NBC programming move could affect Chicago PD time slot
We all love Wednesday nights. The trifecta of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD airing in order is a perfect way to unwind, and take in the characters we’ve come to know and love.
It took a while for all of the One Chicago shows to land on the same night, and recent talks from NBC imply that another schedule change may be coming. TV Line confirmed that the network has been considering giving up its 10 PM time slot to local news on Wednesdays, which means that a whopping seven hours of original programming would be cut and/or put in a different time slot.
What day does Chicago PD come on?
The shows in question are Law & Order: SVU, New Amsterdam and most importantly, Chicago PD. A network spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that programming change is common, and seen as the best way to maximize resources.
"“We are always looking at strategies to ensure that our broadcast business remains as strong as possible”, the spokesperson explained. “As a company, our advantage lies in our ability to provide audiences with the content they love across broadcast, cable and streaming.”"
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So what does this mean if the trigger is pulled and NBC decides to give up its 10 PM slot? Well, for one, One Chicago Wednesdays would cease to exist. Chicago PD would have to be moved to a new time slot on a different night, effectively breaking up the symmetry of the current lineup. It’s tough to say how much the ratings for PD will be affected, but there’s usually a ratings dip with any time slot change due to viewer confusion.
If PD were to change to a different time slot, it would also affect the fluidity of future crossover events. Part of the fun of the One Chicago crossovers has been watching a single story play out over three hours of television, and the effect simply wouldn’t be the same if you had to watch a third of the story on another night. The same goes for Law & Order: SVU.
It’s still too early to tell if it will happen, or if the programming move is something that NBC is simply entertaining. If it does go through, it will take effect as early as fall 2023.
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