Haim’s name found on illegal prescription

Los Angeles — The name of the late actor Corey Haim was found on a fraudulent prescription for a powerful painkiller that authorities said Friday was obtained through a major drug ring.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown said records of the prescription in the name of the former teen heartthrob were found during an investigation of the ring that illegally obtained prescription pads and used the stolen identities of doctors to fill them out.

“Corey Haim’s death is yet another tragedy linked to the growing problem of prescription drug abuse,” Brown said in a written statement. “This problem is increasingly linked to criminal organizations, like the illegal and massive prescription drug ring under investigation.”

Los Angeles County coroner’s officials, however, said they have not yet determined what killed the 38-year-old Haim on Wednesday.

ABC’s Kate Snow jumps to NBC News

New York — ABC News reporter and “Good Morning America” weekend host Kate Snow is jumping to NBC News.

NBC announced Friday that Snow will begin work as a “Dateline NBC” correspondent later this spring. Snow has been with ABC since 2003 and one of its weekend morning anchors since the show launched in 2004. She covered Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, and was one of ABC’s reporters in Haiti after the earthquake.

Snow was a contender for the newsreader job on weekday “Good Morning America,” but that role went to Juju Chang. ABC said Chang and Elizabeth Vargas will fill in for Snow this weekend.

Leno’s return draws strong ratings

New York — After a smashing return, Jay Leno appears headed to a battle with David Letterman for late-night television supremacy.

The Nielsen Co. says Leno averaged 5.6 million viewers last week, his first back at NBC’s “The Tonight Show” following the ill-fated prime time experiment. Letterman had 3.7 million at CBS. Leno took advantage of curiosity over his return and a strong lineup of guests, including Olympic stars and Sarah Palin. It was a half-million more than he averaged his last season at “Tonight.”

It’s been much closer the second week. Through four nights, Leno is averaging 4.3 million viewers and Letterman has 4 million.

Considering Leno usually beat Letterman by a million and a half during their last season of competition, that’s a sign of erosion for NBC’s late-night franchise. Letterman consistently beat Conan O’Brien after O’Brien took over last year.