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| Hard Copy | |
|---|---|
| Format | Infotainment |
| Presented by | Alan Frio (1989-1990) Terry Murphy (1989-1998) Barry Nolan (1990-1998) Kyle Kraska (1998-1999) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Syndication |
| Original run | September 11, 1989 – May 28, 1999 |
Hard Copy is an American tabloid news television show that ran in syndication from 1989 to 1999. Hard Copy was aggressive in its use of questionable material on television, including gratuitous violence.
Contents |
Reputation for sensational reporting
In the late '80s, as investigative news shows and daytime talk shows were changing their formats and style, Hard Copy was created by Metromedia Television veterans Mark Monsky and John Parsons Peditto, who told original staffers that the idea was to "combine the stories of 20/20 with the production techniques of MTV."[citation needed] This would be the show's format at launch, but it was quickly abandoned due to ratings concerns. Monsky and Parsons Peditto would leave the series within the first season, and the show took on a hard tabloid format after their departure, with stories featuring outrageous content or titilation being featured much more than serious topics, along with graphics in bold and large fonts, and MTV-style camera work.
In 1991–1993, in its third and fourth seasons, the show was under the direction of executive producer and A Current Affair creator Peter Brennan and a team of Fox Television tabloid veterans that included producers Burt Kearns and Neal Travis and reporter Rafael Abramovitz. Under their control, Hard Copy devolved into the canonical example of sensational, and not always accurate, reporting. Hard Copy was a source of parody on The Simpsons in the episode "Homer Badman" as Rock Bottom, a show which clearly misrepresents facts in order to create scandal.
The original hosts of Hard Copy were Alan Frio and Terry Murphy; Barry Nolan joined the series in 1990 and stayed until 1998. In the show's final season, current KFMB sports director Kyle Kraska became the host after Murphy and Nolan were let go.
There was also an Australian edition in the early 1990s hosted by Gordon Elliott.
1996 celebrity boycott
In 1996, upon learning that Hard Copy and Entertainment Tonight were produced by Paramount Television, actor George Clooney refused to appear on ET. Paramount executive Frank Kelly caved in to Clooney's pressure by signing a contract vowing never to include Clooney in a Hard Copy story. Nevertheless Hard Copy shortly ran a story about Clooney and his then-girlfriend, Celine Balitran. That same year, Clooney organized a celebrity boycott of both shows, which was supported by Whoopi Goldberg, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell, Frank Sinatra, Demi Moore, and Steven Spielberg.
Cast
- Alan Frio: Host (1989–1990)
- Barry Nolan: Host (1990–1998)
- Terry Murphy: Host (1989–1998)
- Kyle Kraska: Host (1998–1999)
- Jerry Penacoli: Reporter (1996–1999)
- Pat Lalama: Reporter (1996–1999)
- Edward Miller: Reporter (1996–1999)
- Doug Bruckner: Reporter
- Rafael Abramovitz: Correspondent
- Diane Dimond: Reporter
- Sylvia Villagran: Reporter
See also
External links
- Hard Copy at the Internet Movie Database
- Hard Copy at TV.com
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