NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission is planning to vote in November on proposals to roll back ownership rules that were meant to support diverse voices in local media.

The newspaper and broadcasting industries have pushed for changes to the rules as they face growing online competition. Critics say dropping the rules will encourage media consolidation and hurt local voices and diversity.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday at a congressional hearing that he wants to eliminate rules that, among other things, bar a company from owning both newspapers and TV stations in one market. It's been in place since 1975 but exceptions have been allowed.

He also proposed scrapping limits on owning both local radio and TV stations, and would make it easier for one company to own two broadcast TV stations in one market.

"The marketplace today is nothing like it was in 1975," Pai said, adding that newspapers are shutting down and broadcast TV and radio stations are struggling, while competition from the internet, where Google and Facebook dominate in digital advertising, is rising.

Republicans outnumber Democrats on the five-member the FCC, suggesting Pai has the support to change the rules. Democrats on the commission and in Congress have criticized efforts to undo or ease the rules.

The head of the National Association of Broadcasters, Dennis Wharton, said Wednesday that the limits have hurt TV broadcasters.

He said the NAB supports Pai's plan, and looks forward "to rational media ownership rules that foster a bright future for broadcasters." It's expected that rolling back the FCC limits will allow companies that own TV stations to get bigger.

The FCC is currently reviewing a takeover deal between Sinclair and Tribune Media, two TV station owners. Pai has already allowed one rule change that eased the way for Sinclair by permitting it to reach more households than was otherwise allowed. It would reach more than 70 percent of American households if the Tribune Media deal goes through.

Companies like Sinclair own TV stations that run programming from the major networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, around the country.

The head of Free Press, an advocacy group that fights against media consolidation, said that Pai's plan will hurt independent news sources.

"We need to strengthen local voices and increase viewpoint diversity, not surrender our airwaves to an ever-smaller group of giant conglomerates," Craig Aaron said in a statement. He said Pai's proposals will face opposition at the FCC and in the courts.

NEW YORK (AP) — Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Oct. 30-Nov. 5. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.

1. World Series Game 7: Houston at L.A. Dodgers, 28.29 million.

2. World Series Game 6: Houston at L.A. Dodgers, 22.33 million.

3. "60 Minutes," CBS, 15.09 million.

4. NFL Football: Oakland at Miami, NBC, 14.36 million.

5. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 14.16 million.

6. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 12.83 million.

7. "NCIS," CBS, 12.11 million.

8. "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 11.43 million.

9. "The Good Doctor," ABC, 10.58 million.

10. NFL Football: Denver at Kansas City," ESPN, 10.49 million.

11. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 9.93 million.

12. "Bull," CBS, 9.63 million.

13. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 9.62 million.

14. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 9.27 million.

15. "Football Night in America, Part 3," NBC, 9.11 million.

16. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 8.86 million.

17. "Hawaii Five-0," CBS, 8.63 million.

18. "The Walking Dead," AMC, 8.52 million.

19. "Mom," CBS, 8.46 million.

20. "This is Us," NBC, 8.43 million.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; Fox is owned by 21st Century Fox; NBC is owned by NBC Universal.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — TV series are including more LGBTQ characters and adding gender-nonconforming ones, but there's a need for richer, more complex stories about them, according to the media advocacy group GLAAD.

LGBTQ depictions increased in the current season across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, the group's annual Where We Are on TV study released Thursday found.

Shows contributing to the change include NBC's reboot of "Will & Grace" and "The Deuce" on HBO.

"While we're pleased to see numbers on the rise, consideration of how LGBTQ characters are woven into story lines and whose stories are making it to screen is crucial for judging progress of the industry. And there is still work to be done," Megan Townsend, GLAAD's entertainment research and analysis director, said in a statement.

Of the 901 characters set to appear regularly on prime-time network series in the 2017-18 season, 6.4 percent are identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender or queer.

That's the biggest percentage on network shows found in the study's 22 years, topping last year's record-high of 4.8 percent. The numbers also are up on cable and streaming platform series, although the study found fewer depictions of LGBTQ characters of color on streaming as well as broadcast.

For the first time, GLAAD counted "non-binary" characters — those that don't identify strictly as male or female. It found four non-binary characters across all TV platforms, including actor Asia Kate Dillon's Taylor Mason on Showtime's "Billions."

The study also looked at how women fare on TV and found it wanting.

While women make up an estimated 51 percent of the U.S. population, they're 43 percent of the regularly appearing characters on broadcast TV — a 1 percent drop from last season, GLAAD said.

Among regular and recurring LGBTQ characters on broadcast networks, lesbian representation rose to 24 percent on broadcast and 21 percent on cable, both representing a 7 percent increase after the 2016-17 season in which a number of lesbian or bisexual female characters were killed.

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Online:

https://www.glaad.org/whereweareontv

___

Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber@ap.org and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Joe Girardi expected to be back for an 11th season as New York Yankees manager.

