Darker Period for NBC - Under Fred Silverman or Jeff Zucker - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 01-16-2010, 07:42 PM

Jeff Zucker's reign of terror on the Peacock Network isn't the first time that NBC was the laughing stock of the television industry. Who (depending on how old you are), remember Fred Silverman's regime during the late 1970s-early 1980s:

Quote:

Although Silverman's tenure at ABC was very successful, he left to become President and CEO of NBC in 1978. His three-year tenure at the network proved to be a difficult period, one marked by low ratings in prime time and failures of many of the shows he conceived (ie: Supertrain, Hello, Larry, Pink Lady and Jeff).

Nevertheless, there were high points, including the launch of the critically-lauded Hill Street Blues (1981) and The David Letterman Show (daytime, 1980), which would lead to Letterman's successful late night program in 1982. Wisely, Silverman had Letterman in a holding deal after the morning show which kept the unemployed Letterman from going to another network. Silverman also developed successful comedies such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, and Gimme a Break!, and made the series commitments that led to Cheers and St. Elsewhere. Silverman also pioneered entertainment reality programming with the 1979 launch of Real People.

In other areas of NBC, Silverman revitalized the news division, which resulted in Today and NBC Nightly News achieving parity with their competition for the first time in years. He created a new FM Radio Division, with competitive full-service stations in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington. During his NBC tenure, Silverman also brought in an entirely new divisional and corporate management, a team that stayed in place long after Silverman's departure. (Among this group was a new Entertainment President, Brandon Tartikoff, who would help get NBC back on top by 1985.) Silverman also reintroduced the peacock as NBC's corporate logo.

I also posted this discussion on Toonzone.net.

catlover79 · 01-16-2010, 09:03 PM

Zucker - without a doubt!!

Mr. Television · 01-16-2010, 09:14 PM

These were NBC's hit shows when Silverman was President. : Little House on the Praire, Quincy, Rockford Files, Chips, Real People, Diff'rent Strokes, B.J. and the Bear, Facts of Life...

NBC is clearly in worse shape now. At least Silverman kept trying to find hit shows. Zucker has given up.

catlover79 · 01-16-2010, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

These were NBC's hit shows when Silverman was President. : Little House on the Praire, Quincy, Rockford Files, Chips, Real People, Diff'rent Strokes, B.J. and the Bear, Facts of Life...

NBC is clearly in worse shape now. At least Silverman kept trying to find hit shows. Zucker has given up.

Exactly!!!

70s show watcher · 01-16-2010, 10:13 PM

zucker is 100 times worse than silverman ever was

Marvo301 · 01-16-2010, 10:23 PM

While Silverman did drop his share of bombs during his tenure he also put some hits on the air. On the other hand Zuckers record is almost entirely negative.

DSfan · 01-16-2010, 10:28 PM

It seems that, although Silverman maybe underachieved based on his previous success at ABC, he still had a positive impact on the network in many ways, even if there were a few ratings duds.

Under Zucker, you can't say everything is being wrong or all the programs are terrible but it's definitely been a worse situation than Silverman.

Adamantium · 01-16-2010, 10:42 PM

Zucker -

He has no business running a network. I honestly don't know why he's still in charge at NBC. The guy, very plainly, is BAD AT HIS JOB!

Skywalker · 01-16-2010, 10:51 PM

No contest... Jeff Sucker. You can take even the worst shows from the Silverman era (Lobo, Hello Larry, Grandpa Goes to Washington, Who's Watching the Kids) and put them up against most of the shows on NBC now and I'd much rather watch the Silverman era shows.

Mr. Television · 01-16-2010, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker

No contest... Jeff Sucker. You can take even the worst shows from the Silverman era (Lobo, Hello Larry, Grandpa Goes to Washington, Who's Watching the Kids) and put them up against most of the shows on NBC now and I'd much rather watch the Silverman era shows.

and I loved Lobo and Hello Larry. Maybe if NBC was in better shape, they would have caught on.

catlover79 · 01-17-2010, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker

No contest... Jeff Sucker. You can take even the worst shows from the Silverman era (Lobo, Hello Larry, Grandpa Goes to Washington, Who's Watching the Kids) and put them up against most of the shows on NBC now and I'd much rather watch the Silverman era shows.

Hey, I'd take Pink Lady & Jeff, Supertrain, Manimal AND David Cassidy: Man Undercover over all the crap that's on NBC now.

Mr. Television · 01-17-2010, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Hey, I'd take Pink Lady & Jeff, Supertrain, Manimal AND David Cassidy: Man Undercover over all the crap that's on NBC now.

At least it wasn't a bunch of reality junk.

Marvo301 · 01-17-2010, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

At least it wasn't a bunch of reality junk.

Exactly. At least then they were trying to create original scripted shows.

catlover79 · 01-17-2010, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

At least it wasn't a bunch of reality junk.

Exactly my point!!

In the case of Supertrain and Manimal, I think it was a case of good idea, poor execution.

yankeesrj12 · 01-17-2010, 01:22 AM

Zucker, without a doubt.

View Poll Results: Which Executive Served NBC Worse
Fred Silverman	3	13.04%
Jeff Zucker	19	82.61%
Other	1	4.35%
Voters: 23. You may not vote on this poll

01-16-2010, 09:03 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Zucker - without a doubt!!
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01-16-2010, 09:14 PM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	These were NBC's hit shows when Silverman was President. : Little House on the Praire, Quincy, Rockford Files, Chips, Real People, Diff'rent Strokes, B.J. and the Bear, Facts of Life... NBC is clearly in worse shape now. At least Silverman kept trying to find hit shows. Zucker has given up.
	__________________ Sonny

01-16-2010, 10:23 PM	#6
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	While Silverman did drop his share of bombs during his tenure he also put some hits on the air. On the other hand Zuckers record is almost entirely negative.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

01-16-2010, 10:13 PM	#5
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	zucker is 100 times worse than silverman ever was

01-16-2010, 10:28 PM	#7
DSfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,204	It seems that, although Silverman maybe underachieved based on his previous success at ABC, he still had a positive impact on the network in many ways, even if there were a few ratings duds. Under Zucker, you can't say everything is being wrong or all the programs are terrible but it's definitely been a worse situation than Silverman.

01-16-2010, 10:42 PM	#8
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,820	Zucker - He has no business running a network. I honestly don't know why he's still in charge at NBC. The guy, very plainly, is BAD AT HIS JOB!

01-16-2010, 10:51 PM	#9
Skywalker Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2003 Posts: 14,204	No contest... Jeff Sucker. You can take even the worst shows from the Silverman era (Lobo, Hello Larry, Grandpa Goes to Washington, Who's Watching the Kids) and put them up against most of the shows on NBC now and I'd much rather watch the Silverman era shows.

01-17-2010, 01:22 AM	#15
yankeesrj12 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 09, 2008 Posts: 4,335	Zucker, without a doubt.