'Blood’ Flowing Again at HBO Ratings and Emmy nominations give pay network needed boost

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After admittedly needing to right the ship since the departure of shows like The Sopranos and Sex and the City, HBO finally seems to be gaining steam. The premium cable network’s trio of summer series—True Blood, Entourage and new comedy Hung—is delivering ratings not seen since the Mob-supported glory days, and the network just hauled in 99 Emmy nominations, once again more than any other network.

Michael Lombardo, president of HBO’s programming group and West Coast operations, talked with B&C’s Melissa Grego about the network’s plans for keeping up the momentum, his reaction to Emmy nominations HBO did and didn’t get, and what he thinks of Showtime and other rivals. Following is an edited transcript of that conversation.

Are you feeling some momentum at HBO?

When [HBO co-president] Richard Plepler and I got these jobs a little more than two years ago, the press was writing epitaphs for HBO programming. It’s much nicer to read the press we are getting lately. It feels like it’s working.

What is your reaction to HBO’s 99 Emmy nominations?

Other than ecstatic, dancing on the ceiling? I’m enormously proud of HBO. I think the Emmys shine a light on the enormous breadth of our programming, [and that] is tremendous—unlike many networks out there doing original programming, the series absolutely are well represented but [so are] the movies, the specials, Bill Maher, the documentaries. It really is great for the entire company. It so reflects all the visions delivering.

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