NBC to Reportedly Keep 10 PM Hour for at Least the Next Season

By Timothy Adams

Reports of NBC getting rid of its primetime 10 pm hour block of programming may have been a bit premature. While NBCUniversal was definitely considering cutting back its primetime programming by an hour, the move reportedly won't be made for the 2023-2024 broadcast season. Deadline reports Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, revealed NBC would be keeping its 10 pm hour block during an agency presentation. It was previously reported in August that NBC explored stopping its programming at 10 pm. However, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell stressed in October that a final decision hadn't been made.

So the report of NBC continuing to show its primetime shows through the 10 pm hour is obviously good news for the 2023-2024 season, but it doesn't guarantee that a decision in the opposite direction won't be made in the future. The reason NBC would cut back on programming stems from saving money as more viewers continue to cut the cord. Shell previously said NBCUniversal will "reallocate resources" those resources to other areas of the company that are growing. When Hearst Television head Jordan Wertlieb was asked if other networks could follow in NBC's footsteps, Wertlieb replied, "I expect they will and I hope they will."

Chicago and Law & Order Franchises on NBC

One consequence of NBC possibly eliminating the 10 pm hour is the impact it will have on its Chicago and Law & Order franchises. Each franchise has its own night to its, with Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD airing on Wednesdays, and Law & Order on Thursdays.

The above-mentioned agency presentation also reportedly included the network interested in more procedurals to add to its lineup. A trailer for the new series Found was reportedly shown, used as an example of the type of character-driven procedurals NBC is looking to pivot to. Replacements for This Is Us and New Amsterdam are also of interest. As for comedies, Lopez vs. Lopez has received a full-season order, and Jon Cryer's multi-camera comedy from Mike O'Malley is seen as another positive.

For a long time NBC, ABC, and CBS have been able to bank on three hours of late-nite programming. But, as TV tastes have shifted, they have had to look at other approaches. Audiences have begun to consume things online in even greater numbers over the past half of a decade. All of these broadcast behemoths have taken to bolstering their streaming offerings. There's Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, and Paramount+. If they tweaked their late-nite offerings, it could offer savings in the millions. Some of this has begun already with a noticeable tilt toward live-action unscripted shows like The Voice and America's Got Talent. 

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