NBC Considers Dropping 10 PM Primetime Hour, Handing It Back to Local Affiliates

thewrap.com:

Wall Street Journal, hasn’t officially been brought up with the company’s affiliate board, it would affect scripted programming airing during the slot, meaning that NBC would have to decide which shows to cut.

The plan would relinquish the hour back to local TV stations.“We are always looking at strategies to ensure that our broadcast business remains as strong as possible,” an NBC spokesperson said. “As a company, our advantage lies in our ability to provide audiences with the content they love across broadcast, cable and streaming.”The move would also impact late-night, with “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” likely moving up from its current 11:30 p.m.

slot, where he currently competes against Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel for nighttime viewing.By eliminating one hour a night, NBC could save millions of dollars in content costs, with the company’s affiliates likely welcoming a change that would allow them to earn more ad revenue.

Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, is behind the efforts, and last year, the network announced that it would “rethink” its 1:30 a.m.