Gary Halbert · whole document (21)
a product self on tv
However, even though it's changing, right now, most quality programming goes to the big broadcast networks which are ABC, CBS and NBC. But, who or what is going to fill all those big holes in cable available time known as "avails"?
Enter The Entrepreneur
What's happened is many cable stations now, instead of paying some independent producer for the rights to broadcast his game show are, instead, getting paid to air certain programs created by self-serving entrepreneurs. The way this works is the entrepreneur will create a 1/2 hour TV "talk show" that interviews a real estate guru who explains how he learned to buy real estate with no money down. Then, during the commercial breaks, instead of selling TV spots to soap companies or something, the entrepreneur uses that commercial time himself to sell something related to the subject of the show.
Like, for example, a home study course with audio cassettes and written material created by the "star" of the show which will teach you how to buy real estate with no money down.
Now pay attention to this: These shows won't work unless they have a unique angle and/or some news value to them. In other words, if you own a car lot and you want someone to do a show about you just because you want to sell more cars, you can forget it. If, on the other hand, you have discovered a way to buy "cocaine Cadillacs" which have been confiscated from drug dealers... and... you can teach others how to do the same and get real bargains... well... that's a different matter.
See what you could do in a case like this is create a set of eight audio cassettes along with some written instructions which will show others how to do it. Then, what you do is contact someone (like me) who is interested in new TV ideas and, if that person likes the idea, he may very well put up all the money and expertise to make it happen.
Here's how it might work. You talk to a producer and, if he's interested at all, you send him your cassette course. Then, the producer will outline the show, arrange for a camera crew and studio time and tell you when to show up at the studio. When the show is taped, you will be interviewed by an expert TV host who will ask you questions designed to draw out the interesting story about how you learned to buy all these confiscated vehicles at dirt-cheap prices.