Tonight at 10/9c on NBC catch the highly anticipated, new mystery drama, Deception. We caught up with the show’s stars Meghan Good, Wes Brown, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber as well as Laz Alonso, Katherine LaNasa and Ella Rae Peck. Hear all about their experiences on the show, and what we can look forward to seeing in this mystery drama series!
Watch Deception tonight on NBC at 10/9c!
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In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy NBCUniversal’s Matt Lauer has brought together some of the biggest names in music for a one-hour live benefit telethon, “Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together,” at 8PM EST.
Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and Aerosmith will join Matt to rock the nation tonight to raise money for the American Red Cross and victims of Sandy. We spoke with Matt about what drove him to put the telethon together and his message to people across the country about donating now:
For more details on how to help visit: NBC.com/SandyHelp
#SandyHelp
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The American Red Cross response to Sandy is very large and will be very costly, affecting a massive area spanning much of the eastern half of the country. Financial donations help the American Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate now, people can visit www.NBC.com, call 1-800-HELP NOW or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
You can now catch the new season of Ice Loves Coco on Sunday nights at 10/9c on E! We caught up with Coco to hear about what’s coming up this season, her secret to a happy marriage and her surprise boxing skills? Find out who she would love to take on in the ring here:
A new season of Total Blackout premiers tomorrow Oct 30 at 10/9c on Syfy. We spoke with the show’s host, Jaleel White, on what we can expect to see in the second season, why the show is so effective at scaring its contestants, and what frightens HIM the most. Check out the video below for all of that, plus see Jaleel scare our NBCUDirect host!
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We hit the red carpet at the special advance New York Film Festival showing of “Hyde Park On Hudson”, Focus Features’ December release starring Academy Award nominees Bill Murray (as FDR) and Laura Linney. We chatted with screenwriter Richard Nelson about what inspired the film, and with actors Murray, Linney, and Olivia Williams about what inspired them in the real-life roles they were taking on.
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With Grammy award-winning artist Bruno Mars slated to serve as both the host and musical guest on the next Saturday Night Live we decided to catch up with the pop singer/charmer to talk about his new album, how excited he is to host SNL, and what we should expect to see on the show this weekend. You want to know what Bruno’s really like? Cool, fun and witty – during our interview he joked, “I’m not going to be funny…it’s going to be something new they’re trying at SNL.” Check out the video below to hear all that, see his killer smile, and get in on a behind-the-scenes look at Bruno’s SNL promos.
Tune in to SNL this Saturday at 11:30 EST to hear Bruno perform his newest single “Locked Out Of Heaven.”
Election season is really heating up, so we decided to chat with Chris Peña, Executive Editor of NBC Latino.com, about the importance of the Latino vote this year and how NBC Latino.com is covering the race for its audience. Hear Chris discuss the growing importance of the Latino demographic, what issues are important to Latino voters this election, and which candidate he thinks is going to get the Latino vote:
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As the election heats up all eyes are on the upcoming Presidential debates. We sat down with the one-and-only Tom Brokaw to ask about the most memorable debate moments throughout his career, and what character traits he thinks help candidates win. You might also be surprised to hear what tool he wishes moderators had during the debates — check it all out here and tune into NBC tonight for coverage of the second Presidential debate:
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Click here for more information on all of the platforms you can get debate coverage
My Shopping Addiction premieres tonight on Oxygen at 11/10c. We talked to clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula and one of her patients on the show, Marceia Hawkins. Hear about Marceia’s personal struggles with spending, what you can expect to see on the show, and tell-tale signs of having a shopping addiction.
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We chatted with SNL’s guest host Christina Applegate this week about the upcoming show tonight. She gave us a hint about tonight’s show, what her experience has been like this week, and why New York is her favorite city! Check it all out here:
The new cast of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice was announced on the Today Show this morning, and for the sixth season of the show fan favorites from past seasons will be vying for another shot at the $250,000 dollar prize.
The all-star cast includes Trace Adkins, Stephen Baldwin, Gary Busey, Dennis Rodman, Penn Jillette, Lil Jon, Bret Michaels, Dee Snider, Marilu Henner, La Toya Jackson, Omarosa, Claudia Jordan, Brande Roderick, and Lisa Rinna. We got the chance to chat with some of them after the Today Show as they rode around NYC on a double-decker bus.
