NBCBrian Williams on Nightly News: 'It's as Straight Down the Middle as they Come and we Struggle Mightily to do that Each Day'The AP's David Bauder talks with NBC Newsman Brian Williams and NBC Newsboss Steve Capus about the bright spot at NBC these days -- the news division. Both the "Today" show and Williams' flag-shift newscast have increased already substantial leads in the ratings over second-place broadcasts on ABC News since each of those competitors switched anchors in December. And with NBC about to gain back 5 hours of prime time, will we see more of Williams and NBC News? Williams is more likely to become a greater presence in prime time for NBC. The network will have time to fill when Leno returns to late night later this month, and Williams may start contributing some longer-form documentaries, Capus said. Williams is also not afraid to show his sense of humor away from the broadcast, as he did twice last week on other shows... Amy Robach and Andrew Shue Tie the Knot
Weekend Today co-anchor Amy Robach had a pretty special birthday yesterday -- she got married. Robach married "Melrose Place" actor Andrew Shue. The ceremony and reception, at The Lighthouse on Manhattan's west side, was attended by about 120 friends and family. Some of the tvnewsers in attendance, Robach's "Today" show colleagues Meredith Vieira, and Ann Curry, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer, who Twitpic'd the night away, Alison Stewart and husband MSNBC VP Bill Wolff. Robach's former MSNBC anchor Randy Meier flew in for the ceremony, while her "Today" co-anchor Lester Holt was already in Vancouver for the Olympics. Also, "Today" show senior producer Don Nash, publicist Megan Kopf and former supervising producer Javier Morgado attended. Shue's sister, actress Elisabeth Shue was also in attendance. Robach and Shue met last Spring and got engaged in September. Tom Brokaw On The Big 7-0: 'I'm Not Mature Enough to Be 70'
Brokaw is just as mysterious when it comes to his plans for today: "Alter my driver's license so it says I'm 49 — which is how old I feel (I'm not mature enough to be 70)." But all kidding aside, Brokaw is keeping busy these days. First came the January airing of his USA Network documentary American Character Along Highway 50. Next up: the March 4 premiere of Brokaw's first originally produced CNBC doc, Tom Brokaw Reports: Boomer$. The program is derived from Brokaw's 2007 book Boom!: Voices of the Sixties. Former NBC Employee Turned Senator 'Very Concerned' About Comcast/NBCU Deal
NBCU president Jeff Zucker and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts testified before two congressional hearings yesterday. B&C's John Eggerton, who live Tweeted the hearings, has a couple write-ups, including the Franken angle. Franken, who worked with NBCU President Jeff Zucker's wife, Karen, at Saturday Night Live, got the pleasantries out of the way quickly, saying how much he owed NBC and how super Zucker's wife was to work with, before taking off the gloves taking aim at the deal. In The Washington Post, Lisa de Moraes writes: NBC's worst nightmare came true Thursday -- the other, non-Conan nightmare -- when a former NBC on-air talent/producer turned senator went off on network and Comcast suits during a Senate hearing about the proposed merger of the two media behemoths. NYTimes' Brian Stelter picks up on the comments from Zucker related to maintaining broadcasting as we know it: Comcast has made several public interest commitments and has said that the NBC broadcast network would remain free to over-the-air viewers. Jeffrey Zucker, the chief executive of NBC Universal, said Comcast's commitments "give me greater comfort in thinking about the future of broadcasting." Lunchtime at NBCQuestlove, drummer for The Roots and Jimmy Fallon's house band, tweeted this photo of the menu from the NBC commissary at 30 Rock today:
Oh boy. (via Mediaite) > Update: From TheGrio.com, a cook in the NBC cafeteria defends the menu. Video after the jump... NBCNewser + ABCNewser = BabyNewser
'Today' Gearing Up for Vancouver
Matt Lauer will be in Vancouver starting Tuesday -- he's in the torch relay Thursday -- with Natalie Morales in Whistler. Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Ann Curry join on Friday live from Grouse Mountain. The following two weeks will feature full Olympic reporting/interviews during live 4amPT broadcasts. Picabo Street and Kristi Yamaguchi are set to serve as special correspondents for the program. This is the seventh Olympics to which "Today" has traveled. NBC is presenting 835+ hours of Winter Games coverage, more than the last two combined. Press release after the jump. C-SPAN3 to Carry Comcast/NBCU Hearings
C-SPAN3 (the tres) will be carrying tomorrow's Comcast/NBCU deal hearing before the House Communications and Internet Subcommittee. Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts and NBCU President Jeff Zucker and others will be testifying on the proposed joint venture. VPOTUS, FLOTUS Make NBC News RoundsToday on MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell will sit down with Vice President Joe Biden. The live interview will air on "Andrea Mitchell Reports" at 1pmET. Then tomorrow on "Today" Matt Lauer sits down with first lady Michelle Obama in her first interview since the State of the Union address. Mrs. Obama will talk about her first year in the White House and the launch of her new initiative to fight childhood obesity. Capus Dicusses NBC News' Success Amid Network's Primetime Woes