"I was a little shocked," he said of his dismissal Tuesday after attending a meeting of Major League Baseball's competition committee.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman announced his decision Oct. 26, and then explained last week he made the move because of "ability to fully engage, communicate, connect with the playing personnel."

Girardi said he wasn't disappointed about the statements.

"I'm one that (is) pretty aware of what happens and what goes on inside a clubhouse ... so I don't ever worry about that," he said.

"You know, it's life," he added. "You understand that you have to move on. I invested a lot of time in there and have a lot of great memories there. But this is part of life. When you take a job as a manager, you know that this is a possibility, and you have to deal with this. You also get to deal with the other side, the excitement of being hired."

His 910-710 regular-season record with the Yankees is sixth in victories managing the team, and he led New York to its 27th World Series title in 2009.

Girardi anticipates having discussions after Thanksgiving about working as a broadcaster for a national network. He will not return next year to the Yankees' YES Network, where he worked in 2007 before he was hired to manage the team.

"I think that would be kind of strange," he said.

New York has interviewed bench coach Rob Thomson and former Cleveland and Seattle manager Eric Wedge for the opening, and Cashman expects interviews to resume after the general managers' meetings this week. Girardi is aware of the search.

"It's hard not to, because if you go on a website or if you're watching TV, it flashes across the bottom," he said. "But it's not something that I'm paying close attention to."

Former Yankees captain Derek Jeter, now in charge of the Miami Marlins' baseball and business operations, was part of the competition committee meeting.

"I'm going to stay with it as long as they want me. So it's kind of what I do," Girardi said, laughing.

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More MLB baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators have weakened rules meant to support independent local media.

Now, one company can own newspapers and broadcast stations in one market, undoing a ban in place since 1975. Thursday's decision by the Federal Communications Commission also makes it easier for one company to own two broadcast TV stations in one market and coordinate operations with stations owned by others.

Although the changes won't affect AT&T's pending bid for Time Warner and its cable channels, they come as cable and phone companies have grown into industry giants through acquisitions. The newspaper and broadcasting industries say they need the changes to deal with growing competition from the web and cable companies.

The Republican-dominated FCC approved the changes in a 3-2 vote along party lines. The two Democratic commissioners and other critics say that dumping these rules, by encouraging consolidation, hurts media diversity. Free Press, a group that opposes media mergers, said Thursday that it will challenge the rule changes in court.

"This act will pave the way for massive broadcast conglomerates to increasingly provide local viewers with nationalized cookie-cutter news and corporate propaganda that's produced elsewhere," said Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat.

The FCC previously granted exceptions for companies such as News Corp. to own both a newspaper and a radio or TV station in the same market. Scrapping the rule would let more companies do so without needing to make the case for an exception.

The FCC is also loosening restrictions on one company owning two TV stations in the same market. TV station owner Sinclair is expected to benefit from these changes. It has a pending deal for rival Tribune Media that regulators still must clear. They both own TV stations that air local news and programming from the major networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, around the country.

The Sinclair deal has drawn criticism from an unusual coalition: consumer advocacy groups that generally oppose media consolidation, conservative media companies that are rivals to the right-leaning Sinclair and cable and satellite TV companies that worry that a beefed-up Sinclair will be able to get even higher fees from them.

The rule changes, however, would not apply to AT&T and Time Warner because the FCC is not reviewing that and neither company owns a TV or radio station or a local paper. The Justice Department is still reviewing that $85 billion deal. Its widely expected approval has run into hurdles.

The FCC has already taken steps favorable to broadcasters and Sinclair. It scrapped a rule that required TV and radio broadcasters to maintain a local studio and withdrew a technical measure that hindered media consolidation. Sinclair would reach 72 percent of American households if the Tribune Media deal goes through.

The FCC also voted Thursday to allow a new broadcasting standard known as "next-gen TV," which Sinclair and the broadcasting lobby has pushed for. It will allow for better-quality video and improved reception, let broadcasters beam TV programming directly to phones and, they hope, make money from advertising targeted to consumers based on data about them, like Facebook and Google do.

The two Democratic commissioners dissented, saying the agency's approach will mean higher costs for consumers if they have to buy new TV sets to get the signals, just as they had to buy digital TVs or converters when analog transmissions ceased in the past decade. The government offered $40 coupons for converter boxes to help defray costs during that transition. According to the Democrats, there are no provisions for similar subsidies this time.

The agency also voted Thursday on party lines to pursue new limits on Lifeline, a program that makes internet service cheaper for the poor and serves about 12 million people. The FCC also made it easier for phone companies like AT&T and Verizon to ditch their old copper networks as they upgrade to newer technologies. Democrats say these measures will make it more difficult for poor people to go online and harm rural customers who depend on their landlines.

In a largely non-controversial move, the agency also made clear that carriers can block calls coming from obvious spammers who are faking what number shows up for consumers on their caller IDs.

