Though

Though “there are vested

interests in perpetuating the pilot

inefficiencies,” such rethinks are

required since “content used to

be king but now consumers wear

the crown.” Failing to change

TV’s “wounded business model”

would “destroy the business

once and for all,” he warned.

Jeff Zucker

“We are seeing profound changes in consumer behavior and we need to re-engineer our business models,” he said. “But change often needs a catalyst. Last November we got one.”

Zucker questioned the need for so many pilots, saying that NBCU’s cable networks enjoy programming success without them. “They don’t pilot shows in the U.K. and we keep importing their formats. U.S. network executives need to have the courage of their convictions and commission series instead of so many pilots.”

Further questioning TV orthodoxy, Zucker said pilots don’t improve the odds of the show succeeding and often don’t even resemble the series they are pilots of. “They have become mini-movies and one $10m pilot could pay for a six-part series.”

Rick Feldman, President/CEO

“No doubt this is a transformational year, for both

NATPE and the business,” he said. “The strike has

fast-tracked some of the changes that were destined

to happen anyway. It’s obvious that linear TV is set to

change, and in the digital age content is going to be different. “People are now consuming content in new ways, but advertisers still need critical mass and the traditional TV business continues to serve up a mass

audience. We have the broadcast and cable networks here, but we also have executives from the emerging platforms.

YouTube.com/StudioClub

Michael Eisner

Michael Eisner said,

"The only way to succeed in the

burgeoning world of scripted broadband entertainment is to

embrace a new economic para-

digm that has virtually nothing to

do with the fat cat ways of

Hollywood"...Eisner is testing

the 'quality on a shoestring'

model via Vuguru...one of his

new projects was launched on

Myspace, cost $2,300 to pro-

duce each 90 seconds episode.

Lilly Tartikoff at Brandon Tartikoff

Legacy Awards check out the pics

Alternative Programming: The Real Deal

Not in order of seating...Moderator Sean Perry with Endeavor Talent Agency, Tom Beers at Original Productions Craig Plestis, NBC Entertainment, John Saade with ABC Entertainment and Tony DiSanto with Series...

NATPE sessions cemented the idea that the web will become even more important as a cost-effective testing ground for new TV series...

maintaining ownership is what this is

all about...check out our to be multiplatform series at:

PioneerTroubadours.com

REALITY DOCUMENTARY

Howie Mandel was hanging at NBC

Formerly general manager of MySpaceTV, Berman will add oversight of music, film and other branded initiatives ranging

from MySpace Celebrity and MySpace Impact. In the newly created post of executive vp content and marketing, he will

also retain responsibility for MySpaceTV, the social

networking giant's video hub.

The Myspace and youtube guys were at center of attention during the three days. A group of producers that I was listening to said that they are going to youtube and myspace now looking for new content and ideas for TV...

MySpace.com/StudioClub

Jeff Berman, General Manager MySpace TV

At NATPE MySpaceTV's announced its biggest global deal for content to date: BBC Worldwide. The U.K. broadcaster already has a similar pact in place with YouTube since March, offering a variety of short-form programming.

Jeff talked about how users can upload video and create their own channels. They are interested in

3-5 minute shorts...and again Jeff was one of the rock stars of the event in Vegas and was no doubt there as part of the future of television. Remember television is a small "t" and Internet is a capital

"I"...

MySpace.com/StudioClub

"The National Assn. of Television Program Executives convention has for years been a much more subdued and businesslike affair than in the days of yore (think mid-1980s to mid-'90s), when first run talk shows and action hours minted money for distribs and stations. This year, the sales activity promises to be subdued with only five new strips heading to market. The two most high-profile entrants, Warner Bros.' "The Bonnie Hunt Show" and CBS TV Distribution's "The Doctors," already have the vast majority of their station clearances locked down.

The drop in the volume of programming offered at the NATPE bazaar reflects the overall consolidation in the industry and the low success rate for new daytime skeins during the past decade. This year, station execs also are jittery about the ailing national economy and its impact on local

ad spending. Shares of broadcast-dominant companies like Sinclair Broadcast Group, Hearst-Argyle Television, Gannett Corp. and Belo Corp. have generally been in a slump for the past few years, indicative

of Wall Street's concern about local broadcast TV's long-term growth prospects."

Variety Jan 27th