Who puts together a television network schedule?
In 1989, the fledgling Fox network aired the first cartoon sitcom in primetime. “The Simpsons” was an instant hit. But for Fox, Sunday night success wasn’t enough. The network executives decided to set their sights on the king of primetime comedy, “The Cosby Show,” the highest rated sitcom on television for the past six years. In 1990, Fox moved “The Simpsons” from Sunday night to the 8 p.m. Thursday time slot, in direct competition with Cosby. Children’s Television Show Image Gallery “The Simpsons” didn’t come close to beating “The Cosby Show” that first year (although it did win a few prized age groups) but the bold scheduling move was part of an overall marketing strategy. For Fox, the message was, “We’re here. We’re young. And we’re coming after the big boys.” Nearly 20 year
