Let's Get Ready for 2011

Our Birmingham offices are closed until Monday morning.

Happy New Year!

NY Day NHL May Get Snowed Out

Posted: 12/29/2010 11:25:22 AM
Type: Announcements
Message: Weather forecast/conditions on Jan. 1 afternoon in Pittsburgh remain uncertain for NHL play. APT will display alternate scheduling possibilities for your review later today.

Update:

Air Date: 01/01/2011 Saturday
Start Time: 01:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Duration: 03:00:00
Type: Announcements
Message: If the Jan.1st NHL game cannot begin as scheduled on Saturday @ 1p ET, NBC has developed 3 alternate schedule/contingency plans. A = delayed Sat. Afternoon start, B = Sat. Prime Time start and C = Sun. Jan. 2 at 12n ET. While these base plans are now avail in APT, variations of each are very possible. Also, NHL format is subject to modification day-of-air based upon actual schedule. Some stn brks may air twice. Monitor SOS message system on Jan. 1 for possible updates.

---------------------------------

Wow... after last weekend's snow-out of NFL, NBC traffic departments did not need this.

Sunday Night Football Rescheduled for Tuesday Night Prime

Premier clients already have revised inventory, as well as new estimates for audiences tomorrow night.

Merry Christmas!

ODI offices in Birmingham will close at 1pm CST today.

http://onedomain-data.blogspot.com/2010/12/offices-closed-for-christmas.html

I'll be checking APT daily, because we all know that NBC loves last minute changes.

All NBC RDRx Clients Updated

Everyone has November 2010-based audience estimates through 2nd Quarter of 2011 for all programming except sports.

Merry Christmas!

Chattanooga Data Arrives..

Nielsen has changed their distribution of sweeps data this time. In all previous major sweeps, Nielsen burned data on DVDs, then used FedEx to ship them to third-party processors. With the slow roll-out of monthly data (for some markets) came electronic distribution of sweeps info.

Premium RDRx clients got their data today. The most senior of them all goes first.

By close of business today, Chattanooga time, WRCB will have completely revised quarterly and specials Selling Books based on November 2010 data.

Monday, December 27th Back To Chuckathon

Hmm... this is becoming a trend.

Monday, December 27th, is going back to being a CHUCK marathon night, with 3 episodes of CHUCK airing at 8, 9 & 10PM ET/PT to give the show some extra sampling over the holidays.


Monday, December 27th:
8:00-9:00 CHUCK (Repeat)
9:00-10:00 CHUCK (Repeat)

This removes an encore Walk In My Shoes.

Next Monday Night Changed Again!

Back to a 2 hour SingOff, then Perfect Couple at 10pE/P, then a repeat Office at 10:30p.

In the last three days, both Fox and NBC have announced changes for the next week's programming and within hours, voided the change and rescheduled yet again. Is Fox learning bad habits from NBC?

Plus Thursday, Dec 30th prime as well.

Air Date: 12/30/2010 Thursday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: OUTSOURCED
Duration: 00:30:00
Type: New Booking

Premium RDRx clients have already been updated.

More Changes For Next Monday Night

Posted: 12/16/2010 07:44:32 PM
Air Date: 12/20/2010 Monday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: PERFECT COUPLES
Duration: 00:29:30
Type: New Booking
Message: PERFECT COUPLES is booked at 10:00pm. Please note: This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information.

Posted: 12/16/2010 07:40:02 PM
Air Date: 12/20/2010 Monday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: THE SING OFF
Duration: 02:00:00
Type: Format
Message: THE SING OFF is now 2 hours. Please see schedule for updated format. Please note: This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information.

Miss Universe in 2011

Monday, September 12th
9:00-11:00 2011 MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (Original) (Live)

Winter Prime Changes

Lots of changes to Winter Prime, including next Monday night.

Monday, December 20th
8:00-10:30 THE SING OFF (Original) (Live finale)
10:30-11:00 PERFECT COUPLES (Original) (Preview)

Monday, December 27th
8:00-10:00 A WALK IN MY SHOES (Repeat)

Friday, December 31st
9:00-10:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Thursday, January 13th
8:30-9:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
9:30-10:00 THE OFFICE (Repeat)
10:00-10:30 30 ROCK (Repeat)
10:30-11:00 30 ROCK (Repeat)

Friday, January 21st and January 28th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Sunday, January 23rd
7:00-8:00 DATELINE (Original)
8:00-11:00 MOVIE: SEX IN THE CITY (Original)

Sunday, February 6th
7:00-8:00 WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? (Repeat)
8:00-9:00 WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? (Repeat)
9:00-11:08 DATELINE (Repeat)

Sunday, February 13th
9:00-11:00 MOVIE: JUNO (Original)

Sunday, February 20th
7:00-9:00 DATELINE (Original)
9:00-11:00 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE BACKSTAGE (working title) (Original)

Sunday, February 27th
7:00-8:00 DATELINE (Repeat)
8:00-9:03 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)
9:03-10:06 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)
10:06-11:08 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Premium RDRx client inventories and selling book estimates will be updated tonight so sales has the right stuff when they arrive Thursday morning.

Others will be updated tomorrow.

(Oh, and 3rd Quarter Golf was booked today, too.)

NBC Books Second Quarter Golf

"The 2011 Second Quarter Golf package is now booked for the following dates: 4/2, 4/3, 4/16, 4/17, 5/14, 5/15, 5/28, 5/29, 6/16, 6/17, 6/18, and 6/19."

Premiere RDRx clients will be updated tonight. Others will be updated tomorrow.

NY Times on TV's Near Future

Go ahead, you won't slice your wrists after reading it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/business/media/07adco.html

1st Quarter Sports Changes

Air Date: 03/13/2011 Sunday
Start Time: 03:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: GOLF
Duration: 04:00:00
Type: Show Name
Message: Program Title Change: PGA Tour: WGC-Doral

Air Date: 03/12/2011 Saturday
Start Time: 02:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: GOLF
Duration: 04:00:00
Type: Show Name
Message: Program Title Change: PGA Tour: WGC-Doral

Air Date: 02/27/2011 Sunday
Start Time: 01:30:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: GOLF
Duration: 00:30:00
Type: New Booking
Message: GLOBAL GOLF ADVENTURE is booked. Please advise clearance.

Holiday Hours

ODI's Birmingham offices will be closed from sometime Wednesday afternoon until Monday morning, November 29th.

Urgent NBC Updates will be applied during this period to RDRx Premium Clients only.

(Yes, Ralph, that's you!)

NBC "Fills & Tweaks" December & January Prime

The following will be booked:

MONDAY

Monday, December 20th and December 27th
10:00-11:00 CHUCK (Repeat)

Monday, December 27th
9:00-10:00 CHUCK (Repeat) (Original)

TUESDAY

Tuesday, December 28th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)
9:00-11:00 THE BIGGEST LOSER: WHERE ARE THEY NOW SPECIAL? (Repeat)

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, December 8th
10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER: SVU (Repeat) (through December 29th)

Wednesday, December 22nd and 29th
8:00-9:00 UNDERCOVERS (Original)

THURSDAY

Thursday, December 23rd
10:00-11:00 THE OFFICE (Repeat)

SATURDAY

Saturday, December 18th
8:00-9:00 THE OFFICE (Repeat)

Saturday, December 25th
8:00-8:30 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
8:30-9:00 30 ROCK (Repeat)

Saturday, January 1st
8:00-9:00 LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES (Repeat)

NY Times on NBC's "Quid Pro Prince" Special Tonight

Here's the Link

RDRx Clients Now Have First & Second Quarter Prime Estimates

Selling Book estimates and inventory for Prime and Specials have been fully updated in RDRx client systems.

If you're an NBC station with OneDomain, and your inventory isn't already updated, give your ODI rep a call and find out how we can help.

Prime Changes Tomorrow Night - Blame England

ATTN: NBC Program Directors

We are changing our prime schedule on Wednesday (tomorrow) November 17th.

DATELINE will present a one-hour special covering the just-announced engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton from 8-9pm ET. The special will talk about their story from the beginning and feature interviews with their friends and also contain exclusive video of the future princess.

Winter NBC Schedule Announced

MONDAYS
8-9 p.m. - "Chuck"
9-10 p.m. - "THE CAPE" will premiere with a two-hour episode on Sunday, January 9 (9-11 p.m.). New episodes start in its regular time period on January 17 (9-10 p.m.)
10-11 p.m. - "HARRY'S LAW' (beginning January 17)
9-10 p.m. - "The Event" (returns on February 28, 9-11 p.m.; resumes in its regular time slot March 7)
10-11 p.m. -- "Parenthood" (debuts in this slot March 7 with all originals)

TUESDAYS
8-10 p.m. -- "The Biggest Loser: Couples" (beginning January 4)
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood" (beginning January 4 for four episodes)
10-11 p.m. -- "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (beginning February 8)

WEDNESDAYS
8-9 p.m. -- "Minute to Win It" (beginning January 5)
9-10 p.m. -"Chase" (beginning January 12)
10-11 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (originals beginning January 5 with two-hour episode, 9-11 p.m. ET)
9-10 p.m. - "AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT RESTAURANT" (beginning March 16)

THURSDAYS (all beginning January 20)
8-8:30 p.m. - "Community"
8:30-9 p.m. - "PERFECT COUPLES"
9-9:30 p.m. - "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
10-10:30 p.m. - "30 Rock"
10:30-11 p.m. - "Outsourced"

FRIDAYS
8-9 p.m. -- "Who Do You Think You Are?" (beginning January 21)
9-11 p.m. - "Dateline NBC" (beginning January 7)

SUNDAYS
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "The Marriage Ref" (beginning March 6)
9-11 p.m. - "The Celebrity Apprentice" (beginning March 6)

WWE Special Airs 12/18

Air Date: 12/18/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPECIALS
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS is booked.

Prince Charles To Rule Friday, November 19th

NBC will air a Brian Williams' interview with Prince Charles in THE MAN WHO WILL BE KING: A DATELINE SPECIAL on Friday, November 19th from 9-10PM ET/PT. It will be followed by "HARMONY," Prince Charles' film focusing on the environment, from 10-11PM ET/PT. This special programming is part of NBC Universal's "Green is Universal" initiative the week of November 15th. Attached is the NBC press release.

The following will be booked:

Friday, November 19th
9:00-10:00 THE MAN WHO WILL BE KING: A DATELINE SPECIAL (Original)
10:00-11:00 HARMONY (Original)

Undercovers Cancelled.. TBA replaces in 2011

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC has canceled its freshman drama "Undercovers."

Network and studio sources have confirmed the Peacock won't order any additional episodes of the series, which is still expected to complete production on its original 13-episode order.

Last night's installment drew 5.85 million viewers and a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49, the latter of which tied a repeat of "Hell's Kitchen" on FOX and an original "America's Next Top Model" on The CW for third place in its Wednesday, 8:00/7:00c slot.

