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Year in Review: 2006

2006: At 10th Anniversary, Fox News Makes Changes To Stay On Top

> Dec. 28: Sean Hannity gets a weekend primetime show

> Dec. 7: Will Tiki Barber stay at FNC?

> Nov. 29: FNC and NCTC re-up for three years

> Nov. 19: FNC may air two eps of right-leaning news satire show

> Nov. 16: FNCers distance themselves from OJ's "If I Did It;" corporate hypocrisy?

> Nov. 15: Ken LaCorte becomes VP and senior EP of FOXNews.com

> Nov. 14: More of Moody's memos start to surface

> Oct. 16: FNC and Cablevision reach carriage deal; "north of 75 cents" per sub

> Oct. 30: Kevin Magee will oversee Huddy/Jerrick morning show

> Oct. 23: Explaining FNC's ratings slump: Maybe its core audience "is a little burned out right now;" Shep agrees

> Oct. 12: Ailes is looking for "the stars of the next ten years"

> Oct. 5: Wiig is joining FNC full-time; later, his wife reports for the net too

> Oct. 2: FNC's 10th anniversary receives proper recognition; it's possible to divide the news calendar into "Before Fox and After Fox"

> Oct. 2: Ailes recently considered retiring, but rejected the idea; he says "we're freshening up"

> Sep. 28: "We cannot rest on our accomplishments... and I will continue to make changes," Ailes says

> Sep. 26: Skinner says Fox is "trying to bring both sides," and Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer laughs out loud

> Sep. 23: Bill Clinton accuses Chris Wallace of "doing Fox's bidding;" "nice little conservative hit job;" Wallace responds: "all I did was ask him a question"

> Sep. 22: Gretchen Carlson replaces E.D. on F&F, starting immediately

> Sep. 22: E.D. Hill loses F&F gig; without a proper goodbye, she moves to 10am hour of Fox News Live

> Sep. 21: D.C. bureau chief Kim Hume is leaving; Bruce Becker is interim replacement

> Sep. 20: FNC starts experimenting with new lower-thirds

> Sep. 19: Jerry Burke becomes co-EP of F&F

> Sep. 14: The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum will replace DaySide; Jane Skinner gets the 2pm hour

> Sep. 14: David Rhodes becomes VP for news; Jay Wallace becomes EP for news

> Sep. 13: News Corp. threatens to pull FNC if cable ops don't agree to rate increases; also: It "could seek to rally support from its wide fan base"

> Sep. 12: FNC announces a ten-city "Thank You America" tour for its 10th anniversary; it begins in Boston on Sep. 19

> Sep. 8: Shep imagines a 10pm Fox Report

> Aug. 28: Bill Hemmer to host Fox Online at noon

> Aug. 27: Centanni and Wiig's release was the result of a "complex deal... between the kidnappers and the Hamas-led government"

> Aug. 27: Centanni and Wiig are freed; "journalists should never be hostages or pawns in world events," Ailes says

> Aug. 23: In kidnapping tape, Centanni and Wiig appear healthy; Moody asks for their "immediate release"

> Aug. 16: "We still have no word on their whereabouts or condition," Hume and Smith report

> Aug. 15: Network reps meet with Palestinian officials; this kidnapping seems different; it may not end soon

> Aug. 14: Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig are kidnapped in Gaza; "pray for their release," Moody tells staffers; archive of TVNewser coverage

> Aug. 8: FNC records 25 percent fiscal year growth; Ailes gets a $3.4 million bonus

> Aug. 7: Dennis Miller rejoins FNC as a contributor to Hannity & Colmes

> Aug. 2: Two Jordanian freelancers say they won't work for "blatantly one-sided" FNC

> Jul. 31: FNC settles Joe Chillemi harassment lawsuit for $225,000

> Jul. 27: Shep Smith receives praise for his Middle East reporting; he blankets the net

> Jul. 26: Rumors of personnel changes behind the scenes

> Jul. 24: A tryout? Laura Ingraham subs for O'Reilly

> Jul. 18: DaySide is ending: Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy will host a morning show for Fox affiliates

> Jul. 11: FNC shakes up DaySide, assigns temporary EP

> Jul. 7: Kelly Wright replaces Julian Phillips on F&F Weekend

> Jul. 5: Linda Vester isn't coming back to FNC

> Jun. 26: "Ailes is on the warpath" following FNC's ratings slump "and he won't hesitate to clean house to turn things around," B&C says

