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Kevin Reilly, Chair of Fox Entertainment, Has Tough Words for Hollywood: ‘We’re Too Obsessed With Each Other and Not Enough With the Consumer.’ Rethinking Needed, From the Way Shows Are Created to When They Air

Nov 29, 2012  •  Post A Comment

Fox Broadcasting Chairman of Entertainment Kevin Reilly has some tough words for those in the TV business.

"Reilly said the industry has not gotten its arms around the impact of the DVR or the need to consider how viewers embrace and engage with a show, as well as how it rates," according to a report written by Alex Ben Block in The Hollywood Reporter. The piece continues: "He added that a lot of people who make TV don’t actually watch it the way real people watch it."

In a headline-making moment, Reilly said, “A lot of us — the way we conduct ourselves — we have our head up our ass."

According to the story, Reilly added: "As an industry, when you’re in the talent business, we are way too obsessed on the competition with each other and not enough with the consumer. The consumer has spoken loudly and clearly, and the genie is not going back in the bottle."

The story then notes that Reilly "argued that TV needs to adapt to these changes — from the way shows are created to when they air."

Reilly is then quoted as saying: “The one-size-fits-all nature of the business for the most part worked well for 50 years, but now there is an evolution. This is what I mean when I say our heads are up our ass. … I see us in the industry buying cut-rate fare because [we think] people want to watch cut-rate fare in summer. That’s not true.“

Reilly’s comments come from a TV industry panel he was on during a luncheon in the Century City area of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012.

One Comment

  1. “Reilly said the industry has not gotten its arms around the impact of the DVR or the need to consider how viewers embrace and engage with a show, as well as how it rates.”
    Shall we not forget how the actors, not “stars” are portrayed off-stage. Seems allot of Hollywood is acting like they are selfish and out of touch with the rest of America and it’s consumers, who may face financial issues ahead. Anything and everything will matter in spending. This will include private lives and public lives of the people see, not just in the USA, but the world. For example, the Dixie chick and what happened was for CD’s and Radio. Convert this thinking into TV and DVD… and you’ll see that sometimes bad comments and bad actions don’t sell TV shows or DVD’s. Mel Gibson might be a good Movie and DVD example. Michael Richards (Kramer) is a good TV example.

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