Valley firms may profit from network strategy: use of more reality could boost business.

With nearly 15 production companies putting out unscripted programming, a stretch of Ventura Boulevard from Studio City to Woodland Hills can appropriately be dubbed Reality Row.

The recent news out of the NBC-Universal Television Group the network would favor reality and game show programming in the 8 p.m. timeslot may have ears pricking up in anticipation that the move opens the door to get more of their shows on the air.

"It's good for our community because there are quite a few talented reality producers in the (San Fernando) Valley," said Rasha Drachkovitch, president and executive producer with 44 Blue Productions, Inc. in Studio City. "We all know each other and compete against each other but support each other."

Anything that gives more opportunity to get shows on a network is good for everyone, added Gary Benz, president of GRB Entertainment in Sherman Oaks.

"My sympathies are to the writers of scripted shows and the actors and all the other people who have been in that business traditionally because it may mean less work with the major networks for them," Benz said.

The hand opening that door for more reality programming belongs to Jeff Zucker, the chief executive officer of the NBC Universal Television Group.

In ah interview published Oct. 19 in the Wall Street Journal, Zucker said the network would stop scheduling scripted comedies and dramas in the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. hour because the advertiser interest wasn't there.

Viewers, however, may see little change in this season's schedule at the Peacock network and more likely will see the change in the 8 p.m. slot next fall.

NBC is not the first network to try this strategy.

ABC Television programs unscripted programming for three out of five weeknights in early primetime.

While scripted programming is not something that a major network wants to totally discount, going the route NBC is makes sense at a time of cutting costs, said Robb Weller, an executive producer with Weller-Grossman Productions based in North Hollywood.

Local opportunities

The decision to look at only unscripted programming does open up new opportunities for independent producers and his firm already has a meeting set with NBC to pitch a show, Weller said.

However, the independents can't be fooled into thinking that strategy will always be in place.

"If a good sitcom or drama comes along by a producer they have great faith in they'll put it back in," Weller said.

Economics seems to be a main motivator in NBC's decision.

In the Wall Street Journal interview, Zucker pointed out that game show "Deal or No Deal" costs $1.1 million an episode, while sports drama "Friday Night Lights" costs $2.6 million an episode.

"It's so expensive to do pilots and have the A-list writers on hold for the studios to do that work," Benz said. "You couple that with the success reality shows have had it's strictly an economic reality they have to deal with."

The network may also be using the move as a way to test the marketplace with cost effective programming to see how it does without really taking a huge amount of risk, said Drachkovitch.

The strategy also tells Drachkovitch that reality programming isn't on its way out and still has a lot of life remaining.

"It is still a powerful formula," Drachkovitch said.

His 44 Blue Productions is currently shopping a pilot titled "The Assignment" about life in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Benz's company, meanwhile, has started the fourth seasons of its shows "Intervention" and "Untold Stores of the ER" and recently launched a new show for Spike TV.

The appeal of realty programming is because they are relatable to the audience and tend to be more outlandish, Benz said.

"It's a great alternative to the traditional dramas and comedies," Benz said.

Offerings last year from GRB Entertainment were filmed in New York, Denver, Atlanta, and San Francisco but this year the company is keeping many of its productions in the Valley, Benz said.

Filming increase

It's the local reality show production that helps push the amount of overall on location television production up in Los Angeles County, according to statistics compiled by Film LA Inc., the not for profit agency assisting with the permitting process.

The agency reported last month that television production jumped in the third quarter by 15.5 percent over the third quarter of 2005. Leading the way was reality programming, with a 41 percent share of all television programming shooting on location.

The on location production creates jobs and is good for the area but the typical reality show does not have the same economic impact because there is less cast and crew, said Film LA President Steve McDonald said.

Mark R. Madler

Staff Reporter