Nets rebuild for midseason
David
Networks: Let us now rebuild
Patching wounded schedules for the midseason
By Toni Fitzgerald
It's no news flash that this hasn't been a great season thus far
for the broadcast networks. But with the first sweeps period of the
year nearly over, and viewership way down, they're now moving on to
the rebuilding stage.
All four are making changes between now and the next sweeps period
in February, some of which were announced during yesterday’s sweeps
press conferences.
“I think a lot of these things need to be taken case by case,”
said ABC Entertainment president Susan Lyne when asked about audience
decay yesterday. “It’s one thing we’re all aware of. It takes time for
viewers to sample the new shows now. There are obviously so many
different things competing opposite each other for people that they
are sampling a lot more slowly.”
Those things include cable and the internet, which have been blamed
for the decline in male 18-34 viewership this year. But there have
been scheduling problems as well.
With that in mind, yesterday the networks began explaining their
midseason strategies. ABC and Fox, which placed third and fourth in
18-49s during sweeps, will be making the most extensive schedule
changes. NBC and CBS are also tinkering, though less than the others.
ABC
ABC will introduce a new comedy, “The Big House,” this spring. The
show stars Kevin Hart as a kind of anti-Fresh Prince who goes from a
wealthy Malibu family to a struggling Philly one.
The network also reiterated its promise to return “Karen Sisco” to
the schedule. Though Lyne wouldn’t say what the new time slot would
be, speculation has it airing on Sundays at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m.,
alongside similar strong-chick show “Alias.” Lyne did say that it will
air in place of another drama's reruns.
CBS
CBS’s Les Moonves said that the network will permanently replace
the canceled “Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.” at 10 p.m. Wednesday with
“48 Hours” starting next week. “Hours’” Saturday 8 p.m. slot will be
filled by “Star Search” starting Jan. 17.
He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
Moonves confirmed that sitcom “The Stones,” a bumped candidate for
the fall schedule, will air at midseason, along with futuristic legal
drama “Century City.”
NBC
NBC and Fox both once again accused Nielsen Media Research of
faulty number keeping, citing dips of more than 30 percent among men
18-34 for shows such as “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Frasier” (pointed
out by Fox) and “The Simpsons” (pointed out by NBC and denied by Fox).
NBC brought out Donald Trump to say that his new reality show “The
Apprentice” will debut Thursday Jan. 8 at 8:30 p.m. after “Friends.”
The next week it will move to Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
That boots “Ed” back to Fridays, where it will finish the season at
9 p.m., taking new show “Miss Match’s” place. NBC Entertainment
president Zucker said new episodes of “Match” will return after “Ed’s”
season ends in March or April.
NBC also said that a second edition of "Average Joe" will begin
airing right after the current one, keeping the show on the air until
March.
Fox
Fox zinged Nielsen again, saying there had to be some sort of
problem with the numbers, and said it was retaining an independent
auditor to take a look.
The network has four new series premiering at midseason: “Cracking
Up,” “The Ortegas,” “Still Life” and “Wonder Falls,” though Fox
Entertainment president Gail Berman declined to say which time slots
they will fill.
The network did say that several more reality series will join the
schedule, though declining to elaborate. Berman said that despite its
struggles, “Boston Public” likely will remain on Fridays.
WB
Though it did not hold a conference, the WB announced the return of
"The Surreal Life" Jan. 11 at 9 p.m., taking the place of "Tarzan."
The "Life" finale will air Feb. 22.
Patty Winter
David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>from media life magazine
>
> He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
Oh, I hope not. One of the reasons the original CSI was so intriguing
was because it wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. Even Miami hasn't
had many dramas. Please, please let it be somewhere fresh and new.
Patty
Farrell8882
>Oh, I hope not. One of the reasons the original CSI was so intriguing
>was because it wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. Even Miami hasn't
>had many dramas. Please, please let it be somewhere fresh and new.
Yes. How about Sheboygan?
