The creation of WEAF in 1922 offered a research-and-development center for those activities.
This station was transferred from Westinghouse to RCA in 1923, and moved to New York City. WEAF acted as a laboratory for AT&T's manufacturing and supply outlet Western Electric, whose products included transmitters and antennas.
In an early example of "chain" or "networking" broadcasting, the station linked with Outlet Company-owned WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island; and with AT&T's station in Washington, D.C., WCAP. New parent RCA saw an advantage in sharing programming, and after getting a license for radio station WRC in Washington, D.C., in 1923, attempted to transmit audio between cities via low-quality telegraph lines.
The early effort fared poorly, since the uninsulated telegraph lines were susceptible to atmospheric and other electrical interference. In 1925, AT&T decided that WEAF and its embryonic network were incompatible with the company's primary goal of providing a telephone service.
NBC is one of the Big Three television networks, and is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network", in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting; it became the network's official emblem in 1979. Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States.
AT&T offered to sell the station to RCA in a deal that included the right to lease AT&T's phone lines for network transmission. ====Red and Blue Networks==== RCA spent $1 million to purchase WEAF and Washington sister station WCAP, shutting down the latter station, and merged its facilities with surviving station WRC; in late 1926, it subsequently announced the creation of a new division known as the National Broadcasting Company.
NBC officially started broadcasting on November 15, 1926. WEAF and WJZ, the flagships of the two earlier networks, were operated side by side for about a year as part of the new NBC.
On January 1, 1927, NBC formally divided their respective marketing strategies: the "Red Network" offered commercially sponsored entertainment and music programming; the "Blue Network" mostly carried sustaining – or non-sponsored – broadcasts, especially news and cultural programs.
Various histories of NBC suggest the color designations for the two networks came from the color of the pushpins NBC engineers used to designate affiliate stations of WEAF (red) and WJZ (blue), or from the use of double-ended red and blue colored pencils. On April 5, 1927, NBC expanded to the West Coast with the launch of the NBC Orange Network, also known as the Pacific Coast Network.
In 1936, the Orange Network affiliate stations became part of the Red Network, and at the same time, the Gold Network became part of the Blue Network. In the 1930s, NBC also developed a network for shortwave radio stations, called the NBC White Network. In 1927, NBC moved its operations to 711 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, occupying the upper floors of a building designed by architect Floyd Brown.
In 1936, the Orange Network affiliate stations became part of the Red Network, and at the same time, the Gold Network became part of the Blue Network. In the 1930s, NBC also developed a network for shortwave radio stations, called the NBC White Network. In 1927, NBC moved its operations to 711 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, occupying the upper floors of a building designed by architect Floyd Brown.
NBC outgrew the Fifth Avenue facilities in 1933. In 1930, General Electric was charged with antitrust violations, resulting in the company's decision to divest itself of RCA.
This was followed by the debut of the NBC Gold Network, also known as the Pacific Gold Network, on October 18, 1931.
The newly separate company signed leases to move its corporate headquarters into the new Rockefeller Center in 1931.
NBC started to use the chimes sequence in 1931, and it eventually became the first audio trademark to be accepted by the U.S.
In 1932, GE was forced to sell RCA and NBC as a result of antitrust charges.
The NBC chimes were mechanized in 1932 by Rangertone founder Richard H.
NBC outgrew the Fifth Avenue facilities in 1933. In 1930, General Electric was charged with antitrust violations, resulting in the company's decision to divest itself of RCA.
When it moved into the complex in 1933, RCA became the lead tenant at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, known as the "RCA Building" (later the GE Building, now the Comcast Building), which housed NBC's production studios as well as theaters for RCA-owned RKO Pictures. ====Chimes==== The iconic three-note NBC chimes came about after several years of development.
In 1936, the Orange Network affiliate stations became part of the Red Network, and at the same time, the Gold Network became part of the Blue Network. In the 1930s, NBC also developed a network for shortwave radio stations, called the NBC White Network. In 1927, NBC moved its operations to 711 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, occupying the upper floors of a building designed by architect Floyd Brown.
In 1938, the FCC began a series of investigations into the monopolistic effects of network broadcasting.
DuMont Laboratories (and others) had actually offered the first home sets in 1938 in anticipation of NBC's announced April 1939 television launch.
A report published by the commission in 1939 found that NBC's two networks and its owned-and-operated stations dominated audiences, affiliates and advertising in American radio; this led the commission to file an order to RCA to divest itself of either NBC Red or NBC Blue. After Mutual's appeals were rejected by the FCC, RCA filed its own appeal to overturn the divestiture order.
RCA and Sarnoff had captured the spotlight by introducing all-electronic television to the public at the 1939–40 New York World's Fair, simultaneously initiating a regular schedule of programs on the NBC-RCA television station in New York City.
president to appear on television on April 30, 1939 (an actual, off-the-monitor photograph of the FDR telecast is available at the David Sarnoff Library).
DuMont Laboratories (and others) had actually offered the first home sets in 1938 in anticipation of NBC's announced April 1939 television launch.
However, despite major promotion by RCA, television sales in New York from 1939 to 1942 were disappointing, primarily due to the high cost of the sets, and the lack of compelling regularly scheduled programming.
NBC's earliest non-paid television commercials may have been those seen during the first Major League Baseball game ever telecast, between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, on August 26, 1939, over W2XBS.
Even while the presentations performed well in the ratings, NBC did not broadcast another made-for-TV film for two years. In 1967, NBC reached a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to acquire the broadcast rights to the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
NBC stations were often the most powerful, and some occupied unique clear-channel national frequencies, reaching hundreds or thousands of miles at night. In the late 1940s, rival CBS gained ground by allowing radio stars to use their own production companies to produce programs, which became a profitable move for much of its talent.
The most ambitious NBC television "network" program of the pre-war era was the telecast of the Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1940, which was fed live to the New York City and Schenectady stations.
