The summer months were kind to Atlanta top 40 and hip-hop stations, tougher on the rock and country stations.

Let’s start with the good news:

B98.5's morning show Vikki Locke and Kelly Stevens

- Soft rock B98.5 started adding newer songs in its rotation for the first time in its history in the spring. Ratings jumped 50 percent from March to September, from a 4 share to a 6 share, ranking fourth overall in September. Its second-place 7.3 rating among 25 to 54 year olds in September is its best monthly showing (not counting Christmas) in two years. It even beat perennial leader V-103 in mid-days among 25 to 54 year olds in September.

- Q100’s The Bert Show, which recently added new cast member Kristin Klingshirn, had its best showings in the past three years in August and September. Among 18 to 34 year olds, the morning show drew an impressive 15.9 share, behind only Frank & Wanda, and was double-digits for the first time among 25 to 54 year olds the past two months.

- V-103 …

Continue reading B98.5, V-103, the Bert Show had hot summer in Atlanta radio ratings »

Jason Lee will be seeking new climes now that "Memphis Beat" is over. CREDIT: TNT

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Atlanta-based TNT is in cleaning house mode.

After axing “Men of a Certain Age” in August and “HawthoRNe” last month, TNT is cutting off “Memphis Beat.”

The drama, which featured Jason Lee as a grizzled Memphis cop who loved to sing as a hobby, lasted just two seasons. It had promising numbers its first season in 2010, averaging about 3.8 million viewers.

Lee lost weight between seasons one and two, cut back on the Elvis Presley tunes and tried to lighten his character up. The changes didn’t help viewership, which fell to about 3 million viewers.

Interestingly, TNT earlier this year renewed gritty cop drama “Southland,” although its ratings were far below those of both “Memphis Beat” and “HawthoRNe.”

TNT also renewed “Leverage,” “Falling Skies,” “Franklin & Bash” and “Rizzoli & Isles.” …

Continue reading TNT cancels ‘Memphis Beat,’ its third axing this year »

In 2009, Newnan’s DeAnna Pappas was ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” Her engagement with Jesse Csincsak, who she picked on the show, didn’t last.

Now Atlanta has its latest representative in this reality-show genre: CMT’s “Sweet Home Alabama” season two will focus on Tribble Reese, a 26-year-old bartender and Birmingham native who graduated from Clemson University. He will have to sift through 11 “city girls” and 11 “country girls,” or however they stereotype it. There are suburbanites (from the “O.C.” and Long Island) thrown into the “city” mix but close enough.

Reese, who is also developing a daily deal app called Snatcher (no, I am not joking there), was rejected by the original “Sweet Home Alabama” girl Devin Grissom in the finale of the first season this summer. (”My heart was ripped out,” he said.) CMT quickly picked him up for the next round, which was taped last month.

He said he’s struggled to find a genuine relationship.  “I’m ready for something real,” he said. So the …

Continue reading Second ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ (’The Bachelor’ in the South) on CMT stars Atlantan Tribble Reese »

J.R. Martinez was the top scorer Monday night and is a favorite for the finals. CREDIT: ABC

Carson Kressley’s goofy charisma rode him into week five on “Dancing With the Stars.” His technical problems finally caught up to him.

His Tuesday  jive was, as usual, entertaining for the flash, not for the substance. He received the lowest score of the night at 19 and couldn’t pick up enough votes to surpass Chaz Bono, who pulled in a 21 for a second week in a row.

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Kressley was cut but he knew he had no prayer of winning. “This was a pure joy for me,” he said after he was eliminated.

Atlanta’s Nancy Grace, in the meantime, rolls along as we near the halfway point of the competition. Bruno gave her her first eight, so she …

Continue reading Who is out fifth on ‘Dancing With the Stars’? »

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Melanie Amaro made it through, even though Simon Cowell at first ditched her. Idiot! CREDIT: Fox

A two-hour reveal show! At least they didn’t have the contestants go up an elevator and walk down a ridiculously long room to face the judges for the results. Nope. They just stand by whatever pool-side locale and awaited their fates.

As expected, there were some good picks, some not-so-good picks. Nicole Scherzinger twice picked personality over vocal skills (Dexter and Stacey). Simon Cowell picked a couple of ladies others didn’t particularly like (Tiah and Simone). Paula did a decent job with her four group picks, though I would have taken Anser over 2′Squared. Reid, who arguably had the weakest team, picked the best of the lot, I fathom. I have no real arguments over his choices, even the little rap kid.

First up …

Continue reading ‘X Factor’ top 16 recap: can we make it 17? »

Bill Cosby’s favorite word during a recent hour-long phone interview was “spice.” For him, this is an overarching term for manufactured drama jimmied up by reality shows, politicians and sportscasters yelling at each other on TV, and going “blue,” as comics like to call it.

