New Network TV Shows + Fractured TV Landscape = Confusion

It's the only move the TV networks have left in a fall season where, once again, the most anticipated new shows have tanked and the stuff no one could see coming -- Jericho and Criminal Minds, anyone? -- has won big.

New shows. Lots of them.

Think about it. Rerunning popular stuff doesn't work -- you can only plug holes so often with various iterations of CSI and Law & Order -- and the only thing audiences hate more than endless reruns is the network's other substitution for a quickling tanking new show: newsmagazines.

But, at a time when broadcasters are going through new shows like used Kleenex, they gotta put something up to replace the Smiths and Kidnappeds of the world. Hence, the flood of new shows coming your way this month.

Check my story today on the three highest-profile new ones, including the most likely suvivor, 3 LBS, a CBS drama about brain surgeons that started life as a pilot for last season starring The Practice diva Dylan McDermott and has hit air with Stanley Tucci and Mark Feurerstein (the name comes from the weight of the human brain; the debut comes courtesy of Smith's early death). 

So what do we think sports fans? It is cool to have a trickle of new programming before the wilderness of December Christmas specials, or is it too much, too soon?

Times Reporter Bill Levesque Forced to Testify

South Florida's Society of Professional Journalists chapter is protesting a south florida judge's refusal to quash a subpoeana forcing Times reporter Bill Levesque to testify regarding a story he wrote on a criminal fraud case. While Florida reporters are protected from testifying in local and state court cases by a Shield Law, the legislation doesn't apply to federal cases.

South Florida's SPJ is using Bill's case to advocate for a federal shield law; lt's hope the new Democratic majority controlling Congress is listening.

WMNF Talks Middle East Coverage

Spurred by some vocal groups' protests over coverage of hostilities in Lebanon seen as pro-Arab, communiradio station WMNF is holding a public forum to discuss its Middle East coverage at 7 p.m. in the Grand Salon at thje University of Tampa. It's open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.