NBC.com announced the “Undercovers: Get A Room Private Screening” romantic online sweepstakes to promote the debut of the new drama Undercovers today. The sweepstakes will reward five lucky winners with an all-expense-paid romantic adventure for two to New York City for a luxurious stay at the posh London Hotel, dinner at the Gordan Ramsay restaurant and includes a private in-room advance screening of the series for each couple.

The “Undercovers — Get A Room Private Screening” online sweepstakes will give fans the chance to win their own personal premiere experience in New York City.  The winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two including round-trip transportation, a romantic dinner for two at the Gordan Ramsay restaurant, a pampered hotel stay at the posh London hotel complete with spa services and other amenities, and a chance to get under the covers while watching Undercovers in a private in-room screening.

Viewers can enter the sweepstakes here.

Undercovers, from J.J. Abrams and starring Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, premieres Sept. 22 on NBC.

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Credit: Frank Ockenfels/NBC

The crossover episode of Life Unexpected brings One Tree Hill characters Haley and Mia to a music festival, sponsored by a Portland radio station and hosted by Ryan (Kerr Smith).  At the concert, Haley and Cate (Shiri Appleby) meet and discover that they have incredibly similar pasts.  It turns out that both women were somewhat nerdy, overachieving teenagers who got pregnant in high school by athletes named Nate (or Nathan). And when a secret of Cate’s gets outed, Cate turns to Haley for advice.

• MICHAEL BOLTON, Grammy Award-winning singer, teams up with CHELSIE HIGHTOWER, who returns for her fourth season.

• BRANDY, actress and singer, joins MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY, who is back for his ninth season.

• MARGARET CHO, comedienne and actress, partners with LOUIS VAN AMSTEL, who returns for his seventh season.

• RICK FOX, former NBA champion, teams up with two-time champ CHERYL BURKE, who is back for her tenth season.

• JENNIFER GREY, film and television actress, joins two-time mirror ball champion DEREK HOUGH for his seventh season.

• DAVID HASSELHOFF, international superstar, teams up with Season 9 champion KYM JOHNSON, who returns for her eighth season.

• FLORENCE HENDERSON, America’s favorite mom, joins CORKY BALLAS for his second season on the show.

• KYLE MASSEY, television teen star, partners up with LACEY SCHWIMMER, who is back for her third season.

• BRISTOL PALIN, teen advocate and Alaska’s first daughter, teams up with two-time champ MARK BALLAS, who returns for his seventh season.

• AUDRINA PATRIDGE, MTV reality star, joins TONY DOVOLANI, who is back for his tenth season.

• MICHAEL “THE SITUATION” SORRENTINO, Jersey Shore ab-man, teams up with KARINA SMIRNOFF, who returns for her eighth season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

• KURT WARNER, former pro-NFL quarterback, joins ANNA TREBUNSKAYA, who returns for her sixth season.

Season 11 of Dancing With the Stars premieres September 20.  The first elimination will take place in week one with a two-hour show on September 21 on the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars the Results Show. Music legend Santana and rock band Daughtry are set to perform.

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© 2010 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Credit: Craig Sjodin

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The final Grand Slam event for 2010, the US Open, returns to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro shocked five-time defending US Open champ Roger Federer at last year’s tournament. The 20-year-old Del Potro, playing in his first Grand Slam final, ended Federer’s 40-match winning streak in New York. Top contenders this year include Federer, Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic. Del Potro won’t be defending his title this year due to injury. On the women’s side, Kim Clijsters became the first unseeded woman to win the US Open by beating Caroline Wozniacki in the final. Clijsters capped off an amazing comeback, having spent two years away from tennis to raise her daughter, Jada. Clijsters, Wozniacki, Venus Williams, Jelena Jankovic, Samantha Stosur and Elena Dementieva are among the top contenders this year. Noticeably absent is Serena Williams, who had to withdraw due to an unfortunate cut on her foot. ESPN2, Tennis Channel and CBS share coverage of the tournament Aug. 30-Sept. 2.

