Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Joe Smith We've been seeing horrible images of devastation out of Haiti for the past several weeks. Now a new high-tech camera is giving the world a 360 degree view of the devastation. "It's immersive because it gets everything," says Immersive Media's co-founder David McCutchen. He envisioned the camera while working in special effects. First there was a black and white attempt, and then came color. McCutchen took a cue from everything spherical. "This shape a dodecahedron it's called. It's the most efficient way to divide a sphere optically," McCutchen explains. The camera is made of 11 lenses that capture full motion video. Cameraman Craig Adkins had to learn a new way of shooting. "The world of 360 is a completely new way to perceive the world. You tend to always want to be panning," he explains. "Everything happens around you and you want to pan with it. It's really tou...

LOS ANGELES -- About 48 million viewers watched President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address on 11 networks, with Fox TV drawing the biggest share. The Nielsen Co. said viewership for Wednesday's speech was 7 percent lower than for President George W. Bush's first such address in 2002 but 5 percent higher than for President Bill Clinton's inaugural State of the Union speech in 1994. From 9-10 p.m. EST, more than 9.7 million people watched the hour-plus speech on Fox, with ABC drawing 7.6 million viewers, NBC 7.2 million and CBS 6.2 million, according to preliminary Nielsen figures Thursday. Those early numbers don't reflect West Coast viewership of the speech that aired at 5 p.m. PST. Among the cable news networks, Fox News was the leader with 5.7 million, followed by CNN with 3.3 million and MSNBC with 2.4 million. The speech also was carried live on Telemundo, Univision, BET and CNBC. --- Source: The Associated Press

CHICAGO -- Jay Leno tells Oprah Winfrey that he hasn't spoken to Conan O'Brien throughout the recent contentious negotiations over "The Tonight Show." In quotes provided Wednesday by Harpo Productions, Leno tells Winfrey that "it didn't seem appropriate" to speak to O'Brien. But Leno says the two comedians might talk when "things cool down." NBC unseated O'Brien and moved Leno back to the program he hosted for 17 years. Leno is scheduled to return to "Tonight" on March 1. In a video previewing "The Oprah Winfrey Show" interview, Leno says: "This whole thing was a huge mess." Leno's interview is slated to air Thursday. Harpo Productions made an offer for O'Brien to appear on her show, but it hasn't been confirmed. Here's a Director's Cut Blog preview: --- Story Source: The Associated Press Video Courtesy: Harpo Productions

NEW YORK -- NBC says it has a deal with Conan O'Brien to produce a possible series, only days after his rancorous exit as host of the network's "Tonight Show." NBC is picking up a pilot from O'Brien's production company, Conaco. The drama, as yet untitled, focuses on a Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to start his own practice. Casting has yet to be announced for the pilot, which is bucking for a series slot on NBC's fall schedule. Despite O'Brien's recent split from NBC as an on-camera star, he retains a development deal with the network. Past series produced by Conaco include the comedy "Andy Barker, P.I.," which featured O'Brien's longtime talk-show sidekick Andy Richter. --- Source: The Associated Press

Hard to believe it has been 3 years this month since we launched the Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek. We are proud of our accomplishments and grateful to you, our readers, for following what goes on here at the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center. Our readership has ballooned over the past 3 years as our blog has exceeded a half million views. So, thanks for celebrating with us as we begin year 4 on the Director's Cut Blog. Don't forget, your comments and letters are always welcome. You can reach our blogger, Frank Macek, at fmacek@wkyc.com Now, back to the party! Who brought the champagne?

LOS ANGELES -- Scott Brown is going prime time. The Republican who rocketed to national prominence by winning a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts is scheduled to appear Thursday on "The Jay Leno Show." NBC spokeswoman Tracy St. Pierre says Brown will do a skit via satellite hookup in which Leno fires off 10 quick questions. The once little-known state legislator jolted the national political landscape last week by capturing the Senate seat once held by Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy. --- The Associated Press

By Frank Macek The digital revolution has not only given us high definition television, but has also opened up the possibility of 3DTV just as fast. If you think HD is good, wait until you see stereoscropic content come alive in your own living room. And, it will all begin THIS year. Like HDTV, early broadcast adopters will be sports television. ESPN will be credited as the sports leader in the technology when it launches its new 3D network on June 11th. The sports network will begin with a 3D telecast of the World Cup soccer championship between Mexico and South Africa. By the end of its first year, ESPN plans to offer viewers a target of 85 live events in 3D. In July, Direct TV will jump on the bandwagon as it teams up with Fox Sports to air a 3D broadcast of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Dallas at the equally high tech, new Cowboys' stadium in Arlington. And later this year, Discovery will be involved in several productio...