Hear why Bret Michaels, Dennis Rodman, Lisa Rinna, Marilu Henner, Stephen Baldwin, and Gary Busey all think they are going to win this time around and what they are bringing to the table.
PLUS we talked to “The Donald” himself about the new season, and what he thinks it takes to win it all.
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As part of our ongoing Rink Drinks series we sat down with Sonja Morgan of The Real Housewives of New York City to chat about where she is from, what keeps her in the big apple, the best advice she ever received about living in the city that never sleeps, and more. Check it all out here…and don’t forget to tune into Bravo tonight at 9/8c for part 1 of the season 5 reunion:
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There’s a new episode of NBC’s Guys with Kids Wednesday at 8:30/7:30c on NBC. We recently chatted with Anthony Anderson, Jesse Bradford, and Zach Cregger all about kids; what they think is the best way to make them laugh, advice for fathers, and what they were like as kids. Check it all out here:
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With the season finale of Gallery Girls airing tonight at 10/9c on Bravo, we decided to chat with Liz Margulies and Kerri Lisa about what we can expect to see in the finale, what they learned this season, and the one thing you may not know about them from watching the show and much more. Check it all out here:
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The new season of Covert Affairs is in full swing. We chatted with star Christopher Gorham about what’s coming up this season and how it’s been directing an episode for the first time. Hear what he has to say PLUS what it’s like playing a blind character and all of the research and leg work that went into creating Auggie’s character:
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NBC’s new show Revolution premieres tonight at 10/9c. The series is an epic adventure where a family struggles to reunite in an American landscape where every single piece of technology – computers, planes, cars, phones, even lights – has mysteriously blacked out forever. We chatted with stars Tracy Spiridakos and Billy Burke about what we can expect to see and what challenges them in these roles:
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SNL returns this weekend for the 38th season! Seth MacFarlane is hosting this Saturday night and we got the chance to chat with him. Hear how his week has been rehearsing with the SNL cast, AND some surprises from this Saturday’s show!
Don’t miss NBCU Direct’s new regular feature “Rink Drinks” where we sit down with NBCUniversal’s hottest talent over drinks at the ice skating rink, and in the summer “The Rock Center Summer Garden and Bar” at 30 Rock in NYC.
For our debut segment we decided to toast the hosts of MSNBC’s new 3PM show “The Cycle.”
We spoke with S.E Cupp, Toure, Steve Kornacki, Krystal Ball, and the show’s Executive Producer Steve Freidman. We got to know the hosts on a more personal level, talking to S.E. Cupp about who she would rather go hunting with: Sarah Palin or Ann Coulter; and whether Toure would want to have drinks with Bill O’Reilly or Piers Morgan. Steve Kornacki discussed the impact of Frank Ocean and Anderson Cooper recently coming out, Krystal Ball talked about being a congressional candidate at age 27, and Steve Freidman talks about the next generation of political pundits and the new show.
You don’t want to miss this, check it out here and belly up to your computer screen for Rink Drinks!
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Tonight at 9/8c PM on NBC the America’s Got Talent finals begin! We chatted with the TOP six acts this week to see how they are feeling about entering the final round. See what they had to say AND hear from Judges Howie Mandel and Howard Stern to get their predictions, and why they chose the way they did, and tune in Thursday, September 13th at 8/7c PM to the two hour America’s Got Talent finale with guest performances by Justin Bieber and Big Sean, One Republic, Green Day, Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, Blue Man Group and more
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The series premiere of Go On is this Tuesday, September 11th at 9/8c on NBC. We chatted with the show’s star Matthew Perry about why he is excited to come back to series television.
We also spoke with Executive Producer, Scott Silveri about working with Perry years after they worked together on Friends. Hear what they both had to say about the new show, how it balances comedy and drama, and why Matt is the best guy for the job:
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NeNe Leakes will make her NBC network debut Monday September 10th at 9:30 PM in The New Normal. The show centers on a gay couple (Andrew Rannells and Justin Bartha) living in Los Angeles. With successful careers and a committed, loving partnership, there is only one thing that this couple is missing: a baby. Just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, “One Day”), a Midwestern waitress and single mother looking to change everything with a move to L.A. Goldie quickly becomes the guy’s surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams.
