J4: Java Joe'sJournal Jive

AT&T Uverse oddities

2012-01-24T14:11:00.003-05:00

Two interesting "corrections" came in this week involving the program guide on AT&T Uverse.
A CPTV spokeswoman wrote:

"It has just come to our attention that the description on electronic programming guides for AT & T Uverse (and perhaps others) has incorrectly listed Coach Geno Auriemma as being with the University of Colorado. Please note the Coach Auriemma, of the Geno Auriemma Show, is the coach for the University of Connecticut."
AND, a WFSB spokeswoman wrote:
WFSB-TV3 airs a Connecticut-content program named “Face The State” (hosted by Dennis House) at 11:00 – 11:30 AM on Sunday mornings. It appears that AT&T U-Verse has confused the WFSB-TV3 program with a program called “Face The State hosted by Chris Ciarlo” that airs on KTVN in Reno, Nevada – and is carrying the description of the Nevada program in the WFSB-TV3 Connecticut listings.

New Fox series has the Kiefer 'Touch'

2012-01-23T13:38:00.007-05:00

Fans of Jack Bauer and "24" should cheer up. Not only is there a movie in the works, but Kiefer Sutherland (who played Bauer) returns to Fox this week in an hour preview of his March series "Touch."
We've seen it, and it's one of the best pilots in years, if you enjoy a little science fiction.
Airing at 9 p.m. Wednesday, "Touch" tells the story of a widower whose autistic son doesn't let anyone touch him, is mute, writes numbers in a notebook and climbs cellphone towers.
But there's a method to the apparent strangeness, and a story evolves encompassing future events, a 9-11 story and a realm of abilities far beyond "Rain Man."
If we had to make our own prediction, we'd say the 13-episode series will not measure up to the hour opener, with story created by Tim Kring, who did "Heroes" (also inventive early in its series life). If "Touch" does measure up, then we're happily wrong. Some of us are way more mathematically challenged than 11-year-old savant Jake (played by David Mazouz). Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays a social worker, and Danny Glover's also involved.
The reality of autism may not jibe with that portrayed in "Touch,"; we're fairly certain of that. But as a piece of fiction with a little bit of action and some very cool twists, "Touch" has it.

Time for some updates on other TV points:

Heather Hegedus has left WFSB-3 and starts Tuesday at WFXT in Boston (Fox) as weekend anchor. Hegedus joined WFSB in 2009 and was doing weekend mornings.

Says Lifetime ladies channel: The world premiere of the Lifetime Original Movie Drew Peterson: Untouchable, starring Rob Lowe and Kaley Cuoco, "generated record viewership, averaging 5.8 million total viewers, making it cable’s most-watched original movie in the demo in two years since Lifetime’s 'The Pregnancy Pact.'"

CNN's coverage of the GOP South Carolina debate drew 5.03 million viewers. Who says the mainstream media doesn't cover the Republican side? Of course, not as much as Fox News, which spends roughly 90 percent of its time on GOP presidential campaign and gang-throwdowns of President Obama. Criticism of the president is fine, as long as there's some balance, of course. So it's lucky for us that Fox News is "fair and balanced."

The special "Tony Bennett: Duets II" will air Friday at 9 p.m. on PBS stations.

WVIT is in the midst of a hiring stretch, adding Malina Basu and others.

Jan Carabeo today will join Hartford Fox-affiliate WTIC-61, according to online reports. She comes from New York state stations and will report on the morning shows.

LINMedia's scholarship program for digital media, broadcast majors

2012-01-11T12:45:00.002-05:00

Lin (WTNH) release on scholarships:

WTNH News 8 & WCTX MyTV9 Invite Students Pursuing Degrees in Broadcast Television or Digital Media to Apply for LIN Media’s Minority Scholarship and Training Program

New Haven, Connecticut, January 10, 2012 – WTNH News 8 & WCTX MyTV9 announced today that their parent company, LIN Media, is now accepting applications for its Minority Scholarship and Training Program and will award one broadcast television scholarship/internship and one digital media scholarship/internship in April 2012.

Each student will receive a two-year scholarship for up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year, which can be used toward tuition, fees, books, and room and board. In addition, each student will obtain hands-on training through a paid internship program at one of LIN Media’s television stations around the country. The Minority Scholarship recipients will be assigned full-time positions upon graduation and successful completion of the training program.

LIN Media has been awarding two-year scholarships to ambitious students interested in a wide spectrum of fields in or relating to broadcast television since 1998. In January 2011, the program was expanded to include a new two-year scholarship and internship for multicultural students pursuing a career in digital media.

Applications will be accepted until March 16, 2012. The application and criteria for LIN Media's Minority Scholarship and Training Program can be accessed via the Company’s web site: http://www.linmedia.com/contact-us/minority-scholarship-program/.

QU at the New Hampshire primary

2012-01-09T12:50:00.005-05:00

From left, Quinnipiac University students Tara McMahon of Prospect, Rebecca Cashman of Higganum, Jameson Cherilus of Bridgeport, Katie Lanzarotto of Quaker Hill, Quinnipiac Political Science Professor Scott McLean of New Haven, Soledad O’Brien, host of “Starting Point” of CNN, and Shawn Doyle of Flemington, N.J.

Don't look now, but it's time for the New Hampshire primary, as the 2012 presidential campaign begins in earnest.
Says CNN, "As the race for the Republican presidential nomination heats up, CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett, Candy Crowley, John King and Soledad O’Brien will headline CNN’s Jan. 10 coverage of the New Hampshire primary election live from the CNN Election Center and the Granite state beginning at 7 p.m. Chief political analyst Gloria Borger, senior political analyst David Gergen, and political contributors James Carville, Ari Fleischer, Dana Loesch and Roland Martin, will offer expert analysis throughout the evening. Piers Morgan will broadcast a special edition of Piers Morgan Tonight at midnight."
But there's a local connection, too, today.
Quinnipiac University students under the guidance of Scott McLean, political science professor, are working the primary as part of a voter outreach project for their advanced-level "Presidential Campaigns" seminar.
The program provides an internship in the campaign of the student's choice, combined with a serious analysis of the history, processes and techniques of grassroots campaigns, according to QU.
The 28 students have been working on the project for several months, and had the occasion to meet Soledad O'Brien of CNN.

Free Showtime Jan. 6-8 on most cable systems

2012-01-05T12:08:00.002-05:00

Here's Comcast release on the free weeknd:

XFINITY TV OFFERS SHOWTIME “FREEVIEW” THIS WEEKEND INCLUDING FREE ACCESS TO POPULAR SERIES CALIFORNICATION, SHAMELESS and HOMELAND AS well as NEW SERIES HOUSE OF LIES

“Freeview” Also Brings Customers Hit Movies Such As The King’s Speech and Showtime Sports including Strikeforce MMA --- All for Free on Xfinity On Demand, XfinityTV.com and through the Xfinity TV App

What: Beginning Friday, January 6 through Sunday, January 8, all Xfinity TV digital customers, including those that do not currently subscribe to Showtime, will get a "freeview" of Showtime content on Xfinity On Demand, XfinityTV.com and through the Xfinity TV app. Customers will have access to Showtime season premieres, series premieres, award-winning original series and hit movies. Highlights include:

· Series premiere of House of Lies, a new series starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, about a group of management consultants, who stop at nothing to get business deals done.

· Season premiere of Californication, a Hollywood based dramedy about a book writer, played by David Duchovny, who is always running into trouble.

· Season premiere of Shameless, a series starring William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum about a wild, unapologetically “shameless” family.

· Popular movies such as The King’s Speech, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Blue Valentine.

· Episodes from TV series like: The Big C, Weeds, Episodes, Dexter and Homeland.

· Showtime Sports including Championship Boxing and Strikeforce MMA.

WHEN: Friday, January 6 through Sunday, January 8.

Comcast's Branford, CT. channel additions

2011-12-05T12:22:00.000-05:00

comcast press release:

COMCAST LAUNCHES 46 ADDITIONAL CHANNELS IN BRANFORD AREA

Company Providing Customers with Access to Over 100 HD Channels and Grouping

All HD Channel Offerings in 4-Digit Channel Position

BRANFORD, CT – (November 30, 2011) – Comcast today announced the addition of 46 new channels and the availability of 2 new sports Pay-Per-View packages in the communities of Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Madison, North Branford, North Haven and Wallingford. This expansion includes 39 high definitions (HD) and seven standard definition networks. This massive launch of programming was made possible by the company’s ongoing digital network enhancement. With today’s launches, customers in these communities now have access to over 100 HD networks, along with more than 6,000 HD On Demand choices a month. Additionally, all of Comcast’s HD channel offerings, including existing HD channels, are now located in a 4-digit channel position to group all HD programming in the same channel range and provide customers with a better viewing experience.