"Undercovers" is still on the schedule (November 10, November 17 and December 1), however beyond that remains to be determined. Six episodes - including the post-pilot installment (#2J5451) - have yet to air.

Bryan Burk, J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims are the executive producers for Warner Bros. Television.

Tuesday and Wednesday Changes in December

The following will be booked:

Tuesday, December 7th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Original) (through December 21st)
9:00-11:00 THE BIGGEST LOSER (Original) (through December 14th)

Tuesday, December 21st
9:00-11:00 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE PRESENTS: A VERY GILLY CHRISTMAS (R)

Wednesday, December 22nd
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat) (through December 29th)

Traffic Department's Nightmare: NBC Changes Sat Night on Fri Afternoon

ATTN: NBC General Managers & Program Directors

We're going to repeat last night's highly-rated Halloween-themed episodes of THE OFFICE & COMMUNITY this Saturday, October 30th @ 9 & 9:30PM ET/PT respectively. Encores of the two Dreamworks animated comedies, SCARED SHREKLESS AND MONSTERS VS. ALIENS, are airing 8-9PM ET/PT. This change creates a cohesive comedy block 8-10PM ET/PT and allows us to re-air our great comedy material in a timely fashion. SVU remains at 10PM ET/PT to provide the best lead-in to your local news and to SNL’s original episode in late night.

The following will be booked:

Saturday, October 30th
9:00-9:30 THE OFFICE (Repeat)
9:30-10:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat)

Just In! 2 Local Units Added to Sunday's SNF Game

From NBC within the last hour...

Political is hot and so is NBC's Sunday Night Football.

We are very pleased to inform you that we are adding two additional local units in this Sunday's Pittsburgh at New Orleans NFL game.

The first :30 local unit will be added to the Pre-Kick station break. You will now have four (4) :30 second local units in that break. The second :30 second local unit will be added to the End of Game (post-gun) position. You will also have four (4) :30's in that break.

Many thanks for all your promotional efforts and support in helping to make NBC's NFL Sunday Night Football a huge success.

Details will be posted in APT shortly.

I nearly missed this today, as the email title was grabbed by Outlook's Spam Filter.

Changes to Saturdays 11/27 & 12/4

Saturday, November 27th
8:00-8:30 MERRY MADAGASCAR (Repeat)
8:30-9:00 KUNG-FU PANDA HOLIDAY SPECIAL (Repeat)
9:00-11:00 BEE MOVIE (Original)

Saturday, December 4th
8:00-9:00 CHASE (Repeat)

Sing-Off Fills Most December Mondays & Wednesdays

The following will be booked:

Monday, December 6th, 13th and 20th
8:00-10:00 THE SING-OFF (Original)

Wednesday, December 8th and 15th
8:00-10:00 THE SING-OFF (Original)

Election Night Coverage Expands to Late Night on 11/2

Posted: 10/21/2010
Type: Announcements
Message: NBC News Election Night Coverage has expanded! NBC News Decision 2010 has added a Late Night component which will air 11:34:30p*-3:30a ET. Late Night Decision 2010 to Pacific stns will air 11:34:30p*-12:30a PT. (*An intro will be provided at midnite for those stns airing expanded Late Local News). Contingencies will be updated as soon as possible.

Soft-Money Robo-Calls Jam RDRx Phone Lines til 11/2

Nutshell: Use email to reach me for a couple of weeks.. If you telephone, you might get lost in the Nevada Political BS.

-----------------------------------------

Wow, with all the money being spent on political advertising, you would think they could get better automated calling systems. Our offices are getting several calls each hour from various political and "research" organizations. That's what you get for having a published phone number in these days of politics by checkbook, I suppose.

So, from now through November 2nd, the direct phone line number you've previously been given will be answered by voicemail at all hours, instead of just Midnight til 8am. I simply don't have the time to answer, repeat my greeting and then wait for some crappy tape recording of "Hello, I'm with GPS Research.. did you know Harry Reid.." Click.

My knickers are in a twist for a couple of reasons. I have a BA degree in Political Science and have managed (winning) political campaigns long ago. But most of all, I hate the fake "research" companies... if there were humans actually calling from those lie-foundries, they would hang up on ME after a few moments.

Added the next day: Honest, I didn't know GPS Research was really Karl Rove's slushfund. I just knew they stunk... now I know why.

Added the weekend after the election: Funny, the Republicans don't seem to be interested in my opinion anymore. Phone lines return to normal.

More NBC Holiday Specials Announced

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - October 19, 2010 - NBC celebrates the holiday season with traditional favorites and original programming including a new Thanksgiving night music special, "Taylor Swift - Speak Now," on Thursday, November 25 (8-9 p.m. ET) that takes fans on a whirlwind trip from New York to Los Angeles as the Grammy winner launches her latest album.

"Taylor Swift - Speak Now " joins NBC's Thanksgiving Day favorites on November 25 including "The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," (9 a.m.-12 p.m. in each time zone) and "The National Dog Show Presented by Purina" which follows the parade for its ninth consecutive year (12-2 p.m. in all time zones). In addition, the classic original film version of "Miracle on 34th Street" airs (2-4 p.m. ET) after the "Purina Dog Show" while Matt Lauer's annual "People of the Year" special airs 9-10 p.m. (ET).

These holiday treats join DreamWorks Animation specials on Wednesday, November 24 that include last year's family favorite "Merry Madagascar" (8-8:30 p.m. ET) and the premiere of the all-new "Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special" (8:30-9 p.m. ET). Both specials repeat on Saturday, December 4 (8-9 p.m. ET).

Following the animated specials on November 24, the previously announced "The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?" special will catch fans up on their favorite contestants (9-11 p.m. ET). An encore presentation of the program will air on Tuesday, December 28 (9-11 p.m. ET).

On Friday, November 26, audiences can settle in for the network debut of the hit feature film "Enchanted" (9-11 p.m. ET) while another smash film, "Bee Movie." makes its network premiere on Saturday, November 27 (8-10 p.m. ET).

The merriment continues with the annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" on Tuesday, November 30 (8-9 p.m. ET) and the classic film "It's A Wonderful Life" airs and repeats on Christmas Eve Friday, December 24 (8-11 p.m. ET).

"NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" will be counting down to 2011 on December 31 (10-11p.m. and resuming at 11:30 p.m. ET). "The 122nd Tournament of Roses Parade" rings in the New Year live from Pasadena, California on Saturday, January 1, 2011 (11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET, check local listings).

The Event, Outsourced & L&O:LA Get Season Orders

NBC ORDERS FULL-SEASON PICKUPS FOR NEW SERIES ‘THE EVENT,’ ‘LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES’ AND ‘OUTSOURCED’

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – October 18, 2010 – NBC has given full-season pickups to three of its new Fall 2010-11 series, "The Event," "Law & Order: Los Angeles" and "Outsourced." The announcement was made by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"We are pleased with the quality of ‘The Event,’ ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles’ and ‘Outsourced,’ and feel they are an important part of helping to re-build our schedule and our studio pipeline," said Bromstad.

"We believe in these new series and the creative auspices behind them."
Through October 11, "The Event" has averaged a 3.0 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 9.1 million viewers overall in "most current" averages from Nielsen Media Research.

"The Event" has generated a 30 percent improvement in the time period versus year-ago "most current" results for NBC in 18-49 rating (with a 3.0 rating vs. a 2.3) and a 47 percent increase in total viewers (9.1 million vs. 6.2 million). On a percentage basis, "The Event" was the most time-shifted new series in adults 18-49 during premiere week from among the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox primetime lineups, with 35 percent of "The Event's" "live plus seven day" rating being accounted for by time-shifting. Additionally, "The Event" was licensed to nearly 200 territories internationally even before its U.S. premiere, and is launching in numerous regions abroad to impressive ratings.


As of October 13, "Law & Order: Los Angeles" has averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 8.7 million viewers overall in "live plus same day" averages from Nielsen. "Law & Order: L.A." has delivered a 39 percent improvement in the time period versus year-ago "live plus same day" results for NBC in 18-49 rating (with a 2.5 rating vs. a 1.8) and a 45 percent increase in total viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.0 million).


Through October 14, "Outsourced" has averaged a 3.0 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 6.3 million viewers overall in "most current" averages from Nielsen. In the valuable adult 18-34 demographic, "Outsourced" is averaging a 3.3 rating, making it the #1 new series on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox this fall. "Outsourced" is also heavily time-shifted, adding 19 percent to its "live plus same day" 18-49 rating when Nielsen issued "live plus seven day" results for premiere week (to a 4.29 rating from a 3.59), making it the top gainer among first-year half-hour comedies on the ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox primetime lineups.

Outlaw Banished To Saturdays; Dateline Doubles To Fill Fridays

We're returning to two-hour DATELINEs on Fridays from 9-11PM ET/PT starting this Friday, October 15th, through December 17th, which should improve your late news lead-in on this night.

Original episodes of OUTLAW move to Saturdays @ 8PM ET/PT effective this Saturday, October 16th, through November 13th (except for October 30th which has the two animated specials scheduled from 8-9PM ET/PT.)

Friday, October 15th
9:00-11:00 DATELINE (Original) (through December 17th)

Saturday, October 16th
8:00-9:00 OUTLAW (Original) (through November 13th, except 10/30)

NBC Sports Specials: 4th & 1st Quarter Changes

Since late Friday evening, there have been a couple of updates on APT, and at the moment there are 12 programs changing or moving.. inventories for RDRx clients will be worked on today but not published until it seems NBC has stopped sliding the deck chairs for a while.

The Women of SNL on Monday, Nov 1, 9-11p

Details to follow when it hits APT.

Will Outlaw Survive The Week?

AOL (so wrong about so many things in the past decade) says:

http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/10/07/is-outlaw-about-to-be-canceled/

Early Rising for Ryder Cup on Sunday Morning

Posted: 10/01/2010 12:59:54 PM
Type: Announcements
Message: Due to extensive rain delays, NBC Sports will provide extended coverage of Ryder Cup Golf on Sunday, 10/3. Coverage will now begin at 4a ET, 10/3 (Saturday night / Sunday morning), live across the Network and will end at its regularly scheduled time of 1p ET. Saturday Night Live, feed 3, will end precisley at 1:00:00a PT. Poker After Dark & Bellator Fighting, feed 3, are preempted. The schedule will be updated and formats for feed 3 of Saturday Night Live and for the 3 hours of additional Ryder Cup Golf coverage will be posted in APT shortly.

Heavy Rains @ Ryder Cup = Changes This Weekend

"There will be changes in the coverage and operating conditions for golf this weekend. "

Given the very late nature of this update, I'll make changes in inventory only if needed for audience estimate reasons. Otherwise, your traffic department has enough to do today.

Let The New Season Begin: Day 3

We're scheduling a repeat of the LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES premiere on Saturday, October 2nd from 9-10PM ET/PT, replacing the repeat CHASE episode, to give LOLA another sampling opportunity during its first week.

