Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

[DToTheJ]

Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

"Just when you think somebody might figure out when it's on and want to see it the next week, they move it to another place. That's not helpful, and I think Brian deserves more support than that."

The former ABC News anchor is a correspondent for NBC's new newsmagazine, which now airs on Friday nights.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/66350/koppel-quit-moving-airtime-for-rock-center

 

[easttxtv]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

I kinda hate to say it, but, what does he expect? He surely has a legitimate beef, but he's working for a network that (and several of us could name examples!! ) can't seem to leave well enough alone....

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Will Rogers' classic rebuke, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" has never inspired NBC's brass. One would assume that a hardened network news veteran like Ted Koppel would know this.

 

[Morgan Wick]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

NBC pretty much always uses Rock Center as a schedule patch for some new show that flops (which, being NBC, is pretty much all of them).

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Rock Center does often replace canceled programs on the schedule, but NBC is trying to find an audience for the newsmagazine with the different timeslots. Its own ratings have been mediocre at best.

 

[TheBigA]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Maybe Koppel forgets that both 60 Minutes and 20/20 got moved around a lot before finding their audience where they currently reside. It has nothing to do with the network or the show. Although this particular show hasn't really found itself yet. These kinds of omnibus news shows feel out of place in today's network schedule. I think if 60 Minutes was launched today, it wouldn't be the success it is.

 

[BD Sullivan]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Maybe Koppel forgets that both 60 Minutes and 20/20 got moved around a lot before finding their audience where they currently reside. It has nothing to do with the network or the show. Although this particular show hasn't really found itself yet. These kinds of omnibus news shows feel out of place in today's network schedule. I think if 60 Minutes was launched today, it wouldn't be the success it is.

With respect to 60 Minutes, for its first three seasons, it was always on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. The problem was that it was up against the second half of NBC's movie and in years two and three, against Marcus Welby, M.D., which was a Top 10 show in ITS first year and the #1 show in season two. For the next four years, they either put on Sundays at 6 p.m. or dumped into the summer wasteland. It wasn't until the half-season flop "Three for the Road" was cancelled (in December 1975) that CBS stuck the show where it has stayed ever since.

 

[TheBigA]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

It wasn't until the half-season flop "Three for the Road" was cancelled (in December 1975) that CBS stuck the show where it has stayed ever since.

In 1975, the Prime Time Access Rule was revised in such a way that allowed networks to program that hour only on Sundays. CBS took advantage of that change in the rules, and that's why 60 Minutes airs on Sundays at 7.

 

[bpatrick]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

It wasn't until the half-season flop "Three for the Road" was cancelled (in December 1975) that CBS stuck the show where it has stayed ever since.

In 1975, the Prime Time Access Rule was revised in such a way that allowed networks to program that hour only on Sundays. CBS took advantage of that change in the rules, and that's why 60 Minutes airs on Sundays at 7.

And the networks were restricted to public-affairs or children's programming in that hour. NBC had Disney, ABC had the kid-oriented "Swiss Family Robinson" (and would later have a kid-oriented variety hour with Bill Cosby, then "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries," among others), and CBS decided that a news-oriented program would be the best counterprogramming after the kid-oriented "Three For The Road" flopped. And as the only logical choice for adults, especially those without young children, "60 Minutes" began its rise in the ratings, hit number one for the first time in the 1979-80 season, and has seldom been out of the top 10 since.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

It wasn't until the half-season flop "Three for the Road" was cancelled (in December 1975) that CBS stuck the show where it has stayed ever since.

In 1975, the Prime Time Access Rule was revised in such a way that allowed networks to program that hour only on Sundays. CBS took advantage of that change in the rules, and that's why 60 Minutes airs on Sundays at 7.

And the networks were restricted to public-affairs or children's programming in that hour. NBC had Disney, ABC had the kid-oriented "Swiss Family Robinson" (and would later have a kid-oriented variety hour with Bill Cosby, then "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries," among others), and CBS decided that a news-oriented program would be the best counterprogramming after the kid-oriented "Three For The Road" flopped. And as the only logical choice for adults, especially those without young children, "60 Minutes" began its rise in the ratings, hit number one for the first time in the 1979-80 season, and has seldom been out of the top 10 since.

being on after the NFL helps

 

[jegrant]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Why not give Rock Center a consistent slot on MSNBC weekends? They can still premiere it at whatever time they like on the ol Peacock, then give viewers a steady timeslot for encore airings.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

Why not give Rock Center a consistent slot on MSNBC weekends? They can still premiere it at whatever time they like on the ol Peacock, then give viewers a steady timeslot for encore airings.

it's available on Hulu

 

[SixtiesGuy]

Re: Ted Koppel Irked By NBC Consistently Moving "Rock Center" Around Its Schedule

How nostalgic. Didn't he complain on the rare occasions Nightline would be moved or preempted? Hey Ted, just calm down and be glad someone is still willing to pay you for your tried-and-true pseudo-intellectual constipated man routine.