TVBizWire

MSNBC announced today that Rachel Maddow will be taking over one-time MSNBC general manager Dan Abrams’ 9 p.m. slot, the New York Times reports. Maddow, who also hosts a talk show on radio’s Air America, will begin her hosting duties on Sept. 8. As part of its political coverage, MSNBC will be highlighting that date as the first day of the final leg of the presidential campaign.
—Christopher Perez

Some syndicated shows’ ratings were up despite sometimes going up against ratings grabbers like golf and the Olympics, TVNewsday reports. Formats including talk shows and game shows saw spikes in viewership. “Rachael Ray” received the biggest boost, averaging 13% more viewers than the week before.
—Christopher Perez

With so much attention going to NBC Universal’s TAMi viewership measurement for the Beijing Olympics, ESPN wants to remind advertisers that it originated measuring its multiplatform coverage of sporting events, reports Advertising Age. ESPN, with sister network ABC, will try to sell its multiplatform strategy when it bids for the rights to the next Olympics not already purchased by NBC. If ESPN’s bid is successful it’ll be the first time ABC has broadcast the Olympics since 1988.
—Christopher Perez

Leading up to the Oct. 4 season premiere of “My Big Redneck Wedding,” CMT will air the special “Biggest Redneck Wedding Ever” on Aug. 30. The special follows a Florida couple as they prepare for their shoes-optional, paper-napkin-invitation wedding, says Reality TV World.
—Christopher Perez

Funny people Fred Willard and Kerri Kenney of “Reno 911!” are set to appear in a “Pushing Daisies” episode airing in November, Entertainment Weekly reports. The episode will feature Willard as a famous illusionist with Kenney playing his assistant.
—Christopher Perez

In an unusual partnership, satellite provider DirecTV and National Cable Communications have joined forces to sell spots on select regional sports networks. The partnership will affect nine major U.S. markets, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, reports Broadcasting & Cable. NCC is owned by Time Warner, Cox Communications and Comcast.

Ion Television, which has almost 100 TV stations in the U.S., has picked up “NCIS” in a syndication agreement with CBS Television Distribution, TVNewsday reports. “NCIS” is in its sixth season on CBS currently and the acquisition fits into Ion’s strategy of migrating to shows with greater mass appeal, the network said in a statement.
—Greg Baumann

“Veronica Mars” creator Rob Thomas is said to be in talks with series star Kristen Bell in hopes of getting a big-screen adaptation of the cult hit off the ground, Entertainment Weekly reports. Thomas and Bell met last week at his production company offices, but wouldn’t divulge many details. Until the movie is given the go-ahead, Bell can be seen this season on “Heroes” and Thomas is working on two projects for ABC, including a retooling of his dramedy “Cupid.”
—Christopher Perez

Fox News is set to unveil the Fox Experience at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, TVNewser reports. The Fox Experience will be the network’s convention headquarters in Denver and St. Paul, geared to giving viewers comprehensive coverage across all of the network’s platforms, including Fox News Channel, Fox Radio and FoxNews.com.
—Christopher Perez

Christina Applegate, star of ABC’s hit “Samantha Who?,” is cancer-free just weeks after being diagnosed with the disease, TV Guide is reporting. The actress underwent a double mastectomy to ensure no traces of cancer were left.

Sprint and the National Football League have signed a deal that will give the cellular company exclusive rights to broadcast NFL games and other related content via Sprint mobile devices, Media Daily News reports. The service, dubbed NFL Mobile Live, includes both live television and radio broadcasts and is set to begin Sept. 2.
—Christopher Perez

Fox News Channel won’t be making any online buddies using MySpace, even though both are owned by News Corp. Instead, Fox News has chosen Facebook as its social networking site of choice. Fox News today will be unveil a redesigned Facebook page, complete with discussion boards, comments wall, reviews and polls, reports the New York Times.
—Christopher Perez

ESPN is planning to bid for the rights to broadcast future Olympic Games, says The Hollywood Reporter. ESPN will be vying to air the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games, for which Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Chicago are the remaining candidate cities. NBC holds the rights to air the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and the 2012 London Summer Games.
—Christopher Perez

“The Wendy Williams Show’s” summer test run in four markets has proven to be a success—Fox Television Stations has agreed to expand the Debmar-Mercury series nationally in its mid-2009 relaunch, TVWeek reports. The talk show series starring New York radio personality Wendy Williams will be available in 18 markets across Fox’s 27 owned-and-operated stations, the trade says.

