• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 14, 2010

Many TV networks pride themselves on encouraging youth and transformation. But if that strategy is applied incorrectly, it can pull networks into a dark, unforgiving programming hole.

As this January tells us, it's not always about Conan O'Brien, MTV, and Ben Silverman. Lots of young TV stuff, while looking good on paper, can fail.

Sometimes it's CBS, Sally Field, "Dancing with the Stars," and nearly three decades of old game shows like "Wheel of Fortune" that viewers really want. TV analysts won't always talk about this.

There's little doubt that the mistakes NBC made over the past couple of years have been spectacular. An umbrella strategy has hinged on the lure of  younger onscreen talent (O'Brien), seemingly unconventional young executives (Silverman), and new, youth-targeted digital technologies.

Include Hulu.com in the last part of that group. The good news here is that Hulu has been credited as a success in the world of Internet video -- even if it isn't profitable as yet. 

Going young seems conventional TV wisdom -- which isn't bad. It's just not revolutionary wisdom.

For NBC supporters, the network is merely trying to get ahead of the changing dynamics of the TV business that will surely come. To detractors, NBC simply accelerated that change, ruining great programming "institutions" ahead of their natural lives.

NBC's strategy may hinge on the idea that young audiences don't particularly care much about "institutions" -- or that they only want TV content to be available, on every platform, on every device, at any time.

Its recent pride and joy came in the form of the drama "Heroes" - heralded as the next big thing. That show, still strong with young viewers, isn't nearly the overall hit it promised to be in its first year.

Success? NBC can point to "The Office" and "30 Rock" in bringing in young viewers. But for NBC -- or any broadcaster -- the trick has always been to grab young tastemakers and, at the same time, find a hook to add in more stable, older audiences.

Maybe those young fans of O'Brien really don't care whether his show is called "Tonight," "Tomorrow" or "Undetermined Part of the Day." This could still be a problem for older viewers, though, who have equity in a historical brand that may need to transform in the digital age.