Syndie Insider

Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings crossed the $2 million mark last week, winning an even $30,000 and bringing his total thus far to $2,006,300. He has been playing Jeopardy! since June 2, with breaks in August, September and October. That brings him within striking distance of Kevin Olmstead, who won $2.18 million on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire in 2001 to become game shows' all-time big-money winner.

Steven Cojocaru, the flamboyant style correspondent on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and NBC's Today show, has shot a one-hour pilot for Paramount, part of his deal when he signed with Paramount to do ET at the start of last season. Insiders say the pilot is testing well and may be Paramount's new show for fall 2005.

Coverage of Christopher Reeve's death and the sexual-harassment suit filed against Fox News' Bill O'Reilly spiked syndicated magazines in the week ended Oct. 17. Paramount's Entertainment Tonight had the biggest increase of any show in the genre, gaining 15% from the prior week to 5.3, its highest rating of the season. King World's Inside Edition was in second place with 3.4, up 10% and matching its season-best rating.

NBC Universal's Access Hollywood was up 8% to a season-high 2.6, while Warner Bros.' Extra! equaled its season high, rallying 10% to 2.3. Paramount's The Insider led all first-run rookies for the fifth week in a row with an 8% increase to 2.6, its highest rating yet. That tied it for third in the genre with Access Hollywood.

Eileen O'Neill has been promoted to vice president of affiliate relations for Twentieth Television. O'Neill, who joined the company in 1998, had been executive director of advertising and promotion. Prior to joining Twentieth, she was a marketing manager for Tribune Entertainment in New York, where she had worked since 1993.