NBC announces the end of ER

The long-running medical drama "ER" will come to an end on March 12, NBC announced today.

One of TV's most honored shows, "ER" has won 22 Emmys and has the most Emmy nominations of any other show on television. It will say goodbye with a two-hour episode.

The announcement was part of a news release NBC issued about its midseason schedule, which included the following:

— "The Office" will have the coveted post-Super Bowl slot on Feb. 1.

— The new drama "Kings," starring Ian McShane, will premiere on Thursdays, beginning March 19.

— "Celebrity Apprentice" will premiere on March 1 and will be expanded to two-hour episodes.

— "Medium" will return to the lineup on Feb. 2, the same night that "Heroes" kicks off its new volume and "Chuck" returns with a 3-D episode.

— The miniseries "XIII" will air on Feb. 8 and 15.

—Maria Elena Fernandez

(Photo: Maura Tierney as Abby Lockhart, Scott Grimes as Dr. Archie Morris, courtesy Joel Warren / NBC)

Exclusive: Bravo sizes up a second season of 'The Rachel Zoe Project'

I die. I die. Our favorite fashionista is coming back.

Bravo tells us exclusively that the network has ordered up a second season of "The Rachel Zoe Project," the behind-the-scenes reality show following Zoe as she styles celebs, keeps the peace between her feuding assistants and goes on mad vintage-store shopping sprees.

Production has not yet begun, but expect new episodes of "Rachel Zoe," produced by Original Media, to air in mid-2009.

No word yet on whether on-and-off-again rivals Brad and Taylor will be back, but as of October, when I last spoke to Zoe, both were still happily employed.

At the time, Zoe thought Taylor was getting "a bad rap" from viewers, who took issue with Taylor talking back to the boss lady. "Taylor's tough, she keeps me focused. She's there to tell me no, because I'm really bad at saying no," Zoe said. "But I need her to do that. I'd be lost without her."

Bravo also will be unveiling several new series on Thursday.

Now all the network needs to do is tell us when "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" comes back and my Christmas wish list will be complete. And that would be, as Zoe might say, "bananas amazing."

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: Bravo

'Californication' gets a greenlight for season 3

Hank Moody will live to be restless another day.

Showtime has renewed the comedy "Californication," starring David Duchovny as a novelist with a weakness for "sex, drugs and rock 'n roll," for a third season.

Production on 12 new episodes will begin in the spring for a premiere in late 2009. Tom Kapinos executive produces.

"This unapologetic show, about a group of characters led by the inimitable David Duchovny, has quickly established itself as one of our signature comedy series," said Showtime programming president Robert Greenblatt. "Beneath its veneer of debauchery, however, is a complex take on love and adult relationships that surprisingly turns poetic and romantic just when you least expect it. "

Duchovny chimed in: "We [who work on the series] all have such creative freedom and support, it's been a peak experience, and I am so happy to be doing the show."

The second season finale airs Dec. 14.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Californication" coverage.

Photo credit: Showtime

Updated: CNN lets go of Miles O'Brien after 16 years

Veteran CNN anchor and reporter Miles O’Brien, who led network’s coverage of space and aviation, is being let go after a 16-year tenure at the cable news channel.

His departure, confirmed by CNN today, comes as part of an effort to consolidate the network’s science and technology reporting into its Planet in Peril franchise, produced out of the “Anderson Cooper 360” show. Along with O’Brien, who served as CNN’s chief technology and environment correspondent, six producers who work in the science, environment and technology unit in Atlanta are leaving CNN.

“We want to integrate environmental, science and technology reporting into the general editorial structure rather than have a standalone unit,” said CNN spokeswoman Barbara Levin.

O’Brien, a skilled pilot, was CNN’s point person for coverage of aviation disasters and NASA. He also sought to be the first journalist in space, securing a deal with NASA that would have allowed him to fly on the space shuttle. The plan was scuttled, however, after the 2003 crash of the Columbia shuttle.

UPDATE: In a statement, the network said that O'Brien "has made many contributions to CNN over the years. He is a terrific reporter and we wish him all the best."

CNN also released a statement from O'Brien:

In television news, a nearly 17-year stint at one shop is more than just a good run -- it is an epoch. I can honestly say I have loved every minute of my time at CNN (well, maybe not the 2:45 AM alarm bell when I was anchoring "American Morning"). It has been my privilege to be surrounded by the most talented, dedicated and creative people in the business. Collaborating with them -- sharing many great adventures -- is what I will miss the most, but I leave with great memories and great friendships intact. I see a lot of exciting opportunities and I look forward to exploring what is on the horizon -- which, after all, has been my mission at CNN all these years.

