--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The threat to free television. The reason…" description: "\"The threat to free television. The reason television is free is because it is a life support system for commercials. That fundamental aspect is about t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/dick-wolf-17740_aspect_the-threat-to-free-television-the-reason_1098453.jpg" --- # The threat to free television. The reason television is… ![“The threat to free television. The reason television is free is because it is a life support system for commercials. That fundamental aspect is about to change.” quote by Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/dick-wolf-17740_aspect_the-threat-to-free-television-the-reason_1098453.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/dick-wolf-17740_aspect_the-threat-to-free-television-the-reason_1098453.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/dick-wolf-17740_aspect_the-threat-to-free-television-the-reason_1098453.jpg) > “The threat to free television. The reason television is free is because it is a life support system for commercials. That fundamental aspect is about to change.” [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Television’s free access is sustained by advertising revenue, but shifts in media consumption threaten that model. **In simple terms:** Ads fund free TV, but change is coming. Key Takeaway Adapt to new funding models. Themes media economics technology Mood concerned analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - broadcast TV - streaming services - advertiser relations Key Concepts advertising business model disruption Questions to Reflect On - How will content creators fund free access? - What alternatives exist for ad‑free models? A Different Perspective Advertising may not replace all revenue sources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Free life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-system/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy means free television, not good television, but free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/democracy-means-free-television-not-good-television-but-free/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [I grew up with free television. Now, it wasn't free, there was these commercials, and so the economic model was driven through commercials and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/i-grew-up-with-free-television-now-it-wasn-t-free-there-was-these/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [It's very complicated. There's been this broader mechanism, an industry, which wants people to use free services, from the old days of advertising-supported papers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astra-taylor/it-s-very-complicated-there-s-been-this-broader-mechanism-an-industry/) [Astra Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astra-taylor/) > ['Fire Walk With Me' was so divisive because the tone was so different than the TV series. But now television is almost more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-smith/fire-walk-with-me-was-so-divisive-because-the-tone-was-so-different/) [Dan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-smith/) > [We can't just have mainstream behavior on television in a free society, we have to make sure we see the whole panorama of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-springer/we-can-t-just-have-mainstream-behavior-on-television-in-a-free/) [Jerry Springer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-springer/) > [Once you have some sort of reputation in the outside world, they will try to woo you. They will say, "Won't you come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/once-you-have-some-sort-of-reputation-in-the-outside-world-they-will/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [I work from a deep sense of insecurity. I have the belief, and I can't shake it, that there are endless reasons to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-lorre/i-work-from-a-deep-sense-of-insecurity-i-have-the-belief-and-i-can-t/) [Chuck Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-lorre/) > [Different mediums are giving a different kind of satisfaction. The reason I do television, if I do web for the same reason, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-wahi/different-mediums-are-giving-a-different-kind-of-satisfaction-the/) [Karan Wahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-wahi/) > [People have been affected by the concept of one minute fame.' This is actually a problem with television. The whole world is getting crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirron-kher/people-have-been-affected-by-the-concept-of-one-minute-fame-this-is/) [Kirron Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirron-kher/) > [The only reason to do a television series is to make it successful. And if it is successful, that's a six or seven year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrien-brody/the-only-reason-to-do-a-television-series-is-to-make-it-successful/) [Adrien Brody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrien-brody/) > [For some reason, television still bores me. Even the best shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/for-some-reason-television-still-bores-me-even-the-best-shows/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I'm a huge fan of television, and the reason I'm a part of the world is because I'm a fan of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-television-and-the-reason-i-m-a-part-of-the-world/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [The reason I do television is because we all have to work and earn a living, as I have four children. It's also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/the-reason-i-do-television-is-because-we-all-have-to-work-and-earn-a/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [I am not interested in producing fiction for Indian television at all, the reason being that I don't understand the medium. I can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-johar/i-am-not-interested-in-producing-fiction-for-indian-television-at-all/) [Karan Johar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-johar/) > [The Internet is going to have a bigger impact on content creators than the television ever had. The reason why that's the case is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kilar/the-internet-is-going-to-have-a-bigger-impact-on-content-creators/) [Jason Kilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kilar/) ## More by Dick Wolf > [There was an interesting article in Los Angeles Magazine about women directors. A woman director makes one bad independent film and her career is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-was-an-interesting-article-in-los-angeles-magazine-about-women/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I don't think you can really make television based on what you think audiences want. You can only make stories that you like, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-don-t-think-you-can-really-make-television-based-on-what-you-think/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [There are professional negotiators working for the writers and the actors, but basically you've got the writers and actors negotiating against businessmen. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-are-professional-negotiators-working-for-the-writers-and-the/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [The story drove the book. That had a very seminal effect on the way I saw writing and storytelling. If you can set a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/the-story-drove-the-book-that-had-a-very-seminal-effect-on-the-way-i/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I've known John Landgraf for 20 years. He said it perfectly. People will ask if I've seen X. My response has often been, 'Seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-ve-known-john-landgraf-for-20-years-he-said-it-perfectly-people/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [People recognize certain things, like 'D' means 'this dialogue stinks.' We're dealing with shows that are written here, shot in New York and posted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/people-recognize-certain-things-like-d-means-this-dialogue-stinks-we/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the history of show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-consider-myself-one-of-the-luckiest-people-in-the-history-of-show/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [People do have viewing patterns, and you disrupt those at your own peril. That's something that everybody learned after 1988. The numbers have gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/people-do-have-viewing-patterns-and-you-disrupt-those-at-your-own/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I think most people don't react well to being screamed at. It's counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-think-most-people-don-t-react-well-to-being-screamed-at-it-s/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [Advertising is the art of the tiny. You have to tell a complete a story and deliver a complete message in a very encapsulated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/advertising-is-the-art-of-the-tiny-you-have-to-tell-a-complete-a/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [And the consumer doesn't care. They don't watch networks, they watch TV shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/and-the-consumer-doesn-t-care-they-don-t-watch-networks-they-watch-tv/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I hardly see myself as a futurist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-hardly-see-myself-as-a-futurist/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [I would say that if you really wished to be a working member of the community, don't go out on strike because then there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/i-would-say-that-if-you-really-wished-to-be-a-working-member-of-the/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [There are other options out there, after all, like read a book, go on the Internet, rent a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/there-are-other-options-out-there-after-all-like-read-a-book-go-on/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) > [If you're going to vote on a television contract, there is a certain rationality to saying that the same structures that are applied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-wolf/if-you-re-going-to-vote-on-a-television-contract-there-is-a-certain/) [Dick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) [Explore all 36 Dick Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-wolf/) ## More Aspect quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? 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To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [I do miss the social aspect of sitting in a pub with a pint but you know what when I get down to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-do-miss-the-social-aspect-of-sitting-in-a-pub-with-a-pint-but-you/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) Fernando Bujones > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) Browse all 3,171 Aspect quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The threat to free television. 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