NBC Looking at Programs for Cable TV

NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff maintained Wednesday that the network is not shooting itself in the foot with its current plans to enter into program development deals with commercial television’s sworn enemy--cable television.

NBC has been involved in extensive discussions with the Disney Channel about a series deal, and Tartikoff said the network is also talking to “several other entities” about similar deals, although he would not reveal which ones.

Those plans would involve NBC Productions creating and producing series for cable that might later be seen on the NBC network.

“These (cable shows) are properties that could play with a limited window (of exclusivity), then strip (on NBC) on Saturday morning, or daytime or summer,” Tartikoff told a news conference.”They are not properties for the prime time of NBC.”

Other news: Triple-threat entertainer Ben Vereen has joined the cast of “J.J. Starbuck,” reprising his role as Tenspeed Turner from the 1980 comedy series “Tenspeed and Brownshoe,” and “Jim Henson Presents,” a weekly variety series, is tentatively scheduled for September, 1989.