Video Beat EXTRA EXTRA - IT'S ON!!! AMERICAN IDOL

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

IT'S ON!!!! - AMERICAN IDOLS Simon Cowell and his gang of judges including Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson invade you homes (your channel selection permitting) - CUSTER BATTLE ON BBC The BBC has been airing an investigative report program about the corruption involving the contracts valued at BILLIONS OF DOLLARS issued to contractors in the war in Iraq BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions - ESPN Singapore Lost The Plot - Recommended TV LISTINGS

Monday January 12, 2009

IT'S ON…. AMERICAN IDOL

Fasten your seat belts for its that time again when Simon Cowell and his gang of judges including Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson invade you homes (your channel selection permitting) when the new season of American Idol returns.

The audition stage will be first with much of the shows comedy emanating from it. The question is who will be this seasons Sanjaya Malakar or Antonella Barba who will go down in the annals of American Idol history? To find out the answer tune in on the Star World channel Wednesday night in SOUTHEAST ASIA for the new season of American Idol.

CUSTER BATTLE ON BBC

If the American taxpayer wants to know how their tax dollars are being spent the BBC televised a program January 3rd that they previously televised last spring. The BBC is currently airing an investigative report program about the corruption involving the contracts valued at BILLIONS OF DOLLARS issued to contractors in the war in Iraq BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions A BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq. The point made is there is corruption and the war is about oil.

The US taxpayer is being ripped off of those billions dollars doled out to companies such as Custer Battle for security who are suspected of padding their bills, Halliburton has come under intense international scrutiny for receiving no-bid contracts for the rebuilding of Iraq. Current US Vice President Dick Cheney was its CEO prior to becoming The US Vice President. KBR once a Halliburton company that provides catering, Parsons for building medical facilities. Halliburton has made billions of dollars from the wars in Vietnam, Bosnia and Iraq and Bechtel regarding the manner in which it received Iraqi rebuilding contracts after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Politicians in the United States and in Europe have made accusations of cronyism between the George W. Bush administration and Bechtel. The investigative report includes politician Henry Waxman.

Critics in both the United States and allies like Britain have questioned the process by which the U.S. awarded Iraq contracts to American companies. The profiteering from the destruction caused by the shock and awe at the beginning of the war has caused Bechtel to be accused of disaster capitalism.

The program includes Bunnatine Greenhouse, a civil servant with 20 years of contracting experience, who had complained to Army officials on numerous occasions that Halliburton had been unlawfully receiving special treatment for work in Iraq, Kuwait and the Balkans. Investigations were opened by the U.S. Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pentagon's inspector general to open criminal investigations that continue today. In one of the many examples of abuse, Greenhouse said that military auditors caught Halliburton overcharging the Pentagon for fuel deliveries into Iraq. She also complained that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's office took control of every aspect of Halliburton's $7 billion no-bid Iraqi oil/infrastructure contract.

The program notes that there are more contracted employees in Iraq than soldiers as well as pointing out that the Halliburton stock was selling for $10 before the Iraq war and as of 2008 selling for $48 a share.

With the questionable use of donor and US taxpayer money by some NGO's in Cambodia this is a must watch. For more information about the program contact: www.bbcworld.com/contactus

ESPN SINGAPORE LOST THE PLOT

When you think of a brand name like ESPN you would expect quality. That is not the case with ESPN Singapore's telecasts. It appears that they do business over a drink rather than recognizing talent and their qualifications. On Friday January 9th their Sports Center telecast introduced someone who was descried as being an expert on the NBA. He went on to talk about the Cleveland Cavaliers being one of the best teams in the NBA which is at this point a no brainer. He added that there was TALK that they would most likely trade Wally Sczerbiak to strengthen the team OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

The next few months tip was as erroneous as any information could be. If this NBA expert was so knowledgeable he would know that the NBA TRADE DEADLINE is February 19th at 3 PM ET (Eastern time in the USA). In that few weeks time frame there is no NEXT FEW MONTHS about it.

To add insult to injury ESPN Singapore cut into the telecast of NBA Action a program hosted by ex NBA players and coaches who know what they're talking about. During the middle of the Sunday telecast they interrupted with a Sports Center update which had no meaningful content. They also often fail to carry the US feed of the half time programming during NBA games. Again these programs are hosted by ex NBA players and coaches who know what they're talking about.

Their football talk programs have a lot to be desired when it comes to professionalism. One of their expert football analysts continually INTERRUPTS other panelists when they are speaking. In electronic journalism this is referred to as STEPPING ON SOMEONE. Not only is it unprofessional but it IS RUDE.

The exception is guest analyst Richard Keys who exemplifies true professional talent which is comparable to the high standard of the ESPN USA professional sports journalists. ESPN SINGAPORE needs to raise its apparent LOW STANDARDS to that of a more professional level. It would be helpful to their sports staff AND MANAGEMENT to observe the quality of the talent on the USA telecasts and PICK UP SOME POINTERS INTO THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL BROADCAST JOURNALISM.

MORE ESPN SINGAPORE LOST THE PLOT

It was like listening to a college radio broadcast the way ESPN Singapore's sportscasters telecast the Suzuki Cup. Throughout the series the continued to praise Thailand as if they (the sportscasters) attended the University of Thailand. There is no such thing and their cheerleading type of coverage was unprofessional.

A professional approach is to be unbiased and describe the action blended in with some color and stories about some of the players, coaches and the background of the competition. When Vietnam won the title with a last second goal for a 1-1 tie and 3-2 aggregate victory in Hanoi the announcer's energy level of Vietnam's success never matched the praise given for Thailand whom they expected to win though they lost the first leg 2-1 in Bangkok. It was fair enough as Vietnam deservedly won with arguably less overall talent but more heart.

Part 2 - CELEBRITY APPRENTICE FINAL FOUR

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TV SCHEDULE

Note: The shows listed are for the Cambodia - Thailand time zone. Check your local listings for time in your area.

NOTE TIMES AT OF THE SAME TELECAST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

SUNDAY

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

10:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

12 NOON - FRONTLINE - Australia Network

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

6:00 PM - AMERICAN IDOL - Star World

10:00 PM - THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE - Star World

12:00 PM - THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE - Star World

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

??? - STAR SPORTS - NBA GAME - CHECK ALL of NBA TV SCHEDULE for Southeast Asia

4:30 PM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

Midnight - SOPRANOS - HBO

??? - ESPN SPORTS - NBA GAME - CHECK NBA TV SCHEDULE for Southeast Asia

7:30 AM - CLICK (Internet Technology program) - BBC

3:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

5:00 PM - LARRY KING - CNN - Airs daily

7:00 PM - THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - (1 1/2 hr) Star World channel

9:00 PM - JAY LENO - CNBC

11:00 PM - THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Star World channel

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