Big Four networks eye early October to end labor strikes . . . or else

nypost.com:

WGA and the studios are currently meeting at the table. “If the strike isn’t resolved by Oct. 1, it becomes really challenging to get scripted shows onto the air within the traditional broadcast season,” said Michael Thorn, president of scripted programming for Fox Entertainment. “The latest you want to premiere these shows — in order to launch or return a show, in our opinion, is in March, and once you get past that window, then we start looking into the summer.“I don’t want to present [Oct.

1] as a [fait accompli],” Thorn said. “If the strike ends Oct. 4, will people get creative [to get scripted content on the air]?

Of course. If it ends shortly after that, will [Fox] look at opportunities at the beginning of the summer where we’ve had a lot of success?

You bet we will.“I think that’s a fair, loose date that most of the industry is using as a benchmark,” Thorn said. “It’s like, all right, your show may get pushed to the fall depending on what company you’re in business with and what network you’re on.”Fox, like the CW, has weathered the strike storm better than most, with its emphasis on animation, reality and sports (most notably NFL football).“Of course it’s not ideal, but we we went into this fall ready [for the strike],” Thorn said. “We’re the only network that has a full night of scripted programming with our Sunday-night animation lineup, and within that night, we have a new and original series with ‘Krapopolis.’ Animation is part of our DNA.”CW entertainment chief Brad Schwartz said the streaming networks have more latitude regarding premiere dates for scripted shows.“Streamers tend to plan so far in advance that they have stuff on the shelf they will be able to roll out for a little bit,” Schwartz told The.