‘NewsRadio’ to Account for the Loss of Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman’s death will be addressed in the NBC comedy “NewsRadio” by having his character suffer a fatal heart attack, NBC Entertainment President Warren Littlefield told television critics in Pasadena on Sunday.

The coming season’s first episode will feature co-workers mourning the character’s loss and holding a memorial service, with Jon Lovitz joining the cast as Hartman’s replacement the next week. Hartman was killed May 28 in an apparent murder-suicide committed by his wife, Brynn.

Littlefield also said that in the wake of losing “Seinfeld” and NFL football broadcast rights, NBC would be “very happy” to match last season’s ratings performance, predicting such a feat was possible. At the same time, he sought to downplay stories regarding erosion of the network audience, citing increased competition that has affected all forms of media.

NBC did concede that the network--which has run a campaign touting its reruns as being “new to you” if viewers haven’t seen them--must do a better job of programming during the summer, with network ratings slumping to record lows. Toward that end, NBC has acquired an animated series from the BBC in London, “Stressed Eric,” which will begin airing Aug. 12--the first animated series to play in prime time on NBC since “Mr. Magoo” more than three decades ago.

Littlefield expressed no specific knowledge regarding a recent report in the Los Angeles Times that NBC explored merging the network with USA Networks Inc., the operation headed by media mogul Barry Diller; however, he pointed out that NBC will be the only network to function profitably in 1998, suggesting the traditional broadcast model is under considerable strain and that seismic changes are to be expected.

One innovation with which networks are experimenting is repetition of their programs, which NBC will employ beginning in September with a new franchise dubbed “NBC All Night.” Instead of an overnight news program, NBC will now rerun episodes of “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and the daytime soap “Sunset Beach” beginning at 2:05 a.m. weekdays, with a weekly compilation from news magazine “Dateline NBC” and “Meet the Press” to repeat Sundays at midnight.

In addition to “NewsRadio,” “ER,” “Working,” “Law & Order,” “Homicide: Life on the Street” and the new series “Conrad Bloom,” “Encore” and “Jesse” will all undergo cast changes. Littlefield also said the producers of “Veronica’s Closet” are working to improve that show, acknowledging that the Kirstie Alley sitcom hasn’t lived up to expectations creatively despite garnering strong ratings following “Seinfeld.”

Among the new faces, Angie Harmon, whose credits include the syndicated series “Baywatch Nights,” is the latest addition to the seemingly ever-changing cast of “Law & Order,” playing an assistant district attorney. She replaces Carey Lowell, who chose to leave the series after two seasons.

NBC also said it will move a new drama from “ER” executive producer John Wells, “Trinity,” from 8 to 9 p.m. Fridays, switching time slots with “Dateline NBC.” Littlefield said the decision was based on the creative direction the program would follow, but sources have attributed the shift at least in part to the producer’s dissatisfaction regarding the earlier time period.