NBC Says Yes to Year-Round Prime-Time Programming

According to The New York Times, NBC has said that it will broaden its prime-time television programming schedule to be year-round, rather than just limiting most shows to the traditional September-to-May season.

For the summer, the network is already preparing to air a second season of American Gladiators and a broadcast version of the singing competition show Nashville Star.

Gene DeWitt, chairman and chief executive at DeWitt Media in New York, approved of NBC's plans, saying, "There are many more opportunities to introduce programs to viewers over the course of a year than over the course of a few weeks in September."

Other senior executives at media agencies also liked NBC's decision to move to year-round programming. Charlie Rutman, the chief executive for North American operations at MPG in New York, a media agency owned by Havas, said a year-round schedule "improves the chances" that new shows "will be sampled." Shari Anne Brill, the senior vice president and director for programming at New York media agency Carat, called NBC's decision "a smart idea," comparing it to what Fox Broadcasting has previously tried by announcing several schedules for a television season, with new shows airing in September, November, January and spring.