The following will be booked:

Saturday, October 2nd
9:00-10:00 LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES (Repeat)

Thanksgiving Programming Confirmed

ATTN: NBC General Managers, Sales Managers and Program Directors

This Thanksgiving Day NBC is offering up our traditional holiday programming with the MACY'S THANKGIVING DAY PARADE, THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA and "MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET." The MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE has been broadcast on NBC since 1948. It has become a national tradition and delivers huge ratings. NBC's coverage of THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA has also become a Thanksgiving Day tradition with great ratings. The annual dog show, hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia, is one of the oldest and most prestigious sporting events in North America. We will end our Thanksgiving Day programming this year with the return of the holiday classic, "MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET."

The following will be booked:

Thursday, November 25th
9:00a-12:00p MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE (Original)
12:00-2:00p THE NATIONAL DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA (Original)
2:00-4:00p MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (Repeat)

Tiger Added To Ryder Team; NBC Pounces

Posted: 09/07/2010 01:18:43 PM
Air Date: 09/19/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 03:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: OPTIONAL NETWORK OFFERING
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: Ryder Cup Highlights Show now offered to all stations for optional clearance in local time. 1 feed: Sun. 9/19 at 3p ET in Ch 16. Stns must SWITCH LOCALLY. All inventory avail for Local sale plus other local enhancements possible. Please see format tab and view contingencies on feed dates for details. Please advise Clearance for this optional program with date/time of air.

Holiday Animation Specials

Scared Shrekless on October 28 & 30th

Merry Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Specials on November 24th and December 4th.

Saturday Sept 25 Changes

Shortened SVU encore makes room for encore of The Chase.

Already in your inventory and estimates.

More NBC Sports Specials Changes for 2010

Looks like someone @ 30 Rock is taking Thursday and Friday off:

Posted: 09/01/2010 05:18:52 PM
Air Date: 11/06/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 04:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPORTS SPECIALS
Duration: 02:00:00
Type: Show Name
Message: TITLE CHANGE: ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating (Canada) (prev. sked as ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating (Japan). Clearances assumed based on previously advised clearances.

Posted: 09/01/2010 05:14:05 PM
Air Date: 10/10/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 02:30:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPORTS SPECIALS
Duration: 01:30:00
Type: New Booking
Message: ALL THAT SKATE is booked. Please advise clearance.

Posted: 09/01/2010 05:12:45 PM
Air Date: 10/03/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 04:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPORTS SPECIALS
Duration: 02:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES (PART 2) is booked. Please advise clearance.

Posted: 09/01/2010 05:10:25 PM
Air Date: 11/06/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 03:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: GOLF
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: PGA TOUR: YEAR IN REVIEW is booked. Please advise clearance.

Jackson, MS Has JULYES Selling Book Published

If you can't see the new estimates, close MediaOffice and re-enter.

There are some simply stunning local news numbers here.

Nielsen Ships Jackson, MS Tonight

Which means I'll be able to work on WLBT's July PAVs tomorrow.

Election Night Coverage Announced

NBC is going to double the amount of coverage (up to two hours) for mid-term election coverage in November. Look for Election Coverage in your MediaOffice Specials inventory on Monday.

WRCB July Estimates.. already published same day!

One of my best clients, WRCB, now has a completely new JULYES Selling Book based from the July 2010 data which arrived in Birmingham several hours ago.

Two Hour Datelines Fridays 9/24 - 10/8

They've pushed back the premiere of School Pride til mid-October.

RDRx client inventories have already been changed and published.

Obama Changes Next Tuesday (8/31) Prime

Posted: 08/24/2010 11:32:45 AM
Type: Announcements
Message: President Obama will make a statement regarding Iraq and Afghanistan next Tuesday, August 31 at 8p ET. NBC News will provide live coverage.


8/25 Update:
NBC now says they will JIP Minute to Win It, about 20 minutes in.

Next Two Thursday Nights Have Changed

Posted: 08/20/2010 04:57:27 PM
Air Date: 08/26/2010 Thursday
Start Time: 09:30:30 PM [ET]
Show Name: COMMUNITY
Duration: 00:29:30
Type: New Booking
Message: COMMUNITY is booked 8/26 and 9/2. This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information.

Do they actually wait to hit the send button until they are on their way out the door?

New Year's Eve Specials Announced

One in last hour of prime, the other 11:30p-12:30a in each time zone.

Already in your MediaOffice inventory, as is the just booked in APT "Stand Up To Cancer."

New Year's Day Parade Booked

Posted: 08/13/2010 07:34:22 PM
Type: New Booking
Message: The 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade Package is now booked on 1/1/11. Please see contingency plan for details and impact to other dayparts. Please advise clearance.

"In Wine Country" Gets Friday Only Renewal

Air Date: 09/24/2010 Friday
Start Time: 04:00:00 AM [ET]
Show Name: IN WINE COUNTRY
Duration: 00:30:00
Type: New Booking
Message: IN WINE COUNTRY is booked 9/24/10 - UFN. Note: For the '10-'11 season, program will air Fridays (Late Night) only

All-American Football Confirmed on January 8

Air Date: 01/08/2011 Saturday
Start Time: 01:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Duration: 03:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: 2011 U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN BOWL is booked. Please see contingencies for details and impact to other dayparts. Please advise clearance.

-------------------------

This has been in MediaOffice inventory since last year. Perhaps they hold this booking back so long each year because they wait until they have the US Army's contract for sponsorship?

Oh, and here's a flash.. NBC will also have the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving this year, and probably next. You really don't have to wait for APT to book these things.

First Quarter NBC Golf Schedule Announced

Eastern Time clients were updated last night; Central Time clients begin this morning.

You Weren't Waiting For Us, Were You?

ALERT! DUE TO A TECHNICAL PROBLEM, TODAY'S FEED WAS DELAYED BY 25 MINUTES BUT DID FEED IN IT'S ENTIRETY BEGINNING AT 4:25:40 PM ET. THE SHOW WILL FEED AGAIN TOMORROW, (Friday, August 6th at 4 pm ET on Digital Channel 16) AND AGAIN ON THE REGULAR SUNDAY FEED.
REMINDER! We will refeed the 2010 Primetime Preview Show again on Friday, August 6th at 4pm ET on HD Channel 16 and again on the regular Sunday Feed on August 8th.

Followed Quickly By First Quarter NBC Sports

The 2011 First Quarter NBC Sports Specials package is now booked for the following dates: 1/9, 1/16, 1/22, 1/23, 1/29, 1/30, 2/5, 2/6, 2/12, 2/13, 2/19, and 3/5.

-----

I'll go back to my clients' MediaOffice servers for the fourth time this week to update.

Lots of Winter Sports Changes Announced

RDRx clients will see these changes by Thursday.

Two More Saturday Prime Changes

Air Date: 08/28/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: PERSONS UNKNOWN
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking

and

Air Date: 09/04/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT
Duration: 01:00:00

Breakthrough Busts; Minute Replaces Tony in August

Posted: 08/04/2010 04:05:48 PM
Air Date: 08/10/2010 Tuesday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: MINUTE TO WIN IT
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: MINUTE TO WIN IT is booked 8/10 through 8/31. Please note: This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information.

Matt Lauer, George W. Bush & His New Book Special 11/8

NEW YORK – August 2, 2010 - - NBC News’ Matt Lauer will sit down with President George W. Bush in his first one-on-one television interview since leaving the Oval Office. The extensive interview will air in primetime, Monday, November 8, as a special “Matt Lauer Reports.” President Bush will then join Lauer live on “Today,” Wednesday, November 10.

Since leaving office, President Bush has granted no one-on-one television interviews about his presidency. President Bush will talk to Lauer about the details of his upcoming book, Decision Points, to be released by Crown Publishers on November 9, and he will discuss the defining decisions he has made in his personal and political life.

Jim Bell is the executive producer of “Today” (Mon.-Fri., 7-11 a.m. ET).

This Just In... Prime Changes in September

Today at the TCA Press Tour in Beverly Hills, NBC announced a few schedule tweaks as it relates to the start of the new season. We're using the two-night season finale of America's Got Talent to launch the second season of Parenthood and to sneak preview Outlaw on 9/14 and 15 respectively. In addition, The Apprentice will kick off its season a week early with a 2-hour event on 9/16. Also we're excited to announce that Law & Order: SVU will have a special 2-hour premiere on 9/22 and Law & Order: Los Angeles will kick off in its regular time period a week later on 9/29. Outlaw, Parenthood and The Apprentice will all have encore presentations later that week to maximize sampling.

I'm out for lunch.. will be back and enter these in ASAP.

NBC's New "Breakthrough" Change is Episode Only

Program runs as scheduled on both August 3rd and August 10th.

See NBC for details about episodic differences.

First Quarter 2011 NHL Game Dates Announced

Air Date: 01/01/2011 Saturday
Start Time: 01:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Duration: 03:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: THE 2011 NHL REGULAR SEASON package is now booked for the following dates: 1/1, 1/23, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 4/3, & 4/10.

----

If I remember correctly, the New Years Day game was outdoors last year, and got great ratings. With a rare Blackhawk win of this year's Stanley Cup (hey, I cheered Stan Mikita), a return to the Chicago location is quite possible. I'll double check this, and my clients will see these inventory items updated soon.

Poker After Dark renews

Posted: 07/27/2010 05:02:36 PM
Air Date: 09/25/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 01:02:00 AM [ET]
Show Name: POKER AFTER DARK
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: POKER AFTER DARK (SAT) is booked 9/25/10-UFN. Subject to possible feed pre-empts due to other program bookings. Please see contingencies for each airdate for further details. Clearances assumed based on previously advised clearances unless otherwise notified.

Posted: 07/27/2010 05:01:11 PM
Air Date: 09/20/2010 Monday
Start Time: 02:05:00 AM [ET]
Show Name: POKER AFTER DARK
Duration: 00:59:00
Type: New Booking
Message: POKER AFTER DARK (M-F) is booked 9/20/10-UFN. Subject to possible feed pre-empts due to other program bookings. Please see contingencies for each airdate for further details. Clearances assumed based on previously advised clearances unless otherwise notified.

The link below is out of date. Go figure. :)

WHAT IS POKER AFTER DARK?
POKER AFTER DARK IS A FLUSH WITH THE FANS

* One Exclusive Tournament Each Week
* Six Consecutive Nights of Televised Poker at 2:05AM on NBC
* $120,000 in Prize Money

When the world's best poker players and the game's biggest personalities get together to play in a high-stakes, winner-take-all tournament, you never know what's going to happen. Tune in to watch all the action when the cards fly, the tempers flare, and the chips fall on NBC's groundbreaking poker program, Poker After Dark.

Starting January 2nd, 2007, six of the world's best poker players will gather in Las Vegas each week to play in this invitation-only event.

