US TV
Trump distances self from 'The Apprentice'
Published Wednesday, May 23 2007, 12:14 BST | By James Welsh
The reality show - once one of America's biggest shows and top of NBC's ratings chart - bombed in its Los Angeles-based sixth season, with total viewers hovering around the 7m mark compared to around 10m for the fifth season. It was conspicuously absent from NBC's 2007-08 upfront presentation, although the network's entertainment chief Kevin Reilly said the show was "not yet" axed.
Trump then released the following statement putting distance between himself and the show: "It looks like viewers will have to wait to see what Mr. Trump plans for the future. But if Mr. Trump's past TV success is any indication of the future, then one can anticipate that millions of 'Apprentice' fans will be migrating to his new venture."
NBC has reiterated that no decision regarding a possible seventh run of The Apprentice has been taken at this stage.
Speculation is now mounting that Trump will join Fox Business Channel, a planned News Corp rival to General Electric and NBC's dominant CNBC. However, Mark Burnett - with whom Trump executive produced The Apprentice - has issued a statement saying that he and Trump "will be in business together again very soon."
More: US TV, Upfronts 2007
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