Roosevelt's second and final appearance on live television, when his speech at Madison Square Garden on October 28, 1940, was telecast over W2XBS to receivers in the New York City area. Television's experimental period ended, as the FCC allowed full-fledged commercial television broadcasts to begin on July 1, 1941.
Additional stations along the East Coast and in the Midwest were connected by coaxial cable through the late 1940s, and in September 1951 the first transcontinental telecasts took place. The post-war 1940s and early 1950s brought success for NBC in the new medium.
Patent and Trademark Office. A variant sequence with an additional note, G-E'-C'-G, known as "the fourth chime", was used during significant events of extreme urgency (including during World War II, especially in the wake of the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor; on D-Day and during disasters).
However, in 1941, the company decided to sell NBC Blue in the event its appeal was denied.
Roosevelt's second and final appearance on live television, when his speech at Madison Square Garden on October 28, 1940, was telecast over W2XBS to receivers in the New York City area. Television's experimental period ended, as the FCC allowed full-fledged commercial television broadcasts to begin on July 1, 1941.
Both networks formally divorced their operations on January 8, 1942, with the Blue Network being referred to on-air as either "Blue" or "Blue Network", and Blue Network Company, Inc.
However, despite major promotion by RCA, television sales in New York from 1939 to 1942 were disappointing, primarily due to the high cost of the sets, and the lack of compelling regularly scheduled programming.
Supreme Court in May 1943, RCA sold Blue Network Company, Inc., for $8 million to the American Broadcasting System, a recently founded company owned by Life Savers magnate Edward J.
After the sale was completed on October 12, 1943, Noble acquired the rights to the Blue Network name, leases on landlines, the New York studios, two-and-a-half radio stations (WJZ in Newark/New York City; KGO in San Francisco and WENR in Chicago, which shared a frequency with Prairie Farmer station WLS); contracts with actors; and agreements with around 60 affiliates.
The Blue Network became ABC officially on June 15, 1945, after the sale was completed. ====Defining radio's golden age==== NBC became home to many of the most popular performers and programs on the air.
The series is considered to be the NBC television network's first regularly scheduled program. On V-E Day, May 8, 1945, WNBT broadcast several hours of news coverage and remotes from around New York City.
The 1947 World Series featured two New York City area teams (the Yankees and the Dodgers), and television sales boomed locally, since the games were being telecast in the New York market.
1989 however, also served as NBC's final year of covering Major League Baseball (the primary package would move over to CBS for the next four years before NBC regained the rights), having done so in some shape or form since 1947.
NBC's first major children's series, Howdy Doody, debuted in 1947 and was one of the era's first breakthrough television shows.
During 1948 and 1949, beginning with the nation's top radio star, Jack Benny, many NBC performers – including Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Burns and Allen and Frank Sinatra – jumped to CBS. In addition, NBC stars began migrating to television, including comedian Milton Berle, whose Texaco Star Theater on the network became television's first major hit.
Conductor Arturo Toscanini conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra in ten television concerts on NBC between 1948 and 1952.
Television's first major star, Milton Berle, whose Texaco Star Theatre began in June 1948, drew the first large audiences to NBC Television.
During 1948 and 1949, beginning with the nation's top radio star, Jack Benny, many NBC performers – including Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Burns and Allen and Frank Sinatra – jumped to CBS. In addition, NBC stars began migrating to television, including comedian Milton Berle, whose Texaco Star Theater on the network became television's first major hit.
9, and the first complete telecast of Verdi's Aida (starring Herva Nelli and Richard Tucker), performed in concert rather than with scenery and costumes. Aiming to keep classic radio alive as television matured, and to challenge CBS's Sunday night radio lineup, which featured much of the programs and talent that had moved to that network following the defection of Jack Benny to CBS, NBC launched The Big Show in November 1950.
Additional stations along the East Coast and in the Midwest were connected by coaxial cable through the late 1940s, and in September 1951 the first transcontinental telecasts took place. The post-war 1940s and early 1950s brought success for NBC in the new medium.
Regardless of the exact target demographic, the general idea was to appeal to viewers who were not close to retirement age and to modernize television programming, which the networks felt overall was stuck in a 1950s mentality, to closely resemble contemporary American society. ====1970s doldrums==== The 1970s started strongly for NBC thanks to hits like Adam-12, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Ironside, The Dean Martin Show, and The Flip Wilson Show.
Additional stations along the East Coast and in the Midwest were connected by coaxial cable through the late 1940s, and in September 1951 the first transcontinental telecasts took place. The post-war 1940s and early 1950s brought success for NBC in the new medium.
It was such a stunning success that it was repeated every year on NBC from 1951 to 1966, when a dispute between Menotti and NBC ended the broadcasts.
Conductor Arturo Toscanini conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra in ten television concerts on NBC between 1948 and 1952.
RCA convinced the FCC to approve its color system in December 1953.
Since 1953, NBC has served as the official U.S.
NBC began the transition with a few shows in 1954, and broadcast its first program to air all episodes in color beginning that summer, The Marriage. In 1955, NBC broadcast a live production in color of Peter Pan, a new Broadway musical adaptation of J.
The show lasted two years, with NBC losing around $1 million on the project (the network was only able to sell advertising time during the middle half-hour of the program each week). NBC's last major radio programming push, beginning on June 12, 1955, was Monitor, a creation of NBC President Sylvester "Pat" Weaver, who also created the innovative programs Today, The Tonight Show and Home for the companion television network.
NBC began the transition with a few shows in 1954, and broadcast its first program to air all episodes in color beginning that summer, The Marriage. In 1955, NBC broadcast a live production in color of Peter Pan, a new Broadway musical adaptation of J.
New Jersey is served by New York City O&O WNBC-TV and Philadelphia O&O WCAU; New Jersey formerly had an in-state affiliate in Atlantic City-based WMGM-TV, which was affiliated with the network from 1955 to 2014.
NBC is one of the Big Three television networks, and is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network", in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting; it became the network's official emblem in 1979. Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States.
