CBS Television Network

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 2:09pm on Monday, June 15th, 2009

David Letterman told some jokes about Sarah Palin and her family, Palin got mad and ripped Letterman, Letterman replied with an invitation to be a guest on his show, Palin refused, blah blah blah... the Huffington Post reported on June 11, 2009:

"David Letterman responded to Sarah Palin on his show Wednesday night after the Alaska governor slammed the "Late Show" host for a series of jokes he made about her and her family Monday. Palin accused Letterman of making "disgusting" and "sexually perverted" jokes about one of her daughters, including one about her daughter being impregnated by Alex Rodriguez at a Yankees game. She had also criticized Letterman for a joke about her looking like a "slutty flight attendant," which she deemed "pretty pathetic."

In a segment that lasted over 7 minutes, Letterman read the statements issued by Sarah and Todd Palin expressing their outrage about parts of his Top 10 list and then went through the offending jokes one-by-one to both apologize for and defend their content. "I'm telling you, I recognize that these are ugly. These are actually ugly. These are borderline...but again, in an act of desperation to get cheap laughs, which is what I've been doing for the last 30 years," Letterman said."

The full story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/11/letterman-responds-to-pal_n_214128.html

Eric Kallgren    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 9:43pm on Thursday, May 21st, 2009

The CBS Television Network hope to retain its leadership in TV ratings for the fall of 2009, with no dramatic changes planned, USA Today reported on May 20, 2009:

"CBS is adding a comedy starring Jenna Elfman, a NCIS spinoff and new medical and legal dramas to its mostly stable lineup. But it will move this season's top new show, The Mentalist, to Thursdays at 10 ET/PT.

The top-rated network, up 12% and the only one to grow this season, needs few scheduling fixes, but it's replacing some aging (and expensive) dramas. Among borderline series, CBS has canceled Without a Trace and The Unit while renewing Cold Case and comedies The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried and Rules of Engagement.

The network also is expected to import Medium, canceled Tuesday by NBC. The show will probably followGhost Whisperer on Fridays."

The full story:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-05-20-cbs-upfront_N.htm

Eric Kallgren    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 10:14pm on Saturday, April 4th, 2009

The CBS soap opera "Guiding Light" is switching off after a 72-year run that predates television, CBS announced on April 1, 2009:

"CBS says the show will have its final episode in September 2009. Like most daytime dramas, "Guiding Light" has suffered from declining ratings and CBS is looking for a lower-cost alternative to the hour of programming.

The Guinness Book of World Records has cited it as the longest-running television drama, with more than 15,700 episodes airing.

Created by Irna Phillips, the show debuted on NBC radio on January 25, 1937 as the 15-minute radio serial "The Guiding Light." It made the switch to 15-minute episodes on CBS Television on June 30, 1952, although it continued to air concurrently on radio with the actors playing parts on both shows until 1956, when the radio show ended. In 1967, the series first started being broadcast in color, and a year later, the show expanded from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. In November 1977, the show expanded to a full hour.

"Guiding Light has achieved a piece of television history that will never be matched; it has crossed mediums, adapted its stories to decades of social change and woven its way through generations of audiences like no other," said Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group. "This daytime icon will always be an indelible part of CBS's history, with a legacy of innovation and reputation for quality and excellence at every step of the way. While its presence will be missed, its contributions will always be celebrated and never be forgotten."

The radio show's original storyline centered on a minister named Rev. John Ruthledge, and all the people of a fictional suburb in Chicago called Five Points. Today's show takes place in the fictional town of Springfield, and revolves around the Spaulding, Lewis and Cooper families. Throughout its historic tenure on the Network, "Guiding Light" has been the recipient of 69 Daytime Emmy Awards, including three for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series."