Posted at 6:13 a.m., Wednesday, May 16, 2007
NBC: Sorry Trump, 'The Apprentice' will be fired
New York Daily News
"Apprentice" star Donald Trump and executive producer Mark Burnett say that come next month, the show is a free agent and could leave the Peacock Network.A day after NBC left "The Apprentice" off the 2007-08 schedule — but also refused to pronounce it dead — the two men said there's still life in the show.
Just maybe not at NBC.
"We're very happy with our position," Trump told the New York Daily News. "On June 1, we become a free agent."
NBC's option for a seventh season expires on May 31, sources said. Before then, it can renew the show under the current terms, cut a new deal with Trump and Burnett or cut them loose.
At that point, Trump and Burnett could take "The Apprentice" elsewhere, or split up and move on to other projects.
NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said Monday that the show had some "kick" left and that it wasn't "dead yet." He said the network wanted to be in business with Trump.
Very few shows in TV history have successfully changed networks, although "Getting By," starring Cindy Williams, moved from ABC to NBC, and "Family Matters" moved from ABC to CBS.
And neither of those had Trump, who can sell ice to Eskimos.
It's an odd situation for "The Apprentice," a show that put Trump on the TV map and gave NBC a much-needed ratings boost.
Though ratings declined this season from the amazing highs of the show's first outing in 2004, "The Apprentice" this year did better with the network's target audience than some series that were renewed. It's a big draw with upscale viewers, making it appealing to advertisers.
However, NBC, coming off a bad season in the Nielsen department, has been looking to cut costs. (The only way "Las Vegas" could come back was with a smaller, less expensive cast.)
If "The Apprentice" goes into a seventh season, the teams will be split between older, seasoned executives and a bunch of newcomers.
NBC officials admitted they might have hurt the show in scheduling it Sundays following the anemic "Grease" reality show.
"It's astounding our fans stayed with the show," Burnett told the Daily News. "We're thrilled with what we were able to do under the circumstances and feel the franchise is valuable."
In fact, there are "Apprentice" clones around the globe, some licensed by Mark Burnett Productions, some not.
"We have an obligation to NBC as our broadcaster to sit tight and follow our contract to the letter of law till June 1," Burnett said, "after which time it's jump ball."
