NBCUniversal will no longer produce first-run syndicated TV programming, ending production of shows like Access Hollywood, Access Live, Karamo and The Steve Wilkos Show in a major strategic shift for the company.
Karamo and Steve Wilkos have both completed production, with the new episodes that have been taped airing through the summer. Access Hollywood and Access Live will continue production through the summer before ending their run.
“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo & Peacock unscripted for NBCUniversal, in a statement. “The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles, while winding down production of our first-run shows. These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”
Access Hollywood has been in production for nearly 30 years, with its first episode airing in Sep. 1996. Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans, and Zuri Hall are the show’s current hosts.
Karamo is hosted by Queer Eye veteran Karamo Brown, and began production in 2022. Steve Wilkos is hosted by Wilkos, the former security guard for Jerry Springer. His show has served as something of a successor to Springer’s program, and has been in production since 2007. The two talk shows are produced at NBCU’s Stamford Studios facility in Stamford, Connecticut, and the company is expected to vacate the building later in the year.
NBCUniversal has determined that the syndicated studio model is not sustainable, given the preferences of local TV stations, which are programming more local and national news, community-focused programming select national franchises.
The decision to essentially shut down syndicated production comes a month after the company announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would end its run later this year.
Talk shows in general have been coming under both financial and competitive pressure, with rising costs, waning demand, and increased competition from other platforms. Video podcasts in particular have filled some of the gap, picking up more celebrity interviews, investigating true crimes, and tackling many of the same subjects as their TV predecessors at a fraction of the price.
Access Hollywood, for example, was hit by layoffs last fall in connection with the cancelation of E!’s daily news show.
Still, there is no question that it is the end of an era for NBC, and for entertainment journalism with the end of Access. The biggest player in the space, CBS’ Entertainment Tonight, is still in production, as is Inside Edition.
The company will continue to distribute its existing program library to stations and other platforms that want it, including titles like Dateline, Law & Order, Chicago PD, Maury, Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos, and Karamo.
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