In American television in 2013, notable events included television show debuts, finales, and cancellations; channel launches, closures, and rebrandings; stations changing or adding their network affiliations; and information about changes of ownership of channels or stations, controversies and carriage disputes.
Events
January
Date
Event
2
The Al Jazeera Media Network announces that they will acquire Current TV from an ownership group fronted by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, with the intention to replace it with an American version of its Al Jazeera News network later in 2013.[1] The announcement becomes the catalyst in Time Warner Cable's decision to drop Current TV from its systems, as TWC plans to drop several channels due to low viewership and to contract renegotiations within the year.[2][3]
For the first time since 2002, music video channel VH1 changes its logo font (VH+1, with the H+ combined) and rebrands with a new slogan, "We Complete You", to focus on their conversion to a broader entertainment channel.[5]VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul do not have logo changes. Also, Food Network changed their logotype to a slightly less-serifed typeface of lettering the following day.[6]
After only one season, Britney Spears announces that she will leave The X Factor (amid rumors and tensions between her and the show after the conclusion of the second season) to return to recording.[11]
CBS affiliate WBKB-TV in Alpena, Michigan, the only commercial television station in its market, begins carrying ABC programming on its third digital subchannel, giving the Alpena market its first full-time ABC affiliate.[13]
Former Democratic United States Congressman and Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich joins Fox News Channel as a political analyst and contributor.[16]
17
OTA Broadcasting purchases My Family TV affiliate WYCN-LP/Nashua, New Hampshire from New Hampshire 1 Network, Inc. for $4.1 million. Under the deal, New Hampshire 1 Network (run by Bill Binnie, whose Carlisle One Media owns independent stationWBIN-TV in nearby Derry) will continue to operate the station upon consummation of the sale.[17]
18
NRJ TV acquires 2 stations owned by Titan Broadcast Management. It acquires Estrella TV affiliate KTNC/San Francisco for $13.5 million and independent station KUBE/Houston for $19 million. Titan will continue to operate both stations upon the sale's consummation. The acquisition of KTNC will create a legal duopoly in the San Francisco market with MundoFox affiliate KCNS (which was bought by NRJ, a company which Titan holds a minority equity stake, for $15 million in 2011).[18]
Time Warner Cable announces that they will no longer accept ads for guns or any form of firearms on all its cable systems. The move comes after an ad from the National Rifle Association of America (which in turn was a response to a plan that is being implemented by the Obama Administration to issue a ban on assault weapons in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting) began airing on The Sportsman Channel, which TWC happens to offer on their systems[19]
Fox affiliate WXXA/Albany officially discontinues its 5 and 11pm newscasts, concentrating instead on its morning and 10pm newscasts. The move is related to WXXA's shared services agreement with ABC affiliate WTEN, which has its own newscasts at 5 and 11pm[21]
After years of being "bumped" due to the show "running out of time", Matt Damon exacts revenge on Jimmy Kimmel by taking over as host of this date's airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live![22]
25
Sarah Palin parts ways with Fox News Channel after a three-year stint as a contributor.[23] The separation is short-lived, as Palin rejoins Fox News on June 13.[24]
Married political analysts James Carville and Mary Matalin parts ways with CNN, both citing the network's desire to move in a new direction and to focus on other projects.[31]
After seven seasons and 138 episodes, 30 Rock aired its final two episodes, "Hogcock!" and "Last Lunch", which featured a cameo from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, and a nod to the final scene from St. Elsewhere in which NBC programming president (and revealed to be immortal) Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) is pitched a pilot for a sitcom, aptly named 30 Rock, by Liz Lemon's (Tina Fey) great-granddaughter 100 years in the future.[32]
February
Date
Event
3
CBS airs Super Bowl XLVII, which includes a 34-minute power outage in the third quarter, a surprise reunion of Destiny's Child during the halftime show,[33] and a Baltimore Ravens victory over the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 34–31.[34] With an estimated 108.4 million viewers, it ranked third on the most-watched list, behind Super Bowls XLIV and XLVI.[35]
4
Fox affiliate KLRT/Little Rock discontinued its weeknight 10p.m. newscast, while in turn debuting a new weekday morning newscast and reducing the hour-long 5pm newscast to a half-hour 5:30 pm show. This is related to KLRT and its CW-affiliated sibling KASN forming an outsourcing agreement with Nexstar Broadcasting Group (owners of NBC affiliate KARK and MyNetworkTV affiliate KARZ), forming a virtual quadropoly, in which all four will be based in KARK's studios.[36]
CBS' Hawaii Five-0 aired an updated remake of the original series' sixth-season episode "Hookman", using the same scripts and locations from the 1973 broadcast. The episode was directed by Peter Weller, who also played the amputee sniper (that was originally played by real-life amputee actor Jay J. Armes) who has a hatred for Honolulu Police Department officers by targeting the individuals, including Commander Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), whose father, in this version of the remake, was responsible for his loss of his hands.[37]
5
Fox News Channel announces that it has dropped political analyst Dick Morris from the network and will not renew his contract. Morris believed that the decision by Fox to drop him can be traced to his "prediction" that Mitt Romney was going to beat Barack Obama in a landslide during the 2012 Election, only to be proven wrong on election night.[38]
6
Nexstar Broadcasting Group announces its acquisition of NBC affiliate KSEE/Fresno, California from Granite Broadcasting for $26.5 million. The station will be operated in tandem with CBS affiliate KGPE, which it acquired in 2012 from Newport Television, through a time brokerage agreement until the sale is approved.[39]
Nexstar also settles a lawsuit against Granite Broadcasting that alleged that the latter company controlled advertising sales through its carriage of five network affiliations on two Fort Wayne, Indiana stations (WISE-TV and co-managed WPTA), resulting in that market's Fox affiliation returning to WFFT-TV from WISE's second subchannel on March 1, reversing a 2011 switch that resulted from a dispute between Nexstar and Fox over retransmission compensation.[40][41]
After announcing in 2012 that they would exercise their option to buy six stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group, Fox Television Stations decides to pass on acquiring any of the stations.[42] However at the same time, Sinclair announces that they are looking to add more stations to the 87 they own or operate in 47 television markets.[43]
Wheel of Fortune taped one week of shows with the second $1,000,000 and a recent $100,000 (the usual grand prize) win on concurrent episodes, the first time Wheel had done so in giving out consecutive grand prize wins since the $100,000 prize was introduced in 2001 (see May 30 below).[45][46]
Jeopardy! produced its second "triple zero" finish (all three contestants finished with a score of $0) in the second semi-final of 2013 Teen Tournament, resulting in the elimination of three contestants and one wildcard contestant was brought into effect (the contestant was later revealed to be Leonard Cooper, who gone on to win the tournament overall). This was only the second time in the show's history that a triple zero occurred during a tournament, with the first being the quarter-finals of the 1991 Seniors Tournament.[47]
