NBC Executive: Network Has Two Years To Turn Things Around

[Mr. Television]

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/...hings-around/?

NBC Executive: Network Has Two Years To Turn Things Around

By Kathy Shwiff


NBC’s new executive team has about two years to turn around the network’s primetime schedule, NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said Thursday.

“We’ve got to start seeing some success in the next two years,” she told those attending a Media Council Breakfast at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The talk was distributed on the Internet through FORA tv.

Salke, a former executive at 20th Century Fox Television who was named to the NBC post in July 2011, reports to NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. She said both of them are “hands-on creative executives” who are looking for “those singular voices that will break through that incredible clutter.”

Their agenda is to raise NBC’s ratings, and they want to stand for quality and “be adventurous.”

Salke, who helped develop the hits “Modern Family” and “Glee” while she was at Fox, said NBC is open to all types of shows. “You can’t be rigid. You have to be open to hearing what people are inspired by.”

She said “The Michael J. Fox Show,” which debuts on NBC this fall, “was a no brainer for us. We’re huge fans of his.”

Another fall show, “Growing Up Fisher,” starring J.K. Simmons as a blind father going through a divorce. is based on the writer’s life. They chose it because the writer, DJ Nash, “had a vision for the series. It didn’t feel generic.”

NBC backed a revival of “Ironside,” starring Blair Underwood, because he was so committed to the role of a detective in a wheelchair, Salke said. “He’s just a very smart adult actor. He wanted to do something that would make a splash.”

She said it is disappointing to see the ratings remain flat for “Hannibal,” which debuted this spring and drew praise from critics. In deciding to renew the series, executives asked, “Would it be smart move to take a show that represents quality and chop it off at the knees?”

“I don’t want to talk out of both sides of my mouth to developers,” Salke added. “The show has value on our schedule.”

“Chicago Fire,” which debuted last fall, features a sexy cast, a soapy plot and “financially, it will make money for us,” Salke said. Dick Wolf, the “Law and Order” creator who produces “Chicago Fire,” also has plans for police and hospital shows set in the Windy City, she added. “He wants to reinvent himself.”

“Thank God for ‘The Voice.’ Thank God for the Olympics,” because they allowed the network to promote its upcoming shows, she said. “We need ‘The Voice’ to try to give the shows the best chance. Then, they need to stand on their own.”

Salke said she does very little with NBC’s daytime schedule but she is involved in development of new shows at Universal Television. Her studio experience and her personality allow her to look at the bigger picture and determine when a Universal show might be better for another network than NBC, she said.

[Sal]

I have a couple of questions about the article in general and NBC president Jennifer Salke in particular:

1. If she helped to develop "Modern Family" and "Glee" for Fox, then how did "Modern Family" end up at ABC?

2. What happens at the end of the two years if NBC is still in 4th place?

I have a suggestion. Once the Super Bowl ends, starting the following week, how about putting NHL games on Saturday nights? With the NFL on Sundays and Michael J Fox on Thursdays, that pretty much gives them half of the week locked up. The rest is up to them.

[cherryade]

THR has an article on the same event covering different material and fora.tv has the original conference video.

For all her claims of her wanting NBC to be creative and adventurous, NBC's 2013-14 schedule is full of incredibly generic procedurals and family sitcoms. The only exceptions are the straight-to-series international co-productions (Hannibal, Dracula, Crossbones).

I'm not convinced Greenblatt and Salke being "hands-on creative executives" is a good thing. Their shows are turning out bad and it feels like micromanagement is a huge part of that.

Originally Posted by Sal

1. If she helped to develop "Modern Family" and "Glee" for Fox, then how did "Modern Family" end up at ABC?

Salke was working at 20th Television when Modern Family and Glee were developed. I would take any claims of personal involvement with a huge pinch of salt, as executives like to take credit for shows they had little involvement in to get up the career ladder.

2. What happens at the end of the two years if NBC is still in 4th place?

The implication is that Comcast will fire them.

[mets82]

Dont forget NBC may have a little breathing room because they have Sunday Night Football and The Olympics, so that should pop the ratings at NBC a little bit.

[EmoJoe]

Originally Posted by Sal

1. If she helped to develop "Modern Family" and "Glee" for Fox, then how did "Modern Family" end up at ABC?

Modern Family's a 20th Century Fox production, but it airs on ABC. I'm guessing she worked for the studio 20th Century Fox and not the actual Fox network. There's a difference. Yes, it's confusing and silly.

Originally Posted by Sal

2. What happens at the end of the two years if NBC is still in 4th place?

I kinda have my doubts anything will happen...NBC is struggling but it's still likely profitable enough between The Voice, Sunday Night Football, and The Olympics. Those 3 are probably big enough to keep the lights on, at least for now. The only thing that might happen is Greenblatt/Salke might be shown the door, and honestly if things don't improve next season my guess is it happens a lot sooner than 2 years from now.

