Awards

HLN made it official today, announcing it will broadcast the 39th annual daytime Emmy Awards next month. The daytime Emmys will be presented Saturday, June 23 at 8pmET, at The Beverly Hilton hotel.

“HLN is thrilled to work with NATAS to celebrate some of television’s best programs and performances,” said HLN SVP and general manager Scot Safon. “Every day we focus on the news and information people talk about, and that has included extensive coverage of the Daytime Emmys in the past. This year, we’re very excited to also be carrying the event itself.”

At next month’s event, Barbara Walters will present Bill Geddie, Executive Producer of “The View” and the “Barbara Walters Specials,” with the Daytime Lifetime Achievement Award.

Anderson Cooper is nominated as best talk show host, along with Dr. Oz, Rachel Ray, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa and the doctors from “The Doctors.” “Anderson” is also nominated in the Best Informative Talk Show category alongside “Dr. Oz” and “The Doctors.”

CBS has televised the broadcast the last two years. In 2009, the CW aired the show. And in prior years, the Daytime Emmys aired on ABC, CBS and NBC.

Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.

Who says there’s no civil discourse on TV news?

“PBS Newshour” commentators Mark Shields and David Brooks have proven there is and they’ve become the recipients of the nation’s first ever award for civility. The Allegheny College Prize for Civility in Public Life was presented to Shields and Brooks Tuesday at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Shields and Brooks will talk about the award tonight on PBS Newshour. Presumably they each get their own plaque so they don’t have to fight over it.

For the first time since moving to Syfy, WWE SmackDown will air live on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET from the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.

SmackDown has been a huge success for SyFY, averaging 3.1 million total viewers for 2011 to date.

The live edition of SmackDown will air in its regular time slot on Friday, Sept. 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Spike TV announced this morning that season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” slated to begin airing in September, will be the last on its channel.

In a release the channel said, “We are increasing our commitment to distinctive, original series that we own such as ‘Auction Hunters’ and ‘Bar Rescue’ which are delivering on our goal to reach a broader audience. Our 6-year partnership with the UFC has been incredibly beneficial in building both our brands, and we wish them all the best in the future.”

The series debuted in January 2005, and features up-and-coming MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, following them as they train and compete against each other for a contract with the UFC. The show’s been cited as an instrumental reason for the rise in popularity of the UFC, with many participants going to to become UFC champions.

Marvell Scott pleaded guilty Tuesday to child endangerment and will get 20 days of community service as part of a plea deal.

The former WABC sports anchor admitted that he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old runaway during a July 2008 incident in his Times Square apartment. Scott faced up to seven years in jail if convicted at trial. The misdemeanor will be wiped from Scott’s record in six months, provided he completes his community service.

“On or about June 5, 2008, inside my then-apartment … I acted in a manner likely to be injurious to the welfare of a child by inappropriately touching her,” Scott told a Manhattan Supreme Court judge. “[Afterward] I learned she was 14 years old.” Read more

Tuesday nights in January and February will feature great SEC hoops matchups on ESPN. The Worldwide Leader has released its 2012 schedule, and every game includes at least one team ranked in its preseason Top 25, with three games featuring two ranked teams. No. 12 Florida will be featured four times, No. 2 Kentucky three times, and No. 7 Vanderbilt, unranked Georgia and unranked Arkansas twice apiece.

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Jan 10	7 p.m.	Georgia at No. 12 Florida
Jan 17	9 p.m.	Arkansas at No. 2 Kentucky
Jan 24	9 p.m.	No. 2 Kentucky at Georgia
Jan 31	9 p.m.	No. 7 Vanderbilt at Arkansas
Feb 7	7 p.m.	No. 12 Florida at No. 2 Kentucky
Feb 14	7 p.m.	No. 12 Florida at No. 14 Alabama
Feb 21	9 p.m.	No. 2 Kentucky at Mississippi State
Feb 28	9 p.m.	No. 12 Florida at No. 7 Vanderbilt

ESPN continues to build up their international portfolio following the acquisition of ExtraCorp Pty. Ltd, owners of Australia’s largest sports tipping and fantasy games platform in footytips.com.au.

Launched in 1997, the website offers social tipping competitions for 20 of the biggest sports in Australia, including the Australian Football League and the National Rugby League.

ExtraCorp employs 15 people, who will join the ESPN family in Australia. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read more

When he’s not fielding offers from teams in Turkey and China, Kobe Bryant has spent part of his extended offseason improving his soccer skills.

Washington Post columnist Mike Wise fell victim to Bryant’s skills during Mia Hamm‘s celebrity soccer game Sunday.

Ouch, Mike.

[H/T D.C. Sports Bog]

 

Steve Williams, Tiger Woods‘ longtime caddy who stood by him during his tawdry and calamitous public scandal and divorce, was none too pleased about being fired recently by Woods, and said he plans to write a book when he retires — a tome that might be heavy on salacious details about Woods, not least because Williams never signed a confidentiality agreement with the 14-time majors winner.

“It will just be one of those interesting chapters in the book,” Williams said of his time with Woods.

(H/T to GameOn)

Video of Mark Grace‘s interview with Justin Timberlake during last night’s All-Star Game has been quarantined by Major League Baseball for the time being and clips have been removed from YouTube. But the forward-thinking folks at Amazin Avenue, a Mets blog, took the trouble to transcribe the interview, in which Timberlake openly mocks Joe Buck for calling a great game, and in general for being a great announcer whom everyone loves. It was quite sublime, and perhaps the highlight of the entire broadcast, not least because Timberlake says his favorite ballpark food is beer.

“It goes with the hot dog, it goes with nachos, it goes with peanuts. Beer’s perfect. Beer never got mad at me because I didn’t call beer back.”

Here’s the transcript:

Joe Buck: We go down for a visit with a special guest, here’s Mark Grace.

Mark Grace: I’m down here in the pool area, with the star of the upcoming comedy, Friends With Benefits. Welcome Justin Timberlake, how ya doin’ brother?

Justin Timberlake: Joe Buck, you’re calling a great game, Joe!

Joe Buck: Thanks, Justin.

Justin Timberlake: Just a classy guy-

Joe Buck: Thanks.

Justin Timberlake: -with a classy voice.

 

Read more