It has struck me NBC is dieing fast this season, which is shocking seeing as they had the Olympics to promte the new season, so I have came up with a couple of ideas that I would consider if I was President of the Network (Which, might I add, I would love to end up doing someday).
My first suggestion is bring back Saturdays, it's clear if they show the right programmes people will watch. Here in the UK Saturdays are huge nights for TV viewings especially with reality (X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, Britains Got Talent etc.) So I suggest NBC making Saturday nights Family Night.
NBC Saturday 'Family' Night could look something like this.
8:00 - 9:30: New Live Reality competition. (I mean a proper one not some crap like Mommas Boy)
9:30 - 10:30: New/Reloacted Gameshow. (It could be something like Deal or No Deal or a brand new gameshow)
10:30 - 11:00: Reality Results. (Live results of who will be leaving the contest that aired earlier that evening).
Family night could be a huge chance for advertisers to promote family products and Family night could encourage everyone from Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Kids, Next Door Neighbours etc. to gather on the sofa and watch TV together.
My next initative is called 'Resurrection'. NBC bring back 3 or 4 previously cancelled shows for a 13 episode second chance. If they put these shows in decent timeslots then they could work out.
The shows I would suggest bringing back would be Las Vegas, Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip, Journeyman and Bionic Woman. I believe with the right marketing and the right time slot these shows all had the potential to succeed. Las Vewgas did better on Fridays than Crusoe so maybe pout it back on Fridays. Studio 60 was a highly DVR'ed show and didn't deserve to go. Advertisers may not like DVR because you can wind through the adverts but on live TV you can changed the channel/leave.
The NBC Empire would be another initative of mine. Flagship Networks seem to forget about the cable networks they own so I think that NBC's cable networks such as Bravo should work along side the major network. If a show is doing well on Bravo or USA give it a shot on NBC (unless it is to violent, sexual or rude to move) and failing shows on NBC could be moved to Bravo or USA to burn off remaining episodes. You never know it may find an audience on cable.
Another suggestion is bring back sitcoms. NBC have had huge hit sitcoms Friends, Will & Grace, Cheers, Seifeld etc. I think NBC need to launch a campaign amoung screenwriters to find the new hit sitcom. Don't settle for just any crap like Fox did with Do Not Disturb and like NBC have done with Kath and Kim. It needs to be a sitcom that could run for a decade. Find 4 hit sitcoms and suddenly NBC can own the ratings.
I have about 10 more ideas but no time to type them. Give me feedback on what you think of my ideas.
In the USA, Saturdays are often reserved for other things besides watching TV, so it's hard to bring steady large viewership to Saturdays. The nets just don't wanna put money into it.
The shows that failed, did so for one simple reason-not enough viewers. Sometimes, no matter how well-made a show is, people just won't watch it. No amount of hype will cause people to watch something they don't wanna watch.
Nets don't yank shows lightly. Theymust be replaced, &, depending upon contract language, must pay for already-made episodes. And after CBS' recent experience in reviving 'Jericho', nets are very reluctant to bring back a show which was a ratings failure before.
I agree we have a dearth of FUNNY sitcoms now. I would liketa see s'more long-running successful ones made.
Las Vegas had no problem with viewers, it did better on FRidays than the current shows. Studio 60 had high DVR ratings and was on Thursdays at 10PM which was once a tough timeslot. If they brought back shows and put them in the right timeslots then they ould become a hit. Also people will talk about the fact dead shows have been revived which generates hype on it's own. And if the comeback shows fail then move them to USA and show repeats of Law & Order or bring in a mid-season show, no harm done but critics will credit the fact they took the risk.
I do understand people prefer to do other things on Saturdays but unless networks put in some effort Saturdays will always fail. The network that takes the risk first could own Saturday nights for the whole season. If NBC can throw away money on shows like Kath and Kim and Amrerica's Toughest Jobs then instead they could invest the money into taking this risk or resurrecting shows.
It seems Networks are scare to takes risks now, probably because the staff are scared that this one risk could cost them their job, but unless someone tries out theories like this then TV will never improve.
I know himymfan 22 just when you think you've heard it all on these forums someone comes up with something even more ridiculous! How on Earth would you resurrect these shows - the writers, actors, sets etc they are gone! A good percentage are in other shows! Why do you think the only shows that have been resurrected years after cancellation are animated shows! Though I do have to thank you Fifty this is the biggest LOL I have had in weeks.
You can't do same-night results shows for reality comps in the U.S., because of our four time zones (not counting Alaska and Hawaii) and the Mountain and Pacific time zones essentially showing delayed programming, not truly live. You have to do the results the night after the competition show--there is no choice but to.