As part of its digital network enhancement in the Branford area, the company is digitizing all of its analog channels in three separate phases. The company already digitized a majority of its analog lineup in two waves on September 20 and October 18, moving a total of 37 channels from the analog to digital lineup and expects to complete the digitization of its analog lineup on November 29. These moves are clearing the way for additional HD programming, more On Demand choices, faster Internet speeds and other interactive digital services. The latest 46 new channels, which come on the heels of 20 new channels that launched in early October, represent the most recent benefits to local customers in these communities.

Branford area customers also have access to a newly-launched Hispanic programming package, called MultiLatino, for $14.95 per month. MultiLatino includes popular channels such as Galavision, ESPN Deportes and Discovery Familia.

“After helping so many customers get their digital equipment in recent weeks, we’re excited to deliver on our promise of offering the ultimate viewing experience,” said Mary McLaughlin, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Western New England Region, which includes Connecticut. “We already offer customers more HD programming than any other provider – more than 6,000 HD choices a month – and we are thrilled to now also provide our Branford area customers with over 100 HD channels.”

The 46 channels recently added to Comcast’s local lineup include:

· Smithsonian (Channel 127)

· Reelz (Channel 159)

· Ovation (Channel 176)

· Jewish Life TV (Channel 296)

· CSN Chicago (Channel 711)

· CSN Bay Area (Channel 714)

· CSN New England (Channel 715)

· CNN Headline News HD (Channel 1107)

· MSNBC HD (Channel 1108)

· The Weather Channel HD (Channel 1111)

· NECN HD (Channel 1130)

· G4 HD (Channel 1222)

· Investigation Discovery HD (Channel 1232)

· H2 HD (Channel 1271)

· Hallmark HD (Channel 1307)

· WE-HD (Channel 1308)

· Home Shopping Network HD (Channel 1312)

· Style HD (Channel 1341)

· Ovation HD (Channel 1345)

· TruTV HD (Channel 1351)

· TV ONE TV (Channel 1360)

· BET HD (Channel 1361)

· CMT HD (Channel 1407)

The 2 Pay-Per-View Options offered:

· MLB Extra Innings (Channels 771-784)

· NHL Center Ice (Channels 771-784)

· FUSE HD (Channel 1420)

· gmc HD (Channel 1435)

· DisneyXD HD (Channel 1516)

· ESPNews HD (Channel 1608)

· Tennis HD (Channel 1612)

· NHL HD (Channel 1711)

· NBA HD (Channel 1770 & 1712)

· ESPNU HD (Channel 1720)

· CBS Sports Network HD (Channel 1721)

· Big Ten Network HD (Channel 1730)

· InDemand Game HD (Channel 1750)

· InDemand Team HD (Channel 1772)

· TCM HD (Channel 1815)

· IFC HD (Channel 1860)

· HBO2 HD (Channel 1912)

· HBO Comedy HD (Channel 1920)

· HBO Zone HD (Channel 1922)

· HBO Latino HD (Channel 1925)

· Action Max HD (Channel 1934)

· Thriller Max HD (Channel 1936)

· WMax HD (Channel 1938)

· 5 Star Max HD (Channel 1941)

· Outer Max HD (Channel 1944)

Regis ending daytime gig

2011-11-17T14:18:00.001-05:00

video platform video management video solutions video player

UConn women on CPTV, in high-def

2011-10-13T10:51:00.002-04:00

FROM CPTV:

HARTFORD, Conn. (October 13, 2011) – Now in its 18^th season of coverage, CPTV’s broadcasts (as of press time) include 18 games (including 14 home games and 4 away games) and 12 coach’s shows, The Geno Auriemma Show. More games may be added to CPTV’s broadcast schedule in the coming weeks. And for the first time, every CPTV-produced game will be broadcast in high-definition (HD).

CPTV’s UConn broadcasts are made possible by Founding Sponsors: Big Y World Class Market and Yankee Gas, as well as Signature Sponsors: Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, New York Life Insurance Company and People’s United Bank.

This season’s coverage of the Huskies kicks off in CPTV’s traditional way on Tuesday, November 1 with You Make the Call, a live call-in edition of The Geno Auriemma Show. On February 11, CPTV will premiere The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition, an on-location edition of the coach’s show featuring special guests and an audience full of enthusiastic Husky fans. The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition is sponsored by J.H. Cohn. And on Senior Night February 18 at Gampel Pavilion, CPTV will once again commemorate the contributions of the team’s graduating player with a line-up of original programming, including A Tribute to the Class of 2012 and coverage of the Senior Ceremony at center court.

CPTV’s stalwart broadcast duo of Bob Picozzi and Meghan Culmo return to courtside to provide play-by-play and color commentary respectively.

As in years past, the Huskies’ season will be covered online by Hoop Streams, CPTV’s live and on-demand source for CPTV-produced UConn games, The Geno Auriemma Show, and archived games. This year, the public television network made substantial investments in Hoop Streams by improving the quality and reliability of the service and enhancing the infrastructure and playback capabilities, providing clearer video and handling increased traffic demands. Hoop Streams is sponsored exclusively by New York Life Insurance Company. For more information, visit CPTV.org, keywords: Hoop Streams.

After a historic season that included a record-breaking 90-game winning streak, the Big East regular season title and tournament championship, a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis and the graduation of All-American Maya Moore, the Huskies return this season to a challenging schedule of games in what some might call a “rebuilding year.” However, Coach Auriemma has an exceptionally talented base to build upon, including the return of junior (red-shirt) guard Caroline Doty, senior guard Tiffany Hayes, and sophomore stand-outs Stefanie Dolson and Bria Hartley. The Huskies’ new freshmen class is also an impressive trio of celebrated young players: Brianna Banks, Kiah Stokes and the consensus high school player of the year Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.

CPTV’s UConn Broadcast Schedule for 2011-2012 (Subject to Change)

Tuesday, November 1 at 8 p.m. The Geno Auriemma Show: You Make the Call (live)

Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m. Holy Cross (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 1 p.m.)

Tuesday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m. Pacific (Gampel)

Friday, November 25 at 7:30 p.m. 2011 World Vision Classic – UConn vs. Fairleigh Dickinson (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6:30 p.m.)

Saturday, November 26 at 7:30 p.m. 2011 World Vision Classic – UConn vs. Buffalo (Gampel)

Sunday, November 27 at 4:30 p.m. 2011 World Vision Classic – UConn vs. Dayton

(Gampel)

Wednesday, November 30 at 7 p.m. Towson (XL Center)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6 p.m.)

Wednesday, December 21 at 7 p.m. at College of Charleston

Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Fairfield (Gampel Pavilion)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, January 4 at 7 p.m. West Virginia (XL Center)

Tuesday, January 10 at 7 p.m. Providence (XL Center)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6 p.m.)

Thursday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. Cincinnati (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6:30 p.m.)

Saturday, January 21 at 8 p.m. at DePaul

Saturday, January 28 at 1 p.m. University of S. Florida (XL Center)

Saturday, February 4 at 7 p.m. Rutgers (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 6 p.m.)

Saturday, February 11 at 4 p.m. Georgetown (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition precedes the game at 3 p.m.)

Saturday, February 18 at 7 p.m. St. John’s – SENIOR NIGHT (Gampel)

(The Geno Auriemma Show: Special Edition precedes the game at 3:30 p.m., The Geno Auriemma Show at 5 p.m., followed by The Tribute to the Class of 2012 at 6 p.m.)

Tuesday, February 21 at 7 p.m. at Pittsburgh

Saturday, February 25 at 5 p.m. at Marquette

(The Geno Auriemma Show precedes the game at 4 p.m.)

CPTV is the TV Broadcast Home of UConn Women’s Basketball and has been broadcasting the team’s games since 1994. With some of the consistently highest ratings and strongest

membership levels of any program on public television over the past 17 years, UConn Women’s Basketball on CPTV is considered by many to be the most successful local franchise in public television history.

Myra J. Sheldon's story brings fond reactions

2011-10-03T17:11:00.003-04:00

Former students were calling and emailing Monday after my column on Myra Jacobs Sheldon turning 100 this weekend. You can read the story and see the video here.
One woman called from Maine and said she was thrilled to read about her old kindergarten teacher in Milford.
And this comes from Karen Zaneski-Nettleton, class of 1968 of Pumpkin Delight School:

Read with great interest your article on Mrs. (Myra) Sheldon. I was a
student at Pumpkin Delight Grammar School (Try spelling that as a
cheerleader!) during the 1960s. Although I wasn't in Mrs. Sheldon's
kindergarten class, I was privileged to be selected as the upperclassman
(6th-8th grades) to watch her class during her lunch break. I ran into
her about 5yrs. ago in Stop & Shop--she was still doing her own
shopping. I introduced myself, although how much could I have changed
in 45 years! She remembered me, and we had an enjoyable conversation
reminiscing about PDS.

