There’s no hiding the fact that NBC is at the bottom of the ratings heap.  Clearly an hour of prime-time with Jay Leno was not the answer to their problems.  So, he was cancelled and now they’ve got an entirely new line-up for the fall.

UNDERCOVERS : From executive producer J.J. Abrams  (Alias, LOST, Star Trek).  This one hour drama features a seemingly typical married couple who own a small catering company in Los Angeles.  However, secretly the duo are two retired CIA spies.  When fellow spy and friend goes missing they are reinstated.  “Undercovers” has been described as a mix between “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “The Bourne Identity.”

THE EVENT: An emotional, high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker, an everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée Leila, and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history.

THE CAPE: An honest cop on a corrupt police force finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead.  He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife and son.  Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, he becomes “The Cape”, his son’s favorite comic book superhero and takes the law into his own hands.

CHASE: From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (”CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” films)  U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down violent criminals on the run.

OUTLAW: Cyrus Garza is a U.S. Supreme Court justice who abruptly quits.  Garza had always adhered to a strict interpretation of the law until he realized the system he believed in was flawed.  Now that he’s quit the bench and returned to private practice, he’s determined to represent “the little guy” and use his inside knowledge of the justice system and take on today’s biggest legal cases – and he’s making plenty of powerful people unhappy along the way.

LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES – Does this need any explanation? Although the original Law & Order filmed in NYC has been canceled after 451 shows, NBC picked up the show in a different location.

It appears that NBC is banking on criminals and those that bring them to justice.  Admittedly there are a few I’m looking forward to.  I’ll certainly tune into, J.J. Abrams’ “Undercovers”.  I was a huge fan of  “Alias” and I’m currently on pins and needles with LOST.

I’m also looking forward to seeing what Jimmy Smits does with his role in “Outlaw”.  I loved him in the last season of “The West Wing” – and the story line has that David and Goliath feel that usually attracts me.

These new scripted dramas will replace the cancellation of Heroes, Mercy, Trauma and Flash Forward.  Only time will tell if this new lineup will revert their recent down trend.

Do any of these shows appeal to you?  Are there any they’ve canceled you’ll miss?

There’ a new series being produced.  It’s a form of entertainment that will combine television programming with the web and social media.  The backers behind this new venture are established media giants.  I believe it will either be a game changer or an idea whose hype was bigger than its content.

THE PLAYERS

Ben Silverman
Producer and Television Executive
Founded Reveille Studios in 2002 and produced such hits as The Office, Ugly Betty and The Tudors.

In 2007 he became Co-chairman of NBC Entertainment.  In 2009 NBC chose not to renew his contract.  I’m guessing the network was disappointed with the ratings under his helm and expected to see the kind of genius he displayed at Reveille. The reason for his departure from NBC matters little, because Ben Silverman landed on his feet- as most smart, savvy, eye-for-talent network executives do.

Barry Diller
Media Executive
Does he need any other introduction?  He was Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, Chairman and CEO of Fox, Inc. and CEO of USA Broadcasting.  He’s now Chairman and CEO of IAC InterActiveCorp, an internet company with over 50 brands including Ask.com, The Daily Beast, Evite, Excite, Match.com and others.

Elisabeth Murdoch
Chairman and CEO of Shine Entertainment
Shine is one of the largest British television production companies with a string of hits such as, The Biggest Loser, Masterchef goes Large and Gladiator.

THE SET UP
Elisabeth Murdoch knows media, and her company Shine Entertainment not only produces mega hits, but has created franchises for those mega hits across multiple platforms.  At a recent NATPE conference (National Association of Programming and Television Executives) she firmly stated that television executives needed to stop whining and get on board with the new entertainment model.

“We in the television business have to catch up with what our audience is doing.  Social networks are a tool with which we can tell our stories. And like moving pictures was to radio, you can decide not to embrace social media, but I predict that before the end of this decade to do so would be akin to resisting Technicolor.”