Hear what NeNe had to say about her character (Rocky), who she thinks will like the new show, AND if she could have a surrogate or be a surrogate to anyone in Hollywood who she would pick. Check it out here:
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Ever wonder what it takes to cover the Republican and Democratic National Conventions? We talked to Mark Lukasiewicz, Senior Vice President of NBC News Specials, to find out. Lukasiewicz gives us a behind the scenes tour of the elaborate setup on the convention floor, tells us how social media will play a role in Tampa, FL and Charlotte, NC and where the real news is at the conventions. Check it out all here in our embeddable video:
We recently caught up with Kevin and Dani Jonas, the stars of E!’s new reality show Married to Jonas. The show follows the newlywed couple as they work to find the balance between settling down in New Jersey and Kevin’s worldwide fame. Like most young couples Kevin and Dani are attempting to make their house a home, dealing with mutually eccentric but polar opposite in-laws, and achieving their dream of one day starting a family of their own.
We chatted with the lovebirds about what we can expect to see on the show PLUS got their advice for other young newlyweds! Check it all out here and don’t forget to tune in to E! this Sunday at 10pm ET/PT for a brand new episode:
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To celebrate the launch of Oxygen’s new show All The Right Moves Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini, Kyle Robinson and Travis Wall taught a room full of reporters how to dance. We caught up with a few of them from Shape Magazine, Fashion Indie, Kenton Magazine, and Reality Wanted to see how they did, PLUS chatted with the cast of the show about what viewers can expect to see this season! Check out their dance moves here and don’t forget to tune into Oxygen on Tuesday at 10pm ET for a brand new episode:
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This Friday August 17th, Focus Features releases the comedy thriller ParaNorman in theaters nationwide. Following Focus’ Academy Award-nominated Coraline, ParaNorman is the second stop-motion animated feature to be made at LAIKA Studios in 3D, unifying the two stunning art forms to tell an all-new frightfully funny, magically emotional, and hilariously spooky story.
We talked to the movie’s directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler about balancing comedy and creepy, what it was like directing actors doing voice work, and why you should truly see this movie in 3D!
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Tonight the second and final part of the two-part CNBC special event, “20 Under 20: Transforming Tomorrow” airs at 10 p.m. EST. The documentary captures the journey of the extraordinary young men and women each striving for a $100,000 Thiel Fellowship and, if they win, Thiel will give them the money and the mentors they need to make their dreams a reality. But there’s a catch: to walk away with a Fellowship, they need to walk away from college. We got the chance to talk to one of the Thiel fellows, Dylan Field, about his big idea and what this experience was like for him. Check it out here and if you missed the first part of the special-it re-airs tonight at 9 p.m. EST on CNBC:
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Stars Earn Stripes premieres Monday August 13th at 8/7c on NBC. We chatted with some of the stars to find out more about the fast-paced competition show that pays homage to the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and our first responder services. The star-studded cast includes four-time undefeated world boxing champion Laila Ali, actor Dean Cain (“Out of Time,” Five Days of War”), actor and former National Football League player Terry Crews (“The Expendables 2,” “The Newsroom”), multi-platinum recording artist, actor, producer and television personality Nick Lachey (NBC’s “The Sing-Off”), Alaska businessman and four-time Iron Dog snowmobile race champion Todd Palin, NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” trainer Dolvett Quince, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street, and WWE diva, Eve Torres.
These eight celebrities gather at a remote training facility where they will be challenged to execute complicated missions inspired by real military exercises. Each will be paired with a special operative from a military branch or one of our first-responder forces who train alongside their partners and compete in the missions with them. Each of the teams is competing for a cash prize on behalf of a military, veterans or first-responder charity.
