Economic recession be damned — the broadcast networks have been spending like it’s 2007 this year. A slew of bidding wars led to a staggering nine pilot orders/production commitments and 33 put pilot commitments so far this buying season. With dire needs, new owners willing to invest a lot of money in a turnaround and new management eager to make their mark, NBC has been the most aggressive this buying season.
Exclusives
Jenny McCarthy, who walked away from an OWN talk show deal two weeks ago, is moving fast toward her own program. The comic taped a secret test show last week in Jerry Springer’s Stamford, Conn. studio that will be shopped to TV stations later this year for a fall 2012 launch, according to sources.
ABC, NBC and Fox are in pursuit of Imagine TV/20th Century Fox TV’s untitled Sarah Silverman comedy co-written by and starring the irreverent comedian, with at least two networks, ABC and NBC, offering major commitments. The project has become a pet project of Imagine principal Ron Howard.
The marathon pilot screenings at the broadcast networks are in full force. While they are rarely the deciding factor in the networks’ final series pickup decisions, they help solidify early standouts’ frontrunner positions and sometimes breathe life into pilots that might have been written off too soon. Here are some updates.
