NBC's Chief Gaspin Says, 'We're in It to Win It!'

Why was this link deleted?
NBC didn't want anyone to read all the angry comments from people when they found out the show had been cancelled?

http://www.nbc.com/southland/video/clips/preview-season-premiere/1163647...

All of the executive at NBC are useless. They are complete morons who can't find their own arses!

They all know how to talk the talk and walk the walk, a very important aspect of getting promoted at NBC. However, when it comes time to actually do work and understand their jobs, they just don't have that ability.

These mornons completely ruined NBC, yet they continue to get promoted (Gaspin), or praised (Zucker) for doing sh*tty work.

Comcast needs to come in, cancel Jay Leno's contract, fire all of these losers NBC calls executives, and start again, from scratch.

When NBC was in third place in the early 80s, they stuck with quality shows that were low rated...and built up a reputation for high quality programming. Eventually viewers began watching and they were THE network for quality...Hill Street Blues...Fame...Cheers...leading into the years of Cosby Show...Family Ties...LA Law.

I know it is a different time, but I would think they would try something like keeping Southland to help repair their image from that of five nights of Leno.

Comments from Marc Graboff on Southland. He's chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios

Boorstin asked about the cancellation of Southland, a critically acclaimed show. Graboff led into his answer. “Another in the dramatic category was Friday Night Lights, a critically acclaimed but low rated show. It made no sense for us to do financially but we brought in DirecTV and it became feasible. Southland is a great show. But NBC isn’t the right platform for that show. Where we would have put it on Friday night would have been a disservice to viewers. We’ve given them the chance to find a platform where it’ll work and cooperating with them to help them do it, on basic or pay cable.”

One of the first things you learn in a business course is that you sometimes have to take risk of losing money in order to receive money later on once the business grows.

In this case it could apply to Mr. Gaspin's view of Southland. If he really didn't believe it was going to be a rating juggernaut out of the bag it's second season, he should have given it some promotion (billboards, on-air spots, etc.) and let it run. The fact that it got nearly 4 million viewers during reruns without promotion, only strengthens the fact that with promotion it could've had the potential to be that ratings giant that NBC needs.

However, NBC seems to be all about Leno now - confirmed further by this interview. Leno is a show that won't sell on DVD, or have playback value to the viewer. It doesn't make much sense to structure a network around Leno, or let his team call the shots with anything other than their own show.

The thing that bothers me the most is the reason that NBC/Gaspin is giving us for it's axing - Southland wasn't quality programming and it was too dark and gritty. I just saw a promo yesterday for "Trauma" (which coincidentally is the ONLY good thing left on the network), and it was touted as "real" and "gritty." Not to mention, Law & Order: SVU has been gritty, shocking, haunting and sometimes downright disgusting for it's eleven seasons - and NBC seems pretty darn proud of it. There's definitely something going on here that NBC isn't telling us.

NBC is a joke and this guy is the latest in a long line of flunkies that network has paraded out in the last 10 years.
I realy feel sorry for the poor network sales people and the affiliae salespeople who have seen their fortunes evaporate and their careers be put in jeopardy,because they are always blamed when the revenue is not there. They better pray Comcat buys them!

NBC is a joke and this guy is the latest in a long line of flunkies that network has paraded out in the last 10 years.
I realy feel sorry for the poor network sales people and the affiliae salespeople who have seen their fortunes evaporate and their careers be put in jeopardy,because they are always blamed when the revenue is not there. They better pray Comcat buys them!

Gaspin has all the instincts of a... rock. He has never had a vision or creative instinct. He is a political schmoozer and a corporate lackey, that's it. He is a master at taking shows that have worked or are working or that others put together and politically maneuvering himself to take credit; he is also a master of distancing himself from anything risky or anything that did not work (in spite of championing it himself earlier). The cable networks at NBCU were already working when he was put "in charge" of them. He did nothing to make them work.

Gaspin knows how to talk the GE talk, that's all. Hopefully all this will be over soon.

"The Rockford Files." Real bold.

Look mommy..... the Emperor is naked!