Coverage details and complete releases from ESPN2, Tennis Channel and CBS after the jump.

ESPN & the 2010 US Open: Multi-Platform, Worldwide Coverage

Brackets Announced on ESPN2 August 26; 100 Hours on ESPN2 HD, Nearly 400 on ESPN3.com

’30 for 30’ Documentary Unmatched Sept. 14 – Intimate Portrait of Evert-Navratilova Rivalry

ESPN will present unprecedented multi-platform and worldwide coverage throughout the entire two weeks of tennis’ final Grand Slam event of 2010, the US Open from New York August 30 – September 12.  Fans will enjoy 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2 HD, nearly 400 hours on ESPN3.com’s multi-court offering plus coverage across ESPN’s platforms in the U.S. and around the world.

ESPN’s multimedia coverage will begin Thursday, Aug. 26, with the live, exclusive announcement of the tournament’s men’s and women’s singles brackets on ESPN2 with the 2010 US Open Draw Announcement Special at noon ET.  Chris McKendry will host the one-hour show, with Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Patrick McEnroe.  The program will also be available on ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV.

During the first week of the tournament, ESPN2’s coverage will start at 1 p.m. each weekday and will continue non stop for at least 10 hours through both the day and evening sessions.  The latter, Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM, will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 11 p.m. or when play is concluded, whichever is later. On opening night, Monday, August 30, a ceremony celebrating those who “Dream, Succeed and Inspire” will precede the action.  Four-time US Open champion Martina Navratilova, fan-favorite James Blake and reigning US Open Wheelchair singles and doubles champion Esther Vergeer will be honored.  The ceremony in Arthur Ashe Stadium will be hosted by ABC News’ Christiane Amanpour and will feature a special musical performance by Grammy winner Gloria Estefan.

The second week, ESPN2 will have Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM at 7 p.m. on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6, followed by day-long windows Tuesday – Thursday starting at 11 a.m.  (There is a two-hour gap on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 6-8 p.m.)

While ESPN2 is on the air, SportsCenter will have the right to cut-in live for updates and key moments.  SportsCenter’s daytime edition is on ESPN until 3 p.m. with later editions from 6-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight.  In addition, as of Monday, August 30, it is also on ESPNEWS 3-6 p.m. and 7-11 p.m.

On the final day of the tournament, Sunday, Sept. 12, ESPN2 will televise live the women’s doubles championship at 1 p.m., and will review all the action at 9 p.m. with a special two-hour edition of SportsCenter at the US Open. As with the other three Grand Slams, ESPN2 will work with Tennis Channel to bring fans virtually round-the-clock coverage during the US Open, each utilizing its own commentators.

Fans will enjoy a new view of the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium on ESPN2 HD.  In a first for any Grand Slam event in tennis, a camera will fly over the court on a four-point aerial system.  The angle should be both dramatic for walk-ons, ceremonies and walk-offs and incisive for replays.

ESPN2’s Commentator Lineup
The dean of ESPN’s tennis team is Cliff Drysdale, a former US Open finalist who has been with ESPN since its first tennis telecast September 14, 1979, exactly one week after the network launched, making him second in ESPN tenure among commentators behind only Bob Ley. Chris Fowler, ESPN’s lead studio anchor for Grand Slam tennis since 2003, will serve as a host and call matches. Mike Tirico of Monday Night Football, Hannah Storm and Chris McKendry will also serve as hosts.  John and Patrick McEnroe will again often be paired in the booth, and the rest of the ESPN tennis team returns:  Darren Cahill, Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert and Pam Shriver.  In addition, Rick Reilly and Tom Rinaldi will contribute features and essays during the first week of action.

More US Open from ESPN, Inc.
ESPN3.com, the company’s signature live sports broadband network, will cover the action from five courts beginning at 1 p.m. the first five days. ESPN3.com will also simulcast ESPN2 for the full tournament, select additional court coverage and a simulcast of the Women’s Doubles final for a total of approximately 375 hours of US Open tennis on the web.

