Iron_Giant

Funny, this is happening as NBC viewer count is on the rise.

Heroes is my favorite show now.

Iron_Giant

Wonder if NBC will change it's mind when it sees how much $$$ it will make off the Heroes DVD sales.

Draven

Hey NBC! The reason people aren't watching new media is because you aren't giving them great alternatives.

I'm loving Heroes, The Office, Earl, and Studio 60. Keep putting on great content and you'll get the viewers to follow. Cancel these great scripted shows and fill the schedule with Deal or No Deal and 1 vs. 100 and I'll never watch a thing on your network again.

kvrdave

This is what the bastards who watch crap like Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Deal or No Deal, etc. are turning my world into.

I hope they all die of gonorrhea and burn in hell.

MechanicalMan

That's very insightful, Peggy Hill.

Jimmy James

Actually, now I wonder how expensive animation is. Why not back up every suitcase from one DoND episode to Mike Judge and get something from him? If he could do a half hour show for something like $5 million over 20 episodes, that would surely fit into the budget.

I actually wonder if NBC shouldn't just give the hour back to the affiliates, though. That would at least be a bold and original move -- program only 16 hours a week (sort of like Fox), but do so from 9-11 in most markets.

RayChuang

Never going to work. With good reason: all those cable channels need original programming and as a result the first-run syndication market is close to kaput. This is especially in light of the fact once the NBC affiliates get that hour back they're going to need to fill it with programming, NOT more infomercials. Indeed, even the rerun market for desirable shows have been (in my humble opinion!) dominated by cable channels like TBS, TNT, USA, ABC Family, TV Land, and Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite programming block.

dpz301

it's a shame, but i kind of saw it coming because every time i turned on the today show, they talked about each new showing "saving" the network.

hope it doesn't affect the office though! oh yeah, and heroes too!!

bboisvert

Bring back Firefly. Problem solved.


Well, not really... but it would still be cool if someone brought back Firefly.

lukewarmwater

So they lay off 700 employees and save 700 million? They have 700 employes who make 1 million?

I wonder if any of them file for unemployment.

riley_dude

Cutting back on scripted shows? Oh my god, there programing is already in the toilet. This will be the flusher.

Amen!!!!

LorenzoL

In regards to this news, I think that this will be the end of my guilty pleasure show "Las Vegas" especially with its cost and anemic ratings.

Chew

Just to highlight the point: my ABC affiliate now has half-hour local news programming at 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00 now. Couldn't they just throw in a comedy at 4:00 that doesn't get much play and doesn't cost much instead?

Dr. Henry Jones, Jr.

yes

CPA-ESQ.

Oh !!! You are talking about everyone over 60yrs old

Tracer Bullet

Maybe if NBC's idea of a game show didn't involve people opening suitcases for an hour, I'd be more optimistic.

pinata242

I really enjoyed 1vs100 last week. Gonna give it another shot tonight, but I'm not sure if I'll be back after that unless I'm on it.

Office, Earl, Heroes, and SVU are the only things we watch on NBC.

al_bundy

wonder what's going to happen to ER since my wife watches it

Law and Order may be on it's way out. I see the sets in NYC once in a while while at work or on my way to work and you would be amazed at what it takes to shoot a few scenes on the street.

I can see a reliance on reality shows. ER can't be tied to anything online other than a webpage about the show. Rupert Murdoch showed what you can do with MySpace and American Idol by creating cheap buzz for the show. Look for NBC to tie it's reality shows to MSN Spaces or whatever community they partner with. And best thing with reality shows is you can hire a bunch of nobody's or former washed up actors for nothing. Rather than shelling out tons of cash for generic shows like Friends that try to appeal to a large demographic, they spend less on smaller shows that appeal to different niches but in the end are more profitable

Shannon Nutt

I'm guessing they also put a lot into Kidnapped, Friday Night Lights and Studio 60...one of which is gone, one which may soon be gone, and one which may not see a second season.

Usually, I'd come back with "well, if they just make better shows, people would watch" diatribe, but all three of the above ARE (were) well-written, and nobody's watching, so I can't blame NBC for going the way they are going...even if it means less choices for people like us (who enjoy quality TV).

bboisvert

ER will be just fine. I think people are misreading this story or expanding it beyond its scope. They're going to look to put cheaper (reality/game) programming at 8-9pm. That doesn't mean they'll move stuff that's working (Earl/Office). And that doesn't mean that they'll trash scripted programming from 9-11 that is working (ER/SVU/etc.) They're just looking to cut corners where they can, and avoid spending $$$$ on new stuff like Friday Night Lights and 20 Good Years that tanks.


Ultimately, I think this is going to backfire. NBC is going to get the image of a crap/reality network and it'll be hard to bring people back. I think they're are overreacting to some poor greenlight/scheduling decisions.

Jimmy James

I think there is still room to be critical of NBC. The shows may be well written, but the themes suck. One is too inside for most people and insults its potential audience habitually. It is also one of two shows on the network with the same premise. Another one was the second kidnapping show to debut this season and seemed like a premise pieced together from two or three movies. The final one was a television adaptation of a minor film hit that came probably at least one season too late to get much heat from people remembering the film.

Jimmy James

I think you're dead on.

I think that's what will happen if they do it wrong. Cheap doesn't have to mean becoming the reality/game show channel. It can mean taking risks on shows that other networks won't air from talent that is edgy and raw. If this is done right, I think it can be a success. TV needs original approaches first and foremost.