The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 106

2003:01:07:15:32:06 TELEVISION RADIO E16 CALENDAR LOSANGELESTIMES Celebrate the Dream inaugural event Forest Lawn Presents Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration January 12, 2003 at 4:00 p.m. Hall of Liberty Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Join us as we celebrate the life, legacy and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

FEATURING: Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald The Hollywood Mass Choir, Patrick Hare, Director International Children's Choir of Long Beach, Stephan Bullard, Director Award winning actress, Virginia Capers "I Have A Dream" speech by actor, producer, director Ken Sagoes Special presentation by the League of African-American Women Inspirational Speakers Uplifting Music Presidential Proclamation Art Exhibit souvenirs and more! Forest Lawn -Hollywood Hills 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles Forest Lawn Drive exit off the 134 Fwy For more information, call 1-800-204-3131, or visit us online at ForestLawn.com TM By Mark Sachs Times Staff Writer Into every reality TV life alittle rain must fall, but the stuff comes down in buckets tonight at 10 as ABC unleashes the first episode of the six-part Mole This misguided mess of a series, a supposedly glitzed-up version of the dubious franchise, plops seven actor-types in the islands to compete for up to $250,000. Sportscaster Ahmad Rashad is the host, presiding over a cast that includes Stephen Baldwin Usual Corbin Bernsen Michael Boatman Kim Coles Living supermodel Frederique, comedian Kathy Griffin and Erik von Detten One of these folks has been selected by the producers to undermine surreptitiously the efforts of the remaining six as they go through a series of convoluted stunts, each worth a chunk of cash toward the grand prize. Each week, one person is banished, or based on test questions aimed at ferreting out the identity of the mole, and one can win an exemption from taking the test. Although the early buzz questioned how much star-power this panel actually brings to the table, not the problem here. Griffin is a hoot, Bernsen and Baldwin bluster and bicker with the best of them, and Rashad is inadvertently amusing as he solemnly channels Jeff Probst to your first execution; for one of you, the journey will end No, the problems lie in the confusing and tedious stunts (filling buckets from a waterfall, herding sheep), the flat, unfocused downtime between bits and the ill-conceived test segment.

Celebrities or not, this mole should have stayed in its hole. TUNED IN Celebs try but save misguided Mitchell Haaseth WOOLLY STUNT: Erik von Detten, left, and Corbin Bernsen herd a sheep in Mole tonight at 10. SERIES Talent competition: After the success of no surprise that (8 p.m. CBS) would be revived, this time without Ed McMahon. A woman scorned: Trista Rehn was jilted on but now her turn to pick and choose as she is courted by 25 gentlemen callers on (9 p.m.

ABC). Hidden agenda: Stephen Baldwin, Michael Boatman, Corbin Bernsen, Kim Coles, Frederique, Kathy Griffin and Erik von Detten team up for a variety of challenges, but one of them is there to sabotage their efforts on Mole (10 p.m. ABC). SPECIALS King of the road: Huell Howser explores the of the Travel (8 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

IFC). French bread: Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush star in the 1998 adaptation of Victor (8 and 11:30 p.m. Bravo). Court-martial: British soldiers fighting in the Boer War are put on trial for executing prisoners in director Bruce 1980 drama (9 p.m. TCM), starring Edward Woodward and Jack Thompson.

SPORTS College basketball: USC takes on UCLA (7:30 p.m. FSN). Hockey: The Edmonton Oilers visit the Mighty Ducks (7:30 p.m. FSN2). KCET).

MOVIES Prep school mischief: Dean Stockwell stars in the 1950 comedy Happy (6:05 a.m. Cinemax). Unexpected wealth: Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur star in director Frank 1936 social comedy Deeds Goes to (7:10 a.m. AMC). Racism in the ranks: Howard E.

Rollins Jr. investigates the murder of a black officer in (8 a.m. Island escape: Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman star in the 1973 prison drama (10:30 a.m. Encore). Family scandal: Glenn Close and Julianne Moore star in (6 Highlights The Early Show Mena Suvari; Arsenio Hall.

7 a.m. KCBS Today Michael Caine; John C. Reilly. 7 a.m. KNBC KTLA Morning News Julie Stav; new film 7 a.m.

KTLA Good Morning America Antwone Fisher; Las Vegas. 7 a.m. KABC Martha Stewart Living Bold dinnerware line from Bauer Pottery; five basic yoga postures. 9 a.m. KCBS Maury Guests request makeovers for family members: a truck-driving mother gets a more-feminine wardrobe; an aging aunt sports a sexy look.

