NBC's Ben Silverman Commits to 'Family Hour' at 8 PM and 'Adult Themes' at 10

amp160Iamp8217m not sure what I was expecting to hear at NBCamp8217s InfrontUpfront presentation yesterday but Iamp8217m pretty sure the words amp8220Eight oamp8217clock is the family hour on NBCamp8221 hadnamp8217t crossed my mindamp160That retrosounding remark was one of many upbeat declarations by a very genial Ben Silverman who was announcing the details of his first full season schedule as cochairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios Seriously I havenamp8217t heard a programming executive at a broadcast network speak enthusiastically about the amp8220family houramp8221 since the last millennium I half expected the walls of the Pegasus Roomamp160high atop 30 Rock to crack open an indication that the world had spun off its axisamp160The press had gathered to hear Silverman along with NBC Entertainment executive vice president Teri Weinberg NBC Universal Sales and Marketing president Michael Pilot and Network Ad Sales president Marianne Gambelli run through the very same smallscale presentation they are making to groups of advertising executives in New York Chicago and Los Angeles this year in lieu of the networkamp8217s traditional Upfront week extravaganza When asked virtually every NBC executive in the room noted that the reception from the advertising community to this new approach has been one of uniform enthusiasmamp160Certainly the dozens of reporters in attendance seemed to prefer this intimate information output a comfortable six weeks before the frenzy of Upfront week to the usual big show at Radio City Music Hall They also welcomed the opportunity to be able to focus on one networkamp8217s message far away from the compromising crunch of the broadcast pack in May Itamp8217s a win for NBC too which at present is enjoying the undivided attention of reporters and advertisers alike not to mention uncluttered media coverage of its new season plansamp160Actually Silverman and Co didnamp8217t merely reveal NBCamp8217s fall schedule and assorted midseason highlights as networks generally do in May They are all so high on the results of their development and scheduling efforts and so certain of their new yearround programming strategy that they shared with reporters NBCamp8217s primetime schedule all the way through to the end of summer 2009 a time span of 65 weeks NBCamp8217s summer amp821709 schedule is largely comprised of the same unscripted programming Americaamp8217s Got Talent American Gladitors The Biggest Loser Nashville Star Last Comic Standing that will play out in summer 2008 before and after the networkamp8217s coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Gamesamp160There will be hundreds of stories in the press about the specifics of the summer amp821708 fall amp821708 winter amp821709 and summer amp821709 primetime plans NBC unveiled yesterday but it is important to keep in mind that everything is subject to change at this early date amp8220We obviously always have to react in this threedimensional chess game we39re playingamp8221 Silverman cautioned Still the executives did a fine job in conveying a strong sense of structure and stability going forwardamp160The surprising takeaway from the day was the rather traditional message that Silverman put forth at a time when futurefocused technology and digital platforms are driving all media When I say amp8220traditionalamp8221 I mean it in the best possible way He spoke of NBCamp8217s commitment to family friendly programming at 8 pm which this fall will include the updated version of the 3980s hit Knight Rider on Tuesday and a series adaptation of the legendary story of Robinson Crusoe titled Crusoe on Fridayamp160At midseason the fantasy series Merlin about the early lives of Merlin and Arthur in the mythic city of Camelot will debut at 8 pm on Sunday Yes NBC is adapting two literary classics into primetime series Like the whole family hour thing I didn39t see that coming either In addition to familyfriendly programming and adventure series Silverman announced that NBC in the year ahead would offer up two fourhour miniseries events The Last Templar and XIII Patriotism was another big theme of the presentation Silverman actually beamed when he referred to NBCamp8217s summer season as its amp8220AllAmerican Summeramp8221amp160And how39s this for retro NBC wants to bring Saturday back amp8220We39re looking to you to come back to Saturday nightamp8221 Silverman said He wasn39t directing that statement toward the press Remember this was a runthrough of the presentation being made to advertisers amp8220If you come back we39ll come back We39re looking to bring back original programming We want to fill the docket from 811amp8221 At present NBC39s Saturday schedule will remain a mix of original editions of Dateline and repeats of scripted series through the end of summer 3909amp160Also on the feelgood front Silverman lit up the room when he confirmed that the critically acclaimed but ratings challenged Friday Night Lights would return for a third season the result of a multiplatform partnership with DirecTV There will be 13 new episodes that will begin running on DirecTV39s entertainment channel The 101 in October They will be seen on NBC at midseason amp8220Only 15 percent of our audience will be able to see FNL on DirecTVamp8221 Silverman said adding that the more DirecTV does to promote the series the better amp8220We also own the showamp8221 he notedamp160There was entirely too much enthusiasm expressed for the fact that Christian Slater this fall would be starring in a new drama series titled My Own Worst Enemy about a middle class suburban husband and father who is a secret government operative amp8220Christian Slater is a handpicked staramp8221 Silverman said of NBC39s success in signing himamp160Slater39s show will run at 10 pm the time slot Silverman designated as one for programming with amp8220adult themes and high end dramaamp8221amp160Among the new shows announced that seemed to generate the most interest An Americanized version of the Australian comedy series Kath ampamp Kim which Silverman dubbed amp8220the best comedy you have yet to seeamp8221 and a spinoff of The Office that will involve the entire creative team of the mother show No details about the latter were revealed amp8220The watermarked idea will not be shared todayamp8221 Silverman laughedamp160Silverman credited his team39s ability to announce so much new programming so far in advance of the traditional Upfront week to NBC39s decision to order new projects amp8220straight to seriesamp8221 bypassing the obstruction of the traditional pilot amp8211 something the network had started doing before the WGA strike amp8220Ninety percent of pilots are not representative of series and ultimately failamp8221 he said amp8220We39re not greenlighting anything without scriptsamp8221amp160This is key for advertisers he added noting that amp8220If you are an advertising partner you can read five or six scriptsamp8221 for one of NBC39s new shows There will be no more weektwo letdowns with new series or so NBC hopesamp160The presentation yesterday opened on a humorous note with a clip featuring Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson as their characters from The Office speaking to advertisers from what appeared to be a wild party at a club with dancing girls on the bar amp8220We39re coming to you from Ben39s officeamp8221 Carell as Michael Scott explained referring to Silverman39s depiction in the press this past year as a party guy

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NBC's Ben Silverman Commits to 'Family Hour' at 8 PM and 'Adult Themes' at 10

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"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

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NBC's Ben Silverman Commits to 'Family Hour' at 8 PM and 'Adult Themes' at 10

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