> Jun. 26: Jennifer Griffin would love to staff an FNC bureau in Tehran

> Jun. 15: Imagine a Fox version of The Daily Show

> Jun. 14: Iran sends an overture to the U.S. through senior VP John Moody

> Jun. 7: Top UN official calls Fox a "detractor"

> Jun. 6: FNC's "now hiring" ad is aimed at its own employees

> Jun. 6: Catherine Herridge donates part of liver to her four-month-old son

> Jun. 5: In one year, FNR "has increased the number of affiliates from 58 to more than 330"

foxjan1.jpg > Jun. 1: Celebrating Fox News Radio's one-year anniversary

> May 21: FNC airs another global warming special

> May 11: Carl Cameron returns to campaign trail, Brett Baier becomes chief WH correspondent, Major Garrett is promoted to congressional correspondent

> May 9: Laurie Luhn becomes director of booking

> May 1: FNC's ad sales team "wants to snatch away some dollars from broadcast"

> Apr. 27: Fox News Sunday celebrates its 10th anniversary with a big party

> Apr. 27: "Is there a White House policy that all government TV's have to be turned to Fox?"

> Apr. 26: Brian & The Judge replace The Tony Snow Show

> Apr. 26: Tony Snow moves from Fox News to the White House; says press secretary gig was "too good to pass up"

> Apr. 24: Roger Ailes is TV Week's "most powerful person in TV news;" later, he's an "influential" in New York mag.

> Apr. 19: "Sure, I'm a conservative," but "look at the work," Brit Hume says

> Apr. 18: Brian Lewis becomes executive VP at Fox

> Apr. 17: News Corp. wants $1 per month per sub; "completely unrealistic?"

> Apr. 13: Fox O&O's become more like FNC

> Mar. 23: Dick Cheney wants his TVs turned to Fox

> Feb. 22: Fox News is supposed to produce a crime show for My Network TV; it never materializes

> Feb. 17: Fox and Sirius ink new deal, including distribution of Fox News Talk

> Feb. 15: Brit Hume gets the first post-shooting interview with Dick Cheney

> Feb. 13: No love from the NYT

> Jan. 28: Two employees sue FNC, claiming injury from exposure to mold and pesticides

> Jan. 18: Journal Editorial Report starts airing on FNC

> Jan. 11: Rudi Bakhtiar becomes FNC correspondent

> Jan. 4: Bill O'Reilly has a "culture war conversation" with David Letterman

> Jan. 2: XM launches Fox News Talk

> Jan. 2: Sirius drops Fox News Radio; the two sides can't reach a deal

2006: Dobbs & Cooper Symbolize CNN

> Dec. 21: Rick Sanchez gets Lin's timeslot

> Dec. 18: Carol Lin packs her bags; she says "I'm ready to try something new"

> Dec. 12: Zahn explores race relations in America; a town hall follows

> Dec. 11: Cal Perry becomes Baghdad bureau chief

> Dec. 6: Two promotions and one addition in The Sit. Room

> Nov. 22: A correspondent shuffle at CNN > Nov. 3: Carol Costello becomes Sit Room contributor; Zain Verjee moves to State

> Nov. 2: Before election, CNN pre-empts Zahn's show, pairs her with Blitzer

> Oct. 24: Is Klein micromanaging LKL?

> Oct. 22: CNN airs insurgent video of a sniper attack in Iraq; Duncan Hunter asks, "does CNN want America to win this thing?"

brokenjan1.jpg > Oct. 20: CNN believes we have a "Broken Government"

> Oct. 18: CNNI #1 for ten years according to PAX survey

> Oct. 10: Dobbs expands to seven nights a week; and he starts hosting town hall meetings

> Oct. 3: CNN debuts a "News Wall" in NYC

> Oct. 3: Cooper takes 360 to the "killing fields" of Africa

> Sep. 25: Kelly Wallace leaves CNN, joins CBS

> Sep. 23: CNN Newsroom becomes weekend brand, too

> Sep. 11: Ronaldo Santos becomes senior VP for international relations

> Sep. 1: Her contract wasn't renewed, so Daryn Kagan says goodbye to CNN; later, she launches an inspirational web site called DarynKagan.com

> Aug. 29: Kyra Phillips leaves her mic on during a bathroom break

> Aug. 24: CNN walks In The Footsteps of bin Laden

> Aug. 16: Ed Litvak becomes American Morning's EP

newsroomjn1.jpg > Aug. 15: CNN announces streamlined daytime programming; CNN Newsroom will premiere Sep. 4; American Morning shrinks

