Under the discussed plan, NBC would halt its primetime programming at 10 p.m. Eastern (9 p.m. central) and hand that after hour to affiliates to air whatever programming they want, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The decision has not been finalized, yt\et if it does, the network would cancel a full third of the block of time that was once considered TV’s top viewing hours. A move like that would drastically affect the network’s scripted dramas airing in that final primetime hour.
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It is improbable that the plan could kick in any sooner than the fall 2023 season if adopted, according to WSJ.
The paper continued that the insiders who spoke to them regarding the plan announced that it was being considered strictly as a cost-cutting measure, as cutting an hour of scripted TV would save them millions annually. It could further be attractive to affiliates who may be able to earn more from ad revenue, with the extra evening hour falling under their control.
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The Journal further stressed that if the plan is established, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon could kick off at 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. rather than 11:30. There was no word on how local affiliates who air local news at 11 would take that Fallon move, though.
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“We are always looking at strategies to ensure that our broadcast business remains as strong as possible,” a spokeswoman from the network explained to the Journal. “As a company, our advantage lies in our ability to provide audiences with the content they love across broadcast, cable, and streaming.”
Presumably, scripted shows would proceed to be produced for NBC’s streaming Peacock Network and the NBCUniversal cable network.
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The big three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) have witnessed a huge loss of viewers over the last decade, as streaming has shifted audience habits away from appointment television viewing.
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According to stats from Spoiler TV, since 2011 the networks have lost an average of just over 80 percent of their audiences. From 2011 to this most recent quarter in 2022, ABC has lost 81.53 percent of its viewers, CBS has shed 81.32 percent, and NBC has lost 73.74 percent. As to Fox and the CW, they have lost 70.49 and 86.96 percent, respectively.
Chopping an hour of primetime TV speaks to how much less power and influence network TV now compared to the golden age of television.
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