Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > October > 25
Thursday, October 25, 2007
10/26: Q100 Bert’s Big Thank You letters to all military
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bert Weiss and the folks at Q100 have done big charity efforts before, including backpacks for all the students in New Orleans a couple years ago. But this one is in many ways a bigger logistical challenge: 375,000 letters to each and every U.S. military person overseas. The deadline for writing and delivering the letters to Taco Mac or Q100 is Friday October 26.
As of Thursday evening, Q100 operations manager Rob Roberts said he has no idea how close they are to the goal given that most letters are piling up at the many Taco Mac locations around metro Atlanta and have yet to be vetted and counted.
They’ve even taken a Third Day song “Thank You” as the theme of the effort.
If you’re feeling ambitious, here are instructions on how to go about writing the letters. It’s got to be kept to one 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper, no political messages, no attachments of any kind. I’ll report back as soon as I hear whether they hit their mark or not.
10/25: Hot ratings for BET Hip Hop Awards in the ATL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thousands of Atlantans partied like rock stars during and after the BET Hip Hop Awards earlier this month, and many more enjoyed the festivities on TV when it aired a few days later.
The awards show, taped here in Atlanta, tied for the 17th most popular show of the week locally — cable and broadcast shows combined — bringing in 235,000 viewers when it aired Oct. 17. That’s a hugely disproportionate share of the 3.28 million people who caught the show nationwide.
ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” took the top slot for the first time, aided by the fact typical top-ranked show “House” was pre-empted for baseball playoffs on Fox. And new Christina Applegate sitcom “Samantha Who” on ABC showed promise in its debut, ranked 17th in Atlanta, 10th nationally.
CBS’s “Survivor: China” inexplicably popped up in the top 10 for the first time this season in Atlanta with a 30 percent jump in ratings week over week. (Atlanta teacher Sherea Lloyd is still in the hunt after being “kidnapped” and switching teams in the Oct. 18 episode.)
Nationally, “Survivor” ratings were stable from the previous week at about 14 million viewers.
TOP 10 ON TV
Rank, show, network, date, viewers, national rank
“Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC, October 18, 438,000, 5
“Dancing With the Stars,” ABC, October 15, 375,000, 2
“Desperate Housewives,” ABC, October 21, 336,000, 4
“Dancing With the Stars (results),” ABC, October 16, 325,000, 7
“CSI,” CBS, October 18, 305,000, 1
“College football: Michigan at Illinois,” ESPN October 20, 292,000, N/A
(tie) “Boston/Cleveland baseball playoffs, game 7” Fox, October 21, 276,000, 3
(tie) “Survivor: China,” CBS, October 18, 276,000, 11
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” ABC, October 21, 275,000, 2
“NCIS,” CBS, October 16, 274,000, 6
SOURCE: Nielsen Media Research
WINNERS
USA’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” - Sure, this show only gets a fraction of the viewers in its original airing compared to when it was on NBC. But over five airings last week, the show actually pulled in more than 13 million viewers, including 4.5 million at 10 p.m. last Thursday.
ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” — The sturdy reality show hit a season high with 21.4 million this past Monday, the night Marie Osmond fainted. And it was indeed time for goofy Mark Cuban to go back to Dallas and manage his millions.
ABC’s “Samantha Who” — This was a shocker to me given how much I hated this sitcom. In its second outing this past Monday, it lost only five percent of its opening audience with 13.7 million viewers, an amazing retention and lost none of its 18 to 49 audience, the only new show this year to do so. So far, so good for Christina Applegate and her character’s bum memory.
ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” — Although this whimsical show is hardly a big hit after four episodes, ABC gave it a full-season order. It brought in about 9.5 million viewers this past Wednesday.
LOSERS
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” — No Vick, few viewers. That’s what happened when poor ESPN had to contend with a Falcons/Saints matchup and received 8.5 million viewers, the lowest in the program’s long history.
NBC’s “Journeyman” — This time traveling show is on the verge of cancellation as it hits a series low Monday of just 6.1 million viewers.
CBS’s “Viva Laughlin” — As mentioned in an earlier blog entry, this crappy musical drama was axed quickly after two frighteningly low-rated airings. Sunday’s airing ranked 68th locally, 71st nationally.
CBS’s “Cane” — Jimmy Smits might have to get ready for another job soon. This family drama has lost viewers five episodes in a row, opening at 11.2 million and dropping to 7 million this past Tuesday. CBS, after killing “Viva,” will likely go after this one next.
Fox’s “The Next Great American Band” — This “Idol” spinoff flopped in its opening but given that it’s created by the “Idol” producers, Fox will probably keep it on through its entire run. And it’s on a Friday so the risks are fairly low to let it run its course. And who knows? Maybe it’ll catch on with the DVR crowd, which is propping up shows like “Gossip Girl.”
