NBC at TCA: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen Seize the Day

Ed Martin Live from TCA quotSpecial from Jack Myers Media Business ReportquotIn the absence of a controversy or major theme during the 2011 Winter Television Critics Association tour we have a budding trend The programming from their basic cable siblings that broadcasters are increasingly adding to their TCA days is proving to be more interesting than that offered by the broadcasters themselves In fact in some cases the cable programming is so fresh and accessible that when presented in such close proximity itamp8217s making the broadcast fare suffer by comparisonABC set this turn of events in motion on Monday when during its very abbreviated day it slotted a session for ABC Familyamp8217s breakout hit Pretty Little Liars right in front of one for the broadcasteramp8217s brand new medical drama Off the Map The latter generated as much interest among TCA members on Monday as it did among viewers on Wednesday which is to say not very much at all Liars meanwhile came off greatNBC at TCA didnamp8217t do all that much to excite critics about its new broadcast fare either The day included presentations for four sleepy new midseason series all lumped together in the afternoon after several hours of really appealing cable offerings In what may be a first for a broadcast network at a TCA tour NBCamp8217s day did not include any sessions with any of its executives though a number of them including outgoing NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin were floating around the ballroom and lobby here at the Langham Huntington Hotel Granted the NBC executive roster is currently in a state of frozen flux pending government approval of Comcastamp8217s acquisition of NBC Universal but does that mean that none of them are allowed to get up on a stage make the necessary excuses legal or otherwise for not taking questions about the big changes to come and then address programs that are currently on or about to join the NBC lineupWhile NBC came up a bit short its parent companyamp8217s cable networks enjoyed a very good TCA showing beginning with a very informal breakfast for USA Network in a poolside restaurant at the hotel It was everything that a TCA activity should be A gathering of popular personalities from new and returning shows in this instance they included Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay of White Collar Mark Feuerstein and Henry Winkler of Royal Pains and Sarah Shahi and Michael Trucco of Fairly Legal along with key executives from the network all of them ready willing and able to talkPress conferences for the upcoming Syfy series Being Human and Face Off followed Being Human which isnamp8217t so much a remake as an expanded version of the popular BBC series about three supernatural twentysomethings who live together and try to help each other survive is so engaging that it has a strong shot at becoming Syfyamp8217s next big thing The reporters bloggers and critics in the room were certainly impressed Face Off a reality competition series featuring up and coming special effects makeup artists has as its host actress McKenzie Westmore who comes from a family of legendary Hollywood makeup artistsBravo added some drama to the day with its press conference for the upcoming songwriting competition series Platinum Hit which features the recently dismissed American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi as its head judge When one critic dared ask if she would amp8220clear up the circumstances under which she found she was no longer with Idolamp8221 DioGuardi stiffenedamp8220Iamp8217m happy to address that with you privatelyamp8221 she said amp8220But today Iamp8217m really here for Platinum Hit and to celebrate thatamp8221A number of critics began to boo amp8211 the season premiere of the retooled Idol next week being a big story right now and all amp8220Youamp8217re here because of that showamp8221 one called out in obvious exasperationamp8220I have to answer thatamp8221 DioGuardi replied clearly not pleased by the criticamp8217s call amp8220Idol was an incredible experience It really was But Iamp8217m here as a songwriter and Iamp8217ve sold over 150 million albums Thatamp8217s what I love about this show It enables me to help young songwriters to be able to reach the market and have successamp8221amp8220Kara was writing songs for artists and publishing and mentoring up and coming writers way before she was on American Idolamp8221 her Platinum Hit executive producer Evan Bogart chimed inSeveral critics later concluded that a simple statement from DioGuardi about her departure from Idol would likely have generated twice the publicity for Platinum than her comments during the sessionNBCamp8217s final cable presentation of the day was an Oxygen session for The Glee Project a reality talent competition billed as the first unscripted spinoff of a scripted series on another network It is in every way a companion show to the Fox hit In fact the winner will receive a sevenepisode gueststarring role on the third season of Glee Oxygen also made news with the announcement of a new observational reality series with the selfexplanatory title The World According to Paris Hilton Paris and her mother Kathy were bustling around the Langham hotel throughout much of the day tending to matters involving their new project but did not appear on stage to promote it Had they done so the Oxygen session might have become the second most tweetedabout event of this entire tour behind only the appearance of Oprah WinfreyIn fairness the final session of NBCamp8217s day amp8211 a lively press conference with the cast of Communityamp8211 proved to be one of the touramp8217s best broadcast sessions And the network tossed a terrific party last night featuring stars from many of its shows But even there the companyamp8217s basic cable excitement dwarfed the big broadcaster The stars that many TCA members were the most excited to see included Paris Hilton and the casts of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and The Real Housewives of New York City

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NBC at TCA: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen Seize the Day

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NBC at TCA: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen Seize the Day

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