3rd Rock axed, Shoot Me Renewed
NBC pulled the plug on veteran sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun and gave Just Shoot Me a two-year renewal. Six-year-old 3rd Rock will exit with a one-hour finale on May 22. NBC renewed Just Shoot Me, from Universal Studios through the 2002-03 season for just under $2 million per episode, sources say.
Reality TV's Lost
NBC has ordered six episodes of a reality series coined Lost that drops contestants off in the middle of nowhere and challenges them to make their way to the Statue of Liberty. The series is from Windfall Films, produced by Conan O'Brien's production company Conanco and NBC Studios. The series could be ready by fall.
Rogala leaves WFLA-TV
Rick Rogala, general manager at Media General-owned WFLA-TV Tampa, is leaving the station to become vice president and general manager at Tribune-owned WXIN-TV Indianapolis.
Rather apologizes
CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather apologized last Wednesday for attending a Democratic fundraiser event that his daughter was involved with in Austin, Texas. At the time, Rather said he was unaware it was a fundraiser but acknowledged he should have known and didn't ask. The story was first reported in The Washington Post. "I made an embarrassing and regrettable error in judgment," Rather's statement said. A spokeswoman said, correspondents aren't allowed to participate in political fundraisers. "This was an honest oversight on his part," she said. No disciplinary action will be taken.
