Slightly off-topic, but Marshall Herskovitz (THIRTYSOMETHING, ONCE AND AGAIN) talks about how network interference is killing primetime TV in a Los Angeles Times article.

It started in 1995 when the Federal Communications Commission abolished its long-standing "finsyn" rules (that's financial interest and syndication, for those unfamiliar with the term), allowing networks for the first time to own the programs they broadcast. Before that, under classic antitrust definitions, the networks had been confined to the role of broadcaster, paying a license fee to production companies for the right to broadcast programs just two times. The production companies owned all subsequent rights. In the mid-1990s there were 40 independent production companies making television shows. If a particular network didn't like a show -- as famously happened with "The Cosby Show" many years ago -- the production company could take it to another network.

But not after 1995. The abolition of the old rules set in motion an ineluctable process, one that has negatively affected every creative person I know in television. Today there are zero independent production companies making scripted television. They were all forced out of business by the networks' insistence -- following the FCC's fin-syn ruling -- on owning part or all of every program they broadcast.

The most profound change resulting from that ruling is the way networks go about the business of creating programming. Networks today exert a level of creative control unprecedented in the history of the medium. The stories my friends tell me would make me laugh if the situation weren't so self-defeating. Network executives routinely tell producers to change the color of the walls on sets; routinely decide on the proper wardrobe for actors; routinely have "tone" meetings with directors on upcoming pilots; routinely give notes on every page of a script. (When we did "thirtysomething" in the late '80s, we never received network notes.) And by the way, they have every right to do these things. As owners, they have a responsibility to satisfy themselves that their product is competitive and successful.

The problem, of course, is that these executives often have little background or qualification for making creative decisions. They are guided by market research and -- they want to believe -- a learned intuition about what the public wants. This season's new shows have been a good indicator of how successful that strategy is: Even before the current writer's strike, virtually every new show was struggling.

Any info on her?

Sylph,

Guess who's back writing at "Young and the Restless"?

And 2 episodes a week, I hear. That's four eppys a month.

You said, you said....

Haha.

Love ya!

Sylph,

Guess who's back writing at "Young and the Restless"?

And 2 episodes a week, I hear. That's four eppys a month.

You said, you said....

Haha.

Love ya!

Well, Y&R is still creatively in the gutter, so that person sure isn't helping.

Seems we have an ex Y&R writer on AMC now Sara A. Bibel was listed as an Associated Headwriter today

Seems we have an ex Y&R writer on AMC now Sara A. Bibel was listed as an Associated Headwriter today

Sylph,

Guess who's back writing at "Young and the Restless"?

And 2 episodes a week, I hear. That's four eppys a month.

You said, you said....

Haha.

Love ya!

Hahaha... Yuppie! I'm enjoying this!

Why does this shock/surprise you Sylph?

Why does this shock/surprise you Sylph?

I put those two smileys because I'm at the sime time somewhat schocked and not at all - it's a weird hire... She's been for ages with the Y&R, stepped up the ladder from PA to breakdown writer... Weird, weird... But not that much. Besides, I'd expect her to move to another CBS soap, not ABC Daytime...

^She's only started on Y&R in late 2004, I believe.

I was shocked to see Sara's name.

She's a Sarnoff client, so I guess there's the connection to B&E.

^She's only started on Y&R in late 2004, I believe.

She's been a PA before, I think. Toups will know.

I also want to see R Sinclair's reaction...

Edited November 8, 200718 yr by Sylph

She's been a PA before, I think. Toups will know.

I don't have any end credits between from 1999-2003, so I don't know.

That's finally a step in the right direction for the AMC writing staff. Hopefully she can do some good there, but I still think the headwriters are too awful to make AMC watchable again. They need a strong vision that has NOTHING in common with the McTavish days. B&E haven't restored AMC, they've telling a slightly better version of whatever show McTavish created. AMC needs new headwriters who aren't big McTavish fans.

I think she was a PA... Her IMDb credits are bizarre - they list her only as a writer and as executive producer of In Conflict with Kismet (!).

Check this out - Bibel info with some photos of Y&R crew: Kay, John F., David, Kathryn, Nancy.

Edited November 8, 200718 yr by Sylph