They have to. Amid the sales patter, there's likely to pop out an insight or revelation worth noting. So it wasn't surprising the other day when ears cocked to hear the relatively new NBC entertainment president, Jeff Zucker, opine on the future of TV movies. Zucker said they were dead. The cocked ears began scratching their heads.
Movies make up a big share of what's on television.
Sober opinion is emerging to suggest that Zucker spoke before he thought. At the least, he was exaggerating. Media people point out two major flaws in Zucker s comment. Second, media people point out, TV movies go through cycles, as do all genres, but the genre itself is not at risk of dying. It s a ratings-based game.