TCA Cable Crisis: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and MSNBC Get Two Hours Combined Counting Meals, FX Gets an Entire Day - Ed Martin - MediaBizBloggers

Ed Martin is also reporting from the Television Critics Association tour on individual networks39 presentations exclusively for Jack Myers Media Business Report subscribers at wwwJackmyerscomI always say that broadcast networks should take full advantage of every minute of their days at Television Critics Association tours but NBC Universal39s schedule here at the Summer 2010 tour on Friday has forced me to reconsider my standard recommendation In twenty years of attending TCA tours I have never experienced a day as riotously overloaded as that onePart of the problem was that in addition to an executive session with NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin and NBC Primetime President Angela Bromstad and panels for NBC39s seven new fall series plus Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the network39s upcoming presentation of the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards the company crushed sessions for cable cousins USA Network the upcoming action drama Facing Kate which looks like yet another winner for USA and Syfy a new reality series titled Hunting Hollywood and the returning Destination Truth There was simply no way for critics and reporters to give proper attention to all of these sessionsOn the plus side NBC did everything right when it came to taking every opportunity to promote additional properties between its sessions even if it did add to the sensory overload of it all Since the company was serving breakfast and lunch to the press anyway it brought in the cast of USA39s summer hit Covert Affairs to mingle at the former and MSNBC host Lawrence O39Donnell and network president Phil Griffin to work the room during the latter There was much promotion of The Biggest Loser and its expanding product line all day in the lobby area outside the main ballroom at the Beverly Hilton where all TCA panels take place Bravo was represented at a themed midafternoon break during which four popular contestants from Top Chef served their signature dessert treatsBravo stole the spotlight at NBCU39s party that night when alleged White House party crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi arrived Michaele is one of the stars of The Real Housewives of DC which premieres this ThursdayCollectively the cable networks of NBCU have become so strong and their programs so popular with the press that it is time for them to claim at least a half a TCA day of their own though they could easily fill a full day at least at the Summer tours Sessions for their hugely popular shows should not be squeezed in between new broadcast product much of which wonamp8217t make it through the upcoming season Critics would have welcomed panels with the casts of USAamp8217s Burn Notice and White Collar Syfyamp8217s Ghost Hunters or any series in Bravoamp8217s burgeoning Housewives franchise For that matter as reporters swarmed around her and noting how much she enjoyed the spotlight I couldnamp8217t help but wonder why Salahi and her castmates didnamp8217t appear in a panel of their own That would have been a huge and timely newsmakerTomorrow FX will enjoy an entire day to itself This piece of TCA real estate was formerly a second day for Fox which like the other broadcast networks now confines itself to one TCA day The day will include an executive session with FX Networks President and General Manager John Landgraf and panels for six new and returning shows This will be somewhat historic for the TCA in that a single cable network pay or basic has never commanded an entire day during a tour Given the quality of its original programs FX certainly deserves the time and spaceSurely NBCU can step up and show its burgeoning cable properties similar respect Indeed there are many unscripted NBCU cable series that command even more attention in certain segments of the press than the quality dramas and clever comedies on FXWhile Iamp8217m on the subject it is flatly unacceptable that the Turner Networks have chosen not to present anything at this tour There was huge excitement in May during Upfront week surrounding the new and returning original summer series on TNT and TBS not to mention the arrival this fall of Conan Oamp8217Brienamp8217s late night talk show on the latter Most members of the TCA werenamp8217t in New York City that week to experience it A day filled with panels for Conan Oamp8217Brien and George Lopez plus such series as TNTamp8217s The Closer Rizzoli ampamp Isles Leverage Dark Blue and Memphis Beat TBSamp8217s upcoming comedies Glory Days and Franklin ampamp Bash and Cartoon Networkamp8217s Unnatural History not to mention CNN sessions with Anderson Cooper about his marathon Gulf Oil Spill coverage and the soon to depart Larry King would have been most appreciated Talk about missed opportunities

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TCA Cable Crisis: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and MSNBC Get Two Hours Combined Counting Meals, FX Gets an Entire Day - Ed Martin - MediaBizBloggers

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TCA Cable Crisis: USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and MSNBC Get Two Hours Combined Counting Meals, FX Gets an Entire Day - Ed Martin - MediaBizBloggers

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