Posts: 118 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: 03 October 2006
I think the Saturday is still a day networks can make a profit on (although it would have to be cost cutting reality shows or co-productions). However, NBC has so many holes to fill already, they can't begin to concentrate on it right now.
quote:
Originally posted by robycop3: In the USA, Saturdays are often reserved for other things besides watching TV, so it's hard to bring steady large viewership to Saturdays. The nets just don't wanna put money into it.
MONDAY 8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal" 9-10 p.m. “Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (from USA) 10-11 p.m. "Kings" (new show) With ratings in free fall, NBC should revamp the night and start fresh.
TUESDAY 8- 9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser" 9- 9:30 p.m "30 Rock" 9:30-10 p.m. "My Name is Earl" 10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Slim down the Biggest Loser (pun intended) and slap some comedies here. 30 Rock gets to go first because it skews more female and so does Loser.
WEDNESDAY 8-9 p.m. "Knight Rider" 9-10 p.m. "Life" 10-11 p.m. "Law & Order" I think that ratings will rebound once people realize Law & Order is back.
THURSDAY 8- 8:30 p.m. "The Office" 8:30-9 p.m. "Office Spin-Off" 9-10 p.m. “Heroes” / "Celebrity Apprentice" 10-11 p.m. "ER" / "The Listener" Move up the comedies to give a demo friendly and strong ratings lead into Heroes. When ER is done, put a show that's a hybrid between it and Heroes.
FRIDAY 8-9 p.m. “Chopping Block" 9-10 p.m. “Medium” 10-11 p.m. "Lipstick Jungle" Medium has done well for NBC and could potentially boost up the night. Maybe Ghost Whisper viewers craving more will flip over for Medium and stay on NBC for Lipstick.
SATURDAY 8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC” 9-11 p.m. Various Encores NBC has too many bigger problems the rest of the week than to worry about shaking up Saturday.
SUNDAY 7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC" 8-9 p.m. "Chuck" (new night) 9-10 p.m. "Merlin" (new show) 10-11 p.m. "The Philanthropist" (new show) Since NBC only has to worry about this night half the time, I figured why not?
NBC should really think of another schedule. They used to be the best, and now they have numbers CW style (MOWA, Lipstick Jungle). What would I do in their situation:
SUN: (after football) 8 Chuck 9 Heroes 10 Medium
Make is Sci-fi night one the football is over
MON: 8 Deal or no deal 9 Law and order SVU 10 Life
Completely new, SVU should be a good lead-in to Life.
TUE: 8 Biggest looser 9 30 rock 9.30 Kath and Kim 10 Lipstick jungle
Women's night.
WED: 8 Knight rider 9 Celebrity apprentice 10 Law and order
THUR: 8 My name is earl 8.30 ZIP 9 The Office 9.30 Office spin-off 10 Kings
FRI: 8 Dateline 9 Friday night lights 10 Something to burn-off
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Radoo,
Where's ER? Its one of NBC's highest rated dramas. They'll need it all year. Your lineup would result in lower ratings. Many of these programs just need to be tossed aside.
quote:
Originally posted by Radoo: NBC should really think of another schedule. They used to be the best, and now they have numbers CW style (MOWA, Lipstick Jungle). What would I do in their situation:
SUN: (after football) 8 Chuck 9 Heroes 10 Medium
Make is Sci-fi night one the football is over
MON: 8 Deal or no deal 9 Law and order SVU 10 Life
Completely new, SVU should be a good lead-in to Life.
TUE: 8 Biggest looser 9 30 rock 9.30 Kath and Kim 10 Lipstick jungle
Women's night.
WED: 8 Knight rider 9 Celebrity apprentice 10 Law and order
THUR: 8 My name is earl 8.30 ZIP 9 The Office 9.30 Office spin-off 10 Kings
FRI: 8 Dateline 9 Friday night lights 10 Something to burn-off
Doesn't ER end in february? And I agree that most of the shows are rally bad in the raitings, but howver they shoould keep something till the good shows come back. Actually the only show I watch on NBC is 30 rock.
NBC is in big trouble and they should do soemthing for the midseason to improuve a bit
There isn't a lineup that I could create in order to create a miracle second half comeback. NBC is in a state of decline and when football is done for good, the numbers will really reflect that. Instead, I'd focus on Fall of 2009.
Someone had the idea of programming specials and cheap reality filler on Sundays mid-season and I think it is a great idea. NBC ordered a lot of mini-series, specials, and reality shows that could easily fill in. Putting popular scripted series like Medium or promising newcomers like Kings here for half seasons is ruining its potential. NBC is 1st in the fall on Sundays with football, but because of it, can only hope to be 4th after it.
NBC has to rid itself on its reliance on Heroes. It's in a downward spiral. Instead, they should focus on L&O, L&O: SVU, and Medium. They should place them Mondays to Wednesdays at 10 PM mid-season and keep them into the fall, creating a stable 10 PM slate. Putting MOWE and LJ at 10 PM just created a spot where viewers fled in large numbers. Thursday at 10 PM they can plug in LAPD or Kings, whichever one is more promising. Both should get a mid-season tryout in that spot after ER is done. Possibly late April/May.
Fridays should just be DOND and 2 hour Datelines. Everything else doesn't work. In fact, by March, I'd put that schedule in place to get viewers ready for it by Fall of 2009.
America's Got Talent should come back in the fall, not summer. It should run 2 hours on Wednesday and 1 hour on Thursday. BL, even though it is risking further declining ratings due to oversatuation, should come in Tuesday for 2 hours. That just leaves Thursday at 9 PM for two comedies and Mondays 8 to 10 PM to figure out by Fall of 2009.
Thursday: 08:00 Office 08:30 Office Spin Off 09:00 30 Rock 09:30 Earl 10:00 ER
Friday: 08:00 Deal or no Deal 09:00 Knight Rider 10:00 Friday Night Lights
Sunday: 08:00 Heroes 09:00 Kings 10:00 Merlin
Heroes has to move somewhere where there is not much else on at that time.....Sunday at 8 seems to be the best spot in my opinion. 2 reality shows and 2 animated shows...Heroes should definitely be great counterprogramming there and maybe also help the promising Kings to survive.
I don't know if there are any other new shows available for NBC right now...
Now that we know what Fox and probably what ABC are doing, I think NBC should try this:
Mondays: DOND The Apprentice Medium
Fox will have two very powerful dramas. Time to salvage Chuck and Heroes. Medium goes back to being old faithful and I think the Apprentice is a very solid utility player.
Tuesdays: The Biggest Loser (back down to 90 minutes) My Name is Earl (These two did so well together when Earl debuted) Law and Order: SVU
Wednesdays: Knight Rider Life Law and Order
So Knight Rider and Life are likely screwed but its getting to the point where moving them to Fridays would likely result in even lower results. Dateline would fill from 8 to 10 during sweeps or longer if NBC decides to cancel Knight Rider/Life. Those two could burn off on Saturdays too. This night is so tough that NBC can't expect much here.
Thursdays: Chuck The Office 30 Rock ER
Extend ER to a full season. Move Chuck and promote it with the Office/30 Rock as a comedy block.
Fridays: Most Outrageous Moments Dateline Law and Order: Criminal Intent encores from USA
Saturdays: burn off night: remaining produced eps of Kath and Kim, Lipstick Jungle, My Own Worst Enemy, Cruose, and whatever else fails. Repeats of various programs fill when these shows are done.
Sundays after football: Dateline or a gameshow,something family oriented Friday Night Lights Heroes (non-stop new eps from Feb. onward) Kings (new drama)
Other new dramas and reality shows could then fill in for the Biggest Loser when it finishes in the spring and for the Apprentice when its finished in the spring. Should Knight Rider and Life get pulled and burned off on Saturdays, the 8pm Wed. hour would perhaps be another option as would holding off on Most Outrageous Moments for summer, sliding Dateline to 8 on Fridays and a new drama at 9.
The changes NBC should make for January (February in the case of their disastrous Friday lineup) are these...
Sun 7:00 Dateline 8:00 Knight Rider 9:00 Merlin 10:00 Kings
Mon 10:00 Medium
Tue 8:00 The Biggest Loser (Performance Show) 9:00 Celebrity Apprentice
Wed 8:00 The Biggest Loser (Results Show)
Fri 8:00 Dateline 9:00 Friday Night Lights 10:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
The big change they should make, but I'm sure won't, is to cut "The Biggest Loser" into two halves and use them to battle "American Idol," since it's one of the few shows they have that can do anything against that. And we all know how little "Knight Rider" will do against it, since it can't even do anything against "Dancing with the Stars." They can use "Biggest Loser" to help launch the new season of "The Apprentice" -- or even a new reality show, like "Chopping Block."
Friday should go to repurposed stuff, since they're dead on the night no matter what and shouldn't be spending money when a 6 share is about the best they can hope for.
"Deal or No Deal" primetime needs to take a frickin' break with the daytime edition on, and "My Own Worst Enemy," "Crusoe" and "Lipstick Jungle" are obviously done after their 13 episodes run out.
These changes will of course keep NBC deeply mired in fourth place.
