TWO CENTS
-- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/15/2004
By Staff“I met [the executive producer] for the first time on a Monday. By that Friday we had written a 20-page outline. And they green-lit the pilot on Saturday. At that point, we didn't even have a script, but in less than 12 weeks we had to start shooting.”
J. J. Abrams, on the genesis of ABC hit Lost
“It's the tasteless TV equivalent of blood money. NBC Universal television group President Jeff Zucker should be ashamed of himself—not only for producing this disgusting waste of time, but for stealing from Fox and doing it so poorly.”
New York Daily News critic David Bianculli, ripping NBC for its $25 Million Dollar Hoax
“No one understands this NASCAR nation more than Brian.”
NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker, about Brian Williams, who owns stock cars
“Everything in life is in your mind. As long as we operate as underdogs, we're underdogs. The day we think we're No. 1, someone's going to sit down. And I don't want to walk into the newsroom and find anyone sitting down for very long.”
Roger Ailes, Fox News Channel chairman, about becoming a part of the media “establishment”
“According to the latest ratings, twice as many people watched Tom Brokaw's coverage of the election on NBC than watched the coverage on Fox News. Apparently the ratings for Fox News would have been higher, but Bill O'Reilly kept asking women if he could pole them.”
Conan O'Brien
“I have been erratically and unsuccessfully pitching a different approach [for a news program]. CNN is not interested. Nor are the other news networks. If anyone reading this wants it, it's yours. Free. The idea, in a word, Cease-Fire. You get your politicians or your experts or your interest-group representatives, and instead of poking them with a stick to widen their disagreement, you nudge and bully and cajole them toward some kind of common ground.”
The Los Angeles Times' Michael Kinsley
“This is sportscaster Garrett Macdonald getting ready for work: He puts on a white dress shirt, a clip-on tie and a sport coat, then his mother drives him to work.”
The Denver Post's Dick Kreck, writing about 13-year-old Fox Sports Network's Rocky Mountain personality Garrett McDonald
“I worked with Don Hewitt this week, and to see Mike Wallace and Ed Bradley walking the halls, and talking with them, it's pretty heady.”
Former BET reporter Ed Gordon, the newest addition to the 60 MinutesWednesday team
