The Insider (TV program)
A spin-off of Entertainment Tonight covering entertainment news.
The Insider is an American syndicated television news magazine that aired from 2004 to 2017 as a spin-off of Entertainment Tonight. It began as a segment providing inside information on entertainment industry stories before becoming a separate program with a tabloid direction. The series later shifted to a straightforward entertainment news format covering events, celebrities, interviews, and upcoming film and television projects.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- News magazine
- Presenter
- Louis Aguirre; Debbie Matenopoulos
- Composer
- Michael Egizi (2004–2017)
- Joel Beckerman (2013–2015)
- Eric Allaman (2013–2015)
- Dan Beyer (2007)
- Kevin Frazier
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 13
- Episodes
- 4,074 (3,395 weekdays; 679 weekend)
- Executive producers
- Linda Bell Blue (2004–2013)
- Brad Bessey (2013–2016)
- Jeffrey Wilson (2016–2017)
Facts from the source article.
History
The program originally used a bi-coastal format, with Pat O'Brien based in Hollywood at Paramount Studios Stage 28 and Lara Spencer based at MTV's One Astor Plaza studio in New York City. In its first season, The Insider maintained a news-heavy format and featured fringe stories such as anorexic twin sisters from Australia and the Nadya Suleman story during sweeps periods. O'Brien, previously co-host of Access Hollywood, remained co-host until March 5, 2008, when he was replaced by Donny Osmond; Osmond declined a permanent role, and O'Brien returned one month later. Spencer often hosted solo during O'Brien's extended absences due to personal problems. The original theme song, performed by Richie Sambora, was changed after the second season, coinciding with a distributor change to CBS Paramount Domestic Television after CBS assumed ownership of Viacom's television production and syndication operations in December 2005. For its fourth season in September 2007, production moved full-time to New York City, with O'Brien and Spencer working from a studio in the Minskoff Theatre that offered views of Times Square.
Syndication model
The Insider aired in certain U.S. markets as half of a one-hour entertainment news block with Entertainment Tonight. Before 2009, three versions were produced: a standalone version and two versions designed to precede or follow ET with promotions for stories on both shows. After 2009, only a standalone version without ET continuity was produced, as carriage outside primary markets shifted to lower-tier stations and less prominent timeslots.
International carriage
The show reached international audiences on channels like Big CBS Love in India, ETC in the Philippines, and MBC 4 across the Middle East and North Africa, where it followed Entertainment Tonight. In Australia, Network Ten aired it one day after the U.S. broadcast, paired with its sister show on weekday mornings, and later repeated it on 10 Peach; both Ten and Eleven dropped the program on November 1, 2013. It was also seen on Foxtel’s Arena channel and on CHCH in Hamilton, Ontario. An Arabic version, THE INSIDER بالعربي, launched on Dubai TV on November 12, 2017.
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