NEW GAME/NEW ALLIANCES
In July of this year, Ben Silverman landed on his feet by forming Electus, a television and digital media Production Company with Barry Diller’s IAC/InteractiveCorp.

Electus then teamed up with MTV to develop and produce the first-ever multicultural, interactive telenovela titled Pedro & Maria.  This is a modern-day Romeo & Juliet where viewers will have the opportunity to vote and decide the direction, characters and story lines.  The show will run across the web and television, while being networked into Twitter and Facebook to further allow audience interaction with the series’ direction.

America Ferrera from Ugly Betty fame, will executive produce the series with her production company, Take Fountain.  And Procter & Gamble Productions, with its long history of producing soap operas, will also have a hand in the production. (Can’t wait to see the credit roll on this one.)

GETTING IT OUT THERE
It’s not enough to be on TV, the web and social media. Distribution is the next logical step both financially, and in creating a programming franchise.  That’s why Electus and Elisabeth Murdoch’s company, The Shine Group announced a distribution deal for all of Electus’ programming.

SCORE CARD

Are you with me so far?

• Ben Silverman, Ex Co-chairman NBC, teams up with Media Mogul Barry Diller and creates Electus.
• Electus teams up with MTV
• Electus and MTV team up with America Ferrera
• America Ferrera teams ups with Proctor & Gamble Productions
• Electus teams up with The Shine Group to distribute the programming worldwide

In other words, there’s a lot of muscle behind this machine.

MY THOUGHTS
Many individuals and companies are already producing interactive series and programming for the web, but on paper, and in press releases, Pedro & Maria seems unique.  Why? Because the players behind it bring the necessary ingredients for success:

Ben Silverman –  produced a string of hits that were outside the television programming norm
Barry Diller – owns internet companies that are making money
Elisabeth Murdoch –  has success in programming, distribution and multi-media
MTV – is a brand name
Proctor & Gamble Productions– has produced thousands and thousands of hours of successful soaps

It’s clear that in the very near future most of the population will not be sitting around waiting and watching ‘appointment television’.  Entertainment will reflect our ‘got-to-have-it-now-while-I-do-twelve-other things” lifestyle.  Entertainment will be on demand.  BUT, whether we get our entertainment how we want it, when we want it, or whether we can change the beginning, middle and end of our entertainment choices, we still want to be entertained.   The platform may change, but the one thing that will never, ever, never change is that people want good content.  I repeat, they want to be entertained.

In a world where there are 1000’s of entertainment choices, I think Pedro & Maria could make it because it is surrounded by a group of people who understand how, when and where we want to be entertained.

Tell me what current web series I should be watching?  I’d love to know what you think.

When creating a Production Schedule start backwards from the delivery date. Whether you’re using sophisticated scheduling software, or you’re just using a gigantic wall calendar,  begin with the delivery date. Otherwise you’ll be working on that production schedule for the rest of your natural born days.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE ORDER

1.  Deliver final master to the network
2.  Create all the deliverables for the network. (Contracts, final scripts, releases, DVD copies, etc.)
3.  Close caption your show
4.  Mix your tracks
5.  Final on-line edit
6.  Rough cut delivered to the network.  Factor in the various executives who will need to weigh in, comment and approve.  You’ll need time to get their comments, make the changes, deliver those changes, and then get a second or third round of rough cuts and comments before you’re ready for your final edit.
7.  Shoot your series/show.  Schedule your shoots based on location proximity and not script order.
8.  Write the script, factoring in time for revisions from the network.
9.  Scout Locations
10. Rehearse Talent
11. Cast Talent
12. Research
13. Budget developed and approved
14. Idea/concept

Reading the list from bottom to top are the sequence of actions you would take during a production (with a million other details thrown in).  Reading it from top to bottom is how you develop your production schedule.  Why?  Because it is rare that a delivery or air date change.  Anything else in between, can be squeezed, squashed, maneuvered and manipulated.

To ensure you’re on track during production, write daily reports against the production schedule.  It allows all key personnel to know what’s been accomplished, what needs to be accomplished and what’s back logged.  It is also an opportunity for any one with concerns to speak up.  The sooner you know about a scheduling difficulty the easier you can solve it – otherwise you will be running around like a schizophrenic at a multiple personality surprise party.

Whether you’re shooting a video to upload to You Tube, working on a series for a TV network, or producing a film – a workable schedule will give your production a strong foundation.

I’m going to have to answer yes to the above question.  I’ve seen ad agencies get carried away by producing  commercials that are so creative and outside the box that they forgot to sell the product, and in some cases the ad doesn’t even tell you what the product is.

The basics of Marketing 101 are to get your product known and get it sold.  Therefore, it would seem obvious that the purpose of a commercial is to sell the product.  It doesn’t matter how many Clio awards one wins for best ad of the year, what matters, or what should matter is moving the product into the hands of the consumer.  I know, as creatives, we don’t like to hear words like sales, profit, and bottom line – but as a producer or client, those words are almost lyrical.  The message, while wrapped in a creative package, should make the viewer want to pick up the phone, log onto a website, or grab their car keys and buy, buy, buy.

Consumers buying lots of products is what every company hopes for when they put money into advertising.  So why be ambiguous, ethereal, or vague with the ad?  Why be so clever that you hurt the bottom line?  I think that’s exactly what the Droid did with their initial ad campaign.  The Droid is a smartphone from Verizon, Motorola and Google.  This seemingly unbeatable trio had a one million dollar ad campaign to introduce the Droid as the answer to Apple’s iPhone, and yet I don’t think they hit the mark.   The results are in the numbers – the iPhone sold over 1 million phones during the first weekend of its release, and the Droid will potentially sell 1 million during their first quarter.  How could this be?  Verizon is a superior network with more customers, Motorola makes good products, and Google is ubiquitous.  I think it was the ad campaign.  You just didn’t know what the heck they were selling.

The iPhone ads tell you exactly what you’re getting.  They even tell you it’s a phone.  The Droid’s announcement was a commercial called “The Stealth.” It featured several stealth bombers dropping “bombs’ on remote locations throughout the U.S.; in the middle of an ocean, on a deserted highway, in a forest – and finally in the front yard of a desolate ranch. It was beautifully shot and very reminiscent of the “Independence Day” movie trailer.  The last shot features two older men walking toward the crater that is now the front of their ranch while the ‘bomb’ opens up to reveal something we can’t identify.  The older rancher says to his companion –“What in the world is that?”  A question, I say needs an answer, because the commercial told me nothing.  It didn’t even tell me it was a phone.  And furthermore, it is highly unlikely that two ranchers in the middle of nowhere are interested in a phone that will give them a wireless connection to the internet, a convenient way to watch YouTube, a built in application to keep all their contacts straight and the ability to take photos at a moment’s notice to send to friends and relatives.  Here was an opportunity for Verizon a better network, with more customers to steal the thunder from the iPhone.  More people own PC’s than Macs, more people use the Verizon network than AT&T and they’re showing me stealth bombers and remote locations in the US.  I think they were too creative for their own good.  And I believe that’s why the Droid’s sales didn’t crush the iPhone.

What about you – any commercials you’ve seen that were so creative the message didn’t reach you?

By Marisa O’Neill

Today’s Guest blogger  is Marisa O’Neill.  Yes, we look a bit similar – that’s because we’re identical twins.  Marisa is a television line producer by day and by night she’s my go to girl for what’s the latest in television.

Did ABC shoot themselves in the foot by introducing two ongoing series with complicated mythologies and a never ending guess who done it plot? I’m talking specifically about V and Flash Forward.  I admit I was interested at first, and did my due diligence by watching each episode.  I was a bit intrigued, applauded their high production value, set design, editing and often times the acting and writing. When their last episodes aired I wanted to know more. Then, they left the airwaves for 17  weeks.  WEEKS! Weeks where there was plenty to fill my imagination and time. Between the holidays, working and shows like The Good Wife, Burn Notice and LOST, my time and entertainment card was all filled up.

ABC will resume airing these shows this month and will attempt to pick up where they left off. This wouldn’t be so bad if they were shows like, let’s say, Modern Family or even The Mentalist where week to week a viewer can pick up and not miss a beat.  But with V and Flash Forward’s complicated story lines and somewhat convoluted mythology I can’t remember who did what to whom, what little plots or story arcs were revealed and what teasers or threads I should be following. I find the whole thing quite daunting. And that is certainly something I don’t want when I watch a weekly television series. So the question remains, when I (if) I tune in to the new episodes, will I even know what the heck is going on, or will it be just vague recollections of a show I used to watch? I liken it to meeting that person in high school after 20 years, you know the one, they use to sit in the lunch room way in the back, and you shared a history class together… you kind of remember them, but the details are fuzzy.

Will ABC gain back their audience, or are the viewers onto greener television pastures?

Guest Post by Tyler Weaver

The ingredients that have thus far made up the concoction I call a  career can be described, in a word, as “mucho.” Drummer. Orchestral percussionist.  Composer.  Film composer.  Filmmaker.  Add in a dash of non-profit management and my newest seasoning – critic – and the pierogie that is my hyphenated mish-mash of a career takes on a distinctly saucy turn.

Since September of 2009, I have cast a critical eye on J.J. Abrams’ FRINGE and David Shore’s HOUSE for Anthony Schiavino’s Pulp Tone website.  Last month, I began reviewing the new Mark Valley/Chi McBride/Jackie Earl Haley-starring series, HUMAN TARGET.  They are three distinctly different shows (though not without their similarities), and reviewing them has opened up my eyes to a number things that is done well in television, and a number of ills.

Though the three television shows I review are different, and I can’t apply many of the same criteria to each review, there is one criterion to everything I review that must be present:

CHARACTERS I WANT TO WATCH

If I’m given a story with cool effects, aliens, some T&A, mind-bending twists, and cardboard characters, I’m out.  (I’m looking at you, “V.”)

Character is key.  These are characters that I welcome into my home each week, characters that I want to follow.  I loathe hospital shows.  I love HOUSE.  Were it not for the amazing ensemble cast and the wonderful performances from Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard, I would be gone.  “Doctor with bad beside manner solves mystery cases.”  Great.  But I don’t care.

FRINGE would be just another X-FILES rip-off were it not for the performances of John Noble as Walter Bishop, Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, and Anna Torv (more or less) as Olivia Dunham.  If I didn’t care about these people, they wouldn’t make it past a minute of my time.

The essence of great storytelling can be boiled down into one statement:

Fascinating people in difficult situations.

That’s it.  It’s why the hero is defined by the antagonist – the situation must be more difficult than the protagonist can handle at the story’s beginning.  The protagonist must grow through defeating their own demons, fears, etc. to overcome that which is bigger than them.

Simply because I want to watch a character doesn’t mean I have to like the character.  In fact, if I don’t, I’m even more intrigued.  I want to see what makes these people tick.  I don’t need to like them.  I just have to empathize with them.

If I’m going to stick with a show, and give up an hour of my life weekly for 10, 12, 13, 22 weeks or longer, I had better want to watch these people.  Otherwise, it’s like going to a party filled with people you don’t like, just because it’s a party.  Why would I waste my time?

There’s another element to my reviews – programming.  Much of my complaining is leveled at the networks for their abysmal lack of balance.  Because, as in life…

BALANCE IS KEY

As most U.S. network shows on the big four (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX) last for 22-24 episodes, balance is crucial.  Balance between what?

Balance between the done-in-one and overarching story (or mythology) episodes.  They must function and inform one another.  Despite having an overarching plot (House wants to be a better human), HOUSE is not a mythology-driven show.  It’s a character-driven show, with a winning formula (a fascinating character in a difficult situation;  in this case, a medical mystery that pushes the boundaries of his intellect), and an excellent supporting cast (more or less).

HUMAN TARGET is not a mythology-driven show, though it does have an overarching plot.  In this case, it’s the slow revelation of Chance’s (Mark Valley) past, and why that past is after him.  Otherwise, it again fulfills my criteria for watching: fascinating people (the lead triumvirate of Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Jackie Earl Haley)  in difficult situations – though with a healthy and fun dosage of boys-with-toys machismo and a caution-to-the-wind cavalier attitude.

FRINGE, on the other hand, is a mythology-driven show in the vein of everything else Abrams does.  I’ve been particularly hard on FRINGE this season, but I’ve primarily aimed my critical switchblade towards the showrunners (for the first half – atrocious, badly-written dreck) and the network (for the second – showrunners got their mojo back, but horrifying programming decisions did nothing to garner my love).

I will confess to nearly jumping ship on FRINGE.  However, the first criteria chimed in: It is filled with characters I want to watch.  And I had faith that it would get better.

Balance, unfortunately, is often not synonymous with American television programming.  So far, FRINGE has suffered the most from this disease.  It’s a deadly one.  It’s called…

FLUFFFORFLUFF’SSAKEITUS (Fluff•for•Fluff’s•Sake•Itus)

With a mythology-driven show like FRINGE , the 22-24 episode season doesn’t work.  This season proved it beyond a reasonable doubt, in no small part to the absolutely shoddy programming.  Some episodes moved the main plot forward. Stop. Done-in-one freak of the week.  Myth. Stop. Freak.  Stop.  Three week break. Myth. Freak. Freak. Freak. Four week break.  Ad naseum.

This is no doubt due to Fox’s inability to effectively market the show to anyone.  It wants a big hit on its hands, so it markets to everyone.  Bring in people, keep long-time fans happy.  Pick one.  By marketing to everyone, you market to no one.

The fix I have long proposed (well, since September, anyhow) is that ALL American television should follow the Euro/British model (10-12 episode series/seasons/volumes).  In the US, USA, TNT, FX, AMC, HBO, etc. etc. have found great success with this formula.  It needs to be applied to all television.  It’s the first step towards curing the Flufforfluff’ssakeitus that plagues network programming.

And what is the ubiquitous issue?

THE DONE-IN-ONE.

American programming is a hodge-podge between myth and done-in-one, a balance never being found.

At its best, the done-in-one can both move the story forward and be accessible.  The last new episode of HOUSE, “5 to 9,”  is one of the best examples of this.  It didn’t necessarily move the overarching HOUSE story forward (be a nice guy, House), but it did offer a new perspective on a tried and true formula.  Told from romantic foil and hospital administrator Lisa Cuddy’s perspective, it was a “day in the life of,” with the HOUSE formula sneaking in once in awhile.  It was a highly effective episode (made even moreso by the fantastic performance by Lisa Edelstein as Cuddy), and is, in my mind, a template for how the done-in-one should be… done.

On the other hand, you have FRINGE.  While there have been some very good done-in-ones (several in fact, especially recently) that did move the story forward ever so-slightly, it came across as merely padding to fulfill a season order.  One of my last reviews (before the eight-week break) was actually dedicated to ripping apart the programming decisions of the season (which I will leave alone for now – just go have a read of the review (assault?) if you want to know more).

Bottom line – the done-in-one must contain the following: a fascinating story with a unique perspective that illuminates and expands on the mythology and forward motion presented in the episodes surrounding it.  If it doesn’t, it’s filler, and I’m not pleased or interested.

THE GOOD. THE MEH. THE GAH.

That I’ve pontificated on my review process for nearly 1500 words now is surprising to me.  Discussing methods is something that I’ve never been good at.  In fact, I tend to avoid discussing them, simply because I don’t think about it that much.  My method for critical discourse:

If it’s good, I like it. If it sucks, I don’t.

Obviously, there’s more to it than that.  I suppose one could ask “why do I review shows, films, etc.?”  Simple.  Because I like to.  I like exploring things from people who get paid to make things because it makes me a better creative on my road to getting paid to make things.

In some cases, I learn by seeing what they do right.  In most cases, I learn by what they do wrong.   Either way, I apply, and move on.

At the end of the day, it comes down to my biggest pet peeve.  There is nothing I hate more than wasted potential.  When I see it in my everyday life, I make a point to do any little thing I can to help people gain the confidence to tap into their potential.  When I see television shows, films, comics, etc. that aren’t living up to their potential, I pounce.  Not that it matters – I’m under no illusion that my critiques and reviews have any bearing whatsoever.  It’s the thought that counts.

When I see shows that I adore – with fascinating characters in difficult situations – flounder and flop from week to week, I get riled up.  When I see poor business and marketing decisions that impact the showrunners’ abilities to run their show, or realize the show’s full potential, I get riled up.

Each review is my little way of being part of a solution to an epidemic of bland television.  If, in some small way, my reviews can help potential be realized, maybe through turning other people onto the show, or by giving them a different lens through which to view it – a critical one – then I’ll consider myself happy.

Otherwise, I’ll give my reviews, on my own three-point grading system (Good, Meh, GAH!), a GAH!

Until next we meet…

THE GOOD: Television that features two main pieces: Fascinating people in difficult situations.

THE MEH: When one of the two is out of balance.

THE GAH: When potential is squandered by poor storytelling, marketing, and programming.

Tyler Weaver is a writer and filmmaker.  You can connect with Tyler on Twitter and Facebook

What happens when a network affiliate goes rogue and decides to air a college basketball game instead of LOST? Well it ain’t pretty. The following announcement appeared on WWAY-TV’s website under “Programming Notes”.  The station is an ABC Affiliate in Wilmington, North Carolina.

We will be airing an ACC game Tuesday night from 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm (UNC  vs. Georgia Tech)
Lost will air at 1:06 am Tuesday Night / Wednesday Morning.
The Forgotten will air at 2:06 am.
You can also watch these shows Wednesday via the ABC Video Player – which is on the top right side of www.wwaytv3.com.

Clearly the station has lost their way because the post received a flurry of negative comments, like the one listed below.

Losers instead of Lost
Submitted by BooHoo (not verified) on 16 February 2010 – 1:00pm.

I’m a life-long Carolina fan and I know a lame season when I see it. I’ve spent five years working on the Lost puzzle and now, here at the end, you’re going to jerk true-hearted ABC programming fans around like this?
If I can see it online tomorrow then I will start watching whatever is left that I like on ABC that way.
It’s been real……

Based on the date of the announcement it appears this was a last minute decision. Since local affiliates rely on ad dollars, I’m curious if the station sold ads during that time slot for the highly rated LOST and then subbed in the basketball game? If they did, then they’ll have more than irate viewers to contend with.

A PSA (public service announcement) is an advertisement to the public and its purpose is to modify the public’s opinion about a particular subject.

Ad Agency’s have been producing pro bono PSA’s for decades and I wondered if they had any effect on the subjects they featured, so I did a little digging.  According to the Ad Council of America many of their most famous campaigns have actually gotten results.

Since 1944 Smokey The Bear has been telling us “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.”  The campaign was developed to educate the public at a time when accidents accounted for nine out of ten forest fires.  It’s really not hard to imagine, think back to the “Mad Men” episode featuring the Draper family picnic – did your mouth fall open when you witnessed the family dump their trash on the grass and drive off?  The early 40’s and 50’s weren’t known for being environmentally conscious.  Many campers lit cigarettes and burned campfires without ensuring the match or fire was completely out before walking away.  Something had to be done and this PSA apparently had an effect.   As the Ad Council’s longest running campaign, it has reduced the number of acres lost annually from 22 million to 4 million

Sometimes “Happily Ever After” only exists in fairy tales. Domestic violence is a late 20th century term, before that it was known as “being in an abusive marriage.” It wasn’t until the 80’s and 90’s that filmmakers and television producers put a spotlight on this crime in films such as “Bastard out of Carolina,” “Crimes of the Heart” and TV movies like “Burning Bed.” Prior to that, it wasn’t openly talked about, and a woman didn’t have many options.