The buy-in; $20,000 each. The prize; $120,000 to the winner and a lovely parting gift for everyone else.

Hosted by Leeann Tweeden, each week's tournament will follow the action from the time the players shuffle up and deal until the last pot is pushed to the winner. In between, you'll see first-hand why the pros say it takes more than just good cards to be a winning player.

Bluffs will be called, nerves will be tested, and characters judged as each player attempts to outplay, outwit, and outmaneuver the competition.

When all is said and done, one player will walk away a winner while the rest will just walk away.

You've never seen poker played like this before - and it's brought to you like only the pros at Full Tilt Poker.Net and NBC can.

Please Check Any "The Event" Promos Airing Now

Friday, NBC yanked the promos. See their marketing website for details.


Also, I see General Electric/NBC is now using SurveyMonkey.com for affiliate feedback; the same company I'll be using to contact clients about how RDRx service has worked for them.

NBC Changes Prime in August and September

If you're an RDRx NBC client, you'll see changes in the next hours to programming on:

Saturday August 7th
Monday August 23rd
Tuesday September 14th



FollowUp:

All RDRx clients had inventory and estimates updated within an hour of the original posting.

Several hours later, on APT's What's New, visible to the public:

Saturday, August 7th
9:00-10:00 WRESTLEMANIA 26 (Original)

Monday, August 23rd
8:00-9:00 MINUTE IT TO WIN IT (Original)
9:00-11:00 2010 MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (Original)

Tuesday, September 14th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE IT TO WIN IT (Original)

WalMart +P&G + NBC = Jensen Project Tonight

From the New York Times:

If you go looking for “Friday Night Lights” this Friday night and find what looks like a Hallmark Channel movie instead, don’t be alarmed; your show will return. For this week, Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart are filling a couple of hours of NBC’s schedule with “The Jensen Project,” the second in a series of “family-friendly” television movies the two consumer giants are producing.

NBC's Premiere Week is Sept 20-25

Following Fox's decision to roll out every new premiere in one week, NBC has decided to join the crowd. Although I don't see formal notification of premiere bookings, I'm going to go ahead and list the entire prime schedule of that week as premieres.

Clients should have inventory and audience estimates updated before tomorrow afternoon. Should you need something sooner, please contact me.

Fourth Quarter Sports Progress

All NBC RDRx stations, except those on the Raycom VPN, have been fully updated.

Raycom stations are now taking much longer due to procedural issues caused by new VPN software and hardware requirements. I'm sure they feel safer, however. :)

Fourth Quarter Sports on NBC Trumps POTUS

Today, I was one of 3000 NV residents invited to attend an event this afternoon on The Strip, given by President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. I have friends of many political, religious and cultural backgrounds, as well as a degree in Political Science. I am NOT a political donor. (Hold those calls.)

The most powerful man in the free world will start talking in a few minutes. But I'm not there.

Instead, I'm changing NBC Sports Specials for 4th Quarter for my NBC clients.

Tomorrow, at least the AE's I support will be better off.

The rest of the country? I'm not so sure.

NBC Changes Sunday Yet, Yet Again

Posted: 07/06/2010 04:02:40 PM
Air Date: 08/15/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT is booked 8/15 and 9/5. Please note: This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information. Posted: 07/06/2010 04:01:32 PM

Air Date: 08/15/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: New Booking
Message: LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT is booked 8/15 & 9/5. Please note: This booking overrides all previously issued bookings, formats, and details. Please see individual air date for updated information.

---------------------------------------------

Sundays were last changed 3 business days ago.

As mentioned previously, this website will soon become password protected. So, if you're not a RDRx client, become one or find another source for these endless changes. Best of luck!

New York Times: NBC Program Scheduling "Inexplicable"

July 2, 2010, 4:00 pm
In U.S., Wimbledon Works on NBC Time
By RICHARD SANDOMIR

NBC’s tape-delaying of Wimbledon semifinals matches remains one of the most perplexing practices in television sports.

It is NBC’s contractual right do it but the All-England Club should have negotiated it out of the network’s deal long ago. For as long as NBC has pursued the policy, as if it were acceptable, it has been an anti-fan practice.

With the ability to stream the match live online, and with ESPN and the Tennis Channel as cable partners, NBC’s delaying tactics in 2010 is more inexplicable than ever.

NBC’s contract runs through next year and can be extended for two more at the club’s option. Note to club: do not renew or extend NBC’s deal unless the network guarantees that it will, if necessary, pre-empt any of the programming, including the lucrative “Today” show and “Ellen,” that runs instead of live tennis.

On Friday, ESPN2’s coverage of Tomas Berdych’s semifinal victory over Novak Djokovic ended at 10:28 a.m. eastern. Then, the network had to vamp until noon because it did not have the right to show the second semifinal.

The Rafael Nadal-Andy Murray match began at 10:55 a.m., but neither NBC nor ESPN2 viewers could see it. The void lasted until noon, when NBC’s broadcast window began.

By the time NBC came on the air, Nadal had won the first set, and the second was well under way. But in NBC Time it had not started. The network came on the air and spent six minutes in a taped (of course!) preview of the match; it showed fans entering the gates of the club, drinking Champagne and awaiting the start of the match on Henman Hill, all of it hours ago.

We saw the players warm up. We heard the announcers discuss the forthcoming match.

Then, the match began, in NBC Time, eastern time zone, at 12:06 p.m., 71 minutes after it began on Planet Earth. It was streamed, on delay, of course, on nbcsports.com.

What makes NBC’s plausibly-live Wimbledon even more nettlesome is that its broadcast window begins at noon in all time zones — delaying the start button of NBC’s recording by at least another hour depending on the time zone you live in.

On their way out the door @ 30 Rock..

Posted: 07/02/2010 02:19:48 PM
Air Date: 08/08/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 07:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPORTS SPECIALS
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: Format Correction
Message: EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 10 PIGSKIN PRO-AM: Format tab NOW reflects the 2 units added to hour #1 of Sunday Prime when the NFL Pre-Season game was booked. (note: this correction was previously sent 6/23; format tab was not reflecting the change; change has been re-entered and is now correct).

----------------------------------------

And unless EA Sports is paying big bucks to promote LAST year's video game, my guess is the name is wrong, too.

Sorry, WLBT!

I had planned to take today off, my first vacation day since 2008.

But NBC has made more changes since last night, and I've tried to update WLBT, but the Raycom VPN is not working properly. I've contacted ODI and Raycom, but I have a feeling this won't be fixed today as so many people DID take today off.

So, we're both hosed. :) You have bad info, and I don't get a vacation day.

2:10pm Edit: It's a lot more complicated than we thought... but bless Mr. Stabler's heart! We're still trying.

Surprise! Love Bites "later"; Apprentice Moves to Thursdays This Fall

Message: Apprentice joins the NBC fall schedule Thursdays at 10 this September. Love Bites will join the schedule later in the fall.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – July 1, 2010 – NBC will debut the newly revised edition of its previously announced “The Apprentice” series on Thursdays (10-11 p.m. ET) beginning this Fall.
NBC and Donald Trump want to put America back to work -- and after a long wait, the boardroom will be open again for candidates who have lost their jobs as the network showcases an updated version of the popular original alternative series “The Apprentice,” with Trump returning to preside.
“Love Bites,” the hour-long romantic comedy anthology series that was previously scheduled for Thursdays (10-11 p.m. ET) beginning this Fall, will premiere later during the 2010-11 season.


"Everyone at the network loves 'Love Bites,' but for a number of reasons, it now makes sense to showcase the comedic anthology series a little later in the new season," said Mitch Metcalf, Executive Vice President, Program Planning & Scheduling, NBC Entertainment. "We're extremely fortunate to have a potent show such as the new and contemporary version of Donald Trump's 'The Apprentice' ready to step into the slot and keep our Thursday lineup moving forward from a position of strength."

Oh, and here's a paragraph from this morning's Cynopsis, indicating this program change had been long planned...

NBC decided to take its new hour-long romantic comedy Love Bites off the schedule for this fall, replacing it in the 10p Thursday time slot with Donald Trump's The Apprentice. Several issues befell the comedic anthology series recently as showrunner Cindy Chupack asked to depart the series; previously actress Jordana Spiro left the show because she was contractually obligated to remain on the TBS comedy My Boys; and the character played by actress Becky Newton must be reworked as she played a virgin in the pilot episode though in real life she is now pregnant. The Apprentice will air for 13 weeks and NBC may opt to launch Love Bites in or before January 2011. Production on Love Bites had not yet begun and will not start for several more weeks as executive producers work out all the extenuating issues. NBC continues to stick to the 13-episode order for Love Bites, produced by Universal Media Studios and Working Title Television.

Raycom's VPN is down due to their quarterly reset. I've asked the few people working today in Bham to contact Raycom to allow us to access their stations.

No RD or RDRx? Your NBC Inventory is Probably Wrong Now

Seven hours before the "go to" website FutonCritic first reported massive NBC prime summer schedule changes last night, NothingButChange readers saw it here. (See below)

In addition, all RDRx NBC clients came to work this morning with totally updated inventory, audience estimates, and a Master Planner saved as Avail based on the new schedule for 3rd Quarter. Premiere clients will find a copy of the Master Planner saved to their desktops when they arrive.

NBC: Mon, Thurs, Saturday & Sunday Summer Prime Changes Yet Again

ATTN: NBC General Managers, Sales Managers & Program Directors

We're revamping Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays to strengthen our summer schedule and improve your late news lead-ins. Also, these changes should help us take better advantage of our summer tent poles and provide the biggest promotional base to launch our new fall line-up.

Mondays
Effective July 12th, encores of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT will air @8PM ET/PT leading into 1-hour LAST COMIC STANDING originals @9PM, and at 10PM original DATELINEs replace PERSONS UNKNOWN. On August 9th, we have the 2-hour season finale of LAST COMIC STANDING from 9-11PM ET/PT preceded by a repeat AMERICA'S GOT TALENT from 8-9PM. Starting on August 16th encores of the 2-hour AMERICA'S GOT TALENT performance shows will air from 8-10PM ET/PT through the end of the season, except on August 23rd where we have the Miss Universe pageant. Original DATELINEs continue at 10 through September 13th.

Thursdays
Effective July 15th through September 16th, Thursdays revert back to a 2-hour comedy block with COMMUNITY, 30 ROCK, THE OFFICE and PARKS AND RECREATION from 8-10PM ET/PT, and repeats of LAW & ORDER: SVU will go in @10PM ET/PT. The only exception is September 9th where we have football.

Saturdays
On July 10th, the repeat movie, "Secrets of the Mountain" moves to 8PM ET/PT, with an original LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT going in at 10PM. Effective July 17th through September 4th, PERSONS UNKNOWN originals move to Saturdays @ 8PM ET/PT, followed by back-to-back episodes of LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT @9 & 10PM, except on August 14th, where the VISA Gymnastics Championships will air from 8-10PM. On Saturdays, September 11th and 18th, we're scheduling marathons of PARENTHOOD to give this promising new show some additional exposure before the new season.