8
Charter Communications acquires cable provider Optimum West from Cablevision Systems Corporation for $1.6 billion. The sale closed during the third quarter of 2013 with Optimum West customers directed to Charter's site thereafter.[48]
11
The Emergency Alert System infrastructure of CBS affiliate KRTV/Great Falls, Montana is broken into with a false audible warning of a zombie apocalypse over both the main signal and their CWdigital subchannel, along with a request to tune into 920 AM – a station that does not exist in Great Falls – for more information (an audio recording of this incident that was broadcast February 12 on WIZM-FM/La Crosse, Wisconsin simultaneously set off the EAS receiver of CBS affiliate WKBT).[49][50] The station quickly denied the EAS warning was true, suggesting a hacker invasion into the EAS system.[51] A similar EAS intrusion incident took place hours later in Marquette, Michigan, when PBS member station WNMU and ABC affiliate WBUP had the same message carried over both stations' signals.[52][53]
12
Comcast announces it will purchase the remaining 49% stake of NBCUniversal from General Electric for $16.3 billion, ending 27 years of GE's ownership of NBC in some capacity.[54]
Former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who turned down an offer to run for the seat that was vacated by John Kerry in the special election, joins Fox News Channel as a contributor/analyst.[56] A day later, Herman Cain also joins the network for the same duties as well.[57]
Upstart company Rural Broadband Investments (created through a partnership with private equity firmGTCR) acquires cable provider New Wave Communications, which serves rural areas of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Arkansas, from Pamlico Capital. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.[58]
Reflecting the new direction of CNN under the leadership of new network president Jeff Zucker, the 'flipper' ticker on the bottom of the screen, which displayed headlines from CNN.com's RSS feeds, is replaced with a traditional scrolling news ticker, returning the scroll to CNN for the first time since 2008.[61]
19
16-year-old Prince Michael Jackson I joins Entertainment Tonight as their new correspondent, making him the youngest reporter ever in the 32-year history of the program. However, due to his status as a minor, his role will be on a limited basis.[62]
Another former political veteran switches jobs to television, as Barack Obama's former campaign advisor and former journalist David Axelrod joins NBC News and MSNBC as their political analyst/commentator.[63]
Cox Media Group sells its four small market television stations in El Paso, Texas, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Reno, Nevada and Steubenville, Ohio to Sinclair Broadcast Group for $99 million. Cox is selling these stations in order to focus on its larger market stations.[65] Concurrently, Deerfield Media will acquire the license assets of Reno's KAME-TV, which has long been operated by Cox, from Ellis Communications.[66] Sinclair also announced the formation of a subsidiary, Chesapeake Television, which will focus on smaller markets such as those served by the four former Cox stations.[66][67]
Diane Dostinich acquires the 51% ownership stake in Daystar affiliate KKJB/Boise that was held by station co-owner Gary Cocola of Cocola Broadcasting for $1.2 million.[70]
Sinclair Broadcast Group reaches a retransmission consent agreement with DirecTV. The removal of 87 Sinclair owned or operated stations in 47 markets would have occurred on March 1, if a new retransmission consent agreement was not reached before the prior carriage deal expired.[72]
Sinclair also adds more stations to its portfolio, as it acquires the 18 Barrington Broadcasting stations (and the LMA/SSAs of six that Barrington operates) in a $370 million deal. However, Sinclair will spin off WSYT/Syracuse (including transferring the LMA of WNYS to another company) and WYZZ/Bloomington-Peoria due to overlapping in the two markets, along with turning over four others to Cunningham Broadcasting.[73]
Negotiations break down between "Judge" Joe Brown and CBS Television Distribution over plans to cut his salary for his self-titled syndicated court show, which could see Brown splitting from CTD and taking his show elsewhere if the dispute is not resolved, as Brown has yet to sign a new deal. CTD announced that if Brown leaves, it would offer stations another courtroom show to make up for Brown's series contract into 2015 as a backup. On March 26, CTD announced that Judge Joe Brown was canceled and scrubbed plans for another courtroom show after stations balked on having a replacement. Brown is still looking for a new deal to have his show sign with another distributor.[74]
The creators behind the ABC sitcom Home Improvement, Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra, Tam O'Shanter and David McFadzean (under the banner Wind Dancer Productions), file a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company, seeking millions of dollars in revenue for failing to properly exploit the series after it went into syndication in 1995, including claims that they never received 75% of the show's profits after the series ended its run (in 1999).[75]
ABC affiliate WKPT-TV/Kingsport, Tennessee debuts local newscasts at 6 and 11pm, the first full-fledged newscasts broadcast on the station since it terminated a news share agreement with CBS affiliate WJHL-TV in 2008 (and the first to be produced in-house since WKPT's previous news department shut down in 2002). The half-hour newscasts – which air only on weeknights – originate from WKPT's studios in downtown Kingsport.[78]
MSNBC names Chris Hayes (host of the weekend morning program Up with Chris Hayes) as its new 8pm ET host effective April 1. Hayes will succeed Ed Schultz, whose program The Ed Show immediately went on hiatus after its March 14 broadcast, and will return later in April as part of the channel's weekend afternoon schedule (and expanding to two hours).[81][82][83]
19
New York Supreme Court judge Robert Muller files an injunction barring Lifetime from airing or promoting Romeo Killer: The Christopher Porco Story (premiering on March 23), following a lawsuit filed by Porco – who was convicted of his father's murder and the attempted killing of his mother in 2004 – on grounds that events depicted in the made-for-cable film were fictionalized (despite not having seen the movie). On March 21, a New York appellate court lifted the injunction following an appeal filed by Lifetime, alleging the risk of financial damage due to its $3 million investment in the film and violations of constitutional speech protections.[84][85][86]
Fox Sports enters into a broadcast rights agreement with the realignedBig East Conference, effective with the 2013–14 academic year. The contract (which will run through 2025) includes rights to televise all men's and select women's regular season and tournament basketball games, and all Olympic sports from the conference. Sporting events from the new Big East will be broadcast primarily on the forthcoming national sports network Fox Sports 1.[89] The deal follows a broadcast contract signed on March 19 between ESPN and the American Athletic Conference (the original Big East) through the 2019–20 academic year.[90]
NBC affiliate KTEN/Sherman, Texas is knocked off the air due to a lightning strike that caused significant damage to some broadcasting equipment at the station's main studio in Denison.[94]
CBS Corporation acquires a 49% interest stake in TV Guide Network from One Equity Partners, with Lions Gate Entertainment retaining its 51% stake in the cable channel.[96] A collaborative rebranding effort of the network, seen in 80 million homes, later occurs: The network adopts the TVGN name on April 15, and a complete end of on-screen listings is expected.
