Ed Martin is also reporting from the Television Critics Association tour on individual networks' presentations exclusively for Jack MyersMedia Business Report subscribers at www.Jackmyers.com.
I always say that broadcast networks should take full advantage of every minute of their days at Television Critics Association tours, but NBC Universal's 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 one.
Part 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 NBC's seven new fall series, plus Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the network's 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 sessions.
On 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 USA's summer hit Covert Affairs to mingle at the former and MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell 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 mid-afternoon break during which four popular contestants from Top Chef served their signature dessert treats.
Bravo stole the spotlight at NBCU's 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 D.C., which premieres this Thursday.
Collectively, 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 won’t make it through the upcoming season. Critics would have welcomed panels with the casts of USA’s Burn Notice and White Collar, Syfy’s Ghost Hunters or any series in Bravo’s burgeoning Housewives franchise. For that matter, as reporters swarmed around her, and noting how much she enjoyed the spotlight, I couldn’t help but wonder why Salahi and her cast-mates didn’t appear in a panel of their own. That would have been a huge and timely newsmaker.
Tomorrow, 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 space.
Surely, 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 FX.
While I’m 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 O’Brien’s late night talk show on the latter. Most members of the TCA weren’t in New York City that week to experience it. A day filled with panels for Conan O’Brien and George Lopez, plus such series as TNT’s The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, Leverage, Dark BlueandMemphis Beat; TBS’s upcoming comedies Glory Days and Franklin & Bash, and Cartoon Network’s 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.