Stephanopoulos' TV Show Gains Momentum

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Nearly losing his job on Sunday mornings may someday be remembered as the turning point in George Stephanopoulos' broadcast-journalism career.

His show, ABC News' ''This Week,'' has gathered momentum this fall with some newsmaking interviews of President Bush and Vice President Cheney and his first-ever second place finish to ''Meet the Press'' in a ratings sweeps month since he began as host in 2002.

For a few weeks in early 2005, it wasn't clear he'd get that chance to succeed.

(snip)
Make no mistake, NBC's Tim Russert remains the leader of the Sunday-morning pack. But there is room for alternatives, and for most of this decade Bob Schieffer of CBS News' ''Face the Nation'' has been the clear second choice.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-TV-George-Stephanopoulos.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[Jim Sagle]

1. I don't watch ABC. Ever. Every channel they own (even partially) is now a SKIP

on my remote. Ever since their 911 hit job on Clinton.

[PDittie]

2. Of the Talking Heads, he's usually the best

It comes on opposite Russert here, so I never have to look at Timmeh any more. In Memoriam and the Sunday Funnies sets his show off from the others.

My Sunday morning menu is

1. CBS Sunday Morning
2. Face the Nation
3. This Week

[MissWaverly]

4. That's a shame, since Timmy has been doing a good job

He had a good show on Iraq today, with Baker and Hamilton and a team of experts to debate
Iraq. The best scenario they outline is for Iraq to be the way it is right now a year from
now, that is the best scenario. They describe society in a total collapse there, there
is no national unity of national identity, each little neighborhood is its own little world
fortified against those who would kill it. They also say that the middle class has left Iraq.

[papau]

5. Tim does his Best "This Week"'s when its after an election and he is sure he's not helping Dems n/t

n/t

[MissWaverly]

10. No, I think the whole mood has changed since last summer

Timmy did allow the candidates on to debate on his show, I thought it was a good
opportunity to look at them close up, This Week interviewed the candidates but they
did not debate on his show.

[papau]

13. True as to the pre-election debate time - perhaps he has changed - but I just

doubt that he has.

NBC jumped for GE/Welch in 2000, 2003, 2004 and it was not much changed - esp in the Tim interview with candidate or with a far far right and a just a little far right person on issue segments pre the 2006 election.

I hope you are right - but I trust GE, NBC, and Russert about as far as I can throw Russert - and I can't throw anything very far these days! :-) Indeed after the ABC hit piece on Clinton, it is CBS, KO on MSNBC, and overseas publications on the internet for news - at least for me.

The rest are like Fox - just entertainment shows that are not to be taken seriously.

[MissWaverly]

14. well, I think there is some realization that the country is not happy

Russert himself said things have changed since November, look, I don't think it about Republicans as a group, I think it was about this current crop of the Newt and Tom DeLay crowd that ruled like conquerers and not elected officials and sought to suppress the news.

[Buzz Clik]

6. Russert is re-run on MSNBC. I catch it then.

George, however, is worth the watch ever week. Zakaria is outstanding, and George Will is a good finger on the conservative pulse. Their way of honoring the weekly fallen in Iraq is very nice. The Sunday Funnies is a great break.

[MissWaverly]

8. I get a chance to watch the last half of This Week

I like Sam Donaldson, I agree that Zakaria tells it like it is in Iraq, Will is a
good barometer I agree but I think even he knows that Iraq is a debacle.

[PDittie]

9. Yes, and when

George Will, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson's hair cause my breakfast to rise in the throat, I quickly swich to ESPN.

[PDittie]

7. Saw them on Schieffer n/t

[MissWaverly]

11. yes, but Timmy had called in an independent panel

including the guy (Ricks) who wrote Fiasco, what we need are more outside voices,
like the thing with them only have 6 Arab linguists are a staff of 1,000 at the
Iraq embassy, how and when is that going to change, a failed strategy is a failed
strategy.

[Graybeard]

3. This Week keeps getting better...

...and better. Solid reporting, informative hard-hitting
interviews, intelligent panel discussions (no raised voices )
and, as noted, a very respectful In Memorium segment every
week.  

[MindMatter]

12. That is like bragging about

being the tallest midget in town.

All of these shows and their hosts are administration sycophants spewing administration popraganda. It is only a question of degree.

They have all made themselves irrelevant.