ESPN3.com is ESPN’s live sports broadband network, giving fans a 24/7 online destination that delivers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually. It is available at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection from an affiliated service provider, and is currently available in more than 53 million homes – a majority of U.S. broadband homes.  It is available via dozens of Internet Service Providers of all sizes nationwide, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Charter, Windstream, RCN, Insight, Frontier, Cavalier, Mediacom, Conway, Grande Communications and many more. It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.

ESPN.com

• US Open Central:  ESPN.com will again feature US Open Central, a dynamic content application that will feature the official live scoring for all matches throughout the tournament. Additionally, US Open Central will be available for the first time on the ESPN Mobile Web site.
• The Pulse: A multi-tool application with all-court scoring, match stats, Cover It Live conversations, poll questions, rolling Twitter feeds and scrolling bottom line.
• Digital Serve: Exclusive daily dotcom video segment previewing the next day’s action.
• Slam Central: A daily destination for all US Open fixtures.
• Open Notebook: An aggregation of what the latest happenings are on the grounds of Flushing Meadows. From interviews, latest results, and even vetting the food, fans will get a taste of everything.
• ESPN Interactive TV will be presented on DIRECTV. During the ESPN2 telecast windows for the first five days, a six-screen mosaic will include the ESPN2 program, along with matches with commentary from five other courts. In total, viewers will have access to more than 435 hours of live tennis action and 140 extra matches.  Production will be enhanced with press conferences, interviews and features that will be added during court changeovers and between matches.  All six screens can be expanded to full screen or picture-in-picture at the touch of the remote button.  In addition, DIRECTV will offer “Matches On Now,” a graphic across the bottom with scores from each of the matches currently on the court channels, with the ability to tune directly to the match, and “Results,” an instant look at real-time scores and schedule info for matches ahead – all without leaving the match the viewer is watching.

ESPN International will offer 140 hours of live coverage on nine networks covering Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean and in high definition in Latin America. Coverage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America will be anchored by Luis Alvarez and Eduardo Varela with analysts Javier Frana and Jose Luis Clerc and reporters Sophie Cortina and Miguel Simon. Sam Gore and Mark Brown will handle English play-by-play with analyst Kathy Rinaldi. Latin America’s ESPN Play will feature over 300 hours of live streaming coverage which will include up to four tennis courts in separate windows. Additional Spanish content will be available on ESPN360.com, ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN Mobile, featuring daily webisodes of “ESPNiando” hosted by Varela, access to reports from New York and daily highlights.

ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language U.S. network, will present 15 hours of live action during the first week of the US Open. Luis Alvarez and Eduardo Varela will handle the play-by-play with the analysis of Argentinean former tennis players Javier Frana and Jose Luis Clerc. Sophie Cortina will serve as reporter. ESPNdeportes.com will also serve U.S. Hispanic fans featuring daily webisodes of “ESPNiando” with the latest news and information. In addition, the site will offer special daily reports, highlights from New York and updates on Twitter by Varela, Cortina, and Alvarez.  ESPN Deportes Radio will feature daily segments during the morning drive show Al Amanecer.

ESPN Mobile TV will present 74 live hours of live action, including men’s and women’s quarterfinals and the women’s doubles final, in addition the one-hour 2010 US Open Draw Announcement Special on Thursday, Aug. 26 at noon.

‘30 for 30’ Documentary Unmatched
Even after the championships are awarded, tennis fans will be able to continue to enjoy the sport with a unique and personal look at the rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova with Unmatched on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m.  Directed by award-winning filmmakers Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters, and produced by ESPN’s own Hannah Storm, and part of ESPN’s acclaimed “30 for 30” series of 30 documentaries, Unmatched tells the story of one of the greatest rivalries in sports and captures these two extraordinary athletes’ views on tennis and an ever-changing world.  Filmed over the course of a few days in a variety of settings – relaxing, jogging, driving, hitting on the court and more – and without narration or host, the two reflect upon their differences and similarities and public personas.

