A Big Break for ‘Breaking News’

“Breaking News” has had more than its share of bad news.

The fast-paced drama about a 24-hour television newsroom was due to premiere in January 2001 on the TNT cable network. But executives kept pushing the debut back, while assuring the creator and executive producer, Gardner Stern, that they liked the show.

Stern was patient, but the delays continued. Production on the 13-episode order wrapped near the end of the year, but the series was still not on the air.

“All during the time where we were in production, TNT was so supportive and complimentary about what we were doing,” Stern said. It wasn’t until nearly a year ago that Stern got the news from TNT--that the show was being shelved entirely.

“I was angry, I was perplexed, I was disappointed,” said Stern, who has been a writer and producer on the series “NYPD Blue” and “Law & Order.”

“I’ve never heard of a network producing 13 episodes of a show and then not airing it. There were 150 people who all operated in a vacuum for the better part of a year. And I never got my phone calls returned when I called executives to ask for an explanation.”

TNT was not only throwing away the work of a large cast and crew, but also an estimated $20-million investment in the drama.

The decision by AOL Time Warner-owned TNT to pull the drama also angered others involved in the show. “I was, quite simply, furious,” said Clancy Brown, who plays news division president Peter Kozyck. “This is an important show, and there’s nothing like it on television. On the other hand, I’m a stockholder in AOL Time Warner, and it just didn’t seem right that they would spend so much just to ax the show. It just smelled really foul.”

As for why TNT opted not to run “Breaking News,” a network spokesperson said, “The network has decided in assessing its upcoming programming opportunities and resources that the original series ‘Breaking News’ will no longer be a part of our upcoming schedule.” No further explanation was offered, though industry insiders speculate the $20-million investment will be a tax write-off.

Stern and Brown are now celebrating the fact that “Breaking News” will finally air on Bravo, beginning Wednesday at 8 p.m., as the cable network’s first original series.

Said Brown: “I’m thrilled that it’s going somewhere--I just wish it had gone sooner.”

“I believe the show is actually a better fit for Bravo, which is known for intelligent, thought-provoking programming,” Stern added. “TNT is known for ‘Witchblade’ “--a reference to the network’s current science-fiction series.

The drama revolves around a hectic newsroom, its internal politics and how various forces influence and shape the news that gets on the air. In addition to Brown, the ensemble cast includes Tim Matheson as Dan Rather-ish anchor Bill Dunne and Lisa Ann Walter as workaholic executive producer Rachel Glass.

After TNT shelved the series around June 2001, New Line Television, which produces the series along with Trilogy Entertainment Group, tried to sell it to another network. It was too late.

“The timing couldn’t have been worse,” said Stern. “Everyone had just announced their fall schedules and were not in a position to buy a show, especially not one they hadn’t developed. We had to cool our heels for four to five months.”

Bravo eventually came to the rescue late last year.

“We recognized a series with extremely high production values, great writing, a great ensemble cast,” said Francis Berwick, Bravo’s senior vice president of programming and production. “It was a completely out-of-the-blue opportunity for us.”

However, should “Breaking News” become a big hit that the cable network wants to continue beyond its initial run, there are obstacles. The cast, writers and creative and technical crews have already moved on to other projects.

“If the series is a big hit, we will obviously find a way to continue the series and bring back the key talent,” Berwick said. “We are backing this series with a significant marketing campaign, and we wouldn’t be doing that if we didn’t believe in the show, and if we didn’t think there was a life to the show.”

Brown is one of those who has moved on to other projects but said he would like to return if the series connects with audiences.

“It would be difficult, but I would bend over backward to do it,” said Brown. “That’s how much I believe in this show.”