Ever wonder what goes on "behind the scenes" during a live, Channel 3 News broadcast? The Director's Cut is excited to finally be able to show you. Click "Play" and sit back and enjoy the show "behind the scenes." Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

With the final episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien upon us, we thought we'd join the "fun." Click here to download a printable version of "The Chin" and "The Hair " The same link will also take you to the best clips recently of Conan and Jay as they and others react to the late-night war.

UNIVERSAL CITY, California - NBC confirmed today that popular late-night host Jay Leno will return to host "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" from 11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. (ET) beginning March 1, 2010 and that "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" will continue to be broadcast from 12:35-1:35 a.m. (ET). The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment. "We're pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years," said Gaspin. "He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television." Leno previously hosted "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" from May 1992-May 2009. The program will continue to showcase many of the features that made Leno America's late-night leader for more than a dozen years. "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" made its broadcast debut on March 2, 2009 with "...

Special to the Director's Cut By Lynn Elber, AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Conan O'Brien all but tacked up a farewell banner on this week's "Tonight" shows, even as his exit deal with NBC remained under discussion. O'Brien's guest lineup for Thursday and Friday had the ring of finality, with several big names, including Robin Williams and Barry Manilow on Thursday. Tom Hanks was scheduled for Friday, as was Will Ferrell, who was the first guest O'Brien welcomed when he started last June as "Tonight" host. O'Brien, whose show was scheduled to be in reruns next week, also joked in a monologue about looking forward to history's biggest drinking binge in a few days. --- Source: The Associated Press DIRECTOR'S CUT EXTRA: Must See Video: Chinese Animation of NBC Latenight Woes.

CLEVELAND -- Winter's just started, but the baseball season will be here before you know it. The Indians announced Wednesday their broadcast plans and schedule for the 2010 season. WKYC-TV, the flagship station of the Indians over-the-air network again this year, will air 20 regular season games. WKYC's sister station, SportsTime Ohio, will air 148 regular season games and simulcast the games aired by WKYC. April 12 vs TEX 3:05 April 18 vs CWS 1:05 May 2 vs MIN 1:05 May 16 @ BAL 1:35 May 23 vs CIN 1:05 May 28 @ NYY 7:05 June 10 vs BOS 7:05 June 13 vs WAS 1:05 June 15 vs NYM 7:05 June 27 @ CIN 1:10 July 18 vs DET 1:05 July 25 vs TB 1:05 July 29 vs NYY 7:05 August 8 vs MIN 1:05 August 15 vs SEA 1:05 August 22 @ DET 1:05 August 29 vs KC 1:05 September 12 vs MIN 1:05 September 19 @ KC 2:10 October 3 @ CWS 2:05 Click here for the complete 2010 Indians Schedule

Darrielle Snipes joined the Channel 3 News in January of 2010 and primarily reports for Channel 3 News in the morning. Before moving back to the Midwest, Darrielle worked as a weekend anchor/reporter at KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. While there, she covered breaking news stories and lots of weather stories. Darrielle says she saw three tornados and covered a major ice storm that knocked out power to more than 500,000 people. Darrielle has also worked in Baltimore, Detroit and Indianapolis as a reporter/fill-in anchor. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and spent her summers as a child with relatives in Washington, D.C. Family members tell Darrielle she told them at the age of 7 she wanted to report the news. So, it is a dream come true to be able to tell stories for a living. She is excited to be here in Cleveland where she has relatives and a host of friends. Darrielle is a m...

Special to the Director's Cut By Lynn Elber, AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES -- The sticking point in Conan O'Brien's exit negotiations with NBC may involve his TV staff, not Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. A person close to the talks said Tuesday that O'Brien is intent on guaranteeing severance deals for his "Tonight Show" staff and crew and he is dug in on that point. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract talks were intended to be private. The issue of whether NBC retains rights to familiar O'Brien comedy bits including Triumph or Pimpbot 5000 was undecided Tuesday but not a key issue for O'Brien, whose focus was his staff's welfare, the person said. The proposed deal could pay more than $30 million to O'Brien to leave NBC and "Tonight," allowing Jay Leno to move back to late night.

CLEVELAND -- Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans are eligible for government benefits, but have never applied. In fact, every year nearly $2 billion in benefits and tax credits go unclaimed in the State of Ohio. That's why WKYC and the Ohio Benefit Bank are teaming up to get you faster access to assistance. Channel 3 will offer a special phone bank staffed by benefit bank counselors to answer your questions, take your information and help you sign up for any benefits you may qualify for. The phone bank will be open from 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 21st. Phones numbers will be displayed on Channel 3 News throughout the day. Read more about the program from WKYC Reporter Dick Russ.

February's going to be a big month here on WKYC Channel 3. Enjoy this sneak peek!

Editor's Note: Locally, the Globes did a 13.45 rating, 19.1 share on WKYC-TV in HH in Nielsen Overnight Ratings. ---- Special to the Director's Cut Blog By FRAZIER Moore, AP Television Writer NEW YORK -- NBC says its Golden Globes broadcast won a ratings prize: a 14 percent increase in viewers from last year. "The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards" won its three-hour time slot Sunday, drawing 16.9 million viewers. That beat its audience of 14.9 million viewers in 2009. Originating from Los Angeles at 5 p.m. local time, the event was aired live by NBC in all time zones coast-to-coast, rather than delayed for prime-time broadcast in the West. British actor-comedian Ricky Gervais was its host. Even with the audience upswing, viewership was far below the biggest year for the awards show. In 2004, 26.8 million viewers tuned in. The awards are given annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. --- Source: The Associated Press

By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES -- NBC is nearing a deal with "Tonight" host Conan O'Brien to leave the network, freeing Jay Leno to reclaim the late-night show he stewarded for 17 years. A person familiar with the negotiations says top NBC Universal executives and representatives for O'Brien on Friday were close to settling details of his departure. The person, who did not have the authority to discuss the issue, spoke on condition of anonymity. The person says Universal Studios president and COO Ron Meyer is among those involved in the talks. The focus is on how much O'Brien, who has time left on his NBC contract, would be paid for leaving and what limits NBC may put on his future employment at another network. --- Source: The Associated Press

We have learned that NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT will participate in the "Hope for Haiti" telethon to air on Friday, January 22nd, at 8 p.m. E.T. Haitian-born entertainer Wyclef Jean will helm the show from New York, and George Clooney will host the Los Angeles part. CNN's Anderson Cooper will be in Haiti. We understand the telethon will be an all star event to help raise money for the relief efforts in the impoverished nation that suffered the second largest earthquake in recent history in that area of the world. Americans seeking news about family members in Haiti can call 1-888-407-4747, set up by the U.S. Department of State or use the Red Cross family link . Below are links on how you can help. You can check out charities before you donate on the Charity Navigator web site or through the Better Business Bureau or read wkyc.com article on avoiding scams. The American Red Cross is taking donations to its International Respo...

TMZ.com is reporting that Jay Leno will get the full one hour "Tonight Show" starting after the Olympics. According to TMZ.com, " As we first reported, under the contract Jay had been working under, he was guaranteed the 10 PM hour. By moving him to 11:35, NBC was in breach of his contract and needed to negotiate a new deal. That is now done, sources tell TMZ." People magazine is reporting Conan's last night as host of the "The Tonight Show" will be next Friday, January 22nd. A source told the publication, " Conan does not currently plan on doing any more new shows after next week. " The show had already been planning a hiatus beginning Monday, January 25. So Conan O'Brien is out, and Jay is restored.

The Director's Cut has learned of the new NBC lineup that will follow the Olympics beginning Monday, March 1st. LOS ANGELES (AP) -- New and veteran NBC dramas and a comedy produced by Jerry Seinfeld will take over the bulk of the prime-time slots soon to be vacated by Jay Leno. NBC announced Thursday that the freshman drama "Parenthood" and the relocated "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Special Victim Units" will fill three slots. Another will go to the comedy panel series "The Marriage Ref" from Seinfeld. "Dateline NBC" will fill another 10 p.m. EST slot. The new lineup will debut after NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics from Feb. 12-28. MONDAYS Monday, March 1st 8:00-9:00 CHUCK (original)(through May 24th) 9:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER (original)(2-hours) Monday, March 8th 9:00-10:00 TRAUMA (original)(through May 24th) 10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER (original)(through May 24th) TUESDAYS Tuesday, M...

LOS ANGELES -- Conan O'Brien says he's rejecting NBC's attempt to move "The Tonight Show" to a post-midnight slot to accommodate Jay Leno's return to late-night. In a statement Tuesday, O'Brien says that NBC has given him a scant seven months to try to establish himself as host of "Tonight." NBC wants to move "The Jay Leno Show" out of prime-time and to the 11:35 p.m. EST daily slot, bumping "Tonight" to 12:05 p.m. EST. O'Brien said he hoped he and NBC could resolve the issue quickly so he could do a show of which he and his crew could be proud -- "for a company that values our work" -- raising the possibility he might go to another network. But he said he has no such offer. In a statement released by Conan: People of Earth: In the last few days, I've been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I...

