Networks Sensitive to Post-Attack Programming

The television business has changed dramatically since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, executives with the major broadcast networks told an overflow meeting of industry insiders in Hollywood on Tuesday.

“There isn’t anyone here who doesn’t have to face the music,” said Lloyd Braun, co-chairman of the ABC Entertainment TV Group, noting that advertising already was spiraling downward before the attacks created a climate of uncertainty and insecurity.

“These are dramatic financial issues for all of us. We will have to be careful” when programming the networks, Braun said.

Speaking to the Hollywood Radio and Television Society at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, entertainment executives with the top six broadcast networks talked about playing it safe in coming seasons.

“Every one of us has a western in development,” Braun said.

“We have two,” added Fox Entertainment President Gail Berman.

“Any genre that allows you to deal metaphorically with what has happened will work,” said Jordan Levin, president of entertainment at the WB Television Network. “The discourse has shifted from what’s in People magazine to what’s happening in politics.”

Although they all agreed that the sensational success of “The Sopranos” on pay cable’s Home Box Office has them considering increasing the profanity, sexuality and violence in their shows, the network executives called it an example they know they can’t follow and still maintain a broad audience.

“We need to feel real like ‘The Sopranos’ or we will lose the audience,” Berman said. “It’s a tremendous challenge.”

More worrisome, said NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker, is the abundance of unscripted shows slated to air this season. NBC had been slow to jump on the so-called reality show bandwagon before introducing “Fear Factor” and “Spy TV” this summer. “I’m not sure people will watch them” after the current crisis, he said.

“I worry about it,” said ABC’s Braun. “I’m not sure the country will . . . turn these new shows into the phenomenon we’ve seen” in “Survivor.”

“The pettiness of these people captured us,” said Braun, whose network will premiere a second edition of “The Mole” this week and is developing the upcoming “The Runner.” “After Sept. 11, I don’t know that people won’t say, ‘No more,’ ” Braun said.