iVillage Moving to NBC’s Small Screen

Can a Web site make for a good TV show? NBC Universal says it plans to launch a television show based on its female-centered iVillage online community.

Can an online community be the basis for a successful television show? The suits at America’s last-place broadcast network want to find out: NBC Universal announced today it plans to base a new television show based on iVillage Internet community geared towards women. NBC Univeral acquired iVillage for $600 million in March of 2006, and has consistently tagged the property as an important part of its online strategy.

NBC plans to debut the proram on its Bravo cable network and the 10 broadcast stations it owns and directly operates…;but while the network has announced it plans am iVillage show, they have slipped no details on the format. NBC Universal Television CEO Jeff Zucker reportedly said “”This is a real interactive, online and on-the-air television program that we are not going to judge by its ratings,” while addressing the Credit Suisse media and telecom conference in New York. But these days, it’s kinda par for the course for NBC to evaluate shows on something besides ratings…because good ratings are rare for the network. Although NBC once dominated prime time broadcast programming, the Peacock network has been in serious decline in recent years, with only Tim Kring’s Heroes looking like a bright spot in the network’s current broadcast offerings.

Word up, NBC: the world may not need another show focussing on makeovers, home decor, weight loss, and euphemism-laden “relationship advice.” There’s plenty out there already—just sayin’.