Something akin to "It's hard to be modest."

KL

Steve said "It's hard to be humble" and laughed.

"It's hard to be humble"


As far as History Channel shows on railroading, I much preferred the "Trains Unlimited" series from the 90's. I used to be a History Channel junkie, but I don't watch it much any more. They seem to have forgotten what their name is, with sensationalized "un-reality" style junk programming like "Ice Road Truckers", "Gangland", and that contemporary logging show last year. I don't see much history in their programming any more. Heck, they haven't run anything about Hitler in months.....................:)

Yes, you know things are going downhill when it's been a while since the last program featuring Hitler or WWII.. very astute observation!

I too, liked "Trains Unlimited". Sure, they recylcled film like nobodie's business, and re-dubbed 99% of the train sounds, but it still beats extreme closeup, er, extreme trains.

Want to see something extreme? A camera crew should have been there while I changed out a knuckle on the NEC....

Agreed on the Trains Unlimited. History International has them in regular rotation during their "Voyages" segment.

They certainly would've been better off with "Railroad Jungle!" :P

Hey, does anyone remember when MTV actually just ran music videos? I was trying to explain this to my niece the other day and she really didn't believe me! You're forgetting about their venture into a lot of UFO and ghost stuff as well. It seems like they're trying to find a market that will stick. They're not even the History Channel anymore. They dropped the word Channel for some reason. http://www.history.com/ I know the guy who created and made the show "Mail Call," and I got the feeling that he has a sour taste on the whole network. Mail call was one of the network's highest rated shows for years and they started messing with schedules, running re-runs for no reason and generally driving away the audience. I truly miss Mail Call as I got the opportunity to be on the show in 2005: http://www.freewebs.com/willysmb44/MailCallHost.JPG http://www.freewebs.com/willysmb44/GunnyNLee.JPG I even got to watch "The Gunny" shoot watermelons with live ammo!
But yeah, Trains Unlimited was sometimes a stock footage festival but it was still a really good show. For a while they're run them in re-runs, haven't seen any episodes in years. This reminds me of when TNT network's early years. They seemed to run a 1960s WW2 movie almost every day. People got to referring to the network's initials a "Total Nazi Television."

Oh, that's rich!

Sort of like doing a continuity test while constantly looking over one's shoulder for a 90 mph push-pull coming around the curve. Nervy!

I was approached by one of these cable channels a while back regarding contributing to, or writing, a show that could well have involved a railroad theme--part of an "Underground" series.

I asked the producers to send me examples of shows already sold/in the pipeline. I was sent a pair of production master DVDs that included that now-infamous Grand Central Terminal "Underground" show, complete with that breathless NYC MTA PR hack going on about that "mysterious" baggage car under the Waldorf-Astoria that "could have been" the roll-on/roll-off "secret" transport for FDR's limo...........

Much as I wanted the work and pay, I refused to dignify them with a response.

Good to see RYPNegative is alive and well. ;-)

Here's a tidbit for those who care about the future. My six year old son's hockey team is loaded with kids addicted to this show. Yesterday's locker room conversation was all about #844. I have never heard anything about trains with this group before.

When you find a better way to ignite youth, let me know.

I am volunteering at a model railroad & live steam show this month, and it is easy to see the impact this show is having upon kids.

And in both of these examples, it has the parents talking, too.

Many of us have discussed how you transition kids from Thomas without losing them to Star Wars, Wii, etc... Well, this show is proving to be a key.

Rob

PS: Everyone loves to complain about TV shows. I get it, having been that business for quite awhile. But it comes down to the same answer deserved when complaining about how such and such museum painted this and that "wrong." The answer? What did you do to help? What have you done to put something better in the marketplace? Do'ers get criticized, it is human nature, I guess.

A thought... given Matt's high profile, has anyone thought of having to your heritage railroad for a personal appearance? I bet you'd get quite a bit of PR and earned media coverage.

Rob

Due respect Rob, but why can't we "ignite youth" without compromising in quality and aiming for the lowest common denominator of idiot box programming? Can't we produce a quality product that is equally engrossing and perhaps through better entertainment, also involve our audience more? Have we been taught and programmed to respond to shallow and fascile at the expense of something that is deeper and more thought provoking / evocative? Can't we simply reverse that programming by flooding the media with better stuff if so?

I'm really interested in this - and in your input as an insider in the industry. I do understand how much cheaper it is to produce a "reality" show or contest show than a decent, well written and produced drama or comedy, but good shows don't seem to be doing too badly, especially on cable............ or is it a demographic situation?

dave

Dave,

I think your comments belie the type of viewer you are (and I am the same type). You like something more high-brow. I do, too.

We are not the target audience of "Extreme Trains." I say that based upon how the show is produced and promoted. So, what you see as the lowest common denominator is actually an appropriate style to use when reaching a certain audience. When I speak to people able the show who are not buffs or rail historians, it is clear to me that it does connect and it is working.

So, what I propose we think about is this: "Extreme Trains" is an entry-level show targeted at an audience that does not include most of the people on RYPN. Now, if we want something "better" like Steven Hussar produces, we need to look at ways to fund and distribute through appropriate distribution channels.

Of course, there are always the railfan videos they show on RFD, which to me are usually 100 times more unwatchable than "Extreme Trains."

I was part of MTV development during the years we turned away from music (which someone brought up earlier in this thread). Networks choose target audiences based upon a number of factors, and the programming is tailored to those audiences.

WIthout any inside info, my ancillary "data" shows "Extreme Trains" works for a certain audience. And we have to remember, just like with museums and tourist railroads, there are not enough buffs to fill the seats. We need to reach the lay person and the kids.

Just as a museum interpretive exhibit that is too high-brow will miss its audience, so will a TV show.

Food for thought,

Rob

What it's making me think is that perhaps I have been mistaken all along about our need to produce higher quality experiences in order to attract visitors and bring them back more than once. If something fast and shallow is what the majority of people want, why should we try to do better?

Perhaps interpretation isn't required either, and we ought to reconsider our mission statements.

What can we do that would be adequately cheap and dirty to bring in the crowds?

dave