ESPN Classic:  Great US Open Matches from the Past
All this week and during the tournament, ESPN Classic will present great US Open matches from the past.  They range from the 1974 Women’s Final between Billie Jean King and Evonne Goolagong (won by King 3–6, 6–3, 7–5, airing Sunday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.) to last year’s dramatic five-set men’s final in which Juan Martin del Potro upset Roger Federer (Sunday, Aug. 29 at 11 p.m.).

Of special note are showings of two particularly noteworthy matches upon significant anniversaries:

the 1980 Men’s Final – 30 years ago – when John McEnroe defeated Bjorn Borg 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 for his second of four US Open titles (Aug. 29 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 7 at 9 a.m.),
and a 20th anniversary look back at the 1990 Men’s Final, in which Pete Sampras won the first of his 14 major titles, downing Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to become the youngest US Open men’s champion (Aug. 25 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 9 a.m.)
Two more Evert-Navratilova matches will lead into Unmatched on Tues., Sept 14.

The ESPN Classic schedule:
Date    Time (ET)    Match
Tue, Aug 24    9-11 p.m.    1984 Men’s Semifinal: John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Connors
Wed, Aug 25    9-11 p.m.    1990 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Thur, Aug 26    9-11 p.m.    1995 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Fri, Aug 27    9-11 p.m.    1989 Men’s Quarterfinal:  Jimmy Connors vs. Andre Agassi
Sat, Aug 28    7-8 a.m.    1979 Women’s Final: Tracy Austin vs. Chris Evert Lloyd
8-10 a.m.    1981 Women’s Final: Tracy Austin vs. Martina Navratilova
10 a.m.-Noon    1984 Women’s Final: Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert Lloyd
Sun, Aug 29    7-9 a.m.    1976 Men’s Final: Jimmy Connors vs. Bjorn Borg
9 a.m.-Noon    2001 Men’s Quarterfinal: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
6-7 p.m.    1974 Women’s Final: Billie Jean King vs. Evonne Goolagong
7-9 p.m.    2004 Women’s Quarterfinal: S.Williams vs. Jennifer Capriati
9-11 p.m.    1980 Men’s Final: John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg
11 p.m.-2 a.m.    2009 Men’s Final: Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro
Mon, Aug 30    2-4 a.m.    1994 Men’s Final: Andre Agassi vs. Michael Stich
Tue, Sept 7    9-11 a.m.    1980 Men’s Final: John McEnroe vs. Bjorn Borg
Thur, Sept 9    9-11 a.m.    1990 Men’s Final: Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi
Tue, Sept 14    4-6 p.m.    1988 Australian Open W.Semifinal: Evert vs. Navratilova
6-8 p.m.    1984 Women’s Final: Martina Navratilova vs. Chris Evert Lloyd
ESPN – All Four Slams, All In One Place

Tennis has been part of ESPN since its first week on the air and provided many memorable moments, but it has never been as important as today, with the US Open joining the lineup in 2009, giving ESPN all four Grand Slam events, something no other U.S. network has ever done, let alone in one year.

ESPN debuted September 7, 1979, and the first tennis telecast was exactly one week later, September 14, a Davis Cup tie, Argentina at U.S. from Memphis with Cliff Drysdale on the call and John McEnroe playing.

ESPN has presented the Australian Open since 1984, the French Open since 2002 (plus 1986 – 1993) and Wimbledon since 2003.

ESPN2 & the 2010 US Open
Mon, Aug 30    1-11 p.m.    First Round Action
Tues, Aug 31    1-11 p.m.    First Round Action
Wed, Sept 1    1-11 p.m.    Men’s First Round/Women’s Second Round Action
Thur, Sept 2    1-11 p.m.    Second Round Action
Fri, Sept 3    1-11 p.m.    Men’s Second Round/Women’s Third Round Action
Mon, Sept 6    7-11 p.m.    Round of 16
Tues, Sept 7    11 a.m.-11 p.m.    Men’s Round of 16, Women’s Quarterfinals
Wed, Sept 8    11 a.m.-11 p.m.    Quarterfinals
Thur, Sept 9    11 a.m.-6 p.m.    Men’s Quarterfinals
8-11 p.m.    Men’s Quarterfinals, Mixed Doubles Final
Sun, Sept 12    1-3 p.m.    Women’s Doubles Final
9-11 p.m.    SportsCenter at the US Open

