My Burning Questions For TV's Top Execs

Beginning Tuesday, several hundred TV critics will be at the Beverly Hilton for the summer edition of the Television Critics Association gathering. There will be numerous panels highlighting the network's favorite shows sprinkled together with a healthy dose of swag and complaints about the meals.

But one of the highlights for many critics is the chance to speak directly to the top executives at the networks. There's a certain amount of delight that seems to go into grilling the executives and weirdly enough, the executives that seem to get the best post-TCA coverage are often the ones most adept at sticking to their talking points while still sounding spontaneous.

Michael O'Connell and Lesley Goldberg at the Hollywood Reporter have weighed in with their thoughts on what questions will come up during the executive panels. I can't argue with a lot of the suggestions, though I do have a few questions of my own I'd ask if I were there:

Is The Broadcast Network Development Strategy For Comedies Fundamentally Broken?

Yes, new comedies are struggling on nearly every network, broadcast or cable. But given the types of shows we're seeing being greenlighted and the ensuing audience response, isn't it fair to speculate that the current comedy development process needs to be completely revamped? If you want to reach a younger demographic - yet still grab a broad audience - wouldn't it make sense to greenlight shows that have broader premises? Ones that are set outside the two coasts? That perhaps feature characters other than upscale twentysomethings? And maybe it's worth offering to fire the next person who approves a comedy about hapless single people trying to find love in New York City.


If Netflix Needs To Share Their Viewer Data, Then What About Amazon?

At least once or twice in the past couple of TCA gatherings, a network executive has complained about the fact that streaming giant Netflix doesn't share it's ratings or other viewing data. We can argue about whether that's a valid point (I personally don't think it is). But streaming rival Amazon won't even publicly release the number of subscribers they have. Much less how many of those subscribers actually stream TV in the average month.


Speaking Of Streaming TV Strategies, Isn't It Time For The Networks And Studios To Rethink Theirs?

A lot of industry attention is being focused on the networks' battles with the studios over the rights to "stack" or offer up every episode of the current season to viewers. It's an important issue but it masks the simple truth that the ability to stack episodes is only part of the problem. Just look at Hulu Plus and the weird and awkward windowing restrictions they work under, even with networks that are equity partners in the company. For instance, look at the NBC reality show "Last Comic Standing." It's a show with almost no rerun value and it's produced by sister production company Universal Television. And yet Hulu Plus can only offer the show online and not via mobile or TV. If Hulu can't obtain the full rights to this show, what chance does it have with other, more complex negotiations? And when you're trying to build an audience for a retooled show that's premiering in the summer, isn't it important to have the largest audience possible?


Is It Realistic For Networks To Expect To See A Continuation Of The Rate Of Increase In Retransmission Fees?

Retransmission fees are the fees charged by local stations to cable and satellite TV companies in exchange for granting them the right to air the station. Until recently, that retransmission issue was less about money than forcing new networks onto your cable dial. "Sure, you can include our Disney-owned local ABC affiliates, but in exchange you need to start offering our new ESPN Classic 2 channel." But in recent years the media companies have realized two looming truths about their industry. All the good network ideas are gone and the bottom line for their networks is looking a bit feeble. So the broadcast networks began insisting on getting a piece of the retransmission fees being paid to their affiliates.

From the broadcast networks' perspective, this is like found money. Several billion dollars worth of it and growing. When you talk to CBS head Les Moonves, he's absolutely giddy about the trend. But while it's great for the network bottom lines, the fees ultimately come out of the pockets of an audience already reluctant to pay their monthly TV fee. And despite claims from CBS and Fox that they're worth as much per subscriber as ESPN, it's difficult to see how anyone can sustain those types of rate increases. So what's the near and long-term plan for rate increases?

If Networks Are Adopting To A '12-Month Schedule,' Shouldn't They Promote Their Shows In The Same Way?

I don't care if your newest show is an import or an international co-production that doesn't cost the network much money. If you're going to go to the trouble to premiere a show in the summer, promote it as vigorously as you would the newest Fall program. Don't think that approach works? Take a look at the often mediocre CBS drama "Under The Dome," which is now back for a second season. There's nothing more frustrating as a critic than wanting to cover a show and dealing with publicists (some, not all) who seem to just be punching the clock until September. If you want audiences to take your summer schedule seriously, than you have to start with support from your troops in the publicity trenches. And let's be honest. If publicists aren't taking a new show seriously, it's likely because the network execs don't care about it either.

When Will A Network/Studio Extend The 'Under The Dome' Model To A New Fall Show?

One of the factors that made "Under The Dome" a financial and ratings success was a deal with Amazon that made episodes available for streaming the day after they aired. Aside from the added revenue, it was an easy way for viewers to catch up with the show. It's pretty clear the same approach would work with a fall show, but which network will try it first?

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