Newspapers Vie for Reality Show

Who knew that ink-stained newsmen and newswomen would be so eager to break into show business

In the 10 days after NBC put out a casting call for small-town newspapers to participate in a reality television show, the network received more than 150 responses from newspapers across the nation. NBC executives say they’ve been inundated with all types of pitches, from newspaper editors talking about how they are struggling to survive to newspaper staffs eager to show off their talents, sometimes well beyond their coverage of school meetings.

The Pilot, based in Southern Pines, N.C., sent a video of its staff performing a “Call Me Maybe” parody, later updated to feature “Gangnam Style” moves. David Woronoff, The Pilot’s owner and publisher, said that while he had let his younger employees produce the videos last year as “a good morale builder for the staff,” he sent the link to NBC executives because “we thought they would want to see what we look like and what our office looks lie.”

NBC executives said they were intrigued by how quirky and diverse some newspapers were â€" from the Kodiak Daily Mirror in Kodiak, Alaska, to the Hungry Horse News, which is run out of a log building near an entrance to Glacier National Park in Montana.

“It’s fun now because we have gotten such a tremendous response,” said Sharon Scott, general manager and senior vice president of NBC News Peacock Productions. “We’re looking for a great environment, colorful place, great characters.”

While NBC executives said they typically don’t pay newspapers for access, Ben Ringe, the senior vice president for development for NBC News Peacock Productions, said that he expected a paper’s appearance on a national television show to help in other ways.

“The advertising rate for that newspaper would go through the roof,” Mr. Ringe said.

As NBC’s producers start the time-consuming process of reading and deciding which newspapers may make the final cut, newspaper! editors are waiting for answers.

Richard Hanners, editor of the Hungry Horse News, based in Columbia Falls, Mont., said that while he hadn’t heard that his colleagues had pitched his newspaper for a reality show, he was receptive to it because his newspaper was rich with stories.

“I’ve got the Cub Scouts coming in a week or so. That’s the only reality I know about,” Mr. Hanners said. “I guess I have time to do it.”