With NBC Universal executives actively looking to hand over the 10 p.m. programming block to affiliates, Hearst TV president Jordan Wertlieb expects ABC and CBS to follow.
At a panel of local station chiefs on Wednesday’s NAB Show New York, Vertlieb was asked whether other broadcast networks could also do their in-house 10 p.m. programming if NBCU takes the plunge. “I hope they do and I hope they do,” he said, according to time limit, Hearst Television owns and operates 33 local television stations nationwide.
NBCUniversal Local President Valari Staub, who was also on the panel, confirmed that NBCU is actively considering the historic move. “The decision has not been made. We are discussing a lot of things, obviously it is our obligation to look ahead and prepare the course for the future,” she said on Wednesday. We have to work out a very solid schedule from 8 to 10 pm – 10 pm is the most streamed hour.”
“Valari made a good point and it applies to all networks,” Vertleb said. “Take those resources and invest it in a really strong 8 to 10 block and the whole ecosystem improves.”
Staub, sponsor per panel tv news checksaid that an affiliate-programmed 10 p.m. newscast “will certainly look different from a traditional newscast, but it’s a huge opportunity for us across the board.”
“Net net, we’ll look at this as a positive,” said Chris Ripley, president-CEO of Sinclair Broadcast Group, about the affiliates controlling ad units in locally produced areas.
“Streaming has affected general entertainment and cable networks. Literally destroyed them,” Ripley said, but neither he nor Vertlieb are counting broadcast networks yet.
“Forecasting the death of linear television has been going on for 40 years,” Wertlieb said. “Every year, we surprise the marketer because the American public loves broadcast television.”
Added Ripley, “When you take a look at that, the main strength of the pay-TV bundle is the live, day-to-day content, which is the power of broadcast. Within the ecosystem, I think broadcast TV will continue to do quite well.
NBCU CEO Jeff Shell told CNBC Earlier this month that company committed to “reallocating resources,” which could include moving programming to its streamer Peacock and leaving the 10 p.m. primetime slot.
Representatives for NBC, ABC and CBS did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. Fox and The CW traditionally haven’t had original programming in their 10 o’clock slots.