SECOND YEAR OF US OPEN ON TENNIS CHANNEL STARTS WITH FIRST DAY OF PLAY MONDAY, AUGUST 30

Network’s On-Air Roster of Champions Again Features Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport, and Adds Hall of Famer Tracy Austin

Tennis Channel will Televise 73 Hours of Live Match Play at World’s Largest Tennis Tournament, with Two Weeks of “Grounds Pass” Coverage that Includes US Open Tonight, Breakfast at the Open and More than 230 Hours Overall

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23, 2010 – Tennis Channel’s second year of US Open coverage will provide viewers with 73 hours of live matches as the tennis world descends upon New York, and will also introduce a new team member who knows a thing (or two) about on-court glory in the Big Apple. This year two-time US Open singles titlist Tracy Austin joins the network’s returning on-air roster of tennis champions, with a lineup that includes lead analysts Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova and US Open Tonight/Breakfast at the Open host Lindsay Davenport. In all the network will offer 234 hours of US Open telecasts, with nearly 24-hour, “Grounds Pass” level of coverage during the two-week competition.

When live matches are not taking place in Flushing Meadow, Tennis Channel’s signature US Open Tonight and Breakfast at the Open will recap all the excitement of that day’s play, and lead into the following morning’s contests. Again hosted by 1998 US Open champion Lindsay Davenport and Kevin Frazier of Entertainment Tonight fame, the news, interview and highlight shows will air alongside encore matches throughout the night during the tournament, giving viewers a close to 24-hour daily US Open experience.

Beginning with its opening-match coverage on Arthur Ashe Stadium or Louis Armstrong Stadium the first day of play Monday, Aug. 30, Tennis Channel’s typical US Open schedule features live matches daily from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (all times ET). US Open Tonight immediately follows the conclusion of the final US Open match of the evening, and airs with encore matches until Breakfast at the Open premieres at 6 a.m. and runs next to encore matches until the start of that day’s play at 11 a.m. During Labor Day weekend Tennis Channel’s live-match window moves to prime time, from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. As with the other three Grand Slams, Tennis Channel will combine with ESPN2 to bring fans virtually round-the-clock coverage during the US Open, each network utilizing its own commentators.

On-Air Talent
Though new to the network’s Grand Slam team, Austin has been a Tennis Channel regular via Tennis Channel Academy, the coaches-and-clinics series she has hosted since 2008. She has also done commentary and analysis work for the channel’s coverage of top events like the women’s year-end championships. During the US Open she will serve as Tennis Channel’s afternoon and late-match analyst, appear in short features and interact with fans on the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds.

A tennis prodigy, Austin is best known for dethroning four-time US Open champion Chris Evert in 1979 at the mere age of 16, making her the youngest US Open champion in history. She was the No. 1 women’s singles player in 1980 and boasts an impressive collection of 30 singles titles, including two US Open championships along with a Wimbledon mixed doubles title. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992.

“Tennis Channel tries to put as much of the US Open on fans’ television screens as is humanly possible, and I’m thrilled to join them this year,” said Austin. “This is an exciting time of the tennis season and this tournament has such special memories for me.”

Tennis icons Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova are back as Tennis Channel’s lead US Open analysts, again putting the all-time men’s and women’s singles titlists in the same booth. They will be joined once more by veteran sportscaster Bill Macatee, a mainstay of the network’s Grand Slam coverage since its first effort in Paris in 2007. Lead commentators Ted Robinson and Ian Eagle are also back on Tennis Channel’s on-air roster, as are former players Leif Shiras, Katrina Adams, Jimmy Arias, Justin Gimelstob and Corina Morariu. Year-round Court Report anchor Cari Champion will also be on the tournament grounds for special news and feature segments. US Open Tonight and Breakfast at the Open are hosted by Davenport and Frazier from Tennis Channel’s Los Angeles studio, with nightly Court Report segments from reporters Arlene Santana and Angela Sun.