By 1957, NBC planned to remove the opera company from CNP and CNP was in discussion with MGM Television about handling syndication distribution for MGM series. During a National Association of Broadcasters meeting in Chicago in 1956, NBC announced that its owned-and-operated station in that market, WNBQ (now WMAQ-TV), had become the first television station in the country to broadcast its programming in color (airing at least six hours of color broadcasts each day).
CBS, which had televised the film annually since 1956, refused to meet MGM's increased fee to renew its television rights.
By 1957, NBC planned to remove the opera company from CNP and CNP was in discussion with MGM Television about handling syndication distribution for MGM series. During a National Association of Broadcasters meeting in Chicago in 1956, NBC announced that its owned-and-operated station in that market, WNBQ (now WMAQ-TV), had become the first television station in the country to broadcast its programming in color (airing at least six hours of color broadcasts each day).
In 1959, NBC premiered a televised version of the radio program The Bell Telephone Hour, which aired in color from its debut; the program would continue on the NBC television network for nine more years until it ended in 1968. In 1961, NBC approached Walt Disney about acquiring the rights to his anthology series, offering to produce the program in color.
NBC aired The Wizard of Oz each year from 1968 to 1976, when CBS, realizing that they may have committed a colossal blunder by letting a huge ratings success like Oz go to another network, agreed to pay MGM more money to re-acquire the rights to show the film. The late 1960s brought big changes in the programming practices of the major television networks.
In 1959, NBC premiered a televised version of the radio program The Bell Telephone Hour, which aired in color from its debut; the program would continue on the NBC television network for nine more years until it ended in 1968. In 1961, NBC approached Walt Disney about acquiring the rights to his anthology series, offering to produce the program in color.
Disney subsequently struck a deal with NBC, which began airing the anthology series in the format in September 1961 (as Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color).
In January 1962, NBC's telecast of the Rose Bowl became the first college football game ever to be telecast in color. By 1963, much of NBC's prime time schedule was presented in color, although some popular series (such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which premiered in late 1964) were broadcast in black-and-white for their entire first season.
One exception was Toscanini: The Man Behind the Legend, a weekly series commemorating the great conductor's NBC broadcasts and recordings which ran for several years beginning in 1963.
In January 1962, NBC's telecast of the Rose Bowl became the first college football game ever to be telecast in color. By 1963, much of NBC's prime time schedule was presented in color, although some popular series (such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which premiered in late 1964) were broadcast in black-and-white for their entire first season.
In January 1962, NBC's telecast of the Rose Bowl became the first college football game ever to be telecast in color. By 1963, much of NBC's prime time schedule was presented in color, although some popular series (such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which premiered in late 1964) were broadcast in black-and-white for their entire first season.
Days of Our Lives became the first soap opera to premiere in color, when it debuted in November 1965. NBC contracted with Universal Studios in 1964 to produce the first feature-length film produced for television, See How They Run, which first aired on October 17, 1964; its second television movie, The Hanged Man, aired six weeks later on November 28.
In the fall of 1965, NBC was broadcasting 95% of its prime time schedule in color (with the exceptions of I Dream of Jeannie and Convoy), and began billing itself as "The Full Color Network." Without television sets to sell, rival networks followed more slowly, finally committing to an all-color lineup in prime time in the 1966–67 season.
Days of Our Lives became the first soap opera to premiere in color, when it debuted in November 1965. NBC contracted with Universal Studios in 1964 to produce the first feature-length film produced for television, See How They Run, which first aired on October 17, 1964; its second television movie, The Hanged Man, aired six weeks later on November 28.
Key anchors from NBC News are also used during NBC Sports coverage of the Olympic Games. ===Daytime programming=== NBC is currently the home to only one daytime program, the hour-long soap opera Days of Our Lives, which has been broadcast on the network since 1965.
It was such a stunning success that it was repeated every year on NBC from 1951 to 1966, when a dispute between Menotti and NBC ended the broadcasts.
In the fall of 1965, NBC was broadcasting 95% of its prime time schedule in color (with the exceptions of I Dream of Jeannie and Convoy), and began billing itself as "The Full Color Network." Without television sets to sell, rival networks followed more slowly, finally committing to an all-color lineup in prime time in the 1966–67 season.
Even while the presentations performed well in the ratings, NBC did not broadcast another made-for-TV film for two years. In 1967, NBC reached a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to acquire the broadcast rights to the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
However, by 1967, color broadcasts had become standard on television, and the film simply became another title in the list of specials that NBC telecast in the format.
In 1959, NBC premiered a televised version of the radio program The Bell Telephone Hour, which aired in color from its debut; the program would continue on the NBC television network for nine more years until it ended in 1968. In 1961, NBC approached Walt Disney about acquiring the rights to his anthology series, offering to produce the program in color.
NBC aired The Wizard of Oz each year from 1968 to 1976, when CBS, realizing that they may have committed a colossal blunder by letting a huge ratings success like Oz go to another network, agreed to pay MGM more money to re-acquire the rights to show the film. The late 1960s brought big changes in the programming practices of the major television networks.
Regardless of the exact target demographic, the general idea was to appeal to viewers who were not close to retirement age and to modernize television programming, which the networks felt overall was stuck in a 1950s mentality, to closely resemble contemporary American society. ====1970s doldrums==== The 1970s started strongly for NBC thanks to hits like Adam-12, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Ironside, The Dean Martin Show, and The Flip Wilson Show.
Most of these stations were wooed away by ABC, which had lifted out of last place to become the #1 network during the late 1970s and early 1980s, while WBAL-TV, KERO-TV, KVAL-TV, KTVL, WRGB and WTRF-TV went to CBS; ABC had originally considered aligning with WBAL, but the station decided against it because ABC's evening newscasts had attracted ratings too dismal for them to consider doing so.
elsewhere), and was conceived as a result of the FCC's loosening of the Prime Time Access Rule, legislation passed in 1971 that required networks to turn over the 7:30 p.m.
time slot in the 1975–76 season. In 1974, under new president Herb Schlosser, the network tried to attract younger viewers with a series of costly movies, miniseries and specials.
