Why do the post-Elle Nina Garcia rumors keep circulating? Because no decisions have been made, which means it’s conspiracy theory time! Though she’s no longer the magazine’s fashion director, Elle’s Robbie Myers understands her relationship with Project Runway may hinge on her foe’s involvement, which is why Myers is so ready to offer Garcia an editor-at-large assignment. That would at least keep her on the magazine’s masthead, but only through season six, according to one rumor mill, which means she’d be done wit Elle by mid-October. Meanwhile, Harvey Weinstein, who is taking the show to Lifetime, could possibly keep her on the show sans Elle affiliation. She would simply be listed as “author and Blackberry ad face.”
In what can only be described as good news for Lifetime as it successfully swindles the Project Runway brand away from Bravo, new research shows TV viewers are loyal to their favorite shows, and not the networks they’re broadcast on.
Analysts at Accenture see this as a ripe opportunity for content creators (producers, directors, self-absorbed video bloggers) to start putting their commodities on “multiple platforms and distribution channels and find new revenue streams by doing so.”
Perhaps that’s why the Weinstein Company is so enthused about its new deal.
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The reason Bravo lost Project Runway to Lifetime is because the show’s producers, The Weinstein Company, wanted to force NBC Universal to buy up some of its “second-tier” film projects as part of a contract renewal. NBC balked, but Lifetime was up for the offer, so they took the bait, agreeing to buy “stolen goods.” Or at least that’s the series of events according to NBC and the lawsuit they filed yesterday against Weinstein. And they’re also claiming any cash a court ruling might send its way as punishment to Weinstein for breaking their contract – which promised NBC right of first refusal – wouldn’t be good enough. They want to be back in negotiations.
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Bravo parent NBC Universal filed suit against The Weinstein Company today after, in a shock to them, losing the network’s biggest show, Project Runway, in a backroom dispute with producers. If things go accordingly, Lifetime will snap up the show, with a new season airing in November. “Weinstein officials said that NBC had filed the suit after ‘declining to compete for the right to have Project Runway‘ and the legal action was simply, NBC trying to ‘disrupt the series moving to Lifetime.’” [NYP, Variety]