A war of words erupts between Fox News Channel and actor Jim Carrey: FNC reporter Greg Gutfeld makes a critical statement on this date over "Cold Dead Hands", Carrey's anti-gun video for the viral website Funny or Die, with Gutfield taking issue with Carrey's views on gun control by stating that, "He [Carrey] is probably the most pathetic tool on the face of the earth and I hope his career is dead and I hope he ends up sleeping in a car." Carrey responds on March 29 by calling the network "A media colostomy bag that has begun to burst at the seams."[97]
April
Date
Event
1
In a lawsuit filed by the fourmajorbroadcastnetworks, a New York judge rules that Aereo, a pay service which streams broadcast station signals online and through mobile devices without paying fees to the networks or their stations, does not breach federal copyright rules as it utilizes antennas leased to its subscribers to stream station signals.[98] The ruling sparks a threat during an NAB conference presentation on April 9 from News CorporationCOOChase Carey to turn Fox into a subscription-only service, if pending court proceedings do not rule against Aereo (similar statements were later made by executives of Univision and CBS).[99]
After 13 years as their chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi announces his departure from CNN.[108] On April 4, Velshi signs with upcoming news channel Al Jazeera America to host a new daily business program.[109]
For the first time since becoming a Fox affiliate, WUTV/Buffalo starts airing a nightly 10pm newscast, as it takes over WGRZ's primetime broadcast from sister station WNYO and expands it to seven nights a week. In addition, WGRZ is expected to begin running a rebroadcast of its morning program Daybreak on WNYO, which will move to WUTV in the future.[112]
11
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquires the radio and television assets of Fisher Communications for $373.3 million. The acquisition includes 20 television stations in eight markets (including KOMO-TV/Seattle and KATU/Portland, Oregon) and three radio stations in the Seattle market.[113] On April 22, an unnamed Fisher shareholder filed a lawsuit to stop the Sinclair acquisition, alleging that Fisher Communications management breached their fiduciary duties by agreeing to sell the company to Sinclair at a $41/share offer that undervalued the company via an "unfair process".[114]
15
At approximately 2:50pm (EDT), two explosions around Copley Square, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line, were caught live on camera during the telecast of the Boston Marathon, about three hours after the winners crossed the line. The event causes local stations in the Boston media market and the major networks, including ESPN, to cancel regular programming to carry continuing coverage of the tragedy.[115][116] At least three deaths were reported and 280 people were injured.[117] Four days later, just hours after the suspects' pictures are aired on national TV, all Boston news outlets preempt programming for nonstop coverage of the massive manhunt for the suspects, brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, after a police chase and standoff that left an MIT campus police officer and one of the two suspects dead from gunshots and the other suspect escaping into a Watertown neighborhood, eluding capture for most of the day until finally being arrested. The major four broadcast networks pre-empt the majority of their schedule nationally from 2am ET on into prime-time on the 19th to also cover the story.[118]
16
The Seattle Mariners acquire a controlling interest in Root Sports Northwest, which broadcasts the team's games, from DirecTV Sports Networks. DirecTV retains a minority stake in the network and will continue to manage it, and the Root Sports branding and Fox Sports Networks programming will remain. Additionally, the team extended its contract with the network until the end of the 2030 season.[119]
Ani Khojasarian becomes the first $100,000 winner of the pricing game Pay The Rent on The Price Is Right.
29
WCVB-TV/Boston substitutes "Still", a new episode of the ABC series Castle with a previously aired episode from season two, "The Late Shaft", featuring local native Tom Bergeron, out of sensitivity to the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, and with permission from ABC. "Still" had already been delayed from its original April 22 airdate nationally due to the plot revolving around Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) being stuck in place to avoid the detonation of an explosive device. Viewers in the northern portion of the market were still able to watch the new episode over WCVB's sister station WMUR-TV/Manchester, New Hampshire. It was also made available on demand and to Hulu viewers in the Boston area the next morning.[122]
WBIN/Derry, New Hampshire drops its Independent News Network-produced weeknight 10pm newscast, replacing the newscast with syndicated programming. The station plans on resuming local news programming sometime in 2014; Al Kaprielian's locally based weather updates will continue unaffected.[123]
Allbritton Communications Company, which owns seven ABC-affiliated television stations including WJLA-TV/Washington, D.C., and Washington, D.C.-based regional cable news channel NewsChannel 8, announced that it is exploring "strategic alternatives", including the possible sale of the station group.[126]
2
Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter Susannah Collins is let go by the network following an on-air gaffe during Chicago Blackhawks playoff coverage in which she said the team enjoyed a "tremendous amount of sex" (rather than success) during the season. CSN Chicago also claimed it was because she hosted a web series called "Sports Nutz" with profane content in the past that had not been discovered before she was hired.[127]
It is announced that reality show Cops will leave Fox after 25 seasons and move to Spike TV.[128]
13
Weigel Broadcasting discontinues its partnership in the digital multicast network it co-founded with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, This TV, to focus on its two other diginets, MeTV and Movies!; fellow Chicago-based company Tribune Broadcasting will take over Weigel's share of programming and operational responsibilities for This TV, with MGM remaining as the network's joint owner.[129][130]
ABC introduces a live streaming app called Watch ABC during the network's 2013–14 schedule upfronts, making available linear streaming of local ABC stations and on-demand full episodes of ABC programming to authenticated subscribers who can access the service online or via the Watch ABC app on iOS, Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy devices. The app will roll out first to the ABC Owned Television Stations, followed by the 13 ABC affiliates owned by Hearst Television in the Summer before making it available to other affiliates in the Fall.[133]
An analysis announced by the Leichtman Research Group reveals the first net loss of cable, satellite, and telco TV subscribers over a 12-month period (ending March 31, 2013); the analysis is billed as the first tangible proof of "cord-cutting" by pay TV customers.[138]
At about 3.5 million claps as of the episode of Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White set a record for clapping the largest times during the show's 30th anniversary.[143]
26
Ten spectators are injured (three of whom require hospitalization) when nylon rope supporting a Fox Sportsskycam snaps and falls into the grandstand during the Coca-Cola 600NASCAR race. The incident also causes damage to several cars in the race, forcing a 27-minute delay.[144]
Adam Levine, a coach in the current season of The Voice, made an unpatriotic comment in response of the weekly results (two of three contestants from his team were eliminated that night), prompting calls for him to be removed to a "Communist country" or pursued by secretive anti-terrorism hit squads. Levine, in his response, tweeted dictionary definitions of words "joke", "humourless", "lighthearted" and "misunderstood", but later apologized and explained that he felt "confusing and downright emotional" and cited that his response was based on his personal dissatisfaction of the results.[146]
29
A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia unanimously rules that Comcast did not violate FCC program carriage rules when placing the Tennis Channel on a sports tier, and that the FCC and Tennis Channel did not provide evidence that Comcast had discriminated against the channel in favor of its own sports channels (as the FCC had ruled in July 2012).[147] Tennis Channel files an appeal on July 12.[148]
30
Autumn Erhard solved "Tough Workout" in the bonus round with only the G's showing and become the second $1,000,000 winner in the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune. At $1,030,340 cash and prizes won, her winnings had surpass Michelle Lowenstein's total of $1,026,080 to become the largest single-day winner in the show history.[149]
