Super Bowl XLIV: Most Watched TV Program Ever

The 2010 NFL Super Bowl was the most watched television program in American history. Roughly 106.5 million people watched the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts in South Florida yesterday. CBS had the broadcast and, as AgencySpy points out, aired plenty of promos for CBS programming, including an ad for CBS News that ran during the big game.

The record was previously held by the 1983 series finale of M*A*S*H, which drew 105.97 million (Wayne Rogers, aka Trapper John, discussed his show's record going down on FBN today.) CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus said that good weather in Florida coupled with bad weather in the northeast helped boost viewership.

"For anyone who wants to write that broadcasting is dead, 106 million people watched this program," CBS Corp CEO Les Moonves told the AP. "You can't find that anywhere else."

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The Scoreboard: Friday, Feb. 5

	5p:	6p:	7p:	8p:	9p:	10p:	11p:
FNC	Beck:	Baier:	Shep:	O'Reilly:	Hannity:	Greta:	O'Reilly:
	667	391	459	884	483	450	443
CNN	Blitzer:	Blitzer:	Blitzer:	Brown:	King:	Cooper:	Cooper:
	128	121	151	154	152	154	154
MSNBC	Matthews:	EdShow:	Matthews:	Olbermann:	Maddow:	Olbermann:	Maddow:
	62	75	113	216	177	188	135
HLN	Prime:	Prime:	Issues:	Grace:	Behar:	Grace:	Showbiz:
	63	59	136	200	121	166	171

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Thanks for Reading, Diane

Take a look at those browser tabs in the b-roll for this Diane Sawyer "conversation" about the Tea Party Convention. Thanks for reading, ABCers.

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Former MSNBC Exec Returns to Peacock as News Boss for Telemundo

Ramon Escobar, former Vice President of Live News Programming for MSNBC, is returning to the NBCU fold as Executive Vice President of Telemundo Network News.

Escobar, who most recently served as VP of consulting for Sucherman Consulting Group, was an instrumental part of the Telemundo transition team when NBC bought the network and station group in 2001. He went on to become Senior EVP of Entertainment for the Spanish-language network.

Escobar joined MSNBC in 2000 after working as VP of News at NBC O&O WTVJ.

In a press release, Telemundo President Don Browne says, "I've had the good fortune, over the past 16 years to work with Ramon and see first-hand his talent, passion, dedication to journalism and commitment to serving the US Hispanic community."

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'I thought it was going to be much more awkward'

George Stephanopoulos sits down with Matea Gold of the LA Times to discuss his experience thus far on ABC's "Good Morning America." Stephanopoulos admits that some of the lighter fare makes him uncomfortable, but here's what he thought might be awkward:

The whole dynamic, you know. Four [anchors] instead of one. The range of subjects. The amount of chat. I'm much more used to doing my own analysis or driving the hour-long show myself. All television is a team effort, but this on the air is far more than I had been used to.

In the Q&A, Stephanopoulos admits he should have followed up on Rudy Giuliani's comment last month and says his persistence led to his interview with President Obama, not his friendship with Obama's Chief of Staff. He also gave this response to a question about who will succeed him at his former show, "This Week":

Oh, if I did, I couldn't tell you. I think so far both Terry [Moran] and Jake [Tapper] have done great work. One of the unfortunate things is that we're in this situation now where there's not a final answer, but it will come soon enough.

This morning, Stephanopoulos say down with South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford for her first live interview since her new book was published. Video after the jump.

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Fox News 'A Lesson in How to Build and Maintain a Television Brand'

Broadcasting & Cable's editor-in-chief Ben Grossman has some thoughts about Fox News Channel:

Say what you want about hosts like [Bill] O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, but their brand of television is entertaining and draws attention. And that's all they're paid to do. Everything else is window dressing from a business standpoint.

To write about Fox News, however, and not acknowledge the issues taken by many with the way it does its business would qualify as naive, cajoling or simply uninformed. I have written in this space about my frustration with the lack of ratings for "traditional news," and that won't change. I also have seen first-hand the vitriol with which the network can operate, having personally known someone who was a political candidate on the receiving end of what I'd call a blatant hit piece.

But Roger Ailes is not paid millions to hit some moral high ground; his mandate is to keep Wall Street happy, period, by racking up subscription fees, viewers and advertisers.

So say what you will about Fox News Channel, but it offers, objectively, a lesson in how to build and maintain a television brand.

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Gregory, Schieffer on the Sunday Show Race

B&C's Marisa Guthrie posts two interviews today with the hosts of two broadcast net Sunday shows.

During a Q&A in which he notes the overuse of "exclusive" and describes Jon Stewart as an "editorial page cartoonist," CBS' Bob Schieffer, host of "Face the Nation," admits he got "scooped" last week by Barbara Walters, who interviewed Scott Brown for ABC's "This Week," but says that in the larger scheme "it's a three-way dogfight" among his competitors since Tim Russert's passing:

Meet the Press is still on top. And I think David [Gregory] does a good job. But it's just very close now. But much of it depends on the booking. We all have to be on our toes.

NBC's David Gregory had this to say about his first place ranking:

It was certainly not a given that a year later I would still be number one, having to succeed Tim Russert. I'm not entitled to anything that the program had before me. I've had to work very hard to keep us where we are.

The Gregory piece also has some pretty amusing anecdotes about his days as an intern just starting out at Tucson's KGUN.

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Toyota Dealers Pull Ads from ABC Stations for 'Excessive Reporting'

ABC News reports that Toyota dealers have decided to remove their television advertisements from ABC affiliates in the Southeast in reaction to recent reporting by the network and Brian Ross on problems with Toyota vehicles:

The ad agency representing the 173 dealers told ABC affiliates last week that the shift was due to "excessive stories on the Toyota issues." The dealers shifted their commercial time buys to non-ABC stations in the same markets, "as punishment for the reporting," according to an ABC station manager.