> Aug. 11: CNN is making "substantial progress" closing the demo gap, Kent says

> Aug. 9: Cooper stays in the Middle East for a long time

> Aug. 7: Christiane Amanpour starts hosting "quarterly specials;" her first is about AIDS orphans in Kenya

> Aug. 3: Sam Feist adds "political director" to his duties

> Jul. 31: CNN is still, barely, the "most trusted name in news"

> Jul. 23: During the Middle East conflict, CNN abuses the "breaking news" banner

> Jul. 19: CNN's brand spanking new Weather Center

> Jul. 18: CNN airs Bush's expletive; other nets bleep it

> Jul. 15: This Week At War replaces On The Story

cooperjan1.jpg > Jun. 21: Cooper interviews Angelina Jolie, prompting criticism, high ratings, and a spike in donations; Later: "Celebrity News Network?

> Jun. 12: Klein wants to grow American Morning's audience

> Jun. 10: Pipeline is a tough sell; CNN is talking to cable ops and broadband providers about distribution

> Jun. 8: CNN experiments with "A Week At War" specials

> May 31: Cooper's "Dispatches From The Edge" is hot > May 22: CNN promotes "the best political team in television"

> May 19: Walton says "CNN Worldwide brings in more than twice as much revenue as Fox News"

> May 17: Mark Nelson is officially the VP of CNN Productions

> May 15: CNN prematurely airs Bush speech, after NBC stage manager cued the president early

> May 14: "I think CNN is going to undergo a big shakeup in the next three to six months," NYT's Bill Carter predicts; later, he says the net has "bland people"

> Apr. 21: CNN to host three summits with the Clinton Global Initiative

> Mar. 31: Dobbs is "sui generis," Klein says

> Mar. 24: Ed Henry to White House, Dana Bash and Andrea Koppel to Capitol Hill > Mar. 22: Morning VP Kim Bondy steps down

> Mar. 21: Gallup and CNN end 14-year partnership

> Mar. 15: Greg Liebman and Keith Berkelhamer become ad VPs

> Mar. 10 and 15: Two negative stories about Larry King prompt FNCers to say "we respect Larry;" finally, Klein defends King

> Feb. 28: Dobbs drives the Dubai ports deal controversy; later, he "wins"

> Feb. 24: Ted Turner exits the Time Warner board

> Feb. 15: Lou Dobbs starts getting press; later, more and more and more

> Feb. 14: Anne Woodward becomes VP for technical ops

> Feb. 13: Phil Kent says "the deficit at CNN in the past was skill level of producer"

> Feb. 13: Buzzing about Jack Cafferty

> Feb. 10: CNNI unveils spectacular, clean new graphics

> Feb. 1: John Roberts joins CNN

> Jan. 16: CNNI cancels Diplomatic License, a weekly look at the United Nations

> Jan. 16: CNN adds conservatives: J.C. Watts becomes contributor; Bill Bennett too

> Jan. 16: Iran bans CNN, citing a translating error; the interpretation company fires the translator; the ban is lifted

> Jan. 9: Spending millions to promote Anderson Cooper; later, "stop CNN before it kills Anderson"

> Jan. 9: CNN makes more money than Fox News

> Jan. 7: Jon Klein says Paula Zahn Now is getting "stronger"

2006: Less 'Headline News,' More Views



> Dec. 21: Showbiz gets 11pm PT repeat

> Dec. 4: HLN has a cool new Atlanta set

> Dec. 4: "From news to views" is a success

> Nov. 29: Grace's image consultant isn't earning her retainer

> Nov. 21: Duckett's attorneys sue Grace and producers for wrongful death; suit raises questions about "post-modern witch hunts"

> Nov. 16: Beck's "Extremist" special delivers a million viewers to HLN

> Nov. 10: Robin & Co. celebrates first birthday

> Sep. 29: "You're a big bitch," caller tells Grace

> Sep. 25: In suicide note, Duckett wrote: "I only wish you do not push anyone else;" Grace defends herself again

> Sep. 15: After being interviewed by Grace, Melinda Duckett commits suicide; Grace is unapologetic

> Sep. 11: Rolando Santos moves to CNNI; the dayparts are reformatted, so Thomas Roberts and Kathleen Kennedy lose their newscast

> Aug. 2: Maybe Star Jones could star on HLN

> Jul. 6: Grace prompts a guest to describe child rape in explicit detail

> Jun. 28: Beck's ratings are initially low, but they improve

> Jun. 7: Headline Prime spreads to Saturdays and Sundays

> May 8: Glenn Beck premieres; cheers and jeers

> May 8: Ken Jautz wants to inject "personality, passion, and point of view" in primetime

