• by Wayne Friedman , November 22, 2005

Despite assumptions that NBC Universal would let its Trio cable network die on the vine, NBC now says it will resurrect the brand as a broadband Internet channel.

But the question on TV marketers' lips is: will NBC put any more marketing dollars against Trio now as an Internet play than it did as a cable network?

Marketing experts don't expect much, considering NBC's history with the channel. "It will be interesting to see how much they are going to promote it," said one TV executive. NBC Universal executives weren't available for comment.

Trio has been a struggling cable network for years--currently with 8.8 million subscribers. When NBC took over Trio--through its acquisition of Universal--Trio had as many as 20 million subscribers. Then, when it had the chance to renew that deal (along with other NBC Universal networks), NBC didn't renew its Trio-DirecTV affiliation deal.

TV programming analysts say there is marketing value left in the brand. Its "Brilliant, But Cancelled" programming approach--which programmed well-written but cancelled, short-lived network TV shows--had become a small but cool place for cable subscribers, said media agency analysts. This could work for the new Trio.

"Broadband is more upscale, and that fits Trio," said Brad Adgate, senior VP and corporate research director for Horizon Media, the media agency that has NBC as a client. "Trio's programming is upscale."

Trio, in its new home at Triotv.com--part of its company's BravoTV.com site--will roll out its new service at the beginning of the year with repurposed and rerun programming. Exclusive broadband content will be added later in the year, said Lauren Zalaznick, president, Bravo and Trio networks, in a release.

Although there is an expectation that the new Trio will be advertising-supported, a Bravo/Trio spokeswoman could not confirm whether the site will indeed carry advertising. Trio's existing cable advertisers will be "re-expressed on Bravo," said the spokeswoman.

With Warner Bros. putting its back TV library on AOL, its sister Internet company, as a separate service (actually six different channels), there is seemingly no asset that TV executives are not looking to exploit.

"These are for very niche audiences," said Horizon's Adgate. Nielsen Media Research never offered ratings on Trio--because of its small universe of U.S. TV households. Media analysts say Trio's audiences were accounted for in aggregate ad-supported cable network viewership totals.