NBC RELEASES FALL TV SCHEDULE

NBC has six new scripted shows scheduled for the 2009-2010 season, but you already know about the most significant change to the network's primetime lineup.

NBC reiterated yesterday that it's giving its nightly 10 p.m. time slot to JAY LENO, who will host a comedy/variety/talk show on weeknights, beginning this fall. He steps down as host of The Tonight Show next week.

Leno's move to primetime means that NBC is cutting back on scripted and reality programming. It's cancelled My Name Is Earl, Medium and the Howie Mandel game show Deal or No Deal, as well as low-rated series such as Lipstick Jungle. However, Deal or No Deal's syndicated version will reportedly remain in production.

NBC also shortened the seasons of some of its more familiar series. Heroes will air on Monday nights in the fall before relinquishing the 8 p.m. time slot to Chuck following coverage of the Winter Olympics. The Peacock will also add The Celebrity Apprentice and the JERRY SEINFELD-produced reality series The Marriage Ref to its schedule following the Winter Games.

Fans of Friday Night Lights will have to wait even longer before they see the high school football drama on basic TV: the summer of 2010.

NBC is bringing back Law & Order for its 20th season, which will tie the drama with Gunsmoke as TV's longest-running primetime drama.

Law & Order: SVU will also return, though contract talks with its two stars, MARISKA HARGITAY and CHRISTOPHER MELONI, are still ongoing.

NEW SHOWS

The fall schedule will include the premieres of the drama Trauma, about San Francisco paramedics; the comedy Community, starring CHEVY CHASE and set at a community college; and Parenthood, a small-screen adaptation of the 1989 film.

MID-SEASON REPLACEMENTS

Debuting in midseason are the medical drama Mercy, the sci-fi series Day One -- about a catastrophe that causes global destruction -- and 100 Questions, about a woman who signs up for a dating service.