Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'abc'

Why Is 'Scrubs' Switching Channels...

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

When the sitcom Scrubs returns for its eighth and likely final season on Jan. 6, it will be on a new network: ABC. What gives? Switching channels mid-run is actually not as rare as you might think. Taxi, Wonder Woman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and even Leave It To Beaver did the same.

NAACP 'Minority Report' On TV Misses Key Point

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

A new NAACP report cites the under-representation of minorities on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. But a critic says the report doesn't reflect the quality of black roles across the TV spectrum.

Why Did 'Grey's Anatomy' Cut Lesbian Dr. Hahn...

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

One minute, actress Brooke Smith has a featured role on one of the hottest shows on TV. The next, she's abruptly removed from the cast. But what ABC is deeming a "creative decision," hints of something else. TV critic Andrew Wallenstein says TV is sending the message that it is OK to be gay — just not too gay.

Fall TV Season Off To A Poor Start

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The new broadcast TV season is not having a stellar start. Every season premiere last Thursday night drew a lower rating than last fall. Even returning favorites like ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," CBS' "Survivor" and NBC's "The Office" lost audience compared to last year. Some are blaming the lower numbers on last year's writers strike. Others are looking to larger forces in the entertainment industry.

'Pushing Daisies,' Alive With Fantasy, Mystery

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:42:00 EDT

In the ABC series, Pushing Daises, co-executive producers Barry Sonnenfeld and Bryan Fuller combine romance, fantasy and mystery to tell the story of a man who can bring the dead back to life. The first season of the show is now out on DVD.

Pundits: Palin Frenzy Raining On Obama's Parade

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT

In this week's Political Chat, questions about GOP vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin continue to dominate the media. Polls suggest that the McCain-Palin campaign is closing the gap with the Obama-Biden campaign. NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin and Democratic pollster Ron Lester discuss the Palin's influence on the latest polls and assess Palin's interview last night with ABC's Charles Gibson.

Palin Tested On National Security, Foreign Policy

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:26:00 EDT

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said she's ready to lead the country if needed. Palin spoke Thursday night with ABC news anchor Charles Gibson in her first interview since John McCain named her to the ticket. The interview continues Friday night.

Much-Awaited Palin Interview Airs On ABC Thursday

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:27:00 EDT

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's first television interview as the Republican vice presidential candidate will air tonight on ABC.

Listener Questions For Sarah Palin

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin will talk with ABC news anchor Charles Gibson Thursday. But what would members of the NPR audience ask the Alaska governor?

Spelling Reform Movement Takes On ABCs

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:53:00 EDT

In the modern age of mega-stage spelling bees, there are still factions of what amount to advocates for spelling reform — those who want to simplify spellings or scrap the current alphabet all together.

TV Anchors Crowd Into Gulf Coast

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Almost everybody has departed New Orleans. They were either fleeing Hurricane Gustav — or trying to make room for TV anchors. Katie Couric of CBS, ABC's Charles Gibson, NBC's Brian Williams, Anderson Cooper of CNN and Shepard Smith of Fox News are all in the area. But the man with the best name didn't make it: Wolf Blitzer remained at the Republican convention.

PBS Launches An ABCs Offensive With New Shows

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:22:00 EDT

Television is no longer considered the enemy of education. In the past couple of years, PBS has made a big push to develop shows that help kids prepare to read — but are the kids watching?

McCain Courts Independent Voters

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Sen. John McCain has been hard at work to unite the GOP and a new Washington Post-ABC poll shows nine out of ten Republicans back his run for the White House. Now he's putting a bigger focus on independent voters.

Sports Journalist McKay Dies at 86

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Sports journalist Jim McKay has died at 86. McKay hosted ABC's World Wide of Sports for more than 40 years. He came to national prominence when he covered the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and brought the American public news that terrorists captured and killed 11 Israeli athletes.

Analysis: Democrats Attack; McCain Kicks Back

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:17:00 EDT

Sen. Hillary Clinton was the sole guest on ABC's This Week, and Sen. Barack Obama was the only guest on NBC's Meet the Press. In contrast, Sen. John McCain spent Sunday at the ballpark, watching his Arizona Diamondbacks get beat by the New York Mets.

A Debate So Bad, 'Soulja Boy' Is Mad...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:02:00 EDT

ABC's Jake Tapper discusses the outcry over Wednesday night's Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. The debacle inspired blogger Jay Smooth to create a "Soulja Boy Presidential Debate Remix."

ABC's Ads Go Live During 'Jimmy Kimmel' Show

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Advertisers really hate it when people fast-forward through their television ads, and ABC hopes to counter that by going retro. Next month, ads during Jimmy Kimmel Live will be live just like in the early days of television, when much of TV was live.

Phylicia Rashad Takes Message of 'Raisin' to TV

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST

Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 groundbreaking play, A Raisin in the Sun, focused on a black family's struggle to hold onto their dreams. A made-for-television version of the production airs Monday night on ABC. Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad stars in the film and explains its message.

TV Pilots: An Endangered Species...

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST

While TV networks traditionally commission dozens of scripts for pilot episodes, only some are actually produced and far fewer turn into series. Now several studios say they will cut back on pilots. Marti Noxon, an executive for ABC's Private Practice, talks about how a reduced pilot-production schedule might affect audiences, TV writers and the studios.

Late-Night TV Returns with an Entertaining Edge

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:02:00 EST

On Wednesday, late-night programs on ABC and NBC resumed broadcasting without writers. Were they funnier than David Letterman's Late Show on CBS, which returned with its writing staff?

Late-Night Talk Returns, Most Without Writers

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:00:00 EST

After a two-month hiatus, late-night talk television shows return to the airwaves. At CBS, David Letterman walks on stage amid dancing girls holding picket signs. His writers are back on the job, but NBC's Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel return without their writers.

Philip Winslow's Intimate Account of West Bank Life

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:45:00 EST

Philip C. Winslow has worked for the Christian Science Monitor and ABC radio, but he hasn't always been a journalist: His new memoir detailsthe time he spent working with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the West Bank. It was during the second Palestinian intifada.

America Ferrera Relates to Her 'Ugly Betty' Role

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:29:00 EST

Actress America Ferrera may be young -- she's 23 --but she's already won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Betty Suarez in ABC's mega-hit Ugly Betty. She says her childhood in Southern California prepared her well to play the ultimate fish-out-of-water.

Clinton Campaign Spotlights Women

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:30:00 EDT

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton focuses campaign on "Women Changing America" for a week with appearances on ABC's The View.

TV on the Internet: Networks Spread Strategy

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:00:00 EDT

The big networks are rolling out their new seasons this week -- and not just on TV. They are also presenting their new shows, and some old favorites, on the Internet. NBC is allowing free downloads, with restrictions, of its shows -- it streamed the first episode of the new season of Friday Night Lights on Yahoo before it was broadcast. The CW Network is doing the same thing with its new show Aliens in America. ABC will offer some of its shows on AOL Video one day after they premiere on television. You could get the first episode of Fox's K-Ville free on iTunes before it was broadcast.