The aforementioned episode was rescheduled from the initial broadcast of May 31, 2013 by the producers due to theming reasons (in honoring the show's 30th anniversary of syndication). The episode that taped after (which aired on June 11) also had another contestant winning $100,000 (the usual grand prize), making the first time both grand prizes were won on concurrent episodes in Wheel of Fortune based on taping order.[150]
June
Date
Event
1
Nexstar Broadcasting Group rebrands the MemphisABC affiliate it acquired from Newport Television in 2012, changing the station's call sign (from WPTY-TV to WATN-TV) and branding (from "ABC 24" to "Local 24"). The change coincides with the station's move (with sister CW affiliate WLMT and Jackson market Fox affiliate WJKT) from Midtown Memphis to new studios at the Shelby Oaks Corporate Park in the city's northeast side, as well as high definition upgrades for its newscasts.[151]
GMC TV rebrands as Up, a reflection of its shift from gospel music-related programming to a general entertainment schedule of family-oriented original and acquired programs.[153]
Cinemax rebrands two of its multiplex channels: the female-oriented WMax is relaunched as MovieMax, a channel dedicated to family-friendly films, and the young adult-oriented @Max became Max Latino, a Spanish language simulcast of the flagship Cinemax channel.[154]
The countrymusic video service The Country Network rebrands as ZUUS Country following the digital multicast network's acquisition by Zuus Media.[155]
Sinclair Broadcast Group continues its acquisitive streak by acquiring six stations from Titan Broadcast Management for $115.35 million. Sinclair will own four stations (KMPH-KFRE/Fresno, KPTM/Omaha, KPTH/Sioux City), and it will provide operating services to two stations (KXVO/Omaha and KMEG/Sioux City).[161]
6
Media General announces a merger deal with the privately held Young Broadcasting in an all-stock deal. The deal closes on November 12, with the combined company (owning 30 stations in 27 markets) keeping Media General's name and Richmond headquarters (Young was based in Nashville).[162][163]
10–14
In honor of her 80th birthday (which fell on June 8), E! lets Joan Rivers "take over" the network for a week-long celebration that includes Rivers serving as host or presenter on E!'s in-house programs, along with a full week of new episodes of her Fashion Police program.[164]
12–13
ESPN makes major moves in its programming and operations, beginning with an announcement on the 12th that it will close down its ESPN 3D channel at year's end (the actual closing occurs earlier, on September 3), citing a low level of home viewer adoption in 3D television technology.[165] On the 13th, it announces the cancellation of ESPNews' Highlight Express and ESPNU's UNite, as well as several layoffs, most notably that of network researcher and Stump the Schwab star Howie Schwab.[166][167]
Food Network announces it will not renew the contract of Paula Deen when it expires at the end of the month. The move comes as the popular cooking personality faces controversy over her admitted past use of racial epithets in the presence of her employees.[170]
KSL-TV/Salt Lake City, Utah announces it will begin airing Saturday Night Live in its regular 10:35 pm slot when the NBC program begins its 39th season in September. (KUCW had previously aired SNL in the Salt Lake market.)[172] It is a somewhat surprising move for KSL, a station owned by the LDS Church-controlled Bonneville International that has had a long history of not airing network programming due to local commitments (the station had aired Sportsbeat Saturday in place of SNL) or content deemed inappropriate (the reason given for dropping shows such as The New Normal and Hannibal, which KUCW has also cleared).[173]
Hour of Power, after 33 years, airs its last episode from its longtime home, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
July
Date
Event
1
Tribune Broadcasting acquires the 19 stations of Local TV, LLC for $2.73 billion.[176] The purchase of Local TV, which had been put up for sale by Oak Hill Capital Partners on March 22,[177] is approved by the FCC on December 20[178] and increases Tribune's station portfolio from 23 to 42 (and expands the number of Big Three affiliates it owns from one to 10), including duopolies in St. Louis and Denver (where the companies had been involved in LMA's). One station in Scranton and two in Norfolk/Portsmouth are transferred in a sidecar agreement to Dreamcatcher Broadcasting, due to Tribune having newspaper operations in those markets. On July 10, Tribune Company announced a spin-off of its newspaper division to a newly formed company, Tribune Publishing Company.[179]
Audio cable music service Music Choice and OneBeat launch OneBeat TV, a new channel dedicated to Electronic Dance Music and its culture, lifestyle, and genre. The service, which brings its first EDM-formatted channel to the United States, will be offered free to cable subscribers on Music Choice's VOD service until August 11.[181]
One day after ending a 15-year run as host of CNN's Reliable Sources, Howard Kurtz joins Fox News Channel. Kurtz's move, announced by FNC on June 20, sees the long-time media reporter and critic serve as an on-air analyst, columnist for the network's website, and host his own media criticism show, MediaBuzz.[182]
WBCC/Cocoa, Florida changes its call letters to WEFS. The change reflects the name change of its owner, Brevard Community College, to Eastern Florida State College, a move made to advertise the offering of new four-year degrees. WEFS' programming remains unchanged.[183][184]
2
WWOR-TV/Secaucus, New Jersey airs its final 10pm newscast and closes its news department; it had produced newscasts since 1971, even after it became a sister station to WNYW/New York City (under Fox Television Stations) in 2001. In its place, the station will launch Chasing New Jersey, a nightly New Jersey-focused public affairs program, on July 8. Chasing New Jersey, which is produced by Fairfax Productions from a studio in Trenton and hosted by Bill Spadea, will also be seen on sister station WTXF-TV/Philadelphia as a lead-in to its morning newscast; Fairfax Productions is led by Dennis Bianchi, WTXF's vice president and general manager. Despite the closure of its news department, WWOR's Secaucus facilities, which are separate from the New York City studios of WNYW, will remain open.[185][186]
4
For the first time since 1987, the "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular" and accompanying Fourth of July concert by the Boston Pops Orchestra are not nationally televised. CBS, which carried the final hour of the festivities since 2003 (A&E had carried the full event prior to that) announced on June 15 that it would no longer air the event, citing decreased ratings and increased competition from NBC's broadcast of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks in New York City. CBS-owned WBZ-TV continues to air the full event in the Boston market.[187]
12
During its noon newscast, KTVU/Oakland-San Francisco unknowingly misidentifies the pilots of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 by false names that are considered derogatory and racist. In its own defense, officials at the Cox MediaFox affiliate say the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed the names to them.[188] The NTSB later admits that an intern who "acted outside the scope of his authority" supplied the false names to the station.[189][190] The intern is fired from the NTSB on July 15, while the incident leads Asiana Airlines to file a defamation lawsuit against KTVU, a suit that is withdrawn after the station formally apologizes live on the air.[191][192]
Sinclair Broadcast Group adds another station group to its portfolio, as it acquires the Allbritton Communications Company for $985 Million. The stations include Allbritton's flagship station, WJLA-TV/Washington, D.C., and Washington, D.C.-based regional cable news channel NewsChannel 8. As part of the deal, Sinclair will spinoff CBS affiliate WHP-TV/Harrisburg, MyNetworkTV affiliate WMMP/Charleston, South Carolina and the Birmingham duopoly of The CW affiliate WTTO & MNT affiliate WABM because those stations are located in the same markets where it competes against the Allbritton stations.[196] The following day (July 30), Sinclair announced plans to use NewsChannel 8 as a "launching point" for a national news channel, airing both within the Sinclair group and on MVPD systems for a "unique hybrid model."[197]
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams announces he is taking a leave of absence to recover from knee replacement surgery; Nightly's weekend anchor, Lester Holt, fills in for Williams in the interim.[202]
WLAE-TV/New Orleans leaves PBS to increase its focus on its local programming; the station had contemplated the move since a cut in funding from the state of Louisiana in 2010. WLAE had carried 25 percent of PBS' programming as a secondary member station; WYES-TV remains New Orleans' main PBS member station.[203][204]