EVERYONE at Pumpkin Delight knew and loved Mrs. Sheldon. I don't think
I ever heard her raise her voice, yet she had total control of any
students in her charge. She freely gave out hugs, and seemed to always
know when one was needed. She challenged her students, but would
correct with gentleness and always give praise.

Oh, and she had what I thought was the most beautiful piano in her
classroom, and if I stopped in after school, she would always let me
play one of my made-up songs, which I'm sure must have sounded like
nails on a chalkboard! We would all marvel at how she played so well,
sang at the same time, never without smiling. Actually, she was my
inspiration to begin piano lessons in my 50s.

I was amazed to read about her background. Can't imagine how difficult
her life was back then. It's good to know that life has been good to
her in her later years, and when it wasn't, she had the positive
attitude to move forward.

So glad you wrote this feature about Mrs. Sheldon---I will certain seek
out her book!

Hugh Laurie's New Orleans blues album: Not bad for a pale British guy

2011-09-26T16:17:00.005-04:00

Hugh Laurie returns as the cranky, flawed, brilliant doctor in "House" on Monday (Oct. 3), but he had a pretty exciting premiere in September with the release of his debut album "Let Them Talk," a New Orleans blues compilation that's worth a listen or even purchase. (Warner Bros. Records, $18.98 or $11.99 digital).
The Englishman, who plays a gimpy, atheist American doctor on the long-running Fox drama, channels his inner N'Awlins blues man in this surprisingly lush assortment of tunes. He's aided by some top musicians and guest vocals by Dr. John on "After You've Gone" and Irma Thomas and Sir Tom Jones on "Baby Please Make a Change" and "John Henry."
Best for me in this 15-tune CD are "St. James Infirmary," "You Don't Know My Mind," "Buddy Bolden's Blues" and "Winin' Boy Blues," but the rest are catchy, too.
Laurie, who occasionally plays the piano on "House" for short stretches, does some nice keyboard work here, and his vocals range from a bit tinny/hard to appropriately well-worn (with some spoken dialogue even in "Buddy Bolden's Blues").
In a release, the talented Brit notes that he was not born in Alabama in the 1890s, has never eaten grits, cropped a share or ridden a boxcar... "Let this record show that I am a white, middle-class Englishman, openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American South."
But he's an Englishman with the most awesome marketing power in history behind him -- weekly American primetime television.

Recent jokes by Jimmy Fallon

2011-09-21T11:42:00.002-04:00

“You guys, yesterday was National Grandparents Day. Or as most people call it, (YELL) ‘NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS DAY!!!’

“Hey, this week, Microsoft is expected to unveil the new Windows 8 operating system. Yeah, in a statement, Microsoft said (FREEZE, HOURGLASS, BLUE SCREEN WITH CODE ON IT.)”

“This is interesting. A new study found that a mother’s diet affects her baby’s allergies. Which can only mean one thing: my mom ate cats.”

“I just saw this. Brand new episodes of ‘America’s Most Wanted’ will now air on Lifetime. Yeah, every time the host says ‘Officials are looking for a man,’ viewers are like (LADY) ‘Aren't we all.’”

“And finally, a new study found that in the last 30 years, the average home size has increased by 600 square feet. Which is fitting, since in the last 30 years, the average person size has increased by 600 square feet.”

“Hey, here’s some big health news. The Department of Agriculture announced that it will ban six new strains of E. coli. Which explains why the hot dog vendor outside my building is now just selling napkins.”

“This isn’t good, you guys. A McDonald’s employee in Minnesota was arrested for stealing the credit card numbers of drive-thru customers. Or as the customers put it, ‘I’m eating at a McDonald’s, and don’t have cash to pay for it. You wanna steal my identity? Be my guest, idiot.’”

“That’s right, Republican Bob Turner won the special election to replace Anthony Weiner. Man, that guy’s got some big briefs to fill.”

“This isn’t good. A week after releasing him into the wild, scientists have lost track of a penguin named Happy Feet. Of course, polar bears know the penguin by his new name: Tasty Feet.”

“Check this out. This week, Michele Bachmann and Cindy McCain had dinner together at a Mexican restaurant in Arizona. It wasn’t good—first they sent their entree back to the kitchen, then they sent the kitchen staff back to Guadalajara.”

“Did you guys hear about this? A former Toys R Us executive was arrested for stealing millions from the company to pay for prostitutes. Yeah, he especially loved that one prostitute, ‘Tickle Me Candace.’”

“Did anyone see this? A new study found that airline delays actually decreased this summer. The study was conducted by not asking you, or me, or anyone who flew this summer.”

“Hey, I read that Tyler Perry was named the highest paid man in the entertainment industry, after making 130 million dollars in the last year. He plans on sharing the money with his family – most of whom are played by Tyler Perry.”

“Listen to this. A woman in Tennessee was arrested for stealing art from an Arby’s restaurant. I don’t know what’s more shocking—that she stole art from an Arby’s, or that she wanted art from an Arby’s, or that there was art at an Arby’s.”

“That’s right, she was arrested for stealing art from an Arby’s. It’s too bad, because that photo of a roast beef sandwich would’ve looked great above her fireplace.”

“Get this. Nurses in the UK are being banned from wearing Crocs because sharp objects could fall through the holes. As opposed to the other big risk when you wear Crocs: people seeing you in Crocs.”

“Check this out. Engineers in Japan have entered a robot to compete in an Ironman Triathlon next month. Big deal – the other night on CNN, I watched eight robots compete for president.”

Charlie Sheen's gone and the ratings couldn't be better

2011-09-20T12:27:00.003-04:00

Ashton Kutcher's addition to the CBS sitcom "Two and a Half Men" scored a huge 28 rating Monday night during the first real night of fall premiere week. Now the secret's out: It's Jon Cryer who's the draw here. We like Cryer, a modern-day Tony Randall. Other numbers: tuneful "Sing-Off" did a 5-change rating, "Two Broke Girls" benefited from the 'Men' tune-in with a 19 rating and the mediocre "Playboy Club" did a 5 rating.

Peter Dinklage wins as supporting actor in "Game of Thrones"

2011-09-18T23:40:00.001-04:00

A better use of red: Kate Winslet wins for 'Mildred Pierce'

2011-09-18T23:37:00.001-04:00

Well, part of the outfit works anyway.

2011-09-18T21:52:00.002-04:00

Alan Cummings of "The Good Wife" with his red-Oriental-silk-whu-huh pants.

Interim Emmy: McCarthy wins for 'Mike & Molly'; Jim Parsons too

2011-09-18T21:40:00.002-04:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Melissa McCarthy of “Mike & Molly” was honored Sunday as best lead actress in a comedy series with an Emmy and a glitzy prom queen’s crown, while Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory” earned his second trophy in the best actor category.
“Holy smokes. Wow, it’s my first and best pageant ever,” said a beaming McCarthy. “I’m from Plainfield, Ill., and I’m standing here and it’s kind of amazing.”
Moments earlier, she and her fellow nominees had broken with tradition by jumping up on stage as their names were called, led by Amy Poehler of “Parks and Recreation.”
They earned a standing ovation from many in the audience, which seemed fitting in a year in which TV shows and movies are giving women edgier leading roles. Among them is the box-office hit “Bridesmaids,” which featured McCarthy.
Parsons looked genuinely surprised at his victory. “This is so odd for so many reasons. I was assured by many people in my life that this wasn’t happening,” he said.

Early Emmy story, including big Alec Baldwin controversy over News Corp.

2011-09-18T20:59:00.003-04:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Modern Family” won the first four Emmy Awards on Sunday, capturing best supporting comedy actress, best supporting comedy actor, best writing for a comedy and best direction for a comedy series.
Julie Bowen was named best supporting actress in a comedy series and Ty Burrell, who plays her husband on the show, won as best actor in the category. Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory” won as best lead actor in a comedy.
The awards began on a controversial note when it was revealed that a taped comedy routine by Alec Baldwin for the show was cut from the telecast because it contained a joke about the News Corp. phone hacking scandal.
The actor was to be part of an opening video for Sunday night’s ceremony airing on Fox, a News Corp.-owned network. But he tweeted before the awards that the network had killed his joke about the hacking scandal in Britain involving the now-closed News of the World tabloid.
Fox said it believed the joke was inappropriate to make light of an issue being taken very seriously by the company.

Emmy Arrivals: local ties

2011-09-18T20:45:00.001-04:00

Christine Baranski of Bethlehem, Conn., arrives at the Emmys. She stars in top drama "The Good Wife."

