured a profile of NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly. The venerable newsmagazine tied for number four (1.2 million/6.4).

The Emmy-winning Modern Family nailed down third and fourth position with an average 1.3 million WABC viewers and a 6.5 rating.  

Channel 7 viewers welcomed Dancing With The Stars. The two-hour season premiere landed at number six (1.2 million/6.2). The Tuesday night result show had an eighth-place finish (1.1 million/5.4).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

Read more

More than 1.4 million people watched the Emmy Awards Sunday night on WNYW/Channel 5 for the top spot of the week, according to Nielsen. The event, hosted by Glee‘s Jane Lynch, pulled in a 7.1 rating.

But right below the Emmys telecast was NBC’s Sunday Night Football pitting the Eagles against the Falcons. The game finished second with an estimated 1.2 million WNBC viewers and a 6.3 rating.  The final half-hour of the pre-game show Football Night in America was sixth (775,000/3.8).

There was other NFL action ranking high. At number three was CBS’ late afternoon game (950,000/4.7).

ESPN’s Monday Night Football season opening doubleheader scored big numbers, landing in a seventh-place tie (754,000/3.7).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

Read more

Sam Ryan came close to exiting WCBS/Channel 2 in August 2009. At that time, the brunette sportscaster, citing her need to put family first, was ready to leave Channel 2 but remain at CBS Sports on weekends.

Instead, WCBS management cajoled the personable Ryan to stay.

They reworked Ryan’s schedule to just three days at WCBS, giving her weekends free for other on-air duties at CBS College Sports. Otis Livingston picked up the other days. 

Now, the Daily News reports, there will be no 11th hour reprieve. Sources with knowledge of the situation confirm to FishbowlNY that Ryan is headed for the MLB Network as a host and reporter.

Ryan joined Channel 2 and CBS Sports in June 2006. Prior to that, she did extensive sideline reporting for ESPN, and ABC Sports, on their college football coverage, and occasionally appearing on Monday Night Football.

Read more