CBS’ Schieffer may shift to commentator role
Bob Schieffer said Tuesday he’s leaning toward accepting an offer to give commentary on the “CBS Evening News” after he’s replaced as anchor by Katie Couric in September. He most likely would offer commentary once or twice a week and also be available to talk with Couric on-air about big stories.
“With all the excitement that Katie has created by coming over here, it really has rekindled some of my competitive juices,” he said. “I think it would be fun to be part of this.”
Schieffer’s 13-month stint as evening-news anchor replacing Dan Rather has proven an unexpected boon to CBS. While the broadcast is still in third place behind NBC and ABC, it’s the only one that has gained viewers over the past year. The plainspoken, 69-year-old anchor has drawn much of the credit.
For the birds
May sweeps will soon be upon us, and this year ABC will feature one of the ratings-grabbing month’s most time-honored traditions: a ripped-from-the-headlines disaster thriller.
The network has scheduled a movie called “Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America” for May 9. The “meticulously researched” two-hour film will tell the story of an avian flu outbreak in the United States, the people affected by it and those trying to stop it.
Joely Richardson (“Nip/Tuck”) and Stacy Keach (“Prison Break”) star as a Centers for Disease Control doctor and the secretary of Health and Human Services, respectively. ABC has done little thus far to promote the film, which will air against “American Idol” and the CBS combination of “NCIS” and “The Unit.”
NBC gets real
NBC has announced premiere dates for three unscripted series – “Last Comic Standing,” “Treasure Hunters” and “America’s Got Talent” – that will join the scripted drama “Windfall” on its summer schedule.
“Last Comic Standing,” with new host Anthony Clark (“Yes, Dear”), will return with a two-hour premiere May 30. “Treasure Hunters,” an “Amazing Race”-meets-Indiana Jones competition, will debut June 18 and move to its regular time slot the following night.
The Simon Cowell-produced “America’s Got Talent” competition will premiere June 21, with performance shows Wednesday nights and results shows on Thursday.
NBC previously announced a June 8 premiere for “Windfall.”