Jon Hamm and longtime girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt (from Guilford, Conn.) arrive at Sunday's Emmy Awards.

upcoming on-demand movies

2011-09-16T15:09:00.000-04:00

Bridesmaids/Universal – 9/20/11

Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon/DreamWorks – 9/30/11

Fast Five/Universal – 10/4/11

Horrible Bosses/Warner Bros. – 10/11/11

Tree of Life/FOX – 10/11/11

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer/Relativity – 10/11/11

Green Lantern/Warner Bros. – 10/14/11

Bad Teacher/Sony – 10/18/11

Monte Carlo/Fox/10/18/11

A Better Life/Summit/10/18/11

Beginners/Universal/11/1/11

One Day/Universal/11/29/11

Amusing Jimmy Fallon jokes for aug-sept

2011-09-08T11:29:00.002-04:00

“It’s estimated that Hurricane Irene caused seven billion dollars in damages. Mainly to the bodies of people who ate a week's worth of food supplies in one night.”

“This is pretty cool. Last night at the VMA’s, Beyonce revealed that she and Jay-Z are expecting a baby. That kid is gonna have everything! Except a last name.”

“Get this. In a recent interview, Dick Cheney said that his new memoir will have quote ‘heads exploding’ in D.C. Yeah, especially if you read it while you’re on a hunting trip with Dick Cheney.”

“How are you guys feeling tonight? Welcome to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Hey, did you see this? Last week, President Obama’s uncle, Onyango Obama, was arrested for drunk driving in Massachusetts. You could tell he was an Obama cuz he was going left, then right, and by the end, you couldn’t tell WHAT direction he was headed.”

“Hey, I heard that 7-Eleven is now selling potato chips that taste like hot dogs. Seriously? I’m still waiting for 7-Eleven to sell hot dogs that taste like hot dogs.”

“Check this out. A new study found that women gain more weight after marriage, but men gain more weight after a divorce. Yeah, the divorce usually takes place after men point out that women gained more weight after marriage.”

“That’s right, after couples get divorced, men gain the most weight. While women gain the most stuff.”

“Oh man, travel in New York is still crazy because of the hurricane. In fact, American Airlines lost a woman's cat at JFK, and the airline put out food and water to try and lure it back. Man, that's unbelievable - not that a cat was lost, that an airline is actually offering food and water.”

“Some celebrity news. In an interview with GQ, Simon Cowell revealed that he wants to be cryogenically frozen when he dies. And from the looks of it, his nipples are off to a head start.”

“Listen to this. Researchers found that your first decision is usually the right one. And then they were like, ‘actually, scratch that. The second decision – that’s the right one.’”

“Some movie news. Box office revenues went up this summer, even though ticket sales were down. I was so confused when I heard that, I almost spilled my thirty-dollar bucket of popcorn.”

“This is just crazy. A man in Tennessee was arrested for stuffing a raccoon in his car, driving to a NASCAR track, and going streaking – or as rednecks call that, ‘the trifecta.’”

“That’s right, they found a raccoon in a man’s car after they busted him for streaking at a NASCAR track. I’m just gonna go out on a limb here…mullet?”

“Did you guys hear about this? Chick-fil-A is offering free breakfast for an entire week. Although if you eat breakfast at Chick-fil-A for a whole week, trust me…you’re gonna pay a price.”

“This is crazy. Denny’s is offering a new sandwich called ‘The Mac ‘n Cheese Big Daddy Patty.’ It’s a burger melt stuffed with macaroni and cheese. I know what you’re thinking – no bacon???”

“That’s right, Denny’s is selling a mac ‘n cheese patty melt that has 1700 calories. Which explains the new Denny’s jingle: (TWO BEEPS, THEN FLATLINE)”

“Some TV news. Jaleel White, who played Urkel on Family Matters, will guest star on the season premiere of ‘House.’ It’s gonna be weird when some patient dies of a bacterial infection and he’s like, (URKEL) ‘Did I do that?’”

“Check this out. President Obama has declared that September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. And if you’re looking for a way to celebrate – I recommend the ‘Mac ‘n Cheese Big Daddy Patty’ from Denny’s.”

“Did you see this? Disney just opened its first resort in Hawaii. It's a weird place - instead of hanging with Winnie the Pooh, Piglet just hangs on a roasting spit.”

“I was just reading about this. A man in Illinois was arrested for not paying his cab fare after he left his ID and a bong in the back seat. But other than that, it was the perfect crime.”

"Hey, a lot of people have been talking about this. Apparently, Mitt Romney is planning to build a huge addition onto his beach house in California. And here’s the cool part—they’re using the same wood that they used to build Mitt Romney.”

”And finally, a company in Wisconsin is selling a Kim Kardashian Halloween costume with a wig, eyelashes, and a foam butt. Professional athlete sold separately.”

Lauren Ambrose in the Starz series "Torchwood: Miracle Day"

2011-08-30T12:02:00.004-04:00

Lauren Ambrose of New Haven appears in the Starz channel series "Torchwood: Miracle Day," shown here in episode 9 called "The Gathering." Sept. 2, 10 p.m.)

AT&T hiring U-verse techs; The release:

2011-08-23T15:18:00.001-04:00

AT&T Hiring U-verse Technicians in Connecticut to Help Support Fastest Growing TV Service in U.S.

Governor Malloy Joins AT&T in Announcing Additional Hires, Network Investments; U-verse Now Available to More Than Half of Living Units in Connecticut

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- AT&T* today announced its plans to hire over 80 technicians across the state to support its AT&T U-verse® business, the fastest growing advanced television service in the country. Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy joined AT&T at an event today where AT&T outlined its hiring plans and underscored its commitment to expanding its mobile broadband network in Connecticut.

AT&T also announced that AT&T U-verse® services (including AT&T U-verse TV, AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet and and/or AT&T U-verse Voice) are now available to more than half of the living units in Connecticut.

"I commend AT&T for continuing to grow jobs here in Connecticut," said Governor Malloy. "These are 21st century technical jobs that provide competitive wages and benefits that are among the best in the telecommunications industry."

The announcement was made at AT&T's Connecticut corporate offices in New Haven. Governor Malloy was joined at today's event by AT&T New England Vice President And General Manager Steve Krom and AT&T Connecticut President Rodney Smith.

"We are expanding the availability of our award-recognized AT&T U-verse services and signing up new customers every day, and we have to hire more U-verse technicians to keep up with the growing demand," said Steve Krom, vice president and general manager for AT&T New England. "We're proud to serve so many local communities in Connecticut with our advanced U-verse services and proud of the quality jobs our U-verse investment has created."

From 2008 through 2010, AT&T has invested more than $750 million in its Connecticut wireline and wireless networks.

In addition to adding new jobs and expanding AT&T U-verse to more living units across the state, AT&T also plans to add new and upgrade existing cell sites across Connecticut as part of its 2011 initiative to deliver the nation's most-advanced mobile broadband experience. Already this year, AT&T has expanded its mobile broadband network capacity in Litchfield County and eastern Connecticut, and activated new mobile broadband coverage in Waterford that will enhance the wireless experience for back-to-school shoppers and retailers at the Crystal Mall. The new mobile broadband coverage was added to the Distributed Antenna System (DAS), or in-building wireless system, at the Crystal Mall to help serve wireless customers throughout the facility, which is owned by Simon Property Group.

AT&T has enhanced wireless network capacity in more than 135 Connecticut communities this year.

"A more advanced mobile broadband experience helps to drive economic growth, stimulate jobs and equips Connecticut businesses to meet the rapidly increasing demand for mobile broadband service," said Rodney Smith, AT&T's Connecticut state president. "We've significantly ramped up our wireless investments to enable an experience that offers Connecticut consumers better speed, better reliability and better availability."

"Our recently announced agreement to acquire T-Mobile USA also represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand our network in Connecticut," added Steve Krom. "If approved, this deal means that we'll be able to expand the next generation of mobile broadband - 4G LTE - from our current plan of 80 percent of the U.S. population to more than 97 percent."

AT&T is one of the largest employers in America and the nation's largest private employer of full-time union employees. With highly competitive wages and benefits, AT&T jobs are among the best in the U.S. AT&T premises technicians are responsible for service installation and customer care, working both inside customer homes and outside on AT&T's advanced network. About 120 new AT&T U-verse® technicians hired earlier this year in Connecticut are currently completing their job training.

Random video for today

2011-08-22T12:07:00.002-04:00

In honor of a certain daughter who is studying neuroscience, I give you an old toon. But not the same old toon:

New channels in Seymour, CT on Comcast

2011-08-16T14:41:00.000-04:00

from comcast PR:

COMCAST LAUNCHES 40 ADDITIONAL CHANNELS IN SEYMOUR AREA

Company Providing Customers with Access to Over 100 HD Channels and Grouping

All HD Channel Offerings in 4-Digit Channel Position

SEYMOUR, CT – (August 9, 2011) – Comcast today announced the addition of 40 new channels to its lineup in the Seymour area, including 37 high definition (HD) and three standard definition networks. This massive launch of programming was made possible by the company’s ongoing digital network enhancement. With today’s launches, customers in these communities now have access to over 100 HD networks, along with more than 6,000 HD On Demand choices a month. Additionally, all of Comcast’s HD channel offerings, including existing HD channels, are now located in a 4-digit channel position to group all HD programming in the same channel range and provide customers with a better viewing experience.