After 16 years, Joy Behar co-hosts The View for the final time.[209] Her departure leaves Barbara Walters as the talk program's last original co-host, a role Walters herself will relinquish (along with her duties at ABC News) in Summer 2014 (Walters made her intentions public in May 2013).[210]
The fourth-season premiere of Duck Dynasty makes history for A&E, pulling in 11.8 million viewers, the largest audience ever for an original series produced for cable television (scripted and non-scripted) and the highest-rated series in A&E's 29-year history.[212]
16
The Republican National Committee announces that they will ban CNN and the news divisions of NBC Universal (including MSNBC and Telemundo) from taking part in Republican Presidential debates for the 2016 campaign. The RNC's decision is a reaction to the two networks' planned projects on Hillary Clinton (a documentary on CNN, a dramatic miniseries on NBC), with RNC chairman Reince Priebus claiming the projects give the Democrat Clinton's potential 2016 Presidential campaign a boost over those of GOP candidates.[213][214] On September 30, NBC and CNN announced that they have canceled their projects, citing pressure from both political parties and those close to Clinton's inner circle, who did not feel comfortable to give interviews or stories that could hurt her political future.[215]
17
Fox Sports rebrands and revamps two of their specialty sports channels into broader sports networks: the motorsport-oriented Speed becomes Fox Sports 1,[216] while extreme sports-oriented Fuel TV becomes Fox Sports 2.[217]
NBC affiliate KSNV/Las Vegas begins expanding its daily newscast with the addition of a 3pm broadcast, followed by a 7pm newscast in September, becoming the first network affiliated station in the Pacific Time Zone (and the second NBC affiliate after WTMJ/Milwaukee) to phase out first-run programming for continuous news programming. KSNV also plans to drop all syndicated programming in 2016 when its contract with CBS Television Distribution expires.[220] As a result of these changes, the station has arranged The CW affiliate KVCW to pick up Days of Our Lives, where it will continue in the same 1pm timeslot that KSNV has given up to make room for the 3pm newscast.[221]
At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Miley Cyrus creates a controversy by "Twerking" during a duet with Robin Thicke, a performance that some described as "raunchy" and "provocative". It also included a striptease by Lady Gaga, which critics had similar comments about.[223] Ironically, it featured the first performance of *NSYNC in 11 years.[224]
26
Four months after moving to weekends, The Ed Show moves back to MSNBC's weekday schedule, taking the 5pm (ET) time slot previously occupied by one of two airings of Hardball with Chris Matthews (Hardball goes live at 7pm).[225]
The sports talk show Olbermann debuts on ESPN2. It marks the return of Keith Olbermann to the ESPN family, as well as his return to sports-oriented programming after several years as a political commentator for MSNBC and Current TV.[226]
The MDA Show of Strengthbenefit concert moves to ABC, airing as a two-hour special on the network. The move ends the special's 47-year run as a syndicated Labor Day weekend event (the stations that aired it were collectively known as the "Love Network").[228]
2
FXX, an entertainment sister network to FX, commences programming in the channel space previously occupied by Fox Soccer, whose remaining programming shifts over to Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2.[229]
After over 10 years airing on rival WGN-TV, Live! with Kelly and Michael begins airing on WLS-TV in Chicago, becoming the last ABC-owned station to air the ABC-syndicated program. Live! airs in WLS-TV's 9 am timeslot, which was previously occupied by local program Windy City Live (which replaced the station's 11 am newscast as a result of Live's move) and the Chicago-based Oprah Winfrey Show prior to that.[230]
The CBS Corporation/Time Warner Cable retransmission consent dispute, which began a month earlier, is resolved, with all channels and website video rights restored as of 6 pm ET and on-demand content shortly after.[231] Terms are not disclosed, though both sides describe them as satisfactory to each of them, including the addition of Showtime Anytime streaming rights for Time Warner.[232]
NBC affiliate KSL-TV/Salt Lake City moves Days of Our Lives from 1pm to 1:05 am (Mountain Time). While the station has not explicitly stated its reason, it has been speculated that a storyline involving a gay couple (the characters of Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis) prompted the move. The move makes the second time in nearly three weeks that an NBC affiliate has opted to delay or pre-empt the 47-year-old serial, following KSNV/Las Vegas' decision to let competitor KVCW air the program due to their decision to expand its news programming.[240]
Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff become permanent co-anchors of the weekday PBS NewsHour, ending the show's practice of rotating co-anchor pairings since Jim Lehrer stepped down from his on-air role on the show in June 2011.[242]
NBC's Today unveils a redesigned set and orange-hued logo, as well as a new "Orange Room" segment, hosted by Carson Daly and featuring social media updates and online extended interviews.[245]
In Wheel of Fortune, contestant Paul Atkinson's incorrect pronunciation of "Corner Curio Cabinet" sparked controversy and even fueled speculations that Atkinson became the program's first-ever contestant to lose the $1,000,000 grand prize on the Bonus round. On the same episode, the episode's winner Luis Hernandez became the first contestant to successfully attempt the Express wedge which was introduced in replacement of the Jackpot wedge an episode earlier.[247]
Andrew Kravis wins the $2,600,000 jackpot on The Million Second Quiz, which propels him to third place on the game show winnings records list, behind Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. His total winnings on the game show surpasses the previous primetime game show winnings record of $2,180,000, which was previously held by Kevin Olmstead back on April 10, 2001.
20
Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcast Group has their stations restored to Time Warner Cable systems in the Milwaukee (WTMJ-TV), Green Bay/Fox Cities (WGBA-TV/WACY-TV), Omaha (KMTV-TV) and Palm Springs (KMIR-TV/KPSE-LP) markets (WTVF in Nashville, which is on limited Time Warner systems in Tennessee and Kentucky, was unaffected under their agreement made with former owner Landmark Communications, but was also part of the new retransmission consent agreement) after being off the systems since July 25, while the digital subchannels for each station (Live Well in Milwaukee and Omaha, MeTV in Green Bay, and AccuWeather in Milwaukee) and KPSE-LP were pulled from Time Warner systems on July 11.[248] However unlike most carriage agreements where all channels were restored to their previous positions, the standard definition positions were sold off by Time Warner Cable to GSN in each market during the dispute, forcing those stations onto other free channels (as high as 83 for WACY and 99 for KMTV)[249] and all carriage of Journal's subchannels was discontinued, though all high definition channel slots were retained.[250]
After two delays and a channel relocation, the "metrosexual" male-oriented Esquire Network commences programming, replacing the 15-year-old fashion-and-design channel Style Network. Esquire Channel's launch was delayed from April 22 and "Summer 2013", and was originally slated to replace G4. The channel's launch on this date coincides with the 80th anniversary of the first issue of the Hearst Corporation's men's magazineof the same name.[253]
Sinclair Broadcast Group announces the acquisition of eight stations owned or operated by New Age Media. To comply with FCC ownership regulations, three stations—WSWB in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, WTLH in Tallahassee, Florida, and WNBW-DT in Gainesville, Florida—will then be sold to Cunningham Broadcasting; a fourth station, WTLF in Tallahassee, will be purchased by Deerfield Media. These four stations will be operated by Sinclair through joint sales and shared services agreements; WSWB, WNBW, and WTLF are owned by MPS Media but have long been operated by New Age Media through such agreements (which Sinclair will continue), while WTLH cannot be acquired by Sinclair directly due to its existing ownership of WTWC-TV.[255][256]
In ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Josina Reaves became the second contestant to unsuccessfully attempt the $1,000,000 question (a question regarding Nostradamus's section of making jams and jellies; she incorrectly answered grave digging), its first time on doing so since Ken Basin failed to correctly answer the final question on August 23, 2009. Unlike Basin, Reaves risked only $75,000 (out of $100,000) due to her using the "Jump" lifelines on both $250,000 and $500,000 questions prior to the $1,000,000 question.
