Rosie O'Donnell is expected to make a surprise return to daytime television by taking over exiting Meredith Vieira's slot on the talk show "The View."

O'Donnell's appointment was reported Thursday by the newsmagazine "Extra." It was confirmed by a person close to the show who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Dubbed "The Queen of Nice" when her syndicated talk show went on the air in 1996 and became an instant hit, O'Donnell won six Daytime Emmy Awards in six years as best talk-show host. She left the show to help raise four children with her partner, Kelli Carpenter O'Donnell.

It's an important appointment for "The View," which was created by Barbara Walters. Vieira's news background helped make her the solid center of the program on the days Walters didn't appear on air.

But Vieira joined the game of musical anchor chairs that began when Katie Couric chose to move to the "CBS Evening News." NBC quickly named Vieira as her replacement on the "Today" show, where she will begin work in September.

Joy Behar and Star Jones Reynolds, who have been bickering at each other lately, are also members of "The View" roundtable, along with Elisabeth Hasselbeck.

O'Donnell should have no problem holding her own with the other ladies on "The View." Since leaving daytime television, O'Donnell has become a strong advocate of gay and lesbian marriage and adoption. With her partner, she operates a cruise line for gay and lesbian families that was recently featured in an HBO documentary.

(David Bauder, Associated Press)

Six NBC shows renewed

The verdict is in for "Law & Order": television's second long-est-running drama will be back for its 17th season in the fall, NBC announced Thursday.

The network said it has renewed all three series in the franchise from creator and executive producer Dick Wolf, including "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

Renewal notices also went out to "Crossing Jordan," "Las Vegas" and "Medium."

(AP)

Channel surfing

Former Channel 19 veejay and Pittsburgh native Shane Tallant will become a host of HGTV's "Designed to Sell" this fall along with his sister, Terry Haas, a real estate agent. ... Two WB series will have their season finales outside of May sweeps. "Everwood" ends with a two-hour season (series?) closer on June 5, while "Pepper Dennis" bows out July 4. ... Sci Fi Channel is developing a "Battlestar Galactica" prequel series with that show's executive producers. "Caprica" would be set 50 years before "Galactica."

(Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor)