CBS has decided to go for broke with the second go-round of Survivor, pitting it on Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m. against NBC's Must-See-TV lineup, which includes Friends. The apparent strategy is not only to attract big ratings for the show itself, but to cut NBC down to size as well. CBS, which has been unable to effectively challenge NBC's Thursday night offerings, is also likely to challenge NBC in the 9:00 p.m. post-Survivor hour. Bob Flood, an analyst with media buyer Optimedia International, told today's (Tuesday) New York Daily News, "I think Friends is getting a little long in the tooth, and I think there's a window of opportunity for Survivor on Thursdays. Meanwhile, the online edition of Electronic Media reported Monday that the network is considering launching the drama Big Apple (from NYPD Blue exec producer David Milch) in that hour or moving the new hit series C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigators into it. The sequel series, titled Survivor: The Australian Outback, will air its first episode on Jan. 28 following the Super Bowl.

Source: Studio Briefing