NBC Entertainment President Fired!
05-28-07, 06:45 PM
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NBC Entertainment President Fired!
Two weeks after unveiling the network's schedule for 2007-08, Kevin Reilly is reportedly being let go as president of NBC Entertainment.
The change comes after NBC suffered through another season of fourth-place ratings, finishing nearly a full point behind first-place FOX in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. His job won't be immediately filled per se, but it's expected that Ben Silverman, executive producer of "The Office" and "Ugly Betty," will assume a major role at NBC Universal.
The shakeup, first reported by Deadline Hollywood Daily and later picked up by other outlets, will likely become official within the next couple of days. So far NBC is keeping quiet.
Reilly became president of NBC Entertainment in May 2004, following a stint as head of entertainment at FX, where he established the cable network's original series brand with "The Shield" and "Nip/Tuck." During his tenure at the Peacock, he was responsible for bringing "My Name Is Earl" and "Heroes" to the small screen and championing "The Office." This season he stuck by critical darlings "30 Rock" and "Friday Night Lights" despite low ratings.
Despite those successes, however, NBC has remained stuck in fourth place for most of his tenure as its schedule has lacked the depth of CBS or a monster hit a la FOX's "American Idol." Reilly signed a new contract in March, meaning it probably won't be cheap for NBC to buy him out.
Silverman, a former agent who heads the production company Reveille, will likely have a major oversight role at the network, though his title and exact duties are still being worked out. Reports say he and Marc Graboff, president of NBC West Coast, may split duties involving the network and NBC Universal's syndication and cable businesses.
Reveille productions include "The Office," "The Biggest Loser," ABC's "Ugly Betty" and FX's "30 Days." The company and Silverman have also produced the NBC game show "Identity," USA's "Nashville Star," the American version of "Coupling," "The Restaurant" and Bravo's "Blow Out."
Zap2it.com
The change comes after NBC suffered through another season of fourth-place ratings, finishing nearly a full point behind first-place FOX in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. His job won't be immediately filled per se, but it's expected that Ben Silverman, executive producer of "The Office" and "Ugly Betty," will assume a major role at NBC Universal.
The shakeup, first reported by Deadline Hollywood Daily and later picked up by other outlets, will likely become official within the next couple of days. So far NBC is keeping quiet.
Reilly became president of NBC Entertainment in May 2004, following a stint as head of entertainment at FX, where he established the cable network's original series brand with "The Shield" and "Nip/Tuck." During his tenure at the Peacock, he was responsible for bringing "My Name Is Earl" and "Heroes" to the small screen and championing "The Office." This season he stuck by critical darlings "30 Rock" and "Friday Night Lights" despite low ratings.
Despite those successes, however, NBC has remained stuck in fourth place for most of his tenure as its schedule has lacked the depth of CBS or a monster hit a la FOX's "American Idol." Reilly signed a new contract in March, meaning it probably won't be cheap for NBC to buy him out.
Silverman, a former agent who heads the production company Reveille, will likely have a major oversight role at the network, though his title and exact duties are still being worked out. Reports say he and Marc Graboff, president of NBC West Coast, may split duties involving the network and NBC Universal's syndication and cable businesses.
Reveille productions include "The Office," "The Biggest Loser," ABC's "Ugly Betty" and FX's "30 Days." The company and Silverman have also produced the NBC game show "Identity," USA's "Nashville Star," the American version of "Coupling," "The Restaurant" and Bravo's "Blow Out."
Zap2it.com
05-28-07, 06:59 PM
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Mr. Reilly is indeed the guy who stood up for 30 Rock and FNL despite the low ratings. The next President probably won't be as nice.
05-28-07, 07:11 PM
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I really don't care whether he was nice or not -- the far bigger issues are what the next guy will do to the shows KR brought in and how it really isn't fair for him to take the blame because NBC's woes started well before he got there. The next guy is going to reap the benefit of the quality shows KR stood behind unless he's so damned stupid that he can't even do that right. If I'm not mistaken, the same thing happened at ABC during its last decline.
05-28-07, 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by DJariya
Mr. Reilly is indeed the guy who stood up for 30 Rock and FNL despite the low ratings. The next President probably won't be as nice.
My Boomtown-treatment prophecy of FNL is falling into place.
05-28-07, 10:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs
Considering this is in their new fall lineup I wonder why
05-28-07, 11:41 PM
#12
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As long as 30 Rock is still around I don't care what else happens on NBC.
The problem with NBC these last few years isn't that they have BAD shows, it's that the other networks have BETTER shows, at least according to Joe Six Packs out there.
I love Studio 60. But America does not.
The problem with NBC these last few years isn't that they have BAD shows, it's that the other networks have BETTER shows, at least according to Joe Six Packs out there.
I love Studio 60. But America does not.
