How do reality TV producers know what networks are looking for?
Reality TV production companies keep an eye on all the networks to see what they’re looking for, and the way they know what the networks want is in several different ways. Some networks are very open about what they’re looking for and will even publicize it. You can sometimes even open a newspaper and find out what they want, or you can hear a network executive claiming that he wants to find the next something or other. Some networks are more closed about what they want to develop but they will tell the agents in Hollywood what they’re looking for, and then many of the big agencies send out an email to all of their clients saying, “We just talked to Lifetime. They’re looking for the next women’s game show. It should cost about this much and should be deliverable before the end of the year.” Then the clients all think, “Oh! I have something like that” or “I can make up something like that” and go pitch that. That’s another method through which you can find out what the networks are look
