Page 51 - Abc Network News Today

>> what on earth is essentially a art film doing in prime time television. >> american network television has long been considered the home of the bland, the cautious and the predictable. so it was with some trepidation that it the abc network launched a new series that was none of those things. "twin peaks" is already described by one critic that will change tv. its directed by david lynch. >> david lynch was a filmmaker known for his taste in the eccentric and memorable. the idea that he would...

So we needed to compete, and i felt that if we didnt, we were going to kind of get swept out. so i came up with the notion of doing a cop show that was "r" rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script, they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pen and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would show and wouldnt show. grown-ups sitting in a room doodling. >> then we started on the language. >> we heard it with the brains of a flea and the balls of a moth. >> th...

A new era of technology and competition is forces network news operations to re-examine the way they do business. >> new owners spent billions buying the networks recently. ge buying nbc. capital cities, abc. >> and loews-tisch brothers buying cbs. and all of them want their moneys worth. >> well now have the strongest network. well have a stronger defense piece. this is going to be one dynamite company. >> theres a danger that news will be mixed up with the rest of television and considered jus...

>> the machine that was nbc in the 90s for comedy was untouchable. >> youre not from around here, are you? >> it generated so much viewership and money and awards. >> you do not need this. >> its the top of our wedding cake. >> its not a scrapbook. its a freezer. >> we certainly associate nbc of the 90s of having extremely successful sitcoms but they werent the only network that found their way to having some success. tgif was on abc on friday and it was their block of family oriented comedies. ...

So, we needed to compete. i felt that if we didnt, we were going to, you know, kind of get swept out. >> son of a -- >> and so i came up with the notion of doing a cop show that was r rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would and wouldnt show. grown ups, doodling. >> then we started on the language. >> we heard some reporter called the low life ass hole with the br...

>> what on earth is essentially a art film doing in prime time television. >> american network television has long been considered the home of the blands, the cautious and predictable. so it was with some trepidation that the abc network launched a new series that was none of those things. "twin peaks" has been described by a -- it was directed by david lynch. >> david lynch was a fill immaker that was inspired by -- the idea hed do television in the 90s was crazy. >> you watch much of it? >> we...

Disney was really getting a lot of flack for even thinking of having a coming out episode with ellen. >> im 35 years old. im so afraid to tell people. im just -- susan, im gay. >> ellen coming out was a huge moment for me personally because, you know, i was a closeted gay guy. gay child at that time. and it was the bravest thing i saw. >> that felt great. that felt so great. >> initial reports suggest abc made a bundle on ellens highly publicized outing on national tv last night. it was accompan...

>> her name is marla. im seeing a woman. >> in the 90s, gay characters were always secondary or third. there was never a gay character that was the lead of a show. >> so, you want to go look at apartments tomorrow. >> sure. >> ellen degeneres, the comedian, was about to come out. she does it on "time" magazine, yep, im gay. but she decided the character ellen plays on tv will also come out. >> its reprehensible that abc, who is owned by disney of all companies, is going to feature ellen as comin...

The following movie is rated r. >> in 1990, 91, there was not a whole lot of original programing for cable, but they were airing movies. so we needed to compete and i felt that if we didnt, we were going to kind of get swept out. so i came up with a notion of doing a cop show that was r rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script, they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would show and what we wouldnt show. grown...

The following movie is rated r. >> in 1990, 91, there was not a whole lot of original programing for cable, but they were airing movies. so we needed to compete and i felt that if we didnt, we were going to kd of get swept o. so i came up with a notion of doing a cop show that was r rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script, they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would show and what we wouldnt show. grown-ups...