“Grounds Pass”
After bringing its “Grounds Pass” Grand Slam coverage approach to the US Open last year for the first time, Tennis Channel is doing even more to give audiences the feel of spending a late-summer afternoon at the tournament. New in 2010 is the “Tennis Channel Plaza,” a fixed interview and fan-interaction site centered just outside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Throughout each day’s coverage Gimelstob, Champion and others will conduct interviews while surrounded by tournament ticket holders, routinely carrying on public address conversations with the crowd in the interim. The network’s main set has been moved from the top of Louis Armstrong Stadium and brought outside to the second level of Arthur Ashe Stadium, in full view of the public. Usually featuring Robinson and Eagle, this set will be the center point of Tennis Channel’s coverage, from here taking viewers to center court with Macatee, Connors and Navratilova; off to the outer grounds with roving reporters; and on-air analysts or anywhere between.

Broadband and Digital Coverage
What the network cannot squeeze into viewers’ television sets over the Flushing Meadow fortnight is likely to be found on Tennis Channel’s Web site, www.tennischannel.com. Beyond real-time scoring, schedules, draws and order of play, the site will include on-court video highlights, behind-the-scenes features, interviews and Court Report news segments. Exclusive US Open photo gallery scenes capture the raucous energy of the event, while reporter Steve Flink and humorist James LaRosa have become Tennis Channel digital favorites who will again offer their online opinions as the competition unfolds. At the same time, Web visitors can sign up for network sweepstakes and play its “Racquet Bracket” prediction game. Tennis Channel’s YouTube (www.youtube.com/tennischannel), Twitter (www.twitter.com/tennischannel) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/tennischannel) pages offer additional opportunities for fans to stay digitally engaged.

Tennis Channel’s Live 2010 US Open Match Schedule
Date                                        Time (ET)                   Event
Monday, Aug. 30                     11 a.m.-7 p.m.             First-Round Action
Tuesday, Aug. 31                     11 a.m.-7 p.m.             First-Round Action
Wednesday, Sept. 1                 11 a.m.-7 p.m.             First-Round, Second-Round Action
Thursday, Sept. 2                     11 a.m.-7 p.m.             Second-Round Action
Friday, Sept. 3                         11 a.m.-7 p.m.             Second-Round, Third-Round Action
Saturday, Sept. 4                      7 p.m.-11 p.m.             Third-Round Action
Sunday, Sept. 5                        7 p.m.-11 p.m.             Third-Round, Round-of-16 Action
Tuesday, Sept. 7                      11 a.m.-7 p.m.             Round-of-16 Action, Doubles
Wednesday, Sept. 8                 11 a.m.-7 p.m.             Doubles Quarterfinals, Mixed Semifinals
Thursday, Sept. 9                     11 a.m.-8 p.m.             Doubles, Juniors, Wheelchair

Tennis Channel’s US Open Tonight, Breakfast at the Open Schedule
US Open Tonight runs evenings and mornings Monday, Aug. 30-Sunday, Sept. 12, while Breakfast at the Open will air Monday, Aug. 30-Friday, Sept. 10.  Both are interspersed with same-day, encore matches. This year US Open Tonight will start at the conclusion of play each evening which, especially the first week, could mean well into the early morning hours. Because of the uncertain start time for US Open Tonight, Tennis Channel’s 11 p.m.-3 a.m. schedule will vary in terms of the number of times US Open Tonight airs, as will the length of the encore match. The schedule is generally as follows (all times ET):

11 p.m.-3 a.m. – US Open Tonight / Encore Match
3 a.m.-4 a.m. – US Open Tonight
4 a.m.-6 a.m. – Encore Match
6 a.m.-7 a.m. – Breakfast at the Open
7 a.m.-10 a.m. – Encore Match
10 a.m.-11 a.m. – Breakfast at the Open

On Friday, Sept. 10, Tennis Channel will air a four-hour special, US Open Tonight: Best of the US Open, from 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Three consecutive encore editions of this will run through 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11. From 12 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, the network will air four US Open encore matches. During the week of Sunday, Sept. 12, Tennis Channel will run encore replays of the men’s and women’s singles and doubles finals and mixed doubles final, TBD.

