‘NYPD Blue’ Likely to Lose Its Tuesday Night ABC Slot

ABC is expected to move “NYPD Blue” off the Tuesday-night beat that the police drama has patrolled for six years, prompting the show’s irate producer to contend that his program is the latest victim of a network favoring series from its parent studio.

“Blue” co-creator Steven Bochco said ABC informed him Wednesday that the Emmy-winning series would no longer air on Tuesdays and probably not return to the network’s lineup on Nov. 9, as previously announced. In its place, ABC is likely to run “Once and Again,” which comes from the production arm of its corporate parent, Walt Disney Co.

“I thought I was too old to be stunned, but apparently I’m not old enough,” Bochco said. “If this isn’t the most egregious and inevitable consequence of vertical integration, I don’t know what is. . . . They’ve made it clear they’re kissing the show off this year.”

Vertical integration refers to aligning production and distribution entities under a single corporate umbrella. ABC, for example, has extra incentive for “Once and Again” to become a hit because Disney, as its producer, would also cash in selling the reruns into syndication.

The issue has increasingly been a source of friction between producers and networks. Viacom’s pending merger with CBS means every broadcast network except NBC will soon be affiliated with a major studio, causing producers and their agents to guess whether programmers are making decisions to enhance corporate profits at the expense of what’s best for a given show or the network’s overall prime-time lineup.

ABC declined comment regarding the scheduling change and wouldn’t discuss where “NYPD Blue” might end up. Network sources say they fear CBS will expand its success with “Judging Amy”--a new series starring onetime “NYPD Blue” regular Amy Brenneman, which is quickly becoming the surprise hit of the fall TV season.

“They’re saying to themselves they have to build for the future here,” said one TV agent, noting that Bochco’s series is more than likely in its final season.

Still, ratings for “Once and Again” have steadily declined, with tune-in among adults age 18 to 49--the key sales demographic to advertisers--down 26% this week compared to its Sept. 21 premiere.

Bochco called ABC’s response “disrespectful,” accusing the network of turning a staple of its lineup into “a cork to fill some leaky hole in its schedule.” The producer said he has asked ABC to release the show and allow him to try placing it on another network, which almost certainly won’t happen. Beyond this season, ABC has an option to extend “Blue’s” run an additional year.

Bochco spent a decade developing shows exclusively for ABC but has little leverage now in dealing with the network. He recently entered into a sweeping production deal with Viacom’s Paramount Television Group and is producing his next show, “City of Angels,” for CBS.