On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 8:19 AM, Adam Bowie <[email protected]> wrote:
> Isn't the old entertainment maxim to "leave 'em wanting > more"? Yes, but the new industry standard is to take an idea and run it into the ground. Remember (as evidenced by the Leno fiasco), network executives don't think long term. If, in the short term, they can oversaturate an idea and gain immediate profit from it (I think most will agree five nights a week of Leno in prime time was, among other things, oversaturation in a prime time sense), than they really don't seem to care about the impact down the road. From the oversaturation of WWTBAM? (as Joe H. noted), "Weakest Link," and "Deal or No Deal," to the overhyping of shows (think of all the preshow buzz for "Studio 60," and how there was no way the series could meet the expectations everyone seemed to have for it... same, one could argue, with the "Knight Rider" remake), there is no strategy employed in prime time anymore. A few years back, NBC defiantly attempted to phase out most of its scripted shows in favor of low budget reality and game shows. Saved them money, and all it cost them was their status as the number one network in America. Compare that to the early '80s, when Tartikoff rebranded NBC as the quality network, and allowed higher caliber shows with initially low ratings the time to establish an audience (shows like "Hills Street Blues" and "LA Law" that began with abysmal numbers but had sharp writing and good acting which bolstered the image of the network). Yes, Tartikoff still allowed room for lowbrow fare like "The A-Team," but he and his spokespeople kept repeating the phrase "quality" in much the same way Bush's people kept repeating phrases like "coalition of the willing" and "WMD" until it was just accepted as gospel. -- Kevin M. (RPCV)
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