> Apr. 10: Schedule shuffle: Prime News to 6pm; Showbiz Tonight loses 7pm airing; daytime tweaks, too

> Apr. 10: Beck's show will be called Glenn Beck; will air at 7 and 9pm

> Mar. 21: Fire interrupts HLN broadcast

> Mar. 7: Jim Walton once said "if there is a talk show on Headline News, there will be newscasts on CNN," but that's no longer true

gracejan1.jpg > Mar. 1: Questions about Grace's "creation story"

> Feb. 28: In one year, HLN doubles its primetime viewership

> Feb. 22: Grace marks 1st anniversary on HLN

> Feb. 20: Grace's timeslot up 181 percent in first year

> Feb. 2: Nancy Grace gets a new EP, Dean Sicoli

> Jan. 18: In '05, HLN attracted 70 new advertisers thanks to rising ratings

> Jan. 17: HLN signs Glenn Beck; Ken Jautz calls him "the next piece of the puzzle"

2006: Olbermann & Doc Block Boost MSNBC's Ratings

> Dec. 18: It's time for Olbermann to negotiate a new contract; he reportedly wants $4 million a year

> Dec. 5: Chris Matthews off air for a week due to complications from diabetes

abramsjan1.jpg > Nov. 29: "It's official, we are on a roll," Abrams tells staffers

> Nov. 27: MSNBC acquires rights to Super Size Me and other documentaries

> Nov. 20: "MSNBC has seen the future, and it is politics"

> Nov. 3: Chris Licht becomes Scarborough's EP

> Nov. 1: In the midst of budget cuts, "things are looking up at MSNBC"

> Oct. 19: In NBC U 2.0, MSNBC will work "more closely" with NBC News; employees brace for job cuts

> Oct. 19: NBC will shut down Secaucus site in 2007; MSNBC will move to 30 Rock (with some to Engelwood Cliffs)

> Sep. 20: MSNBC covers an ostrich on the loose

> Sep. 19: As his Special Comments continue, Olbermann receives more and more positive press

> Aug. 29: Rumor has it that MSNBC may move out of Secaucus

> Aug. 22: XM satellite radio drops MSNBC

> Aug. 21: MSNBC has a snazzy new graphics package

> Aug. 14: Carlson will be Dancing with the Stars this fall; later, he's the first contestant to be sent home

> Aug. 13: Your Business starts airing on Sunday mornings

> Aug. 1: At the Top Of The Rock, NBCers enjoy MSNBC.com's first-place position

> Jul. 31: MSNBC adds Davidson Goldin as editorial director

> Jul. 27: Tammy Haddad stays with MSNBC, becomes VP in Washington

> Jul. 27: Scarborough Country takes a tabloid turn; later, a producer gets drunk to simulate Mel Gibson's intoxication

> Jul. 17: MSNBC is using more NBC talent

> Jul. 15: MSNBC recognizes its tenth anniversary with a party in NJ; "The challenge hasn't changed in 10 years -- to clarify why MSNBC is an alternative to CNN," ex-GM Erik Sorenson says

> Jul. 10: Tucker's show is now called Tucker

> Jun. 29: MSNBC schedules tape from 9 to 11pm; Rita Cosby loses her show; Carlson moves to the afternoon

> Jun. 26: Michael Rubin becomes VP of longform

> Jun. 26: NBC exec says more tape is coming to MSNBC's primetime

> Jun. 26: Abrams wants a "live and urgent, less newscasty" daytime

> Jun. 16: Connie Chung sings goodbye

> Jun. 14: Zucker wants more crime and repeats

> Jun. 12: "This is an unconventional play. We know that, and that's the beauty of it," an insider says

> Jun. 12: Dan Abrams becomes general manager and Phil Griffin becomes executive in charge

> Jun. 12: Capus considers MSNBC a "news and information network"

> Jun. 8: Is there "any real place or need for a third cable news network?"

