Smashing Pumpkins

Halloween is still over a month away, but you can already see decorations are up in stores and even at NBC's Today Show. 

Here's four pumpkins carved to look like Matt, Savannah, Natalie and Al.

Word is that the Today Show has beefed up security near the pumpkins so Ann Curry doesn't smash them. 

God Talks to Bill O'Reilly

So where did Bill O'Reilly get the idea for this book "Killing Jesus: A History"? 

From Jesus's Dad. 

O'Reilly claims in a 60 Minutes interview  that God gave him title of the book.Despite its de-emphasis of religion, he is using his special gifts from God in a positive way.

He says it's all part of God's plan for him.

Really Bill? God?

Are you sure it just wasn't Roger Ailes? 

We're guessing that God never saw this clip on YouTube of O'Reilly flipping out: 

H/T HuffPo

WPIX Hires Another EP

Yesterday, FTVLive told you that WPIX in New York had hired Joe Coscia to EP the station's election coverage.

Today the station announces that they have hired Zev Shalev as the Executive Producer, PIX11 Morning News.

Shalev PIX11 from Fuse Network where he created “Fuse News” the network’s flagship, multi-platform news service. Shalev has also served as executive producer of HARPO/Sony’s ‘The Nate Berkus Show,’ of which he was a co-creator, CBS News’ “The Early Show.”

The obligatory sound bites: 

“Zev is a great fit for our news management team; he has proven skills as an executive producer and a strong news background. I’m thrilled he is joining our team as we continue to evolve PIX11 News,” said Mark Effron, PIX11 VP/News Director.  

“I’m very excited to join the PIX11 news team. New York is the most extraordinary city in the world. There’s a story breaking every minute. We’ll keep track of it all and give you all the news you need to get your day started,” said Shalev. 

Another Sign the Apocalypse is Upon Us...

WNBC's Chuck Scarborough is on Facebook.  

The longtime New York City Anchor has launched his on Facebook fan page.  Maybe you can teach and old dog some new tricks.

Get the Message (Sponsored)

 "In the crazy, cutthroat world of TV news, sometimes the only thing worse than missing the big story, is getting it."

Messages, the new novel by TV news veteran and textbook author Forrest Carr, is now available for the Kindle and Kindle reading apps.   Messages follows three friends as they embark on television news careers at the height of the golden age of local TV journalism.  In their search for Truth, Justice, and Ratings, they'll risk it all.  And before it's all over, one of them will be fighting for his job, another will be fighting for his sanity, and the third will be fighting for his very life.

"Messages is sort of a 'buddy cop' crime drama," Carr said, "featuring reporters instead of police officers.  It tells a captivating story, but also sheds a rare light on a bygone era of TV news, a time that put the industry on the path to become what it is today – for better or worse.  Most popular works of fiction dealing with TV news have focused exclusively on big-city and network operations, which are very different from the medium-to-small stations where most Americans get their local news.  Messages gives readers unique, sometimes hilarious, and often surprising insights into a process that's central to the American way of life."

Messages is available for download on Amazon.com.  Search "Messages by Forrest Carr" or follow this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ECK0DBK

EXCLUSIVE: Zucker Pulls Plug on CNN's Diversity Council

Sources inside CNN tell FTVLive that Jeff Zucker had a meeting with his top managers and announced that he was going to shutdown CNN's Diversity Council. 

It's a jaw dropping move that has many shaking their head. 

CNN has caught a lot of flack over the years for their lack of diversity on the network's air. Zucker did not help that matter when he came in and yanked Soledad O'Brien off the morning show, when he revamped it. 

CNN would answer their critics by talking about their diversity council and how they are in place to make sure the network looks closer at the issues when it comes to minorities. 

Now, Zucker is disbanding the diversity council.

Why? 

Word is that Zucker wants to make some personnel changes and some of the people he wants to get rid of, sit on the diversity council.  

It appears that Zucker feels like if the council is gone, getting rid of these people will be easier.  

Sources tell FTVLive that Zucker has quietly started looking for a replacement for Maria Ebrahimji (right).  

Ebrahimji is Executive Editorial Producer and main Booker at CNN. She has been at the network since 2008. She's also the Vice Chair sitting on CNN's Diversity Council. 

Ebrahimji is not the only council member on "Zucker's hit list." FTVLive has heard other names as well.   

For a network that has been under fire from the minority community for their "lack of color" on their network, it seems that pulling the plug on the Diversity Council is not a very smart move.

But, right now it's Jeff Zucker's sand box and he is going to do what he wants. 

Stay tuned.... 

Throwing up Bricks

If you have enjoyed FTVLive since it came out from behind the paywall, why not become a part of our brick wall. 

FTVLive wants to put your name on our brick wall. You will join some of the best and brightest in the TV industry and you will live forever on FTVLive.com. 

Sound interesting? 

Click here  

The Real Story?

If you're like me, you have had trouble sleeping at night, wondering what time slot Fox News was going to put Gretchen Carlson in?

Carlson was the longtime host of Fox and Friends before Roger Ailes finally decided that she could sleep in.  

