I found this while looking up information on Lexis-Nexis. If you read nothing else, read the paragraph that starts "Unfortunately...". So Crossing Jordan wasn't just canceled, it was part of a "broad initiative". I guess it got to take one for the team.



This company's plumage spreads across TV, film, and the Internet. NBC Universal is a heavyweight in the media industry anchored by its flagship broadcast network NBC. It also operates a such cable channels as Bravo, USA Network, and 24-hour news channel MSNBC, as well as Spanish-language network Telemundo. In Hollywood, NBC Universal owns Universal Studios, which makes feature films and operates theme parks through Universal Parks & Resorts. The company's Internet presence includes iVillage, a Web destination aimed at women. NBC Universal was formed in 2004 through the combination of assets owned by NBC and Universal. General Electric owns 80% of the conglomerate; French utility operator Vivendi owns the rest.

The merger of NBC and Universal Studios was intended to create a media company with both distribution outlets and production capabilities. It also brought together a major TV network with large number of cable outlets, allowing NBC Universal to repurpose programs and cross-promote its shows and movies.

Unfortunately, the NBC network has fallen on hard times since the merger. Such popular shows as Friends and Frasier ended their run in 2004, while stalwarts such as ER and Law & Order have lost audience share to competing shows, such as the CSI franchise on CBS and ABC's Lost, causing the Peacock to fall to #4 in the ratings for the past couple years. The network is banking on a new crop of shows including The Office and My Name is Earl, as well the network's new contract with the National Football League, to help draw in new audience members.

NBC Universal is also trying to cut costs significantly throughout its organization, announcing a broad initiative that includes budget reductions for the NBC news organization and significant job cuts. It is also going to rely more on TV shows produced in-house through NBC Universal Television Studio, and the network is looking to replace many scripted dramas and comedies with reality shows and game shows that are less expensive to produce.

Meanwhile, NBC Universal's cable operations continue to perform well. Bravo, anchored by hits such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Project Runway, is effective in drawing a more affluent audience, while its SCI FI Channel is attracting both critical acclaim and a growing number of science fiction fans with such original programming as Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica. Its Telemundo network, meanwhile, continues to hold its place as the #2 Spanish-language broadcaster in the US (behind Univision).

NBC Universal's feature films operations had a good year in 2005 with such hits as The 40 Year-Old Virgin, King Kong (which disappointed in the US but was huge in foreign markets), and The Interpreter. Focus did well at the box office (and at Oscar time) with Brokeback Mountain and The Constant Gardener. During 2006, the studio has had a couple successes in The Break Up and Inside Man, though its remake of Miami Vice proved to be a disappointment.

The company has been making a concerted effort to expand its reach into digital entertainment to solidify its hold on existing viewers and acquire new ones. In 2006 NBC Universal acquired Internet portal iVillage for about $600 million and hopes to use the platform to market shows and films to online users. NBC has also made an effort to launch broadband entertainment, including mini episodes of its existing shows, as well as blogs and other interactive content to engage viewers.

At the same time, NBC Universal is looking to shed its investment in ION Media Networks. The comany agreed in 2007 to transfer its rights to a 35% stake in the network of UHF stations to Citadel Investment Group, which plans to take ION Media provate. NBC acquired the stake in 1999. In 2007 Jeff Zucker was promoted to CEO of NBC Universal, replacing Robert Wright. Zucker previously served as head of NBC Universal Television; Wright had led the NBC network and later NBC Universal for more than 20 years.

This sure explains the fall schedule, doesn't it?

WOW! Are they kidding? Just by looking at their line-up, I can't even pinpoint a possible HIT! Friends and Frasier were the last HITS for NBC. I remember back in the late 80's or early 90's when CBS was at the bottom and they brought in, I think his name is Fred Silverman and he saved CBS. Something is seriously wrong at NBC and they need someone who knows what the heck they are doing. Their new line up is horrid. Any way, I really don't care about NBC because they are history on my TV.

NBC is history on my TV as well.

But I remember the days when everything I watched was on NBC. From my childhood days, when I watched Different Strokes and The Facts of Live, Gimme a Break, Night Court, Quincy, Little House on the Prairie, Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, Fame, Cheers, Remington Steele, Family Ties ...to my babysitting days when I watched shows like Knight Rider, Hunter, Golden Girls, 227, Empty Nest; Profiler, Friends, ER (in the early days), Will & Grace, Law & Order SVU, and Crossing Jordan...NBC used to be about engaging programming. In the 80s and 90s, nearly all my programming choices were on NBC.

My NBC viewing was definitely down, with CJ and SVU being the only shows I watched...and I'm not planning on watching anymore. It's not just that they canceled Crossing Jordan. There's nothing primetime on NBC (except SVU) that I would watch.

I feel really sorry for Ben Silverman, who's taking over where Kevin Reilly left off. I hope they're not judging him on the first year, because the schedule is horrible, and even the advertisers weren't going for it. (And I'm not sure I have much faith in Silverman. He brings "Americanized" remakes--the Office, Ugly Betty. And his other claim to fame is My Name is Earl. It's kind of ironic that they're hanging their hopes on him when NBC ordered no new comedies.

You just named all the show's I watched during my childhood. I didn't realize that all my show's were on NBC. I guess at one point they were on top because all of those show's were hits! Wouldn't it be nice if Ben Silverman got wind of this and came to his senses that the cancellation of Crossing Jordan is not a good idea. Wishful thinking. Other then CJ, Friends was the only other show on NBC I watched.

That's funny, isn't it? There are sites that show television shows from the 80s, 90s...and when I look back, there were only a few shows that I watched that weren't on NBC. Now, it's the opposite (or at least it was until I stopped watching). NBC has gotten so arrogant, and they really should be humble. Fourth place and falling with a poor fall lineup is a very tenuous position.

If they really truly are a corporation that's worth its salt, they should be hiring consultants and examining where they're going wrong and how they can correct their current course. They should also be putting their focus back on the viewers, showing the viewers what they want to see, not what the execs want to show them.