Posted on 07/19/2002 9:05:24 AM PDT by COL. FLAGG
PASADENA, Calif.- ABC news executives yesterday vowed to give Sunday-morning stalwart "This Week" a "freshening up" by airing stories that reach beyond Washington.
The Beltway talk institution will take a new twist this September -- when solo anchor George Stephanopoulas takes control of the show that producers promised will connect general news stories to politics.
And Stephanopoulas said he has a standing invitation for his former boss, President Clinton, to appear on "This Week."
If the show's new format aired this week, producers said, stories like the Atkins diet or hormone gene therpy might be popular topics of "This Week"
Freshening up, to us, means to take a different approach," executive producer Jon Banner told a gathering of TV critics.
"This Week" is still set to have a roundtable discussion that will include Stephanopoulas and conservative columnist George Will. Producers are still looking for a third permanent member of the table.
A fouth talking head, perhaps from outside the Washington establishment, will be rotated in depending on the breaking news of the week.
That fourth seat will play a key role, producers said, in the network's efforts to vary stories and bring more racial and geographic diversity to "This Week."
"You'll see us trying to reach out geographically and topic-wise to be different," and "There is a desire on our part to broaden the mix of stories, while at the same time not getting away from what we view as the crucial role of the show which is a public policy show."
The former Clinton staffer said he's not sure where he stands with his onetime boss -- as his beloved ex-campaign aide and advisor; or as the turncoat commentator who voiced harsh words about the 42nd president.
"It cuts both ways," said a laughing Stephanopoulas. "If he wants to come on, I want to interview him."
I wonder what David Brinkley would have to say about all this? I pretty much stopped watching This Week after Brinkley left because it seemed like the only sensible adult left on the show was George Will. I'm surprised that Will still wants to be on show, especially this new version, which sounds like it is doomed to fail. I wonder if Will has a contract that locks him in?
Memo to Steph and his producer: Sunday Morning News Shows are supposed to be about politics, not "the Atkins diet or hormone gene therpy". No one is going to switch from watching Meet the Press to watching This Week so they can watch a show about the "Atkins diet."!!
Hmmm, I wonder if the "third member" of the roundtable will be a conservative or a liberal? Which former members of the Clinton administration are still looking for a television gig? How about Dee Dee Myers? She's still pinch hitting on show's like Crossfire when Carville and Begala are too busy to host because they are orchestrating ad campaigns to attack the Republicans.
And I don't think that making it more Oprah-like will help the ratings from news-hungry Sunday-morning viewers.
"So, Mr. President (slurp,slurp) what was it that made (slurp, slurp) you the greatest president (slurp, slurp) in history"?
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