NBC - PRODUCERS PREPARE ACCELERATED FILMING

PRODUCERS PREPARE ACCELERATED FILMING

While their strike may have ended, some television writers are discovering that they will have no jobs to return to this week. Some network executives have already replaced scripted shows that were performing marginally and have decided to wait until the fall to resume production of others. Moreover, they have drastically curtailed or written off many new shows that were being developed when the strike began. Nevertheless, today's (Wednesday) New York Times indicated that several producers intended "to push as hard as possible" to turn out additional shows before the end of the season if only to "generate maximum work in a short amount of time" for workers who suffered financial hardship during the strike. The first show to return will probably be NBC's Saturday Night Live. The network announced Tuesday that it will actually live up to its name and be "live" four weeks in a row -- unusual for SNL -- beginning February 23, with Tina Fey hosting the first show and Ellen Page of Juno hosting the second on March 1. Presumably late-night hosts Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel will be reappearing tonight with material from their returned-to-work writers.

13/02/2008