Written by Chris Albrecht
Posted Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 2:22 PM PT

 

NBC Puts Webisodes on Schedule, Embraces UGC

NBC is pulling out all the digital stops for its upcoming summer and fall seasons. Alongside the official unveiling of its oldteevee programming lineup, NBC announced an upcoming online series and said it has renewed webisodes for hit shows and is expanding its use of user-generated content.

Fears, Secrets and Desires is the peacock’s exclusive new original series. Think of it as a video version of PostSecret. Viewers can submit their fear, secret or desire and NBC will select certain posts to be creatively interpreted for an anthology series produced by NBC and featuring Hollywood talent (whatever that means anymore). Submissions start this spring, with the series set to debut in October.

Update: PostSecret Fans in Uproar over NBC Show.

NBC will be featuring two other original online series as well. Gemini Division is a live-action/motion-capture sci-fi series starring Rosario Dawson (of Death Proof) as an NYPD homicide cop thrust into a seamy biotech underworld filled with genetically engineered life forms called Simulants. Salon Confessions is a docu-series about a Vegas hair salon that will feature real stylists and real clients and will debut in Spring 2009.

NBC is also expanding online support for its hits shows. Both The Office and Heroes will get another season of webisodes, and 30 Rock is inviting fans to submit video. Lots of video. The show will offer character Jack Donaghy’s Online Business Courses and ask viewers to upload videos on business advice, as well as upload skit ideas for the fictitious The Girly Show and submit video tours of their office.

Given the new terms of the networks’ deal with the writers, it’s no surprise that NBC is relying so heavily on UGC (hello, 17 days for free!). Still it’s nice to see the network move beyond just repurposing the video online.

 

Sphere
Topic: Networks
« Previous Post Next Post »

Comments & Trackbacks

  1. I’m sorry, what did you say about Heros?

    I need a little more information please.

    Tim Street on April 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm - Permalink

  2. From the press release:

    “Season 3 of “Heroes 360″ expands the “Heroes” universe further with webisodes, online manhunts for the villains, the addition of more micro sites that allow the users to uncover more of the “Heroes” universe, wireless iTV interactivity and the ability to view the graphic novel on mobile platforms.”

    Chris Albrecht on April 2nd, 2008 at 4:45 pm - Permalink

  3. [...] NBC Goes Short-Form Jump to Comments NBC is stepping up the plate and announcing three fairly significant-sounding original web series.  According to NewTeeVee: [...]

    NBC Goes Short-Form « MyMediaMusings on April 2nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm - Permalink

  4. [...] unveiling the new creative partnership with Liberty Mutual. The network also released plans for online-only shows, including a sci-fi series, a UGC confessional show and a reality show about a hair [...]

    2008 04-03 MediaBytes: NBC - MySpace Music - Amazon TextBuyIt - DOCSIS - DoubleClick | MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer on April 3rd, 2008 at 5:20 am - Permalink

  5. One hopes that you at least contacted PostSecret before you decided to copy their idea…

    funtime42 on April 27th, 2008 at 2:41 pm - Permalink

  6. funtime42….just to clarify that would be NBC, not NewTeeVee, taking the PostSecret idea and turning it into a video show.

    Fears, Secrets and Desires is the peacock’s exclusive new original series. Think of it as a video version of PostSecret.

    Om Malik on April 27th, 2008 at 3:05 pm - Permalink

  7. Don’t you pay people enough money that they could come up with ORIGINAL ideas instead of blatantly stealing from a website?

    Hannah on April 27th, 2008 at 3:17 pm - Permalink

  8. Wow, can anyone say copyright infringement? Hope Post Secret ok’ed this.

    Sara on April 27th, 2008 at 3:48 pm - Permalink

  9. I agree with the above comments about asking postsecret for permission. Postsecret has helped a lot of people. The project itself, the community it has created, and also through supporting and promoting resources for depressed and suicidal people. It would be a real shame to see a work of love like this co-opted by a large corporation just to turn a profit. The tone of the show is also important- I am afraid that in the hands of a major TV network it will turn from something beautiful into cheap, for-profit, sensationalistic voyeurism.

