Seriously? OMG! WTF?

The Associated Press is protesting plans by Fox to bar photographers from its news conferences at the Television Critics Association press tour and says it will not cover the events unless the network changes the policy. Fox has asked journalists to accept handout photos from photographers it has hired. The news cooperative says Fox’s decision interferes with its ability to fully report the event and sets a bad precedent. Television networks bring executives and stars to a Los Angeles-area conference center twice a year to meet with journalists from across the country. Unless Fox allows it to send photographers, the AP will not assign any print journalists to cover Fox’s events, which include those by the affiliated FX cable network. "Fox wants to make sure the images from their publicity event are flattering to the network by controlling the content and distribution of the pictures," said David Ake, the AP’s deputy director of photography. "The problem for the AP is that, just as we wouldn’t let Fox write our stories, we can’t have them shooting our pictures." Ake said several discussions with Fox have resulted in no progress. Recent Fox press tour events were covered with no problem, he said. Fox spokesman Scott Grogin declined to comment Wednesday on the AP’s protest. Another Fox spokesman, Joe Earley, told Variety he would not give the reasons for Fox’s decision, but labeled it unfortunate the AP has "reacted in such an aggressive and detrimental manner."

WXXA (Thanks Denise)

This is an interesting decision by Fox, it will be interesting to see if Fox will give in or other networks will copy Fox. Seriously I think the more pictures of Gale Harold the better!  

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Laughter is the best medicine, sure, but it doesn’t pay the bills. (No, seriously — look at my savings account.) And while he may have been robbed of an Emmy nod last week, Hugh Laurie has a little somethin’-somethin’ to be smiling about: After a two-month negotiation, the House star has been prescribed a nice raise — "dramatic," by some accounts — to $300,000 per episode starting with the forthcoming third season. Damn, with that kind of cash flow the guy could be mistaken for a real doctor.

TV Guide

Again why wasn’t he nominated? Even though he makes an episode what a real doctor makes a year, I think he deserves more!  

Fox will be spending a little less time in "The OC" next season.

Turns out that when the net renewed the Josh Schwartz-created sudser in May, it also decided to cut back its episodic commitment to the show. Fox has asked producer Warner Bros. TV for only 16 episodes — a substantial reduction from the 22 that’s standard for most returning skeins.

A Fox spokesman attributed the cutback to the net’s scheduling needs. "The OC" won’t have its season premiere until Nov. 2 — about a month after most Fox shows — and therefore, the reasoning goes, net won’t need as many episodes in the can.

Nonetheless, even with the late start, Fox will be out of original "OC" episodes by the end of February. Net could be hoping to use the skein’s 9 p.m. Thursday slot to launch a show (or shows) in the spring, when "CSI" and "Grey’s Anatomy" likely will serve up a hefty dose of repeats.

"The OC" faces a tough task in the ratings, now that "Grey’s" is moving into the timeslot. Fox execs, however, believe the show’s core audience of young females will remain loyal.

Variety  

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The premieres are listed below in chronological order. All times are ET/PT.

Monday, August 21
8:00-9:00 PM PRISON BREAK (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM VANISHED (Series Premiere)

Wednesday, August 30
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM JUSTICE (Series Premiere)

Thursday, August 31
8:00-10:00 PM DUETS (2-Hour Series Premiere)

Tuesday, September 5
8:00-9:00 PM STANDOFF (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE (Season Premiere)

Thursday, September 7
8:00-8:30 PM ‘TIL DEATH (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM HAPPY HOUR (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM DUETS (Time Period Premiere)

[EDITOR’S NOTE : THE O.C. will premiere Thursday, Nov. 2, at 9:00 PM, after Baseball.)

Friday, September 8
8:00-9:00 PM NANNY 911 (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM DUETS Results Show (Series Premiere)

[EDITOR’S NOTE : TRADING SPOUSES: MEET YOUR NEW MOMMY will premiere Friday, Oct. 6, at 9:00 PM.]

Saturday, September 9
8:00-8:30 PM COPS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM COPS (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK (Season Premiere)

Sunday, September 10
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM AMERICAN DAD (Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (Season Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM THE WAR AT HOME (Season Premiere

[EDITOR’S NOTE: On Sundays in the fall, due to live NFL Football broadcasts, original programming will not be regularly scheduled from 7:00-8:00 PM. KING OF THE HILL will return at mid-season.]

Saturday, September 16
11:00 PM-Midnight MADtv (Season Premiere)
Midnight-12:30 AM TALK SHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN (Series Premiere)

The Futon Critic 

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