The seven Seymour area communities benefitting from this digital network enhancement include Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Naugatuck, Oxford and Seymour. As part of its digital network enhancement, the company is digitizing all of its analog channels in three separate phases in these communities. The company already digitized a majority of its analog lineup in two waves on June 15 and July 12, moving a total of 38 channels from the analog to digital lineup and expects to complete the digitization of its analog lineup on August 16. These moves are clearing the way for additional HD programming, more On Demand choices, faster Internet speeds and other interactive digital services. The latest 40 new channels, which come on the heels of 24 new channels that launched in late June, represent the most recent benefits to local customers in these communities.

Seymour area customers also have access to a newly-launched Hispanic programming package, called MultiLatino, for $14.95 per month. MultiLatino includes popular channels such as Galavision, ESPN Deportes and Discovery Familia.

“After helping so many customers get their digital equipment in recent weeks, we’re excited to deliver on our promise of offering the ultimate viewing experience,” said Mary McLaughlin, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Western New England Region, which includes Connecticut. “We already offer customers more HD programming than any other provider – more than 6,000 HD choices a month – and we are thrilled to now also provide our Seymour area customers with over 100 HD channels.”

The 40 channels recently added to Comcast’s local lineup include:

· Smithsonian (Channel 146)

· Jewish Life TV (Channel 152)

· Reelz (Channel 234)

· CNN Headline News HD (Channel 1107)

· The Weather Channel HD (Channel 1111)

· NECN HD (Channel 1130)

· Comedy Central HD (Channel 1221)

· G4 HD (Channel 1222)

· Investigation Discovery HD (Channel 1232)

· History International HD (Channel 1271)

· WE-HD (Channel 1308)

· Style HD (Channel 1341)

· Ovation HD (Channel 1345)

· TruTV HD (Channel 1351)

· TV ONE TV (Channel 1360)

· BET HD (Channel 1361)

· MTV HD (Channel 1405)

· VH1 HD (Channel 1406)

· CMT HD (Channel 1407

· FUSE HD (Channel 1420)

· GMC HD (Channel 1435)

· DisneyXD HD (Channel 1516)

· ESPNews HD (Channel 1608)

· Tennis HD (Channel 1612)

· NHL HD (Channel 1711)

· NBA HD (Channel 1770 & 1712)

· ESPNU HD (Channel 1720)

· CBS Sports Network HD (Channel 1721)

· Big Ten Network HD (Channel 1730)

· TCM HD (Channel 1815)

· IFC HD (Channel 1860)

· HBO2 HD (Channel 1912)

· HBO Comedy HD (Channel 1920)

· HBO Zone HD (Channel 1922)

· HBO Latino HD (Channel 1925)

· Action Max HD (Channel 1934)

· Thriller Max HD (Channel 1936)

· WMax HD (Channel 1938)

· 5 Star Max HD (Channel 1941)

· Outer Max HD (Channel 1944)

Additionally, with the company’s ongoing massive expansion of HD programming, Comcast is now utilizing 4-digit display channels for these newly launched networks to group all HD programming in the same channel range and provide customers with a better viewing experience.

As a result, customers will have three ways to get to the channel they want to view, including:

1) Selecting the channel they desire and then pressing “ENTER/OK” on the remote (i.e. to tune to Channel 115, a customer would push 1-1-5-ENTER/OK); or

2) Enter “0” prior to the desired channel (i.e. press 0-1-1-5); or

1) Enter the desired channel and wait 1 - 1 ½ seconds to be auto-tuned to that channel

J&J Show, with guest from The Space

2011-08-02T21:38:00.001-04:00

Latest Joe & Jordan Show (Lowlights this week)

2011-07-27T15:46:00.000-04:00

Dallas having 25th day this year of 100-degree heat

2011-07-26T09:41:00.003-04:00

Which is another reason for me to avoid Texas. But remember January in the Northeast? It was painful, too. I recall it went something like this (I rub my chin)... :

McIlroy on Tues july 26 "Feherty" on Golf Channel

2011-07-25T16:27:00.000-04:00

Joe & Jordan Show (Picks for a late July week)

2011-07-20T11:50:00.001-04:00

New version of "Legends" show at Foxwoods

2011-07-08T23:16:00.009-04:00

Photos by Bob Hocking/Foxwoods

Spirited, colorful and suitably garish, "Legends in Concert" is back for a new season at Foxwoods Resort Casino, with seven performances of the Las Vegas-style show slated weekly through Labor Day.
The current batch of performers is led by 21-year-old Tyler Hunter of Lincoln, Neb., who does a serviceable young Elvis Presley.
In a pre-show chat, Hunter said he wasn't trained as a performer and didn't aspire to be one as a young teen until he began doing an Elvis impersonation with a Halloween costume at garage sales and nursing homes to raise money for charity. Six years later, after coming in second at an "Ultimate Elvis" contest and working small theaters in Nebraska, he's opening and closing a franchise show that has drawn 200,000 fans to Foxwoods in the past two years (not to mention other venues such as Las Vegas, Branson and Myrtle Beach).
The one downer in the five-performer, $30 ticket show is Britney Spears, and that's not necessarily the fault of Katie Murdock, who at least looks like the pop singer. It's Britney's music: It's horrible, not very catchy for nonfans and evidence that the real Spears shouldn't be considered a "legend" of anything but getting publicity and exploiting her sexuality.
Veteran Kelly Smith scores a solid Cher, which makes sense; she told us she's been impersonating her in private since she was a little girl and in public revues for several years. Smith said she lives near one of the other "Legends" venues, Branson, Mo.
Daryl Wagner has been doing Liberace for 25 years and has toured all over the country and Canada with "Legends." In the show, he dons an outrageous cloak and costume, flies in (literally), makes gay-themed jokes and then puts his classical piano training to use in a blistering and entertaining short set of Liberace favorites. He told us he was originally in Chicago musical theater.
The current show, which gives way to a mixed-bag but also quite promising edition in August with Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Donna Summer, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles, is capped by a riveting performance by Damian Brantley as Michael Jackson.
I've never been a Michael Jackson fan, but Brantley's amazing set of top hits, moonwalking including, is worth the price of admission itself.
As usual, the show brings with it some fine dancers and musicians to dole out a compact (a little over an hour) but top-notch show. When they're careful about the "Legends" tag, that is.

NBC's fall premieres

2011-07-06T14:21:00.002-04:00

From NBC PR:

NBC ANNOUNCES SERIES PREMIERE DATES FOR FALL 2011 SCHEDULE

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – July 6, 2011 – NBC announced today the premieres of its new Fall 2011 primetime schedule beginning Tuesday, September 13 with new episodes of “Parenthood” -- following the final performance episode of “America’s Got Talent” -- and continuing the week of September 19 with the Monday debuts of “The Sing-Off” and new drama “The Playboy Club” on that date

On Wednesday, September 14, the new comedies “Up All Night” (10-10:30 p.m. ET) and “Free Agents” (10:30-11 p.m. ET) will debut out of their respective time periods following the season finale of “America’s Got Talent.” Both series also will premiere in their regular time periods with their second original episodes on Wednesday, September 21 (8-8:30 p.m. ET and 8:30-9 p.m. ET, respectively).

The debuts also include the network’s other highly anticipated new series -- “Prime Suspect,” “Whitney” and “Grimm” -- that will continue through October 21 when NBC rolls out its Friday-night lineup that includes “Grimm” (9-10 p.m. ET).

In addition, the start of the regular season of “Sunday Night Football” will debut on Thursday, September 8 and resume on its regular night on Sunday, September 11 (8-11:30 p.m. ET). “Football Night in America” premieres during the regular season on Sunday, September 11 (7-8 p.m. ET).