James
>
>Oh, I hope not. One of the reasons the original CSI was so intriguing
>was because it wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. Even Miami hasn't
>had many dramas. Please, please let it be somewhere fresh and new.
>
CSI: Fargo. Frances McDormand could use the work.
I truly would like to see this. I do not want to see another generic shock
value gimmickfest like CSI:Miami.
David
>diml...@yahoo.com (David) wrote:
>
>>from media life magazine
>>
>>Networks: Let us now rebuild
>>Patching wounded schedules for the midseason
>>By Toni Fitzgerald
>>
>
>
>
>>
>
>>
>>ABC
>>
>
>>
>> The network also reiterated its promise to return “Karen Sisco” to
>>the schedule. Though Lyne wouldn’t say what the new time slot would
>>be, speculation has it airing on Sundays at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m.,
>>alongside similar strong-chick show “Alias.” Lyne did say that it will
>>air in place of another drama's reruns.
>
>Are they planning to move "The Practice" to another time slot?
>Currently it airs in the 1PM slot. Also isn't "10-8" on at 8PM? I
>thought both shows were doing well in their current time slots so why
>move them just to provide a slot for "Karen Sisco".
They'll probably just take "Practice" or "10-8" off the air for 6
weeks.
Joseph Nebus
>from media life magazine
>Networks: Let us now rebuild
>Patching wounded schedules for the midseason
>By Toni Fitzgerald
And in the news of the future, March 2004:
Networks rebuilding for May Sweeps
Joseph Nebus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Johnston
>ABC
>
> ABC will introduce a new comedy, “The Big House,” this spring. The
>show stars Kevin Hart as a kind of anti-Fresh Prince who goes from a
>wealthy Malibu family to a struggling Philly one.
<gag>
>
> The network also reiterated its promise to return “Karen Sisco” to
>the schedule. Though Lyne wouldn’t say what the new time slot would
>be, speculation has it airing on Sundays at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m.,
>alongside similar strong-chick show “Alias.” Lyne did say that it will
>air in place of another drama's reruns.
>
>CBS
>
> CBS’s Les Moonves said that the network will permanently replace
>the canceled “Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.” at 10 p.m. Wednesday with
>“48 Hours” starting next week. “Hours’” Saturday 8 p.m. slot will be
>filled by “Star Search” starting Jan. 17.
>
> He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
Is anyone else having "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" flashbacks?
At least with Law and Order one of the spinoffs is a fundamentally
different kind of cop show.
>
> Moonves confirmed that sitcom “The Stones,” a bumped candidate for
>the fall schedule, will air at midseason, along with futuristic legal
>drama “Century City.”
Oh good. I want to see that one before it is cancelled.
David
Johnston) wrote:
>> He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
>>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
>
>Is anyone else having "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" flashbacks?
>At least with Law and Order one of the spinoffs is a fundamentally
>different kind of cop show.
They're all pretty different. "Law & Order" is cut-and-dried police
procedural/lawyer show, "SVU" is more sensationalistic and also gets
inside the lives of the detectives and the guest characters, and
"Criminal Intent" is so "Columbo" to a point where it no longer seems
realistic and should exist in a different tv universe than the other
two shows.
Maureen Goldman
>> He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
>>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
> >pat...@wintertime.com (Patty Winter) wrote:
>Oh, I hope not. One of the reasons the original CSI was so intriguing
>was because it wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. Even Miami hasn't
>had many dramas. Please, please let it be somewhere fresh and new.
Perhaps they could have a CSI locale with a cold winter. Not sure if
Alaska would be a good idea, though. Having said that, I'll guess
Hawaii.
David
Put me down for New Orleans
David Johnston
>On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 20:33:01 GMT, bl...@telusplanet.net (David
>Johnston) wrote:
>
>>> He said that the new “CSI” spinoff, expected next fall, will be set
>>>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
>>
>>Is anyone else having "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" flashbacks?