9 a.m. KTLA Live With Regis and Kelly Julianne Moore race car champion Jeff Gordon. 9 a.m. KABC The View Trista Rehn actress Jacqueline Bisset. 10 a.m.

KABC The Wayne Brady Show Dean Cain; Bev Tanner; musician Frankie Avalon. 10 a.m. KCAL The Other Half Bill Bellamy, Tiffani Thiessen, Peter Facinelli Vonda Shepard; a love goes on trial. 3 p.m. KNBC Oprah Winfrey Overweight people who want to stay at home.

(R) 3 p.m. KABC Dr. Phil Couples with little in common learn to compromise in order to save their relationships. 4 p.m. KNBC Life Times Tonight Rent increases in Leimert Park Village; Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke.

7 p.m. KCET Charlie Rose Four architects discuss plans for the World Trade Center site. 11 p.m. KCET Late Show With David Letterman Merv Griffin. 11:35 p.m.

KCBS The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Billy Crystal; actor Steve Schirripa; musical guest Alanis Morissette. (R) 11:35 p.m. KNBC The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn D.L. Hughley; Dick Clark. 12:35 a.m.

KCBS Late Night With Conan Alyson Hannigan; Luke Perry; Bonnie Raitt. (R) 12:35 a.m. KNBC Last Call With Carson Daly Jason Sehorn; Justin Timberlake. (R) 1:35 a.m. KNBC Listings include talk shows that provide aguest list.

Talk Shows All it took was five nights of football and the most- watched college football showdown since the adoption of the controversial Bowl Championship Series format to help ABC score its first weekly ratings victory of the TV season, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesdayby Nielsen Media Research. roster of games included the final installment of Night which finished John inaugural year up overall, not bad given the number of one-sided contests and an NFL playoff game that, like the college bowls, played in prime time in other time zones. The centerpiece, not surprisingly, was Ohio overtime victory versus Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, which surged over last Rose Bowl, which saw Miami claim the title after trouncing Nebraska. Other networks sat out much of the week with reruns, though movie Crooked The Unshredded Truth About drew modest numbers Sunday. The night also included the first of many unscripted midsea- son series, the School which got off to areasonably good start, improving on average in its time slot.

Although Fox aired a thrilling NFL playoff game that extended into prime time on the East Coast, delivered only its fourth-highest rating this season. Lowry Football puts ABC in the win column National Nielsen Viewership Here are the rankings for national prime- time network television last week (Dec. 30- Jan. 5) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. They are based on the average num- ber of people who watched a program from start to finish.

