The Lost Files – Pocketbooks Explain Our Priorities
The Lost Files were weekly columns written back around 2001-2003 while I was running a newspaper in the Midwest. They seem to have disappeared from the Internet, probably after some redesign of the newspaper’s web site. So, from time to time, I’ll repost some of my favorites from saved hard copies (that’s paper to you new media types).
I was reading the newspaper recently – OK, I know that comes off as obvious – when I spied an article saying NBC was going to cut up to 10 percent of its workforce – roughly 600 jobs.
Company officials said the current economic climate, with downturns in advertising revenue, is forcing them to “go beyond belt tightening.” What a difference a couple of months make. The Peacock made more than $900 million in revenue from the Summer Olympics alone.
Reading between the lines – we newspaper types do that a lot – highlights the real problem. Four of the company’s seven new series completely flopped. In addition, those few shows that are succeeding – “ER” and “Friends” for example – are costing the network big, big bucks. And that’s the real reason people are getting the ax.
Take “Friends” for example. I recently read that the six stars finally agreed to come back after “tough negotiations.” How tough? How about $750,000 each per episode. Film 10 episodes, and we’re talking $7.5 million times six. And NBC says it’s going to have to do some belt tightening by laying off 600 people. I wonder if these employees’ slaries are even $100,000 a year.
Yes, I understand economics. “Friends” brings in a lot of revenue for the network. Yet I wonder if we’re not missing the big picture. Is anyone worth $750,000 for a 30-minute comedy? Heck, do the math. Let’s say the average person getting axed makes $75,000 annually – I’m being generous. Let the stars be real stars and give up one show’s salary, saving 10 jobs. One show, 10 jobs.
I’m not picking on “Friends.” I like the show and watch it occasionally. But I don’t need NBC to shell out $4.5 million per episode just for salaries for six angst-riddden semi-adults to make me laugh. If I really want to laugh, I just spend some time with my two sons and watch them. It’s time better spent anyway.
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I find it ironic how we as a nation define what is important. I’m one of those who believes that where and how one spends one’s money defines that person. We as a nation don’t seem to have any problem with some athlete signing contracts for tens of millions of dollars. We don’t seem to have a problem paying some star hundreds of thousands of dollars for one TV episode, or $20 million for a movie.
Yet we wring our hands, furrow our brow and complain about higher taxes when it comes to teachers. In Nebraska, the average teacher salary is around $30,000 annually. Let’s see, “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston could pay the salary of 25 teachers for a year by giving up the saslary from one episode.
Now, I’m not faulting Jennifer. The network caved in and agreed to pay her that outrageous sum, and she’d be stupid not to take it. But I wonder who will have the bigger impact on our children’s lives. Some comedy show that no one will remember in a few years, or some teacher who taught them to read, to add and subtract, who instilled in them a thirst for knowledge?
Everyone remembers their teachers. And we each have those special teachers that had a huge influence on our lives. Just thinking about them makes us smile – caught you, didn’t I? Yet how many of us are going to remember Jennifer Aniston’s “famous” haircut or who was sleeping with whom on the show at what time – and who really cares?
Just where are our priorities? What is most important to us? If you ask me, our pocketbooks always tell the answer.
Until next time.
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