Following are the premiere dates for NBC’s Fall 2011 primetime schedule (all times ET; new shows are in upper case):

Thursday, September 8

8-8:30 p.m. “NFL Kickoff Special 2011” (regular season)

8:30-11 p.m. “Sunday Night Football” (regular season)

Sunday, September 11

7-8 p.m. “Football Night in America” (regular season)

8-11:30 p.m. “Sunday Night Football”

Tuesday, September 13

10-11 p.m. “Parenthood”

Wednesday, September 14

8-10 p.m. “America’s Got Talent” (season finale)

10-10:30 p.m. “UP ALL NIGHT”

10:30-11 p.m. “FREE AGENTS”

Monday, September 19

8-10 p.m. “The Sing-Off”

10-11 p.m. “THE PLAYBOY CLUB”

Tuesday, September 20

8-10 p.m. “The Biggest Loser”

Wednesday, September 21

8-8:30 p.m. “UP ALL NIGHT” (regular time period debut with original episode)

8:30-9 p.m. “FREE AGENTS” (regular time period debut with original episode)

9-10 p.m. “Harry’s Law”

10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

Thursday, September 22

8-8:30 p.m. “Community

8:30-9 p.m. “Parks and Recreation”

9-9:30 p.m. “The Office”

9:30-10 p.m. “WHITNEY”

10-11 p.m. “PRIME SUSPECT”

Friday, September 23

9-11 p.m. “Dateline NBC”

Friday, October 21

8-9 p.m. “Chuck”

9-10 p.m. “GRIMM”

10-11 p.m. “Dateline NBC”

Saturday, September 24

8-9 p.m. “Harry’s Law” (Repeat)

9-10 p.m. “Prime Suspect” (Repeat)

10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (Repeat)

Coming Sunday on NGC: Disaster footage

2011-07-05T13:36:00.002-04:00

Comcast Seymour (CT) channel additions

2011-07-05T11:31:00.000-04:00

from comcast pr:
COMCAST LAUNCHES 24 CHANNELS, ANNOUNCES MORE COMING SOON

Digital Network Enhancement Yields More Channels, Including 22 HD Networks

and Two 3D Channels

SEYMOUR, CT– (June 28, 2011) – Comcast today announced the addition of 24 new channels to its lineup, including 22 new HD networks and two 3D channels in the Seymour area, the first wave of expansion made possible by the company’s ongoing digital network enhancement.

As part of Comcast’s digital network enhancement, the company is digitizing all of its analog channels in three separate phases in Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Naugatuck, Oxford and Seymour to clear the way for additional HD and On Demand programming, faster Internet speeds and other interactive digital benefits. A similar digital upgrade has taken place or is currently occurring in other Connecticut communities as well as in towns across New England and the nation.

To make it convenient for customers to benefit from this network enhancement, the company is providing up to three digital adapters for analog Basic customers and current analog Standard Cable customers are eligible to receive one digital cable box and two digital adapters at no extra cost. The company is also providing up to two digital adapters for current digital cable customers. With digital equipment now installed in the vast majority of Comcast customers’ homes in these communities, the company recently began digitizing a portion of its analog channel lineup to increase the capacity of its network and the amount of programming received by its customers. The first wave of 13 analog channels were digitized in mid June, with 25 more analog channels slated to go digital in mid July. Comcast expects to complete the digitization of the remainder of its Basic and Expanded Basic analog lineup in these communities in mid August.

Customers who have not yet obtained their digital equipment can order it online at www.comcast.com/digitalnow, call the company at (877) 634-4434 or stop by Comcast’s local service centers in Seymour (80 Great Hill Road) or Waterbury (695 Huntington Ave.). If customers go online or call Comcast, they can choose to have the digital equipment shipped to them at no additional cost so that they can install it themselves on their own schedule.

“After helping so many customers get their digital equipment in recent weeks, we’re very excited to be launching 24 new channels in the Seymour area,” said Mary McLaughlin, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Western New England Region, which includes Connecticut. “We already offer our HD customers more HD programming than any other provider – more than 6,000 HD choices a month – and we are thrilled to be adding more HD channels in these seven communities as part of our commitment to deliver the best customer experience in our industry. We aren’t done yet, though – soon our Seymour area customers will be enjoying more than 100 HD channels, thanks to this investment in our local network.”

The 24 channels recently added to Comcast’s local lineup include:

· Fox News HD (Channel 1105)

· MSNBC HD (Channel 1108)

· CNBC HD (Channel 1115)

· Fox Business HD (Channel 1117)

· fX HD (Channel 1207)

· Spike HD (Channel 1209)

· Travel Channel HD (Channel 1285)

· Planet Green HD (Channel 1292)

· Lifetime HD (Channel 1305)

· Hallmark HD (Channel 1307)

· QVC HD (Channel 1311)

· Home Shopping Network HD (Channel 1312)

· Biography HD (Channel 1331)

· Bravo HD (Channel 1332)

· E! HD (Channel 1340)

· Nickelodeon HD (Channel 1521)

· Cartoon Network HD (Channel 1525)

· ESPN 3D (Channel 1603)

· Xfinity 3D (Channel 1703)

· NFL RedZone HD (Channel 1706)

· MLB Network HD (Channel 1714)

· Lifetime Movie Network HD (Channel 1820)

· Hallmark Movie Channel HD (Channel 1821)

· Encore HD (Channel 1830)

As a result, customers will have three ways to get to the channel they want to view, including:

1) Selecting the channel they desire and then pressing “ENTER/OK” on the remote (i.e. to tune to Channel 115, a customer would push 1-1-5-ENTER/OK); or

2) Enter “0” prior to the desired channel (i.e. press 0-1-1-5); or

3) Enter the desired channel and wait 1 - 1 ½ seconds to be auto-tuned to that channel

Beginning this week, all of Comcast’s HD channel offerings, including existing HD channels, are now located in a 4-digit channel position. Comcast notified customers of this change.

Once the digital upgrade is complete, Basic customers with digital equipment will have an enhanced viewing experience with better picture and sound quality, along with access to 20 additional digital channels. Similarly, Comcast’s Standard Cable customers with their free digital set-top box will receive superior digital picture and sound quality, in addition to services like On Demand and the interactive program guide. Once channels are digitized, Comcast will be able to launch a significant amount of new programming, including a massive expansion of its current high-definition lineup and a boost of its On Demand library, which already offers up to 25,000 programs at any time, the vast majority of them for no additional charge.

This digital network enhancement paves the way for the roll-out of Xfinity, the new brand for Comcast’s technology platform and products – Xfinity TV, Xfinity Voice and Xfinity Internet. The Xfinity network and product capabilities deliver increased Internet speeds, more On Demand and HD choices as well as converged services like 150,000 choices of “anytime, anywhere” online entertainment with XfinityTV.com.

List of episodes for 'Twilight Zone' marathon July 3--5 on Syfy

2011-06-29T12:16:00.004-04:00

Our top choices in bold:
July 3
09:00 AM The Rip Van Winkle Caper
09:30 AM Mirror Image
10:00 AM The Lonely
10:30 AM Hocus-pocus And Frisby
11:00 AM The Last Rights Of Jeff Myrtlebank
11:30 AM Mr. Bevis (Orson Bean)
12:00 PM A Thing About Machines
12:30 PM Number Twelve Looks Just Like You
01:00 PM The Shelter
01:30 PM A Short Drink From A Certain Fountain
02:00 PM I Shot An Arrow Into The Air
02:30 PM A Kind Of Stopwatch
03:00 PM Little Girl Lost
03:30 PM The 7th Is Made Up Of Phantoms
04:00 PM Mr. Dingle, The Strong
04:30 PM People Are Alike All Over
05:00 PM A Game Of Pool
05:30 PM The Bewitchin' Pool
06:00 PM Death's Head Revisited
06:30 PM Long Distance Call
07:00 PM Living Doll
07:30 PM Nightmare At 20,000 Feet
08:00 PM Time Enough At Last
08:30 PM The Howling Man
09:00 PM The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
09:30 PM The Masks
10:00 PM To Serve Man
10:30 PM Where Is Everybody
11:00 PM It's A Good Life
11:30 PM A Most Unusual Camera

Jul 4th
12:00 AM The Midnight Sun
12:30 AM A Hundred Yards Over The Rim (Custer, anyone?)
01:00 AM Nightmare As A Child
01:30 AM I Am The Night - Color Me Black
02:00 AM Nothing In The Dark
02:30 AM The After Hours
03:00 AM The Fear
03:30 AM A Nice Place To Visit
04:00 AM In Praise Of Pip (Vietnam reference in 1963-64)
04:30 AM What's In The Box
05:00 AM Perchance To Dream
(paid programming)
08:00 AM Two (Eliz. Montgomery, Charles Bronson)
08:30 AM The Changing Of The Guard
09:00 AM Dead Man's Shoes
09:30 AM Ninety Years Without Slumbering
10:00 AM The Hunt
10:30 AM The Old Man In The Cave
11:00 AM The Last Flight
11:30 AM The Fever
12:00 PM A Penny For Your Thoughts
12:30 PM Stopover In A Quiet Town
01:00 PM A World Of His Own
01:30 PM Mr. Denton On Doomsday
02:00 PM The Little People
02:30 PM Nick Of Time
03:00 PM The Dummy
03:30 PM And When The Sky Was Opened
04:00 PM Escape Clause
04:30 PM Mr. Garrity And The Graves
05:00 PM Probe 7 Over And Out
05:30 PM One For The Angels
06:00 PM The Obsolete Man
06:30 PM Third From The Sun
07:00 PM The Hitch-hiker
07:30 PM Eye Of The Beholder
08:00 PM Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up
08:30 PM Kick The Can
09:00 PM The Odyssey Of Flight 33
09:30 PM A Stop At Willoughby
10:00 PM Five Characters In Search Of An Exit
10:30 PM The Invaders (my least favorite)
11:00 PM I Sing The Body Electric
11:30 PM Walking Distance

July 5th
12:00 AM Night Of The Meek
12:30 AM Night Call
01:00 AM The Grave
01:30 AM Queen Of The Nile
02:00 AM Ring-a-ding Girl
02:30 AM The Four Of Us Are Dying
03:00 AM A Piano In The House
03:30 AM Twenty-two

On Demand for July: what they're rolling out

2011-06-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

Movies On Demand on Cable Schedule Update – July 2011

Highlights:

Highlights of Cable’s Movies On Demand (MOD) new release schedule for July, 2011 include “Source Code” premiering July 8, “Limitless,” premiering July 19 and “Rango” on July 29. Almost every major studio new release listed below comes to cable’s MOD schedule either before or the same day as DVD (details below). A wide array of indie films are also premiering in July (small selection listed below). Two infamous (and very different) “on the road” documentaries are also playing: “Magic Trip” about the famed author Ken Kesey’s legendary psychedelic bus trip and “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop,” O’Brien’s 32-city comedy tour after he was booted from “The Tonight Show.” Cable viewers can catch many of these before or same day they hit theaters or DVD.

