NBC’s fall lineup includes backup plans

NBC unveiled its new fall schedule to advertisers Monday with a built-in strike contingency plan.

Three of the network’s most popular shows -- “The Office,” “My Name Is Earl” and “Heroes” -- will have additional episodes produced so that the network can keep the lights on if writers walk out.

“We’re incredibly hopeful that there won’t be a strike,” NBC Universal Chief Executive Jeff Zucker said in an interview. “But the business requires that we take prudent steps to prepare for the possibility. We’re bulking up with both scripts and episodes and reality shows to prepare for that possibility.”

The moves underscore the increasing concern among networks about possible labor unrest. Hollywood executives have been quietly taking steps to keep production pipelines flowing, including pushing up shooting schedules, ordering more reality TV programs and renegotiating with writers to turn in their film scripts earlier than usual.

Producers are set to begin contentious negotiations with writers in July to replace a contract that expires Oct. 31.

“Stockpiling in advance of a contract expiration date is a common employer tactic, but it is costly for the employer and rarely effective in creating an advantage,” said David Young, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, West. “If the companies are interested in making a fair deal for everyone, there is no need to stockpile, as there will be no need for a strike.”

NBC’s announcement came amid the biggest week of the year of the television industry, when the major broadcasters take turns unveiling their fall programming schedules for thousands of advertisers with big money to spend.

Although the word “strike” never came up during NBC’s fast-paced, one-hour-and-24-minute presentation in Radio City Music Hall, NBC executives acknowledged earlier in the day that the looming threat of work stoppage played a part in their scheduling plans.

Instead of ordering the typical 22-episode season of its most popular shows, NBC has ordered 25 episodes of the Steve Carell-led half-hour show “The Office.” That includes five one-hour episodes of the comedy, which NBC moved to the pivotal 9 p.m. Thursday slot. Thursday is the most profitable night of the week in television as advertisers pay a premium to influence weekend spending.

Another Thursday-night player, “My Name Is Earl,” will have 25 episodes. And this season’s break-out hit, “Heroes,” will have 30 episodes -- 24 hours of “Heroes” and six one-hour stand alone “Heroes Origins,” which will delve into some of the interesting characters who are not part of the regular cast of the show.

NBC, owned by General Electric Co., also is moving one installment of producer Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order” franchise to its USA Network on cable TV.

But part of that agreement allows the company to pull “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” back to NBC at any time, which would give the network fresh episodes of another proven scripted show in case of a strike.

Additionally, NBC has already begun staffing the shows it picked up for the fall season. In past years, producers would begin hiring teams in the summer.

“We have started to staff up our shows a little earlier this year so that they can produce as many episodes as possible,” said Marc Graboff, NBC Universal’s top executive on the West Coast.

With or without a strike, having more episodes in the library that can be sold in syndication is a “good business strategy,” he said.

meg.james@latimes.com

richard.verrier@latimes.com

James reported from New York and Verrier from Los Angeles.