In 1994, The Ad Council and The Family Violence Prevention Fund partnered to launch the Domestic Violence Prevention campaign. According to their reports, between 1995 and 1996, 34,000 calls were made to the campaign’s toll-free hotline. The campaign shed light on the abuse and made it socially unacceptable, encouraging people to call if they knew of an abusive situation.

The most recent PSA centers on childhood obesity and is part of the “Let’s Move!” initiative developed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

Childhood obesity is an alarming situation. Recently, I produced an episode for “Real Savvy Moms” on the subject and the statistics are astounding. Over 25.5 million children in the U.S. are obese, and many of those children at age 10 are showing signs of heart disease and diabetes. The contributing factors are poor diet and lack of exercise. Instead of eating apples and raisins for snacks, our kids are eating ring dings and throwing back coca-colas. Their daily exercise consists of manipulating one’s thumbs around an X Box or surfing the web. I think this campaign is both timely and relevant. Time will tell if this campaign has an impact.

Is there a PSA that had an impact on you?

MTV revolutionized the music video.  As I’ve said before, many of my friends began their careers at this upstart network devoted to music 24/7.  They not only revolutionized the definition of a niche cable network, they revolutionized the look with their logo.  The logo designed by Frank Olinsky and his team was commissioned by Fred Seibert. Fred was MTV’s first creative director; he was also the President of Hannah-Barbera Cartoons, and the creator of NextNewNetworks.

I had the pleasure of working with Fred when I was producing for the first over the air subscription based TV network. He developed the logo, promotion and the marketing.  Those were the heady days of cable television when anything was possible, because most of what we were producing hadn’t been seen before.  That’s exactly how the MTV logo was viewed.  A logo that had the ability to change with the seasons, a mood, an emotion or a thought, a logo that was flexible but didn’t lose its identity.  The chunky “M” couldn’t be mistaken for any other network.  The logo also contained the words ‘music television’ as the tag line – after all that’s exactly what the network was – all music all the time.  But that was then, and this is now and if you can find a music video on MTV today, you’re either working the night shift or you rise before the sun does. For the past ten years the network has moved away from music to produce original programming that features real people.  Their programming has been devoid of music and now their 30 year old logo has undergone a change.  They’ve removed the tag line ‘music television’.

While the actual programming for the past ten years has been stripped of music videos – with the logo change, it’s official.  No more music in MTV.

Their cup runneth over
If you’re familiar with the TV show “Fringe” or the film “Star Trek”, then you’re probably familiar with writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.  They’re launching their own TV production company under the 20th Century Fox umbrella.   No strangers to tight production deadlines, in November 2007 the duo was working on finishing four movies simultaneously: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “Star Trek,” which they co-wrote, and “Eagle Eye” and “The Proposal,” the first films developed through their company that they produced. Add to that the “Fringe” pilot, which they were shepherding with co-creator J.J. Abrams at the same time.

So – what can we learn from this?  Give the job to a busy person – they always seem to get it done.

Elevator going down
What happens when the CEO of a company disguises himself as an average Joe and works alongside his blue collar employees?  You’re about to find out, when “Undercover Boss” makes its debut on CBS immediately following the Super Bowl this Sunday.  The new one hour reality series premieres with Waste Management, Inc.’s CEO, Larry O’Donnell as he sorts trash, cleans portable outhouses, and picks up stray papers around a landfill.

Will this be CBS’s next “Survivor”?  Depends on how many viewers will identify with CEO’s undercover.

Public Policy Debate Gets a Makeover
This month PBS will debut “Two-Way Street”, a single-topic, hour long debate show focusing on public policy.  There are several reasons it promises to be different from all other Sunday morning ‘debate’ shows.  First, it will be an actual debate.  Second, it will focus on one topic for the entire hour.  I think the most unique aspect will be the interaction between the Host, Bob Bowdon , the pundits, the studio audience and viewers at home, who will be able to interact live via the internet.  It promises to be a lively discussion.