New CNN head Jeff Zucker pledges non-partisanship and promises broader definition of news in first teleconference

11/29/12 01:22 PM

Jeff Zucker, who spent an up-and-down quarter century at NBC, is back in a high-profile position as head of CNN Worldwide. He held his first teleconference Thursday, and our report is here.

Plus, Wednesday's D-FW Nielsen ratings "snapshot" highlights a Christmas special free-for-all.
Ed Bark

Is WFAA8 really D-FW's No. 1 news station? (Read the fine print)

11/29/12 08:47 AM

WFAA8 thanked viewers for making it the D-FW market's No. 1 news station in a promo that ran during Tuesday's Dancing with the Stars fall season finale. Really? Unclebarky.com investigates by reading the almost invisible fine print. Get the real story on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Alamo city yields 2nd investigative reporter to D-FW's CBS11

11/28/12 02:10 PM

CBS11 has made a second new hire in as many days -- and his name is Brian New. The D-FW station again targeted a San Antonio newsroom -- and this one has ties to Dallas and WFAA8. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Also, Tuesday's Dancing with the Stars-infused D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

CBS11 adds investigative reporter Mireya Villarreal-Gideon

11/27/12 06:26 PM

DFW-based CBS11 has bolstered its investigative unit with a new hire from San Antonio's WOAI-TV. Details are on our Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Larry Hagman's immediate ID as J.R. Ewing another example of how TV stardom endures

11/27/12 04:40 PM

Larry Hagman did lots more in his long life than play J.R. Ewing. Still, it's his epitaph -- now and forever. At look at TV's everlasting impact is on our Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark

Still filling spots: WFAA8's latest newsroom hire is Albuquerque's Unger

11/27/12 12:50 PM

Dallas-based WFAA8 has hired another new reporter, Todd Unger, from Albuquerque's KOAT-TV. More details and a sample of his work are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, Monday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Indigestion? Cowboys also have bounteous D-FW ratings for Thanksgiving Day turkey

11/26/12 02:47 PM

Dallas' Thanksgiving Day loss to the RGIII-led Redskins had a big tune-in locally. In fact, it was this season's second most-watched among 11 Cowboys games. Details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

A last, lingering goodbye to Larry Hagman

11/24/12 04:48 PM

Larry Hagman was a character through and through -- and not just as J. R. Ewing. Our appreciation is on the Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark

Good news for Fox4, CBS11 in D-FW's November "sweeps"

11/21/12 04:06 PM

Fox4 had the most overall wins while CBS11 topped both the 6 and 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers during the November "sweeps" ratings period. Our complete report is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

Fall TV season's rises and falls

11/21/12 11:48 AM

Wondering how your favorite new TV series are doing now that they're poised on the precipice of holiday season repeats? The ups, downs and demises of freshman series on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW are chronicled on our Network News & Reviews page.

Also, TCM makes a big investment in Johnny Carson's Tonight Show interviews, with 50 oldies coming in the first batch. Details and other TV tidbits are on the TV Bulletin Board page.
Ed Bark

Mess-terpiece theater: Lindsay Lohan in Liz & Dick

11/20/12 11:19 AM

Perhaps there are bigger icks than Lifetime's Liz & Dick. But in recent memory, only the BP spill comes to mind. Lindsay Lohan stars as Elizabeth Taylor in this Sunday, Nov. 25th hoot. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Ken Burns' Dust Bowl another must-see history chapter

11/16/12 04:12 PM

Ken Burns' latest film, The Dust Bowl, unfolds Sunday and Monday on PBS. Seeing is believing, even if some of its images are almost unbelievable. Our review is here.

Plus, Thursday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Stones then and now (but mostly then) in HBO's evocative Crossfire Hurricane

11/15/12 03:02 PM

The Rolling Stones are turning 50 -- as a band. So HBO's Crossfire Hurricane is in part a merchandising tool timed to both the anniversary and an impending tour. It's also a helluva documentary film, though, and our review is here.

Also, WFAA8 anchor John McCaa expresses his displeasure on-air with a tabloid-y question asked of viewers. And Wednesday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Up-close and objective: D-FW's Tuesday, Nov. 13th ratings "sweeps" latenighters

11/14/12 02:07 PM

Trumped-up "sweeps" stories remain all too commonplace in this market and others. We offer two Exhibit A's in Night 2 of our up-close look at D-FW's late nighters. Good work also is given its due.

