ABC, CBS, NBC, The CW on Fall TV Strategies

Their parent companies have been prioritizing streaming—and ad dollars further shifted from linear to digital in this year's upfront—but the broadcast networks are still seeing some momentum heading into the 2022-23 TV season. Last season, three of the broadcasters—CBS, NBC and Fox—posted year-over-year gains in total viewers. Now, all the networks are looking to build on those numbers as the new TV season kicks off this week. Adweek spoke with the broadcast chiefs at ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW (Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier declined to participate) about their biggest swings and top priorities this fall, and how they plan to break through in a cluttered TV landscape. The Ultimate Guide to 2022 Broadcast TV Renewals and Cancellations Adweek: What is your biggest swing this fall?Frances Berwick, chairman, entertainment networks, NBCUniversal television and streaming: Our biggest new swing is Quantum Leap, which is our big new scripted show. We have three key strategies for the fall. One is leveraging and leaning into our strengths, [including] using The Voice to launch Quantum Leap in that Monday 10 p.m. slot. Secondly, we're spreading out our show launches. We have the benefit of a very stable schedule for the fall, with only two new shows coming on [Quantum Leap and Lopez vs. Lopez]. And then the third piece is refreshing and reinvigorating our existing strong pillars and franchises. Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu and Disney Branded Television streaming originals: This is the first time we have Bachelor in Paradise in the fall. It's probably one of the biggest casts in the history of the show. It's the first time Jesse Palmer is going to be the host. We're really aggressively marketing it. I've seen the first episode. It's amazing. Kelly Kahl, president, CBS Entertainment: Every new show is a big swing. I hate to make that sound like a cop-out. In this environment, any new show you're putting on is a challenge. We have a unique situation in that we have a strong schedule that gives our shows a good chance of getting out of the gate, but there aren't any sure things anymore. There's a lot of competition out there. Every show we put on has to feel like it is a special show that deserves and fights its way onto the schedule. Mark Pedowitz, chairman and CEO, The CW: Walker Independence. The CW has never explored the period Western genre before, and the result is a bigger and bolder series than anything we have ever done in the past. It is also a natural extension of our Walker franchise, with plenty of action and romance. This season, what's your top priority?Berwick: Delivering an incredibly strong schedule, launching the new shows and then bringing back the returning [ones]. We're excited about bringing back La Brea for its second season. In the first few weeks of last season, we had 16 million people view that pilot episode. There's been a tremendous amount of catch-up on the series over the last few months. We're excited to bring that back. Erwich: Continuing our streak as the No. 1 entertainment network for the fourth consecutive season, as well as continuing the momentum of Abbott Elementary. Kahl: It's 1A and 1B. 1A is getting our existing shows back and up to full speed quickly and then using the support from that; 1B is to launch our new shows. The way they're scheduled, the way they're premiering and the way that's all tiered out, that's the plan. That's the hope. So they go hand in hand. Pedowitz: For the fall, it's our two new scripted series, The Winchesters and Walker Independence. While we have attempted to spin off Supernatural in the past, we have finally found a worthy successor to our longest-running franchise. How has your business permanently changed since the Covid-19 pandemic?Berwick: I actually don't know if we fully know how it's changed. Obviously, there are production protocols, and they can be delaying. The production protocols that we have to go through can make production more time-consuming, whether that's across scripted or unscripted. I don't know that you can single out broadcast as having been more impacted in terms of the production process than any other platform. I think we're all living with it and adapting to it. Erwich: Continuing to have to produce in a way that is safe. For all of us involved, safety is first. I think that the pandemic allowed us to launch shows like Big Sky. We're really the first to go back into original programming. We're continuing to see the benefits of that. I think people are returning, hopefully, to their patterns, and I think part of their patterns continue to be that broadcast television, and ABC in particular, has a special place in their lives. Kahl: It's more procedural in just the office environment, to be honest. I think the product is equally good as it was in the past, and I think our folks deserve a lot of credit for working hard in a new situation during the pandemic and continuing to put this quality product on the air. Pedowitz: Zoom meetings are here to stay. Fall's Freshman Class Here's when each new broadcast series debuts. The CW: Family Law (Oct. 2), Walker Independence (Oct. 6), The Winchesters (Oct. 11), Professionals (Oct. 11), Magic With the Stars (Oct. 22). ABC: Celebrity Jeopardy! (Sept. 25), The Rookie: Feds (Sept. 27), Alaska Daily (Oct. 6). CBS: So Help Me Todd (Sept. 29), East New York (Oct. 2), The Real Love Boat (Oct. 5), Fire Country (Oct. 7). NBC: Quantum Leap (Sept. 19), Lopez vs. Lopez (Nov. 4). Fox: Monarch (Sept. 11). In a cluttered TV landscape, how do new shows break through?Berwick: I think that's the single biggest challenge. There is so much content, which is why we are singularly focused on launching the two new shows that we have at the optimal time. Erwich: We always focus on creative excellence. You look at the talent that we've assembled for our fall shows: Tom McCarthy and Hilary Swank [for Alaska Daily]; the expert team of The Rookie producers bringing Niecy Nash to television [in spinoff The Rookie: Feds], who I think is a singular personality to give you a new take on not just The Rookie franchise but on law enforcement shows as a whole. So that's where we start. We have a very select approach to our fall. We don't try and launch a thousand shows. We launch a few that we have curated so that they're creatively amazing. And then we equally curate our marketing efforts. We're seeking innovation and originality in our campaigns as well as reach. Kahl: In the development process, what is this show saying or doing that isn't being done, especially on the network or the linear landscape? What about this show is unique? What about the show gives it an opportunity to pop and resonate with audiences? It's not even just the linear landscape anymore. It's everything. All of our shows have to be able to compete literally with the 600 scripted shows out there and the infinite number of alternative shows. So everything we put on, we have to believe has a chance to reach a sizable audience and stand out from the crowd. Pedowitz: The CW has always had a passionate, engaged fan base with millions of social media users across all platforms. We also have the benefit of premiering new series that have strong existing IP, from The Winchesters and Walker Independence to our new midseason series Gotham Knights, which continues to expand our DC television universe.

Programming & Performance

Broadcast Chiefs Share Their Fall TV Strategies in a Changing Landscape

ABC, CBS, NBC and The CW execs on this season's top priorities and how the business has permanently changed

Bill Bradley

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