SCRIPTED PROGRAMS REMAIN NBC’s ‘BREAD AND BUTTER—ZUCKER
PASADENA NBC Entertainment Pres. Jeff Zucker, who has been in job less than month, told TV critics at their semiannual annual tour here that “our bread and butter remains sitcoms and dramas and we will ultimately live and die on that.” But “obviously,” he said, with threat of strikes against networks and movie companies (CD Jan 11 p3), “we're going to look at nonscripted programming.” His boss, NBC West Coast Pres. Scott Sassa, said “some form of alternative programming” had become necessity for all networks. To that end, he said, NBC has 4 nonscripted shows in various stages of production -- 2 in-house and 2 from outside producers. Network bought reality quiz show Weakest Link from BBC that’s expected to be ready for airing in spring.
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As for strike possibilities, Sassa said “we have made plans and I hope that these plans go for naught.” NBC has been holding strike-contingency meetings for 10 months to devise plans. Network, Sassa said, rejected Chains reality series as not “right for the NBC brand.” Program was picked up by UPN. He said Zucker had “total authority” on such issues as giving “green light” to scripts and pilots, and, he said, “I will categorically tell you that [NBC Pres.] Bob Wright has never forced a decision on me in any way. There is a lot of input [from nonentertainment executives] but we make the decisions.”
Zucker said biggest difference between his new job and old one as exec. producer of Today is now “there are 17 people you have to go through to get something done.” In old job, he said he just gave orders. Being outsider in Hollywood can be advantage, he said, because “I have no allegiances [and] I'm not beholden to a big name.”
Sassa wasn’t asked about employment of minorities or networks’ push to relax 35% station ownership cap. He told us later that NBC wasn’t “specifically pushing any one thing” on regulatory front: “We want to have relaxation of all the rules across the board.” Sassa said NBC was “proud of the progress that we've made in the last year” on employment of minorities and buying from minority firms. On latter, he said, network has exceeded its 12-month goal in 6 months.
NBC had separate session for critics on XFL Football, which will air in prime time on network Sat. nights (and on UPN Sun. nights) starting next month. “It’s the ultimate of TV reality,” NBC Sports Pres. Dick Ebersol said. “The camera is there [with 20 players wearing microphones]. It can’t be turned off. The coach makes a bad call, an announcer is right in his face.” Co-owner Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Federation, said “cheerleaders will be made stars,” there will be fewer and shorter breaks for commercials and huge screens will entertain audience during breaks.
Announcers will sit on 50-yard line in stands, about 25 rows up, McMahon said, and will be “brutally honest. They're not going to have a network honcho hovering over them.” Las Vegas will establish odds on XFL games, he said, and those odds will be promoted “rather than hide it, like the NFL does.” Ebersol said NBC and XFL expect to make profit in 3rd year.
In earlier session, Sassa said of XFL “nobody knows what it’s going to be yet [but] it’s going to be real football.” Zucker said “it’s a big tent philosphy and there is room for everybody.” NBC has been meeting resistance from its West Coast affiliates on network’s request that they follow XFL games (which will end about 8 p.m. there) immediately with Sat. Night Live, which normally airs at 11:30 p.m. Sassa said decision on issue was expected to be made next week at Las Vegas meeting with affiliates’ board day before NATPE convention begins. -- Tack Nail
TV Critics’ Notebook…
CNN’s first pres., Reese Schonfeld, (1979-1982) has written book titled Me and Ted Against the World,” to be published Feb. 6 (Cliff Street Books, $25) that author says is “the unathorized story of the founding of CNN.” Statements about how CNN has improved over the years are “a dangerous myth,” Schonfeld says, claiming it was “ignoring its failings and creating its own mythology.” Author said Ted Turner “conned him when he was being recruited” to head first cable news network and discusses “arrogance” of traditional TV networks that helped CNN get started.