Tuning In to TV

Obama film on HBO

The documentary “The War Room” chronicled Bill Clinton’s political operation in 1992, adding a phrase to the political lexicon in the process. Alexandra Pelosi’s “Journeys With George” captured the oddities of a national campaign onboard George W. Bush’s airplane in 2000.

The makers of “By the People: The Election of Barack Obama,” which premieres Tuesday — election night — on HBO, wouldn’t mind the same status, Associated Press reports.

“That was our hope — that we would create something for history,” said filmmaker Alicia Sams, who made the documentary with colleague Amy Rice and a key assist from actor Edward Norton.

Miss Rice was inspired by Mr. Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Convention in 2004 and wanted to do a film about him as an up-and-coming political leader. Her friend Miss Sams signed on, but they couldn’t get their phone calls to Mr. Obama’s office returned until Mr. Norton called on their behalf. He’s still involved as a producer.

They wound up with a far more important story than they had dreamed about.

Iowa became their centerpiece. They stuck close to Mr. Obama through his early campaigning there, catching moments like a 9-year-old boy making phone calls to drum up support. After three hours of shaking hands, a weary Mr. Obama says, “It’s like I’ve been through a wrestling match.”

The filmmakers sense Mr. Obama catching on as he moved toward an impressive victory in the Iowa caucuses. It was the birthplace of a movement, and whether Mr. Obama eventually won or lost the presidency, Miss Rice and Miss Sams felt Iowa gave them a film.

Network reports

Networks are pulling in guest stars to boost ratings, and NBC is taking its “The Biggest Loser” weight-loss show to the White House for the November sweeps, a key period that began Thursday in which ratings are used to set local advertising rates, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Media watchers say the big story of the season so far is the rise of News Corp’s Fox, up 3 percent in total viewers thanks largely to its new musical comedy “Glee” and the strength of medical drama “House,” now in its sixth season.

“Fox is used to being badly beaten in the fall and leaving everyone in the dust in the spring when [No. 1-rated] ’American Idol’ kicks in. But they are the only broadcaster that is up in all demographics and categories,” said Bill Gorman, co-editor of Web site tvbythenumbers.com.

CBS Corp. has bolstered its position as America’s most popular network with 13 of the Top 20 programs, including its three “CSI” crime dramas and new “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

Only Walt Disney Co’s ABC total network viewership is down, losing 6 percent of its overall viewers after overhauling its fall lineup with an ambitious slate of 11 new dramas and comedies.

• Compiled by Richard Slusser from wire and Web reports