TV notes : ‘Jericho’ fans protest program’s departure

Wed., May 23, 2007

From Wire Reports The Spokesman-Review

We were on to the “Lost” legion and “Heroes” worshippers, but who knew there were also “Jericho” junkies?

An online movement is afoot to bring back the just-canceled CBS drama, starring Skeet Ulrich.

The show, which explored the aftermath of nuclear attacks in the U.S., seemed like it was going to be one of the TV season’s hits, but a large chunk of its audience disappeared during its winter hiatus.

CBS decided to cancel “Jericho” because the show had “lost its engine,” Nina Tassler, the network’s entertainment president, said when fall schedules were announced last week.

Since then, passionate fans have bombarded the network with letters and e-mails.

An online petition (at www.jericholives.com) already has 60,000 signatures.

Tassler was so moved by the response that she posted a letter to the fans on www.cbs.com, saying in part:

“We truly appreciate the commitment you made to the series, and we are humbled by your disappointment.

“In the coming weeks, we hope to develop a way to provide closure to the compelling drama that was the ‘Jericho’ story.”

Stone cast aside

NBC News is dropping “Dateline NBC” anchor Stone Phillips in a cost-cutting move when his contract expires at the end of June.

Phillips won’t formally be replaced.

His co-anchor, Ann Curry, will continue and other “Dateline NBC” reporters will serve as on-air hosts when the newsmagazine presents stories they’re working on, the network said Tuesday.

He was teamed with Jane Pauley, who left NBC in 2003, for much of his time at “Dateline NBC.”

At its peak, the newsmagazine churned out as many as five episodes a week.

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