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Network newsies in flux
All the anchor shifts are affecting mornings as much as evenings. We’re going to need a Playbill to keep track of who’s where and on at what time.
When Katie Couric debuts as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” on Sept. 5, Meredith Vieira steps into the co-anchor slot on NBC’s “Today.” She joins Matt Lauer who, poor thing, just can’t seem to catch any attention in the shadow of all the female stars.
Charles Gibson’s departure last month to become the permanent replacement for the late Peter Jennings, Bob Woodward and Elizabeth Vargas on “ABC’s World News,” left a gaping hole in “Good Morning America.” Diane Sawyer is now paired with Robin Roberts, who used to be the news anchor on the morning show but got bumped up to co-anchor. Two female anchors on a major network news show? Mon dieu!
Yesterday ABC News tapped Chris Cuomo to replace Roberts as news anchor on “GMA.” Cuomo, 36, has been the network’s legal correspondent and star hottie for several years. He’s the son of former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo. His brother Andrew is a candidate for New York state attorney general.
Cuomo starts his new gig Sept. 5 — and will continue to contribute features to ABC’s “Primetime.” A new “GMA” weatherman is still to be named. Tony Perkins, who left “GMA” last December, has never been replaced. How about Austin’s own Mark Murray? It’s time for him to step up from KVUE to ABC, isn’t it?
UPDATE: ABC has now picked Sam Champion for the weather job.
Gandolfini’s next gig
James Gandolfini has signed a new contract with HBO, but not to play Tony Soprano. When “The Sopranos” wraps its final season next year (we’ll believe that when we see it), Gandolfini will begin a three-year production deal with the premium channel that will allow him to develop and star in several projects.
First up, Gandolfini, who always plays gangsters (he won three Emmys for “The Sopranos”), will play cerebral author Ernest Hemingway. Hard to imagine, but maybe he really does have acting chops. The film is said to focus on Hemingway’s romance with war correspondent Martha Gellhorn.
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