NBC's newest newsmagazine, 'Rock Center'

'NBC newsmagazine ..."

There's a phrase we haven't heard nor seen in quite a few years. Yet once upon a time -- and this seems so long ago and far away now -- it popped up reliably on every new fall schedule, like a gate-crasher at some chic launch party. There were 17 attempts over a two-decade period starting in the late '60s. All shared one fate -- failure -- until "Dateline NBC" erased the curse in 1992.

In the run-up to the launch of "Rock Center With Brian Williams" Monday night, NBC executives have said a bona fide NBC newsmagazine hasn't launched since then, although that is a bit of historic revisionism designed to erase another failed attempt -- "Now With Katie Couric and Tom Brokaw," which folded after a brief run in 1994.

All this simply points up the obvious: Newsmagazines, particularly with those three initials N, B and C appended, are a tough sell. Viewers typically want true crime in their so-called prime-time "news" diet, if they want it at all, while tolerating substantive journalism only from "60 Minutes." As a result, the networks -- and especially NBC -- have long since moved on to more pressing concerns, like finding a killer sitcom or drama.

For this reason, "Rock Center" is an intriguing development. The gate-crasher is back, but this time, he's welcome. NBC is anxious to get the show on the road, in part to patch up the big hole left in the wake of the quick exit of "The Playboy Club." Moreover, NBC's new overseer, Comcast, is anxious to make its own mark on the troubled network.

But there are easier ways to make marks. Why a newsmag, and why now? "The flip answer, I suppose, is that no network news division has been brave or bold or ambitious enough to try it until now," says Rome Hartman, "Rock Center's" executive producer, "although obviously, network prime-time programming is a bit of a dark art, and it's cyclical, for sure. Trends come and go, and while the magazines that are on the air have turned out to be quite hardy and long-lived ... except for '60,' they morphed into something different from what they were originally conceived to be."

This means that there's an opportunity. "Rock Center" is expected to be a traditional TV newsmagazine much like "Primetime" or "20/20" (which is now often single-topic) once were -- with one difference. The pieces will be taped, but the intros by "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams will be live. In fact, "Primetime" was also initially live until "live" proved awkward (such as the time anchors Diane Sawyer and Sam Donaldson went to a live shot ... of a tree).

But more important, "Rock Center" is expected to be weighty -- no crime-of-the-week story need apply, or so Hartman and others insist.

Former ABC News anchor Ted Koppel -- tapped to be an occasional contributor -- said in a recent phone interview, "This thing has been in the works a long time, and I've been talking to Rome for a long time, and was even aware of their intention to do this program before they hired Rome.

"My understanding is that this was in some respects Steve Burke's brainchild, and that he really wanted NBC to do a smart, serious program where they don't worry too much about ratings," Koppel says. "I don't think any executive ever says don't worry about those, but I did work with Steve Burke's dad , and he was one of the smartest, most decent men I've ever known. If Steve is anything like him, then it's something you can count on."

In fact, execs insist it's something viewers can count on.

"We know that the business is challenged right now, and we're not kidding ourselves," said Steve Capus, NBC News president, in a recent conference call. "We know it's going to take some time to get established. But our marching orders from an incredibly supportive corporate suite here are very simple: Get on, get established and do great work that we're all proud of."

Williams said, "I can't say this often enough, but no one has mentioned any kind of bracket for success or the standards for that. All we've been told is to go do the broadcast we'd like to watch, the broadcast we've always wanted to work on."

'Rock Center With Brian Williams" will feature a lineup of well-known TV news personalities:

Harry Smith Veteran "Early Show" co-anchor and CBS stalwart; joined NBC News this summer.

Kate Snow Has been with "Dateline"; veteran of morning wars at "Good Morning America," as weekend co-host, and cable wars too, as CNN reporter.

Ted Koppel "Nightline" founder, ABC legend, expected to contribute about four pieces a year.

Richard Engel NBC's chief foreign affairs correspondent, who became familiar to viewers covering early days of the Iraq War for ABC News.

Meredith Vieira Former "Today" co-anchor; like Koppel, expected to produce a handful of stories each year.

Natalie Morales News anchor, "Today," co-host, third hour; former national correspondent for "Nightly News," and former MSNBC anchor.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman Chief medical editor, NBC News and longtime medical editor for ABC News; on University of Pennsylvania's Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery staff.

Matt Lauer/Ann Curry "Today" co-anchors, expected to contribute on occasion.

Front in 'Center'

Segments on the first edition of "Rock Center" include Kate Snow on women paying big bucks to come here from China in order to give birth and go home with U.S. citizenship for their babies; Richard Engel reporting from Syria on anti-government activists there, and Harry Smith on the one place in America where anyone can get a job.