> Jun. 8: "It's time to push... and grow the channel in a way it hasn't to date," Steve Capus says

> Jun. 7: Rick Kaplan exits; a "mutual decision;" it's "the first step in the strategic restructure of MSNBC"

>
May 31: "MSNBC and CNBC are doing much better," Bob Wright states

> May 1: Tucker Carlson ditches the bow tie

> May 1: The Most with Alison Stewart premieres

> Apr. 18: Joe Scarborough and Rita Cosby switch timeslots; it puts Rita, Nancy and Greta head-to-head-to-head

> Apr. 18: MSNBC tries repeating Countdown at 9am

> Apr. 5: Susan Sullivan replaces Mark Effron as daytime VP

> Mar. 19: MSNBC realizes the value of tape

> Feb. 27: Jeff Zucker says "there's real and actual momentum at MSNBC"

> Jan. 28: MSNBC is worth $1 billion?

> Jan. 27: Analyzing the Microsoft-NBC split: "GE knows how to contractually rape its prospective partners"

> Jan. 11: MSNBC begins airing taped shows from 9pm to midnight on Fridays; Rick Kaplan implies that it's temporary

> Jan. 9: Weekends with Maury and Connie premieres. "This one won't last through the summer," an e-mailer predicts

> Jan. 4: Jon Friedman says MSNBC is "quietly showing serious improvement in its reporting and programming"

2006: CNBC Gets Younger

> Dec. 11: The net's demo #'s are up almost 60 percent from last year

> Dec. 4: CNBC launches new web site; it connects TV and the Internet

> Oct. 30: NBC will merge some CNBC bureaus with O&O's

> Oct. 30: Howard's newsmag keeps getting delayed; later, it's named Business Nation

> Oct. 3: Hyping the Dow's record high

> Oct. 2: A record earnings year for CNBC

> Oct. 1: CNBC is working on new international distribution agreements

> Sep. 16: Looking for a timeslot for Fast Money; where will it go?

> Sep. 15: Cramer is a best-selling bobblehead

> Sep. 7: Glen Rochkind is out at CNBC; the net announces several changes to the business news desk

> Jul. 21: Forbes wants to compete with CNBC with this syndie pilot

> Jul. 18: CNBC experiments with town hall shows at 8pm

> Jul. 12: Someone didn't get Joe Kernen's joke about Aquaman

> Jul. 3: Josh Howard is prepping a monthly newsmag

> Jul. 3: Hoffman and Wald are moving CNBC "toward a broader definition of business coverage"

> Jun. 26: Meredith Stark, new VP of CNBC.com, is charged with recreating the net's online presence

> Jun. 8: Jonathan Wald becomes senior VP; David Friend leaves the network; later, Friend becomes a VP at WCBS

> Jun. 8: CNBC tries a "checkerboard" of programming at 8pm

> May 11: Thomas J. Clendenin becomes VP of marketing

> May 5: Jeremy Pink becomes prez of CNBC Asia

> May 1: Maria Bartiromo moves the markets after a private conversation with the Fed Chair

> May 1: Will Surratt becomes EP of The Big Idea; Mary Duffy becomes EP of primetime development

> Mar. 28: Mad Money is a ratings winner

> Mar. 13: John Harwood becomes chief D.C. correspondent

> Feb. 20: Ron Insana leaves the anchor desk; becomes "senior analyst" and starts investment newsletter

> Feb. 14: Conversations with Michael Eisner premieres, and it's boring

> Jan. 19: Six appointments on the news desk

> Jan. 18: "King of Wall Street:" Jim Cramer is developing a reality show

> Jan. 17: "Is CNBC's management team shelving some long-time anchors in favor of younger faces?"

> Jan. 13: CNBC pushes Ted David off Morning Call; he moves to radio

> Jan. 9: What does Mark Hoffman want? "Intellectual combat"

2006: Fox Biz Launch Edges Closer

> Dec. 13: Fox has to "find entertainment in otherwise ordinary business stories"

> Dec. 11: FNC "has been conducting a lot of business about business news" lately

> Dec. 4: FNC inks video deal with Yahoo Finance; Cheryl Casone hosts hourly updates for web

> Nov. 30: Cavuto to start anchoring a financial newscast for Fox News Radio

> Nov. 9: The drumbeat continues: "We're getting pretty close," Chernin says again

> Nov. 7: Comcast will carry Fox Biz, NYT reports

> Nov. 3: "I think we're ready for Fox," GE's Jeff Immelt declares

> Oct. 30: Kevin Magee will oversee channel -- "in the event distribution is secured for its launch" > Oct. 23: CNBC's Jonathan Wald says Ailes won't steal his staffers for a biz channel

> Oct. 9: This is the "second phase" of Fox Biz

> Sep. 13: Peter Chernin says Fox Biz is set to launch in 30 million homes in early 2007