"Roger Ailes' sense of healthy paranoia manifests itself here," he said. "Staying number one enables everything that we do." While layoffs are coming at one of NBC's competitors this week, Capus said, "I don't see the need for massive cuts." He also told Shea that the NBC News is hoping to help local affiliates boost their newscasts. Zucker and the network recently faced significant pressure from the affiliates over the performance of Jay Leno's primetime program. PreviouslyJeff Zucker Goes to Capitol Hill This Week 'Obama Claims Credit for That Failed Suicide Bomb Attempt' If Ken Burns Were to Produce 'The Late Night War' Richard Engel Takes Break from Overseas Reporting to Present Awards David Gregory on MTP: 'I Feel Unquestionably More Comfortable in the Chair and the Role' Update: NBC News Files Complaint with White House Over ABC's Access It's Official: Conan Out. Jay Returns to Late Night. Affiliates Relieved Getting Ahead of ABC Interview, NBC Gets Edwards Admission He's the Father of Mistress's Baby Chicago Tribune Makes David Gregory 'Squirm' Nightly EP: 'Our Viewers Were Looking for Information, and Ways They Could Help' Larry King (the SNL version) Assembles Late Night Summit Brian Williams to Speak at Notre Dame Commencement Jay Leno to Return to 'Tonight Show;' Conan O'Brien Free to Go Brian Williams Describes the Scene in Port-au-Prince Conan Says He Won't Host 'Tonight' after Leno; Has Not Received Other Offers NBC Newsers Meet the Press at TCA 'Dateline' Has Big Friday; May Be Part of New 10pm Lineup Jay Leno's Primetime Show Will End in February NBC's Late Shifts: Saturday Roundup David Gregory Does Not Like Getting Beat Lester Holt: 'I Jealously Guard My Personal Opinion' Ann Curry on Her 19 Years at NBC News: 'I Aspire to be Valuable' TIME Readers Have 10 Questions for Brian Williams Martin Fletcher Leaving NBC News Brian Williams Highlights '5 Stories to Celebrate' from 2009 David Goldman Interview to Appear on 'Today,' 'Dateline' 'You're Cooking So Good the Lights Went Out!' NBC News Pays for David and Sean Goldman Charter Flight to U.S. George Michael, 'Sports Machine' Host, Dies Only One Broadcast News Hour Is Up Double Digits in 2009 Someone Forgot to Pay the Electric Bill at 30 Rock Brian Williams to Have Canadian Competiton During Olympics... From Brian Williams Warts and All, The Today Show's 2009 Kevin Corke is South Beach Bound Zucker Announces NBCU/Comcast Transition Teams Brian Williams Leaves 30 Rock to Tape "30 Rock" Ben Bernanke is TIME Person of the Year The Timing of Al and Matt's Afghanistan Trip Tiger's 'Secret Life' Makes 'Dateline' Friday's #1 TIME's Person of the Year Announced on 'Today' Show Wednesday Tiger Tale: 'It Wasn't Like, Boring, Married Couple Sex' NBC News Execs 'Heartened' By Comcast Conversations Matt Lauer, Al Roker Heading to Afghanistan More Morning Show Moves: 'Today' Supervising Producer Takes Buyout Tom Brokaw Unhurt After Car Crash in New York As Jeff Immelt was trying to Broker MSNBC-FNC Feud, He Was Meeting to Sell Control of NBCU Brian Williams on Comcast Deal: 'So This is My Fault' Comcast is Back in the News Business Comcast to Gain Control of NBCU. Meredith Vieira on 'Today:' 'We've Been Sold!' Brian Williams On Five Years At Nightly's Helm: 'My Life Has Far Surpassed My Wildest Dreams' Savannah Guthrie Mentions "Bravo Connection" During Nightly News Story on the Salahis Did Bravo Play a Role in the 'Today' Show 'Crashers' Get? Tareq Salahi: 'The Most Devastating thing that's Ever Happened to Us' General Electric, Vivendi Agree on NBCU Stake, Paving Way for Comcast Deal White House Party Crashers On 'Today' Show Thanksgiving Parade Delivers Best Ratings in Three Years Lauer Checks in on 'People of the Year' Who Will Al Roker Murder Next? Matt Lauer: 'We Were Wondering Why He Didn't Kill Ann' Maria Menounos Tweets for Help after Car Accident Al Roker's Morning Show Murders "A Lot Of Fun" Brian Williams Coaching Journalism's Gen Next Williams Anchors from Out of Town, Appears on 'Ellen' Matt Lauer Features the "People of the Year" Power Problems Persist at NBC News Washington Lester Holt to Speak at UC Merced Commencement Martin Fletcher On Reporting News "As Close-Up As Possible" Eyes on Nov. 16 for Comcast-NBCU Deal Brian Williams Leaves 30 Rock for "30 Rock" Nightly News Inflates Iran Reporting Comcast Getting Closer to NBCU Deal Brian Williams: 'A Non-Fiction Person in a Non-Fiction Line of Work' Brian Williams: 'You've Really Got to WANT to Cover This Story' The 'Today' Show's Star Wars Halloween Spectacle David Gregory Subs for Brian Williams on Jay Leno Jay Leno's Media Mentions: ESPN, Fox News, MSNBC Brian Williams to Report from Afghanistan NBC's Chuck Todd Loses Goatee Gamble Jeff Immelt: 'I Hate Being No. 4' Kevin Corke Heads to South Florida Brian Williams: 'We Don't Wait; We Attack' Bon Jovi's Unusual Arrangement with NBC 'Has it occurred to you that men's balls are as vulnerable as women's ovaries?' Tim Peek Upped to EP at NBC News Separated at Birth: Matt Lauer & the CVS Guy? No Shaking Hands for Rush on the Media: "I Know How to Yank Their Chain" Betsy Fischer, Gwen Ifill, 98 Others Feted at DC Power Lunch |
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