NBC Unveils 2009-2010 Season

NBC has announced its schedule for the 2009-2010 season two weeks before the other networks. The traditional upfront week, when networks announce their new schedule, begins May 18. NBC jumped the gun on May 4 with an “infront” presentation of their new fall season, although they did not reveal official time periods. They are launching four new dramas, two comedies, three reality shows and a new talk show with Jay Leno, which will air Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The Dramas:

• Mercy: A medical drama seen from the perspective of three nurses.
• Parenthood: An adaption of the movie by the same name.
• Trauma: Another medical drama about first-responder paramedics.
• Day One: About a group who survive a major catastrophe.

The Comedies:

• 100 Questions: A woman’s experiences as she looks for love via an online dating site.
• Community: The life and trials of a group of college students.

The Reality Shows:

• The Marriage Ref: Celebrities analyze domestic disputes between real-life couples. (Created and produced by Jerry Seinfeld.)
• Breakthrough with Tony Robbins: Author Tony Robbins gives insights on how to live a better life.
• Who Do You Think You Are?: Celebrities tell their life stories.

Adam Stotsky, president of marketing for NBC, said they wanted to start spreading the buzz about the new season early in order to have more control over how the information is conveyed to consumers.

“We learned with the successful launch of ‘Heroes’ that every piece of information posted or leaked or chatted about becomes part of the campaign,” he said. “Our fundamental strategy is to control that information from the get-go. If we don’t do it, the consumer will do it on our behalf—sometimes accurately, sometimes not. So we have to shape the message we want to advocate.”

Sources: Adweekmedia.com and tvweek.com