Bravo NBC. You are proving that you can talk out of both sides of your mouth. The show did well at 10. But, you stick it in some crazy time slot because you are filling the best time for Drama with more and more No Talent Leno? You are surprised its ratings went down? It is and WAS a great show. You didnt appreciate Southland and your network is way too vanilla to put on something REAL? It doesnt get any better than Southland! I think Cudlitz should really go to town with what he thinks of NBC, because I know I am holding back. SVU and Office can only save you for so long. Can't wait for Southland to be picked up by FX or TNT. When they do, you bet I will watch it live, sit through all the commercials and I will call all the advertisers to personally THANK them for supporting such a REAL and great show. It will get even better once NBC's influence is gone. Bravo to the writers and producers to sticking to their guns and ignoring the no-talents at NBC. BRAVO!!!

This article is the biggest bunch of BS I've ever read. Pick an excuse for canceling Southland and stick with it. Shame on NBC for canceling such a great show. Another network will gladly pick it up and NBC will rue their decision. NBC has nothing worth watching anymore with the exception of SVU and Mercy and I can watch those on Hulu and not give NBC the ratings. NBC sucks and so do their decision makers. Jay Leno will be the death of them and all I will do is laugh at the funeral.

Putting a big "EXCLUSIVE" right in the title is so small-time and tacky and ... Nikki Finkesque. Either just let the piece stand for itself, or put a small graphic or badge denoting that it's an exclusive. You should maintain a bit of dignity.

While other shows like NCIS and The Mentalist build an incredible audience viewership, NBC is pulling off a quality show like "Southland". I think I know who the biggest loser at NBC is without a doubt. Southland had enormous potential. What NBC is saying through this idiot is that they want to make shows that morons will see because there are more of them. If he doesn't want anything gritty and dark then take off Law and Order and Law and Order SVU. Just produce Jay Leno, Biggest Loser and Dateline episodes.
Taking off a show like Southland is a slap in the face to the loyal NBC viewer. I have been a loyal NBC viewer since I was a child and now I am just disgusted. Good luck with your new dramas that are in development. It doesn't matter how good they are because your drama audience has already walked out the door. If NBC doesn't even have faith in it's shows, why should we?

Where are your testicles, Mr. Gaspin, so "Southland" can remain on the air? I doubt the moronic justifications you've addressed on here is what is really behind the decision in doing this.

Are you even reading what viewers are stating about this awesome show??? Probably not because you're too busy making guess-work as you re-model your BevHills home and assume no one watches "Southland."

http://www.nbc.com/southland/video/clips/preview-season-premiere/1163647...

READ, ASSHOLE!! Stupid idiot!!

He should take the time out of his busy schedule to visit his own company website to read what people have to say about his decision. After all, this is the broadcast audience he claims to be programming for.

http://www.nbc.com/southland/video/clips/preview-season-premiere/1163647...

What planet is he from? Because he was talking in circles the whole time contradicting himself.

Congratulations, Mr. Gaspin.
FX's Sons of Anarchy just beat Leno.

NBC has three good dramas..."Friday Night Lights", "Chuck" and "Southland". How appropriate that none of them are on the air...one has become a Direct TV rerun, one a mid-season (whenever that is) replacement, and one cashiered out because when you have turned your network over to the abysmal Jay Leno and fat people dieting, you apparently aren't allowed to broadcast anything of quality whatsoever.

Now if "The Office" and "30 Rock" could just jump to HBO like "Southland" will hopefully do on TNT, there will be absolutely no reason whatsoever to watch the Titanic of broadcast networks.

The commenters have done a better job expressing themselves than Mr. Gaspin has in the interview and article. I agree with everything that has been said by these individuals. Mirella is correct that blaming the audience is an insult, particularly because the audience is seeking original well written dramas and NBC, well, is looking at remaking a television show from the 70's and a fine British procedural that does not need to be remade. Yes, Mr. Gaspin, those development projects will bring the audience back. After all, these projects are just like ER, Hill Street Blues (which NBC carried for over a season of bad ratings) and Homicide. Please continue to insult me and my intelligence as an audience member. Since I must not have the brain cells to know any better, I will be watching original programming on other networks as well as the product of the old NBC, like Hill Street, on Hulu. Good luck on your future endeavors. Really.

