Videoage International April 2019

April 2019 V I D E O A G E 16 Television Cri t ics Associat ion recognizing excellence in television across eight categories: Comedy, Drama, Special, Children, News, Sports, Career, and Program of the Year. That season The Cosby Show won for best comedy and Ted Koppel was honored for having the best news program. Three years earlier, when the awards were being discussed by the officers, it was decided that they would not sell the rights to broadcast the awards to the networks, as this would have created a clear conflict of interest: turning reporters whose job it was to report on news about television into suppliers of content for the medium. In an effort to put an end to a long-standing source of friction, ABC and CBS stopped paying for the hotel rooms and flights of journalists attend- ing the press tours. The TCA applauded the decision, as it advocated for newspapers paying for their own critics to come to the event. This change also gave the TCA more leverage in scheduling the tours, a role that had previously been entirely in the hands of the networks. Starting with the 1989 TCA, officers would also take over negotiating hotel rates for the tour. The networks continued to supply all the meals, their rationale being that critics going out of the hotel to seek out their own meals would take time away from the tour, which, al- though already over two weeks in length during the summer and 10 days in the winter, still took over 12 hours a day to fit in all the press conferences. On July 17, 1998, after years of controversy, stalemates, and gen- eral disagreements, the TCA unani- mously adopted a code of profes- sional conduct for use during the press tours. Among the principles agreed to were that TCA members not use the tour for non-journalistic self-promotion. This included try- ing to sell their own scripts to net- work heads, requesting autographs, or monopolizing the time of pro- ducers and actors rather than allowing everyone a chance to ask questions. The TCA also surprised the networks and cable services by requesting that they cease handing out branded mer- chandise (T-shirts, key chains, gym bags, etc.) irrelevant to their function as journalists. They let it be known that they would still welcome books, DVDs, and CDs related to the shows — products that con- tained information rather than just branding. This effort was undertaken to counter the seeming arms race between networks, which were often spending upwards of $15,000 per tour producing logo-em- blazoned memorabilia to give to attending critics. The 2000s were largely busi- ness as usual for the TCA: Organizing the press tour, interviewing network talent, and hosting discussions about the current direction and fu- ture of television. After over 30 years, tensions still remain both within the TCA and with the networks. As with film re- viewing, critics face a pressing need both to maintain their in- dependence and not to offend those whose products they are reviewing, for fear of being de- nied access to sources. That being said, the TCA has made remarkable progress at asserting its members’ rights as journalists and in gaining control over the press tours that bring them and the net- works together. They have transformed an industry- controlled promotional event, one that treated them like as- sociate publicity agents, into a journalistic opportunity. Natalie Alyn Lind at the 2019 TCA press tour in Pasadena Company ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 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Hotel in L.A. (this info not for publication) ...................................................................................................................... Arrival date .................................................................... Departure date .................................................................... L.A. SCREENINGS 2019 It’s that time of the year! Submit your info for VideoAge’s Of cial L.A. Screenings Guide (Free listing -- The Guide will be complimentary delivered to all Studios and to your hotel) Please ll out this form, scan it and return it to: LAScreenings@videoageinternational.com Thanks VIDEOAGE 356 East 74 Street New York NY 10021 Tel: 212/288-3933 Fax: 212/288-3424 www.videoage.org