CONTAINING LINKS TO 58103 STORIES FROM THE NETWORKS' NIGHTLY NEWSCASTS
     TYNDALL HEADLINE: HIGHLIGHTS FROM JANUARY 7, 2013
There was a split decision on the day's lead story. CBS chose the pre-trial hearings into the Aurora Colo midnight-movie massacre, a story whose aftermath it has covered more heavily than either of its rivals, with Barry Petersen assigned to the lead role. NBC chose Chuck Todd from the White House with President Barack Obama's announcement of the next two nominees for his national security team. ABC goes it alone, just like it did last Thursday, assigning in-house physician Richard Besser to the 'flu. Dr Besser offered hygiene tips on avoiding the influenza virus. Aurora was Story of the Day, and very bloody it was too.    
     TYNDALL PICKS FOR JANUARY 7, 2013: CLICK ON GRID ELEMENTS TO SEARCH FOR MATCHING ITEMS
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video thumbnailNBCObama Administration Cabinet reshuffle goes aheadNominees for CIA, Pentagon: Brennan, HagelChuck ToddWhite House
video thumbnailABCDefense Secretary Chuck Hagel nomination announcedFormer Republican senator, Vietnam War heroMartha RaddatzWashington DC
video thumbnailNBCSecretary Hillary Rodham Clinton health problemsState Department stages photo-op for her returnAndrea MitchellWashington DC
video thumbnailNBCReal estate home mortgage foreclosures increaseBanks will pay $3.2bn to settle claims of abuseLisa MyersWashington DC
video thumbnailCBSWar on Cancer research effortsSteady progress in death rate over two decadesJon LaPookNew York
video thumbnailABCInfluenza seasonVirus is easily transmitted by sneeze, by handRichard BesserNew York
video thumbnailCBSAurora Colo midnight movie theater shooting spreePolice describe gory scene at pre-trial hearingBarry PetersenColorado
video thumbnailNBCSuperstorm Sandy is hurricane-nor'easter comboNo more checkpoints for Jersey Shore residentsRehema EllisNew Jersey
video thumbnailABCCollege football bowl game seasonChampionship pits Notre Dame against AlabamaJosh ElliottFlorida
video thumbnailNBCNewsworthy events eclipsed by headline crisesHoliday highlights include video, obits, photosBrian WilliamsNew York
 
TYNDALL BLOG: DAILY NOTES ON NETWORK TELEVISION NIGHTLY NEWS
GRUESOME GORE AT THE CINEPLEX RECOUNTED There was a split decision on the day's lead story. CBS chose the pre-trial hearings into the Aurora Colo midnight-movie massacre, a story whose aftermath it has covered more heavily than either of its rivals, with Barry Petersen assigned to the lead role. NBC chose Chuck Todd from the White House with President Barack Obama's announcement of the next two nominees for his national security team. ABC goes it alone, just like it did last Thursday, assigning in-house physician Richard Besser to the 'flu. Dr Besser offered hygiene tips on avoiding the influenza virus. Aurora was Story of the Day, and very bloody it was too.


MONDAY’S MUSINGS The other two in-house doctors, CBS' Jon LaPook and NBC's Nancy Snyderman, chose the War on Cancer rather than the 'flu as the medical Topic of the Day. Dr Nancy did not actually allow the word blowjob to pass her lips -- to coin a phrase -- but to hear her report you would think that oral sex is the new cigarette: the biggest cancer threat facing the nation.

All three networks assigned a correspondent to cover Chuck Hagel's nomination for Defense Secretary. Martha Raddatz, ABC's foreign affairs maven, decided to offer Hagel's Vietnam-&-Senate bio. From the White House, both NBC's Chuck Todd and CBS' Major Garrett concentrated on the criticism of Hagel from neo-con pro-Zionists. As for the nomination of John Brennan as Director of Central Intelligence, NBC's Todd could not bring himself to utter the T-word out loud; CBS' Garrett did not even allude to enhanced interrogation, even by euphemism.

NBC has covered the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy more heavily than either of its rivals, so it was no surprise that Rehema Ellis should find herself on the Jersey Shore for the end of Checkpoint Brick.

The foreclosure crisis is usually CBS' specialty and, sure enough, Ben Tracy was assigned to cover the $3.3bn settlement by ten banks to resolve charges of sloppy bookkeeping and abusive evictions. NBC, too, had a correspondent cover the settlement, while ABC mentioned it only in passing. In this instance, NBC's Lisa Myers was tougher on the banks than CBS' Tracy was.

Anchor Diane Sawyer introduced ABC's Real Money segment with a seasonal hook -- reminding us of all those unwanted, returnable Christmas presents. Yet Paula Faris' feature lost the Yuletide thread at times, instead donating unearned free publicity to Websites for used hand-me-down clothes or superannuated consumer electronics.

ABC's cross-promotion was just crass for its closer: Josh Elliott from Miami hardly filed a news report. He just instructed us to watch sister-channel ESPN.