After Monitor ended its 20-year run on January 26, 1975, little remained of NBC network radio beyond hourly newscasts and news features, and Sunday morning religious program The Eternal Light. ====Decline==== On June 18, 1975, NBC launched the NBC News and Information Service (NIS), which provided up to 55 minutes of news per hour around the clock to local stations that wanted to adopt an all-news radio format.
time slot in the 1975–76 season. In 1974, under new president Herb Schlosser, the network tried to attract younger viewers with a series of costly movies, miniseries and specials.
None of the new prime-time shows that NBC introduced in the fall of 1975 earned a second season renewal, all failing in the face of established competition.
Otherwise, NBC had another tough season, with every single new fall program getting cancelled by season's end – the third time this has happened to the network after the fall of 1975, and the fall of 1983 – and the midseason legal drama Harry's Law being its only freshman scripted series to be renewed for the 2011–12 season.
NIS attracted several dozen subscribing stations, but by the fall of 1976, NBC determined that it could not project that the service would ever become profitable and gave its affiliates six months' notice that it would be discontinued.
NBC aired The Wizard of Oz each year from 1968 to 1976, when CBS, realizing that they may have committed a colossal blunder by letting a huge ratings success like Oz go to another network, agreed to pay MGM more money to re-acquire the rights to show the film. The late 1960s brought big changes in the programming practices of the major television networks.
NIS ended operations on May 29, 1977.
However, by 1978, Menotti and NBC had patched things up, and an all-new production of the opera, filmed partly on location in the Middle East, was telecast that year. ====Color television==== While rival CBS broadcast the first color television programs in the United States, their system was incompatible with the millions of black and white sets in use at the time.
NBC is one of the Big Three television networks, and is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network", in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting; it became the network's official emblem in 1979. Founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), NBC is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States.
In 1979, NBC launched The Source, a modestly successful secondary network providing news and short features to FM rock stations. The NBC Radio Network also pioneered personal advice call-in national talk radio with a satellite-distributed evening talk show, TalkNet; the program featured Bruce Williams (providing personal financial advice), Bernard Meltzer (personal and financial advice) and Sally Jessy Raphael (personal and romantic advice).
Most of these stations were wooed away by ABC, which had lifted out of last place to become the #1 network during the late 1970s and early 1980s, while WBAL-TV, KERO-TV, KVAL-TV, KTVL, WRGB and WTRF-TV went to CBS; ABC had originally considered aligning with WBAL, but the station decided against it because ABC's evening newscasts had attracted ratings too dismal for them to consider doing so.
team out of the 1980 Summer Olympics, NBC canceled a planned 150 hours of coverage (which had cost $87 million for the broadcast rights), placing the network's future in doubt.
Silverman later admitted he "never liked Al Franken to begin with", and the sketch ruined Franken's chance of succeeding Lorne Michaels as executive producer of SNL following his 1980 departure (with the position going to Jean Doumanian, who was fired after one season following declining ratings and negative critical reviews.
Michaels would later return to the show in 1985). ====Tartikoff's turnaround==== Fred Silverman eventually resigned as entertainment president in the summer of 1981.
While the network claimed moderate successes with Gimme a Break!, Silver Spoons, Knight Rider, and Remington Steele, its biggest hit during this period was The A-Team, which, at 10th place, was the network's only program to rank in the Nielsen Top-20 for the 1982–83 season, and ascended to fourth place the following year.
These shows helped NBC through the disastrous 1983–84 season, which saw none of its nine new fall shows gaining a second year. In February 1982, NBC canceled Tom Snyder's The Tomorrow Show and gave the 12:35 a.m.
These shows helped NBC through the disastrous 1983–84 season, which saw none of its nine new fall shows gaining a second year. In February 1982, NBC canceled Tom Snyder's The Tomorrow Show and gave the 12:35 a.m.
Otherwise, NBC had another tough season, with every single new fall program getting cancelled by season's end – the third time this has happened to the network after the fall of 1975, and the fall of 1983 – and the midseason legal drama Harry's Law being its only freshman scripted series to be renewed for the 2011–12 season.
The network rose from third place to second in the ratings during the 1984–85 season and reached first place in 1985–86, with hits The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, 227, Night Court, Highway to Heaven, and Hunter.
Michaels would later return to the show in 1985). ====Tartikoff's turnaround==== Fred Silverman eventually resigned as entertainment president in the summer of 1981.
The network rose from third place to second in the ratings during the 1984–85 season and reached first place in 1985–86, with hits The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, 227, Night Court, Highway to Heaven, and Hunter.
In 1986, Bob Wright was appointed as chairman of NBC. In 1985, NBC becomes the first American television network to broadcast programs in stereo. In the fall of 1987, NBC conceived a syndication package for its owned-and-operated stations, under the brand "Prime Time Begins at 7:30", consisting of five sitcoms that each aired once a week, and were produced by various production companies contracted by NBC.
In 1986, control of NBC passed back to General Electric (GE) through its $6.4 billion purchase of RCA.
Some in the industry feared this trend would lead to increasing control of radio content by networks and syndicators. General Electric acquired RCA in 1986, and with it NBC, signaling the beginning of the end of NBC Radio.
In 1986, Bob Wright was appointed as chairman of NBC. In 1985, NBC becomes the first American television network to broadcast programs in stereo. In the fall of 1987, NBC conceived a syndication package for its owned-and-operated stations, under the brand "Prime Time Begins at 7:30", consisting of five sitcoms that each aired once a week, and were produced by various production companies contracted by NBC.
In the summer of 1987, GE sold NBC Radio's network operations to Westwood One, and sold off the NBC-owned stations to various buyers.
In 1986, Bob Wright was appointed as chairman of NBC. In 1985, NBC becomes the first American television network to broadcast programs in stereo. In the fall of 1987, NBC conceived a syndication package for its owned-and-operated stations, under the brand "Prime Time Begins at 7:30", consisting of five sitcoms that each aired once a week, and were produced by various production companies contracted by NBC.
