• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, November 2, 2022

With Elon Musk taking over -- and all his controversial tweets and messaging in the past -- many pros want no part of where the big messaging platform is going.

But what about the bigger TV networks' marketing efforts?

Maybe this doesn't mean much at the moment. But what if all those TV networks that have Rhimes shows like ABC (“Grey's Anatomy”) and Netflix (“ Inventing Anna” and “Bridgerton”) do the same -- and stop using Twitter for TV program promotion?

That might be a big ask. Amid a world of ever fractionalized media environments where TV networks need more reach and media channels to get awareness/engagement.

Other TV producers are also calling it a day. NBCUniversal’s  “This Is Us” executive producer Ken Olin tweeted recently, “I'm out of here.” Showtime's “Billions” showrunner Brian Koppelman said: “Y'all's, for real, come find me over on instagram and the tok. Gonna really try to take a breather from here for a minute or a month come deal close time.”

The bigger question is what social media advertisers will do -- advertising which accounts for 92% of the revenue for Twitter. Remember this is guy -- Musk -- had tweeted some time ago: “I hate advertising.”

So if he is in the meeting with General Motors, P&G, T-Mobile, or Universal Pictures, how does he follow that up?  

Good news for Musk and Twitter. It is still a major social media platform with 450 million monthly active users. With that still strong reach it is unlikely periodic displays of TV networks, celebrities, influencers, and others abandoning the platform will do much.

Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla, has been known for citing major free-speech issues -- no matter if some of that content comes from confirmed manipulators and/or instigators of false information.

Musk had said he would allow former President Donald Trump and others to get back on Twitter -- those who have been thrown off because of their speech misdeeds. 

As what might a pullback to his earlier statements, Musk now says Twitter would not become a “free-for-all hellscape.” Well, that may give some solace to TV networks looking to promote their TV shows. 

Still, wondering if other TV networks and programmers are looking for just this -- out-of-control environments from hell.

Maybe FX's “American Horror Story,” Netflix's “Stranger Things,” Bravo's “Chucky” and AMC's  “The Walking Dead” hope for devil-like motifs for their marketing.

Sure, not a Musk “free-for-all”. Just your basic hell -- still intact.