NBC Announces New Season Pickups for The Office and 30 Rock  1/15/09

NBC GIVES NEW SEASON PICKUPS TO POPULAR SERIES 'THE OFFICE,' AND '30 ROCK'  FOR 2009-2010

UNIVERSAL CITY, California - January 15, 2009 - NBC has renewed the popular series "The Office," "30 Rock" each for an additional year through the 2009-2010 season, it was announced today by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, and Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"These renewals represent our faith in 'The Office' and '30 Rock' as they continue to represent the gold standard in acclaimed and award-winning series," said Bromstad. "We want the devoted fans of these series to know that we are thrilled that these quality programs will be back with the same high-caliber episodes that viewers have come to expect."

"The Office" is the season's #1 comedy in adults 18-34 and is tied for the #2 ranking overall, according to "most current" averages from Nielsen Media Research through the season's opening 16 weeks. The acclaimed fifth-season comedy also has the most upscale audience for a primetime series on any broadcast networks in terms of its concentration of adults 18-49 living in homes with $100,000-plus incomes. "The Office" is averaging a 4.9 rating, 12 share among adults 18-49, a 5.8/15 among adults 18-34 and 9.4 million viewers overall. .

Recent multi-Golden Globe-winner "30 Rock" is enjoying its best ratings season yet, having delivered its four highest-rated telecasts ever in adults 18-49 since returning to the NBC Thursday night lineup October 30. Versus last season, "30 Rock" is up 26 percent in adults 18-49 and 20 percent in total viewers, averaging a 3.9 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 7.9 million viewers overall through the first 16 weeks of the season. "30 Rock" is tied for #20 in adults 18-49 and is #9 in adults 18-34 so far this season.

"The Office" is a hilarious documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5 based on the award-winning BBC hit. Since its premiere on NBC in March 2005, "The Office" has established itself as a genuine hit, earning prestigious television honors such as the 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, 2006 Peabody Award, 2006 AFI Honor in 2006 and 2009, Producers Guild Award, Writers Guild Award, SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy, Ace Eddie Award for editing and a Television Critic's Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.

Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Steve Carell stars as regional manager Michael Scott, a single, middle-aged man who is the boastful tour guide for the documentary. Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, and B.J. Novak are among the talented ensemble cast. "The Office" is from Deedle-Dee Productions, Reveille and Universal Media Studios, and is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein and Jennifer Celotta.

"30 Rock" is told through the comedic voice of Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG winner Tina Fey and features fellow Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG winner Alec Baldwin as a top network executive and Tracy Morgan as the unpredictable star of Lemon's hit variety show, "TGS with Tracy Jordan." Also rounding out the cast are Jane Krakowski, Scott Adsit, Jack McBrayer, Judah Friedlander, Katrina Bowden and Keith Powell. The series won honored with an Emmy as Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007 and 2008. "30 Rock" also was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as "simply the best TV."

"30 Rock" is from Broadway Video & Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Media Studios. The executive producers are Lorne Michaels ("Saturday Night Live"), Fey, Marci Klein ("Saturday Night Live"), David Miner ("Human Giant") and Robert Carlock ("Friends").

Source: NBC Press Release

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