In a move that some industry insiders called a game-changer, NBC announced today that it would cancel all of its primetime programs and air a static image of its peacock logo every night between 8 and 10.

While some critics of the move questioned whether viewers would tune in to watch a motionless rendering of a bird for two hours every night, NBC boss Jeff Zucker, the architect of the move, defended the strategy, calling it “maybe my most brilliant decision ever.”

“People are saying that the peacock logo has been around forever and has nothing new to offer,” Mr. Zucker told reporters.  “I say it’s a perfect lead-in for Leno.”

The move should take some pressure off NBC’s embattled entertainment division, whose comedy “Kath & Kim” was recently found to be in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Mr. Zucker acknowledged that the decision to air a static bird picture for 14 hours a week would require some re-tooling of NBC’s “Must See TV” slogan, but said that the marketing department had already come up with a replacement: “When There’s Nothing On TV, Watch It On NBC.”

Email This Story to a Friend