Close with Diana Williams and the Latino-focused Tiempo. This block was notable as most television stations no longer devote such a large amount of airtime to such programming, and if so relegate these programs to early-morning weekend time slots. WABC-TV scheduled these three programs between 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. on Sundays. Like It Is was occasionally preempted for network sports coverage, but preemptions became more common when ABC acquired NBA coverage (though corporate cousin ESPN) for Sunday afternoons in 2002. As a result, during basketball season Like It Is was reduced from a full hour to 30 minutes some weeks (to accommodate a pregame show), and did not air altogether on others. Largely due to the preemptions caused by basketball, rumors abounded that WABC-TV was being pressured by corporate parent Disney to cancel the program. If that were the case, such plans were scrapped due to a large outcry from viewers and community leaders. Like It Is was put on production hiatus in August 2011, after Gil Noble suffered a severe stroke. In October 2011 Noble's family announced that he would not return to the program, ending Like It Is''' 43-year run. The series concluded on October 16, 2011, with a tribute program hosted by Lori Stokes. The episode featured appearances from past guests including Leontyne Price, Bill Cosby, Danny Glover, and others who shared their memories and thoughts on the significant role Like It Is, and by extension Gil Noble, played in the advancement and preservation of the African-American experience. This program was repeated the following week. WABC-TV premiered a new African-American public affairs show, titled Here and Now, in the Like It Is'' time slot on October 30, 2011. References Further reading External links "Like It Is" page on WABC-TV website 1970s American television series 1980s American television talk shows 1990s American television talk shows 2000s American television talk shows 2010s American television talk shows 1968 American television series debuts Local talk shows in the United States 2011 American television series endings