PASADENA, California -- NBC has made its late-night move, and the next one could belong to Conan O'Brien. O'Brien's mindset is a key to unweaving the tangle caused by NBC bumping Jay Leno to his old 11:35 p.m. timeslot, with O'Brien pushed back to 12:05 a.m. With Fox showing interest in O'Brien and potentially able to offer him an 11 p.m. slot, the question becomes whether O'Brien would want to jump networks or be happy returning to a post-midnight slot on NBC. An 11 p.m. timeslot would allow O'Brien to get the jump on both Leno and David Letterman, behind whom he has fallen in the ratings. Fox would likely have to persuade affiliates to give the network control of that hour. And there would also have to be a resolution of some complicated contractual issues with NBC. --- Source: The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- NBC is ending the Jay Leno Show experiment it launched September 14th at 10 p.m. the network announced Sunday. NBCU Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin tells TV critics in Los Angeles that the low-rated primetime hour will end the night before NBC's telecast of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. Primetime Leno "did not meet affiliates' needs," he says. Replacing Leno after the Olympics will be a mix of original shows, repeats, extended Dateline and shows pulled from cable nets Bravo and USA, he says. The network says it is still in negotiation with Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon to keep all three in late night. However, nothing has been finalized.

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Gary Levin Jay Leno's prime-time "experiment" may be cut short. The former Tonight Show host, who spent 15 years atop the late-night ratings race, hasn't worked out at 10 p.m. ET/PT, hurting both NBC's overall ratings and the local newscasts that follow it on the network's affiliates. Now NBC is weighing scenarios that would lead The Jay Leno Showto end its run as early as Feb. 11, on the eve of the Winter Olympics, according to network executives involved in the discussions. In statements Thursday, NBC said the Leno Show has not yet been canceled, adding that while Leno's average audience of 5.8 million viewers has met expectations, the show has "presented some issues for our affiliates," who have complained about sharp declines for late local newscasts. A meeting with stations is set for Jan. 21 in New York, in part to discuss a plan that could include shifting Leno back to late night or lett...

By Frank Macek 8:50 PM Update: The New York Times reports that pressed by affiliates and shrinking ratings, NBC has a plan in the works to radically alter its latenight television lineup, restoring Jay Leno to his old spot at 11:35 each weeknight, while pushing the man who replaced him, Conan O'Brien, to a starting time of 12:05 a.m. 4:47 PM: The Director's Cut has learned NBC is about to blow up Leno at 10 PM, according to website TMZ.COM According to TMZ, they learned "Jay's 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1. After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided -- whether Jay's show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay's show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O'Brien." NBC is denying the rumors saying "Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay's show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the ne...

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Hollie Strano After being all cozy with her desk in the studio for the past several years...her entire time at Ch.3 thus far...Hollie moves out to the newsroom. I continue to warn everyone around me...I am NOT good with change. I come by it honestly though. I like routine. My family is that way too. I can remember stressing at the beginning of each semester at John Carroll. Different teachers, different classes. You can relate, right? So...the desk change threw me in a bit of a tail spin. Click on the video to see Hollie's new desk.

NEW YORK -- Two major cable networks -- ESPN and Discovery -- will beam 3-D entertainment into peoples' homes for the first time. Riding one of the next big waves in consumer electronics, Disney Co.-owned ESPN says it will have a 3-D channel for broadcasting live sports events in time for the FIFA World Cup soccer match on June 11. The channel will not operate 24 hours a day, but plans at least 85 live events in its first year. Separately, Discovery Communications Inc., which owns Discovery, TLC and other cable channels, says it will partner with Imax Corp. and Sony Corp. to bring out its own full-time 3-D network. The companies did not say which shows it will air on the new channel, but it plans a launch in 2011. -- Source: The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Fox network and Time Warner Cable say a deal has been reached to continue carrying television broadcasts. The Fox Networks Group and Time Warner Cable announced today that they have agreed in principle to a comprehensive distribution agreement to provide more than 13 million households with programming from Fox Television Stations, Fox Broadcasting (FOX), Fox Cable Networks and Fox's Regional Sports Networks. The deal also includes carriage agreements for Bright House Networks' 2 million additional subscribers. --- Source: The Associated Press