NBC Still Resists New Ratings

NBC and several prominent producers defended the network’s choice to reject the new industry standard for rating television content, during a series of interviews with television critics over the weekend.

The network also used the annual preseason forum, held in Pasadena, to detail some of its prime-time plans, confirming that the hit medical drama “ER” will open its fourth season in September with a live episode.

Debate over the system for labeling TV programs--which will be revised in October to include the letters S, V, L and D, denoting sex, violence, foul language and suggestive dialogue--erupted into a skirmish Friday between “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the architects of the ratings compromise agreed to by most of the television industry.

Wolf, an outspoken opponent of government efforts to influence program content, essentially called McCain a hypocrite for railing against television contributing to violence while voting against gun-control measures such as the Brady Bill.

McCain issued a response saying that content ratings have “absolutely nothing to do with gun control and everything to do with providing parents with information” to help determine what their children watch.

Wolf fired back, saying it is “ironic” that McCain is devoting attention to “fictional television violence, when he has done absolutely nothing to protect children from the real violence visited upon them by real guns.”

NBC remains the only major network that has refused to adopt S-V-L labels, adhering to the system introduced six months ago modeled after the Motion Picture Assn. of America movie guidelines.

NBC Entertainment President Warren Littlefield says the more specific guidelines are potentially misleading and will do nothing to address what he characterized as the hidden agenda of industry critics.

“It is no longer about ‘should parents be informed.’ It is no longer about a label. It’s about controlling content,” Littlefield said.

As evidence the executive cited comments by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), who last week urged the networks to reinstate the family hour and adopt a voluntary code of conduct, saying that rating the “garbage” on television may not be sufficient.

“They’ve made clear [their position]: ‘We don’t want to label your garbage, we want to remove your garbage,’ ” Littlefield said. “NBC, as a company, is not comfortable having someone decide in government what is garbage and what is not.”

Members of Congress have indicated they may take action that would seek to compel NBC to conform with the new guidelines, and some have speculated the network will eventually accede to such pressure.

Littlefield acknowledged that he was uncertain as to whether NBC can hold out but indicated that he expects no viewer backlash, repeating the contention that the issue is one “politicians are much more focused on than the American public.”

In addition to Wolf, the producers of NBC’s “ER” and “Friends”--two of TV’s top-rated programs--expressed support for their network’s policy.

“The responsibility of monitoring our children’s TV watching belongs in the hands of parents, not to be dictated by government,” said “Friends” co-creator Marta Kauffman.

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Regarding specific programming matters, the live “ER” installment will air Sept. 25, the same week NBC launches its new season. The story will be shot using four mobile camera crews and told through the perspective of a documentary team filming inside the hospital.

Executive producer John Wells acknowledged that broadcasting live presents “a logistic nightmare” but said that the creative approach should prove interesting to viewers.

“Otherwise, it’s just a gimmick, frankly,” he said.

NBC remains the most-watched network and will have the added benefit next season of televising the Super Bowl and the World Series. Because baseball will preempt regular programming several nights, the network will wait to premiere most of its dramas until after the playoffs end in October.

Programs getting a late start include “Players,” a new crime-fighting series starring rapper Ice-T; and the Saturday night “thrillogy,” which consists of the new sci-fi show “Sleepwalkers” and returning programs “The Pretender” and “Profiler.”

NBC said it will be patient with its new Monday night comedy block of “Suddenly Susan,” “Fired Up,” “Caroline in the City” and “The Naked Truth”--all shows with questionable ratings strength that aired for a time in the coveted time slot between “Seinfeld” and “ER.”

That half-hour’s new occupant will be “Veronica’s Closet,” a sitcom starring Kirstie Alley. NBC is making one change to the program, replacing Jamey Sheridan--initially cast as Alley’s philandering husband--with “Thelma & Louise” co-star Christopher McDonald. The producers said McDonald was their first choice and became available only after NBC ordered the series.

Alley was asked Saturday why she doesn’t receive a producer credit on the show, unlike some other top prime-time stars.

“As long as I’m being paid more than anyone else, I don’t care,” she quipped.