We asked Nick Lachey, Terry Crews, Todd Palin, Dean Cain, and General Wesley Clark to talk about grueling missions they carried out, why they think this show will change the way people see the military, and what it was like working with Todd Palin…..they nicknamed him “Rambo” to find out more click here:
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Telemundo’s internationally acclaimed sportscaster, Andrés Cantor, explains the historic importance of the upcoming “Great Golden Soccer Final” between Mexico and Brazil when they face off for what will be either team’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in soccer. Telemundo will broadcast the widely anticipated match this Saturday, August 11 at 9 a.m. ET. Check it out here:
This Sunday at 10:38 p.m. EST NBC is giving fans a sneak peak at Animal Practice. The new show officially premiering on September 26th at 8/7c stars Justin Kirk as Dr. George Coleman, a successful veterinarian who recently learned that his ex-girlfriend Dorothy Crane (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) has inherited the hospital where he works and is now his boss. George, who would rather spend time with his animal patients than with their human owners is a stark contrast to the cheerful optimist Dorothy who immediately inserts herself into hospital business.
We chatted with Justin Kirk about the show, who he thinks the funniest cast member is behind-the-scenes and what it’s like working with Crystal the Monkey who pays Dr. Rizzo on the new comedy. Check it out:
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Tonight at 11:08 p.m. ET you can catch a sneak peak of Go On, NBC’s new comedy starring Matthew Perry following the 2012 Olympics. The series officially premieres on Tuesday September 11 at 9 p.m. but NBC is giving fans an “ad free” preview tonight!
The show centers on Matthew Perry who plays sports radio host- Ryan King who is forced by his boss (John Cho) to attend group therapy after the loss of his wife.
We chatted with stars Laura Benanti and John Cho about working with Matthew Perry, the fine line between comedy and drama, and why sports can be a great coping mechanism for people. Check out the embeddable video here:
During the London Olympics, Comcast-NBCUniversal has been collaborating with NHK and the BBC to get a glimpse of the future through demonstrations of Ultra high-definition TV, which offers images that are 16 times current HD [quality] The demonstrations, which have been held in Comcast-NBC Universal’s Washington, D.C offices, offer special Olympic footage shot in Ultra-HD. We spoke with NBC and Comcast executives for an in depth look at the fascinating new technology – check it out by clicking here:
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What better way to celebrate the launch of the London Olympic Games than with the British Ambassador and Comcast NBCUniversal Executives in Washington DC at the British Embassy? Before festivities got under way, we asked everyone how they are going to watch the most digital Olympic Games this year. Hear what they had to say:
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The second season of Alphas premieres on Monday July 23rd at 10/9c. We caught up with star Laura Mennell to find out what’s in store for this season and her character. Mennell plays the attractive and sophisticated Nina Theroux who gives new meaning to the idea that a woman “ always gets what she wants.” Her alpha skill is called “pushing” and it involves the disruption of the specific neural pathways in the cerebral cortex that leave the brain vulnerable to suggestion. It’s Nina’s curse to know that those aware of her ability, cannot distinguish if she is being genuine or if she is controlling them.
We asked Mennell, what she would do if she had that power for a day in her life and who she thinks the Alphas of the real world are. She mentioned Darren Brown as a real world Alpha but also said “ little bits of Alpha behavior can pop up in everyone.” Hear more of her response PLUS a message to her loyal fans:
We recently sat down with Sigourney Weaver to talk about starring in USA’s new television event Political Animals- the six part limited series premiering July 15th at 10/9c that provides a fictional look at a former first family and exposes a dynasty weakened by political ambition, lust and greed. Weaver plays Elaine Barrish, the divorced former First Lady and newly appointed Secretary of State who throws herself into the job after recovering from the dissolution of her marriage and losing the presidential nomination.
We chatted with her about what drew her to this role and asked if she thinks the country will see a woman president in the near future. Her response might surprise you. See what she thinks about it and hopes women will take away from the television series here:
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As the final season of Eureka wraps up we talked to Colin Ferguson and Neil Grayston about their favorite memories over the years being a part of the cast. Hear what they loved best about working on the show, the funniest behind-the-scenes moments, and a warm message to their loyal fans. Don’t forget to tune in for the last two episodes Mondays at 9/8c on Syfy:
We sat down with Los Angeles based real estate moguls Josh Altman and Madison Hildebrand of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing:LA recently to get the scoop on the rest of the season. Both Josh and Madison agreed that the best is yet to come and viewers haven’t seen “anything yet.” Check it all out here PLUS hear them talk about their favorite sales and dream cities to do real estate in, and don’t forget to tune in for a new episode tonight at 9/8c on Bravo:
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Bravo’s new series “Miss Advised” proves that being a matchmaker doesn’t make dating any easier. The show follows three of cupid’s helpers through their own personal struggle to find Mr. Right. We snagged a moment with one of the show’s matchmakers Amy Laurent, who admits she’s “much better in the matchmaking chair helping others.” Click below to hear about what she thinks about this season and what women can learn from her own dating endeavors.
