US: Laurence Fishburne joins cast of CSI

International, Television, Television Programmes, United States

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation has solved the mystery of who will replace departing CBS series star William Petersen: It’s Laurence Fishburne.

Fishburne, an Emmy and Tony winner, will be introduced in the ninth episode of the upcoming 10th season, the network told The Associated Press on Monday. He’ll play a forensics scientist with a secret.

Fishburne is a CSI newcomer in more ways than one. Asked if he’s a fan, he told a teleconference Monday that he was embarrassed to admit he’d never watched before he was approached by producers.

“But I am now,” he said. He screened past episodes that were engaging and “kind of dark and moody, like the work I’ve been involved in,” he said.

“Wow, this will work,” Fishburne recalled thinking.

He was their top choice, said executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar, with a deeply intelligent approach to his work that matches the drama’s spirit.

This is the first ongoing series role for the in-demand film and stage actor since, improbably enough, he played Cowboy Curtis on Pee-wee’s Playhouse in the late 1980s. He’s not stepping away from movies with CSI, Fishburne said, but embarking on a “welcome change.”

Source: NineMSN

EXCLUSIVE: Future of Fairfax traineeships under question

Industry, Print

Fairfax may not offer any traineeships next year at its Melbourne and Sydney mastheads as cost pressures apparently take their toll.

The Spy Report has learnt management is seriously questioning its position on the traineeships, which this year were drastically cut to just four positions at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and a further four at The Australian Financial Review, citing increasing costs and whether the company is getting any “bang for its buck”.

The Spy Report believes the best case scenario for 2009 would be four trainee positions at The SMH and four at The Age. But in further complications, Fairfax Business Media, the division responsible for The AFR and BRW magazine has split its training away from the main Fairfax umbrella, meaning The AFR could offer more positions than the other papers.

Fairfax was criticised last year for lowering the entry standards for its trainee positions. After experimenting in 2007 at The SMH with a Year 12 cadet trainee for the first time in about a decade, the company did the same again this year in Sydney, and expanded it to Melbourne.

NZ: Former sports broadcaster faces seven charges

New Zealand

Former New Zealand radio and television sports personality Tony Veitch has vowed to “strenuously” defend six charges of assault and one count of injuring with reckless disregard.

He said in a statement outside the Auckland  district court this afternoon

“While I am shocked and also saddened that it has got this far, in terms of all the allegations and the charges, I am more determined than ever to fight to clear my name,”

The former One News sportsreader said there were two sides to every story and declined to answer questions from the media.

Police earlier issued a release saying the 34-year-old had been arrested and charged with six counts of male assaults female and one count of injuring with reckless disregard.

The charge of male assaults female carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment for each count, while injuring with reckless disregard carries five years.

Rod And The Flack STAR on the Central Coast

Radio

Former HOT FM Townsville jokers Rod And The Flack have bounced back from a short-lived and controversial stint on Perth’s 96fm and are joining DMG Radio’s fast-growing STAR 104.5 on the Central Coast of NSW.

Lisa McKoy and Vic Davies, former breakfast show hosts, will be moving on from the station after a two year stint.

Austereo reshuffles as digital looms

Radio

Australia’s leading radio network Austereo has appointed Jamie Angel to the role of National Digital Radio Content Director. Angel was formerly Content Director for Sydney’s 2Day FM.

Austereo Chief Executive Officer Michael Anderson said the appointment demonstrated the importance Austereo was placing on digital radio, which will be launched from January 1 next year.

Derek Bargwanna has been appointed Content Director of 2Day FM. He was formerly Content Director for Perth’s 92.9FM, and before that, executive producer of the Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show on 2Day FM.

Bargwanna will be replaced at 92.9FM by Mickey Maher, formerly Content Director for Austereo’s Newcastle stations, NXFM and KOFM.

US: TV still major news source

Industry, International, New Media, Print, Television, United States

A survey of Americans news habits has shown that Television remains a leading source of news in the country.   Results from the Pew Research Center’s biannual survey on news consumption habits have also shown that newspaper readership is dropping, while online readership is growing.

The survey has highlighted a growing group of people, refered to as “integrators” who use both traditional and online sources of news.  This group accounts for 23 percent of those surveyed and tend to be more engaged, sophisticated and well-off, however are older then those who rely on the internet as their main source of news.