[catlover79]

What's going on behind the scenes - THAT will be Must See TV!!!!

[tlc38tlc38]

Basically I think all the networks are all doomed to failure sooner or later and they should lower their levels of expectations for viewers. People don't wait on a TV show to come on anymore, they either DVR it or stream it later. If they expect raitings to be high on the actual air date and time, they must be dreaming, it's not gonna happen anymore.

The ONLY show I watch on NBC is Days of Our Lives. I used to watch Whitney until they canceled it.

[cherryade]

NBC doesn't make any money on Sunday Night Football and the Olympics, despite high ratings. They are intended as loss-leaders to try and get people to watch their other programming.

I think Greenblatt/Salke were placed in a difficult situation. The network had years of failed development, the schedule was full of aging and/or struggling veterans, and there were huge holes in the schedule. They did, however, have the good fortune to inherit The Voice.

Objectively, they have done an okay job. Developing a solid drama hit across each of the last two seasons (Grimm, Chicago Fire) isn't a bad track record. The big problem is that NBC is in such a deep hole that developing a single hit show each year won't solve much while the network is slowly falling apart.

Subjectively, their shows stink. Even shows that seem promising end up being terrible.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by cherryade

NBC doesn't make any money on Sunday Night Football and the Olympics, despite high ratings. They are intended as loss-leaders to try and get people to watch their other programming.

I think Greenblatt/Salke were placed in a difficult situation. The network had years of failed development, the schedule was full of aging and/or struggling veterans, and there were huge holes in the schedule. They did, however, have the good fortune to inherit The Voice.

Objectively, they have done an okay job. Developing a solid drama hit across each of the last two seasons (Grimm, Chicago Fire) isn't a bad track record. The big problem is that NBC is in such a deep hole that developing a single hit show each year won't solve much while the network is slowly falling apart.

Subjectively, their shows stink. Even shows that seem promising end up being terrible.

I think that's a very good analysis. SVU is still a hit and has been renewed for its 15th (!!!) season, and Revolution and Hannibal seem to have found loyal audiences as well.

[yankeesrj12]

While NBC has been in the crapper the past few seasons, I think this upcoming season has some real promise.

[Mr. Television]

I do like Chicago Fire and Revolution so NBC is on the right track. Getting the ratings though is another matter. They better hope the Voice holds up.

[MrCleveland]

NBC needs a new Brandon Tartikoff (Well, THE Brandon Tartikoff has been dead for 16 years...but his magic has rubbed-off NBC big-time).

[EmoJoe]

Greenblatt/Salke have developed a few pretty reliable dramas (Grimm, Chicago Fire, Hannibal) but their modest successes have been overshadowed by their Smash/Up All Night-esque failures. Their comedy development in particular has been a trainwreck. Say what you will about Zucker (and you can say a lot!) but at least he kept a reputable comedy brand with The Office/30 Rock/Parks & Rec/Community. Greenblatt/Salke's comedies have all failed in a big way - Go On, Up All Night, Whitney, The New Normal, Animal Practice...ouch. We'll see if they can right the ship this year.

[robyrob]

i don't see how they can take ANY credit for the success of Grimm - Grimm has been successful DESPITE their best efforts to bury it.

[cherryade]

Originally Posted by EmoJoe

Greenblatt/Salke have developed a few pretty reliable dramas (Grimm, Chicago Fire, Hannibal) but their modest successes have been overshadowed by their Smash/Up All Night-esque failures. Their comedy development in particular has been a trainwreck.

Agreed. I think Greenblatt/Salke have an obsession with playing it safe and making shows broad, which will sometimes work with drama but completely fails with comedy.

Say what you will about Zucker (and you can say a lot!) but at least he kept a reputable comedy brand with The Office/30 Rock/Parks & Rec/Community. Greenblatt/Salke's comedies have all failed in a big way - Go On, Up All Night, Whitney, The New Normal, Animal Practice...ouch. We'll see if they can right the ship this year.

The problem with Zucker/Reilly and Zucker/Silverman was never scripted development, it was Zucker's crazy strategic decisions and obsession with cheating the system. The shows they made under the traditional pilot process were generally good.

Originally Posted by robyrob

i don't see how they can take ANY credit for the success of Grimm - Grimm has been successful DESPITE their best efforts to bury it.

Disagee. I think it's an ideal Friday show. They tried to take it to the next level with moves to Monday/Tuesday but it didn't work. That said, I do think NBC needs to make their scheduling less erratic.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the main reason Grimm was made is because Greenblatt is friends with Sean Hayes.