Sundays
LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT airs @8PM ET/PT from July 11th through September 5th, except for the pre-season football games on August 8th & 22nd, and on August 29th where we have the Primetime Emmys. Encores of the 2-hour AMERICA'S GOT TALENT performance shows air 9-11PM ET/PT from July 11th through August 1st.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays remain unchanged this summer with the exception of Wednesday, September 15th, from 8-9PM ET/PT, where we're replacing a repeat of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT with an encore MINUTE TO WIN IT.

The following will be booked:

Saturday, July 10th
8:00-10:00 SECRETS OF THE MOUNTAIN (Repeat)
10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original) (through September 4th)

Sunday, July 11th
8:00-9:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original) (through September 5th except August 8th, 22nd and 29th)
9:00-11:00 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (2-Hr Performance Shows) (Repeat) (through August 1st)

Monday, July 12th
8:00-9:00 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (Results Shows) (Repeat) (through August 9th)
10:00-11:00 DATELINE NBC (Original) (through September 13th, except August 9th)

Thursday, July 15th
8:00-8:30 COMMUNITY (Repeat) (through September 16th except September 9th)
8:30-9:00 30 ROCK (Repeat) (through September 16th except September 9th)
9:30-10:00 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat) (through September 16th except September 9th)
10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER: SVU (Repeat) (through September 16th except September 9th)

Saturday, July 17th
8:00-9:00 PERSONS UNKNOWN (Original) (through September 4th except August 14th)
9:00-10;00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Repeat) (through September 4th except August 14th)

Monday, August 16th
8:00-10:00 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (2-Hr Performance Shows) (Repeat) (through September 13th except August 23rd)

Saturday, September 11th and September 18th
8:00-9:00 PARENTHOOD (Repeat)
9:00-10:00 PARENTHOOD (Repeat)
10:00-11:00 PARENTHOOD (Repeat)

Wednesday, September 15th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Independence Day Closures

ODI's Birmingham offices will be closed Monday, July 5th.

So will ours.

WLBT Has May 2010 based Estimates

On the same business day as the data was first available.

While Working On Jackson, More Changes from NBC

All RDRx clients will see these changes by tomorrow morning.. I'm hip deep in Jackson at the moment.

---------------------------------------

The following will be booked:

Monday, June 28th and July 5th
8:00-9:00 PERSONS UNKNOWN (Original)
9:00-11:00 LAST COMIC STANDING (Original) (2-hours)

Friday, August 13th
8:00-9:00 WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? (Repeat) (through 9/17 except 9/10)

Sunday, September 5th
9:00-10:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Repeat)
10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original)

Tuesday, September 7th
8:00-9:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Original)

Monday, September 13th
9:00-10:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Jackson, MS Data Arrives Wednesday Morning

Raycom's NBC station will see May 2010 share based estimates tomorrow.

WRCB May Estimates... Ready to Rock Same Day!

Once Ralph gives me the nod, I'll publish the May 2010 share-based selling book estimates for WRCB's AE use. Yes, including estimates for Prime and Specials including May 2010 data where applicable.

Chattanooga May 2010 Arrives

And I'm currently working on WRCB's MediaOffice server, moments after my co-workers in Birmingham uploaded the DVDs Nielsen STILL FedExes to our home office.

Chattanooga May 2010 Sweep Data Ships Tonight!

OneDomain's incredible support staff has let me know Chattanooga's data from the May 2010 Sweep is being shipped out tonight via FedEx and should be at our Hoover, AL HQ mid Tuesday morning if all goes as planned.

Once data is uploaded to WRCB's MediaOffice server, I'll begin work on the new May-based estimates for Ralph's review by tomorrow evening. As soon as he approves, I'll publish the results for all sales to use ASAP.

I'm delighted to assist the fine staff at WRCB with quick turn-around.

Obama Changes Next Tuesday Prime

Posted: 06/13/2010 11:42:32 AM
Message: President Obama has scheduled an Address To The Nation on Tuesday, June 15 at 8p ET. NBC News will provide live coverage. Details will be available in APT by noon Monday.

BP, Afghan minerals and the economy... oh my.

Yes, Next Tuesday Night Prime Has Changed AGAIN

Now that there will be an NBA Finals Game 6 on Tuesday, June 15, we're switching our 10PM programming on June 15 & 22. A repeat LAST COMIC STANDING will now air at 10PM ET/PT next Tuesday, June 15, up against the NBA Finals Game 6 and providing this show with some additional sampling earlier. On Tuesday, June 22, there will now be a 2-hour original AMERICA'S GOT TALENT from 9-11PM ET/PT, replacing a repeat LAST COMIC STANDING at 10PM.

The following will be booked:

Tuesday, June 15th
10:00-11:00 LAST COMIC STANDING (Repeat)

Tuesday, June 22nd
9:00-11:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Original) (2-hours)



Edit
This is the third change to Tuesdays in June announced this week.

NHL Stanley Cup: Final Blackhawk Win Earns Historic Ratings

BEST STANLEY CUP FINAL OVERNIGHT RATING IN 36 YEARS

SERIES-CLINCHING GAME 6 OVERNIGHT UP 41 PERCENT VS. LAST YEAR

NEW YORK - June 10, 2010 - Last night's series-clinching Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers registered a 5.8/10 overnight rating (8:15-11:15 p.m. ET), the best overnight for any Stanley Cup Final game in 36 years (7.6/27, Boston-Philadelphia, Game 6, 1974 on NBC).

The rating peaked for the final 15 minutes of the game (11-11:15 p.m. ET) with an 8.0 rating and 14 share. The 5.8 overnight is up 41 percent vs. last year's 4.1/7 overnight for Game 6 between the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, featuring Sidney Crosby.

In last night's game, the Blackhawks defeated the Flyers, 4-3, on a goal by Patrick Kane 4:06 into overtime to give Chicago its first Stanley Cup since 1961, ending the NHL's longest championship drought.

TOP 10 MARKETS

1. Chicago 32.8/50

2. Philadelphia 26.8/38

3. Buffalo 13.5/20

4. Pittsburgh 9.7/14

T5. Detroit 6.3/10

T5. Indianapolis 6.3/10

7. Fort Myers 6.1/10

8. Minneapolis 5.9/11

9. Las Vegas 5.7/9

10. Boston 5.1/9

Chaos for Tuesdays, Saturdays and July...

We're making some changes to our summer schedule.

Tuesdays

The original audition episode of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT that was previously scheduled to air tonight @ 9PM ET/PT is being moved to next Tuesday, June 15th, replacing a repeat episode of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT, and we are rearranging the schedule to have back-to-back all-new audition episodes of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT leading into your late news. Next Tuesday's primetime line-up will now be all original with LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN @8PM and AMERICA'S GOT TALENT @ 9 & 10PM ET/PT.

On Tuesdays, June 22nd & 29th, we're keeping LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN in the 8PM ET/PT time period. The show has developed a nice core audience and should provide a good lead-in to original episodes of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT. On these 2 dates, we're also putting repeat episodes of LAST COMIC STANDING at 10PM ET/PT to benefit from the AGT lead-in and later time slot.

As a reminder, starting in July there will be all-new, 2-hour episodes of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT on Tuesdays from 9-11PM ET/PT leading into your late news through the end of the summer.

Thursdays

On Thursday, July 8th, we're scheduling a COMMUNITY marathon with six half-hour encore episodes scheduled from 8-11PM ET/PT. The Thursday prime line-up for the rest of the summer will be 8P THE OFFICE; 8:30P COMMUNITY; 9P THE OFFICE; 9:30P PARKS & RECREATION; 10P 30 ROCK and 10:30P COMMUNITY, except for Thursday, August 19th, where we're scheduling a marathon of six PARKS & RECREATION encores in prime and on September 9th where football is scheduled.

Saturdays

Starting this Saturday, June 12th through July 10th (with the exception of June 19th where we have the U.S. Open), AMERICA'S GOT TALENT repeats will replace LAW & ORDER repeats in the 8PM ET/PT time period. Effective Saturday June 26th through July 3rd, AMERICA'S GOT TALENT repeats will also replace LAW & ORDER repeats in the 9PM ET/PT time slot. On Saturday, July 10th, we're scheduling an encore of the movie, "Secrets of the Mountain" from 9-11PM ET/PT. Starting July 17th, we'll have 2-hour encore episodes of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT on Saturdays from 8-10PM ET/PT through September 19th with the exception of August 14th.

Sundays

Effective June 20th through August 15th, original episodes of LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT will replace LAW & ORDER repeats Sundays @9PM ET/PT with the exception of a couple of dates where specials were scheduled.


The following will be booked:

Saturday, June 12th
8:00-9:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through 7/10, except 6/19)

Tuesday, June 15th
8:00-9:00 LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN (Original) (through 6/29)
10:00-11:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Original)

Sunday, June 20th
9:00-10:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original) (through 8/15, except 7/4 and 8/8)

Tuesday, June 22nd and June 29th
10:00-11:00 LAST COMIC STANDING (Repeat)

Saturday, June 26th
9:00-10:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through 7/3)

Thursday, July 8th
8:30-9:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
9:00-9:30 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
9:30-10:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
10:00-10:30 COMMUNITY (Repeat)
10:30-11:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat)

Saturday, July 10th
9:00-11:00 SECRETS OF THE MOUNTAIN (Repeat)

Thursday, July 15th
8:00-8:30 THE OFFICE (Repeat) (through 9/16, except 8/19 & 9/9)
8:30-9:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat) (through 9/16, except 8/19 & 9/9)
9:30-10:00 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat) (through 9/16, except 9/9)
10:00-10:30 30 ROCK (Repeat) (through 9/16, except 8/19 & 9/9)
10:30-11:00 COMMUNITY (Repeat) (through 9/16, except 8/19 & 9/9)

Saturday, July 17th
8:00-10:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through 9/18, except 8/14)

Thursday, August 19th
8:00-8:30 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat)
8:30-9:00 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat)
9:00-9:30 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat)
10:00-10:30 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat)
10:30-11:00 PARKS AND RECREATION (Repeat)

Thursday, September 16th
9:00-9:30 THE OFFICE (Repeat)

Red Carpet for Emmy Awards in August

NBC will be airing a one-hour arrival show live from the Red Carpet at the Primetime Emmys. As previously announced, for the first time the Primetime Emmys will air live across the country on Sunday, August 29th, from 8-11PM ET / 5-8PM PT. The Red Carpet Special will lead into it from 7-8PM ET / 4-5PM PT. The Red Carpet Special will be co-hosted by Billy Bush, Maria Menounos and Nate Berkus. Attached is a press release.