> Sep. 12: "We're close" to being able to launch, Cavuto says

> Sep. 12: Grove got it right: Alexis Glick joins FNC as the director of business news

> Jul. 24: "We are still looking" at a possible business channel, Ailes says: "It probably wont happen this year. After that it could happen, and we are in active negotiations"

> Jun. 20: Ailes tells analysts he's aiming for early-to-mid 2007

> Jun. 5: Roger Ailes doesn't want to launch unless wide distribution is assured

> May 8: Neil Cavuto says Fox looks "at the whole picture" and is optimistic

> Apr. 17: News Corp. wants 10 cents for Fox Biz carriage

> Feb. 27: FNC may offer cable ops a lower carriage fee in exchange for Fox Biz distribution

> Feb. 6: We're making "quite considerable progress" getting distribution, Rupert Murdoch says

> Jan. 25: The announcement of a "new network" scares CNBCers; it turns out to be the CW

> Jan. 3: CNBC's Jim Cramer predicts Murdoch will give Ailes "the staff he needs to set up" Fox Biz

2006: This Is Katie Couric's World, We Just Live In It



> Dec. 18: As it turned out, the newscasts finished November sweeps in the same order they had before Couric -- NBC first, ABC second, CBS third -- with each network's ratings slightly down over the year, continuing a long-standing trend. The first woman anchor had not much changed the evening news' numbers one way or another"

> Dec. 13: "Stop analyzing her!"

> Dec. 12: Maybe America wasn't ready for Katie

> Nov. 30: Couric in Amman on her first overseas trip; she gets a trifecta

> Nov. 8: Couric's election coverage gets mixed reviews

> Oct. 27: How has CBS "managed to bungle Katie Couric's rep so badly?" Jossip blames Gil Schwartz

> Sep. 5: The big day is here; "sometimes I feel like human chum," she says

> Sep. 2: Couric doesn't know the name of the CBS morning show

> Aug. 29: Thanks to Photoshop, Couric loses 20 pounds; CBS sort of apologizes

> Aug. 25: "Perky and cute, but smart, informed and liberal, too"

> Aug. 16: Couric's celebrity junket for journalists

> Aug. 14: Couric is trying to lower expectations

> Aug. 14: "I don't know how long I'm going to do this," she says

> Jul. 16: CBS says Couric will have a daily blog, an on-camera Evening News tease each afternoon, "daily digital reports," and more

> Jun. 22: Katie is going on a Hillary-style "listening tour"

> Jun. 14: "I've already made my money back," Moonves grins

> Jun. 5: Maybe she'll sign off with "Peace out, homies"

> Jun. 2: She pays $6.3 million for new home in East Hampton

> May 31: Couric's final day on Today > May 18: Couric, at the upfronts, steps in front of the CBS eye

> Apr. 12: "Our first date:" Couric and Schieffer have lunch for the cameras

> Apr. 5: TVNewser says: "For CBS, Couric is a move in the right direction, but she won't be the savior some are expecting"

> Apr. 5: Couric "is joining CBS News;" it's a five-year deal including 60 Minutes face-time; it's a big coup for Les Moonves

> Apr. 5: "I have decided I'll be leaving Today at the end of May;" NBC says thanks; Couric's P.R. operation works like a charm

> Apr. 4: On the anniversary of Couric's 15th year at Today, the rumors become official

> Apr. 2: Couric's deal with CBS "is completed in principle"

> Mar. 27: "The ball is in her court"

> Mar. 24: Couric is thinking about her legacy, according to "Desperate Networks"

> Feb. 20: NBC would offer Couric $20 million?

> Feb. 18: Couric starts asking NBCers if they'd come with her to CBS -- "hypothetically" of course

> Feb. 7: Couric doesn't anchor the opening ceremonies of the Olympics; "NBC was sending its star a warning"

> Jan. 19: She hires PR wiz Matthew Hiltzik

> Jan. 12: Couric tries to throw cold water on the CBS rumors

> Jan. 10: Russ Mitchell wants her. And Elizabeth Vargas thinks it's a wonderful idea

> Jan. 9: Bob Schieffer hopes Couric will come to CBS

> Jan. 4: A research firm says Couric's likability rating has declined

2006: "A New Day" At NBC, Including Vieira, New Execs & Budget Cuts

> Dec. 20: A fourth hour of Today: is it 50/50, a strong possibility, or a done deal?

