NBC Prime Changes for March, Plus Sports Changes

RDRx clients have been updated..

*All* APT2Go Posts About GOP Debate Vanish

12 Step Programs have a great suggestion: "Restraint of tongue and pen." In my case, it needs to be updated to include computer keyboards.

There are times I type before I think. Sometimes, white-hot text ends up being published here on NothingButChange.com, but only before it gets deleted from public view when I realize how silly/angry/useless my frustration on behalf of NBC local sales is. But it's never because I'm embarrassed about the decisions I've made; it's about how I said them.

Who knew that NBC would do a revisionist history regarding Monday night's GOP debate scheduling fiasco? I'm sure it's not about the coverage; it's about how they handled the On/Off/On/ItNeverHappened communication with affiliates.

NBC ReSchedules GOP Debate for Monday, Jan 23

No, this is not an old post. Yes, on Wednesday, NBC told the world the GOP debate would air, then on Friday, it cancelled the debate, restoring Fear Factor and Rock Center to Monday's prime, but too late for most traffic departments to deal with the change without working late.

Then, after the mess has been all cleaned up and the curses aimed towards 30 Rock are barely off traffic department lips... and Saturday afternoon, NBC changes Monday night prime, again.

Posted Saturday afternoon, NYC time:

Posted: 01/21/2012 12:13:50 PM
Air Date: 01/23/2012 Monday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC NEWS SPECIAL
Duration: 01:59:30
Type: Announcements
Message: The NBC News Republican Candidates Debate on a Special Edition of Rock Center will air on Monday, 1/23 at 9p-10:59:30pm ET/PT and 8p-9:59:30pm CT/MT. Please see schedule for format details and updated contingencies.

Update: Several hours later, all postings on the public APT2Go website regarding the On/Off/On made in the last 24 hours have been deleted. Like it never happened.

NBC Cancels GOP Debate In Prime for Monday Night

You know, I have no words for this. But I'll bet there are more than 200 traffic departments in America who have very harsh words for this kind of scheduling.

Posted: 01/20/2012 12:51:41 PM
Air Date: 01/23/2012 Monday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS
Duration: 00:59:30
Type: Announcements
Message: Prime Time reverts to original schedule on this night. Rock Center with Brian Williams is booked at 10pm ET. Please see updated schedule.

Posted: 01/20/2012 12:50:25 PM
Air Date: 01/23/2012 Monday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: FEAR FACTOR
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: Announcements
Message: Prime Time reverts to original schedule on this night. Fear Factor is booked at 9pm ET. Please see updated schedule.

I guess if the O&O's can deal with this, everyone else can, right?

The above was accurate all Friday. For example, look at the press release NBC sent out late Friday afternoon at TheFutonCritic.

While it still exists on the NBC Press Release website, here are the details for the Fear Factor episode.

You would think that would end the matter regarding Monday's primetime, right?
Wrong.

See the post from Saturday, January 21 above.

Fear Factor & Brian Williams Pre-empted Next Monday

For the GOP Primary Debate:

Posted: 01/19/2012 04:31:37 PM
Air Date: 01/23/2012 Monday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC NEWS SPECIAL
Duration: 01:59:30
Type: New Booking
Message: NBC NEWS SPECIAL: REPUBLICAN DEBATE is now booked.

All RDRx clients have been updated and published.

Now, it's up to local sales to move all of the spots already sold in FF and Rock Center W BW, and up to traffic to rebook them.

At least ODI readers here know about it before most, and all my clients have already gotten emails from their servers tonight.

Next day comment:

Found this on FutonCritic.com before dawn Friday morning:

[01/20/12 - 06:03 AM]
NBC to Air Florida Republican Presidential Primary Debate on Monday, January 23 at 9:00/8:00c
The event, taking place at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, is being sponsored by NBC News.
[via press release from NBC]

"NBC NEWS SPECIAL"

(X) "REPUBLICAN DEBATE"

01/23/2012 (09:00PM - 11:00PM) (Monday) :

Betty White, All Over Again This Saturday Night

Posted: 01/17/2012 05:38:39 PM
Air Date: 01/21/2012 Saturday
Start Time: 09:30:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: BETTY WHITE'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS
Duration: 00:30:00
Type: New Booking
Message: BETTY WHITE'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS is booked.

Posted: 01/17/2012 05:37:28 PM
Air Date: 01/21/2012 Saturday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPECIALS
Duration: 01:30:00
Type: New Booking
Message: BETTY WHITE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY: A TRIBUTE TO AMERICA'S GOLDEN GIRL is booked.

Hmm.. not much time for local stations to turn this around and sell it. Saturday's logs should be done in 48 hours. Ah, well.

NAACP Image Awards on Friday, 2/17

Air Date: 02/17/2012 Friday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NAACP IMAGE AWARDS
Duration: 02:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: NAACP IMAGE AWARDS is booked.

This plus other changes to First Quarter NBC Prime have been published to RDRx Gold clients, and is being changed now on Silver clients' MediaOffice systems.

They should see updates later today.. it helps they are in Mountain Time Zone, at least this month.

Sunday Nights Change in February

Including an OTO of Fear Factor on February 12th..

RDRx clients will find these changes in inventory on Tuesday.

OneDomain offices will be closed on Monday for the federal holiday.