NBC: No Brain Cells Network?

[Dots And Stripes]

No clever title yet, but I wanted to start a thread for NBC. In spite of NBC's spot as the punching bag of the major networks, it has a soft spot in my heart. 

 

Buzzfeed's report from Upfronts may explain a little of why I feel bad for NBC: 

 

 

 

Things are dire for NBC.
Though the struggling network will finish this season No. 1 in the 18-to-49 demographic, that is a misleading statistic fueled by NBC’s airing of the Super Bowl. Its sole true hit continues to be The Voice; the two Chicago shows also do ok, which is why a third one will arrive midseason. Beyond that, NBC has canceled all of its new 2014-2015 shows except The Mysteries of Laura, which earned a mere 0.9 in its last airing.

Dire sounds a little harsh. If things are dire for NBC, how bad are the other networks doing? NBC obviously has problems, including the collapse of it's comedies. But how bad can a network that is putting Zack Morris (actually Mark Paul Gossler) back on air be?

 

The other thing that stood out from Buzzfeed's article was how much more interesting NBC's midseason shows are. I'm particularly interested in You, Me, and the End of the World and Superstore.

[annzeepark914]

The latest news seems to be that Andy (?) Lack is trying hard to find a place for Brian Williams somewhere inside NBC (probably due to the money they're still having to pay him).  Whatever it is, I sure won't be watching.  Hope they soon announce that Lester Holt will be their permanent anchor.

Edited June 1, 2015 by annzeepark914

[whatsatool]

Interesting article in Vanity Fair.

[WendyCR72]

The latest news seems to be that Andy (?) Lack is trying hard to find a place for Brian Williams somewhere inside NBC (probably due to the money they're still having to pay him).  Whatever it is, I sure won't be watching.  Hope they soon announce that Lester Holt will be their permanent anchor.

 

I like Lester Holt and think he is doing a great job in the anchor chair. Alas, NBC - at least if I have read right - has fallen to second place behind ABC News. Which makes me wonder if Holt will unfairly be given the heave ho come August, anyway. It baffles me that anyone would believe a word coming out of Brian Williams' mouth after all of this, but I guess the man has his audience.

 

I do hope ratings are steady enough so Holt can stay, though.

[cinsays]

Well, just so they don't replace Lester with that damned smug Matt Lauer or Savanah Guthrie.......Ugh........I'd have to start watching CBS or forego news altogether.

[junemeatcleaver]

Savannah and Matt are unable maintain the ratings on the Today Show, no way NBC News would promote them to the evening news.

[ParadoxLost]

Interesting article in Vanity Fair.

 

Thanks for pointing that out it was interesting.  I got a chuckle over [paraphrase] 'all Comcast cares about is keeping customers happy'.

 

But I think not being good at talent management existed long before Comcast.  What I've always found interesting about NBC, in a rubbernecking along the side of the road kind of way, is that relative to other networks, NBC executives manage to go mainstream in screw ups of massive proportions and usually its their own talent making mincemeat of them.

 

Late Night Wars P1.  Late Night Wars P2.  The time they decided to piss off every producer and writer in Hollywood by replacing 10PM dramas with Leno.

 

I can't think of a time that CBS, ABC, or FOX executives were so visible in the mainstream media.

[editorgrrl]

I can't think of a time that CBS, ABC, or FOX executives were so visible in the mainstream media.

David Letterman openly mocked NBC & GE on Late Night. Bob Balaban's character on Seinfeld, Russell Dalrymple, was a thinly disguised dig at NBC VP Warren Littlefield.

[Actionmage]

I can't think of a time that CBS, ABC, or FOX executives were so visible in the mainstream media.

 

NBC has a little cottage industry in top Executives making  very public epic fails, at the least Fred Silverman in the 70s. Supertrain  (didn't watch)and Pink Lady and Jeff ( did watch) weren't good for him.

 

I think that there is a type of building/stacking with the Chicago franchise, but if they can get few more Hannibals  (aka critically lauded with a dedicated fan base) and The Blacklist/ The Mysteries of Laura (popular show with wide bases), they can relax a little. NBC is starting to feel like CBS a little, though. Police/crime procedurals all over the place, but I felt that looking at the new Fall trailers for all the nets.

 

Maybe if NBC can find a comedy or two, there might be less pressure to seemingly take a new show/keep what's not obviously tanking  just to fill schedule space?

[Moose135]

On NBC Nightly News last night, during their coverage of Trump's presidential announcement, they said something along the lines of "NBC has a relationship with Trump..."  I haven't heard if they are pulling his show while he is officially a candidate.  If not, I can see that causing problems with equal time rules.

[junemeatcleaver]

Brian Stelter's reporting that Brian Williams will lose the Nightly News anchor position but will stay with NBC.  Just saw it on CNN.

