A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference Monday.
While NBC will continue to fund the creation of pilots, Zucker told analysts at a media investor conference sponsored by UBS that NBC is considering cutting the number of hours or perhaps even the number of nights it provides programming.
“Can we continue to program 22 hours of prime-time? Three of our competitors don’t. Can we afford to program seven nights a week? One of our competitors doesn’t,” Zucker said. “All of these questions have to be on the table. And we are actively looking at all of those questions.”
Zucker’s comments came after the company last week laid off 500 employees – about 3 percent of its work force of 15,000 – as part of a plan to trim $500 million next year.
Part of the problem at NBC has to do with the economic cri sis and slowdown in advertising revenue in a market that is “as difficult as any we’ve seen,” Zucker said. “Businesses are just afraid to commit.”
Zucker said he did not blame the poor ratings at NBC on NBC Entertainment co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff.
“We have not had a good fall at NBC. I don’t think that’s lost on anyone,” he said, adding, “but in no way have we lost confidence in either one of them.”
Zucker also said there needs to be a major change at its 10 owned-and-operated local TV stations, which have been hard-hit by a decline in advertising, especially from the auto sector.
“We’re in an era where if we don’t change the models of these local TV stations, we will be newspapers, we will be car companies,” he said. “I don’t want to be a company that files for bankruptcy.”
NBC was doing stronger on the cable network front, and Zucker said he expects revenues from its cable channels, which include Bravo, USA Network and MSNBC, to grow in the double-digit percentages next year.
In 2009, double-digit growth in cable advertising and single-digit growth in affiliate fees will lift the division, which accounts for 60 percent of the profit at the company, a unit of General Electric Co., he said.
“Every one of our cable networks … are going to enjoy their best year ever this year both from a financial standpoint and a ratings standpoint,” Zucker said. “We believe that will again be the case in 2009.”
“Wicked,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Pรฉrez” Among Feature Film Winners At MPSE Golden Reel Awards
Wicked, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pรฉrez, Saturday Night and The Wild Robot were among that feature category winners at the 72nd Annual Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Golden Reel Awards held Sunday (2/23) at the Wilshire Ebel Theatre in Los Angeles. The Golden Reel Awards honor outstanding achievement in sound editing, sound design, music editing and foley artistry in film, television and gaming.
Television winners included Shลgun, Ripley, The Penguin and Only Murders in the Building.
Two honorary awards were also presented: Kevin Costner received the Filmmaker Award and supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath, MPSE received the Career Achievement Award. Patton Oswalt served as the eveningโs emcee, marking the third time heโs hosted the Golden Reel Awards. MPSE president David Barber presided over the festivities as the sound community came together to celebrate their own. The MPSE invited firefighters to attend the gala as special guests with the audience honoring them for their heroic efforts during the recent L.A. wildfires.
Hereโs a category-by-category rundown of the Golden Reel Award winners.
WINNERS FOR THE 72ND ANNUAL MPSE GOLDEN REEL AWARDS
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing โ Broadcast Animation
Secret Level: โWarhammer 40,000: They Shall Know No Fearโ
Amazon Prime
Supervising Sound Editors
Brad North MPSE
Matt Yocum MPSE
Sound Designers
Joseph Fraioli
Nolan McNaughton MPSE
Ryan Sullivan
Sound Effects Editors
Chris Battaglia MPSE
Harry Cohen MPSE
Foley Editors
Matt Manselle
Matt Telsey
Foley Artist
Brian... Read More