Peacock singing the blues

NEW YORK — Three weeks into the new television season, NBC is giving its Friday schedule a complete facelift — an indication all is not well at the most profitable broadcast network.

With old favorites "Friends," "Frasier" and "ER" losing audience and no new hits, NBC is down 10 percent in viewers this season compared to last. Among the 18-to-49-year-old demographic its executives care about most, the decline is 12 percent.

"I don't want to say they're in trouble, but they've got weaknesses that a savvy counterprogrammer could take advantage of," Shari Anne Brill, a television analyst for the ad buying firm Carat USA, said.

So far, NBC executives remain bullish. The network is still No. 1 among 18-to-49-year-olds, the reason NBC takes in more advertising revenue than any other network, and is second to CBS among all viewers.

"We're in good shape," NBC entertainment president Jeff Zucker said.

With "Friends" and "Frasier" in their final seasons, it's considered a crucial year for NBC.

"Their top-rated programs are still among the industry leaders but are generally among the longest-running programs on TV: the 'Law & Order' franchises, 'Friends' and 'ER,' " said John Rash, an analyst for the Chicago ad-buying firm Campbell-Mithune.

"Even 'Will & Grace' is past its fifth season," Rash said. "They have not established the new generation of hits in the same way that they were able to get 'Seinfeld' to replace 'Cheers' and 'ER' to replace 'L.A. Law.' "

It's still early, but new comedies "Coupling," "Whoopi" and "Happy Family" have yet to show breakout potential.

While Thursday night's "Coupling" — considered a potential "Friends" replacement in NBC's top tier — has disappointed some analysts, Zucker said, "it has not performed well or badly. It's right in the middle."

The "Friends" decline, losing a quarter of its audience compared to the same time last year, is baffling. Zucker said a cliffhanger ending with Joey's inadvertent proposal to Rachel in May 2002 boosted viewership last fall. As it approaches a series finale, "Friends" is likely to improve in the ratings.

Some of Zucker's scheduling moves have left him open to second-guessing. NBC was the top network on Fridays last year before "Providence" was canceled and "Law & Order: SVU" moved to Tuesday. Last Friday (before "Boomtown" was replaced with an "SVU" rerun), NBC's ratings were down 40 percent from the same week in 2002.

NBC is also struggling on Sunday nights with the second-year "American Dreams" and the new Rob Lowe drama, "Lyon's Den."

"Do I think we have issues on our schedule?" Zucker asked. "Friday night and Sunday at 10. That's about it."

Bright spots for NBC include Mondays, where the continued success of "Fear Factor" has helped the new drama "Las Vegas," get off to a quick start. And after a surprising decline last year, "The West Wing" appears to have righted its ship creatively and commercially.

The pressure remains on to find new hits. One factor in NBC's favor: it's only two weeks, and new shows can catch on at any time.

"They might be alright this year," Brill said. "The problem is next year."