"Animation, It's Important"

That's the song-and-dance by a CEO of one of our fine conglomerates.

In the midst of a major executive shake-up at NBCUniversal's film unit, CEO Steve Burke on Wednesday says that all is not well in the company's broadcast and cable TV divisions, either.

CBS, Fox and ABC make $500 million to $1 billion more than NBC does each year, in part because NBC sells advertising for about 20 percent less than its competitors due to smaller ratings, Burke said ...

Then Mr. Burke burst forth with this: ...

Burke mostly steered clear of discussion about the film studio, though he again noted that Despicable Me 2 is "the most profitable film in the 100-year history of Universal." A third film is in the works, as is a Christmastime spinoff about the Minions.

"The animation business, we think, is a very, very important part of our future," he said.

So okay. If animation is so very important to the financial health and well-being of U-NBC's many tomorrows, then why the hell do the anemic broadcast and cable divisions have close to zero animation on their broadcast schedules?
The conglom is doing one animated holiday special (an hour in length) which is getting produced by Rough Draft Animation in Glendale (and Korea?)

Beyond that, the cupboard is bare.

Now, one might think that with NBC getting its backside kicked by the competition, NBC would have Illumination Entertainment deep in development with a plethora of small-screen product. One might think that with the under-powered earnings, NBC might be developing counter-programming to Fox's Animation Domination.

But sadly, no. That would take flexibility, creativity and a dollop of imagination. All of which seems to be in chronically short supply at U-NBC.

"Animation is a very, very important part of our future." Like hell it is.