Below is a selected listing of films premiering on cable TV’s Movies On Demand* platform in July, 2011. All the films listed below and many others are at viewers’ fingertips through the cable remote. All of the major releases are offered in both standard and high-definition, along with many indies. Below are just a few highlights from the schedule of new titles this month, their premiere dates on MOD, ratings, genres and cast.

Major Studio Releases*:

“Source Code” – Premieres July 8, (Weeks Before DVD, Weeks Before Netflix and Redbox), PG-13, Action, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan

“The Lincoln Lawyer” – Premieres July 12, (Same Day as DVD), R, Action, Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei

“Insidious” – Premieres July 12, (Same Day as DVD), PG-13, Horror, Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne

“Arthur” – Premieres July 15, (Same Day as DVD, Weeks Before Netflix and Redbox), PG-13, Comedy, Russell Brand, Helen Mirren

“Limitless” – Premieres July 19, (Same Day as DVD, Months Before Netflix), PG-13, Sci-Fi, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro

“Take Me Home Tonight” – Premieres July 19, (Same Day as DVD, Months Before Netflix), R, Comedy, Topher Grace, Anna Faris

“Rango”– Premieres July 29, PG, Animated, Johnny Depp, Timothy Olyphant

Indie Titles* (selected titles only – contact us for more extensive listing):

“Magic Trip”** – Premieres July 1, (Before Theatrical Release), R, Documentary, Ken Kesey

“The Perfect Game” – Premieres July 4, (Before DVD), PG, Drama, Clifton Collins Jr., Cheech Marin, Moises Arias

“Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop”** – Premieres July 8, R, Documentary/Comedy, Conan O’Brien, Andy Richter, Jimmy Vivino

“Flypaper” – Premieres July 15, (Before Theatrical Release), TV-MA, Comedy, Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Tambor

“Trust” – Premieres July 26, (Same Day as DVD), R, Drama/Thriller, Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Viola Davis

“Cave of Forgotten Dreams” – Premieres July 27, (Before DVD), TV-PG, Documentary, Werner Herzog, Dominique Baffier, Jean Clottes. Also in 3D.

Cheshire High, CT, journalism class

2011-06-09T20:52:00.003-04:00

Spoke to Rob Schaefer's journalism class Thursday. Picked up some Twitter followers. All the best to them (all but one, a junior, graduating). They have no problem with "digital first" and "community engagement."

Sarah Palin's Bus Tour (Oliver's question of Palin at end is priceless)

2011-06-08T14:00:00.001-04:00

The Daily Show - Sarah Palin's Bus Tour
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

One CT woman's connection to Springfield storm

2011-06-02T11:56:00.009-04:00

By Barbara Stanley
The power flickered on and off for a few minutes in the Hunt Street offices in Agawam, which lies on the Connecticut river in Massachusetts. My husband Mark left the building for the drive home, and as he entered the rotary for the entrance to the highway bridge, he thought it odd that there was none of the usual traffic.
Up on the interstate, he noticed to the east, dark skies and lightning, and strong winds. Also not many people on the road. It was about 4:40 in the afternoon on June 1, 2011.

Back in Connecticut , his wife and grandson were tuned in to the local news station, which was fixated on the storm situation ... the magnitude of what was occurring in south central and western Massachusetts was slowly unfolding, and it would be awhile before anyone would really understand that this was no two-bit whirlwind. Still, I picked up the phone and dialed Mark, hoping he would have stayed put at, or perhaps under, his desk, surely not out on the road at those dangerous moments.
No answer, so I left a message and hoped for the best.

His call came at 5:20; he made it to Hartford where he was meeting a few friends for beer and chat. She explained that a twister did in fact touch down in Springfield, and he was mildly surprised, but both were hopeful that it was brief and did minor, if any damage.

As the evening wore on and the news station offerings were consumed with the story, it was clear that Massachusetts and maybe parts of Connecticut were not out of the woods yet.

At 7 p.m., my son Jeff called to ask if Dad was all right and to let us know that Jenn, his wife, was home safe after having ridden out the twister in the basement of her office building on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield. I could hear little Jackson in the background so she knew that he, too, had arrived home. Jeff had picked him up at his daycare in Enfield, just over the border from Massachusetts, not many miles from where the devastation took place.

Jenn had gotten a ride home from a co-worker, after finding that her Honda had suffered a broken driver's side window, so she had to leave it there in the lot. She was understandably shaken a bit, the tornado literally came right over the building across the street and destroyed it.

Streets are closed , power out in many locations, and Mark's office is without air conditioning today, June 2. Jenn is at her desk, calling around to make sure other homeowners are safe and know what to do while the clean up efforts are under way. A few lives were lost, there were some injuries, and survivors are grateful for what still stands.

Not your typical night in New England.

and hurricane season is just beginning...
Barbara Stanley is a South Windsor mother and grandmother who was raised in Milford.

Biggest Loser winner for May 2011

2011-05-25T17:03:00.004-04:00

From NBC:
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 25, 2011 – Olivia Ward, a 35-year-old opera singer and office manager from New York City, became “The Biggest Loser” and won $250,000 at last night’s live season 11 finale of NBC’s popular series. Olivia began the season weighing 261 lbs. and lost 129 lbs. She weighed in at finale at 132 lbs. and lost 49.43% of her body weight.

In an interesting twist, Olivia and her 32-year-old sister and teammate, Hannah Curlee, were two of the finalists. America voted to determine who would be the third finalist. In the first part of the live finale, viewers learned that Irene Alvarado, a 27-year-old student from Portland, Oregon, had beaten Jay Jacobs, a 53-year-old entrepreneur from West Orange, New Jersey, to become the third finalist.

The runner up among the three finalists was Hannah, a human resources representative for a healthcare company in Nashville, Tennessee. She began the show at 248 pounds and weighed 128 lbs. at the finale. She lost 120 pounds and 48.39% of her body weight. Coming in third place was Irene, who lost 116 lbs. and 45.49% of her body weight. She started the show at 255 lbs. and weighed 139 lbs. at finale.

The winner of this season’s $100,000 “at home” prize among eliminated contestants went to Denise “Deni” Hill, an administrative assistant and mother of eight from Bountiful, Utah. Deni started the show at 256 lbs. and ended at 131 lbs. She lost 125 lbs. and 48.83% of her body weight.

'Boom Goes the Dynamite' on Tosh.0 this week

2011-05-24T16:24:00.001-04:00

Tosh.0

Tuesdays 10pm / 9c

Preview - Web Redemption - Boom Goes the Dynamite

tosh.comedycentral.com

Tosh.0 Videos

Daniel Tosh

Web Redemption

Movies on Demand coming up may June 2011

2011-05-16T14:57:00.001-04:00

ALL of the below Movies On Demand titles are being released “day and date,” that is, on the same day they are available to be purchased on DVD or blu-ray (and in most cases, about a month before you can rent them via Netflix or Redbox)!

Studio	Title	Avail?
Disney	I Am Number Four	5/24/11
Paramount	True Grit	6/7/2011

Universal	Sanctum	6/7/11
Sony	Just Go With It	6/7/11

Fox	Big Momma's Like Father Like Son	6/14/11
WB	Red Riding Hood	6/14/11
WB	Hall Pass	6/14/2011
WB	Unknown	6/21/11
Universal	The Adjustment Bureau	6/21/11

Fox	Cedar Rapids	6/21/11
Universal	The Eagle	6/21/2011

Fox	Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules	6/21/11

Relativity	The Warrior's Way	6/24/2011
Relativity	Season of the Witch	6/24/2011
Sony	Battle: Los Angeles	6/28/11

Image	Wild Cherry	6/28/11
WB	Sucker Punch	6/28/11

Bin Laden capture special 10 p.m. Discovery 5/15

2011-05-15T09:43:00.000-04:00

So good, Niki and Vicci on "The Voice."

