Daily News Feed 12.17.08

Oprah, HBO to Team on Movie Projects
Oprah Winfrey is ending a long-term relationship with ABC by taking her production company to HBO for a three-year deal to make movies, documentaries and TV series. Kate Forte, head of Harpo Films, said Tuesday that Winfrey’s company wanted to make a more eclectic mix of programming than was available on broadcast TV, working with people who did not like the restrictions of commercial interruptions. She would not detail any of the future projects. Winfrey has worked at ABC for 15 years, and her “Oprah Winfrey Presents” series has focused largely on movies positive or inspirational in tone. The most recent was an adaptation from a Mitch Albom book, “For One More Day,” about a drunk about to commit suicide who is saved by the ghost of his mother. (Continue Reading…)

Jackson Jr. Went to Authorities about Illinois Governor
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who was cited in a criminal complaint against Rod Blagojevich, went to the U.S. Attorney’s office about alleged wrongdoers, including the Illinois governor, a Jackson spokesman said Tuesday. Jackson rejected being labeled with the term “informant” in a message to CNN contributor Roland Martin. Spokesman Kenneth Edmonds described Jackson’s interaction with federal authorities this way: “As a responsible citizen and elected official, Congressman Jackson has in the past provided information to federal authorities regarding his personal knowledge of perceived corruption and governmental misconduct. “This was completely unrelated to the current investigation regarding the U.S. Senate appointment. And it is absolutely inaccurate to describe the congressman as an informant,” Edmonds said in a written statement. (Continue Reading…)

Housewives of Atlanta to Return for Season 2
Get ready for more drama — southern style! Bravo has picked up a second season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, EW reports. That shouldn’t come as a shock. The first season — starring Kim Zolciak, Sheree Whitfield, NeNe Leakes, DeShawn Snow and Lisa Wu Hartwell — was the biggest Housewives hit for the network, out-performing both The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York, according to Variety. But the network has not said when the show will return and whether or not all the women will be on the second season. (The cast of Orange County has had more than one switch-up with a new Housewife joining the show on an episode airing Tuesday.) (Continue Reading…)