This is complete and utter bullshit. I'm not buying it. Law & Order SVU is a prime example of the "gritty, real & dark" and it's well into it's 11th season. NBC has never shied away from groundbreaking drama, why start now? And if I remember correctly, Southland performed quite well with re-runs in the Friday night spot.

These are nothing but weak ass excuses. It's politics, and I'm sure the rumblings about the producers and network execs have some weight.

If I ever had any doubt about boycotting NBC, this article dispelled them. I will not support a network that treats its viewers like 3 year olds. WE are the audience and WE want programming such as Southland...WE didn't ask for Jay Leno.

This is a blessing in disguise for Southland and all involved...to make a home on a shoddy network like NBC is not worth having a show at all.

Have fun with Leno...I'm taking my viewership elsewhere.

I love when he says that NBC might "have a show like this on our schedule again in two years". Um, who is going to watching his sad little network in two years? Certainly not this girl!

Does he seriously think NBC viewers (or ex-viewers as the case may be!) are stupid enough to believe this line of bull---- that he's trying to feed us? Give me a break. I'm sick and tired of all these NBC executives giving interviews and talking down to their viewers like we're just going to accept what they say and accept it. News for you Mr. Gaspin, there ARE other networks who are showing what the viewers want to see. We don't NEED NBC. We don't WANT NBC. After reading all these ridiculous interviews, backtracking and lying and spinning tall tales and watching how you did the cast and crew of Southland wrong, NBC is not watched in our home anymore. I liked Trauma enough to watch it. I liked Mercy enough to watch it. I don't miss them though.

You're an idiot if you think the viewers that you USED to have are going to believe this crap.

Southland fans, join us on twitter, Oct 23. We're going to do another tweetfest Fri evening 8pm eastern. #savesouthland #southland Hopefully trivia too.:) Follow me @mattsmom32 for more details.

I don't think I'm alone when I say that this guy talks in so many circles that he makes a pretzel seem ramrod straight. Was that ploy his idea of attempting to be evasive, or is he so delusional that he thinks he comes across as informed? The earlier comments that mention the contradictions, groundless, weak excuses, dumbing down the audience, the dark content in "family" procedural shows (past their prime) like SVU, and the broken so-called promises are right. By the way, Mr. Gaspin, if we couldn't believe a word spoken by an NBC director before, why should we now?

Ratings? Where do we begin? Southland did quite well with its targeted audience- and beyond- when it started. It also started with a very short run at the end of the season in the most competitive time slot when estabished, top shows were running their finales. It performed very well in reruns with no promotion at all during the summer- and at 8:00 in most time zones. Now? Any new NBC dramas, and they're more expensive than Southland with no loyal following, are struggling. That's being kind. Leno is tanking and dragging down all the local news affiliates. Someone can't even get his facts straight.

I hope the next interview and article isn't wasted on someone like this blowing smoke and loving the sound of his own voice, but has the announcement of what network snatched up Southland and how soon we can watch again.

Alienating the creative community AND TV fans is not a sound business strategy. Compare NBC's moves with that of FOX.
FOX has been very patient with Dollhouse even though its gotten ratings a lot lower than what Southland has gotten.
(Southland's rerun ratings have also been decent. A lot of viewers also discovered the show through Hulu.)

With its treatment of Dollhouse, FOX is building audience goodwill in the long run. Audiences will stick with the network because they know it wil be more patient with underperforming shows. And frankly, FOX has a ton more money than NBC at this point.

NBC's decision to cancel Southland was primarily a cost-cutting move. They're doing all they can to make their finances look pretty since they're on the chopping block.
And Southland not being an NBC Universal product was to its disadvantage. They'd rather direct their money towards Trauma or Mercy or Leno.

Anyway Southland is the least of Mr. Gaspin's worries right now, especially with the shoddy performance of most of NBC's primetime lineup.
Somebody should have asked Mr. Gaspin about Jay Leno going below the 1.5 18-49 demo threshold that NBC promised its advertisers, in some of his last few airings. As well as the negative impact of Leno on their affiliates.

WOW. If I were to play a drinking game - say, have a shot every time this guy blatantly contradicted himself in this interview, I'd end up in a hospital before reaching page 3.

