Julie Chen may be gettin' a promotion -- from USAToday
TV ClubHouse: Archive: USA 2002:
Outside the House:
Julie Chen may be gettin' a promotion -- from USAToday
Yankee_In_Ca | Monday, September 23, 2002 - 07:43 pm     http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2002-09-22-media-mix_x.htm 'Early' exits leave Chen sitting pretty There's blood on the floor at CBS' The Early Show: Co-anchors Bryant Gumbel and Jane Clayson, weatherman Mark McEwen and executive producer Steve Friedman have all been shown the door. But one on-air player has escaped CBS' purge, and she is now in line for a key role in the next Early incarnation: newsreader Julie Chen. As host of the CBS' summer reality series Big Brother for the past three years, she has become a poster girl for TV critics and CBS News hard-liners, who disparage her moonlighting role (heavily hyped on Early) as an example of the fading line between news and entertainment. But now her work on Brother and popularity with CBS brass are about to pay off: She's set to become a regular on a new morning show in which CBS hopes to mix familiar hosts with new ones in a coffee-klatch format. CBS says a final decision has yet to be made by CEO Leslie Moonves, CBS chief Andrew Heyward and new Early Show producer Michael Bass. None of them would discuss Chen on Friday, and Chen didn't reply to a message left for her. But the latest talk is that Chen will be paired with another familiar CBS face, former CBS morning anchor Harry Smith, plus NBC Sports anchor Hannah Storm and another woman. The new format is said to resemble ABC's syndicated talkfest The View. Chen would have a role equal to the other hosts. CBS executives say she has earned the opportunity with her lively give-and-take with contestants on Brother, which has scored well with the younger viewers CBS seeks to draw to Early. There's a precedent for keeping a familiar face on a transitioning CBS morning show: McEwen survived 15 years of regimes and formats until last week. But some of Chen's colleagues question her journalistic skills, are stunned that she has survived the housecleaning and have complained to higher-ups. Network news analyst Andrew Tyndall says there's no logic in such complaints. He notes that rival newsreaders Ann Curry at NBC's Today and Robin Roberts at ABC's Good Morning America often fill in as anchors and report. On Early, Chen has subbed for Clayson only twice and did just nine minutes of interviews from January to June. "It shows how little she was used," Tyndall says. He says that retaining Chen as newsreader makes sense because she does a good job. But if Early adopts a chattier tone, making her a regular doesn't. "She's not that opinionated, witty or humorous," says Tyndall, who writes a weekly newsletter on network morning and evening news shows. "She's nice and pleasant and well-dressed and easy on the eye, but she's no Meredith Vieira, you know?" |
Bmh | Monday, September 23, 2002 - 08:12 pm     Go Julie!..lol she deserves a promotion she has been such a improvement from last year I cant believe they are gettin rid of Jane though!..I alwasy liked Jane oh well Julie is better in my opinion |
Jaxrock | Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 08:01 am     Huh? "CBS executives say she has earned the opportunity with her lively give-and-take with contestants on Big Brother" What BB have I been watching? Her ad-libs are about as lively as a stick. (OK, I know she's limited by ASP, but, sheesh!) |
Justshirley | Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 10:06 am     "She's not that opinionated, witty or humorous" That just about sums it up, and I wholeheartedly agree. With the sole exception of her smackin' Marcellas upside the head, I have been thoroughly unimpressed with her stint on BB. |
Dixiebelle31 | Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 10:29 am     I say BOO to the Early Show for letting Jane and Mark go. Jane was great and, coming from a straight female, a LOT easier on the eyes than Julie. Although, I must admit, about the only time I ever watch The Early Show is on friday mornings after Survivor and when I remember to watch after The Amazing Race. The Survivor interviews won't be the same without Jane.  |
Brenda1966 | Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 03:19 pm     The article made it sound like Jane was fired, but I thought she was moving on to bigger and better things (some nighttime gig). Anyway, I only watch to see Survivor evictees and Amazing Race evictees so... |
Bigbrotherbelle | Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 08:07 pm     I didn't know Bryant Gumbel isn't there anymore! Where have I been? Too many BB late nights. |
Ginger | Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 06:37 am     Julie has grown on me over the years. BB wouldn't be the same without her. I say, congrats to her on her promotion! |
Max | Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 11:20 am     Interesting since when she first took the job as host of BB1, the media gave her lots of grief. They said she couldn't expect to be considered a "serious journalist" much less a trusted news anchor if she was hosting a cheap reality show. Guess she's about to get the last laugh. |
Sia | Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 12:20 pm     LOL, BBBelle; I was glad when Bryant "Gum-ball" left; he's pompous and arrogant, imo, and I don't miss him a bit. I am going to miss Jane Clayson terribly, however, and will switch my morning viewing to NBC if Julie Chen is put into Jane's spot on the morning newscast. They let Mark McEwen go? Those ppl at CBS are crazy!!! I love him and he's a large part of the reason I've been a faithful CBS viewer in early morning for many years--Mark, and the fact that BB and Survivor are CBS shows & they interview the evictees. |
Chyang | Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 06:26 am     Wow, sounds like a big earthquack is hitting CBS. Good for JC, but sorry to see Jane go. |
Fruitbat | Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 06:48 am     I like Julie too Ginger. She has improved since BB 1 and doing very well, I think. |
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