The following will be booked:

Sunday, August 29th
7:00-8:00 THE 62ND PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS RED CARPET SPECIAL (Original) (Live)

Tuesdays in June Changed Again

Subject: PRIMETIME CHANGES ON TUESDAYS, JUNE 8TH - 29TH

ATTN: NBC Program Directors

We're changing the schedule on the next 4 Tuesdays, repeating the winning combination of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT and JILLIAN from this past Tuesday. Starting June 8th for 4 weeks, the Tuesday primetime line-up will be an encore of the prior Wednesday's AMERICA'S GOT TALENT at 8PM ET/PT, leading into an original AMERICA'S GOT TALENT at 9PM ET/PT and an original LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN at 10PM ET/PT now leading into your late news.

The following will be booked:

Tuesday, June 8th
8:00-9:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through June 29th)
10:00-11:00 LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN (Original) (through June 29th)

Stanley Cup Game 5 Certain for Sunday 6/6

Air Date: 06/06/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Duration: 03:00:00
Type: Announcements
Message: NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: Game #5 (Philadelphia @ Chicago) is definite for Sunday 6/6. An updated NHL Local Unit Make-Good plan will be issued later today

NBC Sports Specials Change in August

I've seen a couple of programs announced, but will wait until later to see if there's more. Nothing earth shattering, I assure you.

Breakthrough w/ Tony Roberts Tuesdays 8/7p This Summer

We are pleased to announce that we'll have another original unscripted show this summer. BREAKTHROUGH WITH TONY ROBBINS will air Tuesdays @8PM ET/PT from July 27th through August 31st following the run of LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN MICHAELS in the time period. Attached is the press release on this series which features the internationally famous motivational speaker transforming the lives of ordinary people.

The following will be booked:

Tuesday, July 27th - August 31st
8:00-9:00 BREAKTHROUGH WITH TONY ROBBINS (Original)



My cynical comment... do affiliates get a cut of Tony's book and video sales? Just asking...

June 12th & 14th Prime Changed

Due to early Stanley Cup

Air Date: 06/12/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
Duration: 00:59:30

Air Date: 06/12/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER
Duration: 01:00:00

Air Date: 06/12/2010 Saturday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAW & ORDER
Duration: 01:00:00

-----------------

Air Date: 06/14/2010 Monday
Start Time: 10:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: PERSONS UNKNOWN
Duration: 00:59:30

Air Date: 06/14/2010 Monday
Start Time: 09:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAST COMIC STANDING
Duration: 01:00:00

Air Date: 06/14/2010 Monday
Start Time: 08:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: LAST COMIC STANDING
Duration: 01:00:00

More Prime Changes Because of NHL Dates

Now that the NBC Stanley Cup Finals schedule has moved up as advised in APT, we will also have primetime program schedule changes on May 30th, June 5th and 13th to fill in the holes left from the new NHL schedule.

The following will be booked:

Sunday, May 30th
9:00-11:00 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE IN THE 2000s (Repeat)

Saturday, June 5th
8:00-10:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT "501" (501) (Repeat)
10:00-11:00 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT "502" (502) (Repeat)

Sunday, June 13th
8:00-9:00 LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN "Jones" (102) (Repeat)
9:00-11:00 LAST COMIC STANDING "70102" (70102) (Repeat)

Stanley Cup Moves Up to This Saturday Prime

Posted: 05/25/2010 12:49:26 PM
Type: Announcements
Message: Here is the updated NBC Stanley Cup Final Schedule: Saturday, May 29 at Chicago, 8 p.m; Monday, May 31 at Chicago, 8 p.m; Sunday, June 6 at Chicago, 8 pm (if nec'y); Wednesday, June 9 at Philadelphia, 8pm (if nec'y); Friday, June 11 at Chicago, 8 pm (if nec'y).

Sunday & Monday Changes in August

NBC will be airing the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant live from Las Vegas on Monday, August 23rd from 8-10PM ET. It will be tape delayed on stations in the Mountain & Pacific times zones and Alaska and Hawaii.

Also, on Sunday, August 15th, there will be two back-to-back original episodes of LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT at 9 and 10PM ET/PT.

The following will be booked:

Sunday, August 15th
9:00-10:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original)
10:00-11:00 LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Original)

Monday, August 23rd
8:00-10:00 2010 MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (Original)

Leno Encores Return to Overnight Hours in July

Encores of THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO will replace encores of LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON in the Monday through Friday 3:04-4AM ET/PT overnight time period effective Monday, July 5th through the end of the year.


The following will be booked:

Monday, July 5th - Friday, December 31st
3:04 -4:00 THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO-ALL NIGHT

RDRx Clients in Eastern, Central and Mountain Times Updated

Minute to Win It 2 Hours has been placed in inventory and you've got generous audience estimates created just for your station, within half an hour of the network announcement.

SNL Encore Next Wednesday Replaced By 2 Hours of Minute

Next Wednesday, we will replace the currently booked SNL encore special with two encore episodes of MINUTE TO WIN IT. MINUTE has shown great ratings performance this May sweeps and on this last night of the ratings period, keeping it on Wednesdays could provide an added boost into SVU.

The following will be booked:

Wednesday, May 26th
8:00-10:00 MINUTE TO WIN IT (Repeat)

Thursday, Sept 9th Kickoff Special and Game Move Hour Earlier

Posted: 05/18/2010 03:34:35 PM
Air Date: 09/09/2010 Thursday
Start Time: 07:30:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: Time Change
Message: NBC NFL KICK-OFF SPECIAL airs 7:30-8:30p ET (prev. sked 8:00-8:30p ET). Please see contingencies for revised format and impact to other dayparts. Please advise clearance (as part of 2010/11 NFL Football Season Pkg.)

NBC Eastern and Central Estimates Published Pre-Dawn

All of my RDRx clients in Eastern and Central Times Zones now have their 2010-2011 Prime Inventory updates published with customized audience estimates through 1st Quarter 2011.

2010-2011 Schedule Announced

NBC UNVEILS 2010-11 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE ACCENTED BY FIVE NEW COMEDIES, SEVEN NEW DRAMAS AND NEW ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM

The New Fall Schedule Features All-Drama Lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and All Comedies on Thursdays, Plus Unscripted Programming into Compatible Dramas on Tuesdays and Fridays

New Comedies Include "Friends With Benefits," "Outsourced," "Perfect Couples," "Love Bites" and "The Paul Reiser Show"

New Dramas Are "Undercovers," "The Event," "Chase," "Law & Order: Los Angeles," "Outlaw," "The Cape" and "Harry's Law"; And New Alternative Show "School Pride"

NEW YORK CITY -- May 16, 2010 - NBC announced today its 2010-11 primetime schedule that is highlighted by five new comedies, seven new drama series and one new alternative program, including shows from such innovative hit-makers as J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley, among others.

The high-quality series include new comedies such as "Outsourced," "Love Bites," "Perfect Couples," "Friends With Benefits" and "The Paul Reiser Show." The new dramas are "The Cape," "Harry's Law," "Outlaw," "Undercovers," "The Event," "Chase" and "Law & Order: Los Angeles."

The schedule features all-drama lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and five comedies on Thursdays. Tuesdays will continue to combine the similar appeal of "The Biggest Loser" with "Parenthood," and Fridays will team "Who Do You Think You Are?" and the new series "School Pride" with "Dateline NBC" and the new legal drama "Outlaw."

NBC will also broadcast a 35th anniversary "Saturday Night Live" special that will celebrate the iconic late-night series' long and eventful run on NBC since 1975.

The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment, and Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"This new schedule brings NBC back to basics with its commitment to quality scripted programming," said Gaspin. "Our new shows are distinctive and feature a combination of the biggest talent, the brightest new stars and the strongest auspices in television. With this new schedule, we're poised to take the next step toward our long-term goals with a lineup that has stabilized and has been building solid momentum through the second half of the season."

"Our team has been working tirelessly to achieve our ambitious goals and we are so pleased to see that these new series demonstrate tremendous upside for NBC," said Bromstad. "We feel that this development season introduces shows that will become part of the great programming legacy of our network."

On Mondays (all times ET), NBC leads off with "Chuck" from 8-9 p.m., followed by two new and intense hour-long dramas - "The Event" (9-10 p.m.) and "Chase" (10-11 p.m.). Then on Tuesdays, NBC returns with its powerful stories from the hit alternative series "The Biggest Loser" (8-10 p.m.) and finishes the night with the acclaimed family drama "Parenthood" (10-11 p.m.).

NBC's Wednesday night features three hours of drama programming beginning with the new series "Undercovers" from J.J. Abrams (8-9 p.m.), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (9-10 p.m.) and the new "Law & Order: Los Angeles" at 10-11 p.m. concludes the night.

Primetime Thursdays feature wall-to-wall comedy as this season's freshman sensation "Community" continues at 8-8:30 p.m. followed by the Emmy Award-winning "30 Rock" (8:30-9 p.m.). The Emmy-winning "The Office" continues 9-9:30 p.m. and will be followed by the new comedy "Outsourced" (9:30-10 p.m.). Now NBC's comedy fans get an extra round of laughs when the new, hour-long comedy "Love Bites" debuts at 10-11 p.m. "Parks and Recreation" will return to Thursdays later in the season to give the night more original programming.

Fridays come alive with a fresh mix of reality, news and a new scripted drama as the popular "Who Do You Think You Are?" returns at 8-9 p.m. where it shares the time period with "School Pride" -- a new, proactive and inspiring series about rebuilding a community's schools. "Dateline NBC" continues at 9-10 p.m. with its compelling personal stories. The workweek ends with "Outlaw," a new courtroom drama featuring Emmy winner Jimmy Smits as a former U.S. Supreme Court justice.

The wildly successful "NBC Sunday Night Football" reigns supreme again on Sundays (8:15-11:30 p.m.) preceded by "Football Night in America" (7-8:15 p.m.).

Sundays beginning March 2011, the popular competition series "Minute to Win It" returns (8-9 p.m.) followed by "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9-11 p.m.)

The new series "The Cape," "Friends With Benefits," "Perfect Couples," "Harry's Law" and "The Paul Reiser Show" will premiere later in the season along with a new version of "The Apprentice" "The Marriage Ref" and the new series "America's Next Great Restaurant" -- starring acclaimed celebrity chef/restaurateur Bobby Flay.

For detailed series descriptions and for photography, please log on to www.nbcumv.com.

See the schedule, watch exclusive video, and explore NBC's upcoming shows on NBC.com: http://www.nbc.com/upcoming-shows/

NBC FALL 2010 SCHEDULE *New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Chuck"
9-10 p.m. - "THE EVENT"
10-11 p.m. - "CHASE"

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "UNDERCOVERS"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
10-11 p.m. - "LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES"

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. - "Community"
8:30-9 p.m. - "30 Rock"
9-9:30 p.m. - "The Office"
9:30-10 p.m. - "OUTSOURCED"
10-11 p.m. - "LOVE BITES"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Who Do You Think You Are?"/"SCHOOL PRIDE"
9-10 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
10-11 p.m. - "OUTLAW"

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m. -- "Football Night in America"
8:15-11:30 p.m. -- "NBC Sunday Night Football"

SUNDAY (beginning March 2011)
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "Minute to Win It"
9-11 p.m. - "The Celebrity Apprentice"

Computer Upgrades Through Sunday AM

With news leaks like the cancellation of Heroes, it's tempting to keep updating this site between Saturday mid-day and Sunday evening, when I'll have a pretty good idea of NBC's Fall schedule.

