NBC-TV "Be There" Promo Campaign - Spring 1983 - Part 1 of 2

Steve Sohmer, vice president of Advertising and Creative Services at NBC Television, presents the network's new promotional campaign, "Be There" to affiliated stations.
Sample spots for WBZ-TV/Boston, WTHR-TV/Indianapolis and WNBC-TV/New York City are shown.
All rights are acknowledged.

[@kaseywestbrook8564]

NBC should bring this back!

[@LogoMan7777]

+David Davenport With their current lineup?

[@PIXPromosMore]

Y'know what, I think they've suffered enough. They actually have a pretty strong Prime time ('16-'17) this year thanks to their new shows ("The Good Place", "This is Us", "Timeless"), Their Established hits (The Voice, Blacklist, Superstore), Late Night is Unbeatable, Sunday Night Football is Unbeatable, the local affiliates are on the comeback trail, They're Number 2 with Total Ratings, Number 1 with 18-49's. Hell Yeah, they should Be There!

[@Barber747]

What about the Chicago series?

[@eyeontv]

This video is terrific! NBC was dead in the water before Sohmer got there. He had just moved over from CBS after doing Looking Good and Great Moments. It was the first time NBC really got into big league promotion and the affiliates were thrilled!

[@UnrelatedArchives]

No, this is a promotion beat, which means a preview of a promotion package that will be distributed to TV affiliates.

[@JHollowayNetwork]

I like how Steve Sohmer describes the network slogan ("Be There") as a call to the viewers action, as it wasn't sufficient for them to compete with ABC and CBS anymore for the three audience share as they wanted to bring people back to the network from the other two networks and cable too. though "Be There" was borrowed by ATN7 in Sydney and HSV7 in Melbourne the following year.

[@musicom67]

Love the socks AND the cigar, Steve.

[@electrogeek77]

I'm tickled that they just happened to feature both my former (WBZ) and current (WTHR) home stations - not to mention how the content highlights the differences in each market.

[@antoniocarlosdeazevedo2436]

So, Sohmer was the head behind this campaign? I always love the ad, but I didn't know there was "Be There" custom promos for specific markets (I know this is common today, and I'm not from USA)... Also, the lyrics crew shows all your talent and improvisation, this WTHR spot is awesome.

[@rangerdave1973]

WBZ Boston is now a CBS affiliate and WHDH is now the NBC affiliate

[@johnnyballenatl]

Not anymore; WHDH is now independent and the new NBC affiliate in Boston is WBTS.

[@AdamJ617]

I must say though, I prefer WBZ's "We're 4 Today" campaign over the NBC Be There campaign because We're 4 Today feels smooth and warm. It's pure New England to me.

[@Jerseysson27]

They should bring that back!!

[@VintageTelevision]

This I do not recall. It is possible that the station's 1983 "We're 4 Today" campaign took precedence over NBC's "Be There."

[@JayWeezyWhitney]

NBC needs this kind of vision for the current network b/c its dead right now.

[@Pookatube]

You Could'nt be there when Amy Pohler wanted to be on Saturday Night Lve..but you could be there when Amy Pohler now stars in "Parks and Recreation' Thursday Nights at 8:30 On NBC How about it ,NBC?

[@UnrelatedArchives]

Included in "TV affiliates".

[@edwardmiessner6502]

6:30 to 6:47 and 7:47 to 8:48 WBZ-TV 4 Boston!

[@SuperAV21]

Not 2 mention my older sister was born in October of '83. :-)

[@DrSurprise]

is this a training video for NBC stations?

[@ScoopNemeth]

That slogan should be "NBC News: BE THERE Where the News Is!"

[@fossefan]

So what were the other four "Be There " spots (besides A-Team, Tonight Show, Hill Street Blues, and Remington Steele, which I saw at 80stvthemes)?

[@bobrox70]

Like that they showed Cleveland Stadium for the All-Star Game promo, but I wonder if the promo guy died of emphasema.

[@AdamJ617]

Wow, I didn't know NBC created a version of Be There for WBZ. I'm sure, however, WBZ did not pick this up.

[@SuperAV21]

Da 1983-84 TV season was da 1 that usher'd in da mid-1980s. Do u or don't u agree wit me?

[@radiodj1520]

In This Clip, From 3:52 To 4:24, It Was NBC-TV's Be There, The A-Team Video Promo From Late 1983.

[@PTH4Fun]

What sitcom is that @ 9:43?

[@nomadcowatbk]

Where did you find this? NBC's dumpster?

[@disneyfan85]

Does anyone know the exact date of this?

[@radiodj1520]

In This Clip, From 7:46 To 8:46, It Was WBZ-TV's TV-4 There, Be There Video Promo From Late 1983.

[@ScoopNemeth]

I love those custom versions, which are "more outgoing." It means the custom version shows people, places, everything in the community; and an NBC affiliate's role in community life. WBZ's version of "Be There" is that example of the OUTGOING version of the network campaign. Not much of a fan of the versions, where it shows programming.

[@fromthesidelines]

Sohmer had previously been with CBS....until he moved to NBC in 1982.

[@minghwang7553]

Barry I. Grauman we

[@VintageTelevision]

@newscaster13 I haven't seen that particular video before.

[@VintageTelevision]

@luizalbertobau All I have is what is shown here.

[@ScoopNemeth]

The WNBC News version of the NBC Be There Campaign: at the end of the promo, it had the NBC News graphics, globe spinning the wrong way, and the flash appearance of the Proud N logo watch?v=hJkbq8kvdHM By any chance you have that video?

[@ScoopNemeth]

@VintageTelevision - I have here on KZbin But Forgot where it was I loved the ending so much, better than that "Be There" thing

[@madabusiv]

Your lyrics could play the important part your station plays in your "city" not "community" lifestyle.

[@AdamJ617]

I'd rather Be There, as in 1983, and not here, 2009. Have you seen what's been going on with NBC lately? NBC needs to do away with Ben Silverman and Jeff Zucker before NBC is gone forever. Couldn't they have hired a clone of Brandon Tartikoff? Ben and Jeff suck. They're ruining the complexion of NBC. It's been nothing but layoffs for all the O&O's. Ben and Jeff just don't care.