Nielsen estimates there are 272.04 million potential viewers in the U.S. age 2 and older. Viewership is listed in millions. Program Network View- ersProgram Network Viewers 1 2 Playoff: 3 Wildcard 4 CSICBS22.40 5 Showcase 6 Bowl 7 8 CSI (8 p.m.)CBS18.03 9 FriendsNBC15.47 10 Everybody Loves RaymondCBS15.38 11 12 13 Law and Order: Criminal Intent NBC15.01 14 Bowl 15 The SimpsonsFOX14.99 16 Without a TraceCBS14.67 17 CSI: MiamiCBS13.63 18 Still StandingCBS13.26 19 Monday Night FootballABC13.09 20 ScrubsNBC12.81 21 Law and OrderNBC12.22 22 Bowl 23 King of the HillFOX11.86 24 60 Minutes IICBS11.76 25 Will GraceNBC11.73 26 Crooked 27 Law and Order: SVUNBC11.58 28 60 MinutesCBS11.53 29 King of QueensCBS11.22 30 Yes, DearCBS11.13 31 Dateline: NBC 32 Wedding 33 American DreamsNBC10.74 34 BoomtownNBC10.54 35 NFL Monday ShowcaseABC10.53 36 Malcolm in the MiddleFOX10.45 37 ERNBC10.27 38 King of Queens 39 The PracticeABC10.08 40 Good Morning MiamiNBC10.00 41 Fear FactorNBC9.79 42 BeckerCBS9.71 43 AliasABC9.66 44 JAGCBS8.25 45 Dateline: NBC 46 8Simples RulesABC8.07 47 Third WatchNBC8.04 48 49 Crossing JordanNBC7.95 Wonka and the Chocolate ABC7.95 51 48 Hours Investigates (10 p.m.) CBS7.70 52 According to JimABC7.65 53 The West WingNBC7.64 54 Most WantedFOX7.50 55 The DistrictCBS7.47 56 Bernie MacFOX7.39 57 Cops (8:30 p.m.)FOX7.32 58 48 Hours Investigates CBS7.31 59 Nutty 60 Eve 61 The AgencyCBS6.93 62 Cedric the EntertainerFOX6.91 63 Dateline: NBC 64 Frasier NBC6.73 65 66 CopsFOX6.48 Life With BonnieABC6.48 68 HackCBS6.45 69 Touched by an AngelCBS6.42 70 Judging AmyCBS6.22 71 MonkABC6.18 72 Less Than PerfectABC6.16 73 The GuardianCBS6.04 74 EdNBC6.01 75 76 Hidden HillsNBC5.62 77 WWE 78 FastlaneFOX5.49 79 CharmedWB5.46 80 High School ReunionWB5.18 81 Dateline: NBC 82 Just Shoot MeNBC4.74 83 That ShowFOX4.50 84 85 RebaWB4.15 86 Jamie Kennedy (9 p.m.)WB4.00 87 John DoeFOX3.85 88 One on OneUPN3.78 89 Gilmore Girls: BeginningsWB3.57 90 7th HeavenWB3.54 91 GirlfriendsUPN3.51 92 Sabrina, Teenage WitchWB3.29 93 Jamie Kennedy (8:30 p.m.)WB3.17 94 Half and HalfUPN3.16 95 The ParkersUPN3.12 96 EverwoodWB3.07 97 Andy Richter What I Like About YouWB2.98 99 Jamie Kennedy (8 p.m.)WB2.93 100 EnterpriseUPN2.92 101 Greetings From TucsonWB2.55 102 The Twilight ZoneUPN2.53 103 104 CreekWB2.26 105 SmallvilleWB2.20 106 Gilmore GirlsWB2.14 107 Buffy the Vampire SlayerUPN2.06 108 Birds of PreyWB Network Averages Here is the number of viewers (in millions) that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season. Network Last week Season To date ABC15.5910.22 CBS10.7012.52 FOX9.469.08 NBC9.1911.72 WB3.304.33 UPN3.213.79 In essence, when it comes to getting the word out about shows and finding new ways to cash in on them, the idea is to push as far as possible, so long as people begin fumbling for the remote control.

and marketing is going to play a much more important role in the Stroman said. you find it, you watch it, and if you monetize it, nobody Fox Television Group Chairman Sandy Grushowbegan his career in marketing, but that might just scratch the surface. In the years ahead, based on the perplexing financial challenges that television faces, being able to convincingly use in a sentence could be the logical springboard to higher office. road to the top will start not in programming, but predicted PROMAX President Jim Chabin, adding that his membership female, with an average age of 37) dovetails nicely with the general profile of whom networks and advertisers want to reach. The prevailing message is not to rule out any avenue by which ashow can be or translated directly into dollars.

Advertising is already being squeezed into new venues with all the finesse of an emcee at a wet T-shirt contest from bathroom stalls to every cre- vasse of Best Damn Sports which is pretty much the same thing. these models are changing right Stroman noted. has gone from mass marketing to micro As the saturation of options splinters ratings, marketing becomes ever more vital a dynamic that could mean that next generation of leaders will serve apprenticeships not reading scripts but figuring out how to wring revenue out of the finished product. clearly blazed modern trails in weaving products into the program from shoes to snacks to cars and most unscripted shows have followed suit. This fall, failed interactive drama opened doors to the scripted arena, representing as much a marketing concept (watch the show, find the clues, play on the Internet, maybe win money) as a TV program an experiment sure to be replicated even though the patient died.

and promotions remain a fertile area of exploration, as premiered this week with a Las Vegas trip and radio station giveaway among its various come-ons. Still, the mother lode for marketing gurus lies in identifying ways to pocket cold hard cash, from the first-season DVD release of a series with dubious rerun value like to the just- released hot for version of the dating show following in the footsteps of similar videos devoted to and Date is being sold (only in conjunction with the folks who bring you the highly lucrative Gone series, with multiple tapes available, including and and From editions. the fragmentation of viewing nowadays, always looking for additional revenue streams, and this is a real said producer David Garfinkle, noting that the videos and DVDs can yield of millions of dollars if you hit a home potentially exceeding any profit from the more subdued TV exposure. Apreview of the tapes (someone had to do it) reveals plenty of nudity, drunkenness and expletives, without quite venturing into X-rated territory. the stuff that people say, and people do, and watching it and going, Garfinkle said.

