Pruning Old Friends

With the current downturn in the TV economy (TIME, Feb. 1), the networks are cutting expenses as if they were X-rated movies. Employee rolls have also been snipped a bit. But even the latest reductions--at CBS and ABC --were what one ABC spokesman called a "pruning" involving faceless people, like secretaries or technicians. The next likely cutback will affect the viewers directly: it could involve old family friends like Ed Sullivan, Lawrence Welk and the Beverly Hillbillies.

TV series, according to industry rule of thumb, rise in cost between 8% and 10% a season. At the same time, they and their audiences often become more antique and less attractive to sponsors. That is why CBS last year dumped Petticoat Junction despite its relatively high ratings. Next season, with the networks limited to three nightly hours in prime time, there will be even less room for such granddaddy programs as CBS's Ed Sullivan Show (22 years old), NBC's The Red Skelton Show (19), ABC's Lawrence Welk Show (16) and CBS's The Beverly Hillbillies (9). They could be given a reprieve when the networks make their final decisions in the next month or so, but all seem likely to die as of now. Two younger golden oldies, Marlo Thomas's That Girl on ABC and NBC's The Bill Cosby Show, announced their retirements before the networks could consider canning them. Diahann Carroll's Julia is probably going off NBC after three seasons.

A particularly revealing illustration of the economic crunch is the case of Mission: Impossible. Paramount Television sells the series to CBS for upwards of $210,000 per episode, plus perhaps another 10% to 15% for one summer repeat. Even at that top dollar. Paramount reportedly loses about $30,000 a week on the multistarred, action-crammed production. Mission will ultimately be a moneymaker--but only after it goes off network and the studio is then allowed to syndicate second and subsequent rerun rights. Thus, though the show may well be renewed, its producers would probably not grieve overmuch if it should selfdestruct.

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