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Merry Christmas/Happy New Year to one and all!!!

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Unclebarky.com's corporate headquarters are decorated within and without. One of the two cats -- Cookie in this case -- is comfortably snuggled in her favorite nighttime cold weather spot.

So with kids comin' in and lots still left to do, we bid all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Unclebarky.com will take a bit of a break and resume posting early in 2010, which will be the fifth year to fly this banner after a Sept. 17, 2006 startup.

In the meantime, check out our climactic "Countdown to Christmas" video and the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings. Also, on locatetv.com, see your friendly content provider's Top 10 scripted TV series of 2009.

Again, many thanks for your patronage and participation. And have a terrific holiday season.
Ed Bark

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A light dusting of postings

Presenting Video 11 in our "Countdown to Christmas" collection. It's a cuddler from WFAA8's Joe Trahan on the Dallas Cowboys' Monday visits to area children's hospitals. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show a big crowd for the Giants' pasting of Washington on ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Ed Bark

We say goodbye to D-FW television's departing class of 2009

Some left voluntarily, others were pushed out. Unclebarky.com lists them one and all in our annual year-end compendium of D-FW television personalities who are now out of our pictures.
Ed Bark

Cowboys-saints roll up big ratings, of course (But how big on a Christmas party-filled Saturday night?)

The Dallas Cowboys' big upset win over previously unbeaten New Orleans played on two channels Saturday night. We've got the TXA21/NFL Network breakdown in our daily "Local Nielsen ratings snapshot." Also, the 10th "Countdown to Christmas" video is WFAA8 sports anchor Dale Hansen's latest "Thank God For Kids" video/commentary, delivered Sunday night. And CBS announces its post-Super Bowl attraction, which then will settle in on Sunday nights.
Ed Bark

Baron James signs off at Fox4; Randy Galloway dead wrong again

Fox4 anchor Baron James said goodbye to viewers Friday night, leaving a month earlier than the station initially planned. We detail his farewell here. And acerbic Randy Galloway's prediction of a 100-3 Cowboys loss to New Orleans didn't quite turn out that way. So we delight in ripping him a new one, 'cause fair is fair.
Ed Bark

No more Gibson on ABC's World News

Charles "Charlie" Gibson signed off Friday from ABC's World News, leaving "The Chair" to Diane Sawyer. We've got details and a picture here.
Ed Bark

Another new Katie kids book from former weathercaster Kristine Kahanek

Ex-CBS11 meteorologist Kristine Kahanek seems to have a nice second career in progress. She'll be signing and reading copies of her latest Katie and the Magic Umbrella kids book on Friday evening, Dec. 18th. All the details are here. Also, No. 9 in our series of "Countdown to Christmas" videos is ready for your viewing pleasure. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show WFAA8's 10 p.m. newscast almost overcoming a mammoth lead-in disadvantage on the last night of the station's Santa's Helpers toy drive.
Ed Bark

New TCM special looks at giant-sized world of Hollywood epics

The towering, budget-busting epic, epitomized by Gone with the Wind and Ben-Hur, will be revisited Sunday night in a nifty TCM special that itself will be surrounded by some classics of the genre. Get our review and the movie list here. Also, take a look at No. 8 in our collection of "Countdown to Christmas" videos. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in the bin.
Ed Bark

Weighing in on Wade and the Cowboys -- again

Well, somebody's gotta defend 'em. Right? Unclebarky.com again ventures into sports opinion territory with this helpful suggestion. If you're going to fire Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips right now, then do likewise to his chief antagonist, Randy Galloway. After all, what's he won lately? We lay it all down here.
Ed Bark

2009: A very turbulent TV year

The national TV landscape shook, got rattled and tried to roll with the punches in 2009. It was the most eventful year in recent memory, as our Top 10 countdown shows. See if you agree with our rankings on the Making a List page. Also, another splendid video is in place for our ongoing "Countdown to Christmas." And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show that viewers like their holiday viewing wrapped in body bags.
Ed Bark

Globes noms a plus for Glee and Modern Family

Golden Globes nominations, announced Tuesday, make ample room at the TV table for broadcast network comedies. It's the last category where they still have the last laughs against cable. Get our roundup here. Also, the sixth in our series of "Countdown to Christmas" videos features Jennifer Hudson from Monday night's sparkling ABC special. She's definitely got the chops for "O Holy Night." Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in the house.
Ed Bark

NBC's post-Winter Olympics lineup on a slippery downhill slop to Blagojevich

NBC has announced its post-Winter Olympics schedule, which makes room for former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich on a third edition of Donald Trump's alleged Celebrity Apprentice. Also, we have a revealing look back -- via Back Channels -- at new Good Morning America co-anchor George Stephanopoulos, who was hawking his first book in Dallas a decade ago. Plus, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show some diminishing returns for Sunday's newest Cowboys December loss. And Video 5 of our Countdown to Christmas is also worth a look.
Ed Bark

One's a Christmas video, one's not but sure looks like one

Our daily "Countdown to Christmas" video harkens back to Mad Men times with this time capsule pitch for cigarettes under the tree. Also, check out a new NBC5 promo that has all the trappings of a holiday commercial, but instead veers elsewhere at spot's end. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are another boost for CBS and CBS11's 10 p.m. newscast.
Ed Bark

George, Juju join GMA as anticipated

ABC News officially announced what had been widely reported -- George Stephanopoulos and Juju Chang respectively are replacing Diane Sawyer and Chris Cuomo on Good Morning America. Get further details on our Network News & Reviews page. Also, ABC has announced a January spot for The Deep End, a legal drama recently filmed in Dallas but set in L.A.
Ed Bark

