I've worked in the television industry for 20 years. Ask me anything

Sitcoms are expensive to make compared to contests. In contests you don't even pay the stars just the judges. Everything is garage now because people watch it.

WKrp was awesome.

The good shows have moved to cable and netflix. That's where the innovation is.

Thanks.

Are there many players in the finance area of the movie industry, or just key ones. Are there many indies that succeed?

I've worked in the entertainment industry. A lot of celebrities are nothing like they appear in films/tv. Men are shorter, balding, more unattractive. Women are far less attractive as well. Lighting and good make up go a long way into making them far more attractive than they really are. Also, some of the married Hollywood actors, directors, producers are horn dogs who will hit anything with a pulse and orifice. They just play "happily" married. I was young and cute and got hit on a lot. But then again, that happened at every job I ever held.

I've worked on the fringe of the T.V. & allied media industry, I imagine it's nothing like the jungle that is the U.S. industry.

We have a network here in Aus that is on the verge of going broke, & some of the desperate stunts they pull to rope viewers in is unbelievable.

It's majority owned by a fat pig mining magnate of a woman who wanted to shill our previous governments attempt for capitalist pigs like her to pay their fair share of the spoils that they dig up & ship off to China.

But yes, I can imagine how disillusioned you became, Murphy Brown anyone?

...which also explains why "The Food Network" does nothing but glorified gameshows/contests with food.
It's not about the cooking anymore.

It's a joke they even call themselves "The Food Network".

Ohhhh what kind of airbrush make up and machines do they use???

Believe it or not I have never come across a government plant. They don't need to plant someone. It's a industry of professional gossipers. Everyone knows someone one and if you're going down a forbidden road the story will dry up and you will go no where. If you do get a killer story, it still has to be approved by the EPs. If they still don't want you to do it, someone will call the ep and next thing you know you're covering the happy military homecoming in Cleveland.

Yes the industry is dying here as well. People prefer to get their news online and when they want it and how they want it. The kids of today do not watch news. They get it on Facebook, Twitter, reedit and places like godlike. HUTs or households using television are dropping everywhere. Affiliates struggle to sell advertising so they have contests and promotions. Corporations are buying more and more stations trying to be the last man standing. The bug networks will not need local stations in 10 years. Funny thing, sports is the thing holding it all together.

I literally get 50 percent of my story ideas from this website.

do all the producers do coke in their offices after hours?

What's with all the gay propaganda ? Conspiracy? Who's behind it and why?

Most pros at the national level use HD makeup. It's a very fine grain powder that can be applied in your typical fashion or with an actual airbrush. The airbrush isn't used all that much. They have camera filters that sense your skin tone and apply smoothing to just that color. That makes you look much younger. If you want to see it in action watch the Ellen show. She looks really old in person but on her show she looks alright.

Yea, why all the gay stories. This is coming from somewhere. You do realize that is why we don't watch or listen to you people anymore right?

In the 80s there was a lot of coke. Not now though. Now it's all happy pills that make people really crazy.

Celebrities I know still do coke though.

How true to life was the movie:

Up Close & Personal

The gay conspiracy is really just a by product of political correctness. The vast majority of tv people are liberals to the extreme. They think it's cool to know gays and to support them. Many producers and people behind the scenes are gay. The gays are simply riding the wave of popularity and now expect preferential treatment. I have to be honest. I know a ton of gay people and they are not bad people. Some are crazy but the vast majority are fine. I'll take a gay guy over a super bitch like Oprah or Katie Couric. The latter being the biggest meanest shark you will ever meet. She went from morning producer to anchor to national talent by being ruthless.

when you say really crazy, you mean no awareness of their prior personalty stuff, and/or smiling axe murderer who doesn't see the difference between chopped liver and your chomped liver, because you were annoying?

So, it has been reported several times in various sites.

CIA and Military uses civilian covers in News agencies to control media coverage of certain events.

Do you know who the "Agent" is in your organization?
.

please define ruthless, if that ok

Something of a contradiction there, no? You concede its controlled and powerbrokers determine the output, which is exactly why people disparage mainstream media.

Can you be a little more specific?

Have you ever seen anyone shapeshift, even just a little bit?

How does the academy chose its voting members(for the oscars), just wondering why mum got to be on it (This was 25 years ago)

so what??? your still a newbie

Send me your script!

As if Oprah is not homosexual!

One example is the rise of 'reality' TV, there is a simple reason things have gravitated towards it: $. To film a reality TV show (obviously scripted to a degree) is easy and cheap, and they have been getting strong ratings. It doesn't require a script in the traditional sense, and those participating don't have to be skilled actors. Great profit potential.

As with everything else it's all about $. You will see dramatic and sensationalistic news stories because the more dramatic it is, the more it captures the viewers' attention and the greater the audience share, the more people watch the higher the ratings, the higher the ratings the more they can raise advertising rates and therefore the more $ they make. So the simple formula is drama/controversy = $, this is why you don't see 'positive', uplifting news- because good news isn't dramatic enough

Is tobe hooper still alive? and if so what does he do in the industry now?

Yeah, right.

Are you a shill to make us not believe in crisis actors?

Hey OP cool thread... Great replies

I too work in the Industry

Producing credits IMDb. WHOO HOO!! I am almost famous !


One thing I will add.... Holywood "Stars" are TINY TINEY PEOPLE !! OMG you all would fall over dead if you saw how small Tome Cruise, Jean Claude VD, Sly Stallone... etc really are !!

I swear my 4th grader is bigger !

Keep it up OP... its cool seeing the newsie side of the industry. The location filming side is a whole diff game.. SEX DRUGS WORK in that order ! LOL

This doesn't happen at the local level. It also rarely happens at the networks. That control comes from upper management who speaks frequently with political powerbrokers. However, the cable networks are filled with operatives.

An important takeaway for this is that you can essentially trust your local station. The are too green and just trying to get their story done. You can also trust abc, cbs, and nbc to give you the truth with their stories.
For the networks credibility is key. They will simply not do a story if they have to lie.