Originally posted Saturday, November 19, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
90.1/WABE-FM’s fall drive fell just short of goal. But there were some extenuating circumstances.
For one, the NPR station cut back its drive a day to just seven days, the shortest in recent history. And on the first day of the drive, it had to deal with Hurricane Michael last month, which forced them to cut back on donation pleas that day.
The station aimed for 7,070 new pledges in celebration of the station’s 70th year anniversary, an ambitious total, executives said. In the end, it drew 6,175 pledges.
It also hoped to hit $770,000 and ultimately brought in $742,817 in new pledges. The average donation was $120, higher than the expected $109.
Most of its members now are already “sustainers” who give the station automatic monthly donations. But some folks still provide traditional annual donations. The pledge number also included listeners who increased their monthly sustainer amount.
Christine Dempsey, who runs radio for the station, said ratings did sag a bit over the summer as political news fatigue hit. But as the midterm election heated up, the station has seen ratings rebound. It was ranked 11th in October in Nielsen Media ratings.
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Credit: Bravo
Credit: Bravo
Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” drew 1.93 million overnight ratings for its season 11 debut episode, its worst opening showing since season one. Ratings were down about 20 percent year over year to season 10 overnight ratings with 2.43 million. Three years ago for its season 8 debut, overnight ratings were 2.96 million.
The show’s best overnight ratings for a season debut episode was season seven four years ago with 3.83 million.
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Credit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix
Credit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix
Jean Smart has been added as a series regular on HBO's 'Watchmen," which is shooting in metro Atlanta.
The cable network is pulling out all the financial stops for this show, a dark satirical and dystopian take on the D.C. Comics superhero genre written by "Lost" creator Damon Lindelof.
Smart, an Emmy winner, will play an FBI Agent investigating a murder. She also stars in FX’s “Legion.”
Other series regulars include Louis Gossett Jr., Regina King, Jeremy Irons and Don Johnson.
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The CW’s “Legacies,” a spin-off of “The Vampire Diaries,” has been guaranteed a full 16-episode season. It’s doing relatively well on air and on digital.
The network also gave full seasons for “Charmed” and “All American.”
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Giovanna Drpic is leaving CBS46 after two years as a political reporter.
She previously served as host/producer of "Money & Main$treet", on Verizon FiOS1 News on Long Island, New York.
Earlier this year, the state Senate office threatened to revoke her press access over what they viewed as an "ambush" on the part of Drpic when she went to interview Rep. Burt Jones. CBS46 begged to differ. The Senate office sent the letter to everyone in the press corps, which some interpreted as a threat.
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