NEW YORK (AP) — Comcast is in discussions with 21st Century Fox about buying its movie studio, some cable channels and its international arms, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. This person can't discuss the matter publicly.

The conversations are at a very early stage, and there's no guarantee that a deal would be finalized, this person says.

Comcast is interested in the same Fox assets that Disney reportedly showed interest in, the person says. Those would include European broadcaster Sky and Star India, the National Geographic and FX cable channels and the film studio.

If such a deal took place, it would leave Fox with its Fox News channel, sports channels, the Fox broadcast network and several TV stations.

NEW YORK (AP) — Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Nov. 13-19. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.

1. NFL Football: Philadelphia at Dallas, NBC, 21.06 million.

2. "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 15.31 million.

3. NFL Thursday Night Football: Tennessee at Pittsburgh, NBC, 13.52 million.

4. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 13.44 million.

5. "NCIS," CBS, 13.09 million.

6. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 11.83 million.

7. "60 Minutes," CBS, 11.47 million.

8. Football Night in America, NBC, 11.40 million.

9. "Bull," CBS, 10.36 million.

10. "The Good Doctor," ABC, 10.15 million.

11. "This Is Us," NBC, 10.05 million.

12. "The Voice" (Tuesday), NBC, 9.98 million.

13. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 9.90 million.

14. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 9.70 million.

15. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 9.60 million.

16. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 9.25 million.

17. "Hawaii Five-0," CBS, 9.17 million.

18. "American Music Awards," ABC, 9.15 million

19. "Survivor," CBS, 8.85 million.

20. NFL Football: Miami at Carolina, ESPN, 8.81 million.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; NBC is owned by NBC Universal.

PARIS (AP) — A Paris court is set to rule Friday on whether to convict a 52-year-old man of attempted murder over shooting incidents at a newspaper and TV network four years ago.

Abdelhakim Dekhar is accused of gravely wounding an assistant photographer with a pump-action shotgun at the prominent left-wing daily Liberation, an attempted shooting at broadcaster BFM-TV and firing shots outside the headquarters of French bank Societe Generale.

He also is accused of a brief hostage-taking and car-hijacking during the rampage over several days in 2013, which prompted concern about attacks on the media.

Dekhar was found semi-conscious in a parking garage and arrested after a protracted manhunt, which gained nationwide attention as it played out on TV screens and social networks. Security was tightened at media offices after his shootings.

The prosecutor asked the court Friday to sentence Dekhar to 25 years in prison, according to French media reports, though the multiple attempted murder charges he faces could lead to life in prison.

During the trial he described anti-capitalist views, desperation and suicidal wishes, though no specific motive for his actions, according to French media reports.

After his arrest, authorities found an apparent suicide note and a confused letter criticizing media manipulation, capitalism and government neglect of public housing, and a vague reference to Syria. He claimed to investigators at one point that he worked for the French and Algerian secret services.

Authorities found no terrorism links in Dekhar's shootings, which came before the wave of Islamic extremist attacks that killed more than 200 people in France in 2015 and 2016.

Dekhar already served prison time for a high-profile robbery and deadly car chase in 1994. The so-called Rey-Maupin affair was part of an anarchist plot to sow chaos in Paris.

NEW YORK (AP) — Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Dec. 4-10. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.

1. NFL Football: Baltimore at Pittsburgh, NBC, 17.2 million.

2. NFL Football: New Orleans at Atlanta, NBC, 14.61 million.

3. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 14.41 million.

4. "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 12.62 million.

5. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 12.49 million.

6. NFL Football: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, ESPN, 10.91 million.

7. "The Voice" (Tuesday), NBC, 10 million.

8. "60 Minutes," CBS, 9.996 million.

9. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 9.87 million.

10. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 9.4 million.

11. "Hawaii Five-O," CBS, 9.07 million.

12. "The Good Doctor," ABC, 9.04 million.

13. "Survivor," CBS, 8.97 million.

14. "Mom," CBS, 8.78 million.

15. "NCIS," CBS, 8.42 million.

16. "Football Night in America, Part 3," NBC, 8.07 million.

17. "The Walking Dead," AMC, 7.89 million.

18. "The Big Bang Theory" (Monday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 7.75 million.

19. "Thursday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 7.54 million.

20. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 7.53 million.

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ABC and ESPN are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; Fox is owned by 21st Century Fox; NBC is owned by NBC Universal.

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on Disney's deal for large part of Fox (all times local)

12:20 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump supports Disney's purchase of much of 21st Century Fox.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders says Trump called media magnate Rupert Murdoch to congratulate him on the deal.

Disney is buying the Murdoch family's Fox movie and television studios and some cable and international TV businesses for about $52.4 billion.

Sanders says Trump thinks the deal "could be a great thing for jobs."

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7:10 a.m.

Rupert Murdoch says selling much of the 21st Century Fox entertainment businesses to Disney allows what remains of his family's business to focus on American news and sports.

