I’ve loyally watched every season of PROJECT RUNWAY on Bravo, hence the concern I’ve felt since April when the news broke that PROJECT RUNWAY is leaving Bravo and going to Lifetime as of November. I’m not looking to bash Lifetime here… No one can argue that the network has done incredibly well for itself over the years. Always a leader in cable household ratings, it’s claimed its place in history as “Television for Women”, and it’s THE home for highly profitable made-for-TV movies as well as some pretty weighty film and off-net series acquisitions – from GOLDEN GIRLS to DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, and just about everything in between.

Following on the heels of Lifetime’s empowering lifestyle series HOW TO LOOK GOOD NAKED, the PROJECT RUNWAY buy will likely bring them the kind of viewer that their most desired cable ad buyers are after these days: young, female, affluent.

So what’s my problem with all this? As a viewer, I’m concerned that I now need to add a network into my viewing rotation that I don’t watch at all. I got my fill of the GOLDEN GIRLS back in the ‘80s, and if I sit down to view a made-for starring Tori Spelling, it’s for humor value, not for a lesson in how to deal with a potentially abusive mate.

In all seriousness, I don’t know about anything on Lifetime that will keep my attention beyond PROJECT RUNWAY. I’m sure this will change as the November premiere gets closer and the network ramps up their off-net promos, but I don’t want to discount the uphill battle that faces the network. In the case of Bravo, I regularly watch and/or DVR just about all of their original series. Naturally some are better than others, which I think speaks to Bravo’s promotion and scheduling prowess. (Either that or I am too easily amused.)

While Bravo’s parent, NBC Universal, took PR’s owner The Weinstein Co. to court over the deal as soon as it was announced, there’s been no sign of those proceedings blocking Season 6 from premiering on Lifetime this Fall and staying with the network for the next 5 years. That means the show’s production is semi-permanently moving to LA, where Lifetime’s parent Buena Vista is based. LA’s Fashion Week will play a role in the show’s finale as it has on the Bravo seasons taped in New York. I didn’t even know until now that LA has its own Fashion Week, and I’m guessing the reason why this is news to me is that it’s not the trend-setting to-do that the whole world watches abatedly from NYC’s Bryant Park twice a year. In a town whose fashion notoriety revolves around trucker hats made famous by Ashton Kutcher, sweatpants that say “Juicy” across the backside, and the failed clothing line of Lauren from MTV’s The Hills, I’m worried about this coastal move’s effect on the styles that come out of PROJECT RUNWAY in years to come. Also, considering that Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are a part of the switch to Lifetime – and all with strong roots in NYC-based fashion – it’ll be interesting to see how their reactions evolve in this new setting.

Perhaps most significant in terms of the show’s style is that the current producers, Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth of Magical Elves, are not a part of the West Coast move. Will this mean a more family (read: Disney) friendly show?

And from a programming research perspective, what will Lifetime do to avoid appointment viewing? While the network will surely be happy if it gets huge ratings on the premiere and a skyrocket to the top of weekly F 18-49 rankings, there’s quite a bit at stake long-term. How will they keep viewers from changing the channel as soon as PROJECT RUNWAY is over? How will they retain the stickiness for which Bravo is so well recognized? In addition to moving the show to a town where it may not belong, Lifetime could also be airing it alongside other programs that it may not match.

This isn’t to say that Lifetime needs to copycat Bravo’s style, but it does mean that the onus is on them to bring us a lot more than movies and off-network acquisitions. Lifetime’s current development slate some promise for capturing younger viewers, and I’m sure the last thing they want to do is alienate their loyal F 25-54 crowd. But I’m still not sold that they’re ready for what lies ahead. I predict huge young demo spikes for PROJECT RUNWAY and drops in those same demos in the lead-out. I hope the network proves me wrong, and I really hope they don’t rob PROJECT RUNWAY of its NYC-based heart and soul. Otherwise, in Heidi’s words, I’ll have to say Auf Wiedersehen to my once-fave reality show.

Read past entries by Sabrina Toledo