Network execs: "Uh, Mr. President...Ummm, you can have all the primetime airtime you want Friday or Saturday night!"
On Mar 18, 8:43 pm, Maybe <[email protected]> wrote: > On Mar 18, 4:35 pm, Bob in Jersey <[email protected]> wrote: > > > TVWeek hinted that Da Prez is getting 8 - 9 pm east on all four bigs > > for a presser...Tom Jicha in FLA hearing same...and Futon saying CBS > > is on board (bye, NCIS)... > > > As Slud...sorry, Drudge sez, Developing... > > You are not going to miss NCIS. From > TVWeek:http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/03/networks_grumbling_about_anoth.php > > <March 18, 2009 1:11 PM > > Networks Grumbling About Another Obama Primetime Speech > By Josef Adalian > > President Obama’s decision to hold another primetime news conference > is playing havoc with the networks’ sweeps schedules—and causing some > in the industry to grumble about the financial impact. > > The president has slated a news conference for Tuesday at 8 p.m. EDT, > his second since taking office two months ago. CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox > all have confirmed they plan to carry it. > > The networks won't be happy about it, however. > > Fox, which normally airs the performance episode of "American Idol" on > Tuesdays, has just decided to shift that episode to Wednesday, March > 25, from 8-10 p.m. The usual Wednesday results show will air on > Thursday, March 26, at 8 p.m. > > The move means Fox will have to preempt the planned March 25 episode > of "Lie to Me," as well as the March 26 episode of "Bones." A repeat > of "House" will follow the president's news conference on Tuesday. > > The changes mean "Idol" now will face off against CBS' March 26 > coverage of NCAA basketball. And "Survivor," which airs a special > Wednesday edition on March 25, will battle "Idol" that night. > > As for the other networks, NBC plans to shift "The Biggest Loser" into > the 9-11 p.m. timeslot, bumping "Law & Order: SVU" for a week. CBS, > meanwhile, will shift "NCIS" and "The Mentalist" to 9 and 10 p.m., > respectively, preempting "Without a Trace" for a week. > > Of even more concern to network executives, however, is the financial > impact to broadcasters. > > “Every time the president disrupts primetime, the networks lose > another couple million dollars,” one TV industry insider said. “In > this economy, that’s the last thing we need.” > > Networks lose money because presidential appearances are commercial- > free, meaning any time the networks cover the president, they lose > advertising availabilities that can never be replaced. > > The same insider conceded the economic crisis makes these “unusual > times,” and that networks understand the president’s desire to > communicate to Americans. “If there’s news, they’ll cover it,” the > executive said. > > President Obama had talked to the networks about a primetime speech > following the signing of the economic stimulus bill, but opted against > it, in part, perhaps, because the networks indicated their displeasure > in a Washington Post article published Feb. 6. > > “His economic stimulus package apparently does not extend to the TV > networks,” the Post quoted one network executive as complaining. > > In addition to his first primetime press conference last month, the > president delivered an address to both houses of Congress. > > Slate.com is reporting that President Obama is mulling the idea of > shorter, 10-minute “fireside chats” to keep Americans up to date on > the economy.< > > Maybe...but I don't like American Idol against Survivor --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... Smart (TV) People on Ice! 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
