• by Wayne Friedman , May 18, 2006

For next season, CBS will pledge more consistency, only offering up four new shows--three dramas and a comedy, perhaps the lightest new load of shows for a major network in years.

But the network's long-time steadiness will be greatly tested against at least one major challenge. The biggest challenge is fending off ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," which has now moved right against CBS' prized "CSI" franchise, on Thursday at 9 p.m.

"'Grey's' will ding 'CSI' a bit," Les Moonves, chairman of CBS Corp., told reporters at a pre-upfront presentation press conference.

But that's not to say both major shows can't thrive. "I agree with Steve McPherson [president of ABC Entertainment]--two big hit shows can work in the same TV time period," said Moonves. "Network TV has proven when you have two great hit shows in the same time period, they don't cannibalize each other. They can grow."

Moonves went on to add: "But if I were Aaron Sorkin, I wouldn't be happy this morning." NBC is starting up Sorkin-produced "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," a new drama that is also in the intensely competitive 9 p.m. Thursday time period.

How much will "Grey"'s hurt "CSI"? David Poltrack, president of CBS Vision and executive vice president and chief research officer of CBS Corp., actually expects both shows to hurt each other to the tune of 10 percent in the ratings. He figures that "CSI" will win in overall viewers--while "Grey"s wins in adults 18-49 as well as with younger women.

CBS dropped "King of Queens" on Monday for the fall--but will come back mid-season. "How I Met Your Mother" will move back to "King"'s 8 p.m. time slot. CBS will then add "The Class," at 8:30, a show about a group of 20-somethings who shared the same third-grade class.

Other new programming moves: CBS will start up "Jericho" on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m.--a sci-fi drama about a small Kansas town where a nuclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears. "Smith" goes into the 10 p.m. Tuesday time slot. It stars Ray Liotta as a criminal mastermind leading a crew of career criminals.

CBS moves its 10 p.m. "Without a Trace" to Sunday at 10 p.m. to make room for a new show, "Shark," a legal thriller. Both shows star James Woods. Spike Lee directs the pilot.

"We are taking swings--but swings for an environment of strength," says Moonves. Three of the four new shows have established lead-ins. "You like to protect things the best you can."

CBS will drop its Sunday movie night--the last network to do so. The night will feature "60 Minutes," "The Amazing Race," "Cold Case," and "Without a Trace." Moonves feels that the "60 Minutes" audience will get somewhat younger because of stories contributed by Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper.

There was some questioning concerning CBS's continued reliance on procedural crime dramas. Moonves defended this: "CSI is more profitable than 'Desperate Housewives.'" He says that's because crime dramas repeat at much higher ratings. "We don't have highs and lows--we are not the manic-depressive network."

CBS' upfront advertising fortunes are still up in the air, said Moonves. But according to industry executives, it's not a foregone conclusion that ABC will lead the market again, as it did last year.

"There is a lot about the upfront selling that isn't known," he said. "We don't feel that ABC controlled the market [last year] like you guys did. NBC said ABC undersold. So they [NBC] got hurt. Everyone is out there. Three of the four financially are doing extremely well. It's going to be a good upfront."

CBS 2006-2007 Prime-Time Schedule

MONDAY
8:00 p.m. "How I Met Your Mother"
8:30 p.m. "The Class" (new show)
9:00 p.m. "Two and Half Men"
9:30 p.m. "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
10:00 p.m. "CSI: Miami"

TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. "NCIS"
9:00 p.m. "The Unit"
10:00 p.m. "Smith" (new show)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. "Jericho" (new show)
9:00 p.m. "Criminal Minds"
10:00 p.m. "CSI: NY"

THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. "Survivor: Cook Islands"
9:00 p.m. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
10:00 p.m. "Shark" (new show)

FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. "Ghost Whisperer"
9:00 p.m. "Close To Home"
10:00 p.m. "Numb3rs"

SATURDAY
8:00 p.m. "Crimetime Saturday"
9:00 p.m. "Crimetime Saturday"
10:00 p.m. "48 Hours Mystery"

SUNDAY
7:00 p.m. "60 Minutes"
8:00 p.m. "The Amazing Race"
9:00 p.m. "Cold Case"
10:00 p.m. "Without a Trace"