Murdoch and his sons talked about the deal in a call with investors Thursday. They describe the move as a return to the company's lean and aggressive roots.

Disney is buying a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox for about $52.4 billion in stock, including film and television studios and cable and international TV businesses, as it tries to meet competition from technology companies in the entertainment business. The deal doesn't include the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network.

Murdoch, calling himself a "newsman with a competitive spirit," says Fox is "probably the strongest brand in all of television" and hasn't been hurt by losing some of its stars. He says the new company will be centered on live news and sports brands and the strength of the Fox network.

He says, "I know a lot of you are wondering, 'Why did the Murdochs come to such a momentous decision?' Are we retreating? Absolutely not. We are pivoting at a pivotal moment."

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6:15 a.m.

Disney CEO Robert Iger says he'll work with Fox CEO James Murdoch on integrating the two companies, but Iger doesn't know what Murdoch's role will be over the long term.

Disney is buying a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox for about $52.4 billion in stock, including film and television studios and cable and international TV businesses, as it tries to meet competition from technology companies in the entertainment business.

Iger told investors on a conference call Thursday that Murdoch will "be integral to helping us integrate these companies." After that, Iger says he will "continue to discuss with him whether there's a role for him here or not."

James Murdoch is the son of Rupert Murdoch, who built 21st Century Fox and News Corp. out of an inheritance from his father in Australia.

Rupert Murdoch has ostensibly already handed the reins over to a new generation at Fox. His son James is CEO, while his other son, Lachlan, like Rupert, has the title of executive chairman.

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5:40 a.m.

Disney CEO Bob Iger says its deal for a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox is a chance to combine some of the world's "most iconic" entertainment franchises.

The deal is a strong sign that the home of Mickey Mouse is serious about an upcoming streaming service to compete with Netflix. The Disney-branded service, expected in 2019, will have classic and upcoming movies from the studio, shows from Disney Channel, and the "Star Wars" and Marvel movies.

In an audio webcast Thursday to discuss the deal, Iger said some of the Fox properties will fit with that offering, including National Geographic and additional Marvel productions.

The service is driven by changes in how viewers watch TV and movies. While Disney has benefited from years of selling packaged channels such as ESPN through cable and satellite TV distributors, many viewers are ditching traditional TV and watching online instead. A streaming service lets Disney reach those viewers directly.

During the webcast, Iger said, "Creating a direct (to) consumer relationship is vital to the future of our media business and it is our highest priority."

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5:05 a.m.

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger will remain in those roles until at least 2021 as part of the company's deal to acquire a large part of 21st Century Fox.

The Walt Disney Co. had announced in March an extension of his contract to July 2, 2019, ending any speculation that Iger would retire this year. Thursday's extension is driven by the $52.4 billion deal for Fox's film and television studios, cable and international TV businesses.

Orin Smith, lead independent director of Disney's board, says keeping Iger was key to "provide the vision and proven leadership required to successfully complete and integrate such a massive, complex undertaking."

During an appearance on "Good Morning America" on Disney-owned ABC, Iger said, "I've got one of the greatest jobs in the world ... This combination makes it even more exciting."

Disney has no obvious successor since Iger's heir apparent, COO Tom Staggs, left last year.

Since taking the top role in 2005, Iger has acquired Star Wars owner LucasFilm, Pixar and Marvel and driven improvements in Disney's consumer products and parks division, most recently with the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

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4:50 a.m.

Analysts say Disney's $52.4 billion deal to buy a large part of 21st Century Fox will put it in a better position to compete with the likes of Netflix and Amazon.

Paolo Pescatore of CCS Insight says that "even a giant like Disney has not been immune" to changes in how consumers watch TV shows and movies. The deal, he says, will give Disney greater control of all aspects of content, from creation to distribution. That would lead to greater sources of revenue.

Disney already has announced plans to create its own streaming service in 2019 to compete with Netflix. Disney will now be able to beef up that offering with additional video from Fox.

Daniel Ives, head of technology research at GBH Insights, calls the announcement a "home run deal" for Disney, one that will give the company and its upcoming streaming service "a clear runway to gain market and mind share" from Netflix and others.

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4:15 a.m.

Disney is buying a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox in a $52.4 billion deal, including film and television studios, cable and international TV businesses as it tries to meet competition from technology companies in the entertainment business.

Before the buyout, 21st Century Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network into a newly listed company that will be spun off to its shareholders.

The entertainment business is going through big changes. Tech companies are building video divisions. Advertisers are following consumer attention to the internet. And Disney is launching new streaming services, which could be helped with the addition of the Fox assets.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission is voting on party lines to kick off a review of how many TV stations one company can own.

The current limit, in place for more than a decade, says that one company can't own TV stations that reach more than 39 percent of the U.S. population. The FCC will determine over the next several months if it should eliminate or change that cap.

Consumer groups worry that raising or getting rid of the cap will lead to more consolidation and fewer voices in local TV, including news broadcasts.