26
Stating that its "technical justification... no longer appears valid", the FCC formally submits a proposal to eliminate the discount, adopted in 1985 during the analog TV era, that counts a UHF station's reach to be one-half of its market when applied to a broadcaster's national ownership limit. The proposal would grandfather portfolios of any broadcaster with existing or pending ownership of UHF stations that would put them over the 39% national cap without the discount at the time of the proposal's submission.[257]
27
The Price Is Right devotes all six "pricing game" segments to one of its best-known and most-popular games, Plinko in honor of the game's 30th anniversary.
Nearly a year after the launch of Comcast SportsNet Houston, NBCUniversal announces that affiliates of it and parent company Comcast have filed an involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition for the network to "resolve structural issues affecting CSN Houston's partnership." The partnership is composed of the Houston Astros (who own 46% of the network), the Houston Rockets (who own 30%), and NBCUniversal (who owns the remaining 23%). The move did not sit well with the Astros, which stated that the filing was made "improperly" to prevent the Astros from ending its agreement with CSN Houston; the team also revealed that it did not receive the rights fees from Houston Regional Sports Network (the network's legal name) for the final three months of the 2013 season.[258]
28
Litton Entertainment takes over CBS' Saturday morning lineup with a teen-oriented block of programming bearing the umbrella title CBS Dream Team. As a result, CBS' Cookie Jar TV (a block that had been under the control of three different companies since its 2006 premiere) is discontinued, and Litton gains control of two Saturday morning network program blocks (it already operates Litton's Weekend Adventure for ABC).[259]
Second-year Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong becomes co-anchor of the show's Weekend Update segment alongside Seth Meyers.[260] Also, for the first time in its 39-year history, the program extended to two hours with musical guests Arcade Fire doing a 30-minute set called Arcade Fire in Here Comes the Night Time, that featured cameo appearances by Ben Stiller, Bono, Bill Hader, Zach Galifianakis, Rainn Wilson, Aziz Ansari, and Michael Cera. Although viewers saw the act leave the SNL stage after the commercial break wearing the same outfits and continued performing in the same get up for the extended program, the concert footage appears to have been filmed at the band's surprise September 9 appearance at Montreal's Club Salsathèque.[261]
Saturday Night Live airs for the first time on KSL-TV, knocking off SportsBeat Saturday to another slot, nearly after many years of airing on Salt Lake's CW affiliate KUCW.
29
Hour of Power airs its first show from Shepherd's Grove, the campus of the former St. Callistus' Church,[262] located one mile south of the Crystal Cathedral, where the show was taped for 33 years.[263]
The United States federal government shutdown of 2013 affects some communications operations for the government, with the Federal Communications Commission suspending reviews of mergers between station groups, which usually take 180 days to complete, due to the FCC being drawn down to only a spare 2% skeleton crew of workers, a halt to work on all applications, and a nearly blank website.[266][267] Federally funded NASA TV and its website were also shut down, besides still screens notifying viewers of the situation.[268] The shutdown ends on October 16, with the FCC resuming website operations nearly immediately, and NASA TV the next day.
During Game 3 of the American League Division Series, on-field microphones of MLB Network's crew accidentally broadcast a heated exchange of profanity between Oakland Athletics pitcher Grant Balfour and Detroit Tigers designated hitter Víctor Martínez which results in a bench-and-bullpen-clearing near-brawl.[276] The channel's announcers apologize soon after, though no action could be taken as MLB Network is not under FCC obscenity regulations, nor was the game aired on broadcast television.
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions announces in a letter to the staffers of the PBS NewsHour that it had offered to sell its stake in the program to WETA-TV (the program's originating station, and already a coproducer). In the letter, Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil cited their reduced involvement with the program's production since their departures from anchoring, as well as "the probability of increasing our fundraising abilities."[277][278]
9
The country music-oriented digital broadcast network The Nashville Network (owned by Luken Communications and Jim Owens Entertainment) rebrands as Heartland.[279]
Independent station KTUD-CD/Las Vegas unexpectedly announces it will end operations and go dark at midnight due to insufficient advertising revenues; the station's parent company has struggled for several years and the station filed for bankruptcy in 2010.[283][284][285]
The Fox series Glee pays tribute to late cast member Cory Monteith, who died July 13, with "The Quarterback", an episode dealing with the main characters' grief over the death of Monteith's character, former McKinley High quarterback and New Directions glee club member Finn Hudson.[286]
Smith Media reaches a deal to sell its last remaining station, NBC affiliate WKTV/Utica, NY to Heartland Media, a company owned by Bob Prather, who had been President/COO of Gray Television until resigning from the company on June 21.[289][290]
The Sean "Diddy" Combs-backed music network Revolt launches with distribution on Time Warner Cable and Comcast systems. Combs launches the network using the childhood home of the late The Notorious B.I.G. as a backdrop to begin the network's schedule.[291]
24
Al Jazeera America and Time Warner Cable come to terms for national carriage of the network, which will be added to New York and Los Angeles systems by the end of the year, and nationally by March 2014. The announcement coincided with the weekend of El Clásico, which aired in the United States on Al Jazeera's beIN Sport.[292]
26
For the first time, Fox News Channel deviates from its news-and-analysis programming to carry a live sporting event, the final quarter of a Big 12 college football game between Texas Tech and Oklahoma. The move of the game (whose start was delayed by an hour) from Fox is due to the committed live schedule of the other Fox Sports cable networks and to ensure Fox's coverage of the World Series start on-time.[293] The game remains on Fox affiliates in Oklahoma and Texas until its conclusion, at which time they pick up the World Series game in progress.[294][295]
The US Senate confirms Tom Wheeler and Mike O'Reilly to open Commissioner seats on the Federal Communications Commission.[304] Wheeler will become the FCC's chairman, taking the reins from Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who had been acting chairwoman since May 20, when she became the first female FCC chair.[305]
Tribune Broadcasting takes over programming and operations of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer'sThis TV, from Weigel Broadcasting, with the network moving its flagship position in Chicago from Weigel's WCIU-TV to Tribune's WGN-TV. Replacing This TV's weekday/weekend Cookie Jar Toons/This is for Kids children's block is a Sunday-only three-hour block of unbranded E/I programming.[309][310]
2
Facing criticism for a lack of African-American women in its performing cast, Saturday Night Live makes light of the controversy by having guest host Kerry Washington play both First LadyMichelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey in its cold open sketch at the same time (along with a "disclaimer" explaining the reason).[311]SNL addressed the situation in January 2014 with the addition of women of color in its cast (Sasheer Zamata) and writing staff.[312][313]
4
