Note: TV critic Joanne Ostrow is in Pasadena, Calif., as the major networks roll out their upcoming shows and stars for the press. Here are some of her reports. More at
“Medium” wakes up on CBS.
When Alison comes out of a coma on the season premiere of “Medium,” she awakens on a different network.
“That was all a bad dream,” Patricia Arquette said of the previous years’ broadcasts.
“The last time we were here, NBC made us walk here,” said Glenn Gordon Caron, creator of “Medium,” knocking his former network for failing to give the series enough love.
“We had five fairly fruitful years on NBC,” he said. But now the show will get 22 episodes and get a significant amount of promotion from CBS. In fact, “CBS has already run more promos than NBC in the whole five years.”
The Web moves in.
Multitasking isn’t just for kids anymore. CBS finds oldsters are watching TV while surfing the Net, too. The network sees “marketing opportunities” for fully connected consumers.
Video via the Internet “has hit critical mass,” according to David Poltrack, CBS research guru. Traditional TV remains dominant.
Poltrack finds commercials are more influential today. (Fast-forward exposure has value, he insists.)
The trend in online video: professionally shot long-form viewing increasing, instead of YouTube clips. Another trend: Kids aren’t signing up for cable, they’re streaming or relying on live TV.
He predicts online will provide more ad revenue than DVR playback in the future.
CBS makes a deal.
CBS announced it will replace the daytime “Guiding Light” with “Let’s Make A Deal,” an update of the classic game show, with Wayne Brady as host.
“Light” goes off the air Sept. 21 after 57 years.
Update: Monty Hall, veteran host handing over the reins to Brady, talked about the evolution of the show from traveling road shows in Canada. Then Hall offered $100 to any critic who could hand over a hard-boiled egg. No takers.
