• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, June 1, 2007

With NBC dropping "The Apprentice" from its fall schedule, network executives finally looked like they'd learned a lesson about branded entertainment programs.

Lo and behold, the new entertainment chief in town -- none other than Ben Silverman -- might have another idea. He thinks there could be some life left in the show.

For marketers, "The Apprentice" is known for something different in the world of TV -- heavily infused product integration and product placement. So much so, at the heights of the show, it could be found charging an incredible $2 million to $3 million per deal. For that marketers would get the better part of the show's 42 minute or so of program time.

No other show could grab those fees for branded entertainment. But the wealth wasn't always spread around.

NBC advertising executives were always miffed that producer Mark Burnett had a program deal where he could strike those pacts with marketers that didn't subject them to buying any regular advertising time on NBC. "Apprentice" deals were highly different than other TV deals where marketers are required to buy media time as well as pay a product integration fee.

NBC advertising executives must have been applauding that the show was finally off the schedule. But now it appears to be making a comeback.

Perhaps Silverman, who, like Burnett, has also made marketers a big part of his TV shows when it comes to product integration, is being a diplomat here -- wanting to do what is best for Burnett (keeping the show on), and for NBC (helping it out with deals that are attached to media buys).

There's a third, perhaps bigger reason: "Apprentice," more than any other show in television, still had one of the highest scores when it came to retaining upper-income viewers. That's a big draw for advertisers, even with modest overall ratings.

Deal points are still in discussion, and Silverman is still learning as he goes. But insiders say he is a big-vision thinker when it comes to putting together deals, drawing on his longtime ability as a William Morris agent.

It's the apprentice who's well schooled, and NBC might be learning something as well.