MetaFilter posts tagged with nbc

As God as my witness, I thought that polar bears could fly.

cjorgensen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:59:17 -0800

NPR fact-check of environmental protest group Plane Stupid's latest commercial featuring polar bears falling from the sky. [Warning: graphic.] This is not the only commercial that has people upset. Enter PeTA's "Grace" which several NBC affiliates predictably refused to air during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Inside the White House

Silune — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:19:50 -0800

Inside the White House in 2009 - 2002 - 1993 - 1990 - 1981 - 1977 - 1971 - 1962 - 1952

Any Vegan Options POTUS?

Xurando — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:18:26 -0800

Every once in a while in the busy urban working environment, the boss buys hamburgers for everyone from Five Guys. I tried to find videos of Dubya doing the same thing. There weren't any.

Just the facts Ma'am

tylerfulltilt — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:40:07 -0800

This is the city, Los Angeles California. I work Here. I carry a badge. My name's Friday. Jack Webb envisioned Dragnet as a showcase for the realities of police work. The original Radio Series debuted on NBC radio in 1949. The show's insistence on realism and naturalistic dialogue were a departure from the melodrama found on radio at the time. Using plots pulled directly from the case files of the LAPD, the show covered topics considered harsh and taboo by the standards of the day. Its depiction of sex crimes, crimes against children, and drug use were edgy for the time. Although it was slow to gain listeners, Dragnet found it's audience. Jump ahead a couple of years to 1952 and the first television series begins. This version of the show is probably not familiar to most people. Filmed in black and white, The TV version brought the radio show's grittiness and realism to the burgeoning format of Television. Both the radio show and the black and white television version ran successfully and consecutively until the late 1950's Webb mounted a revival of the television series in 1967. This version of the show is most familiar to modern viewers, as this was the version picked up for syndication by Nick at Nite. It ran from 1967 to 1970. Although it seems hokey by today's standards, Dragnet's legacy in the history of entertainment is secured. It was voted into Time Magazine's list of the 100 greatest tv shows of all time. Its use of actual case files as the basis for plots makes it the forerunner to Law and Order. The show's insistence on using technical jargon and details of investigation make it a forerunner of shows like CSI. The show's main four note theme is instantly recognizable. And it even spawned a catchphrase that can still be heard today. Webb was attempting to mount third revival of the show when he passed away in 1982. His funeral was attended by officals from the LAPD, the badge he used on the show, 714, was retired from service, and an LAPD police academy auditorium was named in his honor. Auditorium was named in his honor.

Delaying News in the Era of the Internet

ericb — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:26:50 -0800

Wikipedia Updater Fired For Scooping NBC on Tim Russert's Death -- "When Tim Russert collapsed ten days ago, his colleagues at NBC held off reporting the news for almost two hours so his family wouldn't hear about it from the media....The news appeared on Wikipedia 40 minutes before the NBC report, with all of the verbs in Tim's entry changed from present tense to past. It appeared on the New York Times's web site 5 minutes before the NBC story. It zipped around Twitter all afternoon. According to the New York Times, the person who updated the Wikipedia entry 40 minutes before NBC reported it worked at Internet Broadcasting Services, a company that provides web services to TV stations including NBC affiliates." "IBS says a 'junior-level employee' changed the Wikipedia entry to reflect Russert's death because he or she thought it was common knowledge. When NBC discovered the entry--and freaked out about it--someone else at IBS deleted the date of Russert's death and changed all of the verb tenses back. And then IBS took care of the employee.

'An I.B.S. spokeswoman...added that the company had 'taken the necessary measures with the employee and apologized to NBC.' NBC News said it was told the employee was fired.'"

Let's see that clip.

swift — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:47:22 -0800

Tim Russert dead at 58.

NBC Way Back Wednesdays

Fuzzy Skinner — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:25:08 -0800

NBC offers Way Back Wednesdays where you can watch full vintage episodes online of Rod Serling's Night Gallery, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Emergency, Battlestar Galactica, The A-Team, Buck Rogers, and Miami Vice.

Hey! Make yourself at home! I'll be right back!

miss lynnster — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:07:31 -0800

Actress Dani Miura talks about what it's like to work as bait on To Catch A Predator. Previously.

Force majeure axe

Tehanu — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:27:55 -0800

The WGA strike has entered its third month. Since New Year's, Worldwide Pants, the Weinstein Co., and United Artists have reached interim deals with the WGA, with rumors of more to come. Microsoft announced new deals with Hollywood companies. And on Friday, ABC Studios terminated deals with more than a dozen writers. Tonight, CBS, NBC, and 20th Century Fox have followed suit. Names of producers, writers, and shows affected are still being revealed as letters are received. Force majeure. So far, reports suggest that most or all of the people whose deals were terminated are writers without projects currently on the air-- people with a show in development or with a recent show that's no longer on the air. But names are still being reported so it's not entirely certain yet. Meanwhile, there is a rumor that a deal between the AMPTP and DGA will be announced tomorrow.

...GE had long done business with the bin Ladens. In a misguided attempt at corporate synergy, I called GE headquarters...

amberglow — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:31:03 -0800

"You Don't Understand Our Audience" --what John Hockenberry (formerly of NBC, now at MIT Media Lab) learned about network news--good guys and bad guys, the "emotional center", synergy, facts, and why fewer and fewer watch nowadays.

A star as big as a window.

