ABC Vows to Avoid Reality Trap

Executives at ABC--the network owned by Mickey Mouse’s parent company--pledged Sunday that they would remain “rat free,” a reference to the much-criticized stunts on NBC’s summer series “Fear Factor” and “Spy TV.”

“You won’t see ‘Fear Factor’ on ABC,” ABC Entertainment Television Group Co-Chairman Stu Bloomberg told reporters and TV critics in Pasadena, saying it was possible to offer unscripted programming and still “maintain a certain level.”

ABC, a unit of the Walt Disney Co., also defended its own revised prime-time schedule, which includes moving “NYPD Blue” to Wednesdays and paring “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” from four editions down to two--with themed stunts such as a celebrity sports edition to play Mondays (when the show will follow “Monday Night Football” on the West Coast) and a more conventional format Thursdays.

After drawing criticism for relying too heavily on “Millionaire,” whose ratings slid sharply during the past year, Co-Chairman Lloyd Braun noted, “I don’t think we’re going to be able to significantly improve our position without taking well-thought-out risks.”

ABC will replace the most-watched hour of “Millionaire” on Sundays with “Alias,” a spy drama that will be introduced with an interruption-free episode Sept. 30 exclusively sponsored by Nokia--the same strategy employed a year ago to launch the canceled “Gideon’s Crossing.” ABC is hoping “Alias” can hook viewers during the five weeks it will air before the ninth-season premiere of Fox’s “The X-Files” in its time slot.

Among programming gambits the network announced is the first TV series from novelist Stephen King--”The Kingdom,” inspired by a Danish miniseries from director Lars von Trier (“Dancer in the Dark”). The project is targeted to the 2002-03 TV season, with King to write the two-hour opener and serve as an executive producer. In addition, ABC has ordered a comedy for next year, “The Web,” from “The Larry Sanders Show” writer-producer Peter Tolan, offering what Bloomberg called a “searing” look inside the machinations of a television network.

ABC also reiterated that the network is committed to improve diversity within its lineup and said a meeting is scheduled next week with representatives of a multiethnic coalition toward that end.

During a separate session Friday, meanwhile, recently promoted NBC President and CEO Andy Lack sought to justify his network’s decision to let West Coast affiliates televise the 2002 Winter Olympics on a tape-delayed basis, maintaining that catering to viewers--not enhancing revenue--was the primary motivation.

The stations “felt their audience would be better served by seeing it at 8 in prime time,” Lack said.

Lack also noted that NBC wants to keep broadcasting NBA basketball, though Disney--as owner of ABC and ESPN--is expected to bid aggressively for those rights. “If the numbers are going to choke us, we’re going to walk away from it, but that’s not the intention,” he said.

NBC faces further uncertainty regarding two top news stars: Katie Couric, who is being courted on multiple fronts to see if she can be wooed away from “Today” once her contract expires; and “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw, who, by taking the summer off, has fueled questions about whether he’ll stay beyond the expiration of his contract next season.

A former president of NBC News, Lack said he would sit down with Brokaw to discuss his situation before the year is over. As for Couric, the executive conceded she is “meeting with lots of folks” regarding her plans and that NBC wants to be “part of that future.”

NBC has also drawn criticism from rivals over its decision to reduce advertising rates for the coming season, which helped depress the overall market. According to Lack, NBC was simply heeding Madison Avenue media buyers, who stressed that less money is available because of the downturn in the economy. By virtue of that concession, NBC will reap about $150 million more than it would have garnered otherwise, Lack said, with $1.95 billion to $2 billion in advance sales.