Marblehead Manor, We Got It Made and You Can't Take It With You were cancelled at the end of the 1987–88 season, with She's the Sheriff lasting one more season in weekend syndication before its cancellation.
Out of This World ran for three additional seasons, airing mainly on weekends, and was the most successful of the five series. NBC aired the first of eight consecutive Summer Olympic Games broadcasts when it covered the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea.
The 1988–89 season saw NBC have an astounding 17 series in Nielsen's year-end Top 30 most-watched network programs; it also ranked at first place in the weekly ratings for more than 12 months, an unprecedented achievement that has not been duplicated since.
NBC has also held the American broadcasting rights to the Summer Olympic Games since the 1988 games and the rights to the Winter Olympic Games since the 2002 games.
Things turned around with the launches of new hit series such as Mad About You, Wings, Sisters, Frasier, Friends, ER and Will & Grace. One of Tartikoff's late acquisitions, Seinfeld initially struggled from its debut in 1989 as a summer series, but grew to become one of NBC's top-rated shows after it was moved to Thursdays in the time slot following Cheers.
Notable NBC News productions past and present include Today, NBC Nightly News (and its immediate predecessor, the Huntley-Brinkley Report), Meet the Press (which has the distinction of the longest continuously running program in the history of American television), Dateline NBC, Early Today, NBC News at Sunrise, NBC Nightside and Rock Center with Brian Williams. In 1989, the news division began its expansion to cable with the launch of business news channel CNBC.
By 1990, the NBC Radio Network as an independent programming service had been dissolved, becoming a brand name for content produced by Westwood One, and ultimately by CBS Radio.
GE's divestiture of NBC Radio – known as "America's First Network" – in many ways marked the "beginning of the end" of the old era of regulated broadcasting and the ushering in of the new, largely unregulated industry that is present today. By the late 1990s, Westwood One was producing NBC Radio-branded newscasts on weekday mornings.
Nevertheless, the network continued its hot streak into the early 1990s with new hits such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Blossom, and Law & Order. ===="Must See TV"==== In 1991, Tartikoff left his role as NBC's President of Entertainment to take an executive position at Paramount Pictures.
The NBA on NBC enjoyed great success in the 1990s due in large part to the Chicago Bulls' run of six championships at the hands of superstar Michael Jordan.
Nevertheless, the network continued its hot streak into the early 1990s with new hits such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Blossom, and Law & Order. ===="Must See TV"==== In 1991, Tartikoff left his role as NBC's President of Entertainment to take an executive position at Paramount Pictures.
Some blamed Littlefield for losing David Letterman to CBS after naming Jay Leno as the successor to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, following the latter's retirement as host in May 1992.
From the mid-1960s until 1992, the bulk of NBC's children's programming was composed of mainly animated programming including classic Looney Tunes and Woody Woodpecker shorts; reruns of primetime animated sitcoms such as The Flintstones and The Jetsons; foreign acquisitions like Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion; animated adaptions of Punky Brewster, ALF and Star Trek as well as animated vehicles for Gary Coleman and Mr.
The last game show ever to air as part of NBC's daytime schedule was the short-lived Caesars Challenge, which ended in January 1994. Notable past daytime talk shows that have aired on NBC have included Home (1954–1957), The Ernie Kovacs Show (1955–1956), The Merv Griffin Show (1962–1963), Leeza (1994–1999) and Later Today (1999–2000). ===Children's programming=== Children's programming has played a part in NBC's programming since its initial roots in television.
The company eventually formed other cable news services including MSNBC (created in 1996 originally as a joint venture with Microsoft, which now features a mix of general news and political discussion programs with a liberal stance), and the 2008 acquisition of The Weather Channel in conjunction with Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.
Seinfeld ended its run in 1998, becoming the latest overall television program in the U.S.
Consequently, Friends emerged as NBC's biggest television show after the 1998 Seinfeld final broadcast.
These were discontinued in 1999 (along with Mutual branded newscasts), and the few remaining NBC Radio Network affiliates became affiliates of CNN Radio, carrying the Westwood-owned service's hourly newscasts 24 hours a day.
After Sassa was reassigned to NBC's West Coast Division, Garth Ancier was named as his replacement in 1999.
NBC officially began its conversion to [television|high definition] with the launch of its simulcast feed, NBC HD, on April 26, 1999, when The Tonight Show became the first HD program to air on the NBC network as well as the first regularly scheduled American network program to be produced and transmitted in high definition.
Jeff Zucker then succeeded Ancier as president of NBC Entertainment in 2000. ====New century, new problems==== At the start of the 2000s, NBC's fortunes started to take a rapid turn for the worse.
Its success was taken as a suggestion that NBC's nearly two decades of dominance on Thursday nights could be broken; even so, the strength of Friends, Will & Grace, ER and Just Shoot Me! (the latter of which saw its highest viewership following its move to that night in the 2000–01 season) helped the network continue to lead the Thursday ratings.
It dominated the ratings, never leaving the top five watched shows of the year from its second through tenth seasons and landing on the number-one spot during season eight in the 2001–02 season as the latest sitcom in the U.S.
In 2001, CBS chose to move its hit reality series Survivor to serve as the anchor of its Thursday night lineup.
Between the 2001–02 and 2004–05 seasons, NBC became the first major network to air select dramas in letterbox over its analog broadcast feed; the move was done in the hopes of attracting new viewers, although the network saw only a slight boost.
television rights to both the Summer and Winter Olympics through 2012), PGA Tour golf events and a floundering Notre Dame football program (however, it would eventually acquire the rights to the National Hockey League in May 2004). In October 2001, NBC acquired Spanish-language network Telemundo from Liberty Media and Sony Pictures Entertainment for $2.7 billion, beating out other bidders including CBS/Viacom.