2or3whiskeysodas — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:04:15 -0800

On December 24th, 1951, NBC aired television's first annual Christmas tradition and the first opera created specifically for TV, Amahl and the Night Visitors, composed by Gian Carlo Menotti (1911 – 2007). Maybe the cast recording, the children's book or one of the hundreds of local performances staged each year have been a staple of one or more of your holiday seasons. If so, you might be pleased to know that a kinescope of the original 1951 broadcast, long assumed lost, has in fact been found, restored, added to the Museum of Television and Radio and (most importantly) put on YouTube. Menotti interviewed on NPR regarding Amahl and the Night visitors; previously on MeFi.

Drink up, baby!

DiscourseMarker — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:27:13 -0800

NBC is once again dipping its toe into the waters of liquor advertising. Although liquor ads have been running on cable since 1996 their presence on broadcast TV remains controversial, due to the presumed influence of alcohol ads on underage drinking . However, at least one expert disagrees. Previous discussion.

Black 20

farishta — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:07:26 -0800

"Satire with the Blessing of Lady Luck Herself" is a review of Black20, the comedy site that started when a couple of disenchanted NBC writers decided to go off on their own. Why were they lucky? They made their startup budget by gambling everything they had at roulette, and won. They have produced a number of shows and viral videos that you might enjoy, such as Wheels , Sheffield Quigley: Professional Myspace Photographer, Bathroom Adventure, (pt. 2), Phortal, and Percussion Eruption.

"You're great as a 12-year-old."

beaucoupkevin — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:17:19 -0800

NBC's most controversial "news" program finally hits an all-new low. ThisJustIn.com presents To Catch A Predator: The Reunion Special. Bloopers are included free! [2-video blog link]

NBC Dateline reporter busted at hacker conference

micketymoc — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 01:52:23 -0800

To Catch a Reporter. NBC Dateline producer Michelle Madigan tries to go undercover at the DefCon 14 security convention - and bites off more than she can chew. Having been alerted to her presence days before the event, DefCon staff baits the trap with a fake “Spot the Fed” contest. Once she is seated, DefCon organizer Jeff Moss suggests they play “Spot the Undercover Reporter” instead. Knowing the gig’s up, Madigan bolts – and a comical parking lot chase ensues. (Not a good week for Dateline NBC – its producers are being sued for bribing local law-enforcement officials to help them arrange their stings.)

Without Breasts There Is No Paradise

Yakuman — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:01:31 -0800

Without Breasts There Is No Paradise NBC wunderkind Ben Silverman's first new series is a Spanish-language soap opera called Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso. It's about Catalina, a teenage prostitute seeking breast implants to win the heart of a cocaine smuggler, whom she hopes will free her from a live of poverty. Can a sweet young thing from a small town find happiness in a fast-paced world of easy money and drug trafficking?

how much would michael scott cost in legal fees?

tylerfulltilt — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 08:42:12 -0800

Steve Carell may be hilarious in the office, but how much would his jackass behavior cost in real-life? clips (youtube)

The most expensive television disaster ever?

tylerfulltilt — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:30:40 -0800

Supertrain. A show about a supertrain that costs an assload of money and has no real direction or over arching story? why the hell not? link clips(youtube)

Strange Bedfellows

P-Soque — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:19:34 -0800

Strange Bedfellows: Xavier Von Erck dropped out of college, started a pedophile-hunting vigilante group, and spent months posing as a woman to trick an online enemy to fall in love with him. Meet the new savior of NBC News.

Conspiracy Theory Rock

riotgrrl69 — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:35:49 -0800

Media-opoly from Saturday Night Live's TV Funhouse skit created by Robert Smigel broadcast in 1998 on NBC, a subsidiary of GE. Not broadcast since, apparently.

West Wing Canceled

Saucy Intruder — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 18:39:55 -0800

And the winner is . . . irrelevant, as NBC has canceled The West Wing after seven seasons. Sagging ratings—not John Spencer's death—have been blamed for the axe falling on the unconsummated ascendancy of Matt Santos or Arnold Vinick.

Michael, I'm On iTunes

eustacescrubb — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 05:38:53 -0800

iTunes Gets NBC Shows. And not just this season's: like a page out of Infinite Jest, iTunes and NBC are serving up classic NBC programs, including Knight Rider and Hitchcock Presents. (note: sorry - first link goes to iTunes Music Store -- no press releases available yet to link to.)

NBC News live online

XQUZYPHYR — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 09:31:48 -0800

From See It Now to Download it Later. A possible milestone in internet broadcasting: on Monday, NBC's Nightly News will become the first national network news broadcast to be made available for free over the internet.

King of Late Night passes.

Vidiot — Sun, 23 Jan 2005 11:11:52 -0800

Goodnight, Johnny. The King of Late Night is dead at 79.

We chased lady luck, 'til we finally struck Bonanza.

Ogre Lawless — Thu, 05 Aug 2004 11:53:07 -0800

In 1967 the television program Bonanza enjoyed a three-year run as the most-watched television show in the United States. Bonanza had not started well; its first two seasons returning disapointing ratings but kept alive by the bequest of (then) NBC-parent RCA. RCA had a vested interest in keeping the color series alive in order to push sales of their color technology.

That same year Bill and Joyce Anderson created The Ponderosa Ranch tourist attraction near Incline Village, Nevada on the site allegedly shown by the burning map in the opening credits. The property annually attracts nearly 350,000 tourists to Lake Tahoe's north shore to enjoy the surroundings of a period recreation including mock gunfights, cowboy rope tricks and an honest 1860's-style saloon. (more inside)