2011-05-11T15:13:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a job on this tune, "Perfect."

In case you missed it: Seth Myers at D.C. dinner

2011-05-10T14:16:00.001-04:00

Reaction to Bin Laden's demise

2011-05-03T14:06:00.005-04:00

Top: The news is celebrated in New York.
Middle: In India, they know who ordered the operation.
Bottom: I like this "Godfather" reference.

Comcast boosts On Demand network offerings

2011-04-27T14:52:00.000-04:00

release from Comcast:
COMCAST FIRST TO OFFER CURRENT TOP-RATED TV SERIES
FROM ALL FOUR MAJOR BROADCAST NETWORKS ON DEMAND

Adds TV Series from ABC and FOX including Most Recent Episodes from Hits Like Glee and Grey’s Anatomy – Nearly Doubles Xfinity TV On Demand TV Line-Up from Major Broadcast Networks

PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 27, 2011 – Comcast, one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, announced today it is adding top-rated TV series from ABC and FOX to its On Demand service, making Comcast the only pay TV provider to offer current TV shows from all four major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC – On Demand. This expansion of TV series, among others, nearly doubles the amount of hit TV series now available from the major broadcast networks, and brings customers the most TV episodes in high-definition On Demand.

“Our goal is to deliver customers the best and most-current entertainment choices anytime, anywhere so they can catch up and keep up with their favorite TV shows,” said Marcien Jenckes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Video Services for Comcast. “By nearly doubling the number of current TV series from broadcast networks, Xfinity TV On Demand offers our customers a one-of-a-kind experience that can’t be found elsewhere.”

Starting on Thursday, April 28, more than 20 popular TV series from ABC and FOX will begin to roll out On Demand the day after the TV series’ live broadcast and will be fast forward disabled. These series join top-rated shows from CBS and NBC including The Good Wife, NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, The Office, 30 Rock and the new series The Voice available to customers whenever they want to watch new or recent episodes. Each of the major broadcast networks will offer the four most recent episodes from the following TV series On Demand:

ABC TV Series

· Body of Proof

· Castle

· Cougar Town

· Desperate Housewives

· Grey’s Anatomy

· Private Practice

FOX TV Series

· American Dad

· America’s Most Wanted

· Bob’s Burgers

· Bones

· Breaking In

· The Chicago Code

· The Cleveland Show

· Cops

· Family Guy

· Fringe

· Glee

· Hell’s Kitchen (available 7/19)

· Kitchen Nightmares

· Masterchef (available 6/7)

· Raising Hope

· The Simpsons

· Traffic Light

CBS TV Series

· Blue Bloods

· CSI

· CSI: Miami

· CSI: NY

· Hawaii Five-0

· Mad Love

· NCIS

· NCIS: Los Angeles

· Rules of Engagement

· Survivor: Redemption Island

· The Good Wife

· Two and a Half Men

· Undercover Boss

NBC TV Series

· 30 Rock

· America’s Got Talent (available 6/1)

· America’s Next Great Restaurant

· Celebrity Apprentice

· Chase

· Chuck

· Community

· Friday Night Lights

· Harry’s Law

· Law & Order: Los Angeles

· Love In The Wild (available 6/2)

· Minute to Win It

· Outsourced

· Parks and Recreation

· Parenthood

· Perfect Couples

· Saturday Night Live

· The Biggest Loser

· The Event

· The Marriage Ref (available 6/27)

· The Office

· The Voice

· Who Do You Think You Are?

Complexities of ratings game (note the demo talk)

2011-04-26T14:03:00.000-04:00

From CNN:

CNN POSTS STRONG GAINS IN APRIL -- INCREASING 31% IN PRIMETIME VS. A YEAR AGO; TOPS MSNBC IN TOTAL DAY IN BOTH TOTAL VIEWERS & DEMO

In the Arena is Up 30%, Piers Morgan Tonight Increases 20% and Anderson Cooper 360 Grows 35%; While FNC declines Each Hour in Primetime

John King, USA is Up 58%, The Situation Room Grows 44% in Demo

As the breaking news cycle cooled in April, CNN continued to post big gains and grew more than any other cable news network compared to a year ago – increasing an impressive +31% in M-F primetime (201k vs. 154k), +25% in total day (154k vs. 123k) and +33% during dayside (162k vs. 122k) in the key demo adults 25-54. Also in April, CNN topped MSNBC in total day (6a-6a) among both total viewers (452k vs. 429k) and in the key demo (154k vs. 147k); FNC was down -6% (272k vs. 288k) in the demo.

While CNN saw a +31% increase in M-F primetime in April, MSNBC was up only 7% (273k vs. 256k) and Fox News declined -10% (543k vs. 600k) compared to last year among 25-54. In addition, each CNN primetime (M-F) program also saw substantial double-digit demo gains vs. a year ago.

CNN’s In the Arena was the only program at 8 pm to gain viewers compared to April 2010 – increasing +30% (157k vs. 121k), MSNBC’s Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell was down -5% (258k vs. 272k) and FNC’s O’Reilly Factor was off -9% (701k vs. 774k) in the demo 25-54. Since In the Arena launched (February 28) the program is up +72% among 25-54 vs. 4^th quarter (232k vs. 135k), while MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell is down -14% since his launch (January 24) vs. Olbermann’s 4^th quarter average (248k vs. 288k).

In April, Piers Morgan Tonight continued to grow and increased more than the other cable news networks at 9 pm in the demo vs. year-ago programming – up +20% (189k vs. 157k), MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was up 13% (315k vs. 279k) and FNC’s Hannity was down -3% (525k vs. 541k). In addition, compared to CNN’s 4^th quarter average Piers Morgan launch-to-date is up +61% in the demo (274k vs. 170k) and +30% among total viewers (856k vs. 657k).

AC 360 also grew the most compared to the other cable news networks at 10 pm vs. last year – increasing +35% (244k vs. 181k), MSNBC’s The Ed Show/Docs grew 22% (247k vs. 203k) while Fox News’s On the Record dropped double digits, losing -14% of its key demo audience in April (413k vs. 480k).

At 7 pm, John King, USA was also up this month, increasing +58% in the demo 25-54 (172k vs. 109k) and +23% in total viewers (523k vs. 426k) vs. April 2010.

At 5 pm, CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer increased +41% in the demo vs. last year (173k vs. 123k), and topped MSNBC’s Hardball (156k). The Situation Room also increased +24% in total viewers (630k vs.509k) vs. a year ago. FNC’s Glenn Beck continued to experience declines in April compared to a year ago – decreasing -25% in the key demo 25-54 (455k vs. 609k) and declined -12% in total viewers (1.906m vs. 2.171m). In addition, the Situation Room at 6 pm was up +44% in the demo (179k vs. 124k) and increased +16% in total viewers (570k vs. 490k).

In April, CNN Newsroom (9am to 5pm) bested MSNBC every hour in both total viewers and the key demo 25-54, posting gains from 14%-53% each hour in the demo. In head-to-head comparisons with MSNBC’s daytime non-opinion programming, CNN had a +54% advantage in total viewers (531k vs. 344k) and a +74% lead among adults 25-54 (162k vs. 93k). Specifically, at 1 pm CNN Newsroom was up +51% in the demo 25-54 and at 4 pm, the Brooke Baldwin led-hour increased +53%.

State of the Union with Candy Crowley on Sunday at 9 am also grew compared to a year ago, up +17% (152k vs. 130k) and at noon increased +25% (175k vs. 140k). Fareed Zakaria GPS at 10 am grew +21% (156k vs. 129k) and Reliable Sources was up +34% (173k vs. 129k) in the demo 25-54.

CNN reached a cumulative audience of 93.7 million viewers in April, FNC lagged behind with 78.1 million and MSNBC averaged 73.7 million.

Movies on Demand releases, late April

2011-04-22T09:24:00.000-04:00

Exceptions:

Gnomeo & Juliet’s MOD release is May 17 and the DVD release is 5/24

The Roommate ‘s MOD release is May 24 and the DVD release is 5/17

Studio	Title	Rating	Start
Fox	The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader	PG	4/22
WB	My Dog Tulip	NR	4/26
Fox	3 Idiots	PG	4/26
Universal	The Dilemma - Confirmed	PG-13	5/3
Sony	The Green Hornet - Confirmed	PG-13	5/3
Lionsgate	From Prada To Nada - Confirmed	PG-13	5/3
Paramount	No Strings Attached - Confirmed	R	5/10
Disney	Gnomeo & Juliet - Confirmed	G	5/17
Disney	I Am Number Four - Confirmed	PG-13	5/24
Sony	The Roommate - Confirmed	PG-13	5/24
Universal	Sanctum - Confirmed	R	6/7
Universal	The Eagle - Confirmed	PG-13	6/21