MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: WRITING FOR TELEVISION: THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS: GOOD MORNING AMERICA {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television & Radio. Museum curator Ron Simon moderates this seminar, which concentrates on the writing and production of morning television program, "Good Morning America." The panel consists of the show's executive producer Bob Reichblum, editorial producer Roberta Dougherty, managing editor Gerry Solomon, food and cooking producer/writer Jane Bollinger, and co-host Charles Gibson. The panelists offer an inside view into booking guests, balancing scripted material and ad libs, and the reason that most of the show's segments are so brief. In addition to answering Simon's questions, panelists take questions from the seminar audience. Highlights include: Reichblum's analysis that the show is written for television's "most occupied audience"; Dougherty's explanation that the writing style of the show's opening should prepare the viewer for what will occur during the program; Gibson's comments on the informal nature of the program, and whether there should be more or less scripted material; Bollinger revelation that the show's writers must pre-interview guests to ferret out topics that will not work onscreen; Gibson's assertion that "no one" watches CNN or Court TV; Solomon's comments on the role of the writer creating material that will develop the relationships of the hosts; Gibson's acknowledgment that the show sometimes goes on air without being completely booked; Reichblum's assertion that the number of interviews with celebrities plugging their latest movie may need to be reduced in the future; and Gibson's contention that survey research is the bane of modern television. Also included is a clip tape, which features the following segments: a show opening on location in Big Sur, California; a segment of Charles Gibson's report about the series of natural disasters and civil unrest that has plagued California since 1989; Julia Child's interview with food historian and author William Woys Weaver about Pennsylvania Dutch history and cuisine; and a field piece from the Harvard University campus.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: December 1, 1993 6:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:10
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:30453
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ron Simon … Interviewer, Moderator
- Bob Reichblum … Panelist
- Charlie Gibson … Panelist
- Roberta Dougherty … Panelist
- Gerry Solomon … Panelist
- Jane Bollinger … Panelist
- Julia Child
- William Woys Weaver