NBC Cancels Pilot Season... Forever?

NBC has announced that it is doing away with pilot season. The New York Times reported Wednesday that NBC Universal chief executive officer Jeff Zucker made the announcement during a videoconference from London with the company's international employees. Zucker's decision to eliminate pilot season is an effort to cut costs due to the writers strike and a slowdown in the economy. According to Zucker the cuts will reportedly save the company as much as $50 million a year. Zucker went on to say they may still occasionally produce a pilot or two each year, just not on a regular schedule.

This comes on the heels of rumors that GE may be looking to divest itself of NBC Universal during this year's second quarter.