Quote of the day
From Aaron Brown's Newsnight email, sent around 7pm: "I could go on here, but so much is up in the air, and there are a bunch of scripts that need editing, and no dinner decision has been made either. And you think it is all bright lights and big paychecks." // Update: "It's funny how the day can change in an instant," AB led at 10pm. "...It was a normal day in many respects, and then late late in the afternoon, the sound that signaled a major news event had occured [was heard on] our computers." 9:20:33 PM

Deborah Norville: Likeable, Attractive, Smart
Eric Sorenson, interviewed for this Associated Press story: "People recognize her, she's likable, she's attractive, she's smart, she's done interview programs on television and radio. I think she'll be successful with this." The article continues: "Norville's background on a more personality-oriented news show might also be a plus in a year that could see celebrity criminal trials involving Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Martha Stewart and Phil Spector, he said." 6:10:27 PM

New FoxNews.com Executive Editor
Broadcasting & Cable: "Stephen Bromberg was promoted from senior news editor to executive editor of Fox News' Web site. Bromberg will be responsible for all editorial content on the Web site, direct the day-to-day news gathering operations and focus on developing content on the site that supports Fox News Channel." 6:07:32 PM

TV Press Tour: "It's Frustrating"
Zap2it reports that "veteran CNN anchors Judy Woodruff and Wolf Blitzer expressed some frustration about the direction of their profession, while voicing confidence that CNN remains a vital part of the media landscape." Some interesting quotes about Schwarzenegger and objectivity. Blitzer is also quoted in Akron Beacon Journal. 4:53:57 PM

"Deborah Norville Tonight" Premieres Jan. 21
MSNBC has made it official: Deborah Norville will join MSNBC beginning Wednesday, January 21. Eric Sorenson says: "Deborah is the ideal host, who can offer thought-provoking interviews and really deliver the stories people are talking about." The show, titled "Deborah Norville Tonight," will be taped at 30 Rock and in Secaucus, and will feature "interviews with top newsmakers, in-depth coverage of the day's biggest stories and the issues of the day." Here's the press release. 2:29:15 PM

Free Advertising
Public relations is the art of obtaining free advertising, one flack opined to me recently. Well McDonalds has it down to a science: their launch of a small pilot program about how to make "real life choices" has found its way onto the home pages of MSNBC.com and CNN.com (an AP copy/paste). It's also on FoxNews.com. CNN went live to a Manhattan McDonalds multiple times today for a live report on the big news... 2:25:32 PM

Last Week's Cable News #'s
Cynopsis has news channel ratings for December 29 to January 4. In total day, "Fox News had 46% of the viewing, CNN 28%, MSNBC 13%; and Headline News 13%." In primetime: "Fox News had 45%, CNN 30%, MSNBC 16% and Headline News 9%." 2:04:48 PM

Dirty Bomb Detectors Barely Worth a Mention?
Analysts have suggested in the past that FOX's constant attention to the war on terror is one component of their success. Today's performance affirms that. The WashPost report of dirty bomb detectors in several major cities was discussed on Fox and Friends at 7am, reported via live shots throughout the morning, and presented as the top story on Dayside at 1pm. (MSNBC interviewed the Post reporter and showed a map of the cities before noon.) CNN mentioned it in a news update once or twice, but preferred to focus on the winter storm on the west coast, then the lottery "ticket tug of war" at 10am... 1:25:24 PM

Time For An "Element of Ideology" In US?
The Hill compares British media's "element of ideology" to America's historic objectivity, and suggests change may be in store. "[Tim Graham of the Media Research Center said that] consumers want their news — particularly on TV — to buttress their political views," the newspaper writes. Christopher Hitchens points out that British papers have always been honest about their biases. "People increasingly prefer their bias to be straight," he says. Great read. (Hat tip: Romenesko) 12:17:06 PM

Westin Comments on ABC Digital News Network
Reuters reporting: "ABC also aims to build a 24-hour news network for digital broadcast television, in cooperation with its affiliates, that would combine local, national and international news and Westin said he hoped to move forward fairly promptly." ABCNews.com turned its first annual profit for the fiscal year that ended in September. (Hat tip: CyberJournalist) 9:46:32 AM

Daily Election Polling on MSNBC
Reuters teams up with MSNBC and Zogby again this election season to provide daily tracking polls. The data will be featured on MSNBC daily, the press release says. 9:40:52 AM

FOX Doubles CNN in Debate Ratings
Twice as many viewers watched Sunday's Democratic canddiates debate on Fox News Channel than on CNN. "FNC's coverage secured 870,000 viewers, compared with CNN's "paltry" average of 410,000," the Washington Post reported. 6:49:38 AM

Guess What 2003's Top Story Was?
Slightly off-topic, but notable: Andrew Tyndall's nightly news stats are compiled for 2003, and they are well worth a close read. You may not like their politics, but IPS has all the numbers. Snip: "AIDS killed three million people around the world last year, more than two million of them in Africa. The three major U.S. television networks' evening news programmes devoted a combined total of 39 minutes to the issue...[Over the same year] the three major networks' evening news shows devoted 4,047 minutes to coverage of Iraq." Read this. 12:03:38 AM