In the first of what’s bound to be a zillion stories you’ll be reading on this blog about Larry King’s upcoming anniversary, The New York Times’ Jacques Steinberg profiles Larry King…

In interviews here both before a recent show (over blueberries and a purportedly “heart healthy” corn muffin at Nate ’n Al’s delicatessen) and afterward (veal schnitzel at Spago), Mr. King said that he felt terrific, notwithstanding the visible incision still healing on the right side of his neck. He said he hoped to hold forth on “Larry King Live” for 10 more years. At that time he would be 83. His current contract, which he said he would soon seek to extend, expires in mid-2009.

“What would it take to go?” he said, paraphrasing a visitor’s halting question as succinctly as he might on his own talk show. “If, God forbid, I had an onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s. That would be it. And what I would wish is that if I get that, no joke intended, that it happens on the air. Just to see how they handle it.”

Then, doing a caricature of his own much-imitated gravelly baritone, he imagined his next incarnation. “Live, from the nursing home in Livingston, here’s ‘Larry King,’ the only show hosted by a guy with Alzheimer’s,” he began, before posing his opening question: “Is it day or night?”

When his tenure does eventually end, Mr. King said his first choice to succeed him would be Ryan Seacrest, the “American Idol” host and disc jockey, presuming he is interested.

…and sees a big gap between CNN and FNC…

For the second week in a row CNN’s prime time numbers pale in comparison to those of FoxNews. I’m not going to embarrass myself or CNN my making too much of two weeks results. I’ll give CNN two weeks more before making any grand statements. Not coincidently the O’Reilly Factor placed thirty-fifth of all ad supported cable programs last week with almost three million viewers. I can’t remember the last time a cable news show has done this well. Please note I used the word show as opposed to event because events like the State of the Union Address will drawer even more viewers than that.

Ads for this have been airing for the past few days but today MSNBC announced the reality/docu-series “Models NYC”…

MSNBC takes an insider’s look at one of the most successful New York boutique modeling agencies in “MODELS NYC.” The six-part series of one-hour documentaries follows the professional and private lives of a dozen New York beauties and their agents. Nothing is manufactured, nothing is staged. The first two episodes of “MODELS NYC” make their primetime debut on April 16th beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Each Monday a new episode will air at 11 p.m. ET on MSNBC.

“MODELS NYC” isn’t just about the beautiful people. It revolves around the New York Soho loft of Q Management and its agents, as cameras catch everything from the castings to photo shoots to the split-second decisions that drive the industry and can make or break a model’s career. Ask anyone - a model is only as good as his or her agent. “What’s remarkable is the advertising industry spends more than 3 billion dollars a day just to get our attention and at the heart of all that expense, time, and planning, is usually a teenage girl, a model. The industry revolves around her. This doc series explores both the models and the industry at large,” says Michael Rubin, vice president, long-form programming, MSNBC.
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Cable News Ratings for April 3, 2007

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 843,000 viewers
CNN – 476,000 viewers
MSNBC – 298,000 viewers
CNBC – 203,000 viewers
HLN – 275,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 1,764,000 viewers
CNN – 536,000 viewers
MSNBC – 401,000 viewers
CNBC – 243,000 viewers
HLN – 466,000 viewers

25-54 Total Day
FNC – 207,000 viewers
CNN – 155,000 viewers
MSNBC –120,000 viewers
CNBC – 76,000 viewers
HLN – 118,000 viewers

25-54 Prime Time
FNC – 372,000 viewers
CNN – 140,000 viewers
MSNBC – 153,000 viewers
CNBC – 94,000 viewers
HLN –196,000 viewers

Morning programs P2+ (25-54)
FOX & Friends – 728,000 viewers (257,000)
American Morning – 381,000 viewers (141,000)
Imus in The Morning- 323,000 viewers (137,000)
Robin & Co. – 176,000 viewers (99,000)
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As hard as I find that to believe, the PEJ says it’s so…(via Romenesko)

The Smith saga did not attract major coverage from all the media sectors studied, which includes 48 different outlets across five media sectors. (Please see the methodology for a complete list.) Instead, it was driven largely by relentless attention from two—both television-based. One was network morning news. The other, even bigger, was cable TV news, where this story accounted for nearly a quarter of all the airtime.

What’s more, not all channels devoted equal time to the story. In network morning shows, the story was covered more heavily by CBS and NBC.

And on cable, the Fox News Channel fixated most on the story, followed by MSNBC.

Thte AP has another more detailed write up…

CNN is eager to fix weak spots in its schedule as it attempts to narrow the gap with leader Fox News Channel, which recently has faced flat ratings. Fox had a 1 percent increase in total viewers for the first quarter, while CNN saw its viewership rise 15 percent.

The anchors who are leaving “American Morning” were paired on the show in 2005 when Miles O’Brien replaced Bill Hemmer. Soledad O’Brien had joined “American Morning” in 2003.

They now will be able to pursue their “passion,” Klein said: in-depth reporting for Soledad O’Brien and science and aviation stories for Miles O’Brien.

CNN’s Dana Bash will interview Rudolph Giuliani today. The interview will be aired at 7pm ET on The Situation Room. CNN’s Political Ticker has more…

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told CNN Wednesday he supports public funding for some abortions, a position he advocated as mayor and one that will likely put the GOP presidential candidate at odds with social conservatives in his party.

“Ultimately, it’s a constitutional right, and therefore if it’s a constitutional right, ultimately, even if you do it on a state by state basis, you have to make sure people are protected,” Giuliani said in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash in Florida’s capital city

The Hollywood Reporter’s Paul J. Gough writes up the story…

“We think we have the right format,” Klein said. He said he had been thinking of the change for a while but wanted to make sure he had the right people in place. With Chetry’s hiring, that happened.