After losing the NBA rights, NBC's major sports offerings were reduced to the Olympics (which in 2002, expanded to include rights to the Winter Olympics, as part of a contract that gave it the U.S.
America's Got Talent, a reality talent competition series that premiered in 2006, earned a 4.6 rating in the 18–49 demographic, higher than that earned by the 2002 premiere of Fox's American Idol.
NBC has also held the American broadcasting rights to the Summer Olympic Games since the 1988 games and the rights to the Winter Olympic Games since the 2002 games.
NBA Inside Stuff, an analysis and interview program aimed at teens that was hosted for most of its run by Ahmad Rashād, was also a part of the TNBC lineup during the NBA season until 2002 (when the program moved to ABC as a result of that network taking the NBA rights from NBC). In 2002, NBC entered into an agreement with Discovery Communications to carry educational children's programs from the Discovery Kids cable channel.
After the acquisition by GE, Bob Wright became chief executive officer of NBC; he would remain in that position until his retirement in 2007, when he was succeeded by Jeff Zucker. In 2003, French media company Vivendi merged its entertainment assets with GE, forming NBC Universal.
In 2003, Westwood One began distributing NBC News Radio, a new service featuring minute-long news updates read by television anchors and reporters from NBC News and MSNBC, with content written by Westwood One employees. ====Restoration==== On March 1, 2012, Dial Global announced that it would discontinue CNN Radio, and replace it with an expansion of NBC News Radio on April 1, 2012.
Along with new hits including The Blacklist, Hannibal and Chicago PD and a significant ratings boost from its broadcast of the 2014 Winter Olympics, NBC became the #1 network in the coveted 18–49 demographic that season for the first time since 2003–04, when Friends ended.
Roth (whose production company, 3-Ball Productions, would also produce reality series The Biggest Loser for NBC beginning in 2003); and scripted series such as Strange Days at Blake Holsey High and Scout's Safari.
Between the 2001–02 and 2004–05 seasons, NBC became the first major network to air select dramas in letterbox over its analog broadcast feed; the move was done in the hopes of attracting new viewers, although the network saw only a slight boost.
television rights to both the Summer and Winter Olympics through 2012), PGA Tour golf events and a floundering Notre Dame football program (however, it would eventually acquire the rights to the National Hockey League in May 2004). In October 2001, NBC acquired Spanish-language network Telemundo from Liberty Media and Sony Pictures Entertainment for $2.7 billion, beating out other bidders including CBS/Viacom.
In 2004, Zucker was promoted to the newly created position of president of NBC Universal Television Group.
Kevin Reilly became the new president of NBC Entertainment. In 2004, NBC experienced a Three on a match scenario (Friends and Frasier ended their runs; Jerry Orbach, who had played one of the most popular characters of its hit Law & Order, died suddenly later that year), and shortly afterward was left with several moderately rated shows and few true hits.
In particular, Friends spin-off Joey, despite a relatively strong start, started to falter in the ratings during its second season. In December 2005, NBC began its first week-long primetime game show event, Deal or No Deal; the series garnered high ratings, and became a weekly series in March 2006.
Otherwise, the 2005–06 season was one of the worst for NBC in three decades, with only one fall series, the sitcom My Name Is Earl, surviving for a second season; the sole remaining anchor of the "Must See TV" lineup, Will & Grace also saw its ratings decline.
In particular, Friends spin-off Joey, despite a relatively strong start, started to falter in the ratings during its second season. In December 2005, NBC began its first week-long primetime game show event, Deal or No Deal; the series garnered high ratings, and became a weekly series in March 2006.
America's Got Talent, a reality talent competition series that premiered in 2006, earned a 4.6 rating in the 18–49 demographic, higher than that earned by the 2002 premiere of Fox's American Idol.
GE used $5.8 billion from the deal to buy out Vivendi's 20% interest in NBC Universal. NBC's broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, in February of that year, generated a ratings increase of 21% over its broadcast of the 2006 Winter Games in Torino.
Another highlight of the 2016–17 season was The Wall, which premiered to modest ratings and would air in the summer time period prior to the 2017–18 season. The 2017–18 season brought continued success for NBC with the premiere of Ellen's Game of Games and the return of Will & Grace, the latter of which previously aired its final episode in 2006.
The block later expanded to include some animated series such as Kenny the Shark, Tutenstein and Time Warp Trio. In May 2006, NBC announced plans to launch a new Saturday morning children's block under the Qubo brand in September 2006.
Qubo launched on NBC on September 9, 2006 with six programs (VeggieTales, Dragon, VeggieTales Presents: 3-2-1 Penguins!, Babar, Jane and the Dragon and Jacob Two-Two). On March 28, 2012, it was announced that NBC would launch a new Saturday morning preschool block programmed by Sprout (originally jointly owned by NBCUniversal, PBS, Sesame Workshop and Apax Partners, with the former acquiring the other's interests later that year).
After the acquisition by GE, Bob Wright became chief executive officer of NBC; he would remain in that position until his retirement in 2007, when he was succeeded by Jeff Zucker. In 2003, French media company Vivendi merged its entertainment assets with GE, forming NBC Universal.
broadcast network in the 2007–08 season), and top-rated CBS (which led for much of the remainder of the decade).
However, NBC decided not to place it in the spring season, and instead use it as a platform to promote their upcoming fall shows. Following the unexpected termination of Kevin Reilly, in 2007, Ben Silverman was appointed president of NBC Entertainment, while Jeff Zucker was promoted to succeed Bob Wright as CEO of NBC.
Since NBC turned back an hour of its then two-hour daytime schedule to its affiliates as a result of the September 2007 expansion of Today to four hours, the network currently ties with The CW for the fewest daytime programming hours of any major broadcast television network. Long-running daytime dramas seen on NBC in the past include The Doctors (1963–1982), Another World (1964–1999), Santa Barbara (1984–1993), and Passions (1999–2007).
