European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse A Good morning american rises As a today nods of by Rick Dubrow los Angeles times. U to or not to. 1 hot shots talk about a dynasty. The last time abcs Good morning America lost the weekly ratings was in 1989. In Case you Hadnot noticed Goa anchored by Charles Gibson and Joan Lunden has been the Winner for 82 straight weeks. That Means every week of 1990 and every week thus far this year despite recent ratings movement by no cd a runner up today show. In the rankings for the week of july 22-26, Good morning America had a 3.7 rating while today pulled a 3.3. That is a difference of about 372,000 to households. In Short Abc is still paying the Price for forcing Jane Pauley off today. As time goes by hard to believe that the fascinating complicated Nelson family profiled in people Magazine had its roots in Ozzie amp Harriet. Grand finale lets Hope Abc had a few nightmares after the exquisite final episode of the cancelled series China Beach and the solid ratings it Drew. Vested interest Johnny Carson has been taking deadly honest a and funny a shots on the tonight show at the sad state of affairs at Abc. A a a a. A wry Charles Gibson live from saudi last fall. He has a right he kept the network alive in its worst years and it clearly pains him to Sec what is happening under current strategy. Carson also handled with memorable Grace a tonight tribute to his son Rick who died recently in an Auto Accident. It was the Best possible judgment for Carson to use his own Arena to comment on such a deeply personal a after. Link David letter Ian a director Hal Gurnee handled the same chore for years for Jack Paar former Host of tonight. Let Turman pokes a lot of fun at Gurnee but acknowledges that no one has been More important to his Success. Gurnee by the Way is responsible for the fabulous opening sequence of the let Turman show. The natural Abc should not just forget about former . Surgeon general c. Everett Koop after his recent group of health specials for the network. In the right weekly vehicle Koop would be a sure fire major hit a a Way for to to do reality programming in an upscale and yet commercial form. He s a real likable to personality. Pouring it on it must be galling for Abc. Lbs and Abc which arc cutting Back news operations to see that can is opening three new bureaus a in Amman Jordan new Delhi India and Rio do Janeiro Brazil. Can also has foreign bureaus in Beijing Berlin Brussels Belgium Cairo Egypt Jerusalem London Managua. Nicaragua Manila Philippines Moscow Nairobi Kenya Paris Rome Santiago Chile Seoul. South Korea and Tokyo. Bah Humbug now lets Sec a the government delayed limiting commercials on some Chil Drin a a to shows until Jan. 1 so that stations could Cash in on Christmas ads for toys. A to station official said a if it were not for the fourth Quarter of the year you would basically not have children a All i know is what i read in the papers but please Tell me that nobody really said that. Bottom line for those who wonder Why Abc keeps sticking with quantum leap through its and Downs former network Honcho Brandon Tartikoff now head of Paramount pictures says a the demographics arc through the no of. Next to l a. Law and cheers quantum leap is the most desired demographic show on read Mem and weep any Abc executive who checks the season ending ratings for four years ago might break Down and cry the Cosby show averaged 53 percent of the to audience a for the whole season. Family tics averaged 49 percent and cheers 41 percent. Network to was in its last read Blaze of glory before the roof fell in. Thought for the Day the authors of the new Book watching America which deals with tvs effect on our lives conclude that women have been represented on screen a was Many a better half but not his say Good night gracie.�?~20-20�?T Sharpens its ratings focus after fuzzy Start by Jay Sharbutt a television writer in june 1978, an Abc newsmagazine series called 20-20 premiered with a thud a frenetic mess lambasted by critics. One said it resembled 60 minutes on Speed. Thirteen years later it resembles 60 minutes in other ways. Two weeks ago it was the no. 1 show in America after three weeks in the Nielsen top 10. It helps that 20-20 faces Only summer reruns now. And that the hot 20-20 had Barbara Walters interview with Tennis Star Martina Navratilova who discussed the Alimony suit filed against her by a former Girlfriend. But even in the regular season the show has become a Strong performer. It offers a mix of what execute ? producer Victor Neufeld Calls a High interest stories investigative reports consumer pieces and personal features. Last seasons items included Walters interview a a. Air slav finn Hugh Downs Barbara Walters on the air. With Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf a live exorcism and a powerful report on romanians orphanages. True the shows five reporters a Lynn Sherr Tom Jarriel Bob Brown Stone Phillips and John Stossl a Haven to the recognition of the cast on cd so older 60 minutes a series that averaged second in the ratings last season. But abcs series has done Well enough to Rise to 35th place in last seasons ratings compared with 44th the previous year and to average a respectable 25 percent share of the audience in its time period. This stands in contrast to its calamitous Start which led Abc news president Roone Arledge to retool the show within a week. He slowed the Pace evicted the original two hosts hired the Well liked Hugh Downs As the Solo Host and tried again. In 1984, Walters was added As co Host and the show coalesced. But in 1987, Abc brass decreed that the show would be moved from thursday night to a 111 . Friday spot widely considered the time Slot from hell. A we All Felt we were being sacrificed a Walters said. Neufeld had taken Over 2ff-2mjust months before. A i think maybe there was a mistake in the analysis of who watches to on Friday nights Quot he said. A we were worried it a be kids baby Sitters. But we found the audience tuning in very Middle America conservative traditional generally the people who watch neither Neufeld nor Walters expects the current summer High to continue into next season. But the shows steady growth pleases them. Recently Walters re signed with Abc. Neufeld is Happy with where the show is now. A i think we be established a position Here that we re comfortable with a he said. He laughed when asked if he fantasizes about going head to head sundays a when most viewers watch television a with the powerhouse 60 minutes. A yeah i guess so a Neufeld said. A but i really do think it a be a disservice to the viewers because 1 imagine our viewers also watch 60 minutes. And i would be so angry were i a viewer to sit there and have to 11,1991 sunday a Page 15