The answer, of course, is that fame-seeking contestants are willing to risk looking foolish to market themselves making them the ideal infantry, if you think about it, for a TV industry Brian column appears Wednesdays. He can be reached at brian.lowry@latimes.com. new creativity is in marketing Pitch, from Page E1 TIPS FOR TODAY p.m.—Masterpiece of the Day: Holst Planets: Zubin Mehta conducts the L.A. Philharmonic), KMZT-FM (105.1). p.m.—Talk of the City With Kitty Felde: in School broadcast live from John Adams Middle School, Santa Monica, KPCC- FM (89.3).

4-8 p.m.—Duffy and of the p.m.); Clayton Mayes, author of Than discusses gang violence p.m.), KKLA-FM (99.5). 5-6 p.m.—State of the State Address: Live coverage of a speech by Gov. Gray Davis, KNX (1070). p.m., a.m.—The Third Man: Harry Lime (Orson Wells) pursues a priceless emerald (originally broadcast Aug. 10, 1951), KNX (1070).

DRAMA-COMEDY FAMILY p.m., a.m.—Tales of the Texas Rangers brutal killer blazes atrail from Montana to Texas, KNX (1070). CLASSICAL 2-3 p.m.—Cost-Conscious Classix: Ravel et Orchestra de Paris), KCSN-FM (88.5). 7 p.m.-midnight—Jim Svejda: Mahler (3rd Symphony, mezzo-soprano Christa SPORTS p.m.—Pro Basketball: Memphis Grizzlies at Clippers, KLAC (570), KTNQ (1020). TALK-INTERVIEW 6-9 a.m.—Mark Larson Larry Marino, KRLA (870). 6-10 a.m.—Mark and Brian, KLOS-FM (95.5).

9-11 a.m.—Bill KABC (790). 9-11 a.m.—Larry Airtalk, KPCC-FM (89.3). 9 a.m.-noon, 6-8 p.m.—Dennis Prager, KRLA (870). 9 a.m.-noon—Rush Limbaugh (640). 9 a.m.-noon—Laura Ingraham, KPLS (830).

11 a.m.-11:45 a.m., p.m.—Al Rantel, KABC (790). 11 a.m.-noon—Sam Rubin, KLSX-FM (97.1). 11 a.m.-1 p.m.—Talk of the Nation, KPCC-FM (89.3). Noon-2 p.m.—George Putnam, KPLS (830). Noon-3 p.m.—Sean Hannity, KABC (790).

Noon-3 p.m.—Laura Schlessinger, KFI (640). Noon-3 p.m.—Michael Medved, KRLA (870). 2-3 p.m.—Right Brothers, KPLS (830). p.m.—The Treatment: Writer- director Joe Carnahan KCRW- FM (89.9). Ludwig, Brooklyn Boys Chorus, New York Choral Artists, Leonard Bernstein conducts the N.Y.

Philharmonic) p.m.), KUSC-FM (91.5). 8-10 p.m.—Evening Concert: Bach Bath Festival Orchestra), KMZT-FM (105.1). POP-COUNTRY- FOLK-JAZZ 9 a.m.-noon—Morning Becomes Eclectic, KCRW-FM (89.9). 10 a.m.-1 p.m.—Global Village FM (90.7). 1-4 p.m.—Gary Owens, KLAC (570).

p.m.—Metropolis, KCRW-FM (89.9). 8-10 p.m.—Rhapsody in Black, doo-wop, KPFK-FM (90.7). NEWS-COMMENTARY p.m.—Marketplace, KCRW- FM (89.9); p.m. and p.m., KPCC-FM (89.3). p.m.—Middle East in Focus, KPFK-FM (90.7).

2-3 p.m.—Hi Tech Hour, KNX (1070). p.m.—Free Speech Radio News, KPFK-FM (90.7). 3-4 p.m.—Fresh Air, culture, KCRW- FM (89.9); also, 7-8 p.m. KPCC-FM (89.3). 3-4 p.m.—Native American Airwaves, KPFK-FM (90.7).

p.m.—All Things Considered, KPCC-FM (89.3); also, 4-7 p.m., KCRW- FM (89.9). Radio.