NBCUniversal is a part-owner of Hulu (along with majority owner The Walt Disney Company, owner of ABC), and has offered full-length episodes of most of NBC's programming through the streaming service (which are available for viewing on Hulu's website and mobile app) since Hulu launched in private beta testing on October 29, 2007. The most recent episodes of the network's shows are usually made available on NBC.com and Hulu the day after their original broadcast.
The company eventually formed other cable news services including MSNBC (created in 1996 originally as a joint venture with Microsoft, which now features a mix of general news and political discussion programs with a liberal stance), and the 2008 acquisition of The Weather Channel in conjunction with Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.
In a March 2009 interview, Zucker had stated that he no longer believed it would be possible for NBC to become #1 in prime time.
Ben Silverman left the network in 2009, with Jeff Gaspin replacing him as president of NBC Entertainment. ====Comcast era (2011–present)==== On December 3, 2009, Comcast announced they would purchase a 51% controlling stake in NBC Universal from General Electric (which would retain the remaining 49%) for $6.5 billion in cash and $9.1 billion in raised debt.
television history) were cancelled. After Conan O'Brien succeeded Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show in 2009, the network gave Leno a new prime time talk show, committing to air it every weeknight at 10:00 p.m.
The increases NBC experienced in the 2010–11 season compared to 2009–10 were almost entirely attributable to the rising viewership of NBC Sunday Night Football.
NBC began airing a same-day rebroadcast of the parade telecast in 2009 (replacing its annual Thanksgiving afternoon airing of Miracle on 34th Street).
GE used $5.8 billion from the deal to buy out Vivendi's 20% interest in NBC Universal. NBC's broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, in February of that year, generated a ratings increase of 21% over its broadcast of the 2006 Winter Games in Torino.
Citing complaints from many affiliates, which saw their late-evening newscasts drop significantly in the local ratings during The Jay Leno Show's run, NBC announced on January 10, 2010 that it would drop Leno's show from the 10:00 p.m.
The increases NBC experienced in the 2010–11 season compared to 2009–10 were almost entirely attributable to the rising viewership of NBC Sunday Night Football.
In the spring of 2010, cable provider and multimedia firm Comcast announced it would acquire a majority interest in NBC Universal from General Electric, which would retain a minority stake in the company in the interim. On September 24, 2010, Jeff Zucker announced that he would step down as NBC Universal's CEO once the company's merger with Comcast was completed at the end of the year.
The network's dominance of the 2010s would fade during the 2019–20 season, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in production of the network's programming.
Comcast purchased a controlling interest in the company in 2011, and acquired General Electric's remaining stake in 2013.
In 2011, NBC was finally able to find a breakout hit in the midseason reality singing competition series The Voice.
Otherwise, NBC had another tough season, with every single new fall program getting cancelled by season's end – the third time this has happened to the network after the fall of 1975, and the fall of 1983 – and the midseason legal drama Harry's Law being its only freshman scripted series to be renewed for the 2011–12 season.
The network nearly completed its full conversion to an all-HD schedule (outside of the Saturday morning time slot leased by the Qubo consortium, which NBCUniversal would rescind its stake in the following year) on September 20, 2011, when Last Call with Carson Daly converted to the format with the premiere of its 11th season. The 2011–12 season was another tough season for NBC.
The network managed to lift itself into third place in the 18–49 demographic in the 2011–12 season, primarily on the strength of those three programs (SNF, The Voice, and Smash), breaking the network's eight-year streak in fourth place.
In 2003, Westwood One began distributing NBC News Radio, a new service featuring minute-long news updates read by television anchors and reporters from NBC News and MSNBC, with content written by Westwood One employees. ====Restoration==== On March 1, 2012, Dial Global announced that it would discontinue CNN Radio, and replace it with an expansion of NBC News Radio on April 1, 2012.
Subsequently, on September 4, 2012, Dial Global launched a sports-talk radio service, NBC Sports Radio. NBC News Radio has been distributed by iHeartMedia and its TTWN Networks since July 2016.
television rights to both the Summer and Winter Olympics through 2012), PGA Tour golf events and a floundering Notre Dame football program (however, it would eventually acquire the rights to the National Hockey League in May 2004). In October 2001, NBC acquired Spanish-language network Telemundo from Liberty Media and Sony Pictures Entertainment for $2.7 billion, beating out other bidders including CBS/Viacom.
By 2012, the shows that occupied the 10:00 p.m.
Four shows survived for a second season, but three of them were cancelled in the following year, none were unqualified ratings successes, and the network remained a distant fourth place in total viewership. In the fall of 2012, NBC greatly expanded its sitcom roster, with eight comedy series airing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.
The 2012–13 season ended with NBC finishing in third place overall, albeit by a narrow margin, with only three new shows, all dramas, surviving for a second season (Revolution, Chicago Fire and Hannibal). In 2013, NBC Sports migrated its business and production operations (including NBCSN) to new facilities in Stamford, Connecticut.
Qubo launched on NBC on September 9, 2006 with six programs (VeggieTales, Dragon, VeggieTales Presents: 3-2-1 Penguins!, Babar, Jane and the Dragon and Jacob Two-Two). On March 28, 2012, it was announced that NBC would launch a new Saturday morning preschool block programmed by Sprout (originally jointly owned by NBCUniversal, PBS, Sesame Workshop and Apax Partners, with the former acquiring the other's interests later that year).
The block, NBC Kids, premiered on July 7, 2012, replacing the "Qubo on NBC" block. ===Specials=== NBC holds the broadcast rights to several annual specials and award show telecasts including the Golden Globe Awards and the Emmy Awards (which is rotated across all four major networks each year).
CBS also carries unauthorized coverage of the Macy's parade as part of The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS; However, as NBC holds rights to the parade, it has exclusivity over the broadcast of Broadway and music performances appearing in the parade (CBS airs live performances separate from those seen in the parade as a result), and Macy's chose to reroute the parade in 2012 out of the view of CBS' cameras, although it continues to cover the parade.
Comcast purchased a controlling interest in the company in 2011, and acquired General Electric's remaining stake in 2013.