    It is also incredibly brazen to mention postsecret in the description, capitalizing on the good name that the project has built up over a number of years in order to promote an unrelated product.

    I love Heroes, but the fact that NBC is doing this is making me think twice about buying any more DVDs.

    Sarah on April 27th, 2008 at 4:38 pm - Permalink

  10. NBC did not mention PostSecret in description of the new show, and we can’t assert where the idea for “Fears Secrets and Desires” came from… but we have a good guess as to what “inspired” it. ;)

    Chris Albrecht on April 27th, 2008 at 5:12 pm - Permalink

  11. And NBC has the nerve to call “Fears, Secrets and Desires” an NBC Web Original. It’s not an original, it’s a blatant rip off that’s going to pander to the lowest common denominator. It won’t be Post Secret- it will be Jerry Springer. NBC, for shame. Post Secret should sue.

    secretlover on April 27th, 2008 at 5:24 pm - Permalink

  12. “Fears, Secrets and Desires is the peacock’s exclusive new original series. Think of it as a video version of PostSecret.”

    I can’t figure out how this is supposed to be so original. Even if NBC hasn’t named PostSecret as their “inspiration,” the fact that a third party can write those two sentences, the latter completely contradicting the one before it, shows that the new show is anything but original.

    shatteredshards on April 27th, 2008 at 5:35 pm - Permalink

  13. Frank needs to get with NBC about this. As much as I think it would be an amazing show, and all, Frank has put so much time and effort into post secret to save lives, and help people cope with their problems,or even to just get a good laugh to have his idea ripped off like that. That is ridiculous NBC, I hope there is a resolution that has to deal with money being given to Hopeline (www.hopeline.com), Frank, or some other organization. If that were to happen, this ripped off idea would definitely turn out positive in my opinion.

    Ashley on April 27th, 2008 at 6:00 pm - Permalink

  14. Way to rip off PostSecret. Yea… NBC is not original or clever. Hurray people who can’t think of a good idea themselves! Go get ‘em Frank! Sue them!

    sandrak on April 27th, 2008 at 6:12 pm - Permalink

  15. i hope you recieved some sort of okay from post secret. I can’t believe that this network would stoop so low as to steal this brilliant idea.

    laura on April 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pm - Permalink

  16. For shame, stealing from PostSecret. Hope NBC gets sued.

    Jenn on April 27th, 2008 at 6:52 pm - Permalink

  17. even if postsecret had okayed this. its a horrible idea. the whole point of postsecret has nothing to do with acting out the fears and desires and everything to do with being anonymous but sharing your secrets so that other people can relate. youre just mocking that with this tv idea.

    hannah on April 27th, 2008 at 7:07 pm - Permalink

  18. I agree, a huge corporation such as NBC should recieve some sort of permission from PostSecret, considering they will be making money off of the idea. However, using the idea of PostSecret has been done many times. You often see on PostSecret letters or e-mails from community members that have created their own spin on the ’secret’ idea; often bringing communities closer together. I think it is a great idea for anyone to use, however when one is attempting to patent it, well that’s a different story.
    Cheers

    Ashley on April 27th, 2008 at 8:05 pm - Permalink

  19. BOO!!! Boycott NBC until they own up to and compensate (IE: Hopeline donations etc) Frank and the Post Secret Community for stealing their ideas!!! FOR SHAME!!!

