NBC: Smart as a Peacock

POPE AND WEINBERG ARE GONE.
BUT THE JEFF & BEN SHOW GOES ON?
FOR THIS WRECK OF A TRAIN,
I SHOUT THIS REFRAIN:
“PUT A FORK IN THE PEACOCK, IT’S DONE!” - "Poetknowit," as posted on DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com.



There was a corporate bloodletting at NBC Universal this past Friday. As Nikki Finke broke the news on her blog, the bulk of the NBC Uni TV executives programming the network were forced to bid adieu. Among those getting pink-slipped were Teri Weinberg (EVP of NBC Entertainment), Katherine Pope (Universal Studio Media President) and NBC Reality czar Craig Plestis.

This corporate bloodletting followed the recent plug-pulling on several of NBC's new and holdover primetime series: Knight Rider, Lipstick Jungle, and My Own Worst Enemy, which have tanked in the Nielson ratings despite being relentlessly promoted ad nauseam and ad infitium during NBC's Olympics coverage.

Singled out in particular was Weinberg, whom industry insiders say was too inexperienced to be running a broadcast network. She proved to be a controversial hire from the get-go, not just because of her inexperience or even her incompetence on the job, but from ethical issues where she backed a project developed by her live-in boyfriend.

And now that he fired almost all of NBC Universal's top network programmers, NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker has told a UBS investor conference that NBC's terrible fall season is forcing him to consider cutting the number of hours and even the number of nights that the network airs programming. But, get this -- Zucker did not blame the NBC's poor ratings on NBC Entertainment co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff.

Clearly, the buck has to stop with someone, and given all this corporate mismanagement, you are obviously thinking, "Why the hell does Ben Silverman still has his job?" While the pink-slipped had collectively sang their communial auld lang sayes, Silverman hit the ski slopes, further self-evidence of his obliviousness and insensitivity.

Let's face it, Silverman and his enablers can shift blame all they want, but like karma, it will eventually come back to them. If its parent company had any common sense, they would do more than a top-to-bottom housecleaning.

And where are the visionaries like Sylvester Weaver now when you need them?