• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 12, 2009

With critical darling "Southland" out the door, and Jay Leno firmly in, NBC might be penny-pinching these days, but also has has other worries to consider.

We are not talking about declining ratings or a still-weakened ad market. The real worry is the future medical care of NBC employees -- and the typefaces NBC used for its fall marketing materials.

The Font Bureau, a company that designs typefaces for firms like Apple Computer, The Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek,  has filed suit against NBC Universal and CNBC for failing to secure the advertising and promotion font rights for the likes of "The Jay Leno Show," "Saturday Night Live" and "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon."

The names of some of these fonts sound like independent movies:  Bureau Grotesque, Interstate, and Antenna.

If this doesn't have NBC employees worried, a possible takeover by the perceived cable operator cheapskate, Comcast Corp., does. The concern is that medical coverage won't be as good as that of the Peacock.

Comcast employees say not to worry. One employee said the cost of a knee surgery, including multiple doctor visits, MRIs, physical therapy, and expensive braces, came to an out-of-pocket $125. A bargain.

Another said the monthly premium for a single person at Comcast comes to a mere $50 a month. (President Obama, are you listening to this?)

So, don't worry about your favorite soap star walking off the set, the cancellation of your favorite TV drama, or the morals of the top late-night talk-show host.

Sweat the small details of the lowest-rated of the big four broadcast networks. The most important thing: What is their co-pay?