Commentary

Network Program Stability Means Boring--But Sometimes, Buys

Crunch time is here for a number of on-the-bubble network TV shows--as the networks ready their schedules for the 2006-2007 season. But don't worry. All your favorite networks will tell you how stable things are.

Take Fox. Preston Beckman, executive vice president of Fox, tells The New York Times the network will likely "emphasize stability."

Stability is a word that advertisers love to hear. It makes them feel warm, cozy and safe. It also means one other thing: boring.

Fox isn't boring, for sure. "Idol" and "24" and "House," as well as newer hours, "Prison Break" and "Bones," form the foundation of a network schedule. (Whoa! Foundation--that's another word for stability, which again equals boring.)

ABC could claim some stability. But it isn't boring. It had some nice fireworks early this year because network chiefs were pissed it couldn't launch another new big show this year to follow up on the monster year of a season ago that rocketed it to fame and fortune with "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," and "Grey's Anatomy."

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"Commander-in-Chief" was its big effort, and seemed to be going places--but then it slipped week to week. ABC hired and fired executive producers, as well as the network's media agency, OMD USA.

NBC has stability in fourth place, I guess. The humbled network has made some nice gains with "My Name is Earl" and "The Office" in a mid-season switch to Thursdays. "Deal or No Deal" looks good--but network game shows always have an expiration date similar to milk. It looks great for a long time--then goes bad right before you pour it on your cereal.

The king of stability over the last few years has actually been CBS--always seemingly able to retain at least three or so new shows from the year before. Three new shows this year--"Ghost Whisperer," "Criminal Minds" and "How I Met Your Mother"--will almost certainly be back, as well as two mid-season efforts, "The Unit" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

The dig against CBS: While it schedules consistent, and--some would say--safe shows--it never really hits the big homerun. Les Moonves, chairman of CBS Corp., always says, "We hit a lot of doubles."

CBS just chokes up on the bat and makes sure it can deliver to its predictable audience some predictable shows. Of course, that might draw out that dreaded "B" word.

No network-programming chief wants to stand up at the upfronts next month and offer their network as boring. On the bright side, a stable, boring and moderately rated programming schedule is something advertisers will generally always use the good "B" word for.

That word is "buy."

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