NBC Out Of Ideas

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the tank is run dry at NBC and they are begging writers for ideas:

Attention comedy writers: NBC wants your passion projects. Quickly.

That's the message the struggling network is putting out around town, according to sources, to get a glance of good material in advance of its competitors.

With its lineup undisturbed by any new hit comedies, NBC is seeking to fast-track at least one spec script to a pilot order for midseason consideration...

NBC is hoping to capture the lightning in a bottle that jolted ABC last season, when writer Marc Cherry submitted on spec the script that became the megahit "Desperate Housewives." That said, NBC probably wouldn't turn its nose up at drama scripts, either.

Writers do not usually write a script for a show until they have a deal, so asking for scripts on spec means that writers have to accept the risk of the time and effort they put into writing the script just for NBC to take a look at. Since NBC is only looking to fast-track one or two shows, the chances are pretty slim -- but for the one that wins, it's a shot at the big time.