    Sarah on April 27th, 2008 at 8:22 pm - Permalink

  20. THANKS FOR CREDITING POSTSECRET, YOU SPOONY BARDS.

    Y on April 27th, 2008 at 10:22 pm - Permalink

  21. THIS IDEA SUCKS.
    You should pay Frank royalties.

    Isobel on April 27th, 2008 at 11:46 pm - Permalink

  22. wow you guys are REAL cool. i mean you have plenty of people all over the place to come up with new and original ideas, and then you steal postsecrets stuff and say it’s your own? next time you write an article reporting about music copyright infringement, look at yourself you effin hypocrites. I swear America is long past on its way to hell. The corporate America needs to take a chill pill.

    yourmom on April 28th, 2008 at 6:55 am - Permalink

  23. if NBC has any sense of deceny they will drop this whole (plagarized) idea. I will keep following post secret every week but i will not even glance at this nor support NBC until this is dropped.

    zombierevolutionkid on April 28th, 2008 at 7:28 am - Permalink

  24. Wow! So many shows I love are on NBC. I don’t want to boycott because they STOLE from PostSecret!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Sounds like something Jack Donaghy would do! Pay up, fat cats.

    Emily on April 28th, 2008 at 7:57 am - Permalink

  25. So typical of big business. If NBC goes to Frank over at PostSecret for a collaboration, they would have to give him a share of the profits. Instead, they crunched the numbers and found it to be more cost-effective to possibly deal with a lawsuit for stealing the idea. They assume that Frank won’t want to or be able to sue. And even if he did and won the case, he wouldn’t have the money to fight NBC’s string of appeals, forcing him to abandon the fight. These sharks at NBC know what they’re doing. Which is whatever they want. Cowards.

    dez on April 28th, 2008 at 8:55 am - Permalink

  26. [...] creative content from the web. But you never read any stories about the corporations like 3M and NBC that pirate from PostSecret and other [...]

    postsecret spinoffs « everything livia on April 28th, 2008 at 10:22 am - Permalink

  27. I will not be watching your stolen version of Postsecret to show my support for the actual creator, Frank. A hard working man with a great idea up against a dried out network who can’t come up with any original ideas.

    Next they’ll be going to Found or Asofterworld and stealing from them too.

    Laura on April 28th, 2008 at 12:03 pm - Permalink

  28. [...] Fans in Uproar Over NBC Show Fans of PostSecret are steamed at NBC and they are letting their fury loose in the NewTeeVee comments. The uproar was sparked yesterday when PostSecret linked to a story we [...]

    PostSecret Fans in Uproar Over NBC Show « NewTeeVee on April 28th, 2008 at 12:41 pm - Permalink

  29. All these comments are basically saying the same thing. moral of the story is: NBC should not go through with this “original project” because clearly it is only receiving negative feedback

    is a good thing frank has us to back him and postsecret up… way to stick together everyone

    Alison on April 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm - Permalink

  30. [...] creative content from the web. But you never read any stories about the corporations like 3M and NBC that pirate from PostSecret and other [...]

    Spanking Blog » Blog Archive » Sunday Secrets on April 28th, 2008 at 5:13 pm - Permalink

  31. Come up with your own ideas.

    The show sounds like post secrets only without everything that makes post secrets special. Like artistic value.

    Major fail, NBC.

    Liz on April 29th, 2008 at 6:06 pm - Permalink

  32. http://newteevee.com/2008/04/02/nbc-puts-webisodes-on-schedule-embraces-ugc/#comment-236849
    “[...]However, using the idea of PostSecret has been done many times. [...]”
    The thing is, those communities or groups are NOT making money out of Postsecrets ideas…
    Different from NBC, which takes advantage of Frank’s Idea.

    Apricorn on May 2nd, 2008 at 6:51 pm - Permalink

  33. meh, NBC has been full of epic fail for years. it’s not that shocking that they’re stealing from from the creative hordes at postsecret: they’re completely bankrupt for artistic talent.

    modchen on May 3rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm - Permalink

Leave a reply








Safari hates me

If your comment doesn't show up immediately, it may have gotten caught in our trusty (but occasionally overly ambitious) spam filter. Please drop us a note and we'll retrieve it.