‘ET’ Braces for Competition From ‘Access Hollywood’

Already veterans of the late-night booking wars, Hollywood publicists are now facing a potential skirmish in the early evening, as “Entertainment Tonight” takes steps to protect its turf from newcomer “Access Hollywood.”

“Entertainment Tonight” has outlasted numerous like-themed competitors in its 15 seasons. As it prepares for the new year, the syndicated program again has to deal with the splashy launch of an entertainment-news show under the stewardship of a former “ET” producer, just as two years ago when Warner Bros. introduced “Extra.”

Back then, “ET” limited its response to some cosmetic changes, jazzing up its look and graphics. This time around, however, the producers are said to be taking the challenge more seriously, serving notice from the get-go that the show wants exclusive material at the expense of “Access Hollywood.”

“ ‘ET’ is letting the community know that they’re not interested in doing the same story that ‘Access’ is,” one publicity executive said. “They don’t care about E! or CNN [“Showbiz Today”] or anyone else. They only care about ‘Access.’ ”

Those who deal with “ET” say the pressure has been subtle but the inference clear. “There’s been a lot of ‘You’re not going to give this to them too, are you?’ or ‘Where else are you going to go before we commit [to covering you]?’ ” said one studio marketing executive.

Linda Bell Blue, “ET” executive producer, acknowledged that “ET” was seeking exclusive stories but denied that the show has singled out “Access Hollywood.”

“I am by nature a very aggressive and competitive person,” she said. “I respect any competitor. I take it very seriously.”

As for demands of exclusivity, she maintained such decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, adding: “That’s really nothing new here. That’s the way the show has always operated. For years, ‘ET’ has demanded to be first and exclusive. [The publicists] have to understand that we need something special.”

“ET” alumni, however, say that wasn’t the case when onetime producer David Nuell introduced “Extra.” “We ignored it,” a former “ET” staffer currently with “Access Hollywood” said. “We acted like they didn’t exist.”

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Part of “ET’s” more aggressive approach this time may have to do with circumstances surrounding “Access Hollywood’s” inception and the direct competition between the shows.

Hosted by former NBC anchor Giselle Fernandez and Chicago TV newsman Larry Mendte, the new series is produced by Jim Van Messel, who not only left “ET” (where he worked for eight years) but took many key staffers with him. About 20 of “Access Hollywood’s” 100 or so employees come from “Entertainment Tonight.”

More significantly, the two shows will go head-to-head in a number of key cities--including New York and Los Angeles, the nation’s top two TV and entertainment-industry markets.

“Access Hollywood” will premiere Sept. 9 on stations reaching nearly 90% of the United States, among them the NBC-owned stations, playing at 7:30 p.m. locally on Channel 4. “ET” airs on CBS-owned stations, including L.A.’s Channel 2, also at 7:30.

Despite being the newcomer, then, “Access” will have certain advantages. Not only are those CBS stations considerably weaker in prime time and throughout the broadcast day than NBC’s outlets, but “Access” received plenty of advertising exposure during NBC’s Olympic coverage, which could heighten awareness of the program.

NBC also has a financial interest in the show, which it’s producing with New World Entertainment. (In an odd twist, New World is being acquired by News Corp., which owns Fox Broadcasting, meaning Fox will also have a stake in the show that leads into NBC’s prime-time lineup in many major cities.)

Finally, “Access Hollywood” is touting itself as being “celebrity-friendly”--a not-so-veiled dig at the tabloid journalism practiced by “Hard Copy,” “ET’s” companion show, since both are produced and distributed by Paramount. Moreover, some have accused “ET” of moving a bit in that direction since former “Hard Copy” producer Bell Blue took over.

“When I say ‘celebrity-friendly,’ what I mean is we are not going to chase people down the street and shove a microphone up their nose,” said Van Messel, referring to “Hard Copy’s” occasional ambush video tactics. “To that extent, some of the people who’ll be on the show will be happy to know that.”

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Although one veteran studio publicist suggested there’s “a little sleaze factor that’s seeped into ‘ET,’ ” others say with the O. J. Simpson trial over the show has toned down.

For her part, Bell Blue strongly objected to any suggestion that “ET” has alienated celebrities or that the show had taken on tabloid trappings.

“ ‘ET’ is the place celebrities come to respond to the tabloids and set the record straight,” she said. “There is not a show that is more celebrity-friendly than ‘ET,’ period.”

In terms of style, Van Messel has discussed doing longer stories, maintaining that the way the show handles pieces is more important than exclusivity. “The fact ‘ET’ might do it doesn’t make any difference to me,” he said. “What’s most important is what the story is and how you tell it.” He added that even if his former show is demanding exclusivity, “No one has said we can’t do what we want to do.”

“ET” is considering some new features but has no plans to alter its format. The show has seemingly made efforts, however, to be more solicitous of the Hollywood community, including a first post-Emmy party for the TV industry on Sept. 8.

In that respect, publicists note that jockeying among such TV programs is no different than print magazines vying for interviews, or late-night and early-morning programs competing to see who lands certain guests.

Publicists, meanwhile, can happily play the shows off each other, trying to get better coverage for their clients.

“The more the merrier,” said Pat Kingsley, who runs the entertainment public-relations firm PMK. “If someone turns you down, you still have a few other places to go.”

“Another alternative always works to our advantage,” said another celebrity publicist.

Van Messel acknowledged that his aim, as the new kid on the block, is just to be considered in the mix. “When they make their media plans they figure out who’s important,” he said. “Our goal is to make sure ‘Access Hollywood’ is important.”