• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, July 13, 2010

Bring back Fin-Syn, the Financial Interest and Syndication rules? Sort of.

Independent TV producers  -- the Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors -- want back a share of the pie, the big piece that has mostly gone to the all-powerful TV networks since 1993.

The caucus wants the Federal Communications Commission to require that each network set aside 25% of its prime-time schedule for programs supplied by independent producers, and that the networks not be allowed to acquire an interest in the copyright or syndication rights of such programs. 

The Fin-Syn rules were thrown out in 1993. They forbade networks to retain any financial interest, including that derived from syndication rights, in any programs that they did not own entirely, which at the time consisted mostly of news programs. 

The rules were thrown out because there were more TV platforms to sell programming, like cable networks and on TV stations.  All TV producers could grow, the theory went. 

But producers still feel hampered.  While many cable networks employ lots of independent TV producers -- for reality TV show and other genres -- it's still a tough road to make real money like that on broadcast networks.

Unless you are the likes of Warner Bros. Television or, to a lesser extent, Sony Pictures Television -- studios with no big network attachment -- you are probably out of luck.

Even then, it's hard to make money. Think about the syndication business and the money still to be made when it comes to off-network TV shows. Warner Bros. still does a bang-up business selling rerun sitcoms to TV stations.

But it isn't easy. Look at Sony. So desperate was it to keep on the lowly-rated Fox sitcom, "'Til Death," it took virtually no network license fee -- just to get around 80 episodes to sell as a Monday to Friday syndication/cable show.

Sony is a big TV producer.  So imagine how hard it it is for a smaller or mid-level TV producer -- more independently minded -- to strike out on his own.

As an independent producer, you need to go to NBC, CBS, Fox, or ABC, and their respective studios. You virtually need to share or give away after-market revenues as well as any merchandising and license deals.

Much of this push seems to be coming around an appropriate time with more consolidation, especially with the Comcast/NBC deal still looming in the background.

It's tough to call for more regulation in the business of TV. 

Others might say the broadcast networks are already doing a poor job pulling in new viewers, that it is only a matter of time before they crumble further and become desperate for more original, independent TV voices.

Is that what it will take?