The ownership limit is also a contentious issue because right-leaning broadcaster, Sinclair Broadcast, wants to buy rival Tribune Media. That deal still needs regulatory approval. If cleared, the combined company would reach more than 70 percent of U.S. households.

NEW YORK (AP) — To judge by the collective shrug that viewers greeted Fox's performance of "A Christmas Story Live!," the fascination with live theater on television may have run its course.

The Nielsen company said that Fox's telecast was seen by 4.52 million viewers on Sunday night. That's lower than any of the live plays that have been shown on broadcast television since NBC kicked off the trend in 2013 with "The Sound of Music."

That 2013 performance was such an unexpected smash, with 18.6 million viewers, that it sent TV networks looking for other plays or musicals to adapt for the small screen. Since then, there have been adaptations of "Peter Pan,"''The Wiz,"''Hairspray" and "Grease."

"A Christmas Story Live!" was crushed in the ratings by NBC's airing of an NFL game between Dallas and Oakland, Nielsen said. But it also proved less popular than anything on CBS' Sunday night lineup, and a rerun of the 1965 movies for "The Sound of Music" that aired on ABC.

Fox notes that the show still did better than its typical Sunday night fare. The network is moving ahead with its plans to air a version of "Rent" in 2019. This was the first time since 2013 that NBC did not show a live theater performance during the holidays, as production of "Bye Bye Birdie" starring Jennifer Lopez was delayed. NBC is also making "Jesus Christ Superstar" for next spring, and on Tuesday announced that singer John Legend will play the title role.

Last week was a big one for CBS late-night star Stephen Colbert, who recorded his best weekly ratings since his show's debut week in 2015, Nielsen said. Friday's show with Jodie Foster had a bigger audience than any other Colbert show on a Friday night. Colbert averaged 3.38 million viewers last week, compared to Jimmy Fallon's 2.56 million on NBC and Jimmy Kimmel's 2.12 million on ABC, Nielsen said.

For the third straight week since the firing of Matt Lauer and his temporary replacement by Hoda Kotb as anchor, NBC's "Today" show won in the morning ratings. It's the first time that "Today" has had a three-week winning streak since the Rio Olympics.

CBS won the week in prime-time, averaging 7.9 million viewers. NBC had 7.8 million, ABC had 3.5 million, Fox had 3.3 million, Univision had 1.4 million, ION Television had 1.3 million, while Telemundo and the CW were tied with 1.1 million.

ESPN was the most popular cable network, averaging 2.66 million. Hallmark averaged 2.52 million, Fox News Channel had 2.43 million, MSNBC had 1.96 million and Freeform had 1.42 million.

ABC's "World News Tonight" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 9.3 million viewers. NBC's "Nightly News" was second with 8.9 million, and the "CBS Evening News" had 6.7 million.

For the week of Dec. 11-17, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: NFL Football: Dallas at Oakland, NBC, 19.19 million; "60 Minutes," CBS, 14.42 million; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 13.74 million; "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 13.31 million; "NCIS," CBS, 12.58 million; NFL Football: New England at Miami, ESPN, 11.85 million; "Young Sheldon," CBS, 11.64 million; "Bull," CBS, 10.87 million; NFL Football: Denver at Indianapolis, NBC, 10.64 million; "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 10.45 million.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is owned by CBS Corp. CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp. Fox is owned by 21st Century Fox. NBC and Telemundo are owned by Comcast Corp. ION Television is owned by ION Media Networks.

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Online:

http://www.nielsen.com

To judge by the collective shrug that viewers greeted Fox's performance of "A Christmas Story Live!," the fascination with live theater on television may have run its course.

The Nielsen company said that Fox's telecast was seen by 4.52 million viewers on Sunday night. That's lower than any of the live productions that have been shown on broadcast television since NBC kicked off the trend in 2013 with "The Sound of Music."

That performance was an unexpected smash, reaching 18.6 million viewers, and sent TV networks scurrying for other plays or musicals to adapt for the small screen.

But "A Christmas Story Live!" was beaten by an NFL game between Dallas and Oakland, CBS' Sunday lineup and even ABC's rerun of the 1965 movie version of "The Sound of Music."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Organizers said Wednesday that Olivia Munn will host the 2018 Critics' Choice Awards to be broadcast Jan. 11 on the CW.

Munn follows T.J. Miller, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman when he was in college. Munn is among Brett Ratner's sexual harassment accusers and has been fighting for reforms in Hollywood.

Joey Berlin, president of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, said in a statement that Munn's work as an actress along with her activism give her a powerful voice, making her the perfect candidate to lead the night.

The awards are organized by Berlin's group and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association.

Munn's next film will be the action thriller "Hummingbird." She will star in Shane Black's "The Predator" opposite Keegan-Michael Key and Sterling K. Brown.

