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Desperate Networks, by Bill Carter, is an incredibly fascinating read for anyone who, like me, loves watching TV and wants to learn more about the high-flying world of network programming. It’s filled with interesting stories about the most successful shows of the past decade, including Friends, Survivor, American Idol, Desperate Housewives, Lost, and CSI. I thought I’d share the top five things I learned from this book:

1. Network program executives are routinely punished for their aversion to risk. To an extent, this makes sense; taking a show from script to pilot to a scheduled series is extremely expensive, lead times are long, it is very difficult to predict audience reactions, and the opportunity cost of putting an unsuccessful show in the schedule is high. But the bets they are too afraid to place, as when Fox let a relatively small licensing fee scare them away from picking up Friends, seem to cost them far more than the bets they lose. The one exception is the launch of Lost and Desperate Housewives in 2004, which was very risky but happened nonetheless, mostly because ABC was so down-and-out that it had nothing left to lose. (Incidentally, I believe that, against their own instincts, networks will be saved from irrelevance by the rise of web-based television, which can dramatically reduce the cost of taking risks on new programming.)

2. The root cause of this risk aversion is that these executives often have no clue how to tell the difference between a dud and a hit. It’s astonishing how many of the most successful shows of the last decade were lucky to get on the air at all, being passed on by multiple networks, often multiple times, while these same networks doubled down on much-ballyhooed alternatives that quickly became unmitigated failures. It’s no wonder that once they stumble onto a success — like ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — networks run it into the ground, squeezing every last dollar out of it and leaving viewers wondering why TV always seems like more of the same.

3. The way networks and studios are organized often undermines their decision-making. For example, the creator of Desperate Housewives, Marc Cherry, had many doors slammed in his face because he first pitched the show to comedy departments. He only made headway once he realized he should pitch to drama departments instead, many of whom ignored him at first because his past writing experience was in comedy, not drama. Housewives straddles these two genres; the wall between comedy and drama prevented many from having the vision necessary to recognize its unique appeal. Meanwhile, the extremely hierarchical cultures of these organizations often mean that good shows don’t get a fair chance.

4. The business of TV program development and scheduling is personal. Rivalries run deep, and they run all the way to the top. Many of the decisions that make or break seasons are more driven by individual personalities than I might have realized, and even the best shows can’t get on the air without an advocate who has strong relationships.

5. Just like on the web, content is king. You can pull all the promotional stunts you want, load your programming with big names, and maneuver your schedule like crazy, but there is simply no substitute for good stories, compelling characters, and top-notch production. Networks who prioritize long-term quality over short-term hype always win.

Anyway, it’s a good read. If you have any other recommendations for related books, I’d love to hear them!