Producing a daily TV show

[Walter Biscardi]

[Tim Frechette] “Give me your opinion and tell me what the idea situation would be. “

Same as before. This is a bad deal from the get-go. Walk away.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Steve Kownacki]

You’ve already racked up about $10K in producer expenses wrting/reading this thread, researching gear, working on proposals, etc. Don’t forget to add that in too. I’m on the “run away quick” bandwagon too BTW.

Steve

[Nick Griffin]

I too agree with all that’s been said above and just want to interject one thought:

The references made so far to selling spots make it seem that Tim thinks that’s an easy thing and a given that it will happen and be a reliable source of revenue. It isn’t and probably won’t be.

For starters, remember that you’ll be selling in the same marketplace where the TV station will be trying to sell the exact same thing. Are you allowed to undersell them? Can they undersell you? Remember that they can also bundle your spots as part of a bigger package and then maintain that the spots are any price that they want them to be. You can’t, so you have little to no defense against being undersold.

Next is the fact that their PROFESSIONAL ad sales people likely have long-standing relationships with the market’s advertisers. Unless this is something you’ve been doing, you probably do not. People typically buy from those they know — the PROFESSIONAL ad sales people who spend 40+ hours a week building relationships and selling ads.

Lastly, if nothing else about this deal seems like a potential disaster, consider the current economy. New products (including TV shows) are highly risky in normal times. Slow times just make them more so.

[Tim Frechette]

Excellent points on selling ads. Thank You

This show was on air for 4 years and did very well. I was present for the last 2 years of the show and know who was doing what. I know that the tv station wanted to just take in the revenue but had little interest doing anything more for the show. They have been off air for 6 months and their audience is still asking about a return to tv.

Thank for the input and I will keep you posted.
Tim

[Grinner Hester]

The bottom line is half of nuthin’ is nuthin’. If they thought they could make money from this, they’d surely have no problem making more of a profit by paying you your day rate and keeping all those awesome advertising dollars.
Tell em you are booked trimmin’ your grandma’s toenails.

[Ron Lindeboom]

[Tim Frechette] “I told him I will take a paycut, provide equipment, but I want to make just as much money as the co-host since I will be selling advertising as well.”

In many great companies that I have known and/or been a part of, the sales director often makes more money than anyone else in the company. Their income often exceeds the CEO and/or president of the company.

Why?

Because REAL salespeople are highly motivated by their commissions. The great ones never become satisfied with their existing level of sales and are always looking for the next deal and the next commission.

Tying a person’s hands by giving them a “flat” is an idiot’s recipe for mediocrity. (Tell your co-host that I said that and point them to this thread, I would like to see how they defend such a stupid idea as the one they propose. Perhaps they have become too enamored of their visage and think they are worth more than a real bread winner. Clue? They aren’t. The fact that they got canceled should tell them that but apparently they weren’t listening.)

Without sales, they have nothing. By tying things to a “flat,” they will have little motivation for sales — and that is exactly what they will have, little sales.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
– Antoine de Saint Exupéry

[Mark Raudonis]

Tim,

Walk into a room with a mirror. Turn around. Look back over your shoulder.

See that “KICK ME” sign taped to your back?

Mark

[Tim Frechette]

After careful thought as well as taking into consideration all of the valuable advice here I decided to turn down the job.
After a few conversations with little information coming my way I will highlight what a crap deal this would of been.

I would have to buy all the equipment from commercial production that I would of done if the on air talent sold any spots.

I would take very very little as pay to work for 90 days and after that time I still would get very little.

I would get a small amount of money from ads sales as well as have almost NO control over the show, ie, camera angels, etc.

I could not broadcast on the web.

The tv station would need their guaranteed revenue from current programing of $250.00 per week paid directly to them from the very first ad sales from our program so they would not lose any money.

We would have to pay the fiber optic cable for $800p/m

I asked for their sales projections in writing but no one would do it.

So, they are going hire the on air talent’s kid to hand hold a single camera with a direct feed to the tv station for broadcast and hope to sell ads.

I wish them luck. What a great opportunity but it will die a slow death.

Thank you everyone for your insight and experience.

Good Day