You Double-Ought to be in Syndication

by Al Burton

As TV enters the new millennium, it might pay to look back before crossing the century mark.

After all, you’ve had a couple of confusing decades.

Remember the early 1980s, when you had just created the next smart urban comedy, but the New York Times stopped you in your tracks by proclaiming “situation comedy is dead.” (They sagely observed that sitcoms had all fallen out of the top ten, and you shouldn’t go there.)

Then, in 1990, while putting the finishing touches to your imaginative MOW based on the biography of that macho journalist, you were told that the market was ordained to be limited to “women in jeopardy” and biographies were henceforth DOA.

Maybe you were right not to have pursued your sitcom idea about those wise-ass New Yorkers living in their highrises. Probably it was smart that you didn’t waste time on the bio-flick of that high-flying columnist who died broke. If you believe that, here is a warning from the conventional wisdom of the new millennium: You’d better stay out of 1st-run syndication!

As the calendar’s odometer turns to oughts, we observe that NATPE in 1999 was very tough going. Shows were pulled back and scrapped. Others were kept “in development” waiting for better time slot breaks, or a chance for double and triple runs… maybe even the actual death of a newer network. Another thing: if you didn’t have a judge in your series, you might as well wait till broadband.

So what’s a person to do? We missed the chance to find a new talk show host in Chicago, Cleveland or Dayton. We blew the opportunity to put some heroes into deep space or to find a beach or cast a nerdo-brain in a quiz show.

When it comes to NATPE 2000 (this coming January) the current intelligence tells us that talk is out, action hours are oversold, game shows have gone to cable, and really new ideas are too risky.

Hold on. It is just possible that opportunities in the millennium and in syndication will deliver new and large financial fortunes to a producer whose tenacity, salesmanship, originality and efficiency can pass the test of fewer time slots but satisfactory rewards for success.

In the first year of the millennium (unless you’re a 2001 purist), the very fact that the prospects look chancier than ever, may mean that this is the time to get in, not out.

The newer networks, Fox, WB and UPN, might seem to have gobbled up all unaffiliated stations. But they have actually helped strengthen many formerly independents, so that stations can get better numbers for the shows on their air.

There are strong syndicators with great distribution strengths. Tribune, Buena Vista, Eyemark, Telepictures and a dozen others continue to look for product. The successful debuts of Judge Judy, Hercules and V.I.P. (along with clones of each of these) give proof that there are still clever ways to slip into syndication and score.

There are prime access spots - morning and afternoon and even some select weekend needs - on every station.

For the creative, tenacious, savvy and innovative entrepreneur, the new century will provide some tantalizing opportunities.

Genre Come Lately

When we hit the 21st century, we’ll find most first-run offerings will still look like talk shows, judge (and court) shows, “relationship” shows and “action” hours. Late night opportunities will always exist, opening doors for comedic talent and inventive ways of mining the news for laughs. A breakthrough game show will pop up, succeed and trigger as many “me too’s” as Judge Judy has.

With the international market in mind, why not think about an exotic, location-based, action series with one or two young international stars (Enrique and/or Julio Iglesias Jr.?) or even an international sports name.

There are other millennium opportunities worth thinking about. Take for instance the fact that, by 2006, all stations (read all syndication projects) will be televising in digital, high-definition and wide-screen formats. Shows produced for the start of the new century will carry more values for the digital years if they are created now with that formatting in mind. This doesn’t mean that you should think only of travel elements, flowers and gardens or photo journalists who take striking pictures while solving crimes in “Kodak moment” settings. But hey, it’s something to think about.

It might be worth your own examination of what you personally may contribute to a “retro” series, taking a slice from your earlier life to create a premise or a franchise based on the earlier you. There are fresh locations that still look like any period you might choose. The ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s still exist in many buildings and neighborhoods. Shooting the series in digital and wide-screen, with your personal stamp, will add sales value to a 2001 or 2002 sale.

If that’s not your style or interest, what’s wrong with putting your mind to the very genres that are currently getting knocked by the experts? “Talk shows are aging” and “court shows and judges will hit their peak in this century,” are NATPE-heard quotes.

But I predict that the right casting mind, and a 21st century twist, will excite the lamp on both “talk” and “court,” and 2001 debuts in these categories will make new syndication bucks and back-ends.

As industry soothsayers make dire predictions of syndications choking into extinction, you might note that new alliances and new international connections are constantly broadening the syndication possibilities. The coming need for fresh digital product will open unpredictable opportunities. The aging of other types of shows will mean a chance to slip through the mass of product. With your unique, special property it may be the series which will become the first, most copied genre of the oughts.