[hendersonrocks]

Here's the NY Times story. Speculation is Williams moves to MSNBC (hello, demotion!) and Holt finally gets the anchor seat.

[Rick Kitchen]

I thought there were no equal time rules any more?

[HyeChaps]

Brian Williams is dead to me.

Bravo Lester Holt!

[Brattinella]

The only thing I watch on NBC now is local news, and Hannibal.  When Hannibal ends, I'll probably dump NBC completely until the Olympics.  I HATE that they have exclusive rights and I LOATHE Lester Holt.  This latest farce with Trump, where they cut ties with him, took away his toys, but then broadcast his Arizona speech, all the while over-talking him, and then just TELLING the audience what Trump was saying, and not letting people actually hear him!?

Edited July 11, 2015 by Brattinella

[Moose135]

After Trump's SNL appearance, NBC is giving equal time to several Republican candidates:

 

NBC has started offering Republican presidential candidates free air time next week to match the 12 minutes given to Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live," campaign sources tell CNNMoney.

 

The offer, made in compliance with the FCC's "equal time" rules, would allow candidates to air their own content at specific times on stations where they requested time. John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki and Jim Gilmore had filed requests with NBC stations last week following Trump's "SNL'" appearance on Nov. 7.

 

At least two of the candidates -- Graham and Pataki -- have been offered 12 minutes on their requested stations during the 9 p.m. hour on Friday, Nov. 27, as well as 12 minutes during the "Saturday Night Live" broadcast on Saturday, Nov. 28. The Graham campaign sent its request to stations in Iowa and New Hampshire. The Pataki campaign's request went to stations in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and New York.

 

Full story: http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/19/media/donald-trump-nbc-equal-time/

 

As a "broadcast-not-cable" network, NBC is required to comply with the FCC equal-time rule, at the request of other candidates.

[brgjoe]

Obviously I missed something.  But I thought those "equal time" rules were gotten rid of during one of the Bush administrations(?) 

 

Did that not happen, or did they bring that rule back again?

[Cobb Salad]

I never heard about it being abolished. Interesting that most of the candidates who filed are low in the polls anyway, how much would getting that extra air time help them anyway?

[merylinkid]

Just got a tweet that "Breaking News" on twitter was shutting down while NBC plans for the future.   Umm, is NBC considering bankruptcy?   It can't that hard to run a Breaking News twitter feed (although some of the "breaking news" was hardly earth shattering).  

[bad things are bad]

don't want to offend the Donald, competing with his "news"

[bad things are bad]

and now...with Megyn Kelly!

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/megyn-kelly-leaving-fox-news-and-joining-nbc

[Dejana]

10 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

and now...with Megyn Kelly!

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/megyn-kelly-leaving-fox-news-and-joining-nbc

Hmmmm...wonder if NBC will cancel Days of Our Lives to make room for this new daily talk show? A daily show and a Sunday show centered around one person seems a bit much.

[maraleia]

On 1/3/2017 at 11:02 PM, Dejana said:

Hmmmm...wonder if NBC will cancel Days of Our Lives to make room for this new daily talk show? A daily show and a Sunday show centered around one person seems a bit much.

Considering it's only been renewed through the first part of this year the odds are high that it will be canceled.

[suomi]

Melissa McCarthy portraying Sean Spicer in the ill-fitting suit on SNL? A must-see!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/02/05/melissa-mccarthy-was-the-perfect-choice-to-play-white-houses-sean-spicer-on-snl/?utm_term=.feddef9fc2de

Edited February 5, 2017 by suomi

[stormy]

Meet the Press is awful. The panel is bad and Chuck is boring. He's also a mediocre interviewer.

Today he interviewed Paul Ryan. A delusional douche bag. And Nancy Pelosi who was practically incoherent.  Although she did say stop trying to separate Ryan and McConnell from trump. They're the same and will happily undo anything that's  good for people.

Edited February 6, 2017 by stormy

[rcc]

I think Chuck Todd is the worst Sunday morning interviewer. He is smarmy, sarcastic, and unprofessional. Politics aside, he is terrible.

[suomi]

He is no Tim Russert. But then, who is?

[rcc]

Anybody else watch the Mecum car auctions on NBCSN? Those were the days when cars were made of chrome and steel. 

[Kemper]

I just read that Andy Lack is more than likely out at NBC.  I wonder how this will impact programming.

[car54]

His memo to staff about the Ronan Farrow story, etc.

[UYI]

Unlike CBS (their TV coverage, anyway), ABC and NBC's coverage of this day 55 years ago is usually overlooked. Here is NBC's radio and TV coverage on that fateful day.

 

 

Interviews on these events with David Brinkley and Robert MacNeil, who were both at NBC at the time.