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Andy Cohen always has something to say… and now he’s written the aptly titled book “Most Talkative.” Want to hear him talk live? Then come out to the NBC Experience Store on Monday June 25th at 12pm to meet him and get your own signed copy. Click here to get the scoop on the book and why it’s great summer reading:
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iVillage hosted their second annual “Hot Dads” contest just in time for Father’s Day where 1,500 entrants from around the nation vied to be crowned the “Hottest Dad in America.” Father of a nine week old girl, David George of Dayton Ohio took home the crown this year. George was one of close to 1,500 entrants submitted for consideration, and the highly engaged iVillage community cast nearly 50,000 votes over a span of just two weeks in 11 categories.
We got the chance to talk to David right after he was crowned live on “TODAY” with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford. Find out what he loves most about being a dad, what makes him so hot, and even hear from “Mrs. Hottest Dad in America” on why she submitted her husband to the contest:
Check out more on the winner and the finalists at iVillage.com
The new season of The Real Housewives of New York City kicked off last Monday at 9/8c on Bravo, so we decided to get the scoop on what’s coming up, and to meet the newest housewives. Hear what Ramona, Lu Ann, and Sonja have to say, and get some clues as to what goes down in New York this time around!
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Everyone is talking about I’ll have Another, the horse who could win it all this Saturday at Belmont Stakes and become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. We talked to NBC’s track announcer Larry Collmus to find out who he thinks I’ll Have Another’s stiffest completion will be this weekend. Plus we also got the inside scoop on I’ll Have Another from KNBC reporter John Klemack who has been covering the horse closely since the Kentucky Derby. Do you know how the horse got its name and that it tweets? Find out more here and don’t forget to tune into NBC Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET for live coverage of the 144th Belmont Stakes:
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We sat down to chat with Erica Durance and Daniel Gillies about why people should tune in to NBC’s new medical Drama “Saving Hope” premiering Thursday at 9/8c. Get the scoop on the new show, what makes it unique to other medical dramas on television, and why the stars think you should tune in:
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Love in the Wild (premieres tonight at 9/8c on NBC) is back for Season 2 and is served with a twist. Not only is the show still set in the wild, but the comedic and ever-amusing Jenny McCarthy is the new host of the show.
In a recent interview with Jenny, she reveals that she is most excited to bring back “singled out Jenny” to the mix, and adds how she loves: “…cheering on the girls and making fun of the guys.”
Find out more of what viewers can expect to see, PLUS get love and dating tips from the one and only miss Jenny McCarthy:
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[Press Release]
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – October 18, 2010 – NBC has given full-season pickups to three of its new Fall 2010-11 series, “The Event,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles” and “Outsourced.” The announcement was made by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
“We are pleased with the quality of ‘The Event,’ ‘Law & Order: Los Angeles’ and ‘Outsourced,’ and feel they are an important part of helping to re-build our schedule and our studio pipeline,” said Bromstad. “We believe in these new series and the creative auspices behind them.”
Through October 11, “The Event” has averaged a 3.0 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 9.1 million viewers overall in “most current” averages from Nielsen Media Research. “The Event” has generated a 30 percent improvement in the time period versus year-ago “most current” results for NBC in 18-49 rating (with a 3.0 rating vs. a 2.3) and a 47 percent increase in total viewers (9.1 million vs. 6.2 million). On a percentage basis, “The Event” was the most time-shifted new series in adults 18-49 during premiere week from among the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox primetime lineups, with 35 percent of “The Event’s” “live plus seven day” rating being accounted for by time-shifting. Additionally, “The Event” was licensed to nearly 200 territories internationally even before its U.S. premiere, and is launching in numerous regions abroad to impressive ratings.
As of October 13, “Law & Order: Los Angeles” has averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 8.7 million viewers overall in “live plus same day” averages from Nielsen. “Law & Order: L.A.” has delivered a 39 percent improvement in the time period versus year-ago “live plus same day” results for NBC in 18-49 rating (with a 2.5 rating vs. a 1.8) and a 45 percent increase in total viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.0 million).