Also, Tuesday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in the house.
Ed Bark

Up-close and objective: D-FW's Monday, Nov. 12th ratings "sweeps" latenighters

11/13/12 04:06 PM

For a limited time, and down the homestretch of the November "sweeps" ratings period, we resume our longstanding "Night in the Lives" look at D-FW's late night newscasts. In some ways, nothing has changed. Impending weather changes still reigned supreme Monday night. But there's also much, much more on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, Monday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in play.
Ed Bark

Jumpin' Jack Past: History network's Mankind ramps it up

11/12/12 03:13 PM

History network's "epic" six-night, 12-hour Mankind: The Story of All of Us, make an aggressively loud and visually rich debut on Tuesday, Nov. 13th. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

Cowboys survive Eagles while ratings flutter

11/12/12 10:53 AM

The Dallas Cowboys, paced by their defense and special teams, remained in the post-season hunt with Sunday's do or die win at Philadelphia. But fatigue may be setting in among restive viewers. See the weekend D-FW ratings "snapshot" for details.
Ed Bark

Corpulent cops on parade in CMT's Big Texas Heat

11/09/12 04:23 PM

Another brain-draining "reality" series set in Texas? But of course, Still, the pound-foolish cops of CMT's Big Texas Heat not only take the cake, but could eat it in one gulp. Our review is here.
Ed Bark

TBS' Wedding Band: Not "Very Funny" (of course), but scores a few beats

11/09/12 11:32 AM

TBS has reserved a latter day TV graveyard, Saturday night, for its new one-hour comedy Wedding Band. You might want to give it a shot anyway. Our review is here.

Also, the ratings problems deepen for two critically praised new ABC series, Nashville and Last Resort. Not only in D-FW, but nationally. For more details, see the Wednesday/Thursday local Nielsen "snapshot."
Ed Bark

Covering the election night coverage (starring, Sawyer, Rove, Trump)

11/07/12 04:00 PM

President Obama's re-election is in the books after an oft-wacky night of national TV coverage. Did Karl Rove steal the comedy achievement award from Diane Sawyer? And could someone please send Donald Trump far, far away? Our up-close look, complete with a collection of pictures, is on the Network News & Reviews page.
Ed Bark

Breaking down D-FW's election night ratings

11/07/12 12:57 PM

Fox News Channel reigned supreme in prime-time before its ratings fell off a cliff in late night. That's one of the ratings stories in our complete D-FW election night wrap-up. Get all the info right here.

Plus, Baylor's cancer hospitals get a PR boost in the three-part, locally produced Dallas Hope, which begins Thursday, Nov. 8th on WFAA8. More details are on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.
Ed Bark

As seen on TV: election day

11/06/12 11:36 AM

The campaigning continues, even into Election Day on the part of challenger Mitt Romney. But the end zone at last is in sight, barring another Florida-esque super mess. We'll be tweeting throughout the day and night (@unclebarkycom) on how the TV networks handle things. And for those keeping score, the Network News & Reviews page has companion electoral road maps showing how both President Obama and Romney might get to the magic 270 electoral vote count.

Plus, Monday's D-FW Nielsen ratings are in.
Ed Bark

Cowboys up ratings with another up yours crater at crunch time

11/05/12 12:14 PM

NBC's prime-time Sunday Night Football showcase helped push the Dallas Cowboys up the ratings ladder, luring a bigger crowd than the previous week's marrow-draining loss to the Giants. This time the Atlanta Falcons remained undefeated with a win the Cowboys basically handed to them. Check out the weekend Nielsens in our latest "snapshot."
Ed Bark

Here comes Honey Boo Boo (er, make that Nightcap)

11/02/12 03:27 PM

Dallas-based CW33's newest news concoction, Nightcap, entered this earthly realm Thursday night. It in fact had some bright spots during a wildly uneven premiere. Our review is here.

Also, Thursday's D-FW Nielsen ratings find ABC's CMA awards battling CBS' regular lineup.
Ed Bark

SEAL Team Six re-kills bin Laden two days before election

11/02/12 08:10 AM

A mini-furor is in play as National Geographic Channel prepares to air SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden just two days before the presidential election.

Financed by a prominent backer of President Obama, the scripted film's timing is in question. And Obama is seen throughout in archival footage portraying him as a man of decisive action. Still, will many people bother to watch on a Sunday night full of other prominent TV attractions? And is the film any good? Our assessment and review are right here.
Ed Bark

ABC's Malibu Country -- go back to the drawling board

11/01/12 12:28 PM

ABC tries to re-start a semblance of its old TGIF comedy franchise with the Friday night premiere of Reba McEntire's Malibu Country and the Season 2 return of Tim Allen's Last Man Standing.

Our look at Malibu Country is on the Network News & Reviews page. Meanwhile, another ABC twanger, Nashville, is having a rough time in the D-FW Nielsens despite getting the most critical acclaim of any new fall broadcast network series. The latest ratings "snapshot" is on the Dallas-Fort Worth TV page.

Plus, it's another change of month, meaning that the most heavily posted unclebarky.com pages are starting anew while October shifts to the archives (See the long stream of months and years on the right hand border.)

It's also time to remind readers that any amazon.com purchases you make can provide a small commission to unclebarky.com if you first click on one of the Amazon ads on any page and then make the buys you were going to make anyway. The bigger the buy, the larger the commission, of course. And it all helps to keep your friendly content provider afloat with D-FW's only homegrown website devoted to local and national TV.

As always, thanks for your readership and support!
Ed Bark

Above the Fold

So tell us what you really think about what you see on TV