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Online:

For full coverage of awards season, visit: https://apnews.com/tag/AwardsSeason

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The latest from the TV Critics Association winter meeting that began Thursday in Pasadena, California (all times are local):

7 p.m.

The final season of Fox TV's "New Girl" will debut April 10, picking up the characters' lives a few years after they were last seen.

After the sixth season of "New Girl" aired last year, it looked as if the show starring Zooey Deschanel had come to an end. But creator and producer Elizabeth Meriwether enlisted the cast to lobby Fox for one more season, and they were rewarded with eight episodes.

Picking up three years after the events of last season, "New Girl" finds some characters settled into adulthood.

Hannah Simone, who plays Cece, said "a pretty main character" dies, but she didn't elaborate in a Q&A session with TV critics Thursday.

With the additional episodes, the coming-of-age story about young adults has the chance to finish their story for viewers, said "New Girl" producer Brett Baer.

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4:30 p.m.

Dylan McDermott says there's a happy twist to the many years of being confused with fellow actor Dermot Mulroney.

The two appear together on screen for the first time in McDermott's new Fox sitcom, "LA to Vegas," with Mulroney guest starring as a rival airline pilot. The pair hit it off after the "rivalry" stretching back 30 years and now are friends, McDermott told TV critics Thursday.

The oft-noted similarity between their names and their vague resemblance prompted a 2012 "Saturday Night Live" skit mocking the confusion. McDermott said he was mystified by the mix-up's durability and why people didn't tire of the joke.

At one point, he said, it was suggested one of them make a name change. McDermott said he and Mulroney were represented by the same agency when famed agent Sue Mengers declared, "There can only be one," McDermott recalled, mimicking the late Mengers' gruff delivery.

McDermott joked that he toyed with becoming Mick Dermott.

"LA to Vegas" cast member Nathan Lee Graham asked McDermott if he and Mulroney blamed each other for losing roles.

No, McDermott replied with a smile, but when he turned in a bad performance he would blame it on Mulroney.

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1:15 p.m.

Producer Ryan Murphy says he expressed concern about how his edgy fare including FX Networks'"American Horror Story" will fit into the pending Fox-Disney deal.

Murphy said Thursday that he told Disney CEO Robert Iger he was worried he'd have to put Mickey Mouse in his shows after Disney buys Fox assets including FX Networks.

The Disney chief reassured him that wasn't the case and that the deal was being made because Disney believes in Fox and its creative contributors, Murphy says.

While he says he's taking heart from how companies such as Pixar and Marvel have fared as part of the Disney empire, Murphy says he'll see how things pan out before making any decisions.

Last month, Disney said it was buying a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox for about $52.4 billion in stock, including its film and TV studios and cable and international TV businesses including FX Networks.

The deal doesn't include the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network.

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11:30 a.m.

The Fox broadcasting network, home to "The Simpsons" and "The Orville," will continue to carry scripted entertainment after the Fox TV studio's sale to Disney.

Fox Television Group CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman says the announced sale that will split up Fox and the 20th Century Fox studio won't turn Fox into a platform solely for sports and other live programming.

Speculation arose after Fox founder Rupert Murdoch talked about so-called "New Fox" as an entity for news and sports that the Fox network would drop scripted programming.

But he was referring to the entity and not specifically the broadcast network, the executives told a TV critics' meeting Thursday.

Last month, Disney said it was buying a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox for about $52.4 billion in stock, including its film and TV studios and cable and international TV businesses. The deal doesn't include the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network.

Newman says he believes the deal will pass regulatory muster in fairly quick fashion and that it will be business as usual for the next 12 to 18 months as the process plays out.

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Actor Alan Cumming will portray what is believed to be the first gay lead character in a broadcast network drama and he says it's particularly important that the milestone is happening during President Donald Trump's administration.

His crime procedural "Instinct" arrives at a time when Cumming said "the president is actively condoning, by his silence, violence and persecution against the LBGT community."

The show premieres on CBS March 11. Cumming plays an author who is an expert on serial killers who gets drawn into helping New York police track down a killer who models his behavior on one of his books.

Cumming says it's a perfect time to have a married same-sex couple portrayed on network TV.

BEIJING (AP) — An oil tanker that caught fire after colliding with a freighter off China's east coast is at risk of exploding and sinking, Chinese state media reported Monday, as authorities from three countries struggled to find its 32 missing crew members and contain oil spewing from the blazing wreck.

State broadcaster China Central Television, citing Chinese officials, said none of the 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis who have been missing since the collision late Saturday had been found as of 8 a.m. Monday. Search and cleanup efforts have been hampered by fierce fires and poisonous gases that have engulfed the tanker and surrounding waters, CCTV reported.

The Panama-registered tanker Sanchi was sailing from Iran to South Korea when it collided with the Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal in the East China Sea, 257 kilometers (160 miles) off the coast of Shanghai, China's Ministry of Transport said.