>>At least with Law and Order one of the spinoffs is a fundamentally
>>different kind of cop show.
>
>They're all pretty different. "Law & Order" is cut-and-dried police
>procedural/lawyer show, "SVU" is more sensationalistic and also gets
>inside the lives of the detectives and the guest characters,
I find the differences between SUV and Law & Order to be trivial.
The crimes on average are a bit sicker and the prosecutor is less
important. That's about it. Now Law and Order: Goren, that's a
different show.
S John M-M
Johnston) wrote:
>
>I find the differences between SUV and Law & Order to be trivial.
>The crimes on average are a bit sicker and the prosecutor is less
>important. That's about it. Now Law and Order: Goren, that's a
>different show.
Just wait until next year; "Law and Order: Joey Tribbiani sleuth
extrodinare."
dre...@yahoo.com
>president Zucker said new episodes of “Match” will return after “Ed’s”
>season ends in March or April.
>
Is there any precedent for a show that bombed in the fall, but managed
to rebound out-of-season?
Maureen Goldman
>>Perhaps they could have a CSI locale with a cold winter. Not sure if
>>Alaska would be a good idea, though. Having said that, I'll guess
>>Hawaii.
> >diml...@yahoo.com (David) wrote:
>Put me down for New Orleans
Hadn't thought of New Orleans for as a CSI background - REALLY
interesting idea, David. Has any show ever been set there?
David Johnston
The Big Easy, which is currently on cable in Canada.
>
dre...@yahoo.com
wrote:
>Oh, I hope not. One of the reasons the original CSI was so intriguing
>was because it wasn't set in New York or Los Angeles. Even Miami hasn't
>had many dramas. Please, please let it be somewhere fresh and new.
>
And yet they're all shot near Hollywood.
David
"Bourbon Street Beat" in the 60's
Joseph Nebus
They added a prosecutor to Special Victims Unit? When'd that
happen?
(What I find most curious about the various Laws and Orderen is
that I feel a mild unease at Special Victims Unit, distaste at the show's
revelling in sex crimes -- which, admittedly, are integral to the show.
Somehow the various murders and all at Law and Order Prime don't seem
nearly as salacious; somehow murder seems less offensive than rape. This
is entirely my problem, but I'm intrigued by that instinctive revulsion.)
Joseph Nebus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David
> On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 21:16:35 GMT, diml...@yahoo.com (David) wrote:
>
> >On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 20:33:01 GMT, bl...@telusplanet.net (David
> >Johnston) wrote:
> >
> >>>in one of four cities, possibly including New York.
> >>
> >>Is anyone else having "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" flashbacks?
> >>At least with Law and Order one of the spinoffs is a fundamentally
> >>different kind of cop show.
> >
> >They're all pretty different. "Law & Order" is cut-and-dried police
> >procedural/lawyer show, "SVU" is more sensationalistic and also gets
> >inside the lives of the detectives and the guest characters,
>
> I find the differences between SUV and Law & Order to be trivial.
> The crimes on average are a bit sicker and the prosecutor is less
> important. That's about it. Now Law and Order: Goren, that's a
> different show.
I think the cases are usually interchangeable but the main difference
between the shows in "L&O" is more procedurial and trapped within the
basic framework while "SVU" is often infused with emotion and veers
into Lifetime movie territory. Like last week Detective Benson dealt
with the guilt of not believing a rape victim and was accused of
murdering the rapist and a few weeks ago the detectives dealt with a
pregnant woman who had a drinking problem. And last year Stabler
travelled to Eastern Europe to stop a pedophile. These kinds of
stories wouldn't work on the original "Law & Order"
lazarus
We did a big discussion on this a while back on the CSI group.
Someone either here or there came up with Avery Brooks for the head
CSI if they do go for Miami.
If they do cold weather, I'd like to see Chicago. Or maybe Seattle,
not many crime dramas in that area, right?
--
laz
I am the Dread Pirate Roberts #23546.
Ask me about franchise opportunities!