> Dec. 14: Gregory and Snow spar again; this time, Snow apologizes

> Dec. 13: Dateline is applying the Predator format to other subjects

> Dec. 5: NBC tries a sole-sponsor Nightly News; less commercials, more news is a hit with viewers

> Dec. 4: Today, with Vieira, stays in first place

> Nov. 27: NBC decides to label Iraq a "civil war"

> Nov. 22: After Christmas, Dateline gets a third night

> Nov. 13: Today survives the transition; "I'm surprised we hung in there," Lauer says

> Nov. 10: 17 pink slips at Dateline; Robb Stafford and Edie Magnus are out; layoffs at NN and Today too

> Nov. 7: Man commits suicide when police (and Dateline crew) come knocking

> Nov. 4: Williams' viewers sampled Couric, but they come back

> Oct. 30: NBC will look for operational efficiencies, like sending one camera crew for multiple networks

> Oct. 19: NBC/MSNBC/CNBC guest booking and graphics departments will merge

> Oct. 19: Confronting a "new electronic reality," NBC U 2.0 plan is revealed; to save $750 million, 700 jobs will be cut, including 220 at NBC News; it's "salary-tightening time"

> Oct. 12: President Bush compliments Kevin Corke's suit

> Oct. 10: NBC opens bureau in Bangkok; Ian Williams joins net from ITN

> Oct. 4: CNN vet Jane Arraf moves to NBC

> Sep. 14: 6.9 million viewers for Vieira's premiere

> Sep. 13: NBC welcomes Vieira to the Today Show family; she premieres on a futuristic set

> Sep. 8: Lauer supports a fourth hour of Today -- if NBC supports it by adding staffers

> Sep. 7: Dateline's predator deal is lucrative for Perverted Justice

> Aug. 31: Curry breaks her nose in between Today Show segments

> Aug. 23: Nancy Snyderman becomes chief medical editor

> Aug. 21: New control room and HDTV studio space for Today

> Aug. 10: Williams reads viewer mail on the Nightly News; John Reiss says "we're trying to lift the veil a bit"

> Aug. 8: Will NBC add a fourth hour of Today?

> Jun. 28: NBC doubles its staff of investigative producers

> Jun. 16: NBC moves Mark Mullen to Beijing and names Fritz Von Klein South East Asia bureau chief; at the same time, NBC downsizes in Moscow

> Jun. 9: Couric's gone, but Today viewers don't seem to mind; the morning gap holds steady

> May 31: Couric leaves Today; NBC starts promoting "a new day"

> May 22: NBC opens "Middle East bureau" in Beirut; Richard Engel is the bureau chief

> May 15: Dateline to lose its Sunday spot in the fall; but it'll be back after football season; Steve Capus says "we have big plans" for Dateline

> May 1: NBC's new ad slogan: "Wherever you go, there we are"

> Apr. 25: To Catch A Predator is back for May sweeps

> Apr. 24: Meet the Press celebrates five years at #1

> Apr. 21: NBC tried to woo Mike Wallace

> Apr. 11: Matt Lauer gets $13 million a year in a new 5-year deal

> Apr. 6: "I'm very honored that NBC has asked me to co-host the Today show," Vieira announces on The View; NBC holds press conference

> Apr. 4: NBC offers Vieira a 4-year, $10 million contract

> Mar. 23: Photographer David Hume Kennerly becomes contributing editor

> Mar. 10: Ann Curry reports from Darfur

> Mar. 13: Vieira has had "several meetings" with NBC, but her agent downplays the rumors

> Mar. 3: Phil Alongi becomes specials EP

> Mar. 2: Mark Lukasiewicz becomes VP

> Feb. 28: Two new VP's: Doug Vaughan and Lloyd Siegel

> Feb. 13: David Gregory and Scott McClellan exchange words; later, Gregory explains

williamsjan1.jpg > Feb. 15: Alexis Glick leaves NBC; later, Natalie Morales becomes a full-time Today correspondent

> Feb. 6: TMZ is the first to suggest Meredith Vieira could move to Today; Vieira doesn't deny the possibility

> Feb. 2: New EP of Weekend Today: Lyne Pitts

> Jan. 23: Dateline moves to Saturday "graveyard"

> Jan. 12: NBC correspondents vote to leave the AFTRA union

> Jan. 9: Alex Wallace becomes VP; oversees Nightly News, specials and newsgathering

2006: At ABC News, Steadying The Ship

> Dec. 19: Almost a year after being injured in Iraq, Woodruff "looks and sounds great"

