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NBC and ABC Map Aggressive Strategies to Bring In Viewers for Fall Season

Sep 11, 2012  •  Post A Comment

With the new television season set to officially get under way in two weeks, NBC and ABC are developing aggressive strategies for wooing viewers, reports Joe Flint in the Los Angeles Times. In contrast, Fox and CBS are playing things relatively safe, the piece says.

NBC has aired sneak previews of new shows such as "The New Normal," and got the jump on the season by moving up the season three premiere of “The Voice” to this week. ABC launches the new seasons of “Shark Tank” and “What Would You Do?” this Friday, also ahead of the fall season’s official launch.

Meanwhile, ABC is holding the debut of its buzzed-about show "Nashville" until Oct. 10, later than normal, because the network wants to avoid pre-empting the show for an election debate.

"Heading into the new season, NBC and ABC are seen as having the biggest holes to fill, while CBS and Fox are viewed as having the strongest hands," Flint writes.

"In total, there are 21 new shows premiering this fall on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and the CW. As if promoting all those shows wasn’t enough of a headache, the presidential campaigns and the debates that go with it are making scheduling more of a headache than usual for network brass," Flint points out.

CBS is aiming for stability, as it’s already the most-watched network and inching in on Fox’s lead among viewers 18 to 49, the story notes. Fox, meanwhile, wants to build "The X Factor" into a smash hit, while also building up its Tuesday night comedies, Flint adds. The new “X Factor” lineup, including judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, premieres this week.

“At NBC, the network is betting big on ‘The Voice,’ which runs for two hours on Monday and one hour on Tuesday (this week, there will even be a Wednesday edition of ‘The Voice’),” the piece adds. “But there are concerns that the network is risking laryngitis by overexposing the show, especially since it will be on twice during the season instead of just once, as was previously the case.”

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