The 2012–13 season ended with NBC finishing in third place overall, albeit by a narrow margin, with only three new shows, all dramas, surviving for a second season (Revolution, Chicago Fire and Hannibal). In 2013, NBC Sports migrated its business and production operations (including NBCSN) to new facilities in Stamford, Connecticut.
Despite the failure of another highly advertised game show event, The Million Second Quiz, the 2013–14 season was mostly successful for NBC due to the continued success of The Voice, Chicago Fire, Revolution, Sunday Night Football and Grimm.
An endeavor originally operated as a joint venture between NBCUniversal, Ion Media Networks, Scholastic Press, Classic Media and Corus Entertainment's Nelvana unit (Ion acquired the other partners' shares in 2013), the Qubo venture also encompassed weekly blocks on Telemundo and Ion Television, a 24-hour digital multicast network on Ion's owned-and-operated and affiliated stations, as well as video on demand services and a branded website.
Past adaptations include: The Sound of Music in 2013 (starring Carrie Underwood as Maria Von Trapp) Peter Pan in 2014 (starring Allison Williams in the titular role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook) The Wiz in 2015 (starring Queen Latifah as the Wiz, Mary J.
Cheers spinoff Frasier became a critical and commercial success, usually landing in the Nielsen Top 20 – although its ratings were overshadowed to a minor extent by Friends – and went on to win numerous Emmy Awards (eventually setting a record for a sitcom that lasted until it was overtaken by Modern Family in 2014).
Production of the network's NFL pre-game show Football Night in America remained at the NBC Studios at Rockefeller Center (with production operations based in Studio 8G, while the program itself was broadcast in Studio 8H, the longtime home of Saturday Night Live), until it migrated to the Stamford facility in September 2014.
Along with new hits including The Blacklist, Hannibal and Chicago PD and a significant ratings boost from its broadcast of the 2014 Winter Olympics, NBC became the #1 network in the coveted 18–49 demographic that season for the first time since 2003–04, when Friends ended.
NBC also improved considerably in total viewership, finishing behind long-dominant CBS in second place for the season. The 2014–15 season was something of a mixed bag for NBC, but still successful.
Past adaptations include: The Sound of Music in 2013 (starring Carrie Underwood as Maria Von Trapp) Peter Pan in 2014 (starring Allison Williams in the titular role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook) The Wiz in 2015 (starring Queen Latifah as the Wiz, Mary J.
New Jersey is served by New York City O&O WNBC-TV and Philadelphia O&O WCAU; New Jersey formerly had an in-state affiliate in Atlantic City-based WMGM-TV, which was affiliated with the network from 1955 to 2014.
Combined with the record number of viewers tuning in to Super Bowl XLIX, NBC again finished #1 in the 18–49 demographic and in second place overall. The 2015–16 season was successful for NBC, with the successful launch of the new drama Blindspot premiering after The Voice, then subsequently being renewed for a second season in November 2015.
Past adaptations include: The Sound of Music in 2013 (starring Carrie Underwood as Maria Von Trapp) Peter Pan in 2014 (starring Allison Williams in the titular role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook) The Wiz in 2015 (starring Queen Latifah as the Wiz, Mary J.
Subsequently, on September 4, 2012, Dial Global launched a sports-talk radio service, NBC Sports Radio. NBC News Radio has been distributed by iHeartMedia and its TTWN Networks since July 2016.
NBC also continued with the success with the Chicago franchise with launching its second spin-off Chicago Med, which also received an early second season pick up in February 2016.
Thursday nights continues to be a struggle for NBC, with continued success with the third season of The Blacklist brought the failed launch of Heroes Reborn which was cancelled in January 2016, and thriller The Player; however, NBC found success with police procedural Shades of Blue, which improved in its timeslot and was renewed for a second season in February 2016.
Another highlight of the 2016–17 season was The Wall, which premiered to modest ratings and would air in the summer time period prior to the 2017–18 season. The 2017–18 season brought continued success for NBC with the premiere of Ellen's Game of Games and the return of Will & Grace, the latter of which previously aired its final episode in 2006.
It premiered on October 8, 2016, giving Litton control of all but Fox's Saturday morning E/I programming among the five major broadcast networks. Sports programming is also provided weekend afternoons at any time between 12:00 and 6:00 p.m.
One notable example is WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina (a station that re-joined NBC in February 2016) which is currently also broadcasting at 1080p via WARZ-CD, which is also serving as an ATSC 3.0 multiplex for the Raleigh area.
The network launched new fantasy sitcom The Good Place following The Voice and brought in modest ratings and was renewed for a second season in January 2017.
Another highlight of the 2016–17 season was The Wall, which premiered to modest ratings and would air in the summer time period prior to the 2017–18 season. The 2017–18 season brought continued success for NBC with the premiere of Ellen's Game of Games and the return of Will & Grace, the latter of which previously aired its final episode in 2006.
The 2018–19 season would continue the network's success with the premieres of The Titan Games, Manifest, Songland, and New Amsterdam, all of which would be renewed for additional seasons; however, The Village and The Enemy Within would not make it past their first seasons.
The network's NFL game telecasts were not permitted to be streamed on the service for several years until a change to the league's mobile rights agreement in the 2018 season allowed games to be streamed through network websites and apps. ===NBC HD=== NBC's master feed is transmitted in 1080i [television|high definition], the native resolution format for NBCUniversal's television properties.
The network's dominance of the 2010s would fade during the 2019–20 season, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in production of the network's programming.
The pandemic caused the IOC and the Japanese government to reach an agreement to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics to the summer of 2021, resulting in the network having to rely on alternative programming for the summer of 2020. ==Programming== , NBC provides 87 hours of regularly scheduled network programming each week.
The pandemic caused the IOC and the Japanese government to reach an agreement to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics to the summer of 2021, resulting in the network having to rely on alternative programming for the summer of 2020. ==Programming== , NBC provides 87 hours of regularly scheduled network programming each week.
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