CBS SPORTS SERVES UP 2010 U.S. OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 43rd CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Men’s and Women’s Finals Highlight CBS Sports’ Coverage

CBS Sports presents the U.S. OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS, tennis’ final grand slam of the year and the only one played in the United States, for the 43rd consecutive year. Coverage begins on Saturday, Sept. 4 (11:00 AM–6:00 PM, ET) with men’s and women’s third-round action and concludes with the men’s singles final on Sunday, Sept. 12 (4:00 PM, ET). CBS Sports will broadcast over 37 hours of the 2010 U.S. Open from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

Lead play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg will be joined by expert analysts Mary Carillo and John McEnroe in the booth for the 11th consecutive year. Jim Courier returns for his second year as analyst and will call the action alongside Bill Macatee. Mary Joe Fernandez serves as reporter. Ian Eagle serves as contributor.

CBS Sports will provide live comprehensive coverage during both weekends of the event and on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6 (11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET) and on Friday, Sept. 10 (12:30-6:00 PM, ET). The 2010 women’s final live in prime time highlights the Network’s “Super Saturday” coverage on Saturday, Sept. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET). All the action during CBS Sports’ coverage of the 2010 U.S. Open will be broadcast in HDTV.

CBS Sports’ schedule of live U.S. Open Tennis action as follows:

Saturday, Sept. 4 – 11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s and women’s third round singles)
Sunday, Sept. 5 – 11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s third round/women’s fourth round)
Monday, Sept. 6 – 11:00 AM-6:00 PM, ET (men’s/women’s fourth round singles)
Friday, Sept. 10 – 12:30-6:00 PM, ET (men’s doubles final/women’s semi-finals)
Saturday, Sept. 11 – 12:00 NOON-6:00 PM ET (men’s semi-finals)
8:00-10:00 PM, ET (women’s singles final)
Sunday, Sept. 12 – 4:00-7:00 PM, ET (men’s singles final)

Working his 30th U.S. Open, Bob Mansbach will serve as coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ live coverage of tennis’ final major of the year.  Mansbach and David Winner will produce, and lead director Bob Fishman and Jim Cornell will direct. Mansbach and Ken Mack will produce ARTHUR ASHE KIDS’ DAY, and Suzanne Smith will direct. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Photo: Credit: David Lobel/Icon SMI/Newscom

This marks the first time the two actresses have worked together since Cox’s former FX series Dirt. Aniston can currently be seen in theaters in the film The Switch.

Belushi and O'Connell in "The Defenders"

Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell, stars of CBS’ new drama The Defenders, will be hosting CBS Fall Preview, a special airing Sept. 6 at 8:30pm ET/PT on, naturally, CBS. The program will also be available On Demand to customers of AT&T U-Verse, Bright House, Comcast, Frontier Communications, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS TV.

The program includes sneak peeks of five new additions to the CBS primetime schedule — Hawaii Five-0 (premieres Sept. 20); The Defenders (Sept. 23); Blue Bloods (Sept. 24); $#*! My Dad Says (Sept. 23); and Mike & Molly (Sept. 20).

And you can rest assured that, according to CBS, Belushi and O’Connell will introduce the video previews with a “fun mix of banter during what appears to be a wardrobe fitting for their Vegas lawyer characters, surrounded by bold suits and pinky rings galore.” Just as long as there’s no wardrobe malfunction.

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© 2010 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. Credit: Robert Voets

He was the top cop on the Islands. Jack Lord’s Steve McGarrett was a virtual one-man force, taking on international espionage, drug kingpins, organized crime, counterfeiting … and murder — especially murder. With his signature “Book ‘em, Danno — murder one!” he closed dozens of gripping cases and helped the series become respected as one of the templates for the modern police drama.