However, we at ODI are getting ready to launch additional services in coming months, so I'm doing significant, enterprise class hardware upgrades here in RDRx Land, along with redundant systems and Microsoft WHS backups.

So, don't expect updates until Sunday evening.. the computer that does your work is about to get transplants!

Bromstad Fills In Fall Season Gaps - Schedule Leaks Sunday

NBC GIVES NEW PICKUP TO ‘CHUCK’ FOR FOURTH SEASON IN 2010-11 and ADDS FOUR NEW SCRIPTED SERIES TO LINEUP WITH DRAMAS ‘THE CAPE,’ “OUTLAW’ AND ‘HARRY’S LAW’ AS WELL AS COMEDY ‘FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS’ FOR 2010-11

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 14, 2010 – NBC has issued pickups for four more new scripted series with dramas “The Cape,” “Outlaw,” “Harry’s Law” and the comedy “Friends With Benefits” – while renewing the action-comedy series “Chuck” for a fourth season -- all for the 2010-11 season. The announcement was made today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

“The addition of these four inventive series to our new scripted lineup demonstrates a wide spectrum of creative stories,” said Bromstad. “We are featuring popular, top-flight stars along with a strong pedigree of successful writer-producers. Likewise, ‘Chuck’ has proven its enduring appeal and we love the new creative direction that Josh and Chris have taken the show.”

The four new series join previously announced “LOLA’ (“Law & Order: Los Angeles”), “Perfect Couples,” "Chase," "Undercovers," "The Event," "Love Bites" and "Outsourced" as the new scripted series that NBC has revealed for its new season.

"The Cape" is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons ("ER") as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, "Life on Mars") and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, "Flash Forward"). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes "The Cape" his son's favorite comic book superhero -- and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain ("The Tudors") as billionaire Peter Fleming - The Cape's nemesis - who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick ("Six Degrees") as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday.

"The Cape" is a Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun production from executive producer/creator Thomas Wheeler (“Empire”), executive producer/director Simon West (“Con Air”), the executive producing team of Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun (“Mercy”) and executive producer Gene Stein (“Accidentally on Purpose”).

Starring Emmy Award winner Jimmy Smits ("NYPD Blue," "West Wing"), "Outlaw" is a new drama from executive producer John Eisendrath ("Alias," "Felicity," "Playmakers"). Cyrus Garza (Smits) is a Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits the high-level position. A playboy and a gambler, Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed. Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system to take on today’s biggest legal cases. And he's making plenty of powerful people unhappy along the way. Jesse Bradford ("West Wing"), Carly Pope ("24"), Ellen Woglom ("Californication") and David Ramsey ("Dexter") also star.

“Outlaw” is a Universal Media Studios production along with Conaco productions. Eisendrath is executive producer along with Terry George ("Hotel Rwanda," "Reservation Road"), Conan O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger ("Andy Barker, P.I."). "Outlaw" is written by Eisendrath and directed by George.

Emmy Award-winning creator David E. Kelley (“The Practice,” “Boston Legal”) brings his unique storytelling to “Harry’s Law,” a series about fate and the people it brings together, starring Academy Award winner Kathy Bates (“Misery,” “About Schmidt”).

Harriet (Bates), Matthew (Ben Chaplin, “Me and Orson Welles”) and Malcolm (Aml Ameen, “Kidulthood”) couldn’t be any more different. Harriet is a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer who, having just been fired from her cushy job, is completely disillusioned with her success and looking for a fresh start. Her world unexpectedly collides with Malcolm’s -- a young man trying to figure out life. When he finds out Harriet is a lawyer, he begs her to represent him in an upcoming criminal case. Matthew, a dreamer at heart and also recently fired from his job as a high school teacher, is introduced to Harriet through Malcolm, a previous student of his. When these three cross paths, they realize they’re all looking for a fresh start. Now, the most unlikely of people are starting a law practice in the most unlikely of places -- a rundown shoe store. “Harry’s Law” also stars Brittany Snow (“Hairspray”) as Harriet’s assistant, Jenna Backstrom and Beatrice Rosen (“Dark Knight”) as Eve, a high school French teacher.

“Harry’s Law” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television. David E. Kelley (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) and Bill D’Elia (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) serve as executive producers. D’Elia also serves as director.

From Oscar and Emmy winner Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Arrested Development”), “Friends With Benefits” is a half-hour comedy revolving around a group of twenty-something singles as they navigate the difficult, and often confusing, world of dating. Ben Weymouth (Ryan Hansen, “Party Down”) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who meets his unique set of standards, while his best friend, Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris, “One Tree Hill”), is just looking for a man to settle down with and raise a family. Ben and Sara have fallen into the habit of turning to each other for moral and physical support as they wait for Mr. and Ms. Right to arrive. Their friend Aaron (Fran Kranz, “Dollhouse”), a romantic at heart, doesn’t approve of Ben and Sara's complicated friendship, but he, along with womanizer Hoon (Ian Reed Kesler) and straight shooter Riley (Jessica Lucas, “Cloverfield”), are all distracted with their own dating trials and tribulations.

David Nevins (“Lie to Me,” “Arrested Development”) joins Grazer as executive producer for Imagine Television. Also serving as executive producers are David Dobkin (“Wedding Crashers”), who directs the pilot, writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (“(500) Days of Summer”), and Jeff Kleeman. “Friends With Benefits” is a production of 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Big Kid Pictures.


Now in its third season that concludes with a two-hour season finale on Monday, May 24 (8-10 p.m. ET), "Chuck" is averaging a 2.4 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 6.6 million viewers overall. "Chuck's" ratings increase significantly when all time-shifted viewing is added to its results, growing this season by an average of 22 percent in its 18-49 rating and more than 1.1 million persons in total viewers when going from its “live plus same day” to its “live plus seven day” results from Nielsen Media Research.

Zachary Levi (“Less Than Perfect”) stars in the title role as a regular guy working at a Buy More electronics store who becomes the government’s most vital secret agent. This season, Chuck was transformed into the Intersect 2.0 after another data download into his brain. This time around, he not only knows government secrets, but he also is well equipped with deadly fight skills. Chuck has the potential to become a real agent and gets a helping hand from one of the CIA's top agents and his dream girl Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski, "Gone").

The ever stoic Colonel John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard," "Firefly") returns with an unlikely new partner, Chuck’s best friend, Morgan Grimes (Joshua Gomez, “Without a Trace”). Also starring are: Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie and Ryan McPartlin ("Living with Fran") as Devon Woodcomb (also known as "Captain Awesome"), Ellie's husband. Chuck's Buy More team consists of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence, "The Pursuit of Happyness") and the Nerd Herd, which includes Lester (Vik Sahay, "Time Bomb") and Jeff (Scott Krinsky, "The O.C.").

"Chuck" is co-created by Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.," "Gossip Girl") and Chris Fedak, and is executive-produced by Schwartz, McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall"), Fedak, Allison Adler and Matthew Miller. "Chuck" is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Original Law & Order Ends Run, Says NBC

NBC ANNOUNCES PICKUPS FOR NEW DRAMA ‘LOLA’ (‘LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES’) AND RETURNING ‘LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT’ AND ‘LAW & ORDER’ ENDS ITS HISTORIC RUN ON NBC MAY 24

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 14, 2010 – NBC has picked up the new drama “LOLA” (“Law & Order: Los Angeles”) as well as renewed “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for the 2010-11 season. In addition, NBC will end its historic and record-tying “Law & Order” when the mothership series concludes its 20th season on Monday, May 24 (10-11 p.m. ET).

The announcements were made today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

Jeff Gaspin, Chariman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment said, "The full measure of the collective contributions made by Dick Wolf and his 'Law & Order' franchise over the last two decades to the success of NBC and Universal Media Studios cannot be overstated. The legacy of his original ‘Law & Order’ series will continue to make an impact like no other series before."

Bromstad added: “‘Law & Order’ has been one of the most successful franchises in the history of television, which is why it is so critical that we continue this important brand and our relationship with Dick Wolf and his team with ‘LOLA’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU.’”

The brainchild of creator and Emmy Award winner Wolf, "Law & Order" has spawned one of the most successful brands in primetime television. It is the 1997 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Drama Series and the record holder for the most consecutive (11) nominations in that category for a primetime series (tied with "Cheers" and "M*A*S*H"). It premiered on September 13, 1990, and eventually tied “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running drama series in television history.

The new “LOLA” (“Law & Order: Los Angeles”) is a procedural crime drama that will follow the theme and storylines similar to the “Law & Order”-brand series on the streets of Los Angeles. The series, from executive producer Dick Wolf and Blake Masters (“Brotherhood”), is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Casting and pre-production work are continuing.

In its current 11th season, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has delivered a 2.9 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 9.3 million viewers overall. "Law & Order: SVU" is NBC's #1 scripted series this season in total viewers. Since moving to Wednesdays (10-11 p.m. ET) on March 3, "SVU" is #1 in the time period in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and other key ratings categories and has improved on NBC's average rating in the hour during the traditional 2008-09 season by 29 percent in adults 18-49.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” is a hard-hitting and emotional series from NBC's "Law & Order" brand as it chronicles the Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department, the elite squad of detectives who investigate sexually based crimes. The drama follows Detective Elliot Stabler (Emmy Award nominee Christopher Meloni), a seasoned veteran, and his partner, Detective Olivia Benson (Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Mariska Hargitay), whose difficult past is the reason she joined the unit.

Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek) oversees the unit while Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer, "Homicide: Life on the Street") brings his acerbic wit and street-honed investigative skills to the team. Munch’s partner, Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T), adds his unique sense of humor and investigative experience. Forensic psychiatrist, George Huang (B.D. Wong) and Medical Examiner Melinda Warner (Tamara Tunie) uncover forensic evidence.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Wolf is creator and executive producer; Neal Baer ("ER," "China Beach"), Ted Kotcheff ("Fun with Dick and Jane," "Weekend at Bernie's") and Jankowski are executive producers.

“Law & Order: Criminal Intent” continues to air in its ninth season on USA Network.

NYTimes Predicts End to Law & Order, Maybe.

‘Law & Order’ Series Said to Be in Jeopardy
By BRIAN STELTER and BILL CARTER

NBC is having trouble making up its mind about “Law & Order.”

People who work on the pioneering crime drama were told Thursday afternoon that the show had been canceled after 20 seasons. But there were indications late Thursday that talks were continuing and that the show might still avoid a cancellation, although NBC declined to comment.

The series, produced by Dick Wolf, is tied with “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running prime-time drama on network television.

