---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Networks are reluctant to take a chance…"
description: "\"Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows that they know will work on some level, but to get the innovative show, it's very difficult...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg"
---

#  Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows…

![“Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows that they know will work on some level, but to get the innovative show, it's very difficult.” quote by James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg)

> “Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows that they know will work on some level, but to get the innovative show, it's very difficult.”

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Networks avoid risk, favoring proven shows, making innovation hard.

**In simple terms:** Risk aversion hinders new ideas.

Key Takeaway

Encourage daring creative projects.

Themes

media innovation risk

Mood

critical optimistic

Type

analysis encouragement

When to use this quote

- pilot pitches
- indie productions
- network meetings

Key Concepts

television creative risk industry dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can innovators break through?
- What incentives promote originality?

A Different Perspective

Financial pressures limit risk.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Networks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networks/) [Reluctant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reluctant/) [Take a chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-a-chance/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm always game for everything. What people don't understand is that the networks are who you have to get to take a chance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-m-always-game-for-everything-what-people-don-t-understand-is-that/)

[RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/)

> [If I think about my life, I'm not reluctant about taking chances. I'm definitely not reluctant about relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-hudson/if-i-think-about-my-life-i-m-not-reluctant-about-taking-chances-i-m/)

[Kate Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-hudson/)

> [ “Tags \[distinctive agent features observable by other agents\] almost always define the network by delimiting the critical interactions, the major connections. Tags acquire this… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-holland/tags-distinctive-agent-features-observable-by-other-agents-almost/)

John H. Holland

> [Once Europe's colonial empires were sent into deep decline, thanks to World War II, America became globalization's primary replicating force, integrating Asia into its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-p-m-barnett/once-europe-s-colonial-empires-were-sent-into-deep-decline-thanks-to/)

[Thomas P.M. Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-p-m-barnett/)

> [People like me have to have the discipline only to work for clients, corporations, political people, products, services, networks that we believe in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/people-like-me-have-to-have-the-discipline-only-to-work-for-clients/)

[Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/)

> [I like to think that I'm a populist entertainer, but I'm a little bit idiosyncratic, and sometimes the networks wouldn't really roll with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-like-to-think-that-i-m-a-populist-entertainer-but-i-m-a-little-bit/)

[Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/)

> [The Internet, the network of networks, is growing at an exponential pace. It's growing so fast, in fact, nobody really knows how many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/the-internet-the-network-of-networks-is-growing-at-an-exponential/)

[Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/)

> [The reason we form networks is because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs. It's to our advantage as individuals and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-a-christakis/the-reason-we-form-networks-is-because-the-benefits-of-a-connected/)

[Nicholas A. Christakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-a-christakis/)

> [At the same time, on the networks, there are thousands of groups that are building lifestreams, or lifestreaming for themselves in their own way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gelernter/at-the-same-time-on-the-networks-there-are-thousands-of-groups-that/)

[David Gelernter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gelernter/)

> [Information is recorded in vast interconnecting networks. Each idea or image has hundreds, perhaps thousands, of associations and is connected to numerous other points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-russell/information-is-recorded-in-vast-interconnecting-networks-each-idea-or/)

[Peter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-russell/)

> [In social networks, you gain and bestow status through those you associate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/in-social-networks-you-gain-and-bestow-status-through-those-you/)

[Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/)

> [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/)

[Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/)

> [I think the networks used to try to program for kids and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schneider/i-think-the-networks-used-to-try-to-program-for-kids-and-family/)

[Dan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schneider/)

> [“No algorithm exists for the metaphor, nor can a metaphor be produced by means of a computer’s precise instructions, no matter what the volume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/no-algorithm-exists-for-the-metaphor-nor-can-a-metaphor-be-produced/)

[Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/)

> [It turns out that social networks drive a heck of a lot of traffic to blogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/it-turns-out-that-social-networks-drive-a-heck-of-a-lot-of-traffic-to/)

[Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/)

## More by James Burrows

> [Most of the pilots I choose do not have high-concept ideas, so for me it's not the idea as much as the execution of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/most-of-the-pilots-i-choose-do-not-have-high-concept-ideas-so-for-me/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [Sometimes an actor will stumble on the joke, and I'm right on them. Back it up before the audience hears the bad version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/sometimes-an-actor-will-stumble-on-the-joke-and-i-m-right-on-them/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [I know what's funny, and I probably know the best way to deliver the joke. Whether it's walking out of a room, facing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-know-what-s-funny-and-i-probably-know-the-best-way-to-deliver-the/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [Script comes first, then the actors, then you gotta be lucky enough to get the right time slot. Then people have to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/script-comes-first-then-the-actors-then-you-gotta-be-lucky-enough-to/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [My father was weaned on books. I'm halfway between being weaned on books and weaned on television. And if you're weaned on television, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/my-father-was-weaned-on-books-i-m-halfway-between-being-weaned-on/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [I have a fun clause in my contract. If I'm not having fun, I can leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-have-a-fun-clause-in-my-contract-if-i-m-not-having-fun-i-can-leave/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [I'll tell you what I love about directing: the surprise. You never know what's going to happen with your piece until an audience weighs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-ll-tell-you-what-i-love-about-directing-the-surprise-you-never-know/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [I remember on the pilot of 'Will and Grace' some executives from NBC saying to me, 'There are too many gay jokes.' I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-remember-on-the-pilot-of-will-and-grace-some-executives-from-nbc/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [The best thing for an actor is to try it his way. The way they do it may not work, but it may inspire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/the-best-thing-for-an-actor-is-to-try-it-his-way-the-way-they-do-it/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [On 'Taxi,' I had the great fortune of directing many wonderful episodes, none more classic than Reverend Jim's driving test. It was maybe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/on-taxi-i-had-the-great-fortune-of-directing-many-wonderful-episodes/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [My father was Abe Burrows, who was a Broadway legend. 'Guys and Dolls,' 'How to Succeed,' 'Cactus Flower,' '40 Karats,' 'Can-Can,' 'Happy Hunting,' 'Reclining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/my-father-was-abe-burrows-who-was-a-broadway-legend-guys-and-dolls/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

> [I didn't have the drive; I never wanted to be in show business. I went into my father's business because of osmosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-didn-t-have-the-drive-i-never-wanted-to-be-in-show-business-i-went/)

[James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

[Explore all 13 James Burrows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/)

## More Chance quotes

> [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/)

[Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/)

> [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/)

[Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/)

> [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/)

[Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/)

> [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/)

[Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/)

> [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/)

[Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/)

[Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/)

> [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/)

Alejandro Taubas

> [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/)

[Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/)

> [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/)

[Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/)

> [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/)

[Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/)

[Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows that they know will work on some level, but to get the innovative show, it's very difficult.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Burrows"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance-they-put-on-shows-that-they/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance-they-put-on-shows-that-they/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/james-burrows-35721_chance_networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance_2426755.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Networks are reluctant to take a chance. They put on shows that they know will work on some level, but to…” — James Burrows",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "James Burrows",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Networks are reluctant to take a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance-they-put-on-shows-that-they/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/networks-are-reluctant-to-take-a-chance-they-put-on-shows-that-they/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
