Best Television Shows of the Year

My Top TiVo Picks!

Everyone's issuing a 2005 Best List and so many people are doing it with feature films (like they're leading into the Oscars- LOL). Who has the time & cash to see all those films? I was lucky to get to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the drive-in over the summer. I'm telling you the day is coming when feature films will be released on DVD and on VOD the same day the hit the theater.

With TV's still free (we'll there's the cable bill, but my TiVo's free and clear because it's paid for and I have the lifetime subscription).

I put together my own 2005 Best TV Show list based on what's currently ranked on my TiVo Season Pass list.

A season pass is a feature on TiVo that lets me tell the device to record all episodes of that show without me having to figure out when the shows air, what channel, etc.

My top favorite television shows as of 12.28.05 (in order of their season pass ranking on my Tivo)
1. Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi)
2. Arrested Development (Fox)
3. Medium (NBC)
4. Lost (ABC)
5. Scrubs (NBC)
6. My Name is Earl (NBC)
7. The Shield (FX)
8. Rescue Me (FX)
9. Boston Legal (ABC)
10. The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Shows that were close:

Entourage (HBO), Everybody Hates Chris (UPN), The Comeback (HBO)

Suggested Links:
Most "TiVoed" Shows of the Week- Click Here!

Nielsen Top 20 Rated TV Shows of Last Week!

Battlestar Galactica on TV & the Web

Space Opera Targets Audience in Cyberspace
“Battlestar” Hits with Fans & Critics

Now that Santa has dropped off new video iPods to the masses you can expect more and more networks to take a page from Sci Fi Channel’s Battlestar Galactica. In addition to selling episodes on iTunes (and marketing the first season on DVD so quickly), the show’s producers broke ground when they started regular commentary podcasts about episodes featuring Galactica EP Ronald Moore (a move mimicked later by the Lost crew).

Now Galactica is breaking with old media again in providing Sci Fi Channel's half-hour Inside: Battlestar Galactica special FREE on iTunes. The special was clearly produced for the television audience as it has obvious transitions for commercial breaks (it begins airing on TV on January 2). However, the network has broken with tradition by pitching the special free on the ‘net as a way to set up the January 6 premiere of Galactica.

Meanwhile, Time magazine has named the show its top pick of television for 2005. Fans like myself recognized from the beginning that this show was so beyond the original, 70s comic book Battlestar. This Galactica is far darker with a gritty, grown up approach to the genre supported by excellent writing and storytelling weaved with wonderful plots, subplots and twists. This show builds a mythology in a far more rewarding way than any other show but as equally suspenseful as Lost. Its stories are timely, powerful, provocative and well worth your your time.

“Galactica is a ripping sci-fi allegory of the war on terror, complete with religious fundamentalists (here, genocidal robots called Cylons), sleeper cells, civil-liberties crackdowns and even a prisoner-torture scandal.”

- Time Online Edition

Now half way through its sophomore season where so many shows tend to drag, the writing is just as perfect. The characters have evolved in unexpected directions and the storyline remains dynamic and edgy.

I was truly ticked off at Sci Fi when it cancelled by prized Farscape a few years ago, but with Galactica (which the Sci Fi Channel slyly field tested first as a mini-series remake before launching as a series) all is forgiven with the network.

Galactica is one of the networks highest-rated shows and clearly its best-reviewed. It clealry has a viable future on the Internet and on TV (I wish the same could be said for my number two favorite show Arrested Development).

Galactica’s innovations with iPod long before ABC and NBC scrambled to provide pay per episodes of mainstream shows illustrates a commitment the producers have made to maintaining and keeping one of the best dramatic series on television and the web. It’s clearly a sign that science fiction niche audience has developed beyond the Star Trek generation thanks to new media.

An afterthought--
Don't be alarmed by my contrast of Lost with Galactica. I'm a fan of Lost. I'm just often frustrated because the show refuses to give up its mysteries and what is presented is often unsatisfying but at the same time compelling. It's the same thing that grabbed me and made me a fan of Alias but the final two seasons have left me cheated with shoddy resolutions and storylines as was the case in the final seasons of The X-Files).

Lost has excellent writing and ambiguous stories. The show also features one of the truly most diverse casts on television today (which goes to show you can address diversity on television effectively and counter cultural stereotypes). Lost has also continued to evolve in its second season as a bigger and better show. It deserves recognition as one of the best shows currently on TV-- however, I think the people at Time may suffer from Lost burnout.

