August 10, 2004

The Peacock network this week unveiled its new fall lineup for the 2008-09 television season, the earliest its ever done so.

NEW YORK - Michael Douglas has a new role on TV five nights a week. NBC chose the 63-year-old actor-producer as the announcer to introduce Brian Williams on the "Nightly News" each night. His recorded introduction was first heard Monday.

NEW YORK - Struggling NBC is expected to oust its top entertainment executive, Kevin Reilly, and replace him with the man who helped bring "The Office" and "Ugly Betty" to American television, an executive close to the talks said Monday.

NEW YORK - After "Heroes" unexpectedly turned into one of its few successes this year, NBC said Monday it was betting on new fall series about a bionic woman, a time-traveling newspaper reporter and a computer geek with spy secrets embedded in his brain.

NEW YORK - Erik Chopin, who dropped 214 pounds to win NBC's "The Biggest Loser," was prepared to undergo surgery to slim down before he was chosen for the weight-loss competition.

LOS ANGELES - Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber always had a moral message in their long-running "VeggieTales" video series.

NEW YORK - NBC routed network rivals with its first full week of Winter Olympics competition. But the Torino Games took a back seat to several customary hits in the weekly Nielsen rankings.

NEW YORK - Writers on "The West Wing" aren't expected to begin grappling with how to deal with actor John Spencer's death until after the holidays - and the production and program schedule affords them extra time to do so.

NEW YORK - NBC News says it has tried to be thoroughly forthcoming about Tim Russert's role in the CIA leak case but has not told its most visible Washington correspondent to avoid discussing the ongoing political scandal.

NEW YORK - NBC News says it has tried to be thoroughly forthcoming about Tim Russert's role in the CIA leak case but has not told its most visible Washington correspondent to avoid discussing the ongoing political scandal.

NEW YORK - Viewers are used to watching "Saturday Night Live" aired live. Live, as in: as it happens, not five or seven seconds later, once the censors say it's safe for broadcast.

NEW YORK - After losing two of its signature comedies, NBC will add five new series in the fall, casting Heather Locklear as an airport chief and bringing a crime drama back to the 50th state.

LOS ANGELES - The executive producers of "Will & Grace" have sued NBC and its production studio, alleging the network conspired to keep the sitcom's price down to reduce the producers' share of the profits.

NEW YORK - If Regis Philbin once "saved" ABC, Donald Trump has certain bragging rights at NBC.