05-29-07, 12:17 AM
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That's too bad. I don't care what the ratings say. I don't watch a single thing on CBS, but Friday Night Lights, The Office, and Heroes are all shows I never miss.
05-29-07, 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Doughboy
That's too bad. I don't care what the ratings say. I don't watch a single thing on CBS, but Friday Night Lights, The Office, and Heroes are all shows I never miss.
05-29-07, 07:28 AM
#16
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Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs
I bet Leno doesn't retire in 2009 with a new president taking over since he has the highest rated late night show.
Granted, it's still two more years.
05-29-07, 07:39 AM
#18
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I'm actually sad to see him go. He stuck up for "intelligent" tv; not high rating reality shows. I think there was actually an episode of Studio 60 about him. Oh well, if someone I hired finished behind Fox I'd probably fire him to.
05-29-07, 07:45 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by starseed1981
I'm actually sad to see him go. He stuck up for "intelligent" tv; not high rating reality shows. I think there was actually an episode of Studio 60 about him. Oh well, if someone I hired finished behind Fox I'd probably fire him to.
How did he stick up for Studio 60? Mondays at 10 was clearly the wrong time slot. The initial slot it was in (Thursdays at 9) would have also killed the show.
Law and Order got moved to Fridays, and nearly got cancelled because the ratings "suddenly" dropped. Hello? No one watches TV on Fridays.
Where's everyone's beloved Friday Night Lights moving to next season? That's right, Fridays.
Wasn't the "nothing but cheaper, reality based programming from 8-9pm" announcement made on his watch?
Last edited by lotsofdvds; 05-29-07 at 07:47 AM.
05-29-07, 08:06 AM
#22
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I'm actually sad to see him go. He stuck up for "intelligent" tv; not high rating reality shows. I think there was actually an episode of Studio 60 about him. Oh well, if someone I hired finished behind Fox I'd probably fire him to.
Scrubs is probally the greatest TV show of all time right beside The Larry Sanders show, 30 Rock is a brilliant new series and Earl is just plain high quality television. ER was a great show over the years and althrough not nearly as good as it once was it is still better than watching anything on ABC in that timeslot.
Crossing Jordan, Law & Order: CI, Law & Order: SVU, Raines, & a wack of other on NBC are just high quality shows but yet the only show on NBC that gets "Good" ratings is a fucking reality show-Deal or no deal.
Boomtown could have been maybe one of the greatest crime dramas of all-time if it wasn't for the fact that people were to stupid to understand it.
Altrough overall CBS had more shows that I watched this year, they didn't come close to the Quality of the shows on NBC.
It's too bad that peoples idea of a good show is basically a 2 hr Karaoke show called American Idol.
05-29-07, 08:09 AM
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Wrong time slot 
Studio 60 sucked, and no one wanted to watch it. Time to move on. The show is dead, but at least Sorkin and his fans can take comfort in the fact that they are smarter and richer than the rest of us.
Studio 60 sucked, and no one wanted to watch it. Time to move on. The show is dead, but at least Sorkin and his fans can take comfort in the fact that they are smarter and richer than the rest of us.
05-29-07, 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by lotsofdvds
Sticking up for it and finding a way to make it work are two different beasts.
How did he stick up for Studio 60? Mondays at 10 was clearly the wrong time slot. The initial slot it was in (Thursdays at 9) would have also killed the show.
Law and Order got moved to Fridays, and nearly got cancelled because the ratings "suddenly" dropped. Hello? No one watches TV on Fridays.
Where's everyone's beloved Friday Night Lights moving to next season? That's right, Fridays.
Wasn't the "nothing but cheaper, reality based programming from 8-9pm" announcement made on his watch?
How did he stick up for Studio 60? Mondays at 10 was clearly the wrong time slot. The initial slot it was in (Thursdays at 9) would have also killed the show.
Law and Order got moved to Fridays, and nearly got cancelled because the ratings "suddenly" dropped. Hello? No one watches TV on Fridays.
Where's everyone's beloved Friday Night Lights moving to next season? That's right, Fridays.
Wasn't the "nothing but cheaper, reality based programming from 8-9pm" announcement made on his watch?
05-29-07, 08:31 AM
#25
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Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Your comments are based on your own personal feelings and not objectivity. With every show you've mentioned here RATINGS SUCKED. In the case of FNL and L&O, it was move to Fridays or get canceled. You would think if you were a fan of these shows, you'd be happy that he found to keep them on the air in any capacity, rather than just canceling them outright.
Of course the ratings sucked for every show I mentioned. It's NBC. All their ratings suck. I wasn't trying to single out shows with bad ratings. They all have bad ratings (save for the reality shows). That's why he's not in charge anymore.
And of course my comments are based on my own personal feelings. I don't watch television objectively. I have emotions and like what I like and hate what I hate. I don't hate this guy, but he didn't do me any favors either.