Six Ideas for New Media Opportunties in the New Year

Bringing MORE New Media &
Online Journalism into my classes…

I want my students to study, explore and create more content for new media under the umbrella of online news. I want them to prepare for the future market and understand how these changes will affect local television and radio stations and the local audience as well as redefine the roles of reporters, photographers and editors/producers. Here’s a list of some of the ideas I have for bringing more new media material and online journalism into my spring courses:

1: Take a road trip to a local newspaper. Tour and discuss the role of audio and video in the newspaper’s future endeavors. Discuss how new media will reshape the role of reporter, photographer and online producer.

2: Invite speakers to class including web designers and webmasters to join the ongoing discussions. Ask these experts to discuss old media versus new media. Discuss the implications of online news, RSS , Flash, podcasting, VOD, interactive web events, etc.

3. Assign research papers on the future of local television news reporters, photographers and producers and create these papers in multimedia formats incorporating images, audio and video elements.

4. Contribute regularly to Titan Radio News and The County Line while also incorporating content in a timely manner to our web pages and create a unique, original web program or podcast.

5. Study the BEA’s multimedia festival, its categories and previous winners.

6. Research what the Associated Press is doing with traditional and new media members and look at ways it suggests we adapted and update our newsroom.

So what do you think? Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions? I’m open and eager to bring new ideas and new projects to my students.

Realizing the Big Capstone Payoff

This week Jason Mackey (06 BC) blogged about his journey through the BC Capstone experience characterizing it as an opportunity that served as a giant wake-up call.

"Capstone helped me to realize what I REALLY wanted to do in broadcasting."

That's the best compliment and I encourage you to visit Jason's weblog for more about this journey he's on as he heads into a winter break internship at WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C.

Jason's senior project went in multiple directions exploring on-air efforts, producing Coach's Corner and the Titan Radio Sports Minutes as well as sports promotion/information. His off-campus assessment efforts also went well beyond what was required and I am extremely proud of his efforts.

Visit his weblog and you'll learn how investing time, hard work and passion can create a much bigger payoff than you would ever expect.

Other recent Capstone Weblog entries you should check out:

Melissa DePaul (December graduate)
"The whole point of our capstone project is to accomplish something that you do not have or want to do before you graduate. But as we did that we also had to network with professionals in our field through papers and tape assessments. That was very beneficial because now we established a connection with someone who might be able to help once we graduate."

Heather Storm
"I've sent out my demos and resume like crazy, which earned me two interviews for on-air positions...I feel like I'm in a great position to hopefully get something for weekends in the spring semester. All semester long, I've met a ton of great contacts."

Amanda Hauger
"I concluded that I need a strong broadcast news resume CD next semester...I also want to have a strong features television package. I also want to get published at Views & Voices Magazine. I think this internship will really benefit me and allow me to gain valuable experience."

ON THE ROAD to Spin Off a Special on WCN

Looking to what's ahead for 2006:
WCN's County Line (the area's only news magazine) features a franchise segment "ON THE ROAD" and we plan to create a spin off special in the coming months.

Producers/hosts Luke Garrett ('06 BC) & Stevi Nelson ('07 BC) hope to anchor the best segments of the past year in a 30 minute special. You can check out samples of the segment on www.titanradio.net on click on their picture above and watch.

Luke and Stevi hope to create the special as part of the Broadcast Communications Festival in late April and hold a special screening.

Anchors Away on The County Line

The County Line will see some on air changes when it returns after the winter break. The show will feature three anchor teams rotating week to week:

• Elizabeth Farry & Mike Wolenski
• Steve Brink & Shannon McClain
• Kathryn Larson & Pam Marlowe

The BC 312 (Broadcast Journalism II) students will also serve as reporters/photographers/producers of packages as well as take over producing/hosting duties of the live, in-studio interview segment and producing/anchoring 89 on TCL's news update.


Other ideas we're exploring: Mini-live remote TCL'S during Titan basketball games. What do you think?

Christmas on Titan Radio & Now a Local Paper's Putting the Same Idea into Practice

LISTEN NOW!
The holidays are in full swing at Titan Radio.
Christmas music 24/7 through New Year's Day!
While Titan Radio can go from the car to the desktop PC in a click of the mouse, look at how the local newspaper's trying to get in on the act as well.


The New Castle News also features what they call a radio station with holiday music 24/7. If newspapers are doing desktop radio, then radio and TV stations should be very worried.

TCL Wraps Up for the Semester

The County Line wrapped up the fall semester season last week. Our student staff has demonstrated excellent teamwork this semester. The staff has also done an outstanding job sharing the producing duties and working in the field as shooters and reporters.

Keep up the great work!

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