The decision to shift the commercials was made last week, though it appears it was against the advisement of the ad agency handling the accounts for Southeast Toyota.

ABC News has not been the only news outlet reporting on this story, though Ross' investigative reports have been the most visible and thorough on television. Ross noted it was reporting in the LA Times that first raised questions.

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Obama Skipping Over Press Corps?

WaPo's Howie Kurtz writes about increasing grumblings from the White House press corps over the lack of presidential news conferences in recent months:

"It's a source of great frustration here," says Chip Reid, CBS's White House correspondent. "It's important for us to hold the president's feet to the fire."

NBC White House reporter Chuck Todd calls the situation a "shame," saying the administration is trying to control the message rather than allowing Obama to be seen "unscripted."

While the White House argues that there has been no shortage of appearances by the president on television and in print, some White House correspondents argue that they haven't had the opportunity to ask the president specific questions about a wide-range of topics.

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Michelle Kwan Joins 'GMA' for Olympics

Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan is joining ABC's "Good Morning America" as a special correspondent for the 2010 Winter Olympics. She will provide skating analysis and commentary as well as report on other stories starting Friday, Feb. 12.

ABC News' David Muir will also be in Vancouver covering the Olympics for ABC News.

Previously: 'Today' Gearing Up for Vancouver

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Brian Williams on Nightly News: 'It's as Straight Down the Middle as they Come and we Struggle Mightily to do that Each Day'

The AP's David Bauder talks with NBC Newsman Brian Williams and NBC Newsboss Steve Capus about the bright spot at NBC these days -- the news division.

Both the "Today" show and Williams' flag-shift newscast have increased already substantial leads in the ratings over second-place broadcasts on ABC News since each of those competitors switched anchors in December.

Five years into his job, competing with ABC's Diane Sawyer and CBS' Katie Couric, Williams is now the dean of evening news anchors.

"Having turned 50 this year, I suddenly woke up and I'm in the demographic that my parents were in when they were in the prime of watching an evening newscast," Williams said.

And with NBC about to gain back 5 hours of prime time, will we see more of Williams and NBC News?

Williams is more likely to become a greater presence in prime time for NBC. The network will have time to fill when Leno returns to late night later this month, and Williams may start contributing some longer-form documentaries, Capus said.

"Nightly News" won't be going to prime time - that suggestion was facetious - but might it make sense to stretch a successful half-hour broadcast to an hour? After all, the "Today" show is now four hours.

"We'd love to have that extra time," Capus said. "If others thought that it made sense, we would obviously look at trying to do it. But at this point, our attention is on the 'Nightly News' broadcast that we have."

Williams is also not afraid to show his sense of humor away from the broadcast, as he did twice last week on other shows...

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Cooper, Gupta Return to Haiti

CNN's Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta are returning to Haiti after a week back in the United States. The decision was made over the weekend. Cooper will again report for "AC360" from Port-au-Prince this week, something he did for roughly two and a half weeks following the devastating earthquake.

Late Sunday, both Gupta and Cooper announced on twitter that they were heading down that night. Cooper said he would be flying to the Dominican Republican an then crossing over into Haiti.

Gupta tweeted Saturday, "think it's time to go back to haiti. can't forget what is happening there. must maintain dedicated focus. convincing my wife to let me go."

During initial coverage of the earthquake, Cooper reflected on air, "People are just going to lose interest in this as a story, they're going to stop watching," to which Gupta replied, "In part, it's up to you and up to us to make sure they don't forget."

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Katie Couric Interview with Super Bowl MVP New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees

CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Katie Couric sat down with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees ahead of tonight's game.

Segments were seen Friday on "The Early Show" and on "Evening News" as well as during CBS Sports pregame coverage. The entire interview was also Couric's weekly CBSNews.com show @katiecouric.

The full interview after the jump...

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Katie Couric Polls the People, Including a Cab Driver, For Obama Questions

Health care, the economy, the terror trials and the Super Bowl were all topics of this afternoon's Katie Couric interview with Pres. Obama at the White House.

Couric and company arrived in Washington, DC late Friday night ahead of snowpocalypse.

The pre-Super Bowl presidential interview is becoming an annual event, including last year's Matt Lauer interview with Obama ahead of NBC's coverage. Which makes us wonder: will Fox News do an interview with Pres. Obama ahead of FOX Sports coverage of Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium next February?

Couric's interview, which included viewer-submitted questions, after the jump...

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How a Blimp Shot Made Bob Schieffer's Day... Week... Year

Taking a Sunday morning public affairs show to the Super Bowl has its perks. For "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer it wasn't talking to the commissioner of the league, or even being just inches away from the Lombardi Trophy, it was a blimp shot.

Anchoring from Sun Life stadium this morning, Schieffer interviewed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, husband of Fox News anchor Jane Skinner. Schieffer also talked with the NFL on CBS crew of Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Shannon Sharpe.

Sharpe was especially thrilled to be on.

"Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I'd be on 'Face the Nation,' said Sharpe, who played with three winning Super Bowl teams. "My grandmother and sister are watching back home and all my friends and I'm on 'Face the Nation!'"

But for Schieffer the highlight was having the first-ever blimp shot on "Face the Nation". Responding to Sharpe's excitement, Schieffer said, "Well, I'll tell you, I never in my wildest dreams thought we'd have a blimp shot on 'Face the Nation.' They tell me we're going to have one. So when we see it, we'll all wave."

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