FWIW, Southland's RERUNS on FRIDAY NIGHTS this late summer/early fall were averaging about 4 million viewers. And they were airing at 8pm. So much for the show being too gritty for NBC's audience (which is oh so easily confused by changing schedules, goodness gracious!). Well, guess what? The audience has moved on. NBC is loserville for an excellent reason, and this interview illustrates it perfectly.

No wonder he's behind this- and the rise of brainless NBC must-avoid TV. Does he listen to himself, or only look in the mirror at every chance? Even he can't swallow these lines.

The creators, cast and crew of Southland should feel manipulated and betrayed, just as all of us viewers do. The way this was handled was textbook bad behavior. For that alone, I'm done with NBC. Of course, it's not only that.

To anyone associated with Southland, we think you're doing a great job, we're looking forward to more, and we're completely in your corner. We're waiting for news every day of where we can tune in to start watching.

Looks like more of the same spin we've been getting from NBC. The "gritty" excuse is becoming tiresome, and, frankly, the fact that Mr. Gaspin blames the audience for the wretched decision to kill an excellent show like Southland is kind of insulting. Audiences certainly seem to enjoy the fare on cable, for all it's "grittiness." Which I'd guess is the reason his network is bleeding viewers. Dateline and The Biggest Loser? I don't think so.

I guess we know how good NBC's promises are, don't we? No, Southland wasn't an end of year space filler. Sure, it was renewed! There would be at least 13 episodes! Wait, someone actually wanted to see them, as in on TV? Oh. That's another matter entirely. NBC's moniker stands for "no brain cells" in the true sense of reality (a misnomer) TV and talk shows.

Honestly, this has ended any watching of NBC in our home. We were all looking forward to more of Ben and the Southland gang in September, and then October. It's not only the decisions NBC has made, it's the very questionable, disillusioning way they've handled everything that has been so disappointing. They've made it clear that creative staff don't matter, hardworking cast and crew don't matter, audiences don't matter (and just what business are they in?), and their own public statements are utterly worthless and don't matter. Who knows how busy their own legal department is? I'm guessing very- and about to be more as the company gets broken up and sold off to the highest bidder. If there's any justice, Gaspin and his crew will be enjoying some free time without income soon.

I hope the cast and crew all know how much their viewers support them and are looking forward to seeing their new episodes on another network ASAP. We're tired of being dumbed down by the likes of Gaspin. We want our intelligent storytelling and great characters back.

I agree with the other comment, how about mentioning the connection between Gaspin and Dateline. And just how hard is it to "develop" a newsmagazine anyway, especially when the other major networks already had them? Hello! How long had 60 Minutes been on the air, and doing a far better job? He can't even copy marginally well.

His reasons are nothing but weak excuses and he says nothing about how much darker and graphic the content of SVU and L & A always have been and are, how the 2 new dramas (not doing well, imagine) are "dark, gritty" and graphic- just in the commercials. I wouldn't watch them because I won't watch any NBC now. He based all of his wise decisions on an end of year launch with a pilot and 6 episodes in a very competitive time slot. That's... intelligent- almost as intelligent as renewing, paying, and then cancelling without airing. So why didn't he let the show go to another network after the spring? It all comes down to Gaspin's behavior and the complete lack of decency in his dealings with everyone involved in the show and his consideration for an invested audience. We can only hope for karma. Sometimes, you know, you have to strip down to rebuild.

The article should have also mentioned that Mr. Gaspin helped launch and develop "Dateline". It's in his executive bio.

Angela Bromstad interview in the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/arts/television/09sout.html?_r=1

“Is this a gritty cop show? Absolutely,” said Angela Bromstad, president for prime-time entertainment at NBC and Universal Media Studios. “But it is also a sophisticated drama that absolutely can play at 9 o’clock.”

She noted, for example, that “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” an NBC staple, is going to move to 9 p.m. once Mr. Leno’s talk show begins, and that it and other adult series had long been broadcast at the earlier hour in the Central time zone...

“It took some convincing for Peter(Roth, head of Warner Bros TV) ,” Ms. Bromstad said. “They were afraid we saw the show as space filler. But I told them, ‘I promise you the intention is absolutely for this to return in the fall.’ ”