General Electric's (NYSE: GE) NBC is getting edgy, I'll give the network that. Of course, it's not because execs there are feeling particularly brave -- no, they're just feeling the pressure of rising programming costs and ratings challenges. The networks owned by News Corp. (NYSE: NWS), Disney (NYSE: DIS), and CBS (NYSE: CBS) are stiff competitors, so NBC is looking for a new paradigm.

According to AdAge.com, NBC wants to test out some interesting theories during the next television season. NBC would like to ensure that viewers are exposed to only a minimal amount of repeat programming; to do this, it will rest shows and program them during specific time periods. NBC also wants to resist the temptation to be traditional by having all of its series premiere in the beginning of the season -- why not spread that event throughout the entire season? Then there's the "family hour", the "blockbuster hour", and the "adult themes and high-end drama" hour -- otherwise known as 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 10 p.m. to 11 p.m, respectively. As you can imagine, programming during these time slots will fit the theme. NBC wants to work more closely with its advertisers and encourage them to generate campaigns that are more organically integral to the shows as a way of keeping the attention of the eyeballs. And NBC seems to be wary of debuting a bunch of new shows -- only four new series were announced.