Zucker says NBC may scale down programming hours

A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference in New York on 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 in comments that were relayed online. "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 NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co., 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.

Zucker said he did not blame the poor ratings at NBC on NBC Entertainment co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff. NBC is one of three networks that have seen ratings decline by double-digit percentages this year, he said.

"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."

While Silverman and Graboff are staying on, NBC did announce Monday the departure of two programming executives, Teri Weinberg, the head of scripted shows, and Craig Plestis, the head of reality series.

They are being replaced by Angela Bromstad, who formerly headed the NBC Universal television studio and was sent to London to lead a new international development unit, and Paul Telegdy, a former BBC executive who produced "Dancing with the Stars" for ABC. Katherine Pope, who had led the NBC Universal television studio, was also reportedly let go.

None of NBC's four new fall series clicked with viewers, including the drama "My Own Worst Enemy" and "Knight Rider." Its popular "Heroes" has been a ratings disappointment in its third season.

Part of the problem at NBC has to do with the economic crisis 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 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, 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."