The franchise has been incredibly lucrative for the network and has spawned several successful spinoffs, including “Law & Order: S.V.U.” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” neither of which is likely to be affected by the final decision about the parent program.

In telephone calls Thursday afternoon, people at Mr. Wolf’s production company informed producers and actors involved with the show about the cancellation, including Fred Berner, an executive producer based in New York.

If true, he said, “it’s a kick in the gut to New York.”

By one estimate, more than 8,000 people in the city are employed, directly and indirectly, by the series and its two spinoffs, including many theatrical actors who make appearances.

On Thursday morning, NBC appeared close to canceling the program. But talks between the network and Mr. Wolf were still under way according to three people with knowledge of the talks who requested anonymity because they were not authorized by their employers to comment on the record.

Reports of the cancellation first appeared on the Web site Deadline.com.

Many in the television business had expected NBC to renew the original series this month, if only to allow Mr. Wolf to beat “Gunsmoke,” something he has long sought to achieve.

NBC executives had been quoted as saying that they expected a 21st season to go forward. Mr. Wolf and NBC have engaged in brinkmanship over the show in the past. NBC plans to announce its 2010-11 schedule on Monday in New York.

Mr. Wolf has also been in talks with NBC about another spinoff, “Law & Order: Los Angeles.” Its debut was expected to be among the announcements made by NBC on Monday.

“Law & Order” has averaged about eight million viewers so far this season, half as many as it averaged a decade ago. But in the splintering universe of broadcast television, the ratings and the profits in syndication have been high enough to sustain the series.

Almost immediately after the actors and producers were told of the possible cancellation on Thursday, there was speculation that a cable channel like TNT would give “Law & Order” a second life. But TNT, which resurrected another NBC police drama, “Southland,” last year, said it was “not in ongoing discussions” about doing so in this case.

TNT is an important player in NBC’s talks about “Law & Order” because it helps finance the production by rerunning the episodes. That licensing deal is set to expire this year.

And Sunday's World of Adventures Moves, Too

Air Date: 05/16/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 02:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NBC SPORTS SPECIALS
Duration: 01:00:00
Type: Program Change
Message: Program Time Change: World of Adventure moves (Orig. sked 5-6pm ET). Clearance assumed based upon prev. advised sports clearance for this time period unless otherwise notified. Please see updated Sports Operating Conditions for this date.

Sunday Hockey Slides Back One Hour

Air Date: 05/16/2010 Sunday
Start Time: 03:00:00 PM [ET]
Show Name: NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Duration: 03:00:00
Type: Program Change
Message: Program Time Change: NHL West Conference Final Gm1 moves (orig sked. 2-5pm ET). Teams announced: Chicago @ San Jose.Clearance assumed based upon prev. advised sports clearance for this time period unless otherwise notified. Please see updated Sports Operating Conditions for this date.

Bromstad Announces Sixth New 2010-11 Season Show

NBC ANNOUNCES PICKUP OF NEW COMEDY SERIES 'PERFECT COUPLES' FOR 2010-11 SEASON

NBC has green-lit the new romantic comedy "Perfect Couples" for its 2010-11 season, it was announced today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"Perfect Couples" joins previously announced "Chase," "Undercovers," "The Event," "Love Bites," and "Outsourced" as the sixth new scripted series currently unveiled for NBC's new season with additional pickups yet to be announced.

"Jon and Scott are hugely talented writer-producers and they've really delivered with 'Perfect Couples,'" said Bromstad. "The comedy includes a cast of three distinctive couples who share the same issues and will draw viewers in with their relatable stories."

"Perfect Couples" depicts the misadventures of three engaging couples as they struggle to find out what makes the ideal relationship -- and how to maintain it through humorous trial-and-error. The series explores their heroic journey in search of the perfect relationship without destroying each other in the process.

Dave (Kyle Howard, "My Boys") and Julia (Christine Woods, "Flash Forward") are the relatable, normal couple, but Julia's hope of remaining the cool, low-maintenance chick is tested by Dave's attempts to keep both his wife and his needy best friend Vance (Dave Walton, NBC's "100 Questions") equally happy. Vance, along with the neurotic Amy (Mary Elizabeth Ellis, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"), are the high-passion, high-drama couple who bring out the best and worst in each other.

The third duo features Rex (Hayes MacArthur, "She's Out of My League"), a reformed party guy, and, and his wife, Leigh (Olivia Munn, "Attack of the Show"), who considers herself as the group's mother hen. Believing that they are relationship experts, Rex and Leigh have attended every class and seminar on relationships -- and regard themselves as the "perfect couple."

Jon Pollack ("30 Rock") and Scott Silveri ("Friends") are the executive producers while Andy Ackerman ("Seinfeld," "The New Adventures of Old Christine") is the director. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios.

Upfront Announcements To Come Sunday Night?

[05.10.10 - 02:11 PM]
NBC TO UNVEIL 2010-11 LINEUP ON SUNDAY
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- NBC is getting a jump on upfront week as the Peacock will now announce its 2010-11 season lineup on Sunday, May 16.

A media alert issued this afternoon confirmed the conference call will take place at 5:15 p.m. ET.

NBC's formal presentation is Monday morning with FOX following later that day. Rounding out the week is ABC on Tuesday, May 18 with CBS on Wednesday, May 19 and The CW on Thursday, May 20.

NBC PICKS UP NEW DRAMA SERIES ‘CHASE,’ FROM JERRY BRUCKHEIMER, FOR 2010-11 SEASON

Drama Becomes NBC’s Fifth New Scripted Series Announced for New Season


UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 10, 2010 – NBC has picked up its fifth scripted series pilot for the 2010-11 season in “Chase,” a new drama from Emmy Award-winning executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (“CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) and executive producer Jennifer Johnson (“Cold Case”).

The announcement was made by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.


“Chase” joins previously announced "Undercovers," "The Event," "Love Bites," and "Outsourced" as the fifth new scripted series currently announced for NBC’s new season with additional pickups yet to be announced.

“Chase’ has all the undeniable elements of a thrill ride that you would expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer action series,” said Bromstad. “Equally important, it also features a great cast. Kelli Giddish is a breakout star as the lead.”

“Chase” is a fast-paced drama that drops viewers smack into the middle of a game of cat-and-mouse as a team of U.S. marshals hunts down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish (“Past Life”) stars as U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down the violent criminals on the run.

Cole Hauser (“K-Ville”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”), Rose Rollins ("The L Word”) and Jesse Metcalfe (“Desperate Housewives”) also star as members of Frost’s elite team.

“Chase” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc., in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman (“CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” "Cold Case”) and Johnson serve as executive producers, while KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer. David Nutter (“The Mentalist,” “Without a Trace” “The X-Files”) directed and is executive producer of the pilot which was written by Johnson.

RDRx Clients: Shall I Lower Golf Estimates?

Like I said below last Thursday, I'm not a golf fan. But even I know that Tiger Woods' awful showing and first cut in years at Quail Creek last week and his dropping out of The Players today does not bode well for upcoming May golf on NBC.

If NTI numbers show a decided decline in equivalent Sunday ratings compared to the last couple of years, I'll recommend you allow me to lower audience estimates for coming PGA events. Do you really want to make up weight for this up during political?

NBC Announces 3 New Series for 2010-11 Season

Attention NBC Affiliate Board, General Managers, Corporate Executives, General Sales Managers, Program Directors and News Directors:
We wanted to share with you the following news just before it gets released to the press.


NBC PICKS UP THREE NEW SERIES FOR 2010-11 SEASON WITH ‘THE EVENT,’ ‘OUTSOURCED’ AND ‘LOVE BITES’

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 7, 2010 – NBC has given series pickups for its 2010-11 season to the dramatic thriller "The Event," the comedy "Outsourced" and the romantic anthology series "Love Bites."

The announcement was made today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"Each of these three series reflects a unique point of view and distinct style of quality that fits perfectly with NBC’s dedication to rebuilding the schedule," said Bromstad. "These series showcase excellent writing and casting, and represent the kind of scripted programming our network and studio are committed to producing."

"The Event" is an emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, "The Class"), an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, "Disturbia"), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean's quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including: newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood, "Dirty Sexy Money"); Sophia (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, "ER"), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Scott Patterson, "Gilmore Girls"). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind.

Ian Anthony Dale ("Daybreak") and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star in the ensemble drama.

“The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer, Nick Wauters ("The 4400," "Eureka") is creator/co-executive producer and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is the director/executive producer.

“Outsourced” is a comedy where the Midwest meets the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash. The series centers on the all-American company Mid America Novelties that sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers and wallets made of bacon -- and whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport, off-Broadway's “The Gingerbread House”) is the new company’s manager who learns that he’s being transferred to India to run the operation.

Overwhelmed, Todd discovers that his new staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are to understand the U.S. product line and ramp up sales from halfway around the world. But as strange as America seems to his eclectic sales team, Todd soon realizes that figuring out India will be more than a full-time job. Rizwan Manji (“Privileged”), Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s “Five Days II”), Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s “Doctors”), Parvesh Cheena (“Help Me Help You”), and Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s “Bombay Dreams”) also star as members of Dempsy’s off-shore team; Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) and Jessica Gower (Network Ten’s “The Secret Life of Us”) additionally star.

“Outsourced” is produced by Universal Media Studios. Robert Borden (“The Drew Carey Show” and “George Lopez”) is executive producer/writer. Ken Kwapis (“The Office”) developed the project through his company, In Cahoots, and serves as executive producer/director. Alex Beattie serves as co-executive producer.

From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Cindy Chupack (“Sex and the City”), “Love Bites” is an hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected, modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. Each episode contains multiple vignettes, all illuminating the theme of love with an edgy, irreverent spin.
Becki Newton (“Ugly Betty”) stars as Annie and Jordana Spiro (“My Boys”) stars as Frannie, the last two single girls standing after all of their friends get married. Annie is an infectiously bubbly optimist and Frannie is an always-a-bridesmaid realist. Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters will come and go each week.

The pilot's guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Ghost Whisperer”), Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”), Craig Robinson (“The Office”), Jason Lewis (“Sex and the City”), Lindsay Price (“Lipstick Jungle”), Larry Wilmore (“The Daily Show”), Charlyne Yi (“Knocked Up”), Pamela Adlon (“Californication”), Stacy Galina (“Hidden Hills”), Brian Hallisay (“Privileged”), Kyle Howard (“My Boys”) and Steve Howey (“Bride Wars”).

“Love Bites” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Working Title Television, which is a new division of Working Title Films (the U.K. production company behind box office hits including “Love Actually,” “Bridget Jones's Diary” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”). Chupack is creator, executive producer and writer. Emmy Award-winning producer-director Marc Buckland (“My Name Is Earl”) also is executive producer and directs the pilot. Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan and Shelley McCrory from Working Title Television are executive producers. “Love Bites” is Working Title Television’s first U.S. commission.