Through October 14, “Outsourced” has averaged a 3.0 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 6.3 million viewers overall in “most current” averages from Nielsen. In the valuable adult 18-34 demographic, “Outsourced” is averaging a 3.3 rating, making it the #1 new series on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox this fall. “Outsourced” is also heavily time-shifted, adding 19 percent to its “live plus same day” 18-49 rating when Nielsen issued “live plus seven day” results for premiere week (to a 4.29 rating from a 3.59), making it the top gainer among first-year half-hour comedies on the ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox primetime lineups.
“The Event” (Mondays, 9-10 p.m. ET) is an emotional, high-octane drama that follows Sean Walker (Jason Ritter, “The Class”), an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his would-be fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer, “Disturbia”), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean’s quest sends ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including newly elected U.S. President Elias Martinez (Golden Globe nominee Blair Underwood, “In Treatment”); Sophia Maguire (Emmy Award nominee Laura Innes, “ER”), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Leila’s shadowy father (Scott Patterson, “Gilmore Girls”). Ian Anthony Dale (“Daybreak”), Clifton Collins Jr. (“Star Trek”), Taylor Cole (“The Violent Kind”), Lisa Vidal (“The Division”), Bill Smitrovich (“The Practice”) and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (“Damages”) also star.
“The Event” is a production of Universal Media Studios and Steve Stark Productions. Evan Katz (“24″) serves as executive producer/show-runner; Steve Stark (“Medium,” “Facing Kate”) serves as executive producer; Jeffrey Reiner (NBC’s “Friday Night Lights,” “Trauma”) is director/executive producer, and Nick Wauters (“The 4400,” “Eureka”) is creator/co-executive producer.
“Law & Order: Los Angeles” (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) fuses the classic ripped- from-the-headlines storytelling with the distinctive backdrop of L.A. The drama follows Detectives Rex Winters (Skeet Ulrich, “Jericho”) and Tomas “TJ” Jaruszalski (Corey Stoll, “Midnight in Paris”) who are members of the L.A.P.D.’s elite Robbery Homicide Division. Their boss, Lt. Arleen Gonzales, (Rachel Ticotin), is driven and meticulous. Deputy District Attorney Ricardo Morales (Alfred Molina, “The Da Vinci Code,” “Spiderman 2”) is a sarcastic realist. Oscar nominee Terrence Howard (“Hustle & Flow”) portrays methodical Deputy District Attorney Jonah Dekker and shares the position with Morales in alternate episodes. At Morales’ side is the idealistic Deputy District Attorney Evelyn Price (Regina Hall, “Death at a Funeral”). Megan Boone (“Cold Case”) plays Deputy District Attorney Lauren Stanton who works at Dekker’s side.
The series is a Wolf Films production in association with Universal Media Studios. Wolf is creator and executive producer, Rene Balcer (“Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”), Blake Masters (“Brotherhood,” “Rubicon”), Christopher Misiano (“West Wing,” “ER”) and Peter Jankowski (“Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) are executive producers.
“Outsourced” (Thursdays, 9:30-10 p.m. ET) is NBC’s popular new workplace comedy series centered on a catalog-based company, Mid America Novelties, which sees its call center suddenly outsourced to India. When Manager Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport, off-Broadway’s “The Gingerbread House”) moves there, culture shock ensues when Todd inherits a sales team that includes: Gupta (Parvesh Cheena, “Help Me Help You”), a socially awkward employee; Manmeet (Sacha Dhawan, BBC’s “Five Days II”), a young romantic; Asha (Rebecca Hazlewood, BBC’s “Doctors”), a smart, striking woman; Rajiv (Rizwan Manji, “Privileged”), the assistant manager; and Madhuri (Anisha Nagarajan, Broadway’s “Bombay Dreams”), suffers from shyness. The series also stars Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) and Pippa Black (“Neighbours”).
