• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, April 10, 2008

What have we learned from the "Project Runway" snafu? That NBC could steal away ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" if it wanted to.

Program contracts seemingly are like TV advertising contracts -- nothing ever seems to get signed. It is incredible more programming problems of the one involving The Weinstein Company's "Project Runway" and NBC's Universal's Bravo don't happen more often. It seems only email exchanges -- sometimes honorably -- bind parties together.

NBC thought it was still dealing with Weinstein for the show -- even though the producer had already made a deal with Lifetime. NBC believed it had a right for first refusal to at least match any other offer. The Weinstein side disagrees.

The right of first refusal was a recent change. Previously, NBC had a "hold-back" agreement that wouldn't let Weinstein sell the show to another network for at least a year -- should Weinstein decide to go that route.

No matter. Weinstein says NBC delivered what amounted to a "low ball" offer, which therefore didn't match Lifetime's offer. It has been estimated Lifetime paid about $30 million a year for five years for the show.

"Project Runway" is a big deal for Bravo -- one of its signature shows, along with "Top Chef" and others. Lifetime, on the other hand, while having a resurgence with the new drama "Army Wives" this past year, could use a few more programming arrows in its bag.

Programs don't move from network to network that often because of a particular style and relationship that a network and producer establish early on, as a show moves from its development stages. In addition, a program may not completely match another channel's focus.

Also, while TV consumers are a smart lot -- in the age of growing media and entertainment options -- shifting a show to another channel can be a tricky branding affair. Most programs are also closely co-branded to their networks. Any change in that balance could tip things south. Even a little hit in ratings can alter a program's financial prospects.

All this means is that it takes a lot to break a network-producer relationship -- one that has worked for five years and made everyone money. So for Weinstein and NBC, some major love was lost along the way .