Sources close to the negotiations say that NBC (GE) and Donald Trump have come to an agreement on bringing back "The Apprentice" to the network.
The show looked like it was definitely dead in the water when it wasn't included on the 2007-8 prime-time schedule released by NBC in May.
What was interesting at the time is the network wouldn't commit to saying the show was completely over, although Trump did announce several days later that he was "moving on" to other television projects, which seemed to end any potential resurrection of the show.
Possibly one of the reasons for the renewing of the show was the installation of Ben Silverman as chief programmer at the network, who then asked Mark Burnett and Trump to extend the option for the series. From there they entered into talks.
From Trump's point of view I see the benefit of keeping the show going. It's been a great marketing tool to extend himself as a brand. He's been pushing products like vodka, steaks and water.
For NBC, it makes me wonder why they're doing it. The show itself has plunged in viewership by two-thirds since it debuted. The network does have an agreement in place with Trump to air the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants through 2010, but that shouldn't have been too much of a problem, unless Trump suggested he'd move on if they didn't work out "The Apprentice" deal.
Another thought on this is it's possible that even with the declining viewership of the reality show, the network may need it. They really have nothing other then "Heroes" they can absolutely count on next year. At least with The Apprentice they have a known entity and what it should be able to perform at.
Trump has also hinted that other networks have been interested in picking up the show if NBC didn't; a possible negotiation ploy. With NBC's plunging ratings though, heads would role if it went to another network and thrived.
Still, this deal is a little puzzling. It seems to include an unknown behind-the-scenes factor that made it happen. It'll be interesting to see if something emerges unconnected to the series between Trump and NBC. If it does, it will probably be the element that made this all happen.
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