Fox will focus its fall firepower on just two shows next season, but in a surprise move, the network will begin rolling out its new lineup the week of Aug. 25—the same time as the Democratic National Convention.
The network Thursday said it will kick off its season in late summer by offering two-hour premiere episodes of three returning shows and its one new drama, the J.J. Abrams-produced “Fringe.” “Prison Break” will begin the launch campaign on Monday, Aug. 25, followed by “Fringe” on Aug. 26, “Bones” on Aug. 27 and “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader” on Aug. 29.
Fox has not announced any premieres for the night of Thursday, Aug. 28, the night that either Sen. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will accept the Democratic presidential nomination.
Nonetheless, the network is setting itself up as a potential alternative to convention coverage on the cable news networks and, possibly, some of the broadcast networks.
But executives at the network said the scheduling of its premieres was in spite of, not because of, the convention.
“There is going to be a lot of noise in September, October and November,” Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Liguori told reporters during a conference call, referring to the flood of premieres on other networks. “We felt the best way to manage that was to get out early.”
Mr. Liguori also said he expected the Olympics on NBC to bring a lot of viewers to TV during August.
“We want to ride that wave and provide them with fresh shows, and do it in a big, showman way,” he said.
He also said he didn’t think Fox’s shows would clash with the key moments of the convention since the political parties tend to save their big guns for the 10 p.m. hour.
In recent years, broadcasters have generally limited their prime-time coverage of the political conventions to the 10 p.m. hour, except on the night the nominee gives an acceptance speech. However, given the extraordinary events of the current Democratic campaign—and the still very real possibility of a floor fight at the Denver convention—it’s possible ABC, CBS or NBC might choose to expand coverage into the 8 or 9 p.m. hours, or that real news could actually break out.
Because Fox’s prime time runs from 8 to 10 p.m., the network’s affiliates will still be able to offer convention coverage in the 10 p.m. hour.
If news events heat up, would Fox alter its premiere plans?
“It’s impossible to speculate,” Mr. Liguori said.
As for Fox’s new lineup, drama “Fringe” will be joined by one new comedy, the hotel-based sitcom “Do Not Disturb,” starring Jerry O’Connell.
Adding only two new shows in the fall will help give Fox one of its most stable fourth-quarter lineups in memory.
“We looked at our schedule and said we don’t need a lot, and the good news is we got what we needed,” said Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly.
Fox’s schedule during the fall will kick off on Mondays with “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” at 8 p.m. and “Prison Break” at 9 p.m.
“Fringe” will get one of Fox’s best timeslots, airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. after “House.” The network plans to give the show an even bigger boost in January, when it will air behind “American Idol.”
“Do Not Disturb,” meanwhile, will air Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. It will be paired with third-season sitcom “‘Til Death,” which is shifting to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. “Bones” leads off Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Unscripted programming fills Fox’s Thursday, Friday and Saturday lineups. Game show “The Moment of Truth” begins its second season Thursdays at 8 p.m., leading into a new batch of “Kitchen Nightmares.” Fridays will be filled by “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” and “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”
Saturdays remain stable with “Cops” and “America’s Most Wanted,” while Sundays will once again host Fox’s animated comedies.
As expected, Fox is saving the rest of its new programming until winter or spring. New additions to the lineup include the Joss Whedon drama “Dollhouse,” animated comedies “The Cleveland Show” and “Sit Down, Shut Up” (both working titles), as well as reality series “Secret Millionaire.”
The network will also debut another new comedy, and possibly another new drama, drawing from a pool of pilots yet to be shot. Mr. Reilly mentioned the hourlong shows “Lie to Me” and “Courtroom K” as possibilities.
Bulking up on new shows during what Mr. Reilly called “the second season” makes sense because of Fox’s January weapon: “American Idol.”
“The second season is when our circulation surges,” Mr. Reilly said.
Come January, “Dollhouse” and “24” take over on Mondays. “Idol” and “Fringe” will fill Tuesdays, with “House” shifting to 8 p.m. Wednesday, followed by the “Idol” results show and a comedy to be determined. Thursdays will see “Hell’s Kitchen” paired with the new “Secret Millionaire,” while Fox plans to shift “Bones” and its comedies to Friday nights.
On other matters:
–Mr. Liguori said he was “satisfied creatively” by the current season of “American Idol,” but not as much by the show’s ratings this season, which are down. “Both the network and the producers want to take a look at the show next year and what we can do to inject it with more twists and turns,” Mr. Liguori said. “The show has suffered from the post-strike malaise.”
–The executive dismissed buzz that “Idol” judge Paula Abdul could leave the show. “We love Paula,” Mr. Liguori said. “She’s coming back.”
–Fox sales chief Jon Nesvig said he’s not overly concerned by the poor prime-time performance of most networks since the Writers Guild of America strike ended. “The time spent viewing television and persons using television is up,” he said. “What was lost to the strike was lost to cable. They haven’t gone away from television. We think we can get them back.”
(Editor: Baumann. Updated 10:45 a.m. with quotes from Peter Liguori and Kevin Reilly)
Here are Fox’s fall and winter schedules:
FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: FALL 2008
MONDAY
8-9 p.m.: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
9-10 p.m.: Prison Break
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m.: House
9-10 p.m.:Fringe
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.:Bones
9-9:30 p.m.: ‘Til Death
9:30-10 p.m.: Do Not Disturb*
THURSDAY
8-9 p.m.: The Moment of Truth
9-10 p.m.: Kitchen Nightmares
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9-10 p.m.: Don’t Forget the Lyrics!
SATURDAY
8-8:30 p.m.: Cops
8:30-9 p.m.: Cops
9-10 p.m.: America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 p.m.-Midnight: MADtv
Midnight-12:30 a.m.: Talkshow With Spike Feresten
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m.: The OT (NFL post-game)
8-8:30 p.m.: The Simpsons
8:30-9 p.m.: King of the Hill
9-9:30 p.m.: Family Guy
9:30-10 p.m.: American Dad
FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: BEGINNING JANUARY 2009
MONDAY
8-9 p.m.: Dollhouse*
9-10 p.m.: 24
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m.: American Idol
9-10 p.m.: Fringe*
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.: House
9-9:30 p.m.: American Idol Results Show
9:30-10 p.m.: TBA Comedy
THURSDAY
8-9 p.m.: Hell’s Kitchen
9-10 p.m.: Secret Millionaire*
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: Bones
9-9:30 p.m.: ‘Til Death
9:30-10 p.m.: Do Not Disturb*
SATURDAY
8-8:30 p.m.: Cops
8:30-9 p.m.: Cops
9-10 p.m.: America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 p.m.-Midnight: MADtv
Midnight-12:30 a.m.: Talkshow With Spike Feresten
SUNDAY
7-7:30 p.m.: Comedy encores
7:30-8 p.m.: Comedy encores
8-8:30 p.m.: The Simpsons
8:30-9 p.m.: King of the Hill (January)/Sit Down, Shut Up* (spring)
9-9:30 p.m.: Family Guy
9:30-10 p.m.: American Dad (January)/The Cleveland Show* (spring)
*New show