MUMBAI: Gearing up for their upfront presentations, leading television networks NBC and Fox have added seven new series to the 2012-13 primetime schedule.

NBC, while renewing Dick Wolf?s Law & Order: SVU, has offered the producer a new drama Chicago Fire. It has also ordered Jimmy Fallon?s comedy pickup Guys With Kids. Also picked up were the comedies Guys with Kids, Go On, Save Me, The New Normal, 1600 Penn and Animal Practice.

Fox has tied-in three comedies including It?s Messy from Universal Television, 20th Century Fox?s Ben & Kate and The Goodwin Games. It has also picked up two dramas, The Mob Doctor and The Following from Sony Pictures TV and Warner Bros.

Fox is also sticking to 20th Century Fox Television?s Touch despite low viewership while axing Alcatraz and The Finder to make room for the dramas.

NBC and Fox are scheduled to showcase their lineups at upfront presentations in New York on Monday.

Meanwhile, AETN Group-owned A&E, History, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, H2 and BIO has decided not to reveal its lineup during upfront presentation. CBS, ABC and Warner Bros. Entertainment-CBS Corporation JV CW Network are yet to form their own development slates.

Early indications from industry experts suggest that the big four broadcasters will see an increase in upfront revenue of between 2 per cent to 4 per cent for the 2012-13 TV season.

The big four plus the CW network should collect between $9.0 billion and $9.2 billion during the upfront season, according to Steve Lanzano, chief executive of TVB, a trade body for TV broadcasters.

MUMBAI: Bob Costas, a 22-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, returns as the primetime host for US broadcaster NBC?s coverage of the 2012 London Olympic Games, which begin on 27 July.

For Costas, this marks his 10th Olympic broadcast assignment and his ninth as the primetime host (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sidney 2000, Salt Lake City, 2002, Athens 2004, Torino 2006, Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010).

Al Michaels, who hosted daytime coverage at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, and Dan Patrick, making his Olympic hosting debut, will host NBC?s live weekday and weekend daytime coverage, and Mary Carillo will once again host the NBC late night show.

Additionally, Ryan Seacrest, tennis legend John McEnroe, gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, and Carillo, broadcasting her 11th Olympic Games, will serve as Olympic correspondents during primetime coverage on NBC.

MUMBAI: US brocdaster NBC has unveiled premiere dates for three new and returning series for Summer 2012 that include the return of "Love in the Wild? on 7 June, the debut of ?Saving Hope? (working title) on the same day and the return of G4?s ?American Ninja Warrior? on 21 May.

Jenny McCarthy returns to her hosting roots as she joins NBC?s adventure-dating series ?Love in the Wild? as the host for the show?s second season that will feature even wilder adventures. McCarthy will head to the tropical paradise of the Dominican Republic to guide contestants through rigorous adventures as well as the choppy waters of relationships in their quest to find love.

The host, best-selling author and activist recently reprised her recurring role on "Two and a Half Men" and re-joined hosts Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest in reporting live from Times Square on "Dick Clark?s New Year?s Rockin? Eve with Ryan Seacrest" this past New Year?s.

?Love in the Wild? aims to put relationships to the ultimate test with exhilarating and wild adventures that push participants to the limit, both physically and emotionally. Single men and single women, all looking for love, will experience a romantic quest unlike anything they could have ever imagined. These singles have tried it all -- speed-dating, blind-dating, Internet dating -- and now, they will journey to a tropical paradise to see if they can find that special someone. During elimination, all of the couples will come together to reveal whether a connection has been formed with their current partner -- or if they would like to switch and get to know someone else. At the end of every episode, heartbroken singles are sent home. The series culminates with just one couple left standing.

MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC has announced that American radio personality, television host and author Howard Stern will serve as the new judge on the reality show ?America?s Got Talent?, produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell?s Syco Television.

Stern will provide his feedback on the contestants who are currently auditioning in major cities around the country for the show?s upcoming seventh season.

Production of the live shows of ?America?s Got Talent? also will be moving to New York, where Stern will continue to helm his SiriusXM radio program.

NBC president, alternative and late night programming Paul Telegdy said, "Howard Stern?s larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to ?America?s Got Talent? starting this summer. He?s a proven innovator and his track record in broadcasting is truly remarkable. Howard is very passionate about this show and is fully committed to its future success."

Stern helped to transform American radio and put syndicated satellite radio on the map on SiriusXM. As the outspoken, unedited and headline-grabbing host of ?The Howard Stern Show? radio program, Stern was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005 and became a pop-culture icon with a massive loyal fan base. Since 1987, he has hosted numerous television shows, record-breaking pay-per-view events and home video releases. He also embarked on a five-month political campaign for governor of New York in 1994.