From Universal Media Studios, “Outsourced” is executive-produced by show-runner Robert Borden (“The Drew Carey Show” “George Lopez”) and director Ken Kwapis (“He’s Just Not That Into You,” “The Office”), who developed the project through his company, In Cahoots. Victor Nelli, Jr. (“Ugly Betty”), Tom Gorai (“Outsourced” theatrical release) and David Skinner (“Outsourced” theatrical release) also serve as executive producers, and Alex Beattie serves as co-executive producer.
GE reported its earnings today, and I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate everyone on NBCU’s very strong results. Looking just at our operations, these are our best third-quarter results since the NBC-Universal merger more than six years ago. Truly a record performance.
Although our segment profit as reported by GE shows us down, this is driven by the impact of one-time, non-operating events and transactions that took place in the third quarter of last year (such as the one-time gain from the change in our interest in A&E Networks). On an operating basis, our profit was up 32% versus last year (or 5% excluding the impact of charges taken by certain divisions in the third quarter last year). Given that the economy, although improving, is still far from robust, these are excellent results driven by superior execution throughout our operations.
We had exceptional performances from a number of our divisions, including Cable Entertainment, Local Media, Film, and Theme Parks. Cable Entertainment posted a double-digit increase in operating profit, behind great results at each of our networks. Local Media was up an amazing 87%, as increased revenues from a resurging local ad market hit the bottom line. Film op profit was up 57%, driven by “Despicable Me,” which performed well ahead of expectations. And Theme Parks had the best quarter in its history, with op profit up 59%, the result of the new Harry Potter attraction in Orlando and the new King Kong 360 in Hollywood.
Here are some of the other highlights:
· USA was the No. 1 cable entertainment network for the 17th quarter in a row, an incredible string of success, and Syfy finished the quarter ranked No. 8 in adults 25-54
· Bravo had its best quarter ever and now has 20 consecutive quarters of ratings growth, and Oxygen had its best 3rd quarter ever
· CNBC posted increases in both revenue and op profit, and MSNBC continues to operate from a position of strength, beating CNN in primetime for the 4th quarter in a row and beating CNN in total day for the first time in a decade, while also launching a very exciting new marketing campaign
·Through the first five weeks of the NFL season, “Sunday Night Football”
is averaging nearly 22 million viewers, the most for the first five weeks of a primetime NFL package in 14 years
· NBC is tied for No. 2 through the first three weeks of the new season, up 4% versus a year ago to make it the only major English-language network to grow year-to-year
· Jay Leno continues to be No. 1 since returning to his old timeslot, and Jimmy Fallon holds a 35% lead over CBS in his time period
· NBC News remains No. 1 across the board and recently hosted a fantastic public-service programming event called Education Nation, an effort that should make us all proud to be part of this company
· Telemundo has the highest-rated novela in its history with “Donde esta Elisa,” and mun2 had its best quarter in all key demos
There is so much to be proud of! Congratulations and thanks again to everyone, because I know, whether you are part of one of the businesses mentioned above or not, you are working hard to keep this company great, and I truly appreciate it.
At the same time we are notching these business successes, our transition teams are hard at work preparing for the new NBC Universal. We’re on track for a close of the transaction with Comcast, hopefully by the end of the year. As I’m sure you know, the timing will ultimately be determined by the FCC and the Department of Justice. We’ll have a clearer idea about timing as we get into November.
One other thing about the transition. You have received information about your new benefits, and I urge you to pay attention: review the information on the intranet, attend the benefits sessions, and enroll yourself and your family in both the GE and the new NBC Universal benefits plans. I hope each of you give this the attention that it deserves.
The company is really in a terrific place right now. We have a Cable Entertainment group that is on track to record its fifth straight year of record earnings. A Theme Parks division that is on track to have its best year ever. A Local Media division that will likely more than double its earnings from a year ago … and much more. And making it all happen are 15,000 employees who love this company, understand what we do, and are committed to doing it better and better every day. Thank you very much. Your strength of character, and the strength of our operations, will ensure a strong end to this year.
-Jeff

NBC launched a new philanthropic campaign today, “A More Colorful World.” The campaign will focus on six philanthropic areas organized around the six colors of the NBC peacock logo; community, youth, health, diversity, culture and environment. 
As part of the new campaign NBC has launched “My School Pride,” a charity initiative that ties into the new show “School Pride” launching on Friday, October 15th at 8PM. Check out this added content piece:
For more information, click through to see the press release:
