Commentary

With The Rough TV Economy, What On-Air Talent Will Be Cut Next?

by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 6, 2009

A conga line of big-name local TV anchors has been leaving local TV stations, taking with them some brand appeal for their news programs.

The likes of Paul Moyer of KNBC-TV Los Angeles, Diann Burns at WBBM-TV Chicago, and Len Berman, sportscaster for WNBC-TV New York, have been part and parcel of their respective stations' brand names for decades. Now, station executives believe those names and their salaries aren't part of the future of local TV news program.

This would seem to be a big deal for viewers, who've long recognized these shows for their familiar faces. But TV executives say they have no choice. Gone are the days of 50% profit margins, replaced by 20% declines in the advertising revenues that support those shows.

Viewers are leaving as well -- going to cable or the Internet for their local news information. TV executives are counting on this digital future that includes small-screen efforts -- on Web sites, mobile sites, or via more modest daily email newsletters. That means less emphasis on big-name talent and money.

Some TV executives have long viewed talent as interchangeable parts -- a lesson passed down by big TV producers like Dick Wolf, who has done a masterful job of shuffling actors in and out of his "Law & Order" franchise.

Wolf made sure his shows' brand names were always larger than their actors/characters. The one noted exception in recent years was with "Law & Order: SVU," where such top-line talent as Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni have had an increasing stronger negotiating hand.

That said, in this economy, more TV producers and networks will be questioning the value of high-priced actors/talent and the cost to their overall programs brand names.

What -- or who -- is on the outs next

5 comments about "With The Rough TV Economy, What On-Air Talent Will Be Cut Next?".

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Paul Van winkle from FUNCTION, May 6, 2009 at 4:19 p.m.

My cousin Chris Meloni will be pleased to hear you say that about 'im, Wayne. We're going diving in a few weeks, I'll tell him. He loves to think he's still got the wood.
Chris is as real a guy as actors get. He's at home on the streets and still likes to pound weights and drink, a real guy's guy. And funny. And: he knows to stay sharp he has to push, grow and risk. Staying on SVU for the magical TEN years (syndication hits its stride at that point and larger, longer contracts kick in), his edge may be waning - he had a lot of good work before SVU (Oz, NYPD Blue...). Now that he lives down the hall from Donald Sutherland and could retire any time he wants, Cuz's edge has to be....crafted.
A couple years ago, I sat through a prelim script read with the SVU cast w/ Dick Wolf on the speaker phone, and IceT sat on the couch gently toying with a pair of aqua reading glasses hanging from his neck on a "Granny chain". T wore a casual blue velour jump suit and stuck his pinky out when he sipped his....tea. The former pimp, rapper and drug dealer who now plays a NY cop on TV and drives a Ferrari to the sound stages in Jersey is....a little less hungry. Maybe a lil' less "authentic"?
We want real. Whatever that means. "Breaking Bad" and "The Wire" have it. "Deadwood" had it awhile.
Big names and experience or not, if you can't bring the magic mojo, somebody else can. Just don't ask anyone to define what "it" is. If they try, they don't know. We only know "it" when we see it -- and feel it. We live, however, in riskier times, and fear apparently has a hold on things. Much tougher ground to harvest mojo in.
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Kevin Mirek, May 6, 2009 at 5:53 p.m.

If you look at time spent viewing TV versus using Internet, I believe you'll find your comment, "Viewers are leaving as well -- going to cable or the Internet for their local news information," is wishful thinking on your self-serving part. TV engages Americans for 4.7 hours each and every day, an all time high. People are not leaving TV, they are simply adding Internet (at a much smaller usage rate ... and declining from its highs. The fact is, the little screen cannot come close to the quality and immediacy of TV. Quit trying to push that lie that is designed to make people think TV is on its way out. You wish. All you want is TV's content free and on demand. TV owners are starting to wise-up. The best content Internet can provide is home made Jackass.

Mark Robbins from Radar Entertainment, May 6, 2009 at 7:14 p.m.

Dianne Burns has not been the face of WBBM-TV for many years. In fact, once she left the comforts of WLS-TV, very few followed her over to WBBM-TV and WLS-TV kept rolling along as the number one station in the Chicago market. Mrs. Burns was a terrific reader of the news but was unable to change her style necessary for a talented anchor/reporter to get viewers to switch news loyalties.

Scott Smith from Chesapeake Media Partners, May 7, 2009 at 11:29 a.m.

ONline is a reality for news, information & sports. Business and social networking, trade show (virtual) attendance and mobile media will rule the US in 2 yearsw as it does today in Japan. (We're slackers) As for "name" talent... enjoy the ride - a team put you there! As for Management - how does a shit sandwich taste? As for C level exec - now it's your turn to start working (harder then you've ever worked before). Thank you AL Gore, for inventing the Internet! :-)

Paul Ashby, May 8, 2009 at 4:13 a.m.

The suits come to Social Media. Now that’s the kiss of death!

Advertising Agencies, having all but destroyed a perfectly good Old Media are set to do the same with Social Media!
In the fickle world of online chatter, yesterday’s achingly fashionable meeting points are rapidly acquiring the appearance of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s’ headquarters.
Already Twitter, becoming bogged down with fake PR tweets as well as fake advertising tweets, so much so that already the kids dismiss it as tired! And are moving on.
As soon as the buzz of innovation starts to fade the “cool” but influential people move on quicker than you can send a tweet.
Take Commercial Television,agencies were salivating at the prospect of commercial television and couldn't wait to get in on the act! Advertising Agencies are loath to change a medium that is to them, a money-spinner. Despite the fact that it was non-accountable.
And now Agencies are rushing onto Social Media ignoring the fact that, as in the past, people don’t want their advertising in whatever form. The difference here is that they can easily move away from advertising, you have only to look at the experience of Second Life, that was to be advertising’s salvation. That’s why the early adopters have moved on! And be warned, they still don't know how to monitize the Internet..but we do!
Once “The Ad Man” gatecrashes the party and corporate marketers are inevitably a long way down the adoption curve – the kudos rapidly evaporates.
This explains why the assumed valuations of social media companies are often built on greater financial chicanery that Bernie Madoff’s tax return.
In to-day’s market whatever supposed “next big thing” our digital culture favors in any moment faces an ever more accelerated journey to oblivion!

Because ad agencies still don’t understand it – we will not take delivery of your commercial messages – we never have and never will!

However we can create programs where your advertisement becomes a valuable source of information – with surprising ROI results - & there’s more.

Read "Television Killed Advertising" it will show you how advertising has failed us and more...much more.

It's all in my book "Television Killed Advertising" plus how clients can make their own "Social Media" environment and become very successful on the Internet. Together with the fact that you learn the real meaning of the word "communication". Want to learn more? contact me @ paul.ashby@yahoo.com