Abrupt departure: CBS11 president/GM Steve Mauldin heading West two weeks after landmark November sweeps news win

CBS11 president and general manager Steve Mauldin is heading West to take charge of the network's biggest duopoly -- KCBS/KCAL-TV. He spent nearly seven years in D-FW, and finally reached the promised land in November with a razor-thin "sweeps" victory in the 10 p.m. local news wars. Get the details here.
Ed Bark

Not making this up: Conveyor Belt of Love coming soon to ABC

ABC's latest looking-for-true-love gambit makes Flava of Love seem like Washington Week In Review. Looky here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are in. And the third video entry in our "Countdown to Christmas" collection looks like an instant contemporary classic to me.
Ed Bark

GMT After Dark bumps Charlie Brown, substitutes product-hawking and disheveled "Santa Gordo"

WFAA8's prime-time edition of Good Morning Texas After Dark offered a blizzard of pre-paid promotions in place of Charlie Brown Tuesday night. Unclebarky.com's naughty boy review is here. Also, thrill to the sight of Milky the Marvelous Milking Cow in Video 2 of our Christmas Countdown. And the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show Jay Leno playing Santa to NBC5's 10 p.m. newscast.
Ed Bark

Traumatized Nowitzki says he pigged out after fiancee scandal

Fox Sports Southwest's latest In My Own Words special finds Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki in an unusually talkative mood. Headliner: he went on a prolonged eating/drinking binge after last May's fiancee mess. Get some of the highlights here. Also, Fox's Glee will be taking the winter off after Wednesday's "fall finale." Or to put it musically, "You say goodbye and I say hello."
Ed Bark

Late afternoon local news expansion coming to CBS11

CBS11 will be expanding its 4 p.m. newscast to a full hour, starting early next year. Get the details here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are a nice present for Carrie Underwood's Fox holiday special. And we begin our "Christmas Countdown" of videos worth watching anew.
Ed Bark

TNT's Men of a Certain Age is grownup comedy/drama set in late 40s

Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula are ripe for TNT's very promising new Men of a Certain Age, which premieres Monday. See our review here. Also, the Cowboys' loss to the Giants of course has Giant-sized ratings. How giant? The latest D-FW Nielsen ratings are here.
Ed Bark

CBS11 investigative reporter Bennett Cunningham leaves station in face of proposed salary cut

Veteran CBS11 investigator Bennett Cunningham called it a day at the D-FW station Friday rather than take a proposed pay cut. Get all the details, including an interview with Cunningham, on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page. Also, cable's syfy network very much "re-imagines" Alice In Wonderland in a four-hour production beginning Sunday. Our review is here. The latest D-FW Nielsen ratings also are in.
Ed Bark

Barbecuing with saucy mouths on TLC's new Texas-infused BBQ Pitmasters

The "high-stakes world of competitive barbecue" comes into view on TLC's eight-episode BBQ Pitmasters, co-starring three grillers from Texas. We hold it to the fire here.
Ed Bark

Cable's king in Comcast's big buy of NBC Universal from GE

Cable properties -- yum yum. NBC's broadcast network -- pretty much an ick. That much is clear from Thursday's long-anticipated announcement that Comcast will be taking over NBC Universal. Get our take here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show Rudolph winning by much more than a nose in a duel of annual Christmas specials.
Ed Bark

Brain optional in Jesse Ventura's new Conspiracy Theory series

Wrestler turned governor turned "detective" Jesse Ventura finds sinister forces at work in truTV's Conspiracy Theory. It's supposed to be a non-fiction series, but surely they're making this all up. Our review is here. Also, the latest D-FW Nielsen ratings show that a one night respite from The Jay Leno Show can be a pretty good deal for NBC5's 10 p.m. newscast.
Ed Bark

No laurels for Lauer: His Today interview with State Dinner Salahis misses one big base (updated)

Pleading their innocence all the way to the bank -- or to possible prosecution -- Michaele and Tareq Salahi made their case exclusively to Today's Matt Lauer Tuesday. He pressed them on certain key matters, but dropped the ball on a big one. See unclebarky.com's review here.

Also, the first post-November sweeps D-FW ratings are in, and Jay Leno is still struggling -- against reruns. Get the details here. And WFAA8 has been hitting hard at CBS11 after their 10 p.m. sweeps brawl. So unclebarky.com steps in to assess the punching power of WFAA8's head man, who says his station is still No. 1 in the late night news arena.

Furthermore, ABC News has announced the date of Charles Gibson's last World News telecast. See the TV Bulletin Board page for this info. and more.
Ed Bark

Salahi, Salahi, baloney -- but Today's got 'em

NBC's Today announced Monday night that it's nabbed the first interview with State Dinner-crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi.

It'll be a quick turnaround. After canceling Monday's scheduled appearance on Larry King Live, the Salahis will gab with Matt Lauer on the Tuesday, Dec. 1st Today. We have further details here.

Plus, as the odometer turns to December, we catch up on the extended holiday weekend D-FW television ratings, including Thanksgiving's Dallas Cowboys' win over Oakland. That info. is here.

Our exhaustive report on the November "sweeps" local newscast ratings, with WFAA8 and CBS11 waging all-out war at 10 p.m., is now residing in the November archives. If you'd still like to read it or post a comment, go here.

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Ed Bark