The New York State Supreme Court this month is hearing testimony as it decides if the Weinstein Co. violated a contract by not giving NBC Universal a chance to hold onto Project Runway, which is slated to move from Bravo to Lifetime in November. Remember, NBC U boss Jeff Zucker famously met with Harvey Weinstein on Feb. 22 to discuss the show's fate, when all the while Weinstein had already inked a $20 million-plus deal to give Heidi et al a new, bigger home.Some of the juicy bits disclosed during the court sessions, as reported by the New York Daily News:• Weinstein testified that NBC U paid Tim Gunn nothing during the first season of the show, and a mere $2,500 an episode for Season 2. • Zucker, when questioned about an email he sent directing Bravo to aggressively counterprogram Lifetime's Runway with repeats of previous cycles, shrugged, "I'm a competitive guy." • Weinstein admitted he "disliked Bravo management," though sources tell the tab that "hated" is a more...
read more
Well its been a while but now that all the poster boards have long been collecting dust a new episode of Earl has finally been unleashed and it did not disappoint After NBC President and CEO Jeff Zucker got the ball rolling with a quick recap and a good-natured joke or two about the writers strike we were back in Camden County Earl and Billie were of course right where we left them unconscious in the street As Randy commandeers an ambulance in order to rush him to the hospital Earl dreams of starring in a sitcom since TV has always been a source of solace This was an excellent way to kick off Earls return I think the onscreen dichotomy between the actual episode and a farcical send-up of classic TV really drove the point home that these writers are right on the cutting edge Also it was in this imagined show that the big buzz surrounding tonights installment played out Paris Hilton fresh off of her latest box office flop The Hottie and the Nottie
read more
Question: Although I really can't stand Jay Leno and much prefer Conan O'Brien, I was very surprised when NBC announced Conan would be replacing Leno in the near future. I assumed eventually it would be revealed why this happened, but I haven't read anything about that. I can't see Leno wanting to step down, and his ratings have been stellar for NBC. I could see NBC worrying about losing Conan, but Leno is young and hungry enough to captain The Tonight Show for many more years of big ratings. So do you have any insights about why this is happening?
Answer: NBC made the announcement three years ago that Jay would step down from the Tonight throne in 2009 and Conan would succeed him, the idea being to keep Conan at the network and lay the groundwork for a more orderly passing of the torch than what happened when Johnny Carson retired (a bruising and messy tug-of-war involving Leno and Letterman). The reason it's making headlines again is because there's new management at NBC Entertainment
...
read more
While NBC trots out its stars for the Television Critics Association press tour, the network’s execs are trying to decide on the future of weekend Today co-anchor Campbell Brown. When Brown’s contract expires at the end of the month, she will have an offer from CNN waiting for her. The cable news channel is trying to lure Brown with a substantial raise and a nightly program.But NBC News has the right to match CNN’s salary package. Insiders believe Brown has already made up her mind to leave, but NBC News president Steve Capus is making a last-ditch effort to keep her. He has the backing of NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker. Brown, who is also a frequent substitute for NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, has been with the network since 1998. — Reporting by Stephen Battaglio
read more
It was fair to wonder why NBC put Kevin Reilly in the executive ejector seat just after signing him to a new multi-year contract. After seeing the debut performance of his replacement, Ben Silverman, at the Television Critics Association press tour, we're not wondering anymore.Instead of doing a rope-a-dope with reporters because he's only been in the job a month, Silverman came out with guns blazing, firing off one programming announcement after another. He even made a deal with legendary sitcom producer Norman Lear. That's red meat for the TCA, since many of its members love TV the way it used to be.He's even ignored the mandate NBC chief
read more