As fans who have heard his classic comedy albums, seen him live or watched his seminal TV shows, Cosby does not partake in “spice,” nor does he keep up with the Kardashians or any particular ”Real Housewife.”

In other words, the content of his two stand-up shows scheduled for the Ferst Center For the Arts at Georgia Tech Oct. 23 will be definitively anti-Kathy Griffin.

“In a reality show,” Cosby mused, “the only reality is these people are not actors. Somewhere there’s a producer saying to somebody, ‘Listen, can you just slap her? Just say whatever you want to say. We need spice! We need to raise the viewers’ dopamine level! Keep people angry and keep them watching?”

As a sports fan, he still …

Continue reading A talk with Bill Cosby, coming to the Ferst Center Oct. 23 »

Sean Hannity. CREDIT: AP

Sean Hannity loves Atlanta. He used to work here and recently held his 15th anniversary Fox News show at Centennial Olympic Park. Now he’s hosting a Christmas Salute to the Troops concert December 18 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

The stars will be veteran Christian artist Michael W. Smith (”Place in This World”), Marine and best-selling author Oliver North and John Ondrasik, best known for his songs as Five For Fighting (”500 years,” “Superman (It’s Not Easy)”).

Tickets go on sale to the general public October 21. Prices range from $54.85 to $163.85 after fees, according to Ticketmaster. There’s a pre-sale going on now for people in Hannity’s Fan Club. Go to www.hannity.com for more details.

Monies will go to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for the education of children of U.S. service members who have been killed or permanently disabled in an operational mission or training accident.

Hannity can be heard daily from 4 to 7 p.m. on …

Continue reading Sean Hannity’s Christmas concert coming to Cobb Energy Center Dec. 18 »

Some of the survivors hunt for a missing child while evading the walkers. CREDIT: AMC

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AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” shot in metro Atlanta, killed last night, hauling in the drama’s biggest ratings ever Sunday night with 7.3 million total viewers. It’s also AMC’s best numbers ever, tripling what “Mad Men” usually pulls in.

Of those 7.3 million, 4.8 million were in the key 18 to 49 age demographic.

A year ago, the zombie drama drew a surprisingly robust up 5.3 million total viewers, 3.5 million 18-49.

AMC said this is the best performance for any drama in basic cable history in the 18-49 demographic, beating the previous record holder “The Dead Zone” on USA in June, 16, 2002. It’s also a record in the 25-54 …

Continue reading AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ breaks basic cable drama ratings records for 18-49 and 25-54 demos »

Kelsey Grammer stars in Starz' series "Boss." This is a far cry from "Frasier." CREDIT: Starz

Kelsey Grammer is back in his first dramatic role as a savvy Chicago mayor who finds out he’s dying with a degenerative brain disorder – but naturally tells nobody on a new Starz drama Friday called “Boss.”

Otherwise, it’s a pretty quiet week. In its seventh season, “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” is moved to Friday nights, along with ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” TBS had the show as a lead-in to “Conan” on Wednesdays, a decidedly incompatible mix.

MONDAY

“Dancing With the Stars” 8 p.m. ABC — Ricki Lake is truly in it to win it.
“How I Met Your Mother” 8 p.m. CBS — Ted goes on a date without checking her out on the Web first.
“Terra Nova” 8 p.m. Fox — A runaway from the “Sixer” camp shows up.
“2 Broke Girls” 8:30 p.m. CBS — Caroline and Max throw a 90s-themed party at the diner. Will Luke Perry show up?
“House” 9 p.m. CBS —Wentworth Miller (“Prison Break”) guests.
“Lottery …

Continue reading TV best bets with new Kelsey Grammer series, return of ‘House of Payne’ »

Enrique Iglesias and Nicole Scherzinger listen to their plus-30 singers. CREDIT: Fox

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Who’s in and who’s out?

We find out Tuesday at 8 p.m. (The World Series throws off the usual Wednesday/Thursday schedule.) Tonight, we see the second 16 of 32.  The ones I liked included Intensity, Tiger, Leroy, Christa and Melanie.

Overall, the talent isn’t half bad. The groups are bit weak, in my mind. The women are the strongest as a group.

Jazzlyn Little, student, 16 (Simon’s team): I do have to say this is the most unusual take I’ve ever heard of “I Will Survive” and it’s actually not half bad despite the over-processed track featuring taped background singers. She sounds a bit old-fashioned but is pretty good.

Brandon Hunt, aspiring 26-year-old Nashville singer (L.A.’s team): He works a Corinne Bailey Rae song “Like a Star” with …

Continue reading ‘X Factor’ recap, home visits, part 2 »