[Cementhead]

For those who watch Access Hollywood, the Daily Mail claims Natalie Morales has been canned and is being replaced Mario Lopez. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6827803/Natalie-Morales-fired-Access-Hollywood-make-room-Mario-Lopez.html

As for me, I haven't watched this show since it was co-hosted by Billy Bush & Kit Hoover.  Now I don't even think I could find it on any of my channels if I looked. 

Natalie Morales is a GIANT snore.  So bland and no charisma for t.v.  And Mario Lopez is as annoying as hell. 

[annzeepark914]

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/05/04/nbc-news-chairman-andy-lack-stepping-down/24200548/

[chediavolo]

Holy shit did anyone see the 1967 Nancy Sinatras special (brought to you by Royal crown cola and you won’t forget it) they had on the other night for some strange reason? I was intrigued to see the retro-ness  of it and because they said it would have original commercials unfortunately all the commercials were  royal crown cola. What a no talent she was,  wow. I fast forwarded through most of it the only good thing and it was the car and the old Timey NBC peacock.

[annzeepark914]

I have the local news on and they just showed one of those In Memoriam pieces. I was astonished by the number of OTT creative people (from all disciplines in the arts) we lost this year. Am I dreaming or has the number of mega talented folks dying in 2021 increased substantially? At the end, I was surprised to realize my eyes were "dewy"😥.

[BuckeyeLou]

On 12/31/2021 at 6:33 PM, annzeepark914 said:

I have the local news on and they just showed one of those In Memoriam pieces. I was astonished by the number of OTT creative people (from all disciplines in the arts) we lost this year. Am I dreaming or has the number of mega talented folks dying in 2021 increased substantially? At the end, I was surprised to realize my eyes were "dewy"😥.

I thought the same thing(or maybe its just because I'm getting older), and then the news of Betty White passing :(

[Welshman in Ca]

And now they've got rid of the NBC sports channel. Downhill fast.

[Cobb Salad]

1 hour ago, Welshman in Ca said:

And now they've got rid of the NBC sports channel. Downhill fast.

They said the sports programming is moving to USA Network but I’m not clear how that would work since right now it looks like USA has it’s usual programming as well. I’ve been watching the Tour de France on NBCSN for years and I’m hoping I’ll still be able to watch it this year - maybe on USA?

[Kemper]

I enjoyed the hockey games on NBC Sports; and sports you usually didn’t see on ESPN. So. ESPN made a huge fanfare of getting the NHL back; they have relegated it (mostly) to USA network; Premier Soccer is also on USA. They must be frantically searching for a way to shove more sports onto their sacred lineup of Law and Order SVU. I miss NBC Sports; a bone-headed move by the network.

[chitowngirl]

You think they would keep it through the Olympics!?

[annzeepark914]

I just watched Meet The Press, after several months of not watching Sunday morning TV. Chuck is adequate, but when I heard that MTP music at the end of the show, I immediately thought of Tim Russert...& felt kinda deprived. I wonder if Heilman would be a better fit for MTP. He always makes Deadline:White House come alive whenever he subs for Nicholle. 

[annzeepark914]

I put on NBC at 10:30 this morning, expecting to watch Meet The Press, and what did I see? Joel Osteen. What in the world??? If Chuck was sick, NBC has lots of people who could easily take over. Joel Osteen's show was even on the schedule on the screen. I guess the old slogan, "If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press" isn't so reliable any more.

[annzeepark914]

I just found out MTP was pre-empted this weekend by a national soccer championship (it started at 11:00 AM). 

[opus]

NBC Could Give Third Hour Of Nightly Primetime Back To Local Affiliates

[annzeepark914]

NBC may be ousting Chuck from Meet The Press due to continued low ratings, according to an article at msn.com. 

[annzeepark914]

Something's going on over at the Today show. There have been articles lately about supposed tiffs between Craig Melvin & Al Roker. When I read the brief articles, it seemed like a lot of trash talking between the two men. Is there something going on behind the scenes, or are they doing this to boost ratings? It sounds stupid & unprofessional.

[annzeepark914]

I was watching Meet the Press this morning & I swear Chuck called a governor, "senator".  Every time I hear that MTP music at the end of the program, I think (& *still* miss) Tim Russert. He was such a great interviewer. Even if the guest was dull, Tim made the interview interesting.

[annzeepark914]

Well...Chuck Todd announced he'll be leaving MTP & will be replaced by Kristen Welker. I had to look her up as I wasn't sure who she is. 

[tres bien]

52 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Well...Chuck Todd announced he'll be leaving MTP & will be replaced by Kristen Welker. I had to look her up as I wasn't sure who she is. 

This is good news. She's a smart and tough interviewer 

[TheGreenKnight]

I didn't know her by name either, but once I saw a picture, I remembered her. She's a good pick. 

Anyway, I remember reading a lot of criticism of Todd here over the year, so I imagine many are happy at the news, lol.