-- Matea Gold

NBC close to announcing David Gregory as the next moderator of 'Meet the Press"

NBC executives appear to have settled on David Gregory to be the permanent successor to the late Tim Russert on the Sunday morning powerhouse “Meet the Press,” according to a source familiar with internal discussions.

During a period of intense deliberations in the last few weeks, the network considered various internal and external candidates, and even contemplated bringing in multiple anchors to moderate the 61-year-old program.

But in recent days, executives indicated that they are going with Gregory, according to the source, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The chief White House correspondent has long been considered one of the top candidates for the post. It's unclear whether NBC will also name a permanent panel for the show that would include others who were on the short list, such as political director Chuck Todd, chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell or PBS anchor Gwen Ifill.

NBC officials declined to confirm Gregory’s selection, first reported Monday by the Huffington Post.

“We have nothing to announce,” said spokeswoman Allison Gollust.

But official word could come by Sunday, when interim moderator Tom Brokaw is expected to end his run on the program.

The decision about how to replace Russert, an outsized presence at the network, fell to NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker and NBC News President Steve Capus. One of the factors that apparently influenced their decision was the concern that with few other plum jobs to offer Gregory, he could end up leaving the network. The 38-year-old, seen as one of NBC’s strongest talents, has frequently substituted for co-host Matt Lauer on “Today” and would be a desirable catch for the other morning shows.

The choice of Gregory effectively hands off “Meet the Press” to a new generation, a move that could ensure the program’s stability for years to come. But tapping the young political correspondent to follow veterans like Russert and Brokaw could also up-end the Sunday morning show competition, which has been dominated by the NBC program for the last decade.

It remains to be seen whether viewers will embrace Gregory, known for engaging in often contentious debates with White House officials. The lanky reporter, with his trademark shock of prematurely grey hair, drew both praise and criticism for his coverage of the Bush administration. While some viewers applauded his tough questioning, others complained he was peacocking for the cameras.

Gregory has racked up substantial experience in his 13 years with NBC News. He covered the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns and traveled around the world with President Bush. He also reported on the O.J. Simpson trials, the impeachment of President Clinton and the death of Pope John Paul II.

A Los Angeles native, he will inherit the moderator seat at a time when “Meet the Press” has been riding high. During the recently concluded November sweeps period, the show averaged 4.49 million viewers, its best performance in four years, far outstripping ABC’s “This Week,” CBS’ “Face the Nation” and “Fox News Sunday.” With Brokaw at the helm, the program claimed major exclusives during this year’s presidential campaign, including a high-profile interview with former Secretary of State Colin Powell in which he endorsed Barack Obama. The president-elect himself is set to appear on the program this Sunday.

-- Matea Gold

(Photo courtesy NBC)

Huff Post reports David Gregory is the next 'Meet the Press' moderator

Speculation about who will be the next moderator of “Meet the Press” ratcheted up another level today as the Huffington Post reported that the job was going to NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory, while the network maintained no announcement was imminent.

“We have nothing to announce,” said NBC News spokeswoman Allison Gollust.

The website, which did not cite the sources for its report, said that interim moderator Tom Brokaw will end his run on the program Sunday, when he interviews President-elect Barack Obama.

The Times reported last week that Brokaw’s last show would likely be Sunday because NBC executives were close to naming a permanent successor to longtime moderator Tim Russert, who died in June. 

Gregory has long been considered a front-runner for the post. A longtime political reporter, he became known for his dogged questioning of press officials while covering the Bush White House. The 38-year-old has a high profile at the network, serving as substitute for Matt Lauer on “Today” and guest moderating “Meet the Press.” Since March, he has had his own daily show on MSNBC, now called “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”

-- Matea Gold

(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Ted Koppel leaves Discovery Channel before his contract is up

Veteran newsman Ted Koppel is leaving his perch at the Discovery Channel six months before his contract is due to expire in May, the network announced today. Discovery called his departure “amicable.”

Koppel, who joined the channel in 2006 to produce long-form news programs, said that new senior management at Discovery had less interest in the kinds of projects he was brought aboard to do.

“Producing our kind of news-related programs is an expensive proposition,” he said in a statement. “It has long been clear that neither of us is interested in an extension of the current contract. Discovery and I worked on terminating the contract a few months early under terms that both sides found acceptable. We leave with gratitude for the professional opportunities we've been given and for the generosity with which we've been treated."