> Dec. 12: Gibson edges close to Williams, especially in the demo

> Dec. 1: This Week's first sweeps win over Face the Nation in five years

> Nov. 30: Primetime gets a five-episode run

> Nov. 28: One-year anniversary of the new Nightline

> Nov. 15: Dan Harris is the official anchor of WN Sunday; other promotions

> Nov. 9: World News This Morning becomes America This Morning; Nancy Han becomes AM news EP

> Nov. 7: With 'Dancing' as its lead-in, ABC's election coverage is #1

> Nov. 6: Vargas is back full-time on 20/20

> Nov. 1: Diane Masciale leaves NBC to become executive editor for special coverage

> Oct. 20: Despite the Couric competition, World News is "thriving"

> Oct. 19: Woodruffs are writing a memoir; primetime special to air in Spring 2007

> Oct. 17: Sawyer reports from North Korea

> Oct. 1: ABC reporting leads to Mark Foley's resignation; Brian Ross gets the credit

> Sep. 10: What will Diane do? She says she doesn't know; later, B&C says her eyes are "fixed on the exit door"

> Aug. 22: Sam Champion is named GMA's weather anchor

> Aug. 22: Chris Sheridan becomes weekend news EP

> Aug. 21: Chris Cuomo's campaign pays off: He is named news anchor of GMA

> Aug. 21: Rejected by an employment tribunal: Richard Gizbert doesn't get any money from ABC

> Aug. 16: Vargas gives birth to Samuel Wyatt Cohn

> Aug. 10: Virginia Moseley becomes senior political editor

> Aug. 10: ABC News All Media unit forms

> Aug. 7: Remembering Peter, one year later

> Aug. 3: Nightline's audience is getting younger; later, the show beats Letterman three weeks in a row; it's called a "ratings resurgence"

> Jul. 26: Jim Murphy will become senior EP and Tom Cibrowski will become EP of GMA

> Jul. 19: Nightline stops using Times Square studio

> Jul. 19: World News drops the Tonight

> Jul. 11: Jeffrey Schneider gets promoted to senior VP of communications

> Jul. 7: The Russian government closes ABC's operations in Moscow

> Jul. 2: "I'll do everything in my power" to anchor a nightly newscast again, Vargas pledges

> Jun. 28: "We're glad you're finally ours," WNT EP Jon Banner tells Gibson

> Jun. 28: "And so this wonderful 19-year experience of a lifetime comes to an end:" Gibson says goodbye to his GMA family

> Jun. 13: Woodruff visits ABC News

> Jun. 2: GMA EP Ben Sherwood resigns; the posturing begins

> May 30: Gibson signs on; ABC markets him as "your trusted source"

> May 26: Vargas signs off

> May 23: Did Diane want the chair? What will she do now? Later, B&C suggests CNN; she says she wants to do "more serious journalism in primetime"

> May 23: Sources say Vargas "struggled" to keep her job; but ABC swears it was her choice; on WNT, she gives a concession speech

> May 23: "Charles Gibson has been named anchor of World News Tonight;" ABC doesn't replace Gibson on GMA

> May 18: Sawyer hires lawyer Allen Grubman

> May 16: 20/20 is renewed; Primetime gets a full pickup but not a timeslot; it'll be "used to fill holes" in the fall

> May 15: "The government is tracking the phone numbers we call in an effort to root out confidential sources," ABC's investigative unit says

> May 15: Jan Crawford Greenburg joins ABC; later, she interviews John Roberts

> May 8: Sawyer plans to stay on GMA through 2007

> May 8: George Stephanopoulos gets good press; and later, more and more and more

> May 3: Shelley Ross' final stunt; she departs ABC in Dec.

> Apr. 24: At NAB/RTNDA, remembering Peter

> Apr. 6: ABC releases the first photograph of Woodruff

> Mar. 23: Drudge publishes old "Bush makes me sick" e-mail by GMA Weekend EP John Green; he expresses regret; later, he is suspended for one month

> Mar. 16: Woodruff heads home

> Mar. 15: The Western Edition doesn't last long

> Mar. 13: Forget Sawyer; Charles Gibson will be WNT's "temporary permanent replacement," sources say

> Mar. 8: Rumor has it that Diane's taking the WNT chair

> Feb. 24: Post-Koppel Nightline is up in the demo

> Feb. 23: Vogt heads home to France; Woodruff still "mildly sedated"

> Feb. 21: W. 66th St. becomes Peter Jennings Way

> Feb. 10: Vargas is pregnant; later, "it's a boy"

> Feb. 8: Vogt moves to outpatient facility; Woodruff still sedated

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