FNC has now announced that Carlson's show "The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson" will be in the 2PM time slot. starting Monday. 

"I am thrilled that Roger Ailes has given me the opportunity to host a signature show for Fox that will focus on the REAL stories of the day," Carlson said in the statement.

Which will be different than the FAKE stories that O'Reilly and Hannity drum up.

Come monday at 2 PM, don't look for Gretch to be wearing pants.  

Bill Clinton Talks about CNN's Poor Ratings

Bill Clinton sat down with Piers Morgan and took a few shots at the way CNN now covers news and their sagging ratings.  

That's Not Right....

Some guy on Twitter by the name of @Slick_rick33 sent out this Tweet: 

Not exactly the most politically correct tweet, and certainly a case of stereotyping.

Then KMTV (Omaha) Reporter Emily Szink retweets and adds that "come to Omaha you'll find a nice one at Creighton."

Really? Is she the only Asian in Creighton? Do you think Szink even has a clue that her Tweet was a bit over the line?

Really?!

A number of people sent FTVLive the link to the story about the two Little Rock Weather Anchors that got in a fight in front of the station and were arrested. 

It was obvious the story was not real and was meant to be funny, which it was not. If it was funny, we might have done something with it, but because it was so lame we chose to ignore it. 

We wondered if the people that sent us the link, thought the story was true? Clearly after reading that story, you'd have to be an idiot if you thought that really happened.  

Well, cue the idiots. The radio show The Morning Mash Up on Sirius/XM thought it was a real story and talked about it on the air. Click on the video below to listen:

It was Just Rough Sex

Former NFL Player and ESPN Analyst lost his job after an incident at the NABJ convention in Orlando just over a month ago.

Now the former ESPN host has been arrested.

Hartford Cops busted Douglas after they say he attacked a woman in a downtown hotel.

CBS affiliate WFSB reports the former NFL defensive end grabbed the woman by her neck and “slammed her into the walls several times,” citing court documents.

The NY Daily News reports that Douglas, however, has a different story, and claims the woman’s injuries are the result of rough sex.

The ex-Jet — who also played for the Eagles and Jaguars during a 10-year pro career — is due in Hartford Superior Court Oct. 21 after he was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree strangulation on Tuesday.

Douglas, 42, was fired by ESPN last month following an incident at an Orlando nightclub where he allegedly called his Numbers Never Lie co-host Michael Smith a “house n-----“ and an “Uncle Tom.” According to sources, that one incident wasn’t the sole reason for Douglas’ ouster at the network.

It appears that finding a new job is no longer at the top of his to-do list.

BELO Shareholders Approve Gannett Deal

Despite some BELO shareholders saying that Gannett was not paying enough to buy the BELO stations, they still approved the deal. 

Belo said that its shareholders voted in a special meeting to approve a deal for Gannett to acquire Belo for $13.75 a share - or about $1.5 billion in cash - and assume $715 million of Belo's debt. The deal needed a two-thirds majority of the votes to be approved.

Following the announcement of the vote result, Belo shares fell 0.58% to $13.72 in Wednesday afternoon trading. Shares of Gannett rose 3.9% to $26.76.

Belo issued the following statement: "Television company Belo Corp. held a special meeting of shareholders this morning at which shareholders voted in favor of the proposal to approve and adopt the merger agreement with Gannett Co. Inc. along with two other related proposals. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The company expects the transaction to close by the end of 2013."

Once completed, Gannett's TV station portfolio will jump from 23 to 43. The company, which owns USA TODAY, will become the fourth-largest owner of network TV affiliates in households reached, behind CBS, Fox Broadcasting and Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Some Belo shareholders have sought to solicit higher bids by attempting to block the proposed deal through lawsuits. But the vote on Wednesday ensures that Gannett will not have to compete with any other bids to complete its acquisition.

H/T USA Today

Greta Sends More Love FTVLive's Way

Ok...Hoda and Kathie Lee might better watch out.  

The Today Show hosts have been sitting at the top of FTVLive's favorite list (right behind Robin Meade, everyone is behind Robin), but they are in danger of losing that spot to Greta Van Susteren of Fox News.  

Hoda and Kathie Lee have mentioned FTVLive on the Today Show, but Greta gave us some love twice in one day on The GretaWire.com. 

Greta was kind enough to throw a few dollars our way and purchase a virtual brick on the FTVLive Wall (the most hallowed ground on the Internet). She then blogged about her brick on The GretaWire. 

FTVLive posted the story and sent a shout out to Greta for being so kind. 

She then turned around and blogged about our shot out.  

Greta wrote: "Earlier today I told you about www.FTVlive.com — a website I go too often for the latest news about the TV business (you should, too!)"

She added "Finally, I like to see people succeed and this website is succeeding.  I enjoy seeing people doing really well.   (Also years from now, I want to be able to brag that I was one of the early readers and this will be my proof!)"

Now we're not going to be a typical guy and dump Hoda and Kathie Lee for the new girl. But ladies, you might want to step up your game. Greta is gaining fast. 

Full post on the GretaWire

By the way, a few more bricks have been sold and will be on The Wall Tomorrow. Buy your Brick before it's too late.