Media Training Question # 86 - Is Detroit 187 Ending Just As It Was Beginning?

March 21, 2011 - PRLog -- If you watched the season finale last night of an excellent television show, Detroit 187, I can almost assure you, like I, was thrilled with the season finale.  It was filled with the kind of acting and drama, not to mention storyline, which makes for compelling television.  As modern day programming goes, the production team and creators of Detroit 187 got it right from the first episode on.

As many of you may also be aware the ratings for Detroit 187 have not set any records, and although they have consistently been second in their time slot for most of the season, and that is after ABC constantly delayed episodes for other programming, a core audience did stay with the show and whether it is enough to keep it going for next year is a question that will be answered in May.

Further adding to the potential woes of this great program is a rather odd factor.  The show is actually shot in Detroit and part of the reason that happened was because Michigan has, but may soon lose, an amazingly attractive tax incentive to shoot any entertainment program in Michigan.  A very attractive tax incentive of 42% has brought many in the film industry to Michigan over the past three years and the new Governor of Michigan, Republican Rick Snyder has targeted this program for retirement claiming that the benefits of this program are overshadowed by the literal cost of the program and if his plan to eliminate the incentive disappears so will the opportunities that have quickly become a successful business in the state.  What does that mean for Detroit 187?  Basically that the show, if it is renewed, will most likely not be shot in Michigan as the cost would skyrocket and cost is always a factor in making any decision of what programming to carry and what to cut.

The Television Writers strike of a few years back changed television forever in my opinion.  Reality TV was almost unheard of up to the time of the strike and because Reality Television requires a significantly less investment in programming, and talent, etc., and furthermore that the genre actually found great favor with audiences, major television networks made a major commitment to that kind of programming taking away opportunities for more traditional episodic television programming, sadly enough.

So where a show like The Bachelor or Survivor, or programs like Minute to Win It  or Deal or No Deal have become common fare during prime time hours, the days of Must See TV have lost favor among programmers because the cost is amazingly lower for Reality Television and the expectation for longevity is reduced significantly as well.  If a Realty show last two to three seasons, there are a plethora of others waiting for their turn.  The cost is negligible as opposed to episodic television and when you are not paying a regular cast who require regular raises, writers who expect raises as well, add in the cost of sets, filming, locations shoots and travel it makes sense from an economic standpoint for the networks to abandon what was once the heart of primetime programming for the dumbed down version of Reality programming.

So does a program like Detroit 187 even have a chance given all of what I just wrote?  Probably not.  It seems that unless you have unqualified, instant runaway success like, the Law and Order Franchise, your ability to provide quality, message driven, talent laden programming constantly has to prove itself over and over again.  Of course cable networks have committed to quality episodic programming, but the real money is still with the big four networks, (CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox).  Even the unsteady viewing numbers for Detroit 187 (averaging about 6 million viewers a week) would be huge ratings hit on any cable network, on the traditional networks they are paltry in comparison and that doesn’t bode well for these quality, message driven programs.

Parenthood, another critical success, also has had a very difficult time garnering and increasing their viewership numbers and NBC has left it alone in their timeslot from week one.  

My ultimate point today is that I adore programming that makes me think.  I love programming that makes me pay attention and use my brain, and I love shows that bring us real characters who they develop over the course of a season who we begin to root for or root against, and Detroit 187 did that for me in spades.  Last night’s episode was perfect and a perfect way to end a season, but not the perfect way to end the show.  What we may have gotten last night was both a season and a series finale and what a shame that would be for those of us that are seemingly shrinking in numbers.  

The kind of television I take the time to watch is often thoughtful and requires those who create programming to be creative, intelligent, visionary and caring.  I just can’t think of one Reality Television program that fits that billing, I just can’t.  You know the kind of show where the characters make us believe in something or rally for something; the kind of show that’s worthy of our time and our energy.  

I am a big fan of Detroit 187 for all of the above reasons and I am also a realist.  Between the major network’s unwillingness to allow a show a few years to find an audience and the state of Michigan’s unwillingness to allow a program that was starting to build a new industry, well, the cards are stacked against Detroit 187.  Maybe a cable network will be willing to pick up the pieces of Detroit 187 and give it new life because for me, I am having a harder and harder time finding programming worthy of my time and intellect, and apparently television programmers are more concerned these days about finding the quick hit and allowing it to burn out quickly and moving on.  And when the most successful and longest airing two shows on television are cartoons, that says more than words ever will.

Let’s hope for a commitment for Detroit 187 but I’m not holding my breath and I wouldn’t if I were you either, it may be the last breath you take.

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As the host of his own nationally syndicated radio programs for 15 years, Tony has interviewed over 25,000 guests and appeared as a guest on over 800 radio and national television shows. He founded of his own public relations firm and he went on to author two books and became a “go to” authority on a myriad of issues from weight loss to self empowerment; from politics to pop culture. His list of media training clients number over 2000, many of them well known celebrities and authors. He and enjoys of the challenge of helping people discover their voice.Tony is respected and well known for his honesty and willingness to do what it takes to get to a core message. He works tirelessly with his clients and advocates for his clients in finding the most passionate and profound tenets of their message and then giving them the tools to deliver that message. http://www.mediatraining.me