ELEMENTS OF SUCCESFUL

PROGRAMMING

LECTURE THREE
 Audiences Are Unpredictable, And Their Tastes are
changeable. But One Thing Is Certain: No Show Ever
Succeeded By Ignoring Its Objective Or Dismissing

Essential Elements.
THE SEARCH FOR A SUCCESSFUL FORMULA

• Since television’s early days, programmers have sought a “formula”

for a hit. They have tried to research a winning combination, they
have attempted to promote their way into success, and they have even
consulted clairvoyants.
• There is no key, and there are no shortcuts. Success is a strange
mixture of timing, hard work, anticipation, professionalism, and luck.
TWO BASIC FORMS OF PROGRAMMING

• All programs, regardless of their objectives or their appeals, originate in one of two forms:

• 1. Format dominant—The concept of the show is the key to its success; performers are selected to fulfill the
requirements of the core idea. Sometimes a program will start format dominant but will become a star
vehicle over time because a performer has shaped the show to his or her own designs, not always to the
project’s benefit.

• 2. Star dominant—The star is the key ingredient; a format is designed around the skills of the lead
performer. The other type of show is one built around the skills and personality of a star. This is most clearly
seen in talk and magazine programs such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” or
“Dr. Phil
KEY ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS

• 1) Conflict. Many regard conflict as the most important ingredient. Without the
collision of interests or attitudes, there is little to hold the attention of viewers.
The talk shows that produce the most interest are those with guests who have
strong opinions that conflict with other panelists or members of the audience.
• The goal of programmers is to construct shows that provide collisions. Even
when mounting an information show, programmers should attempt to offer
opposing or alternative attitudes. It is not only fair play; it is good television.
2) DURABILITY

• An idea intended to be a long-running success cannot be based on a

premise that will flame out after brief exposure. Programmers must
examine submissions carefully to be sure that the fundamental design
of the show will sustain interest week after week.
3) Likeability. Viewers tune in to people they like and with whom they feel comfortable.
4) Consistency. All viewers bring a certain level of anticipation to every program. Deviations
from these expectations disturb viewers and risk alienation. Sometimes broadcasters
become too narrow in their interpretation of this point.

• Element of consistency deserves mention: shows must remain true to their central intent.
They cannot be all things to all people; there are limits to what programs can be and who
they can reach. Broadcasters cannot insert 1-minute cooking tips inside Saturday morning
cartoons in an attempt to attract adult women. Shows are what they are, and any effort to
broaden the base with inappropriate elements not only fails to attract the desired new
viewers but also alienates the core audience.
 5)ENERGY

• Energy is the quality that infuses a sense of pace and excitement into a show. It is not a
synonym for frenzy. And it does not necessarily mean motion, which is often just
movement without a point. Rather, it charges the screen with pictures that will not let
the viewer turn away.
• Maintaining energy is an essential for all talk show hosts. Too often interviewers allow
their guests to dictate the tempo of the program. If the host is not alert, a low-key,
deliberate-speaking guest can drag down the energy level, and the two can quickly find
themselves in the quicksand of boredom. The producer and director should
immediately cut to a commercial and go on stage to pump up the host—or give the guest
an early dismissal.
 6)PROFESSIONAL STAFFING

• Professional Staffing. Rarely, a show will succeed because of the

novelty of its format or star even though the production is slipshod
and the writing is poor. But the success will be brief. The novelty will
wear off, the mediocrity will be exposed, and the show’s decline will
be assured.
• Programmers must look beyond the concept of a show and closely
examine the credentials of the executors before committing to its
development.
 7)TIMING

• Timing. For a program to work, it must be in harmony with the

times. For a story to work, it must capture the attention of the times.
Too far behind and the audience will dismiss it as outmoded; too far
in front and viewers will rebel against it.
8)ADEQUATE BUDGET.

• Programmers must allocate sufficient funds for producers to make

their shows. It is true that most producers will strive to obtain the
largest possible budget, especially if they retain the difference
between the package price and the actual cost of production. But
they mostly just want to be sure they have enough resources to mount
the product they are committed to delivering.
9)TREND AWARENESS

• Trend Awareness. A capable programmer must also be aware of trends that

might generate a hit or guarantee a failure. Riding a trend wave is not an
essential element of a successful program. But it can be a way to tap into a
prevailing audience preference that will enable a show to deliver strong ratings.
Similarly, an awareness of a trend that is over can help a programmer to avoid a
concept whose time has passed.
• A programming trend occurs when producers develop shows or concepts similar
in theme, format, or content.
• In network prime-time television in the 1950s, there was a strong trend toward
live, dramatic productions;
• in the 1960s, the favored form was westerns;
• in the 1970s, it was sitcoms with sharp social commentary; and in the 1980s,
dramatic serials were prominent.
• In the 1990s, comedies and prime-time news shows dominated,
• and starting in 2000, the trend was clearly toward so-called reality television.
10) SALABILIT Y .

• In the world of commercial television, the greatest idea in the world is worthless
if no one will buy.
• Salability must be effective at three stages: when the creator is trying to find a
distributor; when the distributor is trying to find advertisers; and when both the
creator and the distributor are trying to find an audience. If there is a failure at
any stage, the program either will never reach the air or will be off after a brief
stay because of lack of revenue.
 11) INNOVATION AND FRESHNESS .

• More than 50 years ago, a man named Ted Bates built an advertising empire out of a single
notion. Every ad prepared by his agency had to have a unique selling proposition. By that he
meant the ad had to find one quality that could only be found in, or said about, the product.
That uniqueness distinguished the product from all others and thus stimulated a buying appetite
in the consumer.

• The same is true for programs. If there is nothing unusual, fresh, or different about a show, why
should anybody watch it? The kiss of death for any show is when the viewer says, “I get the feeling
I’ve seen it a thousand times.” A distinct voice can make a familiar theme fresh, but that voice
has to provide something new. Points of differentiation do not have to be major departures from
all other forms on the air. A single inventive difference is frequently sufficient. It can be as simple
as producing a conventional form in an unconventional way.
• Real success in programming can only be obtained by invention, finding new ways and new
people to inform and entertain