• Mediaweek, Tuesday, November 21, 2006 11:45 AM

NBC has managed to stanch its ratings bleeding, but the Peacock Newtork now has to find a way to begin replenishing itself with programming. It is up this season in the key adults 18-49 demographic by three-tenths of a rating (to a 3.6) because of the addition of "Sunday Night Football."

But NBC would be flat with 18-49s san football. A heavy dose of game shows are working well: "Deal or No Deal"" and the addition of 1 vs. 100." But some media buyers argue that long-term stability needs to come more from scripted shows than unscripted. Only one of its five new scripted series, "Heroes," is considered a sure shot to return next season.

Thanks to the steady performance of "ER," NBC has stayed in the game on Thursday, and rejuvenated Friday by moving a pair of veteran shows--"Law & Order" and "Las Vegas"--to the night. And while the network's newest shows, like "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," are struggling for ratings, they pull in their fair share of high-income viewers. Says Mitch Metcalf, executive vice president of program planning and scheduling at NBC: "Upscale viewers tend to watch less television and are harder to reach. That's why advertisers value them."

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