Gray Television announces that it will acquire KGNS/Laredo, KGWN/Cheyenne and its satellite KSTF/Scottsbluff, and KCWY/Casper and its satellite KCHY/Cheyenne from Yellowstone Holdings for $23 million. In the interim, Gray will operate the Yellowstone stations under a LMA, while pending FCC approval.[314]
6
Gray Television reaches an agreement to launch the ABC affiliation on KGNS/Laredo's subchannel in February 2014.[315]
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquires the non-license assets of WPFO, the Fox affiliate in Portland, Maine, from Corporate Media Consultants Group (which in turn is 49-percent owned by Max Media). Sinclair's existing Portland property, WGME-TV, has produced a newscast for the station since 2007.[317] On November 20, it was announced that Cunningham Broadcasting will acquire the license assets for $3.4 million.[318]
7
Dish Network announces that it will close its 300 remaining Blockbuster stores and DVD-by-mail service in January 2014, ending the video rental chain's 28 years in business. The Blockbuster name will still live on through Dish's suite of film channels, its online television and movie streaming services, and franchised brick-and-mortar operations.[319]
KTUU-TV, the NBC affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska, is dropped by GCI in 22 rural Alaska communities, after the two sides were unable to come to a new retransmission agreement, though GCI still carries some KTUU and NBC programming in some of these areas through the Alaska Rural Communications Service. The dispute does not involve areas (including Anchorage) where GCI carries KTUU through must-carry. The move follows the sale of rival KTVA to GCI subsidiary Denali Media Holdings a week earlier, which KTUU had opposed over concerns that this move could be made. KTUU's channel slot on most of the affected systems is now occupied by Starz Kids & Family. Despite this dispute, KTUU extended its newscast carriage agreement with fellow NBC affiliates KATH-LD in Juneau and KSCT-LP in Sitka (which were also acquired by GCI/Denali at the same time it acquired KTVA) through November 22.[321][322][323]
10
CBS' 60 Minutes airs a formal apology for its October 27 story on the September 2012 attack on a US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. The story, reported by Lara Logan (who gives her own apology in a November 8 chat with CBS This Morning), featured an interview with a security contractor who claimed to have witnessed the attack, a claim whose validity had been scrutinized since the broadcast.[324] On November 26, Logan and producer Max McClellan takes a leave of absence from the program as a result of an internal review issued by CBS News chairman Jeff Fager.[325]
11
Over a month after reluctantly undergoing a mammogram in a live feature for Good Morning America (at the urging of GMA host and breast cancer survivor Robin Roberts), ABC News correspondent Amy Robach returns to GMA to reveal that she will undergo a double mastectomy as a result of that test's discovery of a breast cancer tumor.[326]
As part of a graphics package refresh and a greater revamp aimed at "getting back to [its] roots", The Weather Channel unveils a news ticker-style weather information banner at the lower third of the screen. The ticker's constant appearance (during both regular programming and national commercial breaks) is a first for the channel.[328]
Young Broadcasting and Media General completed their merger, four days after the FCC approved their merger.[329][330] Due to the way the merger is structured, Young Broadcasting's shareholders will control a majority of Media General's stock; however, the combined company will take the "Media General" name (with headquarters remaining in Richmond) and will own 30 stations, reaching 14% of the United States.
In a unanimous decision, the FCC votes to allow the examination, on a case-by-case basis, of requests by foreign entities to own broadcast properties beyond the 25% ownership limit imposed on them through the Communications Act of 1934.[332]
15
FXX acquires cable syndication and on-demand rights to all episodes of The Simpsons at an estimated price of $750 million, considered to be the largest off-network deal in television history. The show is scheduled to begin airing on FXX in August 2014.[333]
Lockwood Broadcast Group announced that a sale of WQCW to Excalibur Broadcasting for $5.5 million. Upon completion of the sale, Gray Television will operate the station through a shared services agreement, becoming a sister station to NBC affiliate WSAZ-TV.[334]
MSNBC places Alec Baldwin and his program Up Late with Alec Baldwin on a two-week suspension after a confrontation with a reporter from Fox O&OWNYW/New York City, who was seeking to question him about a court case in which Baldwin was testifying at a trial of a woman accused of stalking him. Baldwin then insulted the reporter after he brushed him off, including criticizing his station's parent company, which was followed by more insults, including using anti-gay slurs, at other members of the press and paparazzi. Baldwin immediately apologized to his viewers for his actions.[335] On November 26, Baldwin announced that he and MSNBC have agreed to end his program in part to his actions over the incident[336]
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organization that oversees the Emmy Award, announced plans to transition to an online voting system. The two-year, two-step switchover will first cover the initial round of Emmy voting that determines the nominees across all categories. The online voting will be extended to all rounds of Television Academy's Emmy voting process, determining nominees and winners in all categories, starting in 2015.[337]
20
Gray Television announced the purchase of Hoak Media and Parker Broadcasting for $335 million, and North Dakota's Fox affiliates KNDX/KXND from Prime Cities Broadcasting for $7.5 million. In part of the deal Hoak's KHAS-TV, Parker's KXJB and KAQY, and the North Dakota Fox stations will be sold to Excalibur Broadcasting and operated by Gray under local marketing agreements.[338] To comply with FCC ownership limits, on December 19, Gray announced that Hoak's KREX and WMBB and will be sold to Nexstar Broadcasting Group and Parker's KFQX to Mission Broadcasting, for $37.5 million.[339]
Numerous news programs and cable channels commemorate the 50th anniversary of the John F. Kennedy assassination by airing live memorials, retrospectives, analysis, and new documentaries.[341]
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquires the non-license assets of RenoNBC affiliate, KRNV-DT, from Intermountain West Communications Company, for $26 million. It is expected to end the simulcast of KTVU newscasts airing on Fox station KRXI, and replace it with a KRNV-produced newscast.[342] On December 19, it was announced that Cunningham Broadcasting will acquire the license assets of KRNV and KENV for $6.5 million.[343][344]
23
The 50th anniversary of the debut of Doctor Who is commemorated with a global same-day simulcast of a special episode, "The Day of the Doctor". The premiere broadcast on BBC America attracts 2.4 million viewers, a record for the network.[345][346] An interactive game featuring all 11 Doctors debuts on Google.com.[347]
During a live telecast for a Thanksgiving Special on the Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis accidentally cuts her finger while slicing up a turkey roll. During the break she went to receive medical attention; she then returned to the set to finish out the special with a bandaged finger.[349]
24
With the series' producers reasoning it as a "fun way to shake things up" after 11 years, Family Guy'sBrian Griffin dies after being hit by a car in the episode "Life of Brian", with the Griffins later adopting a new family dog, Vinny (voiced by Tony Sirico).[350] This episode received immediate backlash after its airing, and so Brian is rescued from the dead (through Stewie Griffin's use of his time return pad) in the episode "Christmas Guy",[351] which aired just a few weeks later on December 15.