ABC Studios has hired Barry Jossen as the group’s executive vice president of creative, the Hollywood Reporter says. Jossen will oversee the daily affairs and execution for each of the studio’s genres, comedy and drama. Jossen is replacing Julia Franz, who is leaving the post after four years, the trade says.
—Sergio Ibarra

CBS has tapped Jennifer Bresnan to serve as the network’s new executive vice president of alternative programming, TVWeek reports. Bresnan will replace Ghen Maynard, who announced he would be stepping down from the position into a production deal with the network.
—Sergio Ibarra

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild are prepping to renegotiate their contracts with advertisers for commercials, the Hollywood Reporter says. While the two acting unions were at odds going into their contract renegotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, AFTRA leaders told SAG president Alan Rosenberg they are ready to bargain together during their upcoming talks with advertisers, the trade says.
—Sergio Ibarra

Universal Media Studios has signed “The Office” writer Michael Schur to a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with the studio, Daily Variety reports. Under the deal, Schur will create, develop and serve as executive producer for the company’s comedy department. Duties including executive producing and co-creating the upcoming Amy Poehler “Office”-related project, the trade says.
—Sergio Ibarra

Actor Laurence Fishburne has signed on as a series regular for CBS’s “CSI,” TVWeek reports. Fishburne’s first appearance will be in the show’s ninth episode, slated to air in November, where he will be introduced as a college criminalistics professor asked to help with a case, and then he will be brought on board the usual team of detectives, the trade says.
—Sergio Ibarra

The CW has decided to not distribute advance screeners for one of the most talked-about new series of the fall season, “90210,” TVWeek reports. The network along with parent CBS Paramount Network said they are hoping “curiosity and anticipation” will drive viewers to the Sept. 2 premiere, though many fear show quality issues are to blame, Variety says.
—Sergio Ibarra

NBC is taking its “Knight Rider” promotions to a logical place—NASCAR racing, the Hollywood Reporter says. The network is teaming up with Ford Motor Company and Yates Racing for a “Rider” branded race car to be driven by Travis Kvapil during this Saturday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway as part of the Sprint Cup series. The race will air on ESPN, while “Rider” premieres on Sept. 24, the trade says.
—Sergio Ibarra

John McCain is scheduled to appear on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” on Monday, the same day the Democratic National Convention begins in Denver, the Washington Post reports. Olympic swimmer Dara Torres also is scheduled to appear.
—Christopher Perez

Although CBS’ “Jericho” and “Moonlight” won’t be coming back this fall, they demonstrated remarkable audience stability, SyFy Portal reports. The two genre series came in first and second, respectively, on a list of 13 shows tracked using Nielsen Media Research Fast National ratings system during the 2007-08 season, SyFy Portal reports. The numbers indicate the amount of audience retained based on the show’s highest overnight rating compared with its average.
—Christopher Perez

General Electric Chairman Jeffrey Immelt told CNBC last week that the company will continue making cable deals, TVNewser reports. Immelt promised future cable pacts along the lines of the partnership between its NBC Universal and the Weather Channel. GE is the owner of NBC, which is currently enjoying record ratings for its Summer Olympics coverage.
—Christopher Perez

Championship Gaming Series has named Dale Hopkins its new CEO, Daily Variety reports. Hopkins previously was chief operating officer for the G4 network. The appointment comes after a recent broadcasting deal between CGS and the gaming network that saw G4 start broadcasting 90-minute CGS specials in July.
—Christopher Perez