Editing John Edward (section)

===''Crossing Over with John Edward''===
From 2001 to 2004, Edward was the producer and host of the show ''Crossing Over with John Edward'', which has been [[Television syndication|syndicated]] and was broadcast on the [[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]] in the United States and on [[Living (channel)|Living TV]] in the UK. In ''Crossing Over'', Edward gave psychic readings to audience members.<ref name="CROver">{{cite video |people=Edward, John |title=Crossing Over with John Edward |medium=Television series |publisher=Sci-Fi Channel |location=U.S. |year=1999 }}</ref>

====Show format====
Readings in ''Crossing Over'' involve Edward questioning audience members with what is presented as information being supposedly "communicated" by deceased friends and relatives. Edward says he receives images and clues from "the other side" which the audience must try to interpret.  The audience is not supposed to supply Edward with any prior information about themselves, their family or whom they are trying to connect with "on the other side", aside from questionnaires filled out prior to taping.<ref name="CROver" /> Audience members respond to Edward's statements and questions, adding any details they feel are appropriate. The show often employs a [[split screen (film)|split screen]], the view of a reading without sound on one half of the screen while on the other half the subjects of the reading are shown in a later interview as they discuss their experiences.  A [[voiceover]] by Edward is also implemented at times, sharing further insights.

In other instances, Edward conducted private sessions away from the studio audience. The subjects of these segments later spoke in greater detail about the situation that led to their reading with Edward and the effect the reading had on their lives. Periodically, segments revisit people who have previously appeared on the show.

====9/11 special====
Shortly after the [[September 11 attacks]], Edward began filming at least one special in which he met with some relatives of the victims, with the intention of communicating with those who were killed. According to Edward's autobiography, he did not know that the producers had chosen the victims' families to appear on the show. The trade magazine ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'' sent a story, "'Psychic' Plans WTC Victims Show", on the daily subscription-[[fax]] sent to news media and TV station executives on October 25, 2001.

Steve Rosenberg, president of domestic television at [[Studios USA]], the company that distributes Edward's program, had tentatively scheduled the program(s) to be broadcast during the November [[sweeps]] period, but news of the taping sparked a national outcry. Both the Sci Fi Channel and the ''Crossing Over with John Edward'' production office were flooded with phone calls and e-mails, some expressing outrage at the exploitation of the national tragedy, others at what they perceived as extreme tastelessness in search of ratings. Rosenberg initially ignored the criticism, insisting the programming would go on as scheduled, but within hours he terminated his plans.<ref>{{cite news |last= de Moraes |first= Lisa |title= Medium Crosses The Line: WTC Segment Canned |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date= October 26, 2001 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2001/10/26/medium-crosses-the-line-wtc-segment-canned/3bf70acc-ce42-4ede-8226-25bb43e815e1/ |access-date=August 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822001302if_/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2001/10/26/medium-crosses-the-line-wtc-segment-canned/3bf70acc-ce42-4ede-8226-25bb43e815e1/|archive-date=August 22, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Radford |first=Benjamin |author-link=Benjamin Radford |date=January–February 2002 |title=John Edward's televised tragedy seance scrapped |journal=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |volume=26 |issue=1 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_1_26/ai_80924575 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015132341/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_1_26/ai_80924575 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 15, 2007 |access-date=December 18, 2006 }}</ref>