Who is your role model?
You may have different role models for different parts of your life. My role model as a television programmer has always been the great Brandon Tartikoff, head of NBC's program department in the 80s, who left us much too soon.
Tartikoff became Head of Programming when NBC made the legendary programmer Fred Silverman head of the network. When he started, NBC was in last place. Tartikoff led NBC to first place in the ratings, and held that spot until he left the network. As he liked to say, "Our plan was to play dead for four years and then put Bill Cosby on Thursday night."
Tartikoff loved television and loved his job. He understood the business of television very well, but it was his love for the medium that made him great. He was the perfect audience member. He supported 'cutting edge programs like 'Hill St.Blues' and 'Fame', but also thoroughly enjoyed escapist fare like 'The A-Team.'
That's the most important lesson I learned from Brandon Tartikoff. You do your best work, and you get the best work from your team, if you love what you do. Enthusiasm is contagious. Do you love the material you create? If not, why are you making it? Lesson Two: It's important to try different things, because not everything is going to work. The Cosby Show came to NBC after all other networks turned it down. Even Tartikoff didn't expect it would be one of the most popular shows of all time. NBC certainly had its share of flops under Tartikoff, but the strength of the hits made up for it. Are you working on more than one idea?
There are too many lessons to be contained in one post, so I will write more about this in my next post.
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