46 percent of those surveyed stated a heavy reliance on television for their news.   The average age of this group is the oldest at 52 and least affluent with 43 percent unemployed.    While casual television news watchers are switching off from network news, rather opting to watch cable news sources such as CNN and Fox.  

The smallest group, those who rely on the internet for news at 13 percent is also the youngest, with an average age of 35, the majority of whom have college education.

Source: SMH

Beijing caller recovering from pneumonia

Radio

Sports commentator Matthew Hill is beginning to recover from severe pneumonia.

27-year-old Matt collapsed in Beijing on Monday while covering the Olympic Games for Macquarie Radio, after a rapid deterioration in his condition he was airlifted to Hong Kong for further treatment.

His condition has now improved and he is fully conscious, but he remains in intensive care.

Matt’s family says he’s getting the best possible care and making gradual progress, but doctors say his recovery will take weeks and he needs plenty of rest.

They’ve thanked his team of doctors, the Australian embassy and the AOC, as well as his employers, friends and colleagues from home.

His family has requested privacy while he recouperates.

Courtesy: LiveNews

Seven accused of re-recording historic swimming call

Television

The replay of Australia’s gold medal-winning performance in the women’s 4×200m, played repeatedly on Channel Seven last night, was not the original call, according to broadcaster Ray Hadley.

Speaking on 2GB this morning, the veteran commentator told Chris Smith the Channel Seven callers, headed by stalwart Bruce McAvaney, had to return to the Seven studios in Beijing, shortly after the event’s conclusion, and re-record.

Hadley says he is not aware of the full circumstances, but it was not re-recorded for technical reasons.

“I’ll leave it to your own imagination why they had to re-record the call,” he told 2GB’s Chris Smith.

“I have no idea why – but it wasn’t a technical problem.”

Caralis Network loses CMR

Radio

In a move that will shock the mostly elderly listeners of CMR (Country Music Radio) on the Caralis network across New South Wales and Queensland, this weekend will be the last broadcast of the program on the network.

Presenter Nick Erby is taking the popular program online 24/7 at www.countrymusicradio.com.au

NZ: TVNZ leads Qantas television awards nominations

Celebrities / Personalities, International, New Zealand, Television, Television Programmes

TVNZ dominates this years’ Qantas Film and Television Awards nominations, with dominating news and current affairs categories and nominated for more than half the television section.

Both One News and Tonight have been nominated for the ‘Best News’ category, competing against rival 6pm bulletin 3 News. TVNZ programs also predominate several other news and current affairs categories with 23 out of 30 available nominations, including ‘Best Current Affairs series’, ‘Best Current Affairs reporting’ and ‘Investigation of the Year’.

TV One’s Mark Sainsbury and Kevin Milne will compete with TV3’s John Campbell for ‘Best News of Current Affairs Presenter’. Close Up reporter Robyn James has received two out of three nominations for ‘Best Current affairs reporting for a daily programme’.

Meanwhile drama series Shortland Street has taken five nominations, including ‘Best Drama’ against Outrageous Fortune (TV3) and Ride the Devil (also TV2). The show’s Toni Potter has been nominated for ‘Best Actress’, along with Michael Galvin for ‘Best Actor’.

Dancing With the Stars (TV One), Dare to Win (TV2) and Jono’s New Show (C4) are the nominees for ‘Best Entertainment Programme’, while TV3 productions Pulp Sport and bro’Town will compete against Eating Media Lunch on TV2 for ‘Best Comedy’.

TV3’s coverage of the Rugby World Cup has received a nomination for ‘Best Sports Broadcast’ alongside TV One’s  Heineken Open tennis and World Hockey Olympic qualifier.

Meanwhile TVNZ has apologised for a satellite glitch that prevented it from showing kiwi swimmer Moss Burmester’s fourth-place effort in the 200 metre butterfly final at the Olympics in Beijing. Technical problems at the broadcaster’s Auckland headquarters receiving the broadcast via satellite (both SKY and Freeview) missed the race, likewise analogue viewers in the South Island.

The outage lasted approximately six minutes. TVNZ said it regretted the failure that “interfered with New Zealanders’ appreciation of Moss Burmester’s tremendous effort.”

“All broadcasters undertaking technically complex transmissions run the risk of occasional switching failures, but the company says everyone involved is distressed at the timing of the glitch”, said the network.

Sources: Qantas Film and Television Awards, Throng, New Zealand Herald