“One look at her tells you why she deserves the slot,” Klein said. “She’s a fantastic anchor. She lights up the screen. And she’s got a passion for news.”

Chetry started her career at a Rockville, Md., news outlet and worked in Erie, Pa., and Sacramento before joining Fox News Channel in 2001.

Roberts joined CNN in early 2006 as senior national correspondent after a 14-year career at CBS. He has been chief White House correspondent and heir apparent to Dan Rather for years; he’s done award-winning work at CNN here and abroad since joining the network.

“There’s no stronger class of news anchor,” Klein said.

The AP’s Lynn Elber…
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Times Square Gossip has the lowdown on Rita Cosby’s going away party last weekend…

It seemed like the world came to the club to say bye to Rita, including on air personalities Lis Wiehl, Mickey Sherman,Contessa Brewer,Chris Jansing and Alison Stewart. Also helping Rita Celebrate were Star Magazine’s Candace Trunzo, Celebrity Service’s Bill Murry, Hot actor Bobby Abid, Covergirl Cindy Guyer, Dr. Judy and NY Daily News ace Photo Editor Charlie Ruppman. Guests were treated to a surprise performance by Village People’s Randy Jones who brought down the house !

UPDATE: Here’s a companion site with different photos…

At 9:10am ET Bill Hemmer, continuing to report from London for FNC on the British detainee/hostage crisis in Iran, was the first to report that Iran was going to release the sailors as a pardon gift to Britain. CNN and MSNBC reported the news two minutes later at 9:12am.

FNC’s Amy Kellog was in Iran and attended President Ahmadinejad’s press conference and questioned the Iranian President on Iran’s relations with the rest of the world.

CNN’s release Chetry and Roberts joining American Morning…

Kiran Chetry and John Roberts will debut as the new co-anchors of CNN’s flagship morning program American Morning on Monday, April 16, it was announced today by Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. Soledad O’Brien and Miles O’Brien will remain at the network as featured special correspondents. American Morning airs on CNN/U.S. each weekday from 6 a.m. to 9 am (ET).

An award-winning veteran journalist, Roberts joined CNN in February 2006 after 14 years with CBS News as chief White House correspondent, chief medical correspondent and anchor of the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News. Roberts has been serving as CNN’s senior national correspondent, reporting extensively for CNN on politics as well as from the front lines in Iraq and last summer’s Middle East conflict, for which he recently won a prestigious National Headliner award.
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CNN’s release on Soledad O’Brien’s new duties…

CNN’s Soledad O’Brien has been named anchor and special correspondent effective immediately, it was announced today by CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein. She will join CNN: Special Investigations Unit, reporting in-depth on the most significant stories across the country and around the world. O’Brien will anchor and report hour-long CNN: Special Investigations Unit specials throughout the year and will file special reports on important ongoing and breaking news stories across all major CNN programs.

“Soledad has delivered some of the most memorable reporting on some of the most historic stories of our time,” Klein said. “Her passion for real news, her feel for real people, and her insistence on getting real answers from newsmakers mesh perfectly with CNN’s commitment to providing even more hard-hitting, in-depth journalism to America.
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Mediaweek’s Anthony Crupi writes about the Q1 numbers…

Fox News Channel climbed from the eight spot a year ago to No. 4, averaging 1.6 million viewers in prime, an increase of 8 percent. The news net also upped its core 25-54 demo by 19 percent year-over-year.

As does Mutichannel News’ Linda Moss…

Among cable services, A&E Network, Fox News Channel and Court TV posted especially strong showings in the first quarter.

TVNewser is saying that Miles O’Brien will be CNN’s new chief technology and environmental correspondent. Soledad O’Brien will become an anchor and correspondent for CNN Special Investigations Unit.

FTVLive is on a roll. Now it’s saying that FNC is looking to replace Gretchen Carlson on Fox and Friends…

UPDATE: FNC has denied the Carlson rumor.

The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz writes about CNN making changes at American Morning…

A CNN spokeswoman declined to comment on the changes at “American Morning.” The CNN sources who confirmed the show’s revamping declined to be identified while discussing personnel moves that have not been made public. Both O’Briens are being offered correspondent positions and are expected by network insiders to stay at CNN.

Soledad O’Brien, a former host on NBC’s “Weekend Today,” joined CNN’s morning show in 2003. She has been increasingly involved in special reports, including one from Mexico that colleagues say has pulled her in several directions and away from her four children.

This is the second upheaval at the morning show in two years. Miles O’Brien, who had been a daytime CNN anchor and doubled as its space correspondent, was paired with Soledad O’Brien in 2005, replacing Bill Hemmer, who later signed with Fox News.

CNN announced this morning that it will be airing James Brown, Say it Proud on Saturday May 5th at 8pm ET…

Over the weekend of what would have been James Brown’s 74th birthday, CNN will document the rise from poverty to prosperity and from petty criminal to musical icon of the man known by many titles: “The Godfather of Soul,” “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business” and “Soul Brother Number One” among them. CNN’s Don Lemon reports the story of the James Brown that most people never knew for CNN: Special Investigations Unit – James Brown, Say it Proud premiering on Saturday, May 5, and Sunday, May 6, at 8 p.m. and 11p.m. All times Eastern.

Through interviews with the Rev. Al Sharpton, music legends Little Richard and Bootsy Collins, bandmate Bobby Byrd and superstar Usher – as well as Brown’s family members, business manager Charles Bobbit and biographer Bruce Tucker, Lemon reveals the sensitive and complicated character behind the cultural legend. Usher, who considered Brown one of his mentors, recounts how much Brown’s personal advice meant to him .
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