China, South Korea and the U.S. have sent ships and planes to search for the Sanchi's crew, all of whom remain missing. The U.S. Navy, which sent a P-8A aircraft from Okinawa, Japan, to aid the search, said late Sunday that none of the missing crew had been found.

All 21 crew members of the Crystal, which was carrying grain from the United States to China, were rescued, the Chinese ministry said. The Crystal's crew members were all Chinese nationals.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the collision.

Kwon Yong-deok, a Korea Coast Guard official, said thick black smoke was still billowing from the ship on Monday afternoon and bad weather was worsening visibility at the scene.

The Sanchi was carrying 136,000 metric tons (150,000 tons, or nearly 1 million barrels) of condensate, a type of ultra-light oil, according to Chinese authorities, who have dispatched three ships to clean the spill.

By comparison, the Exxon Valdez was carrying 1.26 million barrels of crude oil when it spilled 260,000 barrels into Prince William Sound off Alaska in 1989, badly damaging local ecology and the area's fishing-based economy.

But the size of the oil slick from the Sanchi — and the scale of the environmental toll — may be smaller. Unlike the thick crude that gushed out of the Valdez, much of the light, gassy condensate from the Sanchi may have evaporated or burned immediately, Kwon said.

The Sanchi's own fuel that leaked during the collision will be more difficult to clean, officials said.

South Korean petrochemical company Hanwha Total Co., a 50-50 partnership between the Seoul-based Hanwha Group and French oil giant Total, said in an email to the AP it had contracted the Sanchi to import Iranian condensate to South Korea.

A Hanwha Total spokesman, who asked not to be named citing office policies, said there is "little possibility" that condensate would leave traces in the ocean after it burned. He added the losses would be covered by an insurance company. The Sanchi's cargo was estimated to be worth more than $60 million.

The tanker has operated under five different names since it was built in 2008, according the U.N.-run International Maritime Organization. The IMO listed its registered owner as Hong Kong-based Bright Shipping Ltd., on behalf of the National Iranian Tanker Co., a publicly traded company based in Tehran. The National Iranian Tanker Co. describes itself as operating the largest tanker fleet in the Middle East.

An official in Iran's Oil Ministry, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters, said the tanker was owned by the National Iranian Tanker Co. and confirmed that 30 of the tanker's 32 crew members were Iranians.

"We have no information on their fate," he said Sunday. "We cannot say all of them have died, because rescue teams are there and providing services."

It's the second collision for a ship from the National Iranian Tanker Co. in less than a year and a half. In August 2016, one of its tankers collided with a Swiss container ship in the Singapore Strait, damaging both ships but causing no injuries or oil spill.

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Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Youkyung Lee in Seoul contributed to this report.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — The federal government shutdown prompted the Air Force Academy on Saturday to call off sports events and upended plans for military outside the U.S. wanting to follow the NFL's conference playoff games on TV and radio.

Games involving the Army and Navy men's basketball teams were played as scheduled.

Hours after the partial shutdown took effect, the Air Force Academy said both home and away events have been postponed. Among them were the men's and women's basketball games at Fresno State

The American Forces Network, which broadcasts American radio and television programming in Europe and other locations outside the U.S., put a message on its Facebook page that said its services would not be available "due to the government shutdown."

The notice sparked angry reactions from viewers, with several noting the timing couldn't have been worse. The two NFL conference championships are Sunday — Minnesota vs. Philadelphia and Jacksonville vs. New England.

"During NFL PLAYOFFS?!" one post read. "AFN, start a GoFundMe & broadcast these games! Make it happen!"

The Air Force Academy's online sports calendar lists seven competitions that had been set for Saturday. In addition to the basketball, there men's and women's swimming at UNLV, men's hockey against Sacred Heart at the academy and men's gymnastics against Oklahoma at the academy.

The rifle team was scheduled to compete against TCU, the Coast Guard and Ohio State at TCU.

On Sunday, the academy has tennis and wrestling events scheduled.

NEW YORK (AP) — "Roseanne" wasn't just a hit on opening night. The revived ABC comedy had legs.

The Nielsen company said Tuesday that viewership for the show's premiere shot up to 25 million people when delayed viewing for the three days after last Tuesday's first showing is added. The increase of 6.6 million people sets a record for the biggest lift ever for a show in the three days after a premiere, Nielsen said. A lot of programs would be happy to get 6.6 million viewers, period.

"Roseanne" was helped by the extent to which it became part of the cultural conversation once its first-night ratings of 18.45 million people were reported, likely drawing in others who were curious about the fuss. President Donald Trump even congratulated star Roseanne Barr for the success of the show, in which her character supports him politically.

Discussion of the unusually strong "Roseanne" ratings tended to overshadow CBS' ratings for "60 Minutes" two days earlier, where an interview with adult film star Stormy Daniels about her alleged affair with Trump before he became president reached 22.1 million viewers. Trump has denied her story.

