TV & VIDEO - Jan. 11, 1990

ABC Mulls Commercial-Less Premiere: ABC may broadcast the two-hour March premiere of film director David Lynch’s new prime-time series “Twin Peaks” without network commercials--at a loss of $1 million in revenue--to promote the dramatic series as unusual television, Capital Cities/ABC executives said. But the show would include commercials sold by local television stations. Executives said they wanted to make the combination murder-mystery/soap opera set in the rural Northwest the most-discussed new program on the mid-season schedule. ABC Entertainment president Robert A. Iger said his department has deliberately sought unconventional promotional methods and is likely to broadcast the premiere episode twice in the same week. Lynch’s resume includes the dark, controversial film “Blue Velvet” and the bizarre cult hit “Eraserhead.”