Angela Bromstad and Paul Telegdy Meet The Press

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey Immelt

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAngela Bromstad, President of Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios and Paul Telegdy, EVP, Alternative Programming and Production, NBC and Universal Medea Studios spoke to reporters at the Television Critics Assocation summer press tour in Pasadena on Wednesday and I think we got a pretty good idea of where NBC is headed.

It’s going to be quite a challenge for the duo to top Ben Silverman’s amazing run as programming head (in which NBC solidified it’s position as the #4 network).  Now Ben is off to try to bring down Barry Diller’s media empire (maybe that wouldn’t be the end of the world).

The main take-away from Wednesday’s meeting with the press was Ms. Bromstad and Mr. Telegdy’s commitment to quality.  They…ahem… definitely seemed to be on the same page.

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAmerican Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltAngela Bromstad:  “Our goal is to bring back high-quality, sophisticated dramas and comedy and a  brand of alternative that falls into that.

Paul Telegdy:  “[Paula Abdul] is an exceptional piece of talent… as a viewer, I’d miss her on the show [American Idol].”  In regards to possibly pursuing her for a show on NBC… “I wouldn’t rule anything out.”

Paula Abdul (from 2007):  “I don’t understand how this man [some radio host] can call me a whining bitch.  I’ve never in my life been called a whining bitch and a loser.”

I think if NBC could somehow get Paula Abdul in her own show saying things like the above, it would be amazing and a perfect fit for the new commitment to quality.

American Idol, Angela Bromstad, Ari Emanuel, Barry Diller, Ben Silverman, Don Francisco, IAC, Jay Leno, Jeff Weiner, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, NBC, OnMedea, Paul Telegdy, Paula Abdul, Sabada Gigante, Saved By The Bell, Screech, Television Critics Association, Universal Media Studios, Univision, Jeff Zucker, Jeffrey ImmeltHey, maybe they could even get that guy Screech from Saved By The Bell (the one that had to have a garage sale in Kansas to try to save his house).  That would really put NBC on the road to  recovery.

Another approach may be just to expand Jay Leno to three hours every night (sort of like Sabado Gigante on Univision).

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

Dawn Ostroff Compares Picking TV Shows To “Sophie’s Choice”

[From The Hollywood Reporter:  “It was really a ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ Ostroff said of trying to choose projects for next season with only 10 hours to fill.]

Academy Awards, Barry Diller, Beer Summit, Ben Silverman, Dawn Ostroff, Gossip Girl, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, Melrose Place, Meryl Streep, NBC, One Tree Hill, OnMedea, President Obama, right wing pundits, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sophie Zawistowski, Sophie's Choice, Supernatural, TCA, Television Critics Association, The CW, The Vampire Diaries, William StyronMs. Ostroff made this horrific comparison yesterday in Pasadena at the Television Critics Association Press Tour.

Seriously, Dawn?  There was no other phrase you could use.

“Sophie’s Choice” was a decision Holocaust survivor Sophie Zawistowski had to make on which of her children would live and which would die in a Nazi concentration camp.

Sure, it was a work of fiction by William Styron – but he has even said that it was based on a real story (fyi, Meryl Streep won the Academy Award for her portrayal in the movie).

The decision on which child a parent would choose to live and which to die is the same as which TV show on The CW makes the schedule and which doesn’t?

The Gossip Girl spin-off or The Vampire Diaries

Supernatural or One Tree Hill?

I know it was said on the fly and was meant to convey that it was a difficult choice – but come on.

Imagine what the Right Wing Pundits would say if President Obama, during the recent Beer Summit, said “It’s really a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ in deciding which beer to drink.”

Academy Awards, Barry Diller, Beer Summit, Ben Silverman, Dawn Ostroff, Gossip Girl, Jill Kennedy, Khan Manka, Manka Bros., Medea, Melrose Place, Meryl Streep, NBC, One Tree Hill, OnMedea, President Obama, right wing pundits, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sophie Zawistowski, Sophie's Choice, Supernatural, TCA, Television Critics Association, The CW, The Vampire Diaries, William StyronI started OnMedea with the intention of having a positive tone in regards to the world of media (with the exception of anything concerning Ben Silverman) – but that’s been really difficult based on what I’m discovering out there.

I certainly hope Ms. Ostroff made the right decision and the new “Melrose Place” lives up to her expectations.

For the record, Sophie chose the boy.

Accel Partners, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Chris Hughes, David Kirkpatrick, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Gerald Levin, Greylock Partners, HBO, Jeff Bewkes, Jeff Zucker, Jill Kennedy, Joanna Shields, Jon Miller, Khan Manka, Li Ka-shing, Manka Bros., Mark Cuban, Mark Zuckerberg, Matt Cohler, MySpace, Nicolas Carlson, OnMedea, Owen Van Natta, Paul Buchheit, Peter Thiel, Rupert Murdoch, Sheryl Sandberg, Sumner Redstone, Toy Story 3Jill Kennedy – OnMedea

(I understand the slight irony that I write these things under the blog title OnMedea – a fictional woman who slaughtered her kids after finding out her man had an affair.)