Unlike "Roseanne," people weren't likely to watch the Daniels interview if they didn't see it live. Adding in people who watched during the three days after its initial airing, and the "60 Minutes" audience increased to just under 22.8 million. News programs generally have little delayed viewing compared to scripted entertainment, and the "60 Minutes" audience is among television's oldest, and less accustomed to time shifting.

The reach for these two programs was a fresh reminder that for all of the attention received by streaming services, there's still no matching broadcast television's ability to entice a large number of people to look up from their personal devices. On a more modest note this week, NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar Live" drew 9.6 million viewers for the network's most watched Easter in a dozen years.

CBS won the week in prime time, averaging 6.9 million viewers. ABC was second with 5.9 million viewers, NBC had 5.4 million, Fox had 2.6 million, Univision had 1.5 million, ION Television had 1.3 million, Telemundo had 1.1 million and the CW had 1 million.

The NCAA men's Final Four led TBS to the top of the cable news prime-time rankings, with the network averaging 2.47 million viewers for the week. Fox News Channel had 2.03 million, MSNBC had 1.69 million, HGTV had 1.45 million and ESPN had 1.44 million.

ABC's "World News Tonight" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 8.6 million viewers. NBC's "Nightly News" had 8.3 million and the "CBS Evening News" had 6.1 million.

For the week of March 26-April 1, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: "Roseanne," ABC, 18.45 million; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 13.27 million; "NCIS," CBS, 11.94 million; "Young Sheldon," CBS, 11.92 million; NCAA Men's Final Four: Loyola-Chicago vs. Michigan, TBS, 10.75 million; NCAA Men's Final Four: Kansas vs. Villanova, TBS, 10.7 million; "Bull," CBS, 10.65 million; "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 10.51 million; NCAA Men's Final Four: "Bridge Show," TBS, 9.86 million; "Jesus Christ Superstar Live," NBC, 9.61 million.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is owned by CBS Corp. CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp. Fox is owned by 21st Century Fox. NBC and Telemundo are owned by Comcast Corp. ION Television is owned by ION Media Networks.

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Online:

http://www.nielsen.com

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A conservative commentator who sent a tweet saying he would use "a hot poker" to sexually assault an outspoken 17-year-old survivor of the Florida high school shooting has resigned from a St. Louis TV station and been taken off the radio after several advertisers withdrew from his shows.

KDNL-TV accepted Jamie Allman's resignation and canceled "The Allman Report," according to a brief statement from Ronn Torossian, a spokesman for the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates the TV station. Before the show's launch in January 2015, KDNL-TV touted it as a nontraditional newscast with a conservative spin.

Allman's radio show on KFTK-FM has been taken off the air while the company "looks into the matter," said Esther-Mireya Tejeda, a spokeswoman for Entercom, which began operating the station last month.

Allman hasn't responded to messages from the Associated Press seeking comment.

Several businesses pulled advertising from Allman's shows after he sent the March 26 tweet targeting David Hogg, who has strongly advocated for stricter gun control since 17 people were killed in the Feb. 14 mass shooting at his school in Parkland, Florida.

Allman's Twitter account was "locked" shortly after he sent the tweet, restricting access to his account, but a screenshot of it has been widely circulated on social media.

Hogg's willingness to take on the gun-control cause has made him a target for some conservatives. Fox News Channel's Laura Ingraham took a week's leave after apologizing via social media for her tweet that Hogg had "whined" about not getting in to some colleges.

Ingraham hasn't discussed that episode specifically but promised upcoming stories about conservatives who she says are fighting attempts to silence them. Hogg, meanwhile, said it's "time to love thy neighbor, not mudsling at children." Their social media spat came to symbolize the debate over how youthful advocates for gun safety should be treated by political opponents. Another student, Emma Gonzalez, has been falsely depicted in a doctored photo tearing up the Constitution.

In Missouri, state Rep. Stacey Newman, a Democrat from Richmond Heights, led calls for a boycott by Allman's sponsors after he sent his tweet.

"We've had people all over Missouri (and) all over the country weighing in on this ... it's heartwarming to know that tons of people throughout the state understand this is not acceptable," Newman told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Monday. "Even though we hadn't asked for his removal or resignation, (Sinclair) took it upon themselves. People know where the line is."

Sinclair is a conservative-leaning company that owns nearly 200 local TV stations, making it one of the largest such companies in the U.S.

President Donald Trump last week defended the company after a video showing dozens of Sinclair news anchors reading a script expressing concern about "fake stories" and "one-sided news stories plaguing the country" appeared on TV news reports and circulated online. Trump said rival TV stations were merely "worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast."

Sinclair also has pushed for regulation of the broadcast industry to be eased and is trying to buy Tribune Media in a move that would dramatically increase the company's reach.

Allman also served a six-month stint in 2004 and 2005 as chief spokesman for then-St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke and executive director of communications for the archdiocese. Archdiocese spokesman Gabe Jones didn't immediately respond to a phone call and email message seeking comment.