Encore rebrands two of its multiplex channels: Encore Drama becomes Encore Black, targeting African American viewers, while Encore Love becomes the baby boomer-targeted Encore Classic. Encore also moves Encore Español from the Starz package to Spanish language tiers.[356] Additionally, all of the Encore channels remove the classic sunshine graphic that was used since its launch in 1991.
MSNBC host Martin Bashir submits his resignation in the wake of his graphic critique of Fox News commentator and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin in a November 15 commentary.[358]
5
Stating that "it could no longer effectively serve the Northern Shenandoah Valley", Gray Television-owned TV3 Winchester discontinues its local news and sales operations. The ABC affiliate, seen only on cable in the Winchester, Virginia area but also available over-the-air on sister station WHSV-DT3 in nearby Harrisonburg, had offered local content since its launch in 2007.[359]
6
Eleven months after dropping the channel's predecessor Current TV, Time Warner Cable begins adding Al Jazeera America to select TWC and Bright House Networks systems.[360] Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks are the first mainstream carriers in the country to offer the channel in high definition.
WeatherNation TV is added to DirecTV giving the mainly broadcast digital subchannel network its first national television carrier and providing competition to The Weather Channel on DirecTV systems.[372]
Time Warner Cable rebrands NY1, News 14 Carolina, and the YNN channels as "Time Warner Cable News" so that way subscribers know the channels are exclusive to their systems. However, Time Warner Cable wanted to keep the NY1 brand, so NY1 was rebranded as "Time Warner Cable News NY1".[373]
A&E places Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson on an indefinite suspension for comments he made regarding homosexuality and the civil rights era in an interview with GQ.[375] A&E reinstates Robertson on December 27.[376]
19
KGWN-TV/Cheyenne, Wyoming discontinues its "Northern Colorado 5" service, stating that "it could no longer effectively serve the Northern Colorado area." The service, which launched in 2008, served (and was seen on cable in) the Fort Collins area (within the Denver market); it was also available over-the-air via KGWN-DT2 from Cheyenne.[377]
Gannett Company completes its $2.2 billion purchase of the Dallas-based broadcasting/publishing company Belo Corporation.[379] The deal, originally announced on June 13 and approved by the FCC on December 20,[178][380] increases Gannett's TV station portfolio to 42 stations, including shared services agreements in Louisville and Portland in a sidecar agreement with Sander Media, a separate company owned by former Belo executive Jack Sander. (Gannett retains newspaper ownership in those markets.)[381][382] The deal does not include Belo's KMOV/St. Louis and KTVK/KASW/Phoenix; the United States Department of Justice announced on December 16 that Gannett and Sander Media would have to divest KMOV to another company to preserve competition between KMOV and Gannett-owned KSDK (Gannett would have provided some services to a Sander Media-owned KMOV under the original deal).[383] Gannett obliges on this date by agreeing to sell KMOV, KTVK, and KASW to Meredith Corporation for $407.5 million; the KASW license will then be transferred to SagamoreHill Broadcasting, as Meredith already owns KPHO-TV in Phoenix.[384]
27
Tribune Broadcasting officially closes on their purchase of most of Local TV's stations, with three stations in markets with Tribune newspaper ownership conflicts purchased by Dreamcatcher Broadcasting and receiving services from Tribune.[385]
29
In and end-of-year posting on her Facebook page, Good Morning America host Robin Roberts acknowledges having been in a ten-year relationship with another woman, becoming the latest TV personality to disclose their sexuality.[386]
The Price is Right contestant Sheree Heil won an Audi R8 V8 Spyder Quattro S Tronic valued at $157,300 and $10,000 in cash in the pricing game Gas Money; combined with her One Bid win of $3,045 of Prada shoes, her total winnings for the episode is $170,345, making Heil the biggest daytime game show winner in history until on October 28, 2016, where Christen Freeman surpasses Heil's total with $213,876, including the $210,000 cash won in Cliffhangers.[388]
31
Soapnet formally discontinues programming on all cable and satellite providers after 14 years. The closure of the Walt Disney-owned soap opera-oriented cable channel comes over three years after Disney announced plans to replace it with Disney Junior, which launched on its own in 2012.[389]
Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt retires after 41 years with the company. He is succeeded by the company's president and COO, Robert Marcus, on January 1, 2014.[390]
A list of programs (current or canceled) that have accumulated enough episodes (between 65 and 100) or seasons (3 or more) to be eligible for off-network syndication and/or basic cable runs.
Wrestling and sport entertainment manager, promoter, businessman, and licensed mortician (Known to WWE fans as Paul Bearer and TNA as Percy Pringle III)
Film critic, reviewer, historian, screenwriter, author and preservationist (co-creator of Sneak Previews on WTTW/Chicago and At the Movies, which had three runs: 1982–90, 1986–2010, and 2011–12)
Actress and singer (original Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club, Make Room for Daddy, A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story, her last acting role, playing herself in present-day scenes)
Psychologist and TV personality (hosted her own syndicated series; winner on The $64,000 Question for her knowledge on boxing; Hollywood Squares, etc.)
Schauenberg, Trevor; Martin, Seth (February 12, 2013). "GE Sells Remaining Stake In Nbcuniversal Joint Venture And Related Assets To Comcast For $18.1b". GE News (Press release). FAIRFIELD, Conn.: General Electric Company. Retrieved December 12, 2024. Under the terms of the transaction, GE will sell its remaining 49% common equity stake in the NBCU joint venture to Comcast for $16.7 billion. [...] Additionally, GE Capital (GECC) will sell the NBCU occupied floors in 30 Rockefeller Center, and property in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to NBCU affiliates for $1.4 billion in cash.
Baker, Liana B.; Lauria, Peter (February 13, 2013). "Comcast to buy rest of NBC Universal from GE in $16.7 billion deal". Reuters. Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston, Jennifer Saba in New York, Diane Bartz in Washington and A. Ananthalakshmi in Bangalore; Writing by Ben Berkowitz.; Editing by Edward Tobin, Dan Grebler and Andre Grenon. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
Chozick, Amy; Stelter, Brian (February 13, 2013) [first published online February 12, 2013]. "Comcast Buys Rest of NBC in Early Sale". The New York Times (NewYork ed.). p. B1.
Peers, Martin; Jannarone, John; Linebaugh, Kate (February 13, 2013). "Comcast Buys Rest of NBC's Parent". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
Ilnytzky, Ula (May 13, 2013). "Popular psychologist, columnist and TV personality Joyce Brothers dead at 85". Associated Press Newswires. AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report. FactivaAPRS000020130513e95d0034p.
