Posted on 07/05/2007 7:22:00 AM PDT by abb
NBC'S TOP EXECUTIVE JEFF ZUCKER caused a stir last fall when he indicated the network would forgo scripted programming in the 8 p.m. weeknight hour to reduce costs. Now, another executive is suggesting NBC would be open to cutting originals on Fridays entirely.
In an interview with Fortune, NBC entertainment co-chairman Marc Graboff says "something has got to give" as programming costs escalate and advertisers shift dollars away from broadcast TV. One possibility is to make Fridays the new Saturday -- or at least the second one. "For years, everyone programmed Saturday night with originals," he told the business magazine. "Now, nobody programs Saturday. Maybe that will happen with Friday?" Graboff said a network simply "can't afford to pay for 19 hours a week of original high-quality programming" these days.
Still, turning Fridays completely over to low-cost game shows and reality gambits appears to be at least a year away at NBC. At present, the network has dramas scheduled in the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. hours this fall -- "Las Vegas" and "Friday Night Lights," respectively, following game shows at 8. And it may not switch gears until either higher-rated ABC or CBS goes first in a sort of brinksmanship. Fox is already there with two new reality series coming to Friday night this fall.
A call and email to NBC seeking comment were not returned at press time.
While increased production costs and declining network ratings don't appear to be going away, Graboff's comments -- published July 2 -- could have been made before the recently finished broadcast upfront. Networks didn't appear to suffer the major slowdown in dollar commitments some had projected. Fourth-place NBC's intake, however, was reportedly the same as 2006.
NBC has seen its Friday ratings wither some 30% over the last five seasons to a 2.6 in the 18-to-49 demo. All other networks, save CBS, which offers three hours of originals on the night, have fared similarly.
The specter of Fridays devoid of originals could pique the same NBC affiliates that were turned off when Zucker made his comments last fall. Affiliates depend on their respective networks' ratings to drive their own revenues.
Particularly vocal was the head of one of NBC's largest affiliate groups, David Barrett of Hearst-Argyle, who took a you-have-to-spend-money-to-make-money approach. "All the affiliates expect there has got to be a strong programming commitment by [NBC]," he said last October. "It's what has led them to huge profitability in the past, and it is what's leading the way for Fox and CBS and ABC to a certain extent. It's about the show ... they've got to be investing in the content."
(In fairness, genres alone don't mean low ratings. As "American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars" have shown, reality series at 8 can do rather well and buoy a network overall.)
When Barrett made his comments, he noted that NBC had seemed to backtrack from Zucker's pledge -- proposed as part of a $750 million a year cost-savings plan -- after controversy followed. Former programming chief Kevin Reilly had reportedly said a network "can't be exclusive with reality at 8."
But when NBC announced its new fall schedule in May, the network came pretty close with scripted fare only on Thursdays (two comedies) and a combination of reality and game shows at 8 p.m. on the other four weeknights. "Deal or No Deal," still-strong but with declining ratings, is slated for two nights, while the so-so "Biggest Loser" and "1 vs. 100" will take up two others.
ping
“By the end of this decade, or shortly thereafter, television networks as we know them today will cease to exist.”
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If you’re talking about the mainstream media — thank goodness!
I doubt if they can produce 19 hours of high quality programming a year!
Good thing they stopped doing that years ago.
The high-dollar television production companies (think Aaron Sorkin, et al) have priced themselves out of business.
Gee—looks like I was ahead of the game when I quit watching television back in Jan 2000! One thing’s for sure—I haven’t missed it at all!
Have you watched “Friday Night Lights”?
It’s a good series. I watched it last year.
However, NBC has moved it from Wednesdays to Fridays. I’m not optimistic when a show gets mopved to Friday nights.
That’s almost like the network saying “We’re looking for an excuse to cancel your show”.
Maybe they could afford to produce better TV if NBC decided to kill off its low-rated, biased, and expensive "news" division.
That's been evident for about the last 20 years..
Give Anne Coulter a call and give her an hour spot. Give Limbaugh a call and guarantee complete freedom do say what he wants. Do some investigative reports on scientists that don't believe in global warming. How about a follow up report on women that had abortions and how many are suicidal? Show why homeschoolers do better on spelling than public schoolers. Do some historical reporting on the Christian foundation of America. Do a show on McCarthy that shows he really did find commies in the government. Show the people the difference in fetal stem cells and adult stem cells and why no one wants to finance fetal stem cell research. Show the oil wells in elementary school playgrounds in Texas and Oklahoma and ask why we can't drill in ANWAR. Do a show following an illegal alien family and how much they steal from the American taxpayers while they are here. Show how it costs Americans $33,000 for every alien job paying $6 an hour.
Most people are tired of the same ole crap shoved in their face that they know is a lie. I could turn their network to number 1 in about a week. They would rather die. They are still trying to figure a way to get Rosie on prime time.
That very show was on the bubble and almost wasn’t renewed. I suspect NBC might not have had anything better with which to replace it and therefore renewed it. It had marginal ratings all season. As did most all of NBC’s shows - they were in fourth place in the ratings for the second straight year. In fact, don’t be shocked if/when General Electric jettisons NBC/U altogether.
That's pretty much it. US business history is chock full of stories about companies that refused to adapt in the face of change. So they went belly up. The hardest thing in the world to change is one's way of thinking.
Shepard Smith in New Orleans was the final straw for me, my TV is now only a screen for dvd’s.
Frankly, the idea that there are people who can be “entertained” by this crap is downright scary.
BUMP to your programming idea.
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