Koppel did not immediately announce his future plans. While at Discovery, the longtime ABC anchor produced 15 hours of programming on a range of topics, including a four-hour series on China and a documentary and town hall meeting called “Living With Cancer,” inspired by his former executive producer Leroy Sievers, who died this summer after a three-year battle with cancer.   

“Ted and his dedicated team have delivered remarkable, in-depth and unflinching portraits of issues affecting our lives and our planet -- and for that we are proud and grateful," John Ford, president of Discovery Channel, said in a statement. "Ted and his colleagues are gifted storytellers who raise the journalistic bar for our entire industry. They will be missed at Discovery and we wish them the best in the future."

-- Matea Gold

(Photo by Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

After 12 years, Alan Colmes ends the Hannity-Colmes 'marriage'

Alan Colmes, who served as Sean Hannity’s liberal counterweight on their long-running Fox News program, announced today that he’s leaving at the end of the year.

The co-host of “Hannity and Colmes” said that after 12 years he’s ready for a new challenge. He will continue to serve as a commentator on Fox News and is developing a weekend program for the network.

“Although it’s bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I’m proud that both Sean and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years,” Colmes said.

Hannity called Colmes “a remarkable co-host” and “a great friend,” adding: “I’ll genuinely miss sparring with such a skillful debate partner.”

Executives have not yet decided how to replace him on the program. “Hannity & Colmes” is the second most-watched cable news show after “The O’Reilly Factor” and has been a fixture on the network since it launched in 1996.

“Alan is one of the key reasons why Fox News has been such a remarkable success,” said Chief Executive Roger Ailes. “We’re sad to see him leave the program, but we look forward to his ongoing contributions to the network.”

—Matea Gold

David Letterman's do-over interview with Katie Couric

Dave Letterman goofed. The CBS late-night comedian admitted on Thursday's "Late Show" that when he had Katie Couric on the program Wednesday, he had failed to ask the anchor about the much-chattered-about incident in September when Sen. John McCain stood Letterman up to race back to Washington deal with the financial crisis, only to appear on the “CBS Evening News” with Couric.

Letterman said he realized his mistake when he read a column in the New York Post scolding him for not raising the issue with Couric.

“Oh my God, he’s right,” the comedian said. “He’s absolutely right. I completely screwed that up.”

So Letterman got Couric on the phone to discuss exactly what went down.

“I read this article and I said, I’m the dumbest man alive,” he told her. “And you know, one more of these and I’m going to lose my talk show license.”

“You know, Dave, I was all prepped to chat with you about this,” she responded. “And you had like a brain synapse misfiring or something.”

Couric said she had no idea that McCain was supposed to appear on Letterman’s show until “you apparently had a little cow on the air.”

Watch the full exchange below.

-- Matea Gold

First Look: MTV's 'Britney: For the record'

Three months ago, filming began on a Britney Spears documentary in which she would open up about the troubles surrounding her celebrity, her failed marriage to Kevin Federline and the rebuilding of her career as a lead-up to the release of her upcoming album "Circus." The project was finished last week.

MTV along with Spears' longtime manager Larry Rudolph screened half an hour of footage from the special for the press Thursday night in Santa Monica. It's no "Chaotic."

The first scene took place on the day Spears' latest comeback began, the day she'd take home a trio of her first-ever VMA awards. That morning her dad, Jamie Spears, prepared her favorite breakfast, Velveeta cheese grits.

At one point, Spears is asked by the filmmaker if she thinks her life is weird. "Do I think my life is weird? (Laughs) It's all I've ever known. I don't see it as weird."

But at all hours the star is shown flanked by her team, which includes Rudolph, her father, another manager, her personal assistant, bodyguards and any number of various hangers-on. She entertains her entourage by doing impressions of her dad, and gets pumped while recording tracks for her album and shooting a music video.

Most of the time, however, Spears is shown looking sullen, quiet, even disconnected. On the way to the VMAs, she's concerned about whether MTV will show footage of last year's botched comeback (the network did not). She reveals to the filmmaker that her trust has been "battered" and that she's "grown up big time." Tears well up in her eyes when she talks about how feeling lonely led to poor decisions with major consequences. "I'm sad," she says finally before bursting into tears.

If the past two years revealed Britney as a star who had lost her footing, MTV’s documentary shows Spears as a mother of two working to find her way -- even while she talks about wanting a different life. Rudolph explained to us why she continues to pursue a career in the spotlight: