On Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 9:26 PM, Kevin M. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > So, NBC is going with a show they know won't achieve high ratings > (affiliate heads will love that, by the way), and the show won't earn > them DVD revenues. And, by playing this time-shifting game, they've > potentially muddied their own long standing late night dominance > (plus, if Fallon fails against Craig, they lose in a whole other way).
Your point implies that the alternative is a show they know will achieve high ratings - but NBC has not shown much ability to do that lately. the L&Os and ER are the only 10:00 programs that have attracted more viewers than the Leno show is likely to attract. What NBC is really saying is that that they will go with a show that they know is going to achieve middle of the road ratings. It is a safe strategy, not a sexy or daring one. As a viewer I am bummed because I like "My Own Worst Enemy" and I hate the Leno Tonight Show, but it seems like a pretty good strategy on NBC part given the environment. With ER going off the air NBC would have to come up with three 10:00 shows for next year (assuming the L&Os still have enough legs to pull in 8 mil+ viewers next year). How many pilots and under performing shows would NBC have to pay for to find 3 programs on their schedule that will do better than what the Leno show will average? They may underperform 2 nights a week at 10:00 (but then they will be able to put those two shows back at 9:00, making their remaining schedule stronger) but I think over the next couple of years you will find most corporations would trade speculative upsides for reliable but middling performance. This seems to me to be risk management in uncertain times. And, since NBC is on record as considering getting out of the 10:00 pm programming business anyway, there is not a lot of downside for them. If the Leno experiment tanks, they can just transition to the 2 hour/night primetime schedule. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Like TV only smarter. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
