All the buzz
at NAPTE (beyond Oprah)
One rumor has Rosie O'Donnell returning to talk
By Diego Vasquez
Jan 26, 2010
As the National Association of Television Program Executives conference kicked off yesterday, there were already some rumors floating, the most interesting being this: Rosie O'Donnell could be on her way back to daytime. It's a long shot for sure, but at the Television Critics Association tour earlier this month the former co-host of "The View" acknowledged that "stranger things have happened." While an O'Donnell show is a long shot, it would not be announced until at least next year, when the syndication market has stabilized somewhat after the recession. Another rumor that seems equally unlikely but just as intriguing: Katie Couric, whose "CBS Evening News" contract is up in 2011, could be heading her own talk show by the following year. Neither O'Donnell nor Couric, despite their broad appeal, would be a good choice to replace the outgoing Oprah Winfrey, whose show ends next year. Local stations are looking instead at established programs, though most are expected to delay that decision for another few months at least. Bill Carroll, vice president of programming at Katz Television Group, talks to Media Life about the buzz at NATPE, the rumors and the hottest syndie genre.
What do you see as the big trends at NATPE this year?
I think the trends are probably going to be not necessarily in programming, although there are some shows that will be introduced, but looking at other platforms, particularly digital. That’s where the new opportunities are and that’s where many folks will be looking as they go from the floor to the suites these few days.
When we went to high-definition, digital sub-channels were added, and these are offerings on those sub-channels. And there are internet components to all of these as well.
I think what stations have been looking at fall into a couple of categories. There are the classic TV and movies, which would be This TV and Retro Television Network. They’ve been on the air through this year but are now expanding further in the marketplace.
Then you would have the Spanish-language digital networks, including Estrella and Mexicanal.
How do you see the effects of the recession still playing out at this year's convention?
I think the effects have been seen even before the convention in that the majority of the programs being offered are being offered on a barter basis without a cash license fee.
In the past, most first-run programming was offered on a cash-plus-barter basis, meaning there would be a cash license fee and then a barter in the show, usually a much more limited amount of commercials that the syndicator retained for sale. Usually on a pure barter basis, it’s a 50-50 split between [ad inventory controlled by] the stations and the syndicators, but there’s no cash license fee attached to the program.
The industry has been moving in that direction, but specifically this year the majority of shows are in the barter area, indicating that syndicators are more concerned with time period and have to be willing to do that without a license fee.
Do you notice any big trends in the new syndication offerings?
I think the trend that’s continuing is the largest number of shows being offered are in the court genre.
Both the fact that those shows can run on both traditional and non-traditional affiliates and are run as a part of an overall block of programming make them more desirable. Also, they can be produced in an economical way.
How do you see "the Oprah effect" playing out? Stations are already trying to decide how to replace her. What options are they looking at?
I think right now the Oprah option hasn’t really played out.
Most are waiting to see what the major-market decisions are and if those provide more opportunities. It also may give some direction to where some stations and station groups may go.
I don’t think anyone will make a decision at the convention, unless the folks at the ABC owned-and-operated stations make an announcement while we’re here, which I don’t think they will.
With the success of "Two and a Half Men" in syndication and the strong numbers for "The Big Bang Theory" and "Modern Family" in primetime, do you foresee more interest in off-network sitcoms?
Well, I think the sitcoms have always been a staple of stations’ lineups, and as more of those become successful they will continue to be the key building block for, in some cases, prime access schedules, and in many cases late-fringe schedules.
We’ve had recent success in syndicated off-network sitcoms, and when we see they’re making a comeback in primetime, that’s another positive sign.
Katie Couric and Rosie O'Donnell are two names being bandied about for 2011 talk show launches. Think there's any truth to those rumors? How much interest would there be in such shows?
Well, there are always names bandied about when there are new opportunities. Certainly both of those are high-profile names.
Given O’Donnell’s past success, stations would have to look at the opportunity. And certainly a name with the credibility of Couric’s would gain inertest from stations.
But in the “Oprah” time period stations are more likely to go with more established shows and would look at new offerings as an opportunity to build new audience in another daypart.
What new offerings are getting the best buzz at this year's convention?
I think most of the shows that have gotten buzz are pretty well cleared across the country. The most cleared of those is “Swift Justice with Nancy Grace.”
The other show that’s not particularly being offered here, but conversations are taking place, is with (interior designer) Nate Berkus, with a possible launch in 2010 or 2011.
What genre seems to be strongest in syndication right now?
The one that has the most opportunities is the court genre, that’s where you have a number of shows being offered. Two are already cleared are the Nancy Grace project and the return of “Judge Karen.”
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