As CBS returns to the scene of the Hawaiian crime series with its 21st-century update, “Hawaii Five-0,” Spike honors the original with a weeklong presentation of the entire 1968 first season of the Emmy-winning series. Starting Monday, Aug. 30, the network will broadcast McGarrett and Danno’s exploits from 9am-6pm ET/PT, until the Season 1 finale Friday, Sept. 3.

And in the unlikely case you’ve forgotten one of the coolest themesongs in television history …

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By Emily Mitchell

N00b.
If that word is familiar to you, then you either:
a) are a gamer
b) have an extremely close relative or friend who is a gamer
c) have been called this before (most likely by a gamer)
d) never want it to be spoken again. (as does the author of this piece.)

Yes, video gaming (and its lingo), has become a massive pop culture and economic phenomenon, and SyFy Channel’s WCG Ultimate Gamer chronicles it all.

The show is a combination of the Real World/ Road Rules Challenge and videogames. Twelve contestants (6 men and 6 women) live in a house together while competing against one another in both physical and video gaming challenges to become ‘The WCG Ultimate Gamer’, a title that includes $100,000 in cash, an “ultimate” Samsung electronics package, Alienware High-Performance gaming desktop called “The Aurora’, and the chance to represent at the World Cyber Games (aka the WCG).

My first, and strong, reaction when I found out there was even a game show centered around video games was, “Nerd Alert!” But that is exactly what this show is trying to disprove. In fact, there are some bonafide “hotties” on the show, who seem to be somewhat normal. But let’s be real … not everyone on a show about video games can be normal. Which is GREAT, because it makes for some entertaining TV. However, the show is out to break stereotypes. “I think that the industry has shifted and I think shows like Ultimate Gamer help the perception of who a gamer is actually shift away from that negative stereotype,” says Hannah Simone, Ultimate Gamer host. Adds her co-host Joel Gourdin, “I’m glad that people get to see gamers like this instead of robots who have no life. I think that’s offensive. I think gamers come in all shapes and sizes and creeds, and it’s ridiculous to pigeonhole them.”

These people are passionate; borderline obsessed, with video games and the strategy of gaming. Some are professionals, with many “titles” under their belts. Some already know each other from gaming tournaments. The reality-show element of the cast mates living together gives the show the human perspective of video gaming’s cyber world. Viewers get to learn about the contestants’ lives through constant camera recording and a confessional room a la The Real World.

But it’s not just about the contestants that makes WCG Ultimate Gamer an interesting show. So you may not be into video gaming …surprisingly, this show will keep your attention and keep you entertained. A few reasons: the quality of the production of WCG Ultimate Gamer is top notch. Executive producer and co-creator of WCG Dwight Smith says that quality is one of the most impressive things about WCG. “We really strived on this show to create a unique look to keep our production value extremely high and to make it look special and different and stand out.”

Aside from quality, the show’s concept with many outlets for competition and drama give the show extra dimension. Every episode, contestants participate in team and individual challenges determine their ranking among each other that week. The physical challenges are themed after a selected video game that is featured throughout the episode (which happens to be Tekken Six, for all you combat game fans). Then, each contestant plays the selected video game in a solitary chamber to finalize rankings. The weakest player is sent to the elimination round, while the highest ranked player must choose the opponent in the elimination gaming round. The weakest and chosen contestants then must face one another in Samsung Stadium, a truly tricked-out stage complete with massive video screens, lights, and stages.

The eight-episode show will garner a varied audience— gamers, techies, and reality show fans. But when it comes down to it, the video game is the king, according to executive producer and co-creator Michael Agbabian. “I think gaming is such a massive part of our pop culture and so many people play games, it eclipses television and film in terms of revenue and all sorts of other things, yet people seem to forget. If there’s anything that we can do on this show other than to entertain, I would love to show the world that gamers are not what people think they are.”

WCG Ultimate Gamer premieres tonight, Thursday, August 19, 11pm ET on SyFy.