‘1986’ WON’T SEE 1987; LOW AFFILIATE RESPONSE CITED

“1986” on Tuesday became NBC’s 14th news magazine series since the mid-’60s to be axed. The network said the low-rated program, anchored by Roger Mudd, would have its last broadcast on Dec. 30.

NBC News President Larry Grossman said an increasing tendency of NBC affiliates not to air the program was one factor in his canceling the show. Another was a “plethora” of magazine programs by both news and entertainment organizations. No replacement was immediately named for the Washington-based “1986,” although there has been speculation that the veteran “Hill Street Blues” might be moved into its 10 p.m. Tuesday time slot next year.

Grossman said that his division now will go into the documentary business in a big way. NBC News has a commitment, he said, to make at least 30 one-hour, single-subject documentaries over the next two years, all of them to be aired in prime time on varied nights.

NBC’s cancellation of “1986” leaves the first-in-ratings network as the only one without a weekly prime-time news program. The show premiered in June this year; its last program will be its 23rd episode.

CBS, which has the hit “60 Minutes,” plans to return “West 57th” to its schedule in mid-season. ABC’s weekly news programs include “20/20,” which debuted in June, 1978, and the low-rated “Our World,” which bowed this season.

Grossman spoke in a brief interview from Washington after a 30-minute meeting with the staff of “1986” in which he told them that the program was being canceled. The staff includes Connie Chung and Maria Shriver, who recently joined NBC News.

There have been rumors that NBC Entertainment chief Brandon Tartikoff had wanted the “1986” time slot for entertainment programming from his own division.

Grossman said he told the staff that he--not Tartikoff or anyone else--decided to end the show: “It was totally my decision and my responsibility to do what I regarded as being in the best interests of the news division.